Again, laughter. This wasn’t going anywhere. Something hit him hard in in the back, pushing him a step forward. Aibek had been so focused on the exchange, the assault caught him completely off guard. He spun around, searching for the source of the blow.
Kai was moving in a slow circle, locked in combat with one of the dwarves. Several had circled around behind them while the leaders talked and had moved into position to attack. Kai had shoved Serik out of the way, and the elderly servant had slammed into Aibek. The old man staggered, and Aibek grabbed his elbow, holding on just until Serik had found his balance.
“Hey! What are you doing? I didn’t give the order to attack!” The dwarf that had argued with Aylen shouted. His comrades lowered their weapons and slunk back into position behind their leader.
“What proof do you offer of your veracity? How are we to believe that you are truly going to see the Bokinna and not raid our camps? What are you doing on our trail?”
Aibek sighed. “I have no proof that I can show you, but we have no interest in your camps. We were following what we thought were game trails deeper into the forest, until we find the keepers that protect the Heart of the Forest. They will show us the way from there. We are working to heal this strange disease that has afflicted the Shadow Trees, but we’re running out of time. Please let us pass.” Begging turned his stomach, but he swallowed the feeling. Nothing else had worked so far.
“Very well.” The dwarf dropped his axe to his side and his eyes bored into Aibek’s. Find a place and camp for the night. If you leave your chosen site after darkness falls, we will assume you are coming to rob us and will act to defend ourselves. I hope you succeed on your mission.”
Aibek blinked in relief, and when he opened his eyes again, they were gone. The shadows deepened by the minute, so he waved the others forward and took off at a trot.
* * *
Eddrick waited in the hallway, the torchlight gleaming off the doorknob through his hand, until he heard his name from within the chamber.
He pushed the door open and drifted into the side chamber beyond, clutching Kiri’s hand on his arm. It was a large room, similar in size and dimension to the room they had entered when they first found the building. A raised dais and a low wooden rail separated the transparent ancients at the front of the space from the floating rows of spectators that filled every available inch of the room.
One of the wispy spirits at the front of the space spoke before they had assumed their places behind the rail.
“You are Eddrick of Nivaka, yes? And his wife, Kiri?” The ancient’s voice was as transparent as his skin.
“Yes.” He stepped forward onto the narrow platform behind the rail and waited to be invited onto the stage.
“And what made you so late that you missed your appointment?” The spirit leaned forward until Eddrick could feel the cold breeze of his breath.
“Well…” Eddrick hesitated.
He had never been in this court before, but he knew his answer would hold considerable weight, perhaps for a very long time.
“We stayed longer than we should have to spy on Helak and his forces, and were surprised at how difficult it was to find the city, and then had trouble locating the Hall. We arrived soon after you moved onto the case following ours.”
It was completely truthful, without revealing too much.
“Did you consider the inconvenience you were imposing on all of us here who were waiting for your testimony?”
The ancient’s eyes bored into his, and Eddrick held his gaze. Shame welled up within him, and he pushed it down. He wasn’t a mischievous schoolboy, but a leader who was used to doing as he saw fit. Pushing aside the rebellious urge that followed, he finally mustered the words to answer.
“Yes, sir. We were quite distraught when we realized we would be late. I assure you our last desire would be to cause any inconvenience to you, or to this assembly.” He waved his arms to indicate the number of spirits crowded into the large space.
“But inconvenience us, you did. We waited for nigh an hour for you to appear, only to be disappointed, even though Agommi–who has always been trustworthy–assured us you would be here.”
The thin, raspy voice began to wear on Eddrick’s frayed nerves, but he forced himself to civility.
“I apologize, your grace.” Was that the right thing to call the spirit? “With every fiber of my being, I apologize. We are sincerely sorry for putting you to any inconvenience, and we would not have been a moment late had it been within our power to be here at the appointed time.”
Had that made sense? Eddrick wasn’t used to groveling and couldn’t judge whether he did a decent job of it or not.
The ashen woman-spirit who had waited along the far wall floated forward, her hands raised against the other spirit’s response.
“What is done…cannot be undone. Let us hear what the young ones have to say.”
She came to a stop next to the other spirit, and two others joined them at the center of the dais. They all looked to Eddrick and Kiri with wide, expectant eyes.
What was he supposed to say? Agommi had assured him that he would do the talking and Eddrick would only have to fill in the finer details. He searched the room, but Agommi wasn’t there. He was on his own. If only he could face the simple judgment of the forest, instead.
“A little over a year ago, my living son asked me to check on the whereabouts of an enemy force.” A gasp went through the crowd, and his stomach sank.
“I asked and was granted permission from my direct ancestors to help the boy by scouting out the location and number of enemy soldiers. I did not give him more than that.”
Unsure how much the ancients knew of the battle and its outcome, he pressed on. “In part because of the information I provided, my son was able to win the battle for Nivaka, and secured the freedom of our home.” A murmur of voices grew within the crowd, “However, I did not stop watching the enemy after the battle. I have continued to monitor their activities regularly over the past year, though I have not revealed their activities to my son or his council. I requested the hearing within this city to ask for the blessing of the ancients in unveiling the evil activities of my son’s enemies.”
“ENOUGH!” The papery voice echoed through the hall, silencing the murmur that had arisen in the audience.
Eddrick held his breath. Had he said too much?
“Leave us.” The ancient spirit who had first greeted them waved the crowd away, and Eddrick glanced over at Kiri’s drawn expression. This couldn’t be good. Why would they send away the witnesses?
11
Kainga
Ahren tipped her head back and sighed, trying to shake the melancholy that settled over her. A gentle hand grasped her wrist, and she dropped her gaze to meet Tamyr’s.
“I’m telling you, this is your chance! Show them that you know this village inside out, that you are the best leader for everyone involved.”
“I don’t know, Tamyr. I don’t think I want to take over. I’m still learning how the council works; wouldn’t Zifa or Wayra be better suited to the mayoralty? They’ve been on the council from the beginning and know how it all works.”
Tamyr shook her head. “No, they’ve already given their allegiance to the interloper. They need someone new to show them how to make things work the way they’re supposed to.”
“I’m…I’m not sure what you mean.” Ahren frowned, struggling to untangle her friend’s meaning. Weren’t things going well? Except for the disease killing the forest, anyway. “What more do you want? We’re going back to market now, and I’ve made a nice sum on my carvings. We get to buy new fashions from the city.” She shook her head and tucked a strand of her white hair behind her ear. “Tavan’s oppression is a distant memory, and our council has done an excellent job keeping the peace among the people. There hasn’t been any crime to speak of. I’m not sure what I could improve.”
“Well, they almost never hold town meetings. It would be nice if they took mo
re input from the citizens when we’re not in a crisis.”
Ahren cocked her head and studied Tamyr’s troubled features. “They hold a meeting on the last day of every month, and many of the citizens’ requests have been implemented–like the weekly grievance councils and the repairs to the west entrance.”
Really, what more could Tamyr possibly want?
The council had done a fantastic job of governing the village without ruling over the people. That had been Ahren’s biggest fear in the beginning: that the new mayor and council would dominate the people as Tavan had.
“Come on. I’ve got to get these back to the wash house.”
Tamyr bent and picked up the straw baskets she had used to make deliveries on The Square. It was her weekly task: she collected the linens one day, the ladies at the wash house cleaned and mended them, and she returned them two days later, picking up another load to wash in the same trip. It was simple work, but Tamyr never complained and often whistled or hummed as she worked.
Ahren preferred working with her hands and creating new and beautiful things out of scraps of rubbish, like the carvings she made from bits the construction teams discarded. Washing and folding every day would be tedious.
“I still think you should take this opportunity to take over the mayor’s duties. With him away for a few weeks, you can show everyone how perfect a local would be in that house. Sure, Aibek’s done an okay job, but you could do so much better!”
Ahren laughed and shook her head. “Hey, did you hear my father’s going to start holding worship services again?”
Tamyr glanced over at her but didn’t answer.
"The first will be two days from now, in the Meeting Hall. Will you come? I don't know what to expect. Tavan never allowed us to practice the old religion."
“I don’t know…I haven’t heard anything about it at all. Am I even invited? Maybe he’s trying to keep it to the families on The Square.”
Ahren laughed. “No, of course not. He’s doing his best to get the word out, but he’s busy with the forest, too. It’s for everyone. He wants a big turnout to celebrate a return to our traditions.”
“Oh. Then I’ll make sure someone’s covering the wash house, and I’ll come if I can get away.” She shifted the baskets in her grasp and took a careful step over a branch.
“Hmm. I’ll have to let Father know about that.” Ahren followed her over the branch and through a wide door of the wash house. “Can you let the other women know? See if they’ll come?”
“I suppose.” Tamyr set the baskets on the floor and turned back to Ahren. “I’ll do my best. Now, I have to get back to work. I’ll see you tomorrow, all right?”
With a nod and a laugh, Ahren turned and headed back toward the center of town. While she strolled the wide boardwalks, she rehashed the conversation with Tamyr. Should she tell the rest of the council about her friend’s push to oust Aibek? What would they do to Tamyr if they found out? It had taken her months to regain her family’s trust and get her job back after helping Ahni; this could be disastrous for her.
Ahren took a deep breath and choked on the dank odor that permeated the forest.
“Please hurry,” she whispered into the wind. “You may come back to a bigger mess than you expect if you stay away too long.”
She made the turn toward home and checked the sky once more. The angry black clouds threatened rain, so she ducked her head and hurried into the house.
* * *
The rain and wind bore on as Faruz and his friends settled into an uneasy routine. After that first night, Wayra improved rapidly. He and Amiran rested and recovered from the poison, while the others took shifts tending to them. Faruz drew up a schedule–each member of the team got regular meals and adequate sleep, but someone remained on watch, ready to provide for their friends’ every need.
Five days after their arrival in Kainga, Faruz sat in the room he shared with Dalan and Hekma, his injured leg propped on an ottoman. He stared into the fire, deep in thought.
What have I gotten myself into?
They had only accomplished one day of travel, with at least three days of walking ahead of them before they reached the swamp.
How can I expect to make this trip when just one day of travel left me sore for so long?
Frustration threatened to choke him, and he plunked his water glass down.
The sound reverberated through the quiet room like a blacksmith’s hammer, and Hekma looked up. “What’s the problem, Captain?”
“Ah, it’s nothing.” Faruz sighed. “I just wish my leg would heal faster. I shouldn’t still be limping around.”
Setting the paper aside, Hekma met Faruz’s eyes. “From what I’ve heard, you’re lucky you didn’t lose that leg. I heard it was a terrible wound.”
“Maybe, but I’d be happier if I could walk without this cursed limp. I need to be strong to lead my soldiers.” He grunted and swung his foot to the floor. “No one wants to follow a cripple into battle.”
The warmth of the fire, plus the exhaustion of the week, lulled Faruz into telling more than he intended. The bitterness surprised him, and he worked to hide it when he spoke again.
“I mean…I just wish it would heal already. I really am glad I didn’t lose my leg. I don’t mean to sound ungrateful.”
Hekma smiled. “I think I understand. It must be hard to deal with such an injury and maintain command at the same time.”
“I’m not so sure I still have command.” He pushed himself to his feet and bent to massage the ache above his knee.
“Why do you say that? I’ve heard the people respect you and would follow you off a cliff.” Hekma stood and stretched his arms up over his head.
Faruz laughed. “Maybe. They see me as some sort of martyr, I think. But I’m not dead yet.” A steely glint shone in his eye as he glared at the dwarf. “I’ll show them I can come back from this and still be the captain they need.”
“That’s the spirit! Now, let’s go get some dinner.” Hekma turned and stalked out the door, leaving Faruz to trail behind.
“Hey!” Faruz limped furiously down the hall. “I can’t move that fast!”
He caught up, and they found an empty table near the door, settling in for the wait. The staff at the inn provided friendly service and delicious food, but they operated on a snail's timetable, even when the place was empty.
The dining hall brimmed with travelers of every shape and size, the mingling accents lent a musical cadence to the conversations, as the guests spoke over the tinkling music someone played on the spinet in the corner.
Faruz signaled to a server, a graying, buxom woman. When she approached, he ordered an ale, venison roast, and a plate and drink for Dalan. Hekma ordered the same. They’d had deer every day since they arrived. The animals were plentiful this time of year. The serving woman returned with full crocks of ale, spattering froth on the table when she plunked them down in front of the men.
While they waited for their food, Faruz tapped his foot to the song a dirty young man pounded out on the inn's small spinet. He had a pleasant singing voice, and several patrons clapped along to the rousing tune. The savory scents of baking bread and roasting meat and vegetables filled the space, overpowering the acrid stench of unwashed bodies. Faruz's stomach grumbled, and he raised his eyes, seeking the frizzy gray head of the serving woman.
Instead, he found a pair of short, stout men with tangled beards to their waists approaching his table. They settled into the empty chairs and motioned for the server. Both men wore long, sleeveless brown tunics tied at the waist with leather straps, and oiled leather breeches. Faruz couldn’t help but stare at their arms, which bore hair so thick it could be called fur.
Faruz clamped his mouth closed and worked to hide the shock, though Hekma didn’t seem to have noticed them.
A tense moment passed before one of them spoke. “My frien’ and I seen you round these days. We lookin' for workers if you be needin’ work?”
Hekma's head whippe
d around to face the strangers, and Faruz frowned. The man continued speaking without waiting for a response.
“Da boss pay good, enough up front to get yer woman through winter.”
With a shake of his head, Faruz stopped the man from saying more. “We’re here on an errand, but our comrades fell ill. We’re not looking for work, just waiting for them to recover so we can be on our way.”
“You sure ‘bout that? Our boss man, Helak, always lookin’ for strong workers to join ‘is team. He pay real good. Ye’ll not regret it.”
The man’s thick mountain accent made it tough to follow along, but Faruz blanched at the familiar name.
These men work for Helak?
Faruz cocked his head, considering. “Is the boss nearby? I might consider joining him if I can talk to him directly.”
The man shook his head, flinging dirt from his filthy hair into Faruz’s ale. “Nah. He never come down from da mountain. He send us instead. You want work?”
Faruz frowned. “No, we don’t need work. We’ll be moving on in the next day or two. Thank you for the offer, though.”
Helak’s men nodded, stood and moved to a table on the other side of the room that had come open. Faruz stared after them for a moment. “I wish I could tell Aibek about this. Helak recruiting in Kainga can’t be a good sign.”
Hekma looked confused. “Who is Helak? And why should I care if he’s here looking for workers?”
“Helak was the one behind the invasion of the Tsari twenty years ago, and the same one who sent that army after us last year. He’s sworn to wipe out your village along with mine, so you have just as much reason to care as I do.”
The dwarf’s eyes widened, and he looked across the room to where Helak's men sat. "So…you think they're looking for men to join their army? To fight against us?"
“It looks like it.” Faruz squinted into his drink and plucked a speck of dirt off the surface. “We need to finish this journey and let the council know what’s happening here.”
The Nivaka Chronicles Boxed Set Page 40
