Skye gritted his teeth in frustration. They should have taken the tunnels. Somewhere nearby was the entrance to the trapdoor, but the desert was crawling with Pyranni dissidents.
It’s not your fault, My Lord, Eiren assured him. Neither one of us thought Pyrannis would flee to Kureto. I’m surprised Kurite patrols haven’t either captured or killed the men. They are too close to finding Luthis as it is.
It has taken us too long to bypass them. He scowled at the ten warriors below. We should have reached Chion by now. I’m not sure he’ll wait much longer for us.
Do not worry. He’ll wait. I expect Chion is fully aware he needs your help. The plan you devised will save Lara, especially if she is in Gharra.
He sent a snort through their bond but didn’t take his eyes off the men a short distance away. He has to hear the plan first. You better pray that Luthis listens to me. The last time I was here I was thrown into a cell.
A wet tongue licked his cheek, and Skye turned to glare at her. Humor made her eyes glint in the dim moonlight.
In retaliation, he lifted his hand and flicked the end of her nose.
If you remember, My Lord, you were the enemy. And I, well, I was miserable until I met you. It is interesting how we are back to where we first met. Almost as if we’ve gone full circle.
Taking another long look at the group of Pyrannis below, Skye whispered in her ear, “I think we can move around them without drawing their attention. They’re making no attempt to stay quiet, and no one guards the perimeter.” A short while later, he added, And yes, we’ve gone full circle. The question is whether that is a good or bad thing.
It took them longer than even he expected to find the hidden doorway. Skye sighed in relief when the darkness beckoned. Disregarding the stairs, he jumped down into the tunnel and focused his magic outward.
Eiren closed the door, but she sat down on the steps behind him instead of dropping to the tunnel floor. He flashed four fingers behind his back so she knew how many waited to attack.
Can you try to talk to them first? Perhaps they’ve heard of our bond as Tal’Ai.
He shot her a dubious look even as he called out to the four Kurites hidden behind an intersection, “We’ve news that we must share with Jaure.”
With his magic, Skye saw two men tuck their heads together before one of them stood up and came around the corner. Skye’s vision narrowed to the arrow pointed at him, and he shifted to better protect Eiren. Lifting his hands in surrender, he said, “I’ve no wish to fight you. Can one of you take us to Jaure?”
The two men shuffled their feet. The man holding the bow asked, “Pyranni, how is it you can see us? There is no light.” The bow tautened a little more.
Skye kept his hands out in front of him. He slid to the side, allowing them to see Eiren. Keeping his magic honed on the arrow, Skye said, “I am Skye Silverhand; this is my bondmate, Eiren. We are Tal’Ai.”
At once, the two men relaxed and the other two Kurites stepped out from behind the wall. “So, the rumors are true,” the second man said with a single nod.
Skye and Eiren glanced at each other in confusion. Speaking for them both, he queried, “Rumors? There are rumors about us?”
The other men stepped forward to meet them halfway. One of them laughed, and all the Kurites relaxed. “Yes, rumors about your trial in Malkese came to Luthis weeks ago.” The Kurite gestured to Eiren in dismissal. He continued with another laugh, “Everyone in Luthis was shocked. A Pyranni captive bonds with a paka that can’t talk. What are the odds?”
Hiding his anger, Skye murmured, “What are the odds indeed?”
Skye’s next move blurred, and the man gasped when the sharp tip of the blade under his chin made him go up on his toes. Skye ignored the warnings and the sounds of weapons drawn around him. In a soft voice, he demanded, “Eiren is Tal’Ai, and you will all give her the respect she deserves. While we’re here, her treatment will not be a repeat of her life before. Do you understand?”
At the man’s jerky nod, he released the Kurite and turned to glare at each man, waiting for their acquiescence. Skye sheathed his knife and said, “Spread the word.”
Eiren breathed, My Lord, this isn’t necessary.
Skye’s features never changed, but he said aloud for the others’ benefit, “It is necessary, My Lady. I will not allow any Kurite to treat you with disrespect. Anyone who chooses to do so will face my sword.”
From the way the Kurites turned their heads, he knew they exchanged expressions of confusion, but he didn’t deign to explain that Eiren was far more intelligent than Luthis’s people ever gave her credit. Instead, he crossed his arms. “Now, Luthis is aware that Gharran dissidents wander the Gais Desert?”
“Yes,” their spokesman answered, “every entryway is guarded by warriors. Surprisingly, none have even attempted to enter the tunnels. Several of us have found evidence of boot prints circling a few trapdoors.”
Skye nodded before his attention jumped past the four men to the corridor beyond. “Two pakas approach with their Ais.”
Although his magic hid their expressions, he heard the Kurites’ surprised intake of breath. In a voice showing his unease, the man said, “They come to relieve us for the day.”
“Good. This conversation is taking too long as it is. You can take us to Jaure. We’ve information to share that cannot wait.” The eyes of the approaching Tal’Ais announced their presence.
While the men briefed the new guards, Skye squatted down beside Eiren, testing the fit of the pack on her back. As expected, traveling across the desert had made it impossible to rid themselves of the sand. Without the benefit of clothes, sand had rubbed Eiren raw where the straps touched her skin.
Thank you, she said quietly, even though no one could hear her. Those two simple words held a wealth of emotion.
Skye kept his guard up, not allowing the Kurites to read his expression, but he did run a gentle hand over her head. Your gratitude is not necessary, but you’re welcome. You are mine to protect.
As you are mine.
They turned to face the group as someone walked over to them. The head guard bowed his head. “I am called Hobi.”
Skye bowed back and said, “I am Skye.”
“I’ll take you to Jaure. I am curious. How did you bypass the Pyrannis above?”
Walking beside Hobi, he shrugged, knowing the other three men’s eyes were on him. “When we couldn’t hide, I distracted them by entering their camp while Eiren moved to the other side of the dune. For once, my Pyranni heritage granted me a boon. I was able to gather critical information about Pyran.”
A man trailing behind them asked, “Do you mind if I ask why you traveled the Gais Desert? It is not a route that one takes lightly.”
Skye grinned, though it was devoid of humor. “We believed we could shorten the length of our trip by crossing the desert; however, I didn’t expect to find it crawling with Pyrannis. We would have reached Luthis days ago if not for them. So, no Pyrannis have entered the tunnels?”
Hobi responded, “Not yet, though it is only a matter of time.”
You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.
“Perhaps not. The men above have no wish to attack Kureto. They seek refuge from the Malirrans.”
“They think the Gais Desert is a refuge?” Hobi’s incredulity was undeniable. The other Kurites murmured their agreement.
“Don’t ever discount a person’s desperation or his will to survive. The Pyranni warriors are desperate to escape the Malirrans’ evil.” Skye shot a look at Hobi. “Their need must truly be dire. The men in the Gais Desert believe the invaders are worse than the desert.” Silence fell when he said nothing else.
The influx of information coming toward him increased as they neared the city, and Skye struggled to adjust the invisible mirrors until he could focus solely on their small group. Sensing his struggle. Eiren murmured, We are almost there. Jaure’s office is on the outskirts of Luthis. You will not require your magic once we enter the room. It will be a short reprieve, no doubt, but every bit of time you do not use your magic works in our favor.
Skye didn’t know why he was surprised by Eiren’s knowledge, yet he was. “They ignored your presence, didn’t they? Because you couldn’t speak, they ignored you.” He snorted when she nodded once. The Goddess save Luthis’s people from idiocy.
After a few more turns, Hobi held up his hand to stop them and said, “Wait here.” He knocked on the door and slipped inside.
After untying the pack on Eiren, Skye removed his own and dropped it onto the ground with a small groan. Stretching his back, he felt the joints snap and pop. His body ached from the constant traveling, and they still had a long way to go. Skye leaned against the wall with a small sigh.
After expanding his sight to watch what occurred on the other side of the door, he sent the information to Eiren. Hobi argued with a paka, causing Skye’s brows to rise. He had always pictured Jaure as a man for some reason.
He stood back up right before Hobi opened the door and waved them inside. Several pakas, men, and women left the room after Eiren and Skye stepped inside. Before the door could close, Skye turned back and snatched up his pack, bringing it inside.
They entered what looked like a war room. After his eyes acclimated to the glowing roots hanging from the ceiling, he dropped his magic. In the dim light, Skye made out a pile of maps and reports as he looked over the room.
Jaure didn’t move from his seat on the other side of the table, and silence descended. At last, the paka said, Welcome home, Eiren.
Eiren bared her teeth with a silent hiss. She muttered, As if you or anyone noticed my absence.
Skye chuckled, drawing Jaure’s quizzical gaze. With relish, he relayed Eiren’s statement, watching for a reaction. A flash of guilt crossed the paka’s face, and Skye’s eyes narrowed.
The paka bowed his head. Much to my chagrin, you are right. I did not take notice until word spread that you were bound to a Pyranni.
There was a hidden undercurrent within Jaure’s statement. Through his link with Eiren, he suddenly felt the deep resentment she held against the male. There was more happening here than met the eye. His heart beating faster, Skye inched in front of her and put his hand on the hilt of his sword. Not taking his eyes off Jaure, he asked Eiren, “What am I missing?”
I’m not in any danger, she said with a sniff. Well, I might attack him if he says anything demeaning to me.
Eiren, tell me what I am missing, he demanded.
He’s my packmate, my brother. Her resentment when she said the word had him curling his own lip in distaste.
“And you are just now telling me this?” He asked the question out loud, wanting the paka to know they were talking about him. “If I had known, I would have asked for someone else. God’s blood, Eiren.”
Jaure’s dry chuff held a wealth of regret. I see that we were all wrong, and for that the Pack will never be able to apologize enough.
Skye crossed his arms with a dark scowl. “Wrong?” He knew what the paka meant, but Eiren deserved the full apology. Eiren had told him her Pack had abandoned her to her fate, yet the entire incident was nebulous at best. He wished he’d asked more questions, but he’d respected her need for keeping a few secrets. After all, they’d always had other, more important things to consider. Faced with a brother who had risen through the ranks, leaving his own blood sister behind, created an entirely different picture for him.
Jaure sighed and jumped from his chair, walking around the table to stand before Eiren. You can talk, and I never took the time to understand. Looking at you now, there is no excuse that can adequately explain my actions. Your eyes display your intelligence to the world, and I see it now. Instead, I allowed the Pack and Luthis’s elders and councilors to tell me how to treat you. I run an entire spy network. I’m trained to notice details. He shook his head, then dropped it in shame. I should have used those same skills to understand. I know full well you will never forgive me, us. I do not deserve it. None of us do.
When neither Eiren nor Skye responded, he stepped back and returned to business. Now, as much as I hoped to see Eiren again, I was told you have news for me.
A little off balance from the new development, Skye hesitated, but Eiren looked up at him in expectation. Tell him, Skye. The city must be warned.
“Fine,” he snarled. He took a moment to put his thoughts together. “Have your spies updated you on Gharra?” When the paka growled an affirmative, Skye said, “Then you know the Malirrans have conquered Pyran. King Ragnar is dead. What you probably don’t know is that the Malirrans are flesh eaters. They are a brutal race that shows no mercy to their adversaries. Eiren and I have fought them recently at the Tal’Ai school.”
Jaure jerked up straight and demanded with a growl, What were they doing at the Tal’Ai school?
“They were intent on killing the children and kits.” Seeing the paka’s horror, Skye waved away his next question. “They’re all safe. The young ones have thrust themselves into their training like never before. I don’t know if the Malirrans know the school trains new Tal’Ais or not, but they took a woman.”
The rage in the last word echoed through the room, and Jaure studied his face. This woman, who is she?
Skye fisted his hands. “Solara Conners, the Ai to Chion of Malkese.”
The other individual put on trial, he murmured. There is more to this story. Please, have a seat. He joined them on the left side of the room where a cluster of chairs and benches stood.
Tell him the rest, My Lord, Eiren insisted after they both sat down.
He started out slowly, taking care to choose his words. “After our trial, Chion and Eiren were ordered to search the archives for information regarding our bonds. We are Tal’Ai, but there are marked differences.”
Jaure looked back and forth, his eyes on the mark on their foreheads.
“Yes, not only did we not acquire the eyes of the Tal’Ai, we came out of the bonding with the brand you see upon our brow. Lara and I trained at the school for a month before a Malirran assassin crossed our path. It is a long story, but I think the assassin was sent to scout the Kureto border. When he didn’t return, it drew the Malirrans’ attention to the general area. They found the school. During the attack, Lara was snatched. Chion and I followed them back to their ship, but we were too late.”
Does she have information the Malirrans could use against us?
Both Eiren and he snorted. “I understand your concern, but we aren’t worried about her because of the information the Malirrans think they can gain. We need her for an altogether different reason.”
Jaure argued, Torture can sabotage the will of even the strongest individual.
Skye slashed his hand in the air, stopping him from saying anything else. “You are right, but surely you’ve heard rumors of her background.”
The paka stared at them both. I did, but I discarded them as false. Tales grow by leaps and bounds with every retelling.
“For once, the rumor is true.” Skye shook his head, running a hand through his filthy, stringy hair. “She knows even less about Kurite culture than I do. I’ve been to her world, and it is… indescribable.”
I know she is your companion, but I’m not certain what you want from me. A rescue is futile.
Skye leaned forward until his nose almost touched the paka’s. “No, Jaure, you don’t understand. Before Lara was taken captive, we learned something about our Tal’Ai bond. We are not Tal’Ai but Lan’Ai. The last Lan’Ai bond occurred during the Great War. We believe the Lan’Ai bond appears only when the need is great. Apparently, the God and Goddess believe the invasion of the Malirrans meets that requirement.”
He let that news sink in for a moment before he continued. “Without Lara, the Lan’Ai bond can’t form. All four of us believe that without the Lan’Ai bond forming, Kureto won’t win against the Malirrans. They have taken Pyran in such a short time. How long do you think it will be until they march into Kureto?”
Jaure turned and studied Eiren’s face. In a soft, urgent voice, he asked, Is what your Ai says the truth? You believe this bond is Kureto’s last defense against the invaders?
Her eyes solemn, she nodded. Her tail twitched with tension.
How will the Lan’Ai bond manifest? Jaure looked at Eiren, then back at Skye, rapid calculation and worry darkening his gold gaze.
Skye sat back and frowned. “That, we do not know. Until the bond occurs, it is merely guesswork on our part. All we know is that without Lara, we’ll never know what power we might gain.” Eiren again nodded her head once in agreement.
Jaure swiveled his ears and cocked his head in thought. He nodded with a soft sigh. You have both had time to develop a plan, then. Tell me what you need. If it is possible, I will help in any way I can. He must have seen Eiren’s surprise since she made no attempt to hide it. You expected my resistance. Eiren, you are my sister from my blood Pack. I owe you recompense for the way I treated you, the way I let others treat you. Beyond that, serving my people is my duty. My honor allows me no other course but to assist you. If what you both say is true, all of Kureto will be in your debt.
Skye asked, “The ones that took me captive, are they here in Luthis? I can’t remember the pakas’ names; the other two names are Nyah and Neal.”
Hm. Jaure leapt off the chair, prowled over to the table, and scanned through several reports. Neal and Cai just reported to me yesterday. What are you thinking?
“I need one of the people who captured me from Gharra to lead us there. We don’t know the way, and we need to arrive at the doorway sooner than later.”
Wait here, Jaure growled. He left the door open while he spoke to someone standing on the other side. When he returned, he said, Neal and Cai will be here momentarily. I believe they are in one of the practice fields.