Undestined: Fight your Fate

Chapter Nine: In the Silent City, Pt. 1

All of Silay’s anger at Talis, at the plague, suddenly found an outlet. As did Riya's training. Talis had learned sword fighting. He hadn't been taught the down and dirty fighting Riya had shown her. The minute the two of them hit the ground, Silay drew up her knee and slammed it into Talis' stomach. He gasped as the air was driven out of his lungs and fell back on the ground. Silay threw her leg over his body, and sat straddling his chest, wishing desperately she still had her dagger. Instead, she pressed her hand against his throat. "Don't move."

He didn't. Either she had kneed him harder than she'd thought, or he was just too surprised to react. Whatever the case, she didn't have to hold him down long. Running footsteps marked the approach of Riya, followed closely by Jarlen. They helped Silay pull Talis to his feet, and tie and him up. After checking his bonds were secure, they stepped away to discuss what to do next.

"I, for one, would like to vote for punching him in the nose."

Jarlen gave Silay a half smile. "I'm inclined to agree with you."

"I think you're missing the point." Riya looked between the two. "Why the change? He came to us for help. Just yesterday he was showing you how to fence properly. It doesn't make sense."

Jarlen nodded thoughtfully. "I wonder if he knows something we don't."

"We didn't tie him up last night," Silay pointed out. "Maybe he met up with someone."

Riya shook her head. "He couldn't have left the camp. We shared the watches between the three of us."

Silay shrugged. "Then he couldn't have contacted someone. Unless-"

"Unless what?"

Instead of answering, Silay walked over to Talis. What Riya had said made sense. For Talis to switch from helping them to attacking Jarlen, something must have made him change his mind. And if he hadn't left the camp, there was only one way someone could have contacted him.

"Where is it?" She nudged him gently with her foot, but Talis flinched as if she'd kicked him. It seemed he wasn't as brave as he had been acting. He also didn't need to ask Silay what she was looking for.

"The bottom hem of my left pant leg."

Silay ran her hand along the seam until she found what she was looking for. Wriggling the object from its small pocket, she turned and held up her prize so Jarlen and Riya could see. Between her thumb and forefinger she was holding a Farstone. 

Jarlen took the stone from Silay, they looked at Talis. "Whom did you contact?"

"I didn't call anyone."

"No?" Jarlen raised his eyebrows. "Do you expect me to believe that?"

"He's telling the truth." Jarlen and Riya looked at Silay, surprised by her claim. Ignoring them, she continued to address Talis. "You are, aren't you? You didn't call anyone. I think you meant it, about wanting help, I mean. But someone called you."

Talis dropped his chin to his chest. "Kahoz. Things...are changing. That's all he said. That, and to come meet him."

"Did he say where?" Jarlen's voice was gruff.

"No." Talis shook his head. "I was just to get away from you, then contact him to find out where I should go. I told him you had caught me and were holding me captive."

"Well, that's certainly the case now," Riya pointed out. "Good job making your lie come true."

"But I didn't want to!" He looked at Silay desperately. "I didn't want any of this to happen! But he has my blood! I had to do what he said!"