Read Online The World Weavers by Kelley Grant - Free Book Online

rings in groups of forty. Each of those groups would have a tender walking alongside.
    â€œMy ­people will meet us in the Sands,” Turo said, clapping his hands together.
    Kadar nodded. The Tigus would take the humpbacks and supplies, letting the tenders return to assist the warriors of the One. Kadar and Turo would distribute the supplies and beasts to Tigu tribes along the main caravan routes. Kadar would join the tribes in the east, along the boundary between the Northern and Southern Territories, scouting out Voras’s troops and reporting to Sulis, who would relay his findings to the warriors of the One and the Chosen.
    The sun was breaking over the dunes when they’d secured everything and were ready to leave.
    â€œBe careful, brother of mine,” Sulis said from behind Kadar as he did a final check on the lead line of his group of humpbacks.
    Kadar turned and Sulis embraced him.
    â€œI am so sorry,” she whispered in his ear. “I wish you could have been spared.”
    Kadar hugged her. “You be careful as well,” he told her. He looked over at Ashraf standing back from the farewells.
    â€œProtect her,” Kadar said. “Keep her from doing anything stupid, would you?”
    â€œI will try,” Ashraf promised.
    Sulis pushed away. “I can protect myself. Who’s going to protect you?” she asked.
    â€œA thousand Tigu warriors?” Kadar guessed. “At least that’s what Turo has told me. Apparently farspeakers are valued among the Tigus and don’t fight. I have no idea how I’m going to communicate with these ­people. I’ve never studied a word of their language.”
    Sulis looked past Kadar and frowned, and he turned. Sanuri was attaching a large bag to the front of his humpback, which still knelt, waiting for Kadar to mount.
    Sanuri turned her vague eyes on him. “You will need this,” she said. “I was given it, but it is for you.”
    She wandered to the house and Kadar looked at Sulis.
    â€œCook must have given her more supplies,” Sulis said with a shrug. “Sanuri was in the kitchens before I came out here.”
    Kadar nodded and mounted, ordering his humpback to rise. Turo joined him, leading his own string. As Kadar and Turo led the procession, Grandmother and the leaders of Kabandha met them at the front gate.
    Grandmother put a hand on Kadar’s foot in the stirrup.
    â€œGo with the One, Kadar,” she blessed him. “All our hopes go with you.”
    Kadar touched the back of his hand to his forehead in salute, and Turo did the same. They were saluted back. Sulis blew him a kiss, and they rode out into the scrubby desert, heading for the Sands.
    They reached the Sands before Kadar’s stomach rumbled for midmeal. The deep dunes swallowed them and it was not more than a sandglass before Tigu warriors rose out of the sand on each side of them. Turo stood in his stirrups and shouted at the cloaked figures who gathered around him and Kadar.
    â€œCalim!” Turo said. He leapt from the saddle as another man dismounted. They embraced and slapped each other’s backs. The humpback tenders were frightened as the nomads surrounded their caravan. Kadar signaled them to sit in the sand.
    Turo conversed with the leader in the Tigu tongue. Calim frowned and pointed at Kadar, growling something. Turo shook his head, saying something insistent. The warrior shook his head again.
    Kadar was distracted from the argument by Sanuri’s bag, still attached to the saddle in front of him. It twitched as though it were coming alive.
    â€œMuurrrp?” the bag said insistently, and Kadar sighed in frustration. It figured. He unfastened the ties, only now realizing the bag had air holes in it. An orange-­tipped head popped out and looked around.
    Kadar opened the bag wide and Amber burst out of the bag and leapt onto Kadar’s shoulder. She gave a long, loud Frubian Flamepoint battle