The Ring Keeper, page 3
“And you think I can heal him? Why don’t we give the ring to someone else?”
Zarek got up from where he’d been resting and sat beside Ana. “Once you put it on your finger, it will not come off again. The ring belongs to you.”
He was right. Ana didn’t want to give it away. The ring was the only possession her mother had left her. Maybe she wouldn’t have actually been able to throw it in the river, even to save her own life. Pulling the cord from beneath her collar, she stared at the ring. Strange symbols were engraved on the inside of the band, and the green gem sparkled in the sunlight. What would it be like to heal someone? Painful, they had warned her. But she wasn’t willing to give up this final link to her family.
She removed the leather cord and slid it onto her finger. It fit exactly.
Zarek was worried about her. They were all in danger, and he was sorry for the shock and pain she had been through in the last several hours. He wanted to keep her safe.
Ana’s eyes widened, and she gasped. Zarek was still there, standing beside her. He hadn’t moved or spoken, but now that she wore the ring, she could sense what he was feeling.
He was determined to protect her and get her safely to Sarine. And Zarek would never harm her. She could feel his loyalty. It was as if she knew what was in his heart. She stared at him in wonder. “You really do want to help me.”
Zarek grinned. “I told you I did.”
She took a step nearer to Dane and found she could sense him too. His feelings shared the same desire to protect her, and the same loyalty to Sarine.
Last night, Ana hadn’t had much choice but to trust them, and she wondered if it had been foolish. If she believed this new sense, then she had been right to count on these men.
“Maybe we can make it.” With this new knowledge, she felt more hopeful. “If they catch up, can we fight them? I don’t know how.” She looked at Dane’s sword. “But you both do.”
Dane sighed. “I wish I could. Ordinary weapons don’t hurt them. That dagger is the only thing we possess that can.” He pointed to Zarek’s weapon.
Zarek sat up and patted the hilt. “I didn’t know for sure it would work until last night, but I killed one of them. The dagger is enchanted with the power to kill demons, just like Emperor Caldoreth’s sword, Blackbane.”
“That’s more than anyone else has done since the sword was stolen,” Dane said. He felt hope and relief when he said it, and Ana relaxed a little.
“Caldoreth and the wizard Zarekathus founded the empire of Sarine. His son Callonen is emperor now,” Zarek said.
“Za—re—kath—us?” Ana stumbled over the name.
“Just remember, Zarek–athus,” Dane said, grinning. He nodded at Zarek. “His mother named him after the wizard. I think she hoped he would grow up to be a brilliant scholar.”
Zarek smacked his friend.
Dane only laughed. “Too bad she’s disappointed! You’re better with a blade than a pen and ink.” He glanced at Ana. “Zarek might be young, but he’s the most skilled soldier in Sarine.”
Ana gazed at Zarek with wide eyes. He seemed uncomfortable. Turning back to Dane, she asked, “You mean he can beat you?”
Dane grinned. “He can beat anyone. Here.” He tossed her a damp shirt. “Put this on and hang up your clothes. I’ll stay with you, and Zarek can find us something to eat.”
Ana took the shirt and went behind the rocks to change. It felt strange to put on clothing that didn’t belong to her. Dane’s spare shirt was much too large, which was a blessing after she peeled off her soaked pants. The hem came nearly to her knees, and she had to roll the sleeves up to expose her hands. She felt embarrassed to walk around partially dressed in front of two men who had been strangers only a few hours ago. But it was much better than wearing wet clothes.
Dane had pulled off his shirt and jacket while she was gone and was now hanging them up.
She touched the fabric of her borrowed shirt. He could have had at least one dry piece of clothing if he hadn’t shared with her.
“Thank you,” she said. She hung up her tunic, pants and jacket and huddled close to the flames.
He turned at the sound of her voice and smiled. “You’re welcome.”
It didn’t take Zarek long to come back with a rabbit. He sat down by the fire and began skinning and cleaning it. His hands moved skillfully. When he finished, he placed the rabbit on a spit over the fire to roast and went to scrub his hands at the edge of the river.
“How far is it to the Warding?” Ana asked, looking up at him hopefully as he returned to the fire.
He rubbed his wet hands against his pants. “It will take several weeks to get there,” he admitted.
“Don’t worry. We’ll make it,” Dane promised.
“Why do the demons want the ring?” she asked.
“They serve the king of Ara. He wants to destroy Sarine. And right now, Emperor Callonen is very sick,” Dane said. “But we know he’s still alive because the demons are chasing us. If he dies, they won’t bother with us. They will simply go to Sarine and destroy it. We were searching for the ring to save his life.”
Ana felt her stomach twist. “And if I can’t heal him… it would be like… back there? The demons would kill everyone? How do you know it will work? Have you seen it heal before?”
“When I was little, back in Sarine, a young woman named Allia saved my life with the ring,” Zarek said.
The blood drained from her face. Before she died, Grandmother had told Ana her mother’s name was Allia.
“You know that name? Then you are Cirana? After all this time, we finally found you?”
She nodded. “Allia was my mother. But Grandmother told me never to tell, that if people knew, it would be dangerous. I guess she was right.”
Zarek nodded.
“But, Allia—you know her? Where is she?”
“I knew her,” he corrected quickly. “I’m very sorry, but she died many years ago.”
Ana’s momentary hope crumbled. All her life, she’d wondered about her mother. Had Allia loved her? Why hadn’t they stayed together? Now Zarek said she was dead. If Allia had been alive and had loved her, she wouldn’t have left Ana alone.
Ana nodded sadly. “I understand. But will you tell me about her? My grandmother said she named me Cirana. I’ve never told anyone my real name before. Everyone always just called me Ana. You said you knew her. What did she look like? Tell me everything you remember about her.”
“I remember her.” Dane shook his head sorrowfully. “It was the first year I joined the Emperor’s Guard. Half the soldiers in the palace were secretly in love with her. She had the most beautiful smile, and she was always kind to everyone.”
“It was almost seventeen years ago,” Zarek said. He turned the meat roasting over the fire. “I was only six when she left the city. My parents were so grateful to her for saving my life. I remember she had long golden hair, lighter than yours. Her eyes were different. I don’t remember exactly, maybe green? My father and his friend Harrow went to look for Allia. Harrow was badly hurt on the way back, but he made it to the Warding and said he’d hidden Allia’s child and the ring. He must have meant you. We guessed she’d passed the ring on to you before she died.”
“So we can ask Harrow about it!”
Zarek shook his head. “The Shekkar had attacked him. He didn’t survive their poison.”
“Your father and his friend… rescued me.” Ana looked at him. Her mind tried to avoid the terrible truth. “But your father… He came back, didn’t he?”
Staring back at her, Zarek shook his head.
The truth settled over Ana. It was her fault he had lost his father. Tears stung her eyes. “You must hate me.” She felt her hands clenching into fists. “I’m the reason he’s dead. You loved your father, and he’s dead because of me.”
Zarek took her hand. At his kind touch, she allowed her fingers to relax into his. It felt good, and she appreciated the comfort he offered as it flowed through her. “That’s not true, Ana. Stop and breathe. With the ring, you can tell what I’m feeling. You know I don’t feel that way. I don’t hate you. My father thought that protecting you and your mother was worth risking his life for. I will do the same. I promise I won’t let anything hurt you.”
For six nights, the three travelers had followed the canyon downward. The white river roared beside Ana, reminding her not to slip. Zarek offered his hand to help her down off a boulder. The cliffs on either side of the river had gradually lowered, but they had spent the long nights climbing through the rocks.
Dane led them, looking for the easiest route, while Ana followed him, and Zarek brought up the rear. She pushed to keep up with them.
The stars turned slowly in the clear sky above them.
Ana turned to look at Zarek, and she saw him staring behind them. Was something back there?
“Dane! Demons!” Zarek yelled above the sound of the water.
Dane looked back. “Behind us?”
Zarek pointed back the way they had come.
CHAPTER THREE
Year of Warding 38, Kethel’s Countryside
Ana
THE THREE TRAVELERS moved as fast as they could, down through the jagged boulders. The river grew calmer and slower as they descended. Soon, Ana could hear the demons too.
“Hurry,” Dane yelled. “The rocks drop off on this side. We need to get across the river.” They waded out into the icy water.
The Shekkar were close now, snarling and growling words in their indecipherable language. As the frigid water rose to her waist, Ana couldn’t take her eyes off them. They seemed darker than the night surrounding them. The first of them had reached the edge of the river.
Zarek paused beside her and stared back at them in disbelief. He had told her that the demons refused to enter water, but she hadn't quite believed it. But it was true. They wouldn’t even put their feet in it. Why didn’t they walk into the water?
Ana stood between Zarek and Dane. They had their weapons out and stood ready, waiting for an attack. They watched the demons, who snarled and gnashed their teeth, but never entered the water. It felt like a year passed, and Ana’s feet were numb with cold. Nothing changed. Ana heard more demons coming. They were on both sides of the river now.
“We have to move,” Dane yelled above the roar of the water.
“Hold on to me.” Zarek grabbed Ana’s arm. They plunged into the bitter cold water, and the current took them. Ana couldn’t see the demons any more. But they wouldn’t give up so easily. Maybe Zarek and Dane could get a little ahead of them this way. Zarek pushed off the rocks with his boots and swam in the deeper places. The water felt icy.
Ana clung to him, shivering violently. The night dragged on endlessly. All she wanted to do was sleep. The sound of the water faded, and it didn’t seem so cold. But everything was dark, and her eyelids were heavy.
Voices interrupted her rest. “Ana! Ana, please wake up.” Someone was shaking her and rubbing her numb arms and legs. It did not feel good.
“Stop,” she protested.
“Ana!”
She recognized Dane’s urgent voice. “Wake up.”
“Too tired…” she mumbled.
“Please, Ana?”
That was Zarek. He felt worried. They were both worried. What was wrong with sleeping? She dragged her eyelids open and saw them both bending over her with the starry sky behind them. Her numb body was racked with shivering.
“Take off your wet clothes and wrap up in this.” Dane held out a blanket. “There’s no one else here. We’ll turn our backs.”
Zarek helped her sit up. She gazed with longing at the dry blanket. They turned around as she undressed and wrapped herself up in it.
“Are we safe?” she asked, her voice still shaken by her shivering. Rousing slightly, she realized they were in a boat. How had they gotten here from the river?
“We’re safe for now,” Dane said. “Rest.”
Ana curled into a ball and pulled the blanket tight around herself. Dane tossed another cover over her. “Thank you,” she murmured. “Please don’t make me jump in the river again?”
“Not tonight,” Dane promised.
Ana woke to the delicious feeling of warm sunlight on her face. She lay, still wrapped in the blanket, and huddled against Zarek’s back. They were in a wooden fishing boat with a single sail. Dane stood a few feet away, tying off a rope attached to the canvas. When she lifted her head, she could see water surrounding them in all directions. Was this the lake Zarek had been talking about days ago?
It felt so good to be warm finally. Zarek still slept, his only motion the steady rhythm of his breathing until he shifted in his sleep, rolling onto his back.
He had a silver charm on a chain around his neck. It stood out against his bare skin. She’d never seen anything like it. The intricate pendant had been formed into the shape of a leaf, with the tiny replica of a sword and hammer crossed over it.
The sun was high before Ana had any interest in getting up. Zarek woke up and turned to look at her. “Feeling better?”
She nodded. “You?”
“Better,” he said.
“What is that?” She pointed to the charm.
He smiled. “It belonged to my mother. My father had one just like it.”
She returned his smile. It felt good to feel safe for a moment and to be warm. But Zarek was hungry, and Ana could sense it. And at the reminder, her own empty stomach complained. Her clothes were nearly dry, and beneath the blanket, she pulled them on. Dane had found some rods and lines, and he sat at the back of the boat, watching a line trailing into the water.
“Do you like fishing?” he asked her.
“Yes.” Ana sat beside him in the sunshine and threw another line into the lake. They’d been fishing for hours when Ana squeaked and reeled in her line. She pulled a struggling silver fish into the boat.
Dane laughed. “You’re amazing,” he exclaimed.
She smiled at his praise and held up the fish. “I don’t like to clean them,” she said. “It makes my hands smell like fish.”
“Don’t worry!” Dane assured her. “Zarek loves to clean them.”
“So does Dane,” Zarek protested. But he didn’t complain much. He cleaned the fish and used his knife to cut long filets off the bones.
“There’s no way to build a fire.” Ana glanced around the little boat.
Dane did the same. “Not unless you want to burn a hole in the hull.”
Ana’s stomach growled. She watched as Zarek put a raw piece in his mouth and chewed. She’d never eaten fish without cooking it before. But she was hungry and followed his lead.
“Where are we going?” Ana asked when she woke up in the morning and peered over the side of the boat.
“There’s a town called Bethor Crossing at the end of the lake,” Dane said. “From there, the road leads north toward Sarine. We’ll leave the boat outside town and not take it to the docks.”
“Because you stole it?”
“Borrowed,” Zarek corrected, with a grin. “Borrowed without permission. The man should thank us. If we hadn’t thrown him in the lake, the Shekkar would have gotten him. We saved his life.”
“Will he be able to find his boat?”
“I hope so.”
“Will the Shekkar be waiting for us when we land?” Ana felt a twinge of worry.
“No,” Dane told her. “It’s a big lake. And now we have confirmed they won’t go into the water. If we stay near lakes and streams at night, we will slow them down. Then we can try to get ahead of them during the daylight. I think we’ve lost them for the moment. But we’ll move quickly when we get there, just in case.”
Another night passed on the dark water, and it had been eight days since the demons attacked Bright Springs. Just before dawn, Dane landed the boat in a quiet place a little distance from the docks. The lights from the houses and shops were near and bright. They gathered their belongings and walked toward the town.
“We can buy supplies here and get something to eat, and then we’ll be on our way,” Dane said.
“Good idea,” Zarek agreed.
Ana had never been so hungry. She stared greedily at the gardens behind the houses as they passed, her mouth watering at the sight of the vegetables. Some of the yards even had chickens…
The town of Bethor Crossing had grown up around the meeting of roads along the western border of Kethel. One road ran east deeper into the kingdom of Kethel, and one west toward the land of Paraman. The northern road led to Sarine… and Ara.
Despite the early hour, the streets were busy with people coming and going and merchants setting out their wares. Everyone seemed to be in a hurry. Horses, carts and wagons filled the roads. Many of the buildings were tall, rising two and three stories, and a maze of streets wound between them.
Ana looked around at everything with wide eyes. Bright Springs would fit into one tiny corner of this town. She walked close beside Dane and Zarek.
The three of them walked along the street to an inn with a sign advertising hot meals. They went inside and sat at a table.
A waitress came up to them. “What’ll it be?”
“Breakfast,” Zarek said.
“You have money?” she asked, eyeing their well-worn clothes.
“Of course we do,” Zarek said, irritated. He dug coins out of his pocket and put them down on the table.
“All right, all right—” the waitress wiped her hands on her apron. “I didn’t mean anything…”
“It’s fine,” Zarek said.
“I’ll just get you some breakfast.” She hurried away, looking uncomfortable.
“Rude,” Zarek complained. “Just because we seem like homeless wanderers.” He winked at Ana, and she returned his gaze uncertainly. “Maybe we are a little dirty, but she has no idea who we are!” He smiled and hushed his voice confidentially. “For all we know, you’re a princess, traveling in disguise.”
