The Fire Within by Joely Sue Burkhart

Author:Joely Sue Burkhart
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Keldari
Published: 2010-06-08T07:28:00+00:00

SEVEN

A mountain range stretched across the horizon, north and south as far as she could see in the dying sunlight. She started to ask Zahak to name them, but hesitated. They were too regular, too measured, clearly man made.

Without inflection in his voice, he whispered, “The Wall.”

Up close, the Wall was even more impressive, easily as high as the tallest tower of Shanhasson. Wondering what material they’d used to build it, she reached out to touch it.

Then she was even more stunned. In a land of endless sand and drought, she hadn’t seen a single tree. “Blessed Lady above, where did you get so much wood?”

He shrugged. “We trade for it.”

“Trade what?” She couldn’t help the incredulity from her voice. The horses had incredible stamina, true, but they were pitifully ugly. The Keldari had nice weapons, but so did many other warriors of the world.

“We have plenty of gold.”

Leaving her with that startling tidbit, Zahak halted his mount and turned to his men. “Our tal is here, and I have failed in my task he set me as saif. If you wish to camp with him alone, now is your chance.”

Malum dragged his whip through his hand, not even looking up as he spoke. “You won’t camp with the Cobras?”

His voice wasn’t confrontational, but she sensed the man’s inner turmoil, a strain in the tightening of the skin about his eyes and mouth. His nostrils were pinched.

“We shall camp with Cobras unless Amin refuses us. But I will stand alone before our tal.”

The Keldari glanced at one another, down at the sand, at the sky, at the cursed leather whips. All these years, Zahak had sacrificed for them, and now, they couldn’t even look him in the eyes. Were they so terribly afraid of his brother? Lifting her chin, she kneed the mare forward to stand beside him. “Not alone, for I stand with you.”

Flames danced in his gaze. He leaned over and tugged the black cape back, throwing it over her shoulders, and jerked the tunic open underneath to bare his mark on her throat. Self consciously, she started to lift a hand to touch it, but she forced herself to leave it openly displayed and unprotected. Let everyone see his brand on her, if that’s what he desired.

Side by side, they rode along the Wall. Distantly, she heard the murmur of people and neighing horses. She still didn’t understand how he knew where to go, but that camp of people must be his.

“They’re not afraid of me or Amin, azharana. They’re afraid of you.”

Surprise jolted through her. “Me?”

“You are the unknown stone yet to be tossed. From the beginning when you offered water, you have not acted as we expected. You have not acted like a munakura. No foreigner would have known to offer water or accept hospitality. In fact, you should have arrived unconscious, half dead, and slung over the back of my horse. A munakura certainly never would have chosen me. So now, they wonder. Add the Wall, what it means to us, and their discomfort only mounts.

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