Quest for the Sun Orb

by Laura Jo Phillips

  Karma laughed as they reached the center of the line of Hunters blocking the trail, attracting smiles from the men. Karma didn’t notice them, but Zakiel did. She had no idea of the power of her laughter, or how much she had come to be both respected and loved by the other men on the quest. Hunters, Knights, drovers and servants alike.

  “Lady Techu,” Nikura said. She spun around, looking for him, even as she realized that his voice sounded distant.

  “Nikura?”

  “The follower is one known to us,” he said. “It is the guard that went missing the night you were attacked by Saigar. I do not know his name. He is on foot.”

  “Is he alone?” Karma asked.

  “He is,” Nikura replied. “I sense no dark magic on him, but I am suspicious.”

  “How long before he reaches us?” Karma asked.

  “Not long,” Nikura replied. “I will continue to watch him.”

  “Thanks, Nikura.” Karma turned to Zakiel and told him all that Nikura had said.

  Zakiel’s eyes went cold again. “Marl,” he said, naming the missing guard. He looked to Garundel, who nodded. Karma felt all of the Hunters tense, though there was no movement or sound from them.

  “Where is Nikura?” Zakiel asked.

  “He’s watching from the trees,” Karma replied. “Like the rest of us, he is suspicious.”

  Zakiel nodded. There was no more talk after that as they all waited for Marl. It was not a long wait. Twenty minutes later Marl rounded a bend in the road and came into sight.

  He stopped walking when he saw the Hunters blocking the trail ahead of him. The expression on his face was mixed. Relieved, wary, happy, afraid. He held his hands away from his body, palms out, then resumed walking. When he was within ten paces of the Hunters he stopped again.

  Zakiel walked toward him, gesturing to Karma to stay back. As soon as he stepped through the line of Hunters, Nikura emerged from the trees behind Marl. They both approached Marl, who remained motionless, his hands still out.

  “Greetings, Hunter Marl,” Zakiel said, stopping a few feet from the man. Marl did not look well. He was thin, his clothing torn and dirty, face gaunt, eyes dull.

  “Greetings, Highness,” Marl replied, his voice raspy, his words slurred. His bow was shaky and his hands trembled with fatigue.

  “We have missed you these many days,” Zakiel said, studying Marl carefully. “Where have you been?”

  “I do not know,” Marl replied. Zakiel saw the confusion on the man’s face, and the worry in his eyes. “I awoke a few days ago...I am sorry, Highness, I do not remember how long it has been. I was walking along a trail through a forest. The signs indicated that you had passed, so I followed.”

  “Nikura?” Zakiel asked. Nikura stepped closer to Marl who showed no sign of concern at the Sphin’s approach. He stood calmly while Nikura sniffed him. Zakiel watched Marl carefully, but all he saw was a Hunter who was exhausted, starving, and confused. Wherever he had been, he had been ill treated, which made Zakiel angry.

  Nikura stepped back from Marl and sat down, curling his tail around his paws as he continued to stare at the Hunter.

  “Nikura?” Zakiel asked.

  Nikura shifted his large blue eyes toward Zakiel, then shook his head. He had found nothing to indicate demons or dark magic, but if Zakiel was reading him correctly, he too was confused.

  “Marl,” Zakiel said, turning his attention to the Hunter. “It is too early in the day for us to camp. We will have lunch now. After eating, do you think you can manage riding?”

  “Of course, Highness,” Marl replied, his face showing none of the eagerness for food and rest that Zakiel knew he had to be feeling. He felt a surge of pride in the man.

  “Come,” he said. He turned and gestured to Garundel who came forward. “Please see that Hunter Marl has food and drink, and order a diplo saddled for him.”

  “At once, Highness,” Garundel said. He stared at Marl for a long moment, his sharp eyes missing nothing, then nodded to himself. “Come, Marl,” he said, not unkindly, “let’s get you fed up a bit.”

  Zakiel left Garundel in charge of Marl and returned to Karma, Nikura at his side. He told Karma what he knew, which was very little. By the time he was finished, Lashi had arrived with their lunch and a plate of food for Nikura. Karma considered what Zakiel had told her while she ate. She glanced toward Marl, then to Tiari, troubled.

  “What is it that bothers you, valia?” Zakiel asked.

  “As I said to Tomas earlier, aside from my strong personal feelings for Kapia and Tiari, they are both as important to the quest as the orbs they claim. Neither of them can be risked.”

  “You think Marl is dangerous,” Zakiel said.

  “I don’t know if he’s dangerous, or not,” Karma said. “But I think a degree of caution must be taken, just in case.”

  “I agree,” Zakiel admitted. “But he is an honored Hunter, Karma. I cannot turn him away without cause.”

  “Of course not,” Karma said. “Nor would I ask that you do such a thing. Nevertheless, we must take extra precautions with their safety.”

  Zakiel nodded. They finished their lunch and joined Tomas, Kapia and Tiari who had also just finished eating. Zakiel filled them in on Marl, unsurprised to see Tomas’s tension increase after Karma’s revelation concerning his feelings for Tiari.

  “Karma suggests, and I agree, that we increase security for both Tiari and Kapia,” he said to Tomas. “The women’s tent is currently set up side by side with ours, so that the side of their tent is against the side of ours, but I think that we need more.”

  “I agree, Highness,” Tomas said. “The idea of someone slicing through a tent wall...,” he paused and shuddered. “What happened to Lady Techu cannot be allowed to happen again.”

  “I suggest that you set your tent up on the other side of the women’s tent,” Zakiel said. “We’ll add an entrance from your tent into the front chamber of the women’s tent on one side, and Lashi and Caral can sleep there. You will sleep in the front section of the women’s tent, which we will connect to the front section of our tent on the other side. This will put all of us together in connecting tents which I think is necessary for the safety of all of the women. We will also boost security around the tents, and of course Nikura will be there as well.”

  “It may cause tongues to wag,” Tomas said, glancing worriedly at Tiari.

  “This is too important for us to concern ourselves with wagging tongues,” Zakiel said. “These women are our family and loved ones. It is up to us to hold the inner circle.”

  “Do not forget, Husband, that Kapia and I both have some skill with a staff,” Karma said. “Not enough to fend off determined Hunters with steel for very long, but we aren’t entirely helpless.”

  “I would never consider you to be entirely helpless, valia,” Zakiel said as he put his arm around Karma and pulled her close against his side.

  “Thank you,” Karma said, stretching up on her toes to kiss Zakiel lightly on the jaw. Zakiel’s eyes flared with heat, which he quickly stifled. As much as he wanted to kiss his new wife more deeply, they were in mixed company. He squeezed Karma gently once more, then released her.

  “It is time we get back on the trail,” he said. “Cousin Tomas, I would appreciate it if you would ride closer to the women from now on.”

  Karma frowned, as did Kapia. Zakiel thought a moment, then smiled at Tomas. “There are times when the women prefer to discuss secret feminine matters without male ears to hear them, so perhaps you should not ride too close.”

  Zakiel’s comment took Tomas by surprise. He’d noticed the frowns, but had misunderstood them completely. He relaxed slightly and bowed toward the women. “I will ride behind them so that I can see, but not hear, unless I am called.”

  “Thank you, Tomas,” Karma said. “That’s very considerate of you.” She shifted her gaze to Tiari, then back to Tomas meaningfully. “Of course, you should not stay back all of the time. I’m certain that your company
will be greatly missed if you do.”

  Tomas followed Karma’s gaze to Tiari, who was currently staring at the ground, her cheeks pink. “Thank you, Lady Techu,” he said. He wasn’t sure why Tiari was embarrassed, but he hoped it was because she really did want to spend time with him. It wasn’t something he could ask her though.

  “If I may suggest, Cousin, perhaps it would be best if Garundel were to keep Marl close to him, near the front of the line,” Tomas said.

  “Good idea,” Zakiel said. “It is far easier to watch someone who is in front of you. Tomas, if you don’t mind, I ask that you take charge of the women’s security detail until Sir Bredon is returned to us.”

  “Of course,” Tomas said calmly, only his eyes betraying his shock at this unexpected assignment. It was an informal rank increase, but far more important to Tomas, it indicated a higher level of trust than he was used to. It told Tomas that Zakiel trusted him with the most precious people in his life; his wife and his sister. “I shall not fail you, Highness.”

  “I know you won’t, Cousin,” Zakiel said. Then he looked around for Garundel and gestured, signaling the end of lunch.

  Chapter Eleven

  Karma was relieved when Zakiel called a halt that evening. She wasn’t sure why she felt so antsy. She was accustomed to spending long days in the saddle, and with the addition of Tiari, and her endless curiosity and questions, the time passed more quickly than usual. But there was something nagging at her. Something she felt she should know, but didn’t. She couldn’t even figure out what it was about, which was frustrating. Did it have something to do with Marl? Tomas? Tiari? Or was it about Bredon and Marene? Or something Samyi had told her?

  Outwardly she chatted with Kapia and Tiari throughout the afternoon as she usually did, but inwardly she was growing more and more tense. She nearly flung herself from the saddle when it was time to stop. She wanted physical exercise, and was looking forward to sparring with Kapia again. Her initial session with Tiari would go much better once she’d burned off a bit of steam.

  She walked back down the line to Lashi and accepted the short, extendable rod that she’d asked Lashi to dig out for her. As she took the smooth, black rod she thought of her friend, Aisling, who’d given it to her. She blinked back sudden tears, and shook her head at herself. She really needed to get a grip.

  She squeezed the rod in the center, causing it to extend into a long, solid staff that was more flexible than a wooden staff, and many times more durable. She removed the Ti-Ank headpiece from her wooden staff and slipped it onto the black staff, giving it a little twist so that it locked into place with an audible click. Then she joined Kapia and Tiari where they stood beside their diplos.

  “Ready ladies?” she asked.

  “Yes, we are,” Kapia replied. She glanced up at the sun to measure the time. “Perhaps you should begin with Tiari in case it gets too dark for her to see.”

  “I would, Kapia, but I feel the need to burn off a bit of energy first,” Karma admitted. “We have about an hour and a half I think, but we’ll keep an eye on the sun.”

  “All right,” Kapia agreed. “I need the exercise too.”

  Karma looked around. The clearing Zakiel had chosen was large enough that there was an area on one side where there were no people. “Let’s go over there,” she said, and began walking toward it, Kapia and Tiari on either side of her. She heard footsteps behind them and glanced over her shoulder.

  “I would observe as well, if you don’t mind,” Tomas said, catching up to them.

  “Of course, Tomas,” Karma replied. She really didn’t care who watched. She just needed to move.

  A few minutes later Tiari stood beside Tomas and watched intently as Karma and Kapia stepped into the center of the circle they’d marked in the soft dirt. The two women held their staffs before them in a light grip as they bowed to each other. Then they each took a step back, and began moving.

  Tiari gasped in surprise as her new friends attacked each other with the long poles, changing angles and grips so quickly it was hard to follow. The steady tap-tap-tap of the staffs slamming together testified to the strength and speed of their strikes, though neither of them ever actually struck the other.

  “They’re so fast,” she breathed.

  “Astoundingly so,” Tomas agreed. “I’ve never seen two people move as fast as they do. Not even the most skilled of Hunters. Watch their feet.”

  Tiari did as Tomas asked and shifted her gaze downward. She had never seen anyone dance before, though Una had once told her about it while in one of her better moods. She imagined that dancing would look much like what Karma and Kapia were doing as their feet flew gracefully over the ground.

  “I don’t think I could ever move like that,” she said, disappointment filling her. She wanted to learn to defend herself so badly, but it didn’t seem possible for her to do what they were doing.

  Tomas laughed softly, surprising her. “At the beginning of the Orb Quest, I watched Karma spar with Zakiel for the first time,” he said, his eyes still on the two women in the ring. “Zakiel is fast, and he is better with a staff than any other Hunter. But Karma was faster. I’d been told she was good, but even seeing it with my own eyes I had a hard time believing it. She had just begun teaching Kapia then. I never would have believed it possible for Kapia to be half as fast as her teacher, but as you can see, after only a handful of weeks, she very nearly is.” Tomas looked over at Tiari. “You will never know what you can do unless you try, Tiari.”

  “Thank you, Tomas,” Tiari said with a smile. She looked back at Karma and Kapia and took a deep breath. “You are correct, of course. I will try.”

  “If the staff is not your weapon, don’t worry,” Tomas said. “There are other weapons. You can try them all until you find the one that works best for you.”

  “Do you think that Karma can teach me one of those other weapons as well?” she asked.

  “No,” Tomas replied. “To my knowledge, she is proficient only in the staff. However, I can teach you the sword, or the bow, if you like.”

  Tiari rewarded him with a smile that lit up her entire face and warmed his heart. It was long moments before he could force himself to look away from her and focus on the sparring again. When he did, he noticed that several Hunters had gathered around the circle to watch the women. Everyone was used to the sight now, but it was always enjoyable for Hunters to watch skilled opponents spar. Especially these two women. They were so amazingly fast, and so graceful, that it was awe inspiring.

  Twenty minutes later, Karma and Kapia stood face to face in the center of the ring and bowed to each other. Kapia’s face was damp with sweat and red from exertion, but Karma’s was not. It never was, a strange fact that the Hunters had grown used to. Both women were smiling happily at each other. It had been a good match.

  The Hunters banged their bracers together to indicate their pleasure, causing both Karma and Kapia to blush. Then Zakiel stepped into the ring.

  “Would you care to spar with me, Wife?” he asked, grinning.

  “I would love to, Husband,” Karma replied. “However, I am about to give Tiari her first lesson and there’s only about an hour of sunlight left. Why don’t you spar with Kapia instead?”

  Zakiel turned to Kapia. “Would you like to?”

  “Yes, I would,” Kapia said eagerly.

  “Do me proud, Kapia,” Karma said before walking toward Tiari. She heard Zakiel call to Timon for his staff and grinned. She was very familiar with both Zakiel’s style of fighting, and Kapia’s. Zakiel had more experience, but Kapia was faster, making them almost evenly matched. But, this was the first time Zakiel would spar with his little sister in several weeks, and it would be natural for him to go easy on her. That would give Kapia an edge, if she was wily enough to take it. Karma had no doubt that she was.

  “Are you ready?” Karma asked Tiari.

  “Yes, I am,” Tiari said. “I only hope this is not a waste of your time.”

  “Why wou
ld it be a waste of time?” Karma asked.

  “Because I cannot imagine myself moving anywhere near as fast as you and Kapia do.”

  “You don’t need to,” Karma replied. “Speed is important, of course. But in that respect, Kapia and I are the exception, not the rule. We both have a natural talent with that particular weapon that cannot be explained. Besides, you won’t know how fast you are until you try it.”

  “That is much what Tomas said,” Tiari admitted ruefully. “I am willing to try, and I will do my best.”

  “Good,” Karma said. “Let’s move over there, out of the way a bit.” Tiari and Tomas followed Karma a few yards away from the ring where Kapia and Zakiel were preparing to spar and began instructing Tiari. She began with the basics, showing Tiari how to hold the staff, how to set her feet, and giving her a brief run down on the properties of the weapon itself.

  Tomas watched, impressed with Karma’s teaching ability. She never talked down to her students, he noticed. Never tried to impress them with her own skills, never tried to push them too hard. Tiari relaxed completely as Karma worked with her, which Tomas found surprising. She could give some of the weapons instructors at the palace lessons on how to teach.

  In spite of Karma’s exceptional skills as a teacher, Tomas realized almost at once that the staff was not going to be a good weapon for Tiari. From the expression on Karma’s face, she realized it as well. He wondered how Karma would handle the situation, and tensed as he imagined Tiari’s disappointment and hurt.

  After nearly an hour of patient instruction and subtle testing, Karma gestured to Tomas to join herself and Tiari.

  “Tiari,” she began, “I can teach you the staff. I can teach you enough that you could defend yourself with it, after a fashion. But I will not lie to you. I do not believe that the staff is the best weapon for you.”

  Tiara flushed with embarrassment and dropped her eyes to the ground. “I am sorry I wasted your time, Karma.”

  Karma reached out and placed one finger under Tiari’s chin, then gently pressed up, coaxing her to look up again. “It was by no means a waste of time,” she said. “It was a very good use of time, actually. We have discovered several things here. The first is that the staff is too long and flexible for your body type and natural balance. It did not feel comfortable in your hands, did it?”