Compis: Five Tribes (27 page)

“Well then, you can just forget it! I won't help you with Nikka and I won't write her any more.” He broke away from the older man, and ran off into the woods, without pausing to discern where he was at or where he was going. He wanted to lose himself.

~~~~~

How long he'd been moving he didn't know. He ended up in a small open area—not large enough to call a meadow—where the trees opened up and let rare sunlight in. The rainy season hadn't ended, so the ground was drenched. He found a partly dry stump and slumped down, pitying himself, not for the first time.

Luka was lost in his own thoughts, but even he was shaken from his sadness by the enormous thump that shook the forest floor.

All thoughts left his mind as he stood, mouth open, gaping at the large creature in front of him. It had a long and graceful neck, covered with the most beautiful bronze and scarlet feathers. This lead to large golden eyes and a furred ruff and ended in a sharp beak with the shape of a falcon's. It wasn't a bird, however, though it had gigantic wings—one wing alone was longer than he was tall—covered in the same scarlet and bronze feathers.

The creature was as tall as Duor Ethos at its shoulder. Its forefeet were a mix of a bird's claws and a man's hands, but its hindquarters were those of a house cat's, covered in soft fur the same color as its eyes. A long tail curled away from it in the back and swished like a cat on the prowl.

It was a griffin, and it stood in front of him, looking at him.

“
Well, human?
” it said. “
You called me, now I am here.
”

Nikka was terrified. She hadn't expected Jilli to sense the loss of her power so soon. The woman stood before her, hair neat and coiffed in intricate braids. Her long, sea foam colored gown, swept the white sands behind her as she strolled over to where Nikka was.

“I felt it almost immediately, in case you were wondering. You didn't trigger my spell's sensor, but as soon as you touched the pelt, it moved from my power to yours. That was when I knew you had discovered it.

“What I don't understand is how? How did you know where it was and what it was? Agga couldn't have told you.”

“Agga didn't tell me,” said Nikka, “Like Joaga and all the others, she was petrified to take a stand against you. Jerem made me question—he was cruel to Joaga once, when he thought I wasn't looking.

“Iam told me, in a dream—two dreams. In the first dream, I saw the the Roaneu captured by the Aquis. In the second dream, I saw you torture Agga and cut off a piece of her pelt in order to make her bend to your will. That is how I found the pelt, that is how I knew what and where it was.”

Jilli inclined her head, then walked over to a large rock on the beach and spread her skirts to sit on it.

“We may as well sit. This is going to be a long tale in the telling,” said Jilli. “I was the one to discover the Roaneu for the first time. I was just a girl, newly Inducted, wandering the beach when an injured seal washed up on shore. Thinking I might be able to heal it, I dragged it out of the water, only to watch it transform in front of me. It was Agga, the first of the Sea Mothers to be captured by us.

“It wasn't my intention to keep her. It took some time to heal her and teach her our tongue, but over time, I came to understand that unlike my own lifespan, Agga would live forever. As she healed, I realized, she would leave me, go back into the sea, and live out her days in relative peace. Meanwhile I would struggle along, trying to make a name for myself in the tribe.

“So one night, while she was asleep, I stole the pelt, to see if there was anything to be gained by possessing it. I knew, the moment my fingers closed over it, that the pelt was a source of endless power. When I tried to harness its power, however, I found that because it was made for a creature of common magic, it wasn't something I could use.

“When Agga awoke, she begged for me to return it, and I used it to make her tell me all its secrets. That was when I discovered that even though I couldn't wield its power, as Agga can, by possessing it, I would have eternal life.

“You are only 17, Nikka. You don't know what it's like in the politics between tribes. You haven't seen how it is for those of us whose lifespans aren't near eternal. Sanguis live for hundreds of years, it is in the essence of their magic. The Ignis, too, live many hundreds of years, though their power has diminished.

“We are the lesser tribes, those of us who are left. Aeris, Terris, Aquis, we live shorter lives, we have less experience, we have less bargaining power. For many hundreds of years, we have been given no advantage or advances in any of the meetings. We claw our way into trading rights. We fight for equal representation.”

“And why am I supposed to care? What does this have to do with the Roaneu?” asked Nikka.

“We could live forever, too, when we had them and their precious pelts. It was then that our tribe's fortune began to change. We had more to bargain with.”

Nikka stood up from the rock she was sitting on.

“I've heard enough, none of this matters to me in the least,” she said.

Jilli grabbed her arm. “Do you think you've made any impact today? I can cast out my hand and have five new pelts. The Roaneu, no matter what you've seen, are poor, dumb creatures. They practically swim into our nets.

“Nothing will stop what we are doing, not you, not Agga, not Iam. We are in the right. If you're wise, you'll join us, and help make our tribe what it can be. But don't try to change it. You're young, Nikka, but most of all, you have no idea how the High Council of the Five Tribes truly operates.

“You probably think no one knows what's going on, or they'd be appalled. The truth is, everyone knows and none of them care.”

“I highly doubt that's true,” said Nikka, thinking of Adjudah.

“It's of no consequence to me. As I said before, you've done nothing but provide me with a mild inconvenience. I will have another Sea Mother before you attend the gathering. Although, perhaps, for my own sake, I shall wait until you've left before I fetch one from the market.”

It was chilling, the woman's casual attitude about acquiring a new slave. Nikka lost her temper.

“I swear to you, Jilli, as surely and as easily as I broke your binding spell, so too will I free the Roaneu from the torment they are shackled in. I'll go now and pack my things, I wouldn't want to burden you and your tribe any longer with my presence.”

Nikka left the woman standing there, and ran up to her room, ducking inside just as the first of the rain started to fall. She threw all her belongings into the two bags she'd brought with her, then without bothering to trudge all the way back up the hill in what was now a downpour, she looked for the largest Praete line she could find and used it send herself to the Citadel.

Look for Book 2, Aeris, coming soon!

Author’s note: All authors enjoy feedback from their readers, whether it’s positive or critical. You can also reach the author at: [email protected]. Thank you for reading.

This book would not exist without the concerted efforts of a large group of people.

To my cover artist, Bethel Stoddard: You are an amazing and talented person. I know I will continue to rely on you for every book I need a cover for.

For Lindsey Anderson, the kick ass artist who drew my world map: You rock in so many ways, and the map was so gorgeous I was blown away. May you be blessed in your work as a creator. Maybe some day I can get you to make me a ceramic of the griffin. :)

For my beta readers: Cathy, Christine, Bethel, Jordan (the boy), Jo, and Mom... Thanks for all your feedback and questions. I wouldn't have known how to describe The Five Tribes and all its rules without your diligence in pointing out every explanation I left out. Thank you for loving the book and for —in some cases— staying up all night to finish it.

Finally, thanks to my husband, Garrett, for being the best guy I know. Our sons are lucky to have a dad like you.