Crash followed her. She could feel his eyes on her back, studying each step, each subtle movement. She wanted to sigh. He acted as if she might slip at any moment—as if she couldn't handle herself on a rocky ledge.
“Just because I fell once doesn't mean I'll do it again,” she snapped over her shoulder.
“I know,” was his only reply.
It canceled out all argument. She cast him an exasperated look. She knew this tactic—he might agree with her, but it wouldn't stop him from watching her every move.
“Well...you're making me nervous,” she remarked.
She saw a slight smile on his lips. “Don't be—if you think you can manage.” A subtle challenge laced his tone. She raised an eyebrow. Challenge accepted. Then she turned to one side and slipped through the waterfall. It cascaded over her body; mountain water, cold as ice. She sucked in a quick breath, not quite prepared.
She moved swiftly, wanting to show Crash that she didn't need any help. Her mother had taught her how to balance on slick surfaces. They had trained throughout the entire winter, battling on ice and snow, jumping and kicking. A few slick rocks should be no challenge at all.
Sora navigated through the waterfall and found herself at the edge of a steep cliff. The stone was the color of lead, darkened by moisture and covered in moss, but jagged and easy to climb. She maneuvered sideways, gripping with her hands and feet, swiftly climbing across. She jumped the rest of the way to solid land, where Burn and Laina waited.
Crash followed close behind her. Finally the four travelers stood in full daylight, having left the Shining Caverns behind.
Sora turned and surveyed the world around her; she felt like she had just hatched from an egg, like everything was new and wondrous.
They stood upon a tall ridge at the very front of a canyon. The cliff walls were covered in thick foliage and shrubbery, all vibrant green, sloping down into a long river basin. She couldn't count the species of trees—they were tropical, like the island she had just left, crammed close together and impossibly dense. The waterfall spilled over the edge of the canyon and continued at its base, wandering through the forest, out to the distant silver rim of the ocean.
And far off in the distance, just before the curve of the sea, was a gleaming white city. Sora felt her breath catch, surprised by the sight. She squinted, making out the vague silhouette of buildings, perhaps ten or more miles away. The city sprawled for several miles, interrupted by patches of towering trees. Occasionally a domed structure or tiered roof would disrupt the canopy, indicating that the city was still present on the forest floor. The buildings were overtaken by foliage, on the verge of being swallowed up by the wilderness.
“The Harpy city of Asterion,” Burn murmured. The four continued to gaze at the shining white structures, so far in the distance.
“It's beautiful,” Laina murmured. She perched at the very edge of the cliff and leaned out over the waterfall, one hand raised to shield her eyes from the sun. “If only my grandmother could have seen this....I guess we're at the right place, then?” she asked.
“Seems like it,” Sora replied.
Crash turned toward the trees abruptly. “We should take cover,” he said.
Sora snorted at this. “Really? The city is a day's walk away, if not more! I doubt we'll be noticed.”
Crash gave her a hard look. “Harpies fly,” he said sharply.
She rolled her eyes. “Right,” she said, “But I doubt they'll attack us. Once they hear of our quest, they'll want to help, just like the Dracians.” It made sense. The Harpies had once been the most advanced of the races. Surely they weren't as barbaric or warlike as the Catlins. Not all the races are bad, she thought. The Dracians, after all, had quickly come to their aid.
“Into the trees,” Crash ordered, pointing over her head. “Away from the path.”
“Why?” Laina asked loudly. She glared at the assassin and crossed her arms stubbornly. “I'm tired! I don't want to trek through the woods.”
“I agree,” Sora said slowly. “We're all tired....”
Crash's gaze turned cold. She recognized that look—the mask of an assassin, the one who had kidnapped her so long ago, who wouldn't be argued with. A shudder of trepidation passed through her.
Why is he so vehement about this? She knew the truth of his race, his dark heritage, their division with the Harpies, but she doubted that such lines were still drawn. The War of the Races had been more than four centuries ago. Surely the animosity had subsided.
“We don't want to be taken by surprise,” Burn said gently, breaking the tension. “I doubt the Harpies are eager for visitors. It would be better to meet them on our own terms.”
Sora nodded. She could see the sense in that. But she still eyed the assassin, wondering if he was being paranoid or if the Harpies truly presented a threat.
Burn withdrew a long knife from his belt and started hacking into the thick foliage. He cut back a series of vines so they could pass. Laina followed him, still grumbling, casting Crash a petulant look. Sora fell into step next, leaving the assassin in the rear. He walked silently behind her.
Her thoughts quickly turned to food and rest. The forest appeared to be full of game, the air rich with bird calls and scampering feet in the underbrush, lizards or small rodents. Perhaps they could hunt down a deer or a boar. Even a wild hen would be welcome. She was hungry enough to eat tree bark.
“I can't wait for a good meal,” Laina muttered, echoing her thoughts. Sora silently agreed.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
A DROPLET OF water struck Sora's cheek. Her eyes snapped open, taking in their makeshift campsite. Crash was already awake, sitting in the shade of a tree, eating a large red fruit. Several more fruits had been left in a pile next to the ashes of last night's fire. From the angle of the sun, she judged that it was midday. They had slept for a long, long time.
She sat up, pulling in a deep breath of air. Gray clouds mingled above her, broken up by gaps of blue sky. Not truly a storm, but capable of rain. Another droplet landed on the back of her hand and she smiled. It felt good to be outside the caves, back in the natural world. She took in a deep breath, tasting moisture on her tongue. She could hear the rush of the waterfall in the distance. They had only hiked about a mile into the forest before exhaustion had forced them to stop.
The Cat's Eye still throbbed dully at her chest, though not as terrible as before. She touched it briefly, remembering the garrolithe, wondering if that was somehow still inside the necklace. How could such a thing exist? She couldn't imagine the beast being contained by the stone. In her dreams, the monster had haunted her footsteps, following her through the labyrinthine depths of the Crystal Caves. She had glimpsed its reflection in the sunstone walls.
The rest of her companions began to stir around her. Burn sat up to her left, his hair tangled with leaves and twigs. Laina yawned next, pulling herself up into a sitting position. Sora grabbed a fruit for herself and bit down eagerly. Warm, sweet juice burst into her mouth.
“What now?” Laina asked, after they had eaten.
“We need to find a circle of sacred stones,” Sora replied. She had been dwelling on her vision, the one spurred by her Cat's Eye at the start of this journey. I hope we can find them in time. Volcrian can't be far behind us after that detour. “They're somewhere on this island.”
“That doesn't give us a lot of direction,” Burn said slowly.
“The stones were next to the ocean,” Sora recalled. The vision had been burned into her mind crisp and sharp by the Cat's Eye, as though she had just awakened from it. She was fairly sure she could draw the stone circle, given a quill and parchment. She touched her Cat's Eye, asking for a direction. She waited.
Disturbingly, the necklace remained quiet.
She tried again, sinking into her mind, searching for the stone's presence. She found it...but her connection felt clogged, blocked by something. The stone tried to communicate, but it was a dim murmur that she couldn't understand. Sh
e wondered if the garrolithe had anything to do with it. She frowned, uncertain.
“Well?” Laina asked impatiently. Sora was brought back to the present. Her friends were waiting. She swallowed, trying to hide her confusion.
“I remember the ocean,” she repeated, then got to her feet, shouldering her staff. “We can follow the river. Let's hurry. There's no time to waste.” She sounded tense, even to her own ears.
Burn frowned at her, but stood anyway, pulling up Laina beside him. “I'll lead for now,” he said, a tactful way of taking charge. If he wondered about her hesitation, he didn't voice it aloud. He turned toward the river and started cutting back the underbrush. As he made headway, Laina followed at a safe distance.
Sora waited while the path was cleared. Crash caught her eye from across their campsite. She returned his look with a half-smile. Everything's fine, she thought. Really....Then she touched the necklace self-consciously. Had she broken it, somehow? Was that possible? Her thoughts raced, filling her with anxiety.
The assassin turned away and scattered the ashes from the fire, obscuring their camp with leaves and brush. Then he lifted up Burn's large satchel, swinging it over his shoulder. They followed the new trail through the trees.
The day was surprisingly cool, the forest lush and alive. Eventually, Burn found a deer trail and they followed it parallel to the river. All Sora cared about was getting to the coast. Once on the beach, they could start looking for the sacrificial stones. She tried to keep her thoughts focused on that, and not the failure of her necklace, or the possibility that Volcrian had already arrived. He would surely follow them—but how quickly?
They passed through tangled brush, odd roots and large ferns. The deer trail turned along the banks of the river, where it broadened into a walking path. It appeared ancient and abandoned, the stone cracked and worn. They came across large stone pillars, broken and toppled across the trail, as though long ago this had been a magnificent garden, full of statues and gazebos. Flagstones jutted from the ground at odd angles, puncturing the earth, the remains of a disheveled garden path. The trees changed as well, showing a greater mix of deciduous leaves: sycamore, ash and chestnut. They weren't native to the island; that she could tell.
Looking at the dense wilderness, Sora could almost imagine what it must have been like some four hundred years ago. Grand, perhaps. Manicured. Ornate.
“The gardens of Asterion were one of the great wonders of the Races,” Burn said as they climbed over another fallen pillar. It was made of white limestone, carved with intricate shapes, some of which resembled feathers or flower petals. He sounded somewhat wistful. “Now it is a wilderness.”
“A shame,” Laina observed. “I wish the island had never fallen. My grandmother said that when Aerobourne fell, the days of true civilization ended.”
“I think humans have done pretty well so far,” Sora said, remembering the docks of Delbar and the bell-covered walls of Barcella. Humans might not have magic, but their world was vast and sprawled, their buildings large and majestic, full of history and tradition.
Laina gave her a narrow look. “Not when you're a street rat,” she sniffed. “All ghettos look the same. My grandmother said that no Harpy ever went hungry in Asterion, and none were poor.”
Sora sighed. Of course the girl would say that. “I doubt that's true,” she commented.
Laina glared at her, but didn't reply.
After walking for another hour, Sora heard a dull chiming at the edge of her hearing. She paused between a large fern and a ruptured flagstone. Instinctively, her eyes traveled up to the sky.
“What is it?” Burn asked.
“The necklace....” Sora said, touching the stone. It still felt stifled and distant; she couldn't hear it as she once had. The jingling of bells was very dim, and yet....
Suddenly, she saw a speck on the horizon, a small white dot. After a moment, it was joined by two more white flecks. Sora stared at the quickly approaching figures. They moved much faster than birds, almost three times the speed, like arrows. She squinted, trying to make out more details.
“What...what are those?” she asked, pointing.
She heard Burn inhale sharply. He reached for his sword, an automatic gesture. “Crash,” he growled. “They've seen us.”
The assassin watched the sky, hesitating only for a moment, then grabbed Sora's arm. Hard. “Into the forest!” he snapped. “Take cover!”
Sora ran with him into the woods. His urgency was contagious. She wasn't sure if she feared the Harpies, but she found herself reaching for her knives. The points of light were approaching at a formidable pace. They would be above them any minute now.
Burn and Laina fell back, struggling through the deep underbrush. Sora looked back, spotting them a few yards behind. This area of the forest was dense with short scrub-oak and tall, broad maples. Perhaps at one time the grove had been crisply pruned and maintained, but now, thick, thorny bushes spread between the trunks, mingling with hemlock sprigs and poison ivy.
“Wait!” she heard Laina call. “We can't catch up.”
“Watch out!” Burn yelled.
Suddenly, a burst of light filtered down through the trees, as though the sun had fallen toward them, brightening the earth. The light fell directly over Laina and Burn. Sora turned away, shielding her eyes. The back of her neck turned pink from the heat. She stumbled through a thick patch of bushes, hardly able to see.
Crash grabbed her upper arm again, leading her forward. “Damn,” she heard him mutter. “They're fast.”
Sora could barely jog. The light felt like a barrier—she couldn't raise her head, couldn't straighten her back, her eyes were narrowed to slits. She could hear Burn and Laina fumbling and cursing, falling farther and farther behind.
Suddenly, a powerful voice rang out through the forest. It fell on her ears like a whiplash. “Stop.”
Laina and Burn froze in place, unable to move. Sora's legs locked; her body vibrated with sound, as though she were a musical instrument struck by some unseen hand. Yet the Cat's Eye jingled fiercely in retaliation, breaking the spell, setting her legs free. She continued to run into the forest, leaving Burn and Laina behind. There's no time! They're right on top of us! Crash was by her side. He, too, was able to shake off the command, though he moved more sluggishly now.
Another flash of light. Something flew past her, as quick as a crossbow bolt. Sora cried out, shocked, wondering if she had been hit. Then something wrapped around Crash's legs, dragging him to the ground. The assassin let out a short cry as he went down.
Sora came to a skidding halt, her heart in her throat. She had never heard him make such a sound before. “Crash!” she screamed, dropping back to his side.
The assassin writhed on the ground. He reached for the weapon that bound his legs, but flinched back, hissing in pain.
Sora recognized it; she had used a smaller version of the weapon back at her mother's house when hunting. It was a bolas, a pair of weights attached to a chain, meant to trip an opponent—or entangle fleeing prey. Except instead of a regular chain, this one glowed white-hot, enchanted by some unknown magic. The weights on either end were not iron or rock, but sunstone.
The bolas bound his legs together tightly. The assassin's eyes were clamped shut, his face averted from the light. She could see welts and burns rising on his skin. The chain smoked where it touched his clothing.
“Goddess,” Sora pleaded. She rolled him over, trying to free him from the web of light, but when she touched the bolas, it was like fire in her hands. She dropped the chain with a short hiss, her fingers already blistered.
“Run, Sora,” Crash gasped. “Run!”
It was too late. The wind suddenly picked up, blasting through the trees, shaking leaves to the ground in a small hurricane. Sora squinted as a cloud of dust blew toward her. She got up on her feet, standing protectively over Crash's figure. A fierce determination filled her. She would not run from these beings. She had nothing to hide. She was here
for the good of the Kingdom, the entire mainland.
The light brightened, then faded, though it did not fully disappear. Two men and a woman descended through the branches. They landed softly in the dirt, elegant, perfectly controlled. Sora raised her chin and tried not to feel intimidated.
At first glance, the Harpies appeared no different from humans, though perhaps slightly taller, long-limbed and willowy. They wore strange armor that looked like plates of glass instead of iron. It glinted in the sunlight, opalescent. Each suit of armor was studded with sunstones.
But their wings entranced her: possibly twelve feet or more in length, shining like starlight, pure white against the yellow afternoon sun. After landing, the glow slowly faded from their wings and they appeared like ordinary flesh and bone, similar to the doves she had kept at her manor.
They all had identical white-blond hair and large, luminescent eyes of various pastel colors, light green, light blue and...lavender.
Sora glanced to where Laina stood a few yards away. She and Burn were still rooted to the ground, frozen in place. Her hair was a tad darker than the Harpies', and yet her fine-boned features were the same, the paleness of her skin, the shade of her eyes.
Sora swallowed hard, choking on realization.
“I am Talarin.” The first of the Harpies spoke, a tall female with long legs and giant wings, the largest of the lot. Her hair was thick and fell to her waist. It was pulled back by a large helmet that covered the crown of her head, then spiraled backwards and up, like a seashell. “You are trespassing on our land. We have come to escort you to our city. You may come peaceably...or not.”
Sora's eyes shifted to the two men behind Talarin. One held a strange kind of crossbow made of white wood. It didn't appear to be loaded, and yet he held it trained on her, prepared to shoot. I'd be a fool to run now, she thought. The weapon had to be magic. Nothing else made sense. Her Cat's Eye might protect her...but she couldn't abandon her friends.
Volcrian's Hunt (The Cat's Eye Chronicles) Page 23