I don't have a lot to say about this chapter except it should be funny because they all hate Shane! Enjoy!
Training. Abeke sat on the edge of a feathered bed. Her room had a carved desk, an elaborate sofa, cushioned chairs, and a mirror framed in what she thought might be real gold.
"That sounds SUPER nice." Rollan said "Olvan, can you give me a room like that?" "No," Olvan said. "But I'm one of the four fallen." "Three reasons" he said holding up three fingers "One we don't spend our money on stuff like that, two if I gave you a room like that I would have to give the other fallen one also, three we don't have time or effort to remodel your rooms" Rollan groaned. "If you really wanted the room that bad you should have joined the Conquers when you had the chance" Meilin said.
All for her personal use. Everyone she encountered treated her respectfully and a servant delivered tasty meals. Her leopard had turned into royalty.
Abeke started petting Uraza, she purred.
The room gently rocked from side to side. To think such luxury was available on a ship! Abeke would not have believed it had she not seen it. She had appreciated the courteous treatment, but did not feel comfortable in the fancy room.
"How?" Rollan said "It is a fancy room, for which Olvan refuses to give us a room like that, but it's fancy! How are you not comfortable?" "Hey Rollan" Abeke said "Keep reading and you'll find out"
There were no familiar faces or familiar ways. Zerif had not joined them on the voyage. At the dock, he had explained that urgent matters had called him elsewhere,
"Hmm" Rollan said "Like to me?"
And entrusted here in the care of a stranger, A boy named Shane.
"Shane" Rollan said disgustingly "Why?
Everyone groaned in agreement remembering that he had betrayed them by stealing the talismans and giving them to Kovo and Gerathon.
After everything she had lost, the extra separation had stung. Less than a week earlier, Zerif had convinced her father that Abeke needed to leave Okaihee, not just for her personal safety, but for the good of the village. Pojalo had promptly agreed.
"He just needed a reason to get rid of you?" Conor said "He doesn't love you?" "He does" Abeke responded "He just doesn't like me at times."
Part of Abeke wished her father had struggled more with the decision. She could not help wondering whether he would have relinquished Soama so swiftly. With the approval of her father, Zerif had smuggled Abeke and Uraza away that same night.
"I wonder why Uraza was fine with Zerif and Essix wasn't." Rollan said
Aeke regretted never talking to Chinwe before leaving. Chinwe had thought that Abeke would be the village's new Rain Dancer.
Rollan smirked and got up and started dancing and singing "Rain, rain, rain. I'm dancing for rain."
Meilin grabbed him and made him sit down. "That's not what a Rain Dancer does!"
They certainly needed one. In the rush to heed Zerif's advice, she had ignored the needs of her community. What if her absence meant the drought would continue? What if she had shirked her destiny? What if she had missed her chance to finally fit in? Despite the comforts aboard the ship, Abeke missed her father and sister. Back home, they had all shared one room. They had routines, meals together, and Abeke was used to falling asleep to the sound of her father's snoring.
"Ugh" Meilin said "I cannot stand snoring"
Each night on the ship, Abeke struggled to find sleep. Nothing felt familiar. At first there had been too many new experiences to get homesick- and an exciting coach ride, a busy city, a sea of endless water too salty to drink, and then a ship big enough to hold most of the people in her village. It was only after they set sail that Abeke started to feel restless. She had time to think. She had time to miss prowling the savannah. She had time to wish for familiar faces.
"Why did you put all of that in three different sentences?" Rollan asked "You could have put commas." "The sentence would be way too long then" Abeke said "I did not write the book, Brandon Mull did."
At least she had Uraza. Abeke rubbed the leopard's neck.
Abeke also rubbed Uraza's neck
And the big cat purred, the vibrations tickling her palm. Uraza was not particularly affectionate, but she never rejected Abeke's stroking. A knock came at her door. It had to be Shane. He was the other pleasant part of the voyage.
"Pleasant?" Rollan said "Really?"
He had been helping her improve her connection with Uraza. "Come in," Abeke said. Shane opened the door. At twelve, he was only one year older than she was. He was pale, handsome,
"Suurree." Conor said
With a sturdy build and a relaxed competence that she admired.
"I don't admire him anymore" Abeke said
Like her, he had a spirit animal- a wolverine.
"Or a crocodile" Conor said "You never know"
"Ready to go to the hold?" "I thought you'd never come, Abeke said. "I'm not used to being penned up." He stood in the doorway, considering her. "It's hard to leave all you know behind. I had to leave my parents too. My uncle trained me, and he's not around either."
"He's not around," Conor said "Because he's posing as the Devourer."
"My mother passed away four years ago." Abeke confided
Abeke started to get teary
"She was the one who understood me. My father and sister…it was different with them. But I do miss them. I know they care for me, as I care for them." Shane's expression softened. "People here care for you as well, Abeke."
"Only because you have Uraza" Rollan said
"We see great potential in you. Those of us with heavy burdens find family where we can. You have your spirit animal. You'll learn to find a lot of solace there. Come."
"Don't go!" Conor said "Do not listen to anything he tells you."
Uraza followed them out the door. As they passed sailors and soldiers, all eyes furtively strayed to the leopard. Uraza walked with the sinuous grace of a natural predator, and nobody wanted to get too close. Even the bravest gave her plenty of space, while others changed their routes to avoid her entirely.
"Yes," Rollan said "Fear Uraza! Fear her!
After only four days at sea, Abeke had learned to ignore the attention. Shane had prepared the hold for use as a training area. Crates, bales, and barrels had been shoved aside to form a long open space. Nobody disturbed them there. "Have you spent time talking to Uraza?" Shane asked. "Showing fondness for her?" "Yes," Abeke said "Any spirit animal has unusual intelligence," he reminded her. "Yours will have much more than most. She can't talk, but that doesn't mean she won't understand." "The Great Beasts could speak," Abeke said, passing through a door into the cargo hold. "At least they do in the stories." "When she was a Great Beast, Uraza was larger than a horse," Shane reminded her. "Does that mean my Uraza is a cub?"
"Nope, not a cub" Lenori said
Abeke asked. The powerful leopard sure didn't look like a baby. "Spirit animals always arrive as adults," Shane said "Whether Uraza will grow into everything she once was is hard to guess. We'll have to wait and see." Abeke turned to face Uraza. The leopard gazed at her, violet eyes bright. "Can you sense her mood?" Shane asked. "I don't know," Abeke said, staring hard. "Interested, maybe?" "That seems likely," Shane said. "The more you practice, the better you'll perceive her emotions. That's the first step to borrowing her energy in times of need." "What about passive state?" Abeke had always been impressed by Chinwe's ability to change her wildebeest into a tattoo on her leg. "That is more up to Uraza than to you," Shane said. "You must gain her trust. She enters her passive state voluntarily, but she can't emerge until you release her." "You keep your wolverine dormant?"
"He doesn't have a wolverine!" Conor yelled "HE! IS! THE! DEVOURER!" "Conor chill." Lenori said.
"Once, at her pleading, he bashfully showed her the hint of a mark high on his chest.
"A hint of the tattoo" Rollan said "Not the whole tattoo"
"Most of the time. Renneg is great in a fight, but doesn't play well with others. When Uraza consents, you'll get to pick where the mark will go."Many choose their arms or the back of the hand. It's convenient." Abeke had only seen the wolverine once, when they were boarding the ship.
"Was there any chance that Gar was on the ship?" Rollan asked "No, he wasn't" Abeke answered
It was compact, but looked vicious. Shene held up a short wooden stick. "We did enough archery yesterday. You're good,
"You're good?" Conor said "More like great or awesome. Good doesn't even cover it."
"But I didn't sense Uraza making you any better. I thought today we should try something more strenuous. We'll pretend this is a knife. All you have to do is stab me."
"Stab him eh?" Rollan said "Please tell me you stabbed him." "No, I failed." Abeke said
He handed Abeke the stick. Abeke went and knelt before Uraza. The leopard lounged on the floor, body curled, head up, long tail swishing languidly. Abeke took in the spotted perfection of her pelt, the black around vibrant eyes, and the muscular power of her sleek body. How could such a strong, wild creature be her companion? Uraza gazed at her, unblinking. Aeke gently touched one of her paws. "We're a team now. Like it or not, we're both far from home, but at least we have each other. I can tell you don't love this ship. Neither do I. But it's just taking us someplace where we can be outside again. I really do like you-you're quiet, you're not pushy, and we come from the same place. I want to learn to work together." Uraza purred and Abeke fluttered inside. Was it her imagination, or had they begun to connect? It was difficult to be sure. Abeke turned to face Shane. "Whenever you're ready" he invited. Abeke shuffled forward, the stick held in front of her.
"Kill him" Meilin said "He deserves it"
Back home, she used a spear at times, and had practiced a lot with a bow. She knew little about fighting with a knife. This didn't seem like an effective way to confront a larger, more experienced opponent. She would never approach somebody like Shane openly. Her only chance would be to strike from behind, attack out of hiding. With surprise on her side, she'd have much better odds of succeeding. But this was just practice. She needed to fight according to Shane's guidelines. Maybe there was something predatory in Uraza that would amplify her efforts. As Abeke closed in, she tried a quick stab. Shane pivoted away, slapping her wrist. Three more stabs led to three more slaps. She felt no assistance from Uraza. "This is pointless," Abeke groaned, relaxing her stance . "You just need-" She lunged and stabbed hard, hoping to catch him guard. She dodged her attack and seized her wrist.
"Dang it." Rollan said "Almost got him"
For a moment they struggled. Abeke silently asked Uraza for help. Shane pried the stick from her fingers and touched it to her belly. "Good try" he said "You almost caught me napping." "I would never attack you like this in real life" she said "I would sneak up on you." Shane nodded. "That would be smarter. And more suited to how a leopard would hunt. Tell you what-I'll go to the far side of the hold with my back to you. I won't turn unless I hear something suspicious. Deal?" Abeke nodded. This new game would play more to her proven abilities. Shane returned the stick to her and trotted over to the far side of the room. Staying low, her pretend knife ready, Abeke crept forward. "Are you moving yet?" Shane asked, facing away from her. "If so, you're good at it. If not hurry up- we don't have all day.
"Impatient" Rollan mumbled.
Abeke fought against a smile. She knew that she was a skilled stalker, and it was nice to hear Shane recognize it. Glancing over her shoulder, she found the leopard watching attentively, her posture more alert than earlier. The door near Shane burst open and a figure raced toward him. Robed in black, face covered, the attacker held a curved sword ready. Shane ducked a swipe
"He had to duck." Rollan groaned "Almost got killed though."
Of the sword and grappled with the intruder. "Run, Abeke!" Shane shouted.
"I totally should have ran" Abeke said
"It's an assassin."
"How does he know it's an assassin?" Rollan said "And how did he get past the other Conquerors without them noticing? This is definitely a trick. You were set up."
Abeke nodded
"Fetch the captain!" The assassin was bigger than Shane. They wrestled for control of the sword. Abeke found herself in a low crouch, both unfamiliar and instinctive. A foreign energy blazed into her muscles- every fiber seemed taut and ready to release. Her senses had never felt so keen. She heard the subtle creak of the timbers as the ship rocked gently to the right. She could smell the attacker, a full grown man, and could distinguish easily between him and Shane. Her vision was enhanced as well sharpened. No part of her intended to heed Shane's instruction to run. Her heart swelled with courage
"Do not rescue the Devourer!" Conor shouted "DO NOT! It's a trick!" "Yeah," Abeke said "Too late"
And she sprang. Although several paces from Shane, Abeke closed the distance with a single leap. Hurtling through the air, she lashed out with one leg and kicked the attacker in the arm. He spun to one knee and his sword flew free, clattering across the plank floor. The man rose to his feet with a vicious uppercut that Abeke evaded almost without a thought. He backed off a step or two, one hand up, ready for combat. The other flopping useless at his side. Abeke leaped forward and kicked him in the ribs, her foot crashing through his attempt to block it. The blow landed with enough force to send the assassin flying into the wall. He slumped facedown.
"And Shane didn't do anything to help" Conor growled
Her instincts screamed to finish the job, but before Abeke could close in, she felt a firm hand on her shoulder. "No Abeke! No more! It was pretend! He was acting." She slipped out of her heightened state and glared at Shane. "Pretend?" Uraza gave an angry growl, the first Abeke had heard from the leopard. "I wanted to see how you would perform under pressure." Shane explained.
"Yeah," Conor said "By lying, Sure"
"It worked, Abeke. That was incredible! Many of the Marked train their entire lives without ever attacking like that." Trembling with unreleased energy, Abeke struggled to cam herself.
"Nice one," Rollan said "you made her angry, Doofus"
The praise did not escape her notice, but it was hard to embrace it when she felt so stunned. "You got a true response through trickery," she said "What you did to us was betrayal."
"Don't worry," Conor said "we'll see more of those from you later!"
"I-I'm sorry"
"YOU SHOULD BE!" Conor, Rollan, and Meilin yelled startling each other
Shane's smile fell. His earlier excitement gave way to embarrassment. "Really. I was trying to help. It was a training technique. I didn't know you'd see it this way." "Never again," Abeke said, struggling to calm herself, "or the next time you're in trouble, we will let the attackers have you." "Agreed." Shane ran a hand through his hair. "You're right, it was unfair to you and to Uraza. It won't ha[[en again." Abeke flet some tension leave her. She nodded toward the fallen assailant. "Is he alright?" Shane crouched beside him and felt his neck. "He's unconscious. "He'll live." he shook his head "Honestly, I couldn't imagine you would have been able to take out a trained, full-grown opponent. Let me take care of this. You know the way back to your cabin." Abeke turned and found Uraza facing her, having approached silently. Now there was no doubt about the wordless understanding. Abekd held out her arm. With a searing pain and a brief flash. Uraza leaped to become a blaze of black just below her elbow.
"I'd say, I was the first to get passive form" Abeke said "Without cheating" she looked at Meilin
"Ok, well I didn't know" Meilin said
"Lenori is the only one who hasn't read," Rollan said, passing the book to her.
"Chapter six" Lenori read