by Jon F. Merz
“I didn’t really take him down,” said Ran. “We were going at it, and then he simply stopped and told Yasseh that I had some measure of skill in fighting. That’s all there was to it. It wasn’t some incredible beating one way or the other. Just two warriors going at it. He underestimated me, probably because I look so young.”
“Call it whatever you want,” said the cook. “It’s impressive just the same.” He gestured to the beef. “I can get you a serving of this right now if you’d like.”
“Before anyone else?”
The cook shrugged. “You’re here, they’re not. Besides, it’s the least I can do. I’ve got no love for Gunj, and anyone who can hold their own against him is well-deserving of a good meal in my book. Besides, once you get done eating you can let the other guards come and eat.”
“Fair enough,” said Ran. He grabbed a plate and watched as the cook began shoveling potatoes onto it. A thick slab of beef followed, and Ran took a container of the piping-hot soup as well. “Thank you for this.”
“Enjoy,” said the cook. He went back to preparing the meal, and Ran turned to leave the tent. As he approached the flap, he sensed someone just beyond it.
Gunj.
As Ran let the flap fall back into place, the smaller man eyed him with a grin. “There’s a lot more to you than meets the eye, isn’t there, Ran?”
Ran held his gaze. “I suppose the same could be said for you.”
Gunj nodded. “I respect the fact that you didn’t let the cook hold on to his version of our match the other day.”
“It was the right thing to do.”
“And yet a lot of these people wouldn’t have corrected him. They would have basked in the glow of his praise. Not you, though.”
“The truth speaks for itself. You think I was inexperienced and I used that to my advantage. I doubt I could ever land that kick on you ever again.”
Gunj eyed him for another moment and then nodded once more before passing into the cook tent. Ran stood there a second longer and then left to eat, unsure of how to take the exchange that had just happened.
CHAPTER NINE
Ran felt full and content as he settled in for his first shift of sentry duty. He’d already relieved Kuva and sent the burly warrior to get some sleep. As Ran shifted in the deep shadows on the hill overlooking the caravan’s camp, he felt a cool breeze wash over him, and he shivered in the night. He looked away from the camp and off into the wilderness that extended in all directions. Fortunately, Yasseh had picked an excellent spot to make camp. There were meadows on all sides for at least half a mile. The hill Ran stood on gave him a perfect vantage point, and he would be able to spot anyone trying to creep up on the camp.
If Ejul and his band of thugs really did intend to attack the caravan, this would be a foolish place to attempt it. Ran or any of the other warriors would be able to spot them long before they got close and could take appropriate steps to counter their attack. The question was, would Ejul really do what he’d said he would do to his group?
Ran felt fairly confident that he would. If Ejul had thought nothing of throwing his lot in with Kayo and Magya, then he would certainly have little problem attacking his own father’s caravan. Again Ran wondered what would make Ejul betray his father. He couldn’t fathom doing such a thing, but then again, Ran had only the foggiest memories of his own father before their farm had been attacked and his family killed. That he could even remember his father at all was something of a miracle, Ran decided.
His eyes scanned the dark, but Ran was careful to not focus on anything directly in his line of sight. He’d long since been taught to look out of the corner of his eyes to see better inthe dark. Movements registered better that way. At this time of night, anything that moved meant it was either an animal or a man. Ran’s hand stayed on the scabbard of his sword in case he sensed something moving out there in the night.
He shivered again and thought about Cassandra. This journey west would bring him to Valrus eventually. What would her reaction be when they saw each other again? He shook the image of her out of his head and tried to concentrate on watching the evolution of the night. There would be time enough to think about Cassandra later.
There was also the fact that Ran had disobeyed an order from the Nine Daggers clan that he had to worry about at some point. Even now, the elders in Gakur might be deciding whether or not to have Ran killed for his betrayal. But did they know yet? If Tanka had seen him leave with the caravan and informed Gakur, that would be the only way for them to find out. If Tanka had not seen Ran or decided not to tell the clan, then Ran was safe.
He smirked. Safe was a relative term, of course. He was heading west on a highway where travelers were frequently ambushed by brigands. Ran felt fairly certain that the caravan had enough guards with it, but if they were attacked by an overwhelming opposing force, then things would get bad pretty fast. He couldn’t worry about the what-ifs, however. At least not right then. Sentry duty was boring enough, and Ran had to force himself to maintain a disciplined mind so he would be alert in case anything happened.
His shift passed without incident, and Ran found his way back to his bedroll a few hours later. With his hand on his long sword and Ryu perched nearby, Ran dropped into a deep sleep by laying on his back and rolling his eyes back under their lids.
At dawn, Ran woke and glanced around. The rest of the camp was still fairly quiet, but Ran was used to waking earlier than most thanks to the years of intense training back at the shadow warrior school in Gakur. Ryu eyeballed him as he rose. He grinned at the bird and then watched as it took off to do some flying about. Ran walked to the water basins and threw some of the cold liquid on his face to help reinvigorate him for the long day ahead. Within the hour, the entire camp had eaten a quick breakfast and the wagons started rolling out of the meadow. Yasseh once again assumed the lead position and waved them all forward.
Kuva found his way to Ran again. “How’d you sleep?”
Ran shrugged. “No complaints. I went to bed and woke up alive. There’s something to be said for that.”
Kuva grinned. “An interesting perspective. I heard you were from Nehon.”
The question was far more direct than Kuva should have been, but Ran nodded anyway. “That’s right. I came over to Igul from Hiryu. Do you know it?”
“Never been there,” said Kuva. “I hail from Adosa. The journey to Nehon was always deemed far too unsafe for any of us to attempt. The Dark Sea claims many. I didn’t want to be another of her victims.”
“I was shipwrecked in southern Igul only a few weeks ago thanks to a terrific storm that blew us off course. The fact that I survived was pure luck.”
Kuva grunted. “That and your ability to fight. They kept you alive. A warrior spirit is so often misunderstood, confused with only seeking violence. But the real truth is that the spirit of a warrior allows one to endure under the harshest environs. As you certainly found out.”
“A philosopher, too?” Ran smiled.
“Probably a better philosopher than a warrior, if truth be told,” said Kuva. “But don’t tell old Yasseh that. I need the money, and this journey should go a long way toward helping me pay off some debts back in Adosa. I hope to go back there some day and grow old while I make wine.”
“Well, I happen to agree with your assessment about the warrior spirit. Most don’t understand. And those that claim to are sometimes far worse than those who are simply dumb to it.”
“Indeed,” said Kuva. “Gunj would understand it probably. If you could get him to talk to you.”
Ran cast a glance over at Gunj, who sat astride a horse today instead of a wagon. The horse seemed miles too large for the small man, but Gunj rode it with a sense of authority and the animal obeyed him without question. Ran frowned. What was it about the little man that intrigued him so much? If Gunj had been from Nehon, Ran might even have suspected him of being a fellow shadow warrior. But Gunj hailed from Igul. And northern Igul at that. The Nine Daggers cl
an would never have allowed him entrance to the training program. But Gunj clearly had a warrior background.
“I think Gunj talks to whomever he wants, whenever he wants,” said Ran finally. “If you happen to catch him at the right time, then maybe he’d tell you something interesting. Otherwise, it’s probably just wasting your breath.”
Kuva nodded. “Agreed. I can’t help but think he doesn’t feel too inclined toward me. When Yasseh had him test me, I threw a single punch and then it was all over.” He smirked. “As I said, probably a better philosopher than warrior, but there you go.”
Ran smiled. “Kuva, your appearance might be one of your best assets. You look utterly intimidating. Those arms are huge, and you look like you could easily kill anyone you happened to look at.”
“Thank you,” said Kuva. “Hopefully my dreadful appearance won’t scare off the women. I’d like to meet a nice girl in the west and bring her back home to Adosa.”
“There aren’t enough nice girls in Adosa for you to marry?”
Kuva sighed. “I’m bored with them. They all look rather the same, and I want someone different. I’ve heard tell of a kingdom far west of here where the women are more like warriors in their own right. Adosian women are more content to raise children and do little else. I want someone I can appreciate as a fighter. Strength attracts me, you know?”
Ran thought about Cassandra and how adept he’d seen her in combat. “I think I can appreciate that.”
“Anyway,” said Kuva with a sigh. “It’s still a ways off. But a man can dream, can’t he?”
“Sometimes that’s all we have,” said Ran.
Ryu suddenly swooped down and perched on Ran’s wrist. Unlike most times, Ryu gripped him harder this time, and Ran felt the power of the falk’s talons coming close to breaking his skin. Ryu also seemed agitated and kept fluttering its wings.
Kuva pointed. “Something’s got your friend there upset.”
Ran remembered Tanka telling him that the falk would only get upset during times of danger. Ran frowned. “Something’s not right. Get to your station.”
Kuva wheeled himself around and rode off to the right flank again. Ran kicked his horse in its side and urged it toward the front of the caravan. Ryu squawked as they rode. The bird had obviously seen something on the road ahead. As he rode up, Ran glanced around and noticed that they had come into steeper terrain now. Steeper terrain meant better opportunities for ambush.
Yasseh glanced back when he heard Ran approach. “Everything okay?”
Ran shook his head. “The bird is upset.”
Yasseh guffawed. “Maybe it’s just hungry. Did you feed it earlier?”
“It feeds itself,” said Ran. “Falks don’t get agitated unless there’s danger nearby. And Ryu is quite obviously agitated now.” Ryu squawked once as if to underscore this point.
Yasseh frowned. “What would you have me do?”
Gunj rode up a moment later. “Is there a problem?”
Yasseh pointed at Ryu. “Ran says his bird here only gets upset when there is danger. Do you know anything about those birds?”
Gunj shrugged. “I do not, but I have heard that they are remarkable creatures. Perhaps it would be wise to listen to this one.”
Yasseh shook his head. “I’ve got a convoy of wagons to keep on schedule. I can’t simply stop here because a bird, of all things, thinks there might be trouble ahead.”
Ryu squawked again and then took flight. Ran watched as it circled high overhead. “That’s perhaps a mile away.”
“Then we’ll soon find out if there’s any truth to what the bird claims,” said Yasseh. “Keep your men ready, but we’re moving on.” He rode off, leaving Ran and Gunj behind.
Gunj eyed Ran. “Yasseh is sometimes more a businessman than a worldly traveler.” He shrugged. “This is his way.”
“And do you agree with him?”
“I’m not paid to agree or disagree,” said Gunj. “But I do think he’s right. Keep your men ready for an attack. If one comes, it will be quick. These hills have caves aplenty in which to hide.” Gunj urged his steed on to catch up with Yasseh.
“My men?” Ran frowned. Since when had he been promoted to captain of security? He turned and waved Kuva over. “Pass the word that there may be trouble. If it happens, Gunj says it will be quick. I’ll take the front, and you cover the flanks with the other men.”
“Understood.” Kuva rode off to relay directions. Ran kicked his horse again and drove to catch up with Gunj and Yasseh. As he did so, he noticed that Gunj had a curved saber, the likes of which Ran had never seen, in his hand. It would be interesting to see him use that in battle, he thought.
Ahead, the road curved around behind a hill. Ran glanced up and saw Ryu circling just beyond it. He shook his head. The location was the perfect spot for an ambush.
Yasseh had slowed to a trot now, and Gunj had as well. They were about half a mile away from the bend in the road. Yasseh held up his hand and signaled for the caravan to stop. Ran heard the snort of horse and pack mules as they ceased their forward momentum.
Ran drew along side his employer. “That bend in the road concerns me.”
Yasseh nodded. “Agreed. The positioning would be a perfect one for an attack. And your bird seems to be circling overhead as well.”
“If there was an ambush party waiting, they would no doubt try to shoot the bird out of the sky,” said Gunj. “It is, after all, acting a bit like a marker.”
Ran eyed him. “You don’t think there’s anyone there?”
“I don’t know,” said Gunj. “But it seems a bit ridiculous to imagine a bunch of thieves lying in wait while a falk circles overhead. Don’t you think?”
“A lot of people never look up,” said Ran. “It’s possible they don’t know he’s there.”
Ryu let loose a loud squawk at that point. Ran sighed. “They’d certainly know he’s there now.” He waited for an arrow to pierce Ryu’s side, but none came. Ran shrugged. “You might be right, Gunj. Maybe there’s nothing there.”
“Excellent,” said Yasseh. “Then we can continue.”
Gunj put a hand on his arm. “No. Not yet.” He looked at Ran. “Ride ahead. See what the bird is upset about.”
“All right.” Ran eased his horse forward. As the horse sauntered down the road, Ran kept his eyes peeled to either side of him. Spindly shrubs that offered little concealment lined the road. Beyond them, linden trees and tall grass obscured his view. Someone could hide an army in there, thought Ran. And you wouldn’t know it until it was too late.
He approached the bend in the road. Ryu squawked again and then flew down to perch on Ran’s shoulder. Ran slid out of his saddle and eased his long sword two inches out of its scabbard. As he walked, he kept his right hand on the hilt, ready to draw and cut in a single motion if he was attacked.
The road curved, and Ran craned his neck to look around it, aware that every eye in the caravan was on him at that moment. If he’d been alone, Ran would have approached this location in a far different manner. But no one knew that he was a shadow warrior. He had to act like a normal warrior, not one trained to infiltrate and conduct reconnaissance.
There.
He smelled it before he saw it. The scent was one he knew all too well, but Ran kept his hand on the hilt of his sword.
The stench of death hung in the air as he rounded the corner. Ran’s eyes roved all over, but he saw nothing moving in the brush. Nothing stirred at all.
Certainly not the body in the middle of the road.
CHAPTER TEN
Ran eyed the body for a few seconds. While he’d never personally seen this, he had heard accounts of robbers using a corpse to conceal some type of boobytrap—usually snakes or dangerous spiders. When someone came around and rolled the body over, the snake or spider would bite them. Ran frowned. He had no desire to be bitten by some poisonous beast. The convoy was only a day old; getting injured now would be the worst.
Ran knelt in the dirt tra
ck and studied the clothing. Something seemed familiar about the clothes. Ran recognized the pattern; he’d seen it somewhere recently but couldn’t quite place it. He moved around and tried to examine the corpse from every angle. As he got closer to the face, his heartbeat quickened. He glanced down toward the arms, but the hands were tucked under the corpse.
Ran used the scabbard to pry it under the corpse and heave it over.
He exhaled as he did so, almost surprised that there were no snakes underneath. But what he saw confirmed for him what he had suspected only moments earlier. He walked back around the corner and waved the caravan forward. As he waited, Ran kept eyeballing the surrounding landscape. It was possible that even now they were being watched. He tried to pick out which of the high hills that encircled them would provide the best cover. There was one he thought a likely candidate a half mile away.
His concentration was broken by Yasseh riding up. “What have you found?”
“You’ll need to see it,” said Ran. “Come down off of your horse, though.”
Yasseh frowned but slid down from the saddle. Behind him, Gunj reined in his horse and slid down as well. As his feet touched the ground, Ran noted that he had one of his hands on his sword scabbard.
Yasseh rounded the corner with Ran and then stopped short. “Is it . . . ?”
Ran nodded. “I’m sorry.”
Yasseh fell beside the corpse of Ejul and took one of his son’s lifeless hooked hands in his own. Ran heard a smattering of some obscure language, and then turned away to give Yasseh time to grieve. He mets Gunj’s stare.
“You found him like this?”
“No. He was on his stomach. I turned him over in the event that his murderers chose to leave something nasty behind.”
Gunj only nodded. “Good thinking.”
Yasseh had recovered himself, and, as he stood, he dusted his pants clean of dirt and dust. “Who did this to him?”
Ran looked at the gaping wound in Ejul’s neck. They’d slit his throat and bled him dry before leaving his body in the middle of the road. The only candidates that Ran could imagine were the band of robbers Ejul had been convincing to attack the caravan the other night. But could he tell Yasseh that? Ran didn’t think he could without bringing undue suspicion down on himself.
