The Journey of the Marked (The Miyran Heir Book 1)

by Rebecca P. McCray

  Kenrya yawned and squatted near Tip to wait for the signal. She flicked a few pieces of debris against the wall. Then she reached into the little pocket in her vest and removed the red stone. She rolled it between her fingers before putting it back in her vest. As she ran her hand across her face, she debated when she would have the chance again to speak with Eros. She raised her eyes to take a peek at him only to find him watching her. He flicked his eyes away almost immediately. He must still be angry. She returned her eyes to the ground.

  At least half an hour passed before Kenrya heard the whistle. Arith motioned to the group to follow and they started toward the ladder under the vent. He climbed cautiously and as he neared the top, the vent cover lifted. He spoke briefly with someone, then climbed out of the underground.

  Lutra lifted Tip and went to the ladder. He hiked Tip onto his shoulder, then climbed with great effort a few rungs up the ladder. Hands reached down from above, grabbed Tip under the arms, and hoisted him out of the underground. Lutra followed, as did the others. Kenrya paused for a moment, staring down the passageway. If she tried to leave the group now, Arith would find her. Plus, she still needed to speak with Eros. She sighed and climbed up the ladder and into the daylight.

  Chapter 19

  The three men who opened the vent cover above ground were speaking quietly with Arith. Prizene considered the narrow alley around them, surprised such a pathway warranted the title of street. In the mountain foothills, such a “street” would not be considered usable. Here no inhabitants or trash were visible, and at least the smell was tolerable, unlike many areas in town, as she had discovered over the last few days while wandering through the city. She looked over at Tip. His breathing had slowed and his color had turned an unnatural shade, almost ashen. She placed her hand over his forehead and cheek. His skin was like ice. He opened his eyes a little and smiled weakly at her. She smiled back and murmured some words of comfort.

  What else could she do? She turned toward Arith to find him watching her. He nodded in understanding and returned to the conversation with the men standing near him, just as a Plinte named Ampal and another undergrounder rounded the corner. The conversation continued with a flurry of gestures until finally Arith approached her and the other marked ones.

  “There are Tyrnotts and Graeliths everywhere,” Arith said. “However, there seems to be a pattern to their patrols. We’ll wait a quarter of an hour until the sun moves past the tower to the south. The men will guard nearby passageways to ensure no others enter this area. Lutra, Ampal, and I will escort Tip to the medic. We’ll likely encounter somewhere between two and six enemies, but we can easily handle them,” he said, lifting his chin. “Lutra will carry Tip. Stay with him at all times. Understood?”

  When they nodded, Arith returned to the group of men standing nearby. Again, they waited. Prizene watched the sun’s path until it slipped past the crest of the tower. Then the group of men broke apart and all but Arith, Ampal, and Lutra left the little street. Prizene helped balance Tip while Lutra hoisted him over his shoulder and the party departed, Ampal leading and Arith taking the rear.

  Prizene stayed in the middle of the group. Her stomach tightened at the thought of encountering another Graelith. Hadn’t she barely escaped the ones from the day before? They cautiously walked along an eight-foot-wide path bordered by high walls. Ampal slowed as he neared an intersection with another alley and placed his hands on the hilts of his swords. As he edged forward, a Graelith lunged toward him swinging a claw in attack. In one fluid motion, Ampal gracefully dropped, rolled, and landed in a crouched position with his swords drawn. The Graelith growled and swung his own sword. Ampal blocked the attack with one sword and sliced the second across the Graelith’s throat. The beast fell to the ground, blood gurgling from its neck.

  That’s when Prizene saw the second Graelith. He looked smaller and younger than the first and hung back. The Graelith’s breathing appeared erratic and he was fidgeting with the sword in his hand. He didn’t growl or even snarl. His eyes were wide as he watched Ampal. Ampal turned toward him and hesitated only a second before plunging a sword through the Graelith’s chest. The Graelith dropped his sword and clutched his chest. He collapsed against the wall and slowly slid to the ground. Ampal wiped his swords and sheathed them, then continued onward.

  Each of the party looked at the Graeliths as they passed. Prizene couldn’t take her eyes off the second Graelith. When she reached the body, she stopped. Could it be? In his eyes, she was certain she saw fear. Her chest tightened and her vision blurred as her eyes moistened. She bit her lip. But wasn’t he just a beast?

  Something touched her shoulder and she jumped. She turned to find Eros standing next to her. His eyes softened and he gave her a half-hearted smile. He walked over and squatted by the Graelith, and then gently closed the creature’s eyes. He bowed his head for a moment, then stood and faced her. With a quick nod, he resumed his place walking with the others.

  She caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of her eye. Arith was standing back, waiting for her. She walked over to the Graelith and squatted in front of him. What did one do for the dead? She closed her eyes and bowed her head. May you find peace. Then she took one last look at the Graelith, stood, and followed the others with Arith bringing up the rear.

  The plan worked smoothly. They had encountered just the two Graeliths, easily killed by Ampal alone. No other enemies crossed their path. Prizene hoped one day her fighting skills could be half as strong as Ampal’s. In a short time, they entered the medic’s home and Tip was carried below ground to a small medical laboratory. Prizene followed the others to the rooftop to enjoy the midday sun. They would rest until shortly after midnight, then they would depart for the western edge of the city.

  The medic brought a weak but sure-footed Tip to the roof a few hours later. He reported that he had treated Tip’s wounds and replaced the blood he had lost. Luckily, he owned some highly advanced medical tools designed in the early days of the Tyrnott rule, before possession of such tools became illegal. With these instruments, he could repair tissue deep within the wounds, slowly working his way out toward the surface. Tip’s wounds were nearly healed, leaving only tenderness on his side.

  Tip’s color returned quickly. Given his enthusiastic grin, he apparently enjoyed hearing stories of his and Prizene’s escape. As the storytelling quieted, Tip asked a question. “Why are we marked?”

  Prizene stole a glance at the others, curious as to their reactions. She hoped to see reflections of her own curiosity on the subject, but instead, just saw blank stares. She shifted her eyes back to Tip.

  He stammered, “I guess … I just don’t understand. Few from Kentish have ever been marked. Sometimes the traders tell us tales, but we travel rarely to the city and hear little of the happenings. Why did this happen to me?”

  Poor Tip. Prizene couldn’t leave him out on that limb on his own, could she? She chimed in, “Most Krystics care little of the marked. My father shared some of the Miyran legends, but you aren’t alone in your lack of knowledge.”

  She turned to Arith and raised her eyebrows to encourage him. He sighed and leaned back against the roof wall, stretching his arms and resting his hands behind his head. “The Miyrans settled on Zolei a century and a half ago. Of their time before that, I know nothing. Of their time since, I can speak some truth and some legend, though I warn you that I don’t necessarily know one from the other.

  “Here’s what I have heard. At any given time, two Miyran heirs must survive to protect the planet. From what I understand, Zolei had long been known as a place of prosperity. As this part of the galaxy was heavily populated and many races came under attack, they traveled from barren and ravaged worlds to seek solace here. Lord Attol and his daughter Lady Anyamae maintained peace for a long time. The Miyrans were cautious when permitting new species access to the planet, though not cautious enough. Lord Attol allowed the Tyrnotts to settle here. At first, they seemed peaceful, though discontent d
id grow after they arrived. Their true intentions came to light when they tricked Attol and killed him. Since then, Anyamae has allowed no new races to settle on Zolei. She protects the planet as best she can by preventing access to its surface. But alone, she lacks the power to protect the citizens from the Tyrnotts.

  “With the death of Attol, the Tyrnotts seized control of the city and surrounding areas. Most of the population lacked information on how Attol died, which meant the Tyrnotts weren’t blamed. My grandfather told me the Tyrnotts shared food and supplies with others when goods ran low, as a result of Anyamae cutting off trade with other worlds. That alone seems to have convinced the population to trust them more than Anyamae. They brought the Graeliths to the city from a very distant part of the planet under the guise of restoring peace. However, the Graeliths secretly fought against the Lady’s warriors and diminished their numbers considerably.

  “By this point, the Tyrnotts started implementing laws to protect themselves and the Graeliths became the enforcers. Shortly after the Tyrnotts gained control, laser weapons were banned, curfews were implemented, and powerful supporters of the Miyrans were destroyed.

  “One of the most notable species persecuted by the Tyrnotts was the Gaelae, a winged race. A Gaela man belonging to the royal Gaela clan might possess a wingspan of twelve feet. The species threatened the rule of the Tyrnotts by casting doubt on their intentions after they murdered the citizens of two communities. To eliminate the threat, Graeliths converged on the Gaelan mountain village before dawn about fifteen years ago to carry out a surprise attack. They slaughtered almost every man, woman, and child before daybreak. A few escaped deeper into the hills, but even those were flushed out over time and killed. Everyone suspected that openly supporting the Miyrans would lead to death, but this last act of genocide left no doubt. As Anyamae’s supporters are scattered and fewer in number than those supporting the Tyrnotts, the warriors learn to hide; they learn to blend into every situation. Only when directly protecting Anyamae do they wear traditional dress.

  “Starting before my time, the mark began appearing on the day those chosen by the Lady turned sixteen. The marking serves to bring new warriors to the city to provide protection for Anyamae and the younger marked ones. While the Tyrnotts turned many citizens against the marked by spreading a lie that the marked generated the unrest, I believe the markings serve another purpose. One of Anyamae’s children will carry the gift of the Miyran. The heir’s abilities will surface starting on his or her sixteenth birthday. Anyamae may very well mark her child, as a way to bring the child to her before its identity is known. I’m aware of no one who knows whether the heir has been born, and if so, whether the heir is nearing a sixteenth birthday. However, of one thing we can be certain: the heir is not dead. For the death of the heir would likely bring destruction to this world.”

  Arith paused and looked at Tip. “Why do you bear the mark, you ask? Lady Anyamae has chosen you. For what specific purpose, I don’t know. But I do know every mark is placed by her for a reason. You must follow the path of the marked to understand why she has chosen you.”

  Tip started to ask another question and Arith held up his hand to stop him. “We must rest now. You’ll need your strength for the journey ahead.”

  Arith settled wearily under the roof canopy and turned away from the others. Prizene watched as, one by one, the group did the same.

  She lay down to rest. Why would Lady Anyamae choose me?

  Chapter 20

  The boy rounded the corner at a dead run, entering a long, wide street. The sun had long since set, and a cool darkness settled across the city. He slowed momentarily to scan the street for escape. Again, Eros recognized the species as Plinte. This boy’s skin was much darker than the girl before, but he still bore the high forehead and upturned eyes of the species. His dark hair stood but a quarter of an inch from his head and his sharp eyes darted in every direction. He wore a dark and sturdy body armor that was thick, but allowed him to move freely.

  Graeliths hunted this boy. The mark shone brightly even in the dim light of the flickering street lamp. Eros wanted to help him. Eros needed to help him.

  Moments later, two Graeliths rounded the corner. They attacked in unison, but two Graeliths were no match for a Plinte male. After a short scuffle, the two Graeliths lay dead. The boy returned the swords to his sides and continued down the street at a jog, scanning the side streets for an escape.

  But the boy was headed toward danger, not away from it. Graeliths were waiting in an alley farther down the street and others were coming from the opposite direction. Eros had to warn the boy or he would surely die!

  Chapter 21

  “Eros,” Kenrya whispered again and shook him by his shoulder.

  Eros sat up abruptly, sweat dripping from his face. His glazed look lasted only moments before he shook his head and turned wide eyes to Kenrya.

  “Are you all right?” She kept her hand on his shoulder. “You were muttering in your sleep.”

  Eros breathed deeply and wiped his forehead. He drew in a quick breath and jerked his eyes around. “What time is it?”

  “Midnight. We’ll need to leave soon.” She slowly moved her hand from his shoulder. What difference did the time make?

  “I have to go,” Eros said quickly. He jumped to his feet and started tossing his belongings into his pack. “The Graeliths will kill him if I don’t reach him in time.”

  “Who?” What was he talking about? Was he delirious?

  “The Plinte boy. I saw him. Graeliths are hiding in the alley to attack him and others are coming toward him from the opposite direction. They’ll surely kill him. I can’t let them kill another.”

  He wasn’t making sense, but maybe this was a good opportunity to leave without the others. “I’ll come with you.”

  “No. You should stay with the others. They need you more than I do.”

  “Perhaps you’ve forgotten the Graeliths from two nights ago,” she suggested, reminding Eros of the attack he had handled badly.

  Eros flinched. Then he shrugged and said, “Come on, then. We have to hurry.”

  “Do you even know where you’re going?” She began gathering her belongings.

  “A long, wide street with many alleys to the side.”

  “That could be anywhere in the city. Think harder.”

  Eros closed his eyes and scrunched his face. “I saw the Plinte and Graeliths. No one else on the street. Oh! A red sign with lettering. The sign read ‘Hearmo’s Meats.’” Eros described the sign to Kenrya and she immediately remembered it. The street was a short walk from where they were and an even shorter run. They loaded up their gear and turned to find Lutra awake and standing behind them, arms crossed. They must have made too much noise.

  “Going somewhere?” he asked.

  Kenrya was reluctant to explain, as she wanted to flee with Eros alone to rid them of the other two, but couldn't stop Eros from describing his dream. Lutra woke Arith and Eros explained again. Arith's skepticism shown plainly on his face, but he agreed they would see if the Plinte boy existed.

  As others were roused and bags were packed, Tip exclaimed, “Where’s my gun? I had it in the underground.” He looked at Arith. “We have to go back!”

  “Absolutely not!” Arith shook his head. “We don’t have time.”

  Tip sucked in a breath, then crossed his arms and stared stubbornly at Arith.

  Kenrya rolled her eyes and pretended to remember she had taken the gun to ensure it was not lost during the travel. She held it out for Tip. “I almost forgot I was keeping this safe for you.” She forced her mouth into a tight smile.

  Tip snatched the gun, examined it carefully, and stashed it back in his inside coat pocket, shooting suspicious looks at Kenrya. She turned her back, ignoring him, and helped Arith with his pack.

  Packs and gear loaded, the party of seven climbed down from the rooftop and started in the direction of Hearmo’s meat store. As they neared the large street, they heard a f
ierce fight down one of the alleyways off to the side. They hurried to the end of the alley only to discover the fight was on the other side of a high wall.

  Eros removed his pack and searched for a way over. Before he could find one, Lutra joined his hands to provide Ampal a foothold to hoist himself on top of the wall. Eros followed Ampal and climbed up. He gasped. The Plinte boy from his dream fought not two, but three Graeliths with another three moving in to join the fight.

  A thump to Eros’s right turned out to be Kenrya landing on the wall with Arith and Prizene following shortly afterwards. They leapt to the ground and drew their weapons, charging the Graeliths. The fighting was fierce, with the Graeliths swinging both claws and swords. While Eros blocked every blow, he failed to mount an effective attack. He needed to strike or the Graelith would claim the victory! He dodged to the left to avoid the treacherous claw slashing toward him, then swung his sword up to clash against the Graelith’s sword a few inches from his face. He pushed the Graelith’s sword away and pivoted, only to find the Graelith’s sword coming toward him from his left, which forced him to twist sideways to block. As the fight continued, his muscles tired. Fear crept up his spine and doubt plagued his thoughts, as a sword swung from behind the Graelith and removed its head. The Graelith fell to the ground, revealing the Plinte boy standing behind him.

  Eros gasped for air. “Thanks.”

  The boy nodded. “No, thank you.”

  Eros observed the others, impressed to find the other Graeliths were already dead. Apparently a few of the Lady’s warriors had joined in the fight. Two of them were speaking with Ampal, while a third had his arm around Prizene’s shoulders. Her face looked fierce, but her sword was shaking. He searched the group for Kenrya. She stood over a Graelith with the ever-present scowl on her face, blood dripping from her sword.