Rise of the Red Harbinger (15 page)

Dejected, Bo’az turned and headed back to Linas. He had hoped to be able to do more for her, but she left him no room to argue the point. Gibreel and Rhadames had returned and were in the middle of planning the next step of the journey. “The high grassland between us and the mountain is rampant with traces of ranza cats.” Gibreel, despite his detestable personality, was quite an efficient tracker and land surveyor. “However, they usually sleep during the light hours and hunt at night. I don’t know how far they tend to stray from the grass; I’ve heard they hunt best in packs and prefer to stay hidden as much as possible. So, if we leave right now, we can be across the field and safely up the mountain with time to spare. Better to do it now while there is plenty of sunlight.”

“Baltaszar, you heard Gibreel, we must leave now. I suppose you should tell the girl it is time to go.” Linas still hadn’t really warmed up to Yasaman. At least he, unlike Gibreel, went through the motions of pretending to care. As Bo’az turned in her direction, he realized she had already mounted her horse and was riding toward them, her face like stone.

“Ride as fast as you can and have your weapons drawn. If any of these beasts are nearby and catch our scent, they’ll attack. And if they reach us, our horses won’t survive,” Gibreel warned them.

Linas, still sitting at the tree, nodded to Rhadames, “You and Gibreel pack up our things. Baltaszar, come here. I need to speak to you. Privately.”

Gibreel and Rhadames wasted no time in gathering the food and supplies. Bo’az glanced at Yasaman sitting stoically on her horse; he then sat beside Linas once again.

With a tone barely over a whisper, Linas leaned toward Bo’az. “From here on, we do things my way. This whole journey revolves around your well-being. Do you understand?”

Bo’az stared at the ground for a moment, and then looked Linas in the eyes. He matched Linas’ tone, “I think so. You mean no messing around. Listen to your command.”

“That is only part of it. If anyone is hurt or killed, you follow my orders or theirs.” Linas nodded toward his two companions. “Things will get dangerous now and you are the highest priority. Not the girl. I’ve adhered to your requests thus far. But from now on, if she slows us down, we leave her behind.”

Bo’az’s eyes widened. “Listen...”

“No. You listen.” Linas continued whispering, “I am responsible for you. Not her. If you die, my fate will be worse than death. If she dies, it only makes our journey easier. Protest if you like, but if we must bind your limbs and tie you to a horse, we will.”

Bo’az shook his head in disapproval. “There has to be another way.”

“I warned you of this when we first met. The girl is a liability. She has impeded us enough already. It cannot happen again. You deny that you are a fool, but look at reason, Baltaszar. Our journey has been easy thus far. Now we face difficult terrain and the threat of being hunted day and night. Chances are she will fare just fine. But if things get complicated, certain decisions will be necessary.”

Bo’az pursed his lips.
He’s right
. He massaged his temples slowly with his fingertips, ruminating over Linas’ words. “Fine. But you will protect her just as closely as you will protect me. I won’t let her be sacrificed just so you have a reason to leave her behind.”

Linas looked over to Yasaman for a moment then turned back to Bo’az. “Very well. Understand that if I must choose between saving her life or yours, I will choose yours.” He stood without waiting for Bo’az’s response. “Now mount your horse. They are waiting for us.”

“But…”

“We discuss this no further. Accept it. And perhaps pray to the Orijin that no trouble befalls the girl.” Linas catapulted onto his horse. Next to him, Rhadames stood, holding the reins of his and Bo’az’s horses. With a broken arm, Bo’az could not mount his horse without help.

Rhadames genuinely inquired, “Will you be able to ride on your own, boy? The voyage will be difficult from here.”

Bo’az had too much pride to give in to the offer.
They will see me as weak if I don’t ride on my own.
“I can manage on my own.” Bo’az mounted Iridian as Rhadames shoved him upwards. Rhadames then detailed what the group would do next.

“Listen. Baltaszar, Linas will lead. You and the girl will follow and Gibreel and I will flank you just in case anything follows us. Any sign of trouble, you sprint until you reach where that mountain levels off. That will be the meeting point.” Rhadames pointed to the mountain directly across the field of high grass. Up the base of the mountain sat a ledge nearly a hundred feet up. “Your horses will be tired, but spur them on no matter what. There is no time for idling.”

“I have a name. It’s Yasaman. I would prefer that you would stop calling me ‘the girl’.” Yasaman glared at all three companions as she led her horse up to Bo’az’s. She’d cleaned up her face since Bo’az had gone to talk to her.

Gibreel cut in, spittle flying and catching in his thick beard as he spoke, “Shut up girl. Be grateful that we allowed you to come.” He glowered at her, “when you aren’t sobbing like baby, you’re unappreciative of our hospitality. We did not invite you. Your name does not matter.”

“Enough! This is pointless. Let us go!” Bo’az dug his heels into Iridian and the horse galloped into the grass. Linas immediately followed along with Yasaman. As Bo’az rode on, Linas sped past to assume the lead.

“Don’t do that again!” Linas barked at him then turned forward again and drew a spear from a holster in the horse’s saddle.

Rhadames yelled from behind, “Stay quiet! Not a word!”

Yasaman caught up to Bo’az and rode beside him. They strode onward; the only sounds audible to Bo’az aside from the clopping of hooves were the swishes of the horses against the tall grass and the dull hum of pepperflies in the distance. And then came a growl behind them that drowned everything else out. Bo’az realized the deep guttural sound came from multiple spots behind them.
There’s more than one.

Bo’az turned to Yasaman, her eyes wide. “Don’t panic, Yas.”
At least not yet. Save the panicking for me.
“They can handle this.” Bo’az glanced backward.

Rhadames sat backwards on his horse with arrows drawn and aimed at the grass just over twenty yards behind him. Gibreel had just leapt high from his own horse, his nappy hair flailing while he clutched his sword with both hands, ready to thrust downward into the neck of an oncoming ranza. As the cat jumped at Gibreel, Rhadames speared it in the neck with an arrow and it lunged sideways, exposing the cat’s side for Gibreel’s killing blow to its ribs.

“We’ll be okay. Even if those two don’t like us, they’ve protected us against everything so far.”

Rhadames cut in, “Save it, boy. Both of you get to the meeting point now! There are enough ranzas following us to feast on us
and
our horses!”

Bo’az dug his heels into Iridian and the mare galloped faster than even Bo’az had ever witnessed. His eyes darted right to check on Yasaman. She kept pace, her horse galloping along right next to him.
The horses must know
. As he was about to return his focus to what lay ahead, Bo’az espied a hulking black mass running alongside Yasaman’s horse on the other side. The beast’s back nearly reached the horse’s height.
Focus. Think quickly!
Bo’az steered Iridian closer to Yasaman’s horse until they were almost touching. “I need you to jump! Don’t think, don’t ask questions! Just let go of the reins and wrap your arms around my neck!”

But she hadn’t listened. “Why? What’s wrong?” Yasaman turned to her right and saw the monstrous black cat, grey and white stripes lining its fur, looking straight at her as it unleashed a thunderous roar.

Bo’az hooked his broken left arm through the reigns and leaned over horizontally, wrapping his right arm around her. He yanked her off the horse and onto his own so that she sat facing him. All the while, her horse neighed and shrieked as the ranza tore its entire thigh from its leg. “Don’t look at it! Cover your eyes and just pray that we reach the mountain!” Yasaman buried her face into his chest, her arms wrapped tightly around his torso.

If there was no danger of death, Bo’az would have stopped right there and ran his hand through her long black hair. Despite traveling for nearly a week, she’d still smelled of flowers and sweet berries. Maybe he would have kissed her too.
Stay focused, dummy!
“Hey, um…Yas? I might have spoken too soon. I…sort of need you to keep lookout for me.”

Yasaman lifted her head and rolled her eyes at him. “Some hero you are.” Her sarcastic smile offset any insecurity that might have stirred up in Bo’az’s mind. She rested her chin on his shoulder, “I don’t see any other cats coming our way. The one is still tearing apart my horse. And there are about half a dozen places where the grass has folded over. I hope that means most of the cats are dead. Are we almost out of the grass?”

“Yeah. We’re nearly out. I just hope Iridian has the energy to carry us both up to the landing.”

She stared back into Bo’az’s eyes, “Am I too fat for your horse, Tasz? Should I just walk up the mountain?”

“No! You know that’s not what I meant. I was just saying that…”
Great. Now I’m panicking.

“When did you get so sensitive? I’m only joking with you.”

Oh for the love of Orijin, there are more important things to be worrying about, and here I am worrying again that she’ll see through me
. “I know. I’m sorry. It’s just the situation. How is it that you can be so cavalier right now? Your horse was just killed and you barely survived.”

“Baltaszar. In the past week, your father was killed. My parents practically disowned me. I ran away from home, and then watched my father die as he tried to kill you. My horse…I think I’m simply finished feeling like a victim. I am tired of crying. I am tired of feeling like I have no control. Even this stupid journey we’re on. Maybe we shouldn’t have come. Who are these men? For Orijin’s sake, look at them! They kill wildcats as big as horses like boys stepping on spiders! What business do we have traveling with them? We should just leave now, while they all have their hands full. Let's just turn around and go back.”

“Go back to Haedon? We’ll both be killed if we go back now. I don’t trust our ‘companions’ any more than you do, but this isn’t the place to be going off on our own. We’ll bide our time.” They reached the mountain and Iridian carried them up the slope, forcing Bo’az to look up at Yasaman. “Let’s give it another day or two. Now that we’re out of the Never and the wilderness, the mountains or the sea will provide better chances for us. We just narrowly escaped death; I don’t feel like going back through that.”

Yasaman looked at him curiously. “Maybe you’re right; we could give it a couple days. But we have to find a way to escape before we get on their ship. Once we sail off with them, we won’t have a chance.”

That’s a couple more days to figure out how to tell you I’m Bo’az.

“Hurry up!” Linas’ voice echoed from the landing. “We have to set up camp soon before it gets dark! I’ve already found caves.” Bo’az and Yasaman had nearly reached him. The mountain must have had regular travelers for some time, as Bo’az had only just realized that Iridian was walking along an inclining path. Bo’az hadn’t considered that the ride up the mountain had been rather smooth the entire time.

“Where were you? You were supposed to protect us! We were attacked!”

“You seem all right to me. If all we lost was one horse—the girl’s horse at that—then I’d say we were quite successful. By the time the ranza reached you, I would have been unable to help you anyway. They are quite adept at going unnoticed.” Bo’az and Yasaman had finally reached him. “Follow me. The caves are a little further up the mountain.”

Bo’az helped Yasaman dismount then hopped off Iridian. “Wait! Linas! You saw it coming for us?” Linas revealed a smug grin. “You saw it hunting us down and you didn’t even warn us? I thought you were supposed to be protecting me!”

Linas waved his hand at Bo’az, “Look. If I had alerted you, you would have both panicked and would both most definitely be dead. I needed to see how you would react, Baltaszar. At least now I know you are not a complete coward. You handled yourself rather well, with a broken arm at that! Gibreel might even be impressed!”

Blood raced through Bo’az’s veins. “You bloody jackass! Your idea of a test is playing with our lives? I’ll show you just how brave I can be! Just watch yourself!”

Linas laughed heartily, as if he’d been holding it in for some time. “Foolish boy. Why are you so angry? You should be proud! You saved both of your lives! Besides, I was not playing with your life, only hers.” He nodded to Yasaman. The blood drained from Bo’az’s face as Yasaman’s jaw dropped and her eyes squinted in disbelief. “Oh, I apologize, Baltaszar. Did you not mention to your lady that she is expendable on this journey?”

Bo’az’s choked out the words, his throat betraying him as it dried up. “You…you. What is…your problem?” Coughs interrupted his retort, “I thought you…I thought you were helping me! You don’t need to be so cold. What has Yasaman done that you hate her so much?”

“I do not hate her, boy. I only find her unnecessary for our journey.”

Yasaman finally spoke up, “Where is our cave? Tell me that much and I shall be out of your way. I would hate to be your child, old man.”

Linas turned his back to lead them and walked on. “Follow me. It is just at the top of the next landing.” Linas stopped for a moment and turned back to Bo’az, his long brown and grey hair covering half of his pale face. “Baltaszar,” he sighed, “I am rigid because I have my orders. You constantly and conveniently forget that I was sent to find you and you only. Girl, I have no personal quarrel with you. But I am wary that you will complicate our plans to return with Baltaszar. Our master is a very deliberate and temperamental man. If we fail on this trek, he will not kill us. And that is what worries me, Gibreel, and Rhadames. We are too old and battle-weary to fear death. But he will make us suffer for years if we fail. I have been through too much life to deal with such things.” Linas faced them fully once again.