Free Call to War by Adam Blade Page B

“You almost killed Tanner.” He shrugged. “Though some people might thank you for that.”
    He’s my age , Tanner realized. The stranger was the same height as Tanner. He could see that under the filth and around the frayed sleeves, the boy’s tunic was dyed blue — the same color worn by the people of Hartwell. The tunic was ragged with holes, through which Tanner could see red welts, black bruises, and ugly scabs covering the boy’s back and shoulders. This is what Derthsin’s hate has done , Tanner thought.
    â€œLet’s start our introductions again, shall we? We fled Hartwell, too,” Tanner said. “We went there for help, and —”
    â€œWe found a bunch of hysterical idiots instead,” Castor said, and he pointed his sword at the boy. “You still haven’t told us your name.”
    â€œIt’s Rufus.”
    Before Castor could speak again, Gwen asked, “It’s all right, Rufus. Why are you here?”
    â€œI didn’t have a choice; they tried to kill me,” he said. “Because of …” Rufus held up his fists. “This. The magic. It just happened. One morning, everything changed — I had magic in my hands, could channel it in my fingers.”
    â€œAnd shoot it at people,” Castor said. “And lift them up in the air!”
    â€œI’m sorry. I thought you were from Hartwell.”
    â€œWell, we can understand why that would make you nervous,” Tanner said. “We’ve seen for ourselves that they don’t like anyone who’s different.”
    Their Beasts moved into the cavern, circling, as if they were searching for something through narrow chinks of light from the cavern ceiling. Rufus watched, his brow furrowed, but he didn’t back away as most Avantians would. Gulkien came to the center of the cavern, but when Gwen reached out to him, the Wolf Beast continued toward Rufus.
    As the Beasts approached Rufus, Tanner said, “It’s all right, they won’t hurt you.” But he needn’t have bothered. Rufus reached to stroke Gulkien’s snout, and when Firepos craned her head down, Rufus patted the flickering feathers of her neck. This, despite the hostility the Beasts had just seen between Rufus and the others. Gwen smiled back at Tanner and Castor.
    Are they attracted to his magic — to whatever energy he has in his hands? Tanner wondered.
    â€œHere,” Gwen said, and she opened her pack to offer Rufus a handful of dried meat and carrots. “We don’t have much, but you need to eat.”
    â€œThank you!” Smiling, Rufus eagerly grabbed the food and ate. While Gwen laughed and rummaged for more, Tanner noticed a black stone altar set into the side wall, beside a mound of bones. There were tiny skulls in the heap. Rats , Tanner thought. Has Rufus been sacrificing them?
    Tanner went to the altar. A blue cloth covered lumpy objects on top. Carefully, he pulled back part of the cloth. A simple plate full of oracle bones — covered with blue symbols, like Hilda’s tattoos — was arranged in front of a row of glass bottles filled with yellow, red, blue, and silver liquids with black bubbles that swam. Next to these was a shrunken rabbit’s foot, an iron mirror with a worn, engraved handle, and a narrow, sharp knife.
    â€œMy grandmother had things like this,” Tanner said.
    Rufus moved over to a rock formation. “I have another weapon, too.” He pulled out a heavy wooden staff, carved with the scales and the head of a serpent. A curved blade was fixed to the top, like a scythe.
    Tanner pulled back more of the sheet: At the back of the altar was a colored wooden etching — the face of a girl with long red hair, full lips, and inquisitive eyes. Isadora, the girl from the Winding River. Tanner shook his head. “I don’t understand. That girl is —”
    â€œThat’s my sister,” Rufus said. “I