Quest for the Moon Orb: Orbs of Rathira

by Laura Jo Phillips

  “He thinks it would be a waste of energy to travel today,” Karma said, turning back to Zakiel.

  Zakiel made a choking sound, cleared his throat, then grabbed his cup and gulped his juice.

  “Are you all right?” Karma asked.

  Zakiel nodded as he set his empty cup down. “Yes, I’m fine, Lady Techu,” he said, sounding a bit strangled. Karma studied him carefully while she refilled his cup from the pitcher. His voice sounded a little strange, but he seemed all right otherwise.

  “Brother,” Kapia said, “did you know that Cousin Tomas has joined us?”

  Zakiel’s jaw clenched and his eyes darkened. “Yes, Sister, I know,” he said tightly. “Father informed me early this morning that he and five of his archers would be joining us.”

  “Five?” Kapia asked in surprise.

  “I declined his offer,” Zakiel said. “The Path of the Duat Wells provides water for seventy-five men, or women, and ninety diplos. We had room for only two more, and I had to cut two pack diplos for them. I refused to cut more.”

  “So you’ve spoken to him?” Kapia asked.

  “No, I have not,” Zakiel replied. “Nor have I seen him as yet. I discussed the matter with Father.”

  Karma listened to this exchange with curiosity. “You two don’t much like him, do you?”

  “He is our Cousin,” Zakiel replied, not meeting her gaze. “More than that, he is a Close Cousin. Our only Close Cousin.”

  “What’s that mean?” Karma asked.

  “We have many cousins,” Kapia answered. “Hundreds. Anyone who has a trace of royal Feenis blood is counted as a cousin, and such things are carefully documented. A Close Cousin is a true cousin. Only the children of one’s parent’s siblings are counted as Close Cousins.”

  “So Tomas is the son of your Aunt or Uncle?” Karma asked.

  “Yes,” Kapia replied. “He is the son of our mother’s sister. Aunt Ahnset died when he was a child. As there were no other close relatives, he came to live in the palace with us.”

  “That doesn’t explain why you don’t like him,” Karma pointed out.

  “We did not say that we don’t like him,” Zakiel said, his voice reverting to the coolness she had come to expect from him. “He is Blood, close family, and is honored as such.” Zakiel put his plate down and rose to his feet. “I thank you, Lady Techu, for sharing your meal with me.”

  “You’re welcome,” Karma said. Before the words were fully out of her mouth Zakiel turned around and walked away. She watched him until he reached the other side of the boat, leaned against the railing and stood watching the river again.

  “I really didn’t mean to insult him,” Karma said, turning to Kapia. “Or you, either. I’m sorry if I said something I shouldn’t have.”

  “Your apology is accepted,” Kapia said, with a deep nod. “Do not worry about it,” she added when she saw Karma’s frown. “Tomas is family. For us, that is a fact that we cannot change.”

  Karma nodded, not sure she understood, but accepting the explanation. “Hey, did you want some more food?”

  Kapia smiled. “No, but thank you very much.”

  Karma turned to Lashi who was cleaning up the remains of their lunch. “Lashi is very good at what she does,” she said.

  Lashi did not respond of course, as she was not supposed to be listening, but Karma saw the woman’s tiny smile and was pleased that she understood the compliment.

  “Now I feel the need to move around,” Karma said. “I wish there was enough room for us to spar here.”

  “As do I,” Kapia said. “We can spar when we reach land though, right?”

  “Absolutely,” Karma agreed. As much as she wanted to get up and walk around, there were so many warriors on the deck that she decided to stay put. If Zakiel was correct, they’d be off the boat very soon anyway.

  “Kapia,” she said in a low voice, getting the girl’s immediate attention.

  “Yes?” Kapia asked, leaning toward her and keeping her own voice low.

  “There is a man standing at the rear of the boat who’s been watching you ever since I woke up,” she said. Kapia’s eyes widened and her face turned pink.

  “What does he look like?” she asked.

  Karma heard the barely concealed hope in Kapia’s voice and hid her smile.

  “Not so tall as your brother, but with broader shoulders. He has red hair and is wearing a green kilt and silver bracers.”

  “That is Sir Bredon,” Kapia said, with a shy smile. “He is a cousin, but thankfully a distant one. Are you sure that he is looking at me?”

  “Positive,” Karma replied. Kapia flushed a deeper shade of pink, but she clearly had no objection to being stared at by the man.

  “Have you been doing those exercises I gave you?” she asked Kapia.

  “Yes, I have,” Kapia replied, her eyes lighting up. “Do you want to see?”

  “Not right now,” Karma said. “Instead, I want to show you one that you can do while we sit here.”

  “Wonderful!” Kapia exclaimed with a grin. “What is it?”

  Karma returned her smile. Kapia’s excitement and enthusiasm were contagious. As she proceeded to demonstrate the new exercise designed to strengthen calf muscles, she felt hopeful that she would eventually be able to get Kapia to relax enough while sparring to forget whatever she’d been taught. If she failed, Kapia’s self confidence might never recover.

  Chapter 10

  “What in the nine hells are those things?” Karma gasped as she looked down into the valley beyond their camp. She and Kapia had thought to find a quiet place out of the way for sparring before nightfall. Instead, she’d found a herd of...well...whatever they were.

  “Those are diplos,” Kapia replied, frowning at Karma’s reaction. “Haven’t you ever seen a diplo before?”

  “No, I can honestly say that I have never seen one of those before,” Karma replied, shaking her head.

  “But you said you knew how to ride.” Kapia reminded her.

  “Yes, I did,” Karma replied. “And I do know how to ride. Horses. I said I could ride a horse. I told your brother what a horse was, and he said we’d be riding much the same thing. These are NOT the same as horses.”

  “What’s a horse?” Kapia asked.

  “A horse is a four legged animal, with fur and hooves, that does not eat meat, that one rides on the back of. They are not reptilian, they do not have claws, they do not have fangs, and they do not look like dinosaurs.”

  “Diplos do not eat meat or have fur, but they are used for transportation,” Kapia said. “I don’t know what a dionsor is, but they sound much the same as your horse in function, if not form.”

  “They don’t eat meat?” Karma asked skeptically as she studied the animals milling about. As she watched, she realized that many of them were grazing on the tall, ashy-green grass that grew in the sandy soil close to the river.

  “No, and they are very gentle,” Kapia said. “They are fast, short distance runners. But can walk all day long without tiring, and they walk quite fast. They can also travel through the desert for days with little food or water.”

  “Why did Zakiel choose to use diplos?” Tomas said, joining them on the rise. “I thought that time was an important factor.”

  “It is,” Karma said. “Is there an alternative that we should be using?”

  “I would have thought strikels to be a wiser choice,” he said.

  “Strikels?” Kapia asked doubtfully.

  “They are very fast,” Tomas said. “Unlike diplos, they can run all day long.”

  “Yes, that’s true,” Kapia agreed in a soft voice.

  “A smaller party on strikels would travel much faster, and with more economy,” Tomas continued. “Of course, I’m sure Zakiel has his reasons for doing things this way. I was not present for the planning of this endeavor, and I should not criticize him without further information.”

  “Excuse me, Karma,” Kapia said, “I just remembered I need to do s
omething. She bowed her head briefly, then turned and hurried back down the hill toward camp.

  “Poor child,” Tomas said softly as they watched her walk away.

  “Why do you say that?” Karma asked.

  “She’s so frightened of Zakiel,” Tomas said. “Always has been, and for good reason. Even when he’s not around, she’ll always defend him and never say a bad word about him.”

  “You’re saying she defends him because she’s afraid of him?” Karma asked.

  “Yes,” Tomas said. “I know, it doesn’t make sense, but fear isn’t always a logical reaction.”

  “Interesting theory,” Karma said slowly. “I admit I had my doubts at first, but I don’t think she’s afraid of him.”

  “Really?” Tomas said in obvious surprise. He opened his mouth as if to say something further, then seemed to change his mind. He turned around and looked down at the diplos.

  “Why don’t you come on down with me, I’ll give you an introduction to the diplo,” he offered. “You will see that they are nothing to be afraid of.”

  Karma turned around and studied the animals below for a long moment, trying to make up her mind. They really did remind her of dinosaurs with rough, reptilian skin and long thick tails that tapered to a point at the end. But they also looked a bit like horses, with elongated heads and long, arching necks. They were larger than horses, and wider, with long legs that ended in clawed, webbed feet rather than hooves. The feature that disturbed her the most was a set of very long, curved fangs that extended below the animal’s mouths. In spite of the giant teeth, they were grazing in the fading afternoon light, and Kapia had said that they were not carnivorous.

  “All right,” Karma agreed. “Let’s go get a closer look at these things.”

  ***

  Half an hour later Karma entered the tent that had been designated for her use and paused just inside. She couldn’t believe what she was looking at. The ceiling was at least seven feet high, and the front opened into a wide, narrow area that Lashi had set up as the kitchen. There were two openings, each covered with a flap of heavy silk, leading into separate chambers. One contained a bed, a copper tub, and two baskets of clothes, and the other was set up as a sitting room with cushions on the floor.

  Could all of this really be just for her? Someone made a mistake, surely. She turned around and stepped back outside just in time to see Kapia step out of an equally large tent next to her own.

  “Kapia,” she called, walking over to her. “Do you know where I’m supposed to sleep tonight?”

  “That tent right there is yours,” Kapia said, gesturing to the one she’d just left.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Is there something wrong with it?” Kapia asked. “If there is, I’m sure Zakiel will do all that he can to correct it for you.”

  “No, no, there’s no problem,” Karma replied. “I just thought it was kind of big and fancy for me.”

  Kapia smiled, but it didn’t quite reach her eyes.

  “Are you all right?” Karma asked.

  “Yes, I’m fine, just tired I think,” Kapia replied without looking up. “I did not get much sleep last night, and it’s been a long day.”

  Karma studied the girl for a long moment, then decided to let it go. Almost. “Kapia, if there is ever anything you want to tell me, or talk to me about, I promise you, I will never repeat anything you ask me not to.”

  Kapia offered her a genuine smile. “Thank you, Karma. That means much to me.”

  “Greetings, Sister, Lady Techu,” Zakiel said, joining them. “I hope that you both find everything that you need in your tents.”

  “Yes, thank you,” Karma replied. “Much more luxurious than I expected.”

  “I’m afraid there is one luxury we will all have to do without,” Zakiel said. “If you wish to bathe, this will be your last opportunity to do so for many days. Water will be too precious for bathing once we enter the Duat.”

  “Thank you for the reminder, Brother” Kapia said.

  “I ask that you both remain in your tents after dark,” Zakiel said. “If you need anything, send your attendant to me.”

  “Is there any particular reason for staying inside?” Karma asked. She saw Zakiel’s jaw clench at the question and bit back a sigh.

  “I am not arguing with you,” she said, “but if there is a danger, I would prefer to be aware of it.”

  “We are no longer in the city, Lady Techu. We are now in the wild, and there are many dangers to be wary of.”

  His answer raised more questions for Karma, but she noticed that Kapia seemed tense, and guessed she wanted to speak to her brother alone. For her sake, she decided to let the matter go for the night.

  “I suppose I’ll turn in now,” she said. “Goodnight Kapia, Prince Zakiel.”

  “Goodnight, Karma,” Kapia said with a grateful smile. Zakiel nodded and Karma turned and went into her tent. As soon as the flap closed behind her, Kapia turned to Zakiel.

  “Might I speak with you, Brother?”

  “Of course, Sister,” Zakiel replied. “I noticed that you were unable to spar as you wished.”

  “Yes, it was disappointing,” Kapia replied. “Tomas unexpectedly joined us. He wondered why you decided to use diplos rather than strikels, though he was kind enough to grant that, as he was not a part of the planning due to his absence, he supposed there must have been a reason.”

  Zakiel nodded, not trusting himself to respond in an appropriately polite manner in front of his sister. “It appears that we have brought trouble along with us on this journey.”

  “Yes, it does,” Kapia said. “It’s obvious to me why we cannot use strikels, as it would be to anyone of Rathira. But Lady Techu is not of Rathira.”

  “What do you have in mind, Sister?”

  “I want to make it clear to her that Tomas is not to be trusted,” Kapia said, meeting her Brother’s gaze straight on, though her hands were trembling.

  Zakiel’s jaw clenched as he considered Kapia’s request. After a few moments, he shook his head and sighed. “You cannot speak against Blood, Kapia. However, I think that if you tell Lady Techu the difference between strikels and diplos, she will figure out the rest on her own.”

  “Yes, Brother, I am sure you are correct,” Kapia replied, wondering why she hadn’t thought of that. She hesitated for a moment, biting her lip with indecision.

  “There is something else you want to discuss?” he prodded gently.

  “Yes,” Kapia replied. “It’s about Marene.”

  “Go on,” Zakiel urged.

  “She told me that she intended to accompany us as my companion,” Kapia said. “She was quite...emphatic about it. I saw her retinue leaving the palace this morning, very early, yet I see no sign of her. Is she to join us later?”

  “She did approach Father about accompanying you as your companion,” Zakiel said, seeing no reason for Kapia to know the full story. “In the interest of keeping our party to a bare minimum, Father agreed that between me and Lady Techu, you would be adequately cared for.”

  “Marene accepted that?” Kapia asked doubtfully.

  “Not really, no,” he replied. “She left Ka-Teru for her estate in Tahar this morning, which is what you saw. Not before expressing dire warnings as to your future, however.”

  “Yes, she does like her threats, doesn’t she?” Kapia said softly, earning an intense look from her brother that she didn’t notice. “She has used me as an excuse to get to you for so long, I did not dare dream that she would fail this time. Thank you, Zakiel.”

  Zakiel nodded slowly. He knew that Marene had used Kapia, but he had always assumed Kapia to be a willing participant. He suddenly realized how wrong he’d been. What else had he been wrong about, he wondered.

  “Get some sleep tonight, Sister,” he said gently. “Tomorrow will be a long day.”

  “Goodnight, Brother,” Kapia said, pressing her palms together and bowing. As she watched her brother walk away, she sighed with reli
ef. She’d been afraid that Marene would, as always, get her way. The prospect of several weeks without Marene was new and very pleasant.

  Chapter 11

  Karma stood with her arms crossed defensively in front of her as she studied the diplo she was meant to ride. She’d gotten a closer look at the things the evening before with Tomas, and was relieved to discover that the fangs were actually tusks, used to uproot vegetation rather than tear into prey. But she hadn’t gotten close enough to touch the animals, and was uncertain what to expect.

  The animal turned it’s long, horse-like head toward her on its arched neck and stared at her with large yellow eyes. Its slitted nostrils widened as it scented the air, then it stretched its neck closer to her and blinked slowly.

  “What’s this?” she asked. “An offering of peace?”

  The diplo made a deep rumbling sound that sounded suspiciously like a purr. Unable to resist what appeared to be a friendly overture, she smiled and stepped forward. The diplo lowered its head and nudged her arm, startling her at first. It waited patiently until she took the hint and patted it on the head. It rumbled again and tilted its head sideways so that she could scratch behind its tiny, nubby ears.

  Karma laughed. “All right, I get it,” she said. “You’re cute and cuddly on the inside and I shouldn’t judge by looks.”

  “May I help you mount?” Zakiel said, coming up behind her.

  “Sure,” Karma said, turning toward him with a bright smile. Her eyes widened and her smile faded as she stared open mouthed at him. Instead of the usual red kilt, which, to her mind, bared way too much skin for her comfort, Zakiel was wearing black leather pants that laced up the front and hugged his body from hips to ankles. He wore high, soft leather boots instead of sandals, and the usual leather vest with the symbols and signs worked into it which bared a wide swath of his broad, smooth, deeply tanned chest and muscled stomach. Her eyes were drawn to a narrow trail of dark hair that led from his navel downward until it dipped below the leather laces. She blinked and jerked her eyes away from the sight, hoping he hadn’t noticed.