"Ezzy, I don't know--"
"If it makes you feel any better, remember where this money comes from."
Shayua's face scrunched up in confusion for a moment. Then, as the realization hit her, she let out a deep, bellowing laugh.
"Yes, you are right. I feel much better about it, knowing it was the money of those Orange Hound scoundrels."
"Good, then it's settled. Here you are, Leya. We're all settled up."
"Excellent," Leya replied, taking the money. "Well then, if you will excuse me, I have much to do, first of which is to get my husband to come out from under our bed. You gave him quite a scare."
"Oh, dinner is over?" Nolan asked, the disappointment clear in his voice.
"Yes. You've brought enough excitement to my home for the day." Giving a slight nod to Ezzy, Leya turned and walked into the house, leaving the four of them standing in the courtyard. Bavian looked at each of them in turn, then shrugged.
"I suppose I should go too. I'll have plenty to do now to organize the cleanup. Good luck with... well, whatever it is you are doing." He leaned forward to whisper in Ezzy's ear. "I stopped listening as soon as you sat down at the table. Hawkpurse business can be dreadfully boring."
"We still have unfinished business," Shayua said as the man pulled back.
"Well," he replied, "when I'm a little less busy, we can finish our business. Have a little go. A fight I mean. Not the other physical thing, with the lack of clothes. Although a fight without clothes could be funny. Bits and pieces flopping about. Wait, did you want to fight without clothes?"
"No!"
"Well, you still have time. Give it some thought. Sleep on it."
Before Shayua could reply, Bavian gave a deep bow and then strode off. Leaving Ezzy, Shayua, and Nolan standing in the center of the property.
"Well, this has been an eventful day." Nolan said, glancing around.
"I'd say so," Ezzy replied. "But the day isn't over yet. We still have time to see the blacksmith and try to hunt down our missing Saniteal."
"Ezzy, surely we can go see him tomorrow."
"No, Nolan. I don't think so. If Iacane has gone missing, it could be because he is hurt or dying somewhere. Time is a factor."
"The man you are searching for has gone missing?" Shayua asked. "Then I agree, we should not waste time."
"You would agree," Nolan grunted. "No time to sit and catch our breath when there is a hunt to be had."
"Oh, Nolan, stop. You seemed relaxed as you were eating your second meal a few moments ago."
"I was eating because I was worried."
"You didn't look worried as you stuffed your face with--"
"Ok, ok. Let's go find your blacksmith."
Flashing him a smile, Ezzy headed towards the gate. Nolan and Shay followed, with Paz taking up the rear. They walked back down to the main part of the village and returned to the circular road at the center of town. At this point in the day, more people were out and about, going about their business. Paz got his fair share of looks, but Shayua received the majority of stares from the villagers. The bounty hunter stared right back. Or glared would be the better word. At one point, Shayua looked like she was about to go after a group of young men that were pointing and laughing at her. Ezzy moved to her side before Shay's temper got the better of her.
"Is it always like this for you?"
"Not so much in Lurthalan. I keep mostly to the temple and the camps around it. The other worshippers have gotten used to me, I suppose."
"And Leya said you were part Shadaer?"
"I still do not wish to speak of this, Ezzy."
"Understood. I won't pry."
"Thank you."
They walked on in silence. Ezzy tried to glare at the gawkers as much as Shay to give her mentor some support. She also sent Paz back to the inn. After all, now that she was on good terms with the Janpair family, what other trouble could they get into here that Shayua couldn't get them out of?
Shayua. The woman was quite the mystery. Ezzy snuck a glance at the crimson bounty hunter. The more they traveled together, the more questions arose. She had mentioned growing up in the temple. What kind of a childhood could that have been? Probably the complete opposite of what Ezzy had experienced. In their own way, they both had had a strange childhood compared to most children in Lurthalan. Of course Shayua had been killing things while Ezzy had been learning about all of the extended family members in each of the other Hawkpurse families.
And to grow up like that around people that knew she was a half-breed? A Shadaer half-breed, no less. It certainly explained Shay's sensitivity about her past and her appearance. Ezzy didn't even know mixing the species was possible. Ezzy had only read about their savage neighbors to the south in books. A nomadic race, from what Ezzy remembered, that controlled a section of land just as large as Ven Khilada, bordered by the Skyfall Mountains to the west, the Unyielding Wall to the east, and the coast to the south. The Soushade Hawkpurses were the only ones allowed into their territory for trade, and from what Ezzy had heard, being allowed onto their land didn't guarantee safety. How had Shayua even been conceived, let alone make it out of the south to grow up in Lurthalan?
Ezzy hoped if they became close enough, and after she had finished hunting down those responsible for the downfall of her family, Shayua would tell her one day.
"Is this it?" Nolan was standing underneath a sign containing a sword embedded in an anvil.
"The sign looks about right. I didn't see any other signs that would indicate a blacksmith's shop."
"Let's go in and take a look then. I would love to be done with this for the day so I can go back to the inn and enjoy a nice, hot bath."
The inside of the shop was wide open in the middle, allowing Ezzy to see all around the store. Racks lined the walls, their contents ranging from simple blades and long swords to rakes, hammers, and an assortment of farming tools. A few shields and random pieces of armor were scattered about as well, but those were probably more for show than to actually sell. In the back of the room sat a small anvil and forge, a fire bellowing inside and belching smoke up the chimney behind it. The room was windowless, various candlesticks provided the light, and a solitary door in the far wall probably led to Syla's living quarters and the back of the building.
A woman was working the forge, a hammer in one hand and a short sword in the other. The sword blade glowed a fiery red and sparks flew off of it as she hammered the metal. Syla Trane. She didn't seem to notice as they entered, giving Ezzy a chance to get a good look at her. A short woman, Syla's braided auburn hair rested on her back. Her face was a rosy red from being so close to the fire, which accented chubby cheeks and a pronounced, pointed nose. Soot and dirt had turned her tan pants black. A sleeveless black apron showed off arms chiseled from years of hammering away on metal. She looked young, but Ezzy's mother had said that Syla had worked for their family for years. Years spent in this bizarre little village. Not wanting to startle the woman, Ezzy moved more into her line of sight and waved a hand to get her attention. Dark green eyes looked up from their work and regarded Ezzy with a blank expression for a moment before she put down her hammer and the blade.
"You're new..." Her tone was a mixture of surprise and something else Ezzy couldn't quite place. "The only time we see new faces 'round here is when the caravan comes through town."
"Syla Trane?" Ezzy didn't want to say anything until she was positive this was the woman she was looking for.
"Yes, that's me. How can I help you?"
"My name's Esmerelda Ciantar."
"Ciantar..." Syla looked like someone had walked over her grave. She took a step back, bumping into her tools and knocking them over. "I recognize you from the few times I visited your family home. Of course you were younger then. I can't believe you're here."
"My mother told me you could help me. We're looking for someone."
For a moment, Ezzy thought she would have to repeat herself. Syla stood there, staring at her, frozen by what
ever was rattling around in her mind. Then the woman spoke.
"We shouldn't talk here. Come on back into my house. One of you, go lock the door first."
The woman left the room, exiting through the back door. Ezzy glanced at Nolan and received a shrug. Shayua was already sliding the latch into place. Ezzy wasn't sure what kind of reception she had expected, but this certainly was not it. She had already come this far though. Not the time to back down now just because of a feeling. Trying to leave her unease behind, Ezzy made her way through the back door.
A narrow hallway with wood paneling running down the walls contained a staircase to the right, leading up to the second floor. On the far end of the hall sat three doors, one straight ahead that probably led outside and one on each side. Syla was standing in the doorway on the left, waving Ezzy forward. Ezzy complied and found herself in the kitchen.
A small stove sat against the far corner as well as a few counter tops. A single table, just big enough for one, sat in the middle of the room along with a chair. A few racks suspended from the ceiling, but they were mostly empty. Everything made of metal in the room appeared brand new. The racks were free of dents and the surfaces of everything else gleamed like freshly polished silver.
"I don't have much to offer in terms of food and comfort, but I do have some tea from Wethrintir I can prepare."
"That sounds good," Ezzy said from the doorway. A nudge at her back signaled Nolan and Shayua's arrival. They shuffled into the room and stood around as Syla prepared the tea.
"I don't get many visitors," she said as she placed a pot on the stove and lit it. "I spend most of my time working, which leaves little time for being social."
"It's quite alright. Do you mind if my friend takes the chair? He has an injured knee."
"Feel free."
Nolan shuffled past her, whispering a "thank you" as he moved to the chair. Ezzy gave him a quick smile before returning her attention to Syla.
"If you don't mind me getting right to the point, we're trying to find someone and hope you could help."
"Your family has been so good to me over the years. Anything I can do to help you would be my pleasure. What is the person's name?"
"Iacane. I was told he had come to this village a while ago."
"Ah yes. The Saniteal. Sorry to be the one to tell you this, but he disappeared a few days ago."
"The Janpair family told me as much. I was hoping you might have an idea of what happened, or at least point us in the direction of where he was staying."
Syla continued to move about, straightening pots and pans, checking on the tea, picking up loose utensils. Not once had she met Ezzy's eyes since they had entered the kitchen. Ezzy found it off-putting, but then again, everyone that lived in this village seemed a little strange. Maybe it was normal here not to make eye contact when speaking to someone.
"Tea is ready." Syla grabbed four glasses off the counter and filled them from the pot. Passing them out, the woman couldn't hide behind preparing the tea and was forced to stop and talk to them. She stood there, shuffling in place, her eyes on the floor.
"So...uh, the Saniteal?" Ezzy asked. She took a sip of the tea. It was interesting, a mixture of sweet and sour. "What do you know?"
"I know he came because of the rumors about the Unyielding Wall, how it affects the people that live here in strange ways. All rumors, I assure you. I've lived here for a long time and haven't noticed anything strange."
"You also said you don't get out much."
"True, true. Anyway, this Saniteal had been around for a while, using his magic to examine each member of the village. I saw him a good amount when he was doing his rounds. Kept a notebook that he was always jotting something down in. He talked a lot too, sometimes even to himself. If you ask me, he's the strangest person in the village."
"But then he went missing? Do you think he annoyed enough people that he got chased out of the village? Or that something worse might have happened?"
"It's hard to be annoyed with a man that offered his healing services for free while he stayed in the village. I burned my hand a number of days ago, and he fixed me up in a matter of moments. Quite amazing, that magic of his."
"Well, if it wasn't because he was annoying the villagers, can you think of any other reason he might have disappeared? Even if it's something small, it might--"
She cut off as Nolan slid out of the chair, his empty cup cracking on the wood floor as he slumped to the ground.
"Nolan!" Moving to his side, she was relieved to find he was still breathing. He wouldn't wake up though when she shook him a few times. "Shayua, help me get him up. Shayua?"
Looking over her shoulder, Ezzy found Shayua looking at her with a confused expression. Then the tall woman's eyes rolled back in her head, and she crumpled to the floor as well.
"I'm sorry!" Syla said, taking a few steps back. "I don't know how they knew I had any relation with your family!"
"What? Who are you talking..." Ezzy's vision suddenly swam, the world around her turning hazy.
"They offered me money, which I rejected without a thought. But then they drew their weapons, started breaking things, even cut me a few times, until I agreed to help them. I didn't think you would actually show up. I didn't even think anyone in your family was still alive. I'm so sorry!"
Ezzy tried to put two thoughts together but failed. Her head grew heavy. A sharp pain broke through the haze for a moment as her head hit the ground.
Then blackness.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
A Darkening Mind
Panic. That's the emotion Nolan felt as he woke up, face down on a stone floor, hands bound behind his back. Rolling to his side, he saw an empty room with dark grey, stone walls devoid of any windows. A thick wooden door was the only way in or out. A single candle sat in a sconce in each corner of the room, well above his reach. The flames flickered about, as if they also wanted to escape the dank room.
Any movement on his part sent jagged bolts of lightning through his injured shoulder. Even so, with a great deal of effort, he managed to sit upright. From a sitting position, it took a little more effort for him to struggle to his feet.
Now what?
The blacksmith had drugged them, that much was clear. He could be in her basement. Were Ezzy and Shayua somewhere nearby? If the blacksmith knew anything about Ezzy, their captor would have to keep her drugged to make sure she didn't bring Paz in to free them all. Unless they had gotten her far enough away from Paz that she couldn't control him. Had he been out long enough for them to travel that far? The room he was in gave away nothing. Nolan could have been asleep for a whole season for all he knew.
Limping about, he tried to find anything that might give him a clue as to what was going on or how he could escape. Whoever his captor was, they had done an excellent job of clearing the room. He couldn't even find a random rock or piece of the wall that had broken off to use as a tool to cut his binds. Even though getting his hands free wouldn't help him at all, it would ease his discomfort somewhat. At least it would lessen the pain of the ropes rubbing his wrists raw. Maybe if he tried pounding on the door, someone would come and tell him what was going on and maybe loosen--
The door. Or more specifically, the door hinges.
The door sat on a wooden frame held in place by three hinges evenly spaced. It opened inward, meaning the hinges were also on the inside of the room. Backing up against the door frame, he began rubbing his bindings as hard as he could against one of the protruding hinges. He pinched his skin quite a few times as he sawed into the ropes, but he felt them start to give. It might take him a while, but Nolan believed he could eventually get through his bindings. The process gave him some time to reflect on how he got here.
How had he let his life come to this? He had a well decorated home, a variety of expensive and comfortable clothes, and enough money saved up and hidden away that he could lock himself in his house and only come out to buy supplies and pick up a few books to read and live
happily. As he had gotten older, that had been all he wanted. That, and to retire before he completely lost his mind. Now, he was locked in a room and who knew what his future held? All because of one girl.
Ezzy.
Sure he had argued against the idea of hunting this Ean fellow down, but when she showed no sign of budging, he had agreed to go without giving it another thought. Why? Of course she meant something to him. He had watched her grow up; he was like an uncle to her. But why hadn't he tried talking her out of seeking her own form of justice for her father, whatever it might be? Had he wanted a measure of redemption as well for his old employer and friend? A part of him knew that no matter what he said, Ezzy was too headstrong to let go of the past. Did he go along with her just to watch over her? Or was it to make sure she didn't do something she would regret? Why couldn't he answer his own questions?
A dimming of the light made him look up. Deep in thought, he had stopped working at the ropes. Why had it gotten darker? There weren't any windows in the room. He looked up at the candles and what he saw made him groan. The candles, which had been easily a hand-length long when he woke, were almost completely melted down.
It had happened again. Lost in his thoughts, what had seemed like moments had been much, much longer. So much time had been lost all because he couldn't stop his mind from wandering.Focus, Nolan. He began sawing at the ropes around his wrist even faster, trying to make up for all of the lost time. His muscles burned from the effort, and he expected to feel blood dripping down his wrists as raw skin finally broke. But he had to work harder. He might only get one chance to escape and he wouldn't have much of a chance with his hands bound behind his back.
"Focus, Nolan," he whispered. "For your and Ezzy's sake."
And possibly Shayua's, but she was low on the importance scale compared to Ezzy. And the woman could handle herself. She had probably escaped and was working to free them already. That would be nice. Nolan could just sit and wait...
Darkness descended on the room like a curtain.
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