by Krystal Wade
Flanna tears her gaze from my sister then turns to me. “Trust? Do not tell me you trust him? I am sure that little weasel had a hand in setting us up.” She’s angry, but her voice never goes above a whisper.
“I didn’t trust him at first, but I do now—and I don’t think he had anything to do with our set-up. There were two working against us. Lann was one. Do you guys have any idea who the other was … other than Perth?”
Flanna scowls then returns to face the cliff.
“Lann did not have anything to do with it, ma’am,” Cadman says.
“I saw with my own eyes … well, through Brit’s mind.”
Brit shakes her head. “I was wrong, Kate. I’m so sorry. That wasn’t Lann—he shifted into something else soon after you left my mind, and I forgot to say anything when you came back. Somehow they knew about our connection. They tricked me. Just like when the daemon threatened me with his blood. As soon as the connection faded, we could hear your screams from here. That’s when they brought Arland and me down to that s-snake thing.”
Information swims inside my head. Every time I feel like I know something, everything changes. “So Lann isn’t a spy?”
Arland grits his teeth. “No, a shifter in the form of Lann was the spy. He is the one who allowed the daemons to enter the base while we were sleeping. When I came out to see what was going on, I saw his true form.”
“But you said they only shifted into animals. How come we couldn’t tell?”
“I do not know the answer.” Arland shakes his head. “It certainly explains so many of our own turning against us.”
“Does this mean the real Lann may be out there somewhere, and we still have no idea who the other spy was?”
“Are you sure there were two?” he asks.
“I’m not sure of anything, but a certain someone said he had two daemons working against us.” I’m keeping details about my meeting with Griandor secret from as many people as possible. Knowledge is power, just like Arland’s father always told him, and what I know, others will want to as well.
“Well, if there were two”—Flanna rolls her eyes—”I have a pretty good idea one of them was Perth.”
She’s getting under my skin. “Are the other soldiers still up there, or did they leave before the tairbs and coscarthas got here?” I ask, pointing up the cliff.
“Where would they have gone? You were taking care of Arland and Brit. None of the soldiers had weapons; there was nowhere to go.” Flanna’s tone borders on hostile.
I know she loves her people, but she acts as if I should have left Arland and Brit to die. No matter how hard I try, I cannot protect everyone.
Arland towers over his cousin. “Control yourself.”
Her expression softens, and she covers her face with her hands. “I am sorry, Kate. We have never had anything like this occur. I love Lann and cannot imagine anything happening to him.”
“You love Lann? I wouldn’t have known,” I say, trying to calm my frustration. Love certainly explains her current behavior, and maybe even some of her others.
Brit gives me a pointed look. “See what I mean about hiding things?”
Flanna drops her hands; her face blanches, making her blue eyes blaze in the Darkness. “Kate, I have been sharing a room with a daemon for … I do not even know how long.”
I wrap my arms around her, and she sobs into my shoulder.
“We can discuss our love lives later. Right now we need to come up with a plan—one that does not involve us standing here waiting to get caught,” Arland says.
Flanna backs away and scowls at him.
Cadman casts a weary glance in the direction of the cave. “Is there another way out?”
“There must be, but we have no reason to run and hide.” Arland tips his head in my direction, and for a moment, I get an urge to turn and run the other direction. But this isn’t just my life in danger; it’s everyone in the world.
Cadman holds up the claymore. “Other than this sword, we have no weapons, sir.”
“Kate, how do you feel?” Arland asks, rubbing my arms. “Do you think you can handle what is up there, or would you prefer to go back into this cave?”
So many dreams I’ve had of us dying in a cave, or rather just outside of one. I’d like to get as far away from the rocks … and, well, daemons in general as possible, but I don’t want to hide. Both stowing away in this cave and fighting in the one above hold consequences I’m not sure I’m ready to face; however, with Arland beside me, I don’t feel weak. “I say we fight.”
A grin spreads across his face. “Are you sure? Once we start we cannot stop.”
“We can’t leave everyone up there in the hands of daemons. They’ll kill them when they find four captives missing. Besides, we need to get to Willow Falls and work on that other thing.” That other thing being my army.
Arland takes my hand in his. “Cadman, give me the sword. Would the three of you feel safer waiting here or coming with us?”
Cadman hands the sword over as if he’s giving up an arm or a leg. “I would prefer to fight, sir. I just wonder what use I will be without a weapon.”
“When Kate’s fire burns, think of the things you love. Connect your mind to those things then command the magic to do your will. It will be the only weapon you need, but we must work fast. The magic drains her. She has not had enough rest, but if we all work together, it should make her job easier.”
My mouth hangs open as I stare at Arland. “How do you know all of this, Arland?”
Glancing sideways, he smiles. “What do you think I was thinking about in every battle we have endured so far?”
Flanna groans. “Love lives later, right Arland?”
I hate how upset she is. I know it’s not my relationship with Arland bothering her; Flanna did her best to push us together, but I can’t worry about her right now. My sister is trembling.
“Brit, are you going to be okay with this?” I ask.
She wraps her arms around herself. “I-I d-don’t know how to use the m-magic or a sword. The only thing I do know how to use is a b-bow, and I don’t have one.”
Freeing my hand from Arland, I embrace Brit and rub her back, trying to ease her nerves. “Stay behind me and Arland. Do you understand? Not in front, not to the side, but behind me—within inches.”
Teeth chattering, face pale—she nods.
I lace my fingers with Arland’s again then lock eyes with him. “Let’s go.”
He leads us along a path running about a quarter mile around the left side of the ledge. The daemons are quiet, and so are we. We creep up the hill, and the only things I hear are our footsteps.
“Wait until we reach the top to release the magic,” Arland says.
An eerie silence blankets the cliff, making it difficult to keep the magic inside, but I do. I have no choice. With our backs to the rock formation, we slink along toward the mouth of the cave.
Hooves clop on the stone. Muffled voices rise in a panicked state. Groans echo into the night.
Arland leans next to my ear. “Now would be a good time to release the magic, Kate. When you do, step out where they can see you, and do not let go of me.”
Closing my eyes, I send my mind searching through every part of my body for strength, for love, for all the things I think of when I need control. I see the horses, my sister, my mom, my friendship with Brad, but most of all I see Arland, and I feel Arland. Grasping onto those images, I will them over my heart and push out the Light. I take a step into the open with Arland by my side, Brit, Cadman, and Flanna all behind me.
Daemons startle and rush to the narrow corridor leading to the exit, then pause. Their mouths foam, excited by our sudden appearance at their prison. The tairb’s eyes widen and glow red. The coscartha’s shrieks—loud, agitated sounds—pierce my ears. There’s even a hound or two in the group.
A howl rings into the Darkness.
The daemons advance.
We brace.
“Okay, everyone
, remember what you need to do. When the old magic comes to life, command it into fire and burn the daemons. Do you understand?” Arland stares at me, but he speaks to all of us.
“I cannot wait.” Flanna leans forward and growls.
We don’t move from where we stand. Arland and I hold hands and Brit’s are on my shoulders. Cadman and Flanna flank our sides.
Wake up!
I speak no other words to the magic. Stones, leaves, beads of water, bark from trees, blades of grass—all the representations of nature come alive in brilliant blues, greens, whites, and thousands of other colors to fight by our sides. The sprites swirl around, lift our hair, cover our skin and caress us with their soft wings.
Blue flames light all of us on fire.
Arland closes his eyes. Other than Brit and me, everyone’s eyes are closed. Cadman, Flanna, and Arland whisper inaudible words.
He squeezes my hand, reassuring me, reminding me I am in control. “Now, Kate, send the magic to the daemons.”
“Turn to fire. Burn them!” I command.
Transforming from soft, ethereal creatures into blue fireballs, thousands of sprites fly into the cave. Flames reach from my body and into the daemons as they continue their advance. With outstretched claws, bared teeth, and growls so loud they rumble in my chest, the daemons jump to the side to avoid the magic. Some are burned and killed instantly while others seem to ignore our attack.
Releasing a low, guttural sound, a giant black hound bounds toward us through the flames.
Flanna raises her hands above her head and smiles wickedly. “Mharúdó!”
One large, blue flame forms above her. She points her lifted arms toward the creature; the fire stretches out then lands on him. With a whimper like an injured pup, the hound burns until all that’s left is a pile of ashes.
Flanna winks at me.
Ten more coscarthas approach. Before I have time to react, Cadman, Flanna, and Arland all control the magic, shouting commands. The power flows through us as it did when we were healing Brad. A heightened sense of connection to them, as though their existences are attached to me, tugs at my core. The power dwindles as it spreads into them, stealing strength from me, but empowering them.
My knees shake.
Arland squeezes my hand. “Just a little while longer, Kate.”
Give her strength, Griandor. Arland’s voice plays in my mind.
Looking at him, I notice his eyes are locked with a daemon a few feet in front of us, his mouth closed.
P-please, let us l-l-live. This time I hear Brit.
Lann. Lann. Lann. Flanna.
Sunshine. Cadman thinks the word as though he sees the sun, and it’s the most beautiful sight his eyes have ever beheld.
No one speaks aloud, but I hear their voices. The magic must be providing a mental connection.
Blue sprites swirl between the monsters created for war and us.
Everyone except for Brit commands the beings to attack the daemons as they draw closer and encircle us. Fifteen tiarbs, hounds, and coscarthas stand on all sides. Some drool, some growl, and some are burned and bloody. They still appear hungry for a fight, yet they don’t advance.
I look toward the endless black sky. “Finish this!”
Radiant sunlight breaks through the Darkness and beams down on us from the heavens. Magic flows through and out of my body, blasting into the daemons. It takes every weakened muscle to try to remain standing, but my knees buckle. Arland, Flanna, Cadman, and Brit grab hold of my arms to support me; their hands are hot but comforting.
“Stop! Unless you want me to kill him, which I would not mind doing.” A sadistic voice penetrates my concentration.
The Light retreats upward.
Turning my head to the left, I see where the voice came from. A tairb stands about twenty feet away from us, holding onto Perth with one of its claws at his throat.
Crawling over the rock formation, climbing up the slope behind us, appearing from everywhere, hundreds of daemons surround our small group of fighters. I spin around, trying to find escape, trying to look for a weakness in the daemon’s plan to trap us, but find none. The shrieks in the forest when I ran away from Perth, how simple it was for him to lead the daemons out of the cave … this has all been a trick.
A smile stretches across the tairb’s face when I return my eyes to his. “So you see, you are trapped. If you wish the boy to live, you will surrender.”
His blood red eyes flit between me, and Perth’s neck.
“Do not surrender,” Perth squeaks.
The tairb growls, and a coscartha kicks Perth’s gut. He groans. Tears run from the corners of his eyes.
I will not surrender. I will not allow them to hurt Perth or anyone else. At my core, anger, rage and power all struggle for control. I clench Arland’s hand in mine as the daemons take a few steps forward. My body trembles as magic tries to escape, as if trying to shake off my skin. Fire erupts on all of us, and without any guidance from me, the magic flows around Perth and into the tairb. The glow from its red eyes fades, and it drops to the ground in flames.
Perth runs toward us, flashing me an apologetic look. He takes a stance behind Arland and shouts commands to the magic with the others, sending fire toward the remaining daemons.
Shrieks, howls, and grunts fill the air as old magic consumes our enemies. The others control the power flowing from me so well, there is very little I have to do, but my legs are like jelly. My vision fades in and out, and before I have time to stop myself, I fall.
Arland quits fighting and pulls me upright. “Just a few more, Kate, then I promise you can rest.”
When my sight returns, I smile, but when a hound leaps off the rocks, my happy expression disappears. “Arland, behind you!”
He looks over his shoulder, but before he has time to react, Perth jumps in front of us, arms outstretched, magic crackling from his fingers.
“Sruthándó!” Flames flow from him and engulf the beast.
The hound falls to the ground, howling an agonizing, low-pitched cry until its life is stolen.
The air smells of death.
The shrieks and howls have stopped. Water rushing in the river is the only thing I hear.
“Well, that was unexpected.” Flanna breaks the silence, staring at Perth.
Cadman glances in all directions. “I believe he was the last of them, sir.”
“You can let the magic go now, Kate.” Arland hands my sword to Cadman, wraps his arms around me, then lifts me to my feet.
I rest my head on Arland’s chest, soaking in his earthy scent. “It would be nice if they could stay. Let us enjoy the light for a while, you know?”
He tightens his hold on me. “You cannot stand up, Kate. You need to let them go, so you can rest.”
“I know.”
Thank you for helping us.
Sprites disappear into the earth, leaving everything dark, gloomy, and cold. Encardia is miserable again.
I pull my head away from Arland; everyone smiles at me.
Perth catches my gaze.
“What happened?” I ask.
He shrugs. “They caught up to me about ten miles from here. The horse could not outrun them.”
“Well, thank you for trying and for risking your life.”
Arland gives a disgruntled sigh, sounding more like a growl. “Kate, I am going to move you inside the cave. Do you feel sick like you did last time?”
His question brings my attention to the muscles screaming inside me to sit down. “Not sick, just tired.”
He scoops me into his arms.
“What are you doing? We cannot stay here. We need to return to Watchers Hall or move to Willow Falls, but staying here is not an option,” Perth yells, holding his hands out at his sides.
Arland’s arms tense. “In case you are not aware, we only have two weapons between the nearly fifty soldiers and children: Kate and her sword. Since Kate is too exhausted to stand on her own, we are going to have to sleep here tonight.”<
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The ice-cold look returns to Perth’s eyes. “If you had done your job better, we would not be in this predicament. You have been so focused on your love affair, you missed that we had traitors in the base.”
“May I hit him, sir?” Cadman asks.
Arland sets me down by Flanna and Brit, then turns around and storms over to Perth.
I cannot watch what’s taking place.
Arland balls his fists. “No. I will hit him.”
Flanna and Brit watch with smiles and wide-eyes.
Appalled, I gather as much strength to put in my voice as possible. “No!”
Arland stops and looks over his shoulder. The pain in his eyes is unbearable. Perth is a constant representation of everything that has been taken from Arland. Me siding with Perth must hurt like a betrayal.
“No one is going to hit Perth.” I catch his eyes and scowl. “Perth, if you want people to trust you, stop being an asshole. If it weren’t for mine and Arland’s love affair, as you so called it, there would be no end to this war. If you want to put yourself to good use, why don’t you take the time I need to rest to ride back to Watchers Hall to get weapons?”
He looks at me with indignation, but even from where I stand, I meet his angry look with one of my own. I’m trying to trust him, and I’m trying to get the others to as well, but he’s not making this easy.
Perth shakes his head then takes a few steps back. “I will gather the weapons and more horses.”
Arland unclenches his fists. “Cadman, will you willingly go with him?”
“If you wish me to, sir.”
Arland nods then returns to scoop me back up. “We will free Gavin and Ogilvie then send them, as well. Cadman, go release them now.”
“Yes, sir.”
Cadman heads into the cave with Flanna and Brit following him.
“Hey, Arland,” Perth calls.
Arland turns. “Yes, Perth?”
“Try not to let anything else happen to Kate while I am gone.” Perth laughs, then disappears into the Darkness.
Arland’s eyes meet mine, full of rage.