“Who cares?” he retorted and giving her a quick backward glance, he saw the outline of hate in her eyes. “Do you want to help your dying friend or not.”
“Dying?” Isha said.
“He’s been poisoned as I said. I’ve seen it before,” Jackabo said.
Isha swallowed her hate and reluctantly followed Jackabo down the tunnel. She wanted Conner dead in the worst possible way, but couldn’t make that happen now, and knew it. Nathan’s breath came in shallow, wheezing gasps and he hadn’t moved since she took him from his cell. Although she knew much about venom, her Branch didn’t specialize in toxins and now she desperately needed to find someone who did.
“Do you know how to make an antidote?” she implored Jackabo.
“Rogues use toxins, but not a great deal so it’s not a skill I’ve cultivated. This poison is beyond anyone who isn’t a skilled healer. But, I still may be able to help,” he said. This brought a glimmer of hope to her, a slim smile to her face as Isha noticed the tunnel slanting at a steep incline making the trek even more difficult.
“This direction would take us higher into the Keep. What are you doing?” She asked.
“Trust me,” he said as he increased the pace yet again. Sweat poured down her face as she plodded along with each agonizing step. It seemed like they hiked an hour but in reality it was only a portion of that. Daylight filled the tunnel as an opening from above let fresh air pour in.
Abruptly, the clanking sound of metal-shod feet and the faint smell of sweaty steel filled the air in the tunnel as the huffing sounds of soldiers came from behind them.
“They’ve discovered the tunnel, move faster,” Jackabo urged.
The air was thin but fresh. As the tunnel widen, it came to an enormous cavern that opened to the cliff-side of the Morah Highland. Far below, the rushing waters of the Arnon stretched side-to-side as the lower Plains of Pelan stretched before them as far as the eye could see.
“Why did you take us up here, it’s too far to jump,” Isha exclaimed as she gently set Nathan down for a moment.
“Exactly,” quipped Jackabo. “So, nobody will be following us.”
“Following us where?” Isha asked.
“You two will never glide it on your own. Sapha, you’re gonna’ have to carry them,” Jackabo called to the shadows behind them.
Suddenly, Isha and Nathan were scooped from the ground by two large, lean, female arms and thrown over the muscled shoulders of one of the largest women Isha had ever seen. She was small for a giant, but clearly an excellent example of her race. Her long curling hair, clean tanned skin and vigorous buxom physique matched a smooth lean face that demonstrated an iron-will attitude. Immediately, Isha insisted on release by holding a blade to Sapha’s throat.
“Put me down,” she explained, “slowly.”
When her feet touched the ground, Isha felt a knifepoint at her back.
“I’ll take that pig-sticker, madam,” said Jackabo, pulling the knife from Isha’s loosening grip.
“So you’re a Zumzummin spy,” insisted Isha.
“I thought Vengers smarter than this,” said Jackabo. “It doesn’t appear you can tell a friend from a foe. So, you can come with my wife and me, or, I can tie you up and leave you for the soldiers to find. Your choice?”
“Your wife?” questioned Isha.
“I’m not his wife, yet,” said Sapha. “He still has to ask my father first and that’s taking some time.”
“Well, if he’d stop trying to kill me when we meet, it might be a bit easier,” Jackabo shot back. “I still have a scar on my neck from last time.”
“Not my problem,” Sapha smiled.
“I didn’t know giants mixed with other races,” said Isha.
“Evidently they do, I’m only a half giant,” said Sapha with a sudden laugh. “And looks like I’m not the only ‘Blended’ one here either.”
Isha followed Sapha’s gaze down to Nathan whose matted hair exposed his pointed ear.
“Can we quit the girl talk and get moving before we’re captured?” Jackabo insisted, trying to cover for the red-faced embarrassment he was feeling.
“This one looks bad,” said Sapha, nodding toward Nathan. “We should get him to my father quickly.”
“That’s crazy,” Jackabo said.
“My father is his best chance,” Sapha insisted.
“He said he’d kill me if he saw me again,” Jackabo replied.
“Okay, he hates you, but he knows I love you,” she said.
“We’ll see,” said Jackabo, giving her a less than confident look.
Jackabo led them to a concealed area of the cavern where Isha stared in disbelief at two large winged contraptions made of rope, poles and animal-skins. She had lived on the land all her life and so didn’t know what to make of the equipment.
“What are these for?” Isha asked.
“Wind-riders, we glide to the lower plain from here. Don’t worry, Sapha and I are very good at it,” said Jackabo.
“You mean like the time you hit the side of the Dolman and were stuck in a bush on the cliffside till I rescued you,” said Sapha.
“A bird hit me in the face and that was a long time ago,” protested Jackabo.
“One week is a long time,” corrected Sapha.
“Are we going or not,” snapped Jackabo.
Isha looked at the gliders and decided to take the chance for capture meant certain torture and possible death, whereas, the gliders held possible freedom. And, if something went wrong, certain death at the sudden stop when you hit the ground. At least that would be quick.
“Agreed, but Nathan and I ride with Sapha,” she said.
“No way, that’s way too much weight,” protested Jackabo.
“My rider can take it. I reinforced it myself to be sturdier than any I’ve seen,” stated Sapha with confidence. “Let’s go.”
She strapped Isha and Nathan into the rigging with thick rawhide straps, one on each side, and settled into her harness in pilot position. Without warning, an arrow struck a wooden crossbeam embedding itself with a twang, alerting them that soldiers are at their heels. Sapha picked up her glider, ran to the edge of the cavern and leapt off the side like a creature of the air. She put the glider into a hard dive to avoid the arrows that whizzed past from all directions like angry dragonflies. Isha held one hand over her mouth and the other on her stomach, thankful that Nathan was unconscious. At last, they dove far enough for Sapha to pull back on the nose of the glider and catch the strong updraft rising from the side of the cliff. Luckily, they caught the draft just right and darted high into the sky leaving the soldiers standing flat-footed in the cavern far below. Isha scanned the sky around them, finding Jackabo soaring into position next to her as some low-hanging clouds passed them on both sides. Abruptly, they took a sudden dip as Sapha’s right arm fell to her side with an arrow transfixed in her forearm, sending a tickle of blood dripping down her elbow. Navigating with the extra weight proved difficult enough, but with one arm, guiding the glider took an effort beyond her. Unnoticed, another arrow cut Sapha’s harness leaving a small hole across the corded netting that held her. In most instances, this would prove no problem but in this situation each motion tore a little more, taking her closer to disaster with each passing second. Isha took Sapha’s limp arm into her hand, broke off the arrow tip and pulled the shaft from the wound. She shouted with pain but didn’t take her eyes off the horizon or lose her steady hand on the controls.
“It’s poisoned,” Isha shouted to Sapha over the sound of wind rushing past their ears. Sapha gave her a nod of understanding as Isha took her knife, made a small cut on the wound and sucked as much of the poison out as she could. After a minute, she wrapped the wound in some cloth she tore from her cloak. It was good treatment but both of them knew it wouldn’t be enough. Cold sweat beaded on Sapha’s forehead and she shook her head every few moments to clear her vision. Giants are strong, but she was only half and the poison proved most potent.
> “How much further,” Isha shouted as the land below them drew closer. Isha looked on in wonder as they followed the mighty Arnon River that stretched out before them to the south like some great shimmering snake and the Planes of Pelan spread out to the right as far as the eye could see. Her heart skipped with excitement, yet sadness gripped her at the sight of Nathan hanging from his harness, limp and motionless. Without warning, the cut in Sapha’s harness ripped, almost dropping her. The glider jumped and pitched as she clutched at the controls with all her might, Isha quickly grabbing the severed harness, pulling it back into place and holding it tight in place with one hand. The demi-giant could hardly believe the strength Isha displayed in keeping her from falling to her death. Jackabo viewed the incident nearby and soared within earshot, calling to her.
“Are you okay,” he yelled.
“Down! Now!” Shouted Sapha with a trembling voice.
“Make for Shechem Refuge,” he replied.
Jackabo saw Sapha’s haggard expression and her right arm hanging useless at her side. She proved to be the best wind-rider he had ever seen in spite of her size. They often came out to glide the sky together. She didn’t like to talk about her past much but he understood that her father was a warrior and her mother a giant from the Rephaim Kingdom. When her mother died, Sapha never completely forgave her father for not being there, and that’s when she ran away. Being half giant made people fear her and other giants distrust her, so work options were limited. Her appealing appearance brought invitations of a lewd nature that disgusted her, but thankfully, that’s when the Rogue’s Alliance found her.
As fate would have it, she and Jackabo presented for admission on the same day. She fought clumsily and off-balance with every weapon she tried. However, she proved deadly as a mother bear with her bare hands, and due to this, they gave her provisional status as a member. Jackabo had the opposite problem and showed skill with every weapon, yet overconfidence and arrogance proved his disadvantage, costing him most of his fights.
Nevertheless, he also gained provisional status in the Alliance, so, they agreed to work together and teach each other. Jackabo remembered every training fight with her fondly and couldn’t help but smile. She hit with the power of a sledgehammer and knocked him senseless many times, but in spite of this, he fell in love with her, as did she with him. He never used bladed weapons while training with her. The very thought of cutting her beautiful skin made him cringe, but he had no problem with blunt weapons for she could take blows as well as give them with equal ease. During one session, he bested her with a staff and knocked her sprawling to the floor, but she whirled her legs, catching him at the ankles, dropping him straight on top of her face-to-face.
For a moment, they stared into each other’s eyes frozen with embarrassment. That is, until Jackabo kissed her as she lay on the floor. After the kiss, Sapha lay stunned for a moment as the blood rushed to her cheeks. But then, she threw him off and slapped his face so hard that it sent him tumbling across the floor. It took several minutes for the bells to stop ringing in his ears after she slapped him, but it was worth it to him. From that moment on, love ruled. He never tried anything lewd with her, although he thought about it on many occasions. She held a deep moral core and her father a bloody history so he never pushed his luck.
The ground came up quickly as they turned the gliders toward the east, and there in the distance, standing like a sentinel on the plane, stood Shechem Refuge perched atop a lonely hill. The refuge guards watched in wonder as they approached, holding spears and bowstrings drawn but no order came for attack. Isha held Sapha in her harness until the final moment when the glider touched the ground, skidding for several yards before sliding to a stop on the grass covered turf outside the city walls. Jackabo tore his harness away and ran to Sapha’s side just as she collapsed on the ground.
Cutting Nathan loose from the glider, Isha tended his scrapes and bumps during the landing but the poison remained the primary concern. Oddly, no one came from the city to render them aid and both Sapha and Nathan needed attention immediately. Instead, the guards of the city looked down from the battlements with arrows ready to pin them to the earth at the smallest command from the captain.
“What are they doing?” She asked. “This is a city of refuge isn’t it?”
“Strangers are not welcome here. I knew that before we landed, but it was a risk we had to take to get help. This is the only city for miles and there is no way they are letting us in,” Jackabo said with anger as he watched Sapha shivering and sweating from the poison.
“I have an idea,” said Isha.
She went to Sapha’s glider, tore the undercarriage from the craft and turned it top-side to the ground. Putting Nathan and Sapha on the sled, they pulled it in front of the city gates as Isha quickly explained her plan to Jackabo.
“That’s crazy, you’re going to get yourself killed,” said Jackabo.
“Do you want them to die? Shut up and do it,” she said as Jackabo complied, pulling a knife from his waistband and pointing it at Isha’s throat.
“I am Jackabo Wayward and this is a renegade Venger who dares to come within eye shot of your refuge. I captured this villain before she attacked these innocent people and brought her for trial before the eldar. She poisoned these two and they are in dire need of healing,” shouted Jackabo. “I’ve heard there is justice in Shechem Refuge of the plain, or should I go elsewhere?”
With that, the gates swung open and two squads of guards flanked them on each side with spears at the ready. Suddenly, a tall man wearing a hood and a black cloak walked toward them and stopped short when he saw Sapha on the ground. A large one-handed battle-axe lay strapped to his back, swaying with each powerful stride as he went to Sapha’s side. He took her head in his lap and removed his hood revealing long raven-black hair and bearded face. Isha recognized him immediately from her previous encounters. It was Bena. Sapha opened her eyes for a moment and smiled weakly.
“Hello, Papa,” smiled Sapha.
“Take my daughter and this man to the healers, but after his treatment, put him in chains for a trip to Pelan,” Bena ordered and the guards lifted Sapha and Nathan onto stretchers. But before they departed, Bena marched up to Isha. “I've been looking forward to seeing you again.”
“This refuge is under Mano’s control now and as acting eldar, I have the authority deal with you any way I need,” Bena said. “Throw them in the jail.”
“You can’t hold me long,” Isha insisted.
“We’ll see,” he snapped with a smile.
As they put her in chains, she wondered if Elhan fared better.
Nineteen
“Trimming the Book…”
The Arnon threw Elhan ashore - wet, scratched and freezing, off the Tekoan Tributary just north of Shechem Refuge. In spite of his bruised condition, he decided to make a quick advance for the refuge itself. In his heart, Elhan hoped the others in the party made it this far, but he could never be sure. He arrived in Shechem Refuge just before the heralds posted an announcement at the main gate and a group of people huddled before a sign. Their alarmed voices spiked with gasps of surprise. Elhan did not have to read the sign to know what it was since he’d seen enough wanted posters to know what one looked like. The names on the decree surprised him and his topped of the list. In fact, it listed every warden's name in Akeldemah wanted dead or alive for a hundred pieces of gold each. His district was far from the here, but all the same he backed away from the crowd, taking to the darkness of an ally to take cover from the armored soldiers nearby. Leaving the area, he accidentally bumped a man in the alley.
“Elhan, is that you,” said the man as he grabbed him by the shoulders. “I haven’t seen you since you were a little boy. You are a sight for these old eyes, how is it with your family?”
The man wore a sleeveless tunic, leather breeches and hand-man boots. His sinewy arms and soot-covered face told that he was a blacksmith.
“Well enough, Lopie, it’s been a long
time,” Elhan said with an anxious tone.
The death decree had just been posted so not everyone in Pelan knew. However, news travels fast but bad news even faster. For that much coin, he dare not trust anyone. Lopie’s eyebrows knitted together for a moment.
“I am meeting my grandson at the posting wall,” Lopie said. “It’s about noon, have you eaten yet?”
“No, but I wouldn’t impose,” said Elhan trying to keep his back to the street to avoid prying eyes.
“Then you will eat with me,” said Lopie as he grabbed Elhan’s arm and pulled him back toward the crowd. As they approached, a seated young boy jumped up and ran to Lopie.
“Poppi,” yelled the little boy as he hugged his grandfather Lopie’s neck.
“Elhan, this is Elo, my grandson and the pride of my life,” he said. “He likes to visit the market so he can tell me the news and gossip he hears. What’s the news my boy?”
“There are death warrants posted,” Elo said, “one hundred gold pieces each.”
“So, who is the Regent after this time,” said Lopie with a sigh of frustration.
“The wardens,” said Elo.
Suddenly, Lopie saw the list and understood why Elhan acted so nervous.
“Looks like you’ve picked a bad time to come to Shechem my boy,” said Lopie.
“Are you armed?”
“Yes.”
“Is it the axe I made your father?”
“Under my cloak,” said Elhan, when the axes accidentally glinted in the sun from under his cloak for an instant.
“Look, Poppi, he has an axe like Regent Mano,” Elo said. A nearby soldier heard the boy and began advancing toward them as Elhan began looking for a way out.
“Elhan, I’m sorry,” Lopie said.
“Don’t worry. Just get your grandson out of here. It’s going to get exciting,” Elhan said.
There was no need to hide his axe any longer so he pulled it from its hiding place. Running to the lowest overhang he could find, he hooked the underside of the axe blade on the roof and swung himself up. Arrows hit the wooden tiles next to his foot and zipped between his legs as he raced along the rooftop over to the other side. He knew this ploy would only delay them for a few minutes because he could see soldiers following him on the ground trying to get a good shot at him. In general, refuges were too poor to put armor on any but a few guards.
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