Bastial Sentinels (The Rhythm of Rivalry: Book 5) (8 page)

Cleve swung quickly out of the saddle and walked with Reela. “Don’t come from directly behind it,” he warned, taking her arm.

She maneuvered, coming from the side instead. “We’re not going to hurt you.” She spoke sweetly, both arms extended. “You can trust me.”

At first Cleve figured Reela had the horse with psyche, but when she was about to touch the animal, it grunted between heavy breaths and twisted away from her.

“No need to worry,” Reela continued to soothe. “We mean no harm.” Carefully, she placed her hand on the horse’s flank. It grunted again in apparent disapproval, its chuffs and Nulya’s labored breaths the only sounds Cleve could hear as he suddenly thought to look at his surroundings. All he could see were trees.

Reela calmly stroked the wild horse’s mane. “It really doesn’t like people,” she whispered. “It might be difficult to ride, even for Vithos.”

“But it’s worth trying, right?”

“Yes, and perhaps he can gain its trust eventually.” Reela bent low to look at the animal’s underside. “
Her
trust eventually.”

“Think you can get her to follow us?”

“Shouldn’t be too hard.”

They set back the way they’d come, walking with the horses instead of riding them. By the time they emerged from the trees, evening had set in and clouds covered the sky. They stopped before descending the hills, looking for Vithos while they had a vantage point. He was lost among the wavy terrain.

“He should at least be in view by now,” Cleve said, worried.

“Maybe he got distracted with something he saw.”

“Do you want to try riding?” Cleve asked. “In a few hours, it’ll be dark.”

Reela stopped and considered the horse as if it was an enemy. “I’m nervous about that. I’ve never ridden on my own before, and this horse certainly doesn’t want me on her back. It’s hard enough to use psyche to keep her calm without worrying about falling off. But Vithos should have an easier time. He’s stronger than I am.” It sounded as if she felt guilty.

Cleve put his hand on her back. “I understand. We’ll find him soon.”

As they walked, Reela started talking to the wild horse. “We should give you a name. What would you like to be called?”

“She might already have a name from her previous owner,” Cleve said.

“If she did, then it certainly wasn’t the right one, now was it?” Reela added a smile to her playful tone.

“I suppose you’re right.”

“Mesha,” Reela said almost to herself, her face a mask of concentration. “Haylee…oh, she doesn’t like that one.” Her mouth scrunched as she thought. “How about Sara.” Reela hummed. “She doesn’t seem to care for any of those.”

“I don’t think horses usually take Human names. Mind if I try?”

“Please.” Reela kept one hand pressed against the animal’s side.

Cleve looked into the sizzling eyes of the beast. She seemed ready to shove Reela with her head and gallop away. “Jitch,” Cleve tried.

Reela’s eyes went wide. “That got her attention. How did you come up with it?” Then she scowled. “Oh, Cleve. Were you thinking of a word close to—”

“No, I just thought of twitch and jitter put together. It’s what I think of when I look at her.”

“Then Jitch it is,” Reela said, petting the animal again.

They walked for the better part of an hour but found no sign of Vithos. “We surely should’ve seen him by now,” Reela said. “He must’ve gone somewhere rather than follow us, but where would he go?”

Cleve thought he heard something. “Wait, listen.” He could identify shouts, but they were too distant to discern.

“Sounds like my name,” Reela said. “But it’s coming from the east, not from the north where Vithos should be.”

“Let’s check over that hill.” Cleve pointed to the terrain between them, where the continuous shouts seemed to be originating. They broke into a jog. Jitch stopped frequently, sputtering, but eventually they reached the hill. The shouts were louder by then, and it did seem to be Vithos’ voice. As Cleve reached the top, he saw the Elf sprinting toward them.

“Archers around us!” he yelled. “They shoot at me, but I no see them.”

“Where do you think they are?” Reela asked as she and Cleve looked in every direction.

“Somewhere there.” Vithos pointed west. “In the trees. I no understand what I do.”

“Probably because you’re an Elf,” Cleve assumed. “Reela, do you still have pins to put your ears back?”

“Yes.” She reached into her bag. “I have extras, but Vithos’ hair is too thin to cover his long ears.”

“I’m angry,” Vithos said. “They try to kill just because I’m Elf?” He finished with something in Kreppen, probably a curse. “Is this horse for me?”

“Yes,” Reela said. “Her name is Jitch, and I hope you can ride her. She needs a lot of psyche to stay calm.”

“I do best I can,” Vithos said, putting his hand on Jitch’s head. “We must leave fast. Archers somewhere.”

“Right.” Cleve swung his leg over Nulya’s back and offered a hand to Reela. He pulled her up behind him. Vithos seemed confused about how to mount a horse without a saddle. He was bending a knee, shifting his body, then lifting his leg hopelessly.

“Rek usually made his horse lie down first,” Cleve suggested.

“I understand.” Vithos brought two fingers down through the air, and Jitch folded her legs to rest on the ground. The Elf climbed on, and his horse rose to her hooves. He uttered something in Kreppen as he nearly fell. But he managed to steady himself, even giving off a laugh.

“She doesn’t like me,” Vithos said, stroking her side. “But I no think she throw me from back. We need to ride.”

“I’m not sure how fast you can go,” Cleve said, “so I’ll follow you. We need to go west, but because the archers might be there, let’s go around this way until we reach a path.” He hooked his arm to the southeast.

“Alright, I go!” Vithos threw his fist forward.

Jitch didn’t move.

“Alright, I go!” Vithos tried again, this time thrusting his whole body forward on her back. “Forward!” he told the horse enthusiastically. She took one step and then neighed and bent down to nibble on the grass. Vithos started scolding her in Kreppen, wagging a finger at her.

Soon, her neck straightened and she puttered forward awkwardly, joggling as if she’d never had anyone on her back before.

“She need much psyche,” Vithos complained. “I will need much rest.”

Cleve nodded. “Let’s just get as far away from here as we can.”

Chapter 6:

CLEVE

They rode for four days without seeing a man, woman, or Elf. Shortly into the second day, Jitch had become accustomed enough to Vithos for him to ride without constantly using psyche. It was the same day that Cleve had recognized the path to The Nest. But they rode slowly, Jitch unable to canter for long without rest.

By the fourth day, they’d consumed the last of their food and water before finally climbing one last hill. The hanging sun gave the city’s walls a golden glow. Cleve could only see the tops of buildings, but something gave him the sense that The Nest was less crowded, possibly even abandoned.

Reela must’ve had the same perception. “If we don’t find people, let’s hope we at least find water,” she said.

No guards were stationed at the eastern entrance to the city. Not a person was in sight. They rode toward the center, their horses trotting along an empty, dusty dirt road.

Cleve’s eyes picked up movement—a child spying on them. The boy tucked his head behind a house the moment Cleve spotted him.

“At least one person is still here,” Cleve commented.

“There are others,” Reela whispered. “They’re watching us in secret. I sense great nervousness.”

“Perhaps we should try speaking to one of them,” Cleve whispered back. “If we’re in danger, it would be better to find out now.”

“Over there, then.” Reela pointed at an inn ahead. “Seems like there’s some activity there.”

Cleve could hear voices, and he found shadows moving behind curtained windows.

Reela looked sharply at Vithos on his mount. She seemed to be using psyche to communicate with him, pointing at the inn. He nodded back to her. The siblings often seemed to have silent conversations that were lost on Cleve.

As they came closer to the inn, they dismounted to reduce the noise from the horses’ hooves. “I stay outside with horses?” Vithos asked.

“I’d rather not leave you alone,” Reela said. “There might be more archers around.”

“Right,” Cleve agreed. “We’ll tie the horses and go in together.”

But unlike other inns, the door to this one was shut and barred from the inside. When Cleve tried its handle, all went quiet within the building.

“Hello?” Cleve tried. “We’re travelers hoping for a meal. We have money.” He studied Reela’s face for clues to what she was sensing. Her emerald eyes showed nothing but anxiety.

“Have you walked through the entire city just to get to this inn?” a squeaky voice replied, sounding far from the door.

Cleve didn’t quite understand the point of the question. “No, we just came into the city.”

“No travelers come from the east,” replied the man who Cleve assumed to be the innkeeper. “It’s abandoned. Take your lies elsewhere.”

“May I try?” Reela whispered.

Cleve nodded.

“Please, sir,” Reela said sweetly. “We’re very hungry and thirsty, and we mean no harm. We really did come from the east.”

“Go away.”

“We came from the docks,” Reela said. “We sailed from Ovira.”

Cleve heard whispers. Footsteps followed, one pair coming close to the door. The curtain behind one window was snatched back, revealing a man with distrusting eyes and a hooked nose. He studied Cleve for no more than a blink before shifting to Reela for a lingering look.

“Move aside young woman,” he said. “Let me see the man behind you.”

It wasn’t by accident that Reela had put herself between Vithos and the window. She didn’t move.

“He’s an Elf, but he was born in Ovira. This is the first time he’s been to Greenedge, just like me. We’ve heard a little about Fatholl, and none of us have any allegiance to him.” She slowly moved to reveal her brother.

“I only wish help,” Vithos pleaded.

Another curtain was drawn back, another man peering at them. Cleve figured psyche was the only thing keeping them from screaming at his party to leave.

“What accent is that?” the innkeeper asked.

“Kreppen,” Reela answered. “It’s his first language.”

“Never heard of it.”

“We can answer everything you want to know,” Reela said. “We don’t even need to come inside if you’re that worried.” Her tone was just on the verge of mocking. “We’d be happy to pay for food and water through the window.”

The innkeeper let his curtain close and pulled the other man away from the glass. They murmured to each other. Reela calmly slid her hand into Cleve’s and interlocked her fingers with his. Her touch calmed him.

The innkeeper unbarred the door and swung it open. He stood there for a moment, watching them from the doorway, his knees bent as if ready to flee.

“Thank you,” Reela said, offering her free hand for him to shake. “We truly appreciate it.”

“You look honest enough.” The squeaky-voiced man shook her hand firmly as he relaxed. “But I must warn you we don’t have much besides stew and bread.”

“That and some water would be wonderful,” Reela said. She handed the man more coins than Cleve thought their meal should be worth, but he didn’t say anything. He had a feeling money wouldn’t be much of an issue compared to what else they’d find in the city.

“I’m leaving,” the other man said to the innkeeper, glancing at Vithos. “I don’t feel comfortable being here with an Elf, even if he’s not one of Fatholl’s.”

For a breath, the innkeeper looked as if he would plead with the man to stay. But then he nodded in understanding.

Reela let out a sad hum. “I’m terribly sorry if we’ve caused you to lose business.”

“Ah.” The innkeeper tossed his hand. “He wasn’t going to buy anything anyway, just lingers about after dinner. I can trust you three, right?”

“Yes,” Reela said. “But do you mind if we open one curtain so we can watch our horses? We tied them outside.”

“As pretty as you may be young lady, I’m afraid I can’t allow you to touch my curtains. It’s too dangerous for people to be looking in and finding an Elf. But I’ll allow you to bring the horses inside and tie them to the bar so long as you promise to clean up any mess they make.”

“Thank you,” Reela said, smiling wide to show she was flattered by his compliment.

Cleve and Vithos brought in the horses while Reela stayed and chatted. She’d earned the innkeeper’s complete trust by the time the horses were tied up inside. Cleve could see it from his warm grin.

“Are there others coming from Ovira?” he asked.

“I don’t believe so,” Reela said. She went on to tell the curious man about the war that had just ended there. They’d finished the last drops of the stew and water served to them by the time she was done.