Catherine Asaro: The Night Bird

Stubble ignored him. Allegras legs were so numb, she couldnt tell they were free until pinpricks started in them, too. Stubble returned to his seat and took a packet of dried meat out from his pocket. He settled back, eating.

“Can I have some food? she asked.

“Maybe later, Stubble said.

“But Im hungry.

His voice tightened. “I said, later.

Apparently his kindness went only so far.

For a while, she just lay, wincing as the numbness left her limbs, but eventually she sat up. Vardok and Sot watched her with curiosity and something much darker. Disquieted, she pulled her shift farther down over her thighs.

“Who is the general you were talking about? she asked. The more she knew, the better she could plan her escape.

“Youll find out soon enough, Sot said. He tried to drink out of his bottle, then squinted inside. With an annoyed grunt, he cast aside the empty container.

Allegra wondered if she could use his bottle to make a spell that would ease her discomfort, maybe increase her strength. The circular bottom might work as a shape, maybe even the neck. She needed only to touch it and sing. Of course, they could easily stop her. Although every mage needed a geometric shape, their ways of creating spells varied. She had always appreciated her need to sing for the pleasure it gave her; she had never realized before how easy it would be to stop her from making a spell.

Stubble settled against the crate, one arm on the box. “So many questions, he mused. “Most girls we catch are too scared or crying too much to speak. You Aronsdale girls are tarter, eh?

“What, youre afraid that will lower my price? Maybe if she made herself disagreeable enough, they would let her go.

Vardok laughed, but it was an ugly sound. “It will just make breaking you all that much more entertaining for the buyer.

“Women arent horses, Stubble said.

“Horses cause less trouble, Sot muttered. He was searching in a crate for another bottle, his body swaying as the wagon bounced.

“You know, Allegra said, “its amazing what youve done in Jazid.

“You think so? Sot grinned at the others. “See? Shes learning already.

Stubble regarded her with a narrowed gaze. “Whats amazing?

“Your population, Allegra said.

“Is it now? Vardok said.

“Well, actually, Allegra said, “whats amazing is that you have any population. Surely your own women grew disgusted with this place long ago and left. Its no wonder you have to kidnap new ones. I cant imagine any woman coming here of her own free will.

Sots mouth fell open. “I dont believe she said that.

Vardoks lips curled in a snarl. To Stubble, he said, “Damn it, Azi, let me hit her.

“Enough! Stubble said. He glared at Allegra. “You talk too much. Youll get into trouble.

Well, that had certainly hit a nerve. She knew such comments didnt help her, but they were her only shield against her fear that she had lost everything.

Allegra dozed for most of the day, too drunk to stay awake. For dinner, they gave her citrus fruits. Day faded into night, and she slept sitting up against a crate, afraid of what Vardok might do if she lay down.

She woke in the dark with a painful thirst. “Water? she asked. Her voice croaked.

The wagon continued to jolt along.

“Please, she said, slumped against the chest. Memories of streams, lakes and tumblers of icy relief tormented her.

Something rustled in the front of the wagon. “Eh?

“Im thirsty.

“So m I, someone muttered. A scratching noise came toward her, and Sots sleepy voice. “Azi said to give you wine.

Allegra groaned. “No, not that. She could smell him now, onions and sweat and whiskey.

“Here. He raised a bottle to her lips. “S not wine.

Relieved, she took a swallowand choked as whiskey burned her throat. Spluttering, she spit some of it out, but the rest went down.

“Dont waste it! Sot said, pulling away the bottle.

“Wait. She managed to catch the bottle in the dark and fold her hand around its circular base. Power stirred within her. Dents in the glass deformed the shape, but it might still work.

“Would you like me to sing to you? she asked.

“No! If Azi wakes, hell get mad at me for touching you. Sot clumsily stroked her hair. “Youll be all right.

She pulled away. “Stop that.

“Come on, pretty, pretty. His lips smeared her cheek. “Kiss me.

Allegra whacked him on the head. “Behave yourself.

“Not so loud, he muttered. Grumbling, he moved away, taking his smell and his bottle with him.

Allegra shuddered and folded her arms on the crate, resting her head on them. This misery had to end. She wasnt safe enough to sleep, had to stay alert

Allegra awoke into daylight, still slumped against the crate with her head on her arms. Her body ached from sleeping that way, but the pain in her limbs had eased. Either that, or she was too woozy to feel it. Before this mess, she had barely tasted alcohol; now she had been inebriated for nearly four days. She doubted she could run even if she had the chance. Hell, walking would be a challenge.

Sot lay sprawled on his rugs, snoring loudly, his face slack. Vardok had fallen asleep on a pile of rugs across from her, but he had a tensed, alert quality. She realized then he was the one she had called Fist. Stubble was studying a map he had unrolled on his crate.

“Did we ride all night? Allegra asked. Her voice slurred.

“Thats right. Stubble didnt glance up.

“Doesnt the driver have to sleep? she asked.

“He did. Vardok drove for a while.

“Oh. She had other concerns right now. Before, when she had needed to relieve herself, Stubble had given her a pot and held a rug in front of her. She wanted more privacy, and also a bath. Water. Blissful, clear water.

Allegra spoke awkwardly. “What do you do to, uh, clean up? She hoped he knew what she meant, because she was too embarrassed to say more.

Stubble didnt answer, and she wasnt sure he heard. Then he climbed to his feet, looming over her. Startled, she pressed back. But he just went to the front of the wagon. Leaning over Sot, he pulled apart two flaps of cloth.

“We need to stop, he told someone outside.

Another man, the driver apparently, answered, words Allegra couldnt hear. Stubble let the flaps fall into place, then came over and crouched in front of her. “Were going to rest the oxen. Ill take you out then. But if you give me trouble, we come back in. Understand?

As she nodded, the wagon rumbled to a stop. Vardok rolled onto his back and grunted. Sot kept snoring.

“Come on. Stubble stood up.

Allegra tried to rise, but her legs buckled. “Cant, she muttered.

Stubble helped her up. “Just stand until your head clears.

She swayed for balance. When her stomach settled, she looked up at him. His whiskers had thickened into a beard, and he didnt smell so great.

He smiled slightly. “Ready?

“Hungry, she said.

“Later. He guided her forward, holding her up by the arm.

At the back of the wagon, Stubble drew aside the flaps, and she squinted as morning sunlight poured across them. It was a relief to breathe in the crisp air after the stale wagon.

Then she saw the land.

Saints almighty. Gone were Aronsdales pretty meadows. To the east, a huge mountain range loomed out of a desert like teeth in the jaws of a gigantic skeleton with its mouth open. Their peaks stabbed the washed-out blue sky, and the rising sun just crested their tips. Closer by, stretches of red and ocher desert alternated with serrated rock formations that stood at the height of a tall man or higher. The land had an eerie quality, as if they had reached a place ruled by the mythical Shadow Dragon, where humans traveled only on sufferance of that Jazidian god.