by Sky Croft
Chapter Fifteen
“I WAS THINKING we could build a pallet, bring the gold and whatever else we find back that way? We can drag it between us. It’ll be too heavy to carry home.”
“Kale, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. There may not be much left to find. But if we do find the relics, I imagine we’ll take the urn back with us, and a larger group will likely be formed and sent out to collect the rest, depending how much there is, of course. Probably with an armed escort.”
“Mm, you could be right. We’ll have to return also, show them where to look.”
Shale gave her a knowing glance. “You just don’t want anyone to steal your glory.”
“Quite right,” Kale said. “We’ll have done all the hard work. Why should someone else get the credit?”
Shale didn’t respond. She stopped abruptly in her tracks as her body snapped straight in alert, her head tilting as she listened intently. Kale held up a warning hand to Blake and Amber, who were trailing behind a short ways. They both halted without question, clearly trusting the twins’ judgment.
The sound of voices carried on the slight breeze, one male, one female. The man’s voice was raised in anger, so they could make out some of what he was saying.
“...pay for making a fool out of me...you’re going to regret...not so clever now...”
An impact of some kind split the air, followed closely by a woman’s cry.
Shale and Kale bolted into motion, tracking the sounds with ease. Amber and Blake followed in hot pursuit.
Another strike was heard, but this time it was the man who cried out. “Argh! You bloody bitch!” The woman, it seemed, was fighting back, and the ensuing sounds were that of a scuffle.
Rounding a bend in the trail, they all saw the attack up ahead. The man had the woman pinned beneath him, and both were frantically wrestling with a knife. The knife was pointed downward, the blade’s deadly tip dangerously close to the woman’s stomach. The man was only a moment away from stabbing her, using his weight to force the knife down.
Seeing that they wouldn’t reach her in time, Shale released a battle cry, hoping to distract the man from his purpose. It worked. The man glanced up, startled.
Shale recognized his face—it was Lykos, the drunk from the tavern.
Lykos suddenly gasped in shock, and blood spilled out of his mouth. The woman had reversed the knife and buried it deep into his chest. Lykos coughed, his expression one of utter confusion. He wheezed out his last words. “What have you...”
The woman twisted the blade, silencing him forever. She shoved his body off her, and accepted Shale’s hand of assistance to be helped to her feet.
“Tanis,” Shale said in surprise, seeing her own bewilderment reflected back at her.
“It’s you.” Tanis appeared equally baffled by the unexpected reunion. “What are you doing here?”
“We’re traveling home,” Shale said.
“Good thing for you we were.” Kale nudged the dead man with a boot. “This scum nearly had you.”
Tanis nodded, swallowing hard as that realization seemed to sink in. “You saved my life. Thank you.”
“It’s the least we could do.” Shale smiled. “You helped us out at the tavern.”
“Why did Lykos attack you?” Blake asked.
“He’d taken offense to how I handled the situation last night. He was ranting about how I’d shown him up in front of his friends.” Tanis held the knife out to Shale. “Do you want this? You said it was an Amazon blade.”
Shale tilted her head to the left. She could see that Kale was keenly eyeing the weapon. “Kale will take it.”
Kale accepted the knife from Tanis with a smile, bending down and sheathing it inside her boot.
“That seems a bit extreme.” Doubt was evident in Blake’s tone. “He was going to kill you because you hurt his pride?”
Tanis shrugged. “That’s the only reason he gave me. Besides, I’m not sure he started out with that intention. It was only when I fought back did he escalate to that, but I wasn’t about to sit still and let him beat me.”
“Of course not.” Blake looked rueful that she’d questioned Tanis’s explanation. As if in apology, she gestured to Tanis’s bloody cheek. “May I take a look at that cut?”
Shale was quietly studying Lykos’s body. He was far from being in prime condition, and she wondered how a mere thug like Lykos had managed to get the best of Tanis—Shale had again seen traces of her fighting ability, but they’d been brief she couldn’t ascertain Tanis’s level of skill. She knew only that Tanis had some, whereas Lykos did not.
As if reading her thoughts, Tanis said, “I can’t believe that filthy lowlife almost had me. That will teach me to pay attention instead of being lost in my own thoughts.” She swept an annoyed finger through the blood marring her cheek, gazing at the crimson fluid in obvious contempt for herself. “For my stupidity.” “We’ve all lost focus at one point or another.” Shale knew the truth of that personally.
“I received word through the night that my cousin is perilously ill, and I haven’t been able to think of anything but her since. I’m ashamed to admit that I didn’t even tell Agathon, the tavern’s owner, that I was needed elsewhere. I just left as quickly as I could.”
Shale felt bad about being suspicious—nearly every doubt or question she’d had, Tanis had answered, some without even being prompted. The reasons made sense, nothing contradicted the other. Tanis had even put herself on the line for them, and she’d nearly been killed for her selfless efforts. Shale decided there and then that she was being overly paranoid, when Tanis had given her little, if any, cause.
Blake laid a sympathetic hand on Tanis’s shoulder. “I’m sorry about your cousin.”
Tanis gave a small nod. She attempted to neaten her brown wavy hair, as if to bring it to order after the struggle. “I don’t suppose I’ll have a job to return to now either.” She sighed heavily. “How quickly things can change.”
“Shale and I actually saw Agathon before we left. He was annoyed, yes, but he did seem genuinely upset that you’d gone. When you return, if you explain yourself, he may indeed give you your job back.”
Tanis seemed pleased by the information. “I’ll do that. Thank you for telling me. Apologies, but I don’t know your name.”
A smile. “It’s Blake. This is Shale, Kale, and Amber.”
Tanis nodded to each of them in greeting. When Blake again pointed to her cheek, Tanis said, “Go ahead.”
Blake set her satchel down on the ground and rifled through it. Tanis knelt beside her, and Blake carefully started to clean the wound.
“Are you hurt elsewhere?” Shale asked. Since Tanis wore trousers and a long top like Amber, she couldn’t see if Tanis had any more injuries.
Tanis shook her head. “Just bruises. They’ll heal of their own accord.”
Silence reigned while Blake continued with her ministrations. It was Tanis who finally broke the quiet, though she appeared somewhat self-conscious. “I don’t mean to be presumptuous, but I take it you’re traveling east?”
“For a few days, yes,” Blake said.
“My cousin lives in a small village called Nepsus. It’s a day and a half’s journey, two at the most. Would you mind if I tagged along with you? That attack has shaken me.”
Blake glanced around, as if to see if anyone had issue with the request. She clearly found no opposition, for she nodded to Tanis. “Of course. You’d be most welcome.”
SHALE HAD BEEN given the task of building a campfire, while Kale and Amber were off refilling everyone’s water skins from the fast-flowing river nearby. Blake was busy collecting more firewood, and Tanis had stayed behind to help Shale, even though she needed none.
Despite assuring herself that she was being paranoid, there was still one matter niggling at Shale, so she decided to just come out with it. “Tanis, who taught you to fight?”
Tanis’s expression revealed nothing. “Who says that I can?”
&nb
sp; “I do.”
Tanis smiled flirtatiously. “You must’ve been paying me a lot of attention.”
Shale didn’t like the insinuation. “I’m merely observant.”
“You must be.” Tanis’s tone made it clear that she didn’t believe Shale. “Anyway, you’re correct, I can fight. My older brother taught me. When I was young, my home, like yours, was attacked and destroyed. My parents were murdered, only my brother and I survived.”
Shale grimaced, again feeling awful for pressing Tanis. “Please forgive me. I didn’t wish to bring up bad memories.”
Tanis regarded her for a long moment, her gaze sincere. “I know you didn’t. You understand, Shale. You and I have been through the same thing.”
Shale quietly laid some more kindling on the fire, which was now starting to take hold.
“The only difference is you’re fortunate enough to still have your sibling.”
Shale looked up at Tanis. “Your brother is dead?”
Tanis sadly nodded. “Yes, murdered also. It wasn’t that long ago, actually. He was slain by a fierce warrior.”
“I’m so...”
Tanis firmly cut her off, as if to try and veer away from emotional matters. “Now you can see why I was so annoyed with myself about Lykos.” She shook her head at herself. “My brother would’ve despaired at such a careless mistake.”
“You said yourself,” Shale found herself defending Tanis from her self-recrimination, “you were upset, and distracted by news of your cousin. Which is understandable.”
“I haven’t had cause to fight in a while, bar the odd scuffle at the tavern.” Tanis smiled at Shale. “Perhaps I’m out of practice?”
Shale’s ears pricked up, that might explain why she hadn’t detected Tanis was a trained fighter straight off. Feeling foolish, she said, “If we get chance, I could give you some pointers.”
Tanis looked keen. “Great. Fighting with an Amazon,” she held up a warning finger, “I can’t promise you a good outcome.”
Shale raised her eyebrows as she laughed. “I see you already have a good handle on the fighting talk.”
Tanis clapped Shale on the back, laughing with her. “I worked at a tavern, remember?”
The fire now burning strong, Shale got to her feet. Tanis rose alongside her, gesturing to Shale’s midriff.
“Those scars are unusual.” Tanis circled around Shale, seemingly studying every small white ridge on Shale’s skin. As Shale watched her, she noticed that Tanis’s gaze glossed across the larger scars. She only appeared interested in the small. Tanis touched several, and in such a manner that made Shale uncomfortable. “They weren’t made by any dagger or sword blade that I know of.”
Shale stepped away from her touch. “No, they were made by a whip.”
Tanis’s brown eyes grew wide, but then doubt formed. “How could a whip leave such marks? Lashes leave a different pattern.”
“Usually, yes. But this whip had shards of metal embedded into it.”
“How awful.” Tanis lifted a speculative brow. “Though I bet it was effective?”
Shale gave a begrudging nod. “It certainly was that.”
“Barbaric is what it was,” Blake said strongly as she joined them, her arms full of firewood. As she piled the wood next to the burning fire, she glowered at Tanis, as if she’d seen how Tanis had touched Shale. “Like the man who wielded it.”
Tanis seemed unfazed by the extra addition to the conversation. In clear defiance of Blake’s look, she leaned closer to Shale. “Did you get those scars when your tribe was wiped out?”
“No, that happened later.” Shale again backed away from Tanis, ensuring her personal space. “Though it was done by the same man.”
“He sounds formidable.”
Shale frowned at the underlying respect that could be heard in Tanis’s voice. “He was formidable. Until Kale killed him.”
Tanis smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “You got your vengeance. Every survivor understands that need.”
With that, Tanis simply turned and walked away.
Once she was out of earshot, Blake said, “I don’t trust her.”
“No?”
“I think you were right last night. She’s hiding something.”
“Actually, I think I was mistaken. Tanis explained a few things, all of which make perfect sense.”
Blake shook her head. “Something’s not right with her. Something’s...off.”
Shale had an inkling as to why Blake had suddenly changed her mind about Tanis. She decided to test her suspicions. “She does like to stand rather close.”
“Only with you.”
Shale grinned, her suspicions confirmed. She was perversely pleased by Blake’s jealous response. “And you don’t think you’re reacting to that?”
“No. Well, maybe.” Blake sighed. “But what if it’s more than that? We’ve both questioned her character now.”
Shale wound a reassuring arm around Blake’s waist. “We’ll keep an eye on her. We won’t be with Tanis for much longer. This time tomorrow our paths will separate.”
Blake nodded, still looking annoyed. “Surely she can see the ring on your finger?”
THE ROAR OF the waterfall drowned out all surrounding noise, and Kale had to strain to hear Amber, even though she was yelling and stood right next to her.
“Next water skin,” Amber shouted. She replaced the stopper on the skin she held, and passed it back to Kale.
Kale tossed the freshly-filled water skin behind her, where it landed on top of a steep bank. She and Amber were at the bottom of the bank, carefully balancing at the river’s edge.
Kale handed another water skin to her, careful to ensure Amber had a good purchase on it before releasing it. She knew if the water skin, or anything else for that matter, fell into the fast-flowing river, it would be swept away by the unstoppable current, and end up over the falls. It would plummet a vast distance, likely never to be seen again.
Before they’d begun the task of collecting and refreshing their water supplies, Kale had insisted on taking a look at the impressive waterfall. She had always admired its beauty. The waterfall itself was massive, the wide sheet of water plunging over a sheer cliff and onto the jagged rocks below.
Amber had teased Kale, daring her to jump off this waterfall like she had the other, but Kale knew her limitations, and sometimes she even listened to her sense of reason. This was one of those times—as she’d mentioned earlier to Blake, she didn’t have a death wish. Going over these falls would kill a person. Kale had no doubt about that.
“Next,” Amber yelled, passing a filled, dripping water skin to Kale.
Kale threw it onto the bank, and gave Amber another. She held tightly to the rear of Amber’s top as Amber leaned forward, dipping the neck of the skin under the water for it to fill. They were in a precarious position, and Kale was pleased they were almost finished. Though she greatly appreciated waterfalls, she had no wish to plummet to her death over one.
They transferred the skins once more, and Amber filled the last. They climbed up the steep riverbank without incident, and were soon out of harm’s way. At least, that’s what they thought—but their sole concentration had been on the danger that the river presented, and the loud roar of the water had drowned out all other noise—even the approach of a person.
Chapter Sixteen
BLAKE WATCHED, AMUSED as Shale picked up yet another bag. She had already searched through three. After rummaging inside, Shale discarded it and moved on to another satchel.
Blake laughed. “What are you looking for?”
“My sharpening stone. I split the supplies throughout the bags, but we’ve now got so many I can’t remember which one I put it in.”
Blake shook her head in fond exasperation. “We’d better be able to find our bed rolls.”
Shale regarded her with a wry expression. “I should probably start looking now. If everything’s going to take this long to find, it’ll be dark before I
locate them.”
Blake got up from her seat by the fire. “Here, let me help.”
Shale selected a bag which was slightly apart from the others, but before Blake could protest, she’d opened it and dug inside.
“Shale, that’s not one of ours. It belongs to Tanis.”
“Oops.” As Shale withdrew her hand in contrition, she grimaced. “Ow. Something pricked me.” Clearly wondering what it was, Shale peered inside. Unexpectedly, Shale dropped the bag in horror and jerked back, colliding with Blake.
“Shale? What is it?” Blake’s first thought was that a snake had somehow slithered into the satchel, and it had bitten Shale when she’d reached inside.
Shale gave her a haunted look, as if she’d seen a spirit from the underworld. “I don’t understand. How did she...”
“Sit down for me, Shale,” Blake said, noting concernedly that all the color had drained from Shale’s face. She was pleased when Shale didn’t resist, and Blake guided her to the ground, keeping a supportive hand on her. Blake’s worry for her wife overruled any fear that she had about snakes lying in wait. She opened the bag with her free hand, to see for herself what had rattled Shale so.
“Careful, Blake.” Shale held up a bloodied little finger, which had a deep slice along its side, stretching from its tip, to half the finger’s length. “Just tip it up.”
Blake did so, emptying the satchel’s contents onto the ground. Many objects fell out, but she knew instantly which had caused Shale to react the way she had. Blake sucked in a sharp, shaken breath. Lying in the dirt before them was a weapon that neither woman thought they’d see again, nor did they have any wish to.
The whip lay coiled, lifeless, yet it was worse than any snake Blake could have imagined, and her fear of snakes was extreme. The metal barbs protruding along its length verified that it was indeed the same weapon, and she was reminded of the savage attack that was bestowed upon Shale by its former master—the twins’ brother, Theron.
Shale said what they were both thinking. “That whip is unique to Theron. I’d recognize it anywhere.”
