Gaffri stood, almost to attention, and Taya didn't miss the way his hand went to where his sword would be hanging, if he'd been wearing it. But he and his unit had set their weapons aside earlier when they'd cleared the road, and hadn't put them back on.
Gaffri turned his head to look in the direction of their tents, and Taya imagined he was weighing up whether he had time to get his sword before the Juli guards arrived or not.
It interested her that guards from Juli made him that uneasy.
And then they appeared, Pilar leading the way with a woman striding beside him. Her hair was dark and pulled back from her face, her skin only a few tones lighter, and she sized them up with light gray eyes.
“Kas, this is--”
“Captain Nostra. Juli Day Command.” Nostra stepped forward, and greeted Kas with the guard's grip, hand to elbow.
Day Command. That sounded important.
They had either ridden zanir to get here so fast, and left them down the track, or they'd really pushed themselves to get here after she and Garek had left Juli.
If that was the case, she wondered if Dartan, the liege's advisor, had sent someone less to help than to check up on Garek and his sky craft.
It was the only thing that made sense, given the general confusion and disorganization in Juli at the moment. No one had the time for a mercy mission. A mission to make sure the sky craft was safe, however, was a different thing altogether.
Nostra's gaze landed on Gaffri, and she drew herself up, and made a small movement with her fingers which Taya almost missed.
The signal had an electrifying effect on the eight guards who had come with her. They moved into a semi-circle behind her, and all conversation stopped for a moment.
In theory, both groups of guards represented the liege. They were fellow guards of West Lathor. Allies.
But it didn't feel like that. If felt like a nasty fight was about to break out.
Taya wished, as she had so often on Shadow, that Garek was here. She looked upward, and hoped with everything inside her that he was all right.
“State your name, rank and unit.” Nostra's voice was cold as she addressed Gaffri for the first time.
Gaffri stepped forward. He was not used to being spoken to like that, Taya saw it in the way his nostrils flared, but he had no choice but to answer. Guards from Juli were the liege's own. They held seniority over the Gara units, particularly outside of Garamundo.
“Captain Gaffri, Garamundo Unit Ten.” He spoke stiffly. “Is Garek in your group?”
Nostra said nothing for a beat, and then Kas stepped forward, speaking quietly in her ear.
She jerked her head back in surprise, and Taya guessed Kas had told her the sky raiders had come back, and Garek had led them away. She bent closer again, her face a picture of focus.
When Kas finished, she eased back, and her gaze went to Gaffri.
“You're here on the orders of the Garamundo town master?”
“We are.” Haz answered when it was clear Gaffri wasn't going to. “He didn't realize Garek was already under contract to the liege.”
“I'm surprised Gara hasn't heard the news yet, of Garek saving the liege's son and rescuing all the sky raiders' prisoners from Shadow. But then, the liege was surprised to know that Gara had a working sky craft and hadn't let him know about it. So it appears communication is bad in both direction.”
Her comment was as subtle as an ax smashing a window, and all the Gara guards seemed to go still.
“The town master didn't tell the liege about the sky craft?” Darla breathed out the question in almost reverent awe.
Nostra glanced at her, and although her expression didn't change, Taya had the sense she relaxed a little.
She would know the guards would not have been responsible for what the Gara town master did or did not tell the liege.
“No,” she said. “He didn't. So imagine our surprise when the liege's son arrived in one with Garek. I'm sure the town master had a good reason for his omission.” Her tone made it clear she doubted that, and Gaffri looked down at his boots.
He knew the liege hadn't been informed.
The thought jumped into her head, and Taya's gaze sharpened on Gaffri. He'd said almost nothing since Nostra had arrived, although beforehand he had been loud, brash, and clearly in charge of his unit.
Of course, what Nostra didn't say was that while Garek's return in a sky raider ship forced the story into the open, the liege actually had known about the sky craft Garek had brought down over Garamundo and that the town master had hidden away. And the liege knew it because he'd put his own son, Aidan, into the Garamundo guard as a spy.
Or his advisor had.
Taya didn't know if the liege was capable of such a complex plan.
Either Dartan or the liege himself had been content to simply watch and wait, and give the Garamundo town master as much rope as he needed to hang himself with.
Maybe Nostra didn't know about that.
Taya shook her head. Secrets within secrets.
She was glad she had no part in it.
“You and your team must be hungry, please sit and eat before you set up your camp.” Kas diffused the situation with his usual easy charm, and Nostra nodded, slowly sliding her pack off her shoulders and setting it at her feet.
Taya watched the Juli guards eat, trying to judge from the way they spoke and interacted with the villagers what their intentions were. Gaffri and the other Gara guards were much quieter than they had been before, but they didn't look like they were planning to turn in early.
She'd been sitting beside Min and she stood when the food was gone and talk turned to gossip and tall stories.
“Going to bed?” Min asked.
She nodded. “Got watch duty at four tomorrow morning.”
“I'm on watch in fifteen minutes, so I'll stay here until then.” Min looked upward. “Sleep well.”
She waved goodbye and met Kas coming out of their house as she approached the door.
He grunted. “I just put Luca to bed. I'm going back to keep an eye on things.”
“Make sure war doesn't break out between the Juli and Gara guards.” She was joking, but he gave a grim nod.
“There's always been a rivalry between the two cities, it's only natural. But now there's outright suspicion, and from what I can see, Juli has every reason to be suspicious.”
“I agree, but that's not the Gara guards' doing. It's the town master.”
Kas sighed. Rubbed hands over his cheeks. He looked exhausted and she wondered how much time off he'd gotten, and how much watch duty he'd done today already.
“I agree it's not their fault, but Gaffri rubs me the wrong way, and I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't know more than a unit captain usually would. He's got that smug air about him.”
Taya nodded. “He plans to try and force Garek back to Gara, so for that alone, he's no friend of mine.”
“What about the others in his unit?” Kas put out a hand to stop her as she slid past him into the doorless entrance.
“From what I overheard, Darla and Haz sound like they were included by other senior officers to be the moral compass and common sense of the group.”
“That's interesting. I thought there was some tension there.” Kas released her and stepped back. “I better go keep an eye on the whole mess.”
“Kas.” She called to him as he turned away.
He looked back, and she didn't need to say anything else, he knew just by looking at her face.
“He'll be back, Taya. Nothing will keep him from you. I've learned that lesson very well. Garek sees no obstacle as insurmountable when it comes to you. My guess is that he hasn't come back because he doesn't think it's safe for you. That's what drives his every decision.”
She nodded, eyes stinging, and as he disappeared into the darkness, she tried to convince herself he was right.
SEVEN
Taya was on watch in the field again, looking up at a sky slowly lightening fro
m indigo to a crystal blue.
She yawned widely and rubbed at her eyes, balancing uncomfortably on her haunches.
The rock she'd sat on yesterday was damp and cold, and she didn't want to sit on it.
Her foot nudged the spears lying on the ground beside her and they made a high-pitched ting as they knocked together.
She stood, restless and bone tired at the same time. The weight of worry on her shoulders felt like it was going to crush her.
“Where are you?” she said to the sky. “Where in the Star are you?”
Kas was right.
Garek wouldn't torture her like this. Wouldn't put off coming back unless he had no choice.
The sound of footsteps was a welcome distraction, coming up from the village.
She wondered if someone was bringing her breakfast, although it was only five, and a little early for that. She certainly wasn't in the mood for food.
Whoever was coming up stumbled in the last of the night's gloom and swore, and she felt the first prick of unease.
The voice was rough, the language more colorful than usual for Pan Nuk.
She considered crouching beside the rock again, waiting to see where the person was going, but it was too late.
The first rays of the Star's light found their way over the mountains, and the meadow went from mostly dark to gently lit with golden light.
She saw the newcomer clearly, and he saw her.
“Fek.” She kept the suspicion out of her tone. “What are you doing up here so early?”
“They told me to bring this up to you,” he said, extending something in his hand, and curious, she stepped closer and reached out for it.
He pounced, leaping at her and swinging around to clamp an arm around her chest and jerk her back hard against him.
She went limp, taking him by surprise so he loosened his hold as she became a deadweight.
She dropped into a crouch on the ground and then pushed off against his legs as she ran toward the village, shouting at the top of her voice as she went.
Over her own cries, she heard him yell and then the pounding of his feet.
An answering call came from the other side of the valley, and lights went on below her as she took the path at top speed, using her smaller size to jink left and right as Fek lumbered behind her.
She looked behind her as she turned the last corner, and slammed into two people coming the other way.
She fell back, winded, and then someone reached forward and hands grabbed her upper arms and yanked her to her feet, making no effort to be careful.
Shock bloomed in her belly as she realized it was Gaffri and another of his henchmen who had her in their grip.
“Kas!” she shouted as loud as she could, and almost as if surprised she had dared, it took Gaffri a moment before he let go of her arm and tried to muzzle her with a hand over her mouth.
She twisted away from him, but she had nowhere to go, trapped between him and his guard, and Fek, who was now right behind her.
She dropped to the ground as Fek grabbed for her again and rolled off the path, but there were too many thick bushes in the way, and Fek grabbed her ankle, and pulled her back.
She struggled, kicking out at him, and as he lifted her off the ground by her leg, she twisted, fighting, and caught a glimpse of Kas, face set in horror, as he ran up the path.
Fek hauled her up, clamped a hand around her waist and levered her upright. Then he put a knife to her throat.
She tried to catch her breath and get her bearings, dizziness forcing her to close her eyes for a beat. When she felt steady, she opened them and saw Gaffri and his helper were ranged beside Fek, and there was a big crowd facing them. Nostra and her guards, Kas, Eli, Min and a whole contingent of Pan Nukkers.
“What is going on?” Kas locked eyes with her, and Taya lifted her shoulders in a tiny shrug.
She honestly had no idea.
Gaffri said nothing, and Kas turned to look to the side, where Taya realized the third guard who was in Gaffri's camp was standing amongst the villagers and guards from Juli.
He looked stunned.
Eli was suddenly behind him, with a knife to his throat, mirroring Fek.
The guard jerked. “Captain?” His voice wavered as he tried to catch Gaffri's gaze.
“As your captain won't talk, you can do the honors.” Kas walked closer to him. “What it going on? What do you want with my sister?”
The guard looked at Gaffri, his expression one of confusion and panic. “I don't--”
“Why not ask this one?” Nostra, the captain of the Juli guard stood just like Eli, but she had Darla's neck beneath her knife.
“I wish I could tell you,” Darla said. “Neither Haz or I know. We were included on the team because one of the senior officers in Garamundo knew something about this mission was off, and they must have realized it was loaded with guards that Gaffri controlled, but whatever good they thought our presence would do to mitigate Gaffri's orders, it obviously hasn't worked. We were both asleep when we heard Taya shouting. They did this without our knowledge, and I really don't know what it's about.” She looked over at the guard Eli was holding. “What's interesting is that I'd have said Darrin was part of it, but when we woke this morning, he was sleeping in his tent just like us. Gaffri, Fek and Janu were all packed up and gone. So whatever they decided, they chose to leave Darrin behind. My guess is he doesn't know as much as he thinks he does.”
Nostra paused a moment, and then stepped back. She obviously believed Darla, which left all eyes to land on the man Eli still held.
Eli pressed the knife into the skin of his neck, and the first rivulet of blood began to flow.
Nostra walked right up to him. “Whatever you think, you're not going free. You either tell us what you know, and go to Juli with at least the fact that you cooperated to your name, or you go to Juli an unrepentant traitor.” Her words seemed to make him shrink into himself.
“They said . . .” he cleared his throat.
“You don't know anything, Darrin.” Gaffri's shout jerked everyone's attention to him. “We left you because you were too soft. Too slow.” Gaffri's eyes were almost bulging from his head.
Darrin flinched, and then his expression hardened. “They said . . .” Darrin's hands loosened from the fists he'd formed, and he rubbed his thighs. “Back when we had our briefing, a secret one, without Darla and Haz, they said how Harven is going to take West Lathor, that the liege is too weak to hold it. They told us if we do this favor for them, grab Garek and a woman named Taya, then we'll be big men when the dust settles and West Lathor is under Harven control. We'll be top of the guard.”
“Who is we?” Nostra asked, soft as a lover's endearment.
“The town master of Garamundo, the Harven ambassador to Gara, and Gaffri.” Darrin nodded to his captain.
“They specifically included my sister in their orders?” Kas asked.
Taya wondered about that, too. But if someone had questioned Luci or her people--the Harven villagers who'd been taken by the sky raiders with the Pan Nuk villagers to Shadow--then they would have heard about how she found her calling, of how she could call the Change on shadow ore. Someone might find that interesting enough to want her under their control.
She didn't think any of the Harven villagers would have gossiped to cause her trouble. They were proud of her, grateful to Garek for rescuing them. They would be horrified if someone had used their stories to do Garek and Taya harm.
Darrin nodded. “I don't know why they said to take her. It was an added bonus, get Garek, and if you can get this woman, too, then get her. We didn't know she was Garek's intended. Only now . . .” He looked at Gaffri again, desolation in his eyes. “Gaffri said how the game is up. Darla and Haz being with us means there are officers in the Gara guard who aren't happy with what the town master is doing, and like Haz said, they've probably sent word to Juli.
“To top it off, Garek isn't even here, and he's working for the liege, which me
ans we can't just take him and no one will notice, which is what the town master thought would happen.” He rubbed at the blood pooling in the dip of his collarbone, painting himself rusty red.
“It's all gone wrong. That's what Gaffri said last night. He said we'd have to call it off and go home, tell the town master the bad news.”
There was silence. Gaffri was looking at Darrin with such hate in his eyes, Taya was surprised he didn't cower.
“And grabbing Taya while she was on watch?” Kas turned back to her, and she could see he was searching for a way to get her back, but Fek had her held tight against him, and the knife had already nicked her three times while Darrin told his story.
Darrin shook his head. “Darla's right. I was asleep when the shouting started. I didn't know they were leaving.”
“And where are you going?” Nostra asked Gaffri.
He jerked his head. “Up this path, and you won't follow or we'll slit her throat. If you let us go, we'll leave her at the top, and she can walk down to you. You try to follow before that happens, and we'll leave her to bleed out where we cut her. If she hadn't gotten in the way while we were trying to leave, we'd be gone by now, and none of this would have happened.”
Something was wrong with what he was saying.
This whole standoff had been completely unnecessary if they didn't mean to take her with them. They could have passed her going up the path this morning, and Taya would have been happy to wave them goodbye.
They had deliberately come into the field to take her.
It was just possible they hadn't known there was someone on watch to see them slip away, but that seemed unlikely. They knew there was a watch roster, and they'd have to be stupid not to expect someone up here.
She could warn Kas not to believe them, but she felt an eagerness in Fek to hurt her, and this would be giving him an excuse. Even if they were lying, and weren't planning to let her go, she could hopefully find a way to get free later.
Fek started walking backward, up the path, dragging her with him. She struggled again, out of sheer instinct, and he simply lifted her off the ground, pinning her arms tightly to her sides and tightened his grip so hard, she felt her bones creak.
Calling the Change (Sky Raiders Book 2) Page 5