60: Interdiction (Patreon)

“Pack your things,” Tanya commanded, addressing Maiya, who stood in her bedroom. “We travel for Sonam, the capital city of the Kin’jal Empire.”

“What?” Maiya asked, incredulous. “Now!?”

“Yes, now. I have already seen to our supplies. Come now, quickly pack your things and let us be off.”

Maiya’s breath caught. She rapidly sorted through the various excuses she could give the woman. But nothing she came up with had any weight.

“I—I can’t,” she lamely said in the end.

“Young woman, this is not a request. You are coming with me.”

“I have to tell Vir something. I can’t leave before I do!” she blurted. It was a terrible excuse, and Tanya knew it.

“I will be happy to pass on your message. You can even seal the envelope if you like. I shall not peek,” the woman in black leather said with a knowing grin.

Maiya panicked. This was all sorts of wrong. She was supposed to escape with Vir tonight! She couldn’t go. Not now.

Then again, what options did she have? Even if she somehow escaped on her own, what about Vir? What would happen to him? Would Riyan punish him in her stead? She could easily see the man resorting to such measures.

“No,” she said at last. “This can wait until tomorrow.”

Tanya shook her head. “You have done well, Maiya,” she said, her hands on her hips. “Your control over prana has progressed far beyond any student I have ever seen.”

“Uh, thanks?” Maiya said. She still hadn’t gotten used to the woman’s sudden change in attitude. Ever since she’d shown signs of rapid progress, Tanya had treated her with respect, as if her prior mistreatment had never even happened.

“Yet as strong as you are, you are still barely at the level of a Lesser Mejai Sorcar. As you stand, you can charge a single B grade orb in one minute, and only in a controlled setting. With your affinities, you can go further. Much further.”

“What exactly are you trying to say?”

“In Sonam, you will meet my instructor. With his knowledge, you’ll be able to charge even A Grade spells. Imagine it. You could become a Mejai of Ash like me.”

Maiya paused. That did sound tempting. “Why the rush, though? Can’t we leave tomorrow?”

“Not everyone in this world has unlimited free time like yourself. The more important a person, the more obligations they have. My instructor is very important. His time is precious. When he says go, we go. Understand?”

Maiya fell into thought. Maybe she could pretend to go along, then steal an Ash’va and run for it when Tanya wasn’t looking? That was… doomed to fail. Vir had taken Bumpy to visit the cave for final preparations under the guise of training. He wasn’t due back for hours.

None of the other Ash’va listened to Maiya—only Bumpy.

What if I went with her? Whispered a small voice at the back of her head.

She hadn’t even considered it until Tanya mentioned the possibility of learning A rank spells. As a Mejai of Ash, Maiya would command respect the world over. She’d have no issues gaining employment anywhere. She could live with Vir no matter where they fled to—and they would live like kings.

“H-how long would we be gone?” she asked. If this instructor of Tanya’s was as busy as she claimed, Maiya doubted the trip would be a long one.

“My instructor will help you break through the barrier you’ve faced with your prana channeling. After that, it is upon you to progress. We will be in Sonam for a few days at most.”

This can work, she thought. If she went with Tanya, she could learn what she needed to, then return and escape with Vir right after. This sudden development disturbed her, but she could spin this to their advantage. Perhaps it was a blessing in disguise.

“Then let me just pack my things,” Maiya said, leaving Tanya’s room.

“Be ready in fifteen minutes. We must ride at once.”

After packing her gear, she grabbed some charcoal and parchment and scribbled a quick note to Vir. Simple and to the point. This way, even if Maiya ended up stuck in Sonam, Vir would have a trail to follow.

Satisfied, she stuck the parchment under their mattress, along with a little something she’d been making for her friend.

“Be a good boy, alright Neel?” she said, hugging the bandy.

Arooo!

After taking one last glance around the room, she headed out, locking the bedroom door behind her.

— —

Riyan watched Tanya ride off into the desert with Maiya, then made his way to the bedroom Vir and Maiya shared, bypassing the lock. Neel looked up at him curiously, his tongue wagging.

The man petted the animal, then with slow, sure steps, walked to Maiya’s bed and felt under the mattress. His fingers found a piece of parchment and a beaded bracelet.

For many months, he’d known about Vir and Maiya’s secret hiding spot under the bed. He also knew they had created a stash somewhere deep within the cave network to the south.

Though he didn’t know their cave cache’s exact location, it was impossible to miss all the items that had suspiciously disappeared. They had been clever about it, taking only insignificant quantities of supplies and small denominations of coin, spread out over weeks and months. No doubt they thought themselves clever.

“The overconfidence of youth,” he whispered, turning the piece of parchment over, reading over Maiya’s note to Vir.

‘Gone to Kin’jal capital Sonam. Back in a week. If I don’t return, find me at the largest tavern in the city at dusk. Also, here’s a little something I made for you! Couldn’t wait to give it to you. As thanks… for helping me out… with everything.’

“Well, we can’t have that now, can we?” he said, taking a piece of charcoal from the fireplace embedded into the wall. He smeared Maiya’s writing before pocketing the parchment. He left the other item she’d stashed untouched.

“Forgive me, Maiya. But this old man needs your friend. He may very well be my last ray of hope.”

— —

Vir returned to the abode at dusk, exhausted after a long day of inventorying and packing supplies. The provisions were all ready to go. All that remained was to make their escape.

For hours now, he’d been unable to calm his heart in anticipation of their grand departure. Where would they end up? What would life be like with just the two of them?

But the moment he ushered Bumpy into the stable, he knew something was wrong. Tanya’s Ash’va was missing. That wasn’t of immediate concern to him—she would sometimes leave to train with Maiya—but never at night.

With a sinking feeling, he entered the home to find it empty. He tore through the halls to his bedroom, but found no trace of Maiya. Neither was she in the training dome, nor the grotto, nor the kitchen or any of the living rooms. No matter how much he called her name, there was no response.

Growing desperate, Vir searched under her mattress, finding only a pretty beaded bracelet. Throwing aside the bracelet, he ran out, up to the leafless tree on top of the abode.

Empty.

Vir returned slowly, his steps heavy. In his mind, a hundred possibilities bloomed. Had Riyan caught onto their plan? Had Maiya gone off somewhere with Tanya? Without even leaving a note? It made no sense; she’d never do that!

Upon entering the home, he found Riyan with his arms crossed, waiting for him.

“Where’s Maiya?” Vir asked.

“She left on a training trip with Tanya earlier today. They will be gone for some weeks.”

“Where?” Vir asked, a knot forming in the pit of his stomach.

“You need not concern yourself with her anymore.”

“What do you mean—”

“Come with me,” Riyan interrupted. His voice showed that he wasn’t asking.

Vir bit his tongue, silently following the big man into his bedroom. This was his first time he’d ever stepped inside, and to his surprise, it was about the same size as their own. His eyes found only a bed, a nightstand, and a single piece of decoration—a small framed painting atop the nightstand depicting three people. A man, his wife, and their daughter.

Riyan’s family, Vir guessed.

“Sit,” the man said before Vir could inspect the painting any closer. They each took seats on chairs at the end of the room beside a large circular window that looked out onto the dunes.

“You fought well against Maiya. She has grown strong in the ways of magic, but you? You triumphed over a formidable opponent. Mejai are difficult to kill, yet you have honed your skills to a level where such feats are now possible.”

Riyan leaned forward in his chair. “Do you know why I have brought you here?” he asked, steepling his fingers.

“You want to call in your favor, don’t you?”

He nodded slowly, gazing at Vir while he stroked his beard. “The warrior you are today is due to me, and me alone. The time has come to repay your debt.”

Vir didn’t like this. Not one bit. “What would you ask of me?”

“I want you to kill the Hiranyan Third Princess. I want you to end the blight that is Mina Hiranya.”

NOTE: And so we come to the end of arc 2! This was a shorter chapter, but tomorrow's chap is longer. I do my best to keep them all+/- 500 words, but it's sometimes tough.

Thoughts? Questions? Drop a comment!