The Last of the Ageless (20 page)

Jorrim caught Korreth’s eye and nodded his approval. Their mistress had driven a wedge between them, but Korreth vowed not to forget again who they were to her. Jorrim was right: she was their true enemy.

Soledad frowned and pushed onward, leaving them shoulder to shoulder again. The occasional borderlands shrub or tree dotted the endless horizon ahead. Korreth tapped on Jorrim’s shoulder, telling him about his midnight test of Soledad’s spell.

You leave without me?
Jorrim’s eyes burned into Korreth.

Of course not. Anyway, no luck.

“It’s time we hurry along,” Soledad said. “So run!”

As soon as she commanded it, Korreth surged forward as if borne by the wind itself. Their previous masters had encouraged endurance, but his stride lengthened more than ever. His lungs seemed to process air more efficiently, and his muscles didn’t tire until night approached. Though they’d jogged most of the day, only Jorrim and Korreth’s breathing became more ragged. Soledad moved through ages like water.

“There’s no time to waste,” Soledad said as night fell. “We’ll stop to eat at Mapleton.”

When they reached Mapleton, Soledad was still a teenager, the same age she’d used when they’d last visited. A two-man patrol met them at a distance from the village.

Korreth tapped on Jorrim’s shoulder.
They’re more cautious now.

About time,
Jorrim tapped back.

“Who are you? You got something to trade?” The man who spoke carried a crossbow.

“No. I’m not sure we’ve met—” Soledad began. “About three days ago, we spoke to Farlen and Olix about what happened to your village. You see, the same thing had happened to ours—”

“Screw your story, girl,” the other man said. “By my recollection, we kicked you and yours right out.”

“As I was saying...” a hint of teenage petulance crept into her tone. Korreth wondered how much of it was calculated. “When we were here last time, we told Farlen and Olix we wanted revenge. I thought you wanted the same. We’re here to tell you, we know exactly where the Changeling woman is. You know, the one who burned down your village?”

The men glanced at each other, wearing identical worried expressions. “Come on, then,” the one with the crossbow said.

As Korreth followed, he noticed they’d either salvaged or eliminated most of the ruins. Two new buildings stood in place of burnt old ones. Now another Changeling threatened the survivors of Mapleton; but the villagers didn’t know that if Soledad got her way, she’d lead them all to their deaths alongside him and Jorrim.

Lor ducked out from a nearby hut and eyeballed them up and down before one of the patrolmen knocked on the door to a house closer to the iron sphere. The door opened and Olix stepped out, eyes wide. He and the patrolmen exchanged words under their breath.

“We’s headed back to patrolling now, Olix. Let us know.”

Olix motioned to Soledad. “C’mon. It’s almost dark.”

He led them to one of the newer huts at the edge of the village. Korreth had to duck, and Jorrim’s head barely cleared the doorway. Compared to Cerrit’s cabin, the cramped space put them in close quarters. They sat on the rug covering bare ground.

“You done found the woman that destroyed our village?” Olix passed around four mugs of cold tea.

“Yes, and her allies,” Soledad said after a sip. “The ones I believe you mentioned, who fired on you when you tried to run her down on horseback.”

Olix stared out the door of the hut. “Yeah, what’s that got to do with us?”

Soledad rocked back as if shocked. “I thought you would want vengeance as much as we do.”

“Now, didn’t I tell you? We don’t got no clan leader here.”

“I was asking if
you
wanted vengeance.”

“’Course I do. But I don’t think you came back here just for me.”

“Farlen—”

“Or Farlen neither.”

Soledad nudged Korreth, and his frustration took free rein. “As we told you last time, we are not refugees, nor are we looking for handouts. If you want to come with us and rescue Gryid, fine.” Unable to lash out at Soledad, Korreth’s resentment transferred to Olix. “If not, we’ll do what we can to get Rollick out, but don’t blame us if Gryid never makes it back.”

He clamped his teeth together. Though her devilish wind hadn’t forced him to talk, Korreth wondered if Soledad’s spell could make them speak her words without a command. He’d gotten pulled into her story too easily.

Olix studied his fingernails. “How many?”

Korreth spoke before Soledad had the chance to lie. “We haven’t actually seen them ourselves, but got word of their whereabouts.”

“We wanted to hurry here, to tell you all,” Jorrim spoke up. “It didn’t seem right to track them down, and only then come to you.”

Korreth stared at him, wondering why Jorrim was suddenly playing along.

“A little knowing goes a long way, they say.” Olix stood up, making the cramped space more uncomfortable. “I’ll go and talk to the others. You all wait here.”

When he pushed his way outside, Korreth caught a glimpse of some of the women who’d eavesdropped on them the last time they were in town. He tapped on Jorrim’s shoulder,
I don’t like this.

Korreth couldn’t hear their words, but their tone was heated. An intense argument erupted, and voices rose until several people yelled over others, with Lor’s voice rising above the rest.

Soledad frowned at the two of them from behind her tea mug. “That could have gone better.”

Jorrim stood by the door and clutched his weapon as if on guard. Korreth wondered at his friend’s sudden compliance, but then a chilling thought occurred to him. Despite everything their old masters had done to them, the suffering they’d put them through, Korreth had never seen Jorrim afraid before.

Korreth didn’t know what to say, so he said nothing.

Olix peeped in around the door. “We won’t do it,” he said, and then abruptly disappeared. Korreth heard the muffled sounds of a struggle before the door banged open. Farlen, Tomlen, and two other men stood on the other side.

“Olix don’t want no part of this, but some of the rest of us want a shot at her.”

“I’d like to burn that cat alive,” one man said, and spat on the ground. “See how she likes it.” In the darkness, Korreth couldn’t tell how many crowded around Olix’s hut.

“Just point us in the right direction,” a woman yelled. “We’re gonna tear her apart!”

“We’ll need a plan,” Soledad said. “And that starts with being well-rested and fed. We’ll also need to learn everything you know about the feline woman. We don’t know if Rollick and Gryid are with them, or if they’ve taken them somewhere. So we’ll scout around where they are, and then come up with a plan of attack.”

“No time for all that!” someone shouted.

Other voices rose in agreement. “No way are we letting her get away again.”

Farlen faced the small crowd. “You done saw what happened the last time we chased her down without a plan. Me and Olix was the only ones to come back. Tomorrow we’ll suss out a plan. You heard the lady. Get some rest.”

“Thank you for your hospitality.” Soledad stood up and slid into a slightly younger age. The villagers stepped back, and Korreth heard someone whisper an explanation, “She’s like Gryid.” He and Jorrim pushed through the press of bodies outside the hut.

“Bad luck might be following you,” Lor said. “But if you really know where she is…”

As they moved through the villagers, Soledad reassured them. “We’ll get Gryid back before you know it. And we can all sleep easier once we’ve had our vengeance on the feline for the family we lost.”

Eventually common sense prevailed, and the crowd dissipated to rest and prepare for the next day. Korreth, Jorrim, and Soledad followed Farlen toward the globe at the center of the town. “So tell me,” he said. “What’re you thinking of doing after all this blows over?”

“To tell you the truth, I hadn’t really thought that far ahead,” Korreth lied.

“Rollick will guide us,” Soledad said solemnly.

Jorrim coughed. When Soledad glanced his way, he covered his mouth with a hand.

Farlen nodded. “Don’t know how others will feel about it, but might be we could take you in as part of our clan, seeing as how there’ll only be four of you once you get your chief back. Don’t have the huts yet, of course. But there’s safety in numbers, they say.”

Korreth’s stomach sank. He’d never expected to be treated so fairly outside of his own clan.

Willing to take in strangers... These people didn’t deserve the fate Soledad would lead them to.

Before Korreth could let cowardice get the better of him, he blurted, “What if Olix is right? Maybe seeking vengeance will only create more problems than it solves.”

Soledad’s eyes went wide. Clearly, she hadn’t expected Korreth to be the one to oppose her plans.

“We gotta get your clan leader back, though,” Farlen said, oblivious to the daggers in Soledad’s gaze. “And Gryid is my friend.”

Soledad’s mouth twisted into smile, but her eyes were dark. “How fortunate you are, Farlen, to count a Changeling as a friend.”

Farlen smiled, oblivious to the subtext of the conversation. “Come with me. You can stay at my place ‘fore we set out tomorrow. It’s bigger than Olix’s new hut anyway. And he don’t want you around, I’d say.”

As they trailed behind Farlen through the deserted paths through the village, Korreth whispered to Soledad, “Do you really think these people can take down Zen’s minions?”

In the torchlight, her expression revealed her exasperation. “Yes, though they won’t be much help against Zen himself.”

“Then I suppose you expect us to be the ones to take him down,” Jorrim mumbled.

“No,” she said. They passed outside the light of the torches, and darkness shrouded them. “I expect you to distract him for me.”

Chapter 10

Though Nyr and her companions made good time, she doubted the nomads who followed would let them get away with killing their scouts so easily. In the early light of the next day, the dust cloud haunted Nyr’s southwesterly route. She surmised the main tribespeople must be on foot by their slow progress. Their enemies would’ve gained on them if they’d had horses like the scouts had.

When Nyr, the jaguar, and the Joey approached the western borderlands, she faced a dilemma. Leading them into Hellsworth Tribe territory might be enough to deter whatever tribe of nomads chased them, but she wasn’t ready to deal with her clan yet. Her trophy still hadn’t helped her discover more treasure, like it’d promised. She couldn’t return to claim leadership of the Tiger Clan until she had something to show for her absence.

With no other choice, she curved south, skirting the edge of the drylands. The Joey followed her lead, and Dalan padded along in near silence.

While she jogged, Nyr mused on the secrets her little amulet had been keeping from her. She finally understood why it had chosen Dalan as its second host. He wasn’t just a Changeling; he was a
powerful
Changeling. She’d called Dalan naïve, but she’d been the foolish one.

The boy had been alone in the drylands, which should have been her first clue. What Purebred tribe would foolishly send their kids out for some stupid test of manhood all alone? A Purebred tribe that didn’t last longer than a generation, that’s what—so he couldn’t be Purebred at all. The boy had been quick to “rescue” her, taking on her pursuers despite being outnumbered, something no Purebred boy would do, no matter how naïve. She cursed her stupidity under her breath.

They traveled through most of the next night, their speed slowing despite more frequent breaks. Once morning broke, Dalan halted underneath one of the many short trees of the borderlands.

“It seems he will change back,” the Joey said in her annoying, high-pitched voice.

Nyr sat on the nearby rocks to watch. Unlike when she shifted forms, Dalan’s bones and muscles rearranged themselves, turning him into a grotesque heap of unshaped fur. As his form became more humanoid, the boy let out a long groan. His Changeling powers seemed to come at a heavy cost. His clothing, belt, necklace, and small pack pushed out from his skin, strangely clean compared to the rest of him.

Dalan fell onto his gore-spattered forearms and gagged. He started to wipe at the dried blood on his face, but then scooped up sand instead. With eyes closed, he scrubbed off the dried residue with the harsh sand.

Nyr shook her head. She found herself wondering what his superstitions had to say about what he’d done. Instead she said, “That was some fight.”

“Water,” Dalan croaked, his jaw stained red. “Water.”

The Joey handed the boy a silver canteen of the same shade as her pallid skin. With his eyes closed, Dalan swished and swallowed, smart enough not to waste a drop. He took a deep breath, and when he opened his eyes, they bored into Nyr’s.

A dry chuckle escaped her. “We’re cousins, you and me.”

This whole time, they’d each thought the other weak and helpless. The boy had rescued her, unaware that she’d killed several of her pursuers already. Now they both knew each other for Changelings, with similar powers to boot. It made her wonder if their two tribes had ever been one, some long-forgotten generation ago. But even the Jaguar Clan couldn’t become full jaguars the way this boy had.