Word of Truth by Rhett C. Bruno & Jaime Castle

Author:Rhett C. Bruno & Jaime Castle [Bruno, Rhett C. & Castle, Jaime]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction, Fantasy
Publisher: Aethon Books
Published: 2020-02-24T16:00:00+00:00

XXVIII

The Caleef

The Black Sands were harsh and unforgiving. Even with the water they could gather in Saujibar, and food scavenged from Nahanab, many didn’t survive the trek. Especially the children and those markless who’d grown so used to the luxuries of Latiapur.

Bodies were left behind for the gallers and the wolves. Mahi hated every moment of it, but the limited supplies and access to shade needed to favor their army. Not a single warrior was expendable against Nesilia’s darkness. Especially now that Mahi had seen firsthand what she was capable of.

But, finally, they’d cleared the M’stafu Desert, where the black sand swirled away into the white. Where the air was cooled by moisture and a draft blew in from Trader’s Bay. The Wildlands, as Torsten Unger had called them, was now behind them as well. White Bridge was not far.

Mahi unfurled the cloth wrapping her half-bald head and breathed it in. She longed to feel the kiss of the wind on her skin but knowing it was there would have to suffice.

“I never thought I’d be so happy to leave our lands,” Bit’rudam said, riding another zhulong at her side. Mahi wanted to ditch hers like Torsten had, but she knew it was foolish. She needed all her energy for the fight to come.

“Babrak’s lands now,” she said.

“They’ll never belong to him. We’ll destroy this Nesilia, and then we’ll drive him out, I swear it, Mahraveh.”

“One fight at a time,” she said.

“I know, but… how can you be so calm about this? He was one of us.”

“Because he’s aligned with a monster,” she said. “First time he steps out of line, he’s dead. And you know him. That won’t take long.”

“It will not feel as good if we are not holding the blade.”

“And yet, he’ll be dead,” Mahi said, giving her zhulong a kick. It trotted ahead, leaving Bit’rudam to consider things.

There was truth to what she’d said, but that wasn’t all. She was calm. Remarkably calm. And it was likely because the further away from Latiapur and the Black Sands they traveled, the more her memory cleared.

In Latiapur, she had to continually fight back the surge of blessed memories from Caleefs past. She hadn’t even realized how incessant it was until now as her head quieted. This was a blank slate, where few Caleefs had previously ventured.

She raced by the horde of marching people. Torsten offered her a nod, still leading the zhulong carrying his King’s body. His people glowered, though said nothing. Everyone was far too exhausted by then to argue.

But at least Torsten was right about one thing. Babrak’s army never pursued them. Even as Mahi crested the nearest hill and glanced back, they were nowhere to be seen. She wasn’t sure what that meant, but if Torsten was right about Nesilia’s arrogance, it would be what undid her.

She should have slaughtered us all when she had the chance, Mahi thought.

Seconds later, an arrow split the dirt a few feet in front of her. Her zhulong squealed as it spun away, and she reached for her new spear.

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