Aware (The Side Ways Book 2) by Andy Havens

Author:Andy Havens [Havens, Andy]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: UNKNOWN
Published: 2017-12-15T22:00:00+00:00

* * * * *

Mirkir had been in “guard doze” mode for a couple hours when the gate rattled. For him dozing meant that one eye and half his mind would sleep while the other would watch the garden and its prisoner. The fellow had been walking around, examining the various topiary and poking into the broken storage shed. He’d had two more bottles of water to drink and another snack bar. He’d toyed with some of the clippers, looking back at the hedges as if thinking about doing some trimming. Then he sighed and put them down.

It was just after sundown when the noise of someone shaking the iron fence woke him into “full guard” mode. His left eye and right brain had been dreaming about a Frisbee and it took him about three seconds to come completely awake, jumping down to the ground to go see what was going on out front.

Over his shoulder, he grunted an order at the other two gargoyles. They nodded, understanding that they were to keep a close watch on the prisoner.

At the end of the short, brick tunnel, Mirkir saw a Reckoner of Blood standing at the gate, ready to give it another shake.

“Brother Guardian,” the woman said simply. “I come for the prey.”

Mirkir was not a complex creature. But he was not stupid. Had this been a person from Earth, he would have bitten the lock on the gate open immediately and allowed (gratefully) another of his Domain to take over. But Blood is not Earth.

So he woofed, “Who are you?”

The woman, dressed in elegant black leathers with blue and silver highlights, struck a short bow and said, “I am Loryys, Clan Chief of the Stone Tribes, beholden to Zav Ner’ynth, Master of Stone, who sits at the feet of Bloodlord Sekhemib Senbi, may he rule forever.”

She was large, but like a bodybuilder. No fat on her. Broad of shoulder. Long, dark hair tied back in a sensible ponytail. Mirkir could only see a few of the clan tattoos writhing around her wrists and peeking out the neck of her shirt. They were enough to confirm the truth of what she said.

It never occurred to Mirkir to doubt the markings of Blood. Anyone who tried to counterfeit that ink would experience a particularly gruesome death.

“I hear you, Blood Sister,” said Mirkir. “But I await orders from Earth.”

She nodded. “I have them. I am sent by Earth Lord Damon Mohz to collect the prey. I have this sign from him to prove my right.”

Loryys reached into her coat pocket and withdrew a small, light-blue flower on a stem with three leaves and one thorn. To all Mundanes and most Reckoners, it would seem just that—a pale bloom on a dying twig. But Mirkir could read the authenticity in its message as well as he could the dancing marks on the Blood’s skin.

Nodding, he stepped forward and bit through the lock on the gate, letting it swing slowly and noisily inward a bit.

“Favor, Blood Sister,” he asked as she stepped in.

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