The Daijuar walked on up ahead and Tarsha came to speak with Jaden and Alyssa, Elijenda walking beside them on the other side.
‘You have never been to Ceahlin,’ said Tarsha, ‘is that right?’
‘I’ve heard about it,’ said Jaden.
‘I see. Well, I have stayed here only a few nights, but I know the people are friendly. It would be good for you two to speak with some while we stay.’
‘I don’t feel like talking today,’ said Alyssa softly.
‘I understand,’ said Tarsha sympathetically. ‘If I might say something, there is one thing I have learned over the last decades. We cannot dwell on what has come to pass. Your loss will hurt, but you cannot allow it to overcome you. I was older than you are now when I lost my family, and to this day it still pains me. But I will not let their murders defeat me as they did my family.’
Alyssa nodded, but did not say anything. Jaden did the same, remembering how he had almost taken his own life after his family had been killed. If he had died then, Alyssa would have been raped and killed by the Alliance scout. No one would have been there to save her. He made a promise to himself then that he would never think of suicide again, not when someone so vulnerable could be in danger and be in need of his help. The thought of losing Alyssa in such a horrific way was as terrifying as what had happened to his family. He had not been able to save them, but with the help of the Daijuar, perhaps one day he would be able to make sure she was safe.
All three had become silent as the two Daijuar approached a man sitting in a great machine that worked the land.
‘We seek the leaders of this city,’ said Adonis. ‘Where would we find them?’
The man stood up from his seat and jumped the six feet down from his machine, landing with a thud but remaining upright. His hair was scruffy, black with gray throughout it, and he looked not to have shaved in several days. His appearance was made worse by the dust and muck all over his face as the sweat held it in place. His clothing was just as dirty, dark blue that seemed almost black and brown with the amount of mud over it. His nose was pointed and his eyelids were exposed underneath a stern brow, making him seem like a poor man who had spent too much time without shelter, but his smile was bright and his eyes seemed to tell that he possessed a gentle and kind nature.
‘You already have,’ he said in a husky voice. ‘I am Lendon Ode, the Kayde of Ceahlin.’
Blair looked at him questioningly. ‘Why do you work the fields?’ he asked.
Lendon turned to him with a look of surprise, as if the question had been ridiculous. ‘We have little need for politics, Sentinel. I am but a humble man that serves as the city’s spokesperson. It is best this way.’
Blair was satisfied with the answer.
‘We wish to make our presence known in this city,’ said Adonis.
‘For what reason?’ asked Lendon, using a cloth to wipe his hands clean of dirt and grease.
‘Our presence alone will deliver our message. If you would be so kind as to see to it that we are known here, we would be very grateful.’
After a moment, Lendon shrugged and tossed away the cloth. ‘I will not attempt to understand you, but so be it. If that is all?’ he said, readying to climb back up into the great machine.
‘No,’ said Blair. ‘We bring warning of an Alliance force heading this way.’
‘What?’ asked Lendon, stepping back down from the first step and walking back toward them.
As Blair relayed the events of the previous weeks and told of the new threats from the west and the south, a crowd gathered around them, young and old of the city coming to see the Daijuar up close. All stood in disbelief as they heard what Blair had to say, but there was nothing new to Jaden. He already knew of the Alliance movements, so he began to look around what little of the city he could see from where he stood. Separating the city from the crops there was a high wall made of concrete, interrupted at various points by large areas surmounted by strange machines. The machines looked similar to those the Alliance used, instruments of war, but made to protect the city, not to attack others. He wondered if this was the technology his father had hoped to bring back to Callibra but never could, and so had settled on bringing an army instead. The machines did not look as if they could defend the city forever, but they would at least allow its people time to flee.
Jaden came out of his thoughts when he felt a light tug on his vest, which Alyssa had given back to him as she no longer needed it.
‘Excuse me, Daijuar,’ came a small boy’s voice next to him, ‘are the Alliance really coming here?’
Jaden stared for a second. He almost thought it was Tommy asking him a question, as the child possessed similar features and the same shadowed blonde hair. Coming to his senses, he answered, ‘I think so.’