Aeo could feel her disgust. She didn’t like the idea of being bonded with someone who had hijacked his place into the Bok’Tarong.
“Right now we can read emotions, and a few surface thoughts. In time, as we get attuned to each other”—Aeo thought she might be sick at the thought—“our deep thoughts will be open to us both. Since I have a pushy, arrogant spirit to deal with instead of the true spirit of the Bok’Tarong—”
Hey!
“—we must set up boundaries. No digging into my thoughts. No searching for answers I will not offer. If I retreat from conversation, you do not follow me. Leave me in peace. Do you understand?”
Fine. As long as those rules apply to me, too.
“You have nothing to worry about. I already hear more of your thoughts than I ever cared to. I will not seek out more.” She sighed. “Even so, there are some things we cannot help but share. Everything we experience from now on will be experienced together. It will be useless to try to deny what we hear or feel.”
All right, Aeo thought. So why are you still hiding so much from me? Don’t think I can’t tell.
“I said everything from now on is to be shared. I don’t want to chat and play ‘get to know you.’ I don’t want you to know me. And you are a disgraceful usurper. That is all I need to know of you.”
You aren’t the nicest girl in the world either, Dragana. You could at least pretend to sympathize with me.
“Sympathize! You murdered an innocent man, stole his weapon, and took his place among the honored ancestors of the Bok’Tarong. Why would I feel sorry for you?”
You never stopped to think about what the Bok’Tarong did to me, did you? It stole my health and my life. I had a place in the world that I worked very hard to gain, and I thrived there. I’ve been reduced to nothing because of this damned sword.
“Becoming the spirit of the Bok’Tarong is much more than nothing,” Dragana replied. “It is a great honor, and one that any Taronese warrior would happily accept.”
I do not feel honored or happy in here.
“You earned your fate.”
I guess now you’ll tell me to shut up and deal with it.
“More or less.”
Aeo grumbled something rude and uncomplimentary, and Dragana sent an equally scathing remark right back to him.
If he hadn’t been so mad at her right now, he would have laughed.
All right. Since you seem incapable of being polite, why don’t you tell me where we’re going instead?
“The Taronese have heard rumors of Entana-taken being seen more often near the lines of battle. Our job is to see if the rumors are true and take care of the problem if it is.”
What are Entana-taken?
Dragana growled. “The spirit of the Bok’Tarong does not know what the Entana are. How could this have happened?”
She sighed to gather her patience before continuing. “The Entana are a race of beings that feed on the consciousness of humans. Once they invade a mind, they consume all the emotions and memories within. The person—the Entana-taken—loses their sense of self until they become nothing more than a mad vessel for spreading the Entana to others.”
That sounds an awful lot like the Coming Madness.
“It is.”
Aeo’s mind went blank for a moment. Wh-what?
“What you call the Coming Madness is what happens when the Entana infect a person’s mind. Those who suffer from it are the -taken.”
Your people have known what the Coming Madness is all this time? Why didn’t you ever tell anyone?
“Do you think it would have done any good? How do you think people would react if they knew there were spiritual parasites waiting to possess their minds and consume their memories until they were empty of anything human, then let loose to spread those parasites to others? And that there is no way to protect yourself, or those you love, from these parasites?”
Aeo had seen the fear in people’s eyes when they realized a killer was in their midst. It turned them into mindless animals, full of terror and panic and no intelligent thoughts. If they knew killers lurked in their minds …
“You see it,” Dragana said, perhaps reading the images from his mind. “There would be mayhem. People would panic. They’d become paranoid, dangerous even, for no reason. They can’t do anything to keep themselves safe. It’s better they don’t understand.”
So, if there’s no way to protect yourself from these Entana, what are we doing?
“We are here to kill them.”
Now that sounds better. You’ll be happy to have me around to help before long.
“Don’t bet on it. I don’t relish the company of arrogant asses. Besides, because of you, I’m not even sure we can kill them anymore.”
What do you mean?
“The Bok’Tarong was made to destroy the Entana. The magic holding your spirit within the blades is the only thing that can truly kill one of them. So let’s hope you didn’t damage that magic when you stole your place into the Bok’Tarong.”
How will we know if the magic is still intact? Aeo asked.
“Find me an Entana-taken. Then you can tell me.”
5
Raeb woke to the smell of breakfast and the sound of Saydee humming. The brutal, unfiltered sunshine was almost as painful as the knots in his back. Sleeping on the ground was not something he’d ever enjoyed, but at least in Arata there were ferns and mosses to sleep on. Here there was nothing but rocks, dust, and scorpions.
He cracked his neck and stretched his back as he sat. Saydee was already up and looking none the worse from a night in the open desert. She sat at the fire, cooking and humming to herself, as if she’d done so a million times before. She gave no indication she was at all uncomfortable with Raeb’s begrudging acceptance of her company.
As he inhaled the delicious scent of real food—not the dried, tasteless supplies he had in his pack—his decision to let her stay was a little easier to accept.
“Good morning,” she said. She piled a plate high with food and handed it to him.
He grunted and began stuffing his mouth.
“What’s your name?” Saydee asked as she sat across from him.
“Raeb.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Raeb.”
He grunted again.
She took a small bite. “So, are you going to tell me what you’re trying to hide from the Entana?”
“I thought you already knew that.”
“I have my suspicions. -Taken who try to act without the Entana’s knowledge want one of a few things. I want to hear from you which one you’re after.”
Raeb paused. He didn’t want to tell her, but wouldn’t be able to use her if he didn’t reveal his plan. Besides, maybe he owed her a little something for the food. “I’m going to destroy the Entana.”
She laughed, and Raeb was surprised at the bitterness in it. “You and every other newly
-taken. It’s a hopeless dream.”
“Not for me. I’m going to do it.”
She returned to her breakfast, less than impressed. “And I’m sure you have a brilliant plan no one’s ever thought of before.”
“Something like that.”
Now there was a hint of curiosity behind the cynicism. “How are you going to do it?”
Raeb sighed, doodling in the dirt with his free hand. “To be honest, I’m not sure myself.”
Saydee raised an eyebrow.
“Let’s just say I’m onto something. I haven’t been able to find a way to make it work until now. But I think you’re right.” The words left a sour taste in his mouth. “I need your help to do this.”
Saydee’s eyes sparkled with amusement. Raeb could almost hear the “I told you so” in that expression. Now he remembered why he always traveled alone.
She put down her plate. “What do you need me to do?”
He stalled for a minute, looking around in the too-bright morning. There was little to see and even less to focus on. Just desert scrub al
l the way to the mountains to the north—the mountains he’d crossed just a few weeks ago, and the ones he’d likely be crossing again soon, girl in tow. “You said you can hear the Entana?”
“What, you want me to eavesdrop on them and hope they mention how to kill them or something?”
He ignored her sarcasm. “-Taken have a one-way connection from the Entana to their minds. But something about your magic makes your connection special. It’s two-way. The Entana can get to your mind but you can do the same to them. I’ve never seen anything like it before.”
“My magic did this?”
Raeb nodded. “If you’d allow me to ride that connection, I might find a way to destroy them.”
“What do you mean?”
“The Entana aren’t physical beings. They’re spiritual parasites. That’s why we can’t find them or remove them. If I were to send my spirit along the connection from your mind to the Entana infecting you, I might be able to find them and their weakness.”
Saydee stopped him with an upraised hand. “Wait a minute,” she said, closing her eyes and shaking her head. “What are you talking about? Sending your spirit along my connection? You can’t do something like that.”
“You’d be surprised what I can do,” he replied. “I’ve learned a lot in my time, and I’ve had some … interesting teachers. They’ve taught me some tricks.”
“That’s not what I meant. I mean you can’t do it because it’s suicidal. Sending your spirit outside of your body? You might as well give in to the Entana now.”
Raeb glanced over to his pack, where his enchanted blade lay hidden. “It isn’t the smartest thing to do, I’ll admit. But I’m sure I can do it.”
“Why?”
Because I’ve done it before. “I just know.”
Saydee bit her lip as she sorted through his proposal. “So you would tear your spirit out of your body?”
Raeb nodded.
“And then follow this special connection in my head to the Entana.”
He nodded again.
“Are you out of your mind?”
“Apparently.”
She stared at him with that same unnerving, penetrating gaze she’d used in the tavern. “You know, I believe you might actually be crazy.”
Raeb shrugged, dropping his empty plate. “Stranger things have happened.”
Saydee laughed, this time without the bitterness. “Ain’t that the truth.” She sobered quickly, looking at Raeb. “I’ve seen a lot of magic in my time, and a lot of horrible things magic has done. But this has got to be one of the most reckless, insane plans I’ve ever heard.”
Raeb didn’t reply right away. He took a closer look at his newfound companion. Her statement of seeing horrible magicks, spoken so calmly, had sent a chill up his spine. This girl—for she looked like little more than that—had a darker past than Raeb would have guessed. He couldn’t help but wonder what he’d gotten himself in to.
“If this plan succeeds, and you don’t get lost in spiritual oblivion in the process,” she said, “could we really destroy the Entana?”
Raeb nodded.
“Are you sure?”
“No,” he said, compelled to honesty by the intensity of Saydee’s eyes. “But I’ll do everything in my power to make it happen, no matter the cost.”
They stared at each other for a moment, each gauging the other. Then Saydee nodded. “Do it.”
“Saydee, there are dangers to you as well. Even attempting to send my spirit along your connection could break it, and I have no idea what that would do to your mind. It could drive you insane or leave you catatonic. It could kill us both in a heartbeat. Not to mention we’ll be shining a beacon on the uniqueness of your mind. If the Entana take notice of it … I hate to think what they would do to eliminate it.”
“What’s my other option? To do nothing? Wait until I become fully -taken?” Her tone held equal parts anger and hysteria as she waved her arms around her. The very thought of the Entana winning made her more animated than Raeb had pictured her. “I’d rather die trying to get rid of this thing in my head than lose my mind and waste my last thoughts wondering if I could have prevented that from happening.”
Again, that surprising strength. This girl was far more than some innocent little tavern wench. “All right. I’ll need time to research and prepare. Until I’m ready, we should set aside some time each morning to spar. Our skills will need to be at their best.”
“Why? We can’t fight the Entana with blades and fists, Raeb.”
“It isn’t the Entana I’m thinking of,” he replied. “We need to be able to defend ourselves from the Taronese.”
“Who are they?”
Raeb’s expression grew dark. “Have you heard of the Bok’Tarong?”
She scoffed. “Old wives’ tales. There’s no enchanted blade that can kill Entana.”
“Yes, there is. It’s real, and the Taronese are its bearers. They’re likely on my trail by now, and when they find me they aren’t going to hesitate to kill me and anyone with me.”
A trickle of fear entered her expression. “You mean they’d kill me, too?”
“You’re a -taken too. They’ll consider you almost as dangerous as me. If they so much as see you, you’re already dead.”
“But we’re trying to destroy the Entana, just like them. Shouldn’t we try to work together, since we want the same things?”
Raeb stood, turning his back to Saydee. If only she knew what she was saying. “They’d never believe two -taken would take action against the Entana. Even if they could believe it, we’d be dead long before we could explain our intentions.” Raeb removed an overlarge dagger, vaguely leaf-shaped, from his pack and passed it to her. “If they find us, we have to be prepared to fight.”
“But I don’t know anything about fighting!”
“Then you’ll need to learn. Otherwise, neither of us will make it very far.”
Saydee’s eyes spoke a world of fears as she took the dagger. “I still think we should try to convince these Taronese to work with us.”
“Try saying that when the Bok’Tarong is slicing through your throat.”
Dawn burst into glorious color when Dragana pulled Aeo from his sheath. Chirping birds filled the silence, and leaves glowing with golden light cast away the shadows. He took a deep breath, expecting the freshness of dew and morning breezes to fill him. Instead, he smelled nothing. He was still a sword, and his senses were limited. At least you have more than black emptiness now, he reminded himself. It’s better than nothing.
“Come. It’s time for practice.”
Dragana sat, crossed her legs, and placed the sword in her lap. For several long moments she simply breathed, clearing her mind. Aeo had never been one for meditation, but feeling the peace suffusing Dragana’s mind, he started to think maybe he’d missed out on something.
She stood, removed her cloak, and bent into some simple stretches. She wore a sleeveless tunic and soft leather pants. Her arms were bare and covered with tiny goosebumps. Was autumn approaching?
A breeze opened a small window in the canopy above, allowing a brief beam of sunshine to rest on Dragana. The carved stone band circling her bicep glittered in the light.
What is that on your arm? Aeo asked.
“It is the carving of my spirit,” she replied.
What does that mean?
Dragana growled as she grit her teeth. She didn’t answer, but her memories regarding the carving surfaced. She had been drugged, as custom dictated, to prevent any conscious thought from tampering with the pureness of the carving. It was only her spirit, her true self, that was in control. She had woken days later with a pounding headache and incredible weakness in her body. Her arm burned where the carving of her spirit was seated.
What is it for?
Another image, this one tinged with uncertainty and a myriad of emotions, tried to form. Aeo couldn’t make sense of it. It was a person—no, two people?—and some very powerful magic. Aeo sensed a lo
t of vulnerability surrounding that armband, and hope and fear …
A wall of anger and embarrassment blacked out the images. Dragana cursed at him, burying memories of her past under a single-minded focus. She narrowed her thoughts to this moment, to this task, as she swept the blades in a fluid circle. Her mind grew blank as she moved through the dance of the sword, her motions graceful and smooth. Her muscles worked in harmony to execute each step with precision. Her thoughts traveled back to her days of training, and Aeo caught glimpses of a grand wooden temple, pristine dojos, and a life of learning and fighting and perfecting. It was a life she’d loved.
But it was a life without family, with rivalries rather than friendships. A life without laughter.
Dragana focused on her routine, closing off her thoughts. Aeo didn’t object—he knew how hard it was to share a past like that. His own childhood, such as it was, had never been shared with anyone. The filthy city gutters, street gangs, and fighting for survival were a far cry from Dragana’s training, but both had learned the same lessons. Fight well, trust no one but yourself, always remain a warrior no matter what. His brief time in the king’s army, his conditioning as the king’s assassin, and then his most recent life as an assassin had emphasized those lessons.
Dragana’s step faltered, and Aeo knew he’d distracted her. His own secret past had leaked into her thoughts. He felt as exposed as if he’d been caught naked in the middle of the king’s court.
They both turned their thoughts from anything personal, but Aeo didn’t forget those impressions. What he’d seen and felt gave him a much clearer picture of this warrior-woman, and despite the embarrassment, what she’d learned of him had crystallized it.
Who’d have thought it? We aren’t that different after all.
The morning routine was of a different style than Aeo’s had been, but it felt familiar. He found himself anticipating Dragana’s movements. He knew when her stance was a little too narrow or the blade held lower than it should be. A thought from him helped her guide the blades into their exact position, and his strength helped her hold him steady. He spoke his mantra—strong, steady, swift—and heard Dragana repeat it in her mind.
Soul of the Blade Page 5
