by L. S. O'Dea
“We know, we know,” shouted Dad as the carriage picked up pace.
“Curtis needs help.” She met Gaar’s black eyes. “You need to take him to my mother.”
“I’m not leaving you,” said Gaar.
“You have to. If infection sets in”—she smoothed the hair off the young Guard’s forehead and then looked back at Gaar—“he’s dead. You’re the only one who can carry him and still move fast enough to outrun the Guards.” She moved to the window and sat on the sill, leaning out. “I can’t see them yet, but you need to go soon.”
“Get back in here.” Hugh grasped at her arm, trying to pull her inside the carriage.
“Let go of me.” She put her foot on his thigh and shoved at the exact moment that the carriage hit a rut. She bounced on the sill, her legs flailing in the air as she tipped out the window. They were moving fast, if she fell...it’d hurt, a lot. She pulled herself up, grasping onto the windowsill as they hit another bump. The top half of her body fell backward, but her grip was good. She wouldn’t fall.
“I got you.” Hugh dropped to his knees, wrapping his arms around her thighs and trying to drag her back inside.
“I don’t need your help.” She braced one hand against the window and shoved him away with the other, slashing at his arms. “Don’t touch me again. Your fumbling is going to knock me out of the carriage.” No one had ever touched her like that. She could still feel the heat from his hands on her legs.
“Ouch! You little shit.” He dropped his hold and scooted away from her. He pushed up his sleeve, glaring at the four slashes across his arm. “That’s the last time I save you.”
“Save me? You almost killed me.” She slipped inside the carriage. “I was fine until you decided to help.”
“She doesn’t take orders well. Takes after Mirra.” Gaar’s black eyes sparkled with amusement.
“It’s not funny, Gaar. That idiot almost made me fall out of the carriage.”
“I did not.” Hugh stood up, looming over her. “I told you to get back inside. You’re the one—”
She turned her back on him and faced Gaar. “They’ll have to slow down. The forest is getting denser. You can jump to a branch. I doubt the Guards will look in the trees.” She knelt by Curtis. “We need to figure out how to hook him to you so that both your arms are free.” She pulled another backpack from a corner and searched inside of it. “Didn’t we bring more rope?”
“You and your dad packed the bags,” said Gaar.
“You can use the backpack straps.” Hugh snatched the sack from her. “I’ve done it before. It’ll work, but it won’t last forever.” He emptied the contents onto the floor. “We’ll need something to cut the straps. Give me—”
She bared her claws and sliced through the cloth.
“Shit, those are sharp.” He stared at her claws as she retracted them and then grabbed the seaweed cloaks. He tore off the parts that were the least damaged, hooking them with the straps and making a type of harness. He held it out toward Gaar. “Turn around.”
“No. My front.” Gaar stood, his bulk filling the small carriage. “I have to be able to grab him if he slips. We’ll be pretty high up in the trees.”
Hugh fastened the contraption around the Handler’s chest. Gaar held Curtis while he and Trinity hooked the young Guard into the harness.
“I hope it lasts long enough for us to get away.” Gaar tugged on the straps.
“Me too.” Hugh motioned at Gaar’s hands. “Don’t pull on it too hard or too much.”
The carriage started to slow.
“Little One, be careful. Keep your eyes open and your mouth shut,” said Gaar.
Hugh laughed.
She glared at him. He could’ve tried to hide his amusement. She turned her back to him again. “I’ll be fine. You and Mirra taught me well.” This would be one of the few times that she’d be alone in the woods without the Handler or Tracker.
“I worry that you learned a little too much from Mirra. Think before you act. Always.”
“Mirra says the exact opposite.” She grinned up at him. “She says that I waste too much time thinking and planning.” She stood on tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek. “Just like you.”
Gaar took her chin in his huge hand. “This isn’t a joke. I won’t be around to help you get out of any messes you make.”
“I’ll be careful.” Her smile slid away and her cheeks heated a bit. He didn’t have to mention that in front of the Almighty.
“I’ll watch her back,” said Hugh.
Her eyes locked with Gaar’s and they both laughed.
“I’m not as useless as all of you think.” Hugh’s tone was angry and hurt.
Gaar’s laughter died as the carriage slowed. “If we thought you were useless, you’d still be in prison.” He opened the door and stood at the edge. One jolt and the Handler would go flying, but he didn’t wait for a bump, instead he sprung forward, grasping a branch and in a blur of movement he was gone.
CHAPTER 5: TRINITY
TRINITY LEANED AGAINST THE window, wishing Gaar hadn’t made that last comment. Hugh was already curious about this rescue thanks to Jackson’s big mouth and it was Dad’s job to explain everything to him, not hers.
“Wow! Gaar’s fast.” Hugh stared out the door. “I never saw him move like that.” He glanced at her, one side of his mouth quirking up in a self-mocking grin. “Of course, we only met in my office.”
She’d keep him focused on Gaar. “I hope he’s fast enough. Carrying Curtis and avoiding Guards isn’t going to be easy.”
“There’s no way anyone saw him. The Guards are too far behind us.” He closed the carriage door.
“They might smell him.”
“Scent. I forgot about that.”
“Figures.” She turned away from the window. “You need to remember that just because you can’t smell something doesn’t mean the rest of us can’t.”
“I could smell you a mile away in the prison.” He dropped onto the seat, stretching out his legs.
“That was on purpose.” She sat opposite him.
“Really?” He raised a brow. “I assumed that you didn’t know how to apply perfume. It isn’t a skill that you acquire running around in the forest.”
He was right and she shouldn’t care, but the way he said it made it sound like she was lacking and she was done feeling inferior. “I doused myself on purpose. I could wear perfume properly if I wanted to.”
“Of course you could. You can do anything.” His blue eyes gleamed with suppressed laughter. “Even Gaar has complete faith in your abilities.”
She flexed her claws, itching to scrape that smirk off his face. “He knows I’d be fine on my own.” She leaned forward. “It’s dragging you around that concerns him.”
“Yes, because I’m worthless.” He scratched his head, the smile slipping away. “Oh wait, that’s not right. If I were useless, I’d still be in prison.” He leaned forward, until he was only a few inches from her. “Why did all of you risk your lives to free me?”
“You’re family.” She leaned back against the seat. He’d set a trap and she’d walked right into it.
“Try again.” His blue eyes were hard, but there was something besides anger lurking in their depths.
“Dad wanted to rescue you right away, but we couldn’t. We had to make plans.” She crossed her arms over her chest. She’d stick with the shell of their story. Dad could fill in the gaps later.
“I should’ve figured you’d lie.” He leaned back against the seat. “Truth doesn’t come naturally to you.”
“What do you mean by that? I’m very honest.”
“Your entire life was a lie.”
She flinched. That was truer than he knew. She didn’t even use her own name. “That was the fault of your kind, not me and my life isn’t like that anymore.”
He snorted. “Another lie.”
She sent him one last glare and turned toward the window. She was done talking to him. They couldn’
t part ways soon enough.
“Are we supposed to be going this fast?” he asked, a twinge of sarcasm in his voice.
The forest flew past the window as the carriage left the copse of trees and picked up speed. She slammed into the side as they tipped to the right. The carriage would never hold together if they kept going at this pace. She braced her legs on the opposite seat, attempting to stay in place.
“What’s the next step in this rescue?” He grunted as his shoulder hit the carriage wall. “I’m not sure I can take much more.”
“Don’t know for sure.” She turned to face him, wrinkling her nose a bit. “This isn’t exactly going as planned.”
“They never do.” The corners of his eyes crinkled with amusement when he grinned.
“At least not for us.” She caught herself smiling back at him and then turned to stare out the window. She’d forgotten how charming he could be when he wanted.
As the carriage rumbled on, tossing them about, he asked. “Since we’re just sitting here, why don’t we finish our conversation? And please don’t waste my time with the you-saved-me-because-I’m-family story.
She turned toward him. She’d hoped he’d let that go. “Dad’s going to talk to you about that.”
“Why don’t you tell me?” His voice was soft, persuasive. “Please.” He hit the wall again. “What difference does it make if you tell me now or your dad tells me later?”
He had a point and if she worded it right, he should be flattered. “We need your help.”
“Me? Useless me?” He put his hand on his chest. “How could a weak Almighty ever...”
They hit a bump and he flew upward, slamming against the ceiling.
“I’d hang on, if I were you.” She grinned as he rubbed his head. It served him right for his sarcasm.
“What do you need me to do?” He braced his legs against the seat like she’d done.
“Ask Dad. I’m not telling you anything else.” She would’ve told him everything if he hadn’t thrown her words back at her.
“I thought you’d be eager to explain why you rescued me.” He leaned toward her. “I figured you’d love to tell me how it had nothing to do with friendship or family or anything like that.” He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. In his gaze pain warred with anger for control.
“It isn’t like that.” It wasn’t, not really, but he may see it differently and even though he was a jerk she didn’t want to hurt him. “Dad will explain everything.”
“I knew you could be a stubborn brat but I didn’t think you were a coward.”
“I’m not a brat or a coward.” She leaned forward until her face was only inches from his. Maybe, she did want to hurt him. He was an Almighty. He deserved all the pain the other classes could give him. “I’ll tell you why we freed your useless, Almighty...”
His eyes gleamed in anticipation and triumph. His feelings weren’t hurt. He was insulting her to make her mad so that she’d tell him what he wanted to know.
“Oh no.” She poked him in the chest with her claw. “I’m not falling for your tricks.” Again. It was embarrassing how easily he could make her lose her temper.
He shrugged. “You’ll have to forgive me. I’m a bit rusty at manipulating others.” He leaned back against the seat. “Don’t worry. I’ll get better.”
She was going to kill him. She really was.
Dad flew through the window, feet first, landing on the floor in a crouch. “We need to ditch the carriage.”
“What? We can’t escape on foot.” Hugh’s eyes darted between her and her father. “The carriage is taking a beating, but shouldn’t we keep going as long as possible?”
“We’re headed for the ravine,” said Dad.
“How soon?” She stood. Hugh was lucky. She didn’t have time to kill him.
“Ah, can’t we avoid the ravine? You know, go another route.”
“No. We’re aiming for it,” said Dad.
His mouth dropped open. “Why would you do that? Are you suicidal?”
Her eyes met her father’s. This hadn’t been part of their plan, but it must be necessary.
“You need to get on the top,” said Dad.
“We have to slow down or we’ll break every bone in our bodies when we jump.” Hugh paused. “At least, I will. The rest of you will be fine.” He ran his hand through his hair. “Shit, you probably do this every day.”
“We can’t slow down”—Dad held up his hand to stop Hugh’s protest—“and we’re not going to jump. You and I will take one of the Grunts. Trinity and Jackson will take the other. We’ll go in different directions and meet at camp later.” He disappeared out the window.
“You’re next. I’ll keep a hold of you from in here and Dad or Jackson will grab you from on top,” she said.
“Please tell me you’re kidding.” His face was paler than normal as he moved across the carriage.
She shook her head.
“Didn’t think so.” His hands trembled on the edge of the window.
This scared was never good. He needed to relax or he’d never make it. She’d have to give him something else to think about. “I’m surprised you aren’t arguing about this.” She moved behind him, grasping the back of his prison uniform. “It’s good that you’ve come to terms with your inferiority—”
“My what?” He spun around.
She yanked on his shirt, her arm around him. “Turn around and pay attention.” They flew past the trees. “If you get hit by a branch, you’ll be gone.”
He faced forward again, his knuckles white on the window frame. “You wouldn’t want that. You’d have done all this for nothing.”
“Not if you land on your head.” She tightened her grip. “You’d be fine then, although the earth would get dented.”
A raw burst of laughter broke from his throat. “I might be able to manage the landing.”
“Right. Like you did dropping from the roof?”
He glanced back at her, blue eyes sparkling. “You don’t have any faith in my physical abilities, do you?”
“You are an Almighty.” The carriage was only going to get faster the closer they came to the ravine. She gave him a gentle poke in the back. “Today would be good. The ravine is—”
“I’m going. I’m going.” He tried to smile but it was more of a grimace.
She couldn’t do this for him. “Move fast.” The longer he lingered, the more dangerous it was.
He put his foot on the sill and used his arms to pull himself up into the window. The wind whipped through his hair and across his back, tearing at the cloth in her hands. The carriage hit a bump and he tipped forward, his fingers gripping into the wood.
“Dad! Jackson!” She yanked on his shirt, trying to pull him back toward the carriage, but he was heavier than he looked.
Someone grabbed him under the arms. She let go of his shirt, wrapping her arms around his legs to steady him as Dad or Jackson pulled him upward. Then he was gone. She flushed slightly. Her face had been against his lower back and butt. He’d better not say a word about that or she’d shove him off the carriage. She hopped into the window. The cool wind bit into her face and tore through her hair. She took a deep breath. It was glorious, almost like riding on Mirra’s back. The carriage hit a bump and she swayed, quickly regaining her balance. Enough fun. Time to move. She lifted herself to the top. The carriage rolled beneath her feet and she stumbled, squatting to make her center of balance lower.
“Tim, you and Trinity get on the Grunts. Unhook them halfway. Hugh and I will follow when you give the signal,” said Jackson.
She nodded, moving toward the front of the carriage. “I’ll take Cack.” His mate was expecting and he was eager to get back to camp.
“Are you crazy, Jackson?” Hugh grabbed her arm, stopping her. “They can’t go out there. They’ll get killed.”
The long, thin shafts that connected the Grunts to the carriage swayed, banging against the creatures’ sides.
“We don’t hav
e a choice,” said Jackson, his eyes worried.
“You better watch how it’s done.” She leaned in close to Hugh. “You’re next.” She pulled free from his grasp and dropped to the lower level of the carriage.
Dad followed her, both of them pressing their backs against the wood. Dad’s eyes met hers. He was worried and she couldn’t blame him. The bars they had to cross were thin and unsteady. This wasn’t going to be easy.
“Don’t do this.” Hugh was lying on the top of the carriage with his head hanging over the side. “We can figure something else out.”
Dad smiled, rolling his eyes. “Almightys never want us to have any fun.” He darted forward, moving quickly across the pole on the left.
She grinned. She liked being around her dad when he was like this, adventurous and alive, instead of nagging at her, but that was mostly her mother’s words coming out of his mouth.
“You don’t have to do this,” said Hugh.
She smiled up at him. “But I want to.” It was kind of true. Her blood hummed in her veins, urging her on. She took a deep breath and put out her arms to steady her as she walked across the wooden shaft toward Cack. The cart rolled and swayed, but her balance was good. This wasn’t as difficult as she’d thought it’d be. She glanced over her shoulder, sending a superior smile toward Hugh when the carriage hit a rock. She flew into the air. Think. Think. Don’t panic. She straightened like an arrow, becoming streamlined, and landing in a crouch on the shaft, her hands clasping the pole.
As soon as she had her balance again, she stayed low and scurried the rest of the way until she could wrap her arms around Cack’s hot, sweaty neck. She glanced to her left. Dad was almost to his Grunt. At some point, he’d slowed down, but he’d managed to stay on his feet, unlike her undignified crawl. Her face heated. Dad would say that it was because he had more House Servant in his blood, so his balance was better than hers, but she spent all her time training with Gaar. She would’ve been fine if she hadn’t looked back at Hugh. Gaar wouldn’t be happy if he found out about this. She had to stop bickering with the Almighty and focus.
She leaned next to Cack’s ear. “I’m going to remove your harness now. We need to get into the forest as quickly as possible.”