by Lawrence, J.
For the first time in his life, things were going his way. Mere seconds ago he really had no plan. The idea of freedom appealed so much that he hadn’t bothered to work through the details. He hadn’t seen anything wrong with the three of them carrying everything they could pilfer on their backs and heading off to nowhere in particular. Yet, in moments, he would be free, with the two people he cared for most, other than ghosts that is. They had provisions, an oxen cart, and a direction. A future.
Thaniel was about to thank her, but he thought better of it as he watched the toughest woman ever to lay hands on a soup ladle rub a tear from the corner of her eye. She effortlessly lifted Elycia onto the cart.
After a few awkward goodbyes he shook the reins and they lurched forward. Both he and Jorel forced their mouths closed as Elycia waved affectionately behind them until they rounded the first corner.
Word travelled fast. A few of the townsfolk, those that weren’t slaves, waved hearty goodbyes. Slaves just watched with envy as they swayed through town on the ancient cart. Some looked glad to be rid of him. Were they all in that hall? Thank the Creator this Caller business was over…
Jorel waved at Norrig, the leather merchant. He pulled out a sliver of dried meat for Ghost, the man’s rangy gray hound.
“Hey Ghost, look what I got.” He called. Usually the goofy dog would come instantly bounding for them. The dog never left the side of Norrig’s cart.
“Let’s just go.” Thaniel said.
Jorel pursed his lips in a grimace, tossed the tough strip of meat toward the dog, and kept the cart plodding along. Ghost lowered his head and growled.
“We’ll miss you too, Ghost.” Thaniel called out.
Ten seconds later.
“What a piece of… junk.” Jorel started in on the cart.
It really was little more than rotting boards flexed over wobbling wheels. The thing creaked and popped at every cobblestone. Thaniel was about to make a comment when he noticed Elycia bristle.
“Are we going to be listening to you complaining all the way to Navillus?” She snapped at Jorel.
Thaniel smiled. He had wisely held his tongue.
“Well as a matter of fact…” Jorel started.
“Better to ride in an old cart loaded with gear than walk with next to nothing on your back.” Elycia’s tone was a great imitation of Bella. Thaniel wondered if they all got together and taught each other those stares and tones. He envisioned it in a closed room somewhere, where no one could watch them bequeath their manhandling skills down to the next generation.
“Don’t look now…” Jorel jerked a thumb at the figure of Keriim just ahead. The man was nestled in the shade of one of the towers that flanked the town’s only entry gate. He was holding one of his hands up, signaling for them to halt.
Thaniel gave the reins an angry shake, but the ox just kept plodding forward at the same slow speed. They could have all got out and walked faster. Oxen weren’t fast, just strong.
“Where are the three of you going?” Keriim called out from shadow. The emphasis was on three, but he was clearly looking at Elycia.
They didn’t stop.
The massively muscled warrior stepped forward into the sunlight with his hand still up. His other rested on the head of one of his axes. It was clear by the suspicion in the man’s eyes that he hadn’t expected Elycia to be leaving as well.
“She’s mine. I am taking her with me.” Thaniel knew they were the wrong words before he even finished. He felt both Jorel and Elycia go stiff at the same time.
“We’ll see about that, Caller.” Keriim licked his lips.
“Hold.” A voice boomed from above. It came from a gate guard that was posted atop the wall. Thaniel squinted as he looked up. He knew most of the men posted here. However, the gate guard was standing in the sun, making it nearly impossible to make out the man’s features.
“The Caller is trying to smuggle out a girl.” Keriim pointed with an accusatory finger. A sly smile split his square face.
Thaniel’s stomach twisted in dread, realizing that this could all be over in a heartbeat. Since the two of them were here, there were no messengers running word. The front gate probably had no idea they had been set free for real yet. They could be cut down right in the street and Keriim could claim it all a tragic misunderstanding. Thaniel glanced at Elycia and gritted his teeth.
“I’ll take the girl back where she belongs.” Keriim lunged forward and reached for Elycia’s hair.
“Stay your hand, Keriim.” Boomed the voice from above.
“How dare you…” Keriim began, anger burning red on his face. But there was something about the man’s voice that demanded obedience… Keriim shielded his eyes with a hand and glared upward.
The guard on the tower took a couple steps to the side. Thaniel shielded his eyes too and squinted. There, standing in his shining armor, stood Tristan. It was a rare thing to see the man here. As captain of the gate guard, it was still part of his command, but the town’s massive entry towers were considered a post beneath his station.
“Tristan.” Keriim seethed through a feigned smile.
“The Ontar set them free, all three of them.”
When they heard the familiar clacking of the great wheel that opened the main gate, Jorel let out a whoop beside him. Then the big iron latticework swung up, revealing the world outside of Ontar Hold.
Keriim glanced up at Tristan and reluctantly backed away enough to let the cart pass.
“Do you know how much I won yesterday?” Tristan called down at the two of them.
“A bunch of coin and, you’re welcome by the way.” Jorel yelled up at the captain, who was smiling from ear to ear.
“I won a bit more than that.” He yelled as he tossed a small bag down into the cart. It hit with the sharp metallic chink.
“What’s this?” Jorel called up, excitement already cracking in his voice.
“Half.”
Keriim seethed. He balled his fists at his sides, looking like he was considering hacking them down, regardless of Lisella Ontar’s orders.
The ox, seeing the gate open, leaned, and the rickety cart lurched forward.
The heavy gate slammed shut behind them, sealing them out of Ontar Hold, and Elycia away from Keriim.
“Boys.” Tristan called from above. “Get out of here before the Ontar changes her mind.” He smiled, turned, and started barking orders without a second’s hesitation.
“My thoughts exactly.” Thaniel muttered and shook the reins.
Samial Harkanin’s wagon wheel ruts stretched on ahead of them, snaking down the meandering slushy path. The way keeps were intermittent stone shelters that dotted the pass, each about a day’s ride apart from the next. If they caught up to him before he reached the first stop, it wasn’t going to be soon. Thaniel sighed, suddenly feeling the weight of the unbelievable week seeming to settle down on him.
Other than the clop of hooves and the creak of the cart, there was silence. It lasted for about two glorious minutes.
“So, Navillus?” Jorel asked incredulously. His voice was filled with all the little inflections he was so good at. Thaniel knew just by the cock of his chin and purse of his lips that he was making it known that he wasn’t really happy to not be consulted about their final destination.
“Navillus.” Thaniel confirmed.
“You said anywhere but here…” Elycia reminded him.
“You said…”
“Yeah, but you agreed.”
“Yeah, but half way across the known world?” Jorel complained.
“It’s not half…” Elycia started to say until Jorel plowed ahead.
“Isn’t that a river city?” He asked, innocently.
“Yes.”
“Well, we can’t go there.” He stammered. “I can’t swim.” Jorel folded his arms.
“I’ll teach you.” Elycia offered graciously.
“Thanks.” Jorel said, as he leaned forward just enough to look past Thaniel at her. “That
would be great.”
“You’re welcome.” She was pretty happy with herself. She obviously didn’t know Jorel that well yet.
“Nice of you,” he replied with a wicked grin, “Cakeling.”
Thaniel gave the reins a couple shakes, but the slow plodding pace of the tired old oxen never changed.
In the silence that stretched between Jorel’s self satisfied grin and Elycia’s scowl, Thaniel heard Ghost howl.
Chapter 19
Eyes
Elycia’s stomach churned with every pull of the oxen.
She couldn’t believe how fast night came in the Anwarian Mountains. The sky had been bright blue all day and now, within minutes, was the deepest of black. Rasos, the faster of the moons, raced through the starlit heavens. As it did pale yellow beams of light spiked through the giant pines. At home, the lingering sunsets were something to be looked forward to. She smiled at the distant memory. The thought of once again sitting on the docks with her legs dangling over the sparkling waters, and just watching the sun as it slowly merged with a sea painted in golden yellows and oranges, warmed her to the core.
This morning she was destined to a life working in the kitchens of frozen Ontar Hold. Not that Bella had ever treated her badly, but the place was as dark and dreary as a graveyard. She could endure the work, even the viciousness of the other servants, but the lack of color and warmth was unbearable. Now she was on the way home, thanks to, of all people, Thaniel. He had an uncanny way of turning up lately.
Involuntarily, she flashed on the memory of Lisella Ontar proclaiming her Thaniel’s eternal kiss and the fleeting smile that he did his best to hide when they dragged her over to him. Her face flushed.
Only days ago, she would have said yes to his festival kiss request. He was awkward, and way too precocious, but he was cute, and at the time he seemed to mean well. There wasn’t any doubt who left the ice blossom on her pillow. Every girl in the kitchen was talking about how he made a complete idiot of himself in front of them trying to ask her. She hadn’t a reservation at all when she stuck the bright red blossom in her hair for him to see.
But then… Keriim. She had all but forgotten about that man.
All the women in the kitchen knew about Keriim. He was one of the First, the elite guards of the Ontar herself. Keriim had his pick of women. For some reason it wasn’t enough. The man had the appetites of an animal. He was a rapist with a brutal bent. Yet, to say that he was only brutal was like describing a grown wolf as a cuddly puppy. She had been there when Bella tended to his last victim. Hera’s back was one continuous purple bruise. He broke one of her fingers and nearly twisted an ear off her head to keep her quiet. Elycia would never forget the hollow pit of shame and fear that reflected from Hera’s eyes as they scrubbed her wounds. The wincing and pitiful whimpers were too much for anyone to bear. Elycia cried through the entire thing.
Bella’s face had been a mask of quiet rage.
Hera was bedridden for a month and her finger never quite worked right again. The other women had shored up her chores, Elycia was sure Bella had seen to that, but that was about all there was to do. No one was about to bring a charge like that against one of the Ontar’s guards, especially one of the First. Slaves turned up missing spouting off like that.
Bella warned her that day to steer clear of him. She still wondered how the big cook knew to tell her to never look him in the eye.
That had been her mistake…
She did her best to avoid him, stuck to groups of women for the most part, and recoiled from looking at any of the crimson clad warriors, just in case it was him. Finding herself in a hallway coming face to face with the monster was bone chilling. She dropped whatever she was carrying on the spot and ran.
It wasn’t long before she started seeing him in the oddest of places, always staring at her with dead hungry eyes, like he was sick with incurable fever. Fear still rippled through her spine at the memory of those eyes. Under the blanket that Thaniel had dug from the cart’s provisions, she gripped her fists to keep her hands from shaking.
She trembled with the memory of trying to get away from the big soldier. Panic had whisked away her wits like a broom did dust. She ran with such abandon that she had no idea where she was going. Before she even knew where she was, she found herself in the cold wet place, all alone. It was a matter of habit more than anything really. How many times had she made that trip down to into the cistern for fresh tea water? Elycia smiled, knowing she’d never have to go down to the dreary place again.
How Thaniel had sensed what was happening and knew where to find her before Keriim caught up to her was mind numbing to say the least. She couldn’t imagine how fast he must have run to beat Keriim to the cistern, where she had stupidly let herself be cornered. The way Thaniel showed up and knew just what to do, how he navigated the dark passages of the hold, rescuing her from Keriim, was nothing short of miraculous.
If only everything had stopped right there…
But it didn’t. Everything changed in the hallway. How could she ignore the way he made that carving transform before her very eyes? She shivered, recalling the next day. The strange blue light of the dais alone would have been enough to give her pause. She didn’t even want to think about the actual dra he magically called.
Elycia stiffened, realizing she had unknowingly nudged closer to Thaniel. She hoped he didn’t notice as she slowly leaned away.
He turned and smiled, the same goofy grin that grabbed her the first time she saw him. He was at a loss for words, again. Thaniel had a loose tongue when it came to Jorel. The two of them shared a banter that probably hadn’t stopped since the moment they met. But when it came to her, he always seemed to get befuddled and then blabber out nonsense to try and cover it up.
It surprised her that she found his awkward shyness refreshing. With Thaniel, you got what you saw. When he was happy there was no hiding it. When the boy smiled his entire face lit up with infectious joy.
Then, as if it were the other side of the coin that was Thaniel, a vision of the dra, its wicked blue eyes flashing, peered back at her from her memories. She let the silence stretch, not really knowing what to say.
What was there to say?
Elycia tore her eyes away from him, peering instead into the cold deep shadows of the pines. That was when she saw the first set of big diamond shaped yellow eyes watching them as they lurched by.
Chapter 20
Long Trip
The trees became thicker the further down the pass they rode, their branches blotting out what little light there was to see by. Once the moons passed, leaving them in an all engulfing blackness, they lit a tarnished brass lamp that the blessed Bella had been thoughtful enough to make sure they had. The pale flame barely penetrated the gloom of the forest around them, giving off just enough light to keep them on the trail. Beyond that small lurching circle Elycia couldn’t see anything but shifting shadows and unfortunately, eyes. At first she saw only one creature studying them from a safe distance. But as the ride, a constant swaying she hadn’t been able to get used to, stretched, more sets of yellow unblinking orbs joined the first.
“It’s right there. Just ahead.” Thaniel grimaced at both of them. “You both go blind?” He asked incredulously.
Her stomach and head hurt so much. The rocking motion was torture that grew in intensity with every slow plodding step of the ox. She just wanted it to stop for a minute, but for as many times as the thought of demanding a rest crossed her mind, she knew it wasn’t possible. Whatever was out there was growing bolder by the minute. The swaying lamp and the creeks and pops of the ancient cart didn’t seem to be spooking them anymore. Instead the fleeting shapes moved with purpose. Furtive dark blurs just out of the light’s reach. What were they waiting for?
Against the deep of night the lamp’s feeble light was nearly useless. She didn’t see the old stone keep until they nearly ran into Samial Harkanin’s wagon. Meticulously painted in swirling patterns of yellow and green, e
very edge trimmed in brass gilt, it was chocked next to a makeshift manger that leaned precariously against a ramshackle stone cottage. The keep had seen more abuse than the coach had care. What did she expect? The only upkeep the place was given was by weary travelers trying to escape the cold. It was so decrepit that she wondered if they were safe to enter. It looked like it would topple over at the first stiff breeze.
“Told ya. We’re here.” Thaniel shook his head as if they were both playing a joke on him that he wasn’t falling for.
“How did you know?” She couldn’t help but ask. The little keep was nestled in a bend in the road, nearly impossible to see until they were right on it. In fact, the sudden appearance of the bright colored coach had nearly caused her to wet her pants.
“Stop it.” Then he made that face boys do when they think people are stupid and thumbed upward, “The chimney smoke.”
The smell of the fire filled her nostrils as if for the first time. She couldn’t help but smile. She was being stupid after all. Then both he and Jorel licked their lips in unison as the smell of searing meat wafted over them. Did they ever think of anything else?
“Harkanin?” She heard Jorel call out.
A loud crash came from inside the keep, followed by a torrent of swear words before the door banged open.
“Who in nine hells…” The wiry trader peeked around the rough hewn door post, rubbing his head and squinting in pain. His one open eye took in the three of them. “Sneakin on a man in the pass?” He yelled. “Stupid is what that is.” He added after a few mutters and curses… “A good way to get killed.” Then he disappeared back into the keep.
“That’s Harkanin?” She asked.
