The tracks continued on for maybe a mile before they suddenly moved off of the road and into the grass leading toward the tangle of undergrowth. At first he couldn’t figure out exactly where the tracks went. They seemed to end at an impossible tangle of brambles. He began to ride to the south, but the dogs did not follow and began barking behind him. They were standing around the bushes and sniffing about the ground. Navarra rode back, dropped from his horse and began to study the surrounding bushes. It did not take him long to discover the false briar, and though thorns stuck him repeatedly, he moved them out of the way as quickly as he could, smiling. He had her now; she would have no easy way out of this area. The dogs paced back and forth excitedly as he removed the barrier. His hands were bleeding here and there, but otherwise he was uninjured as he climbed back up on Chaos. Vesania and Furia moved to his side, both looking up at him, their furry faces full of eagerness.
“Soon,” he said softly, catching a bit of their enthusiasm, “soon.”
ǂ
Samantha was up early the next morning and ate another breakfast with Wake, Martin and Scot. Otter was just leaving for his watch at the Scar, as she emerged from her tent, though he turned and waved to her through the stunted trees. Sam waved back and even graced him with a small sad smile. The wind was strong this morning and the sky overhead was a maze of fast moving clouds, with ever growing patches of blue appearing between. The ground was wet and slick from the previous night’s rain, but it had been light and Samantha was sure the dampness would burn off before the morning was done.
“When do you think the others will return, so I can move farther west?” She asked Martin, who sat on the log next to her sipping coffee. Wake and Scot sat on the other log on the far side of the fire, which crackled and popped in the early morning breeze.
Martin shrugged. “They are not due back before the end of the week, but most times there’s no set schedule. They leave when they have to and return when they can. We just wait for them, and watch the road.”
Samantha nodded, fighting the nagging feeling to get up and leave on her own. They all sat in silence for a time, Sam only vaguely aware of the furtive looks she was getting from Scot.
“I’ll be heading down today,” Wake suddenly said in the silence, and Samantha looked up surprised.
“Leaving,” she repeated, alarmed at her sudden, growing sense of doom.
Wake caught her eye only briefly, then looked back down at the fire and took a sip of his own coffee. “Need to be back. The Deutzani will grow suspicious if I’m gone too long. Can’t have them nosing about up here.”
Samantha just stared at him for a long time, and when he finally looked up he could see how she’d deflated.
“Perhaps I’ll come up for a visit at the end of the week,” he said almost shyly, “if you’re not gone by then.”
Samantha nodded, wondering how the large man had gained her confidence so quickly. “Wake….” She said but fell silent, and for a moment the others just waited for her to continue, but then Martin leaped to his feet, obviously alarmed. Wake turned and there, leisurely walking toward their camp was an Executioner and a dog. Wake quickly looked about then reached over and retrieved the axe he’d used the previous day. By the time he turned back both Scot and Martin had their knives out and ready. Samantha was still sitting on the log, staring in shock as the man in black approached ever closer.
“Run Mona!” Wake yelled, calling her by his dead wife’s name in his excitement. Sam did not react until Wake moved forward toward the Executioner. He held his axe high, ready for a fight. Sam suddenly came alive and bolted off the log and toward the tent that held her belongings.
Navarra saw her plainly, his heart suddenly beating faster. Perhaps one more time before she died…he thought, then turned his attention to the large man approaching with an axe. Navarra whistled softly and then motioned for Vesania to move off into the brush to the left. He did not want either dog facing this man. They would lose, he was sure. Furia was already somewhere to the right circling around behind the camp.
“You needn’t die,” Navarra said softly to the man who was now almost directly in front of him. “Just give me the girl. She is all I want.”
“My ass,” the man answered back, and though the axe he wielded was a large one, his massive arms and shoulders held it like a toy.
Navarra frowned at the crude language, but could not argue with the sentiments. Despite what he promised, everyone here would die, and he pulled his kali from his belt.
Behind the man before him, Navarra caught sight of Samantha once more, emerging from a tent, a bow in hand. She held it with her left and gathered her skirts about her in her right, and prepared to run.
“Samantha!” Navarra said loudly, and she actually paused and glanced his way. Their eyes caught for a moment and the Executioner felt a tingle in his groin, but then the man with the axe attacked, and she turned to run away from them both. Navarra jumped back from the first vicious blow, and had to skip back two more times as the axe continued back and forth with a great deal of speed and skill. Navarra quickly turned his full attention to the man he was now fighting. He must be careful, a blow from the axe could easily snap a blade or send one of his kali flying off, not to mention slice off an arm…or his head. The man before him was no stranger to fighting, probably a soldier in the past, and from the way he carried himself, a good one.
“Only the girl,” he said again, watching the axe move, and waiting for an opening. The other two men in camp were now moving forward as if suddenly released from their earlier fear and hesitation. Navarra was thankful for his dogs, without them he would have had his hands full with the axe man and these other two fellows.
Navarra whistled and Vesania suddenly bolted from the underbrush to attack the younger of the two trailing men. The young man cried out as the large dog clamped down on his right forearm with powerful jaws. His knife fell to the forest floor. The older of the two quickly turned to go to his young friend’s aid, and when he did Furia hit him from behind. In moments the air was filled with cries, growls and desperate fighting. The noise momentarily distracted the axe man, and Navarra had his opening. He struck quickly, piercing the man’s left shoulder, and slicing his right thigh at almost the same moment. The man groaned, but instead of falling back as the Executioner expected he stepped in, and swung with all his might. Navarra arched backward and spun at the last moment. He felt the wind of the axe ripple past the side of his face and along with it, a slight knick on his right ear. He retreated, as did his opponent, who was pulled off balance from the force of the blow.
“I will kill you Executioner,” the man said in a deep, rough voice.