‘Yes, we can.’ Caelan replied as he stood behind Malian and gripped the rope in his hands.
Aleck reached out and grabbed the end of the rope, and he began to climb up behind Binks, and the rope painfully tightened around Malian’s waist.
‘Oh, I really didn’t think this through,’ she muttered under her breath as the rope cut into her waist.
‘Are you okay?’ Aleck shouted. ‘You look as if you’re in pain.’
‘I’ll be fine.’ She lied through a clenched jaw as the pain became unbearable.
Tagra stared at her, and then the little kitten shifted into bear form, her fluffy hair becoming coarser and her body expanding into a giant muscled beast.
‘Bloody hell, what happened to your cat?’ Aleck cried as Tagra gripped the rope between her massive jaws and stepped back, pulling the rope towards her with Binks and Aleck dangling from it.
Malian breathed a sigh as the rope loosened and the pain lessened as Binks and Aleck scrambled to the top of the mountain.
‘Thank the gods that’s over,’ Binks muttered as he panted on the ground.
‘Did we learn anything about shooting mountains?’ Malian muttered at him.
‘We learned that we shall never be defeated by one,’ Binks mumbled in response.
‘So, we didn’t learn anything at all from that then?’ Malian untangled herself from the rope and then rolled it up before putting it back in her bag.
‘We learned that we should have just blown a path through it at the bottom because now we have to get down the other side to get to the Swamp of Serenity.’ Binks walked over to the other side of the mountain and gestured below them.
Malian walked over and peered down at the other side. She inhaled sharply at the scene below. A green-tinged fog seemed to cover the swamp below, which stretched on for miles. Only the sharp tangled branches from blackened trees could be seen poking through the fog.
‘That doesn’t look very serene.’ She frowned as hissing and screeching sounds echoed from below.
‘No, it doesn’t.’ Binks frowned. ‘It looked nicer last time I was here.’ He shrugged before he began to make his way down the path. k`1`2
14
LOST HOPE
After a few miles of wading through the murky swamp, the air seemed thicker due to the green-tinged fog that surrounded them.
Malian jumped at the sound of a nearby hiss, trying not to think about what was slithering in the cold water beneath her. The water was inky and dark, a mess of weeds and vines poking up through the surface in twisted tendrils.
Gritting her teeth and forcing herself onward, she waded behind the group. But she was unable to shake the feeling of fear that caused goosebumps to pebble the skin on her arms.
The swamp was surrounded by shadows with the occasional ghostly light flickering in the distance before disappearing behind a fog or twisted old trees.
For something with so much life growing in it, the place seemed dead inside, like the ghost of the place it had once been. There were no exotic flowers, no buds of life on the plants, which seem drowned in black slime or suffocated by green mist.
She hurried up behind Binks and kept her voice low as she spoke. ‘What the hell is wrong with this place?’
‘I don’t know. It sucks now, like everything else,’ Binks muttered, sounding more irritable than usual.
‘Then why the hell are we walking through it?’ She couldn’t shake the feeling of impending doom that was settling over her, and the fear was making her angry.
‘We don’t have time to go the long way around. If this scroll leads to what I think it does, time is running out for everyone.’ Binks was unusually serious for once.
‘I thought we were here to find out what’s happening to me?’
‘Maybe what’s happening to you is also happening to the world.’ Binks turned and shot her a stern look over his shoulder. Then he scowled. ‘Maybe all of this is your fault.’
She hitched her breath and stepped back in shock. Binks had never been intentionally cruel to her before. He was rude and sometimes obnoxious, but he was like a father to her. The hate in his expression caused her heart to constrict as if it was in a vice as she fell into a kind of shock. She was used to the world hating her for being human, but not Binks.
As he turned and continued wading through the murky swamp, she watched him with tears pricking her eyelids. She’d never felt so alone before, not like this. All the strength seemed to evaporate out of her, leaving her shaking with shock.
Did that just happen?
Wrapping her arms around herself, she tried to move forward, but all she could feel was emptiness inside as the group walked away from her.
Does everyone hate me?
‘Tagra,’ she whispered the name, trying to call her lifetime companion to her side as a tear splashed onto her cheek.
She felt a nudge against her back, and she turned, smiling with relief when she saw the bear behind her. She wasn’t totally alone.
She reached out to pat her faithful companion, but she jumped back in shock when Tagra snarled menacingly at her, snapping at her in an alien way that defied comprehension.
Malian stumbled back and fell into the swamp as vines tangled around her legs. She cowered in fear as the bear advanced towards her with spit flying from her mighty fangs and hate in her eyes.
No, Tagra. Don’t!
The bear halted a few feet away before she turned and walked away, leaving Malian shaking in the cold water, staring in horror at what had become of her family.
No, no. This can’t be happening.
But it was happening. Her worst fear was coming true as her family abandoned her one by one. It was a betrayal of everything she believed in, and the shock of it was growing like a ball of pain in her chest as she increasingly found it difficult to breathe.
She felt something tickling her fingers, which were resting in the mulch at the bottom of the swamp. She quickly pulled her hands out of the water and stared down at it in horror as she felt movement around her vine-bound legs.
Panicking now because she was trapped in the murky liquid, and there was something moving around her, she writhed and tried to break free, but the vines held her down.
She gasped when a bright green vine shot up through the water in front of her, and a large exotic flower instantly bloomed on it.
She exhaled a sigh when she realised it was her powers causing things to grow beneath her. The vines of the flower were ticking around her legs.
She frowned when the vines holding her snapped away, and new healthy green vines curled around her waist and pushed her up as if they were helping her stand.
Either I’m going crazy, or this flower just freed me from the swamp.
Examining the pink flower, she reached out and touched the petals. The plant instantly grew into a leafy-green wall of pink and white flowers with lush green leaves surrounding them.
‘What are you?’ she muttered.
She heard a sharp hiss in the water behind her and quickly pushed herself up and stepped away from the sound, backing up against the wall of flowers. Turning around, she scanned the swamp with the fast beat of her pulse pounding in her ears.
Ahead, she could just see Tagra and Binks disappearing into the fog. Behind her, was a thick bush of vines and flowers. Unsure of herself for the first time in her life, she faltered.
Should I stay here where it’s safe?
Forward would take her on the same path as her family, who seemed to hate her. Staying here would lose them and her chance of survival.
Tears filled her eyes.
Maybe I should just die here with my flowers. Would anyone care if I did?
She didn’t think they would. If Tagra and Binks could abandon her so easily, then hadn’t she always been alone?
She jumped at the sound of heavy footsteps behind the bush, hitching her breath and gripping herself tightly in a protective stance. She closed her eyes, trying to fight the impending doom that fil
led her.
After slowly exhaling and calming her racing pulse, she slowly opened her eyes.
If I am going to die out here alone, then I’m going out fighting.
She turned to face the pounding footsteps that were shaking the ground beneath her feet and stared in horror when a sword cut through the bush, slashing away at her creation to create a hole in it. She jumped back to avoid the sword, and her eyes widened when she realised it was Caelan on the other side.
She frowned at him. Then she turned around to see Tagra disappearing into the fog in the opposite direction.
What the hell? He was in front of me. How is he behind me now?
She turned back to face Caelan as he fought his way through the bush, trying to reached her. ‘How are you behind me?’
‘You ran ahead, but we need to stick together. It’s dangerous.’ He gasped as he spoke. Then he paused and tilted his head as he peered at the flowers. ‘This is a weird place for shrubbery,’ he muttered before he finally burst through the gap.
‘But you were ahead of me.’ She turned and pointed to the fog ahead where the group had been a minute ago.
‘No, I wasn’t. You were in the lead. You must be hallucinating. Binks said this fog is messing with our heads.’
She frowned. ‘Binks just passed me.’
‘No. He’s behind me.’ Caelan pointed behind him.
She gasped as she looked through the gap in the bush and saw Binks materialise through the mist. He was riding on Tagra, who seemed her usual self.
‘But I saw them.’ Malian hugged herself, unsure of what was real.
Caelan frowned at her. ‘Whatever you saw, it wasn’t real.’ He lifted her chin. ‘Hey, are you okay?’
She didn’t feel okay. Her body wouldn’t stop shaking, and a cold sweat had formed on her brow. ‘It’s so cold.’ Her voice trembled as she spoke.
He touched her brow, and his frown deepened. ‘You’re burning up with a fever.’
‘Over here!’ He called to Binks. ‘She needs help!’
Tagra perked her ears. Then she charged towards them, almost throwing Binks off her back in the process.
Malian felt the world spin for a moment, and she was falling until Caelan’s strong arms caught her.
She peered up through hazy vision at Caelan as he lifted her onto Tagra’s back. Then she heard Binks telling him to keep her warm.
‘What’s wrong with her?’ Caelan’s voice seemed to come from far away.
‘I think something in this godforsaken swamp has infected her. We need to get her out of here.’
Malian closed her eyes as the world faded away, but it was with hope in her heart.
They didn’t abandon me.
15
FEVERED
It was difficult to tell the difference between nightmares and reality for Malian as she fell in and out of consciousness. She knew she was riding Tagra, leaning back against Caelan’s chest as he cradled her in his arms, but the landscape around them kept changing from a vibrant countryside to a scorched landscape that only seemed home to death as the skies burned with fire above it.
She could feel her skin burning under the fiery skies above, and she couldn’t focus on anything. Reality seemed to be just out of her reach, and all she could do was watch helplessly as the world died around her.
Is this what death feels like?
Caelan’s arms tightened around her. ‘You’re not going to die.’
She heard his voice and frowned. She was certain she hadn’t said the words aloud.
Another wave of heat seemed to burn through her body, causing the world to blur out of focus again. The last thing she saw was a rune, which was glowing red. There was something about it that was familiar, but she couldn’t remember what it was.
As she tried to reach for it, she began to fall.
* * *
Caelan stared down at Malian as he cradled her in his arms. Her skin was so hot to touch, it frightened him. He couldn’t lose her. He couldn’t explain it, but he felt a connection with her that defied reason. The idea of her dying scared him more than anything else in Ispa.
They’d been travelling for three days, and Malian kept getting worse with every hour. He’d never felt as helpless as he did right now, watching her slowly fade away and knowing there was nothing he could do about it.
‘How much further?’ he asked as he stared down at the little wizard she called Binks, who was walking beside the bear.
‘Just over this hill. How is she?’ There was worry in the gnome’s blue eyes as he looked up.
‘Her skin is burning hot. She won’t wake up anymore.’ Caelan’s voice broke on the last word.
The gnome narrowed his eyes. ‘She’ll survive. The healer can help her. Holly can bring people back from the brink of death.’
Caelan shivered. Bringing people back from death didn’t sound like a healer to him, but he consoled himself with the fact that Malian wasn’t dead yet.
He stared ahead as they marched over a hill of wild grasses and headed for the cave that was below them. It was actually a house, he realised as they drew closer. A three-storey house that was carved into the side of a mountain.
The door to the strange abode opened as they approached, and Caelan was surprised to see a slender human with ebony skin step through the doorway. He’d been expecting a dwarf since they were now close to the Dwarven capital of Thul Gardohr, but she was definitely human.
She moved with grace as she quickly crossed the space between them and the door. Her dark hair was bound up in intricate knots with flowers threaded through it, and her robes were tailored with flowing velvet and silks in earthy shades of green, red and copper.
She didn’t say a word as she reached up and touched Malian’s brow with her palm. Her cat-like green eyes widened with surprise as she did.
‘Quickly, bring her inside.’ Her voice was an enchanting tone with a rhythm of its own that seemed to tremor right through Caelan. He glanced back to see Aleck staring at Holly as if he was enchanted while Binks merely nodded a greeting.
Caelan lifted Malian into his arms and climbed off Tagra’s back before quickly following the healer.
Looking back, he saw Tagra shift into the form of a fox before she followed him. Behind her, Binks and Aleck headed towards the house too.
He turned and hurried after the healer, who moved swiftly with almost cat-like grace. He caught up to her as they entered the house. ‘Will she be okay?’ he asked.
Holly turned to face him, her expression impassive and difficult to read. ‘That depends on what she really is. Take her upstairs and put her in the guest room. I’ll join you shortly. I need to gather some herbs and medicines.’
He frowned as he watched her turn on her heel and head out to the herb garden outside. Then he shook his head and hurried towards the staircase.
What did she mean? Malian is human, isn’t she?
As he made his way up the narrow winding staircase, carefully avoiding banging Malian’s head against the wall and trying to keep his footing on the narrow wooden steps at the same time, his gaze kept falling on Malian’s face.
It was more beautiful than any elf he’d seen, the dainty nose, high cheek bones and determined chin all the perfect frame for her wide golden eyes and pouty pink lips. Her eyes were closed right now though, the long lashes trembling every so often as if she was suffering in her dreams. Her usually tanned skin was pale with no natural blush on her cheeks as she shivered.
He hurried into the nearest room and quickly deposited her on the bed. After arranging the pillows beneath her head, he felt her forehead again. It was scorching hot. It made no sense to him that her body was shaking as if she was cold, but she was burning up at the same time.
He was debating about whether to cover her in the cosy quilt that was folded over the end of the wooden bedframe when Binks and Aleck entered the room.
‘How is she?’ Binks asked, the concern making his voice deeper and huskier.
; ‘She’s still burning up, but she’s shivering at the same time,’ Caelan replied.
‘That’s normal for a fever,’ Aleck said. ‘But we need to break the fever.’ He took Malian’s hand in his. ‘Do not fear, brave maiden. We will save you.’
Caelan ground his teeth. Aleck didn’t even know Malian. He had no right to be at her bedside.
‘Move.’ The healer’s voice caused them all to jump as she swept into the room with a tray of bottles and bowls. They all stepped aside as she put the tray on the nightstand and turned to face them.
She pointed to Aleck. ‘You are her lover?’
Caelan narrowed his eyes. ‘He is not!’
Bink’s narrowed his eyes. ‘Neither of them are!’
Holly rolled her eyes. ‘Which one of you is comfortable with undressing her?’
Aleck widened his eyes. ‘Oh, I don’t think it’s my place.’
Binks flustered. ‘She’s an adult now, and I don’t want—’
‘I’ve seen her naked before. I’ll do it.’ Caelan interrupted while trying to ignore the look of menace from Binks.
‘Okay. The rest of you leave. You can see her when we’ve broken this fever.’ Holly pointed to the door.
‘I’m not leaving my daughter in the hands of that meaty-handed ingrate!’ Binks bellowed.
Sparks of golden light shot around Holly’s hands. ‘Leave!’
‘Of course, milady.’ Aleck bowed to Holly.
‘This is ridiculous!’ Binks stormed towards the door. He turned back with a dark look in his blue eyes. ‘If she dies, so do you.’ Then he turned and left.
‘Oh well that’s encouraging.’ Caelan muttered as he turned to Holly. ‘What do I do?’
‘Take off her clothes. You can leave on her underwear. Then we need to carry her to the bathtub over there and immerse her in the water.’ She pointed to the ornate metal tub near the fireplace.
Caelan quickly pulled off Malian’s boots and then he unbuckled her belt. He faltered at her bustier and shorts, knowing there was no underwear beneath them.
‘Hurry up if you want to save her,’ Holly said behind him.
Shaking his head at his procrastination, he deftly rolled her over and loosened the laces of her bustier before pulling it up over her head to take it off.
Lost Sorcery- Mage of Myths Page 9