Ghost in the Machine (Corwint Central Agent Files) Page 32

  Orynn spent the remainder of the afternoon introducing Hank and his crew to the people of the tribe. They made the journey back to the Zera under the pretense to show Grohin his ship, whereupon Hank offered to share his cargo with his new friends. The discussion turned to silks and limiks, and then to trade and Ventaris.

  Orynn took a back seat and watched with growing appreciation as Hank tactfully spoke with Grohin and his people about who they were and the mission they were on. She began to wonder if Jehdra had really needed her to help Hank with his negotiations. Though on the surface he was every bit his father, underneath was the heart and spirit of his uncle.

  Watching him work with the Tir so naturally enforced her belief that he would be fine after this mission to continue without her negotiation guidance. Ethan had made it clear that she was to leave and never return, not that it mattered. As soon as she returned to Central Command, she would be handed over to the Sisterhood and exiled to Vesparia. She would finish this mission, though, and she would prove to the Sisterhood that it is possible for her people to be more open. She would encourage the freedom of her sisters, even if she could not be free herself.

  A tugging on her arm brought her attention down to Brenna. The girl was looking up at her with concerned eyes and Orynn realized she had let a few tears pass through her guise. Wiping her eyes, she knelt down to Brenna and hugged her tightly. “Do not worry, beautiful daughter of Tir. I just missed my friends, and I know that I must leave them again soon.”

  “Then stay.” Brenna smiled. “You will stay, and you will wear the white, and you will bring to our tribe many strong sons and beautiful daughters.”

  Orynn smiled to fight back more tears as she kissed the top of Brenna’s nalahem. “Oh to see with the eyes of children again.” She stood and took Brenna’s hand, guiding her back to the tents. “Come, it is almost sunset. Let us gather the children and share with them a story before they must sleep.”

  Torhin stepped up to stand beside Ethan. Both he and the Mecha had been watching the exchange in silence as the rest of the group was involved in talks behind them. “I have never seen Ashae unsmiling. Tell me, Ethan of Corwint, do you know what troubles her so and brings the sadness to her eyes?”

  “Yes. Someone broke her heart.”

  27 Barren

  When dusk settled around the encampment, it was filled with a new type of energy. The youngest children were herded off toward their sleeping tents and the older children stole away into the coming darkness to gather firewood and chase lighting flies. The adults gathered on pieces of fallen sun-dried trees or woven mats around a stone central fire pit. The older children appeared from the shadows hauling dead wood and tender to add to the charred stone circle. Other wood was added to a pile set off to the side which would feed the fire well into the morning hours. The Tir were a people of the sunset and of the sunrise.

  When enough wood had been gathered, Grohin brought forth a small leather bundle and came to the middle of the gathered crowd. He looked over his people and smiled at the mothers holding newly born babies to their breasts, younglings passing around plates of oven loaf and drakka, and men gathered in groups sharing stories or whispering about women. His people were a people to be proud of and cherished. His people would endure as long as there were stars in the heavens and babies at the teat. His people were a tribe of strong sons and beautiful daughters.

  When Grohin opened the bundle and took out his flint and striking stone, which had belonged to his father and his father’s father going back into memory, the crowd settled and looked up at him in quiet anticipation. He held up the flint and stone before them, his back to the stone circled woodpile, and spoke to his people.

  “Flint and stone. Jya’n ot gohshk. We are a people of the land under the heavens, and we are a people gifted with the spark of life by the Creator of the land and heavens.”

  “Jya’n ot gohshk.” The crowd repeated in a unified voice that broke the stillness of the coming night.

  “Jya’n ot gohshk.” Grohin nodded and smiled wide at this people. He then turned to the circle and struck the flint against the stone three times. His masterful touch ignited the tenders on the first strike, but three was the number directed by the rights of the fire. “So we were in darkness, now we are bathed in light.”

  “Lahem vesh K’elahem.” May the Creator accept our humble gratitude. The group spoke in unison again, lifting their eyes to the sky and raising the palm of their left hand up from their throat, across their chin and upwards to the stars. A few of the younglings came forth with small woven fans and helped to feed the fire until it had taken root in the dry wood.

  Grohin carefully wrapped the flint and stone back into its animal skin bindings and tucked it into the folds of his robe. Behind him, the fire flared to life and reflected off the faces of the people. His eyes looked over each of them until he spotted the group of outsiders.

  They did not look wholly uncomfortable, but he knew they must be unsure of what to do or say as his people approached them with the plates of meat and bread or the bowls of communal drink. Only Ashae seemed to be at complete ease, and her companions followed her lead. Grohin was not surprised by this, as she had been to his camp many times.

  Outsiders were a rarity here, especially to stay and spend time in their nightly gathering around the fire, but he had always enjoyed Ashae’s visits. She had proven to be a benefit to them and always offered them fair trade for the information they could offer. He never asked her what she used the information for, but he believed it was not used for malicious purposes. She had too beautiful of a smile for that.

  “Umpah.” Orynn smiled up at Grohin as he swaggered closer to their group.

  Grohin’s heart always warmed when she called him that genial word of affection and respect reserved for elder men of the tribe. It gave him confidence in what he was about to do. “I am glad you have come again to sit by our fire this night.”

  Orynn placed her hand to the center of her chest. “The night is dark, but the Tir are a people of warmth and fire.”

  “Indeed.” Grohin lingered his smile on her for a moment before turning to the others in her group.

  It was strange company she was keeping these days. She had never come with others before, and this time she had brought four friends with her. That their request and story was genuine, he had little doubt. Still, getting involved with Corwint and Xen’dari tiffs was not something he jumped into lightly.

  “We are grateful for your hospitality.” Hank held up a communal bowl of Kilari ale as it was passed to him and took a long sip.

  “And we for your company, Captain Eros.” Grohin watched as the Captain took a second drink and then passed the bowl to the girl Tara beside him. If drinking out of a communal bowl bothered the young Captain, he showed no sign of it. Grohin appreciated that quality in a Captain. “Still, I am sure you are wanting to get down to business, yes?”

  Hank looked over at Orynn, not wanting to trip up their progress. Orynn nodded at him, so he turned back to Grohin and dipped his chin in agreement. “Time is of the essence, it’s true. While I sit and enjoy the night sky and comfort provided by your people, the people of Ventaris suffer under these same stars.”

  “Your words are well chosen, Captain.” Grohin placed his hands on his wide hips. “Are you most certain there is no Tir blood flowing through your veins?”

  “Anything is possible, Grohin. Although, if it were true, I would hope that I would take after the beauty of your wife.” Hank hoped he hadn’t stepped over the boundaries with that comment, but Grohin let out a bellyful laugh.

  “Ashae, you must bring this one back!” Grohin wiped away a joyful tear before taking on a more serious tone. “Alright then. I have the information you seek, and it will be yours. Though, there is one more thing I must ask.”

  “Name it, and it’s yours.” Hank wondered what the Tir could want beyond the limiks, the silks, the meat and the ale.

  “Unfortunately, Captain, it�
��s not yours to give.” Grohin looked away from Hank’s confused face and turned to Orynn. He held out his hand to her and she took it with a questioning glance.

  As Grohin led Orynn away from them and toward the center of the group, Ethan leaned down to Hank’s ear. “What do you think he wants with her?”

  “I have no idea, but it’s all riding on this.” Hank scratched the back of his neck anxiously.

  Grohin’s actions had gained the attention of those gathered. Hushed whispers buzzed around the campfire like swarming locust. They swelled until the raising of Grohin’s hand brought a sudden silence, filled only by a cricket hidden somewhere amongst the thicket. He continued to hold Orynn’s hand with one of his, while his other hand gestured emphatically.

  “People of my heart! We are joined this night by travelers who have come seeking help, and they have brought to us fitting and fair trade. Is this not so?”

  “It is fair!” A toothless elderly woman spoke up and held a piece of the silk fabric. Her Tir accent was a thick drawl between her gums.

  “Bah, woman.” An equally old man sitting beside her shooed her comment away with a dismissive hand. “Silks are fine, but the limiks and ale are indeed fair!”

  “You will change your mind when you see what I make of this silk, my husband.”

  “Will you finally make my burial shroud so I can die and be at peace from you?”

  The old woman hit her husband lightly on the head, but her face was full of loving joy. “Perhaps before the sun rises, my good husband, if you keep up your japes.”

  The old man turned back to Grohin as the crowd broke out into laughter. “The silk is fair too, then!”

  Several others in the group voiced their agreement that the items received were fair and honorable. Grohin held his hand up and closed his fist and the group grew silent again. “It is agreed that the trade is fair. However, I must ask one more thing of our guests.”

  Small whispers sprang up again along with questioning looks. Once a trade was deemed fair, the deal was usually done. To ask for more beyond what was fair was dishonorable.

  “Comfort your concerns, people of my heart, and let me explain.” Grohin waited for the whispers to die before he continued.

  “We of the Tir are not a people who have outsiders visit us often in our place of home, and very few pay us kind respect while doing so. For those few who do pay us kind respect and return to visit us again, we often find friendship. We know that many view us as a closed people, but in truth we are an open people to those who are open.”

  “Truth is spoken!” A young woman with a baby pressed against her breast held up her hand as other women around her nodded in agreement.

  Grohin smiled at the group of women and put his hand to his chest in gratitude for their support. “Tonight we gladly welcome back Ashae, who has shared our fires many times, and the companions which she has brought. I was especially overjoyed to see Ashae’s face as she appeared amongst the children who were so exuberant and happy at her return. I saw my own joy reflected in their excited faces.”

  Ethan watched in silence from the corner of the group. He wasn’t sure where this was going, but something about the way Grohin was looking at Orynn unnerved him. He could tell that Orynn was growing increasingly uncomfortable at the stares from the crowd and her eyes looked very tired. He wondered how much longer she would be able to hold on to her guise. Still, she continued to keep the genial smile on her face and looked up at Grohin with affection as he continued his speech.

  “People of my heart, I must confess to you the truth in my heart about Ashae.” Grohin took Orynn’s hand and held it to his heart. “Ashae, shi lahem anae. You are a daughter of my heart.”

  The crowd broke out into cheers and claps. The elders all raised their fist in approval, while the young ones stood and stamped their feet to the ground in an expression of joy. Ethan and Hank shared a confused look and turned to Tara who could only shrug. Brom leaned over and spoke quietly to a Tir man next to him. He nodded and turned back to the group.

  “Fahlil here says that means she’s a member of Grohin’s tribe now.”

  “Oh.” Hank sighed in relief. “Well, that’s a good thing, right?”

  Brom hated to be a bearer of bad news. “Fahlil also says that means she is able to marry one of them now, which is what he believes is the intention.”

  “What?” Tara blinked at Brom in shock. “And just who is she supposed to marry?”

  Ethan wasn’t sure how he should react, but he suddenly couldn’t sit down any longer. He stood and edged into the darkness, turning his back to the campfire. “Maybe I should go prepare the ship for a hasty departure?”

  “Just wait.” Hank wasn’t ready to head for the exits just yet. With the way Grohin was talking about Orynn, perhaps she was using her empathic abilities to some ends they weren’t aware of. She was smiling widely, but there was something off about the smile. It was almost too genuine. She was either up to something or she was trying her best to deal with a situation that had taken her off guard.

  During their exchange, Grohin had continued to convey to those gathered his admiration and appreciation of Orynn’s continued friendship and kindness to his tribe. Each of his remarks was met with cries of agreement and encouragement. “Yes, yes. You all know of her nature, and of her beauty! Would she not be the mother of strong sons and beautiful daughters?”

  As the cheers grew deafening, Orynn wanted to run. With every fiber of her being, she wanted to take back her hand from Grohin’s grasp and disappear into the shroud of night. Looking around at all the faces in the group, she knew she was trapped. She could never affect all of them at once to stop this madness. The collective spirit of the group was overwhelming her in waves of dizzying emotion crashing against her senses. It was making her nauseous, and it took every ounce of strength she had left to keep the smile firmly planted on her face and her guise intact.

  “Ashae, daughter of my heart,” Grohin patted her hand tenderly. “I know that you, a woman of such beauty and spirit, has remained unwed. I know not the reason, but I think it is because you are a strong woman, but a woman without a home. We, the Tir tribe of the Three Stars, could be that home that you seek, child. We have a great love for you.”

  You love the shadow of someone who does not exist.

  That thought replaced her nervous fear with a deep sadness. She knew that she had to tread carefully or she could offend Grohin and ruin everything. “You honor me greatly with you words, Umpah, and I do have a great love for you and your people.”

  “Good!” Grohin cut her off and turned to the crowd, looking for someone. He spotted his son, Torhin, and gestured with an energetically waving hand for him to come. “Come! Come, come, my son. Speak to her of what you spoke to me before this gathering.”

  Torhin straightened his body and tensed his muscles. He looked every bit the part of a strong son of Tir. The tanned muscles of his chest glistened with fragranced oil and were a striking image between the open front of his stark white shirt. From his left ear dangled the purple tear-drop shaped star-stone worn by Tir men of a mature age that were as yet unwed. His deep green eyes were edged in intent as he approached his father and Orynn.

  When he reached them, Grohin took his son’s hand and paired it with Orynn’s. The crowd fell into excited whooping and whispering. Grohin clasped his two hands around the joined hands and squeezed them firmly. He then let go and stepped back.

  Torhin held onto Orynn’s hand firmly while his eyes looked directly into hers. “Since the time you first came to our tribe and showed me friendship, I have felt joy when you are near. Each time you returned, I loved to hear the stories of your travels and longed to join you on them. At the meals, you would always sit by me, and at the fires you would share my mat. I have come to love you, and I have come to know that it can be only you for my wife.”

  The hairs on the back of Hank’s neck stood up. “This is going very bad very quickly. Ethan, maybe prepping the sh
ip wasn’t such a bad idea.” Hank turned around and looked at Ethan, but his friend’s gaze was locked solidly on Torhin. If looks could annihilate, Torhin would be in a million bloody chunks strewn across the sandy brush.

  Torhin kissed her hand and held it to his chest. “We will travel the stars together, Ashae, and we will bring forth many strong sons and many beautiful daughters for our people. Anae Ashae lahem ni voshk. You are the spirit of my heart, Ashae.”

  Orynn could only stare at Torhin when he finished. The words for a response would not form in her mind and had no hope of passing to her lips. Her memory raced to recall all of her previous encounters with Torhin and searched for anything that could have possibly lead to his feelings for her. Her memories of him were simply fleeting moments in a blur of faces over her long life. What to him must have seemed key events, were to her only fragmented bits that were founded entirely on lies.

  “Speechless!” Grohin held up both hands and had a broad smile of joy. “She is speechless at the truths my son has spoken so well; the truths of his heart!”

  The crowd wanted to cheer, but they hushed each other into a fevered silence. The excitement was building on their faces as they all leaned forward to hear what she would say. Torhin’s joy, however, was starting to fade. He could see that the happy expression on Orynn’s face was crumbling.

  “Anae lahem, please answer so that my heart may be at peace.”

  Orynn could no longer bottle her emotions, and her eyes began to brim with tears. I have done this. My lies will destroy this boy’s heart. I have done it again.

  Her words came in forced stutterings. “I am truly sorry, Torhin, but my heart cannot be given.”

  “What?” Grohin’s boisterous joy deflated quickly. “What is this you say?”

  “But you care for me, I know it.” Torhin squeezed her hand and still held out hope.