Darren Shan - The Thin Executioner

Echoes made it impossible to tell where the voice had come from.

Jebel glanced at Tel Hesani. “Maybe we should go.”

The slave shook his head, then placed his sword on the ground and stood. “Do as I do,” he said, resting his hands on his head and locking his fingers together. Jebel groaned and put his sword down. Standing, he set his hands on his head.

There was a long silence. Then the voice came again. “Who are you?”

“My name is Tel Hesani,” the slave yelled. “This is Jebel Rum.”

“What do you want?”

“We seek passage through the siq.”

“The siq is closed to all but the Um Siq. Leave!” There were two more shots. One of the stones struck the side of Tel Hesani’s cheek and drew blood, but he didn’t flinch.

“We cannot leave,” Tel Hesani said. “We are obliged to use the siq.”

“I’ll kill you if you try,” the voice above them threatened.

“You have that right,” Tel Hesani agreed. “But we must press on regardless.”

“Why don’t you travel by the gorge? Have you no swagah?”

“We have more than enough swagah,” said Tel Hesani. “But we are on a quest, and journey by river is forbidden.”

“What is the nature of your quest?”

“We travel to Tubaygat, in the al-Meata mountains.”

“Are you Um Aineh or Um Nekhele?”

“My partner is Um Aineh. I am Um Kheshabah.”

There was another long silence. Then the person growled, “Lay all your weapons on the ground, and step away from them.”

Tel Hesani began to take out his knives. He nodded at Jebel to do the same, and though the boy was anxious, he did as the slave ordered. When they were truly defenseless, they took several steps away from their stash and stood waiting.

Some minutes later a figure appeared. The sun was behind the person, obscuring Jebel’s and Tel Hesani’s view. Jebel couldn’t see anybody else. “I think there’s just one of them,” he whispered.

“Yes,” Tel Hesani said, barely moving his lips. “But do nothing, even if we’re attacked. If there are others nearby and we raise a hand against this one, we’ll be dead before we have time to blink.”

They stood silent and unmoving as the Um Siq approached. When the person drew closer, Jebel was astonished to see that it was a girl, not much older than himself. She was pale-skinned. Her head had been shaven bare, except for a cluster of curls high on her forehead. She was clad in tight leathers, which fitted her like a second layer of skin. A dagger hung from one hip, a catapult from the other, and a staff stuck out from behind her shoulders.

The girl was almost upon them when she roared suddenly, grabbed her staff, and struck at Tel Hesani. The slave didn’t react. The staff stopped a couple of inches short of his left cheek and quivered there. Jebel desperately wanted to dive for his sword, but he was heedful of Tel Hesani’s warning.

Tel Hesani regarded the girl coolly as she glared at him. She swung the staff around and struck at him from the right. Again he didn’t react, and again she stopped short of contact. Snarling, the girl pirouetted away from Tel Hesani and thrust the tip of the staff at Jebel’s stomach. He flinched but held firm and gritted his teeth. The staff tapped him lightly, but it didn’t hurt. The girl raised the tip and nudged his chin so that his eyes came up. She stared into them aggressively. Jebel squinted back, wanting to knock the staff aside but fearful of the consequences.

Finally the girl lowered her weapon. “I am Hubaira of the Um Siq.”

“It is an honor to meet you,” said Tel Hesani.

Hubaira sniffed. “You said you were on a quest to Tubaygat. Do you go to see the mountain beast?”

“ Beast ?” Jebel repeated indignantly.

“A monster dwells within the mountain,” Hubaira said. “It has five heads and thirteen arms. They say it devours all who come before it except the few it takes a liking to. It empowers those and sends them forth to conquer its enemies.”

“The Um Aineh believe that a god lives in Tubaygat,” Tel Hesani said. “He is called Sabbah Eid. But god or beast, he is much like your people believe.”

“Gods!” Hubaira snorted. “There are men and animals, nothing more. Only fools worship make-believe gods.”

Jebel flushed. In Abu Aineh this girl would be executed for saying that. He wanted to slap her, but there might be other Um Siq in the hills, waiting for an excuse to cut him down. Better to hold his peace for now.

Hubaira circled the man and the boy, studying them. She paused behind Tel Hesani and ran a finger over some of the scars on his back. Her fingernails were long and sharp, and the Um Kheshabah shivered at her touch.

“You must be a great warrior,” Hubaira said.

“Some are from fights,” Tel Hesani said. “But most came from those who have owned and traded me.”

Hubaira paused. “You’re a slave?”

“Yes.”

She stepped forward, expression grim, and pointed at Jebel with her staff, her free hand going to the dagger by her side. “Are the whip marks his dirty work?”

“He is my current master,” Tel Hesani said. “But I chose to travel with him, and he has never struck me.”

“Are you telling the truth?” Hubaira’s eyes were hard. “He cannot harm you here. The Um Siq despise slavers. If you like, I can kill him, and freedom will be yours.”

Jebel went cold. He had a vision of dying at the hands of a girl — a girl ! The disgrace would be unendurable. If word ever reached his father and brothers, they would probably take their own lives rather than live with the shame.

But Tel Hesani smiled ruefully and shook his head. “I’d rather you not harm my young master. I travel with him for reasons of my own. He is important to me.”

“As you wish.” Hubaira lowered her staff and smiled. “It’s lucky you’re Um Kheshabah. One of your people came to Abu Siq in my grandfather’s time and spent several years with us. He was a healer and saved the lives of some of our people. If you were of any other race, I’d have run you off or killed you.”

“That is indeed good fortune,” Tel Hesani said, then asked if they could lower their hands and collect their weapons.

“Yes.” Hubaira watched as they rearmed themselves, keeping a close eye on Jebel. When they’d finished, she pointed to the rock towards which they had been headed. “That’s what you’ve been looking for — the entrance to the siq. I’ve followed you for the last few hours. At first I thought you might be prospectors.”

“No,” Tel Hesani said. “We are questers, interested only in progressing through the siq before the snows fall.”

“You don’t have to worry about that,” Hubaira said. “There won’t be any snow for at least a week. But I’m not sure I can let you pass. I don’t yet have a vote. That’s why I’m here — to become an adult, one of the tests is to spend a month outside Abu Siq armed with only a dagger and staff. I’ve survived that month and am now returning home, but this is only one test of many. It will be a long time before I can have any say on an issue like this.”

“But if we were to travel with you to your city,” Tel Hesani pressed, “and you were to make a plea to your elders on our behalf…”

“They might respect my wishes,” Hubaira said. “But I can make no guarantees. If you travel with me, that doesn’t mean you’ll be granted safe passage. The elders may decide to kill you.”

“If you’ll share the path with us, we will take that risk,” Tel Hesani said.

Hubaira thought about it, then nodded. “Very well. I’ll present you to the elders and let them decide — but only because you’re Um Kheshabah.” She shot Jebel a dark look, then strode to the rock. She walked with long steps, almost bounding. Jebel and Tel Hesani had to half-jog to keep up.