The Courier's Code Read online

  Table of Contents

  Also by T. S. Valmond

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  The Courier’s Conflict

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  The Courier's Code

  The Bolaji Kingdoms Series Book One

  T. S. Valmond

  THE COURIER’S CODE

  The Bolaji Kingdoms Book One

  * * *

  T.S. VALMOND

  THE COURIER’S CODE

  The Bolaji Kingdoms Book One

  T.S. Valmond

  * * *

  Copyright © 2017 by T.S. Valmond. All rights reserved. This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, businesses, events or locales is purely coincidental. Reproduction in whole or part of this publication without express written consent is strictly prohibited.

  Contents

  Also by T. S. Valmond

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  The Courier’s Conflict

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Also by T. S. Valmond

  The Bolaji Kingdoms Series continues in:

  The Courier’s Conflict

  The Courier’s Quest

  * * *

  For more visit:

  TSValmond.com/books

  To my loving husband

  Transporting goods, property, and intelligence across any and all boundaries.

  In service of the ten kingdoms, allegiance to none.

  The courier always delivers.

  -The Courier’s Code

  1

  Lu hung from a hook in the ceiling, his hands tied together and his boots dangling four feet from the floor. He didn’t seem bothered by it though. The man in front of him paced back and forth. The room smelled of wood and iron. A fire at one end of the room was still ready and prepped for steel work, a set of pokers waiting nearby. A large wooden table dominated the center and sat empty except for a small tin cup. There was a wooden stool on each side of the table.

  “What’s a greenie like you doing sniffing around here?” The man, his own skin a crimson red, asked.

  “I told you, I’m a courier. I’m in the middle of a delivery. Really, you’re going to laugh when you realize your mistake. I’m no threat to you at all.”

  “You haven’t yet told me who sent you.”

  “I haven’t told you because it’s classified. They don’t even tell me. Those are the rules. What kind of service do you think we’re running? Let me go, you don’t want any trouble over this. If they ask me what happened I’ll just tell them it was a misunderstanding.”

  The man shook his head and prepared a poker in the fireplace, getting it red hot.

  “Let’s say I’m just a concerned citizen of Bolaji. I don’t suppose a people like the Tero-Joro, trained to spy, would be hanging around my place without looking for trouble. Let’s see if we can’t get to the real reason you’re here.” The man’s black eyes didn’t waver.

  “That was a long time ago, they don’t do that kind of thing anymore. It doesn’t matter anyway since I’ve renounced any allegiance to Tero-Joro to become a courier for all ten kingdoms.”

  The man pulled the metal poker from the fire and waved it under Lu’s nose. His eyes never left Lu’s face, even when someone knocked on the door.

  “Ah that should be for me,” Lu said, twisting in his restraints.

  “No, you and I aren’t done,” he said.

  The man opened the door and another red brute carrying an unconscious young girl entered. He arranged her on a second hook. Lu saw she had a bloody cut on the side of her head.

  “Rash, are you okay?” Lu turned to the man. “What did you do to her?” he exclaimed.

  “What’s this? Is she with you?”

  “If you hurt her, you’ll be sorry.” Lu hissed through his teeth as he shook against the restraints.

  “This whole time you’ve been holding back. Now we see a little fire from our small green friend.” He turned to the other man and asked, “Did you get it?”

  “Yes.” The red Karmirian held the item up between two fingers. It was a round disk no bigger than the fingers holding it. Neither of them noticed that the girl had woken up. She mouthed something to Lu. He shook his head, not understanding her. She rolled her eyes before closing them again.

  She groaned in pain. Both men turned their heads in her direction and stared at her. She groaned again.

  “Looks like someone has something to say.”

  “I’ll talk, just leave her alone,” Lu called out.

  “No, you had your turn. Why don’t we give this little Chilalian a chance? I’ve always wondered what the purple girls were like.” The man snickered and gave his companion a poke in the ribs with his elbow.

  He moved closer, and the girl groaned again. He leaned his face in next to hers. She swung her head back and rammed it into his, making a loud crack. She swung her legs up and snaked them around his neck. Using him for leverage she removed her bound hands from the hook. The man flailed and beat on her legs but she held fast until he passed out and dropped to the floor. She jumped off of him, landing in a crouch.

  The other man wasn’t coming empty-handed. He’d grabbed another hot poker from the fire and swung it at her. She smiled, encouraging him to step forward. He twirled the poker then tried to jab her with it. She dodged it and moved to his right. When he turned toward her, she leapt for the stool and then the table. She kicked the stool at his head and he swung at it, leaving him open. She spun and kicked him in the side of the head. His eyes rolled as he fell to the gr
ound, and the poker fell, clattering away from him.

  “What took you so long? I thought he was going to skewer me with that thing. Where are your swords?”

  “Cutter and Blade are well hidden. I had to make sure he had the disk.” Rasha jumped from the table and using her toes, retrieved a knife from the first man and cut her hands free of the rope. She pocketed the disk and turned to Lu. She lifted him off of the hook before cutting his hands free.

  A small squeak came from the can on the table.

  “Don’t,” Rasha warned Lu as he walked over to investigate.

  Inside was a small beastie, with gold and cream-colored fur covering a wide face with oversized paws. Its large ears lay against its head and came to a point at the ends. It shivered and whimpered when Lu reached to pull it out of the can.

  “Well, look what we’ve got here. I’ve never seen one of you before,” he said.

  “Come, remember what happened the last time you picked up a stray?”

  “Must you always bring that up?” He stroked the little beastie in the palm of his hand until it stopped shivering.

  “Only because it’s relevant.”

  “My mom always said I had a way with animals.” Lu took in the little animal’s large ears and big brown eyes.

  “I think I’ll call you Temi.” He lifted him up and tucked him in the pocket of his vest.

  “Why do you bother naming them?” Rasha asked, shaking her head.

  “This coming from someone who named her short swords,” Lu said, following her to the door.

  “That’s because they’ve never failed me and they’ll never die.”

  2

  “I’ve never seen anyone so thrilled to see a disk. I wonder what’s on it,” Lu said as they walked away from the client’s home in Tero-Joro.

  “That’s not for us to know. Let’s keep it that way.” Rasha pulled out a palm-sized square disk and pressed her thumb to it.

  “Rasha Jenchat, fetch and delivery complete, record one hundred percent, rating ten, payment complete.”

  “What’s it like to be seventeen and have a two-year perfect run?” Lu asked as he pulled out his own square communicator.

  “I enjoy my work.”

  “I suppose so.” Lu looked down at his own communicator and frowned.

  “What’s wrong? Was there a problem with your payment?”

  “No, nothing, I just have to go take care of something. I’ll meet up with you later.”

  “You know where to find me.”

  “Yes, of course.” Lu stopped short and turned to her. “Why do you go to places like that? They won’t give you drink.”

  “I’m not there for the drink,” Rasha said and turned to go.

  Rasha sat in a dark corner of the tavern with one foot on a chair in front of her. She caught bits of conversation as the other couriers from on and off world sat and discussed their latest fetches and deliveries. Mixed in were a few travelers and locals who sat at the bar in their usual seats. The lighting was at twenty percent and they were nowhere near capacity. Many of the tables sat empty since it was midweek. There were a few seats open at the bar, but she ignored them. Rasha had made the mistake once of sitting at the bar. Those seats were for people taking drink only, not for someone her age. She’d been tossed out on her backside and told to mind her manners in all things concerning the bar.

  The barmaid, wearing less than the imagination required, came over and put a glass mug in front of Rasha.

  “Rash.”

  “Silae.”

  Silae sat across from Rash in the empty chair and stared at Rasha’s boot on the other. Rasha glanced over at her boot with a grin in challenge. Silae had reddish-brown skin and long, dark, wavy hair. Her eyes were as black as night. She was part Karmirian and part human, a unique mix. Her almond eyes and full mouth always seemed to smile. Rasha enjoyed their banter even more than the non-fermented juice she drank.

  “What’s a nice young girl like you doing a ruffian’s drinking hole like this one?” Silae asked.

  “Minding my own business, which is what you should be doing,” Rasha said.

  “I’ll take note of that, just before I ignore it. Sorry I can’t offer you ferm or something stronger.”

  Rasha smiled at her brazen attitude and ignored the comment about the drink.

  “Where’s that adorable green partner of yours, with the big ears?”

  “He has somewhere else to be.”

  “What a shame. He’s got such a nice way with people, unlike his traveling companion. Before I go, I thought you should know The Choosing has begun.”

  Rasha kept her face and features still as her stomach flipped. It took too long for her next words to come out.

  “Why should that concern me?”

  “I didn’t say it did. I thought you’d want to be informed.” Silae, always the sly one, slipped out of the seat with a toss of her hair and returned to the bar to get more drinks served.

  Rasha’s heart raced as she pulled out her communicator and watched the feed. It was true. The eligible princesses in the realm were making their way to Adalu, the first kingdom. The current prince would choose one of the pure-born princesses to be his bride. Her hand shook when she reached for her juice and she pulled it back again. She raised her eyes to the bar and saw Silae watching her with a knowing smile. She wanted to pull out Cutter and Blade to slice that smile right off of her face. Silae turned to another customer before Rasha let her imagination go wild.

  “Ruins is what it is. I can’t get to my trade routes for the all the parading around these princesses do,” she overheard a tradesman the next table over complain.

  “Like a bunch of pikos, strutting around for the crowned prince. The whole thing is ridiculous,” his companion replied. “It’ll be tough getting anything on or off this planet for a while. I’m thinking of taking work in the far reaches.”

  “I’m not that desperate. Besides, the princesses aren’t half bad to look at, not like this lot,” the tradesman said, waving a hand at the room.

  Rasha only felt a tinge of shame being lumped in with the rest. She’d been considered a beauty once. Her grey eyes in contrast to her purple skin often caught people’s attention. That was another time, another life, where she dressed and performed for the approval of others. Few noticed her in the clothing she wore now. She kept her hands and arms covered and a hood concealed most of her head and hair. No one here would even recognize her. Besides, why would anyone look at her? A princess wouldn’t be seen in a tradesmen’s bar drinking unfermented juice. She stroked the amulet around her neck and whispered a prayer under her breath.

  3

  Lu found the jail just as he’d left it the last time. A grungy, dark building with the dank and pungent stink of sweaty humanoids. He didn’t bother to pinch his nose. His ears caught a laugh he recognized, and he clenched his teeth and balled his fists at his side. She’d done it again, and this time getting her out wouldn’t be easy.

  “Poobari!” Lu exclaimed as he approached the overweight jailer.

  “I wish I could say it was a pleasure to see you. She’s in for good this time.” Poobari’s creamy skin folds made grimy rings on his shirt and pants.

  “There must be something I can do. A large basket of Majiwan delicacies?”

  “I can get that on my own.”

  “You haven’t seen the latest tech in the Twinlands. I might be able to get you the newest listening device.”

  Poobari opened a drawer and pulled out three such listening devices.

  Temi let out a half yawn and growl catching Poobari’s attention.

  “What have you got there? Hey little fellow, want to come to Uncle Poobari?”

  Temi growled and retreated deeper into Lu’s pocket.

  “Sorry, he’s a good judge of character.”

  Poobari frowned. “She’s not getting out, so go on about your business.”

  “What? You’re joking. I’m one half of the best team of couriers Bolaji ha
s ever seen. I can get you whatever you like.”

  Poobari stopped and looked up at him with beady eyes half buried in folds of skin. He gave Lu toothy grin.

  “Perhaps there is something.”

  “Anything, I’ll do it.”

  “I have a special fetch and delivery request. It’s half on-and half off-the-books. You need to go through official channels to accept but I can make sure you’re the only one who gets the offer. Agree to it up front here with me and I’ll send it to you.”

  “Sure, what is it?”

  “Since when does a courier need to know what the package is? Aren’t you supposed to be discreet?”

  “I am, I am. Poobari, you’re amazing. I’ll take the fetch. Thanks again. Can I go back and see her? I want her to sweat a little.”

  “You horrible little yahtz. Sure, just make sure you’re both out of here within the half hour. I have another prisoner in transfer, the cell will be filled again before night’s end.”

  “You have my word.” Lu didn’t bother to shake Poobari’s hand. His nod was enough. Poobari released the locks on the cell door. Lu entered the cell and Poobari locked it behind him with a loud clang.

  The reek only grew worse within the walls but he followed the corridor down to the fifth cell on the left. Several of the inmates whistled and called out as Lu passed. He got too close to one side and had to remove his tunic from someone’s gnarled grip. When he reached her cell, she was hanging by her fingers from the ceiling and pulling herself up. Her green skin and large eyes and ears were a perfect blend of her Tero-Joro parents, one from each of the Twinlands.