Alliance Forged (11 page)

The two scouts scrambled up the small ridge as Kymora joined him at the entrance. Knowing she’d feel the absence of her staff, he caught her hand and tucked it into the crook of his arm.

“Thank the
Lady
you’re both safe.” Seralla smiled as she seated herself on a rock. “We’ve been searching for you all night.”

“What of the village? The renegades?” Varian asked.

“The village is secure. We captured ten rebels. Arek is guarding them. He sent us to track the two pursuing you.” Zaune’s grimace told him all he needed to know. “We lost their trail.”

“Arek will probably have sent a messenger to the city, to Kalan,” Kymora murmured. “He’ll send help.”

Varian placed a hand on top of Kymora’s and squeezed in acknowledgment.

“How did you both cross the river?” Kymora asked.

Seralla pointed back through the forest. “There’s a submerged bank downriver. We waded over.”

Varian nodded; that was one problem taken care of. Putting Kymora through another stressful swim was the last thing he wanted to do. Her soft sigh was barely audible.

“Then let’s get moving.” His thoughts turned to the attack on the village. The anger from a minute ago seethed to the surface, and he knew it edged his voice as he spoke. “I want to get back to the village as soon as possible.”

“T
HERE’S nothing salvageable in here.” Arek shook his head as he scanned the interior from the charred doorway of the third fire-damaged house.

Sunlight filtered through the uneven holes in the thatched roof, spotlighting blackened furniture and shattered pottery. Some objects were burned beyond recognition. Something in the debris hit his boot. Bending over, he plucked a child’s straw doll from the ash. Three limbs were missing; the fourth had been partially eaten away by flames. Rubbing a gloved finger over the blackened face, he watched the brittle surface crumble to dust.

The heavy odor of smoke and smoldering embers filled his nostrils, the acrid scent tinged by loss, heartache, and grief. Shaking his head, he dropped the doll back into the ash. No one was going to forget the smell of this tragedy in a hurry.

“Second Barial!”

The urgent shout was accompanied by the pounding of boots along the pathway. He turned to see a young girl in a healers’ green
tunic and pants running toward him, her dark curly hair bouncing against her shoulders.

“Check out the next dwelling,” Arek told the
Na’Chi
woman beside him. “I’ll be there in a minute.” He stepped away from the damaged house as the healers’ apprentice skidded to a stop. Her freckled face was flushed with exertion, her expression pinched by tension. “Rissa, what’s wrong?”

“Lisella said to come quickly!” The gasped reply was accompanied by a tug to his sleeve. Wide, brown eyes peered up at him. “Rystin and some of the others are outside the house where you imprisoned the rebel Light Blades. They’re demanding your warriors hand them over….”

Arek cursed and took off for the center of the village. He’d sent more scouts out at dawn to help Zaune locate Varian and Kymora. The sun was barely three hours into the sky. Why wasn’t Rystin waiting for their return? What had changed his mind?

Ahead he heard raised voices and shouting. Putting on a burst of speed, he took the last turn and almost barreled into a group of people clustered at the head of the pathway. Several adults, human and
Na’Chi
, were herding young children away from a commotion in the middle of the communal area.

“You’re outnumbered, Light Blades. Move aside….”

Three Light Blade warriors stood shoulder to shoulder in front of the closed door of a house. All were alert, their stances wide, their weight balanced on the balls of their feet.

Jole took half a pace forward. “This isn’t a wise move, my friend.” He gestured to his left. “Listen to Lisella.”

“Rystin, you promised to wait until Varian returned.” Through the press of bodies, Lisella moved in front of him. “Give the scouts more time to find him and Kymora.”

“We’ve waited long enough. He’s not here.” The warrior nodded to one of the half dozen other
Na’Chi
standing with him. Lisella was
gently but firmly drawn away from the brewing confrontation. “Someone has to take charge.”

Arek moved to intercept Rystin, his thumbs hooked in the belt at his waist, relaxed, unthreatening.

“Back off, Rystin.” He kept his voice calm. “These rebels remain under our protection.”

“I told you they’d protect their own.” The scout’s lip curled. “They’re not interested in justice.”

An uneasy murmur swept through the gathered crowd, and three other
Na’Chi
moved forward to join the group with Rystin. Arek’s gaze narrowed. Ten against four and the
Na’Chi
possessed superior strength. Not good odds.

“Last time I’m going to ask…” Rystin growled. Sunlight caught the edge of a blade in the
Na’Chi’s
fist. “Your move.”

“No, Rystin!” Lisella tried to break free of the scout who held her.

Jole stepped forward and Arek flung out an arm to stop him taking the offensive. “Hold!”

Another voice echoed his order, the deep voice coming from his left. The
Na’Chi
spun on their heels as Varian and a small party of six, including Kymora, emerged from between two houses.

Arek released a silent breath.
Thank the
Lady
. He and Lisella shared a relieved glance before he homed in on Kymora. Other than an ugly bruise on her jaw and looking a little tired, she seemed fine.

Varian strode into the village center. What was going on here? His nostrils flared at the combined odors eddying around the gathering. Anger, fear, bitterness, and resentment, the strength of each clearing the tiredness from his body and charging it with adrenaline. The rush was enough to wake the beast within.

It was hard to tell what emotion came from which person. Varying degrees of unease and tautness etched everyone’s faces. Rystin was the only one with a blade drawn, yet hands rested close to the hilts of daggers or on belts close to their weapons. The crawling
sensation on the nape of his neck said they’d all been only moments away from conflict.

“Put away your weapon.” Varian issued the command in a quiet but hard voice.

Rystin’s black-flecked gaze darted from Jole to Arek, then to Varian, then he turned his back on them and dropped into a half crouch to face off with Varian, the move an offensive one. The scout had a temper, but surely he wouldn’t attack?

Arek’s soft, sharp inhalation registered. Varian kept his gaze on Rystin, but from the corner of his eye, some within the crowd exchanged uneasy glances. Lisella’s expression went from concern to raw fear.

“Unless you’re challenging my leadership, I’d sheath that dagger, Rystin”—his gaze dropped to the warrior’s weapon, then lifted, one eyebrow arching—“and tell me what’s going on.”

“Someone has to look out for our people,” Rystin snarled, fingers flexing around the hilt of his weapon before tightening again. “Your
leadership
killed two of our own.”

Varian’s frown deepened and he glanced to Lisella.

“Eyan and Geanna were murdered by the rebels,” she explained, her chin trembling. “We buried them this morning.”

Grief stabbed like a jagged splinter of metal into Varian’s gut. The faces of both young scouts flashed through his mind. He’d taken them on many outings to test their tracking skills. Eyan’s improvement during their last foray had earned him a compliment. It’d brought a shy but proud smile to the boy’s face.

Rystin’s actions now made sense.

Varian swallowed hard. “You have proof which rebels did this?”

“When have we discriminated between aggressors?” The scout stabbed a finger toward the house. “They attacked us! Eyan and Geanna were butchered. They deserve to die! All of them!”

“Our alliance with the humans—”

“Was a mistake!” Rystin’s furious shout had those standing with the scout voicing their agreement. “Since when have we delayed meting out justice or defending ourselves against those who would see us dead?”

“Since we asked for sanctuary.” His tone was as uncompromising. “We all agreed to the alliance when Kalan proposed it. With it went our cooperation. Justice may not be swift but it will be handed out in time.”

“We can dispense it now,” one of the other
Na’Chi
argued.

“Yes, we could, but what impression will it leave on the humans who don’t understand us?”

Rystin snorted. “Very few want to understand us! We’d have been better off remaining in
Na’Reish
territory. At least there we knew who our enemies were. Here we have no idea!”

Varian nodded solemnly. “Granted, knowing who to trust here isn’t easy, but it’s going to take time to show the humans we’re different from the
Na’Reish
.” He locked gazes with Rystin. “The accusations leveled by Davyn and his supporters will be proved right if we kill the rebels now. Is that what you want?”

Around them bodies shifted. Varian inhaled deeply, testing the scents in the air. A clear divide existed. He hid a grimace.

“These rebels broke human law,” he continued. “They have a right to be judged by their own people.”

Rystin’s shoulders bunched with tension. “You don’t think we have a right to judge them?”

“Of course I do. Nothing would satisfy my heart more than ending the lives of those warriors one by one.”

Varian glanced over Rystin’s shoulder toward the house where the rebels resided. Beyond the closed door, the Light Blades awaited their fate. Taking a blade to their throats would satisfy the anger inside him.

Their lives for the ones they’d taken.

Protect and avenge.

Na’Chi
justice.

Several months ago, he’d have thought nothing of that sort of behavior, from any of them. Their survival had demanded such a cold, ruthless approach. But circumstances had changed. There was more at stake now—an infant alliance that deserved a chance to succeed.

At the edge of his vision, Varian caught Arek shifting his weight onto the balls of his feet. The Second hooked his fingers in his belt, close to his blade. His team also shuffled uneasily beside him.

Varian sighed softly at the swift loss of trust between their peoples.

“But we no longer live in
Na’Reish
territory.” He resorted to a more persuasive tone. “If we’re to make new lives here living with the humans, we’re going to need to change some of our ways.”

“You should hear yourself.” Rystin shook his head. “
Human
law.
Human
justice.
Human
ways.” His bark of laughter was bitter. “We’re
Na’Chi
. I say we remain true to our ways. If the humans can’t accept us for who we are, then we’re better off without them as our allies.”

Lisella’s gasp was the only sound in the tense silence that followed Rystin’s announcement. Varian ground his teeth together at the scout’s stubborn arrogance.

Patience gone, he pinned Rystin with his stare. “So, this is your justification for breaking my order?” he asked, words deceptively soft. “Is this a challenge for leadership, then? Be clear on this, Rystin. You know the possible consequences of issuing one.”

A
SHIVER skittered up Kymora’s back. Few humans would have recognized the dangerous edge in Varian’s voice, but she did. Apparently so did her guide, Zaune. Where her hand lay on his forearm, his muscles bulged and pulled tight, like he was forming a fist. What about the challenge had the young scout so concerned?

“Why is Rystin challenging Varian?” Kymora asked, keeping her voice low.

“Rystin’s a fool!” Zaune’s voice shook with equal amounts of anger and apprehension. “Now’s not the time for this!”

She squeezed his arm. “What’s going on Zaune?”

“Rystin is challenging Varian for the leadership of the
Na’Chi
.” His breath hissed out from between his teeth. “When we lived in
Na’Reish
territory, decisions had to be made and followed without question. Any hesitation and we risked discovery and death.”

She blinked, astonished. “A dictatorship?”

“It’s how we’ve stayed alive and safe for so long.”

“I meant no criticism; it’s just that I’ve heard Varian ask for opinions and ideas, many times, before making a decision.”

“When he can, he does that. It’s what makes him such a good leader, but he won’t hesitate to enforce his decisions. Any one of us can issue a challenge for leadership, but we have to be prepared to fight him for it. In the past, Rystin has come close but always backed down.” He placed a hand over hers and his tone gentled. “If he confirms his challenge, they’ll fight. Only one of them will survive.”

“This is a fight to the death?”

“Yes.”

“Mother of Mercy!”
Her heart began to pound. “No one should have to die. Take me over to them, Zaune.”

“You can’t interfere.”

“This can be settled by talking not fighting!”

“What do you think Varian’s been trying to do in the last few minutes?” Zaune’s harsh question had her biting her lip. “Rystin doesn’t want to listen.”

But a fight to the death?
Lady of Light!
The Light Blades spoke highly of the
Na’Chi’s
fierce skills in training. Both warriors were evenly matched. Her heart contracted. She couldn’t lose Varian. The selfish thought made her cheeks burn with shame, but she couldn’t take it back.

“The
Na’Chi
need Varian and Rystin,” she whispered. Her voice trailed off as her throat closed over. She swallowed hard. “
Mother of Mercy
, help us.”

“This is our way,
Temple Elect
.” The young scout’s voice was firm. “Would you weaken Varian’s position by interfering? Because that’s what will happen if you do. Rystin will gain support. You heard him. He believes we’ve made a mistake in coming here. If he wins the challenge, he’ll take us back to
Na’Reish
territory.”

“That’s suicide!”

Zaune grunted in agreement. “Then let Varian do what he has to.”