by Devri Walls
The center crack widened—once, twice—and then the whole ceiling gave way. Tybolt threw his arms over his head and dropped to the ground as pounds of earth rolled over him. When the rumbling finally stopped, Tybolt stood but couldn’t see anything through the haze. “Alistair! Asher!”
“I’m all right,” Asher said.
“Get out, both of you!” Alistair shouted. “I’ll be right behind.”
“No, you first,” Tybolt said.
“Get out, you stubborn, idiotic boy! I’m holding up the earth above us, but my magic can only do so much.”
Tybolt stumbled to where he hoped the wall was, his hands out in front of him. He finally felt dirt walls and then the rungs of the ladder. He crawled up, and Auriella grabbed his arms, pulling him the rest of the way. Asher was already topside. He stuck his head back down. “We’re up!” Tybolt held his breath until Alistair’s head emerged from the hole. He grabbed his uncle’s shoulders and yanked him up.
“I told you the tunnels were dangerous,” Alistair growled as he rolled to his back, coughing. “But nobody wants to listen to me.”
“What happened?” Griffon demanded.
There was more rumbling and then, like a scene ripped straight from his nightmares, the land in front of them completely collapsed, filling in the tunnel where they’d just been.
“No, no, no!” Tybolt stumbled forward, following the sunken earth until it mercifully stopped collapsing. He dropped to his knees and put his ear to the ground, desperate. He could hear the sound of feet and shouts still moving through the tunnels. A deep relief rushed through him.
Griffon was at his side a moment later. “Are they all right?”
“I think so. We could’ve lost some, but I don’t know. Where’s the next entrance to the tunnels?”
“The one you came down originally was the closest, but that area is frequented by Hunters. We need to head for the one farther out—a few miles away, at best.”
“Then we better get moving. Every minute we wait, the harder it’ll be to get through the forest without being caught.”
Griffon handed Alistair a hat with branches and leaves sprouting out of it. He peered at it as you would a rotting piece of meat served up at the dinner table. “You must be joking.”
“Do you want to get yourself thrown in the Hold?”
Tybolt buttoned up the shirt he’d been given, which was also adorned with foliage. “I’ve been in the Hold. Put the hat on.”
Jamison shrugged into a net covered in leaves and branches. “Is it really as bad as they say?”
“Worse, much worse.” Tybolt looked over the small group that now resembled walking pieces of forest. “All right, we’ve got a long ways to go and no horses. We need to move quickly but carefully.”
Auriella looked upwards, craning her neck to see the brown edges of the towering cliffs that peeked out above the thick foliage. “How are we getting these three out of Desolate Drop without the tunnels?”
Tybolt looked up. Those with Hunter abilities could probably manage going up—maybe—but the rest hadn’t a prayer of climbing that and surviving.
“I believe Tybolt could help,” Alistair said.
“Huh?” Tybolt had no idea what he was referring to.
“The trees.” Alistair motioned around them.
“I still haven’t seen what you can do,” Griffon said.
“Sure you have,” Asher interjected. “There was that lovely little piece of magic where he set your tent on fire.”
“I don’t like magic,” Jamison muttered.
Tybolt formulated a plan. Using the trees that lined the side of the canyon, he outstretched his hand and whispered a command. A pine nearby came to life. It twitched and twisted, and then one branch reached over and wrapped around Jamison’s waist. The poor boy screamed, his pitch rising to one Tybolt didn’t think possible, while he frantically pounded at his wooden captor.
“Shut up!” Tybolt said through laughter. “The whole forest will hear you.”
Jamison clamped his mouth shut, but his face drained of color as the branch picked him up and passed him from one tree to the next. It was working! But the tricky part was still to come.
Trees grew thick at the top of the ridge, but then came the steep drop for which Desolate Drop was named—two hundred feet of sheer rock ending in a pile of boulders and gravel. The land then sloped into the forested area that hid the bottom of the canyon from prying eyes.
When Jamison reached the edge of the rocks, Tybolt held his breath. The trees passed him sideways to a grandfather beech that towered above the rest. The old tree moved him up to the tip-top of its branches and leaned, creating an arch. Even still, he was far from the ridge, and Tybolt doubted his plan was viable.
“Tybolt?” Auriella questioned.
He didn’t respond, because he didn’t have an answer. He stared with the rest of them at Jamison’s dangling feet.
Then a root as thick as Tybolt’s arm exploded from the dirt at the rim. It waved in the air, stretching like the arm of a great sea creature, then shot down and wrapped around Jamison’s middle. Another scream escaped the man before he remembered Tybolt’s reprimand and kept quiet as the root neatly set him on the top of the drop.
“You chose him on purpose, didn’t you?” Alistair said.
Tybolt rocked back on his heels with a grin. “Absolutely.”
It took a little time, but one by one they all moved up the hill until all six of them were standing safely on the rim. Tybolt was the last to the top, and he turned around only to run straight into Jamison’s scowling face.
“That wasn’t very nice,” he snapped.
They moved as quickly as they could towards Eriroc without making themselves easy targets, which meant they were forced to walk when Tybolt wanted to run and avoid the paths most often taken —which naturally were the fastest. They’d walked for nearly two hours when the whinny of a horse froze them in their tracks.
“Hide!” Tybolt hissed. He and Auriella grabbed Alistair and jerked him down, shoving him into a bush. Tybolt gave a quick glance to make sure the other three were safely hidden before he crouched down next to his uncle.
By the sound of it, there were at least four horses pounding towards them. Multiple Hunters was really not something he wanted to deal with. He carefully pushed a branch to the side so he could see better.
Two wizards crashed through the foliage.
“Who is that?” Tybolt hissed.
Alistair shook his head. “I don’t know.”
“Run,” the blonde wizard shouted to the other. “Faster!”
Alistair started to stand, but Tybolt grabbed his arm and jerked him back down. “Don’t even think about it.”
“But they’re in trouble—”
“Expose us now,” Auriella said, “and we’re all dead.”
The wizards vanished into the forest. A few moments later the horses appeared with Hunters astride. Tilly was in the lead, her black hair streaming behind her. Tybolt marveled for a moment. He’d never been on this end of the Hunt. Between their stunning beauty and physical abilities, Hunters truly were frightening.
Tilly shouted orders, splitting the Hunters in three groups to hem the wizards in. Two of the horses plunged through the undergrowth so close to Tybolt that a branch swung back and slapped him across the face. He gritted his teeth—that was going to leave a welt.
Riders shouted, horses snorted, branches snapped, and Hunters continued to appear to the left and right, weaving in and out of the area. It was only a matter of time before one of them was accidentally discovered. He had to do something.
A rustle to his right caught his attention. Jamison was quickly removing his camouflage.
“What is he doing?” Auriella whispered.
Jamison walked into a clearing and proceeded to unlace his pants and begin urinating over the trunk of a tree. Tybolt muttered a stream of obscenities.
“You,” Tilly shouted. “Turn around!”
&nb
sp; Jamison casually looked over his shoulder. “Well, hello, my lady. I would, but—I’m a little busy at the moment.”
“I said turn around!”
Jamison shrugged and turned around with his hands on his hips.
She had the decency to blush and look away.
“I did warn the lady,” he said as he pulled his pants back up.
Tilly circled him on her horse. “Your eyes are brown. You’re not a wizard.”
“No, my lady.”
“What are you doing out here?”
“Decided I didn’t want to live in the city anymore.” He put his hand to the side of his mouth as if sharing a great secret. “I was tired of starving.”
She scowled down at him.
“But—” He waggled his eyebrows. “Had I seen you before I left, I may have made a different choice.”
Auriella groaned.
Tilly huffed in aggravation. “We’re looking for wizards.”
“So it seems. You’re being loud enough about it. Chased off any prey for miles. I’ll be going hungry tonight, thank you very much.”
“Have you seen any?”
“Any what?”
“Wizards!”
“Maybe.” Jamison took a step forward and ran a finger suggestively up Tilly’s leg. “But that information will cost you.”
“What the hell is he doing?” Auriella hissed in Tybolt’s ear.
Tilly snarled and put her boot in his chest, shoving him backwards. His foot caught and he fell flat on his back. “I’m on the King’s business, and you’ll tell me what I need to know!”
Jamison didn’t even bother to get up. He put his hands behind his head and smiled. “Perhaps you should convince me. I can think of a few things that might do.”
Tilly dismounted and Tybolt groaned inwardly. Jamison was a dead man. She pulled her sword and straddled Jamison, pressing the blade under his neck.
“How about the kiss of my steel? Will that loosen your tongue?”
Jamison licked his lips. “It will indeed, my lady. Why didn’t you say so?”
“Where are they?” she shouted.
Jamison raised a hand and pointed in the opposite direction of where the group was crouched. “They went that way.”
Tilly stood and sheathed her sword. “If I find out you’ve lied to me, I’ll haul you back to the castle and let King Rowan decide what to do with you. Or I might just teach you a lesson myself.” She mounted her horse. “You should pray for the first.” She kicked and plunged back into the forest, shouting for the others.
They all waited, motionless, until the sounds of the forest returned. Birds and insects promised an area free of Hunters. Tybolt stood and the blood rushed painfully back to his toes. “Risky approach, Jamison, but well done.”
“Lucky you didn’t try it with me.” Auriella fingered her dagger and cocked an eyebrow. “I would’ve left something for you to remember me by.”
Jamison just laughed. “I figured, make a woman mad enough and she’s liable to walk away.”
“You’ve never made a Hunter mad before, have you?” Tybolt said.
Jamison’s face fell. “Well, no.”
“Maybe you shouldn’t try it again.”
Asher clapped him on the back. “Good advice, that. I’d take it if I were you.” He ran a finger over Jamison’s neck and held it up. “You’ve got a little blood there.”
“Would you like the bad news now or later?” Griffon said.
Auriella sighed. “Now what?”
“The entrance we were heading for is that way.” He pointed in the same direction that Jamison had just sent the Hunters.
“Of course it is.” She glared at Jamison.
“I know another one,” Alistair said. “But we better move before the Hunters come back.”
Although they moved steadily towards the next entrance, it was much farther than Tybolt had expected. He anxiously watched through the tree branches as the sun slid west.
They were nearing the valley when Alistair finally stopped near a large pine. It had grown at an angle and thick branches hung low, draping across the ground, neatly concealing the door to the tunnels beneath a thick carpet of needles.
While Alistair brushed the dirt and needles away, Tybolt heard the faint sound of something snapping behind them. He leaned over to Asher. “Did you hear that?”
Asher nodded and his hand moved to his sword. “Yes.”
Auriella turned, her eyes scanning the trees. Tybolt lowered his voice further, not wanting to alert Alistair. “Someone’s tracking us.”
“Probably multiple someones,” Auriella said. “Most likely they’re coming in on all sides. We need to get those three safe below and then draw them off.”
“Alistair’s going to love that.” Tybolt cleared his throat. “The sun’s going down fast. Griffon, Jamison, get in the tunnel. You too, Alistair. We’re running out of time.” Once all three were safely inside, he crouched at the edge of the hole. “We’re being hunted. My guess is we’re nearly surrounded. You three get to the city and help the others. We’ll draw them off.
Alistair immediately objected. “I’m not leav—”
“Yes,” Tybolt said, firmly. “You are. Because that is the only way this works. I’ll meet you in the city.”
Alistair chewed over his objections with one hand gripped tightly around a ladder rung.
“I’m sorry.” Tybolt slammed the door.
Asher knelt next to him and quickly helped him cover the lid while Auriella kept watch. They worked seamlessly together—stealth was what they’d been trained for.
“All right,” Asher said. “You two go right and eliminate any threats from that direction. I’ll go left and pull away the rest. Meet back up at the trail to the city.”
Tybolt hesitated but there was no time for an argument. “Just, don’t get yourself killed.”
“And miss the look on Rowan’s face when he sees you? I wouldn’t dream of it.” Asher winked and then dashed left.
“Should we split up?” Auriella asked.
“No, we can split later if needed.”
They turned and ran. Once they were clear of the large pine and the secret it guarded, they slowed to a walk. They moved in complete silence, giving nothing away while taking in everything.
Tybolt watched for a flash of color and listened for any sound that might alert him to how far off an attack was. “I can’t say I’m fond of being on the other end of this little game,” he whispered. His heart pounded in a distinctly different manner when he was prey instead of Hunter.
“You look like a scared rabbit,” Auriella said tightly. Her muscles were tense as she carefully placed her feet.
He needed a plan. He was not a rabbit, and he wouldn’t wait around until an arrow punched through his gut. That visual stole his concentration for a moment, and he stepped on a thick piece of wood, snapping it in two. He froze, mentally cursing his stupidity. Auriella cursed him aloud.
Running footfalls came from two directions. A figure slid past his vision to the right, and then another passed straight in front. Hopefully it was only the two. The Hunter to the right of him burst through the trees. It was Giselle, a friend of Tilly’s. She was small in stature for a Hunter, but she was fast.
Tybolt took off at a dead run with Auriella right behind. He veered to the left, avoiding the Hunter in front. He glanced back and caught a branch to the face.
“Yes, she’s gaining,” Auriella shouted. “Keep your eyes forward!”
An arrow flew by, so close that the fletching slashed his check before thwacking into the tree in front of him.
“Up!” Auriella shouted. “Giselle’s not a strong climber. I’ll slip around and catch the archer.” She made a hard left.
Auriella was right—Giselle was not a strong climber. Despite her denials, Tybolt would bet a full hunt’s earnings that she was afraid of heights. He leapt and grabbed a branch, swinging himself around just as another arrow flew beneath him. He scrambled up
, swinging over and under on the quickest path to the top.
The arrows were being thrown off course by the branches of the tree. Tybolt was grateful, but he was also lucky and he knew it. Had it been Asher firing, he’d be dead. If Auriella didn’t find that archer soon, it would only be a matter of time before one found its mark. He scrambled higher, trying to draw Giselle up while using the trunk as a shield.
“Stop running like a scared little girl,” Giselle shouted.
Her voice was shaking, and Tybolt sighed. “Why don’t you come a little higher, Giselle, and show me what that looks like.”
She sputtered. “I’m not scared of heights.”
“Never said you were. We can have a chat up here then, about me being a wizard and all.”
“You admit it’s true!”
“Maybe.” He peered up and pointed. “Look at that, a nice spot to sit just a little higher. How about we settle in and then we can hash out this whole mess?”
The branches grew thinner, and they protested with distinctive pops and cracks that foreshadowed certain doom if he dared continue.
Tybolt was forced to slow his ascent, choosing the path more carefully. Even still, he misjudged and a branch snapped cleanly in half beneath his feet. He dangled for a moment before swinging to the side.
“You’re going to fall out of this tree. Give it up.”
“Don’t sound so worried—that would be less work for you,” Tybolt shouted down. “Nothing better than when your prey takes himself out. Especially when that prey is bigger than you.”
“I’m not afraid of you.”
Maybe she wasn’t afraid of him, but she was definitely afraid. Her climbing had slowed dramatically, and she continually looked down.
Tybolt was running out of room to climb—he searched for another escape path. The only one he saw he didn’t like very much. Giselle had stopped and leaned her head against the trunk.
“If you’re feeling dizzy, we can always take a break.”
She shook her head and began climbing again. When she was within a few feet, he could see the sweat beaded on her forehead and the damp hair stuck to the nape of her neck.
He’d practically grown up with the Hunters. The last thing he wanted to do was kill them.