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“It was ingenious work. Of course it had to have come from a woman.” The woman with the heart-shaped face laughed as she sauntered forward, hips and breasts all over the place. Even Sanders was mesmerized for a moment; watching that flesh sway made a man feel young again.

  As they passed, he motioned Ruisa forward. “Do you need to dump it in, or can anyone do it?”

  “There’s nothing special. Just upend the bottle,” she answered in a hush.

  “No stirring or anything?” he clarified.

  “No. Just upend and go.”

  Sanders nodded and took the formula. The fuzzy-haired Shadow said something to Denessa in their language, but she shook her head. Her gaze rested on Sanders. “I will be your backup. I can confuse their mind with my mental power if need be. It is my special gift.”

  “Great.” Sanders couldn’t help the sarcasm. It had been so simple when the rule was that dangerous people had a sword, and peaceful people did not. Now there was sneaky poison that didn’t kill for three days, mental killing, and reading thoughts. Sanders didn’t like this new set of rules. It was too hard to know what was coming at any given time.

  He took the poison and waited to give the two women a little time to work on the Graygual. Then he snuck up in time to see one of the women drape herself onto a Graygual lap. She traced her finger down his cheek before outlining his lips. “How about me and you, friend, have some fun?”

  “Disguising her knowledge of the language—smart. They will think she’s not educated,” the Shadow woman said quietly, watching with interest.

  “We don’t have any money to spend on you gals, honey doll,” one of the Graygual said, tracing his hands down her sizable chest.

  “I give sample,” she countered, gyrating across his lap.

  “I’ll take a sample of that,” another of the men said, a sexual fire in his eyes.

  The other woman had her top down and was pulling the third man’s head toward her nipple. “You like?” she asked the second man.

  That man got up as though in a daze. He was already undoing his pants.

  “We go in darkness,” the second woman said, looking all around. “You head man no like us around. But you like—we give sample. Maybe you like so much, you pay.”

  “Maybe…” the second man pulled her up by the hand. The other man rose, too. They drifted off into the trees, the men following with dazed, lust-filled eyes.

  The other woman tried to stand and take her man with the others.

  “No, no, we can just do it right here,” the man said, digging between them and fiddling with his pants. “See, I’m ready.”

  “No, no!” The woman adopted a terrified voice, looking around. “I threatened. No! I supposed to stay away.”

  “It’s okay, I’ll protect you.” He palmed her breast and tried to situate her.

  “No, no! I scream! I bring your leader man.”

  The man tightened up at that. He glanced off through the trees, pausing for a moment in thought. It must’ve been hard, with his dick taking all the thinking power away from his brain. Finally, he pushed her up and then grabbed her hand. “All right, fine. Let’s make it quick, though. If they find out I took off, they’ll cut off my dick and put me on display.”

  After they cleared away, Denessa stepped forward with a sneer. “Those men are filth.”

  “You wouldn’t let a handsome man lead you away if he offered roses and candy and all that crap women like?” Sanders accused. “I bet you would. He’d offer to clean your house so you could take a bath, and you’d club him over the head and drag him home. You women are no saints.”

  “I would have sex with a handsome man if he offered himself for free, sure, but those men will take the goods without paying a fair wage. It’s a disgrace.”

  Sanders couldn’t help a chuckle as he poured the liquid into the water. “Not the roses and chocolates type of girl, huh? A woman after my own heart.”

  They moved away quietly.

  “I think I would take the chocolates, actually,” she said. “And the clean house and bath, but I would give him something for his trouble if he didn’t talk too much.”

  Sanders laughed quietly. “You and Shanti will get along fine. It makes me wonder what my wife giggles to her friends about, though…”

  “The size of your penis, probably.”

  The humor drained from Sanders. He shot her a glower, squinting his eyes at her soft laughter. “On second thought, maybe I’ll make sure you don’t meet Shanti.”

  They made it back to the others. Sanders handed over the empty bottle as Burson stepped toward the city. “We must go. Now!”

  “What is he?” Denessa asked.

  “No time to explain,” Sanders said, jogging down the road.

  “Weapons out,” Burson called.

  Swords slid out of sheaths. A bow creaked.

  “This way is faster,” Denessa said, starting to run right.

  “No!” Burson replied, slowing the group in confusion. “We take the secret passage. It minimizes the possible death-outcome.”

  Sanders didn’t hesitate. They continued up the road before they turned right and saw a group of twenty or so Graygual making camp in the trees. The group was organized and efficient, spreading out and hunkering down. Away to the right more noise caught Sanders’ ear; the sound of other troops setting up a barrier in the night.

  Denessa slowed with the rest of them, sword at the ready. A wicked gleam burned in her eyes. “They are trying to block escape through the wood to the dock we use for fishing. They are preparing for war.”

  “So are we.” Sanders looked back, focusing on the boys. “Fight as a group, like Shanti taught you. Keep yourself alive, you hear me? I don’t want to lose a single one of you.”

  “What about me, sir?” Tobias said with a grin. “You ready to lose me?”

  “I was ready to dump you off at sea. You’re hard to kill, just like the rest of us.”

  “Got that right,” Tobias answered.

  “All right, kill at will,” Sanders said as he started jogging again.

  Everyone fell in behind. The Shadow took the outside, swords low, running like predators. As Sanders neared the Graygual getting ready for the night, he put on a burst of speed and whirled through the crowd. His sword slashed down on a shoulder, cutting in through the neck. Someone hopped up, faster than the trash in the city would. Sanders stabbed him through the gut before turning to another man.

  Denessa danced through, her blade flashing so fast he lost track of her strikes. She stabbed a man through the throat while someone at her back dropped his sword in confusion and then stared down at it dumbly. She whirled, hacking deep into his neck.

  Her mind-power was causing them confusion.

  Sanders slashed as someone rushed at him, dodged a strike, and then lunged, getting the man in the chest. A sword came up behind him. He spun and struck, taking his attacker down before moving a few short steps and stabbing in the back a man who was running at Etherlan.

  Another Shadow ran through, clashing with a Graygual who moved with precision. It must’ve been a fairly high-ranking officer. The Shadow was no slouch, though. The officer feinted, then struck. The Shadow blocked effortlessly, countering quickly. Someone ran at his back, but Sanders charged forward and took the Graygual out while the Shadow still battled the officer.

  A man went down grabbing his head and screeching. Sanders hacked at him, cutting off the scream. He stabbed through an enemy back who had an arrow aimed for Tomous. The arrow flew, high and wide, lost to the darkness.

  Sanders turned, directly into the enemy, only to see the arc of a blade slicing toward him. He had time to blink. That was it.

  Wind washed his face, forcing out a sputter.

  When he opened his eyes again, a dead man lay at his feet, and Denessa was working on another right beside him.

  Sanders sprang into action, pushing away the fear of a close call. Fear got a man killed.

  He ran at two Graygual advancing on Xa
vier. The youth used his blade like a veteran, turning one before blocking the other, and then advancing on the first. A veteran in skill, but apparently not in final execution. He was taking too long.

  Sanders rushed in and stabbed one in the side. Xavier, freed up, downed the other. They turned as one to face three running their way.

  “How many more?” Xavier panted, blocking a thrust, parrying, and then stabbing. He clipped the side of the enemy as Sanders blocked a sword strike and stabbed the Graygual in the eye.

  “Don’t know…”

  Sanders downed the third, only to see ten more running their way.

  “Attack hard and fast, boy. We’re better,” Sanders encouraged. “Charge on my word—surprise the fuckers.”

  Without warning, the Graygual staggered, clutching at their bodies. Screams rose. Feet became tangled. More than a couple crumpled to the ground among tortuous noises of anguish.

  Howls filled the air behind them, making Sanders look back toward the way he’d come. More Graygual, at least a dozen of them, sank to the ground.

  Three men jogged from the direction of the front gate. All Shadow, and obviously strong in power, the men approached the Shadow woman who had accompanied Sanders. Panting and covered in blood she spoke in a language Sanders didn’t understand.

  Instead of standing around like a fool, he quickly worked around to his men. He sought out Marc first, knowing he’d be with the worst off and wasn’t surprised when he found it was Etherlan, the weakest of them all.

  Etherlan looked up as Sanders approached. He winced as Marc fastened a bandage to his arm. “Moved too slow. That officer was damned fast. Almost had me. Had to have a woman save me. Now I know how you feel, having one come to your aid.”

  Sanders huffed, seeing Ruisa on the ground holding a bloody cloth to her leg. “Get used to it—there are women with weapons all over the place now. It’s terrifying.”

  “We’re terrifying?” Denessa said as she walked over, face grim. “You are the one with two heads and only one brain.”

  “You gonna let her sass you, sir?” Etherlan asked with a weak smile.

  “I figure if I nod and smile, she’ll go away,” Sanders growled, catching sight of Leilius standing up by the door with a knife shaking in his hand.

  “My men are alive,” Denessa said quietly. “I come to inquire about yours…”

  Sanders gritted his teeth, seeing Tomous leaning against a tree, trying to catch his breath. Daniels spoke with Burson, both okay. Tepson, the lucky bastard, would live to win another game at dice, and—

  Sanders’ breath caught in his throat. Tobias lay on the ground, arms wide. His hand was open, his sword resting gently on his fingers. Blood covered half his body.

  A Graygual lay next to him, huge and muscular. Easily as big as the Captain, if not bigger. His black uniform was covered in glistening liquid that would surely show red come dawn.

  Sanders hurried over and knelt beside Tobias, a burning in his throat. Sanders was responsible for this. It was his decision that had caused this.

  He clenched his jaw and fist, keeping emotion in check.

  “Not gonna cry, are ya, sir?”

  Sanders blinked a few times, leaning way over so he could look into Tobias’ face. The man blinked one eye open, then closed it again. “That big fucker fell on me. Slow as hell, but I didn’t get out of the way in time. Flattened me. Rolling that big bastard off added insult to injury.”

  Sanders gently touched Tobias’ chest. “Anything broken?” he asked with a badly masked, shaking voice.

  “Nah. Just tired. Damn tired. We’ve been doing nothing but battling against all odds. It really gets a man down when all that ends with a big fucker falling on you…”

  Sanders huffed out a laugh. “Get up you lazy sack,” he said, straightening.

  “I’d ask if a pretty woman could be brought to my room, but all the ones in this city come with a warning label. I think I’ll take my chances with my hand,” Tobias mumbled, not bothering to move.

  “You’ll fall down and be asleep in minutes,” Sanders responded.

  “That would be good, too.” Tobias rolled to his side and slowly got to his feet.

  “All right, everyone—let’s head in before any more arrive.” Sanders made a circle in the air and headed up the small hill to the secret door.

  “We were lucky they didn’t set up camp a little higher,” Denessa said as her men caught up to walk by her side.

  “It was you who was predicted to die,” Burson said, catching up with Sanders.

  Sanders groaned. “Saved by a woman again. This is getting to be a bad joke.”

  Behind them, Tobias started laughing.

  “Next time, Burson, just spell that out.” Sanders threw the older man a scowl. “I’ve been feeling guilty this whole time thinking it might’ve been someone else. That’s a rotten thing to do to a man.”

  “Telling you might’ve changed the outcome of your narrow escape.”

  Sanders rolled his eyes. There was always something.

  “They are organizing,” Daniels said in his customary serious tone. “We need to strike now, before they are set.”

  “We wait for Chosen,” one of the mental-workers said in a gruff voice. “Only win with Chosen. Big battle decide fate. Doctrines say.”

  “Does anyone know if she is close to the end?” Rohnan asked quietly.

  “Last we heard, they’d reached the trial of the land,” Denessa said. “If they make it through that they will be at the final trial, which is the battle. We’ve always thought we needed to stage the final battle, but… now the Thinkers aren’t so sure.”

  “You won’t need to stage a battle—the Graygual will do that for you,” Daniels said in a solemn voice. “If the Captain doesn’t finish up soon, the battle will be over before he joins it. All that will be left to do for the Graygual is to grab the foreign woman and head for the mainland.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Shanti felt her way along the path as night descended. The thick canopy above strangled the light, leaving her and Cayan in darkness. Vines still grabbed her feet, and more than once Cayan tripped, finally leaving his hand on her shoulder to stay close.

  Another creature had joined the first on the hunt, stalking silently through the foliage. The only way she knew this was feeling that presence moving ever closer. Watching her. Ready to strike.

  Thoughts of the boys flashed into her head. Their parents had said goodbye amid tears and proud smiles upon hearing that the Captain chose them, above all others, for such an important journey. They’d be battling for their lives as the Graygual gathered en masse on the island. She thought of people like Tomous, and Tauneya, who had had their lives ripped out from under them and looked for guidance to stand on their own again. She thought of the justice left unclaimed that would receive a huge setback if she and Cayan failed in these woods.

  As if in perfect clarity, it finally hit her. After all this time, after all these years, and all her suffering, it finally made sense, She may not be the best one to lead people into battle, but she was the only one standing up and saying she’d do it at any cost. That alone meant it was her responsibility. Someone had to have the courage to step forward, to say that what was happening wasn’t right, and to fight back. Someone had to push back regardless of the opposition. If not her, then who?

  She would let herself be a beacon for others to gather around. She’d be the example of what it was to lose everything, yet not give up.

  She’d be the one to put a knife through Xandre’s eye.

  “Let’s stop here and wait for them. There’s no use continuing in the dark.” Shanti stopped and dropped her pack. She glanced up, seeing the glow of moonlight in the very tops of the trees. Like the light, no rain made it through to the ground level. They wouldn’t need much of a shelter. “Let’s make a fire.”

  “That’ll cut down our visibility past the flames.”

  Shanti chuckled. “What visibility, Cayan? Our
eyes are used to the darkness, and still we can’t see. At least a fire will cut down one of the sides they can come at us.”

  Cayan’s pack thumped to the ground. “Predators would’ve attacked by now,” he said, feeling his way through the pack.

  Shanti closed her eyes and felt the night, something she’d done so often when traveling the wilds, feeling for Graygual. Letting her natural sense pick up on various dangers. Humans had these capabilities, as much as animals, but they were far buried by reason. All it took was living in constant danger for those abilities to surface like a buoy in calm waters.

  She felt them, out there. Close. Stationary in the trees, in two different areas, watching. Cayan was right. Normal predators hunting for food would’ve attacked by now.

  “They are hidden from the Gift, they are absolutely silent. They can obviously see something, even in the dead of night…” Shanti crouched next to Cayan. “Maybe they’re waiting for us to stop moving. Letting the night trap us here.”

  “We’ve been moving so slowly we might as well have been still.” A click of rock announced the flash of spark. The next spark was lower, illuminating the small fire-starting fuel supply they’d carried with them and kept dry. A third strike had a tiny flame growing to life, flickering in silence.

  “You’re getting good at that,” Shanti said quietly, facing toward one of the two presences. Facing the attack that would eventually come.

  “I can be taught.”

  Shanti let a smile curl her lips as the glow from the fire crept along the ground beneath her. It slowly reached out, burning away vegetation around it. Cayan added what fuel they had left and sat back on his haunches. “We need more wood. This won’t last long.”

  “As I recall, by your standards, getting wood is the man’s job. As is hunting. Off you go.”

  Cayan looked around them. He stood and took out his sword. In another moment, he stalked off to the right.

  “Wait,” Shanti said, jumping up and following him. “Don’t be absurd! I was just—”

  Cayan cut her off by picking up some dead wood at the bottom of a nearby tree. He turned around and held it up, the night mostly masking his smirk. “Done. Go gather, woman.”