Quest for the Three Books

Chapter 1

Chapter 1

“Time discovers truth.”

Seneca (Roman philosopher)

Silence seeped into the deep tree roots of the old forest. A light breeze tossed mossy strands hanging from the branches. “Shh,” the wind seemed to warn the warrior hiding in the shadows.

Careful of the pale light cast by tonight’s two moons, Steigan ducked down into the darkness as he surveyed his next move. It’d been hard to remain unheard as he got closer to the campfire, but he wanted the surprise attack.

If he failed, more innocent people would die.

He smelled the fire now, a sweet burning scent in the air which threatened to carry him into unmade memories. He couldn’t let his thoughts now turn to the praise he’d get after catching the bandits who’d been murdering people on Travelers' Road. He had to capture them first. Steigan focused on the task at hand. He’d been trained for this and finally, after nearly exhausting his patience, the town council had asked the Temple for help from the domini to track the bandits.

Steigan crawled, dragging himself with his elbows over the grassy knolls and refused to listen to the nagging voice in his head telling him to get reinforcements. The image of him, the Temple’s youngest dominus, single-handedly defeating the bandits held too much promise. After tonight, no one would doubt him or his abilities. He'd waited for months to prove himself.

Steigan slid into a shadow of a tree just beyond the ring of flickering light cast by the fire and stopped in sudden surprise.

There were no scruffy looking men gathered around the fire as he'd expected to see. Instead, a lone woman dressed in a white gown raised sinewy arms towards the moon as she danced in front of the fire. A tumble of glittering red curls cascaded down her back as she tilted her head. As the first sign of life he'd seen since entering the forest tonight, a new thought ran through Steigan's head: could this be how the bandits were luring in their victims? Steigan looked around searching the nearby forest trees for movement behind him. He hoped his unicorn, Tyana, hid away somewhere nearby in case he ran into trouble.

He watched the woman skip around the fire and then he surveyed the position of the moons above him along with the shadows on the ground. Steigan inched closer. Could she be a merchant's daughter or someone from one of the outlying estates? It bothered him that he didn't recognize her. He didn't want her to be helping the bandits. She seemed too pure to be aiding murderers. He just didn't see it, not when the attacks were so brutal and the remains of those that had been found looked like they'd been ripped apart by animals.

An owl broke from its perch above him and took off shrieking into the night. His heart beating fast now, Steigan rolled into the deeper shadows of a tree and sat up against the trunk. The hilt of his sword bit into his side, sliding just beneath his breastplate. Leaves whispered of his hiding spot as he shifted to slide the biting metal free. He released a quick hiss, then held his breath while glancing around again.

The mysterious woman appeared to be alone and unaware of his presence.

Steigan rose to his feet knowing he couldn't go any further without actually falling into the circle of firelight. He stayed hidden behind the tree and peeked through the branches.

No horse, no wagon, and no tent or any other sign of how she'd gotten here or reason for being in the forest.

Clinging to the tree's rough bark, he watched her now hoping something she'd do would give him a clue about her. A million questions raced through his head. Did she want to be found? Had she run into trouble? Could the fire be a signal or just to keep warm through this long, early spring night?

The woman tossed something in the fire and a strange aroma wafted toward Steigan, a sweet burning scent. Her white dress swished around her ankles as she moved back and forth.

Steigan glanced around the darkened trees again. Still no signs of anyone nearby. No one except him and the daft woman frolicking around the fire in this very old forest.

The woman skipped to the other side of the fire and turned her back to it and Steigan. She raised her arms and chanted, “Coom ra wialca do. Coom ra wialca to?”

For a second, a laugh bubbled in his chest. Despite himself, Steigan smiled at the sound of the old rites. No one save himself, his mentor, Arlyn, and his friend, Martias, spoke the ancient practices. Not anyone in or around New Lilinar anyway. As Steigan stood still in this odd moment, he wondered if the woman had come from Dubinshire and a chill swept down his arms. But someone traveling so far would have provisions, unless.... No, not possible. To believe she had just appeared here would mean she'd used magic. Impossible! Magic only existed in stories. Unfortunately, it remained more probable she lured victims for the bandits whose provisions were stowed elsewhere. If they knew he tracked them, then they might know the old rites would draw him in. Only exposing himself would make him certain.

Ignoring the nagging voice vexing him to stay smart and not become the bandits' next victim, Steigan stepped from his hiding place and replied, “Coom ra wialca do.”

The woman froze, her curls giving a final bounce, and her mouth opening slightly. She squinted into the darkness, probably not able to see much with the fire brightening her sight. She smiled. “Sha belika ne?”

Steigan stepped into the light. “Ha nee. Porta quinest acay doomasha.”

The woman lowered her arms and turned to walk around the fire. She kept her head downcast, but looked up at him through her lashes with sharp, calculating eyes. A blue teardrop gem sparkled in the light as it swung from a circlet tucked partially under her red hair. “Bright blessings, Dominus. It's been quite a wait for you.”

It meant nothing that she knew his title, he told himself. His armor indicated his position as a warrior from the Temple. Her speech pattern however reminded him of someone, but he couldn't figure out who. “Are you in need of help, milady?” he asked.

“It is I rather who should help you.”

“Me, milady?”

“Indeed,” she answered his question with a wave of her hand. “Draw closer to the fire.”

The woman sat on a log Steigan asserted hadn't been there a moment ago. The unexpected sight acted like splashed cold water and returned him to his on-guard senses. He dared to move closer to her, noticing everything. The grass at her feet had been smashed down, showing she had been dancing there just moments before. How had the log suddenly appeared?

Steigan placed his hand on the hilt of his sword. “Do you realize the danger you put yourself in being out here alone? You could be robbed or killed.”

The woman's gaze dropped to his hand upon the sword as though reminding him that he, not she, held the weapon. Steigan withdrew his hand but he made an uncomfortable fist at his side to keep his hand from returning. “Why were you expecting me?” he asked.

The woman leaned back, supporting herself on one arm while the other she lifted with the palm upward. The long white frill of her dress sleeve gave a ghostly sway. “The presence of the old gods and goddesses surround us here and foretells of events to come. It's not a similar feeling in the Temple of late, is it, Dominus?”

He blinked at the odd turn in this conversation. Yet here in the old forest with the moonlight and the campfire, he had to admit he felt a calm in the silent reverence. “No.”

“You appear surprised and shocked at your admission.”

Steigan tightened the fists at his side. This woman he didn't even know had she seen into his soul? “I am,” he practically growled between grit teeth.

“Tell me the name of the Goddess' defender to which I have the pleasure of speaking.”

“I am Dominus Steigan,” he said, his name seeming to stick in his throat. He wondered if the sweet burning herbs were affecting his brain.

“Sit with me, Dominus Steigan, and be at ease.”

Steigan sat nervously on the log, turning slightly so their knees didn't quite touch. His every muscle tensed with apprehension yet he seemed unable to resist her commands without exception. She didn't fit here, but he couldn't explain why he felt this way. She exuded a peaceful calm like she could handle anything that endangered her.

“What does it mean in your heart for you to serve as a dominus?” she asked.

The words came quickly to Steigan. “I'm a protector of those who speak for the Goddess and I serve Her where I am needed.”

“Such passion of your words.” The woman in white reached out and touched a gold swirl on his blue armor. “It's beautiful.”

Steigan pulled away from her. He wanted to stand up, to get back on his guard, but he held his spot. He couldn't even look around or away from her eyes as blue as the gemstone hanging from her crown. Had fear paralyzed him? No, impossible. But what then?

“I forged it myself,” Steigan answered, referring to his armor. “The blacksmith in Whalston taught me. He used to be a dominus too.”

“May I see your sword,” the woman asked softly.

Could he possibly let this woman disarm him? But even as the nagging voice piped up, Steigan reached for his sword and found the scabbard empty. With a sharp intake of breath, he looked down at the hollow sheath.

“It's well balanced,” she remarked, holding the sword across her flat palms. “Shames so many others I have held.”

“How did you...?”

The woman smiled. “I had naught to do with it. You quit projecting it in your scabbard and envisioned it in my hands. Thus it became so.”

Became so? The spell wrapped around Steigan broke. He snatched the sword from the woman and whirled around into a defensive stance which left the tip pointing toward her. “That's magic!”

The woman stood seemingly unafraid of the sharp blade between them. “What taint has made you so distrustful? You believe the Goddess to watch over you, don't you?”

For a long moment, they stood staring at each other. Steigan's heartbeat quickened while she seemed calm and relaxed. Her lips twitched as though looking into his soul humored her but she didn't smile.

Breaking the standoff between them, the woman stepped around his sword and moved closer to him. “Arlyn, your dominus turned blacksmith, has done well with you.”

Steigan stood firm while his mind raced backwards through their conversation. He hadn't mentioned Arlyn's name to her. How did she know?

The woman circled around behind Steigan. “He trained you as a true dominus, but what of the beliefs? What's in your heart, Dominus Steigan?”

“Strength. Truth. Loyalty.” Once again the words were out of him before he'd realized he'd spoken. “What spell have you put on me?”

She laughed. “To be a true dominus you must be more than Her defender. You must accept Her into your soul as if you are Her.” She raised her arms above her head as though stretching for the moons above. “You must be unafraid to share Her power and to use it.”

The lightness fell out of the mood in an instant as she stepped up to him with a serious look in her eyes. She stood so close that when she spoke, he felt her breath on his cheek.

“A great deal is manifesting beyond your sight right now, Dominus. You must be prepared for it.” Her gaze shifted as though looking into another world for information that only she could find. Then her attention turned back on him. “A unicorn, have you drawn one to you?”

“Unicorn?” Don't say anything, the nagging voice in his head screamed. He mustn't tell her about Tyana.

The woman nodded, “Aye, do you ride a unicorn?”

“Yes.” He wanted to throw up his hands in defeat.

“Bright blessings, then it has truly begun.” Her voice sounded light, as though slipping into dreamy thoughts.

“What's begun?”

The woman took a couple steps toward the fire, then turned back to him. “You once asked me to give you forever.”

“Excuse me, do I know you? Have we met before?” Could that explain why he acted like he did?

Once again she looked amused with a twinkle in her eye though she still didn't smile. “A very long time ago from my perspective and not yet from yours.”

What? “You speak in riddles.”

“Nay, the true riddle is: who are you?” She opened a canister attached to her wrist and tossed some of its contents into the fire. The sweet burning sensation arose again. “The heart of a true dominus resides within your chest, but can you grasp the power? Study the beginning. Learn why you are the first dominus in a thousand cycles to ride a unicorn. Uncover the meaning of your birthmark.”

“How did...?” Steigan gasped. She couldn't possibly know of the birthmark on his palm forever hidden beneath his black fingerless gloves. No one knew except Arlyn.

“I know what is unfolding. Now you must go and find out. For you to not understand who you are, what you are becoming...” She studied him hard for a moment before continuing, “That would be... unfortunate.”

As though sensing danger, Steigan pulled the dagger from its sheath at the small of his back with his left hand.

A blast of wind came up forcing him to close his eyes. When he opened them again, the woman, the log, and the fire were gone. The unbent grass of the clearing blew against his boots like no one had stepped in this area for some time.

A stick cracked behind him, snapping Steigan's attention back to his original mission which had been to track down the bandits who'd been attacking people on Travelers' Road. Before he could turn, a deep voice spoke, “Well, look what we have here. A wee little dominus all by himself.”

Steigan glanced over his shoulder to find himself surrounded. At least three men were in his view, but he sensed more around him.

The bandits closed in. “Let's tear him apart!”