The Infernal Games

by Reed Logan Westgate

  “You’ll have to try a lot harder than that to push us away,” Amber cooed teasingly. The road ahead turned sharply to reveal an open flat between the trees. A solitary guard shack kept a lonesome vigil with a rusted gate that raised and lowered. The stop sign on its front had aged and weathered enough to be a muted pink color, a shadow of its former red. The white letters cracked and peeled with a yellowish tint from age. Amber pulled the car up to the guard house, slowly rolling down her window.

  “Fine day, ma’am.” A copper-skinned man in his early forties with long braided black hair greeted them with a friendly nod. He wore a green jacket with a tan button-up collared shirt that sported a badge. Sitting relaxed in the guard house reading a fitness magazine, he seemed out of place in the ramshackle structure.

  “Um, hi,” Amber said awkwardly. “We’re looking for the Wabanaki Nation Reservation.”

  “I assumed so.” He smiled, discarding his magazine and leaning forward in the ramshackle booth to peer more clearly into the window. His skin was flawless save for a light scruff, and his brown eyes were suspicious but not threatening.

  “So, ummm do we keep going straight here, or...?” Amber asked awkwardly.

  “Well now, miss, that depends,” he stated with authority, leaning both elbows on the sill of the guard shack before pointing back in the direction they had come. “Most tourists are interested in the Museum of Native History and the shops; you’ll want to turn back and take a right where the road forks. That’ll take you into the reservation proper. Plenty to see and do there for a couple of college kids.”

  “We’re not sightseeing,” Xlina answered, not shirking from his authoritarian demeanor. “We’re looking for someone: Lexxes. Lexxes Stillwater. Can you point us in that direction?”

  “What business do you have with Lexxes?” he asked, folding his hands and shrinking lower on his chair to make eye contact with Xlina.

  “It’s private business,” Xlina answered solemnly. “Personal.”

  “So it is for me as well,” he answered, pulling aside his green jacket to reveal his sheriff’s badge, along with a name tag that read Nathan Stillwater.

  “It’s a dream issue,” Xlina stated boldly. “I am told she might help me.”

  “That so?” he replied skeptically. “Not many come out this way. To be honest, this gatehouse hasn’t been used in more than a decade. But when my Lexi says she dreamt that someone would need guidance here... well, let’s just say I have seen enough of her dreams come to pass that I don’t question it anymore. Not sure what you ladies bring with you for baggage, but these here are good folks and decent people. I don’t care what troubles chase you here, so long as they don’t interfere with the fine folks living here. We have an understanding?”

  “Yes, sir,” Amber said with a nod, but Nathan kept his eyes fixed on Xlina.

  “I understand.” Xlina nodded.

  “That’s good.” Nathan smiled, throwing a lever and causing the gate to lift ever so slowly with a creak and a groan. “When you pass here, you are on tribal lands; please be respectful of our laws. If you follow this road straight, it’ll lead to the village commons. Right as you start seeing houses, there will be a dirt road that banks to your right. Take that right and keep driving for about fifteen minutes until you come to Turtle Lake. There’ll be a dock there, with a small boat. Lexi and I live out on Turtle Island. It’s right in the center; you can’t miss it.”

  “Thank you.” Amber smiled, putting the car in gear and pulling away from the guard house. “He seemed nice enough, but that was weird.”

  “Was it though?” Xlina asked. “I mean, I have had divinatory dreams. Is it that crazy to think this other person could also have them?”

  “No, I guess not,” Amber relented. “But it’s still weird. I am still getting used to all this magic stuff.”

  “Says the girl carrying a flame spirit inside her,” Xlina teased playfully, pointing to the strip of red hair. “A flame spirit that happens to live in the hearth of our magical home.”

  “Okay, okay,” Amber giggled back. “I surrender; don’t use any more of that Otherworld shaming on me.”

  “You like it,” Xlina mocked, giving Amber a playful tap on the shoulder. “You like the wonder and excitement of it all, and I think you especially like the power.”

  “It has its advantages,” Amber relented with a smile. “I’ll give you that. Brick makes me feel confident and secure. When I have Brick with me, I don’t feel as scared all the time.”

  “Yeah; muggers beware,” Xlina added. “This gal is packing a giant flaming wolf spirit.”

  “Exactly,” Amber mused with a grin. “And Brick likes getting out of the Hearth from time to time, so it’s a win-win.”

  “Just follow the road,” Xlina teased, pointing to the dirt road Nathan had indicated they would find. “We’re close, Amber. We can do this.”

  “You sound scared,” Amber said, leaving the jovial banter behind as they turned.

  “Nervous,” Xlina corrected. “Excited too. I mean I have never met anyone like me before. I have so many questions.”

  “Well try to take it slow,” Amber cautioned. “You don’t want to smother this lady right out of the gate.”

  “Deep breaths,” Xlina affirmed with a nod.

  “Deep breaths,” Amber repeated, and Xlina settled down in her seat, taking in the many small rural houses as they passed. The whole town looked run down and old, as if nothing new had been built in half a century or more. Every house seemed to have a garden of some sort, and children played in the streets, chasing each other and laughing aloud despite the cooling temperatures. The whole place seemed quaint and almost fairytale-like, as if this remote reservation had been isolated from modern technology and the hustle and bustle of the mainstream life that seemed to follow it.

  Xlina couldn’t help but feel a nagging guilt seeping into her mind as she thought about Nathan’s warning. These were good people, and here she was bringing a demon mark calling. If Burglecut and Penny were suffering for lending their aid, then what would become of this place if Lexxes followed suit? How would the Council of Magic dole out its punishment to the good people here if Lexxes vouched for Xlina and they lost? She shuddered at the thought, having never really considered the consequences that came with the request she was about to make. She pondered her next steps in silence for the rest of the ride to the lake. Amber seemed to read her mind and let her stew in her emotions, allowing her the chance to sort through the maze of thoughts.

  They arrived at the shores of the lake a short drive later. Xlina was still contemplating the peaceful people of the reservation when Amber brought the car to a stop and let loose an excited squeal. The late autumn weather had caused many of the leaves to turn, and the trees around the lake stood like stalwart soldiers adorned in bright orange and red. The lake’s surface was serene and still reflected the bright autumn colors. In the middle of the lake sat a solitary island not much larger than an acre. It was dotted with multicolored stones on its shores, which made it look like the entire island sat on the back of a giant tortoise.

  “I see where it gets its name,” Amber blurted, breaking the serenity of the moment and pointing to the rocky shores.

  “It’s beautiful.” Xlina nodded. True to Nathan’s word, a solitary dock extended from the closest shore with a fourteen-foot aluminum boat haphazardly tied off. From the shore, she could see a small faded yellow house with cracked white trim. The house looked out of place, as if it were built at the very heart of this tiny isolated lake. Not another man-made structure beyond the dock marred the pristine panoramic view.

  “Forget Portland, Xlina,” Amber said, pointing to the shore. “We could build a lake house right over there and spend the summers swimming and lounging in the sun.”

  “Sure; that sounds great,” Xlina teased, heading down from the dirt road to the wooden dock. “Until you remember how long it was of a drive to the nearest mall.”

  “Sometimes sacrif
ices need to be made, Xlina,” Amber said, letting loose a whistle as she marveled at the beauty around her. “This place is relatively untouched. It’s like—”

  “Walking into a dream,” Xlina finished, gently stepping on the wooden dock. She looked back at the car sitting at the very end of the dirt road, which ended abruptly at the lake.

  “It’s more of a really long driveway than a road,” Amber said looking back. “That’s what you’re thinking, right?”

  “Yeah, actually,” Xlina grinned, looking back at the small boat. “Feels weird just jumping in, doesn’t it?”

  “Nathan said it was okay,” Amber fussed, skirting around Xlina and timidly stepping off the dock and into the small aluminum boat. It shifted with the addition of her weight, and she swung her arms out to catch her balance before turning with a smile and sitting delicately on an aluminum bench.

  “Guess I am driving,” Xlina remarked, stepping gingerly into the boat and turning toward the old motor at the back. Like the town, the boat looked like it had been new sometime in the late seventies, maybe the early eighties. She grabbed the pull cord by the handle and gave a rough yank. To her surprise, the motor roared to life, and she turned triumphantly to Amber and sat, grabbing the steering arm.

  “Oh boy,” Amber called, tossing the rope onto the dock and looking ahead to Turtle Island as Xlina figured out the throttle. The ride was a herky-jerky mess, with Xlina struggling to control the speed and steer at the same time. After several attempts, Xlina finally managed to navigate the small boat to the far shore. She came in at the dock far too fast and let out a shriek as the momentum pushed the small boat forward to bump roughly off the rocky shore. Amber flailed wildly, grabbing for the dock in an attempt to pull the boat snug against solid ground.

  “Any landing?” Amber panted as she clung to the old wooden dock.

  “I think that only holds true for planes,” Xlina added sourly, attempting to stand and step onto the dock.

  “Thank the gods you weren’t flying one of those,” Amber giggled playfully, drawing a look of ire from Xlina. She found a rope tied to the dock and tossed the end to Amber, who wrapped it around the metal ring on the bow of the boat just as it had been on the shore.

  “Didn’t see you volunteering,” Xlina said, wrapping her arms about her as a cold breeze rolled in. Wooden chimes clanged melodically from the front porch of the house, dancing in the wind. “Well, here goes nothing.”

  “Everything, actually,” Amber corrected with a bow, sweeping her arm wide for Xlina to lead the way. “This way, my lady, to the house of dreams.”

  “Don’t tease, Amber,” Xlina said with a hushed voice.

  “Sorry.” Amber shrugged, following Xlina to the door. It was painted a long-ago faded white, marred with cracked and peeling paint. Xlina shot Amber a sideways look, took a deep breath, and knocked firmly on the door three times.

  “Hey there,” a feminine voice called from the side of the house. “Kway!”

  Xlina nearly jumped out of her skin as the voice beckoned. She turned to see a Native American woman in her early forties adorned in a multicolored poncho with black jeans. She was slender, like Xlina, with brown eyes and copper skin. She held a pair of garden shears in a gloved hand by her side and waved with her other. Her long black hair seemed to dance in the wind with a single small tight braid woven among the free hanging locks.

  “Hi,” Amber replied with a nervous wave in her normal bubbly voice. “We’re here to see Lexxes Stillwater.”

  “So you have,” she replied, placing the shears down at the corner of the house and pulling off her thick canvas gloves to lay them neatly next to the shears before adjusting her black riding boots. Standing back to her full height, she took a few steps forward with the grace of a trained model. Xlina was certain she could have walked around the whole of the island with a stack of books on her head without dropping a one.

  “I’m Xlina,” she stammered as Lexxes approached. “Xlina Dar’karrow.”

  “The dream eater.” Lexxes smiled warmly and extended her hand. Xlina looked down at the extended hand cautiously before looking back up to Lexxes. She was pleasing in appearance, if plain, with no makeup of any kind. She seemed sincere enough, and Xlina extended her hand, offering a firm shake.

  “And whom might you be?” Lexxes continued, looking to Amber and extending her hand.

  “Amber, Amber Sedgewick,” Amber greeted warmly, eagerly shaking her hand.

  “A pleasure, Amber,” Lexxes replied regally before turning back to Xlina. She gave her a look from top to bottom, then another. “It’s hard to believe you are so young.”

  “Thanks?” Xlina replied bashfully. “I... ummm... you’re not what I was expecting.”

  “A withered old shaman woman?” Lexxes smiled, showing perfect pearl-white teeth. “That was my mother.”

  “So you’re the voice at the Council of Magic?” Xlina asked timidly.

  “I represent many peoples,” Lexxes confirmed with a nod. “Healers and diviners. Many tribes both of native origin and not. You have come to ask me to represent you as well.”

  “Yes,” Xlina blushed, looking away. “Sort of. We need your help.”

  “Come,” Lexxes answered, turning and gesturing for them to follow. “The wide open air is no place for this discussion; many eyes and ears abound.”

  Xlina followed behind the woman with Amber at her side as Lexxes led them around the house to the back yard. There, sitting as an extension of the main house, stood a small dome-shaped hut with a metal chimney puffing out billows of smoke. The scent of burning pine hung heavy in the air. On this side of the house, there was a small back door, a pile of stacked pine cut into logs, and an amazing view of the lake.

  “My mother grew up here,” Lexxes said, stopping for a moment to allow the two to admire the view. “Please join me in the sweat lodge, where we can meet on even ground and allow the lodge to drive out our impurities.”

  “Neat,” Amber gasped, looking at the dome-shaped hut. Xlina brought her hand to her neck, feeling the gem of her choker and contemplated whether she should bring the demon inside the woman’s sacred space. With a deep breath, she unclasped the choker and held it in her hand, looking around for a safe place to leave the trinket before entering.

  “You do yourself credit,” Lexxes voiced in approval, looking at the choker.

  “You know?” Xlina asked timidly.

  “More than you’re comfortable with,” Lexxes affirmed with a reassuring smile. She opened the door to the dome lodge, and a gust of hot air and steam billowed out. Reaching in, she produced a black metal box, and with a gentle flip, she popped the hinged top open and extended the box to Xlina. “This will preserve your item.”

  “Thanks,” Xlina said warmly, placing the choker in the box and allowing Lexxes to snap the lid closed. She felt cold deep inside, vulnerable. She knew Valeria was safe in the choker, locked away in that little black box, but still she felt a pit of concern in her stomach as Lexxes placed the box on a small shelf on the outside of the lodge.

  “Please step in,” Lexxes motioned, and Amber eagerly walked in, disappearing into the darkness beyond. Xlina followed into the cramped structure, bending at the waist to avoid hitting her head. The sudden dry heat hit her lungs like a hammer. She emerged from the narrow entrance into a solitary, dome-shaped room dimly lit by the red glowing embers in the stove on the far wall. A circle of woven mats lined the room on the floor, and Amber had already settled in, looking comfortable despite the brutal heat. She could feel Lexxes enter behind her and the rush of air as the door was closed, trapping them in the lodge.

  “Little warm,” Xlina gasped, finding it hard to breathe. Sweat already beaded on her forehead, and she grew uncomfortably aware of the temperature with her University of Maine Sweater on. Struggling to adjust, she plopped down on the furs in a heap, just in time to see Lexxes slide in across from them. She had disrobed upon entering, and in the dull red hue, Xlina could make out a tattoo of a
Dreamcatcher on her back as she entered the domed area and found a spot. Her sudden nude form shocked Xlina, making her uncomfortable, and immediately her thoughts drifted back to her own body and her insecurities.

  “Please continue,” Lexxes said, retrieving a ladle of water from a bucket next to the stove and pouring the water on the top of the metal surface. The water hissed and turned to steam instantly, and Xlina swooned from the heat. She looked to Amber, who just sat in awe, soaking it up like she was in a sauna. Noting the strip of red hair, Xlina wondered if she could even feel the heat with the fire spirit inhabiting her body. She, on the other hand, was on the verge of passing out.

  “Too hot,” Xlina gasped, her lungs trying desperately to keep up. She started to lift herself from the furs.

  “Calm yourself, Baku,” Lexxes commanded firmly, snapping both girls to attention. “Remain calm. Please join me.”

  Xlina cast a plaintive look to Amber, seeing her peel out of her clothes in the dim darkness. As she stacked her clothes neatly in a pile, Lexxes smiled, her brilliant white teeth sticking out like a wolf’s in the darkness. Amber’s Brick tattoo glowed in the dimly lit lodge, adding to the red hued light. Xlina shifted uncomfortably; seeing Amber sitting nude a few short feet away stirred additional feelings of inadequacy within her.

  “The lodge is a safe place, Xlina,” Lexxes added, sensing her discomfort. “This is a spiritual experience; no one is judging you here.”

  “I’m bashful,” she shrugged, feeling vulnerable. Lexxes sat calmly, eyes closed, breathing in the hot steam and blowing out through her nose. The steam roiled and billowed from her nostrils, making her look like a dragon. Amber too sat comfortably on the furs, eyes closed and breathing deeply. Xlina was glad Valeria was outside, stored safely in the black box, for she feared how the demon would respond to the allure of the two nude women before her. Relenting to the heat, she pulled off her sweater, which had already become damp with sweat. The hot air on her skin felt good compared to the damp clothing, and she continued disrobing until she too sat nude, allowing the hot steam to caress her body as sweat blanketed her skin.