Without warning, men with full helmets covering their faces burst through atop sturdy horses. The steeds charged through the pack of cats, scattering most and trampling those that failed to get out of the way. The men carried swords and were decked out in the same red armor that Jalvar had been wearing in Driavarage.
About two dozen riders circled their camp, driving the cats away. At this point, Ean didn't care if the new arrivals were friend or foe. While their attention was focused on the cats and the animals were scattering, it gave him a chance to catch his breath and check on the rest of his friends. He released the shield over Zin and crawled towards the still unconscious imp. The Hound moved with him as he took a look around. The fading light made it difficult to see far but he was still able to make out Azalea and Dao.
Azalea was bent over, hands on her knees and breathing heavily. A few cuts and scratches covered her arms, and her hair hung down over her face. As he watched, she turned her head slightly in his direction and he felt a mixture of pain, relief, and even affection float through their bond. It took Ean a few more moments to find Dao, who was sitting on the other side of the fire with his legs splayed out and leaning back on his hands. The man didn't look injured but it was hard to tell in the shadow cast by the light of the fire.
The only casualty appeared to be their horse. The poor animal lay motionless, still tied to their cart. Its body was covered with deep cuts, especially the throat.
By the time he reached the imp, its body had healed, giving Ean a chance to concentrate on his own injuries. Collapsing down next to Zin, he filled himself with as much energy as he was able to hold in his weakened condition. Wounds began to close and he felt strength return. The pain remained, as it always did, but it was manageable now. He could ignore it.
"Zin." Ean reached over and gave the imp a few nudges with his hand. His friend let out a low moan. "Zin, wake up."
A growl from the Hound, which sounded like a roar with the beast still standing over him, made Ean turn away from his friend. Ten of the horsemen had circled him, Zin, and the Hound while the others had done the same with Dao and Azalea. Dao had his hands raised, palms out, and was looking at Ean. The man was mouthing something but Ean couldn't make out what he was trying to say.
"You!" One of the riders yelled down to him. The man had his sword pointed directly at Ean. "Are you Ean Sangrave?"
The Hound started to tense. Ean lifted a hand and gave his pet a few reassuring pats then a gentle push. It resisted him at first but then moved over to the side so Ean could stand. He took his time getting up, making sure his legs were firm and didn't wobble. When he was steady on his feet, he nodded towards the man that had spoken.
"I am."
"Excellent. The Silent King sent us to collect you, which turns out was a stroke of good luck for you. If we had been a little later, all we would have found is whatever the cats had not enjoyed for a meal."
"I appreciate the help, but we've encountered some citizens of your realm that have been less than happy to see me. How can I be sure you serve The Silent King?"
The one who spoke removed his helmet. A man that looked to be in his mid-thirties stared back at Ean with hard gray eyes. His blue skin was covered with scars, ranging from a few small lines on the right cheek to a long gash running from his chin to a hole on the side of his head where his left ear should have been. A tall forehead, also covered in scars, ended at a widow's peak of short cut black hair. There was a coldness behind his eyes that told Ean to keep his guard up.
"Understandable for you to be cautious, I suppose," the man said after a drawn-out moment of silence, "considering who you are. A simple matter to clear up. Dao can tell you who I am."
The man lifted a hand and waved it forward. The riders that had circled Azalea and Dao began to herd them forward. Dao moved with a limp but seemed compliant. Azalea walked with her shoulders back and her chin up. When they were only a stone's throw away, Azalea arched an eyebrow. In the mass of different emotions Ean felt through his bonds, a burst of curiosity and support appeared for a moment and then was quickly swallowed by the mess of other emotions. Still not in control of the maelstrom, Ean sent a wave of confidence out through all of his connections.
"Daoshen Palgrain!" the leader of the mounted men called out. Even though the man spoke to Dao, his attention remained locked on Ean. "Tell Sangrave who I am."
Dao cowered at the man's voice. His head came up to look at Ean for a moment, his expression pained, before returning his gaze to the ground.
"This is Haavian Joor." Dao's voice matched his appearance–weak and defeated. "Captain of The Silent King's Personal Guard."
"And how do you know who I am?"
Dao seemed to shrink in on himself even further.
"Captain Joor is the man that relieved me of my nose."
Chapter 32
Kaytlin let out a sigh of relief as she brought Rook to a stop. Ahead of her, a large patch of dirt and ash marred the rest of the lush grassland. That patch stretched off into what she imagined was a northerly direction. She had been following a wagon trail from where Jalvar had said Ean's group had left the village. From there, it had been three days of tracking a partial trail, losing it and having to back track until she found it again, and still not a single sign of Ean's group stopping to make camp at any point. Despair had started to set in, and Kaytlin had begun to wonder if she was even following the right tracks or if Jalvar had led her astray.
Then finally, she found a clue that suggested Ean had passed this way: a trail of dead grass. She returned to the hunt feeling hopeful and invigorated.
With a nudge of her knees, she got Rook moving again. Leaning forward in the saddle, she pointed towards the path of dead grass.
"Follow."
Her horse gave a snort and picked up speed. Rook would follow the path now until something got in his way, he smelled or heard something that might be a threat, or Kaytlin stopped him. This left her free to lounge in the saddle. Eventually she would have to dismount and walk Rook so he could have a break.
That should allow her to catch up a little.
The sway of her horse was as comforting to her as being curled up in a cushioned rocking chair. After a few moments, the world around her fell away and she drifted off to sleep. A dream of days gone by took hold as she slumbered, whisking her back to the streets of her youth.
***
Kay was in a good mood as she walked back to Fisher's Row with Zee, several loaves of bread in hand. While her group had only been able to beg enough to buy two loaves, the generous baker had thrown in two more loaves that had gone stale for free. Four loaves meant that Kay and her makeshift family of street urchins each had a loaf to themselves. They had slept in the back of the alley among the crates with full bellies that night, feeling like kings. The next morning they woke, and some of the tension between Dee and El had evaporated.
Kay hated when the two boys fought. When her parents had been killed by creatures from the Abyss and she was shipped off to Lurthalan, El had been the first orphan she had gotten to know. They had met during her first night in the city, and the boy had stolen an apple for her. That night, he also took her to one of the shelters run by Sister Reilane. That's where she had met Zee as well, and the three of them had bonded over their situation. El had been much more compassionate back in those days. As the seasons passed, though, Kay had begun to see a darker side appear, especially after Dee joined the group and started taking more of a leadership role.
Dee. The larger boy had entered their lives a season later, already establishing himself as a hero. He had charged in to defend them–complete strangers to him at the time–against a group of older orphans trying to steal some of their food. Together, the four of them had fought off seven other boys, with only a few bumps and bruises spread out among them. Dee had taken three of the boys on his own. From that day on, he had been considered part of their group, and they had never trusted anyone else enough to let them into their small family
since.
But now it seemed that El and Dee fought with each other on a regular basis, and as much as she hated to take a side, Kay had to agree with Dee a majority of the time. Dee always chose the more noble path, even if it meant they had to suffer a tiny bit more. In most of those situations, Dee would take the brunt of the negative consequences of his more noble actions. Sometimes it meant he went without eating that night, other times he took a beating to save the rest of them pain. More often than not, Dee was forced to face the consequences for El's actions.
And the older El got, the more brazen and nasty he became. It started with stealing from more than just the occasional shopkeep. El would steal a loaf of bread here, an apple there, all the while saying that the shop owner wouldn't even notice it was gone. It was when Dee caught El stealing food from a smaller boy that they started to see his darker side. That incident also led to the very first fight between Dee and El. A verbal sparring blew up into a physical brawl with El pulling out a knife. If not for Kay stepping in to remind them that they were brothers, it might have ended in bloodshed. Things were never the same after that.
But those were negative memories. No need for Kay to focus on the darker side of their past with a venerable feast in the bag she carried. They would have a nice night: full stomachs, happy conversation, and then sleeping on the shelter’s cots.
Up ahead, sitting on the road that separated the shacks of the Dock District and the outer homes and stores of the Merchant District, the homeless shelter was the last building on the street. Built more like a warehouse than a home, the building was as wide as it was tall, towering over the one-story buildings of the Dock district across the street. There were no windows, and it only had one set of double doors placed squarely in the middle of the front wall.
She was looking forward to hanging out with her friends there, eating shelter-provided soup. If they were lucky, there might be chunks of meat in it again like there was that one day last season. Sleeping on a cot for a change would be heaven . . .
“Kay, trouble."
Her pleasant daydream ended at the sound of Zee's voice. Glancing down at the dirty mop of hair and grimy clothes, her gaze followed his pointing finger to the shelter.
And in front of those doors, three white-robed men had El surrounded.
Kay froze, placing a hand on Zee's shoulder to stop the boy as well. What kind of trouble has El gotten himself, and probably the rest of us, into now? She needed a moment to think. Grabbing Zee's shirt, she pulled him behind the closest building.
"Here," she said, pushing the bag of bread into his arms, "hold onto this and wait here. If there is any trouble, run straight across the bridge to the Temple of Kaz'ren. Wait there until one of us comes for you. If you don't see any of us by this time tomorrow, come back to the shelter. Understand?"
"Don't leave me . . . "
His scared little voice almost broke her heart, but if El had gotten them all in trouble, he would be better off on his own. She hardened her voice "I asked if you understood."
"Yes."
"Good, now stay here close to the corner." Using a hand to gently guide him into the shadows of the building, Kay leaned over and kissed him on the forehead. "For good luck." Then she stepped back out into the street.
The three men—servants for one of the temples, no doubt—were still standing around El. Kay began to walk up the street, hoping that El saw her before she got too close and could give her some kind of signal. His eyes, though, were hidden behind a mop of black hair that hung in front of his face. Kay had told him how it made him look shady, like someone up to no good, but the moron always took it as a compliment. Well, if she couldn't get his attention, he wouldn't be much help.
With a sigh, she walked up to the group standing in front of the shelter. It only took the robed men a moment to notice her. Two of them watched her approach with interest, while the third kept his eyes on El. When she was close enough, the tallest of the men stepped forward.
"Is your name Kay, child?" The man's voice was flat and emotionless, not giving any hint of what he might want.
She risked one last glance at El, who was still impossible to read.
"Yes, sir."
"There should be one more of you. A small boy named Zee. Where is he?"
"Why do you want Zee? For that matter, what do you want with any of us?"
A second robed man stepped forward, clenching a fist in her direction. "You do not answer questions with questions, brat. When a priest of Alistar addresses you, you show the proper respect."
"Silence, Brother Gemen," said the man who had first addressed them. "A girl raised on the streets cannot know the proper way to address a priest of the temple. She does not need reprimands, but patience and understanding. It is our job to remedy ignorance wherever we find it and bring children such as these into the light. So let's not scare the poor child."
"Of course, Brother Whethman. I spoke in haste."
"No harm. I sense the heart of a lioness in this one." Turning his attention back to Kay, the older man kept his tone light. "You have been blessed, child. Alistar himself has chosen your friend, Dee, for a higher purpose. He has already made his way to the temple, and as a reward, the temple is also willing to take in you and your friends. Your days of living on the streets are over."
It was all too good to be true. Years of only trusting her new 'family' had made Kay cautious. "Where is Dee? I want to hear it from him."
"Shut up!" El hissed at her from behind the robed men. "Don't ruin this for us."
"Child," the man named Whethman said, his voice still calm but with a hint of strain, "I promise you everything I have said is--"
"Where is Dee?" Kay knew she was pushing it by cutting the older man off, but all she cared about was her friend. "If everything you say is true, then it shouldn't be a problem."
The priest's body seemed to shake as he struggled to respond. Clearly this was not a man used to having his words questioned.
"I am sorry, your friend is already at the temple, entering his training. You won't be able to talk to him again until he's through. But I assure you, he is doing quite all right."
Kay shook her head, mouthing words but unable to bring a sound to her lips. How could this have happened? Dee had been there every day of her life for the past eight years. And now he was just gone? He would have come to them, told them what was happening first. Wouldn't he?
"I don't believe you! He would never just leave us without a word!"
Whethman raised a hand as if to strike Kay, and she cowered back. The hand did not fall however, even though by the man's scowl, it still might if she continued to push him.
"When anyone is called into service by Alistar himself," the man growled, "they go without question. Even a gutter rat would not balk at the command of a god. However, we will not force you. The choice is yours. You can go with us and enjoy the care we provide all of Alistair's disciples. Or, you can stay out here and continue to do whatever it is you street rats like to do. You have one minute to make up your mind and then the offer is permanently rescinded."
The thought of losing Dee forever was breaking her heart, and she had always been intrigued by the temples.
"You said something about being a disciple and training," Kay said with a practiced scowl. "Tell me, mister, what exactly does a disciple of Alistair train to do?"
***
A sharp pressure on her left calf brought Kaytlin out of her dream. With half-opened eyes, she glanced down and saw Rook's teeth digging into her leg. She casually reached down and pushed his head away from her leg. Rook returned his attention forward but she could feel the steed's muscles tense between her legs. Kaytlin sat up and made a show of letting out a loud yawn and stretching out her arms.
It wasn't boredom that had made Rook give her a nip. He was a feisty animal but he was also well trained. A bite on her left leg meant Rook had caught wind of danger behind them.
Either some of the local wildlife was getting a
bit too curious, or someone had followed her from Driavarage.
Chapter 33
Night came and went in the Deadlands without Kaytlin catching a glimpse of the thing she had sensed watching her from the shadows. She had ridden for a good portion of the morning and then walked Rook for a while without a sign of anything. If she hadn't been worried about losing Ean's trail, she would have worked harder at figuring out who or what was following her trail. Now the light was starting to fade again, marking the close of another day.
The lack of sleep was taking its toll on Rook. The steed moved with sluggish steps and started to stumble as he walked. When he tripped on an exposed root and almost sent them both tumbling to the ground, Kaytlin decided they both needed to stop. He had put out a good effort, but the animal needed a break. They would have to make camp for at least a portion of the night. Kaytlin guided the horse a little further until she found a relatively flat piece of land and then dismounted.
Parts of Kaytlin were sore from days in her armor, and she struggled to keep her eyes opened. She moaned as tired arms lifted to unload the bags from Rook's back. She was so exhausted that even the thought of putting together a cooked meal was too much. Instead, she got out a few pieces of jerky and plopped herself down onto the grass to eat.
As she sat gnawing on her snack, Kaytlin tried to appear relaxed. She leaned back on her elbows, the jerky hanging loosely from her lips as she chewed, and stared up into the sky. Or into the fog. It was strange not being able to see the sun. Off-putting. She hoped it was closer to evening.
Results. That was she was used to in her life. Hunting down a beast from the Abyss was a simple affair. Go to where it was sighted or a Scar had been reported. Look for and then follow any tracks left behind. Eventually, when she got close enough for the creature to catch wind of her, it would attack, and she would kill it. Simple.
Hunting a normal man infected by the energy of the Abyss was similar. The only difference being if the man or woman knew they were being hunted by a Seeker, they would flee. Wouldn't much matter, though. She and the rest of the Seekers had years of training. They had built up their strength and endurance to extraordinary levels. The day an average man could last longer than a Seeker was the day they would all retire. So, she would pursue the target until they wore themselves out and resorted to hiding. And then she would find them. If they had not been infected by the Abyss, they would be released with a firm reprimand for the effort involved in catching them. If they had been infected . . . as sad as it was, they met the same fate as a beast.
Enemies and Allies (Bound to the Abyss Book 3) Page 27