Page 50 of The Omega Thief

Attikernoddedtothestable master, and he let go of the reins. He wasn’t great on a horse. Ash, of course, being in the army, was so much better.

They left quietly. Not that Attiker wanted any fuss. He didn’t. They cleared the point of no return according to the rules when they left the gate, and either Attiker would be coming back with an intact red rock prism, or he wondered if there was any point coming back at all. No, that wasn’t fair. He couldn’t do that to Raz.

The horses told them both that someone was there before Gerry stepped out from the trees. Attiker dismounted immediately, and Ash took his reins. Gerry passed him an innocuous-looking leather bag, a little battered, but quite heavy, and with what looked like a mended broken strap.

“Don’t open it,” Gerry cautioned. “It’s lined wi’ xeral to keep it warm. Do it one time to put the prism in, then get yer arse back here fast like.”

Attiker clasped Gerry’s weathered hands in thanks, then slung the satchel over his head and shoulder and secured it in front of him. Taking the reins back from Ash, he mounted, and they were back on their way to the pass.

They made good time for almost three hours until night fell. Ash said because he didn’t know the horses, they should camp.

“Camp?” Attiker said, completely thunderstruck. “Camp?”

Ash nodded. “I don’t know these horses. My Lady retired years ago, and I haven’t sat astride one since. They could be surefooted in the dark or walk over a cliff, and the ones heading to the pass aren’t the cliffs to experiment with unfamiliar horses on.”

“Seven hells,” Attiker muttered, and Ash had the grace to look apologetic.

“But if your theory holds up, it won’t matter if his nibs is scaling the sides of the mountain right this minute.”

“If, If,” Attiker said desperately, despite dismounting.

“We actually won’t have to stop for long,” Ash commented. “The fires will light the night sky in another four hours.” Which was true. The area surrounding the Fire Mountains wasn’t completely dark for long. “And we should make the area by tomorrow, depending if we’re avoiding the market or not.”

Which was true. If they went through the pass right to the end and the market, it would cut a good four hours off the journey. If they took the steep tracks to the mountain, they would have to walk as the horses couldn’t do it because, at some point, actual climbing would be required.

“If we leave the horses unattended close to the market, they won’t be here when we get back,” Ash said.

“You’re a regular barrel of laughs,” Attiker replied, but he knew. He’d already worked out what he was going to do. They camped, ate dry rations, and drank cold water because he wasn’t going to set a fire. Ash told Attiker to get some sleep. Attiker met his friend’s gaze. He knew Ash had already worked out Attiker was going on alone while Ash stayed with the horses, so he didn’t protest.

Ash shook Attiker awake just as the sky turned red. They ate again and quickly mounted. It would take another three hours to get to the start of the pass.

“When you’re wed, will you miss this?” Ash suddenly asked.

Attiker wiggled his hand like, maybe. “Raz wants me to speak for the people,” he admitted, feeling a little foolish.

Ash’s face brightened. “Like an ambassador because you know what shite is a waste of time and what will work.”

Attiker shot his friend a look because he’d expected Ash to laugh and make a joke.

“How would I know in seven hells what I was doing, though? And who am I to decide what’s best for other folk?”

Ash pursed his lips thoughtfully. “What sort of things would you be allowed to do?”

“Well, advise, I guess.” Attiker told Ash what Raz had said about giving people a holiday. That it might hurt their business too much. That it wouldn’t help. Then he told him what Eryken had said.

Ash whistled long and low. “So you could make sure the mess that happened in Abergenny doesn’t happen here.”

“Not if I don’t win this challenge,” Attiker pointed out.

Ash grinned. “Better make sure you do, then.”

They carried on, each glancing upwards as the track widened and the mountains rose on either side. They eventually came to where Attiker knew the vegetation would stop, and the sheer cliffs of the mountain grew even higher. He reined in his horse, patted his neck, and dismounted. Then, he took off the medallion the Emir had given him and handed it to Ash for safekeeping.

“Your plan?” Ash asked abruptly, dismounting as well.

“There’s a marked track that heads out behind that last outcrop over there.”

“Which everyone knows about,” Ash said. “Tell me something I don’t know.”

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