His Last Name by D. Lambert

Author:D. Lambert
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: 4 Horsemen Publications
Published: 2024-11-20T17:59:53+00:00

12

For three days, Cole watched Shimmer follow Sedgan around. While Cole’s mother cared for the celebrant’s needs, Shimmer offered different remedies. Cole listened in, watching the Woodcutter’s Retreat village and listening for news about Kitable. Part of him wanted to find the wisavi coming back for Shimmer. The other part of him was happy to have his older brother gone and Shimmer left behind.

But it hurt her. When she wasn’t doting on Sedgan, trying to find a combination of drugs that would wake his blanked mind, Cole saw Shimmer fighting back tears or staring off into the distance. It was as if a family member had died, and she was beset by grief. She left her master’s staff in the corner of the room and would not look at it.

Cole did what he could to bring her out of it, telling her stories over dinner to make her laugh and ensuring anything she needed was available. At the end of the three days, though, the lucky rabbit’s foot rattled, indicating a message for him.

Cole left the cottage and went to the forest. He tried to ignore the scorch marks on the trees and how he felt the storm rising in memory as he walked through the trees. He had grown up in these woods, and now they looked different, darker. Every chipped piece of bark reminded him of the magic he had witnessed.

Once far enough from the cottage, Cole sat on a log and pulled out his pendant. “I’m here,” he said.

<I was starting to get worried,> Black’s voice said into Cole’s mind.

“Been busy,” Cole replied.

The pause on the other end of the communication made Cole nervous.

<With what?> Black asked.

He didn’t have to tell Black about helping Shimmer free her master or Tamort’s later decision to attack Kitable. He certainly didn’t have to discuss that he had discovered his brother was the Wisavi of Espar.

But he knew Black well enough to know his cadre leader knew at least half of that and may be offended if Cole didn’t admit he knew too.

“Tamort’s dead,” Cole said.

The pause lingered again. It was followed at length by, <This have something to do with that girl you were with in StonePeak?>

“Yeah,” Cole said. “You still want to meet her?”

<Vehemently,> Black replied. <We clearly have to discuss more than payment. My hall, tomorrow evening.>

Cole looked around at the forest again, disappointed that he could not stay longer. But sitting around Woodcutter’s Retreat was not useful. At this point, Sedgan was the walking dead, and Cole could do nothing about it.

“I’ll start walking now,” he said. Refusal was not an option anyway.

<Bring her,> Black said.

“I’ll do what I can, but she’s not the kind you order around.”

This time, Cole heard a smile in Black’s voice. <I figured.>

The connection to Black’s stone terminated. The twittering of magic was replaced by the buzz of the daylight forest.

Cole sat for a moment more, wondering if he should have said something else. Dinner would be interesting. Should he confront Black

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