by David Hodges
“Fíodor stop!” shouted Faron.
Fíodor looked to Faron, his confused black eyes staring as his massive fangs faded into his jaw.
Aatu approached Fíodor and removed the satchel from around his neck. “I must admit, I’m impressed. This isn’t a side of you I’ve seen before.” He punched him hard, knocking him unconscious. “Restrain him, with iron.”
Faron went to Aatu and held out his hand, looking expectantly to the satchel.
Aatu grumbled, “You nearly got us lost on the way down… wouldn’t want you to lose your way again.” He slung the satchel over his shoulder.
30
CAMERON
Cameron looked down at his splinted leg. He touched the bulky contraption made from leather and bone—it was cured. Veins of Fuil extended onto his bare skin from the leather strap wrapped around his leg. He realized his leg was not bandaged, there was only a pink scar where his bone had broken through the skin. “How long has it been?”
“Two days,” Daniel replied.
“How did it heal so fast?”
“They poured medicine on it, reckon it was the same they used on your back. That’s not your average splint either. The doctor said you ought to be able to walk in a few days time.”
“What happened to Alexandra? Did they find her? Did they stop him?” Cameron was afraid he knew the answer from the look on Daniel’s face.
Daniel shook his head. “Sorry, Cameron.”
The door to the room swung open and Hazel and Fergus entered along with Alviva.
Hazel kneeled down beside Cameron’s bed and held his arm.
“How are you feeling?” she asked.
“How do you think?” said Cameron.
“You nearly killed yourself jumping off that cliff,” she said.
Fergus said, “Yeah, mate. I was sure you were a goner.”
Hazel said, “If you’d practiced with Alviva, perhaps you could have landed safely. Would’ve kept you out of this.” She tapped the splint lightly.
“Is all this scolding supposed to make me feel better?” asked Cameron.
Hazel said, “You’re right... sorry.” She squeezed his shoulder. “We do have some good news, though.”
“What’s that?”
“We found the Sphere!” said Hazel, beaming.
“What!” exclaimed Cameron. “You’re serious?”
Hazel nodded.
“Where? When?”
“Last night, in the mines at the quarry.”
“How?”
She explained her discovery of the shield and comb’s function and how they had used it to guide them to the Sphere in the caverns.
“So what now?” asked Cameron.
“What do you mean?” asked Hazel.
“Will they search harder for Alexandra now that the Sphere is safe?”
Alviva said, “Well, not exactly... the plan is to continue waiting for him to come to us. Surely word will spread that it’s been found.”
Cameron gritted his teeth. “We’ll wait. Of course that’s the plan.” He sat up with a groan, his leg aching. “I won’t be joining you. Ayalon doesn’t need me anymore.” He looked to Hazel. “He never did. I’m going to find her.”
Daniel said, “Cameron, how do you expect to...”
Cameron exploded, “Stop! I’m sick of this! I won’t wait any longer. I had the chance to save her, and what was I doing? Playing a bloody game!” He sat up, then tried to stand.
Daniel stopped him and said, “Cam, your leg is still broken, it may be healed on the outside, but they said the bones will need time.”
Cameron brushed Daniel’s hand from his shoulder. He ignored the warning and stood. His leg ached at the effort, but it was not unbearable. “I think it’s time you all stop telling me what to do.”
Daniel looked wounded at the remark. “I wasn’t —”
Cameron cut him off. “I’d like some time alone.”
“Alright,” said Daniel softly with a nod.
“Not you, Alviva.”
She looked to Daniel and gestured toward the door. Daniel followed Fergus and Hazel out of the room.
“Shut the door,” said Cameron.
Alviva did as he asked. “What is it, Cameron?” Her brow was furrowed with concern.
“What did you see when you touched the eagle? At the Samhain games.”
“I... I told you, Cameron, he was just interested in the tourney.”
Cameron nodded, unconvinced. “I’ll tell you what I saw. I saw Einar carrying Alexandra up the quarry. You’re telling me that the bird showed you something else?”
“He must have seen them after I read him.” She sounded nervous.
“Why are you lying to me?”
She averted his gaze. Then she took a deep breath and looked back at him with a resolute intensity that was in stark contrast to her demeanor only seconds before. “Cameron, you’ll understand all of this soon.”
“Wait! Alviva.”
She turned quickly and left, shutting the door hard behind her.
Cameron sighed, then pounded his fist on the wall. Forget this... forget your secrets, forget waiting. He looked over toward his desk. Resting on top was Ionga’s leather wrapped box. He tried to take a step toward it. The splint dug into his thigh, taking the pressure off his lower leg. It was uncomfortable, but it seemed to be working as he was able to walk, or at least hobble. He reached the desk and opened the case. He stared down at the bow and its three arrows. He could still shoot one through Einar’s heart, broken leg or not.
At first, Cameron was surprised to find that there were no guards watching over him. Then he realized that with the Sphere found, Ayalon must not have been so preoccupied with keeping Cameron out of Einar’s grasp. His broken leg must’ve seemed to be enough of a hindrance in an escape attempt as well.
Cameron had managed to make it to the barn where Elisedd worked, using his longbow as a walking stick while Ionga was wrapped up on his back along with the sack of supplies he had brought with him when he came to the estate with Marlow’s search party.
He found Elisedd mucking out one of the stalls.
“Cameron, what are you doing here?” Elisedd noticed the determination in Cameron’s eyes. “Listen, what they’re saying about me...”
“I don’t care what they’re saying about you. I need your help.”
“With what?”
“You know how to get down the quarry. I need you to show me.”
Elisedd looked down at Cameron’s leg. “There’s no way you’re making it down there with that leg.” Something behind Cameron caught Elisedd’s attention.
Cameron turned and saw Faron approaching behind him. Bollocks.
“Going somewhere?” asked Faron.
“Don’t try to stop me. I swear I’ll jump off that cliff again if I have to!”
“That won’t be necessary,” said Faron. “You can leave through the front gate... if you let me come with you. I’ll help you find her, Cameron.”
“You’re serious?”
“Yes, I am. Cameron, you’re vulnerable in this state. Even if you find him, you won’t stand a chance alone.” He looked to Elisedd, “Elisedd, could you bring Cameron his horse? Let’s see if he can ride.”
Elisedd returned with Cameron’s horse. He touched his neck, and the horse crouched down on his front legs. “I’ve taught him a few tricks.”
Cameron mounted the horse, carefully putting the foot of his injured leg of the stirrup. He was surprisingly comfortable in the saddle. “This will work.”
Cameron rode up to the front gate behind Faron.
Cuyler approached them. “Where are you headed, sir?”
“Through that gate,” Faron replied.
“Could you elaborate?”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” said Faron.
“Alright then.” Cuyler turned to the guards posted at the gate and signaled for them to open the gate, then beckoned a pair of them. He looked back at Faron. “Don’
t mind if they join you?”
“We’re fine without them.”
“I insist... I’m sure your father would as well.”
“Fine, ready yourselves quickly.”
The four of them rode through the gates and into the forest beyond the wall.
One of the guards rode up beside Faron and said, “Have you both taken your doses?
Faron looked to Cameron. “No. I’d forgotten.”
The guard pulled out a vial and handed it to Cameron. “Take a swig of that.”
“What is it?” asked Cameron.
The guard replied, “An antidote to Einar’s darts... your uncle ought to take better care.”
Faron nodded. “Drink it.”
Cameron swallowed it. It was foul tasting, and he barely managed to keep it down.
The guard laughed and patted him on the back. “Well worth it, lad.”
They continued down the forest trail.
“Do you have a plan?” Cameron asked Faron.
“We’ll ride toward Derby. We were able to extract information from Fíodor. He believes Einar is lying low there.”
“And then what?” asked Cameron.
“We’ll improvise,” said Einar.
Cameron detected a hint of impatience in his voice.
They continued on to the edge of the forest where they reached the fields adjacent to Ayalon’s manor. The sun was beginning to set over the golden wheat.
Faron stopped his horse and said, “We’ll take a shortcut. Follow me.”
The two Laochra looked to one another.
“That’s an order,” said Faron.
“Yes, sir,” they said in unison.
They rode through an unharvested section of the field, the wheat as high as their horses’ bellies. They approached a patch of forest. There was no sign of a trail.
Faron stopped. “Go ahead.”
“Sir, there’s no path here.” The guard moved his hand to the hilt of his saber.
Faron brought his horse closer toward the guard’s. “You’re right...”
In an instant, Faron drew his sword and nicked the hind quarter of the guard’s horse, sending it forward as he leapt off his own horse. As he fell toward the ground, he pulled the Laochra down by his neck, off the back of his fleeing horse, and slammed him into the ground.
The Laochra laid motionless in the fallen leaves.
The second Laochra had dismounted his horse and had his sword out. He swung at Faron. Faron easily parried a pair of his blows, then cut the guard’s sword arm. The Laochra’s sword arm hung low. Faron brought the hilt of his sword to the Laochra’s face.
The man leaned backward, narrowly avoiding the blow, and managed to transfer his sword to his uninjured arm. He swung the blade at Faron.
Faron blocked the attack and kicked the guard into a tree, then followed through with a full bodied punch to his face, his clawed hand following through.
The guard slumped to the ground.
In the short time that this had ensued, Cameron had only just managed to get Ionga off his back, but it was still wrapped and unstrung.
Faron stepped toward Cameron.
Without a thought, Cameron turned his horse and galloped back toward the village, each stride sending jolts of excruciating pain up his leg. As he galloped through the field, he heard something whizzing through the air above him. Then he saw a hawk falling to the ground in front of him with an arrow through its wing, no, a dart.
Cameron turned around to see Faron closing in behind him on foot. He was fully changed with big beige eyes, his ears pointed with tufts of hair, an angular beard with tan fur hanging off the corners of his jaw.
A short distance behind Faron a man was bounding over the field. His head was bald, his skin a mottled grayish-green. Patches of wheat colored skin were replacing the gray. Einar.
“Stop!” Faron yelled at Cameron.
Then Cameron felt a sharp pain in the back of his shoulder. He reached back and pulled the dart out. He felt a bit dizzy, his vision hazy, but the sensation did not progress. He looked over his shoulder. They were only feet behind him. He had to do something, fast. He took his feet out of his stirrups, then concentrated.
He felt Faron grab onto his leg with a clawed hand. On his other leg, a grotesque hand wrapped all the way around his splint.
With a yell, Cameron’s wings shot out from his back and he was launched up off the back of his horse, breaking free of Faron and Einar’s holds. They were both sent rolling over the wheat field, the wheat stalks crumpling beneath him. Cameron landed, nearly falling over at the impact on his injured leg. His wings retracted. His shirt and jacket had been ripped off of him when he changed, exposing the tendinous mass on his chest.
He ducked into the wheat and unwrapped Ionga. His hands shook as he struggled to string Ionga, but he managed it. He drew the first arrow he felt in his quiver as he scanned the field, then crawled awkwardly through the grass toward the forest.
He peered behind a tree and saw Faron and Einar walking through the field as they searched the field.
Cameron’s heart pounded harder than it already was as Einar noticed a trail in the wheat. He took aim at Einar’s leg and fired his bow. The sound of a stag’s bellow filled the air for a brief moment before the arrow bounced off his thigh.
Bollocks.
Faron and Einar looked up at Cameron then walked toward him.
“Cameron wait!” Faron shouted.
Cameron fired another arrow at Faron, he had made sure it was sharp.
Faron snatched it out of the air.
The pair continued toward him. Cameron drew another arrow, one of Ionga’s. He backed away, struggling to keep his balance as he aimed back and forth between them. “Don’t come any closer!” he yelled.
“Cameron, we aren’t your enemies. You’ve been deceived! Alexandra is safe, she was never in danger!”
“You’re lying! It was you, wasn’t it?! You killed Alviva’s father. He knew what you were doing, didn’t he? You made sure he couldn’t tell anyone.”
“No, Cameron. You’ve got it wrong. He was on our side, as is Alviva. Aatu’s wolves murdered her father, think Cameron! Otus was my closest friend. Lower your arrow and let us explain!”
“No! Alviva’s mother was frightened by you. She knew you killed her husband!”
Faron shook his head. “She was angry because she felt I was responsible for bringing him into this. She was right, his death was my fault, but I didn’t do it... Aatu did. She was frightened for her and Alviva’s safety and she wanted to make it clear to him that they would no longer be cooperating with me.”
Cameron remembered the pink scars on the wolves’ eyes, like cuts from a talon. But they were days old... Then he thought of the potent medicine he had been given. But Einar... Alexandra. “He kidnapped her! I was there!” He pulled back harder on Ionga’s string and aimed it at Einar, ignoring the fatigue in his arm and back.
“Cameron, please... calm down.” Faron continued toward him.
“Stop! You’re tricking me!” Cameron aimed back at Faron, his arm was shaking from the effort of keeping his arrow drawn. Then he heard a faint rustle in the leaves behind him. He spun around, and just as his arrow left his bow, he saw a girl standing there.
“Cameron, stop!” Faron cried.
It was too late. Cameron’s arrow was already gone by the time he saw Alexandra staring back at him. The arrow was flying straight for her heart.
31
HAZEL
“He’s got a point you know,” said Daniel. “We found the Sphere, and nothing’s changed for him. Alexandra’s still out there somewhere. It’s fair for him to be frustrated.”
Hazel said, “He doesn’t have to be such a grouch, kicking us out like that. I like him better when he’s asleep.” She took a sip of her tea.
Daniel sighed, “This is all bonkers, isn’t it?”
Fergus said, “I still can’t believe Fíodor had us duped this whole time.”
&nbs
p; “We don’t know for sure yet,” said Hazel.
“He tried to steal the Sphere, Hazel,” said Fergus.
Hazel said, “Yes, he wanted the Sphere, but who says he was going to take it to Einar? Maybe he wanted to keep it safe, and he just didn’t know who to trust... just like the rest of us.”
Fergus said, “Hazel, everything points to it. You saw him yourself with that man who broke into the Nest. Aatu was probably right about why he snuck you off to Derby as well, it’s too big a coincidence that Faron showed up.”
Daniel said, “So let’s say Fíodor has been on Einar’s side since we got here. He must’ve stayed close to you so that he could take the Sphere to Einar if you found it. It adds up.”
Hazel said, “But Faron trusted him. He’s been on his side despite Aatu’s allegations at the Samhain and in Derby.”
Fergus said, “How do we know we can trust Faron?”
“What?” said Hazel incredulously.
Daniel was concentrating, then said, “That day when we found Alviva’s mother by her husband’s body.” He shook his head. “The way she treated Faron.”
“What do you mean?” said Hazel.
Daniel continued, “She was scared, angry, and she didn’t want anything to do with him. It didn’t make any sense at the time, they’re close friends... but now, I can’t help but wonder, maybe she knew something. Maybe she knew Faron was involved in her husband’s death.”
Fergus said, “And there’s what Aatu said in the mines, about Faron nearly getting the guards lost on the way down, he could have been stalling for Fíodor.”
Hazel said defiantly, “No. It’s not possible. It doesn’t make any sense, Talamh is Faron’s to protect, why would he help Einar?”
Fergus said, “Is it his, though? Isn’t it Ayalon’s to protect? Maybe Faron wants to change that, maybe helping Einar can make that happen.”
Daniel said, “I did see them arguing at Otus’s funeral.”
Hazel could not deny the tension she had observed between Faron and Ayalon. She thought back to the Samhain, how Faron lost control in the duels, beating on Aatu after the fight had ended. Faron had walked right through Ayalon when it was over. “Why did Faron go berserk on Aatu at the Samhain?”