by S Kaeth
Called for judgement, not for justice? There was barely any time to respond before the impatient Kamalti shouted at them, “Answer the Justice!”
“No, but we wer—” Kaemada started, but the Justice cut her off.
“Let the record show the trespassers admit their crime. Further, you forcibly entered our lands, rather than falling upon them by accident and foolishness,” he intoned.
Kaemada shifted, feeling off-balance. It seemed the man wanted the conversation to progress at a rapid pace, leaving her reeling at the rhythm of the conversation. How were they to weave together justice between everyone involved when the Kamalti were so impatient, so demanding? She had been called to stand before the Heartwood Council of Elders once, an experience that had left her trembling and sweaty-palmed, but even that was nowhere near as intense as this.
The Justice frowned hard at them, tapping his fingers on his staff. “You will answer when posed a question!”
Taunos frowned. “How were we to know you were here?”
“The defendants claim ignorance and fall upon their stupidity,” intoned the older man, and he turned to the other Elders. “They will be judged for this!”
He spun back around to eye them critically. “What of the plague these days past that caused many of ours to fall into sudden sleep, and others to go mad hearing voices and seeing nonsense? Is this your doing, too? I find the timing suspicious.”
Kaemada’s jaw dropped open. She avoided the gazes of the others as they gaped at her. Her mind-burst had affected even those who were not Rinaryn?
The Kamalti Elder peered at Kaemada. “This was your doing?”
“It must be,” she whispered just as he was opening his mouth once again. Too late, her inner voice screamed at her that these Elders were not trying to draw out the true story so that amends could be made, but were searching for blame. It was not a safe place for true answers, though the thought of deceiving Elders was disrespectful and went against everything she believed in. “I do not know how. Please—”
“There is no tolerance for magic.” He tapped a finger on one of the glowing tables of lights. “The Justices for the Scouting Guild send the matter to the Council for judgement. May the accused pray to the gods for mercy, as they will surely need it.”
“So, this isn’t their Council?” Takiyah whispered.
“We have to endure more of this?” Ra’ael groaned.
It was too much. Kaemada’s hands clenched into fists at her sides. “We came to find Eian. My son. We did not mean trouble. Please, help us find him.” Her body trembled, but she willed herself to remain upright.
“It matters not. You—”
“It does matter,” Kaemada spat. “How can you say my son’s life does not matter? We only want to find him, then we will gladly leave you to your seclusion. But you will not turn us away without telling us if you have seen him.”
The leader waved his hands impatiently as if to shoo them away, talking over her. “Lady Answer, take them to the Council. I will stand no longer in the presence of these who will soon be condemned.”
One of the female guards who’d brought them to this strange room stepped forward with a crisp, “Yes, Justice.” She turned to another guard, waving a dismissive hand. “Chain them up.”
Kaemada drew a deep breath and stood her ground, refusing the easy temptation of shrinking behind her brother. One guard spoke in a questioning tone, but Kaemada could not understand the words.
Lady Answer scowled at him. “This is my task. I can handle a few Outsiders.”
She spun on her heel and stalked out. The guards forced them to follow. Desperation, rage, and fatigue combined to make walking a difficult task, even with the strength borrowed from the medicine Taunos had given her.
Overwhelmed, she focused on Answer. “Please, ameyitum. I will atone. Please, I must be sure Eian is safe. Then you can do whatever you want to me.”
Answer only walked faster.
How could they be so heartless? “Please, please, only tell me if you have seen my little boy!”
~
Takiyah flexed her wrists, straining against the chains. This talk of condemnation and no longer needing their packs or weapons sat uneasily with her. They were bound with metal, walking single file after the guard Answer. Two guards marched on either side of them, and three brought up the rear.
Ahead of her, Kaemada stumbled. She had limped since leaving the Scout’s Council, and it was only getting worse. It had better not come to fighting; Galod had taught them to use their strengths as a unit to mask their weaknesses, but Takiyah lacked faith that it would be enough this time, regardless of her boasts.
They walked over cobbled streets and through the throng of people who made way for Answer. The people of the city, garbed in their strange, flowing clothes, crowded the edges of the streets to gawk at them. Parents held their children close, whispering and pointing at them. Takiyah breathed deeply, refusing to let them see her humiliation. Just ahead of her, Taunos walked easily, head high as if all was well.
Let’s use what we have, shall we? Such as their emotions? Taunos’s words echoed in her memory, and she smiled. Ra’ael may grouse, but she followed his example just as the rest of them did. Maybe it resulted from so many summers growing up in his shadow.
Takiyah kept her eyes moving, partly to be ready for action and partly because, despite their circumstances, she couldn’t help but feel drawn to the enormous buildings. Being forced deeper into the underground city, away from the stairs to outside, didn’t bother her as much as she would have guessed. Impatience itched at her to find Eian, but what about after they found him and made sure he was uninjured? She raised her gaze to the pillars holding up the cavern’s roof. She would find a way to come back here and learn more.
It was as if something in her mind had unlocked, as if a chest full of hidden treasure had appeared, and she couldn’t wait to open it and explore. Already, she could see there were differences among the types of stone around her, and she knew, somehow, that each had a name. Rinaryn had nine words for mist and only one for rock—it was ridiculous. Here, all around her, lay secrets waiting to be uncovered.
Takiyah took another deep breath and relaxed her shoulders. Yes, there was danger around them, and she hated being captive, but Galod’s training often threw them into dangerous situations. She leaned into the curiosity warring with her wariness, urging her to see, touch, and discover everything around her. Their guards clearly hated that they weren’t panicking, and that was something they could use. What kind of people would ignore a mother’s pleas for her child?
The row of huge metal buildings on their right ended, leaving an empty space before the ground gave way to a deep crevasse, its vast depths devoid of light. On their left, buildings were carved directly into the rock, and the glow of lanterns illuminated the street. The crevasse inched nearer and nearer to them until it ran parallel to the road.
Takiyah leaned over to look. “I wonder how deep it is.”
“Careful, Takiyah.”
Takiyah threw Ra’ael a look. Did she really think she’d be stupid enough to fall in?
Taunos spoke to their guards, as casual as if they were on an afternoon hike. “The architecture here is amazing. It’s interesting that you Kamalti have not done something with this ravine.”
“Have you seen much like this place on your travels?” Takiyah asked, playing along. Beside them, she could sense the guards bristling with annoyance.
Taunos answered with a broad grin. “Like this, yes, but never under a mountain. I spent five moons with a very interesting people who lived in the desert and built their buildings into the side of the red cliffs. They used ladders to get around and could go days without seeing the sun, such as during sandstorms. I spent another two moons with a people who paved their streets with bricks made of dried mud and lit them with lanterns like these, though not of this workmanship.”
“No wonder you never make it home,” Kaemada said.
/> Taunos laughed. “If I were home more, Galod wouldn’t have time to train you!”
Ra’ael raised an eyebrow. “We could take you.”
Taunos scoffed. “Maybe all together. If I was sleeping.”
“Silence,” Answer snapped, marching onward without looking back. “You must be among the least intelligent of your primitive people, not realizing your peril.”
“So enlighten us,” suggested Taunos.
Answer spun around to glare at them, and Taunos gave her his most arrogant grin, the one that always made Takiyah want to punch him. The Kamalti woman fumed, then clenched her jaw and spun around to lead them on. Takiyah smirked. Their guard certainly was prickly.
“Answer. That’s a pretty name. And in the Traveller’s Tongue, too, is it not?” Taunos smiled.
Their leader stalked on, silent.
“Why not use names from their language and not the Traveller’s Tongue?” Ra’ael asked.
“Some Rinaryn are named in Traveller’s,” Kaemada said, always drawing parallels. “Like Taunos and I.”
“But those are your middle names, not your proper names,” argued Ra’ael. “Besides, your mother was rather non-traditional—though greatly loved and missed,” she hastily added.
“Thank you for that,” Taunos said dryly.
“Others might embrace Traveller’s as a source for names,” Takiyah said. “But not all of them have names in Traveller’s. What were they? Hadrik? Very strange. Lots of -ik’s.”
“Maybe we should ask—” Kaemada began.
“Have you no manners at all? Stop discussing me!” Answer turned to confront them, fury alight in her eyes.
Taunos bumped into Answer, who hopped backward, off-balance. A guard turned on him, staring as if he’d just shot a bird or committed some other taboo.
“How do you dare!” The guard shoved Taunos backward.
“Go!” Taunos urged.
He was right. If they were looking for a chance to escape, now was the time.
The two flanking guards sprang toward Takiyah and Kaemada, but Takiyah twisted and ducked out of the way, her chains flailing around her. Kaemada nearly collapsed, and the guard overshot, while Ra’ael charged the guard next to Taunos. Taunos leapt, getting his hands in front of him, and punched the guard who had pushed him. In the mayhem, Takiyah scrambled to Kaemada, who was evading the guard with grim determination, stumbling over her chains and moving as conservatively as possible. Ra’ael soon joined them, and they fell into the familiar rhythm of a trained fighting team.
The guards advanced in a straight line, in pairs. Ra’ael and Kaemada flanked Takiyah as she extended her wrists, streaming fire toward the oncoming guards. When they dodged, Kaemada and Ra’ael were there, darting forward to take advantage of their opponents’ momentary disorientation to deliver a strike to the knee or hip.
That was how it should work, but Takiyah found they had to keep circling to defend Kaemada’s slower speed and weakened blows, and their chains hindered them. Tannevar, tied up tightly, was no help at all.
Nearby, Taunos feinted and evaded his opponents, forcing the four guards he was fighting to stumble over each other instead of subduing him. He, like Ra’ael, used his telekinesis to move impossibly fast and deliver extra strength behind his blows. The sound of him laughing and taunting his opponents—even correcting their form!—made Takiyah smile. Taunos always mocked his challengers, and he always won.
Takiyah blasted fire toward Answer as the guard fighting Ra’ael tripped over a foot. They had to get Kaemada relief—her leg looked ready to give out. Ra’ael saw it too, for with the next blast of Takiyah’s fire, she ran to engage Kaemada’s opponent. Takiyah turned to make sure Ra’ael’s opponent stayed down and narrowly avoided burning Taunos. Where had he come from? She scowled at him as he ducked under her attack, but the damage was done. The guard engaged Taunos, and the other two flanked them.
“Get out,” he shouted.
“No,” Ra’ael replied.
Takiyah turned to face the flanking guards and moved forward, leaving Ra’ael, Kaemada, and Taunos at her back. Kaemada was using Ra’ael’s cover to try to free Tannevar. At least she’d been able to get her hands in front of her, just as the rest of them had. Good. They needed every advantage. Galod had drilled them relentlessly over the summers, so it was instinct to know where Ra’ael and Kaemada were and to use each other’s strengths.
It was impossible to predict where Taunos would be. No wonder he usually fought alone.
There were six guards against the four of them, and they had already targeted Kaemada as the weak link. The Kamalti slowly pressed them toward the crevasse. Takiyah blocked a blow and shoved the guard toward Taunos, who sidestepped a punch, grabbed the man Takiyah had driven toward him, and threw him toward the guard who’d struck at him.
A weight landed on her back, and she curled, flipping the guard who’d tried to tackle her over her head. Right on cue, Kaemada extended her lame leg, tripping him and then striking his neck once he hit the ground. Takiyah blocked another advancing guard with a stream of fire, taking a side-swipe from a club on her arm as she did so. Pain flared up her arm, but that wasn’t the worst part. They were surrounded, and the crevasse was getting too close for comfort.
A lanky guard dove in from the side, grabbing Kaemada. Tannevar foamed at the mouth as he fought the chains around his muzzle, and Lanky Guard kicked him toward the crevasse.
Kaemada shouted and bit the man. He threw her away from him as Taunos surged toward them. Takiyah turned to cover Taunos’s advance with a wall of flame. Kaemada flew several feet before hitting the ground, rolling toward the crevasse as she sprawled, desperately trying to stop her momentum, but hampered by her bound hands. She collided with Tannevar, and they both tumbled over the edge.
“Kaemada!” Taunos shouted.
Takiyah kicked out, trying to keep the guards’ attention on her so Ra’ael could run to help Taunos. She couldn’t help but glance back, her heart in her throat. Kaemada had caught the edge of the drop-off, but she was struggling to grip the stone and Tannevar’s chains at the same time. There was no chance she’d let Tannevar go. Taunos dove for the edge. Takiyah threw up higher flames, briefly fencing them in with a wall of fire that she swept back and forth to renew. She peeked over her shoulder.
Kaemada gripped Taunos’s upper arm until her fingers were white, and Taunos held her forearm. Ra’ael lay beside him, clutching Tannevar’s chains. One of the guards darted in. Takiyah shot flames toward him with blazing heat.
“Get them!” Answer ordered.
“Get back!” Takiyah pulled on her reserves for more fire. She glanced back, hoping they’d hurry. She couldn’t hold off the guards by herself for long.
Taunos’s fingers spasmed as he held Kaemada, and she dropped a hands-width before he caught her again with a grunt.
“Something’s… pushing us,” Ra’ael said through clenched teeth. “Ow! Cannot… push it back!”
Ra’ael twisted suddenly to grab Kaemada, who jerked and screamed. She must have lost hold of Tannevar’s chains. Lanky Guard slipped around Takiyah’s defenses and clubbed Taunos sharply on the shoulders.
“No, wait!” Taunos shouted.
“Stop!” Furious, Takiyah spun and punched Lanky Guard, gaining a dark pleasure at the sound of his nose breaking. But another guard slipped past and smashed Ra’ael over the head with his club.
“Magic!” Club Guard cried. “There will be no magic here!”
Ra’ael crumpled to the ground. Kaemada fell.
“Kaemada! No!” Taunos roared, reaching down into the ravine.
Club Guard slammed his club into Taunos’s head, and he fell, face-down in the rocks. The dark swallowed Kaemada’s falling body.
Takiyah stood frozen in horror, staring at the empty edge and the darkness beyond.
Blood spattering his clothes, Lanky Guard wrenched her arm. “You will pay for that. Magic is not tolerated.” He shoved her away from the chasm.
Answer confronted Lanky Guard with a glare. “You will stand before the Council for your loss of control!”
“A small sacrifice if they will now treat their situation with the gravity it deserves,” Lanky Guard retorted.
Takiyah stared at the ravine. This wasn’t real, couldn’t be real, but the scene played itself over and over in her mind’s eye. Kaemada’s eyes widening, her hands flailing for something to hold on to. But there was nothing there.
Kaemada was gone. Tannevar was gone. Taunos and Ra’ael lay bloody and motionless.
Dazed, she didn’t object as rough hands rebound her, the chains digging at her skin. How had this happened? They were supposed to just find Eian and be on their way home. The four of them were Galod’s greatest students. This was supposed to be an adventure, not…
Takiyah had begun planning her arguments to stay, to learn the secrets of this place. But now, with Kaemada…
Her guards shoved her forward, so she walked, one numb step at a time. Ra’ael and Taunos were dragged ahead of her like animal carcasses along the road. Blood matted their hair and stained their skin. Morbidly, she stared at them. They had to be alive. If she lost them, too, she’d be alone. So very, very alone.
Answer turned to glare at her. “Give me any more trouble, and that is what you have to look forward to.”
CHA’A
Chapter Seven
No one could deny the futility of seeking peace with the Darks when they raided the village again, not one year after the Great Attack. Heaping insults around them, they burned and slaughtered animals as well as people. That attack killed the remainder of the families of the telekinetic psion, the telekinetic realmwalker, and the fully functional psion students. The Darks called it a lesson for daring to ask for capitulation of any kind.
The telekinetic psion succumbed to the “blood rage” for the first time during this attack. She did a great deal of damage before the villagers—kaetalyn, in the native tongue—were able to focus her attacks on the Darks. I’m pleasantly surprised to have the chance to tutor and study a person possessing both talents. I expect the possibilities to be quite intriguing.
