Soul of the Prophet: The Elder of Edon Book I

by David Angelo

  “Yeah, well, maybe be a little more gentle next time,” Chok said. “It might be easy for you to pull stuff like this off, since you don’t feel pain and whatnot, but take into consideration the folks ’round you who can actually feel our bones break.”

  “Just be thankful I didn’t decide to wring your—”

  “Guys!” Kyu called. Fin turned and saw her leaning against the door of the stable, panting.

  “What is it?” Rocklier asked.

  “Our lead worked,” Kyu said. “Scarlet’s arranging a meeting with the guy who knows the location of the grain. He’s going to meet with us tonight.”

  “What’s taking them so long?” Rocklier asked, pacing the dirt floor. The team was seated in front of an old card table in the cellar of a nearby tavern, waiting for Scarlet and Kemp to return with the information on the lead. Fin rapped his fingers on the edge of the table, whose worn surface was covered with small indentations, the result of one too many games of five-finger fillet. Chok was leaning back in his chair with his feet up on the table, looking as though he was about to doze off for real this time. Next to him sat Chinaw, with Kyu to his right, then Kaw-Ki, and finally Black-Tooth. In the center sat a small oil lamp whose miniscule flame barely managed to keep the room lit. A sliver of outside light did trickle in from a window near the back of the cellar, but it wasn’t enough to make a difference.

  Fin looked around the cellar, noting the patch of disturbed dirt near the stairs that was no doubt a former trash pit. It reminded him of the one in the pub’s kitchen and how it, too, would probably need to be buried and replaced soon.

  “Do they know they’re supposed to come here?” Fin asked.

  Black-Tooth nodded. “I told everyone this was our nerve center when we arrived in town.” He turned to Kyu. “You told them to regroup here when they were finished, right?”

  “Yeah,” Kyu said. “They were still making final arrangements when I last spoke to them, so who knows how long it could take?”

  Chok sat up, the feet of his chair hitting the floor. “Why the holdup, though? How hard can it be to arrange a meeting with this one guy?”

  “Pretty damn hard,” Kyu replied. “He wants to remain anonymous. We had to talk to a local farmer that knew him, and he sent one of his farmhands to speak to him on our behalf.”

  “He must be butt-ugly, hiding his face like that. What’s he called?”

  “I don’t remember,” Kyu said. “Something that sounds like it has a dash in the middle, like Kaw-Ki’s name. I’m sure Scarlet wrote it down, since she was the one taking notes the whole time.”

  No one at the table, except Fin, seemed to notice that Kaw-Ki started to act unusual. She hung her head and sunk a little deeper in her chair, like she was trying to make herself inconspicuous.

  The sound of footfalls upstairs brought everyone to attention.

  “Here they come,” Rocklier said, taking his seat next to Black-Tooth.

  Fin could hear Scarlet carrying on a conversation with Kemp.

  “Here’s what I don’t get,” she said. “Why doesn’t he just meet us here if he knows her so well?”

  There was a short pause as Kemp gave her telepathic response, which was meant only for Scarlet.

  “Okay, I’ll let them know,” Scarlet said. “See you later.” Scarlet’s light footsteps sounded off the steps, and a door closed behind her.

  She came down the stairs. “Sorry I’m late.”

  “Where’s Kemp?” Black-Tooth asked.

  “She had to attend to something urgent,” Scarlet replied.

  “What kind of something?” Kyu asked.

  “She wouldn’t say.” She took a seat next to Fin and hung her medical bag over the back of the chair. “But whatever it was, it bothered her enough to make her miss this meeting. Nevertheless, she gives you all her regards.”

  Kyu twisted her mouth. “Kemp hasn’t been herself since this morning,” she mused.

  “Whatever it is, it can wait,” Black-Tooth said. “In the meantime let’s get down to business with this lead. Scarlet, feel free to take over.”

  “Well…” Scarlet said, pulling a large notebook out of her bag and placing it on the table. “Let’s just say this guy was…interesting.”

  “Explain,” Black-Tooth said. “But first, did you ever actually meet him?”

  “No,” Scarlet said. “We tried to coax him out of the woods, but he didn’t want to reveal himself.”

  “What’d I tell ya? He’s butt-ugly,” Chok whispered to Chinaw, who sniggered in response.

  “Very funny,” Scarlet replied. “Actually, he’s a Faranchilldon, the leader of a tribe, in fact. He’s been living in this area for years and has just a handful of contacts on the outside. He’s willing to tell us where the missing grain is being held, but only after we give him something in return. However, when we asked, he said that we already knew what he wanted.”

  “Before you came down the stairs,” Fin said, “you said he knew one of us.”

  “Oh, yes,” Scarlet said. “I almost forgot to mention; he happens to have known Kaw-Ki at one point in his life, probably back when she was still in her tribe.”

  Kaw-Ki and Black-Tooth turned to face each other with looks of mutual dread.

  “What was this Faranchilldon’s name?” Rocklier said, tense and uneasy.

  “Um…” Scarlet said. She rapidly flipped through the pages of her notebook until she found what she was looking for. “He said his name was Chief Tec-Nan.”

  “Son of a bitch,” Kaw-Ki moaned.

  “Elder-dammit!” Black-Tooth said. He slammed his fist so hard on the table that the oil lamp jumped.

  “Shit,” Rocklier sighed, burying his face in his palm. “Not him again.”

  “What?” Scarlet asked. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing,” Black-Tooth said, standing up. “It’s just that I know what that bastard wants, and he’s not getting it.” Black-Tooth kicked his chair out of the way and stomped up the stairs.

  “Honey?” Kaw-Ki asked worriedly. “Where are you going?” But all she got in response was the cellar door slamming shut, causing a shower of dust to fall from the ceiling.

  “What the hell was that about?” Chok asked.

  “Was it something I said?” Scarlet added.

  “No,” Kaw-Ki replied, “it’s just that Tec-Nan and I have a bit of a history.”

  “So does Black-Tooth, apparently,” Fin added, looking toward the stairs.

  “Kaw-Ki,” Rocklier said, “I think now’s the time to tell them.”

  “Yeah,” Kaw-Ki said. She stood up, her head hanging low, her hands clasped in front of her.

  “I told you all about my old chieftain, correct?” Kaw-Ki asked.

  Everyone nodded.

  “But I never told you his name, did I?”

  “You’re kidding…” Fin said.

  “No,” Kaw-Ki replied. “Tec-Nan is my former chieftain.”

  “Well, that makes things more complicated,” Chinaw said.

  “Why didn’t you tell us this beforehand?” Fin asked.

  “Because I didn’t think he’d try to worm his way back into my life,” Kaw-Ki said. “I should’ve figured he’d try to pull something like this at some point.” Kaw-Ki moved toward the back of the room to the small, cobweb-covered window and stared out of it.

  “About twelve years ago,” Rocklier said, “back when the resistance was just me, Black-Tooth, Kaw-Ki, and a handful of others, Tec-Nan was a constant source of tension. For the first two years of our existence, not a day went by when Tec-Nan wasn’t trying to kill us or bribing us to return Kaw-Ki. During a few instances, things nearly ended in an all-out bloodbath between us and Tec’s tribe. But we never crossed swords with anyone, thank Blizzard, and eventually he just stopped bugging us. We figured he either got the message or he died somewhere along the line.”

  “But now he’s back,” Kaw-Ki said, “and he wants me to return to his tribe in exchange for the location of the
stolen grain.”

  “But doesn’t he know that you don’t want to return?” Scarlet asked.

  “He doesn’t believe me when I say so,” Kaw-Ki said. “He thinks Black-Tooth brainwashed me into coming with him. No matter what I say or do to convince him otherwise, Tec is convinced that I was forced to leave against my will, and why wouldn’t he think that? I was his favorite among his children, and I was set to inherit his tribe and acquire everything he had upon his death. It doesn’t make sense to him that I would just abandon it all.”

  “And I’m the fucking purebred he takes it out on,” Black-Tooth said as he marched down the stairs.

  “He’s only trying to protect me,” Kaw-Ki said, turning to her lover.

  “By tormenting you and threatening to hurt the ones you love?” Black-Tooth said. “How can you defend him after all he put us through?”

  “Because I know him,” Kaw-Ki replied. “The man despises purebreds, and the thought of his baby girl living among them drives him mad.” She turned back toward the window. “I think we should call the whole meeting off and search for another lead.”

  “Oh, no,” Black-Tooth said. “I’m not giving up that easily.”

  “But Black-Tooth,” Kaw-Ki replied. She walked over to him and placed her hand on his chest. “He’s setting a trap. He probably doesn’t even know where the grain is anyway.”

  “She has a point,” Rocklier added. “Tec-Nan has attempted to set up traps in the past. Who’s to say that this isn’t just another?”

  Black-Tooth took Kaw-Ki’s hands into his and held them up to his lips. “But I don’t think he has any reason to lie this time. He may hate the purebreds, but he has trade partnerships with farmers across Edon. If they’re hurting, don’t you think Tec would be hurting too?”

  “I guess so,” Kaw-Ki said. “But trading with the outsiders was usually a last resort, only to provide us with enough food for the winter.”

  “But that happened a lot, didn’t it?” Black-Tooth asked. “You told me the land never gave you as much as your tribe needed, so this ‘last resort’ became a common practice, right?”

  Kaw-Ki did not reply but bowed her head and nodded slowly.

  Black-Tooth turned to the rest of the group. “Tec and his tribe will die this winter if that grain isn’t found. Right now, he needs us just as much as we need him.” He turned to Scarlet. “Where did he say he was going to meet us?”

  “In a patch of woods the locals call the pine grove,” Scarlet said. “It’s not far, about an hour’s ride from here.”

  “Perfect,” Black-Tooth said. “Fin, Rocklier, Chinaw, and Kyu, you’re coming with me tonight.”

  “But he’ll kill you!” Kaw-Ki said.

  “I doubt he’s that much of a threat anymore,” Black-Tooth replied. “Tec-Nan was ripe the last time we saw him. He’s got to be at least eighty by now.”

  “That’s not the point,” Kaw-Ki pleaded. “There are warrior-fit Faranchilldons in his tribe, and they will butcher you on his command. Please, I need to come with you.”

  “I’m sorry, Baby,” Black-Tooth said. He placed his hands on her shoulders. “We can’t make it look like we’re giving in.”

  “But I’m the only person he’ll listen to,” Kaw-Ki said. “He’ll never take you seriously.”

  “I know,” Black-Tooth said. “But it’s our only option.”

  Black-Tooth took Kaw-Ki in his arms and kissed her tenderly on her forehead. He then let go and turned to the rest of the crew.

  “This meeting is adjourned,” Black-Tooth said. “You have leave until seven, at which point I want those who are coming with me to report by the stables so that we can head off. Do I make myself clear?”

  The team nodded in response.

  “Good,” Black-Tooth said. “Chok, I need to inquire something of you, so I’ll need you to come with me for a second.”

  “Sure thing,” Chok said, springing to his feet.

  Black-Tooth and Chok headed up the stairs, leaving the rest of the team to their own devices in the basement. Kaw-Ki hung her head and sniffed, tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

  Scarlet got up and put a hand on her shoulder. “It’s okay; he’ll be in good hands.”

  “If only I knew if that was enough,” Kaw-Ki said, suppressing any traces of emotion. “I’ve come close to losing Black-Tooth in the past, but right now I’m more worried about him than ever before.”

  “Try not to dwell on it,” Rocklier said. He got up and headed for the stairs. “I’m sure everything will go according to plan.”

  “Yeah,” Chinaw added, following Rocklier upstairs. “We’ve tackled worse. This’ll be nothing.”

  “Be strong, girl,” Kyu added, also patting Kaw-Ki on the back. “We won’t let anyone hurt your man.”

  “Thanks,” Kaw-Ki replied, smiling slightly. “Just keep an eye on him for me, would you?”

  “Of course,” Rocklier said.

  They headed up the stairs, leaving Fin, Scarlet, and Kaw-Ki alone in the basement. The footsteps had only just faded away when Scarlet clutched her chest.

  “Oh my,” she said breathlessly.

  “Are you okay?” Fin asked, rushing to her side. He and Kaw-Ki helped her back into her seat. She sat for a moment, panting.

  “I feel…dizzy,” Scarlet said. “I don’t know what’s wrong.”

  “Can you make it up the stairs?” Kaw-Ki asked.

  “Yeah,” Scarlet said, “it’s not that bad.”

  Scarlet took a moment to compose herself, and after a few deep breaths, she seemed to come back to normal.

  “It’s probably just this musty air down here. If I go outside for a bit, I’ll feel better.”

  Scarlet stuffed her notebook into her medical bag and headed for the stairs. Fin followed close behind, preparing to catch her if she fell, but Scarlet maintained her balance all the way up to the top.

  “She’s never done that before,” he said.

  Kaw-Ki glanced up the stairs and shook her head.

  “Looks like there’s a lot to worry about right now,” she said.

  29

  FIN LOOKED AT THE small construction nail in the palm of his hand, his only line of defense if negotiations went south. They wouldn’t be able to bring their weapons into the camp, but that hadn’t stopped Black-Tooth from handing out nails to everyone in the expedition just now, per Chok’s recommendation. Chok reasoned that the nails could be used to disarm an opponent, allowing them to acquire an actual weapon in a time of need. If Chok was to be believed, this was the sort of thing prisoners would do to mount an escape, but Fin had reservations.

  Black-Tooth pulled the reins of the horses that pulled the wagon. “Remember,” he said, “try to keep those hidden as much as possible. I have mine wedged between my crests.” He pointed to the top of his head, where the two plate crests met to form the V shape. “Chok told me earlier that prisoners sometimes keep them in their mouths on the inside of their cheeks.”

  That might have been easy for him to say, but unlike the others, Fin’s nail had its tip broken off, leaving the end jagged and sharp. He cringed at the thought of it shredding his gums to ribbons, or him accidentally swallowing it and choking to death.

  Chinaw noticed Fin’s predicament and held his nail out to him.

  “Wanna trade?” he asked with a smile.

  “Nah,” Fin said. “I can improvise.” He slipped the nail beneath the leather padding of the fingerless glove he wore over his right hand. It was part of a pair that he wore in combat to keep his palms from blistering while using the claws of fate. He had, however, decided to wear the one on his right tonight so the glow of his burn wouldn’t distract from the proceedings. This wasn’t entirely unusual for Fin; he usually wore it whenever it wasn’t necessary for him to show his burn, like when he was sleeping and didn’t want it to shine in his or Scarlet’s face. In fact, he had become so acclimated to the glove that he often forgot it was there.

  “Suit yourself,” Chinaw s
aid. He stuck his nail between his teeth and held it like someone would a pipe. Rocklier tried to see if his nail would fit between some of the spines on his forehead, but each time he tried, it fell out. Eventually, he gave up and consented to holding it in the crevice of his palm, evidently not in the mood to take risks. Kyu, however, seemed more comfortable with the prospect and did as her ex suggested. After placing it in her mouth and moving it into the right place, she sat back and smiled.

  “I’ve eaten worse,” Kyu said. She turned to Chinaw, who was using his tongue to move the nail from one end of his mouth to the other.

  “You sure that’s a good idea?” she asked. “You remember the last time a nail got you in the mouth, right?”

  “Yeah,” Chinaw said, removing it. “To be fair, though, Chok did say that pork was safe to eat, so you can pin that on him.”

  “Still, though,” Kyu said. “Even if you knew it was there, you probably wouldn’t know it punctured you until it was too late.”

  “Nah,” Chinaw said. “I would notice if I started getting light-headed. Then I’d see the blood and know I’d fucked up.”

  “I bet that wouldn’t be the first time,” Fin said.

  “It’d be closer to the third or fourth,” Chinaw replied. “You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve nearly bled to death because I didn’t notice an open wound right away.”

  Rocklier looked up from the map he was studying. “I’d recommend hushing up about concealed weapons. If this map is correct, we should be entering Tec-Nan’s territory in less than a mile.”

  “In other words,” Black-Tooth said, “if you feel like sticking your head between your legs and kissing your ass goodbye, now’s the time.”

  “You don’t sound very optimistic,” Rocklier said.

  “Correction,” Kyu added, “you’re starting to sound like Rocklier.”

  “I don’t know what she means,” Rocklier said. “Honestly, am I that much of a doom and gloom?”

  “Who cares?” Black-Tooth said. “But you are right about one thing: I’m not very optimistic right now. I’m starting to think Kaw-Ki was right and that we should’ve looked for a new lead. If you do so much as sneeze on someone, Tec will have your head on a pike faster than you can say ‘drawn and quartered.’”