Compendium (26 page)

“Would you have me bare a vein and open it for you?” Mia asked, feeling slightly defensive. If her apology wasn’t sufficient, what did they want from her?

Dominus Nikola sprang to his feet and pounded his staff against the stone floor once again. Her eyes widened at the display.

“No,” he said, his tone serious and, despite the quick movements, his voice calm. “I would have your honesty and your sincerity. It isn’t your body or blood the Order requires. It’s your heart and your mind. You’ve been here almost a full cycle, and in all that time, you’ve held yourself aloof. You haven’t given of your heart or your mind. You swore to serve this Order. You’ve asked for the trust of the people in this room, but you haven’t given it yourself.” With a flourish of his staff, Dominus Nikola seated himself back in his chair. Mia had to applaud his finesse. The room waited raptly for her response.

She swallowed hard. She had spent a lot of time in the dungeon thinking about her actions and their consequences. But standing here now, she only just comprehended what she’d been afraid to admit to herself in so many words. She paused, because what she was about to say could never be unsaid. She’d never be able to reshield her heart or rebottle her vulnerability. Dominus Nikola looked at her, his eyes sparkling slightly. She thought perhaps a shadow of a smile crossed his lips.
That wily old bandicoot
, she thought.

“My father always acted with love,” Mia said, her words a hint shaky at first but then gathering strength like a storm taking up water in preparation for a final deluge, “but he did me a disservice when he sent me here. He wasn’t honest with me about the mission of the Order, not honest about its foundation, and not even honest about the people I would meet while I was here. I came here on a mission. My mission was to help my father, plain and simple. My goal was to gain my freedom as soon as possible and return to my family. I had little care for you and this organization, even as it attempted to foster me. I focused only on physical freedom—neglecting the freedoms that were given to me here. I focused only on blood family—neglecting to give weight to the bonds established here. It wasn’t until after I experienced betrayal against myself and learned the truth from the man who called himself my father that I came to truly understand that this place is the home I so desperately wanted and you’re the family I so very much need.”

Mia paused to look at SainClair. His gaze was steady but veiled. She breathed deeply and continued, looking straight into his eyes. “And you, Uncle, are my only blood relative. I had no idea what you were thinking or why you hated me, but I can see now why you detest me so.” Her voice cracked. “I must be a bitter disappointment to you now. And my actions almost cost you your life. I can never make up for what I have done. I’m so sorry.” Her words had grown raspy as she neared the end of her oration, and SainClair rose as she spoke to him.

Despite his recent head injury, Brother SainClair moved like a cat, leaping off the platform in a smooth motion and striding purposefully toward her. The only indication that he had been ill at all was the pallor in his complexion and the dark smudges under his eyes. He reached her in a few long strides, and she recoiled in anticipation of his assault. He grabbed her by the shoulders and shook them hard, his grip solid as a metal vice.

And then his arms were around her, enclosing her in an equally firm hug, crushing her breath from her body. He clung to her like that for a moment, and his chest shuddered against her. A muffled sob escaped onto her shoulder.

“My niece,” came words into her neck. “My dear child. I couldn’t bear to believe it was you. I’m so sorry. So sorry.” Mia’s mind was in a state of shock, but her arms came up to circle his back, and she squeezed him back, holding back tears of her own. They clung to each other like that for a long moment, until one of the clerics made a whooping noise. Thinking back, Mia could swear it was Brother Borus. And with that, the whole hall erupted in shouts and claps and hoots. When the din died down, SainClair released the embrace but kept his arm around Mia’s shoulder.

“Dominus,” he said, “if my niece must face judgment, know that I shall stand by her side.” Mia smiled tremulously. This was going wildly different than she’d even considered possible.

Dominus Nikola smiled at both of them. “That may indeed be necessary,” he said, “for we have a dire problem that must in fact be resolved.” He looked around the room, meeting a number of eyes in his perusal. “I’m speaking, of course, of the matter of the Shillelagh. It must be retrieved.” Fervent whispers threatened to overtake the Dominus’s voice. “Yes, yes,” he said, “to some of you, this sounds like a myth or some old children’s story. For many generations, however, the Order has maintained secrecy regarding some of our more important artifacts. Times inevitably change, and we no longer can afford to segregate such knowledge among our ranks. Ms. SainClair’s activities, while regarded with reproach by the Order, were highly resourceful. We must use every able-minded person at our disposal in the coming battles, and that starts now—with the retrieval of the Shillelagh.” He turned to Mia. “Ms. SainClair, the Order has decided that as your amends, you will be required to lead the party assembling to retrieve the Shillelagh.”

“Had you not required it, I would have volunteered,” she said.

Nikola smiled and nodded at that statement.

“Do we have any other volunteers to join her?” the Dominus asked.

“I volunteer,” said Brother SainClair, squeezing her shoulder.

“I do as well,” another familiar voice called out. Cedar’s lanky form stepped forward through the crowd and came to flank her other side. After a moment, another recognized voice rang out.

“Och, dinna think ye’ll be leaving me behind on this adventure.” Brother Borus approached their small group from somewhere behind Mia. Slowly, others stepped up to answer the call, and when all was said and done, they had a party of fifteen ready and willing to accept the risk of infiltrating the Druid Village.

31
The Reunion

Lumin Cycle 10152

The clerics sprang into action
in a way Mia had never witnessed before. She was still on a probation of sorts, but her belongings had all been deposited at her bunk in the barracks. What couldn’t fit in her cubby was taken to storage. Suddenly she was surrounded by all the trappings of home. It was surreal and happy and sad simultaneously. Her comings and goings were limited, however, and her movements watched. Brother SainClair did manage to arrange a treat for her, though.

“Hamish!” she yelled across the courtyard, hopping up and down in glee. The dog turned at the sound of Mia’s voice, let out a delighted bark, and bolted over to her on his stubby little legs, his barrel chest advancing with disproportionate speed, foxy ears back. He leapt at her and clambered at her shins, and she knelt to accept his affection. “Oh, I’ve missed you, you silly thing,” she said, and hugged him tightly. He squirmed away, deciding he should look for a stick to play with. “We haven’t time for that,” she said in a scolding tone. “Circumstances are much too busy now.” SainClair looked on their exchange with some amusement. “Where is he staying?” Mia asked.

“He’s been housed in the kennels with the hunting dogs,” SainClair replied. “However, since he’s house trained and not much good for hunting, the Gamemaster has suggested we find him more suitable quarters.”

“Do you hear that?” Mia said to Hamish. He sat at her feet, a large doggy grin on his face, tongue lolling, eyes expectant. “You’re being kicked out of the dog quarters because you can’t hunt,” she said, hands on her hips. Hamish blinked at her and tilted his head.

SainClair laughed. “If you don’t mind, I was thinking he could come stay with me in my chambers for a bit,” he said. His face wore a strained expression. “I know I haven’t been much of an uncle, but I could at least look out for Hamish here while you’re still in the barracks.”

“That’s very kind of you,” Mia beamed. He shifted uncomfortably at her gaze of affection. This was new to both of them.

“Then you can visit him any time you like,” he said.

“Do you hear that, Hamish? You’d better be on your best behavior or Uncle Thaddeus will turn you into fur boots!” SainClair flushed when she called him “Uncle.” They played with Hamish in the courtyard for a little while and made awkward conversation. After much hesitation on Mia’s part, she finally asked the question that had been on her mind since her final conversation with Father.

“What were my parents like?”

“Well,” said SainClair, thinking on his words carefully, “I obviously knew Jayne better than Claude, but he was a good man. He was infinitely calm and patient. I have such a temper, and his unwavering calm used to confound me and frequently only served to increase my agitation.” SainClair chuckled, and Mia smiled. “Your mother was stubborn and headstrong and decisive. She was an advocate for justice above all else. It still tears me up that we fought about her leaving. My last words to her were unkind. And looking at you, such a convincing imposter,” he added, his voice sarcastic, “was a constant reminder of my pain. If only I had trusted my eyes from the get-go.”

“I always thought I must look like her, since I knew I didn’t look like Father. But then, for a while, I didn’t really know who I looked like.”

“Well, as you may have noticed,” he said, “you’ve got the SainClair coloring.” He gestured to his own white complexion. “Rain or shine, we never seem to soak in the sun.”

Mia laughed. “I noticed that.”

“Your bones and features are also very much Jayne.”

“What about my eye and hair color?” she asked. It was always her opinion that they were unseemly and drew entirely too much comment.

“Ah, that’s entirely Claude. As he was an orphan himself, no one was really quite sure how he came by such odd coloring, but it certainly drew Jayne in.” He chuckled. “You’re unmistakably their offspring. I wish we’d all had the opportunity to grow old together,” he said, raking back his steely hair from his almost colorless eyes.

“Me too,” Mia said. She patted his arm, and he put it around her shoulder.

“Hamish,” he called out. The dog was busy nosing about a bush in the corner of the courtyard, no doubt looking for something to chase. Mia reckoned he’d likely be disappointed. “Let’s go in, ya mutt,” he called again, and the dog emerged from the bush covered in tiny brambles. “Blast me to the Core,” SainClair said, and Mia snickered.

“
We
should just charge in there,”
Brother Borus's voice called out. Shouts of “aye” resonated from some of the assembled clerics.

“Don’t be a fool, Borus,” SainClair snapped back at him. “We must have a plan.”

“And so we shall,” Dominus Nikola said, attempting to calm the two clerics.

“Perhaps we should wait for the rangers to come back,” said Brother Mallus, the young cleric with sandy hair and soft brown eyes. “Sister Aja’s the best scout we have.”

“There isn’t time,” said SainClair. “We’ve already wasted too much as it is. The rangers aren’t scheduled back for three months at least.”

Mia sat quietly, taking in the argument and thinking through the problem as the others continued their discussion around her.
Compendium, do you have schematics for the Druid stronghold?

“I have certain fundamental knowledge but not detailed information,” Compendium replied.

And here I thought you knew everything.

“I try,” its neutral voice replied in her ear.

If we got you close enough, could you attempt to access their systems?

“I can always attempt. I cannot say if I will succeed.”

It wasn’t a lot to rely on. Mia switched strategies.
Can you locate the Shillelagh?

“I cannot locate the exact coordinates of the Shillelagh, but it is currently located within the confines of the Druid Village.”

So if you had access to their systems, you would be able to map a course there?

“Affirmative,” said Compendium.

Why are you always so calm?
She had gotten used to hearing the soft lilt of the book talking directly into her ear. When it had started talking directly to her, it somehow had ceased to be just an object in her mind.

“What you are interpreting as calm is merely a total lack of emotion,” the voice said. She laughed out loud at that remark. Everyone in the room stopped to look at her. “I sense they in fact think you are daft,” the voice said. She stifled another giggle, and Dominus Nikola scowled.

“Ms. SainClair, do you have something amusing you wish to share with the group?” he asked.

She looked around at all the strained expressions and stony eyes. “I don’t know if it’s all that funny, but I might have a plan.”

32
The Village

Lumin Cycle 10152

“A
re
we close enough?”
Cedar whispered into Mia’s ear. She waved her hand at him in a signal to remain quiet. She squinted and tried to focus on the entrance in the distance. It was relatively quiet, but her heart thumped hard in her chest every time a green-robed figure emerged from the stronghold. She actually hesitated to use the word
stronghold
to describe the Druid enclave. If presented with two drawings—the first featuring the cluster of tree structures set into the forest that made up the Druid Village, and the second featuring the austere volcanic fortress of the Order’s Compound—Mia would have picked the Druid Village to make her home.

The Village was situated in a vast forest, nestled among the trees, and built high up off the ground. Compendium had directed the clerics to the Village’s location, but they’d had to travel almost a month on foot to reach it. The clerics were camped two kilometers away to avoid detection by Druid patrols and had spent the last week rotating scouting parties to try to determine the best way to get Mia down to the base of the Village where she could hook up Compendium to the Village’s electrical system and download the location of the Shillelagh.

That day, a scouting party composed of Mia, Cedar, SainClair, Borus, and Mallus had been watching the Druids’ comings and goings all morning from a particularly thick patch of forest to the north of the Village. The open quality of the aerial conglomeration of rooms made it harder to sneak up on than Mia had expected. The Druids brazenly had situated the Village in a clearing, which gave their watch an easy job of it. If she could just get close to the base of one of the trees, it would be a snap to get Compendium connected, but that was the rub. She signaled to Cedar and SainClair that they should back off.

“I need to get to the base of those trees,” said Mia. “But I don’t think that’ll be possible without a change of costume. We’re going to need to obtain Druid capes at the very least.”

“How do you suggest we do that?” Cedar asked. He didn’t at all look convinced that such a thing was possible.

“Well, I don’t suppose they have laundry and plumbing up in the trees,” Mia said.

“You want us to wait around for someone to do laundry?” SainClair said incredulously.

“Well, I hadn’t really thought of it like that. I more thought that we should post someone by the nearest running water. Then, when a Druid comes by to wash, we’ll make off with their garments.”

SainClair chuckled. “I suppose it would be worth an attempt.” He signaled to Brother Mallus and told him the plan.

“What? Me?” Mallus asked. His soft, brown eyes shifted uneasily as he looked at the rest of the scouting party.

“The closest body of running water is a stream to the east, which is a five-minute walk in that direction,” Mia said, gesturing to a map in Compendium and pointing toward a particularly nasty-looking thicket.

“This had better work,” Brother Mallus grumbled as he departed.

“I don’t see why he’s upset,” she said. “I honestly think it’s going to be necessary for us all to secure capes. Anyone coming or going will be easy for the Druids to spot.”

SainClair grunted in response, which Mia took as a sign of agreement. The rest of the party waited, largely in silence. Eventually a robed Druid emerged from the central ring of the Village. Mia still wasn’t sure how they actually got down from the trees, but Compendium could answer all these questions if she could just get it attached to the Village’s system. The Druid ambled along the path toward the thicket then took a sharp left before reaching it. Cedar, SainClair, and Mia released a collective sigh. The tension gripped them like an iron hand tightening on their small group. The second Druid also took a path away from the river.

Finally the third Druid to emerge from the trees made his way to the thicket where Brother Mallus was hiding. They all watched, barely blinking, straining to hear any noise. Finally a faint voice carried along the breeze but was silenced. Mia shot Cedar and SainClair furtive looks, and they waited tensely for a scream for help or some other alert to sound. Some minutes later, Brother Mallus reappeared holding a green cape.

“It’s not ideal,” he said. “He spotted me hiding.” He shook his head.

“Is he dead?” SainClair asked.

“No, he’s just knocked out,” Brother Mallus replied. “I wasn’t sure if it would be worse to kill him and have them know or if it would be better to try to get some information out of him.”

“Either way they’ll eventually notice he’s missing,” Mia said, her face strained.

“Aye,” said SainClair. “We’ll have to be quick with this entire misadventure.”

She pulled the cloak from Mallus’s hands, dropped it over herself, and pulled the hood down over her features. She gestured to the thicket. “I’m going to enter the clearing where the Druid left, in case anyone is watching.” The others nodded, and taking a deep breath, Mia picked her way through the foliage toward the thicket. She made sure the cloak was wrapped tightly around her and obscured all her features. Heart beating against her rib cage, she stepped into the clearing and tried to match the ambling pace of the Druid whose place she had taken. She didn’t see or hear any caped figures in the trees above her as she walked in among the trunks. Once she found cover below the trees, she quickly scanned the area for signs of movement. Seeing none, she crouched silently behind a massive trunk, hands trembling.

Compendium, can you access their systems now?

“Wireless is too weak from this vantage. I need a direct link.” Its normal low voice sounded impossibly loud in her ears.

She cursed silently, and Compendium, reading her thoughts, responded, “I can do nothing about my current range.”

I know.
She retrieved her tool roll, laid it out on the ground next to the trunk, and foraged the ground for a suitable root. Then she pulled a paring knife from the roll and shaved a strip of bark off a promising-looking root. She carefully attached Compendium to the root with some prepared strips.

“Connection established. Retrieving schematics. Retrieved. Would you like any other information?”

Get any other information about the Druid Village you can grab. I’ll tell you when to stop.

“Affirmative. Retrieving access manifest. Retrieved. Retrieving Druid personnel manifest. Retrieved. Retrieving artifact list and descriptions. Retrieved. Retrieving the personal data of Head Druid Augustin Rosewater. Access denied.”

Did that set off an alarm?

“Unknown. Retrieving security schematics. Retrieved. No alarm activated. Attempting to retrieve Rosewater’s personal data. Access denied. Access denied. Access granted. Retrieved. Alarm. Alarm.”

By the Core! Have they discovered you?

“Negative. Alarm indicates that Druid security has spotted movement on the Village perimeter. I believe the others in your scouting party have been revealed.”

Mia debated for a moment whether she should try to warn them or whether she should stay hidden.
Can you send a message to any of them?

“I can connect to Thaddeus SainClair or Cedar Kannon, as both meet minimum requirements.”

Connect me to SainClair now.

“Transmission initiated. Patching in Thaddeus SainClair.”

“What is this?” SainClair’s voice said in her ear.

Uncle, it’s me. I’m contacting you through Compendium. Your position is compromised. The Druids are aware of your presence.
You have to retreat.

“It’s too late,” his voice said in her ear. “They have arrows pointed at us already.”

Damn.
Mia unhooked Compendium from the tree and used the joining paste to seal off the scrape in the bark. She looked around hastily, unsure which way to go. She tried to hold back the rising bile in her throat.

“They will be entering the tree line from your right. There is one main entrance in that direction, so you will have to head in the opposite direction to evade them.”

Compendium’s calm voice reassured her. She listened carefully, and with each step, Compendium guided her farther from the entrance and from the others. She stood near the edge of the Village on the opposite side, her body frozen, waiting for Compendium’s instructions.

“They are distracted by the commotion. You are clear to reenter the forest.”

Mia inched toward the edge of the tree line, intending to follow Compendium’s advice, but stopped and looked directly up to the massive thick of treetops above her. Tucked between the trunk she was standing next to and the one she had just passed was a bridge composed of branches tied together to form a platform. The branches had grown together over time and melded into a solid surface. Rails had been fashioned from rope suspended along the sides of the plank. Mia’s eyes traced a path down the tree to where she stood.
I can climb this.

“That is not advised,” Compendium said.

She gritted her teeth.
I have to do something.
She felt around for handholds in the large, rough trunk behind her.

“It is advised that you retreat and formulate a plan. You are entering the Village alone and unarmed.”

Nonsense. I have my throwing knives, my tools, and you.

“You are risking this operation. This is reckless,” the voice said. Its tone remained emotionless as usual, but Mia grew irritated.

They’re distracted, and any perimeter breach I make won’t be detected. I can’t wait around any longer. The time is nigh.
She had to stop herself from speaking the words aloud. The book continued talking into her ear, warning her of the dangers. She ignored it and picked her way carefully and slowly up the trunk.
You can assist me or be silent.
I’m trying to concentrate.
The bridge was still approximately fifty feet above her when she glanced upward. She was a skilled climber, but she’d been cooped up for almost a cycle. Her muscles already were tiring. She took a deep breath and renewed her efforts, scaling the large tree in small increments. The sweat formed a sheen on her skin, affecting her grip. She muttered quiet curses and plodded along. Just as she had lulled herself into a rhythm, her toe slipped, and her feet gave way, leaving her clutching the trunk with just her hands. Her feet scrambled against the rough surface of the tree as she tried to gain purchase with her boots. Her palms dampened further with sweat, and she tightened her grip on the handholds to which she clung. Her heart raced, and it took all her concentration to slow her breathing. She finally regained her footing after a few tries. She stilled herself for a moment, steadied her breathing further, and let her heart rate slow. Once recovered, she began the sluggish ascent once again.

Mia tossed all thoughts from her cluttered mind, emptying a bucket into the void below her, and focused solely on moving her body upward. When she finally reached the lowest branch on the tree, she pulled herself atop it to rest her limbs briefly. She brushed the dampness from her forehead with her sleeve and wished she had packed a gourd of water. She gave herself a brief respite to recover and resumed her climb. She worked like this for approximately an hour, until she was finally right under the bridge. She listened intently for signs of voices or footfalls. Compendium had been silent since she had told it to quiet itself, and she rather thought it was acting a bit petulant at this point or at least as much as an inanimate object could.

Compendium, can you sense anyone nearby?

“Negative,” the book replied. “This area appears to be deserted at the moment.”

Are my uncle and the others still alive?
Mia held her breath as she waited for a response.

“Affirmative. They were taken up a lift into the Village on the north side. They have been deposited in holding cells on the third level.” She didn’t want to risk communicating with SainClair or Cedar if she could avoid it, not until she could spend some time learning about the Village’s sensors and security systems from Compendium.

How do I get to the holding cells?

“You will have to travel across a series of bridges to the center of the trees. The Druids keep prisoners in cells scattered around a central guard tree, which is always manned. Attempting to walk right up to the cells is impossible and thus unadvisable.”

Thanks
, she thought sourly.
Let me decide what’s impossible.
She remained silent on the “unadvisable” part, because she sensed any plan would be deemed unadvisable by a sensible person.
Where is the Shillelagh kept?

“Higher up in the trees,” the book said in her ear. She peeked over the side of the bridge and up.

By the sacred groves!
She saw another level of bridges and rooms above.
How many levels are there?

“Five,” said Compendium.

Let me guess, the Shillelagh’s on the top level?

“Affirmative.”

Ah, how did I know?
Her mind was racing, and tension wracked her whole body.
Where should I go first?
If she freed the others, the Druids would sound the alarm. Also, how would a group of them get to the fifth level? The Shillelagh was probably equally well guarded, if not more so. She hoisted herself onto the bridge, trying desperately to be noiseless. The branches creaked subtly under her weight. Once she was on solid footing, she curled herself up into a ball against the trunk of the tree and tried to stay as still as possible.
Compendium, alert me if you sense anyone approaching.