Clanless (Nameless #2)(30)
“I’m to bring you to the edge,” said Sani, ignoring his questions.
Gryphon grabbed the boy’s shoulder and spun him around. He refused to take another step until he understood what had just happened in that tree. “Tell me,” he demanded.
Sani sighed. “In our ancient language, the word Hai means winter. Only our shaman understand the secrets to the smoke, but I do know it is prepared and blessed by their holy hands and that it forces men to face the cold and darkness inside them.”
“It sounds more like torture than a test.”
Sani shook his head impatiently. “That’s why you’re given the dagger. Only a person with enough good, or light, inside them can survive the trial. Anyone whose darkness is greater than their light kills himself. This way the Elders can stand blameless in punishment.”
Only then did Gryphon notice the ash rubbed all over Sani’s skin. He wiped his finger along the boy’s arm, smearing the chalky soot. “Burial ritual for your uncle?” Gryphon had heard they covered their bodies in ash to protect themselves against the dead.
Sani shook his head. “For you.”
Gryphon couldn’t muster a response.
“Come,” said Sani, pulling him along behind him. “We’re needed at the edge.”
He shook as he staggered after Sani. His arms tingled without Zo dangling from them—as disturbing as that had been. Now that his brain was clear of the drugged fog, he knew that he had not killed Zo. The glorious truth seeped into his soul just as one weeds reality from visions after waking from dream-filled sleep.
Gryphon wasn’t Zo’s murderer. Zander had given the command. By killing Zo, Zander had robbed the world of so much goodness. Robbed Joshua and Tess of someone they loved. Robbed Gryphon of a future happiness he cringed even now to consider. Zander would pay for his crime.
They moved through the main dirt road that ran directly down the center of the island. Gryphon expected to hear the sounds that usually accompanied war, but all was quiet as they reached the cliff separating the Raven home from the mainland.
People stared at the blood staining Gryphon’s shirt, their questioning eyes wandering to his face. They backed away as he and Sani neared the chief and the small group of men surrounding him. Gabe broke free from the group and ran to Gryphon, folding him into a giant bear hug. “You’re the luckiest bastard I’ve ever met, you know that? If we survive this, you owe me a story.”
Gryphon patted his back, doubting the Wolf would like to hear about how he had almost helped to kill him. The details were blurred, fading from the grasp of his memory like a dream. The more he tried to remember, the further away the details of his hallucinations slipped.
“What’s happening?” Gryphon asked as they pushed their way through a flock of stoic Raven warriors to the front of the group at the edge of the cliff.
“See for yourself,” said Gabe.
Gryphon stepped to the edge and peered across the chasm to the mainland below to find hundreds of Ram warriors in mess formation. Their calm stance exuded arrogance. At the head of the army stood Barnabas, legs planted wide near the edge of the cliff. His cape caught the breeze off the ocean. Rarely did the Ram Chief venture outside the walls of Rams Gate, but these were hardly normal circumstances. The Raven had eluded the Ram for years. Today marked a major victory for his people and apparently Chief Barnabas didn’t intend to miss it.
The wrinkles on Chief Naat’s already heavily lined face deepened when he spotted Gryphon. “You.” If that one word were an arrow, Gryphon would have been pierced through the heart. “I don’t know how you survived the Hai, but you have cost my people their souls! Instead of fighting alongside the spirits of our ancestors, my people are fleeing, leaving their heritage and livelihood behind.”
The man had no idea what he was saying. “I didn’t force you to do anything.” Gryphon growled. He was done taking blame for risking his life to save this ungrateful man and his people. He pointed at the Ram army. “You don’t know what they’re capable of! They will murder everyone within range of their spears. Leaving was always your only option.”
Sani went to his father’s side. “We are evacuating the people into boats anchored on the other side of the island. We have five large vessels with room to take the entire clan.”
Gryphon nodded at Sani, grateful that at least one of the Raven wasn’t completely crazy.
The chief pinched the bridge of his nose. “What we lack is a heading. Those ships are fishing vessels. We don’t have the supplies to store enough water and food for my entire clan. After a week at sea we will be in a great deal of trouble.”
“I can help with that,” said Gabe. “Your clan has been friendly to the Allies. I know that Commander Laden would welcome your entire people to the Allied Camp if your men will join in the fight against the Ram. You’d have to sail south for several days before we’d make the hike inland, but the Ram will not know to pursue us there, and your ships will travel faster than the Ram could on land.”
“You will lead us to the camp?” A spark of hope entered the chief’s voice. Then he bowed and shook his head in obvious defeat. “We shouldn’t be leaving at all. The Nest is impossible to attack. Without the bridge their forces are useless.”
“But father, the Hai,” said Sani. “The spirits have made their decision. We can’t just ignore their wishes.”