Chainfire: Chainfire Trilogy Part 1

Nicci held on to the side rail with one hand as the wagon lurched ahead, letting her other hand, with the message crumpled in her fist, rest in the lap of her red dress. She watched without seeing as they raced through the streets of Altur'Rang, past buildings and storefronts, other wagons, horses, and people on foot. Low sunlight flickered through rows of trees to the left as they raced north along the wide boulevard. At vegetable, cheese, bread, and butcher stands under awnings, some drab and some striped, a press of people were buying up all the food they could before the impending storm.

The road narrowed as it passed into ancient sections of the city, becoming clogged with wagons, horses, and people. Without slowing much at all, Ishaq swung his two big draft horses off the main road and took shortcuts through alleyways behind tightly packed rows of buildings where entire families lived in a single room. Laundry stretched on lines that crisscrossed small yards and in a number of places, strung between opposing second-story apartments, stretched across the alleyway over their heads. Nearly each tiny plot in the back of the crowded buildings was used for growing food or keeping chickens. Wings flapped and feathers flew as the birds panicked at the sight of the wagon thundering past their yard.

Ishaq deftly handled the team as it raced at a frightening speed, guiding them around obstacles of shacks, fences, walls, and random trees. He called out warnings as he charged across busy roads. Startled people drew back, letting him pass.

The wagon turned up a street Nicci remembered all too well, following beside a short wall that eventually curved it along the entrance road to the warehouse doors of Ishaq's transport company. The wagon bounced into the rutted yard outside the building and came to a crooked halt in the shade of huge oaks rising above the wall.

Nicci climbed down as she saw one of the double doors opening. Apparently having heard the noise Victor emerged from the building, glowering like he intended to murder the next person he could get his hands on.

"Have you seen the message?" He demanded.

"Yes, I have. Where's the horse I asked for?"

He pointed a thumb back over his shoulder toward the open door. "Well, what are we going to do now? The attack will probably come at dawn. We can't allow those soldiers to take you back with them to the army. We can't let them leave and report that we won't do as Kronos demands. What are we going to tell them?"

Nicci tilted her head toward the building. "Ishaq, would you go get the horse, please?"

He made a sour face. "You ought to marry Richard. You make a good pair. You are both crazy."

Startled, Nicci could only stare at the man.

She finally found her voice. "Ishaq, please, we don't have a lot of time. We don't want those fellows to go back empty-handed."

"Yes, Your Highness," he mocked, "allow me to get your royal mount for you."

"I've never seen Ishaq act like that," she said to Victor as she watched the man stalking toward the door, muttering curses under his breath.

"He thinks you're crazy. So do I." Victor planted his fists on his hips. "Has that ruse back at the stables with the spy gone bad? Or is this what you planned all along?"

In no mood to discuss it with the man, Nicci returned the glare in kind. "My plan," she said through gritted teeth, "is to get this over with as soon as possible and to keep the people of Altur'Rang from being slaughtered."

"What's that got to do with turning you over to Brother Kronos as a gift?"

"If we allow them to attack at dawn, they will have the advantage. We need them to attack today."

"Today!" Victor glanced west, toward the low sun. "But it will be dark soon."

"Exactly," she said as she leaned in the back of the wagon and retrieved a length of rope.

Victor stared off at the heart of the city as he thought about it. "Well, all things considered, I guess it would be better not to face them in the day, on their terms. If we could somehow get them to attack today, they would soon run out of daylight. That would work to our advantage."

"I will bring them to you," she said. "You just be ready."

The creases across Victor's forehead deepened. "I don't know how you're going to get them to attack today, but we'll be ready if they do."

Ishaq came out of the warehouse leading a white stallion covered with mottled black spots. The mane, tail, and legs below the hocks were black. The horse looked not only elegant, but had a tough demeanor about him, as if it would have boundless endurance. Still, it wasn't what she had been expecting.

"He doesn't look all that big," she said to Ishaq.

Ishaq gave the horse an affectionate rub on its white face. "You did not say big, you said that you wanted a steady horse that would not spook easily, one that had a fearless spirit."

Nicci took another look at the horse. "I just assumed that such a horse would be big."

"She's a crazy woman," Ishaq muttered to Victor.

"She's going to be a dead crazy woman," Victor said.