The Courier's Conflict Read online

  “Sochi, I need you to make sure the palace is clear in its entirety. Evacuate everyone. Don’t forget Temi. He’s locked up in my suite. Make sure to take our prisoner with you. You know where to take them,” Rasha said. There was only one place that would be safe enough.

  “Yes, Your Highness, I do.” Sochi gave her a slight bow.

  Xeku burst in. “You’re with me,” Sochi said, and he followed her down the corridor without question.

  The young man watched them leave, and then looked up at Rasha. His large green eyes searched her face. She had an idea, and she said a silent prayer to the Universal that it worked.

  “How fast can you make a bomb?”

  26

  THE WINGED STRANGER met them outside and seemed to glide over the ground as he walked. Jak and Ebere had trouble keeping up with him. When they came to the edge of the woods, he slowed down. There the winged man stopped in a small clearing. He turned to Jak and Ebere.

  “I think we can help each other,” the winged man said.

  “You’re from the far reaches of the Wilds. I don’t think I’ve seen your kind for over a decade.” Jak said, looking him over, resisting the urge to tug at his feathered wings.

  “Yes, well, we made ourselves scarce on this side of the Wilds as more of your kind started coming. Are your eyes broken? You’re staring at me, green man.”

  Ebere had been staring. In fact, so hard and so close he had to step back. “I apologize. I’ve never seen anything like you in all ten kingdoms.”

  “That may soon change,” he said. “My name is Tarrik. My people are the Wola. We would like to consider your offer.”

  “What offer?” Jak asked.

  “The offer you made to the banker. We will claim the eleventh kingdom.”

  Jak was dumbfounded.

  “I’m not sure I understand,” he said slowly. I made that offer to the businessmen of the Wilds because they’re the ones who have the power to influence the rest. We need fighters.”

  “The Wola will fight with you. But the eleventh kingdom will be ours. The rest of your kind will have to leave or submit to our governance.” Tarrik waited for Jak to process his this.

  Ebere looked at Jak with wide eyes. It was bad enough he’d made the offer without the approval of the council. Now, he’d have to explain that not only had he committed them to this new kingdom, but those of Bolaji living here would be subject to Wola law. Jak thought for a moment. He knew what he had to do, but wasn’t sure anyone other than Rasha and the Wola would like it. They’d have their fighters, and the Wola would be able to enforce their laws.

  “How many fighters can you bring?”

  Tarrik smiled as he looked up into the trees surrounding them. Jak followed his eyes and saw that the trees were filled with Wolans. Men and women with big, white wings smiled down at him. They carried swords and bows. They filled the trees as far as he could see. There had to be hundreds of them. How could there be so many when in his eighteen years he’d only ever seen one?

  He put his right fist to his chest and held up his other hand up to Tarrik. Unsure, Tarrik just looked at it. Ebere assisted by repeating the gesture and nodding to Tarrik. When he lifted his hand, Jak closed the distance between them, placing his palm on Tarrik’s. When he tried to step back, Tarrik wrapped his wings around Jak and leaned in until their foreheads were touching. When the wings had released him, Jak smiled and slapped Ebere on the back in congratulations.

  Turning back to Tarrik, Jak said, “We need to get to Adalu right away. Any chance we can have a lift?”

  27

  LADI’S HEAD FELT like someone hit her with the blunt end of an axe. She couldn’t make out which way was up. She rubbed her eyes, trying to adjust to the dark. At last, she was able to make out they’d put her in a cage. It was small and cramped. A collar was heavy around her neck. They’d caged her not far from where they found her. She put her face against the door and looked down. The white bear was across from her. That meant she was in the cage just above the wolf she’d been trying to save.

  “Wolf, wolf! Can you reach my pack?”

  “Leave it be, greenie girl,” the bear growled in a distinct but feminine tone. Although it was guttural, Ladi could understand her. Which meant they’d been able to understand everything she’d said before.

  “I won’t. I’m trying to rescue you.”

  “Some rescue. You got yourself captured.”

  Then she laughed, a throaty rumble. She slammed her hand against the door, and it rattled, but didn’t give an inch. What did she expect? The animals didn’t trust her. So far, she’d only managed to get herself caught and collared.

  Reaching up, she put a finger between the collar and her neck, testing the edges.

  “I wouldn’t if I were you.” The bear leaned against her own cage. “The last beast ended up with his head exploding all over the bars.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me that before?” Ladi asked.

  “You were too busy rescuing us.” The bear snorted, and the oversized wolf cackled. “What a terrible ally your kind would make. We’re better off eating you.” The bear’s sneer fueled the flames of her anger.

  Ladi thought of her brother. If he were here he’d have come up with a plan already. He’d recounted dozens of stories to her family about his daring escapes with Rasha. What would he do if he were stuck in a cage with a collar? Ladi closed her eyes and took a deep breath. It didn’t make her gag this time; her senses were adjusting to the smell. She blocked everything out for a moment. When she opened her eyes again, she examined the cage, every edge, every inch, looking for any sign of weakness.

  And she found one.

  A weakened link in the links of the cage. She pulled out her hairpins. They were actually small knives, designed for a woman to conceal in her hair. She used one to wear the link down further.

  “Still trying to save us, green girl?” the bear said, watching her work.

  Ladi stopped to listen for any movement. It was quiet, and she went back to her work.

  “You won’t survive the competition.”

  “What competition?”

  “Why do you think we’re all in here?” She let out a guttural laugh. The surrounding beasts joined in. It was strange, talking with these animals. They had higher reasoning skills and spoke the common language, albeit a bit growly.

  “She’ll see, she’ll see,” a small beastie in a cage beside her said, with hysterical hissing laughter. He grabbed the chains and rattled the cage violently. The disturbing little beast didn’t say anything more, but his strange manner and excitement unnerved her.

  Ladi continued to work at the chains until she heard the distinct sound of hooves approaching. Four bull-men returned with a beast laid out on a makeshift stretcher. The faded blue of the material was indistinguishable from the animal’s blood that saturated it. They carried the beast to the far corner of the enclosure. He was already dead—that, Ladi could see for herself. The mauled beast was a wolf once, but now was a pile of torn up fur. Whatever had killed him, it had been thorough.

  A soft howl began near the front of the enclosure. A sad and plaintive cry that brought tears to her own eyes, and she mourned with it. The mourning howls carried from cage to cage in waves as the animals inside the enclosures joined in mourning their dead. The old wolf below her cage took part in the grief song. What had happened to the beast? Where had they taken him? Ladi used the sound as cover for her cutting and continued to work on her escape.

  When the howling ceased, Ladi put down her small knives. Her hands were cramped and aching. She’d made some progress, though. She leaned her head against the door and noticed the bear was looking at her.

  “You know what happened to him, don’t you? The mauled beast,” Ladi said, keeping her voice low.

  “He had to compete today. Entertainment for the birds and the bulls. He was defeated by his opponent,” the bear replied, her brown eyes full of sadness.

  “Why did they bring him back he
re?”

  “A warning for the rest of us. Another will be chosen to fight tomorrow. Every day another dies.”

  “I don’t understand why you won’t fight back. Together you’re stronger than they are. I could help you. In my bag there’s a device that will help me to remove your collars.”

  “Can you remove them all at the same time?” She smirked as best a bear could.

  “I don’t think so. I’ve only taken off one so far.”

  “Then it won’t work.”

  “Even if the biggest of you were free? I can’t believe you would all rather die.”

  The wolf below her growled.

  “Stupid green girl,” he barked quietly. “You think you know something about what’s happening here. You know nothing.” He slammed his head against his cage. “We fight because we must. They have collared our mates, our cubs. They’ve killed entire families in an instant for the pleasure of watching us die.”

  Ladi, stunned into silence, didn’t say another word. It wasn’t the collars that kept them subservient, but the hostages. The bull-men and the bird-men captured the families and used them for sport. A disgusting and wicked practice, but one that if she helped end could turn the entire war with the beasts around.

  “If I promise to get you and your families free, will you help me?”

  Ladi had to wait a full minute before she heard the softest response yet from the female bear.

  “Why would you help us?”

  “Because we need your help. The battle is going badly, and now that we know you’re being forced to fight we don’t want this to go on.”

  “Among your kind, are there others like us?”

  “No, not like you. The animals in our realm are not as intelligent as you, nor as strong, but we would never treat them this way,” Ladi said.

  After another long pause the bear replied, “Yes, I’ll help you. I can’t speak for the others. They have reason to distrust your kind.”

  “I’ll need my pack.”

  “Can you fit your arm through the cage?” the wolf growled below her.

  “Not far, only up to my wrist.”

  “Good enough.” He grunted and clawed at something. When he got what he was after, he tossed it up toward Ladi.

  Her hand caught the pack. She couldn’t get the whole thing inside of the cage with her. She would have to break down the components. She tied the bag to the chain link and pulled out her gear one piece at a time. The mechanism needed one of the command remotes to get the correct signal to release all the collars at once.

  “Aren’t you finished yet?” The bear’s voice was anxious in the dark.

  “I’m working in the dark without all my tools. I still need a controller.”

  “Leave that to me,” the wolf said with a growl.

  28

  RASHA RAN THROUGH the palace with the young man from Tero-Joro. They set the bombs in key locations around the palace. The last one would be at the main door. It had to be open for the plan to start, but he was still fiddling with the bomb.

  “Hurry,” Rasha said, holding her swords at the ready. Several of the small beasties had already entered. She fought them off, but more were coming. “We’re going now.”

  “One second. I’ve got to make sure it’s in under the bearing wall or it won’t work.”

  “No time!” Rasha grabbed him by the back of the collar and dragged him away just as a full-sized dragon charged through the doors. She half ran, half dragged him to the council chambers. Inside was the door to tunnels leading away from the palace.

  Temi was outside the chambers, and he growled when she arrived. It was clear he’d been waiting for her. He’d gotten away from the others and wanted to go after the beasts.

  She wouldn’t let him. Rasha pushed the green boy through the door and called Temi inside so she could close the door behind them. They ran to another door. She used her code to let them in, and locked it again behind them. There was no way the beasts could get through the metal doors. They hurried through the tunnel and out into the forest.

  “Now,” she said.

  He didn’t hesitate. She respected that about him. He pushed a series of buttons and triggered the explosions. They brought the palace down on top of the beasts. It was rubble in an instant. She’d been tasked to protect the kingdom. The palace was a symbol of government and stability, the pride of the people of Bolaji. Now it lay in ruins. Even though the royals and the councilmen were safe, Rasha felt like a failure. She’d lost the entire first kingdom of Adalu to the beasts. She didn’t know how many of their people survived, or if the battle was over.

  The only thing she knew for sure was that she and the green boy had gotten out alive. When the sound of cracking twigs came from behind them, the green boy took to the trees faster than a bird, and she pulled her swords. Temi leapt in front of her and growled at whatever made the noise. When a low growl answered Temi, the green boy called out to Rasha to join him in the tree. There was no place to run. From the brush, a large head emerged and peered out at them. A head that looked like Temi’s. The two animals circled each other, smelling the air and clawing at the ground. Then Temi sat down and waited. The other seemed to agree this was an acceptable choice, and they sat together for a moment before nuzzling each other’s necks.

  “Temi found a girlfriend,” Rasha said.

  “I’m not so sure.” The boy said. “I think he’s a male.”

  Rasha shrugged. When the two finished their visit, the new creature yipped. Temi spun in a circle, then sat next to Rasha.

  “Temi’s made his choice beastie, you better go before these beasts of the north get a whiff of you,” Rasha told it.

  The animal sniffed at the air as if he understood, and then turned to go. Temi sighed softly behind her, and she wondered how close he had come to leaving with the other. They were the same species, and they were very rare. It was unlikely either would find another.

  “Are you sure?” Rasha asked. Temi didn’t budge. “Well, that’s clear enough.” Rasha took one last look at the burning ashes of the palace and started into the woods toward refuge.

  * * *

  “Where are we going?” the green boy asked.

  “The safest place I know.” Rasha said. “By the way, what’s your name?”

  “I’m Chigo. I’m a direct descendent of Poge of the first kingdom.”

  “Good for you. Let’s go. Without a tuskin we’ve got a long way to walk.”

  29

  THE RUMBLE FROM the first kingdom reached the animals’ encampment. There were cheers coming from the bird-men and the bull-men outside.

  “What’s happening?” Ladi asked and sat up.

  The beastie in the cage next to her squeaked out an answer.

  “The battle is won.”

  Ladi shook her head. “That’s impossible. There’s no way they took the first kingdom.”

  She tilted her head and tried to listen but couldn’t distinguish their words. Then she heard it.

  “Adalu has fallen!”

  Ladi didn’t want to believe it. If the palace was destroyed, then they’d lost. Rasha would never let that happen. Where were Jak and Ebere? Had they returned from Wilds yet? Was anyone in the palace when it was destroyed? Ladi kicked at the door several times before she moved to the corner of her cage and buried her head in her knees.

  “I’m sorry, little green one,” the bear said and went to the back of her own cage.

  The morning came too soon. Ladi hadn’t finished the device when the bull-men came for her. She didn’t have to wonder what they were going to do with her because the little beastie beside her wouldn’t stop shouting about the competition. Ladi didn’t want to fight and kill any of the beasts. It would undermine her plans. They wouldn’t form an alliance with a potential enemy.

  When they opened her cage, she pushed her pack to the back. She didn’t wait for them to snatch her out. She hopped out, landing on her feet in front of them. Startled by her sudden movement, they deliv
ered a shock that weakened her knees, and she had to fight to keep herself upright. They didn’t bother to close the door. Ladi whistled a tune as she was pushed along and out of the enclosure.

  Ladi held up a hand to block the sun as she stumbled in front of the bull-men. She could hear a crowd shouting somewhere ahead of her. She studied the layout and the place they were heading toward. Another enclosure, but the inside of this one was an arena. The crowds were loud, almost overwhelming to her sensitive ears.

  The floor of the arena was a mixture of hard, compact dirt and sand. The pungent odors of exertion and death had seeped into it. This was a place of certain death.

  She was the first to arrive. She guessed they’d bring something for her to fight. Ladi’s mind raced as she tried to think of a way to avoid the fight and not get them both killed.

  The tools she’d used to open the first collar were hidden in her clothes, but it wouldn’t stop them from using the pulse. She wouldn’t be able to save them both.

  When her opponent arrived, Ladi wanted to cry. The crowd laughed and started to applaud.

  A white female bear growled and swiped at the bull-men guards with her long claws. When they took too long to get out of her way. The crowd of bull-men and bird-men seemed to enjoy that, too.

  The bear that had just agreed to peace if Ladi could get them all out didn’t seem at all surprised. Without a controller, Ladi didn’t have any way to end the fight. Now more than ever, she wished that she’d listened to Rasha.

  The bear looked worried as she approached. Ladi made a wide circle around her. She growled and roared at Ladi.

  “We must fight,” she growled

  “Give me time. I’ll think of something.” Ladi circled the bear in the other direction, looking for anything to stop the fight.

  The roaring of the crowd turned to jeers when neither of them moved forward to strike the other. The collars around their necks delivered a sustained pulse that made Ladi’s teeth clamp down on her tongue until it bled. Her knees buckled under her, and she had to hold out her hands to keep her face from hitting the dirt.