CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO - A COmPAss FROm THE sOul

Nyla looked at the people gathered in her mentor’sstudy. Her head was still swimming from the effort it took tosimply stand up, and so she tried to look as strong as shecould. Evidently, that wasn’t all that strong, as her uncle was immediately at her side, grasping her shoulders withhis strong arms.“Nyla, you shouldn’t be out of bed. You’re too weak, and with your injuries…”She shrugged him off, but didn’t let go of his grasp. She was weak, but she had to say what she had come downhere to say. “You all should learn to keep your door closed when you want to have a conversation you don’t want meto hear,” she murmured. “I’ve heard most of what you’veall been saying for the last hour, and I think I know how totrack the

stealer

down.” The others looked at her incredulously, and for a longmoment, no one said anything, so Nyla continued. “I cantrack it. I have certain abilities that I…” Tarn cut her off. “Nyla, I don’t mean to disrespect yourskills as a scout, for you proved those last month. But howcan you track the beast? It plane-walks at will, and there isno trail to follow!”She shook her head. “I don’t mean to follow any trail, for you’re right – there is none. It’s something else. Something I just noticed since Tordek cast his holding spells on me. I….I can feel it.”“Feel it?”“Yes, Master Ulric. I can’t explain it. But, if what I’veheard you say is true, there is a kind of logic to it. I can

feel it… It’s like, well… It’s like its calling to me. I somehowknow where it is. I just, well… I just know.”

The silence that lled the room was so thick it could be

cut with a knife. Eventually, Logan looked up. “Calling to you? Are you sure? Maybe you’re just imaging it.”Nyla’s laugh had an unholy quality to it that none of hercompanions had heard before, and it sent a shiver downtheir spines. “No, oh, no. I’m not imagining it. It wants meto come to it, to join with it, to, to… worship it, I suppose. To do its bidding. But that’s not the problem. The problemis that

I want to go.

”If the silence before was thick, then this would need ahammer and chisel to break through. All of the other menin the room held their heads down, unsure of what to say.

This time Bear found his voice rst. “Can you? I mean, how

strong…”“Yes, Uncle, I can resist its call. But I can tell it’s gettingstronger.”“So, then, where is it, Nyla?”“Somewhere out there.” She pointed off to the east. “I’mnot sure if the pull is getting stronger because I’m getting weaker, or the beast is getting stronger – or both. But whatever it is, we need to do something about it – and soon. Tordek’s spells are allowing me to control it, but the thingsI’ve dreamed of, thought about… We need to hurry for morereasons than one. I’m honestly not sure how long I’ll be ableto resist the call.”Ulric stood up. “Well, I for one choose to look at this direnews positively. We must be off – and soon. Tarn, Logan,Nyla, you must be the ones to go after it. Tordek, Penteth

and I must stay here and continue to nd out all that we

can. I have sent for some information from colleagues I’venot seen in many years.” Tordek started to protest. “I should be goin’ wit’ thelass!”Surprisingly, it was Nyla’s uncle who answered. “No,Shieldbrother. You and I must stay here. As much as I wantto go with them, for either of us to leave town now wouldgive rise to unseemly questions. We can’t start a panichere – not with the city as full as it is now. No, these threeshould go. They should have enough blades to deal with thecreature – I hope. If common soldiers were to go with them,I’m afraid they would just be killed like before. Besides,

I am hoping that they nd the summoner rst – that the

beast has gone back to its master. ““Not bloody likely.” Tarn shook his head. “No, probably not. But, hopefully while we are gone, Penteth, Ulric or you will discoversomething new and we won’t have to face the beast.”“We should be so lucky, good gods willing,” Ulricresponded. “And if not, I believe I have something that maybe useful to you.” He reached into the folds of his robe andpulled out a small sphere. It was made of a material Tarncouldn’t identify, but it was covered in polished gold, and itshone brightly. He handed the device to Logan.“This is a

comanthia nofs

– in the traders’ tongue, a

calling sphere

. It is used by elf scouts to communicate withtheir superiors during times of war. It is a simple magic,really, but very useful, and one that the elves are loathe toloan out to anyone not of their blood. I have one here, andI, well… Let’s not say how I came by it.” Tarn looked at themage, and was surprised to see a roguish grin on his face.