The Elder's Curse by Andrew Walbrown (superbooks4u .txt) 📗

was probably not the smartest idea. There is no way I would be able to find my way back here.

“Have you been there before?” Nilawen asked after Tomo had finished. “Have you been to those mountains?”

Kona nodded. “The Ummdani Mountains? Yes, many times. Black dragonroot grows everywhere there, but you must be careful because the grass grows taller than a Nogoon in those mountains. It is very easy to get separated and never find your way out. But with me everything will be fine, you don’t have to worry.”

“So you will help them?” Tomo asked.

“No, I will help you, you old rat,” Kona said with a smile. “But I guess by extension I will be helping them too.” She turned to Amantius and giggled. “Even if one is an Emberi.”

Amantius sighed.

Chapter 12

Amantius

A puff of white smoke floated on the wind, disappearing into the first rays of daylight. The sweet aroma tickled Amantius’ nose, pleasantly waking him. He first saw Ulam sitting nearby, a walnut pipe in his mouth and an open book in his hand.

“Where is everyone?”

“Downstairs,” Ulam muttered. “We are leaving soon. I thought I would read a few more pages while I waited for you to awaken.”

They had spent a full week making preparations to leave Yawan, gathering enough supplies to comfortably make the journey south to the Ummdani Mountains. During this time they stayed at Tomo’s home, the elderly Kalikki generous enough to offer his abode as a source of lodgings. Nilawen slept downstairs in the common room, fashioning a bed from a couple of large pillows, while Amantius and Ulam slept among the flowers of the rooftop garden. It had not been the most comfortable place to sleep, but waking to see the sunrise every morning was far more than ample compensation.

“Do we have everything?”

Ulam grunted and puffed on his pipe once more. Aside from food, water, rope, bandages, and other emergency supplies, the walnut pipe was the only thing he bought for the journey. As for Amantius, he gave Kona coins to procure supplies for their excursion, not wanting to venture too far away from Tomo’s home. Though he wore the lime green bangle at all times, he still felt uneasy in public, especially if a Kalikki was not accompanying him.

While most of the city was polite to Amantius, he still received far too many hostile glances to allow him to wander Yawan by himself. During his last solo excursion, he felt the presence of someone behind him at all times, following him throughout the city, watching his every move. Ultimately nothing became of the stalking, but even after a few days had passed Amantius was still unable to shake the eerie sensation of being watched. He had been counting down the days until they returned to the Ashlands of the Alakuum, because even though the desert was an inhospitable place, at least he did not have to worry about waking up with a knife in his gullet.

Nilawen’s head suddenly popped out of the floor as she stood on the top rung of a ladder that connected the roof to the living room below. “Grab your things, today is the day. We’re just waiting for Bati and Buri to bring the camels; they should be here any minute.”

At least we will have the camels this time. Amantius and Ulam followed Nilawen down the ladder into the house, where coming from the kitchen was the pungent smell of cooked eggs. Tomo had his back turned to the group, laboriously working on breakfast over a wood-fed stove. His ears pricked up at the sound of their feet putting pressure on floorboards, the squeaks loud enough to wake the city.

“You have perfect timing,” Tomo said over his shoulder. “Breakfast is ready. You should feel honored; I cannot remember the last time I cooked. I mostly eat figs, apples, or whatever else that requires no extra effort. ”

Amantius felt his stomach churn at the smell of the eggs, feeling as though a dozen slugs were swimming in his gut. There was no logical explanation for why eggs had this effect on him; ever since he was a child the smell would make him vomit like he had consumed a vial of some wretched poison. To avoid losing last night’s dinner he stepped outside and stood in the street, calling to Ulam through the window, asking his foster-brother to bring him fruit or bread.

“Why don’t you go in yourself?” Kona said as she approached the home, her voice as soft as satin. She wore her usual attire, a white linen tunic and trousers, although this time she also donned a turquoise robe that stretched to her knees as an extra layer of protection against the ashes.

“I can’t,” Amantius mumbled. “I hate eggs. I hate eggs so much that if they were the only food left in the world I would eat my hand instead.”

“I cannot say I have heard anyone say that before.” Kona smiled and then reached into the satchel slung around her shoulder. “Here, take an apple. If you’re going to pass out from hunger, at least let’s make it to the second day, yeah?”

As Amantius grabbed the fruit he heard the rhythmic report of metallic boots coming from behind him, the song of a marching battalion. He turned to see a small detachment of Kalikkis in light armor approaching, all wearing bright colored hoods and carrying polished spears. At their head was a white-furred Kalikki with a slash of black above his left eye, wearing a lime green cape and carrying a leather helmet under his arm. He was much more muscular than the others and quite tall for his race, not much shorter than Amantius. When they were only a dozen paces away the squad stopped, their leader the only one continuing to approach.

“Good morning, Husband,” Kona said with a smile.

“Good morning, my beautiful wife,” the leader replied, kissing her on the cheek.

“Amantius, this is Seto,” Kona began. “He is my husband, Head