Chapter 25
Twenty-Five
Kanik
Ayla turned around, heading to the back to get Rymar and Zasen. I moved into the street, making it clear the riders should stop. Sure enough, just before they came through the city entrance, the pair pulled their horses up, and the lathered animals didn't try to resist at all.
I didn't know much about horses, but I knew the Reapers valued them as much as their dogs. To see two animals soaked in sweat with foam across their chests? That made it clear whatever mission these two were on was serious - and couldn't wait.
The woman stopped her horse right before me. "I need the mayor."
"The deputy mayor is in the backyard, along with the leader of our militia," I told her. "My partner is getting them now. I'm Kanik, third in charge of the militia. What do you need?"
"The Moles attacked us." She waved her companion forward. "The two of us rode out before the dawn."
"A few hours before dawn," the man clarified.
Which meant they'd traveled hard. It should take two days to get from their camp to here.
These two had made it in less than one. That explained the state of their horses, but wait.
I was missing the obvious thing! They'd attacked the day after Zasen and Ayla had been out in the forest, ready to fight them off.
They'd gone there, not here this time! That couldn't be right.
Convinced I had to be misunderstanding her, I asked, "They hit your storage?"
"Us!" the man snapped.
The woman waved him down. "Nyco, I need you to walk the horses out."
And she dismounted. The moment her feet hit the ground, the woman staggered, proving how tired she was.
Her hands grabbed the saddle to steady herself.
I moved, expecting the horse to stagger too, but she paused for only a moment before passing the reins to the man.
He let his horse amble forward, trailing the other behind him.
But as she made her way over, the woman jerked her chin at Holly. "That looks like a Reaper dog."
"She was," I agreed. "Bred by Lansin. My partner's dog now." But these pleasantries felt wrong. "What happened?"
"I don't know," she admitted, then grunted.
"Sorry. I'm Yrena. My friend is Nyco. We don't know medicine but do own horses, so we volunteered to make the trip.
There are carts filled with injured headed this way.
Probably four hours behind us? Maybe more.
They won't be running their horses to the limit. "
"So we need to ready the hospital?" Zasen asked as he came around the house.
"Yes!" she said.
"Mom! Jeera!" he bellowed.
I knew that would bring everyone else, but most of them would find out anyway. Thankfully, waiting for Zasen, Rymar, and Ayla to reach our side allowed Yrena to catch her breath. The moment they were close enough, she offered her hand to Rymar.
"Yrena of the Reapers," she said. "The Moles attacked us last night- "
"No…" Ayla gasped.
I lifted my arm, encouraging her to come closer so I could offer support. It was more of the emotional kind than physical, but Ayla moved to wrap her arm around my waist. That allowed Rymar and Zasen to shift over, facing Yrena.
"How bad?" Zasen asked.
"Bad," Yrena said. "Dozens critically wounded. I don't even know how many dead."
"What?" Jeera gasped, moving closer. "Who? Is Irrik okay?"
Beside her, Brielle was clutching the baby to her, looking terrified. My tail sagged, realizing their boyfriend could be among the dead, but before either woman could start to panic, Yrena shook her head.
"He's okay. Has a few injuries, but he was up and walking when we left. Him, Lansin, and Eriska were all helping with the cleanup."
"Eriska is their chief," I told Ayla. "She's like our mayor."
Ayla nodded, but her eyes were on Yrena intently. "Did the Moles take the bodies?" she asked.
"Yeah," Yrena said, looking up at the rest of the people who'd come from our backyard and were now listening in. "They took captives, too."
"Men?" Ayla asked, clinging to my waist a little tighter. "Or only women?"
"I..." Yrena paused. "I don't know, but I only saw women and girls."
"Fuck!" Rymar snarled, spinning away one step.
But Zasen asked, "Did they take the grains?"
"Not at first," Yrena said, "but the bags were gone when I headed out. We were hit hard. Dogs are wounded. Horses were scattered - but we don't think killed. No, they killed us instead."
"Okay," Rymar said, turning back so he could clasp the woman's arm. "I'm going to take you to City Hall. You can ride if you want, but I'm walking." He paused, shoving a hand over his mouth. "Papa?"
"Yeah?" Ahmek replied, stepping forward.
"I need you to send someone to handle the horses," he said. "Have them bill the city and let them know more are coming. Give them anything they need." Then he looked at Zasen. "We need everyone at City Hall. Doctors, militia, and just everyone. We need to make a plan."
"I can get Jerlis," Rymar's mother offered. "He lives down the street from us."
"Thank you," Rymar told her. "That will help."
"I need to get Wilm," Naomi said pushing in. "Brielle, tell the hospital we have incoming. Jeera, take my grandchild home." Then she looked at Yrena. "How many are coming, and how bad?"
"Two dozen easily," Yrena told her. "These are all bad. Like might not make it sort of bad."
Naomi clasped her arm. "Don't worry. Lorsa will do everything we can."
So I let go of Ayla and moved around them to address our guests.
"I'm sorry, but the cookout's cancelled.
Our big announcement, in case you haven't noticed?
We have made an official family. Rymar, Zasen, and I asked Ayla to be our partner, and she accepted.
" I gestured to where she was standing. "And now, we have work to do. Please help each other make it back?"
Saveah moved first, shifting over to speak with Brielle. Jeera kissed the baby, but my parents were moving to me. The others were still milling, but I didn't have time for this.
"Congratulations," my dad told me. "Now go do what you need to. I think Pashain and I can close up your house at least."
"Thank you," I told him.
My mom gave me a sad smile. "You deserve a bigger celebration than this, but I like her, Kanik. Ayla is everything you deserve."
"And you finally got a dog," my dad teased. "Now go. We've got this."
Everyone scattered. Rymar took the Reapers. Zasen went to get Drozel. I stayed long enough to make sure my parents knew where to put away the food, and then Ayla and I headed toward City Hall, but there was one big problem with this.
The Reapers needed help; I couldn't help.
My body was barely healed enough to handle the cookout. Walking all the way to the Reaper's camp? It might wear me out. Still, someone would have to go, and from the way Ayla was talking, I knew she intended to be a part of that.
But what would I do? Stay here with Rymar, wondering if they were okay this time?
No, that didn't sit well with me at all.
I knew I'd be a liability, but I couldn't handle thinking of my partners - because that included Zasen now too - running off and being stupid without me there to hold them back.
"Where are the Reapers?" Ayla asked as we walked.
"East of the Mole compound." I made a little face and hummed, realizing that wasn't quite right. "Half a day past them, maybe less?"
"Oh." She reached down to pet Holly's head. "That's close."
"Too close," I agreed, "but they've offered up the grains and vegetables for generations, it sounds like. In my lifetime, the Moles have never attacked them because of it."
She simply pressed her lips together, mulling that over. I couldn't tell if she was worried, though. Maybe she simply didn't understand what this meant? But Zasen wanted her at this meeting, so I was making sure she got there.
We reached City Hall to find a crowd already forming. The horses were gone, clearly taken to recover from their long journey. Even better, the people were all moving, mostly heading inside. Some were pulling away, likely family members of someone called in to help.
"This way," I told Ayla, aiming for Jerlis's office.
But someone saw us first. "They're in the conference room, Kanik!" That was Tayle, one of the medics.
"Thanks," I said, changing directions.
And "they" meant a lot of people. The two Reapers, of course.
The head of the city police was here. The medics, both Drozel and Omden for the militia, and more.
I spotted Naomi and the doctor who'd done my surgery, Wilm, known as the Python.
And at the back of the room, impossible to miss, were both Jerlis and Rymar.
"Listen up!" Jerlis bellowed, silencing the room. "Take a seat or stand. I don't care which, but I want spokespeople for the militia, medics, doctors, and resources up here."
"And Ayla," Rymar said, gesturing to her. "She's our expert on Moles."
A few looked over at us, but I kept going, guiding Ayla to the chair closest to Jerlis. "Sit here," I told her, moving back to stand behind her.
Then Jerlis gestured to Rymar, who was standing the same way I was. "Fill us in."
"Yrena and Nyco, from the Reapers," Rymar told the group packed in here, gesturing to indicate the pair, "rode in less than an hour ago.
Moles attacked their camp. They have more than two dozen seriously injured and headed this way in carts.
More are in camp, but they don't have enough carts to transport them all. "
"So we're going to help?" Drozel asked.
"That's the plan," Zasen agreed. "They need protection as they pack up to head to their winter campsite. They no longer have it, so we need to help with that."
Shit. That was exactly what I was afraid of.
"How are we getting there?" Wilm asked, partially lifting one of his iridescent black hands to show who was speaking. "That's going to determine how much medicine can be carried, and it sounds like they're going to need as much as we can send."
Rymar looked at the woman who'd ridden here. "How are the carts?"
"The horses would mostly have walked here," she said. "If they can have a few hours of rest and a good meal, we can probably take the carts back. In truth, that would be best, because without them, we won't be able to move."
"So let's plan for that," Rymar said. "If we leave at dawn, will that be long enough?"
"Yes, that would be perfect," Yrena assured him.
"Which means," Naomi said. "We need to load those carts tonight. Antibiotics, numbing agent, bandages, and pain medication at least."
"And I'm going," the Python said.
"You can't!" Jerlis snapped.
Wilm just gave him a tired look. "I will help with the wounded who come in tonight.
If we're taking carts, I can sleep in one on the trip there, but I am going, Jerlis.
We know what the Moles do when they hit here.
Reapers don't have doctors. They have medics, and that's not going to be enough for the damage they just took. "
Okay, he had a point. If there were carts, then I could go too. I didn't know what I would do, but I had to be able to help in some way! If nothing else, I would make a good assistant for someone.
"I'll be going too," Rymar said. "Jerlis, the first responders will be here to serve as defense, but we're taking the militia."
"Is that a good idea?" Jerlis asked, looking over at Ayla for the answer.
She nodded. "I think so, but I can't be sure.
You don't understand. Moles do the same thing over and over.
It's a competition between them, because the man who brings back more gets a bigger share of the rewards.
That could be better rooms, a better wife, or anything else that can be offered. This? It makes no sense!"
"What do you mean?" Jerlis pressed.
"They changed something!" Ayla snapped. "Moles always do the same thing, but they didn't this time!
They used to only take the vegetables. This time they killed people.
They changed where they go and what they do there.
Don't you get it? They changed, and I don't know why, but I want to, so I'm going. "
And that cemented it for me. I'd had surgery six, maybe seven weeks ago now. I should be on light duty, but if she was this determined to go, I'd be damned if she did it without me at her side.
"It's also closer," I said. "Means we can get a look at their compound - now that we know they won't come out during the day."
Zasen pointed at me and nodded. "Not a bad idea."
But those words? They made the entire room erupt with discussion. Some were yelling it was stupid to antagonize the Moles. Others wanted them dead. Ayla looked back at me and smiled, making it clear she appreciated my help.
And while people bickered between their groups, Rymar made his way over. He didn't try to draw attention to himself. He simply slipped in beside me, then leaned in, keeping his voice down.
"You up to this?"
"I'll make sure of it," I told him. "You?"
"Same." And he turned a little more so Ayla couldn't look back and read his lips. "I can fight, you know. My colors stand out in the forest, but it's fall, and it sounds like their camp will need someone to serve as the defensive line. You willing to help me with that?"
My entire body relaxed. "Yes! I've been trying to figure out what I can do, but that? I know how our militia works. Eriska will need someone to explain it to her. We can organize the Reapers so we're not tripping over each other, and make sure they can relocate."
"Yep," Rymar said. "And if Ayla helps us, I won't be upset at all."
"You know she won't. She'll want to be on the front lines with Zasen."
He laughed once. "I know. It's still worth trying, because nearly losing you was enough. I'd rather not do that again."
"But this means they're doing something," I pointed out. "The big question is what."
"And none of us know," he said, "so let's go with being careful, hm?"
"I can agree with that."