B0161NEC9Y (F) (17 page)

“What about the guard from last night?” Shanti asked, stepping out of her pants and putting on the unreasonably large undergarments. The white ruffled things were tight on her thighs and went down past her knees.

“I wasn’t asked any questions about last night. Like I said, he’d done that before. But when he doesn’t turn up for his post tonight…”

Shanti pulled off her shirt. Gasps filled the room.

“Shanti, for heaven’s sake! There are
children
in here!” Molly ran at the kids, shooing them away.

“Why is everyone putting so much emphasis on the fact that there are children?” Shanti wrapped her binding around her breasts, needing to keep them in place in case she had to strip out of her dress later and fight.

“You seem to forget you are no longer a child. We are trying to remind you.” Rohnan moved to the side of the room.

“You can’t get naked in front of the boys.” Molly huffed as she stepped in front of Shanti. She ignored Rohnan’s “why?” as she tsked. Picking up the corset, she stepped up to Shanti with a scowl. “You have to wear this.”

Shanti laughed. “We’ve had this fight, Molly. I will not wear that death trap.”

“What is it?” Rohnan asked, stepping forward again, moving as far from the dress as possible.

“Shanti, now listen to me.” Molly yanked at the binding, trying to rip it off her. “You need to look like—”

“How are we doing?” Valencia, the woman who had proclaimed herself an expert with a knife and a pig, bustled in with an expectant expression.

“Good, you’re here.” Molly pointed at Rohnan. “Get him going. And make sure those boys don’t try to sneak in here. They’re trying to get another look at Shanti.”

“Your fear of the naked body is silly.” Shanti swatted Molly’s hands away. “That thing could be the difference between life and death, Molly. I cannot wear it.”

Molly sighed as Valencia backed Rohnan into a corner. “I don’t care how much you value your masculinity, young man. You will put on this dress, or I will
make
you put on this dress. Either way, you are leaving this house much prettier than you came in, if that were possible.”

“I can move around this city without being seen. I do not need to wear that frightening thing to do it.” Rohnan gently removed the woman’s hands from his person.

“Then at least wear a girdle.” Molly shook a band of fabric at Shanti. It had strings hanging from it, promising an uncomfortable hug that bordered on painful.

“No. There is no need.” Shanti slapped Molly’s hands away again.

A
n hour and several arguments later, Shanti, wearing a horrible monstrosity that hugged her breasts and then exploded out into a sea of fabric to the floor, had her hair dyed black and styled. She was the only one, though. While having Rohnan disguised as a woman was a good idea, his shoulders were much too broad and muscular for him to pass as one. He’d have to stick to the sides and try to get around as best he could in broad daylight.

“I don’t have a good feeling about any of this,” Shanti said as she finally stepped outside. Molly had left after getting her dressed, not having an excuse to hang around any longer. At least none that her guard would buy.

“Neither do I, but we don’t have any other options.” Rohnan slipped in behind some shrubbery as the pretty young woman from the night before came walking toward them.

“Good, she’s on time.” Valencia pushed Shanti forward. “That’s Alena. She’ll be taking you around the prison. Okay, I have to run, girls. The kids make a horrible mess when someone isn’t looking over their shoulders. And remember, keep a low profile.”

Alena approached with an angry bruise across her cheek. She glanced at Rohnan in the bushes before focusing on Shanti. Her face turned a light crimson. She opened her mouth, probably to utter a greeting, but closed it again when Gracas stepped up.

“I’m ready, S’am.” Two of the oldest orphans were with him.

“You know what to do?” Shanti asked Gracas.

“I got it, S’am. I can do it.” He motioned the silent orphans forward. His body was much larger than theirs, stacked with muscle. He still had the youthful, floppy, and goofy way of moving, but he was a young man now, walking among boys. Hopefully the Graygual guarding the army in the park wouldn’t notice his older age. She was counting on Gracas to get some information about how that system worked, and distribute more poison if at all possible.

Ruisa came out of the house next in a puffy pink dress. Orphans scurried behind her and then out to the sides. They each carried a purse filled with a potent version of the poison the women had devised. With their time running out, they needed to start affecting the Graygual now. Ruisa would distribute that poison to everyone she could, working it into food and water. The effects wouldn’t be entirely noticeable for days, but the start of the damage would be quick—fatigue would set in only a few hours after ingesting the liquid.

Shanti had been dead set against involving the orphans. Children should be sheltered away from danger, not thrust into it. Unfortunately, they’d stolen some of the poison for themselves, and made it very clear they’d be helping Ruisa. She was one of them. And they all stuck together.

“Be careful,” Shanti said as they left the house.

“I like using the orphans least of all,” Rohnan said quietly.

Shanti sent a mental
kick
his way. That was supposed to be a secret.

Thankfully, Alena ignored it. “Shall we?”

Leilius slunk behind Shanti and joined Rohnan where he skulked behind the bushes.

“I know my way around the city,” Shanti said before she started walking. “You don’t need to put yourself in danger. I’m going to try not to engage, but…well, you just never know.”

“From what they said, you only vaguely know your way around the city,” Alena said, raising her chin. “I can help. I’m not afraid.”

The woman shed fear like a dog shed fur in summer, revealing her lie. Shanti just nodded, and let her lead the way. She really hoped nothing went wrong.

Chapter Fifteen

“
Shhh.
Do you hear that?” Sonson looked around with wide eyes.

Denessa paused, a cube of cheese on the end of her knife hovering near her mouth.

They sat deep in the trees, clustered around a small fire. They’d taken a northern route instead of veering south and using the Cross-Land Travelway, which ran along the plains. This way would take longer, but it kept them hidden and played to their strengths of fighting within the cover of woodland. The black of the night consumed anything outside the flickering glow of the flame.

A distant
snap
sounded, and then a rustle of plant life.

Sonson let his
Therma
travel out as far as it could, bolstered by the others. He could barely feel someone tickle his consciousness out in the night. He glanced to his side in time to see all three of the great cats melt into the blackness. On the other side, the three beasts raised their heads and looked out into the night, issuing a soft whine.

“They have no idea who they are dealing with,” Boas said in delight. In the trials, he’d always been the lead in sneaking up on people during the still of the night. Only the Chosen had ever felt him coming. And only the Chosen could best him, Sonson included.

“They have no idea
what
they are dealing with,” Denessa said with an evil grin as one of the animal keepers let Bonzi, the male beast, off his tether.

Sonson rose slowly and took out two knives. To the animal keeper, he said, “Those cats won’t take a bite out of me, right? I’m a friend?”

The man hesitated. “If the Chosen were here, I’d say yes. They’ve been overly anxious since they were left behind, though. But…” He scratched his growing beard. “You should be okay.”

Sonson gave Boas a commiserating stare.
Should
be okay?

“How many do you want to go?” Boas asked as he spread a little mud across his cheeks.

Sonson looked around at the eager Shadow, all hoping he’d point to them. These were the best, most versatile fighters they had. They loved their craft and wanted the chance to experience it beyond the confines of their island. Too bad Sonson didn’t trust those animals, or he’d let them all go.

“Let’s just see what we’re up against.” Sonson motioned for a few of them, including Denessa and Punston, to rise.

A small unit followed Boas’ example, covering the paleness of their faces. If moonlight found its way through the thick canopy above, they didn’t want it highlighting their presence.

One by one they drifted into the trees, stepping lightly, careful not to disturb plant life. Sonson felt the cool air coating his skin, and heard a small scrape of wood on jacket from somewhere to his right. This land was much drier than they were used to. It was harder to keep the noise muffled.

Sonson’s awareness tingled as enemy minds sparked into his mental map up ahead. Another presence tugged at his awareness, and then made him jump as something ghosted by his leg. One of the cats, silent and deadly.

He worked around a large trunk and then paused, sensing movement in his direction. Dark shapes moved on the near-black background, hardly noticeable but for the sound. Footsteps crunched the ground. Leaves rustled.

Sonson felt Boas go tranquil, blending into the night to his left. Then Denessa did the same. They were getting ready to attack.

Sonson brought his knives up, nice and slow, bent his knees, and let his mind drift into the night. He felt his surroundings, his
Therma,
and his fellow warriors, as they synchronized their minds and prepared.

A low growl stopped all movement.

A creak of leather sounded.

The growl increased in pitch.

“
What’s that?
”

The language was that of the Graygual.

“
I don’t know,
”
came the whispered response.

The growl grew more menacing. The beast was readying to charge.

“
Should we keep going?
”

Sonson could hear the uncertainty creep into the voice.

Boas launched himself forward. The wet slide of a knife was followed by a shriek of pain and surprise.

Sonson jogged in, grabbing the first shape and jabbing three times with his knife in different locations. His man jerked and screamed before he was falling to the ground. Sonson moved on as a black shape gave a feline cry before barreling to an enemy. Another cat joined the mix, taking down another man.

Wetness sprayed across Sonson’s face as his hands clutched fabric. He yanked the man and brought his knife in, sticking him in the ribs. He aimed lower, hitting him rapidly twice more in the guts. The man slackened, his fight starting to die. Sonson brought his knife up and swept it across the jugular before tossing him aside and reaching for a man bringing up his sword.

“Mine!” Denessa’s voice cut through a roar. She grabbed the black shape and went to work as the huge beast lumbered into the area.

“Give him room!” Tunston, the animal keeper, shouted.

The Shadow cleared out of the way, knowing that when the beast flew into a rage, it stopped noticing who was friend and who was foe.

The beast crashed through the trees, his growls and roars having the enemy pausing. It barreled into a stationary man, crushing him to the ground before going after another. His large shape blotted out sight.

As if a lever had been thrown, the Graygual turned and fled. One dashed right by Sonson. Sonson grabbed him, ripping him back and shoving a knife in his armpit as he flailed. He tossed him away and lurched for another, but before he could grab him, a cat sprang, knocking the man down.

The beast roared again before cutting off a loud scream.

Sonson looked around him, not seeing any more shapes running. Not that he would be able to see more than a few feet.

“Did any get through?” It was Denessa’s voice from four paces away. She knew better than to get too close in the darkness without announcing her presence.

“I don’t know. The cats will probably get them if they did.”

“I questioned keeping those animals alive. I didn’t think they could be domesticated. Looks like it’s good that they can’t.”

Sonson started picking his way back to the fire. “They were meant to be. Now we know why. They’ll serve us well.”

“They’ll serve the Chosen well, you mean. I get the feeling they’d rather not be in our presence.”

“
Your
presence, maybe,” Tunston said before he came closer. “Anyone who gives them a good scratch behind the ears becomes an immediate favorite.”

“But for how long?” Denessa snorted. “They are too moody for my taste.”

“You prefer the beasts, I take it?” Tunston asked.

“Yes. The beasts can be trained. Those cats do whatever they want.”

They walked into the sphere of light. Those gathered around the fire looked up at their entrance.

“Graygual. I’d doubt they were higher level.” Sonson looked down at himself. He had splatters of blood across his chest and down his legs. “Another tunic gone. I hope we come across a stream. I need to wash some of these or I’ll end up naked.”

“In that case, we
all
hope we come to a stream.” Boas entered the light looking similarly stained. “They weren’t great at stalking in the night. They weren’t top stock. Boring.”

Sonson stripped off his shirt. “The Graygual are scrambling. They don’t have anyone in the area that can stop us.”

“Probably because they are massing somewhere else, aiming for the real threat.” Denessa took a swig from her water skin. “We’ve made it through. We’re not worth them losing more life.”

“What do you mean?” Boas asked.

“Just that, we’ve made it into the land. We’ve made it past the flimsy defenses. Xandre won’t waste any more good resources on us, because that means he’d have less to send to the Chosen. We cut down a lot of his elite forces in the Shadow Land. It takes time to train. Years. He no longer has years. He needs to save them to take down the Chosen.”

Sonson nodded thoughtfully. The threat wouldn’t be the siege on the Captain’s city. That was too soon. Whatever Xandre was planning, it would be on a grand scale, Sonson had no doubt. And it would wipe them out if they didn’t act first. The battle to end all battles was coming.