Wyshea Shadows by Geoffrey Saign

Author:Geoffrey Saign [Saign, Geoffrey]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9780990401360
Publisher: KiraKu Press
Published: 2016-12-24T22:00:00+00:00

15

The Blind Fangor

You’re going to die for not joining the fight last night, you stinking Northerners.”

Jennelle’s fists bunched on Luck’s reins. The stocky, mustached sergeant following her, Malley, and Sparks had taunted them all the way from their camp to Finance Minister Basture’s army encampment.

She rested her hand on her blade hilt. “Tell me, sergeant, why has Basture kept you at such a low rank?”

His face darkening, the sergeant pointed past them. “If they don’t kill you in the tent, we’ll have the pleasure on your ride home, you bloody fangor.”

Red walked next to Jennelle’s maqal, and growled at the sergeant. Worry crept into the man’s eyes.

“Don’t worry, he’s trained only to attack the enemy,” said Jennelle.

Malley scrutinized the forty soldiers riding behind the sergeant. “You’ll need more men to kill us, because if you’re part of this army, I’m convinced you’re incompetent.”

“I can’t wait to spit on your lifeless carcasses.” The sergeant stopped his maqal when Jennelle reached the edge of a tiny meadow.

Sixty yards away, a large white tent glistened with dew in the dim morning light. A small column of smoke streamed from the tent’s peak. Several maqal were tethered nearby. Basture’s massive one-horn maqal wasn’t tied to anything. Beautiful, it had a midnight blue coat.

Walking her mare forward, Jennelle studied the maqal in fascination, distrusting the story that Basture had bought it from a merchant in the Dead Lands. One-horns were extremely rare, and she had only seen two in her whole life; Camette’s and Basture’s.

The maqal avoided her gaze. She decided not to communicate with it, and had the strange sensation the beast didn’t want any contact with her. Camette’s big yellow had given her the same feeling. Maybe one-horns didn’t like sending.

Sparks leaned closer, her red tresses falling off her shoulders. “Why do they want us dead, sirs?”

“We don’t support the war.” Malley ran a hand through his black hair. “If they get rid of us, they figure someone else leading the Northerners will support Basture.”

“Basture wants money, power, and control.” Without making it obvious, Jennelle peeked at Malley’s lean face. She knew every line and curve of it.

She sensed Malley and she were running out of time. Death could come in any battle for either of them. It saddened her. Camette’s advice still haunted her, but she couldn’t bring herself to utter those three words: I love you. With Gasten gone, she depended on Malley’s advice and his presence in the field. His friendship had helped her remain strong over the last nine months.

All of it had made her even fonder of him. But she realized Gasten had been like a father to Malley, so perhaps he viewed her as a sister. Also, as his commander, to state her feelings for him would put him in an awkward position. Especially if he didn’t share them. That frustrated her too.

She grimaced. “This makes me sick. It’s hard to believe the wyshea butcher did all this in one night.”

“They’re a mess.” Malley hooked a thumb in his belt, his voice softening.

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