Eramane (16 page)

Samiah gives in, feeling that it might well be their only other option, his last hope. “Fine, Nahmas, let us explore this. So the attack on Lebis and the attack on Thea were about a three days’ ride apart.”

“That means it has a large hunting territory,” Nahmas says in disappointment.

“It also means that it is a large creature.”

“It does.”

“Which means …” Samiah stops to let Nahmas finish the thought.

“Which means something that size can live in only so many places.”

Samiah has a new hope that he will find his sister. He gives a command to his steed, and he and Nahmas make haste back toward Eludwid.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Disheartening News

THE SKY IS A DARK,
starless abyss. Through the night Samiah and Nahmas ride, until they finally reach Eludwid Hall; darkness still cloaks them as they gallop through the streets of Eludwid. Their steeds slow to a trot as they approach the Hall. Several horses are tied to posts; they swish their tails and snort the cold out of their noses; one hangs its head, resting. The Riders dismount and walk their horses over to the posts to hitch them as well. Samiah gives his horse a pat and walks up the stairs to the Hall. Nahmas follows seconds later, after thanking his own steed for its services, as the Ghosts always do.

Lord Danius’s chamber looks the same as it did when Samiah was last there. Piles of paper lie about, books are stacked one on the other along the walls, and scrolls poke out of leather sacks by the hundreds. The chamber feels welcoming despite the clutter, and a firm hug from his burly lord brings Samiah a comfort much needed.

“You Riders handled the Torbiuns well, as I expected. But that expression on your face is unmistakable, Samiah; you could not hide it from me if you tried.” Lord Danius pulls out his chair and motions for Samiah to sit. Samiah hesitates, never having been offered a seat in Lord Danius’s chair. “Come on now, sit. Tell me what is on that brain of yours.”

“I discovered a young woman’s corpse not far from the Torbiuns’ camp. Nahmas and I investigated it while the other Riders were sent back here. We rode into Mountains End, where we learned that a boy witnessed her death.” Samiah pauses, not knowing how to explain what he and Nahmas have concluded.

“Well?” Lord Danius urges.

“The witness claims that a beast flew off with the woman.” Samiah searches Lord Danius’s face for approval, disbelief, anything. Their ruler does no more than sniff, indicating to Samiah that he needs to continue. Samiah explains the proposal he and Nahmas put together, clarifying how they concluded the possible whereabouts of the creature called the Nameless One. “This is our best chance at finding her,” Samiah finishes.

Lord Danius stands quiet for a moment, looking out of the tower’s only window. He turns to his Riders.

“Earlier today I was looking through that very window, and I watched the townsfolk below; they all seemed to be rushing to their destinations. Not a single one had a leisurely stride, and not a single one was single; they were herded, behaving the way animals do in the wild,” Lord Danius says. “Do you know what this means?” Samiah and the brothers remain silent.

“It means my people are afraid, Samiah. Word of the blacksmith’s death and your sister’s disappearance has struck fear in every resident of Eludwid,” Lord Danius relates. “I was sure the capture of the Torbiuns would bring relief to them, but I fear that a more sinister threat burdens them.” The lord turns to his Riders. “A beast? With wings?” Lord Danius pauses for a moment, thinking about what Samiah has suggested. “Well, I cannot say that it does not sound farfetched, but if you think this will be the answer to finding your sister, then I will do what I can to help you.”

“My Lord, I will need all the men you can spare,” Samiah says. “Riders, footmen, watermen, all you can spare.”

“That can be arranged. Take leave for the night; see your families. I will have the orders drawn.” Lord Danius dips a quill and writes up the orders, handing them to a guard just outside the chamber door. “There, the men will be ready morning after next.”

“Thank you, Lord Danius,” Samiah says.

“I would like to accompany you to your parents’ home. I want to be there when you explain the ordeal; they may have an easier time believing all of this if I am there with you.” Samiah knows that the ruler wishes to accompany him only because he is restless, and a visit outside of the town will help him feel useful.

“My parents would like that very much,” Samiah says and follows Lord Danius out of the chamber.

Samiah and his company reach his parents’ home, and as he approaches the main house, he looks out to the stables and signals to one of the caretaker’s children. From the distance he cannot determine which one it is, but he waves them over anyway. The child runs over and Samiah is relieved it is one of the older children, able to ride a message to Mira.

“Send message to my wife that I am here,” Samiah requests.

“Yes, sir,” the boy says, darting off to the stables in excitement. He is no doubt pleased with his errand; an excuse to ride out beyond the fields is worthy of the fuss.

Samiah hangs his head in shame as he enters the sitting area where his parents wait. Before he opens the door, he hears his mother’s voice. She sounds as though she has been crying. Her whimper of a voice is deafening to Samiah. He sighs heavily and enters into the room.

“Samiah, my son, have you found her?” Alora Fahnestock asks with hope as she stands from the chair. She clutches her handkerchief, awaiting an answer. Randall Fahnestock stands next to the fireplace, with the same look as his wife’s. Samiah can only shake his head no in response. Alora loses her ability to stand and turns her head to search for her chair. She throws herself into the leather chair and lets out moaning cries for her daughter. Randall walks up to Samiah and hugs him.

“I am glad you made it home safe, my son,” he says, as he tries to comfort Samiah.

“Has she been like this the whole time?” Samiah asks, staring at his distraught mother.

“She has not been able to staunch the tears since we heard the news.” Randall tries to summon strength, but his throat knots up when he speaks.

Lord Danius stays behind on the porch for a moment, long enough to give Samiah time to break the disappointing news; the Ghosts wait with him. It is not long before Samiah steps out and invites them in.

Even with Lord Danius at his side, Samiah finds it difficult to explain to his parents what he believes may have happened to Eramane. He watches his mother’s face form an expression of terror as “winged beast” leaves his mouth. His father listens closely, hanging on to every detail. While Samiah speaks with his parents, the Fahnestocks’ caretakers prepare meals for the exhausted Riders and their lord.

Mira arrives just before they sit to eat. Samiah grabs her up in his arms and buries his face in her hair. “Oh, how I have missed you,” he says.

“I have missed you too, love,” she says softly. Samiah sets her down and places his hand on her belly.

“How are you feeling?”

“Some days are worse than others, but for now, I feel great!” She takes Samiah’s face in her hands. “Eramane?” she asks.

“We have an idea of some places she might be,” he says, and again finds himself explaining his outrageous notion. Mira’s face mirrors his mother’s, and it makes Samiah doubt himself. But Mira knows her husband and sees that her reaction is affecting him.

“If I were the one in her place, I would find comfort in knowing that you were the one looking for me,” Mira says, and Samiah’s self-doubt fades a bit. “I am starving, so let’s eat,” she adds after catching the smells from the galley.

Each of them eats, but the process is forced, and if not for Lord Danius’s stories from his childhood to lighten the atmosphere, the meal would have transpired in silence. Samiah is grateful for Lord Danius’s anecdotes. Alora Fahnestock decides to help Oriana clean up, in hopes that the task will divert her thoughts.

At last the power of exhaustion takes hold of Samiah and the Ghosts; they each take to a room rest for several hours; on the road, sleep will not come so easily. Samiah and Mira lie in his bed, the bed he slept in when he still lived with his parents. He thinks about his pregnant wife and how he wishes he could be at her side every moment. Unable to take advantage of sleep, Samiah goes through the strategy of their hunt while he stares up at the ceiling, his wife asleep in his arms. Their plan is to search any caves they encounter and canvass the most remote mountain ranges. Since they believe the beast they are searching for to be two or three times larger than a man, it seems obvious that it would need a large, secluded place to live. Samiah hopes that they are following the right path; it is all the hope that he has in finding his sister.

Morning dawns and Lord Danius suggests that they recruit Eludwid’s allies to the north, the Vegamonians, to aid Samiah. They know of the most remote places in those lands and everything in between.

“Give this to a messenger Rider in town. Have him ride north and give it to Roshamar,” Lord Danius commands Aurick, and he and Terrin swiftly leave the Fahnestocks’ home in search of a messenger Rider. “Riders will be ready by morning at the Hall. I will ride back with you then. I should probably get back to my duties sooner, but it is so quiet out here; sometimes a man needs the quiet,” Lord Danius says, taking a seat on the porch.

The day has come and gone. Samiah escorted his wife back home and has just returned from the short trip. He notices the horses are alarmed as he hitches his steed to the post, and wonders why they have not been put up in the stables for the night. Nahmas notices Samiah’s arrival and walks out to greet his comrade.

“I took Lord Danius to view your property this afternoon. We arrived back a short time ago,” Nahmas says, noticing Samiah’s curiosity about the unattended horses.

“They are jumpy, on edge since Mountains End,” Samiah says.

“Yes. They have been on edge for a few days now,” Nahmas declares, moving down to calm his stallion. The two men continue to stroke the disturbed horses. Nahmas clears off mist that has settled on the back of his horse. He quietly inspects his steed, making sure it has no injuries from their last ride. He picks up each hoof and looks it over. Satisfied, Nahmas turns his attention from the snorting animal and thinks of Samiah. He wonders what will happen to his comrade if Eramane is never found. What will the guilt do to Samiah, and will he ever forgive himself?

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

The Sycophant

MOST OF THE GRAND PALACE
displays rare beauties; other parts are not so grand. Its bowels are the vicinity where rare beauty cannot be found. Adikiah’s servants live there. There is nothing spectacular to observe. Servants walk around as if they are trudging through mud, not having anything to do but wait for Adikiah’s command. These faceless creatures have become Adikiah’s servants by obsession. They long to be like him but cannot. They have nothing to offer the Orders of the Reach that tend the other side of the Gate.

Down in a dark corridor, one of Adikiah’s servants decides that it can wile Adikiah into believing that his chosen companion will never accept her new life, that she will never truly belong to him, never want to be with him. This maniacal servant envies Eramane, and it wants her cast out of the palace.