The Reader

Chapter Eight - Moving Out

Chapter Eight.

Sunsets in the desert always took Kallista's breath away. The day ended in glorious death throes of beautiful oranges and purples, deepening to dark blue and finally oily black. Her favourite time came when the horizon faded to a pink line and, if it wasn't cloudy with promised, but seldom delivered, rain the stars would slowly appear.

She watched the moon begin to brighten as they rode out of the Fort in convoy. The wagons that had not been destroyed in the raid now served as impromptu troop transports, as well as carrying all their remaining rations. Few horses had survived the attack, meaning a lot of the wagons had to be pulled by hand. The dust rising from the hundreds of feet coated Merric's leather armour in a slick, greasy grime.

Kallista rode beside Merric, still a prisoner. The men had wished to chain her after witnessing the devastation of her abilities, but Merric had persuaded them not to. Instead they both rode in the centre of a squadron of armed guards.

They were on their way to Falls, the capital and largest city in Ohadi. It rested on the Cascade river some ten leagues north-west of Fort Savar, and was where King Gavrilo came to conduct official business. Gavrilo's castle actually stood in the small town of Esor, many leagues from Falls, but it was more convenient for Ohadi's many officials and foreign diplomats from across the sea to visit and meet in the capital.

Kallista was well used to riding long distances. She took a deep breath of air which, although tainted by dust and the stench of horse sweat, was a thousand times better than the dank, musty air of a prison barrack. Below her Eagle danced, happy to be free of the confining walls of the Fort. His ears flicked to and fro, taking in all the noises of an army on the move: the clanking of chains, the clop of hooves against the hard earth, the squeak of wheels turning on their axles.

Kallista turned her head to find Merric scowling at the horizon. A deep worry line furrowed the middle of his brow from his hairline right down to his eyebrows.

"Penny for them?" she asked him.

He started a little, interrupted in his thinking. "Mmm?"

She smiled. "Your thoughts. A penny for them."

He returned the smile absentmindedly. "I was just wondering how Ogai plans to use the Book."

"Don't all egomaniacs want to control everything?"

Her weak attempt at a joke elicited no response from him, except to deepen the worry line. Kallista reined Eagle closer to Dusk, ignoring the way the nearest guard's hand leapt to his sword hilt.

"Merric?"

He didn't look at her, concentrating on the column that extended before them. The dust tickled Kallista's throat as she waited for an answer.

"The Book is a powerful weapon," Merric said eventually, saddle creaking as he shifted his weight in it. "It controls far more than Ogai thinks. He cannot harness its power, only use it."

It was her turn to frown, this time in confusion. "Isn't that the same thing?"

"Yes ... and no," he replied. "You can ride a horse bareback, use it per se, but you need to harness it with a saddle and bridle in order to make it do what you want. Without those aids the horse is less responsive and follows its own desires, not yours. The Book's power is like a tackless horse."

"So ... if one was to use the Book it would be like giving someone a sword and telling them to use it, but not teaching them how?"

He smiled now. "Exactly."

They rode in silence for a few moments. Eagle tugged at the reins, he hated being boxed in. Kallista paid him no heed.

"What does the Book do?" she asked eventually.

Merric sighed and switched Dusk's reins to his left hand. He ran the other hand through his blonde hair. Kallista caught herself watching the way the sunlight danced off it and shook her head.

"No-one knows for sure," he replied slowly, measuring his words carefully. "But King Gavrilo believes it can bring about the end of the world."