Shadows of Home

by James R. Vernon

  To emphasize, he rushed towards and launched another hook at her face. If it worked the first time... He couldn't help but grin as Shayua again brought her arms up to defend her face. He stopped the blow and instead launched his second one towards the less muscular side of her stomach. Ean's hope was to hit a point with less natural protection and knock some of the wind out of the woman.

  To his shock, she caught his fist in the middle of the follow-up strike.

  This allowed her to yank him forward and deliver a knee to his stomach. Ean's breath whooshed out of his mouth and he crumpled to the ground.

  When Ean was able to draw in breath again, he found Shayua a few steps back with that same inquisitive look.

  "A strategy is unhelpful if your eyes give away your plan. It also helps that if you are going to constantly be on the attack, you vary those attacks. As it is, you are about as predictable as a--"

  A hand-sized ball of muck struck Shayua right in the face, cutting off whatever else she had been about to say. For a moment, they both stood there in shock. Ean on the ground still trying to catch his breath. Shayua standing there with wet mud covering most of her face. The ball of gunk had come from the direction of the marsh, so Ean took a quick glance in that direction.

  Sinai was stretched out of the water, a little ways off the shore. Her body and arms were waving about as she tried to keep her liquid form erect, making it look like she was dancing. While most of her body was a vibrant blue, the tip of her one arm was a mix of brown and green. Even at this distance, Ean could see the bits of dirt and moss still suspended inside that hadn't been a part of the mud ball.

  Great, Ean thought, now she is going to actually try and kill me.

  "Sorry," Ean got to his feet and tried brushing off some of the dirt and mud sticking to his backside. "I guess she's a little protective."

  Shay took one last wipe at her face. Small patches of brown still clung to her crimson cheeks and clotted up her down-turned eyebrows and parts of her short, raven-colored hair. Her lips were turned down, exposing more of the two incisors sticking up out of her mouth in what looked like a snarl. For a moment, Ean thought the woman might attack him for real.

  Then she began to laugh. It started as a light chuckle but grew into a hearty laugh that lit up her mud-covered face. Shay started laughing so hard she placed a hand to her stomach and even bent forward with the effort. It was infectious. A few moments more, and despite everything else going on, Ean began to laugh along with her. They laughed together, the odd couple that they were only adding to the humor in Ean's eyes, until he began to feel a good deal of the stress he had been holding on his shoulders and in his chest lessen. The laughter didn't remove it completely, but by the time they both started to regain control of themselves, Ean felt remarkably better.

  "That felt good," Shay said in-between her receding laughter. "It has been quite some time since I've laughed that much. I must find a way to thank your water elemental."

  "Her name is Sinar," Ean replied, "and she probably would just appreciate it if you didn't pummel me in front of her."

  Shay tilted her head and shot him a rye smile. "She would?"

  "Like I said," Ean shrugged, "she is very protective."

  Shay turned towards the water and gave Sinar a slight bow. "Sorry if I worried you, Sinar. Your master and I were just letting off some steam. Although it seems your inadvertent joke did a better job than our sparring." She glanced in Ean's direction. "I suppose that puts an end to our little match."

  "It would be hard to continue. You still have a bit of mud stuck on you and I'm finding it difficult not to start laughing again."

  "Ah well. Probably for the best."

  "Well, I do appreciate the practice." He nodded his head slightly. "And the advice. Not often a potential enemy tries to make you a better fighter."

  Shayua shrugged. "I seem to have fallen too far into my role as teacher. It is difficult to put aside that title and the desire to improve others. Besides," she paused long enough to look him up and down, "one sparring match will not elevate you to the point where you would be a threat. If the day does come soon that I am forced to put you in your place, I have no doubt I could just as easily trounce you then as I have done today."

  "And if I used my magic during such a fight?"

  Her expression grew somber and she moved over to pick up her belt. "Then I shall use my knives and that day we shall see which is the more useful tool."

  Ean nodded. "Well, Shayua Durluin, I honestly hope that day never arrives."

  "As do I. You seem like a decent man. It would be disappointing to learn that you are the monster many people claim you to be." Shayua gave a slight bow and began to walk away. "Until we meet again, Ean Sangrave."

  Ean watched her go. "She certainly is an interesting woman, isn't she Sinar?"

  When Ean looked towards the marsh, the Vunvuanima was gone, the water where she had been already muddy and dark.

  Chapter 32

  By the time Shay had made her way back to the Golden Coin, the sun was far enough overhead to provide a little warmth. People were moving about the main street, casting furtive glances about as they hurried about their business. Although the people here seemed more inclined to be out during the day, the sunlight did little to alleviate their fears. The fact that they looked at their neighbors with the same level of distrust as they looked at her was a clear indication to Shay of the temperate of the village. These were people not used to the natural deaths of friends and family and so they were taking it much worse than someone who lived in the larger towns or in Lurthalan.

  She still stared down anyone who looked at her funny, though. It was a defense mechanism she had picked up as the only young girl with crimson skin in Lurthalan and it had strengthened as she grew to a height that dwarfed most men. It would be good for the people here to be a little scared of her. Scared men and women were less likely to turn into a mob than people unafraid and looking for a scapegoat. It wasn't much of a difference, but if it kept her from having to watch her back for a farmer's pitchfork, she would take it.

  A warm gust of air greeted Shay as she opened one of the double doors of the inn and walked into the common room. Even this early in the day, the room had a decent amount of patrons—farmers with little to do during the season.

  The mood in the room was lighter then Shay had found outside. Smiles actually touched lips and every now and then, laughter rose above the noise of the different conversations, but the tension was still there, like a cold draft that refused to let anyone relax completely.

  And of course, it was Bavian that received most of the looks as he sat at a table closest to the fire. His clothes, like that of any court jester in their garish colors and designs, always caught people’s eyes. The fact that he could be seen talking to himself whenever he was alone didn't help. Shay took a look towards the far side of the room where the stairs to the upper floors lay. It was tempting, but she wasn't quite ready to speak to Ezzy again after their “argument” the previous night. And her sparring match with Ean Sangrave had put her in a good enough mood that she might be able to tolerate Bavian for a small amount of time.

  Shay made her way through the room, moving around tables and trying to ignore the conversations that died off as she passed and then resumed in more hushed tones. When she reached Bavian's table, she took a seat across from him and gave a nod of acknowledgment.

  "You smell strange," Bavian said instead of a greeting. Or maybe to him it was a form of greeting. Shay could never tell with the strange man. "Like a roasted boar covered in too many spices."

  "I'm sure none of us smell like a bucket of flowers," she replied, lounging sideways in her chair so she could place a foot up on top of the seat next to her. "Two days of hard travel would cause anyone to sweat, even in this cold weather. I would bathe but have you seen the prices they charge here to use the bathing room? I'd rather wait for it to snow and wash myself with that outside than spend the coin the owner asks for
a little bit of warmed water and time alone."

  "No, it’s not your usual musk. That I would happily pay the coin for you to scrub from your body. This has a more magical aroma to it.

  Shayua shook her head. "How your senses pick up on such things is beyond me. Even if you are just guessing, you guess correctly every time it comes to the unnatural things of the world."

  "So, you have been in the presence of some form of magic?"

  "Yes. I had a little run in with Ean Sangrave during my walk."

  "And what? I don't smell any blood on you. Did you lay with this man?"

  "Of course not!" Shay sat up straight, ready to toss aside the table and assault the man for the lewd comment. Remembering where she was, however, kept her anger in check. "I sparred with the man. Sometimes you can get a good understanding of a person by how he fights. If Ezzy is starting to doubt if he truly was the cause behind her father's death, I thought I might take advantage of the encounter and learn a bit about him myself."

  "And what did you learn while rubbing up against him? In a way that wouldn't make our little Ezzy blush, of course."

  Shay ignored the man's needling. "He is cautious. Mistrustful. There is something in his eyes, though, that gives some validation to why he is this way. The young man has seen things that have aged him emotionally. But there is a kindness buried deep in there as well. I saw it shown to one of his creatures before he knew I was there." She shrugged and sat back again in her chair. "From my limited time with him, it's still unclear if he is the kind of person who could be behind what Ezzy believes him guilty of OR what the mayor accuses him of doing here. I would need more time with him."

  "So basically, you have learned nothing," Bavian said with a smile that was all teeth and no warmth. "I'm sure Ezzy will be grateful for your effort, regardless of how useless it was for her sake."

  Why does the man continue to push me? Shay decided to change subjects instead of taking the bait. "How is our impetuous leader?"

  "Still unconcious when I left the room not too long ago. You gave her quite the thrashing."

  "Not as much as she deserved," Shay muttered. "Ezzy is the first student I've ever taken on, and with the trouble she continues to cause me, she'll probably be the last. I don't recall hearing of any other apprentice causing more trouble as training continued."

  Bavian pulled a coin from his pocket and spun it on its edge on the table. The candlelight of the room reflected off the gold as it twirled. "She's young and wants revenge. Or justice," he said quickly as Shay shot him an angry look. "Doesn't matter to me which, but whatever is driving her might get her killed before you beat the recklessness out of her.”

  "And why do you care?" She tried to keep the bite of anger out of her voice, but it was difficult. "You've been following us around since Shade, with only the vaguest of responses as to why. If you're just here to keep an eye on her, why would her death concern you one way or another?"

  "For those exact reasons that I haven't told you about." He gave that stupid grin that made her want to knock out each pearly white tooth. "Maybe the Janpair family thinks she'd be more useful alive than dead. Maybe they like the fact that she is a constant reminder to the other powerful Hawkpurse families that their strength and legacies can be snuffed out because of one bad decision. There are a hundred different reasons for why they want her alive. Reasons that your barbaric mind has zero chances to even guess."

  "Don't push me too far, Bavian..."

  He raised both hands in a calming gesture, except the iron knuckles he wore made the motion less than peaceful. "All I'm saying is that when it comes to the goal of not letting Ezzy get herself killed, we are of a shared mind."

  "Don't compare my mind with your own. It is obvious yours is as broken as the eggs used to make an omelet."

  "Clever! Did Nolan give you that gem of a joke or have you been laying awake at night trying to think of it on your own?"

  Shay placed her hands on the table to keep from curling them into fists. "One day, Bavian, you are going to push me too far."

  "And on that day, it is possible that I won't leave you laying unconscious on the floor, drool and blood dribbling out of your mouth." His fingers wiggled, making the iron knuckles dance about. "But our first encounter makes that seem unprovable."

  Shay was about to respond, but a server walked up and made her bite her tongue.

  "Hello, Miss." The man had the nerve to look her up and down. "Can I get you something to drink? Eat? We've a few fresh loaves of bread, still warm from the oven and perfect to fight off the chill."

  "No, thank you," Shay replied with a curt shake of her head.

  "Nonsense!" Bavian slid his golden coin over to the server. "Fill our table with food and drink. It's only a matter of time before our companions come down and join us." The man leaned towards Shay across the table and made a show of whispering despite the fact he practically yelled his next words. "Unless of course you accidentally killed poor Ezzy."

  The whole room seemed to dim. The lights. The conversations. The mention of death seemed to suck the life right out of the room. Shay could feel eyes on her even though the only person she was looking at was the waiter. The man had been reaching for the coin, but the shocked expression he showed while reaching for the piece of gold had been replaced by one of barely contained fear.

  Damn that man, she thought. Either he is too crazy to realize how close this whole village is from falling apart or he can't wait for it to happen.

  "A poor joke," Shay said loud enough to be heard over the muttering of the rest of the people gathered in the room. "Especially with everything that is happening here. I'm sure Esmerelda and Nolan will join us shortly." She turned towards the server. "Enough food and drink for four people to fill themselves with. Please."

  The man looked unsure, his hand frozen halfway towards the coin on the table.

  "And you can keep whatever change remains."

  That got the man moving. He snatched up the coin, gave a quick bow that looked like the first he had ever done, and practically fled back towards the kitchen. Shay watched him go and made sure to stare down anyone who was still looking there way. After she had intimidated enough people to return to their own conversations, she spun around to confront Bavian, but the man spoke before she could.

  "With how much you tipped that young man, you might as well have asked him back to your bed. Even then he would still owe you some change." He made a show of looking her over. "Well, maybe not. I suppose it depends on whether he enjoys more muscular women."

  "You are a fool." She tried leaning back again to relax but it was hard with all her muscles tensed for a fight. Whether it was from expecting the villagers to turn on her or her anger to make her leap over the table and attempt to throttle Bavian was unclear.

  "Oh look!" Bavian practically shouted. "What perfect timing. Here come our friends now."

  The whole room seemed to turn in unison towards the stairway. Shay let herself relax as her companions arrived. Now she had backup to deal with Bavian. And the appearance of her friends should help calm the fears of those gathered in the room.

  It didn't help, though, that Nolan had to help Ezzy make it down the stairs.

  Chapter 33

  Shay tried to make eye contact with Ezzy as the other woman took a seat on the other side of the table, but Ezzy was looking everywhere in the room except at her. It was hard to tell if she was avoiding Shay's gaze out of shame or anger as the rest of the younger woman's expression was relatively neutral. The only time her expression changed was when she shifted in her seat. A small tweak of her lips. A scrunching of her eyes. If nothing else, Shay was impressed with how hard the woman was working to hide her discomfort. After all, at one point the night before, she had bent the woman over her knee and punished her as she would a child.

  Shay had made Nolan and Bavian leave the room before that point, of course. She wasn't without some compassion, after all.

  Yet for some reason, Shay felt bad
for roughing up her apprentice. There was no reason for it. Training under a servant of Avien'zia was suppose to be harsh. Shay had even warned the woman as much. And this wasn't the first time Shay had needed to rough Ezzy up to make sure she understood what was expected between teacher and student. Last night had been the worst though, but with reason. Running off. Abandoning her teacher and her friends. If the foolish woman had gone as far as to attack and kill Ean Sangrave...well, it would only worsen Shay's mood to think of what she would have had to do then. A beating was the least amount of punishment the woman had deserved. And Shay hadn't even made it worse when Ezzy had been foolish enough at first to fight back!

  But with all her reasons why she shouldn't feel bad, Shay still couldn't shake the small seed of guilt in her stomach that seemed to grow each time Ezzy shifted painfully in her seat. The silence at their table, as every other table talked and joked while filling their mouths with food and drink, didn't help either. Shay needed one of her companions to speak to break the awkwardness that was such a foreign concept to her.

  Bavian, of all people, came to the rescue.

  "So, how is our fearless leader's backside?" Ezzy's face immediately became flushed, but Bavian kept on talking. So much for a rescue. "Listening at the door, it sounded like Shay gave you quite the spanking. I've never seen an adult spanked before, well, except for that one time..."

  Nolan smacked his hand on the table. "That's quite enough, Bavian. Whatever Shayua and Ezzy did to mend their issues is their own business. We all need to move forward." He paused to give pointed looks to each of those gathered at the table. “We must be on a united front. We're in a very precarious situation here."

  Nolan lowered his voice and took a look around the room before continuing. "You might be oblivious to the mood of the village, Bavian, or you might just not care, but its on the verge of imploding. The last thing we need is to bring any undue attention to ourselves."