She could’ve landed in worse places.
They took a path around some of the largest, most ornate houses Shanti had seen thus far. Well-tended vegetation and large yards sprawled around each two-story house. Small wooden fences sectioned off each residence, declaring the land as owned.
“Kind of selfish, not to share the soft grass with your townspeople,” Shanti muttered.
As they toured around the last house in the row, the crisp smell of nature welcomed Shanti in. Lush green took over the landscape; old and thriving trees grew unhindered. Wild and alive, the natural replenishment a forest could offer Shanti’s Gift softly caressed her senses, smiling and gesturing her forward.
“How did I not know this was here?” Shanti asked in a breathy whisper, staring into the deep, lush world of green.
“It is behind that square piece of development. City councilors get the perk of looking at trees instead of other houses or the wall. They treat it as their own backyard, but it’s actually available to everyone. It prevents hikers from having to venture outside the walls if they don’t want to. And lately, with all the Mugdock activity, nobody in their right mind wants to.”
Shanti bowed to Junice. “Thank you, this is exactly what I needed.”
Junice patted her on the back. “Just come back when you’re done. I don’t want the Captain angry that you were left unattended…”
“The secret is safe with me,” Shanti said easily.
Junice smiled and wandered away, trusting Shanti to stick to her word.
As Shanti watched the woman leave, a gush of warmth filled her chest. Junice had been nothing but kind and patient, nurturing Shanti back to health while chatting with her like a friend. The woman had opened her home to a complete stranger, proving herself trusting and kind. And she wasn’t the only one who cared.
Molly had popped by a few times as Shanti regained her health, checking up on her, chatting. Even the Captain—whose name Molly had said was Cayan—sent messengers to get updates on her health, and let her know he was available if she needed anything. He hadn’t badgered her about her origins or her business. He hadn’t bullied or pushed. And he hadn’t given her a jailer, as Junice had said. This city was filled with good-natured people, and despite Shanti’s attempts to the opposite, she couldn’t help feeling attached to its charms.
Hating the guilt that settled in her chest because of the danger she was to these people just by being in their city, Shanti meandered between two large trunks, purposely not using the dirt path off to the right. The fresh smell of the forest greeted her, sweet and alive, singing in her blood. Closing her eyes, she kept walking, opening her mind, allowing the life around her to bolster her strength, seep into her Gift. This was the wood she’d needed two weeks ago. The surge of life-force that could quickly replenish what she’d diminished along her route. It would speed health, cutting her time of recovery in half.
Wandering in deep, she found a Grandfather tree that had grown large and strong through generations. She laid her palm on the coarse bark in greeting before sinking to its base. Closing her eyes, she let her mind expand and drift. Reaching. Remembering.
“Look at me.”
Shanti opened her eyes, feeling the rough bark on her bare back. She felt his hand in hers, and looked into him with eyes and mind. Felt him. Was at one with him. His eyes were the color of the rich, fertile earth. His breath was sweet. He was love in a handsome smile.
“You are beautiful.”
The birds sang their joyful song high overhead. She looked into the eyes of the person she trusted more than any other she had ever known. “Beauty means nothing.”
“It does when it is your soul. And you are beautiful. To me.”
Shanti felt a smile bud.
“Your grandfather asked that I stay away from you,” he continued, his eyes sad.
“He can’t control me, so he is trying to control you.”
“Yes. I have not given him an answer either way. I thought I would ask you.”
“You know my answer.”
“Your answer is based on your feelings. For me. Not those of your people. Our people. You need to lead them. I am not even a fighter. I am a caregiver. I can offer you nothing.”
Shanti felt his feathery soft hair. “You can offer me yourself. And that is all I will take. Everything else is provided for me. Someone will need to care for the children.”
“I give you less of a chance to have any.”
Shanti shrugged. “You are the Empath. You care more about that than I do. I want you.”
Shining brown eyes closed just before his lips touched hers. She deepened the contact, and let him in. With his type of Gift he could only sense her, but with how much love she felt, it was more than enough. For the first time, she let him in, mind as well as body. Her Grandfather’s meddling be blasted.
With a tear rolling down her cheek, Shanti felt the mind coming, interrupting a sweet memory of times lost.
Treading on silent footfalls, he worked his way through birds and other small critters without raising any kind of alarm. The ability bespoke an experienced and accomplished tracker, not to mention someone well versed in sneaking up on people. As he was trying to do now, she had a feeling.
That swirling mind path made its way to within ten feet, without sound, and stopped. He hunkered down, intent and focused, watching. As the minutes ticked away, and the soothing forest air brushed Shanti’s face, that swirling rainbow started to calm. Started to decelerate until it wasn’t much more than a floating wave of colors. It seemed his Gift worked like hers, sucking in the life-force around them to replenish itself. To strengthen.
He had the Old Blood, obviously. It was getting harder and harder to deny that fact. And yet, she hoped beyond anything that she was wrong. That he was some other anomaly that could remain untouched by the Graygual advancement. She’d seen how smoothly his city ran—even through her jail cell of needlepoint. His people were happy, everyone was fed, and no one wanted for anything necessary to life. Yesterday, when she snuck out to the yard to capture some sun on her face, she noticed him striding down the street away from her location, four advisors keeping pace. He’d noticed a child in a yard he was passing and stopped almost immediately, turned toward the yard, and helped the child rescue a ball from a roof. It had taken him half an hour. He’d had to scale a tree and leap onto the roof. He’d turned himself from an enemy jailer into a human leader. To someone with the same trials and tribulations she herself had had.
He’d become a life Shanti couldn’t, in good conscience, take away.
But if he was the same as her, with his Gift, it was only a matter of time before the greed and filth that was the Graygual-way corrupted him, either by turning him to their cause, or debasing him and breeding him out. If he could further the war effort, he would become enemy number one—with or without the will to do so. And for that reason, he would have to die. It was just one more part of her duty that would scar her for life.
And how many were there besides him? It was too big of a coincidence she would stumble upon the path of the only other. There had to be more. And if so, was the Being Supreme aware?
A shot of adrenaline pierced her. What if the Being Supreme had others? What if those others were being trained? What if the Graygual were making headway on their arsenal of minds?
“Are you okay?”
Shanti was up and moving before the sentence finished, startled into action. She lashed out with a foot, hammering it into his hip joint. She met hard muscle. She rammed her fist into his solar plexus, this time with much more force. His breath gushed out, but a quick step to the side had him ready for the next attack, then defending, as she swiped a foot through the air, aimed at his head. He batted her away, always on the move.
Shanti pummeled her fists into his gut, meeting more hard muscle. Yanking his wrist down with one hand, she jolted his elbow with the other. He flung her off, making her stumble before regaining her balance. She shoved her fingers
toward his eyes. Near miss. Her foot at the ready, she swung, and met solid back. A leg sweep, which he jumped over, landing perfectly on the balls of his feet, quick and agile. And much stronger.
She was already panting. Her body was screaming. Her speed was half-mast. Her mind wasn’t even that far along.
He wasn’t attacking. He was taking the easy hits and dodging the damaging ones. Placating.
Well that was a little embarrassing.
With a grimace of defeat, Shanti halted her advance.
The Captain stood immobile as she wound down, waiting to see if she would throw another hit. She didn’t bother. Even with a sword she couldn’t defeat him. Not in mind or body. Not yet.
It had been two weeks and she was barely farther along. No more stalling.
She sank to the ground, breathing heavy, the weight that had settled onto her chest making it hard to draw breath. He sat down beside her quietly.
“You can fight.” It was that deep gravel that gave her shivers, currently subdued. He let the hush of their surroundings filter into his tone.
“Sorry. You startled me.”
“Sanders said you had muscle tone fit for a soldier, and calluses to match.”
“He’s correct. Although I’m a long way from fit. Too far. I haven’t been healing in the right ways—something this wood will hopefully rectify.”
“Those weapons are yours.”
She nodded her head slightly.
“I figured it when I measured the leg harness—it’s too small for a man.”
She nodded again.
“Is it blood sport? Is that why you fight? Are you running from the people that make you do it? I can help you. Protect you. We do not tolerate that sort of violence here.”
A pang of longing stabbed her. If only he could protect her. If only it was something as small as a domineering mate or an imprisoning culture. She sighed, blinking tears from her eyes. “It is not sport. I train, I fight, I kill if necessary. Like you. I am not running from whatever it is you imagine. I am not preyed upon because of my sex. I was not a slave and I was never mated. Nor raped. I intend to keep it that way.”
He nodded quietly, clearly out of his element regarding what sort of women fought when they didn’t have to. Letting it go, he murmured, “Fair enough. But you’re far from home. Are you home sick? Do you need money to get somewhere? Include me on your plans and I can help.”
She laughed sardonically. “Homesick, yes. Every moment of my life, waking or otherwise. Do I need money? No, thank you. There’s nothing to go back to.”
“So you’re running, then?”
“For now, yes. For good, no.”
The rainbow looked like it was caught in a whirlpool. “Are you giving me vague answers on purpose?”
“Are you purposely asking questions in my time of vulnerability for a better chance of getting answers?”
“I don’t like to see a woman alone without resources, or vulnerable, if I can help her.”
“You didn’t answer the question.”
The Captain paused. Then snorted and looked out at the trees.
“Exactly,” Shanti whispered.
“You’ve picked up our language quickly,” he began again. He bent his knee and looped a large arm over it.
“I already knew it, as you remember.”
“Your accent is much improved, your word choices are intelligent, and your swear words are…colorful.”
It was Shanti’s turn to snort. “Set young boys to match my steps and I get the choicest cuts of colorful language.”
“Sanders said he hasn’t seen you since you went to stay with him.”
Shanti picked up a blade of grass. The filtered sun highlighted it in splotches as she twirled it in her fingers. “You’re trying to punish him for some reason, while getting someone capable to keep an eye on me. He’s trying to live his life. I’m allowing him to do that. He needs to feel free to talk to his mate. He needs license to have loud, obnoxious sex. Why he doesn’t is beyond me, but it is not my fault.”
“Maybe he’s waiting for an invitation for two women at once…”
Shanti smiled, grateful that the Captain was trying to lighten the mood. “Maybe, but I’d rather not get drugged, then murdered in my sleep by Junice.”
The Captain laughed. It was a deep, peaceful sound, light and pleasant. It tickled her stomach pleasantly, reminding her of pleasures lost. Then he sobered, the dimples stored away, too serious too soon. This man didn’t live much. He worked, he bore the responsibility of a large city with a lot of trade and goods, and he let himself be ruled by his job as he ruled those under him. Shanti pitied him slightly. It wasn’t a great way to live a life.
The Captain backed his rump up and settled against the tree at Shanti’s back. “I hear you’re abusing my Cadets.”
“Teaching, not abusing.”
“Kicking them for not vocalizing an affirmation is abusive.”
Shanti snorted. She’d done worse than that on occasion. “And if you truly believed that, you would not hold your position for long. I was treated much worse when I was learning. I had harsher rules. And look, I’m fine. It made me a more disciplined fighter.”
“Boys step out of line as a matter of principle. They’re wilder than girls. They break the rules to test boundaries. I don’t punish as much as you might think.”
Shanti threw down the grass. “Boys might be wilder most times, but there are always exceptions. You’re speaking to one.”
“I see,” he said with an amused tone.
“Marc is bright but painfully shy. Painfully shy. Getting kicked in the head helps him realize that merely getting looked at isn’t so scary.”
“Xavier is budding. He is starting to lead.”
“That wasn’t my doing.”
“It was, in a round-about sort of way. He’s responding, growing into a fighter with your methods. Rachie, Gracas, even Leilius, they are responding.”
Shanti shrugged. “They just needed structure and a little attention.”
“Sanders nearly choked on your cookies.”
Shanti couldn’t help but laugh. “Now I understand the swirling mind colors. You have so much going on in your thoughts at any one time, one wonders what will pop out of your mouth.” She got a look of charmed confusion. She might as well have been speaking in her own language. “Um…cookies, oh yes. I warned you, as you recall. Fighting, hunting, shooting—they are all I know.”
“I see. And have you made any progress with your needlepoint?”
Shanti stood, sensing more male minds coming her way. The Captain followed her lead. If he was surprised she knew they were coming, he didn’t show it.
“You’ve been in here for some time, “he said, sobering once more. “We thought you might try to make a run for it. Your honor guard is finally showing up.”
Shanti turned to him and looked up. The man was massive, but there wasn’t an ounce of fat on him. It was an unpleasant reminder to the challenge he would present to her fitness level. “How did you find me? If they’re just now showing up...”
He winked. “That’s why I get called Lord. I’m the best.”
She sniffed. “How do you carry that ego around? Does it not get tedious?”
The Captain smiled, his dimples making deep divots in his cheeks. With a glance in the direction of the oncoming kids, he nodded once and walked away, the opposite direction as the clambering honor guard.
She shook her head, then donned a wicked smile.
Now to scare the honor guard.
Chapter IX
THE END OF THE NEXT couple weeks saw Shanti back to nearly full health and desperately working on full strength. She went through her fighting styles, one at a time, until she was shaking and sweaty. Then she did the same with her mental conditioning, nearly blacking out twice. She had been taking to the trees, always practicing there at night, giving Sanders and Mrs. Sanders some time to themselves.
Shanti’s honor guard was now an Ho
nor Guard. It was a real title. And it was real irritating. The Captain in all his misplaced wisdom decided he was tired of punishing the boys for obeying her and not their immediate officers, so he assigned them to her for safe keeping. He also wanted to punish her with a bunch of ridiculous little kids following her around, constantly getting in the way and tripping each other up. Plus, he said, she needed protection.
Shanti had asked Sanders for clarification, making sure “protection” didn’t actually mean surveillance. She was told that technically, no, but in this case, probably.
Being that she didn’t have a real job, and only needed half the day to work on her strength and endurance, especially with no weapons, she decided she might as well make a game of it. She started leading a merry chase around the city, much to the Honor Guard’s chagrin, only to pop out from behind a corner when they least expected it. They never thought it was as funny as she did.
This was all exasperating for the beloved Captain, of course. He had informed her, through the proper channels, that she was to stay in Sanders’ house unless chaperoned. She was to behave like a lady. She was to keep quiet and stop bothering him with her blatant disregard of authority.
Being that excrement flowed downhill, the chain of command was nothing more than a poop-chute; the lowest member having to walk around with shit on his face. She relayed this fact to anyone with the Captain’s agenda on his or her lips.
The next message tumbling down the chain of command was simply, “Be nice.”
It was one blissful afternoon where not being nice was the name of the game. Having thrown off her persistent Honor Guard for the moment, Shanti walked into the training grounds, the location of which she was absolutely not supposed to know. It was a large open area nestled in the middle of a copse of trees at the extreme southern end of the city. The outside wall was easily visible, with no cover or branches close enough that a person could climb up and hop over. She never bothered to point out that the wall was made of rough stone with large masonry cracks; climbing wasn’t difficult.
FIERCE: Sixteen Authors of Fantasy Page 34