He found himself gazing at her. She was unlike any woman he had ever seen. Her long hair was loosely braided and rested over her right shoulder. The color was similar to that of a summer’s sunrise. Red hair was an unusual enough trait to see in someone, but her blue eyes were really what set her apart. They reminded him of the sea on a sunny day. They were the deepest blue he had ever seen, but within them lurked something powerful. Dangerous, even. Yet, he felt no threat emanating from her and instead felt inexplicably drawn to her. He knew what his sister would say. He knew she would be telling him to just let her go and that involving himself would mean endangering himself. She would, of course, be right. There were more important things, however, than simply being right. “Sorry, Addi. I’ll just have to owe you one,” he said, looking up before shaking his head a bit.
Nev looked at him feeling confused.
“I’m not sure what this fate is you think you are supposed to meet or why you are so determined to have that happen tonight, but I’m afraid there has been a change in plans,” he said.
Nev shook her head disapprovingly.
“Shake your head no all you want. That won’t change my mind about helping you. You’ll see, I am incredibly stubborn about things like this,” he said with a smile. The man moved towards her and put his arm around her to support her weight. “Now, about this change in fate’s plans, I am going to need you to do just as I say.”
He gently and carefully moved her to the corner of the single room apartment and sat her down gingerly. “It hurts a lot, doesn’t it?” he asked, looking towards her shoulder.
Nev reluctantly replied, “A bit.” She was unused to the concerned attention he was giving her and shifted slightly away from him in response.
“Once we get our unwelcome guests to move along, I’ll get you patched up. I’m not a healer, but I can play the part in a pinch,” he assured her. “Alright, when they come in—and they will almost undoubtedly come in—it’s imperative for you to remain very quiet and try not to move. If it was just the enforcer, you could likely do a jig, and he wouldn’t notice. If there’s a prowler, then that is a different matter entirely,” he noted with a heavy sigh.
Nev shook her head in disbelief. “I’ve crossed paths with a prowler before. How is sitting in the corner supposed to hide me from anyone? Particularly a prowler?” she asked doubtfully.
He grinned and replied, “Trust me.”
Nev had only ever entirely placed her trust in one person outside of herself, and that was an incredibly long time ago. It had ended very, very badly at that time. Unwelcome, the memories of that moment crept into her thoughts. They caused her heart to ache. The pain, ever-present within her, stubbornly refused to diminish with time. Instead, it lurked and pounced on her from the edges of her mind—often when she was least prepared.
The man sensed something dark and painful stir within her. He reflexively placed his hand on hers. “It’s going to be alright,” he said reassuringly.
Nev, startled by feeling his hand touch hers, instinctually pulled it back and close to her chest.
He felt compelled to comfort her but was interrupted by the sounds of banging and yelling coming from the apartment next door. “Remember, you must stay still and quiet, no matter what happens,” he whispered.
The man stood and moved towards his desk, where he sat and opened his ledger before scrawling a quick note and closing the book. Nev felt perplexed by his actions. More than anything, she was filled with a sense of impending dread. The commotion from next door had quieted as abruptly as it began. With the heavy silence, came the realization that they would soon reach their door. Nev, despite her supposed rescuer’s reassurances, was sure these were her last moments.
The door of his apartment shook as the enforcer kicked forcefully upon it. With the door bowing under pressure, the man shot a quick look at Nev. He placed a finger to his lips, urging her to be quiet. He then turned and moved towards the door. Taking a deep breath, he focused his attention. Alright, I can do this. Just focus. You will not see her, he thought.
Concentrating, he pressed his mind to conceal the woman sitting in the corner of his apartment. He would learn almost instantly if his efforts were successful. If this didn’t work, he would need to come up with another plan very quickly.
Nev swore the air seemed to grow a bit warmer the moment before the door opened. She closed her eyes as she took in a deep, slow breath. When she dared to reopen them, the enforcer was already in the room. Except for his mud-coated boots, his massive, metal armor glistened from the rain.
Nev held her breath as the enforcer scanned the room quickly. Settling his intense gaze upon the man who had insisted on helping her. She waited for the inevitable moment when he would charge across the room and drag her out into the muddy street, but the moment never came.
“How can I assist the emperor?” the man asked politely. The enforcer didn’t respond. Instead, he moved slightly to the side of the doorway. A new figure glided effortlessly into the room and stood in stark contrast to the enforcer.
Nev had been pursued by prowlers a few times, including a few weeks ago and on the last night of her childhood. She had, thankfully, never seen one this close. Their armor was lightweight, black leather with metal embellishments. It provided minimal protection, but prowlers were rarely seen by their victims until it was far too late.
It was said they lived in the shadows, only appearing when they were confident their prey was near. Most people quickly submitted to avoid being forced to confront them. Those who did resist never did so for long. Nev had been lucky when her path crossed previously with the prowler. She hoped her luck would still hold.
Known as the Shadow’s Hand, prowlers were the general’s elite order and were reported to be very few in numbers. Due to their preference for existing in dark obscurity, however, little real and verified facts were known about them. Even so, there was one well-known certainty that existed. Whether they were harshly shepherding women to be tested and given their “mark” or simply hunting the empire’s prey, they were cruel and skilled beyond all measures.
This prowler wore a hood that cloaked his face in darkness. It made it difficult to follow his line of sight as he stalked through the apartment. After many drawn-out minutes, he approached the man. The prowler drew close and stared intensely at him. He was mindful to keep his face obscured while he studied the man closely.
Stunned, Nev watched the interaction unfold before her. She felt her heart racing, and droplets of sweat doused her skin. With her hands trembling, Nev struggled to remain still and quiet—despite being instructed to do so. Focusing her mind, she forced her body to calm slightly. Her thoughts, however, were still panicked.
“I have been tracking a dangerous threat to the empire for the past two weeks. I almost had her on the outskirts of this repulsive little village, when she managed to evade me. I did, however, wound her in our encounter. Bows are such impersonal weapons, but they have their place. Since then, I have spent these past weeks waiting for the injury to fester enough that she would be forced into the village to seek treatment. The rain and time have pushed my quarry to seek more conventional remedies. Thus, my arrival and conversation with you,” the prowler said with an eerie calmness about him.
“I see,” said the man flatly.
“My compatriot was too eager to dispatch justice to the occupants of the apartment next door. I’m hoping you and I can come to a more refined conclusion,” the prowler said, smiling. “I know she is nearby, and I will find her. The only question is, will you help or not. So, where is she?” he inquired calmly.
The man could feel the prowler pushing on his thoughts. He had heard troubling rumors that they possessed abilities far beyond that of the brutish enforcers. He found no pleasure in discovering some of the stories about them were indeed true. He was careful not to offer too much resistance to the intruding prodding of the prowler. Instead, he let him smoothly push into some thoughts, while maintaining a vigila
nt wall around those things he would not allow to be put at risk—namely his sister and the mystery woman he was determined to see safely through this.
The man didn’t see the enforcer’s fist fly, but he felt the impact as the heavily armored hand landed on his jaw. He stumbled a bit and let out a groan as the pain from his jaw moved through his entire head. He struggled to maintain his focus as he regained his footing.
The prowler coolly watched the exchange and waited for the man to regain his composure. The prowler shook his head, and dispassionately asked, “Where is she?”
The man felt the intensity of the prowler’s presence in his head. He grinned and looked at his accuser, wryly asking, “Look around, does this look like the kind of place women are just lining up to get into?”
The prowler smiled back, “Perhaps not, but this woman is desperate and a blight on the land like no other. Her standards are perhaps low enough—even for the likes of you.”
He and the prowler both laughed for a moment before the enforcer punched him in the stomach. The man grunted from the impact and forced out a small laugh. “Your friend isn’t much for chatting, is he?” he asked, his voice slightly strained.
The prowler moved behind the man and sneered, “No, and I am afraid our time for conversing has also come to an end. It is too bad that I have more pressing concerns. There is something odd about you. Given more time, it would be intriguing to explore,” he said menacingly. The prowler produced a small dagger from his belt.
The man recognized the weapon immediately. The silver blade was etched with strange markings, with several red gems encrusting the handle. He felt a surge of anguish and guilt rush into him as his mind flashed with a memory of that dagger being held to his sister as she was led away. He’d hidden the day she was taken. Despite not seeing the prowler who took her clearly, he would never forget spying the dagger pointed at her. With a quick breath, he forced the memories of his sister back for now.
Suddenly, an explosion from outside shook the very ground they stood upon. The prowler’s eyes flashed with hatred and hunger as he disappeared through the door with the enforcer following immediately behind.
Poking his head out of his door for a moment, the man ensured their interrogators had indeed left. He then closed it tightly behind him and let out a deep breath. The predictable headache was already taking hold, but there was no time to spare. Whatever had caused the explosion, it had not been what the prowler sought. He would be back as soon as he came to that realization, and they needed to be long gone before that happened.
Nev had watched in bewilderment and horror as the prowler had questioned the man. She didn’t understand how she’d remained unseen. The prowler’s glare had seemed to stare right through her, and it had made her blood run cold. Yet, he’d somehow failed to realize that the person he sought was so near. While she was still trying to process what had occurred, the man began moving quickly through the apartment. She watched as he threw various items into a pack and muttered softly to himself.
Nev studied him curiously as he stopped for a moment to rub his forehead and temples before returning to his task. With the prowler and enforcer gone, the pain and exhaustion Nev had momentarily been able to subdue now came surging back. Her shoulder throbbed with deep, unyielding pain. The thought of never leaving the corner she was sitting in was beginning to take root in her mind. She’d started to accept her journey’s end when she felt the man reach down and pull her carefully, but quickly to her feet. Suddenly, she found herself standing again and blinked at him in surprise and confusion.
“Time to go,” he said, steadying her against him.
Nev shook her head in refusal.
He let out a small laugh and winced before adding, “Still thinking you can shake your head and get your way, I see. I did warn you I was stubborn.” Swiftly, he led her through the door and down an alley in the opposite direction of the explosion.
A few people had braved opening their doors to see what had caused the commotion. As the man and Nev made their way to the outskirts of the city, they heard a few citizens claim the explosion was caused by some badly beaten beggar igniting the lamp oil storeroom. Perhaps someone else had experienced their fill of prowlers and enforcers for today. Either way, the commotion granted them the opportunity they needed to make their escape.
Chapter 2
The man pushed Nev to keep moving deeper into the woods that partially bordered Serenity Falls. They walked until the settlement’s glow was utterly lost to distance. The only light for their path came from the wisps of moonlight that pushed through clouds and a steady drizzle of rain. His head was pounding at this point, and Nev was barely going through the motions of taking steps anymore. He spotted a small muddy embankment that had eroded partly under a massive set of tree roots. That would be their destination.
He sat Nev down on the bank and cleared back a few of the smaller roots. There was more room carved out than he expected, and the inside was dry, mostly. He tossed his pack down towards the back of the space and then very carefully pulled Nev inside. She could barely keep her eyes open and moaned softly in protest as he moved her. “Hang in there, alright?” he whispered.
Nev’s mind was heavy and sluggish from pain and exhaustion. A piece of her screamed to get up and keep running, but that thought was quickly drowned out by the realization that she simply couldn’t. She had neither the energy nor the strength to move from the spot she now found herself in. Instead, she would need to do something she hadn’t done in a very long time—trust someone. That thought bounced in her head until she fell into a deep sleep.
He pulled a candle from his pack and set it into the dirt before lighting it. Unclasping the woman’s cloak, he pulled it back from her shoulders. The left sleeve of her shirt had already been torn off and used as a rudimentary bandage around her injured shoulder. He pulled out a small knife from his pack and began to cut and peel back the shirt sleeve.
Nev’s breathing became more unsteady as he pulled the bandage off her wound. It had become encased in scabbing around her injury, and he now worked to remove it as gently as possible. As he removed the last of the shirt from her shoulder, she shot briefly awake. Her eyes flashed open as she took in a sharp breath. The man placed his hand on her forehead and smiled softly before saying, “Don’t worry, I mostly know what I’m doing.” He thought she had returned his smile for the briefest of moments before closing her eyes.
The man was a bit shocked at how heavily infected the wound was. He worked for several hours cleaning, closing, and bandaging her shoulder with the supplies he had brought from his apartment. By the end, the pounding in his head had become so intense he was having trouble forcing his eyes to focus. With her wound finally tended to and her sleeping seemingly somewhat soundly, he allowed himself to concentrate on his own discomfort. He produced a little round white pill from a small vial in his bag, swallowed it, and laid down next to her. Listening to her soft, steady breaths, the man finally fell asleep.
Chapter 3
The sun was barely up when he began to stir. He needed more sleep. His dreams, however, had been stressful and pushed him to consciousness earlier than he would have liked. Reflexively he rubbed his jaw where the enforcer had not-so-kindly reminded him to answer the prowler’s questions. He knew a sore jaw and a lasting headache were small consequences to pay for what had transpired the night before.
While his headache had faded slightly, the memories of the previous evening had not. He sat up slowly and rubbed his forehead and temples gently in a mildly successful attempt to relieve the lingering pressure in his head. Time would be needed to subdue it any farther. The headache was predictable after what had occurred. The strain of keeping the prowler from roaming his mind unopposed and to keep the mystery woman hidden had been intense. It was fortuitous that the explosion had drawn the prowler’s attention when it did. He didn’t think it was wise to bet that luck or fate would intervene like that again. Best not to tempt either.
&nb
sp; The man turned his attention to the woman for whom he had turned his world upside down in an instant. Her sleep didn’t look anymore restful now than his had been. He watched her for several minutes. She tossed her head from side to side and mumbled to herself. He strained to make out anything from what she was saying, but the only word that seemed clear was the repeated word, “no.”
He studied her for a brief time, trying to piece together more about her. The shirt she wore was stained and thinning, and the one remaining long sleeve had a small tear at the elbow. Her cloak, however, seemed to be in somewhat better shape. The fabric was thick, dark green, and had a sheen to it. Many questions about her remained, but one thing seemed definite—her life had not been an easy one, even by current standards in Obsidia.
He peered outside the hollow that had been their refuge for the evening. Dawn was just beginning to pierce through the night sky, and the rain had eased off. It was now only a fine mist. He knew they would need to leave soon. Putting more distance between Serenity Falls and themselves was imperative if there was any chance of avoiding the prowler. The one he suspected had not been swayed from pursuing them.
The man removed a small loaf of dense bread from his bag and then began to quietly pack up everything else. He let her sleep as long as possible. Restless sleep was still sleep, and from what he could gather, she probably had not slept any other way for a very long time. He placed the last of his items in his pack and fastened it securely, before looking at the still slumbering woman. Well, time to see if you are a morning person, he thought, with a smile. He placed his hand lightly on her left arm and quietly whispered, “Rise and shine.”
Nev felt the sudden rush of adrenaline pour into her sleeping mind. Her thoughts all shouted the same message to her: wake up! She sat up instantly, pushing herself backward quickly until her back was firmly against the dirt wall of the hollow. Her cloak laid abandoned where she’d been sleeping moments before. Her eyes remained heavy and slow to focus, but she could still sense someone was with her.
The Obsidian Throne Page 2
