The Last of the Ageless (32 page)

“And the mystic knows what to do, don’t you?” The Wizard motioned to Cantayban. “Gather supplies for their trip.” Caetl didn’t conceal his smirk when the Wizard said, “Azaiah, I’ve changed my mind. You’ll remain with me while they escort Caetl and Gryid. I’ll need your assistance here.”

Azaiah glared at Caetl, suspecting him of planting the idea. Even if he hadn’t tapped him, Caetl would’ve recognized the disappointment behind Azaiah’s big, dumb eyes.

So too, could the Wizard. “There shouldn’t be much fighting. A boring trip there and back, I’m sure. But do remind Siman to get fresh horses, would you? And take Gryid with you.”

As Azaiah’s tail wrapped around Gryid’s upper arm and he went to carry out his master’s commands, Caetl whispered,
Don’t worry, Azaiah
.
The Wizard will keep you safe while his favorite four are out doing the real men’s work.

Azaiah cast a glare over his shoulder.

“Cut that out, Caetl,” the Wizard said under his breath.

Caetl’s heart skipped a beat. Had the Wizard heard
his
thoughts? It was impossible. Caetl opened his mental senses like dog taking a deep sniff, but noticed nothing suspicious.

“Here I’d hoped to keep Gryid as an ally,” the Wizard mused. “That seems unlikely now. At least I can spy through his device and see what happens when Zen finds him. He’ll be decent enough bait.”

“Even if Gryid had agreed to be your ally, that alliance would end when he sees his village lies depopulated and in ruins.” Caetl felt the Wizard’s confusion at that statement, so he said, “Dalan, Ti’rros, and Nyr—they fought against Nyr’s clan
and
Gryid’s people. I recognized a few of them when we watched them fighting a few days ago. Both groups were slaughtered, if you recall.”

“Ehhh, I guess I wasn’t paying attention to
who
they were fighting.” The Wizard set the amplifier on his workbench. “When you catch up to my collared pawns, try to appear as pathetic and harmless as possible. Like a Purebreed, if you can let go of your Changeling arrogance for one second. I want them to trust you.” He didn’t have to say it: nobody trusted mystics.

The Wizard’s favored Changelings made their way through the village toward them. While the Wizard waited for them, Caetl glanced at the windmills, letting their motions turn his thoughts. If he disobeyed, the Wizard would torture him as he’d tortured Gryid. Though he couldn’t see Caetl’s thoughts, the Wizard could still scream at him. If Caetl tried to obey, he wouldn’t survive long enough to get free of the artifact. The feline woman’s thoughts had tickled at the back of Caetl’s mind ever since the Wizard had tricked her into putting on the necklace. He’d grown familiar with her brutality and knew she wouldn’t spare him.

“Are you sure you want me to bring them back here?” Caetl blurted.

Once Cantayban, Azaiah, and the others were close enough to hear, the Wizard reprimanded him, “Don’t question my orders, mystic.”

“Of course not.” Caetl lowered his eyes. He didn’t mind placating the Wizard in front of his followers for now. If he could get Gryid to help him take off the artifact, this might be the last time he had to pretend subservience, and he would avoid a nasty run-in with the Wizard’s other collared pawns.

A smug aura surrounded Azaiah as he dismounted and handed the reins to Caetl. Cantayban shouted, startling his horse. “We’ll hurry this son of a bitch back to his village and return before you know we’re gone, master!”

The animal shifted its weight, bumping into Gryid’s horse. Little more than a toddler, Gryid leaned forward in the saddle, his hands tied to the saddle horn.

“Good.” The Wizard’s age sifted away until a young man stood before them. He entered his hut, leaving them behind as though disinterested.

Caetl put his foot in the stirrup and nearly fell on his butt as the saddle rolled around the gelding’s belly. After recovering his balance, he glared at Azaiah and tightened the cinch. Caetl clambered up into the saddle to discover Azaiah had chosen the most uncomfortable one he could find, knowing that Caetl’s larger size would pose a problem.

He pulled the reins and let the horse catch up to its brethren. He refused to give Azaiah the satisfaction of knowing he’d succeeded.

Caetl’s mood brightened upon noticing a mental whisper tickling across the psychic landscape. One line repeated like a roundelay in Gryid’s mind,
Are you hearing this? Are you hearing this? Are you hearing this?

Good technique,
Caetl planted the words in his mind.

Gryid jerked, but didn’t look at him. The Wizard’s followers chatted amongst themselves, complaining about the long ride ahead of them. They’d all been along to help pull Gryid out of his burning village the first time.

I can pick up your thoughts when you focus like that,
Caetl told Gryid.
But that still leaves us a little one-sided, because you can only talk to me if I’m paying attention to you. So if you need to get my attention, you can use these artifacts as the K’inTesh intended.

How does he know that word?
Gryid wondered to himself. Then his thoughts became more pointed.
How so?

“At least the Wizard won’t be complaining about us going too fast this time,” Cantayban muttered, continuing the conversation, oblivious to the silent discussion between their captive and Caetl.

I learned it from listening in on you and the Wizard.
Caetl answered Gryid’s first question, though it hadn’t been directed at him.
Since the aliens used these artifacts as communication devices, anyone wearing them should be able to direct their thoughts to another wearer if they concentrate, even at a distance.

“True,” Shujaa said in response to Cantayban. He nudged his horse into a fast trot. “So let’s get moving.”

Caetl’s horse lunged forward to keep up with the rest.

Gryid asked,
How is using the devices any different than what we’re doing now?

While we’re close together, it’s not much different, except that as a mystic, I can tap into all your thoughts, while you can only hear what I whisper to you—it’s one-way, really. At a distance, I normally wouldn’t be able to hear your thoughts or even sense your mental presence.

I see. The devices allow two-way communication, not telepathy. That’s why Liang needs you.

Caetl remembered him calling the Wizard by that name once before. He supposed cooperating with Gryid might win him over, but Caetl suspected the Ageless man might not know as much as he’d hoped.
Yes, to spy on the wearers. By adding a mystic’s power to the connection, the Wizard can use the amplifier to see into your minds almost like a mystic can.

So Liang was reading my mind?

Ageless minds are hard nuts to crack, even for another Ageless. You’re slippery.

But evidently not to you.

Not so much.

So why didn’t you help me earlier?
The question floated to the surface of Gryid’s mind.

There wasn’t much I could do.
Caetl tried to get his dismay across.
I certainly couldn’t let you out. He can torture me as well. Now, if you don’t mind… Do you know how to remove them?

Why should I tell you?
The sudden anger slapped Caetl, making him flinch.
You helped kidnap me. You let Liang torture me.

Despite his reticence, the answer floated to the top of Gryid’s mind, and Caetl struggled to repel a crushing sense of defeat.
I didn’t know he would torture you, one of his own kind. I’m sorry.

You think a simple apology puts you on my side?
Gryid’s young age suited his petulance.

The enemy of my enemy…

Old proverbs die hard. Why did you start working for Liang in the first place?

Caetl saw an opening and took it.
I didn’t. I came to him for help, same as I’m asking you for help. I hoped the so-called ‘Wizard’ would know how to tear this damned talisman from my throat.

Instead, he converted you into a faithful follower.

He experimented. Made some improvements, even. But we never found a way.

Maybe Liang did and he just didn’t tell—

I’m a mystic, remember?

Oh. Right.

But he’s not trying anymore. The Wizard’s got me tangled up in his plans to protect himself from Zen, though there’s not much I could do to stop the monster. I plan to stay out of the way if Zen comes for his head.

It would serve him right to be taken down by a fellow Ageless,
Gryid mused.

Caetl gestured to the men around them, without thinking. He stopped his hand mid-motion. No one seemed to notice.
Ask any of the villagers of Cabuda and they’ll tell you how much the Wizard has changed. I know the Ageless are all very long-lived, but you two barely seemed to recognize each other. You have no idea how different he is now.

Caetl could sense Gryid trying to think of other things, trying to hide something from him. Something about the Catastrophe.
We didn’t work that closely together before the Catastrophe.
Gryid adeptly buried his thoughts under other words.
Look, I want this device off just as much as you do. But I need to get back to my friends. And there’s someone I have to warn about Zen. And about Liang.

Kaia?

Perhaps she’ll have some clue that will help us figure them out. She ended up with the lab, so it’s possible.

Caetl didn’t know what a lab was, exactly, and Gryid’s thoughts bounced right over the familiar word. The Ageless was trying to manipulate him, as they were wont to do, but Caetl didn’t have a better plan.
You intend to go to her? We can ride west together.

Gryid’s mind flipped through scenarios, thinking about leading his people to Searchtown, being welcomed back to Mapleton only to leave again, or going alone to Searchtown.

Caetl felt compelled to tell him. He’d find out anyway; better he be the one to break it to him.
You should know—the Wizard had us attack Searchtown. But don’t worry, Kaia lives. We—

“What are you staring at?” Shujaa sidled his horse alongside Caetl’s.

Caetl blinked, tearing his eyes from the sky. He refocused on Shujaa, who scratched the skin around one of the small horns dotting his cheekbones. Tapping the man, Caetl recognized Shujaa’s boredom. He wanted to pick a fight.

Caetl obliged him. “You know, if you’d been born to Purebreed parents, I don’t think they would’ve considered you a Changeling. To them, you’d just be a Brute.”

Shujaa’s jaw jutted out. He pulled the club from his sidesaddle and brandished it. Gryid rode along, not looking at any of them.

“Shujaa,” Cantayban warned.

“The Wizard wouldn’t want us fighting,” Siman said.

Shujaa’s face melted back into its familiar leer. “Look at him—he’s too fat to put up much of a fight.”

Siman dropped back alongside Shujaa and said, “The Wizard’s got plans that involve the mystic. I’d hate to have to tell him we screwed things up.”

“How
you
screwed things up,” Cantayban said. “Let the mystic stare at the sky if he wants. Our job is to get this Ageless son of a bitch home, and then get home our damn selves.”

Speaking of home,
Caetl whispered to Gryid,
I’m afraid I have some bad news.

This time, Gryid’s head whipped around before he could compose himself.
Don’t tell me you killed them all after I—

We didn’t, no. But… Do you know an Ageless by the name of Soledad?

Caetl felt Gryid’s mind whir through the centuries at a dizzying pace. The things the man had lived through—

No. I don’t remember anyone by that name.

It seems she convinced your people to follow her in the name of vengeance… She led them into a battle they weren’t prepared for, against Changelings.

No…

Caetl decided to leave it at that. Gryid needed time to grieve. Plus, Caetl sensed the Wizard picking up the amplifier to check in on his collared pawns. He hoped Gryid’s thoughts wouldn’t be too incriminating, but then he remembered the Wizard probably wouldn’t be able to tap the other Ageless well enough to see how much Caetl had told him.

The Wizard’s words came through loud and clear.
Caetl, luck seems to be with you.

How so?

The Changelings and the Joey seem to be at an impasse. On horseback, you should catch up to them quickly.

And then Caetl lost track of time. This happened more frequently lately, and it scared him. He’d grown up in a tribe of mystics, and he’d never heard of this condition. He guessed it had to do with the amplifier, as it often happened when he felt the Wizard’s mind roving through the connection.

Are you back now?
Caetl flinched before recognizing Gryid’s voice.

Night had fallen.
Yes, how did you know? And good job, you used the artifact properly!

Don’t condescend to me, mystic.

I wasn’t—