“Let’s send the women in one direction while the three of us go in another,” she offered. “If he tries to track us, he will end up following them.”
Chapter 12
Fardale
The twenty female slaves, who had been loaded on the merchant’s wagon before the Fakarans, were all jabbering excitedly. Some wanted to run away with Mistake and others feared the almost certain death that was delivered to runaway slaves. The campsite was in chaos.
“Stop,” shouted Rejji. “Everyone stop and listen to me.”
Silence erupted throughout the campsite as everyone turned to Rejji, everyone except Bakhai, who appeared to be having a conversation with a bird on his upraised arm.
“You shouldn’t shout,” admonished Mistake. “He might have heard you.”
“Look,” Rejji sighed, “doesn’t it appear a little strange to you that this merchant, who is by himself, would unshackle all of us and then simply walk away? Do none of you recognize a trap when you see one?”
Murmurs of agreement rippled through the women captives, but Mistake remained defiant. “He is probably just careless,” Mistake offered. “Or perhaps he believes his boy will watch us for him. I, for one, do not wish to be a slave.”
Mistake’s rebuke stung Rejji as he realized he was the only one who had not been shackled, but he still felt that this was a test of some kind and that there really was little chance of escape.
“This man is no fool,” Rejji stated. “He is testing us to see if we will attempt escape. I am sure he must have confederates in these woods. We should do as he asked and prepare the campsite and the evening meal.”
“How could he have arranged to have men waiting for him at this particular spot when he could not have known when he was leaving the estate?” argued one of the female slaves.
Rejji stared at Bakhai, who stood with his empty arm raised above him, as he answered, “It is clear that the merchant knows this site. I think his men could just wait for him to show up here whenever he came.”
“You are just wasting our time with guesses,” scowled Mistake. “We should leave before he returns.”
“He does not need a lot of men to trap us,” declared Bakhai, who had the same bird as before, now perched on his arm. “We are in a canyon with only one exit. To flee we would have to leave the way we came in.”
Mistake whirled to look at Bakhai and frowned when she saw the bird. “There are still twenty-three of us,” she proclaimed. “How can he stop us all?”
“Bakhai,” called Rejji, “see to the horses. Some of you women who would like the chance to prepare a meal, please start one now. If nobody wants to cook, then let me know and I shall do it. I am not running away.”
***
Sebastian completed the wire across the trail and hid the telltale signs as best he could. He retrieved the bow and arrows from the small cave and took a position where he could see the trail for a long distance. He did not like playing these games with the mage slaves, but he needed to know about the Fakarans. In fact, he needed to know the truth about them before he reached his destination. Too much was at stake to be careless with security.
Movement in the distance alerted his keen eyes and he swept the forest for any sign of the runners. He detected the movement again and caught a glimpse of a brown streak between two trees deep in the forest. He focused on the spot with all of his concentration and identified Mistake as she sped to another tree.
Sebastian blinked his eyes as he tried to keep track of Mistake, but the speed of the young girl was amazing. Sebastian had never seen anyone move with such speed. One minute she appeared to be in one place, and in a moment she was somewhere else. Sebastian only had a sense of having seen a brown blur in between the two points. If he had not been purposely watching, he would never have spotted her. He frowned at the realization that she had chosen to run. It made his purchase a foolish one. Now he would have to figure out what to do with his Fakarans. He could not take them where he had planned to.
Sebastian did not want to kill the young girl, so he planned to send an arrow streaking into a tree near her to get her to surrender. As he prepared to let his arrow fly, he saw a blur of brown as Mistake dove from behind the tree and landed in the center of the road. She stood defiantly in the open and called his name.
“Sebastian,” called Mistake. “I know you are here. I have been sent to tell you that the food is ready. Better hurry if you want your meal hot.”
Sebastian’s eyebrows rose in surprise, but he did not move. He had seen better deceptions in his time than this feeble attempt.
“At least acknowledge me,” called Mistake, “so I can eat my food before it cools.”
Sebastian remained silent and waited for her to start running out of the canyon.
“Have it your way,” she called. “I promised I would not seek you outside the canyon so this is as far as I can go. I will try to keep something warm for you.”
Mistake turned and started walking back towards the campsite. Sebastian shook his head and watched her until she was out of sight. He rose and secured his bow and arrow in the small cave and trotted back to the camp. When he arrived he saw all twenty-three slaves sitting and talking and devouring a meal. The campsite came to silence as his approach was noticed.
“Ah I see the meal is ready,” Sebastian grinned. “It is good to see people who know how to work together.”
Mistake rose and filled a bowl and then handed it to Sebastian. “Are you setting us free?” she asked sarcastically.
Sebastian took the bowl and stared at the young woman. “No,” Sebastian responded. “It is not my place to do that.”
Mistake’s eyes widened at his response. “You mean someone else is setting us free?” she quizzed. “Is that really going to happen?”
“Why didn’t you run when you had the chance?” inquired the merchant.
“It was not much of a chance you offered,” frowned Mistake.
“We know we are in a dead canyon,” interjected Rejji. “You set us up to make us try to escape. Why?”
“So the thought of escaping did enter your minds,” commented Sebastian. “The opportunity was just not to your liking?”
“If you were being held a captive against your will for no fault of your own,” Rejji asked, “wouldn’t you contemplate escape? Of course the thought entered our minds. Why shouldn’t it? We are held captive only by fear of the harsh punishment that awaits our recapture. Perhaps you should try being the slave for a day and then you would appreciate what goes through our minds.”
“I think I know,” Sebastian nodded sadly as he rose and headed for the stream.
Rejji followed after Sebastian. “If you truly know,” continued Rejji, “then why do you play these heartbreaking games with us? It is better that you keep us in chains so we are not tortured with indecision.”
“I am sorry,” Sebastian frowned. “There is more to this than my desire to toy with you. For the twenty mage slaves, my moves are not necessary. They are used to their enslavement and the resolution of their bondage will please them well. You and your friends are different. I am not sure I can explain it in a way that you will find satisfactory.”
“Try me,” offered Rejji. “I know that our purchase was not an accident. I know that you were observing me in Khadoratung, and you pointedly avoided speaking to me on the long journey back to the Pikata estate. Why are you interested in me?”
“A number of reasons.” Sebastian conceded, “but it is hard to explain. You are putting me in the position of judging you and that is not my position. I am seeking a person from Fakara for a client. I know his needs and I think you suit his purpose, but he is the one to make that decision.”
“Yet he is not the one choosing the proper slave to purchase,” pushed Rejji. “You are, in fact, judging me by choosing to present me to this man. This trap you laid today was to judge me. Why not ask me if I will do what it is he wants done? I have little incentive to lie to you.”