Guardian of the God - God's Appearance - Part 3 Chapter 3 - Betrayal

  Guardian of the God

-

God's Appearance

(Book 5 of the Guardian of the Spirit Series)

 

Author: Uehashi Nahoko

Translator: Ainikki the Archivist

 

  Part 3 - Invitation to a Trap

Chapter 3 - Betrayal

 

Balsa wanted to go to Tachiya’s alone. Walking with Asra would make her stick out like a sore thumb. But guards for a caravan needed to apply for the job in person, and if she intended to bring a child with her, it was only fair for her potential employer to know that up front.

    Caravans often traveled over vast distances, so those who traveled in them needed to get along well. Even if Balsa made a good impression, Asra might be dismissed as too weak or too much of a burden. Finding work might be a bit more difficult than Balsa had anticipated.

    Martha had done her best to make sure Asra would make a good impression. She’d done Asra’s hair up nicely and covered her head in a traditional Yogoese face covering that girls often used to block out the sun when they went out walking.

    People along the side of the street called out to Balsa, offering her a ride to her destination via donkey cart for a small fee, but Balsa didn’t dare take them up on such an offer. Riding in a cart would attract too much attention.  Shirogai drew in people from all over; Balsa just wanted to blend in with the crowd.

    Balsa remained observant of her surroundings and kept Asra’s hand in hers. The light of the sun was weak and pale, signaling the arrival of winter. Tachiya’s store was located inside a rat maze of narrow interconnected streets that was quite difficult to find. The sign outside the store proclaimed in bold letters, “We Have Everything!”

    Tachiya had connections with a lot of wealthy merchants in the area and kept a watchful eye on the markets he trafficked in. The door and windows of the store were covered in thin cloth so that aimless passersby couldn’t look straight in. Balsa had selected Tachiya because of his naturally cautious nature. He hadn’t advertised his need for guards widely; Toun had told her that the other merchants in Shirogai didn’t know he was hiring anyone.

    When they arrived in front of the store, Balsa switched her spear from her right hand to her left. Seeing this, Asra wondered if Balsa’s left side didn’t hurt anymore.

    Balsa lifted the cloth covering the door and entered, leading Asra. The inside of the store was larger than she’d expected. It was almost entirely empty. Hard-packed gravel crunched beneath her feet as she walked. There was a formal space for guests straight ahead. A little old man sat stooped behind a desk with four men seated directly in front of him on a bit of planking that extended from the wall like a bench. The four men and the man behind the desk were talking about something when Balsa and Asra walked in.

    When the men noticed Balsa, they all looked up. Three of the men on the bench appeared to be merchants, but the fourth was unmistakably a warrior. His hand rested close to his sheathed longsword. His sleeves were rolled back, revealing strong arm muscles. He was bearded and exuded an air of calm confidence.

    The three merchants all appeared to be quite young. Their eyes passed over Balsa, but they all sat up straight when they saw Asra. They were clearly trying to compare her and Balsa’s faces. These men probably traveled in Rota a lot, so they must know that Asra was Tal. Balsa pulled Asra behind her to protect her from the men’s probing glances.

    The old man standing behind the desk smiled and stood up. “It’s been a long time, Balsa. I hope you’ve been well.”

    “It’s good to see you, Tachiya,” Balsa said. “I’m fortunate to be quite well. You’re looking well, yourself.”

    Tachiya’s smile deepened. “Toun came to me with a message. He said you want to join the caravan going to Sangal as a guard. Is that right?”

    Hearing this, the warrior sitting with the merchants glared rudely at Balsa. Balsa pointedly ignored him. “Yes. I’d like to bring this girl with me. I know that may be inconvenient, so I’m willing to charge half my usual rate.”

    “Excuse me, may I ask you something?” one of the merchants asked. He was looking at Asra again.

    “Go ahead,” Balsa said.

    “How much do you usually charge? I’ve only just taken over my father’s store, so I don’t know the going rate for bodyguards.”

    “My usual fee is thirty copper coins per day, plus meals.”

    The warrior laughed. “Don’t you think that’s unreasonable? That’s the rate for a first-class guard.”

    Balsa said nothing, but Tachiya shifted his gaze from her to the warrior. “Janon, Balsa is a first-class guard. Her strength and experience speak for themselves. She’s worth every copper coin she costs.”

    Janon’s expression twisted in clear distaste, but he knew he wouldn’t get the job if he displeased Tachiya, so he kept his mouth shut.

    The merchant that had asked the question about Balsa’s rate grunted. “Half-price is still fifteen copper coins a day, and the caravan will have to feed two people instead of one,” he said to Janon.

    “If you hire me,” Janon said, “I’ll only charge twenty copper coins a day and meals. I won’t have an extra person with me, either, so I’ll be cheaper to feed, too. Whoever heard of a guard bringing a child on a job? She’d be too distracted to keep the caravan safe.”

    Tachiya shook his head. “Mr. Naka, I thought you were headed to Rota, not Sangal. Balsa is being considered for the caravan heading to Sangal.”

    The merchants put their heads together and discussed what Balsa and Janon had said. Tachiya held out his hand and beckoned Balsa to come closer. Balsa approached Tachiya and leaned close to him.

    Tachiya whispered, “Someone came here asking for you last night.”

    “For me?” Balsa whispered back. “Who was it?”

    “A man from New Yogo, I think. He said his name was Tanda.”

    Balsa felt a shock like a blow to the chest. Her eyes widened. “What did he look like?”

    “Shorter, a little fat, around forty years old.”

    It wasn ’t Tanda.

    “He came to deliver a letter,” Tachiya said. “He asked me to give it to you if you came here. Here it is.”

    Balsa snatched the letter from his hand and snapped the string holding it in a scroll shape. The letter was in Rotan. Her eyes devoured the words in front of her at top speed. When she finished reading the letter, a chill went down her spine.

 

On the morning of the twentieth day of Shasam, a bell will ring inside Rota’ s Ritual Hall at Jitan. If you’ re not at the gate of the Ritual Hall by the time the bell stops ringing, we will kill Tanda and Chikisa.

 

    The letter wasn’t signed, but it was obviously from Sufar and his followers. They knew she was here--not just in Shirogai, but here in this exact spot in Tachiya’s store. Tachiya had just told her that the man that had delivered the letter had done so last night. Balsa mentally counted the days since she and Asra had managed to evade their pursuers. They shouldn’t have been able to discover their whereabouts and plans this fast. Tachiya’s shop wasn’t easy to find, not even for Balsa.

    Had Tanda told them where she was?

    Balsa didn’t think that Tanda would betray her, but she couldn’t think of a better explanation. Tanda was a good person, and a trustworthy one--had something happened to him? Torture? Had Sufar coerced him into some kind of deal? Balsa didn’t think that Tanda would agree to anything without thinking it through first, but she couldn’t shake her growing sense of unease.

    Sufar had used a man to deliver this letter to her. That man had used Tanda’s name. To her, that indicated clear ill intent on Sufar’s part. Balsa’s awareness of the room retreated as fear overwhelmed her.

    “Balsa?” Asra asked. She sounded worried.

    Balsa snapped back into focus and took a few breaths to bury her emotions so that they wouldn’t show. “I’ll tell you later,” she whispered to Asra.

    Balsa started thinking about how long it would take them to reach Jitan. Jitan was at the very heart of Rota, equidistant from its northern and southern borders. Shasam was the first month of the new year. If she and Asra left today, they’d have forty days to make the journey, which should be plenty of time.

    But why Jitan in the first place? Balsa knew that there was some kind of ceremony celebrating the founding of Rota on the twenty-second day of Shasam in the the Ritual Hall. Balsa and Asra were required to be in Jitan two days before the ceremony. Was that significant?

    She needed time to think, but she and Asra would definitely need to head to Rota soon. She knew that much. It bothered her that not only had Sufar known she’d be in Shirogai: he also knew she’d seek employment with a caravan. It was all too much of a coincidence. Tanda must have told him.

    It was clear that Sufar knew where she was, so why had he bothered with sending a letter at all? She expected that Sufar and the others were keeping watch on them from afar. If that was the case, why hadn’t they attacked again? Were they that afraid after what had happened during their first encounter? That seemed unlikely. This whole setup didn’t have the correct underpinnings for an ambush, but Sufar definitely seemed to be luring her into a trap.

    Something about this entire situation had changed without her knowledge. By sending this letter and presenting such stark terms, Sufar and his allies were putting Balsa at a disadvantage. She had no means of renegotiation; no means of contacting Sufar to change the terms. She had no choice but to go to Jitan before the appointed day.

    Sufar and the others probably wouldn’t attack Balsa and Asra on their journey; they would have no reason to. They could reasonably expect Balsa and Asra to show up in Jitan. Any trap they set for them would be there.

    “Tachiya. I’m sorry, but my circumstances have suddenly changed,” Balsa said. “Is there a caravan heading to Rota soon?”

    The warrior, Janon, stood up. “I have been assigned to guard the caravan to Rota.”

    Balsa faced him fully for the first time. “No, you haven’t. Tachiya still needs to ask the caravan for final personnel assignments before it departs. That’s how these jobs always go. Tachiya’s agreed to ask the caravan to employ you, but I suspect he hasn’t done that yet.”

    Tachiya rested his chin in his hand. “Well, isn’t this a problem. Balsa, the toll to pass through the mountains using the main road at Nabal Pass has recently increased, so many caravans are skirting the roads and crossing into Rota at the Samal Pass. It’s dangerous at this time of year, though. In ten days’ time, I expect that the Samal Pass will be entirely buried in snow. This is probably the last caravan Mr. Naka will be able to send to Rota this year.”

    Balsa nodded. “Thanks for explaining the circumstances. I hate to ask after all you’ve already done for me, but would you act as a go-between for me to be employed in the caravan going to Rota? You and I both respect one another as reliable professionals, so I know your recommendation would carry a lot of weight.”

    Mr. Naka stood up. “Hey, wait a minute now. Even if you are a first-class guard recommended by Tachiya, feeding the child will probably cost fifteen copper coins a day. My caravan doesn’t have a lot of people, and no leeway to take care of an additional child. If you can overcome these objections through a demonstration of skill, I may consider taking Tachiya’s recommendation.”

    Janon’s expression displayed his rage openly, but he controlled himself quickly so he wouldn’t make a bad impression. Badmouthing another guard in front of a potential employer was a sure-fire way to ruin his reputation.

    Janon’s voice was calm and composed as he said, “Mr. Naka, you’re the leader of the caravan, so the decision is yours. Please permit me to make my case before you make your choice. This woman may be a first-rate bodyguard, but bandits and thieves will underestimate her simply because she’s a woman. She seems to be a spear wielder, and she must be a master practitioner based on her reputation, but what would happen if she didn’t have her weapon close to hand during an attack? Could she defend herself, the child and the caravan in such a case? Without her spear, she’s an unarmed woman. I’m certain she’d be no match for me in unarmed combat.”

    Tachiya remained silent, but his eyes sparkled as if he’d just heard an extremely funny joke. Balsa glanced over at Tachiya, who grinned back at her in complete silence. She realized she would have to defend her own reputation here.

    Balsa returned her gaze to Janon. “You shouldn’t put other people down to make yourself look better.”

    “I’m not putting you down at all,” Janon said.
”I’m sure you’re very good. I just told the truth as I see it. If I’m wrong, please prove it to me.”

    Balsa sighed inwardly, then whispered to Asra: “Hold my spear for me, please, and go stand in the corner over there. The spear’s heavy, so be careful and don’t drop it.”

    Asra looked nervous, but she did as Balsa said. The spear was much heavier than it appeared to be. She had to hold it in both hands as she retreated to the corner. Her blood pounded so loud in her veins that it hurt. Her mouth went dry.

    Janon drew himself up to his full height. He was taller than Balsa by a head. By appearances if nothing else, Janon had a clear advantage in unarmed combat. Balsa was also going into this fight injured. Asra was so nervous that she almost dropped Balsa’s spear.

    Janon gave Balsa a challenging look that seemed to say, Come at me!

    Balsa bent her knees slightly and lifted her arms to protect her head. Her right leg twitched. Janon appeared to be right-handed. He stood in ready stance with one leg behind him and his front leg slightly bent, which protected roughly half of his body from direct attacks. He was making it as difficult as possible for Balsa to target any weak or vital points.

    Janon wound up his left fist and aimed a punch directly at Balsa’s face.

    Balsa brushed his fist away with her right hand. He noticed her movement the exact instant that she yanked his shoulder down so hard that he had to lean completely forward in order to keep his balance. Smooth as oil, Balsa brought her right elbow sharply into Janon’s ribs.

    Janon’s eyes widened in pain and anger. He’d done his best to protect himself from that kind of attack, but Balsa had managed to break past his defensive stance. Janon grunted and twisted away from her, shooting his hand out to grab her hair as she moved. He could use her hair to pull her in and knee her in the head--then she’d be done for. She was a woman; all he needed was one hard hit to bring her down.

    There was a sound like a tree branch snapping suddenly; the next moment, the hand that was reaching for Balsa’s hair convulsed in pain. Janon didn’t see what she’d done; she was too fast. When she’d noticed his fist open to grab her hair, Balsa had used the blade of her hand to strike hard against his knuckles. At least one of his fingers was broken.

    Janon’s body curled protectively around his broken hand. Balsa kept attacking; she didn’t intend to let him off so easily. She released a loud kihap to strengthen her next strike, which landed just below his ear. Janon fell to his knees and did not move.

    Even then, Balsa didn’t stop. She got in close, carefully so that Janon couldn’t grab her legs and trip her, then lifted his closed eyelids with her fingers and pushed in. He went limp under her, clearly unconscious.

    Her air of murderous intent vanished in an instant as she backed away from him.

    The merchants were stunned speechless. Balsa walked over to Asra and reclaimed her spear. The merchants recovered the ability to move and speak as if they were breaking free from some spell.

    Naka whispered something to the others. His face was deathly pale as he regarded Balsa with an expression of disgust. “I can see that you’re strong, but you strike me as far too cruel a person for this kind of work. You knew that you could defeat Janon--that much is obvious--but did you have to break his hand to prove that? He won’t be able to work for a while.”

    Tachiya spoke up suddenly: “Mr. Naka, Balsa only injured him so much because I didn’t inform her of Janon’s previous experience. He’s worked as a guard in bars and restaurants in Shirogai, but he has no experience guarding caravans. I understand that your caravan is small and that you’ll only be hiring one guard, but that makes you an easy target for thieves. You will need to move more carefully and discreetly than larger caravans. If you do run into bandits or thieves, I wouldn’t expect them to spare your lives.”

    Naka nodded in understanding.

    “Guarding a bar and guarding a caravan are completely different. That’s why Janon’s rate is ten copper coins fewer than Balsa’s per day. I verified this to Janon, but he still dismissed Balsa as just a woman. I’m sure Janon is a good swordsman, but he still lacks skill in unarmed combat. Balsa saw through all of his attacks easily. I don’t think he’s ready to guard a caravan yet. I led Balsa to believe that this was a job opening for a caravan, which is why she fought as she did. It’s better for him to break his fingers now than it would be to have a bandit break his neck later.

    “Balsa shows no mercy to her opponents. She chooses to fight them on equal terms, and even when they fall she does not pause, but continues to attack and defend. Even weaponless, she’s a formidable fighter. Until Janon’s fingers heal, I have no other guards available for hire. It may be advisable to part ways now and meet again under better circumstances.

    “Mr. Naka, Balsa is not cruel or heartless, but she will be relentless in defending your lives and your goods. That’s why she’s a first-rate bodyguard.”

    Naka’s expression stiffened in discomfort. Blood gradually returned to his pale face. “I see. You’ve taught me a valuable lesson,” he said to Balsa. “If I asked you to guard my caravan, would you accept?”

    Balsa nodded. “Gladly. I just have one question. Where in Rota are you headed?”

    “I mostly trade in leather and furs. I always travel around northern Rota at this time of year to replenish my stock. The route is always the same: we travel all around the north, then return to New Yogo.”

    “I see. Will we pass by Toluan?”

    Naka nodded. “It seems you know Rota well. There’s a large market that trades in leather in Toluan.”

    “I have a place I need to go in Rota, and soon,” Balsa said. “I can guard you until we reach Toluan. I have connections there and can introduce you to another first-rate guard that can protect you for the rest of your journey. Do we have an agreement?”

    Naka nodded. His eyes shifted to Asra, who was standing behind Balsa. “Your terms are reasonable, but I’m curious about the girl. She can’t possibly be your daughter; you appear to be from Kanbal, but she’s...”

    “She’s not my daughter,” Balsa said smoothly. She smiled a little and tried to inject some friendliness into her tone. “I saved this girl from being sold by slave merchants. She has no family, so I brought her along with me.”

    “Ah, I see. So that’s why she’s with you.”

    Naka considered for a moment, then extended his hand. Balsa shook it, formalizing their agreement. Balsa passed Tachiya’s fee discreetly to him and whispered, “If someone else comes looking for me, tell them that you delivered the letter and that I understand their terms. I will be in Jitan on the appointed day.” She paused, then added, “But if they don’t keep their word and harm Tanda or Chikisa, I’ll make them wish they were never born.”

    Balsa spoke dispassionately, but Tachiya sensed murderous intent emanating from her in waves for a second. Tachiya nodded and scrawled something rapidly on a piece of scrap paper. He lifted his head to look at Balsa, eyes shining with admiration.

    “I saw Jiguro fight, a lot, a long time ago. I never thought anyone could equal him as a fighter. He aged, but never weakened or slowed down. What I saw today made me think you just might be a match for him.”

    Balsa smiled. “I may be a woman, but Jiguro taught me how to be strong. There are many paths to strength--not all of them rely on muscle power. I wouldn’t have been able to stay in this line of work for very long without him teaching me that.”

    Tachiya chuckled. “I’ll probably retire before you even think about slowing down. I should introduce you to my son someday.”

    Balsa finished talking through the details of her arrangement with Naka. They promised to meet at a certain spot on the road the next day. After this was decided, Balsa and Asra left Tachiya’s store. Balsa checked their surroundings for any signs that they were being followed, but she saw nothing except ordinary people passing by on the street. She felt no watchful eyes upon them.

    Strong, clear sunlight warmed Balsa’s shoulders as she took Asra’s hand and started walking back to Martha’s store.

 

 

Shortly after Balsa left Tachiya’s store, Tanda and Sufar entered it, lifting the cloth over the door as they came in. Shihana and Mark stayed outside the store and kept watch. Chikisa was still tied up at the inn they were staying at in Shirogai.

“Do you have some business at my store, gentlemen?” Tachiya asked as Sufar and Tanda entered.

Tanda came closer to Tachiya and said, “Excuse me, but are you Tachiya? Do you assign guards to caravans traveling out of the city?”

“Yes, I am Tachiya, and that is a service that I provide. Are you looking to hire a guard?”

“Um, no... I’m, uh, actually looking for a friend. I heard about you from this friend, and I was wondering if you’ve been in contact with her lately. Do you know a bodyguard named Balsa?”

Tachiya’s expression remained fixed in place. “Excuse me, sir, but may I ask for your name?”

“Of course! Forgive me for being so rude, I’m just so...” He paused and cleared his throat. “My name is Tanda.”

Tachiya’s eyes narrowed. “Hm. I’m not sure if I should answer your questions. A man named Tanda was here not two days ago, but he was quite a bit shorter and fatter than you. I passed his letter to Balsa, as he asked me to.”

Tanda spun around and faced Sufar. Sufar appeared just as confused as he was.

Had Sufar betrayed Tanda? Tanda glared at him in accusation, but Sufar shook his head vehemently. “I swear, I don’t know anything about this at all.”

Tachiya observed their exchange, then said, “Balsa asked me to tell you something. Would you like to hear it?”

Tanda nodded.

Tachiya fumbled around with the papers on his desk until he found a piece of scrap paper with something written on it. He appeared to be farsighted; he had to hold the paper well away from his face in order to read it. “I understand your terms. I’ll be in Jitan on the agreed-upon day. If you hurt Tanda or Chikisa, I’ll make you wish you’d never been born.”

Tanda went pale as he stared at the words on the paper. Sufar stood next to him; he frowned as he took in the message.

What was going on here? If Sufar hadn’t betrayed Tanda, then how had this happened?

In a voice that shook, Tanda asked Tachiya if Balsa had been hired by a caravan. Tachiya clammed up completely and would say no more.

When Tanda and Sufar left the store, it was getting dark. The change in lighting conditions from the inside of the shop to the outside was slightly disorienting. Shihana walked up to them with a small monkey sitting on her shoulder. The monkey had a piece of red cloth tied around its neck.

Tanda remembered seeing that monkey before. Did the monkey he’d seen at the inn at the Herb Market belong to Shihana?

Sufar rushed toward Shihana, but he hadn’t taken two steps before a man seized his arms from behind. Tanda felt his own arms being yanked back.

Sufar turned to face the men restraining them. His eyes widened in recognition. “Kafam?”

The men gripped Tanda and Sufar securely before they could struggle. Shihana walked up to them slowly. “Sorry, dad,” she said. “Your way takes too long, so I asked some of my friends to help us out.”

Sufar glared daggers at Shihana. “What have you done?”

“This whole time, I’ve been trying to guide Rota toward the best possible future with my moves. I knew you’d oppose me if you knew what I was doing, so I kept it secret. I knew it would come to this eventually.” She paused. “Let’s go back to the inn. We need to head back to Rota as soon as possible. I expect you to follow my lead from here on out.”

Sufar spluttered in consternation, but Shihana’s utterly dispassionate expression did not shift. Her eyes assumed their usual quality of looking through what was in front of her. They were focused on something far, far away.

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