by J E Reed
Once she’d taken her seat across the fire, Elite examined the roasted creature. A large rat stared back at him. At one point he might have turned down such a thing, but now—Elite took a mouthful then shifted his gaze toward the darkness again. It’d take him over a week to get out of here.
“How long have you lived here?” he asked.
Vixin examined the meat, pulled at a bone then tore another piece with her teeth. “Long enough.”
She’d heard voices. That meant Kiuno was probably safe, but he still needed to find her. Elite sighed. According to Vixin, he wouldn’t be doing that anytime soon.
What had happened in his absence? Were those responsible dead? Was war brewing between the two factions? Would Kiuno fight on the front line without knowing his fate?
Did she—did she think him dead?
Elite shifted and hot pain shot through his leg and torso. He bit the inside of his cheek and a metallic taste filled his mouth. He needed Maltack or Palindrome. Anyone that could heal these wounds.
If Kiuno thought him dead she’d be reckless and out of control. He could send Vixin, but he couldn’t survive on his own in this sorry state. And if she did leave there was no telling if she’d ever come back.
Elite leaned his head against the wall. The best he could do now was to earn this young girl’s trust. Hopefully it’d lead him out of this cave and to someone who could help.
“How old are you?” Elite asked.
“Sixteen.”
“The same age as my sister.”
Vixin ignored his comment and took the last bite from her rat before asking, “Where are you from?”
“One of the main castles.”
“Oh.”
His blood raced at her shifted tone. “Is that bad?”
Vixin rolled the stick between her fingers. “One of them killed my family.”
Shit. “I’m sorry to hear it.”
She broke the stick in one hand. “He’s a murderer.” Vixin threw the pieces into their small fire and went silent again.
“So, is it just you down here?”
“Yeah. Been that way for a month. I steal what I need.” She smirked. “Those idiots will never figure me out.”
Elite tried to calm his racing heart. Since they were beside the mountain it cleared K.J. of any fault. As much as he disliked the guy, Elite couldn’t see K.J. slaughtering a family for no reason. That was a plus at least.
“The leader I reside under is stationed across the river.”
“I’ve never been to that side, but I saw the forest burn. Was he responsible?”
“He felt it was the best way through.”
“Guess he’s an idiot too.”
“At the time I might have agreed with you, but after seeing what came out of those trees, I can’t say that anymore.”
Vixin fiddled with something on the floor, rolling it between her fingers. “Does he kill people for no reason?”
“Not that I’m aware.”
“Are you a significant person to him?”
Not really.
“I’m present when decisions are made.”
“So, it’s likely I can get compensated for taking you home?”
Elite chuckled. “And here I thought you’d stayed out of the goodness of your heart.”
“No time for that. If this doesn’t benefit me, I’m out.”
Same age as his sister yes, but this girl had light years more experience.
“I’m certain they’ll be willing to give you whatever you want in exchange for my safe return.”
Vixin crossed her legs. “Good.”
~~~
ELITE TRIED to sleep when Vixin did, but the pain radiating from his leg made the task impossible. He pulled himself closer to the fire and lay on his back, struggling to breathe as his ribs protested each rise in his chest. He’d doze, only to have a shock shoot through his body as if the nerves were on fire.
With morning, he took a swig of water and mentally prepared himself for the painful task ahead.
Vixin threw him a large stick that would serve as his cane, lit a torch, and stomped out their fire.
Her intentions were clear. She’d guide him out, but she’d have no part in helping.
Elite shifted so his good leg supported his weight then leaned on the stick. He screamed as he lifted himself from the floor. Elite pressed his head against the cool, damp stone to catch his breath. Every damn muscle contraction seemed to shoot from his leg.
“This’ll be fun,” Vixin said. She took a few steps then paused to wait for him.
Elite lifted himself from the wall, took a breath, and jumped. The shock of pain that flew through his body almost sent him back to the ground, but he caught himself and summoned the strength to do it again. And again.
Four days, but if he kept this pace it’d be more like eight.
Kiuno. He had to get back to her. God only knew what she might be doing in his absence.
Pain. Abandonment. Sorrow. The drowning sadness that only hit a person when something rooted in their foundation fractured and crumbled away.
He’d felt that when his father passed. But parents weren’t supposed to outlive their children. The pain of losing your soulmate was for the old as they reminisced upon a life well lived. Not for someone like her.
Wait for me. I’ll always come back for you.
~~~
VIXIN SET her pack on the ground and Elite took one last step before collapsing.
“We’ll stop here for the night.”
Nothing had shifted. Nothing to measure his progress.
Four days.
His body shook, every nerve on fire, yet there was still such a long way to go.
“You need to rest, and I have to find water.” Vixin used her torch to start the fire with a pile of wood she must have kept on standby. Once lit, she disappeared into the dark tunnel leaving him in stillness.
He needed to rest. God, he wanted to rest, but the tunnel loomed before him. He sat there for several minutes, catching his breath, then gnashed his teeth together and stood against the wall.
The path was straight, like something cut from the rock ages ago. Vixin could move the fire when she returned, but he needed to make as much progress as possible.
Elite jumped, grinding his teeth from the pain. It was nothing compared to Kiuno’s. He jumped again, tears stinging the corners of his eyes. One step at a time. One step closer to her.
36: Jungle
Realm: 6
Day: 311
Darkness. No matter how much she tried to escape, it was always there, always watching.
It’d claimed too many and now worked its way to claim her, worming through her heart like a parasite.
Kiuno ran for him as he fell, trying to clutch his sleeve before he slipped into eternal night, but it wasn’t Elite. Reece wrapped his vines around her arms and torso, drawing her toward him and they both fell into the abyss together.
Kiuno jolted and took several breaths to calm her racing heart. Reece had talked her back to camp late last night and she’d fallen asleep in his arms again. She looked at his sleeping form then pried herself away.
Kiuno splashed cold water on her face and looked at herself in the small creek’s reflection. I’ll be whatever you need.
Whatever she needed. Did she even know what that was?
Guilt assaulted her as Kiuno thought about him holding her through the night. She rubbed at the raw scars, using the pain to drown the heaviness of her heart. Her hands shook, and she clenched them as she struggled to hold herself together.
Maybe she had to come to terms with losing everything. Maybe the rest of her life would be filled with one painful moment after another. She’d be left alone. For some god-forsaken reason, she’d be the one to survive.
Her raw skin opened and Kiuno let the flowing water carry trickles of blood downstream. Was she left to suffer because she had the strength to survive it? Did her feeling pain mean the others wouldn’t have to?
<
br /> Maltack startled her as he knelt and took her arm. His magic healed her open scars, and this time she let him. Maltack had been silent since they’d left K.J.’s castle. What did he make of her actions?
Maltack stood and held out his hand. Tears stung her eyes as she took it and followed him back to the camp. He wasn’t angry—only concerned for her well-being.
Reece and Cybele were packed and ready to go. She’d heard them talking last night. They planned to move deeper inside the jungle and find a suitable place to set up camp. From there, they’d fan along the perimeter and map out the area. If they didn’t find anything then they’d move on.
With her boots tightened and heart empty Kiuno followed the others into the thick foliage. Sweat dripped from every pore in her body. Despite being in a braid, her hair glued itself to the back of her neck and she tried to move it every which way for relief.
Bugs crawled over her skin, or so she thought as she swatted at things that weren’t there. Irritation picked up among the group and most refused to talk as they trudged through the boiling jungle. Why had she volunteered for this?
Distraction.
Thunder rolled overhead, long and foreboding. Most glanced up, but the thick canopy didn’t allow them much insight to what might be above. Cybele had mentioned a lot of rain.
A large drop of water landed on the top of Kiuno’s head. She swiped at it and glanced up as another fell at her feet. Thunder rolled again and within minutes rain poured from the green above.
Kiuno leaned her head back and let the droplets hit her face and roll down her cheeks.
The group continued and the rain poured. The felinian shook out his fur several times as they trudged through the jungle. Water soaked through their bags, weapons, and clothes.
When the rain stopped misery took on a new level.
The humidity didn’t permit the water to evaporate so not only was she hot, but now she was wet as well. Misery isn’t what she’d imagined to be part of the distraction plan.
When those in the front set their packs down to rest, Kiuno hid herself behind a tree and did her best to wring out her shirt. It remained damp and would likely stay that way for the rest of the evening.
Kiuno adjusted her clothes and returned to their camp. Maltack’s hands hovered over a sodden log. Small specks of water rose from the wood and into the air. They circled Maltack’s hand for a moment then he flicked his fingers to the side and cast them away.
Thunder rolled overhead again, and Reece plopped down on a log at her side.
“If we’re staying, then we should set up the tents.”
His gaze traveled above and Kiuno followed it. A whole night of rain? Her skin had already started to prune.
“There’s no need to set up anything,” Cybele said. “Milo found an alternative.”
Though her legs ached, Kiuno shoved herself to her feet and away from the tree she’d taken refuge beneath. They tracked over another small incline and through thicker brush than she would have liked but thankfully, the walk wasn’t long.
“This should do.” Cybele pointed toward a rock outcropping, but it took Kiuno several moments to spot the entrance. Thick foliage surrounded the outside, but once they stepped under the shelf, Kiuno’s irritation ebbed.
The cave stretched a good twenty feet across and only narrowed toward the rear. Maltack and the other fire users summoned their flames to cast light upon the area.
Thick moss lined the walls and smaller plants grew in the crevasses, but it was dry and gave them ample space to stretch out.
“Well isn’t this gold.” Reece threw his wet pack to the ground.
Milo entered and splashed the rest of them as he shook droplets from his fur.
The rain started again outside.
Maltack raised his hand with flames still wrapped around it. “We should see how far back it goes. I’d hate for something to surprise us while we’re sleeping.”
Kiuno’s mind flashed back to the creature who’d chased her and Palindrome. Luckily this cave wasn’t tall enough to accommodate such a beast.
Kiuno summoned her magic and spiraled it around her body, then launched it toward the back of the cave. Moss covering the walls fizzled and curled into ash. Her flames found an end and crashed against the wall before dissipating with nothing to keep them alive.
Cybele and Maltack followed her to an edge where the floor dropped in what seemed to be an endless black hole. Kiuno pulled forth her fire again and shot it down. The flames twisted at a bend not far below.
“We’ll keep an eye on that,” Cybele said.
Vines sprung from the ground and the others took a step back. The greenery shifted and expanded until leaves and branches blocked the entire hole.
“Now we won’t have to.” Reece removed his shoes and pulled off the damp shirt clinging to his back. He tilted his head and stretched his shoulders. “I could use a drink.”
Kiuno watched him for a moment, then averted her gaze. “For once, I have to agree with you.”
“Do you plan on staying in those wet clothes?” Cybele asked. The woman had already removed everything but the wrap covering her breasts and a cloth that barely covered the rest.
Kiuno blushed and glanced at Reece. “Some of us are more modest.”
Reece chuckled, and she glared at him, but a smile fought its way through, and she playfully shoved him to the side.
Kiuno unlaced her boots and rubbed at her sore feet.
Reece threw her a tarp and a piece of rope. “It’s not much, but at least it’ll get you out of those clothes.”
Kiuno sighed, took the makeshift dress and hid behind an erected tent. The rain had soaked everything in their packs, but hopefully the fires would take away the dampness by morning.
Kiuno peeled her clothes off one by one and slipped the rough fabric over her head. The bottom stopped just above her knees. She folded the sides and tied a knot at the front. It wasn’t fashionable by any means, but she was happy to be dry.
With Cybele flaunting her nakedness, no one turned to look at Kiuno, but she still tucked her legs beneath herself in an attempt at decency.
With several fires going and the map unfolded for all to see, Cybele leaned over and pointed. “We’re about here so we’ll mark this area as the midpoint and scan the vicinity in the morning.”
They made a mark on the parchment, but Kiuno’s gaze drifted back to the covered hole. Reece had posted two men to keep watch just in case. She prayed nothing sinister reared its head while they slept.
37: Threshold
Realm: 6
Day: 312
Reece and Kiuno crept through the jungle in search of another landmark to add to their ever-growing map. The rain had ended, but with it the insects feasted on any who dared venture through their territory. Kiuno smacked another mosquito.
“I don’t like this place,” Reece said.
A shiver ran down Kiuno’s spine. She understood what he meant. Something in the shadows seemed to lurk, watching their every move.
Reece used his magic to bend a tree covered in thorns from their path. They moved in silence after that, ducking between trees and brush as they searched. So far all they had were a few waterways and the cavern.
Reece grabbed her arm, pulled her down, and placed a finger over his lips. She waited, surveying the area. Nothing seemed out of place, but her skin crawled, nonetheless.
A branch cracked and Reece pulled her around the trunk. Kiuno’s heart raced, but she tried to keep her breathing calm.
Kiuno turned to look at Reece and froze.
The face of a deer, complete with antlers. The fangs of a wolf. Long arms with razor sharp claws that promised a painful death. A predator.
It huffed and Reece slowly turned. The smell of its breath reminded Kiuno of decaying flesh and she struggled not to gag.
A growl rippled from its throat and the upper lip pulled back in a savage snarl.
Vines wrapped around her body and Reece yanked them bo
th back as the creature snapped its jaws where his neck had been moments ago.
“Time to go.”
The beast howled in rage when the jungle’s vines pulled them high above the ground. Kiuno clutched at the greenery and risked at glance back.
At least a dozen of the beasts gave chase.
“They’re gaining,” she called.
Reece glanced back and vines grasped her body again, jerking her to the right. Kiuno clenched her teeth, praying Reece could concentrate on the enemy and her at the same time.
“Grab on,” he yelled. She grasped the trunk of a wide tree and Reece’s magic fell away. Her foot slipped, but she latched onto another branch and used her fire to burn the beast jumping for her leg.
Kiuno searched for Reece amidst the dozen or so flailing bodies that ran between the trees. He used his magic to block, strike, and run again as he fought them off one by one. Three more circled the base of her tree, including the one she thought she’d killed.
Reece’s voice echoed through the air and Kiuno’s head jerked up. He fell and her heart raced, but another of his vines grabbed him before he hit the jungle floor. Reece skidded across the ground and the creatures circling her charged at the easy prey.
Kiuno scrambled down the trunk and threw her magic when one creature turned around to attack. She ducked around it and ran for Reece. Growling rippled through the area as she used the flames to guard herself. Why aren’t they dying?
Kiuno slid to Reece’s side, but he shoved her over and a clawed arm slammed his head against the tree. He slumped to the ground, unmoving, and Kiuno turned to face the snarling creatures.
They pulled their lips over sharp fangs and crazed eyes seemed to mock her. Their numbers hadn’t diminished, and cold fear seeped into her bones.
The fire wasn’t burning them.
“Wake up Reece.” She kicked him with her foot and three creatures launched themselves forward.
Kiuno spiraled the flames around her body and aimed for the creature’s eyes. They howled in rage and she drew her sword.
The next reached out with its long claws. She pulled forth more flames, fighting for control as they sought to rage outward and burn anything living.