“Finally, what about Nathan? He’s the only Traitor around here. But, did you protect him? Did you save his boat? No. You left him to be yet another victim of my desolated fate. So, why don’t you do what you do best and be absent. Leave me the kaff alone.” She turned with her back to him and cried.
Theoverus got up and sighed. “Blaze, I’m not the True King. I have come to bring peace to the True King’s lost kingdom. All you need to do is let go of your pain and have faith in me.”
“That will never happen,” she growled.
“Then I tell you this. You will be tested three times, once on the road, once in the woods, and once in the city. After the last time, you will realize how how far the True King will go for his subjects. And after that third time, you will find your faith and make your choice.”
She turned to shout at him, to make him and his predictions leave, but he was nowhere in the room. With a humph, she turned over, cursing him, cursing her life, and cursing her weak body for pulsing with constant pain. For the second time that day, she cried herself to sleep.
********
“Blaze, I’m sorry, but could you please wake up?” Nathan was shaking her. Blaze groaned as she opened her puffy eyes. She was so cold but didn’t have the energy to shiver. Even the act of breathing took an annoying amount of effort. The blurry image of Nathan’s face waved above her as his voice moved closer and further away. It all made her feel sick, and she closed her eyes, retreating back to the comfort of sleep.
“No, Blaze, stay with me. Here, try this.” Something cool dropped into her mouth. It slowly moved down her tongue toward the back of her throat and gave her intense pleasure. She sucked in deeply and worked the disappearing treat around her cottony mouth. But it was gone, and her mouth throbbed with dryness. “Here’s a little more,” Nathan warned and two more drops fell into her open mouth. As her mouth slowly moistened from the water, Blaze could focus on nothing else but that she wanted more of the reviving liquid.
After they worked up to an entire swallow of water, Blaze opened her eyes. Nathan had at some time propped her up and sat on the bed with a cloth strip and bowl of water. “More,” she croaked and looked intently at the bowl.
“Okay, but not too much.” He held the bowl to her lips. Blaze nearly choked as she tried to inhale as much water as possible. Nathan pulled the bowl away as she sputtered and struggled to keep the liquid down. Her core ached with the coughing and cringed at the substance introduced to its empty environment. Nathan waited quietly as she tried to catch her breath. “Now, I’m not a healer, but even I know that you’re not supposed ta breath water,” he tried to joke.
“I tho...I thought you’d be gone by now,” she rasped.
Nathan’s shoulders hunched as he bit his lip. Then he shook his head. “I shouldn’t have yelled at you yesterday. Here, take another sip.” He held the bowl up again, and this time, she was more controlled in her drinking. “I was angry...still am if I’m ta be honest. But, you aren’t ta blame. My own weakness got us inta that mess.”
“No,” Blaze started, her voice coming back slowly. “You were right, in everything you said, and I needed to hear it. The loss of the Wisp is something that I’ll never be able to repay you, but I hope someday you will let me try. I just...”
Nathan held his hand up. “Let me explain my side of the story, but first, you haven’t eaten in days. Do you think you could handle some broth.” Blaze nodded, her stomach was starting to awaken from the water.
“Days!” she suddenly exclaimed as he traded the water bowl for another on the table and held it up to her lips. Her deprived tongue tasted every delicious flavor of the warm broth: turkey, onion, oregano, mushroom. It was the most delectable meal she could remember ever having. Nathan only allowed her one small sip at a time, and he continued his story.
“Aye, I’m sorry I was so cryptic yesterday. Great mercy, if I’d woken up restrained as you, I’d be just as short. I must confess that I was selfish and sought revenge from your discomfort, for which I’m truly sorry.
“Yesterday was our fourth day here. After we got you, we found this farm, just where you said it would be. You were like death: pale, cold, barely breathing. Theo immediately started washing your wounds, saying you’d been poisoned with something. That’s when I noticed the knife in your belt. The blade was covered with fireleaf oil.
“All we could do was bandage you up and be there for you in your last moments. Blaze, I...I felt like such a failure. But Theo, ha, he somehow knew that you’d survive. The sun rose, and you’re still breathing. The sun set, and you’re still with us. You didn’t get better, but you weren’t dead.
“That night, the fever and convulsions came. That’s why you were tied, ta prevent you falling out of the bed or hurting yourself. I...it...those next days were some I hope never ta relive. You’d seem ta get better, but then the convulsions and fever would hit again. I felt so useless. Theo took care of you the whole time, changing your dressings, giving you drops of water if you could take it. I’m sorry, but I realized in your sickest moments that I’m no healer.
“By the third day, I had ta go hunting or something. Theo said that you were resting well, so I took a walk, started ta track some turkeys. I followed them ta the top of this high ridge, and that’s when I saw the smoke coming from the middle of the river market. And I knew, they had burned the Wisp. I returned that night, and Theo said you’re fever’d broken and the convulsions seemed ta have gone away. You were also breathing stronger. So, Theo finally went ta sleep, saying that you wouldn’t want him ta be the first person you saw.
“I can’t even begin ta describe what the loss of the Wisp’s done ta me. I stewed that night and needed someone ta blame, me being blinded ta my own involvement in the Wisp’s demise. And there you were, the one that took me off of my ship. You talk of repaying me for the loss of the Wisp, but it wasn’t your fault. After I wrongfully accused you, Theo set me straight, and I now see my own guilt.”
Blaze shook her head. “No, it will always be my fault. If I was never on your ship, you’d be on your way to Beccrah in peace.”
He smiled. “I’ll show you how you’re wrong. Now, ta make sense of my present story, I need ta start two cycles ago, when my parents died. Twas spring, and Da decided that twas time for me ta make a trip on my own. Harris had gathered some herbs up near the Falls that he was selling to a healer in Lebril, so Da thought twas a great opportunity for me ta test my skills. I was as nervous as a beached fish, but I was also proud that Da thought me ready. So, we loaded up, he gave me a last bit of advise, and I was for the first time ‘Captain’.
“The voyage went smoothly. I took a day getting there, stayed a day, and took a day coming back. When I returned, no one was on the docks. I thought Da was still testing me, making sure I could do the entire trip on my own. But, as I walked inta town, I realized something was wrong; Krute was too empty, too quiet. When I walked inta the town square, I saw my da, a Traitor hung for his belief by Makavel’s hand. My ma was nowhere to be found.” Nathan’s voice faltered, and he was quiet for a moment. Blaze’s heart ached for the captain as she suffered his orphan pain with him. Slowly, she moved her hand until it rested upon his knee.
He looked up at her and smiled, offering her some more soup. The more she drank, the more ravenous Blaze seemed to become, but she took it slow and listened quietly to his tale. “Ta say that I lost myself would be a merciful description. I was angry at everyone: the people of Krute, the Urlificans, my parents, myself, and the True King. In one summer, I drank, fairy dusted, and gambled away all that my parents had hidden away for me, all except the Wisp. When Makavel tested me upon his return at midsummer, I could easily say that I wasn’t a Traitor. Harris stepped in at the end of the summer. He locked me up on the Wisp, sobered me up, and gave me a verbal beating Da would’ve been proud of.”
Blaze softly chucked, “With a tongue like Harris’s, you’d never need a sword.”
Nathan laughed a little as well. �
��Tis true. Half of the Urlificans of Krute respect him, and the other half are terrified of him. Harris introduced me ta Theo, and Theo got me back ta where I needed ta be.
“The reason I told you this is because while my parents’ deaths don’t define me, I still carry guilt at not being there with them and anger at them being killed. When I was out on the deck, thinking about whether or not ta let you go inta town with me, I saw a woman who looked just like my ma! I couldn’t believe it. Then, She disappeared inta the crowd.
“I went over ta find her, but the moment I reached her, I was ambushed by the men. They drugged me and proceeded ta beat me up. It was a trap ta help you trust the Domotrec.”
Blaze had finished the bowl of soup by this point, and Nathan was up pacing the room. “You know what seemed to happen when they threw me back onta the Wisp, but not only was she doing battle with the men, she was gaining control over me. The drugs awakened my old hatreds, and she somehow got inside of my head and used those hatreds ta bind me ta her will. I fought, oh did I fight. But, I’m not a strong enough Traitor ta fight her Domotrec powers. I started ta believe the lies she was telling me about my character and about Theoverus. All I remember was calling out ta you ta put that cursed sword down, and then we were in a barn.”
He stared angrily out of the window and seethed, “Anytime she was near me, she had control over me. Even as we escaped, she called me ta her, demanding that I give you up. If Theo hadn’t of been there, I would’ve complied.”
He looked back to her, his brown eyes fierce with conviction. “It wasn’t you who lost me the Wisp, twas my weakness, for that’s how she enslaved me. Theo warned me, when he helped me load you back onta the Wisp and set us on our way ta Lebril. He told me that I shouldn’t leave the Wisp at night, and if I did, you’d be tested in a way that you weren’t ready. If that happened, I was ta relay his message ta you. And so, all of this is my fault.”
Nathan tensed, and Blaze sensed that he was fighting not to lose control. She imagined what emotions he was battling, and she pained with him. If only he knew who she really was, then he would know why he could do nothing to prevent the tragedy of her fate.
Whether it was the soup making her feel better, her deep-seated sympathy for the captain, or the fact that her weakened state was muddling her mind, Blaze decided to let Nathan in on the biggest secret of her life. Taking a deep breath, she began. “Nathan, now I will tell you why, no matter what you would have done, my fate dooms me and all who are close to me.
“Nine cycles ago, my parents were killed by that very Domotrec during the Eclamai Purge. A family friend of ours also died while trying to save my life that night. I was left to die on the side of the road when my mentor found me and took me back to Srift, where the town healer took me in. They both died in Srift by those cursed Urlificans, and I killed all but one of that troop. My life is cursed, and it’s because...because,” she gulped; the words burned her chest. She took a breath and flared her courage. “Because my mother was a Domotrec. I am the daughter of a Domotrec.”
She wanted to shout, to curse, to cry, but she remained still, watching Nathan’s reaction. He stared at her with a neutral expression and processed her revelation. Perhaps she needed to be more obvious in releasing him of his Traitor obligation to care for the weak. “So, I understand, and even recommend, you leave tonight for your own safety.”
Nathan shook with surprise and then knitted his brows in disappointment. “Blaze, have you not yet learned that I’m going ta stay with you, no matter what? Because here’s what I know: you, in fact, are not cursed, and you are my friend. Now, sit tight while I go get a change of clothes for you, and if you feel up ta it, we can walk around a little.”
He left with a purpose, and Blaze’s eyes watered at his loyalty. She felt stronger and better able to overcome the injuries from her most recent trial. Her heart elevated with energy. She should be making plans to get away from him, to protect him from her fate; however, the idea of having a friend gave her too much hope and revealed how heavy the yolk of fighting alone was. He had thrown his lot in with hers and offered to share her burden. In order to do this, he forfeited his freedom in this kingdom. So, she resolved to fight for his freedom with all of her might and skill. She smiled when Nathan, her friend, walked back into the room. He smiled back as he brought folded clothes to her.
“These were in your saddlebag but smelled atrocious. Didn’t think I’d have ta play servant ta you. Don’t you know ta wash your clothes?” and he winked at her.
“I’ve had a few other things to be concerned about,” she retorted. With a heave and wincing gasp, she tried to swing out of the bed. As she sat on the edge, the room started to spin.
“Now, take it easy,” he said while laying the green skirt, tunic, and undergarments on the side table. Then, he paused and turned a rosy shade. “So, how do you want ta do this?”
Blaze laughed at his embarrassment but regretted the use of her core. Her shoulder and hand started to throb with growing pain. “Oh, not the healer, are you,” she said. “You can turn your back if you want. Surely, I’m strong enough to dress myself.”
He seemed relieved as he turned to the door with his back to her. “Well, just let me know what I can do.”
She was absolutely not looking forward to changing clothes. If laughing caused her that much discomfort, how was she going to pull the shirt on? Not to mention how she couldn’t move her left hand or right shoulder.
It was the longest agony she had ever endured, even compared to when her foot was injured, but she somehow ended up sitting on the bed in fresh clothes and the rags of her costume piled at her feet. Remembering her foot, Blaze wondered if the Thundrum salve would help her shoulder and hand. “Okay, I’m finished,” she told the captain, whose neck had been the same color as his hair the entire time.
Nathan turned around with a shy grin. “I’m impressed.”
Blaze smiled back, “Now, surely changing clothes isn’t that much of an accomplishment.”
“No, I’m impressed at what a good job I did cleaning those clothes.”
“Psh, Driftwood.”
“Karnsbane.”
She stared him down, trying to hide her smile from his satisfaction. “I believe that we were going to get some fresh air?” she asked, while trying to stand up. Her spirits may have risen, but her body still felt like the dead come to life, and she nearly fell to the ground.
Nathan caught her and said, “We’ll go where ever you feel you can, just promise me that you won’t go too far.”
“I just want to see Lily,” she requested. Nathan lead them out of the bedroom into the half-decayed living room. Blaze’s spirits dwindled for a moment as she remembered where she was, Tray’s home.
They made their way out the entrance, and Nathan guided her to the right. “Lily’s in the corral just over here.”
The sunlight embraced her with warmth, and the trees seemed a shade closer to their rich summer greens. A faint scent of strawberries made her mouth water as they eased past what used to be a manicured garden. Tray’s twins had been born at this time of the cycle, and it was Blaze’s job to help her mother tend the garden while Beth recovered. Her happiness quickly faded in the shadow of her memories. Her childhood ended a mere five cycles after that spring.
Her shoulder and hand began to throb, and that pain coursed through her whole tired body. They were nearly to the back corner of the cottage, but her breathing started to become labored. “Okay, we’ll turn the corner, you’ll be able ta see Lily, and we’re turning right around ta get you back in bed resting,” Nathan calmly, but sternly, ordered.
“Well, you’ve got the bossy part of a healer down alright. But, I’m enjoying the light. Maybe we could just find a place for me to sit for at bit,” she negotiated. They turned the corner.
“Well, well,” Burdock jibed and raised his crossbow to shoot. A crazed, uneven smile amplified his satisfaction. “I thought you were dead.”
Preview: Trials
The Traitor King Saga: Book Two
Nathan freed himself from the arrow pinning him to the wall and tackled Burdock. The screaming, tattered Urlifican tried to resist, but something was wrong with him. Exhaling a grunt of effort, Nathan held him to the ground with arms behind his back. The Urlifican stopped yelling and went still.
Blaze tried to get up, but black dots threatened to dissolved her vision. She remained crouched, figuring she could react best from that position.
Burdock began to laugh. Goosebumps riveted Blaze’s skin with matching chills. No human should be able to make such a deep, gutturally noise.
Nathan sat back from the Urlifican, and Burdock yanked his hands free of the captain while simultaneously arching his back to an inhuman degree, hitting Nathan’s face with the back of his head. Nathan fell to the side, dazed.
Terror froze Blaze to the spot as Burdock stood, trapping her with a black gaze of completely dilated pupils. His dry lips cracked and bleed from a malicious smile that consumed the lower half of his face. He chuckled through gritted teeth. With a blink, he released Blaze from his gaze as he examined his surroundings and sniffed the air.
Blaze looked to her left and saw the crossbow resting on a patch of grass, one arrow still stored on it. She didn’t know if the rest of her strength was enough, but she prepared to throw herself forward, imagining every step it would take to load, aim, and fire the weapon. She took a deep breath, and just as she was about to spring forward, he spoke.
“That will not work, my powerful warrior.” His voice wasn’t Burdock’s. It was smooth like the silk chocolate from Brez but also held an inhuman element.
Blaze recoiled with fear and disgust as his black gaze fell back on her. She felt like he could capture her soul through those eyes. Then, she stared back with equal intensity, feeling the purest hate for this monster.
“I am not yours,” she growled and stood with determination, trying to hide the dizziness that threatened to send her falling. Nathan mirrored her movements, watching for her signal.
Traitors (The Traitor King Saga Book 1) Page 29
