Obsidian Ridge

Epilogue

Spring returned to Erlkazar.

Xeries's death had brought with it the end of his spell. The dried grasses and dead flowers awakened from their slumber. Within days of the Obsidian Ridge crashing from the sky, the Llorbauth valley was back in full bloom.

Quinn and Mariko stood in the middle of the easternmost courtyard, hand in hand, under a cherry blossom tree, finally able to give each other the public kiss they had been longing for. Captain Kaden and Evelyne looked on, and King Korox stood beside them, smiling. It had been the first time he had been happy in a long, long time.

More than five hundred people attended the wedding, and they applauded now, whistling and cheering for the newest couple of Erlkazar.

A group of bards played enchanted music as the king, his daughter, and his new son walked down from the altar to a long table set up with food and drink at the other end of the courtyard.

"Korox! Korox! I must have a word with you."

The king's moment of happiness was quickly ended by Lady Herrin and her bodyguards.

Sidling up, a plate of food in her hand, she jawed at the king between bites.

"Who is going to pay for all of this destruction?" she said, her words made less comprehensible by the piles of chewed meat in her mouth. "The marketplace was completely ruined by showers of obsidian. Who is going to pay for all of my ruined goods?"

"Lady Herrin," said King Korox, "so good of you to come to the wedding." He shook her greasy hand. "I think you know my new son, Quinn."

Heating his name, Quinn turned away from his new wife, to see the king giving him a rather forced smile.

"Yes, of course I know your bodyguard," said Lady Herrin. "Why you would let such a man marry your daughter-"

The king's smile turned genuine as he interrupted her. "Oh, Quinn is no longer my bodyguard. He's now my minister of trade. You will be dealing with him directly if you have any concerns you wish to bring to the court." He pointed to the plate of food Lady Herrin had gripped in her hands. "Please enjoy yourself. If you will excuse me, I have a small matter that I must attend to."

Stepping away from the annoying old merchant, the king slipped out of the courtyard and away from the mingling crowd. In a quiet, concealed corner, behind a large hedge and away from prying eyes, he rendezvoused with the man who would take Quinn's place as his personal assassin.

"Have you found her?" he asked.

The man stepped out of the shadows, tugging on the tips of his moustache, his wide-brimmed hat at his side.

"Not yet, my lord," replied Vasser. "But I will."

The king nodded. "Good. Find her and kill her. Those are my orders."

Vasser bowed with a practiced flair. "As you wish, my lord."