Retrieve

by Sarah Addison-Fox

  Kade looked over his shoulder. “We may as well stop for a few hours.”

  He yawned loudly, and at the slight tug of the reins, the horse turned slightly heading for a solitary tree. The closer they got, she realised how she’d missed just how big they really were. “You ever slept in a tree?”

  Hadley stiffened. Too many times to count. “Yes.”

  Kade snorted. “Should have guessed.”

  Hadley frowned at his back. “Why do we need to sleep in a tree? In case of Numachi?”

  He pulled on the reins a few feet from the tree and waited for her to dismount before he slid off, yawning as he scanned the area. “There’s a settlement to the north, they see smoke they might come investigate. The trees are usually safer and warmer.”

  He pulled the horse towards the tree, his footsteps dragging, and his shoulders slumped. Hadley followed behind him, freezing when an eerie howl came from the distance. Her eyes widened as she looked around, trying to see what terrifying creature made the noise.

  Kade swore under his breath. “That’s a Banshee wolf, we don’t want to be out in the open with no fire.”

  Hadley’s heart sped at his words. “Are they big?”

  Kade shook his head. “About as big as a dog, but they travel in packs.”

  As her gaze slid to the horse, Kade gave her a wry look. “The horse will be fine. He’s got hooves, and if they do come near, I’ll throw a few daggers eh?”

  Standing at the foot of the enormous tree, she ran her hand over the chunky bark, trying to get a feel for how to climb. There were few knots she could see, she’d probably do better shoeless, but when another howl came, and Kade motioned for her to move, she backed up and used her momentum to take a leap, her fingers catching on to bark so thick she could jam her entire hand inside. As she climbed higher, Kade raised an eyebrow, his lips quirked alongside her, a challenge in his eyes as he pulled himself up.

  Hadley made sure she kept pace with him, moving quickly to the first branch, shooting him a look of triumph as she surpassed him to the next. They climbed, till her arms were shaking with fatigue, and her breath was fast. She paused for a moment and allowed him to overtake her.

  On the next branch, larger than the rest, Kade waited, crouched, his teeth white in the moonlight. “Big enough for us both.”

  Hadley pulled herself to sitting, feeling the ache of her already tired muscles as she gathered her breath. Alongside the smaller branch she was perched on, Kade sat on a branch so thick, he could probably lie the width of it.

  Another shiver crept down her back, and Kade’s eyes locked with hers as she positioned herself, so she was sitting alongside him.

  “We sleep like we rode alright? Before you say anything, you were the one who lost the coat, and I’d do the same if I thought you were a boy.”

  Hadley pressed her lips together, fighting a shiver as she edged her body in closer and lay down, so her back was against his belly. His breath tickled her ear as he murmured. “I’ll try to find blankets tomorrow so we don’t have to do this again.”

  The Banshee wolves continued their baying for hours, keeping her from relaxing, but when the only sound she could hear was the occasional snort of the horse far below, and the sound of Kade’s rhythmic breathing as his chest rose and fell against her back; she allowed herself to relax. Her arm cushioning some of the knotty wood beneath her, she closed her eyes, and slipped into an exhausted oblivion.

  Kade’s eyes opened slowly as he scrambled to remember where he was, and why he was feeling strangely warm. The scent of boot polish and the body pressed into his, enough of a reminder to jolt him awake.

  His eyes widened as he peered down to find that sometime in the night Hadley had wound up lying on his left arm. She’d been there for some time, judging by the lack of feeling in his fingers. Worse still, his right was curled around her resting on her belly.

  He winced as he peeled his hand off her as gently as possible. Despite his caution, she stirred before yawning heavily. Before he could speak, she shot upright and gave him a wide-eyed stare.

  He flexed his numb fingers and tried to look as casual as possible. Clearing his throat, he tried to rub the feeling back in his hand.

  Her voice was thick when she spoke. “Did we sleep too long?”

  Kade pushed to his feet, shaking his arm out to return the sensation. “We’ll make up time if we don’t have to stop again.”

  Hadley nodded vaguely, leaning against the enormous trunk as she gave him a watery-eyed yawn. “How long till Lazen?”

  Kade stretched out his shoulders, rolling out the knots. “Carl and I would have made it by nightfall. With a newbie, it always takes longer.”

  Hadley adjusted her footing, her face set firm as she crossed her arms over her chest. “Then we’ll make it there by night.”

  He suppressed a groan at the look on her face before shrugging lightly. Unwilling to start the day off with another argument, he motioned for her to start climbing down.

  She pulled her shoulders back in preparation, and he couldn’t help the spark of admiration as she cracked her knuckles, a look of determination on her grubby face. He stood watching as she grasped the branch, admiring her technique as she fearlessly descended.

  He edged forward, peering down at her as she found hand and toe grips and made her way downwards with ease. How was it someone so terrified of water could be plucky with heights?

  He dropped to a crouch, and not quite as nimbly as Hadley had done, found his way down to meet her. The morning still grey around them, he untethered the horse and pulled out a squashed handful of aloe.

  While the horse chewed, he scratched his chin awkwardly and found himself staring at the dirt. “You need a minute?”

  Hadley mumbled a response, but she disappeared, and he filled her absence by sneaking off himself. Her cheeks were pink when she returned, but she pointedly ignored him.

  Ablutions taken care of, his stomach began growling mildly as they set off again. Hadley sat less snug against his back, her hand no longer resting around his waist as she instead balanced. He frowned at the slight. If it was even that. Carl would have done the same. Was that what she was doing? Making a point she didn’t need his support any longer?

  His stomach flipped as he spied a solitary dot on the horizon. The light still dim, it was too difficult to see who exactly was heading their way.

  Hadley stiffened as she peered around him. “What is it?”

  Kade worked his jaw as he squinted into the distance. “Numachi, I’m not sure how many.”

  Hadley sucked in a breath. Her voice tight as she spoke the words he was trying not to. “Are they warriors?”

  Kade didn’t answer her for a long moment, the stolen horse faithfully plodding onwards, oblivious to any possible danger. His answer was clipped when he finally gave it. “I don’t know.”

  Hadley’s arms were around his waist in an instant. “What will you do?”

  Kade kept his eyes on the shapes ahead, dust plumes were being kicked up signalling speed, and possibly numbers. His stomach tight with anxiety, his mind pulling in two directions as he tried to figure the odds.

  The Numachi were rarely out in the plains unless hunting or scouting for trouble. Trouble that usually ended in a Stormer being chased back to Azetaria or if they were unlucky, it meant they wound up dead.

  Neither option was acceptable. He knew enough of the language to get by, but when it came down to it, he’d always wound up fighting or at the least running like hell.

  But that was on his own. With Hadley to look after, he was already at a disadvantage. A lump formed in the pit of his stomach, and no matter how much he looked at it, Hadley was at risk. Her voice startled him out of his thoughts. “What are you going to do?”

  Kade stared down at the reins, releasing his hold a little as he considered the simplicity of her question. What would he be thinking about doing right now if she wasn’t with him? If he still thought of Hadley as just a cagey, skinny boy,
with a sullen temperament.

  His fingers twitched. He’d fight. That’s what he’d do. He’d try to talk his way out of it. But if he couldn’t, he’d kill them all and think no more of it. However brutal, however heartless it sounded. That was the lifestyle he’d chosen. The life that Hadley had unwittingly chosen for herself.

  He glanced at his forearm and grimaced as he made out the ink beneath the smear of green he’d forgotten to reapply. The snake coiled around the blade visible should anyone get close enough to look. And they would look. They always looked.

  A spark of an idea lit inside him, and he grabbed at it, examining it for holes, trying to find fault. When he was half convinced, he looked over his shoulder.

  “I need you to say something to them. Act scared, and don’t say anything else no matter what happens, got it?”

  Hadley’s grip tightened around his waist. “Whatever you say.”

  Kade exhaled slowly, his eyes locked on the shapes, now plainly heading directly towards him. There was no doubt now. They were warriors, and they were on horseback. Probably fast and sleek, just what they needed to get them to Lazen.

  If he could pull it off. They’d take what they needed and get to the princess, quicker, restocked and wearing better disguises. Maybe the gods are feeling generous today?

  Chapter Eight

  The sun rising higher in the sky, fluffy white clouds floating overhead, Hadley’s heart thudded against her bindings as the Numachi warriors pulled their muscled mounts alongside the cart horse. Their hard eyes flicked from her to Kade as he lay sprawled out, face down on the dusty path.

  Her palms growing slicker, Hadley repeated the words Kade had told her to before they could dismount, infusing her shaking voice with pleading as he’d instructed. “Kallahu muchian, nu may.”

  They eyed her warily as if she were a dog about to bite. Hadley’s breath caught in her chest as the men’s eyes roamed over her freely. One curled his lip and spat on the ground, narrowly missing her boots, the other two laughing cruelly. “Heme, nu mar!” one said.

  She swallowed hard, terror creeping over her as the warriors, all dressed like Kade, all covered in blue stripes of paint, bows nocked and ready, heads bald bar a narrow strip of spiky hair that jutted outwards, joked about what she assumed was her lack of muscles.

  The older of the trio narrowed his eyes, no trace of mirth on his weathered face. “Nu musta deda peya?”

  Hadley’s legs were trembling, her throat closed over, and she licked her lips in fright. She had no idea if she was supposed to answer, so she repeated what Kade had told her, her voice shaking visibly as she spoke. “Kallahu muchian, nu may.”

  This time, the warriors looked irritated, rather than amused. The older raised his voice, and another began touching his head and motioning to Kade. Hadley stood stock still. Terrified to move an inch. Doing exactly what Kade told her to.

  They continued having an argument, sidelong from each other, still sitting rigid on their horses. Her nerves causing her entire body to shake as she waited for the signal.

  At the muffled word from behind, she threw herself to the ground a split second before one of the men slumped slightly, his eyes wide with surprise as Kade pulled himself to a crouch, daggers flying towards them.

  The elder’s mount reared up and took off at a gallop, and for the first time, Hadley noticed his horse’s painted flanks. A strange pattern of symbols that matched what was on the man’s cheeks.

  One of the remaining scrambled towards Kade, his cheeks red under his paint as he roared with anger, the knife embedded in his chest doing little to slow him down. The other ripped the dagger from his shoulder, slid off his horse and ran at Kade, nocking an arrow as he ran.

  The first swung a fist wildly, narrowly missing Kade. He ducked to the right, took a flying leap at the incoming warrior, and slammed his foot into his mid-section, sending him crashing to the ground, shattering his bow in the process. Hadley grabbed the jittery horses’ reins, trying to remember everything he’d told her to do.

  Kade narrowed his eyes and slashed at the nearest warrior, missing as the man sidestepped. The men were ignoring her completely, and she wondered if she should try to help Kade.

  But he’d told her to stay out of it. To keep the horses here, and to not get under his feet. Hadley grimaced as Kade narrowly missed a knife slash to his stomach. Her eyes widened as he kicked the dagger out of the nearest hand while simultaneously slamming his fist into the warrior’s jaw.

  For the longest time the two men, both bleeding, circled Kade. Hadley’s heart jumped as one moved to grab his knife and Kade pounced on him, moving so rapidly she nearly missed it. He threw his knife, and Hadley flinched as the man’s hands flew to his throat as he dropped.

  The single warrior left, Kade threw his weight into a punch, before grappling with the man to relinquish his hold on the curved knife he’d palmed.

  Kade grunted as the warrior smashed a fist into his jaw, and Hadley saw his eyes glaze before he shoved hard enough to send the man staggering backwards. With no elegance, he landed on the man, driving an elbow into his windpipe, before stabbing him in the chest.

  He pulled himself to standing, his eyes on her as he yanked his knives from the warriors, wiping them carelessly on his trouser leg, before reaching down and grabbing the fallen warrior’s bow and quiver of arrows.

  Hadley’s stomach turned at the blood splattering him, his breathing ragged as he motioned into the distance. “I have to go get him too.”

  He didn’t wait for her to reply before he swung up on a mount, and kicked his heels in, leaving her with nothing more than a pile of dust to stare at.

  Hadley’s mouth filled with moisture, and she dropped to her knees, retching as the hoofbeats faded into the distance.

  His heart slamming against his ribs, Kade spurred the horse to a gallop, his eyes locked on the figure up ahead as he faded into the distance. There was only one chance of stopping the warrior, if he made it to the nearest village, he’d send reinforcements, and he and Hadley wouldn’t stand a chance.

  His horse blazing a trail in the dust, Kade loosened the reins to rest on the pommel before he withdrew the bow, his stomach muscles tightening as he balanced himself.

  Keeping his upper body steady as possible, he nocked an arrow, releasing a breath as the arrow found its target. The horseman pivoted slightly, his mount rearing up as the arrow penetrated the man’s back.

  The senior warrior held himself on the horse, his eyes on Kade as he thundered towards him. Before the man could recover, Kade withdrew a dagger and hurled it towards him. The knife sunk into his heart and the man slid gracelessly to the dirt.

  Kade barely cast a glance at him before heading back towards Hadley. They’d been unlucky to be spotted, but just like he always had, he’d made the best of a bad situation.

  He peered through the dust he’d kicked up, his breath hitching when he didn’t see her. He scanned the lifeless forms, and the two horses before he found her half sitting in the dirt. The closer he got, the more distress he could plainly see. Her shoulders were shaking slightly, and her eyes red-rimmed. Oh, bloody hell.

  She pulled herself to standing at his approach and swallowed thickly. “He’s dead too?”

  Kade dismounted and cocked his head at the expression on her face. “Of course, he is.”

  Hadley grimaced. “You want us to wear their clothes, don’t you?”

  Kade shrugged and turned away from the judgement in her eyes. Stalking to the first warrior and sinking to a crouch, he ran his tongue over his teeth to make sure none had come loose. “He’s from the south,” he muttered.

  Hadley dropped to her knees beside him, wincing slightly as her bare skin hit the rough ground. “Does that matter?”

  Kade glanced sidelong at her. “It means they’d strayed out of their usual territory.”

  At the confused look Hadley wore, he hurried to explain. “The warriors of the north, they don’t wear their hair like that.” H
e pointed at the closest shaved head to illustrate.

  Hadley scrunched up her face. “That’s how you were planning on getting into Lazen then? Disguising yourself?”

  Kade gave her a hasty nod. Already thinking of how to best undertake his grisly business. “Lazen is a trading city, the Numachi from different regions tolerate each other, but tensions blow up quick, the southern are a little less hot-headed than northern, we were lucky not to have met them.”

  Hadley raised an eyebrow. “You chose to disguise yourself as the most aggressive warrior?”

  Kade nearly chuckled. “I suppose I did. It makes sense though. I’d rather people kept their distance. The northern warriors have a reputation for being troublemakers, so why not use it?”

  Hadley worked her lip, and he let it pass, for now. “What are the rest of the people like?”

  Kade rolled his shoulders back and kept his eyes on the warrior at his feet. “I have no idea, they keep to themselves. As far as I know, the Numachi from the East and West live like hermits in the mountains, Carl seems to think they hold to the religion Cester does.”

  He resisted the impatience growing at her questions. They needed to act quickly. He was down a knife, and they were losing time.

  Hadley seemed to notice his demeanour and pulled herself to standing. She put her hands on her hips and looked behind her to the man. “He’s smaller, I should take his clothes?”

  Kade’s lips twitched at the unease on her face. “Just put his vest over your shirt, that’ll do it.”

  He didn’t bother to ask her to help, just roughly yanked the soiled vest off the dead warrior and handed it to her.

  Hadley’s face paled under the dirt as she held the vest in her trembling fingers. Eyes locked on a blood stain, she swallowed thickly and stood, her face pale and drawn as she shakily pulled the vest over her torn shirt.

  A growing knot of concern at how unsteady she seemed, he peppered her with questions, hoping to distract her from the fact she was wearing a dead man’s clothes.

  Hadley’s face was grim as she relayed with a monosyllabic voice what provisions they had. He gave her a nod. “Enough food to get us to Lazen.”