Blood Rain

by Nancy Gray

  The centurion snarled, “You bring humans to this place against the oath, Bat. Give me one reason not to kill all of you where you stand.”

  “I did as you asked. I brought the spy. Under torture, he told me some very interesting things. It seems that you broke your vow long before I did. My people will be most displeased unless you convince me not to tell them.”

  Mirilee scowled and glared at the centurion. Erebus glanced at her, clearly afraid she would say something or take action. She simply stared at him and remained still, holding onto the reins of her strider until her knuckles became white.

  The centurion slowly sheathed his sword and Erebus matched the speed as he moved his hand away from his dagger. Mercy noticed the angelic beast man’s body was still tensed. He was ready to draw the sword again without a moment’s hesitation, but then so was Erebus.

  “I still don’t understand why you brought these humans.”

  “They are ambassadors of their people. This concerns Mirilee greatly since it’s her people you’ll punish should our meeting go poorly. Mercy is from the Forest Tribe sent by her people to find the source of the blood rain. I’m on the same mission.”

  The centurion’s face contorted with rage. For something so beautiful, he was terrifying when he was angry. Once again, his irises changed colors with his mood, changing from calm, cold sky blue into a molten red that shimmered with an inner fire.

  “How dare you mock us? We know your people are responsible for the rain. Why do you think we wanted you to come here in the first place? The spy? No. You will tell us what you know, or you won’t be reporting back to your people.”

  “So, we were brought here under false pretenses. It seems your reputation for being peaceful and neutral during the war was undeserved.”

  “We can keep this as peaceful as you wish to make it, Bat. First of all, tell us where you’ve hidden Lady Angelina.”

  Erebus frowned. “What are you talking about? Who is Lady Angelina? I assume from the title ‘Lady’ that she’s someone important.”

  The centurion reached for his sword. “I won’t ask again.”

  Mercy spoke up. “Did she go missing recently?”

  Erebus gave Mercy a warning look to stay quiet, but her words gave the centurion pause.

  “Yes. She left to approach the bat tribe about their involvement with the blood rain several weeks ago, and she hasn’t returned. The Blood Wings’ representative said she never reached the colony. We believe differently.”

  Erebus rolled his eyes. “I assure you that we had nothing to do with her disappearance or the blood rain. Do you honestly believe that I would be dumb enough to walk into your territory if I had anything to do with the kidnapping of one of your nobility?”

  “Well, if I didn’t know that you were on the council, I would say you probably weren’t important enough to know. But, you were very clear about that fact.”

  Mercy snapped, “It wasn’t his people. If I wasn’t sure that Erebus and his kind had nothing to do with the blood rain, I wouldn’t be traveling with him.”

  “Why do you travel with him? What makes you sure that he and his people are innocent? I would think your people would know better than to trust the Blood Wings.”

  “He’s given me reason to trust him. Besides, the blood rain caused the bat tribe to attack my people. It was a massacre on both sides. They’re just as outraged as we are. Your Lady Angelina wasn’t the only nobility to disappear.”

  Erebus gave her a warning look, but she ignored it. She could feel the tension in the air. The patience of the Stealer Wings was wearing thin. If she didn’t tell the truth, they would attack and no one would survive.

  Mercy continued. “Shortly before the blood rain, a Mermen prince was kidnapped. Whoever took him is trying to frame the Ashen capital. I doubt that the two are unrelated.”

  “Hmmm…you don’t seem to be lying,” The centurion glanced at Erebus and frowned. “But there’s bitter blood between my people and his.”

  Mercy said flatly, “Believe me, there’s bitter blood between his kind and my people, as well.”

  Erebus nodded. “Despite our feelings, trust me when I say a war between our people wouldn’t be in anyone’s best interest. We believe the actions of whoever is responsible for the rain are meant to drive us into another war.”

  “I wish to speak more of this, but with you alone.”

  “I’m sorry, but I’m not leaving my companions behind.”

  Mirilee rolled her eyes and snapped, “Well, I’ll be glad to leave you alone. Since Kylas was just a ploy to get Erebus here, perhaps you wouldn’t mind if I take him and go.”

  “I’m sorry, but either way, we intend to kill the spy. He’s seen too much and can’t be trusted. If you give him up without a struggle, I promise his death will be swift and humane.”

  Erebus flashed a toothy grin at the Centurion. “Well, about that, you see I took him prisoner. I don’t plan to turn him over to you.”

  The centurion drew his sword. “Then, I’ll slay him now.”

  Kylas flinched and closed his eyes as the beast man rushed forward, but Erebus jumped from the horse, closing with the Stealer Wing and slamming his dagger into the hilt of the sword. The blade stopped mere inches from Kylas’ face.

  “Do it, and I’ll tell my people the secret that he told me. Tensions between us are high enough without your indiscretions adding to them, wouldn’t you agree?”

  The centurion said in a murderous whisper, “You could disappear, like Angelina.”

  “I could. But, right now we’re the closest thing you have to finding a solution to this unusual weather. Which is more important to you, the death of one man or preventing a war?”

  “What assurance will you give me that he won’t reveal our secrets?”

  “He’s my prisoner. I’ll take responsibility for him. He’s already been banished by his people. He won’t be going back to them, and who else would believe him?”

  The centurion frowned. “That’s not good enough. All of you are coming with us.”

  Erebus snarled, “We’re not going anywhere.”

  Mercy felt excitement from above her and saw a group of beast men aiming arrows in their direction. Even though they were trying to hide it, she could also feel a certain degree of bloodlust. They fully expected to kill at the very least Kylas, possibly the rest of them as well. Mercy put her hands up and glanced upward in the direction of the archers. Erebus followed her gaze and cursed under his breath, slowly putting away his dagger. Mirilee kept her hands on her dagger hilt, but finally relented and put her hands up.

  Mirilee shouted, “Don’t think for one moment that I’m going to let you hurt Kylas. You might kill me before we can both escape, but it won’t be without a cost.”

  The centurion motioned to one of the archers, and he put away his bow and pulled out a hollow reed from a pouch by his side. He put it to his lips and blew, and with a sound like a wasp flying through the air, a dart with red feathers flashed right past Mercy’s ear and landed in Mirilee’s neck. She yanked it out and then slumped in the saddle. Mercy grabbed her before she could fall from the strider. She touched Mirilee’s throat and found that her pulse was still strong. Whatever type of poison that was on the dart was apparently just a sleeping drug. Mercy felt sure that her sudden movements would cause the dart blower to shoot her as well, but he simply held his weapon at the ready.

  Erebus growled. “Is all of this really necessary, my Lord?”

  The centurion smiled wryly. “When did you figure it out?”

  “When you slipped and simply called her Angelina. Fine, I see that you won’t be reasonable. So take us away, Lord…”

  “Radian. Not to worry, you won’t be thrown into prison. You’re a councilor for your people. However, your human friends will have to be detained until we finish our business.”

  “Where I go, they go as well. You’re not keeping them in your dungeons.”

  “You don’t have a choice in th
is matter. When we’re done speaking, your companions will be returned to you, but the spy belongs to us.”

  Mercy looked around and saw armed, winged soldiers closing in from the mouth of the tunnel while others were gliding down from their posts to surround them. They glided as silently as falling leaves. Mercy stayed very still, holding on to Mirilee so that she wouldn’t fall. Mercy soon found that she was leaning against her for support, as well. The emotions of the angelic beast men were overwhelming. They were excited, nervous, and smug in their victory all at once.

  One of the beast men grabbed Mercy and threw a silken black bag over her head, cutting off her vision. Someone else pried her arms away from Mirilee, and she felt herself being pulled from the back of the strider. She fought the urge to panic. Even though she tried to control herself, she found herself clawing and kicking the beast men as they tried to detain her. Suddenly, she felt someone take her roughly by the shoulders.

  Erebus said in an urgent whisper right by her ear, “Don’t struggle. Just go with them for now. Don’t worry. I’ll be coming for you. I won’t let them hurt you.”

  Suddenly, she felt his arms torn away, and she was pushed roughly forward. Even though the bag was disorienting and humiliating, at least she could breathe easily through the silken fabric. By the smell of it, she could tell that it was vitula silk. Occasionally, she felt a sharp object poking her threateningly in the back if she slowed down. The beast men were speaking to one another in hushed tones in their strange birdsong language and snickering, no doubt talking about the clumsy manner in which she was walking. Having a bag over her head made it very difficult for her to simply walk forward in a straight line, and she didn’t trust where her captors were leading her.

  Mercy tried to figure out where she was being taken by using her other senses. She sniffed the air, trying to locate familiar smells, but all she could smell was the vitula silk of the bag. For all that she could tell, they could be leading her in circles to disorient her further or they could be leading her down a long and winding path. After walking for what felt like half of an hour, they grabbed her by both arms and led her down a long flight of stairs. She sniffed the air again. It was cooler, so they were clearly in an enclosed space, probably underground. Even though it didn’t smell dank like the air of a cave, she could also smell fresh water somewhere nearby.

  As soon as they stopped, they ran their fingers along her body which automatically made her want to fight them again. It seemed that they were simply looking for hidden weapons and removing the ones that they could find. After her weapons were removed, they pushed her roughly into a cell and yanked the bag off of her head, slamming the barred door behind them loudly. It was as though they wanted the sound to echo for a few moments as they marched away, to emphasize that she was a prisoner.

  Mercy was surprised as she took in her surroundings. She was in what looked more like a guest room than a prison cell. Even though it was basically a giant metal cage, the place didn’t make her feel claustrophobic. The room was brightly lit by torches in sconces on the wall, and there were even a few within the cage itself. She could see into the other cells around her and there were wine red curtains to pull across on all of the sides for privacy except for bars that faced the hallway. The bed in the corner of the “cage” even looked clean and comfortable, with a large feather pillow. In the center of the room there was a large basin full of fresh water that was clearly for bathing, and there was a bedpan under the bed. And, in the corner of every cell, there was a writing desk with a quill, ink, one or two books, and a cushioned chair.

  Mercy looked at the curtains. If she wanted to, they would be easy to fashion into a strangling weapon. The quill could kill someone if it was used to stab someone in just the right place. It made her realize that she must’ve been in a cell designed for less dangerous criminals. They had clearly underestimated Mercy and her companions. She could see Mirilee several cells away from her, still sleeping soundly. Once she was awake, the first thing that she would do would be to fashion some sort of weapon for herself. Kylas was nowhere to be found. Mercy frowned at the realization, remembering how Lord Radian was insistent that Kylas needed to die.

  Mercy heard the sound of footsteps coming down the hallway and instinctively crouched close to the bed, trying to hide. One of the Stealer Wings was approaching. He was dressed like a guard in leather armor with a long spear in his hand. His wings were the same color as his hair, a light brown that also matched the color of his eyes. Even before he reached her, something about his bearing seemed familiar. As soon as he stepped into the light in front of her prison cell, Mercy recognized him.

  Mercy muttered, “No. It can’t be you.”

  She felt his guilt at her recognition, which was more telling than his appearance. It was the other thief that accompanied Kylas that she begged her father to spare. Even with the bird-like wings, she recognized his features. He still had that look that made her feel sorry for him initially - the large light brown eyes that reminded her of a begging dog, and a perpetually boyish face with soft features that would never make him look intimidating.

  29

  He said, “I thought it might be you. When they told me what you looked like, I had to come and see for myself. My name is Mered. I remember you, Mind of Mercy.”

  Mercy rushed up to the bars and Mered took a step back, brandishing his spear as though he was afraid she was going to reach through the bars to strangle him. At that moment, Mercy wasn’t sure that she wasn’t.

  “How,” she snapped.

  “How am I like this? Is that what you want to know?”

  “Yes.”

  “It’s kind of a long story.”

  Mercy glanced around at her sparse prison cell. “It seems that I have plenty of time to listen to it.”

  Mercy felt his guilt as he glanced at the floor. “Maybe less time than you think.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean? Are you planning to kill me?”

  Mercy glanced at the quill and edged closer to the writing desk.

  “No, but the others are planning to kill Kylas. Erebus doesn’t know where you are and Lord Radian is trying to make it sound like you’ve been thrown in the dungeon. He’s trying to use you as a bargaining chip to get as much information from Erebus as possible.”

  “Where exactly am I?”

  “You’re in a royal holding cell. This is where we put high ranking officials that are accused of petty crimes, usually things associated with theft.”

  “That would explain the atmosphere. Why are you telling me all of this?”

  Mered relaxed and returned the spear to his side. “Because, I’m going to get you out of here, and I want you to help me save Kylas.”

  Mercy frowned. She didn’t want to trust him. Even though he felt guilty about taking the vitulae eggs from her village, he was still a thief and now he was one of the Stealer Wings. It could easily be a trap.

  Mered frowned at the look of apprehension on her face and sighed. “I know you don’t trust us. The People of Air and Light haven’t given anyone much reason to, but I personally owe you for convincing your tribe to spare me.”

  “I would hardly call these winged-monsters ‘people.’ They’re just as bad as the Blood Wings, taking prisoners and turning them into others of their kind, meanwhile leaving their loved ones to think that they’ve died.”

  Mercy glanced in Mirilee’s direction. She was still breathing steadily and Mercy couldn’t feel any emotion coming from her. She was still in a dreamless sleep.

  “They aren’t monsters. Mercy, look at me. I used to be human and now I’m one of them. What does that tell you?”

  “That they have some sort of magic that lets them turn humans into others of their kind.”

  “Not exactly. You might want to sit down.”

  Mercy made her way towards the bed. Even though she didn’t know what he was going to say, she had a feeling that it would send her reeling.

  “Yes, they do have magic, b
ut they were human to begin with, Mind of Mercy. Every beast man is born human.”

  Mercy felt herself sinking onto the bed, but she quickly stood up again and said defiantly, “Now I know that you’re lying. I’ve spoken to one of the Blood Wings, and he said that when they breed with humans, the children are born as a combination of human and bat.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “And, I suppose this Blood Wing would be more truthful than someone trying to help you escape?”

  Mercy frowned. She heard that story from Carmine. If Carmine’s own son didn’t even trust him, why should she? He was definitely the type to lie to protect his own best interests.

  Mercy sighed and sat back down. “Well, I suppose I don’t really trust him very much, but they can’t be born human.”

  “They are born human, and when they die, they always revert back into their human form.”

  Mercy thought about the beast man that she killed on her way to the lighthouse, and the state of his body when she returned. She remembered that his ears didn’t look as pointed and somehow he looked more human. It was odd seeing Erebus leaping down on her after she saw the body, because she was confused by how human the body had seemed and how bestial he looked in contrast. Now, she knew why.

  Mercy groaned, burying her face in her hands. “This is so much to take in.”

  “There’s more. Every gifted human has beast man or beast woman blood somewhere in their lineage. The beast people have many magical gifts. Humans that have one magical gift are descended from the nobility of the beast folk.”

  Mercy stood up quickly and stepped threateningly towards Mered. He blinked with surprise, clearly not expecting her reaction. Once again, he held the spear up in a defensive stance, but she could tell that there was no strength behind his attempt. He wasn’t going to try to stab her, and he knew that she couldn’t reach him through the bars. Despite that, somewhere deep down she was satisfied by the fact he was intimidated.