Warsong (Chronicles of the Warlands, #6)(37)

“Joden,” she called again, loudly. Nothing. No flinch, no movement.

Her fear grew, but she followed her training. She reached over and grasped his left foot. “Joden of the Hawk,” and her tears started to flow down her cheeks. Elements, please—

Silence.

She sobbed, and reached for Joden’s right foot, squeezing hard, trying to remember all she’d been taught about a death strike, about avoiding the rib and piercing the—

There was a throb under her fingers.

“Joden?” Amyu blinked against her tears.

He was staring at her, and his chest moved with a breath.

Relief flooding through her, Amyu reached for his hand. His fingers moved in hers, still cold but alive. She half-sobbed, relieved and shaken.

His mouth moved in the barest of whispers. “T-t-they’re l-l-lovely,” he whispered, his half-opened eyes now focused on a spot behind her.

Amyu blinked back her tears. The hairs on the back of her neck rose, when she glanced behind there was nothing there. “What are lovely, Joden?” Amyu asked. “What do you see?”

“Airions,” Joden’s eyes fluttered closed. “H-h-horse-h-h-hawks.”

“What?” Amyu demanded sharply, but Joden’s eyes were closed and he didn’t rouse.

Which left Amyu weak with relief, frustrated, and with more questions than answers. She ground her teeth, and sat back on her heels.

She couldn’t kill him. Joden was respected, his truths honored. It wasn’t her place to make that decision. If he’d been openly wounded, or asking for mercy, that was one thing. But this was Joden of the Hawk, and she would not be the one to silence his voice. Those tremors may be a passing thing. With food, warmth, and water he’d recover. She’d get him down the mountain and take him to the Warlord.

She jerked to her feet, and made a quick search of the passage. Her eyes adjusted, she walked back as far as she could, checking for signs of animals and possible threats.

The passage ended in a sheer rock wall. There were no side passages that she could see, and no debris that might indicate it was an animal lair. Satisfied, she sheathed her dagger and returned to Joden.

He was sleeping, his chest rising and falling normally. She made a nest out of the white cloth around Joden, leaving enough room for both of them.

She filled a bowl and managed to get water into him without spilling too much. He swallowed for her, but did not awaken.

After that, Amyu shook out her blankets, and got one under him with much tugging and shifting. Thin he might be, but Joden was still a strong warrior, and almost a dead weight. It took doing, but she got the blanket under him, enough to get him off the cold stone that could seep a man’s heat away.

Finally, she stripped down, put her weapons within easy reach, and climbed into the nest, covering both of them with her remaining blanket.

She put his cold hands crossed on his chest, and then covered his body with hers. She shivered at the touch of his frigid skin, but she pressed in tighter, willing her body heat into him.

There was no way to figure how long it would take to warm him. A fire wouldn’t do much good in this cavernous space, but she’d see to that later. For now, this was her best choice.

His breathing was soft against her neck, and his heart beat was steady in her ear. She’d have answers when he woke.

How in the name of all the elements had he come here? Amyu frowned as she shifted a bit, trying to get more comfortable. How could he have climbed the mountain ahead of her, leaving no trail? Even if he had, where was his gear and supplies? And the cloth? Where had that come from?

Amyu let out a slow breath, and tried to rein in her impatience. Answers would come, once Joden woke.

She’d every intention of keeping watch, alert and awake. But the climb had been long and the blankets were warm. As Joden warmed beneath her, her eyelids kept closing… closing…




The call of a night-flyer roused her at dusk.

Joden was now on his side, wrapped around her warmth, his head cradled on her breasts. He was warm, his arms lax. His breathing was strong and regular.

Amyu sighed, enjoying the moment. She needed to waken, to hunt and get fuel for a fire. But she stole a few precious moments wrapped in the warmth of another.

Especially this man. After the confrontation with the Council, she’d only caught glimpses, or served him kavage when he’d talked with Keir or Simus.

And she’d best stop mooning over him, and get to work.

She eased out of their nest, trying not to let the colder air touch him. Joden frowned, but did not waken, curling into the warmth she’d left. He didn’t waken.

Amyu dressed and armed herself as quickly as she could, eyeing the setting sun. “Joden,” she said softly, just in case he could hear. “Joden, I must hunt, for fuel and food, if I can find prey.”

To her surprise, Joden sighed. “P-p-prey,” he lifted a shaky hand to point off to the left. “T-t-there.” he whispered as he fell back asleep.

“Joden?” Amyu asked, but there was no response this time. She studied the man for a moment, and shrugged. “I will return as quickly as I can.”

She climbed down swiftly, and then hesitated before heading in the direction he had indicated. It couldn’t hurt. One place was as good as another.




Amyu crawled back up to the passage much later, then heaved up her pack using the rope she had tied to it. It was heavy, with a full waterskin, firewood, and six dressed mountain rabbits.