by Dan Decker
Couldn’t she see the danger was far from over? The fighting could start again at a moment’s notice, and Jorad didn't want to worry about something happening to her. He had just been fighting for his life, and despite that, if her frown was any indication, she was still furious with him.
“Tere, we can either come to an arrangement,” Adar said addressing the man that Jorad had almost killed, “or we'll kill you. Your choice.”
Tere snorted and set his jaw. “Returning Jorad to make his claim is paramount to killing you. What are your terms?”
Soret gasped. This wasn’t how Jorad wanted her to find out. He'd dodged Soret's question about what he would do after Zecarani and now he wished that he hadn't. Strangely, the anger had left her face. That wasn't the response he'd been expecting. Well, truth be told, he'd expected that she wouldn't have believed him.
Adar looked at Jorad. “Put your sword away.”
“Not as long as they're trying to kill us.” Did Adar expect Jorad to go with them to Rarbon? He wouldn’t go at the point of a sword.
“Not us, just me,” Adar said. “Do it.” Jorad did as Adar asked. Tere motioned to his men, and they put away their swords as well.
Without his sword in hand, the anger left Jorad as if he'd been plunged into cold water. He shivered as he realized how close he’d come to killing another person. What would that have been like? He knew that Adar sometimes had restless nights when memories of the men he killed tormented him. When Jorad joined the Radim and made his claim to become Ghar, it was inevitable that he would kill and be responsible for the deaths of many. Jorad wasn’t sure if he could live with that or not. One night, in a rare moment of openness, Adar had shared with him the visions that haunted him. It hadn't been a comfortable conversation.
“I need to talk with my son.”
Tere nodded. Adar tossed his hoe to the ground, motioning for Jorad to follow. He didn’t have any qualms about turning his back on the three men, or at least if he did, the concern didn’t show.
“Stay on guard, but you have little to worry about,” Adar said when they were out of earshot. “They’d be executed for harming you.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“You attacked Tere, and he defended himself. Don’t you think it odd that you fought one of Rarbon's best swordsmen and you survived without a nick?”
“He was trying to kill you.” Jorad had been a little bit proud of the fact he hadn't suffered a scratch. He realized that Adar was correct. Tere had been fighting defensively. Jorad should have figured that out himself.
“I appreciate your help. We should allow them to escort you back to Rarbon. You were already planning to return anyway. This will save time because you won’t have to convince the Council you're a Rahid. Tere and his men can vouch for your heritage. ”
“Let's hope so.” Jorad didn't think he would ever trust Tere to do anything.
“You'll go with them?”
Jorad hated feeling roped into this. True, he'd made the decision already, but there was a big difference between going alone and being escorted by armed men to make sure he went through with it. Adar did have a point about not having to prove who he was. He hesitated. Timing was important, and they needed any leg up they could get.
“If it's clear I'm not their prisoner.” Jorad didn't like this decision, and it was only because the Hunwei were breathing down their necks that he agreed.
Adar nodded, and they returned to where the others were waiting.
“We travel together to Zecarani,” Adar said. “After that, we part ways and Jorad will go with you to Rarbon as your guest. He is free to leave at any time, and we enter a truce that lasts until I say goodbye to Jorad and send him with you.”
“Travel with you?” Tere asked, rubbing his face and muttering something that Jorad didn't hear.
“Or we end the conflict.”
Tere wasn't happy about the offer, and the struggle was evident on his face. At length, he nodded and held out his hand. Adar took it. There was something exchanged between the two men that Jorad couldn't read and there were a few tense seconds while their eyes were locked onto one another. It looked like it would end in a tussle. Tere released his grip and Jorad found that he'd been holding his breath. He exhaled, glad that it hadn't come to blows again, and wondered how in Melyah's name they would make it to Zecarani without killing each other.
Chapter 11
Soret shifted one of her hands from Jorad's waist and touched his arm, hoping that she could get him to calm down. Even though he’d agreed to go along with Adar’s plan, he didn’t appear to be happy about it. He looked over his shoulder and gave her a tight smile, before turning his attention back to the horse.
Typical. Whenever a woman tried to reach out to a troubled man, he pushed her away. She squirmed, trying to find a more comfortable position, but it was cramped with both of them on the horse. Unable to find anything more comfortable, she sighed and resigned herself to waiting it out. The sun wasn't making things any better, and she wished that she had a hat.
They were in front of the others as they made their way back to Neberan and it was taking a special effort on her part to avoid looking back at the men from Rarbon. She was confused about how the fight between Adar and the others had ended suddenly without warning. It hadn’t been more than five minutes later that they were entering a truce. Adar wasn’t a trusting man and for him to enter into an agreement with men that had almost killed him—or rather tried to kill him—was unthinkable. Tere had seemed to take Adar at his word that the Hunwei had returned, which also seemed strange given the circumstances.
She shuddered as she remembered the fight. Her anger with Jorad had become sheer terror when she saw how recklessly he'd thrown himself into the fray. When she had the nerve to watch, she’d been surprised to see Jorad alive and holding his own with a man twice his age.
With all the stupid things that Erro had done recently to Jorad, he was lucky that Jorad hadn’t broken an arm or a leg. She’d felt her face flush as she remembered thinking during the confrontation with her parents that Jorad should stand up for himself more often. She hadn’t realized that he’d been holding back on purpose.
She had screamed when Jorad had gone to kill Tere and couldn’t begin to describe her relief when Adar had intervened. She was beginning to wonder if there was there something to Erro’s poster after all. Had Jorad mentioned that he and Adar had been to Colonipo? She couldn’t remember, but it seemed familiar.
“Wait until I tell my parents that you are the next Ghar of Rarbon,” Soret said playfully. “They’ll forget all about Erro. They may even start to like you.” She felt his arms tense.
“I wouldn't bet on it,” Jorad said. “Besides, it won't be as simple as it sounds. Many have tried, and so far nobody has succeeded.”
“What do you mean?”
“I have to pass a number of trials before I can become a Rahar. After that, I have still more testing before I can be made Ghar.”
“What will the tests be like?”
“It depends. The Rarbon Council decides all that. It's never the same thing. Many of my ancestors have died during the testing.”
“Oh.” Soret had never heard about any of that.
“My father passed all the tests, and somebody killed my mother to keep him from ascending. It happened on the eve of what would have been his inauguration.”
“That’s terrible! I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to dig up the past.”
“It’s ok. I barely remember her. Most of what I know about her I learned from Adar.”
She sighed, her mind awhirl with questions, but now she was hesitant to probe him further for additional information. There was so much to sort out. How did she feel about Jorad? Should she go with him to Rarbon? What about the Hunwei? There was a lot going on, but like fish swimming below the surface of a lake, she was able to catch only a few glimpses.
Earlier, Soret had been convinced that Jorad was lying to her about the Hunwei, b
ut now she wasn't so sure. Both Jorad and Adar were adamant about the Hunwei returning. Tere and those with him had believed them without question. Apparently, the Radim soldiers set aside all differences when it came to the Hunwei.
The thought of the Hunwei made her shiver despite the heat of the late evening sun. The stories that she’d heard about them as a child had made it impossible to sleep until her father had explained that they were made up. Without realizing what she was doing, Soret scooted closer to Jorad. That was even more uncomfortable, and after a bit, she shifted back again.
Jorad was leaving today and Soret wouldn’t see him again if she didn’t go too, she was certain about that. Rarbon was more than a month’s journey away, possibly two. How long before a pretty Rarbonian girl would make Jorad forget all about her?
But what would Soret do if she went? Join the Radim? Her pulse quickened at the thought. Jorad had said that it was true that the Radim accepted women and had whole armies comprised of them, but there weren’t any women with Tere. Had Jorad been serious or joking around? Sometimes he could be so dry it was hard to tell.
Soret tried to imagine strapping on a Radim sword, but it was a strange thought. Still, that might be a better life than staying in Neberan and marrying a farmer, or even a wealthy merchant’s son like Erro. Nothing ever happened in Neberan. The exciting things always happened in a far off place. She sometimes wished that they would happen here too.
When rumors would come from places like Colonipo or Paroux, she dreamed of seeing the events firsthand. Paroux, now there was a city that she wanted to see! Paroux’s shining walls and towers that climbed to the clouds were supposed to be taller than Vigorock and far more beautiful. Jorad had mentioned that he’d lived there but hadn’t talked much about it. To him, it was just another place.
She remained lost in thought for the rest of the trip and was surprised when she looked up and saw that they were at the Gartel boarding house. After Jorad, Adar, Tere and the others had seen to the needs of the horses, they headed into the common room. It was largely empty because it was still a little while before dinner would be served.
Soret recognized Wes talking with one of the serving girls in a corner, but she couldn't tell who it was because the girl had her back turned to them when they entered. As always, Anny Gartel did a good job of keeping the boarding house clean, which was surprising given the type of clientele that usually frequented the Gartel establishment at night.
There were three strangers talking with Anny. The first, a pretty woman, turned when they entered. Without realizing it, Soret pushed back several strands of her hair that had gone askew. The woman’s smile was stunning, and she looked appreciatively at Jorad’s shoulders. Soret cringed and found herself baring her teeth at the stranger. She tried to change it to a smile of her own but wasn’t sure that she succeeded. It was rare that Neberan had visitors other than merchants. These three strangers, combined with Tere and his men from Rarbon, all at once? This was going to cause quite a stir.
The woman looked relieved to see them and started towards them but stopped when Tere and his men entered the room. There were astonished looks exchanged by everybody but Adar who was frowning at the newcomers.
“Melyah take me!” Tere spoke first, addressing the woman. “Xarda, what are you doing here?”
“Uncle Tere,” Xarda said, “I could ask you the same thing!”
Tere didn’t reply as Soret looked between the two of them. They were related? Xarda was taller than Tere, and while he was haggard, she was beautiful, despite her worn clothes and the sword strapped to her back.
Soret did a double take and couldn’t help but stare at the weapon, it was smaller than Tere’s, but it was a Radim sword. No doubt about it. It was true that the Radim allowed women to join their ranks! The other two strangers with Xarda approached. The first was a large man who stood a head taller than Jorad and Adar. He might even be bigger than Thon. The second was a younger scrawny guy. He was Jorad's age, maybe a little older.
“Xarda,” Adar said, “You’re as beautiful as your mother and Karn you’re just as big a man as you were a boy. Who’s the kid?”
“Leron,” said the scrawny guy. “To think I thought Xarda was crazy to drag us out here. It’s an honor to meet you.” He had recognized Adar without an introduction. How had he done that? Soret had overheard that Adar hadn’t been to Rarbon in over fifteen years. There was no way this kid was old enough to remember him.
“It seems that you have just as many supporters as you always did.” Tere gritted his teeth. “Never mind the fact that you’re wanted for murder. Do I need to remind you all that he was stripped of his title and there is a standing death order on his head? An order that any Radim is duty bound to fulfill?”
Xarda looked indignant and cut Leron off from making a response. “Come now uncle, I don’t care what happened with you two. You can’t really believe Adar murdered his own wife? Your mother never understood it and neither do I. You two were like brothers.”
Adar was accused of killing Jorad’s mother? His wife? That was something that Jorad hadn't mentioned. Tere’s hands balled into fists, and Adar folded his arms. Soret had a feeling it wouldn’t take much to break apart their pact.
“I was there,” Tere said. “I saw the bloody dagger and her blood on his hands. Nelion’s lover lay at her side, gasping in the throes of death. I’d kill him now if I didn’t need him.” Tere looked as if he wanted to spit but then noticed how clean the floor of the common room was so he swallowed instead.
“Even with two men you couldn’t kill Adar,” Jorad said, his voice was firm, but he looked confused. Soret wondered if this was the first he’d heard that Adar was accused of killing his mother and that she had been found with another man.
“Nelion was faithful,” Adar said to Tere. His voice was calm, and the tone was even, but there was a fire in the words that even Soret was able to pick up on. “You never explained how you found me so fast.”
Soret felt Jorad stir beside her and realized he was reaching for his sword so she stepped away as she tried to puzzle everything out. She noticed Leron staring at her and grimaced when he flashed a toothy smile at her, never mind all the tension in the room. The others could have been talking about the weather for all the attention he was paying them. She’d have to keep an eye on that one.
She stopped. She hadn’t even realized what was going on. Jorad was reaching for his sword? All of the sudden her mouth went dry, and she felt queasy.
“What are you accusing me of?” Tere took a step forward.
“Are you backing out of our agreement?” Adar almost looked hopeful.
The two men stood staring at each other until Tere lowered his hand. Soret hadn’t even noticed him reaching for his sword. Adar’s arms were still folded, but he looked the more dangerous of the two by far.
“Our deal stands!” Tere said. “I don’t know why we bothered to find Jorad. The years I’ve wasted, only to learn Xarda knew where to find him all along!” Tere stormed out. His men followed him several moments later.
“Don’t worry about him,” Xarda said. “A lot of people never believed his story. Some even say that he was more likely to have killed Nelion than you.”
“You’re late,” Adar said. “I expected people more than two months ago.”
“So this is why we came to Neberan?” Jorad sputtered. The air in the common room seemed to get colder still. Adar met Jorad’s glare as Xarda shifted uncomfortably.
“I made these plans years ago before you even knew anything about your duty.”
“And why didn’t you tell me?”
“It hadn't come up yet.”
As the two men faced each other, Soret became afraid it might come to blows. She took Jorad’s hand, and he looked startled as if he’d forgotten she was there.
Karn, the big man, cleared his throat. “Uh, it’s my fault that we are late. While on the road, I heard a rumor that,” he paused to look around the room, “we had to inve
stigate.”
“Give me a full report.” Adar motioned for Karn to follow him outside.
“This conversation isn’t over.” Jorad held Soret’s hand tight enough that it was beginning to hurt.
Adar pulled the door closed behind him without answering.
Xarda touched Jorad, and Soret found herself bristling. Xarda was older than Jorad, but she was very pretty, and men didn’t care about age. That golden brown hair and those wide eyes had no doubt attracted many men. “Jorad, you look like your father, but I can see your mother in you as well.”
“You knew my mother?” Jorad muttered as he stared after Adar. Soret could feel his heartbeat racing through his hand. “Was she as infuriating as my father?”
“Hard to say,” Xarda said lightly as if making a joke. “I only met her a couple times.” Her tone was completely lost on Jorad.
“I barely remember her.”
“Well, the portraits still hang in the Council Chambers. Perhaps that will help.”
There were portraits of Jorad’s mother? That meant there were portraits of Adar as well. No wonder Adar didn’t need an introduction; his people would know him on sight. Soret had never known anybody wealthy enough to have a portrait done. Not even Erro’s parents had portraits.
Soret couldn’t help but stare at Jorad as if she was seeing him for the first time. His dark brown hair was tussled and standing on end, the clothes he wore were filthy and wrinkled, but he suddenly seemed something more.
That’s a stupid thought, she told herself. Why would his appearance change just because I know he comes from wealth and power? She felt a little foolish that she was so easily impressed and tried to push away the feeling.
Xarda turned to Soret. “Are you Jorad’s wife?” The question caught Soret off guard. Why would Xarda think that? She and Jorad had only just started spending time with one another; surely they weren’t bad enough to be mistaken for that?