Shadows of Home Read online

  Chapter 4

  By the gods, Esmerelda Ciantar thought, what just happened?

  Ean Sangrave had been in her grasp. And then he had knocked poor Paz into the High Horse Inn and unleashed chaos. But instead of catching the man she had pledged the last of her life to hunting down, she was retreating with Shayua into the dilapidated and thrown-together housing district of Fisher's Row.

  Shayua and herself were trying to blend into the crowd, but her companion's height and unique features made it difficult. Thankfully, most of the people who had stuck around to see the fight were the same ones who called Fisher's Row their home. They had flooded into the streets, so Shay and Ezzy decided to let the crowd carry them past the ramshackle homes, towards their hideout—the shack that Ezzy's mother and two brothers now called home.

  Pushed along by the crowd, Ezzy turned her thoughts back on how things had gone so horribly wrong.

  When she had walked into the High Horse Inn, wearied from travel, all she had wanted was some entertainment and to drink away her sore muscles with Shay. They had just returned from following false leads around half of Ven Khilada. The last place she had expected to find her quarry was in the fanciest inn in the city. Maybe it was chance or maybe it was a divine influence, but as soon as she had stepped through the double doors, something drew her gaze past dozens of other faces to find the one man whose features were burned into her mind. Ezzy had practically shoved people out of the way as she moved to finish a quest that had taken up more than a year of her life.

  It had been a thrill to finally call out the man behind her father's death and the collapse of her family's empire.

  And it was all ruined by the lies and insults that had left his mouth. He lied about his involvement in her father's death. Blabbered on about things she refused to even hear. Then he insulted her by repeatedly trying to ignore her challenges. The fool acted as if she were nothing! It riled up Ezzy even more that when he had finally decided to fight back, he had faced Shay instead of her!

  That was right before things had gone from bad to worse.

  Poor Paz was dented and knocked on its metal butt. She had sent it out of the city for the time being, the magic that connected her to it providing enough direction so it didn't cause any more damage as it fled. She would probably be blamed for all of the damage caused to the High Horse Inn as well. Probably wasn't the best idea to go shouting her name for all to hear. If the bounty on her head got any higher, Shay might be tempted to give up training her as an acolyte of Avien'zia and turn Ezzy in herself.

  Ezzy glanced over at the towering crimson woman next to her as they weaved their way through Fisher's Row. Shay barely looked like she had been in a fight, her loose leather shirt and snug-fitting leather pants barely scuffed from her tumble with Ean and his strange ally. Her short black hair with its thin red stripe was barely disturbed, framing her expressionless face. After a few seasons of traveling with her, Ezzy knew the slight squint of her eyes hinted she was actually very angry. The possible reasons why were too numerous to count.

  As much as Ezzy had learned about Shay and the goddess Avien'zia, she was smart enough to realize everything she knew only scratched the surface of the complicated woman. When Shay had struck her hand against Ean's magical shield, Ezzy was sure her bones had shattered. Yet the woman continued on as if it was nothing. It was a mystery whether her ability to block out the pain came from her Shadaer heritage or if it was a gift from the goddess for whom she worshipped and worked as a bounty hunter.

  After a few more turns they arrived at their destination, a squat house made of weathered planks, odd-shaped rocks, and the remaining holes filled with a mixture of mud gravel—her family's home. Ezzy and Shay disengaged from the throng of people, took a quick look to see if anyone was paying them more attention than they should, and walked inside.

  She didn't get very far. The one large room of the home had little room to begin with; three small cots, a tiny cooking stove, three chairs and a single square table took up most of the floor space. Add in her companions Nolan Bintershad, Bavian Toll, her mother Alexia, and two brothers, Maxanan and Moxanan, and the remaining space was gone.

  Nolan, her father's old Thaljori and the man who had bonded her to Paz, was the first to rise, using his small staff to keep weight off his bad right knee. His thin face looked even more haggard than usual, and the wispy black and peppered beard could use a fresh trim. He wore an expensive black robe infused with intricate patterns, but it had faded over the course of time. Beneath that was the same old gray trousers and blue shirt he had been wearing when they parted ways a year ago. All his fancy robes, purchased with all the money he earned being the Ciantar family's personal Thaljori, had undergone a similar level of wear or tear but he never replaced them.

  "I guess," he said, the smallest of grimaces twitching at the corner of his lip, "that you have something to do with all the commotion outside?"

  Shay pushed past Ezzy and addressed the man. "Of course. Everywhere we go, Esmerelda finds trouble as easily as a squirrel finds a nut."

  "What I found was Ean Sangrave," Ezzy said right behind her. "Here. In the city."

  That got everyone's attention.

  "And I bet you tried to take him yourself," Alexia said with a tsk. Her mother was still as beautiful as ever, despite the rags she was forced to wear now. Her golden hair was tied in a tight ponytail, which seemed to stretch her features back and hide the lines from the stress of going from one of the richest families to the poorest.

  "The man who killed father?" Maxanan and Moxanan said in unison. Four pairs of hazel eyes went wide as the identical faces, drawn from the meager amounts of food the family could scrape together each day, looked up from where they sat.

  "Yes." Ezzy looked her brothers over, noticing their diminished frames, the grime in their fingers from the oddjobbers they worked at the docks. They had become young men in their teenage years, and she couldn't be any more proud of them. Reaching into her bag, she pulled out two loaves of bread and tossed one to each. "Here, eat. Let the grownups talk."

  The boys snatched them out of the air with a smile and immediately began biting huge chunks out with their teeth, giving Nolan a chance to shake his head as he spoke.

  "You should have come and gotten the rest of us."

  "Did you bring the rest of us anything to drink?" Bavian asked. "A nice chilled wine perhaps?"

  The man was spread out on the floor, laying on his back of all places, the bright coloring of his checkered blue and orange tunic and brown pleated pants a stark difference from the rest of the group’s faded clothing.

  Ezzy ignored him. She had gotten used to disregarding the things he said that had nothing to do with the actual conversation.

  "If I had gone to get more help, he might have left before we returned. I wasn't about to take that chance. Anyway, Shay was with me so it wasn't like I confronted him all on my own."

  "Except I did not know anything was amiss until I saw you engaging with those other men."

  "Other men?" Nolan asked. "You tried to confront him when he had underlings gathered around?"

  "No, these men were not Ean's followers," Ezzy replied.

  Ezzy had barely finished as Shay added, "They were men hoping to collect on the bounty posted on Esmerelda."

  Bavian flopped onto his side. "How did they even know who you were?"

  Shay let out an exasperated sigh. "She announced it, of course."

  A collective groan escaped most of the others' mouths.

  "There is more," Shay continued. "This man Ean is much more dangerous than I believe our Esmerelda realized."

  "How so?" Nolan asked.

  "He controls a magic I have never seen before. He bested me in combat in a matter of moments, knocked Paz over with a single punch, and when he unleashed a powerful burst of energy against the Vithalos..." Shay shuddered.

  "He destroyed Paz?" Nolan somehow looked both concerned and a touch relieved at the same time, which troubled
Ezzy, but she kept quiet as he continued. "The magic that connects the Vithalos to Ezzy should hold him together against most magical attacks."

  "No, he did not destroy her metal beast. The energy launched Paz through the front of the High Horse Inn, causing a great deal of destruction to the building but leaving the Vithalos relatively undamaged. It was what stray stands of the man's magic did to some of the gathered crowd that was most disturbing."

  "What did it do?" Nolan rubbed absently at his beard. "I know about more than my own brand of magic."

  "They were changed. I did not watch what happened to all of them, but the ones I saw took on the characteristics of beasts."

  "Abysmal energy," Bavian replied, flipping onto his stomach. "The same kind that leaks out of Scars and makes the Seekers murder anyone infected by it."

  Of course the man knows about strange magic, Ezzy thought. Why wouldn't he, being so strange himself.

  "Then Ean shouldn't be a problem much longer," Nolan said, giving a nod of satisfaction. "If he is at all connected to the Abyss, the Seekers will find and execute him."

  "No!" Ezzy refused to let anyone else take Ean's life. She had pictured his capture and imprisonment for far too long. If it was guaranteed that Ean was going to be killed, which now it most likely was, she would be the one to place the knife through the man's heart, not those sanctimonious Seekers.

  "Ezzy..." her mom began.

  "I owe it to our father." Ezzy moved to her mother's side and grasped the older woman's hands in her own. "I couldn't live with myself if I just stepped aside and hoped the Seekers dealt with him. Not knowing if they ever caught him would drive me insane."

  Alexia rose, pulling her hands free of Ezzy's grasp so she could wrap her arms around her daughter. "I understand. Your father would certainly not approve of his oldest daughter turning a quest for justice into one of revenge. But he would be proud of the strong woman you've become. Do what you think is best."

  Ezzy returned her mother's embrace. She could feel the gazes of everyone else in the room but didn't care what they were thinking. This moment was for her and her mother, a brief break from the rest of the world where they could share their love and their grief. For a time, her companions left them alone in their silent embrace. For a time.

  "And if he is too powerful for all of us to handle?" Shay asked.

  "Are you scared?"

  Shay looked at her for a few moments then barked a short laugh. "Of some magic user? Avien'zia would cast me aside if I abandoned a good hunt based on such a fear. We will find him, and if it is your wish, we will kill him."

  Ezzy didn't think she had ever wished for something as strongly in her entire life. "Then we shouldn't let his trail get cold. We need to get back out there--"

  Shay cut her off with a raised, crimson hand. "We will not rush back into a confrontation with the man. If we are to continue our hunt, we will do it properly. Find him, observe what he does, and when we are ready and he is not, that is when we will attack."

  "We already know he is here. If we waste any time he might..." Ezzy wilted as her master, Shayua, silenced her with a cold, grey-eyed stare. Silence hung in the room as Shay continued to stare at her. Even the others remained motionless, as if caught up in the intensity of the tall, muscular woman.

  When Shay finally spoke, her voice crackled with authority. "Who do you follow?"

  "You, Shayua."

  "Who have you pledged to obey without question so I might teach you to become closer to our goddess?"

  "You, Shayua." Ezzy tried to ignore the fact that she was being put in her place in front of the rest of their companions.

  "I will not let your thirst for revenge drown out everything I have taught you since day one. The difference between a good fighter and a great one is emotional control. Do not be like the foolish young wolf who leaves the safety of the pack as soon as it catches the scent of prey. Take your time. Get to know your enemy—his strength and his weakness. This Ean is more dangerous than we thought. Have I made myself clear?"

  "Yes, Master Shayua."

  "Good. Then here is what we must do. Bavian, can you focus long enough to get us supplies in case we need to travel?"

  Finally sitting up on the bed, Bavian shrugged. "I can't make any promises."

  "Bavian..."

  "Ok, ok, my crimson cutie pie. I'll complete your little chore. Most places would be closed by this point in the night, but if I toss around my employer's name, it should open a few doors. I can put it on their tab as well. I'm sure they won't mind."

  "Good." Shay turned to the others. "Esmerelda was attacked by men trying to claim her bounty. It's common knowledge your mother lives here in the Row, so they will eventually look for you here."

  "I'm not leaving." Alexia shook her head. "This place is all we have now."

  "That's fine, but be prepared to defend yourselves."

  "The people who live here won't give us up," Alexia said. "When we had more wealth and power, our family always gave back to the people in Fisher's Row. That's why I knew we'd be safe here when everything fell apart."

  "Even so, it would be best if you all stayed here until we determine our next move. As for myself, I will go out and determine what Ean did after what happened outside of the High Horse Inn. If he is still in the city, I will find out where. If he has fled, I will find his trail and follow it far enough that I'll be able to find it again tomorrow when we have our supplies and are ready to travel."

  "Sounds good to me," Bavian said, hopping off the bed and knocking into those closest to him. He ignored the annoyed looks cast in his direction and saluted Shay. "I'm off to carry out my orders. Excuse me." He clumsily made his way to the front door and gave Shay another salute before stepping out into the night.

  "Strange man," Alexia said as they watched him go.

  "And Esmerelda?" Shay said, returning her attention to the younger woman.

  "Yes, Shayua?"

  "If I learn you have stepped even a foot out of this house before I return, I will call off this hunt, sever our apprenticeship, and then tan your backside before turning you in for the bounty on your head. Do I make myself clear?"

  "Yes, Shayua."

  Without a word, Shayua turned and left, leaving Ezzy effectively bound to the house with just a few words.

  Chapter 5

  Shay kept her gaze straight ahead as she walked down the lantern-lit street and past the High Horse Inn. The owner had men already hard at work clearing out the damage and starting repairs. Poles with hanging lights surrounded the damaged porch, casting their light on the gaping hole and debris where Paz had fallen. Instead of the sound of merriment and music that usually spilled out of the inn at night, all Shay heard were the sounds of boards being pulled free and nails being hammered into place. The night air was cold, and the main street that ran through the heart of the city and right past the High Horse Inn was empty. Anyone who had lived in the city for even a season would know something was off. For the busiest road in all of Lurthalan to be this dead before the second moon had risen was unheard of. This made the feeling of being watched even more unnerving.

  The mob that had gathered to watch the fight had all scattered as soon as Ezzy's prey had unleashed his power, but she had expected some remnant of the after-effects to still remain. Where were the city guards? What had happened to those who had been affected by Ean's magic? Where were the Seekers? After leaving Ezzy's home, Shay hadn't spent much time elsewhere before returning to the scene of the fight. She had expected to find, at the very least, the guards cleaning up the bodies the Seekers had cleansed. Had they already been taken care of? Had those who had been changed by Sangrave's magic fled before the Seekers had arrived?

  Shay disliked unanswered questions almost as much as she disliked half the scum who claimed to be bounty hunters in her goddess's name.

  But she would find no answers here.

  Striding past the High Horse Inn, Shay continued south towards the main gate that led out of t
he city. She had implied to Ezzy that the answers to Ean's next move could be found outside the inn, but it had not been her true destination. Too long had Shay been away from the city, first in her hunt to claim the bounty placed on Esmerelda Ciantar, and then after taking her on as an apprentice and joining in her quest for justice. The latter being the most troublesome, as she had done so without seeking formal acceptance from Avien'zia's Voice.

  Not that it hadn't been done before. It was just considered disrespectful not to present your intentions to the highest member of Avien'zia's temple.

  Showing disrespect could lead to anything from a harsh lecture to a private lashing in front of fellow followers of the goddess.

  Regardless of the punishment, Shay wanted to get it out of the way before she left the city. Plus, she might yet find the answers that Ezzy sought as well.

  As Shay moved down the road, the city's newly-built wall and gatehouse loomed ahead. A few years ago, the bustling city was completely open to the vast plains beyond. The five-story stone wall that enclosed it now gave Shay an uncomfortable feeling, like hands squeezing around her neck. Before the wall, Avien'zia's temple had been visible from leagues away, a leather-clad guardian of the city. The mass of tents and small campfires surrounding its base like a mini village would send a cacophony of noise and revelry that would put even the rowdiest dive bar to shame. But as wild as things could get around the base of the temple, the citizens in Lurthalan knew it would never spill into the city. Even more important, the citizens knew they could rely on those “rowdy tent dwellers” to provide the services of breaking up bar brawls and keeping predators of both the animal and human variety out of the streets.

  Now, only the peaks of the leather buttresses peaked out over the top of the dull gray wall. Instead of the servants of Avien'zia, the citizens relied on the walls and the city guard, those with more ambition for power than training, for their protection. The lack of guards at the brawl last night was evidence of the city's weakness. Yet the people looked to them now instead of those who served Avien'zia—them and the so-called self-appointed Heroes.