by B. T. Narro
“No need. We walk and stay ready.”
Desil could tell from the sullen looks of the others that he wasn’t the only one who thought this was a bad idea.
“The Kanoans know this land well,” Desil said. “They set a trap for Leida’s parents, and they’ll do the same to us.”
Kirnich was silent for a breath. “Then we’ll rest and wait for them to fall into our own trap.”
This warrior was probably still functioning under the adrenaline of battle. Desil would trust Kirnich when it came time to fight but not for strategizing.
“I have a different idea—”
Just as Desil was looking over to Kirnich, the large warrior tackled him. Before Desil could express his confusion, something heavy struck the ground right where he’d been standing.
“Run!” Kirnich yelled as he pulled Desil up.
Rocks rained down. Desil chanced a look up to find Marros hovering in the cracks of sky between the treetops. He jumped forward to dodge one rock only to catch another with his forehead. Blood seemed to fill his eyes as everything turned red. Kirnich was helping him up again before he realized he’d fallen.
The forest tilted as he tried to run. He knew it was an illusion and tried to run straight anyway, but he seemed to be pulling Kirnich to the side as the warrior tugged him in the opposite direction.
He fell again, dragging Kirnich down onto Desil’s back. Desil felt a thud through Kirnich as the warrior screamed. A rock must’ve struck him. Desil wanted to help, but he couldn’t even tell which way was up.
He felt a pair of hands on his temples. “Focus,” Beatrix said.
The forest straightened out. Kirnich pushed himself up. Desil stood to find Leida and Adriya covering their heads with their bags as they waited a few steps ahead, rocks hailing down around them.
“Run!” Desil told them as he got his own bag over his head.
A rock the size of Kirnich’s fist struck Leida’s bag, knocking it clean out of her grip. The rock missed behind her, but another hit her back as she bent down for her bag. She yelped as she fell. Adriya pulled her up.
“They’re too far for psyche to do much,” Beatrix called out. “We have to keep running.”
But soon it was the psychic who was hit. Fortunately it was only her hand, but it did stop her for a breath as she grabbed it and sucked in air through her teeth. She was running again before anyone could remind her to keep going.
The rocks continued to rain down for a while longer, but no one else was struck, and soon the Marros ran out. They stayed above the treetops, though, watching below as everyone pushed onward. Only when it was fully night did the creatures finally retreat.
Desil felt as if his head was full of water. Weakened by his injuries and even more by hunger, he couldn’t imagine running anytime soon, but they would need to or they wouldn’t reach the end of the forest before the Kanoans do with Leida’s parents. He could see his comrades were in the same discomfort as they hobbled in silence.
They were not going to like his idea. Even he hated it.
“This forest is long enough that the Kanoans who took Leida’s parents shouldn’t be able to make it to the end of the trees for two days. They came and took her family yesterday, so it shouldn’t be until tomorrow night that they’ll cross the Dead River.”
“This is your other idea?” Kirnich asked dubiously. “Catching up to them?”
“It might be the only way to get them back.”
“I agree,” Leida said quickly.
“The forest looked to be twenty miles long,” Beatrix said. “In our current state…” She stopped to think. “Actually, it might be possible.”
Kirnich put up his palm and asked her, “Have you ever walked twenty miles in a day?”
“No. Have you?”
“I’m sure I could.” He held his back. “But considering our injuries, it will be impossible for at least one person here. Probably most of you. We should rest and gather our strength. We’ll take them hostage when they come for us, like I said. Then we’ll march to the settlement and trade theirs for ours.”
“There’s a chance they won’t come for us,” Desil remarked.
“Even if they do,” Leida added, “they might not find us. The trap for my parents probably involved some luck.”
“I’m sure it did,” Beatrix agreed. “And we don’t know how many they might send for us, or what kind of weapons they’ll have.”
Desil didn’t know why she was focusing an inquisitive gaze on him. It was as if she expected him to bring up something they had discussed previously. He could think of nothing, but he wouldn’t ignore it. She knew something about this place that he didn’t.
“I agree with them, Kirnich,” Adriya said.
“Fine.” The warrior took off his bag. He grabbed his back as he lowered to the ground, groaning like an old man. “We rest here, then. Tomorrow you all had better be ready to travel more than you’ve ever traveled in a single day.”
Leida sat down and held her head. Adriya crouched beside her. They shared some words too quietly for Desil to hear. He didn’t think he could contribute to easing Leida’s misery if he joined them, and he feared he might not be able to rise again if he let himself sit, so he started gathering brush for a fire. Fortunately there was just enough light for him to see without wasting effort on focusing bastial energy together.
“Desil, rest for a moment,” Leida told him. “I’ll help you later.”
“It’s fine.”
She aimed light at him. “You have blood running down your face, your neck, and your arm!” she chided. “You need a break.”
He couldn’t have looked much worse than she did, with her sleeves and cloak torn and a line of dried blood at her hairline. She probably had a welt on her back from that dropped rock as well.
“Who will hunt with me?” Beatrix asked.
Everyone’s eyes drifted around to each other, all eventually settling on Kirnich. He started to stand slowly as he let out a loud groan.
“I’ll do it,” Desil offered. He wanted to speak to her anyway.
“Good man.” Kirnich waved a finger at him as he settled back down.
“Should I bring a bow?” Desil asked. “I have a decent shot.”
“You do?” Adriya asked.
He nodded at her.
“Bring it,” Beatrix said.
Adriya handed him her bow. “Try not to waste any arrows. It’s clear we’ll need them for the birds.”
“I’ll only bring one,” Desil replied, “so I don’t need to take your quiver.”
“Good.”
Her bow was the size he’d used to hunt with his father, light and easily carried. It wasn’t big enough to fire off an armor-piercing arrow, but that shouldn’t matter here, Desil hoped.
He followed Beatrix away from the camp. She glanced in each direction with lowered eyebrows.
Desil wanted to wait until they’d caught something before questioning her, as he knew his voice could startle any creatures nearby. But as they walked in silence, Desil found it difficult to focus his thoughts and soon forgot what he was going to ask. There was throbbing pain down the middle of his forehead. He checked his wound with a light touch and immediately drew back his finger. It hurt worse than his stinging arm and shoulder. He wiped off the blood staining his nose and cheeks.
He was absolutely miserable as he yearned for rest and food. They still had some provisions in their bags, but Beatrix was right to take him hunting while they still had the chance.
“I know you’re suffering,” Beatrix said. “I am, too. But I haven’t sensed anything with more than a bug’s awareness yet. Be patient.”
The darkness of night filled the forest quickly. Desil made light despite the added strain. It seemed almost too much that they still needed to catch something, bring it back, and then prepare it to be cooked like the night before. That furry thing with a mouth full of sharp teeth had been simple enough to dress, but even then it was still a lot of wor
k. He hadn’t done it enough to be comfortable yet, finding it just as unappetizing as Leida and Adriya had. Both women had opted to turn away during the process. But he was glad his father had taught him how, otherwise someone in the group would’ve had to figure it out last night, and a mistake could lead to poisoned meat.
“Do you have any other special skill that you haven’t told us about yet?” Beatrix’s tone was as if Desil had broken her trust.
“I’ll let you know if I think of something.”
His loudest thought was his pain in that moment. Next was curiosity as to why Beatrix seemed to think she knew him.
Bastial hell, she does, he realized. The king probably had me investigated after my father’s incident.
Over the years Desil had noticed the same man watching him during his swims or climbs. Desil had always figured it was someone else interested in taking advantage of the refreshing lake but who wanted privacy. Regarding his climbs, Desil had figured the man was only admiring his skill. He’d been a fool not to realize what really was happening.
“Who has been watching me?” he asked Beatrix.
“I don’t know. My lazy younger brother was assigned that task, but I assume he pays someone to keep an eye on you. How often have you spotted someone?”
“No more than five times.”
“Whoever my brother paid probably didn’t bother spying more often than that. He took my family’s money and lied to my brother that he saw the same thing each time.”
“Which was what?”
“I don’t know. Like I said, you weren’t my responsibility. Both my brothers are jealous men. I try not to get involved in their affairs if I can help it.”
“Do you at least know when it started?”
“As soon as your father…” She stopped.
“I see.”
Was this what had caused her to give him that inquisitive look earlier? It didn’t seem likely.
“Do you know something about my father?”
She let out her breath as if irritated. “I told you I knew him.”
“I think it’s something else. You know something I don’t, and you know that’s what I’m asking about.”
She was silent as she surveyed the dark forest ahead of them. Her reticence continued for a while, confirming Desil’s suspicion. If it was really nothing, she wouldn’t have to think this long to figure out how to answer.
“There’s a creature.” She crouched and took out her dagger with one hand while extending the other. “Give me light in that direction and don’t make a sound.”
Desil did as she asked.
When the creature walked into view, Desil first thought it had gotten stuck to a bush. But soon he realized that everything he saw before him was part of the animal. It had thin antlers that looked just like sticks with seemingly real leaves growing out from them. Its legs were the same, long sticks that couldn’t seem to bend except where they met high on its arced body. It had a short, stout neck and black beads for eyes. Its fur appeared to be matted down and looked like wet leaves stuck together.
Desil could’ve passed by hundreds of these creatures without realizing they were alive. It let out a squeaky whimper as Beatrix gestured for it to come. She readied her dagger as it neared, then buried it in the creature’s head.
Desil’s guilt about the kill spoke for him. “Not a lot of meat.”
Just then a man stepped out from behind a tree. Beatrix shot to her feet as Desil nocked the arrow he’d brought, now wishing he had at least two. There was something about the stranger’s calm demeanor that scared Desil to his bones.
It seemed that this person knew he’d find Beatrix and Desil here, yet he’d decided to keep his identity obscured beneath a drooping hood that put his face in shadow. The man was too far for Desil to make out anything besides a long cloak. If he had weapons, they were hidden.
“He came from nowhere,” Beatrix whispered. Desil took it to mean she hadn’t sensed him until now. Desil didn’t know what that said about what this man could do, but it terrified him.
The cloaked figure lifted his arm and gestured for them to come to him. It was all too similar to the way Beatrix had tricked the hapless animal into marching toward its death.
The man gestured again, forcefully this time.
“Who are you?” Desil called.
“Come find out,” replied a low voice full of confidence.
“Can you pain him from here?” Desil asked Beatrix in a whisper.
“Not very well.”
“What about telling if he’s lying?”
“Yes.” She raised her voice. “Answer the question! Who are you?”
But the man did not answer. He did nothing more than watch them. Desil tested him by taking a step forward, but the man did not move in response. Desil edged closer as he aimed his arrow.
“Who are you? Last chance.” But Desil didn’t seem to scare the stranger as he watched silently. Beginning to fear this was a trap, Desil gave a quick look in each direction. When he glanced over his shoulder, he saw Beatrix looking behind her as well. When he looked back at the man, he was gone.
“Let’s go back.” Desil yanked Beatrix’s dagger out of the animal’s head, gave it back to her, and grabbed their kill. Its legs sounded like sticks slapping together as he and Beatrix ran back toward their camp.
“I think he’s the one who tried to kill me,” she said.
“Why would he want you dead?”
“No idea. All I know is that someone will need to stand guard.”
Given his exhaustion, Desil couldn’t have imagined worse news. With the trek tomorrow, they needed all the sleep they could get.
“Tell me what you know about my father,” Desil demanded. “There’s no point in secrets between us anymore.”
“I don’t know anything.”
He figured it was a lie.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Desil realized that Beatrix might not be the only one in danger. There was no evidence the stranger wanted only her dead. Perhaps he had tried to kill her because he knew picking off the rest of them would be easier once Beatrix was gone. He was probably a madman of Kanoan.
Or perhaps the king was involved in dirty tactics that had resulted in the man following them here. Desil couldn’t be sure about anything anymore.
When he and Beatrix returned to camp, a fire crackled but everyone was asleep. Adriya awoke as Desil and Beatrix came near.
“Any trouble?” she asked. Although she wasn’t whispering, it still didn’t wake Leida or Kirnich.
Beatrix bent down and shook the warrior’s shoulder.
He popped open an eye and frowned. “What?”
“Come with me while they prepare the kill. Bring your bow.”
His expression said he wanted to argue, but he obliged dutifully.
Adriya scowled at them leaving until Desil told her, “We saw someone out there.”
She woke Leida with a shake to her leg.
Leida groaned and sat up. “Is everything all right?”
“Desil and Beatrix saw someone.”
Leida grabbed her wand. “Are we going after them?”
“Only Beatrix and Kirnich,” Desil told her. “I’m sure they don’t expect to find anyone, but it’s worth checking. Beatrix thinks it’s the person who tried to kill her last night.”
“What do you think?” Leida asked him.
“I agree.” As Desil prepared the carcass, he went on to describe the quick encounter with the overconfident stranger. Upon closer inspection, he saw the legs of this creature didn’t look like sticks any longer but more like bone with a very thin layer of brown flesh. Leida and Adriya hardly seemed to notice him removing the organs this time as they listened to his short tale.
“Are you sure you saw no weapons?” Adriya asked.
“None were visible. I assume he doesn’t have a bow, or he would’ve shot Beatrix last night rather than creep to where she was sleeping.”
“It was probably his tra
cks that confused Kirnich this morning,” Leida said. “This man doesn’t seem to be traveling with the rest of them.”
“He could’ve been cast out,” Desil guessed. “And he could be mad for all we know.”
Adriya grabbed her bow. “I’m going after them.” She rushed into the night.
Desil glanced over at Leida, her eyes a constant comfort in this increasingly difficult situation.
“You look hurt,” she said.
“I’m sure I’m no worse off than you.” His eyes lifted to the dried streak of blood across her forehead.
She didn’t seem as bothered this time by the sound and sight of him dressing the animal. He supposed it would seem silly now after all they’d been through with the Marros. She watched him work with a distant look in her eyes, her thoughts likely elsewhere. Soon he was done. She helped him put the meat onto the ends of sticks. Each person would cook their own over the fire.
“Let’s wait for the others,” Leida said.
They sat beside each other, their knees touching, as they glanced at the fire. Desil removed his gloves—they desperately needed a good wash—as the urge to put his arm around her came over him. He thought he could sense her wanting him to hold her, or it could’ve just been his wishful imagination.
His heart beat against his chest as she put her head on his shoulder. He inched his hand toward her lap. She turned over her hand as if welcoming his touch.
As he took her soft hand in his, Desil felt shivers up his arm. She nuzzled her head against his cheek, her hair delightfully tickling him.
His heart raced. He wondered if he should say something, or at least ask her if this meant anything, or if she just needed comfort for the moment. No, he was no fool to ruin this by speaking. They watched the fire in silence, Desil enjoying every passing moment until they heard someone coming. He and Leida let go of each other and moved apart.
Kirnich yawned as he spoke. “I’ll have the easiest time making the trek tomorrow compared to the rest of you, so I’ll stay up to keep guard as long as I can.”
Desil doubted Kirnich could travel farther than he could, but he wasn’t about to take guard duty if the warrior volunteered. They ate mostly in silence, everyone rationing their water as best they could. The meat of the creature was chewy yet pleasant enough to take Desil’s mind off his pain. Or maybe it was his thoughts of Leida that provided the most distraction, as he shared glances with her between bites.