by B N Miles
Theus sighed and shook his head at Cam. “You know, you probably left Janter with less brains than he had before,” he said.
Cam grinned. “Or maybe I knocked some sense into him.”
“He was trying to kill you.” Theus’s face was serious. “You saw that, right?”
“I saw it,” Cam said. “But he didn’t deserve death. He was just defending his father.”
Theus snorted. “I’m not sure I’d be as kind as you, Cam.”
“I bet you would be.” Cam shrugged and threw an arm around his friend’s shoulder. “Come on. Let’s go help Indri with the wounded.”
“I was thinking we’d get a ride in one of those carts and get something to eat.”
“Lazy bastard.”
Theus laughed, and the pair of them walked back down the column again as people began to move around them.
17
Lightning bugs flickered in the darkness as Cam sat cross-legged at the end of the column, his back against a thick oak tree. He stared at the bronze sword in his lap, the blade wide toward the cross guard and tapered down toward the end. His father had given him some basic training in its use, in the slashing and stabbing techniques it allowed, and he knew it was a formidable weapon. In his father’s hands, it could tear a man to pieces, especially a lone warrior with a spear.
But Cam was more comfortable with the spear. It was what he’d grown up with and trained with. Ever since he was a child, his father had been training the warriors in the village in how to work as a unit, how to fight shield to shield with spear and staff. His father was the only man that could afford a weapon like the bronze sword in Cam’s lap, and now that it was his, he didn’t know what to do with it.
His mind worked on the problem of the wolves. That first battle had only been an opening salvo in what he knew would be a running battle all the way to the Mansion. They had another two days, maybe three if they got stopped. But now that Arter and his sons had been sent away, Cam was hopeful they’d reach their destination without any more internal strife. He already felt that the villagers were happier.
The woods were dark and deep and the moon hung heavy and gray in the sky. He let the light wash over the blade and he clenched his jaw. Spears were effective against men, since Humans presented bigger targets and weren’t agile enough to dart in between the spear points. But the wolves could close faster than any Human could, and they were much harder to pierce. As soon as the wolves broke through their initial thrust, all their training broke down into chaos.
There had to be a better way. They needed different weapons, or a different formation to handle the wolves smashing against the shields. Cam frowned and ran his fingertips along the cold bronze weapon in his lap, the shield leaning up against the tree next to him in easy reach. He looked back at the column, at the sleeping villagers and their makeshift tents, and knew that nobody else stirred this late. Second watch was quiet and lonely, but it was important, and it gave him time to think.
He stood and stretched, sliding the blade back into the sheath strapped to his back.
“Sorry, Father,” he whispered as the blade fell home.
He wished he could’ve given him a proper burial, but that would come in time. He picked up his spear and walked a few more paces along the tree line, skirting to the side of the cart path, his eyes scanning the woods.
There was movement just ahead and he stopped. He was thirty yards from the column, far enough that he knew the villagers wouldn’t be able to see him, not with their lamps and low burning fires ruining their night vision. He squinted ahead and frowned, taking a few more tentative steps forward, as another sound rustled in the underbrush.
He lowered his spear, jaw clenched, a shout ready to leap from his throat. But instead of a wolf, a person stepped from the bushes.
For half a beat he thought it was Key. Long, lean, muscular legs only partially covered by a loose skirt, a muscular torso, large perky breasts wrapped in a cotton band. He blinked as he stared into the girl’s bright blue eyes, at her bangs cut straight across and small braids hanging over either shoulder. He recognized her in an instant and fell into a fighting stance.
“You,” he growled.
The girl wolf tilted her head. It was the same girl he’d seen after the fight that took his father’s life, the same beautiful wolf girl he nearly attacked. He regretted letting her get away at the time, and he wouldn’t make that same mistake again.
“I’m not here to fight you, Cam,” she said.
“How do you know my name?” he growled.
She frowned a little. “It doesn’t matter. I just… we need to talk.”
He stepped forward, spear still leveled, but she didn’t move. Any person in their right mind would keep distance between them, but she didn’t seem bothered by the gleaming spear tip pointed at her throat.
“There’s nothing to say. Your people are hunting mine. One less wolf could only help our cause.” He tightened his grip.
“I’m not your enemy,” she said. “I’m not with the others. Haven’t been since what happened with your father.”
“Liar.”
“Why would I come here like this?” she asked. “In my Human form, wearing Human clothes?” She tilted her head, and her expression was neutral, almost bored. “If I wanted to kill you, I would’ve attacked while you were sitting on the ground over there and ripped out your throat.”
He hesitated. He knew she had a good point. He’d been lazy and exposed when he sat with the sword in his lap, and if she had attacked in her wolf form in that moment, she likely would have overpowered him.
“I don’t care,” he said. “Get out of here. You’re just another wolf.”
“I think you do care, Cam,” she said, a small smile hinting at her lips. “That’s why I’m so interested in you.”
“Interested in me?” He stared, his heart hammering fast. He tried to reach for the calm he’d felt during the battle, but it slipped from his reach and left him anxious. “I don’t understand.”
“My name is Felin,” she said. “And I’m here to warn you.”
“Warn me?” He lowered the tip of his spear just a fraction of an inch away from her throat, toward her heart. “I don’t understand.”
“The attack yesterday was just a start,” she said. “They’re going to hit you again tomorrow, just after midday.”
“I thought you said you’re not with them anymore.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not. But I’m also not stupid enough to act against them, not yet.”
“How many are they?” he asked. “What do they want from us?”
She shrugged. “Slaves, mostly. People to bring back north. They’ll take your copper and your bronze, plus whatever grain and supplies you have, but mostly they want your men and your women.”
“Fuck,” he whispered. “That’s… that’s sick.” He knew slavery was practiced all over the world, and he even knew some slaves in neighboring towns. But Cam’s father had made it clear that their village would hold no slaves, and any newcomers would be welcomed as equals. He’d always said that made their community stronger.
“Sick?” She seemed surprised. “Huh. I guess.” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter though. There are two hundred of them, and that’s just the tip of the vanguard. More are on the way, spilling through the passes and into the valley. It was smart of you to leave your village, but Ragni and Sithan won’t let you reach the mountain strongholds.”
“They won’t stop us,” Cam growled. “We’ll make it to the Mansion. We’ll survive.”
“Maybe,” she said, her face remaining neutral. “But if you aren’t ready for tomorrow, you won’t make it anywhere.”
He felt his spear waver as he stared into her eyes. Slowly, the point moved down her body, away from her heart, and he left it pointing at the ground.
“Why are you telling me this?”
She spread her hands. “I told you. I’m interested in you, Cam.”
“Were
you the wolf I saw earlier today?” The thought suddenly hit him in the chest, and he felt his pulse spike. “You warned me, didn’t you?”
She nodded. “It was the best I could do without giving myself away.”
“I don’t understand. You helped kill my father. You’re… you’re a Were. You’re a wolf.” He shook his head. “You’re not Human.”
She stepped within range of his spear. He was tempted to bring it up again, but she moved inside the range and stopped close, her eyes locked on his. She tilted her head to one side and brought her fingers up to softly brush them against his cheek.
“The beard suits you,” she said.
He didn’t respond, just stared into her beautiful eyes, his heart beating fast.
She turned away and walked off without another word. He watched her slip into the shadows at the edge of the forest and disappear.
“Cam!”
His voice made him jump and he turned as a man came walking toward him. He had a hawkish, severe face, with a muddy gray tunic and a spear leaning up against his shoulder.
“Rador,” Cam said.
“I heard voices. Is everything okay?” He frowned at Cam and squinted into the dark.
Cam looked back to where Felin had disappeared into the forest. His mind raced in circles, but for some reason, he just shook his head.
“Fine,” he said. “I was just… praying. Asking the Urspirit for guidance.”
Rador grunted. “Good. I’m sure the Urspirit heard you. And I’m sure your father will answer.”
“Ur willing,” Cam agreed.
Rador gave him another lingering look before turning and heading back to the column. Cam stayed where he was and let out a slow breath. His eyes scanned the darkness, and he could’ve sworn he saw a pair of startling blue eyes glowing in the forest nearby. But then they were gone, replaced by the twinkle of fireflies.
He clenched his jaw and walked slowly back toward the villagers, shaken by his conversation with Felin, trying to work out what he should do.
18
The rest of the night was quiet, and Cam took his breakfast porridge alone in the shade of a tree just off the cart track. He watched the villagers as they got up, packed their things, and began to get ready for the long trek that day.
He kept thinking about the wolf girl from the night before. He finished his small portion of porridge and cold, raw, leafy vegetables, and set the bowl aside. He stared at the grass in front of him, his knees pulled up to his chest, and for the first time in what felt like forever, he didn’t know what to do.
It made no sense. That girl had no reason to help him. They were enemies, their people were fighting, and she’d been intimately involved in killing his father.
And yet he couldn’t deny that she helped him.
If she hadn’t warned him yesterday, the village wouldn’t have had time to get the carts into position and the warriors into lines. The wolves would’ve ripped into his people and ravaged them without mercy, and Cam didn’t think they would’ve been able to fight them off.
In some ways, she’d saved them all.
That idea, mixed with the way she looked at him and touched his cheek, clashed with his hatred of the wolves and his loathing of her in particular. She’d been there when his father died, and although she said she hadn’t taken part, she was still there.
He couldn’t trust someone that stood by while his father was murdered.
His mind raced around in circles, and soon the column began to slide forward. Villagers walked along with sour looks on their faces, old women leaned on walking sticks, and children rubbed the sleep out of their eyes.
Cam slowly got to his feet and began to go join the group. He had guard duty in a few hours again, but for the moment he was free to do as he wished.
So he hunted down Key. He knew he had to tell her what happened. Maybe he would leave out the part about being incredibly attracted to the wolf girl, or when she touched his face and said the beard suited him, which still made him feel strange. But he’d tell her all the rest.
He found her walking with her father, their heads bowed quietly together. He was a tall man, slim and lean from years of hard work. His tunic was too big, and his breeches were too tight. He held his spear in his left hand loosely, letting it almost dangle. His eyes were sharp and focused, and he’d always been one of the smart men in the village. Cam figured Key got her mind from her father and her strength from her mother.
Cam slowed his pace and watched them for a moment, not speaking. He wasn’t sure what they were doing until Key looked up at her father and smiled at him. He put an arm around her and touched his forehead against hers. She nodded, and then he gripped his spear tighter and moved off toward the front of the line. Key slowed and watched him go. Cam hesitated then approached. “Key,” he called out.
She jumped a little then smiled. “Oh. Cam, hey.”
He joined her and they walked side by side. “Your father okay?”
“He’s fine,” she said, looking away. “Just wanted to pray.”
“Ah,” Cam said. “I can understand that.”
She snorted. “You’ve never prayed to the Urspirit in your life, Cam.”
“Sure I have,” he said. “My father made me consider the Ur almost every day.”
“There’s a difference between being told to do something and really wanting to do it.”
Cam shrugged a little. “And did you really want to pray?”
She shook her head. “I want to make my father happy. And if praying to the Urspirit helps calm him down before he goes on duty, then that’s the least I can do.”
“You’re a good person, Key.”
“Not really.” She shook her head. “I just love my father, that’s all.”
He smiled and they walked in silence for a moment before Cam moved closer to her. “Listen, I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Is everything okay?”
“I think so.” He frowned and glanced around. An old man was limping along just a few feet away, his shock of white hair unruly. A woman with a baby strapped to her chest and a goat by her legs glanced over at them. He felt exposed, and so he took her hand, tugging her away from the column.
They stepped off the path and into the trees. He pulled her away until the massive sound of people talking, coughing, laughing, and walking receded enough that he could think again. He pulled Key into a secluded spot, covered by bushes, and turned to her.
She was blushing. It took him a moment to realize it, but her head was tilted and she was breathing hard. His eyes moved down her lips, her chest, and he knew what she was thinking.
“It’s about last night,” he blurted out and felt like a fool.
“It’s about— what?” She frowned and crossed her arms over her chest. “What are you talking about?”
“What I need to tell you. I saw something last night on guard duty.”
“Oh.” She sounded a little disappointed but quickly got herself together. “Wolves?” she pressed.
“Sort of. One wolf. A girl came to me, Key.”
She reared back, eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, a girl came to you?”
He gave her the quick version, told her about the girl appearing in the woods, about her warning of a large upcoming attack, and about how she claimed to have warned him the first time.
“Is that true?” Key asked. “Do you really think she warned you yesterday?”
“I do,” he admitted. “A wolf appeared at the end of the column, all alone. I just stared at it, too surprised to move, until it… barked at me. That knocked some sense into me, and then I started yelling. Once I raised the alarm, the wolf just ran back into the woods.”
She nodded slowly. “If they were going to surprise us, sending one of them out to stand in the path in plain sight would’ve made no sense.”
“Right. So I think she did it on purpose to give us a fighting chance.”
“But why?” she asked.
“I
don’t know,” he said. “She said she was… interested in me.”
Key frowned and tilted her head. “What the hell does that mean?”
“I don’t know,” he said again. “I’m just telling you what she said.”
Key glared at him for a long moment then let out a sigh and shook her head. “I don’t know what to think.”
“I don’t either. I’m not sure if she was lying to me, or messing with me, or if she doesn’t know what she’s talking about. But maybe everything she said was true, and we’re just wasting precious time by not preparing right now.”
Key nodded and bit her lip. She paced a few steps in the underbrush, pushing away a low branch.
“Okay,” she said. “We have to tell Dagan.”
Cam felt a strange relief rush over him. “Are you sure?”
“I’m sure. But we’ll tell him I was there with you.”
Cam blinked. “I, uh… I was on guard duty alone. And Rador saw me afterward.”
She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. We’ll say I joined you after Rador left and that was when we saw the girl.”
“Why are we saying you were there at all?”
“Because I’m not sure Dagan and Kraed will believe only you. It’s a strange story, Cam.”
“You know I’m not lying.”
“I know. Which is why I’m willing to risk my reputation to help.”
“Risk your—” He stopped himself and stared at her. She blushed and looked away, arms crossed over her chest again. “Oh, Key.”
“I know,” she said.
“They’re not going to think that.”
“But they will. If we tell them that I visited you in the middle of the night, they’re going to think we were sleeping together.”
Cam looked at her and felt his heart begin to beat faster. He remembered her kiss, her body against his. He wanted her, wanted her badly, and hadn’t been able to push her from his mind for more than a few minutes at a time. He wanted to tell her that, to let the words come rushing out, but he was afraid that if he said them out loud then they’d dissipate into nothing and would ruin whatever was building between them.
