The Sandrunner (The Story of Rain Book 2) by Don Elliott

Author:Don Elliott [Elliott, Don]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Water Stone Publishing, LLC.
Published: 2023-10-22T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 23

The Bard

As the new dawn rose in the east, Djeodi peered through a scope. Beside him on the edge of the rooftop bar stood Janus. In the distance, gaining in size by the minute, flew an enormous vessel—perhaps fifty feet tall, black, and lined with silver rails. Four wings, frozen in position on either side, cut through the air while a single sail towered high above, shimmering with violet light.

"Should we not flee?" asked the bard.

"To where?" Djeodi answered, lowering the scope. "There's nowhere to hide, and sleds aren't fast enough to outpace that thing."

"Then what do we do?"

Djeodi remained quiet, his mind racing.

He heard a woman's voice from behind. "Let me see this 'sky-sled.'"

He turned to see Itana Dar and her burly guard emerge from the stairwell. Suji, who'd gone to deliver the message, followed behind.

"Your looking glass?"

Djeodi passed the scope over and watched her face as she peered through it. For a moment, she remained stoic, her jaw clenched as she searched the sky. Then her mouth fell open.

"My gods..." she whispered. "How is that possible?"

Qi'xan, bound on a chair, began to laugh.

"Someone gag him," Djeodi said.

Itana gave the scope to her guard to look through, then turned to scrutinize Djeodi with a furrowed brow. "And you think that's his people?"

"He claims it is, and we have no reason to doubt it."

Sádaur rubbed his chin. "It would explain much about the fate of Re'daun and the other villages."

"How so?" asked Itana.

"There were no signs of an army outside the walls of Re'daun—as if the enemy simply appeared in the city."

She frowned. "You believe they fly over their victims and rappel down?"

Djeodi shook his head. "I don't think so. If they were me, they'd first rain fire with ferris bombs and burning oil. Then rappel."

"There was evidence of that at Re'daun," Sádaur added.

"But the seaspiders," Gann said, rubbing his chin. "Where did they come from?"

"I'm wondering the same thing," Djeodi said.

Itana looked at him, her xavian eyes unyielding. "You fought them before and lived. What do you suggest we do?"

Djeodi rubbed the back of his head, searching for ideas.

"I say we fight," said the guard.

"That will only ensure our demise," replied Sádaur. "They'll break us like miners after their gold, and there's nothing we can do to stop them."

"Miners..." mused Djeodi. "Itana, how many can you hide in the mine?"

"If we fill every tunnel...." She thought for a moment. "My best guess is around two hundred."

"And how many live here?"

"More than six hundred."

Cold silence followed.

"There has to be a way to reason with these people," Itana said, a hint of strain creeping into her voice. "What of the commander here? If he were truly a leader, surely they would bargain for his life?"

"We don't know what they would do," Djeodi said. "All we know is there's no chance under Nan or in the Deep that they let us leave alive. Bargaining may be our only shot."

"So we just walk out there with him and hope they come down to talk with us?” asked Janus with his palms up.

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