The Wretched Race (Epic of Ahiram Book 3)

by Michael Joseph Murano

  “A dog,” the young girl whispered, “that’s a dog.”

  It was indeed a dog, and it pinned the wolf down, holding him by the throat. Interesting, observed Ahiram, this dog does not want to kill the wolf, only subdue him. The dog held its prey until the wolf relented and lay completely still, at which point he released his hold and circled the wolf, growling in a slow rumble. Then he stood in front of the vanquished animal and made an abrupt movement with its snout. The wolf sprang to his feet and fled. The dog turned back and approached the Silent. He was black as night with two intelligent eyes. Nearly three feet tall, he was covered in shaggy hair and had two short pointed ears. He looked at Ahiram and barked a short impatient bark as if saying, what are you waiting for? The boy needs care.

  Ahiram snapped out of it and looked at the boy on the ground.

  “Is he dead?” the girl asked. Her voice was beginning to grate on him; it was simply too gruff for a child her age.

  “No,” he explained. “He is losing blood, but he will be fine tomorrow.”

  She watched him as he quickly bandaged the wound to stop the blood flow. “Let’s go back to camp and let your folks take care of him, shall we?”

  She nodded and waited for Ahiram to lift the boy up. “This way,” she said as she led the way.

  The mysterious dog fell in line next to him. Ahiram glanced down at the animal who looked up at him, seemingly saying, What? You’ve never seen a dog before?

  Ahiram sighed. That’s what I need now, an imaginary talking dog.

  I am not imaginary, replied the dog in the Silent’s head.

  I meant a dog who in my imagination is able to speak.

  The dog snorted. I would speak if you cared to listen. As it is, you’re doing the talking for the both of us.

  Great, now I’m making up a whole conversation with a dog in my head. I’d better find someone to talk to soon. Ahiram sighed and focused on the path. After a short while, they cleared the orchard and walked in the open toward the herd. The shepherds were quickly restoring order while the dogs kept a frenzied pace as they patrolled the edge of herd. As Ahiram drew closer, the dogs took notice of him and started barking sternly. Seeing that the stranger had not slowed down, they came and faced him. The barking became a mix of deep, menacing growls and loud, snappy yelps. Better if someone comes before I have to take action, thought the Silent, but then, the strange dog that had been walking by his side bared his teeth, and the other dogs fell silent. Ahiram looked down at the animal that happened to be looking straight at him.

  The animal seemed to be saying, Do you have a problem with that?

  A little warning would have been nice.

  Ha, the dog in his head answered, as if you’d have listened to me.

  “Lilith, Juno, you’re safe!” A tall woman, a shepherd by her clothing, came running toward them.

  “Mother, everything is fine,” the young girl said.

  “Juno! Oh no, is he …”

  “He lost a lot of blood,” Ahiram said. “I stopped the flow but the wound needs to be cleaned up and properly bandaged.”

  “This way, please.” She led Ahiram to one of the wagons. “Over here,” she said, pointing to a mattress. Ahiram climbed a few steps and carefully laid the boy down.

  The wagon was spacious, bigger than the Silent had expected. Four small lanterns hung from the ceiling. Three unoccupied mattresses lay haphazardly on the floor. This wagon must be reserved for children. An open leather bag had spilled its contents in the back of wagon: rope, work gloves, boots, and half a dozen daggers. Odd, children have daggers here? He recalled the dagger the young girl had raised in front of the wolf. I guess if you’re in the open country, you must be able to defend yourself.

  He came back down. The woman gave him a short bow. “Thank you so much for your help. I don’t know what we would have done without you. We are in your debt. Thank you.”

  “I did what everyone would have done,” Ahiram replied, bowing. “I will take my leave now.”

  “He has a beautiful dog,” Lilith observed. “What’s his name?”

  A dog? wondered Ahiram, I don’t have a dog.

  You have me, the dog seemed to say.

  Are you mine?

  Answer the girl’s question.

  “Shadow,” Ahiram replied, giving the first name that popped in his head. “His name is Shadow.”

  “Shadow! I love it,” the young girl exclaimed. She hugged the dog and kissed it. “It’s sooo furry. I looove this dog.”

  “Lilith, let go now. Why don’t you join us tomorrow for an early lunch?” she added, addressing Ahiram. “We’ll have had time to clear up the camp, and we could then properly thank you.”

  “A warm meal would certainly be welcome. Thank you. I accept.”

  He left the camp with the dog in tow.

  Shadow? Shadow? Do you realize that’s the most common name for a dog in these parts? Couldn’t you have picked something more interesting like Anteros or Theogrond?

  “Well,” Ahiram said out loud, “the name Anteros means divine power, and Theogrond means thunder god, and I don’t see how either applies to you.” The dog did not respond. So tell me then, Shadow, where did you come from? You showed up just when the wolf was about to attack the children. Were you around all along? No answer. Ahiram smiled. I’ve been talking to myself all this time. I guess that’s what happens when you travel alone for an extended period of time.

  Dream on, the dog in his head replied. You mistake my silence for non-existence.

  I’m positive a dog is not supposed to say such things.

  Whatever.

  All right then, where did you come from?

  More importantly, who sent me?

  “What do you mean?” Ahiram asked.

  You’re talking out loud again, which is silly since there is no one to talk to.

  “There’s you, and I’m tired of thinking this conversation, so you will have to put up with my voice.”

  That’s not recommended.

  “Why?” No answer. “What? Is that such a difficult question to answer?” No answer. Fine, then, is this better?

  Much better.

  Good. Hey since we’re going to spend time together, you as my dog and me as your master—

  Careful …

  Just saying. How about you fetch us some breakfast for tomorrow morning.

  Sure. What do you want?

  Well, there are two of us; how about four rabbits? I’ll take care of the greeneries, gather some fruit, and prepare the fire.

  Consider it done.

  They had reached the orchard by now. Ahiram located a tall cherry tree not too far from the edge and settled in its branches while Shadow lay at its feet.

  You can sleep tonight. I’ll keep watch.

  You can wake me up for the second watch, Ahiram countered.

  Really? Do you realize what you’re saying?

  What?

  I’m a dog. I’ll watch. You sleep.

  Exhausted, Ahiram quickly fell into a deep sleep. Whether the sheep dogs barked all night or not, he could not tell. When he opened his eyes, he was surprised to see the sun shining. Wow, I haven’t slept like that in a long time. He rolled up the blanket neatly and slid it inside his bag, stretched, and jumped down. He stretched again, performed his daily routine, then foraged for herbs the way Master Habael had taught him and picked a few apples. Next, he prepared a small fire, and just as he was done, he heard the dog’s quick trot behind him.

  “There you are,” he said in a cheerful voice to Shadow. “I was wondering if you were gone for good.”

  Dropping the last of four rabbits at Ahiram’s feet, the dog flopped down, yawned, and placed his head on his front paws.

  “Look at you,” Ahiram said, “you’ve managed to hunt rabbits. Now that’s a good dog. But don’t think I’ll let you do the hunting every morning,” he added while preparing the meat for the fire. “I’ve got to keep my hunting skills sharp. After all, you’re a stray, and
who knows how long you’ll stick around.”

  Ahiram gave some of the meat to Shadow and roasted the rest. He even offered the dog an apple, but the furry creature turned him down.

  His breakfast finished, the Silent went in search of water, and found a well in the middle of the orchard. He quickly freshened up and pulled a bucket of water for Shadow to drink. The dog lapped it down and then the two of them made their way toward the plain.

  “Time to meet the shepherds,” Ahiram said. “Let’s see if they’re ready to take me on.”

  He grabbed his staff, and they walked in silence. Ahiram frowned. A vague sense of unease came over him as though something were out of place. He scanned the countryside but could not see anything out of the ordinary. The mountains in the distance were shedding off the morning fog like a massive dragon shedding its silver skin, and the slumbering plain struggled to wake up like a tired child rising from bed. Eagles and condors glided lazily in a washed blue sky that looked scrubbed and clean. No, everything seemed normal.

  But the queasy feeling intensified and blossomed into a warning. Ahiram looked all around him and could see no one, or anything unusual. He glanced down at Shadow but the dog walked by his side, showing no signs of alarm. Still, the anxiety, stubborn as a child’s cry, persisted. It became so acute that Ahiram was now tense, fully expecting someone to attack. But if an unnatural enemy was close by, his sword would have alerted him by vibrating, and he would have felt it through the wood of his staff. But no, the sword was as sleepy as the slumbering plain. The only sound the Silent could hear was that of his footsteps crunching the tall grass, and the iron peg of his staff hitting the ground. The sense of danger pounded his mind like a ram against the main gate of a besieged city. The pounding sounded now like a heartbeat, his heartbeat. Thud, thud, thud, went the ram, danger, danger, danger, responded his mind. Thud, danger, thud, danger, thud … Ahiram inhaled sharply and felt his jaw tighten. His outward demeanor remained unchanged and he kept walking at the same pace. He glanced at the dog next to him, and chiding himself, wondered how he had not seen it before.

  If the mental dialogue with Shadow was of his own making, a mere simulacrum, how did the dog know to bring him exactly four rabbits?

  “Shepherds are a strange lot. Their magical lore is alien to that of the Temple. They hide their strength and shroud their deep knowledge better than shogols could. In all the ages of the Temple, no shepherd had ever become a priest of Baal, and none had fallen prey to the Kerta priests. When the Temple ignores the shepherds, it does so at great peril.”

  –Teachings of Oreg, High Priest of Baal.

  The meeting with the head shepherdess went better than Ahiram had expected. Apparently, the young girl, Lilith, had already explained who he was. Tyleen met with him without taking her eyes from the herd. As he drew closer, a tall white dog with black patches lying at Tyleen’s feet lifted his head and watched them silently. He had a massive jaw and a neck as thick as a tree branch. Ahiram felt a slight hesitation but Shadow kept moving forward. The other dog lowered his head and ignored them.

  Ahiram could not help but notice how pale Tyleen was. White as the mist, he thought. Judging from the lock of hair that had slipped from her turban, she was a redhead and could not have been over thirty. Her face, oval and refined, would have been beautiful if she had not appeared emaciated. Perhaps it’s the aftereffect of the magic she wielded to stop the wolves and the fire.

  Her staff was impressive. A full foot taller than his, it boasted a golden ram’s head and four silver horns. A snake of bronze slithered up from the heel to the base of the ram’s head, and its open jaw stood as a dire warning to anyone who would dare to attack.

  “You’re the one who saved Juno and Lilith,” she said, in a low whisper.

  “Yes, I am,” replied Ahiram, unsure how to address her.

  “Call me Shepherdess Tyleen,” she said, as if reading his mind.

  Strong hands, thought Ahiram, watching the way the woman held her staff. “Yes, Shepherdess Tyleen,” he replied, looking down.

  “What is your name?”

  “Torros.” Ahiram chose a Mycenean name common among farmers and shepherds.

  Tyleen nodded. “It means strong, did you know?” Ahiram nodded. “Do you live in these parts?”

  “I’ve been a port worker in Tan-Aneer, and I’m on my way to Mithen for a visit.”

  “You came across the channel to Ezoi?” Ahiram nodded again. “We could use someone like you here.”

  Ahiram shrugged. “I’m no shepherd,” he ventured. “I’m afraid I may be more of a hindrance than a help.”

  Tyleen leaned her staff forward in the direction of Shadow. “Is this your dog?”

  “You might say so,” Ahiram replied, in the typical noncommittal Mycenean style.

  “Mighty dog, that is,” Tyleen noted. “The dog at my feet, his name is Arimess.”

  “It means Swift. Powerful dog.”

  “That he is. This is his territory. No dog comes through here without contending with Arimess, but your dog …”

  “Shadow.”

  “Shadow walked in and Arimess, what does he do? He lays low. Do you know what that means?”

  “Shadow is the boss?”

  Tyleen nodded. “This is the first time Arimess has spontaneously submitted to another dog. Shadow is definitely one-of-a-kind.”

  You have no idea, Ahiram thought.

  Flattered, Shadow seemed to answer.

  “So, your dog alone would be reason enough to have you join us. Besides,” she said tapping him on the shoulder with her staff, “you’re no wimp. You could have my back by protecting the wagons. You would be fed and we would offer you better protection for a lone traveler in these parts, what with the wolves, bears, and thieves …” her voice trailed.

  Ahiram slipped his hands inside his pockets, looked away, and shrugged. He knew he could not come across as too eager to join. “Food is good?” he asked.

  Tyleen smiled. “Better than most parts. We’re on our way to Parithen where we’ll shear the sheep, sell the wool and some lambs, and settle down there for the winter. You could stay with us until the Sirus Path. I’ll wager you’re not too keen to go to the capital?”

  Once more, Ahiram shrugged his shoulders. “No reason for me to go there. Work in the back suits me fine. Any pay for my dog and me?” He knew he was doing the right thing; Myceneans were naturally cautious and could appear downright hostile to those who have had no dealings with them.

  Tyleen smiled again. “If we reach the Sirus Path safely, you’ll get a lamb or two. How’s that for pay?”

  Ahiram gave her a forced smile. Great, he thought, more animals under my charge.

  It’s the other way around, came the disconcerting thought, you’d be our laggard charge.

  Ahiram ignored the jibe. He projected his chin toward the wagons. “Someone invited me over for a meal. I’d like to do that before I say yes, to see if the food agrees with me, if that’s okay.”

  “Suit yourself,” Tyleen said, looking straight ahead.

  Ahiram understood this was the end of the conversation. He refrained from bowing and walked away. He went straight to Juno and Lilith’s wagon and peeked inside. It was empty. He leaned his staff against it and went in search of the children and their mother but did not find them. Shadow sniffed the area around each wagon, then trotted away, leaving Ahiram alone. The Silent wandered from wagon to wagon, glancing quickly inside each in the hope of finding someone to talk to, but they were all deserted. A strange contraption caught his attention in one of them. At first glance he mistook it for a cage, but a closer look reminded him of an armor fit for a man the size of Frajil, the nine-foot-tall giant he had met in Tanniin. Made of sticks strung together with tin wire, the curious structure leaned precariously against the wagon’s side like a drunk trying to catch his balance. Feeling uncomfortable about peering for so long inside someone else’s private space, Ahiram moved away just as Juno came trotting on horsebac
k with his sister, Lilith, sitting behind him. Their mother followed on a second horse with two other young girls. They dismounted and Lilith came running in his direction.

  She’s fast. Ahiram was taken aback by her speed. How old is she? Seven, eight maybe?

  As if reading his mind, Lilith slowed down to a more normal pace.

  “Doggie,” she said opening her arms wide as she ran past Ahiram, “doggie’s here.”

  Ahiram looked back and saw Shadow sprawled in the grass behind, observing him. The Silent knew he had to deal with the unresolved question of the morning: How did this dog know to bring him exactly four rabbits? Ahiram clearly remembered thinking about it, or rather having what sounded like a mental dialogue with an imaginary dog in his head, but he did not speak to the dog. And even if I did, thought the young man as he waved to the children’s mother who was drawing near, how would he know what ‘four’ means?

  “May fortune be yours,” the mother said, greeting him in the Mycenean way.

  “May your ways prosper,” Ahiram replied.

  “I’m glad you accepted my invitation,” she said warmly. “I’m truly grateful to you for saving my Lilith and Juno. I am Oriana.”

  Ahiram nodded, reverting to his Mycenean persona. “Torros.”

  “The shy one over here is Jin,” Oriana said, pointing to one of the girls, “and the feisty one over here is Domnina.”

  Ahiram glanced at the two girls, who did not react. If Domnina was less shy than Jin, she did not show it. Like Lilith, they were about four and a half feet tall, and unlike their mother, had strong jaws, more so than Ahiram would have expected in children this age. Their hair was straight and jet black, which they used to cover their rather big ears. With small, round black eyes in faces that did not smile, their appearance struck him as odd, almost creepy, an unnatural mix between an adult and a child. But the difference between the three girls and Juno was even more striking, and made him wonder if they were blood related.

  “Your kids?” he asked Oriana, including all four children with a wide movement of the chin. Oriana nodded. “Same father?” he eyed Juno. “He looks like you.”