Internally, he cringed at the thought of his other rider being exposed to the foul heart of the netherbeast and what it might do to the young girl. He vowed to prevent that from happening no matter what, even if it meant sacrificing his life.
“Quit thinking about her and concentrate on what must be done,” his rider scolded. She was angry and frustrated. Because of Kayleigh’s lineage, Danella had been denied her revenge and, in Majherri’s opinion, she wasn’t handling the new orders very well at all.
Danella was full of pent up energy, like a caged animal about to be freed from her prison. She wanted to ride, fight, and ride some more. His rider was determined to bring the Yar to their knees. With Kayleigh, he’d fought the Yar and hadn’t been too terribly impressed. Of course, the ones they had encountered were a pitiful group of raiders. The Yar who held true power might be more fearsome opponents.
Either way, they were still weeks of hard riding from learning the answer to that question. The most immediate concern would be getting through the patrols in the kingdoms surrounding them. The flood of refugees had no doubt alerted them to an uprising, even if they did not yet realize the scope of the events unfolding.
The lie that they would tell was that they were the survivors of a cavalry unit from Molansk, a city that fell early in the attacks. It was far enough behind the front lines to make verifying that tale difficult under any circumstances. Count Darius was using the increasing number of refugees to seed spies and saboteurs in cities where they would await the opportunity to act.
Majherri grudgingly conceded that the human knew how to use chaos as a weapon against his enemies. His last campaign against the kingdoms had schooled Count Darius in the art of warfare and the sorcerer seemed eager to put his knowledge to use.
As the boat bumped gently against the shoreline, the unicorn watched as more shiny coins were given to the three men operating the ferry.
Humans are odd, thought Majherri. They put such significance in these useless circles of metal. You cannot put one in your mouth to fill your stomach. There would be decidedly less fighting if humans could just eat grass. Sadly, if that were the case, there would be much less grass.
In the days before his rider’s corruption, Majherri would have shared the essence of his thoughts with Danella Lynch and she would have remarked how foolish he was while the two of them laughed. Now, the woman was consumed with naked aggression and a burning sense of rage.
“You seem sad,” Danella commented. “Do you miss the old days?”
The unicorn nodded. She already knew the answer so there was no reason to lie to her.
“I’d like to think we’ve changed for the better,” she said, leaning closer and whispering into his ear. “I see the world in a different light now. My eyes…they see more then I could ever dream. I want you to understand something and this is very important. You still hope that I can go back to being that pitiful excuse of a person you remember. I will not! Not now, not ever.”
Before he could compose a suitable response, Danella pulled on his reins and led him off the front of the ferry like a common animal. As with the horses, his hooves sank into the muddy sand as they disembarked and struggled up the inclined bank through the tall weeds. This close to the water, everything smelled dank and musty. This was an area with little current and the water itself smelled foul and stagnant. Majherri was relieved when he reached the top of the bank and the odor receded. Danella mounted him as he glanced back at the men using their long poles to push the flat barge, now weighing much less than before, back into the river. The Great Western Desert was now officially behind him. Considering what that wasteland had cost the unicorn, he hoped that he would never set another hoof in it for as long as he drew breath.
Riding through the night, the group covered a sizable distance and the humans stopped shortly after dawn to allow the horses a chance to graze and have a few minutes of rest. Majherri could have easily kept going as unicorns have far more endurance than even the stoutest of draft horses. Beyond that, the vile power that flowed across their bond made him stronger and more powerful than he had ever imagined.
Such power would have once meant everything to me, he thought, while looking around. Seeing his shadow on the ground angered him. His horn was missing from there as well.
“You’re still upset,” Danella said, reaching to where his horn wasn’t and caressing it. At least he could feel the pressure of her hand on the missing part of him.
“Once we take control of those northern savages, you will be able to walk freely, without any concerns.”
Somehow, he didn’t think that being able to see his horn would solve the sum of his problems.
“I see riders,” one of the lookouts shouted. Majherri looked up from the ground and saw the shapes approaching in the distance. He guessed that there were three riders which meant a patrol.
“You! Kuresh,” Danella shouted and pointed at the officer leading the horsemen. “Talk to them. The rest of you, if you see me attack, make certain none of them escape.”
Kuresh was a thick and imposing man, not especially tall, but bulky. He was the commander of these warriors. Most had shaved their heads rather than have their hair braided like the warriors in Molansk, but because of his leadership position, the man had done this as part of their ruse. His expression was cold and calculating with a scar running down the right side of his face. The human was always serious and, from what Majherri had seen to this point, a harsh taskmaster with the men under him.
The patrol behaved as Majherri had anticipated. Two approached while the third held back, in case weapons were drawn.
The leader cupped his mouth with his left hand and called out, “You ride on the lands of King Farum and openly bear arms. From where do you hail and to where do you ride?”
Kuresh did as Danella instructed. “We once rode for the Vizier of Molansk, but escaped the fall of the city to the savages and when we approached Jaruciax two days ago, we saw it was in enemy hands. Have they crossed the Clef yet?”
“Not in force,” the man answered. “You will come with us. We will escort you to Halus.”
“I cannot,” the disguised nomad replied and gestured to Danella. “My orders from the Vizier himself were to deliver his daughter to the safety of the High-King’s court. My honor and my life demand that I and my men do this.”
“I recognize the importance of your mission and give you my word that the lady will be safe on the road to Halus. Your delay will be as short as possible.”
There was more back and forth between the two, but after two minutes Majherri sensed Danella’s irritation as she slipped into his saddle. Her training as a Master Scout emphasized patience, resourcefulness, and diplomacy where possible. She’d abandoned those principles.
Moving alongside Kuresh, she looked down and said, “This has gone on long enough. I’ll take care of this.”
The officer hesitated before saying, “As you command.”
From the look on the man’s face, Majherri could tell that the warrior still believed that he could have talked their way out of the situation.
The unicorn agreed with him.
Nevertheless, Danella urged Majherri forward and bellowed, “Very well! Onward to Halus.”
Majherri saw that the two nearby scouts were confused by the lone female rider approaching at a quick trot.
“Thank you,” she called, with a voice full of false sweetness. “We’ve been on the road so long and it’s been so very hard.”
Both men nodded to her. The leader, a gaunt man with a neatly trimmed beard, said, “As I said, you will be safe while in our care, milady.”
“Of that I have no doubt,” Danella answered.
“Are you ill?” he asked. “You look rather pale.”
“I’ve never felt better,” she said. Majherri sensed a quick shift in his saddle. His rider had either drawn a weapon or tossed her hair over her shoulder.
She’s trying to entice these males into lowering their gua
rd? Sickening behavior.
It was a sad truth that he had become used to Danella’s new appearance, but knew her pale complexion would be especially troubling to those in the warmer climates. It would probably work to her favor amongst the Yar.
“Still, you should allow our healers to examine you.”
“Oh this, it is merely a skin condition and nothing to be worried about. I do appreciate your offer.”
“It is the least we can do, milady. I have family in Jaruciax. Do you have any news?”
“I’m afraid not,” Danella said. “We skirted the city, but have seen many refugees. Perhaps your relatives made it out.”
Amusement and mirth bubbled through their bond. Danella was like a feline toying with prey and she was enjoying it.
“Let us hope so,” the man replied. “How soon will your men be able to ride? We should not linger.”
“I thought you said it was safe?”
“It is safe for the moment, but this is a time of ill omens and I pray to the Goddess and her daughters for guidance. Still, I will assure your well-being for as long as you ride with us.”
“Again, I thank you, noble warrior, but I do have one concern,” she said and Majherri tensed, knowing her amusing diversion was ending.
“Pray tell what has you worried?”
“While I am certain you can keep me safe from whatever surrounds us, but I wonder what will keep you safe from me?”
In a single fluid motion, she drew and struck the perplexed man down. Her other hand sent a dagger into the stomach of the second scout. She kicked Majherri into motion, wasting only enough effort to shove the injured man out of his saddle and to the ground while riding by.
The third rider had barely realized what had happened when she and Majherri were at a full gallop and heading in his direction. He turned his mount and began to speed away. Scouts used the swiftest horses. Most would not be able to catch him.
Unfortunately for the human, Majherri was easily as fast as one of his kin being ridden by an air maiden. The sheer speed of their approach amazed the unicorn and he would have relished the feeling if he didn’t know what was coming next. The man ahead of them had the slight advantage of knowing the ground over which they rode during the brief chase, but Majherri’s speed was too much for him to outmaneuver.
As they closed, Majherri watched as the man tried to hurl knives at them. The unicorn dodged each one, only losing a tiny amount of his momentum. Without any other weapons, the man drew his sword and spun his horse around to meet them.
Danella laughed and pushed her bloodlust into Majherri. His rider wanted him to finish the man. Anger surged through him and, try as he might, the need to end this scout’s life consumed his entire being. Majherri snorted and positioned his head. Seconds later, man, woman, horse, and unicorn collided.
With his rider parrying the man’s sword thrust, Majherri pushed his neck in the scout’s direction and drove his horn through the leather armor the enemy wore. The soldier’s eyes stared in confusion while the horse neighed loudly. The man’s sword fell as his hands moved to the hole in his chest.
Blood flowed down the wound, making Majherri’s cracked horn partially visible. Time stood still, the horn lodged in the scout’s chest looking more like an unfinished painting. The man’s mouth moved in disbelief even as his eyes glazed over and death took him. The horse sensed something amiss and backed away. Majherri twisted his head once more to dislodge his horn. For a brief second, the man slouched in his saddle before tumbling lifeless to the ground.
Danella leapt from the saddle and walked up to the body. Snatching his riding cloak, she pulled it from the corpse and turned to Majherri. She used the material as a rag to wipe away the gore remaining on his horn and supplemented her efforts with the crude wooden canteen on the man’s belt.
“As much as you detest this masquerade Majherri, even you can see how being able to hide your horn could be of use. I will have to compliment Amir the next time I see him, unless of course I decide he’s outlived his usefulness.”
Majherri snorted in frustration. There was nothing about this situation he could begin to like. One of their horsemen rode by to retrieve the riderless horse, but Majherri couldn’t care less.
She ignored his anger, lost in the fog of her delusions. Satisfied that his horn was hidden once more, Danella cupped her hands against his muzzle and closed her eyes. Majherri watched as the blood red lips spread wide on her pale face and she smiled – a truly wicked smile.
“Three warriors! It didn’t even occur to me to use my fire. Do you know that? They weren’t even a challenge to us. Oh, I have become terrible indeed and you…so fast. It is like the very air rushes to get out of our path when we ride. Greatness guides us, Majherri! So long as we are together, nothing shall stand in our way!”
“Milady?” Kuresh called from a respectful distance away with a trio of cavalry beside him. Majherri suspected the men heard Danella’s proclamation and doubted her sanity.
It was yet another subject where the unicorn agreed with the nomad officer.
His rider’s eyes became slits of fury and the smile fled from her face as quickly as it came. “Yes,” she answered in a low, threatening tone.
“My men are disposing of the bodies into the brush. Their mounts carry the branding of this kingdom, so we will not take them with us. We will be ready to leave in a few minutes.”
“Very well,” she answered as the man gestured to the others to take the corpse away. “Is there anything else?”
“As a matter of fact there is,” Kuresh said. “We cannot leave a trail of bodies from here to the northern lands. My orders are…”
“…Your orders are what I say your orders are! You really don’t want to annoy me further. It won’t end well for you.”
“You are correct, Milady. Truly, I doubt I could survive your wrath. But without me, my men will scatter, unwilling to serve you. What then, Danella Lynch? My orders are to see that you achieve the Master’s objectives. What you just did achieved nothing! These three would have died just the same, whether it was today or in the weeks ahead, but we can ill afford alerting others to our presence if our mission is to succeed.”
Danella pondered Kuresh’s words as Majherri felt her rage.
She wants to strike him down, but knows she can’t, the unicorn thought.
“Tell me, Kuresh,” she said, adopting almost the same tone she’d taken with the dead men. “This is a dangerous mission and you volunteered for it. What prize beckons you so much so that you would risk everything?”
The man smiled and Majherri saw that the wound which had caused the scar also took some of his teeth along with it. “Succeed and I will be given a city to rule as my own. Nothing too large I am told, but something to begin building my own legacy.”
“Do you have one in mind?” she asked, amused once more.
“Something nice, with plentiful water and farmlands, where the women are soft and have never felt the heat of the desert sun,” he answered.
“Sounds pleasant enough,” Danella answered. “You dream, Kuresh, but temper your dream by setting a goal you can achieve. I like that. Very well, the next group we encounter, I shall leave it to your diplomatic skills to see us through.”
“I shall do my best, Milady.”
“See that you do.”
Chapter 14- Reunions Both Expected and Otherwise
The moment Kayleigh both dreaded and hoped for had arrived. In the distance, the stone walls of Salif beckoned. The city, a shining jewel described as the gateway to the world, promised safety and security. It didn’t quite rival Talcosa’s mammoth size, but it possessed a grandeur of its own, with long piers stretching out into the Orilon Ocean. The city was one of the few that could boast that it had never been conquered.
Kayleigh sighed, knowing that such boasts and promises were difficult to keep, especially if Count Darius set his sights on the city.
From what Kayleigh had studied of the last war, Salif ha
d maintained a cautious neutrality. The High-King was asked not to use the Portal inside the city to move his troops and the rebels under Count Darius were asked not to smuggle items in the ships traveling the Clef.
The leaders of the city turned a blind eye to both sides violating their requests and instead patrolled their streets to prevent any threat to their power.
Of more immediate concern to Kayleigh was the approaching column of unicorn riders. One of them carried a flag of the Southern Battalion, leaving no doubt as to the identity of the one in charge of the formation: General Althea Hawthorne. Nine other riders traveled with her, which meant a squad, the general, plus two aides. The women rode in a regular formation straight toward them, professional in both appearance and demeanor.
In contrast, Kayleigh looked at her own group. Each looked like they’d seen better days. The only one who appeared close to fresh was the Salif militia scout named Iver who’d joined them after he and his partner discovered them yesterday.
Iver’s partner had turned around and raced back to the city while the man had accompanied Kayleigh’s group. She’d gotten some news out of Iver. There was no flock of bewitched birds circling the skies over Salif. As with Shiftla, the city found itself crowded with refugees from the conflict, but the city was better able to absorb the sudden increase in population.
Nervous, Kayleigh smoothed her leathers and adjusted her dull, unpolished cuirass. Much of her armor had been discarded in the desert heat weeks ago and what she’d scrounged along the way was poorly matched. It made her look idiotic compared with the professional warriors approaching.
Briefly entertaining a fantasy where she just kept riding Cyemma past them, she braced herself for the encounter.
At least she’s not going to attack me, Kayleigh thought. The last time she’d seen the general was in the aftermath of her disastrous challenge with the woman’s daughter, Andrea. The general had wanted to take Kayleigh from The Academy and train her where she couldn’t be a threat to other students. The commandant, General Jyslin, decided against allowing that.
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