“Elick is correct. They were also called cartridges. And this one takes three-fifty-seven cartridges. Did they have any more?”
“There were a lot of them, but I only took this one.”
“Could you find the place again if you went back there?”
“I have no doubt I could find it, but I would have to get away from this place, and that does not seem to be an easy task.”
“I would like to go with you so that I can make sure we get the correct cartridges for your gun, and perhaps pick up more guns and the cartridges for those. Then we need to figure out how to use these properly.”
“Elick thinks we could defeat the entire Ravengard with a small number of these,” Tuviast said.
“It would certainly be a game changer.”
“Have you ever used one?”
“We had several weapons underground with us, but none of us ever had a need to use them. I remember looking them over once, and holding them, but we never had an opportunity to fire them. If we could have gotten to them, Malak would never have gotten as far as he did. We could have taken him down very easily.”
“So, if we go and get these guns, we could take down the Ravengard?”
“I am sure of it. The bad news is that it may not be so easy for me to get away to go with you. The good news is, as far as the Ravengard goes nobody knows me from Adam because they say we all look alike.”
“Then let’s go,” Tuviast said excitedly. “Let’s go now, get a few more volunteers, and go get more game changers.”
“I can’t just leave; someone will see me go.”
“Come on!” Tuviast implored. “Time to be a warrior!”
Lucas looked around and saw Tina Davis caring for Cliverly. “I have to let Tina Davis know I am leaving. I can’t just leave without telling anyone and make her worry about what happened to me.”
“I understand, but come on, let’s hurry!”
Lucas stood up, his entire body aching from the day’s work aboard the Harvey, his muscles protesting his every move. He walked over to Tina and explained what he was about to do.
Tina protested the idea at first but then acquiesced when Lucas agreed to wait until everyone filed out for the evening meal. At least then there would be sufficient commotion to possibly hide his sneaking away from the group.
The plan went off without a hitch. As soon as the workers were called out to the evening meal, situated on tables outside their barracks, Lucas and Tuviast managed to conceal themselves behind a low wall that ran all the way back to the compound of kDira and the Blackhorn.
When Lucas and Tuviast got to the Blackhorn building, the Blackhorn were just sitting down for their evening meal, along with many of the Ravengard workers. Much to the relief of Lucas and Tuviast, there were no Ravengard warriors in sight, so they made their way straight to kDira.
“Lucas!” she said, standing up, giving her sore and smelly friend a hug. “I am delighted to see you again, but what are you doing here? Where is everyone else?”
“They are eating: something I gave up, so I come here to speak with you.”
“Please, take my place! Eat, eat!”
Lucas complied, beginning to eat quickly. Between bites, he began to explain his intention to take a small party with him to go back to Mojave and gather guns and cartridges, and what this could do to tip the scales of fate in favor of the Blackhorn.
“How would you get out of here?” kDira asked.
“I think our best chance is to go west and try to get past the big boat blocking the beach. Or we can take out the guards on the wall; it was mentioned there were only a few to be seen.”
“Who would you take with you?”
“I haven’t thought about that yet, but the guns are not light. Getting a cart out of here would be all but impossible.”
“I bet we could make a cart on the way,” Tuviast said. “There are all kinds of things we could use. We can do this!”
“Oh no,” kDira said. “You are staying here, brother. This is a job for grown warriors.”
“Your grown warriors are getting old, sister,” Tuviast countered. “I say Beni, Cayban, and I go with Lucas. We can make a cart and bring back all the guns we could use.”
“He does have a point,” Agis said. “We, as a tribe, are getting older by the minute. Benithan, Cayban, and even Tuviast are the strongest we have. With Lucas, they will make good time, and all are brilliant shots with a bow.”
“Who asked you?” kDira chided.
“I wish to go too,” Charlomine volunteered. “I am as good as they are.”
“That you are, my daughter,” kDira said, “but you are potentially a Princess Mother, and that is something we just can’t afford to risk right now. I’m sorry, Char, but you must stay. Okay, Tuviast, Benithan, and Cayban, you will go with Lucas just before first light tomorrow. Make sure you take enough food and water, and your weapons. But if it must happen, I would not blame you if the war between the Blackhorn and the Ravengard started at that point. Understood?”
“We understand, Queen Mother,” Benithan said. “We will not go down quietly if it comes to that.”
“Please excuse my interruption,” came a voice from behind. It was an older man, not quite as old as Goffer, the old man that they had talked to earlier, but older than kDira by as many as ten seasons; at least he appeared that old.
“Yes? What is it, old man?”
“I overheard you talking about getting out. I can show you how to sneak out a few people without being spotted. It’s better than trying to get around the wall in the water.”
“How do we know you aren’t trying to get us caught?” Tuviast asked.
“If I wanted to get you caught, I would have just gone to the guards now, wouldn’t I? I take a risk just coming to talk to you; do you want me to show you a way out or not?”
kDira looked at the boys, then Agis, then back at the man. “Your help would be greatly appreciated. Can you be at my chambers before dawn tomorrow?”
“I will be there. Be ready to go, as I have to get back to work in the armor factory.”
“What is your name, old man?”
“My name is Nack.”
“Thank you, Nack.”
“What is wrong, my warrior goddess?” Queen Lehentis asked, sitting down next to Ari, who appeared lost in thought. Ari had tried hiding her feelings, but the more time wore on, the more the situation weighed on her.
“Oh, I am just missing my friends. I am hoping they are getting along okay.”
“Oh, but I forgot to tell you the reports I have been hearing is that they are doing very well! Their first day of fishing, they brought back more fish in less time than any of the old-timers that fish every day. You should be very proud of them. They are doing a terrific job and have been rewarded this evening to a special feast.”
“That is encouraging. Do you think that I could go down and visit with them? To tell them how happy you are with their work?”
“Oh, there is no need for that. They have been praised by my warriors and are being treated like royalty. But from what I understand, they are very tired and are looking forward to going to bed as soon as supper is over. Maybe when they get used to the work. Some of those in your tribe are sadly out of shape.”
“I know,” Ari said with a little bit of a chuckle. “Most of them have never done any kind of physical work before.”
“They will get used to it in no time, then you can visit them. Let them have their celebration this evening, and then they will rest. In no time at all, they will be as strong as warriors.”
“I suppose you are right.”
Miss Davis looked down at her plate and the tiny morsels of food that were placed on it. Suddenly she realized why the Ravengard workers would gladly steal from another’s plate: when the portions weren’t even enough for a decent snack, let alone the only meal of the day.
She took a sip of the water that was provided, but it had a strange taste to it. It was not the fresh well
or spring water that she had expected, and she was deeply concerned about the safety in drinking it. She looked around at the tired and hungry faces of her friends. Further down toward the end of the table, she saw young Cliverly, arms folded on the table, his head resting on them as though on a pillow.
“I sure hope Lucas and Tuviast can find a way to get us out of this soon,” she said quietly to herself.
cHAPTER 21
As promised, Nack showed up well before first light to find Tuviast, Benithan, Cayban, and Lucas Brown finishing up the packing of their sacks and belts. The warriors had their weapons slung neatly over their shoulders or hanging from their belts. They decided to leave behind bedrolls and suffer through sleeping on bare earth if necessary. This mission was a sprint, and they needed all the speed and weight advantage they could manage, even if it meant being uncomfortable for a few days.
“Is everyone ready to go?” Nack asked. “My time is very limited, and I will get in trouble if I am late getting to the factory.”
“We are ready,” Tuviast said. He turned and hugged kDira, and then his nieces in turn. “Take care of my sister, now,” he said with a smile, then headed for the door. Benithan, Cayban, and Lucas followed close behind.
Nack led them down to the first floor and out the back door of the building. “This way,” he said, heading in a northerly direction. “The wall in this area was never finished, and at one point toppled over. There is a large gap where we can sneak through without guards seeing us if we are quiet.”
Just as Nack had said, they came upon a section of broken wall. There was no sign of the guards that they expected to be on the wall.
“This is where I leave you,” Nack said. “I assume from this point on you know where you are going. Good luck.”
“Wait, Nack. Why are you helping us?”
“Because then one day maybe things will become better for all of us.”
“I hope so. Thank you, my friend.”
Nack turned and hurried back toward the city.
“Well,” Benithan said, “it looks like we are on our own from this point forward. Let’s make this count. If we make good time, we can get to Mojave in less than four days.”
The four worked their way through the remnants of the wall and made their way to the north into the streets that would give them some cover from anyone that might be watching from the wall of Ravengard. Lucas led them several blocks into the city, then turned east to make their way to the road they had entered the city on. The temptation to explore was overwhelming, but the mission was much more important.
“You don’t suppose there are any of those guns in this town, do you?” Cayban asked.
“It would take us weeks to explore the entire city,” Lucas Brown said. “We are better off going to Mojave where we know there are plenty.”
“You are probably right,” Cayban agreed, but he couldn’t help recalling what a long, hot trek it had been from Mojave to Ravengard.
Nack had found his way back inside the walls and was about to make a quick dash to his sleeping compartment when a wall of Ravengard humanity appeared in front of him.
“What are you up to, wretch?” asked the tower of a Ravengard warrior standing directly in front of Nack.
“I was… I… was just going for a stroll.”
“Appears to me you were out for a run, like you were running from something, or to something. Which is it?”
“Honestly, I was out for a stroll, and then I realized I was going to be late for my shift in the factory, so I had to hurry back—”
“You were showing the outsiders a way out! Tell me, wretch, what are they doing, and where are they going?”
“I do not—”
Mid-sentence, massive hands reached under Nack’s armpits, then reached up to the back of his head, putting him in an unbreakable headlock. The Ravengard behind him pulled so tight, Nack’s feet all but left the ground, and he scrambled to try to keep his composure.
“Tell me again something that I do not want to hear, and I will slice you open from your groin to your chin, then I will remove your cullions and feed them to you. Now, where are they going?”
Struggling to even breath with his head thrust forward in the headlock, Nack managed to spit out “Mojave, they said.”
“What is a Mojave?”
“I do not know. It is some place east of here, I think.”
“How many of them left?”
“Four. There were four of them. They caught me on my morning walk and threatened to kill me if I didn’t show them a way out.”
“What are their names? Which ones left?”
“I only know one: kDira's brother, Tuviast. The others, I don’t know who they are, but they are close to the Blackhorn leader.”
“Put the wretch down,” the warrior said. The headlock was released, and Nack fell to his knees. “I want to believe you…” the Ravengard continued.
“I assure you, there are four, and they are headed east to some place called Mojave. That is all I know.”
“I believe that, but what I don’t believe that you are innocent in all of this. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have started out lying about it.”
Without another word, just a glance from the Ravengard warrior-in-charge, a sword stabbed from behind, into the ribcage of the old man, and out the front. Nack managed only a short but sharp shriek before he fell forward, dead.
“Inform the Queen, and then get a party together to track them down. Do not let her pet female know what we know. Do it now!”
The Queen’s blood started boiling when she heard the news, but she could not allow her feelings to show in front of Ari. The Ravengard Sergeant informed her that he would be organizing a party to go after the escaped outsiders, and she agreed. Her only stipulation was that she wanted General Ultral to lead the party, and to ensure the outsiders were handled appropriately.
Ari, standing next to the window looking outward at the workers leaving for their daily routines, tried to see if she could recognize any of the faces from the crowd, but she was just too far up in the air to make out any of the details. She knew there were secretive talks taking place not far behind her, in hushed voices, but all she could make out was that the General was going to be taking charge of something, and the Queen felt it urgent enough to put him there.
When the Sergeant made his exit, Ari turned and made her way over to where Queen Lehentis was pouring herself a glass of bryne. Ari could see that the Queen was visibly irritated, despite her attempts to hide her emotions.
“What is wrong, my Queen?”
“It is none of your concern.”
“I just thought I might be able to help. Is there something I can do?”
“Yes!” the Queen said sternly. “You can mind your own business! You can do what I tell you to do and nothing more, and if I say it is none of your concern, then it is none of your concern!”
“Yes, my Queen,” Ari said, averting her eyes downward. “Is it about kDira and the Blackhorn?”
The blow came swift, unexpected. The Queen’s backhand struck Ari such a blow that she no recollection of hitting the floor. “Any more questions?”
Ari struggled to regain clear sight. When she could finally focus on the Queen standing over her, the question registered within her rattled brain.
“No, my Queen.”
“Then go to your room and do not come out until I call for you.”
Ari rolled over to push herself onto her hands and knees, then to her feet. She felt her jaw to see if it might have been broken but did not believe it to be so. The pain, however, was real, and the taste of blood in her mouth made her want to find a place to spit. Without a word, she slowly walked to the second bedroom. Ordinarily, she would stay in the Queen’s bedroom, but she knew by the tone in the Queen’s voice that that was not the case this time. She entered her own room and closed the door behind her.
Ari looked around at the room, and though sparse, it was as clean as any other in the Queen’s quar
ters. She walked over to the bed and sat on the edge. She looked toward the window, then toward the dresser near the side of the bed. She noticed that she could see herself in the mirror on top of the dresser, and the image she saw was someone she did not recognize. Though it was clearly her face, the quickly blackening eye, the blood dripping from the corner of her mouth, and the silky black dress the Queen had picked out for her that day did not reflect the warrior that she was.
And she longed for the company of kDira.
cHAPTER 22
In the early morning hours, the sound of the door being kicked open and the unmistakable shing of a metal sword being pulled from its sheath brought kDira to a fighting stance within seconds, though her closest weapons, her long knife and short sword, were on a counter near the door. She had put them there in case she ever needed to make a quick exit. It never dawned on her that she would have to defend against intrusion.
“What is the meaning of this?” kDira demanded.
“The Queen wishes to speak with you,” answered a Ravengard warrior. “Please have a seat.”
“You can’t come in here and tell me what to do!”
Within seconds, at least more six Ravengard warriors entered, grabbed her and pushed her into the nearest chair. One stood on each side; others held swords pointing at Agis, who had made his best attempt to get up quickly from his chair but failed.
The door to the bedroom of the girls’ room swung open. “Mum, what is happening?” Charlomine asked, frightened by the noise and the presence of the soldiers.
“Go back into your room and block the door. Do it now.”
Charlomine, not questioning her mother further, did as she was told. She also made sure she and Star quickly readied their weapons, prepared for an intrusion into their room.
As the warriors kept kDira at bay, a path between the other warriors opened, then Queen Lehentis entered the room. Every Ravengard warrior snapped to attention.
“Hello, kDira. I have tolerated your presence here long enough, and now I hear you are beginning to cause trouble.”
The kDira's World Anthology Page 55