The commander’s dark eyes narrowed. “You heard right, but we caught him stealing chickens from the south end of town. Once the rest of them are caught, they’ll meet the same end. Except the Queen. Rarick has special plans for her.”
The captain nodded and his eyes strayed again to the dog. Then he looked around the horses at the four other Guardsmen waiting for a signal from their commander. His eyes rested on the smallest of the four, a good deal smaller than the others, a good deal smaller than any soldier for that matter, and he moved in his direction, but the commander stopped him.
“What are you doing? We’ve patrols to be done, while you stand around and warm yourselves,” he said sharply and the captain halted, his eyes shifting between the two of them.
Suspicion prickled his skin like needles and he watched the smaller Guardsman out of the corner of his eyes. The other two soldiers had begun to draw closer, their suspicion also peaked. “Isn’t it a bit early for a patrol, Commander?” he said pointedly. “And why are you taking the dog from the city to dispose of it?”
“Are you questioning me?” asked the commander.
The captain felt his resolve slip and he wished he hadn’t been so bold, but this feeling lasted only a moment. He looked closer at the dog, wondering if he hadn’t seen it breathe. “Forgive me, Commander, I’ve no wish to seem insolent, but with all that’s happened in Adishian lately, and as the Queen and her companions haven’t been found, we must be cautious.”
“Not with a Guardsmen, man! What’s your name? This will be the last day you command a squad if I have anything to do with it!”
The captain swallowed hard, but he was becoming more and more convinced that something was wrong. He hadn’t yet seen the faces of the rest of the patrol and he hadn’t received information from the castle that the dog had been captured. He motioned to the rest of his squad and they moved into position to block the inner gate.
“Even so, Commander, I think it best if I see your orders.”
The commander’s jaw hardened perceptibly, but he didn’t say anything.
“Surely you carry your orders with you?”
The commander’s hand fell to the hilt of his sword and he glanced back at the four Guardsmen. The three larger ones did the same. The smallest one reined in his horse and pressed forward past the commander. He lifted his head, the cowl falling partially back from his face, revealing two emerald green eyes, the rest of the face shadowed by the hood. The eyes narrowed and the captain felt a strange pain in his head.
“Open the gate.”
The captain felt his mouth move, knew words came out, but suddenly a headache was making his temples throb and his teeth clench. He couldn’t remember what had seemed so strange just a moment before and he glanced over his shoulder at his men, his bewilderment evident.
They blinked at him with the same confused expressions.
“Open the inner gate,” came the command again.
The captain reached for the key dangling from his waist and turned his back, walking toward the small, inner doorway. His hand trembled as he put the key in the lock and he pressed his other hand to his forehead. He could feel the blood pounding beneath his fingertips.
He stared at the key, wondering why it was in the gate. He often let squads in and out. Was a squad going out now? He started to turn around, hoping he would remember what he’d been doing, but a hand closed on his wrist and pulled it away. He felt detached from the situation as the key was turned and the inner gate swung open, revealing the desert beyond.
The captain found himself leaning against the rampart as the hooded figure moved close. “You don’t look well,” said a feminine voice. The captain tried to remember why that didn’t seem right, but he couldn’t form a coherent thought. He seemed to remember he had two other men with him, but he wasn’t even sure of that any longer. How his head hurt!
“Why don’t you take a seat?” said the Guardsman. A gloved hand touched his shoulder and pressed him downward.
The captain didn’t think he wanted to sit, but he found himself sinking down the wall until his body met the cold, unforgiving ground. Pressing his aching head into his hands, he bowed it to his knees. “Orders?” he managed to mutter, but he couldn’t remember why that word had meaning.
“You aren’t feeling well and need to sleep.”
The captain shook his head, but it brought more pain. Closing his eyes, he hoped that if he rested, just for a moment, he’d be able to clear his thoughts. He tried to count his men, but that proved too great a chore. He needed just a moment to rest, a moment to let his head clear. Just a moment and then...and then...whatever he needed to remember escaped him, never to be thought of again.
* * *
Tyla hesitated outside the walls of Adishian and waited until she heard the gate close behind her. Her concentration was shut in with it, her mind still riveted on those of the three soldiers. Jarrett grabbed the reins of her horse, drawing her after him as the five of them raced across the desert to the east before the first rays of dawn struck the city streets.
Tyla was forced down by the wind and speed over the neck of her horse, her hands, in their thick leather gloves, closed about the saddle horn. The wind blew the hood of her parka off and her thick braid bounced against her back. Closing her eyes, she struggled to maintain her hold over the soldiers, yet she knew she was losing the battle. There were too many of them, and as the distance grew that connection was harder to keep.
She had to hold on, for a little while more at least, until they’d put more distance between them and the garrison in Adishian. Once her hold slipped, the soldiers might figure out what had been done to them and a pursuit would be underway.
Still, she was tired. It had been a harrowing number of days with little sleep and a great deal of stress. She felt her body slide forward until her face touched the mane of her horse. She gripped the saddle horn and tried to force her body upward, but she couldn’t make it respond.
Instinct told her the horse was slowing, then she felt someone climb up behind her, taking the reins from her hands and pulling her upward, encircling her with warmth and strength. Jarrett. She recognized the feel of him and leaned her head on his shoulder, letting her eyes fall closed.
“Let go,” he whispered in her ear. “We’ll handle it now.”
Tyla realized she’d already been withdrawing her power, releasing the soldiers from her control as her body began to fail her. She set them free, then sank into Jarrett’s embrace, moving with the swaying motion of the horse, allowing sleep to descend on her.
She dreamed then of her gardens in Adishian, and of Tarnow...
He sat beside her on the bench in her sanctuary, the one he’d made for her. It was the first and only time he’d ever come there with her. It was spring and the flowers of the garden were in bloom.
Tarnow reached over and took her hand, pressing it gently to his lips. “Listen to me, little one. You’re free now. Rarick can’t hurt you here.”
She was sixteen. They’d been married only that morning. She’d trembled on Tarnow’s arm as they gave their vows and had cried as the carriage had taken them back to the castle. But rather than taking her to his sleeping chambers, he’d taken her to the sanctuary in the garden.
“This spot is yours now. I made it for our wedding. You can come here whenever you like and no one will bother you. It’s your sanctuary.”
She looked at him with tears in her eyes. No one had ever given her anything like this before. Without really understanding why, she knelt at his feet, putting her head against his knee. He stroked her hair.
“No one will ever hurt you again as long as I live,” he whispered, then pulled her to her feet and kissed her forehead.
He left her in the sanctuary and returned to the castle, and she took a seat again on the bench, gazing about at the beauty surrounding her. Then she studied the wedding band on her finger.
Tyla woke to the pounding sound of the horses’ hooves and the whisper of
Jarrett’s voice in her ear. She felt his arms around her. He was holding her on the horse before him and her head was on his shoulder. She felt sick and exhausted, her head ached and her mouth was dry. She didn’t know how long she’d been asleep.
She lifted her hand to her throat, where the bulk of her wedding ring was evident under the Guardsman parka. Gaff had given it back to her at their parting, telling her he could never sell it. She hadn’t been able to put it back on her finger, but Sonyan gave her a chain upon which to string it. Tears blinded her as she remembered her dream and she couldn’t stop them.
Jarrett tightened his hold. “It’s all right,” he whispered. “I promise you, it’ll be all right.”
She encircled his arms with her own and held onto him, allowing her grief to spill out. It was the first time she’d been able to cry for Tarnow since after his funeral and although she felt ill, the crying seemed to release all of the pressure that had accumulated within her.
Finally, she wiped her tears away and pressed her cold face into the Terrian’s neck.
“Are you all right?”
She nodded. “I’ve just left my only home behind,” she said, and shut her eyes.
* * *
They were forced to stop at nightfall as a new storm raged across the desert. The Guardsmen horses were sturdy and used to long journeys, but Tyla’s horse was tired, carrying two people most of the way. They made camp in a sparse clump of dead wood and Kendrick took the spare horse and rode back a ways to see if they were being followed. While he was gone, Jarrett, Muzik and Earon set up camp. Jarrett made a bed under the brush for Tyla and despite her protest, insisted she stay there. Kian was lain beside her, just now coming around from the sleeping drugs she’d given him. She wrapped a blanket around him and gave him some water, then she rubbed his legs and paws to restore their circulation. She was glad to see him show signs of recovery. She hadn’t expected him to sleep for so long.
The three men set up a lean-to with the dead wood at their backs to act as a barrier against the wind and Earon started a fire, building a rock foundation over the snow from rocks Tyla uncovered under the brush. They melted snow for water for the horses and gave them some of the meal they carried with them, then huddled together under the lean-to, their hands extended over the fire.
Kendrick returned and announced that he saw no sign of pursuit, although he couldn’t see much in the storm. They ate the chicken and homemade bread Sonyan had prepared for them, and melted some more snow to drink. Muzik made a trek out into the storm and gathered more wood. They pulled all the blankets out of their packs and wrapped them around themselves, but still it was cold under the lean-to.
“Do you think they’re following us?” asked Kendrick.
Earon shrugged, the glint of his gold earrings flashing in the fire light. “Who can tell? I still can’t believe we escaped. I thought we were lost for sure.” He looked at Tyla as she sat beside Kendrick and smiled. “What did you do to those soldiers? For that matter, what did you do to Revis?” He shook his head in amusement. “I’ve known him for years and nothing has ever frightened that man worse.”
Tyla didn’t answer, but Jarrett stirred, extending his hands over the fire. “Did he tell us the truth? Are the Lawries a ruse to throw off the government?”
“Revis showed you only a fraction of what he has to offer. There’s an entire arsenal hidden in that foundry – you only scratched the surface. And the Revolt has sympathizers as far west as Chernow.” He leaned forward and his scarred face was lit by the fire’s light. “That’s why he was so excited when he saw you two.”
Tyla frowned. “You said Rarick gave you that scar. How?”
Earon’s hand rose to finger the scar. “You and I have met before. In Sarkisian. I was born there. My parents were peasants – dirt poor. We couldn’t even afford our home, the tax collectors evicted us when I was ten. We lived on the streets, scrounging for garbage and begging. The castle was a favorite place to go, you had the best scraps there.” His lips lifted in a sardonic smile. “I saw you many times, leaving the castle to go on a walk with your brother, in clean, pressed dresses, your hair in perfect curls down your back. You never spoke to me, never even looked at me, and I hated you for it.” He paused and drew back from the fire, shadows falling over his features.
Kendrick glanced uneasily at Tyla.
“One day, though, I ran into you and your brother by the lake beyond the castle. Your tutor had abandoned you – you said it happened often – and you both asked me to play. I was a dirty child in rags and I was ashamed, but you encouraged me until I joined you. We played until nightfall and then you returned to the castle. The next day I went to the lake hoping to find you. Day after day I returned. Finally I got up enough courage to sneak through the castle gate. I found you in the gardens. You had run away from your nurse. I sat down beside you and we talked until it was late. Then you got scared and said you needed to go inside. I tried to stop you and it was then I saw the bruises on your arms and legs. I couldn’t believe it, I couldn’t believe such things could happen to you. You lived at the castle and ate well, and slept in a warm bed at night.” He halted.
Tyla closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the lean-to. She could only just remember such an encounter. She and Kalas had taken any opportunity to meet other children whenever it was afforded to them; they’d both been so very lonely.
“Rarick found us there, in the garden. He struck you and knocked you to your knees, then had the servants drag you off.” The runner paused and dropped his face into his parka. “Rarick broke a switch off one of the trees and had a servant strip me. He beat me until I crawled on the ground at his feet, and as a parting blow he gave me this.” Leaning forward, the runner pointed to his scar. “They threw me into the street afterwards.”
Tyla opened her eyes again. Memories coalesced in her mind. “I remember you,” she said, “I never saw you again after that day.” She paused and took a deep breath. “I don’t presume to know you, Earon, but believe me when I say, I don’t ever intend to fall under Rarick’s control again. You are also free of him and I will do everything in my power to keep it that way.”
Earon’s eyes were distant as he stared at the fire. “After that day, I swore I would never want for anything again. I made wealth the primary pursuit of my life. That, Tyla Eldralin,” he said coldly, “is the only thing that I have alliance to now.”
* * *
They rode again at dawn. The storm had abated and the sun broke through the clouds, shining down with cold brilliance. No sign of the Sarkisian forces could be found, and this fact, coupled with the good weather, lifted their spirits.
Jarrett rode at the rear of the company beside Muzik, and his eyes scanned both the expanse of snow covered desert before him and the area behind. He didn’t like that so much of this journey would be made in the open, across the Cronin desert and beyond, but there was little help for it. The land between Adishian and the Grozik Mountains was barren, and they had to come this way to go to Loden.
Through the bright light of the morning, he thought he could almost see the soft swells of the Groziks as they rose out of the desert. They were heavily blanketed in snow. He thought back to a conversation he had had with Shad once long ago, when the older man had told him the story of Talar Eldralin’s trek through the Grozik Mountains in the dead of winter with Tyla’s mother. They had both nearly died – Shara was pregnant with their child, but the pregnancy wasn’t right, and Talar, in desperation to find help, had grown careless and stepped out onto a frozen lake, the ice giving way beneath him.
He looked ahead to where Tyla rode beside Kendrick. They were making nearly the same trek at nearly the same time of year. It was dangerous to cross those mountains in the dead of winter, but there was no other way, just as there hadn’t been almost thirty years before.
“Why do you think they aren’t following us yet?” asked Muzik suddenly.
Jarrett looked at the huge man in his Sarkisian
uniform and then down at himself. “Perhaps because of these,” he said, pointing at the red panther across his chest. “Honestly, I don’t know.”
“Well, I know that I’ve never been so glad to be free of anything in my life. I never thought I’d see the day when I was glad to leave Adishian, but then...” His voice trailed off and he looked at Jarrett. “Tarnow’s dead and Tyla deposed, and the entire kingdom taken over by Rarick and lousy with Sarkisian soldiers – especially the Guardsmen, how I hate the bloody Guardsmen!”
Jarrett smiled, then became serious. “You’ll miss your parents though.”
“Of course I will. I wish I could’ve brought them with me, but they wouldn’t have come even if I could. I just pray Rarick leaves them alone.”
“I pray Rarick leaves us alone, but I wouldn’t bet on it,” said Jarrett.
“Meaning?”
Jarrett regarded him a moment in silence, then looked at Tyla. “Do you really think he’ll let her go?”
Muzik sighed. “No. If you were Rarick, would you?”
Jarrett shook his head. “Not after what I’ve seen her do.”
“How are you feeling?”
Jarrett laughed. “Actually, better than I expected. I’m still a little sore, but I can’t believe how quickly I’ve healed. Tyla Eldralin is a hell of a healer.”
Muzik nodded. “Runs in her blood.”
Jarrett’s eyes fixed on the object of their discussion. “Sometimes I forget who her father was.”
Muzik frowned. “That’s not the only thing you seem to forget about her,” he said pointedly.
Jarrett’s eyes shifted to him and he tensed. “There’s a great deal more meaning in your words, Muzik.”
“And so there is – don’t forget who she is and who she’s going to be once we reach Temeron. Tarnow may be dead, but she loved him dearly and his influence is still strong with her. He placed a bond on her, and Tyla’s not likely to break that bond for any man.”
The World of Samar Box Set 3 Page 24
