Warden (Blade Asunder Book 3) (19 page)

Ghaffar circled Hendon with Harkan, Myriam’s dagger, held out in front of him. He thought the idiot boy only to be armed with a staff, and this was going to be easier than he thought. Ghaffar was confident that he could easily kill this young fool and be free of the city. He thrust his dagger towards Hendon, not really attempting to stab him, more to let him know that he meant business.

He noted that a crowd was drawing close, and many had come to see what was happening. This made Ghaffar nervous. A deal had been made and freedom promised, but if the mob was to rule, who knew what might happen. Promises could easily be broken. Enough of this fooling around. Ghaffar decided now was the time to end this charade. With the dagger firmly gripped in his hand, he advanced on his opponent.

***

Hendon was not really sure why he had challenged Ghaffar to a duel. Something inside his head had urged him to do so. Now that they were facing each other off, he was beginning to think this was a mistake. He was no fighter, he was a man of words, a man of reasoning.

As Ghaffar circled him, Hendon kept a close eye on his opponent. The Akkedis made a few half hearted attempts to thrust the dagger in Hendon’s general direction, but he had so far easily avoided all his efforts. Now, Hendon saw a different look to Ghaffar’s features, a hard glint in his eye. This was it. He could see Ghaffar readying himself to strike, and Hendon had no idea what he was going to do.

Suddenly, the staff began to vibrate in Hendon’s hand and a bright light burst from the tip of the shaft.

The beam grew bigger and before everybody’s eyes, an image of a man appeared in the haze of light, a man dressed in long blue robes and carrying a staff of his own. Hendon, Myriam, Ganry and Linz instantly recognized it as Barnaby.

“Ahh, Ghaffar, we meet at last,” the image spoke. “Shame this will be the first and the last time.”

Barnaby pointed his own staff at Ghaffar and a bolt of blue lightening shot from the end, striking the Akkedis in the chest. The long blue glowing bolt flowed into Ghaffar, shaking him violently as the current coursed through his body. The convulsing body began to smoke, and a few seconds later, it burst into flames. Screaming in agony as he fell to the floor, the fire consumed him. Within moments, Ghaffar fell still and silent.

The Akkedis traitor was dead.

“There,” Barnaby said, turning to Hendon, “that should do it, that one always does the trick.”

“Is he dead?” Hendon asked.

“Oh yes, Ghaffar is no more,” Barnaby replied. “I must be off now. And so must you,” Barnaby turned to Myriam. “Your Kingdom needs you, Myriam, and you too, Duchess.”

“Barnaby, you have helped us so much,” Myriam replied, still puzzled at the events. “I’m glad to have the opportunity to thank you in person,” she finished, as she walked towards him. “Can you not stay and help us rebuild the Kingdom?”

“No, my time here is done now, but I will pass on much that I know to my apprentice, Hendon,” he smiled, looking over at the forest dweller.

Barnaby’s image began to fade and flicker, as though he were a reflection on water.

“Now then, where’s Ganry?” Barnaby asked, scanning the crowd of people gathered.

Ganry heard his name and came forward, heading towards the bridge.

“I’m here, old man!” he shouted over.

“Ah, just want to tell you that you are quite right. There is no such thing as magic, not if you don't believe it!” Barnaby said, as if that should explain everything. “Oh dear,” he exclaimed. “It seems I’m fading fast.”

Barnaby’s image wavered before their eyes and had almost faded from view.

“Oh, one last thing, Hendon.”

Hendon turned, wondering what pearls of wisdom Barnaby had for him before he left.

“On your way back through the desert there is an oasis. There you will find a coconut tree I planted many years ago. It’s perfect for the hot and thirsty traveler, providing shade and refreshment. Please, don’t forget to visit it, and talk to it nicely. I do worry it will get rather lonely. I wish I’d planted two now… Hmm now there’s an idea. I’ll send you some seeds, look under your pillow tonight, my boy.”

With those strange words, his image began to fade, and soon he was gone.

Perseus led the the group through the dark tunnels to the outside world.

“I asked Perseus to show us the quickest way out,” Ganry explained to the party as they neared the exit. “At the moment the city isn’t safe. There are still a few pockets of resistance fighting, and with the risk of disease and the possibility of walls collapsing around us, I felt we’d be better out here.”

At last Ganry spotted light up ahead. The way out was only a few yards in front of them. They all quickened their pace, after so long below ground, they were eager to breathe fresh air and see the sunshine once again.

Ganry was the first to step into the bright sunlight and breathe deeply. No one spoke, they simply enjoyed the cool breeze on their faces. Although the desert was a hot place to be, after the stifling heat down in the city, the air up here felt fresh and breathable.

“Oh, Ganry, it was worth coming out just to feel the air on our skin,” Myriam laughed, opening up her arms wide as if to embrace the very elements. “This is glorious. I never thought we would see the sky or the sun ever again. Thank you, Perseus. We will never be able to repay our gratitude to you.”

The Duchess was the last out of the cave, supported by Arriba. She was still weak after her trial of the last few months, but she was determined to see her homeland once again. She leaned on Arriba, who had stayed with her, nursing her to health. The Duchess thought she probably felt guilty at what her people had done to them, not that any blamed her personally, even though she was the one that bled them to feed her Empress.

The immediate area following the tunnel was banked by high stone walls and natural rocks that hid the main entrance of the city. A city that was now to be rebuilt for a different race.

They decided to make camp here. It was close to the tunnels and they wanted to be nearby for when the rest of the human armies came out. Arriba made a makeshift den for the human Queen and Duchess, and they laid down in the shade. The pure luxury of fresh air to breath was intoxicating. They lay on their capes, in Arriba’s den, and soaked up the feeling of being once again free and out in the open.

They didn’t have long to wait before the invading forces started to emerge from the tunnel. Linz led his own tribe, the lake people, with Hendon by his side. Lord Parsival led the Kingdom army with Qutaybah and his men just behind. Soon tents were erected and fires burned, as the forces settled down for the night, preparing for the long journey home across the Saraba desert.

“My dear,” the Duchess asked of Arriba, “will you go to Qutaybah and lead him to me? I would go myself but I fear my legs would not carry me.”

“Of course, Duchess, I will help you in any way I can,” Arriba replied, honestly. “You must rest and I will bring him to you.”

Arriba set off through the camp in search. The camps had a large number of wounded soldiers, clearly the battle had been a bloody one. She wondered how many of her own had survived. The human soldiers gave her a cold stare as she made her way through, especially the lakelanders, some of whom jeered and spat at her as she passed them by. She was beginning to fear for her safety when Ganry was suddenly by her side, taking her by the arm.

“It’s not safe for you here, Arriba. Not everyone knows that you have helped the Queen and Duchess escape.”

“I am on an errand for the Duchess. She wishes for Qutaybah to call on her,” she nervously explained.

“Let me escort you then,” he suggested, and she was quietly relieved.

Soon they were in the right camp and speaking to Qutaybah. He returned immediately with Arriba.

As they entered the shelter where the Duchess was resting, she started to rise.

“No, no, Duchess,” Qutaybah said, rushing to her side and sitting down next to her in the shaded sands. “You have been through too much already,” he said, taking her delicate hands into his large, strong ones. “We have many camels, and you will ride in comfort from hereon. It’s important that you recover to be the strong woman I know.”

“Oh, you flatter me, desert man,” she laughed back at him, a clear fondness in her face.

Qutaybah stayed a while to chat with the Duchess. They had much to talk about and their discussion went on long into the night.

“Rest now, my Lady,” Qutaybah finally said. “Tomorrow we travel across the desert, and you will need all your strength for that.”

Qutaybah left the Duchess to rest and began organizing the caravan for tomorrow’s trek across the Saraba. Keen to get home and sleep in a real bed, he was getting too old for these adventures, he told himself.

***

Arriba slept little that night. She sat by the camp fire and watched the lakelanders with a seething hatred in her heart. She especially watched every move that Linz made.

She had not realized whilst he was imprisoned in the rooms that he was a lakelander, and the leader no less. She knew it was these people who had killed many female Akkedis and children. They were all murdered in cold blood while they cowered in fear.

She realized now that the lakemen were the true monsters. A blood price must be paid, and vengeance exacted. She would do this final task for her people. The lakeland leader still lived. But he would not for long. She closed her eyes and planned to mete out justice.

With the underground city secured enough for the Suggizon to begin their work, it was time for the humans to leave. Those Akkedis who had survived were given a choice, either banishment in the far reaches of the desert, or slavery. Most chose the desert, but some remained to be servants of the Suggizon.

Arriba had agreed to join the Duchess’s party. She would go to the Kingdom and live her life in a human castle, serving the royal family. Myriam was a little reluctant, though Arriba had more than proven her worth. She was an Akkedis and surely would still have loyalties to that race, but her grandmother had become fond of her. With Duchess D’Anjue still weakened, Myriam had relented and hoped that Arriba could be happy away from her own people.

The caravan set off in the late hours of the afternoon when the sun was going down. Qutaybah was in in the lead, followed by the lakemen and Chief Linz, and then the Kingdom soldiers with their Queen and Duchess. It had grown in size as they had all joined together. There would be plenty of stop off points to gain more supplies, so Qutaybah did not worry over small details.

Myriam was pleased to learn from Ganry that the Suggizon, and Perseus, would remain in the employ of Qutaybah. He had been offered freedom to help his people and stay with his brother to build up their new city, but he declined. His heart was with his master, Qutaybah, who had done much for him and his race. He promised his brother he would visit frequently, if only to keep an eye on him.

The journey progressed well, the sun was setting and the night ushered in a welcome coolness. Myriam could see little through the curtained window of her small box that perched between the humps of a camel. She thought it a strange contraption and would have preferred to have traveled by simply riding a saddle, the way she had journeyed here.

Qutaybah had insisted on the Queen and Duchess traveling in some comfort. He told them it befitted their status. Myriam had to agree that these travel arrangements would suit her grandmother as she was still too weak to travel by saddle.

They stopped as the sun began to rise and cast its yellow glow over the desert sands. It was the oasis that Barnaby had mentioned, the one with the coconut tree. It seemed to have an abundance of fruit and the whole party enjoyed the milk and sweet flesh. As Myriam wandered around she came across Hendon. He had dug a little hole close to the coconut tree and was putting something in the ground.

Hendon, hearing her approach, turned to greet her.

“I awoke this morning with a small pouch on my pillow, and lo and behold inside were these seeds,” he smiled, remembering his discovery. “Barnaby’s doing, of that I am certain. So here I am planting a seed by this tree, so one day, it will have a companion, just as Barnaby wished. It is my intention to plant seeds, two at a time so they don’t get lonely, at every oasis we stop at on our journey.”

“You’ll be glad to be back in your forest, instead of these dry lands, won’t you?” she asked, knowing the answer without hearing it. Hendon only smiled his agreement. Myriam continued, “I too will be glad to leave these lands and return to the castle. I miss my home and I’ve not had chance to settle in since I lost my mother and father. I still haven’t officially mourned their passing, so I intend on setting aside some time for the city to mourn them too.”

“Time goes by quickly,” another voice chimed, as Chief Linz approached his dear friends. “We passed those rocks not so far back where we were attacked by the sand worms, and I lost my mentor, Wyatt. I too intend on taking time for mourning. He was a good, brave man.”

“That he was, Linz,” Myriam agreed. “We have had no time to reflect on our losses. It seems we staggered from one disaster to another. Now, hopefully, we can grow old in peace.”

“I’m glad to see the Duchess so happy,” Ganry said as he joined their conversation. “She is growing stronger every day.”

Myriam smiled at Ganry as he approached the small group.

“What are you all doing among these trees?” Ganry asked. “The night draws in fast, you don’t need to be in the shade.”

“We’re watching the growth of the magic coconut tree,” Hendon replied.

“Ah, now there you go again,” Ganry gestured with his arms in the air. “You heard Barnaby, he said there is no real magic, it’s all in your head… or whatever it was he said.”

“I don’t believe that to be true, Ganry,” Myriam said. “Otherwise how can Hendon talk to the animals, that is magic if ever I saw it?”

“Perhaps,” was all Ganry would commit to.

“Dinner is served,” Arriba called over to them.

“Wonderful, I’m starving,” Linz replied. “I’m a growing young man and I have a lot of meat to put back on my bones,” he said, as they all laughed heartily at him.

There was a happy and relaxed atmosphere at dinner. Qutaybah and the Duchess joined them, providing the refreshment of a keg of ale.

Arriba served the meals to each and every one of them, paying particular attention to Linz’s dish.