Hunted in the Valley (Old Sequoia Valley Book 1)

by C. R. Pugh

  “Perhaps. Do your Warriors train with more than just daggers? Do you use rifles?”

  “Of course.”

  Ravyn leaned forward, her blue-green eyes ablaze with curiosity. “Where do they come from? Do you have a factory that makes your weapons and ammo?”

  “No, we do not.” I stopped to think about all I knew of Peton and its workings. “My Father is an Elder of Peton, and he has never made mention of any such factory. He does talk a lot about our trade routes with other clans.”

  “Tell me about them.”

  “I know well of the trade that we have with the clans Murray and Ahern. They are the two clans located closest to us. We trade with Ahern for our horses.”

  “What do they get from you?” she inquired.

  “Medicines; gold, mostly. The mountains are filled with gold throughout, but it is a soft metal. We do not use it for armor or weapons so it is of little use to us. We trade it to Murray as well. They use it for decoration and for currency within the clan.”

  “And what do you get from Murray that you don’t already have access to?”

  “The people of Peton are not fisherman,” I told her. “We do not have boats or docks. The people of Murray have large, strong ships they take out to sea for weeks at a time to catch all kinds of sea creatures for a source of food. They are delicacies in my city and another source of meat for our bellies.”

  “So no ammunition or weapons, then?” Ravyn shrugged out of the blanket that had been wrapped around her shoulders. “Where is my satchel? My weapons?”

  When I retrieved her rucksack, she pulled out her gun and placed them in front of me. “You are familiar with this?”

  “Every Warrior in Peton has a pistol like yours. We don’t normally carry them on the hunt with us because we don’t want any accidents.” Exiles, for the most part, were not difficult to subdue or convince to join us. There had been some who had become savage in their attempts to get away and made a grab for our weapons. We always brought rifles and pistols in the wagon in the event we ran into a rogue Saber or Howler, but none of us had ever needed anything more deadly than a dagger in many years.

  Ravyn narrowed her eyes. “These are made by General Wolfe, in his compound. I’ve seen the assembly line myself.”

  I scoffed. “That does not mean …” My words trailed off when I saw Ravyn’s skeptical expression.

  “You accused me of being close-minded about Laelynn and her brothers, yet now you want to argue? If Kaelem and his brothers are spies for the General, isn’t there a remote possibility that your clan is trading something to the General for weapons?”

  “It’s just not possible,” I muttered to myself. “I would know about it if we were.”

  “What if they left you out of the loop?” Ravyn asked, turning my own argument against me. “This had to have started long before you became commander. You’re young. How long have you held the position?”

  “Just a year.”

  “How long have you been familiar with these types of weapons?”

  I stared at Ravyn in disbelief. Her speculations were like a punch in the gut. Was it possible that the Elders didn’t trust me with this information? Was this why Commander Hawke had stepped down so suddenly? Did our Elders know what kind of man they were doing business with?

  “I’m sorry,” she said regretfully, keeping her eyes locked on mine. “I understand what it is to feel betrayed.”

  Running my fingers through my hair in frustration, I said, “I do not know for certain, but -”

  “I know,” she agreed without needing to hear the rest. “Thorne, the General is a greedy swine. He loves power and control. I don’t understand why he would willingly give another clan weapons that could be used against him unless there was a reason.”

  My gut was telling me that Ravyn was right. I just did not want to believe that my own clan could have strings attached to this madman.

  Ravyn unexpectedly reached out and rested her hand on my knee to comfort me. It was a small show of affection, but a step forward for her. I ought to be reveling in it, but was completely unwound by what she had revealed to me.

  “You must consider that there could be someone communicating with the General. It may even be an Elder. I hope it’s not true.”

  Before I could argue against it, I heard the flap to my tent flutter behind me.

  “Commander?” It was Brock, letting me know that it was my shift for the watch.

  “Thank you, Brock,” I answered him. “Get some rest.”

  “Yes, sir,” he said, and then quietly retreated.

  Ravyn’s hand still rested on my knee and I could see how saddened she was by all that we had discovered.

  “I must take my shift,” I muttered, still in a state of shock.

  “One more thing,” she insisted, squeezing my knee to halt me. “Did anyone compete with you for your position?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  “If your clan is in communication with the General, and they did, in fact, keep this information from you, perhaps the Elders, or whoever is keeping secrets, were hoping for someone else to fill the position. Someone they could control.”

  The image of a bitter and angry Pierce filled my mind immediately. I stood abruptly, anxious to get away from Ravyn’s probing questions.

  “Thorne, I’m sorry …”

  “I will see you at first light.”

  Without looking back at her, I stepped out of the tent, into the night.

  ***

  Sitting at the edge of the fire pit, I stared into the yellow and orange flames as dawn approached. For three hours, I had been on watch. Only the shrieks of the Night Howlers could be heard from far off.

  Pierce and Brock had returned from a successful journey to the village. No sign of trouble, but they did not have much to report. There was no sign of the soldiers, and the villagers seemed to be going about their business in the usual way. They both confirmed that the crossbow-brothers were nowhere to be found, either.

  Nothing was adding up the way I thought it would. There were more questions than answers. Did father know about the trade with the General? Did Commander Hawke? Surely, he would have been privy to this kind of information. Who could I trust to ask? If there were spies inside Peton, it would be dangerous to start poking around. The General could have turned anyone, even one of my Warriors. Pierce, I could believe. He had never been a friend. Could Ravyn be right? Could the Elders have been hoping for Pierce to fill the role of commander instead of me?

  I had to tread carefully with this information. Only Ravyn and I knew, and that was how it must stay until I had a chance to speak with Hawke. I trusted him more than my own father.

  The sun’s rays were peeking through the sequoias now, and I could hear the other Warriors stirring in their tents, preparing for the day. I dumped out my coffee onto the grass since it had gone cold. That was three mornings in a row I could not enjoy its flavor.

  Hoping Ravyn would be awake, I strode back to my tent. She would help me find the truth. She had a strong sense of justice and loyalty to the people she cared about. If there was one person I could trust now, it was her.

  Anxious to see her, I ducked inside. I expected to find my little warrior cleaning and oiling her weapons out of sheer boredom, or even sleeping, as there was nothing else to do inside my tent. Pretending to be wounded was going to be tough on her spirited nature.

  What I found instead was an empty tent. Ravyn was not there, and her weapons and satchel were missing.

  She had left me.

  21

  Ravyn

  After sneaking out of Thorne’s camp, I traveled roughly five or six miles until I reached a beautiful part of the Valley. There were no massive sequoias here. These trees were friendly and almost playful, as if they were made for a child to climb upon. Their leaves had changed from green to a fiery red during the autumn months. Multiple sprays of sunlight passed through the branches to the forest floor, lighting up the rose bushes and
other flowering shrubs scattered across the ground.

  This must be Crabapple Grove. I’d seen it a few times on the General’s maps but hadn’t given it much thought since I’d never believed I’d make it this far.

  Just ahead, Blackrock River cut a path through the trees, winding its way east to the sea. However, this part of the river was a short segment of rapids. Swimming in these waters would be dangerous. Jagged stones lurked just beneath the flow. Downriver, a stone’s throw away, the rapids ended and the water fell into a deep, slow-moving pool of water.

  Taking a seat on the river’s edge, I ate quickly, hoping it would sustain me for another few hours. I’d have to hunt again, and I was unfamiliar with the game in this area. I was further east now than I had ever been before. My only hope was that I had left the Saber dens back in the heart of the Valley.

  As I watched the water flick off the boulders and onto my boots, I thought about Thorne. He had to know that I was gone by now. Would he be angry? Relieved? I didn’t know, and I shouldn’t care, but guilt crushed me for some reason.

  Staying with him would have been risky. He was beginning to dig too deep into my secrets. They could get him killed, or worse, captured and tortured by the General’s soldiers. Wolfe would think nothing of using the innocent in order to get to me. It was the right thing to do, leaving like I did. A clean break was best.

  Then why was I trying so hard to convince myself?

  If there was one thing I’d learned with the General it was that anything I held close could be taken from me in an instant. I had held Kieron too close and now he was gone. Even my freedom was a fragile thing.

  Then why did you risk your life for Laelynn? For Thorne? I asked myself.

  That was simple. I hated seeing people suffer, especially because of me. It was a weakness that the General had used against me time and time again.

  I shook my head, trying to clear the errant thoughts away, especially of Thorne. The Warriors from Peton were better off without me. I needed to focus on where I was headed next. Perhaps continuing east, further away from the compound, I could find an isolated place to live next to the sea. I could stay hidden, never to be seen or heard from again. The rumors of a mysterious demon would finally die, and I could live out the rest of my days.

  Deep inside, the thought of never seeing Thorne again had my heart aching with loss and loneliness, much as it had those first few weeks without Kieron.

  After finishing off the last of my food, I moved downstream where the water was calm and lazy. I knelt down and scooped water to my mouth with my hand, always alert to my surroundings. The birds and rodents of the forest were rustling around in the trees and bushes. The cicadas’ songs were trilling all around me. The music of the forest was sweet in my ears; a clear signal that no threat was near.

  Bathing helped to clear my head and wash away my guilt. I could imagine Thorne giving me that mocking little grin, reminding me that I was running away again. It was not really him that I was running from though.

  Liar.

  His strength and fighting spirit drew me in, and his silver-blue eyes melted me at every glance. I had ached to run my hands through his blonde curls and trace his scars with my fingers. All at once, I was miserable that I hadn’t kissed him even once.

  I dunked my head under the chilly water in an effort to scrub Thorne from my thoughts along with the dirt from my hair and body. Afterward, I donned my second set of clothes and braided my hair. It had been a long time since I’d pulled my hair back completely. The tattoo had always bothered me, so I had left my thick hair loose to cover it, but I knew it was time to let that shame go. It was because of Thorne that I felt this way. My tattoo wasn’t a disgrace and neither were his scars. I vowed to never deliberately hide my tattoo again, just as I’d challenged him not to hide his face.

  While packing up my dirty clothing, I suddenly stilled. Everything had gone eerily silent. The birds and bugs had hushed their singing. I cursed myself for being so distracted by Thorne, snatched up my belongings, and scurried away to hide. My neck finally began to tingle. I hoped that it had warned me in time.

  Since the brush was useless to hide in, I moved further downstream. The banks of Blackrock River had cut deep through the earth creating shallow caves along the edges. That was my best chance. I slid down the embankment, careful not to tumble into the water. There on the narrow ledge, I stepped carefully until I found a niche under the ridge above. It was just large enough for me to curl up in. With any luck my trail wasn’t obvious. I muttered another quiet curse at my carelessness.

  A few minutes later, I heard their boots stomping heavily on the forest floor. Holding my breath, I knew that at any moment they could be cornering me here on this tiny ledge. I wiped my sweaty hands on my pants and then drew my pistol. After all this time, I should not be so fearful of these soldiers. They had proven again and again to be slow, even thoughtless at times, making it easy for me to escape without much effort. Two was the only one I wanted to avoid at all costs.

  The footsteps grew louder, but they stayed on the grassy ledge above me. It sounded like only one or two soldiers, and probably males with their heavy boots. Regardless, it made my chances of escape a little better.

  Gravel and dirt rained down in front of me, splashing on the embankment and into the river. They’d halted almost right above me.

  “I thought you said you had her.”

  I covered my mouth with my hand as my heart sank. Of course it was Two, the one I’d been trying desperately to avoid.

  “The river is too overpowering,” said the other. “There’s too much water in the air here.”

  There was something odd about this man’s voice, or rather, something that wasn’t odd. He was not a soldier like the rest. His voice was not lifeless, nor did he sound like an uneducated barbarian.

  “I did not save your worthless hide from those savages just to watch you botch this hunt,” said Two, his voice menacing like the rest of him.

  “Don’t blame this on me. It’s not my fault that she escaped,” the man foolishly argued.

  “General Wolfe gave you one job to do. You are to use that talent of yours to scent out the girl. He wants her back.”

  Scent me out? A heightened sense of smell? Perhaps I was not an anomaly after all. There could be others that had special gifts and talents. My mind shifted to Kaelem and the way he’d seemed to read my thoughts. Then there was Thorne with his ability to see things clearly in the dark. Could there be many out there who possessed unique abilities?

  “Like I said, if she’s anywhere around this river, I’m not going to be able to pinpoint her location because of the moisture in the air. It covers up her scent. So I suggest you find her a different way.”

  Two grunted and then there was only silence. He must be struggling to think. The soldiers didn’t do that very well for themselves anymore. They only took orders.

  “We will go back then,” Two decided.

  “Back where?” the tracker whined. “I’m tired of trudging through the mud, especially with you.”

  “Back to the camp of those savages. According to the General’s informant, she was welcomed into the leader’s tent. We will gather more soldiers and question them.”

  “I am going back to the compound,” the other man huffed. “You and the other mules can hunt her on your own.”

  “No, you are coming with me,” Two snarled. “I promised not to let the savages hurt the General’s pet. Now come on!”

  After they’d departed, my heart was still pounding in my chest and my legs shook from crouching down for so long. The savages Two spoke of could only mean the Warriors.

  “Thorne,” I whispered.

  His name alone was enough to get me moving. I knew this was my chance to be rid of the soldiers for good, but Two had snatched the chance from me. I had to warn Thorne.

  Clutching my bag and tucking my pistol back into my belt, I climbed out of the shallow ravine and raced west again, back toward the
Warrior’s camp that I’d left just hours ago. My heart ached when I thought of what the soldiers might do. Thorne and his Warriors would be completely unprepared. I could never leave them to that fate.

  As I ran, a vision of Thorne and his commanding presence filled my mind. There wasn’t much of a choice for me to begin with, I supposed. Perhaps I was destined to meet him. The General always bragged to his soldiers, and to me, that our lives had a greater destiny and that fate had brought us together. His idea seemed crazy, especially after the torture he’d put me through, but now I thought I understood what he was trying to say. I was meant to find Laelynn and her village, because it had led me straight to Thorne.

  This was going to be a hard run back to the camp if I was going to make it there before the soldiers, but I had to try. I gritted my teeth and willed my legs to move faster. I wouldn’t fail him. Even if he turned me away later for leaving him, I would not let anything happen to my Warrior.

  22

  Thorne

  With arms folded across my chest, I stared into the trees. Morning had come and gone. The scant rays of light shining through the foliage had finally burned away the morning fog.

  “Thorne,” Gunter called out behind me. “We’re ready to move out.”

  I peered over my shoulder. The wagons were packed up and the horses were saddled. The four captives sat calmly in the cart, anxious to leave the Valley behind. The clearing was now just another patch of soil, indistinguishable from the rest of the forest. It made me feel hollow inside. For the first time since I had been coming on the hunt, I was not ready to return to Peton.

  Had it only been four days? It seemed like weeks ago that I was standing beneath that balcony, seeing Ravyn’s face for the first time. My shoulders hunched and my jaw clenched at the recollection. I turned to stare into the trees again and scowled.

  Pierce could be counted on to chide me about it.

  “She’s not worth it,” he’d said. “There are other women in Peton that you can trust.”

  The triumph on his face was irksome, as if he had hoped that this would happen. The others had been more understanding and subdued in response to my brooding, especially Gunter. Having encouraged me at every turn, he kept his distance, probably because he was feeling partially responsible.