Stormrider (34 page)

Strongheart, close to Stormrider, but held back by the storm of The Amulet’s creation.
Song Dog must free himself! He must match power and free himself before it is too late!

On hands and knees, Stormrider struggled toward Song Dog. Raptor, eyes slitted against the stinging dust did the same.

“You are its equal! That is why it sought you. Why it chose you! Teach it the way! Make it understand what life-force means!”

Song Dog collapsed to his knees. The Amulet spewed fury. He stared at Stormrider as she crawled toward him, fighting the unleashed power of the Amulet. It reached out and touched her. Recognized her. Accepted her.

She saw the reddened circle on Song Dog’s neck where the Torque lay. Saw the anguish in his young face as he fought to follow her instructions. To guide The Amulet. To help it form before it sought its own destruction. But Stormrider thought it already too late. None could control it for it had lost control over itself.

In a lunge she and Raptor grabbed Song Dog. With incredible strength he fought back, driven by The Amulet, but Stormrider’s aim was not to subdue him.

Her fingers touched the Torque. Searing hot, but not biting into flesh as it had with Jarrel. She flipped The Torque. Unsuspecting, it sailed from Song Dog’s neck into the dirt leaving behind, on his flesh, a bright, blistering burn.

Dust rose and a curl of smoke. The Torque and Amulet collapsed, slowly folding into itself, blood red stone awash in a tiny, tumultuous sea of molten metal. It glowed fiercely, then slowly, the rose-gold glow faded, seeping into the ground, dispersing into the soil of Nashira from which it had been born.

Chapter 27

The bodies of dead Dinh Dinh were everywhere. But surprisingly, at least at first glance, was the lack of bodies of The People. The Amulet, even in its unpredictably crazed end, had protected its own.

Song Dog appeared a little dazed, but the essence of The Amulet’s presence remained. He gained his feet and helped Silvercat to hers and she moved to stand close beside him. He had protected her. His courage had saved them all. He had to but ask and she was his. It was the way of The People.

He looked at Stormrider, stern of face, unmindful of the blistering burn about his throat, most prominent where the amulet had lain. “It is over. This is where it ends. There is no Amulet to return to your Antaris.”

“It is over,” Stormrider agreed, “And yet it is but the beginning.”

“Beginning?” He frowned.

“She means you are a leader,” Raptor told him as Stormrider freed his hands of the Dinh Dina bonds. “You came with us to observe, to learn. You have learned what you are. What it means to lead. You are a good man, Song Dog, one your people have great need of—.”
 

Blue Thunder grunted his agreement, embracing his daughter, bent before the pain resulting from his beating at the hands of the Dinh Dinh, but on his feet. “It is time The People are united. They will sing of your fearlessness and wisdom this day. They will follow you.”

Song Dog’s eyes glowed. The high, bony-ridge of his forehead reddened. “I am young,” he said humbly, “I would not think to usurp ones such as you, Blue Thunder, who kept The Amulet safe until I came and Grey Wanderer who taught me well.”

Hart’s projection twinkled into being. He was smiling that golden smile again, blue eyes bright with enthusiasm. His pale, porcelain skin seemed almost transparent, his image not at all solid.

“I regret we did not know the direction The Amulet would choose,” Hart said in his clear musical voice.

He turned to Song Dog. “But Blue Thunder is right. The Amulet chose you and through it Nashira has chosen you. You seek knowledge and understanding and that is what you will bring The People as well as others sharing this world.”

Song Dog, already having spent time in the presence of the Kadlu and the Disir, was not startled by Hart’s sudden appearance, but the rest of the encampment, having drawn nearer at Song Dog’s victory, fell back, awed.

“Perhaps,” Hart said with an affectionate grin, “you can even explain us to them.”

Stormrider bent to pick up the hardened bit of dead gold which engulfed blood-red stone. Its essence gone now, dispersed into Nashira’s heart, it glowed only with the dull sheen of ordinary metal.

“Song Dog will no doubt explain the Disir to The People much more clearly than I will be able to explain this to the Circle of Nine and Antaris’ High Cudan.”

“You will leave Nashira now.” Song Dog made it a statement, not a question.

Strongheart and Littlefoot pressed close about Stormrider’s legs, both wolves already aware of what was in her heart and thoughts.

“No,” Stormrider said simply. “The bounty hunter will go. He will collect his pay and return Jarrel and the remains of The Amulet to Antaris.” She turned to Raptor, relinquishing her claim.
 

“No,” he said bluntly. “I have no desire or need to return to Antaris. I owe no allegiance. I have even less desire to enter into council with the Circle of Nine. Reward or no, I have found what I sought here.”

Hart smiled. “Nashira has need of many leaders. Many who understand and look to the future.”

No.
Strongheart and Littlefoot touched Stormrider at the same time Starwalker touched Raptor in a chorus.

You must go back. You must finish what you began. The evil one must be returned with what remains of The Amulet. Your Antaris is not so advanced that it does not need a conclusion. An ending to one era that it may begin again. This time without The Amulet of the Suonetar, that blessed by the Sun Goddess. It must find its own leadership, not place the burden on others.
Strongheart said with Starwalker echoing his sentiments to Raptor.

Stormrider to Strongheart. “You’ll go with me and then we can return here.”

A wolfish grin.
No.

Stormrider felt again the pinch of loss.

From Littlefoot.
There will be cubs in the Spring.

Stormrider dropped to her knees in joyful surprise, throwing her arms around Littlefoot’s neck. “Cubs!” she said over her shoulder to Raptor. “We have to be back by spring!”

Will they be as you and Strongheart are?
Stormrider asked eagerly of the bond.

Littlefoot swirled her pink tongue across Stormrider’s face in a damp caress.
Who can know. We will love them regardless.

Starwalker rested his velvety chin on Raptor’s shoulder.

Raptor absently stroked the pony’s muzzle. “Looks like I’m going to be away for a while.” He frowned, unsettled by how difficult this leave-taking was. “I don’t expect to see an entire herd of ponies waiting for me when I return.”

Of course not. Sachem. There could not be that many like me even if you wished it. I will have to do.

“You’ll be all right here, on your own? You are a herd animal after all.”

An exasperated snort from Starwalker.
I am Starwalker.

Jarrel groaned with the beginnings of a return to consciousness.

“How do we keep him from blanking out on us?” Raptor asked Stormrider.

She shrugged. “Keep him unconscious until we reach your ship. I’ll remove the implant once we’re on board.”

Raptor, with deep pleasure, hit Jarrel again, sending the erstwhile Imperitor back into unconsciousness.

Raptor placed his hands on her shoulders. “What do you think the Circle of Nine will do now?”

“Oh,” she answered softly, “with proof of Jarrel’s treachery and little left of The Amulet, I think they’ll turn to the daughter of the house of the Imperitors. Caridwyn’s life force continues. Jarrel apparently did not think her worth killing.”
 

“Ah,” Raptor breathed his response.

“Ah?”

“Ah.”

“Perhaps you will meet her when we return to Antaris. She is an intelligent woman, young, and I’m told, very beautiful. She is, after all, Jarrel’s sister.” She grinned. “A woman Imperitor will be something of a change for Antaris.”

They started for the ship at the edge of the camp, Jarrel’s ship, The People trailing along behind.
 

“The Council of Nine will find themselves in need of making a few adjustments,” Raptor remarked, “it appears they will be short one Janissary.”
 

“Ah,” Stormrider replied with a nod.

“Ah?”

“Janissaries are needed everywhere.”

They stopped at the ramp leading up to the waiting ship, Stormrider with one hand buried in Strongheart’s ruff, the other in Littlefoot’s as she communicated her farewells.
 

Raptor gave Starwalker a brisk pat and nodded. “Ah,” he said sagely in response to Stormrider’s observation.

As they walked inside, The People drawing back from the craft, Raptor said, “I understand there is a general need for bounty hunters as well.”

– THE END –

About the Author
: Peggy Bechko has been published by Doubleday, Harlequin, Pinnacle, and The Fiction Works. One of her screenplays made the quarterfinal of the Nicholl Fellowship in screenwriting, and the semi-finals of the America’s Best screenwriting competition.