Oath of Deception

by Jennifer Anne Davis

  “What’s our plan?” she asked, leaning her head on his shoulder.

  He was almost afraid to move. He rather enjoyed her head there. “I’m trying to figure it out.”

  “I can help,” she offered.

  Her words sparked an idea. “You most certainly can.” The plan solidified, and he couldn’t help but smile. “This is what we’re going to do.”

  As far as plans went, this was one of Savenek’s crazier ideas, and it had the potential to be a complete disaster. So many different elements of it could go wrong. However, it was also the best chance he and Ari had of making it past the gate and into Telmena.

  “I feel ridiculous,” Ari mumbled as she tousled her hair some more.

  “You look it,” Savenek teased, trying to lighten the mood and calm her nerves. “You’ll do great.” He ripped her sleeve. “You know where I’ll be and when, so if anything goes wrong, you can improvise.” He stepped back and examined Ari. “I think you’re ready.” With her hair a tangled mess and her clothes in disarray, she definitely looked as if she’d encountered some sort of trouble.

  She wrapped her arms around Savenek. “Good luck.”

  He squeezed her back. “You too.” He released her. “Let’s do this.” Taking her hand, he led the way through the forest. The dark sky made it hard to see, especially under the cover of the trees. They stopped at the edge of the tree line which was about a quarter of a mile away from the guard station. From the station to the wall, Savenek estimated it to be about seventy-five feet.

  “Wait here,” he whispered. “I’ll go and get into position. Make sure you’re loud so I can hear you.”

  She nodded.

  Savenek slunk back among the trees and then headed south, making sure to keep a good distance between himself and the guard station as he passed by it. When the stables came into view, he silently approached the building, not seeing anyone present. When he’d investigated earlier in the day, he hadn’t seen anyone keeping watch on this building. The soldiers’ focus seemed to be the gate and the guard house.

  As a precaution, he didn’t enter the stables. Instead, he waited for the signal. He’d been counting, and Ari was due to execute the first part of their plan in about a minute. The seconds ticked by. He hoped Ari hadn’t been captured before they even got started.

  A cry rang out through the night, loud enough to garner the attention of the soldiers at the gate, but not loud enough to wake the men sleeping inside the guard station. Since no one ran for the stables, Savenek stepped inside. Ari had insisted they take two of these horses so they would have fresh mounts to aid in their getaway.

  “Hey buddy,” Savenek whispered as he quickly opened the first stall, leading the horse out. He grabbed a saddle and placed it on the horse, tightening the straps in the dark while murmuring soothing words. He found another saddle and quickly put it on one of the other horses. Peering out of the stables, he didn’t see anyone. He led both horses out and straight into the forest.

  He didn’t have much time left—the soldiers should have reached Ari by now. Savenek suspected it would be the two who stood watch near the guard station. A second cry rang out, right on time. Savenek searched the area, looking for the tree Ari had pointed out earlier. He finally spotted it, closer to the wall than he remembered. He moved that way, needing to tie the horses to that tree so Ari could quickly retrieve them when the time came.

  Savenek tied up the horses and observed the area before him. Two soldiers still guarded the gate. The two soldiers on top of the wall were looking in Ari’s direction as she was being helped by two soldiers toward the gate. It seemed they were buying her story about being a damsel in distress. She was supposed to say that men were after her. The first goal was to distract the soldiers. The ultimate goal was for the soldiers to go looking for the fictitious men chasing Ari. Savenek thought they might send two or three out, but probably no more than that.

  When they reached the gate, the four soldiers talked amongst themselves. As they did so, Savenek watched Ari reach out, clutching one of the soldier’s arms for support, while her other hand lifted the keys dangling from his pocket. That was not part of the plan. Savenek’s heart raced in fear and panic. She lowered her hand and released the keys. They slid down her leg, landing on the ground. She said something, pointing back the way from which she’d come. When the men turned their heads, she kicked the keys off to the side, closer to the gate.

  One of the soldiers hollered up to the soldiers on top of the wall. The one on the right side took off running along the top of the wall, presumably searching for the men who had attacked Ari. The four soldiers on the ground continued to speak with her. Her voice got louder, becoming frantic, as if she was truly frightened of someone catching up and harming her. She pointed east and begged them to protect her. Two of the soldiers nodded and headed the direction she’d indicated. That left two men with Ari and one still on the wall.

  She fell to the ground, and both men knelt next to her. That was Savenek’s cue. The area before the gate was flat, no trees or bushes growing. He slunk toward the wall, hoping no one noticed him. When he reached it, he moved alongside the wall until he came to the gate. Sliding to the ground, he crawled over to where Ari had kicked the keys.

  Ari started getting hysterical, doing her best to keep the soldiers’ attention on her so they wouldn’t notice Savenek. He picked up the keys, wrapping his fingers around them so they wouldn’t make any noise, and reached toward the lock. He needed to be quick about this before someone saw him. Keeping his hands steady, he unlocked the gate and pushed it open an inch. He crept back along the ground until he was shielded by the wall again.

  They needed to execute the next phase of their plan before the soldiers returned. Savenek could handle three men but six was pushing it. He crept back to where he’d left the horses and untied them.

  Ari stood and shook her head. “I need some space,” she said. “I’m feeling overwhelmed and crowded.” She started to walk away from the two soldiers, heading toward Savenek.

  He moved to the back side of the tree, out of sight. Savenek withdrew his sword and released the reins of the horses. Ari approached, the two soldiers trailing about ten feet behind her. Time to get the bloody hell out of here. Ari reached for the reins and in one fluid motion, jumped up on the closest horse, jammed her heels into its side, and took off straight toward the gate, leaning low in the saddle.

  Savenek stepped out from behind the tree and swung his sword, easily dispatching both soldiers before they knew what was going on. He went to mount the second horse; however, the horse took off after Ari. Ari reached the gate and rode straight through, the gate bursting open as she did so. She didn’t stop—just as Savenek had instructed her to do. The second horse ran out through the gate, still following her.

  Savenek cursed himself for not hanging onto the reins of that second horse. He took off for the gate, running as fast as he could. The soldier on top of the wall blew some sort of horn, the sound strangely loud and echoing through the night. As Savenek sprinted for the open gate, an arrow sailed down, nicking his arm.

  Six soldiers burst out of the guard station, all in various states of disarray, wielding swords and running after Savenek. He was almost at the gate. Ari screamed, and the guard on top of the wall swerved, looking out toward Telmena in the direction Ari had gone. It bought Savenek enough time to make it to the gate.

  Pain rippled along the outside of Savenek’s thigh. He stumbled and almost fell but forced himself to remain upright. One of the soldiers chasing him had managed to acquire a bow. The soldier nocked another arrow. Now on the other side of the gate, Savenek veered left and ran alongside the wall, hoping another arrow didn’t strike him. He needed to head to the right, away from the wall and into the cover of the trees thirty feet away. He scanned the tree line, searching for Ari.

  A man screamed, and Savenek glanced over his shoulder. Ari was astride her horse, sword in hand, slashing down toward the man with the bow running a
fter Savenek. Ari struck the man’s arm, and he dropped his bow. She swung off her horse, grabbed the bow, nocked an arrow, and shot the man atop the wall just as he released an arrow aimed at Savenek. Savenek flung himself to the side, and the arrow flew past him.

  Another soldier ran up behind Ari, his sword raised as he prepared to strike her back. Savenek sprinted toward the soldier, tackling him to the ground. A chunk of dirt lodged in Savenek’s mouth and he spit it out. With the soldier trapped beneath him, Savenek took the man’s sword and rammed it into the man’s side, killing him.

  “Ven!” Ari cried out. Savenek peered up in time to see the soldier whom Ari had struck with her sword now had Ari’s arms pinned down as he dragged her back through the gate and into Apethaga.

  That left three men standing in front of Savenek, blocking his path to Ari and demanding blood for the lives he’d taken. Three men, two taller and one shorter than he was. The one on his right had a slight limp, the one in front kept adjusting his grip on the hilt of his sword, and the one to his left bounced on his feet, ready to attack. Savenek needed to kill the one on the left first since he was the most dangerous, then the one on the right, then the man directly in front of him.

  Savenek pretended to swing to the right, taking a step that way. When the soldier on the right moved to parry the blow, Savenek twisted, facing the soldier on his left. That soldier had already taken a step toward him, so Savenek used the soldier’s momentum to push him forward, slicing his sword across the soldier’s back. When the soldier went down, Savenek stepped over him, swung to the right, and embedded his sword into that soldier’s stomach. As the third soldier readjusted his grip on the hilt of his sword, Savenek kicked the soldier’s right arm, causing him to drop his sword. Savenek grabbed it, arcing it up as he stood, embedding it into the soldier.

  Before the soldier even hit the ground, Savenek was already running after Ari. The soldier dragging her let her go so he could slam the gate shut. Savenek dropped his sword and reached through the gate, clutching onto the soldier’s arms and holding him in place. Savenek kicked his sword under the gate, and Ari picked it up. The soldier frantically struggled against Savenek, but Savenek held firm. Ari’s life depended on him not letting go of the soldier. She stood, holding onto the sword with both hands. She lifted it and pointed it at the man’s side. The man kicked his leg out, and she jumped back. He barely missed her.

  “Hurry,” Savenek said.

  She nodded and thrust the sword into the man’s side as he kicked her leg. She flew to the ground. Savenek released him. As the gate swung open, Ari stood. Savenek wrapped his arms around her, holding her tightly against him.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Yes. What about you?”

  “I’m fine.”

  She let go. “The horses are tied to a tree not far from here.” She took off running, her right leg limping as she ran.

  Savenek followed her, an odd sensation filling him. It was almost as if he’d just woken up and wasn’t fully aware of his surroundings. He shook his head, trying to focus.

  Ari untied the horses and mounted one. Savenek put one foot in the stirrup and fell, landing on his back, the wind knocked out of him.

  “What’s wrong?” Ari demanded.

  His thigh was going numb. “Nothing,” he assured her. “Once we’re farther away, I need to clean my wounds.” He twisted onto his hands and knees, forcing himself to stand. His vision swam. Taking the reins of his horse, he climbed onto the saddle, his arms shaking.

  Ari took off into the forest, heading directly west. Savenek leaned forward on his horse, trying to remain upright. Thankfully, his horse followed Ari’s. He wrapped his arms around the animal’s neck, trying to hang on.

  Savenek woke up. The sky above him was still dark and he had no idea where he was or how he’d gotten there. Something poked his back. He reached down and felt damp dirt, a stick poking him.

  “Are you awake?” Ari asked, suddenly above him.

  “What happened?”

  “You fell off your horse.”

  He’d never fallen off a horse. The wind blew, the leaves in the tree above swaying and making him dizzy. He tried to sit up but couldn’t.

  “Your injuries must be worse than you realize,” Ari said, reaching down to help him sit up.

  “How long have we been traveling?” Were they far enough away from Apethaga to stop?

  “Only an hour.” Panic laced her words.

  “Help me onto my horse,” he said. “I want you to tie me to it. Then we go west until we’re out of Telmena.”

  “Are you sure?” she asked. “It’s dark and the horses are having a hard time traversing through unfamiliar land.”

  They had no choice. It was too dangerous to remain there for the duration of the night. “Yes.” He tried to stand. Pain radiated down his leg and arm.

  Ari put her arm around his waist, helping him to his feet. He reached out, throwing his good arm over the horse as she shoved him onto the animal. Since they didn’t have any rope, Ari ripped off her sleeves and tied them together. Then she ripped off Savenek’s sleeves and did the same. She then used the makeshift rope to tie Savenek to the horse.

  When she finished, he clutched her shaking hand. “It’ll be okay,” he assured her. “We’re almost to Emperion.”

  She nodded and squeezed her hand free. Taking the reins to his horse, she held on while mounting her own horse. “I’m going to lead your horse if that’s okay with you?”

  “Yes.” He leaned forward on the animal, his eyes heavy. “Use the stars to guide you. Keep going west. Whatever you do, don’t stop until we’re in Emperion.”

  The next time Savenek woke up, he found himself on the ground once again. Only this time, the sun was overhead. He was going to make some snarky comment about falling off his horse when he realized he couldn’t feel his arm or leg. Panic filling his chest, he glanced around. Ari was nowhere in sight. He was lying under a tree, the horses tied to the tree on his left. He wasn’t in a dense forest, no path could be seen, and no buildings were visible. Turning his head to the side, he listened. It sounded like rushing water came from the left. Maybe there was a stream nearby.

  Where was Ari? He tried to sit up, but the effort made him queasy. Bullocks. He needed to be able to ride his horse. Not only did Ari have to get to Lakeside as soon as possible, but he had to make it across Emperion to Emperor’s City so he could speak with the Brotherhood. He didn’t have time to deal with two minor injuries. There was no reason for him to be lying on the ground like an invalid—the arrows had barely nicked him.

  Someone approached from the left. Turning his head, he saw Ari rushing toward him with something in her hands. She knelt at his side, rubbing her face with the side of her arm.

  “What’s that?” he asked, indicating her hands.

  “I made a paste. It’s something my mother taught me how to do in order to help ward off infections.” The skin around her eyes looked red, as if she’d been crying. Reaching out, she gently put some of the gooey paste along the small nick on his arm.

  He couldn’t feel it. “Are those red streaks down my arm?”

  “Yes.” Her voice was tight and filled with concern.

  “Ari?” His arm was numb. There were red lines around the wound. And he didn’t feel right.

  She nodded. “The arrows must have been tipped with poison.”

  That was what he’d been thinking but too afraid to voice.

  “I need to put this on your leg as well.”

  He looked down at his injured thigh. Ari had already ripped the fabric away from the area. She smeared the paste over it.

  “I need stitches,” he said.

  “Yes.”

  “At least we know they can’t use this against Emperion since we destroyed the shipment.”

  She nodded. “That’s the only good news. I fear the poison is working too quickly. I don’t know how long you have.” She wiped her hands on her pants.

  “Wha
t was in that?” he asked.

  She sat next to him. “In the paste?”

  “Yes.” The paste was black. He didn’t know of any sort of medicine that color.

  “I mixed charcoal into it,” she admitted. “I’m hoping to neutralize the poison. This is the third time I’ve applied the mixture.”

  The third time? His eyes widened in shock at the realization of how dire his situation was becoming. “Are we in Emperion yet?” Blackness hovered around the edges of his vision and his stomach rolled with nausea.

  “I believe so. However, a regular healer won’t be able to help,” she said. “You need one of the empress’s special healers in Lakeside. It’s the only chance you have of surviving.”

  He wanted to argue but thinking coherently was becoming difficult.

  Ari clutched his hand. “At the rate the poison is spreading, you have two days at most. The charcoal is slowing it down, but not enough. I’m going to put you back on the horse, and I won’t take you off again. I’ll only stop to apply more of the paste. I made enough…I think.” She nodded as if trying to convince herself of the plan. “I want to ask you something before you lose consciousness again.”

  “Ask away,” he said, the words coming out slurred. His tongue felt heavy and dry.

  “There is a small tattoo on your upper thigh.” Her face flushed, her cheeks turning red. “Is it a mark of the Brotherhood? Or is it something else?”

  Savenek’s stomach rolled with nausea. “Does it matter?” he asked. He was on the brink of death, and she was asking about a tattoo? Maybe she needed to be able to prove his identity so the Brotherhood would know he needed medical attention once they arrived at Lakeside.

  “It looks familiar. I think I’ve seen one like it before. I’m sure it’s just a mark of the Brotherhood. Something to show your loyalty to the crown. And no one would ever think to look for it in such a private place.” She stood and stretched.

  “You need to know my name isn’t Ven,” he said, his voice barely audible.