“I’m fine.” The sooner they left, the sooner Jaylee would have to give him his personal space back. “Let’s go.” She moved to help him up and to his celith, but he, somewhat politely, told her he was alright by himself. They all mounted and rode away from Aydimor. Good riddance.
“One thing, though.” Grrake brought his mare, Lenjeya, beside Yhkon as they rode. “An Elikwai found us while you were gone. The rest of his team was captured a few days ago, they’re being held prisoner in a town a week’s ride from here. It’s on our way. He was looking for more Elikwai to help him get them out, but I told him we would do it.”
Yhkon inwardly sighed, wanting little more than to be back in Calcaria. Out of this blasted region. “Right. Still some daylight left, so we’ll leave straight from camp.” A simple mission, hardly even a delay. Nothing to worry about.
23
Grrake
T alea arched her back into a stretch, arms behind her, thinking how nice it would be to be in Calcaria where she didn’t have to spend the majority of each day in a saddle. Yhkon must have felt her movement and guessed its cause, because he glanced at her over his shoulder. “We should be getting close.” Then louder, to Grrake, “Right? There’s an outpost a few miles from that town, isn’t there?”
“There is,” the older Warden confirmed. That was the end of the conversation, until suddenly Grrake straightened. “Who’s running that outpost now, remind me?”
Yhkon shrugged that he didn’t know. Tarol thought a moment. “I dunno, some Sanonyan chap.”
Talea could have sworn she saw fear flood Grrake’s demeanor, before it became a more mild look of uncertainty. “Yhkon…” He brought Lenjeya closer to them. “Maybe we should, um, reconsider staying at that outpost.”
Since Ash had died in the battle, Wylan rode with Grrake. Talea saw her confusion mirrored in his frown.
Yhkon on the other hand seemed distracted. “Why?” was all he said, not even looking up.
“Just…” Grrake’s distinctly refined, Sanonyan accent had faded into a more casual dialect. For most people, that would probably demonstrate relaxation. For Grrake, it did the opposite. “If it’s the man I think it is…we have some, well, unpleasant history.”
Yhkon finally looked at him, briefly. “Oh. Well he ought to know better than to cause you any trouble, if need be I’ll remind him. But it’s the most convenient place to stay, everyone could use a break from sleeping in tents.”
Grrake’s ability to hide his apprehension was slipping. “But—”
“There it is,” Yhkon interrupted, nodding toward the bunkhouse and barn at the base of the hill they’d just crested. “Besides, maybe it’s not him that runs it. Come on.” He kicked Eclipse into a trot the rest of the way, effectively silencing any further argument Grrake could make.
Talea felt an ambiguous sense of trepidation, perplexed by Grrake’s strange behavior, as they trotted into the yard. The low rumble of thirty-two hooves was enough to bring the outpost manager out of the bunkhouse. After an initial moment of surprise, his round cheeks bunched with a smile as he waved them a welcome.
“Yhkon!” Grrake whispered through gritted teeth, face contorted with anxiety as he eyed the manager. “Can we please—”
Yhkon gave him a questioning frown, already dismounting and approaching the man. By his posture and narrowed eyes, he was prepared to end any show of disrespect toward Grrake. “I’m Yhkon Tavker. You are?”
The manager gave a hasty version of the bow that all San Quawr greeted Yhkon with, smiling curiously. “I was wondering if you all would show up here, one day! Grrake! How’ve you been, my friend? Boy it’s been a long time!” He moved past Yhkon to clap Grrake on the shoulder.
Grrake, meanwhile, barely managed even a ghost of a smile. He cleared his throat. “Um, Lentli, good to see you…we should, well, maybe we could catch up, before—”
“Ah, yes.” Lentli looked back to Yhkon. “There is some catching up to do. I mean, look at you! Last time I saw you, you were this high.” He leveled his hand a couple feet off the ground with a chuckle.
Yhkon frowned. “I don’t understand…”
“Oh,” the man’s smile became apologetic, “s’pose you don’t know me, can’t blame you that, you were only four! I’m Lentli. Your family and mine were neighbors, back in Sanonyn.”
A pause. Yhkon still looked confused, and perhaps uncomfortable. “I see,” was all he said. “And how do you know Grrake?”
Grrake started to say something. Lentli didn’t notice, and spoke before he could, with a quizzical smile. “Well, the same way I know you, obviously. Why is it you’ve been going by Tavker, anyway?” He laughed a little when Yhkon’s brow furrowed. “Are you pulling my leg, lad? Come on, why don’t we head inside.” He started toward the bunkhouse.
Yhkon grabbed his arm, stopping him, with irritated bafflement creasing his forehead. “What on Kameon are you talking about?”
“Well what do you mean?” Lentli laughed again, but it sounded nervous.
Both the irritation and the bafflement in Yhkon’s demeanor grew. He didn’t release his grip on Lentli’s arm. Feeling a knot growing in her stomach, Talea looked to Grrake for his reaction. She had never seen him so pale. So terrified. “Yhkon...could I speak to you, it’s—”
“No.” He didn’t take his focus off of Lentli, who’s amiable grin had turned downward, consternation shadowing his eyes. “Tell me what you meant.”
“Well…” Lentli recoiled slightly, as if shocked that Yhkon didn’t understand. He looked at Grrake. “In Sanonyn, when you were just a toddler…your family and mine were neighbors. That’s how I know you and your father.” When everyone only stared at him in shocked silence, he looked at Grrake again. He sputtered out a weak attempt at another chuckle. “Is this some joke?” Silence. Lentli’s uneasy smile died altogether. “What’s going on, Grrake?”
Grrake tried to speak, but couldn’t seem to get the words off his tongue. His gaze shifted to Yhkon, who was watching him expectantly, and spoke in an undertone. “What is he talking about?”
Lentli took the opportunity of Yhkon’s distraction to escape his grip, retreating a few steps, the befuddlement on his face starting to look more like horror.
No one moved or said a word. After a long moment Larak stepped toward Yhkon, trying to take his arm. “Yhkon, I think Lentli is confused, let’s—”
“No!” he snapped, shrugging Larak’s hand off. His eyes were ice cold as he glared at Grrake. “What the hell is he talking about?”
Grrake swallowed hard, grimacing so much Talea thought he might be in physical pain. He still didn’t say anything.
Yhkon whirled back to Lentli, grabbing his arm again, posture threatening. “Then you tell me, or I swear I’ll—”
Larak tried to intervene again. “Yhkon! Listen to me. Let him go. Give—”
“Shut up.” Yhkon glowered at him next. His face was red with anger, jaw clenched. Talea resisted the urge to flinch. “Unless you want to tell me. No?” He faced Lentli again, expression savage. “Then it’s up to you.” His grip tightened, making the man wince. “Tell me!”