by Roach, D. A.
I looked to Sean, who had Medic training, but he shook his head. There was no saving him. “Ren…” I whispered. God, he looked awful. “You did good. You fought bravely out there.”
“You did good, my boy. You did good…” Jackson’s voice was hardly even a ragged whisper.
Ren’s eyes fluttered, he let out one last breath, and he was gone.
I put my hand on Jackson’s back, but he yanked away, holding his son’s body closer.
I stepped away to give him privacy. I wanted to shout, to curse, but I held back—though I felt every inch of me shaking in rage. I hated losing any of our Clan. Worse, I hated seeing Jackson so hurt. I hung my head and debated whether or not we should turn back. I hated that we’d had to return to these damned tunnels.
Sean walked over and reached to touch my shoulder, but I pulled away as hard as Jackson had from me.
I hated that I didn’t know what to do or say in this small moment.
Jackson stood, carrying Ren’s body, and gave me a challenging look. He’d been one of the elders who nominated me as leader; he’d never looked at me this way. I needed to be the leader he chose.
“Put his body on the last cart. When we return, we will give him the warrior’s burial he deserves.” I took a deep breath and addressed everyone. “But we have to keep moving. If we don’t have the Vinka seeds to help Angeline keep the demons bound, this trip—Ren’s sacrifice—will be for nothing. Sean, check Lena’s bandaging. Everyone else, fall back to your proper ranks. We move fast and be ready for any more of those bastards that try and come for us. They will not take any more of our numbers, and they will not stop us from this mission. Understood?”
“Yes, Sir.” Jackson was the first to respond, his voice booming from the back cart. I couldn’t see his face, but his words were enough for me. And for the rest of the squads. Everyone fell in line and we moved onward.
As we passed the dead Krevarians, the stench was awful. Harvesters were upset at the sight; a few gagged while others wept. They were not used to violence, but there was no time for comforting. The possibility of more Krevarians or other beings blocking our path to the surface was real.
I pulled out the map I had traced from originals the remaining elders had shared with me; the tunnel split ahead. The left led deeper into the mountain, and the right ascended to the top. We pushed onward to the right, taking only enough time to assess sounds and shadows to ensure nothing else would surprise us with an attack. Moving fast was the new tactic to reach the surface alive.
We traveled without incident till we saw daylight filtering through some wooden doors in the ceiling above. Pieces of broken, rotted wood littered the floor around us; I supposed it would have been too much to hope the ladders that used to be here were still serviceable. Fortunately, I had planned for this.
“This looks like it. Siggy, I need you.” The Harvester my squad guarded walked over to me. “I need you to get on my shoulders and open the lock. Got that?”
He nodded.
Kneeling onto the dirty stone floor, I helped Siggy climb onto my shoulders. Jet held the lamp so Siggy could see his task, though the light from the door above already made it easier to see. Siggy used both hands to pull the iron latch bar from the keep. Once open, he easily slid the iron crossbar through the slots, and the heavy wooden door creaked with the movement.
“Well done Siggy. Now, try and climb out.”
“Sir, I have to jump.”
“Do it.” I felt him crouch, then spring from my shoulders, flinging one of the doors open. Sunlight flooded the tunnel. Siggy fell back down into the tunnels. Anchor and Sean caught him, helping him land.
“Well done, Siggy,” Anchor said, smiling, even as he hissed in pain, shaking his bandaged hands. The cheerful expression on Anchor’s face made him look even more menacing, but Siggy smiled back.
“Time to surface,” I told Siggy while motioning for him to return to me.
Siggy climbed onto my shoulders once more. This time he grabbed the frame of the door and climbed out, disappearing from sight. A moment later, he peered down into the tunnel and offered his hand. One by one, we exited. With five of us left waiting to surface, I looked over at Lena lying on the cart. She couldn’t surface with her injury, and leaving her in the tunnels was leaving her vulnerable to attack.
“Lena, how are you?”
She looked pale. “I’m awesome. And you?” The pain meds were obviously working. I was glad she wasn’t in pain, but that also meant she couldn’t help us anymore. There was no reason to keep her in this dangerous situation.
“Listen, I can’t get you out.” She nodded with a frown, already knowing the situation and not appreciating me presenting it to her. “But I want to try something…” I’d been thinking of Lena’s safety even as we’d moved through the tunnels. “If Angeline is aware of your energy, she might be able to help cross you over.” My sister and the Clan Caster, Angeline, worked side by side so frequently that they’d become very close. Perhaps Angeline could sense Lena’s injury—if we weren’t too far for her to pick up on the change in her energy.
Jackson, who’d stayed with me in the tunnel, began, “Killian, there’s no gate in the tunnel—”
“My dad once talked about crossings without gates to one of his warriors. It was a long time ago, and I don’t remember the details…but it’s worth a shot.”
I turned to Lena. “Hey, Sis, I need your arm.” She laid it palm up across her legs. Her tattoo was identical to mine with the addition of delicate lines radiating off the snake, like inked lace. I grabbed my dagger and lightly sliced her snake, just enough to allow the blood to seep out of the wound. She winced slightly, but the pain meds were doing their job. The dagger glowed blue—infused with the tattoo’s magic blood, hopefully helping Angeline tune in to her energy. I dripped the blood around her in a circle, then recoated the dagger with her blood and gave it to her to hold. She closed her eyes and vanished instantly.
“Thank God, it worked.”
Jackson looked at me with astonishment. “Incredible.”
“Wild guess and a lot of hope.” I shrugged. “Finn and Meghan,” I addressed the other remaining Clan members in the tunnel, “grab some stones or these broken pieces of wood to prop behind the cart wheels, then we’ll head up to help the others.”
“Might have to rig something so we don’t bruise the fruit,” Jackson suggested.
“Agreed. Let’s figure that out when it’s time to load up.” The rest of us surfaced with help from Sean and joined the rest, hoping to finish the task at hand and head home before more trouble found us.
***
The surface was rocky and dusty. A lush grove of fruit trees lay ahead, a forest to our left, and the mountain we resided under was behind us.
“Strange how there’s patches of rich soil to support the trees and plants, but none at all in other areas.” Jackson pondered as his eyes followed mine, looking from the grove to the dry rocky surface beneath our feet.
Vinkas were beautiful trees. The wood on the trunks peeled and curled like a birch, and the branches staggered like ladder rungs to the canopy. Glossy, green tear-drop leaves dotted the wood, and yellow ball-shaped fruit weighed the branches down.
The sky—cloudless and dim with the sun climbing toward the highest point in the sky, told it was mid-day. Here in the Demon Realm, the sky resembled the Human Realm sky when seen through sunglasses, like a dark bluish filter covered the sky. This “cool” light was easier on our eyes and skin than the “warm” light of the Human Realm.
“Okay, let’s get this done. Help the Harvesters when they ask for it, and keep weapons ready.” Each squad had two runners bringing the baskets of fruit the Harvesters filled to the tunnel entrance where they piled the loads and returned for more. Harvesting took time, even with the entire team working. The squads worked hard and soon the sun headed toward setting. We needed to be done before nightfall. I walked to the heaps near the tunnel doors and estimated that we had eno
ugh to fill four carts. It wasn’t as much as we hoped, but it would have to do.
Jackson stood beside me, eyes dark and scanning. “So far, no further threat. That’s something.”
I nodded, studying the perimeter. Part of me wanted to say something about Ren; the smarter part of me knew better. I focused on our mission’s safety. Anything was possible in the wild parts of the Demon Realm. I half expected to surface near a tula pack. Tulas were the Demon Realm’s version of a wolf. They hunted together and were fast and aggressive.
“We’re not done yet,” I reminded him. Then I turned to my Clan. “Wrap ’em up, and we’ll load the carts.” I jumped into the tunnel, where the empty carts were awaiting their load. I took off my shirt and stretched it out to make a softer landing for the fruit. Jackson was right, bruised fruit didn’t last, so we needed to be gentle but fast.
“Hey, Chief, want more shirts?” Jet pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it at me before I could answer.
“Just a few more would work.”
Jet whistled and shouted to a few guys, and I had more shirts to tie together into a sling to buffer the fruit fall. “Okay, start tossing them down.” Jet gently dropped a few and I played around with suspending the shirts to make a suitable landing. Harvesters and squads slowly trickled back into the tunnel while we loaded, and in no time at all, we had filled three carts. “Jet,” I called up, “how many of us are left on the surface?”
Jet looked back. I expected a quick estimate. Instead he stood, staring toward the grove. “Demons!” He ran toward the direction of the grove.
“Shit.” I jumped onto a cart. “Anchor, stay here and give me your dagger.” He threw it my way, and I sheathed it. I always had a spare, but one should always have plenty of weapons against demons. And even though I knew he’d fight beside me, Anchor shouldn’t be fighting with his torn hands. At best, he’d have a hard time holding his weapon; at worst, he could fumble against a killing blow. Taking his weapon ensured his safety. The last thing I wanted was to lose anyone else on this mission. It looked like almost all the other squads were safely back in the tunnel. If the demons decided to attack down here, they’d be bottlenecked against some of my best warriors. “The rest of you stay here and guard the Harvesters and our fruit.”
With the fruit-weighted cart to brace my force, I jumped, caught the door frame, and surfaced in the blink of an eye.
Jet, Jackson, and Sean surrounded Jace. Jace—who was holding a limp Siggy and laughing. I ran, but we were already too late. Jace dropped our Harvester’s dead body to the ground.
“No!” Turning to my team, I ordered, “Bring him back to the others. Keep everyone else safe!” Then I ran for Jace, and he fled toward a tree line. He was unnaturally fast, but I was pissed, which made my legs pump harder and faster. I followed close behind him and into thicker woods.
A shapely female stepped from behind a tree. “Jace.” It was Rya. I would know that voice anywhere.
Jace ran toward her and vanished as soon as he passed her. Was this another gate? That would have been useful to know sooner! Rya looked back at me with her all-black eyes. She was gorgeous, as most demons could appear—black leather pants, corseted top, long black hair, blood red lips. Mesmerizing. Mortals were helpless against their good looks. Weak-willed Demon Hunters also fell victim to their beauty.
Her face contorted into a demonic mask—elongated face, mouth full of razor sharp teeth—black eyes and long, black, forked tongue. “Killian, what an unexpected surprise, finding you and your gaggle of Demon Hunters in the outskirts of Myre.”
I lunged at her, but she dodged easily, laughing even harder. There was a reason we fought in squads, but I needed to know the rest of my people were safe. I didn’t regret sending my team back to the tunnels.
Fixing her gaze on me, she paused her cackle to say, “I know you feel what is coming, but you can’t stop it. Soon, I will have my day and enjoy every moment of ruling those pathetic humans in their Realm. And I look forward to torturing your precious Clan before I devour their souls. I think I’ll save you for last so you can watch me take your Clan, one by one—and I can enjoy watching it break you.”
She turned away and vanished. I ran to where she had just stood, but the crossover portal had closed. Even if I could get Angeline to open it, I wouldn’t know where they went. I kicked the ground, gritting my teeth in fury and frustration. Yes, I knew what was coming, and I didn’t want to lose any more of my Clan. I jogged back toward the tunnel doors and hopped down. They had already loaded Siggy’s body on the cart with Ren’s.
Anchor handed me my shirt.
“Thanks. Jet, shut and lock the doors.”
He climbed upon the nearest cart, and slamming the door shut, he pulled the crossbar into position.
“All right, everyone. Fast feet. Let’s get home,” I ordered.
With the daylight lamp in hand, I took the lead. We went as fast as we could without running, and the trip back took half the time it took to ascend. We had the slope and fear fueling us forward.
Passing the area where our Clan had met the Krevarians was hard. There was a lot of blood, especially on the walls. All that remained from the creatures were their skeletal remains. Something must have dined upon their flesh, and I hoped we would not be its next meal.
We walked further on—thankfully without incident—and finally, “I see home,” announced Sean.
We had made it. Jackson approached the large door that separated us from the sanctity of the colony and pounded the preset pattern on the door, signaling our return. Angeline and Lena opened the door and greeted us warmly. Lena was on crutches and thick pressure bandages covered her whole foot and calf; I could imagine the argument she must have had with Angeline about being there to meet us. Her color was still off, but she was alive. I walked up to her and wrapped her in a tight hug.
“We lost Siggy too. Demons…” I began, finding myself not quite able to speak.
Lena nodded.
“There are other injuries…” My voice kept wanting to catch as images from the mission replayed in my head.
Lena looked at the group entering from the tunnel. “Send them our way, along with Sean to help. Angeline, you too?”
Angeline walked to Lena’s side. “Of course. Oh, and Killian, very wise of you finding a way to get Lena back to me.”
I nodded. “Thanks. I’ll stop by the med unit shortly.” I turned to face the rest of my people who’d come with me through the tunnels. “I want to thank you all for your hard work and bravery. All of your work, all of our sacrifice has ensured the safety of the Clan and our Divine Mission to fight demons. I’d like us to have a moment of silence to remember Siggy and Ren, our brothers, sons, family that lost their lives today.”
The group bowed their heads. Some placed their hands on their hearts, and others quietly wept. Jackson knelt by the cart with Ren and Siggy, his head lowered to his son’s as his shoulders shook. I waited for him to look up before continuing. “Tomorrow morning, we will lay them to rest as the heroes they are. For now, those needing medical care, head to the med unit. If you’re uninjured, work with the Harvesters to move and properly store the fruit. Then shower, eat, and hug your loved ones. Dismissed.”
I slipped between them, escaping toward my room. We’d returned with only three carts of fruit. I hoped it was enough to carry us through till our own trees were producing again and more were planted. Returning to the tunnels was not an option. Not again. No one else needed to be hurt or be killed.
Anxious for a shower, I rounded the corner and yanked off what remained of my filthy shirt. As the fabric passed over my eyes, I froze. Surely I was hallucinating from exhaustion. “Cassidy, how are you here?”
She looked radiant—eyes bright, and her cheeks and lips held the slightest shade of pink. She leaned against the doorframe and smiled at me.
My heartbeat quickened, my face felt warm, and pulses of energy radiated in my tattoo. In two steps, I had my arms around her wai
st, pulling her in for a kiss. What are you thinking? I asked myself, but I still brought her to me.
Her breath hitched as our lips met, but she allowed it. She didn’t stop me. Her lips softened, moving in sync with mine. For this brief moment, the hardships of the day were soothed and the worries that plagued me fell away. She was the warm sun taking her place in my stormy, cloud-filled sky.
Our rhythm slowed, and I pulled back to look into her hazel eyes. “It is so good to see you alive and awake.”
“It’s good to be alive and awake.” The left side of her mouth curved in a smile. “I came to just before Lena crossed over…” Her face darkened as her eyes lowered. “I saw Angeline helping her. She told me about the tunnels…” Swallowing, she murmured, “I heard a few…I’m sorry, Killian. I’m so sorry.”
I nodded in reply.
She shifted uncomfortably before looking back at me. “Anyway, listen, I don’t want to keep you. Um, you must be exhausted.” She looked down again and shifted toward the hall. “I just thought I’d stop by to welcome you home.” She turned and walked away, one hand on the wall.
I stood there like an idiot watching her retreating figure—wishing she would return, wishing my feet would move and chase after her. But I wasn’t good with intimate interactions, never had been, so I avoided them. And I knew the rules about relationships, about marriage. I very well knew why they existed.
But with Cassidy it was different. Whether it was the tattoo bonding us or the effect she had on me, I wanted more with her.
I couldn’t want that. If there were ever a time when she was hurt or in peril, and I would have to choose—save her or save my people…My people had to come first; I couldn’t risk even a moment’s hesitation to question that.
Squeezing my eyes shut, I pounded a fist against the stone wall and retreated to my room.