She nodded vaguely, her complexion still grey under the filth, her eyes sliding to the restless mounts. “What about the other horse?”
Kade glanced in the direction of the horse, still waiting by its fallen owner. He squinted against the glare of the sun before shaking his head. “Not my problem.”
Hadley’s eyebrows rose, and her lips pressed white as she stole a quick look at the cart horse that had brought them here. “What about that one?”
Kade cocked his head, an incredulous frown working its way over his face. “Hadley, you’re worried about the horses? We have a princess to rescue, your brother to find, and you’re thinking about the animals?”
She opened her mouth before a dark look crossed her face and she slammed it shut. Kade’s lips twitched as she strode past the cart horse, still nibbling passively on a cluster of grass, blissfully unaware of its impending situation.
She climbed up on the smallest Numachi horse, her arm muscles straining as she mounted. Her chin set and her shoulders back, she waited, her eyes on the wide-open plains before them.
Kade released a long sigh, before swinging back up onto the stolen mount and digging his heels in. Laden with fresh water skins, plenty of dried meat and fruit, and even some local coin, they were sitting better than they were before the warriors arrived.
In half a mind to tell Hadley she’d done well, he shot her a look only to find she was pointedly ignoring him. Kade pulled his eyes from her and dismissed the tension growing in his jaw.
He spurred the horse on, kicking up dust as he began to trot. The sooner they got to the capital, the sooner he could get this job done and get on with his life. Without her complicating things.
Lazen wasn’t what Hadley had expected. After two days of dry, red dirt, the city was a welcome explosion of beautiful colour, that sadly, her own country seemed to have lost.
Tall buildings made from giant blocks of chiselled stone dominated the streets. Bright shades hovered over doorways, brick pots filled with purple and gold flowers adorning the simple dwellings.
Animals ambled about. Goats, sheep and large cows wandered amongst the ribbons of different coloured people. So much colour. So much life.
Hadley watched on, trying to absorb and take it all in. As they reached the marketplace, the day had grown long, the setting sun casting vivid pinks and oranges across the cobalt skies.
People jostled around her, making her wish they hadn’t left the horses outside the city gates. Kade had warned her to stay close, but amongst the swelling people it was growing harder to keep sight of his painted face, and copper coloured skin.
One look too long at the trestle tables, the fragrant desert flowers, and she’d be on her own. Skin tones of differing shades mingled as Numachi haggled in foreign tongues for ripe fruits and strange produce. All around her people swirled, blurring into one continuous splash of colour. She stood watching wide-eyed as a woman near shrieked at a man selling silver and gold jewellery. At the tug on her arm, she turned to find Kade staring at her, an irritated expression on his face. “We don’t have time to gawk.”
Hadley allowed him to tug her away, pulling her towards where the sun was hidden by a double storied structure. Hadley ran her palm down the wall, testing in case she needed to climb, her skin catching on the slightly rough surface of the cream coloured shop.
Kade eyed her for a moment, waiting for a pair of Numachi children, dressed in long linen tunics, long dark hair flowing wildly around their shoulders, squealing as they ran past. He turned so he was blocking her view of the bustling marketplace. “The princess is supposed to be inside the chief’s house.”
He met her gaze. Answering the unspoken question on her lips. “We’ll need to go and check to see what state she’s in. I need to know if she can ride.”
Hadley swallowed and forced down the panic swelling in her belly. “I can do that.”
Kade gave her a short nod. “Once we get her out, we take her out of the city and take her back home.”
Hadley frowned at him. Wondering why he was telling her again. “I know that. You told me twice before.”
Kade’s eyebrows knotted together, his gaze found the dusty ground beneath them, and he leaned against the wall. “We’ll wait for dark. I’ll scout then we’ll figure a way inside. There are bound to be guards.”
He shuffled his feet, and Hadley caught the worry on his face. Her stomach flipped in response. Did he think she was incapable? That she’d make a mistake and give herself away? She shrugged off his concern. There was only one way to convince him, and that was by finding out what he needed to know.
People bustled past them, arms filled with produce, brightly coloured woven blankets, silken dresses and flowers with intoxicating fragrances. It was hard to remain impartial and try to look disinterested like Kade was doing. Or maybe he wasn’t overwhelmed by the sights? How many times had he been inside Lazen?
Kade pushed off the wall and motioned for her to follow. A large bellow made her jump. She pivoted on her heel to see a mountainous beast, with an enormous elongated nose, and massive ears, being led by a long rope towards them.
The crowd parted as the man, dressed in a bright yellow outfit, and a scarf wrapped around his head, bellowed again as the beast placidly walked behind him. “Make way for the god of thunder, move aside or suffer her wrath.”
Kade shook his head at the man’s approach. He tugged her arm, and she almost tripped over her heels, unable to tear her gaze from the magnificent animal.
Her eyes were wide-eyed. “What is that?”
Kade’s lips quirked into a half smile. “It’s an elephant, don’t see them often in Lazen.”
Still awestruck by the beast, Hadley followed after him as he sidestepped incoming people, curious expressions on their faces as they gathered. Hadley picked up her pace to match Kade’s. “They think it’s a god?”
Kade looked sidelong at her. “You can bet the owner will milk desperate people for all he can.”
He gestured to the where the man stood, an open case at his feet. “Come see the great god of thunder, for one gold dareen she may grant you your greatest desire.”
Hadley watched for a moment as people started moving closer, questions burbling around the crowd. Kade pulled on her arm again. “We need to keep moving, I don’t want to be out here when the crowds thin out.”
He turned and left her standing with a thousand questions on her lips. With a sigh, she turned and followed. Consoling herself that at least they were one step closer to finding Thomas.
His eyes never straying from Hadley in case she wandered off, Kade navigated the back streets and found the beaten-up establishment he knew too well.
He jerked a thumb at the door, and drew Hadley to one side, allowing a streetwalker to sidle past before speaking. “Don’t make eye contact with anyone. Just follow a few steps behind me and look subservient.”
Her brow furrowed, but she rounded her narrow shoulders a little more and nodded meekly. His lips curved into a half smile. Maybe this would go better than he thought?
The lodge was surprisingly quiet, but it wouldn’t stay that way for long. As soon as the market was packed away for the day, streams of people would find their way back to the residential areas surrounding the town centre.
His nerves still on alert, Kade paid for a room, ignoring the pained expression Hadley gave him.
When the door was closed, he slumped on the bed. “I can’t get another room just for you.”
Hadley gave him a weak smile as she looked at the solitary bed. “I’ll sleep on the floor.”
Kade frowned at her before shaking his head. “With any luck, we won’t be here to worry about that, this is just a stop off before we move.”
Hadley eased to the floor and sat cross-legged. “When can we look for Thomas?”
Kade’s heart jumped at the reminder. He scratched his chin, stalling as he tried to find a way to say he wasn’t planning on doing anything till he’d figured out how to e
xtract the princess. “You hungry?”
Hadley raised an eyebrow. “A little, but what about Thomas?”
Kade swallowed thickly and worked his jaw as he stared at the floorboards. “We should get something to eat downstairs before it gets busy.”
Like a coward, he headed towards the door, throwing her as impatient a look as he could muster.
Downstairs Numachi of all descriptions were trickling through the doors, and as always Kade’s nerves rose with the close proximity. All it would take to give them away was one misstep. One wrong word, one offence taken and they’d be finished. But this was always the best place to get answers to questions.
Kade pulled Hadley to the farthest corner where the light from the candles burning on scratched and battered tables, allowed more privacy.
He grabbed her arm and pointed to the floor behind him, keeping his voice low as he explained. “Slaves sit on the floor behind their masters.”
Hadley’s eyebrows rose a notch, but to her credit, she slid to the floor, casting her eyes downwards as the barkeep, Kez, a rotund man, with near-black skin and a bald head approached. “Little scrapper. You come back so soon?”
A grin appeared as Kez slapped his large palm on Kade’s shoulder causing him to flinch. “Kez.”
Kez’s eyes flicked to where Hadley sat cowering in the corner. “You not have slave last time you visit.”
Kade shrugged at the stilted Azurian commonly used in the capital, changing his speech to match. “He came cheap.”
The barkeep chuckled and shook his head. “Skinny. Not eat much.”
After taking the coin from Kade’s outstretched hand, Kez turned abruptly and stalked away still laughing at the poor choice of slave.
Kade gazed around the eating area, taking in the men conversing and drinking around him. They were the usual crowd. Miners mostly, a few of the vendors who’d packed up and dropped in for a pint of ale, or the brutal local spirit, Cassiar, Kade had learned the hard way not to drink.
He ignored Hadley as he scanned the faces, looking for any signs of possible trouble. Usually, he was left alone, but there was always the outside chance, someone would pick tonight to start a rumble.
His stomach started to growl as Kez placed a platter of meats, flatbreads, goats cheese and dried fruit and a large handle of ale in front of him. “Anything new?”
Kez shot a look at the nearest table before answering. “More men at chief’s house.”
Kade eased another coin from his pocket, and slid it towards Kez, who palmed it with practised ease. “Any traders in town?” Kade asked.
Kez’s lip curled. “Not for months.”
Kade swallowed a gulp of the bitter ale, his eyes searching the room before he quietly asked another question. “Any Azetarian boys being brought across the river?”
Kez’s eyebrow arched as he leaned closer, so he was blocking Kade’s view of the door. “Why? You want more?”
Kade didn’t need to reply to that. He was pushing his luck as it was. With a shake of his head he ended the conversation before he gave himself away.
Kez’s eyes narrowed as he looked back towards where Hadley lurked. The slightest of smirks on his face. “Stay well, little scrapper.”
As Kez went back to work, Kade’s mind whirled into action. If more men were in place, something important was going on, which confirmed the princess was likely here as reported. Why ransom her though?
His brow knotted as he thought through the reasons why. It made no sense to ask for ransom from an impoverished king. The Numachi Chief was wealthy, his people hadn’t been affected by the plague that had decimated Azetaria, so why kidnap a princess and try to extort money?
Keeping his eyes on his food, Kade sent furtive glances around the room, his pulse quickening every time the door opened, Hadley’s whisper startling him. “Can I get a drink?”
Kade nodded and raised his hand signalling Kez. “Water for my boy.”
At the miserable look on her face, he took a piece of flatbread and added some meat and cheese before handing it to her.
Hadley let out the tiniest of growls but nibbled her food as she waited for the water. “Doesn’t sound like your brother came this way—"
The room quieted all around him, and the hairs on his neck stood on end. There were only a couple reasons a room full of rowdy customers went silent in these parts. The luck he was having, it was bound to be bad.
He slowly turned and took a swig of ale, flicking a quick look at the door.
Two Southern Numachi warriors stood shoulder to shoulder, watching him, faces set like stone. Oh crap.
Kade swallowed another gulp of ale as the youngest approached him. His heart slamming about in his chest, he concentrated on keeping his manner relaxed and casual as the teenaged warrior, stopped directly in front of his table.
The warrior glanced at the food, then to where Hadley was, sending rivulets of alarm shuddering down his spine. “Our table, our food, our ale.”
Kade cocked his head, and carried on chewing, trying not to think of what Hadley was doing behind him. He speared a piece of cheese and held the warriors gaze, steady and calm as he replied. “My food, my table, my ale.””
The warrior glared at him. “Move and we not kill you or your boy.”
Kade’s toes began to twitch in his boots as the other edged closer towards him. Men began to abandon their drinks, sending nervous glances in his direction as they scuttled out the door.
Kez appeared, handle of water in hand as he took a faltering step towards the table. “No fight. I tell you last time.”
The youngest warrior scowled at him and rattled off something in a dialect Kade was unfamiliar with.
What backwater hellhole did these two mongrels climb out of?
A knot of tension began building in his shoulders, the desire to react growing almost unbearable. He looked once more around the room, and when he was sure there would be no one around to run and get the chief’s guards, Kade eased back in his chair a little, a placating smile on his face, as he prepared to kill them as swiftly as possible.
Her half-eaten food locked in a death grip, Hadley huddled further into the shadows, terror creeping down her spine at the thought of being handed over to the warriors Kade had called savage. The barkeep was backing away, just like the rest of the men inside had done, leaving her and Kade alone with the terrifying warriors.
She swallowed and tried to quell the rising panic spreading like wildfire through her. Her hands trembling so much, the flatbread tumbled to the floor. Hadley swallowed hard as the warrior eyed her, a flickering of distaste crossing his face as she met his eye.
Her breath locked inside her chest, her palms growing sweaty as the two men, both armed with knives, edged in closer to Kade, who was carrying on eating as though not bothered by their presence. She risked a closer look and wondered if they might be brothers, so closely did their square jaws, dark eyes, thickset torsos, and crop of dark red hair match.
With no warning, Kade was on his feet, chair crashing to the ground as he released the first of his knives. The first warrior clutched his chest as Kade ran at the other.
Hadley shot to her feet, heart pounding wildly as Kade smashed his fist into the second man. The first, staggering while trying to remove the dagger, made for the door. He paused to yell something loudly, before turning and hurling himself at Kade.
Kade, locked in a fist fight with the older of the pair, slammed his knee into the mid-section of the man, smashed his closed fists down on the back of his neck, and as the man’s knees buckled, launched himself at the younger warrior.
Voices came from outside, and Hadley rushed to the grimy windows. Outside more warriors were rushing towards the tavern. At least a dozen hardened men, all furious and all armed, were heading their way.
“More are coming!” she yelled.
Kade flicked his gaze to her then kicked flat-footed, sending the warrior closest to the floor, howling in pain.
He reached
for his knife, but the second man grabbed his arm and yanked him backwards. Kade lost his footing and crashed to the ground, roaring as the warrior kicked at his ribs. He rolled onto his side and grabbed the man’s legs, so he too landed on the floor.
While Kade grappled with the warrior, Hadley found the nearest object and smashed it over the closest head. The glass shattered but the warrior turned and rounded on her, spitting furious words she was pleased she couldn’t understand.
She backed up, slamming against the table as he smashed his fist into her cheek.
Her hands flew to her face, but his fist met her nose before she could protect herself. The room spun as he grabbed her by the throat, blood leaking down from his chest, he lifted her feet clear of the ground as he glared at her.
Any thought of helping Kade, or escape vanished as stars darted in front of her eyes. The room grew hazy, and her lungs screamed for air.
The warrior sneered at her, eyes wild with fury as he shook her like a rag doll. Panic flooding through her, Hadley slapped at his face, desperate to stop him, desperate to breathe again.
Her limbs growing weighted and useless, black started to edge in, her lungs swelling in her chest, her eyes filled with tears at what would come next. In seconds she would be gone, and there would be no way to find Thomas. No hope for a future. Nothing. She’d fade into blackness.
With a burst of desperate energy, she swung her flailing legs as hard as she could, and managed to connect with his kneecap. He staggered slightly, but his hands only squeezed tighter.
All sense of time lost, for a moment she thought she was already dead, then the pressure on her throat eased, and her brain scrambled to make sense of what was happening. Distorted voices came from far away, as she was lifted from where she’d crumpled to the floor.
Her breathing still ragged, her vision still only sending half images as she took in thin gasping breaths, her body left the ground once more, this time gentle hands guided her upwards.
Cool air smacked into her sweat-drenched face, and a different darkness surrounded her. Then a sense of danger, of urgency and of Kade’s voice as he muttered under his breath.
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