B0161NEC9Y (F) (13 page)

A flash of rage boiled deep in Cayan’s blood. He stared up at the dead man sitting on his horse. “And how do we know he’ll keep his word?”

“As evidenced by his upkeep of your city so far. He has not harmed anyone who followed the rules. He has no interest in these people. His interest is in you and the violet-eyed girl.”

“You say he has kept my city intact, and yet he won’t let me near it. How can I be sure?”

The officer hesitated. “We can bring out one of your people to declare the state of the city.”

“The Hunter must think he is dealing with an imbecile.” Cayan paused a moment, wondering if the Graygual would comment. When nothing came, he said, “As I’m sure he knows, I need to view the city myself. As I’m sure he also knows, walking inside those walls would be putting myself in a situation where I’ll be caged in. Shanti isn’t here. She is traveling with the Shadow who were delayed. So you can’t have us both at present, and Xandre doesn’t want just me. He needs her. So really, you’re wasting my time.”

The Graygual’s hand flexed and then formed a fist again. It was the only movement revealing his irritation. “You have very few men out here to back up these words. I wonder, what makes you so cocky?”

“I just took out three high-powered Inkna. And look at me. I’m ready to take out three more. I retreated to give you a chance to play nice. I don’t want my people harmed. I also won’t sit here for long,
allowing
you to reside in my city. The sands are running through the hourglass. I’ll give you until Shanti gets here, and then I will walk in and set matters to rights.”

The Graygual smirked. “You blow a lot of wind. But as you say, we need the girl.” The officer sat, looking down from his horse. Analyzing.

Cayan let the extreme, burning hatred show in his expression. He let his desire to skin these men alive bleed through his gaze. And he stayed perfectly balanced, as though holding a sword and ready to swing it, to foreshadow what would come in the end. The Hunter may have the upper hand
at present,
yes. But as soon as Shanti took the lay of the land, they’d even the odds. He and she were a remarkable team, and his men were some of the best. They just needed time to prove it.

“Very well,” the Graygual finally said. “I’ll take your message to the Superior Officer. Expect an answer you will not like.”

As the men walked their horses away, just as slowly as they came, Cayan barely prevented himself from exhaling in fatigue.

“I have a bad feeling about this,” Sanders said.

“I do, too. If we see them approach again, keep the men back.” Cayan’s gut twisted. “I don’t want them seeing what the Graygual will probably bring. I don’t want that on their conscience.”

A thundercloud crossed Sanders’ expression. “You know that Shanti won’t let them kill someone. Rather than worry about the Graygual response, we need to figure out what to do when she turns that whole place upside down.”

“And then what to do when she trades herself for everyone else’s life,” Xavier said in a hollow tone. He waited by the tents with a solemn expression. “I don’t think we have a week, sir. We might not even have a few days.”

S
hanti felt a rise of fear and then angry determination from Cayan, distant though he was, as she and the others crouched behind a house in the shadows. She pushed his emotions to the side. She’d need to block him out in order to keep her focus. She couldn’t afford the distraction.

Two Graygual stood down the lane, silent and watching. Their minds were dull and movements slow. Normal men would be sleeping on their feet. These men were either trained very well, or terrified of failing at their duty. Probably both.

Shanti
searched
the familiar landscape of the city, delicately spreading her
Gift.
Most of the Inkna were spread around the wall, no doubt watching for Cayan. Her light mental touch, only lingering for a moment before retreating, had gone unnoticed by all but two of the strongest. As soon as she backed off, she was forgotten.

The Inkna in this town were complacent. At least for now.

“The males seem to be under more scrutiny,” Shanti said quietly, checking out the pockets of mental minds. “I recognize a few, like Lucius and Sterling. They are in the prison.”

“That makes sense,” Ruisa whispered. “The higher officers are the most dangerous, right?”

Shanti gauged the emotions of the men. They were restless, uncomfortable, and their hope was starting to dwindle. The confinement, or something else, was breaking them down.

A broken man was an easy man to control.

“When I was in the Graygual camp,” Rohnan said, “my guards had a key to my chains when I needed to be moved, but otherwise the key was kept elsewhere. They thought, correctly, that I could find a way to take the key if left in my vicinity. When the keys were absent, I was poked and prodded at all hours. I rarely slept for long periods of time. Sleep deprivation and humiliation muddled my mind. I can only guess that the practices are similar here.”

Rachie moved a little closer. His smile hadn’t returned since he had slid down the wall on his face. “Not many army men could fit in the prison, though.”

“No. There are many more within the park. Graygual surround them, helped by a few Inkna.” Shanti couldn’t help a scowl. “There are so many Inkna in this city. The Hunter is prepared.”

“And our force is small.”

“Very small. Thank the Elders that Cayan has excellent intuition with the
Gift.
But he’s still largely inexperienced.” Shanti mapped out the land as well as she could, constantly worried about finding an Inkna that might be paying attention. She learned quickly that areas with a greater male population also had more guards. Those with more females were controlled by a smaller enemy presence. It seemed that the Graygual segregated parts of the city, probably putting the more dangerous of citizens in one location. The Hunter was well equipped for taking over hostile territory.

Shanti’s mind stumbled over a cluster of active women. She felt their minds spark and burst with various emotions, as though in lively debate. Given how late it was, that was more than strange. One mind within that group she recognized immediately. “Molly.”

Ruisa perked up. “Is she with anyone else?”

“Yes.” Shanti told Ruisa what she could feel with her
Gift
.

“We need to get over there!” Rohnan slapped a hand over Ruisa’s mouth to stop her words. She peeled Rohnan’s fingers away and continued in a lower tone. “That’s the Women’s Circle. We need to meet with them.”

“I agree,” Shanti said, mapping out the quietest route. “We’ll see how much they know about what’s going on.”

“They’ll know a lot.” Ruisa nodded adamantly. “They’ll be right in the heart of it, I bet.”

Gracas rolled his eyes.

“What about the orphans?” Ruisa asked.

“What about the orphans?” Shanti repeated. “The Hunter wouldn’t kill children unless he needed to control an uprising.”

“Are they together?” Ruisa’s eyes were intent.

Frowning in confusion, Shanti checked that area of the city. As expected, a horde of kids were gathered together, a mess of energy regardless of the late hour. “They’re fine, as far as I can tell.”

“We should check in with them. Even stay in the orphan house tonight if we can. They can help.”

“She’s cracked,” Gracas whispered to Leilius.

“They know the ins and outs of this city better than anyone,” Ruisa fired back. “Whatever holes lie in the Women’s Circle’s knowledge, the orphans will be able to fill. It’s always been that way. Trust me.”

Shanti didn’t want to waste the time arguing. Nor did she discount the sentiment. Instead, she stood, waiting for the others to stand with her. “First we’ll visit the women and see what they can tell us. Ruisa, Leilius, which one of you knows this city best?”

Ruisa said, “Me.” At the same time as Gracas and Leilius both said, “Her.”

“Okay.” Shanti pulled the girl to her. After telling her where the Graygual were stationed between their current location and the women, she said, “We need to get there without getting seen.”

“Easy.” Ruisa turned and scurried back toward the wall.

“The orphans are like rats after dark,” Leilius said as he followed behind Shanti. “They’re the ones you should’ve trained to spy, S’am. I’ve been in trouble loads of times for sneaking out, but the orphans hardly ever get caught.”

“
Shh!
” Ruisa ducked into a shadow between two houses. She peered around the corner.

“There’s no one there,” Shanti helped.

Ruisa stepped out and hurried to the next sheltered area, peering around the corner. After a few more times of Shanti telling her they were clear, Ruisa finally learned just to keep going until Shanti had her slow or stop.

Halfway through the city, having used narrow alleys and small paths Shanti hadn’t known existed, the first cluster of Graygual stood in their way. Ruisa looked at Shanti from beside a pungent garbage bin. She shook her head a fraction.

Shanti
searched,
trying to remember if there was a way through the holes of Graygual from her limited experience of the city. She didn’t know of one. Peering through a bush to the shadowed street lit by a few oil lamps, she saw the Graygual, standing idly. Two chatted with each other, their minds troubled.

“Let’s wait until one or more moves on,” Rohnan said, looking away, watching their backs.

Shanti squinted up at the sliver of moon, and then back at the street in front of them. “If we wait, we’ll probably miss the Women’s Circle.”

“
If we go, these kids are sure to get caught,
”
Rohnan said in the Shumas language.

“Go…kids…caught…” Gracas put his hand on his hip. “We aren’t as good as you, but we aren’t hopeless, either. I can stay quiet.”

Shanti and Rohnan stared at Gracas for a moment. Shanti had no idea he was learning their language. She had no doubt that Marc must have had a hand in that.

“He’s right, though,” Shanti said, biting her lip in indecision. “They aren’t great, but they are passable. These Graygual don’t even suspect anyone in the city. They worry, but there is no urgency in it. I’d bet their concern is with the outside threat, or from the Hunter.”

“This is a big risk,” Rohnan warned.

“The risk is where to stash the body,” Shanti replied.

“I can think of three places,” Ruisa said.

Shanti blinked, shocked mute for the second time. Regaining herself, she said, “Then the risk is being able to hide the Graygual absence. Regardless, we are wasting time.” Shanti gave Rohnan a level stare. “Do you have a better idea?”

“Ideas are your territory. I am but the voice of reason.”

Gracas huffed. Shanti had to agree with the sentiment.

“Okay.” She looked at Gracas, then at Ruisa. Finally at Leilius. “Follow us, but you don’t have to be our shadows. We are a team, but we are not glued together. If we need to split up, try to stay close, stay quiet, and stay hidden. If you get separated and in trouble, hide. I’ll come back for you eventually.”

The three nodded, their brows bent in concentration and determination.

Shanti set out at a fast but light walk, her back bent, sticking to the shadows. The rest fanned out behind her, doing the same, but picking different crevices or shadowed areas in which to travel. Besides Rohnan, Leilius was by far the most accomplished at this, having had a lot more practice. The other two were doing well too, though. Without twigs and branches to constantly step around, or the concern of leaving tracks, they could concentrate all their effort on moving as quietly as they could. Shanti rarely heard a sound from any of them.

She approached the two chatting Graygual and slipped between a bush and the wall. Hunkering for a moment, she waited until the others stashed themselves out of the way. She threw a rock. It skittered down the lane.

The two Graygual didn’t even glance in that direction. Their conversation was their sole focus. Good.

Beyond them, partially obstructed by the corner of a house, was a solitary Graygual, watchful but static.

Shanti hurried to the next shadow, watching the Graygual as she felt the others move behind her, inching closer. She ran to the next shadow, then waited. Twice more she did this, hating how tedious this was with a group that weren’t very well synced. Finally, though, she was in earshot of the hushed words.

“I’ll find out. I’d rather stay in here than have to confront that colossal,” one of the Graygual said in their home language. “I hear he’s a giant.”

“All these men are giants. Even the shorter ones are stacked with muscle.” The other Graygual looked out over the street. “The Captain is supposed to be unbeatable, though.”

“Exactly. I’d rather guard the weaker ones. Do you think the Hunter is going to send out sacrifices?”

“I don’t know. I hear there are not many of them out there. They’re waiting for more.”

“Then he’ll probably send out the best.” The man sucked his lip in thought.

Shanti felt Rohnan’s impatience behind her, but she wanted to hear this out.

“The girl isn’t with them, though,” the first said, wiping something from the front of his uniform. “The Inkna didn’t see her or feel her presence. She’s with the Shadow.”

“Or else she hung back.”

“What good would that have done? Nah, from what I’ve heard, she’s always running around, killing people. If she wasn’t in the battle, she’s making her way to it. The Hunter agrees, so…”

“The Hunter should capture that Captain before the girl gets here,” the first Graygual said with a knowing tone. “It’d be easy. This city is full of bleeding hearts. They’ll roll over and play dead if a woman is smacked. I say that if the Hunter just starts killing people, that Captain will walk right in and give himself up. I guarantee it.”

“He’s going to. The Hunter, I mean. You know how he works, though.”

The other man spat. “For a guy that has no problem torturing, he sure has a funny set of rules.”

“That’s just it. Rules.” The man looked around and leaned closer to the other. He dropped his voice to a level that Shanti could barely hear. “If I’d known what I was getting into, I wouldn’t have bothered to join up, know what I mean?”