I rolled my eyes and snorted. “Hardly.”
“Hmm… I think someone’s in denial. Think you’re too good for the likes of me, huh?”
With my lips held tightly together, I turned my head away and watched the village people go about their day.
“Perhaps it’s because I find you safe.” He said the words so quietly, almost under this breath, that I had to make sure I had heard him correctly.
Safe? What did that mean? Was it in answer to my first question? I looked over at him, but his head was facing away from me.
Before I could ask him to clarify, we reached the hut that belonged to Molly’s sister, Tia. The woman was pretty, around my age. At seeing Leon, her eyes widened, and her cheeks flushed. I inwardly rolled my eyes. His head was already big enough as it was, so maybe he wouldn’t notice the doe-eyed expression on her face.
“You must be Tia,” I said, capturing the woman’s attention away from Leon. “Your sister said you were in need of medical attention.” As I spoke, I gave her a thorough look over, looking for any symptoms of the village illness. I saw nothing.
“Oh, um…yes, but just you.” She eyed Leon, then looked back to me. I blinked back at her.
“I’ll just wait out here, Sarian.” Leon sounded like he was about to laugh, so I looked at him sharply. He smirked and stepped aside, waiting for Tia to invite me in. What was so funny?
“Come in, please, Mistress.” Tia opened the door wider and went inside while I followed her. I turned back to Leon, but he wouldn’t look at me. I shrugged. The man was a mystery to me, as most of the people here.
I shut the door and surveyed the hut. The room was clean, smelling of cinnamon. No children, no mate. A single cot on the floor and a small table with a few dishes on top were the only furnishings. Tia sat on the cot, while I stood frowning, waiting expectantly for what it was she needed. I didn’t have time for nonsense; I had sick to attend to, and Tia was not sick.
“So what I can help you with?” I asked her.
She bit her lip. “I want to have a child. I’ve heard that you have the…power to make that happen?”
Now it made sense. Sarians weren’t just known for their healing of ailments but also midwifery. The acolytes who couldn’t stick with the rigorous training a future Sarian required, usually ended up as a charlatan, and it was they who sold the lies of miracle tonics and cures.
I let out a sigh, feeling a bit of pity for the woman. I wouldn’t be able to help her and told her as much.
Standing, she put her hands on her hips. “But you can! Everyone knows that! Is it because I’m poor? I can offer you something… anything—”
I held up my hand. “I’m sorry, there is nothing I can do. Perhaps it is your mates that have the problem.” At that she shook her head. “Are your cycles regular?”
“No, it’s me.” She touched her empty womb as if it were obvious. Maybe it was her womb, maybe it wasn’t. Regardless, I could do nothing.
“Again, there isn’t anything I can do.”
After pleading, this time with her hands gripping my robe, a wild look came over her eyes. “I know what! But you have to promise not to ever tell anyone. Ever, ever, okay?” She was whispering, like there was a huge conspiracy attached to whatever it was she was about to impart. Was the girl insane, perhaps?
She released my robe and stepped away quickly to her cot, reaching under it. She brought out a small package no bigger than her hand. With her eyes shining in what looked like mischief, she stood and handed the item over to me, almost reverently.
Curious, I asked, “What is this?”
“Shhh! You mustn’t talk so loud, Mistress. Take it. There’s so much more where that came from.” She nodded at the package in my hand, a grin on her face. “Once you’ve had some, you come back here and I’ll get you more, and that will be your price, yes?”
I nodded slowly, very much determined to classify this woman as insane. Denying her “gift” may even set her back further into her delusions, so I accepted the package and thanked her.
“Truly?” She let out a deep breath when I nodded, and she grabbed my robe again. “Oh thank you, Mistress!”
I left the hut, totally at a loss of what I had just witnessed. I must have looked odd, because Leon grabbed me by the elbow, turning me onto the path that my feet seemed to not want to go on. Absently, I put the small package in the pocket of my robe.
“Told her you couldn’t help her, eh?” He pulled my hand through his arm and patted it with his other hand like I was elderly. A small spark of irritation broke the spell of my confusion, and I tried to jerk out of his hold, but he wasn’t budging. Instead, I huffed and let him keep my damn arm.
“How did you know what she wanted? Tia, I mean,” I asked as we walked past a group of kids chasing a chicken.
“Let’s just say she’s been after all the available men in the village since she grew...well, you know.” His hands moved in a dramatic fashion as he chuckled.
I chose to ignore the miming of breasts. “And no one has claimed her?”
“Watch your step there, Lyra.” He pulled us to the right, diverting me from walking into a pocked hole in the dirt path. “No one’s claimed her, no. They’ve tried but… not sure why she keeps them at arm’s length.”
I snorted. “Doesn’t sound like that’s the case.”
He laughed. “Guess not.”
“So, have you asked to claim her? She’s pretty, has nice teeth.” I cleared my throat, my cheeks flushing. What did I care about Leon’s life and what he had or hadn’t done? Perhaps I was just bored, looking for a distraction.
From the corner of my eye, I saw him shake his head.
“Dovia, no. I wouldn’t touch her if she were the last woman in the Great Wild.”
I looked up at him. He really was handsome. Tan skin, a hint of facial hair around his mouth and throat. He had been looking more and more civilized each day since I’d been here. His green eyes found mine, and the tip of his mouth quirked up. I swallowed, my mouth suddenly drier than the Gorhan Desert.
“Hungry?” he asked, his eyes dropping to my mouth.
I was so hungry. And stupid. I turned away and focused on the tabernacle up ahead. “Famished. I wonder what Tymus has planned for lunch.”
Leon laughed heartily, his whole body shaking, making my arm jiggle. I tried one last time, in vain, to release my arm from his, but he only laughed harder. Horrid man!
When we reached the entrance to the tabernacle, Adon and Jonah were standing outside with a man in orange robes. I felt Leon tense, and looked at him inquiringly, but he offered nothing. Either he didn’t like the man, or something about him being here wasn’t good.
Turned out, it was the latter.
10
JONAH
When I saw Leon and Lana headed our way, I felt the tension of the past twenty minutes leave. Something about the Sarian’s presence was comforting, like a soft, cool breeze on a hot day. What Adon and I had just found out was way worse than the hottest day. A bit of good news but packaged in poisonous paper.
Manwell, the Sire of Varns, a village about three hours north of us on horseback, had arrived with dire findings: the sickness had spread, and the culprit was a plant that Wildlands shamans used for rituals. The plant in question had of late been harvested in tainted ground, and those using the plant—in tea, in pipes, sometimes even food—had been getting more than they bargained for.
After filling in Leon and Lana all that Manwell had told us, the five of us stood outside the tabernacle while Tymus readied the hall for refreshments.
“So this plant—” Lana started to say.
“Tikil Lie,” supplied Manwell.
“Tikil Lie, then, has been causing this illness? How does that explain the vast numbers of sick? And children? Does the Forus Village even have a shaman?”
I turned to Adon, curious as to how he’d explain. It was an important question, after all. But it was Leon who answered.
“I
t’s being abused, of course. Whatever this taint is that corrupted the Tikil Lie, if it’s anything like gheus, then we’re talking a trade issue, Adon.”
“Gheus? What is that?” A crease of curiosity brushed the Sarian’s lovely brow. I wanted to ease the mark with my finger.
I shook my head, trying to get my mind on facts, not feelings. “Our ceremonial drink,” I answered. “Very sacred and very…”
“Potent.” Adon nodded absently, then turned to Manwell. “I’ll speak with my aide and will make arrangements for us to go to Whisper Valley. My Second and my commander shall go as well. This needs to stop at the source.”
Lana nodded like it was a good plan. “But first, you must make sure all traces here are gone, Forus Adon,” she said adamantly. “I cannot believe people would subject their children to such a vile thing as a shaman tincture!”
“It is not a shaman tincture, Lana Sarian,” Adon said with a touch of irritation. “It is sacred and—”
“Killing your people.” Lana shook her head, then grabbed something out of her pocket, a small box wrapped in parchment. “Here, Sire. Tell me if this is your sacred plant.”
What in Dovia? Adon handed it over to me, his eyes slowly closing in defeat. I opened the package, and sure enough, inside the box was a cloth bag of Tikil Lie. A lot of it.
I looked over at Leon and met his gaze. He clenched his jaw and nodded back at me.
Adon ripped the box from my hand, letting the paper fall to the ground. “We’ll leave within the hour, Manwell.”
Manwell rubbed his chin, considering our leader’s words. “Very well. I need to get back to Varns.” He looked over at Lana with a slight sneer. “Have you succeeded in curing the sick here?”
I winced, knowing the dislike of outsiders from the Realm, but also knowing Lana’s temper.
Lana stood tall in the face of Manwell’s warrior stance and assessing gaze. “Of course. In fact, since I’ve been here there’s been a drop of new occurrences. Perhaps this Tikil Lie has made its way through the village and is done with it.” She looked to Adon and me. “I assume you’ve arranged some kind of gathering to inform your people to burn any traces of this plant?”
Adon looked like someone had hit him in the gut. I grunted, and Leon snorted. This tiny, young woman had no fear of letting her opinion be known, nor telling a leader of several hundred Wildlanders how to lead his sheep.
“Leave the running of my village to me, woman,” Adon said with a bite, then turned on his heel to find Tymus inside.
“Second Jonah, seriously—” Lana started, her foot practically stomping at the need to command, but I shook my head.
“I will call a meeting. Go inside with Leon, Sarian. Eat your fill. We’ve a hard journey to make.”
Manwell shook his head at us, then followed Adon inside. The Sarian just stood there, staring at Leon and me as if she’d never seen us before.
“Surely I’m not to come with you. You have sick here.” Blue eyes searched my face, and I could feel them as surely as if they touched me.
Leon placed his hand on her lower back, gingerly pushing her towards the open door. “You yourself just said the people are getting better. Other than the fact that we may need your aid on our trip, you are also a trusted guest who we’ve sworn to keep safe. You will come with us.”
“Lovely.” She huffed and went inside.
ONCE I HAD ARRANGED a meeting with the heads of the families, I explained to them about the Tikil Lie and that from now on, all trade was put off until we sorted this mess out. Trade was a common occurrence amongst our people: wool, dyes, livestock, and the like. But sometimes, like what had occurred three months ago, harmful things were smuggled in. The Wildlands, even though it kept the reputation of its name, was an ordered chaos, with small villages led by true leaders, leaders that cared about its people and who set laws for their numbers to prosper.
Yet as in all societies, there was always a wolf. And our wolf seemed to be seeking revenge.
I thought over everything as I packed my supplies and a few clothes from my hut, grabbed a basket of food that Cant’s woman had made for us, and waited by the barn for the others to show.
“Ready?” Adon asked, leading his horse from the barn.
“Been ready. Where’s Lana?” I looked around, not seeing her, just Leon who was leading the reins of his mount our way.
Leon shrugged. “She was packing a bag before I came out here.” He threw a sack in Adon’s direction, then mounted his horse, clicking his tongue to get his mount moving to where Lana would be coming out.
I guessed she’d be riding with him. My stomach clenched, but I put it down to hunger. “Tymus must be beside himself, Adon. Cant said he’d be up and ready to work in the morning, so at least he can keep Tymus busy.”
“We won’t be gone long. Just enough to…end this, once and for all.” Adon mounted up, and even though he tried to hide it, I could see the regret in his eyes.
“We will, brother.” We shared a look, and then both of us turned toward the tabernacle when we heard the little hellcat squealing at Leon. She was seated behind him, her nose in the air. I laughed.
“—I can very well ride a horse, you pig-headed—”
“Shut it, woman. We’re riding hard and long today. Don’t have time to be soft,” Leon replied back, a grin on his face as he waved at us.
“I can ride just as hard and long as any of you!”
Leon turned to look at her over his shoulder. “Is that right, Your Highness?” Then he looked over at us, the mirth in his eyes infectious. Adon snorted beside me as I mounted up. “Hear that, men? She can ride hard and long, she says.”
I shook my head at him right as Lana hit him in the shoulder. He howled with laughter, then clicked his tongue at his horse, passing us by on the wind.
“She’s going to kill my commander, isn’t she?” Adon mumbled.
“Yep.” I laughed before we took off after them.
11
LYRA
The men were hiding something. Each time we stopped for a break, the whispering would start when I’d turn away. I knew it from the odd looks they gave each other when we reached a lull in conversation. At first, I had been too busy cursing Leon’s back, then cursing the sun’s blasted heat. Wherever we were going, it was southwest, and the climate had changed dramatically to humid, hot, and miserable. Once I’d given up trying to wish for cool rain, I observed more of the environment, as well as my fellow travelers.
Their banter was curious. In the Order in Eden, Sarians kept to themselves. We were either busy learning and healing, or we were sleeping. Discourse other than Sarian study was an anomaly. As solitary individuals, we simply didn’t socialize.
The ribs, jokes, and the fast myriad of subjects that flew out the men’s mouths were almost as foreign as their culture. I didn’t like that I envied their ease, their history with each other. I’d never felt so alone in the universe.
But then, when the subject of the mission we were on came up, they were hesitant and wary. Of me, surely? But once I had put it down to politics or some male “warrior creed” I relaxed. Until I couldn’t.
We had stopped for the night after riding for seven hours. As I dismounted—without assistance, thank you—I had to admit that I was thankful I hadn’t ridden my own horse. For one, I had no idea where we were headed at such a fast pace; I also didn’t have the stamina. I had already caught myself drifting off to sleep against Leon’s back several times.
“Jonah, set up camp,” Adon called out. “Leon, gather wood for a fire. I’ll hunt for some food.”
I turned around and watched his retreating back where a bow and a leather quiver with arrows were strapped. Finding a log bordering the empty base of our camp, I sat down and watched Jonah unpack our supplies.
When he handed me a canteen of water, I gladly took it and drank my fill. “Sweet Life, I never knew how good water was.”
Jonah chuckled as he rolled out three, thin bedrolls. “Go
ing without teaches a mighty lesson.”
“That is does.” I looked out onto the oncoming night. Twilight was making way for the velvety darkness, giving us a miraculous reprieve from that blasted ball of fire in the sky.
“So what are you all hiding from me, Jonah?” My words came out nonchalantly, as I had intended.
Jonah slowed his movements and finally turned to me. “You are smarter than I thought.”
I rolled my eyes. “Obviously. Now tell me. What is this hush-hush about? Are we in danger? Is that why you’re not confiding in me? I do have a right to know, Jonah. If the Prima were to—”
He held out a hand and shook his head. “No, you aren’t in any danger, Sarian Lana.” He swallowed, seeming to choose his next words.
“Who’s in danger?” Leon dumped an armful of wood onto the dirt and crouched down to make a pile for the fire.
“I was just about to tell Lana the real reason why we’re going to Whisper Valley.”
I looked to Leon, trying to judge his reaction. Of the three men, he was surprisingly the one I trusted to tell me the truth.
Leon nodded slowly, his eyes on his work. “Alright. Adon has a younger brother, Braun. He was always trying to cause problems for Adon, never comfortable with his brother being leader. None of us predicted how much Braun resented him, us.” He made a circle at himself and Jonah.
I nodded in understanding. “Jealousy.”
“Rightly so. A few months ago, Braun tried to ambush us, using a raid as a decoy. He put our village in danger…among other things.” A spark of flame lit the mini pyre, and Leon added kindling to feed it higher.
“And Braun is in Whisper Valley, I take it?” I asked.
“Adon banished him. We don’t know where he went, but we’re pretty sure now that Braun is the one behind this Tikil Lie.” Leon stood up and grabbed a few cooking supplies for the fire.
“And when you find him, what are you going to do?” I looked back and forth between the two. Something still needled me, but I couldn’t figure out what.
Leon handed me a basket of food that had been covered with a blanket. “We’ll kill him.”
Leaving Eden Page 4