Two bedraggled people struggled over the hilltop. One looked like a young boy and the other, his father. But that made no sense, because the older one smelled like a Shae.
Thealos felt the other Shae’s presence strongly now and watched his head jerk up.
“By all that’s holy, it’s Exeres,” Allavin said, chuckling. He stood also.
“Who’s Exeres?”
“He’s a Zerite…a priest. Met him wandering like a fool in the Shadows Wood. Hello friend!” he said, just loud enough that it wouldn’t carry far.
Thealos watched the priest stagger up and felt a twinge of disappointment. He was a Shae, but only a half-blood. The humanness of his features were striking—a blocky face, wide temples, full nose. His hair was long and silver, as fine as silk threads and classically Shae. A patch covered one of his eyes. His smile was handsome but haggard, and he seemed delighted to see Allavin Devers. He knew instantly that it was the man Jaerod had been trying to find. A little flicker of jealousy stabbed him, but he crushed it.
“Did you come up from Castun?” Allavin asked and the priest nodded, trying to catch his breath. The young man he was with collapsed, gasping.
“What’s happening down there? Did you get a look at it?”
The priest flinched and his eyes lit with some kind of inner irony. The expression on his face said plenty. He’d been in the eye of the storm.
“I’m sorry…so winded…give me…moment.” He pressed his knees and hunched over. Sweat dripped from his nose.
Allavin handed him a flask and he took it and smelled it.
“It’s water, not wine, priest. I know what you can have.”
The priest shook his head. “How fresh?” He smelled it again. “The water’s been… tainted. Up north. Kiran Thall are poisoning it. Tonight.”
“With what?” Thealos asked. The smell of Forbidden magic loomed over everything.
“They’re behind you now. Using…their poison in the creeks and streams. We came running up this way to…warn the knights. Do you know where they’re camping?”
Allavin took the flask back and studied it. “We just left to see what’s happened in Castun. I know the Knight General. Let’s talk on the way. Can you both make it?”
Exeres nodded, looking as if he’d collapse next to the boy. “This is…this is…bloody Hate, I forgot your name, lad.”
“Kinross,” the boy moaned, wiping vomit from his chin.
Exeres shook his head. “That’s right. Kinross.” He looked at Thealos. “I’m not even going to bother asking your name. I’m so tired I can hardly remember mine.” He paused, looking up at Thealos again. “Have we met before?”
I think I would have remembered meeting a one-eyed Druid priest with silver hair, Thealos thought.
“I don’t think so. Thealos Quickfellow of Avisahn.”
“Exeres Tallin of Isherwood.”
They started at a fast pace back towards the knight’s encampment. The boy struggled but he kept up.
“What happened back there?” Allavin asked. “You’re part Shae. It’s Forbidden magic down there, isn’t it?”
Thealos watched Exeres from the corner of his eye. There was something…about him. A sense of one who had dabbled in Forbidden magic. He was not familiar with any of the Druid training, but he had thought that they did not espouse any of the Forbidden ways of using Earth magic. Was that it? Something felt wrong about him.
“You could say that,” Exeres answered. “A lot has happened to me since I left you, Allavin. I should never have left Castun. I regret I was ever sent to the Shoreland. But my work is not finished here yet.”
“The war has hardly begun, lad. Plenty more blood to be spilled yet.”
Exeres shook his head violently. “No, you don’t understand. There are powers at work in this valley, Allavin. I’m not talking about the Kiran Thall and the power of the Everoot. There are men and women who cannot die…who are older than the mountains. I think they might be older than the world.”
Thealos’ heart clenched. He stared at the Zerite.
“Ban them all,” Exeres said. “Ban them all. I don’t know what they are, but they will fall. Every last banned one of them.”
Thealos touched the Zerite’s sleeve and stopped him. “How do you know of this?”
The look Exeres gave him was haunted. “I know because I’ve been controlled by them. By these…creatures. I only broke free of them tonight. During the storm.” He shook his head angrily. “Never again.”
There was so much bitterness in his voice.
Tell him, came a thought from the wellspring.
Thealos looked in his good eye and felt a twinge of compassion. His mouth started before his mind could prompt him otherwise. “They are called the Sorian, Exeres. I’ve come here to destroy them.”
“They can be killed?” he demanded, his eye gleaming with fury…with hope.
Thealos nodded. “There is a magic greater than theirs.” He glanced over at Allavin. “I’m going to Landmoor to do this.”