Reo snorts. “Why are you wearing a Raven Witch soldier’s uniform if you were a slave?”
“It was all they had that would fit me.”
I’m not surprised. The hellioncat is huge. Look at those arms. Dorothy, you’re being ridiculous now. The guy is on his back, hurt.
“Where were you going?” Reo moves nearer to the hellioncat again, but I stay close to him in case the cyborg decides to get aggressive.
“Do you think she told me? I suspect to the Raven Witch’s fortress.”
“What happened during that flight?” I ask.
“My cuffs malfunctioned and unlocked. I was able to overpower the two soldiers assigned to keep an eye on me.”
“Then, you threw Colonel Carmine out of the window?” Reo raises an eyebrow, distrust shining clearly in his human eye.
“Yes.” The hellioncat leans on his elbows first, twisting his face into a grimace. With a grunt, he sits up. “I wasn’t going to go back to the mines or any other hellhole they planned to take me to.”
I crouch in front of him, peering intently at his face. There’s a faint scar on his forehead that I suspect healed weeks ago. He has new small cuts on his cheeks, but they all seem superficial. I don’t see any signs of embedded broken glass on his face, which makes him lucky in that regard. His bone structure is all about sharp angles and strong features. I’ve always assumed hellioncats were furry everywhere, but his face is devoid of any hair besides the deep russet-colored sideburns. Short, straw-colored fur appears at the base of his neck, getting darker and closer to sunset orange down his arms, which are rippling with muscle. He’s bigger than Metal Pants.
He notices my blatant stare and returns the gesture. “What is it?” he asks.
Blushing, I drop my gaze to his chest. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to ogle you. We were taught at the academy that your race was extinct.”
His chest expands and falls more pronounced, so I chance a glimpse at his face again. He’s looking at the distance with his dark eyebrows furrowed together. From this angle, I notice how long his eyelashes are. Sometimes, my brain will focus on the most unimportant things.
“We pretty much are. I believe I’m the last hellioncat.”
My heart breaks for him. I can’t imagine the pain of knowing you’re the last of your kind. “I’m so sorry.”
His yellow eyes focus on me again. “Why? You didn’t blow up my home planet, nor did you capture all members of our colony and turn them into slaves.”
“You mean, all the colonists from Hell-Ion were taken?” The alchemist’s eyes go round.
“Yes, they raided our settlement six months ago. My brother and I were brought to the Mines of Zaphyra. I don’t know the fate of the rest.”
“So, they could still be alive,” I say.
The hellioncat’s chin drops to his chest. “It’s highly unlikely. My brother and I were the strongest of our kind. The rest were elders and youngsters.”
My heart, which is already mangled and riddled with guilt, breaks a little more. I don’t know why I ended up on this planet, and I must find a way out, but I have to help my companions somehow—even grumpy Metal Pants.
“My name is Dorothy. That man glaring at you is Reo, and this is …”
“I don’t remember my name,” the alchemist adds, “but you can call me Scrawny for now.”
“I still hate that nickname,” I mumble.
Toto comes closer to me and barks.
“Oh, and this is Toto. Our mascot.”
Without fear, Toto jumps on the hellioncat’s lap. He smiles at the small robo-dog, patting his head.
“Hello, little fellow. I’m Kevvan Leuw.”
“From the House of Leuw.” Reo places his hand on his hip and shakes his head. “This trip is changing into a fucking royal procession.”
“What are you talking about now?” I unfurl from my crouch.
“Scrawny here is from the Emmerlin royal family. And whoever taught you about the hellioncats forgot to mention a thing or two about their history.”
Crossing my arms, I say, “Stop being obtuse on purpose. Spill it already.”
“The newest member of our party is none other than the crown prince of an entire race.”
Kevvan grunts as he gets back onto his feet. I was right; he is bigger and taller than Reo, who is already built like a mountain.
“He’s right. My father was the ruler of Hell-Ion. But he perished when our planet was destroyed.”
With eyes wide, I say, “So, you’re the king.”
18
Dorothy
I believe that if hellioncats were able to blush, Kevvan would be doing that right now. His dark lips are partially open, allowing me to see a glimpse of his sharp canines. His catlike pupils seem to contract and expand in a matter of seconds.
“I’m not a king,” he says simply, glancing away.
Reo claps his hands together, drawing everyone’s attention to him. “Okay. I’d love to sit idle here and discuss irrelevant titles, but we need to move. Most likely, Colonel Carmine sent a distress signal before she faced the lion king there. This area will be crawling with Raven Witch soldiers and, worse, her devilish winged monkeys in no time.”
“A what now?” I glance at the sky, not liking the sound of that at all.
“The winged monkeys were once a peaceful race that lived in the forests of Gillikin Country,” the alchemist starts.
“Well, peaceful is a bit of a stretch. They were pests who loved to prank people.” Reo shuffles his weight from left to right foot, beginning to show signs of diminishing patience. Not that he had much to begin with.
“What happened to them?” I ask.
“They pranked the wrong person and were cursed to serve whoever owned the Capririon amulet,” the alchemist replies.
“Let me guess. The Raven Witch is the one who possesses whatever that is.”
“That’s right,” Reo answers. “She enslaved them, just like she enslaved half of the population of Oz. The problem is, the winged monkeys are fearsome creatures. They aren’t like the monkeys from Old Earth.”
“They were part of the raid who took my people.” Kevvan momentarily closes his eyes and shudders. “I’ll never forget the shadows of their wings as they descended on us from the sky.”
Apprehension and fear drop down my spine. I definitely don’t want to encounter those creatures. “Okay, let’s go then. How much farther until we reach Emerald City?”
“Another day.”
“You’re going to Emerald City?” Kevvan asks, getting a strange glint in his eyes.
“That’s what she said,” Reo snaps, earning a glower from me. The innocent widening of his eyes would be comical if he wasn’t so irritating.
“Yes. We all have business to attend to there,” I reply.
“Ky-Ren always wanted to go.” Kevvan’s voice trails off at the end.
Curious, I ask, “Who is Ky-Ren?”
Kevvan shakes his head, staring at the ground. “My brother.”
The one who died in the mines.
Seeing the hellioncat’s sadness over his sibling’s death makes my reality all too real. Adrian’s image pops in my head, followed by a sharp pain in my chest.
Tormented more than I’ve ever felt since I found out my cousin suffered from the same malady as me, I whirl around, heading for the yellow road without uttering another word.
“Dorothy, wait.” The alchemist touches my arm, making me stop. I keep my gaze focused on the ground. “Are you okay? You look sad.”
“I’m fine. I’m missing home. That’s all.” The lie feels bitter on my tongue.
I wish I could tell him the truth, but if he knows, if anybody knows, what will they think of me?
“So, as soon as you find a way back, you’re leaving, right?”
I notice a catch in his voice, which prompts me to lock gazes with him. My heart does a little somersault, and I suddenly find it’s difficult to breathe.
“Yes. I mus
t.”
Without breaking eye contact, he says, “I wish you could stay longer.”
“Me, too.” The words automatically leave my mouth.
In that moment, I understand they couldn’t be truer. I miss Adrian and my uncle, even Sabrina. But more and more, I find my priorities shifting. The urgency to get to Mirus and collect the material that could potentially save Adrian’s life is still pressing on my heart, but it’s no longer all I worry about. I want to help the alchemist recover his memories. I want to understand why Reo has a stick up his butt and help him become a better person. And now, I want to hug Kevvan and tell him everything is going to be okay. Why am I drawn to these strangers in this way?
I realize I’m still staring at the alchemist’s striking violet-colored eyes. Heat spreads through my cheeks, but I don’t look away. On an impulse, I touch his tattooed cheek. The crystals in my pocket become warmer, and concentrated heat spreads down my arm to whoosh from my fingers. The alchemist’s tattoo glows as if my fingers are infusing it with light. His eyes widen as we both gasp out loud.
A name pops in my head. Darius. The alchemist’s name is Darius.
Quickly, as if electrocuted by the contact with his skin, I pull my hand back, still shocked by the revelation.
“What the hell is going on here?” Reo cuts in, his keen eyes watching Darius and me with suspicion.
“I don’t know.” I take a step back, cradling my hand against my chest.
Darius touches his tattooed cheek, his gaze still locked with mine. “You unblocked some of my suppressed memories. I remember my name and what I was doing in Scrape Town.”
Reo whips his face to me so fast that I’m afraid he might have pulled a muscle. Kevvan joins our group, seeming a little troubled by the sudden tension.
“How did you do that?” Reo asks, taking a menacing step in my direction.
“I already told you, I don’t know what happened.”
A piercing shriek in the distance cuts through the morning, making my entire body freeze in terror. Toto, who was chasing colorful butterflies not too far from us, runs to me and hides in between my legs. Reo’s expression changes abruptly, twisting into a grimace I can only associate with excruciating pain. He closes his eyes, holding his head with his hands.
“Reo, are you okay?” I attempt to touch his arm, but he moves out of my reach, giving me his back.
“Don’t worry about me. We need to put as much distance as possible between us and the crash site. We’ve got company.”
“Who made that horrible sound?” I ask, bending over to pick up Toto in my arms.
Reo glances over his shoulder, his expression troubled. “The Raven Witch.”
His statement drops like a nuclear bomb within our party. The crystals I carry become so hot that I fear they will burn right out of my pocket.
“Why is your belt pocket glowing like that?” Kevvan points at it.
“I don’t know.”
“There must be a link between Scrawny’s tattoo and the crystals. But we don’t have time to figure that out now. Let’s move people.” Reo stalks ahead, going in the opposite direction of the yellow road.
“Where are you going?” I run after him. “We must get to Emerald City.”
“Do you want to be spotted by the Raven Witch? We must continue our journey through this forest. As long as we keep our course parallel to the yellow highway, we’ll be fine.”
I can’t argue with his logic. After hearing that noise the Raven Witch made, I definitely don’t want to meet her face-to-face.
As we progress deeper into the forest, the trees become more clustered and taller. Kevvan and Darius stay close to me, and no one dares to utter a single word. But my inquisitive mind can’t keep quiet, so when we have walked at least thirty minutes nonstop, I increase my pace so I can cut Reo off.
“Will you stop for a second?” I ask, but as I notice the state of Reo’s face, my worries change. His skin is ashen, the muscles around his mouth are tense, and sweat has pooled on his hairline. He’s not well. “What happened to you? Are you feeling ill?”
“It’s nothing,” he replies through clenched teeth, but I don’t believe his reaction is out of anger. He’s in pain and trying to hide it.
Raising both hands, I press them against his chest in an attempt to make Reo stop. It’s like trying to stop a bulldozer. “Quit lying. I can see as clear as day that something is up.”
Darius and Kevvan stop on each side of me and stare at Reo as well.
“You look positively sick,” Kevvan says.
“Mind your own business, Furry Paws.”
Darius rubs his chin as he appraises Reo for a moment before he switches his attention to me. “Maybe your crystals can help Metal Pants.”
With a groan, the cyborg grabs my wrists, and with more gentleness than I expect from him, he pushes me out of his way. There’s a zap of electricity where his gloved hand connected with my skin, but I try not to think too much about it. The important thing is, he’s walking away.
“Don’t follow me, Dorothy. Nothing good will come of it if you do. Trust me.” There’s enough coldness and menace in his voice to keep my feet glued to the ground.
Reo disappears from sight when the forest swallows his tall form. The feeling of abandonment that follows is as foreign as it is puzzling.
“What crawled up his butt?” Kevvan asks next to me.
“I’m not sure.” My reply is feeble as I keep my gaze locked to the spot where Reo vanished.
“There’s something off about him,” Darius says, his gaze narrowed to slits. “Cyborgs as advanced as him are not common in Oz.”
“He’s from another planet, just like me.”
Darius cuts me a serious glimpse. “I know. But now that you’ve unlocked some of my memories, I have access to some of my previously forgotten knowledge.”
“What are you trying to say, Scrawny?” Kevvan’s eyebrows scrunch together.
“His name is Darius,” I reply.
The man in question gives me a puzzled glance and asks, “How did you know?
“I’m not sure how I got that information. It just came to me while I was touching your tattoo.”
“Okaay. Darius was about to say something about Metal Pants.”
I sigh in frustration, knowing I’m responsible for Kevvan’s usage of that nickname.
“None of the nations in Oz possess technology to produce cyborgs like Reo. It’s surprising he’s not bound to anyone.”
“Are you saying he could be working for someone?” I ask.
“It’s possible. Someone with enough power. He never said why he wanted to go to Emerald City.”
“Maybe he works for Queen Orin and the Rainbow King,” Kevvan muses.
“Are they good or evil?” Please let them not be evil.
“Good,” Darius and Kevvan answer at the same time.
“Their kingdom is in the Northern Quadrant. Together with the Southern Quadrant, they form the resistance against the Raven Witch’s reign of terror.”
“Can’t two nations win against her?” I watch as Darius and Kevvan exchange a glance.
“She’s too powerful, but now that you’ve killed her sister, Oz has a chance to finally be free,” Darius replies with a small smile.
“Wait. You killed the Red Witch?” Kevvan’s eyes widen, and his pupils again contract and expand rapidly.
“Yes, but I didn’t know she was the Raven Witch’s sister.”
I remember the horrible shriek we heard not too long ago. The Raven Witch must know by now that I killed her sister. She’s probably looking for me. Great. I’m on the hit list of a psychotic witch.
“Maybe we should get moving.” Kevvan looks over his shoulder as if danger is right around the corner.
I do the same, noting that I have no clue where we are. Despite the sunshine breaking through the canopy and the trees not trying to kill us, a great sense of unease takes hold of me, followed by an immediate and real problem.
<
br /> “Does anyone know where we are exactly?” When my companions don’t answer, I add, “Shit. We’re lost, aren’t we?”
19
Reo
I had to leave the group behind. I couldn’t let them see what ails me. It didn’t occur to me that, as I got closer to Emerald City, my communication system would become operational again. It was an error on my part. I should have foreseen it. After all, Emerald City is at the heart of the land of Oz, which means it’s closer to the one holding my leash.
Denying the incoming call to come through caused me excruciating pain, a fact I couldn’t hide from Dorothy’s too-perceptive eyes. Why does she have to care so much? She’s like a thorn in my side, making me question my resolution, making me lose focus of the endgame.
I wait until I’m sure Dorothy listened to my warning and didn’t follow me. I’m far enough that I can’t be overheard. Only then do I accept the call from my employer.
A tap to the panel on the side of my head brings forth the holo-screen, which floats in front of me as if it were a blue ghost.
My employer regards me with a disapproving stare. “Why did you refuse my call before?”
“I was not alone,” I reply, keeping my expression a cold mask. A skill I mastered a long time ago.
“Have you acquired the fake identification to enter Emerald City?”
“Yes. I’m one day away from the glittering gates. I’d like to know what exactly you want me to do once I get there.”
“You’ll learn in good time. However, I have another mission for you.”
Irritation surges within my veins, and even my robotic structure can’t keep it at bay. “Going to Emerald City and doing your dirty work was supposed to be my last mission. That was the deal.”
Her eyes flash with anger, which I can feel, even from the holo-screen projection. “You’re forgetting your place. I decide when I’m done with you, not the other way around.”
I clamp my jaw shut to avoid saying something that will land me in a great amount of pain. I’ve suffered enough to last me several lifetimes.
“What is this new mission?” I ask instead.
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