by Adria Eustis
“Now,” Cain said.
She pulled her blade from the strap in her leather corset, leaned forwards and twisted her body around the front seat, stuck the sharp point into the pilot's neck. Cain let go of her arm – daylight returned, and sucked Cain away as it did.
“I'll kill you,” she said, forcefully, hiding her hysteria well. “do as I saw and you won't get hurt.”
He tried to turn and look at her, she drove the blade in, a small trickle of blood ran down his neck.
“Don't look at me just fly this thing and do what I say, got it?”
“Y-y-y-yes, don't hurt me. I'll do what you want, please, I got kids.”
“Tell Brume you need to go back, you can't wait for him. Make a good excuse. Do it now. Quickly!”
“I'll do everything you say.” Sweat poured down his forehead.
“Captain. Come in you there?”
The radio crackled for a while, before Brume's voice came through. “I hear you Vin what is it? You see um from up there? Where Vin? Where are the little shats?”
“No Cap, listen, the fuel gauge is knackered, I can't sit here and wait like this. I gotta head back. I'll swap copters and get back to ya soon as I can.”
“Whatever Vin, if you see um let me know.”
“You be okay boss?”
“Go do what you gotta, I'm gonna skin these runts alive once I find um.”
“Be as quick as I can Cap.”
“Oh get out of here idiot your damn voice is ruining my hunt!”
“Yes Captain.”
“Move it,” Nina said, digging the blade in harder.
“Yes miss. Yes miss, please don't hurt me.”
Vin turned the helicopter north and set off towards the penitentiary.
Nina watched through the front window, the island looked so different from up here, peaceful almost. She could see way out to sea, the prison to the north standing high. The lightning-charged wall that caged them and ran the entirety of the island. It spliced up the center from south to north. The tension was incredible, she didn't even know what was coming, what to do next, this was as far as the plan had gone. She stood twisting the blade little by little as he clenched his teeth and whimpered like a scared puppy. The fields, trees, waters and villages whizzed by underneath as she stood retaining her fierce posture. The prison neared, they came to a stop around the same area where she had first stepped foot on the island. The portal which had brought her from Nanta swirled dimly ahead in the bright of day. They came in to land.
“We're here ma'am, what now?”
“Just stay. Don't move, don't do anything.”
She felt Cain's hand on her arm, the light vanished once more and the moonlight surrounded her.
Cain ushered her out, her boots hit the grass before the pilot had noticed she was gone.
“You came from Nanta right?” He asked.
“Yeah.”
“Good, we should come out in the same place.”
She followed his lead to the portal, it seemed too good to be true. Freedom ahead of her, just like that. How could it be that things were finally going in her favour? Did an angel pull her name out of a hat that morning?
“Quickly before he has time to radio in and they shut the portals off.”
No way, she wasn't about to lose out on the prize now, Nina sped across the front of the prison clinging tight to Cain as he ran with the ancient bow. Together they dived into the portal before anything could get in their way.
CHAPTER TWENTY EIGHT
JANINA
October, Year of the Pearl Acacia
They stood outside the portal in the back yard of Nanta prison. The fifth moon the only light that illuminated their surroundings. Of course it would be daylight to the ordinary world, they had no need to turn on their lights and street lamps.
“We're free?” Nina questioned, catching her breathe, “No this can't be real, this is too good to be true.”
“Don't get too excited yet. They will be hot on our backs once that pilot lets them know where he dropped us off. We have to keep moving.”
They moved through the building as soldiers sat at their desks, flipping paperwork and tapping on their computers, completely unaware of the two convicts striding by. Pulling to the side every time a person walked directly towards them, Nina was still struggling to believe she was back in Nanta. Things were all starting to piece together. Cain's unwillingness to want to score points made sense now. Why needlessly kill people when he knew a less violent way out? But what now? They were still wanted. Inside the police station the air was crisp and clean, but as soon as they stepped through the front doors the mysterious mist was back.
The station was in a quiet part of town, a part she knew well. She found herself picturing a map of the streets, trying to work out the way to the Healer's home from where she stood.
“I need to get to a phone,” she said. “I have to call my brother, it's urgent.”
“This way.”
They walked blindly through the streets trying to avoid walking into people, cars, benches and street-lights. Treading carefully down curbs and feeling their way around corners.
“Why is it so foggy here?”
“I don't know, I didn't realise it would be.”
“There is a diner down this way I'm sure, they have a public phone,” she said, hoping her memory was right.
Along the way they bumped into people, leaving them with confused faces. The strangers bodies only came into view before it was too late. Finally after five minutes of infuriatingly feeling their way through town, Nina pushed open the door to the diner and they headed inside. Faces looked towards them, puzzled at the self-opening door. Inside their vision was clear again, rubbing her watery eyes she almost pulled Cain along the floor towards where the phones hung from the wall. She never thought she'd be so thankful for vintage diners with outdated décor, public phones were such a thing of the past.
“I have to make a call too,” he said. “We need to return to the ordinary realm to speak to anyone. I'll set this down here on three.”
She mirrored him as he crouched behind an empty table and let go of Shadow's Kiss. Laughed to herself as she realised she knew the name of the bow from Imperia's memories. As the bow vanished Imperia seemed to wail in sadness within her. Sunlight flooded in through the tall windows as they emerged from under the table. The customers carried on their eating without even noticing them. She pulled a receiver to her ear, watched through the window for any sign of The Army approaching. Nervously pulling on the telephone wire as she waited for the operator to answer.
“Hello, I need a reverse charge.”
The operator put her through to Rohn, it began to ring, “please pick up, please pick up,” she whispered.
Cain had turned his back to her, whispering quietly to whomever he had called.
“Hello.” She melted into the wall with relief as she heard Rohn's voice.
“Rohn it's me. I don't have time, I've escaped, they're gonna come for me.”
“Nina!?”
“Shh. Rohn, listen, I need you to bring Erisha to an address right now. There's a Healer Rohn, he's going to fix her.”
“You did what? A Healer? What? Nina? Where are you?”
“I'm in that vintage diner by the swimming baths, is Eri alright? Can you bring her?”
“Is this real? How did you-? Uh, yeah I can bring her, where?”
“Its real, I don't have time to explain. Bring her to Keran Street. I'll meet you there. If I don't make it. there's house with a red door, next to a pet shop. Take Eri inside and tell them Mol sent you. Promise me?”
“Keran Street, red door, Mol, yes I got it. Nina? How the hell did you escape?”
“Its a long story. Just be there as soon as possible.”
“Leaving now.”
The line went dead, just as she saw Cain ending his call too.
“Thank you,” she said. “I spoke to my brother, I have to go meet him.”
“You need to stay low Nina. Not get seen.”
“We won't, not with the artifact.”
He shook his head, “We have to leave Nanta.”
“Leave? Now?”
“My father is sending someone, they're already nearby. Come with me.”
“I can't, I need to go with my brother, my sister is dying, and I know where to find Healer. It's important.”
“I know, I heard you giving him the address. Soon as the Peace Bringers have word that they're looking for you, they'll be all over your house, all over your family, if you go to them you'll be handing yourself over. And they won't hesitate to shoot you. We've made a mockery of their system – we've upgraded ourselves to kill on sight.”
“Then what kind of life am I supposed to have now? There's no way I'm not seeing my family again.”
“There's no way I'm letting you go. Let your brother be the hero on this one Nina. I'm sure he can follow instructions. Come on, they're here.” Cain nodded to the window as a black van screeched to a stop outside.
“Already?” She asked, annoyed that her argument was cut so short without her having time to win it.
Cain tugged her down behind the tables once more. Reached out his hand to an empty space, a second later the night returned, as though someone had abruptly dropped the window blinds. They waded back through the diners, back out into the mist where Cain flung open the side of the van and jumped inside. Hesitating, she didn't want to get in. But then she knew he was right. Rohn would hopefully get to the Healer without her. And they'd no doubt send The Army to follow him. She just prayed that her actions wouldn't see the Healer arrested. With a sigh, she let him pull her up into the van. Letting go of each other, the sun heated her face for a few moments before the door was banged shut and the driver hurtled off before she could even sit down.
“You made it,” the man in the passenger seat said as he turned in his seat.
Cain slunk against the back seat, Shadow's Kiss no longer anywhere to be seen.
“I made it.”
“Knew you would,” the driver called.
Nina pulled on her seat belt, the driver clearly had no care for safe driving. He pelted full speed towards the edge of town, sending everyone flying as he sped around corners. The driver and passenger were both men, faces scarred and unshaven. They wore black woollen hats, gloves and hooded coats. The kind of men you'd expect to see in a bank-heist movie. The kind of men she'd have expected Cain to be friends with.
“What the hell is there a girl doing here?” The passenger said, eyeing Nina from top to bottom.
“Cain what is this? There wasn't no girl in the plan,” the driver added, looking backwards for a moment.
“Yeah well I added her to the plan, got a problem come see me about it later.”
Nina felt uneasy, wishing she maybe stayed in the diner or found a safe hiding place. She was out of her depths, swimming around in the unknown. So many questions swarmed her mind, but she had sunken to the bottom of her own existence, the burly men, the speeding van, it all made her feel small and afraid to even speak.
“Whatever,” the passenger huffed. “Action phase began the moment your call came in, the admiral has the bear on the way to the scene.”
“Right,” Cain replied, “so it's good to go? Already?”
“Good to go, target is making a speech.”
“Where?”
“You couldn't have picked a better day to show up – target is in Yorehelm. Operation D. You need a refresher?”
“No, I'm good, it's all up here.” Cain tapped his skull.
The conversation was cryptic, she guessed that's where he learnt to be so secretive from – his friends. Yorehelm, she'd never been there. It was the city that adjoined to their town, famous for it's grand marble Temples. The cities residents were mostly holy people, those like Lasiah, she imagined he most probably had lived in Yorehelm, it made her sick to think she'd never know, nor see him there in his religious gowns. All that nonsense bored to death, but each to their own she thought. If she ever made it out of this van alive without crashing into something she made a silent promise to herself to find the Temple of Eina, where ever it was, and pay her respects to the boy she barely knew but had saved her's and Cain's lives with nothing in return.
“To Yorehelm.” Cain pulled open a large backpack that had been waiting at their feet, sliding around the vehicle and hitting the sides with a great thud every time it landed.
Nina wanted badly to grab Shadow's Kiss so she could get him alone and smother him with questions. But alas she could not see it, nor did she want to make a fool of herself randomly grabbing the ground to find it. Could she even take it? Probably not. So instead she sat still and quiet and waited it out.
From the bag he took out clothing, and began stripping off as they rocked from side to side in the back. Sneaking a peek from the corner of her eye she watched as he tore off his filthy shirt, smeared with the island's horrors and sat bare chested for a moment as he shuffled through the pile of fresh clothes.
Glistening sweat clung to his heaving chest, her eyes wandered down near his belt. She wanted for the world to disappear so that she could rest her head against his iron ribs and run her fingers along the edge of his trousers. Her head started to turn against her will, for a better glimpse of his mind-melting, firm, muscular torso. He seemed to catch her peeking for a second. She was sure that he blushed, but he hid it well. Cain pulled a clean white shirt on, crisp and new. And over the top he struggled, in the wildly swaying van, to put on a pale blue double-breasted jacket, V-necked with six golden buttons. On the left hand side was a large stitched logo in gold - a crescent moon with twisting branches within it's outline. Inside the curve of the moon was the letter B in elegant golden thread. It was odd to see him dressed smartly, if even only the upper half. Back when she had first laid eyes upon she had envisioned him as a ruffian, now there he sat looking reminiscent of a palace guard from the waist up. Even his hair seemed to fall neatly into place as he ran his hands through it and pushed it all backwards behind his ears. And that symbol on his jacket - she recognised that symbol from somewhere, but where?
“Suits ya,” the passenger said glancing at the outfit change.
“Yeah well don't get used to it Frank, it's not really my style.”
“Here, these are a bit more updated than the ones you seen.” The man shoved a pile of papers towards Cain.
Cain sifted through them as Nina held on for dear life as they ran through red lights.
“Careful Cohen you'll get us pulled over before we get there,” Cain said.
“We ain't got long,” Cohen said, glancing at his watch. “Target leaves soon, we'll miss our window.”
But it was too late. Sirens whirred behind them.
“Peace Bringers,” Frank said, glaring in the wing-mirror as though the thought of being arrested didn't bother him at all. She thought back to Cain's arrest – he'd walked up and handed himself in. Was that about to happen again? Had she unwittingly climbed into a van with crazy people?
Nina didn't think they could drive any faster, but it seemed she was wrong. Cohen pulled around a corner so quick they all had to lean to one side. Cain's papers went flying. She managed a look at them, over curious to know what was so important they were willing to all get locked up. But all she saw were map sketches, like blueprints for building layouts.
“Just get us to Yorehelm.” Frank said calmly.
“Oh I ain't stopping.”
Her heart was thumping, this didn't look good. They'd just escaped from a death sentence, how could Cain possibly do this to her? Put her in a van with two psychos and get them all caught by speeding? What was the thinking? At least she got the message to Rohn, at least Eri would be healed. She crossed her fingers.
“Your girlfriend looks like she's gonna throw up,” Frank said, clearly trying to inject some humour into the panic. Except she didn't find it at all amusing.
“Don't worry Nina,” Cain said, squ
eezing her hand.
“Don't worry?” She snapped, “If I don't die in this van I'm going back to that hell hole! Why didn't you let me go?”
“Sorry,” he said, “didn't realise we'd arrive right in middle of a chance to move. But don't worry, long as we got the bow, we're fine.”
“Funny that, I don't feel fine,” she said. But he was too deep in his pages to hear.
They hit the motorway, flying across the tarmac like a bullet. Swerving in and out of cars, horns honked and tires skidded but nothing was as loud as the wailing siren from behind. The more minutes that passed the more sirens joined in, though there were no back windows, she imagined there were at least four Army vehicles after them. The others seemed blissfully unaware, with Cohen even tuning in to the radio and Frank bopping his head to the tunes. She wanted to rip her hair out and scream for someone to explain what was going on. But she was too afraid the men in the front would throw her out - she wasn't part of their plan after all.
Cohen sang along to an oldie rock track, turning the volume up as he screeched into a turn-off road at the last second. Nina closed her eyes, she couldn't take any more – if she was going to end up crumpled in a tin-can against the back of a lorry she didn't want to see it coming, the last thing she saw was a big sign with “Welcome to Yorehelm”.
Finally they came to a stop. The engine died, the radio went silent, she opened her eyes to see the two men already climbing out with their hands high above their heads. Her stomach was about to give in and throw up what little food she had in her when Cain's calm voice reassured her that they weren't handing themselves in too.
“Remember,” he said, one hand on the sliding door, ready to open it, “don't let go.”
Nina fumbled with her seat belt, tearing it from her body and reaching out to grip the top of his arm tight.
Fresh air ripped in and outside was already dark, they were in an underground car-park. One by one they leapt out as the familiar flash of green and gold from the army's cars swerved to a halt around them. Their doors opened and she heard their feet slamming to the concrete as vision of them was swallowed up by that damned mist.