Page 14 of Starside

Kira and Zane are in my cart, along with a few others. We sit side by side, with just enough room to stretch out our legs if we take turns. The road is ground dirt and jagged rocks for miles. The cart’s wheels are uneven. Our bodies jostle and lurch forward, churning waves of nausea through me every few feet. Enough challengers in front of us retch that I’m grateful for my collar, pulling the fabric up over my nose, even though the sun burns so hot in the afternoon, I quickly sweat through my clothing.

Stormside’s name is like a taunt—a reminder of what it once was. We pray for storms. We haven’t had one in years. No rain at all. Only the beating sun, which often does more harm than good.

It’s said that the first drop of magic brought back from the Questral always leads to rain. People leave buckets outside, waiting for it. I can almost feel the cold water upon my skin, if I close my eyes.

A flash of a memory has me opening them again.

Looking around, it’s clear most of these challengers don’t know how to survive long stretches outside in the heat. Some have already gone limp. Others are complaining loudly, asking when we’ll stop for shade. I wonder if they spend most of their time inside, without having to venture out and scavenge, like most of us.

This is my advantage. I might not have the same metals as them, but I know what it’s like to have to fight for survival. I’ve always found a way to live, even in the harshest conditions.

Kira watches as I tuck my braid back around and pin it up to keep it from sticking to the sweat on my neck, and also, in case I lean too far over the cart and it gets stuck in a wheel and breaks my neck. A few minutes later, she begins shedding some of her layers, until she’s in only her underthings. Cadoc Bolter turns in the cart ahead of us and yells past the horse and guard leading our own wagon, “There’s already enough vomit on the road. No need to make the rest of us sick.”

Asshole.

She makes a vulgar gesture at him, but I’m close enough to see her pale cheeks go scarlet. She hugs her legs against her chest and looks away.

Cadoc’s gaze shifts to me. “And you. Covered up to your chin. I wouldn’t mind if you undressed.”

I want to throw the sword in the scabbard along my spine through his skull. But I can’t. Not until we’re told the Culling has officially begun. Little is known about the challenges, since those that survive go onto the quest. Few ever make it back. All I know is they can’t be long. The Questral always starts on the twenty-fifth day of the fifth month. Which is in just two days.

It would be a death sentence to face Cadoc now anyway. The sword I grabbed from Stellan’s forge is titanium. A strong metal, but not a high one, and nothing compared to Cadoc’s gold, two steps below Starside steel.

Cadoc opens his mouth again, but Zane says, “It’s said that men who maim with words can’t do the same with their swords. Is that true? I didn’t get a chance to see your skill set yesterday … All those shields were in the way.”

Silence.

Cadoc’s eyes narrow, though his smile remains. He’s trying and failing to look unaffected. “And you are?”

“Zane.”

“Zane what?”

“Sterling.”

This time, Cadoc’s smile does drop. Kira slowly turns toward Zane. My eyes go to his weapon—an ax, sheathed. I realize now that I haven’t seen the metal.

“House Sterling?” Cadoc says, his tone even but his posture changed completely.

Zane barely nods.

Cadoc straightens. “You’d be better off in our cart, then. My house has provisions handled for the entire journey.” He motions to the distance, and there, on the horizon, is a convoy of men on horses. Of course.

They likely have food. Water, which might as well be Starside steel on this barren road. My pouch was drained hours ago.

Cadoc turns to one of the men in his cart and says, “Switch.”

“What? We’re cousins, Cadoc. My father—”

“No need,” Zane says, his deep voice casual but his eyes narrowed. “I don’t think there’s room for me in that cart, with you and your ego in it.”

Kira’s mouth falls open.

Cadoc only gives a cold smile. “Suit yourself,” he says, before turning back around. A few minutes later, his cart is too far ahead of us to hear him anymore.

That’s when Kira whirls to face Zane. “You never said you were House Sterling.”

Zane taps his fingers against the side of the cart. “I did say I was from Helmspeak.”