by J. K. Holt
She opened her eyes, looking back at her companions. Rosie looked down at her, a look of awed determination in her eyes. She held out a hand to help her up. Tess took it and was pulled to her feet. Her body shook as she stood, weakened from the mental interaction with the man.
Lenora still crouched behind the log. Her face was blank, but Tess could see that her mind was working furiously. Tess knew they had little time to spare.
“Another group. They said something about another group,” she said.
“I know,” Rosie replied. “No way of knowing where. I suppose we can assume they were looking for us. Can you see the rest of them?”
Tess turned, staring up the ridge. “No. But they’ll be back soon, either when they finish their round or when they realize they’re a man short.”
“He’s too heavy to move,” Rosie said. “Let’s hope they don’t find him in this light right away. We’ll be lucky to get back to the mounts in one piece, once we lose the moonlight under the trees. Let’s go.”
“Wait,” Tess said, stumbling. She was suddenly nauseous. She walked a few paces away and then emptied her stomach, retching until nothing more came up. She took a moment to wipe her mouth and collect herself before heading back.
“Better?” Rosie said as she returned.
“I guess. I’m ready.”
They’d walked a few paces before they realized they were missing a companion. Lenora still hadn’t moved from her position behind the log.
“Lenora, now is not the time to get squeamish,” Rose groaned. “Five minutes ago you told me to kill you if they tried to take you. We killed him instead. That’s better, isn’t it?”
Lenora had turned her gaze to Tess. “Come here.” The voice was kind but gave no opportunity to brook argument. Tess and Rosie approached, but kept their distance. Lenora stood, easing into a proud stance, and looked at them both.
“I can see that we have little time. But I have a question, and it can’t wait.” She cocked her head at Tess and pointed a finger at her chest. “What. Are. You.”
Tess recognized it as the same phrase that Reydon had uttered when he’d discovered her abilities. “I’m not sure-”
“I’ll rephrase.” Lenora said. “Who are you?”
“This is Tess. And I’m Rosie,” Rosie answered, as if Lenora had suddenly been overcome with an acute case of dementia.
Lenora reached out, very calmly, and smacked Rosie across the face. “I was not talking to you. I was talking to her.”
“But I am Tess,” Tess responded, one arm held out to keep Rosie from attacking Lenora.
Lenora frowned, slanting her eyes. “But you also understand what I’m asking.”
“Yes,” Tess answered. “But we don’t have time for this. Not here. Not now.”
“How odd that you put it that way. It’s what I should have asked. Where are you from, and when?” Lenora reached out and grabbed Tess’s arm. “Answer me now.”
Tess groaned. “Ohio. United States of America. Year two thousand and eighteen. And it’s very likely that any next response to your question will be ‘I have no idea’. Just to save some time.”
“They’re coming back!” Rosie hissed. “I hear them. We need to move, now!”
They crouched instinctively as a unit. Sure enough, the voices of the men could be heard in the distance, drawing nearer.
Tess grabbed Lenora’s hand. “Please. We have to go. If they catch us, we’re done. Lenora, I’ll answer everything you ask, but later.”
A desperation entered Lenora’s face then, but still, she did not move. She grabbed Rosie’s arm as well, pulling them both closer with nearly inhuman strength. Her eyes glowed in the darkness, orbs of harsh blue in a pale and somber face. “Make it to Turand. Find a man named Simon Albrush. He’s another high scholar, and a friend. He can be trusted. Tell him what happened. And tell him the truth about yourself. He’ll give you the answers you need. Trust no one else. Do you understand me?”
Tess and Rosie were both stunned. Tess stammered. “Y-yes, we do. But we can go together.”
“We can’t. This is where our paths diverge. I’ll lead them away. This is not up for debate. Use the time I’m giving you. And use your wits. Survive.” She released Tess and gave her a light push. “Move. Now.”
But Lenora kept hold of Rosie, pulling her close and whispering something quickly into her ear. Rosie listened and nodded. Then she too broke away, grabbing onto Tess and pulling her further into the brush. Lenora made eye contact with Tess one last time as she pulled herself up and made ready to run- she nodded at Tess and then tore back into the forest, a mad dash that tore small limbs from trees and created a ruckus too loud to ignore.
“They’ll hear her!” Tess hissed.
“That’s the idea,” Rosie hissed back.
It worked. The men turned their heads at the noise before several took off after her. Only two remained. They split apart, running in opposite directions along the ridge to head Lenora off if she turned back.
“Let’s go,” Rosie said. “Now’s our chance.”
“Where?” Tess asked. “Where is safe? They’ve gone off in every direction.”
Rosie stalked towards the edge, pulling Tess behind her. She had a grip like a vise. “Not all directions.”
Tess followed her gaze out beyond the cliff and blanched. “You can’t be serious.”
“Have you got a better idea?” Rosie asked as she tucked her shirt into her pants.
“Literally any idea would be better than this.”
“Oh? Like hiding in the brush until they find us?”
“At least we’d be alive.” Tess answered. Her nerves were fraying and she fought to calm herself.
Rosie stopped, turning to Tess. “You’re right. You might stay alive for a little while. You’re important to them, and you can’t be blurred. But I mean less than nothing to them. I don’t have the luxury of importance that you do. So do this for me, alright? Because this is the only way that I stay alive.”
Tess heard the men shouting as they worked their way through the thick forest, chasing Lenora. She grasped the logic of Rosie’s words, and tried to cling to them. Anything to stop from thinking about what they were about to do. She nodded and followed suit, tucking her hair behind her and her shirt into her trousers. “Right. Let’s do this now before I lose my nerve.”
They stepped to the edge. “Don’t look down,” Rosie cautioned. “The moon is out, and with any luck it will stay. We’ll have just enough to see by. It’s not an entirely vertical drop. The edge is rough, and there are some ridges here and there. We’ll take our time, feel our way down slowly. Keep at least three points of contact at all times so a slip doesn’t mean a fall. Ready?”
In answer, Tess dropped, lowering her feet over the edge. Maggie, stay with me. She uttered the prayer quickly in her mind. She turned, her face now to the woods, and saw the aura of a man returning their way. “Now, Rosie. They’re coming back.”
Rosie followed her, and they carefully found footholds, clinging to the earth as they lowered themselves below the ridge just in time. Tess took slow, deep breaths as the aura of the man drew ever closer before dropping away again and continuing down the ridge. “Is he gone?” Rosie whispered.
“Yes. For now.”
“Good. Time to move. We’ve got fifty meters or so to go down. We’ve already traveled two of those. Just forty-eight to go.”
Tess squeezed her eyes shut and clung to the cliff like a barnacle. “Please never become a motivational speaker.”
“Stop whining and open your eyes.”
Tess followed her directions and found Rosie’s stern face two feet in front of her. “I’m here with you. Now, look for the next foothold.”
With Rosie coaching and Tess concentrating on her voice and the next step, always only the next step, they descended. Down, down they went, except when they slid sideways, along fissures a few inches deep, to find another route down. Tess slipped once, but kept her hold. A
root broke beneath Rosie’s foot and she nearly fell as well, but Tess grabbed her by the sleeve, slowing her slide until she could grasp another.
They stayed close to each other. It seemed as though they’d been climbing forever, but still they kept going.
Tess’s left hand began to cramp. She’d no sooner taken a break and stretched it than it started again, seizing angrily whenever she tried to hold. She tucked it to her chest, now genuinely afraid. “I can’t. Rosie, my hand.”
Rosie glanced down. “Ten more meters, Tess. Just ten. Hold on a bit longer. Almost there now.”
Afraid that she was lying, Tess glanced down. She could see the grass beneath her feet now, though she would still break something if she dropped from here. Right. She felt out with her right hand, grasping and sliding across the rock. Her shirt had been pulled out, and the harsh rock slid across her stomach as she moved, but she ignored it. Grasp, slide. Grasp, slither. Grasp, hold, drop.
When she could see the individual leaves in the grasses beneath her, she released, turning her body so she slid on her back, landing in an oof! at the bottom. Rosie landed beside her, and together they fell onto their backs, breathing heavily.
Tess stretched, and then turned her head, checking the forest behind them for any unwanted visitors. No auras were visible from here. Still. “We need to get to the trees.”
Rosie groaned, rolling to her belly, and they low-crawled under a large oak tree a few yards away. They sprawled next to each other and stared up at the enormous dark beast they’d just descended.
“I can’t believe we climbed down that,” Rosie said.
“Less a climb than a controlled fall,” Tess said.
“Agreed.” Rosie pushed to her elbows. “Anyone nearby?”
Tess sat up, craning her neck. “None that I can see. We still need to find a place to rest. And remember, that smoke came from down here. There’s at least another party in this level of the woods searching for us.”
“I wonder how they meant to communicate with each other.” Rosie glanced up. “Some of the men were carrying unlit torches… signal fire, I guess.”
“Does it matter?”
“It might, if they figure out or guess we came down this way. We could have less time than we think.” Rosie rubbed her forehead, a weary expression on her face. “Onward, I suppose.”
“Wait.” Tess squinted. Further north, at the top of the cliff, stood a person, their aura just visible above the summit. “Someone’s up there.”
“Just one of them?”
“I have no idea. I can only see this one because of how close they are to the edge…”
The figure turned, moving north. “He’s heading away from us, fast. Wait, he’s stopped again.”
More figures appeared now, at a distance on either side of the person. They closed in. There were voices, but she couldn’t make out any words this far away.
Tess gasped. “It’s Lenora. They’ve got her surrounded.”
They were both standing now, moving closer. Rosie swore. “How do you know it’s her?”
“She’s much shorter than the others. And she’s clearly their target.”
They could hear her voice now, shouting.
Tess moaned. “That poor woman. She’s suffered enough, and now they’ll take her again.”
“No. They won’t.” Rosie sniffed. “Tess, let’s not watch anymore.”
“What are you…” The realization was brutal, and cold. “No.”
Tess turned, craning her neck yet again. She zeroed in on Lenora just in time to watch her jump.
She dove like a swan off of the cliff, moments before the others were close enough to grab her. Tess covered her mouth and screamed, and Rosie pulled her away. She turned her head before Lenora hit, but heard the distinct thud of impact.
“We’re going now. Cry as we run, if you have to.” Tess stumbled, fell, and rose again. She and Rosie tripped their way through the forest, skinning knees as they fled. Further, further they went. Birds took flight and rodents scurried away, but they barely noticed. Onward- just as Rosie had said.
They found a shallow stream and followed the slippery rocks through the cool water for what seemed like an eternity. Any attempt to slow their pursuers if they caught their trail. Tess now knew what a fox or a rabbit felt like, being chased by relentless hunters. They pushed themselves beyond exhaustion, finally emerging from the water to crawl beneath the low-lying branches of a pine tree. They curled up in the needles and held each other.
Tess didn’t remember falling asleep, though she must have.
∞ ∞ ∞
There was nothing for breakfast. Their packs, along with their food, supplies, and dry clothes had all been abandoned at their site, along with their mounts. Tess hoped that the men had found and untied Darla, and were being kind to her.
They sat beneath the tree and took stock of their dire situation. “We’ll travel by night, from now on,” Rosie said. “And hide during the day. With your special sense, we should be able to avoid them better at night. With any luck, we can put them far behind us in a few days. They won’t be able to travel as quickly if they’re combing the forest for us. And we can walk in the stream as long as it goes north, to cover our tracks.”
“What will we eat?” Tess asked.
“There’s food all around us, if you know where to look. But if worst comes to it, we’ll make it. We can’t be more than three or four days from Port Harbour. That’s not enough time to starve.” Rosie crouched beside Tess, picking at the dirt with her knife.
Tess swallowed, hard. Everything hurt. Her stomach, her limbs, her head. Her heart. “How could she do that?”
Rosie took a good look at her. “You knew she didn’t want to be taken. Not again. It was her choice to make.”
“Every time I close my eyes, I see her fall. And I hear her body land. It’s haunting me. She should have come with us.”
“The only reason we’re still free is because she led them away and gave us a chance. You know that. So make her sacrifice count. We need to keep going.”
“But without Lenora, what on earth are we hoping to accomplish by going to Turand?”
Rosie answered, but Tess had already disappeared inside her own head. What was she doing? What on earth was she doing? Her head spun, and vertigo set in. Rosie’s lips were still moving, and Tess became confused. “I don’t know what you’re saying.” Her words sounded warped, like they were in a vacuum. She tucked her head between her knees and waited for the world to clear.
Tess had felt lost before, but never quite like this. The goalpost kept moving, and nothing seemed constant any more. Any time she felt they were making progress, something else was thrown in their path. It seemed like she was constantly fighting against the current. And now she was having a hard time remembering why she was trying to go against it at all.
“Better?” Rosie’s voice came through.
“What are we doing?” Tess asked. “Honestly, I don’t even know any more.”
Rosie fell silent, and Tess grew guilty for putting the question to her at all. “I’m sorry.”
“No,” Rosie said. “Don’t be. I was just considering the question. And I’m going to answer it in pieces. What are we doing? First, we’re going to slowly crawl out of here, and try to find a better place to hide out for the day.”
Tess gave her a quizzical glance, but followed her and they left the shade and safety of the pine. They were careful not to disturb the ground as they emerged, wary of leaving footprints. Rosie took a moment to get her bearings, and led them back to the stream. They walked along the rocks, cautious. Ten minutes later, they’d found another, larger evergreen, limbs stretching and pulled to the ground by gravity, creating a curtain of green. They crawled beneath it and settled in.
“Now,” Rosie said. “We’re going to get some rest. We leave at twilight.”
Rosie woke Tess hours later, as the day was waning. “Now, we leave.”
Breaking it down, s
tep by step, kept them sane. Sane through the hunger, sane through the fear, sane through the frustration. It became so that Tess stopped her ruminations, stopped her worrying, and just broke it down into steps. Climb the next boulder. Take a drink from the stream. Sleep. Walk. Because that’s what they were doing.
It took them all the way to Port Harbour.
Epilogue
The sails caught a strong wind, heaving the ship through choppy waves that sloshed angrily against the hull. Whitecaps formed, then dissipated against the cool greys and blues of the shifting surges around the vessel, like petulant children beating uselessly against a giant. Everywhere, the sunlight glinted and dazzled, throwing light from above and below as it reflected on the water’s rough surface. It was like standing in an ever-moving kaleidoscope.
Two travelers stood at the bow, hands on the railing, faces masked by low hoods. They watched Port Harbour fall behind them as the ship pushed out into deeper waters. Soon, it would turn west and follow the coast.
All around the travelers, men moved, obeying orders, confidently calling to one another over the sounds of the surf. They were a well-oiled machine, held together by common goals and an ease that had developed through a path walked together; they’d learned to trust one another as few did, recognizing that each held the life of another when seas became difficult, relying on the instincts and skills that complemented, never combated, their fellow crew.
Much like the travelers.
The young women spoke little to one another, instead savoring the feel of the salt wind against their faces, relishing the freedom that the sea offered. Freedom, and safety from the wolves that they’d worked so hard to avoid, nipping at their heels for days on end. At least for a moment, they’d left it behind.
They knew what was coming, and they didn’t shrink from it, as they might have merely a few weeks ago. They were learning to take it in stride. To acknowledge the difficulty without drowning from the weight of it. And, when it did become overwhelming, to parcel out the work needed. This next step. This next obstacle. Only what was now required of them to continue moving forward.