The Journey of the Marked (The Miyran Heir Book 1) (19 page)

“Stupid girl,” the man sneered, and
gave Kenrya a backhanded slap across the face. She had spilled a tiny amount of
tea when nervously pouring him his morning drink, which the man believed
deserved punishment. “Give me the pot,” he demanded.

She hesitated a second, but knowing
that hesitation would only anger him further, she picked up the kettle and passed
it to him. Then he turned her over his knee and pressed the scalding kettle to
the back of her left thigh. Her skin screamed in pain, though she dared not
make a sound. Once a thorough burn was imprinted on her already scarred legs,
he instructed her to crawl into the kitchen cupboard. The cupboard was, in
fact, an alcove in the stone wall with a rough, wooden door. Not wanting to
further anger the man, she scurried inside the alcove, her thigh throbbing
painfully. She fit in the alcove, sitting on her bottom with her legs pulled up
to her chin. He slammed the door and latched it from the outside. The cold from
the stone seeped into her, which at least lessened the pain in her thigh a
little bit. She hated him. If only she were bigger, she would hurt him back! The
neighbors never helped her — surely they knew. She was all alone. One day, she
vowed, she would find a way to escape. She brushed her feelings and tears aside
and laid her head against the wall. She never knew how long he would leave her
in the alcove, but never was it long enough to find peace.

*******

Kenrya woke early the morning after
their encounter with the rizon. Perhaps, battling the rizon had brought her
childhood abuse into her dreams, though little encouragement was ever necessary.
Her legs still sported the scars inflicted years ago by the man. She rubbed
them, then rubbed her hands over her face. The one blessing was that he never burned
her face, arms, or hands. Of course, that was probably only because he didn’t
want the neighbors to see his brutal handiwork. She crept cautiously from the
tent, trying not to wake the others.

The campsite remained quiet, as
only Azetan was awake and standing guard. She offered to relieve him to allow
him time for his morning meditation, for which thanked her. To keep from
disturbing him, she walked toward the wetlands, stopping once she reached the
edge of the water. She found a flat rock by the water’s edge and there she sat
and rested, watching the sunrise reflecting off the water’s surface. As she
watched, several small black heads surfaced near the safe path. The rizons’
persistence impressed her, though certainly not their lack of intelligence. The
watery ground of the safe path had already concealed their tracks from the day
before. Unless the Graeliths knew the path existed, this might serve to slow
their progress.

She gathered a few small sticks
from the ground and absent-mindedly rolled them between her fingers, flicking
one every now and then toward a small hole in the ground a few feet from where
she sat. She pushed the fresh memories of her nightmares into the farthest
recesses of her mind and focused on recent days. How careless she had been to
fall into the river two days ago! To their credit, the others never reminded
her of it, but how stupid could she have been? The Liput had stopped at the
edge of the cliff, but she had kept walking.

Tip irritated her. Despite her falling-off-the-cliff
blunder, he was their greatest weakness, just as she had predicted back in the
underground. Prizene impressed her more than she had expected, and outside of
using her looks to her advantage the day before, she seemed almost unaware of
her beauty. Kenrya admired that. And what was it about Eros that stuck with her?
Granted, he treated her as an equal, both as a fighter and companion, but the
others did as well. Her stomach rolled. Maybe she was hungrier than she had
thought.

Slowly, her dependence on Eros and
the others grew. Kenrya’s muscles tensed as fear crept into her thoughts. Every
day they traveled together, she found she relied on them more than the day
before. Such reliance achieved nothing, especially when those on whom she
relied, like Tip, were such weaklings. She decided to speak with Eros about the
group. Leaving the others behind might be the only way to reach the camp. After
all, surely a few reaching the camp outweighed the strong possibility of none
of them reaching it.

In the distance, across the
wetlands, a light caught her eye. She strained for a clearer view, unable to
determine what it was. She retraced her steps to the camp and found the
magnifier packed in the back of the wagon. Taking it back to the flat rock on
the water’s edge, she scanned the other side of the wetlands for a clearer view.
At first, she saw nothing of interest, then she spied them, the Graeliths. A
band of several Graeliths had hacked their way through the bristly bushes and
were camping on the edge of the wetlands, farther away from the safe path. Kenrya
frowned. They must have found the marked ones’ path through the underbrush and
followed it to the water’s edge. As she watched, one Graelith spoke into a
communicator while another peered along the wetlands in the opposite direction
from the safe path. They seemed to be waiting for others, which meant it was
only a matter of time before they discovered the path that would lead them
safely across the wetlands.

She waited until something
distracted the Graeliths, then crept carefully away from the edge of the
wetlands and back to camp. She shared her discovery with Azetan and together,
they roused the others quietly and quickly. The campsite was not visible from
the wetlands, yet the group still prepared cautiously.

Once ready, they commenced the
day’s journey. Based on Aston’s description of the plan, they would travel for
another day together, then the marked ones would continue on alone into the
deep forest.

As they journeyed farther from the
wetlands, the ground grew firmer, scattered with rocks and trees. The trees
grew taller here and the branches were thick and full. Still, they stood some
distance apart, such that sunlight could penetrate the ground, though less than
in the area surrounding the wetlands. Since the sun peeked sparsely through the
trees, the ground foliage was less thick. The marked ones took turns either
tailing the party to watch for Graeliths, leading the party in search of a
smooth path, or hurrying the old men along. While the old men seemed to
understand the urgency of the pace, age had hampered their ability to keep a
brisk, steady walking rate. The marked ones could make better time on their
own.

Azetan approached Eros with furrowed
brows. He whispered, “Maybe we should leave them and make our way alone.”

Eros had been expecting one of them
to raise this suggestion. He shook his head and replied, “They’ve helped us
this far. They took the same risk and understand the danger we face. We should
trust them. Plus, I’m concerned what the Graeliths would do to them if they’re found
near our path. If we wait until the old men veer in another direction, then the
Graeliths will follow us and not them.”

Azetan sighed, “Eros, we must
protect ourselves.” He motioned toward his chest. “I know these old men have
helped us, but how do we even know they support the Lady? Perhaps they delay us
intentionally to allow the Graeliths to find us before we reach the forest.”

Eros shook his head firmly, “No. They
honor Lady Anyamae. I feel their respect when they speak of the Miyrans and
their tales of battle. Our safety increases by staying with them.”

Azetan narrowed his eyes, obviously
not convinced. “I’m going to talk with the others and gather their thoughts.”

Eros watched as Azetan walked among
the other marked ones. He set his jaw. They should remain with the old men
until their paths parted naturally. No other answer made sense. As was common,
he struggled to sort out his feelings. If the others chose to break away from
the group, then he would bid them farewell and remain with the old men. Kenrya
walked a short distance behind the group, watching for the Graeliths. As Azetan
left her side, Eros walked back to take a turn in that position.

“Did Azetan speak with you?” she
asked.

He nodded.

“You think we should stay with the
old men.”

He nodded again.

“Why?”

Eros considered his response and
could offer no explanation. “I can’t explain why I feel as strongly as I do,
but I firmly believe we should stay with the old men until our paths separate.”

“They were once warriors, Eros. I’m
certain of this from all they have told us. They protect themselves well and
wouldn’t question our decision to proceed on our own from here.”

“I know that to be true, but we
should
not
leave their company!” he said with such determination that
Kenrya snapped her eyes toward him and paused momentarily. He softened his
voice and added, “You probably think I feel sorry for them, but that’s not
true.” He stopped to face her and shook his head. “If you and the others want
to go, then go. I’ll stay with the old men and try to catch up with you later.”

Kenrya hesitated a moment, then
walked quickly to join the main body of the group for drink and food. Should
she side with Eros? Ordinarily, she would dismiss such sentiments, but Eros was
different. He dreamed real events and sensed things others did not. While he
was far too sentimental and overprotective for his own good, she trusted his
instincts, which told him to stay with the old men. Plus, she still needed to
speak with him. Azetan wouldn’t part willingly from her and Eros’s company with
the other two, thus as long as she stood firmly with Eros, the decision would
be final. When Azetan approached her again, she told him she agreed with Eros. Azetan
scowled with displeasure, but appeared to resign himself to the decision.

The old men seemed oblivious to
these discussions, until Aston joined Kenrya as she walked. “Have you decided
to stay with us or depart on your own?”

Kenrya laughed. “We should have
known you would be too clever not to find us out. We could travel faster
without you, but Eros’s instincts are telling him to stay with you.” She
shrugged as she added, “So far, his instincts have proven to be right.”

Aston appeared to accept this. “He’s
a Human boy, is he not?”

Kenrya glanced back at Eros and
shrugged. “Perhaps not entirely. His mother is Human, his father unknown. He
dreamed about the attack on Azetan, which allowed us to find him. He also
dreamed of the actual death of another marked one. He possesses unusual
abilities.”

“Then your trust in him is
warranted.” Aston nodded once and made a sweeping motion with his right arm. “While
this path may seem safe, many obstacles and spiteful creatures lurk at every
turn, waiting for the innocent. We may slow your progress, but we can protect
and teach you as we travel.”

As they continued walking, Aston
pointed out plants and creatures of the forest, indicating the dangerous ones
and those of particular interest. Kenrya listened and learned as much as she could
until she switched places with Eros again. She overheard Aston continuing his
instruction with Eros, and smiled to herself.

Isabelle woke early, ate a quick
breakfast, and started out on a long run. As she jogged, tension slowly eased
from her shoulders and back. Five days ago, Anthony had dropped Eros at the
edge of the city and for five days, no news had reached her. She maintained
contact with friends within the royal army, and word would certainly have
reached her if Eros had made it as far as the training camp in the western woods.
Of course, word would also likely have reached her if Eros had been stopped by
the Graeliths. For the moment, she took some comfort in not hearing any news.

The evening before, she and Anthony
agreed they would travel to Banston for the funeral of a sixteen-year-old girl
killed on the very night Eros left. Anthony arranged a room for them for a
number of days, as the funeral would be a long, elaborate affair with many from
across Caldot and the surrounding communities attending. Isabelle hoped they
would receive some news of Eros. At the very least, she wanted to pay her
respects to the grieving parents.

She finally reached the edge of
town and veered toward the steep hill on her left. At the top of this hill, she
could see far to the south, but not far enough to view the marshes. The forests
of Kullac extended for a good distance, and after that the landscape became
almost tropical. The forest canopy thickened as the forest continued, and on
hot days, steam rose from fissures in the rock. She dreamed of traveling to the
marshes one day.

The hill grew steeper and she wiped
sweat from her brow as she worked harder to keep up her quick pace. A small,
purple bird swooped down from a nearby tree and began flying next to her. The
bird chirped and twittered brightly, as though in deep conversation with her. She
watched his little wings beat steadily and wondered if this little bird lived
here alone. The bird frequently looked in her direction and continued his
conversation.

When she neared the top of the
hill, Isabelle slowed and climbed the last dozen steps with elongated strides
to better navigate the rocks strewn across the hilltop. She found the shadow of
a deep green, bushy tree and waited for her heartbeat to slow down. The little
bird fluttered to a nearby branch of the bushy tree and landed softly. It
chirped while shaking its head at her and then stopped, watching her. She
glanced toward the south again, though her attention was drawn back to the
little bird.

“Well, you are very chatty today,”
she said to the bird. “What do you think of this beautiful countryside?” She
indicated with a sweep of her arm.

The bird peered to the south then
flicked its head. It turned its eyes back to Isabelle and chirped again, this
time more intensely.

Isabelle believed firmly in signs. Was
this bird actually trying to warn her of something? She stepped closer to the
bush; if it was indeed a bird, her closeness would surely startle it into
flight. She placed her hands on her hips and moved her head closer to the
little bird, eyes staring into eyes. “Maybe you are a mystical warning,” she
pondered aloud.

“A what?” the bird replied in a
shrill chirp.

Maybe the run had affected her
senses. Had the bird just spoken to her? Birds didn’t usually speak, though
arguably Zolei was home to many unusual species. She pulled the water container
from the pouch strapped to her side and took a long drink. Then she poured some
into her hand and wiped the back of her neck to cool herself. She returned the
bottle to her side, stretched, and walked around in a circle.

During this, the bird continued to
watch her. She returned to her place by the tree and leaned close to the bird
as she said, “Are you a bird?”

“What’s a bird?” the bird asked.

How ironic. She would have to
explain to the bird what it was. She rubbed the back of her hand across her
forehead. “Well, birds generally have bodies like yours and wings that allow
them to fly. Usually, birds are not terribly intelligent and they certainly
don’t talk.”

The bird shifted its head, all the
while continuing to watch her. “I must not be a bird, then.” He puffed out his
chest and stood a little taller. “The people of Caldot refer to my kind as Sharmuse.
My name is Kalangia.”

“A Sharmuse.” She tapped a finger
against her temple. “Now, I believe I have heard of your species. You can take
different shapes?”

“Yes, though our choices are
limited and the size and color of each shape will vary based on the individual
shifting. We appear as winged beasts; or fierce two-legged creatures with
claws, sharp teeth, and leathery skin; or web-footed lizards; or small beings
not unlike Humans. Unfortunately, our legs are short in that form, so the best
way for me to track you was by air. Would you be more comfortable if I took
another form?”

Isabelle pursed her lips. “Would
you take the form of the Human-like creature? I’d like to be familiar with your
different appearances, in case I should encounter more of your race.”

Kalangia chuckled, though to
Isabelle’s ears it sounded like the bird was choking. “My dear,” he continued,
“even if you see me in Human-like form, you may not be able to recognize the
others. Some of us stay in winged or webbed form for decades at a time. Still,
since you asked so graciously, I will shift for you.”

After fluttering to the ground, Kalangia
began growing at a rapid pace. Isabelle watched spellbound as the little
stick-like legs grew into stubby, thick legs and the wings grew into stubby
arms. Once shifted, the Sharmuse stood not quite two and a half feet tall with
thick arms and legs and fat fingers and toes. A purple covering stretched
across his body, mimicking clothes; he wore no shoes on his feet. His body
showed little hair, but his head held a great shock of brown hair springing in
every direction. His round eyes opened wide, sitting atop a round bulb of a
nose. He smiled at her and waddled over to sit on a small, smooth rock.

Isabelle gazed at him intently. After
a few seconds, she realized he might be offended by her frank staring. Forcing
herself to appear more at ease, she moved closer to him and sat on a
moss-covered rock to his left.

They both gazed to the south for a
few moments before Kalangia finally spoke. “I can see why you were insistent I
view this land. Beautiful.”

Isabelle was confused, as she
assumed he could as easily see the land as a winged beast — see it even better,
in fact.

Kalangia spread his pudgy hands in
front of him. “You see, our abilities are quite different in each form. As a
winged creature, we can see far distances well at night, but only closer ones
during the day.”

Hopefully, Kalangia wouldn’t mind a
few questions as Isabelle enjoyed learning about other species. “How many Sharmuses
are there on Zolei?”

Kalangia sat quietly for a few
moments, drumming his fat fingers on his knees as he thought. “Not as many as there
once were. We arrived here with the Miyran clan a century and a half ago. As
you know, the Miyrans traveled by ship across the galaxy, stopping here and
there at different worlds. They enriched their culture and family by learning
from many different species. They reached our home world many centuries ago,
and because our sun was shrinking and our world was growing colder, they
invited us to travel with them. We lived on their vessels for many years and
visited numerous worlds with them before the vessel came under attack. I was
very young at the time. Unfortunately, the warring species that raided other
worlds for resources grew suspicious of the Miyrans and began attacking our
vessel at regular intervals. Many worlds were being destroyed and the Miyrans
worked to counteract these attacks. It’s only natural we would eventually
become targets. The warring species destroyed many others. So many cultures
were lost.” He shook his head and turned his eyes toward the ground. “The Miyrans
decided to settle on a suitable world, which would allow them to protect the
clan, as well as those traveling with us or others seeking refuge from attack. Do
you know the story of the Miyrans?”

“Bits and pieces,” Isabelle replied.
“I know more about the history of Humans. Our world was ravaged by another
species seeking to extract any value from our lands. I believe most of our
people were killed, and about fifty thousand escaped into space. We traveled
for decades until we found Zolei and asked to settle in the forest of Kullac. But I find few that remember the truth of what once was here on Zolei.”

Kalangia nodded in agreement. “You
speak the truth. As I mentioned, we arrived with the Miyrans and a number of
other species seeking refuge among the clan. The Graeliths lived on this world
among the deep marshes far to the south. They found most of the planet
uninhabitable. The Miyrans struck an agreement with the Graeliths and settled
here.”

“What were the terms of the agreement?”

“That the Graeliths would allow the
Miyrans to settle here and provide a home to species in need and in return, the
Miyrans would protect this world from attack by warring species in search of
resources. This planet holds vast resources untapped by the Graeliths that
continue to be maintained by the Miyrans. This treaty was honored by all for
some time. The Sharmuses thrived on Zolei. Our numbers grew to the tens of
thousands. We lived peacefully alongside the other species and were well
respected for our fishing, hunting, and tracking abilities, at least until the Tyrnotts
arrived. The Tyrnotts scorned us even before Lord Attol was murdered. However,
after his murder, the Tyrnotts convinced the Graeliths that the Miyrans were
their enemy and the Graeliths, as well as other species, began hunting us. In
any form but this one …” Kalangia paused to gesture at his temporary Human form.
“… we’re served well on the table. The rizon attack us when in our amphibious
form. The Graeliths have large winged creatures, birds perhaps.” He held a
finger to his lips then pointed it at Isabelle. “As they are certainly not very
intelligent. These birds attack us in our winged form.”

“Surely you aren’t such easy prey
in your two-legged form with sharp teeth and claws?”

He grinned sincerely at her and
confirmed, “No, we are indeed more difficult to capture in that form. Unfortunately,
that form is the most difficult for us to maintain. We also tend to be less
kind to other creatures in that particular form, I’m afraid, so we tend to use
it only when attacked. There are only seven thousand or so of us left now, and
we live like prisoners in the tunnels beneath the palace to ensure our safety. Each
day, we feel the warmth of the sun for only a few hours, when its rays push
their way through the small barred windows at the top of the tunnels.”

A whole species trapped beneath the
palace? Isabelle placed her hand on her chest. What a horrible way to live! She
couldn’t imagine not being able to soak in the sun and enjoy the forests of
Kullac at one’s leisure. She started to say something, but Kalangia held up his
hand to stop her.

“We stay there by choice. We’re not
really prisoners, but there’s too much risk if we leave the palace. The Lady
treats us well and we are devoted to her. One day we will live again in the
open air.” A tear formed in his eye as he gazed wistfully toward the south.

“Kalangia, if you aren’t safe when
you leave the palace, why did you travel here?”

“I’m glad you reminded me,” he said
with a subtle smile. “I bring news from Lady Anyamae. Yes, we still try to help
her whenever we can. She has given us plenty, and this is the least I could
do.”

He paused for a few moments. Isabelle
held her breath, hoping for good news about Eros. She clenched her hands,
resting them on her knees.

Kalangia reached over and placed
his hand on her arm. “Eros is well and travels with four companions. They
successfully crossed the river and are now in the safe company of the Lady’s
men.”

Isabelle laughed in relief and
clapped her hands. “The old men traveling the forest — those seeking lost
marked ones in need?”

Kalangia nodded.

“Thank goodness! While the journey
will still be difficult, at least Eros has found the old men. You’ve given me hope,
Kalangia.” Overcome with gratitude, she placed her hands on his shoulders. “We
travel to Banston later today. I would be honored if you would join us.”

A darkness crossed Kalangia’s face
and he looked deep into Isabelle’s eyes. “I bring you other news, as well. Nord
sent word to the deep marshes. Soon, Graeliths will swarm the city and
surrounding lands. Our Lady has been unable to discover Nord’s full plan, but
much blood may be spilled. Lady Anyamae knows you travel to Banston to honor
the dead and wishes you to carry her news to warn the others. There are four
other marked ones journeying with Eros. I will tell you of them, as their loved
ones may attend the funeral. Share the news discreetly.”

“I’ll guard the information well. Will
you travel with us?”

“I’d be delighted. Though I think
it best for my safety to remain in winged form. A word of caution: you will
only be able to hear me in winged form if you are very close.”

Isabelle nodded in understanding. Kalangia
shifted back into winged form and rode on Isabelle’s shoulder as she worked her
way down the hill and through the town at a somewhat slower pace. She entered
her house to find Anthony in the sitting room. She introduced him to Kalangia,
and because they were already late, she hurried to prepare for their journey.