Forgotten (8 page)

That did it. The hand jerked away like it had touched fire. A slow breath slid out from between the old man’s teeth. “Are you trying to say you’re Thorn?”

Tovan gasped. Kaie’s smirk grew. “I would never say such a thing.”

He couldn’t count the number of lessons Vaughan gave during the five months. Out of all of them, only once did the matter of the Thorn come up. Then, just because Kaie asked how it was that all her ranking soldiers – the Rits numbered one through twelve – never turned on the Empress. When Vaughan finally answered, and it was a while before he would, it was only in a whisper.
The Thorn
.
The Empress was the ‘Rose of Urazin’ and the Thorn was her secret weapon, to stop any with a thought of plucking her from her throne.

The boy knew almost nothing. Apparently no one did.
Or almost no one.
Vaughan’s tale seemed just as wild as the fay stories Peren told him.
A network of spies and assassins, mothers and neighbors and soldiers, all hidden in plain sight.
Enforcers of the Empress’s
will, Vaughan described them like demons born of the Abyss itself. Kaie was risking everything on the chance that the fear of the Thorn extended beyond his associate in West Field.

By the look on the old man’s face, his bet was paying off. “Search him.”

Tovan’s hands weren’t on him nearly as quick to respond to the order as they were before. But they did, eventually. Kaie held himself still, resisting the urge to turn his branded shoulder away from the probing. Tovan didn’t notice. Instead, his questing fingers found the square of folded parchment tucked into his shirt weeks ago.

The younger soldier held it up like a prize, bringing it over to the old man. Kaie nearly danced. The other man unfolded the paper slowly. For a second, as he saw the marks on the page, his stomach dropped. Kissa’s letter was supposed to lend weight to the idea that he was more than the son of some whore sneaking out of the empire. No matter what it said, the fact that it was addressed to a Ninth Rit would make the right impression. But all he saw on the paper was gibberish. The dark ink formed bizarre characters that meant nothing at all.

Except the two soldiers saw something.
The way they stiffened as they huddled over it, one set of eyes narrowed, the other wide, they saw meaning in the characters. Kaie’s smirk slid back into its proper place. Kissa, miserable bitch that she was, was helping him one more time.

The old man folded the letter up again with quick, jerking movements. The fold was wrong. When Kissa gave it to him, it was a crisp fold.
Careful, sharp lines.
Now it was a mess. And it didn’t go back into his shirt. Instead, it was tucked into the soldier’s. Kaie didn’t like it. Those were small things, ones that didn’t matter, so long as he survived this encounter. Still, they bugged him.

“Boy,” the old man’s voice was thick. “Put the man back in the wagon. Make sure the knots are tight.”

Kaie bit back his surprise. His trick worked. They believed him. He could see it in their eyes, in the way their bodies shifted to be further away from him while still keeping him in
sight,
it was written in every move. He should be untied, welcomed to the open air of the front of the wagon, sharing food and wine until his belly was full.

“You sure?”

The old man was sure. It didn’t make sense. It didn’t fit. But within minutes, Tovan was yanking him up into the wagon.

The stench of urine hit him first, just like always. It made his stomach curl, again like always. The young man pulled him, but not with the same violence used with the girl. This was different. Tovan was afraid of him.

Kaie dropped down onto the bench in the dark wagon. Not his usual seat by the door, where he could get the faintest hint of fresh air every now and then. Now he was all the way in the front, right on the other side of the soldiers’ seat outside.

“I’m sorry.”

He looked up at Tovan, his mouth twisting into a sneer. His ruse worked. The soldiers were afraid of him. If they were going to keep him here in the stifling darkness, he would make sure that fear stayed intact. “I’m sure we’ll all be, when this is done.”

Tovan let out a slow breath of air. Then, with more of that quick, jerky movement the young soldier reached behind Kaie. Warm metal pressed against the skin of his hands and Kaie struggled not to flinch. A second later, the ropes dropped away. Feeling was slow to return to his fingers, slow and painful.

“We’ll reach the outpost in four days, then Jorander in another six. The Ninth Rit is twenty days, if we push as hard as we can. Thirty at the pace he’s setting now. No matter what, I’ll see you get where you need to be.
Sir.”

Kaie held his sneer. Right up until Tovan left the wagon and closed the door behind him. Then it evaporated. No matter how far he was from where he started, no matter how different this was from the stone and metal he spilled his blood on, Kaie knew where he was.
A cage.

Kaie tried to wipe away the sweat stinging his eyes and clouding his vision. It didn’t work. It never worked. The air inside the wagon was suffocating, and the heat made his head spin. He could take a swig from the wineskin in his hands, which was filled every night and again each morning thanks to Tovan’s new deference, but it was the same temperature he was. It made a world of difference in keeping himself hydrated, but it was useless for cooling off. The foul stuff only served to remind him just how hot he was. He dreamed of that barrel of water back in the house he shared with Peren, so cold it sucked the feeling out of his fingers when he washed their clothes and dishes.

He held the skin out to the little girl, once again seated beside him. “Take this. Drink four swallows.”

She did as he instructed, never turning her eyes up in his direction. Once she was done he took the wineskin back and patted her hand like she was a well-behaved pet. Kaie didn’t really know what to do with her, how to think of her. He gave up his freedom, his chance at escape, to protect her. So he was certain she mattered to him. And she was always around. Even now, when the old man demanded he stay in the same seat. So, on some level, she was aware of him. But that was as far as he got in figuring out what it was between them. For all intents and purposes, she was no different than a pet.

Counting was difficult. The heat made him hazy. He missed seconds and sometimes even used the same number twice. Still, he tried. It was somewhere around 310,122. That sounded right. It was almost four days, and he remembered them stopping to let the Hollows out at least six times. Once in the afternoon, once when they made camp. He got to leave the wagon the second time each day, when the night air was cold enough to freeze his sweat, but only long enough to empty his bladder. Then it was back to his seat. If it were up to the old man he wouldn’t even get that much.

The old man was going to be a problem. One Kaie needed to plan around before they reached the outpost. He was growing more sluggish each day and he didn’t trust the soldier not to take advantage of that to put an end to him.
Because, no matter how he looked at the situation, he could only see one reason for the man to treat a Thorn like this.

The old soldier was a traitor.

The Thorn was the Empress’s protection from her own people. Kaie was willing to believe Vaughan’s insistence that everyone in the empire feared them, but such fear would demand respect. People, innocent ones, would trip all over themselves to prove that they were loyal. The guilty too, if they thought there was a chance it would keep them safe. The only kind who would react the way the old man did was a guilty one who thought himself cornered. If that’s what he was, if that’s what Kaie’s lie made him, it left very few solutions. One, Kaie died. The other, the old man did. There were a lot of obstacles between him and the outcome he wanted.

The biggest one, the one that his foggy mind kept tripping on, was Tovan. The boy was behaving like Kaie expected, showing all the proper respect. But he was also doing what he was told, falling in line with every order the old man barked. Kaie couldn’t guess which way the kid would go if he was forced to choose between them. It was, Kaie suspected, that same unknown that was what held the other man’s hand as well.

He was sure, if he could think clearly, he could figure out how to sway the kid. Claiming to be Thorn outright wouldn’t do it. From what Vaughan said, they took oaths preventing them from any such declarations. That way, the Empress was able to disavow any actions the Thorn took to protect her if there was any political backwash. If he could just string two coherent thoughts together he could figure a way around that. He just needed his head to clear.

The wagon jerked to a stop. Kaie held his breath, waiting for it to start moving again. It was just a goat in the road like last time. There was no need to panic. They weren’t at the outpost yet. Any second now, the wagon would lurch forward.

Any second.

The back of the wagon opened. Kaie’s stomach dropped.

“Hollows!
Climb down here!”

One by one, his travel companions shuffled out. Kaie twitched in his seat, fighting the impulse to leap down and run as hard as he could. They were at the outpost – he didn’t need to be able to see through the others to be certain of that – and he still couldn’t think of a plan.

Once all the Hollows were out and given instructions to relieve
themselves
, Tovan climbed inside and offered Kaie a hand up, just like always. He hesitated a moment, a part of him wanting to believe that if he didn’t get up, they wouldn’t really be where there. When he did move, Kaie ignored the hand. Just like always. His role wouldn’t allow for weakness, even such a small one.

As he climbed slowly to his feet, Tovan leaned in close, reeking of sweat so badly that Kaie could smell it over the scents of the wagon and his own stench. The boy was smiling. He could sense it, even in the darkness, like the kid’s delight was so great that it charged the very air. “We’re at the outpost, sir. And they gave us word as we pulled in. The Ninth Rit is bringing his Twelfth through before dawn!”

Kaie nodded, numb to the news.
It changed little. Now the old man’s time was as pressed as his own. Tovan seemed to be oblivious to the desperation of the two men. The boy’s excitement was so palpable Kaie was surpris
ed the kid wasn’t dancing.

The outpost wasn’t much of one. When the soldiers spoke of it, Kaie pictured a bustle center of trade where water and well-trained soldiers were visible everywhere. The reality was nothing more than a handful of tents gathered around a muddy puddle. The people milling around the single stationary building – it was made out of a ruddy material that
didn’t qui
te
look like stone – couldn’t possibly be soldiers. The ragtag bunch draining tankards and chewing on what looked like long green sticks were in worse physical condition than he was. They stared at the clustered Hollows with obvious fear and not a one of them wore a speck of armor. A couple of them did have blades strapped to their hips, though, and Kaie made sure to take note of those. Enemy or bystander, anyone with a weapon was important to keep track of.

The old soldier was with them. It wasn’t necessary for him to keep an eye on the Hollows. They wouldn’t move without instruction. Still, his departure from the group surprised Kaie. Of course the man would know the outpost, know anyone who was a fixture here. But the whole set-up exuded such an a
ir of impermanence that
he couldn’t imagine it becoming a long-term residence.

It also made him nervous. Th
e old man’s eyes sought him out
and Kaie couldn’t help but wonder how many would be coming for him when the Hollows were put to sleep. There was no doubt in his mind that there would be at least one.

That was later. There were matters to attend to before that. First, most pressing, was emptying his bladder. Kaie followed the stench to the latrine. For once, Tovan didn’t tag along. That was a nice change. He suspected the old man instructed the kid to stay close in case he tried to disappear; the alternative was uncomfortable. The lack of attention today could mean they figured there was nowhere to run, but Kaie thought it more likely that the old man wanted him to try. It would do more than blow his cover. It would be an excuse for what was to come.

Food was next. The heat made it hard to eat any of the food Tovan pressed into his hands, so he spent every day with an empty stomach. But he wasn’t going to die with one. Beans and onions with hard bread lost its appeal the first night, but Kaie savored every bite. He would rather it be the stew Peren taught him to cook. Or one of those bright, sweet fruits she called tangerines.

Having an empty bladder and a full stomach did much to help him think. No solution leapt to mind, and he still couldn’t predict Tovan’s reaction to the coming confrontation. But Kaie was able to ease away from the buzzing anxiety that drove his thoughts in circles.

Once his wineskin was refilled they headed back to the wagon. The idea came at him with the speed of a fist. It was so simple, so obvious, that there was no excuse for not thinking of it days ago.

Kaie grabbed Tovan’s wrist as he dropped back onto his bench. In the days since his discovery, he was very careful to keep conversation at the barest minimum. He didn’t know enough about the Thorn to maintain a convincing act under the scrutiny of deep conversations. A side effect of that was that the boy seemed to hang on his every word with wide-eyed awe. It was time to see just how useful that awe could be.

“You are certain the Ninth Rit is arriving tonight?”

Tovan nodded enthusiastically. “The scouts showed up just before we did. He’s definitely coming.”

Kaie let out a slow breath. “I am out of time, then. I will fail.”

The boy’s mouth worked like it was chewing on something. “But for a Thorn to fail is death.”

He nodded. “Yes.” Then, as though he were giving it much thought, “
I’m sorry. There’s nothing I can do to protect you from the Empress’s
retribution. Deliver the letter. Tell the one who comes that you did, and that you had no hand in the interference. Maybe… maybe you won’t need to die as well.
”

It was hard to see. The dim light seeping in from the open door wasn’t enough to light the clinging darkness in the wagon. But Kaie saw the color fade from the man’s face. “What… what do you mean?”

Kaie swallowed his smirk. The rat was where he wanted, but the trap wasn’t sprung yet. He dropped his head to hide any of the expression that might leak through. “What would happen if people began thinking they could interfere in Thorn business?”

Tovan’s swallow was loud enough for him to hear it. That brought the smirk up again. “She’ll have to set an example,” the boy muttered grimly. “But I haven’t interfered!”

Kaie gave a sad smile as he lifted his head to meet the boy’s shadowed eyes. “I wish it were in my power to repay all the kindness you’ve shown me over the last few weeks. Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe delivering the note will be enough to prove to the one who comes that you are loyal.”

“So,” Tovan said carefully, his face the portrait of consternation, “the letter isn’t your mission.”

“No. It must be done before the Ninth Rit arrives
. But
I’m stuck in this wagon.
There’s nothing I can do to prevent what’s coming.
”

It was a perilous moment. Kaie knew better than to come out and ask what he wanted. He needed the idea to come from the boy.

“What if…what if I left the door to the wagon unlocked tonight?”

Kaie squeezed his fingers against the wood of the bench, his grip the only thing keeping him seated instead of up and dancing. He wanted to tell the kid yes, flat out, but there was a role to play yet. “I would not ask you to disobey a commanding officer.”

“Well, you’re not. I’m just saying. Maybe I could forget to latch it. Everyone knows I’m forgetful.
Would that be enough?
”

He didn’t even need to lie. “Yes. I believe it w
ould
.”
Tovan let out a long sigh,
then
flashed a smile only barely visible in th
e low light of the open wagon.

Kaie waited until the door was closed and he was alone in the dark to let his face split into a smile so wide it hurt. The clank of the latch falling into place never came.
Such a small thing, that absence.
But it changed everything. He wasn’t an animal waiting to be slaughtered. The last taste on his tongue was not going to be beans and onions. He was just what Peren said.
A survivor.
The old man, and any locals he brought along with him, they were going to learn that tonight. Whatever came next, however this night played out, he was going to make sure of that.

He didn’t lose count that night. After all day in the heat, the growing chill of the night brought on the same exhaustion that rendered him helpless every night before. But this night, he didn’t fall asleep. Kaie counted every second, until he was certain that night was truly on them.

The old man wouldn’t be asleep. Neither would all the residents of the outpost, he guessed.
Probably not Tovan either, though it made little difference.
The boy chose his side, to an extent, but Kaie wouldn’t make the mistake of assuming that would remain true. Forgetting was an easy mistake to make, especially for a rookie like Tovan. But turning on a commanding officer, even for someone you believe to be Thorn, was asking a hell of a lot from a kid. Either Tovan would be joining the old man in death, or the kid would be smart and stay in his bedroll until the business was done. It was out of Kaie’s hands.

Two hours passed in the slowest stretch of time it was possible for two hours to pass in. That was, he knew from experience, about how long it took to get all of the Hollows cared for and settled down for the night. It didn’t matter if they were asleep, either, but Kaie knew they would be. It’s what the two men would tell them to be. And the Hollows were always what they were told to be.

He climbed off his bench. There was no hand up to refuse, which was a shame. Kaie might take it. The dizziness was disconcerting, and there was no one to impress anymore. But he managed. He stumbled over to the door, each step more solid than the one before it.