“Depends on who the sword ends up buried in,”‘ Ghaul said.
“If he intended to harm us, it would have been simpler for us to be taken to the gallows in Tasgarad.”
“True,” Athryn said. Maes crouched beside his brother, moving dirt with a stick, disinterested in the conversation. “But perhaps he has a different agenda.”
“Let me prove myself.”
They looked at their captive tied to a tree ten yards away. How did he hear us?
“How did he-” Elyea began.
“Good ears,” Shyn answered before she finished. They moved to him, Ghaul gripping the hilt of his sword. Maes remained behind drawing shapes in the dirt.
“What manner of trick is this?” Ghaul asked. “Are you also a man of magic?”
Shyn laughed. “No, not a magician. Ask Athryn, he’ll tell you.”
“I would know a practitioner. He is not.”
“What I am is a man of unusual qualities who could aid in your journey, as Khirro says.”
“Why should we trust you?” Elyea asked, arms crossed.
Ghaul looked as though he’d say something as well, but Maes pushed his way between them, interrupting. He approached Shyn, looked him in the eyes for a moment, then sat cross-legged on the ground beside him. The little man had done nothing like this before; in fact, Khirro couldn’t remember Maes interacting with the soldier at all. Athryn didn’t retrieve his brother from Shyn’s side.
“Don’t trust me,” Shyn said glancing at Maes then back at the rest of them. “I wouldn’t if I were you. Not yet.” He shifted his position, attempting to find a more comfortable spot. Ghaul tensed at the movement, pulling an inch of steel from his scabbard. Maes didn’t flinch. “Do any of you know where to find the closest Vendarian town?”
“No,” Khirro said. Elyea shook her head. Ghaul looked like he wouldn’t admit to shitting in the forest.
“Neither do I,” Shyn confessed. “Release me. I’ll locate it and return to you with horses. If I do this, you’ll know I can be trusted.”
Ghaul shook his head. “If he’s a Vendarian spy, he’ll bring a company to slaughter us.”
“No,” Khirro said searching deep in Shyn’s gaze. “The border guard knew him. They didn’t like him, but they accepted his word.”
“No matter why we let him go-to prove his trustworthiness or to rid ourselves of him-he could bring soldiers,” Elyea said.
“Then we should kill him and take no chances,” Ghaul said.
“We kill no one,” Athryn said. He looked at Maes sitting comfortably beside the man. “He has done nothing to warrant his death.”
“You’ve nothing to lose,” Shyn said without any note of pleading or desperation. “If I don’t come back, you lose nothing-you’re already lost and traveling by foot-and you’d be rid of me.”
“Not lost,” Khirro mumbled feeling embarrassed. The Shaman put a path in his head, but he hadn’t recognized anything since they crossed the border. He had no idea where they were but couldn’t admit it to the others.
Shyn looked at them, waiting. His eyes held Ghaul’s first, fearless despite the soldier’s grip on his sword. After a few seconds, as they remained silent, his gaze fell on Athryn, then Elyea, and finally Khirro.
Athryn broke the silence. “Maes?”
The small man stood and went to his brother, extending his hand. Athryn took the collection of items offered-to Khirro’s eye it looked to be an assortment of pebbles and small sticks, perhaps a bug as well-random items he’d picked off the ground. With the items delivered, Maes wandered away to pick berries from a nearby bush. The magician peered at the items, then tossed them to the ground and brushed dirt from his hands.
“It is as he speaks,” Athryn said. “If he returns with horses, I will gladly welcome them, and him.”
“No,” Ghaul protested. “He can’t be trusted.”
Khirro looked at Ghaul. There was no reason for him to be disagreeable at letting Shyn go, it had been their plan from the start. If he returned with horses, all the better. What was it that-
He never planned to release him. He always intended to kill him.
“Let him go.” Khirro’s voice came out flat as he stared hard at Ghaul; the warrior looked back, unwavering.
“Do as you will.” Ghaul slammed his sword back into the scabbard. “But if next I see him without horses for us, his head will be mine.”
He stalked away kicking decayed needles from his path as he went. Khirro went to Shyn and untied his hands.
“Get his weapons, Elyea,” he called over his shoulder then turned back to the border guard. “We’ve seen no sign of civilization since we crossed the border. How will you know where to go?”
“I don’t know where to go.” He rubbed the rope burns on his wrists. Elyea lay Shyn’s sword belt and dagger on the ground beside Khirro, then stepped away.
“We’ll supply you with some food, but we can’t spare much. Your trek may be a long one.”
“Keep your food, I’m an excellent hunter.” Shyn rose, took the sword belt Khirro offered and buckled it around his waist. He stretched his back and wiped dirt from the seat of his pants. “I’m also swift. I’ll be back sooner than you think.”
“You saved me once. We’re even now.” Khirro offered his hand and Shyn shook it. “I’ll understand if you don’t come back, you have no reason to. But don’t return with soldiers or without horses. I can’t stop Ghaul from fulfilling his promise.”
“I’ll return as promised. I don’t know why, but I feel like I’m meant to join your journey.” He shook his head minutely. “Gods know why.”
Shyn bent at the waist, tucked his fingers into the top of his boot and retrieved a thin-bladed stiletto from some secret compartment within.
“Take this,” he said offering it to Khirro. “Hide it somewhere near the vial. Just in case.”
Khirro took the small knife and slid it into his breast pocket beside the vial, the steel clinking quietly against the glass, then Shyn went into the forest, picking his way deftly through the underbrush. After a minute, he disappeared into the dense brush.
“Fear not, Khirro.” Athryn’s voice was a whisper meant only for them. “Maes says he can be trusted.”
Khirro looked at the magician and the confusion his words caused must have been plain on his face because Athryn answered the question running through his mind before he asked it.
“Maes may not speak, but he knows people. Worry not.”
Athryn left to help his brother pick berries, leaving Khirro staring after Shyn. Behind him, Elyea joined Ghaul in breaking camp. After a minute, he went to help and everything was soon packed.
They walked through the forest, the scrape of boots on ground, the clink of armor and weapons and the rustle of brush the only sound to mark their passing. Maes popped red berries into his mouth as he walked, occasionally offering them to his companions. Khirro accepted and found the berries juicy and sour with an unfamiliar but satisfying flavor. He wiped a line of juice from his chin as his mind wandered. He thought about Athryn and Maes and the nature of their relationship: brothers, but somehow more. Concern for Ghaul’s propensity for violence came to mind. He had been a soldier his entire life, Khirro reasoned, so he supposed it was simply a matter of training, but it went against Khirro’s way.
Perhaps that’s why we’ve been brought together.
They tempered one another-he made Ghaul more humane and Ghaul made him see things from a soldier’s point of view; a good team despite and because of their differences. Without Ghaul, he wouldn’t have made it even this far.
He glanced at Elyea walking ahead, hips swaying pleasingly. So beautiful, so confident. Embarrassed, Khirro quickly put the encroaching thoughts from his head and thought of Shyn instead, wondering if they should trust him, if he would return as promised. The memory of the dream tyger’s words made him feel only slightly more comfortable.