“Well, at least nothing tried to kill us today. That’s an improvement.” Wayra laughed, but no one responded.
Faruz shook his head and stared in the direction of the Saethem. What would he do if she wouldn't talk to him? How could he convince her to help? Frustration and worry tightened his features, and stiff soreness settled into the muscles of his back and shoulders. That wouldn't do. He focused on relaxing each group of muscles in turn and drifted to sleep before he reached his legs.
Faruz woke with a start, the feel of eyes on him making his skin crawl. He searched the darkness for the source of the sensation but could see nothing in the inky blackness. In the distance, a bullfrog croaked out its deep rhythmic call. Faruz's heart pounded in his ears as he squinted into the dark swamp, seeking whomever–or whatever–watched him. What time was it? He searched the sky above, but clouds had moved in during the night, obscuring the moon and stars and making it impossible to guess how much time had passed. Somewhere nearby, one of his travel companions snored softly.
In another tree, something heavy shifted, shaking the branch and rustling leaves. Faruz worked to control his breathing as he leaned to get a better view. Moonlight peeked through a break in the clouds, illuminating the swamp for a breath. There, less than ten paces away, the serpent he had fought days before watched him from the nearest tree. Deep, healing wounds marked its back. Its forked tongue darted out, flicked in the breeze, and disappeared back into the creature’s wide mouth. Elongated pupils bored into him, and Faruz felt his mouth go dry.
They stayed like that, watching each other with such intensity that neither broke eye contact. With the day approaching and light growing brighter every moment, the serpent let go of the branch it had wrapped around and dropped into the swamp with barely a splash.
Once it left, Faruz stood and worked through his daily stretches; some of the soreness had eased, and he had learned to balance on the limbs. That done, he settled back down onto his branch to eat a bit of jerky and a handful of nuts. His supply was dwindling faster than he had anticipated, but he couldn’t eat any less.
He eyed the few remaining strips of jerky and jumped when Dalan dropped to the branch beside him.
Dalan scrunched up his face when he saw Faruz’s meager supply. “I’m running low on jerky and nuts, and the biscuits are gone, and it looks like you’re not any better off. What will we do if we run out of food?”
“We’ll have to leave to find food within another day.” Wayra shrugged and tucked his meager supply into his pack.
Hekma called from somewhere above. “Do you think there’s any edible nuts in these trees?”
Faruz nodded. “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that. I’m hoping to make some progress today. Who knows, maybe we’ll be heading toward home by nightfall.”
“You’re mad!” Dalan laughed. “What makes you think she’ll talk to you–much less help you–after she ignored you all day yesterday?”
“I saw her protector again this morning. It sat on that branch and watched me until the sun came up, but made no move to attack. I have to take that as a positive sign.”
In unison, the three called out, “What?”
“It was here? And you didn’t alert me? I was on watch just below you!”
“Why didn’t you wake us?”
With a smile, Faruz nodded. “Yes, it was here. I didn’t sound the alarm because it wasn’t doing anything but watching me. Had it moved at all, I would have yelled for you.”
“Well, I guess that means it can climb.” Wayra shook his head and stared at the branch Faruz had indicated. “This tree might not be as safe as we hoped.”
“We don’t have many options. We either sleep in a tree or in the water.” Dalan gestured to the mud. “I for one prefer to be dry, at least while I sleep.”
The others agreed. As they climbed out of the tree and headed toward the clearing, Faruz fought a growing sense of desperation. What if that serpent attacked them again? What if the Saethem continued to ignore him? A dozen other ‘what ifs’ swirled around in his mind, but he pushed the thoughts away. He would deal with whatever happened, but he had to stay positive. He was, after all, the leader of this little team. His actions and mood would set the tone for all the others.
Splashing through the muck toward the clearing, Faruz caught glimpses of something large pacing beside them in the murky water. As long as it didn't attack, he was content to watch it, but he kept a hand on the hilt of his sword. He hadn't forgotten the watchful gaze of the serpent and thought it likely that creature was the one churning the waters on his right.
They crossed the short distance to the Saethem without incident, and a relieved sigh escaped Faruz as he stepped into the bright light of the clearing. He glanced around, searching for any sign of an ambush. There, just out of arm’s reach on his left, the amulet hung from a willow branch. He stepped forward and grabbed for it, but it lifted out of his reach at the last moment.
“How did you come to possess this trinket?”
The voice was a whisper of wind, blowing through the clearing and raising gooseflesh on Faruz’s arms.
He spread his hands open in front of him in a gesture of surrender. “I tried to explain yesterday. The Bokinna is ill, maybe dying. She sent me here because your fruit is the only thing that can save her, and she gave me that amulet to prove that I am telling the truth.”
A chill wind blew through the clearing, but it carried no words. Faruz shivered and pulled his cloak tighter.
The silence stretched. Faruz had explained his purpose. It was up to the Saethem to help or send them away.
Faruz stood in the clearing in front of the Saethem, waiting for her decision. He shivered as an icy wind cut through the area, but only the wind whistled through the branches overhead. Even the frogs were silent. He waited until the sun shone down from directly overhead, glanced back at his friends, shivering in the muck, and shrugged.
Turning back to the tree, he cleared his throat and tried to still his chattering teeth. The temperature had dropped as the hours passed, and his breath puffed out in little clouds.
“Pardon me… ahem… madam tree?” He reached for the amulet again, and like Tantalus, the branch swung it beyond his reach. “Will you help us? We came to save your sister.”
The surface of the tree changed, transformed into a face with moss-green eyes staring at him. It’s down-turned mouth brought an image of his mother to Faruz’s mind; she had made that face whenever he had disobeyed her. He shrank back and dropped his gaze to the water at his feet. When the expected tongue-lashing didn’t materialize, he peeked through his lashes at the watching willow.
Those green eyes bored into him, but the Saethem said nothing. What was she waiting for? If he had been on dry ground, he would have kicked at a pebble.
"I am attempting to communicate with my sister." The whisper carried on the wind, and the hairs on Faruz’s neck stood on end. “I have never had such difficulty before. You claim she is ill. What kind of illness is it?”
Faruz cleared his throat. “We…we aren’t sure. Our healer hasn’t been able to help at all, and the Bokinna told us to come to you.”
He shivered again, his teeth clacking painfully with the uncontrolled motion, and tucked his cloak tighter.
Hekma sat on a low branch, his short legs dangling in the frigid air, while Dalan and Wayra stood shivering in the icy water. Dalan's lips were an alarming shade of purple, and Wayra’s face had lost all its color. Faruz spun back to the willow in the center of the clearing.
"Madam Saethem, my friends and I are freezing out here." He took a deep breath and weighed his words. It could backfire, but he had to take the initiative, or she'd keep him waiting until they all froze to death.
“I need to get them out of the water. Will you help us save your sister?” He bit his tongue before he could say the next words that sprang to his mind,
or will you watch us die here?
They echoed through his mind, unspoken, but l
oud in the silence of the wintry swamp.
The ancient willow sighed. “I must contact my sister before I commit to help those who have wounded my dearest friend.”
A thick branch moved aside, revealing the serpent lounging in the boughs of the willow. It watched Faruz with elongated pupils, and a long tongue flicked out to taste the air. Dread settled like a rock in Faruz's stomach.
“With all due respect, madam, your friend attacked us first, and killed one of my men.”
The wind howled through the clearing and settled once more.
“You will return with the sunrise, and we will discuss whether I can help you." The words faded on the breeze, and the face vanished, leaving only the deeply channeled bark of a willow.
“Let’s get out of the water.” Wayra ground out the words between clenched teeth. “I’d give anything for a fire.”
Faruz nodded but said nothing as he led the group back to the tree where they had spent the night. Once they dried off and warmed up, they would need to address their food situation. The jerky ran dangerously low, and he hadn't seen any berries or nuts since they entered the swamp. Maybe they could catch fish, but how would they cook it? Besides that, he wasn’t sure anything living in the foul water would be edible.
19
Captured
The barest hint of dawn touched the horizon as Agommi led the way down the winding corridor. Eddrick tried to keep track of the twists and turns in case he ever had to return, but the paintings and fixtures had changed again. In the foyer lined with doors, they waited for the ancient that would accompany them.
They didn't have to wait long. Eddrick had just enough time to locate the outside door when two of the ancients, the tall one and the plump one, entered the hall. Close behind them, a spirit Eddrick had never seen drifted into the room.
"Good, you're on time," the tall one smiled. "This is Glesni. He will be our eyes and ears and will talk to us constantly while you are away. I look forward to seeing your remarkable discoveries for myself." His sneering tone implied precisely the opposite.
Glesni was nearly as tall as Eddrick but slender. His color had faded somewhat, though he hadn't yet achieved the translucent, papery white hue of the ancients. Instead, his face and hands showed a sickly pale green, and hair that had likely been quite dark had faded to an anemic beige. The feature that caught Eddrick's attention, though, were the spirit's eyes; they didn't appear to have faded at all and were the same rich brown as a fresh mug of famanc. His clothes were the simple tunic and tights worn by the mountain tribes.
Eddrick stepped forward and offered the newcomer his hand, but dropped it when the spirit stared at him. Perhaps Glesni wasn’t familiar with a handshake as a greeting.
Eddrick forced a smile and waved. “I’m pleased to meet you.”
Again, Glesni only stared, and Eddrick sighed, his smile fading. This wasn't starting out well.
The tall spirit glided forward to float between Eddrick and the outer door. “Once you are outside the city, you may use your usual mode of transportation to find this enemy of yours. Glesni will bring you back here when you have completed your task.” He nodded once to Glesni and vanished.
Eddrick glanced around, met Glesni’s eyes, and turned to lead the group out into the gathering dawn. They hurried down the streets, Eddrick holding fast to Kiri’s hand and working to see the city as it was rather than the dreary gray glamour. They passed beneath the watchful eyes of the demons at the gate. Their gaze made Eddrick’s skin crawl. He rushed toward the hill where he and Kiri had gotten their first glimpse of the city, but Agommi grabbed his arm.
“It will take too long to get there if we walk the whole way. We’ll fly, instead.”
They gathered close together, grabbed each other’s hands, and thought of where they wanted to be. The sky around them shimmered and changed, and the desert landscape surrounding Helak’s camp appeared. It nestled up against the last foothills of the Raksaso mountains, the jagged peaks scratching the brightening sky.
“This way,” Eddrick whispered, waving the others around.
He kept low, crouching behind bushes and ducking between buildings to avoid the watchful eyes of the guards. The others followed closely, though Glesni’s expression went from puzzled to outraged.
At length, he stopped behind a scrubby bush and refused to go forward. “Why are we hiding? They cannot see us. This is foolish.”
Eddrick glanced sideways at the ancient spirit but said nothing. When he realized Glesni wouldn’t continue without an answer, he huffed and crouched down in front of the newcomer.
“How much did your leaders tell you about what we’re doing here?”
Glesni shrugged and shook his head. “What is there to tell? I am here to see what is happening in this camp and report back to the others. It is quite simple.”
“Wonderful. They didn’t tell you.” Agommi met Eddrick’s eyes, his mouth drawn into a grim line.
Eddrick turned back to the confused spirit and continued. “Some of these guards have been taken over by the spirits of their leader’s ancestors. We’re here to send proof of that to the ancients.”
The spirit jerked back at the pronouncement, shock erasing the anger from his sallow features. He dropped lower behind the bush and watched as a small group of guards passed them.
“But…those are mountain folk. I recognize the accent. What are they doing here, so far from their homes?”
When the guards had moved out of sight, Eddrick rushed to the cover of the next building. He didn't dare try flying there since it wasn't accurate enough to ensure he wouldn't materialize in front of the guards inside the camp. Once the others joined him, he turned to Glesni.
“You’ll find out soon enough. I suspect they didn’t tell you anything so you wouldn’t be influenced one way or another. Let’s just get to the center of the camp, and you’ll see for yourself.”
Glesni shook his head. “I do not understand all this rushing and sneaking around. We can fly, and we can float. Why did we not fly to the place we need to go? Why not float from roof to roof?”
“We need to be quiet, or they’ll find us. Just trust me. I’ve done this many times, and this is the only way to get where we’re going.”
* * *
The ferns swayed gently in the rain while Aibek tried not to breathe. Surely, they had gotten this wrong; they must have found the wrong cave. Gworsad couldn’t be a dragon, could he? He ran through the rhyme in his mind one more time.
Gusts of wind ruffled the ferns, and a broad wooden face filled his vision.
He stammered out the rhyme, unable to force more than a whisper in his terror.
“Wisdom wrapped with fire… and scale, Hear the secret t…t…tale, For one who knows… another’s heart, Has s…spoken from the start.”
The dragon tipped its head to one side, reached down with a foreleg the size of a tree trunk, and grabbed him by his left ankle. All the blood rushed to Aibek’s head as the beast dangled him upside down in front of one orange eye. It blinked and sniffed him again.
He cleared his throat and shouted the rhyme without stammering. The beast regarded him with an eye larger than Aibek's head, flapped its leathery wings, and lifted off the ground.
A powerful wave of dizziness clouded Aibek’s mind, and everything went black. Dimly, he heard his friends shouting, but when he opened his eyes, all he saw was blackness.
Sometime later, small details began to come to him: the coldness of the ground, warm air, a smell of roasting meat, rustling sounds, as if something massive moved around nearby. Where was he? All at once, he remembered the dragon, the terror, and flying. Where were his friends?
He opened his eyes and took in the scene around him. He lay against the back wall of the cave, with the dragon between him and the opening. Kai, Aylen, and Serik sat along the wall watching him.
“Are you all right, sir?” Serik kept his voice to a whisper. “You were unconscious for nearly an hour.”
Aibek ran
through a cursory check of all his extremities. Everything moved as it was supposed to, and the only sharp pain came from his right leg, where the emrialk had gored him, and the ribs he'd broken in that same encounter. His pulse pounded in his ears, and he winced, pressing a hand to his temple.
“I’m all right. I have a bit of a headache, but nothing more.” He winced at the sharp pain in his ribs, but didn’t comment on it. “What happened? Are you all unharmed?” He examined the faces of his friends. Dirt smudged their cheeks and foreheads and their hair stuck out in odd directions, but no one appeared to be bleeding.
Confident that his friends were unhurt, he reverted to his military training. He turned his head and took inventory of his surroundings. He could just make out the outline of their packs, tossed against the far wall of the cave. Between him and their supplies, the dragon shuffled in a slow circle, moving sticks–or were those bones?–out of his way. The beast kept his eyes on his work, never looking toward the travelers.
A sick feeling settled in Aibek’s stomach as he realized what was happening. He had to figure out how to get them out before they ended up being this creature’s dinner. As he watched, the dragon stacked all the sticks to one side, made a strange chuffing sound, and blew a yellow flame out of his mouth, igniting the pile of wood into a campfire.
He scooted along the floor until he sat next to Serik, keeping his back against the cold stone wall. “Should I try the rhyme again? It seemed to confuse him before. Maybe it’ll at least buy us some time.”
“I’m not certain you should do anything to attract its attention.”
The creature grunted and turned to them, lowering his face to peer at Aibek. Smoke wafted from the beast’s nostrils, and Aibek’s heart raced at a frantic pace.
“Wisdom wrapped with fire and scale, hear the secret tale, for one who knows another’s heart, has spoken from the start.”
He said it clearly without stumbling over the words or stammering as before.
The Nivaka Chronicles Boxed Set Page 48