by Jaleta Clegg
Chapter 9
When I woke the next morning, Tayvis lay next to me, his back keeping me warm. I slid out of the blanket, heading for the bushes. His horse snorted. I paused near the edge of the hollow, looking back.
One arm curled under his head. Why had he apologized? I couldn't figure out what he wanted. Why hadn't he left me behind? I turned abruptly, pushing into the bushes.
He woke when I returned, rolling onto one elbow to watch as I splashed cold water on my face. I dabbled in the stream, reluctant to talk to him, not until I figured out more answers.
Tayvis rose, shaking out the blanket before he sat by the fire, poking sticks into it. He leaned over to blow onto it. A thin tendril of smoke rose from the wood.
I stayed at the stream, stealing glances at him while he built up the fire. His profile reminded me of a vid star, too handsome to be real. He looked more human this morning, less polished with his hair mussed from sleep. He was dangerous, he'd threatened me with a knife, but he was my ticket off Dadilan. He made me feel safe, despite everything. I scooped icy water, splashing it across my face. The chill barely countered the strange heat in my cheeks.
I'd delayed long enough. I had to face him eventually. I crossed to the fire, my skirt swinging around my legs. Tayvis held a chunk of bread in my direction.
"It tastes better warm," he said.
I took the bread, holding it in my lap as I sat in the grass.
"My contacts in Gragensberg were compromised." Tayvis toyed with his bread. "If it wasn't for your friend kidnapping you, I wouldn't have learned anything."
"Acer isn't my friend. I don't work for Shomies." I'd given him the truth. Why wouldn't he believe me?
He ignored my protest. He stabbed a chunk of bread with a stick, then held it over the flames. "I'm not getting the information I need. I've got one more contact. If he's gone, then I have no choice but to go to the Patrol base."
I picked at my bread. He planned to leave me, sooner or later.
He ate the half-toasted chunk of bread. "Do you want more? Because if you're done, we need to be moving."
"You trust me now?" It was like picking at a scab. I couldn't stop myself even though I knew it would bleed.
"You agreed to a truce last night. I trust that."
"Until when, Tayvis?"
"Until you break it."
"How do you define breaking the truce? I don't know what I'm doing. I don't know who to trust, who not to trust. How can I trust you to be what you say you are?"
"Same way I have to trust you."
"You could just kill me."
"Except I'm not an assassin. Are you?"
That hit too close to home. I was very good at shooting things. I never wanted to shoot anything but a practice target, one reason I'd refused to join the Patrol when I graduated from the Academy.
"No." I left it hanging in the morning air.
"It might help if you told me something easier to believe."
"You want me to lie to you now?" I shook out the blanket, then folded it.
"You grew up on Tivor and somehow got admitted to the Patrol Academy on Eruus. That by itself is almost impossible to believe. No one leaves Tivor."
"I did."
"You aren't lying, are you?"
"I changed my name as soon as I figured out how. That's why it's Dace, just Dace and nothing more."
"So what was it before?"
"None of your business." I stuffed the blanket into his pack.
"Dace," he knelt down next to me, grabbing my wrist. "I already apologized for yesterday. I really could use your help."
"Aren't you afraid I'm going to kill you in your sleep? Or sell you out to whoever offers me the most money?"
"No. I'm not afraid of that. Not from you."
"You don't trust me. How can you say that?"
"Gut instinct." He let go of my hand.
"What if I am plotting with Shomies Pardui?"
"Then I wouldn't be here. I'd be dead in an alley in Gragensberg."
He stood, jerking the strings on his pack tight. He saddled the horse, tying the pack on behind.
I had never trusted anyone, not really. He asked a lot from me that I didn't know how to give. I wasn't sure I wanted to.
"Coming?" He looped the reins over the horse's neck.
"I hate horses." I eyed the horse's back. I shoved my foot into the loop, hauling myself onto the horse.
Tayvis swung up behind me. The horse whuffled, shifting its feet. Tayvis kicked it into a walk.
We didn't head to the road. He sent us cross country.
"Where are we going?" I asked. Not that it mattered.
"Welcome to Sherwood, at least I think we're far enough north. Barricion Muir is here somewhere."
"So we just wander around until we find him."
"Or until his men find us. He isn't going by his name. He's calling himself Robin Goodfellow."
"And he's in trouble for trying to reform the government. You told me the other day."
"Shomies Pardui and Leran Sovalis both hate him. That's enough reason for me to go looking for him."
"So how does Gerant Clyvus fit in?" Talking about anything other than trust was better than brooding.
"Never heard of him until you mentioned his name."
"So are you supposed to arrest Robin Goodfellow?"
"He is breaking the law."
The horse paused in a stream to drink. Tayvis swung down, following the horse's example. I stayed put. It was the only way I didn't feel terribly short next to him.
"Why doesn't the Patrol just pull all of them off Dadilan and arrest them?"
"It isn't that simple." Tayvis shook water from his hands.
"Obviously, but explain it to me anyway."
"The people on Dadilan don't know about space travel, or other worlds. The Empire, in all of its collective wisdom as embodied in the Xenoarchaeology Council, decided they won't find out from us. Everyone on the planet is supposedly undercover."
"Including everyone at the Patrol base."
Tayvis mounted, then kicked the horse. The horse splashed through the stream, lunging up the far bank.
"They're supposed to be mercenaries from the far east, here to establish a trading post."
It sounded contrived, even to me. I didn't say anything. I didn't want to pick another fight.
"What about you?" I asked after a long silence.
"What about me?"
"I've told you all about me. What about you?"
"I work undercover for the Patrol."
I waited for more, but he stayed silent.
"That's hardly fair."
"Quiet," he ordered.
The horse pointed its ears forward. Tayvis muttered swear words under his breath. He wasn't very creative about it.
"I think they found us," I said.
"The question is who." Tayvis eased the knife out of his boot.
The horse snorted, dancing sideways when Tayvis tried to pull it back.
"I don't see anyone."
"They're here."
I squinted at the bushes and trees around us. I saw no sign of anyone hiding. The horse whinnied loudly and shook its head.
They came out of the woods silently, their dull green outfits blending with the bushes. They trained arrows at us. I'd always thought the idea of wooden arrows a bit silly in my ancient weapons classes, but not now. I swallowed a knot of fear.
Tayvis slid his knife into his boot. "I want to talk to Robin." The arrows shifted his way.
"Robin doesn't want to talk to you," one of the men answered.
"Take me to him and let him decide."
They didn't move. The sun beat down. I swatted at a flying insect. The men trained the arrows at me. I very carefully lowered my hand.
"Get off the horse," the lead man ordered.
Tayvis hesitated before sliding off.
I didn't want to hike barefoot through the woods. I stayed where I was.
"Not her," the lead man
decided. "You, up here with me." He jerked his head at Tayvis.
Tayvis followed him into the woods. The other men melted into the trees.
I didn't want to be left alone. I leaned forward, reaching for the reins. Maybe I could ride to the Patrol base, except I had no idea which direction to go. "Stupid idea, Dace."
The horse jerked its head, pulling the reins out of my reach before stepping on them.
"Stupid horse." I drummed my heels on its sides. It ignored me.
A man in green appeared out of the trees, his hat perched cockily on blond hair. "Makes me wonder who is really in charge, the horse or the rider." He gathered the reins. "This way, my lady." The man bowed mockingly before leading us into the trees.
"Where are you taking me?" I might have half a chance if I surprised him.
"Robin's camp. Don't worry. You aren't going to be mistreated in any way. Robin won't stand for that. He holds women of all sorts in the highest regard." The man grinned over his shoulder. "But your owner doesn't know that. If you want asylum, Robin will find you a place."
"Not anywhere close to where I want to be."
"Pardon?"
"Nothing."
The man's grin faded as he studied me. "Something tells me this isn't as simple as it appears."
"Nothing ever is."
"A philosopher!" He smiled with delight. "Not what you expect from a mercenary's woman."
"And what are you? Besides green."
"Will Scarlet, at your service." He flourished his hand.
The horse nipped at him.
"Critic." He tugged the reins.
I laughed, a release of tension more than humor. Maybe Robin and his men weren't going to kill me. But, maybe they would when they found out who I was with. My smile faded.
"The lady has a most enchanting smile," Will said to the horse. "What will it take to bring it back, do you think?" He winked.
I looked away, at the deceptively peaceful forest.
"You won't be harmed. And neither will your companion. How did you come to meet him?"
"I ran into him in the woods."
Will studied me, head cocked to the side. "I would be most interested in your story, lady."
"I'm not a lady."
"If you say so."
He picked up the pace, pulling the horse into a trot. I gritted my teeth to keep them from snapping together.