Pounding his fist against the wall of the crevasse Edric scowled to himself, frustrated by his own foolishness. What had he been thinking? No. That was just it. He wasn’t thinking. Had his mind been focused where it was supposed to be, he never would have let himself behave in that manner. There was something about Neomi that distracted him. The mere sight of her sent his mind into a fog that he couldn’t push through and it was going to get him killed if he didn’t learn to fight it. Onuric would sever his head from his body if he learned what nearly transpired between them. And if Okivra finds out… He didn’t want to consider it. The repercussions it would have on the relationship between the Ovatai and the Vor’shai would be catastrophic. Not only would it result in Edric’s death, but possibly a war between their people. He couldn’t let that happen. His parents had seen enough fighting in their lives. They didn’t need him adding to their troubles.
On top of it all, he had disappointed his best friend. He’d come there to help Callum, not make matters worse. Ever since they departed Tanispa, he’d been nothing but trouble to their soldiers. After his latest mistake, it wouldn’t be a surprise if Callum ordered him back to Sivaeria. He just couldn’t let that happen. Aiva was counting on him. Cadell trusted him to watch over his son. If he went home now, he would fail in more ways than one. All he could hope for was that he could be convincing enough to make Callum give him a second chance.
Behind him a commotion caught his attention, bringing him pause in his progress toward the icy stairs leading to the surface. He was nearly there. What could possibly be going on? Was Moinie angry enough to take her aggression out on Callum?
Turning around, he strained his ears to make out the sound more clearly. It was a woman’s voice. Almost panicked in the way it called out, repeating a name carried on the wind. His name. Neomi? It couldn’t be. The voice was too shrill. Neomi wasn’t the type of woman to express such concern. Another voice added to the sound, this one calling for Neomi, more masculine than Edric expected. He recognized it to be Callum without having to focus his thoughts. What were they yelling for? It wasn’t like either of them to behave that way.
Overcome with curiosity he began a slow pace back toward the crater where he’d come. A twist in his gut told him something wasn’t right. Neomi’s voice was cut short after a moment, a high-pitched scream echoing through the narrow walls, choked at the end into an eerie silence. His pace quickened, gripped with fear at what might have happened. The closer he came to the open crater, he became suddenly aware of a new sound filling the air. Metal against metal. Swords? Was someone fighting?
As he came near the mouth of the crevasse Edric pressed his back against the wall, not wanting to draw attention to his approach. The three he’d left behind believed him to be on his way to the surface. They wouldn’t expect him to return. Peering around the corner he inhaled sharply, a wave of panic rushing over him at what he saw there. Callum stood near the center of the crater, bow in hand, loaded, aimed at an Ovatai man positioned not far from where Edric was hidden. At the man’s feet, another Ovatai male lay on the ground, pinning Neomi’s stomach against the rocks. She fought against the man, valiant yet futile, pulled harshly by the man’s hands as he stood up, revealing a sharpened dagger pressed along the side of Neomi’s throat. His other hand was wrapped around her stomach, the blade of a sword firmly locking her in his arms.
“Drop your weapons!” the man shouted, jerking Neomi violently for Callum and Moinie to see. “Drop them now, or I will slit her throat.”
“Do you have any idea who you hold in your hands?” Moinie replied sternly. She made no move to lower her blade while Callum slowly released the tension on the string of his bow, glancing to her with an expression of disapproval. “If you lay a finger on her, Chief Okivra will hunt you down and personally peel the flesh from your bones.”
“I know who she is,” the man spat in disgust. “She would already be dead if I didn’t have a message I wanted you to pass on to your Chief.”
Turning away Edric tried to catch his breath. He had to do something. If those men were Ythes, they would kill Neomi regardless of whether Callum and Moinie passed the message to Okivra. The window for saving her would be short. He needed to think fast.
Desperately he tried to focus, letting his eyes return to the scene before him, scanning the area for something he might be able to use to his advantage. Three Ovatai men lay dead not far from Moinie, their blood pooling over the white snow that had fallen on the rocks. Her grip remained firm on the hilt of her sword. She was being foolish. There would be no chance at negotiation if she didn’t ease her stance.
Callum held his arms out in front of him, cautious, slowly bending forward to lay his bow on the ground at his feet. With a sharp look he glanced over to Moinie, motioning her to do the same. “Do as he says, Moinie,” Callum said calmly, soothing, quietly urging her to concede. “Let us hear what he has to say before we decide how to proceed.”
Think. What could he do? The man had too tight a hold on Neomi. To attack with a sword would put her in danger of being caught by Edric’s blade if he tried to remove the man’s head or run him through from behind. Staring down at his hands he realized they were the best weapon he had available. He’d never killed anyone with his bare hands before. It seemed brutal. More vicious than he preferred. But these men didn’t deserve compassion. He couldn’t justify feeling guilt at the prospect of ending their existence for placing Neomi’s life in danger.
Slipping quietly from his hiding place, Edric moved forward with slow, precise steps, careful not to rustle the gravel under his feet. If the men became aware of his approach they would kill Neomi. He had no doubt about their ability to do so. They were hunters. It was the Ovatai way. The two men had their backs to him, which worked to his advantage. He was in plain sight of Callum, noticing his friend’s chin lift to see him, quickly recovering to avoid drawing attention to Edric. Moinie’s eyes opened wide, looking over to Callum, curious, bending forward to set her sword on the ground.
“Tell us what you want,” Callum called out, focusing the man’s attention on him. “Name your terms and we might be able to work something out without more bloodshed.”
The closer he came to the man, the more unsure Edric felt about his plan. He was moving forward blindly. This man was capable of sensing him before Edric could get within reach of harming him. His scent would be an immediate giveaway while the slightest noise from his feet would set a chain of events into motion that he refused to think about. He could see Moinie’s eyes drift to him occasionally, a soft breeze suddenly picking up, blowing against Edric’s face. Away from the men. It had to be her doing. The change in the wind’s direction was far too favorable to believe it was mere fortunate chance.
“Collect their weapons,” the man ordered to the other warrior. Edric exhaled quietly in relief. Perfect. Without his companion by his side, it would be easier to go in for the kill without being noticed. He waited until the other man was a few steps ahead before making his move. His body reacted by pure instinct, gripping the sides of the man’s head in his palms, a swift, hard twist to one side rendering him limp in Edric’s grasp, a sickening crunch ringing through his ears.
There was no concealing the noise. The surviving male spun around to see what the sound was, distracting his focus from Callum. In an instant the wind shifted direction again, blowing Callum’s bow closer to him in a strong gust. He reached for it, gathering it into his hands in a fluid motion, wasting no time in seeing it loaded and aimed at the man’s head. With a loud crack the arrow shot forward, lodging itself deep into the man’s skull, dropping him to the ground in a lifeless heap.
Releasing his hold on the limp head in his hands, Edric watched the blade of the dagger slip away from Neomi’s neck, falling with a thud onto the snow-covered gravel. A hesitant breath escaped her, seemingly afraid to move in fear that the man would grab her again. “Neomi,” he whispered. He wanted to take her in his arms and embrace her out of sheer relief
to see that she was unharmed. But that was out of the question. Physical contact between them was forbidden.
At the sound of her name she spun around to face him, the brilliant blue of her eyes brightening in what looked to be a brief flash of joy to see him standing there. She recovered quickly, her gentle brow creased in her usual stern expression. “Edric,” she stated, unable to conceal the slight tremor in her voice. “I thought you were heading to the surface.”
“I was,” he nodded, searching the area uncomfortably. Something still didn’t feel right. He couldn’t help feeling as if they were being watched. Stalked from the shadows. “I heard you calling for me. I thought I should come back to make sure everything was alright.”
“Don’t get too comfortable,” Moinie stated loudly, picking her sword up from the ground with a sigh of irritation. “I can still smell the stench of Ythes. Everyone draw your weapons. I will not let them get the upper hand again.”
Neomi’s head moved to scan the open crater in search of a possible ambush. As her neck twisted to the right Edric became suddenly aware of the trickle of blood running from a laceration where the dagger had been pressed, staining the pale surface of her skin. From where he stood it was impossible to judge the severity of the wound. “You are injured…”
His voice was lost to a loud battle cry echoing through the air, a group of Ovatai warriors emerging from their hiding places, scattered around the area from behind the rubble. He couldn’t think about Neomi now. Retrieving his sword from its sheath he rushed into the fray, letting his legs and arms move of their own volition, guiding him through the motions of battle. It was second nature to him. Every swing of the blade etched into his memory from the years he spent under Cadell’s tutelage, training him in every trick of the trade known to man.
The Ovatai were skilled opponents. He couldn’t compare them to the pirates he fought in Luquarr, their strength and stamina unmatched. There were only a few yet they charged with the power of an entire army, forcing Edric to keep on his toes. Parry. Thrust. His attempts at passing his enemy’s guard were futile. It was as if the man could see what Edric intended to do before he did it. Focused on his opponent Edric barely noticed Neomi’s sword coming to his aid, dividing the man’s attention between the two of them. With renewed confidence he increased the speed of his strikes, bypassing the centerline with a swift lunge, piercing through his enemy’s chest with a grotesque sound of metal against flesh.
Breathing heavy he stared down at the corpse, using his foot to press the body into the ground while he removed the blade, a firm shake of his arm clearing the blood from the weapon before returning it to its sheath. He could feel Neomi’s eyes on him, watching him carefully. Before he could speak she turned away at the sound of Moinie calling her name, hurrying to where Callum had one of the men in a chokehold, kicking at the back of his legs to force the man down on his knees.
It was an impressive sight. At times Edric forgot what a skilled soldier Callum was. Seeing him there reminded Edric of the reasons why this test of his leadership abilities was foolish. Everyone knew Callum was the best damned fighter in Tanispa next to his father. After years of loyal service to the military, he was repaid by being sent to his death in this miserable place.
“Keep him still,” Neomi commanded, sheathing her sword to allow her hands freedom to remove a small knife from inside her boot. Placing the tip against the man’s side she pressed in closer, staring him down, her eyes challenging and unforgiving. “Tell me what you know about the beast,” she stated calmly, tightening her grip on the knife.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the man spat, struggling against Callum’s hold. “You dare to attack us in our homeland? The others will find you. They will see you dead for this.”
“I’m going to give you one last chance to answer my question,” Neomi replied, un-fazed by the man’s empty threats. He was in no position to intimidate them. One small flick of Neomi’s wrist would end his life before he could even scream for his friends to help. “What can you tell me about the creature your people harbored under the village? I am going to count to five before I end your traitorous existence.”
“You waste your time, woman.”
“One.”
The man laughed, quickly losing his breath from Callum’s strong arm tightening its grip around his neck. “It would be foolish of you to kill me.”
“Two.”
“Why would it be foolish to kill you?” Callum asked through gritted teeth. “Is there some reason why you are more important than all of the others who have already fallen?”
“Three.”
Edric glanced at Neomi. She was unbending in her threat. It was a trait he wasn’t used to seeing in a woman. Such strength rarely could be found in the ladies at court. They were so easy to sway. Neomi had no qualms with ending this man’s life. The count no doubt only prolonged the inevitable.
“Answer her, fool!” Moinie shouted, wrinkling her nose in disdain.
“Four.”
A smirk passed over the man’s lips, the light in his eyes flashing at Neomi’s steady tone. “I will tell you nothing, Komoa whore. My silence brings victory even in my death by leaving you and your beloved Vor’shai to die.”
His voice was cut short by a pained intake of breath as Neomi’s hand dug the blade of her knife deep into the man’s side, plunging upward with a deliberate twist, blood pouring forth from the wound inflicted at her hand. “Five,” she stated quietly, tearing the blade from the man’s lifeless body without care of the damage she caused. He was already dead. What difference would a few extra lacerations make? “Leave him,” she nodded to Callum. “We must get back to the surface and check on the status of the others. There is nothing else to be learned from this place.”
“Neomi, I must advise against returning to the surface so soon. We have no way of knowing how many Ythes remain in the village,” Moinie protested. “I must counsel you to stay here a little longer. Enough mistakes have already been made today.”
“No,” Neomi turned to face her friend defiantly. “If the others are under attack, we need to help them. The four of us won’t stand a chance at returning to Nahedu alone and the Ythes clearly are aware of our presence. They will discover our bodies not among those of the others and seek us out. It would be far wiser to try and spare as many of our men as possible to increase our chances of survival on our journey home.”
Stepping forward Edric pulled his shoulders back, chin held high. He was tired of standing back and letting everyone else make decisions for him. Their predicament was sensitive. This wasn’t the time to leave things in the hands of others. “I agree with Neomi,” he stated boldly, coming to stand at Neomi’s side. From the corner of his eye he saw the confusion pass over her face before quickly regaining her composure, giving a sharp nod to acknowledge his assistance.
“And what of you, Captain? What is your counsel on the matter?” Neomi asked, peering quizzically at Callum. Edric watched his friend’s eyes shift between the two of them, heaving a sigh as he let the body of the dead Ythes man slump to the ground at his feet.
“I have to advise the same as the Prince,” he replied. “It is not the Vor’shai custom to leave our brave soldiers to die simply to save our own lives. I intend to find my way to the surface regardless of what anyone says.”
“Well, that settles it, then,” Neomi nodded. “You may stay behind if you wish, Moinie. The rest of us are going. It would be my counsel that you join us.”
Moinie’s jaw clenched, narrowing her eyes in unconcealed frustration. Edric didn’t have to hear her voice to know she was upset with him. Without his support, Neomi may have been swayed to listen to her. Or at least Moinie might have thought that to be the case. He hadn’t known Neomi for long, but from what he’d learned of her, she wasn’t easily swayed into anything. It was merely convenient for Moinie to blame it on him. All he wanted was to make sure the others were safe and find a way to convince Neomi to let him examine her
injuries. Given their earlier interaction, that task would be harder to accomplish than he liked to accept. Moinie and Callum would never let him be alone with her.
But he wanted to be alone with her. There were too many questions he wanted to ask. Why had she come after him? It wasn’t the nature of the Ovatai to try and protect someone at the risk of their own life. He couldn’t help thinking that Neomi never would have found herself in the clutches of those men had she not been focused on getting to him. And her voice! It had been filled with concern. Genuine fear. Was she worried about him? Did she really care that much? “I will follow you to the surface,” he said softly, motioning her to lead the way toward the crevasse where the makeshift stairs would allow them access to the village. If everyone was safe, perhaps he could find a chance to pull her aside. He would ask Neomi once and for all what her feelings were for him. If she turned him away it would be easier to turn his back on her the way their friends wanted. The problem was in the possibility of her accepting him. For now, he couldn’t dwell on it. They would cross that bridge when they got there… if the Ythes didn’t kill them first.
Braced for the worst upon reaching the surface, Neomi was impressed to find the outcome of the attack more favorable than anticipated. It appeared the largest number of the Ythes warriors had kept to the depths of the chasm, leaving only a few to assault the men left in the village. Other than an unfortunate loss of one Ovatai soldier under her command and a graze to Sahra’s arm from an arrow, which she played to the fullest extent for the attention it garnered from the men, there was little damage left behind in the wake.
Distracted by the attack, Edric parted ways from Neomi not long after finding their way out of the crevasse. She felt an ache in her chest to discover him gone from her side. It was strange. A foreign sensation. One she’d never experienced before and hoped to never feel again. It was a miserable feeling. As if her heart was being squeezed, unmercifully. Nothing she did could make it go away. To think about where Edric may have gone only made it worse, worried that the Ythes were still around and that she would stumble across his body amidst the ruins of the old homes. She wasn’t sure what she would do if that happened. The fear of death wasn’t one she was familiar with. Death was a part of life. The sight of Mevuk’s body had sparked a mild sense of loss mingled with immediate acceptance in her mind. Somehow she wasn’t convinced her reaction to Edric’s death would consist of the same dignity. He saved her life. Twice. She felt he was owed more respect than that.
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Three: Crown of Ice Page 42