Heart of Shadra

by Susan Faw

  “Come, they are disabled. We must hurry before they are discovered.”

  “Shouldn’t we hide them somewhere?” said Tesha.

  “What will it matter? An unconscious guard or a missing guard, both will raise the alarm. Besides, I didn’t want to kill them for doing what they were hired to do.” He fished in his pocket for a small vial of the antidote, propping up against the nearest man. “I hope that they will be given the antidote. The poison is slow-acting. If they are discovered in time, they can be saved.”

  Marsai nodded, pleased. “The ancestors will bless our mission. You have shown the enemy kindness and mercy. We must hurry.”

  They fished the keys from the guards and unlocked the door, passing through to the dark passage beyond the threshold. They kept the keys so Chutzpa could lock the doors from the inside. “Hopefully this will slow them down while they find a way around this door.” He grabbed a torch from the wall to light their way. “Do you know where this goes, Tesha?”

  “I have only been this way once. It leads to the salt mines. There are thousands of prisoners down here.”

  “It sounds like the best place to search for my brother. Let’s go.” Chutzpa struck out down the hallway, leading the way. Tesha followed, and Marsai brought up the rear. She grabbed a second torch as she went, doubling the illumination at their feet. The walkway ended in three stairs that descended to different levels. Other halls crossed at intervals, but Chutzpa led them straight ahead, following an unidentifiable sound. The noise grew until it was possible to discern the sound of hammers and picks.

  The passage ended abruptly at a railing that overlooked a massive pit, full of people of every age and description. There were even children in the mix. Tesha trembled, seeing the chained slaves struggling to clear the rock from walls. The smallest children carried sacks slung over their backs, hauling the chipped salt to huge bins and dumping the rock into the mouth of hoppers that ran through crushing teeth on a rotating drum. The powered substance fell through a sifter and into burlap bags, stamped with the seal of the emperor.

  “The emperor’s forced tribute. So this is what the slaves are doing.” Marsai pinched her lower lip, considering the mine in front of her. “But why does he need so much? This is far more than was ever required in the past. He is stripping this mine clean.”

  “That must be what was in the bags we saw being loaded on the wagons,” said Chutzpa. “At least we know part of the puzzle. Look over there,” he said, pointing off to the right. A second machine ground away, but in this hopper was a black ore. The bags were stamped the same with an added symbol of a dragon. “What is that?”

  Marsai leaned over to peer past Chutzpa. “Black salt. The rarest of finds. Black salt is precious beyond measure. It is said to carry magical properties.”

  Chutzpa studied the hopper of black grains. “We need to get a sample of it, if we can,” he said.

  Tesha gasped. “There he is! There’s Deshi!” She pointed, jumping up and down “There! Do you see him? He’s the one in the lead, with the torn shirt carrying bags of black sand to the mine car. I can see the scar on his neck from the werecat attack when we were kids.” Tesha bounced up and down on her toes, tensing to turn to him.

  Chutzpa placed a hand on her arm, urging her to back away from the railing and into the shadow of rock. It afforded scant cover, but it was all they had. “Wait, Tesha, we need to think of a plan. You can’t go running to him.”

  Chutzpa’s gaze swept the mine, memorizing the details of the pit where Deshi slaved away filling carts. The mine carts were set on rails that disappeared into a hole in the cavern wall. Each car was set with a hand brake. Chutzpa noted that when the car was full, it was released and set on its way. Empty carts appeared at regular intervals at the other end of the track. Guards were stationed at both the entrance and the exit of the rails and at the loading stations. Chutzpa spied a red-haired youth, his hair matted with dirt and his face darkened with dust, carrying a heavy bag of black salt to the mine car. He moved slowly up the ramp and dumped the bag over the metal side into the cart then shuffled back down the ramp to take his place in line for his next sack.

  “Yes, I see him.” Chutzpa studied the area, marking the positions of the guards. The slaves were shackled by their feet alone, allowing them freedom to use their hands for their work. For the most part, they were minimally guarded, the focus being on the checkpoints of the entrances and exits from the chambers. The prisoners outnumbered the guards ten to one. An idea came to Chutzpa. He mulled it over, then reached into his pocket to withdraw the rest of his poisoned darts. The package contained a dozen of the deadly tips.

  “Tesha.” She turned her head, her fearful eyes darting to his. He gently grabbed her upper arms, staring into her wide eyes. “Do you think you can get close enough to Deshi to be able to give him a message? We need to alert the slaves to a rescue attempt, so they will be ready to act when the signal comes. Do you think you can do it without getting caught?” She nodded. “Okay, this is what I want you to do.” He leaned forward and whispered a long set of instructions to her. Tesha nodded her understanding.

  He turned to Marsai. “Did you bring Shikoba’s staff?” Marsai withdrew the shrunken spear from inside her robes and showed him the weapon. “Can you wield it? It is an instrument of magic, correct?”

  “Yes, I can wield it. What is your plan?”

  “Once Tesha has spoken to her brother and he has spoken to the others and confirms they are ready, we are going to take down these guards. I am going to focus on the ones on the level of the mine carts. Those guards must be taken out. I count a dozen guards in total protecting the mine carts and rails. I have a dozen darts. I must get close enough to take them all out. I cannot afford to miss. That means I will be exposed on the floor below. I need you to create a diversion, take their attention away from the pit. It would be great if you could bottle up the guards on the upper levels. Those up top are the older men and woman. Tell all you encounter to arm themselves and fight for freedom. They will only get one chance to break out. Here.” He tossed her the key rings. “Pass these out to those heading down the tunnels. They are bound to find locked doors at the other end. I will need to wait for your diversion before I can begin to take out the guards. I will have to rely on Deshi and his cell mates to take out the rest at that level.”

  “It is a bold plan, but I think it could work.” Marsai placed a hand on Tesha’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze. “Be careful. Stick close to your brother. We will see you on the outside.”

  “Tesha, tell Deshi to stretch up super tall with his thumbs pointing up at the ceiling of the cavern when everyone is ready. I will be watching him like a hawk for the signal.”

  Tesha nodded that she understood, took a deep breath, and slunk away into the shadows.

  Chapter 27

  Unintended Cargo

  TESHA CREPT DOWN THE STEPS, hugging the shadows and freezing when anyone focused in her direction. Being small had its advantages. So far she had descended three stories undetected. She was almost there. A guard came up the ramp, pushing a thin man ahead of him. Tesha sank behind a barrel of sand and held her breath as the pair walked past. She counted to five before allowing herself to peek around the side to see his retreating back. She judged the guard was far enough away to risk movement as she stood from her crouch.

  Tesha anxiously scanned the floor of the loading zone below for Deshi’s hair. It had a unique way of standing up on end at the back. His hair resembled the comb of a rooster, the way it stood up on end. That was how she always knew it was him. Her eyes swept the floor. He was nowhere to be seen. She searched the floor again. When she couldn’t locate him, panic welled up inside of her.

  Oh no! Where is he? What if he has been moved? What do I do now? Chutzpa’s words came back to her. He said he won’t lose sight of him. He must know where he is. He must be there.

  Easing out from behind the barrel, she moved to the top of the last staircase and hurried down
with her head lowered. She hunched over at the bottom, just another slave going about her duties. Her robes dragged on the ground disguising her unbound feet. The last place she had spotted Deshi was at the far end of the terminus, loading another sack of black salt.

  She moved into a crowd of workers and shuffled along with them, adopting their miserable expressions, something that was not hard to do. She was feeling miserable and scared. Tesha passed by a mound of rough rocks waiting to be processed. A small abandoned hammer with a broken claw rested on the ground beside the mound and she picked it up. The one remaining claw was shiny and sharp as though it had been run through a grinder recently. She swiped it as she passed, carrying it in her right hand to blend in with everyone else. She crossed the yard and scooted out of the crowd as she neared the top of the ramp leading to the carts. Her frantic eyes searched the crowd for her brother.

  Off to her right, she could hear the buzz of gears, like a large sewing machine. She moved toward the sound, not meeting anyone’s eyes, while trying to keep everyone in sight. As she moved closer to the noise, she suddenly walked into someone. He grunted with pain as her hammer poked him in the stomach.

  “Oh, I’m sorry, I should have watched where I was—”

  Her babbling voice was cut off suddenly when a voice said, “Tesha, is that you? What are you doing down here?” Tesha peered up into Deshi’s eyes, and suddenly his face was swimming in tears.

  “Deshi! Thank the ancestors! I have found you!” Her voice wobbled as her fear overwhelmed her for a second.

  “Tesha, get a grip. Now is not the time to lose it. Why are you down here?” He shifted the heavy bag of salt.

  “I am here with the Shamankas and a stranger. They are going to stage a break out. I came to tell you of the plan. I need to speak to you. Now.”

  Deshi glanced over his shoulder then forward. They were alone for the moment. “I can’t stay still. They will come to see what I am doing. I will walk slowly past you as I do my chores. Every time I pass, whisper the plan to me. Stay in the shadows. I will glance at you each time I pass so you know it is me and slow up as I go by. Make sure no one else hears, okay?”

  “Got it.”

  “Okay, I will be right back.”

  It took ten passes before she was able to relay the entire plan to Deshi. She waited in the shadows for Deshi to come back for an eleventh pass, but he didn’t return. Instantly Tesha’s fear ramped up as her adrenaline kicked in. Worry over whether or not he had been discovered made her dance on the spot, torn between staying put and searching for him. A shadow loomed up beside her in the dark, and she jumped as though she had been goosed.

  “Hey, it’s me. Quiet now, I am going to get you out of here.” He gave her a quick squeeze. “All is set. The word is being spread among the workers. I have told the children to move toward the carts. They are all arming themselves with their tools and getting into position.” He grabbed her by the shoulders. “Now listen. We are going out through the mine tracks, too. It is the closest exit, and I am not going to allow you to try to flee any other way. You shouldn’t even be down here. If they catch you, you will be executed for sure, as a spy. So when the commotion starts, I want you to run past the battles and head for the front cart. I stashed a loose burlap bag there. Crawl under it and stay put. I will join you as soon as I cut the rope. Stay under the bag, no matter what you hear. Keep your hammer with you in case you are discovered. It is your only weapon.”

  He heard footsteps coming down the path. “Stay here until I return with a bag then follow me. When you see me give the signal in the loading zone, run for the lead mine cart. I will make sure none are in your way.” He moved off into the dark and Tesha waited as five more workers passed by going both directions. She made her way to a short wall that hid her more effectively.

  Deshi returned and nodded once as he passed her. Tesha slipped out behind him, following him to the staging area then shuffling off to the right, making for the furthest ramp. A group of guards watched her approach with suspicion. She went to one knee and ran her hands over the ground, as though she had dropped something. She didn’t want to stare at the guards. She tilted her head, watching Deshi from the corner of her eye. He trudged up the ramp and deposited his bag in the second cart, then turned and walked back down the dock. Another man bumped his shoulder and she saw him give a short nod. Deshi did not respond, but as he cleared the ramp, he paused and stretched, as though relieving the tension in his back. It was the signal.

  She straightened back up to see the guards on the mining carts lying on the ground. She had not seen anyone attack them, but she knew it to be Chutzpa’s darts. She leapt to her feet and moved toward the unguarded bridge. She had covered half the distance when she heard a whimpering sound. A boy, no more than six years old, was sitting on the ground behind the guards, bound hand and foot. His terrified eyes watched her approach. There was no way he could run away. On an impulse, Tesha scooped him up in her arms and carried him to the lead cart.

  With a boom and a whooshing sound, blue lightning sizzled from the upper levels of the pit. Barrels of torch oil exploded and flame rained down into the pit. Screams filled the air, some of surprise, some of pain, but many were the gleeful howls of the oppressed, scenting a chance at freedom. The workers rioted, scattering in every direction.

  In the confusion, Tesha climbed into the lead cart with the boy, settled him on her lap and then threw the burlap over them both, huddling down in the cart with the bags. She shushed him as he tried to cry out, murmuring that she was rescuing him and he must stay very, very quiet. He stilled in her arms and pressed his face into her shirt.

  Tesha heard footsteps on the dock and the clang of weapons striking the metal sides. The cars rocked with a heavy impact. Battles raged around her, but she dared not peek out from her sanctuary. The cart lurched, and then suddenly it was moving down the track and gaining speed fast. The sounds of the battle faded away as the cart zoomed along the rails and into the pitch black tunnel. The darkness was complete. Tesha could not see her hand in front of her face, not that she tried. She was busy bracing herself against the dips and surges, the cart tossing them around with the bags of salt. Alarmed, she knew she had no control over the destination or the swiftness of their travel. She chewed her lip. What if there were guards at the terminus of the tracks? What would she do then? Would there be any reason for guards at the other end? She didn’t know.

  She searched out the boy’s ties and freed his hands and feet, then gathered him back into her arms.

  “I’m Tesha,” she whispered. He did not answer. “You must do as I say when the cart stops. Stay still and quiet, okay?”

  The cart slowed as it rumbled over some logs. With a bang and a lurch, the cart bumped into the stationary one ahead of her. They sat still and quiet in the cart, listening for sounds. She heard nothing. She lifted the corner of the canvas and peeked out the side. They were still in the tunnel, but a lighter blackness was ahead, the illumination brightening then dimming. The cart lurched and moved forward. They rolled into a station of sorts. The lead cart was being unloaded by a group of slaves, who piled the bags onto other carts. Only one guard was present in the chamber that she could see. Once the cart was loaded, the guard left with the team of loaders, walking up the broad hallway. The dock emptied. As soon as the last man disappeared, Tesha jumped out of the cart with the little boy, standing him on his feet and pulling him toward the tunnel.

  She ran over to a lever that she guessed was the brake and released the empty carts. Ten of them zoomed out into the dark, hopefully to return with prisoners. She left the brake open, hoping that the constant flow of carts would provide a moving escape route. Smiling to herself, she took out her hammer and smashed it down on the lever, breaking it and jamming it open.

  She returned to the boy as another cart zoomed into the station. Out jumped Deshi, covered in blood. Relief surged through Tesha. Spying her, Deshi grabbed her hand, and they ran up the ramp together to freedom.
/>
  Chapter 28

  The Dark Truth

  CHUTZPA WATCHED TESHA move through the long shadows cast by the torches. She moved like a ghost, floating from one spot to the next, a blur in a background of twilight. Once she had descended a couple of levels, he followed. It was harder for him to move as she did, due to his stature. He needed a disguise. He searched among the guards for someone close to his size. All of the guards were clean shaven, even on their heads. Chutzpa scratched at his full beard and mane of hair that had grown long over the span of his searching. Becoming a guard was out of the question, which left becoming a slave.

  On the lower levels, one man caught his eye. He had a build similar to his. He moved back and forth between the carts, carrying bags of salt, the same assignment as Deshi’s. As he watched, the man was stopped by a guard and given instructions. The man nodded and moved in Deshi’s direction, leaving the base of the pit to climb to the next level, the level where Chutzpa was standing. The man turned right and Chutzpa followed. He moved toward a door set back in the rock.

  As he reached the door, Chutzpa tapped him on the shoulder. The man turned to scrutinize him. He was missing an eye. A bloody patch was tied over the empty socket. His good eye studied Chutzpa. “You are a stranger. How did you come to be here?”

  “Shhh,” hissed Chutzpa. “I have come to release the slaves. I am here with the Shamankas! Do you want to be free?” The man nodded, his one good eye glowing with anticipation. “I need to borrow your clothes. I need to get close to the guards on the dock. We are about the same size. Switch with me?”

  “Okay, but what should I do?”

  “Go with me into the room. We can switch clothing, and you can hide in there until you hear the commotion start. You won’t be able to miss it. What were you sent to get?”