The Courier’s Collection

Chapter 10

10

Rasha snuck them out the back of the inn. They had no money for the room they’d occupied most of the day, another mark on her once spotless record. The southern air created droplets of sweat on her temples. The princess, covered in her new cloak, rode behind Rasha on her new tuskin. She kept a warmer cloak of her own packed away among her things for when they reached the north. She couldn’t trust Lu with her anymore. He kept giving Chiza odd looks while the princess laughed and giggled as if he were the prince she needed to impress.

“We’re still being followed,” Rasha said after they’d been riding for some time.

“You think it’s the same guys from the card game the other night?” Lu asked.

“No, it’s someone else. Just one, a tracker.”

Chiza yawned wide before asking, “We’re being followed?”

“Since we left Sidoa,” Lu added. “I’ll go this time and see if I find anyone.

Chiza sat up straight. “Be careful.”

“I will.” Lu turned his beast around to hunt for the unwanted follower.

“What was that?” Rasha asked.

“I’m sorry?”

“Nothing.” The last thing she wanted was another debate with the princess. She seemed bent on being one of the prince’s ladies on display.

Rasha enjoyed the silence as they rode along. She listened for any movement in the trees. She heard Lu as he returned. The princess had fallen asleep against her back, so Rasha used signals to communicate with him instead.

Lu gave her a shrug of his shoulders. If the guy from Tero-Joro, a people with advanced vision and hearing, couldn’t find the tracker they must be amazing. Rasha admired him a little. Her own skills in tracking had become something of note among her fellow couriers, but this was beyond special. Lu stayed behind them as the road narrowed and they had to travel in a single file.

They rode through the night. As dawn approached, she felt Chiza wake up with a start behind her. Rasha and Lu continued on in silence for a moment before Lu gave his morning greeting.

“May the sun greet you with kindness, brother. I’m happy to see you are safe,” Chiza said to him.

Rasha tried not to laugh at Lu’s reaction. Being a non-religious person, he didn’t seem to know what to say.

“Are you a worshipper of the sun god, like the Karmirians?” Rasha asked.

“No, not at all. We worship the Universal as your people do. Are you much for worship, Rash?” Chiza asked, forgetting she shouldn’t use the familiar name as Lu did.

Lu smiled this time.

“Yes, when I can, I visit the temple of my people.”

Chiza yawned.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

“You’ve been riding all night, your highness. You’re entitled to be tired. I apologize, however, since we’ve still got a long way before we stop again.”