Part 14 (1/2)
”You still have no real idea what I went through. The h.e.l.l I experienced.” His smirk vanished and his voice became hard and dangerous. ”The fact that I didn't kill you the moment I saw you is a miracle. Just be thankful you're still alive and free.”
There was a long period of silence. Ethan could see the pain dwelling behind Markus' eyes. Maybe he was right to be angry, he thought. How would I have felt if it had been me?
”Perhaps it would be best to leave the past behind you for the time being,” suggested Jonas. ”We have more pressing matters to attend to.”
”The old man's right,” agreed Markus. ”Now that I've killed Thaddeus, it won't take the Hareesh long to figure out what happened. And the Imperials are looking for the two of you as well.”
”What should we do?” asked Ethan.
”We need to reach the dwarves,” Jonas told him. ”There was a cave your mother was trying to reach on the southernmost edge of the Gol'Shupa Mountains. We should head there.”
Markus gave a short laugh. ”The dwarves? You can't be serious. They'll kill you the moment they see you. No one goes there...ever.”
”We do,” corrected Jonas. ”Ethan's family has a special relations.h.i.+p with the dwarves. A blood oath was sworn between Praxis Dragonvein and King Vidar. They will honor it.”
”A blood oath?” mocked Markus. ”You must be joking? Dwarves won't honor anything except gold. And you'd need a fortune.”
”I'm not joking,” said Jonas. ”And I a.s.sume that since you've decided not to turn us over, you'll be coming along.”
”Into the mountains? Not a chance in h.e.l.l.”
”Then we'll go without you,” Jonas said.
Ethan reacted instantly. ”We're not going anywhere without Markus.”
His old friend let out a long sigh. ”You can't stay with me, Ethan. I'm not the man you once knew. Things have changed.” He pulled a coin purse from his belt and tossed it at Ethan's feet. ”This is the gold I took from you. I suggest you make for San Leon. No one would look for you on the coast. At least, not for a while yet.”
”I'm not leaving you,” said Ethan. ”Not again.”
”You won't have to,” he replied. ”I'm leaving you.”
”Well I'm not,” came a voice from just beyond the firelight.
The trio leapt to their feet, Markus instinctively drawing his sword and preparing for an attack.
”Kat?” called Ethan, recognizing her voice.
A second later she stepped into the light, a devilish grin on her face. She removed the small pack hanging over her shoulders and tossed it next to the fire.
”He can run away if he wants,” she continued, nodding at Markus. ”But I'm still coming with you.”
Markus let out a groan and sheathed his sword. ”So this is the girl who Jared was so upset over.” He scrutinized her for a moment. ”A bit young to be working for the likes of him, aren't you?”
”I don't work for Jared,” she stated flatly. Her grin had vanished. ”In fact, no one does anymore.” She flashed a glance at Jonas, who was already scowling. ”And before you say I can't come, you should know that there are twenty Imperial soldiers less than an hour behind me.”
Jonas' eyes widened. ”Are you sure?”
”Yes. And if you don't move fast they'll catch you.”
Markus responded quickly by racing over to the wagon and tossing out what little he had brought. ”Distribute the provisions equally and douse the fire,” he instructed. Without waiting for a reply, he led the horse further away from the road until both it and the wagon were completely hidden by the darkness.
The other three set about doing his bidding. He returned just as the fire was finally extinguished.
”We should go east toward the Traxis border,” he said. ”I have friends there.”
”No,” Jonas argued. ”We need to make it to the mountains. Regardless of what you think, the dwarves will honor their oath.”
Markus shook his head. ”You're a fool, old man. I've been in Lumnia for twenty-five years, and I'm telling you whatever oath you think they made...”
He paused. Even in the dim light of the moon he could see Jonas' resolve. ”Fine. I'll get you as far as Tulani. But from there you're on your own.”
Ethan reached out and touched his friend's shoulder. ”Thank you.”
Markus brushed his hand away. ”Let's just get moving.”
He led them southwest for a time. The moonlight gave very little a.s.sistance in navigating the rugged terrain; the thin forest was riddled with small rocks and roots that sent both Jonas and Ethan stumbling to their knees on several occasions. Kat, however, stayed at the rear and seemed to have no trouble at all in avoiding the obstacles.
After half an hour of progress, Markus stopped and listened intently. For a few minutes they could hear only the rustle of the wind through the leaves and the chirping of insects. Then, in the far distance, the sound of rapid hoof beats echoed through the forest.
”If they don't smell the campfire we should be fine,” he said.
They waited anxiously until the hoof beats faded before moving on.
”How far is it to Tulani?” asked Ethan.
”Two weeks on foot,” Markus replied. ”Unfortunately, we don't have anywhere near enough provisions to last that long, so we'll need to go into Masi to resupply. As for now, we'll stop in a few miles to rest a while.”
Jonas offered no objection to this when Ethan glanced back at him. There were still several hours to go before dawn, and he desperately wanted to talk to Markus some more. So far though, each time he tried, he'd come up against a brick wall.
”Can't you get it through your thick head?” Markus snapped at him after the third attempt. ”I'm really not the man you knew before. And if you keep pestering me like this, I swear I'll leave the lot of you alone in the b.l.o.o.d.y forest.”
Ethan opened his mouth to speak, but quickly saw the truth of these words in Markus' eyes, and instead settled for a sharp nod of acceptance.
The rest of the time was spent in silence. When they did eventually halt, Markus made a point of bedding down several yards away from the others.
”What can I do?” Ethan asked Jonas. ”All I want is to make things right between us.”
Jonas looked away, his eyes suddenly distant. ”Some things can never be made right. Best you remember that.”
His words only made Ethan even more guilt ridden. Lying on his blanket and staring up at the unfamiliar night sky, he felt truly small and alone.
The part of him that was still a young boy wanted to weep, but the proud soldier he had become kept his tears at bay long enough for sleep to take him.
Chapter Nine.
The rumble of thunder shook Ethan awake. Though the sun was breaking over the horizon, the sky to the west was gray and promising a miserably wet day.