Steel and Sorrow (40 page)

Nareash’s brows furrowed. “You said everyone’s treated you like a tool?”

Water dripped from Tobin’s arms as he met Nareash’s stare. He spoke in a deadpan voice. “Everyone.”

Nareash blinked in surprise.

Shouting outside the tent, followed by three Kifzo stepping inside, kept Nareash from asking Tobin for clarification. One carried a sack over his shoulder. Muffled grunts sounded from inside. The three warriors suffered scrapes and cuts all over their bodies. They bowed.

“It was a success, Warleader.”

Tobin smiled. “Put her down on my bedroll.”

The warrior dumped the sack and unlaced the string. The burlap fell away revealing a beautiful lighter-skinned woman with an olive complexion. She swayed as if in a daze. Her eyes widened, betraying her fear as she saw Tobin. She scooted away.

Nareash waited to ask his question until after Tobin dismissed the Kifzo. “Who is this?”

“Charu’s lover.” Tobin frowned. “He cares for her deeply and it won’t be long before he receives the message I sent him. He’ll know who has her.” He gestured to the woman’s heavily bandaged left hand.

“You cut off her finger.”

Tobin grinned. “More effective than a penned note. He’ll be enraged and unable to think clearly tomorrow. You approve?”

Nareash grunted an affirmation. Though it seemed very little of the man he first met in Munai still existed, the High Mage could not deny the effectiveness of Tobin’s decision. “Cruel, but sound.”

Too bad your father can’t see you now. Bazraki would be proud.

Tobin faced Melat and stared intently. The coldness in his voice disturbed even Nareash. “I know cruel. Losing a finger isn’t cruel.” Tobin kneeled down and extended his hand toward her. She flinched away from his touch, but Tobin persisted and ran his fingers gently down her face. “You may leave now, Nachun,” he answered without looking back.

Nareash left the tent without a word. He had done awful things in his own life, so who was he to judge Tobin. Still, he found it sad to watch his friend walk such a dark path—especially because it had been Tobin’s unwillingness to go to such places that the High Mage had once admired. In a way, Tobin had balanced out Nareash’s own tendencies with his desire to avoid inflicting punishment on the innocent.

The damage Soyjid inflicted is worse than I thought.

Walor seized Nareash by the arm after a dozen steps. “I’ve been calling your name, Nachun. How is he?”

Nareash looked down at his arm. “Don’t ever grab me like some child again.”

Walor released his grip. “Fine. I’ll go talk to Tobin myself.” He turned to leave.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you. You won’t like what you see.”

“Why? What’s going on in there?”

“A transformation.”

Nareash left Walor to weigh his words.

* * *

Charu awoke drenched in sweat. Light from flickering campfires seeped into his tent through cracks in the canvas. The relative silence of his men made sense given the sun would not rise for hours. Yet, something felt wrong and his stomach twisted in knots as he considered what it could be.

Nerves.

He knew tomorrow would be the turning point in the struggle against the Blue Island Clan and he had gone over his strategy meticulously to ensure he held the upper hand.

That has to be it. Just nerves.

He eased his head back onto his pillow, hoping to snatch some rest before his aids roused him at dawn. The bed felt too large without Melat at his side. He had ordered her to return with Jolnan to the safety of Feruse’s walls. She had refused, saying that no place was safer than at his side. Yet, Charu thought that after Tobin’s failings in the second day, his enemy might try a night raid. Too many things could go wrong under the cover of darkness and he would not risk the woman he loved.

His eyes shot open as the echoing call of his name cut through the still night. He threw off his sheet, rose, and marched outside.

Gidan sprinted toward him, carrying something in his hand. The man was out of breath and filled with panic.

“What is it? An attack?”

“No, Warchief.” Gidan swallowed hard and breathed deep. The man struggled to find the words. “It’s . . . a message.” He handed Charu a pouch.

Charu opened the pouch and dumped the contents into his hand. A slender delicate finger fell into it. A simple piece of blue cloth had been tied around it at the base, just below a thin gold band.

His chest tightened, and it became hard to breath. He stepped toward a nearby pole to steady himself.

“I’m sorry,” said Gidan in a shaky voice. “There were five men protecting her. All dead.”

“Five obviously wasn’t enough,” said Charu, staring at the finger. Melat’s beautiful hand would be forever scarred. “I thought she would be safer in the city. I never should have let her out of my sight,” he muttered.

Charu swallowed back the emotions coming up from his stomach. He removed the ring and placed it in his pocket. The finger he handed back to Gidan.

“Alert the camp. We attack immediately,” said Charu.

“In the dark? I know you’re upset, but this is what Tobin wants you to do.”

“Then he succeeded. Now go.” Charu stood in the gloom for a moment. He looked at the ring again and moved it to a string around his neck. He put the string under his shirt and gathered his armor together, doing his best to fight back the tears trying to spill from his eyes.

* * *

Tobin didn’t hear Walor come in. “Warleader. Charu is assembling his men in the dark as you suspected he might do. I have our forces readying to meet him.”

Tobin didn’t answer. He continued to stare blankly at the woman lying on his bedroll. He had been rough with her, far more than he intended, punching her into unconsciousness when she began to whimper. Her begging had become too much. Hours later and he could still not explain his actions.

What’s happened to me? I don’t even know myself anymore.

“Is she why Charu is doing this?” asked Walor.

“Yes.”

“What happened?”

It was only then that Tobin realized he sat naked on a chair across from the unclothed woman.

“Isn’t it obvious,” he answered, voice dripping in sarcasm. “I’ve become the son my father always wanted, crueler even than Kaz who only allowed things to happen, but never participated.”

Tobin waited for Walor’s ridicule. A hand rested on his shoulder. “Soyjid did something to you. Don’t blame yourself. Blame Soyjid. You aren’t thinking clearly. You were caught up in the moment. Nothing more.”

“Perhaps.”

“Trust me. The war will end today. Nachun will help you. And then it’s just a matter of putting this all behind you.”

Tobin wanted to believe Walor, but he doubted he’d ever be able to put the evening behind him or the hundreds of other nightmares that plagued him.

* * *

Charu changed his tactics completely from what he had originally planned. Tobin would be ready for him so he couldn’t expect to catch the man by surprise. He also knew that Melat’s life was one of convenience and at any moment Tobin could kill her if he hadn’t already. Charu no longer had the patience for a prolonged battle strategy, one that would lessen the deaths of his Red Mountain Clan warriors. He moved his best men to the front lines. He did not have the time to continue to expend the Green Forest Clan warriors.

In the increasing light of the false dawn, Charu lead those front lines, unsurprised to see the Blue Island Clan already waiting for him. The arrogance in their opponent’s stance only fueled his hatred. He shouted a war cry that spread throughout his men until each man screamed in unison with him.

They rushed the enemy.

Charu would not stand back and command from a distance. He would make each man in his way pay as though they had been the one to harm Melat.

Charu slammed into the enemy’s ranks. Entrails snaked out from the stomach of the first man he killed. His blade sank into the side of another. Charu hacked and slashed his way forward as the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth and the smell of shattered bowels infiltrated his nostrils.

Despite the maelstrom of bodies, Melat remained ever at the center of his thoughts.

* * *

“Well Tobin, you definitely got Charu’s attention,” muttered Nareash as he watched the epic clash of men. Where the day before, two expert commanders had deftly handled each move of their armies with care and precision, today had brought a savagery pulled from each man’s most feral instincts.

“Did you say something, Nachun?”

Nareash blinked and looked down at the shaman. “No. Is everyone in position?”

“Yes.”

“Then hurry and take your place. Don’t you feel it?”

The shaman looked at him confused.

Nareash scowled as he looked at the gray morning sky darkening once again. Storm clouds had rolled in with little warning. “Of course you don’t. It’s a wonder Tobin hadn’t suffered greater losses before I returned. Now, go,” he snapped.

The shaman hurried off.

One Above, what I wouldn’t give for even a handful of yellow-robed mages from Estul Island. Amcaro had his faults, but I can’t deny his ability to teach the most basic skills.

Nareash felt an intense change in the air, a cool breeze that even the Blue Island Clan shamans noticed. They raised their hands to ready themselves. A moment later, a massive burst of lightning traveled toward the center of the Blue Island Clan ranks, illuminating the battlefield in a burst of white light.

The Blue Island Clan shamans awkwardly deflected the strike, but could not recover to fully deflect the second and Nareash had to act quickly, aiding them even though it went against Tobin’s wishes not to directly interfere.

“Pay attention!” Nareash yelled during the brief reprieve. “If one comes so close to hitting our forces again, I will personally kill each one whose concentration breaks!”

The shamans bowed their head in submission and he saw a renewed determination. They blocked the next two strikes followed by several smaller attacks.

Better.

* * *

Tobin thought he had a grip on his emotions after his brief discussion with Walor. However, the hum of battle slowly began to eat away at his sanity. The colliding forces, clashing wills, and guttural screams increased his pulse at such a rate that the pounding blood in his ears drowned out any voice of reason. With each breath, he tried to calm himself, but the fear and excitement only increased his inability to think clearly.

He knew Charu would come at him hard. It only made sense given what he had done to Melat. However, he did not expect Charu’s men to fight as fiercely as they did now.

His front ranks are now entirely made up of the Red Mountain Clan. Does he actually think they can defeat my men?

Tobin hurriedly scanned the thin line that divided the blue and red. He knew Charu would be there because at one time Tobin would have likely done the same for Odala.

A brief moment of sorrow consumed him, dulling his rage until several brilliant flashes of lightning illuminated the battlefield. He located Charu’s helm among the men. The warchief fought hard and killed two Kifzo in as many breaths. Tobin clenched his jaw and wheeled around.

“Bring her here!” he yelled.

Two men carried Melat. She was conscious, but obviously her wits were not her own as she rocked on her feet, oblivious to the noise around her.

He eyed the shaman next to him. “Make my voice heard.”

“Yes, Warleader.”

Tobin felt a tingling in his throat. “Charu! Charu, do you hear me?”

Heads turned his way, including Charu’s.

Tobin continued, the words falling out of his mouth without thinking. “Because of your deception, you forced me into destroying something I cared for. It’s only fitting that I destroy something of yours.” He yanked Melat up next to him. He kissed the woman as his dagger slammed into her chest. He felt the impact break ribs. He pulled out the dagger and blood spurted out in an arcing stream. Melat collapsed to the ground. “Now, what will you do?”

Charu raised his head back and his mouth opened. Even without a shaman amplifying the man’s voice, Tobin heard the pain in his scream. Charu’s sword swung in wide sweeping motions. His men rallied behind their warchief as they tried to carve their way toward Tobin.

“Give him a path to his death!” Tobin called out one last time before jumping down among his men.

* * *

“No!” cried Charu to the sky. Deep down he knew it was likely that she would die, but that didn’t make it any easier to witness her death. He felt helpless.

And he kissed her.

His sword came down, snapping the blade of the man in front of him. Then it was as if his men joined him in his pain. They surged forward as one, putting the Blue Clan warriors on their heels.

A victory would mean nothing to him now. Only Tobin’s death mattered.

Tobin’s voice echoed out again, but Charu did not listen. He only wanted revenge.

A small path opened up among the enemy’s forces. Tobin strode forward with sword drawn. The Kifzo moved with the grace of a mountain lion, and up close he saw the power in the man. Yet, none of those things deterred him.

He sprinted toward the focus of his hate. They slammed into each other with a terrible force. Running on pure hate, Charu slashed and stabbed. With anger coursing through his veins, he parried each of Tobin’s counters with ease.

He knew he would win.

Tobin’s blade slipped and Charu saw his opening. He twisted around the failed strike and slashed upward only to find that Tobin had disappeared. He gasped as his gut spasmed in lancing pain. Tobin stepped into view, wearing a smile. He spoke in a whisper, words meant only for him.

“You weren’t even a challenge. What could she have possibly seen in you? At least she knew a real warrior before she died. How does it feel to fail so completely?”

The blade glided up Charu’s torso, choking off his response.

* * *

Nareash had watched Tobin’s spectacle with interest.

One Above, I hope I wasn’t so melodramatic when I confronted Amcaro.