Clanless (Nameless #2)(20)
Gabe nodded and walked into the plastered circle of logs along with a number of elderly men who all carried a stone the size of their fists.
“Why did you spare my life, Ram?” Sani asked. The boy pulled on a rope connected to a pulley, raising Gryphon’s cuffed hands high above his head. The rough fibers of the rope cut into his skin as the slipknots tightened around his wrists.
“Had I known you were the chief’s son, I might not have.” Gryphon groaned against the strain on his wrists.
Sani’s eyes were deep, black, and haunting. He regarded Gryphon with such intense focus that Gryphon feared he’d tumble into those eyes and be lost forever. “I don’t believe you.” The boy tilted his head to one side. “I think you view your mercy as weakness. That is why you are so sad.”
Gryphon closed his eyes and let his head fall back. If he ignored the boy, he might stop talking to him. After a few moments, smoke from the fire a few feet away assaulted his lungs. It smelled of cedar and made Gryphon cough and sputter. Unable to shield his face from the strong-smelling smoke, he opened his eyes long enough to see Sani fanning the fragrant cloud toward him.
“What are you doing?” Gryphon coughed again as Sani lifted the lid of a basket by the fire and pulled out three bundles of herbs. On by one, he dropped each bundle into the fire, continuing to fan the smoke in his direction.
“Mugwort to cleanse you, lavender to restore balance, and sweetgrass to drive away bad influences,” said Sani.
Gryphon wiped his watering eyes on his shoulder as best he could. “I don’t need your witch doctoring.”
Through his tears he thought he saw Sani shake his head. “It is customary to prepare the accused for punishment. We believe the smoke will cling to the bad in you and pull it away, leaving behind the good.”
Gryphon’s head rolled forward, exhausted. When the smoke didn’t hit him full in the face he could actually breathe.
“I thought you said they wouldn’t hurt me because you are my ‘Atiin.”
Another wave of smoke hit him before Sani answered, “They will not kill you, but that doesn’t stop them from selecting other forms of punishment.”
Gryphon hung from his ropes, assaulted by smoke, thinking of Zo and worrying for Joshua, Eva, and little Tess. What would become of them if they didn’t make it to the Allies? Why hadn’t he just abandoned these people who seemed too fixed on their hatred of him to even help themselves in a time of crisis?
The smoke stopped and the door to the wooden chamber creaked open. Sani lowered the rope connecting his bound hands, his gaze intense as ever. “You’re ready.”
By midday, Zo’s head expanded and contracted over and over with throbbing pain. She leaned heavily on her walking stick and let Tess lead her with her tiny hand.
“I just don’t understand why you aren’t getting any better.” Tess adopted a mature tone whenever she tried to sound like a healer. “Your reaction to healing Joshua doesn’t seem normal.” She looked back and raised one brow, ashamed to have to ask, “Does it?”
Tess’s round eyes fell in and out of Zo’s focus. “No, bug. It doesn’t.” The vertigo, the nausea, the headaches … her body should be recovering after healing Joshua. Worst of all, she still couldn’t tap into her healing energy.
“I can carry you,” said Joshua. He fell in step with Zo and Tess, letting Eva lead as they followed the obvious tracks of the Nameless. “Gryphon used to make me carry huge rocks up the mountain to build my strength.” He held up his hands to show just how big the rocks had been.
“Thanks, Joshua, but I’m all right.”
“You don’t think I can do it, do you?”
Before Zo had a chance to respond, Joshua swept her legs out from under her and hoisted her onto his back like a child. “Told you.”
Zo laughed. “You’ve made your point. Now put me down!”
Joshua pretended to ignore her and set off after Eva with Tess trailing at his heels. After struggling to free herself, she finally gave up and closed her eyes. He was maybe an inch taller than her, and still carried the build of a stretched-out child. He wouldn’t last long with her on his back.
After several minutes passed, and seeing the neutral look on Joshua’s face, Zo said, “You’ve got to be tired, Ginger. Put me down.”
“You’re light as a bird, Zo. This doesn’t even compare to training.”
Joshua’s strength was a grim reminder of the power of the Ram. If even one Ram scout happened upon them, there would be little they could do to stop him. It was hard to imagine that at that moment two hundred of these bred killers were marching on the Raven, hunting Talon’s family and the families of countless others.
Please save them, Gabe.
At dusk, they filled their water skins and rested by a stream, letting their tired feet soak in the rushing water. Joshua reached above his head and stretched then pulled his sling from his pack.
“I think I’ll try to find us some dinner.” He moved to stand, but Zo pulled him back down by the arm.
“Rest, Joshua. There is still plenty of time for hunting.”
Joshua only shook his head and rose to his feet again. “Until Gryphon gets back, it is my job to take care of everyone.”
Zo’s vision tilted as she watched Joshua disappear into the forest. Eva’s grumblings about Zo lying to Joshua were lost in the wind. She lay with her back to Zo, her hand resting protectively on her stomach even though it was still too early in her pregnancy to see any sign of the baby growing within.