by C. R. Daems
With Kasi and Anil scouting ahead, I ghosted through the town. Few people were out this late, but it wouldn't have mattered. The shadows provided all the cover I needed. I could've slid by anyone only a few paces away. The Sisters had taught me well.
When I was within a hundred paces of the wagons, I changed back to my dress and shirt. On the fringe of the trees, I saw Alida sitting on a fallen tree stump. I could've avoided her, but there was no reason.
"Evening, Alida," I said. She jumped up and whirled around while reaching for her knife. I felt sorry for the gypsies. They led a difficult life. Everyone enjoyed the entertainment they gave. But most didn't trust them and some wished them harm.
"Don't do that!" Her eyes were wide and her face pale. "You scared me to death. We're going to have to put bells on you."
"Sorry. You didn't hear me because you were deep in thought. Want to share?"
"I want a husband and children. How do I get one when there are no eligible men around."
"How do the others? What about Yoan?" I asked. I knew little about the gypsies and their lives. Actually, I knew little about life outside of Ahasha.
"Yoan and I are related. We are second cousins, besides we aren't interested in each other that way. The other gypsy clans have eligible men, but we don't see them often and then only for a few days. We meet men as we travel, but very few want the life of a gypsy, and few of us want to leave our family and friends." Alida's eyes misted. I hadn't thought about husbands and children. I had spent the entire ten cycles at Ahasha worried about being a Sister. Still, I could understand her dilemma.
"Find one you like and I'll kidnap him for you," I offered. She giggled.
"It may come down to that. Thank you. I needed someone's shoulder to cry on. How come you're up so late?"
"The Shadows don't believe students need sleep. Eventually, you get used to it. I guess I haven't adjusted yet. Until I do, I find the night relaxing."
"And you keep the horse thieves away." She had a soft, melodious laugh. I thought she would make a good wife and mother. Back in the wagon, I put my clothes away, waited in the doorway until my darlings fluttered inside, and settled down under the covers to sleep.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Miffin—Saxis Province
The last night in Miffin, I saw a woman wearing a long robe watching the performance. Her robe was black with red flame-like trim on her sleeves and hem—a Fire Wizard. I had learned about the four types of Wizards during our weapons training: fire, water, wind, and earth. A Fire Wizard could conjure fireballs that were deadly at twenty paces and dangerous at forty. In addition, they could surround themselves with a firewall that incinerated anything entering it, including arrows and knives. We had been told to avoid confrontations with them because we couldn't hope to survive the encounter. Wizards belonged to guilds, as did the thieves, assassins, and religious cults. Their policies and alliances varied by province. I wondered whom the Fire Wizards of Saxis supported. I couldn't go up to her and ask, but it would be good to know because they might be players in the deaths of my Sisters.
Traveling with the gypsies, I was learning a lot about the outside world—far more than I would have traveling on my own. It would have taken cycles to learn about the real people behind the masks they wore. For some reason, people let their guards down at performances, and I got a glimpse. Fortunetelling gave the most insight. Alida had been teaching me the tricks of the trade: how to read palms and tea leaves and use a crystal ball. If the fortuneteller listened, most people revealed what they wanted to know. For some reason, they thought the gypsies knew how to conjure the secrets of the future and were willing to pay good money to hear it.
The games catered to human greed. People were willing to risk money they could ill afford in the hope of winning a lot. Ironically, the more they lost the more they spent trying to win it back.
It would be easy to forget why I was here. No matter what happened in the future, I would always cherish my time with the Dorian clan.
* * *
Adak—Saxis Province
The trip to Adak took three days. The roads through the rolling plains were well traveled, which made the ride easy. The weather stayed clear except for a welcome thundershower on the second day, which helped settle the dust. On the third day, we again saw the mercenaries. This time they merely watched as we passed. I suspect they assumed that the Shadow had somehow eluded their roadblock into Miffin, or that she had gone around the town. They probably left Miffin after scrutinizing the audience at our first performance.
"Mind if I join you, Ryana?" Yoan asked. He was riding a small gray horse with a black saddle and silver-trimmed tack. He had dressed conservatively today: a red vest with a yellow vine design, white ruffled shirt, and black pants.
"Hop aboard," I said with a smile. He looked the typical gypsy and filled with youthful energy. He swung up, leaving his horse to follow. I marveled at the training that went into their horses. Most would have wandered off when the rider left it.
"You seem to have gotten over leaving the Shadows," he said with a devilish smile.
"I was mad at being embarrassed, but the truth is Morag was right. I wouldn't make a good Shadow. If she hadn't asked me to leave, I would have left anyway. I learned a lot, but it was no life for me," I lied easily. My Shadow-self laughed at the absurdity of the statement. I wanted no other life. "I quite like the gypsy way, although I'd imagine the constant traveling would get tiring after the second or third time around Hesland."
"Traveling would get tiring if it weren't for family and clan. Not to mention creating new acts and meeting new and exciting people…like you." He bowed his head. He was a rascal, flirt, and amusing. I think he liked me. He had been working with me for two sixdays, teaching me knife throwing. Because I hadn't wanted to be an Assassin, I hadn't been required to be expert in multiple weapons. Ironically, Sister Hajna had considered my knife throwing adequate—a considerable compliment from her. It meant I came close to matching Yoan's skill. He would be considered an expert even by Hajna's standards. Yoan thought I had improved over the past season, although I was still far from his definition of good. That meant I could hit the small black circle in the center of the target about half the time. Of course, I could hit it ninety-five percent of the time if I wanted. I couldn't let him know without raising too many questions, so I cheated by intentionally missing the circle frequently. I guessed teaching me was a subtle way of trying to get to know me and my feelings about gypsy life. Like Alida had said, it was difficult to find a mate. If I hadn't been a Shadow, I might have liked Yoan and the life.
"I'm enjoying my time here. You and your clan are wonderful people, and I've learned a lot thanks to you." It was the truth.
"The feeling is mutual or you wouldn't be wearing that ring." He touched my ear lightly. "I'll see you later for practice. Who knows when you might have to fill in for me?" He laughed but looked far too serious.
I had better continue to miss often enough for everyone to conclude that would be a very bad idea.
* * *
When we reached Adak, it was too late to set up for a performance, and besides, everyone was tired. We found the campsite for gypsy caravans, which passed every season or two. It was a large open area a league out of town, bordering a forest and small river. I decided to send Anil off to the Intermediate's house and kept Kasi near me. Maybe I was becoming paranoid, but the gypsies seemed to attract more than their share of trouble. Probably the reason everyone carried a knife, and they appeared so quickly. I'd bet the five children each carried one and knew how to use it. Doing Morag a favor might work to the clan's advantage, as I was prepared to do whatever I could to repay the friendship they had shown me.
I trained with Yoan for several hours after a leisurely meal and the traditional pre-performance discussions to determine assignments, the order of the acts, and the hundreds of housekeeping chores required to get ready for each performance. The practice went well until I forgot myself and began
hitting the black circle more often than I should have.
"That was great, Ryana. You hit the target seven out of ten times. Marku will be pleased. We can always use another knife-throwing act." He looked serious.
Damn, my visual Ryana went to sleep.
"Beginner's luck. I've substantially improved thanks to you, but I don't think I could do that again." I vowed the visual Ryana would be more vigilant in the future. I had been able to identify Zeta and Salma because they had let the Shadow take control—a deadly mistake.
The evening performance went well and the tent amusements collected several toras. I had been working the darts tent and paid three successful men. Ironically, that had attracted more customers, and I netted ten silvers, half a tora. The next night, I worked the fortuneteller tent.
After the evening meal, I grew restless feeling I should be doing something—but what? I wasn't here to hide, just not to be discovered. I decided to visit our Intermediate's house and pulled on what had become my dual-purpose clothing, which matched the visual and shadow Ryana I had become.
I reached the house close to midnight. Slipping through a side window, I crept to her bedroom. The room looked murky, lit only by the rays of the moon Setebos. Pressing my hand over her mouth, I laid a knife blade across her throat. At best, she might be able to make out I was a Shadow. She jerked awake but my hand held her down.
"I want you to send a message to Ahasha," I whispered in a rasping voice.
"Yesss," she stuttered. I guess she wasn't used to being woken up at night with a knife at her throat. She relaxed. "I'll leave it on the table. Send it tonight. It would be safer after I leave." My message was simple:
NOTHING IN ADAK, LEAVING FOR NAZE TONIGHT.
That would get some action. If she were involved, it could throw suspicion away from the gypsies and me, because we wouldn't be leaving for a sixday. Otherwise, I'd know she was loyal to the Shadows.
Halfway back to the gypsy camp, Kasi saw a swift-wing hawk leave in the direction of Ahasha. Five minutes later, another hawk left in the direction of Naze.
"Kill it," my thoughts went out to Anil. Anil over took the hawk and killed it with its poison. I hurried back to where the hawk lay. The message read:
TELL SIR HARIS AND LORD G.
ASSASSIN SHADOW ELUDED US IN ADAK.
HEADED TOWARD NAZE TONIGHT.
So they think the Shadow Sisters sent an Assassin. That could mean they think they know who needs killing. Very interesting.
I returned to the camp, leaving Kasi to keep watch at the Intermediate's house.
Two hours later, the leader of the mercenaries appeared at the Intermediate's house. He stayed a few minutes and left. Kasi tracked him through the town to Lord qi'Jochen's castle. When he exited a few hours later, Kasi followed him out of town into woods where his men were camped. This time Kasi found a position near enough to hear.
"I talked to the noble who's paying us and informed him that the Shadow they sent to investigate is an Assassin. She plans to leave Adak today. He's sending a messenger to Kaslos informing them that she's going by way of Tuska on her way to Naze. He believes she's hunting a specific person or persons the Shadows want killed. We're to block the road to Naze past the crossroad from Lanpo to be on the safe side. The Fire Wizards will try to find out if anyone tipped her off to the roadblock to Adak, and they'll let the assassins' guild in Lanpo know to be on the lookout for her. We leave in one hour. The Lords are going to be very unhappy if we let her get past us again." He stood banging his fist into the trunk of a nearby tree. "Damn that woman. I'll flay her alive when I catch her. She will tell me every secret she knows."
I shuddered. The thought of being under that man's control made me break out in a fevered sweat. My mind ran wild with terrifying images of a mangled body. Feeling overwhelmed, my childhood memories came crashing back, and I wanted to find a safe place to hide. But like then, there was no place to hide, even temporarily. I refused to contemplate the future. The present was all that mattered.
I'm a Shadow. They are just ordinary men.
I had proved that today. I had discovered that our Intermediate in Adak was in league with the killers. One or more of Lord qi'Jochen's nobles were in on the conspiracy, and the cabal extended into Tuska. In addition, the Fire Wizards' guild in Saxis, the assassins' guild in Tuska, and mercenaries supported the instigators. And I had them chasing ghosts. The bad news: this conspiracy was far larger than Morag had imagined. She had sent one apprentice to do battle with an army.
* * *
"Ryana, can I talk to you for a minute?" Marku said. I had seen a lot of him over the past week, but we had little chance to talk.
"Of course."
"Yoan tells me your knife throwing has improved, since he's been teaching you. Is that true?" I wasn't sure why he frowned as he waited for an answer.
"Yes. He's a good teacher." Neither he nor Yoan knew it was my weapon of choice after the blowtube. Even so, Yoan had helped me hone my throwing distance and accuracy.
"He would like to include you in a new act. I'll tell him no if you would rather not. I know you didn't want to draw too much attention to yourself."
"So long as it's a minor part, I don't mind."
"I hope you're enjoying your time with us, and it's going well," he said. I was impressed. That question was as obscure as he could get—is your assignment going well?
"I love your clan, and yes, things are going well thanks to you." I doubted anyone could decipher this exchange. He smiled, so I assumed it had been clear to him.
"I'll let Yoan know."
* * *
As I sat by the fire that evening, Yoan strolled over to me.
"Marku tells me that you'll take part in the act. Do you have any ideas?"
"I think so. What if we do something funny rather than serious? It could precede your act, going from funny to serious." I guessed he had something serious in mind. If so, that might focus unneeded attention on me. Comedy was unlikely to, because of the funny dress and makeup.
"I had thought something more serious, but I like that idea." He laughed. "Come, let's see what we can make up." We spent the next two days working on various skits. We kept parts and disregarded others until we arrived at one we both liked. After practicing for several days, we decided to try it out in front of the clan after the evening meal. When everyone had relaxed with something to drink, Yoan began.
"Ladies and gentlemen, you too, Vali. For the first time performed anywhere on Hesland, I give you ‘The Thief and the Lady.'" Yoan left the stage. When I entered and lay down on the bed, the candles went out, dimming the stage. Yoan crept onto the stage dressed in dark clothes. When he picked up a bag, which clinked like money, I jumped out of bed and the mayhem began. He backed against the wall. I shouted at him and threw a knife, pinning a hand to the wall. Everyone jumped up to help, until they realized it was a fake. I chased him around the stage, either missing him as he jumped and howled, hitting some fake part of him, or tumbling around with Yoan getting the worst of it. The skit ended with me tossing him head first out the door.
We got a good round of applause, and the clan pronounced it ready for the public. Yoan and I agreed to wait until we reached Lanpo, a small town and a good place to test a new act. Besides, it would give us more time to practice. Although a skit, I threw sharp knives.
* * *
At the next performance, I saw a Fire Wizard in the crowd. Not too hard to recognize with his distinctive robe and the clear space around him. No one seemed willing to stand too close. After the tumbling act, he walked up onto the stage.
"This caravan would be a good way to sneak a Shadow into town. One sent to kill Lord qi'Jochen." He pointed to Ilka. "Come with me, girl. I believe you can tell me what I want to know." As he spoke, the crowd backed away. "Any objections?"
"Yes," I shouted, waving at him. "Take me, I'm smarter than her."
"Why would I want some skinny kid like you?" he said, looking at me. He again pointed
at Ilka. "It will be easier if you come with me and tell me what I want to know, or I can burn your clan's wagons now and save time. Which is it to be?" He grabbed her wrist.
"We've done nothing, Wizard. We were searched before entering town." Marku's face turned red as he approached the Wizard. He looked to Ilka and to the clan, who stood scattered around. Each had a weapon of some kind.
Unfortunately, Marku could do nothing without risking the entire clan. The Wizard could destroy the wagons and everyone in the clan. Although it would take him five to twenty beats of his heart to generate each fireball, he could construct a firewall to protect himself while he created one. I backed away and slipped into my wagon, changed, grabbed my throwing knives, and slipped out as the Wizard stalked away, dragging a struggling Ilka behind him.
While the clan huddled in a knot around Marku, softly debating what to do, I slid into the darkness, watching the Wizard through Anil and Kasi's eyes. My chances were nonexistent against him, but I couldn't bring myself to abandon Ilka or the clan.
Ilka planted her feet in the dirt, and when he jerked her after him, she kicked and tried to bite. He turned into a dark, narrow street, managing to pull her with him. I raced in behind him and threw one of the knives. Before it reached him, a ring of fire, almost blinding me it was so bright, went up around him. My knife dropped to the ground, molten metal. The ring dropped and a fireball headed for me. I hurled myself to the right into a small doorway, which hid only half my body. A heartbeat later, the fireball flashed pass. I blanked out the pain, focusing my mind on the battle—nothing else existed. The wall next to the door began to crackle and pop with flames. I stepped out and threw another knife. It was useless, but an alternative escaped me. The firewall went up and my second knife melted into a puddle. I dashed across the alley and dove into another doorway. A fireball spattered flames where I'd been standing, and the flames shot into the air. Windows shattered. I pitied the residents—and me. I had three knives left, and they would be of little use—except as a distraction.