The Vulture King Read online

  A forest…fear…a child screaming. He and his mother running as talons ripped into the canopy above their heads.

  He shook his head. There was no time for these thoughts. A girl’s life was at stake and nobody else to help her. He’d have the chance later to revisit his grief.

  Aram wasn’t sure why he was acting to help this girl. In the past five years, he’d seen other Veldera captured and knew that if you were caught, you died. He’d never felt the need to risk his own neck to help anyone before. Part of him believed it was probably what they deserved. But this girl reminded him of himself, so young and completely alone. And those shaking hands that never stopped stroking her dove pulled at his heart.

  They were right next to the guards now, the wings thunderous in the air. Several people cried out as the cechua materialised in the skies, circling high above the crowd. They were vulture-like in appearance only much larger. With wingspans of over twenty feet, most believed they were only kept aloft by the vulture king’s evil magicks. Aram’s face and neck burned with rage. For the briefest moment he considered throwing all the power he had at the birds. The satisfaction of watching them crisp right out of the sky would be worth his subsequent capture and enslavement. But killing them wouldn’t bring his mother back and it wouldn’t help the child trapped in the cage. So, he tamped his anger down, though it still smouldered like a peat fire.

  One day he would confront the vulture king and when he did, the creature would pay a thousand times over. This he had sworn to himself, that night in the forest when he lost everything. But for now, he would do his best to keep one small Veldera out of the clutches of the cechua.

  As the first of the giant birds swooped down to the byre, Aram pushed his mind out towards the three guards. He had never tried to influence so many minds at once. In fact, he avoided doing it except in absolute desperation, scared that it would reveal him to his enemies. But now anger burned in him, so clean and focused that it gave him the courage to try. He could sense fear but also anticipation in the men. One of them had a cruel nature, another fed the mice that lived in his barn; but they were all equally Aram’s enemies. He fogged their minds so that although they still stood on their feet, they lost awareness of what was happening around them. Another moment of concentration and the lock on the cage snapped open. The girl inside lifted her head at the sound and their eyes met. Hers were an unearthly winter blue, unlike any he’d ever seen; the colour which shone at the heart of an icicle, lit by rare sunlight.

  The cechua landed next to the body and began ripping it to shreds with talons and beaks. In the Carrionlands, all of the dead belonged to the minions of the vulture king, gory tribute paid in blood and sorrow to his pets. Every eye in the crowd was fixed on the grotesque feast. Nobody saw Aram gesture to the girl or noticed her cautiously push open the door of her cage. The guards stood rigid as she slipped through their ranks and took Aram’s outstretched hand. Bayre turned and led them back through the crowd, accompanied by the harsh music of ripping flesh and crunching bones. Aram hoped the sound wasn’t reminding the girl how close she had come to being torn apart on that byre.

  They made it through the doors and onto the deserted streets, where Aram finally lost his grip on the guard’s minds. Almost immediately the first cry of alarm rang out behind them. Bayre picked the girl up in his arms and with Aram on his heels, began to run through the kraal. For an old man, Bayre was unexpectedly fast and Aram had to push hard to keep up with him. His lungs and legs burned with effort as they raced away from the men hunting them. He had no idea where they might be headed until he saw Kenna’s waystop ahead of them. Relief flooded through him as they sprinted towards the stable doors. The three of them stumbled inside and Aram barred the door, just as the sounds of a riot broke out behind them.

  CHAPTER TWO

  Bayre strode to a horse stall and shouldered past the animal, then put the girl down in a shadowed corner. He jerked his head at Aram to indicate he should join the child. As Aram huddled down next to the girl, her frail body shook against him. Without thinking about it, he put an arm around her and drew her close. Bayre had grabbed an armful of horse blankets. “Cover yourselves with these as best you can and stay quiet. Kenna and I will do our best to head off the searchers.”

  With that, he marched out of the stable, locking the door behind him. In the sudden quiet, the girl’s dove fluttered to sit on Aram’s knee. It cocked its head, regarding him with beady eyes before the girl’s voice spoke from its throat. “How did you do that? To the guards, I mean. I could have opened the cage myself, but I would have never made it past the men.”

  A huge lump settled in Aram’s throat. She was like his mother, born voiceless thanks to her magic. This was the first Veldera he had met in five years and he found to his embarrassment, he had tears in his eyes. She raised a hand and brushed a droplet off his cheek, fingers soft as well cured hide. The magpie croaked and he opened his jacket so that the bird could hop out onto his other knee. He had a clear view now of the girl’s face and the ice of her eyes struck him once again. The rich brown of her skin set off their blue in startling contrast. Now that he saw her up close, he thought she was older than her tiny frame suggested. She was near to him in age, he would guess, although so thin she was almost skeletal. She moved her hand from his face to his bird and stroked its black head with the tip of one finger. The magpie responded with an encouraging head bob and Aram broke into a grin.

  Realising that he hadn’t answered her question, he cleared his throat and said, “I don’t know what I did to the guards. It’s just something I can do. My name’s Aram, by the way. And the handsome thief sitting on your knee is Ryu.”

  The girl regarded him steadily. “I’m Bina and I thank you for releasing me. You took a big risk for someone you didn’t know. There aren’t many who would do the same. I am grateful.”

  She sounded so formal that he smiled at her. “Well it’s my…pleasure, I suppose?” A frown creased his brow. “Children don’t belong in cages. One day I will find the vulture king and I will make him pay…for everything.”

  Bina said nothing, but she stopped stroking the magpie and took his hand instead. Her slim fingers squeezed his as the bird croaked in protest. Aram ran his thumb over her fingertips, feeling nails bitten down to the quick. Just like his. This small thing they had in common made his heart ache with a feeling he couldn’t quite put a name too. But it was warm, big and like nothing he had felt in a long time. Nobody will ever hurt her again, he swore to himself. Not while I have will and breath left in my body.

  Ryu, deprived of head scratches, flew back to Aram’s shoulder and nibbled his ear. Bina laid her head down on his shoulder. They didn’t talk any more but simply sat in the fragrant darkness, holding hands and hoping for redemption.

  Before long, there were voices outside the stable, loud and threatening. A man was ordering that the stable door be unlocked for a search. They could hear the gentle rumble of Bayre’s voice as he tried to convince the guards that there was nobody hiding in there, but the other man was insistent. Aram pulled Bina down flat on the floor and jerked a blanket over them both. “Lie still and keep quiet,” he whispered. Both of them held their birds with loose fingers against their chests. Aram held Bina’s eyes in the musty darkness and wondered why Bayre and Kenna were taking such a risk for them. To be caught sheltering Veldera was a death sentence. Anyone else would have just handed the children over and saved their own skins.

  The door was unlocked, and heavy footsteps marched into the building. Aram calmed his mind and projected the thought--there is nothing to see here. No fugitives hiding in this stable...nothing to see…nobody here.

  As the feet came closer, he repeated this over and over, a protective mantra. Now that he was no longer angry, only scared, his focus seemed slippery and hard to control. Fervently he repeated, nothing to see…nobody here. The guards stopped just before the stall. There was a lengthy pause, then one of them said, “Well, there’s nobody here. Let
’s move on to the next building.”

  The footsteps retreated but the children lay frozen in place. Only when Bayre came into the stall and lifted the blanket, did Aram’s taut muscles relax.

  “They’re gone, but if they don’t find you, they’ll re-sweep the kraal. We can’t hope they’ll overlook you every time, so it’s time for you to go.”

  Aram’s gut clenched and he felt he was going to be sick. The frail bubble of hope in his chest burst, leaving him hollowed out. He should have never let his guard down and trusted this man. At the first sign of trouble Bayre was throwing them out as if they carried the summer fever. He looked down at his lap, eyes burning, and Bina’s hand crept back into his. Where would they go? Where could he take her to keep her safe?

  He realised Bayre was still talking and tried to focus on the words.

  “……it’ll be best if we wait for nightfall, less chance of us being spotted from the skies. Kenna is already preparing our packs and you’ll both need to eat before we leave.”

  Aram looked up at Bayre, eyes wide. Why was he talking about ‘we’ and ‘us’? Bina understood before he did and standing up, she flung her arms around the old man. He stroked her back and mumbled, “There, there lass. It’s all going to come out right in the end. Aram and I won’t let no harm come to you.”

  Bayre winked at Aram over the girl’s shoulder and suddenly there was a lump in his throat again, one that threatened to choke him. He scrambled to his feet as Bayre lifted Bina gently and walked towards the stable door. He followed behind them, dazed by the man’s kindness and bravery. To aid Veldera was death in the Carrionlands. Bayre was risking his life for the two of them and Aram just couldn’t understand why.

  As they walked into the waystop through the back door, they found Kenna bustling around, packing food and blankets into leather bags. The front door was locked, and the shutters drawn, so no unfriendly eyes could see in. Bayre placed Bina down in front of the fire and went through to the kitchen. Aram sat down on the other side of the table, giving his bird a clear view of the girl. She stared back at him with equal interest.

  Her dove cocked its head and spoke. “Your eyes are so black you can’t tell the pupil from the iris. I’ve never seen eyes like yours before.”

  “You’re very…well, straightforward, aren’t you?”

  She smiled and her face was transformed by two big dimples. “I don’t see the point in being anything else.”

  There didn’t seem much he could add to that, so he asked, “How did you end up in that cage?”

  “Now that is a long story, but the most recent part was totally Love’s fault.”

  Bina raised her hand and tapped her dove on the head. Aram raised his eyebrows questioningly. “Your dove is called Love?”

  Bina giggled and again the dimples flashed. Aram thought she was unnaturally cheerful for someone who had recently escaped becoming a tasty morsel for the cechua.

  “Yes, it seemed a good idea to a small child. She was my Lovey Dovey. Now she’s just Love. I keep her hidden in my hair usually. It’s so thick and matted it makes a good screen.”

  This was true; her dark hair had not been washed in a long time and was a mass of tangled curls. Bina glanced at Aram’s chest.

  “That jacket with mesh is a clever hiding place. If I’d thought of something like that, I wouldn’t have been caught.”

  “But what happened? How did they spot your bird, um Love?”

  “She did a dropping down my back right as I stood in line to fetch water.”

  Bina burst out laughing. “Oh, if you could only see your face, yes, I was caught out by a bird poo. The woman behind me called the guards over straight away and that was that.”

  She was still grinning. Aram gave a half smile and shook his head.

  “Are you always this happy? I would’ve thought with everything you’ve been through…”

  Bina cut him off, her expression fierce. “What? Should I allow them to steal all joy from me? I’m already hunted and feared. I go through the world alone, with only myself to rely on. But I’m not going to allow them to change me. I will stay Bina, who laughs and sings and has hope. Otherwise there is nothing left worth living for.”

  Aram was awed by the indomitable spirit of this tiny person. He jumped as Bayre placed two steaming plates in front of them.

  “Vegetable curry and I want the two of you to clear those plates.”

  He cast a stern look at Bina. “Particularly you, little miss. Your legs don’t look like they’ll be able to hold you up much longer.”

  Bina didn’t hesitate but tore into her food like a starving varanid. Aram had heard tales of the giant lizards of the barrens and he couldn’t imagine their hunger being any fiercer than hers. Love hopped over and began to peck at the mound of food. The two of them cleared the plate in seconds and Bayre scooped it straight up to fetch more. Aram ate his helping more slowly, relishing every mouthful. Kenna was an excellent cook and he was going to miss the motherly woman. He thought regretfully that it might be a long time before he had another hot meal, so he did his best to savour it.

  Once Bina and Love had wolfed down three platefuls, Kenna took the girl upstairs to find some more suitable travelling clothes. The dress she was wearing was ragged and her feet were bare. Bayre stood checking the packs and Aram walked over to stand next to him.

  “Where are we going to go? There’s no safe place for people like Bina and I.”

  “Well, you couldn’t be more wrong. There is a place for Veldera, one we have managed to keep hidden from the vulture king. Luck was dancing on your shoulder the day you showed up outside my pig pen. I’m going to take you and Bina there and you’ll finally have a people. But don’t ask me anything more about it. You can’t reveal what you don’t know.”

  Bayre winked at him, Aram realised his mouth was hanging open. He snapped it shut and helped tie the packs up tightly. When everything was ready, they sat in front of the fire again, a comfortable silence hanging between them. Aram couldn’t tell whether he was excited or nervous about the upcoming journey. On one hand he was sad to leave Kenna and the waystop behind. But what if Bayre truly could take them to find other Veldera? The concept was completely bizarre, but it also filled his heart with hope, which was something he hadn’t felt in the longest time.

  Hours later he jerked awake as Kenna and Bina came back into the room. The fire’s gentle warmth and a full belly had lulled him to sleep. The matted mess of Bina’s hair had been chopped off. She was dressed in boy’s clothes and if Aram had passed her in the street, he would never have guessed she was a girl. Although the clothing Kenna had found hung off her slight frame, it was at least clean and practical for travelling. Her dove’s head peeped out of the top of a small leather bag she was wearing slung across her body. There was a flap which would hide the bird completely once they set off.

  Aram found himself engulfed in Kenna’s arms and she squeezed him tightly to her. She dropped a kiss on top of his head, then said, “You be careful now, Aram, and may you be luck’s chosen friend on your journey.” Aram tightened his arms around her, unable to find the right words to express his gratitude. He hoped that the strength of his grip would communicate to her how much he was going to miss her.

  A tap on his shoulder broke him out of the embrace. Bayre handed him one of the packs, the other already strapped to his broad back. Aram had been pleased to see that there was no pack for Bina. He wasn’t sure her frail body would be able to bear the extra weight.

  Bayre hugged Kenna and said, “I’ll hopefully be seeing you again soon. Find someone to take care of the pigs while I’m away.”

  She nodded and he turned to the two children, who stood shuffling their feet near the door.

  “They’ll be looking for a girl all by herself. They won’t expect you to be openly walking the streets or for you to have been able to clean yourself up. Anyone stops us, just let me do the talking.”

  In Aram’s opinion this plan seemed foolhardy
to the point of madness. They were just going to walk out there as if the whole kraal weren’t being torn apart to find Bina? But before he could open his mouth to argue, Bayre swung the waystop door wide and strode out onto the deserted street. Aram and Bina both hesitated for a second then scrambled to catch up to him. There was not another soul to be seen, people had retreated into their homes like cornered rats at the first hint of trouble.

  Aram was so on edge that his skin felt alight, nervous energy almost crackling off him. Bina appeared absolutely calm and he had to admire her spirit. He fought the urge to break into a run--the desire to set himself immediately free from the trap that the kraal had become. He breathed deeply through his nose, trying to still the drumming of his heart which beat out the word run, run, run with each pulse. Bina slowed slightly so she was walking next to him, closely enough that her arm kept brushing against his. Aram felt some of her quiet strength seep into him and he steadied.

  The kraal gates stood ahead—tightly shut with two guards manning them. Bayre walked straight up to them and Aram’s breathing grew fast and panicked. Bina however stood right behind the old man and grinned up at the guards. The men glanced at each other, before one of them barked, “Halt!”

  Bina sniggered and the guard turned red, realising that they were already standing dead still. The man pulled himself up and said, “The gates are shut, and nobody is allowed out until we find the Veldera.”

  Bayre stared at the man for what felt like forever. “You know who I am, and I’ve known you since you were a scrap of nothing, boy. Do you think I’d harbour a cursed Veldera witch?”

  He turned his head and spat to one side and the guards reflexively did the same to ward off any bad luck.