“Why would you tell us this?” Lexa asks.
The Quelton takes a bite out of her hunk of meat and chews thoughtfully. “Don’t take this the wrong way,” she says through a mouthful of meat. “But we want the humans gone. We want our world to go back to what it was before the sorcerer arrived, created his monsters and enslaved the creatures who lived here. Although to be fair, we can’t be 100% sure he was human.”
Lexa sits back and relaxes ever so slightly. “So, we want the same thing. Is it an alliance you seek, or information? I am reluctant to say, but in the interest of honesty, we are poorly equipped to offer either.”
Miss Q smiles, revealing rows of serrated teeth. “I believe you are already doing what we want.” She leans forward and draws a swirling symbol in the dust.
“This symbol means freedom in the old language. Only those who wish to help you know the meaning.” She rubs the symbol away with her foot as she sits up. “Eat up before your meal goes cold.”
Lexa nods and begins to eat her meat. The rest of our group takes Lexa's cue and starts eating. I poke at the cooked goat but hunger has fled me. But who knows the next time I will get a meal as large as this. I take out my dagger and cut a slice of meat.
Arnita re-enters the clearing, shouldering a small little sack of what I assume is her personal belongings. She snatches a lump of meat from the cooking stone and takes a defiant bite from it while scowling at everyone around her.
The tension builds and everyone eats in silence. A loud whistle from overhead pierces the quiet, and a small explosion of blue and purple light strikes the ground about two hundred meters from where we are sitting. The force of it throws me back into Lexa, and together we land in a pile on the dirt. Bits of flaming balooga tree land scattered across the road and throughout our little camp.
I detangle myself from Lexa and collect my dagger from near the fire. “What was that?”
Miss Q looks distinctly ruffled, her sleek fur standing up in patches. “Jamie and Jarmile, come to me.”
The blonde woman collects her daughter and the two rush over to Miss Q who hovers around them protectively.
Tash crawls up beside us, her eyes wide with fear. “They did it, they got them working.”
Lexa quickly climbs to her feet and looks up at the sky. “Are you sure?”
Tash helps Lucas to his feet and looks at Lexa. “Nothing else makes that sound.”
“Got what working?” I demand.
The whistling returns, and I glimpse something silver with long wings as it streaks past above us gliding effortlessly in the cavern. Something falls from it and another explosion goes off to our left, a little further away than the last one. The blast kicks up a cloud of dirt and dust, pelting it in our direction. The soil stings my skin and burns my eyes.
The small girl flees in terror, running blindly into the darkness. The whistle returns, and the silver streak darts past once more. Miss Q dashes towards her, a dizzying blur of black and brown. She scoops up the girl and darts back to the group just as an explosion hits the ground where they had been moments before. A balooga tree is blown to smithereens and shards of it fly in every direction. Flaming sections land throughout the clearing and smoke billows into the sky.
“What is it?” Miss Q roars at us.
“When I was still an engineer enslaved by Darkmor he had a group of us working on a top secret machine. I sabotaged it before I left with the group. But the lead engineer wouldn’t come. He liked the work too much.” Tash whimpers.
Seeing the lost faces Lexa adds, “Tash was part of a high priority integration of machinery and sorcery. In short, that machine means Darkmor has finally found a way to blend human technology with magic.”
Miss Q’s eyes widen to such an extent that for the first time I can actually see the whites of her eyes.
“What is it doing here?” I ask as I stare nervously up at the sky. I had heard terrifying stories from the older men in the compound about the kind of weaponry humans were capable of in the past. They always told scary stories of a single silver barrel being dropped from the sky to annihilate entire cities. These weapons apparently didn’t even leave bodies to be buried.
Nathanial turns to Miss Q and points a massive finger at her. “You betrayed us!”
Miss Q places her hands on her hips and snarls, “I did no such thing!”
“This is not the time,” Lexa snaps. “Help me put out this fire. There is no sense in aiding them to locate us.”
Everyone, except Arnita who sits on the ground with her arms crossed, throws dirt onto the fire, extinguishing the coals. The whistle returns, and I duck as another explosion, this time on the road, sends shards of rocks into the air. The explosion leaves a crater big enough for me to lay in.
The Tangera rear nervously and tug their wagons down the road as they flee from the whistling monster and its explosive weapons.
“Bruce!” The little girl calls out as her mother clutches her to her chest. One of the giant beasts pauses to look for the young girl when another explosion digs a massive hole in the road. This proves too much for the Tangera, who canters off into the darkness.
I glance at the group. “Either they have terrible aim, or they are deliberately missing us.”
Nathanial turns to me. “Why would they deliberately miss us?”
Miss Q points at me. “Because they know who she is and they want her alive. We mustn’t let them get hold of her. Her blood is the key.”
My mouth falls open. The goblins had said something similar. “You know who I am?”
Miss Q nods. “Your hair threw me off, but you will need a better cover for that scar above your eyebrow.”
“That doesn’t matter now,” Melissa cuts in. “How did they find us and how many more are coming?”
“Can that flying thing transport guards as well as explosives?” Nathanial asks.
The ominous whistle returns, and we all crouch together. The ground vibrates as another explosion goes off, spraying us with dirt and balooga bark.
Tash wipes her eyes clear of dirt. “I don’t know. I haven’t been part of the team working on it for at least four years. They could have changed a million things since I last worked on it.”
I wipe the dirt from my face and turn to the huddled group. “I vote we don’t wait to find out.”
“What do you suggest?” Lucas asks as he attempts to wipe his glasses free of dirt but only manages to smudge it around.
I grip the hilt of my sword, and I point at the silver streak in the sky. “That thing takes time to turn around, or more of those bombs would have been dropped already. If we move fast and in the dark, we could lose it.”
Arnita looks between us. “Why don’t we just wait here and see what happens?”
Miss Q scoffs, “Oh, you think that will end well for us, do you?”
The mother hugs her daughter and turns to the group. “I can’t let them take Jamie, she is much too young. /This is the best work I have ever had. I won’t let her go into the slavery that I knew.”
Miss Q reaches out a paw and sets it carefully on the mother's arm. “Jarmile, I will not let them take Jamie, I promise.”
The woman looks at the Quelton, her tear streaks cutting through the dirt that has settled on her skin. “Thank you.”
Lexa grips her sword. “After the next explosion, we run as a group. Stay together, separately they will pick us off.”
We all crouch, ready to run. Waiting in an eerie silence for the deathly whistle, sweat flows unchecked down my neck, and I curse the heat of the nearby lava pools.
A high-pitched whistle zips towards us, and I catch a glimpse of the silver arrow in the sky before an explosion of blue and purple erupts a few hundred feet from us.
“Now!” Lexa roars.
We jump to our feet and race into the trees. I push the mother and child in front of me, ushering them into the cover of the trees. I look back, and the clearing is empty. I am the last one.
I sprint toward
s the line of trees, following the footsteps of my companions. My body is jerked to the side as I am tackled from behind. I hit the ground hard, sliding into a trunk that knocks the wind from my chest.
A weight settles on my back, and I feel a blade press against my neck. “You’re not going anywhere,” huffs Arnita’s voice. “You and the 10,000 gold coins are my ticket to freedom.”
I force my elbow into her ribs and buck my body, throwing Arnita off my back. I scrabble in the dirt to regain my footing and turn to face the woman. Her hair is loose, and the whites of her eyes show too clearly in the darkness.
The woman charges at me and I dodge the dagger, delivering a few well-placed punches that have her sprawling on the ground. I march over to her and stomp on the hand holding the knife. Arnita lets out a cry and releases the weapon.
I kick it into a smoldering crater and draw my sword, holding it at Arnita’s throat. The woman meets my eyes with pure hatred.
I raise my eyebrow. “I wouldn’t move. Unlike you, I actually know how to use this.”
“Clare!” comes Lexa's cry in the distance.
“I’m here!” I yell back, not moving my eyes from Arnita.
The whistle returns and an explosion of blue and purple basically drops beside us. Trees explode, and I am thrown back. Debris land on top of me, and for the second time today I am winded. Gasping for air, I crawl to my feet, my ears ringing louder than anything else.
Darkness is all I see. I wave my hand in front of my face. Nothing. I can’t see anything. I wipe at my watery eyes, but it does nothing to clear away the darkness. I crawl along the ground and by luck stumble across my sword. Fumbling, I re-sheath it and sit in the dirt.
The ringing in my ears begins to subside, but still, my vision has not returned. I debate the wisdom of continuing my blind fumbling. What if I crawl into a crater? Or a fire? What if Arnita has regained her weapon?
I take a deep breath. I pull out my dagger and grip it tightly. Waving a sword around when I cannot see isn’t a great idea. I sit and try to listen with deaf ears.
The ground vibrates, and a dull crash is accompanied by bits of dirt and debris. I do my best to shield my face, but more cuts accompany the new ones I have gathered since lunch.
I rub my ears, and one of them pops with an awful sucking sound, but hearing in my right ear returns.
I shake my head as a sound competes with the ringing. “Claire!”
I swallow and grip my dagger. My body hurts from the explosion, and I fight the urge to vomit.
“Claire!” The sound comes through stronger this time.
“Lexa,” I call out, my throat burning as if I had swallowed hot ashes.
A shadow moves in front of me. “Claire, are you okay?”
I swallow, relief flooding through me. It is Lexa. “I can’t see,” I force out, my voice like gravel.
Lexa gently places her hand on my arm. “Come on, let’s go.”
I stumble to my feet. “Arnita betrayed us. She must have told them somehow. She knew about the bounty and attacked me.”
Lexa pauses for a moment. “Arnita is dead. Miss Q is retrieving her belongings. She ran ahead and claims she has found somewhere safe for us to wait this out.”
I nod and stumble forward a few paces. My vision has returned to dark shadows, and walking inside this cavern when I have all my facilities’ is distressing enough.
“Here.” Lexa reaches out and slips her arm around my waist, and I put mine around her shoulders. Together we stumble into the darkness.
Another whistle. Lexa jerks us forward. This blast does little more than blow dirt at me and my heart thunders in my chest. It must have been further away than the last one.
As we travel, my vision begins to gain blurry colors, and we make better time even with the overbearing heat. I shake my head to try and dislodge the headache that has settled there, but all the movement does is make me dizzy.
Miss Q suddenly stands before us in a fuzzy outline about the height of my hip. “We must hurry, the guards are approaching the place where we met. I have covered our tracks, but if they bring any Cerebi, they will find us.”
I feel a shudder go through Lexa that matches my own. That is an encounter everyone would rather avoid.
A moment of silence. “What is wrong with her?”
“An explosion went off too close to her and she…” Lexa breaks off unsure.
“I couldn’t see,” I state bluntly.
“Is your vision improving?” Miss Q asks.
I nod. “I can see shapes and some colors now.”
“Hmm,” says Miss Q. “I think it will return.”
A vibration runs through my feet, accompanied by the boom of another explosion. Lexa tightens her grip on my waist, and I squeeze her shoulder in return.
“How much further is it?” Lexa asks.
The blurry outline of Miss Q pauses. “With how long you humans take to get places, another fifteen minutes at least. The others are already there just keep heading towards the lava fields and you will get there soon.”
“Thank you,” Lexa replies.
The shadowy outline of Miss Q disappears. A small smile quirks on my face. “Gee, she is fast.”
Lexa lets out a small grunt beside me as she half lifts me onto a rock. “All Queltons are. Thankfully, she seems to be on our side.”
I control my labored breathing and ask, “What do you think about Miss Q’s claims of other non-human creatures being on our side?”
“It is an interesting concept I had not considered. It could be extremely beneficial to our cause, but the risk associated with it is great.”
I wipe my eyes for the millionth time. “The risk associated with everything we’re doing is great.”
A small laugh comes from Lexa. “You make a fair point.”
“How do you know where to go?”
“Before I went to retrieve you, Miss Q was directing us to a place between two small peaks. That is where we are headed,” Lexa replies.
I nod and trudge across the uneven landscape. My vision has almost returned to normal, and reluctantly I release my hold on Lexa so I can use my hands to help combat the latest rock staircase.
I scramble over an unusually large rock, and my eyes land on two fuzzy feet, I glance up to find Miss Q looking down at me.
She smiles. “Isn’t this an interesting turnaround? I don’t think I have ever had the opportunity to look down at a fully grown human before.”
I roll onto my back and let out a long slow breath, sweat practically bathing me. “Well, now you can cross it off your bucket list,” I puff through labored breaths.
Lexa gracefully pulls herself up the rock and straightens her clothing. “Is it much further? I am not a fan of this climb.”
Miss Q waves her paw. “It is just around the bend.” With that, she zips off. I manage to track her black blur in the few seconds it takes for her to round the bend in the distance.
“It’s so much hotter up here,” I groan as I climb to my feet.
“Heat rises,” Lexa replies.
I plod after her. “Oh yay. So it is going to stay like this?”
Lexa slows down to walk beside me as the path widens out. “Unfortunately, yes.”
I reach out and touch Lexa's arm. “Lexa, thanks for coming back for me.”
Lexa turns her green eyes on me. “Of course. I would not have left you there.”
I nod, and we travel towards the bend. The only sounds are the scuffing of feet, ragged breathing and the occasional clunk of a rock as it’s mercilessly kicked out of the way.
We round the bend to find a small oasis of trees and greenery. Lush ferns fan their leaves at the dim light of the cavern, and vibrant green moss clings to the rocks, creating a soft carpet beneath my feet.
Our group is clustered around a small waterfall, which is fed by a large pool of water with no discernible source. Small animals dart from tree to tree. A little red feathery creature stops to eat a seed by my feet and sing
s its happiness into the cavern and other voices from around the tiny oasis join its song.
I look up at Lexa with a smile. “Okay, maybe the climb was worth it.”
Lexa crouches and runs her hands over the moss. “This place is extraordinary.”
Miss Q approaches us. “This is the birthing place of my kind. We believe it is important that our kits are brought into a world surrounded by nature.” She pauses for a moment, her eyes glassy from memories. “Although, it has not been used for many years. There are not many free Queltons left to use it.”
Lexa rises to her feet. “Let us see what we can do to change that.”
Miss Q flashes us a grin. “You have decided I can be trusted.”
Lexa glances at me before addressing the Quelton, “Trust is not given, it is built. However, I am prepared to build it with you.”
The small light brown eyebrows on Miss Q’s face rise. “Well spoken. Can I assume you are the leader of your people?”
Lexa’s face casts a shadow of sadness. “Of what remains of them. Almost too much has been sacrificed for this quest already.”
Miss Q nods, her face downcast. “Let’s see what we can do to make their sacrifice mean something.”
Together the two of them go off into the ferns and settle on the soft moss a fair distance away.
Deciding theirs is a conversation for leaders, I re-join the rest of my group. Lucas is topless and scrubbing his shirt in the small river that flows from the waterfall, his pale white skin almost glowing amongst the lush green surroundings.
Nathanial is building up a pile of dried wood, and I cringe at the thought of the extra heat a fire would provide. Tash and Jarmile walk back down the hill carrying some kind of silver and yellow fish in their hands. Melissa plays some game of chasey with little Jamie and the two are rolling around in the moss laughing like they don’t have a care in the world. Who knew Melissa would be this comfortable around young children?
I head right for the waterfall and take a deep drink. The water helps to soothe my sore throat, and my pounding headache ebbs a little. First goblins, then magical technology. Today has been entirely too long.
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