Every Battle Lord's Nightmare (11 page)

            “Where are you going?”

            “To talk to Paas.”

            He immediately raised a fist to halt the convoy. Every man stopped simultaneously. Bringing his stallion around to face them, the battle lord stood in his stirrups. She heard him struggle to be heard all the way to the last man. “From here we travel in threes. Twoson, you, Atty, and Paas go to the center of the phalanx. We’re placing you in isolation and keeping you there until I say differently.” He glanced at Atty. “I want you closest. If you sense anything,
any
thing, you know what to do.”

            She nodded. Clutching the reins, she remained where she was as Yulen gave the signal to continue forward, and the soldiers passed by on both sides of her. It wasn’t until someone gently slapped her horse’s rump that she started moving again.

            Not surprisingly, she discovered Fortune was to her left. Renken took point directly in front of her. Paxton guarded her right. The men ahead of her flanking the ex-mercenary were Yulen’s troops, as were the men to her rear. Turning around, she noticed Paas a row behind her. The woman didn’t look happy as she took in the new arrangement.

            “I take it this the isolation formation I heard about last night,” Paas remarked.

            “Yep. Three in front and back, with a guard on both sides, and you in the middle.”

            “And what if I need to stop to pee? Or go after something for dinner?” the warrior woman asked.

            “Tell one of the men. You’ll be assigned a detail to watch over you,” Atty informed her.

            “Oh, great. An audience while I wet the bushes.” Clearly, Paas wasn’t satisfied with the arrangement.

            Atty chuckled. “Join the club, dear friend.” She sniffed, pulling her kerchief from her pocket to wipe her nose, when something in the cloudbank caught her attention. She sniffed again, testing the moist air.

            Paas glanced around them. “What is it, Atty?”

            “I smell…smoke. Fortune?” She glanced over to her fellow hunter, who was also testing the air. “Do you smell that?”

            “Yeah.”

            “From campfires?” Renken inquired. He also sniffed, trying to find what they were smelling, but gave up after a few tries.

            Fortune shook his head, voicing Atty’s own thoughts. “No. It’s too…thick, although I do think I smell some kind of meat cooking.”

            “Think we should tell Yulen? See if a few of us should check it out?” Paas suggested.

            “This fog is deceptive. There’s no telling which direction the smoke’s coming from,” Atty told her. “Besides, we’re already pressed for time. I vote we keep going.”

            “So do I,” Fortune agreed.

            They continued on as the fog continued to hamper them visually. After another mile or two, the smell of smoke dissipated. As the troops continued traveling at their quick pace, the movement, plus the heat generated by the densely-packed animals, kept her from growing too cold. Every so often, Mastin would move down the line to join Paas, taking the soldier’s place beside her. The sight of the two conversing softly sparked a memory.

            “What ‘cha thinking of?” Paxton asked, seeing her expression.

            “Those two.” She threw a thumb over her shoulder. “It feels familiar.”

            “It should. The last time we put you in isolation was on our way home from Foster City, when you saved us from being attacked by Bloods. Do you remember?”

            “Vaguely,” she admitted. Although most of her memories had returned since her nearly devastating head injuries that had robbed her of everything, including her identity, bits and pieces continued to elude her. MaGrath admitted she might not regain all of them, and she’d accepted that possibility. But the past episodes she missed the most were the blank spots that dotted individual thoughts and emotions. Scenes from her past, and especially those involving Yulen when they first met and fell in love, were riddled with holes.

            He started to say more, when she caught the sound of Yulen coughing. Pressing her lips together, she looked at Fortune. “Do me a favor?”

            “Anything.”

            “Trade places with Dr. Gus, please. I need to speak with him.”

            A flash of worry crossed the Mutah’s face, but Atty quickly squelched his concern. “I’m all right. I need to talk to him about Yulen’s cough.”

            Nodding, Fortune pulled away. His spot was quickly taken by another soldier, who remained there until the physician arrived.

            “What’s up, Atty?”

            “Yulen’s developed a cough, on top of his runny nose.”

            Thrasher nodded. “I know. I’ve already talked to him about it.”

            “And?”

            The man shrugged. “There’s not much I can do. Liam and I packed for just about any emergency you could think of. Broken bones, lacerations, blood loss, heart and lung failure. But nothing for a cold or allergies. The best I could offer him would be some pain killers, but that won’t help. I’m hoping once we reach the compound, I can contact their doctor and see if he has anything to offer. With luck, he might have some antibiotics.” His comment was punctuated by a sneeze coming from the front of the line. “Is there anything else you needed to see me about?”

            “How’s the soldier who was attacked by the bat?”

            “He’s recovering. Riding along with us, in fact. He suffered some bruising about the ribs, but otherwise he’s okay. He was lucky the creature didn’t bite him. Bats are known carriers of rabies.”

            A shudder went through her at the mention of the word. Atty flashed him a quick smile. “Thanks, Fergus. That’s basically all I need to speak with you about.”

            His eyes dropped to her belly. “Well, while I’m here, how are you doing? Any increased signs of activity?”

            “Oh, yeah.” Her smile broadened. “She’s a feisty one.”

            Thrasher shook his head. “I’m still amazed at how you Mutah can already tell the gender of your unborn. I wish Normals had that ability.”

            “Just chalk it up as another thing that makes us unique. That, and our—”

            “Halt and identify!”

            The battalion froze in their tracks. Atty jerked around to stare out into the mist-shrouded landscape. Apparently they had reached the outer perimeter of the compound, and were being challenged by the sentry.

            Yulen looked to the side of the road. “I am Yulen D’Jacques, Battle Lord of Alta Novis. I’m here to attend the summit at Rocky Gorge, and I request entry into Oka City.”

            She realized his voice had been reduced to a growl during the past hour. The sound of it made her wince as she noted the painful resonance.

            “Pass and welcome, battle lord,” the sentry replied. A second later, a loud blat rent the air to notify the compound of an incoming visitor. The noise was answered with another one that was similar to the first, but coming from in front of them. A hundred yards away, Atty guessed, but no farther. As Yulen gestured to the troops, his signal was repeated down the line so that those in the back would receive it. She looked over to the doctor, but found he’d been replace by Fortune.

            “You ready?” he softly inquired.

            She gripped her bow where she’d placed it across her shoulder. The feel of the smooth wood shaft was comforting. “Yeah. I’m ready,” she answered. “Let’s go.”

Chapter Sixteen

Oka City

            The wet roadway curved slightly to the right, making Oka City appear to be sitting directly on top of the route. The compound’s walls loomed out of the foggy bank like a ghostly presence. Constructed out of huge earthen bricks mortared together with red clay dirt, the perimeter looked resilient and imposing. Atty stared upward, trying to spot the parapet, but it remained shrouded in white mist.

            The immense metal double doors were already open by the time they reached the entrance. As they moved inside, she noticed the walls were at least six feet thick. Given the fact that she lost sight of the topmost battlement after twenty or so yards up, she was already impressed by the compound’s size.

            A squadron of soldiers dressed in form-fitting, gold-trimmed, dark gray uniforms stood in front of the portals. Their swords were drawn but pointed downward. She had seen Yulen’s troops use the same posture. It was meant to show they were prepared to use their weapons if they were provoked, but the visitors were welcome to enter as long as they didn’t cause any trouble. The battle lord here meant to make a statement before anyone entered his domain.

            Once they were within the compound’s interior, she gasped at their surroundings. The buildings were also made out of the same large earthen bricks. Furthermore, the structures rose upward, giant towers stacked skyward that boasted windows and ledges. If she was to assume that every row of windows was a different story, most of the buildings were five to seven stories tall.

            “Impressive,” a voice murmured to her left.

            “And imposing,” she responded.

            “Atty.”

            She tore her gaze away from the view and looked over at her second.

            “Sense anything?” he whispered under his breath.

            “No, but that doesn’t mean I feel at ease.”

            He threw her a concerned glance. “What do you mean?”

            She waved vaguely in the direction of the buildings. “This is very strange to me. That alone makes me uncomfortable.”

            Paxton looked over his shoulder, and she knew why. He was referring to Paas.

            “When you went east, and Paas found you, didn’t her village make you uncomfortable? Cole told me about what Yulen found there when he went searching for you. He told me how…different it was.” He leaned closer. “I’ve been meaning to talk to you about it. I mean, when you felt like talking.”

She grinned. “If you’re thinking my experiences there dredge up bad memories, they don’t. I don’t mind talking about what I saw, or what I can remember.” Atty touched the visible scar on the side of her head where most of the damage had occurred when her head had been slammed against the tree. Fortunately, it didn’t hurt anymore when she pressed it. “But being uncomfortable is a good thing, Warren. It keeps me on edge. Keeps me sharp.”

“Keeps you wary,” he added. She started to smile in agreement when he caught sight of something ahead of them. He motioned toward the front. “Yulen is signaling for you to join him.”

Atty thanked him and kneed her mare. She passed Mastin, who moved behind the battle lord. From the corner of her eye, she caught Paas also advancing forward until she stopped beside the second. Without checking, she knew the troops would have Twoson well-wrapped.

They traveled more slowly down the wide, paved avenue. People lined the streets and stared at them in wide-eyed amazement. With little exception, the crowd was quiet as the troops passed by.

The roadway opened up into a large circular courtyard where several men were watching them from a raised platform. Yulen softly informed her, “The man with the gray hair and beard is LeGreen.”

Atty narrowed her eyes as she studied the figure. LeGreen was of average build and height. Despite his full head of silvery hair, and the neck-length beard that was almost the same shade, the battle lord’s face was devoid of age.

“How old is he?” she murmured back.

“He’s got to be in his sixties.”

“He could pass for a man twenty years younger,” she remarked. She was also aware of the younger blond man standing directly behind and to his left. By the intense, almost feral expression on the man’s face, she deduced he must be LeGreen’s second in command.

“Who’s the mad guy behind him? Is he the second?”

“I don’t know.”

They spoke no more until they reached the courtyard, which was paved like the roadway with smaller version of those earthen bricks. Yulen gestured for her to remain on her horse as he dismounted.

LeGreen smiled broadly, his thumbs hooked into his weapons belt. “Yulen D’Jacques. It has been too long since you were last here. I got word about your father’s death. My condolences. He was a good battle lord.”

Yulen advanced closer to the man and held out a hand. LeGreen stepped down from the platform, and the two men clasped arms in greeting.

“Thank you for this opportunity,” Yulen remarked. “I take it you will be attending the summit, too?”

Rather than answer, LeGreen cast an eye toward the platoon. “This nasty weather makes my bones creak. Let’s take this inside the main lodge where we can discuss it.” He waved at the soldiers. “Brickman, see the battle lord’s men to their quarters.” An eyebrow rose, and he glanced at Yulen. “I see you’ve brought your Mutah whores. I don’t begrudge you one bit for that decision, considering how long this trip will take you. Come, come. You can bring them inside with you.”

The man turned to lead them toward the massive brick structure sitting to one side of the courtyard. Yulen returned to where Atty had already gotten down from her saddle. Together, they waited for Paxton, Mastin, and the others to join them.

“Mutah whores?” Paxton repeated almost scathingly.

Yulen immediately hushed him. “While we are here, you will see and hear things you won’t like. Not might. Will. But we can’t afford for you to comment about them, or take any action. Not unless there is a clear threat to our safety. Do we all understand? No one is to start an argument, or even remark on what someone else says. I don’t doubt they’ll try to see how far they can push before we push back. And since we’re guests, they’ll be very coy about it. But we can’t afford to cause any animosity. Not now, and definitely not when we reach Rocky Gorge.”

“Are you saying you expect us to button our lips and sit on our swords, and let them trash us?” Renken remarked.

Yulen clenched his jaw. “If that’s what you must do, yes. Unless they try to physically harm us, keep your weapons and your tempers sheathed. That’s an order. Mastin, go with the men. Tell them what I’ve just told you. Then come let me know where they’re being bunked.”