The Silver Arrow

by Larry Itejere

  “Something about the Anamerian was tied to the boy,” Mosley said, as if talking to himself. “I could sense a connection between him and the boy that I cannot explain.

  “We were on our way to Kadan’s Gate to sail to Bremah when we were ambushed. Iseac sent the boy away on his horse while we held them off, and as soon as we were bound, Golans were sent after him.”

  Tremay was quiet for a second after Mosley was done speaking.

  “We will find this young man you call Samuel, but first there are growing rumors of things appearing out of the shadows, attacking villages and small towns. If anyone saw these Agoras this far south from the abyss, it will fan the flames of these rumors even more. We need these two alive to extract what we can from them without drawing any attention.

  “Here!” Tremay said to Mosley, handing him two small tonic-size containers. Mosley recognized them immediately; the tonic would knock both Agoras out in a matter of minutes once it touched their tongues.

  “I’m not sure how well this will work on them,” Tremay said, “since they aren’t human, but we’ll find out soon enough.”

  Minutes later, Mosley returned.

  “It is done,” he said. Tremay raised his right arm over his head, twirling his forefinger in the air, and the Ackalans all mounted their horses.

  Mosley called out, whistling, and soon his horse appeared out of the woods, trotting toward him. As his horse was approaching, Mosley took several quick steps and leaped into the air to settle on his horse’s saddle.

  The captured Agoras that were now unconscious were tossed at the front of the Ackalans’ horses, their bodies covered so as not to be seen.

  Tremay and the Ackalans trotted into the woods under the quiet sound of their horses’ hooves, which was muffled by wet leaves.

  They soon discovered the track of the three Golans and a fourth one that could only be Samuel’s. While Mosley’s demeanor, like every true Ackalan, was unreadable, he hoped Samuel’s luck was still holding.

  They had to be quick and vigilant at the same time, knowing that Golans were extraordinarily great marksmen, even as they followed Samuel’s tracks. They saw no indication from the tracks that they had caught up to him, but that didn’t mean much, since they didn’t necessarily have to catch up to him. The Golans’ intent wasn’t to capture but to end the life of their intended victim.

  The wooded area soon opened up to a little fishing town about half a mile way. The street from their vantage point was busy with people moving about and traders trying to sell or buy goods from people that came inland.

  From what Tremay could tell, Samuel’s tracks indicated that he made it into the town and that he wasn’t followed past the tree line. The Golans’ tracks veered left back into the woods; either they got their target or decided to end their pursuit. Whatever the reason, they would find out soon enough.

  “As you all know,” Tremay said, “the sun will be setting in a few more hours, and we know someone out there saw Samuel. We have an hour to confirm his presence here and what he decided to do. We will meet north of this position just past the watch post.”

  Tremay chose the watche’s post for two reasons. First, the road by the post was the way to Kadan’s Gate; if they were to discover that Samuel had moved on, they would already be heading that way. Second, and more important, Tremay wanted to make sure no one saw what they were carrying, as the Agoras were not always completely covered.

  Tremay chose four men within the group and asked that they remove all items that would identify them as Ackalans.

  While they were doing this, Mosley gave a clear description of Samuel−how he looked and what he was wearing. Once the men were ready, they rode out one at a time into Lufgard, spacing themselves so no association could be made.

  Within the hour, the four men returned. After reviewing the information they’d gathered from the street and inns, it was clear, or at least every indication showed, that Samuel had escaped his assailants.

  An innkeeper claimed to have helped him and said that he may have boarded a ship called The Night Meadow to Bremah, even though most of the ships were heading to Kadan’s Gate; rarely do ships go straight to Bremah from Lufgard.

  “Fortune must smile on this Samuel,” Tremay thought just before saying, “We’ll send a message to the Patron in Bremah before leaving Kadan’s gate.”

  The sun was past its zenith when they mounted their horses again; with the signal from Hildra, Tremay’s second in command, they headed back into the woods, away from the main roads heading to Kadan’s Gate.

  As they rode off, Tremay pulled his horse next to Mosley. “Let's hope the young man’s fortune is as steady as the northern star. His importance to the Anamerian makes him important us.” With that, he rode off to the head of their group.

  Chapter 20

  Memories and Letting Go

  Samuel’s first day on the ship was a blur as exhaustion dragged him to sleep. He was met on the other side by nightmares, the horror from recent events playing in his dreams. Startled awake by this terror, he was left both physically and mentally drained.

  The weather the second day was rougher as thunderstorms pounded the ship with heavy waves. The violent undulation made Samuel queasy, and he threw up once.

  “Take this,” one of his cabin mates said, seeing Samuel’s flushed look. “It is an illacium leaf; it will help soothe your stomach and stop your heaving.”

  Samuel raised his head to look at the young woman. “Thank you,” he replied as he took the cup she was handing him.

  The swaying motion did not cease throughout the day, but went on into the night. The next morning the sea was calm, as if the night before never happened; the sky was clear blue like the water itself, with the breeze of the Kadan River driving them along.

  Samuel stepped outside his cabin for the first time and was amazed at how vast the river was; there was no land in sight as far as his eyes could see. How the sailors knew where they were heading was a mystery to him.

  Looking around, he found a spot on the deck close to the foremast. It was a little nook with somewhat of a view. He walked over to the corner of the ship and sat down watching as others came out from their cabins to enjoy the weather. It was nice being out in the open, even though the sun provided little warmth.

  A few days ago, Samuel’s thoughts had been about finding his family and then trying to escape the Golans that were seeking his life. It had never crossed his mind until now how he would find Gabram in a city almost as vast as Bayshia.

  He hoped that people weren’t as ignorant as he was and that in a big city like Bremah, someone would know where he could find the Ackalans and they would be able to lead him in the right direction.

  As Samuel sat wrestling with his thoughts, he noticed a lump in his trouser pocket. He dipped his hand in and pulled out the object. He’d forgotten about the necklace with the emerald ring that he had picked up in Bayshia.

  Maybe the Patron would have an explanation for what happened to him in Bayshia. Or would he think he was crazy? It wasn’t any crazier than everything else that had happened to him. He remembered Iseac didn’t think he was crazy when he mentioned people disappearing in flames. This wasn’t anymore crazy than that. Thinking of Iseac, how was he going to break the news of his capture to Gabram? He wasn’t sure of their relationship and how close Gabram was to Iseac. He would wait and see what happened, and then determine the best approach.

  The sail the rest of the way wasn’t as rough as the second day; however, Samuel couldn’t wait to be on solid ground again. Every day looked the same, as if they weren’t moving, but on the sixth day, the man in the crow’s nest sounded the alarm.

  “Land in sight!” he cried. “Bremah ahead!”

  Samuel looked up to at the watcher standing high on the foremast, his words ringing out like a tower bell. Those words sent the crew into motion as they dashed across the deck. The men rushed about their duties, preparing to dock, with the first mate driving the crew to q
uicken their pace. Somehow, in what looked like chaos, they knew exactly what to do.

  For the first time, Samuel saw the mountainside over the horizon. He squinted; making sure his eyes weren’t playing tricks on him. He could not believe he made it, as the ship moved closer to land, and then the tip of a massive wall slowly appeared out of the horizon. It was soon obscured by trees as they got closer to docking.

  It was past midday when they docked and Durack, like Samuel, couldn’t wait to be off the ship. The horse was skittish, urging Samuel on as they made their way down the wooden steps of the ship.

  The place was different and one could not miss the reddish stone used in the construction of the stores that lined the street by the harbor. It reminded Samuel of an ant mound.

  The streets were lined with long rows of shops that looked the same at a glance, with the only distinguishing feature being their hanging metal signs that dangled overhead. A few shops had their signs mounted directly on the wall.

  The streets were paved close to the harbor. As Samuel stood looking around at the busy street, he felt an odd sensation that had nothing do with the humidity or the fishy smell that was mixed with the crowd. He knew he wasn’t moving, but he felt as if he were still in motion. It felt so strange that he had to look down at his feet just to make sure he wasn’t moving.

  “We better get going, then,” Samuel said to Durack as he held the horse’s reins. The last time he remembered seeing so many people was at the harvest festival.

  A little intimidated, having never traveled unaccompanied by a family member, Samuel took a deep breath before making his way through the crowd. Hawkers moved about with their goods balanced on their heads. They seemed to concentrate on the new influx of people, with Samuel’s ship being one of the new arrivals.

  He pressed on through the crowd, looking at the different establishments and the people that passed by, some with strange contraptions that went over their shoulders allowing them to balance their goods in front.

  Samuel decided he would find an inn inside the city, wherever that was, once he was away from the harbor; but first he needed to get directions. His first stop was at the tavern called the Ram Rode, and he was surprised to see the place filled with people. Apparently taverns here at the coastal area of Bremah were just as busy during the day as one would expect at night.

  He could not believe what the server girls were wearing—sleeveless and low-cut dresses that extended just above their knee. No wonder the place drew so many male customers, like bees to honey. It wasn’t any different at the Lady’s Fisher, which was close, but on the opposite side of the street.

  “It makes sense,” Samuel thought, as both taverns were competing for the same customers.

  After a few minutes of waiting to be served, Samuel decided to keep going. Hopefully there will be others ahead that aren’t as busy as these two, he thought as he moved on.

  Samuel quickly realized that the farther up he went, the more spread out the shops became, so when he saw the next tavern, he decided not to try his luck on a fourth. Even as he approached, the place looked less crowded.

  As he was making his way across the road to the tavern, he saw two uniformed patrol guards on horseback. They scanned the street for any signs of trouble as their horses moved gently along.

  “Why didn’t I think of this,” he thought. “They will know how I can get to the city.” As Samuel picked up his pace to catch up with the uniformed men, he heard his name. It was clear, as if the person were standing next to him. He stopped and turned to see who it was that had called. In the middle of the street, a man dressed in a silk blue robe stood, looking at him. At the sight of the stranger, everything else faded, making him appear alone. Samuel blinked, taken by what just happened, as things returned to normal.

  The man’s clothing was no longer the blue robe he thought he saw, but something different. He was now wearing a white woolen shirt and brown riding trousers, but he was still in the same spot as before. The stranger gestured for him to come even as he made his way over to him.

  “I am Gabram,” the man said, bowing his head in a nod. “I have been expecting you. Please follow me!” He turned and started walking back into the crowd.

  It took a minute for Samuel, who was still marveling at what just happened, to realize that Gabram was leaving. He picked up his pace to catch up to him.

  “I must be going crazy,” Samuel muttered under his breath. Whatever was happening to him, he did not like it. He hoped all of this would go away once he found his family and returned home.

  He focused on staying with Gabram, who moved through the crowd like water between trees. They soon took a side street away from most of the crowd and stopped at a single building with a woman tending to the shrub in front.

  “Can you ride?” Gabram asked, and Samuel nodded in response.

  “Good. Wait here for me.” Gabram walked into the building. Samuel watched the woman, who was past her middle years, clear the area around the purple and white flowered shrub. When Gabram returned, appearing from the side of the building, he was on horseback; with him were two men dressed in clothing similar to what he remembered Mosley wearing. Ackalans, he thought, relieved that he had made it.

  “They are here for your protection,” Gabram said. “We have much to talk about, but right now we have a long ride ahead of us.”

  Gabram watched Samuel get on Durack before sending his horse into a trot, riding between the waiting Ackalans. He picked up his pace to catch up with Gabram and they rode off with the harbor slowly fading behind them.

  They rode in through a massive gate known as the western entrance. A notable number of armed guards were watching as people passed by. Gabram led them north around the city with Samuel watching in amazement at how different Bremah was. Most of the streets were paved with the same reddish cobblestones as the harbor, and some of the buildings were made of the same material, too. In areas where buildings weren’t obscured by trees, he could see long stretches of homes built together, which he’d never seen before.

  It was past midday when they arrived at the northern gate, which was not as heavily guarded. It led out of the city into the open plain.

  The sun was below the horizon, and they followed a natural path created through the trees when Samuel smelled it: burning wood from a chimney. “We are getting close to homes again,” he thought, just as what looked like a cottage appeared overhead between the trees. From a distance, the windows on the building were like the glowing eyes of an owl.

  They rode down a steady slope toward the only house in the middle of the woods and unsaddled their horses in a fenced area by the house. They made their way to the front door, led by Gabram.

  Inside, they were greeted by Gabram’s wife; as soon as she saw that they had guest, she went straight to work.

  “Let me get this child something to eat,” she said as she scurried off into the kitchen.

  “Maria, your father is home,” she called out, and a young girl in her teens ran out to meet Gabram. Maria was dressed in a long purple square-neck gown with a white short-sleeved shirt underneath. Her hair was pulled back, held in place by a white ribbon. She ran into Gabram’s arms and gave him a hug as he kissed her on the forehead.

  Once Maria took her head from her father’s shoulder, Gabram gestured toward Samuel.

  “I would like you to meet a friend of mine. Samuel, this is my daughter, Maria.”

  “Nice to meet you,” Samuel said, bowing his head slightly.

  She smiled in return. “Nice to meet you, too.”

  “Samuel will be staying with us for a while. Do you mind taking his things to the vacant room? And let your mother know we have two more guests outside.”

  “Yes, Father,” she said before disappearing with Samuel’s saddlebag.

  Sometime later, they all sat at the table as supper was served. Gabram’s wife was a stout woman with shoulder-length hair and an average build. The table was covered with food by the time she sat next
her husband.

  “Please, go ahead,” Gabram said as he began to serve himself. While Gabram’s wife took small bites, she scanned everyone’s plate and cup, ensuring that none was empty. Samuel declined more after his second serving, but took her offer of a bucket of hot water and a washcloth for the morning.

  “Samuel,” Gabram announced, “is going to be staying with us a while and he’ll be working with me.”

  “Where are you from?” Maria asked

  “Chartum-Valley,” Samuel replied, and Gabram’s wife looked up at him, not sure if what she heard was correct.

  “Is that the same valley north of Orie?” she asked with some surprise in her tone.

  “Yes!”

  “That is a long way from home,” she said just before Maria cut in again. “Tell me about this Chartum-Valley?”

  “Maybe some other time,” Gabram chimed in. “Let him eat his food.” Gabram changed the subject to other small matters, such as things going on in the city and at home. When they were done with supper, Maria was asked to show him to his room.

  Samuel’s room was lit by two oil lamps, one on the wall next to the door and the other on the only table in the room. A single bed was pushed close to the far wall, with a chair tucked underneath the table with the second lamp. To the right of the table, which was at the base of his bed, was an oak dresser four feet tall.

  Alone in the room, tired from the day’s travel, Samuel lay on the bed with his hands behind his head, staring at the roof, his thoughts distant. The short time he’d spent with Gabram made him realize how much he missed his family, with everyone sitting at the table for supper after a long day at the farm. The aroma of his mother’s cooking and the long nights talking and playing with his brothers seemed like such a long time ago.

  The feeling of loss ran through Samuel’s mind in waves, stirring his emotions. Like a rock on a sheet of ice too weak to hold its weight, Samuel’s eyes began to swell with tears. He broke down and weep till sleep came and took him.