The City of Pillars by Joshua P. Simon

Author:Joshua P. Simon [Simon, Joshua P.]
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy, Epic
ISBN: 9781500249281
Google: chSGoAEACAAJ
Amazon: 1500249289
Barnesnoble: 1500249289
Goodreads: 22595789
Publisher: Createspace
Published: 2014-06-20T23:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 15

The only things Rondel could move were his eyes. He tried to capture the passing landscape, but everything began to blur together in his mind.

More sand and rock. Why would I care about the landscape now? Try to focus.

As hard as it was to wrap his head around the concept of someone returning from the dead, it wasn’t the only peculiar thing that he had noticed about his kidnapper. First, the man carrying him traveled farther inland rather than toward the camp of Hubul’s Host. Second, the man moved with animal-like speed and agility, climbing up and down rock with the ease of a horse sprinting over open ground.

What happened to Andrasta?

To make matters worse, his mental faculties continued to dwindle. Confusion grew to the point that he wondered how much of what he saw and felt was real.

Who is this mistress? Is she real or did I just imagine hearing him say that?

Rondel slipped into unconsciousness, waking when dumped to the ground, facedown. He thought a rib cracked.

Harsh, guttural voices erupted in angry conversation. He understood none of it.

Hands grabbed his shoulders and rolled him to his back. Shadya’s face hovered over his. With an index finger, she drew patterns on his head. He tried to move, but couldn’t.

“Shh,” she whispered. “Don’t panic, my love. I’m making sure you get some restful sleep. We have a great ways to travel if we’re to put some distance between ourselves and the Host. I apologize for Athar’s rough treatment. He will be more considerate going forward.”

Athar? The camel? What is she talking about?

His muddled mind cleared enough for him to respond to an image of a woman flashing across his mind. “Andrasta,” he mumbled.

Shadya frowned. A guttural voice sounded behind her. She whipped her head around and hissed for silence. She turned back to Rondel, trying to control obvious anger. “Andrasta is dead, my love.”

Rondel groaned.

That can’t be right. Andrasta can’t die.

He wanted to ask a question. However, his mind wouldn’t work and worst of all, the same pain from his chest would not stop.

* * *

Amani lay flat on her back, arms and legs spread and tied down with ropes. The ropes ran through pulleys that squealed behind her. Her limbs went taut. She gasped, sure her body would begin snapping into pieces at any moment.

“Are you ready to give up, Amani?” asked Master Enzi.

“No, master.”

She meant to respond with hard certainty in her voice, but only a quivering whimper passed through her lips.

“Are you sure?” he mocked. “You’re sweating like swine and your face is showing every bit of the pain you’re trying to cope with. I even see tears mixed in with that sweat. It would be a shame to give up so soon, when the rest of the trainees have all lasted longer. Then again, you are a woman. The only woman I’ve ever trained. And every day, I’m reminded why I’ve never bothered with the weaker sex before. I assure you I won’t make the mistake of bringing another woman into my classes again.

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