Across the Dark Water

by Jennifer Lynn Alvarez

  “What?” I’Lenna spun in a circle as if something might be lurking near.

  “They’re leaving us. Sula is saying good-bye.”

  “What!”

  And with that the two mares lifted off and soared away, flying east.

  42

  The Nest

  RAHKKI AND I’LENNA CRAWLED TO THE EDGE OF the Kihlara nest and looked down. They were at least a hundred lengths above the rain forest floor. I’Lenna reached toward Firo, who was gliding into the blue cloud-filled sky. “Come back!” she pleaded to her winged horse. “Firo! Please come back.”

  The tree swayed, impacted by the breeze and the quick departure of the mares. Rahkki leaned farther over the nest wall and heaved, splattering the leaves below with porridge. He sat back and wiped his mouth. “Sorry about that.”

  “What sort of nest is this, do you think?” asked I’Lenna, too upset at being abandoned by her new pet to care about his retching. “What if its owner finds us here? What if it’s a raptor?”

  Rahkki inspected the nest, which was flat on the bottom and gently curved on the sides. It was strewn with Kihlari feathers. “I think the wild herd made these nests.”

  I’Lenna wiped her eyes, sniffling and holding the feathers in her hands. “I didn’t know the Kihlari could build nests. But how do we get down?”

  The thought of climbing down the tree sent a fresh wave of panic through Rahkki. “I’m not sure.”

  She cupped her chin. “I think we’re stuck here.”

  “Yes, but we’re safer from predators here than on the ground. The mares know that.”

  “You think they put us here to protect us?”

  “I do.”

  I’Lenna, still breathing hard from their blistering ride, turned her wide dark eyes to his. “So they’re really not coming back?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t think so. They’re free now. Truly free.” He smiled weakly, glad that Sula had finally gotten her wish, but sad that I’Lenna had lost her birthday present. It struck him also that Darthan would lose the money he bet if Rahkki didn’t return on Sula’s back. Darthan had believed in Rahkki, but the queen had been right about him—he couldn’t control Sula.

  “I was so happy,” said the princess.

  “I know.” He patted her hand, not knowing what else to do. “The Sky Guard will find us,” he said, feeling hopeful.

  Rahkki scouted the sky around them. He could see all the way from the clear ocean in the east to the black-sand coast in the north. Smoke from the Fifth Clan rose in the distance, but the village was many miles away. He and I’Lenna were so high that birds flew below them, and a troop of orangutans played in the lower branches of nearby trees. The rain forest floor was invisible, shrouded by leaves. The air was thin, and it seemed that if they reached up, they could touch the clouds. The nest swayed gently, like a boat in the ocean.

  “If they don’t find us today, we’ll have to spend the night here, won’t we?” I’Lenna said, but she was calming down.

  Rahkki stared at her. I’Lenna was bloodborn like him, a direct descendant of the Sandwen clans’ founders. But she was more precious than he because she was a female, and only females could inherit crowns. Suddenly a different sort of panic besieged him—Rahkki was the only clan member around to keep the crown princess safe.

  She leaned over the edge again and Rahkki pulled her back. “Please don’t do that,” he said. “You could fall.”

  She drew up her knees and huddled, looking cold even in the ferocious heat of late morning. That’s when Rahkki noticed her bleeding lip. His eyes trailed down. She was dressed in a bleached doe-hide dress that was trimmed in black rabbit fur. The stitching was immaculate, and the sinew the seamstress had used was dyed pale blue. Outlines of orchids were embroidered across the bodice of the dress, and her belt was fashioned from soft black leather. The outfit was torn and streaked with dirt, ruined. She wore only one sandal; the other must have fallen off during their flight. Red welts streaked her legs and arms, and her hair hung in tangles. “You’re hurt,” he said.

  She shook her head. “No, I’m fine.”

  They sat awhile, thinking and recovering. She reached into a small pocket sewn into her dress and pulled out a hard white candy. “Want a peppermint?”

  Saliva flooded Rahkki’s mouth. A peppermint cost a dramal, and they were sold across Cinder Bay in Daakur. He hadn’t seen or tasted one since I’Lenna had hidden a piece under his pillow when he was nine or ten years old. But he still remembered the exquisite taste: sweet and minty. Of course he wanted it. “Does a fish drink water?”

  She laughed, closing her fist around the sweet and drawing it closer to her. “Hmm, I don’t think a fish actually drinks water. It breathes water. I guess you don’t want it.”

  Rahkki leaned forward, meeting her gaze. “Does a dog chase a stick?”

  “My dog doesn’t. Too lazy.” She raised her hand as if to throw the peppermint out of the nest.

  Rahkki wiped his lips. He was actually drooling! He inched closer. “Does a winged horse fly?”

  “Not the ones at the Ruk.” I’Lenna laughed and cranked back her arm.

  Rahkki caught her wrist in his hand. “Does a pig love slop? Does a soldier eat rice? Does a boy trapped in a Kihlari nest want a peppermint? Yes, and yes, and yes!” He lunged for the candy and I’Lenna dodged him. They tumbled and laughed, delirious and tired after the terrifying ride. He was smaller, but stronger. He pinned her down, but as soon as he had her trapped, he let her go.

  She sat up and pointed at him. “There are feathers all over your hair.”

  “Yours too,” he said. He let his eyes drift away from the candy. He wouldn’t beg her for it.

  She grinned and took his hand, dropping two peppermints into his palm. “You can have mine too.”

  He stared at the white candies. They weren’t just treats; they were the life he’d lost—wealth, goodness, and sweetness—and she was sharing them. No, not sharing. She was giving him her share too. “Are you sure?” he asked.

  “Does a hen lay eggs?”

  Rahkki snorted. “Not an old hen.”

  “Ah, Rahkki!” She sat back and straightened her hair, pulling out the loose feathers.

  He placed both candies on his tongue. Why save sweetness for later? He knew how fast it could be lost. “I’Lenna?” he asked, thinking of his mother. “You’ve been in my room at Fort Prowl. Is there anything strange about the fireplace?”

  Her lips twisted, half frowning, half smiling. “How do you know I’ve been in your room?”

  “The last time I had a peppermint, I woke up with it stuck to my ear. Either you put it under my pillow, or the kaji spirits are real.”

  She grinned. “Yeah, that was me.”

  “So what about the fireplaces in the fortress? Are they . . . magical or anything?”

  She sat taller, thinking hard and studying his face. Then she seemed to come to a decision. “If I reveal my secrets, I’ll have to kill you.”

  He leaned closer to her. “You do know something then?” His heartbeat skittered.

  She rolled her eyes, giving in to him. “Some of the fireplaces in the fortress have false backs that conceal doors, like the one in your room.”

  “Doors?” he mouthed, breathless.

  “Yes. There’s a trigger that opens them, but even my mother doesn’t know the secret to finding it.” Her eyes brightened as she spoke. “There are tunnels running through the interior walls of Fort Prowl, a maze of them. They lead out into the jungle, and they’re how I get around, how I sneak into kids’ rooms, and how I get out.” She ripped a bur off her sleeve and flicked it out of the nest. “There. Now you know.”

  “What about my old room, where I lived when I was a prince. Isn’t that your room now? Does that fireplace have a door too? And how do you know about the tunnels? Who told you?”

  I’Lenna frowned. “Why all the questions? I told you how I get out; that’s all you need to know. What does it matter if your ol
d room has a false door or not?”

  Rahkki was caught off guard by the question, though it was a perfectly reasonable one. He decided that since I’Lenna had shared her secret, he’d share his. “Do you promise not to tell anyone?”

  She squinted at him. “Do I look like a snitch to you?”

  Rahkki shook his head, feeling excited. “I think my mother escaped . . . that night when, well, you know.” It was difficult to bring up the assassination without sounding bitter, and it wasn’t I’Lenna’s fault that her mother was evil. “Anyway, I saw Reyella disappear into my fireplace.”

  I’Lenna’s body went stiff, and her tan cheeks flushed. “If your mother’s alive, then my mother’s not the true Queen of the Fifth.”

  Rahkki swallowed. He hadn’t meant to scare her. “I don’t care about the throne, I’Lenna. I just want to find my mom.”

  Her eyes bored into his. “My mother’s position is fragile enough already.”

  Rahkki leaped at the chance to warn her about the secret meetings. “I’ve heard,” he said. “Your family isn’t safe. Some are plotting—”

  I’Lenna snorted, interrupting him. “I know all about it,” she said. “More than you’d guess.” Her eyes snapped to his. “But who told you?”

  “My brother.”

  “Land to skies!” I’Lenna let out her breath. “I’m sorry about your mom, Rahkki, but I can’t help you. That would be . . . treason.” She whispered the word. “My mother would kill me, and you know, I’m not saying that figuratively.”

  “She wouldn’t—”

  I’Lenna held up her hand. “I can’t even talk to you about this. I’m sorry. And I’m sorry about your brother. I heard he’s injured.”

  Rahkki sank into the nest, feeling overwhelmed. “Brauk will heal,” he said, but the words felt like lies. His thoughts turned back to the fireplace. He’d need access to Fort Prowl to investigate that, to find any clue about what had happened to Reyella and where she might be now. “So there’s a trick to opening the false doors. Can you at least tell me what it is? I’ll do my own investigating. I won’t put you in danger.”

  I’Lenna smiled, her expression rueful. “Ah, Rahkki, it’s not me I’m worried about. You’re the one in danger if you start snooping around in those tunnels. I’m trying to keep you safe.” Her sharp brown eyes searched his as though willing him to trust her.

  But he wanted to know more, and he stared back at her, his eyes pleading. “I miss her,” he said simply, referring to Reyella.

  I’Lenna grunted, and her usually cheerful face turned solemn. “I don’t know anything about your mother, Rahkki, only about mine. And I can’t say another word.”

  They each sat back and exhaled, realizing they’d reached an impasse. The heights were silent. No insects flew this high, and the noises of the jungle seemed distant, blown off by the wind.

  After some time passed, I’Lenna crossed her legs and sat tall. “So, Rahkki Stormrunner, what do we do while we wait to be rescued?”

  Her skin had paled, and he guessed she was as hungry as he was. He opened his satchel and removed dried jerky. He divided it between them, then spotted his bag of stones and game board at the bottom. He pulled them out, grinning. “We’ll play.”

  I’Lenna tucked her hair behind her ear and grabbed a pile of feathers. “For betting,” she said, smiling back.

  Rahkki laid out the small wooden playing board and dropped four stones into each cup. Then he bowed with a graceful flourish. “Princesses go first.”

  43

  Broken Promises

  WHEN ECHOFROST HAD SEEN THAT THE STORM Herd nests were empty of pegasi, she was crestfallen. But seeing the nests gave her the idea to leave Rahkki and I’Lenna there, where they’d be safe until the Sky Guard found them. She and Shysong had landed in the largest one, and Echofrost was glad when the cubs had slid off so quickly, because they’d each clung like foxtails during the flight.

  “Do you think the Sky Guard will find them?” Shysong asked, looking worried.

  “Of course . . . eventually.” Guilt about leaving Rahkki behind and concern over Storm Herd eroded all Echofrost’s pleasure at finally being free.

  “So where do we look for our friends?” Shysong wondered.

  “Hazelwind mentioned that they graze twice a day now because they ate all the leaves around the nests. Let’s fly higher and look around. Maybe we just missed them.”

  Echofrost dropped her muzzle into Rahkki’s hand and let him stroke her face. This was good-bye. She watched his golden eyes round with horror. He knows I’m leaving, she thought, again feeling a stab of guilt. “I’m ready,” she nickered to Shysong.

  The mares tipped their noses to where the blue sky turned black, leaped out of the nest, and surged into the rocketing wind currents of the upper altitudes. Behind them, the princess shouted and Shysong tensed. “I’Lenna’s scared. She’s calling me.”

  “She’s safe,” Echofrost insisted, but Rahkki’s sad expression tugged at her and she snorted, still surprised that she cared about him. “We have to leave them,” she whinnied.

  They flew in a widening circle, scanning the terrain. “Look there!” whinnied Echofrost. Far below, on an open grazing plain, was a smattering of large, bright pegasus feathers and evidence of charred grass. The feathers appeared mashed into the green foliage. Echofrost’s first thought was that Nightwing the Destroyer had flown from Anok to hunt them down. She stared at Shysong.

  The roan mare squinted at the apparent destruction. “Oh no!” she whinnied. “You don’t think—you don’t think it’s Nightwing!”

  Echofrost grimaced. “Let’s see.” Nightwing often used his silver fire to burn pegasi to death. Had he killed Star in the Flatlands and then somehow followed them here? Her heart thudded painfully in her chest.

  The two mares flattened their necks, pinned their wings, and dived toward the field. It was located south of the nests. They circled the meadow first but sensed no immediate danger. They fluttered down and landed.

  “It’s not Nightwing!” Echofrost whinnied. She pointed to massive sets of footprints. “It’s giants.” But then the impact of this struck her, melting her relief. Giants ate pegasi—at least that’s what the Kihlari steeds believed.

  “There was a fight here,” Shysong nickered, sniffing the ground and examining the feathers. “I smell blood.”

  Echofrost trotted around the meadow, also sniffing and examining the tracks and trampled foliage. She recognized the feathers of her closest friends—Hazelwind, Dewberry, Graystone, and Redfire. The entire herd had

  battled the Gorlanders here, but there were no bodies left behind. Had they all survived? She took a breath and swiveled her head. “Where did the fire come from?”

  “Maybe the giants lit a fire.”

  “But these are scorch marks, like lightning strikes.”

  “There hasn’t been a storm,” said Shysong.

  “I know,” said Echofrost, confused. “But some of the feathers are burned too. This all happened at once—the giants used fire somehow to attack our herd.”

  “No,” cried Shysong, pointing east. “Not to attack them, to catch them!”

  “What?”

  “Look at all the hoofprints.”

  Echofrost followed the direction of Shysong’s wing and then noticed the long trail of hoofprints mixed with Gorlan footprints that led out of the meadow. She blinked at them, her emotions thundering. “Storm Herd left by hoof, not by air. That means they’re captured.”

  “This can’t be happening,” Shysong whispered, her sides heaving in the hot sun.

  The mares lifted off and followed the prints, skimming the beaten trail. It was leading them toward Mount Crim. Echofrost flicked her ears, listening for the sounds of giants, of Storm Herd, or of the Sky Guard army; but the jungle was quiet beneath the merciless sun.

  “Why do the giants want so many pegasi?” Shysong wondered. “I don’t believe they’re taking almost a hundred and forty of them back home to eat.�
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  “Well, Gorlanders are big,” Echofrost said, shuddering. “They must need a lot of food.”

  “But Rizah said that winged steeds are sacred to the Sandwens. Maybe they took our friends to bargain with the clans.”

  “That’s possible, but what do the giants want?”

  The mares answered the question at the same time. “Farmland!”

  “This might give them the leverage they need to win back the land the Sandwens stole from them so long ago.”

  “I doubt Lilliam will trade anything for our herd. She despises us.”

  “But she likes that other stuff—those coins the Sandwens collect. Our herd is worth a lot of coins.”

  “True,” Echofrost said, thinking as she soared faster east, toward Mount Crim.

  Then Shysong slowed. “Look,” she whispered. “There they are.”

  Echofrost followed her gaze, her eyes telescoping into focus as they homed in on the giants. Then she spotted them—her friends. They were tethered to the elephants and marching toward the base of the huge mountain ranges. A handsome buckskin stallion caught her eye.

  “Hazelwind!” Echofrost whinnied.

  The giants halted their march and turned, looking up. They pointed at the mares and grunted in excitement.

  Hazelwind turned his head and saw them too. He strained against his tether but could not fly away. The huge Gorlanders were leading the Storm Herd steeds by ropes cinched around their necks, every one of them captured. Echofrost counted over six hundred giants. She swooped toward Hazelwind.

  He reared and shook his head at her. “Don’t come any closer,” he neighed. “They have fire!”

  She paused, hovering. Then a group of giants that were carrying large cages stopped and opened them.

  Hazelwind’s eyes rolled. “Go!” he brayed.

  “Do what he says,” Dewberry whinnied.

  From above, Echofrost noticed that the mare’s belly had spread wider. If the pinto wasn’t sick, she was pregnant. Pregnant!! Dewberry’s words came rushing back to Echofrost: I’ve never felt better. Bumblewind will live on with Storm Herd. Joy and terror collided in Echofrost’s heart as she suddenly understood—her brother had sired a foal before he died! Echofrost was going to be an aunt—but Dewberry was captured!