The Treason Blade (Battle for Alsaar Book 1) (13 page)

She managed to edge close to the bank. It was then
Ishar felt the tops of rocks under the surface as the river channeled its water
through several rapids. Her legs and body were dragged across several slick
underwater boulders as she moved in toward the rocky edge. She gritted her
teeth and tried to gain a hold on the emerging rocks. With one hand she held
Tai and with the other, the top of the rock. Water gushed as the river grabbed
desperately at her clothing and for a long moment Ishar fought a hard and
physical battle for her and the boy as the muscles in her injured forearm
screamed and quivered.

Little by
little, she managed to lift a leg up out of the water and slide it partly atop
the boulder. She took a deep breath and pulled them out of the raging current,
Tai still in her arms. Ishar tucked him under her and protectively surrounded
his figure with her own. Her numb body shook. She was beyond exhaustion. For a
moment, the thought of letting go and slipping quietly back into the raging
current drifted through her mind,
then
Ishar
remembered Tai. Instead, she laid her head on the rock and took several ragged
breaths. She eased over the boy and down the other side of the rock into white
froth before sliding Tai from the rock face and into the churning water. The
water was up to her chest here and although the pressure had eased, the water
still buffeted her, making her progress unsteady as she wrestled her way toward
the next rock over slippery, large stones.

Struggling,
it took Ishar precious time to make her way to the bank, especially with her
throbbing arms and shoulders. Exhaustion draped her like a suffocating blanket
as she finally managed to blindly claw her way out of the water and up onto the
rocky bank with white, numb fingers. With her feet still in the river, Ishar
let Tai’s body slide down beside her. She pushed the boy up higher onto the
grass. She could see he was breathing but his lips held the slightest tinge of
blue from the cold water.

Ishar’s body
shivered from the cold of the water and air but also from weariness. She tried
to crawl up onto the grassy bank but for the first time, her body refused to
obey. She did not have time to react. The world around her went gray and fuzzy.
Her head slumped forward, touching the sanding soil as she closed her eyes and
welcomed the enveloping darkness.

*

Traevyn
stared at the beach in front of him. Dark dirt merged with gray sand, which ran
to the ocean surf and beyond. There was an eerie empty sensation that haunted
this lonely stretch of water. No one lived here. That made it an ideal landing
area for a Tourna spy. The only presence this beach knew were the people who
made the occasional pass looking for driftwood to burn. That was how the boat
had been sighted. Traevyn turned and walked the length back to where the rest
of the men stood. The boat before them was broken apart, more than likely cast
on the sand by a late winter storm. There were no indications as to where the
boat had originated. It was only obvious that the boat was not a recent
deposit.

Gavin threw
down a stick from his hand. “This was a waste of our time.”

“Not so,”
Glyndwr interrupted. “The boat could have a Tourna origin.”

“Yes,” Gavin
concurred. “But even if it did, the person who rode within its confines is long
gone and dispersed among us.”

Traevyn knelt
and examined the wooden sides. “There are marks to indicate the wood might have
been struck to snap it like this.” He glanced up. “That might suggest it was a
boat escaping from a Tourna raid.”

“Or it was
made to look like that,” Ber remarked suspiciously.

Lysandr
sighed from where he stood by one end. “This is getting us nowhere. There is no
story here that we can follow and I will not inflame a story about Tourna spies
without further proof than this.” He walked to his black gelding and looked
back. “As far as I am concerned we have more pressing matters than a broken
boat lying scattered on the sand.” Lysandr mounted swiftly. “We have
fortifications to build. Let us go.” He applied his heels and the horse snorted
and moved down the beach.

Traevyn stood
and swiftly moved to his gray standing steady and silent with head bent. He
mounted and was about to turn when something stopped him. Traevyn pulled up his
gelding, hesitated, and looked around but he could not locate the feeling of
disorder rising within him. He closed his eyes and tried to feel where the
sense of wrongness was originating.

A horse’s
snort broke his concentration. Traevyn opened his eyes.

Davaris had ridden his white gelding close to his
side and he now watched Traevyn cautiously. “What is wrong?”

Traevyn
looked around again.
“Nothing.”

“I have seen
that look upon your face before. The last time, I remember well. It was the
morning that you told Varyk we should return to our people instead of staying
to help the Osguaru. We chose not to heed your advice and disaster struck us.”
Davaris studied him. “What are your feelings telling you now?”

“That is just
it,” Traevyn ground out. “I do not know. There is no relevant danger here, I
would know. They would know,” Traevyn stated softly, pointing to the horses
casually nosing the ground. “No, this is something else.”

“The holding?”
Davaris asked quietly.

Traevyn shook
his head. “No. My instincts do not tell me to race back to the fortress, but
something—,” He turned his horse around in a circle letting his eyes roam the
area, “—is not right.”

“Maybe the
watchtower,” Davaris suggested.

“I just do not know, but do not tell the men,” he
muttered. “I will let you know if I find its direction.” Traevyn looked around
and shook his head once more, then kneed his horse, giving him rein. Davaris
frowned and followed him; both men galloped after the other warriors strung out
before them. Traevyn could feel the larger man’s eyes on him as they rode, and
he agonized. The past was never far from them and today those earlier times sat
heavy on his heart as he rode. His thoughts focused and concerned for the
future.
What could possibly be wrong
?
he
asked himself, troubled.

*

Ishar was
floating. It was a soothing darkness with no throbbing or tenderness and it
felt wrong. Instead of worrying that she could not feel her body, she relaxed
and let the sensation hold her tenderly in a gentle caress.

Growing
whisperings grew in her mind. It disturbed her peace and brought a wakening
that Ishar struggled against. The feeling of being suspended was gradually
replaced by aches and pains that grounded her. A moan came low to her ears and
she focused on it. The whispers grew louder. They divided into individual tones
that became recognizable as voices. The noise was loud to her ears and Ishar
mentally flinched. She heard another low moan.

“I will tell
Eira that she wakes,” a female voice uttered in an undertone.

There was a
sound of a door. There came the sound of muted whispers. The door moved again
and another voice spoke.

“I told the
girl not to disturb your mistress, Audris. Eira has had a long day. I sent her
to bed.”

This new
voice was male, but not one Ishar recognized. Her eyelids felt like lead and
she struggled to raise them. Her first attempts brought a whimper of pain as
light poured into the darkness, pain that banged against her skull with a
steady ache. Her body rapidly alerted her that every part of her body throbbed.

“Move the
candle to the other table, Audris,” the man commanded softly, “and see that
water is brought close, please.”

Ishar heard
the rustle of fabric as Audris moved. The brightness before her lids
diminished. She gritted her teeth against the pain of opening her eyes and
focused on the man before her. She did not recognize him, but she instinctively
recognized he was Raanan by his statue and coloring. He was tall like Davaris
and solidly built, with straight black hair pulled back at the nape of his neck
and a close cut beard that covered his lower face. He had the most unusual
golden eyes that at that moment studied her with great concentration.

His look
reminded Ishar of her drill masters, made her feel once more as a young trainee
and she fought the urge to squirm. Instead, Ishar tried to swallow. Her throat
felt thick and coated and at the first attempt of conversation, all she did was
cough. “Water,” she finally managed to croak.

The man’s
smile was gentle as he turned and reached for something behind him. There was a
muttering of voices that blurred for a second and then he was bending over, his
hand sliding under her head as a cup was brought to her lips. Ishar drank
deeply and let the cool water slip down her parched throat. “Thank you,” she
whispered as he lowered her head. The water cleared her mind and Ishar studied
the man before her in silence before she spoke hesitantly, “You are Varyk, Lord
of this holding.”

He drew back
and set the cup on the table beside her before looking back with a smile. “You
are correct.”

Ishar nodded;
then took a deep breath and tested her body. Her muscles screamed in protest
but moved as she commanded them. She felt a rush of relief. She had not been
seriously injured, only exhausted by the turn of events. Ishar glanced back at
Varyk.
“And the boy?”

“Tai is
fine,” Varyk answered. “He will live because of you.”

For the first
time, Ishar let her eyes roam. She was in her room at the fortress. The draping
was tight against the window and a fire warmly crackled. She looked back toward
Varyk. “How long have I slept?”

“It is dark,
past the mid of night.” Varyk stood and walked to the fireplace. “You were
brought back a little after noon. I had only just returned to the holding and
been informed of your presence here from Eira when Jaya drove with madness
through the outer gate.” Varyk turned and gave her a slight smile. “I think
some of the men believed the Tourna had come upon us.” He continued. “Jaya had
done her best to wrap you and Tai as warmly as she could but both you and the
boy were suffering from the cold of the water. We warmed you and waited.” Varyk
looked back at the fire for a moment,
then
walked back
to Ishar’s bed. “Tai woke several hours ago. We were growing concerned for
you.”

Ishar pulled
herself into a sitting position. Her left arm ached, the torn muscles stiff and
sore from exertion. She could see that her wound had been rewrapped. Ishar kept
the blankets and furs drawn up to cover her naked body with her right hand. For
the first time since her coming to the region, the fire felt deliciously warm
against her cool skin. Varyk moved to stop her, but she gingerly held up her
hand to halt his advance. “I am fine. Just sore and tired from my day’s
adventure,” she stated with a soft smile. “I am glad to hear Tai is well.”

Varyk
chuckled. “We shall wait to see how he fares in the morning when Ber is past
being happy his son is alive and starts to go over the entire episode in his
mind.”

Ishar sighed.
“It was an accident. The bank caved in. It happened so quickly.”

“He was
lucky,” Varyk commented softly. “But I have said enough. I promised Eira I
would stay till you had awakened, but I see you are not rested and need more
sleep. I will leave you to that.” Ishar opened her mouth but he cut her short,
“I am afraid I must insist.” At the sight of her drooping lashes he smiled and
continued, “Though I am certain it would not take much arguing for you to
agree.” Varyk turned to go. At the door, he paused and glanced back with a
peculiar look upon his face. “I forgot to mention. Traevyn stopped by. He
seemed,” Varyk tilted his head in thought, “concerned about your welfare.” He
smiled. “Maybe I will take a stroll before I retire for the night. I believe
many of the men are still up welcoming back Kagon and Rayne. Perhaps I will see
Traevyn. I am sure he will be glad to know of your recovery.”

Ishar watched
as Varyk walked out.

Audris
stepped up and moved the water cup closer. “In case you desire more, lady.” She
stood back up. “Do you wish me to stay? It will be no problem. Lady Eira
insisted you receive great care.”

Ishar shook
her head slowly. “No, Audris. Sleep is all I require at this moment.” She
motioned with her hand. “Please. Go to bed. I will be fine.” Audris left with a
silent bow and pulled the door shut behind her. Ishar felt a growing fatigue
slide over her in the silence, save for the crackling fire. She slipped back
down under the covers and closed her eyes. Sleep came almost immediately.

*

Traevyn
nursed his drink. He would need much more before the night was through if he
wanted a chance of rest. Though his body was weary, sleep evaded him. He stared
out over the other tables with eyes that longed for slumber but with thoughts
that would not shut down. His mind sought answers. When they had arrived back
at the holding, coming directly from the watchtowers, it was to the chaos of
people talking of the river incident and Varyk’s return. With so many voices
sharing tales, for a second Traevyn had not been certain whether Ishar was
alive or dead. Jaya had found Ber and quickly told the worried father his son
was safe and abed for warmth.

Relief had
quickly turned to apprehension at the words that Ishar had not regained
consciousness. Jaya herself had nothing to add. She had been tending to Tai
most of the afternoon and had not had the time to seek out Ishar’s condition.
Ber had pulled his wife to his side and sought out his son.