Part 28 (1/2)

”Her true form? I've never seen her do that before. What is she, exactly?”

”A killer.”

Max gave a nervous laugh. ”That's not Eve.”

”Really, I believe I heard a report about a large panther killing several bandits in the dead lands about the time we pa.s.sed through.”

Max shook his head. ”Eve was either with us or Mr. Penna the whole time.”

”Lacarnians are fast in their panther form. She could easily have left and returned while he slept. I suppose I should be grateful though. If those bandits had killed you, they would have ruined Lord Avram's plans.”

Tyco looked past Max. ”Come, Sgt. Harris, we don't have all day.”

Max turned to find Lysander kneeling on the ground by Alexandra's backpack. He finished examining an object on the ground before picking it up and placing it in the pack. Standing, he slung the pack over his shoulder and walked over to them, head down. Tyco patted him on the shoulder.

”You may get a promotion out of this, Sgt. Harris. You should too, Max. You're quickly following in your father's footsteps.”

Tyco led them to the vine wall where the other Protectors, with Alexandra and Melody held captive between them, waited next to a cleared opening. Max paused to talk to Melody, but Tyco grabbed him by the shoulder and dragged him along.

”You're with me, Maxwell.”

They stepped through the opening with the column of Protectors following behind them.

”You did well, Max, tracking down Alexandra and the Lifestone.”

”You knew about her?”

”Yes, in fact it was your father who discovered her existence by gaining the lacarnian's trust.”

”How did he know she had the stone?”

”He didn't at first. Lord Avram knew the stone would be in the hands of a Spirit Leech and sent your father out to find one. He just happened to get lucky that the one he found held the stone.”

”Why does Lord Avram want the stone?”

”Because, Max, that stone presented a great danger in the hands of the Spirit Leeches. After all, they had already betrayed their own kind, who knew what else they would do with such power. If, instead, Lord Avram possessed the stone, he could use it to improve all of our lives.”

”If my father was trying to retrieve the stone, then why did he help Alexandra lock it away?”

”Despite her appearance, Alexandra is quite powerful. He could not simply take the stone. He had to convince her to give it to him. Unfortunately, the bandit attack on the village interrupted his plan.”

”But Alexandra said that the bandits were sent by the Protectors.”

”After the attack, Alexandra figured out what your father was trying to do and believed the attack was part of his plan.”

”If she knew my father was after the stone, why did she let me get so close?”

”Enraged at being tricked, she swore vengeance on your family. That is why Lord Avram sent you and your father across the dead lands. We thought the two of you would be safe. Alexandra proved us wrong; however. She found you and hired the bandits to kill both of you. She believed they had succeeded until recently. When she found out that you still lived, she wanted to finish you off herself. Lord Avram decided to use that against her to draw her out. He sent Lysander with you to keep us informed of all that transpired.”

Max shook his head. ”Her story is completely different. She says it was Lord Avram that betrayed their kind after accidentally causing a great disaster by misusing the stone.”

Tyco chuckled. ”Max, I know Lord Avram is old, but he is no Immortal. Don't be fooled by her, Max, she's had many years to perfect her lies. If all else, just remember she's only survived by stealing the spirit energy of others. Would anything good do that?”

”I don't know. None of it makes any sense.”

”We will arrive at headquarters soon enough, Max. There you can ask Lord Avram yourself about all of this.”

Tyco refused to say anything more, leaving Max to his own thoughts.

What really happened Dad? Were you trying to get the stone for Lord Avram or did you betray them to help Alexandra? I wish Mr. Penna was here to explain things, but, then again, he never said anything about any of this. I always believed the Protectors were just in their actions, but I haven't seen much of that. Eve seems to believe Alexandra's story and she's never been wrong. I just don't know.

Max took little note of their pa.s.sage. Tyco kept them at a forced march until reaching the edge of the forest where the sun had long since set. There, Tyco had them stop, ordering them to bed down for the night. Max sought out a spot away from everyone else, noting Lysander doing the same. Laying down he struggled to find sleep. When at last it came, he dreamt only of his father's death.

At first light, they set out across the plains towards Moenia. To clear his mind, Max focused on the rhythmic sound of their footsteps. It did help to an extent, but the fuzzy idea that he had forgotten about something kept nagging at him. Finally, in the afternoon, it came to him.

Eve! Where has she gone? It's not like her to run off. Although, Alexandra told her to run. She even mentioned she had instructed her to. I have to go talk to her, but how? Hmm, I know, Melody.

”Hey Tyco, I would like to check on Melody.”

”The acolyte? No, you should stay with me, Max.”

”But I promised the head of her church I would watch out for her. What harm is she anyway? She was only delivering a message to the village.”

Tyco remained silent as he stared at Max, thinking. Slowly he nodded.

”Fine, she isn't really a threat, but be quick about it.”

Max stopped, letting the column pa.s.s until Melody and Alexandra reached him. Alexandra looked at him in surprise.

”Maxwell, I did not expect to see you. Does the Lt. know you are back here?”

”Yes, I came to check on Melody.”

Melody managed a weak smile. ”Thanks Max, I'm fine. I don't think they are concerned much about me.”

Melody held her wrists in front of her. The rope was snug but not overly tight. However, a quick glance at Alexandra's revealed a courser rope that had begun to rub her skin raw.

Alexandra smirked. ”The Children are an irritant at most, Spirit Leeches on the other hand are considered worse than lacarnians.”

As much as Max wanted to untie Alexandra to treat the wounds, he knew he could never do such a thing. The guards behind them already watched him suspiciously.

”Alexandra, did you know they would come for you?

”Yes.”

”Is that why you warned Eve? Why her and not the rest of us?”