Traitors (The Traitor King Saga Book 1)

by A. M. Hickman

  “The Roving Historians are a secret group whose soul mission’s ta keep an untainted history of our people. You see, Urlifec began changing the telling of how things happened the moment he took the throne. Anything about the True King or against Urlifec was conveniently forgotten or explained as a tall tale. The Roving Historians go around teaching what really happened along with learning what’s going on first hand, so when our time becomes history, there can be a true telling of it.

  “I could talk about them until this river ends, but I’ll just skip ta my visit with the Roving Historian. Twas the first time my da took me along with him, when I’s just eleven springs. We picked this traveler up in Lebril wanting ta go ta Eclamai quickly, said he was hearing rumors of a tragic event about ta take place. When my da introduced me ta him, he was impressed that I knew how ta shake hands and further explained where the handshake came from.

  “He said that twas first developed when our people were changing from savages ta civilized; twas the True King’s first lesson ta Dyyeldad. You see, we were focused on power and strength. If a stranger came ta you but didn’t want ta challenge you, he’d offer his dominant hand ta you as a submission of his strength. You’d take his hand if you accepted his peace and then twist it backwards in warning of your dominance. The twisting back of your hand came some time later as a sign that you respected the stranger’s strength as an equal.”

  In a contemplative silence, they both looked to the nearing bend in the river. While it made sense, she doubted the story told exactly how the handshake came along. Who could know? Plus, she couldn't trust a group that claimed to have the pure truth. Urlifec probably did twist what he wanted the public to know, especially in relation to the True King, but these historians were doing the same thing by including the True King.

  Realizing that he was waiting for a reply, she quickly looked back at him to respond. “That’s interesting, but how did the Raving Historians come across such knowledge?”

  Nathan shook his head and exhaled a one-syllabled laugh. “ROving, not RAving.”

  “Oh, what’s the difference?” she teased.

  This time Nathan got upset. He lifted his hands in frustration, “What’s the difference? The difference is that they’re called the Roving Historians, not the Raving Historians. They risk their lives everyday carrying and gathering the knowledge of our society, so they should be respected. How would you like it if...” he paused, his short tirade fizzling like a doused candle. “I apologize again. When I get tired, I get a little preachy.”

  Blaze nodded, “I’d say. I’m a little afraid to ask how to steer this boat so you can go sleep and stop that preaching.”

  He laughed and motioned for her to joined him behind the wheel. “From the stories I’ve heard of your travels, I highly doubt you could ever be frightened by a whiny river captain. Stories which I hope ta hear your side of if I may be so bold ta request. Now, for the complex lessons of steering the mighty Wisp.” He placed her hands on the wheel and backed toward the rug. Even though the moon had set, the river still glistened in the starlight. “Don’t. Run. Aground. Good night!” And he disappeared into the cabin.

  Blaze chuckled quietly to herself, enjoying his dynamic character. He was a lot like...she closed her eyes and squeezed the wheel as Jonathan’s cabin roared in its consuming inferno. She felt the heat all around her. Opening her eyes, Blaze rushed to the side of the boat and splashed frigid water onto her face. The memory faded in its intensity, but she was still on edge. A new fear added itself to her worries: she was losing control.

  The night progressed to dawn without event. As the sun rose behind her, large, golden fish began to jump around the Wisp, causing the river to ripple like water on a drum. A grey stork gilded with a red and gold crown of plumage lazily glided past the boat. It extended and cocked its nestled head, eyeing a submerged fish. Bringing its large wings inward, the bird began a steady decent toward the water. Without warning, the stork's head darted under the water and reemerged with a large green trout writhing in protest.

  Before the stork could beat its wings once, a fish as long as Lily and covered in large brown-green scales exploded out of the river. She gasped and jumped backwards against the cabin at the sight. The stork squawked in alarm and swerved to the left, dropping the trout. In the meantime, the monster's long toothy jaws snapped shut where the bird's dainty head had once been. Both fish splashed back into the river, and the stork settled upon the tallest branch that would support him with ruffled feathers.

  Laughter came from above her. "Have you ever seen a karn before?" Blaze whipped around to find Nathan standing on top of the cabin holding a thick cane pole in his hand.

  "How did you get up there?" she scorned while her heart slowed down. There was no way he could have snuck past her. Smiling, he jumped down.

  "From the sun door in there. Oh, I wish I could've seen your face. Never have I seen someone move that fast. It's like you were there, then you were gone!"

  As she suspected, he was close to her age. Standing a head over her, he had a river man's build and tan; however, his smooth face, unremarkable nose, and clear brown eyes gave him a boyish appearance, especially when he smiled. His short red hair, flecked with golden accents, waved in a disheveled manner.

  She crossed her arms and headed back to the wheel. "Well, we'll make fun of your reaction when you first see one of the large creatures near the Zantar Cliffs."

  "Then I've no intention of getting close ta those cursed cliffs," he said defiantly.

  "Aw, is the 'coarse' river man afraid of a few tall rocks?"

  "Na, I'm just going ta let you think you're saving face instead of proving you wrong." He winked while tossing the pole toward her. It had a string with a curious hook attached to one end and was surprisingly heavy.

  "Kaff! What is this?" she asked while weighing the pole in her hand. It was as thick as three thumbs and taller than Nathan.

  While taking the wheel, he explained, "Twas made especially for catching karn. You see, they’re too big ta catch except with a net and luck, which is why they go for more than a tipsy torr down river. Nets’re more thorough, but I hate ‘em. You get one rip in ‘em, and there goes your catch. So, my da figured that a large, reinforced cane should be able ta bend but not snap, unless a huge karn takes the bait. We bought some of the big cane down in Beccrah and proceeded ta fill it with tiny pebbles and wool.”

  She shook the cane next to her ear and could hear the muffled padder of pebbles. Grabbing the string made from sinew, Blaze displayed the hand’s length hook with a small second hook and barb budding from the larger, main one. “And what about bait?”

  “Well, as you can see, the fish’re just leaping for breakfast. Grab one of the mayflies off of the side of the cabin and put it on the smaller barb. The bug will be grabbed in no time. Once you’ve got a catch, quickly put the pole in the hole right at the bow of the Wisp and brace yourself.” He grinned in a way that made her feel nervous.

  The thought of wrestling with one of those river monsters wasn’t her ideal start to the morning, but she wasn’t about to seem weak or scared in front of the captain. She smiled back with what she hoped seemed like confidence and plucked a mayfly from the wall by its wings. Adding the fresh bait to the small hook, she purposefully walked to the bow and watched the hook disappear under the shimmering surface.

  The cane shivered the moment Blaze located the hole in the floor. Tensing with excitement, she jammed it into the hole and held on tight. The top pulsed and whipped as the submerged creature fought to free itself.

  “Quick! Grab the line and pull it in before it gets away!” Nathan exclaimed excitedly.

  She grabbed the line and threw herself backwards, trying to sling the karn into the boat. Fingers stinging and knuckles white, her hands shocked with numbness as the line fiercely tore from her grip. The pole cracked against the side of the boat as the karn tried to take advantage of its momentary freedom, but the cane held with surprising strength.
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  Blaze decided to go for a different tactic. Loosening her belt, she lifted Obrae’s sheathed sword up until the cross-guard was resting on her right shoulder and tightened the belt around her chest. Her pulsing fingers wrapped around the darting line again, but this time she took advantage of a lapse in the fish’s strength to wrap it behind and under her right arm. The line punched the breath out of her as it went taunt again, nearly pulling her over board. However, the sword prevented the line from slicing her in two.

  Blaze planted her foot against the side of the boat. Gritting her teeth, she pushed against the wooden panel and twisted sideways so the line could slide along the scabbard instead of her skin. Step by slow step, she dragged the karn closer to the Wisp. When the tension on the line changed from its relentless jerking to a frantic wiggling, she heaved and fell backwards as the line became limp after a final splash. Looking toward the bow, Blaze didn’t see a giant karn but a trout the size of her forearm bouncing on the deck with the hook in its mouth.

  Nathan howled with laughter.

  "No..." she started, but gasped to catch her breath. "There's no way that minnow...was what I was fighting. The karn must have...gotten away."

  Nathan could barely breathe. "Hehe, oh, you...hahaha...so that's how ittehehehehaha..."

  Untangling the line from around her, Blaze stomped toward the flopping bag of scales. Her checks roasted with embarrassment, but his mirth made it difficult to keep a small smile away. Quickly grabbing its tail, she flung the fish toward him, which he caught with surprising ease. "Here, you kaffing wrinkled cretin of a sailor. A mighty karn from the depths of the mighty river."

  "Ohohoho, you should'a seen you're face," Nathan wiped tears from his eyes with his sleeve since his hands were full of the slimy fish. "Youhoohooo were so shocked. Hahaha."

  Right as Nathan's eyes watered afresh from his merriment, the trout squirmed with all of its might, propelling itself from his grasp. Nathan reached to catch it, but the fish squeezed out of his grasp again and slapped it's tail across his red face. Both stood frozen with shock as the green trout flopped twice across the deck and then splashed overboard. Blaze and Nathan looked back at each other in silence. A breath later, both roared with a fresh contraction of uncontrollable hilarity.

  Blaze didn't want to lose the bliss of mirth; she wanted to remain its prisoner. However, both laughters faded into breathy laughs which settled into breathing. Straightening up from the side she had leaned upon, Blaze found Nathan leaning heavily upon the wheel, wiping tears away. "Goh, I guess the fish made a spectacle of us both, but he’s still the fool."

  "What are you talking about?" she asked while getting up.

  "Well, he took an easy meal only ta end up on the hook." He pointed toward the bow of the boat. The pole's top bobbed spastically. "I feel there’s a lesson ta learn from that. But, let's hope another, larger fish does the same."

  "So, I was never supposed to bring the fish onboard."

  "Haha, aye. But I just couldn't help it. My da played the same prank on me my first sail. Can you imagine an eleven spring trying ta bring a trout onboard? And mine was much bigger," he added with a wink.

  "Oh sure, as big as a karn, I bet," she teased. "So, how do you catch an actual karn?"

  "Easy, your mighty catch's the bait. A karn'll love the easy meal just as the trout loved the mayfly."

  "But if that little fish put up such a fight, how in the kingdom do you get a karn out of the water?"

  Nathan chuckled again, "Amazing isn't it? Such a small fish..." Blaze crossed her arms and glared at him. He smiled impishly back. "Okay, okay, a small fish that is on the larger side of the small fish scale?"

  Blaze threw her hands in the air and walked toward the wheel. "Alright, I'm going to commender this small boat because the captain definitely isn't old enough to steer."

  Nathan hugged the wheel possessively. "Never, I'll never give up Wisp. Besides, I've got ta be older than you. I'm twenty springs."

  "Eighteen summers, but maturity counts. And I’m definitely the more mature one here." She grabbed a rung of the wheel.

  He tried to peel her fingers away, but her cycles of sword training gave her an unyielding grip. When he finally pulled her thumb free, compromising her hold, Blaze simply reached to the other side of the wheel and grabbed another rung. "Haha," she smiled as the victor of their childish game.

  "Oh come now! Who's the mature one again?"

  Before she could answer, a loud whinny followed by a woody bang barged from the cabin. "Call me when you need me to pull the karn in," she said and rushed into the cabin.

  Light flooded the room of boxes and furs through the sun door. The cabin was crammed with merchandise save for a pig trail that led to the back of the cabin, where Lily's stall was built. After being outside all night, she was glad that Nathan had opened the sun door. The smell of spices, furs, hay, and horse made her nose flinch. However, it wasn't an entirely unpleasant scent, wafting through her memories of winter in Jonathan's cabin.

  Blaze waited for the memory to trigger one of her nightmarish attacks, but she was surprised to find that she remained in control. The realization made her smile with relief. Perhaps she was getting better. Lily nickered in annoyance of her neglect.

  "I'm sorry, Lil. Guess you're wanting breakfast?" The dun pawed at the ground and pressed against the gate that held her, looking at Blaze. "Oh girl, I'm afraid you can't get out for a while." Blaze grabbed some hay from the storage box and placed it in the feeding net. Lily decided she wanted to eat more than get out and walked to the fresh feed.

  Combing through the mare's dark mane, Blaze felt pride for Lily. This was their eleventh day of travel. They had braved the Zantar Cliffs, been attacked by a troop of Urlificans and cohe, made it to Krute, and now waited on a boat as they head toward Beccrah. With so much change from her care-free life in Srift, Blaze was impressed with how well the mare handled the danger. While her accommodations on the Wisp were generous, Lily was used to being loose. Blaze wondered how much longer the mare's good behavior would last. When she got unhappy, Lily became very hard-headed and troublesome.

  Climbing on to the railing, Blaze grabbing the empty water bucket and headed back to the door of the cabin. Lily whinnied and pawed the ground. "I'm just going to get you some water; I'll be right back." Lily's ears twitched in her direction, and she leaned against the railing. "I promise, I'll be back with the freshest river water you've ever tasted." As Blaze left the cabin, Lily let out another whinny.

  "Is she alright?" Nathan asked.

  "She's just a little stir crazy," Blaze replied while leaning over the side to fill the bucket. "Lily doesn't KAFFING FISH!" She slammed the half-filled bucket as hard as she could onto the monster floating next to the Wisp then quickly retreated away from the side.

  Nathan did the opposite. At her exclamation, he rushed to the side. "By the King!" and over the side he dove.

  "Nathan!" Blaze dropped the bucket and ran back to the side. Nathan swam toward the floating monster, which floated with white belly up. "Nathan! What are you doing! Get back here!" The karn floated along the river's current and didn't seem to notice Nathan swimming toward it. His head disappeared for a moment, just his back arched from the water.

  Blaze didn't know what to do. Should she jump in after him? While they were all carried along the current, the river had a greater hold on the Wisp and pushed her faster down river. When he re-emerged for air, Blaze shouted at him, "Nathan, you kaffing loon, what are you doing?"

  He turned onto his side and took the knife out of his mouth. "Get the rope from the side and toss it ta me." Without any other ideas, she did as he suggested. Blaze ran to the stern of the boat with the coarse rope and watched as he quickly threw his arm around the giant fish, grabbed a fin, and plunged his knife just behind its head.

  "Hurry, the rope," he waved for her. Tying several knots to the end, she whirled the rope over her head then released it. It sailed over the gap between her and Nathan and splas
hed on the other side of the karn. "Perfect!" he said, then dove under the monster. He resurfaced, grabbed the rope, and then dove again, back toward the Wisp.

  On the other side of the karn, he tied the rope to form a lasso around the karn. "Okay, pull us in." Blaze slowly brought Nathan and the karn in, thankful that she was pulling with the current instead of against it. How they were going to get the fish onboard was beyond her. Nathan's hands appeared along the wooden sides, and in one try, he was back in the Wisp. "By the King, of all the tall tales I've heard on this river, this one might be the most unbelievable." He took rope from her and tied it to a ring at the back of the cabin. He looked at her, eyes wide with amazement, and smiled, shaking his head. "I think I may have ta call you Karnslayer from here on out. No wait! Karnsbane! Aye, that's it."

  "What? You're the cockle-brained cretin that dove in after that monster and stabbed it." Which reminded her that he had a knife hidden on him somewhere. She shifted her stance to feel the reassuring weight of Obrae's sword at her side. Nathan seemed harmless enough, but she had to remember to be careful.

  He shook his head. "No, that was just for good measure. Come look."

  She joined him at the stern and watched as he leaned over and turned the karn back onto its belly with a mighty heave. The fish wasn't as big as the stork-attacking monster earlier that morning, but it was still as long as Nathan was tall. Its tan underside was in stark contrast to the deep brown of its dorsal scales, and the sharp teeth of its long muzzle seemed dangerous enough.

  "See here?" He pointed to a small, darker region just above its ever-glaring eye. "You must have hit the karn right in this sweet spot with the edge of the bucket. Poor mate literally didn't know what hit him." Nathan released the karn, which promptly returned to floating on its back, and headed back to the bow. "Killing a karn with a bucket. Karnsbane, I promise, the mates in market'll tie me up with seaweed and call me Driftwood when they hear about this."