“Relax, Naya.” Annia patted me on the shoulder, bringing me back to the present, and I turned to look at her. “We’re not going to know for sure what’s up with Iannis until we get there and see for ourselves. For all you know she’s got him chained up in her tent, trying to force him into submission.”
I laughed and winced all at once as an image of Iannis chained to the floor of a tent with a bunch of bearskin rugs underneath him and probably nothing covering him popped into my head. That wouldn’t be so bad if I was there, but considering it was the shamaness…
“By Magorah, but we’ve got to hurry.” Shaking my head, I cleared my mind of the image. It didn’t matter what kind of state Iannis was in, we still had to get him back. Reaching for my beast, I shifted into panther form, then headed out with Fenris and Annia, hoping against hope that we’d get to Iannis in time to undo whatever spell the shamaness had put on him.
Back in beast form, Fenris and I were able to track the two Coazi males without difficulty despite the lead we’d given them. We followed at a distance, with Annia even further behind to make sure we drew no attention to ourselves. It took another couple of hours, but by early afternoon we arrived at the tribe’s camp, set on a plateau at the edge of a large patch of forest high up on the mountainside.
Rather than following the two males into the camp, we hung back in the forest, shifting back into human form and climbing up tall pine trees so we could get a good view of the camp while remaining hidden from view. Perched securely on a branch, with my legs wrapped around the tree’s trunk in case the branch wasn’t as sturdy as I’d gauged, I fished out a spyglass and extended it, then fitted the lens to my eye.
Like the Coazi tribe we’d met on the plains, the mountain Coazi set up their dwellings in a circle. Unlike the plains Coazi, their huts were made out of wooden frames that were covered in what looked like woven mats and sheets of bark. In addition to several large looms where women sat and wove rugs, the center of the circle also housed a large, communal fire pit with logs set up around it for people to sit on. Several women were prepping the fire pit for cooking, and I noticed a woman watching from the side who was more elaborately dressed than the others. The feathers in her hair were a brilliant blue, and a colorful shawl with animal patterns woven expertly into the fabric was draped around her slim shoulders. The buckskin dress she wore flattered her shapely figure and regal bearing. Jealousy flashed low in my gut as I guessed that she must be Halyma.
“No sign of the Chief Mage yet,” Annia commented as she studied the camp through a pair of bronze binoculars. “You think he’s hiding out in one of those huts over there?”
A series of whoops and shouts echoed from the forest on the opposite side of the camp, and everyone in the clearing turned toward the sound as one. Both adults and children started jumping and shouting as well, and there was no mistaking their excitement as they all ran toward the edge of the forest.
A small group of Coazi men armed with spears and bows emerged from the forest, a pair of large hunting dogs dancing around their feet as they carried a huge elk back to the camp. I nearly fell out of the tree as I spotted Iannis at the head of the group, along with two other hunters. Brightly colored feathers very similar to the shamaness’s were woven into his cherrywood locks, and he’d traded in his robes for buckskins. The tunic and leggings he wore showcased his tall, lean form in a way that his robes never did. I drank in the sight hungrily, my eyes roaming over his broad chest and shoulders, his lean waist, and long legs that I could tell were muscular even through the buckskin pants. His violet eyes glowed with health and vitality, and his white teeth gleamed as he flashed a brilliant smile.
Except that smile wasn’t for me, I realized as I followed his gaze. That smile was for the shamaness, who had rushed forward to greet him along with the others. The whole tribe crowded around them, whooping and cheering at the sight of the elk, which had been bound to a long, sturdy tree log that all six of the men helped to carry. The shamaness gave Iannis a feline smile as she twined her arms around his neck, and I hissed as she pressed her slim curves against him. I saw lips move as words were exchanged, and Iannis lowered his head and kissed her.
“No fucking way!” Annia hissed as a red haze spread across my vision. My claws dug into the bark, and I realized a second later that I was snarling, my fangs bared. “Not only is he one of them, but he’s standing there making out with that hussy shamaness while the rest of Solantha is losing their minds?”
I ground my teeth together, choosing not to respond because honestly, I didn’t know what to say. I felt like someone had thrust a superheated blade straight through my heart. The searing agony made it hard to breathe, and hot tears gathered at the corners of my eyes. I’d come all the way out here to rescue Iannis, only to find that he’d thrown himself wholeheartedly at another woman. And from the way he was kissing her, it didn’t seem like he had any plans on leaving.
“Your lack of faith is unbecoming, Sunaya,” Fenris warned, his eyes narrowed as he read my emotions perfectly. Not that I imagined that was a great feat – I’m sure they were stamped across my face for the whole world to see. “You and I both know that Iannis would never willingly abandon his people to live amongst the Coazi. What we are seeing here is clearly a product of the shamaness’s trickery.”
“But –”
“This is the same man who took you in against the wishes of the Council and made you his apprentice. The same man who risked his life and reputation to save me from execution. Do you really think that he would willingly abandon his responsibilities now, when his people need him more than ever?”