We split up to train our skills. One group near the center sparred with sharp swords while another at the back aimed arrows at small openings. I was with a third group of ladies training with knives.
“Guard arm down, ladies. Do not expose your ribs,” I reminded them, whereupon each adjusted as needed. I joined in the swift movements, slicing my hunting knife through the air as I slid on nimble feet in a movement, not unlike a rhythmic dance.
Each member was fit to be a warrior. Though our tribe had seen minimal war, we knew one was coming. We prepared day and night, anticipating the moment when we would be called upon.
By breakfast, I was already sore and achy, but it was time to set out on my next journey. I had to go where the stars guided me. I took my breakfast and a warm cup of tea in Avery’s tent while she sat across from me, scarfing down a meal fit for two.
“I beg you, daughter of mine, please rest while I am away, and let Annia take care of you.” I squeezed her hand, and she returned a weak smile.
“I will,” she promised.
Beside her, Annia stood strong and tall. She gave a firm nod as I placed my hand on Avery’s shoulder.
I swallowed my last bite of breakfast, strapped my bag across my shoulder, and leaned across the table to kiss Avery’s cheek. She smiled back and gave a shake of her head. “I will be fine, Mother. Please, do not worry about me. Go.”
I let out another long breath, memorizing my daughter’s smile, before I turned and left the tent. Without a glance back, I moved into the forest and toward the city of Kuros that waited for me.
The journey to Kuros was much quicker than the one to Cytos. Situated on the edge of the forest and bordered by the ocean, it was a smaller city than Cytos, but equally as daunting. The city was much more advanced than our simple life in the forest.
I stashed my cloak in the bag resting over my shoulder as I strolled through the streets looking like a regular citizen. The sun was high and warm on this spring afternoon. It took me until nightfall to find the building that had summoned me.
The large building had a stark white exterior with glass windows that filled the entire front façade. There weren’t many lights on as most of its occupants had left for the night, but the window still lit was the location I sought. I snuck into the building unseen and took the quiet stairwell up three flights. The hallway was silent as I crept through, avoiding the cameras that circled the area around me.
When I reached the door at the end of the hallway, I heard the clack-clack of fingers rapidity hitting a keyboard. A man seated behind the computer had jet-black hair and narrow eyes that scanned the screen while he typed. He startled, nearly jumping out of his seat when I stepped into the room.
“Excuse me, you can’t be here,” he stammered, trying to compose himself.
I stepped toward him, blocking the exit. “I mean you no harm, Mr. Chou. I am here for your help.”
“How…how do you know my name? Who are you?” Mr. Chou stood on shaky feet, his chair rolling away from him.
“Like you, I am a believer in the stars. And they have sent me for your help,”
His eyes widened.
“I am Aelish, Mr. Chou, and I believe you have been expecting me.”
His head shook back and forth, and his hands trembled at his sides. “But they said…they told me…I thought I had more time. I am not ready yet.”
I took a step toward him. “You are ready. Now is the time.”
He let out a shaky breath before nodding his head in agreement. He, like myself, trusted the stars and what they had told him. The stars revealed to me that Mr. Chou had been given a message in the form of a dream. The message told him of a lady who would arrive needing his assistance, and that he would do as he was asked because the stars had given him a gift as well. The gift of a strong mind, a creator’s mind. One that could design and build anything he set his mind to.
Mr. Chou collected his chair and sat at his computer again. He held his hand out to me. “Give them to me.”
I reached into my bag and pulled out the two vials of blood I had kept safe for the past few years. He took both and placed them in a small machine next to his computer. The machine whirled to life, and his computer spat out information across the multiple screens.
His brow scrunched as he read the data. “These subjects, they are just…children?”
I nodded.
“But, I don’t understand. They both seem to be in perfect health. Why would they need one of my cuffs? It is only designed to heal those who are sick…”
I quirked a smile, shifting on my tired feet. “Your invention, Mr. Chou, can do much more than even you intended. It is needed to win the war that could end the already broken world we live in.”
Mr. Chou was an inventor, and his invention had saved many lives already: a cuff designed to fit on a person’s wrist in order to stimulate the transmission of healing medication through the wearer’s bloodstream. It would speed up the body’s ability to heal at nearly ten times the normal rate. But what Mr. Chou didn’t know, what he hadn’t intended, was that a person’s blood also held other properties. Gifts, like my own, that could be amplified and increased through these cuffs.
His breathing became rapid as he stuttered, “It can’t…what if it…”
I placed my hand on his shoulder before he continued babbling. “It can, and it will.”
Mr. Chou let out another shallow breath before turning back to his computer. “This will take a few hours.”
I nodded in understanding, closing the door to his office and taking up a seat beside the door. I would keep watch to ensure he wasn’t disturbed until the item I had been sent to retrieve was in my possession.
Chapter Five
It was mid-morning before Mr. Chou finally emerged from his office. He had a small wooden box in his hand with a star carved on the top of it. He carefully placed it in my hands.
“There is no way to know if it will work without the patients here, but I trust you know what to do with these and the importance of them both.” Mr. Chou straightened his back as he spoke. He seemed tired and drained but determined to not show it.
“I do, Mr. Chou. Thank you for your assistance.” I tucked the box into my bag, rising on tired legs.
Mr. Chou grabbed my wrist before I was able to depart. “Have you seen what will happen? What my part may be in this future?” he asked.
I did my best to look reassuring. “The stars have destined you for many things, but knowledge is a dangerous weapon in the hands of the wrong people.” I squeezed his hand. “The key is in the stars, remember that. Put your faith in the stars, and they will keep you safe.”
I gave him one last bow of my head before I left Mr. Chou standing alone in the hallway. Guilt pulled at my heart, for I knew his future, and it wasn’t one I would wish on anyone. I released a long breath, knowing there was nothing more I could do. This burden had always hung over me, the knowledge I wasn’t allowed to share. Each time the burden and the guilt took a small part of me with it.
The journey back to my home was much quicker than before. I was eager to see Avery, Even though our time apart hadn’t been long, I couldn’t keep dread or panic from my heart. Still, I was certain she would be okay.
Before night fell and the Dred Wulfs came out, I returned to my family.
“Was your trip a success, Mother?” Avery asked across the table in her tent.
I nodded grimly from my seat as I shoveled down a bowl of warm, fresh stew. “There is one more piece. One more thing that will come into play before everything happens, but that will be some time from now,” I answered.
“And what exactly will be happening?” Avery coyly asked, a smirk on her face. She knew I would tell her nothing.
“Do not be smart with me, daughter of mine,” I scolded.
She let out a little chuckle before her expression changed into a grimace. She placed a hand on her swelled belly as she lowered herself to the cot behind her.
I was
on my feet and at her side. “What is it?”
Avery let out a slow deep breath before she met my concerned stare. “A contraction, I think.”
I kept my expression neutral as I stood beside her. “I will summon the healers. It will all be fine.” I sprinted out of the room and gathered the healers of our tribe, Olivia and Ophelia.
By the time I returned, Annia was at Avery’s side with a damp towel on her brow. Olivia took the spot on Avery’s other side and began her examination. Ophelia spread their supplies across the table. After a few moments, Olivia pulled me outside the tent.
“This baby is coming now,” she said.
“She’s early. Is everything okay with the baby?” I asked.
Olivia shrugged. “We won’t know until the baby is out. But if the baby is ready to come, then nothing can stop that without harming Avery or the child.”
I nodded. “Anything you need from me, just ask.”
“Space is all I need,” Olivia answered as she reentered the tent. “The fewer people in the way, the better.”
Reluctantly, I agreed. I followed the healer back in and went to Avery’s side. “You and the baby will be fine. Olivia and Ophelia will take care of you both. Annia and I will be just outside if you need us.”
There was a moment of panic on Avery’s face, but she understood and nodded. Ophelia had removed Avery’s clothes and propped two pillows under her back.
“I love you,” Avery said.
I kissed her brow before Annia and I left the tent.
Avery’s screams echoed into the night. A chill made its way down my spine each time, and Annia squeezed my hand.
She will be okay, Annia assured me.
I nodded, though that didn’t settle my heart. The other ladies of the tribe had gathered outside the tent, sending prayers to the stars above to keep both mother and child safe.
Nine hours went by before Avery’s screams gave way to the cries of a newborn. It took every bit of my willpower to stay outside and not run to her when my daughter had cried and screamed with pain. She was in good hands, so I waited.
When Ophelia finally opened the tent door and said we could come in, I nearly sprinted inside.
On the small cot, wrapped up in a wool blanket, was my beautiful granddaughter. She was more precious than I ever could have imagined. More beautiful than a sunrise. A miracle to our people and she was perfect in every way.
“Ainsley,” Avery said as she looked down to her tiny daughter. “Her name is Ainsley.”
Keeping with tradition, Avery named her daughter with the same first letter as all the members of our house. Ainsley was the perfect name for the small miracle now wrapped around my finger. She would grow strong and wise, just like her mother.
Chapter Six
“Ainsley, you come back here right this instant!” Avery’s voice bellowed through the open forest. My five-year-old granddaughter giggled in response.
Though she sounded as if she was only a few feet away from me, she was near invisible to my eyes.
This was her gift from the stars. She could cloak herself to blend into her surroundings, so she looked nearly invisible to the naked eye. She was still young and was learning how to use her abilities, so I could still see the subtle outline of her body where she hid.
I knelt down beside her. “I think Mommy is getting unhappy, baby girl. Best not test her patience for too long.”
She huffed before her tiny body came into view. She had long black hair that fell halfway down her back and gray eyes that shone brightly against her caramel skin.
“There you are, silly girl.” Avery stormed up to Ainsley, but as she neared, her face softened. Avery bent down and tickled the little girl. Ainsley squealed with glee.
“Mommy, stop! I’m ticklish!” Ainsley cried. Avery scooped her up, swinging her around and causing the girl to giggle even louder.
Avery pulled the girl into one more hug before placing Ainsley on the ground. The little girl sprinted off again with a bounce in her step.
It was near the end of summer, but the sun was still warm through the dense forest. A gentle breeze caused the leaves to sway ever so slightly. I drew in a deep breath, smelling the change of a season soon to come and the late bloom of flowers nearby.
For the past five years, I had watched as my only granddaughter grew into a strong, independent young girl. She was already as feisty as her mother, and I had expected no less.
Things had been relatively quiet, even with the heavy cloud that had hung over me for the past eight years since my last trip to Cytos. I wondered upon that little baby I had been sent to see, and wondered if the stars watched over Sawyer as they would my granddaughter. I knew they would. The stars had only revealed as much as I needed to know, but I sensed a storm was coming; the kind of storm that could change the entire shape of the world. My fear threatened to consume me.
“Does it ever get easier?” Avery asked me. “Being a mother, I mean.”
I chuckled. “Not if she is anything like you were…which we both know she is.”
Avery sighed but still smiled at Ainsley, who danced ahead of us. Ainsley jumped to smack a low hanging branch before her keen eyes caught sight of a butterfly, and she went on a mission to catch it.
I was just ready to call out her name when a sudden pain seared through my head. I dropped to my knees. Avery was at my side, holding me up. I was sure she was calling my name, but I couldn’t hear her.
My vision went black, and a bolt of lightning flashed before me.
A young boy ran through a forest. He looked no older than eight and only carried the clothes on his back and a large hunting knife with which he looked unaccustomed to. His bright green eyes were wide and alert as he ran through the unfamiliar area. The shadows that followed him sent a chill down my spine. Human in appearance but very clearly not human. Their motions were like our own, only they were quicker, swift, and agile. Their bodies looked built for speed and power. Not unlike my ladies, only we trained hard to get this way, and still, these things were more than what we were. Terrifying.
I blinked once, and my vision returned. My pulse raced as I took in the warning I had just received. Both Avery and Ainsley stood before me, the latter nearly in tears. I did my best to soften my features so the child wouldn’t be scared. I stood on unstable legs while my daughter held tight to my arm. She waited for me to speak.
“They are coming for him,” I whispered.
“Who?” Avery asked.
I shook my head. “I don’t know. They looked…human. But they felt wrong. Their energy was dark and…unknown.” I tried to make sense of what I had been shown, but it was all too much and too little at the same time. I looked into my daughter’s worried eyes. “This child will be the one to turn the tides of a war. We cannot stop the war from coming, but if we do not save him now, we will all be doomed.”
I would take as many women as I could spare while not leaving our tribe at risk. Eight ladies joined me as we traveled deeper into the forest than I had been in a long time. We searched for a boy who could be the only chance for humanity’s survival.
“We must not be seen by anyone. And the boy must never know he has been followed,” I instructed the ladies around me. Annia and Avery were among them. “The boy will enter the forest within eight hours’ time. Those who follow him are only five miles behind.”
“Who are these…things that follow the boy?” One of the twins, Malia, asked.
Again, I shook my head. “I do not know. All I am told is they are stronger and faster than we are. For us to defeat them, we must meet them within the forest.”
Malia nodded.
I grabbed my bag and slung it over my shoulder before wrapping my black cloak around me. With the hood over my head, I was nothing more than a shadow.
“We must be swift,” I said. “May the stars keep us safe?”
As we turned to leave the rest of the tribe behind, Ainsley came running after us. “Mommy, I want to come with you,”
she cried.
Avery went down on one knee, removing her cloak hood as she gathered the young girl in her arms. “You must stay and keep the tribe safe, my little warrior.”
Ainsley pouted, her lip wobbling.
Avery pulled her into a hug. “We will return soon. Until then, you must stay. You must be strong. Do you understand, my daughter?”
The small girl’s head bobbed.
“Good.” Avery kissed the top of Ainsley’s head. “I love you, my dear.”
Ainsley’s eyes were enormous as she looked up to her mom. “I love you too, Mommy.” The girl sprinted back to the tribe.
We ran through the first night and didn’t slow when the sun came into view the next morning. By sunset on the second day, we had entered the Dred Wulfs’ territory. For once, they weren’t my main concern. We were cautious as we continued to move fast through the thick brush.
It was the third evening before we arrived at the farthest reaches of the forest. The air felt damp, and the trees were so thick it felt darker.
I motioned for the ladies to split up, and we circled the beings whose energy had my own energy screaming to run.
Annia felt it too. This is not right, she signed.
I nodded, but we had to keep going. The reason I had been sent here wasn’t just for the safety of a little boy hidden somewhere nearby but for the entire human race.
“We do not make a sound, and we leave none breathing,” I stated, and those nearby nodded and passed the order down the line.
Annia lifted her hand to me, holding up four fingers. There were four beings not much further ahead of us now.
Though we were eight strong, I felt no comfort knowing there were only four enemies to face. I was aware they weren’t like any enemy we had faced before.
We neared the space where their energy tickled at my senses. A foreign smell, an odd stillness in the air. I felt each of them just as clearly as I felt my own energy. It sparked to life all around them. An obscure energy, one made of death and darkness.
Untold: The Complete Watcher Series Mini Novellas (Watcher #4) Page 15