Scattered throughout the neighboring towns and villages she had arranged for a back-up team to be ready in the morning in case their assistance was required. Since the dramatic display in Rothdara the rebellion’s numbers had increased beyond anything Kaori thought possible, finding it easier to plan their next move when manpower was no longer a concern. Deliao had enough men under his command to outnumber the rebels, but it was unlikely he would ever have them all in one place. Even if he suspected an attack, his overconfidence would prevent him from finding it necessary to call upon so many soldiers.
Another chair was positioned a few feet from Kaori, Pehrona’s sleeping figure draped limply over the arm. Kaori’s own eyes burned from exhaustion but she wouldn’t allow herself to give in. She wouldn’t relax until Sivar was safely back in the room. Every minute he remained gone only added to her rapidly growing fear that something had gone terribly wrong. The group should have been back by now. Sivar set off not long after the sun had sunk below the horizon that night. Now the sun was due to rise again within the next couple of hours and still there remained no sign of her brother or any of the others who had departed with him. Not knowing was sure to drive her mad if she didn’t find something else to occupy her mind.
As if signaled by her thoughts a soft knock sounded at the door, Kaori’s neck straightening, eyes turned to the face the sound, ears alert. Pehrona’s head perked up, blinking dazedly, abruptly pulled from her slumber, an intricate design of lines pressed into her right cheek where it laid against the rough fabric of the chair for so long. “Who is it?” Pehrona whispered, staring fearfully at Kaori as if she had some way of knowing who was outside. Shrugging her shoulders in response Kaori quickly rose to her feet, holding her hand out to signal Pehrona to stay where she was.
Not wanting to take any chances, Kaori snatched up the sword belt lying on a table near her chair, the scrape of the blade being drawn seeming louder than usual in the tense quiet of the room. She held the weapon at the ready as she made her way to the door, stepping off to one side in case the person in the hall chose to attack upon being granted admittance. Such extreme behavior would have been laughable a few months ago but now it was absolutely necessary. One could never be too cautious.
Hand positioned lightly over the latch she slid it free, twisting the handle to pull the door open, only enough to peer through the crack and identify their unexpected guest. Her heart fell at the realization that it wasn’t Sivar on the other side, met instead by the familiar amber glow of Liurn’s curious gaze, staring at her, the questions obvious in the depths of his stare. “May I come in?”
“You are going to draw attention to our presence.”
“I expected to hear news of the mission by now. Please forgive my curiosity.”
Satisfied that no one was around to see Liurn at their door, Kaori opened it the rest of the way, motioning him inside with a sharp wave of her hand. “We have no news to give. Now get in here before someone sees you.”
Liurn wasted no time doing as he was instructed, stepping inside with a swift stride while Kaori shut the door behind him. As if just noticing Pehrona there he gave a polite nod, a brief trace of a smile passing over his lips before quickly dropping again into a strained frown. “Do you mean to tell me there is no word from your brother yet?” he inquired, turning to direct his attention to Kaori once again.
“There is nothing. At this point our only option is to proceed as planned and prepare our second group to attend the execution in the morning.”
“But what about Sivar? We should look for them in case he and the others need our help…”
“Sivar made me promise that I would not abort the mission on account of him. He insisted that if he failed, I was to lead the rescue and worry about him after the prisoners are safe.”
“And you were okay with that?”
“Of course I wasn’t okay with that,” Kaori huffed, irritated by Liurn’s accusation. He spoke as if she cared nothing for her brother. What kind of woman did he take her for? “Sivar and I were bred from the same familial line, in case you have forgotten. He shares the same stubborn nature as myself. There was nothing I could do to change his mind.”
Aware of the defensiveness in Kaori’s tone, Liurn’s frown deepened, the look on his face softening, apologetic. “I did not mean that to sound the way it did.”
“You meant it exactly as you spoke it. Do not waste time on apologies simply because you failed to think before letting the words come out of your mouth.” Arms folded across her chest, Kaori glanced toward the window. Through the curtains she could see the light of the sun starting to peek over the horizon, her heart sinking lower in her chest to think that it was later than she thought. They didn’t have much time before the execution was scheduled to begin. If she was going to have her people in place before the soldiers arrived, she needed to get everyone gathered soon. “Liurn,” she added, the haughtiness in her voice easing somewhat, knowing that she needed to ask a favor of her friend and after her previous insult, she would have to be careful how she requested anything if she wanted him to listen. “Can you help get the rest of our people together? We must be on the road within the hour.”
“So you intend to go through with everything as planned?” Liurn’s brow rose, curious. Shocked. “I thought you were merely being disagreeable. I didn’t think you would actually leave your brother to whatever fate may have befallen him out there.”
“The longer you stand here and question me, the longer it will take us to get to Amalo and save the prisoners before I can get on the road in search of my brother. Now are you going to help me or not?”
A soft rustle of fabric could be heard from where Pehrona was seated, her slender form rising from her chair. “I will send word to the others,” she interjected, her head tilted forward modestly. Kaori smiled to see Pehrona’s willingness to help, grateful that at least one of her friends trusted her to make the right decision.
“Thank you,” she bobbed in a slight curtsy. On occasion the etiquette lessons engrained in her mind by her mother still came out. More out of habit than intention. “Have everyone meet in the streets at the center of town and await my signal. No one is to strike until I have fired the first shot.”
Begrudgingly Liurn’s shoulders slumped forward, realizing that Kaori wasn’t going to listen to his arguments. It was a wonder he hadn’t learned his lesson by now. Never in the time they had known each other was she ever swayed once her mind was made up. She always assumed that was one of the reasons he nominated her to lead their little rebellion; though it was hardly little anymore. “I will go with her,” he sighed, reaching his hand out to rest on the doorknob. “I would ask if you thought it safe for you to travel into the city alone, but I suspect I already know the answer to that question.”
With a decisive nod Kaori placed her hand over Liurn’s on the door, the pressure of her fingers helping to turn the knob, pulling it open with a sharp glance toward the hallway. “You suspect correctly,” she replied calmly. “I will not be far behind. Tell the others not to tarry. Every moment we waste is another moment my brother could be in danger and I will not take kindly to anyone whose tardiness prevents me from finding him.”
The morning air was cold as Kaori directed her horse to the side of the street, her eyes scanning the area to determine the best location to hide. People were already gathered in the center of town, many of which she recognized as peers while others remained strangers. Citizens of Amalo who had not yet joined in the rebellion. They waited impatiently, searching the road for the soldiers. It was odd for there not to be any of the Emperor’s men present. The execution was due to begin soon. Still, the streets were devoid of any indication that something was planned to occur. There was no scaffold. No execution block. Even more, there was no sign of an executioner. Other than the crowd, there was nothing out of the ordinary.
Gently speaking to her horse Kaori lowered herself from the saddle to tie the animal at a post outside the local tavern.
Something about this place had her on edge. Since departing her room that morning an ache had begun in the pit of her stomach. She didn’t like the way this was going. So many things were out of place. First her brother’s disappearance without any correspondence and now the soldiers failed to arrive in town at the appointed time. To think that her brother had succeeded in his mission seemed too much to hope for. He would have found a way to get a message to her, even if he couldn’t bring it personally.
On guard, Kaori moved with slow, deliberate strides toward the crowd. The weather worked to her benefit, the cool, damp air making her choice to wear a cloak seem less suspicious, allowing her to walk amongst the people more openly. She couldn’t bring herself to skulk in the shadows just yet. Cautious not to let anyone see her face, she kept her head down, hands firmly gripped over the edge of her hood, looking through her lashes to see if she could find Pehrona or Liurn. They had been there longer than her. Maybe something happened which delayed the soldiers. It was unlikely, but she held onto the hope that there was some other explanation for their absence which didn’t involve her brother being in danger. Unfortunately, it was more likely that Sivar and his followers had been taken captive by the soldiers and were now on their way to Eykanua.
No. There were other possibilities. Deliao would have been displeased at the loss of the previous prisoners. It wouldn’t be unheard of for him to have cancelled the execution in Amalo. A precautionary measure to avoid another humiliation at the hands of the rebels. Sivar could still be hiding along the road in wait of a wagon full of prisoners which may never come. But he would have sent her a message. He knew she would assemble the others in the city if she didn’t hear from him. Failure to find a trace of the soldiers seemed an important enough detail to merit some kind of note.
Through her lashes she recognized Nichele’s slender form amongst the crowd, a similar expression of discontent visible on her younger features. Careful not to draw attention to herself, Kaori stepped in closer to Nichele’s side, head down, voice low, aware of how many people would hear her if she spoke too loudly. “Is there a reason the execution is delayed?”
Nichele jumped, startled to notice Kaori next to her. It took her a moment to catch her breath before responding, a soft laugh of embarrassment the only sound she was capable of until she managed to regain her composure. “Your guess is as good as mine,” she shrugged. “I have been here since sunrise and there has not been a single soldier observed anywhere in the city.”
The churning in Kaori’s stomach worsened. Her decision to come here no longer seemed the right choice. You should have listened to Liurn. If Sivar was in trouble, she was wasting precious time that could be used to find him. Even if the soldiers arrived now, her nerves were too frayed. Focus would be impossible until she learned the fate of her brother. “I must go,” she breathed, turning away from Nichele without a second thought.
A half-hearted protest could be heard from Nichele though she did nothing to hold Kaori back. She knew better. Everyone was aware of the plan and who led the initial charge. They wouldn’t question her concern for Sivar’s safety. The only thing they could hold against her was deserting them. Leaving the rebels without a leader in case the soldiers arrived. She just couldn’t bring herself to care. Sivar was doing this because of her. If she hadn’t been so damn inexorable, they would both be sitting safely in Rothdara, their only worry that of what the Emperor would do next. Instead she placed her brother in danger and she would never forgive herself if anything happened to him.
Weaving through the sea of people she raced toward her horse, untying the restraints which held it in place, the rope barely having left her hand before she lifted herself into the saddle. Everyone was watching her. The speed with which she moved was enough to signal the others that something was wrong. Let them whisper; she thought, frantic in her steps to get the horse into motion. If anyone had any questions, they could ask Liurn. Given his heated disapproval bestowed upon her that morning, she hoped he would be smart enough to figure out the reason for her sudden departure.
She paid no attention to the cold wind that whipped through her hair as the horse reached a full gallop, the strength of it enough to remove the hood from around her face. A shiver coursed through her spine, though not from the chill in the air. It sickened her to consider all the things that could have gone wrong that morning. She couldn’t help thinking that if she could find the location they had chosen for the ambush there would be some clue as to what happened. Something. Anything which might put her mind at ease.
Once outside the city she began searching the trees, praying for a sign. In her haste she feared she might fail to recognize the area she was looking for. Everything blended together in a blur. Greens. Browns. An occasional splash of color from the wildflowers along the road. If she didn’t slow down, she was sure to miss any clue which would indicate that anyone had passed through here at all.
Tightening her grip on the reins Kaori drew her arms back to signal the horse to stop. She was close to the ambush location. They had chosen it because of the fact that the trees were denser through this section of the road, providing cover for the purpose they sought it for. More foliage to conceal a larger group of fighters within. It was the main passage from Eykanua to Amalo, making it the most likely route the soldiers would take. Yes. This was the place. There was no doubt in her mind.
Before her horse came to a complete stop she was on the ground, no longer caring whether the animal stayed with her. It gave a soft snort as her weight lifted from its back, side-stepping, its head tilting backward in agitation. She gave it a sideways glance as she moved away, shifting her eyes to the road. Immediately her sights were drawn to several dark spatters on the gravel, reminiscent of dried blood over the stones. Her heart pounded, wishing there was some way to know whose blood it was. Someone had been wounded here. That much was obvious without any mystical intervention.
Lifting her head she took note of other locations along the road where the dark spots could be seen. Too much for it to be from a single person. Whoever was injured in this place wasn’t the only one. Sunlight illuminated the ground enough to reveal more than enough bloodshed to imply a larger battle. By the looks of things, she was a few hours late. Everything was too calm. Settled. The blood long dried, covered by a layer of dirt from the numerous carriages which passed through on their way to the execution. It was a well-traveled road. Tracks couldn’t be deciphered to see where the culprits departed once the fight was over.
Images swam through her head, some of which she wished she could push away. She didn’t want to believe her brother might be dead. Blood didn’t mean Sivar was defeated. Maybe it belonged to the soldiers. It was still possible her brother was victorious. The absence of the soldiers in Amalo certainly supported that line of thought. But, if that was the case, where was the executioner? That man would not have traveled with the soldiers. He would have been from the local area. Even with the soldiers gone, he would have been present in town.
Sickened, she fell to her knees, hands clutched desperately at her stomach. She felt ready to vomit. What if their plan had backfired? Deliao could have predicted their intentions and been one step ahead. Ambushed their ambush. But even that was no guarantee that her brother had been taken. She had to consider the positive. Sivar might have escaped. If he was running from soldiers, there wouldn’t have been time to send a message to Kaori.
That had to be it. Her brother was strong. Resourceful. It showed lack of faith to assume he would be bested by the soldiers in a fight. But even that wasn’t enough to ease the rapid beat of Kaori’s heart. Victory was unlikely if the General’s men were prepared. She just had to hold onto any sliver of hope if she was going to find the strength to pull herself off the ground. Staying there on her knees wouldn’t help anyone.
So what now? She was the leader of this mess. The others would look to her for answers. A new plan on how to rescue their peers if they were in fact apprehended. She just couldn’t thi
nk of anything to tell them without first collecting more information. And there was only one man capable of gathering the details she required. Therek. The question was how. It would take time to send a courier. On the same token, she couldn’t very well show her face at court. The guards would turn her away due to her lowered status. No. There had to be another way.
It struck her as odd that Therek wouldn’t have sent a warning if he heard about plans to intercept the Vor’shai rebels. He had proven quite reliable in that regard. Why not now? Had the General managed to keep it from him? Or maybe Therek couldn’t find you. The thought came to her suddenly like a punch in the stomach, her gaze upturned to stare at the brilliant blue of the morning sky, the invisible burden on her shoulders growing heavier, shoulders slumping forward. Of course! He would have gone to Rothdara in search of her. Beyond that, he had no way of knowing where she was. Her location was confidential. Even the other rebels weren’t privy to the specifics. It was safer that way. For her. In the end, it could prove disastrous for Sivar.
Regardless of past mistakes, she couldn’t sit there and weep over what they should have done differently. All she could do now was focus on the future. Get up! Do something. It was easier said than done. Her head wasn’t clear. Her thoughts chaotic. Be calm. She wanted to laugh. Calm wasn’t something she was capable of right now. She needed time to think. Formulate a plan of action. You can’t do anything without word from Therek…
The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Four: In the Beginning Page 44