His eyes. They remained locked on her, following her every move even if his arms never seemed to be fast enough to catch her. With every strike, Azalea became bolder. And that was how Zin knew she was about to lose.
Following a combination of punches to his midsection and kicks to his thighs, Azalea moved in closer than she had been so far. Crouching down, she bounced back up and delivered an uppercut with enough force that the sound echoed in the now abandoned village center. The blow snapped Ean's head back, but only for a moment. Before Azalea could even come back down, he snatched her from the air, his right hand wrapping around her throat.
Azalea struggled in his grip. She lashed out with her feet. Her nails raked deep cuts into his arm. While she still had breath, Azalea cursed him in both the human and Yulari tongue. But with each moment, her pale blue face grew crimson. Her arms flailed with a little less energy. Her curses turned to small squeaks and gasps. And still Ean's hand closed tighter around her neck.
"Um," Zin murmured, moving to Ean's side. Looking up, he noticed Azalea's eyes start to roll back in her head. "I think she has learned her lesson . . . Zekar. You don't plan on killing her, do you?"
"I have not decided. This creature . . . " For a moment, Ean seemed to lose his thoughts. He shook his head, a frown appearing on his face. One of the few signs of actual emotion Zin had seen in a while. "This creature might never learn. I have felt her rage and stubbornness through whatever connection we share."
"That connection is more than enough reason to keep her alive."
"The connection is a weakness, imp. It would be a reason for ending her life, not sparing it. In fact--"
Without warning, Ean stumbled backward, dropping Azalea in the process. Zin had to dive out of the way to prevent the unconscious Yulari from landing on him. When he regained his bearings, Zin found Ean down on one knee, grasping his head between both hands. His eyes had glazed over while the surge of Abyssmal energy that filled them seemed to stutter for a few moments then disappear completely.
"What--" Ean seemed to yell over a sound only he could hear. "That voice--"
His words transformed into a tormented scream, while his back arched as if he had been struck from behind. The force caused him to fall forward and land on his face. He lay there, chest rising and falling, but otherwise motionless.
Unsure what to do, Zin decided to check on the Yulari first. Her breathing was regular and she had not landed in a way that would have caused her more harm. Moving on to check on Ean, Zin felt trepidation as he approached. What if Zekar was still at the reins?
Whoever was control, though, it was still his friend.
"Ean?"
"Uhhhhh . . . "
"Are you . . . ok?"
"What . . . Zin?"
A voice filled with confusion and pain. A familiar personality.
"Ean? Is it you?"
"Yes . . . I . . . "
"What happened?" The questions tumbled off of his tongue. "Where did all of that power come from? Do you even remember what you did? What made you come back?"
Ean's eyes focused on him for a moment.
"Auz."
And with that simple word, Ean's eyes closed and he collapsed back to the ground.
Chapter 27
Kaytlin dismounted from Rook before she made her way into the small village ahead of her. She had followed what she hoped was Ean's trail of death. The trail had stopped without warning, but at the same time, the first few buildings of the settlement had started to poke out in the mist. The light of day had just about faded at that point. Without having a clue of what the people were like up here in the Deadlands besides the stories she had been told, Kaytlin thought it best to camp out the night and approach with what light existed during the day. She ate and slept in her armor, and even without a campfire, the humid air made her sweat.
As she approached the village, she hoped the smell of her after a few days of hard travel wouldn't offend the local people.
The roads, or to be more accurate, the dirt paths between the houses were empty. The place seemed deserted, like the buildings had been erected but no one had moved into the village. Kaitlyn found it a bit unnerving. Considering that it was mid-morning or so, she expected to see at least a few locals going about their daily business. Her muscles tensed as she strained to see or hear anyone moving about just out of sight. All she saw, though, besides the similarly built houses were two taller buildings straight ahead. Without any other ideas, she made her way in their direction.
She reached the center of town without passing a single soul. One of the larger buildings appeared to be an inn but she couldn't decide about the other one. It didn't much matter. Staying on Ean's trail didn't allow for luxuries such as a leisurely bath or taking a break for a warm meal. As it was, she didn't want to waste much time questioning the villagers if they had seen anyone matching Ean's description pass through. Kaytlin would try one place and then move on, and the best place to start would be the inn.
The building had a stable off to the side, so that was her first destination. Maybe a stable boy would make an appearance if she tied Rook up outside. She would be content with someone coming outside to yell at her and tell her to get lost. Anything to break up the silence and emptiness that hung over the village.
But no one bothered her as she tied Rook to one of the posts. Kaytlin tried a door in the back of the inn but found it locked, so she returned to the front. That's when she saw the destruction.
Across the street from the inn was a set of wooden market stalls. Some were intact, but a few of them had been turned into scrap. The one closest to the street was splintered beyond redemption. The dirt and stones in the immediate area was torn up as well, as if a large crowd had been gathered and had moved around a great deal. Kaytlin had enough experience to recognize the signs. By the scattered footprints, she knew that a crowd had gathered here and then fled in haste. A battle had taken place. Since nobody had bothered to clean up the carnage, she assumed it had happened recently, which explained the empty streets. Licking their wounds, or nursing their fear, that's why the villagers seemed to be hiding.
Had it been Ean or something else entirely? It became more and more frustrating how little she knew of this land. As far as she knew, the mess could have been caused by a large animal, a battle between towns, or a bar brawl that had spilled into the street. Too many possibilities to waste her time speculating on. She needed to find someone who had seen it happen firsthand.
In a few quick steps, she was at the front door to the inn and pushed them open enough so she could look inside. The interior looked pretty much the same as any other small town common room. Long counter at the back of the room. Shelves of mugs and shot glasses. Plain wooden furniture. Dirty wood floors in need of a shine. Not a single person sat at the tables or the bar on the other side of the room. Not even a serving girl or bartender moved about. Kaytlin's hand hovered over one of the small knives she kept in her belt. The place just felt all wrong. Even so, she stepped all the way in and let the door slam shut behind her.
Almost immediately the sound of movement arose from a door behind the bar. A voice cut through the air from the other room.
" . . . Don't care that everyone knows we are closed for the morning, Ruth. I told you to lock the door. Now I have to kick out some idiot--"
A short woman pushed her way out the door behind the bar. Her mouth snapped shut as her eyes met Kaytlin's. They stood there, staring at each other for a few moments. Kaytlin took in her stocky frame, food-stained apron, and sour expression. This was a woman that was used to getting her way either by words or by knocking people into submission. It was doubtful this woman would even be impressed by a Seeker . . .
That was when the reality of her situation dawned on her. In Ven Khilada, she was Kaytlin Aubrune, the Ivory Dawn. Word of her arrival in a village alone would put the people on edge. Stories of swift justice or flat out murder had put a stigma on the Seeker title. People at the far corners of the
realm knew her description even if they had never seen her before.
Here, she was a woman traveling alone, armed to the hilt, and wearing dirty, white armor. No titles. No stories told to frighten children into doing the right thing. No unjust tales that have only brought her infamy. Here in the Deadlands, her name didn't carry the same authority and fear that it did at home.
In Ven Khilada, she had worn her reputation like a second suit of armor. Now that it was gone, she felt exposed. Vulnerable. That vulnerability was strangely liberating as well. She had grown so accustomed to acting to fit the role that people placed on her that she had felt trapped inside it. While she was here in the Deadlands, she could be herself. Still strong, still confident, still focused. But the people here wouldn't immediately put their guard up, which meant she didn't have to either.
Kaytlin marveled at her new situation until the woman on the other end of the bar finally spoke.
"We're closed."
"I was just hoping to get some information."
"Information?"
The woman gave Kaytlin another look over. When their eyes met again, the stocky woman's expression had lightened. "It’s been a while since I've seen anyone migrating from the south. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to answer a few of your questions. To be honest, you might not receive welcoming words from anyone else in the village at the moment."
"Why is that?"
The woman waved the question away with one hand then beckoned her closer with the other. "Hard times and troubling possibilities. But not something you need to be worrying about yet."
Actually it was exactly what she wanted to hear about. "Even so, I would--"
"One thing at a time, lass." Lass? She was closer to her forties than she was her thirties! "Let's start with the easier stuff first. My name is Bora Greyweed and I own this fine establishment with my sister. And you are?"
"Kaytlin Aubrune." It felt so strange to say her name and not see the slightest recognition in the other woman's expression.
"Alright, Kaytlin. Why do you want to become a permanent citizen of our lands?"
"Well, I . . . " Best to play along while the woman was in a beneficial mood. Unfortunately Kaytlin was struggling to come up with a believable lie. " . . . You see . . . umm . . . "
"You can be honest. The way most people see it up here, whatever life you lead is behind you in Ven Khilada. If you're running from the law or a man or even time itself, you are safe from it all here."
"Time?"
"Of course. If you are here, then you know the effects the land has on a person's body."
"I know the Plague--" Kaytlin paused as Bora raised a hand and waved a single finger in front of her.
"We don't call it the Plague here. We don't really speak of it at all. I wouldn't say it's taboo, just . . . "
"Impolite."
"Yes, exactly. As I was saying, some people come to our lands to escape time. Stop aging or the onset of a deadly disease."
"The land cures disease?"
"No, it doesn't cure them. Just stops them from becoming fatal. That's the reason my sister and I came north. She came down with Drowned Lung. Not something a Healer's concoctions can cure and too dangerous for a Saniteal's magics. The only choices I had was to watch my own flesh and blood get strangled by her own lungs or come north and hope the land changed her before the disease could take her. Thanks be to The Silent King that the change set in before her condition could get too bad." She gave a wave of her hand. "But that was some time ago. You still haven't answered my question. Why have you decided to come to our land?"
"I'm looking for someone." The woman's openness made it impossible for Kaytlin to lie. "Hunting someone."
"Really?" The woman's disbelief was as plain as could be in both her tone and expression. "Must be someone important considering what this hunt will cost you."
"Very important. This man is a danger to anyone he comes in contact with."
"If you are sure he has traveled into our lands, why not just leave him be? He would no longer be a problem to your lands, and I'm sure if he started enough trouble here, he would be hunted down by our people."
Kaytlin took in a deep breath. "Because my deity commands it."
"Ah. You're one of those."
Kaytlin grimaced at the pitying look she received from the woman. Bora must have noticed her reaction as she raised her hands in defense.
"I didn't mean it as an insult, lass. It’s just that most of the people in this land have long since abandoned the deities of Ven Khilada, much like they have abandoned us." Kaytlin opened her mouth to protest but Bora spoke right over her. "I personally don't hold no grudge towards them, mind you. Some of the more recent additions of people to this realm still worship one or two. It's the majority, the ones that have been here since . . . the beginning . . . that have left the religious life behind."
"I understand." Which was the truth. She had never thought about how the people here, people that had been devoted followers of their gods, would feel after the Plague ravished their lands and their bodies while the deities did nothing.
"Good, then I won't have to tell you that mentioning your patronage of a deity won't be the best way to find help."
"No, but thank you for the advice."
"Glad that is settled. Now, back to what else you need to know about living here--"
"I would like to hear more, but I don't have a lot of time right now. The man I'm hunting–I lost his trail south of the village. I came here hoping for information that would help lead me in his direction again."
Bora let out an exaggerated sigh and rolled her eyes. "Fine. It's clear you have a one-track mind. Just to warn you though, we haven't seen any normal people of your kind pass through in a while."
"I would imagine he wouldn't try to bring attention to himself. He was traveling with a few others, so he might have let them do most of the talking."
"A few others?" Her voice had gone suddenly flat. "How many?"
"Two. A pretty woman with a bit of a mouth on her and a man, although I did not see much of him.
"Wait right here."
Bora left her standing there, the large woman disappearing through the door behind her before Kaytlin could get another word out. It was clear with how fast her demeanor had changed that she had seen a group similar to what she had described at the very least. But something was causing the hairs on the back of Kaytlin's neck to stand on end.
Something wasn't right.
With a casual glance around the room, Kaytlin started to form a plan in case things suddenly got bad. A stairwell sat close by. Pointless to get trapped up on the second floor, but most inns’ back entrances lie near the stairs. If it came to a fight, the common room provided her with some opportunities. The tables and chairs were spread out to allow people to easily move between them. A perfect amount of space that she could use her sword without much concern about knocking into things but also providing her with items to use as obstacles if she faced overwhelming numbers.
It may be a bit of paranoia on her part, but Kaytlin had learned long ago to trust her instincts. Leaning against the bar, she made a show of stretching, letting her hands touch the hilts of the swords on her back just enough to make sure they moved easily in their sheathes.
And then she waited.
Each stretched-out moment made the knot in her stomach tighten. And how much time would she waste for just the possibility of a scrap of information or a direction to head in. Her mind was racing through the possibilities when Bora walked out of the back room.
"Sorry about that. Just wanted to check on my sister." Her friendly tone had returned and she flashed Kaytlin a smile as she walked back over to the bar. "She is currently preparing some food for tonight, but she is easily distracted. I wanted to make sure my sister was on task."
"Understandable."
"So, what were we talking about again?"
"The people I'm looking for."
"Ah yes. Two men and a woman, correct? L
ike I said, it’s been quite some time since anyone from the south has passed through. Are you sure that the people you are looking for have even come into our lands? I would think they would have to be fairly desperate to come here knowing that it was a one way trip."
A dozen different things told Kaytlin the woman was stalling. Bora's hands moved about the bar as she spoke, arranging wooden mugs that were already stacked neatly. The woman's eyes continued to wander towards the doors behind Kaytlin. Her voice, while friendly, held a barely noticeable amount of strain with every other word that escaped her lips.
Someone was coming. Or a group of someones.
"I noticed some of the stalls across the street had been destroyed," Kaytlin said with a wave towards the door. "Looked like there was a bit of a battle outside. Within the past couple of days."
The sudden change in direction had the desired effect. The woman froze, the only thing that moved were her eyes going directly to the main doors.
"Listen." Kaytlin didn't have time for these games. "If the same people I'm looking for are the ones that caused the damage outside, then we are on the same team. I want to make sure that they don't continue to cause trouble for anyone else. If you could just tell me what you know or at the least point me in the right direction, I can be on my way without any trouble."
"I . . . " The woman's mouth worked but nothing came out. When Kaytlin first laid eyes on the woman, she took her as a no-nonsense individual that had no trouble standing up for herself. It wouldn't have surprised Kaytlin if the woman served as both the bartender and the strong arm that tossed out patrons who started to get rowdy. But now, the woman looked as frightened as a child who had just been told that creatures of the Abyss were sleeping under her bed.
"It's ok." Kaytlin took a softer tone. "Just tell me--"
Enemies and Allies (Bound to the Abyss Book 3) Page 23