“No,” Nathan said sternly. “She’s not ta be spoiled by anything but her discipline, owner’s orders.”
The Urlifican laughed, “I’d gladly pay to discipline her.”
The grizzled Urlifican standing in the middle silenced the boy. “Shut it, tripe. You’re on duty, and I will report you, no matter who claims you as offspring. Now, both of you, search the vessel,” The Urlificans saluted and searched, one walking around the cabin while the other went in. Turning back to Nathan, the grizzled Urlifican continued, “It’s orders to check every ship coming in from upriver because of the fugitive.”
“Fugitive, sir?” Nathan asked.
“A girl from Srift is severely wanted. She...”
“Oh!” Nathan interrupted. “Aye. I ran inta Grand General Makavel on the way down here, and he told me of her. Still hasn’t been caught?” he asked in amazement.
“She was last seen riding a boat from Krute...”
“Yeah, but I heard that Wilden Burdock’s lost his mind, and he supposedly saw her at night,” the tripe interjected after exiting the cabin. “Heard he’s back for some major...”
“Urlifican Ivan, shut your kaffing mouth before I do it for you!” the older Urlifican spat. “So, Captain, if you see this girl,” he showed Nathan a piece of paper. “Let us know immediately. She’s been deemed extremely dangerous but wanted alive.”
“Alive,” Nathan half laughed. “After what she’s done?”
“Just let us know.” The Urlifican signaled the others to follow him off of the Wisp.
Once the Urlificans were out of sight, Blaze and Nathan looked at each other and grinned. They made it to Eclamai.
Chapter 16
“You’re insane!” Nathan choked as he spewed tea all over the cabin. “Unavoidably, woefully insane! I’d wager that a buck full blown in rut wouldn’t make such a request as that.”
“Nathan, hear me out,” Blaze tried to calm the surprised captain, but there was no stopping him.
“You’re the most wanted fugitive I’ve ever met. In fact, I wouldn’t be surprised if Urlifec himself was out looking for you. You’ve basically put Eclamai in lockdown, and it seems that you attract any Urlificans in the area. AND YOU WANT TA EXPLORE THE URLIFICAN-INFESTED CAPITOL?! That’s an irrevocable no. How could you even dream of that?”
“Nathan, please. The disguise works. Those Urlificans had me and a sketch of me in their hands, and they didn’t even look twice.”
“Except for the fact that they found you curious. No, Blaze, absolutely not.”
“Blaina, master,” she winked.
“It doesn’t matter!” Nathan’s wide eyes narrowed with anger. “You’ve too much pride and spirit ta get away with being Blaina the slave. You wouldn’t need ta say a word and a true blueskin trader could pick you out of a crowd of them as fake. We’re not here ta sight see; we’re here because we have ta be.”
Blaze’s heart picked up its tempo at his forbiddance. Something inside of her made seeing Eclamai a priority. “It’s not just to sight see; I need supplies.”
“Then give me a list, and I’ll pick them up when I’m out selling.”
“It’s healing supplies. Would you be able to pick out medicinal honey from regular? Because just as I would appear fake as a blueskin, you’re obviously no healer. They’ll sell you regular honey for triple the price, and that’s taking it easy on you.” She kept her voice calm and logical, sensing that reacting to his emotion wouldn’t help her cause. She had to convince him like she did when Lily wouldn’t go where Blaze wanted: by letting him think he had control of the situation.
“And how are you supposed ta let me know it’s the wrong honey when you’re supposed ta be a dim-witted slave?” he asked. Neither were touching their cold karn anymore.
“Surely not all blueskin are completely dim. Wouldn’t there be some in wealthier families that are allowed more education because of their duties? We could say that I’m a slave for a healer who is going to need to know the difference between his honey for toast and honey for wounds. Then, I can carry all of your supplies for you, like a good blueskin.” Nathan shook his head, still refusing.
Blaze started to get desperate, but she kept herself calm with purpose. “Two more reasons. First, how smart of a trader are you to leave a newly broken slave and horse alone, on your boat, unsupervised? If word travels down this river market like it did in Srift, then everyone already knows what you have onboard. Who’s to say there isn’t someone looking to make a profit on fresh creatures. If I’m with you, you can keep a constant eye on your wares. Second, the Urlificans don’t see me as insane, they see me as dangerous. So, the best thing to do would be to act in an insane manner, going places they aren’t looking, like the middle of their capitol.”
Nathan kept looking down. Her reasons made sense, surely he saw that. Finally, he sighed and stood up, grabbing his plate. “I need some fresh air. I’ve got ta think about this. Put another treatment of the dye on. Your skin is already starting to fade.” He left the cabin.
Blaze got up and walked to Lily. The mare nuzzled her in greeting. She made her argument, now it was time to play the part. While he mulled over her words, she focused on her next move. His biggest reason was her poor acting, so in order to get what she wanted, she needed to overcome cycles of training and lose her fighting spirit.
Reaching for the dye jar in her pack, Blaze saw the sword hanging behind it. A shiver ran through her at the monstrous memory of her last contact with it, but a thought also struck her. The sword had done something to her. Thinking back on the fight with the two Urlificans, she thought about how the sword seemed to take her strong emotions. What if she could dull her spirit with it? Blaze smiled as a small voice warned her against what she was about to do. Did she really need to do this?
Of course. Another, stronger voice countered. It is more than just seeing a city; I have to say goodbye to my parents. Not having a spirit will allow that.
Tentatively, she pulled the sword from behind her pack. Holding it by the sheath, she slowly grabbed the hilt. Nothing happened. It felt like any other sword. Driven by a dream, she loosened the leather next to the pommel. An overwhelming wave slammed into her the moment her finger touched the cold metal underneath. Blaze gasped and jerked her hand away, nearly dropping the sword. For a moment, all of the pain from her last fight flared to a blinding magnitude; however, beneath the pain was a raw, unbeatable power. She concentrated on slowing her breathing and heartbeat.
“Perhaps this isn’t the best idea,” she thought aloud, and looked to Lily for another opinion. The mare stood there, ears swinging to and fro. Despite her second thoughts, Blaze felt a pull from the sword, a need to touch it again. She placed her finger on the bare strip and nearly collapsed under the surge of emotion and power.
The agony was nearly too much for her, but she also didn’t want to let go. The previously dim cabin shone bright as day; the forgotten river bombarded her with the sound of its crushing current under the Wisp. Spice, horse, and fish tangled and twisted in her nose as she became aware of how musty the cabin had become. Her heart pumped life through her veins to the eager muscles ready to move at the slightest threat. And Pain was there, a mighty weapon to achieve whatever task she thought worthy of her abilities.
A stomp and cry exploded in her ears, and Blaze jumped, her finger slipping from the bare metal of the sword. Instantly, she felt empty and disoriented. Lily blew out and pawed at the ground, ears firmly planted back on her head. Blaze felt like she couldn’t catch her breath, and the dullness of her perception made her feel crippled without the sword’s enhancement. Finding a box to sit on, she tried not to faint while her mind recovered from the experience. The sword didn’t absorb her emotions, it connected to them, like when a loadstone connected to metal by some invisible force, becoming one entity.
After a deep breath, she heaved herself up and hung the sword back behind her pack, grabbing the jar wrapped in the blue towel. To her surprise, Lily ca
me over and sniffed at the jar. Scratching the mare between the eyes, Blaze wondered what Lily sensed with the sword. “You’ve got my back, don’t you, Lil?” she cooed. The mare puffed a breath out and lost interest in the jar. As Lily turned to her hay, Blaze worked on touching up her disguise.
Nathan never came back into the cabin, even after she finished re-dying her skin. Hoping to give him more reasons to say ‘yes’, Blaze mucked out Lily’s stall. The mare seemed to appreciate the company, more than once nudging her for treats. When the muck bucket was full and Nathan still hadn’t returned, concern began to tighten her stomach. If he was arrested, the Urlificans would have come in for her. Trying her best to accomplish a demure demeanor, she tentatively stepped out of the cabin.
Despite the late hour, the river market still held some life. Torches danced at every stall of the massive dock as tipsy or drunken patrons swayed in the relief of a wearing day. Exaggerated laughter or incoherent shouts competed with the random minstrel as beer, wine, and food were purchased and enjoyed.
One thing missing was Nathan. He wasn’t at the helm, on deck, or on the roof. Keeping her head down, Blaze tried her best to scan those passing by on the dock for his glowing red hair. She dumped the bucket from the back of the Wisp, rinsed it out with the chilled water, and headed back up the vessel to return to the cabin with a thousand thoughts stampeding in her head.
Nathan would have told her if he left the Wisp. Was this a test? She hoped he was lurking in some new hiding spot spying to see if she would run. But, what if he wasn’t? Blaze turned to enter the cabin, resolving to go looking for him if he didn’t arrive by the time she put the bucket up. A woman gasped behind her.
“Ava?”
Blaze froze at her mother’s name, then quickly remembered her place and tried to continue into the cabin. “No, wait,” the quiet voice urged as light shoes padded onto the Wisp’s deck. Blaze quickly pulled the carpet aside, glancing over her shoulder at her pursuer. A woman entering the late seasons of life was following her with arms extended and face wide, as if she were seeing a ghost. For a moment, their gaze met, and Blaze saw recognition in the woman’s wide, dark eyes. Then, Blaze darted into the cabin.
“Wait, I...” The woman paused on the other side of the carpet. Blaze’s heart raced as she backed away from the fabric barricade. What was she going to do? Nathan was nowhere to be found, and she was trapped in the cabin by an old woman. She glanced back at her pack and sword, then up to the sun door. Lily nickered, and Blaze’s heart sank. Where was Nathan?
“Slave,” came the woman’s voice again, and this time it had authority behind it. “Your master sent me to purchase furs. He said you were competent enough to assist me, but I highly doubt that.” A pale hand grasped the carpet and pulled it aside to reveal the woman’s smiling face. “Now, slave, you better make good on your master’s word.” The woman stepped inside, and the carpet fell behind her. Blaze stepped back further, ready to react to whatever the woman threw at her.
The woman was striking, her simple black gown illuminated by the lamps. Age started to wear her shoulders and face down, but Blaze could see a strength and pride in her stance that age would never dampen. Everything about her face was thin, from her pinched nose to prominent cheekbones to smiling lips. Silver veins gilded her dark, shoulder-length hair, matched by curving eyebrows. And, under those eyebrows were almond eyes containing pitch abysses that locked onto Blaze with relentless intensity. The woman held her long, slender hands over her mouth, holding back a soft cry as tears made her eyes sparkle like the night sky. “It can’t be,” she whispered. “Surely...” She stretched her hands out and moved toward Blaze as if to embrace her.
Blaze backed further away, trying to get into character. “Master say to sell you furs,” she said in her meekest voice.
The woman froze. Joy and disgust sharpened her features as she held her hands out. “Blaze, daughter of Ava, I know it is you.”
Blaze felt as if she had been punched in the stomach. Shaking the shock off, she again tried to act like a slave. “Master...”
“Blaze,” the woman’s voice quivered with sorrow. “It is me, your Aunt Eve, sister to Ava who’s husband was Ben and died nine cycles ago during the Eclamai Purge. I know that you are Blaze, the lost daughter of Ava, who was never found at the wreckage of your father’s cattle farm. You were only a small girl then, but now, oh, I can see Ava’s spirit in you. My dear, how you have grown!”
Forgetting how to breath, Blaze was shocked still by the woman’s speech. She didn’t remember having an aunt, nor did she remember ever meeting this woman. It had to be a trap.
And yet, the woman’s wide, teary eyes argued that she was telling the truth. Eve’s voice faltered as she continued. “When I heard of the Purge, I came as fast as I could. But I was too late. Together, they lay there, not even separated by death. One by arrow, one by...by beast.” She looked away as her emotions got the better of her. Blaze was still too baffled to share in the sorrow of her parents’ deaths, so she remained motionless.
The woman collected herself and turned back to Blaze, smiling the same small smile. “You would think that after all of this time, talking about...well, that night, would be easier. But you, my niece, you were nowhere to be found. I searched the woods. I called your name. But, I had lost you, too. Lost until now!” Eve stepped forward to embrace her.
“Stay back,” Blaze suddenly commanded, stepping away from the woman. “I don’t have an aunt; I never had an aunt. And I don’t know you.”
Pain flashed across Eve’s face, and she deflated for a moment. “I, well. We, your mother and I, had a falling out, cycles ago.” A mournful smile stretched her thin lips as she sat upon a crate. “It seems so petty now. You see, she met your father and fell in love, but he was turning her into a Traitor. Ava was young, and I couldn’t bear the idea of losing my beloved sister to a superstition all because of some youthful crush. So, I forbade her of seeing him, telling her that she would be dead to me if she remained with him. I thought that her love for me would win, but the next thing I knew, she was gone.”
Eve stared at the flickering lantern, then turned her deep eyes on Blaze. “I didn’t know about you until I came here. I hadn’t seen or heard from Ava since she left, but when I heard about the massive Traitor Purge, I just knew that Ava was a part of it. I rushed here from Beccrah, tracked down where Ava lived and heard that she had a daughter. You, Blaze,” Eve’s face brightened with longing. “There is no denying who your mother is; you’re the splitting image of her beauty and strength. But, you didn’t get her sapphire eyes,” Bitterness darkened her voice. “I guess your father had to pass something to you.”
A battle raged inside of Blaze. Her fugitive situation demanded that she get rid of the mad woman and forget this crossing ever happened; however, her orphaned heart cried out for the affection of true family.
She had an aunt! The woman seemed to be honest, even knew that her mother had blue eyes and a confidence Blaze had never seen in any other woman.
“Where is Nathan?” Blaze asked while crossing her arms. She desperately wanted Eve to be her aunt, but she also wasn’t going to forget her circumstances.
Eve sighed and tucked some stray hairs behind her ear, giving Blaze a soft, understanding smile. “I guess I wouldn’t expect you to believe me. Not after what you’ve been through. I moved here in hopes that I would find you, or you would return. As I said, I searched the woods all around your home and the streets here, but you were nowhere to be found.” Her eyes misted again at the memory.
Eve still didn’t address the missing captain. Her caution won over, and Blaze wanted the woman gone. “Look,” Blaze started, and then tried to decrease the edge in of her voice. Eve could simply be a confused old woman. “Whether or not you are my long-lost aunt, the bottom line is that I’ve live without my family for cycles now and figure it is best to keep it that way.”
“Yes,” Eve concurred reluctantly. “But what happens when you need help
? Family can always be there for you.”
“It doesn’t matter.” Blaze said with slight bitterness. “What does matter is where Nathan is and why you have avoided the question.” Blaze estimated the time it would take for her to grab her sword, in case Eve got threatening. The woman remained poised on the crate, showing no intention of attacking.
“I’ve not meant to avoid the question. I’m sorry. Seeing you is too much of a shock for me to focus on anything else. As for Nathan, I am afraid I do not know who you are talking about. Is he your husband?” Eve’s eyes twinkled with a motherly interest accompanied by a charmed smile.
“What! No, he’s...he’s the captain of this vessel and has been missing for...” A loud thump shook the Wisp as something was thrown onboard. The deck became alive with the stomping boots and taunting shouts of a gang of men. Eve shot up and Blaze jumped to her sword.
“This your little rowboat?” came a gravely voice. “Bet you’ve got it hid in the cabin.”
A choked cough answered, and Nathan wheezed, “I told you, you’ve the wrong vessel. I don’t sell fairy dust.”
“Stay in here,” Eve halted Blaze with a raised hand and a stern look, then turned to exit the cabin.
“Wait!” Blaze whispered, but the woman squared her shoulders and flung the carpet aside with a dignified air.
“What is the meaning of this?” Eve sternly demanded.
“Oh, look, ‘e brought ‘is mother with ‘im,” a raspy voice jeered.
Grabbing the sword, Blaze rushed to peer out the side of the carpet. Six large men crowded the Wisp deck with Nathan held down by the foot of the largest thug in the bunch. Eve stood in front of them with arms crossed and head held high, despite being as tall as the smallest man there. “Don’t make me ask again.”
The men sneered and laughed. The largest thug stepped further onto Nathan, and he moaned in pain. “Didn’t get your backbone from her, now did ya?” the man gibed. “Now, woman, Sniffles under here owes us some fairy dust, and if he can’t pay, I’ll make you.”
Traitors (The Traitor King Saga Book 1) Page 25
