“I’ve never heard of Tralam.”
He shook his head. “Only a few have. The Federation would kill, has killed and for centuries, to keep that place secret. That’s the place you will find the ones who are the Federation. Tell me again where.”
What was wrong with him? Tara paused, her heartbeat speeding up as she looked down and saw that his coat, covered in blood, was not just bloody, but smeared with fresh blood. A gasp came from her mouth. “You’re wounded, and badly! We need to get you help!”
“I didn’t know how badly until just a few minutes ago.” He moved slightly, and more blood stained the torn coat. “I hoped he would come back before…before…I need you to say it. Tralam.”
“Tralam.” She moved forward, horrified and shocked too much to notice she was speaking. Her hands went to his coat, and she parted it to see a vicious wound just above his ribs. She whispered, “Come on, we have to go.”
“I was standing here, thinking I would tell the first person I would see, and you came along first. Ironic. Or maybe fate. Tell my son…tell him that the entrance is the exit way and the only way in is out. Tralam is there, but you won’t see it until you blind yourself.”
Riddles. He was talking in riddles, and those riddles were likely due to delirium from the wound. She said, “Yes, okay, I will, but let me help you…” Her head turned. A scream flew from her lips. “Help! Somebody help, please! Right now!”
Bates toppled to the ground. The fall brought blood pouring from his mouth. His eyes locked on hers, his gaze intense and fading all at once. “Say it. Tell me what I just said to you.”
Sweet gods, the man was dying and clearly losing his grip on his sanity! “Help!” Her scream tore from her throat, leaving it raw and aching.
Bates’ hand found her hair and yanked, hard enough to snap her attention back to him. She whispered the words he had just said. “The entrance is the exit way and the only way in is out. Tralam is there, but you won’t see it until you blind yourself.”
Bates laughed, and the laugh made a bubble of blood form on his lips and then burst. “He’s an assassin,” he said. “At one time that shamed me, but now I know that he alone is the way to break Tralam and the Federation forever. I had hoped that was a myth, but it isn’t. I know it isn’t. I didn’t want to believe, but I do.”
A low cry roared through her head, and she stared with dazed eyes as Blade fell to Bates’ side, his hands going to his father’s face. Tears ran down Blade’s face, and he didn’t bother trying to stem or hide them. Tara, unsure of what to do, put her hands on Blade’s and he stared at her, his tears sparkling as they cut clean channels down his dirty and worn face.
He moaned out, “Goddammit why didn’t I get back sooner?”
Bates’ lifted a blood-encrusted hand. “Tralam,” he croaked. “Tralam.”
Blade blinked. “Father…”
“Your destiny is Tralam,” Bates wheezed.
Blade bent his head. Others ran to the spot where he lay, and Marik approached, then shook his head and stepped back, one long arm sweeping up to hold the others at bay. That alone spoke volumes. That gesture said that General Bates could not be saved. Tara let the tears come. She kept her hands on Blade’s and his body leaned into hers just slightly as Bates’ breath slowed and then slowed again. His eyes began to film over as death took him, and Tara watched, not moving, as Blade finally reached his fingers upward and closed his father’s eyes for the final time.
Silence reigned through the small clearing. The birds had even stopped singing. A small cloud passed over the sun, making Tara shiver.
Blade stood. His eyes held hers. He said, “I’ll be damned if I will put him in that grave. He’ll burn, just like a warrior should.”
Tara nodded and began to gather kindling. There was no other way she could tell him how much she agreed, and would do whatever it took to make sure Blade could burn his father’s body in the way he saw fit to honor the man who had kept his son alive even though it had meant betraying the very thing he loved the most—the Federation.
