The Binding (Chronicles of Azaria #1) (10 page)

Holding the knife as per my instructor
’s guidance, I glanced to the parchment in my lap. This was the real reason for my impromptu weapon handling session. Ryan hadn’t left Bane as empty-handed as I thought. He was actually a part-time bounty hunter—how he managed to pay for his travels—and he’d plucked one before I’d come back to
The Swan and Gate
.

The idea still felt weird. I
’d passed the Bounty Board many times, never giving it a second thought. Though it was the Guardsmen’s job to protect the citizens, the board advertised criminals for the freelance hunters. Most cities had similar boards, and they covered the whole of their townships, including the villages. The system had been in place for centuries, and I had to admit it did have a high success rate in keeping the crime rates down.

Ryan had picked a boy responsible for some fires in a village in the south Bane township. All we had to do was catch him, collect the cash and we
’d be on our way again. The bounty wasn’t particularly pricey, but bigger rewards meant bigger risks, and with my combat experience limited to cabbages and carrots, that wasn’t really an option. Hopefully this would be enough to get us to Lanaran.

I was
not
going to be sharing the sleeping bag again.

Cielo snorted as we returned to the roadside. The aqueduct was a faint shadow behind us, the road ahead packed with wagons, carts, riders, and pedestrians. I tucked my scarf around my face and pulled the cloak hood over, the banter strange to my ears after riding in the quiet for so long.

“Ruthwall is about four miles that way.” Ryan pointed south-west, taking his bearings from the aqueduct. “That’s where the fires began.”

“The paper said they happened last week,” I said, flipping the knife in my hand. “You really think whoever started them would hang around the scene of their crime?”

“We have to start somewhere,” Ryan said.

“Oh please.” I unfolded the parchment and squinted at the name. “If this
‘Will James’ had any sense, he would’ve legged it days ago.”

“That
’s why he’s been put out as a bounty,” Ryan said. “Look, don’t complain. The alternatives were a man wanted for murdering three people and a gang of wagon raiders working in the north Bane township. Not exactly on the way. And we need the money.”

“Not my fault your spending habits are so out of control,” I grumbled under my breath. Ryan didn
’t hear me. Instead he tilted forwards, guiding Cielo onto the dirt track that led to Ruthwall. Despite myself, I couldn’t stop leaning back against him. My scarf stopped our cheeks touching, but I could still feel his warmth, and it was all I could do not to nuzzle his chin. Ugh, why did it have to be so cold?

“We
’ll get some thicker cloaks straight after,” Ryan said. He curled his arm around my waist. “I hope you’re not too chilly.”

“Not at all,” I mumbled, resisting the urge to rest my hand on top of his. Cielo
’s mane was warmer, I kept telling myself. Not that the Binding wanted to listen.

Soon the thatched cottages of Ruthwall came into view. They were arranged into a staggered circle around the well, and beyond them lay the barns and corrals for the winter grain and livestock. The Councillor
’s House sat at the rear, and a wooden fence sectioned it from the snowy fields.

Cielo stepped up the main path. Most of the ways were deserted, but a woman dressed in furs and shawls lingered at the well, using an ice pick to break into the water.

“Hello there!” Ryan called. The woman spun around, a shock of dark greasy hair tumbling from beneath her shawl.

“Greetings, travellers,” she said, setting aside her pick and bucket. “I expect you
’ve come to warm yourselves on your journey?”

“Actually, we
’ve come for the bounty on Will James.” Ryan jabbed me with his elbow, sending my pulse shooting, but I maintained enough composure to raise the reward poster.

“Ah.” The woman pulled her shawl closer. “I know the lad. He burnt down one of my husband
’s barns and lost a whole month of winter store!” She slammed her pick into the well. “Brutal child. Can’t believe he’s one of ours, too.”

“He lives here?” I asked, hunching so my shoulders didn
’t rub against Ryan’s arms.

“Yes,” the woman said, “though as you can imagine he
’s been keeping his head down. But we’ve been enforcing curfew, and so far nobody’s made any attempt to flee. It’s likely he’s hiding out somewhere, especially since we’re so close to the Earthfire Mountains. Only a couple miles’ walk and he’d have the pick of caverns to hide in.”

“Great,” I muttered. “Only most of western Azaria to look through, then.”

“He’d still need food and water,” Ryan pointed out. “He won’t have drifted far.”

“Too true,” the woman said. “I
’m sure you’ll sniff him out.” She nodded towards the Councillor’s House. “Once you find him, bring him to Councillor Van. The lad’s only fourteen; it won’t be for a Guardsmen jury to decide his punishment. Be sure he won’t be lenient, though. Arson is not a crime we take lightly.”

“Thank you,” Ryan said. “Can you show us where the barn is?”

“Gladly. You can leave your horse in the stables while you search.”

The woman took her bucket and beckoned us to follow. We passed the corrals heated with copper pipes, and a pair of cows looked at us, chewing their cud as we entered the stables.

I dismounted first—hesitating as my leg brushed Ryan’s—and he handed me my stick. My ankle was still weak, but when I’d redressed it earlier, the bruising had been fainter. A couple more days and I should be able to walk without aid.

We left Cielo with a muddy-coloured mare and headed for the barn. Rather, what was left of it. A pile of ash flecked with ice, almost nothing remained. A breath of wind sent the dust drifting, and I coughed. This was ridiculous! How would we find anything in this mess? More to the point, the longer we stayed, the more likely I would be found by my
‘rescuers’. And telling Father I thought I’d found my calling as a bounty hunter was not going to cut it…

Ryan whistled, and I looked up. Goddess, what was I, his dog? But when I laid eyes on him, I almost forgot to blink. He was so focused, his sandy hair cascading over his forehead, his brow creased, his lips narrowed into a thin line. My heart pined, demanding I walk over and shift such intense concentration onto me.

“Over here,” he said. A fresh blush crept over my cheeks, and I swore silently. Hoping he hadn’t noticed, I hobbled to his side. He was examining a half-burnt rafter. It didn’t look particularly special, although something thick and sticky clung to its upper side.

“What do you think?” Ryan prodded the rafter with his toe. The murky substance was greenish-black, and as the breeze fluttered I caught the scent of almonds. A memory stirred.

“I’ve seen this before,” I said. “It’s flametar residue.”

“Flametar residue?” He flashed a sidelong glance. “How do you know about flametar?”

I bit my lip. Great, me and my big mouth! Flametar was a recent discovery, a tarrish liquid mined in Ornixa. It was a volatile fuel that burned hotter than coal, and with a characteristic green flame. I knew as much because I’d seen the stuff at the midsummer fireworks. Afterwards it left a weird sludge that smelled of almonds.

Interesting trivia, perhaps, but there was no way someone as
‘sheltered’ as I claimed to be should know such a thing. I was betting Ryan knew that, too. I’d fallen right into his trap. Honestly, he was getting as crafty as the Binding.

“Er…” I stood up. No excuses came to mind, so I shrugged. “That
’s a secret.”

Ryan frowned, but didn
’t challenge me further. He did, however, rest his hand on my shoulder. Excitement pulsed through me, and I had to stifle the moan that almost escaped my throat.

“That aside,” he said, rolling the rafter over with his foot, “how could someone so young get hold of flametar? Only the official merchants are allowed to transport it out of Ornixa.”

Despite being swarmed with visions of the times Ryan had touched me recently, I managed a nod. Flametar was slippery stuff; even the nobles had a hard time finding it. How had it come to this sleepy village?

Before I could say as much, charred footprints caught my eye. Most led back to the well, but one set led to the mountains, where they disappeared.

I tapped my stick.

“We might have something here,” I said. Ryan took one glance at the prints, and nodded.

“Let’s see how far they go.”

He released me and began to follow the trail upwards. My hand shot up to hold his, but in a swift movement I made it look as if I wanted to scratch my nose. Goddess, this was getting
so
old. At least I was perfecting more tricks to hide the curse’s effects.

Half-way up the path, Ryan glanced back to me.

“These go into the caverns at the summit,” he said. “Mind if you check the other village paths while I head up there?”

I tensed. That mountain trail went deep into the Earthfire range, and was definitely longer than half a mile. If Ryan searched too far ahead, the Parting would kick in, and my secret wouldn
’t be quite so secret any more. I had to keep us together.

“I
’d rather stick with you,” I said, hiding a grimace. I hated sounding so needy.

“What, afraid you
’ll miss me?” Ryan teased.

“Actually, I
’m pretty sure I won’t find anything worthwhile,” I answered. “The villagers have had a week to check their own grounds. Anyway, I need to practice walking on my ankle to get it back to normal.”

Ryan
’s brow narrowed.

“If you come with me, you
’re more likely to turn it again,” he said. “You’re not ready for this kind of path.”

“You can
’t get rid of me that easy.” I put my hands on my hips. He wasn’t going to have the last word on this. “I’m sure it won’t be that bad. Besides, someone’s got to drag you back if you get shot again.”

A dumbstruck expression crossed Ryan
’s face. Quickly, though, he broke into a grin. My breath caught. Wow, he looked so very handsome when he smiled like that.

“I forgot about your stubborn streak,” he said. He jogged back down and took my hand. A jolt raced up my arm and my fingers contracted.
Oh, you sneaky...I was getting irked at how swiftly he could turn the tables on me. Part of me worried this meant the Binding had started affecting him, but something wasn’t right. He only acted like this when he wanted to pull my leg, not on a whim. If my experience was anything to go by, it should have been more spontaneous.

Or maybe it was the denial speaking again.

A clack caught my ear, and I looked up. Loose rocks tumbled from the path, and my ankle gave a nervous twinge. The track was horrendous—all jagged edges and jutting steps, topped with a dusting of rock that would give way under the slightest weight. If I’d managed to injure myself on a flat forest floor, I stood no chance now. Was it too late to change my mind? The Parting hallucinations couldn’t be that bad, surely.

Ryan tugged me forward, leaving no choice. I was soon sliding all over the place, so he nestled me in the crook of his elbow.
My pulse ran at double its usual rate; however, fear of falling was the least of my worries. Really now, why did every situation play into the Binding’s hand?

Once we reached the summit, we surveyed the area. I purposely stared at the ground, the mountains, the sky; anywhere but Ryan. I was finding it harder to resist today
, probably because I was still tired from last night. Ruthwall lay below, frosted over like a giant midwinter cake, while around us four caverns branched into darkness. The one on the left reeked of rotten eggs. A hot air vent must be inside.

“What an idiot,” Ryan said, pointing to the stinking cave. Flametar residue was plastered on its edge, the almond smell masked by the sulphur. “Is he trying to blow the place up?”

He let go of my shoulders and approached the cave. My heart did a double somersault and I had to lean against a boulder, feeling as if I’d gone a few rounds against Major Vance. The Binding was in its stride now, pushing yet another tactic. Since the curse struggled to control me with false desire, it was going to scare me with harsher punishment. It wanted to make me so dependent on Ryan’s touch that I couldn’t live without it.

Literally.

It couldn’t have chosen a worse time, either. Last night had worn down my defences. If these rebounds kept up, it wouldn’t be long before I couldn’t even stand without his help. Already I’d had two slips. A third strike and I’d be out.

“Are you waiting for the red carpet, princess?” Ryan
’s voice was faint. “Come on!”

Sighing, I hobbled inside.

CHAPTER NINE

‘Their promise was sealed with the sun’s embrace, and from then on they braved all dangers together...’

—
Tale of the Binding

I hadn’t taken more than three steps when the acrid stench really hit. Tears welled in my eyes, and I pressed my scarf against my face. Ugh, and I thought Ryan’s scent had been overpowering.

Coughing, I waded in, guided by the glaze on the basalt pillars. As I left the breezes behind, the temperature rose sharply. Soon my hair stuck to my forehead, and my clothes clung to me like a second skin. I flipped back the cloak hood, grimacing as a spray of sweat went with it. I was definitely going to wrangle a bath out of the reward money, amongst other things.

Ryan waited at the final row of pillars, tapping his foot impatiently. Bathed in the hellish aura, his face was a mix of shadow and fire. My heart fluttered again, and I clenched my teeth. I was hot because of the vent, nothing else.

“You took your time,” Ryan said, flicking a strand of his hair aside.

“Forgive me, Your Highness,” I said, giving a mock bow. Before the curse could draw me back to his silhouette, I studied the cave. We were about to enter a chamber studded with rock columns. Plumes of gas coiled around them, escaping through fissures in the roof. With so many nooks and crevices, it was as good a hiding place as any.

If the smell didn
’t drive a person nuts first.

“You
’re taking this royalty thing too seriously,” Ryan said. Though I avoided eye contact, I was sure he was smirking. “Don’t worry. Your
sweet
prince
shall bring your litter and servants next time.”

I almost choked. The way he emphasised
‘sweet prince’, he must’ve heard me last night! Wonderful, yet another thing he could tease me about.

Then a more horrifying thought struck. Did he also remember the kiss on his cheek? It wasn
’t supposed to have meant anything. I was just so tired, I’d let the Binding have its way because he was too out of it to notice. Obviously he hadn’t been as unconscious as I’d thought. I’d have to have words with whoever supplied that tranquilliser serum. It wasn’t nearly as strong as it should have been.

“That was a joke,” I replied. “And not a very good one, considering
I
was the one rescuing the damsel in distress.”

Ryan chuckled.

“Touché, Eliza,” he said.

I sneered.

We weaved between the pillars, covering our faces to avoid the boiling gases. Eventually a halo of daylight appeared, and we returned to the cold outdoors. We were in a natural courtyard within the mountains. A snow-sprinkled plateau stretched before us, and a series of chasms split the ground into tiny islands.

I tugged my scarf down, breathing deep to wash out the stench in my lungs. The sulphur
did have one saving grace; it had removed the traces of Ryan’s scent that lingered on my borrowed cloak. I had yet to put my finger on what it was. It was peppery and harsh, like some kind of spice, but with a hint of something sweeter, like honey. Or cinnamon. Or maybe it was closer to mint?

I suddenly realised what I was thinking and vigorously
shook my head. It couldn’t be natural to wonder what other people smelled like.

“Eliza, over here.”

Ryan pointed to another set of prints. We followed them, as hot steam wafted around us. By the time we arrived at the next vent, Ryan was drenched in so much sweat he was sparkling. My hand twitched, wanting to caress his sodden brow. My stomach churned. The Binding could be really sordid when it wanted to.

“Wow, you
’re not going to believe this!” Ryan gawked at the vent. “There’s loads of it here!”

“Loads of what?”

“Flametar.”

“Really?”

“Come see for yourself.”

I staggered to his side—careful to keep a respectable distance—and peered over the edge. The chasm overhung a ledge that extended into the rock. Inside the crevice were crates marked with the crest for flametar. I whistled in awe. There must have been at least thirty of them
.

I started to back away.

“What’s the matter?” Ryan asked.

“Um...
” I didn’t take my eyes off the crates. “Shouldn’t we be running back to the cave now?”

Ryan shook his head.

“Flametar needs a naked flame to catch. If these are straight from Ornixa, the bottles will be sealed with wartner’s oil, which stops it from reacting. You need to shake it thoroughly to separate them out.”

“Oh, of course,” I muttered.
It seemed I wasn’t the only one who knew a thing or two about flametar. I was intrigued as to how Ryan acquired such broad knowledge, but I knew I wouldn’t get a straight answer, so I let it go.

Still, the question remained: w
hy would anyone store flametar near Ruthwall? The penalty for unwarranted possession was five years imprisonment, so if someone were going to steal it, they’d sell it even faster. Selling it in small batches to prevent suspicion was another possibility, but why keep it this far north, and so far from any town?

Something other than petty arson was going on.

“Well, this would explain how Will got his hands on the stuff,” Ryan said. “I wonder who brought it...”

A tremor rippled across the chasm, and boiling steam erupted from the rocks. Without thinking
, I grabbed Ryan to haul him backwards. He was already in mid-dive, so we crashed into each other. He fell first, and I banged my jaw on his collarbone. We both hit the downward slope, rolling over and over in a tangle of arms and legs towards the cavern, while the steam blasted overhead. My back smacked into solid rock and I gasped, the wind knocked from my lungs.

We lay there in stunned silence. Wincing, I pushed myself upright. The pain was too much, though, and I sagged back down again.
My hand brushed Ryan’s, and that was it. The Binding tore through, and before I knew it, my arms had wrapped around him, bringing us nose-to-nose. In the chaos, my scarf had fallen from my face, and now hung limp around my neck. I was defenceless.

Ryan lay very still, his green eyes locked on mine. I tried to pull away, but my body refused. Oh no, it was just like in the flower field! My head dipped, our mouths so close we practically shared breath. I traced his nose, his cheek, his jaw; finally stopping at his lips. My eyelids lowered.
Inside I was screaming to stop, but it was no use. The Binding had won. Our brows touched, and my lips edged towards his.

Another rumble shook the gorge, and Ryan p
ulled me into his chest. I thought I was going to faint—my heart was bubbling like a molten pit. Yet this was only delaying the inevitable. I still couldn’t move. If Ryan didn’t let go, I’d be nothing more than the Binding’s puppet. Strike three, I was out. Goddess, and when I’d done so well to get this far, too…

Her Holiness must have been listening, as
against all odds Ryan jumped off me and bolted to the sulphur cave. I could only lie on the ground, listening to his heavy footfalls as sweat poured down my face. The Binding had drained all my energy; I was a dead weight. The steam cloud drifted across my face, and my eyes began to close.

No! I forced myself to inhale, gagging at the taste of sulphur. I
couldn’t stay here. I had to get away before I suffocated on the fumes.

“Eliza, watch out!”

Ryan’s voice—he sounded frantic. It was enough to break the curse’s grip, and at last I regained control of my body. Spluttering on the mist, I struggled towards fresh air. My bruised spine cried out, and the stones cut into my shins, so I was forced to stand up. I collapsed against the nearest wall, puffing. My ankle throbbed, competing with everything else that hurt, but I couldn’t rest yet. I was too near the toxic gas.

Gritting my teeth, I limped towards the sulphur cave. Every left step was agony.
The earlier fall had done damage of its own, and now I was putting my full weight on my ankle, it was going all over the place. I was undoing the healing of the last few days in a few scattered minutes.

I dropped onto the boulder beside the cavern, gasping. I swore if the Binding tried any more tricks today, it was going to kill me. Then again
, that was perhaps its point. If I didn’t stick close to my Bound partner, I’d suffer the consequences. Looking back to the steam that now smothered the place I’d been lying, I shuddered. This could be its most successful tactic yet.

My ankle was throbbing like mad now, so I reached for my boot to reassess my injury. My fingers barely brushed the laces when a blur shot out of the cave. He wasn
’t watching where he was going and bowled straight into me. By some miracle, I managed to twist around on my good leg, so he hit the rock behind me first. I’d already received enough battering; it was time the mountain picked on someone else.

“Out of my way!” the boy snarled, scrambling to get past. My instincts kicked in, and I snatched the hunting knife. Before he could bolt into the distance, I grabbed his collar and held the blade against his neck.

“That’s not very polite,” I said, tightening my grip on his shoulder. “Now, keep your hands where I can see them.”

“A-
alright.” The boy lifted his arms into the air. “Don’t hurt me.”

Despite feeling like I
’d been run over by a herd of wild deer, I smirked. Finally! That second sleeping bag was as good as mine.

“Ryan, I
’ve got him,” I shouted.

I didn
’t get an answer. I squinted towards the cave, then scanned the surrounding islands. Nothing. I swallowed, my victory rapidly turning bittersweet. With my ankle re-sprained, I couldn’t get back to the village by myself, never mind towing a captive along as well. Further, once the boy found out I was crippled, he’d run for it, knife or not.

I looked around one last time. Where had Ryan run off to? Any other time I
’d be jumping for joy to be alone, but now that I needed him…

Pain lanced up my arm, and I yelped, dropping the knife. I snapped my hand to my chest, cradling the stinging bite marks. The boy was already disappearing into the steam clouds. I glared after him. That little pest!

He didn’t get very far. Something zipped across the air and he cried out, grasping the back of his leg. He ripped out a dart from his thigh, but it had done its job. Seconds later, his knees gave way and he fell, catching himself on his hands.

I reclaimed the hunting knife from the rocks, while Ryan strode out of the sulphur cave, crossbow loaded with a second shot. Wow. Even with all the wind changes and poor visibility, he
’d
still
hit his mark. No wonder he hadn’t been keen on giving me a go.

Ryan nodded at me, then continued towards our target. The boy stared in defiance, his face smeared with singe marks and sweat.

“You can’t run,” Ryan said, stopping a few feet from him. “Not for the next three hours, anyway.”

“This isn
’t fair. I haven’t done anything!” the boy protested. His eyes burned. “It’s against the law to shoot minors. I could have you arrested for assault.”

“I wouldn
’t throw around empty threats, Will,” Ryan answered.

The boy
’s jaw dropped.

“How do you know my name?”

“You’re more popular than you know.” Ryan knelt beside him, his crossbow clearly visible. “You seem to have built a reputation as an arsonist in Ruthwall.”

Will
’s anger reignited.

“It wasn
’t me!” He tried to move his legs, but the paralyser serum was in full effect. “I didn’t burn the barn, I swear. I never touched the flametar!”

“Really?” Ryan drawled. He tapped Will
’s shoes. “So why are you covered in the residue from the wreckage? Not to mention you’re hiding out exactly where there’s a massive store of the stuff.”

“I can explain,” Will said. “It wasn
’t my fault, it was…HEY!”

He flinched as Ryan touched his side. Frowning, Ryan lifted the boy
’s shirt, revealing a full bottle of flametar tucked into his waistband.

“You
’re not making a very good case for yourself, Will,” he said, withdrawing the glass container.

“You
’ve got it all wrong!” Will shrieked. “If you’d just
listen
…”

Ryan stood up. He
’d heard enough. However, I wasn’t quite as convinced. Something about the whole set up nagged at me. I limped forward, wincing as my ankle snagged in the rocks.

“Wait a second,” I said. “There might be more to this than we think.”

“Like what?” Ryan asked. “Even if those crates aren’t Will’s, he still stole the flametar. And the tracks we followed belong to him. We’ve got all the proof we need.”

“Half of this bounty is mine, remember?” I said. “And I say we collect more information before we start jumping to conclusions.”