by Mark Ryan
“What?” Halli sat frozen inside, unable to move lest she crack and shatter. Her arms tightened, holding Laney against chest. Despite the frigid dread a faint flicker of warmth lit in a corner of her mind. She remembered searching for Tetra in her dreams, feeling his distant presence. He lived. She knew this. And yet … there was something distant about his life force. Not just in proximity, either. Something about her brother was further, as though he wasn’t just far away, but was … words failed her thoughts.
“What happened?” she pressed the girls.
Laney flinched. “Your house … it burned to the ground. It collapsed as they took us away. He never came out.”
***
Chapter 16
Sven Malschev
Sven tested the organic bars of their cage for what felt like the fortieth time, walking the circuit of the cage. Forty paces around the small area, stepping carefully over the knobs and divots in the ground. He had tried sleeping, but the ground was too uneven. Nothing like the soft bed of his home. The murmur of the oroc camp was a stark contrast. He was used to the comforting sounds of his parents in the other room, opposite their small Heart room. What sleep he got was fitful, sundered by nightmares.
He paced to keep the memories at bay. If he thought too long about them, he would cry—just like the younger children. He looked down at one as he stepped carefully over them. They had wailed past the point of exhaustion. Their pitiful sobs had enraged the guard oroc until he had bashed his club against the sides of their cage, leering at them with its face full of sharp white teeth. Before tonight, he had never seen an oroc, never particularly feared them. Everyone knew the orocs were a peaceful race that lived deep in the forested green of the Rocmire. The king had a treaty with them, didn’t’ he? What had caused all of this? Nothing made sense.
The oroc guard followed his movements with his dark green eyes. His eyes didn’t have whites like humans did, only dark green orbs with gold and black speckled irises. Was it a male? Sven wasn’t sure. They all looked the same to him; they all frightened him. Nevertheless, he studied them, trying to figure out why they had taken him and the other children.
All he remembered from that night dissolved into a nightmare of flames, smoke, and screams—interspersed with the cries of battle. The orocs’ strange, ululating cries of battle haunted his dreams. Memories cloaked as nightmare made him start from muddled nightmares where he wasn’t sure what was real.
He had woken to that sound, crawling from his bed to find his house engulfed in smoke. His mother’s scream drew him running into the Heart room, where his father drunkenly fended off a pair of orocs with a chair leg.
The floor had split, and a stone spike had impaled his father, who had given off a final, gurgling cry of defiance as he tried to rush forward at them. His mother tried to use her magic, but she was too weak. What she intended as a gale wind to push the attackers out was only a light breeze. She had always been too weak, even to stop the drunken beatings Sven’s father gave him regularly. But she had always tried. Sven fought back a tear at the thought.
The orocs had said something in their weird language, and another spike had shot up to take his mother as well.
Sven’s own scream of terror had brought the orocs’ attention to him and they had turned, faster than he would have thought possible. One of them had snatched him by the arm, then caught him up in a rough embrace and flung him over his shoulder. He had wailed and beat at the creature, desperate to get to his parents, desperate to try to save them. The reality of their deaths had not yet sunk in.
The rest of the night was a blur of smoke and the pounding stride of the oroc as it bore him away from Jaegen. There were others there in the forest as well. He had heard their screams as the creatures bearing the other children rushed through the forest around them. He had desperately tried to hear for the others of his group, listening hard for Pavil, Malec, even Tetra, although he doubted he would hear him cry out.
Instead he heard the cries of the younger ones. When he tried to cry out, to reassure them that they were not alone, the oroc carrying him had gripped him tighter until he stopped, gasping for breath.
They had brought them to this place, this grotto amongst the trees, depositing them roughly on the ground as others wove the cage around them. Each cage was in the root system of a tree. Some of the orocs would work the earth, using Tecton magic that Sven could feel. Other would touch the trees, singing softly. He could only assume that they were using their Geist affinity in a way he had never seen. The last few guarded the children.
Holding their clubs menacingly, they gave Sven no doubt that they would use them if he tried to escape. Instead, he looked to the others, seeing Pavil knocked out, Malec staring angrily at the guards, the cluster of younger children crying, soot-stained and miserable. He didn’t see any of the girls anywhere. Perhaps the orocs had only taken the boys. The thought of Halli and Laney, Katerine and Leesa, and others from there group being dead was too much to bear.
“Why are you doing this?” He paused in front of the cage where the guard stood. “We have done nothing to you. We’re just children.”
The oroc laughed, a high-pitched whistling sound that was unmistakable even with their different species. It said something in its inscrutable language, then turned away, ignoring his further pleas. He thought it understood him, thought it knew what he meant when he asked for answers. Either that or it was just cruel.
He resumed pacing.
***
Chapter 17
Tetra Bicks
The stone of his will remained unbroken. The core of Tetra’s spirit was strong. He withdrew into this, using it to shelter himself from the world beyond. So long as he stayed tucked within the stone, the pain couldn’t overwhelm him like it had before. He hid inside himself.
The pain did remain, though, even while lessened by Halli’s inexplicable healing touch. Whenever he probed beyond the shelter he’d formed, agony lashed out at him, tormenting him, trying to crack his mind wide open and spill into the very heart of his soul.
The pain failed to penetrate the stone, but neither could he hide forever. He rested within the temporary security it provided, but sooner or later he needed to emerge and face reality. He must save her. There was no other option. Some part of him knew he was asleep, that he was just finding temporary refuge.
Halli appeared there at times, watching him silently. His parents and grandparents too, flickering in and out of existence. All of them dead, except Halli, he knew, no matter how much he tried to deny it. His family, his friends, they were dead.
The pain terrified him. It took control so easily. His affinity and his injured back … linked forever unless he figured out how to master them. Every so often, a cool rush of Geist affinity washed the agony away, but only momentarily. It waited for him out there, a predator hunting the paths of his mind. And yet Halli waited for him out there too. If he remained withdrawn, she’d be forced to deal with her own pain alone.
He refused to let that happen. He’d be there for her, no matter how much it hurt.
Keeping the stone intact at his core, he drew himself out of it and opened his eyes. Claws of ice and fire dug into his back, and he ground his teeth against the torment trying to drag him down into despair. Fight it. Don’t let it win. Save her.…
“There now.” A voice said beside him. “Awake, are we?”
Tetra kept his gaze locked forward. Grunts and moans escaped him. He tried to wrestle himself upright, but his body remained paralyzed. He tried to look to the side, but his eyes reused to move.
“It’s alright,” the voice continued. “You’re safe.”
Someone rustled nearby. Halli? Orocs? Tetra needed to get his bearings, but his body lay as a dead weight. He struggled against it.
“Drink this,” the person said. “It’ll ease the pain.”
A pungent, minty steam suffused the air. A warm cup touched his lips. He tried to seal his mouth, not wanting anything to dull his sens
es again. But sweet liquid flowed over his tongue and he reflexively swallowed.
“Sleep,” the voice said as the cup was taken away from his lips. The sweet smell was dispersing in the air, leaving the scent of burning torches in its place. “I’ll be here when you wake again.”
Tetra sank back into his internal stone shelter. He would emerge again, and next time he would win.
***
Chapter 18
Halli Bicks
What’s wrong with her?” Laney asked.
Halli frowned, examining Katerine with her affinity, delving into her as she had the past several days. There were no visible wounds, and no internal ones either, yet she barely clung to life. Halli and Laney sat on their heels, facing each other over Katerine. In the weeks since their capture, they still knew nothing of what lay in store for them. The orocs had given them water and food, but had said nothing beyond instructions to eat and drink.
Halli scanned their cage. It was filthy. The girls did the best they could to not live in their own waste, but the orocs had yet to let them out. As best Halli could tell, their cage was crafted into the root system of a giant tree. All of the foliage in Rocmire was big to Halli. The pine and spruce trees around the village were tiny compared to the forest.
Very little sunlight penetrated to where the captives were held. Not only did the forest canopy block most of the light, but the little that made it through never seemed to reach their concealed prison. The forest floor was the only ground inside the cage, and each girl had carefully collected needles, leaves, and dirt to make beds.
It wasn’t enough. Fall was coming to an end, winter lay ahead, and the air was getting cold. None of them had more clothes than they had been sleeping in, and Halli was afraid that soon they would start succumbing to the elements. Halli sighed softly and turned her attention back to Katerine.
“Describe what happened to her again,” Halli said. “Try to think of new details.”
“She fought,” a small, lisping voice said from behind Halli. She turned to Katerine’s little sister, Leesa, who looked up at her with her big green eyes—glassy and rimmed red from crying. Most of them had cried off and on for the past few weeks. Even Halli was scared. “They hurt mother, so Kat fought.” Leesa’s bottom lip quivered. “They didn’t touch her. She screamed, but they never touched her.”
Halli wrapped an arm around Leesa, pulling her close. “It’ll be okay,” she said, though she didn’t believe it herself. “We’ll get through this together, right?”
Laney reached across Katerine’s prone form to pat Leesa’s back, helping Halli comfort her.
Leesa stared up at her with fragile innocence and hope. Halli would have to work a miracle to avoid letting her down. Glancing aside, Halli squeezed her eyes shut, fighting the tears threatening her composure. As the oldest, these girls looked to her for guidance, though she had none to give. “We have to be strong for Kat, Leesa. Your sister needs you to be strong.”
She squeezed the girl tighter for a moment and then released her. Leesa still looked mournful, but Halli saw the growing trust in her eyes. Now she just had to trust herself to find a way out of this mess.
Forcing herself to smile, Halli turned back to Katerine, looking past Leesa. The young girl’s answer made this obvious. It was a spirit sever. Halli could still feel a spirit within Kat, though. For now, all she would be able to do was tend the body and hope her mind came back.
***
Chapter 19
Tetra Bicks
Tetra opened his eyes. Pain prowled around the edges of his consciousness, but he’d grown accustomed to it enough to ignore the agonies for the time being. His stomach growled, demanding attention. He had constantly been using his magic, which was draining him rapidly. He could feel his ribs pushing against the skin of his stomach.
Healing took its toll on his reserves also, and if he didn’t replenish his energy, he’d continue sleeping almost constantly. That needed to change.
“Awake again, eh?” the now-familiar voice said beside him.
After a couple attempts, Tetra managed to push out the word, “H—hungry.” His tongue cracked in the back of his throat. Too thirsty. Too hungry. How many times had he woken and fallen unconscious again? Too many to count.
“Very good!”
Even though it hurt, Tetra turned his head to finally see the source of the voice. Rounded cheeks, nose, and chin gave an almost jolly look to the man’s otherwise long features. His graying hair was tucked behind his ears and his thick spectacles reflected the lamplight.
“Do you think you can handle something solid?” the man asked, smiling.
“Yes. But water, too.” Each word spoken made speaking easier.
“Be right back then.” He left the room.
Tetra tried to sit up, but his arms, as well as his legs, refused to move. Fighting down panic, he focused on his limbs. He heaved a sigh of relief. He could feel his arms. Below his waist was still numb.
Shifting in his bed, he looked around the room for the first time. It was large, with stone walls and ceiling. Several beds were in it, and shelves laden with jars filled one end of the room. It was devoid of any other decorations or adornments.
As Tetra examined his surroundings the man returned carrying a tray with an assortment of food on it. A black and white hound with blue eyes and oversized, pointy ears trotted along after him, watching the food. The aromas wafting from the tray made Tetra’s stomach rumble again.
“Hunger is an excellent sign.” The man set the tray down on a small table next to Tetra’s bed, shooing the sniffing hound away. A bowl of stew dominated the center of the tray, but there were sliced meats, cheeses, and wedges of fruit also.
“I’m going to prop you up so you don’t choke.” The man’s bracing hand on his back created excruciating pressure, but Tetra hissed through gritted teeth until he sat upright. Finally fully awake, his exhausted arms started responding and Tetra helped the process as much as he could. Pillows were propped behind him until he was comfortable and upright. “Sorry about that. How does beef stew sound?”
Tetra nodded. The first bite melted in his mouth, a divine warmth that spread through his whole body starting with the bite. It was also more than his body could handle. Despite the stew being a liquid base, it stung against the dry back of his throat.
He croaked, pushing the stew away. “Water … please.”
“Of course.” The man swapped the bowl for a mug of water.
Tetra longingly watched the stew, but knew he needed the water first. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed the dog also watching the bowl of stew. Tetra gulped half the flagon before he stopped, coughing.
“Slow down lad. We’ve been feeding you water while you were asleep, but you still need to drink slowly or you’ll make yourself sick.”
“Where am I?” Tetra slowed down on the water, sipping instead of gulping.
“Drayston Castle.”
“Who are you?” Tetra eyed the bowl of stew again, putting down the water.
“My name is Petrius Alma. I’m the chief surgeon here.” He offered another spoonful to Tetra. “You’ve been here four weeks now.”
Tetra blinked, stew momentarily ignored. “Four weeks? Jaegen … I was chasing them. Are there other survivors?”
“Our men are still investigating. So far, you’re the only one we’ve encountered from the village. We don’t even know your name yet.”
“I’m … Tetra. Tetra Bicks.” As overwhelmed as he was, hunger trumped shocked and Tetra ate another spoonful of stew.
As he slowly ate, Tetra tried to absorb what the healer had said. Four weeks! And no others found? Tetra knew others had lived, even if taken by the orocs. They could be almost anywhere by now. Halli’s presence still floated in the back of his mind, connected to him forever. He had to recover before he lost any more time. He had to find a way to save her.
“Why …” He coughed. “Why can’t I move my legs? And why are my arms so … slow?�
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“I’ve given you a powerful tincture for the pain. It has the unfortunate side effect of temporary partial limb paralysis.” Petrius set down the emptied bowl. “You were thrashing in your sleep too much. You risked harming yourself further, and it was the wisest course.” Petrius watched as Tetra finished the bowl. “More stew?”
“Maybe later.” Tetra let the relief well through him. No wonder he’d had so much difficulty moving. He’d been drugged to help the healing process. Once it wore off, he’d be as good as new. He wanted so desperately to believe that lie, that he ignored the fragmented memories of conversations he had overheard during his delirium.
“Of course. Now, it’s time for another dose.” Petrius offered a small cup containing a familiar mint-scented liquid. The hound whined from the edge of the bed, eyeing the food that the humans were now ignoring.
“No, thank you. I don’t like not being able to move.” Tetra patted the far side of the bed, looking at the dog. Perking up, the dog trotted around and laid his head on the sheets next to Tetra’s hand.
Petrius put the empty bowl down on the tray. “You’ll be in incredible pain without it.”
Tetra reached past the doctor, grabbing a slice of meat that he fed to the hound. It was as though he could ignore the suffering of his body by acting as though nothing was wrong. “I’m already in incredible pain. I want to be able to move.”
Petrius grimaced. “I suspect you are. But it will at least help you to sleep. I insist. You will be able to move more soon enough.”
Tetra sealed his lips and looked away, running his fingers through the dog’s soft fur.
Petrius’ grimace turned to a scowl, and his voice rose. “You won’t be any better off without it—” He stood and wiped his hands on his robe, gathering his composure. “Forgive me. My lack of sleep has caught up with me.” He gave a strained smile. “If you change your mind, just call. I, or my assistant, will be listening.”