"Yup," he answered. Finally, someone appreciated all that prep I went through.
She touched his shoulder. He winched. "I really hurt you, didn’t I?" She looked down at his ankle. “And your ankle. Sorry.”
"It's alright, really," he said. "I'll be fine—"
"You two, Araa, Loyt," Liana's surprisingly loud voice boomed. "Your making everyone else have to wait."
"Sorry, Lady Roz," Roe said, hurrying herself off to her position, middle row, third from the front, easy to find.
Once there, Liana gave her usual speech. Upcoming events. Nothing out of the ordinary, but Roe listened in more closely this time, making sure nothing out of the ordinary was happening in the city today. Because, today, she’d find the secret of this place no matter what. "Thank you, everyone. Please be safe," Liana Roz ended and the rows of workers quickly dispersed to their duties. Loyt waved to her before walking, or rather trying not to appear limping, away. She was glad she didn’t have to end the poor fool.
Right away, the road duty lead, Yaner, a disheveled older man with a perpetually dark tanned skin spied her across the yard. With his bowed legs, he came wobbling up to her carrying a satchel full of supplies. When she first arrived, she pegged him for a drifter, but after learning he already completed four tours here, she made it a point to get to know him. He was a lead for many different ‘popular’ jobs. Popular meant indoor jobs in the winter, outdoor in the summer. He became the go-to for favors and hard to find items. He could have been really useful to her, if she wasn’t pretending to be a good little Islander. But, none of that matter anymore; today she’d find out if this place had a secret, or if she wasted eight months of her life.
"Araa," he called her with his gravelly voice. "Good, I found you first. I've got two new guys I need to train so.…" He searched his satchel. "If I can get you going, we might actually be done before sunset. Here's your traveler's inkwell. Got you the good one, you've earned it." He winked. "Here's your orders, southwest side, just like you asked. And here’s your lunch voucher so you can eat out there. Toda's is a fine place down that way to fill your stomach. That insane man has fresh fish you like so much. Don't ask me how! Oh, and the orders are all written in Ladress units, not Islander. Oh, you don’t have to record bushes, weeds and trees anymore. Not unless they’re rotted or toppled over. Winter's coming, you know. All good, girl?" Araa nodded eagerly. "Good on you." And off he went hobbling on his bowed knees. "Oh, Araa," he called over his shoulder. "You know there’s the mine road don’t that way. Don't worry about it. The military takes care of their own. Now, scat, you rat!" And finally, he was off.
Amid the bustle of everyone going off to their assignments, Roe walked toward Camp Gate, smiling broadly as she shuffling through the items in her hand. The travel's inkwell, a very nicely crafted box with a pen and inkwell, went into her breast pocket. Not even one year in and she got the traveler's inkwell? They must really trust me now. But that made her feel uneasy. I've just been here too long, that’s all. Besides, she could sell the box to fund her way back. The food voucher, she put into her front pocket. Not much use after she leaves. She next unrolled the work orders. They were essentially just a list of street names with ledgers underneath with some already filled with complaints. Roe was to visit each street and describe the problem, then estimate the materials needed. The construction crew would follow tomorrow and repair or clear out what was needed all at once. Then repeat for two more days. Thank the Veiled Goddess, I never have to do this job again.
She shifted through the sheets one by one until she came to one titled 'Old Road.' "It's not here," she muttered.
"What's not here," Ryker said behind her, a man a decade older than her who brought his entire family along. They lived by the north side near the fletching crop fields. She had noticed him lingering about earlier, calling her in low hushes while in line, but she ignored him. It never made any difference. He’d still find her and ask her for the same favor he’d asked every week since he found out she was an Islander. "Saw what you did to Loyt. Amazing stuff. You really go for all those perks they give us here, huh? Maybe I should learn something new too."
"Work time, Mister Ryker," she said.
"Listen, Araa. I'm sorry but I need to ask you for a favor." Here it comes. "Can you watch little Rei tonight? Miska and I wanna check out the new dance parlor in Faf’r."
"Yea, sure," she said before adding ‘But I won’t be there’ in her mind.
"Thank you!" He grabbed her hand and shook it. She cringed, resisting her instinct to attack him like she did to Loyt. He then ran off, shouting, "Don't you worry, Araa. I'll pay you back." He never did, though Miska would send little useless gifts to her hut the next day. But, there’d be no gift sent tomorrow, because, tonight, little Rei’s going to have to fend for herself all alone. Still….
"Don’t be dumb," she scolded herself. "I've been here too long."
A few people still lingered at the camp’s gate, probably waiting for supplies. For herself, she planned on going straight to the Old Road, and after finding that mine road that came off it, she’d sneak inside. No sense in waiting, and find out what's there —better be something besides dusty rocks— and be well on her way to imperial lands by tomorrow night. No one would know she's missing until tomorrow morning, anyway. Plenty of time. Loyt might; he’d sound the alarm. They would do a search of the entire southwest. Find nothing. By then, she'd be a third of the way to coast, or sooner if she could find someone with transport to help a girl in need.
"Hi Araa," some of the workers waiting by the gate said. "How are ya today?"
"I'm fine, thank you," she replied pleasantly.
"What's today's mantra, Araa," another asked.
"My eyes are hawk eyes," she replied.
"Sounds mysterious," one said as they all laughed. She couldn’t tell if they laughed at her expense or not, probably the former.
She simply smiled in return, but inwardly, she groaned. Her popularity served her to get information, but not now that she wanted to complete her task. So many people noticed her. Nodding, smiling, waving. She'd become a curiosity. Maybe she should have been more standoffish. If the Old Road’s crowded too, she’d have to wait till nightfall to sneak into the mines, but that meant a tougher job. She’d most likely end up having to kill a guard or two. This will be a flawless mission!
Roe decided on going straight west through the city and hug the mountains south. No roads out there for her too check, but she was an Islander, after all; she was expected to get lost easily.
Even before the morning fog evaporated in the red sunlight, the fledging city bustled with life. It had to. Landrie’s first priority was to make Ruby City ‘self-sufficient’ and he made it known to anyone brave enough to try their lives here on the frontier. Why the urgency? Everyone supposed Landrie wanted to the new city to fend for itself if they were ever attacked. From what? That was a good question. She’d been to the Demos only a handful of times. Their lives of luxury softened them too much to want to fight, and a trade city through the mountains would be welcomed. True, they too explored the mountains, but from what Roe knew, they were impassable from either side, stretching south to the Closed Plains, the Wild River, and the rumored marshlands. Only the Veiled Goddess knows what’s down there.
As expected, the streets were busy —very busy— with people doing their morning works. Shops weren’t open yet, their owners and helpers lighting fires and morning menial tasks. Empty carriages raced for fresh water and cords of wood as food stuffs were being delivered to houses and businesses, and of course, the Major’s soldiers marching along, making their rounds. Wearing maroon leathery armor with the mountain-crown seal of Landrie, a sword by their side and a hand-cannon at their hip, a group of twelve casually strolled up the street, taking notes. With the city growing so fast, more of the military had to oversee much of the planning instead of Central Office officials, making sure everything was just so. They hated it, Roe knew from her time working at the
Central Office, and they made Central Office know it, too. The Major’s soldiers and Central Office never liked working together, a perfect rivalry for her to exploit. But she did need to.
The lead of the soldiers waved at her —she never remembered his name. “Hi Araa,” he said. “Fine morning. You working at Central Office today?” He couldn’t hide a derisive grin from spreading across his face.“Or with us in the barracks?”
She smiled. “No, not today. I’m sorry. Checking the roads.”
“Oh Araa, coming to work in the city,” another asked, a leather worker setting up his wares outside. He admitted growing up near the Sands after he had a bit to drink. Probably a bounty on him, his hands seemed to know their way around a knife too well.
“Yes, yes,” she replied enthusiastically.
A carriage suddenly stopped beside her. “Hi Araa, want a lift? I can get to where you going.” Why do you all want to be so damn helpful!
“No thanks,” she replied, biting her lip from added an curse. “I need to stretch my legs.” The man laughed as though what she said was odd, funny or both before driving off. The banter continued all the way down Amethyst street, but as much as it irritated her, it served a purpose. No one would suspect little Araa of doing anything wrong. If she did, it was only the complexity of Ladress living confusing her.
Finally, she reached Garnet Road and took it southwest. This road was recently dug in, a path of plain dusty dirt. She breathed more freely here, the air much fresher with a strong cedar scent coming from either side where work crews were building the next set of housing. A residential district, she thought? Or, maybe more warehouses so close to the mountain piedmonts?
Either way, people still stopped their tasks to say hello. One offered directions, but she acted as pleasant as possible, giving some excuse, and carried on. The dirt road went on some ways past the skeletal building frames and piles of wood and materials. She followed it, glad that is went on so far, far away from anyone. Soon, she was alone and still the road continued. How big is the city supposed to be?
When she felt confident that she walked far enough from anyone’s notice— The hairs on the back of her neck pricked. She was alone, blissfully alone, yet she didn’t feel any better for it. Instead, she swallowed rising fear. She knew this would be perfect place for any stalker to appear. Just her, the long lonely road, and them. She dug her heels into the dirt. “So, it’s now ,then,” she said, her back still turned. They were real, those two she swore stalked her since her first lone mission. And they were right behind her. She could hear them breathing; their hearts beating calmly while her heart raced. There was no mistaking it. She was not paranoid. “All this time and now you make your move. I suppose I would have picked this spot too. The best time. But, tell me…why? Which job was it? Who are you avenging?”
No answer.
Heat flashed her face; she bit her lip to stop herself from shouting. Though she had gone far out of view of the work crews, she doubted they wouldn’t still hear her. “Then I’ll end you with your secrets,” she hissed. They wouldn’t have hand-cannons, too noisy. Knives, probably poisoned, but knives were easy to deal with. All she had were rolled up pieces of paper and a sharp pen that was inconveniently hidden in a box. But one this she had to be was fast. Two attackers. One girl. She could do it.
She flung herself around —No one! She darted her eyes everywhere, searching and listening closely. Only the distant song from the work crews reached her ears, the rhythmic beating of hammer on wood, and the low hush of wind sweeping from the west. But…I heard them. She frowned, snickering to herself. I know they’re real. I am not paranoid.
Cursing whoever they were, she rolled back her shoulders, resolving herself to finish her mission. She turned off the road west into a sparse forest of pines, keeping her senses alert. If those two confronted her again, she’d have to think of a way to use the area to her advantage. Not likely, she grimaced. They were obviously extremely skilled, able to vanish completely, a skill she knew few to have. Josie Summers, her sponsor, could vanish like that, and certainly some the Matriarchs and Patriarchs of the Coming Shadows could too. Blessed by Eventide the Veiled Goddess, at least Roe knew they had to be from her home country, or just very lucky foreigners. One of her early missions, then? But the real question was why didn’t they just kill her? Were they waiting for an opportune time? When would that be? Were they just toying with her?
“Damn it,” she stopped again, taking in slow calming breathing as she had been trained. “You’re letting them get inside your head. Just finish the job.”
An easy walk at first, the land soon inclined steeply, the start of the Three Ridged Mountains. Once high enough with plenty of pines to hide herself, she started south with the descending hills to her right. Eventually, she’d meet the Old Road and the unnamed road leading to the mines. With a fortune’s worth of warding stones around, she wouldn’t have to worry about the Chills. Still, she kept several in different pockets and one on a chain around her neck that she hid underneath her brown shirt. Always against her skin, she could feel it warm the instant the Chills neared. But now, its coolness comforted her more than any of these Ladress people would have know. With such a glutton of them here, they’d never know the fear of having them taken away and having to rely onto the village Warding Stone Pillar. The fear of being too late when the shouts came. The fear of catching a fever and waiting agonizing days to know if it was the Chills or something slightly more survivable.
No, her home wasn’t so fortunate. Even as rare as they were, the One-King, had gathered damn near all of them into his treasury, using them as currency. On her now, she carried probably half a stone’s worth, an entire week’s wage of labor. Most places had laws against gathering warding stones, and she could understand that, but in Drakendor —the Land of the Black Dragon— people found smuggling warding stones into the country committed a capital offense and were usually murdered. Trials? What were those? Ladress inventions for more ‘civilized’ people. No, the judges in her home were the Stone-hounds who would sniff ‘criminals’ out and tear them to pieces. She’d seen it herself; it helped her overcome the fear of joining the Coming Shadows. And all the surrounding countries, even Ladress further south, agreed to help that bastard One-King with border checks. Even if their punishments were more merciful than the One-King; even if they offered asylum, that black tyrant would never let anyone reach the borders. All feigning virtue, no one really cared about her home.
She found her hand balled up into a fist, crumpling her papers. She loosened her grip. With this job, Emperor Siga Ladress would provide the Coming Shadows with runic suits. A few more jobs after that and the Nocturnal Council would have everything they needed to wake the Veiled Goddess Shard by calling Eventide to embody it, and set Drakendor free. And for the first time, it’d be a place of dreams. Maybe then, she could stop her missions and her brother and parents could rest. Live a normal life? How could she? This was normal for her. But maybe she could make amends—
“Did you hear, a whole bunch of memorizers arrived overnight,” a voice reached her ears. She ducked behind a fallen bough. Damn, pay attention, Roe!
“Ah, so that’s why everyone’s in the auditorium,” answered another voice. “They’ve been digging for so long, it’s about time we get people here to learn how to use it.”
Araa peaked over the bough, spotting two soldiers some ways down an incline walking away on a well-worn dirt road. It had to be the Old Road, but… —There! It was the Old Road and she could see the start of the unnamed mine road with warning signs and twelve soldiers guarding the entrance. Many more than she’d expected, but they looked relaxed, exchanging yawns. She’d be stupid to go that way, so she slunk away from the bough, and crouching down, made her way higher into the hills, climbing parallel with that mine road.
Keeping far enough away, she continued westward with her ears perked to any sign of boots or chatter. Her blessing from the Veiled Goddess allowed her to focus on eve
n the softest sounds while tuning out the rest. It took a lot of practice, but even now, she had trouble differentiating her senses, her smell flaring along with her hearing. A strong whiff of sweet wood assaulted her nose, along with cinnamon, masked with bitter mineral smells and distant manure, musk, and dank mold from under the pine trees. With her smell acute, her tongue mimicked the taste. She had to spit the disgusting flavors out of her mouth a few times. Disgusting, but ‘you can’t hide from someone if you don’t know they’re there,’ one of Josie’s lessons came to her. She was right, of course, and Roe came to rely heavily on her acute senses, even if they sometimes made her sick.
Despite her tongue and nose complaining, her earing didn’t reveal anything unusual to her, only birds chirping, a wolf howl and trickling of invisible streams. Every while or so, she’d sneak closer to the mine road to get her baring. The last thing she wanted to do was get lost in these mountain —something Mend would probably do. But that worry faded once she spotted the mine’s entrance.
The road ended at the mouth of a large cave with two guarding its entrance. One stood with a slouched posture over the other who crouched down and tumbled dice out of a metal can. They both looked on, making tired gestures.
Good, not very vigilant this morning. And why would they be? As far as Roe knew, no one had ever snuck into the mines before. Deep in Prince Landrie’s mountains and protected from the Demos by high snow-bound peaks, chill-infected bears and wild dogs and cats were bigger concerns than little Roe sneaking around.
After saying a quick prayer to the Veiled Goddess, she made her slow way around to the top of the cave entrance, a small rocky outcrop that over looked the two guards. One shook his head, chuckling as the other reloaded the dice back into the can before spilling them again. Thank you, Veiled Goddess.
She silently jumped down to the road, focusing on their movements, especially their upper body; she knew from experience to watch for their necks, usually turning first when someone was alerted. Not much of an advantage, Roe knew, but a split second made all the difference sometimes. But these two seemed too lost in their game to notice her at all, so she backed away and entered the tunnel.
Call of the Chosen- Broken Kingdoms Page 19