Chapter Six

  To Rakesh's surprise, Ayani was waiting when the clinic doors opened the next morning, and had brought with her two others, boys of about sixteen. "We would like to see the medics, please," she announced. Once she and the boys had seen the medics, and had eaten a good meal, the boys left. But Ayani stayed, taking her place on the couch as if she belonged there, asking questions about the reading she'd already done.

  "You allow yourself to be hurt, to be assaulted, so that the Hunters will not hunt others," she said as she sat down. "I don't know if this makes you brave or insane."

  Rakesh laughed. "That depends on who you ask."

  "And... you like this? You like being hurt?" The look on her face told Rakesh clearly that she thought he was going to lie to her. He shook his head.

  "I don't like pain, Ayani. I live with it every day, and honestly, I hate it. But that isn't the same." He stopped, considered her question. "This... When I'm on the Floor, what is done to me... That's more of an exchange of power." He propped his elbows on the desk. "Trust, and power. I trust the Sword to do no lasting harm. And the Sword trusts me not to take advantage of the power I gain."

  Ayani turned to face him, drawing her legs up onto the couch. "Power? I... What power can you have, when they are hurting you?"

  "More than you realize," Rakesh answered. "All Collared are more than a touch sensitive. It's one of the things we're tested for before we're accepted for training. Do you know what that means?"

  "I think so," Ayani answered slowly."You can hear their thoughts?"

  "Not quite. Or at least, not me. I don't think there have been any Collared yet who have actually heard thoughts. No, we can feel their emotions. When a Sword is on the Floor with us, they're...open. Raw. There are no walls to hide behind, no pretenses. Just them and their naked need."

  "And naked other things," Ayani added, her voice dry. Rakesh snickered.

  "That comes later," he said, then groaned when Ayani hooted at his inadvertent pun.

  "So... you let them hurt you, and you learn about them that way. About what hurts them," Ayani said once she stopped laughing. "And then what?"

  "Then you help them," Rakesh said. He picked up his teacup and took a sip. "Think about it, Ayani. These are men and women who have been fighting their whole lives. No matter what their drives are, what they've been made to be, they're still people. They can still be sick, still be tired, still be exhausted by everything they've done and everything they're supposed to do. We—I mean, me and others like me—we're there to give them a respite. We understand, and we make them feel... human, I suppose." Rakesh grinned at her. "I've never had to justify this before. Even our Aakari candidates know enough about who and what we are to not need this level of depth. So, did that answer your question?"

  "I think perhaps." Ayani looked down at the datapad. "I will think of other questions."

  The following day, she came in the late afternoon, with three young girls. Again, once the girls had been seen by the medics and had been fed, they left. And again, Ayani stayed, and read, and asked questions. This became a pattern. Ayani would never come at the same time of day two days in a row, but she would come without fail, usually with at least one other street child in tow. Then she would stay, reading anything Rakesh would give her, and asking questions.

  "If you'd like to be tested, Ayani, I'd be happy to bring you in. You're smart, and I think you'd pass the empathy testing. And frankly, I'd love to have some local candidates," Rakesh said one morning. Ayani said nothing, but the next morning, she brought with her two young women, both of whom asked about testing.

  "They are already whores," Ayani told him after he'd sent them in to the medics. "Perhaps they will be able to be more?"

  To Rakesh's surprise, both girls passed the tests to enter training, as did the next two girls that Ayani brought with her. By the end of the clinic's first month, it was a rare day that Ayani wasn't there. She would share a meal with Rakesh, read anything he offered her, and help Jiren with the cooking. When Rakesh offered her a job, she refused.

  "If I am working for you, then I cannot come and go as I please," she explained. "I will come when I come. Not when you tell me to be here."

  "That's fair," Rakesh agreed slowly. Then he smiled. "And, to be fair, when you do come, I'll pay you for the time you spend helping Jiren."

  Ayani laughed. "That is fair."

  It wasn't long after that Ayani missed three days in a row, three days in which Rakesh saw none of the street children who had begun to come in regularly for food and to tell him the street gossip. He was about to ask Virin to organize a search when Ayani arrived before dawn, obviously disturbed by something. She went to the couch and sat down, looked at the datapad that Rakesh had labeled as hers, then shook her head and pulled her knees to her chest.

  "Ayani?" Rakesh asked gently. She shook her head and looked down, so he let her be. She stayed silent until after Jiren brought in the morning meal.

  "You said the Black Hunters will not walk the shadows any more, and they have not," she said slowly. "What about the Red ones?"

  The plate Rakesh had been filling fell from his hands, smashing on the floor and scattering food everywhere. "Red? There are Red Hunters? Here?"

  "Yes—" Ayani's voice broke off, and she jumped to her feet, hearing the commotion from the back of the clinic. "What?"

  "Ayani, please. Sit. It's... it's not what you think." Rakesh tried to calm her. He picked up his canes and tried to walk, but his hands were shaking too hard, and his left slipped. His cane clattered to the floor, and he almost fell, catching himself on the edge of the desk. Then, Virin was there, catching him, calling his name.

  "Kesh, it's all right," he whispered. "I'm here. It's all right."

  Rakesh nodded, trying to slow his breathing. "I'm... I'm all right."

  "Sure, you are, Tarkarin," Virin said, and there was both humor and skepticism in his voice. "Sit down before you fall down," Virin helped him into his chair, then turned. "It's all right, little one. I won't hurt you."

  Startled, Rakesh looked past him, and saw Ayani, standing in the corner, holding a knife that she must have been hiding in her clothes. She looked terrified, but her voice didn't shake at all when she snapped, "Don't hurt him!"

  "Ayani, it's all right," Rakesh said weakly. "It's... Rin, sit down. Let me explain to her."

  "All right, if that's what you think best." Virin moved away, into the far corner, and sat down. Ayani watched him go, then looked back at Rakesh.

  "The Red Hunters. You are afraid of them. As afraid as we are," she said. "Why?"

  "Because they did this to me," Rakesh answered. "Five years ago, they kidnapped me, tortured me, tried to kill me—"

  "Almost succeeded," Virin interrupted. "They had to resuscitate him twice. And he spent a week in a regen capsule."

  Rakesh looked over at Virin, then back at Ayani. "We thought they were all gone. That we'd found them all. But you've seen them here?"

  Ayani nodded. "Yes. They hunt here. They... They hunted the last few nights. That is why I was not here. We went underground. All the packs did. But last night they found us. They took our pack leader. Teren led them off so that they would not find us. He did not come back."

  "And...why didn't you come to us?" Virin demanded. When Ayani didn't answer, Rakesh sighed.

  "Ayani, this is Virin Kian-ti-os. My husband. Remember, I told you I was married to a Sword? I've told him about you, and he won't hurt you."

  Ayani's eyes went wide, and she squeaked, "Husband?"

  "Yes. Husband." Rakesh smiled. "So you understand why he came in like there was something on fire?"

  "That was mostly because with Rakesh, something usually is on fire," Virin grumbled. "Now, tell me about this Teren. Where did the hunt start, and which way did he lead them?" Ayani froze, shaking her head, and Virin growled. "Do you want him back alive?"

  "Yes!"

  "Then tell me!"

  "Ayani, the faster we can get out there and find him, the better chance of finding him alive," Rakesh added.

  Ayani went pale, then nodded. "I... It would be fastest to show you where we went to ground. It...cannot be reached from the streets if you do not know the way."

  "Understood." Virin raised his wrist and started barking orders into his wrist-comp. Rakesh staggered towards Ayani and put his hand on her shoulder, the first time he could remember touching her since they'd met.

  "Virin will find him, Ayani. Or he'll find the ones who took him and kill them."

  Ayani's eyes went wide. "He would do that?"

  Rakesh nodded. "The Red Swords are under sentence of death in Tyese. And you are my friend. He'll help you."

  "Right. We've got a squad outside. Kesh, close the clinic—"

  "No!" Ayani blurted out. "I... I can send the rest of the pack here? For safety? If I show you our dens, we can't sleep there any more."

  "Send them," Rakesh said immediately. "How many in your pack?"

  "Seven. You've met most. Heri and Niri, that second day. Agati and Gira and Wishi are all mine, too. Teren is the only one you haven't met. And... I can send the others?"

  "Send them all. Anyone you find who wants to come. Once you've shown Virin where he's going, then you come back, too. We'll find beds for all of you inside." Rakesh looked up at Virin, who nodded. "You'll be safe here, Ayani." Acting on impulse, he hugged her, and felt her shivering.

  "Come on, Ayani. Let's go find him," Virin said gently, coming up next to her. He didn't touch her, instead leaning across and kissing Rakesh lightly. "Don't wait up, love."

  "Like I ever listen to that!"

  "I know. I just need to say it."

  "Be careful."

  Virin snorted, smiled, then looked at Ayani. She drew herself up and followed him out into the street. Rakesh watched as the door closed, feeling suddenly lost. He jammed his hands into his pockets, and felt the silken braid. Taking the bracelet out of his pocket, he looked down at it for a moment, then put it on and ran his fingers over the warm strands. Warmth and calm filled him, and he took deep breath and slowly started to relax. It would be all right.

  "Will they find him?" Jiren said from behind Rakesh. He turned to see her standing in the doorway, a broom and dustpan in her hands, then looked back at the outer door.

  "Virin will find him. Make sure the medics know that we'll have an emergency coming in. And probably an influx of children needing to be seen to."

  "I will. And then I'll make some tea for us while we wait."

  "We?" Rakesh turned to face Jiren.

  "I remember what it was like. The waiting." Jiren looked past him. "My man, he was a peacekeeper. Until he didn't come home one night. We don't know what happened, where he is. If he's still alive. We did not find a body."

  "Jiren, I didn't know."

  She smiled slightly. "I didn't tell you. I... I didn't want to burden you, when you take so much on from everyone else. I didn't want to add my pain to theirs. But now...you need to share your pain. So we will wait together."

  Rakesh nodded and smiled. "Thank you, Jiren."

  "Thank you," she said in reply. "You have done a good thing here, Rakesh. All of you have. And...you are my friend." She came to stand in front of him, then stood on her toes and kissed his cheek. "Even if you exceedingly odd, and married to a man. Now, sit. I will get the tea."

  By the time Jiren was back with the teapot, the first of the street children had arrived, two young girls that Rakesh had never seen before. Both of them were frightened and near tears, and by the time Rakesh and Jiren had calmed them down and surrendered them to the medics, three more were waiting. Two of the girls who had come with Ayani startled Rakesh by throwing themselves at him, almost throwing him off balance as they clung to him and begged him not to let the Red Hunters get them.

  "It's all right, children. It's all right," Rakesh found himself repeating over and over. "You're safe now."

  The stream finally tapered off late in the afternoon, and Rakesh sat down on the couch and groaned. "How many, Jiren? I lost count."

  "Seventy-three, I think," Jiren answered. She sighed, leaning against the desk and tucking back a loose strand of hair. "Perhaps a few more. Where will you put them all?"

  Rakesh nodded towards the door. "The building across the street was supposed to be the new Arena. I think it's now the new safehouse for the street packs. We've got the supplies, so it shouldn't be too much to set it up. I'll talk to Serris and to Linter. Keeping the Collared under the same roof as the Swords, I think that makes more sense now. Is there more tea?"

  "I'll make another pot. What's keeping them, do you think?"

  Rakesh sighed and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, absently rubbing the bracelet with his fingers. "I'm not sure. Strange ground, more than likely. I'm more worried about Ayani. She should have been back here by now."

  "Would they have kept her with them?" Jiren asked. Rakesh shook his head.

  "She doesn't have the training—"

  "She will."

  Rakesh jerked, sitting up straight to see Virin standing in the doorway, looking tired and haunted. "Rin! When did you get back? Did you find him?"

  "Just now. And yes. He's hurt, but he's alive. Serris took the young man straight in to the embassy. Our medical facility is more complete. He'll live. Thank the Creator, he'll live. And that girl..." he shook his head. "No weapons training. No discipline. No idea of what she was doing... and if we'd had another of her, we'd have been home two hours ago."

  "She's that good?"

  "I'm recommending her for the Ishkarin training camp, assuming the genetic tests prove me right," Virin answered. "I asked her on the way back, and she told me that she doesn't know who her father was. But she's got the instincts and the reflexes. That girl is a born Sword."

  Rakesh started to laugh. "Damn it, Rin, I was sure that she'd make the choice for the Arena!"

  "She'd have been wasted in a Collar, Kesh. Now, how many are we sheltering tonight?"

  "Seventy-mumble. Something between seventy and seventy-five, I think. But maybe more. Jiren and I both lost count. Linter has them bedded down in the ballroom. And I have plans I need to discuss with you."

  Virin nodded and sighed. "Later, Kesh. Lock the doors up. We're in for the night. Jiren, why don't you see if you can find a bed here tonight?"

  "That's a good idea," Rakesh agreed.

  "Are you sure?" Jiren asked, her eyes wide. "I don't live very far—"

  "And everyone knows you work here," Virin interrupted. "We're not sure we got all the bastards. You and Kestri should stay here. We'll find you a proper bed."

  "Thank you. I was going to ask for an escort, but staying here would be safer." Jiren frowned. "But I have no more clean diapers, no clothes for tomorrow. And Kestri's lambie is at home."

  "Lambie?" Virin asked, sounding amused. "Let me guess. Some kind of bedtime toy?"

  "Yes. She won't sleep without it. Her father made it for her."

  "Sounds like Avira, then," Virin said. "One of our nieces."

  "Oh, is that why you're so good with children?" Jiren asked.

  "I have six older sisters," Rakesh answered. "So, we have sixteen nieces and nephews. At last count."

  Virin nodded. "All right. Do you want one of us to go fetch?"

  "Would you?" Jiren asked, her smile bright. "I'll make a list."

  "Do that. Plan for several days. Come on, Kesh."

  "Where are we going?" Rakesh asked as he closed the door and locked them, then set the alarms.

  "Medical. This boy..." Virin looked at Rakesh, then looked away. "I want you to take a look at him."

  THE FIRST PERSON RAKESH saw in the medical facility was Ayani, sitting curled up in a chair that had been pulled up next to one of the regen capsules. She looked up as he came in, slowly uncurled herself and stood up.

  "Rakesh?" she said softly, her voice quivering. Rakesh nodded and opened his arms. A moment later, he was holding a sobbing, shaking girl.

  "It's all right, Ayani. He'll be fine. You saved him."

  She hiccuped and nodded, her cheek rubbing against his chest. "He'll be all right, they said," she mumbled.

  "You should get some sleep, Ayani," Virin said gently.

  She sniffed and turned to look up at Virin. "I will. The medics said they'd find a cot for me. I... I want to stay here."

  "Understandable. I spent a few nights sleeping next to regen capsules myself." Virin looked at Rakesh, smiled slightly, then reached out and patted Ayani's shoulder. "Have they offered you something to eat?"

  "Yes."

  "Good. Once you've eaten, get some rest. And if you need anything, tell the medics and they'll find one of us."

  She nodded, letting go of Rakesh and moving to hug Virin. "Thank you."

  He chuckled softly and hugged her back, kissing the top of her head. "You're welcome. And thank you. You did a fine job out there, Ayani."

  She blushed, shaking her head. "And... you think I will be one of you? A Hunter?"

  "I think you have potential, yes."

  Ayani stepped back, clasping her hands behind her. "But... will I want to hurt people? Like... like that?"

  Virin took a long breath, let it out, and Rakesh wondered why. Then Virin answered, "Not like that, no. Look... once Teren is out of the capsule, I'll take you down to the Floor myself. You can see what it's like for a real Sword. Not a perverted one like those Red bastards. We're protectors, Ayani. And you told me yourself that you've killed to protect your pack—"

  "You have?" Rakesh interrupted. Ayani just looked at him as if he'd said something stupid. Perhaps he had, he realized. How else had she managed to survive so long?

  "You never really know the ones you care about, do you, Kesh?" Virin asked, sounding amused. "Do you need anything now, Ayani?"

  "No. Thank you." Ayani turned back to the capsule and went back to her chair. Rakesh turned to Virin, expecting Virin to take his arm. Instead, his husband nodded towards the capsule.

  "Kesh... I want you to see him."

  "All right." Rakesh walked over and peered through the clear hood of the capsule, seeing the young man inside. Despite the still-livid bruises on his face, Rakesh could see that Teren was very handsome. His thin face was all sharp angles, high cheekbones and a straight nose. His skin wasn't as dark as Rakesh's, not as pale at Ayani's. "How old is he?" he asked, turning back towards Virin.

 

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