by A Lonergan
Pieces of jagged rock jutted from the ground. Those little rocks were like mountains to the entire city living inside the cavern. I had never seen so many fairies in my entire life. Thousands of them fluttered everywhere. On the ground, surrounding us, were creatures of all races. Wood sprites, gnomes, leprechauns, and a few miniature winged horses. There were so many creatures packed into such a small area. I couldn’t believe it.
Willow looked around us in wonder. “What is this place?”
The Queen looked over her shoulder. “This is where we retreat when we feel threatened. This cavern has old magic and helps us feel comforted. Follow me.” She stepped up onto footholds in the rock. They resembled stairs and were easy to climb except I was having a hard time keeping my eyes off of the bustling crowd below us. There were several markets and homes popped about. Glowing iridescent mushrooms hung from the top of the cavern and the rest of it was lit with magic. When we reached the top of the stairs there were two burly men stationed beside ornate curtains. She pushed the opaque material away and disappeared. The material slid along my body like a serpent as I entered the room. There was a plush bed pushed against the jagged rock wall and a massive fur rug covered the worn floor. On the east side of the room where there should have been a wall, it was empty. It overlooked the vast mountains and dense forest. The view was truly incredible. The wood sprite sat on the corner of her bed and crossed her ankles. She spread her hands wide and smiled. Her bright teeth illuminated her dark face. “Please, sit.”
Willow looked at me confused before she shrunk down onto the plush rug. I followed suit and crossed my legs.
“My name is Loralie. You know as much as I do that giving up a birth name can give power over us. Maybe not a witch but fairies don’t have it as easy.”
I bowed my head. “I am Cal and this is Willow.”
“The only reason you have made it this far is because I can smell your intentions.” Loralie pinched her lips together. “Alas, I can smell the other party’s as well.”
“You know what the other kingdom plans to do?” I asked. Willow nervously sunk her fingers into the rug.
“Yes and no. I know they have caused much chaos and destruction in the Artrovian Kingdom.” a
I frowned. Confusion washed over me even though the name sounded familiar. “Artrovian Kingdom?” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Willow pull her journal out and flip through it. Loralie ignored her.
“Aww, yes. I forgot the ways of the witches. They thought they could erase us because we wouldn’t comply with their rules and changes.”
I licked my lips and leaned forward. “Elaborate.”
“History is written by the winners, my dear boy.” Loralie looked out over the mountains and sighed. “Hundreds of years ago wars raged through this land. The witches, elves, and mortals requested we take sides through it. We would do no such thing. It wasn’t our war. We wanted no part of it. We fought to stay neutral until our dragons started to disappear. One by one our people were taken from us until there weren’t many of our people left. The Artrovian’s knew that things would continue to get worse. They cursed the land and closed the borders so war wouldn’t rage through here again. The magic in these lands grew rabid and wild as the magic creatures dwindled away. Unfortunately, it seems as if there were loopholes in the magic or worse, the magic is too old and can’t do much to hold off powerful elves. Either way, the elves are wretched creatures and they are blazing through pillaging every kingdom and town that gets in their way.”
“What is it we can do for you?” Concern filled my voice. I wanted to know more about this. But how was I going to get any information in such a short span of time? We couldn’t lose another day. We had to continue marching forward.
Loralie’s face fell. “It is what I can do for you.”
Willow’s fingers looped through mine. We hadn’t been physical at all lately and I didn’t know where the gesture had come from but it was appreciated. I needed the comfort more than I wanted to admit.
Loralie sighed. “Your men are mighty, but they will not win a war. Turn back to your kingdom before you die, too.”
Chapter Eight
Willow
I sliced through the thick jungle we had found ourselves in. It had been hours since we had spoken to Loralie. Cal had shaken his head right there and told her he would do no such thing. He wasn’t a coward and he was going to fight for his kingdom and hers, even if it meant death. I wasn’t going to lie, I felt defeated. Deflated and everything in between. I admired Cal’s bravery but I wondered if this was in any way sane. I had thought we had a fighting chance but now? There was a sliver of doubt and that was all that was needed to destroy me and the rest of our troop. I pushed it down. I wouldn’t let it show and I wasn’t going to let Cal know either.
With each passing hour it seemed like everything around us was changing and not in your typical traveling change. The air changed. The atmosphere felt different. After speaking with Loralie I wasn’t so sure why we were here. We were vastly outnumbered and yet we continued. We marched straight to our deaths and I couldn’t understand why. There was a stubbornness that coursed through both of our blood, but if I had been the one to decide, would I have turned back? I couldn’t even answer the question for myself. Cal didn’t speak to me again, instead, he marched forth with new determination. He had a confidence I was convinced would get us killed. The confidence that had attracted me to him in the first place. His jaw was clenched in thought and when he sliced at the vines snaking around us there was a fierceness in his eyes. He pushed his wild hair from his forehead and snarled. The forest only grew thicker as we continued on our way, if we carried on at this pace we would only exhaust ourselves into nothing.
I stopped and the men moved around me. No one cared or seemed to notice as I disappeared into the shadows. I called them to me. My black wisping magic flooded over my skin and as much as I wanted to do something cool, I didn’t. I leaned against a rutting tree and frowned. I was useless. Cal had his elite and the rest of the men. Why was I needed here? Yes, I had a specific skill set… but what did it matter? His elite had skills that were comparable. I wasn’t the only one of my kind. I hadn’t killed in ages. What made me so special? I chewed on the inside of my lip as the army marched past me. I dug my fingers into the rough bark and thought about that question and what it meant. I had been desperately searching for something that made me… me. The army came to a stop but they were well past me now. The ground no longer trembled and I wondered why they had halted. I moved through the shadows and back to the outskirts of the army. My feet were silent as I skipped across the grass and dirt. Little twigs and roots tried to trip me but I pushed forwards. It was almost like a game with the woods.
“Does anyone know where Willow went?” I could hear Cal call out. I remained in the shadows. “She disappeared and we can’t continue on without her.” Cal continued.
“What does she matter? She stopped and just stared at us marching by her. We almost squashed her,” one man called out.
I grabbed onto a low hanging branch and hoisted myself into the tree. I wanted to know what he was going to say. There was a desperation pulling me farther into the shadows and hiding just so I could hear what he was going to say. “She is a valuable member of our army.”
That was it?
The men laughed. “For you. She keeps your bed warm and that’s the only reason she is accompanying us.”
My knife left my fingers before I could think the action through. My shadows fell away from my body. My blade pinned the grubby man to a tree opposite of me. I cracked my neck as I stood on the thin branch. It bent under my weight but I continued on until I was perched on the edge of it. I crouched and the branch bounced beneath me. A thick current of sweat made its way down the man’s face. I didn’t worry with looking back at Cal. I didn’t care to hear what he would say either. I could defend myself just fine.
“I warm no man’s bed.” I seethed. “You’re lucky that all you hav
e is a hole in your shirt and not in your chest. No one speaks of me in that manner, not in my presence or out of it. I have killed men for less.”
He sputtered. “Forgive me. That is the rumor going around.”
“Then whoever started the rumor didn’t watch me pitch my own tent or take second watch. I may have been romantically involved with your king but that doesn’t mean I am warming his bed, on this voyage or off of it. If you’re wondering why I disappeared, it’s because I am used to working alone.” I dropped from the limb. I didn’t make a sound as my feet touched the ground. Cal watched me with amused eyes. I ground my teeth. “I needed a break from the stench and the constant touching. Everywhere I turn someone is bumping into me or purposefully rubbing against me. I could do without the touching so I stopped. I took a break. I can catch up just fine, as you can see.”
Cal watched me for a moment before he waved his men on. “All you had to do was say something.”
I chewed on my lip. “I don’t know how to do this group thing.”
Cal cracked his neck and watched me out of the corner of his eye. He pivoted on his foot and continued on before he spoke. “It takes some getting used to.”
“How would you know?” The question was meant to be snarky, but there was an undertone of curiosity.
“I wasn’t always the king. I told you that.” He watched his men but kept his distance. I wasn’t sure if it was for his sake or mine. “I went through a similar transition. I went from being alone every day to being followed by everyone.”
That was how I was feeling but also the uncertainty of my life. At least he had that figured out for him. Was I still an assassin?
“I have seen that look before.” He toyed with the sword on his belt, like it wasn’t a weapon that had probably killed before. “What’s going through your mind?”
“Why am I out here? Why did I come? What am I now?” The questions slipped free and for a moment I wanted to take them all back. I looked at the tall grass around my boots and shook my head.
“You’re here because I value your opinion. You are a powerful, resourceful woman and there is no one else I would want to see war with. That I would want to win a war with.” Cal shrugged before he wiped his brow.
“Would you be saying that if I didn’t kill for a living or have this weird dark magic?” I tilted my head and watched him. The other men had passed us by just a few minutes prior. The sun had crested and the heat was almost unbearable.
“I don’t know. If you couldn’t defend yourself, then no, I would probably want you back at the castle with Nico.”
I groaned. “Thank The Maiden. But if that were the case I would be back in Arinal, probably a consort to the Emperor.”
Cal wrinkled his nose. “Don’t ever say that again.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “So am I a blade for hire or am I an assassin for the King?”
Cal stopped walking and picked a yellow flower from the weeds. He tucked it into my hair and avoided looking into my eyes. “What do you want to be?”
It was the only question I hadn’t asked myself. Who was I now?
Willow Bane was no one.
Chapter Nine
Willow
The sun was starting to dip lower and lower in the sky. I hadn’t spoken to Cal again even though I was itching to. There was an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach that I couldn’t shake. Something bad was going to happen. I didn’t get this feeling often on missions. I was careful, more careful than Cal was being. But he had his Captain by his side. Nothing could go wrong, right?
I swallowed back the anxiety that held me in place and approached Cal. Sweat was rolling down his face and he had stripped out of his leathers an hour before. He raised his eyebrows.
“I don’t know if this is the formal way of going about things but I figured you would be upset if I disappeared.” I gave him a grin, but I felt like I was just showing my teeth and closed my mouth. I hated how awkward I felt around him now. “I want to scout ahead.”
Cal tilted his head and put his sword away. “Okay, I think I can arrange Ravio to go with you.”
I narrowed my eyes. “I don’t need anyone to go with me.”
“I would feel better if you had someone with you.”
“If this is what you require, we will lose time. I don’t have time to lose.” I rolled my eyes. I was used to doing things my way and not having to ask.
“Let me think about it. The sun is going down and the last thing we want to do is have you going off alone in the dark. The night is dangerous around here.”
I had yet to see the dangers of the night but if Cal was worried, I knew I needed to heed the warning. This place was rumored to be unpredictable and the last thing I wanted to do was underestimate it.
Shrieks of terror had me jumping from my tent when the moon was the highest in the sky. I wore nothing but my nightgown, the one my mother had insisted on and was rather comfortable, and I had my knives in hand. The wind had picked up and there was something in the air. I could hardly see in front of me. Then the grainy morsels met my eyes and I knew exactly what was happening. After a few seconds the wind picked up and the sand that had been simply floating was now piercing my skin. I dove into my tent and grabbed my pack. I took a deep breath and let my darkness flood my skin, I didn’t know if it would help me but I had to try. I threw myself from the fabric barrier and into the sand storm. My magic kept the sand from getting in my eyes, but a few grains managed to wiggle through and pelt my skin. The darkness covering me didn’t help me see any better either. Between the sand and the magic, I was good as blind.
But I knew the direction to Cal’s tent and that was all that mattered. I had a feeling the shrieks I heard hadn’t been from common guards. My leg hit fabric and I breathed a sigh of relief before I launched myself into the tent and prayed it was the right one. It was dark but I knew Cal’s scent anywhere. Spicy clove and cinnamon wrapped around me and I let out the breath I had been holding. My vision cleared and Cal stared at me in shock. He was wearing nothing but unbuttoned britches and his hair was a mess around his head.
“Are you okay?” I barked out. I wanted to rush to him to make sure he was okay. To check for wounds or anything but I knew I couldn’t. We weren’t on those terms anymore. This was war, not a courtship.
His blond eyebrows creased and he nodded. “I am surprised that you managed to make it through that.”
“Me too. I heard the shrieks of your men and had to make sure you were alright.” I swallowed back my nerves. I knew I looked a fright and that had to explain the expression stuck on Cal’s face.
“What shrieks?” Cal asked with concern.
“What do you mean? They were the loudest sound I had ever heard. Sounded like men being tortured.” I frowned and listened to the wind beating against the tent.
“Where is your field journal?” Cal held his hand out and I placed the notebook in his palm. He thumbed through the pages quickly and gave me a worried glance. “How are you still alive?”
“What? What does it say?” I made a pass to take the book from him but he evaded me and started to read.
“Sorilock, they target women and use tactics to draw them out away from their parties. They are blind but use the sand to locate their victims. They scream and shriek to mimic humans.” He held up the notebook to show my father’s scroll. There was no picture of one but a detailed explanation that was pages long. “I wouldn’t have heard the screams because I am a male.”
I blinked. “Madam Colver!”
Cal laughed. “You certainly don’t have to worry about her. She sleeps like the dead.” Cal closed the book then he looked at me. His lavender eyes darkened and heat filled his cheeks. “How did you make it here exactly?”
“My magic coated my body and I just hoped I made it to the right tent. I knew the direction of yours and somehow managed to get here blind.” I laughed nervously.
“Good thing you made it here and not someone else’s tent.” Cal cough
ed nervously.
Embarrassment flooded me as Cal’s words sunk in and I glanced down to really look at myself. I still had both of my blades in either hand but my nightgown was another story. It was torn at the shoulder from all the sand pelting me and the rest of the material clung to my body. It was beyond indecent for me to be in Cal’s presence like this. My knives clattered to the floor and I crossed my arms over my chest. Now that I knew everyone was fine, I could go back to my tent. The wind had slowed down outside and the monster that had been after me seemed to be gone.
“You don’t have to go,” Cal whispered.
I looked at the opening of the tent and knew I would regret it if I stayed. “I think it’s best if I go back. I’m sorry I woke you.”
I pulled the tent flap back and stepped out into the moonlight. I turned back to pick up my blades but Cal was ahead of me. He held them out to me and I felt like this made it final. That was until I saw my sleeping quarters strewn about the camp. I blinked hard at the ripped up fabric. Cal stood beside me and took in the mess of the camp. Sand covered everything but there was extra sand behind on every single piece of my tent. I swallowed hard and shook my head. Day two and I had already lost something crucial.
I ran my hands down my face and shook my head. It would happen to me.
Cal touched my hand. “You can stay with me tonight. We will have Madam Colver assemble your new sleeping quarters in the morning. Nothing has to happen, we both need to rest.”
Every fiber of my being wanted to turn around and slam my body to his but instead of doing what my instincts were screaming, I nodded my head and ducked under the low hanging flap of a doorway.
Chapter Ten