Book 1 Chapter 27: Revenge

Ylva appeared with Vero shortly afterwards at a publishing and printing company.

“Ah, milady and milord. What brings you here?” the head Yowlumne asked.

“This,” Ylva said, handing him a completed manuscript. The man glanced over it and then his eyes grew wide as he hurriedly looked back at them. The complete book of scripture.

“I’m honored that you would have me print this,” he said with a bow.

“You’ll be very busy if you accept this,” Ylva warned.

“Indeed, we will not be accepting any other assignments till every Yowlumne who desires a copy, has one,” the Yowlumne said, clearly understanding what the implications of it were. “We’ll do it. As bringing out the truth was part of our previous job, we would be delighted and honored to print the complete works and scriptures you have presented us.” Again the Yowlumne bowed and Vero looked away.

He was bored with all the formalities and the gracious attitude. He had suffered through it during the translation and compiling process simply because Ylva had made him in charge of it.

As they left, Ylva glanced down at him.

“Vero,” she said and brought him out of his thoughts. “What is the matter?”

“Formalities,” Vero muttered. “I’m sick of them.” Ylva looked at him with surprise.

“You, the one who taught me how to handle them, are getting cold feet about being in formal situations?” She teased and Vero growled.

“Oh leave off,” he grumbled and Ylva chuckled.

“You’re acting like a kid,” she commented and he scowled.

“Whatever,” he muttered and then his anger and annoyance deflated. They walked back to the castle in silence then Vero’s ear picked up the sounds of quick and light footsteps. He looked around and his eyes caught a dark shadow dart just past his field of vision. He looked up at Ylva who was keeping her attention on their surroundings.

“Vero. Start heading for that building,” she told him through her telepathy. Vero nodded and they kept their usual pace as they walked over. Ylva quickly pulled him around the corner and the two began to run. Vero mentally thanked Ylva for having the foresight to keep some weapons on them at all times, even though their main enemy was now gone.

“Up there,” Ylva said and looked up to the roof. Vero followed her gaze and then nodded. She held out her hands for a foot hold and hoisted him up quickly. Then she jumped up and grabbed the edge before swinging herself up. Vero helped to make it quicker, before they began to run along the rooftops. Vero pulled out his daggers and kept them in his hand as they ran, in case someone pounced them.

As they jumped over to another rooftop he noticed some black clad figures who quickly began to pursue them. He gritted his teeth and suddenly Ylva jumped around him with a short sword in her hands. She stepped in between Vero and the figures.

“Who are you and what do you want?” Ylva asked. Vero knew that if they played it foolishly and just killed random people without evidence of their malicious intent, it would be bad for their efforts with trying to restore the old religion.

Vero waited for an answer but none came. Instead one of the figures charged at them, but Ylva quickly subdued them and cast them off the roof to the floor below.

“Anyone else?” she asked with a gleam in here eye. Some of the attackers took a few steps back as if frightened, then they started to charge. Vero helped where he could but Ylva did most of the work.

As they looked around at the collapsed figures Ylva stooped down and grabbed one of their ears. There was no response so Ylva shifted her over and began rummaging through her things. She did this to each of the unconscious assailants, even the ones she had tossed off the roof.

At length Ylva found something and she shoved it into her things before coming back to Vero.

“We need to get moving. Keep to the roofs, it’s not safe here,” she said and Vero nodded.

The two made it quickly back to the palace and Ylva hurried inside, Vero barely managing to keep up with her. She came to a door and flicked her ears to command it to open which it did so quickly. Vero figured that Filtiarn had taught her that trick as only the Ulrikans ahd that sort of authority to move dorrs with their ears. They walked inside and spotted The Ulrikan, training with a sword.

“Ah, Ylva what is it?” he asked as he pointed his sword down and walked over to them.

“You need to see this,” she said, pulling out what she had grabbed, from earlier. The paper exchanged hands and Filtiarn looked at it.

As he read his face grew dark and Vero waited anxiously to hear what he had to say.

“Are you alright?” Filtiarn asked Ylva.

“Yah, a few scratches, nothing much. But it was broad daylight when they attacked us,” she said. Vero’s ears twitched as his attention perked at the words. Just what had been going on while he had been cooped up in the study, translating and compiling those scriptures.

“They’ve grown bolder then,” Filtiarn responded. “Best have any scratches checked, just in case,” he said. Ylva shifted and frowned but did not argue back. Vero racked his brain trying to figure out what was going on. Had something happened that worried the two Ulrikans. He thought back on any conversation he had with them and could find nothing.

“Could someone please explain what is going on?” Vero asked, finally. Ylva and Filtiarn looked over at him with surprised looks.

“Oh,” Filtiarn said, as if realizing something. He stepped in front of Vero and leaned down a bit so he could be at eye level with Vero. “Vero, what I tell you, you mustn’t worry about it too much or tell anyone else for the time being.” Vero nodded and looked expectantly at Filtiarn

“Followers of the black wolf god have been targeting us lately,” he said and Vero thought about it for a minute then began to grasp what that meant.

“But I thought they had left,” Vero replied.

“Probably not all of them, or if they did, some came back to get revenge,” Ylva spoke up. Vero grumbled as he frowned.

“It’s a bit petty, but sometimes it happens,” Filtiarn said, standing back up.

“So those Yowlumne who attacked us where trying to get revenge?” Vero asked and Ylva and Filtiarn both nodded silently. Vero tsked and rolled his eyes.

“Even though it’s not much of a threat right now, it can become increasingly dangerous from here on out,” Filtiarn said.

“Indeed,” Ylva agreed. “Best be cautious then.”