by Dan Decker
“What are you suggesting?” Jorad aimed his blaster at Tere, while at the same time stepping away from Soret. “You stupid enough to think that while we were being chased by Hunwei, we somehow found time to come back and start firing on our own group? The first speck of hope we’ve found, and you manage to twist it into a Melyah forsaken accusation? I’m done watching you continue to mutter under your breath while you cast your hateful looks at Adar. If you want to finish this, let’s finish it.”
Adar put his hand on Jorad’s shoulder. “This isn’t your fight. Back down. You can’t afford his blood.”
“You going to shoot me?” Tere made no move to defend himself. “In cold blood? A fine Ghar you’ll make.”
“Watch your step. I’ve had enough of you.” Jorad shouldered the blaster and walked to the edge of the forest. Hunwei are out there still, and we’re fighting. It bothered him that Adar continued to let this fester; it was unlike him. Jorad turned back to the group but didn’t approach.
“How many times do I have to tell you?” Xarda asked. “I saw it happen, uncle. I saw the Hunwei that shot him. It happened quickly, one moment we were walking down the road, the next Lous was down, and we were all running.”
Adar cleared his throat as if he was about to say something, but he remained silent. Jorad figured he’d been about to chastise them for the ruckus they’d been making, but as Xarda had just defended him, he’d probably figured it wasn’t the wisest thing to do. Adar would speak to them. It needed to be done but now wasn’t the time. Instead, he handed one of his blasters to Karn.
“They can be killed with their own weapons,” Adar said as Tere eyed Karn’s new weapon. “Push this button and grab the lever to use it.”
“I always warned Lous to be more careful.” Tarner shifted, struggling for words. “He’d get lost in his thoughts.”
It happened quickly. The shadow materialized behind Tarner, and by size alone, it was a Hunwei. Jorad raised his blaster shouting, but Adar beat him and fired first. Jorad’s shot went high, and into the forest. In the distance, he could see the blast hit a rock and explode in flames. Tarner dove to the ground, rolled, and then sprung to his feet. He looked between Jorad and Adar, uncertain what to do.
“What are you doing?” Tarner reached for his sword. “Tere’s the one accusing you, not me.”
“Behind you.” Tere stepped in front of Tarner who looked back and saw the body of the Hunwei that Adar had killed. Tarner turned pale.
“There may be more,” Jorad said. A cold wind blew down from the mountain, but it was nothing compared to the icy chill in his heart as he thought about traveling tonight with shadows moving all around them and Tere watching Adar’s every step.
Adar wouldn’t allow them to stop to rest and as soon as they could find a good place, they'd have to leave the road. Nobody said anything as Tere walked over to the dead Hunwei, picked up the blaster, and slung it onto his shoulder. Tarner gave Adar an angry look. Adar shook his head, his look promising never to save Tarner’s life again.
“Let’s go.” Adar eyed Tere and his blaster. “If there are other Hunwei around, it won’t be long before they come to investigate. Jorad and I will take the lead. Tere and Karn bring up the back. If there’s any trouble, let us handle it since we have the blasters.”
“Karn,” Wes said, “if you want to rotate, I’m sure I could handle the blaster.” Karn just grunted.
A fat drop of rain hit Jorad’s face and a second later there was a flash of lightning. The storm finally had come. The shower broke and a wall of water was let loose from the sky above. Thunder boomed from all sides as it echoed off the hills and mountains.
It was going to be a long night.
Nobody spoke as Adar set off down the road, blaster ready if needed. Soret moved closer to Jorad. Between the dark and the water in his eyes, he could just make out the fear on her face.
As they shuffled after Adar, Jorad looked back at the dead Hunwei. He wished that he’d never have to fight the Hunwei again. The stress of the day, his burned back, his fear for Soret, Tere’s hatred for Adar, and on top of everything his responsibility to Rarbon was enough to crush a man. Stubbornly, he resolved to never let anything happen to Soret. Now he had a way to fight. The Hunwei could be killed, and he intended to kill as many as possible.
Chapter 20
The smell of roasting meat from a nearby farmhouse tickled Jorad's hunger, reminding him that he hadn't had a decent meal in over two weeks. It was too much to hope for a night of rest in an actual bed, but getting a good meal in Zecarani should be a possibility. As much as he wanted a soft bed and a hot bath, it was foolish to take the risk with the Hunwei so close.
Adar and Karn had scouted ahead and reported that Zecarani hadn’t been harmed yet, so they had continued on to the city. They needed supplies, and Adar was still adamant about recovering the tablet, perhaps more so now that Zecarani had days left, if not hours. Jorad didn't hold on to the hope that Adar did of finding out that the tablet was a weapon, but he understood Adar's perspective. When you were already grasping at straws, why not grasp at a few more?
They were traveling on the road again because they were close enough to Zecarani now that it was their only option. The Zecarani city wall was several stories high, but from Jorad's vantage point on the hill, he could make out the town hall and governor’s palace resting in the center. The governor was supposed to be an elected official, but as far Jorad knew, there hadn’t been an election in years. That wasn't an uncommon happening here on this side of the world.
His eyes focused on the town hall where Deren's tablet was supposedly kept. It was a tall building with a large indoor assembly center that had been built before the Severing.
If he remembered correctly, the stonework of the building had been chiseled with intricate scenes of stories long since forgotten. Rarbon's Palace and Council Chambers had been built for the specific function of protecting people. In contrast, the Zecarani town hall and the governor’s palace were meant to display wealth and grandeur. It was nothing short of amazing that these buildings still stood, unscathed more than a thousand years later.
As they descended the hill, he noticed a considerable group of men on horses approaching from the other direction. As they drew closer, he was able to make out the deep red-brown uniform of the Zecarani guard. The leader wore a helmet with three metal spikes at the top. His horse was a large gray stallion that bore a lengthy scar down his neck. Men with lances followed behind.
Jorad and the others were forced to move to the side of the road as the group passed. The leader stared at them as he passed. When he saw Xarda's sword, his eyes narrowed. A Radim sword wasn't common in these parts. That, added to the fact that Rarbon was one of the few cities to recruit women into its armies, told the leader where they were from. He looked like he was thinking of stopping, but he continued on.
Jorad counted five dozen cavalry and couldn't help but wonder where they were going that required so many men. Were there troubles with brigands or had the Hunwei done something to draw their attention? He wished that they had enough blasters to arm them. That, or Ou Qui weapons. If these soldiers were chasing Hunwei, they would only find death.
Jorad moved to stretch and stopped halfway through because of the pain in his lower back. Nobody in their group had much skill with healing. It turned out that Xarda had once apprenticed with a healer but hadn't picked up very much. She'd done what she could for him, but her skills were limited. Although he was grateful for her efforts, he was having trouble sleeping. If he wasn't able to find a healer today to examine his back, it would have to wait until Rarbon. He didn't relish the idea of facing the Rarbon Council with a lower back that burned with pain every time he moved. Or worse, beginning the trials in such a condition.
As they got closer, Soret was trying hard to keep the look of wonder from her face. Her open mouth, as she took in the city, made him smile. In truth, Vigorock was far more impressive, but she’d grown up within its sha
dow. If Zecarani impressed her, Jorad couldn’t wait to see her reaction to Rarbon. Not even the glimmering towers of Parout could compete with the grandeur of Rarbon’s walls and the palace tower.
The guards looked them over as they approached the gate, but their captain waved them through. They looked bored, and their uniforms were unkempt. Several of their spears were rusting, and all of them appeared to be dull. If they knew what was in the bag bouncing off Adar’s pack or what the blasters could do, they would not have been so relaxed.
They hadn’t made it very far that night after the fight with the Hunwei before Adar told everybody to wait. Jorad had accompanied Adar back as he explained that he wanted to collect the head of a Hunwei. Jorad hadn’t been looking forward to cutting off the head with their dull Ou Qui daggers, but they’d found that they were able to touch the skin of the Hunwei now. Whatever had been protecting it before was gone. When Adar had made quick work of the head with his sword, the helmet had fallen off, revealing the small horns covering the top of the corpse’s head.
Now as they entered Zecarani with less than a couple hours of daylight left, Jorad would like to have thought that he was looking forward to a relaxing night. Instead, they needed to be out of the city before dark.
When he saw a large banner hanging between two buildings, his face lit into a smile. He’d forgotten about the Festival of Stars. Zecarani must have spent most of the day, if not the week, preparing for its celebration. Numerous banners hung from the buildings. Soret grabbed his hand smiling in anticipation, and for a moment, everything seemed right.
“I’ve heard merchants talk about the Festival of Stars in Zecarani,” Soret said. “They say it’s like nothing else. I never thought I’d be in Zecarani during the festival! The food, the music, the dancing. Will you dance with me?” It was the first real smile he’d seen from her in weeks, she bounced with anticipation.
“Of course.” It there was time, he didn't say.
“Don’t forget to be at the gate before dark,” Adar said as he left. “If you’re late, you won't get out till morning.” Adar was going to have a look at the town hall while Jorad found a healer; he had recruited Xarda and Karn to come with him. He had said that his plan was to look around, but Jorad knew that Adar would go for the tablet tonight if he could. With the Festival of Stars, the town hall would be locked up, and it might be their best chance to break in.
Tere warned them all that they’d better avoid trouble before he and Tarner disappeared. Jorad was hesitant to let them go without following. He was glad that Xarda and Karn had accompanied Adar because he didn’t trust the truce to hold if Tere found Adar alone.
Soret tugged him towards a street vendor, the smell of sweet scones was enticing, and his stomach churned with hunger. It had been a long time since they’d had a decent meal.
“That just leaves us,” Leron said with a smile for a passing woman. She was twice Leron’s age, but his smile was as if she were years younger. The woman returned it while Wes looked on in admiration.
The last thing that kid needs is to pick up habits from Leron, Jorad thought as they purchased some scones. Jorad bit into his. The warm, sweet bread tasted better than anything he remembered having in awhile.
“We’ll catch up to you later,” Jorad said to the others as he pulled Soret away. Leron nodded, but Wes didn’t appear to hear them. He’d just spotted a group of women, and his jaw had dropped. Jorad smiled, no doubt, it was his first time experiencing the more revealing clothing city women wore. Leron was a little more circumspect in his appreciation.
Soret covered her mouth. “Is that allowed? If a woman dressed like that in Neberan, well, it wouldn’t be allowed. That’s what.”
Jorad shrugged. “Things are different here. Come on, we need to hurry. Most places will close early because of the festival.” With a final look at the women, Soret followed him further into town.
Bright ribbons of red and gold shaped stars hung from almost everything. Women wore bows in their hair and Jorad even saw some of the men wearing them. As he munched on his scone, the smell of cake coming from a bakery distracted him. It had been months since he’d had a piece of real cake and his mouth watered. He made a mental note to introduce Soret to it before they left. He’d had what they called cake in Neberan, and it was no comparison to the real thing.
It took a few attempts, but they learned the name of a healer and directions to the healer’s home. Jorad had to pay triple before he convinced the old man to see him. It wasn't until Mirlan Ladama had the coins that he let them enter. Mirlan didn’t have an office, as he normally made house calls, so he led Jorad into the parlor to examine the burn.
Jorad just grunted when Mirlan asked how it had happened once he’d removed his shirt. Raising an eyebrow, Mirlan used metal tongs to remove several remaining pieces of his coat from the burned skin. Xarda had been hesitant to remove the last pieces because they were embedded. Jorad clamped his jaw shut, and the yell of pain became more of a loud snarl. The wound started to bleed, and Mirlan covered it with salve and bandaged it up. The salve had a cooling effect, and the burned area was tingling, but the pain had lessened a bit.
Mirlan handed Jorad the jar of salve and instructed him to apply it twice a day. Jorad tried to pay for it, but Mirlan wouldn’t have it, saying the amount already paid more than covered the cost. Jorad imagined Mirlan with a hole burned through his back as he followed Mirlan into the living room where Soret and Mirlan’s daughter waited.
Sighing, Jorad picked up his gear and showed the blaster to Mirlan. He couldn’t leave without a warning, even if it went unheeded.
“This is a blaster. It shoots fire and can rip a melon-sized hole in a man. I got this burn when somebody tried to kill me with it. Zecarani isn’t safe. An army with these weapons is about to attack. You should take everyone you know and run.”
“That’s quite a claim.” Mirlan eyed the blaster. “Who’s going to attack? I’ve heard that Ou Qui have been spotted outside the city.”
“Not Ou Qui, but it is an army that can move without detection.” Jorad was determined not to mention the Hunwei. Maybe if he had Adar’s bag, he would have tried. “They’re close.”
“We’re telling the truth,” Soret said. He was glad she hadn't mentioned the Hunwei and assumed she had noticed that he was staying away from their name. He held the door for Soret and followed her into the street.
“Thanks for the warning,” Mirlan said, looking more distrustful by the moment. “Enjoy the festival.” He slammed the door and locked it.
Jorad stared at the door and wished there were something more he could do. Most wouldn't believe until they saw the Hunwei for themselves. By then it would be too late to run.
They stopped to make some purchases, glad to find a few stores still open. Jorad picked up a new coat to replace the one that had been destroyed when he'd been hit with the blaster. He'd also bought a pack and coat for Soret, gloves and clothes for both of them, a length of rope, and other supplies. Before settling on some clothes that suited her, Soret examined several dresses like those they had seen worn by the women earlier. When she muttered “scandalous” under her breath, he hid a smile. The styles in Zecarani were downright modest compared to other places.
Jorad's nose was being assaulted by all sorts of delicious smells from street vendors as they walked toward the center of town where the festival was located. If he wasn't careful, he would eat too many sweets and regret it for the rest of the night.
When they turned the corner and entered the festival, he wondered if it was a celebration or a riot. Everywhere he looked, there was chaos. Along with several impromptu boxing matches, there were entertainers juggling, musicians playing, and many people dancing. Children ran through the crowds with paper stars on strings dangling behind them. There were so many musical instruments being played at once that he couldn’t discern any particular tune. Men, women, and children were dancing in every available place.
Jorad had just set his pac
k and blaster next to a brick wall when a pretty woman ran up to him, grabbed his hand, and pulled him out into the dancing. Soret was laughing as the woman grabbed his other hand and started spinning in circles around him, which was quite a feat considering the sword poking up over his shoulder. He tried to keep up with her the best he could, but he felt his face turning red. Dancing with his sword was awkward. He glanced at Soret who waved.
The next time he saw her was beside him, a young man had dragged her out into the crowd as well.
Jorad stumbled because he was trying to see if his gear was still where he had left it. A big smile danced across the woman's face, and she cackled with glee. She wore a blouse colored with red, yellow, green, and blue. Her white dress ended just above her knees. The paint on her face was wild and crazy, obscuring her identity. He would have had a difficult time picking her out from a crowd if she removed the makeup.
Apparently, the song they’d been dancing to ended because the woman threw her body into him and he found himself catching her as she went for a dip. Jorad couldn’t tell a difference in the noise, but everybody else had stopped as well. He brought the woman back to her feet, and she planted a kiss full on his mouth before running away giggling. The man that Soret had been dancing with went in for a kiss too, but she turned her head, and he got her cheek. Looking disappointed but mischievous, he disappeared as well.
Jorad took Soret by the hand—the others around them were pairing up, and he wanted to avoid being dragged in again—and led her to their gear. She was disappointed; clearly, she’d been expecting a dance. He was willing; he just wanted somebody to watch their stuff.
“I saw her kiss you.” Soret’s accusation came with a wicked smile.
“That man kissed you.”
“I didn’t let him kiss me on the mouth!”
“She came fast. I didn’t know what was happening till it was over.”
