The velvet tree upon its head, said to have a never-ending growth cycle throughout the seasons, is larger than any I’ve seen. It’s wider than my reach from palm to palm, with tines spreading out like lightning bolts across a late summer sky. The hide is brilliant white aside from the stained fur around its chops and hooves, which are more silver in color. And its eyes are clear blue, as true as the sky. The essence of the creature demands respect. It symbolizes pride, courage, integrity, virtue, and everything good in this world. Its antlers are unyielding like stone, yet soft as a peach. Its hide is as pure as a freshly washed maiden and cleanses the filth from anything it brushes. Its eyes are truer than gravity and shine light upon all falsehood. It is a stag of incomparable status. It is the legendary White Hart.
I seek out Zoie, to ensure she’s seeing what I’m seeing. I still don’t see her.
I take it for all its worth and admire the creature for a good while until it slips out of sight. Then, it’s back to waiting.
Eventually, another stag comes roaming into the area. And this one has no safety net or ambiguity about it to cause hesitance in my arrow flying. It’s not the largest of beasts but would quarter out nicely. I look up where I last saw Zoie. She remains hidden. Where did she go?
Just as I take my eyes off the treetops, I notice a subtle movement. There’s an unnatural shape in the branches. A bow. I don’t see Zoie, just a bow. The bow rises with an arrow nocked. The bow draws back and holds. Her camouflage is extraordinary.
Unsure of what is happening in the treetops, I swiftly bring my bow into place, hoping to get the first shot. Poor etiquette, but her gloating has earned her this.
I loose my arrow and watch it fly. It isn’t perfect, but it is a kill shot, hitting a tad low, just behind the foreleg. The buck shoots into the air, alarmed by the pinch it just encountered, and it takes off running. It shouldn’t make it more than forty paces with that shot.
With my bow secure on my back, I look up to see why Zoie didn’t shoot. She has already repelled from her tree and is heading toward me, pointing in my direction. I look over my shoulder in line with her outstretched finger to see a large mountain lion lying dead on the ground behind me. A surreal feeling washes over me.
Believing I was completely camouflaged, I carelessly waited for the prey. It didn’t even cross my mind to fear other predators after my conversation with Zoie.
“That’s four times. Are you giving Death a shoulder ride?” Zoie jabs as she approaches. “It’s been eyeing you from behind, waiting for the right time to pounce. It’s almost intentional the way you put yourself in danger.”
“How is that my fault? I was camouflaged. I asked you if there were other predators in this wood.”
“Camouflaged? You tied some branches to your tunic. When I said there weren’t predators, I didn’t realize you would intentionally put yourself out there as open prey. For Susy’s sake! This is camouflage.”
Her skin is slowly encapsulated by a crusted, grey armor emulating tree bark. It consumes her entire body, arms, face, clothing. Aside from shape, she looks no different than the tree she was just perched in. How? It retracts rather quickly, and she’s back to normal.
Unwilling to show my amazement, I criticize instead. “Well, why didn’t you shoot it sooner, then? Why wait for me to be dinner?”
“It was a tough decision. A stag tastes much better than a mountain lion.”
I frivolously smack her upside the head to show my disapproval and laugh at my near-death experience. I don’t know if I can consider it a near-death experience when I didn’t know I was experiencing it, though.
“Thanks, Zoie. By the way, I think you’ve forgotten how to count. You caught me from the fall at the grove, the fall at the range earlier today, and just now. Albeit, that is more falls than I’m proud of, but your bridges are reckless. I would be only half-surprised if you told me all the villagers were half-simian with opposable thumbs on their feet.”
“No! You’ve forgotten how to count. At the crossing. The day you arrived.”
“That was you? He mentioned a young girl, but I let it slip my mind.” I’m peeved. Three times saving me is embarrassing. Four times is intolerable.
“Yeah. I followed you. I was bored. And curious, so I followed. When I saw you falling, I nearly just let it happen, but Chippie nudged me.”
“It took the better judgement of a squirrel for you to save me?”
She shrugs her shoulders. “I knew Coloss wouldn’t let any harm come to me, so I figured why not. I leaped right behind you, and Coloss was right there to secure me just when I needed him.”
“But I didn’t even see you. How’d you get there so fast? How’d you know Coloss would save you?”
“Instincts. They come in handy from time to time.”
“So, the squirrel told you to do it, and the ape saved us?” I shake my head and start breaking my ghillie suit apart. “You’re all nuts. What does it take?”
“I don’t know. I was born and raised here. I suppose it’s just who we are.”
“No. What does it take to get close to the ape? To befriend him.”
“We’ve known each other since I was a little Greenthumb. I don’t know. Instincts come naturally to me.”
“Huh,” I grunt. I’m unconvinced.
“There’s nothing up there, you know,” Zoie says after a moment’s silence.
“Up where?”
“It’s just a plateau with a good view and another long journey to the next town. You’d be better off just staying here with us. There’s nothing up there,” she repeats.
“Zoie…I’m glad I’ve found a…a friend in this…this spirited village. I left behind a family, though. Not a family I was born into or a family I inherited, but a family I chose. A family I care for. As much as I enjoy your company and all the other generous Redcliffe villagers, I eventually need to get back to them. I’m confident I need to befriend Coloss to tackle that wall, so if there’s any help you can give me, I would be extremely grateful.”
“He’s a primitive beast. He’s fond of who he wants and callous toward all others. And I’m positive you’re on the latter of his lists after what happened.”
“No doubt. Graytu keeps telling me to use my instincts. And today he suggested I seek out my youthful knowledge. I figured maybe you had some insight on it. I never know what that man is telling me.”
“Yeah, he always tells me I’m a young squirrel and my nut is not ready for such things.”
“What’s his deal with the squirrels anyways?”
Zoie shrugs her shoulders.
“Well, let’s go track that stag, then. My arrow pierced its lungs. It should be close.”
“That’s it!” Zoie shouts.
“What? What’s it?”
“The stag. You can bring the deer to Coloss as a gift. I wasn’t teasing when I said you should bring him some meat yesterday. Siamangs kill for red meat just as you and I.”
“Really? Are you sure? I’ve been observing them for some time now, and I’ve only seen them devour those figs.”
“Well, I’ve been observing them for eleven seasons now. Of course I’m sure. Coloss practically raised me. Let’s go.” Zoie runs off in the direction the stag fled to.
The thought of that ape being an omnivore sends chills down my spine. This whole time I thought he wanted to beat me into submission or threaten me. But knowing he’d be willing to sink those massive teeth into me…
It took some precious time, but we managed to find and transport the kill to the crossing. As we neared, I treaded lightly, for this was the first time I would see the judgmental ape since I stabbed him in the arm. I’m positive he won’t be pleased to see me.
Upon our approach to the notorious fig tree, Coloss does what he’s good at and drops from the tree to overwhelm me with intimidation. His eyes, fierce upon his drop, mold into excitement and love at the sight of Zoie. She runs to him, and he opens his arms liberally to welcome her in.
I h
eave the stag from my shoulder, and I realize I neglected to bring my bow with me. I must have left it at the kill site. I best not point that out to Zoie, or I’ll never hear the last of it.
A moment goes by while Zoie and Coloss embrace each other. His arm appears to be healed. Or it could be the hair covers it. Either way, it doesn’t seem to bother him.
They have a bond I don’t understand. Is she communicating with him right now, the same way Chippie has been speaking to me?
Once the exaggerated greeting is over, Zoie proceeds to help me with presenting the gift to the ape.
He looks at me, rage animated in his features, then looks to Zoie for approval. She nods her head the slightest, and the rage in Coloss’ eyes subdues, but it’s not convincing enough to go in for a furry squeeze. I produce a soft bow without breaking eye contact and signal for him to take the offering with a simple hand gesture.
Coloss is pleased just as Zoie led me to believe. He is the first to indulge in the gourmet feast, leaving his kin to sit and watch. When he has his fill, he rips away limbs one by one, tossing them about for his colony to gorge.
“Thank you, Zoie.”
Her face reddens, and she glances at me from her peripheral with a gentle smile, seemingly uncomfortable with my gratitude. I open my arms and give her a generous hug. She leans into it.
We watch as the older apes wrestle and fight over the meat, while the younger ones play with it. Three of them, about half the size of Zoie, toss the meat back and forth, occasionally beating one another with it and making an absolute mess of the meal. Toddlers in the simian world.
Their meal, over-tenderized and nearly beat into mush, is tossed in the air. Something splatters across my face, and the mass of it lands at my feet. I curl my head into my shoulder to wipe it free and bend over to grab what remains of the hind quarter. One of the young siamangs barrels toward me as if I’m intending to get in on the action. Coloss, lingering at the base of his fortress, stares at me with a powerful gaze. As the younger ape closes in, Coloss interferes, leaping into the air and landing between the two of us. His right arm, as thick as my abdomen, swings out and purposefully slams into me. The blow tosses me backward through the air. Fortunately—or unfortunately, I’m not sure—I hit the ground and skid to a halt just before the cliff’s edge.
“Coloss! That was uncalled for!” Zoie’s voice rings out.
My lungs won’t take in air. I lie wide-eyed on my back, trying to breathe, the world around me a blur. In the moment, the world feels like it’s ending, but I regain my bearing and my breath in a short moment. I look to see what I’m gripping in my fist, and I’ve managed to hold onto the hind quarter. I drop it to the ground when Zoie rushes to my aid and helps me back to my feet.
The youthful ape, unaware the situation has escalated, points its attention toward the hind quarter yet again. The toddler comes at me in a full sprint and playfully knocks into me. I make no attempt to dodge the unexpected blow and consequently get pushed closer to the ravine. Instinctively, I reach for anything I can, but the only thing I find is a hairy appendage of the toddler. The force of my weight combined with the blow I received is too much for the ape to stand its ground, and both of us tumble over the edge.
I grab onto the edge of the cliff with one hand. My grip limited. The ape doesn’t have quite the same luck. I rip the arachniwhip from my belt and snap it downward. With the help of my talents, I crack the whip far enough to ring the ape, but the weight is too much. My fingers, on the dry, gritty cliff edge, don’t have enough strength for the two of us. They slip, and we’re falling yet again.
The next thing I know, I am being lifted into the air. Coloss raises me to eye level and snarls before tossing me away from the edge with the ape in tow.
Coloss hunches over the young ape and tears my arachniwhip from it, leaving it in pieces. He raises the ape to his chest. Its body is limp. I have a hunch this won’t end well for me. Rather than fleeing the situation, I move closer, ignoring my instincts. Coloss senses my approach and lets the body fall to the ground. He stands tall.
Is it fear amplifying his size, or is he really that tall?
His arms reach for the sky and pound on his chest as he bellows a roar louder than anything I have ever heard. So loud that I am physically shaking. I fearfully look to Zoie for guidance, but she is wide-eyed, obviously concerned about my safety. I sought my youthful knowledge. I ignored my instincts. I didn’t listen. My talents have only proven to be limited, and today is the day…that I die.
To this point, it has been my own temptations I could not resist. But I have uncovered a secret Azure has been hiding. The people have an interaction with the life around them that is more significant than any of us could have ever imagined. We are the cause of the crimson shadows. I understand the importance of my actions now and why my success is so critical. The people of this land must continue. It is not solely for man.
37 Stone
“H
ow’s the Taoiseach treating you?” Astor sits across from me where my texts are strewn about the table. She closes those I’m not currently referencing, ensuring the book ribbons mark the pages they were open to. Then, she stacks them properly and nudges them to the edge of the table.
Over the past few weeks, I’ve become more comfortable with her vexations. If I leave a text out, she finds a shelf for it. If I kick my boots off under the table, she tucks them in a cubby by the entrance. If I try to leave without combing my hair, she runs her fingers through it and straightens my tunic. There’s never a spot of clutter about this place or my attire when I walk out the door. Quite the opposite of what I witnessed at her own place in Greenport. Maybe it’s part of the etiquette the Taoiseach has been trying to teach me. Treat others’ belongings better than your own, or something along those lines. It could be she feels obligated to Master Sephyre to maintain this place to perfection.
“He’s evil. He’s cruel. He’s arrogant. He’s insufferable. But the Taoiseach treats me the same as all others. And as he expects to be treated. I have no suspicion he knows who I am. If that’s what you’re getting at.”
“Blending in. That’s good. I hate to admit this, but the Taoiseach’s chamber is one place you shouldn’t excel. Not you. You don’t want to stand out. But that also means you can’t fall short either. So, let’s get to it, shall we?” She pushes the text How to Avoid the Taboo in front of me before rising from her seat to pull the shades off the thunder lanterns. Her routine for ensuring we don’t have an excuse to break later to give ourselves more light.
I can’t take my eyes off her. Watching her stretch for the higher lanterns, her curves well in view. It’s no different than admiring the petals of a rose or the rolling hills of the Supple Valley. The contours so full of motion yet the fluidity frozen in time to create elegance and beauty. I understand why I’m here now. I’m here for my sister. To see she no longer has to run and hide in a world so full of splendor. Astor has certainly helped me see that. And to be housing in the same quarters as her. That is a mere bonus. She gives me a sense of comfort while I venture about the terrain of the enemy.
“Before we carry on to new matter, let’s recap our previous session.” She pulls the cloth off a thunder lantern and it illuminates her figure. “A foul mouth, tardiness, disrespect, and the like are his biggest pet peeves.”
But why is she here? Why would Astor leave the comfort of her home, where she has her clutter, her charges that need her, and Advocate Gunther, who cared for her as a daughter? Why would she leave all of that to stay here with me? I know it’s not my charm or my wits.
“And, Stone, you excel at every one of them, so I am going to drive this one hard. Stone?”
There is something more to her, and I cannot figure it out. She has no reason to be here. I don’t care if she thinks I can help heal the world. It’s no reason to leave your home. I battle with this question over and over, and she’s never straight with her answers.
“Are you listening? I have your eyes
, but I don’t seem to have your ears. Stone!”
Her shout clears my thoughts. She shakes her head at me and reaches high for the last lantern and removes the cloth. A gentle smile and rose complexion swathe her when she realizes I’m not staring at her, but her figure.
“Where is your mind? Your tutoring won’t simply be an evening routine with these. And let’s add focus to the list. Anytime I catch you being late, it’s a lashing. Anytime a curse word escapes that tongue of yours, it’s a lashing. Anytime you fail to say please or thank you, it’s a lashing. Anytime you—”
“You know I’m a Lahyf right?” I interrupt.
She looks around, shuffling through a cupboard in the kitchenette. She pulls something from it and walks back to the table, hiding it behind her back. I casually organize my parchment on the table, distracted by her strut, and she slams a wooden spoon down on my fingers.
“Argh!” I cradle my hand in my chest.
“I didn’t expect you to fail so quickly,” she exclaims.
“Why! That really hurt! Why?”
“You interrupted me. Why else?”
She sits across from me, pulls the text closer, straightens her posture, and opens it to the book ribbon where she’s marked today’s lesson. She reads out loud. “‘There are many things taboo in the world we live in. They vary in grade from mildly offensive to deathly horrific. The deathly horrific is beyond etiquette and is not covered in this text. However, the mildly offensive can be avoided with propriety. A few examples: One—'"
“Why are you helping me, Astor?” I push the text down that she quotes.
“Stone…” She reaches for the wooden spoon.
Season of Sacrifice (Blood of Azure Book 1) Page 47