"Why?" Crystal asked.
Jake raised his shirt, and to her horror, there was a fresh laceration across his belly. "It will be better if you just wait."
"Wait, wait for what?" John moaned, changing his tune. "For them to flog us as well?"
"I'm so sorry. They are coming. They said they would send the patrol by every few hours to see if you showed up."
Nic jumped off the sofa and was by the door in an instant. "We must get out and get away," she said. "Come on, hurry."
"Yes, but to where?" John asked. "We can't go back to the curtain. They are waiting for us there."
"There's only one thing to do," Crystal said. "And that's to get on with what we came here for. We have to go to Somnia, to find Stu." She turned and roughly grasped Jake's arm. "As for you, you're going to show us the way."
"I don't think we can trust him," John said.
"We won't. But he can be our guide anyway. Come on, let's get going before it's too late."
"Wait a moment!”
Crystal turned to see John standing over by the wall. He pulled a long silver sword off the wall. "There are daggers too. Take what you can girls. Better take some kind of protection, just in case."
"Do you really think that's wise?" Crystal said. "Are you really considering crossing swords with any riders we meet?"
"Better safe than sorry."
"Do you even know how to use one?" Nic asked, skeptically. "You're more likely to cut yourself as them."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence,” John said.
Crystal picked up a small leather sheath and pulled the dagger within, halfway out. It looked as if it could give someone a vicious cut. She slid the dagger home and attached the sheath to a hook on her dress. Hopefully she wouldn't have to use it, but who knew what lay ahead? Nic took the short sword from John and was still buckling the strap around her waist as they climbed out into the woods. Crystal pushed herself up and out, and in her haste scratched her palm on the hard bark of the tree.
"Ouch."
"You okay?" Nic asked.
Crystal showed her the dirty graze. "Just my luck." She turned to Jake, still nursing her palm. "What happens to outsiders, to Otherworlders, who are captured?" she asked. "Are they harmed? Are they”––she swallowed hard––“killed? Are they taken to Somnia and imprisoned?"
"I don't know," Jake replied. "But I don't think you wanna find out." He put his hand on his side, and she thought about the lash there.
The light outside was still bright, and they all stood, straining their ears, afraid of any sound other than the chirping of birds.
"Which way?" Crystal whispered to Jake.
"I'm so sorry," Jake muttered, shaking his head.
"There's no time for self-pity," Nic said. "We have to get away from here, and fast." Moving alongside Crystal, Nic whispered, "This guy is sooooo not our Jake! He's a total wimp!"
"Please," Crystal said to Jake. “You are our friend, are you not? Do we have to take you at knife point, or will you help us of your own free will?"
"Of course, I will help you," Jake said. "I didn't mean to betray you. I just never thought you'd come back. Come, follow me this way." After covering the entrance with bushes again, he headed off quickly down a gentle slope behind his oak. "You cannot travel in the open valley. They might see us. We have to go a different way."
John didn't follow. Nic turned to look for him. "Come on," she hissed. "Are you waiting to be picked up by the Guard?"
"I just don't trust him, that's all. He could be leading us into a trap."
"News flash, you're already caught in one! We have nothing to lose by following him. C'mon!"
John nodded and ran after them. Just in time too, for they had run no more than a few hundred feet when they heard the dull thud of hooves galloping though the trees.
"Get down," Jake cried. Crystal crashed to the ground and got a noseful of the musty damp earth beneath her. As her palms scraped against the crispy leaves and twigs, she heard her heart beat double-time in her ears. Did they see us?
"Quiet," Jake whispered. He crept along the damp floor and hid behind a large stone jutting up through the ground. Ever so slowly, he raised his head above the rock and his eyes narrowed as one of two guards disappeared inside the roots of his tree.
"He's not here," Crystal heard one shout to the other. "There's a fire burning, so he can't have left too long ago. Alert the patrol, he can't have gone far."
"Why does it matter that you're not there?" Crystal whispered.
"I was ordered to stay put."
"Oh."
Jake turned back to watch discretely, but the riders didn't stay long. The moment the first rider climbed to the surface he secured a notice to the bark by hammering in nails using the pommel of his sword, then mounted his horse. Both riders galloped back in the direction of the curtain.
"I wonder what it says," John said as he crawled up to his knees.
"Don't mess with the bad guys, I suspect," Nic suggested.
"Come," Jake said. "When they don't hear from me, they'll come back. We'd better get as far away from this place as possible." He looked at Nic and bit his lip. "Can you girls run? The more distance we put between us and them the better."
"I can so run," Nic said. "Don't you worry about me. These legs can get some speed on them in a crisis."
"Me, too," Crystal said.
"Let's go, then," Jake suggested.
The four of them ran down the sloping hill. The run was necessary but dangerous, since it was unlikely they'd hear anything over their beating hearts and the crunch of autumn leaves. Down and down they ran, until, at last, the land leveled off and they heard a new sound - the rush of a shallow, fresh-water stream also racing just a few yards ahead. Sunlight glittered on its surface.
"Okay, okay, I need to stop," Nic gasped. She sat down on a fallen log and held onto her heaving chest. She raised a hand. "Just... a minute... and I'll be good... to go again."
Crystal looked up the steep hill they'd just run down. Though it'd started as a gentle slope it rapidly became much steeper. She was terrified of heights, and nothing but the fear of capture could have got her down that slope.
"Will they know which way we went?" Crystal asked Jake.
"It's possible they could track us, but they have to pick up the trail first. I imagine it will be a while before they come back. At that point they will ride like demons to find us."
"We could lose them in this stream, couldn't we?" John suggested.
"Yes. But if we go downstream it will lead us into the open valley, which we don't want. If we go upstream it will take us to the rider's outpost. It's risky, but perhaps it would be the last thing they'd expect. We could then slip past it without being seen and continue onto Somnia."
"I dunno," John said. He looked upstream, and a shadow of what might lie ahead crossed his face. "I think we should go just as far as we need to for now, and then take a moment to think about what we want to do. I don't like this crazy running about. We're just as likely to be running into danger as from it. Let's go upstream for a bit, and then take a break to see what we wanna do."
Crystal looked up to the sky in search of the sun. It was getting low in the western sky.
"How long before we get near the outpost?"
"On foot it's a few hours," Jake answered.
"So we won't get there by nightfall?"
"Probably not."
"How cold will it get during the night?"
"Cold?"
"Yes, cold. None of us are dressed for a night in the open and if we go into the stream we will get colder still. We could freeze to death if we're not careful."
"It doesn't get very cold at all. And I can make a fire."
"But we'll be visible," John said.
"No, I can find us shelter," Jake answered. "I know a place."
"Good enough for me," Nic said. Before John could raise another objection, she stepped out into the water and started wading upstream. "Acck, it
's cold," she called back. All the same, she plodded on relentless, not knowing where she was going other than away from imminent danger. Crystal had to admire her determination. Her friend Nic had more guts than all of them put together.
Crystal hoisted up her skirts and followed in after. "Brrrrrr!" The water was ice-cold. She thought about home and her comfy bed. This day so wasn't turning out as she planned. But there was nothing she could do about it now. She clenched her teeth, and without another thought for comfort, she followed Nic's resolute lead into the unknown.
The Sulfur Caverns
Crystal had no idea how long they remained in the stream, but it felt like an eternity. She could no longer feel her feet. Only the heat of fear kept her from freezing to death. At the start of her journey she looked back over her shoulder every few seconds but now, since it seemed they had made good their escape, she looked only ahead.
"I can't wait to get out of this water, my feet are numb!" Crystal said.
The wall of trees along the banks was thinning out. They were coming to the edge of the woods. "And I can't wait to see the last of these trees," John said.
"Me neither," Nic agreed. "But I'm scared, too. Once the trees are gone, will we be visible to the Guard?"
All three looked anxiously at Jake. "No, we'll be safe enough. We are heading for a ridge of rock a few miles from the outpost. We will find both cover and shelter there."
"Another root dwelling?" John asked.
"No, the Sulfur Caverns." As Jake spoke, the edge of the forest opened up ahead of them. The wind changed direction, and the earthy smell of oak and maple died away. In its place Crystal's nose filled with a malodorous stench. She pinched her nostrils and screwed her eyes tightly, as if the smell would penetrate her very soul. She turned to see the others do the same.
"What is that stink?" Crystal asked.
"That's from the Sulfur Caverns." Crystal noted that Jake didn't cover his nose at all.
"Doesn't the smell bother you?" she asked.
"Not really, I'm used to it. We should camp here, it's quite warm. We can dry off and you'll be protected from the bite of the cold."
John held onto his stomach and his hand flew to cover his mouth. "Ugh, unless we die from some nasty lung disease first, that is."
Nic put her hands on her hips and frowned. "Why don't you grow a pair and shut up?"
Crystal stepped out past the last of the trees and felt the ground change under her feet. The terrain was rocky here, and as she stepped out of the water, she almost slipped and fell.
"Steady there.” Jake reached out and stopped her from falling. "I gotcha. You okay?" His hands were strong and warm.
How long had she drooled over Jake at school? And now here he was, well, a version of him, and he was right beside her, saving her from danger. It felt... strange.
"Thanks."
"Um, I don't know about you lot but I'm freezing," Nic said, blowing into her hands as she tried to warm up. "Is there any place we can maybe dry off before we all die of pneumonia?"
"Well, I wouldn't mind warming up, too," Jake replied.
"Me, too," Crystal agreed. "If only we had dry clothes, or a towel or something. I'd do anything for some heat right now."
Crystal felt an odd tingling all over her body, like someone was drying her off with a giant hairdryer. In less than a minute she was as dry as a bone.
"Woah! I could get used to magic like this," Crystal said. "How did you do it?" she asked Jake.
As always, Jake's response was to look totally puzzled. "I don't know."
"Oh, come on," John said as he checked out his own outfit. "We're all totally dry. You must have some idea how that happened? Look, even my shoes are dry!" He turned his heel to one side and looked down.
Jake shook his head. "We were all wishing for it - and then it just happened. That's how it is, sometimes."
"Freaky," Nic said.
"You got that right," Crystal agreed.
As Jake had promised, the high rock ridges gave them ample protection against being spotted from the Guard outpost. Even so, it would be madness to camp in the open like this.
"So, how far is this place you expect us to bunk down in?" John asked. "I don't know about the others but I/m getting tired. Is it gonna be a while before we get there?"
"No, not far," Jake replied. "But we'll have to be careful."
"Like we're ever anything else.” John kicked a loose pebble out from under him.
"Give us a break, that's not helpful," Nic said.
"Well, I'm tired and I'm hungry," John complained. "Hunger always makes me grouchy. What are we going to eat when we get there?"
"We can forage and hunt for supper, “ Jake suggested.
"Brilliant," John said flatly.
Nic shot John a disapproving glare. "Of course, you could stay behind and find your own hiding place. Say hi to the riders for me, will you? Tell them I send my love."
John rolled his eyes. "Are you going to nag me for the rest of my life?" he asked. "Women!" He caught up with Jake, and Crystal and Nic followed on.
"You should be so lucky," Nic said.
Jake headed towards the tallest rocks, where he found a low ridge and clambered over it. On the other side was the source of the unpleasant smell. Crystal looked down at a great sulfur pool, which was almost half a mile wide, and twice as long again. The place was eerily silent, the water still and quiet, its rotten vapor clawing through the air through a thick unholy mist.
The spring was framed by a series of rocky caverns, their black, lonely entrances both curious yet uninviting. They wound endlessly round the edge of the water, some tall, some shallow, some wide, some narrow, but each one suggestive of a hidden secret. Crystal shivered at the eerie sight, but shared nothing of her distaste with the others.
"Stinks," John grumbled.
"Rotten eggs," Nic said. "I think all sulfur pools smell like this, don't they?" She didn't wait for an answer. "So where are we camping down? And is there anything to eat? I don't know about you lot but I'm starving."
"We can get into one of the big caves over here. There's a small pathway, and it's quite narrow. The riders couldn't reach it, not on their horses anyway - unless they disembark. But the stench puts most people off so that's not likely. It'll be a rough night, but we'll be fairly safe from discovery."
"Then let's get to it," Crystal said.
"Sure. Then I'll see what I can do for food," Jake offered.
"Thank God," Crystal murmured. Her own belly felt stretched and raw with hunger and when she sucked her tummy in, the hollow feeling reminded her just how hungry she was. But first things first, they needed to find a place to camp.
To reach Jake's cavern, they had to walk along the rim of the water with their backs to the wall. Crystal felt the crumbly and rough rock graze against her back, and she looked down to watch her feet. One misstep and she could fall in.
"It's okay," John said. "The water's smelly but I doubt there's enough sulfur in it to do you any harm." He made to step forward, but Jake grabbed his arm and pulled him sharply back.
"Do not disturb the lake; it's pure acid."
John turned deathly white and pressed hard back into the rock behind him. "You're telling me this now? I could have died."
"Sorry, didn't think," Jake replied.
"Do you ever?" John sniped.
Jake did not respond.
"Come on boys, stop messing about. It's getting late," Nic urged.
"Don't mind me,” John said, "I'm just trying not to slip into this acid bath."
"There's something else I should maybe tell you," Jake said.
The others all froze and pressed their backs up against the rock wall.
"What's that?" Nic asked.
"Watch that lake," Jake replied. "There are more things than just acid that can kill you."
"You're kidding me," Nic gasped. "Are you sure it's safe for us to even walk out there?"
"Safe, no, not exactly. Just don't touch
water."
"Freakin' marvelous," John said.
Like the others, Crystal inched slowly around the wall, and wondered what kind of horror could live beneath such putrid waters. She breathed a sigh of relief, when at last she reached Jake's cavern, but remained anxious until the moment all her friends were safely inside.
"That was fun," John said, sarcastically, as he bowed his head inside the ragged entrance.
They had turned into a long, wide cavern. Once inside, the mouth of the cave opened up and they were able to stand tall again.
"Weird. What's this?" Crystal said and raised her feet to check under them.
"Bat guano."
"Ewww," Nic said. "I don't like bats."
"Now who's afraid?" John laughed. Nic shot him another sideways glance but said nothing.
Indeed, the whole cavern was thick with the dry, crusty bat excrement, which coated both wall and ceiling, and gave the entire place an eerie, wintery look, like a frosted and evil tomb.
"You want us to sleep here?" Nic asked. "On bat poo?" Her eyes pleaded for an alternative.
"Yes," Jake said. Nic's whole frame visibly shrunk an inch. "The heat of the lake will keep you warm and this bat poop makes for a softer bed than just a hard rock floor. I don't think anyone's ever been here besides me, so we should be quite safe."
Crystal felt her skin crawl, but she realized they had to trust Jake on this. "You mentioned food. I could eat anything, well, maybe not bat guano, but definitely most anything else."
Jake nodded then turned to John. "Come with me. We can leave the girls here so they can rest. I know where we can get some apples, and I have some traps set not too far from here. Do you girls know how to make a fire?"
"No. But even if I did, is that wise in here, all this, guano and sulfur?" Crystal asked.
"You should be okay," Jake said, handing her a box of matches. "There are some loose rocks outside, gather those, and some dry wood from the edge of the forest. We can make the fire, cook and eat before dark, so we shouldn't give our position away. The sulfur lake will take care of any smells from the cooking. Believe me, nothing can top that stench. We'll be about an hour, and don't wander too far away."
Sorcery & Sirens Page 7