Every Battle Lord's Nightmare (4 page)

            Atty turned to Yulen. “It's feasible. I like it.”

            “So do I. Any other ideas?”

            “Give us time to think on it,” Paxton commented. “It's not like we have to come up with a definite plan right now. We have a few days to mull over other possibilities. But, personally, I think Renken's idea is excellent.”

            Yulen nodded and got to his feet. “I'll seriously consider it. All right, this meeting's over. I need to check on the men. We'll hit the road at first light again, so get some rest, people.”  

            Without wishing them goodnight, he strode away before Atty could sense his unease. She was probably already aware of it, but hopefully she would believe it was due to their trip. Sooner or later, however, he knew she would question him about it. But for now, he needed some time alone to mull over it. To think and collect his thought. Plus, now that Renken had given him a very plausible scenario, he wanted to work out the details before putting it into place.

            Running a hand through his hair, the Battle lord took a deep breath and prayed his decision to accept the invitation had been a correct one. Only time would tell.

Chapter Five

Batuset

            They reached Foster City soon after midday. Zane Batuset, the battle lord of the small compound, personally met them at the gates.

            “Yulen! Atty! Welcome! I've been expecting you.”

            Sliding off his horse, Yulen stepped over to exchange hugs and back slaps with the big bear of a man. Atty was also given a warm, albeit gentler hug, and a kiss on both cheeks.

            “Don't you look less the fearless huntress and more the motherly type?” Batuset smiled, observing her tummy. “Since I don't see the battle prince anywhere, I take it he had to stay behind.”

            “He's a handful, Zane. Besides, there's no telling what we'll encounter on this trip. We felt it safer to leave him, in case.”

            “You were right to do so. I haven't been that far north in years. And we both know how things can change without warning.”

            Yulen stared at the man. “Don't tell me. You also got an invitation to attend the summit conference in Corado?”

            “A few days ago. A small battalion of soldiers stopped here to hand it to me. Their leader, Matriman, he inquired about you. Said he needed directions to Alta Novis, but he asked too many damn other questions. Set my teeth on edge.” Batuset cast an eye over Yulen's men. “I thought you'd take them up on their offer. That's why I waited. I thought the two of us could travel together.”

            “I'm glad you did,” Yulen admitted.

            Clapping him on the shoulder, Batuset gestured toward his main lodge. “I have a meal ready for you. Let's go in and discuss tactics.”

            Atty stayed a step behind her husband to listen and observe. She knew he was facing this upcoming journey with more stress than usual. She also knew her accompanying him added to the tension that put furrows in his forehead and made his muscles clench in his jaws. But there was something else that was causing him excessive worry.

            It wasn't like him to keep secrets from her. If whatever was bothering him was so serious that he was reluctant to share it with her, she knew that accosting him about it may cause him to clam up further. Or, worse, force him to lie to her. She hoped that by keeping her ears open, she might glean a clue. Otherwise, she would have to wait until he was ready to talk, which could be days from now. And, frankly, she no longer had the patience to wait.

            She glanced around to see where her second in command was located. She spotted him, along with Cole and Paas, already in the company of Batuset's second, Dardin Tabb. The quartet was taking their seats at the far end of the banquet table, allowing the battle lords some privacy at the other end. Thrasher, Fortune, and Renken chose to join the leaders. Servants entered from a side door with bowls of water, bars of soap, and warmed towels for them wash the grim from their hands and faces before the food was served.

            “All right, Zane. Answer me this. Why do you think you were given an invite to this conference? I can understand why Atty and I received one, but you've always remained behind the lines.”

            Batuset shrugged. “Hell if I know. Maybe they're asking every battle lord they can contact within a certain distance.”

            “Or maybe they're trying to even the scale,” Atty commented. At the others' questioning stares, she turned her attention to him. “It's no secret you've aligned yourself with us. Your politics are our politics. But we all know there are other battle lords out there who aren't as open-minded. Maybe this Highcliff guy who's throwing this party wants an equal playing field. A pro-Mutah for every anti-Mutah.”

            “You're talking opponents,” Batuset remarked.

            “I'm with Atty,” Renken spoke up. “But my belief is slightly different.”

            Yulen leaned back in his chair. “Let's hear it.”

            “It's a darker version,” the ex-mercenary warned.

            “What is it?” Atty urged softly.

            The man gestured at the lodge around them. “We can't assume this summit is going to be all sweet cakes and puppies. We can't assume this Highcliff character is looking to fill his docket with both sides, hoping they'll either come to blows or end up signing off on a new set of treaties.” He threw his knife onto the table, the hilt swaying gently upon impact as the blade sank into the wood. “Call me a pessimist, but what if those battle lords who hate Mutah far outnumber those of you who don't? And I'm talking big odds, like four to one, or maybe higher. What if those anti-Mutah bastards' intent is to gather all the pro-Mutah leaders together in one convenient package? Draw us in nice and neat in the center with them forming a bloody donut around us?”

            “Makes me wonder how many Mutah compounds were invited,” Atty tossed in.

            “It would be wholesale slaughter,” Fortune concluded. The Mutah hunter looked to Yulen. “You'd already considered that, hadn't you?”

            Atty caught her husband's quick glance her way before he responded. “Yeah. The idea had occurred to me. That, among other things.”

            “What other things?” Atty questioned.

            Instead of answering her, Yulen pointed a fork at Batuset. “You've been up north, haven't you?”

            “I did some cleaning up in that area, back in the days when I didn't know any better.” Batuset's gaze flickered briefly on Atty. “It's been a few years since I traveled that way.”

            “Are you familiar with Corado? Or a compound called Rocky Gorge?”

            The battle lord rubbed his stubbled chin. “I've heard about Corado. I know the road takes a sharp left turn up around Oka City and leads straight to it. In fact, that road is supposed to go all the way to the Sific Ocean. But I've never heard of a compound named Rocky Gorge. Of course, Yulen, you and I both know that, depending on who's battle lord, any takeover would most likely mean a change in names. I mean, just look at Bearinger. When Atty took out Collaunt, and you raised your banner over that place, you were about to change its name, too, weren't you?”

            Yulen shook his head. “Not really. It wasn't until after the Bloods massacred most everyone there, and then torched the place, that I realized it wouldn't be right to try and rebuilt over the same site. That's when I chose to name the new compound New Bearinger. But I've heard of other battle lords doing that after defeating the sitting battle lord. In fact, it was an accepted practice, back in the beginning of the dark days following the Great Collision. So you've never heard of an Alton Highcliff?”

            “No. The name doesn't sound familiar. Then again, he could have been someone's second and decided to upgrade his status. Sort of like what Karv tried to do with you.”

            Atty noticed Yulen's almost invisible reaction to the name of the man who had been his second, back when Yulen's men had initially stormed her Mutah compound. The depraved little man had tried twice to kill her. Then he'd turned his sights on killing Yulen and claiming Alta Novis for his own...until she managed to put an arrow into his heart and one into his brain.

            “But let me tell you what I
have
heard,” Batuset went on.

            “H-hold on,” a voice interrupted. Atty was as surprised as everyone else when Thrasher spoke up.

            Yulen waved in acknowledgement to the man. “My apologies for not introducing you earlier. Fergus, this is Zane Batuset, the Battle Lord of Foster City. Zane, our physician, Dr. Fergus Thrasher. He hails from Far Troit. He apprenticed under Dr. Saxon. Manderly requested Dr. Gus move to Alta Novis when he became too ill to assist MaGrath. So now, Dr. Gus works under MaGrath.”

            “Glad to make your acquaintance.” Batuset nodded at the younger man's direction before asking Yulen, “Is Liam all right?”

            “He's fine. But Mother isn't doing well at the moment. Plus there's the baby. I felt it would be better all-around if he stayed at the compound, and we broke in our new doctor.”

            Yulen motioned back to Thrasher. “You were about to object to something Zane said?”

            “First, I'd like to say it's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Batuset,” the physician replied.

            “Call me Zane.”

            “Okay. Zane. You were going to tell us what you'd heard. I'm presuming that's in regards to Corado? Or the compounds to the north and west?”

            Batuset nodded. “I was.”

            “But it's all hearsay, isn't it? You haven't actually witnessed what you're about to tell us.”

            Yulen frowned slightly. “Is there a problem with that?”

            “It's hearsay,” Thrasher insisted. “How do you know for certain how things are, or will be, unless you've actually seen it or heard it yourself?”

            “Fergus.” Atty leaned over the table, catching his attention. “You're new to this. We understand that. But what you need to know is when battle lords gather, they tell two kinds of tales. One kind is often bawdy, and usually outlandish. But the other kind is the absolute truth, because they know their lives could depend on getting as much accurate information as possible. Whatever Zane has to share with us, he's heard from reliable sources. We can trust what he has to say.”

            The physician's face pinkened slightly. The man nodded, but said no more, silently withdrawing any more protests. Yet, Atty got the impression he would venture later on to speak his mind if he felt he needed to. Everyone's attention turned back to the battle lord sitting at the head of the table.

            Batuset's eyes once again passed over Atty. “What I'm about to tell you, I've heard within the past year, year and a half. It ain't pretty, and it sure as hell isn't promising, considering the fact that we're about to head straight into it. But you're right, Atty. If this information is even half correct, we need to be prepared for what we might find when, and if, we get there in one piece.” He cut to Yulen. “That's the biggest reason why I waited for you to show up. So I could let you know what I know. And it's why I feel us going into this thing together is the smart thing to do.”

            Atty felt her husband reach under the table where he found her thigh. He gave it a gentle squeeze. The gesture wasn't meant to be sexual. Instead, it was to reconnect with her physically. To reassure himself and her. He was worried, and so was she.

            Without a doubt, she knew this venture was not going to be pleasant.

Chapter Six

Confession

            “You've been watching me ever since we left Alta Novis,” Yulen muttered.

            “I'm always watching you. Care to be more specific?”

            Atty studied him as he strode over to the bureau where a pile of towels had been dropped off. The big copper tub they would use that evening to bathe in sat on the far side of the room. All they needed was for the hot water to arrive.

            He removed his weapons belt and draped it over the short bedpost, then drew his tunic over his head. In the combined light of the lanterns and the glow from the fireplace, the ugly scars on his back stood out in stark contrast. Mute reminders of the torture inflicted on him by the Bloods after they'd razed Bearinger and taken him hostage.

            He gave her a hooded look at where she was perched on a small stool by the fire's warmth. “Is there something you've been wanting to tell or ask me, Atty? Something that had to wait until we were alone?”

            She frowned at him. “I know something's bothering you. And that snarky remark just proved it. Is there something you've been wanting to tell or ask
me
?”

            He shook his head, jerking the leather lacing that bound his hair behind his neck. Walking over to the bed, he sat on the edge, facing her. He kept his head bowed, not meeting her eyes.

            “Let me guess. It has something to do with this summit, doesn't it?” she commented. “It has something to do with me coming with you.”

            He ran a hand over his mouth and chin, still not facing her. “Atty, you know my father was a battle lord, as was my grandfather and his father before him,” he finally began.

            She remained silent in a mute plea for him to continue.

            “I went on my first cleaning mission with him when I was fourteen. And every year after that, I went with him until he was killed by Bloods. I've seen and...done...things...to Mutah. Things that I look upon as atrocities now, but at the time, before I knew better, those kinds of barbaric acts were accepted. And they were expected of me because of my position.” He finally raised his face to her. “Those atrocities Zane told us about? I’m guilty of most of them. They're nothing new to me.”

            She could feel a coldness go through her at his confession. She was already familiar with some of the tactics Normals used on what they considered to be “inferior” beings. She herself had been the target of Normals too many times in the past. Which was why, despite the sick, oily feeling in her stomach that nearly made her throw up during Batuset's lecture, she’d believed his every word.