? The Path of Fire (Path of Light and Fire Book #1)(Completed) ?

Chapter 4.1: Rianna Calls

"Searching...no. I do not have all the answers. Remember that," Wade responded.

The woman approached with Leena at her side. She wore a compressed top, leaving her midriff out and a short skirt. It was very appropriate for this climate, but hard not to stare at.

"You will give me the horses," she said. "We will return them when you are ready to leave."

Sabin and Turrent dismounted and handed her the reins. She dropped both sets, instead opting to stroke each horse's neck. Surprisingly, Ares and Midnight trotted away, side by side.

"Don't ask," Leena said. "Just follow me. We are going to meet their High Elder."

The meeting place was a stone building raised above the others. Steps led to the entrance, which offered the outline of a woman aiming her bow at the sky on each side of the door.

A religious symbol perhaps?

The doors were open and inside dozens of women sat in a heated discussion. Sabin and Turrent took a position on each side of Leena and followed her inside. From the amount of finger pointing and yelling, it must have been important. Sabin found it hard to understand with the cacophony of voices competing with each other.

When Leena crossed the threshold, the room went silent.

The 'gatekeeper' trailed the three of them. Her hand rested on the rawhide whip at her waist.

"Why is she allowed to have men?" one of the women yelled. Sabin couldn't place the source.

"Save your tantrum for later," an older voice snapped. "Be silent!"

A young woman then stormed out of the building, ignoring the protests of the others. From the reaction, she had to be the source. His instincts told him to talk to her before she settled into protocol.

"Take care of things," Sabin told Leena. Maybe this woman will be willing to tell me about this place.

He noticed that two women with weapons, one with a short spear and the other with three throwing daggers on each hip had followed him out. Their presence screamed at Sabin to rethink his plan, but he continued on.

Sabin caught up to the woman quickly enough, tapping her on the shoulder. "Wait!" he called to her. He stopped and caught his breath.

The young woman turned around slowly. She had sharp eyes and thin hair that reminded him of Kaita, but her skin and other features bore a Yuan resemblance, the same as the gatekeeper. It was then he realized they weren't Yuan as he had hoped. It disappointed him less than he thought it would.

His disappointment was rested with himself. Is that all he could remember about Kaita, her eyes? It had barely been a cycle, and yet the picture of her in his mind was starting to get fuzzy. He tore himself from that line of thought, stroking the flowered cloth on the hilt of his sword. I have to focus. She might be able to help me finish this sooner, so I can return to her.

"What's your name?" Sabin asked the woman in the brown dress. "And what happened back there?"

"I shouldn't be speaking to you." She nodded towards his two followers. "But I'll be reprimanded for even saying that much, so I might as well talk to you. But it can wait; I have to make my apologies to Rianna for behaving as I did. Meet me outside of the church after sundown."

"I understand," Sabin said. "I'm Sabin."

"I know," she said. "We all know. Kianna. After sundown." She turned and left at that, moving as quickly as she had before.

When he turned to go back to the church, his shadows regarded him with barely concealed rage. Sabin was surprised at how little it worried him. Maybe his experience in Jabez number his fear somewhat. Either way, he needed to be more vigilant.

Inside the church, the women had Turrent backed into the corner, with Leena pleading with them. Given his experience moments ago, he knew this was a situation his presence would only exacerbate. Turrent's swords weren't out, so this was a civil matter.

Sabin stepped just outside the church and leaned against the wall. He kept an ear out and his hands on Wade just in case. Various clips of the conversation met his ears.

"...that is disrespectful to Rianna," an older woman's voice said.

"Schewa's a man..." Turrent said.

"....should sacrifice him to Rianna," another voice chimed in.

"...but he's a Serien." Leena pleaded.

After a few minutes, Leena stepped outside without Turrent and sat beside Sabin on the steps, her shoulders slumped in fatigue. "The women didn't take too kindly to Turrent talking in their church. You did good to leave when you did."

Sabin unfolded his arms. "You seemed to have it under control."

"Under control? It took several minutes to convince Turrent not to kill them all, then more to convince them not to kill him." Leena sighed. "Turrent is to repent for two nights, which means he sits on his hands while they feed him. Not a bad trade. Most men like that sort of thing, right?"

Sabin shrugged. "I suppose."

"You can keep your freaking leadership."

Sabin shook his head. "Not here. You've seen what happens. Turrent starts a gender war and I'm sure I'm going to have to sleep with my eyes open night. You're the only one that has nothing to worry about."

Leena grunted. "When you put in like that, I guess you have a point."

"You wanted to lead. Caring for your charges is first among your responsibilities."

Leena pushed to her feet and glared at Sabin. "Do you have to be such a goody good at all times?"

"It's who I am." Sabin looked up at the sky. "It's getting dark, I have to meet someone soon."

"Meeting someone after sundown?" Leena gave him a nudge. "I take that goody good stuff back."

"It's not that. I have a meeting with one of the locals to find out the whole story of the place."