Warrior Innocent

by Wendy Knight

  "No."

  She ignored him. "Trey and Torz accompany us and you will promise their safety."

  "No."

  Scout sighed, ran a hand through her hair, and paced in a circle. Finally, she turned back to him. "Why not?"

  "Because you will dance for him. Not for me." He raised his chin.

  "Ariston, I don't dance for you. I don't dance for him, either." He opened his mouth to object, and she held up a hand. "Sometimes you are hurting, and sometimes Trey is hurting, and in those times, I dance for both of you."

  "You just directly contradicted yourself." Ariston frowned.

  "No, I didn't. It just sounded like it. Think it through and you'll get it."

  Ariston opened his mouth again, paused, and then sighed. "You and your constant riddles and questions." His smile was devastating and beautiful.

  Scout raised an eyebrow and tapped her toe. "Well?"

  "Fine. Fine. I will promise their safety. I will promise everyone's safety. Are you happy?"

  Scout grinned. She almost hugged him, except for the whole he'd-steal-her-soul part. Instead she answered him, "Yes. Now let me wake up."

  His smile turned rueful. "I'd like to know when, exactly, the day came I started taking orders from a girl."

  He raised his hand and closed his fist. Before Scout could answer him, he was gone. His words, as always, rang in her ears.

  "I wait."

  Scout gasped and sat up, smashing her head into Ashra's soft muzzle. Lil Bit dove out of the way just in time. "You were out for a while!"

  She rubbed her head and reached vaguely for Ashra's face to pat it better. "Sorry." She wasn't going to tell them about her conversation with Ariston. About her hometown. About how he would fight for her. Trey had enough issues with Ariston as it was. "He said he will promise our safety. We are free to go."

  Ashra nodded and Trey stood up, pulling Scout to her feet. "Let's get this over with then." He turned to Lil Bit. "You have our backs, right?"

  She scowled. "Like you even have to ask."

  Trey grinned and ruffled her hair. As Lil Bit hurriedly smoothed it, still scowling, Scout dropped a kiss on her head. "I love you, Lil."

  Lil Bit dropped the scowl. "I know. Be careful. Don't take too long."

  "Yes ma'am." Scout leaped onto Ashra's back as Trey swung up on Torz. Lightning split the sky, they launched into the air, and were out of Paradesos before Scout even had time to worry about anyone following them. As thunder rolled and the sky sealed behind them, she glanced over her shoulder, and for now, they were safe. There was nothing but blank sky and glittering stars.

  Ariston waited just beyond the gate as they landed. Scout slid off Ashra's back. "Long time no see."

  Ariston raised an eyebrow.

  Trey slid off Torz's back, raised himself to his full height and crossed his arms. He looked almost as deadly as Ariston—sparks shooting in his dark-brown eyes. "Say all your romantic things, Ariston. But understand this: I've lost her before. I know what it's like to live without her, and it will not happen again. You're not the only one who lives in darkness without her."

  Scout fought tears, brushing them away as she turned in a slow circle, trying to find the music. Aptavaras was dark, and the screaming and wailing were a constant in the background. But there was music here, too. She'd heard it, every time.

  "We'll see, Trey," was all Ariston said.

  "Here's your music, Scout." She heard Lil Bit in her head, and then her sweet voice, singing softly the words of their lullaby. Closing her eyes, Scout nodded and started to dance.

  "Thank you, Lil Bit."

  She danced. She stretched up on her toes, swayed forward and pulled backward, spun and leapt. Aptavaras faded away. All the souls counting on her, everyone she was betraying by being here, all the hurt and pain and worry and fear, it all faded, and it was just her and Lil Bit's voice. Nothing else.

  When her legs started to shake and would barely hold her when she leapt, she finally bowed, low to the ground.

  Ariston walked slowly up to her, reached out, and took her hand, pulling her upright. Thankfully, this wasn’t a dream, and he couldn’t take her soul, but she still saw Trey, out of the corner of her eye, start forward. Ariston let her go and stepped away. "Never bow to me, Scout," he said softly.

  Backing away from her, he raised his scepter. Soul stealers flooded from the castle, carrying souls. "They will return them to their bodies and will hunt them no more."

  "Thank you," Scout whispered, breathing hard.

  Ariston inclined his head slowly and disappeared into the darkness. They were free to go.

  "He kept his word." Scout pointed out the obvious.

  Trey still watched where Ariston had disappeared, eyes slit in confusion. "Yes. He did."

  19

  Four times they went to Ariston. Four times, Trey watched her dance for him. Forty souls they saved. It bothered him, the way Ariston looked at her. The way Scout seemed to trust Ariston more every time they went. The unspoken communication between them. But it was forty souls, and the soul stealer attacks throughout the world had ground to a halt.

  Maybe, just maybe, they would survive this war after all.

  Trey knew the second he thought it he had jinxed them all. Scout confirmed his fears when she approached Iros while he and Trey were playing football with a few of the boys.

  "Iros?"

  He glanced over, the laugh dying in his throat, and broke away from the group. Trey did, too, following him over. Everyone else froze, watching, because the look on Scout's face told them all it wasn't good news.

  "Ariston…visited me last night." She bit her lip and peeked at Trey. They hadn't gone to Aptavaras, so he must have come to her while she slept. Trey hated that Scout slept without him. That he wasn't there to help her. That Ariston could be close to her, could watch her, talk to her…

  Trey hated him.

  "What did my brother want this time?" Iros said with a heavy sigh. "Another visit? Another dance? Perhaps he'd like to ride our unicorns for a midnight visit to the moon?"

  "He's been building an army, Iros. He's got enough souled Taraxippus to move on Paradesos."

  All the color drained from Iros’s face. Scout swallowed hard, large eyes darting from Trey to Iros and back as she started to shake. He could see the betrayal in her eyes. She'd believed if she did what Ariston wanted, she could hold off the war. Fight the inevitable. Ariston's decision hurt her deeply—Trey could see it in her eyes.

  For the ten-thousandth time, Trey wanted to punch him in his perfect, blank face. Scout didn't deserve this. She didn't deserve any of this. He reached out and took her hand, rubbing his thumb over the soft skin. "Borrow my strength, baby. I'll be the strong one this time."

  It was as if she read his mind, and maybe she did. She was Lil Bit's sister, after all. Scout moved closer, slumping against him, clinging to his hand.

  "He said—he said if we give him the horn, he'll call his demons off. All of them. He'll end the war."

  Iros's short bark of laughter made her jump, and Trey caught her before she toppled over. She was weak, pale, shaking, exhausted. How long had she been trapped in that dream before Ariston let her out? "Lil Bit? Did you pull her out? Ashra?"

  Neither of them answered.

  "I'm sure he'd like the horn, so he can waltz back into Paradesos and finish what he started."

  "He just wants to die, Iros. If we give him his soul back—"

  "She should know. She's been meeting him for weeks now."

  Trey froze. Scout's pulse stuttered against his thumb. They both turned toward Kylin, who stalked into the clearing. "My unicorn will tell you I'm not lying."

  Everyone they had been playing football with—Trey's friends, his brothers, his dad, recruits, warriors, and everyone who had been watching—they turned toward Scout with horror in their eyes.

  "What?" Iros whispered harshly.

  "She dances for him." Kylin crossed her arms over her chest and smirked.r />
  "I tried to ask you, Iros—" Scout said quietly, staring at her feet.

  "Yes, Scout. I recall that. And I told you no!"

  "I had to save them, Iros! He's building an army. That means he's shredding souls. Ten thousand per demon, right? And he's got enough to march on Paradesos. That means—"

  "That means he was just distracting you while he killed them all faster, Scout. If anything, you've caused more deaths than you've saved!" Iros bellowed.

  Scout whimpered, "No."

  "That isn't true," Trey snarled. "She's saving lives."

  Scout backed away from them, dropping Trey's hand. Her eyes went from Iros to Trey, and then to those behind them. She shook her head. "I was trying to save them."

  "She's infatuated with him. She can't stay away from him. Like Beauty and the Beast." Kylin snickered.

  Scout's cheeks reddened, and she turned wide eyes to Trey.

  It was the blush that did it. "Scout?" he said slowly. Why was she blushing if it wasn't true? "Scout?"

  She shook her head. "He's hurting. I just—I just want him to stop hurting. I want everyone to stop hurting. I know how it feels to hurt all the time. I know how it feels to lose hope."

  "He is the reason we've lost hope, Scout!" Iros yelled.

  But her eyes remained fixed on Trey, and he couldn't breathe. "Scout?"

  "I love you, Trey."

  "And Ariston, Scout? Do you love him?"

  Scout whimpered, "I don't love Ariston, Trey." She dropped her eyes.

  She was lying.

  Scout had always been a horrible liar. She still was.

  "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I just—I was just trying—"

  "You can't save the world all by yourself. Shocker." Kylin laughed, one hand on her hip, blue eyes narrowed.

  Trey wondered how he'd ever thought she was pretty. She was bitter and angry and jealous, and when she sauntered up to him, he turned his back on her. "Shut up, Kyl—"

  Scout was gone.

  "Find her. We can't let her go back to Ariston." Iros spun on his heel, throwing out orders to the Irwarros that had appeared out of nowhere. "Lock her in the keep and don't let her leave."

  "The keep? What on earth is the keep?"

  Iros looked at him and slowly clapped one hand on Trey's shoulder. "Its last prisoner was Ariston. I'd hoped to never use it again."

  "Iros, she didn't do anything wrong. She's trying to save those souls. She's trying to save us all. Can't you see that?" Trey grabbed Iros's arm when he attempted to walk away. "She—"

  "She's been compromised, Trey."

  "No. You said this war would have been lost without her. You said she was the heart and soul of this army. Have you forgotten everything she's done for you so quickly? One stupid, jealous girl throws out accusations and you call Scout a traitor and wash your hands of her?"

  "You saw it in her eyes, Trey, as we all did. She loves him."

  "So what? Scout loves everyone. She loves the broken, she loves the ugly, she loves the awful because she thinks they can be saved."

  "Ariston cannot be saved."

  "Maybe it's not him she's trying to save," Trey snapped, glaring hard into Iros's eyes. He felt Torz land behind him, saw Havik arrive at Iros's side, and felt the gap between them.

  Havik's horn glowed faintly, and Torz unfurled his wings, fire lighting the sleek feathers.

  "She's already tearing us apart. Look at them," Kylin said.

  Iros's eyes widened, Torz's name on his lips as he turned to his longtime third in command. "We are on the same side."

  "Are we?" Torz asked mildly.

  "That is your decision, Torz. You stand with us or you stand against us."

  "Enough!" Ashra landed hard between them, hooves embedded in the soft earth as cracks spread away like snakes. "Havik is not the enemy. Torz is not the enemy. And for heaven’s sake, Scout is not the enemy. The Taraxippus are the enemy, and Scout has brought us news that they will march on us, soon. Instead of turning on each other, we should be preparing for the final hours of war."

  Iros sucked in a breath and closed his eyes. "You are right, my friend. As always."

  Havik lowered his head. "Thank you, Ashra. Tensions are high, and we are all quick to react."

  Iros nodded. "Find Scout. I will talk to her before we decide her fate." He cast a quick, half-apologetic look in Trey's direction. "After I've had time to cool my thoughts."

  "Scout?" Lil Bit crept closer. She'd been inching her way into Scout's hiding place for an hour now, but this was the first time she'd spoken.

  Probably thinks I'll turn on her, too.

  "I do not think that. Stop acting like a baby." Lil Bit's dark brows lowered, and she crossed her arms over her chest.

  "Always in my head, aren't you, little one?"

  "Only when you need me to be. But it hurts my head, you know. It would be easier if you'd just speak. Like a normal person."

  "I failed everyone, Lil Bit."

  "Ariston betrayed you. You are being punished for his decisions because no one knows what else to do."

  Scout brushed tears away. "I'm not in love with him, Lil Bit. My heart hurts for him, but it does not love him."

  Lil Bit settled next to her. "I know." She leaned her head on Scout's shoulder, and Scout in turn leaned her head against Lil Bit's.

  "I didn't know what to say. I didn't know—I didn't know if I loved him until I knew that I did not. I just want him to stop hurting."

  Lil Bit nodded.

  "But Trey thinks—"

  "Trey stood up for you. Torz and Ashra stood up for you."

  "Havik?"

  Lil Bit was quiet, and Scout knew. Her champion, her great leader, her friend. He'd believed them.

  "Of course he believed them. You didn't give them anything else to believe."

  "But it still hurts."

  "I know." Lil Bit twined her small fingers through Scout's.

  "What am I going to do, Lil Bit? This is my life. I've got nowhere else to go. I can't leave Trey." Horror gripped her throat so she couldn't swallow. "I can't leave Ashra."

  In the distance, the battle alarms sounded.

  "Is Ariston—?" Lil Bit sprang to her feet as Scout scrambled to hers.

  "He didn't say he was attacking so soon. Paradesos isn't ready." She gripped Lil Bit's hand in hers as they raced from the thicket where she'd been hiding.

  They both screamed as Ashra landed in front of them, wings blazing, already covered in battle armor. "We need to ride."

  "What's going on?" Scout cried as she grabbed the scepter always hanging at her waist.

  "Massive soul stealer attack over the Indian Ocean. He's made sure there is nowhere for our Irwarros to hide."

  "What are they attacking in the Indian Ocean?" Scout asked, spinning in a circle, watching the Irwarros flying overhead.

  "Edrens. Carules."

  "Our friends," Lil Bit murmured. Ari’s forces.

  Armor formed around Scout's wrists and ankles, moving up to cover her arms, legs, torso, and finally head. "No one is going to want me to fight alongside them, Ashra."

  Ashra snorted, turning her head to look at Scout sharply. "I will fight beside you."

  Something healed in her heart, a torn piece stitched back together. "Thank you, Ashra."

  "I will fight beside you," Lil Bit said. Scout gasped, turning to her tiny sister.

  "You can't fight, Lil. He's got souled demons. They're unstoppable."

  "And yet you, Ashra, Torz, and Trey killed a ton of them in Aptavaras. And we've got an army."

  Lil Bit’s Iwarro appeared through the shadows, watching Scout with slitted eyes. “I will not ride into battle with her.” She pointed her glowing horn at Scout.

  Lil Bit twisted her neck to look up at her unicorn. They hadn't bonded. Lil Bit had bonded with Eirene because Lil Bit brought peace, not war. "Then I'll find someone who will."

  "No, Lil. I need you to stay here. I can't—I can't fight when everyone hates me but you, and you're
in danger." Scout dropped to one knee in front of her sister. "When I had to go back to school, after the accident. Remember how scared I was? Remember how I felt like everyone had abandoned me, that no one cared?"

  Lil Bit bit her lip and nodded.

  "Everyone but you. You had my back, and I knew I could make it through whatever I had to face that day if I got to come home to you. I need—" She had to stop because sobs tore at her throat, and it took several seconds before she could continue. "I need you to be here to come back to, Lil. Please."

  “Also,” Trey said hesitantly, “If this is all a distraction so Ariston can march on Paradesos while it’s undefended, you can call us back quickly. I mean, I know Iros would never leave this place undefended, but—but just in case.”

  Lil Bit took a deep breath, her eyes on the sky where the Irwarros gathered. Scout watched the decision war in her eyes and felt the vise on her heart ease when Lil Bit finally nodded. "I will be here, but if you need me—"

  "I know where to find you." Scout tapped her heart.

  "I'll fight beside you," Trey said quietly.

  "As will I." Torz snorted.

  Lil Bit smiled.

  "Trey." Scout turned to him. "What are you…?"

  His eyes were shadowed, but he smiled and brushed her cheek. "I will always fight at your side, Scout. No matter what."

  "Then we should go. Havik has split the sky." Ashra tossed her head.

  Scout nodded, backing away from Trey. She couldn't read him. His face was closed to her, and all she had to go on were his words. I will always fight at your side, Scout. No matter what. Without a word, she spun to Ashra and mounted up. "For Paradesos," she whispered.

  "For Paradesos." Trey nodded.

  "For Paradesos," Lil Bit said as she watched them ride away.

  20

  Trey could remember another time he and Scout, with their unicorns, raced toward battle after the rest of the warriors were already engaged, fighting for their lives. It had ended with the four of them trapped in Aptavaras.

  He prayed it wouldn't end that way again.