by C. R. Daems
"I would have whether you were here or not." The clan was more important than me.
"To protect what you said to Lady wu'Lichak?" His eyes were wide and mouth partly open in disbelief.
"What I see is for that person alone."
"It's interesting that you told First Lady wu'Lichak that she would determine the fate of Hesland. She said the same about you. That's why she sent me to ensure your safe passage to Dazel. It appears that both of you can see the future. My liege apparently knows what you are. I don't. I do know that even with the earring, you are more than a gypsy and fortuneteller."
"Would you do me a favor, Lord Bolan?"
"If I can."
"I need a horse and an escort to take me to the border. They're to leave me there and return with the extra horse."
"Why?"
"To please your liege lady."
"When?"
"When we stop for the midday meal." I needed to be at the border by nighttime. The mercenaries weren't supporting Phellen. They were using him to find…the Shadow of Death.
"They will be waiting." He walked away shaking his head. He was a good man and faithful to wu'Lichak. She understood the machinations of the game the rulers played. He did not.
* * *
When we stopped, I pulled Stela aside.
"Stela, would you drive my wagon…sorry, the clan's wagon to the border for me? I need to do something." I need to do what I'd become adept at—killing.
"Why"
"The mercenaries are going to be waiting at the border for us. Everyone going to Dazel will get the same treatment, but gypsies will suffer more. If I can't stop them, the least I can do is stop you and ensure Lord Bolan will stay until we can figure something out."
"Can't you find another way?"
"Stela, the reason there's so much trouble is because of me."
"No, if you weren't with us, they would be searching for you and the result would have been the same. By now we would have been killed and other gypsies too. Never mind, I'll drive the wagon for you. What do I tell the others when they ask?"
"I'll be leaving with a couple of soldiers. Tell them it's to make sure I'll be safe until we reach Dazel."
"That's a good story, except I doubt it's any truer than the others. Go."
* * *
"Ryana, this is Sergeant Adler. The troopers are Dirk and Ebert. They'll take you anywhere within Araby you want. May First Lady wu'Lichak's insights ride with you." He stood watching as we rode away.
"Sergeant, I want to go about a league south of the road leading to the Araby and Dazel border."
"Yes, Lady Ryana."
I laughed. "Lady?"
"Yes. Anyone First Lady wu'Lichak gives protection and Lord Bolan acquiesces to is a lady." He smiled.
What could I say? "Thank you for the honor."
After that, we rode in silence. We reached the border just as the sun began to disappear behind the mountains where I had been raised. I sat reflecting on my life from a worthless girl-child to a Shadow Sister and now to the Shadow of Death. I had gone full circle, from despair to joy and back to despair.
Enough, Shadow of Death.
I let myself slip into the moment between the past and future. I had turned to ice.
"Go now." My voice was flat, but I couldn't help it or care.
"May you walk in the shadows," Adler said before turning his horse, and the three rode away. Yes, it would be good if our dead Sisters would allow me to walk in their shadow. I crossed the small stream that defined the border and faded into the forest to the west. If they had soldiers, they might have spread them out as in Calion in case I tried to avoid the roadblock. With Anil and Kasi crisscrossing the area, I saw neither soldiers nor mercenaries.
On my hands and knees, I crept through the underbrush until I came to the hard-packed dirt road. Twenty steps off to each side of it, six men sat around a fire. They had whetstones out and passed a flask from one to another as the whisk, whisk of sharpening swords carried on the slight breeze. One stood in the middle of the road, looking toward Araby.
"God damn the Shadow bitch and se'Dubben. If we don't find her, he will run what's left of us out of Calion," one muttered, shoving his dark hair out of his eyes.
"She has to be moving toward Dazel. She's been collecting information for the king. That's why they want her killed," a tall, ugly man with a scarred face added. After that, the group lapsed into silence, although they continued drinking with an occasional "Damn her… She'll pay and pay when we catch her... Then we'll pass her around till she's dead…"
I lay in the shadows waiting, hearing the words without hate, revenge, life, or death. Frozen in the moment. After a few hours, they began passing out from too much drink or just needing sleep. I laid out my blowtubes, rocktail-laced darts, and knives.
One of them grunted and staggered toward the trees, unfastening his pants as he went. I darted him. Then I worked my way closer to the fire and began darting each man. Afterward, I lay there for some time lamenting the death of that young woman who only wanted to be a spy and wouldn't kill a rabbit when she was starving.
I picked up my things and slid into the shadows and across the road. Half of this group was also asleep. One paced by the fire while two sat playing with their weapons. They were on the other side of the fire from me. Those three would come last. I lay waiting. As their focus became directed in one direction or another, I darted one of those asleep. I had darted all three when one of them noticed the darts.
"She's here!" he shouted loud enough to alert the other two, who jumped to their feet and began scanning the area.
"There!" one said, pointing to where I lay several paces away. They charged, jumping over the men lying dead around the fire. I jumped to my feet and put a knife into the closest one, but his momentum carried him into me, knocking me down. He landed on my hand holding a rocktail stick. I jerked my arm free and rolled to my feet but not fast enough. Meaty arms grabbed me from behind, pinning my arms to my sides. I jerked my head backward, driving my head into his face, lifted my leg, and drove my foot down his leg into his instep. Bones crunched. As he let go, cold steel sliced across my stomach. I felt wetness but no pain. If I lived, the pain would survive also.
I had my knife out as his knife came back for a slice across my neck. I stepped into him, blocking his arm with my knife and slashing his wrist. The blade cut deep and blood sprayed over my face and chest. I rolled away from the man behind me but not soon enough. I felt skin and muscle tear as steel sliced across my back. I rolled to a standing position and turned to face him. He approached, tossing his knife from one hand to the other and smiling. Blood dripped from his nose as he limped toward me.
Big, burly men liked face-to-face fights where they had the advantage. I turned as if to run, spun, and threw my knife into his throat.
But I had forgotten about the man standing in the road until Anil and Kasi's echoes showed a man running toward me. He lunged with his knife aimed at my kidneys. I twisted, blocking with my arm a bit too late, and the blade tore through to the bone. He stumbled and fell as Anil and Kasi struck him. I threw a knife into his chest.
I retrieved my darts and knives, limped to the fire, and sat. My head spun and my vision blurred. I still had the pain somewhat under control, but I could feel blood running down my body from the many cuts. After several tries, I managed to retrieve a bottle of alcohol and poured it down my back, arm, and chest. Then I put a knife into the fire. When it turned red hot, I placed it on the cut on my stomach. It sizzled and the air stank of burning flesh. I bit down on a scream while holding it in place. It felt like I was being burned alive. The cut on my back took several tries before I thought I had sealed it. I passed out doing my arm. There is a limit to the pain one can tolerate—even an Ahasha-trained Shadow. When I woke, I slipped my blacks back on and sat there, controlling my pain and thoughts. I couldn't move even if I had wanted to. Strangely, I was content to die here—I was so tired of killing and of man's madnes
s. Perhaps my dead Sisters would take pity on me and let me walk in their shadow.
* * *
The warmth of the morning sun felt soothing, and I slept for several hours. Still sitting in the same place, I considered my few options. I wouldn't be able to move, much less walk, for a while. My body needed time to recover. For that, I needed rest and food. But I couldn't summon the strength to move. It took all my energy just to sit up straight. The loss of blood, lack of food, and numbing pain had won.
Sometime later, the clatter of wheels and harnesses woke me. Soon they stopped. I wanted to laugh and cry at the horror on their faces.
The voices seemed a long way away. "A Shadow… She's dying… So many bodies… They meant to kill us. It must be the Shadow of Death."
Stela and Marku bent over me, their faces strangely wavy. Stela reached out and lifted the shredded material.
"My god, child. You cauterized yourself?" Stela whispered. A tear slid down her cheek.
"Her back, too," Marku said.
"They planned to kill you and more. Go now. I'll see you in Sandel if I can."
"We can't leave you," Marku said.
"You promised to abide by my decisions. It's for you to go. The shadow of my Sisters will determine my fate." I was so tired. I hoped my Sisters wouldn't abandon me. I might've been hallucinating, but I heard, No, you're our Sister. "Leave me some food and go."
I sat in a haze as Stela laid food in front of me. Others approached. Some gave a small bow and others mumbled "thank you" or some other words of comfort.
At one point, Yoan knelt in front of me. "Once again you Shadows have saved us gypsies. We owe you so much. Come with us. We'll care for you—nurse you back to health."
I yearned to say yes, to feel the comfort of the clan. I touched Yoan's face. "No. Thank you, but that would undo everything I fought for. Go."
He returned to the wagons with the others.
Goodbye, friend.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Sandel—Dazel Province
I slept, woke, and ate throughout the day. By early evening, I had to move or I never would. I collected my gypsy clothing and began a slow, unsteady walk in the general direction of Sandel. The town couldn't be more than a league or two. The mercenaries had picked a position a few leagues from the border to ensure the Araby detail wouldn't be able to see them but would have stayed well out of town.
The sky had just begun to lighten when I thought I saw an Earth Wizard walking toward me. But my vision was blurred and my mind too fuzzy to be sure. My body felt on fire.
"Shadow. May I help?" a deep bass voice asked. Another hallucination. A lovely one.
"Yes, pleeease. Take me into the shadows of my Sisters."
"That'll have to wait." Something lifted me, and I snuggled into its arms. When I woke, I lay in a soft bed supported by branches and vines with yellow and blue flowers. An Earth Wizard stood looking down at me.
"You had us worried. We reached you as fast as we could after we heard about the mercenaries. Many others are also looking. You're a very popular Shadow." He nodded. "I'm sorry we had to undress you, but we left your head wrap on. The Shadows trained you well. Your initial actions saved your life, but those wounds were too serious to go untreated."
I moistened my lips with my tongue and croaked out, "How bad?"
"You're still healing, but you can function if you must. You're at our guild house and may stay with us for as long as you wish."
"Do you know who's after me?" If I could avoid them…or kill them.
It seemed to be my first choice.
"We know some, but there are others. Your friends the Fire and Wind Wizards don't appear to like you. The assassins' guild will do anything for money and the senior noble of Sandel. Of course, some would like two hundred toras offered by se'Dubben. It's a very impressive list. We Earth Wizards remain committed to supporting the Shadows, in any way we can."
"Thank you…?"
"Baas."
"Thank you, Wizard Baas. I owe you for saving my life and supporting the Shadows."
Baas explained where the gypsies were located and that they intended to stay for a few more days. My bandaged right hand and arm would be an excuse for not participating in any of the acts. I certainly wasn't fit to do anything but creep about.
* * *
Later that day, when I limped into the circle of wagons, Yoan, Ilka, and Alida rushed at me and gave me a hug. I called on every bit of my training to stop from screaming.
"Ryana, are we glad to see you. We weren't sure if you were alive or if you had decided to leave," Alida said, speaking for the little group that surrounded me.
"After the guards left me inside the border, a mercenary tried to…" I shrugged. "I got away but was pretty banged up. An Earth Wizard found me and they let me stay until I wasn't seeing double any more. I heard you had some excitement, too."
"Yes," Ilka said in a rush. "A Shadow… She made us leave her. I hope she died peacefully. What do they say…in the shadow of their Sisters? She saved us from those mercenaries."
Later that day, Stela caught me alone.
"I'll leave as soon as I collect my things."
"Why?"
"You would let me stay after what you saw I did?"
"I saw a young woman, my adopted daughter, cut to pieces trying to save her clan. We left you to die. I hated myself and every one of those power-hungry maniacs on Hesland. How?"
"The Earth Wizards found and nursed me until I could walk. My arm is a good excuse not to take part in any of the acts. I can barely walk, mother."
"I'll come to your wagon after the evening meal and see if there is anything I can do to help."
* * *
I stood watching the audience as the acts went on. Wizard Baas was right about the assassins' guild. They were out in force, bumping into women to see their reaction. They obviously had heard I had been wounded. Ironically, they would ignore the gypsies because they had reported leaving the Shadow there. Logically, therefore, none of the gypsies were the Shadow. My enemies had let logic defeat them again and again all across Hesland. A Fire Wizard stood at the back of the crowd. Right now, I would have a difficult time fighting some amateur assassin. There were no Intermediates or Shadows in Sandel, which was lucky. I needed to avoid everyone while I healed.
Normally, I liked telling fortunes, but tonight I dreaded it. I wasn't up for any confrontation. The night seemed to be going well with the usual numbers and types of customers. I was just ready to close up the tent when one of the men I had spotted as an assassin pushed aside the flap of the tent. He looked to be middle aged, very few scars, thin build and face, wavy brown hair, and penetrating eyes. This assassin was far from an amateur, if not a professional in Shadow terms.
"Fake or real?"
"Yes," I replied. His laugh was genuine. He put down a silver and sat.
"It doesn't matter. It has been a boring evening, and I could use some entertainment."
"Entertainment it shall be. Put your hands on the table palms down." I mimicked the position with my hands. He hesitated and gave me a long, hard look. After a moment, he placed his hands on the table. Slowly, I placed mine over his. When I first touched his hands, he tensed but immediately relaxed. His reaction told me a lot about him. He was cautious, confident, and methodical in the way he had first positioned his hand on the table. He had no reason to suspect me of being anything but what I professed to be, yet he prepared himself for action.
I closed my eyes. I could almost see him smile at what he thought was an act.
"You live in a shadowy world…"
He tensed for a second.
"…that is fraught with danger, which you find exciting." Again, that slight tightening of the finger muscles. I walked a dangerous line but couldn't help it. I had become fascinated with reading people and projecting a reasonable future.
"For you, this world's a game where a cautious, well-prepared man excels. Sandel is a stepping stone to a bigger game—
in Dazel. There too you'll do well, even though your enemies are better than those here. Be careful in Dazel; even fools with money can be dangerous." I opened my eyes to find him staring at me.
"Real?"
"The future has many paths since it's linked with others. This is the one I see most clearly."
"I think I've heard of you. If you're the one, you've quite a reputation. Wizards and rulers seek you out, yet you sit here telling fortunes for coppers."
"A fortune for you is the same as a fortune for a Wizard or ruler. All are interesting and vary only by money and power," I said and removed my hands from his.
"Yes, you do have an insight into the future. Real or fake, it wasn't boring. You don't happen to know where the Shadow of Death is, do you?
"I can only tell you what I see in your future."
He rose and dropped another silver on the table and left. I should have been more careful with my so-called reading of the future, but I couldn't help it. It had become a compulsion to tell what I…saw or was it what I deduced? I had no customers after him. When I left the tent, only a few stragglers milled around.
Ilka chuckled. "Well, Ryana, no Wizards or rulers or even a noble or two?"
Alida snickered. "Which means no toras tonight."
"No, it was a pretty boring night, although I predict Alida is going to marry a noble," I said, trying to look serious. Ilka and Alida stood there with their eyes wide and mouths open; then Alida stamped her foot.
"Don't do that, Ryana. Even us gypsies are beginning to believe you can tell the future. Anyway, I won't leave the clan for an old noble. He would want to teach me how to eat and talk, and dress me up in silly clothes." She grinned.
"What about a young noble?" Ilka asked. We went to the evening gathering, arms linked and laughing.
Later, I ventured into the ubiquitous forest the towns almost always located us near, probably because they wanted us away from the town. I let Anil and Kasi go and watched as they flew in and out, catching bugs.
When I decided to return, I saw two men crouched low as they advanced on the wagons. Thieves? It would be interesting to see what they were after. Stealing from a gypsy camp didn't seem to be a good idea. Of course, Sandel was a modest-sized town and their thieves small-time amateurs. I had lots of options, some better than others. I could alert Marku and the others. The bats could disable them. Or I could just shout. They knelt, looking toward the wagons, and turned in the direction of the horses.
