When they’d fled back in Randane, the fear of capture had been overwhelming. Watching her moments ago, tension worming its way through his stomach, had brought on the same effect. Both times, all he could do was watch. Could he really find the Eye in the heat of battle, in the flames of rage, in the icy clamminess of fear? Uncertainty filled him as he trudged through grass laden with dewdrops toward the small hollow where their dartans were tethered.
Ancel glanced over to Danvir. He now understood how his friend must have felt in the tunnels when he’d openly wept about having killed someone. Not far away, Mirza strode, his face blank, gray eyes empty. Whining, Charra padded next to Ancel. He reached a hand out and trailed his fingers through the daggerpaw’s fur. No matter what, Charra was always there for him with no concern for what he faced.
They soon reached the dip in the land where they’d left the dartans. As they often did when Charra approached too close, the creatures mewled. Ancel and his friends hurried over and shushed them. Charra stayed just below the top of the slope watching the way they’d come as nearby trees cast long shadows with the orange hues of dawn now tinting the sky. Far east, red mountains loomed in innumerable plateaus and ridges, their ranges spreading north until they met and became one with the Kelvore Mountains.
Danvir gripped the reins of his mount and drew the beast close. “Did you see how she moved? How can any human be so fast and kill without flinching?”
“Of course we did,” Ancel said. “But at this point, it doesn’t much matter. She did what she needed to bring herself under control.”
“And you’re fine with it?” Danvir protested, his lips curling around the words, disgust twisting his features. “We just watched her murder four men.”
“I thought you’d gotten over this already?” Mirza said, eyebrows raised quizzically. “At least she didn’t turn on us. Not that I think she would, but if this is anything like Ancel said, then it’s the risk we have to live with in order to get home safely.” His voice was hard but calm. “You know, when she used her power to save us at the river, it was fine. Now it’s not. You need to wise up. You seem to forget the Sendethi soldiers have tried to kill or capture us. I, for one, intend to survive this. I want to see Eldanhill again. With you two by my side. I’ll pay any cost.”
Ancel blinked at Mirza’s words and his temperament. Mirza, who was so excitable, taking much for fun, who’d been fearful when they were in the glen, had become a different person. The events in Randane had changed him. Ancel hoped he could carry himself in the same way when the time came for him to take a life.
A low growl from Charra announced Kachien’s return. She appeared at the top of the slope and jogged down to meet them. The occasional twitter from an early morning bird interspersed the still air as they waited. Somewhere, an owl that should have been asleep already, hooted.
Ancel forced himself to meet Kachien’s eyes. The tight lines from earlier no longer marred her features. As much as she’d appeared haggard, now she was the opposite-calm, serene and full of energy. Her face betrayed no emotions as she stopped next to her own mount.
In one hand, Kachien held several sheets of paper. She waved them before her. “These soldiers were looking for you.” Her unyielding gaze took them all in.
Ancel took the papers, reading them wordlessly before passing them around. Drawn on the first sheet was a likeness of him and Charra. On the others were Mirza and Danvir. Mirza hissed and Danvir swallowed.
“And they carried a map of this side of the river. The path they have marked leads to your home,” Kachien added.
All Ancel’s earlier worry about Kachien’s darker side fled him, replaced by concern for Eldanhill. She’d saved their lives yet again. Ilumni smiles on those who follow him in many ways. Maybe Kachien was his way of smiling on them. Either way it was an issue for him to worry about later. He turned to Mirza. “How far are we from the bridge?”
“At least three days.”
“I still think using the bridge is a mistake,” Danvir said. “I have a feeling either Dosteri or Sendethi troops will be there.”
Mirza shook his head. “Unlikely. You’ve taken that route yourself many times. Only the quarry workers and miners use the path through the Red Ridge Mountains down to that bridge. All others take the ferries. If we stay as we are, we’ll skip the ferry landings.” He looked from Kachien to the map she held. “May I?” She passed the map to him. Mirza opened it up. “Look.” He pointed as they drew closer around him. “Here and here are the landings.” The areas he indicated were farther north and toward the Kelvore River. “We’re about here. From the route these soldiers marked, they assumed we would go for the ferries. We stay wide, push hard and we make the bridge. No one will be the wiser.”
Kachien nodded, a respectful gleam in her eye as she regarded Mirza. He’d discussed this idea before, but she’d insisted on them heading to the ferries instead of the old bridge.
“I agree with you, Mirza,” Kachien conceded. “This way will be safest.”
Danvir groaned. “That’s all we need now. Someone telling him he’s right. We won’t be able to live this down for a week.”
Ancel couldn’t help his smile. Mirza gave Danvir a smug look and shrugged. In return, Danvir snickered.
Kachien climbed onto her dartan, the beast’s massive carapace dwarfing her slight form. “We have no time to waste. I intend to not only reach the bridge, but be in your home in three days.”
Ancel’s brows climbed his forehead. “You plan to push us until they drop?”
“If I have to. These soldiers weren’t alone. There must-”
Charra’s low growl cut her off.
Ancel’s head snapped up as his daggerpaw bounded down the slope to them. Kachien had already whipped her reins and sent her dartan galloping up the hill. Everyone else followed suit. Before she reached the hilltop, she dismounted and snuck up the remainder of the way. Without thinking, Ancel did the same.
When he peeked over the other side, he was at a loss for words. At least forty armored soldiers, with the Charging Boar flying high, trotted toward their position on horses. One of them, in leather rather than the chainmail the others wore, dismounted and inspected the ground. He stopped, stared toward the hill where Ancel and Kachien hid, and pointed. A tracker. The soldiers kicked their horses into a gallop.
Kachien’s hand pulled at Ancel. “Go! Now! We have to flee.” She ran for her mount.
Wide-eyed, Ancel scrambled onto his dartan. “It’s a regimental squad,” he said to the bewildered expressions from Mirza and Danvir.
Recognition and fear swam across their faces.
“Mirza,” Kachien called from her mount, her voice a little more than a whisper. “Lead the way. Push as hard and as fast as you can. Our only hope is to tire their horses.”
Behind them hooves drummed and armor jangled. Shouts rose from over forty throats as the soldiers urged their mounts on.
Sweat beading his forehead, Mirza maneuvered his dartan to face the north and slapped his reins. The beast took off. Hands tight on his reins, Ancel followed.
CHAPTER 40
“You should at least hear the message she carries,” Knight Commander Varick said from the tent’s rear as he scratched his scraggly beard.
Ryne’s eyebrow arched. “That a command, Varick?”
The Knight Commander smirked and removed his gauntlets. “As if you would follow it anyway. All I’m saying is if the Tribunal sent her, at least hear what they propose.”
“Because I allowed High Shin Jerem to bring me here doesn’t mean I trust the Tribunal. Even assuming they’re who sent her, I’ve heard enough from them,” Ryne snapped. “If she makes a single threatening move, I’ll kill her. I’m giving you and them, fair warning. There’s been enough grief wherever she’s shown her face. You yourself said she’s almost a Raijin.”