Verena's Whistle: Varangian Descendants Book I by K. Panikian (essential reading txt) 📗

one of Bard’s cooking pouches. I’d found a handful of tea bags in the bottom of my pack last night and I was eager to make some.

When the six of us stood around the fire, sipping tea from various drinking receptacles, I shared my ideas.

“One, we split up the camp and attack them in pieces. That worked for us last time. However, this time we don’t have Greek fire. The most I think we could safely take on at one time without it is three. Maybe four if they’re non-magic users.

“But I don’t know how to divide the camp. We could follow any scouting parties that left the valley, but after we eliminated the first party, I think the rest of them would either follow the trail and find us or, entrench further in the valley. We’re not equipped to take on fortifications.”

I paused and Rurik cleared his throat. He asked, “Did I misunderstand my sons? Are you not a Nightingale?”

“No, I am,” I replied.

“Then we can take on more than three or four at a time, I think. I’ve seen a Nightingale control 20 besy at once before.”

“Unfortunately,” I said, “I’m pretty new to this power. I’ve had no training…” I trailed off. I felt embarrassed for some reason. More so, when I heard Astrid make a scoffing sound. Julian heard it too and glared at her. She saw his angry glance and again, turned away from the group.

Rurik said kindly, “I will try and help, I—”

Just then, Cato and Theo burst into the camp, running and staggering and waving their arms. Theo caught his breath first and gasped out, “Todorats, gone, west.”

“How many? By themselves?” I asked.

Theo gulped in some more air and answered more clearly, “Three. Left the camp, trotting west.”

“Okay,” I said, thinking quickly. “Owen, Astrid, and Julian, you’re with me. We’re tracking the todorats and hopefully, killing them. We can’t let them find a town or a farm. Grab your weapons, the extra tent, and be ready to leave in two minutes.

“Cato and Theo, head back to the bes camp and keep watching. Rurik and Bard, switch with them when their time is up. You four are the base camp. Stay hidden and keep tracking their movements. We need to know what preparations they’re making and how many there are. Cross your fingers none of the others leave. If they do, use your best judgment.

“I don’t know if we’ll be back by tonight. Theo, try and check on us, if you can.”

Theo agreed and then he and Cato headed back the way they came.

Rurik waved me over and said, “The todorats use earth elemental power to stomp. They can cause earthquakes. You, your whistle, you can do this too. But you must reach very far down.

“Fire is easiest for you because you can visualize the spark. With earth power, you must find the spark first and then call it to the surface.”

I nodded, “Thanks.”

Chapter 27

We skirted the valley by hugging the ridgeline. It took half a day to loop back onto the todorat trail and by the time we found it, I was vibrating with stress. The equine trail headed straight west, like the besy knew exactly where they were going. A modern town would have no defenses against a herd of todorats.

While we trudged, I shared the fight I’d read in Irene’s journal, where her friend covered two of them in Greek fire and she shot the third with a crossbow. Astrid responded that she’d heard of todorats that could level a village with one stomp. Great.

She was the only one armed with a bow, so I asked how accurate she was. That got another frosty reply. She was unbeatable; she trained every day and, as an air elemental, she could direct her shot where she willed it.

Julian rolled his eyes at that one and I thanked her for the helpful information.

It was early afternoon at this point and the four of us pushed hard to catch up to the four-legged besy. My feet were dragging in the snow by the time we crested a hill and saw the three of them below us. They’d stopped in a frozen field and appeared to be talking to each other. I could see a gate at one end of the field and knew we’d reached a farm.

We were maybe 200 yards away from the besy. So far, they hadn’t looked up and seen us. Their cloaks rippled and their skeletal frames appeared and disappeared in the wind.

“Julian and Owen, you skirt the field along that fence. I don’t think they’ll be able to see you with the blown snow against it. When you’re even with them sit tight and wait for my whistle. When I call you, Owen, I want you in full beast mode and Julian, you’re his backup. Remember, if they stomp, the earth will shake.” Both men agreed.

I looked directly into Owen’s eyes and added, “I got you. Go full out.” I repeated, “I got you.” Owen grabbed my hand and squeezed it. Then he and Julian snuck back down the hill and headed for the fence.

I turned to Astrid. “Your dad said something to me and I’m going to try it. I need you to be my back up. If I can’t do it, you need to shoot these guys as many times and as fast as you can so we can regroup.”

For once, she agreed without arguing. Her eyes looked worried. She added, “My air powers don’t work against them directly. I can aim things at them, like my arrows, but I can’t lift or move the beasts directly. Just so you know.”

“Good to know,” I answered.

I crouched down in the snow and, using my sword scabbard, scraped a hole all the way down to the bare earth. I put my hand on the bare spot and let out a low, reaching whistle. I stretched my senses deeply into the cold ground, searching for a gold spark to grasp.