The Secret of the Golden Gods Omnibus Edition

by Pedro Urvi

  I have to risk it, it’s all or nothing, Kyra thought as she waited. Time’s of the essence, and I’m running out of options. Out of the corner of her eye she saw the villagers gathered in the square, not missing a thing. More than half the village was there, already. All activity had ceased, and nobody said a word. From the outskirts of the village more people were coming, drawn by the rumors which were flying through the streets.

  The door of the mansion opened and three Guards came out. Their faces were stern.

  “You can come in,” said the biggest as he stared at his wounded comrade. “But don’t you dare try anything, or it’ll be the last thing you do.”

  Kyra went into the house as though she were a God, as though those Guards were nothing more than slaves she could cause to burst into flames by snapping her fingers. The thought reminded her of the God Prince Asu, and her stomach gave a lurch. You bastard! One day I’ll tear your eyes out, even if it’s the last thing I ever do! She took a deep breath and exhaled in a long sigh in an attempt to calm herself. The situation was complicated and she could not afford to get carried away. I have to act like Ikai would, weigh up my options well and go on calmly. None of my wild impulses, or else I’ll never get out of here.

  In the inner courtyard of the house the Proxy was waiting for her. Behind him stood the young Guard from the door and two others. Added to the three behind her there were now six, which made fighting a bad idea: she would die. Stay cool… don’t provoke them… She recognized the Proxy from Ikai’s description, and was grateful she had asked her brother to tell her every detail of his experiences when he had rescued her.

  “Welcome, Kyra…” Ambuk started to say, then stopped. He stared at her with narrowed eyes and something like recognition in his face. “It’s… it’s amazing how alike you are…”

  She came to stand before him in the middle of the room. “Alike?”

  “You’re the spitting image of your mother… of Solma…”

  “My brother Ikai told me you knew her… and my father…”

  The strong guard interrupted. “Speak to the Proxy with appropriate respect.”

  “I speak to the whole world the same way. Peasant or Proxy.”

  Ambuk waved his hand. “It doesn’t matter.”

  Kyra turned a look of hatred at the Guard, but bit her tongue and said nothing.

  “Yes, I knew your parents… for a moment I went back in time, to those happy days of my youth… Forgive me, sometimes nostalgia gets the better of me. It’s the years of solitude. Make sure you have someone beside you …” He gave her a kind smile.

  Kyra nodded, looking closely at the Proxy. Just as Ikai had told her, she saw goodness in his face.

  “Let me tell you that seeing you here today is something I never thought possible. Never before has one Summoned by the Gods come back. It’s something that nobody expected, and it’s created all kinds of rumors and gossip. It’s as if a ghost had returned in triumph from the dead.”

  “Except that I’m very much alive.”

  Ambuk smiled. “I can see that, and also that you’ve inherited your father’s fiery character. To be honest, I never believed your brother would make it. It’s a real accomplishment, to have managed to reach you and bring you back. Rightly do the people call you the Senoca Heroes.”

  Kyra tensed. She had not expected the Proxy to be aware of that. It was not a good sign. He must have an order to capture her.

  The Proxy was aware of her fear. “Don’t be afraid,” he said with a reassuring gesture. He turned to his Guards and ordered them to leave the two of them alone. There was a moment of tension, but they obeyed.

  “I need to understand how all this is possible. I need to know whether the rumors are true, whether you managed to escape from the Eternal City, avoiding the Gods themselves, killing their Enforcers, that you can cross the Boundary and that there really is a Shelter. Is all this true, Kyra? Or is it no more than a hope, a slave people’s attempt to survive by inventing stories to avoid giving in to despair.”

  “It’s all true. We’re no Heroes, but I can assure you that all the rest is absolutely true.”

  Ambuk gestured towards the sofa. “Sit down, and please tell me everything … my heart needs to know whether there’s hope for our people.”

  Kyra hesitated, she was not sure she could trust this man. After all, he was a Proxy of the Regent, an enemy.

  “I understand that you don’t trust me. But I can assure you that I have no intention of handing you over either to Sesmok or the Enforcers, even though my orders are to capture the Seven Heroes, alive or dead.”

  Kyra looked into his eyes. He seemed to be telling the truth, and Ikai had trusted him and had not been betrayed.

  “All right,” she said.

  She told him everything that had happened, to her and Ikai, and all the others. She told him hastily, but without leaving anything out. As the story unfolded Ambuk’s eyes widened. When she finished, he was obviously very touched, with his gaze lost in the distance, speechless.

  She took hold of his arm, since he seemed about to fall. “Are you all right?”

  For a moment he did not answer, as if he were in some faraway place he could not come back from. But he recovered.

  “Yes… yes… I’m fine. What you’ve just told me changes everything. You don’t know how important this is, for the Senoca, for our future.”

  “Why?”

  “Because the flame of hope will take hold. Because we’ll be able to wake up from this abominable nightmare which has tormented us for a thousand years. Because not everything is lost, because there’s hope for the Senoca. What you have managed is an unthinkable feat.”

  Kyra frowned in puzzlement.

  “One day you’ll understand,” he told her.

  She shrugged.

  “And what’s one of the Heroes doing in my house? If you’ve come to me, risking your life, it’s because you need something from this Proxy. Something important. What is it?”

  “My mother Solma is very sick. I need a Surgeon, the best, and I’m going to the capital to get him.”

  Ambuk arched his brow. “You’re not thinking of going to see Miratos, Sesmok’s Surgeon, are you?”

  “Not to see him, I’m going to kidnap him and bring him back to the Shelter.”

  He gave a start. “That’s suicide. You won’t reach him. He’s one of the best-guarded men, and as cautious and wary as the Regent himself.”

  “My brother wasn’t going to be able to get to the Eternal City either, and neither was I ever going to return from there. But we did, just as we’ll be able to save Solma.” She spoke with such assurance that Ambuk’s face changed from somber denial to awe.

  “It’s true, you and your brother are truly amazing. I won’t try to dissuade you, but I must warn you it’ll be extremely difficult to kidnap Miratos. He lives next to the Palace, and is protected by Sesmok’s most trusted men.”

  “I’ll find a way. Anything you can tell me that might come in handy?”

  “He’s undoubtedly the best Surgeon in Osaen, but he’s also a man with a corrupt heart. He only uses his knowledge and experience in exchange for money and favors. He’s been Sesmok’s personal Surgeon for years, and he lives surrounded by luxury and vice. It’s rumored that he has many and varied vices, from very young girls to gambling and drugs. He can’t be bought, because he knows Sesmok will better any offer.”

  “I see. A great man…”

  “It’s curious how Nature bestows exceptional minds on evil men, and the two form an alliance. Sesmok himself, that viper, is extremely intelligent, which makes him a very dangerous man. You must avoid him at all costs, or else you’ll end up in a torture chamber.”

  “I’ll remember. Thank you for the information.”

  “Now that I come to think of it, I haven’t asked you the reason for your visit, and it must be something very serious to make you risk your life. How can I help you?”

  Kyra stood up. “Time is short. I mu
st reach the capital as soon as possible. I need two horses.”

  “I see. They’re yours. Anything else?”

  “Some provisions.”

  Ambuk nodded. He called one of his servants and instructed him to prepare the provisions and two horses.

  “What you’ve told me here today has changed my life. You’ve filled this broken heart with a new hope. I can never thank you enough. I thought I’d end my days alone and in the darkness of despair.” He took a step forward and hugged Kyra as if she were his own daughter. “Thank you, Kyra, daughter of Siul and Solma of the Senoca. Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.”

  Suddenly there came a loud noise from outside: a mixture of frightened voices and authoritarian ones.

  Two of the Proxy’s Guards came hastily into the hall.

  “Hunters, my lord, with the Guard of Osaen.”

  Ambuk gave them a troubled look. “I haven’t been informed, and that’s customary. This is very strange.”

  “They’re rounding people up in the main square. It doesn’t look like a courtesy visit, my lord.”

  “It’s time for you to go, Kyra. Use the back door, into the garden and on to the stables.” He turned to his Guards. “Both of you, go with her. Make sure nothing happens to her and that she manages to get away from the village.”

  “Thank you, Ambuk. I’ll never forget this.”

  The Proxy winked at her. “Run, run, don’t let them catch you.”

  Ambuk’s servant was waiting for them in the back garden. He handed Kyra the satchel with the provisions, and she leapt over the back fence and ran to the stables. The guards followed her closely: the one with the stern face and the young one who had been at the front door. The stable was near; they would reach it in a moment. The din which echoed in the square behind them was growing louder: cries of fear. Kyra dared a glance back and saw armed Guards preventing anybody from getting out.

  A few paces from the stable, two men appeared out of the trees. Kyra stopped in her tracks. She recognized their clothes. By Girlai, Hunters! She looked for a way out. Behind her was the mansion-tower of the Proxy and the square, in front of her the stable and the two Hunters. To her right were trees and at the far end, the river.

  “Who goes there?” one of the Hunters asked, raising his bow.

  Kyra knew she had to improvise, to gain time somehow.

  “A messenger from Proxy Ambuk, on official mission,” she lied with total ease. “I must get to the capital immediately” She indicated the two Guards behind her.

  The two Hunters looked at each other briefly, then lowered their bows. The ruse was going to work! She walked on, head high, past the two Hunters, who did not take their eyes off her. She reached the stable and found half a dozen horses. I just have to get on the first one and gallop away casually, without hurrying. The two servants who were tending the horses came to the door when they saw her coming. They wore the livery of the Proxy’s servants, and one of them was gigantic.

  “She’s one of the Heroes! Get her!” cried the strong Guard suddenly behind her.

  Kyra closed her eyes and cursed to herself. Damn traitor, son of a hyena! She turned slowly and saw the Guard pointing his spear at her accusingly. The other, younger Guard did not know what to do. This went against Ambuk’s orders, and he was totally confused. The two Hunters aimed their bows at Kyra.

  “She’s the one summoned by the Gods who escaped from the Eternal City!” the Guard shouted.

  “Stay where you are!” one of the Hunters ordered.

  She was trapped. She reached back, slowly, until she felt the dagger in her belt between her fingers.

  “Grab her!” the Hunter ordered.

  Suddenly there came a long whistle from the trees to her right. She recognized it at once. It was the deadly hiss of an arrow cutting through the air.

  With a hollow thud the arrow buried itself in the back of the Hunter closest to her. He arched back in pain and fell to the floor.

  “What the…!” the other Hunter cried. He sank to one knee and loosed two arrows towards the trees.

  Kyra turned to the Guard when his spear was almost in her right eye. Instinctively she drew her head sideways, and the spear cut her right cheek. But she barely felt the pain. In an instinctive move her right arm rose and threw the dagger with tremendous strength. The Guard grunted and stepped back with the dagger embedded in his right armpit. He dropped the spear and protected himself with his shield.

  “Kill her!” he cried to his partner.

  The young Guard still did not know what to do. Kyra took advantage of his hesitation to reach for her two other throwing daggers, one for each hand.

  “Skewer her!”

  Kyra’s eyes met those of the Guard’s. She shook her head slowly. “Don’t do it. You’re too young to die like this.”

  “Finish her off, I tell you!”

  The young man made his decision. His spear searched for Kyra’s chest. She threw herself to one side and rolled on the ground. She got to one knee, aimed and threw her left hand dagger. The terrified Guard fell on his knees with it buried in his neck. He died choking on his own blood.

  “Bitch!” the big Guard shouted. He brandished his sword and tried a savage cut to Kyra’s head. But she rolled again, landed on one knee and readied her hand to throw again.

  “I’ll kill you!”

  But she knew he would not. The wound in his armpit was lethal and he would bleed to death. He had not realized yet, although he would in just a few moments. She turned to the Hunter as he let fly another arrow.

  There was a cry of pain beside the trees, and she made out a figure falling among the bushes. The Hunter grinned in triumph and nocked a new arrow, but this time it was aimed at Kyra.

  “Don’t try anything. Lower that hand.”

  Kyra obeyed.

  He nodded towards the trees. “Who was helping you there?”

  She shrugged.

  “It doesn’t matter. I hit him all right. Get on your knees, hands together, pointing up. Come on!” He threatened her with his bow.

  In the circumstances, all she could do was obey.

  “She’s… killed me…” stammered the Guard as he realized he was dying. He dropped his shield, fell to his knees and died.

  The Hunter shook his head, and looked towards the stable.

  “You two, stable-hands, come out.”

  The two slaves peered out, reluctant to leave the safety of the stable.

  “Come on now, stop hiding like rats. Take the rope from my partner’s belt and tie her hands and feet.”

  The two stable boys did so, heads lowered. Kyra cursed her bad luck as they tied her wrists and ankles. She was left lying on her side.

  The Hunter stood beside her, his bow pointed at her.

  “So you’re the famous Hero who escaped from the Eternal City. I’m going to collect a handsome reward from the Regent.”

  “I swear I’ll tear out your eyes for this!” Kyra threatened furiously.

  The Hunter laughed. “I very much doubt it.”

  Suddenly his laughter turned to a guttural sound. His bow fell to the ground, and he put his hands to his throat. A knife had pierced it from the back of his neck to his Adam’s apple. He fell and died with a gurgle of blood, his face beside Kyra’s on the ground.

  “Could you tell me why you killed him?” the slimmer of the two stable-boys asked his comrade, who was retrieving his knife.

  “He said she’s one of the Heroes, Karm. We’re looking for the heroes.”

  “I know, Honus, but you could have talked to me before killing a bloody Hunter!”

  The giant shrugged. “There wasn’t time. What was I supposed to do? They just appeared here, right where we were hiding. It’s just my bad luck! Always the same story! What can I have done to offend Oxatsi?”

  “Honus, stop complaining!”

  Kyra stared at the two men, unable to puzzle out what was happening.

  “Could someone tell me who the hell you are?” she
burst out furiously.

  The two men turned to her.

  “My name is Karm, and this grumbling giant is Honus. We were looking for you… well, for the Heroes…”

  “You have to help me, quickly,” Kyra said with a nod towards the trees. “My partner might be badly wounded. I have to get to him,”

  “No time for that,” Honus said. “If we don’t hide at once, they’ll catch us all!” He gestured at the square with his huge hand.

  “You’re right,” Karm said. “Let’s clean up this mess, quick!”

  A little later, her hands still tied, Kyra entered the stable on the giant’s shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

  “For the sake of all the Seas, let me down!” she protested. “I have to go for Romen!”

  “As you wish,” Honus said. He dropped her on top of the bodies they had hidden among the hay.

  “You brute!”

  Karm put a finger to his lips. “You’d better be quiet. More Guards are coming.”

  “If we get out of this, you’ll learn a thing or two,” Kyra protested as Honus spread hay over her to hide her. “I swear you’ll have something to remember me by!”

  “If we get out…” said Karm, and hid himself hastily.

  Chapter 15

  Adamis’s eyes lingered on the ship which would take him into exile at dawn. It was a light, fast vessel with a single sail, that would carry him over the ocean far from his home for an indefinite period of time. Palace servants were decorating her as though for some solemn royal funeral. Along the main avenue which led to the docks a number of Oppressors, whips in hands, oversaw the groups of slaves who were cleaning and decorating the streets. This was in preparation for the crowds who would come to witness the departure of the Prince of the House of Eret the following day.

  He raised his eyes and scanned the horizon. The sun was already sinking in the sea to rest until the new dawn, and took its farewell by painting the sky a warm orange. My father wants to make my expulsion into an eye-catching spectacle. The whole kingdom will come down to the docks to say farewell to their Prince, doomed to exile. He shook his head. He could understand why. His father always thought out each move before making it, and this was nothing more than a well-calculated political maneuver. They would all witness the great show: the tears of his mother the Queen, the sorrow in the face of his father the High King, the displeasure of the nobility, the annoyance of the other castes. Everything well-orchestrated and in full view of the other great Houses. He has thought it out carefully. It is a good move, and it saves his face before the other High Kings; it shows him off to advantage, punishing his only child as he promised he would. There’s no doubt he is both intelligent and extremely astute. That is why we are the most powerful House, and my father will make sure we continue to be so, despite my blunders.