The Journey of the Marked (The Miyran Heir Book 1) (11 page)

The motion of the electric torches
continued, but the Tyrnotts and Graeliths were no closer to discovering the
group’s current location. They still had to cross the main streets to reach the
western edge of the city, meaning they would have to wait for the search to end
before leaving the rooftop. Yet, they couldn’t stay here. Based on the moon’s
position, morning was not more than a few hours away. They would have to depart
soon.

Kenrya returned from the building’s
edge to the rest of the group. She waved to Eros to join them and, when he did,
she spoke quietly, “I can see electric torches in all the main streets. Even if
we can navigate the alleys, we still must cross a main street to reach the edge
of the city. What did you see on your side, Eros?”

“The same.” Then he turned to Jurf.
“Is there a way to reach the city’s edge without crossing more than one or two
main streets?”

Jurf carefully considered this
question. “No. At least not if you travel by ground.”

“What, there’s another way we can
travel?” Kenrya asked, rolling her eyes.

Jurf smiled. “Sure. There are
walkways connecting the building tops in this part of the city. The underground
here isn’t always passable. Since we sometimes need to be out past curfew, a
bunch of us worked together to create the rooftop passages. Some of them are
narrow, but as long as you’re careful, you can reach the western edge of the
city without ever stepping foot on the ground. This will take more time,
though, and if you need to reach the city’s edge before daybreak, we should
start moving again.”

Tip was sleeping heavily. Eros
suggested they wait another hour before continuing their journey. They rested
against the wall or their packs to allow Tip more time to renew his strength.

Eros leaned against his pack,
staring at the star-filled sky. Travel off the world was not permitted after
the death of Lord Attol. He never had the opportunity to travel across the sky
like the Humans before him. While he thought the forest of Kullac was a wonderful home, he longed to visit other worlds. As he rested, his thoughts turned
to Jbetl, the Thelios he once had known.

He remembered hours standing over a
hot fire, while Jbetl taught him how to forge metal into shapes for weapons. They
had taken long walks into the forest together, discussing the coming of age and
the likelihood that Eros would be marked. Even more, though, he remembered the
smile his mother always had for Jbetl. He enjoyed spending time with the man
and, admittedly, was a little jealous when his mother won more attention than
he. Sometimes he would peek around the kitchen wall and watch the two of them
together, laughing. His mother always seemed different when Jbetl visited. He
had never understood why. A smile danced across his face. He hoped one day he
would again see the great man and his mother together again.

When enough time passed, Eros woke
Tip and they returned their packs to their backs, except Jurf, who picked up
Tip’s pack before Tip could.

“You’ll need to focus on balance,”
Jurf told him.

“Balance?” Tip raised his eyebrows.
“The ladder is easy to climb.”

Eros explained their plan to Tip,
who then seemed agreeable to letting Jurf carry his pack. Jurf led the way, as
they started their journey across the rooftops. Certain rooftops were side by
side and easy to cross, while others were connected with sturdy boards without
railings. Jurf seemed to skip across the boards without hesitation; the others were
more cautious. For Kenrya and Azetan, maintaining balance was simple. For
Prizene and Eros, crossing was trickier and they sometimes spider-walked
across, using their hands to steady themselves. As Tip’s side was still sore,
he crossed the boards on hands and knees.

Arith, Lutra, and Ampal cautiously
made their way through the western alleys of the city. The increased number of
Tyrnott and Graelith patrols slowed their progress considerably, since they
were forced to stay above ground in this part of the city. They routinely
needed to hide or change their route, such that the patrols couldn’t find them.
Luckily, the roving Tyrnotts and Graeliths made a racket, which provided ample
warning of their nearby presence.

As they walked, Arith tracked their
location using various landmarks. This part of town brought back many memories
for him. His family lived in a nearby street when he was a child and he spent
many days darting in and out of the maze of alleys playing with other children.
As the children grew up, their games turned more to role-playing, battling
either alongside or against the Graeliths. When playing against the Graeliths,
his sister was always the Lady. When Arith’s sixteenth birthday arrived and he
bore no mark, he was devastated. Joining the Miyran army was the only future he
had planned. One day, he stumbled upon a battle between two warriors and a few
Graeliths. The Graeliths clearly were overpowering the warriors until Arith
stepped in and helped “even the odds.” The Graeliths fled, leaving the warriors
very grateful for Arith’s intervention. That day marked the start of the
undergrounders and a strong alliance with the warriors was thus forged. Protecting
the marked ones was their primary objective, but they also vowed to protect any
supporter of Anyamae. Unfortunately, the Tyrnotts swayed much of the population
into complacency, while recruiting others to act as spies. They influenced what
children learned at school and spread misinformation through the community. The
majority of the population wouldn’t fight for the Tyrnotts, but by turning a
blind eye, they strengthened the Tyrnotts’ control. Even among the Bruners,
loyalties were unclear.

Arith’s thoughts wandered to the
five marked ones currently traveling to the western woods. Lady Anyamae planned
and guided some events in the city and this group was picked for a reason. Only
once before had he discovered a Liput with a mark and never before, to his
knowledge, was a Krystic female marked. The group was unique. But why? Why this
group and why now?

“... He’s lost in thought,” Lutra
said. “Arith? Are you listening?”

“What?” Arith jumped. “I was
thinking about Kenrya and the others.”

Lutra studied him a moment. “They’re
fine, Arith. Kenrya alone is a strong fighter and when you add the others, the
group is more than able to defend itself. I’m sure they’re well on their way to
the forest as we speak.”

Arith shook his head. “That’s not
what I meant. I have confidence they’ll reach their goal, in part because of
their combined strengths and talents, but also because I believe Lady Anyamae
guides them. She chose this group and led them to each other for a reason. I
just wish I knew what it was.”

 “Maybe you’re right,” Lutra said,
“but maybe it was just chance. What purpose would she have for bringing such an
unusual mix of species together?”

“Strength, perhaps.” Arith shrugged
and cocked his head. “Alliances. I don’t know. I just hope they reach the
training camp unharmed.”

They finally arrived at an entrance
to the underground from which they could freely travel to the cavern that
served as their base of operations. Once underground, they all breathed easier
as the Graeliths and Tyrnotts never ventured into the underground. They reached
their destination in a few hours and their return was met with cheerful
greetings, which were quickly stifled when the others saw the blanketed figure
carried by Ampal. Silence filled the room. Ampal carried his sister to the
corner and, placing the body gently on the ground, sat next to it. Crossing his
arms on his knees, he rested his forehead on his arms and wept quietly.

Word passed quickly through the
group that the body was that of Ishta, Ampal’s little sister. Each member of
the group walked alone to Ampal’s side in turn, placing only a hand on his shoulder,
saying nothing.

Nord and his aide, Natal, returned
to the marketplace around midday. Nord’s men reported two Graeliths found dead
in one of the small alleyways two streets west of the marketplace. Reports also
filtered in about a battle farther to the northwest in the maze of little
alleys and streets characteristic of the area. While information was
incomplete, the reports indicated a larger-scale battle than usually necessary
to destroy one of the marked ones wandering alone in the city. Two parties
composed of both Graeliths and Tyrnotts were dispatched to identify the
location of the fight, but neither had returned.

Natal suggested they move in the
direction of the battle. Being intolerant of delays, Nord agreed. They gathered
a few men and started toward the northwest, knowing well that navigating the
labyrinth of alleyways in that section of the city was difficult, even in
daylight.

As they took turn after turn, Nord
thought, and not for the first time, that they should destroy this part of the
city. The maze provided protection and shelter for those familiar with its
intricate twists and turns. Many marked ones survived among the disorder of
these streets. Of course, he never gave the order to destroy the sector, as
displacing the citizens living in the area would challenge the power of the
Tyrnott rule. Unrest among a large portion of the population served only to
undermine his efforts to put the city at ease. For now, anyway, he would
tolerate the chaos.

Rinald arrived home in the early
evening, but still in time for dinner with his family. He had worked late every
night that week and was relieved to finally have a few days off to relax. He
opened the front door and called out to his wife and daughter.

His job demanded much of him,
though the respect granted him in his position of Head of Commerce was reward
enough. Certainly, he wished the position required more than simply resolving
minor disputes in the marketplace. Before Lord Attol was killed, Rinald’s position
included regulating the dozens of species from other worlds traveling to Zolei
to sell their goods. Caldot had once been a wealthy settlement and its citizens
were well regarded for their good, yet expensive, tastes. But ever since
Attol’s death, the role consisted of more tedious matters, such as the current
debate on whether the Liputs should be allowed to sell their produce within
Caldot or outside the city.

As he wandered through the house
looking for Siljette and Prizene, he thought of things they could do together
as a family during his time off work. He married Siljette when Prizene was
still a baby. She played the role of mother for a few years, but gradually he
noticed how little she cared for his daughter and how much Prizene avoided her.
Perhaps if they spent more quality time together, the relationship between the
two would improve.

Not finding either of them
downstairs, he walked upstairs to the second level. He looked in the master
bedroom, found it empty, and then peered into Prizene’s room down the hall. This
room was empty, as well. He turned to leave when something caught his eye. A
sweater lay on the bed, as it had a few days before when he peeked into her
room before going to work, only to find she was already gone for the day. Rinald
frowned. Hadn’t she slept in her own bed since then? Maybe she spent a few days
at a friend’s house. Given her strained relationship with Siljette, it was
certainly possible, and she had stayed overnight with friends before. Still,
she had always told him these things.

He checked the other upstairs rooms
and, not finding anyone in the house, decided to check the backyard. There he
found Siljette lounging in the early evening dusk with a large drink in her
hand, a bowl of fruit by her side, and a heat lamp to ward off the chill. Siljette
radiated beauty when he first met her, with golden, flowing hair and a stunning
figure. Now, he saw nothing but the self-absorbed woman she had become.

“Where is Prizene?” he asked her,
skipping a greeting.

She glanced lazily in his direction.
“Oh, honey, you know I cannot keep up with that child. She probably went to her
friend’s house. You know, the chubby girl with the nosey mother.”

“Kanda?”

“Yes, her.” She swiveled toward him
and batted her eyes, a trick to which he long ago had grown resistant.

As he debated what to do, she
reached a shaky hand for her glass and took a sloppy drink, spilling a little
on her blouse. She apparently didn’t even notice. Given history, the drink was
probably mixed with something illegal. He rubbed his temples.

“Are you planning to fix dinner?” She
smiled coyly, then hiccupped.

He glared at her. “First, I will
find my child! Then, I might fix something for myself!” He stormed back into
the house and marched straight to the wall communication unit. Luckily the
Krystics carried enough clout to maintain a reasonable level of electricity in
their neighborhood. He was about to engage the call, when he decided to walk to
Kanda’s house instead. The cool night air would clear his head.

Grabbing his coat on his way out,
he set a brisk pace. He breathed in the fresh air and felt the tension in his
shoulders relax. She must be at Kanda’s house. He would remind her to keep him
up to date on her plans in the future. Once at his destination, he took a deep breath
and rang the bell. Kanda opened the door moments later.

“Good evening, Sir Rinald. May I
help you?”

He appreciated the girl’s manners,
regardless of the fact his wife was right that Kanda was a little chubby for a
well-bred Krystic female. “Is Prizene here, Kanda?” he asked. “I arrived home
from work and hoped to have dinner with her.”

Kanda answered easily, “Oh, no, sir.
She hasn’t visited in nearly a week.”

“What? Are you sure?”

“Oh, yes. In fact, I thought she
left on holiday. I saw her leave with her backpack early one morning.”

“When was this?”

She thought before answering, “I’m
not certain. A few days, maybe even a week ago.”

Rinald thanked her for her honesty
and started the walk back to his house. Where could Prizene have gone? On
holiday by herself? No, she must have left for another reason. The last time he
saw her was at her little birthday party last week when they celebrated her
sixteenth year. Turning sixteen meant a great deal for a Krystic female and
Prizene seemed quite pleased with her party. Where else would she have gone? Then
it dawned on him: She must be visiting Traudin, the little troublemaker he
forbade her from seeing! He turned around and headed in the direction of
Traudin’s house, but stopped as he remembered that Traudin had left home not
four months ago, shortly after his sixteenth birthday, when his mark was
revealed. The mark! No, surely Prizene would not have chased after him. Certainly
she possessed more common sense than that. He waved his hand dismissing that
possibility.

Where was she then? The bushy plant
near him rustled and he jumped. A small animal stuck its nose out and sniffed
Rinald. He bent down to pet it. However, the animal scurried back into the
foliage. He had debated giving Prizene an animal for her birthday as she did
have an intense love for the little creatures, but she had requested that new
travel pack. Why the pack and why on her sixteenth birthday? Wait! Could it be?
What if Prizene bore the mark herself? He clutched his chest, mouth agape. True,
a Krystic female had never before been marked by Lady Anyamae, but if one
were
to be, Prizene was the ideal choice. She had learned to fight, much to his
annoyance, and showed great determination in conquering anything standing in
her way.

He stood still and thought. There
were notice boards in the marketplace calling for the capture of a red-headed
Krystic female! He pressed his fingers to his temples again. He took little
notice at the time, since a female Krystic had never been marked and he assumed
someone mistook another species for his own. Were Tyrnotts hunting for his
daughter? What could be worse! He decided then that he needed a definite answer.
Tomorrow morning, he would ask for Lady Anyamae’s counsel. Then he would learn
the truth.