by RMGilmour
Haize bolted from the food hall, but was soon to return with a case of supplies and set about healing their wounds. Grid, white-faced, pulled me away from the room, and squeezed me into his chest.
“What happened?” I asked him.
“The wards broke through their defenses. I thought you were out there. You have no idea…” but he broke off unable to finish the sentence. Not that he needed to.
“I don’t understand. Why would they?”
“It’s what they do,” he responded.
“It’s why they bring us here,” came Lena’s voice.
I broke away from Grid and wanted to run to her, but I doubted she would appreciate my weak sentiment. Instead, it would most likely only annoy her and she looked annoyed enough as it was.
“What do you mean?”
“They hunt us down, capture us and insert us. We are then at the Guardian’s disposal,” she responded. “We have signals, frequencies all around the fields and the back entrance to the Colony. They get too close, the frequency dissolves them, sends them back to where they came from.”
“How did they bring down the signals?”
“Normally, they don’t leave the city during the day and at night we minimize the field to not provoke them. But when they feel the need, they attack us any way they can. “
“When will Aleric have them back up?” Grid asked her.
“He’s already working on them. The Colony is protected. They won’t be getting in.”
“Thank goodness Aleric is ok,” I sighed. “How many were lost?”
“Three,” she whispered. “Two Rathe, one warrior.”
“Castor?” I asked.
“He’s fine. He was further south when they attacked.”
I wanted to ask about Jordan, but I couldn’t. Not in front of Grid. I stared up at Lena, unable to stop my wringing hands, while trying to keep the question down and I bit my lower lip, to ensure no words escaped. I was sure she could sense my need, but she didn’t even so much as indicate that she was going to give me any kind of response. It was possible she didn’t know anyway. I needed to find Aleric and I shifted my gaze to the food hall. But upon seeing the injured, I knew I was in for a long wait.
“Does Haize need help?” I asked her.
“I don’t think you’re up for that,” she told me, and reminded me of when I’d seen my own insides.
“I can handle it,” I murmured. “I’ve seen worse.”
Haize thanked me for offering and handed me several of her gray sheets, different sizes, explaining to spread them over the deeper, more serious wounds. Not a job I was hoping she would provide, but the thank you’s that followed more than made up for the grinding in my stomach. Once done, she handed me a small container of clear goo and advised me to spread it across the minor wounds, to disinfect and quicken the healing. It was warm and spread easily over the wounds, numbing my fingers as I went.
When the last of them had left the room, I noticed the blood and mud that had tracked across the floor, and I doubted it was a room I would ever be able to eat in again. But before the tables were pushed back into position, Grid placed his hand against the entrance wall panel, releasing a bright, blue flash that briefly blinded me. Once it diminished, the floor was perfectly shiny once more, and I was sure the room had been more than simply sanitized.
But food was the last thing on my mind. I hadn’t yet seen Aleric, and I knew I was going to have to wait until morning to hear about Jordan. I didn’t think I was going to be able to sleep, but after a long hot shower, sleep was all I did.
And I awoke with the same burning question trying to escape; I was determined to get an answer. Grid assured me that Aleric had their defenses back up around the fields, and then pleaded with me to stay indoors. But I couldn’t, quickly making up the excuse that the fields would no doubt be a mess and would require a lot of work.
He only nodded, and made me promise to be careful.
Lena was waiting in the food hall amongst a few that had survived the attack, and when she spotted me, she pulled me up the stairwell and out into the field.
“He’s fine,” she whispered when we were well out of earshot. But she didn’t need to tell me. I could feel him, and I groaned with relief. “But you won’t see him today.”
I sighed, glad he was ok, but this was now day three without him.
“But what if the wards bring down the signals again?”
“They might try, but it’ll take them some time before they break Aleric’s frequency.”
At least Jordan and Mason would be safe.
“Are we going to the Arena today?” I asked her.
“No,” came Haize’s voice behind me. “You’re helping us today.”
“What are we doing?”
“Preparing traps.”
“For what?”
“Hunting.”
“We’re hunting today?” I asked, not sure if this was something I wanted to participate in, but I was determined to shake my weaknesses that threatened to separate me from them.
“No,” she responded, I was relieved anyway. “Just preparing the traps for when we do.” And she handed me a long-handled shovel.
I closed my fingers around the handle, not really having much choice; Haize had already let go of it. I wanted to smile - manual labor I could do, requiring neither bravery nor the ability to run really fast.
I followed them south along the tree line, past the fields, past Castor’s orchards, and then in through a wide expanse of trees that were broad and enormous. As I looked up at one I could not discern its height. We then continued to follow the line of trees to our left, and I realized we were no longer walking in the same direction… and there was no wall! The city wall, it seemed, did have an end to it.
I caught up to Haize to inquire about the wall, but she explained that it just continued on toward the south-east, then to the east, etc., all the way around. There was no opening.
The urge to ask how Jordan and Mason made it out of the city burned its way to my mouth, but I clamped my lips together, not wanting to voice the question. I was sure the colonists that walked with us were safe to discuss such things around, no doubt they’d all seen us together, but I decided against risking it.
Beyond the line of trees was a field of thick, green grass that stretched for miles. There were many colonists already in the field, plotting out areas to dig. Haize led me to a rectangular patch of dirt - the grassy layer had already been removed. It reminded me of a very large grave. And it was long enough and wide enough for maybe two people. Beside it was a broad, green sheet.
Haize stepped onto the dirt and began to dig, indicating for me to follow.
“How far down?”
“I’ll tell you when to stop,” she answered, tossing the dirt onto the sheet. “And make the sides as square as you can.”
After I’d made it several feet down, I looked up to inspect our uneven progress. Haize of course, had worked at twice my pace and her side of the hole was already much wider, deeper and squarer.
The warriors had joined us for the dig; the women picked up shovels and the men hauled away the massive bundles of dirt, then laid fresh sheets for us to fill. I stopped momentarily, to wipe the sweat away from my eyes, and asked Haize why they didn’t utilize their technology to do this.
“Manual labor means we work undetected,” she smiled.
Of course.
It took us several more hours to complete the hole. Haize took over my end once hers was at the right depth, and I went to work on making the sides perfectly even and straight with squared corners.
Once we were done, I realized the top was over my head and wondered how I was going to climb out, but a broad warrior arm reached down and hauled me up as though I weighed nothing.
I was covered in layers of dirt and sweat, but as I looked back down, I had the same eerie feeling that we’d dug a grave.
“What do we do with the hol
e?”
“It will be neatly covered back over with the grass,” Haize replied.
“But won’t the grass just fall back in?”
She laughed at my question. It seemed logical enough, but having never seen the Rathe in action, nor any of their technology - not really anyway - I should have known better than to ask.
“Not the way we cover it over. Come on, you need a bath!”
But she didn’t lead me back toward the Colony. Instead, we followed the riverbank, further downstream to where it flowed into a giant rock pool; some of the colonists were already enjoying the pristine water.
“Oh wow!” I breathed, and felt a hand shove me forward. The sudden cold sent a shock through my brain, but after the heat of the sun, the chill of the water was welcome on my skin.
Bobbing up for air, I turned in time to see Haize laughing just as Aleric pushed her in as well. He then jumped in after her.
It was hard to get the dirt out of my clothes, I was sure I’d be a muddy mess by the time I got back to the Colony, but when I finally pulled myself out of the water most of the dirt had washed off. The only problem was my shoes. They squished as I walked, and when I looked down brown mud oozed out of the sides.
I was about to ask Haize if it was safe to walk barefoot back to the Colony, but before I could get a word out, I stopped walking and thinking. Jordan’s presence soared within me. He was near.
I scanned the area before me, wondering how close he was, but then a squeal escaped my mouth as he picked me up from behind, swinging me around. It seemed I would see him today after all!
“Jordan,” Haize urged. “You shouldn’t be here. Others will see you out of the city.”
“I don’t care,” he told her, turning me around to face him.
“You will if you wake up in the Spire,” she whispered. “You need to leave.”
“I am leaving, but I’m taking Lydia with me,” he smiled. His eyes had not left my face. “She’ll be back before the evening.”
“Where are we going?”
He released me from his embrace, taking both of my hands in his. “I have a surprise,” he grinned, and examined the landscape around us, before turning back to me.
“On your way back, stay away from the field. Stick to the trees,” Aleric warned.
“Let’s go,” he smiled. He released one of my hands and pulled me back toward the river.
“Where to?” I called, trying to keep up.
“You’ll see.”
He jumped over the river and I jumped a second after him, and he urged me to run with him once more.
We ran south-east along the tree line; the sun mostly dried my clothing as we went. My shoes however, squished every step of the way until finally he stopped us, laughing at the noise.
He bent down and untied my shoes, removing them as well as my socks and retied the laces together. He then indicated for me to climb upon his back.
“You’re going to carry me?”
“You don’t think I can?” he raised his eyebrows, challenging my judgment.
“Ok,” I agreed, and climbed on.
He walked easily through the trees with me, my arms wrapped around his broad shoulders, his arms linked behind my knees, holding me to him. Laying my head against his shoulder, I closed my eyes and inhaled. I had to work hard to control the warmth that raced through me, as it again tried to escape my body to join him. But I kept it close, only letting it linger upon my surface, to gently converge with his.
We didn’t have too much farther to go, and by the time we’d stopped my feet had thankfully dried, and I sank my toes into the thick, soft grass. The trees in this part of the forest, were extraordinarily large and close together. They seemed to grow larger the further south we went.
“Close your eyes,” he smiled.
I did, and he led me step by slow step across the grass, carefully lifting me over tree roots, until finally he whispered to me to stop.
“We’re here,” he said.
I opened my eyes to see a cluster of enormous trees through which fine, brown, rectangular sails had been tied between the trunks and branches, creating a room enclosed on three sides. The fourth side was left open, exposed to the western horizon. Above were many more sails weaving in and out of the branches, forming a slanted roof, though they were smaller, triangular, and pale green in color. The thin fabric gently wafted with the soft wind as it wove through the trees. It was breathtaking!
He left my shoes and socks near the opening, laid out in the sun, and then led me inside. The floor was low to the ground, made of soft, thatched material, but was firm to walk on. Near the entrance was a brown, curved couch and was made it seemed, of the same thatched material as the floor. It held two long, soft cushions, one for the base and one for its back. Behind the couch was a small, oval table with two chairs.
Still holding my hand, he drew me toward the back of the room, to the right of which was one partially solid wall. Cut into this was a small counter with a panel beside it; a much smaller version of what we had in the Colony.
The back wall of the room was made of the same sail material, but it was hung in two sections. He moved one of these panels across to reveal another smaller room that held a large, square bed covered in soft, white sheets and pillows. I worked hard to maintain slow, even breaths, anticipating the moment when we would share that space.
I turned to him. I couldn’t stop smiling. “This is amazing,” I managed to say. “Did you…?”
“Yes and no,” he laughed. “Mostly Mason’s work. He also built the Rathe hut and helped the Heart build their Arena.”
“He likes to build things,” I mumbled, not really knowing what to say. The proximity of him in that room was numbing my brain.
“He likes to do things for people,” he said, putting his arms around my shoulders and drawing me to him. “He designed this for us.”
“Please tell him I said thank you,” I tried to keep my voice from shaking. I was twenty-seven, for goodness sakes! Time to get over it already.
“There is another room to the right of this one, a small bathroom, and all the power is generated right here. Heart’s gift to Mason. They would do anything for him.”
My trembling hands traced slowly up his arms and over his shoulders exploring every curve, every solid crescent and indentation.
“So now I can look at you any way I want,” my voice wavered. But before I could look up at him, his mouth seized mine.
We breathed each other in. Our arms drifting around one another, and he pulled me down onto his lap, as he sat back upon the bed.
He slid one hand under my shirt, caressing my back, holding me to him. The feeling inside me roared to life, as his warmth, his very essence rippled across me, beckoning me to join him. The overwhelming sensation of his hand upon my skin broke through my defenses, and I no longer wanted to contain the warmth within me. And I allowed it to seep through me.
But as I did, the fear that I was losing part of myself clamped down around my insides and I contained that need once more.
Instead, I focused on the strength of his mouth shaping mine, as his fingers trailed around my side to my stomach, and then up, over my ribs, leaving an indelible memory.
But he groaned as he removed his hand and pulled his mouth away from mine.
“This is not why I brought you here,” he whispered, falling back onto the covers. “We can’t stay. We need to go.”
“No, we don’t,” I complained, curling up beside him.
“Yeah, we do, it’s almost sunset and we have a long way back,” he sighed, rolling over to face me. “We need to figure out how to make this permanent.”
“I’m sure Haize and Aleric could think of something.”
He brushed his hand along my cheek and pulled me into his arms. Then easily rising from the bed, still holding me, he gently placed my feet upon the floor and straightened my shirt.
“What were you doing
today?” he asked, feeling the residual dirt on my clothes. He led me toward the front room where he generated for me, a new pair of boots and socks, sending my others back into the counter.
“I’m pretty sure I dug a grave,” I mumbled, as I pulled them on. But he didn’t question; he only gave me a confused look. “That’s why Aleric told us not to cross through the field. To stick to the trees on the way back.”
“So we wouldn’t fall into a grave?”
“Well, they’re not actually graves, Haize said they’re traps. They just looked like graves to me.”
“They? You mean more than one?”
“Yeah, maybe twenty or thirty but I wasn’t really counting.”
“That’s a morbid way to spend a day!” he tried to joke, but the concern in his tone, halted any smile that tried to form.
“How did you find me anyway?”
“I was on my way back to the city with Mason. We waited until most of the colonists had left, but when I saw you I couldn’t wait any longer. I had to show you what we’d been up to,” he smiled this time, while indicating the tree-house with a slight wave of his hand.
“I missed you,” I whispered, and leaned up to kiss him. His lips meeting mine once more, were softer, slower this time, and then we stopped and gazed into each other’s eyes.
“We need to go,” I breathed, remembering the last time we’d captured each other’s gaze this way; it had lasted a couple of hours.
I ripped my eyes away; he was in just as much danger as I was. He needed to get back to the city. Haize had mentioned something earlier, and I couldn’t recall the word she’d used, but I planned on asking her about it.
15
Hera
We parted at the tree hut, and I ran the distance across the field and over the hills. About half way back I had to stop; his presence was suddenly cut off from me once more, leaving me in solitude.
I made it to the cave entrance just as the first stars were appearing, but I didn’t feel like company and so I went straight to Grid’s apartment, wishing now I’d taken the time to find one of my own. I hoped he wasn’t around, and when I made it up the stairs he thankfully wasn’t, and I ran straight for the bathroom.