Thread Skein (Golden Threads Trilogy Book 3)

by Leeland Artra

  I can’t believe you survived that attack. This is the second time you have put yourself in the line of fire of a major magical attack on me by the Nhia-Samri. Glancing at Illa, Ticca reconsidered. Well, this time, you were protecting more than just me.

  The horses were calm now. The roar and light of the flaming tower had been more than even the combat trained animals were prepared for, forcing the team to blindfold their horses. No one was hurt, and the highly trained horses had remained generally tame.

  Ticca pulled the blindfold off her horse and patted it. It blinked, looking around, and then nuzzled her and snorted. Satisfied the horses wouldn’t panic at some residual magic they might be able to sense or see, Ticca swung up into her saddle. Her heart began loudly thumping in her ears at the idea of reuniting with Lebuin. Ignoring the odd feeling as just concern she stood tall trying to get a better look at the land in the direction of Lebuin.

  “Mount up. Let’s go collect Lebuin and get away from here.” She ordered as she turned her horse in the direction Illa indicated. The rest of the team followed behind, keeping their alert eyes out for any further trouble.

  Lebuin had managed to get a considerable distance away. She had thought he was only a few hundred yards off, but at nearly a mile and a half from where they started, they found a pit with smoke rising from it.

  Unsure, Ticca slid off her horse and approached the edge. It was a round, bowl-shaped indention in the ground — a small crater. Waves of heat came from it as all of the dirt inside the circle let off a yury-smelling smoke that wasn’t too thick. At the edge, she could make out a whitish form, lying on the ground at the center of it.

  She reached down, touching one of the blackened rocks on the edge. A sharp, burning pain made her snap her hand back. Blowing on her fingers, she pulled out her gloves.

  “This was that fire dome.” Standing, she assessed the area. The burnt-out bowl was at least 200 yards wide, and it looked like the bottom half of a sphere. “I take it back. That was a fireball.”

  Illa stepped up next to her and pointed to the vague form in the center of the crater. “That’s Lebuin. I’m sure of it. He’s not conscious, but he’s okay.”

  Epton knelt down at the edge and ran his hand around without touching any rocks. “I think our gloves and boots will protect us, as long as it doesn’t get hotter towards the middle.”

  He stood and pulled out his leather gloves. Illa was also putting hers on.

  Ticca put her hands on her hips. “What the heck are you two doing?”

  Epton looked at her, asking silently, ‘Isn’t that obvious?’

  Illa faced her and put her hands on her own hips. “We’re getting Lebuin out of this thing, so we can make sure he really is okay. And so we can get out of here, like you said.” Illa’s eyes sparked in challenge.

  Ticca glanced around again. If that is him, we should get him out. Lady, how did he get this far so fast?

  She sighed, pulling her own gloves on. “Okay, just the three of us.” To the rest of the team, she said, “If something happens, pay attention and make sure to rescue us.”

  Persa smiled and winked. The others had ropes out, and started tying them together to make lines long enough to get them down the steepest part of the crater’s edge safely. After that it was hot going, but not too difficult to climb down to the base of the crater.

  As they approached the center, Lebuin came into clear view through the haze. All around him, the ground was turned up as if it had been agitated. Most of Lebuin’s clothes were gone. What remained were burnt shreds of cloth. His leather belt was almost destroyed, and the knives he had on it were charcoal-black, in heavily damaged sheaths. The buckle was bent and melted, and the belt was almost three times too large for his waist. His shoulder pouch fared better; it was only singed...a lot.

  Lebuin appeared to be almost normal. The strangest thing was that his skin was a softly glowing gold. He was lying on his side in a slight indention made by him moving back and forth in the soft soil.

  As they approached, Lebuin shifted as a sleeping person would. He stretched and rolled onto his back, leaving nothing about his form to the imagination.

  When he fled, he had been 5’11” and 160 pounds. Thin, but handsome in his own way. Ticca would’ve described him as svelte. But as she stared at him, he was another two or three inches taller, and he’d picked up a lot of muscle. His body looked like a statue of a God with distinctly chiseled features, along with strong, solid arms, and the legs to match any athlete or warrior she’d ever seen. His other features were nothing to be ashamed of, either. In fact, she felt a strong longing to curl up into the nook of his arm.

  Lords and Ladies, has he filled out!

  Illa nudged Ticca hard in the ribs, and Ticca glanced over at her raised eyebrows. Realizing she’d been standing there staring at Lebuin’s naked form, her mind started moving again, and she felt her face start to burn.

  “Um.... Should we...uh...carry him, or try to wake him?”

  Illa smirked as she stepped over to Lebuin and shook his shoulder. “M’Lord, can you wake up?”

  Ticca glanced at Epton, who was trying to not look at her. “And you keep your mouth shut.”

  “Me? No problem, sir.”

  “I can’t wake him.” Illa said, slightly worried. “I sense him through our connection. He’s not distressed, yet something is happening. It’s like he’s talking to himself very fast.”

  Epton stepped up. “And that’s why I came along. Unless you want to carry him, General.”

  Ticca coughed and glanced again at Lebuin.

  I can’t believe I ran from the market to Dalpha’s temple carrying him, once. There’s no way I could carry him out of here. He has to weigh about 220 pounds now.

  Diverting her eyes, she pointed. “Just give me his...uh, gear.”

  Epton stepped over, dancing a little as he got close to Lebuin. “Lords! It’s hotter here.” Moving fast, he cut the belt off with his knife and handed it to Ticca. Grabbing Lebuin’s hand, he yanked him up to hold him against his chest while he took the shoulder pouch off for Ticca. “He feels fevered.”

  Bending down, he pulled Lebuin over his shoulders in a guardsman carry and stepped out of the center area, still dancing.

  At the edge of the crater, they realized they couldn’t carry Lebuin up and out. A stretcher was made and passed down. Ticca helped Epton get Lebuin onto it. Just touching him sent shivers through her body. His skin was smooth, and she felt a tingle any place her skin touched his.

  After getting Lebuin onto the stretcher, Ticca looked at her gloved hands. “Do you feel that?”

  Illa and Epton turned to look at her blankly.

  “What? You don’t feel that tingling?”

  They glanced at each other and then shook their heads.

  Placing her hand on Lebuin’s bare shoulder, Illa said, “He feels hot, like he has a high fever, but I don’t think this is an illness. At least, not like one you or I would get.”

  Ticca pulled her glove off and touched Lebuin’s arm. A tingling ran up from her fingers and into her arm, like sparks from metal. Her heart raced, and she felt herself going flush in anticipation or excitement. She yanked her hand away. After taking a moment to recover, she pulled her gloves on and touched him again. The feeling was still there, but the glove insulated her enough that she wasn’t distracted by it.

  “I’m getting a magical tingling from him.”

  Epton looked back up to the top of the crater. “Maybe it’s something to do with your heritage. Is this going to be a problem, lifting him out of here?”

  Ticca was busy taking in Lebuin’s pectorals. Epton repeated the question, and she pulled her mind back to business.

  “What? Oh, uh....” She stared at the steep incline. “No, I can do this.”

  Ept
on turned to her for a few seconds before asking, “Sir, are you here?” in a serious tone.

  Ticca ripped her eyes from Lebuin and turned to Epton, which allowed her mind to work better. She shook her head to clear it. “I’m here. To the job. Illa, go on up and tell them to tie our ropes to the horses.” She made a rope harness around herself.

  After a grunt, Epton did the same, as Illa climbed out. With the horses pulling, Ticca stayed in step with Epton, and they were able to keep Lebuin’s stretcher level as they climbed out.

  Ticca helped build a travois from the debris. After getting Lebuin’s horse set up, she turned to see what the others had been doing. On the ground was Lebuin’s pack, with his clothes picked through. She was relieved to see that Carda and Illa had managed to dress Lebuin, but she noted the clothes weren’t his. The shirt was Epton’s, and likely the trousers, too. Even Epton’s much larger clothes were too small for Lebuin.

  She tried to take a clear stock of his condition, but her heart wouldn’t stop hammering in her ears.

  Urdu! I’m not fifteen. Why am I reacting like this? I have to get control of myself.

  A whoop in the distance drew her attention. Nigan was approaching on horseback, with four riders behind him. She started to draw her weapons, before she saw through the dust and smoke that the other riders were Ditani, Risy, Sabri, and Coedy.

  Ticca laughed and yelled, “Oh, sure! Show up after the hard work is done!”

  Nigan jumped from his horse, landing right next to Illa. He wrapped his arms around her shoulders and squeezed for a second before releasing her and turning to the team. “I’ll happily do some work. I’m glad all of you are still here!”

  Putting her hands on her hips, Ticca said, “I don’t see you giving anyone else a hug.”

  “If you want one....” He started walking toward her.

  Holding a hand up to stop him, she put her other hand on her dagger hilt. “Only if you want to be stabbed.”

  As he back-pedaled back to Illa he said, “Then don’t complain.”

  Ditani jumped off his horse, and started examining Lebuin.

  “Where were you?” Ticca asked.

  Swiping his hand over his head, Nigan said, “I decided it was best to ride away as fast as possible from anything glowing. After the firestorm I went hunting for them, and almost rode right over Ditani. Been scouting around to find you and search for signs of other pursuers.”

  “Find anything?”

  Nigan glanced at Coedy, who answered, “We’ve scouted the eastern side of the base lands. That area is clear...for now. The west was clear yesterday.”

  As her eyes rested on Risy, Ticca was surprised she didn’t have the racing-heart reaction she’d grown used to the last few weeks. Still, she felt a slight longing for him.

  Suddenly I’m barely interested in Risy? I know they say hearts can be fickle, but this is too fast and too weird.

  She glanced at Lebuin, and her heart leapt as it had just the day before for Risy.

  I need to keep this under control and under wraps until I can find out what just happened.

  Lebuin’s hair was sweat-soaked and caked down, and she had to fight the urge to go finger-comb it straighter.

  I need to do something else.

  “Ditani, do you know what the golden skin is about?”

  He was touching Lebuin’s forehead with the tips of his fingers, staring at Lebuin’s blank face. He didn’t answer. She stepped over behind him and patted his shoulder, careful to keep her eyes off Lebuin. “Hello, Ditani, any hints? Is this unsafe? Do we need to do something?”

  Ditani stood and faced Ticca, his face a mask of concern. “It’s clear he’s hot, but he’s not fevered. A God could do this if so desired, but Lebuin hasn’t learned to alter his shape yet. To do this would require more magic than I believe he has right now. I’ve not heard of any condition that would affect our kind this way. Best guess is he’s in a spirit trance, or soul quest. If so, Argos will be watching over him, or may even be guiding him. Illa, you have a connection. What say you?”

  “I can feel him; he’s not distressed. I feel as though he’s a short distance away, but just at the edge of my hearing. What I can hear isn’t clear — he’s talking so fast I can’t understand. I wish I could explain it better.”

  Ticca looked around. “We should move. I don’t like being here.” She could feel something pulling her. “South. Sabri and Coedy, wolf-trek south. Make sure the trail is feasible for this travois.”

  They nodded in salute, and Sabri said, “Sir, do you want to head due south, or is there someplace specific we’re going to?”

  After a brief pause, the name rolled out before she could stop it. “Imridu-Nam.”

  The entire team stopped what they were doing and stared at her. Illa’s expression was unreadable, but definitely not surprised.

  Carda broke the silence. “Sir, that place doesn’t exist. It’s just a myth.”

  “It’s there,” Illa said softly.

  Ticca shook her head. “Legends say it was the capital of a mighty nation that vanished in a single day ‘in fire’. Lebuin’s last words on this subject were that we needed to go to Elraci. I’m betting Imridu-Nam was the capital of Elraci. Like Illa says, it will be there somewhere.”

  “Urdu,” Nigan said, looking south. “I thought it was hot now. Do you have any idea how hot the Circumveni Desert gets? I’ve heard it can kill at midday. Who has the desert training to even attempt this?”

  Ticca raised her hand, as did Persa. Ticca nodded. “Good. It’s at least a cycle to get to the edge of the desert. We still have to find a path through the Razor Back Mountains. Everyone needs to be fully trained on desert survival by the time we get there. Persa, you and I need to work out a list of minimum essential supplies to gather on the way. We need to make some water packs.”

  Ditani said, “I’ve trekked in the southern deserts before with the dwarves. I know of their skills.”

  Ticca patted Ditani’s back. “We’ll need every trick if we’re to survive the Circumveni Desert. Move out.”

  It only took a few more minutes to properly distribute all the gear for getting their journey underway.

  They all mounted up and followed the trail left for them by the scouts. Illa began to give a complete rundown of the group’s investigations for Ditani, including the gating in of the Nhia-Samri, and finally, Lebuin’s heroic actions to save them from some kind of magical attack.

  The team moved on as fast as possible, pulling Lebuin in the travois. About the time they were to crest the valley edge, which contained the abandoned base, Illa finished the narrative.

  Ticca turned around to tell Ditani that Illa’s rendition might have exaggerated Lebuin’s actions a bit. “Ditani....” was all she got out before her mind finished registering the scene behind them. Everyone noticed her sudden silence and stopped to look back.

  Nigan whistled.

  The green valley was beautiful. It sloped down towards the center, where a river ran through, cutting it in half. Near the river, above all the flood lines, was where the base had once been. Instead of ornate red and green buildings with sweeping tiled roofs, surrounding the central structures and training grounds, there was only a circular crater. Its far walls shimmered and reflected the sky in the waning light. It was lined with a kind of polished reddish glass.

  A mile or so from the large crater, which had been where they slept for the last few days, was the much smaller, smoking pit they’d found Lebuin in. It looked minuscule and primitive next to the larger one.

  Ticca swallowed to get her mouth moving again. “Uh. Never mind. We need to get as far from here as possible. Illa, come back with me. I need your help to erase our trails.”

  - - -

  Ticca wiped the sweat from her forehead and grabbed her s
hirt, whipping it back and forth to move some air over her body. It was hotter than she’d ever experienced.

  I can see why Duke went north to the colder climates. We’re nowhere near the desert, and it’s already hotter than Rhini. The temperature is climbing steadily as we get closer.

  After they’d ridden for five days, the Razor Back Mountains were finally in full view in the distance.

  As Ticca was coming over the top of a small rise, she spotted Sabri’s horse, tied to a tree not far off.

  She stopped her horse before it was seen and slid off. Running up low, she stayed in the grass line. As she moved into position, she took her cloak out of the belt pouch. Unfolding it near the ground, she pulled it around her and put the hood, with its sheer front edge, over her entire head.

  From near the apex of the rise, she scanned the area. It took only a few seconds to spot Sabri, sitting, leaning back against a tree in the shade. She didn’t move.

  Might be sleeping. If they needed to check in, where’s Coedy?

  She pulled a mirror out of her pouch to signal the rest of the team to stay back and go on alert. It wasn’t needed; being senior Daggers, they’d already realized something was up, drawing weapons and scanning the surroundings for danger. She made sure they had their position under control, and then continued to look for any sign of trouble.

  Sabri moved, but Ticca’s gut screamed a warning. Her mind caught almost instantly that how she moved was all wrong — too stiff — and that made Ticca’s neck muscles tighten. Her hair was standing on end, making the soft warm breeze send chills up her arms and down her back. The wind picked up, faintly rustling the tall grasses in the field, and there was the answer to all the warning signals she was feeling. Six spots in the tall grass did not move right. There were ambushers hiding in the tall grass.