Lara walked along the deck, trying to breathe in the fresh air without succumbing to the brown sludge nudging her weak shield. Every day that she lived surprised her. It was as if the Malirrans courted her for the information she held. Two days after her first interrogation with Harto and Tave, the chain attached to her ankle and wrist was removed.
Today, for the first time, she walked the deck, looking out at the ocean surrounding the ship. Her body had finally become accustomed to the sway and roll of the ship on the water, so she no longer had the urge to vomit. To the right, she could see Kureto on the horizon.
She had a feeling this afternoon was the last reprieve she’d receive from the Malirrans. The days they courted her, attempting to entice her to their side with empty promises, provided her with the time to think through their possible questions. All the while, she fought against the evil that oozed from the ship. Lara eyed the wood planks beneath her feet. Although she knew otherwise, she still expected to see bloodstains splashed across the deck.
Shuddering at the thought, she didn’t slide over fast enough before a Malirran plowed into her, and her hip hit the railing of the ship. Lara winced, though she didn’t open her mouth. Another bruise to add to the others.
Lara kept her head bowed, afraid she’d provoke the man’s temper more. The Malirran delighted in finding ways to shove or bump into her. Her fingers curled into tight fists, and her fingernails cut into the palms of her hands.
Lara sucked in air, reminding herself that she couldn’t disturb the tentative peace. She had to survive.
She must survive.
In the sudden quiet blanketing the ship, the steady thump beneath her feet signaled someone approached. Without moving, she peeked through her tangled hair. It was interesting that she relaxed when Harto came into view. The captain would sooner kill her than save her, but he needed the intel she had.
If only he knew the truth.
Harto stared at her for a long minute. Finally, the captain jerked his head toward the cabin and said, “Follow me. It is time.”
She felt eyes follow her all the way back to the cabin, and she itched to scream at them. It wouldn’t do any good. Lara sighed in relief when the door to the cabin shut behind her. At least, now, she only had to focus on a single man instead of the entire crew.
“Sit,” Harto commanded, his eyes sharp.
Lara bowed her head and sat down, keeping her hands pressed against her thighs. She debated for half a second whether to wait for his questions, but she needed to sell her act. “What do you want to know?”
Triumph glittered in his eyes despite the mask of nonchalance he attempted. Lara had him.
“Tell me about Malkese.”
Lara sighed. Beneath the table, her fingers curled into the pants she wore. “I’ve only been there once, and when I did visit the city, I was held captive, jailed, and put on trial. Because of my circumstances while I was there, I can’t give you the layout of the city.”
“Yes, you’ve mentioned your circumstances before. What crime did you commit?”
Having already decided on what she’d say when asked, Lara shook her head. “Like I said before, nothing. It was a false accusation. My only mistake was that I trusted the one who traveled with me. He brought me to Malkese to start a new life.” In a sense, it was true. Chion had taken her to Malkese to learn why she’d been transported to Kureto from Earth. A new life, indeed. It wasn’t Chion’s fault that the climate within Malkese had been one of abject fear and suspicion.
Apparently, Malirrans understood betrayal as a part of life. Harto smirked at her seeming naivete. He nodded and said, “I am not surprised you’d fall for such a simple trick. Women are easy to deceive.”
Lara had difficulty not rolling her eyes. She thought women were remarkably adept at using their womanly wiles and perceived weaknesses to their advantage. If this Malirran didn’t know any better, she was the last person who’d tell him different. Especially since she was doing the exact thing he thought women were incapable of.
“I was knocked unconscious and thrown into a cell to await my trial. Later, I learned I was out for three days. My trial took place a few hours after I woke up. I was charged with spying on Kureto for the enemy.” Drawing forth her memories, she allowed her bitterness to show.
“And were you a spy?” Harto asked, his voice low.
Lara glared at him and hissed, “No.” She was certain the man could see the truth written across her face.
“So, why are you willing to betray your people now?” The Malirran’s gaze traveled up and down her features.
A grimace twisted her lips into a near snarl. “I wasn’t put to the death, but my life has changed for the worse.” A memory of her face plastered across several news websites came to the fore. “My village pursued me. I had to flee my home. News of my supposed betrayal kept me from putting down roots. I’ve been on the run ever since.”
All the information she gave Harto was true, yet not.
“Kurites have forsaken me, and I’m left to find a new home.” Lara acted as if she didn’t see the glee her words evoked or understand the man’s endgame. Harto needed her now; however, once they had all the information she possessed, she was as good as dead. And she doubted her death would be quick.
He grunted, then demanded, “Tell me what you do know of Malkese.”
Oh God, she’d really done it. He believed her!
She had to tread carefully, merging information about San Antonio into the little she knew about Malkese. Hopefully, it’d satisfy Harto’s curiosity while keeping Kureto safe. “Malkese is a large city. I’d never seen anything like it. The center of the city is surrounded by a highway.”
“A highway?” Harto interrupted.
Lara nodded. “Yes, a highway. I guess you might call it the main road?” Seeing his nod of understanding, she continued, “The center of the city is crowded, so it is easier to use the longer route to reach your destination. There is a market, but I’m not certain how big it is since I could only hear the hawkers from my cell.”
“How many men guard the city?”
Lara almost arched a brow. He didn’t ask about the women, so that meant the Malirrans were like the Pyrannis. They discounted the Kurite women who were as skilled with weapons as the men. “I don’t know the exact number, but I would say fifty to one hundred men.”
“What defenses do they have in place?”
Shrugging her shoulders, her answer was honest. “I’ve no idea. I was knocked unconscious before I reached the city gate.” Not able to control her magic at the time, she’d fallen prey to the aggressive emotions of the Kurite guards when they approached her. While she fought off three men, another had snuck up behind her and hit her on the head.
Harto growled, and she shivered in reaction. His frustration and irritation tingled against her skin, and she struggled to keep the muddy substance of the ship and the ant-sized stings from rolling her under. She heard a small rip of material.
Great, her pants now had a tear at mid-thigh. She relaxed her grip, not wanting to make the damage worse.
“If you do not have better information than the minuscule amount you’ve provided,” he threatened, “then your time is done.”
She yelled, “I know about the pakas!” Dammit.
How could she have been so desperate to share something she had already decided not to mention? Oh God, her brain’s frantic race to find something—anything—to share came up with zilch. She was on her own.
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Harto leaned forward, both of his palms lying flat on the table. He breathed, “The pakas.”
Lara managed a single nod, fighting back tears of terror. She scrambled to remember every myth she’d overheard about Pakas. Of course, she knew the truth, but the Malirrans could never know about them.
Cats, dogs, birds. Wait, why did her brain bring these pets to mind? Pets. Of course.
Did she dare?
She heaved a sigh, and a single tear of relief at having the rudiments of a plan spilled down her cheek. She hoped with everything in her that the Malirran would see it as her fighting an inner battle. His grin chilled her to the bone.
“The pakas,” he repeated. “Tell me about the pakas, Kurite.”
“They’re given to certain Kurites as pets. With a lot of work, they can be trained to follow simple commands. Kind of like how the Abanis use dogs.” Please, please have no knowledge of Abani.
He tapped the table with his knuckles while he thought for a moment. “I’ve never heard of dogs.”
She hid her relief by shifting her gaze around the room as if she sought a way to describe them. “Dogs are indigenous to Abani, the same as pakas to Kureto. Kureto uses pakas as war beasts. They are trained to help kill the enemy, but there are limitations to their use. It takes years to fully train a paka for battle. If they aren’t kept under strict control, they go on rampages at the least provocation.”
Lies, lies, lies. Could she pull this off without getting herself killed? She prayed to God; then, for good measure, she prayed to the Goddess the Kurites and Pyrannis believed existed in their doctrine.
Lara locked her eyes on Harto’s as he studied her. She wished for Skye’s ability to hide his emotions behind a façade of stoicism.
“Some of my men reported seeing the golden eyes of Kurites during the fight.” Harto didn’t ask a question, but Lara understood the demand, nonetheless. She hoped none of the Malirrans saw the children and young pakas. It would make her next statement next to impossible to swallow.
“No one understands how, but it is a byproduct of Kurites working with pakas for years.” She’d never been more thankful for her brown eyes than now. Her Tal’Ai bond never manifested the golden eyes of other human Ais when she bonded with Chion.
After trekking through Areth’s catacombs, she and her three companions knew why. The Lan’Ai bond had yet to form. Even so, her eyes would never change color. Instead, the half-formed tattoo front and center on her forehead would fill in. Thankfully, none of the Malirrans had thought to question the mark.
The man’s doubt was palpable when he said, “My men reported their eyes matched the pakas who fought alongside them. You expect me to believe you?”
Her mouth flattened into a straight line. Keep it together. Keep it together, oh God.
She shrugged. “As near as our elders have been able to determine, it isn’t due to magic if that’s what you are insinuating. The bond between a paka and Kurite might seem that way, but it is from intense training throughout the entire life of the animal. With time, anyone can learn the tells of their pets—what they want, what they need, when they are sick.”
Harto tapped the table again, the dull thumps filling the quiet room. “You are saying that anyone can train a paka as long as the person is willing to invest the time.” He didn’t wait for her response. He continued, “Now, tell me about the tunnels.”
Lara eyed him, wary of the quick change of topic. Had he accepted her explanation as fact? Harto gave her no clues to his thoughts even though she searched his features. Taking in a shaky breath, she said, “I’m not sure what you want me to tell you. I haven’t traveled far from my village, so I can’t provide you with a map.”
The man twisted his head toward the door, and Lara shrieked when the door slammed open. Tave took in the situation with a single glance. As much as Harto scared her, Tave terrified her. In the Malirran language, Tave bowed and said, “Captain, we will reach Gharra in two days’ time if the winds blow in our favor.”
They were already close to Pyran’s border? She had hoped for another week at least before they reached Skye’s home. She nibbled on her bottom lip. If the Malirrans had taken control of Gharra, the city was going to shred her to pieces. Her struggle to keep the sickening mud from pulling her into insanity was taking everything she had.
Her control was already on the verge of collapse. She was mentally and emotionally exhausted from the constant strain, not just the need to keep her wits about her but also to maintain the magic barrier. Her veins felt as if they’d been cauterized, but her soul was safe from harm. For now.
If she stepped foot inside Gharra, Lara could only imagine the emotions running rampant through the city. The hell she faced now was an anthill compared to the mountain they approached.
Despite every effort not to show her despair, she sank back into the chair. How long could she last in the city before she succumbed? Then again, insanity might be her best defense against the Malirrans. Could she leverage insane behavior to lower their guard? Could she balance on the edge long enough to escape her captors?
Lara swallowed the growing knot caught in her throat. Chion. She missed him. She’d do whatever it took to escape, to return to her bondmate. If it meant going insane to give her a chance to survive, she’d do it. What choice did she have? Lara just prayed that she found her way back to rational thought.
Ignoring the two men’s low conversation, she turned inward and aimed all her attention on the weak shield around her. She lightened the brown to a murky tan before she had to back away from it. Her arms and legs trembled from the energy it’d taken to accomplish that little bit. Lara opened her eyes, only then realizing she’d shut them in the first place.
She blinked several times before the room came into focus. She despised this room. Every day the room seemed to shrink in size, making her claustrophobia grow. She wondered how a room on a ship in the middle of an ocean could make her feel trapped when the tunnels never did. Even the catacombs had left her with the impression of space.
Lara jumped when two sets of eyes latched onto her. Tave sneered at her inability to refrain from showing her fear. Mere hours aboard this ship, it soon became apparent to her that any kind of weakness was condemned. Lara had used it against them, though she couldn’t deny that she showed more fear than even she wanted. Strung tight, her body running on sheer adrenaline, Lara couldn’t keep the twitches or shivers from the watchful gazes of her enemy.
Harto cut off her musings. “Why do Kurites live beneath the ground, hiding from the sun?”
Ah, that is why he asked about the tunnels. Her nose flared as she blew out a slow breath. She cleared her throat and twisted the material in her hands. “The Gais Desert makes it impossible to live aboveground. Every Kurite child learns about the battle that destroyed Kurite civilization in one fell swoop. Buildings toppled and turned to nothing but rubble. Entire forests were flattened.”
Both men stared at her in fascination. Tave asked, “When was this battle?”
Lara lifted and dropped her right shoulder. “I don’t know the exact year, but the battle took place almost a thousand or more years ago. My ancestors refused to leave their homeland, so they dug into the ground.” She recalled the teachings Audren and Tryvor had given both Skye and her. “In the years immediately following the battle, everything turned to sand. I’ve never been into the Gais Desert, but stories are told about the emptiness that hovers over the land. Someone who I had thought a friend told me that there is no water anywhere on the land as the clouds pass around some unseen barrier. The Gais Desert is not a true desert. There isn’t a single oasis for those seeking a watering hole.”
“From the ship, I could see the forest along the embankment.”
Nodding, knowing where he was going with his comment, Lara answered, “Yes, there is a thin strip between the desert and the coastline that allows for plant and animal life. No one can explain why. We’re just thankful that it exists.”
“Tell us about the other places along the coast.” Seeing Tave sneer again, she followed Harto’s demand to its conclusion. They wanted to know how their own men could overtake the land. They wanted access to the tunnels below, a backdoor that would help them conquer Kureto.
Lara shook her head in what she hoped they’d read as regret. “I’ve no clue. The large majority of Kurites never leave the tunnels. The only reason I did was because I was driven from my village. I know the location of the hatch I used to go to the village where you captured me, but I’m not sure if that is helpful.”
Like hell it was. She knew good and well the information was insufficient. God, she swore they were idiots despite the intelligence she saw gleaming in their eyes. Chion would have called her on her half-truths within a minute of Lara starting her spiel. Misdirection would take her only so far. Soon, they’d require definitive information—something the Malirran army could use to their benefit. Seeing their impatience with her inability to tell them more, she almost snickered before biting her tongue.
The Malirrans shared a look before Tave walked over to the wall and pulled out a map. Using four stones as weights, they flattened the map on top of the table. Harto motioned her up from where she sat, and then he pointed to a small inlet. Lara recognized it immediately. It was an approximate drawing of the general area around the training school. The small inlet was where she’d sat looking over the ocean.
Tave grabbed ahold of her shirt and yanked her forward. She cried out when her chest hit the table with a bang, her hands crushed beneath her. His warm breath tickled her ear when he demanded, “Show us the entrance into the tunnels.”
She lay there for a couple seconds after he released her. Lara shivered, and the kernel of animosity she’d kept hidden behind a wall in her mind grew just a little more. Hate was not a good enough word for what she felt in those few seconds. Mentally building another, thicker wall around the first, she shoved the emotion away until she could study it later.
That is, if she lived long enough.
Straightening her arms, Lara lifted up and studied the map. Whoever had drawn the map had left blank small patches along the coastline. She chose the first blank section north of the inlet. If she remembered correctly, the area was surrounded by high cliffs. She pointed, “Right here. There is a small cave within the cliff. For security reasons, the cave can’t be reached from the ocean. The only way to reach the entrance into the tunnel is to find the stairs located above the cliffs. The stairs take you down into the cave. At the back of the cave, hidden behind a natural rock wall, the entrance is on the cave floor. All it takes is to pull the door up.”
When the Malirrans looked at where she pointed, Lara hid her small smile by lowering her head, letting her hair fall around her. It was amazing at how quickly she mastered the finer points of deception when her life was in immediate danger. But it was more than that. Innocent lives were at stake, and Lara refused to be the reason for their deaths.