Battle For Tristaine Part 6

"Did you feel welcome when you came to the village?"

"After a time. Beginning a new life can be diffi cult." Hakan's boots were soundless on the uneven, rocky ground. "When I fi rst came to Tristaine, I tried to earn my place by riding one of the clan's renegade stallions. I ended up on my back in the dirt with this huge brute lunging over me."

Brenna tried to smile. "Please tell me this isn't one of Tristaine's initiation rites. What happened?"

"I froze." Hakan chuckled ruefully. "Couldn't have moved if Gaia herself commanded it! Then your Jesstin jumped in and distracted the beast, while Dyan dragged me out of the arena. It was the fi rst time I owed my life to them. Far from the last."

* 54 *

Brenna pressed her folded arms around a pleasant warmth in her chest. "Yeah, Jess can make quite an impression." She paused.

"Thanks, Hakan."

"For?"

"Your story. You saw me freeze on the ridge. You know I've been there."

"And now you know I have." Hakan shrugged her broad shoulders. "As Shann says, Brenna, if we had no personal demons to battle, we would not need sisters. Shann was raised in the City too, by the way. Amazons are Amazons, wherever they're bred."

"That's true, isn't it? I'd forgotten Shann was City-born."

"And glad she was to shake its dust from her feet," Shann said behind them. She turned and called over her shoulder. "Jesstin, Vicar? Bring our wounded songstress so she can see her village."

Brenna had been so engrossed in her conversation with Hakan, she had missed the sense of antic.i.p.ation rising in the Amazons as they approached the pa.s.s. Jess helped Kyla stand, then lifted her easily into her arms. The seven women moved through the lush undergrowth toward the low rise that dipped through the mountain range.

For a moment, Brenna feared another attack of vertigo, but the descending trail sloped in a gentle grade to the heavily wooded valley below. She came to a sudden stop, struck by the beauty of the moon rising over the shadowed pocket in the earth. Her gaze skated across the night sky, over constellations the Amazons held sacred, then down into the valley. In the midst of the trees, Brenna saw a gathering of fi refl ies-softly twinkling lights that might have been those stars fallen to earth.

The campfi res of Tristaine.

Jess had stared out barred windows many sleepless City nights. The smog-shrouded lights of the City milked the stars of much of their brilliance, but Jess drew comfort knowing they sparkled brightly over her Amazon village. She hadn't believed she would live to see these campfi res again.

Jess sighed and heard Kyla echo her softly from her place in Jess's arms.

* 55 *

Brenna felt the solid warmth of Jess's shoulder against her and leaned into it, sliding her arm around her waist. "Welcome home, Jesstin," she whispered.

Tears coursed down the angular planes of Jess's face. Brenna started to catch them, but she let them fall. Tears shed in grief need comforting, she thought, but not these. Brenna heard the words in her mind in Shann's voice and turned to see her smiling at them.

O.

"We'd best signal, Hakan."

They were nearing the outer periphery of Tristaine's patrol area. Jess was enforcing a deliberately sedate pace as their party neared the village, but it took all her will to sustain it. Home was tantalizingly close, and Jess hungered to feel Amazon ground beneath her feet again.

"They won't hear us for another half-league, Jesstin," Hakan said. "Theryn moved the outer watch closer to our gates."

"Did she now." Jess smiled sourly and felt Brenna press her hand. She met her inquiring look and shook her head slightly.

The music reached them long before Hakan fi nally paused to signal Tristaine's sentries with a complex series of whistled notes.

They gathered in a close group and waited, and soft woodwind melodies trickled to them faintly through the trees.

"Hey. Hey!" Kyla sat up on her pallet, grinning hugely. "Cam, listen! It's the festival. We didn't miss it!"

"Ah, very cool!" Camryn brightened. She admitted to a killing headache, but otherwise seemed none the worse for the ridge. "Ky, you can still sing the Challenge at midnight!"

"d.a.m.n straight."

Shann winked at Jess and slid an arm around Brenna's shoulders. "I'm glad for you, Blades. You'll get to see us at our best, before our migration begins. It's the Festival of Thesmophoria. We celebrate it each fall to give thanks for our orchard's harvest."

"Partying Amazons." Brenna grinned at Jess and endless possibilities.

* 56 *

"Stand down, sisters." Shann was looking past them.

Jess saw Brenna whirl and brace for an army of ax-wielding warriors sneaking up behind them.

There were just two, and they carried bows.

"Sweet Gaia, it's good to see you safe, lady!" A dark-haired woman with a scarred face reached them fi rst and went directly to Shann. She could have been twenty or fi fty, and there was genuine affection in her brown eyes as she embraced her queen.

"I've missed you, Myrine." Shann released her and nodded at the other Amazon. "h.e.l.lo, Patana."

"Lady," said the second sentry. She was young and heavily muscled and wore her hair clipped so short it was diffi cult to discern the color. She jutted a strong chin in Kyla's direction. "What's up with the young one?"

"Kyla's leg is injured, but she's healing well."

"Good." Patana's small eyes shifted and returned Brenna's gaze. "Who's this?"

Jess stepped up behind Brenna. "My adanin, Patana, and therefore yours. Her name is Brenna."

Brenna offered Patana a neutral smile, and Jess was aware of Patana's gaze on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s.

"Welcome, Brenna." Myrine clasped her hand, and then the dimple in her cheek deepened as she turned to Jess. "Demon's blood, Jesstin, who let you out? We send the City our ugliest Amazon, and they ship her back to us more dog-scarin' homely than ever."

"Still short, too," Vicar deadpanned from the rear of the group.

Jess felt her smile warm considerably as she drew Myrine into a backslapping embrace. "Thank you, Artemis," she intoned.

"I'm truly home. Back to the daily abuse that is my birthright."

The hands of Jess's old friend were gentle on her back. Myrine kissed her shoulder before shrugging her off. She shouldered her bow again, a recurve hewn from cedar, beautiful in its simplicity.

"Your homecoming will brighten a sad Festival, sisters,"

Myrine said. "You can expect a grand welcome."

* 57 *

"My-rine, are you gonna come here and fawn over me, or what?" Kyla whined, levering herself upright on Camryn's arm.

"Look. A pig bit me!"

Myrine's face lit again, and she jogged over to greet Kyla and Camryn.

"We'll see you in, Shann." Patana gestured toward a path into the trees.

"It's all right, Patana," Jess said. "We know the way. Wait here for the night watch to relieve you, and join us after-"

"Come on, Jesstin, the mountain's quiet." Patana slapped Jess's shoulder, and Shann winced. "The City's not going to ambush Tristaine in the hour before night watch gets here. Hey, I hear you've got some wicked wrestling holds! What say we try them out tonight when the matches begin?"

Jess turned back slowly and measured Patana's grinning face through a fi lter of memories that was less than kind. An intelligent woman and an able fi ghter, Patana had always struck her as a braggart and a bully. Dyan told her she'd been pressured to name Patana her second, an honor that had gone to Jess.

"A match sounds good," Jess replied. "Later. For now, Patana, stay here until you're relieved. This isn't the time to get lax on security."

It was quiet for a moment, except for the distant music from Tristaine.

"Guess you're the boss again, Jesstin." Still smiling, Patana rested her shoulder against a tree. "Theryn will be glad to have your support. Sure, 'Rine and I will hang here for a while. I'll look forward to those matches," she added.

"We'll save you some cider, Patana." Shann stepped smoothly between her two warriors and called back to Vicar and Hakan. "We ready back there?"

"Yes'm," Vicar called as they lifted Kyla's pallet.

Shann looked up sternly at Jess for a moment. Jess shrugged.

Shann sighed and raised herself on her toes to kiss her cheek. "Let's go home."

* 58 *

The trees were thinning now. The full moon hung low over the valley, fi lling it with a ghostly blue glow. They began to see light through the trees, the warm fl ickering gold of torches and small bonfi res, and the music grew louder.

Jess heard a murmuring beneath the melody, a subterranean rustle of many voices. An isolated bark of laughter rose, then the piping music drowned it out. It did seem a subdued Festival at best.

Shann touched Brenna's arm as she pa.s.sed her. Vicar and Hakan followed, carrying Kyla, who reached out and grabbed Brenna's hand.

"C'mon, City girl." Kyla's wan cheeks were fi lling with color.

"You're about to meet more hot women than you've ever seen in one place in your whole deprived life!"

Brenna laughed weakly and shook her fi ngers free before Kyla could pull her any farther.

Jess paused and had a private word with Camryn. Cam's eyes were stormy, but she nodded, then dipped Brenna a shy smile as she jogged after Kyla and her entourage.

Brenna studied Jess. "Everything okay?"

"Aye, it is. Just pa.s.sing on some of Dyan's advice." She opened her arms, and Brenna stepped into them. "It's a cold night, adanin. You're shaking."

"Just stage fright." Brenna scrubbed her cold cheek against Jess's chest. "Are you sure we can't just camp here for the night?"

"We can." Jess regarded her seriously. "I'll stay here with you, Bren. If this would be easier in the morning-"

"Jesstin." Brenna lifted her head. "For a butch warrior, you can be fl at-out kind sometimes, you know that?" She straightened in Jess's arms. "I'll be fi ne. Half of this is excitement, anyhow. I just hope the other half doesn't throw up on anyone."

"If it comes to that, aim for Vicar." Jess grinned, but then nestled Brenna's face in her rough palms. "I know you're scared, querida. I understand. And I wish I could promise you all will be well with Tristaine. Not just tonight, but forever. We can't know what these next days will bring. I'll promise you this, though."

"I'm listening."

* 59 *

Jess savored the fond light in Brenna's eyes. "You won't be alone, Bren. I'll be with you, whatever comes. And our adanin will watch over us both."

Their lips blended with a sweet, natural warmth, and they rested against each other for a moment to enjoy it.

Then Brenna stepped back. "All right, warrior. Take me to my in-laws."

Jess grinned, took Brenna's hand in her own, and led her home.

* 60 *

CHAPTER THREE.

The murmuring buzz ahead gradually increased, then abruptly surged as shouting broke out, which swelled into cries of welcome. Shann and the others had reached Tristaine's village square.

Brenna was dazzled by the bright torchlight that marked the entry to the Festival, and she blinked, hesitating at the top of a small hill. Hand in hand, she and Jess stared down at the milling throng of Amazons below.

The sheer ma.s.s of bodies threw Brenna at fi rst. Hundreds of women and a fair number of children, wearing an array of colorful wraps, were swarming around their sisters, and the noise was growing riotous. The baying of-wolves? dogs?-mixed with human voices, and the music was rising to refl ect the joyous new energy in the square.

"Hoo," Brenna said softly, and Jess squeezed her hand.

She saw Shann surrounded by dozens of Amazons all trying to greet her at once. Unhurried, she addressed each of them for a private moment before moving on, bestowing a touch or an embrace.

She knelt briefl y to inspect one child's sc.r.a.ped knee, and Brenna lost sight of her. Kyla and Camryn were in the center of another welcoming throng, and several women ran back and forth between the two.

O.

Jess may have had to sling Brenna over her shoulder and tote her down the hill, because how they got there remained a blur.

Brenna remembered being above the crowd and then in it, and after * 61 *