He quietly shakes his head as his fists tighten.
Oh, how I would like to threaten him with the colossal sword I wield. Or the fukiya, or the kukri blade at my belt. And just move on with this. His fear almost baits me. Instead, I settle with a piercing glare.
He carries too much of a safeguard around his sister. He won’t bend to threats. Not this one. He’d sacrifice his life for his sister, no doubt. And a hunch tells me I need him alive for his sister to be manipulated. He knows his game isn’t working, but he’s too terrified to admit it. I’ll continue the charade so he can lead me directly to her. And maybe it’ll work out for me to bring both of them back to the Taoiseach.
“No, I already have my lead. I think I’ve seen enough of the Broken Forest,” I reply with a devious smile. “And without proper deterrents from the Cryptids, the risk involved with lingering outweighs the reward. There’s no time to waste. My next destination is northwest to the Thunder Bluffs. Let’s ride.”
There’s a vapid look on his face. At a sluggish pace, he turns toward his sleeping quarters. I presume to gather a few traveling provisions. Where’s the urgency? Let’s get on with this. He pauses at the partition and looks back at me. “Did you say ‘ride’?” he asks.
I raise a brow and give him a sidelong stare. “I presume you’ll strap a bridle to that tiger to travel such a distance.” Another opportunity for him to slow me down. Wonderful.
“Umm… no, actually. I travel by foot. That won’t be a problem, will it? Helios hasn’t been mountable for seasons. Maybe a petite individual, but not a full-grown man.”
“You consider yourself a man?” I mock. “Judging by the peach fuzz on that chin, it doesn’t look like you’ve had your first shave.”
He stares at me with another insipid look.
I bite my bottom lip to avoid a grin.
His dull stare turns into a long musing one. Then, a smile forms in one corner of his mouth.
Dammit! I don’t need to be giving this young man false hope that I have a soft, gleeful side. Because I don’t. I need him believing I’ll bite his head off before we’re done. I retort with sealed lips and an eye, saying just that.
His grin withers.
“You can mount with me.”
“Excuse me?”
A few curses slip off my tongue at his immaturity before I repeat myself. “You can mount up with me.”
His response is delayed. Cogs are slipping and bouncing all over inside that skull of his. It makes him hard to read. Most people have their intent tattooed on their face, or sleeve at minimum, but not Stone. I perceive it as innocence, but maybe it’s deception mastered. I must stay on guard around this young man.
“Let me gather a few items for the journey, then we can be on our way.”
He returns with dual katanas strapped to his back and a leather satchel hanging across his body. It looks homemade. “Sorry for the wait. I don’t travel often and didn’t want to go unprepared.”
With his faded tunic, tattered trousers, shoeless feet, and homemade satchel, he looks like a vagrant. Those blades don’t belong. The shining silver pommels, each with sapphires fixed into the bottom. Either he’s too witless to have realized the gold ribs he could receive in exchange for them or…they’re priceless—a family heirloom.
Helios wanders next to Stone and stands proud. The image of a young vagrant with priceless blades on his back and a regal beast by his side states Stone either stole another man’s prized possessions or his own prestigious life was stolen from him. And this is all that remains.
“Shall we?” I reply flatly.
We step out of the yurt, and Stone nervously backtracks. He stumbles into me. I catch him under the arms and help him to his feet. Maybe I should have mentioned Persia before stepping outside. She can be intimidating at first sight and stands not more than ten paces away. An aggressive snarl sounds from behind us as Helios follows us outside.
“Susy’s four hells! It’s a…a…”
His dumbfounded expression tells me he’s never seen one before. Not many have.
“A panther,” I finish for him.
“Yeah… A black panther… Large enough to mount! I had no idea they could grow to such a size. Is this your regular mount? It’s larger than Helios. Its back stands as tall as me.” He measures her with the flat of his hand floating from the top of his head out toward Persia.
She is a beautiful beast. Every bit of her fur is as dark as a starless night, with bright yellow eyes radiating like twin suns amid the night sky. She remains calm and disciplined even with Helios’s threatening approach.
“Impressive,” Stone mutters.
“She’s one of a kind. From the moment her mother birthed her, I have raised her, trained her, disciplined her, and assisted her growth in all essences of the word. Our Instincts are aligned. She and I are the same.”
Helios stands tall. So does his mane. His growling doesn’t subside as he’s threatened by Persia’s dominant presence. I focus my gaze on the cat and step in front of him, making sure he sees me. His Instincts are lacking, but the tiger abides my command anyhow. His mane settles, and his aggression recedes.
“Helios, hold,” Stone commands.
Best to let him think he has his cat under control.
“Relax. This is not an enemy. Right?” Stone’s brow raises.
There is a cold silence before I respond. “Elder. Helios. This is Persia, our transportation north to Greenport. Please don’t upset her. She can and will extinguish anything she believes to be a threat. Like I said, we are the same.”
Stone attempts to mount the cat, not without a struggle.
As charming as it is, I lose patience for his incompetence and offer advice on how to mount her. It doesn’t help. With another hit to his masculinity, I couple my fingers together and bend at the knees to give him a step and a shove in the upward direction. His bare foot plants into my coupled hands and I push with my thighs, hoisting him high enough to wrap a leg over.
I tug on my riding cloak draped over Persia’s back to free it from beneath Stone. I use it to brush the dirt from my hands before fastening it around my neck. The thing about a riding cloak, it works for all weather. It will shield you from the sky’s tears, frozen or not. It will insulate you from a chilled wind, and it’ll stave off the heat of a blistering summer day.
“Marvelous cloak,” Stone compliments.
He has that nervous tongue about him still. Can’t stop trying to acquaint and make friends.
“The deep red at your shoulders fading into the black of Persia at your ankles—I’ve never seen fabric quite like it before. And you wear the sigil of the Sprhowt proudly.” He gestures toward the black iron clasp at my neck.
It’s in the shape of a solar body caressed by a semi-circle. The sun representing summer, and the semi-circle representing the halfway mark in the cycle of seasons. A simple emblem with simple meaning.
“It acts as more of a collar, really.” I’m forced to hide within the shadows, and this is evidence of that restraint. He wouldn’t understand my meaning. It plainly shows on his face. I unstrap the blade from my back, slipping it from beneath my cloak, and draw my hood. “I see you don your heritage proudly as well.” I tap the pommel of my blade, alluding to the swords on his back.
Stone looks over his shoulder at the teardrop-shaped sapphires embedded in the pommels. “Oh, yeah. A gift from my father. A family heirloom passed from generation to generation, Lahyf to Lahyf. It’s all I have left of him.”
The sorrow on his face is genuine. He misses his family. And I’d wager he blames himself for their death. It’s something I don’t relate to. I ignore it and desist prying to drop the matter.
I strap my claymore to Persia’s harness. The weight of it and bulkiness don’t make for pleasant travels. But it’s secured with ease of access in mind should I need it.
With plenty of room for two, I gesture for Stone to scoot back. I place both palms on the panthers back and leap into the ai
r, nearly knocking Stone in the jaw as I throw a leg over the beast. I lasso the reigns around my fist. “Ready?”
Stone clutches the beast with his legs and wraps his hands around my waist even tighter. “You’re coarse,” he mutters. “Er…the panther. Not you. Your skin looks like silk…er…I mean…” He cuts his jabbering tongue short.
How humiliating. This boy needs a woman in his life to turn him into a man.
The ride north to Greenport is uneventful until the uneven terrain draws out more of his humiliation.
The thick undergrowth forces us to bob and weave, all while trying to remain hitched to the cat. Beyond that, going bareback without a saddle can add strain to your thighs. He has trouble holding tight to the cat and is having to thrust into me occasionally to secure his mount. The steady vibration along with the soft touch of a woman—which is clearly a novelty for Stone—creates the perfect opportunity for him to prove his immaturity.
“Stone. Have you ever been with a woman before?”
“Of course I have.”
Liar. Technically, it isn’t a lie based on how my question is phrased, but he knows what I mean.
“I find that hard to believe.” I grab a handful between his legs. “I can’t seem to rid myself of this little prick in my ass.” Knowing he cannot see my face, I allow a beaming smile to show for the first time in countless seasons. I don’t let it last long and shove my emotion back down where it belongs.
Stone scoots back enough to avoid direct contact between his groin and my rear. I’m sure his face is the color of the Scarlet River. Though, I don’t turn to see. He’s had enough humiliation and doesn’t need me prodding at it. Maybe he can maintain a sliver of dignity.
Once we hit the Forest Road, it smooths out. The only obstacles to dodge are the ruts formed from carriages traveling during the wet seasons. Persia holds a steady glide the entire way with Helios right on her tail. We only stop once to allow the beasts water and to quench our own thirst as well. The panther proves to be quick with a double load and a rough start through the underbrush. We arrive at our destination with the sun above the horizon, casting long shadows throughout the commons of the small fishing village.
Greenport is an intimate fishing village. There’s not much for irregular foot traffic. Which is a problem for both an assassin and a fugitive. Enough traders pass through that our arrival alone won’t be suspicious, but the enormous black cat and the regal beast might steal a few glances. The public doesn’t welcome me, nor do I want it to. I must slip into the shadows where my presence isn’t noticed.
Before we stroll into town, I bring Persia to a halt. “This is where I leave you.”
Stone slides off the panther in an uncouth manner. His feet touch ground, and he straightens his tunic. “Would you like to join me for a meal before we split ways?”
The question leaves him taken aback as much as it does me. What is wrong with him? Beneath the thin sheet of lies, he knows I’m the enemy, yet he insists on being courteous.
I tilt my head with a raised brow and subtly shake my head.
“Do I at least get a name before you go?”
I dig into a small leather traveling satchel fastened to Persia’s harness to retrieve a single coin—a gold rib—and I flip it to him. “Find yourself an experienced woman first. And a bath. Then maybe you’ll have my name.” I kiss my fingertips and blow in his direction. A gentle tug on Persia’s reigns and I’m both avoiding the town center and headed west where I’ve left Stone believing is my next destination. Taking advantage of his naivety leaves me with an emotion I haven’t sensed in countless seasons. Shame.
Feeling his eyes follow me as I go, I ride out of sight.
Can hope be trusted? Or is it a white light in the corner of a vast, dark chamber? Easing your visual senses to the unknown. But also…revealing the dangers awaiting in the shadows. And offering no real guidance or solution. Just hope.
9 Stone
“W
hat just happened?” I stand at the outskirts of Greenport, a place I haven’t ventured to in many seasons because of the potential threats it holds, and find myself frozen. Awestruck by a lethal Woman-in-Red. A woman who rides out atop a powerful beast now but just as easily could have sent that claymore slashing across my mass. So threatening. Fierce. In control. Intriguing. And…too familiar. Who is this woman that fascinates me?
My enemy.
I’m only a boy in her eyes anyhow. And that’s likely all it is, a boy’s immaturity pulling him toward the first pretty girl who gives him attention. I shake my head, attempting to snap the dangerous bond I feel toward her.
When I turn around, the village wrenches her from my thoughts.
As simple as the structures are, I find myself gawking. It’s been too long since I’ve witnessed a real building. Having tacked together our yurt and made incessant repairs over the seasons, I find myself interested in the best practices at keeping them upright. I study them as I stand on the open road.
A man tends one of the small shops in the distance, and I suddenly become aware I’m standing on the open road. For all to see. A fugitive exposed. A wary feeling grows in my gut, and I remind myself I’m merely a young man going about his business. Elder Alderock to be sure. A drifter with his regal traveling companion in search of a Healer. I step closer to Helios and lay a hand on him. Nobody knows otherwise. I was a boy then. Now a man.
I take a deep breath and slowly exhale. Then I put one foot in front of the other to rekindle my relationship with society. Where to begin?
The common area has a few small shops, one large stone building that appears to be the rally chamber, and another smaller stone building, the local House of Seasons, with Susy’s crest planted high above the organic entryway. Four leaves of life form an X with each of the four seasons blossoming from the center like a spring flower. Toadstools sprout on the north; raindrops trickle to the south; a hibernating tree branches out to the east, and a solar body rises in the west. Coincidence or not, these are the four crests of The First Four. Though, not one of the founding families has lain claim to the birth of the Seezuhn religion.
These buildings all surround a large plaza, which has evidence of the Summer Solstice Festival several weeks back. The area is empty of citizens at the moment. The one man I saw has disappeared. The shops are closed for the evening, and the rally chamber isn’t in use. The only life I see now is an elderly man refueling the thunder lanterns outside the House of Seasons, but he pays us no mind.
There’s a thin border of aspens surrounding the commons and just on the other side is the Scarlet Delta. The main cobblestone thoroughfare carries us through a split in the arbor border leading to the delta, where there’s a bit more activity. My nerves heighten. Along the waterfront are several households, some industrialized buildings, and an abundance of piers. And if my memory serves me right, the public house, which resides underneath the inn, is a short walk through town. That’s where I would find a Healer or information that could send me in the direction of one.
All the local and non-local fishermen mosey into Abbey’s after disembarking their ships to share their exaggerated and glorified fishing stories over and over, and over again, before heading home to their families. And that is exactly where I need to be.
As we stroll into town, Jay and Goose won’t flee my mind. They’re probably finding a place to bed down for the night, which is going to be a new experience for them. They’ll be out in the open. And with her condition, they’re more vulnerable than they already were. My heart races at the thought. This is the first time I haven’t been by her side to protect her. Or near enough anyhow. I can only hope Goose keeps her safe. I know he’ll keep her safe. He will.
I realize I’m still holding the gold rib the Woman-in-Red flipped me. Fidgeting it between my fingers really. It’s not wise to flaunt your gold, so I open my satchel and stare down at the dried meats and even drier bread. I drop it in, parting ways with what I’m now gathering was a stress reliever. I
start clicking my fingernails instead.
Several perplexed and muddled glances come my way as I stroll down the waterfront with Helios. None threatening. I think. Only awkward and unwelcoming. Maybe this town is more familiar with oxen, donkeys, and the like. It is a village keener on labor than luxuries.
I look out to the piers and freeze, gripping a chunk of Helios’s fur to get him to pause as well. He curls his head back and nips my arm. A squad of Crimson Guard is inspecting a fishing vessel. One of them shoves a fisherman aside to board his trawler.
“No worries, son,” a passerby comments.
I nearly jump. He’s talking to me.
“That’s normal business over there. Ol’ Crowbill’s known for smuggling more than his share of the river. They’re just enforcing the proper tariffs. They ain’t interested in harassing young lads of royalty.” He gazes down at the tiger with interest. “Where’d you get such a beast?”
“Uh…family. Pardon me, sir, but time is limited. I must be on my way.” I nudge Helios to get moving, who paid no mind to the passerby at all.
The man shrugs his shoulders and carries on as I hurry away.
It wasn’t the smartest of plans, bringing a tiger into town with me. The spectacle of his fur will draw attention from a blind man. With Crimson Guard roaming the village, hopefully I’m not recognized from the wanted signs that were posted ages ago. I wonder if any of them linger after four seasons.
It occurs to me I have a bit of a predicament on my hands. Having just snubbed a potential Healer, it didn’t even cross my mind to ask him. And I didn’t pay any mind to his eye color. I kept my head down and escaped the encounter as quickly as I could. Too busy fearing what would become of me if I were discovered. I cannot hide from people if I must find people.
Season of Sacrifice (Blood of Azure Book 1) Page 9