by K. F. Breene
Mela’s eyes started to twinkle. “Chulan told me to help them. She is above you in this chain, yes?”
Ire started to rise, heating Sanders’ face. He leaned forward just a little, trying to keep from seeing how far he could throw her. “She is outside of my chain of command, actually.”
“Then we are partners.”
Sanders tilted his head and showed his teeth. Mela smiled at him. She clearly knew that he was rapidly losing his temper. “And have you made any progress?” he asked.
Her smile dwindled and she looked down the line. “Half of them are wasting time here. They are too old.”
“I beg your pardon?” Fabienne put her fists on her hips in indignation.
Mela gave her a flat look and glanced down the row. “A seasoned fighter can be retired to a mostly stationary position when hurt or old. When his body fails, he must move less. By then, aim and focus is second nature. These old women have not learned, they cannot move, and have trouble standing for long periods of time. It is a good hobby, but otherwise, they are wasting their time, and yours.”
“Maybe we could learn if you would show us!” someone shouted.
And here came the arguments.
Sanders willed calm, ready to try and lead these women in a few exercises, when Mela said, “Maybe. I do not know you. First, I watch. I learn how you move. Then I try to fix, teach, or tell you to go home, depending on what you need. It is Chulan’s way, and very effective.”
“Well…” Fabienne shifted, looking at the other women. “I would be content to just watch. But I want to make sure these women get their instruction. They are part of the army, too. Shanti said it was to be so, and the Captain agreed. It’s bad enough they are pushed out here in the trees like some kind of secret—I want to make sure they aren’t forgotten about entirely!”
“Fine. Would anyone else be more content to watch?” Sanders rocked back on his heels, then stepped to the side as a quarter of the line shuffled out of the way. Ten women stood their ground.
“Yes, that is better.” Mela stepped away and crouched again. “Those who need to learn should learn.” She braced her forearms on her knees. “Everyone who is not good should not distract the fighters. They should find something useful to do.”
Sanders couldn’t help a grin. “Okay. Looks like you got this. This is one of two groups. I’ll assume you’ll watch both.” He nodded at the ladies still on the line. “If you have a problem, take it up with the Shoo-lan. Looks like the Captain is letting her run this donkey show.”
“Now hold on just a minute,” Fabienne said, but Sanders didn’t wait around. He’d just been given a free pass and he intended to take it. He’d go back to where men did as he said, and if they didn’t, he was allowed to punch them in the ear.
He passed by the stables and pretended not to flinch when one of the male beasts growled at his presence. Apart from harm coming to Junice, Sanders wasn’t afraid of much. Those beasts were at the top of a very short list.
“Everyone good here, Rufus?” Sanders asked Cayan’s assistant.
The smaller man looked up from his clipboard. “Yes, sir. Our food stores are handling the additional animals just fine.”
“And the extra Shadow that keep arriving to join us?”
Rufus licked the tip of his finger and peeled a sheet of paper up from his clipboard. “I believe another group of ten just arrived this morning,” he said after surveying the contents for a moment. “They’ve been stationed with the others. We have space for a couple dozen more, but then we’ll need to make some decisions.”
Sanders tightened his lips before nodding and walking on. That made four dozen Shadow that had arrived since Sonson’s party three weeks before, with more coming every couple days. At any time, Shanti would win the battle with the Captain and give the signal to be on their way. Word was constantly coming in from Burson about the movements and whereabouts of Xandre. Other messages came in about movements of what could only be Shanti’s people, stuck behind layers of well-trained Graygual. Still more news came in about each new barrier delaying the Shadow from reaching the main land. So far the Shadow had fought their way through, but that wouldn’t continue for much longer if Xandre was any kind of strategist, and if the battle in the Shadow Lands taught him anything, it was that Xandre could form a plan or two.
Sanders hated to admit it, but Shanti was right. Xandre was tightening things up and locking in the Westwood Lands. Soon they’d all be trapped by a sea of the enemy, cut off from help.
He blew out a breath.
But to leave would be to leave their family and friends vulnerable. It would not be an easy decision to make.
The early afternoon was fresh and vibrant as Sanders made his way through the city. Efforts were still being made to clean up after the battle, but the city people were working diligently, combining their efforts. A soft breeze blew against his face, bringing the vital smell of trees. He’d gone through a lot of shit in his day, but to protect his home, he’d go through ten times more to protect his home.
He turned a corner that led toward the eastern side of the city. The Shumas had been placed close to the eastern gate so they could escape out into the trees as often as they wished. He clasped his hands behind his back and gripped them tight, willing the patience he knew he was going to need.
It only took one second in their midst to prove those efforts futile.
“What in the holy hell is going on here?” Sanders marched into a front yard where the oldest of the Shumas was standing, looking at a blooming pink flower. A corset wrapped around his middle. His manhood dangled between his legs.
The man—Tulous, if Sanders wasn’t mistaken—glanced up with a surprised expression.
“You’re naked, man!” Sanders barked. “And wearing women’s undergarments. Care to explain?”
“What is problem?” Sayas, the most lighthearted of the Shumas, walked up with a brisk pace. He wore a creased blue army uniform.
Sanders stared for a full beat, waiting for Sayas to figure it out for himself. When the other man gave him a quizzical expression, Sanders pointed at Tulous’ exposed bells and whistle. “We don’t have outside bathhouses in this neck of the land. We wear clothes when we’re outside. This has been explained to you people.”
“Ah yes.” Sayas nodded in understanding. “You tepid.”
“Tepid? You’ve gotten some words mixed up there, man.” Sanders glanced around, noticing two women standing opposite the lane, gawking. “Well? Move along,” he yelled. “This isn’t something for you to see.”
“They are curious,” Tulous said.
“Want inspect.” Sayas grinned and slapped Tulous on the back.
“They’re married with children—they know how one of those works, and now they’re probably horrified and headed straight to the Women’s Circle.” Sanders pinched the bridge of his nose. “Why is he wearing women’s undergarments? How could this possibly be normal where you come from?”
“What’s going on?” Shanti jogged up before taking one look at Tulous and cracking a giant smile. She rattled off something in her own language.
“And he’s got it on backwards,” Sanders growled. Two giant, empty cups stuck out from the man’s muscular back and the lacing wound down his stomach, a little off center. The device was obviously meant for a larger woman—how else would it fit Tulous? Somewhere around this city, someone was waltzing around with two huge breasts swinging free.
That would probably be the next fad.
“My life was so quiet…” Sanders mused as Tulous spoke to Shanti in their language. Two Shadow ducked out from between houses, looking around in confusion. Another ran into the street three houses down, appearing as if from nowhere. “What the hell are they up to?”
Shanti laughed. “We are training. I’m trying to teach the Shadow the way we communicate through our Gifts.” She gestured at Tulous. “His back is strained. He was looking for a brace and found this. He was given permission to borrow it.�
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“Granted the right—” Sanders cut off and started walking away, shaking his head. His patience was all used up. Soon he’d just start stabbing people, and that sort of behavior was frowned upon when there was no enemy present. He bet Tulous hadn’t been given permission either—he probably wandered into someone’s backyard, naked for all the city to see, and demanded the garment from a shocked and embarrassed housewife. Of course she was going to say yes. She was probably terrified for her life, scared that the riffraff would do something violent if she refused.
“Take care of it,” he demanded of Shanti over his shoulder. “We don’t need a bunch of dicks wagging around this city.”
“You already have a bunch of dicks wagging around the city,” Shanti yelled back. “They’re the ones barking orders.”
Sanders clenched his fists as the peal of laughter followed him up the street. He stared down a Shadow with a shock of blond hair, daring the other man to challenge him in some way. All these cultures being confined within the same walls was jarring, at best. If someone wasn’t wandering around naked, he was bathing in a pond, or roasting a pig in his front yard. Two Shumas were caught having sex in the trees in the large park, and Shadow loitered in all the parts of the city, quiet and deadly. Sanders was open-minded, sure, but this was just ridiculous. Lord only knew how they’d get along when they left to find Xandre. That would be an all-out clusterfuck, if he was any judge.
Halfway to the practice yard, he found two of the Honor Guard skulking toward the trees.
“What are you doing?” Sanders shouted.
Xavier jumped and swung around with wide eyes. He moved a garden spade and hoe behind his back. Gracas stepped out from behind Xavier holding another couple of gardening items, both with purple handles.
“Nothing, sir,” Xavier said, standing straight and tall.
“What’ve you got there?” Sanders gestured to the items in Gracas’ hands.
“Just some, uh, gardening equipment, sir,” Xavier said.
“I was thinking about planting something, sir,” Gracas said with a straight face.
Sanders stared at Xavier for a beat, then Gracas. They stared back, not blinking.
“The women are dressing as men, the men are wearing women’s underwear, and the young men are taking up gardening instead of chasing women or punching stuff. I do not understand my life anymore.” Sanders took a deep breath. “I assume this is free time?”
“S’am’s orders, sir,” Xavier said with a snap to his words.
Of course it was that woman.
Muttering to himself, he continued on. He didn’t have it in him to care about gardening equipment or what those two might be up to. It was easier that way.
A few minutes later he walked onto the practice yard and saw the Captain and Lucius standing at the edge, watching the proceedings. Sanders headed straight for them. He could feel the stress and confusion break away, uncoiling. This made sense. This place. Training, swords, physical exertion—everyone knew where they stood in the pecking order, and if they didn’t, there was a clear way to settle the matter.
“Captain.” Sanders sighed gratefully as he came to stand right next to the solidest man this land had to offer.
The Captain glanced at him before looking back out at the surging, moving mass of bodies. “How are the female archers faring?”
“Mela, one of Shanti’s countrymen, has taken over at Shanti’s behest. I would’ve chased her away, but she was as blunt and pushy as Shanti. She cut away the fat in three seconds and she hadn’t even started to work with them.”
“Good. You weren’t making any headway.”
Lucius chuckled. “Does that surprise you? Everyone knows Junice runs the house.”
“That shouldn’t have anything to do with the army,” Sanders growled. “This whole city is in chaos.”
“Roles have been called into question. People are figuring out what they’re good at and changing their destinies. When everything settles, it’ll make us stronger. We need that if another section of the army plans to leave in the coming months.” The Captain’s focus shifted for a moment as Shanti and a team of Shumas and Shadow entered the practice yard on the opposite side. She glanced at Cayan, nodded in hello, and turned toward the Pit.
Without a word, or even a glance in their direction, her people fanned out into the practice area. Only Rohnan went with her. The rest took up stations evenly along the outside, their focus on the army, their orchestration perfect and silent. In opposition, the Shadow looked confused, jerking to a stop in some cases, and then altering their final destination. But no one opened their mouths to ask for directions.
Sanders had to admit, it was a damned effective way to communicate. He half wished he could use it with his own men.
Sanders noticed the stormy-eyed Kallon, one of those slinking off to the side. He rested his forearms on his knees, his gaze rooted to the Captain.
“How you have not answered that challenge yet is beyond me,” Sanders said, crossing his arms and hoping that Shumas would direct his fire-sparked stare in Sanders’ direction. “That warrior is sizing you up.”
The Captain didn’t even shift. “He’s still deferring to me.”
“It doesn’t look like it,” Lucius said in a low tone, watching one of the female Shadow lunge forward in the sword practicing area. Her wooden point struck her training partner in the side. He bent and held up a hand, yielding.
“They are always connected to Shanti, as am I.” The Captain didn’t sound pleased by that. “The Shadow are starting to merge in as well. They are trying to learn Shanti’s elaborate system for silent communication. Within that merge, Kallon is deferring too. Until he doesn’t, I can’t challenge. I would be seen as insecure.”
“You have more patience than me, sir.” Sanders dropped his hands, ready to yell at a cadet who was wandering too close to the archers. Before he could open his mouth, the boy staggered and grabbed his head. He looked around in fear and confusion, connecting eyes with one of the Shumas. She shook her head no before pointing at the line of archers. The boy, his eyes rounded, jogged away in the other direction.
“Effective,” Sanders said. “And she didn’t even have to get up.”
“We’ve gotten word.” The Captain’s stare was still rooted to Kallon’s. Sanders could almost see the electricity and violence crackle between them. “Xandre has moved a large faction of his well-trained men. They are still to the southeast, but are slowly headed in this direction. Burson’s messages are coming daily, and each one is more disconcerting than the last. He says our window of opportunity is closing.”
Sanders stayed silent, as did Lucius. There was no point in beating a dead horse.
“Daniels is working on the map. He spoke with Rohnan about their prophecies.” The Captain’s jaw clenched. He looked away from Kallon. “I want more information before I leave the city again. I need to know that they can protect themselves in our wake.”
“Are there any more strong Shadow on their way?” Lucius asked. “If so, we could leave most of those currently in the city behind to lock it down and meet up with the others.”
“Sonson knows of a few more groups on their way.” The Captain looked out at Shanti. “They are coming from a different direction than the remainder of Shanti’s people.”
“Then we take those here as the others arrive.” Sanders’ gaze skittered across a pair of light blue eyes. He did a double take, seeing that woman Mela staring at him. “They have some serious social issues.”
“Shanti thinks that her people will find her if we cause a noteworthy event.” The Captain shifted. “That is in line with what Daniels is thinking. They have very similar thoughts about what comes next.”
Lucius said, “Causing an event?” as Sanders asked, “What kind of event?”
“We would need to take a Graygual stronghold. Or maybe another Inkna stronghold. That would send a message about our ability to the land. Shanti’s people would know where to find us
; Xandre will react, and hopefully reveal his location. Those hoping to join our cause would see that we are a strong adversary. Burson is adamant that we will bring others to our cause—they are just waiting for the sign. Taking a Graygual or Inkna city would be that sign.”
“So, let me get this straight, sir.” Sanders frowned at Mela before directing his focus elsewhere. He didn’t have that mental mumbo-jumbo. If she kept staring, Sanders would take that as a challenge and rock her world. The practice yard was used on his terms. “You want to take some of these warriors and go pick a fight?”
“Basically, yes. Hopefully it’ll force Xandre to show his hand. Or at least his general location. After that we disappear for a while, and get in position.”
Sanders shrugged, his gaze returning to those light blue eyes. “Sounds like a treat, sir. Now excuse me—I have to go kick a woman in the teeth.”
3
Marc rose slowly, peering over the hedge. Ten feet in front of him, sitting next to an open window, sat a freshly baked, golden-crusted, beautiful pie. Steam wafted invitingly, daring him to come closer and have a taste.
He licked his lips.
A head popped up over the fence on the other side of the yard. Leilius scanned the empty space in front of him before dropping back down.
Marc rolled his eyes. They were supposed to be working together to steal this pie. Without speaking, they had to sneak into the yard, steal the pie out from under the fiercest, most observant cook in the whole city, and bring it back without getting caught. Somehow, being good at this was supposed to make it easier to read the Shumas, who rarely spoke in battle.
Eloise seeing them, and accosting them later, would count as getting caught. She couldn’t run with her bad knee and excess weight, but she didn’t have to. One word to Marc’s or Leilius’ parents, or even to one of the other women, and they’d be as good as dead. Or worse. Shitting liquid for a month was not on his wish list.