by Garry Spoor
With no other choices open to her, and not wanting to try her luck with Carl, she decided the dress would have to do. Of course it was two sizes too big.
“Oh, if Alisa could only see me now,” she said, looking down at herself.
Tearing the dish towels into strips, she knotted them together to fashion herself a crude belt. It was the finishing touch to her ensemble. Now she was ready for the streets of Azintar.
Falling into her Edge, Kile stretched her consciousness across the city, seeking out Vesper. She was surprised how alive the city was, especially when compared with the palace. There were dogs in the streets, cats in the alley, rats in the sewers, pigeons on the roof, and all the while, the people were clueless. It always amazed her how much the vir took nature for granted.
Only after connecting with Vesper was she willing to leave the safety of the alley and step out into the streets. Her biggest fear was being spotted by the Terrabin Hunters before she could find Erin. If Jerald was somehow involved in all this, which only seemed likely, the Hunters must know she was no longer dead. They may even be looking for her now. She tried to make herself as inconspicuous as possible, and being dressed like a street urchin did have its advantages. For one thing, nobody wanted to make eye contact with her. People had a tendency to look away when she looked at them, or they simply pretended she didn’t exist. What better place to hide than in plain sight. Still, she learned not to trust too much in luck and tried to keep to the alleys and side streets as much as possible.
Like a length of twine only she could see, her connection with the yarrow led her through the narrow street and back alleys of Azintar. When she finally caught up with Vesper, she was glad to see he was still in Daniel’s care. The two of them were standing outside a tinker’s shop, on one of the less-populated streets. Daniel was holding the yarrow in both hands and seemed disoriented by the way he was looking around. When he spotted Kile on the other side of the street, he froze.
She waved for him to come over, but he wouldn’t move. He seemed rooted to the spot. If she didn’t know any better, she would have said he was scared. Of course, he probably still thought she was dead, so there was that. When it was clear he wasn’t coming to her, she decided to go to him.
As she got closer he started shaking his head. “You’re dead. You’re dead,” he kept whispering.
“Yeah, I’m getting tired of hearing that,” Kile said, grabbing his arm and leading him around to the side of the tinker’s shop. Once they were off the street, Vesper quickly took his place on her shoulder. Daniel seemed in shock when she let him go. Except for some fresh scratches on his face where Vesper must have latched on to him, he looked surprisingly well. It would appear the sea voyage had done him some good.
“Look, Danny, I need your help.”
“You’re dead.”
Kile rolled her eyes and sighed. “I think we can safely say, I am not dead.”
“No… no, this… this isn’t real.”
“Danny, I’m alive. I’m right here.”
“But you can’t be. That island. We left you on that island. The Valgar. How… you… here… dressed… like that?”
Kile looked down at her outfit. “I can assure you, I looked better this morning.”
“It really is you, isn’t it?”
“Yes, it really is me, and I don’t have time for this.”
“But how.”
“I can’t explain it. All you need to know is, we made a mistake. The Heart of Nilak is not what we were told. It’s dangerous.”
“Dangerous?”
“Yes, dangerous. The Alva were behind everything, and I think the Terrabin Hunters have something to do with it as well.”
“Terrabin Hunters?”
“Yes, the Terrabin Hunters. They’re after the Heart as well, although I don’t know why. At least not yet. I have to find Erin.”
“Erin?”
“Danny, please, stay with me here. It’s not that complicated. I came to Azintar with Erin, but we ran into the Terrabin Hunters and they took her away.”
“The Hunters have Erin.”
“That’s what I said.”
“No, I mean the Hunters have arrested Erin. They’re taking her to Littenbeck for trial.”
“What? When?”
“Tomorrow evening, when the council reconvenes. She and two other Hunters are being tried for treason.”
“Why?”
“Haven’t you heard? There was an attempt to overthrow Guild Master Parker and the council. They say Erin was behind it.”
“That’s ridiculous. Erin was with me these last couple of days. There’s no way she was involved.”
“Well, that’s what they’re saying.”
“This must be how they’re going to do it, how they’re going to get rid of her,” Kile said.
Oblum was right all along. Nathan Parker, the new Guild Master, would never be satisfied with simply keeping Erin in the southern province. She was one of Latherby’s most loyal supporters and he would have to make an example of her.
“We have to help her,” she said.
“How?” Daniel asked. “They left his morning. They’ll be in Littenbeck by tomorrow evening, and that place is crawling with Hunters. You’ll never be able to get in there, let alone get her out.”
“Then I’ll have to stop them before they reach Littenbeck.”
“It’s no use. They have too much of a head start. As I said, they left this morning.”
“It doesn’t matter. I have to try. Will you help me?”
“Kile, it’s no use.”
“Will you help me?”
“Kile, I…”
“Fine, I’ll go on my own.”
Daniel grabbed her arm before she had a chance to walk away. “Okay, I’ll go.” He didn’t sound too thrilled about it.
She knew she was asking a lot of him, but there was no one else she could trust.
“Thanks, Danny. By the way, you didn’t happen to see Alex around here, did you?”
“Alex? What is he doing here?”
“It’s a long story.”
“I can’t believe you got him involved in this,” Daniel snapped. “What were you thinking?”
“Hey, I didn’t get him involved in anything, he kind of… got caught up with our traveling arrangements.”
“He’s not up to this. You should have known better.”
“Alex is more than capable of taking care of himself.”
“Yeah, well, I hope you’re right.”
“Besides, I asked him to keep an eye on Erin, so if we find Erin, we’re bound to find him.”
Kile started off down the alley. They would have to reach the southern gate and the easiest way was Market Street. The street ran straight through the city, starting in the Vetta, and it was near the center of Market Street, where Emara accidentally dropped them, so it shouldn’t be too difficult to find.
Leaving the alley, they headed toward the city’s center, so Kile could no longer avoid the masses. Market Street was known for its markets, hence its name. During this time of the day, it was filled with buyers and sellers. Her street urchin disguise, which kept her hidden in the northern district, would have her standing out like a mouse among rats. She would almost certainly be spotted by somebody. Even now, people were starting to take notice.
“I’m going to have to change,” she remarked
“What’s with that outfit, anyhow?” Daniel asked.
“What do you mean?”
“Seriously. For starters, why don’t you have any shoes on?”
Kile shrugged. “Because people don’t hang shoes on clotheslines.”
“What?”
“Never mind. It’s not important. What is important right now is getting to Erin before she reaches Littenbeck.”
“Okay, how are we supposed to do that? I keep telling you, they have a head start.”
Kile stopped walking. “What’s with all the questions, all of a sudden?”
“Wha
t? It’s a valid question.”
Well, she had to admit, it was a good question, one she hadn’t considered
“We find horses, of course,” she said.
“Oh, yeah? Where?”
“I don’t know. We could… rent a few.”
“Really? You have any coin on you? Horses don’t come cheap. There’s always the Guild Stables, but, since you believe the Hunters are after you, that’s probably not a good idea. You could always call a few, you know, use your Edge, but wouldn’t that be like… stealing? Besides, if you did that and a horse happened to wander out of the stables, any Hunter worth his salt would figure out who’s behind it. You’ll have every Hunter and half the guards following them to wherever we’re hiding.”
Kile stopped walking again. Where was all this coming from, she wondered? Daniel was always the practical one, but now he was being downright pessimistic. It was almost as if he was trying to give her every reason he could think of not to help Erin. Unfortunately, much of what he said was true. She had no money, so there was no way of getting horses legally, and she didn’t dare go to the Guild Stables—not if the Terrabin Hunters were looking for her. She couldn’t even use her Edge, but not because of what Daniel said. Horses were loyal to their masters, and it would be nearly impossible to persuade one, let alone two, to leave without permission. Unless she used the Maligar, but that was out of the question. The last thing she wanted to do was invite more trouble.
-Kile Horse,- Vesper suggested.
Okay, that was a choice she hadn’t considered. The whole red-shouldered hawk thing worked out pretty much as planned. At least, as a horse, she wouldn’t have to worry about crashing, and she could walk right through the southern gates without being noticed. It almost seemed like a win–win, which meant she was obviously overlooking something.
“So, what’s the plan?” Daniel asked when she started walking again.
“It’s taken care of,” Kile said. “This way.” She led him away from Market Street.
“But the gate is that way,” Daniel protested.
“I know, but I already told you, I have to change first.”
~~~***~~~
If the boarded-up windows were any indication, the warehouse had been abandoned years ago. Kile tried the door but found it locked. A quick inspection of the frame showed it was in serious need of repair. A little brute force and she’d have it open in no time. Grabbing hold of the door handle, she pulled it up. It came off in her hand.
“Wonderful,” she said, tossing the handle aside.
Searching the ground, she found an old iron rod. Probably something left over from when the warehouse was in use. It didn’t matter; it would serve its purpose. Shoving it between the door and the jamb, she threw her weight against it.
“What are you trying to do?” Daniel asked.
“Help me, will you? I’ll explain later.”
Daniel grabbed the end of the bar and between them, they pried open the door. It swung in and fell off its hinges. When it hit the floor, it sent up a few years’ worth of dust.
“Great, we’ve now broken into an empty warehouse. Is this part of your plan?” Daniel asked.
“Of course it is,” Kile said, stepping over the fallen door. “Now, stay out here. Don’t come in, no matter what.”
“Why? What’s going on?”
“Just stay out here, and whatever you do, don’t peek.”
“Peek? What am I going to peek at?”
“Promise me.”
“Okay, okay, I promise. I won’t come in and I won’t peek.”
Kile stood in the doorway for a moment before removing Vesper from her shoulder.
“Stay here with Daniel,” she told the yarrow. “Make sure he doesn’t peek.”
“I said I wasn’t going to peek,” Daniel said defensively.
“I know. I just want to make sure.”
Stepping into the warehouse, Kile took a quick look around. The place was bare. There were only a few empty crates lined up against one of the walls and a few torn grain sacks scattered across the floor. There was no telling what was originally stored here, but whatever it was, it had long been removed. A dividing wall, between two pillars, looked like an ideal spot to change. It might have been dark, damp, and dirty, but at least it offered some privacy.
Picking up a few of the torn sacks, she took them behind the wall and lay them out on the floor. When she was positive no one could look in on her, she removed her dress and placed it carefully within reach. There were no bedsheets to wrap herself up in. She would have to put her modesty aside for the time being. Sitting down on the grain sacks, Kile closed her eyes and fell into her Edge.
~~~***~~~
“What the hell is she doing in there,” Daniel complained to no one as he paced back and forth in front of the open door. He kept looking up the street, expecting the city guard to arrive at any minute. They would be curious to know why he tried to break into an abandoned warehouse, and he had no answer that would satisfy their curiosity.
When Daniel moved closer to the open door, Vesper started chattering angrily in his ear.
“I wasn’t trying to look, I swear,” he said, stepping back from the building. “But if she doesn’t come out of there in the next few minutes, I will go in, and there’s nothing you can do to stop me.”
Vesper made a hissing sound in reply. Daniel wasn’t sure what the yarrow was trying to tell him, but it sounded like he accepted the challenge. Fortunately it didn’t come to that.
“Finally, what took you so—”
Daniel stopped talking when a horse, holding what looked like a beige piece of cloth in its mouth, exited the warehouse.
~~~***~~~
-Sorry, it took a little longer than I thought,- Kile apologized, but all that came out was a few snorts and possible a whinny. Daniel wasn’t paying any attention to her anyway, he was too busy trying to look past her.
“You stole a horse?” he shouted. “I thought we decided not to do that.”
-Damn it, I knew there was something I forgot-
Although she could still communicate with animals, she could no longer communicate with vir. This was going to be a problem. She tried getting his attention by waving the cloth she was holding in his direction.
“What the hell is your problem?” Daniel asked, stepping back.
Kile tried again, this time a little more forcefully. She didn’t stop until he took the tattered piece of cloth from her mouth.
“What is this?” he asked, shaking it out. “Wait? This is Kile’s dress. What’s going on here? Kile, where are you? Are you okay?” he called out, trying to move past her into the warehouse. Kile moved to block him, so he tried the other side.
-Fine, we’ll do this the hard way,- she said, butting him with her head and knocking him on his backside. Vesper seized the opportunity to leap onto Kile and quickly took his place between her ears, the way he usually rode with Grim. Daniel was now looking at the bay mare a little differently.
“Kile?” he asked, getting to his feet. Daniel carefully moved around the horse, studying it from all sides. Kile followed him with her eyes. She was starting to feel uncomfortable with his examination.
“Is that… really you?” he asked.
She just looked at him.
“No. No, it can’t be,” he said, shaking his head before taking a step closer. “If you’re Kile, stomp your foot.”
-Seriously, you want to play games?- Kile asked. Unfortunately Daniel couldn’t understand her.
-Suit yourself,- she said and stomped on his foot.
“Son of a—” Daniel cursed, hopping away from her. “Okay, okay, you’re Kile, I get it. How is this even possible?” he asked and shook his head. “You can’t communicate with me, can you? So I guess there’s no use in me asking you questions. Well, this is definitely not covered in the Hunter’s codebook. What do we do now?”
Kile pointed her nose toward Market Street.
“You want to go find Erin?”<
br />
She nodded.
“All right, we’ll go find Erin,” Daniel said. He started walking when Kile stomped her hoof and whinnied.
“What is it now?” he asked.
She continued to stomp until he looked down. Beside her hoof was the old beige dress.
“You want me to bring that?”
She nodded.
“Yeah. I guess that’s probably a good idea, especially if you want to change back. You can change back, can’t you?”
She nodded again.
“Well, that’s good,” He said, picking up the dress. Carefully folding it, he tucked it into his shirt. He started to walk away again but stopped when Kile stomped her hoof.
Daniel sighed. “What is it now?”
She turned her left side to him.
“You want me to… ride you?”
She reluctantly nodded.
“You sure I can’t just walk along beside you?”
Kile whinnied.
“All right, all right, but this is quite awkward.”
-Think of how I feel,- she said, but he still didn’t understand her. Now all she had to do was keep from reverting to a vir. Otherwise it would get awkward.
Daniel placed his hands on her back and hesitated before finally mounting up.
“We tell nobody about this. Agreed?” he asked.
She vigorously nodded her head.
“I’ve never ridden without reins before. How do I steer?”
-You don’t, you just hold on,- Kile said and bolted for the street.
~~~***~~~
She was finally starting to understand Grim as she raced down the center of Market Street. Watching the people dive for cover was rather empowering. They made no attempts to stop her and cleared a path. She didn’t even need to slow down when they reached the southern gates. The guards threw them open and quickly stepped aside. Before she knew it, she left the City of Azintar behind her.
At first, she thought running on four legs would be difficult, but it was quite natural. It was almost as if she was meant to run this way. The only thing she couldn’t get used to was Daniel. Even though she was in control and knew where she was going, he was still trying to steer by pulling on her mane. It was degrading. Was this how Grim felt when she rode the mountain pony? She tried to rationalize it by finding the differences. She wasn’t always a horse. He was, or was he? She still didn’t rule out the possibility there was Orceen blood in the mountain pony. It would go a long way toward explaining a few things.