The Legends of Ithan Book 1: Ghosts & Fire

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Marion could swear she could hear horse hooves following them. She kept looking back but could never see anything.

            “Come on, Marion!” Akin yelled over his shoulder.

            She kneed her horse harder on. Feeling was beginning to come back to her feet and they throbbed painfully. Tiny pricks ran up her legs and stung like tiny ants running up and down her veins. She grimaced. Her legs felt so funny and strange.

            Suddenly Akin stopped his horse and turned in his saddle to look behind them. “I would almost swear….” he said softly.

            Marion stopped her horse too. Her eyes met the assassins who was still strapped securely to Akin’s saddle. The strange woman’s hazel eyes stared stonily back then looked down at Marion’s feet. Marion followed the woman’s gaze and gasped. Her legs from the knees down had begun to turn black and were swollen. She looked back at the Assassin and the trained killer whispered in her even tone, “Poison.”

            “But how?” Marion asked looking back down at her feet.

            “How what?” Akin asked suddenly turning his attention away from the woods behind them.

            “My legs, Akin…” Marion said pitifully.

            Akin gasped, “By the gods of Ithan! What is happening to you, Marion?”

            “Dragon poison,” the Assassin whispered.

            “But I only touched its scales,” Marion said.

            The Assassin didn’t blink and continued to stare stonily at Marion. “Death will soon follow as the poison soon spreads throughout the whole body.”

            “No!” Akin shouted. “We’ve got to do something.” Akin looked around the woods. He had a feeling they were being followed. “Marion, do you know a cave around here where we can hide and get your feet healed?”

            “Sandros said to go straight to Seliz. We can’t stop! They have to be warned!”

            “To the hells with that boy, we’ve got to get you cured before I lose you,” Akin said and his face had taken on a panicked look. “Now tell me, girl, where the caves are around here!”

            Marion sighed and turned her horse toward a group of trees up ahead. She didn’t want to be the cause of Seliz being destroyed, or worse…Akin’s death if they were found. They couldn’t stop! Why was this happening? Why now? She felt like crying. This wasn’t fair. She had to help save Seliz. She had never been a hero before but she wanted to save those people. She wanted the king to crush the invaders that had taken her home from her. She wanted to feel safe again. She wanted Sandros with her right now. But would he just be disappointed in her for slowing them down? She felt angry with herself and that damned dragon. She moved her horse behind the group of trees and it disappeared into a hidden cavern. Akin followed with his mount and the Assassin.

            Marion tried dismounting but her legs buckled under her and she fell to her knees. Pain shot through her body and she convulsed. Akin leaped off his mount and was at her side. He picked her up in his arms and took her deeper into the cave.

            “There’s a hidden cavern up ahead,” Marion said softly as she clung to Akin.

            “Don’t fret, my girl. I’ll take care of you,” Akin said softly but Marion heard the uncertainty in his voice. A tear slid down her face.

            “You have to go on to Seliz. You have to take that woman and go to the king. I will be fine.”

            “That’s not what that Assassin said,” Akin said giving Marion a stern look as he walked inside the hidden cavern and sat Marion down.

            “What matters is that another city doesn’t fall to those men. Besides, she’s one of them and she might be lying just to stall us. You have to go, Akin.”

            “No! And there will be no more discussion about this,” Akin said storming out of the cavern. He came back to where the horses were and began rummaging through the saddle bags. He found what he was looking for. He took the small dagger and cut the Assassin free of the saddle.

            “You should send the mounts away before the ones pursuing you get too close or they will give away your hiding place,” the Assassin whispered.

            Akin looked hard at her then pressed his newfound dagger to chest. “And why should I trust you? You’re one of them. If I send the mounts away then we will be stranded here and easy killing.” Akin then pulled the skull mask from the woman’s face and threw her hood back. Medium length jet-black hair covered her head. A soft child-like face, not much older than Marion’s stared stonily back at him. A short sharp nose, high cheek bones, and hazel eyes didn’t flinch as Akin pressed the dagger below the woman’s eye.

            “You are a very foolish man if you do not heed my advice,” the Assassin said in her whispered voice again.

            Akin glared at her, ”Tell me how to help Marion?”

            “There is an herb called bolig. It will need to be applied to the wounds and then ingested through her mouth by either drink or food.”

            “And just what does this herb look like?” Akin asked pressing the dagger harder to the young woman’s face.

            “It has 3 leaves and the underside is purple. It grows near bushes with yellow berries called opher.”

            “How do you know all this?”

            “I am from Mado. I am was born an Ithan.”

            Akin’s face took on a hardened look of disgust and he hissed, “Traitor.” He then walked past the woman and slapped the mounts on the back and sent them fleeing from the cave. “You will stay here, traitor,” and Akin pushed her to the ground. He knew with her feet and hands so tightly knotted she would stay exactly where he left her. He shook his head at her again. She looked stonily back.