The Last Narkoy: Gathow: Book 2

by Elizabeth Price

  Ratisha nodded, not believing the Clove man. She rested her hand against Sedom's cheek. “You came for me? Why? They could have killed you!” she scolded.

  Sedom forced the woman to rest her head against her shoulder. “You saved my life. I owed you.” Sedom motioned for Zion to hand her a water canteen. He passed it to her and then motioned with a nod that he needed to speak with her. She agreed. “Drink and rest. I'll be right back.”

  She stood, walking to the fire pit where Zion and Qilo now sat. Qilo was looking over one of his tracking computers. She settled in next to Zion, but watched Qilo.

  “We have a problem,” Qilo began. Sedom raised her eyebrow, waiting for him to continue. “You mentioned that this could be a set-up. Well, you're correct,” he began.

  “Only twenty guards?” Zion mentioned. “There should have been a lot more guarding her, considering the severity of Ratisha's crimes and what was at stake. She committed treason by siding with one of their greatest enemies. It took the Marisheio over seventeen months of interrogation to finally decide to terminate her life? No, they set her up to find you.”

  “Correction, they want Gathow,” Sedom pointed out.

  Qilo handed Sedom his tracking computer, pointing to a blip on the screen. “I narrowed it down to ten yards. Your friend has a tracking implant. My guess they let her go in the hopes that we'd take her with us to Gathow.”

  “They let her go,” Zion clarified. “Patto failed so they grew desperate. My concern now is if she's in on it and how we can get rid of it.”

  “Let us hope it isn't in her heart. There are only two places I haven't the talent to heal,” Sedom grumbled. She glanced over at Ratisha. Rosanheer was helping her drink out of the canteen. She slowly stood and walked back over to Ratisha and Rosanheer.

  “She's in a lot of pain,” Rosanheer mentioned. “Any chance you can mesmerize her again… at least till we return?”

  “I’ll see what I can do,” Sedom whispered back to him. She knelt to the ground and took Ratisha's hand. “Ratisha, speak honestly, are you helping the Marisheio?” she asked, locking her gaze on Ratisha’s eyes. She shook her head. “Did you know about the implant?” she asked. Again Ratisha shook her head. Sedom broke eye contact, allowing Ratisha to relax.

  “I have an implant? I thought I might,” Ratisha sighed.

  Sedom glanced over at Rosanheer. “Most likely she ingested it. It attaches to the intestinal track,” he explained. “There's no way to know for certain where it is until it's too late.”

  “I can find it,” Sedom decided. She regained eye contact with Ratisha, her gaze unyielding. “I need to scan you. It's painless, but you'll have to trust me,” she explained.

  Fear welled in Ratisha's eyes. “Like before? I couldn't feel my body. It… wasn't pleasant.”

  Sedom grew close to her ear, whispering, “I'll dull your pain, but you'll stay aware,” she offered. Ratisha agreed. Sedom moved away Ratisha's hair and proceeded to place her palm against her neck. Having noticed this, Zion rose from the fire in protest. Sedom closed her eyes allowing her body to take over Ratisha's. “Calm yourself. Feel my heart, the air in my lungs,” she whispered.

  “I can't… breathe!” Ratisha exclaimed, gasping, feeling Sedom's hand squeezing over her heart.

  “Let your body relax,” Sedom soothed resting her free hand on Ratisha's chest. Ratisha stopped her gasps, closing her eyes. “Just relax,” she whispered. “Good, your heart's clean.”

  Qilo stood next to Zion, watching Sedom. “What the hell is she doing?”

  “Being Narkoy and taking a huge risk,” Zion grunted.

  Sedom's free hand continued down towards Ratisha's stomach then stopped, resting over the implant. “Here,” she spoke softly, pointing with a shaking hand. She grabbed Rosanheer’s hand, forcing him to feel where the tracking pod was.

  She carefully removed the link. Ratisha’s head fell back against the walls as she attempted to regain her normal breaths. “The pain… is gone,” she gulped, “But I can't feel… my legs.” She looked over at Rosanheer who still held his hand on her stomach. “Why is his hand on me?”

  Sedom shuttered, turning away from Ratisha to regain her senses. “I-a… blocked the pain. When your body doesn't register pain it believes there's not a problem.” She fell backward, landing on her rear.

  “Sortec?” Zion questioned, rushing over to her.

  Sedom held up her hand to tell him she was okay and then placed her hand on her forehead to help relieve a fast-forming headache. “Uh… if you attempt to walk, it can cause a major issue. It's better that you don't register anything at all,” Sedom explained woozy. She shook away her woozy feeling, kneeling back to her knees next to Rosanheer. “What do we have?” she asked. She felt under Rosanheer's fingers to the pod.

  She could feel Zion lingering behind her, watching her if she swayed again. Part of her found it annoying, but another part really enjoyed the fact she had a trusted friend to watch her back.

  “The tracking pod is not in her intestines, but it is under the muscle, much like the other one we removed,” she explained. “I need someone who's good with a blade to remove it.”

  “Sedom,” Ratisha spoke weakly. She held onto Sedom’s hand, pleading. “Sedom, please, don’t do this.”

  Sedom took her hand, comforting her. “We have no other choice. After it's removed I can heal the wound. From there I'll need someone to get rid of the pod.”

  Zion shook his head disturbed. He rested his hand on her shoulder, pulling her back slightly to speak to her. “Sortec, you haven't slept in three days. Your body is already weak from healing Patto and Rosanheer. We can't afford to lose you right now. You’re the only one who can allow us into Gathow,” he protested low.

  A deep, exhaling breath began Sedom's words, “Let me do this. When I'm done I'll rest until the rain has stopped. After, we'll return to Gathow,” she offered.

  Ratisha held tight to Sedom's hand. “Sedom, please, don't do this,” she begged.

  “I don't have a choice. I can't take you with us if they're tracking you. I can't leave you behind because they'll find you and follow out your sentence. I promised Patto to take care of you. This is the only way I can.”

  Qilo removed his knife from his weapons' belt. “Show me where it is,” he decided as he forced Rosanheer aside.

  “Sedom, NO!” Ratisha screamed. She latched onto Sedom's forearm, pleading for her not to remove the tracking pod.

  Sedom forced the now wailing Ratisha back against the wall, forcing the contact. This time, she held her free hand to the left side of Ratisha’s face. “Ratisha, it's okay,” she soothed, forcing her way inside Ratisha's mind. Sedom began to sway, feeling her body held by two firm hands.

  “Do what you need to. I've got you,” Zion assured.

  Sedom guided Qilo through every step as he removed the pod. When the pod revealed itself Sedom had just enough energy to heal Ratisha's incision before she collapsed from exhaustion. All Ratisha could do was weep.

  With the pod in hand, Rosanheer ran out into the storm to get rid of it. Moments later an explosion echoed against the cave walls. Everyone except Sedom turned to the cave’s entrance to watch Rosanheer dive for cover within. Ratisha's green eyes blinked several times to hold back her panic and shock.

  “They’ll kill him if I don’t cooperate,” Ratisha gulped, her face now placid.

  Zion knelt to Ratisha, holding her shoulder. “Kill who?” he asked calmly.

  Ratisha shook her head, tears welling in her eyes. “It doesn't matter now. He’s as good as dead. I didn’t want to--”

  “Kill who!” Zion demanded.

  “Zion,” Sedom spoke up, still in a daze. “Leave her be. She was protecting her husband.”

  “Patto?” he asked, confused. “The Mandicien man who died in the forest?”

  Ratisha gasped. “His dead?”

  Sedom slowly nodded. “He was… used as bait for us. He died in my arms from a poisoning pod in his heart. It wa
s quick,” Sedom assured Ratisha. She sat back, propping herself against the wall to look at Ratisha. “I understand you were only trying to protect your own, but if you ever lie or betray me again—“

  “Sedom, you know I never wanted to hurt you—“ Ratisha protested.

  “We risked a lot to break you out of there, but know I won't hesitate to turn you back over to the Marisheio if I feel I can’t trust you,” she spoke enraged, but not yelling.

  “I had no want to--”

  “Save it,” Sedom barked. She settled back against the wall. Did she blame the woman for trying to save her husband? How could she? Roles reversed, she would have done anything in her power to save her loved ones. And technically she was about to rage war against those who killed her family.

  She started to waver, but Rosanheer managed to grab her before she could fall over. He picked Sedom up, carrying her over to the fire. As he set her down, Sedom held onto his hand, not releasing it.

  “Sortec?” Rosanheer questioned.

  She turned his hand over, looking at his fingers. She then looked up into his eyes, resting her hand on his chapped cheek. “You’re not whole,” she said cryptically as she slowly passed out against the rocks.

  Rosanheer turned to Zion, confused by her statement.

  Zion chuckled. “She just now realized you’re not fully Clove. Your fingers gave you away,” he mentioned.

  Rosanheer lifted his fingers to examine them in the light. “And here I thought it was my eyes,” he joked back. “I’ll take first watch. You two get some rest,” he offered.

  Sedom woke the next morning, her eyes opened on Zion. He was sitting by the fire, stirring ashes. Someone had placed a blanket over her to keep her warm. He glanced over to her and gave a quick nod.

  “Rain's let up,” he stated, pointing over to the cave’s opening where the soft morning light beamed just outside. “Are you able to walk or do I need to carry you too?”

  Sedom turned to the cave opening, smirking. How many times had she looked out that opening? Waking up within her cave felt strange to her, but also comforting. She slowly sat up, taking a seat on a large rock.

  Ratisha was still asleep, but the other two men were missing. “I… should be fine. Where are your friends?”

  “Qilo heard a noise and they went to check it out. I guess, those tofs are up to something, but you can never be too sure.” He stood, tossing his stick into the dwindling fire. “When you're up to it, we'll head for home.”

  Sedom nodded as she motioned to Ratisha, who was still fast asleep. “How is she doing?”

  “She's numb… a lot of mixed emotions. I'd have to say she's better than most. The typical mental state from anyone that was rescued from a death sentence, tortured, and just told their spouse was murdered. She'll be worthless for a while, but I believe she'll come around.”

  “Unlike?” Sedom asked, rising to her feet with Zion's help.

  “Dranium?” he grunted. “Only time will tell for him. I think there was more to do with his capture than he'll ever tell us about.”

  Qilo returned with the carcass of a Lambaust and plopped it on the ground by the front door. “You have some good hunting around here,” he mentioned. “Are these good to eat?”

  Sedom cringed as she examined the dead animal. “I've eaten them out of necessity. My people are vegetarians, but when you're starving to death,” she mentioned. Her stomach quivered at the sight of the dead animal. “I don't think I'll ever be that hungry again.” She waved for Qilo to do with the animal as he wished.

  Qilo shrugged. “Good… more for us,” he winked. “Rosanheer is waiting for us outside. We had concerns that an orb was trailing us… but we took care of it.”

  “One of there's or one of mine?” Sedom asked, rising from her seat on the rock.

  Qilo frowned, his eyes wild with questions. “It had a black outer casing with a green glow. Do you think it was one of yours?”

  Sedom dusted her pant legs off as she nodded. “Good, one of there’s. The gold and silver ones are mine.” She bent to Ratisha, tapping her cheek. “Ratisha, rolvalka.”

  With a gasping breath, Ratisha woke, gazing into Sedom's eyes. “What mysteries golden eyes hide?” she whispered in her native language.

  Sedom rested her hand on Ratisha's cheek. “Just don't finish that poem,” she whispered back. Ratisha nodded understanding. The poem was not flattering to the Narkoy.

  Zion stood behind Sedom. “What did she say?” he asked.

  “Later.” She turned to Zion. “If I block her pain, would you be able to carry her again?”

  Ratisha's wide eyes peered up at the massive Zalmin. “He’s an empath?” she gasped. “Sortec, I don’t think…”

  Zion grinned reassuringly. “It shouldn't be a problem.” He took hold of Ratisha, picking her up in his arms. “Don’t worry about it. Regardless if you try to hide your thoughts, I already know who you are,” he whispered to her.

  Ratisha shook her head against Zion’s chest. “That’s easy for you to say. I don’t even know who I am,” she admitted.

  Sedom patted her shoulder. “I think that can be said about all of us… well,” she paused, noticing Rosanheer lingering outside the cave’s entrance.

  They started outside, Rosanheer waited as they passed to take up the end where Sedom was. He nudged her slightly to make her stumble, just to see what she would do.

  “Is this your way of asking if I’m alright?” she asked Rosanheer, giggling slightly. It was the same thing her middle sister would do to annoy her. Rosanheer shrugged. “You’re insane.”

  “So I’ve been told,” he admitted.

  Ratisha glanced over Zion’s shoulder, watching Sedom and Rosanheer. “Odd group you have here,” Ratisha mentioned. “Ex-Rycal, ex-Marisheio, and…” she paused to look up at Zion’s face, “…how about you, Captain?”

  “Calanthre, second division, Dormin,” Zion stated with a grunt. “How did you know my rank?” he asked, as if accusing her of having some kind of insider knowledge.

  She ignored his question. “All of you coming together for the same cause? It’s truly amazing. I guess I've missed a lot these past few months,” Ratisha mused. “What cycle is it anyway?”

  Sedom shoved Rosanheer back, causing him to stumble. “We’re entering the days of the Northern Lights,” she said, narrowly missing Rosanheer’s attempt to trip her. “Ah… my city would be preparing for the festival about now… if it were still standing.”

  Ratisha's face paled. “I've been held captive for almost a year and a half?” she gasped. Sedom nodded. “I can't believe it. I figured a few months at best.” She hesitated, turning away to hide her frustration. She looked back to Sedom, frowning. The look on her face was as if she wanted to ask a question, but couldn’t find the right words.

  Zion rested his hand on her head, sensing she wanted to ask Sedom a question. “It's okay to ask her about the past. She won't take offense,” he said.

  “Strange, fearing a child,” Ratisha whispered. “It’s even stranger to have your mind read. I’m not sure which is worse.”

  Hearing the word child caused Sedom to spin to Zion and Ratisha. “I’d say, having your mind read. It’s unnerving at best,” she answered. “What did you want to ask me?”

  Ratisha blinked several times, nervous by the situation. “Um… yes, well, I suppose you’re right. I wanted to know what happened to the others in your group. That is if you don’t mind me asking? I’ve noticed you’ve made some…” she paused, attempting to think of the right words, “rather colorful new friends. I have a feeling the others didn’t make it,” Ratisha asked in seething words.

  “She’s talking about my tattoos, isn’t she?” Rosanheer whispered to Qilo who nodded.

  Noticing her in pain, Sedom reached her hand around Ratisha's neck, blocking her pain once again. Instantly, Ratisha relaxed back into Zion’s arms.

  “They were all murdered. After you were taken, only three of us survived. We continued to Ryion Sit
al where Marisheio troops found us. They tortured Nercon…” Sedom looked away, her way of hiding a stray tear. “They removed her eye in the attempt to find out where I was hiding. She refused to betray me… she was loyal and stubborn to the end. Apparently, the Marisheio were short on time, so they shot her and Verron in the back of the head and left them in the street,” Sedom explained emotionless.

  Rosanheer face turned placidly. His lips quivered, unsure if he should speak. He finally let out the name, “Talenvanc?”

  Sedom's eyes darted at the Clove man. “How did you know?” she barked as if accusing him of something.

  Zion shot a quick keep your mouth shut glance to Rosanheer.

  Rosanheer stumbled as he walked. “Seems like his style of execution. He was always a coward,” he explained cryptically. Sedom continued to stare. “I was inside the Marisheio for a long time. You learn about your superiors in case you have to work for them. Talenvanc had a reputation of removing his enemy’s eyes. He kept them in a jar on his desk.”

  “Why are you a traitor? Not that being against the Marisheio is a bad thing,” Ratisha asked against Zion's shoulder. “Seems rather odd a man, such as you, would suddenly change sides.”

  A slight smirk came to Rosanheer's dark lips. “I woke up one day and had a long look around. I didn't like what I saw. You get caught up in whatever task you're given. Seldom does anyone take the time and realize what that task entails,” Rosanheer said. “I'm sure you noticed the same,” he hinted.

  Ratisha chuckled. “No. I fell in love with the wrong man.”

  Zion smirked. “I hear that happens with doctors.”

  Ratisha shook her head. “Not in my case. I met my husband under unusual circumstances. He was still working with the Rycal when we fell in love and I had recently left the service of the Marisheio.”

  Rosanheer coughed in a way to cause everyone to believe he thought she was lying. “Leave the service of the Marisheio?” Rosanheer questioned.

  Ratisha chuckled. “Okay, not exactly. I was involved in things that questioned my ethics, so I ran. Maybe you were right about not liking what I saw.”