The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Two: Beyond the Veil (24 page)

“I doubt anyone here blames you for being hesitant. You have more reason than the rest of us to be so,” Gadiel patted Callum on the back with a smirk.

Aiva felt foolish asking questions, though she felt she deserved to know what they were facing. What the possible dangers were. “If you do not mind my asking… why would the Captain have more reason to be concerned about the Syet than everyone else?”

Callum cast Gadiel an absent glance, looking away as Gadiel gave a hearty laugh. “It’s said that upon locating intruders, the Syet are known to fire a warning shot,” he chortled. “Typically into the head or heart of whoever leads the group in question.”

“They what?” Aiva gasped, blinking at Gadiel in disbelief. It was a horrible thought. She didn’t want to accept that any race of people could be so savage. “It does not seem as if it would classify as a warning shot if it is a direct assault.”

“They are a very direct people,” Callum sighed. With a snap of his fingers he motioned Gadiel and Aiva back to the road, gesturing to the troops to turn down the southern fork. “With any luck, the pirates will shift eastward again soon, though I would prefer to catch them before they escape Carpaen. If we are going to do that, we need to keep moving.”

She didn’t dare ask any more questions. Callum preferred to keep conversations to a minimum amongst the soldiers while walking, to better allow them to note signs of a possible ambush. Aiva had found herself becoming self-conscious already of her continued presence among the troops, more aware of their aloofness in regards to her. Unnecessary inquiries only made her feel worse. She was a lone woman amidst a handful of men who had spent years in training to do the job they currently were set out to do. They doubted her skill as a fighter and ignored her in most other instances. She was a burden. A stowaway who did nothing but distract their leader by requiring a constant eye kept on her for protection. Aiva wanted them to respect her. After her talk with Kaemin, she realized it would take a great deal to get them to see that she was capable of handling herself. That she was more than just a prissy princess.

Regardless of what the men thought of her, she chose to keep near the front by Callum. She was the Princess, and therefore had every right to remain by the one in charge. Occasionally she noticed his eyes stray over to her, almost curious as she pushed to keep up with his long strides, saying nothing.

The silence was uncomfortable. Aiva tried to ignore it by imagining herself as a great warrior, scouting an unexplored terrain, head snapping to investigate every shadow, every tree. She recalled the stories her mother had told her as a child of the war. How the Sanarik soldiers would conceal themselves, firing their arrows from the cover of the woods. In her head she could picture it. How exciting it must have been! Frightening, without doubt, but invigorating. To feel so alive in the face of death. And her mother had conquered those fears. She’d been the bravest warrior next to Cadell and the King. She and Callum were descended from greatness. It seemed only right that the two of them would walk, side-by-side, into battle.

A scent of fire wafted along a gentle breeze to reach her nostrils. Head perking up, she scanned the area before them, tapping Callum’s shoulder to point toward a tendril of grey smoke rising up in the distance, Callum’s eyes already peering in the direction she indicated. “Either they failed to extinguish their fire, or they remain at their camp,” he mused. “To not be on the road by this time of morning seems unlike them. I fear it might be a trap.”

One of the other men stepped up from behind Aiva, his hand lightly resting on her shoulder. “Wouldn’t it be best if the Princess hung back?”

Aiva spun around, her forward progress halted, staring into the man’s pale yellow eyes. He looked young. A newer recruit. The light brown shade of his hair had been softened by their time in the sun, making it almost appear blond, skin tanned. She was prepared to yell at him for presuming her incapable of protecting herself, yet she could find no condescension in his expression. Only genuine concern. It was impossible to hold him in contempt. “I prefer not to hide when I might be of more use at the Captain’s side.”

Callum paused, glancing back at them before turning slowly. He looked mildly confused by Aiva’s comment, though his uncertainty was nowhere to be found in his speech. “I appreciate your suggestion, Lorand. Regrettably, the Princess does not fall under my command to order about.” He turned to Aiva, his expression completely unreadable. “Your Highness, while it is to your discretion what you choose to do, I must implore you to remain behind me while we approach to investigate.”

She was taken aback by his demeanor. At the start of their journey when he referred to her by formal title, it had been degrading. Almost insulting. Now she sensed nothing but respect in his tone. An honest recognition of her right to make her own decisions. His courtesy toward her would hopefully set a better example for the other troops. “I will concede to remain behind you, though I must admit my concern in that I lack a weapon in case of an assault.”

Reaching down to his waist, Callum unclasped his sheath from the belt, offering it to Aiva, his eyes catching sight of the confounded expressions worn by the other men. “Some of you may not know, but your Princess is a very skilled swordswoman. We need all the fighters we can get, and she is more than capable, however, keep her well-guarded. I’m sure you all understand the reasons why.” Callum released his hold on the sword, letting it drop into Aiva’s hands with an apologetic nod. “I mean no offense, Aiva. But you know it is our duty to keep you safe.”

“None taken,” she replied, unsure of how to react to his sudden kindness. Skillfully, she attached the sword to her own belt, testing its ease of draw, satisfied with the fit. “What will you use to fight, Captain? I should not leave you without a weapon.”

He tapped a strap which crossed over his shoulder. Aiva felt warmth flood into her cheeks to realize that he had another blade harnessed behind his back. “My long sword will suit me well enough. Is everyone else armed and ready? If the pirates are anywhere nearby, we may find ourselves in combat sooner than we think.”

With a few scattered affirmations from the men, Callum turned toward the front once again, waving for the troops to move. They were coming up on what looked to be a ravine from Aiva’s viewpoint, the rocky edges dropping off into a deep valley, the sound of rushing water reaching her ears from somewhere below. A sturdy rope-bridge connected one end to the other, wide enough for a team of horses to travel across, though Aiva hesitated to test the weight of their entire unit combined with the supply wagon on it. Callum seemed to read her mind, already giving the order, directing the men to lighten their load as much as possible.

A sudden crack at Aiva’s feet caused her to stumble back. Several of the men were at her side in an instant, Callum’s hand reaching down to retrieve an arrow which protruded from the ground near where Aiva had been standing. Laughter echoed through the ravine from the other side, drawing Aiva’s attention. The distance was too far for her to make out many details of the figure at the opposite side of the bridge. It appeared slight, feminine; its arms lowering, the outline of what looked to be a bow visible from in its hands.

“Her aim is a bit off today,” Gadiel mumbled, positioning himself protectively in front of Aiva.

Callum shook his head, tossing the arrow aside, contempt written over his angular features. “The arrow wasn’t intended to kill. It was to get our attention.” He gathered a shield from atop one of the bags, fastening it to his arm. With confident steps he strode closer to the bridge, his voice ringing out over the ravine. “Why don’t you fight with some honor, Ireni? You keep your distance like a coward!”

Someone was approaching the bridge from the other side. A burley figure, carrying a bundle in his arms. It was moving. Struggling against his hold. Aiva’s stomach lurched to think of it being her sister. She moved out from behind Gadiel, desperate to get a better look at the figure standing there. She couldn’t deny the sight before her. Though she couldn’t make out the details of the face, she recognized the colors of the dress Shaelyn had been wearing the night of the wedding. A wave of tousled black hair could be seen, an occasional scream escaping before muffled again by the hand of her captor. “Shae!” she shouted, legs carrying her toward the bridge. They had to get to her. She was right there!

“Aiva, wait!” Kaemin’s voice sounded from behind her.

Desperate, she glanced over her shoulder, not wanting to stop, noticing the disapproval in Callum’s eyes from where he stood next to Kaemin. “They have Shae,” she grimaced, pleading with her eyes for him to do something. Anything. They couldn’t just leave her there.

Coming to Aiva’s side, Callum stared out across the bridge. “We don’t have to fight,” he called out, his tone oddly calm. “If you return the girl to us, we will leave you be.”

“Where is the fun in that?” a female voice echoed in return, the slender figure holding the bow coming to stand on the bridge beside the man who held Shaelyn captive in his grasp. “You owe us a ship, Callum. Your darling wife here will fetch a high enough price one way or another to replace that which you took from us. If you want to negotiate a ransom, then we might be willing to talk. Otherwise, we’ll be on our way.”

Wife? Puzzled by the statement, Aiva peered into the distance, her anger rising. They thought Shaelyn was her? Drawing her sword, Aiva stepped onto the bridge, ignoring Callum’s protests. She was too focused on the image of Shaelyn. “How can you have his wife when I am right here?”

The woman’s laughter stopped short, fading to a soft echo until they were left in silence. Behind her Aiva could hear footsteps joining her on the bridge. “Give us back the girl, Ireni,” Callum’s voice came from only a few feet away. Less calm than before, though steady.

To Aiva’s horror, she saw the man holding Shaelyn start to back toward the grassy ledge. “Not this time,” Ireni called back, clearly angered, yet cool. “You had better consider what this one is worth to you. We’ll discuss her release when you are more willing to negotiate a price.”

“You will give her back now!” Aiva cried out, charging forward across the bridge. She had never killed anyone before, but she wanted this woman’s blood. No one threatened her family and got away with it.

Her feet had only traveled a few steps before a snap rang out from underneath her. She had no time to register what was going on, aware only of the fact that she was no longer standing on solid ground, the wood of the bridge splintering, sending her plummeting to the river below. Her screams filled the ravine. From overhead Callum’s hand wrapped around her forearm in an attempt to keep her from dropping further, the harsh jerk of her shoulder slamming against the bridge sending a searing pain through her arm. Terrified by the sensation of her legs dangling, helpless in the air, she realized too late what had happened. It was a trap. Callum had been right to be cautious. The wood had been tampered with. If the unit had tried to cross, they would all have ended up in the river below.

Shouts were coming from Callum’s men. Something was wrong. Beyond the obviousness of her predicament. Through her scattered senses Aiva could vaguely make out their words. Calling for her and Callum to move. They had to get off the bridge.

Staring upward, she could see Callum’s determined gaze, seeking a means to pull Aiva to safety. His fingers remained tight around her arm, his free hand latching onto the thick rope of the rail just as a loud crack filled the air, suddenly sending them both downward. The bridge’s supports had been cut. They were powerless to stop the fall, Aiva’s screams growing wilder. The feeling of weightlessness was awful. Every passing second brought the rocky side of the ravine closer, their momentum building.

Calling upon a surge of strength, Callum pulled hard on Aiva’s arm, lifting her upward, closer to his dangling body, the burning sensation excruciating through her shoulder. Frantic, Aiva grasped at Callum’s waist with her free hand, wrapping it desperately around his hips, clinging to him.

Upon impact with the side of the ravine, Callum’s pained cries mingled with Aiva’s. Flashes of red blurred within her closed eyes. Bones jarred by the blow, she was thankful that she hadn’t fallen through further toward the center of the bridge. Any more distance would have been death to them in smashing against the rough rocks. Miraculously, they were alive. Unfortunately, their path to Shaelyn was destroyed. The pirates would get away.

They hung from the rope for several moments, dazed from the pain and confusion. Above, the men were shouting to them. Aiva was afraid to look. She didn’t want to see the distance they would need to cover in order to reach the ledge, nor did she wish to know how far below the river was, racing along its current, just waiting to swallow them up if they were to lose their hold. Callum’s body was the only thing between her and certain death; and he was slowly slipping downward on the rope under the extra weight she added.

“Can you keep hold of me if I release you?”

Aiva’s eyes opened wide at the thought of Callum letting go. He couldn’t be serious. “I don’t think I can move my arm,” she winced. The pain was getting worse under Callum’s tight hold. She feared her shoulder would snap off at the joint if he moved at all.

“I need your help,” he urged through gritted teeth, his own pain evident in his strained tone. “I can’t climb the rope with one hand. If you can get your arm around my shoulders, then you should have a better hold and I can have both my arms to get us to the surface. We have to move quickly. I’m not sure how much longer I can hold on like this.”

The thought of moving terrified her. To let him release her would require a significant amount of trust in Callum which she wasn’t convinced that she had. But now was not the time to dwell on personal conflicts. Her options were to trust him or die. “Fine,” she gasped, finding air difficult to take in, breathless from the exertion it took to not lose her senses entirely from the pain and fear. Tentatively she slid her arm out from around Callum’s waist, wrapping her legs around his to try and use them for leverage, pulling herself further up his body. She could hear Callum groan from the discomfort her efforts caused him, an agonized grunt escaping as his hand clutched at the rope, failing to keep from sliding down another inch.