by Callie Kanno
Kendan felt a little apprehensive himself, although he would never admit it to anyone else. He knew that he was the best choice for this mission, but he also knew the cost of failure. If he did not succeed, Adesina and her army would be destroyed by Cha-sak.
It was hard not to feel nervous with such high stakes.
Kendan forced such thoughts from his mind, and instead reviewed his plans for his mission. That was how he always calmed himself when nerves got the better of him.
His thoughts preoccupied him enough that he was able to enjoy the ride as he and Maizah galloped down the grasslands.
After a while, Kendan and Maizah slowed their horses to a quick trot, which was a more manageable pace. They had to reach the Shimat camp before dawn, but it was unwise to exhaust their horses in the process.
The two travelers gave a wide berth to the smaller Shimat force that was driving the L’avan and Seharans. Kendan briefly considered stopping and gathering information, but he decided against it. If Adesina wanted to know exact numbers or the identity of the leaders, she could send someone to find that out. His job was to reach the main Shimat army and assimilate himself among them.
The hours wore on, and Kendan began to frown to himself.
The Shimat army was farther behind than he had anticipated. He had assumed that they would be hurrying after their opponents as quickly as possible, but they were not where Kendan had planned to find them.
Kendan slowed his horse to a stop and turned to Maizah. “Are we far?” he asked briefly.
Maizah was a Tracker, and she had the ability to sense magical beings. As such, she was able to know where Cha-sak was located.
Maizah’s eyes narrowed in concentration, and Kendan knew that she was using her gift. It only took her a few moments, given that a demon of Cha-sak’s power would easily stand out among humans.
She pointed south and then held up four fingers.
Kendan’s frown deepened. “Four more leagues? There is no way we will reach it before dawn.”
Maizah nodded in assent.
The former Shimat considered his options carefully and then made a decision. Perhaps it would all be for the best in the long run.
Kendan and Maizah led their horses a bit to the east and tethered them to a lone tree in the grassland. Then they wrapped themselves in blankets and laid down to go to sleep. It took a while for Kendan to relax his mind enough to drift off, but eventually he was successful.
He was awoken by a sharp kick to his ribs. Kendan’s instincts took over and he was instantly in a defensive crouch. He looked up and saw a Shimat in full uniform standing over him with a spear at the ready.
“Well, well, well,” said an unpleasant voice. “Who would have imagined that I would find such a prize while scouting for the enemies of Cha-sak.”
Kendan’s face showed no emotion, but he felt a surge of satisfaction. If all went according to his plan, he would be in the center of the Shimat army before the sun peaked.
“Please, sir,” he stammered fearfully, “I am just a humble farmer…”
A harsh laugh cut him off. The Shimat spoke with scorn. “Do not attempt such a foolish lie, Kendan. I may not know you well, but every Shimat knew the face of the former Sharifal’s nephew.”
“I do not know what you mean,” insisted Kendan, his voice quavering with pretended fear.
“Your traveler’s cloak does not hide the fact that you still wear your Shimat uniform,” sneered the Shimat, “and I also recognize the face of the slave you stole when you abandoned the order.”
Maizah had been watching the proceedings calmly, but Kendan could see the tension in her body. He knew she must be struggling with the fear that naturally came when faced with her former captors.
Kendan dropped his expression of humble terror and instead looked at the man before him haughtily. “What now? Do you think you have the ability to force me to come with you?”
“You are unarmed,” pointed out the Shimat. “Even though I was never the pet of the Sharifal, I think I am well capable of killing an unarmed man.”
Kendan pressed his lips together in feigned anger. “What do you plan to do?”
“I will take you back to Lord Cha-sak as a gift,” said the Shimat arrogantly. “Surely Lord Cha-sak will reward me for such a prize.”
Kendan felt genuine misgivings at the idea of being brought before the demon. Would Cha-sak be able to sense his real intentions?
He licked his lips nervously. “Listen, perhaps we can come to some sort of arrangement. I have some coin…”
The Shimat gave another harsh laugh. “There is nothing that you can give me that would be greater than the gifts Lord Cha-sak can bestow.”
Kendan allowed his arms to be bound behind his back, and Maizah meekly followed his example. With some trouble they were settled into the saddles on their horses, and the Shimat tied their reins to his own saddle. From there they were led back to the Shimat army.
Kendan felt triumphant at first. He was being taken to where he wanted to go, and he didn’t even have to convince anyone that he belonged there. Unfortunately, his sense of satisfaction dissipated as he realized he would be forced to endure the smug boasting of the Shimat who had “captured” them.
“My true potential was never recognized as a Shi,” the Shimat said to his captives. “I was always grouped in with the others, but deep down I knew I was better than them. I have been biding my time, and now I will take the place that I deserve. Lord Cha-sak will see to that.”
Kendan exchanged glances with Maizah. Her expression was the same, but he could see his own emotions dimly reflected in her eyes.
He had no idea who this Shimat was, but he knew his type. This Shimat was among those who perpetually insisted they were being overlooked or treated unfairly, all the while doing nothing to change the situation. He was the type that spoke a great deal but did very little.
Kendan was almost embarrassed to be taken to the Shimat as a prisoner of this man. He reminded himself that it was all a means to an end and swallowed his pride, but it was not easy to do.
As they drew nearer to the army, another scout rode up to speak to them. He treated the Shimat captor with unhidden contempt.
“What are you doing here, Shimat Rat?”
Shimat Rat gestured grandly at Kendan and Maizah. “I have brought prisoners, Shimat Badger.”
The other scout looked extremely unimpressed. “Your job is not to harass farmers, Shimat Rat. Your job is to keep watch for enemy spies.”
“He is not a farmer,” said Shimat Rat in a voice that was almost a whine. “This is the man formerly known as Shimat Shrike, and the woman is a Tracker slave that he stole from the order.”
Shimat Badger didn’t appear to be convinced. “You captured the nephew of the former Sharifal?”
“Yes,” Shimat Rat puffed his chest out in pride. “I spent much time in the fortress, so I was able to recognize him.”
Kendan hid a smile, and he could see that Shimat Badger was doing the same.
Among the Shimat, it was not a compliment to one’s skills to be always at the fortress. The only exceptions were the Shar, and this man was clearly not a member of that group.
“Yes,” murmured Shimat Badger, “I can imagine that you did spend a lot of time at the fortress.”
Shimat Rat seemed to realize the implied insult, and he snarled in fury. “I am taking these prisoners to Lord Cha-sak, and I will be rewarded for my dedication!”
“No,” replied Shimat Badger lazily. “You will turn them over to me and go back to your post. You are supposed to be scouting, and Lord Cha-sak will not thank you for leaving that unattended.”
“I am not letting you take credit for my victory,” sputtered Shimat Rat.
Shimat Badger gave a bland smile. “I give you my oath as a Shimat that I will not claim these prisoners as my own.”
Shimat Rat fumed for several more moments, clearly trying to come up with an alternative to handing his prize over to
his fellow Shimat.
“Return to your post,” barked Shimat Badger, closing any further discussion.
Shimat Rat untied the reins of Kendan and Maizah’s horses and threw them on the ground like a petulant child. Then he wheeled his horse around and galloped off.
Shimat Badger watched dispassionately and then turned to the two prisoners. “What are your names?” he demanded.
“I am Dan,” said Kendan, with his head lowered humbly, “and this is my sister, Maya. We are the children of a local farmer.”
Shimat Badger’s eyes narrowed. “You do not look like siblings.”
“Mother and Father could not have any children of their own. Both of us were orphans, and they took us in,” explained Kendan.
“What an interesting story,” the Shimat commented. “Unfortunately, none of it is true. I always know when someone is lying to me.”
Kendan stiffened slightly, but said nothing else.
“Clearly, there is more to this than meets the eye, but I do not have time to unravel the mystery,” Shimat Badger stated calmly. “I would hate to pass up any potential advantage by killing you prematurely, though.”
There was another small pause before the Shimat made his decision.
“You two shall serve as my personal slaves until this matter is sorted out. You will not speak to anyone other than me, and you will obey me without question. If you fail to do either of these things, or if you attempt to escape, I will kill you without hesitation. Is that clear?”
The Shimat’s eyes glinted coldly, and there was no doubt that he meant what he said. If Kendan had not been accustomed to the ways of the Shimat assassins, he would have been quite fearful.
“I understand, master,” Kendan whispered in a terrified tone.
Shimat Badger appeared to be rather pleased with himself as he led his two new slaves back to the main body of the army. Kendan and Maizah’s horses were given to two of Shimat Badger’s underlings, and the supplies in the saddlebags were given to the rations officer.
Kendan and Maizah hadn’t brought anything other than the most basic supplies with them, knowing that it was likely that their belongings would be taken.
Kendan and Maizah were given coarse brown robes to indicate that they were slaves. Kendan put his on without a second thought, but Maizah held hers with trembling hands.
It had been a year since she had been forced to wear such a robe, and she had found her freedom since then. Kendan knew what it meant to her to don that robe again, and he put his hand over hers.
He spoke in a low voice. “Your freedom cannot be taken from you, Maizah. Never again. That robe is nothing more than a disguise to help you destroy your former captors.”
Her dark, almond-shaped eyes turned to his, and Kendan could see a lifetime of unspeakable suffering rising to the surface.
“You are still your own woman,” he reassured her again.
Resolve began to replace the pain in her eyes and she gave a short nod. She put on the robe with practiced ease and then lifted her chin in defiance to her apparel.
Kendan smiled at her and marveled at the strength of her spirit. Part of him wished that she really was his sister. He would be proud to have such an extraordinary woman as part of his family.
Shimat Badger had returned to his post, but he had left instructions with his personal staff. The two new slaves were given heavy parcels to carry and ordered to march in line with the rest of the slaves.
Kendan glanced at Maizah to make sure that her burden was not too much for her, but her steely expression told him that she was just fine. His own burden was cumbersome more than anything else, but he hefted it onto his broad shoulders and marched on.
He was pleased to have placed himself so well within the Shimat camp. No one looked too closely at a slave, and so he would be able to move fairly freely. Once he got a feel for how the camp operated, he could formulate a plan for getting close enough to Basha when the time was right.
Kendan’s biggest concern had been that he would be taken prisoner and chained to one of the supply wagons. After all, the “nephew” of the former Sharifal would not be treated kindly by supporters of the new leadership. Luckily, he had only been recognized by a low-ranking Shimat whose word meant nothing to his superiors.
As long as Kendan could keep from being recognized again, he would be successful in the mission that Adesina had sent him to accomplish.
A small smile played about Kendan’s lips, and he quickly banished it from his face. He needed to play the part of downtrodden slave for a few more weeks, and then he would have his chance to smile.
He felt a twinge of regret that he would be missing out on the battle that was to come. He would have liked to fight alongside Adesina once more. Still, he knew the importance of his mission, and he was glad to play his part in the greater picture.
Adesina could not succeed without him being where he was, and that was more important than if he singlehandedly wiped out the army of mercenaries.
He would do anything for her, even if it meant playing a slave to the people he hated most.
Kendan almost despised himself for his devotion to a woman who would never love him, but he could not force himself to change. He knew he would do anything she asked of him, no matter the personal cost.
Because of this self-knowledge, Kendan also knew that as soon as Cha-sak was defeated, Kendan would go to great lengths to ensure that he never saw Adesina again.
Chapter Forty: Forest Spirits
Adesina spent a lot of time thinking as the army traveled north. She had several heavy tasks before her, and she needed plans of action for each of them.
But although she had much to plan, her thoughts kept turning back to her father.
She and E’nes mourned together, speaking about how they wished they could have said goodbye. They shared memories of the man who had been so important in their lives, and Adesina was happy to learn that she knew almost as much about Me’shan as her brother did. After all, Me’shan had gone to great lengths to make up for the time lost with his daughter.
Adesina felt that she had been very fortunate. Even though she had been taken from her family as an infant, she had been given the opportunity to know each of her family members. Not many could say the same in similar circumstances. Especially considering the fact that Adesina’s mother had died shortly after giving birth.
As she rode north, surrounded by her brave cavalry soldiers, she thought of how grateful she was for her ability to Dream. Through her Dreams she could visit the realm of the dead and speak to her mother. She had the chance to know the woman who had sacrificed her life in order to ensure Adesina’s future.
The ability to Dream was a comfort to Adesina in the face of Me’shan’s sudden death. Although she was unable to Dream while it was necessary for her to block Cha-sak from her mind, her father would be waiting for her when this war ended.
Adesina’s musings wandered onto a new track.
Me’shan was dead. His body had been damaged beyond repair, and yet he was not gone. His existence—his soul—had simply moved to another realm.
Something slid into place in her mind—a missing piece of the puzzle she was facing. If that was the case for humans, why would it be any different for other life forms?
The L’avan queen turned to Finlay, who was now officially her second-in-command.
“I believe it is time that you take full control of the cavalry, Finlay.”
The young man looked at her in surprise. “Why is that, your Majesty?”
Adesina smiled at his genuine humility. Hestia’s son-in-law was continually taken aback by her reliance on him, as if he was certain that there had been some sort of mistake. Even so, his humility did not prevent him from doing his very best in everything that was asked of him.
“I am needed in a different battle,” was her simple reply.
Finlay nodded solemnly. Around the nightly campfires, the prophecy of the Threshold Child had been told to the alli
es of the L’avan. It had become common knowledge that Adesina would be the one to save them from the demon.
“Yes, you shall fight the battle that no one else can win.”
Adesina’s heart warmed at his sincere confidence in her. She knew he did not say such things to flatter her. He said them because he believed them.
“I am so proud to have ridden with you,” Adesina said.
Finlay gave a small grin. “I am honored to be known by you.”
Ravi must have been listening to the exchange, because he kept by Adesina’s side as she heeled Torith forward to the front of the marching army. Adesina spotted L’iam, who was walking his horse while conversing with a group of soldiers near the front.
“L’iam,” she called as she drew closer.
Her husband looked up, startled to hear her voice. He mounted his horse so he could speak to her without having to crane his neck.
“What is it?” His voice sounded concerned. “Is something wrong?”
Adesina shook her head. “No, I think I have discovered a solution to one of our problems.”
L’iam’s eyes lit up. “Oh?”
“Unfortunately,” she continued, “it means that I need to leave you and ride ahead to the Thieves’ Forest.”
L’iam’s face fell. “You know I cannot leave the army.”
“Yes, I know.”
“And you also know that I hate letting you out of my sight.”
Adesina’s voice grew softer. “Yes, I know.”
Her husband reached over and took her hand. “You love to put me in impossible situations.”
She lifted their clasped hands and pressed her lips to the back of his hand. “I would not say that I love it, but it does seem to happen often.”
L’iam’s face looked conflicted, and Adesina knew that there was nothing she could do to make the decision easier for him. He finally sighed and gave her hand a squeeze.
“Be safe, my love. I will see you soon.”