The mayors and their friends filled the top of the ferry so full there wasn’t room for another soul, and the workers had to squeeze between them to set the boat free from its mooring.
Old friends and new talked and laughed as the cool autumn wind whipped across the deck. Aibek took up his usual spot at the far rail and watched for the pier to come into view. His thoughts drifted once more to the week’s events and—inevitably—to Marah. He yearned to search for her on the overcrowded vessel, but she was traveling with her brothers. Their presence was an effective repellent. He heaved a great, sad sigh and leaned further over the rail, staring down at the churning gray water.
He watched the waves wash over the ship’s grayed wood hull and listened to the hum of voices behind him. He let his mind go blank to everything but the relaxing sounds of water and conversation. Closing his eyes, he focused on the sounds and scents around him.
Keep your eyes to your back.
The whispered warning brought goosebumps to Aibek’s arms, and he straightened. He turned a breath before a broad, muscular man with a riotous beard barreled into the rail. The man stood there, staring over the side for a long while, and Aibek wondered if he wasn’t ill from the ferry’s movement.
“Are you all right?”
The man spun and glared up at Aibek. Without a word, he stalked away into the middle of the crowded deck. Aibek froze, stunned. The man was one of Helak’s henchmen and had been part of the group that had attacked Aibek and Faruz two weeks before.
Vayna stepped closer and frowned. “What was that about?”
“I’m not sure,” Aibek lied. “I think he may have been sick.”
“Well, he seems to be feeling better now.” Vayna pointed to the open area near the mast, where the man stood talking animatedly with several others.
Aibek shrugged but said nothing. He wanted to talk to Valasa and the rest of Nivaka’s council before he told anyone about that previous attack.
Determined to stay alert, he leaned back against the rail and scanned the crowd. Mayors and friends stood in clusters. Bits of their conversations drifted to him on the cold autumn breeze. A group of the short, heavily bearded men stood off to one side, near the stairs that led to the lower deck. Aibek focused on them, straining to hear their words. He’d once heard of a man who could tell what someone across the room said by the way they moved their mouths, so he stared at one man’s lips as he spoke, but quickly gave up. That kind of thing required practice and skill, and he doubted he’d be able to pick it up without a great deal of effort.
Aibek turned his attention elsewhere, frustrated by his fruitless attempt. He glanced over the travelers’ faces and let his mind wander.
The ferry docked without fanfare, and the passengers climbed off the vessel and swarmed over the pier. Aibek kept his eyes open, looking for any sign of trouble, but he relaxed when they’d made it halfway to the forest without incident.
The wind blew colder as the day passed, and dark clouds billowed in the sky above. Winter wouldn’t wait much longer. Aibek shrugged deeper into his heavy leather and wool cloak and picked up the pace. He wanted to be back in Nivaka before the building storm hit.
Several hundred yards before they reached the forest’s border, Marah stepped up beside Aibek. In his surprise, he set his right foot in a hole and nearly fell, his weakened leg unable to support him.
“Be careful!” She laughed and grabbed his arm, helping him keep his balance.
Heat flooded his face, but Aibek laughed along. Remembering her brothers, he glanced over his shoulder.
“Don’t worry,” she said, reading his worry. “They’re making plans to meet up with some new friends. We can talk for a few minutes.”
A space of a dozen paces or so separated them from the nearest travelers, so Aibek relaxed and allowed himself to bask in the beauty of her smile.
Warmth spread in his chest, and he couldn’t help smiling back.
“I’m not sure how to say this without sounding dumb,” She said, dropping her gaze to the ground. “I know you said you’ll come with me for the first few training sessions with the dragons, but is there any way we can plan to stay together? Through the battle and everything? It’ll make me feel better to be close to you.”
Aibek’s smile faded, his mind whirling. How could he keep her safe and still participate in the fight? The silence stretched, and he finally said, “I’m not sure how easy that’ll be, but I’d love to try.”
“I don’t expect you to protect me — I can hold my own. I just think it’ll make me feel better if you’re close by.”
Aibek nodded, but said nothing else.
“We’re starting training in two weeks, right?”
“Yes.” Aibek glanced over at her. “I want everyone to have a little time at home before we start.”
“All right. That’s a good idea.” She chewed on her bottom lip, and Aibek fought the urge to kiss away her worries.
“What’s wrong?” He prodded gently.
“You said the dragons will choose their riders, right? What if none of them pick me?”
“Impossible. But maybe Tukanli will pick you. That would be ideal. She’s Gworsad’s mate, so she’ll stay near him — and me — through the training and fighting.”
“Oooh, that would be perfect,” Marah cooed.
“I can talk to him and suggest it, if it would make you feel better.”
A brilliant smile lit Marah’s features. “Would you? That would make this all so much easier.”
“I can’t promise she’ll agree, but I’ll mention you.”
She grabbed his arm and beamed up at him. “Thank you. My brothers don’t want anything to do with the dragons, so it’ll make me feel so much better to be able to stay near you.”
“Marah!” A woman’s voice called from behind them. Marah turned, waved, and dashed away, leaving Aibek to contemplate their discussion and fret over whether Tukanli would agree to carry her. He needed a few days away from her to clear his mind, but he wanted nothing more than to spend hours upon hours with her.
He’d have to tell Faruz about her, after all, especially if she would be close during group trainings.
His mind circled around the beautiful woman and the problems she presented, and he didn’t notice his surroundings again until he stood at the bottom of Nivaka’s stairs. Several mayors called out their goodbyes as they continued on, and Aibek waved to them before climbing to the high boardwalks.
7
Kasanto
Aibek didn’t take long to unpack and rest from the trip. The very next day, he called a council meeting to discuss the Grand Council’s decisions. The friends gathered in the small sitting room on the third floor of Valasa’s home, where they had held their not-so-secret meetings in the past.
Valasa called the meeting to order in his usual, booming voice. “Welcome home Aibek, Wayra, and Ahren! We’ve missed you. How did it go?”
Several pairs of curious eyes turned to Aibek, and he stood. He met Valasa’s gaze first. “I didn’t get your note until too late.”
The others gasped, and Zifa leaned forward, but Aibek cut her off before she could speak. “—but, I managed to convince them all that I was telling the truth. They all believe that I met the Bokinna and that she’s agreed to help us win this battle.”
Valasa shook his head, disbelief and confusion warring on his face. Confusion won. “How did you manage it?”
“I showed them the dragons.”
Kai leapt to his feet. “You already gave away our secrets? How could you?”
“Only the mayors know. I was very careful to keep the others out when we were talking about the dragons.” When Kai’s stance didn’t relax, Aibek sighed. “I didn’t have any other choice. They were ready to toss me out of the whole meeting for heresy. How else could I prove I was telling the truth?”
Silence fell. Aibek gave the others time to think through his quandary and — hopefully — realize he’d had no choice.
A
fter a long moment, Kai huffed and sat down. “I guess you’re right. I wish you hadn’t said anything to begin with, though.”
Aibek grinned. “So do I. We set our first group training with the dragons for two weeks from now. We’ll have to put out the call for a few more riders, though.”
“The men would love that!” Faruz perked up. “I’ll ask some of the division leaders if they’re interested.”
Valasa stepped forward, away from the snacks he’d been arranging while the others talked. “I hate to dampen such enthusiasm, but has anyone thought to include the groundfolk? They may want a few of their warriors on the dragons, too.”
“Why would we care what they want?” Ahren’s pale face flushed red. “What would we gain by having them in on all of our secrets?”
“We need their help. They have knowledge of this forest that we can’t even fathom. And they already know about the dragons, remember? Aylen was with Aibek when the dragons agreed to help us, so he knows the basic plan.” He paused and stroked his graying beard. “No, I think you’ll make permanent enemies of them if we try to leave them out. There’s no way to pretend we aren’t working with the Bokinna’s protectors.”
“All right, then, I’ll plan a trip to Kasanto within the next week. They’ll need time to select their warriors.” Aibek paused and added. “I’d like Faruz to accompany me this time. Our army’s captain needs to be able to negotiate with the groundfolk.”
A panicked look crossed Faruz’s face. When he’d gotten control of his reaction, Faruz said, “I guess that makes sense. Will Serik be going with us?”
“I’ll ask him this afternoon.”
Something moved outside the window, drawing Aibek’s attention. He watched for several breaths, but the movement didn’t repeat. He positioned himself so he could see the window and continued. “We also need to warn the villagers. The Bokinna has agreed to move the Shadow Trees to form a wall at the forest’s edge, which means our familiar landmarks may be changing soon. I’m not completely sure, but the village itself may move.”
“We’ll have to make sure hunting parties have some way to find our way back to the village, then,” Faruz said. “We shouldn’t have any trouble after our practice sessions because the dragons can see for miles, but anyone wandering in the forest is in danger of getting lost.”
“That’s a good point.” Wayra stared out the window, a pensive expression on his face. “How can they find their way back if the village is moving? They can’t even mark a track.”
Aibek chuckled. “It won’t move fast. I’d guess no more than a hundred yards a day. If they can get back to the general vicinity, they should be able to get home.”
“Well, it sounds like we’ve covered everything.” Zifa gazed longingly at the trays of food. “Can we eat now?”
Laughter erupted in the room. When it quieted, Aibek said, “Let’s take a break, but we’re not quite done. I want to hear how things went in Nivaka while we were gone.”
Zifa leapt toward the cakes before he’d finished talking, and Faruz smiled. “She’s been hungrier than normal since her headaches went away. I think it’s because she couldn’t eat much for so many weeks.”
“That could be,” Aibek answered, though he wasn’t convinced.
The meeting reconvened and the rest of the day passed in an endless parade of mundane tasks and problems.
The next morning, Serik carried the usual tray of cakes and famanc into Aibek’s sitting room. Aibek had been up and dressed for nearly an hour and had spent the time in meditation and talking to the forest.
When the door opened, Aibek rushed over and met his friend. He took the tray and set it on the table in front of the fireplace. Serik settled into his favorite chair, and Aibek poured them each a mug of famanc before sitting.
They chatted about the weather, their friends, and the forest’s recovery until the blue light of dawn streamed through the window.
When it was finally late enough to leave, they made their way to the east entrance, where they met Faruz. The three of them strolled down the path. Aibek reveled in the signs of health in the barren forest.
The green patches had almost completely vanished. The once-dead trees had less of a gray cast to them, the sickly gray replaced by a warm, healthy brown. The sun shone down from above, illuminating the leaf-strewn path and warming Aibek in spite of the cold breeze.
As they approached the normal meeting place, Aibek paid more attention to his immediate surroundings. In the desolate grays and browns of approaching winter, it wasn’t hard to pick out the slight color differences that marked the hiding elves and dwarves.
When they were completely surrounded, Aibek shouted, “I need to speak with your king and queen.”
A heartbeat later, a slender young elf appeared on the walk. “Come. They’ve been expecting you.”
Aibek nodded and led the way onto the parallel trail. There, he stopped and allowed the heavily armed elves and dwarves to take the lead.
They passed through the village, and this time faces peeked around buildings at the passing tree-dwellers, though no one was brave enough to sit on the benches and watch the short procession.
Anxiety knotted in Aibek’s stomach as he walked, remembering his last visit with the rulers. He hoped they had truly accepted that his people were not to blame for the forest’s illness, especially once Aylen had returned and told his story.
They crossed through the miniature village and into the forest beyond, pausing at the entrance to the underground cavern.
Aibek tucked a hand in his pocket, ready to cover his face with a fresh handkerchief if the rancid odor hadn’t improved. As he stepped into the earthen darkness below, he took a shallow, hesitant breath. The forest’s normal, fresh scent greeted him, and he relaxed as much as the narrow passageway allowed.
When they stepped into the wide cavern where they’d always met with Turan and Idril. A little sigh escaped as Aibek spotted the low, comfortable chairs they’d enjoyed on visits before the last one.
Good, Serik won’t have to stand the whole time. He refused to acknowledge — even to himself — the fact that he probably wouldn’t have been able to stay on his feet through a prolonged meeting. The walk from Nivaka had made his leg throb and ache. He relished the idea of sinking into one of the plush chairs, even though it would put him beneath the rulers and thus at a strategic disadvantage. He’d been there before.
He was so focused on the plush seats, he didn’t realize the rulers’ seats were empty until a flute sounded from the far end of the cavern.
King Turin and Queen Idril paraded into the room and settled themselves into their chairs without a glance toward the visitors. Several elves and dwarves fussed about them, arranging Queen Idril’s bright yellow skirts, removing King Turin’s tall hat covered in autumn leaves, and filling intricately-carved cups for each of the rulers.
Aylen gestured for Aibek, Serik, and Faruz to sit in the chairs below the raised stage that held the tall-backed chairs Idril and Turan sat upon.
When they were settled, Idril glanced down her nose at the visitors. “I suppose you have something more to ask of us?”
Aibek fought back a smile. “Not exactly.”
“Have you come to gloat over your victorious return atop the forest’s protectors, then?” Idril sneered.
“No.” Aibek gave a tiny shake of his head to punctuate the word.
Idril narrowed her eyes and regarded Aibek. Her voice dripped ice when she replied, “Then why have you come here?”
Aibek leaned forward, folding his hands on his knees. “We’re building a force of warriors who can fight on the dragons’ backs. I thought you would want some of your fighters to learn with us. We have ten dragons without riders and I would offer them to your warriors.”
A tense, breathless silence fell in the cavern. Long moments passed before Turan answered. “We would certainly want our people included in such a force, but we cannot name anyone on such short notice.”
&nb
sp; “Of course not,” Faruz said, smiling. “We won’t begin training for eight days, so you only need have names by then. Aibek and I will meet the chosen warriors at the lake on the first training day, if that is acceptable.” He added the last bit after a brief pause, as if he’d forgotten the protocol for a moment.
“This would be a great honor for any chosen warriors,” Queen Idril said slowly. “We may need more than a week to choose only ten. How many tree-dwellers will be in this force?”
Aibek stood, unable to remain sitting any longer despite the pain in his leg. “The number is not open to negotiation. We have a very limited number of dragons willing and able to carry warriors into battle. Ten do not currently have riders. If you don’t want to put your warriors on them, I will offer the positions to my soldiers.”
“That is not what I said.” Idril’s voice snapped, echoing against the walls of the cavern.
Aibek glanced around while he waited for her next move. The pool in the center of the space had shrunk to a fourth of its previous size, but the waterfall had begun trickling water again and the stench of rotting vegetation had vanished. Green streaks marked the edges of the waterfall’s normal path.
“If you are to limit us to ten warriors, what concessions are you willing to offer?” Turan stared down at the travelers.
“None.” Aibek responded without a second thought. “We are not required to offer you any positions in this force. My agreement was with the Bokinna herself and did not include you.” A gasp went through the assembled warriors, and Aibek waited until the murmurs quieted before continuing. “I made this offer because I respect your power and position within this forest, not because I had to.”
Aibek could feel Serik’s eyes on him, but he kept his attention on the rulers. He needed to read their reactions. Shock and outrage flashed across both of their faces before they regained their strict control.
The Nivaka Chronicles Boxed Set Page 63