A Fool's Hope by Mike Shackle

Author:Mike Shackle [Shackle, Mike]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Orion Publishing Group
Published: 2020-12-02T20:30:00+00:00

37

Tinnstra

Layso

Dawn had to be at least an hour away, and yet the city wasn’t quiet. Tinnstra had been expecting to find empty streets and shuttered buildings, but instead, people were still wandering around a few scattered stalls manned by tired-looking men and women eager to make a coin or two.

Rik passed Tinnstra a water skin. The water was warm and had a bitter, stale taste to it, but it was wet and that was enough. By the Gods, Meigore was hot. Far hotter than anywhere in Jia that Tinnstra had ever been. She had no idea how anyone could cope with it. No wonder they wore flowing robes. Her own clothes – what was left of them – were soaked through and stuck to her skin.

Wenna weaved a way for their group through the city, doing her best to lead them via quieter roads. Things weren’t helped by the fact that the city guards were out in force. They didn’t appear to be searching for the Jians, but no one wanted to risk getting too close to any of them, just in case. They were still obviously foreigners and that in itself would be enough to get them arrested.

Red streaks stained the sky when Wenna led them to a small street with a stable at the far end. ‘We’ll leave the horses here,’ said Maiza. ‘We’ll go the rest of the way to the embassy on foot.’

‘What?’ said Tinnstra. ‘I thought we agreed we’d go to the docks?’

‘We don’t know if Ralasis has a ship for us yet, and we can’t stay out on the streets,’ said Maiza. ‘The embassy is the best place for us to hide. It has walls and doors which we can defend – for a short time, at least – and the gate’s there if we need it. There’s nowhere better.’

Tinnstra stared at the Shulka, angry that events were being taken out of her control.

‘Please, Tinnstra. We have only the queen’s best interests at heart.’

Zorique looked up at Tinnstra, concern on her face, reminding Tinnstra that this was no time or place to argue. She smiled back. ‘We’re going to walk from here, my love.’ Tinnstra slipped off the horse and then helped Zorique down.

Rik opened the stables and led the horses inside.

‘What about Ralasis?’ asked Tinnstra.

‘I’ll send Wenna to find him once we’re secure in the embassy,’ said Maiza. ‘Out of all of us, she can pass for a local with the right clothing, and she’s fluent in their language.’

Light crawled across the sky and, somewhere, birds began their morning chorus. Every now and then, Tinnstra, with Zorique nestled on her hip, found her eyes drawn upwards, as if expecting to see Daijaku swoop past.

Wenna stopped at the end of a road and signalled the others to halt as well. More signs followed: a barricade, four soldiers.

‘The embassy is in the next street,’ whispered Maiza. She signalled to Rik, Nils, Aran and Jis: four guards, kill them, be silent.

The Shulka disappeared a second later.

‘What’s happening?’ asked Zorique.

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