Chapter 31

"We may be nearly there, Amanda," said Gedric. "The path is definitely sloping downward, and I can see a beach ahead."

Amanda said nothing as she stumbled along behind him, for she was afraid her voice would reveal her distress and slow him down. They could not afford any delays now; she was sure Mandas and Norlan realized Gedric had not taken the expected route. For all she knew, they were alerted early and now lay in wait.

The path was little more than a narrow trail following the edge of the ridge. Enough brine from the sea had salted the ground to prevent much from growing thus leaving the path clear, but the muddy ground threatened to send her plunging into the ocean. Large rocks loosed by sea and rain lay partially buried in the soft earth where they bruised and cut her feet; the trail behind her was occasionally dotted with her blood.

Her knees and hips ached from the gyrations she endured to keep her balance and match Gedric's quickening pace. She was grateful he had warned her about the slope of the path, yet she nearly stumbled into him anyway. He slowed and glanced behind him. "Are you all right?"

"Fine," Amanda lied in a breathless voice.

"Do we need to pause? I did not realize until now what this ground must be doing to your bare feet."

"No, don't stop!" Amanda cried. "Please, not if we're almost there. Just keep going, Master, please."

Gedric nodded and resumed. He raised the lantern, its light dimming with its dwindling oil supply. "Yes, I definitely see a beach. And over on the right! Is that not a ship at the pier?"

Amanda turned her attention from the path as much as she dared. As the moon emerged from behind a cloud and cast a pale radiance upon the beach, her heart leapt. Yes, there was a ship! A rather small one, but it was real.

"We may just make the escape that Mandas never intended us to make!" Gedric boomed. The confidence in his voice helped lift Amanda's spirits and made it easier to push through the blistering pain of her feet.

The beach seemed to rise to meet them as they scrambled down the last of the slope, so steep as to be one-way. Gedric caught her arm and saved her from a dive to the ground when she stumbled the final few steps. Finally, her feet stepped onto cool, soft sand, and she fought the urge to collapse. Instead, she lifted her head and looked around.

Not far away was a small shack just past a unlit torch. The remains of a campfire lay between it and the pier. For a worried moment, she thought the place was abandoned, the ship no more than an old schooner which had run aground. She held out lingering hope only when a man approached from the ship.

Gedric motioned for Amanda to remain still and stepped forward. Amanda was content to let him lead, but she edged closer so she could hear. As he approached, the man leaned to the side to look past Gedric, and his lips twisted into a lecherous grin which made Amanda's skin crawl.

"Heh, so that Norlan bloke really delivered," the man said. "Wasn't so sure considerin' how long we've been waitin'."

"Did you say Norlan?" Gedric said.

"Yeah, the guy I did the deal with."

"A somewhat rotund man, slightly shorter than me, with dark hair and a beard?"

The man smirked and shook his head. "Naw. Scrawny guy with one of 'em silly mustaches the Urisi high-borns like ta wear."

"As I thought," Gedric said with contempt in his voice. "A political scheme from the start. No matter. I and this girl are, I believe, your intended 'cargo.' I am Gedric V'riis, and this girl is Amanda, my slave."

"Riddon Ollo," said the merchant. "An' I don't partic'larly care what yer names are. And I think ya mean my slave." He peered at Amanda. "Hey, what happened ta her? Ah, never mind. We can clean 'er up. So long as she's got a mouth and a pussy we're good."

Amanda shivered.

Gedric frowned. "I beg your pardon? What is this?"

"That's the deal, pretty-boy," Riddon drawled. "We carry you, we fuck her."

"I do not know who you think you were dealing with before, but--"

Amanda rushed up. "Master, it's okay. I..." She looked at Riddon and somehow suppressed a shudder in revulsion. "I-I can do it. I can be their slave while they take us to--"

"Ya ain't gettin' this, neither of ya," Riddon growled, poking a meaty finger at Amanda. "She's ours. We get ta keep her. I don't give a rat's arse what you wanna do or where you wanna go. We'll handle that. But ya ain't goin' nowhere with her."

Amanda looked stricken, and she clung to Gedric's arm. Please, do something, she silently begged. Please make this better. Please fix this. I don't have any more ideas.

"And what can I do to convince you otherwise?" Gedric said.

"Gimme the three thousand platinum I took off the orig'nal price in exchange fer the girl and I'll consider it. Though we'll still wanna sample the goods fer a bit if ya know what I mean."

"I have connections. I can procure those funds for you once I am back in--"

Riddon shook his head and prodded his finger against Gedric's chest. "Three thousand right now. I don't do this carry-now cash-later bilge. If ya can't pay now, then either we get the girl, or ya can all jus' stay right on this beach."

Amanda blinked away tears and bit her lip to stop from sobbing. Gedric glanced at her, and his own eyes glistened. He turned back to Riddon. "I will require a few moments. In private."

Riddon raised an eyebrow but backed away. "Jus' don't take too long. We gotta get underway."

Gedric took Amanda aside. She lowered her head, tears dripping to the sand. "Amanda, I am sorry. I had no idea what this bastard Mandas had planned." He paused. "I cannot see myself turning you over to them. But I do not want to--"

"Go," Amanda said in a choked voice.

Gedric hesitated. His hands squeezed Amanda's shoulders.

"P-please, just go with them," Amanda said.

"Amanda, look at me."

Amanda forced herself to raise her head. Wet streaks trailed down her cheeks, and her dark eyes brimmed. "You have to go."

"I do not know if they will accept leaving you behind."

"You have to try. You have to get away."

Gedric ran a hand through his already disheveled hair. "I should not feel this protective of a slave. But ... I also find I am having trouble thinking of you as a slave."

Amanda gasped and threw her arms around him. Gedric hesitated only a heartbeat before he returned the embrace, breathing a heartfelt sigh into her ear.

Suddenly, Amanda broke off the hug and whipped her head towards the other end of the beach, just in time to see a flicker of lantern light. Gedric turned and heard what Amanda had: the faint neighing of horses and shouts of men.

"You have to go, now!" Amanda cried.

Gedric nodded and drew back. "I will not forget this, Amanda. If I have any power or influence at all remaining in Oceanus, I will find some way of getting you out of the Urisi Nation."

Amanda gave him a weak smile and wiped away tears. His words meant much to her despite what little substance they carried. She doubted not his sincerity but reality. She finally understood that no escape could exist for her. She felt not so much at the mercy of the Urisi as the Inonni, who put her in this plight. She could at least have the satisfaction of denying them more prey.

Gedric took one last look at her, his own eyes glistening. He ran to the pier, where Riddon cast a wary look at him.

"There is a change of plans," said Gedric. "I am going. The girl is staying."

"Hang about, ya can't do that!"

"It is either me, or the deal is off."

Riddon laughed. "Like ya think I'm gonna give the money back? Ya gonna fight it outta me or sumthing? You and what army?"

The shouts of men and squelching of many footsteps slogging through mud drifted to the pier. Gedric looked back and his heart lurched. Amanda looked so small and vulnerable, yet he also felt renewed admiration. A punishment of a ferocity he could not even begin to contemplate awaited her, and yet she did not flinch. He felt the need to race to her protection, but he knew he would surely die in the attempt, and all her sacrifice would be for naught.

He looked back to Riddon, who now stared at the other end of the beach with quivering eyes.

"That army!" Gedric cried. "Men of the Royal Guard, likely accompanying the man who hired you. Perhaps you would like to tell them how you plan to renege on this deal!"

Riddon scowled, though the look in his eyes betrayed his suspicion he was being hoodwinked. Gedric gambled these men had hauled enough illegal goods to want to avoid attracting any more trouble. "Fine. Get yer arse on the ship."

Gedric rushed down the pier, Riddon quick on his heels shouting orders to his men. The moment his feet hit the deck, the anchor was hauled up. Another of his crew stood before the main mast and opened a jar made of Mage Glass. The trapped Mage Wind roared forth, and the sails billowed out. The schooner pitched forward and pulled away from the pier.

Amanda watched in silence. Her cheeks were stained but dry. She had no more need for tears. Even as she heard people swarming like an angry mob behind her, she felt an odd sense of calm. She had done something they could not take away no matter how hard they punished her.

She hoped word got back to Jollis. She hoped it made him angry as blazing hellfire. She hoped it hurt him at least as much as he had hurt her. No, she hoped it hurt him more.

Two soldiers streamed around her, brandishing loaded crossbows, the breeze they stirred blowing strands of hair before her eyes. They raced to the pier, but another burst of enchanted wind took their prey out of arrow range. "It's too late, my Lord!" one called back.

Amanda heard footfalls stop behind her. "Amanda."

She whirled around on her heel at once and looked up at Norlan. "Yes, Master."