Traitors (The Traitor King Saga Book 1)

by A. M. Hickman

  In three quick steps, Eve drew a dagger, grabbed and slashed the thug’s right wrist, and then pinned him where he stood by pressing the sharp blade to his throat. The shocked men stepped forward to protect their leader. “All of you take one more step, and his head will no longer know his body,” Eve warned. The men froze. Blood pooled below where she held his wrist; the cut was life-threatening deep.

  “Now,” Eve directed her attention to the leader. “You have very little time before that cut makes you weaker than a little girl, so listen up. You and your goons are going to get off of this ship and forget that you ever met me or this captain. As he said, you have the wrong vessel. Do you understand me?” The thug grunted. “What was that?” Eve threatened while pressing the blade further into his neck.

  “Yes, mum,” the man growled.

  Eve pushed him back into his friends, who caught the large man. He gripped his wrist while roaring, “Kill them!”

  Five men dove onto the pair. Nathan sprang up and was immediately attacked by three men. He landed some well placed punches but was soon held by two as the third pummeled him. Eve was a blur of motion, and the flash of her silver dagger preceded the howl of a man.

  The large man then stepped forward with a darkening bandage around his cut and a long sword in his left hand. With one flick of the wrist, he sent Eve’s dagger clattering to the deck and threatened her neck with the blade.

  Sliding her pinky to the exposed metal of Pain, Blaze braced herself as the sword’s power merged with her emotions. They weren’t Urlificans, but they were threatening her friend and new-found aunt.

  The dark night became like midday to her enhanced eyes. She could smell each man’s stink along with a mild lavender perfume from Eve. Heavy breaths and heartbeats pounded in her ears. Especially the leader’s. His bandage wasn’t stemming the blood flow, and she could hear his rapid heartbeat start to flutter instead of pound.

  “Die, Wilden,” he growled and his muscles twitched with his thrust.

  Blaze burst out of the cabin before he finished the second word, and Pain severed his sword hand. The man’s howl trumpeted in Blaze’s ears, but she continued on.

  Two steps to the right, and Pain slashed the back of the man punching Nathan. Like in a dream, she twirled around and cut the calves of the other two men threatening her aunt. Blaze completed her turn to end up on the starboard side of the Wisp, sword ready to attack the remaining two men holding Nathan.

  Her heart flew with ecstasy. This was what she had trained for; this was the protection she always longed to provide. The power she felt in that moment was consuming. Four large men were taken down in what seemed like less than a breath. All others standing just stared at her in shock, except for Eve, who smiled proudly.

  “Let’s get out of here!” the man whose back she’d cut exclaimed while grabbing one of the calve-sliced men. The other two dropped Nathan to the deck and grabbed their remaining companions.

  “I’m gonna kill her,” the leader mumbled as he was propped on the back of one man. “I’m gonna kill her.”

  The intense desire to make all men fear her like these men focused her mind on one conclusion: these men needed to die. With a shout, Blaze sprang toward them, aiming Pain at the leader first.

  “Blaze! Stop!” came Nathan’s voice. It was no more than a harsh rasp, but to her enhanced hearing, he might as well shouted it right next to her. She stopped just before she left the Wisp, the need to follow the men screaming for her to move forward. “Have mercy on them. They’re defeated; you beat them,” he continued while trying to get up. Eve walked over and helped him.

  The captain looked like he had been trampled by a herd of cattle. One eye was already swelling shut, and blood trickled from a gash above his eyebrow. He couldn’t stand straight and quickly fell toward the starboard railing for support.

  “Look what they’ve done to you,” she growled, and turned toward the fleeing men. She could still catch them. “They should pay for this.”

  “Remember your place and give me the sword, now,” Nathan commanded. Blaze looked back to him and saw the stern urgency on his face, but she could also hear the fear in his heartbeat. Her grip tightened on the sword. Why should she listen to him? Yet again, she had saved his life, and he dare give her commands?

  A quite part inside of her heard Obrae giving her the same command. Put the sword down. She turned to see the men further down the dock, heading toward Eclamai. With a sigh, she walked to Nathan and placed Pain into his hands. The moment the sword left her touch, her world became black, and cotton filled her ears. Bracing herself against the railing, her heart began to race, and she felt as if she couldn’t get enough air.

  “Blaze! Are you alright?” Eve asked while rushing to her side.

  “Yes, yes,” Blaze answered weakly, as her senses adjusted back to their mediocre level. For a moment, the only sound was Nathan’s and her panting. The effects of the fight wore off faster than before, and Blaze’s thoughts caught up with their situation. “I should have killed them.”

  “No, you did the right thing. Killing them would have helped nothing,” Nathan reassured. He shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts.

  “Actually, I have to agree with Blaze,” Eve jumped in. “Now they can run to the authorities and turn in a blung who wielded a sword against a free man. Six freemen, actually.”

  Blaze nodded, “At least we could have cleaned up and gone before they were missed.”

  “Blaze!” Nathan chided while straightening up. Immediately, he doubled over in pain. Blaze rushed over to support him; her strength returning more and more.

  “Nathan, let me check your injuries,” she offered. “What happened?”

  “I’m fine,” he lied through gritted teeth. “Just need a swallow of rum or...AH!” He cringed away as Blaze lightly tapped his right side.

  “Well, that’s broken,” Eve said in a flat tone.

  Nathan seemed to notice her for the first time, “Who are you?”

  “Oh, this is Eve,” Blaze absently introduced. “My supposed aunt.” She looked to the older woman, and Eve gave her a quivering smile. “Now, Nathan, I have to look at this. Let’s get into the cabin.”

  He leaned heavily on her as she led him to the cabin. “I thought you didn’t have family,” he groaned, but his smile tried to shine through. Again, he shook his head as if to clear his thoughts.

  “We’ve known each other for three days,” she said and pulled the carpet aside. Eve followed silently behind her.

  In the light of the cabin lanterns, Nathan looked worse than beaten. Deep purple bruises already spotted his arms and face like patches on a cow. The left side of his face was swollen to twice its size, and blood still trickled from his right eyebrow and busted lip. Shallow cuts ran around his throat where the men had threatened him with knives. Blaze was more concerned with the damage that had been dealt him underneath his shirt.

  “Has it only been three days? Ohoho!” Nathan cringed as Blaze tried to set him down on the floor against a crate as gently as possible.

  “What can I do?” Eve asked.

  “Could I use your dagger?” Blaze held out her hand, and Eve removed the dagger from her waistband. Before Nathan could protest, she sliced through the front of his shirt.

  “Hey! Ouch!” he exclaimed with what little breath he could take. Underneath, the captain looked the same color as Blaze’s dyed skin. Eve gasped, and Blaze immediately knelt down to examine his right side. Using the touch Jonathan had taught her, she lightly pushed up and down his side to feel any abnormalities. Nathan held back a groan as she worked. “Your hands are cold,” he whispered.

  “What a little child,” Blaze quietly teased. As she pressed in the bottom of his ribcage, he pulled away and couldn’t hold back his shout. “I’m sorry, Nathan, but I’m going to have to check each one to see which is broken.”

  “Well, you found one,” he said through gritted teeth and tried to smile but ended up looking like a snarli
ng cat.

  “Blaze, if I may talk to you,” Eve quietly asked.

  She remained focused on Nathan, moving up and down his ribs. “Yes?”

  “Perhaps, we could move to the back of the cabin?” Secrecy softened the old woman’s voice.

  “Nathan needs attention now, so speak your mind.” Blaze wasn’t going to let Nathan out of her sight, not for some petty secret of a long lost aunt.

  “Blaze,” Nathan whispered, his breathing was still labored. “I’m not going anywhere.” He tried to smile again.

  She sighed in frustration. “I didn’t think you were going anywhere this evening, and here you return looking like something an owl coughed up.” She finished her examination and stood to search the cabin for medicine. “Do you have any...”

  Eve grasped her arm, “Blaze, we need to talk about what to do next. You’re in danger.”

  Blaze pulled her arm from the woman’s grasp. “There isn’t a ‘we’ here. In fact, you should probably go.”

  “Nonsense, I lost you once; I’m not losing you again.”

  Anger welled up in Blaze. “You don’t want to be my family,” she nearly shouted. “Every one who gets close to me eventually pays for it. So, for your own sake, just leave.” She turned away and started rummaging through the nearest crate, which turned out to be some kind of berry. But, Blaze just wanted a moment to collect herself and control her misty eyes.

  Hands firmly grasped her shoulders, twirled and pulled her upright to look straight into Eve’s dark eyes. Anger contracted the woman’s face as she sternly rebutted Blaze. “Now you listen here! If you think you can get rid of me by stubborn rudeness, you’re kaffing wrong.”

  Blaze’s anger twisted with a surprising pleasure at the touch of her aunt. She pushed away from the woman. “Stay away from me!”

  Eve threatened Blaze with a motherly finger. “That stubbornness came from your mother, and I contended with that stubbornness when she was alive. So, here is what we are going to do. You’re going to patch up your captain as best you can, and we are going to my house until your visa allows you to leave. Those hoodlums will either bring their friends or the Urlificans to make you pay, so it’s best you not be here. I live outside of the city in a house with a spare bedroom and medicine.” She turned to Nathan, who was still silently sitting on the floor, shallowly breathing and struggling to stay awake. “Captain, your wares won’t be safe, but I get the feeling that you care more for my niece’s safety.”

  The plan sounded good, but something in Blaze gave her a wary feeling. “He can’t even stand, how is he supposed to walk out of town?”

  “I could ride Lily,” he hazily spoke. “So, where do you live?”

  Eve turned and smiled at Blaze, “At your parent’s farm.”

  All objection in Blaze disappeared with that information. She had the chance to return home. Not trusting herself to speak, she nodded. Perfect, white teeth consumed half of Eve’s face as she hugged Blaze. Then she quickly let go. “We must hurry. I’ll saddle the horse while you work on the captain.”

  It took a moment for Blaze to catch up to what was happening. She was so used to being alone, and now, here was family helping her escape yet another danger. Smiling, she shook her head in disbelief; this was too good to be true.

  Chapter 17

  Eve had Lily saddled in no time and led the mare out the back of her stall through the loading door. Blaze walked over and lightly shook Nathan.

  “Uhh,” he moaned. Blaze was concerned with his shallow breathing and began to worry more about a head injury.

  “Nathan, we have to go now.”

  “Blaze...” he half opened his eyes. “We...”

  “Do you need some help?” Eve asked while coming back into the cabin.

  “Yes,” Blaze said, and they got on either side of Nathan.

  He tried to help them, but his broken rib made using his core painful. “That’s it, Nathan, now please take in as deep a breath as you can.” She remembered Jonathan telling Obrae to take deep breaths every time he could after a ram had broken one of his ribs, to prevent a rotten lung. Nathan tried, but he couldn’t take in as deep a breath as normal. “Good, we’ll work on that,” Blaze comforted, and lead them out of the cabin.

  Leaving him and Eve near the saddle, Blaze walked to Lily’s head and gently grasped the mare on each side of her face. “We’re finally getting out of that cramped stall, Lil’. Now, lower,” and Blaze bent down, tapping the mare under her chin. Lily complied by lowering herself to the deck.

  After Jonathan saw the kicking trick Blaze had taught the young filly, he commented on why she didn’t teach the horse something useful, like laying down to transport the ill. Blaze and Lily accepted the challenge wholeheartedly.

  “I’m impressed with this mare’s training,” Eve commented as they secured Nathan to the saddle.

  Blaze smiled with pride. “I think she’s the smartest mare in the kingdom. There hasn’t been a trick she can’t learn yet.”

  “Well, you’re mother had a way with beasts,” Eve said. “I’m sure you inherited that as well,” and she winked.

  While she remained stoic, Blaze loved the idea of inheriting gifts from her mother. She also loved having someone around who knew at least one of her parents. In Srift, they had only been two people who tragically died, nothing more. Eve was giving life back to her mother’s memory. “Let me lock up the Wisp. It may not work, but it’s better than nothing.”

  Securing the door in place of the carpet, Blaze turned one last time to Nathan’s cupboard. If there was anything that he found especially valuable, it should be in the small wooden closet. Tiers of rods provided support for his draped clothes, but she noticed something behind the layers of clothing, a strange large knot in the back wall. After pulling the clothes aside, she pressed it and heard a click. A panel to the left of the knot loosened. Blaze pulled it forward to see a hand-sized velvet purse hanging in the hidden compartment.

  She grabbed the purse. Blowing out the lanterns, she walked out the back of the stall and closed that door to the sound of a latch. She walked over to the trio and subtly slipped the purse into a saddle bag. “Alright,” she returned and couldn’t help but smile. “Let’s go to my parents’ house.”

  “You might need this,” Eve suggested while holding Pain.

  “Thanks.” She took the sheathed sword, tying it to Lily’s saddle. That way, she could still retrieve it without drawing suspicion by wearing it. They walked up the gangplank and left the Wisp.

  Like a childhood ghost story, the river market was inhabited by the whispering of the river and the wafting dance of a light fog. Compared to the quite environment, Lily’s hoofbeats seemed like mini-explosions upon the wooden docks. Eve led while Blaze followed along Lily’s side, head down. They traveled along the river market without meeting anyone until they came to the edge of Eclamai. Two Urlificans stood guard.

  “Don’t worry,” Eve whispered. “I can get us through.”

  “Hault!” the right one groggily commanded. “Papers.”

  Eve reached into her bodice, which both Urlificans took notice of, and pulled out a folded piece of paper. The left Urlifican took it and read under his torch.

  “Rather late for a lady to be out,” the right Urlifican noted with a hint of mischief in his voice.

  Eve thumbed back toward Nathan. “When you have a dead-beat drunkard of a son, I fear every moment is too late.”

  “This says only you entered the market,” said the left Urlifican.

  Eve stared at him indignantly. “Well, I just told you I had to pick up my son. Are you telling me that blung and horses are counted as company now?” she scoffed. “What is this city coming to?”

  The Urlificans blinked at her hazily. “No, they’re not,” the left one confirmed.

  “Well then, what is the problem?” she asked sharply.

  “I guess none,” the right one replied, and Blaze thought the response sounded a little forced. “Continue,” he or
dered and motioned to his partner to return the paper. The left Urlifican made a mark then handed it to Eve.

  “Honestly,” and she returned the paper to her bodice. “I thought the force was made of smarter stock. Come along.” With her head held high, she lead Lily, Nathan, and Blaze forward.

  The wooden dock switched to a white brick path as they walked along Eclamai’s quiet riverfront. To her astonishment, Blaze realized that the peculiar structures jutting into the river were massive waterwheels, transferring water to aquifers that conveyed the liquid up the city.

  Dying torches glowed red along the road as the trio passed closed workshops and stores. But, they weren’t alone. A shout shot out of a nearby alley, and Blaze jumped for the sword. Eve turned with her hand raised, “Hold, they’re no threat to us.” Down the dark alley, the sound of men struggling raised the hairs on her neck. “They are just fighting for a tent or something of the like,” Eve explained, and urged Lily forward. Blaze released her grip on the sword and followed along.

  They continued their journey through the riverfront in silence. While the occasional grumble or whisper alerted them to the alleys’ inhabitants, they remained unseen. The newmoon was half way through her decent by the time they reached the second gate leading out of Eclamai to the north. Eve presented her paper to the groggy guards, and they were let out of the city without any drowsy questions. Eve purchased a lantern from them and handed it to Blaze.

  Blaze didn’t ask her first question until they were well away from the Urlificans at the gate. “So, what is your story?”

  Eve chuckled. “Oh, I know you are only interested in hearing about your mother. But, what I know of her is also a part of my story.

  “We grew up in Eclamai with a man who ordered us to call him ‘father’. We were left to him by our parents, but that part of our tale is too gloomy to tell. So, I’ll start with what happened once we were freed from that man’s influence.