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

by Rebecca P. McCray

  Prizene smiled at Jurf’s wish. After all, hadn’t she been in a similar situation? Maybe she could help him. “Even if you can’t join the warriors, you can join the undergrounders. They fight to protect the marked ones and lend support to the warriors.”

  “I’ve never heard of them,” Jurf sat up straighter, enthusiasm in his voice. “How do I find them?”

  “Go to Banston,” Azetan said. “There will be a funeral there in a week’s time and a few of the undergrounders will attend. The brother of the dead is an undergrounder and will be one of the Plinte accompanying the casket from Caldot. Just be careful not to expose his identity or that of any others close to him.”

  Jurf nodded, “Thanks. I’ll go as soon as I leave you at the western edge of the city. Banston is many days’ walk, but hopefully I can make it.”

  Prizene felt her eyes moisten. Jurf was so desperate to be helpful that he would walk all the way to Banston. “Here,” she said and pulled the bag of coins out of her pack. She counted out enough for the transport, as well as extra for housing. “Take these coins, enough to pay for a public air transport.”

  “I can’t take these.” Jurf held up his hands to refuse.

  “Please,” Prizene insisted. “This is the least I can do to repay you for helping us.”

  Jurf stared at Prizene for a long time — long enough, she thought, that perhaps the darkness lifted enough to seduce him by Krystic charm. Eventually, though, Jurf took the coins with a look of profound gratitude. He jingled the coins in his hand. “No one has ever been this nice to me. Most treat me like I’m stupid.” Then he whispered, “Not all Hurfens are, you know.” He stashed the coins in his pocket and stared dreamily at the stars in the night sky.

  Prizene whispered back to him, “I know.”

  *******

  Kenrya patrolled the southern side of the building. She watched dozens of electric torches bounce down the streets and in and out of the alleyways. A soft breeze blew toward her face and she breathed in the fresh, chilly night air. She turned her eyes toward the southwest, soaking in the beauty of the full moon. To the west lay the darkness of the forest. They were close, but navigating the maze of alleyways, even with the Hurfen’s help, could still take hours.

  While she scanned the alleys again, she contemplated the fact she was still with the group, when she had intended to leave much sooner. Prizene’s fighting skills surprised her and Azetan was as impressive as she expected he would be in destroying the Graeliths. She shook her head at the thought of Tip, the weakest link in the group. However, the rest of the group was strong and skilled. Surely they were capable enough to counterbalance Tip’s weakness. On the upside, she won the bet with Eros as to the color Tip’s hair would be today, so at least he offered some amusement.

  The motion of the electric torches continued, but the Tyrnotts and Graeliths were no closer to discovering the group’s current location. They still had to cross the main streets to reach the western edge of the city, meaning they would have to wait for the search to end before leaving the rooftop. Yet, they couldn’t stay here. Based on the moon’s position, morning was not more than a few hours away. They would have to depart soon.

  Kenrya returned from the building’s edge to the rest of the group. She waved to Eros to join them and, when he did, she spoke quietly, “I can see electric torches in all the main streets. Even if we can navigate the alleys, we still must cross a main street to reach the edge of the city. What did you see on your side, Eros?”

  “The same.” Then he turned to Jurf. “Is there a way to reach the city’s edge without crossing more than one or two main streets?”

  Jurf carefully considered this question. “No. At least not if you travel by ground.”

  “What, there’s another way we can travel?” Kenrya asked, rolling her eyes.

  Jurf smiled. “Sure. There are walkways connecting the building tops in this part of the city. The underground here isn’t always passable. Since we sometimes need to be out past curfew, a bunch of us worked together to create the rooftop passages. Some of them are narrow, but as long as you’re careful, you can reach the western edge of the city without ever stepping foot on the ground. This will take more time, though, and if you need to reach the city’s edge before daybreak, we should start moving again.”

  Tip was sleeping heavily. Eros suggested they wait another hour before continuing their journey. They rested against the wall or their packs to allow Tip more time to renew his strength.

  Eros leaned against his pack, staring at the star-filled sky. Travel off the world was not permitted after the death of Lord Attol. He never had the opportunity to travel across the sky like the Humans before him. While he thought the forest of Kullac was a wonderful home, he longed to visit other worlds. As he rested, his thoughts turned to Jbetl, the Thelios he once had known.

  He remembered hours standing over a hot fire, while Jbetl taught him how to forge metal into shapes for weapons. They had taken long walks into the forest together, discussing the coming of age and the likelihood that Eros would be marked. Even more, though, he remembered the smile his mother always had for Jbetl. He enjoyed spending time with the man and, admittedly, was a little jealous when his mother won more attention than he. Sometimes he would peek around the kitchen wall and watch the two of them together, laughing. His mother always seemed different when Jbetl visited. He had never understood why. A smile danced across his face. He hoped one day he would again see the great man and his mother together again.

  When enough time passed, Eros woke Tip and they returned their packs to their backs, except Jurf, who picked up Tip’s pack before Tip could.

  “You’ll need to focus on balance,” Jurf told him.

  “Balance?” Tip raised his eyebrows. “The ladder is easy to climb.”

  Eros explained their plan to Tip, who then seemed agreeable to letting Jurf carry his pack. Jurf led the way, as they started their journey across the rooftops. Certain rooftops were side by side and easy to cross, while others were connected with sturdy boards without railings. Jurf seemed to skip across the boards without hesitation; the others were more cautious. For Kenrya and Azetan, maintaining balance was simple. For Prizene and Eros, crossing was trickier and they sometimes spider-walked across, using their hands to steady themselves. As Tip’s side was still sore, he crossed the boards on hands and knees.

  Chapter 23

  Arith, Lutra, and Ampal cautiously made their way through the western alleys of the city. The increased number of Tyrnott and Graelith patrols slowed their progress considerably, since they were forced to stay above ground in this part of the city. They routinely needed to hide or change their route, such that the patrols couldn’t find them. Luckily, the roving Tyrnotts and Graeliths made a racket, which provided ample warning of their nearby presence.

  As they walked, Arith tracked their location using various landmarks. This part of town brought back many memories for him. His family lived in a nearby street when he was a child and he spent many days darting in and out of the maze of alleys playing with other children. As the children grew up, their games turned more to role-playing, battling either alongside or against the Graeliths. When playing against the Graeliths, his sister was always the Lady. When Arith’s sixteenth birthday arrived and he bore no mark, he was devastated. Joining the Miyran army was the only future he had planned. One day, he stumbled upon a battle between two warriors and a few Graeliths. The Graeliths clearly were overpowering the warriors until Arith stepped in and helped “even the odds.” The Graeliths fled, leaving the warriors very grateful for Arith’s intervention. That day marked the start of the undergrounders and a strong alliance with the warriors was thus forged. Protecting the marked ones was their primary objective, but they also vowed to protect any supporter of Anyamae. Unfortunately, the Tyrnotts swayed much of the population into complacency, while recruiting others to act as spies. They influenced what children learned at school and spread misinformation through the community. The ma
jority of the population wouldn’t fight for the Tyrnotts, but by turning a blind eye, they strengthened the Tyrnotts’ control. Even among the Bruners, loyalties were unclear.

  Arith’s thoughts wandered to the five marked ones currently traveling to the western woods. Lady Anyamae planned and guided some events in the city and this group was picked for a reason. Only once before had he discovered a Liput with a mark and never before, to his knowledge, was a Krystic female marked. The group was unique. But why? Why this group and why now?

  “... He’s lost in thought,” Lutra said. “Arith? Are you listening?”

  “What?” Arith jumped. “I was thinking about Kenrya and the others.”

  Lutra studied him a moment. “They’re fine, Arith. Kenrya alone is a strong fighter and when you add the others, the group is more than able to defend itself. I’m sure they’re well on their way to the forest as we speak.”

  Arith shook his head. “That’s not what I meant. I have confidence they’ll reach their goal, in part because of their combined strengths and talents, but also because I believe Lady Anyamae guides them. She chose this group and led them to each other for a reason. I just wish I knew what it was.”

  “Maybe you’re right,” Lutra said, “but maybe it was just chance. What purpose would she have for bringing such an unusual mix of species together?”

  “Strength, perhaps.” Arith shrugged and cocked his head. “Alliances. I don’t know. I just hope they reach the training camp unharmed.”

  They finally arrived at an entrance to the underground from which they could freely travel to the cavern that served as their base of operations. Once underground, they all breathed easier as the Graeliths and Tyrnotts never ventured into the underground. They reached their destination in a few hours and their return was met with cheerful greetings, which were quickly stifled when the others saw the blanketed figure carried by Ampal. Silence filled the room. Ampal carried his sister to the corner and, placing the body gently on the ground, sat next to it. Crossing his arms on his knees, he rested his forehead on his arms and wept quietly.

  Word passed quickly through the group that the body was that of Ishta, Ampal’s little sister. Each member of the group walked alone to Ampal’s side in turn, placing only a hand on his shoulder, saying nothing.

  Chapter 24

  Nord and his aide, Natal, returned to the marketplace around midday. Nord’s men reported two Graeliths found dead in one of the small alleyways two streets west of the marketplace. Reports also filtered in about a battle farther to the northwest in the maze of little alleys and streets characteristic of the area. While information was incomplete, the reports indicated a larger-scale battle than usually necessary to destroy one of the marked ones wandering alone in the city. Two parties composed of both Graeliths and Tyrnotts were dispatched to identify the location of the fight, but neither had returned.

  Natal suggested they move in the direction of the battle. Being intolerant of delays, Nord agreed. They gathered a few men and started toward the northwest, knowing well that navigating the labyrinth of alleyways in that section of the city was difficult, even in daylight.

  As they took turn after turn, Nord thought, and not for the first time, that they should destroy this part of the city. The maze provided protection and shelter for those familiar with its intricate twists and turns. Many marked ones survived among the disorder of these streets. Of course, he never gave the order to destroy the sector, as displacing the citizens living in the area would challenge the power of the Tyrnott rule. Unrest among a large portion of the population served only to undermine his efforts to put the city at ease. For now, anyway, he would tolerate the chaos.

  Chapter 25

  Rinald arrived home in the early evening, but still in time for dinner with his family. He had worked late every night that week and was relieved to finally have a few days off to relax. He opened the front door and called out to his wife and daughter.

  His job demanded much of him, though the respect granted him in his position of Head of Commerce was reward enough. Certainly, he wished the position required more than simply resolving minor disputes in the marketplace. Before Lord Attol was killed, Rinald’s position included regulating the dozens of species from other worlds traveling to Zolei to sell their goods. Caldot had once been a wealthy settlement and its citizens were well regarded for their good, yet expensive, tastes. But ever since Attol’s death, the role consisted of more tedious matters, such as the current debate on whether the Liputs should be allowed to sell their produce within Caldot or outside the city.

  As he wandered through the house looking for Siljette and Prizene, he thought of things they could do together as a family during his time off work. He married Siljette when Prizene was still a baby. She played the role of mother for a few years, but gradually he noticed how little she cared for his daughter and how much Prizene avoided her. Perhaps if they spent more quality time together, the relationship between the two would improve.

  Not finding either of them downstairs, he walked upstairs to the second level. He looked in the master bedroom, found it empty, and then peered into Prizene’s room down the hall. This room was empty, as well. He turned to leave when something caught his eye. A sweater lay on the bed, as it had a few days before when he peeked into her room before going to work, only to find she was already gone for the day. Rinald frowned. Hadn’t she slept in her own bed since then? Maybe she spent a few days at a friend’s house. Given her strained relationship with Siljette, it was certainly possible, and she had stayed overnight with friends before. Still, she had always told him these things.

  He checked the other upstairs rooms and, not finding anyone in the house, decided to check the backyard. There he found Siljette lounging in the early evening dusk with a large drink in her hand, a bowl of fruit by her side, and a heat lamp to ward off the chill. Siljette radiated beauty when he first met her, with golden, flowing hair and a stunning figure. Now, he saw nothing but the self-absorbed woman she had become.

  “Where is Prizene?” he asked her, skipping a greeting.

  She glanced lazily in his direction. “Oh, honey, you know I cannot keep up with that child. She probably went to her friend’s house. You know, the chubby girl with the nosey mother.”

  “Kanda?”

  “Yes, her.” She swiveled toward him and batted her eyes, a trick to which he long ago had grown resistant.

  As he debated what to do, she reached a shaky hand for her glass and took a sloppy drink, spilling a little on her blouse. She apparently didn’t even notice. Given history, the drink was probably mixed with something illegal. He rubbed his temples.

  “Are you planning to fix dinner?” She smiled coyly, then hiccupped.

  He glared at her. “First, I will find my child! Then, I might fix something for myself!” He stormed back into the house and marched straight to the wall communication unit. Luckily the Krystics carried enough clout to maintain a reasonable level of electricity in their neighborhood. He was about to engage the call, when he decided to walk to Kanda’s house instead. The cool night air would clear his head.

  Grabbing his coat on his way out, he set a brisk pace. He breathed in the fresh air and felt the tension in his shoulders relax. She must be at Kanda’s house. He would remind her to keep him up to date on her plans in the future. Once at his destination, he took a deep breath and rang the bell. Kanda opened the door moments later.

  “Good evening, Sir Rinald. May I help you?”

  He appreciated the girl’s manners, regardless of the fact his wife was right that Kanda was a little chubby for a well-bred Krystic female. “Is Prizene here, Kanda?” he asked. “I arrived home from work and hoped to have dinner with her.”

  Kanda answered easily, “Oh, no, sir. She hasn’t visited in nearly a week.”

  “What? Are you sure?”

  “Oh, yes. In fact, I thought she left on holiday. I saw her leave with her backpack early one morning.”

  “When was this?�
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  She thought before answering, “I’m not certain. A few days, maybe even a week ago.”

  Rinald thanked her for her honesty and started the walk back to his house. Where could Prizene have gone? On holiday by herself? No, she must have left for another reason. The last time he saw her was at her little birthday party last week when they celebrated her sixteenth year. Turning sixteen meant a great deal for a Krystic female and Prizene seemed quite pleased with her party. Where else would she have gone? Then it dawned on him: She must be visiting Traudin, the little troublemaker he forbade her from seeing! He turned around and headed in the direction of Traudin’s house, but stopped as he remembered that Traudin had left home not four months ago, shortly after his sixteenth birthday, when his mark was revealed. The mark! No, surely Prizene would not have chased after him. Certainly she possessed more common sense than that. He waved his hand dismissing that possibility.

  Where was she then? The bushy plant near him rustled and he jumped. A small animal stuck its nose out and sniffed Rinald. He bent down to pet it. However, the animal scurried back into the foliage. He had debated giving Prizene an animal for her birthday as she did have an intense love for the little creatures, but she had requested that new travel pack. Why the pack and why on her sixteenth birthday? Wait! Could it be? What if Prizene bore the mark herself? He clutched his chest, mouth agape. True, a Krystic female had never before been marked by Lady Anyamae, but if one were to be, Prizene was the ideal choice. She had learned to fight, much to his annoyance, and showed great determination in conquering anything standing in her way.