Frostfell_ The Wizards - Mark Sehestedt [24]
"Will more of your war wizards come to help?" asked the belkagen.
Amira looked around and saw a waterskin lying on the ground. She reached for it and took a long swallow before replying. "I wouldn't hope for it."
"Why? Does your order forsake its own so easily?"
"They may not know what happened yet." She avoided the belkagen's gaze. "May not know for days. Tendays even. And even if they do, they have no idea where I am. Our last known location was Almorel. They'll start searching there, but it could take them days to find me. And if I'm on the move every day, it could take tendays before they catch up."
"On the move?"
Amira held the belkagen's gaze. "I'm going for my son. You said that if I waited, you could help. Give me some hope, some chance of success. But that raises another question I haven't been able to answer: Why did you help me in the first place? Outside Almorel, when Walloch's force hit us, there were others on the road. Lots of others. Travelers, merchants, Tuigan warriors… those who didn't flee just watched that slaver and his men slaughter us. What makes you three so different?"
Lendri ignored the question. He simply sat drinking from the wooden bowl and staring off into the distance. The belkagen held her gaze for a long moment, then looked to Gyaidun.
The big man shooed the raven off his lap-the bird gave an angry caw until it saw the remains of the belkagen's dinner lying not far from the fire and went after it-then shrugged and said, "I was born a slave. Never much cared for slavers since. I've made it a point to make their lives difficult whenever I can."
"That's it?"
"We helped," said Gyaidun. "Why suspect our reasons?"
"I'm a stranger to these lands. Trusting doesn't come easy for me."
"If we wanted you dead, we could've killed you or left you to die. If we have not earned your trust by now… why chase the wind?"
"Maybe it isn't me dead you want."
Gyaidun snorted. "Don't flatter yourself, woman."
Amira blushed. "That wasn't what I meant. How do I know you aren't slavers yourself? Maybe you just saved me to collect the price instead of Walloch."
"I… we never asked for your trust," said Gyaidun. "Not asking now. No one's keeping you here."
Amira's eyes widened, and she looked to the belkagen. "You convinced me to stay. I wanted to leave long ago. It was you who said I should stay, that you'd help-"
"Lendri and I are going after your son," said Gyaidun. "But no one invited you. Best that you stay here with the belkagen."
"Curse my House if I will, you-"
"I care nothing for you or your House."
Amira stood, her face a mask of fury. "You stupid, arrogant-"
"Peace!" said the belkagen, and he stepped between them. "Lady, please sit."
"I've sat enough. Damn you, you convinced me to lie about all day. Jalan's getting farther each moment!"
"Enough!" said the belkagen. The predator's gaze had returned to his eyes, and his nostrils flared in anger. His jaw clenched, and he stood with all the poised authority of a king, his staff held high. "You will sit and hear me or I will tie you down-for your sake and the sake of your son."
Amira sat, her mouth pressed in a flat line. Gyaidun was staring at her, not smiling but watching her.
"And you-" The belkagen turned to Gyaidun. "You will sit silent and ponder the courtesy due an honored guest. Disrespect the lady again, and I'll thump you into the lake."
The big man returned the belkagen's glare. "The… 'lady' speaks much of what I'm thinking, Belkagen. The trail goes cold. I could've put leagues behind me before sunset."
The belkagen's staff thumped to the ground, and he leaned heavily on it a moment before sitting. "You would leave your rathla behind?" he asked, but Amira could hear the weakness in the elf's argument.
"Once Lendri was healed, he could have caught me. Easily." Gyaidun spoke carefully, with respect, but Amira could