THE SHADOW GYPSY

Book II in The Shadow Ryana series

by

C. R. Daems & J. R.
Tomlin

The
Shadow Gypsy

Copyright
© 2013 by C. R. Daems and J. R. Tomlin

No
part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means,
graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping,
or by any information storage or retrieval system, without the permission in
writing from C. R. Daems

This
book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are
products of the authors' imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance
to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.

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Map of HESLAND

CHAPTER ONE

DAZEL:
Tarion - The Tobar Clan

CHAPTER
TWO

DAZEL:
Tarion - King Stepan

CHAPTER
THREE

DAZEL:
Tarion - The Magic Balls

CHAPTER
FOUR

ARABY:
Scio - Lady wu'Lichak

CHAPTER
FIVE

CALION:
Zeles – Gods and more Gods

CHAPTER SIX

CALION: Zeles - Lady Roshan

CHAPTER
SEVEN

TUSKA:
Kaslos - The yellow robes

CHAPTER
EIGHT

TUSKA:
Lampo - Vengeance

CHAPTER
NINE

SAXIS:
Adak - A clan reunion

CHAPTER
TEN

SAXIS:
Sebec - A Shadow Sisters reunion

CHAPTER
ELEVEN

SAXIS:
Sebec - Some fortunes are better than others

CHAPTER
TWELVE

TUSKA:
The God drink

CHAPTER
THIRTEEN

TUSKA:
Flight to safety

CHAPTER
FOURTEEN

ZUNJI:
Near Bywick - Jelena

CHAPTER
FIFTEEN

CALION:
Slicci - More robed ones and more questions.

CHAPTER
SIXTEEN

CALION:
Zeles – Lady Roshan

CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN

CALION:
Zeles – Secrets

CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN

CALION:
Ashtol - Memories of the past

CHAPTER
NINETEEN

ARABY:
Scio: Lady wu'Lichak

CHAPTER TWENTY

DAZEL: White-robes

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

DAZEL: Tarion – The King

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

DAZEL: Assur Mountains - The Sanctuaries

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

DAZEL: Tarion – Revelation

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

DAZEL: Tarion – Preparing for war.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

DAZEL: Zunji – Storms of war

Novels by C.R. Daems & J.R. Tomlin

CHAPTER ONE

DAZEL: Tarion -
The Tobar Clan

"I'm scared, mother," I whispered.

"I know, Ryana. Most women about to be married are fearful. They’re beginning
a new life with a new clan and don’t know what to expect. But most don’t doubt
themselves. They know it’s the life they want." Stela's smile was sad.
"You doubt yourself. You saved a kingdom but lost yourself in the process.
You doubt you’ll make a good wife, mother, and member of your new clan." Her
eyes shone with tears as she tilted my head away and worked more flowers into
my hair.

How can someone who no longer knows who she is make a good wife and mother
or member of a clan? If I weren't being selfish, I'd leave. My chin trembled.

"We all love what you have done for us: the gypsies, Shadows, Earth
Wizards, Zunji, and the king, yet you hate yourself for what you had to do for
us. We all agree your actions were good and necessary, yet you believe your
actions evil." She turned me around so I faced her and wiped tears from my
cheeks. "It’s our turn to look after you, my daughter. To help you
heal."

She helped me off the floor, and turned me slowly around so I could see myself
in the mirror. My visual-self looked... beautiful. My shoulder-length, black hair
had yellow, purple, and red flowers woven into it. Around my head, a black
head-band with ten gold coins hanging from it—a dowry from my adopted parents.
I wore a white blouse with red trim at the V-neck and at the edge of the elbow-length
sleeves, and a skirt with red, yellow, and black layers. My shadow-self saw a
Shadow Sister dressed in black, her face covered by a black scarf that revealed
only her eyes. I shuddered.

"Thank you, mother. The dress is beautiful," I said, determined
to look... to be the happy bride for Luka, my soon to be husband, and Stela and
Marku, my adopted parents. I would force the
visual-Ryana to focus on the many happy times with the Dorian clan and forget
my shadow-self—the Shadow of Death.

I squeezed Stela’s hand as we climbed out of her and Marku's wagon, and
we walked hand-in-hand to join the crowd gathered inside the ring of wagons belonging
to the Dorian and Tobar clans. At least twenty couples were twirling around
each other like flowers caught in a whirlwind.

"You look stunning, Ryana," Marku said, as we reached the
bottom of the wagon's steps. He pulled me into a fierce hug and then held me at
arm's length. "Luka is a lucky man."

Yoan, Ilka, and Alida came running as soon as they saw me. Ilka grabbed
one of my arms and Alida the other.

"Now we know why Luka has never been caught by the clan's eligible women.
He's been waiting for you," Alida said and pulled me toward the firepit in
the middle.

"He needed a strong woman." Ilka laughed, helping to pull me
along.

Yoan grinned. "If I were Luka, I certainly wouldn't get her mad.
She's the best knife thrower in the clans. I should know."

The Sisters had taught me the basic weapons, and I had excelled at knife
throwing. But Yoan's coaching had made me an expert even by Sister Hajna's high
standards. Enough that Yoan had trusted me to develop a comical skit where I
threw very sharp knives finger-widths from his body. I couldn't help but relax
with them surrounding me. They had become like real sisters and a brother.

As they dragged be into the circle of dancing gypsies, Luka stepped
through the crowd. His dark eyes were wide and staring as he stumbled. My
shadowy thoughts evaporated when a smile lit his face.

"Ryana, you’re... beautiful." He reached for me. Before he
could touch me, Yoan grabbed his arm and shoved him toward Marku and a broad
shouldered man, a few years older judging by the graying hair and deep wrinkles
on his square face. They stood next to a small table, dressed in their flashiest
clothes: silk pants tucked into snake-skin boots, sashes around their waists,
and ruffled shirts.

Ilka and Alida steered me to the table while Yoan and Petre, a friend of
Luka, guided Luka by his elbow. As they did, the dancing stopped and everyone
gathered around us.

Marku looked around the crowd until there was silence. "I, Marku,
head of the Dorian clan, do attest that Ryana is a blood member of the Dorian clan,
and that she’s the daughter of Matteo and Ginevra of the Assur Mountains, and
that her ancestry can be traced back generations to the peoples of that
region." He turned to the man next to him who nodded briefly.

"I, Santo, head of the Tobar clan, do attest that Luka is a blood
member of the Tobar clan and that he is the son of Dani and Lujza, and that his
ancestry can be traced back generations to the gypsy clans and, therefore, not
related in any way to the peoples of the Assur Mountains." He reached down
and picked up a gold ring with an intricate pattern of interlocking lines and
knots. "Ryana, by accepting this ring, you agree to become a blood member
of the Tobar clan, to abide by the rules and customs of the clan, and to be a
faithful wife and life companion to Luka."

"I accept it," I said, knowing those three words would forever
change my life and Luka’s. My stomach roiled as I wondered if Luka would live
to regret it.

Santo handed the ring to Marku who spread it open as Ilka jabbed my ear
with a long needle. Marku inserted the ring, closed it, and Alida sealed it. Santo
picked up an identical gold ring. "Luka, by accepting this ring, you agree
to become a faithful husband and life companion to Ryana, previously of the
Dorian clan."

"I accept it," he said with a big grin. Ilka squealed and
jumped up and down. Laughter and cheering rang from our clans as the ring was
push through the lobe of Luka’s ear. Luka swept me up into his arms and kissed
me long and tender, as I wrapped my arms tightly around his neck to keep from
falling into an abyss.

He held me wrapped in his arms. Behind my eyelids, stars danced.

When I opened my eyes, Alida and Pali had stepped up to the table. Pali
had proposed to Alida when the Tobar and Dorian clans crossed paths in Kaslos,
though he’d had to earn a wagon so the marriage took a while to happen. I
glanced to see Alida glowing with joy before Luka kissed me again hard, and I found
myself in a space where there was only the two of us.

Wrapped in Luka’s arms, I hardly noticed the ceremony for the two until
Luka stepped back. He kept an arm around my shoulder as he cheered. I shook my
head at getting so distracted that I’d missed the ceremony and clapped. The
dancing, eating, and drinking began, and I was swept up into the exuberant
chaos that followed any excuse to celebrate. Luka pulled me into a circle of
dancers, and we spun until I was dizzy.

Sometime later, while the men danced, squatting, leaping, and kicking to
show off their strength, Ilka came and sat next to Alida and me. She sniffled
and wiped her eyes. "I'm going to miss you two, as will Yoan. He's already
trying to come up with another skit that doesn’t involve someone throwing
knives at him. I wish Yoan and I could join the Tobar clan. Of course, that's
not practical. The Dorian clan can't afford to lose four of its members." I
too wished she and Yoan could join us. The four of us had become very close,
closer because of the turmoil we experienced reaching Tarion. We lapsed into a comfortable
silence, each immersed in our own thoughts of the new lives tomorrow would
bring.

Luka, Yoan, and Pali's return brought us back to the here and now. The
celebration didn’t break up until the pewter light of dawn began to brighten
the eastern sky. Luka scooped me up and carried me to his... our home and laid
me gently on the bed. He knelt by the side of the bed, kissing my lips, eyes,
neck, arms, chest... as he slowly undressed me. It felt wonderful, and I never
wanted it to stop. I couldn’t help feeling a bit shy as I ran my hand down his
bare chest. Luka was the only man I’d ever let get close and my heart was
pounding. He bent to press his mouth close to my ear. "We’ve waited so
long," he murmured as he softly stroked me. My heart was thundering in my
chest. Afterward, I fell asleep in Luka’s arms, content.

* * *

The camp was coming alive as we rose and dressed. I needed to work with
Yoan in preparation for tonight's performance in front of the king. The Dorian
clan would perform tonight and leave tomorrow on their circuit north to Saxis
province. The Tobar clan had only just arrived and wasn’t scheduled to perform
for the king for a sixday. Most of the preparation was loading the props for
tonight and discussing our skit, since we hadn't performed it for several sixdays.

Yoan hugged me when he joined me at the stage. "I'm going to miss
you, Ryana. Besides missing the skit, you've become like a sister to me. But
I'm glad you decided to marry Luka and join the clans. At least Ilka and I will
be able to see you now and then." I kissed him on the cheek.

"I'll miss you and Ilka," I said, and left to dress for
tonight's performance.

CHAPTER
TWO

DAZEL: Tarion -
King Stepan

We arrived early to set up props, as usual when performing for nobles, and
retired to a modest room to wait while they ate. Everyone was a bit nervous,
having never performed for the king. When the king had asked the Shadow of
Death what she wanted for avoiding a war, I had asked that the gypsies be
placed under the protection of the king and allowed to perform for him when
they were in Tarion. If it had not been for them, the Shadow of Death would
never have reached Tarion, prevented the war, or identified those responsible. Unfortunately,
most of those who supported the leaders of the revolt could not be separated
from those who were just obeying orders and, therefore, would never be held
accountable.

Several hours later, we followed a servant to the entrance to the hall. I
cartwheeled into the room with the rest of the tumbling act. Stela then performed
acts of magic, sleight of hand. Baldi balanced on a tight rope strung forty
feet off the ground and over the dining tables; Pilipe juggled fire sticks and
knives. Finally, it was Yoan and my turn with our skit. We had decided to use
the Adami and Kati knife-throwing routine since it was the easiest for a large,
seated group to see.

Yoan swaggered onto the stage. I followed,
pretending to scan the audience and waving to men as if I was interested.

"Are you ready for the show, Kati?"
Yoan asked.

"Of course, Adami. Just make sure you
stand still," I scolded. "No scratching or making faces to throw me
off."

Yoan went to the wall and assumed a position
inside the outline drawn there, legs spread and arms extended straight out from
his sides. "Ready."

I stood twenty paces back, knife in hand
staring at him. I whipped back my hand as if to throw. The knife slipped out
behind my back, clattering to the floor.

"Damn, Kati. You said you practiced."

"I did. Well, sort of. It’s so boring.
Anyway, the knife slipped out because my fingers are greasy from the chicken.
I’ll be fine." I wiped my hands on my shirt as the audience snickered. "Quit
fussing!" My next knife flew and hit with a thud, hilt first, and dropped
to the floor.

Yoan glared.

"Don’t give me that look. I didn’t hit
you, did I?" I said.

Laughter was rolling from the audience.

"I think that’s enough," Yoan said,
stepping away from the board.

I held my knife, with the blade pointing
toward him. "Get back, you worm, or I’ll skin you like a chicken."

Yoan stepped back. The second he was against
the board, my knife struck, vibrating a hand's width above his head. I put my
hands on my hips.

"That was good, Kati," he said,
smiling.

"Well, sort of. I aimed for the outside
of your hand."

Everyone was shouting for Kati to throw
another knife and for Adami to be ready to dodge. The next knife went between
his legs a hand’s width from his crotch. That got gasps and chants from the
women to throw another knife. Now the audience was well into the skit, feeling
like it was real. The next knife went wild, hitting the floor first.

"That one doesn’t count, Adami. I was
looking at the king. He’s so handsome." I beamed a smile and pushed my
chest forwards, which wasn’t much of an improvement, but it was the idea that
counted.

"Pay attention to me, not him!"

The next knife stuck a three finger-width
below Yoan’s crotch.

"But he’s… majestic." I smiled and
twirled around making my skirt rise almost to my knees, stopped, and threw
again. This time, a two finger-width above his right wrist. "I got it,
Adami!" I jumped up and down, clapping.

"What?" Yoan said with a grimace.

"If I aim for your arm, I miss. Watch."
The audience gasped as I threw. A knife thudded below the right wrist, then one
above and below the left wrist. Then in rapid succession, one after another
struck two finger-widths next to this right shoulder, right ear, left ear, and
finally the left shoulder.

The room was silent, and then
clapping and stomping and laughter erupted throughout the great hall. When
the noise stopped the king motioned us over to the table where he, his wife,
and a few high ranking nobles sat. Ten guards stood spread out behind and to
the side of him. We stopped at the foot of the raised platform, some five steps
from the table, and went down on a knee.

"Rise. I don’t assume your names are Adami and Kati," he said
smiling down at us.

"No, Your Majesty. Yoan and Ryana," Yoan replied as we stood.

"Yoan, you are a very brave man; those knives are very sharp and the
blades long. You must love her a great deal," the queen said, looking at
her husband. A small smile touched her lips.

I smiled. "No, Your Majesty. If he did, he’d have more to fear from
his soon to be wife than me. She wouldn’t miss." A murmur of comments came
from the guest and a chuckle from the queen.

"Ryana…" the king said, his forehead wrinkled in a frown. "Are
you the fortuneteller who tells fortunes for province leaders and wizards?"

Damn. Triple damn! Luka’s face went
pale. I couldn’t blame him. If I angered the king with a fortune, he’d be
sleeping alone or accompanying me to a dungeon. "Yes, Your Majesty. For
their amusement," I added in desperation. If I sounded like I was a fake,
it would be bad. If I said nothing, it would be very bad.

"Well, tell me mine, for my amusement," he said.

My mind whirled in chaos.

"Your Majesty, I would beg you not."

"Why? It seems whether you can really tell the future or not, it
would make you famous. The woman who told the king his future."

"That’s the problem, sire. I once told a province leader’s fortune,
and later someone tried to beat me to learn what I had said."

"What did you tell him?" he asked, leaning forward.

"Nothing. A noble stopped him."

"What would you have told him if a noble hadn’t stopped him?"

"Nothing, Your Majesty. Right or wrong, what I tell the lowest
commoner for a copper or the highest noble for gold is for that person alone.
If I did, I would be a fake," I said, knowing I stood in a pit of vipers.

"You claim to see the future?"

"Sire, there are many futures, I can only tell the one I see most
clearly. It is for that person to decide whether the one I see is correct."

"What if you told my future in front of my guests? Then no one would
want to whip you for the information." He was playing a cat and mouse game
with me, but to what purpose?

"If you wish amusement, Your Majesty, I would be happy to."

"You are saying what you would tell me wouldn’t be a real future.
Why?"

"Because your future, like all our futures, is connected with
hundreds of others. If I tell your future with hundreds listening, one or more
of the people here or others they tell could take actions that would impact
your future, producing one of the futures I did not see clearly." I should
have been near panic by now. It was a king I was dueling with. But it felt like
one of Sister Rong’s games, which drew me like an Ahasha bat to blood.

The king laughed hard.

"Whether you can see the future true or not, you are a very talented
woman. This young man lets you throw knives at him, and a king cannot determine
whether you are real or a fake, because your arguments make sense and cannot be
tested. I’d wager that true or not, what you tell has value for your insights
if nothing else." He turned and handed a page behind him two small leather
purses and said something to him. The boy ran around the table and dropped one
in Yoan’s hand and another in mine. It felt heavy. "Ryana, you have amused
me and my guests, judging by the looks on their faces. I look forward to seeing
you again in the future."

I didn’t. He was a clever man, maybe too clever. Like Lady wu’Lichak in
Araby, he knew the bull’s eye was not painted in the center and the necks of
the bottle were narrower than normal.

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Yoan and I bowed and made a hasty
retreat to the sound of clapping. We were led to a separate room where two long
tables were loaded with food, enough for three times our numbers.

"You had me terrified," Luka said when the door closed behind
us.

"Get used to it, Luka. Travelling with Ryana on a good day is
exciting, and on a bad day, terrifying." Yoan laughed, handing Stela, who
kept the Dorian clan's money, his sack of coins. When I went to hand my sack to
her, she pushed my hand away.

"The Dorian clan owes you more than we can ever pay. Keep that as
our wedding gift to you."

"Thank you, mother." I gave Stela a hug. "I’m going to
miss you. The clan has been like family to me." I was torn in so many ways.
I would miss the safety of the Dorian clan, people I knew and loved who would
expect nothing from me. The Tobar clan would be like my time at Ahasha where I
wished to belong but was never sure what I had to do to stay. And Luka, what
did he expect, and could I give it? The duel of wits with the king I understood,
but my future with Luka and the Tobar clan I didn’t. It scared me to death.

* * *

A sixday later, Alida and I stood to the side watching the Tobar clan
performing for the king. The performances looked and felt completely different,
although in reality they were clever variations of the acts the other clans
performed. They had to be, or audiences would skip clan performances because
they all looked alike. Luka performed tumbling routines, but what made him
different was the use of fire. It made the act unique and look dangerous, which
appealed to audiences. When the acts were over and the clan was beginning to
leave, a page came running over to me.

"Mistress, the king would like you and her to join him."

"Me?" Alida said in open-mouth horror. The page nodded, and we
followed him around to the back of the table. When the king turned, we knelt.

"Rise. Ryana, why are you and your friend here with the Tobar clan,
and why aren’t you performing?" he asked.

"Alida and I were just married to men from the Tobar clan. It’s the
gypsy’s custom for the woman to join the man’s clan. Since we’re new, the clan
hasn’t decided where we will fit into the acts."

"I’ll wager you’ll have trouble finding someone who will let you
throw knives at him, particularly a husband." He laughed. "I look
forward to seeing you when the Tobar clan returns to Tarion."

We bowed and made a hasty retreat. As we did, Alida leaned close and
whispered. "I don’t know how you do it. Just standing that close to the
king was terrifying, and you managed to convince him you could tell his true
future."

"Not quite. He’s not one to see what he wants but rather what is. He
was unable to determine from what I said that I was a fake."

"Same thing," Alida said, laughing as we walked arm in arm
following a page to the room where the clan had been taken. "I’m glad
you’re joining the clan along with me. I love Pali, but it’s scary even though
I’ve known everyone in the clan for years. It’s different living with them."

As the door closed behind us, Santo turned from speaking with Luka.

"What did the king want," Santo asked. "I’ve heard about
the extra money you make fortunetelling, like the forty gold the king gave you.
That’s a season’s work for the clan. Everyone was talking about what you said
to the king. Now I see why Luka fell in love with you. I’ll wager we have some
exciting times ahead."

Alida gave a soft snort that was almost a laugh. "That’s because my…
sister does some really stupid things, like chasing after wizards to save me
and telling fortunes for province leaders." She grabbed me in a tight
embrace. "I love her, anyway.

"Well, Luka, maybe you can keep her from making things too exciting,"
Santo said, patting Luka on the shoulder. Luka gave a weak smile but said
nothing. I was two persons: his wife and the Shadow of Death, and he knew the
Shadow of Death might bring excitement he could not stop. I wished for the
hundredth time that I could be that Ryana who wished only to be an apprentice
Shadow Sister Spy. But the past couldn’t be changed. I must learn to live in
the moment, for Luka and the Tobar clan.

CHAPTER
THREE

DAZEL: Tarion -
The Magic Balls

I had changes to get used to with my new clan. With the addition of Alida
and me, the Tobar clan was slightly larger than the Dorian clan with four
children, ten married couples, and four unmarried--two young women and two men.
They had clowns rather than a comical skit. Instead of a teeter-totters act,
they had an acrobatic act performed on swings hung from ropes strung high
overhead, and had an escape artist. Otherwise, the acts were variations on the
standard knife throwing, magic, horse riding, tumbling, puppets, and juggling.
They had a standard fortunetelling tent, but their games were different.

One game consisted of throwing a copper into one of several trays. Each
tray paid a different amount, up to a silver. The more the tray paid, the
shallower it was. The copper, being metal, bounced when it hit the metal tray
which was set at a slight incline the table disguised. The second game involved
wooden rings. The object was to land the ring on one of several bottle necks.
Like throwing a ball into a narrow bottle neck, the speed and arc of the throw
was the key to both games—and a great deal of luck for the silver payout
tray.

We had finished a long and wonderful session of lovemaking, and Luka sprawled
on the bed, his face relaxed and content, as I dressed. I had to establish my
nightly wandering as normal as an excuse to be out late. Alida would support my
explanation. When I jumped down from the wagon, the camp was quiet except for a
few people around a dying fire. Using the wagon as cover, I launched Kasi and
Anil and kept in the shadows until I reached the edge of the forest before
appearing where Alida would notice.

"Ryana, wait up," she shouted, dragging one of the single
girls, Roza, along with her. She had a good figure and long black hair. "I
told you, Ryana is always wandering about late into the night. She’s better
than a camp dog," she said with a smile because it was a remark only close
sisters would make even in jest.

"Woof," I said, as I gave her a hug.

"Alida said you had Shadow training?" Roza asked excitedly.

"Yes, and now I find it hard to sleep more than four to six hours.
And I like the night. It’s a good time to relax and dream." And kill, I shuddered at the thought. I
was good at killing.

"She walks like her feet never touch the ground," Alida said. "Stela
said we needed to put bells on her so we would know when she was coming. Scare
you to death when she walks up right behind you and you didn’t hear her."

"You caught the one man in the clans every woman has been chasing
for years. After he met you, he stopped flirting with everyone. It was a pain. It’s
hard to catch a man who won’t look at you."

"I think he caught me, Roza," I said, being truthful.

She laughed. "Well, I’m off to bed. I need my eight hours. Need to
look beautiful if I'm going to snag a husband." Roza winked and waved as
she and Alida headed toward the wagons.

She reminded me a little of Ilka with her infectious smile and bubbly
personality. I wandered deeper into the forest, and sat down on a tree stump to
listen to Anil and Kasi chasing bugs. Anil warned me of someone approaching.
Reflexively, I dropped into the moment prepared to… I shook myself and relaxed
when I realized it was Santo, and there was nothing to fight.

"Evening, Ryana. So it’s true. You do wander at night and don’t need
as much sleep as the rest of us. The training at Ahasha must have been hard."
He sat after I nodded at his unspoken question.

"It was like any kind of training. It slowly becomes natural after a
while, like juggling or tumbling. And it’s hard to forget what you've learned."

"That’s true. Did you learn knife throwing there?"

"No, I have Yoan to thank for that. The first few years at Ahasha is
devoted to the type of education a noble’s son or daughter would get. The
skills of a Shadow don’t come until much later, after they have determined you
have the ability. They felt I didn’t, and it would waste their time and mine
trying to make me into something I would never be. It’s just as well. I doubt I
would have liked the life," I lied. I loved the sisterhood and would
gladly give my life for them—and maybe in a way I had. There is more than
one way to die.

"Have you figured out how you might fit into the acts? I doubt
anyone is going to let you throw knives at them, but Arkady was very impressed
with your throwing skill. He said you’re as good as him, and that's quite a
compliment."

"If no one minds, I could take the fortuneteller tent, and I’ll work
on the games while we try to decide."

"That’s good. Kata takes it the most often. She thinks it’s boring
and would rather work one of the games. You must have quite a reputation if the
king has heard of you. Marku said you bring in more money than the games. Do
they teach that at Ahasha?"

"No. The Shadows don’t put much faith in the past or the
future--only the present."

"No matter. You can work the fortuneteller tent for now. Good night,
Ryana. You may not need a full night’s sleep, but I do." He wandered off
leaving me alone, feeling I had established my cover. An hour later, I collected
my darlings and returned to the wagon. Luka was dead asleep, but when I slipped
in beside him, his arm went around me pulling me close. I nuzzled against his
shoulder, drinking in the feel of his smooth skin and its scent. My visual-self
felt warm and loved. My shadow-self kept silent.

* * *

We left the next day for Sandel, traveling slowly to give the Dorian clan
time to get several sixdays ahead of us. The clans tried to visit each town
every four sixdays, giving enough time in between performances for the
population to want another. The gypsies’ performances were cheap, very cheap,
if you didn’t participate in the games. That was where the clan made most of
their money. So we had stayed in Tarion an extra sixday and would take several
extra days in Sandel, Winton, and Udo to practice before traveling on to Scio,
the capital of Araby.

The clan put on a performance the third night in Sandel. I stood off to
the side watching the acts and trying to decide where I could best contribute
to my… yes, my clan. Afterward, I would take the fortunetelling duty for the
first time as a member of the Tobar clan. While I watched, I played with the
wooden ball, I had found in our wagon.

"What’s this, love?" I had asked, picking up one of the three
wooden balls about the size of a child’s head, lying in a cabinet at the back
of the wagon where a jumble of things were stored, including my bag with my
Shadow things.

Luka laughed. "As a boy, I played with the idea of becoming a
juggler. I was pretty good but not good enough. When I got interested in fire,
I gave up juggling." He shrugged. "But I kept the balls."

I don’t know why, but I took one of the balls outside and sat there
playing with it. I’d hold it in my hand, twist it, rolling the ball onto the
back of my hand, and up and down my forearm. Over the next week, I played with it
as I sat listening to Anil and Kasi. Then like I had with the blowtube, it
became an obsession. I found I could, fairly consistently, roll the ball up my
right arm, around my upper chest, and down my left arm, then reverse the action
or continue it onto my right hand to begin again.

I was working with the group who performed on the high rope swings, which
tonight was the last act. It included three married couples and Ferko, a single
male. Kata’s daughter, Riva, was also beginning to learn routines on the swings.
Right now she was better than me. In truth, I missed Yoan and our skit. But no
one showed an interest in being the prop, and as Sand had said, clans were
reluctant to use material from another clan. In truth, they considered
themselves one big family, and you didn’t steal from family.

Afterward, I went to the fortuneteller
tent. A handful of people, mostly women in the well-worn clothing of hard
workers, waited as I opened the flap of the tent. They just wanted to hear something
good would happen to them, and I enjoyed the evening. Lately, I seemed to be
able see the whole person: what they didn’t say, their scars and bruises, favoring
one limb or another, their accents and the way they phrased things. Combined
with the tension or lack of tension in their hands, I felt I almost knew the
person. No gold dropped into my palm, but I had a steady line of customers all
evening.

"I don’t know how you enjoy fortunetelling. I find it boring and sad
knowing the women are hard treated," Kata said as we sat around the fire
afterward.

"Yes, their lives are hard, but I can give them a small dream to
help them through the days to come." That was certainly part of what I
felt and hoped I provided. She looked at me for a long time before replying.

"Yes, I like that. I’ve always considered the women who paid to have
their fortune told as marks, like
those who play our games of chance. But if you give them a dream to hang onto,
maybe they are getting something for their money." She raised her cup to
me. "I admit I was worried about someone not born a gypsy marrying into
the clan. Usually, that doesn’t work out well. But I like you, Ryana. And I
love you for taking over the fortunetelling duties." That evoked laughter
from around the circle, as everyone had been listening. I was new and the clan
wanted to get to know their new member. Alida they knew from years of the clans
meeting on the circuit, but I was an unknown quantity.

Over the next two sixdays we put on performances in Windon and Udo. I had
been a little apprehensive when we arrived. Lord Phellen had me tied to a wagon
wheel and would have whipped me to death if Lord Boyan hadn’t stopped him. I
kept an eye out for nobles and the new Lord of Udo but saw no sign of the noble
and his guards. The last thing I wanted was the clan punished because of my
past sins.

We arrived in Scio late at night. Santo decided to rest the next day and
put on three performances, one every other day. As Luka sat on the edge of the
bed and pried off his boots getting ready for bed, I took out my bag, twisted
the foot rests which opened the secret compartment, and exposed its contents. He
stared opened mouthed as I dressed, strapping on blowtubes, needles, knives,
and putting my gypsy clothing over them. It was the first time I had opened the
bag or dressed in Shadow clothes with him watching.

"Night business?" he asked. We had agreed to use night rather
than Shadow since a passerby might hear the word shadow and put us all in
danger.

"Yes,"

"Dangerous?"

"No, my love." I held his face between my hands and gently
kissed his lips. "Not at all. I’ll be back in three or four hours."
With my bats under my shirt, I slipped out the door and into the night. I knew
Scio and the location of the Earth Wizards, so had no trouble finding it or
avoiding people on the way there. By the time I reached the door to their guild
house, it was open. They had known I was coming the minute I stepped onto their
property—the earth warned them.

A young, broad shouldered man in the traditional Earth Wizard's brown
robe, with its green vines and leaves trim on the hem and at the end of the
open sleeves, bowed to me. "Welcome, Shadow of Peace." My mouth dropped
open as I tried to think of a response to the strange greeting. "Your
enemies called you the Shadow of Death because they feared you and their
destruction. But you are our sister; you stopped a war and brought peace to the
kingdom. Come." He turned and led me through the passage.

I followed him into the giant hall where eight wizards stood next to
their seats. He waved me to an intricate chair of vines with yellow and white
flowers. When I sat, they did.

"Welcome, Sister of the Shadows. What may we do for you?" an
old woman asked. Her face a dark brown, smooth, and serene. Her warm voice and
smile made me feel welcome.

"I would like the Earth
Wizards to be my liaison throughout Hesland. I will be traveling across the
land, and our senior Sister will want to contact me. If I use the
Intermediaries, it will soon be obvious I’m traveling with the gypsies. That
would put the Shadow Sisters, my clan, and me at risk."

"We are honored by the trust you place in us, sister. Will other
Shadow Sisters be visiting us?" she asked, her head slightly cocked to the
side as if to emphasize the question.

"I have always trusted the Earth Wizards and been rewarded with your
support. No, only I will contact you for information from Ahasha. My senior Sister
will use messenger birds, if that is all right with you. The messages will be
for me only. Contact with the other Sisters will be through our Intermediates."

"Yes, that is most satisfactory. We love birds and can easily train
them to fly between our lodges and Ahasha. You will not be returning to Ahasha?"

"No. I would make my Sisters nervous… I’ve killed too many to be
trusted." There, the truth.

"Yes, war requires killing. And those who do the killing are not
always rewarded for their sacrifice. But among us, the Earth Wizards of
Hesland, you are a beloved sister and have our love and support."

"Thank you," I said, tears that I blinked back stinging my eyes.
Perhaps with Luka, my clan, and friends like the Dorian clan and the Earth
Wizards, I may be able to heal.

* * *

After our second performance, my first customer at the fortuneteller tent
was Lord Boyan.

"Good evening, Mistress Ryana," he said as he sat. For some
reason, he had always called me Mistress, although I was a commoner and didn’t
deserve the title. I liked him, not only because he saved my life in Windon
from Lord Phellen but because he was loyal to Lady wu’Lichak, and he was kind.
For a noble that tended to be unusual.

"Good evening, Lord Boyan. It’s a pleasure to see you again. How may
I help you?" As if I didn’t know.

"Lady wu’Lichak would like the Tobar clan to perform for her, two
nights from today. We didn’t know you had changed clans until someone mentioned
the fortuneteller Ryana was in Scio."

"I’m married, Lord Boyan. By gypsy custom, the woman always joins
her husband’s clan."

"Married? I thought Shadows… never…" Thankfully, he was at
least trying to be careful.

"They don’t." I felt sorry for Boyan. He’d been trying to prove
I was a Shadow Sister and thought he had based on things wu’Lichak had said to
me in Tarion. Now I'd shaken his proof.

"Mistress, you and Lady wu’Lichak are a good match. Obviously, if
the Tobar clan can’t come, my liege would still like to see you." He stood
and dropped a gold on the table and started toward the door, but returned. "Would
you tell my fortune, mistress?"

"Of course, Lord Boyan. Put your hands on the table." When he
did I placed mine over his and closed my eyes. I could feel his tension. "You
are held in high esteem and have earned the confidence placed in you. When the
provinces are at peace and the king in control, it is a time to enjoy that hard
earned peace. But your place of honor carries a responsibility to be ever
vigilant. Not all love peace." I opened my eyes and removed my hands.

"Thank you, mistress," he said after several minutes of
thought. He dropped another gold and left. The rest of the evening was normal,
although I think the line increased after they saw a noble come for a telling.

When I entered the circle of clan members sitting around the evening
firepit eating, Alida clapped to get everyone’s attention. Not that it appeared
necessary as everyone was already staring at me.

"I told you. She had a noble come for a telling… and it looked like
Lord Boyan, which I’ll wager means we will be giving Lady wu’Lichak a
performance." As she finished all eyes went from her to me. I shrugged and
handed Santo the two gold and several silvers worth of coppers.

"Two nights from now," I said and added, "Pali, be warned.
Alida’s a witch and can read your thoughts."

Pali turned towards Alida. His smile faded and everyone began laughing.
When it stopped Santo handed the money to Lujza, his wife, and keeper of the
clan’s money. She was a striking woman and in good physical condition, although
her long dark brown hair had streaks of gray. Her gray, green eyes sparkled
with intelligence.

"What does Lady wu’Lichak expect of you, Ryana," Santo asked,
not sure if this were a good or bad thing, judging by his wrinkled brow.

"Last time, Lady wu’Lichak sent us home. We had bets on whether she
would be whipped or sent to the dungeon. And when she came back escorted by
Lord Boyan and four soldiers, we thought we were going to join her. Instead
Lord Boyan gave Marku twenty gold toras," Alida said before I could reply.
Now you could hear the wood crackling in the fire it was so quiet.

"Last time I told her she was a trouble maker and ugly. She agreed."
After I said that, I think even the fire stopped crackling.

"That’s exactly what she told us she told Lady wu’Lichak,"
Alida said. "I love Ryana like a sister, but she does some crazy things."

Later, after a session of very passionate lovemaking, Luka propped himself
up on his elbow, watching me as I prepared to go out.

"What did you really tell her, Ryana?"

"I’m sorry, my love. But you have to consider me two people—a
day and a night person. Both love you and would give their lives to save you
and our clan, but the night person has scars and secrets best not shared. It is
the price of marrying me." My chest ached to have to be two persons, one I
could share and one even I didn’t want to examine too closely.

"You’re worth it, Ryana. I knew the conditions from the beginning,
and I’m not sorry. Go, I need my sleep." He laughed and pulled the cover
up around his shoulders.

I kissed him and left with my ever-present ball. My obsession was fast
becoming an act if I could reach a professional level of proficiency. I had
developed an acrobatic component with the moving ball, throwing or kicking it into
the air and catching it on the back of my neck, or between my legs, or with my feet,
then doing a roll and propelling it into the air again. I kept the ball rolling
around me or in the air without ever stopping or catching it with my hands. I
decided to try it out on the clan for their approval or disapproval and for ideas
if they liked the concept. I told Alida what I wanted to do as we gathered for
the evening meal. She waited until everyone had a plate and sat.

"Ladies and gentlemen and husbands," Alida began good-naturedly,
which provoked several pokes to the husbands. "My wild sister, in her
usual unconventional way, would like your opinion on a possible new act before
she spends any more time on it. Luka, you will be happy to know Ryana’s late
night adventures do not include carousing the town." She waved in my
direction. I was as nervous as I had been on every test at Ahasha.

I began slowly from a kneeling position, working the ball around my arms,
across my chest, and back of my neck. Then shot the ball into the air, rolled,
and caught it between my knees. My routine when on for several minutes. I
missed the ball twice but still thought it a respectable showing. When I
finished, there was silence even from Alida. I felt like crawling behind
something. Then the clapping started. Santo came up, took the ball, and
examined it.

"Ryana, I know this is your idea, but I’d like to make it into a
three or four person act."

"I’d love that. I didn’t develop this routine for a solo act; it
just happened as I sat enjoying the night with no one to talk to," I said
to snickers. "I’m clan and would prefer to participate with the clan rather
than alone." The discussions went on for hours, well past the normal hour
when people retired to their wagons. In the end, Kata, Alida, Maria, another
married woman, and I were designated the group to develop the routine with a target
of showing it off in Lampo, a small town just before reaching Adak.

The next day was a free day, so after fine tuning the acts for Lady
wu’Lichak, we began working with the wooden balls.

"This looked so easy watching you last night. Are you sure my ball
isn’t lopsided? The damn thing will go anywhere but where it’s supposed to,"
Alida said, grinning as the ball raced down her arm, shot past the back of her
hand, and rolled several steps away. Kata’s face muscles were tight and eyes
narrowed as she watched the ball as if daring it to disobey her. She was doing
well for her first day. Maria laughed as the ball rolled onto her chest, hit
her chin, rolled between her ample breasts, and stuck.

"The ball must be a male," she snickered. Kata lost control of
her ball. It hit her head and bounced away. We all started laughing. I needed clan—family—and
lots of it, I mused.

"We’ve been at it for hours. Why don’t we take a break? It took me
five nights to get it to roll from one hand, up the arm, and down to the other hand.
And then I was very inconsistent," I said, thinking to give encouragement
but realizing they had been through this many times before, learning acts and
developing new ones, and understood.

"It will take time to just master the basics, and I have some
suggestions that will go well beyond the basics. But I think it’s going to be a
great innovation and something nobody has seen before." Kata laughed. "This
should keep me from getting bored for at least a cycle or two."

Over the next days, the group started carrying their ball along with them
everywhere they went and began playing with them every free moment. Soon those
balls would be as much a part of them as their arms and legs.

CHAPTER
FOUR

ARABY: Scio - Lady
wu'Lichak

Early the next evening, we arrived at Scio castle, set up our props, and
retired to a waiting room. The room had a long table filled with snacks, which
was a nice gesture but wasted as no one ate much before a performance. I sat down
next to Alida.

"I feel out of place, not having anything to do." For
performances for nobles, the clans usually put on an abbreviated version and
left out less impressive acts or routines. Since I hadn't been with the clan
long and my real contribution with the Dorian clan had been knife throwing and
I had only a small part on the swings, I wouldn't be performing
tonight—at least along with the clan. My performance would be with
wu’Lichak with yet to be determined results.

"I understand. Their acts are different by necessity, so we have to
be integrated into them and that will take time," Alida said, munching on
a slice of cheese. "I kind of like the idea of us having a new routine
rather than being fitted into an existing one. Leave it to you to go off and do
something different. At least you managed not to get hurt this time."

We stayed in the waiting room while the clan performed. Not long after
the clan left to perform, servants filed in, removed the snacks, and began
bringing in food for our dinner. They had only just finished when the troupe
came back all smiles. Lady wu’Lichak had been generous and given Santo twenty toras.

Boyan didn't arrive until after most had finished eating. He looked
around and headed for me.

"Lady wu’Lichak was concerned when she didn’t see you perform,"
he said, as Santo came walking over. Boyan smiled at him. "Lady wu’Lichak
will have a special dessert served for you in a few minutes and would
appreciate you waiting until she has had an opportunity to talk with Ryana. She
would prefer Ryana didn’t leave the castle alone."

"As the First Lady wishes. We would also prefer she didn’t have to
leave alone," Santo said. Boyan motioned to me, and I followed him to the
same study as last time. This time, however, there was no food, only a crystal
glass with water, and no guards.

Lady wu’Lichak entered a short time later. I stood and gave a small bow.

"I've dispensed with the games, since we’ve already taken the
measure of each other," she said. "Would you have told the previous
Lord Phellen what you told me?"

"No. It was none of his business."

"He would have beaten you to death," she said, continuing when
I shrugged. "I guess you were right, when you said I would determine the
fate of Hesland. If I hadn’t sent Boyan, Phellen would have killed you and the
future would have been different—far different." She looked to where
Boyan stood off to the side, quiet and unnoticed.

"Boyan said you were with a different clan."

"Yes, women join the clan of their husbands."

"Gypsy women," she said more like a question than a statement.

"Yes," I said, touching my ear. "I decided I liked gypsy
life even before I met my husband." Wu’Lichak was struggling with the same
conflicting thoughts—she thought me a Shadow Sister, but Shadows didn’t
marry. But unlike Boyan, she could deal with the conflict.

"So, you’ll be passing through Scio on a regular basis. When you do,
it would be nice if the… Tobar clan would perform for me, and you could give me
a telling. I get tired of hearing good news," she said, smiled and sat in
a red-velvet, high-back chair, and waved to another one facing her. I looked
around the room, about the size of five wagons, and spotted the same table we
had used last time. What I had told her last time was neither good news nor
entertaining. I pulled up the proffered chair next to the table and sat. She
stared at me for a long time, then rose and waited while Boyan moved her chair
next to the table. I held my hands out, palms down. She frowned and placed her
hands on the table.

"Is this really
necessary?"

"If you wish a telling, Lady wu’Lichak." I placed my hands over
hers and closed my eyes. Alida had the right of it. I was crazy. I no longer knew
whether I was playing one of Sister Rong’s games or could see the future. My
visual-self had left and in her place my Shadow-self sat in the moment between
past and future where nothing else existed except wu'Lichak and a Shadow.

"You have gotten what you wished for, peace for your people. A world
where few decisions are required to keep your kingdom safe. But, that is an
illusion. Not all see your vision of peace. Many are discontent with the outcome,
although not connected. They look for a leader among their individual groups of
discontent. They are harmless. Watch for the one who will unite them in a
common cause." What had triggered the thought, I had no idea. Intuition, I
guessed. Certainly not logic.

"Damn you, Ryana." Wu’Lichak jerked her hand from under mine,
causing Boyan to come alive, watching his liege closely for any command. "Why
can’t you tell me something good, or how beautiful I am or clever, or… I told
you before, rulers don’t like bad news." She held up her hand. "I
know. You could make up a good future if I wished." She rose and walked
over to her desk and picked up a sack and threw it to Boyan.

"Do I watch alone?"

"The earth and shadows watch, but from afar. You rule here."

"You are many mysteries rolled into one. I doubt you or anyone can
see the future, yet I believe you. I believe you are a keen observer of what is
around you, know more than a gypsy should, and see one future clearer than others."
Her eyes never left mine, staring as if she were trying to read my mind. "Boyan,
should give that sack to…?"

"Santo."

"Santo, and thank him for his clan’s performance and Ryana’s time."
She looked back to me. "Which one of us will decide the future of Hesland
this time?"

"The earth, Lady wu’Lichak." I rose and followed Boyan to the
waiting room. In the room Boyan handed the sack to Santo.

"The First Lady said to thank you for your performance and Ryana’s
time," he said, then turned to face me. "I too will keep watch,
Mistress Ryana."

Everyone was silent as Boyan left and Santo looked into the bag. He gave
a soft whistle. "Twenty-five toras, she must have liked what you told her."

"Did you tell her she was ugly and incompetent, again," Alida
asked, grinning.

"No, I told her she was too old and decrepit to rule," I
replied, invoking a mixture of open mouth stares and a few laughs.

CHAPTER
FIVE

CALION: Zeles
– Gods and more Gods

We gave one more performance in Scio and left for Ossic the next day. It
was a leisurely, three-day ride. I enjoyed the time with Luka, listening to
tales about him growing up in the Esterban clan. When he was a boy, the gypsies
were accused of everything that went wrong. Often times the fights resulted in
serious injuries and even deaths. In Kadal, his father had been killed in one
such fight. A few cycles later his mother, Lujza, married Santo and joined the
Tobar clan. Those early cycles had been difficult for the gypsies. The
relationships with the towns varied from season to season, ranging between fair
and hostile. Things had improved somewhat in the last ten cycles, and now under
the king’s protection, they were the best they had ever been, even though
neither Luka nor I had any illusions the gypsies were considered real
Heslanders.

We put on two acts in Ossic. The audiences were small but enthusiastic. Early
one morning, a rest day between performances, I saw two men in orange, hooded
robes. They stopped when they saw me. Their robes were long, reaching to the
ground, the hoods pointed in the back, three sizes larger than their heads, and
the sleeves extra wide, hiding their hands. I’d imagine they would look scary
in the dark of night.

"Mistress, can you share a few coppers or some food? We are the followers
of the prophet Pedro and honor the Goddess Jhea, who is the ruler of the
universe. We have dedicated our lives to helping those in need."

I reached into my purse and fished out three coppers and dropped them in
the tall one’s hand, barely visible peeking out from the wide sleeve. The hoods
made their faces too shadowed to make out clearly.

"Thank you, mistress. May Jhea make your days filled with happiness,"
the shorter one said as they continued walking away from our camp grounds in
the direction of town. I spent the rest of the days practicing with Kata on passing
the ball back and forth. At least half of the time was spent laughing at the
results—the ball hitting one's head rather than the back of the neck,
tripping while trying to get in position for a bad pass, the ball landing on
the top of a wagon. It was good entertainment, and we frequently had clan
stopping to watch. We were making progress, but slowly.

* * *

The trip to Ashtol took five days and provided an excellent opportunity
to work on new variations to existing acts and for the ball team to practice.
In a way, it brought back memories of Ahasha with Jelena and me as we struggled
to perfect the Sisters' secrets. The difference here was that we had no one to
show us how to do it. We had to discover the secrets ourselves, which gave me
great respect for the skills the Sisters had developed over the years. I
wondered if many of their techniques were found by accident like we had done on
several occasions--a fall while trying to get under the ball, only to find you
had caught it between your knees, which then led to many other variations.

Four days later we moved on to Zeles which gave us a sixday of free time,
and our basic routine was taking shape. In Zeles, I visited the Earth Wizards
late on the second night. The same older female wizard in her ash-colored seat
greeted me.

"Welcome, Sister of Peace. We are pleased to see you alive and well.
How can we help you?" Her voice was soft and warm. Six other wizards sat
in a variety of vine-chairs. Last time I sat on a rock in the center of the
dirt and rock hall. Today they had provided me a chair with soft, lime-colored
vines covered with lovely white and pink flowers that had a smell of spring.

"I come to ask you to be my Intermediate with Ahasha," I said,
knowing they had already communicated with the guild in Scio, but I felt I
should ask out of politeness.

"We are honored by your trust. We should have birds trained before
you reach Saxis."

"I noticed several men wandering the town and standing on the outside
of our performance in black robes. At least, I think they were men. Their robes
hide their faces and body shape. The robes are similar to those in Araby,
except for the color. Do you know anything about them?"

"Yes, those in black follow the prophet Virtor who claims to have
been given guidance from the God Xades, ruler of the underworld. He and his
followers seek to punish evil in the hope of creating a good and safe world.
You will find yellow-robes in Tuska, and a prophet named Drogo dedicated to the
Goddess Amatera. We have not heard anything from Saxis or Dazel."

"Are they peaceful?"

"Except for some minor incidents, the followers have not caused any
trouble and are quick to help if asked. Their camps are well out of town so
they are easily ignored. They seem to be persuasive, because their numbers have
been growing." She frowned. "Do you have concerns?"

"No, sister wizard. Those I’ve met were very nice and their goal
worthy, if impossible."

"You worked a miracle. Why not them?" the old lady wizard asked
with a motherly smile.

"Stopped a war. I did not change the way men… and women think."

"True, and now as the
king’s wizards, we will keep watch with the Shadows."

"I hope it will be a long, boring watch," I said and was greeted
with nods and a rumbling of the ground which I took for unanimous agreement.

* * *

When I returned to the wagon, Luka was waiting up, or at least, he was
making an attempt to stay awake. Without thinking about it, I entered as quiet
as the air I let in when I opened the door. Luka sat on a bench, eyes closed,
chin resting on his chest, and holding a half empty cup of water in his lap. I
kissed him lightly on the ear, and he jerked awake, spilling the water, and
looking wide-eyed around the shadows caused by the half moon of Setebos.

"It’s me, my love," I said giving him another kiss on the ear.

"That’s the last time I stay awake waiting for you. You scared me
near to death."

"I'm hurt, Luka. My kisses scare you?"

"You know what I mean, Ryana. I thought a ghost had brushed against
me."

"Now you don’t like my touch. And I thought you loved me," I
sobbed.

He reached up and pulled me into his lap. "You’re forgiven."

"I’m forgiven? I didn’t say your presence scares me, or I can’t
stand you touching me." I put on my best indignant look. He laughed.

"You win. You can creep up on me anytime and touch me all you want,"
he said, while nuzzling his lips between my breasts. He looked up. "Oh,
the reason I was trying to stay awake was to tell you Lady Roshan has asked for us to perform for her tomorrow… I guess it’s
tonight now. She didn’t say anything about you, but Alida said you gave her a
telling in Ashtol several seasons past."

We were both awake, so I began
some serious kissing and rubbing, and found myself in bed naked, so I assumed
he wasn't interested in Lady Roshan anymore.

CHAPTER SIX

CALION: Zeles - Lady Roshan

The performance went well, and
again I didn’t perform. This time at my request. I convinced everyone that my
part on the swings wasn’t significant enough to warrant inclusion. Lady Roshan
might have liked to see my act with Yoan, but not me on the swings. While those
of us not performing waited the troupe’s return, Lujza sat down next to me.

"I wonder whether my son
captured a beautiful tigress or the tigress captured my son," she said,
sipping a fruit drink that the servants had provided along with a variety of
cheeses and breads. "Kings, first lords, and wizards know you by name and
seek your counsel." It wasn’t a question but it was. Who are you?

"I’m a young girl who has
had very little experience in the ways of the world but knows she is in love
with your son, wants to be accepted by the Tobar clan, and to live her life in
peace," I said, holding eye contact with her. "Before I met Luka, I
fell in love with the Dorian clan and could see life with them. But Hesland was
a smoldering volcano with everyone choosing sides and looking for places to hide.
Many reached out to fortunetellers who normally wouldn’t have. Somehow I became
the one to see. A mystery gypsy able to see what no one else can." I
shrugged. "How do you refuse nobles and wizards?"

Lujza looked at me for a long
time without speaking. "Yes, I believe you do love my son. And yes, it is
safer to stay on a runaway wagon than to try to get off. But nobles and wizards
are not stupid. They believe what you tell them, or you would have been flogged
for pretending to be real and not sought a second time."

"If you wish me to leave, I
will." She was right—more than she knew. I was a dangerous person to
have around, even with the gypsies being under the king’s protection.

"No, my dear. You're my
son’s wife and a member of the Tobar clan. I believe Luka captured you when you
were vulnerable. That is obvious to me." She gave me a wry smile. "I'm
just a nosey mother trying to get to know her new daughter."

"No, protecting your son and
your clan."

"No, protecting my son, my new
daughter, and our clan.

* * *

Not long after the troupe
returned from their performance, a middle-aged man in military dress and
wearing a sword and long dagger entered the room, looked around, and then
headed straight for me.

"Are you Ryana, the gypsy
fortuneteller?"

"Yes, sir. I am."

"Inform your clan leader
they are to remain here until you return. Then follow me," he said in a
very officious and cool tone. I nodded, found Santo, and gave him the message.
I followed the officer down the hallway, up some stairs, and down another
hallway. Lady Roshan's new residence was bigger and looked more elegant than
her place in Ashtol. Soon the man stopped at a door with two guards, knocked
once, and entered. A minute later he opened the door to wave me in.

"Lady Roshan, will see you
now."

When I entered, he closed the
door and moved nearer to Roshan. It appeared he was the captain of her security
and trusted.

"Ryana, I missed your knife throwing skit. And you’ve changed clans.
It was only by accident that I discovered you were in town."

"It's true, Lady Roshan. I’m married and with my husband’s clan, and
they do seem reluctant to have me throwing knives at them," I said and
received a good natured laugh.

"He was a very brave man. As you have probably noticed, I’ve been elevated
to a second lord, largely due to your vision of the future. You did not tell me
what I wanted to hear or even good things to come. You gave me hard truths. So,
what do you have for me this time, Ryana of the Tobar clan?"

"I do not know Lady Roshan. If you would sit, I could look," I
said, apprehensively. This woman had hard questions last time and was not one
to take lightly. She nodded as if expecting the same routine as last time, and
pointed to a table and two chairs off to the side. She sat after I did and put
her hands on the table. A small smile creased her lips, sort of like a hawk
considering a mouse trapped under its talons.

I placed my hands over hers, closed my eyes, and dropped into the moment,
ensuring if the captain moved I’d know it. Then I turned my thoughts to Roshan.

"Last time we talked, Hesland was splitting into two worlds, and you
had no choice but to choose one. You chose the one the shadow watched and
benefited. Then there were only two world views. The choice, this or that.
Today there are many views different from yours. They are easy to ignore
because each is weak. No one threatens you. It is not them that you should
fear. It is one who can find a common cause. Watch for that one. That one can
destroy you."

"Does the shadow also watch?"

"Yes, the shadows and the earth watch, but from afar. But the watch
is yours as are the privileges you can lose."

"When? Who?" Her voice rose in a demand.

"There are many potential futures behind a mist I see, none clearer
than another."

"Then how am I supposed to defend against the one?"

"You are not alone, but with privilege comes responsibility."

"How dare you!" Roshan stood abruptly, jerking her hands from
under mine and knocking her chair over. The captain drew his sword and stepped
forward. I remained frozen in the moment, capable of killing the captain, who
thought me a simple gypsy, but unable without jeopardizing my clan.

"No!" Roshan shouted. "Put away the sword, captain.
Neither you nor I is impressing her."

"If you wish me to tell you that you will become the First Lady of
Calion, everyone will love you, and you'll live for a hundred years, I will.
And then you will have reason to have me thrown into your dungeon."

Roshan gave a snort and nodded towards her chair. The captain quickly set
it upright and she sat again.

"Gypsy Ryana of the Tobar clan, you are an enigma. You tell fortunes
for coppers, yet nobles and wizards seek you out. You see more than you should
and hold many secrets, yet you are still alive. You are a commoner and worse,
in the opinion of most, yet don't act accordingly." She sat back in her
chair, watching me. "What do I owe you for this telling?"

"Two coppers," I said. She laughed.

"For two coppers, you'd let someone whip you to death rather than
divulge your telling, yet another mystery." She rose and walked over to
her desk, removed something and returned. "Here are your two coppers,
Ryana." She smiled and threw a bag to the captain. "Give that to the
gypsy Santo. Tell him, it's to ensure his clan gives me another performance
when he returns to Zeles."

* * *

"My pay for the telling," I said dropping the two coppers in Santo's
hand.

"So, what did you tell Lady Roshan?" Alida asked, as Santo
counted the toras in the bag the captain had given him.

"I told her she'd become the First Lady of Calion, everyone would
love her, and she'd live for a hundred years."

"She overpaid you," Alida said, trying to look serious.

"I guess this twenty-five toras has nothing to do with bringing you
along," Santo said while still staring at the gold coins in his hand. I
shrugged. What could I say? It was obvious the nobles didn't want to advertise
they were asking a gypsy for a telling—which suited me fine. There were
too many nobles like Phellen running lose on Hesland.

CHAPTER
SEVEN

TUSKA: Kaslos -
The yellow robes

A season passed without anything exciting happening,
which suited me. I had enough to do learning to be a wife, the member of a new
clan, and preparing for a new act. We had visited Kadal, Silicci, Bywick, and
were now in Kaslos, the capital of Tuska Province, for a planned sixday, three
performance stay. The twenty days of travel had been good for our ball act, and
we had made significant progress. We now had our program set, which consisted
of individual performances combined with a four-member-team coordinated
routine. All that was left was consistency—never dropping a ball or
missing a pass from a team member. Maria had suggested we develop a few comic
routines if a slip did occur, which made it look like it had happened on
purpose.

"What do you think, Kata?" I asked as we took
our first break of the morning. Kata had become the unofficial captain of the
team. She had a naturally creative mind and had developed most of our routines.
I was relieved, not wanting the responsibility.

"I love that damn wooden ball. It's the most fun
I've had in years. We have three sixdays before we reach Lampo. With Maria's
comic routines in the event we screw up, I think we can pull it off. In any event,
Lampo is small and a good place to try out a new act. The balls are a great act
and nobody has ever seen anything like it. We just need to perfect it. The
other clans are going to be racing to develop something similar as soon as they
see it. So, I think we have a cycle advantage," she said, throwing the
ball up and catching it on her head, where it sat like it had been stuck there.
Letting it roll forward off her head, she caught it on her foot, tossed it to
the other foot, and then back up to her head. She smiled. "Alright, now
that we are warmed up, let’s try our team routine.

The evening performance was well received. I was now a
permanent member of the swing team and had become one of the flyers, ones who
performed acrobatics after leaving one swing before being caught by a person on
another swing. Only being able to drop into the moment made it
possible—there were no nets during the performances. The initial training
concentrated on how to hit the ground if you missed. The odds were about
fifty-fifty you would break something, but probably not your neck. Alida became
part of the magic and juggling acts. Everyone had several duties during each
stop besides helping to pack, unpack, and set up for the nightly performance.
And although you may be a member of several acts, the acts at each performance varied
so that your chances of being in more than one were low. Then there was the
games, cooking, cleaning, repairing—not to mention developing new acts
and improving old ones.

As I watched the crowd, a habit I had developed when I
sought the answer to who was killing Sisters, I was struck by the absence of
wizards, assassins, and even thieves. I know the wizards were a bit nervous
since they had discovered the Sister of Death—a non-wizard—had
learned how to kill them. And no one was currently hunting Sisters, but it
still seemed strange. The fortunetelling tent had the usual number of women
looking to hear something to dream about, a few men with business questions,
and a few looking to be amused. They usually left glassy eyed.

The meal that night was lively with songs and dancing.
I hadn't participated in the dancing with the Dorian clan, but Luka loved to
dance and was teaching me. I was beginning to relax and feel like a real member
of the Tobar clan and my shadow-self mercifully asleep.

* * *

I sat on
the steps of our wagon, idly watching as a man in a yellow robe and hood, which
made it difficult to see his face, walked into our circle of wagons. He stood
looking around, as Dmitri, Kata’s husband, noticed and went to meet him.

"Good sir, how may we help you?" Dmitri was always good
natured, gregarious, and willing to help, clan or not.

"Yes, sir. I’m a lowly follower of Amatera, the Sun Goddess who makes
all life possible and wishes it to be cherished. Amatera has given the prophet
Drogo, in Her name, the task of ending war and violence. I would ask a donation
to help the followers of Amatera towards achieving that goal."

"A worthy goal," Dmitri said, reaching into his pocket and
giving the man several coppers. "It isn’t much, but I’m not a wealthy man."

"I would think the gypsies would contribute toras to the cause, as
you have been the target of much hate and violence."

"That is true, but we are not rich and a few toras to your Goddess
will not change that. We are much like you and do our best to create peace by
being peaceful ourselves."

" Amatera gives us life and expects us to help maintain it through
nonviolence. If you do not wish to help, you cannot expect Her followers to
help you in trouble."

Santo strode up and stood akimbo. "Enough. Dmitri has given you what
he can afford, and you should be grateful. Your goal it admirable, but the
gypsies do not have extra money to waste. You should leave, now."

"I pray Amatera will not consider you against peace," he said.
When neither Santo nor Dmitri said anything, he turned and walked away.

"That sounded much like a threat," Santo said.

"Probably just an eager recruit, thinking because his prophet’s goal
is a good one, he can change the world."

"I wish him good luck, but I don’t plan to ask the clan to give up
their clubs and knives," Santo said as he walked away.

* * *

The next day, Kata, Alida, Maria, and I spend a good part of the day
working with the wooden balls. The individual routines were progressing reasonably
well, but the passing of the balls sometimes had us in hysterics. On one such
sequence, I did a backward flip with the ball between my feet. Halfway through
the back flip, I shot the ball high into the air for Kata to catch on the back
of her neck. While the ball was in the air, she let the ball bounce off her
head and before it hit the floor kicked it into the air for Maria, who pushed
the ball she had spinning on her finger into the air and hit it with her head
in my direction. In theory, the three balls were propelled into the air
simultaneously and would be caught in a variety of positions: kneeling, lying
flat, in the air...

All three balls made it into the air about the same time. My ball, which
Kata would catch on the back of her neck, hit her in the head knocking her half
unconscious. Maria’s pass to me wasn’t high enough and landed before I came out
of my flip. I landed on the ball and went flying across the floor. The ball to
Maria was a little long, but she managed to stagger back and trap it between
her feet. But she was off balance, landed on her ass, and screamed, "I
caught it!"

We laughed till tears ran down are faces. And laughed more when several
clans, who had been watching, began clapping.

"If all else fails we can replace the clown act," Kata said
between laughs.

* * *

The performance went smoothly that night, the games afterward were
reasonably profitable, and the fortunetelling had a steady line all night. On performance
nights everyone tended to retire early as they were long days: practicing
routines, setting up, the performance, games, and cleaning up afterward. I lay
on the bed listening to Luka talk about modifications he intended to make based
on watching us workout.

"Well, not so much what you were doing, but what you were trying to
do," he said with a grin. I gave him a good-natured punch in the arm, and had
leaned over to kiss his beautiful face, when Kasi alerted me to men
approaching. I was still dressed as I was getting ready to leave when Luka
decided to retired for the night. I grabbed my knives, ran to the door, opened
it, and shouted.

"Clan to me!" A call every man, woman, and child would answer
regardless of what they were doing. Seconds later doors were flung open and
people began jumping from their wagons with knives or clubs in their hands. A
few minutes later some twelve men filtered through the wagons into the circle.

"We see you had a good night at your performance and games, thanks
to Amatera and our intervention. It would seem you should now be interested in supporting
us with toras. Ten would help us ensure the crowds remain peaceful," the
lead man said. He wore a yellow robe like the others but my Ahasha training
marked him as different: he stood relaxed like a fighter, talked like an
educated man, and was self-confident. They all wore swords, which gave them a
distinct advantage against the knives and short clubs the clan traditionally carried
for protection. I could see Santo weighing the clan's options. If they lost,
everyone would be killed or wounded, the wagons ransacked, and some, if not
all, destroyed. The yellow-robes would suffer heavy losses, but that wouldn't
change the outcome—it could mean the destruction of the clan. But would
ten toras be enough to stop them, if he capitulated.

My thoughts flashed back to the Eyes of God—thugs, killers
professing to protect while they plotted revolt. My body shook with rage, and
my shadow-self took control.

"You," I shouted, pointing the hilt of my knife at the speaker.
"Do you see that painting of a red bird sitting on a vine on the side of that
wagon?" I pointed the hilt to a wagon some thirty steps from me and half that
distance from him. The bird was a about the size of my hand. "It’s smaller
than your head," I said as my knife whistled through the air, slipping
into the wood at the bird's head, and vibrating like an angry wasp. "They
aren’t toras, but I have six I’m willing to donate. The first one is for you."

I had just finished speaking when another knife hit a finger-width from
mine. "I also have four." As Arkady talked, Alida walked up behind me
with three knives in her hand and Kata on the other side with two. Edita and
Arina stood beside Arkady also holding knives. The leader’s hood moved from me
to Arkady and back.

"Amatera will be displeased, gypsies," he said loudly, then
turned and left with his followers behind him. Tears running down my cheeks, I
ran up the steps to our wagon, closed the door, and threw myself on the bed,
banging the pillow like it was at fault. Luka entered soon afterward.

"What’s wrong, hon?" he asked, kneeling by the bed, his hand
gently rubbing my back.

"You know what I must do." I hit the pillow again and again. "They
have ripped the scabs off wounds that were beginning to heal."

He pulled me to him and silently held me in has arms, rocking a little. A
gentle man, I don’t think he understood. I must have dozed off because I woke, momentarily
unsure where I was, until Luka jerked upright. He too must have dozed off. I
freed myself from Luka’s embrace, pulled out my bag and began dressing. Kasi
and Anil had followed the men to a camp well away from town.

"Dangerous?" he asked, his forehead creased in concern. I
didn’t answer, unsure what to say. No,
love I’m just going to go kill a few men. The Sister of Death’s first
choice. If my shadow-self felt sorry, she didn’t show it. By that time, most
had retired to their wagons, and I had no trouble sliding out the door and into
the night. Even at a slow run, it took over an hour to reach their camp, which
was located in a forest north of Kadal, with plenty of water, grasses, bushes,
small trees, and game. With Setebos only a quarter moon, I had no trouble
approaching the camp. They had posted no guards and within minutes I lay beside
the largest tent.

"We should take all the men and go back to raze their camp. They
must have plenty of gold and things we can use."

"I had thought our swords versus the knives the men and women carry
for protection would have been enough to convince them to be generous. The worst
that could have happened would have been one or two of us might have been
killed and a couple wounded. But now they will be ready for us, and those damn
knife-throwers could kill half our number in the process. No, Amatera would not
want Her followers to die for a few coins. You must continue to recruit new
members for Her. She has given us a great task, and we must not fail."

"You are right, Prophet Drogo. We must not disappoint Amatera and jeopardize
our eternal salvation."

I lay there shaking, while silently thanking the gods, whichever one
convinced Drogo to leave the gypsies alone. He or She had saved Drogo's life
and my sanity. Sometime later, I rose and ghosted out of the camp and back to
the wagons. There I collected my darlings, entered our wagon like a gentle
night breeze, undressed, and slid into Luka’s arm. He pulled me to him but
didn’t wake. The rays of the morning sun woke me, and I smiled at my love. He
had thought me worth marrying, knowing I was the Shadow of Death, had scars
that might never disappear, and would continue to be a Shadow—coming and
going with or without his approval. I didn’t deserve him, but hoped the love of
my visual-self would be enough.

I kissed first one eye and then the other, and he came awake smiling and
pulled me close. Magical hands roamed my body, making me forget everything but
the wonderful moment that existed between the second that was the past and the
second that would be the future. Much later I rolled out of bed and began
dressing.

"I’m off to practice. We’ve lots to do to be ready by the time we
reach Lampo. Right now we’re a better clown act than serious entertainment."
I laughed going out the door but froze on the second step. Santo, Alida, Arkady,
and Kata stood in a small group, and half the clan was milling around within
hearing.

"It’s about time you got… dressed," Alida said. "We’ve
been waiting here for almost an hour. Everyone thought I was joking when I said
you did crazy things. Like in Adak, when that Fire Wizard came on stage and
grabbed Ilka on a pretext of wanting information. She," Alida pointed at
me, "jumps up and shouts Take me,
I’m smarter than her. Of course, Ilka has a figure that would drive any man
mad, so the wizard ignored her and drags Ilka off with Ryana chasing after them
planning to… only the gods know what she was planning on doing. Fortunately,
two Sisters showed up and saved Ilka and Ryana."

Everyone stood looking from Alida to me.

"I’ve lots of other stories. Stela calls Ryana her wild daughter.
And I love her like a sister, even though she does some really dumb things."

"Maybe the clan needs a wild member," Santo said. "I froze
last night. Fighting would have caused too many deaths and maybe the
destruction of the clan, and paying them money would be a never-ending toll every
time we were in Kadal, which we can ill afford. And because we paid, a
potential threat to every clan."

"That throw last night was impressive. But could you have killed him
and the others?" Arkady asked, and all eyes turned on me. I wanted to
laugh and cry. Yes, all twelve without a second's hesitation or remorse.

"It doesn’t matter. What matters is that they believed you and I
would. I don’t think the leader was anxious to test me." I gave a small
laugh that sounded like a giggle. That caused a ripple of laughter that soon
spread throughout the camp.

"Did they teach that at Ahasha?" Santo asked.

"No, they teach clan," I said, spinning my ball on my finger as
I began walking away. Before long, Alida, Kata, and Maria where following with
their balls spinning.

CHAPTER
EIGHT

TUSKA: Lampo - Vengeance

We left Kaslos, one day early to everyone's relief, although we had not
seen a yellow-robe since that incident. But who would know? If they shed their
robes, no one could recognize them. We saw a few more yellow-robes in Naze but
were not bothered. From what I could see they seemed friendly.

Leaving Naze, we were all excited about reaching Lampo and our first
public performance with the wooden balls, which Dmitri had painted white for us
so the audience could follow them easier.

We spent every available hour on each stop practicing on the five day
trip to Lampo. By the time we reached Lampo, the clan thought the act ready. It
was a rare event when one of us dropped a ball, and Marie's recovery routines
actually were so good Kata had been tempted to include an intentional miss or
two. But in the end, we decided not to insert any additional changes for now.

Santo arranged the acts for the first night so that the members of the ball
team were not performing with any others. Our act started with the three of us
kneeling on the stage when Kata walked on holding the four white balls. She
stood looking at the balls in her arms when one appeared to slip out, hit her
foot, and rolled to me and onto the back of my hand. Then my routine started. I
rose, letting the ball glide over my body with what looked like effortless
ease. After several minutes, while the ball continued to move, I lowered myself
to my knees and let the ball slip off my hand and stop. At that point, Kata
dropped the second ball and looked to be trying to catch it in her lap, but it
rolled down her legs and over her knee, hit the floor and rolled to Alida who
stood raising it on her foot and went into her routine. Then it was Marie's
turn. When Marie finished, Kata spun the last ball onto her finger and performed
her routine. Eventually, Kata finished, also in a kneeling position.

The audience gave us a good round of applause thinking the act over. The
four balls arched into the air as we each stood and the coordinated team
routine started as the balls were passed from member to member with high
arching throws that were caught behind the neck, between the knees or feet in a
variety of positions: standing, kneeling, lying, and jumping. We left the stage
with a boisterous round of applause.

We were all on an adrenaline high. Not because we hadn't been in acts and
gotten loud applauses, but because we had created a new act no one had ever
seen before. I could hardly concentrate when I entered the fortuneteller tent.
The first three were women who performed the lowest of the work and could
barely afford the two coppers. That sobered my mood and brought me back to
earth. If that weren't enough, an older man entered looking down-and-out and
smelling of ale. He put down the two coppers and sat with his head down.

"What can I do for you, sir," I said feeling somewhat depressed
without hearing what he wanted.

"I'm dying. The doctor said I have a wasting disease. I want to know
when and where it will end," He said, followed by a choking cough. He
covered his mouth with his arm and stood abruptly, pushing the table into me
and knocking me backward. I fell with the table on me. When I looked up, he had
a dagger in his hand. His face twisted in hate.

"You have offended Amatera through your violence against the prophet
Drogo. He demands your death," he hissed, while maintaining pressure on
the table that had me pinned to the ground. And while my hands were free, I
couldn't reach my needles or knife. As he leaned over the table and closer to
me, I dropped into the moment, where concerns over life and death didn't exist
to cloud my thoughts, and felt my crystal ball roll over my stomach and onto my
chest, around my arm, and into my hand. He hesitated as he watched the crystal
ball moving, and shook his head. He drew back the dagger for a slashing blow to
my throat—too late. By then, the ball had left my hand and smashed into
his face. He screamed, stumbling backward out the tent into several people
waiting in line.

"You whore of war," he shouted, blood spurting from his nose
and dripping from his mouth. He crouched, dagger waving back and forth as he
watched me. It all ended when Santo came up from behind him and wacked him in
the head with a club.

"What happened, Ryana?"

"He's one of Amatera's followers—the yellow-robed one that
attacked us in Kaslos. Drogo must have sent him to kill me because we refused
to give them any money," I said loud enough for most of the crowd to hear
me. Looking around I saw two men in yellow-robes holding another robe.

"You two," I pointed at the men. "Why don't you give your
friend his robe and get him some help. He injured himself trying to kill
me."

A lot of conversations erupted, as looks were directed at the men. They scurried
forward, picked up the knocked-out man, and carried him off. I smiled at those
looking at me.

"I predict my friend is going to have a wicked headache in the
morning." I turned and went back into the tent, straightened the table and
chair, and sat. Eventually, a man entered, and I remained busy for the rest of
the night.

* * *

"What happened, Ryana? You look like you hurt your side," Lujza
asked, as I entered the circle for dinner.

"The avenger upended the table on me when he pulled his knife. I
think the table hit a rib." Expecting to be questioned about the incident,
I produced the crystal ball and let it roll around my arm, over my neck, and
into the other hand. "Fortunately, I saw a crystal ball in my
future."

"You were lucky, Ryana. We were lucky. I'm concerned about those
yellow-robes. They could be trouble for all the clans, and we can't avoid Tuska
unless we avoid Saxis. And that would significantly impact all the clans. We
would be visiting each town too often to draw large crowds. In fact, over time
our acts could become a thing of the past. We may become a thing of the
past," Santo said, his normally bronze face had turned several shades
lighter and the lines deeper.

"We could avoid Tuska if that became necessary," I said,
feeling the collective pain around the circle.

"How?" Petre, Luka's friend, asked.

"The Zunji land is now a province, which ironically borders all the
other provinces. So, Tuska could be cut out of the loop by going through Zunji
province."

"But the Zunji land is desert. How would we cross it?" Arkady
asked, to nodding heads.

"And the Zunji are barbarians, we wouldn't be safe crossing their
land." Roza said, to more nodding heads. The mere mention of the Zunji
brought back fond memories. Interesting, thinking of them as barbarians, when
it was the civilized Heslanders who fought each other over the years for land
and power. The Zunji made war on no one, and although their land was poor, they
coveted no one's. Better to call the Heslanders barbarians.

"During the time of the attempted overthrow of the king, I lived
with the Zunji for a while. I believe Sizwe, now first lord, would allow you
access, and his sons’ tribes might enjoy our performances. I think we should
consider visiting the Zunji province even if we don't avoid Tuska," I
said, laughing to myself at the looks around the fire.

"Is that were you were when you left us, outside of Windon?"
Alida asked, pointing an accusing finger at me. I nodded. "Another one of
her crazy ideas, although it did work out well."

That generated a lot of questions about the Zunji people, land, and
customs which lasted for hours. By the time we broke up, everyone seemed
interested in exploring the idea when we returned to Tarion.

"You know a lot about the Zunji, hon," Luka said, back in the
wagon as he got ready for bed.

"Yes, the Sister I met after leaving the Dorian clan elicited their
help in ending the road block and neutralizing the armies of Calion and Tuska. I
believe they would welcome the gypsies as fellow outcasts. Especially if that
Sister would put in a good word for us."

CHAPTER
NINE

SAXIS: Adak - A
clan reunion

Although there was no more trouble in Lampo, everyone was still glad to
leave. When we arrived in Adak, a day's ride inside Saxis province, we found
the Dorian clan in the campground. They were just returning from Sebec and
Miffin. The clans usually didn’t perform in Adak or Miffin until they returned
from Sebec, which was the last town in Saxis province. So the Dorian clan would
be performing. We wouldn't perform there until our return from Sebec.

Sebec was only a six day ride into the mountains to Ahasha valley, and
where I, a new and inexperienced Shadow Sister, had left the comfort of the
nest—a young hawk learning to fly in a sky of hungry vultures. An
innocent young woman desperately wanting to help stop the killing of her
Sisters. And I had, but the cost had been far beyond anything I could have
imagined. I had lost that sweet, young girl who wouldn't kill a rabbit when she
was starving and replaced her with a woman whose first option was to kill.

"Ryana, it's wonderful to see you," Ilka screamed, shaking me
out of my musing, as she and Yoan came running towards our wagon even before it
stopped. "You too, Luka."

As I stepped down, Ilka picked me off the ground and whirled me around.
"In case you haven't heard, Yoan and I are married. We managed to buy a
wagon in Bywick. I wish you and Alida had been there for the ceremony. I miss
you two. And Yoan misses your skit."

Yoan gave me a hug and a brotherly kiss on the cheek. "Ilka's right.
I do miss our skit. I think it was the best skit the clans have ever produced.
And it is going to be hard to replace. I wouldn't trust anyone else to throw
knives at me though." He grinned. "Actually, I’m not sure why I let
you." We all laughed. He was right. It was a very dangerous act. By now
everyone had begun to collect in groups, renewing old friendships. As the four
of us walked towards the Dorian camp, Marku and Stela joined us.

"Stela, Marku, it's good to see you," I said, and received a
warm hug from Stela.

"Well, Luka, how's married life with my wild daughter?"

"Wonderful and exciting. The heart stopping kind of
excitement." He laughed, and Stela and Marku seemed to stop breathing.
"Well there was Lady wu'Lichak... " He went on to explain my
fortunetelling sessions with the two women, and our encounter in Kaslos with
the yellow-robes, and finally the attempt on my life. By the time he was
telling about the yellow-robes everyone had gathered around the Dorian's
firepit, and it produced a lively discussion. The Dorian clan hadn't been
bothered on the way to Adak but now was concerned about the return trip. That
led to a discussion of the Zunji. It was late when the talks finally broke up.

Stela found me later that night, sitting on a fallen tree trunk, a few
minutes walk from the wagons.

"I see you haven't changed. Does Luka mind?" she asked as she
sat, giving me a kiss on my forehead.

"I don't think so. He needs his sleep and reconciled to the fact I
am a... night person."

"I think Luka is perfect for you. He loves you unconditionally,
enough to accept you the way you are and not wanting to change you. What now,
Ryana?"

"I wish I could settle down with Luka, have children, and enjoy the
love of clan and adopted family."

"But?"

"Something is wrong. My intuition feels it, although logically I
can't explain what it is."

"The yellow-robes?"

"Yes and no. Those are the signs but not the problem. Maybe Morag
will know. I hope I'm wrong. It could destroy me." I felt a tear slide
down my cheek and was relieved when Stela pulled me close to her. I desperately
needed the love of Luka, Stela, and clan to heal—to find that little girl
in the mountains.

"I hadn't thought about it before, but I have seen a couple of brown-robed
men in town. None at our performances. Do you think they are connected to the
others?"

"I don't believe they are. They appear to each follow a different
prophet who is dedicated to a different God with a unique purpose. They don't
seem related to some nobility, or guild, or unifying goal. The yellow-robes
were aggressive, but the others didn't appear to be."

"People seem to seek the comfort of religion after unsettled times
like we've had. Maybe that explains it."

"I hope so, mother. My logical-self agrees with you. My
intuitive-self doesn't." I laughed. "Unfortunately, my logical-self
is very conservative and seldom right."

* * *

We stayed in Adak for the six days the Dorian clan performed there,
giving everyone an opportunity to visit old friends and for the single men and
women to mingle. The time was important, since any two clans would normally only
meet twice in a cycle. And to me, the Dorian clan was family. I spent every
minute I could visiting.

"Night business?" Luka asked as I dressed in my blacks. The
question was more, is it dangerous?

"I shouldn't be out more than a few hours, love."

"I don't think I'll wait up." He grinned. Luka needed his eight
hours sleep and would have had trouble staying awake more than another hour
without a clan party in progress. I kissed him lightly and exited the wagon. I
saw few people as I ghosted through the town to the Earth Wizard's lodge. As
usual, a young Earth Wizard stood waiting at the door.

"Good evening, Sister of Peace," he greeted me. They seemed to
have all adopted the Sister of Peace greeting, certainly an improvement over
Sister of Death. Hopefully, in time I could come to accept it as true.

"Good evening, Wizard...?"

"Brogan," he said, leading me into their giant hall. Each of
the Earth Wizard halls were the same, yet unique. Each had a dirt floor, chairs
made from branches and vines, trees, flowers, and water. But each was visually
like none other. Here, a giant, three-story waterfall at one end of the hall
flowed over a granite cliff. The small pond split and ran around the outer
walls, which required a bridge at the entrance. Eight wizards stood waiting as
we entered.

"Welcome, Sister of Peace. I'm Wizard Meabh," a very old man
with a brown face that almost resembled tree bark said in a deep base voice. He
was thin and slightly bent. "What can we do for you?" The others
bowed slightly in my direction. I bowed back.

"I wish to confirm the Earth Wizards of Adak are willing to be my Intermediates
with the Shadow Sisters."

"Yes, Sister. We are honored by your trust. We have already
established contact with Ahasha."

"Thank you, Wizard Meabh. What can you tell me about the brown-robed
men in Saxis?"

"They are a recent phenomenon. We are not sure whether they are a
religion or a cult. They follow a prophet named Roman. He claims to have heard
the word of the moon God, Konos. They have taken a vow of poverty and have
caused no trouble we are aware of."

"Are they related to the religious cults in the other
provinces?"

"The appearance of so many religious cults over the last half cycle
is very strange; however, they appear to follow different prophets, who each worship
a unique God. These are old Gods who have been worshiped on Hesland over the
years."

"I'd appreciate you keeping an eye on them."

"You have concerns?"

"After the Eyes of God, cults make me nervous, and the gypsies did
have an unpleasant incident with the yellow-robes in Tuska. That may only be an
isolated incident, but... "

"We will keep an eye on them and relay anything we find to our
brothers in the other provinces, so that you will have the latest information
no matter where you are." Meabh said, receiving nods from the assembled
wizards. "You should know that the Water, Fire, and Wind Wizards have
reportedly worked out counters to the weaknesses you exploited, or least, that's
what they claim."

"Thank you. I hope never to have to fight another wizard again. I
was lucky to have survived."

"Luck is always welcome, Sister. But I doubt that is the total
explanation." Meabh smiled. I spent another hour answering questions about
the events at Dazel and touring the guild house.

* * *

The Dorian clan left for Naze the day after their third performance, and
we departed for Miffin. We would take our time going to Sebec and back to Adak to
give the Dorian clan time to get several sixdays ahead of us. It took ten days
to reach Sebec, which gave us additional time to work on our wooden ball
routine, which we now called the Magic Balls. Dmitri had been experimenting
with the balls for the past two sixdays, painting them with different colors
and patterns. In the end, he had given each ball a unique color and pattern.
Even against our brightly colored clothes, the balls could be easily followed
as they travelled around our bodies and were flung into the air.

CHAPTER
TEN

SAXIS: Sebec - A
Shadow Sisters reunion

Entering Sebec was an emotional experience for me. It held bittersweet
memories. The start of my first assignment, where I met Marku and the Dorian
clan, and the Sister of Death had been born. I missed Ahasha, Morag, and the
other Sisters who had nurtured and trained me--maybe more so because I knew I
could never go back. Santo decided to rest the first day and then put on three
performances, one every other day. As usual, I left the wagon as Luka rolled
over ready for sleep.

I wandered slowly away from the wagons, listening to Anil and Kasi
chasing food, when Kasi saw someone lurking in the shadow some fifty paces
ahead. I stopped, letting my two darlings investigate. It was a Sister, but...
I hated myself. I couldn't even bring myself to trust a Sister. I stood frozen,
watching her move through the undergrowth like a cat, like Sister Hajna, which
was confirmed when Kasi detected her wolf, Yafa, some twenty paces ahead of
her. I sat and waited. Soon, Yafa came up to me and licked my face, like he was
welcoming me home. I hugged him and a tear slid down my face.

"I feel like I have bells on my ankles. You knew it was me well
before I knew where you were," Hajna said as she sat down next to me.
"The little girl who couldn't bring herself to attack without a great deal
of effort. The Sisterhood has not treated you well, Ryana. Even now you reside
in the moment. We owe you a debt we will never be able to repay. Come, our
senior Sister would like to talk to you." She rose and I followed her
deeper into the forest. My heart pounded in my chest as I recognized Sisters Morag
and Rong, and I forced myself to relax.

"Welcome, Sister Ryana," Rong said, smiling. "My star
pupil. I hear province leaders and wizards seek you out for a telling, not to
mention the king. That's a game I doubt I'd like to play."

"I had a good teacher. The trick is to be the person you're
playing."

"Yes. You weren't pretending to be a gypsy—you were one. And
you weren't pretending to be a fortuneteller—you are one. Something few
can achieve."

Morag gave me a hug. "Hajna, Rong, and I are the senior Shadow
Sisters. We are who you represent in the field. With our permission, your words
are ours. Everyone believes you left the Sisters to get married. I know that
will hurt you, but we thought that would be safer."

"I don't know. When I left Ahasha, I was two persons: the visual-
and the shadow-Ryana. As I traveled with the gypsies, they merged, having a
common cause. Now they are two again: the gypsy and the Sister. They fight for
control—good and evil."

Morag shook her head. "I'm afraid we, the senior Sisters are also
two persons—good and evil. We should take you back to Ahasha to teach, so
you will never again have to think about killing. But you are right, you would
make many of the other Sisters nervous. And you can't teach what you know
because you use intuition. Alternatively, we should let you be a gypsy. But no,
we won't let you heal. We continue to ask more of you in the name of the
Sisterhood. And like you, we feel both good and evil."

"I have two clans—the Shadow Sisters and the gypsies. I do not
wish to forsake either and would gladly give my life for either. I do not
consider you evil. I have killed for both. It is not your fault it is against
my nature to kill or that killing has become easy." I paused to wipe the
tears from my eyes. "I can't change what I've done or who I've become, but
in my heart I will always be a Sister and a gypsy."

"Yes, Ryana. You will always be a beloved Sister in our
hearts," Morag said.

"Always, Ryana," Rong and Hajna said together.

"All the Earth Wizard guilds in the provinces have established
contact with Ahasha using Swifts. And we have disturbing news about Jelena. She
has left the Sisterhood and joined a religious group in Tuska. The question is
whether letting her leave constitutes a problem. She has the secrets of the
Shadow Sisters which could be used for evil. You and she were friends, so
unless you object, we would like you to determine whether she is a danger to
the Sisters or others," Morag said, holding my head between her hands.
"We are not asking you to take any action. Just locate her and tell us
what you find."

"Yes, senior Sister," I said, numb with shock. Jelena was a
dear friend who was more like a blood sister. We had spent are growing cycles
at Ahasha. I hoped what Morag asked would be as simple as it sounded but knew it
wouldn't be. I remembered Morag's instructions last time, find who is killing our Sisters and get the information back to me,
which sounded a lot like, locate Jelena
and tell us what you find.

I made my way back to the wagons in a fog, unable or unwilling to believe
Jelena would join a religious cult. She loved the idea of being an Assassin,
and assassins and religion didn't mix well. Not that assassins couldn't believe
in a God, just not the kind that organized religions preached. Of course, the
religious cult of Tuska had no problem threatening the gypsies and appeared
willing to kill in the name of their God—so they could end wars and
violence. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't reconcile Jelena leaving the
Sisterhood and becoming religious. Maybe Morag was wrong, I decided. Maybe,
hopefully, she was spying for some noble. Back at the wagon, I undressed, slid
into bed, snuggling close to Luka's warm body, and fell asleep.

CHAPTER
ELEVEN

SAXIS: Sebec - Some
fortunes are better than others

The clan put on three performances in Sebec, one every other day. The
Magic Balls received a boisterous applause each time. After the second
performance, Santo approved the act as a permanent part of the Tobar
performances.

"I can't wait to see what the other clans are going to come up with
to match the Magic Balls." He laughed. "We have an edge for at least
a cycle, maybe longer. It will be like when Yoan and Ryana created the comic
knife throwing act. We all scrambled to come up with an equivalent act, but
never could match it—comedy and danger—an unbeatable
combination."

"You're right. An element of danger would make the Magic Balls even
better," Kata said, chewing on her lower lip. "Well, Stela's wild
daughter, any ideas?" All eyes turned towards me. I just stood there with
my mouth open.

"Careful, Kata. Ryana does some exciting things, but they aren't
always smart. She gets away with them because she has the Trickster God
watching over her. We don't." Alida laughed.

"In a way, they are somewhat dangerous," Maria said. "They
are made of softwood and aren't as heavy as hardwood, but..."

"Maybe a demonstration of what happened when one hits something when
dropped from a height, like when we pass the balls," Kata said, frowning
in thought.

"We could have them on fire," I said, thinking of Luka's act.
Fire did make it exciting, although in truth the fire presented little danger
since Luka wasn't touching it directly. Everyone stared at me in silence.

"I told you," Alida said, pointing at me. "Wild but not
terribly smart at times."

"I like it!" Kata said. Now everyone was staring at her.

"It's contagious," Alida said, backing away from Kata and me,
laughing. Now everyone was laughing.

"Maybe, for the last couple of minutes, if we kept the balls moving
between us so there was little contact," Kata said, her eyes sparkling
with excitement.

"What if we switched to hoops on fire for the last few
minutes," I said, still thinking about Luka's act. He rubbed grease on his
exposed skin, which reduced the chance of serious burns in the event of an
accident. The discussion went on for hours with no resolution, but I knew Kata
was determined to work an element of perceived, if not real, danger into the
act.

The eight-day trip to Miffin gave us plenty of time to work on
innovations in the Magic Balls act and to consider how to add an element of
danger. Kata had Dmitri working with Luka on a wooden ball that could be
partially lit on fire, minimizing the area of contact, while we worked on a
routine where one ball—the one on fire—was being continuously
passed around. Therefore, contact with exposed skin would be minimal and those
areas could be treated with grease. By the time we reached Miffin, the idea was
still in the design stage, but it seemed doable.

That night in the fortuneteller tent, I had the typical mix of people:
predominately hard working women and a few men with business questions. I was
getting ready to close up the tent when a small, broad-shouldered man in a brown
robe walked in and sat. I dropped into the moment not sure what to expect after
the last encounter with a robed one. Of course, he hadn't been wearing a robe
and this one was. Since then, I've had Anil and Kasi with me in the tent, high
up in one of the peaks caused by the poles that gave the tent its structure.
Before I could greet him, he spoke.

"I'm a follower of Ronan, who speaks for Konos, the moon God. He is
known as the traveler and watches over each of us as we travel the road of life
and provides safe travel to His home for His followers after death. Can you
tell me when I'm going to die?"

"Put your hands on the table, face down," I said. This wasn't
the first time someone wanted to know when he or she would die, so it wasn’t a
surprise question. When he did, I put my hands over his and closed my eyes. From
the feel of his hands, I thought him serious.

"There are many futures, sir. I cannot see too many cycles ahead
because the number of futures is too great to pick out one clearer than
another. I see the Traveler helping to ease your way as you travel through life.
He is not concerned with death but life. The path after death is easy. The path
through life is hard. The future I see most clearly shows you living under His
watchful eyes," I said, expressing my personal feelings about life and
death.

"Will He be pleased with me and take me with Him to His home?"

"You will not always be perfect. But you will try hard, and that
will please Him." Hearing no further questions, I opened my eyes. He sat
there nodding slowly as if agreeing with something I said or he thought I said
or maybe talking with Konos for all I knew. He rose, leaving two coppers on the
table, and left. As the Earth Wizards had indicated, the robed ones appeared
diverse in their religions, prophets, and attitudes. Only the yellow-robes of
Tuska showed signs of aggression, which may have more to do with their
leader... prophet, than their beliefs.

Right now I'd like some religion that would do my thinking for me. My
life was too complicated: Luka, clan, Jelena, Morag, my shadow-self, and a
feeling of trouble. I left the tent, almost running towards the firepit where
the clan was gathering for the evening meal. I needed Luka, friends, and clan—family.

* * *

By the time we reached Adak, we had worked out a tentative closing
routine with one Magic Ball on fire. Most of the time it was in the air, being
passed from one person to another. But we had yet to work with a ball on fire.
We didn't want any confusion once the ball was actually on fire.

The first man in my tent that night wore a brown robe. He stood looking
at me before he sat.

"Good evening, sir. How may I help you?"

"You're the fortuneteller Ryana? The one who tells fortunes for
rulers and wizards?" He asked, already knowing the answer. How many
gypsies named Ryana wandered Hesland telling fortunes. I hated sessions that
start that way.

"I'm that Ryana," I replied.

"I hear you are telling fortunes for the God Konos."

"Then you heard wrong. I let the Gods do their own talking. I merely
tell people which of the many futures I see most clearly happening to them.
Whether that is what the Gods have planned for them is not for me to know."
I sat watching him for any sign of aggressive movement. He surprised me and
sat.

"Why don't you tell me what you see?" He said, laying down a
silver.

"Put your hands on the table, palms down, sir." As he did, I placed
mine over his and closed my eyes. The game had begun. I'd learned a lot over
the cycles telling fortunes. Even with a robe covering his face and clothing, I
knew he was a noble. He was thorough, confident, and a trained fighter. I'd
wager he was the prophet Ronan.

"You are a leader of men and have a vision for the future for which
you are now beginning to lay a foundation." I could feel his hands tighten
ever so lightly. I had been right. The hands displayed one’s emotions better
than the face, which a person could learn to control.

"When?" he asked. I could sense the smile on his face in his
voice.

"Not in the near future. Large visions take time and there are other
players that watch." My words surprised even me, and his hands
involuntarily jerked back as if to free them from mine but stopped. The pulse
in his hands increased. He remained silent and his pulse slowed. A very
dangerous man to be able to control his emotions so easily.

"Who?"

"I can only tell you there is a robed one deep in the mist, so I can
only see an outline, and there are others in the shadows." This time only
a momentary tightening.

"What color robe? The shadows… the Shadow of Death?" If I
hadn’t been in the moment and my shadow-self in control, I wouldn’t have been
able to stop my hands tightening. It had certainly hit a raw emotion.

"There are many futures because each person’s future is impacted by
many others. I tell people the one I see most clearly. In your case, the one I
see has an individual in a robe, in a mist I cannot penetrate. Those in the
shadows I can only sense, not see. That is all I can tell you, sir." I
opened my eyes. The shadowed face appeared to be glaring at me.

"You are a very dangerous gypsy, Ryana. I understand why you are so
well known and why nobles and wizards seek you out. You should be careful with
what you see."

"What I see for a washerwoman, noble, or wizard is for that person
alone; otherwise, it would not be a true telling. You and they presume I
understand all I see, I do not. Only you can decide what it means."

"What about your future?" he asked, wondering as many do
whether I can see any action he may take against me, which could have many
ramifications.

"I’m blessed. I cannot see my future."

"Blessed?"

"Yes. The future contains good and bad. Better to live each day as
it comes."

"For those without a vision," he said in a whisper. He stood,
dropped a tora on the table, and left. I noticed Santo and Arkady milling
around outside when he pulled back the flap to exit. They had obviously been
concerned when they saw a robed one enter my tent.

The rest of the evening was normal, and I had a steady stream of
customers. Lately, more and more customers, I didn’t consider them Marks, asked if I was Ryana the
fortuneteller. I wanted to avoid attention, but it wasn’t working. Oh well, as
I told the brown-robed noble, better to live one day at a time.

* * *

When I handed Santo a tora along with the bag full of coppers, he
frowned. "Someone must have really liked their fortune."

"Some fortunes are better than others." I smiled.

"She’s not going to tell you, Santo," Alida said. "Ilka
and I have begged, pleaded, and threatened. Lord Phellen had her tied to a wagon
wheel and was going to have her whipped to learn what she told Lady wu’Lichak.
She refused and wouldn’t let the clan help."

"What happened?"

"Lord Boyan saved her, but I’d wager she wouldn’t have told him. As
I’ve said, I love her, but she does some really dumb things."

"Why?" Santo asked.

"If I told others it could change the future I told the person.
Besides, it’s no one else’s business."

"But you’re a fake."

"The king of Hesland isn’t even sure," Kata said into the
silence.

* * *

For the next few days everyone kept giving me strange looks, but things
eventually returned to normal. The Magic Balls group continued to work on the
routine for the fire balls, while Dmitri experimented with ways to produce a
fire ball without setting the wood on fire, which would make it impossible for
us to handle safely. In the end, he cut a three-finger-circle groove in the
ball and tied a twisted cloth into it, which he soaked in alcohol. When lit and
spinning, the ball gave the illusion of being completely on fire.

By the time we reached Lampo, five days travel from Adak, Dmitri had a
working Magic Fireball ready, and we felt our fireball routine solid enough to
try it with a ball on fire. That first night there was no performance, so we
decided to try the routine with fire for the first time. The entire clan turned
out to watch. The fireball was ready and worked to perfection. We weren't. I
don't think any of us anticipated the potential problems of fire touching
clothes, heat on the face as it passed, exposed skin we hadn't considered, and
hair. The clan's emotions went from horror to tear-running laughter.

For the sixday in Lampo and five days travel to Naze, we worked on
solving the problems. For starters, we decided to wear snug leather costumes
for the act. Leather was hard to set on fire and smooth so it didn't hinder the
rolling ball. We wore fancy hats which protected our hair, and coated ourselves
with a lotion that would protect the skin during brief contact.

The first night in Naze, a free night, we again put on a test performance
for the clan. Except for a few very minor burns, the performance was a success
and received a good round of applause.

"Well, Kata. The act looks ready for an audience. Do you want to try
it out tomorrow?" Santo asked after we finished. I thought we were ready.

"No." Kata looked at each of us before continuing. "I'd
like to make a few adjustments before we introduce the fireball. We need a
smooth transition into the fireball routine, and I have a couple of ideas where
we can improve the act." That brought a collective sigh from the others
and me. I was glad Kata had become the act's owner and not me. Alida and I were
newcomers and wouldn't have been able to push everyone the way Kata could
without causing resentment. Kata loved the Magic Balls and had a natural talent
when it came to creating an act and a creative talent for developing routines.

The performance the next night went well, and the fortunetelling made a
reasonable forty-eight coppers—two silvers and eight coppers—and I
had no nobles, wizards, or robed ones. That night I lay in Luka's arms,
content.

"The clan loves you as I do," Luka whispered in my ear.
"It's always hard when a woman from another clan, like Alida, joins the
clan even though she's not really a stranger. The clan is never sure how well
she will get along with the other members and how she can contribute. In your
case, the clan was extra nervous. You were a complete stranger and new to the
gypsies." He pulled my head closer and pressed a kiss into my hair.
"You've been perfect. You're part of the swing act, relieved Kata at the
fortuneteller tent, created a new act, and get along with everyone—not to
mention the toras you make telling fortunes for nobles." He laughed.

"Are you happy, Luka?" I asked. I was glad the clan liked me,
but Luka deserved to be happy. He had risked his future by marrying... rescuing
me.

"Gloriously, my wild one. I can't imagine being married to anyone
else."

"Me neither," I whispered, as I buried my face in his neck and
quietly cried.

CHAPTER
TWELVE

TUSKA: The God drink

About midday, Jelena came walking into the circle of wagons and headed
straight for me, smiling and arms wide to embrace me. She looked thinner than
the last time I saw her.

"Ryana, I had heard you... joined the gypsies. So I've been checking
on all the clans as they came through Naze. The Dorian clan told me you were
with the Tobar clan and would be here in a few sixdays. So when I heard they
arrived, I came running." She grabbed me in a bear hug. "I'm not
surprised you have quite a reputation as a fortuneteller. You were always
Sister Rong's star pupil," she whispered.

"And what are you doing... in Naze," I asked.

"Not here. Can you get away for a few hours? We have a lot to catch
up on."

"Yes, give me a minute to let them know I'm going." I found
Kata and explained Jelena was an old friend I hadn't seen in cycles and wanted
to spend a few hours with her. Then, I found Luka.

"Luka, Jelena is an old friend I knew at Ahasha. We need to
talk."

"Long?"

"No, shouldn't be more than a couple of hours," I said kissing
him lightly on the lips. I quickly went to the wagon and strapped on a pair of
throwing knives and needles and let Anil and Kasi out the wooden window facing
away from the center. I waved to Alida as I left with Jelena.

"Where are we going?" I asked, hoping some place quiet where we
could talk. I hoped she was spying for someone and not leaving the Sisters as
Morag had indicated. Of course, since she thought I was no longer a Sister, she
might not feel free to tell me Shadow business.

"I'd like you to meet a friend of mine. You'll like him," she
said as we entered the town. She guided me down several streets to a tavern
with a wooden sign that had Happy Mug painted in white under a frothy mug with
a smiling face carved into it. Inside two men waved as we entered. Four mugs
sat on a small table.

"Ryana, this is Ianos and Seth. Ryana is an old and dear friend of
mine," Jelena said as she sat. They both smiled, but my intuition said it
wasn't a friendly smile, more like we know something you don't.

"I had Ianos order us one of the Happy Mug's special fruit drinks.
It has no alcohol, but it's the nectar of the Gods," she said pushing a
mug towards me, while picking up hers and drinking. I picked up mine and took a
tentative sip. It was tasty. I didn't recognize a specific fruit and thought
maybe a combination of several. I sat sipping the drink as Jelena talked. The
other two remained silent.

"I discovered a new world, Ryana. Like you discovered the gypsies. It's
a life with a purpose. Following the Goddess Amatera and Her desire that humans
end war and violence... " As she talked, I strained to determine if she
really meant it or it was for the benefit of the other two, and I was just a
prop. I thought my shadow-self a very good judge of people by now, but I couldn't
seem to concentrate. My body tingled, and I felt like I was floating on a
cloud, free of worry or doubt or fear.

"She's with the Goddess," I heard a male voice say, as someone
helped me up and supported me as we left the tavern. I didn't care. Life was
wonderful. I was with friends. They helped me into a wagon which creaked and
bounced as we left the road. Sometime later, we stopped just inside a wooded
area filled with a variety of tents that looked to hold from six to twenty. In
the center, a fire with a couple of men sitting around reminded me of the
gypsies camp fire surrounded by wagons, in this case tents. It gave me a warm
feeling. The threesome led me to a large tent with several women lying on cots,
some with men. They dropped me on one, and Jelena sat down next to me. She had
just sat when a tall man in a yellow-robe entered the tent.

"Well done, Jelena," he said in a voice I thought I recognized.
It didn't matter. I smiled up at him. "She's the gypsy knife-thrower that
threatened me. You say she's a Shadow Sister?"

"She was. I was told she left the Shadows to get married to a gypsy.
She was never meant to be a Shadow, too kind. Sister Hajna had to force her to
attack me. Most days she had to go soak in the river because of all the bruises
I caused her. She would have made a good spy. She was great at making up
stories."

"She threatened to kill me," the man snarled.

"And you believed her. Like I said, she was good at making up very
believable stories." Jelena laughed.

"The pair of you will be very useful. Keep her on the God drink for
several days. His hand grabbed my jaw and tightened like a vice. He laughed,
disrupting my serenity for a moment. "I want her converted."

"You are going to love it here, Ryana. We are all one large family,
and Amatera will reward us when we stop the wars and violence. And when we die She
will take us to Her home in the Sun," she said while sharing her drink
with me. I wanted to please the Goddess and looked forward to seeing Her home.

* * *

I woke, feeling confused as I looked around the strange room—tent.
I vaguely remembered being brought here and the wonderful feeling of peace, something
I hadn't felt in a long time. When I looked over to the next bed, Jelena lay
naked, screaming with pleasure as one man stood watching as another drove
himself into her again and again. Eventually, he collapsed on her. After a
minute, he rolled off and the other man, now stiff with desire, climbed onto
her. She smiled, wrapping her legs around him and laughing as she forced him
into her. My body tingled all over as I watched. I envied her. As I watched a
huge man stopped next to my cot and sat. He put his hand behind my back, raised
me to a sitting position, and held a mug to my lips. I sipped it. I recognized
the God drink and drank. Almost immediately, my body began to tingle. He
laughed as he stuck his hand inside my blouse and fondled my breast. It felt
wonderful, and I pushed my chest hard into his hand. I wanted him, but he
stood.

"After the prophet has finished with you, you will be mine," he
said. His laugh faded as he walked out of the tent. Night turned to day and
back to night again. He returned several times, giving me more of the God drink
and running his hands over my body, sending glorious waves of pleasure through
me.

He licked his lips. "Soon..." He left.

He returned again in the morning, with a mug of that wonderful God drink,
but he didn't give it to me. I stared at it, licking my lips. Instead he put it
down next to the bed and pulled my top off and tossed it aside. He ran his hand
over my breast and between my legs. When he stood to kick out of his trousers,
I noticed the room was empty. He laughed, standing there naked, his cock stiff
with desire.

"My drink--" I twitched a bit at the whine in my voice.

"They are all out begging for money and getting converts. Even the
prophet is gone so he won't know you and I rutted. I'm tired of waiting for him
to decide to punish you. You want it and so do I."

Yes, I did. I gasped as he bent over me to spread my legs.

I wanted Luka... I jerked my head back to stare at him. He wasn't Luka. I
shoved his hands away as he was running them up the inside of my thighs. He
grunted and grabbed my wrists, pulling them above my head.

Help! I screamed silently in
anguish. Where was I? What was I doing? Who was this man? My mind fought
itself—desire—revulsion. He used his knees to spread my legs
further apart and knelt between them, his cock nudging into my belly as he
panted.

He stopped. With a soft grunt, he let go and fell on me. He lay there so
still I couldn’t feel even his breath. I jerked my hands out of his limp grasp.
When I managed to push his head aside, I saw Anil and Kasi hanging from his
neck.

My darlings had heard my scream for help and had come. I imagine they had
been in the area as long as I had, but like me, were confused and not sure what
they were supposed to do. It took me forever to push the giant off me. I shook
all over as I patted my pile of clothing. They had confiscated my knives, which
were obvious when he ran his hands up my thighs—I shuddered as I
hurriedly pulled my clothes on. At least he had missed the needles strapped to
my ankle and hidden under my socks, which I guess he wasn't interested in. I
stabbed a rockberry needle in him and staggered out of the camp into the
daylight. With Anil and Kasi leading the way, I stumbled in the direction of
the camp. With my darlings help, I made sure to avoid people. I wasn't sure who
would be friend and who enemy. The sun was well past its peak when I reached
the camp. Kata was the first to see me.

"Ryana!" she shouted as I staggered into her arms. "What
hap—"

"Call Santo… we have to leave… now," I gasped out between
breaths. Kata didn’t have to call Santo. He and the rest of the clan began running
towards us. Luka, swept me off my feet, and I flung my arms around his neck. I
was home, safe. No, I was home but not safe. "We have to leave
immediately. The yellow-robed cult will be coming soon. Please leave." I
sobbed into Luka’s neck. My mind struggled with options but found none. I would
run off myself, but I doubted the yellow-robes would believe the gypsies didn’t
know where I was and would assault them. If I stayed, the yellow-robes would
assault the clan to get me. And I couldn’t give in to the yellow-robes to
protect the clan because the yellow-robes would use me to destroy the
Sisterhood and then who knew what. All I could do was to tell the clan to run
and go with them and help as I could.

"What happened, Ryana?" Santo asked, putting his face close to
mine.

"The yellow-robes drugged me and took me to their camp. I got away,
but they will be coming for me—probably tonight. You have to give me to
them... or run."

"No!" Luka shouted. Santo grabbed Luka's shoulder when he
started to step away.

"Of course not. You are clan. We will fight," Santo said loudly
to nodding heads.

"No, Santo. Please don't fight. I couldn't live with your lives on
my conscience. You mustn’t fight. I won't let you. I'll give myself to them
first." I would let the Shadow of Death loose. We would end the violence
the way we always did—with more violence. They would win but the cost
would be high.

"Run where? Back to Saxis? Then what? I doubt we could make it
across Tuska before they caught us," Santo said, more searching for
options than questions.

"To Zunji land."

"It's too far, further than to Calion and we have to go through
Kaslos and Bywick. And the yellow-robes will know it."

"When the rebellion ended, the Zunji were given the land they occupy
and made a province. That land includes a good part of Tuska. The king couldn't
have given that land to the Zunji under normal conditions; however, zo'Stanko
had been a major part of the attempted rebellion. So, the king redefined Tuska
before appointing the new province leader. Since that land was mostly desert no
one cared. If we take the road to Kaslos but leave it halfway, we can reach the
Zunji border before the yellow-robes realize we didn't go to Kaslos."

"What about the Zunji? They may have their own province now, but
that doesn't make them any friendlier than before," Arkady said, his brow
furrowed and eyes narrowed. There was nothing I could say that would convince
them otherwise, since it was based on rumors and hearsay.

"You have to trust that I would not lead you into danger. I've met
the chief of the Zunji and his sons. The rumors are from people who invaded
their land or are repeating rumors from people who never met the Zunji."

"Ryana would never do anything to harm clan," Alida said,
coming up beside Luka. "I trust her and don't want her to do something
dumb like give herself up to the yellow-robes to protect us."

"I say we trust my clan-daughter," Lujza said, coming up beside
Luka.

"Alright, everyone get packed, we leave immediately," Santo
said. The next hour was organized chaos as the props for the night's performance
were broken down and stored, wagons readied for travel, and horses harnessed.
As we made our way to the road to Kaslos, we got some strange looks since we
were supposed to stay another two days. I estimated the trip would take four to
five days hard travel. I only hoped the yellow-robes would try to beat us to
Kaslos by taking short cuts rather than try to catch us on the road, since we
would have a day's head start—maybe more. If I guessed right, the God
drink was a nightly reward that the group would be reluctant to forgo when they
could travel faster on horses than we could in wagons and easily beat us to
Kaslos. Or better yet wait between Kaslos and Bywick and catch us in the open
with no one to interfere.

CHAPTER
THIRTEEN

TUSKA: Flight
to safety

Luka drove our wagon, while I sat huddled close to him with a blanket
wrapped around me. It was a warm day, but I felt like I was freezing. I thought
I might still have some of the drug in me or else the drug was addictive and my
body was screaming for more. I knew one thing for certain—I'd die rather
than take it again.

"What happened, Ryana?" Luka asked after several hours on the
road.

"A close friend of mine from Ahasha tricked me into drinking a fruit
drink that was drugged. The drug gave me a wonderful feeling of peace and
detachment from life. Because they had converted my friend, they knew I was Sister
trained and recognized me as the knife thrower who threatened their prophet. He
intended to punish me after I had been converted—drugged into compliance.
You saved me."

"How?" His sudden movement jerked the reins, startling the
horses and throwing us backward. When he got control again, he turned and
stared at me.

"Everyone had left the camp and this big man who had been assigned
to continue feeding me the drug tried to rape me. I wanted sex..." The
hard truth. "If he had given me the drink first, I wouldn't have cared. I would
have wanted sex—with anyone. But he didn't. As he started pawing at me,
your image broke the spell. I screamed for help and my darlings came to my rescue."
I froze not sure of Luka's reaction. I didn't know what I'd do if he...

"I love you, Ryana. Nothing would ever change that." He put one
arm around me, and I leaned into him.

"They are beyond dangerous. When you're on that drug, you're easy to
control. Sisters are well trained, yet my friend and I were led like babies,
and if I am not mistaken, the drug is addictive. That means after a while the
people will do anything to get it. If they caught me, they can catch other
Sisters with my friend's help. Can you imagine their power with the Shadow
Sisters under their control?" I trembled at the thought.

"You're right. We have to run. They will be desperate to catch
you... and us." He stopped and stared at me. "They'll chase us onto
Zunji land. They can't let you get away."

"Good!"

"What?"

"The Zunji and the Sister of Death will kill them all." My
shadow-self's first choice. No, this time my visual and shadow-self were
united. The thought of my clan and the Shadow Sisters drugged and... My mind
screamed at the nightmare—a rape of mind and body. I couldn't stop
shaking. Luka held me tight but said nothing, lost in his own thoughts.

We were about halfway to Kaslos when I directed the wagons off the road
and headed west. That direction would take us north of Kaslos and was the
shortest route to Zunji land. I wouldn't let them stop until we were an hour
off the road in case the yellow-robes decided to follow the road to Kaslos. I
convinced everyone to get as much rest as they could while the horses were
taken care of. I would stand watch.

* * *

We were up and left as the sky began to lighten. Anil and Kasi had seen
nothing on the road that night. The next three days and nights were the same:
begin at dawn, stop to eat and rest the horses, ride for four hours, stop to
eat and rest the horses, ride until darkness made travel impossible. Each
night, I stood watch with my darlings. The fourth morning, I returned to the
wagon several hours before sunrise. Luka jerked awake, knife in hand.

"You scared me to death, hon. Is anything wrong?" he asked as I
pulled my bag from under our bed and began putting on my blacks and gypsy
clothes over them.

"No one is following us, yet. When everyone is up, they are to
continue in this direction. I need to find the Zunji and ensure our safe
passage." I kissed him long and tender. "Don’t worry. The Zunji love
the Shadow of Death," I whispered in his ear, and left. I saw no one, but
I couldn't be too careful. After I was safely away from the wagons, I reversed
my gypsy and Shadow clothing and began a slow run in the direction Kasi
indicated there was a Zunji camp. Two hours later I could make out tents and, a
spear’s throw away, a guard on a small mound. I slowed to a walk and continued
towards him. He whistled and soon several Zunji appeared. As I neared the group,
I recognized Sizwe's oldest son, Gero.

"Good morning, Gero. Am I in time for breakfast?" I smiled.
Seeing Gero and the Zunji gave me a warm feeling. I liked the Zunji and particularly
Gero, who had led the warriors that had helped me foil the plot to overthrow
the king.

"My favorite Shadow. Have you brought us another war? Life has been
boring since you left." He laughed.

"I've come to ask for safe passage for a clan of gypsies."

"Why? Are they being run out of Tuska? I thought they have the
king's protection. Come we'll talk over a meal. It's time to eat." He led
me to a large tent where a pretty middle-age woman, a young man, and a pregnant,
young woman sat.

"Shadow of Death, my wife, Adisa, my son, Akua, and his wife
Ndidi," Gero said, smiling with obvious pride. Adisa bowed from her
sitting position and began pouring a stew-like liquid into a bowl which she placed
in front of me along with a cup of liquid. She was a tall, shapely woman. Her
tan skin smooth and hazel eyes sparkled with life. Gero's son had a lot of his
mother's striking facial features, tall, and also with hazel eyes. His wife by
contrast was shorter than the average Zunji woman and almost seemed frail.

"My husband speaks of you often. You have given him much pleasure. He
acts ten years younger." She gave him a smile that I bet made him tingle
from head to foot.

"Only ten?" He asked, smiling back. "Maybe the Shadow can
take another ten off. Shadow, why?"

"Yellow-robed men are chasing them. They will kill them if they
catch them. They drugged one of the gypsies and want her back because she had
Shadow Sister training, although she's not a Shadow," I said, covering for
the presence of Ryana.

"Drugged? We have had some yellow-robed men collecting the deadly
Passion flowers. We chased them off. We don't care about the flowers, but they
were on Zunji land without permission, and it was fun," Akua said,
grinning. "Besides, the flowers are reserved for the priests. They know
the amounts that can be used to cure certain problems. They are forbidden to
everyone else. They can turn the mind to mush. That is why they are called the
deadly Passion."

"We have let one of your Shadows collect the flowers," Gero
said. Yes, the yellow-robes needed the flowers to control their people and get
new recruits, and the Zunji wouldn't bother a Sister.

"I need two favors then," I said.

"Safe passage to anywhere you want us to take them, and?" Gero
asked.

"Stop the Shadow, any Shadow, from collecting the flowers. And if
you can capture her..." I shuddered. "Kill her if you can't but be
careful. She is an Assassin."

"Kill her?" Akua frowned, looking worried.

"Capture if you can without risking your lives. Kill her if you
can't. But don't let her have any flowers. She's aiding the yellow-robes and
can no longer be considered a Shadow. But if you can capture her, send me
word... contact any Earth Wizard."

"You didn't fail me, Shadow of Death. You did bring us some
excitement." Gero gave me an evil grin. "Akua, get a party together
to guide the gypsies to wherever they want to go. And spread the word that the
Passion flowers are forbidden to everyone, including the Shadows. The
yellow-robes are the enemies of the Shadow of Death, and the Shadow who has
been collecting the Passion flowers is to be captured if possible, otherwise
killed." He looked back to me. When I nodded, Akua picked up a spear and
trotted off. I picked up my bowl and used my fingers to pick up the small
pieces of meat, rodent I thought, and drank the spicy liquid it had been cooked
in. The cup contained a mixture of goat milk and blood, which I found
satisfying.

"Gero, do you think the Zunji would enjoy a performance by the
gypsies?"

"I think so. We appreciate talent and skill earned through hard
work."

"Good, have Akua lead the wagons to wherever would be convenient for
the performance. They will need to rest today, but tomorrow night they should
be ready."

* * *

I ran until I could see the wagons in the distance, then changed back to
my gypsy clothing and continued walking towards them. Several minutes later,
Alida screamed.

"It's Ryana!"

The wagons stopped and people began jumping off and running towards me,
with Luka in the lead.

"You're safe." He whirled me off my feet and hugged me to him.

"Ryana, quit fooling around and tell us what's happening,"
Alida said, as everyone began gathering around me.

"The Tobar clan is going to be the first clan on Hesland to give the
Zunji a performance."

"What?" was the collective response.

"Say you're joking," Alida said.

"Sounds like fun, I think," Kata said, looking around the
group. "Well, Alida. Is this one of those dumb things or a good
thing?"

"The Zunji are people just like you, hated and considered less than
other Heslanders. They train their young for war because they have been invaded
many times over the years. Not for the land but for sport. They are clannish, but
like you, a warm, friendly people when you get to know them," I
interjected before Alida could respond.

"Where will we perform?" Santo asked.

"A small party of Zunji, will be here shortly to direct us. The
performance won't be until tomorrow evening. After that, they will guide us to
anywhere we wish."

"Life is certainly not boring around you... sister," Kata said,
smiling.

* * *

An hour later, Akua and ten young men came into view. I decided Santo and
I should meet them, so I grabbed him by the arm and walked towards the
approaching men.

"Greetings, I'm Akua, son of Gero, son of Sizwe," he said with
a nod of his head.

"Welcome Akua, I'm Santo the head of the Tobar clan. I thank you for
your protection," Santo said, his eyes darting from Akua to me.

"Friends of my father's friend are always welcome. Follow me. I will
lead you to where you can camp." He turned and began walking away. After
several hours of following the Zunji, who ran at a slow trot, they stopped,
informed us the performance would be tomorrow at sunset, and trotted off at a
faster pace.

"Are we safe here?" Santo asked.

"Yes. They will have scouts everywhere, hoping the yellow-robes are
chasing us onto their land."

"Why? I thought you said they were a warm, friendly people."

"To those who ask permission to enter their lands and who come in
peace," I said, leaving out the messy details. I think everyone thought
Ryana, the gypsy, had arranged this. The details would be a difficult story
even for Sister Rong.

The clan looked nervous for the first several hours but slowly relaxed. A
fire was started, food appeared, and everyone sat around discussing the events
of the past several days and tomorrow night's performance. I lay with my head
in Luka's lap, sorting through the nightmare of the past several days. I could
still feel that man's hands exploring my body, worse yet, I had enjoyed it—wanted
him. I could imagine begging for the God drink, willing to do anything for it.
Bile rose in my mouth. I hoped the deadly Passion flowers only grew on Zunji
land. If so, the problem could be contained. If not...

* * *

The next day, an hour before sunset, hundreds of Zunji began
appearing—warriors dressed in diaper-like pants and a long cloth wrapped
over the shoulder and around the neck, young men and women in calf-length
robes, children and older members also in robes, and some who appeared to be
priests judging from their elaborate headgear of feathers and the multiple
charms around their necks, ankles, and wrists.

I was pleased when Lujza went out to greet them and answer questions.
After the first several minutes, she seemed to be enjoying herself. I was
surprised to see Sizwe show just before we were about to begin. I walked over
to him and bowed.

"Welcome, Chief Sizwe. I'm Ryana, if you have any questions."

"I'm sorry I missed the Shadow of Death. I like her. She told my son
Gero that you could speak for her. Is that true?"

"I trained at Ahasha, but wasn't talented enough to be a Shadow
Sister. I know the Shadow you call the Shadow of Death. We are friends. I could
speak for her on some things," I said and he nodded. "I must go now,
to get ready. I will stop back after the performance."

We put on the standard performance which included the Magic Balls. To
everyone's surprise the Zunji audience was boisterous in their approval of
every act. During the last act, Luka's tumbling act using fire rings, I caught Santo.

"Santo, I think it would be nice and interesting if we invited the
Zunji to join us after the performance."

"We don't have enough food to go around."

"I'll talk to Chief Sizwe and explain our tradition and the food
issue."

"I understand now why Stela calls you her wild daughter. But you
were right. We're in Zunji land and we’re still alive." He laughed.
"Alright, talk to their chief... Sizwe."

As Luka was finishing, I approached Sizwe, bowed, and sat when he wave
for me to join him.

"I have heard about the gypsy acts but never seen one. You are very
talented. My people enjoyed the performance very much. I think you could get
some of them to join you, just so they could learn to do the things you do. I
enjoyed the Magic Balls, especially with fire. It looks dangerous."

"That's want makes it interesting and exciting to watch." I
paused when the crowd began clapping and jumping up and down, as Luka finished.
"Chief Sizwe, we gypsies have a tradition after our performances. First we
offer games for money. I'd like to have your people try the games, but for fun
not money. After we close and clean up, we sit in a circle, eat, and
talk—sometimes dance. We'd like you and your people to join us, but we
don't have enough food for everyone," I said, hoping I was right. I loved
the Zunji and hoped the gypsies and Zunji would become friends. This would be a
good start. Sizwe called two warriors over and said something in the Zunji
language. They nodded and ran off.

"The Zunji would love to try your games and join you afterward.
Don't worry about the food," he said with a smile. I left to tell Santo,
who called everyone together and announced the plan.

"For fun is probably a great idea. I'd hate to think what would
happen if one of the Zunji decided we cheated," Kata said. "Those
spears some of them carry look very sharp." She laughed. "Luka,
you're a very brave man marrying Ryana. I'll wager the Dorian clan sleeps
better at night."

With that, everyone left, laughing, to get things set up. The games
proved fun, both for us and for the Zunji. Ironically, I think we might have
lost more than we won if we had allowed them to play for money. They seemed to
sense that the trick to winning was the arc of the coin and the ring. Afterward
we made one giant circle, several individuals deep. As Sizwe had predicted,
food wasn't a problem. The Zunji had brought their own, and both groups shared,
mostly to sample the other's food. There were lots of questions about the acts
and the gypsies' lives. And then the dancing started. I had been right. The
Zunji were a warm, friendly people as were the gypsies. I saw Gero approach his
father, and they both rose, nodding to me. I joined them some twenty paces
away.

"You will be interested in knowing that the yellow-robes followed
you onto Zunji land. They must want you very badly."

"Yes. Will you help?"

"My warriors attacked them. Unfortunately, we didn't have enough
warriors and one group of about ten escaped. The other twenty are dead. Only
the Sister remains alive. She could have run, but chose to stay and fight. The
Shadow of Death wanted her captured, so we didn't kill her. We have her
surrounded so she can't escape, but she won't surrender," Gero said.

"Can you take me to her? I know her. Maybe I can get her to
surrender."

"Yes. They are about an hour away."

"Give me a minute," I said and returned to my wagon, collected
my weapons, changed into my blacks, and donned my gypsy clothes over them. As I
left the wagon, Luka was there.

"Hon?"

"The Zunji intercepted a party of thirty yellow-robes chasing us.
They killed twenty. Ten got away and returned to Tuska. They have my friend
trapped. I need to go talk to her."

"Is she dangerous?" Luka asked. It was a duel question. Was
talking to her dangerous to me, and was she a danger to the Sisters and others.

"Yes, she is a danger if let loose. But she is a dear friend that I
hope I can help." I ignored whether she was dangerous to me. I wasn't
sure. In truth, it depended on me—how willing was I to harm her. I kissed
him lightly and trotted off after Gero and to my surprise, Sizwe.

CHAPTER
FOURTEEN

ZUNJI: Near Bywick
- Jelena

We ran at a steady pace, which Sizwe appeared to have no trouble
maintaining. Sometime later, we arrived at the sight of the battle. If I
ignored the bodies scattered around it was almost funny. Jelena stood
surrounded by twenty warriors with spears. The circle of warriors moved like a
living organism with her in the center. Because of the number of spears she
couldn't get close enough to fight without being stabbed, which several cuts to
her arms and side attested.

"Ryana, have you come to rescue me?" Jelena shouted when she
saw me. I turned to Sizwe.

"Please ask everyone to leave."

"Everyone? The Shadow of Death wanted her captured or killed."

"Please. You did what she asked. You captured her. I will take
responsibility for her in the Shadow's name."

Sizwe said something and the warriors shouldered their spears and trotted
off. Gero stared at his father until he waved him off. I stood waiting for
Sizwe to leave but he shook his head. He was staying. I had no choice, and I
trusted him. So, I stripped off my gypsy clothes and turned towards Jelena.

"So you didn't leave the Sisters. That's not really a surprise. All
the years I've known you, all you ever wanted was to belong to the Shadow
Sisters. You're a fool, Ryana. The Sisters use us to do their bidding."

"But not for evil. They have always supported the legitimate rulers
in each province and the king."

"Amatera's cause is for the greater good. In Her name, the
yellow-robes will stop all wars and violence. Will the Sisters do that? They
prostitute themselves for silver and gold."

"They stopped a war and asked nothing in exchange."

"There were rogue Sisters that help start the rebellion."

"Like you're doing, Jelena. Using treachery to kidnap a friend. Using
drugs to make her a slave."

"I was doing you a favor. You have always hated killing. The little
girl who couldn't kill a rabbit when she was starving."

"Did you ask me to join? No. You used violence to kidnap and seduce
me. What do you think Drogo was going to do to me? Rape and beat me, that’s
what." Bile rose in my mouth, just thinking about what my life would have
been.

"You deserved to be punished for threatening a representative of the
Goddess Amatera. She demanded it."

"And what would you have done when you caught up with the wagons.
Talk to me? No, you would have killed in the name of stopping violence. Come
with me, Jelena. The drug will wear off in time. I will explain to the Sisters how
they trapped you. They will understand."

"I don't want their understanding. I'm committed to the Goddess
Amatera." She shouted. I could see she was in a bad way. Her hands were
shaking, probably because she hadn't had the God drink in several days.

"Please, Jelena. I can't let you leave."

"You can't let me leave. Even tired like I am, I can beat you. You
were never very good with weapons. Would you kill me, gentle Ryana?" She
laughed long and hard. A battle raged in my head. I was tired of killing, and
now I faced a friend in what would be a duel to the death. Amatera was
right—war and violence were ugly, a disease that justified evil in the
name of good. Was that what I was doing? How easy it would be to let her kill
me, so I could rest.

Yes, death is easy. It's living that's hard. I could not solve this
dilemma with logic. There was no time to use logic and besides, I was poor at it.
Intuition told me a world on deadly Passion would be worse than it had ever
been. I drew two knives. "I'm sorry, Jelena."

"Have you ever killed anything?"

"I'm scarred with many deaths. More than you have fingers and
toes." I said. Jelena's eyes grew big and her mouth hung open. Then she
smiled.

"You? The Shadow of Death." She laughed. "I'm sorry too.
You have to join us or die. You know I can kill you."

"You've become a thug, Jelena."

"I'm a trained Assassin. Hajna trained." She smiled.

"Assassins do not engage in contests to determine who is the
best."

"That's what makes it exciting. Testing ourselves."

"Sister Hajna did not train you or me to be an Assassin. She taught
us to defend ourselves when all else failed. Sister Rong, taught us to be
Assassins."

"That fool, Rong taught us to lie and sneak around like
thieves."

"That fool taught you the real secrets of the Sisterhood."

"Enough, Ryana. Drop your knives and come with me, or I'm going to
kill... I can't believe you're the Shadow of Death. You couldn't master enough
weapons to qualify. If you are, the legend is greatly exaggerated, as I'm about
to prove," she said, raising her sword to fighting position and advancing
on me. I let my Shadow-self put me in the moment between past and present where
neither life nor death, winning or losing mattered. When she reached to within
ten paces of me she charged. I threw the knife in my right hand. Normally, she
would have twisted right or left, changing her profile, to avoid being hit, but
running limited that action. She had turned slightly and the knife had entered
her chest several finger-widths to the left but still in the area of the heart.
She staggered two steps and dropped to her knee, mouth open, and eyes wide.

"Assassins are killers, Jelena. They find the person and kill him or
her. There is no contest, no the better man or woman wins. Assassins avoid
contests. That is why Sister Rong is the true maker of Assassins." I threw
the second knife into her heart, fell onto my knees, and cried.

* * *

"It is time to go, Ryana. Your clan will be worried," Sizwe
said. The faint light of early morning cast shadows across the desert
floor—the dead. "Killing a friend is difficult even when it's
necessary."

"She wasn't evil. The drug caught her when she was young and
vulnerable. In a few years with an older mentor, she would have settled
down."

"She gave you no choice. The Passion flower is a powerful drug that
makes the user a slave to the drug and anyone who controls access to it. A
Sister under its control could cause great evil."

"Would you do me a favor and bury her with honor. She was a dear
friend."

"Yes, the Zunji will do that."

"Another favor. Would one of your priests make me a mug full of the
Passion flower drug?"

"You aren't going to use it, are you? It would destroy you. That
would be a shame."

"It would be tempting. To forget the Shadow of Death. To forget
killing a dear friend. To return to that little girl who wouldn't kill a rabbit
when she was starving. Very tempting. But no, I was under its influence
once—never again. I'd like a sample so people will know what the drug
tastes like."

"I've seen enough of you to know that little girl is still there.
Hiding, because her duty has required her to do things she hated. We all see
that. Someday you will come to realize it," he said as he rose. He was
kind to think that little girl lived, but I doubted I would live to see her
again. The Shadow of Death had replaced her.

"You suspected that Ryana was the Shadow of Death. That's why you sent
Gero away."

"Yes. Your story was a reasonable explanation, and you are a good
actor. But you've lived among us for a while, and Ryana felt like the Shadow of
Death. No, not death or evil. A feeling of duty, concern for others, love of
clan, disregard for her own safety. The Shadow the Zunji love. Your secret is
safe with me."

"Thank you." What else could I say? I trusted Sizwe. The Zunji
felt like clan to me. If it's hadn't been for the gypsies, I would have stayed
with them. Sizwe helped me to my feet.

"Get dressed. Have your clan give another performance tomorrow night
before you cross over into Calion. I will have someone deliver the liquid to
you."

* * *

Luka must have been sitting up all night because he was the first to see
me and came running.

"Are you alright? I was afraid you..." He held my shoulders,
looked me over, and pulled me to him.

"I'm fine, love. Jelena was killed along with most of the
yellow-robes who chased us." I left out the details, not wanting to burden
him with my guilt.

"Ryana, what happened?" Alida said, between gasps for breath.
She and several others had come running when they saw Luka leave the wagon and
run towards me. I waited for the rest of the clan to arrive before answering.

"Chief Sizwe took me to the site of the battle, so I could see my
friend. He promised she would get a proper burial. It was a long way. He's
asked for us to put on another performance tomorrow night, if you have no
objections," I said looking at Santo. His frown changed to a grin.

"Alida is right. Being with you is exciting. I had many doubts about
entering the Zunji... Province but felt we had no other choice. You were right.
The Zunji are a wonderful people. And your idea of letting them play the games
and eat with us made a huge difference. We got to know them and them us. They
said we are welcome to cross their land anytime and hoped we'd stop now and then
to perform for them." He laughed. "They not only let us enter their
land, but they stopped the yellow-robes chasing us. We couldn't have fought off
thirty men with swords. I feel safer here than I do in the other
provinces."

"Would you prefer to enter near Bywick or on a path to Slicci?"

"Bywick should be safe now that the Zunji has destroyed most of the
yellow-robes, but Bywick is still in Tuska and I'd prefer not to take the risk.
Slicci," he said after looking around the group and seeing their concern
when he mentioned Bywick. Several warriors led us for three-quarters of a day
to an area where the shrubs where more numerous and a few trees dotted the
landscape. They said we were less than a half day from the Calion border and a
day or two from Slicci. That evening, the talk was about the Zunji and what
individual clan members had learned about them. I lay against Luka, his arm around
me, trying not to think about Jelena, but it was impossible. My shadow-self had
committed a new atrocity—killed a dear friend. Mercifully, Kata and Alida
sat down next to us.

"Ryana, I love being a gypsy. But I have to admit I get bored easily,
and before you came, my life bored me. Since you've come, each day is new and
exciting. Even my sex life has improved," Kata said, her cheeks turning a
slight shade of pink.

"Careful, Kata. Don't encourage her. My sex life is just fine, and
things have been a bit too exciting lately," Alida said, shaking her head.
"This is new to you. When you've been around her as long as I have, boring
is a good thing."

"They loved the fireballs and Luka's fire rings," Kata said,
excited as she changed subjects. "They even had some ideas for our
acts."

"Yes, one warrior told me it would be interesting if the fire ring
had a circle of spears facing towards the middle where I dove through,"
Luka said with a snort. "I had to agree, that would be exciting... and
dangerous. I may play around with the idea."

* * *

The next night, Kato, Sizwe's youngest son, brought part of his tribe.
Again the evening was enjoyable, more so that a normal performance. It felt
more like putting on a performance for another clan. During the gathering
afterward, Kato sat down next to Luka and me.

"Father tells me you can speak for the Shadow of Death."

"On some matters. I spent a few years at Ahasha, and we became
friends," I lied easily.

"Father said this was for her." He handed me a large mug-sized
gourde with a stopper.

"Thank you, Kato. I will see that she gets it." It was well
past everyone's normal bed time when the Zunji left, but I asked everyone to gather
around the dying fire.

"I've put a liquid in this plate. I'd like everyone, except the
children, to put your finger in the liquid and taste it. Just a small drop on
the finger to taste." I got some strange looks, but everyone stepped up,
dipped his or her finger in the liquid, and touched it to their tongue.

"Yummy," Roza said to general nods.

"It has a fruity taste, but like no fruit I've ever tasted,"
Feko said.

"It's refreshing. Is it something the Zunji grow?" Santo asked.

"No. It's made from a wild flower that appears exclusive to the
Zunji's desert. It's a poison." I held up my hand before anyone could
respond. "Not one that will kill you. One that will make you a slave. You
will do anything to get it. I mean anything. My friend fell victim to it. It is
how the yellow-robes are recruiting their members. It is how they kidnapped me.
If you ever taste anything like that, spit it out and come see me
immediately."

"They gave it to you?" Arkady asked.

"Yes, several doses. It was only by luck I escaped. If I hadn't, I
would have done anything they asked, and like my friend, I'd have done it
willingly. Remember that taste. That is the most dangerous poison on
Hesland."

CHAPTER
FIFTEEN

CALION: Slicci
- More robed ones and more questions.

We crossed over into Calion Province the next day around noon and by
nightfall we were within one day of Slicci. That night Luka began constructing
the stage apparatus that would be his new finale. He enlarged his current ring
with the groove for the rags that were used to create the fire and added eight
spears—their sharp and deadly tips pointing into the center. The opening
was not much wider than his shoulders.

"You're going to dive through that?" I shouted. "That's
insane. If you want to live dangerously, you can replace Yoan as Adami."
Now that I thought about it, Yoan was crazy to have agreed to that skit. One
throw slightly off and he could have been seriously injured. Of course, that
was what had made the act exciting.

"You have to admit it would be exciting if I can perfect it."

"And if you can't?" The thought of him diving through that ring
had me sweating. Those blades would not only cut him, they would continue to
tear through skin and muscle as his body continued through the ring.

"Don't worry, hon. I'm just getting a feel for what it would look
like. I'll practice with paint brushes for spear heads. That way I'll know
where I would have been cut and how to adjust my moves. And of course, how big
the opening will have to be. As you know, a good act looks more dangerous than
it really is. So the opening must be large enough that I don't have to be
perfect, yet small enough to look impossible."

"Come, Ryana. Luka isn't as dumb as he looks. We have our own new
tricks to work on," Kata said, grabbing me by the arm and pulling me
towards our Magic Ball group. I blew him a kiss and reluctantly allowed Kata to
drag me along.

"I hope our new act doesn't include spears."

"Of course not; we're just going to increase the number of
fireballs." Kata smiled. I shook my head. They were all crazy—me
included.

* * *

We arrived in Slicci too late for a performance. Santo planned to stay
for five nights, but put on only two performances as the town was small. As
usual, early the next day several others and I posted notices at public places
where people congregated. Each clan's notice listed only a few acts, usually
ones that were new or had added something new. In our case, the Magic Balls was
highlighted. Our reception in town had improved a great deal since the king had
declared us under his protection. We still weren't considered real Heslanders,
but we were no longer lumped in with vagrants and beggars. There were now potential
consequences for assaulting the gypsies.

"Hey, sweet thing. Two silvers for a quick one," an older man
said as I walked towards my next site. He looked like a merchant, judging by
his well-made clothes and the quality of the dagger on his belt.

"Five tora," I
responded, turning in a full circle. "I'm good."

"Three silvers," he said, after he recovered his voice. That
was one of several responses to my standard quip. About a third thought I was
negotiating for more money and raised the offer like this man. A third took it
as a good natured joke. And a third got nasty. I wondered what I'd say if
someone decided he'd pay the five tora--maybe they would if I were Ilka or
Alida.

"Sorry, no discounts," I said, smiling at the thought as I
continued walking. I saw several black-robed men that morning. Two approached
me, each with a small wooden bowl.

"If you can, a donation for the disciples of the prophet Virtor. He
preaches the word of the God Xades, who wishes to promote a safe Hesland,"
a woman's voice said. The robes all seemed similar if not the same except for
the color. They effectively hid or obscured everything except an approximation
of height. I reached into my purse and took out two coppers and dropped them in
the bowl.

"A worthy goal. How do the disciples of Virtor hope to achieve
it?" I asked. Religious cults seemed to have sprung up in each province,
but they didn't seem related to each other by prophet or God or goal.

"The God Xades believes the evil should be punished and made to
atone for their evil ways. We are devoted to helping those injured and to find
and punish those responsible." The woman's voice again.

"But that is what the city guard and the magistrate does, isn't
it?"

"That is what the city guard and the magistrate are supposed to do.
But many are corrupt and those responsible go free to continue in their evil
ways."

I had to agree that the city guard wasn’t the most efficient group. The
Shadow Sisters were born because they had proved more effective in locating criminals.
And there was plenty of corruption. If you had money, you were much less likely
to be arrested or found guilty. But...

"If you act for the city guard and the magistrates, won't that make
you criminals?"

"The city guard and the magistrate follow the words of man. We are
acting in accordance with the words of the God Xades, as given to the prophet
Virtor. We have no choice. We are sworn to the God Xades and to His wish that
Hesland be safe from evil." She scared me. It was one of those things that
sounded good—punish the evil ones—but who was going to determine
what and who was evil. Would I be evil if I didn't believe in the God Xades?
Would I be evil if I didn't want to contribute to their cause? Would there be a
trial or was each disciple the sole judge? Did they have prisons? Did they
believe they should run the city—province—kingdom?

I returned to the wagons with a splitting headache. It just didn't make
sense—a unique cult in each province, each with its own prophet, each
committed to a unique God, each with different colored robes, and each with a
different objective. I could understand cults developing after turbulent times.
That was normal. But I would expect to see brown, orange, yellow, and black in
each major city. Or at most, each city having a predominant cult. They didn't
appear to be at war with each other or were they? It wasn't Shadow or clan
business, so I stopped trying to make sense of it. Logic wasn't my strong
point, so there was no point in me trying to work it out logically.

Now that the yellow-robes weren't a problem, I settled into the
day-to-day clan activities and life returned to normal. Kata now had us working
with two fireballs, but I knew she would continue to push us until the number
of fireballs equaled the number in the group. She was alive with energy. Luka
also had a vision and spent every hour working on his new routine with the
spears. When I wasn't working with the Magic Balls group, I sat watching Luka.
The paint was a good idea. He'd dive through the ring and then check to see if
he had touched one of the brushes, which would eventually be a blade. In the
beginning, he came through the ring with several paint marks. The problem was
the nightmare I had envisioned. The brush touched him in one place, and then continued
down the rest of the body as he continued moving past it. Gradually, he
adjusted the opening and his tumbling routine to where he only made contact with
the brush now and then. That was a major improvement; however, when he did make
contact, had it been a blade, the cut would have been two to three hands long
and potentially a finger or two deep.

"You're not ready yet, Luka," I said, putting as much steel in
my voice as I could. The mere thought of his side, stomach, or thigh being
ripped open made me heave.

"I know, hon. If I'm seriously hurt, I won't be able to perform and
the clan will suffer." He smiled. "And you won't talk to me. Right
now I'm testing the limits. In the end, I hope to make it appear far more
dangerous than it actually is."

* * *

We stayed six nights in Kadal and put on three performances. I saw
several black-robed ones, but none attended the performances. I was nervous
about going to Zeles because of Lady Roshan but anxious to talk to the Earth
Wizards, since they may have news from Morag, although I wasn't looking forward
to telling her I killed Jelena. She had said for me to investigate, not
kill—my shadow-self's preferred solution to every situation.

Kata drove us hard to perfect a two fireball routine. I knew as soon as
we had that perfected, she intended to work on a three fireball one. She was
like a commoner at the table of a nobles' feast. I also noticed other acts were
looking at adding new routines. The Zunji had certainly energized the Tobar
clan.

The four day trip to Zeles felt hours rather than days with my mind
whirling with questions, doubts, guilt, but no conclusions. I knew Luka had talked
a lot, but I couldn't remember a word of it. Fortunately, I don't think he
noticed. My love for him was the one thing I was certain about. As we rolled
into Zeles that evening, I gave up thinking. I realized I'd been trying to
resolve my questions, doubts, and guilt with logic. It not only didn't work,
but it caused me blinding headaches. Much like Luka, logic didn't explain why he
loved me. He did and that was all that mattered. The same would be true for my
concerns. I couldn't solve them with logic. My intuition said I didn't have all
the pieces. Until then, there was nothing I could do.

CHAPTER
SIXTEEN

CALION: Zeles –
Lady Roshan

"Night business?"

"Yes, love. Talk, nothing more," I said, assuring him he didn't
have to worry. I wonder how I would feel if he were going off to unknown places
to do unknown things. He was a wonder. I kissed him long and tender before exiting
the wagon. I knew Zeles well and had no trouble avoiding people on my way to
the Earth Wizards’ guild house. I smiled when I saw the open door and a
middle-age wizard in the doorway.

"Good evening, Shadow of Peace," he said as he waved me in.
"We have assembled in the great hall."

"Good evening, brother wizard," I said, following him down a
short corridor into the three-story domed room, which gave the appearance of
being outdoors, far away from the city: trees, flowing water, shrubs, flowers,
and walls of stone. Even the vine like seats seemed a natural part of the
environment. They stood when I arrived. I gave a small bow and took the empty
chair in the middle of a sort-of-circle of wizards who blended into their vine
chairs.

"Thank you for seeing me. As always it's an honor."

"You will always be welcome, Sister. We have the same wish for
Hesland—peace," her voice
soft, yet like stone. She was the same gray-haired, female wizard I had
met last time I visited Zeles. "We have had word from Ahasha for
you." She nodded and a young boy, probably an apprentice, came running up
to me, and handed me a small capsule, which had obviously not been opened.
Inside was a small, thin sheet of paper. Written on it, the names of the
current Sisters on assignment, their rank, and current location. Morag had
shown a lot of faith in my judgments by trusting such a list with the Earth
Wizards.

"Thank you. I would not trust this capsule with anyone else on
Hesland," I said. That was true even today when Sisters weren't being
hunted. On second thought, Sisters were being hunted and this list would have
been a living death sentence. "I have a message I need to send."

The same boy came running up to me with ink, quill, paper, and a capsule.
He waited off to the side as I wrote the message:

JELENA DRUGGED
INTO SUBMISSION. I KILLED.

AVOID TUSKA. WILL
SEND DRUG SOON.

There was no reason to sign as it was coming from the Earth Wizards. I
inserted the paper into the capsule and gave it back to the boy. He bowed and
ran off.

"I'd like each of you to taste something," I said holding up a
small vessel.

"Spill it on the ground," the lady wizard said. I did. Silence
followed for several minutes. "That is a very tasty liquid, like a mixture
of fruit, but it's not. It's not native to this province. I suspect, in larger
amounts it would produce very pleasant sensations."

"Yes. Extremely pleasant. So pleasant, you would do anything to get
it. Anything. I believe it is the most dangerous drug on Hesland."

"And the reason you've brought it to us is because you believe
anyone, including wizards, would become addicted to it," a young wizard
asked.

"Yes, commoners, nobles, Sisters, and wizards. The yellow-robes were
using it to recruit members. Do you have any information on the black-robes in
Calion or robed ones in the other provinces?"

"That is disturbing, and we thank you for the warning. In the end,
we wizards are men and women who are not immune to drugs." As she scanned
the room, I saw nods of agreement. "The robed ones appear confined to each
province by a single prophet and God. And they have each chosen a distinct
color. Our brothers in Tuska have notice some aggressive behavior from the
yellow-robed ones, but weren't aware of any drugs. We will get that information
to them immediately. Except for a couple of over-zealous disciples, the
black-robed ones here in Calion have caused no major trouble we are aware. And
in most of those instances, the black-robes were trying to help someone in
trouble. Except for Tuska, the robed ones do not appear to be a problem. Of
course, they all make their camps well out of the towns, so their actions there
are not known. You have concerns?"

"Yes. The robed ones I've met have admirable goals, but I doubt they
are doable without force."

"Yes, the road of evil is paved with good intentions. We will watch
the robed ones more closely and pass our findings on to Araby for you."

"I thank you for your support." I rose and left. I had learned
little I hadn't known before, but I was grateful for the list of Sisters on
assignment. The thought of them seduced like Jelena brought me to tears.

My encounter with the Eyes of God prayed on my mind, but these groups
appeared to be religious, whereas the Eyes of God were assassins wanting to
overthrow a province leader. And the cults didn't appear to be training an army
in a military sense.

* * *

"Ryana, guess what," Alida said, as Luka and I joined the
circle for our morning meal.

"Roshan," I said. "You could have waited until I had my
coffee and a full stomach."

"You've already told her she's going to be the province leader and
everyone will love her. What now?" Alida grinned, looking around the
group. There were lots of smiles, except for Santo who was frowning.

"That I made a little mistake. She is going to lose her rank and die
without a copper," I said, frowning as I looked at my hands like they held
a crystal ball. Dead silence for several seconds, followed by laughter. Santo's
frown hadn't changed.

"I can see why Stela calls you her wild child, and Alida says you do
dumb things. We trick commoners with our games of chance and merchants with our
claims for the goods we sell from other provinces. We consider them marks because they fall for our tricks
and lies. They may feel cheated, but there is little they can do about it since
we have broken no laws. But a noble that feels cheated or embarrassed has the
power to satisfy his or her anger. Nobles are very dangerous marks." Santo said, quieting the
group. He was right to be concerned for the Tobar clan and me. An angry noble
was dangerous. Lord Phellen was an excellent example, feeling it his right to
have me whipped to death on a whim or to tear apart the gypsies' homes out of
hate.

"I do not claim to tell anyone's future—commoner, noble, or wizard.
But you are right; it would not matter if they felt like a mark." I paused, taking a sip of my coffee. "I ask only
two coppers of those who ask me for my thoughts, noble and wizard included, and
I consider no one a mark. But I'll
understand if you would prefer I leave the clan." I began eating my eggs,
waiting the verdict with my heart pounding in my throat. Although no one was
looking for the Shadow of Death, I was as dangerous as before. Losing Luka
would break my heart, but that would be better than causing harm to the clan.
Maybe I could join the Zunji. Maybe I should go regardless of the clan's
decision. I put down my plate and walked off into the nearby trees, tears
streaking my cheeks. Luka didn't follow me.

* * *

I sunk into the moment where emotions didn't exist, neither hate nor
fear, joy nor sadness, right nor wrong. When I returned, it was dark and Anil
and Kasi were resting against my neck. They must have left the wagon through an
open shutter or Luka let them go. Ironically, I felt at peace and ready to face
whatever the day or night had in store for me. What I had told Jelena was
right. Sister Rong had taught us the secrets of the Shadow Sisters, whether we
chose to be a Spy or Assassin. But the real secret was one the founding Sisters
had discovered—how to survive. You had to play with the cards life dealt
you. You did not quit, and you did not sit around wishing for a better hand.
You made the best of the hand you had, because every hand was a potential
winner. I was clan and a Shadow Sister with responsibilities to both regardless
of what happened.

When Kasi and Anil took off, I knew someone was coming. A few minutes
later Lujza appeared. She stood appraising me for several minutes before
sitting.

"I spent many hours with Stela discussing you, when I learned Luka
intended to marry you. Not to judge whether you were good enough for my son,
but to understand my future daughter. A gypsy clan is like a blood family.
Stela said you understood clan better than us gypsies. Today, I understood what
she meant. All of us would die to defend the clan, but I doubt many of us would
offer to give up their clan to save them pain." She pulled me to her.
"Stela told me the things you did for the Dorian clan. As Alida continues
to remind us, some pretty dumb or maybe rather naïve but always in the clan's interest.
Others, extremely shrewd. I believe Stela didn't tell me everything and those
dumb things weren't as dumb as they appeared to Alida and others. You are
impulsive but have good instincts. You are fragile but not weak. And you know
more than you should."

A long silence followed. Luka's mother was a shrewd woman who would not
easily be tricked.

"Come, daughter. Your clan misses you and my son's frantic with
worry. We've just been giving you time to calm yourself. I understand your
training at Ahasha allows you to do that." She kissed my forehead and
rose, pulling me with her. When we reached the edge of the camp, Luka, Alida,
and Kata stood talking.

"You missed practice," Kata shouted, trying to suppress a grin.
Luka grabbed me and squeezed me tightly to him. Alida stood shaking her head.

"You can be dumb at times. You can't leave clan. It's not permitted.
Besides, no one wants the fortuneteller tent duty."

Our lovemaking that night was long and passionate. The thought of life
without him had been terrifying, and I hung on as if I'd lose him if I let go.

* * *

The next day, the emphasis was on choosing the acts for Lady Roshan. She
hadn't seen the Magic Balls, and they had been very popular with the audiences,
so it was included. The swings were left out because of the setup problems and because
several of its members were also in the Magic Balls act.

We arrived early to install the props for the performance and retired to
a smaller dining room to await our call. We sat around talking, while nibbling
on the snacks that had been laid out for us. The mood was sober but relaxed.
Although we were performing before nobility, we had each performed these acts
hundreds of times before large crowds. Even Santo had relaxed. I'd wager Lujza
had talked to him. I'm not sure what she could have said, but whatever she did,
it seemed to have helped to relieve or, at least, lessen his concerns. Kata
waved the five of us over to a corner.

"Is anyone uncomfortable using two fireballs?" she asked,
making eye contact with each of us. Although that was the one act we hadn't
performed a hundred times, I felt comfortable with the routine. The new routine
with three balls would have made me very nervous. Every performer made an
occasional mistake, or dropped something, or... but new acts needed to be
tested in small towns, not before nobles. No one seemed concerned.
"Alright, we will add the two-ball routine on the end of the normal
performance."

We spent the remaining time talking through the routine to ensure everyone
knew not only their part but everyone else's part. Not long after, a steward
opened the door and found Santo.

"Gypsy Santo, Lady Roshan is ready. If you would follow me," he
said, proceeding down the back stairs and to the entrance to the dining hall.
We followed in the order of our entrance. Opening the door, he announced in a
loud voice. "Ladies and gentlemen, the Tobar clan."

The tumbling team entered
first, running in with high-spinning jumps and flips. We followed. Luka was
next followed by Lujza, who had an illusion act where she made a variety of
articles appear, disappear, and multiply. Especially clever was her performance
with a guest's goblet of wine. She poured the full glass of wine into her
pocket; the goblet disappeared, and reappeared with the wine. The Magic Ball
act was last. We began kneeling with Kata dropping a ball that happened to roll
to one of us who then went through our individual act finishing in a kneeling
position again. When Kata finished, we all stood throwing the balls into the
air and the coordinated team performance started. We finished that part with a
catch on the ground. One at a time we rose propelling our ball towards Dmitri
who stood to the side. When the last ball reached him, he lit a fireball and,
pretending he had gotten burnt, tossed it in the air to Kata. The routine
started. The ball was passed in high flung arcs from one person to another so
that each of us handled the fireball several times, varying the way we caught
the ball, the way it was handled, and the method of flinging it into the air.
After Kata had released it for the fifth time, Dmitri rolled the second
fireball to her, which she flipped into the air with her foot. The act ended by
tossing one fireball at a time to Dmitri who caught it in a blanket and
smothered the flames. All through the performance, I could hear ooohs, aaahs,
and clapping. Many stood to see better.

Afterward, Roshan called Santo over and gave him a bag of coins. The
Steward led us back to the waiting room, which was now teaming with food of
every description. Halfway through our meal, the Steward returned and found Santo.
They talked for a few minutes, and Santo waved for me to join them.

"Ryana, Lady Roshan, would like to talk with you. If you will follow
me," he said, and proceeded to leave without waiting for a response. When
he reached a door where two guards stood, he knocked and hearing, "enter,"
opened the door for me. Lady Roshan sat behind a large desk and the same middle-aged man in military dress, wearing a
sword and long dagger, stood several paces behind and to her right.

"Lady Roshan," I said
and gave a small bow. She sat staring at me for several minutes without saying
a word. "I don't know why nobles, wizards, and I seek you out. I'd wager
you don't tell any of us what we would like to hear. So, it's not for our amusement.
I don't think any of us believe anyone can tell the future, you included."
She paused to take a drink from a crystal goblet with what looked like jewels
set in the crystal. "And then there is the question on why you do it. I
don't believe you do it for the money. Last time I gave you the two coppers you
asked for and realized you didn't care. You may have liked more for your clan,
but you didn't care about the money. Telling fortunes for nobles should pay a
lot to be worthwhile. Anyone of us could have you whipped on a whim if we
didn't like something you said, or we thought you thought us fools. And then
there are those who want to know what you've told us and are willing to use force
to find out. It seems two toras wouldn't be worth the risk. Even the king would
like a private telling." Again she sat silent, staring. What could
I say? I agreed with everything she said. Fortunetelling for nobles qualified
as one of the dumb things Alida always accuses me of doing.

"Maybe those are all the reasons we seek you out. You're an enigma.
One who has a unique insight into the future as it relates to each
individual." She stood and came walking around the desk to a small table
and two chairs. "I used to think the table and hands over mine an act.
I've come to believe you need that contact."

I sat after she did and the Captain pushed in her chair. She placed her
hands on the table, and I placed mine over hers, closed my eyes, and dropped into
the moment.

"I see one future where there is no nobility—"

Her chair shot backward and tipped over as she jerked her hands loose and
stumbled backward.

"Damn you, Ryana. Damn you," she shouted. The Captain had his
sword out, waiting on his liege lady to indicate what she wanted. She waved him
back. "Damn you. Just once... never mind." She sat after the captain
had righted the chair and placed her hands back on the table. I put mine over
hers.

"The conditions are right for one with intelligence, charisma, and
desire for greatness to destroy Hesland as we know it. The ones in hiding are
the storms waiting for a wizard to give them direction. The shadows and the
earth can protect you, but not without your help and vigilance."

"The Shadow of Death? Shadow Sisters? Earth?"

"You are not alone. But without support no one can stop it." I
removed my hands, to Roshan's surprise, and reached into my pocket, which
provoked a guarded response from the captain. I removed a small vial, and
uncapped it. "Give me your finger."

Roshan frowned, giving me a hard look through narrowed eyes before sticking
out her hand. I turned it over, palm up, and touched the vial to her index
finger.

"Taste that."

"What is it?"

"A drug that could reduce you to a slave," I said. She jerked
her hand back.

"Damn you. Damn you," she whispered, staring at the finger,
then at me.

"My Lady, don't taste that. She could be poisoning you!" The
captain moved towards me. Roshan stopped him with her hand. Then put her tongue
to her finger.

"Tasty," she said, licking her lips. "Like ripe fruit of
some kind."

"The Zunji call it the deadly Passion. If you taste it in anything
you eat or drink, you should find out who put it in your food and who gave it
to him. Because they are trying to control you."

"That's almost funny, because I would have asked for more. That's
delicious." She stood and walked back to her desk and threw a bag to her
captain. "I should put you in a cage, so I'd have you available when I
wanted you, but I suspect you'd be of little value locked up. Captain, give
that bag to the Tobar clan leader. Thank him for Ryana's time and tell him he
is to perform for me every time his clan is in town."

She walked back over to me and dropped two coppers in my hand. "I'll
wager there are several persons who would pay you more gold than in that bag
for what you told me—or use torture. But somehow I suspect you wouldn't
tell them for either."

"It's no one’s business what I tell anyone." I said, as I stood.

"Do you want protection in Calion?"

"No," I said, not wanting someone watching the wagon and
following me around. I'd want it for the clan, but I think the clan is in less
danger than the Dorian clan when everyone was looking for the Shadow of Death.
Ryana wasn't hiding, so if someone wanted me, they didn't have to search wagons
or question clan members.

"How can I get in touch with you if I want?" She asked,
surprising me. A very tricky question. Any good answer would give away too many
secrets.

"Tell one of the gypsy clans going towards Araby and Dazel."

"How will you get back to me?"

"I will find a way."

"I'd pay you a king's ransom to know your secrets."

"There are things money can't buy, Lady Roshan, loyalty, love,
courage..." I said. She nodded agreement. "You may go, Ryana. If it
weren't for all the bad news and worry you're causing me, I'd thank you."
She snorted. The captain had a guard escort me back to the room where the clan
waited. By then, everyone had finished and was nervously awaiting the outcome of
my meeting with Roshan. Everyone was silent as we loaded our equipment on the
wagons and left.

"Well," Alida asked as we sat around the communal fire.

"Well... I told her for a few toras I could see a really good
future. One where she didn't die without a copper. But since she only paid me
two coppers, I guess she liked the one I told her." I pulled my lower lip
up in a pout, as I handed Lujza the coppers.

"Lady Roshan is not fooled, which is a relief," Lujza said,
looking at the coins in her hand.

"What do you mean?" Kata asked, leaning forward. She was much
like what I thought a younger Lujza would have been like: full of energy,
inquisitive, and shrewd.

"The two coppers are what Ryana asked for when Roshan asked the
price. By paying Ryana what she asked, she acknowledged the telling wasn't for
money. She acknowledged it was meant as a gift." She paused looking up at
the moon Setebos, a harvest moon. "Remember, Lady wu'Lichak didn't give
her any money either. In both cases the money was given to the clan leader.
Enough, Ryana isn't going to tell us what happened, and I suspect we are better
off not knowing."

"Since the Shadow of Death got us under the protection of the king,
life has improved for us gypsies. But being paid in advance to return is
something I never thought I'd live to see. Between what Lady Roshan paid for
the performance and the advance, it's almost as much as we make on a circuit
across Hesland. Missing Tuska wouldn't be as financially disastrous as I had
imagined," Santo said. Luka put his arm around me and kissed me on the
head, as his mother sat down next to him.

"I had wondered over the past few years what you were looking for in
a woman to be your wife and if you would ever find it. And I had concerns about
you marrying a non-gypsy. But, I approve. Ryana is a welcome addition to the
Tobar clan, and the perfect wife for you. She will forever hold your
attention."

CHAPTER
SEVENTEEN

CALION: Zeles
– Secrets

Later that night I sent Anil to watch the Intermediate's house. Eshe and Renee were in Zeles
somewhere and I needed to contact them. I hoped one of them would contact our
new Intermediate, Galene. Unfortunately, no one other than a few customers
visited her house. The next day was a rest day, which most used to play around
with new variations to their acts. Kata had us working on a three fireball
routine. Again, nothing at the Intermediate's house. During the performance the
next night I stood off to the side watching the audience, hoping one or both
would show. They did. This time their illusion of two low-paid servants was
excellent. They looked to be enjoying themselves, laughing and clapping at the
right times. It was a marked improvement over last time. Then I had been able
to identify them because they looked like they were acting the part rather than
being the part. I was able to identify them this time because I had seen their
faces. I had Kasi follow them back to the wealthy merchant who employed them.

The fortuneteller tent had the long line of customers, which had become normal
lately. My reputation had grown. The idea of paying two coppers to have your
fortune told by someone who told fortunes for nobles and wizards was exciting.
Somehow that made me a real fortuneteller. The customers included the usual
number of women wanting to hear some bit of good news in the future, but I had
an increasing number of merchants and was learning a great deal about trading.
The last individual was a man in a black robe.

"Good evening, sir. How may I help you?" I said, preparing
myself for trouble. He dropped two coppers on the table but didn't sit.

"The God Xades seeks a good and safe Hesland, and we, His disciples,
are committed to seeing it come true."

"A worthy goal," I said, as my hand touched the knife I kept in
a sheath under the table top.

"We could use your help. You have access to the secrets of
merchants, nobles, and wizards."

"And you would like to know them."

"Yes. Evil must be punished if Hesland is to be free of it. You
would be well rewarded," he said, turning his head directly towards me, so
that I had a partial view of his face. A high level disciple if I wasn't
mistaken, judging by his face. He had lived a hard life, been in many fights,
and used to intimidation from his current expression. "And those who
support evil by refusing to help eliminate it."

"How am I to know what the God Xades thinks is evil. Beside, I'm
sure Xades, already knows who is evil and who isn't. After all, He's a
God."

"Yes, He knows, but He expects his disciples to earn His rewards...
or displeasure."

"I still haven't decided which God or Goddess I should follow. There
are many: Amatera, Jhea, Xades, and Konos. Each with a worthy goal. And no one
can serve two masters." I hoped he might answer the question that had been
nagging me, are the groups in competition, independent, or part of a greater
whole.

"It would not be good to anger Xades." His voice lowered to a
growl.

"It would not be good to anger any God. But surely the Gods do not
compete or are jealous like humans."

"Only when you are invited, like you are."

"I will think about it. You may keep your coppers, since I haven't
told your fortune."

"You should give me two coppers, because I know your fortune if you
refuse Xades," he snarled. My shadow-self took control, and I dropped into
the moment. I picked up the two coppers.

"I will tell you that few can walk in the shadows safely. You are
not one of them," I said in a voice devoid of emotions. He stood seconds
from death—a rocktail needle in one hand and a knife in the other. His
head jerked directly towards me, and I saw his face. It had lost its
confidence, replaced by shock. He stepped back a step, hesitated, and left
without saying anything. I sat trembling for I don't know how long. I wanted no
part of killing and had hoped to leave it behind. I wanted to live as a wife
and member of the clan in a peaceful Hesland. But the Shadow of Death lurked
just below the surface and a troubled Hesland beckoned to her. I must have been
lost in my thoughts for a long time, when Roza stuck her head into the tent.

"Ryana, you've no more customers. We closed the area and food's
being served."

"Thank you, Roza. I'm coming," I said, rushing after her. Santo
stepped up beside me as I collected a plate and spooned a thick stew onto it.

"Was the black-robed one a problem? I got worried when you didn't
join us right away."

"I'm not sure if he thought he could intimidate me into being his
informant, or he intended to force me."

"Do you want someone else to take the fortuneteller duty until we
leave Zeles?"

"I will," Kata said.

"No, Kata. I'd hate to see you lose that permanent smile you have
now that you don't have that duty. You would probably have us working on a
five-fireball routine."

"That's a great idea, Ryana," she said causing many to laugh
and the subject to change. I was clan and they would respect my decision.

* * *

While Luka was preparing for sleep, I watched through Anil and Kasi eyes
as Eshe and Renee left the house in their blacks and ghosted through the city.
They finally staked out a large building and settled down in the shadows. When
Luka rolled over and pulled the cover up to his neck, I kissed his cheek and
left. With Kasi's help I easily found the building and quietly approached their
hiding location. When I was only two steps away I whispered.

"You're characters have much improved."

Both jerked their heads in my direction and knives appeared. When they
saw my blacks, the knives lowered but did not disappear.

"If I hadn't seen your faces, I couldn't have picked you out of a
crowd."

"The Shadow... in Naze?" Eshe asked. I nodded.

"I need to talk to you. Now if you can, or later if this can't be
interrupted."

"Now. Nothing is going to happen at this hour."

"Follow me," I said, and headed for a secluded, wooded area
Anil had found. Even slowing to avoid the few out at this hour, it only took
fifteen minutes to reach. We settled down facing each other.

"I owe you an apology. You were right. I needed to rest before
attempting to make Ahasha and north was the safest direction. We learned later
they had mercenaries blocking the roads looking for three Sisters. I know now
you didn't mangle those dead bodies for pleasure. I wasn't thinking straight.
I'm sorry, Sister," Renee said before I had a chance to speak.

"Yes. There has been much discussion about you at Ahasha. We agree
the Sisterhood owes you much. We hope to walk in your shadow," Eshe said,
bowing in my direction.

"Please don't. It is filled with death." I felt like screaming,
don't follow in my footsteps, they are cursed. "Hold out your hands,"
I said instead, producing the vial with the drug. Eshe responded immediately,
and I placed a drop on her finger. "Taste it." After she did, Renee put
her hand out, and I put a drop on her finger.

"Like some kind of fruit. Sweet and pleasant," Eshe said.

"Like a mixture of fruits but unlike anything I've ever
tasted," Renee said.

"It is made from a flower in the dry, hot desert of Zunji land. They
call it the deadly Pleasure. The yellow-robed followers of Drogo in Tuska
seduced Sister Jelena with it. Under its influence, Jelena became one of the
camp's whores at night and their agent during the day. She was actively seeking
to get the Sisterhood under the influence of the prophet Drogo. And she would
have succeeded given time. She knew too many secrets."

"What happened?" Renee asked. I suspect Eshe had guessed, when
she didn't say anything.

"I killed her. If you detect that taste in your food or drink stop
eating or drinking, find out who put the person up to giving you the drug, and
contact Ahasha with what you find. That drug will make you a willing slave
devoid of morality, loyalty, or will power." During the silence that
followed, my mind relived those awful days under its influence.

"Most addictive drugs render the user useless. This one
doesn't?" Eshe asked.

"Not in the short term. I believe it would if the user went without it
for several days."

"Do you have instructions for us?" Eshe asked.

"Only that you keep Ahasha informed of any unusual activity from the
black-robed ones as well as their number." Unasked they discussed their
current assignment. They had been hired by the merchants’ guild to spy on one
of their members who they suspected might be dealing in stolen goods. I got the
impression that Morag had given instruction for the Sisters who met me to bring
me up to date on what they were doing. In theory, I was here to advise. I had
no clue what that meant and hoped I'd know when it was necessary. But I doubted
it. Feeling I had nothing to contribute to their assignment, I left. Luka
barely moved when I slipped in beside him.

* * *

We left for Ashtol the next day, a sixday trip. I felt good about the
Magic Fireballs and the innovations Kata continued to make. Handling the
fireballs was becoming routine. In the beginning, burns were a common
occurrence, but lately neither I nor the others received more than an
occasional minor one. Late the second night out of Zeles, Anil and Kasi noted
four men in black-robes approaching. They remained some hundred paces away as
they slowly circled the wagons. I knew they looked for me, somehow knowing I
would be up late and away from the wagons. An overheard remark, an observation,
or common knowledge, I wondered. Or did they look for Luka and my wagon. The
thought brought beads of sweat to my forehead. I drew a knife for my right hand
and a rocktail needle, which I folded back against my left forearm, and waited.

Five minutes later they found me. I decided to do nothing until I knew
what they wanted and intended to do.

"There!" a man exclaimed when they were within twenty paces of
me. I had remained sitting to give the illusion of having been found by
surprise and alone. The four rushed to circle me as I stood. The tallest man
moved a few steps closer than the other three.

"You have angered the God Xades, gypsy. But I have begged Him to
forgive you, if you will change your mind and help us create peace within
Calion," the man said in a voice that sounded educated and used to giving
orders. The man was obviously the Prophet Virtor since he talked to the God.

"A worthy goal as I told the other man. And what did I do that
requires I be forgiven, Prophet Virtor?"

"You threatened to kill one of Xades's disciples."

"If he told you that, he lied," I couldn't resist the word
game. It drew me like Anil and Kasi to blood.

"Theo?"

"She said the shadows would kill me, Prophet Virtor."

"Well, Ryana, do you deny that? Theo is not a liar."

"Perhaps, just easily confused. He paid me two coppers for a
telling. I accepted the coppers and told him the shadows weren't safe. It was
not a threat but the one future I saw most clearly for him."

"Never mind. Drop the knife and come with us. The God Xades will
determine your future. It can be good or bad depending upon your
cooperation."

"That sounds like a threat. No more pretenses, Virtor?" I
dropped the knife and sought the moment between the second that was and the one
to be.

"Theo, get her and let’s go," he said. When Theo grabbed me, I
stumbled into him jabbing him with the needle and chanting in a dead voice.

"God Xades, Virtor seeks to do his will, not yours. Protect me from
evil." I looked up at the sky, where I supposed the Gods lurked. Theo
stood eyes wide for several seconds and collapsed at my feet. Virtor's head
moved like he sought to find a reason for Theo's collapse. The other two men
backed away from Theo and me.

"Get her," he shouted, but he had lost control of the men. Fear
had them in its grip. They wanted no part of me and maybe Xades.

"Prophet Virtor, I will tell you what you should already know.
Commoners and merchants don't tell two-copper, gypsy fortunetellers their
darkest secrets. They want to know whether their next child will be a boy or a
girl, whether it would be best to trade in Ashtol or Kaslos, or to be lied to
about how wonderful their lives will be next cycle. And you of all people
should know that nobles don't believe anyone can tell the future. So they seek
information about what we see and hear in our travels—not secrets. No
Heslander tells a gypsy his or her secrets." I picked up my knife and
pointed it at Theo's body. "But for two coppers, I will tell your fortune.
It appears my telling for Theo came true."

The two men had backed further way, their heads jerking back and forth
between Virtor and me. He stood silent, looking from me to Theo to his men and
back to me.

"Your violence against a disciple of Xades cannot go
unpunished," he finally snarled.

"What about your violence against me, a gypsy who is under the
king's protection. That cannot go unpunished. And what about your God Xades and
your violence against me? If you are truly following Xades's will, then you
should, with His help, easily subdue me. But if not..." I waited, hoping
he would leave, make some excuse why Xades told him He didn't want me, and
leave me alone. One killing was all my visual-Ryana could handle. He recovered
quickly considering he had been surprised.

"You're right, gypsy. Theo lied to me and Xades has punished him. Go
in peace." He turned and waved his men to follow. I was sure he hated me,
would love to get even, and would if the opportunity ever presented itself. But
for now, he was stuck with his it was
Theo's fault excuse.

It was a long time before I could stop shaking. I had
killed—again—but what was my option? Let them take me and do their
bidding? Let them kill me? Dying was the simple solution, but the coward's way
out. It would solve my problems but cause others unnecessary pain and
suffering. No, I had a duty to the Shadow Sisters, my clan, and Luka to live.
With that resolved for now, I made my way back to the wagons.

For the next five days travelling, I took comfort in the clan's activities:
up at dawn, prepare and eat, travel to noon, rest and eat, travel to late
afternoon, practice, eat, the evening gathering, and when Luka retired, I
sought comfort in being out with my darlings.

"How do you do it, Ryana?" Roza asked as she found me propped
up against a tree late one night.

"It's hard to break the conditioning I got at Ahasha. And I don't
mind. The night is quiet and a good time for thinking or dreaming. What brings
you out so late?"

"The same thing that eventually troubles every gypsy woman as she
approaches marrying age—who will she marry and what will life be like
with that man?"

"And I just took one of the available men," I said, feeling
sorry for Roza. For a woman Heslander there were hundreds of choices, and most
could wait until they found someone they loved or thought they did. For a
gypsy, the available men were few and so any offer would likely be accepted.

"True, but you're bringing new blood into the clans, and we
desperately need that. Besides, I think we all stopped considering Luka
available long ago. Desirable, yes, but not the marrying kind. No, I think most
of us are glad to see Luka married and no longer a temptation, so we can
concentrate on someone who is available." She laughed and put her arm
around me.

"Pick out one you like, and I'll kidnap him for you. That way you
won't have to leave the Tobar clan."

"I'll let you know when I find him." She squeezed me.
"Thanks, Ryana. I needed someone's shoulder to cry on." She rose and
stretched. "I'm off to bed. I think I can sleep now."

"Anytime you want to talk, I'm available."

CHAPTER
EIGHTEEN

CALION: Ashtol
- Memories of the past

Ashtol produced a variety of clothing from their herds of sheep and
fields of cotton. Consequently, the population was a mixture of merchants,
farmers, and herders. And the sight of herders brought back distant memories of
my early growing up years in Dunn Pass—depressing memories of neglect and
abuse. The notable change was the presence of black-robed individuals. There
seemed to be as many here as in Zeles, which raised many questions: how were
they organized, did they all recognize Virtor as their leader, did he have
lieutenants in each city and town, how did they communicate, what was their
ultimate goal, what motivated that goal, were they connected to the other robed
ones in another province...

As we were setting up for tomorrow's performance, Alida and Kata joined
me to help unpack the props wagon.

"Remember the Water Wizard, Ryana?" Alida asked. I remembered
him well, since he almost killed me when I tried to save Alida.

"Yes. Now that you're married, I hope you won't flirt with anymore
wizards. That was embarrassing running off with one," I said, leaving
Alida speechless for a minute.

"He kidnapped me!"

"After you had his water bubbling from your strutting and smiling at
him."

"I did not!" She stamped her foot and snorted. "You're
only saying that because he wouldn't pay attention to you."

"I think I remember hearing that you were kidnapped by a Water
Wizard here in Ashtol," Kata said, forehead wrinkled in concentration.
"I guess whoever told me got the story wrong."

"Yes I was kidnapped by a Water Wizard, and Ryana raced after us
planning to free me by putting a knife in him. But she found her knives
couldn't penetrate his wall of water, and he smashed her with a wave when she
tried. Took her two days to recover. Fortunately for both of us, another wizard
came along and saved us."

"I think that's a bit more excitement than even I would like,"
Kata said. "The wizards have been pretty quiet since the overthrow
attempt. Let's hope it stays that way."

* * *

At the performance the next day, the Magic Balls group used three
fireballs and got a rousing round of applause. Between acts I watched the
crowd. No assassins I could identify, a few lone thieves, three black-robed
individuals, and no nobles or wizards. Just as I was about to take my place in
the fortuneteller tent, the three black-robed ones descended on one of the
thieves and whisked him out of the area. I had Anil follow them, as I took my
place in the tent. I was busy all night with normal customers—no nobles,
wizards, or people trying to kill me.

Anil had followed the black-robes and their prisoner to a camp about two
leagues out of town. I couldn't help but be amazed at the similarities between
the apparent disparate groups: they wore similar robes although different
colors, they each had a God and prophet although different, and they each
camped well out of town and sight. They tied the thief between two trees. He
was still hanging there after I finished and the audience had left. They didn't
seem to be mistreating him. Periodically people stopped to talk and brought him
water and food.

When I woke the next morning, he had been untied and was eating with
several men and a woman. Unfortunately, Anil couldn't get close enough to hear
their conversation. Judging from Anil's flight over the area, it held at least
a hundred individuals.

The next night, I visited the Earth Wizards guild house where the same
seven wizards were present. A white haired wizard greeted me at the door and
led me into the great hall.

"It's good to see you," he said, waving me to an empty seat.

"I understand you have something for us to taste," a middle
aged woman said. She was small and plump, with long brown hair surrounding her
head except for a small area from her chin to her eyebrows, which showed warm
eyes and a pleasant smile.

"Yes." I uncapped the vial and let a couple of drops fall on
the moss covered floor where I sat. I heard several sounds of approval from
around the room as they sampled the liquid.

"Yes, they were right. The drug is very tasty, enough to encourage
one to drink or eat whatever food or liquid it is in. And even that small
sample gives a pleasant sensation," the woman said.

"Yet another vulnerability for us wizards," the old wizard
said. "Do the other wizards know?"

"No. I've mixed emotions. Telling too many may cause more problems
than it avoids. For now, the only location I know about is on Zunji land, and
they have agreed to kill anyone trying to collect it. I think the fewer people
who know the better."

"For now, we agree," the old wizard said after looking at each
of the other wizards. He waved, and a small girl came running up to me, bowed,
and handed me a small capsule. "We have a message for you from
Ahasha."

I opened the capsule and read.

Regret having to give the duty to you.

Have
warned the sisters at Ahasha

Collecting
news on robed ones for you

fayza
in scio

M.

The little girl had remained there while I read the note, and handed me a
piece of paper, ink, and quill as I finished. I wrote a quick note but didn't
sign it as only I sent messages from the Earth Wizards.

Zunji will give sisters taste
of drug

if
i do not.

need
to watch robed ones for me.

"Thank you, my brothers and sisters. I could not operate as I must
without your help and support."

"We stand in the shadows with you, our sister, and stand ready to
help," The old wizard said to a rumbling earth I took as unanimous
agreement.

* * *

At our last performance, I noticed the thief working the crowd and two
black-robed individual standing in the back. While I worked the fortuneteller
tent, Kasi showed the thief and the two black-robed ones leaving together. He
appeared to have joined them—interesting. At the evening gathering,
everyone was in a festive mood. The audience had been large, and the games
profitable.

"Well, Alida, what can we expect in Araby based on your and Ryana's
adventures there?" Petre, Luka's friend, asked while grinning at Luka. He
enjoyed ribbing him over marrying a non-born-gypsy and found plenty of material
from Alida's accounts of me with the Dorian clan. I thought it good natured
ribbing.

"Of course, we have Lady wu'Lichak fortunetelling, and Ryana's
family lives there. Ah, and there is Udo, where..." Alida went on to
describe the encounter with Lord Phellen in all its gory details.

"Why didn't you just lie?" Maria asked the question I thought
on everyone's minds. "Lady wu'Lichak would know you didn't tell him the
truth."

"But everyone else would think I did," I said, but from the
puzzled looked, most didn't understand my logic. "Then others would then
think they could get me to tell what I said to others by threatening me."

"But they are all lies, stories... well, aren't they? Are they worth
dying for?" Dmitri asked. A good question; however, a good answer was far
too complex even with the truth, which I couldn't tell. I smiled mentally. But
I could. Who would believe it?

"If I see a person's future and that person told someone else who
then acted on what he or she was told, might that action change the person's
future?"

"But if it's a lie anyway?"

"But the person believes it to be real and will, therefore, act
accordingly."

"You're giving me a headache, Ryana," Kata laughed, while
holding her head between her hands.

"Simple. Heslanders know are games are difficult, but if for one
moment they thought we were cheating them, what then?" Lujza said, nodding
understanding.

"So... Ryana is either a fortuneteller who can be trusted or a fake
who sells your secrets," Santo said into the silence. "Whether you do
or don't, the consequences would be the same over time. Alida, your adopted
sister plays dangerous games, but she's not as dumb as it appears on the
surface."

"She does have her moments. I'd just like her to grow old with
me," Alida said, hugging me. I didn't know about old age, but I was
content at this moment, with Luka, Alida, clan, and my Sisters’ love. That was
enough.

* * *

The transition from Calion to Araby would have been unnoticeable if a
river didn't separate the two provinces; however, the change from black-robed
individuals to orange-robes was immediate, even well before reaching the city
of Ossic. I went out of my way the first day to stop to give two orange-robed
individuals three coppers for an opportunity to question them.

"Mistress, if you could spare a copper or two. We collect to share
with those in need." A female voice said from the overly, large hood
covering her head.

"Yes," I said, dropping three coppers in her wooden bowl.
"You're a disciple of?"

"We are disciples of the Goddess Jhea, the ruler of the skies. She
wishes for us the help those in need."

"You learned this how?"

"Through the word of the Prophet Pedro, who hears Her words in
visions from the Goddess Jhea," a man's voice said. Interesting, another
God, another prophet, and another worthy cause, leading down a path to a garden
or a cliff, I wondered. That was my problem. Did each cause lead down the same
path to the same end, or were they different paths leading to different
endings. I wished I didn't care, but I do, because the answer may impact
Hesland and the ones I love and have a duty to protect.

Ossic was a small town and we only put on two performances before moving
on to Scio.

CHAPTER
NINETEEN

ARABY: Scio: Lady
wu'Lichak

"Ryana, Alida said your family lives here in Scio. They must be
looking forward to seeing you and Luka," Kata said as we unpacked in the
area reserved for the clans.

"No. My father and mother are very traditional Heslanders. They
would prefer their friends to believe I'm a Shadow Sister rather than a gypsy. My
father was not unhappy to see me go. He wanted sons, not daughters." That
was the truth, although I wasn't talking about parents in Scio but in Dunn
Pass.

"Now I understand why we didn't meet your parents last time we were
in Scio," Alida said, probably trying to remember the stories I had made
up then.

"You're happy now, that's all that matters," Kata said.

"Look, Ryana. That's Lord Boyan." Alida grinned, pointing to
four soldiers and a noble standing talking to Santo. "Guess what he
wants."

"To invite us to dine with Lady wu'Lichak," Roza laughed as she
approached us. "Maybe if I see someone cute, Ryana can kidnap him for
me."

"Say the word and he's yours," I said. Yes, Boyan was here to
ensure the clan brought me to see her. I just hoped the clan wasn’t jealous, or
it would affect their attitude towards me. Life could be so complicated. Just
then Santo came walking over.

"That was Lord Boyan. Lady wu'Lichak wants us to perform for her
tomorrow night." He paused looking at me, lips puckered in concentration.
"Luka has certainly brought us interesting times with his choice of a life
partner. Your fortunetelling reputation brings in more money than we make with
our performances and games in a cycle and more... excitement. Be careful,
Ryana, the clan loves you, and we do not want to see you hurt."

"Ryana, Alida, Maria, time for practice." Kata shouted,
breaking the sober mood. We already had a performance scheduled for tonight, so
there would be no rest day, since the performance for wu'Lichak was tomorrow
and neither could be canceled. The practice was short. By now we were
comfortable with the three fireball routine.

The evening performance went smoothly and the audience in a festive mood.
I thought I saw at least one thief but no assassins, or at least none who
appeared to be looking for someone. Two orange-robes stood near the back of the
crowd apparently enjoying the acts, except for an occasional glance in the
direction of a man dressed in typical commoner clothing: work shoes, pants and
shirt of a coarse spun material, and a worn leather belt with a knife in a
sheath attached.

The fifth customer who entered turned out to be the man the orange-robed
ones had been sneaking looks at.

"Good evening, sir," I said, and my senses went on full alert. Although
he wasn't seeking the Sister of Death, he had targeted me, and he was connected
to the orange-robes in some manner. He stood looking down at me.

"I hear you tell fortunes for nobles and wizards," he said. His
eyes never left me.

"Even nobles and wizards need to be amused."

"Then you can't tell the future." His voice had the hint of a
sneer.

"Only the person's future I see can tell you that, sir." I
almost grinned, visualizing Sister Rong. It felt like one of her games, which I
loved. To me, they were like the deadly Passion flower. He placed two coppers
on the table and sat. His smile widened.

"Well let’s see if you are amusing or can see the future."

"Place your hands on the
table, palms down." He looked as if he'd refuse, then shrugged and placed
his hands on the table. I placed my hands over his and closed my eyes. He
tensed when I touched him and was slow to relax. Lady Roshan was right. I
needed the contact with the other person. For some reason, the hands seemed to
convey a person's emotions.

"You are used to giving orders," I felt tension in his right
hand, "and having them obeyed. And you are a man of vision, you see
opportunity and are preparing to seize—"

As his hands jerked out from under mine, I slid backward drawing a knife
but keeping it hidden by my skirt. His hand was on his knife pommel, but it
remained in the sheath. He glared at me, then unexpectedly turned and left. A
strange reaction... He wanted something from me, or maybe to test me and didn't
like the result—neither did I. His reaction screamed I was a danger to
him. I didn't have time to ponder the problem because another customer entered
seconds later. I nudged Anil and Kasi to fly around the area, but it was hard
concentrating on telling fortunes and watching through my darlings’ eyes. I
know he left with the two orange-robes following him and that he entered the
castle—things I had already guessed.

* * *

The next day was spent checking the equipment and loading the wagons for
the night's performance.

"Are you nervous about tonight?" Luka asked as we prepared to
leave for the castle. His concern was sweet and comforting for me but stressful
for him.

"No, love. Are you nervous before a performance? Or during
one?"

"No. I've practiced the routines many times and as prepared as
possible, and during an act, the act becomes my entire world... Oh, I see.
Sister Rong trained you well and once the game begins... "

"Yes. It's much the same." I sat with my arm around him as our
wagon made its way to the castle. There we unloaded our equipment and got
everything setup long before the guests began arriving. Now the boring part, waiting
for the guests to arrive, chat, and eat.

The performance went off perfectly. The Magic Ball act was getting a good
deal of attention, since nobody had ever seen an act like it before and fire
was always a hit with audiences. Lady wu'Lichak was very gracious, and called
each act's members to her for a few minutes talk. We were the last.

"Can I see one of those balls?" she asked. Not really a
question. One didn't refuse a noble, especially when the noble was a province
leader. Kata handed her one, which she examined thoroughly before handing it
back. I thought the look of pleasure strange when she tried to roll the ball up
her arm and it dropped onto her chest and into her lap. She gave a small
giggle. "And the fireballs?" Again she examined the ball carefully. "Dangerous
and clever." She handed Kata a small bag of coins, and we returned to our
waiting room which was now filled with food, which by the look of it was leftovers
from the main meal. Everyone was almost finished eating when Lord Boyan entered
and nodded in my direction. Santo joined us.

"Gypsy Santo, please wait here until Lady wu'Lichak and Ryana are
finished their discussion." He nodded to Santo then waved for me to follow
him. He led me to the same room, and surprisingly, Lady wu'Lichak was already
sitting at the small table we used and smiling. Something was very wrong, and
judging by the look on Boyan’s face, he was worried.

"Lady wu'Lichak," I said, bowing and pulling out my small vial.
"Would you taste this for me, please?" I put a drop on my finger and
held it towards her. Something unheard of—asking a noble to lick your
finger. Boyan scowled but said nothing. Wu'Lichak grabbed my hand and touched
her tongue to my finger.

"That’s just like the juice I have before going to bed.
Delicious." She leaned closer to me. "And the dreams are wonderful.
Men sending glorious sensations through me for hours." She giggled. My arm
arched in a circle driving my palm downward striking her forehead just above
her eyes. She folded into her chair like a wet rag. Before Boyan could come to
terms with what I had just done, I was at his side, with my hand on his half-drawn
sword hand, and a knife at his throat.

"Lord Boyan, in the next few minutes you are going to make a decision
that will have ramifications across Hesland, so I need you to try and relax.
You need to have your wits about you." I stood waiting for him to relax.
Slowly, most of the tension went out of him. "Lord Boyan, you know me, and
have a good idea about what your liege lady thinks of me. Think about our
previous meetings and your discussions with her." Again I waited, hoping
he'd realize wu'Lichak trusted me. I think it worked because he appeared to
relax some more. I let go of his sword hand and retrieved my vial.

"Give me your hand." When he did I shook a drop into his palm.
"Taste."

"Very nice. Like some kind of fruit," he licked his palm again.

"That is a drug the Zunji call the deadly Passion. It is not only
addictive, but puts a person under your complete control. It is the deadliest
drug on Hesland. Those dreams she mentioned. Those weren't dreams. Some men
were in her room, and she willing let them do whatever they wanted—"

"No!" Boyan jerked so violently, my knife cut into the skin.
Fortunately, he felt the cold blade and stopped.

"If we do nothing, your liege lady will soon willingly become the
castle whore and available to any soldier or servant or commoner." I
stepped back and put my knife away. Tears streamed down his cheeks as raw hate
crept into his face. His sword left its sheath.

"Who?"

"I don't know, Lord Boyan. What I do know is that we need to get her
away from here. She is not safe in this castle. Do you have twenty or more
soldiers you can trust with your liege's life?"

"Yes," He said after several minutes. "Why?"

"Lady wu'Lichak has decided to take a trip to Udo. She will need an
escort."

"But—"

"It's a diversion. I believe you will be intercepted before you get
there. We'll transfer her to my wagon. In a few days she should be herself
again."

"You want to put her in a gypsy wagon? She'll—"

"She'll be mad as a wounded bear. She'll scream and fight because
her body wants more of the Passion drug. She'll go with anyone who offers her
the drug. And she's the Province leader so no one will refuse
her—including you, Lord Boyan."

"She could have you whipped to death," he said, face paling at
the thought of the consequences—the many consequences involved.

"I'm willing to take the risk, for her, for Hesland."

"I don't know. I..."

"Lord Boyan, I know you would die for Lady wu'Lichak without a
moment's hesitation. Doing what I ask may result in your death, but without the
risk, your liege lady will be degraded lower than a common camp follower by men
unfit to associate with them."

"Why would you take such a risk?" His eyes narrowed as he
searched me for answers.

"Because I walk in the Shadow of my Sisters."

"... You're a Shadow... By the gods, you're the Shadow of
Death!"

I said nothing, waiting for his decision. Without his help, I could do
little if anything. Someone of influence, in the castle, was in on the
conspiracy.

"Tell me what you want me to do," he said, his face a picture
of determination. At my request, he had the guard get Santo, Lujza, and Luka.
When they arrived, I explained the situation and what I was proposing.
Wu'Lichak needed to be isolated for several days for the drugs to get out of
her system, and she could think rationally again. But in that time the people
would gave her the drug would be desperately looking for her, and he or them
would have a large force behind them. I suspected the robed ones were also
involved.

"I will understand if you don't want the risk. And there are risks—many.
If she's found before she recovers, she will sign the order to have everyone
who supported me executed—the entire Tobar clan. When she recovers she
may have me and you executed because she can't forsake the drug, or she didn't
want to be saved. I suspect there will be a large number of people searching
for her and the orange-robes will be their eyes and ears." My eyes misted.
I was torn in too many directions. I was putting the Tobar clan in danger with
no guarantee that saving wu'Lichak stopped a larger plot. It might not be
related. Was wu'Lichak's life worth the Tobar clan? No. Was the Tobar clan
worth the safety of Hesland? I didn't want to answer that question.

"Go! This is not your business. Go!" I shouted.

"Why are you involved? We should all go. The schemes of royalty are
none of our business, Ryana."

"You're right Santo, unless... Ryana wasn't hurt trying to save Ilka
and Alida. She was hurt saving them. Ryana didn't find a Shadow who removed the
roadblock, Ryana and the Zunji did, which explains why she knew the Zunji and
Sizwe deferred to her. She didn't witness the Shadow of Death with the king.
She is the Shadow of Death. My talks with Stela and Marku make sense now. They
knew. That's the reason we are under the protection of the king—they
helped give her safe passage. The reason the Zunji has a province—they
supported her. It all makes sense. You knew, didn't you Luka. She wouldn't let
you marry her without telling you," Lujza said, grabbing him by the
shoulders and turning him to face her. He said nothing, which was enough for
Lujza. "Ryana cares because as a Shadow she feels responsible for Hesland
and like before, feels Lady wu'Lichak and Araby are important."

"The Shadow of Death? Ryana?" Santo muttered, staring at me in
open-mouthed, wide-eyed disbelief. "Marku and Stela knew?"

"Yes. They helped her in the beginning because they owed the Shadows,
but they continued because the overthrow of the king would have meant the end
of the clans."

"Go. Lord Boyan and I will find another way, Go."

"What did you want us to do?" Lujza asked.

"Wu'Lichak needs a place to rest while the drugs work their way out
of her system. A place no one can find her, because if they find her she will
do or say whatever they want to get more. And I suspect whoever gave her the
drug is a noble or high ranking soldier, so they will be searching with Araby
troops. And soldiers aren't going to disobey their liege lady."

"Ryana's right," Boyan said, standing over wu'Lichak and
checking the bruise on her head where I hit her. "We must get her away,
until she is drug free. I doubt I could keep her safe. It would be too easy for
another noble to convince others I was poisoning her or holding her against her
will. And in her condition, she would agree with them to get more of the
drug."

"What do you suggest, Shadow?" Santo looked pale, and I didn't
blame him. It was best for anyone, especially gypsies, to stay clear of nobles
and their schemes.

"We will return to the camp grounds and stay for our next
performance, then leave for Udo. Lord Boyan will prepare a troop to take Lady
wu'Lichak to a secret meeting in Udo. He will drop Lady wu'Lichak off near the
Earth Wizard's lodge. I will be there and arrange to get her back to the wagon
before dawn. I suspect someone will want to search the wagons. If they do be
very cooperative. And I believe a troop will intercept Lord Boyan, searching
for wu'Lichak. That will be tricky. The men with you must trust you."

"If it saves my liege lady, it is worth any risk," Boyan said,
pushing the hair out of wu'Lichak's eyes, concern written on his pale face. Santo
gave a small laugh.

"I'm terrified, but knowing Ryana is the Shadow of Death is somehow
comforting. Should we tell the clan?"

"I would suggest you don't unless there is no alternative. I know
you are putting them at risk without their knowledge, but knowing they may slip
and give it away. I'll make up a story to explain what is going on."

"Marku said you put us gypsies to shame," Lujza said with a
grin. "I agree. We shouldn't tell the clan, at least, for now."

We spent the next hour discussing the details. When we returned to the
clan everyone rushed us.

"What happened?"

"Is Ryana in trouble?"

"Are we under arrest?" The questions came so fast Santo didn't
bother to respond.

"Lady wu'Lichak had a lot of questions about our circuit: the towns
we performed in, the time between provinces, and wanted to meet Ryana's
husband. And to give me this." He held up a purse and shook it, making the
familiar sound of a bag full of coins. The bag was the one wu'Lichak had
prepared for me. We spent the next hour, with the help of servants, loading our
wagons.

Back in camp, Luka pretended to have a headache, and we retired almost
immediately. In the wagon, he sat on the bed watching me dress.

"I wish we could just run," he said. "I know. Where could
we run? Then I wish I could help you. I do worry. I know you are good at what
you do. But you're human."

"You are helping, Luka. You're my rock. You keep me sane. Without
you, I don't know what I would do." I kissed him long and tender.
"Just always be here when I get back," I said, slipping out the door
with my darlings and ghosting into the night.

When I arrived at the Wizard's guild house, the door was open.

"Welcome Shadow, the others wait in the hall," a rotund man
only a few fingers taller than me said, smiling. I entered and stood to look at
the Wizards who leaned eagerly forward as they waited. "Brothers and sisters,
Araby has an emergency. Lady wu'Lichak has been poisoned with the deadly
Passion drug and is under its influence. If she can't recover, Araby will fall.
I don't know who poisoned her, but I suspect it is someone in power in the
castle. Therefore, she cannot remain there."

"How can we help, Shadow?"

"I'd like to keep her here, but I suspect that could be a
problem." That would be the best solution from my perspective as it would
take the clans out of it.

"We will if you ask, but if any of the other guilds find out, and
they side with wu'Lichak's enemies, it will become a wizard war. That could
destroy much of Araby and not solve the real problem," the senior wizard
said. He looked ancient. With skin like the rough bark of an old tree and roots
growing out his feet, he looked ready to turn into one. It was what I expected
from the last time.

"And it is highly probable wizards are being given the drug to enlist
their help." I removed my vial and spilled a few drops on the ground.

"Very nice and very addictive. Yes, such a drug would be easy to
trap an unsuspecting noble or wizard. And an addicted wizard would be very
dangerous in the wrong hands."

"I plan to keep Lady wu'Lichak in my wagon until she recovers. I
would feel better if one or more of you were close by for support if I need it.

"Yes, we will do that for now, and you will have the entire guild’s
support if necessary. The Shadow Sisters and the Earth Wizards goals are the
same—a secure Hesland. Sister Jutta, will accompany you for now."
When he finished, a tall, middle-aged woman stood and walked over to me and
bowed.

"I'm the Wizard Jutta. Come, let us go meet Lord Boyan," she
said as we made our way to the meeting spot. An hour later, the sound of horses
could be heard drumming on the hard packed road.

"They come. Some... forty strong," Jutta said, and not too much
later the troops came into sight, twenty in front and twenty behind a royal
carriage. The carriage, with Boyan riding beside it, stopped in front of me and
Jutta.

"You were right. There were several lords asking questions that were
none of their business. They were clearly nervous when they learned Lady
wu'Lichak was leaving for Udo. Take good care of her, Shadow. She's very
special." Boyan opened the carriage door and carefully removed the still
unconscious wu'Lichak. Jutta took her in her arms, which quickly encased her in
a cocoon of vines, and began walking into the forest. I followed.

It took two hours to skirt the town and make it back to the wagons. When
we arrived, the camp was quiet, and I carried wu'Lichak inside and placed her
on the blankets Luka had prepared.

"How is she?" he asked.

"Still out, but not for long." I changed out of my clothes and gave
her a mixture Jutta had prepared which she said would keep her sedated for at
least twelve hours. It wasn't the ideal solution but better than knocking her
out each time she woke up.

The next day was a rest day. At breakfast, the four of us spent the first
two hours lying about what had happened in Lady wu'Lichak's office. I laid out
the basic framework for the lie, and had to admit Santo, Lujza, and Luka did
well filling in the details. Sister Rong would have been satisfied with their performance.
Lujza seemed to enjoy the deception. Luka was a little stiff in the beginning,
but warmed up after the first hour. Santo was a bit stilted, but I doubt anyone
noticed. Little happened the next day since there was no performance scheduled.
Most spent time on repairs or cleaning equipment and clothes and relaxing. I
kept disappearing into the wagon to check on wu'Lichak. I skipped the evening
gathering, and instead carried my food, with an extra helping, back to the
wagon, saying I had some home cleaning and wanted to get it done before Luka retired.
Back at the wagon, the wizard's drug was wearing off as Jutta had predicted. I
intended to get her fed and cleaned up while she was still semi-drugged.

"Ryaaana?" she slurred as she began gaining consciousness.
"Whaare am I?"

"Yes, Lady wu'Lichak. You are hiding in my home."

"Why?"

"Remember, you asked me for a telling. The vision I saw most clearly
was of you being poisoned in the castle. So you agreed to come with me while
Lord Boyan finds who wants you dead." I used our conversation to feed her
the dinner I had brought.

"Oh. This food is very plain. And not much. I hope you have my fruit
drink. The special one the head cook, Gilda, made just for me."

"Yes, but after you've washed and relieved yourself. Come I'll
help." I helped her undress, washed and dried her, and had her use our
night pot to relieve herself. By then, she was beginning to recover, and I
handed her a small cup of redberry juice with Jutta’s drug and two drops of
Passion smeared on the rim. It worked. When her lips touched the cup, she
smiled and gulped down the liquid.

"That's not my special drink!" she banged the cup on the table and
pushed it towards me. "Now!"

"I'm sorry, Lady wu'Lichak. Someone is fetching it. It will be here
shortly." She sat there glaring at me for a minute until her eyelids
drooped and closed. As her body began to slump, I gently lowered her onto our
makeshift bed and covered her.

"How's she doing, hon?" Luka asked when he finally retired for
the night.

"I got her fed, washed, and drugged again with not too much trouble.
I suspect it will be harder as the drug leaves her body. Based on what she
said, she thinks is a special drink made especially for her, and it's brought
to her before bedtime. She named the cook who was supposed to have made it, but
that may just have been something they told her to get her to take the first
drink."

"How long do you think?"

"Several days, but I'm guessing. I'll know. She's a very shrewd
woman so it should be obvious when she is herself again. What we won't know
until then is whether she has the strength to stay away from the drink."

"If she can't?" Luka asked, forehead wrinkled with worry. Yes,
that was a real concern. I thought her a strong woman who would be repulsed by
the idea of not being able to think logically. But if I were wrong, the clan
would suffer.

"I'll kill her," I whispered. I couldn't let the clans suffer
for my actions. I quickly changed topics. "I hope I can trust you alone
with a beautiful and sexy woman while I'm gone." I kissed him quickly
before he could respond and slipped out the door. Anil located Jutta, and I
headed in her direction. Although she was less than forty paces into the trees,
I doubted I or anyone else could have found her. She had become part of the
forest.

"Good evening, Jutta." I said when I stopped next to her.
"Are you alright?"

"Good evening, Ryana. You need not worry about me. I'm quite content
here in the forest. "I believe we will have company soon. There are
several bodies searching the woods."

I decided to wait, dressed in every-day gypsy clothes. About a half hour
later, two orange-robed individuals appeared and began sneaking around the
camp. I assumed they were looking for some sign that wu'Lichak had been or was
here. I thought it best to leave them alone, since there was nothing to find
unless they entered my wagon. An hour later they left, with Kasi following.
Several hours later they returned to their camp. One person broke off from the
group and headed for a small campfire fifty paces from the main camp, which had
a hundred tents of varying sizes and multiple fires. When he reached the fire,
three men sat waiting. Kasi found a convenient branch close to the fire and
landed.

"Well, Eloy, did you find anything?"

"No, Prophet Pedro. We searched the gypsy campgrounds and
surrounding forest. There was no indication that Lady wu'Lichak or anyone from
the castle had been there, and there were no guards." The man said. Pedro
nodded and waved Eloy away. When he was well out of hearing, Pedro spoke.

"Well Lord Masso, what now?"

"I've sent Captain Vico and forty of my soldiers after Lord Boyan
and Lady wu'Lichak's party with instructions on how to entice wu'Lichak to
return with him. If Boyan interferes, he is to kill him on the pretext he kidnapped
wu'Lichak." His face turned ugly for a moment. "And I have a Sub
Captain Paian, second in command of wu'Lichak's army, Minister Saoul, and
Yetta, her maid, under the control of the Passion drug. They have already
started spreading the rumor that the gypsies have kidnapped wu'Lichak and are holding
her for ransom. Tomorrow night, I'll deliver them another dose of the Passion drug.
The gypsies will be leaving the following day and will be on the road for
several days. Since Captain Chelan is with Boyan and wu'Lichak, I'll prompt
Paian to attack the gypsies on the pretext that they killed his liege lady. He
should be pliant by then and easy to convince." He stopped to take a
drink. "Master, you promised me more of your father's nectar and wu'Lichak's
position for my work."

The third man stood and retrieved a large jar from his saddle bags lying
a few feet away and returned with it. "Yes, I did. Service to me and my
father will be rewarded on Hesland and afterward," he said, handing the
jar to Masso. "The tent there." He pointed to a four-person tent.
"Is reserved for you tonight. Three eager young women await your
pleasure."

"Thank you, Master," he said as he stood, bowed, and headed for
the tent.

"Do not worry, Pedro. The disciples of Jhea will rule Araby, and you
will guide them. I caution you. Do not indulge in my father's nectar. While it
is a wonderful gift, it clouds the mind, and a prophet cannot lead with a clouded
mind."

"I understand, Master. What about wu'Lichak, if she's out from under
Masso's control?"

"It depends on how many doses Masso has given her. The first few
days, a very strong willed person could resist the urge for more if they
realized what was happening to them. But it's unlikely. After four to six days,
it would require restraining the person while the drug worked its way out of
the body and half would die. Longer than that, all would die if deprived of the
nectar for longer than a week."

"I will need more nectar then, as our numbers are growing."

"You will have all you need. For now, the three jugs in those saddle
bags are yours. Use it selectively. You will need lieutenants and sergeants,
and they will need clear heads to help rule Araby. Do not forget who you serve,
Pedro. Eternity is a long time to suffer." His laugh evil as he stood,
looking like a shadow of a man, dressed entirely in black and wearing a long
cape. Even his hair, tied in a tail was black. I only had a glimpse of his face
as he turned towards his horse—a long, narrow face with a hawk-like nose
that gave the appearance of a bird of prey.

I sat there shivering as I explained to Jutta what I had seen and heard.

"You have no choice, Shadow. I will help."

* * *

The next day, my mind was in turmoil: could I restore wu'Lichak to her
former self, would our diversion work, would Boyan survive, and could I save
the clan from Paian.

"Let's take a break," Kata said after only a few minutes of
practice. "Ryana, what's wrong with you? You barely have control of the
ball, and you're making terrible passes."

"I'm sorry, Kata. I'm afraid my session with Lady wu'Lichak has my
mind in turmoil. Can you give me an hour to sort some things out?"

"Go do what you have to do. You're no good to us the way you
are." She stepped next to me and gave me a hug. "Take whatever time
you need. If necessary, you can sit tonight's performance out. Just so I don't
have to take the fortuneteller tent duty." She stepped back laughing, and
wave me away. I went back to the wagon and sat down next to wu'Lichak. Her
breathing and color looked alright, so I closed my eyes and sough the
moment—that time just after the second that was the past and before the
second that would be the future. I don't know how long I sat suspended there
but the sky was darkening when I woke. I managed to get wu'Lichak awake enough
to eat, relieve herself, and cleaned up. She didn't seem much different than
yesterday.

"Where are Gilda and my drink? This food is tasteless. And your home
is smaller than my dungeon. I want to go back to the castle. Lord Masso is
probably looking for me, and I want him to find me."

"I have your drink, Lady wu'Lichak," I said producing a cup
with Jutta's drug and a drop of the Passion liquid on the rim. She licked the
rim, took a sip, and gulped down the contents.

"That's not my special drink. Did you steal it?" Her face
twisted in anger. "Where's Boyan. He'll get me my drrrrink," she
slurred as her eyes fought to stay open. I got her comfortable, dressed, left
the wagon, and found Kata talking to the Magic Balls team.

"How do you feel, Ryana?"

"It's up to you, but I'm fine," I said. The meditation hadn't
resolved my concerns, but it had allowed me to separate the issues into those I
could address and those I couldn't. My immediate issue was visual-Ryana's
performance and the fortuneteller tent duty. Things must appear normal to the
clan and anyone watching. Kata was nervous when we started the act but soon
relaxed as she watched my individual routine. The ball seemed to flow
effortlessly over and around me, feeling like a new form of meditation.
Afterword, I took my place in the tent. My first customer was Fayza. I reached
out my hands and when she grasped them, I pulled her to me. I felt tears of
relief.

"I need..." I felt like I had been drowning and Fayza a rope to
safety.

"You are not alone, Ryana. Your Sisters are ready to help."

"Thank you. Can you meet me tonight two hours after my tent closes?
A few minutes into the forest. Dress in blacks."

"Tonight," she repeated, and gave me a kiss on the cheek that
felt like it had brushed heavy weights from my shoulders. She left smiling. The
evening went quickly as I involved myself in my customers’ lives. I had managed
to forget, for a while, the chaos that threatened Araby and Hesland. I stayed
upbeat at the evening gathering but excused myself early. It didn't appear to
raise any concerns, since I hadn't appeared troubled. I checked on wu'Lichak, changed, and slipped into the
night. With Anil and Kasi's help I found Fayza easily. It took me a half hour
to bring her up to date. Now the hard part.

"I'm sorry to ask, Fayza. I
know last time..."

"Ryana, I'm an Assassin. I
had several kills while you were still learning to read and write. You did not
scar me. The incident with the assassin’s guild in Dazel caused me to cry
because even Assassins are human. I understood your logic and agreed with the
necessity, but killing so indiscriminately was difficult. You have carried the
burden for the Sisterhood and Hesland alone too long. Neither you nor I nor any
of our Sisters kill for enjoyment or money. We kill only with the intent of
preserving our civilization. It's not perfect, but it's better than the evils
that try to replace it. Tell me what you want, and I will do it." She held
my chin and looked into my eyes as she talked. I realized I had felt alone with
no one to support me. The Earth Wizards helped, but they had to be careful not
to act in a manner that caused a wizards' war. Fayza's support was
unconditional.

"First, Lord Masso must die
and his jug of Passion be destroyed," I said, thinking about what I wanted
to do tonight.

"That's tasty stuff,"
Fayza said smacking her lips and smiling. I had given her a taste earlier.
"Jelena could have corrupted the Sisterhood if you hadn't discovered the drug.
How would any of us known the effect except for you? We wouldn't have. Never
mind. Lead the way."

I found Jutta and introduced her
to Fayza, and we made our way to Masso's estate, which was only a short way out
of Scio. It was a mini-castle. A five story square building surrounded by a
two-story wall and a massive iron gate guarding the entrance. Inside were
several more buildings for servants, a personal guard of sixty-five soldiers,
and stables. As we approached, I sent Anil and Kasi to circle the grounds.

"That's an impressive wall,
Ryana. What do you suggest?" Fayza asked, looking at the wall and the main
building, its marble walls shimmering in the moon light from Setebos, which was
high in the night sky. We could see two guards on the wall near the entrance
and another walking along the side we were on. We lay some fifty paces away as
the ground had been cleared near the walls. "It would be nice if it were
raining or, at least, cloudy."

"Lord Masso sent forty of
his guard after Lord Boyan so that only leaves about twenty-five soldiers.
Right now there is no activity on the grounds. Except for one or two on guard
duty in the castle, everyone is either asleep or in town. There are two guards
walking the perimeter and they look relaxed. Let's move to the back," I
said, as we used the trees and shadows to work our way to the rear.

"Now what?" Fayza
snorted as a thick vine emerged near the wall and began growing up the wall.
"Our own private door, how convenient."

I stood watching through Anil
and Kasi as the two guards wandered the parapet. At one point they met near the
back and stood chatting. They separated, and sometime later, I saw them both
approaching the front gate. The grounds were empty, so I nodded and we ran. It
only took a minute and we were on top of the wall. The guards were all at the
front gate talking and the grounds still clear, so I jumped down with Fayza
following. The windows were narrow and had iron bars covering them. Ironically,
it provided an easy climb to the top using a hook and rope, which I brought
having seen the building through my darlings’ eyes earlier. Fayza smiled as we
leaped frogged up the side of the building to the top. Once there, we found a
door leading down to the ground floor, but with access to each level. We began
opening doors as we worked our way down the hallway. I had heard Masso's wife
had died several years ago under strange circumstances, and that he had a son
in his early twenties who lived with him. So far, we had opened five doors and
found no one, although three were bedrooms which appeared used. I could hear
noise from the next door before Fayza opened it. She was through the door first
like a ghost, not that it would have mattered. Two men, Masso and a younger man
with similar facial features, and three women lay entangled and squirming like
a nest of snakes on a huge bed under a purple canopy. As Fayza walked over to
the bed, the young man got up and staggered towards her.

"Father, a new woman... no
two." He lurched at Fayza with his arm wide. Her palm met his chin gently
and gave as his momentum carried him forward. She straightened her arm. I heard
his neck crack as Fayza's hand drove his head twisting around. He collapsed at
her feet. She stepped over him, reached out and grabbed Masso's hair, yanked
his head back, and drove the edge of her open hand into his throat. She stepped
back over the man on the floor and stood beside me.

"Are we done here?"
she asked, looking towards the women. Masso was desperately trying to breathe
but couldn't. The tube to his lungs was crushed. He would be dead in a few
seconds. I hope this had been the women's first time or two, because otherwise
their death was not going to be pleasant. Unfortunately, they were victims.

"No, we need to find any
containers he has of the Passion drug. He has at least one full one," I
said and began searching the two large dressers in the room, while Fayza when
through a side door into another room. The women, well under the influence of
the drug, ignored us and sought pleasure among themselves. I found a small,
quarter-full vial on a table near the bed and a half-full medium sized vial in
a secret compartment in one of the dressers. Fayza joined me a few minutes
later with the large container I had seen Masso get from the man he called
Master. I nodded and we retraced our steps back to Jutta. We had infiltrated
the castle, killed the man we were after, and found what we were looking for in
less than an hour. I had helped, but Fayza had led the way, like the mentor a
young Shadow Sister had wanted to help her learn her craft. I shook myself out
of my musing.

"We need to retrieve
Pedro's stash of the Passion drug. That will effectively stop their recruiting
efforts. And... "

"You have no choice,
Shadow," Jutta said. "I will come along in case I can be of
help."

We hurried as we only had a few
hours of darkness left. When we reached the camp an hour later it was deathly
quiet—no guards, fires, or sounds of any kind. We located Pedro's tent
easily, it was the only orange one and stood off by itself. When we reached it,
I cut the ties holding the flap closed and Fayza slid inside. When I entered,
Pedro lay soaked in blood, his throat with a gaping hole. Fayza pointed to a
locked strongbox under the bed. With her help, I pulled it out. She stood
watching as I worked on the lock and nodded approval when it clicked open. Inside
were three large containers sealed with wax. We were back in the forest in
minutes.

"Thank you, Sister
Fayza."

"It's but a small part of
what you are owed. You have been alone too long. Unless you want me to do
something else, I will be following you until this situation is resolved."

"Thank you." A feeling
of relief washed over me. It didn't absolve me of my duty to the Shadow Sisters
or clan, but I wasn't alone. I smashed two of the three containers. I'm not
sure why I kept one. Its mere presence was evil, but logic wasn't my strong
point. Intuition dictated I should.

"I or another of the Earth
Wizard will also be following you," Jutta's earthy voice said. "As
before, wizards are sure to be involved, if for different reasons. Although we
have developed special powers, we are still human with all the normal failings."

* * *

It seemed like I had just
crawled into bed with Luka, when he was kissing me awake. I thought it a nice
way to start the day and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him close. Our lovemaking
was particularly passionate. For my part, I faced the day feeling the support
and love of Luka, clan, Sisters, and the Earth Wizards. The same problems existed,
but I wasn't alone. After checking on wu'Lichak, we joined the morning meal.

"Ryana, you surprised me
yesterday," Kata said, throwing Luka a large chunk of bread to go with the
soup he and I had. "After how bad you were at practice, I almost didn't
let you go on stage. I don't know what you did, but your performance was one of
your best, if not the best. "

"You can't train at Ahasha
for several cycles without learning a few things." I heard Santo choke.
"Awkward things like not being able to sleep more than six hours a night,
and good things like meditation, which can help to resolve conflicts and
fears."

"Perhaps if you show us
how, we can start a four fireball routine. Wouldn't that be something?"
Kata's eyes lit up and a smile split her face. Everyone, except the Magic Balls
team clapped. I noticed they just sighed in resignation, knowing someday it
would come to pass.

The rest of the morning was
spent loading the wagons for the trip to Udo. We were on the move, shortly
after noon. The trip to Udo would be three to four days. Leaving late like we
did, Santo would have to choose to ride late into the night if he planned to
make it in three days.

It was mid-afternoon when Santo
rode up beside us. When Luka nodded, he stepped off his horse onto the wagon.
Like all the gypsy horses, his trotted alongside like Santo was still in the
saddle.

"Ryana, should we rush to
Udo or not? If Lord Boyan is there, won't we be safer the faster we can get
there?"

"That would be true if Lord
Masso hadn't sent troops after Lord Boyan to get control of Lady wu'Lichak. The
game is in play, as my favorite Sister would say. They have made their move,
and we have made ours. Now we must wait to see the result. My advice would be
to make it a four day trip."

Santo called for a halt well
before sunset. We circled the wagons and began preparing the evening meal.
While they did, I nudged wu'Lichak into semi-consciousness and fed her food I
had kept from breakfast. She ate in silence, glaring at me.

"This food is worse than
yesterday. Where is Boyan? Have you killed him and kidnapped me? I'll see you
hanged." She snarled the words, while pointing a finger in my face. When I
slid the bed pot over to her, she crossed her arms across her chest and shook
her head. I shrugged and pulled out my knife and laid it along her throat.

"Lady wu'Lichak, if you
wish to see the day I'm hanged, I'd suggest you relieve yourself now and drink
the liquid I'm going to give you. As you point out, I have nothing to
lose." I smiled for effect. Her eyes flew open and her jaw dropped. I'd
wager no one had ever threatened her face to face before, and she certainly
never had a knife held to her throat. Conscious of the knife at her throat, she
slowly raised the skirt I had her dressed in and sat on the pot. I had removed
her underwear as it as too much trouble dressing and undressing her—and
where was she going. Afterward, she accepted the cup and drank it down, but the
look had changed to hate. When I was sure the drug had her unconscious, I
joined the gathering.

Instruments appeared and the
dancing began. I remember the early days with the gypsies when the dancing,
music, and singing seemed like people gone mad. Today, it looked like what it
was, family enjoying being together. I relaxed into the feeling as Luka swung
me around in circles and those on the sidelines clapped and sung songs as old
as the first gypsies.

"Gypsies! I want the God's nectar
you stole from Lady wu'Lichak. I want it now or I'll destroy you and your
wagons," a big man in a black robe with silver swirls on the hem and the
end of the wide sleeves—a Wind Wizard—shouted. "And the Shadow
Sisters' trick with knives won't work anymore."

"Marek!" The ground
shook. Jutta stood twenty-five paces behind him. "I don't need
tricks."

Marek turned and a gust of wind
swept towards Jutta, who had sunk roots deep into the ground, anchoring her in
place.

"Luka, get me that bottle
in the wagon," I whispered.

"You're not going
to—"

"Quickly. You don't want to
see people hurt. Quickly," I repeated, and gave him a shove in the
direction of our wagon. "Hurry."

As Marek turned, Arkady threw
three knives, one after another at him. He laughed as the knives spun away and
a blast of wind swept across the wagons and us. Fortunately, Jutta caused the
ground to ripple and most of the force was directed skyward. He turned back to
Jutta and the wind intensified, causing several trees behind her to be
uprooted. Watching, I thought the Wind Wizard's control was erratic and
wondered if the yellow-robes had him under the control of the Passion drug.
That would explain this encounter. Pedro had been working on him to attack the
gypsies, but his death and failure to get him another dose had made Marek
desperate. Remembering Pedro's claims, he had sought out the gypsies. Luka
appeared just as Marek turned back to us and the wind began to pick up.

"Marek, I have it," I
said, waving it in the air. "But the wind is going to knock it out of my
hand. Be a shame to break it." I almost laughed as the wind stopped, and
Marek stood weaving slightly. The only wind that remained was that circulating
around him for his protection.

"Give it to me, and I'll
leave." He smiled. I knew the minute he had it, he would destroy the wagon
and kill every gypsy he could.

"I've been saving it for
you—"

"Ryana, you can't,"
Luka shouted.

"Here," I shouted as I
heaved it into the air. Marek's eyes shot skyward as the bottle rose. But it
was clear that the bottle would only make it halfway to Marek and would be
smashed on the ground unless he moved to catch it. The winds stopped as his
gaze locked on the precious vial. He lunged.

My knife flew. Even if he saw
the knife, he would have had to let the bottle be smashed to protect himself. A
terrible decision for an addict. But that bottle was all that existed, and I
doubt he ever saw the knife. My knife hit a second after an arrow buried itself
into Marek's chest. He stumbled back a step, probably already dead, as another
hit a finger's width from the first. He hit the ground. The bottle exploded into
a shower of red.

As everyone stood stunned, Fayza
strode out of the forest, bow in hand.

"Thank you, Ryana. That was
well done." I could almost feel her smile as she began weaving a plausible
story.

"Why, Shadow?" Santo
asked the question on everyone’s mind.

"An interesting story.
Perhaps if we could have something to drink." That sparked a lot of
activity, and it wasn’t long before a fire was going and a variety of drinks
appeared. The gypsies loved stories especially at a gathering. When everyone
had a drink and quiet descended upon the group, Fayza began.

"Someone used the Passion
drug to get Wizard Marek, a Wind Wizard, addicted and under their control. We
believe it might have been the yellow-robes in Tuska. So when they attempt to
catch you in Tuska and the Zunji stopped them on their land, they convinced
Marek that you gypsies had stolen their supply of the Passion drug. The Earth
Wizards learned that Marek was after you, and they contacted me. I arranged
with Ryana to pretend to have had a bottle of the Passion nectar. We hoped the
wizard would do what he did—drop his protective wind." Fayza, now
well into her story, answered questions and went back and elaborated on some
parts of the story which couldn't be verified. Sister Rong would have been
impressed. As a good story—lie—should, Fayza stayed close to the
facts so that it was easy to remember and somewhat verifiable if someone
checked later on. I sat enjoying the moment, leaning against Luka. He wrapped his
arm around my shoulder, watching one of my sisters applying her Shadow skills,
as he pulled me close. His warmth soaked through.

Jutta was good too, picking up on
Fayza’s story and filling in the Earth Wizards’ part. With Fayza and clan
around me and in the shelter of Luka’s arms, I felt warm and safe in the shadow
of my Sisters.

"Jutta and I won’t be far
away," she whispered, hugging me as she got ready to leave. "Although
you didn’t seem to need us. I wondered why you saved that one bottle of the Passion
drug."

"Intuition. It felt right."

"Yes, we teach logic
because we can’t teach intuition and, therefore, don’t trust it. Yet, you
survive because of it." She waved to the clan as she and Jutta disappeared
into the forest.

"How much of that was true?"
Lujza asked quietly, eyes bright with excitement.

"The essence was true, but
the details were rather sloppy."

"Yes, we gypsies do that
all the time, although I suspect not as well as you. It was an interesting
bedtime story, my daughter" She kissed my cheek and walked away humming.

"It’s hard to know what is
true anymore," Luka said as he closed the wagon door.

"The important things are
true. I love you and our clan. I will die to protect you and them. And, my
Sisters and the Earth Wizards will help me."

"It’s the dying part I
don’t like." He grabbed me in a tight embrace.

*
* *

The morning breakfast was filled
with lively talk about the previous night’s encounter with the wizard, and we
were an hour late starting off. Again, Santo decided to stop early. I imagined
he had mixed feeling about Udo after I told him Lord Masso had sent troops to
intercept Lord Boyan. After the evening meal, Luka left with me so I didn’t
have to make up another excuse for leaving early. Inside the wagon, I woke
wu’Lichek.

"She ate in silence. Her
eyes filled with hate. I guess you want to drug me again!" A statement
more than a question.

"No, it's now time for you
to take responsibility for your life. I’ve done all I can do."

"What do you mean?
You—"

"Give me your hands,"
I interrupted her, holding out my hands. She looked at them like I was asking
for her to grab two red-hot pieces of iron. Finally, she shrugged and grabbed
my hand, squeezing as hard as she could. I ignored it. "I see two futures,
one as likely as the other. In the first, you are kept in a room were men are
free to come and go as they please, and you are available to service them."
Expecting her to try to jerk loose, I tightened my hold before she did. "It
will start with nobles, then administrators, then soldiers, then anyone that
wants to say they had sex with the ruler of Araby—" I held on as she
repeatedly tried to break loose. "And you will do it willingly and
anything else those that hold your special drink ask. For that is the nature of
the deadly Passion flower drug, it delights the senses and destroys the will.

"In the other future I see,
you realize those wonderful dreams were not dreams, they were real. That you
were used. In that future, you fight the drug and the evil committed in your
province." I released her hands.

"Those dreams were real?
But…" She sat staring at me. "They drugged me and used me!" Her
face turned scarlet, her fingernails dug into her palms as her fist tightened,
and she bit her tongue or lip, because blood dribbled out the side of her
mouth. She sat for a long time silently crying, tears running down her face.
Eventually, she wiped the tears away, and looked around the wagon as if seeing
it for the first time. "Tell me everything that’s happened."

"When I entered your study
for a telling you were acting strange. You were sitting at the table we’ve used
before with your hands already on the table. Instead of sitting down, I asked
you to taste a drop of a liquid I had put on my finger. It was the Passion
drug. When you said it was your special drink and then described your dreams, I
knew…" I went on to explain that I had been under the drug’s influence, my
plan, Boyan’s part, and what I knew about the drug.

"So, there is a third
future. I could die if I choose to stop taking the drug." She laughed. "Death
is preferable to your first future. No more drugs, Ryana, I want the pain to
cleanse me of the evil. Masso will pay and pay…"

I didn’t mention that Masso was
beyond her reach. The thought of punishing him would be a good incentive to
recover. That night, and the next day, wu’Lichak moaned, doubled with spasms of
cramps, and alternated between sweating from a burning fever and shivering with
chills.

* * *

The clan had just stopped for
the day, when dust could be seen in the distance and the earth vibrated with
the hoofs of a large number of horses. Sometime later sixty or more men rode
into view, half with wu’Lichak and half with Masso’s colors. As they stopped,
it was apparent they had fought. Since they rode in together, the question was
how it had been resolved. I began to worry when I didn’t see Boyan. Captain
Chelan dismounted, looked around, and then headed in my direction. He bowed.

"Mistress, Lord Boyan has
been wounded. He is in Lady wu’Lichak’s carriage and would like to speak to
you."

"Thank you, Captain,"
I said, following him back to the carriage. Inside, Boyan lay half sitting
against several pillows. His arm and chest were bandaged. When he saw me, he
nodded at the seat opposite him.

"Is she…" He began but
hesitated.

"Yes, Lord Boyan. She is
safe and on the road to recovery. I assume you are in command," I said,
wanting to cross my fingers.

"Yes, Captain Vico and I
had an argument over who represented the ruler of Araby. I won." He
snorted. "Is Lady wu'Lichak safe?"

"Yes, give me a moment. And
I will bring her to you."

Boyan grimaced as he attempted
to straighten in preparation of seeing his liege lady. I found Santo speaking
with Captain Chelan.

"Santo, Lord Boyan and Lady
wu'Lichak would like to speak to you and me alone. Do you think the clan could
go on and we could catch up later?" If wu'Lichak appeared in front of
everyone, it would involve the entire clan and embarrass her. And I thought maybe
wu'Lichak would like to talk to Santo and Lujza as she knew they were involved.

"Yes, we wasted enough
time." He walked over to where most stood waiting to hear what was
happening. After some lively discussion, people returned to their wagons and
the caravan began its way towards Udo. When they were out of sight, I returned
to my wagon.

"Lady wu'Lichak, Lord Boyan
and your soldiers are here with your carriage. Santo has sent our clan off so
they aren't involved," I said holding the door open. Her face was set in
determination as she exited. It was obvious she was still fighting the drug and
would be for several more days. She made straight for Santo and Lujza. Captain
Chelan bowed as she approached the group, which included Luka.

"Gypsy Santo, Lujza, you
risk much to help me, and I will not forget it. You will always be welcome in
Araby and under my protection while you are there. And I expect you to visit
when you are in town, and of course, perform for me and my guests. And although
I wish my bad-news fortuneteller to accompany you, the invitation is
independent of her presence. Gypsy Luka, thank you for letting me share your
wagon with you. I used to think Yoan was a brave man letting Ryana throw knives
at him, but marrying her is the act of a much braver man." She gave a
short laugh which ended in coughing. "Masso and the prophet Pedro will be
arrested along with any others found with the Passion nectar. As of today,
possession of that drug is a hanging offense. From what you have said about the
effects of the drug, the disciples of Jhea will cease to exist when the drug is
no longer available. I feel sorry for them. They are victims."

"I'm sorry, Lady wu'Lichak.
I forgot to mention that Lord Masso and the prophet Pedro are dead."

"I hope someday, you will
have a happy telling for me. I know, you said you could make one up if I
wanted, but I don't think you could. I think your tellings, while intentionally
obscure, are always what you see most clearly." She stood looking at me
for a long time, before turning and walking towards her carriage.

That evening there were many
questions. Santo let me weave an interesting story giving the basic facts but
rearranging the details—lying. Lujza smiled through the entire evening.
Santo seemed to be trying to memorize the details in case someone questioned
him later. And Luka looked at me like I was special. We reached Udo two days
later.

CHAPTER TWENTY

DAZEL: White-robes

That night, I wandered away from
the wagon as I normally did. I had only gone but a short distance when Fayza
and Jutta appeared.

"Do you know what happened
between Lord Boyan and Captain Vico?" I asked, curious as usual.

"From what the witnesses
tell, Captain Vico insisted he talk with Lady wu'Lichak. When Boyan refused,
saying the Lady didn't wish to see anyone, Vico accused Boyan of kidnapping her
and ordered his men to arrest Boyan. Fortunately, most of the soldiers
hesitated attacking a Lord close to wu'Lichak, and Captain Chelan and his
troops were able to overcome Vico and the fifteen who attacked. Boyan was
injured in the attack, which resulted in two deaths and four injuries to
wu'Lichak's troops, and five deaths, including Captain Vico, and three injuries
to Masso's troops. After the injured were treated, Masso's troops were sworn in
under Captain Chelan, and they returned for Lady wu'Lichak."

"Do you think Lady
wu'Lichak will survive?" Jutta asked.

"Yes. She is a very strong
woman and now aware of the danger. She will hunt down the remaining containers
of the Passion nectar, and without it and a prophet, the cult will collapse."

"What about the man Pedro
called the Master?" Fayza asked.

"He scares me. He could be
the force that unites the various cults. In the near term, I think it depends
upon how much of the Passion drug he has and his source. Long term, the Zunji will
cut off the supply, and he will lose his real power."

"Even if that's true, I'd
still like to know who he is. He's evil and needs to be stopped."

*
* *

Since Udo and Windon were small
towns and a short one day's travel apart, Santo put on only two performances in
each, and we were gone the following day. And thus, ten days later we found
ourselves crossing into Dazel and only a half day from Sandel. I had mixed
emotions about reaching Tarion. I hadn't heard anything about robed ones in
Dazel, but I'd wager Dazel had a cult of some color, since every other province
had one. That couldn't just be a coincidence. If there were a cult there, then
there was a prophet, and if so, did he consider the mystery man his Master? Who
else was involved and what was the end goal? My head ached from worrying.

"You've been quiet since we
crossed the Araby-Dazel border this morning. Anything wrong?" Luka said as
we pulled into Sandel's area for the gypsies.

"The Passion drug worries
me. We know two of the religious groups were using it. That suggests there may be
one or more persons supplying them the drug. If that is so, then it's possible
all the cults have it and are using it to recruit."

"But if the Zunji cut off
the supply... oh, hundreds will die without it."

"Yes, that would be
terrible. But what if that person or persons controls all the cults and has
access to a supply of the drug?" My headache got worse just thinking about
it.

"You worry too much, hon.
The Zunji will cut off the supply and that man or men will lose any power they
had."

"Sounds logical," I
said, but that was what worried me—my intuition was screaming trouble.

That night, after everyone had
retired to their wagons and Luka to bed, I found Fayza in the forest behind the
wagon.

"Where to?" she asked,
as I stripped down to my blacks.

"Have you ever been to an
Earth Wizards’ guild house?"

"No. Before you joined the
Sisters, we avoided the wizards."

"Come, you'll enjoy
it." The Sandel Earth Wizards had saved my life. If they hadn't found me
after my fight with the mercenaries at the border, I would have died of my
wounds, or been found and killed by the many groups searching for me. So, I had
no trouble finding my way there. When we reached the entrance, the door was
open and a woman wizard stood waiting.

"Welcome, Shadows." Her
voice was soft like the moss-like hair that covered her head. She was a small
woman. "I'm called Deline. You probably don't remember me, Shadow of Peace.
I treated your wounds but had to leave before you recovered."

"I owe you and the Earth
Wizards much."

"My brothers and sisters and
I feel we have been repaid many times over. Come, they wait for us in the
hall." She led us down a mossy path and into the large open hall that
looked as if we had stepped into another time and place. Several trees towered
four or five stories high forming a canopy for the roof. The ground had a soft
feel, produced by fallen leaves, mosses, and other ground vegetation. Vines
grew up and hung down from other trees, bursting with exotic flowers. And a
gentle waterfall fed a narrow, meandering stream. In a clearing sat seven
wizards each sitting in a vine-swing of a unique shape. Two empty vine-swings
sat empty.

"We have talked with Wizard
Jutta from Araby. You have had an interesting adventure. Hopefully your tour
through Dazel will be boring, but knowing you it will probably be exciting.
Wizard Baas has agreed to follow you in case you need our help," a bass
voice rumbled. When he stopped, he waved and a young boy came running to me with
a small capsule. I opened it, read, and passed it to Fayza, who was still
trying to take it all in.

Sisters
Hajna and Rong are in Tarion awaiting to help if necessary

reports
from sisters in the field say drugs are being used to recruit.

M.

I took a small piece of paper
and with the quill and ink wrote:

Religious
cults appear related through one man.

He is
source of drugs. very dangerous.

destroy
any drugs you can. zunji will cut off supply.

When I finished, I handed the
note to Fayza, who read it and nodded. She put it in the capsule and handed it
to the boy who stood silently waiting. He gave us a small bow and ran off.

"Do you have any
information on the robed ones in Dazel?" I asked, hoping there were none
but knowing there were.

"The robed ones in Dazel
wear white. They claim to be disciples of the Prophet Avdon and to serve the
God Perun, who is the maker of Gods."

"Have they caused any
trouble?"

"Nothing like you had in
Tuska or Araby. Mostly they keep to themselves. The Earth Wizards of Araby have
explained the taste of the Passion drug, but we have not sampled it. It would
be helpful if you had a small sample," Deline said to rumbling agreement.
I took out my small vial and spilled a few drops onto the ground. The ground
trembled slightly.

"Yes, a very seductive
taste, and even this small sample produces a pleasant sensation. I can see how
nobles and wizards could be trapped by the Passion drug."

"A living death," I
said, thinking back to my experience in Tuska. Afterward, Wizard Deline gave
Fayza a tour of the lodge.

"That was amazing. It was
like entering a foreign country. And I like the idea of having wizards for
allies," Fayza said as we trotted back toward the wagons. When we neared
the camp, I felt the earth give a small shift and recognized an old friend.

"Wizard Baas, thank you for
agreeing to accompany us. Fayza, this is Wizard Baas, the man who saved my
life, helped me kill two wizards, and enter the king's castle at Tarion. Wizard
Baas, this is Shadow Fayza."

"My honor, Shadow Fayza.
Your Sister Ryana is an interesting and exciting person to be around."

"A pleasure to meet you,
Wizard Baas. Yes, we've already had some of those exciting times. Hopefully,
with your help, we will have the same favorable outcome."

*
* *

The performance the next evening
went well, and the audience was large and enthusiastic. Watching the people
during the acts had become second nature, and I easily identified two thieves
working the crowd and three potential assassins. Although there were a couple of
wealthy merchants and low-ranking nobles, that seemed strange since they didn't
appear interested in them or the performance. I had the impression they were
interested in me. Two of the three assassins were young men, in their teens and
still growing. They were trying to be subtle, which was having the opposite
effect. The third man was well into his twenties and appeared more self-confident
and better at ignoring me.

After the acts I took my place
in the fortuneteller tent and relaxed into the moment. I actually found reading
people and projecting a probable future interesting. The harder part was
determining what to tell each person, especially when their future looked
particularly bad. Where possible, I tried to suggest possible paths that might
lead to a better, if only slightly better, future. Half way through the night,
the oldest of the three I had thought assassins entered the tent. Well, I can predict this idiot's future
isn't going to be long or enjoyable, I mused as he stared down at me.

"What may I do for you,
sir," I said and waited while he decided. He reached into his pocket and
pulled out two coppers and dropped them on the table.

"You are the fortuneteller
Ryana?"

"Yes. Sit and put your
hands on the table."

"Why?" he asked still
standing.

"Because I need contact
with you to see into your future," I said, dropping into the moment, but
hoping I was wrong about him, or if not, that he'd decide just to leave.

"Contact..." He
stepped backward and quickly left. I sat confused until I realized he had
understood seeing into his future would mean seeing what he intended to do. I
laughed, bringing me out of the moment. The rest of the evening was uneventful.
I detected no one lurking around the camp that night and hoped the three were
just my overactive imagination, although I had by necessity become very good at
evaluating people over the past several cycles. It had saved my life more than
once. The next day was a rest day and after practice Luka and I wandered into
town to do some shopping and to observe the robed ones.

"You never seem to want
anything for yourself. You're a very cheap wife." He smiled.

"What I want can't be
bought, my husband. Your love. The love of our clan. Peace for the gypsies and
Hesland. And to walk in the shadows of my Sisters."

"You're cheap but not easy
to please." He laughed loud enough to turn a few heads. He hugged me to
him and kissed my head. "You already have my love and the clan's, but I
think the peace one is going to require a bit of help from your friends."

* * *

"Find anything?" I
asked when Fayza joined me later that night.

"I visited the camp of the
white-robes. From what I could gather, there aren't more than twenty-five in
Sandel, and I didn't detect any drugs. They seemed to be acting as eyes and
ears for the cult. And you are one of their interests. I don't see them as a
threat, more like our Shadow Spies but without the training."

"Then I'm probably right
about the three assassins I saw during our performance the other night."

"Probably. Wizard Baas and
I will keep a watch on anyone approaching the camp. Someone may have made a
connection between your giving Lady wu'Lichak a telling and her recovery. In
which case, you could be considered dangerous to whatever game is in
play."

"I'm looking forward to
seeing Sister Rong and hearing what she thinks of this game."

"Yes, that will be
interesting."

* * *

The next day was a typical
performance day: a light practice, assignments for the night's performance, and
the setting up and testing of equipment. The Magic Ball act was popular so it
was always one of the night's entertainments. We were using three fireballs as
a finale. It had proved a crowd pleaser and was the last act of the evening. As
a consequence, the fortuneteller tent was the last to open, as I had to wash
and change. As I entered, a young noble stood waiting as the first customer. I
waved him in and took my place behind the table.

"Please sit, sir. How may I
help you?"

"You are the fortuneteller,
Ryana, who tells fortunes for high ranking nobles and wizards?" he said
more as a statement than question.

"Yes, some nobles and
wizards have come to me for amusement."

"What do you charge nobles
to tell their future?"

"Two coppers."

"It would seem worth a lot
more if you could really tell the future."

"I'm not promising to make
you rich or to have the woman of your dreams fall in love with you. I can only
tell you the future I see most clearly for you of the hundreds that are
possible," I said, but smiled to keep it light. He laughed.

"That would work for a fake
fortuneteller."

"And for amusement," I
said, still smiling. I liked the young man in front of me. He seemed
inquisitive and to be enjoying life.

"Alright, two coppers it
is," he said dropping two on the table and giving me an eager smile.

"Place your hands on the
table, palms down." I turned mine down to show what I meant. He nodded,
still smiling and put them on the table. His smile got broader when I placed mine
over his. I shut my eyes and sought that peaceful place meditation provided and
gave me a deeper clarity in assessing my customers. "You’re viewed as a
reckless man because you’re inquisitive and not afraid to seek answers. This
could make you a better leader, but it could also keep you from reaching your
potential. Now that you are older, your unchecked inquisitiveness will be
perceived as a threat by some in power. Caution and sensitivity are necessary
if you are to reach your full potential."

"That's two futures,"
he said. I didn't open my eyes, but I could feel it in his hands that he had
lost the smile.

"You have not decided which
path to pursue, so neither future looks clearer than the other." When I
opened my eyes, he sat staring at me deep in thought.

"I see why nobles and
wizards come to you, and it's not for amusement. And I'll wager they don't
often hear how wonderful their future will be. If you asked for gold, you
couldn't tell the truth as easily." He reached into his purse, threw a
gold on the table, and stood. "Thank you, Ryana. I look forward to seeing
you again."

The young noble was what made
fortunetelling so interesting. Not only trying to get a glimpse into their
lives, but perhaps giving them a glimpse into something that may help them have
a better future.

"Well, Ryana, another noble
tonight," Alida said as I entered the evening gathering. I was usually the
last one to finish as the fortuneteller tent had long lines.

"They keep trying to get me
to go home with them," I said, flipping the gold coin to Lujza, who
grinned as she snagged it out of the air. "But I keep telling them my true
love is Luka, but... for five gold." The reaction was spectacular. Three
choked while taking a drink, spraying everything and everyone close. Three
choked on the food they were chewing, resulting in coughing fits. A few were
stunned into open-mouthed silence. And the rest laughed. Luka on the other hand
gave me a warm smile that melted my heart.

"Luka is safe then,"
Alida said to more good natured laughter.

"Ryana, I don't know how
you do it," Kata said. "Half the time I was bored to tears and the
other half depressed. You not only enjoy it, but you attract nobles and wizards
to liven things up, and they pay you gold for the privilege. You should start a
fortunetelling school for us gypsies."

"Kata's right, hon," Luka
said as we lay wrapped in each other’s arms after glorious lovemaking. "Before
you, the fortunetelling tent bought in very little money, and it was mostly
women who could ill afford the two coppers. You've made it into a gypsy gold
mine."

"Luck. I started during a
period when people were desperately looking for answers. And they hoped the
gypsies could see the future. Then one notable event, like a noble asking for
you, and people believe you have a gift and can really see the future."

"But... you can't... can
you?" he looked wide eyed at me. I couldn't help laughing.

"That's exactly what I
mean. My reputation makes it appear true. There is no way for anyone to verify
how accurate I am. Because noble so-and-so came to me, I must be good. No,
love. I can't tell the future."

"I don't understand, but it
doesn't matter. I love you, and I'm glad you’re my wife even though you can
only share part of it with me."

"I'm two people, but
believe they are both in love with you." I buried my head in his chest and
cried with joy of having been lucky to find Luka. When I knew he had fallen
asleep, I untangled myself and dressed for night—gypsy clothes over
blacks. I had no sooner entered the forest than Anil and Kasi had found Fayza,
Baas, and three individuals circling the camp. They had passed Baas without
noticing him and hadn't noticed Fayza following them. As they were slowly
approaching me, I sat and waited. Sometime later, I could hear them
approaching. Not only were they making crunching and cracking noises as they
walked, but they were talking loud enough to be heard several steps away.

"You three appear to be
lost," I said when they were within knife throwing distance. They spun
looking for me, swords raised. I stood.

"Jake, a Shadow!" one
said, pointing towards me. The other two turned, their swords at the ready.
Fayza stood, bow nocked, a mere ten steps behind them.

"The Tobar clan is Shadow
business. So you might want to explain to me why you think it's yours."

"You think you can stop
us?" the old man said, although he didn't look anxious to act.

"Perhaps the assassins of
Dazel have forgotten what happened to the assassin's guild in Tarion. They too
thought they had the right to mess in Shadow business. Answer my Sister,
now!" Fayza said, her voice tinged with amusement. The three spun around
trying to find the other voice and see if any others where hidden in the brush.

"There is a ten gold reward
for the fortuneteller Ryana dead and twenty alive," the older one said.

"Who's offering the
reward?"

"Don't know. Someone in a
white robe told us. Said the followers of Perun would pay it. We didn't know it
was Shadow business. We'll make sure the gypsies aren't bothered."

"Your guild's continued
existence depends on it." I watched as they half ran, stumbling back in
the direction they had come. The ground rumbled in what I took as a laugh from
Baas.

"That was fun," Fayza
said, as she approached with Zara lying wrapped around her neck. She laughed.
"You sure do have a tendency to upset people."

"I guess I'll have to make
up better fortunes. Especially for the nobility."

"Lady wu'Lichak?"

"No. Within a sixday you
won't be able to find a drop of the Passion nectar in Araby... or anything that
tastes remotely similar."

* * *

We stayed for another
performance, before leaving for Tarion, a four to five day trip. The second day
out, around noon, some twenty Zunji appeared off to the east and within a half
hour they had caught up with us. Santo called for a halt, and we pulled off to
the side of the road. While everyone gathered to talk to the Zunji, Kato came
over to my wagon.

"Ryana the
fortuneteller?" he asked. When I nodded, he gave a small bow. "I'm
Kato, the youngest son of the Zunji chief, Sizwe. Father said you could get in
touch with the Shadow of Death. Is that true? Not that I doubt my father..."

"Yes, she contacts me
occasionally."

"Father would like to talk
to her. We have discovered something she would be interested in knowing."

"Where can the Shadow find
your father?"

"He's camped a short run
from here... for the Zunji." He grinned, pointing off to the northeast. I
understood his amusement. A short run for a Zunji was a four to six hour walk
for the average Heslander.

"Thank you, Kato. I will
tell her as soon as I can."

"What do you think?"
Luka asked when Kato began walking back to the group.

"I think it's important. Sizwe
wouldn't ask to see me otherwise. I'll bet Kato is negotiating for a
performance, so I can see him tonight."

"It's funny. Before
marrying you, I thought of the Zunji as barbarians and not as intelligent as
the rest of us. But he's no fool and his people are much like gypsies.
Actually, I like them better than most Heslanders."

When we reached Santo and the
others, he was discussing where the performance would be held.

"Ryana, Kato, is it Chief
or Lord Sizwe?"

"If I were you, I wouldn't
call Chief Sizwe a Lord, if you want to cross his land," I said, which
received hoots from the Zunji.

"Anyway, Chief Sizwe's son,
Kato, has asked us to put on a performance for his clan. He will lead us to a
good spot about an hour ahead. It's early so we should be able to setup for a
performance tonight. No one seems to mind, in fact, I think everyone is looking
forward to performing for the Zunji. They feel like long lost gypsies."
Santo laughed.

Kato and his band led us off the
road a few minutes ahead and into the desert to a spot with small trees and, to
everyone's amazement, water. While we setup for the performance, Zunji began
arriving with food and small fires began appearing everywhere.

We began at sunset to a very
enthusiastic audience. Afterward we had a super-large gathering, with lots of
conversations about Zunji and gypsy life and some private lessons which were
hilarious. I ghosted into the desert when it looked like the party was breaking
up. Less than an hour later I could see Sizwe's tent. He and his two wives,
Nubia and Subira, were sitting on a rug outside. A drink sat in an empty space
apparently reserved for me.

"Shadow, I'm glad Ryana
could contact you. Please sit." He waved to the empty place. "Part of
becoming an adult Zunji warrior is a half cycle alone in the land north and
west of Tarion, across the road to Firdon. The land there is barren like here
and uninhabited. Or at least we thought so. When a young one failed to return,
we considered that the price of raising a nation of warriors able to defend our
land and people. A season ago, five youths failed to return. I thought
something might be wrong and sent my son, Mosi, and twenty warriors to
investigate. Two returned yesterday." He paused looking out into the dimly
lit desert of Sycorax quarter moon. His gaze never changed when he continued.
"My son and his warriors discovered the Assur tribes had left the
mountains and now occupied the desert land west of Tarion. My son assumed the
five youths stumbled upon one of their camps and were killed. But why kill
them, he wondered, so he and his warriors spent many days scouting the area.
They found the Assur were training their men in the use of spears and knives
and were organized in military-like units, who patrolled their camps, guarded
fields of Passion flowers, and hundreds of white-robes that work planting,
harvesting, and processing the flowers." He looked back to me. "It
cost my son's life to find that information. He was not one of the two that
returned. Warrior Efusa said they were discovered but would have escaped except
for a... Storm Wizard. He created a blinding sandstorm which killed all but the
two that made it back. They are badly wounded but will survive."

"What do you intend to
do?" I asked. Neither Sizwe nor his people would let this go unpunished.

"I wish to enlist the
Shadow of Death to help avenge his death. I believe we have a common interest. In
exchange, the Zunji will ensure Passion flowers are eradicated from the
desert." He sat back and took a long drink from his cup. My dream of drying
up the Passion drug supply and thus ending the cults had just evaporated to be
replaced by a nightmare. An endless supply of the drug would eventually end all
resistance, and Hesland would fall to the Assur tribes.

"My heart aches for you and
the Zunji people. You will have my support and that of the Shadow Sisters, and
I believe the Earth Wizards will also help." The thought of revenge and
more killing made my stomach rile, but the alternative was worse. "I will
need time. Can you wait?"

"The Zunji are a patient
people, Shadow. We will have justice even if it takes a cycle of cycles. We
will wait your call."

"If it doesn't happen soon,
it may take a cycle of cycles." I rose and trotted back to the wagons my
mind in chaos.

*
* *

The three days to Tarion was one
continuous headache, as I tried again and again to think of a plan to combat
the Assur problem. Of course, I knew why a solution wouldn't come—I was
trying to force a logical one. I didn't have to fake a headache as an excuse
for being quiet; it was obvious to everyone, and mercifully they left me alone.

I had explained the situation to
Fayza and Baas the night I returned and sent them ahead to Tarion. Fayza to
find Hajna and Rong, and Baas to get the word to the Earth Wizards. We agreed
to meet at the wizard guild house the night the Tobar clan arrived in Tarion.

Even alone in the quiet night, I
couldn't think, or meditate, or even enjoy time with my darlings. By the time
we reached Tarion, my tortured mind conceded I didn't have enough information
to make a plan even if I was capable of using logic. I didn't know how many
Assur warriors, or Storm Wizards, or robed ones or passion plants or how they
were processed or...

CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

DAZEL: Tarion – The King

We arrived late and Santo
decided to rest the next day while we waited on the king's invitation to
determine what performances we would put on for the public. I was on pins and
needles during the gathering and changed and ready to leave far too early.

"Hon, don't wait for me to
go to bed. I know how important this meeting is. Go when you can," Luka
said, after watching me pace the floor for some time. He was right. I let Anil
out one shutter and watched. As soon as it looked clear around our wagon, I
slipped out the door and into the forest. An hour later I was on Earth Wizard
land. As usual, the door stood open and Wizard Wallis stood waiting.

"Welcome Shadow. Everyone
is here as you requested," she said waving for me to follow. When we
entered the great hall, Fayza, Hajna, and Rong rose and came to meet me. I got
a hug from each and felt my tension ease. My Shadow family was here to solve
the problem.

"We were all sorry to hear
Jelena had been trapped by the Passion drug, and more so that it was you who
had to confront her," Hajna was first to speak. "The blame rests with
me. Jelena was by far the better fighter than you, and that gave her the
confidence she could beat you easily. I teach new Sisters weapons which gives
the illusion they are learning to be assassins. In truth, I teach them how to
defend themselves when they screw up or things go bad. Sister Rong teaches them
to be Spies and Assassins. As much as you never wanted to be an Assassin, you
are the perfect one. You understand only thugs seek face-to-face
confrontations. They do so to prove they are the best. To an Assassin, it's an
assignment. The object is to kill the person quietly and leave without having
been seen. There is no glory in making the kill and nothing to prove. I will make
that clear in the future," Hajna said.

"Even I fell into the illusion that
the greater the weapon mastery, the better the Assassin. Sister Hajna is the
undisputed weapon master, yet I doubt she could have killed a Fire, Wind, or Water
Wizard or would even have tried. But you did, not by direct confrontation but
by finding their weaknesses. And like a true Assassin, you made it look like
someone else killed the wizard and quietly left." Rong said.

"Our founding Sisters’ sole
intent was survival when they first joined together. But over the years, the
Shadow Sisters have evolved into an organization that works to safeguard the
legitimate rulers from being overthrown or corrupted. It's not a perfect system,
but it prevents wars and reduces the evil that men are capable without some
checks and balances," Morana said. "The Shadow Sisters have allowed
you to carry too much of the burden for too long. It's time we help."

"Yes, Ryana, help."
Rong said, with a twitch of her lip. "You've presented us with the
greatest game I've ever encountered. You've shown us how to kill three kinds of
wizards, but you've introduced a new kind with none of the others' weaknesses.
You've given us allies, Zunji and the Earth Wizards, but shown the new enemies who
appear to be superior. And you've revealed the truth about the ultimate
drug—one that can be introduced easily and gives our adversary complete
control and cooperation. A wonderful problem, and I for one can't wait for the
solution."

"Me?"

"Yes, you, Ryana. We are
here to help in any way you see fit, and we'll give you our input. But you are
the most familiar with what has been taking place, and our allies are most
comfortable with you." Rong said and the ground rumbled in what I had come
to recognize as agreement from the Earth Wizards. Unfortunately, I knew Chief
Sizwe would feel the same.

"So long as you don't
expect me to work out a logical plan of attack," I said and had to laugh. "I
don't have one. I had hoped you would. All right, it's a game, and Sister Rong
has defined the problem. What's our first move?"

"Collect information,"
Sister Morana said. "I'll look into the white-robed ones. I put a drop of
the Passion drug on my finger and held it out to her. She took my hand and
licked the finger. "Yummy. Easy for anyone to get caught in its web."

I put a drop on each of their
fingers and spilled a few on the ground. The reactions were the same. Hearing a
description and tasting it was like night and day. I could see everyone
recognized the ease as which someone could be trapped, and you wouldn't have to
be susceptible as Jelena had been.

"We need information on the
Assur positions," Hajna said. I shook my head no. It was logical but...

"Not yet. I think the
Shadow of Death needs to see the king, and she may need support. Wizard Egica, if
I need to, is it possible for me to get a message to you from the castle?"

"I could give you a bird to
carry with you."

"Good. I want to leave
now," I said to everyone's surprise.

"You think he'll
help?" Fayza asked. I shrugged. I didn't know why, but I needed to see the
king immediately. Egica fetched a small kite, which I gently placed inside my
shirt and left. I avoided being noticed easily as the streets were all but
deserted at this time of night. At the castle gate, I identified myself,
knowing I wouldn't be refused admittance, although getting out may be more of a
problem.

"Sergeant," I addressed
the ranking guard, as I approached the massive killing tunnel leading into the
castle. "I would like to see Captain Tymon. Tell him he said he would save
me the climb." A reference to the way I had entered the castle the last
time. I hoped that would divert the real reason for my visit. I was led through
the tunnel into the court yard and handed off to a lieutenant who escorted me
to the castle's main entrance where Captain Tymon waited.

"Welcome, Shadow. You keep
late hours," he said still buttoning his jacket. I had, from the look of
his tousled hair and still unbuttoned jacket gotten him out of bed. "Would
you like something to drink? I could sure use a cup."

"Water would be nice."
He was being very discrete, which I appreciated. I knew he must be dying to
know what I was doing here and why I asked for him and not the king. He was
quiet as he led me to his office, after directing a corporal to fetch us water.
Once inside, he waved me to a chair and sat.

"Captain, I want you to
think very long and hard before you answer me. You know the Shadow Sisters have
never taken action against the legitimate rulers of Hesland. And you know me
and my concern for the king. I'm here again in the king's best interest."
I waited for him to nod. "Has the king been acting strange or out of character
lately? Think carefully, captain. It's not an idle question."

He sat staring at me for a long
time. He saw the king every day and knew the answer but would rather die than
betray his king's confidence. I was asking for him to divulge information that
was no one’s business. The conflicting thoughts must have been tearing him
apart. Finally, he reached a decision and relaxed.

"The Shadow of Death is the
only person I would answer that question for, and only because the king trusts
you, so I must. He has commented many times that the Shadow of Death asked
nothing for herself or the Shadows, only others." He stopped when there
was a knock at the door, and a servant delivered a pot of water and two silver
cups. After a few sips, he continued. "The king has been acting strange.
He has always adored his wife, but over the past sixday he has had two
occasions where he has had an all-night... orgy with a couple of women. In all
the years I've known him, this is the first time."

"Thank you, captain. You
have just saved the king's life—"

"What!"

"Let me explain," I
said, stopping him from rising with my hand. "It started in Tuska—"
I went on to explain our encounter with the yellow-robes, Lady wu'Lichak’s and
my seduction, and the Passion drug's power and consequences. Then I gave him a
taste.

"Yes. When the party was
over, I examined the room before it was cleaned. I thought it strange that
there was no ale or alcohol. I smelled one of the glasses and used my finger to
sample what had been in the glass. It was what you just let me taste." He
stopped and sat rubbing his hands together. He looked like a whipped dog when
he finally spoke. "If I understand, he will die if he doesn't continue to
get more of the drug, and if he gets more, he will be under the complete
control of whoever is providing it."

"It depends on how strong
the king is and how many doses he's had. If his wife had walked in on him
during the first or second time, he may have realized what he was doing and been
so repulsed he could have recovered on his own. That happened to me. If he hasn't
been on the drug too many times—maybe six to ten times—he could
live through withdrawal from the drug and be strong enough to reject further
use. That is what happened in Lady wu'Lichak's case." I hoped.

"So you're asking me to
kidnap the king... and hope," he said in a whisper so low I almost didn't
hear.

"You could denounce the
king and let the province leaders pick a new king. That would be less risky for
you, but you may be throwing away a good king and giving the Assur more time to
corrupt others, making it impossible to select a new king before they have
complete control."

"But how can I keep the
king secluded, there will be questions—"

"I think we should talk to
the queen," I interrupted.

"But, you will have to tell
her—"

"I think she will
understand. The king was poisoned, and we will need her help." We decided
he should wait until the morning when the queen woke. She would be rested, and
it could be done without raising questions among the servants and staff. He
managed to get a meeting with her on the pretext of discussing her security.
While I waited in her study I wrote a note, placed it in the capsule.

urgent:
kill the prophet avdon. find and destroy all passion drugs

must
stay here. tell clan sisters want to talk to me and zunji about

yellow-robes,
cults, passion drug. taking me to Zunji camp.

Releasing the wizards' bird felt
like shedding weights. Normally, I would have had to find Avdon and kill
him—another scar. But my Sisters were here to help, to share the burden.
With nothing else to do, I relaxed into the moment. It was several hours later
when the captain escorted the queen, Lalia, into the room. She was a petite woman,
with long golden brown hair, a heart shaped face, and a light cream complexion.
She didn't appear surprised when she entered, her face unchanged, which made me
the most surprised person in the room.

"I assume you are the
Shadow of Death," she said after the captain had closed the door. She sat
and waved me to a chair. Instead, I folded into a meditation posture. "Captain
Tymon is very trustworthy but a very poor liar. What may I do for you, Shadow?"

"You must make a decision
worthy of a great king. But first you must listen to a story," I said, and
waited.

"Am I ready to be a great
king?" she asked softly, concern evident in every word.

"I believe you are the
right person for this decision. You have every right to hate me, because now
you have no choice but to decide."

"All right, Shadow of
Death, tell me your story." She sat back and closed her eyes.

"The meaningful part of
this story began in Tuska... " I managed to leave out my connection to the
gypsies. When I finished, I rose, walked over to her, and placed a drop of the
Passion drug on her finger. She sucked the finger and nodded.

"Yes, very tasty. I knew
Stepan was acting strange. I thought he had grown tired of me. I almost wish
that was the problem. Captain Tymon, I'd like some water and a light snack.
This is not something we are going to resolve in a few minutes or on an empty
stomach."

*
* *

"If you can drug him, like
you did Lady wu'Lichak, that will help. My word only carries weight when he chooses
or can't overrule me." She smiled. "Our physician, Orsino, will have
to be part of the deception, if he must be drugged, and it could take four to
six days for the drug to leave his body."

"Yes, Lady Lalia. You
understand withholding the drug from him does not guarantee he will live, or if
he does, that he won't choose to go back on the drug."

"But if the Sisters destroy
it?"

"Even if we are successful,
he is the king and he could take actions against us to help the Assur."

"In which case he would be
a danger to Hesland... A sane Stepan would understand, Shadow. He isn't
perfect, but he is a good man. He would kill himself before he'd let himself be
used against the people of Hesland." A tear ran down her cheek. Her
expression turned hard, and she wiped it away. Captain, send someone for
Orsino. Tell him I'd like to see him at his convenience."

"Yes, Lady Lalia,"
Tymon said, bowed, and left the room. Lalia sat looking at me for a long time.

"The Assur are more evil
than the likes of zo'Stanko and se'Dubben."

"I'm not sure I understand
evil anymore. Is it evil to kill a rabbit to eat?"

"Of course not."

"There was a time in my
life when I thought so. I have killed many persons. Isn't that evil? Their
friends and family would certainly think so."

"You killed to protect the
kingdom."

"If my motives make a thing
evil or not, then what about se'Dubben and zo'Stanko? What about the Assur?
What are their motives? Based on their beliefs, the Assur may believe we are
evil," I said, realizing why I couldn't seem to come to terms with my
killings, and felt I deserved the title Shadow of Death.

"A disturbing argument,
Shadow. One Stepan would love to debate with you. I do not know or care. I only
care about Stepan and Hesland," Lalia said and lapsed into silence,
staring off into the distance. A knock at the door jerked her back to life.

"Come," she said,
blotting her eyes briefly. Orsino entered followed by the captain.

"Lady Lalia..." He
stopped when he saw me, and his eyes darted from Lalia to Tymon and back. "You sent for me?"

"Yes, Orsino. Please get
something to drink and have a seat. This will take some time and cannot be
rushed."

He nodded and poured himself
some blueberry juice, while sneaking looks at me. After he sat, Lalia began.

"Physician Orsino, meet the
Shadow of Death. She has some very disturbing information. The king has been
poisoned—"

"She's wrong. I saw him
only an hour ago. He looked well." He glared at me. I stood and walked
over to him. To his credit, he didn't cringe as I approached.

"Give me your hand."
When he did, I placed two drops on one finger and waited. He cautiously touched
his tongue to the finger and licked it clean.

"That tastes like a mixture
of several fruits. Why do you think it's poison?"

"It's the extract of a
flower the Zunji call the deadly Passion flower. It won't kill you so long as
you continue to get regular doses, and it produces untold delights, which makes
you willing to do anything for the next dose."

"The Passion flower?"
His eyes turned down, and he remained silent for some time. "I think I've
heard of the flower. It grows only in the desert where it's hot and dry. I seem
to remember rumors of a small cult collecting the flowers and using them in
some ceremony. I think the Zunji killed them. How—" He stopped when
I held up my hand.

"It's a long story, but one
you need to hear..." The story took somewhat longer as Orsino had more
questions about the flower, how it was processed and administered, and the
cults.

"So you want me to pretend
the king has been poisoned but recovering and needs rest. And you hope after
the drug leaves his system that he will live and returned to normal," he
said watching Lalia, after I had finished. She nodded. "What if this is a
Zunji plot?"

"If this were a plot by the
Zunji with the Shadow Sisters and the Earth Wizards either under their control
or in partnership with them, we wouldn't need your cooperation. We would have
already won. The king would be under Zunji control and it would only be a short
time before you and everyone in authority would also be under the drug's
control.

"What if I choose not to
cooperate," he asked, glaring at me. I shrugged.

"You will love the
sensations the Passion drug gives you. And so long as the Assur are willing to
provide it to you, you will be delightfully happy and totally cooperative,
regardless of what you are told to do. All you will care about is the next
dose." The discussion went on for several more hours. Orsino was a
cautious man and wanted to ensure he explored every option. It was decided that
I would interrupt the king’s party tonight and administer the wizard's drug to
keep him sedated. Orsino would stop in several times a day to check on the king
and reassure everyone in the castle he was recovering from some undefined
sickness. Lalia would stay in the room night and day to ensure no one could talk
to the king or give him more of the drug. To make things appear normal, the
scheduled entertainment by the Tobar clan would be rescheduled three sixdays
hence. That meant the Tobar clan—and I—had a reason to stay in
Tarion.

* * *

The room the king used for his
Passion party was a large bedroom suite for important guests like the province
leaders. In a sense it was several rooms: bedroom, sitting room, and a bathing
and dressing room. Two hours before Tymon estimated the party would start, Lady
Lalia, Orsino, and I found a corner in the sitting room and settled down to
wait. I had wanted Orsino there so that he would have no doubts but that the
king's entrapment was real and not something I or Lalia had made up. The king
appeared early and alone. From the sounds in the bedroom he was agitated,
pacing the floor, mumbling loudly to himself, and throwing things. Sometime
later, a knock at the door.

"Yes, let them in."
The sound of the door closing. "It's about time, Lord Audric."

"I'm sorry, Your Majesty.
The supply of the Passion nectar is getting very scarce."

"I'm the king. I have the
highest priority."

"Yes, you do, Your Majesty,
but... Even a king cannot demand a gift from a God. He has sent two of His
beautiful disciples and the nectar of His love. What are you willing to do for
him?"

"Anything!" Stepan's
voice rose in excitement. I decided it was time for our entrance, before he
took more of the drug, and waved to Lalia and Orsino to follow me into the
bedroom. As we entered the two young women stood naked, white robes pooled at
their feet. The king was in the process of shedding his clothes. A tall man,
dressed in silks, knee length leather booths, and a sword with a jeweled
pommel, stood holding a jug in his outstretched hand. Seeing us, his amused
expression twisted into anger, and his sword smoothly left the scabbard marking
him as a seasoned fighter. Just then Captain Tymon and two guards entered the
room.

"Sir, drop your
sword—"

"Tymon, leave this man
alone. Get out! Lalia... what are you doing here?"

"Stepan, I would ask you
the same."

"It's my right. Join me,
Lalia. We will delight in the God's gift together. Tymon, Lord Audric is to be
left unmolested. Shadow, get out! You have no business here." Stepan's
emotions were clear as his face went from surprise, embarrassment, excitement,
anger, to defiance. I stood in the moment, as a storm of emotions whirled
around me: Lalia's heart throbbing with sorrow for Stepan, Tymon frozen with
conflicting duty, Orsino stunned, and Audric filled with hate. Only the two
women seemed unconcerned with what would happen.

"Stepan, are you the king
or not? Do you bow to women and soldiers? If so, you are not fit for the God's
gifts, and I will not be back."

"You are right, Audric, you
will not be back. You owe me. Your poison caused the death of a dear Sister..."
As I talked, his body subtly shifted in preparation for an attack: his weight
shifted back on his right leg, the arm with the Passion drug dropped slightly
as he readied to throw it, and his sword hand twisted the blade for a thrust at
me. The moves would have been imperceptible to anyone not frozen between past
and present, watching nothing but seeing everything. As his hand moved to throw
the bottle and he began to lunge at me, my knife left my hand. It buried deep
into his heart before his first step hit the ground. I twisted to the side,
letting the bottle pass harmlessly by my chest. Audric stumbled another step
before falling.

"Noooo!" Stepan
screamed, trying to catch the bottle, which smashed against the wall, painting
the white wall in blood red. "Tymon, kill her!"

I felt a tear on my cheek, and idly
wondered if it were for Jelena or me. The next couple of hours were busy. Lalia
got Stepan to drink water with the Earth Wizards drug, and Orsino help get him
to their bedroom and settled. The two women were sent to the dungeon not for
what they did but for what they knew. They didn't seem to be on the Passion
drug, just devoted disciples of Perun and ready to do whatever the prophet
said. Tomorrow the story would be circulated that the king had been poisoned,
but Physician Orsino thought he had caught it in time, and he would recover,
although it would probably take a sixday for the king to get back on his feet.
Lady Lalia rescheduled the Tobar event, the dinners being named after the clan
performing. I decided that Captain Tymon's security would be sufficient to
guard the king and left before the castle began to come alive.

"If you want to get in
touch with me, send word to the Earth Wizards. They will know how to contact me.
I would like to talk to the king when he is well enough to understand what
happened. Hesland is in grave danger. If we've saved the king, it has given us
additional time, but it has not stopped the threat."

"If he lives, I believe you
will see the old king again," Lalia said, her hand on his arm, eyes misty,
and face pale.

"We will make sure he
lives, Lady Lalia," Orsino said. "He is in good condition and a very
strong willed man."

"Captain Tymon, if you
would see me out," I said. He nodded and led me through quiet corridors
and an almost deserted courtyard. "I don't doubt the Assur have converts
within the castle. They have missed making him a puppet, but his death would be
almost as good. It would create chaos within the kingdom and take attention
away from the real problem."

"And Lady Lalia."

"Yes, her death would
certainly make the king vulnerable and easy prey. If you feel you need help,
send word." I left Tymon at the front gate and made my way back to the
Earth Wizard's lodge. When I arrived, everyone was present, including Gero who
had arrived while I was at the castle. This time we met in their dining hall,
which resembled an elaborate outdoor garden where vegetables and grains of every
variety grew. The wizards didn't eat meat, but their garden contained a stream that
supported an assortment of fish.

I began by bringing everyone up
to date on my activities at the castle. "The king lives and his physician
believes his chances of recovery are good. And Lady Lalia believes we will see
the old king emerge after he realizes what happened to him. I hope so. I don't
think he will be of help in defeating the Assur, but a Hesland in chaos could
be the deciding factor."

"Yes, I agree with Ryana.
It's not the king's army that is important as it is the king," Rong said,
to puzzled looks. She laughed. "No one has ever been able to invade the
Zunji land, and they don't have a wizard. Horses are actually a disadvantage in
the desert. They need more water than humans and there is little available. Not
enough to support an army. And horses' eyes are just as sensitive to sand as
ours. An army against someone who can create sand storms will not be very
effective. However, a king can make it very difficult to operate on his land.
He can pass laws and use his army to enforce his edicts."

"There are few white-robes
in Tarion. Those that are in town are very devout and here to recruit for the
Passion farms to the west of Tarion and to convert individuals in positions of
power or influence. I don't have any names yet, but there are several under
Assur control in the castle." Morana said. "Avdon was easy to find."

"With Sister Morana's help,
Sister Fayza and I located and killed Avdon last night, and destroyed the three
large bottles of Passion nectar he had. We also killed two others in the camp
who had containers of the Passion drug. Sister Morana believes there are four
more. She has identified two already, who we will kill today," Sister
Hajna said.

"Morag should send all the
Shadow Sisters into the field to find and kill the prophets in each province
and destroy any of the Passion nectar they find," bile rose in my throat
as I said it. Innocent people would die for no reason because of me. But that
would slow the Assurs' influence and give us time to develop a plan.

"We have already sent Morag
that exact recommendation. Any innocent deaths are the responsibility of the
Shadow Sisters, not you, Ryana," Rong said, then produced that amused
expression she had before giving Jelena and I one of her exercises to solve.
"Well, Ryana, what's next? No one has come up with a good suggestion while
you were gone."

"You go show Zunji how to
kill Storm Wizard. The Zunji take care of Assur," Gero said, with an award-winning
grin, which did not belie the statement.

* * *

I felt we were at a stalemate
with the Assur. I doubted they had the military strength to attack Hesland,
especially since I doubted a Storm Wizard would be very effective in a non-desert
environment since we had walled cites and fortresses to hide in. Their
advantage had been the Passion drug, and my Sisters should be able to nullify
that advantage by targeting the religious cults. But that assessment was based
on logic, which I didn't trust. What were the Assur trying to achieve? If I
knew that, then we may be able to stop it. Right now all my opinions were based
on insufficient information: they had an army, they were growing Passion
flowers, and they were recruiting with the drug.

Was it a military operation or a
religious movement? Did the Assur people support the goal, whatever it was, or
was it a select group of Assurs, or was it one person? What did he or they hope
to achieve?

"I think we need to go to the
Assur Mountains and find out what is going on," I said that evening as we
sat around relaxing after the evening meal.

"We already know. The Assur
are planning to take over Hesland," Gero said.

"How are they going to do
that?"

"With drugs and an
army," Gero again.

"That would require an army
several times larger than Hesland's five armies, since we could hide behind
massive walls. Do they have an army that big? Drugs might have gained them an
advantage, but the Shadows will soon negate that advantage, or at least, slow
it down. And once everyone is aware of the danger, the advantage will no longer
exist. And why do they want to attack Hesland?"

"What are you suggesting,
Ryana?" Rong asked, in her all-to-familiar game mode. I smiled mentally.
My years with Sister Rong had been the most enjoyable. I loved her games.

"We are trying to win the
game without knowing the rules or the objective."

"Maybe there are no rules
or objectives," she countered.

"Then we would know we
can't win, only survive," I said, grinning. Rong grinned back.

"I can't remember a student
who loved my games as much as you did. You're right. We are making plans based
on assumptions made from too little information." She laughed.
"Somewhat like gypsy darts. We must know if the bull’s eye, painted on the
ball, is the actual center, if we stand a chance of winning."

"You want us to scout the
sands west of Tarion?" Gero asked.

"No. I want to scout the
Assur Mountains. I think the answer is there." Not logic but intuition.
Logic would say we need more information about what is happening on the sands.
Intuition wants me to look at the mountains. What drove the Assur onto to the
sands?

"I'm going along,"
Rong laughed. "My student has drawn me into her game. I like the idea. I
think we should put together a small team."

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

DAZEL: Assur Mountains - The Sanctuaries

Reluctantly, Gero agreed he should
stay home in case the Assur decided to take military action while we were off
in the mountains. The Zunji lusted for revenge and would have already attacked
the Assur if it hadn't been for the presence of the Storm Wizards. But the
Zunji weren't cowards. If the Assur attacked Tarion, the Zunji would join the
king's forces to repel them.

The Earth Wizard Erica decided
to accompany Sisters Rong, Fayza, Hajna, and me. She would carry several birds
to keep in touch with the Earth Wizards in Tarion, and they, in turn, would
keep in touch with their brothers and sisters around Hesland.

Sister Rong purchased five
mountain ponies, and we planned to leave several hours before sunset the next
day. That night, I made my way back to the Tobar clan and slipped into our
wagon. Luka lay in our bed looking beautiful. I undressed and slid in beside
him. He gave a contented sigh, but didn't wake until I kissed his neck.
Somehow, I think he knew I wasn't staying and our lovemaking was more
passionate, creating memories that would last a lifetime if necessary.

"What can I tell Santo and
Lujza?"

"The king was drugged like
wu'Lichak. We think he will recover. It appears the Assur are behind the
religious cults and attempts to get important people under their
control..." I went on to explain what happened to Sizwe's son and our planned
trip into the mountains. "As far as the clan is concerned, the Shadows have
taken me to Zunji Province for questions about the religious cults and the
Passion drug used on me."

"Be careful, hon. It took
me a long time to find you. I don't want to lose you." He pulled me close
into a tight hug.

"I have Sisters with me
this time, love. They will look after me." I dressed, kissed him quickly,
and ghosted into the night. I arrived back to the Earth Wizard lodge as
everyone was packing to leave. I finished quickly, and we left, dressed as
herders. We stayed on the road to Sebec well past the area Sizwe had identified
as where the warrior Efusa had reported being ambushed. Three days later, we
left the road to Sebec and onto a trail leading to Dunn Pass, a short cut to
Ahasha Valley and the place I had been born. The Pass would permit us to enter
the Assur Mountains from behind where the Assur had been spotted, and unlikely
to be guarded or watched.

Erica chose to travel in plain
homespun clothing of an average herder. Rong, Hajna, Fayza, and I changed into
blacks before entering the village. I don't know what I had expected, but not
what I saw as we approached the houses. The village houses were the same as I
remembered, but more run down. The road was empty and the village deathly
silent. The few people I saw were very old.

I dismounted in front of my old
house and walked around to the back. An old woman, my mother, looking twenty cycles
older than she was, stood feeding a few chickens. She gasped when she turned
and saw me.

"Shadow... I'm ready to
go," she said looking relieved. When I first saw a Shadow, the one who had
bought me, I had thought a dead ancestor had come to punish me. But my mother
should know better. But when I looked into her eyes, they looked dead, without
emotion.

"Wait in the house," I
said and walked back to my horse and retrieved a large piece of bread and
entered the house. It hadn't changed. I handed her the bread, which she stared
at as if it were something strange. Ironically, the Shadow that found me behind
the house those many years ago had given me a piece of bread as an incentive to
see if I could call a rabbit to me. I still remember that piece of bread like
it had been yesterday. My father had all but starved me, keeping me alive only
to work until I was old enough to sell.

"Eat," I said, which
seemed to jolt her out of her trance, and she began nibbling at the bread.
"What happened to the village? To your husband and son?"

"The Snowmen came,"
she said between chewing. The common name for the men who lived high in the
mountains. Somewhat nomadic, they were hunters not gatherers. They were feared,
and rightly so, as they had been known to raid villages, stealing, raping, and
kidnapping. "They took all the young men and women and the herds and left
us to starve."

"How long ago?"

"I don't know. Nine or ten
cycles. Who cares? I'm alone. My husband and son are gone, along with his wife
and his son. They will never return." She sat, stuffing the last of the
bread in her mouth. Interesting, no mention of a girl-child. No matter. I
wished I could do something, but knew I couldn't. As I returned to my horse,
Rong rode up.

"This was your home?"
she asked. I nodded, tears in my eyes. I felt sorry for my mother. She had
never shown me any love, but it wasn't her fault. The men dominated life in the
village and made her feel like she had done something wrong in having a
worthless girl-child. She wasn't alone, but that didn't help. The men in this
village weren't unique in their attitude, but it was more prevalent in these
small villages where life was hard.

"The Snowmen raided the
village many cycles ago and took everything except the old and the weak. Most
of those have since died of starvation."

"Do you want to stay?"

"No. There is nothing you
or I can do which will correct what the Snowmen did or make a difference. Life
in these small mountain villages has always been hard and the people pragmatic.
Those the Snowmen left behind wouldn't have been treated much better if the
Snowmen hadn't come. They were old and a strain on the village's available food
supply." That sounded cruel but life was not always kind and survival
demanded compromises. I had been one of the lucky ones. "We should
go."

"You're right," Rong
said, studying me as I mounted. We were all quiet as we wound our way out of
the village and higher into the mountains.

* * *

The afternoon of the second day
after leaving Dunn Pass, we came to another village in a small valley. Looking
down on the village, it appeared much larger than Dunn Pass, and had new
construction at one end that looked like a separate compound with several buildings
enclosed by a wall.

"Looks like a lot more
activity than at Dunn Pass," Hajna said. "Those look like white-robes."

"And there are children
there," Erica said, pointing to a group of small looking people. It took
an hour to make our way down the narrow trail into the village. This time we
stayed dressed as herders. As we made our way down the main street, it became
clear that people belonged to the cult honoring the God Perun. They didn't seem
afraid of us, just cautious.

"Pardon, what village is
this?" Erica asked one woman who stopped to stare at us. Her hood was
pulled back and her sun-dried, tan face exposed. She had the narrow face, long
straight nose, almond eyes, and black hair associated with the Assur people.

"This is Perun Sanctuary
seven," she said. "Are you looking for someone or someplace?"

"Is there a Xades Sanctuary?" I
asked, assuming she may know of the other cults and think we were disciples.

"No. The Assur mountains
are reserved for the people of the God Perun, who is the creator of all the
Gods. But you are welcome as disciples of Perun's children."

"What is the purpose of the
Sanctuaries?" Rong asked, quick to play off of the woman's mistake.
"We don't have any in Calion."

"The Sanctuaries are where
the chosen carry out the word of Perun, as directed by His living son, Askell, who
He sent to Hesland to instruct us." Her smile was warm when she mentioned
his name. "We teach our children the ways of the God Perun, guide them in
selecting how they can best serve, look after the comfort of our protectors,
and process Perun's nectar by which the ignorant are enlightened."

"Very worthy endeavors. And
the rewards for such service?"

"Doing good is its own
reward. Perun created the other Gods to make the world a Sanctuary, where
everyone can live in peace and harmony."

"That is a wonderful dream,
but there are evil men in this world."

"Perun has the perfect
solution. As each of us dies, we are reborn again and again until we understand
what Perun expects of us and have reached perfection. Then he or she is allowed
to join Perun in His home in the sky." As she talked I noticed two men
dressed in military-like uniforms coming down the street towards us. They wore
white pants and jackets, carried two swords in their belts—one longer
than the other—and had bows and quivers strung across their backs. They
were a head shorter than the average Heslander, but stockier with broad chests.
They weren't smiling.

"Roisin, aren't you supposed
to be teaching the children now?" The older of the two asked in a master
to servant tone.

"Yes, Lord Ulfur. But these
disciples of Xades seemed lost. I stopped to help them as is our way." She
gave the speaker a small bow.

"Go. The children are in
need of you. I will see to our visitors’ needs," he said, his eyes never
leaving us.

"Yes, Lord Ulfur." She
gave another bow and walked off towards a long building where several young
heads were peeking out of the windows.

"Your reason for being
here?" The question didn't appear directed to anyone of us in particular. As
he waited, he examined each of us in turn.

"We are travelers seeking
truth, Lord Ulfur," Erica said, in a motherly tone.

"Roisin said you were disciples
of the prophet Virtor."

"No, we merely asked if there
were other sanctuaries for the lessor Gods, like Xades."

"Not here. Each province
has a sanctuary of sorts that teaches the ways of a God. The Assur mountains
are reserved for the God Perun—the creator. Perhaps he has led you here
to learn the truth. Come back to my compound, and I will answer your
questions."

We followed him to the compound's
main building. It was a long, one-story structure with two wings: in one, a
hall that could hold fifty or so, an equally large dining hall, and in the
second, ten or more rooms. We were taken to one which appeared a study of sorts
except for its lack of books. It had a large, roughly finished desk. Three
additional wooden chairs were brought in for the five of us to sit. The three
guards who brought the extra chairs stayed.

"My lieutenant has made
arrangements for you to sleep here tonight. They are not luxurious but better
than sleeping on the cold ground. Tomorrow we can direct you to wherever you'd
like or you can stay here for a while if you wish."

"Thank you, Lord
Ulfur," Erica said. She had assumed the position of spokeswoman for our
group. After a brief attempt to find out more about us, one of the soldiers led
us to a small building at the back of the compound. The building had no windows
and the inside was bare except for five beds and a small stand with several
bowls of water and a bed pan. After we entered, the guard closed the door and a
bar was slid in place.

"I suspect Sanctuary seven
is a cross between a religious, indoctrination, and prison camp," Erica
said, smiling. "And this looks like a poor noble's dungeon."

"Fortunately we're wearing
our black underneath our herder clothes and have our weapons on us. They are
obviously searching our saddlebags," Hajna said. "It will be
interesting to see how well the Snowmen can use those swords."

"Ryana, I believe your
intuition has paid off. It appears the Assur are not the problem the Zunji
suspected. The Snowmen appear to be in charge and are using the Assur."

"The ground tells me the
Snowmen are not friendly," Erica said, sitting with her hands pressed
against the ground. "I feel twelve."

*
* *

Shortly after sunrise, the door
was opened and three robed women brought in fresh water, food, jugs, and
replaced the bed pan. Three guards stood near the door while they labored. As
they left, one of the guards stepped into the room, blocking the entrance.

"After you have eaten and
refreshed yourselves, Lord Ulfur will see you," he said closing and
locking the door behind him.

"What do you think,
Rong," Hajna asked inspecting the food. I went to the jug, uncapped it,
sniffed, and poured a couple of drops on my finger. From the color and smell, I
didn't have to taste it, but to be certain, I reluctantly touched my tongue to
it. Memories flashed before my eyes of that ugly man stroking my naked body and
me wanting more. I gagged.

"I think they are planning
a party, and we're the entertainment," I said, still trembling.

"I could bring down the
walls of this building easily," Erica said, while rubbing her hand along
the wall.

"No, that would spoil our
surprise party," Hajna said. "As Sister Rong would tell those who are
listening, we are Assassins, not thugs out to prove anything, as much as I
would enjoy a good match."

We ate the bland grain and meat
mixture, drank some of the water intended for washing, before washing, and sat
waiting. I knew it was time when I heard men laughing and joking as they
approached.

"Some new women will be a
nice change, especially ones on the Passion nectar. The Assur do it out of duty
and aren't much more satisfying than a goat."

"Who gets the old
woman?" another voice asked.

"Dagur, you heard him. He
can't tell the difference between a woman and a goat." More laughter.

"Falkur, stand guard. You
can have anyone who get past us." More laughter. A minute later, the bar
was slid up and five men walked in. At my suggestion, the five of us stood in
one corner rubbing each other and moaning. The drug heightened a person's skin
sensitivity to touch and sexual arousal. If we had drunk the Passion nectar it
would have produced a similar result.

"There, Hroar, ready and
willing." A slightly tall
Snowman grabbed me by the arm and pulled me over to the furthest bed, while fumbling
with my jacket and laughing. I put my arm around him and jabbed him in the neck
with a rocktail needle. His eyes widened and mouth opened to speak, but words
never came as he collapsed onto the bed. I mentally sought Anil and Kasi. The
area appeared clear, and I directed them to attack the guard. When I looked
around, the other four soldiers were on the floor. Hajna, Fayza, and Rong's men
had blood stained shirts at heart level. Erica's had a vine twisted around his
neck. I opened the door and Rong helped me drag the guard inside. Hajna
finished the job with a knife thrust to his heart.

"Good choice of familiars,
Ryana. At the time, we all thought you crazy playing with Ahasha bats,"
Rong said, as her grey owl, Chiba, landed on a nearby tree limb, Fayza's cat,
Zara and Yafa, Hajna's wolf, appeared in the doorway. "Chiba places four
in the town."

"Yafa has Ulfur and his
aide in the main building," Hajna said.

"Good. Hajna, Fayza, you
need help with the four in town?" Rong grinned. It appeared more of an
assignment than a question.

"Not unless they're
hiding."

"Ryana, Erica, I think we
should keep Ulfur and his aide as hostages, until we learn more about the
relationship between the Snowmen and the Assur." Again, more of an
assignment than a question, which I was happy to let Rong and Hajna do. I was a
little late getting mentors, but they were welcome.

We made our way to the main
building and to the room where we had been taken initially. The door was
partially ajar.

"Lieutenant Hroar has taken
six men to visit the captives. They were given Passion nectar with their meal
this morning so they should be ripe for the men. It's a good thing. Duty at the
Sanctuaries is boring. When do you think we will be ordered into Tarion?"

"Soon, Vidar. Soon. The
last time I talked to our Supreme Leader, Askell, he thought he'd have the leaders
of the provinces neutralized and Dazel ready for a military takeover. Within a
cycle, the Snowmen will control—"

"We need to discuss
that," Rong said as she pushed open the door. I followed ready with my
blowtube and a rockberry dart. Vidar's response was almost immediate and both
swords left their scabbards. But before he could move, I had a dart in his
throat. He took one step, then one sword and then the other fell out of his
hands as he collapsed. Lord Ulfur stood but did not reach for his swords.

"What happened to my men?"

"If I understand the God
Perun's rules, they will be reborn as goats or something. They certainly hadn't
reached perfection," Rong said as she sat facing Ulfur.

"You are the women who live
in Ahasha valley, aren't you? What do you want?"

"Yes, those of us in black
are Shadow Sisters. If I remember my ancient history, we chased you Snowmen
back to your mountain caves last time we met. As to your second question, I'd
like you to return to your caves, but I suppose asking nicely isn't going to
work this time either. I would like to understand your relationship to the
Assur people, and what are Sanctuaries?"

Ulfur was quiet for a long time
before speaking. "The God Perun chose the people of the mountain peaks
because we were closest to him. Many years ago, Askell's father had an edict
from Perun to spread his word and to stop the evils of the people in the low
country. We encountered the Assur and other small villages and consolidated
them into places of peace, were the people are safe and live in accordance with
Perun's rules."

"So the God Perun condones
murder, kidnapping, rape, torture, lies, deceit... Hard to tell your evil from
ours," Erica said, holding up her hand before Ulfur could answer. "I
know. Your evil is necessary to stop ours. I think I prefer our evil men. At
least, they don't pretend to be doing a God's work."

"And then there were
two," Hajna said as she entered the room with Roisin. She had her hand over
her mouth, and her face was pale. She remained quiet as we locked up Ulfur and
Vidar.

"Roisin, we would like a
tour of Sanctuary seven so we can understand what you do here." Rong said.

"What is going to happen to
Lord Ulfur? Who will protect us now?" her voice rose as her eyes darted
here and there as if looking for the danger.

"Protect you from
who?"

"Evil," she said as if
it lurked everywhere.

"While we are here, we will
protect you. When we leave, the Snowmen will send additional men." Erica
said. I thought that a good answer. We weren't going to convince any of the
Assur they didn't need protection or that the Snowmen were evil. That seemed to
calm Roisin, and she spent the next two days giving us a tour, answering our
questions, and introducing us to others, so we could get their input.

I had to admit Sanctuary seven was
a peaceful place and the people happy. They believed in the God Perun, and his
rules as laid down by the Snowmen. The privileges the Snowmen demanded, like
anytime sex, and having servants to cook, clean, and serve, were considered
payment for Perun's protection via the Snowmen. The village raised children in
the Perun religion, those born to the village women and those brought in from
elsewhere, and produced things for the Snowmen. Roisin didn't know all the
things the Sanctuaries produced, only that each Sanctuary tended to be unique.
Sanctuary seven produced clothing and processed the Passion flower into nectar.
She didn't know how many Sanctuaries existed, only that this one was the
furthest north. Snowmen assigned Sanctuary seven were rotated every season,
except for Lord Ulfur and his aide, who had been here for many cycles. The
supreme leader, Askell, periodically visited the village. When he did, he
always left with many bottles of the Passion nectar.

"Well, Ryana, have we found
out what we came to find? This was your idea, and a good one," Rong asked
on the morning of the third day.

"No," I said for no
logical reason. It was intuition speaking. What we had found was interesting,
put names onto the aggressors and exonerated the Assur but... "How many Storm
Wizards are there? How big is their army, and is it large enough to attack
Tarion? Are they planning military action, and if so, where? Where are there
Passion flower fields and how well guarded are they?"

"I agree," Rong said.
"We can conjecture from what we already know, that the Snowmen planned to
take Hesland a province at a time using the Passion nectar to control key people,
like the king and province leaders. The army in that case would be an occupying,
not an invading force. We can assume the Storm Wizards would be far more
effective in the desert protecting their Passion flowers and their Sanctuaries
from invaders than fighting against a castle. And we can assume that our
Sisters are destroying that strategy by killing the Snowman prophets, alerting
the province leaders, and destroying the Passion nectar they find. So, unless
we assume the Snowmen are just going to retreat back into the mountains, we
need to understand what alternatives are available to them. That requires
answers to Ryana's questions."

"Roisin thought there was a
Sanctuary west of here, higher in the mountains, and one south, closer to the
desert floor. Which one?" Hajna asked.

"South. The main army and
the Storm wizards will be located on or near the desert floor to protect the
Passion flower fields from potential attacks from the Zunji and Tarion."

"Fayza, Hajna, the
prisoners," Rong said. I could have hugged her. They had to die, but it
would be hard for me. I reached down and pulled out two needles and held them
out for Fayza and Hajna.

"Rocktail," I said.
They nodded and took them. Neither Sister needed to prove her skill with
weapons. This was a simple assassination. They walked off together, talking.

*
* *

After assuring Roisin she was
safe and new guards would be coming to take the dead guards’ places, we left,
choosing the southern trail when well out of sight. We pretty much understood
the functions of the Sanctuaries, but I doubted they contained the answers we
needed. The desert floor, or someplace close to it, was where the flowers,
soldiers, and wizards would be found, and the answers we were seeking. Of
course, the deeper we got into Snowmen territory, the more difficult it was
going to be to get out. And the reason I suggested we leave our horses with the
other horses at Sanctuary seven.

"You're joking?" Hajna
said, looking around the group. "It's going to take a couple of sixdays
with the horses. Without them, it could take a season or more."

"We've been stuck teaching too
long, Hajna," Rong said, nodding. I can see Fayza agrees with Ryana. From
here on in we will need stealth, not speed. It won't be long before they
realize we're here and a search will start. We can't just ride into their camps,
and if they find our horses, they will know we're in the area, and it will narrow
the search. Erica?"

"I'm comfortable walking. I
prefer contact with the earth. It gives me nourishment and strength." She
smiled. Like Hajna, I would like to get in and out quickly, because of the
strain on Luka and the clan over my absence. But our need for information
outweighed everything. The trails varied from packed dirt, wide enough for two
wagons side by side, to rocky paths barely wide enough for one wagon and needed
a sure-footed horse. We rested during most of the day, preferring to travel at
night. Each night one Sister took the lead while the others followed close
enough to help but far back enough not to be seen. The lead person wore her
herder clothing while the others wore black.

We saw only two riders over the
four days it took to reach the next camp. It happened on the second night, with
Fayza in the lead. When I saw Zara coming down the road, I knew Fayza had
encountered something. The three of us worked our way slowly to Fayza. When we
reached her, she pointed to a small fire some thirty paces ahead sheltered by
several small pine trees. I held up my hand to stop, and sent my darling to the
spot, where Kasi found a limb to rest.

"I prefer Sanctuary three
to seven. The women there are a bit younger and a few actually enjoy the
sex," the younger of the two said. The two sat near the fire holding
sticks with meat into the fire.

"I prefer five. They tend
to have newly captured women. They give the older ones Passion nectar. Now,
that's fun," the other one said and laughed.

"When do you think we'll be
leaving for Tarion or one of the provinces?" the younger one asked.

"Mostly rumors, which vary
day by day. I heard they are expecting the Supreme Leader, Askell, sometime
this season. He will be the one to decide."

"You think our army can
defeat the king's?"

"In the desert yes, our Storm
wizards would be the deciding factor. In Tarion against a castle, no. If Leader
Askell can get the king under control with the Passion nectar, we can walk
right in and take control. If he can't, I doubt he will attack Tarion or
Araby."

"I've seen Wizard Maeja
working with the other two, making small storms. That sand stripped the leather
off the dummies they were using. The army wouldn't have much left to fight
afterward."

"Yes, the desert is open
and has sand to throw at our enemies. Cities don't have either. The wizards
will help, but they will be far less effective. In the desert, the army defends
the wizards. In the city, the wizards defend us." They became quiet after
that and retired soon afterward. Fayza and Hajna made short work of them.

* * *

The Sanctuary, village, or camp
we encountered on the fourth evening was several times larger than Sanctuary
seven. From our vantage point, some six or seven stories in the foothills, it
appeared the Snowmen had a small army camped there, four times the number of
white-robed individuals, and at least three wizards, judging by the black-robes
with a silver swirling pattern on the hem, sleeves, and back of the robe.

Over the next two days, the five
of us scouted various areas. I chose the desert floor. At night, I used Kasi
and Anil's eyes and ears. But during the day I use my sight to monitor the
activity, since bats flying around during the day might raise some suspicion. The
next morning we met and compared findings.

"There is a significant
army presence here. I estimate thirty hands of Snowmen and another ten hands of
Assur. The Assur look young and appear to do all the dirty work. They train
with spears and bows, whereas the Snowmen like swords. Some of the Snowmen are
quite impressive with their double swords. The question is whether they have
additional army units in other villages further south and how many individuals at
the Sanctuaries," Hajna said, while drawing a map in the dirt of the
village and the location of the Snowmen and Assur military. "Their current
numbers are not too far from the military of a province, if you don’t count the
other lords’ and ladies’ security forces,"

"I watched the Snowmen
training. They would be a match for any of our province armies," Fayza
said.

"This is definitely a
military Sanctuary. They have several blacksmiths who make weapons and other
groups that make military clothing. I’d need a couple of days to be sure, but
the output from these shops would appear more than needed by the size of the
army here," Rong said, marking off the locations of the shops.

"The earth tells me they
have four fields of Passion flowers. A newly planted field. A second with plants
one year old. A third with two year’s growth. And a mature three year old
field. The fields stretch well to the south of here. From what I know of the
plant, it takes three years for it to produce the flowers needed for seeds for
new plants. One of the reasons the plant isn't all over the desert is the lack
of bugs to fertilize the flowers and produce the seeds and animals to eat the
seeds, which then are deposited with nutrients to help it grow." Erica
said.

"What I saw supports
everything you saw. I managed to get close to the mature field of Passion
flowers. The white-robes are collecting the ripe seeds and flowers. They make
no attempt that I can determine to process either the seeds or the flowers.
That suggests that they send the flowers to one Sanctuary, like seven, and the
seeds to another for processing. There is probably another Sanctuary that
plants and maintains the new fields. I also got the impression the Passion
flower is taboo to the Snowmen and the Assur. I saw no interest from the workers
or guards," I said, thinking back over my night and day watch. "There
were Snowmen and a Storm Wizard on guard night and day, but from their
positions and attention, they were watching the approaches to the fields. I
suspect that is how the Zunji were caught." I marked the position of the
guards and wizard on our dirt map to show why I had come to that conclusion.

"Interesting," Rong
said. "They are exceptionally organized, and that confirms the Sanctuaries
each serve a specific purpose. It dispels our theory about the Assur and
establishes the Snowmen as the enemy. And it confirms they intended to conquer
Hesland using the Passion drug but puts in doubt whether we could stop them by
cutting off the supply. It appears unlimited."

"And although their army may
be able to overthrow a province, given time, a combined Hesland could easily
defeat them. By that one sergeant's word, a Storm Wizard wouldn't be as
effective in a town and certainly not against a castle," Hajna said.

"Careful, I doubt that
sergeant knows the wizard's true powers and how they could be used. If he could
raise enough dirt and debris, he might be able to blind the soldiers on the
wall while the Snowmen climbed over, or stop the castle from closing their
gate, or..." I warned. "We still don't know enough about the wizards
or their supreme leader."

"Ryana's right. What we
know about their supreme leader is that he has excellent organizational skills
and is a strategic planner. His plan must have been developing over many cycles
and was brilliant. Using the Passion drug he could have turned each province
into a Sanctuary with the Snowmen our protectors. My question is whether the
God Perun has always been the Snowmen's religion, or did Askell invent it or
steal it from the Assur? He has certainly made good use of it."

"The religion has probably
existed in one form or another as long as anyone can remember. But like all
great leaders, Askell has shaped it to meet his purposes," Erica said.
"I would doubt a great leader would abandon his goal because we upset his
original plan. The question is, then, how will he revise it?"

"You’re right, wizard. The
game doesn't end because we've drawn blood. Any ideas?" Rong looked around
the group.

"He'll strike were he feels
we are vulnerable, a distraction, not an abandonment of his original
strategy," I said, in fortuneteller mode. A feeling based on what I had
seen or heard.

"I don't guess you can tell
us what the distraction will be?" Rong snorted.

"No. Something dramatic.
His strength against our weakness."

"The fortuneteller, Ryana,
sought out by province leaders and wizards," Erica said, smiling. "Neither
wizards or nobles believe anyone can tell the future, yet you have attracted
both. My brothers and sisters have spent many hours speculating about what makes
them seek you out. I now understand. You somehow have the ability to use your
accumulated experiences, as a Shadow and gypsy, and apply it to an individual's
future. Like now. You are warning us what Askell will do, and I believe you
will be right."

"I agree. Most of us are
more comfortable when we can use what we know to form a logical opinion. But it
is obvious that sometimes we know the answer without having all the facts in
front of us. Why? Because sometimes our minds have worked out the answer based
on things we've seen and heard but don't consciously remember. Most of us would
disregard any such thoughts without facts to support it. Ryana is comfortable
with the process and accepts it. Yes, I too believe her. The question is then,
how to proceed given that is what will happen?" Rong looked to me. I
didn't have a clue—as usual.

"We could create our own
distraction," Hajna said.

"It would be helpful if we
knew what was happening in Tarion and the provinces," Fayza said.

"Yes, and where Askell is.
Nothing is going to happen until he says so, and that means until he returns
here," Rong said. "And if our Sisters have been successful, I would
imagine that would speed up his return and response."

Everyone was silent after that.
I was sure we all agreed with the other's sentiments, but that didn't help with
a course of action. Yes, it would be nice to know what was happening back in
Tarion. My visual-self would give anything to know how Luka and the clan were
dealing with my absence, to see Luka, and stop him from worrying. My
shadow-self would like to know how the king was recovering, how my Sisters were
doing in finding and destroying the Passion nectar, and the status of the
province leaders.

My visual-self trembled at
Hajna's distraction suggestion, while my shadow-self accepted it as duty. And
Rong was right. Askell would soon return, but how did that help us decide our
best course of action? I wondered if we wouldn't all be better off if, like
Roisin, if we would accept the God Perun's doctrine of attaining perfection
through rebirth. She and the others seemed content with their lives. Or maybe,
like the common man on Hesland, she was resigned to the idea because it was
less painful than fighting it. Hoping the God Perun was real and a better life
would come, like all the women who visited the fortunetellers. But as the
Snowmen at Sanctuary seven proved, no one would be safe from their abuse. No,
if the God Perun did exist, his commandments were being abused. We, the Shadow
Sisters, had no choice except to oppose Askell and the Snowmen as we had
zo'Stanko and se'Dubben. Our current system of nobility wasn't perfect, but it
was better than visions of the likes of the Snowmen, zo'Stankos, and
se'Dubbens.

* * *

After a full day of discussions,
we decided to return to Tarion. Fayza would return via Sanctuary seven. She
would wait for the next shipment of flowers to Sanctuary seven, destroy it, and
then proceed to the Sanctuary and destroy whatever Passion drug they had
processed. Hajna would travel west looking for other Sanctuaries. Rong, Erica,
and I would proceed further south to the next Sanctuary and then to Tarion. Our
mission was undefined since we didn't know what we would find. Hajna and Fayza
would give us two days before beginning to create havoc.

The road south was well traveled
and our going slow, having to travel at night and to be careful of camps along
the road. Rong cautioned it would be best not to kill anyone unless our lives
were in danger in order to keep our presence undetected for as long as
possible. We arrived at the next Sanctuary on the morning of the fourth day.
From our vantage point well into the foothills, the village looked the size of
the one we had left. A day observing the village revealed what looked like a
military training center, although from our distant position details were
impossible to make out. That night the three of us split up. Erica headed
towards the desert floor, Rong towards the main village, and I towards the
military area. Although the sky was clear, the streets were dark and the
shadows plentiful, with the moon Sycorax still behind the mountains and Setebos
only a quarter moon. I didn't know if the Snowmen had a curfew or not, but the
streets were deserted well before midnight. The only people out appeared to be
Snowmen and most of them village guards. I had no trouble avoiding them with
Anil and Kasi scouting the way. The military compound had only a low stone wall
easily scaled and only three guards to cover an area hundreds of steps wide and
deep. I inspected each of the twenty buildings, peeking through windows and in
some cases picking the lock and entering. The three of us arrived back within
minutes of each other, as the sky began to turn a light gray.

"No Passion flowers and
only a few guards standing watch in the direction of Tarion. The desert floor
shows signs of being a training area, with dummies, props, broken equipment,
and large areas having been scoured clean of all vegetation," Erica said,
as she munched on some root. "Want one? They are very nutritious."

I shrugged and stuck out my
hand. It had an earthy taste.

"Hard to call this place a
Sanctuary," Rong said, with a scowl. This seems to be the place they take
new prisoners. Men who don't conform are used as slave labor and kept locked up
at night. The women are fed Passion nectar and used by the Snowmen for
entertainment. Like the last Sanctuary, many of the shops make military
equipment and clothing."

"Yes, this is where they
train the Assur and others willing to participate. It looks like twenty hands
of non-Snowmen and ten hands of Snowmen. The Assur are trained with the spear
and the bow. The Snowmen prefer swords." I said. "Unless you have
another idea, I think we should return to Tarion."

"Maybe a bit of mischief
first," Rong said, eyes turned down thinking.

"I'd like to try a Storm Wizard,"
I said, although not sure what I could or should try, but the wizards would be
important in any upcoming battle. I should at least understand what they were
capable of doing.

"You going to challenge
one?" Erica asked, frowning.

"I'm not sure. Why don't
you two leave tonight? I want to see if I can observe one in action, if nothing
else."

"You sure?"

"Yes."

* * *

Rong and Erica planned to move
further south and closer to Tarion before attempting to cross. I went with
them, as the military compound was on the south side of the village. As they
continued on, I scouted the area for a good place to observe tomorrow’s
activity, taking into consideration the area Erica had said was free of
vegetation. Eventually, I found a rocky area to the south of the training ground
which was undisturbed and still had some shrubs. I spent the time digging out a
shallow depression for me to lie in, and went to sleep. I woke to the sounds of
people coming into the area. I counted twenty Assur and four Snowmen. They were
well over a hundred paces away, and little danger to me. Around midday a wizard
and a woman entered the area much closer to where I lay. He wore a traditional
black wizard's robe with swirls along the hem and on the sleeve, and a large
one on his back. She had on a plain black robe which I assumed meant she was an
apprentice. For the next two hours I watched as he took her through a set of
exercises. As I suspected, the Storm Wizards and our Wind Wizards were not the same.
A Wind Wizard kept a steady wind circling him and could push a gust in only one
direction, some ten to twenty paces wide. The Storm Wizard pushed the air in
front of him, causing the sand and debris to whirl into a large storm-like
cloud. The wind was deadly at longer distances, not because of the wind but
because of the flying sand and debris. An approaching enemy would not only be
blinded, literally, but the sand would tear skin and clothing to shreds.

When the wizard decided to quit,
it was beginning to get dark, and they were alone on the field. On their way
back to the compound, they passed within ten paces of where I lay. When they
were well past, I rose, took careful aim, and sent a rocktail arrow at the
wizard. I was not sure what I expected or hoped for, but he never turned or
showed any sign of awareness as the arrow sunk into his back. The woman was
quick to respond and whirled in my direction as I nocked my second arrow. I
fired as she pushed wind in my direction. She wasn’t nearly as strong as the
wizard, but my arrow fell short. I couldn't nock another arrow as wind and sand
tore at my face and clothing, pushing me off balance and making it impossible
to see. I wasn't sure about using Anil and Kasi, so I began running out into
the desert in the direction of Tarion. As I ran the wind lessened and the sand
had less impact. If she had been a wizard, I doubt I would have survived.

I continued to run at a pace I
could maintain for many hours, especially at night in the cool air. As I ran,
Anil and Kasi flew the area behind me watching for any pursuit. Judging by
Setebos, which was at full moon, I had been running for six hours, when four
riders, spread about fifty paces apart, appeared about a half hour behind me. Even
if I could maintain this pace, I would need at least a full day to reach
Tarion. Their horses were laboring under their pace, but I wasn't going to be
able to avoid a fight eventually. I ran on, slowing and angling toward the
right most rider, since the rider's horse on the far left was falling behind.
Two minutes later Anil landed on the rider's neck, injecting him with its
powerful poison. If the Snowman were healthy, he would probably survive. The
man slumped and tumbled from his horse. A few minutes later, the right most
rider pointed in my direction. The other two veered toward me. Kasi landed on
the left most rider who was now the furthest behind because of the turn to the
right. He fell. Anil attacked the one to the left of the lead rider, who had
been so focused on me he hadn't bothered to look for his comrades—until now.
He was within twenty paces and saw my drawn bow and nocked arrow. Realizing he
had no choice but to try to run me down, he leaned forward against the horse's
neck, pointed his sword at me, and screamed as he spurred the horse. The horse
lunged unsteadily forward, panting and covered with white sweat. My arrow sank
into the horse’s chest. It stumbled and fell, trapping the Snowman's leg
underneath it. I swallowed a lump in my throat as the horse when down, but I nocked
another arrow. The Snowman kicked free of the saddle, screaming in anger. An
arrow to his heart ended it. An hour later I had retrieved the three horses and
began walking them towards Tarion.

CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

DAZEL: Tarion – Revelation

During my ride to Tarion, I
debated whether to go the clan, the Earth Wizards, or the king first. My
visual-self voted for the clan; my shadow-self, the wizards, because my Sisters
would be there. Intuition won, I wound up at the castle.

"Tell Captain Tymon the Shadow
of Death would like to see him," I said to the two open-mouthed guards at
the outside gate. Not every day the Shadow of Death shows up riding a horse and
leading two with empty saddles. One of the guards disappeared inside and a few
minutes later a sergeant led me into the castle grounds. Tymon strode into the
yard minutes later.

"Sergeant, take the horses
to the stables. Shadow, if you will follow me," Tymon said, nodding
towards the steps to the main building. "The king has been asking for you,
but no one knew how to find you, including the Intermediate."

"How is he?"

"Recovered. Truly recovered
and furious as a wild dog robbed of its prey." Tymon grinned for a second.
"He's sent messengers to every province outlining how Passion nectar had
been used to gain control over him and ordering the cults searched and their
leaders arrested. He has called for a meeting of the province leaders."

"Let him know I'm
here."

"It's very early. Can it
wait?"

"Yes, give me a place to
sleep, and I'll wait until he's ready." It had been a long couple of days,
and I was bone tired. Besides, I'd prefer coming and going at night. From the
look of the room, Tymon had led me to a guest room for nobles. The room could
have held three of our clan wagons. It had a bed wider than our wagon, windows
that looked out onto the Assur Mountains, several plush floor rugs with flowers
and vines patterns, an assortment of lounge chairs, two armoires, and tables. I
headed straight for the bed and was asleep before I hit the bedding.

* * *

I snapped awake at a light knock at the
door.

"Come."

Two young women entered,
carrying towels and pitchers of water. They set them on a long table and
hurried out. I took my time washing. I had been many days without a wash, and
it felt wonderful. I wished I had a change of blacks. Mine were not only dirty but
torn in places from my encounter with the apprentice Storm Wizard. Sometime
later, another knock rattled the door.

"Come," I said, and
Captain Tymon entered.

"The king would like you to
join him and the queen for breakfast."

I nodded and followed him to a
small dining room where Stepan and Lalia sat. They waved me to an empty seat to
his right.

"Shadow, please sit and
have something to eat or drink."

"Thank you, Your
Majesty," I said and took the offered seat. I was hungry, but I couldn't
remove my scarf without exposing my identity. "If you will excuse my
hands," I said, cutting a few pieces of meat and using my hand to reach
under my scarf and feed myself.

"Once again the kingdom and
I owe you. If you hadn't intervened, not only would I have been a willing
slave, I would have sold my kingdom for more of the Passion nectar. How can I
repay you?"

"The fight isn't over, Your
Majesty. The Snowmen of the Assur Mountains have come down..." I went on
to explain what we had found.

"Good, we will put together
a Hesland army from all the provinces and crush them."

"I believe that would be a
huge risk. I think you could lose. In the desert, the Storm Wizards would give
them an immense advantage."

"What about our wizards? We
have Wind Wizards of our own, plus Earth, Fire and Water."

"I'm familiar with all of
our wizards and their powers. And I've seen a Storm Wizard in action. At the very
least, a Storm Wizard would neutralize our wizards, but ours couldn't neutralize
a Storm Wizard. In a town, a Storm Wizard would be far less effective and
easier to defeat."

"Do you suggest we do
nothing?" Stepan's voice rose in anger and frustration. Clearly he wanted
to strike out against those who had nearly destroyed him and Hesland. Lalia
patted his arm.

"Relax, dear. The Shadow of
Death is not one to sit idle while Hesland is destroyed."

"Their Supreme Leader, who
is called Askell, cannot afford a stalemate, because that would give you the
advantage. So, if you do not attack, he must. It will be where he feels you are
the weakest. Unless we can determine that ahead of time, all of the provinces
must be ready to respond in unison."

I spent the rest of the day with
the king and his military advisors, telling them what I knew and discussing
ways the provinces could prepare their militaries to support each other with
little or no notice. I left late that evening and made my way to the Earth
Wizards' lodge.

*
* *

When I arrived, everyone had
gathered in the meeting hall. Judging by the silence, they were waiting on my
report, since they had already heard each other’s.

"I spend a day watching the
Storm Wizard and his apprentice." I detailed everything I had seen,
killing the wizard, and my retreat. "When I reached Tarion, I went straight
to the castle. I'm happy to say that the king appears to have made a full
recovery and is furious. He wants to take an army and wipe out the
Snowmen."

"And you advised against
it," Rong said, more as a statement than a question. "Because?"

"Yes. If I were Askell, I
would welcome such an attack. All or nothing, quick and decisive. And fought on
his home field where his Storm Wizards have an advantage. Otherwise, he is in
for a prolonged battle fought on our homeland, giving us the advantage."

"What did you
suggest?" Hajna asked.

"I know Askell will be
forced to act if we don't, but I don't know what that will be. If I did, I
would tell the king and let him decide. I told the king what I think.
Hopefully, he can get all the provinces prepared, so that the kingdom can
respond quickly when Askell moves."

"That’s good advice. The
Earth Wizards will offer to act as a communications link with the provinces as
we do with you and the Shadow Sisters. That would speed up the response across
Hesland," Erica said as the other Wizards nodded in agreement.

"Askell has certainly had a
setback. Our Sisters have swept through the provinces, killed the cult leaders,
who turned out to be Snowmen, and destroyed all the Passion nectar they could
find. I destroyed a cart full of Passion flowers for processing at Sanctuary
seven and the twenty-five bottles they had ready for shipment," Fayza
said. "The surprising part was how calmly Roisin and the others accepted
the destruction of those bottles."

"I just returned yesterday,
myself," Hajna said. "I killed several hands of Snowmen in the three
Sanctuaries I encountered in my sweep west. Hopefully, that will spur Askell to
action. Like the king, I too would like the confrontation to come quickly. If
he acts when he's angry, the more likely he will do something stupid."

"Can one of you walk me
back to the Tobar clan?" I asked, grinning. "I need verification the
Shadow Sisters kidnapped me."

"And you need new
blacks," Fayza said. "Those are disgusting. You look like a rag
lady."

* * *

I stayed the night, and in the
morning Sister Rong accompanied me back to the camp. Alida and Kata were the
first to see us.

"Ryana! You're back!" She
screamed running towards me and grabbing me in a breath-stopping hug. Luka
jumped up from squatting next to the fire pit and ran toward me. Santo and the
others followed, as they shouted my name. Luka grabbed me and swept me off my
feet, kissing me as he whirled me around to a growing chorus of clapping and
stomping feet.

Rong waited until Santo and the
others surrounded us before speaking in a voice an octave or two lower than
normal and with a Calion accent. I wouldn't have known it was her under other
circumstances.

"The Shadows apologize for
taking Ryana and keeping her so long. But she had information which when
combined with what the Zunji knew has enabled us to stop a plot to undermine
the rulers in several provinces. Ryana did not leave the Shadow Sister in
disgrace or because we didn't like her. She is very talented. We asked her to
leave because she was not suited to the life. Ryana is much more suited to
being a gypsy than a Shadow." With that, Rong turned and rode away.

"You're going to tell us
what happened, aren't you? Or will we have to torture you?" Kata said. Soon
food and drink began to appear and the clan settled into a large family circle.

Luka held me tight against his
side. "I've been worried sick. It took so long, I was afraid something bad
had happened."

"I'll tell you the real
story tonight," I whispered in his ear, between kisses. "But now the
fun story."

He put me down, and I fetched a cup
of tea. The thought of a fruit-tasting drink made me shudder.

"They wanted to know about
that fruit-tasting drink I let you taste..." I spent a couple of hours
weaving some truth with a lot of imagination—lies—into an
entertaining story. It sounded true because it incorporated many of the things
that had happened in Tuska, Zunji, Calion, and Araby—as a good lie
should—with Rong's brief explanation. By the end of my tale, I felt at
peace again. Deep, comforting, warmth came from being with family.

"We have to start
practicing." Kata jumped to her feet when the questions finally stopped
coming. "The performance before the king is in three days."

"And we have a performance
tonight," Santo said. As everyone began returning to their normal activities,
Lujza put her arm through mine and steered me away from the others.

"That was a lovely story,
and a nice ending. You are a remarkable woman. Two women, I suspect. I think
the Shadow you returned with had the right of it. You are not suited for the
life of a Shadow, yet you are the perfect Shadow. A terrible burden for one so
young." She hugged me. "If you ever need someone to help or just talk
to, I'll always be here."

That night after a long and
passionate lovemaking, I gave Luka a brief account of my time with the king and
in the Assur Mountains. He listened quietly, asking an occasional question,
seeming able to see me as two persons—his wife and a Shadow. Maybe it
helped to view the Shadow as another person who was only slightly related to
his wife. All I know was that I loved him and would ever be grateful he chose
to marry me. I only hoped he would never regret it, because it would kill the
visual-Ryana and perhaps the Shadow as well.

* * *

As we waited for the king and
his guest to finish dinner, I was as nervous as I had been learning to read and
write during my first cycle at Ahasha. I had talked the king out of a telling,
but the current king was a changed man, looking for direction. The Shadow of
Death had told him to wait for the Snowmen to strike, but not where or when. If
he were feeling desperate...

Thankfully the waiting ended and
we entered the hall. Standing against a far wall waiting the Magic Balls team’s
turn to perform, I sought the moment, that wonderful place where worries and
fears didn't exist. Ironically, that was when I was at my best, and the ball
seemed to move in command to my thoughts. There was no audience, only the balls
as they were caught, manipulated, and flung back into the air. Then it was
over. The king called us over and examined one of the fire balls. I thought I had
escaped when we were dismissed and left the room.

We had just entered the small
dining room setup for us to eat when Captain Tymon entered, surveyed the room,
and headed for Santo. I couldn't hear what was said but Santo frowned and
pointed to me. He and Santo walked over.

"Ryana, the fortuneteller?"
he said, more a statement than a question. I nodded. "If you will follow
me, someone would like to see you."

I didn't bother asking who and
followed in his wake to a room in the king's wing that looked like a small,
private reception room. In the center of the room, six padded arm chairs sat on
a circular rug with the king's seal—five crossed swords on a gold shield.
Small tables were positioned near each chair. Two long tables rested against
the wall, which had food and drinks.

"Help yourself, Ryana. The
king will be in soon." When I didn't move, he spoke. "Do you have any
questions?"

I shook my head, no, walked to the table, poured a glass
of water, and sipped it as I silently cursed the Passion drug. Hesland should
have had peace for many years until the next generation of power hungry men and
women decided to hatch their plots, giving me time to heal and have children. The
door opening broke my musing, and I went down on one knee as the king and queen
entered. I idly wondered if she no longer trusted him out of her sight, or whether
he didn't trust himself without her.

"Your Majesty."

"Rise, Ryana. I apologize
for what I'm about to ask, but... I want you to give me a telling. I've done my
best to keep our meeting a secret." He didn't look apologetic, just
desperate—like I felt. "If you can't see into the future, just say
so. I promise neither you nor your clan will be punished. You must make a
living and telling people a story to make them feel better hurts no one. Everyone
would like to peek into the future. Sometimes more than others. However, lying
to a king is something else and will be punished."

"The future has many possibilities
as each life is impacted by many others. Each decision you make affects others
who in turn affects others. Others make decisions which affect others which can
affect you. So an individual's future has an endless number of possibilities.
If you wish, I will give you the future I see most clearly for you."

"What do you charge,
Ryana?" the queen asked.

"Two coppers."

"For a king?"

"For a telling." Damn me! He gave me a perfectly good
escape door. And if I anger him, it could impact the Tobar... my clan.

"What now?" the king
asked.

"I need two chairs facing
each other with a table in between. You will place your hands on the table,
face down, and I will place mine over yours."

"Is that necessary?"
Tymon asked. When I ignored him, the king nodded. Tymon moved one of the small
tables into the center and then pushed two chairs close. When the king sat and
put his hands on the table, I sat and placed mine over his. Closing my eyes, I
dropped into the moment.

"You are a strong man to
have fought your way out of the nightmare of ecstasy to sanity—"

The king jerked his hands out
from under mine and his chair jumped backward as he stood. Tymon sword left it
sheath, and he took a step towards me. I stayed rooted to the chair.

"How?"

"I promised you truth, not
lies or amusement. I promised not the future but what I saw most clearly. If
you want lies and amusement, the cost is a tora," I said, wondering if I
were two people and too often that second person spoke for me. The room was
silent for a long time.

"I like her, Stepan. Even
if you don't want to hear what she has to say, I do."

The king frowned in her
direction for a long time, then sat. "Tymon, put away the sword. It's
scaring me more than her." He snorted. "Continue, Ryana."

He placed his hands back on the
table, and I covered his with mine. I could feel the tension, like he was
preparing for the next blow.

"You are a strong man and
are fortunate to have a strong, devoted life partner and loyal friends for
support. The great storm has gone by with few consequences, but another is
building," his hands started to move, then stopped, "which will require
wisdom, not strength to stop. It waits for you to turn a strength into a
weakness, while it looks for a weakness."

"What does that mean...
"

"The desert! Beware the
desert." I wasn't sure what I meant, but I knew with certainty that the
desert was the answer. "That is what I see most clearly."

"How does that help?"

"You are not
God—"

"How dare you!" He
tried to pull away, but I help fast.

"There are many that stand
in the shadows, watching and ready to help—the earth, Araby, the Zunji.
That is what I see most clearly." I released his hands. The king stood,
glaring down at me. I looked up meeting his eyes.

"You are arrogant, gypsy.
And that is not the future," Stepan said, continuing to glare.

"I told you I do not
foretell the future. You have many choices to make as does the storm, which
lead to many different futures. I have told you what I see most clearly. Pay me
my two coppers or have me whipped for being arrogant."

Lalia laughed, as she walked
over to me and placed two coppers in my hand. "I like her, Stepan. And I
understand why nobles and wizards seek her out. She’s not being arrogant. She
sees you as a customer, any two-copper customer, and not as a king. As she said,
she doesn't pretend to tell the future, only to tell you what she sees ahead.
What she sees most clearly in your future. And I don't think I'd wager against
her."

"Thank you, my queen,
again. I want a solution that uses force and believe I should be the one to
come up with it. And I'm mad because Ryana has seen otherwise. I don't imagine
your tellings are very popular, Ryana. Rulers and wizards prefer people to lie
to us." He shook his head and laughed. "You have the right of it.
When we encourage people to lie to us, we must pay a tora to hear the lies
rather than the truth."

"Thank you, Ryana. Captain
Tymon will see you back to your clan," Lalia said, as she walked up behind
the king and placed a hand gently on his shoulder. Tymon opened the door for me
and led me back to the small dining room. The talking stopped when the captain
and I entered. I walked over to Luka, gave him a kiss, and proceeded to the
table where I loaded a plate with fowl, cooked carrots in a rich, sweet sauce,
spiced potatoes, and two small cakes with a cream topping.

"I'm starved," I
finally said, which brought the room back to life.

* * *

Luka, exhausted and smiling from
a lively session of lovemaking, closed his eyes. I waited until his breathing
was soft and even, and then I dressed and ghosted across the city to the Earth
Wizards’ lodge.

"Well, what did you tell
him?" Rong asked as I settled into the vacant vine-seats awash with pink
and blue flowers. "He's dying to attack the Snowmen and couldn't resist a
telling from the infamous Ryana, the gypsy fortuneteller."

"I told him to beware of
the desert."

"Interesting. The consensus
among us it that either the king will attack the Snowmen in the Assur Mountains
or Askell will attack one of the provinces, probably Araby. So, you've come to
the conclusion that the desert is Askell's strength because of the Storm Wizards."

"Yes. The Snowmen’s best
chance for a quick win would be a Hesland attack on the Assur Mountains. I
believe the storm wizards would provide a decisive victory and leave the cities
and towns defenseless. If Hesland doesn't attack, I think Askell will. Since
his strength is in the desert, Zunji is the likely place." My unconscious
feeling that constituted the telling I gave the king—beware the
desert—began to make sense.

"Yes, the king is
attempting to get the provinces to send forces to Dazel for just that purpose.
But that will take time, and I'm not sure the provinces will be willing to
deplete their armies during these chaotic times. The more time it takes the
better for Askell to prepare, and the smaller the Hesland army, the less chance
they will win. But how do we stop the king?"

"I pointed out he needed
help and had allies in the shadows--the earth, Zunji, and Araby."

"I’m surprised you're not
in the royal dungeon," Fayza said.

"The queen saved me. She is
a very strong woman, which is what the king needs. He's still recovering from
the Passion nectar incident. Right now he's angry and impulsive. She's holding
him in check."

"What can we wizards
do?" Erica asked.

"Can you create something
in the desert to hide a person?"

"Like trees and
shrubs?"

"Something to encase the
person, so an army would walk right past them."

"We can grow most anything,
but why?"

"The Storm Wizards, unlike
our wizards, are vulnerable from behind. Kill the wizard and you kill the
Snowmen's desert advantage. If we had a Shadow or two with the Dazel, Zunji,
and Araby armies and they could get behind the advancing Snowmen..."

"You believe the king, with
the queen's help, will listen to the Sisters and Earth Wizards?" Rong
asked.

"Yes, and the Zunji and
wu'Lichak will listen to the Shadow of Death."

Hajna and Fayza decided to
accompany me back to Araby. They were senior Assassins/Spies and would be there
to support me, if and when war broke out. Erica would also come along to
support the Zunji. Rong would stay in Tarion to consult with the king and would
coordinate with the Earth Wizards and Shadow Sisters Morag was sending.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

DAZEL: Tarion
– Preparing for war.

The next morning, Hajna, and
Fayza, dressed in traditional blacks, and Erica walked into camp, as we sat around
eating breakfast. Silence descended on the group as they approached Santo.

"Good morning, gypsy Santo.
My Sister and I are in need of a ride to Araby, if you don’t mind," Hajna
said, her eyes sparkling. I think it was a treat for her to be in the field and
seeing action.

"Of course, not. What do we
call you?" Santo asked. Gypsies would never turn down a Shadow. Morag and
the Shadow of Death had done far too much for them over the years.

"Pick two names, and we
will answer to them," Fayza said before Hajna could reply. Santo stood
silent, thinking.

"Ana and Betha," Kata
said.

"I’m Betha," Fayza
said, raising her hand.

"And I’m Ana." Hajna raised
her hand, which was funny because they looked like twins in their Shadow blacks,
including the color of their eyes. The only difference was the skin around
Hajna’s eyes. Being, at least, ten cycles older, she had more lines than Fayza.

After breakfast, the clan
finished cleaning up and we departed Tarion, well before noon. Hajna rode with
Santo and Lujza, Erica with Kata, and Fayza in our wagon.

"Ha… Ana is like a student
on her free sixday," Fayza said, riding up front with Luka and me.

"Why?" Luka asked.

"Ana hasn’t been in the
field for several years. She teaches our students weapons, and it’s boring for
her."

"She’s an… "

"She taught me," I
said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"And me," Fayza said. "She
needed this."

Santo stopped at sunset. Cooking
was pretty much a clan event. The children also participated, depending upon
their age, with fetching and stirring, peeling and chopping, or helping cook.
Hajna and Fayza walked around observing, talking, and helping. The gathering
that night was interesting, as the clan slowly asked my Sisters questions about
the life at Ahasha and me.

"As I remember it, she was
a sweet little girl, too sweet. That's why we got rid of her," Fayza said.

"No, as I remember it, she
was a trouble maker. Best thing we ever did getting rid of her," Hajna
said.

Erica was also questioned about
the Earth Wizards and gave a small demonstration by growing herself a vine
chair, complete with flowers. And at the end of the evening, putting out the
fire with water brought up out of the hot desert sand.

"You live an interesting
life, Ryana," Hajna said as they walked Luka and I back to the wagon. "It's
in stark contrast to the Sisterhood. We would die for each other, but our lives
make it difficult to form the kind of bond the clan has. I can see why you fit
in so well. You will always be our Sister and loved by us, but you would never
be as comfortable there as you are here. This fits the little girl I found in
Dunn Pass."

I stared at Hajna for several
seconds, then stepped forward and hugged her.

"Thank you, my Sister,"
I whispered. I had never known who bought me that day. I never saw her after
she delivered me to Ahasha, since she never taught the younger children and
still took assignments. "I often wondered who has saved me, gave me a
family."

"It was the best thing I
ever did for the Sisterhood. At the time, I thought you a sparrow with a broken
wing, and doubted you would survive the training. But I was glad I had taken
you away from Dunn Pass. My little sparrow has turned out to be an Ahasha
bat—gentle but deadly."

* * *

Late the next day, we were met
by a small party of Zunji who directed us off the road and into a Zunji camp,
which I suspected had been moved there by Chief Sizwe to make it easier to
meet. The clan was eager to put on a show for the Zunji. After making sure the
Shadows didn't mind a delay, Santo agreed to stay an extra day and put on a
performance tomorrow. Sizwe and his son Gero met with the four of us late that
night.

I told of the poisoning of the
king, and Hajna, Fayna, and Erica explained what they found during their trek
into the Assur mountains with the Shadow of Death.

"I talked with the Shadow
of Death in Tarion," I said. Sizwe knew she was me, but Gero didn't.
"She feels the Snowmen will target the Zunji—"

"Good, we can avenge the
murder of our people—" Gero interrupted but stopped when his father
held up his hand.

"Why?"

"She believes the Snowmen's
Storm Wizards’ strength is in the desert because sandstorms give them a
significant advantage over any opponent. The sand will kill many and leave the
surviving force disorganized and ill-fitted to fight."

"Yes, without shelter of
some kind, a sandstorm is a deadly foe. With a force as large as you estimate,
we will be hard pressed to win without support. But with wizards who can create
sandstorms, we will be destroyed."

"You will get support, from
the Shadows, Earth Wizards, the king, and Araby. Not only because you are now a
province, not just a desert tribe, and your province is the only one that has
access to all the others, but because the king and Araby, like you, have a
personal debt to settle with the Snowmen."

"If we can't fight them,
how can you help?" Gero asked.

"The Sister of Death feels
the Storm Wizards are vulnerable from the rear. We must devise strategies that
expose the Storm Wizards. It only takes one person behind him," I said,
then let the other three take control of the discussion. Erica planned to stay
with the Zunji and work to develop something that could hide a warrior as the
Snowmen advanced, until the wizard passed. It was late and no one was up by the
time I returned. The others stayed, as Sizwe provided them tents for the night.

* * *

Over the next few days, Hajna
and Fayza watched as the clan went about their normal routine for a performance
day: setting up props, light practices, and deciding on the acts and their
order. The evening performance was as much fun for the clan as the audience. It
felt like we were performing for another clan rather than strangers. Afterward,
everyone gathered around a huge circle and soon there was food, music, and
dancing. When Sizwe caught my eye and nodded, I followed him to a tent a couple
of hundred paces away, where his wife Nubia had laid out food and drink, before
disappearing into the tent.

"And what does the Shadow of
Death recommend, gypsy Ryana," he said, with a slight smile.

"She can't tell the future,
but Askell's original plan, using the Passion drug to gain control, failed. He
now must give up his plan of dominating Hesland or take another approach.
Ideally, he could hope the king would attack him."

"Why?"

"Because the desert is his
strength and the king's weakness. If the Heslanders were effective fighters in
the desert, they would have destroyed the Zunji long ago. She has, I hope,
convinced the king to wait for the Snowmen to make a move. Again, the desert is
their strength so it seems likely he will attack the Zunji. That will give them
access to every province and a secure base from which to wage war, either with
military or Passion nectar or, more likely, both."

"A Sandstorm would be worth
twenty hands of warriors. So that is what each Storm Wizard represents. How
many does he have?"

"At least three and one
apprentice, maybe more. But we only visited a couple of the Sanctuaries and were
only there a couple of days."

"Even if she saw every soldier
and wizard, the Snowmen have an army equal to the size of Hesland's combined
army if fought in the desert—two hundred hands. The Zunji cannot win
against that. We could be destroyed even with Hesland's help." Sizwe looked
sad rather than afraid, then surprised me with a twitch of the lip that might
be amusement. "But the Zunji walk in the shadows with the Shadow of Death.
What does she want us to do?" he asked. I sat stunned, unable even to
think. Ask Morag, she's the senior Shadow. Ask Hajna, she's the fighter. Ask
Rong, she's the strategist. All I want is
to be a gypsy wife and mother, my visual-self screamed. Duty to your Sisters and clan, my
shadow-self whispered.

"Give me your hands,"
I said moving closer. When he held them up, I grabbed them in mine and my chaos
faded into the moment. Sizwe felt like an ancient rock: strong, stable, the
wisdom of the ages. "The Storm Wizards’ strength is sand, what he can see,
and his opponents’ pride. You must look for opportunities to engage him from
the rear while retreating out of the desert. You have allies, trust them."
When I released his hands and opened my eyes, he sat staring at me.

"Yes, our enemies have good
reason to fear the Shadow of Death."

*
* *

We left the next morning and
where in Sandel late that evening. We conducted only one performance the next
day and left the following day for Windon, an easy two-day trip. Although
fascinated by the presence of the Shadows, the clan sensed they weren't along
for fun or to learn about the gypsies, and the mood was somewhat more sober
than normal.

We had no sooner made camp than
an Araby captain with a detail of twenty troopers appeared. Santo was quick to meet
them. I would imagine, that the presence of two Shadow Sisters made the
soldiers somewhat less intimidating.

"Sir, I'm the gypsy Santo,
how may I help you?" he said, looking up at the mounted man. The captain
hesitated, mouth open, when his eyes, peeking above a bushy beard and mustache
and almost hidden by unruly eyebrows, caught the presence of two Shadows.

"I'm Captain Cadell. Lady
wu'Lichak asked me to keep a lookout for the gypsy Tobar clan. I'm to see you
safely to Scio, although you seem to have sufficient protection." He
smiled, judging by the show of teeth from within the beard. "You may
proceed at your own pace, gypsy Santo."

"Thank you, Captain Cadell.
If it helps, we plan only one performance and one rest day in both Windon and
Udo."

"Yes, it does. I'll let
Lady wu'Lichak know." He saluted and rode off after leaving a few men
stationed nearby. Santo walked over to me and Luka.

"What do you think,
Ryana?"

"I think Lady wu'Lichak is
still in a bad mood."

"What do you mean. She's
not mad at us... is she?"

"He's a new captain. I
think she's cleaning house, reassigning the people loyal to her to key
positions, and making sure the house stays clean. The Tobar clan is under the
Lady's protection."

* * *

The next night, we put on a
performance to an extra-large crowd as we had spread the word that there would
only be one performance. And the presence of the Magic Balls was an extra
incentive, since only the Tobar clan had the act. It would be interesting to
see what the other clans would come up with to match it.

Afterward, I took the
fortunetelling tent, as usual. The first person in was the captain.

"Good evening, Captain
Cadell. How may I help you?" He was a broad shouldered man in his middle
cycles. His uniform was clean but well worn. He stood straight but relaxed. I
smiled to myself, remembering Ilka and Alida trying to teach me how to tell
fortunes—make up stories based on cards, palms, birth cycles... Funny,
because people told you a lot about themselves in the ways they stood, dressed,
and talked.

"You have quite a
reputation. Even those who don't believe in fortunetellers seek you out, which
is a contradiction, no?"

"That's because I don't
claim to tell the future."

"But you're a
fortuneteller. That's what fortunetellers do," he said with a hint of
frustration.

"But we agreed no one can
tell the future, didn't we?" I asked, not showing the amusement I felt. He
laughed, sat down, and put a silver on the table.

"Yes, we did."

"Place your hands on the
table, palms facing down." When he did, I covered his and closed my eyes.
I knew fighters, like Hajna, and thinkers, like Rong. This man had those
qualities judging by what I'd observed, and it explained why wu'Lichak had
promoted him and trusted him with the Tobar clan and me. "You have finally
reached the position for which you are well suited. A storm will sweep Hesland,
and you will be thrust into its path. Wit, not strength, will be required to
survive. Duty will drive you, the earth, and the shadows into its teeth."

"What about fire, water,
and wind?" he asked. A clever man, as I had surmised, understanding the
reference to the earth.

"No, they are
missing." I opened my eyes to find him looking off into the distance.

"Yes, I understand why
nobles and wizards seek you out. A glimpse into our destiny. Thanks you,
Ryana." He rose and dropped a tora on the table and left. The rest of the
evening was normal except for a few soldiers.

"I see Captain Cadell
visited you," Kata said, as she and Alida came and stood next to me.
"I'd love to be a lizard on the tent wall when you are telling people's
fortune. Nobles, wizards, and soldiers can't resist going to you, although they
would be the first to laugh at anyone who went to a fortuneteller. When I have
the duty, I get the normal number of women wanting to hear something good for a
change. It's not only boring, it's depressing. I'll bet your sessions
aren't."

"If you don't consider
getting whipped or locked in a dungeon for saying something a noble didn't
like. Or having people wanting to whip you to get you to reveal what you told
someone," Alida said.

"Yes, but it would be
exciting." Kata eyes sparkled. "Seeing into their future. It's not a
secret Ryana can share with us, Alida. It's a gift."

"And profitable."

"Ryana doesn't care about
the money, do you?"

"No. But I'm glad they give
me extra," I held up a tora, "Because it helps my clan."

* * *

A day's rest, two days travel, a
performance in Udo, a day's rest, and three days travel and we were approaching
Scio. Santo had put on a couple of acts for the troops each of the two nights
we stopped on the road. No one minded, and it made for good relations with the
military, which may be helpful in the future.

"What do you think will
happen in Scio?" Lujza asked. She had joined Luka and me on our wagon
after the noon break.

"I will be leaving the
wagons, soon," I said. Luka already knew as we had discussed the situation
several times over the past few days. "When the king's forces don't attack
the Snowmen in the Assur Mountains, I believe they will attack the Zunji.
Without help, the Zunji will lose and the Snowmen will occupy land bordering
each province. They will isolate Tarion and eventually Tarion will fall to them
and slowly the remaining provinces. The Shadow Sisters and the Earth Wizards
are committed to helping the Zunji. I expect the king's forces and Araby to
join us."

"Must you go?"

"Yes. I'm a Shadow and
cannot abandon my Sisters, and my Sisters fight to protect Hesland and,
therefore, my clan's safety. If my presence helps protect your safety in any way,
then how can I do otherwise?"

"You could be killed."

"Would you give your life
to protect the clan?" I gently wiped a tear from Lujza's cheek. She nodded
acknowledgement. The rest of the ride was made in silence.

* * *

As we unpacked, Lord Boyan rode
in with a small detail of troops. He nodded to me as he strode towards Santo. They
talked for a few minutes then left. I noticed that Hajna and Fayza had also
disappeared. I assumed I would see them at the Earth Wizard's lodge. Santo
waved for us to gather and waited until everyone was there.

"Lady wu'Lichak has
requested a performance tomorrow evening," he announced. "We'll
decide on which acts and the order tonight at supper."

"Well we know one act. That
infamous Tobar gypsy fortuneteller," Kata said, to laughs. "How come
you never tell our fortune?"

"Because you know I'm a
fake," I said, shuddering at the thought of anyone asking. "And you
wouldn't pay the two coppers."

"Do you know your
future?" Roza asked.

"Yes," I said, and it
felt like everyone stopped breathing.

"To die a great-grandmother,
in the company of the Tobar clan."

* * *

We arrived early to set up
several hours before the first guest were scheduled to arrive, and then retired
to a good sized room, which had drinks and snacks laid out on two long tables,
to wait our call. The clan was relaxed, having given performances for wu'Lichak
before, but sober. It was always wise to be cautious around nobles. They had
the power of life and death. I sat leaning back against Luka, content for the
moment, pondering an explanation Santo and Lujza could give for my absence when
the time came. I wanted one that didn't cause too much stress within the clan;
otherwise, they could say wu'Lichak threw me in the dungeon because she didn't
like my telling. I almost laughed. She never liked my tellings.

The performances went off with perfection
and the Magic Balls got a rousing applause and some extra gold from the
audience. Kata and I started the fireball act with a comic routine with one
fireball before the other three joined us. And that act now had four fireballs
active, which was an impressive display since the balls spent most of the time
in the air crisscrossing each other.

The waiting room was laden with
food when we returned from the performance. An hour later, Lord Boyan entered
and walked around talking to various people. Eventually, he joined Kata and me.

"You two are very good. It
appeared to me that your comic act was more dangerous than the serious
one."

"You're very perceptive,
Lord Boyan," Kata said. "Pretending to be clumsy is frequently more
dangerous, since it requires more skill than doing the thing."

"If you will excuse us,
Kata, I believe Lady wu'Lichak would like to hear all the good fortune Ryana
has in store for her," Boyan said, with a twitch of his lip. Watching him,
I thought he had gained a degree of confidence he had lacked before. I'd
imagine wu'Lichak approved. In times like these, she needed a strong right arm,
not just a loyal one.

"Lady wu'Lichak is not
looking forward to seeing you, Ryana. The incident with the Passion drug has
shaken her, and you are not usually the bearer of good news."

"No, I am not."

He led me to the same room she
had used in our previous visits, but unlike last time, she hadn't yet arrived
and the table hadn't been set up for a telling. I walked closer to the three
narrow windows behind her desk and stood looking at the full moon of Sycorax.
Many said it looked like the face of a God. I was more inclined to think those
people saw what they wanted to see. Just then the door opened and wu'Lichak
walked in. She looked subtly different. Haunted? I gave a small bow.

"Gypsy, Shadow,
fortuneteller, which Ryana are you tonight?" She said. The sharpness of
her tone surprised me.

"You left out wife,
Heslander, woman, ally."

"I'm sorry, Ryana. I owe
you my life, and I'm mad at you for... having to save me, for seeing me
weak."

"No one is strong enough to
resist the Passion drug. One of my Sisters was seduced by the drug, and she
seduced me, a friend she grew up with. She was strong, but I had to kill her.
She could not overcome the drug. Weak people do not recover from the Passion drug."

"Sit, Ryana," she
said, pouring herself a glass of wine and sipping it carefully before taking a
drink. "I would give you anything you want, but I suspect you don't want
anything."

"I want many things Lady
wu'Lichak, but they are not the kind of things that someone can give me: peace
across Hesland, the love of my clan and husband, to forget the killings, to
walk in the shadow of my Sisters." Money and things did not bring
happiness.

"No, I cannot give you
those things. But I can do my duty
and help you work towards that future. Speaking of which, are you going to give
me a telling? If I remember correctly, last time you attacked me and corrupted
my loyal subject into aiding you in kidnapping me." She smiled at Boyan.

"No, please make yourself
comfortable. I'm going to tell you a story. It began after I left you and the
Tobar clan moved on to Tarion..." I went on to tell what happened to the
king, our findings in the Assur Mountains, and the Shadows’ destruction of the
Snowmen leading the cults and their Passion nectar. "The future I see most
clearly is the Snowmen attacking the Zunji and easily winning if the Zunji
don't get help. And if the Snowmen gain control of the desert, I see
generations of chaos."

"You certainly never bring
good news. But, at least, this time there is little ambiguity. We know who and
what, only the when is uncertain. What do you want of me?"

"We need your army on the
border with Zunji province and ready to move. The Storm Wizards are the
Snowmen's strength, but they are vulnerable from the rear. We must coordinate
our maneuvers to expose their weakness. We cannot win with overwhelming force
alone."

"The armies will be
separated by days. It will be impossible to coordinate our movements,"
Boyan said.

"Each army will have one or
more Earth Wizards with them. They will use birds to communicate with their
brothers and sisters."

"Lord Boyan, give orders to
have the army assembled and prepared to leave for Windon." She looked to
me. "Where will you be, Ryana?"

"That is the one future I
cannot see clearly."

* * *

When we arrived back at the
wagons, I asked Santo and Lujza to join Luka and me in our wagon.

"What's going on,
Ryana?" Santo asked when the door closed.

"I and others believe the
Snowmen will attack the Zunji soon. In response, the king and Lady wu'Lichak's
armies are preparing to move to support the Zunji. The Shadow Sisters and the
Earth Wizards will join each of the armies to help. I'll be leaving tonight and
not sure when I'll return."

"What should we tell the
clan about you and what is happening?" Santo asked.

"Tell them what I've told
you. There is a war coming with the Snowmen, and Lady wu'Lichak has insisted I
join her army as her fortuneteller."

"Actually, a good story.
Enough truth to make it believable and difficult to disprove," Lujza said.
"Where will you really be?"

"I don't know. Not with the
army. We Shadows are not soldiers. We are Spies and Assassins, so I'll be doing
one of those things." I smiled and hugged Santo and Lujza. "Tell
everyone I love them and see a bright future for the Tobar clan."

"That means you must return
to us," Lujza said, before she closed the door.

"She's right. There is no
future without you, Ryana." Luka had tears in his eyes, as did I.

"There is only chaos if the
Snowmen win, so I have no choice. This is as much about protecting the clan as
Hesland. I will be careful. Assassins and Spies are not careless people, and I
will have other Sisters with me. Last time I was alone." I melted into his
arms, as there was little else I could say. We made love with the desperation
born of not knowing if this were the last time. Later I packed my things,
kissed Luka again, and slipped into the night.

I made my way to the Earth Wizards' lodge
where I was surprised to find Sister Rong. I updated everyone on my talk with
wu'Lichak and her decision. The Earth Wizards had already begun to establish
communications with their brothers and sisters in the other provinces,
including Erica with the Zunji. Rong had convinced the king not to attack the
Snowmen and to wait. She reported the king's army was assembled and ready to move,
and the Zunji had assembled into three armies headed by Sizwe and his two sons,
while the children and non-warriors were on the move towards Tuska, Calion, and
Araby, whichever province was the closest to their current location. And Shadow
Sisters were joining each of the armies.

"What about us? Any
suggestions?" Fayza asked idly to no one specific.

"If I were Askell, I would
send one wizard with a small force to freeze the king and wu'Lichak's armies in
place, while the main force sweeps pass Tarion and attacks the Zunji. That way
the rear of the main force would be protected," Rong said, drawing a map
as she talked. I agreed with her. If they didn’t, it wouldn't be too difficult
to defeat the Snowmen. The Zunji would retreat while the two armies attacked
the rear. If the Storm Wizards switched direction, the Zunji would attack the
new rear.

"We are Assassins, not
soldiers. If we can free either the Tarion or Araby army by killing the
Snowmen's wizard supporting either of those blockades, the freed army can
attack the rear of the Snowmen's main force. That is their weakness and what
will be their death." I said.

It took another hour to make
assignments and prepare to leave. Rong, Hajna, Fayza, and I would leave
immediately for the tip of Araby to wait for the Snowmen's armies to leave the
Assur Mountains. The wizard Tamid would go with us. Two wizards would join
wu'Lichak to support her army, and three wizards would enter the Zunji desert
to join and support them.

Before leaving, we made new
Shadow outfits—of a light grey cloth.

CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE

DAZEL: Zunji
– Storms of war

We left dressed as Araby guards,
with all the proper documentation thanks to Lord Boyan. I found it interesting.
It was like what I thought being an apprentice Spy would be like, pretending to
be someone I wasn't and guided by a senior Sister. Most nights we camped with
other travelers headed for Tarion or Scio. They were happy to have us for protection,
and we for any information they might have. The first night we camped with
several merchants from Scio.

"My wife and I are from
Udo. We've heard that Lady wu'Lichak has been raiding the religious groups all
across Araby," one old man said as we sat around a fire set in the middle
of carts and wagons. "Have they been causing trouble like that other group
a cycle or two ago?"

"Not that I've heard, but
the word is they were using drugs to recruit members. Lady wu'Lichak has made
it a crime punishable by death," a well-to-do merchant said. He drove a
small cart and had an armed guard for a companion.

"Seems excessive. Don't you
think?" a young man in his late teens, who appeared to be traveling alone
asked, looking at Rong.

"They don't pay soldiers to
decide whether the laws are fair. But I have always found Lady wu'Lichak to be
a fair leader. She reimbursed those cheated by the Eyes of God," Rong said
like she had been there at the time. The people liked wu'Lichak and the talk
changed to the condition of the roads and the weather.

When went arrived in Udo the
talk in the taverns was about Tarion.

"Something bad is going to
happen," an elderly merchant said at the table we were eating. "My
friends and I have just come from there. The talk is of war."

"With who?" a local
shop owner asked.

"Don't know. But the army presence
is everywhere."

"Another province wanting
to overthrow the king?" the barmaid asked as she set down fresh mugs of
beer for two of the local farmers and the stews we had ordered.

"No. The rumors vary from
tribes from the desert to the tribes from the mountains. Maybe the Zunji,"
the merchant said, downing half his jug. "I’m just glad to be here in
Araby and out of Tarion."

In the town of Windon, it was
much the same talk. That was good because it meant we and Araby had time to get
in place.

"What if I'm wrong and the
Snowmen aren't going to attack?" I asked the next night. We were traveling
north along the Araby and Dazel border toward the Assur Mountains.

"What if you're right, and
we did nothing?" Rong asked. When I didn't answer, she continued. "It
doesn't matter, because Hesland's preparation for war will force the Snowmen to
act. They can't afford to give us the initiative. If we entered the Assur
Mountains from the south and north, they couldn't stop us from destroying the
Sanctuaries. Without the help of their Storm Wizards, they don't have enough
soldiers. So they will be forced to attack the Zunji whether they had planned
to or not, because we don't have enough soldiers to stop them in the desert and
destroy the Sanctuaries at the same time. If we tried, we would lose the
kingdom."

"Like the royal game of
Queens you love, Rong," Hajna said. "Attacking the Queen is always a
good defense against an opponent's clever planning."

"Only if you can keep the
pressure on your opponent, forcing him to constantly defend himself. The first
time your move does not require him to defend against it, he is free to regain
the initiative."

"So, the Snowmen must
attack, and to win, they must be able to force us to continuously defend
ourselves. Therefore, we must disrupt their attack to win."

"And to do that we must
expose the rear of their forces and kill the Storm Wizards."

"Yes, that is our
task."

* * *

Two days later, we reached the
most northern part of Araby and were within a day of the southern foothills of
the Assur Mountains.

"Now we wait," Rong
said. "If I'm right, the Snowmen will send two small armies out in advance
of the main one. One will come past us, moving south as if to attack Araby. Their
task will be to hold the Araby army in place and stop them from entering the
desert and attacking the main force. The second army, also small, should engage
Tarion from the south side so the main force, which will follow after the other
two are in place, can slip between Araby and Tarion and not have to worry about
being attacked from behind. Once the Zunji are destroyed, the three armies can
unite and form a circle that cannot be penetrated."

I found the discussion
interesting. Rong used logic to determine the most likely moves our opponents
would take, which then suggested our obvious countermoves. Something, I seemed
unable to do, at least, in a time frame that would be useful. I relied on
intuition. I felt the desert was the
danger. That would have caused me to go there in response, but without a plan.
Once there, intuition would have dictated my next move. That had worked out
alright last time, but would it have worked this time without my Sisters? I
smiled. But then, would Sister Rong have thought of the Snowmen attacking the
Zunji if my intuition hadn't suggested it? It didn't matter. I had long
acknowledged logic didn't work for me. I was inherently too cautious and got
lost in the details.

We made a small camp on the
border, and took six-hour shifts from a small rise a half hour away, watching
for activity. It came four days later on my watch. The night sky was clear and
Sycorax a three-quarter moon directly overhead, when I heard a rumbling noise
coming from the desert to the north. Over the next two hours, the army came
into sight and grew larger looking like they were headed straight towards me.
They were within a fifteen minute walk when Rong slid up beside me.

"How big?"

"Looks like ten hands of
Snowmen and two, maybe three hands of Assur, and a wizard or two judging from
the horses."

"How can you tell from
here?"

"The Assur carry spears
rather than swords."

"I'd wager another slightly
larger force is to the north of them right now heading towards Tarion. We
should see the main force tomorrow night. We move when they pass."

* * *

True to Rong's prediction, I
heard a distance rumbling just after midnight and an hour later saw the army in
the distance. The others joined me towards dawn with my change of clothes. They
had let the horses go free. I changed into our new grays, and after a cold
breakfast, we entered the desert. It took until evening to reach the track of
the main group, which was halfway between Sandel and Tarion. We walked all
night with only a few hours stop to rest. At sunrise, we reached the road from
Sandel to Tarion. There the battle plan was clear to see. To the south of Sandel
I could see a large sandstorm sweeping towards Sandel and Araby and hear occasional
sounds of battle. Similarly, to the south of Tarion, Sandstorms were sweeping
toward Tarion and distant sounds of battle could be heard. And an hour walk
ahead, dust from the main body as it continued into Zunji province. As there
were no Sandstorms in that direction, they had not yet encountered the Zunji
warriors.

"We need to decide who goes
north and who south," Rong said, as we surveyed the scene before us.

"I think Fayza should go
with Ryana," Hajna said. "You should go with me."

"Why?" I asked.

"Sister Hajna is concerned
that I'm a Senior Spy, not an Assassin," Rong said, grinning. "Maybe
she's right."

"If I've learned anything,
it's not the training that separates a Spy from an Assassin, we all know how to
kill. It’s our preference. Some of us prefer the hunt for the guilty, others to
carry out the sentence. I have always favored the hunt. But each of us will
kill to defend ourselves and our families. I have, many times. The Snowmen not
only threaten each of us, but they threaten our Sisters and our way of life. It's
your decision, but I'd trust any one of you at my back. We are not going to
kill the wizards with strength, but rather with stealth."

Rong gave a small laugh.
"You officially all out rank me, so it is not my decision."

Then Fayza laughed.
"Actually, in the field, Ryana is the senior Sister as she has Morag's authority."

It was Hajna's turn to laugh.
"Sister Ryana, it's your decision."

"Sister Rong, where can you
be best utilized?" I asked. Rong was in my opinion, the best at games,
planning, and stealth, and should decide where she could best be used.

"I should go with either
Hajna or Fayza to Tarion. That would give each team balance."

"I agree. Sister Fayza,
would you like to accompany me?" I said.

"Sounds like fun."
Fayza nodded to Hajna.

"Good hunting,
Sisters," Hajna said as she and Rong trotted off in the direction of
Tarion. I stood watching them go, wondering if I'd ever see them again, or
Luka... I laughed, causing Fayza to give me a concerned look.

"Sorry. My visual-Ryana was
wondering about the future. I've put her to sleep. The shadow-Ryana is here and
ready for duty."

"I guess it is funny in a
way. Hajna and I are Assassin/Spies, yet we never think of ourselves as Spies
but rather Assassins. You are an Assassin/Spy, yet you think of yourself as a
Spy. But in these times, we are just Shadow Sisters with duty," she said,
looking towards the Sandstorm around Sandel. "I too am ready."

* * *

We continued following the trail
of the main group for a half day before turning south when I thought we would
be pass the army and could approach them from the rear. It was near sunset when
I could make out the Snowmen and Araby armies. Araby seemed to be continuously
pressing the Snowmen with small attacks. A hundred paces behind the Snowmen I
recognized the apprentice Storm Wizard with a guard of ten Assur soldiers, protecting
the army’s rear.

"That woman Storm Wizard is
an apprentice. Dangerous but not nearly as lethal as the one facing Araby. It's
getting dark, I suggest you try to go around her to the right, and I'll try the
left. If she sees one of us, it should give the other one an opportunity to get
to the senior Storm Wizard. Running away works with her. It's painful but
unlikely to be fatal since she can't abandon her position to give chase."
I smiled as Zara raced ahead with Fayza following. I turned and trotted to the
left, letting Anil and Kasi guide me. The apprentice Storm Wizard looked
nervous as she frequently turned to see what was happening behind her. When I
had just passed her, five Snowmen came running up and said something to her.
She didn't look happy as she began running back toward the battle. The Snowmen
stayed. With everyone looking in the wrong directions, I ghosted along less
than a minute behind her. I stopped as she made her way through the Snowmen
soldiers and stopped next to the Storm Wizard. They exchanged a few words, then
he left her to create the storm. He looked weary as he staggered between the
lines to the rear, where two Assur soldiers brought him food and water.

I crept closer as Anil and Kasi
circled the area between him and me. The Araby soldiers were pressing the
attack again and all attention was forward. I drew an arrow from my quiver and crept
closer. I had dipped all of the tips in rocktail, hoping I could get close
enough to hit my target but unlikely to be close enough to guarantee a kill.
And wounding might not be enough.

I nocked the arrow, rose to a
kneeling position, and shot. The arrow seemed to be in slow motion as it glided
through the air and the wizard looked up as if he had heard it coming. His
plate spilled out of his hand and his arm began to rise in defense. It struck
his arm. The Assur soldiers shouted for help and moved to shield him, which
would have been comical under other circumstances. The wizard's last breath
went into a blast of wind towards me that picked up the two Assur and threw
them halfway to me. Several of the Snowmen who had relieved the apprentice
began running toward me as I drew several throwing knives. But one by one they
dropped from Fayza's arrows.

The disruption in the Snowmen's
line caused the apprentice wizard to spin around to see what was happening. She
froze; her eyes darting left and right like a trapped animal. Within seconds,
the storm died, and chaos broke lose as the Araby charged in mass, most on
horses. I stayed were I was as did Fayza, awaiting the outcome. A battle was no
place for a Shadow Sister. The fighting was fierce and quickly over. The Araby cavalry
was useless in a sandstorm, but against unhorsed Snowmen even a lessor opponent
had the advantage. There was no mercy. Neither side could afford to take prisoners
nor leave an enemy alive. Fayza joined me as the cleanup took place.

"Sort of like old
times." Her grin a wry one. "I thought I saw that wizard smile when
he managed to stop your arrow with his arm, probably thought he had saved his
life."

"I can't count on the
accuracy you and Hajna have. I would have to be much closer."

"As you so elegantly
pointed out, we are assassins not soldiers."

"Good evening, Shadows."
A captain I recognized as Cadell approached on a black charger. "I thank
you for your help."

"You were doing quite well,
captain. Another hour and you would have broken the apprentice."

"True, but would," he
said, looking over his shoulder, "he have been rested enough to
continue?"

"Not for long. That was an
excellent strategy."

"I have a fortuneteller to
thank. She predicted this battle and that it would take wit not strength to
win. Otherwise, who knows what I might have tried. My liege, will be here soon
and said she would like to talk to you. I don't know how she knew you would be
here. It appears I'm surrounded by very wise women." He bowed his head.
"Do you have any suggestion for going forward?"

"I would agree with the
fortuneteller," I said, and heard Fayza snort. "Wit, not
strength."

Wu'Lichak, Lord Boyan and a
detail of ten mounted men rode into sight. Cadell rose.

"My liege. As you
predicted, the Shadow Sisters are here."

"Good evening, Shadows.
Araby owes you again. What happens now?" wu'Lichak asked as she sat.

"Horses would help us close
the distance to the Snowmen's main unit faster; however, when we get closer, they
should be taken to safety. They will be a liability. Horses not only need lots
of water, but they have no way to protect their eyes. In a storm, they would
panic, causing chaos in the formation."

Cadell nodded.

"I need to rest the men, at
least for a few hours, and treat the wounded."

"We'll wait. It's been a
long night," I said. Fayza and I refused a tent and wandered off and found
a quiet area to sleep. We woke near sunrise. Over a hot meal with wu'Lichak,
Boyan, two Earth Wizards, Cadell, his two lieutenants, and several senior
sergeants, we discussed the upcoming trek through the desert.

"Any advice, Shadows?"
Cadell asked.

"I will tell you the desert
is an unforgiving place. Scorching hot in the day, freezing cold at night, and little
to no water. It is no place for the wounded or horses or supply wagons for hot
meals or excessive equipment," I said. Cadell laughed.

"Speed and wit, not force
of arms. That would be my preference."

"What would you like us to
do?" wu'Lichak asked. Most of the troops seemed surprised she would ask Sisters
for military advice. They looked to Cadell who seemed to take no offense and to
be as interested as wu'Lichak. As I had suspected when I gave him a telling, he
was a thinker, confident in his abilities, and not uncomfortable listening to
advice from anyone.

"We can't predict what we
will find when we catch up with the Snowmen's main force. Hopefully, the king's
army will break through like you did and will join us before we have to engage
the Snowmen. Their weakness is the rear of their formation. The Storm Wizards are
their strength, but they can only create storms in one direction at a time, so
the formation is vulnerable from the rear. Judging from the formation you
fought, the main group may have an apprentice or a full wizard guarding their
rear. The object will be to kill that wizard so their main formation can be
attacked from two directions—Araby, and hopefully Tarion, from the west
and the Zunji from the east."

"You would like us to
distract the rear, while you Shadows slip in and kill the wizard," Cadell
asked.

"Simple, right?" I
said and heard one of the troops choke on his drink.

"So long as you don't take
too long," Cadell said, smiling. I liked him. He wasn't going to worry
about all the things that could go wrong, or what he could or couldn't do before
he understood the situation. I thought him a good man to have at your back.

"Shadows, I'd like to talk
to you, alone." wu'Lichak rose and nodded to Boyan. The four of us walked
out of hearing range before she spoke. "What are your chances of killing
that wizard, and... "

"Lady wu'Lichak,
Shadows," I looked to Fayza who nodded, "do not think in those terms.
When we start our approach, we will be in a place that has no past and no
future. We will not care about living or dying, winning or losing, hate or
revenge. We will walk in the shadow of our Sisters."

"Scary," wu'Lichak
said. "And that is why you can tell my future but not yours, because in
that moment there is no past or future."

* * *

We left with the Earth Wizard Jago
and Captain Cadell a few hours before the army was scheduled to move. The
wounded were being taken to Sandel for treatment along with the excess
equipment that Cadell had decided to leave based on our discussions.

The weather was cloudy which
lessened the impact on the horses. We still hadn't seen the main Snowmen's
force or any distant indication of a battle. We stopped to rest the horses
again just after sunset.

"What now?" Cadell
asked.

"We go on without the
horses," I said.

"You’re joking!"

"No. Judging by the path
we're following, we aren't more than a day behind them. They have to travel
slowly because of the size of the army and the need for supplies, so we could
catch up by morning. They are going to be watching their rear, maybe even have
scouts out. If we are detected, it will make it many times harder to infiltrate
their lines," I said and waited for Cadell to nod. "I'd suggest you
return to the army. One of us will be waiting to meet you when you arrive to
let you know the situation."

After a minute of silence, he
nodded. I suspect the idea of traveling without his horse overrode his desire
to see what was ahead. We gave him the reins of our horses and the three of us
began a slow jog, following the tracks. We trotted through the night, taking
short breaks.

"How do you do it, Wizard Jago?"
Fayza asked at one of our rest stops around midnight. "I don't imagine
part of your wizard training is long distance running."

"No, we seldom run. One of
the advantages of being an Earth Wizard is the ability to draw energy from the
earth to renew ours. Even so, I am exhausted and hope it isn't too much
further. I'm surprised you have managed to keep up the pace you have."

"We can't keep this up much
longer ourselves. We have been running in a trance-like state, but our bodies
will fail if we push them much further," Fayza said.

I called a halt shortly before
dawn, pointing off into the distance where storm clouds could be seen.

"I think we've caught up.
We need the rest, and I'd rather approach when there is a lull in the fighting.
They will be less alert then. Besides I'd rather try to breach their lines at
night and hopefully by then Araby may have caught up." We found cover
under some shrubs and slept.

It was late afternoon when I
woke. Seconds later Fayza and Jago rose.

"I think it's time to get
closer," I said, as I and Fayza changed into the gray uniforms we had
made. Jago's color somehow changed as I watched, becoming almost sand-like.
"That's a clever trick I'd like to know how to do."

"If you have six or seven
years to spend, maybe I can teach you." He laughed. "Easier to just
change clothes."

For the next four hours we
slowly approached the Snowmen's camp. Fayza circled to the left. Jago stayed in
the center, and I took the area to the left. In the end, I managed to get to
within a hundred paces. As the sun set, I had Anil and Kasi fly over the area.
Then I reversed course and worked my way back to our rendezvous. Jago was
already there, and Fayza arrived shortly afterward.

"I didn't dare to get too
close for fear of being seen, but I was able to use the earth to see. I felt
five wizards, one younger and weaker than the others. I believe they were
resting and using the hot air to regain their strength. If they could use the
earth, it would be much faster." He smiled in satisfaction.

"The left side was lightly
manned and had several of their supply wagons and support people, like cooks.
The interesting thing was a changing of the wizards. A wizard approached the
one closest to me, they talked, and then the one that had been on guard walked
off in your direction while the other stayed in his position," Fayza said,
rubbing her chin in thought.

"Yes, that fits with what I
saw. That wizard you saw leaving replaced the wizard near me. Jago, you said
five wizards. I'd wager they have three on the front, on the fighting edge of
their formation, and two guarding the rear. To keep them from getting
exhausted, they rotate every so often so that each gets time in the rear to
rest, while keeping their vulnerable rear protected."

"What now?"

"I think we wait for Araby
and hopefully Tarion to arrive." I said. We now knew what we faced. I
didn't have a plan, but maybe Fayza, Jago, and Cadell could think of something.

"I don't think you have too
long to wait. I feel two armies moving towards us. One is Araby and the other
is coming from the direction of Tarion. Araby should be here by morning. The
other I would think in late afternoon."

"Let hope it's the king’s
army and not the Snowmen," Fayza said. "That would certainly liven
things up."

"The Snowmen's wizards are
active," Jago pointed to a huge Sandstorm in the east. "They are on
the move east, towards the northern part of Calion."

* * *

Captain Cadell had used caution
and led a small detail an hour in front of the main force to avoid early
discovery. He smiled broadly when he saw us.

"I'm glad to see you. I
wasn't looking forward to engaging the Snowmen on our own. Their small army was
a real challenge, and we're a third smaller now."

"The good news is that the
Tarion army will be joining us later today," Jago said. "I can feel
my sister Wenna is with the approaching army."

"What's the
situation?" Cadell asked. I gave him a brief overview as we waited. Two
hours later, the Araby army arrived with wu'Lichak. I was impressed, she was
walking along with Boyan.

"This is a very uncivilized
way of traveling, but I have to admit it would have been cruel to bring horses.
Without water, they would be useless." Boyan handed her a small cup of
water, which she sipped showing a tremendous amount of self-control and good
sense. "I can understand why no one tried to take this land from the
Zunji. All they would have to do is keep moving, and the invading army would
slowly die. And then what would you do with the land if you won?"

"Yes, it is a hard life,
but the Zunji are content with their lives. They are a wonderful people when
you get to know them. And their presence in the desert may well save Hesland
from the Snowmen. Because without the Zunji, there would have been no way to
stop the Snowmen from occupying the land and invading the provinces at will,"
I said. As we sat eating and talking, the Tarion army arrived.

"Your Majesty,"
, wu'Lichak said as everyone around
our circle went down on one knee—except the Shadows who merely bowed our
heads.

"Rise. Wu'Lichak, you and I
are too damn old to be out walking in the desert." He laughed and sat as a
young boy ran up with a skin of water. He looked up at Rong. "What
now?"

"You should collect your
senior military, and we can all get briefed on the current status."

It took a while to collect the Earth
Wizards and captains with the two armies. With the king and wu'Lichak, Boyan
and Captain Tymon, and the Sisters, there were twelve of us. For some reason,
the update fell to me. I outlined what Fayza, Jago, and I saw and my
conclusions about rotating the wizards to keep them rested.

"The Zunji have the Earth
Wizard Erica with them. If we could coordinate a three prong attack we may be
able to breach the circle and kill the wizards, since they would be
vulnerable," the king's captain, Elliot, said.

"If one of the three can
breach the circle and at what cost? We still have the Snowmen to fight, and
they number around forty to fifty hands. We may out number them two to one now,
but what about after our attempt to breach the circle—and what if we
don't?" Cadell asked and laughed. "My fortuneteller told me strength
wouldn't win. We would need wit."

Wu'Lichak laughed, her eyes
darting to me for a second. "I agree with Captain Cadell and his
fortuneteller. We need to create a diversion that will permit a Shadow to slip
into the circle and kill a wizard. Then we could attack that weak spot."

Everyone looked to us.

"Give us a moment,"
Rong said, waving to Jago, as we walked out of hearing. "The fortuneteller
is right. It's the way we defeated the Araby and Tarion blockades."

"Jago, could you and the
other two Earth Wizards create a ground disruption under one of the wizards in
the rear?" I asked.

"Yes, but unless we are
very close, we won't cause much damage and are unlikely to kill the wizard
before he retaliates. And if we are close, the other wizard will come to his
aid... Yes." He smiled. We returned and worked out the planned attack. The
three Earth Wizards would quietly approach the Wizard on the left which should
be the weakest, given they rotate counter clockwise off their frontal line
attacking the Zunji. As soon as the Earth Wizards began their attack, the king
and Araby armies would rush forward, giving the appearance of trying to breach
the line by killing that wizard. Shadows would be to the left of the wizard being
attacked and to the right of the wizard on the right. That way Shadows would be
in position to take advantage of any opening created by the Earth Wizards'
attack. The Earth Wizards would know by the feel of the earth if one of the
Storm Wizards died and would direct the armies towards that opening. The Earth
Wizard attack would start two hours before sunset, but we had to be in place
before it started.

"Same teams," Rong
said, smiling at Hajna. "They worked well last time."

"Yes, Spies are extremely
sneaky—and deadly," Hajna said, grinning. Rong had penetrated the
Snowmen's line and killed the rear wizard, and like Fayza had done for me,
Hajna had helped Rong escape.

After hugs all around, Fayza and
I trotted in a wide circle to the right. Both moons were out tonight. Setebos
was a half moon and only an hour from setting, and Sycorax was at quarter moon
and just rising, creating complex shadows around small rises, trees, and
shrubs. Small clouds occasionally blocked the moons, making for an eerie
landscape. When we had worked our way to within thirty paces of the Storm Wizard
we stopped. Fayza was close enough to cover my approach when the commotion
started and trying to get any closer could unravel the entire plan. I dropped
into the moment where neither time nor expectations existed.

When the ground began to rumble
and shake, the wizard’s attention shifted toward the movement after only a
cursory scan of his area, as did the ten Assur guarding him. As the intensity
increased, he took several more steps in that direction with only a quick look
back. The Assur's attention was also glued to the direction of the disruption.
When the Storm Wizard started to raise a storm wind, I stood straight and threw
three knives, on after the other. The last two weren't necessary. The first
sunk deep into his back in the area of the heart, as did the second. The third
missed high as he stumbled and fell. The Assur were disorganized for a moment,
between the earth shaking, the storm from the other wizard, and their wizard
falling. By the time they realized what had happened and turned around, Fayza
had killed three, and I had moved deeper into the circle using wagons, barrows,
and shadows to stay hidden.

The Snowmen's army stayed in
formations behind the wizards. After a Sandstorm, they would rush past and
descend on the disorganized opponents, kill, and retreat behind the wizards
before their opponents could reorganize. I don't know if the Earth Wizards had
managed to alert Erica with the Zunji or if fate was with me, because the
Snowmen and the Zunji were fighting again, which had the front lines fully
engaged. And now that the rear had been breached, the Snowmen that were not
manning the front lines were rushing to support the rear.

That left the middle almost
vacant, except for cooks and other nonmilitary, many of them women. I subdued
one with a rockberry needle, put on her robe, and picked up the several skins
of water she had been carrying. Working my way towards the front, I joined
several others waiting for orders to help. The Storm stopped. The Snowmen's
formation charged past the wizard and into the Zunji who were struggling to
respond. Although they had cloths around their faces and bodies, many had been
ripped away,, along with skin down to the bone.

I drew a throwing knife, ran several
steps, and threw. It was a long distance, but everyone, including the wizard,
was watching forward. The knife rotated over and over as it arched toward the
wizard. Finally, it slammed into his back, sinking up to the hilt. The wizard
to his right saw him fall. I don't know if he identified me as the thrower or panicked.
He spun in the direction of the women where I stood and pushed a wave of wind
at us. A mistake and the reason the Storm Wizards were vulnerable from the rear
was because they couldn't attack behind them without killing their own troops.
Snowmen, women, and I were thrown back into carts and barrows. People were thrown
against me, and me against others, as sand and rocks pelted us. When I opened
my eyes, it was chaos. The king's men, the Araby, and the Zunji poured in from
every direction. I tried to move but couldn't. Suddenly, a Zunji stood over me,
spear raised.

"Shadow?" He stood
looking down at me. "Gero! Over here." A minute later, Gero stood
looking down at me. With his spear, he pulled aside a section of my white robe.

"Shadow?"

"Gero," I said. His
eyes brightened, and he helped me to my feet. They had to hold me up or I would
have fallen. My left arm was definitely broken, a couple of ribs, and I was
bleeding from several places were the cloth had been ripped away. I closed my
eyes and quickly opened them as my head spun and my knees buckled. Only Gero and
his warrior kept me upright. Staring out into the desert, I thought I saw a
group of Zunji approaching with...

"Father approaches, now that
the fun is over." He laughed, but his eyes were sad. In my fogged mind, I
saw a wizard rise up out of the sand, his robe soaked with blood, a broken
spear sticking through his shoulder and out his back. He turned slowly and his
fiery eyes locked on me. It was Askell. He screamed and turned towards Sizwe. The
ground in front of him heaved outward.

Anil, Kasi, attack, I
mentally shouted. Although my eyes were closed, I saw my darlings dive at him,
sink fangs deep into his neck... and spiral away as Askell whirled, bringing
the desert floor swirling around him. I screamed the pain of a thousand deaths
as my darlings’ sight failed. I passed out.

* * *

I woke with Rong bandaging my
arm and fought my way loose, screaming. Fayza caught me in a hug.

"What's wrong?"

"Anil, Kasi... I must find
them... bury them..." I sobbed. My other scars were mere scratches. I had
sent my darlings to their death. I had had no choice... Yes, I did have a
choice, and I sent them to their death. I hated myself. I would never be whole
again. I would find them and live out my years in the desert where I would bury
them.

I felt Fayza nudge Zara into the
desert, Hajna called Yafa, and Rong her owl, Chiba. And I let myself sink into
blackness.

* * *

I woke in a wagon not caring
where it was going, wishing they had just left me in the desert to die or to
wander as my punishment. I sought the refuge of blackness again.

* * *

I lay dreaming, a dream to rival
that of the Passion nectar. I had found two furry little bats drowning in guano.
I washed the guano off them and took them home with me. I loved them and they
loved me. Today, they lay on my naked chest inside my shirt as I lay looking at
the stars. They would stay with me forever—until I killed them. I jerked
fully awake, pain radiating through every fiber in my body.

"Ryana, relax. You are
safe," said wu'Lichak's voice. "You are in the Earth Wizard's lodge
in Sandel. You and your friends are in good hands. You should be able to travel
in a few days. Lord Boyan is staying with a detail to escort you home to your
clan. I'm leaving today, but I want to see you when you reach Scio."

"I don't want to return to
Scio. I'm going back into the desert where I belong."

"Why?"

"Sizwe can bury me with my
darlings." I couldn't stop the tears. They felt like hot lava burning a
path down my cheeks and dripping onto my chest.

"Do bats like the
desert?" she asked, smiling.

"No!" Anger flared up
in me, and wu'Lichak jerked back. Erica stopped my forward motion with a hand
and with the other reached into my shirt. When it emerged, Kasi sat in her
palm.

"Her wing is broken, but
she will fly again when it heals. Anil had both his wings broken and lost some
skin, but he too will heal."

* * *

The ride back to Scio with Lord Boyan
took a sixday. We spent a lot of time at night talking about life growing up
and reminiscing.

"I used to lie awake trying
to figure out how to prove you were a Shadow. Every time I thought I'd proved
it, you shot down my theory," Boyan joked. "You gave me lots of
headaches."

"A good lie must be very
close to the truth. That makes it easier for you to remember and harder for the
other person to disprove. I attended the Shadow Sisters' school, and the
Shadows do learn to need less sleep. All true. The lie was that the Shadows
didn't think I was suitable."

"I was sure until you got
married. I thought Shadows didn't get married."

"They don't, but not
because they can't. It's because they couldn't bring their husbands to Ahasha,
and they would only get to see their husbands now and then."

"What about
fortunetelling?" he asked, as a kind of open ended question—how?

"I told everyone the truth,
but you and they chose to believe something else." I grinned. I told
everyone this is the future I see most
clearly, they chose to believe I saw their future.

"I don't understand?"

"I will leave you to
pounder that, Lord Boyan. As my teachers would say, 'if I told you the answers,
you wouldn't learn anything.'"

"Well if you ever want to
hide as a noble, Lady wu'Lichak would make you one and give you the land to go
with the title. It's hard to understand, but she has told me many times you
don't need or want money or titles."

"Your liege is a very smart
lady."

* * *

I couldn't help but cry at the
reception I got when Boyan delivered me to the Tobar clan wagons. The first
hours was nothing but kisses and hugs and comments about how much I had been
missed. And then the questions started. Wu'Lichak had told the clan via Santo
and Lujza that she had insisted I go with her to war as her advisor, in other
words her fortuneteller, and that I had been injured by a Storm Wizard.

"It was a lot of fun for
most of the campaign..." I explained in some detail the fight at Sandel,
the march in the desert chasing the Snowmen, and the final battle. "Well,
it was a lot of fun until that damn Storm Wizard broke loose and caused a storm
that hit where Lady wu'Lichak and her security were camped. I had moved up to
see better, and the damn wind swept me off my feet and into a wagon and people
and scraped me along the ground." I enjoyed telling the story part true,
part lie—history written by Ryana.

Luka had a smile on his face the
whole time, partly because he knew I was making up my part in the story and
that I had survived. I couldn't help but feel like the luckiest woman on
Hesland. When we finally entered the wagon that night, I pushed Luka onto the
bed and stood looking down at him.

"It's time," I said.

"For glorious lovemaking,"
he said, smiling and beginning to undress.

"No." I said, not smiling, and
his smile faded.

"To make a child."

The End

Thank you very much for reading The Shadow Gypsy.

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Novels by C.R. Daems & J.R. Tomlin

Crdaems.com

Jrtomlin.com

The
Shadow Ryana

Fantasy/Epic/Romance

Ryana, a worthless girl-child, is sold to a mysterious
woman who takes her to the home of the Shadow Sisters who are prized for their
abilities as spies and assassins. She survives years of training in spite of
being unconventional: adopting poisonous bats as familiars--something no one
else would dare to do; choosing the blow dart as her weapon of choice--a weapon
the Sisters don't teach; and relying on intuition rather than logic.

As she completes her training, the Shadow Sisters are
under attack. The senior Sister selects Ryana to find out who is killing
Sisters and why--because her intuitive approach has proved effective, even
though her youth and inexperience makes it unlikely she will survive.

As she travels through the kingdom as a member of a
gypsy clan, she finds the only way she can protect the Sisters and hope to
discover the underlying plot is through ever more violence and killing. As she
proceeds through the provinces, her secret enemies come to call her the Sister
of Death and become desperate to find and kill her. But in her desperate fight
to protect the Sisterhood and the kingdom, Ryana fears that she has destroyed
herself and the only life she ever wanted.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Shadow-Ryana-ebook/dp/B00A8TUTWC/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1357102595&sr=8-2&keywords=daems

The Riss Gamble

Book I in the Riss
Series

Science
Fiction/Fantasy

A young girl dreams of seeing the stars and meeting aliens. Her chance
comes in the form of a project offering a college education, commissioning in
the SAS Fleet, and a partnership with an alien. She successfully qualifies and
wins one of the coveted ten positions. Of course everything comes with a
price—the alien is a parasite that inhabits the body and mind, and is
there for life. Is it a dream or nightmare come true—or maybe both?

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Riss-Gamble-ebook/dp/B0068XKZQM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332997239&sr=1-1

The Riss Proposal

Book II in the Riss
Series

Science
Fiction/Fantasy

Nadya, hosting an intelligent parasite, is now an experienced naval
officer with two battles against the Raider's cruiser packs. But she continues
to be seen as an alien, generating disgust, fear, raw hate, and attempts on her
life.

To add to her problems, the Raiders have identified her as contributing
directly to their bad luck and have designated her a
dybbuk—demon—and have set a price on her dead or alive.

With the Raiders a continuing threat to the SAS, life has become a little
too interesting.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Riss-Proposal-Book-Series-ebook/dp/B00A80DLJE/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1353378186&sr=8-10&keywords=c+r+daems

The Riss Survival

Book III in the Riss
Series

Science
Fiction/Fantasy

The Raider clans have been defeated and their planet under the
supervision of the Riss, with Captain Reese the station commander. But while
Reese sees the Raider clans as on probation, many in the SAS task force she
commands, perceive them as prisoners and hope to break the Treaty and get
revenge.

As Nadya attempts to maintain the fragile peace, the three empires are
being invaded. They know the invading force is far more technology advanced
than the SAS. But who are they, where did they come from, and what do they
want?

One thing appears certain. The SAS cannot defeat the aliens alone. But
can they overcome their prejudices against the Riss, hatred of the clans, and
long years of distrust of the other empires, to combine forces and technology
to meet the challenge. The fate of the three empires, Riss, and the Raider
clans may depend on it.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Riss-Survival-Series-ebook/dp/B00ALQHA5Q/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3

Kazak Guardians:
Lynn's Rules

Book I of the Kazak
Series

Urban
Fantasy/Adventure/Romance

If the Kazak Guardians had a recruiting poster, it would have read:
WANTED: A select few insane men to fight professional Assassins with
super-human abilities. Good medical plan provided.

Because surviving the training program to graduation was dangerous, even
the first challenge to gain entrance could get you killed. But training was the
easy part. Staying alive afterward was the hard part. Kazaks guarded
individuals whose lives were deemed critical to the security of the United
States. These individuals attracted fanatics and the best professional
assassins money could buy—Liars who could tell lies you believed, Ghosts
who could become nearly invisible, and Illusionists who could appear to be
anyone, among others.

But Lynn wanted no other life--the Kazak Guardians gave her life purpose.
She had grown up in the foster care system, neglected and abused, at the mercy
of people who didn't care. Even when she finally ran away, her freedom wasn't
the renewal she had hoped. So when a friend told her about a unique organization
that trained individuals to protect VIPs, she knew it was the life for her.

She survives years of training and five deadly challenges to become a
Kazak Guardian, and entered a world of extremists and assassins, where each
assignment became a deadly contest between Kazak and assassin, with the prize
the life of the VIP.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Kazak-Guardians-ebook/dp/B007O2TTRM/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1332996848&sr=1-1

Kazak Guardians: The
Unthinkable

Book II of the Kazak
Series

Urban
Fantasy/Adventure/Romance

Lynn the Fox has been a Kazak for several years and thought she had seen
it all; after all, she's a Master Kazak having killed more than five
Assassins—professional killers with wizard-like talents. But life is
unpredictable

There is a new kind of Assassin—a Mind Bender—who has caused
two Kazaks kill their clients.

The unthinkable happens—and a client turns on her.

An unknown member of the secret and powerful Committee who funds and
directs the Kazaks is a traitor.

And what should have been a simple misunderstanding at a State Department
security checkpoint results in a life and death encounter with a SWAT team.

But there are fun moments, if you don't mind people trying to kill you
and your client. Lynn gets to play the part of Afghan Warlord's daughter, a
college student, and a homeless woman—an eagle covered with dove's
feathers.

Link:
http://www.amazon.com/The-Unthinkable-ebook/dp/B009T90O9K/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1351111450&sr=8-8&keywords=the+unthinkable

Talon of the Unnamed
Goddess

Fantasy/Adventure

Alisha is the newest Talon of the Raptor Clan, mercenaries prized by
rulers, nobles, and the wealthy as elite bodyguards. Like all Talons, she
survived the five Ordeals and ten years of grueling training.

Alisha is not the strongest mercenary in the Raptor Clan, but she is the
craftiest. Only tricking her opponents into underestimating her got her through
the long years of clan training. Those years honed her weapon skills, but not
as much as her sharp wits. Even the ability she gets from the rune she was
given by the Unknown Goddess depends on her guile.

Her first assignment for the clan, to guard a young princess, requires
all Alisha's skill, wit, and her newly acquired rune to keep the young heir to
the kingdom alive.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Talon-Unnamed-Goddess-C-Daems/dp/1463662394/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1313079283&sr=8-1

Women of Power

Fantasy/Adventure

Nisha has trained all her life to develop Qi--her internal
energy--exceeding the raw power of any Qi'advisor in several generations. But
before she is ready to take her place, the unthinkable happens. Rhybac's king
is dead; the kingdom is in chaos. War breaks out and their enemies out of the
Sands are circling for the kill. She chooses to become a Qi'advisor, although
still untried.

As Qi'advisor to a duke, she must risk her life to negotiate with the
greed, the treachery one of the dukes, and the desperation that fuels the war
in order to reveal what others cannot or refuse to see. The fate of Rhybac, its
people, and even its enemies are in her young hands.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Women-of-Power-ebook/dp/B009V0GQRQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1357102595&sr=8-6&keywords=daems

Blood Duty

Fantasy/Epic

Ixich, huge demons summoned through a savage blood ritual, lead an army
through a mountain pass, slaughtering all who would stand in their
way. Tamra, Captain of the Guard of Wayfare Keep, and an allied army from
the city of Madrian mount a desperate defense against the onrushing enemy. When
their army is defeated and her lover is lost in the battle, Tamra is devastated
but must somehow struggle on.

Even worse lies ahead as the secrets of her past come to light and her
loyalty is tested. Yet, she must protect all those who trust her against
the ixich horde. In her darkest hour, haunted by loss and with defeat
imminent, can Tamra fulfill that trust and do her blood duty?

Link: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B005G7ZHG4

Scales of Justice

Fantasy/Epic

A hundred years ago, a treaty jointed the seven provinces under a king
and created a system of equal justice for nobles and commoners. The Sisters of
Astraea were proclaimed the judicators of the land because they had gold vipers
that could tell truth from lie. A gift bestowed on each judicator by the god
Naga.

Now many nobles want to go back to being above the law. Duke Chaney is
using this discontent to raise an army against the king and the judicators.
Jola, a newly promoted judicator starts out with her mentor, Tenzen, to investigate
the growing unrest. They encounter revenge, greed, and the desire for power,
and become targets of the growing hostility as they attempt to discover who is
behind the rebellion.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Scales-Of-Justice-ebook/dp/B0042JTAJ2/ref=sr_1_3?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1313036753&sr=1-3

Laughing Hounds

Urban Fantasy/Horror

After what were thought to be dogs kill her mother and attack her,
Annette discovers she has become the last female descendant of a line of women
who, for over a century, fought and died fighting Countess Lenuta, her sons,
and their packs of Werehyenas. Annette learns she has inherited her ancestors
unique ability to make Tone-wood sing—the only weapon that can kill the
Werehyenas. As such, she represents the last threat to their existence.

With only Annette remaining, Countess Lenuta and her sons see an
opportunity to kill the last of their century-old adversaries. Their first
attempt fails, and Annette must choose to hide for the rest of her life or
accept the legacy of her ancestors to stop the Werehyenas. She chooses to
fight.

With the help of ex-Green Berets her father hires to protect her, the
battle soon escalates into a series of attacks and counter attacks that become
fiercer as the tactics of each side evolve. The winner will be the last one
standing.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/The-Laughing-Hounds-ebook/dp/B003IGDD5M/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1313036978&sr=1-1

Freedom's Sword

Scottish Historical
Fiction

A Prequel to the
Black Douglas Trilogy

Before William Wallace ... before Robert the Bruce ... there was another
Scottish hero ...

In 1296, newly knighted by the King of the Scots, Andrew de Moray fights
to defend his country against the forces of the ruthless invader, King Edward
Longshanks of England. After a bloody defeat in battle, he is dragged in chains
to an English dungeon.

Soon the young knight escapes. He returns to find Scotland under the heel
of a conqueror and his betrothed sheltering in the hills of the Black
Isle. Seizing his own castle, he raises the banner of Scottish freedom.
Now he must lead the north of Scotland to rebellion in hope of defeating the
English army sent to crush them.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Freedoms-Sword-ebook/dp/B004RUZPPY

A Kingdom's Cost

Book I of the Black
Douglas Trilogy

Scottish Historical
Fiction

Eighteen-year-old
James Douglas can only watch, helpless, as the Scottish freedom fighter,
William Wallace, is hanged, drawn, and quartered. Even under the heel of a
brutal English conqueror, James's blood-drenched homeland may still have one
hope for freedom, the rightful king of the Scots, Robert the Bruce. James
swears fealty to the man he believes can lead the fight against English
tyranny.

The Bruce is soon a fugitive, king in name and nothing more. Scotland is
occupied, the Scottish resistance crushed. The woman James loves is captured
and imprisoned. Yet James believes their cause is not lost. With driving
determination, he blazes a path in blood and violence, in cunning and
ruthlessness as he wages a guerrilla war to restore Scotland's freedom. James
knows he risks sharing Wallace's fate, but what he truly fears is that he has
become as merciless as the conqueror he fights.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/A-Kingdoms-Cost-ebook/dp/B004YKVXR6

Countenance of War

Book II of The Black
Douglas Trilogy

Scottish Historical
Fiction

Fourteen-century Scotland is a conquered nation, at the mercy of
England’s brutal King Edward. James Douglas continues his guerilla war to
reclaim his stolen birthright and drive out the English tyrant. But as Edward’s
attentions turn again to subduing the rebellious Scots, James must deal with
the tortuous, conflicting demands of duty and love.

The clash of two nations and the destiny of a man coming of age in a
violent time springs to life in this novel of passion, loyalty, cunning
and ruthlessness.

Fourteenth-century Scotland suffers under the heel of England's King
Edward, but James Douglas refuses to submit to the conqueror. Above all else,
James fears that his life and his own dream—of a free
Scotland—might be lost to Edward's lust for conquest. As James wages a guerilla
war to drive out the invader and reclaim his birthright, Edward brings a vast
army to crush the Scottish resistance. In the midst of the brutal war, even the
woman James loves is threatened by his implacable duty.

In a conflict poised to reach its bloody finale, the Scots and English
cross swords in a reckoning that will determine Scotland's survival.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Countenance-Historical-Scotland-Douglas-ebook/dp/B007PXUBQ8/ref=tmm_kin_title_0?ie=UTF8&qid=1345958350&sr=1-1

Not for Glory

Book III of The Black
Douglas Trilogy

Scottish Historical
Fiction

All over Scotland, crops are burning and people have fled. The English
army led by King Edward has invaded, and the Scots meet them in an epic battle
at the waters of the Bannockburn. When the battle is over James, Lord of
Douglas, emerges a hero and has his orders from his liege lord, Robert the
Bruce, King of the Scots. In order to force the English to the peace table,
James sweeps through the north of England like a storm, burning and wreaking
devastation. But the English king instead brings another army north to try to
conquer Scotland. With the city of Berwick under siege and Scotland yet again
facing conquest, James takes a desperate risk. He leads his army south to York
in an attempt to capture the English queen. When the outnumbered Scots seem to
be trapped, James and his men, his enemies, and the fate of Scotland meet at a
apex of violence and heroism.

Link: http://www.amazon.com/Historical-Scotland-Douglas-Trilogy-ebook/dp/B00BI2GPXA/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1