The Journey of the Marked (The Miyran Heir Book 1)

by Rebecca P. McCray

  “Oh, sorry. I was thinking.” And with that, Tip grew very quiet again.

  Azetan glanced back at Prizene and she held her finger to her lips to indicate they should be as quiet as possible. Azetan smiled at this and acted like he was going to nudge Tip again for fun. Prizene covered her mouth, giggling.

  While they walked, Tip selected several limbs from the forest floor and removed branches and leaves from them before placing them either inside his jacket or in his waistband.

  Late in the morning and not long before the sun had traveled half its journey for the day, the marked ones found themselves at the base of a daunting rock wall. It rose only forty or fifty feet, but appeared to be a very straight vertical climb.

  “Eros,” Kenrya asked nervously, “uh … are you sure this is the way?” Her eyes scanned the length of the wall.

  Eros nodded. “Yes. I remember climbing the wall.”

  “But it’s straight up!”

  “No, it’s not. Not over here.” He walked a few feet along the base of the wall, then pointed and traced his finger in a zigzag up the wall. “See? The path starts here and winds its way to the top.” The others stared at the location to which Eros indicated, then looked hesitantly at each other. Eros tried to put them at ease. “I know the path looks risky — narrow and uneven. But, we can do it if we’re careful. We have no choice!”

  “Before you climb,” Tip said, holding out his hand, “let me have the rope.”

  Eros removed the rope from his pack and handed it to Tip. Without further discussion, he started climbing the little path. “Be careful not to loosen any rocks. Maybe we can climb high enough before the Graeliths arrive that they won’t see us.”

  “I doubt that,” Kenrya replied dryly. With a quick look at the others, she stepped to the path and followed him.

  Azetan nodded to Prizene. “You go next. I’ll stay with Tip and help with the traps.” Prizene took a deep breath then started up the path, followed by Azetan and Tip.

  They slowly worked their way up the narrow trail, each following in the footsteps of the preceding one as closely as possible to minimize rock falls. They reached halfway when Prizene turned her ankle on a loose rock, causing her to slip. She sucked in air quickly. Her left leg slid off the ledge, followed by her right, and she fell sharply on her stomach, grabbing onto rock to keep from falling off the ledge. Small rocks showered down on Tip below her. Azetan closed the distance to Prizene quickly, steadied himself, then firmly placed his hands on each side of Prizene’s pack and lifted. By relieving her of the pack weight, Prizene was able to place her right foot back on the path and brought her left knee to rest beside her right foot. Eros held his breath while watching from the path ahead.

  “Can you stand?” Azetan asked her.

  Prizene stretched her left ankle and winced. “I think so. Are you ready?”

  “Let me hold the pack another way.” Azetan released the pack one hand at a time and shifted the placement of his hands to make it easier for Prizene to stand.

  She stood carefully and placed weight gingerly on her left ankle. “I think it’s fine now. Thank you.” She gave him a quick smile, then started moving up the path again.

  Tip called to Azetan, indicating that the turn in the path between them seemed to be a good location for a trap. A large rock overhung the path with only a few smaller rocks keeping it from sliding down the wall. Eros watched as Tip pulled a piece of rope loose, then started patting his pockets. He held up the rope to Azetan. “I need to cut this.”

  Azetan slowly pulled one of his swords from his side and said, “Hold each side of the rope where you want it cut.”

  Tip’s hands shook a little as he placed one on each side of the rope. He cringed as Azetan dipped his hand down, gradually bringing the sword into the middle of the circle Tip made with his body, hands, and the rope. Then Azetan began sawing the sword cautiously through the rope toward himself. Tip sighed in relief. With the rope cut, he removed a few of the branches from his waistband. With Azetan’s help, he put the branch in place, then frayed the piece of rope into smaller pieces. He rigged the rope to trip the Graeliths, which would also loosen the rock and cause the larger rock to crash onto those beneath them. Once everything was in place, he nodded to Azetan and they continued their upward ascent along the path, setting other traps as they went.

  Eros was pleased they worked quickly. He turned back to the path and completed the rest of the climb without incident, stopping once he reached the small platform at the top. He turned back to see how the others were progressing. Kenrya and Prizene were close to the top, Tip and Azetan were about three quarters of the way up, and the Graeliths stood at the base of the rock wall. As they started to climb, Eros heard a loud screech. He felt the muscles in his back tense. He had to protect the others. He wiped his hands on his pants and gathered a few loose rocks into his arms, watching for the fanes. The fanes diving at the others would likely knock them off the wall.

  “Fanes!” Azetan alerted the others.

  “And Graeliths,” Eros added. “Climbing the wall.”

  Azetan gazed in that direction and glanced back at Tip. To his credit, Tip never once looked down and he kept climbing. Azetan then followed his lead.

  The first fane came into view over the treetops and circled only once before diving for Eros. He hurled a rock at the bird, sending it screeching back into the sky. Kenrya and Prizene joined him at the top and gathered the few remaining rocks around the platform. They prevented the fanes from attacking Azetan and Tip, but were quickly running out of rocks. Making matters worse, the Graeliths were covering distance up the wall quickly and were hurling knives toward the boys.

  “Surely they realize the knives that miss will fall back onto them,” Prizene said exasperated.

  Eros scoffed. “They train to catch knives. Hopefully they’ll lose their balance.”

  They heard a roar from below as one of the lead Graeliths tripped on Tip’s trap, pulling loose the supporting stick. Without the stick, the smaller rocks loosened, triggering the large boulder to tumble down the slope. The Graelith below attempted to avoid being struck by stepping quickly to the side. The rock knocked one Graelith completely off the ledge and caused two others to lose their balance, slipping farther down the rock wall.

  As Eros hurled the last rock at a diving fane, he said, “Check your packs. We need anything we can throw.”

  “That won’t be necessary,” a voice called.

  Eros turned to find a Krystic male and a Bruner female, both about his age, standing below the platform behind them. The boy said, “If you move aside, we can help.”

  “Traudin!” Prizene exclaimed, a big grin on her face. “You made it!”

  Traudin smiled at her as he and the girl jumped onto the platform. They each carried a strong bow and full quiver of arrows. The weapons surprised Eros, since bows were not commonly used in Zolei, at least not since the Tyrnott rule began. A fane dipped low, heading straight for Azetan, when Traudin’s arrow pierced the bird’s neck. Tip lunged forward to prevent the dead bird from falling on him. That fane would not fly again.

  One of the Graeliths blew a whistle and the birds stopped their attack. Eros found this surprising, as he assumed the birds were expendable.

  When Azetan and Tip stepped onto the platform, the Graeliths were over half the way up the path. Traudin turned to the others. “Quickly. More Graeliths make their way along the rock wall to the south and will find an opening soon enough.”

  He hopped off the platform, running quickly down the gradually sloped ground leading to a small, dark forest, fifteen feet below the top of the rock walls. The walls surrounded the little forest on all sides and the trees here were massive. Once they reached the forest floor, the darkness was absolute, despite the fact the sun now shone directly overhead. A thick mist hung heavily in the air, reducing the ability to see more than a few feet ahead. Traudin flipped on an electric torch, as did the Bruner girl, and they guided the marked ones throug
h the dense trees.

  After a short journey, Eros saw the ring of trees ahead. He remembered now his mother showing him the ring of trees and explaining how unique they were. Ten trees stood an even distance apart, forming the ring. Unlike the others, they grew straight, with enormous trunks and branches stretching straight out from the trees, starting six feet off the ground.

  Traudin headed directly for the circle and stopped once he stood inside the ring of trees. The others followed him with the Bruner joining them last.

  Eros studied one of the trees. Something emanated from it. Despite the darkness of the forest, the tension in his back eased. He rubbed his hand across the tree’s bark and felt warmth in his fingers that slowly spread up his arm.

  “Listen,” Prizene whispered to Traudin.

  “I know, the Graeliths,” Traudin replied. “I hear them, too.”

  “They must have found the opening already. They’re inside the forest,” Prizene said.

  “What do we do?” Tip asked.

  “Hold your breath,” Traudin replied. “And you might want to hold your nose.”

  Roots shot out from the tree branches, straight down, embedding themselves in the ground. More and more roots dropped from the branches, as the trees slowly closed the circle around the marked ones. Once the roots formed a thick wall, the ground beneath them started giving way. Eros was sinking. He looked to Traudin and saw no fear on the boy’s face. Everything was fine. Kenrya sucked in a breath. She looked worried, which was not surprising given her earlier experience with Sah. Eros put his hand on her shoulder, then remembering what Traudin said, he pinched his nose with his other hand. The others all did the same, as they slowly sank beneath the surface.

  Eros closed his eyes and held his breath as his head drew closer to the ground, then a few seconds later, he felt himself break free of the dirt and drop below. He opened his eyes to find that they had landed in an underground cavern. Eros brushed the dirt from his hair and clothes.

  “We made it!” Tip danced.

  Prizene hugged Traudin, “I’m glad we found you or you found us. I had traveled to the city center to find you, but we never decided where to meet.”

  Traudin hugged her back, “Good to see you, too. I knew you were marked, but once at the training camp, we can’t leave until they release us. The Graeliths hunt those in training, as well as the newly marked.”

  “This is the camp, right?” Tip asked, to which Traudin nodded. “Have you seen my brother? A Liput?”

  “No, but maybe someone else did,” Traudin replied. “Some of the instructors have been here for a long time, so they’ll know. I’m Traudin, by the way, and this is Elon,” he said as he motioned toward the Bruner. Prizene introduced the other marked ones.

  Elon said, “You must be exhausted and hungry. Come, let us show you around.”

  With her electric torch guiding the way, she led them through the darkened cavern. They moved through a series of rooms and Eros noticed they continued to descend farther underground. Building the camp underground was clever.

  After a few minutes, they entered a large room with lamps hanging on the walls. Small dots peppered the wall in bursts of color — green, yellow, red, and various shades in between. Eros stared at the wall wondering what caused such unusual formations. He lifted his hand to touch one of the green dots.

  “Do not disturb the walls,” a female voice commanded.

  Eros dropped his arm to his side and he turned toward the voice. A look of shock covered Kenrya’s face, as well as the others. Eros hesitantly faced the speaker, stunned at the sight that met him … a Gaela.

  The Gaela was tall with dark skin and thick, wavy, black hair framing her face and flowing down her back and over her shoulders. She had high cheekbones and her skin had an almost golden glow. She wore a long, pale gold tunic and full pants of the same color. Her wings were magnificent, unlike anything Eros had ever seen. They sparkled as the light reflected off the gold flecks that amplified the lighter golden color of the wings. She made her way to the center of the room, and there she stretched them. Their span was amazing.

  “I am Opia, one of the instructors here” she said. “Welcome. We know your journey has been difficult so far.”

  “So far?” Eros blurted out. “But our journey is over. We made it here safely.”

  She moved closer to Eros and studied him for a moment. Then she ran the back of her hand across his cheek. “Oh no, child,” she said with a gentle laugh. “Your journey has only just begun.”

  Author’s Note

  Thank you for your interest in my book. I hope you enjoyed it. Please consider taking a few minutes to write a sentence or two on Amazon in the form of a review. It doesn’t have to be fancy, just honest. Reviews are very helpful for new authors. Thank you for your help.

  Additional information will be posted over time to my webpage (About page):

  www.rebeccamccray.com

  You can follow or contact me on:

  Facebook (The Miyran Heir) - https://www.facebook.com/MiyranHeir

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  If you’d like to reach out to the artist EJ Wright, please contact her on Deviantart (Imaliea)

  http://imaliea.deviantart.com/

  May glory ride with you. All the best.

  Glossary of Species and Characters

  Arlian

  Ears curl upward and back at the top, with dozens of feathery-like pieces along the back from the midpoint of the ear to the top. Known for violent outbursts, prolific body markings, and obnoxious children.

  — Kenrya – Marked at 16 and on a journey to the training camp.

  Bertog

  Little flying creatures that are no bigger than four inches high. They have long braids swinging at their backs and wings about the size of their bodies. Their body coverings are various shades of blue.

  — Cusilje – Leader of the small group of Bertog.

  Bruner

  Forehead ridges. Generally peaceful and intelligent.

  — Arith – Leader of the undergrounders.

  — Elon – One of the marked.

  Cloonus

  Shoulder-length, flipped-up hair. Flat nose with a third nostril between the eyes.

  Gaela

  Winged species persecuted by the Tyrnotts. A royal Gaela could have a wing-span of twelve feet.

  Graelith

  Stand on two legs, but are “beast-like” with considerable quantity of body hair. Lack the agility and speed to hunt alone. Translucent eyes that glow in darkness and are barely noticeable in light. Large, pointed ears near the top of the head. Extended snout with razor sharp teeth and powerful claws.

  — Gornith – A strong fighter.

  Greot

  Head curves upward then spirals to a tip, with no hair showing on the head other than the eyebrows.

  — Chimsey – One of the old men.

  Human

  — Eros – Marked at 16 and on a journey to the training camp.

  — Isabelle – Eros’s mother, lives in the forest of Kullac.

  — Anthony – Trader and friend of Isabelle and Eros.

  — Henry – One of the old men.

  Hurfen

  Hair sticks out wildly. Faces appear to be smashed-in.

  — Jurf – Works at the shabby diner.

  — Jenda – Jurf’s youngest sister.

  Ilacious

  Upturned nose, round eyes, and sharply arched eyebrows. Thin lips and flat, long tongue.

  — Aria – Acts as trader for Isabelle at the market.

  Jirlt

  Ears that consist of a dozen two-inch tubes that fan out from a single point on both sides of the head toward the top and back. Rounded, slightly protruding mouth. Often disagreeable.

  — Archt - Trader

  Krystic

  Live in the foothills of the northern part of Caldot. Females have a golden design on the forehead that curves
up from the eyebrows to the hairline like a lattice and have white skin that appears illuminated. Females are capable of hypnotizing men.

  — Prizene – Marked at 16 and on a journey to the training camp.

  — Rinald – Prizene’s father, lives in the northern foothills. Head of Commerce.

  — Siljette – Prizene’s step-mother, lives in the northern foothills.

  — Traudin – Prizene’s friend.

  Liput

  Soft faces and slight builds. Hair that shows colored tips that vary by day. Lack the skill to wield weapons with deadly force. Primarily farmers and skilled mechanics.

  — Tip – Marked at 16 and on a journey to the training camp.

  — Trul – Tip’s eldest brother.

  — Sri – Tip’s other older brother.

  — Tren – Tip’s father, lives in Kentish.

  — Mirna – Tip’s mother, lives in Kentish.

  — Lictia – Mirna’s friend and owner of a restaurant in Kentish.

  Plinte

  Mighty race of warriors with high foreheads, upturned eyes, and breathing slits at the neck

  — Ampal – One of the undergrounders.

  — Azetan – Marked at 16 and on a journey to the training camp.

  — Ishta – Ampal’s sister.

  — Aston – One of the old men.

  Raptan

  Tall and willowy, with long arms and fingers. High forehead and beak-like nose.

  — Karlan – Friend of Tren, lives in Stipol.

  — Virsos – One of Lady Anyamae’s warriors and her aide.

  Sharmuse

  Have the ability to shift into four types of creatures: 1) winged beasts, or 2) fierce two-legged creatures with claws, sharp teeth, and leathery skin, or 3) web-footed lizards, or 4) small beings not unlike Humans.

  — Kalangia – Purple covering.

  Skurk