The Flames of Shadam Khoreh by Bradley P. Beaulieu

Author:Bradley P. Beaulieu
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Tags: Fantasy, (¯`'•.¸//(*_*)\\¸.•'´¯)
ISBN: 9781939649065
Publisher: Quillings Literary Services
Published: 2013-05-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

Along a dry trail in the Urdi Mountains, far to the south of Kohor, Nikandr slowed his mount until he was at the rear of their group. At the head of the line, Soroush and Ashan rode next to one another, speaking softly of Soroush’s last circuit around the world. Sukharam, as he did so often these past few days, was staring into the distance—not watching the trail, not tending to his mount, simply staring, as if dreaming of another time and another place.

The mounts had been given to them by Safwah’s allies—the Keepers of the Flame—those who believed in the cause of the Tashavir. Nikandr often wondered what happened to Safwah. Had she and others been killed for helping them? Had they been harmed? It was the day after they’d escaped from Kohor, and if what Safwah had told them was true they might reach the valley of Shadam Khoreh by sunset, but Nikandr still felt as though at any moment they’d hear the pounding of hooves behind them. Surely the Kohori would have guessed their destination by now, and if that were so they would have sent men flying southward to intercept them. Every rise they passed, every turn in the trail they followed, Nikandr felt as though red-robed warriors would lift from the very ground itself and fire arrows down upon them as they had against the janissaries.

But so far they hadn’t.

Thank the ancients for small favors.

They’d agreed to speak only when absolutely necessary, so the ride was lonely, more lonely than at any other point on their long journey. Especially without Atiana. He felt like a coward for coming here to Shadam Khoreh, but what the others said was true. There was little they could do now. Their largest hope was in preventing Sariya from doing as she wished. Then they could return and discuss the terms for Atiana’s release.

Near midday, Nikandr retrieved the stone of alabaster Ashan had given him in the Vale of Stars. He held it in the palm of one hand. He’d never tried to bond with a hezhan using stones as the qiram did—only his soulstone. That is, if what he’d done could even be considered bonding. He thought a circlet of some kind might be useful, but Ashan had assured him that simply holding it in his hand would suffice. So that’s what he did. He held it loosely and stared up toward the blue sky, allowing his ab-sair to follow the others along the trail. He listened for the wind, which was faint but present as it flowed through the scrub bushes to either side of the trail. He felt it flow over his skin, watched it play with the clouds above. He did not call to Adhiya. He did not try to summon the hezhan he’d known for so many years. He merely allowed the world to take him, hoping the doors to the world beyond would open.

Minutes passed. The sound of hooves plodding against dry earth filled the air.

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