By the Sword - By Sara Flower Page 0,22
Everyone knows that sons are honored while daughters are scorned. I tried so hard to please that man by perfecting the sword and following the prince diligently.
It was time to face reality. She was nothing.
*****
Naeshi knew that his wound would heal, but his humiliation would only worsen with time. He had been drilling and sparring with inexperienced kids all day. Maybe he wasn’t the sharpest dagger in the drawer, but his skill with the sword far surpassed his thirty-one years. He had been the youngest senior guard in Malinor’s history, but Ittonifer had allowed a single incident to strip that away.
My career is ruined because of that flighty female. Chrissa is going to pay for that one day soon.
Worse still, he had to see Jalarn glowering at him at least ten times every day. The newly promoted general was just a lad himself at merely twenty years of age.
Only because he is Ittonifer’s nephew.
Naeshi had spent only one day as a lowly foot soldier, and he didn’t know if he could bear several more years of it. He would rather live by himself in the desert than stay there.
He took off his helmet and slammed it down on the ground.
“The injustice is maddening, is it not?” asked a raspy voice.
It was that crazy Aterun. It seemed like ages since Naeshi had last seen him.
Naeshi turned away, still ashamed of his mutilated face. He wouldn’t be making his rounds at the taverns anytime soon.
He could feel the warlock staring holes through his back.
“What do you want?” Naeshi asked.
“I saw what happened,” said Aterun.
“How?”
“I have my ways.”
Just as nuts as before.
“I have things to do, old man.”
“Obviously,” Aterun scoffed.
Naeshi shook his head and walked away.
“What if I told you that I know of a way that could earn you Ittonifer’s respect once again?”
Naeshi stopped and faced the man. He spat to one side.
“Are you finished yet?” Naeshi asked.
“If you have other pressing things to attend to rather than retrieving century-old lost treasure, then that’s your prerogative.”
Now he had Naeshi’s attention.
“Are you growing madder with age, warlock? We both know that there’s no hidden treasure.”
“I suppose that a senseless brute like you can’t be expected to deduce that Ittonifer has been actively searching it out since before he began his reign. A man like him would never waste his time on a fable.”
Naeshi refrained from clobbering the sack of bones. Of course he knew about the legendary treasure of the ancient Malinorians, but everyone knew it was a myth that Malinor’s greedy ruler chose to believe. Even smart men could be gullible sometimes.
“Prove it then,” said Naeshi.
“We’ll be wasting time.”
“You’re already wasting my time. Prove it or get out of my sight.”
“Those are big words for a one-eyed foot soldier. I’m sure you must be aware that the great prince reveals things to me. The treasure is just outside of the city, but it is very well hidden. It’s an hour’s walk – no one will even notice we’ve been gone.”
Naeshi could not imagine that Aterun would be able to walk for an hour anywhere, let alone over the uneven terrain surrounding the city. The idea was ridiculous.
“You’re forgetting something,” said Naeshi. “Dinner will be served soon at the barracks. I will starve if I travel out there and waste several more hours trying to find this legendary treasure.”
“I have obviously brought this into consideration. You will be fed.”
Naeshi thought about his options. If there really were a canyon full of riches, he would be the wealthiest man in the empire, besides Ittonifer. If not, at least he would be spared from another evening spent with snot-nosed brats.
“You had better be right, old man.”
Chapter Seven
The tall, rigid Cobalt Mountains seemed to reach out and pierce the grey sky. Naeshi searched for caves or crevices within the sharp ridges around them. Aterun trailed behind him. He was out of breath already.
Naeshi wasn’t sure how the old stump was going to make it back to Malinor. Besides, the warlock would only try and tell him what to do with the treasure anyway.
Maybe I should slit his throat and feed him to the wolves once the treasure is uncovered.
A slender waterfall trickled down the mountain. Aterun scurried over to it excitedly. Anticipation surged through Naeshi as he followed him.
“The hiding place is right behind the waterfall,” said Aterun.
Naeshi stepped under the gentle falls and sized up the opening. It was high enough for him to get through comfortably, but it did not appear wide enough for