The Seekers: Soul Ties. Anton Anderson
her attention, as she was making her way towards the market. Through an open window, Sabiri saw a cooking lesson in action. Two girls looked focused, listening to an adult igni who was standing in front of a big, steaming pot with a ladle in her hand. Sabiri grabbed the note from her horn, refreshed its contents in her memory, then pinned it back on. Today she wouldn’t forget to buy what she needed!
«Hey, Sabiri!» She heard a familiar voice.
Instead of using the road, Star was making her way between the houses, which was often faster. Her favorite white sweater and shorts looked great on her skin, which was such a deep purple it was almost black. White eyes were even more unusual, matching a pair of simple, smooth, white horns. Beside her golden earrings and rings, nothing else conveyed Star’s high status.
«Hello to you too.» Sabiri smiled and shook her hand. «Where are you heading?»
«To you, actually. I was hoping to talk.»
Sabiri snickered. «And what are we doing? Can we walk at the same time?»
Star led the way. Seconds passed, yet she was keeping silent. At first, Sabiri didn’t mind, but then decided that a conversation could help her out. Yet, what should she talk about?
«See how the paint’s flaking from those door frames and windows? I do like to put little details onto my own home, and some paint is an obvious way to do it. But is there really no way to make it stick better? Or to last longer? I mean, the paint hasn’t improved in ages!»
Star scratched her head. «I don’t know, really. I’ll ask around, but there were always more important things to do.»
«Speaking of important – you wanted to talk.»
«Yes. I was thinking whether we need so much military. How many years ago did we repel the last raider attack? There’ve been no slavers in the area for quite a while now. I really think we’ve finally reached the peaceful times.»
That was almost the very question that bothered Sabiri. Still, what was the answer? Walking past the home of one of their butchers, Sabiri noticed a little stone path in front of the door. She wondered whether it was just a decoration, or to better hear the hoofsteps of the visitors?
«And we won’t hear or see them coming without the scouts and lookouts,» Sabiri said. «Those we cannot disband. But we can disband the soldiers.»
Star’s mouth curved in a wide smile. «Cut the crap, please. Just tell me what’s bothering you. There’s always something – I know you well enough.»
«Yeah, you’re onto me.» Sabiri shook her head, regretting ever agreeing to this conversation.
«I always am, and you’re always dodging questions! You need to work on yourself. Every day you need to make yourself do what’s right, what’s good for you and for all of us!»
Star was right. Shit, of course she was right! But… Sabiri cursed herself for the thousandth time today. She hated it! Keeping it all in her head already felt hardly bearable, but now when Star mentioned it out loud! That foul feeling at the bottom of her stomach… That feeling of helplessness… She hated it!
Sabiri sighed heavily. «That’s so stupid! Even if we leave the numbers of scouts intact, there are quite a few roads leading to us! Who knows if and when a new trouble would arise? Who knows exactly what would happen? How can I possibly risk getting us killed if I reduce our military numbers? But how can I keep spending so much when it’s peaceful? Even you showed up to complain about our expenses.»
«Sabiri.» Star smiled. «Don’t worry. We’ll sit down and discuss this. I know you can do it. Do you really think I’d make you my war mistress without having faith in you?»
Sabiri shook her head. «Screw that «faith’! There are facts, there’s information, and there’s crap! I do know that if we let ourselves relax, if our soldiers forget how to fight – we’re screwed when the danger comes! I don’t have «faith’ in that – I know it for a fact.»
Sabiri was about to snap but managed to control herself. She felt pathetic. And then she felt remorse. Star wasn’t at fault here. She didn’t have to listen to her yelling.
«So, should the danger come?» Star was trying a different approach. «Wouldn’t we see it coming? Couldn’t we face it together with our allies?»
«Grrr!» Sabiri let the anger out and stopped.
Could we? Would we have time? Certainly not, if the enemy is good. We shouldn’t hope to face amateurs, but we also must be realistic! Everybody is demanding me to know the future!
They stopped near the house of one of the tailors. Standing near the door was a wooden statue of an igni. It was either guarding the home, or welcoming guests. While it was as tall as a real igni, the sculpture was lacking the detail and life, especially that tail made of simple rope. Flaking paint wasn’t improving the looks, but it still was a piece of great work.
Sabiri pointed at the statue. «If we set up a bunch of them on the walls, then the enemy would overestimate our numbers greatly. Should I count on that? How can I count on anything when so many lives are at stake? How can I choose anything even remotely dangerous? But how can I keep spending more than absolutely necessary?»
Star came closer and put her hand on Sabiri’s shoulder. «Sabiri, calm down. We’ll figure it out. I’m definitely helping you with this.»
Sabiri sighed heavily. «Isn’t the final call still my responsibility?»
Star, no doubt, wanted to say something else, something encouraging perhaps. But her attention was taken by a scout, rushing as fast as the wind towards them. There was a piece of paper in her hand, and it didn’t look like good news.
A solution
She could not believe it! She just couldn’t! When they started moving towards Imbrergoso, she thought it was just a coincidence. When they entered the village, she thought that some sort of misunderstanding had occurred. When they were locked in the dungeon, she was expecting them to be released in a matter of minutes. But no! She was sitting on this wooden, hard bench for hours now!
«What the fuck is going on?» Iskrila asked Haileen.
Haileen was making her thousandth round of their cell, looking strangely thin and small without her armor. The ceiling was almost low enough to be scratched by her horns, making Iskrila think they were in a big container of sorts, not in the basement of a building. Loud clacking of Haileen’s hooves on the stone floor was both annoying and reassuring. That sound was enough to remind Iskrila that she wasn’t alone.
But no matter how much she was worried about herself, about Haileen, another thought was much more terrifying. Sabiri can’t bury yet another person she loved! The very thought of it made her blood chill. Iskrila tried to perish the thought, but it kept appearing in her brain. Even now Sabiri was probably dead worried about her, blaming herself for not providing more security with the caravan, cursing herself for not foreseeing the future. No! I must get out of here! I can’t leave Sabiri all alone in this world!
Not alone. Well, all the thoughts in her head wouldn’t leave her alone anyway. The longer she thought about the Drowners she knew, the ones she considered friends, the ones she knew for ages, the hotter her blood boiled. How could they? Why? For what? What was the reason, the point?
She wanted to beat the answer out of them. She wanted to pummel her fist into their fucking faces! She wanted to mutilate them with her claws! The claws that refused to retreat back into her fingertips because she was so on edge! She needed to get out of here. Oh, Sabiri, please don’t worry too much! It’ll be okay. The moment I get out of this freaking dungeon!
The sun was barely shining through a few small windows, indicating that it was already evening. Oh, those naughty windows, baiting her so with the freedom they promised! Not only were they too small for the igni to squeeze