Jace hesitated at the locked door to the store room. “We really need supplies,” he said.
Xuan took out a hammer from his pack and banged it on the old lock. The lock dropped to the ground. Xuan pushed open the door, and motioned for Jace to enter.
Grimacing, Jace bent to pick the lock. It was broken beyond repair. He threw it to the side. “I suppose there is no time to ask Wasaba for permission to give us a few provisions.”
Xuan grunted. “Best hurry up,” he said.
“Hey, wait up!”
Jace turned and watched Arife run up the stairs. He was the store in-charge. “We need just a few things,” said Jace.
“Never mind that! I am coming with you.” He walked past them into the store. “Let me gather a few things. More people are joining us. You there,” he pointed to Xuan. “Go to the back and bring back thirty or more packs. Line them by the door.”
Jace was shocked. “Thirty?”
Arife moved fast. He took out sacks of salted meat, grains, and pulses, and put them on the floor. He threw a handful of empty sacks at Jace. “Fill each with supplies enough for one man to carry. If we separate, I want each man or woman to have enough to survive on their own until they can make their way back to civilization.”
Exhilarated, Jace could only stare at Arife, the empty sacks lying forgotten at his feet. “Thirty, you said? Does Wasaba know?”
“Of course he doesn’t know. He is too busy trying to scry with Vindha. Fat lot of good that will do. Did Vindha send the army to talk to us? Wasaba has been locked up in this place for far too long. Come on, now. Don’t just stand there gaping at me. Fill those sacks. Every person will bring their own blanket and water bag, but we need food, man. Hurry up! Get moving.”
Jace worked. Xuan was already lining up the simple, canvas packs by the door. Jace filled the sacks and dropped one in each pack. Arife gathered flint, herbs, spices, medicines, and placed them on a large mat on the floor.
Soon people began coming in, each carrying things they considered important enough to carry with them. Xuan handed everyone a pack, and each individual filled it whatever else he or she needed. Jace counted each man and woman as he helped Arife gather the supplies in one place. There were thirty three mages, plus Xuan and him.
“We should leave now,” said Xuan. He held out a pack for Jace. Although Jace was tempted to run down to the gate and bring back his own pack and blanket, he knew he couldn’t afford to be sentimental. He wore the new pack, and Xuan tied his blanket to the back of the pack. They were ready to leave.
“We will head to the top of the mountain. And from there, we will split into three or more groups. I am headed for the eastern pass. The rest of you can decide your destination on the way,” he said and led the group.
“The eastern pass? Are you going to the northern kingdoms?” Arife joined him. “I thought you were going back to Iram?”
“I will, eventually.” Confusion that plagued him had all but disappeared. Jace knew what he was meant to do. “But there is someone who may need my help, and I want to intercept her. She is headed for the mountains, somewhere near the eastern pass, and I have a feeling that I will get some clues regarding her passage there.”
“I may join you,” said the portly mage as he huffed and puffed his way up the slope. “I haven’t had this much excitement in ten years or so. Remember the time when a drove of pigs barged into the vegetable patch and we were required to disperse them? That was exciting.”
Jace couldn’t suppress a guffaw. “I can promise you, Arife, you will see much more excitement before the year is out.”
In single file, they all climbed higher until the steps disappeared and they were forced to pick their way through thorny underbrush and vines. As they reached a ledge, Jace looked back. A spiraling cloud of sand swirled on the desert, a mere two leagues away from the keep. The army was on the move, and would soon be at the keep.
He had done his best. It wasn’t possible to do anymore. Every ameer had to make his own decision regarding his or her life.
Chapter Twelve
Alicia walked down the wooden, rickety stairs, her hair covered with a black, cotton scarf. Tonight they had taken rooms in an inn located at a crossroad. It was Kayleb’s decision to sleep indoor tonight. As an aftermath of the war, the kingdom was teeming with dacoits and looters. Not wishing to take a chance outside and draw attention to themselves, they decided to rent two rooms in the broken down inn.
Once this place would have been teeming with travelers and traders, but now apart from them, only one other room was occupied. Rather than eat in their room, Alicia opted to eat in the dining area downstairs. The dining hall was spacious and lit with lanterns that were placed in niches on the walls. Windows stood open at both ends, and a steady breeze flowed through. She walked towards the table where Kayleb was already seated, a cup of ale in front of him. He glanced up, and for a moment, a look of pure appreciation glinted in his eyes. Hastily, he stood and pulled back a chair for her.
Alicia sat. “Thank you.”
“I’ve already ordered two bowls of stew, bread, and fresh vegetables. The inn is out of cheese and milk,” he said.
She nodded towards the ale. “I’ll have a cup of that.”
While Kayleb signaled to the man tending the bar, Alicia surveyed the only other occupant of the room. An old woman sat at the far table. Her black robes were so mud-splotched and dirty that they appeared nearly brown. Her hair, white as snow, stuck out at odd angles in varying lengths. Clearly she hadn’t bothered with a hair cut in a long time. She looked tired, defeated, and yet, there was something about her that drew Alicia’s attention. Although she appeared to be oblivious to their presence, Alicia knew the woman was somehow paying keen attention to them.
The bartender brought their food, and a fresh jug of brown ale. Used to the milder golden ale that was brewed in Iram, Alicia found the draft bitter.
She grimaced as she took another sip. Kayleb smiled. “It will take a while to get used to this brew. The brewster use a herb that adds the bitter flavor, but the ale lasts longer. It’s better than the drinking water you will find in the inn. There isn’t a spring nearby, and they draw the water through a pump from the ground. It’s full of worms and what not. This ale is safer to drink.”
Leaning forward, Alicia put her elbows on the table. “Did you talk to anyone about the temple?”
They were no closer to finding the exact location of the temple. And the longer it took, the greater the chances that Vindha was creating more of those demon mages. Alicia felt an urgency to complete the job, but they could do no more than travel in the general direction of the mountains, hoping that they would find more clues as they neared the place.
“I talked to a man who sold an entire herd of horses to one of Vindha’s men up north. He said there was something strange going on one of the eastern mountains, near the boundary of Amva.”
“That’s the kingdom where the army is stationed right now?”
“The King of Amva surrendered without protest,” said Kayleb. His face held no expression but his eyes told her the entire tale. Alicia covered his hand with hers. “No one died for freedom on their battlefield. The innkeeper told me.”
“To live without honor is to live not at all,” she said.
Pulling his hand back, he picked up his cup and finished the ale in one big gulp. He put the cup down, and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “Tell it those whose corpses were left for the hyenas to feast upon.”
They finished the rest of the meal in silence, both of them lost in their own thoughts. Kayleb stood.
Alicia fingered the last piece of bread left on the table. “If this is too hard for you, you don’t have to accompany me.”
“I am not changing my mind. We will leave tomorrow morning.”
Alicia went upstairs while Kayleb paid the innkeeper for the food and lodging. Inside her room, Alicia prepared to undress, relishing the thought of sleeping on a soft, albeit
dusty bed tonight. Although she didn’t mind roughing it, she did miss the daily comforts of her castle; her room, the delicious food, hot baths, her gardens, and most of all, she missed her siblings.
She wondered what Zo was doing. Had she left to meet with the resistance army yet? Or was she back in the training camp, hounding the new mages with her characteristic aggressiveness? Just as she was about to unfasten her tunic, a soft knock on the door alerted her. What did Kayleb want at this hour? Picking up her scarf, she adjusted it over her shoulders and opened the door. The same old woman she saw downstairs was outside the door.
Up close, Alicia could see the deep wrinkles etched on the woman’s face. Earlier Alicia had estimated her age at around fifty, but now she could see that the woman was older than that. Although she couldn’t detect any magical aura, Alicia sensed that her visitor possessed some magic.
“Can I do something for you?” she asked.
When she spoke, her voice was raspy, but strong. “I need to talk to you.”
Alicia took a cautious step out of her room, not sure if she wanted the woman inside. “Shall we go downstairs?”
The old woman stretched her lips in a humorless smile. Half her teeth were missing, and the other half stained with age and neglect. “What I need to tell you is personal and private. You wouldn’t want another to hear it.”
Alicia heard the soft footsteps as someone climbed the stairs. Kayleb appeared on the landing. He appeared startled to see the old woman, and as he raised his hands Alicia stopped him. “She wants to talk to me.”
The old woman turned and curtseyed neatly. “Good evening, Your Majesty. It’s my honor to meet our king.”
Grabbing her by the arm, Kayleb pushed her into Alicia’s room. “Who are you? And how did you recognize me?”
She guffawed, looking unconcerned by his anger. “My name is Alma, and I am a seer. It was my pleasure to serve your father for many years. Perhaps the young king doesn’t recognize his old faithful servants, but it is the duty of the servants to never forget their masters.”
With a grimace, Kayleb let go of her arm. “I am no one’s master.”
Alma pushed her straggly hair back with both hands. “People will be delighted to hear that you are alive, Your Majesty.”
“You will not tell anyone,” he commanded.
“Your wish is my command, Your Majesty.”
“Don’t address me like that. Call me Kayleb.”
Alma laughed, her face creasing into a thousand wrinkles. “You honor me beyond measure, Kayleb.”
The old woman was enjoying this conversation, taking far too much pleasure in Kayleb’s discomfort. Perhaps she had made a mistake in allowing the woman to approach her. “If you wish, you may leave Kayleb. I will let Alma out after she has had her say,” said Alicia.
Stepping away, Kayleb sat on the short, wooden stool that stood in one corner. “I’ll stay.”
Knowing that he worried for her safety, Alicia chose not to push him. She wanted to get the woman out of her room as fast as possible. “What is it that you wanted to tell me, Alma?”
“I had a vision,” said Alma. She gathered her dirty robe, and sat on the floor. Alicia chose to sit opposite her on the ground.
Kayleb snorted. “About what?”
“About the princess and you.”
Alicia frowned at her. “A vision about us? When?”
True seers were hard to find, and the rare, powerful ones were usually so reclusive that they shunned people and lived away. A seer was blessed or cursed, depending on whatever was one’s point of view. Unlike other magical ability, seers had little power over the revelations they received. The more interaction they had with people, the higher the number of visions they saw. Alicia had only met one seer once, and he was highly traumatized by his gift. The boy Leo was the only one she knew who could see into the future with a great deal of accuracy. But then he was a prophet, and not a seer, and had far greater control over his abilities.
“I came here a long time ago,” she said. “I waited for you here as my gift told me you would come to this place. Five full moons have passed since then.”
Alicia adjusted her scarf, conscious of Kayleb’s gaze on her. “What is it that you wanted to tell me?”
The seer offered her hands. Hesitantly, Alicia put her hands on hers, noticing the grubby, long yellowing nails. Alma ran her thumbs over Alicia’s palms. “I saw you stand near the edge of a large, black pit that roiled with red, hot lava. Mages surrounded you, and you remained safe, alone amongst many. You weave a spell. A big spell.” Alma closed her eyes, and swayed, almost as if she could see everything again.
Alicia couldn’t bear the suspense. “Do I succeed in closing the pit?”
Kayleb hissed. Perhaps she shouldn’t have disclosed their plans to a stranger, but then the woman was a seer. She had already seen what Alicia intended to do.
Alma opened her eyes. Alicia was shocked to see that her irises had all but disappeared. Her eyes were completely white, save for a tiny pinprick of black dot in the center. She was lost in a trance. Was she having another vision? She squeezed Alicia’s hands in a vice-like grip.
When she spoke, her voice sounded deeper than before. “You will find success where you seek it not, and you will unearth failure where you fear it the least. You lead many, and some will come back, but others will die in your stead. It’s your curse to bear, and a gift from the gods, that you bring salvation to those who need it most.”
Alicia shivered. Alma’s prediction was ominous. Who were the ones who would die in her stead? What was the failure she was destined to experience? She looked at Kayleb, and even he looked troubled by the old woman’s words. For a moment, their gazes locked, both aware of the fear that gripped the other.
Alma shuddered, and let go of Alicia’s hands. “The place you seek is hidden in the mountain, but I have seen the route. You will have to go through Izba to reach it.”
“What about the gift from gods and the curse? What is it exactly?”
Alma frowned. “What are you talking about?”
Was the old woman ignorant of the prediction she had made? Was it possible that she had foretold something without being aware of it? Alicia opened her mouth, and then closed it again, not sure if she wanted to hear or talk about the dire words Alma had uttered.
“Why do we have to travel through Izba?” said Kayleb, perhaps sensing Alicia’s need to change the topic.
Alma smiled as she let go of Alicia’s hands. “Everything is not clear to me. All I know is what I saw, and I saw you both climbing up a mountain while you were in the kingdom of Izba. Now, I am sure you will not begrudge an old woman a few spare coins. I do have to make a living, and times are hard.”
Kayleb stood. “You can’t use your gift to make money, you crone.”
“Gone are the days when the kings patronized the seers and the prophets.” Alma stood. She twisted the edge of her cloak in with both hands, as if suddenly nervous. “How am I to live now? No one wants an old seer around.”
Walking over to her pack, Alicia rummaged through it and found her purse. She took out two gold coins, and a few silver coins. “Here you go.”
Alma’s eyes bugged at the sight of so much money. She raised her hand hesitantly as if not sure Alicia was actually presenting her with the entire bounty. “You’re kind, my lady,” her voice trembled.
“Far too kind,” muttered Kayleb as he watched Alicia place the coins in the old woman’s grimy palm.
Alma placed the coins in a black, leather pouch that hung from her belt. She drew the strings tightly as if scared for the safety of her money. Putting her hands together, she bent her head, her eyes shifting from one to another. “I will take your leave now, my lady!” She turned towards the door.
“Alma, wait!” Alicia wasn’t sure what made her stop the old woman. “Is there anything else you would like to tell us? Anything important you saw, or thought you did? We need a lot of help.”
To Alicia
’s great astonishment, the old woman’s eyes filled with tears. “Your kindness has touched my heart, my lady. There is nothing else I can help you with. But heed my warning; the path you tread is far too dangerous. You might lose your life or your heart. To save one, you have to sacrifice the other. And as always, the choice is yours.” Quickly, she turned and went out of the room before Alicia could ask her to explain what she meant.
For a moment, Alicia just stood there, not sure what to make of this new prediction. She turned towards Kayleb, as if seeking an explanation.
He shrugged. “All she did was swindle you out of a lot of coins. The damned woman made no sense.”
A cold fist gripped Alicia’s heart. She recalled a time when she had to put down one of the pet dogs owned by a castle guard. The man cried copiously as he said goodbye to the ailing dog who was too ill to walk or even bark. As she had gazed into the trusting eyes of the innocent animal and administered a potion that was laced with enough sleeping herb to put the animal out forever, Alicia felt a chill up her spine. It was almost as if she had been touched by the cold hands of death itself.
Tonight, the same chill enveloped her in its frosty grip. Even if they made no sense to Kayleb, she saw the hidden truth in Alma’s words. In a small corner of her heart, she knew that one day the old lady’s predictions would all become clear – and that day, perhaps, she would have to make choices she wished she was never faced with.
“Hey!” Kayleb bent in front of her. He held her hands. “Don’t take that woman’s words so seriously. I think she recognized me, and just wanted a little fun at our expense.” His lips lifted in a humorous smile. “It didn’t hurt that you paid her handsomely for her effort.”
She gazed into his eyes, wishing desperately that she could take a little comfort in his words, but somehow failing to do so. “She scared me,” Alicia admitted.
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