The Book Gatherer

Chapter Three

Firek could've, but he didn't chase after the LAND girl. Instead, he helped the wounded up the ravine. He didn't look at the ostrich he'd ridden, now still and lifeless, its eyes frozen open and beak trickling blood. It lay among its fellows, black and white feather scattered around them on the bloody rocks. Thank the Sky Serpent there hadn't been any human casualties.

Craiya stumbled as she placed her weight on a loose bit rock, which crumbled and skittered down. She cursed at Firek when he steadied her, but grimaced somewhat apologetically and let him help her the rest of the way up the slope. Once on a safe stretch of mud, she lowered herself carefully to the ground-Firek holding her arm just in case-and stretched out her leg, twisted and torn and bleeding.

"Thanks," she said through gritted teeth. Firek nodded and stepped back as Turinet hustled over with bandages and splints, the old man mumbling things under his breath as he knelt beside the injured warrior.

Firek moved back to the cliff edge and peered over, but there was no one else alive at the bottom. No one but the ghosts of the ostriches, drifting aimlessly until the Sky Serpent wrapped his coils around them and flew them home. He turned and surveyed the makeshift camp they'd hastily constructed. Fliers healthy enough helped the wounded or salvaged what they could from the corpses in the ravine.

All of this, Firek thought, caused by one LAND gatherer and her giraffe. The thought made him angry, but he smothered the emotion and saved it for later. It would be of little use right now.

He walked up to Yutinah, leader of the flock, who sat on a rock and listened to her second, Breri, as he spoke. The huge man was standing, but he held his broken arm carefully, which Turinet had already splinted. He cut off what he'd been saying when Firek arrived, turning to level a glare at him, clearly implying his presence wasn't wanted. Firek nodded at him but focused on Yutinah, who had turned as well, wincing as the movement strained the injury she'd taken to her side.

"Firek," Yutinah said, returning his nod.

"Sir," Firek responded. "Permission to follow the LAND gatherer, sir?"

Yutinah studied him. "You weren't injured in the fall?"

"No, sir. I was near the back and saw what was happening, and jumped off my bird before it tumbled over." He hadn't been as quick-thinking as Eserik, who'd managed to turn his ostrich to the side. The flier now tended the ostriches who'd survived, since Turinet was busy with the wounded.

Yutinah nodded in approval. "Well done."

Firek's heart swelled, but he hid his pride. He'd still lost his bird, after all, and she'd been SKY Company property, born and raised for missions such as these. He had wasted a bird of the Sky Serpent. And the lackey girl was still getting away-but that was something he could fix.

Yutinah's eyes glimmered, the only sign of her lust for that Holy Book. She looked at Firek, expression hard and fierce. "Permission granted. You'll need to avoid detection, so return to camp, get your bird-you'll need his oiled wings in this weather-and follow her. When she stops to make camp for the night, return with her location. We'll have her by dawn."

It wouldn't be so simple, not with the current state of the flock and number of wounded. Still, the gatherer was just one girl, younger than Firek himself. Firek could take her down by himself if needed.

"Thank you, sir," Firek said. "I will not fail you." He nodded to her and Breri and turned to go.

"You better not." Breri's low growl of a voice was quiet, threatening,

Firek stopped, facing him. "Sir?"

The second's dark eyes burned into Firek's. "Your father," he said, and the two words were enough to both freeze Firek's blood and flare up hot, dark hatred that pulsed through his veins. He swallowed, struggling to force air through his lungs for a moment, and kept his face as neutral as he could manage. You've heard this before, you've heard this a thousand times, it never gets easier, it's fine, prove yourself now, let your actions speak louder than his, Do not. Make. A. Scene. But Sky Serpent give him strength, Firek never hungered more to plant his fist in the second's sneering face.