I Am A Barbarian: The Forsaken Road by Evans Alex

Author:Evans, Alex
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-11-14T00:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Delta woke up at sunrise in an excellent mood. She had a nice dinner, a story and peaceful dream where she was debating with her parents of the color of her new kaftan.

Everybody was still asleep, except the sentries, who were chatting in low voices, stirring the embers of their fire. She went to the latrine corner, then she crossed the bundle storage area to check on the horses. The peddler was already there, squatting next to his brother’s coffin and whispering, while pouring inside drops from a small vial. She could not understand the words. They sounded like Gandaran, though, and Izumo was Gbani. She kept her distance and squatted behind a bundle, but the young man would not have noticed her, anyway. She was a child and most strangers thought the Ranes more uncouth and ignorant than they were. A great asset in bargaining.

Izumo put back the coffin’s lid, locked it, covered it with the old blanket, and walked away. She scratched her head. The liquid was some preserving concoction. But the words? If the man had been talking to his brother, he would have used his native tongue, right?

Mad with curiosity, she straightened and made two steps towards the coffin. She didn’t feel like disturbing the dead. This was beyond naughty. That was disrespectful. But maybe she could just have a peek? At that moment, she caught a movement at the edge of her vision. It was Bassama, picking his way in the general direction of the coffin. As he spotted her, he bent to tie his boot, turned back, and walked away.

Delta scratched her head and decided to leave the coffin alone. Instead, she went to check the horses. Something’s definitely funny here. She thought while examining Rain’s feet. Bassama must be as curious as me. I must ask Yahir. Uncle Holu would just tell me to mind my own business.

After breakfast, Holu went on to chat with Marzay and the guards. The previous day, they had discovered they had plied the same caravan routes in their youth, encountered the same bandits and had a few friends in common. Delta went to Yahir, still lazing on his mat. “I think Bassama is as curious as me about Izumo’s coffin. I saw him sneaking towards it this morning.”

He raised a brow. “And then?”

“Noting. He spotted me and walked away. Seriously, what do you think Izumo is hiding there?”

“I don’t want to know. Just leave him alone.”

“You sure don’t want to know?”

He lowered his voice. “I suspect he’s some treasure hunter. Or a prince in disguise! He sure knows more than a simple peddler… Leave him to me. With time and subtle prodding, I’ll find out.”

He stood up, stretched, and sauntered to Izumo and Bassama on the edge of the lake. Soon, Bassama was teaching them how to fish. They were making quite a gang, the three of them. Delta played fetch with Flower but soon grew bored. She kicked a stone and looked it rolling. For once, she didn’t have her overbearing uncle and air headed cousin breathing down her neck.

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