Other Worldly Ways (Anthology 1) Read Free Page B

third day, with the final match on the afternoon of the third day, marking the solstice on Falchan.
    The water in the bathing tents was tepid at best, but it was welcome as I cleaned the dust off my body and out of my hair. I averted my eyes whenever someone walked past my open bathing cubicle, but they had no aversion to staring.
    Most Falchani resembled Crane and Dragon, who seemed Asian in appearance with long, dark hair braided at their backs. Many of those who wandered through the bathing tents had tattoos as well—some with full sets, others with only arms or backs done. The chest was always the last area to be inked. I was the only one there with no tattoos at all.
    "Look at that," a Falchani with a full set of tats pointed in my direction. "Have you ever seen hair that color?" He studied my light red hair with interest. "And see—it's the same below." He laughed when I went pink and wrapped a towel around my body.
    He stayed to watch as I dressed in my white gah—everyone else around me was dressed in black gahs. They were seasoned warriors; I was the neophyte. Grabbing my leathers, boots, comb and soap, I walked out of the bathing tent with as much dignity as I could muster.
    My tentmate lounged on his narrow pallet when I walked into our shared tent. "Staying to watch the Trials?" His voice held contempt.
    "No, I'll be competing tomorrow," I replied, refusing to look at him.
    "You made it through today?" He didn't bother to hide his incredulity.
    "I sure hope you take a bath while you're here," I snapped. "I can smell you from here." He laughed as I walked out of the tent, leaving him behind. I shouldn't have said anything, but honestly, there was no excuse for him to smell as he did. At least the cooking tents waited, and I hoped they'd have something vegetarian on the menu.
    * * *
    "Still here?" Camala smiled as she set her bowl of noodles down next to me and climbed onto the bench.
    "I'm just as surprised as anybody," I replied. "Noodles are good." They were good, just not as good as what I'd gotten from Turtle's bar in the past. Turtle's bar was far away—on the border before you reached the mountains and the domain of the enemy. I wouldn't be going there this trip.
    "You must have drawn the weakest of the lot," the mountainous Falchani dropped his tray on the table across from me.
    "Is rudeness how you defeat your enemies?" Camala snapped at him. "I hear she dropped Simmas before he could draw his blade."
    "Simmas went down?" the mountain blinked at me.
    "In his first bout," Camala replied smugly.
    "Look, I've been lucky," I said as the air between Camala and the mountain became frosty. "Simmas didn't expect me to have any talent at all. I was faster drawing my blades."
    "He always has been slow at that," the mountain grunted before spearing a chunk of meat and stuffing it in his mouth. "Who taught you?"
    "Veykan of the Wildcat Tribe," I replied.
    "Hmmph. Never heard of him."
    "She fights with two blades, and I heard from Deena that she's good with them."
    "Deena still in?"
    "No. This one here took her out, too."
    Mountain chewed noisily while he studied me with new interest. "I'll see how good you are tomorrow. The Trial Masters will determine those bouts."
    He was right—the weaker ones always went against the stronger when the Masters chose opponents. It was like a college basketball tournament, where the lowest seeds faced the higher ones. That didn't mean that a low-ranking team wouldn't be on the rise, however, and take down a better-positioned club. At least I comforted myself with that notion while I remained quiet and ate my noodles as silently as I could.
    * * *
    Jugglers, acrobats, minstrels and storytellers provided entertainment that evening on the grounds. I went to watch and listen for a little while, hoping my tentmate had chosen to bathe while I was out. I didn't see him; I knew that much.
    In the distance, on the northern edge of the trial grounds, stood the Warlord's and General's tents.