Shadowland

Chapter 08 - Violence - Part 06

The sun was just peeking over the horizon, the pale light filtering gently into the high window of the room, when Frika came awake to find Teela had slipped stealthily in and was gathering up her belongings. She wiped the sleep from her eyes and said mildly, "Have a good time at the castle tonight?"

Teela blushed furiously and looked at the ground like a child caught in mischief. "I'm sorry, Frika," she said softly. "I messed up this job badly. Someone saw my face. The guards are after me. I have to leave town, probably for good."

Frika heaved the blankets off of herself and began to pull on her leather cuirass. "Where are we going, then?"

Teela crossed her arms, hugging herself gently. "You sure you want to come with me?" she asked shyly. "You'll be traveling with a wanted criminal."

Frika tugged her boots on. "I've been wanting a change of scene anyway," she lied. Her heart beat faster at the thought of Teela leaving without her. "I suppose there's no time for breakfast."

They slipped quietly out of town, traveling west at a quick but not exhausting pace. At the first village they passed through, they exchanged most of the last of their gold for trail food and camping supplies. Soon after, they reached the mountains and began to climb into the treacherous pass. As they did, a huge blizzard descended on the range, and they were very glad of the dire rat cloaks they had received as a gift not long ago from the furrier. Frika tried to get Teela to turn back, but she just muttered, "I have to stay ahead of them," and insisted on pressing on. After the snowstorm had passed, they found they had managed to get through the mountains and into the valley below, where a dark and twisted forest lay in front of them.

***

Frika sat the dawn watch again. The night before, after managing to get away from the dark woman who had accosted them, they had rubbed each other with healing salve where her terribly powerful blows had landed, then fallen together into an oblivious sleep, Fenrir once again watching over them for the first part of the night. Teela had taken second watch, then Frika the third, and she had stared with troubled thoughts as Teela tossed and turned on the ground. Uncharacteristically, Teela was awake with the dawn, and they ate without speaking, both lost in thought.

After they were finished, Frika decided to face up to the reason for their silence. "What was that all about?" she asked angrily. "Who is this Lord Skerris you talked about, and why did you try to kill that woman, or whatever she was?"

Teela refused to look at her. "Do we need to talk about this right now?"

"Yes, Teela," she said sternly. "I want to hear about the secrets you have been keeping from me. This is about more than just a few nocturnal excursions now. I think I have a right to know."

Teela sighed heavily. "Okay," she said. "Lord Skerris is ... I guess you could call him my patron. My protector. He looks out for my interests in certain ways, and in return I have to do a job for him now and then, gratis ... No, let's say I choose to work for him as part of a mutually beneficial arrangement."

"Is he the one who sent you out to kill me that day in the woods?"

"Yes." She smiled ruefully. "You don't have to worry, though. He hasn't paid yet except in threats and promises, so you're safe. In any case, I like you too much to want to kill you now." Once again, she gave Frika that crooked, sarcastic smile that always set her heart beating.

She refused to be diverted. "And what exactly is this fellow's agenda? Or do you even know why it is he employs your services, why it is he sent you out after me, why he had you say and do what you did last night?"

"No, I don't know, exactly. All I know is that it has something to do with this." She held up her left hand, showing the tattoo on the back. "Every person he's sent me out after so far has had one of these on their hand. There are more than a few of us, and some of them, he apparently wants safely out of the way. I'm a bit ashamed, to be honest. For all of my skills, I haven't been able to get one of you yet."

"I don't like this," Frika growled. "There are too many secrets, too many mysteries. I like things plain and straightforward." Teela didn't reply, just looked sullenly at the ground. "And what about this other 'secret' you keep mentioning? Do you not trust me enough yet to tell me?"

"That, I really can't tell you," she whispered. Frika crossed her arms, and Teela held up her hands defensively. "Please, don't be mad," she said with clear anguish in her voice. "It's not a matter of trust. It's becoming clear that this is something that was given to me alone, and I don't think I can afford to reveal it to anyone. Not and keep my head."

Frika snorted. "Fair enough," she said harshly. "Play your games. You are who you are, and there's no changing that, it seems. Let's get going."

Teela caught her hand as she stood up, and gave her a sad smile. "I'm sorry about all of this. I really am. Forgive me?"

Frika stood for a long moment, weighing the consequences of each answer she could give in her mind. Finally, she said gruffly, "Yes," and continued to gather up her things.

They continues west, through the boggy swamp and over the low mountain range that stood in their way, and then down into the broad lowlands that lay on the other side. It was clear, as soon as they saw the arrow-straight tracks of the railway lancing out west from the border town, that they were in a whole new world.