Lupi 04 - Night Season

times. This trail wound around like crazy. But a moment later her horse rounded that same curve, and she saw the cave ahead. It was deep, with a wide mouth and a fire. A big, blazing fire, and people were in it and getting off their bloody horses.
    Her mount got excited, too. It picked up its weary head and moved a little quicker, eager for shelter and warmth. Moments later she was out of the snow and one of the Ahk caught her horse’s halter. She swung her leg over…or tried to. Her muscles cramped and refused to obey. She bit her lip.
    The warrior shook his head in disgust, reached up, and lifted her off. She promptly slid to the damp, rocky floor of the cave.
    â€œLiniment,” Cynna said, her eyes closed. And to her disgust, tears seeped out from under her eyelids as she thought about Cullen getting her that liniment, laughing at her for needing it, promising to rub it in for her…
    â€œHumans are very puny,” said her charm.
    It was speaking for the Ahk leader. The Ahk were divided into clans, and Chulak—unlike most people in Edge, Ahk didn’t keep their names secret—was the leader of his clan, only more like a combination of Rho and Rhej: the big boss and the high priest. She opened her eyes and glared at him. “You’d better take good care of this puny human or she’ll die, and then what will you do?”
    â€œYou are not dying.” He was indifferent.
    â€œYou’d better take care of the other humans, too. If my father dies—”
    â€œYou will refuse to find the medallion for me?” Chulak smiled, or gave his version of a smile. It looked pretty ghastly. His tusks were longer than Tash’s had been. “I think not. You will wish the others to live. And yourself.”
    â€œMaybe. Or maybe I’ll decide that the death of an entire realm would be a fitting memorial to him.”
    He hesitated just long enough to make her think he might buy it. “Get up. You are not injured, and you make yourself ridiculous and shame my niece’s sacrifice.”
    â€œI liked your niece. I don’t like you.” As comebacks go, that one wasn’t much, but it had the benefit of being true. Tash had been the niece of this overgrown bully of a religious zealot—unacknowledged because he wouldn’t allow tainted blood into his clan, and Tash had been half human. Once she was safely dead and unable to reproduce, though, he claimed her. Bastard.
    He’d already turned away to give other people orders. Steve approached. He walked stiffly, but unlike her, he’d stayed upright after dismounting. It made her feel like the weakling Chulak had named her. “I’ve got the liniment,” he said, and held out a hand.
    â€œBless you.” She took it and let him help her to her feet, not bothering to stifle her groan. Everything hurt. “Thanks. And that liniment would be where—?”
    He reached inside his fur cloak and pulled out the green bottle. “Just give it back when you’re through.” He looked over his shoulder at Chulak, his narrow face tight with anger. “Unless you can figure a way to poison him with it.”
    â€œIf it didn’t kill him straight off, he’d probably decapitate someone to show his annoyance.”
    â€œSooner or later,” Steve said, staring at the big Ahk. “Sooner or later, we’ll get a chance.”
    He meant it, which worried her. Trying to kill Chulak was a short route to having all your questions about the afterlife answered.
    This cave was apparently a planned stop, or maybe one they used regularly. They had hay and oats stored here for the horses and dried food and water for the people. There were skins of the thin, sour wine the Ahk liked, too, but Cynna was avoiding alcohol, so she stuck with the water.
    The horses were lined up around the front of the cave, where their bodies blocked the wind and their body heat contributed to the warmth of the fire, making it almost comfortable inside.
    Cynna had discarded modesty almost as thoroughly as a lupus. She simply found a shadowy corner where she could partially strip and, shivering, rub in the liniment. It burned worse than Bengay at first, but subsided to a gentle heat that helped. After she pulled her clothes back on, she did some stretches while the Ahk tended the horses. They were big on caring for their horses before anything else.
    Two of them had gone back into the storm with short