Book 5: Chapter 27: Reunion
The next day, in the late afternoon, the legion set up camp a few miles west of the Shadeni hunter clan’s winter and spring campground, and Victor, Polo, Rellia, and Valla rode forth with the hopes of meeting with Thayla, Tellen and all the other people Victor had been missing rather dearly. Rellia had wanted to bring Borrius, but the one-time legate insisted they’d have a warmer reception without him—his reputation among the Shadeni hunter clans wasn’t born of friendship. As for Lam, she had insisted on staying with the army; too many leaders away might encourage a lapse in discipline.
They’d only cleared the army’s encampment by half a mile when figures emerged from the grass, and Victor laughed, spurring his Mustang toward them. The others followed, though slowly, likely to give him a chance to ensure they weren’t hostile. “Hi!” he shouted as he rode up, for lack of a better greeting.
“Is that you, Victor? Where’d you get that fiery-eyed steed?”
“Forget that one, Victor. How’d you grow so much?”
Victor laughed, slowing his mount near the two scouts—hunters from Tellen’s band, ones he’d rescued from a monster high in the hills to the east. “Visha! Kolo! It’s great to see you again!” Victor dropped from his horse’s back and approached them as they shifted the tips of their spears upright. He spread his arms as if to embrace them, but Kolo, wary as always, backed up a step.
“You look like Victor. You sound like Victor . . . you’re different, though. You know my name . . .”
“I sure do, Kolo. I remember finding you in a cursed keep in a blood-soaked ravine. I remember killing a real asshole to get you and the others in Tellen’s party to safety . . .”
“It’s him, Kolo,” Visha said, stepping forward to reach up, trying to clap Victor on the shoulder. “Who else would call that devil an asshole?”
“Will you tell us about the changes in you?” Kolo asked, also reaching out to grasp Victor’s other arm in his wiry fingers. “You’re enormous. Ah! Look at his axe, Visha!”
“She’s pretty, no?” Victor winked, then added, “I’ll tell you many stories, but first, we should get to the clan. I need to speak with Thayla and Tellen.”
“Yes, you should!” Kolo whistled shrilly, and out of the tall grass to the south, a small, sturdy roladii trotted forward. “I’ll ride with them, Visha.”
“Of course, you will,” Visha sighed.
“It’s my turn!” Kolo cried in mock outrage.
Victor motioned for Polo and the ladies to ride closer and said, “These are my companions.”
“Aye.” Kolo eyed Valla’s mount. “I remember the great cat.”
Rellia, riding her beautiful white vidanii, laughed. “Only around my daughter would my poor Tigala escape notice and praise.” She gently stroked the animal’s neck, and it bleated, making a high-pitched sound almost like a honk—Victor had never heard Thistle make such a noise. When she looked up, she eyed Victor and Guapo. “I suppose she’s a bit outshone by that great beast of yours, too.”
“How do you think Hob feels?” Polo asked, slapping his big hand on the thick neck of his stocky bull roladii.
Victor laughed, slung himself onto his Mustang’s back, and said, “Who wants to race?” Everyone ignored the questions; they’d all seen him tearing across the plains over the last couple of weeks and knew full well he was being facetious. Shrugging, he started forward, waving to Visha as he rode past.
Kolo rode up beside him. “What news? We saw your great army. Been watching since you crossed the old bridge.”
“Should have said hello.” Victor chuckled. “I have much to share, but I need to speak to Tellen first. Sorry, Kolo.”
“I understand—Ban-tok business.”
“Right. At least for now.”
“Is that mount as fast as he looks? What beautiful eyes! Why do his hoofs spark with magic when he walks? Is he a creature from this world?”
“He’s a spirit animal.” Victor patted the Mustang’s muscular shoulder. “Aren’t you, guapo?”
“Is that his name? Handsome? Fitting . . .”
“Yes, it is,” Valla answered before Victor could respond.
“Well, I guess so.” Victor whooped as the Mustang started prancing, lifting his feet high and arching his neck, turning sideways so his eye could flash at everyone, especially Valla. Victor continued to laugh, saying, “He likes you, Valla! I think he might be in love.”
“Oh, Ancestors!” Valla cried, urging Uvu to turn and put a bit of distance between herself and Victor.
“Chandri’s going to love him,” Kolo said, chuckling along with Victor, admiring the huge, prancing mount.
“Is she well?”
“Oh aye, busy, busy with the young hunters. Since your little one, Deyni, came, she’s taken on a teacher role. A dozen youngsters hunt with her.”
“My little one . . .” Victor started to protest but decided it wasn’t worth it. He kind of liked the idea that he shared some responsibility for Deyni. When he saw the questioning look on Polo’s face, Victor spent some time describing Deyni and talking about how he’d left Starlight for her, filling him in on a bit of his backstory with the clan, and by the time he paused to take a breath and scan the horizon, he saw the low, earthen longhouses arranged in a circle—the clan’s campground. More tents were standing in the center of the clearing near the well, and the paddock for the roladii seemed more extensive, but other than that, it was much the way Victor remembered it.
They didn’t have to wonder where Tellen and Thayla might be; a crowd of Shadeni had gathered near the campground’s perimeter, and Victor saw Chandri, Chala, Tellen, and Thayla all standing together near the front. Deyni sat atop Tellen’s shoulders, and Victor felt a foolish pang of jealousy before he wrestled it away and let his joy at seeing them all color his expression.
He didn’t ask him to, but Guapo broke into a gallop, leaving the others behind, racing over the distance. He came to a sliding stop before the crowd, whinnying proudly and prancing before them. Victor saw the delight in Chandri’s eyes, and once again, his stupid heart ached, remembering holding her hand and kissing her under the starlight. He tore his gaze away from her magenta irises and the sly smile on her black-painted lips, instead focusing on Deyni. He held out a hand and said, “Hand me up that little huntress, Tellen!”
“To those who warm our hearts,” Thayla said, turning to gaze upon Polo with narrowed eyes.
“To hope,” Valla said, her voice small and her eyes downcast.
“To a just society.” Rellia held her cup high as she spoke.
Victor grinned as everyone’s eyes turned to him, and he said, “To glory.”
“Yes!” Polo growled, and everyone drank, slamming their empty cups on the tablecloth. “Bearded Turtle, that was good!” Polo moaned, rocking back and holding a hand to his heart.
“Truly, it was.” Rellia smiled unctuously at Tellen.
“Well?” Victor prompted, tired of everyone being coy. “What did you two decide? Are you bringing the clan with us?”
“We have a few questions.” Thayla reached over the table to wrap her long, slender fingers around his wrist.
“Such as?” Rellia pressed.
“Are the rumors true? Is the Empire against you?”
“Fah!” Rellia growled. “Word has traveled this way already?”
“I heard a whisper on the wind . . .” Thayla winked at Victor.
“Oh, God,” he groaned, “You’re already talking like her.”
“But truthfully,” Thayla turned back to Rellia, “tell me.”
“We don’t know. We’ve been attacked by . . . representatives of the Empire, but there hasn’t been an official condemnation of our campaign. We’ve not been declared outlaws, and when I sought answers in Persi Gables, the magisters professed ignorance. People we’ve captured all have geases silencing them, cast by a Mind Caster stronger than mine, it seems.” She shrugged. “Soon, we’ll be quit of the Empire’s lands, and it won’t matter.”
“It matters to us if the Legion decides to descend on your army before then. If we’re dragging our homes, children, and livestock along in your train, we’ll be massacred.”
“No fucking way,” Victor growled. “I won’t let that happen.”
“You have what? Six thousand soldiers?” Tellen asked. “The Empire can muster more than forty. Am I mistaken?”
“It’s true the Empire has seven full legions.” Valla’s voice almost startled Victor; she’d been quiet for so long. “However, it would take a monumental effort to bring them all together. Two are needed for peacekeeping near the Vinduv Confederation, the Free Cities. Two patrol the northern and western frontiers. One sits idle in Tharcray. That leaves the legion garrisoned at Twilight Home, but that’s a month’s journey away through the Blue Deep. If we’re swift, I believe the chances are good that we’ll reach the Granite Gates unmolested by any Imperial armies.”
Thayla looked at Valla as though gauging the veracity of her words; then she turned to Tellen. “That makes me feel better.”
“That’s wonderful . . .” Rellia started to say, but Tellen cut her off.
“What terms do you offer for our aid? What will we gain in this new country?”
“Everyone, from me and Victor down to the lowest foot soldier in our army, will be rewarded with land. The bigger the part you play, the more land you will earn. Victor, Lam—you know her, yes, Thayla?” At Thayla’s nod, she continued, “Victor, Lam, and I will divide the conquered lands among us, and then we each will award plots to the soldiers, officers, and,” she nodded to Tellen and Thayla, “contributors to the effort. We’re not talking about small parcels—the Untamed Marches stretch far beyond the Granite Gates, millions of acres of forest, grassland, rolling hills, mountains rich in resources, crystalline lakes, and a coastline that rivals that along the Great Western Sea.”
“Humor me and explain this like I’m a child: why hasn’t the Empire moved into those pristine lands?” Tellen asked.
“Because they’re fat, complacent, and the nobility fights too much, too scared to commit the resources. I’ve bankrupted my family for this venture. Failure will lead to my death and our ruination. More than that, it’s fear. Fear of what the System will throw against them when they descend through the Granite Gates.”
“The System will challenge us?” Thayla frowned, perhaps remembering the System-controlled dungeon she’d traversed with Victor.
“Yes, but we’re up to the challenge.” Polo sounded confident as he forlornly spun his empty cup on the table.
“We have Victor,” Valla said softly, and everyone’s eyes turned toward him.
“Ah,” he smiled sardonically, “there’s that old familiar pressure.” He chuckled and started to speak, aiming to reassure everyone, but the door to the longhouse opened, and a tall Shadeni scout dressed in damp, dark leather stepped into the light.
“Tellen!”
“What is it, Lefen? We discuss important matters.”
“I was scouting near the forest. Dark clouds came in, unnaturally fast, rolling over the Deep. Hail began to fall, Tellen, and, as I turned toward home, I saw many figures moving among the trees.”
“How many?” Victor asked, scooting back, sliding the bench despite Valla and Rellia sitting upon it.
“Hundreds. Thousands. Darkness comes with the clouds, Ban-tok. What is it?”
“Ridonne,” Rellia hissed.
