The Unearthing (Book I of the Tebel Chronicles)

Chapter 3

The earth was roaring under the onslaught of the shaking and people were screaming with fervent panic. The vibration finally hit the bridge violently and underneath Cyan's feet the tar cracked and tore. Wires snapped under the load and cars got tossed into the ocean. The archways started breaking up and large sections of bricks fell around Cyan. She ran with the people streaming from cars – trying to get to the shore. The agents and Joel were forgotten. But the breaking bridge was too fast and it rushed towards her. She felt herself falling and leapt into the air to miss the plunging debris of the bridge and cars.

Falling, falling, falling. Time seemed to stand still as the sound of the rain and wind disappeared around Cyan. Everything suddenly appeared very bright as she rushed towards the water. She felt a strange tug that seemed to originate from within her before she passed into unconsciousness.

Cyan sat up, looking around wildly, trying to see where she was. The tent. The desert men. The memories of the giant horse and her freeing it came flooding back. I am an idiot. I should have just minded my own business and followed the men to the camp. While she was berating herself, the woman returned. She untied Cyan, and retied her hands in front of her. She gestured for Cyan to follow her out of the tent. Before Cyan could leave the tent, the brown-eyed woman covered Cyan's head and eyes, so that she couldn't see anything.

'Hey, what're you doing?' Cyan tried to shake the blindfold off. In reply, all she got was a rough shove, which made her fall to her knees. The woman hoisted Cyan to her feet and led her through what sounded like many animals and people. Why doesn't she want me to see the campsite? There was a chill in the air. It was later in the evening. Cyan could smell meat cooking over smoky fires. The horses were close enough that their stomping and movements could be heard over the sounds of people talking and laughing. A warmer breeze blew passed Cyan as the woman led her away from the noise and into a tent a small distance from the camp before taking the veil off. Cyan found herself in a tent without rugs and when she looked curiously at the woman, she motioned for Cyan to stay in the tent before she dropped the canvas flap and disappeared. Looking around the tent, Cyan realized it was used as a bathroom. The woman's silhouette outside indicated that she meant to give Cyan some privacy.

Like her smaller tent, there would be no way to escape from this one. Cyan wasn't sure she wanted to go back into the desert alone anyway. At least here she had water. But if she could get her hands on a horse . . . her thoughts flew to the horse she'd rescued. He would take her away from here so fast no one would catch them.

On the way back to her tent, Cyan tried to talk to the woman again, with no success. 'If it's all right with you, I'm just going to call you Useless-Silent-One,' she said bitterly, as the woman bent to tie Cyan to the tent pole. While the woman was doubled over, Cyan lunged suddenly and sent the woman flying across the tent. Pulling her hands free from the loosened rope, Cyan looked around for a weapon. The woman shrieked and two armed men entered the tent with frightening speed. Cyan picked up one of the long fire-pokers and turned as one of the men ran at her with a long, curved knife.

Cyan blocked him with the poker and edged along the side of the tent, keeping the man towards the center. He lunged forward as she blocked his knife deftly, almost knocking it out of his hand. His eyes widened in surprise and anger. The other man positioned himself between them and the door so that Cyan couldn't escape, while the woman stood to the side, screaming.

The men watched Cyan warily. They were at a stalemate, but no one seemed willing to budge. Cyan feigned an attack on the man in the middle, making him dart backwards as she bolted towards the man between her and the door. He was a stronger swordsman than his partner and blocked Cyan's wild swinging, grabbing her by her shirt in two fluid movements.