7
Runa
THE SPIDER’S LOW GROWLS suddenly switch to a soft, steady hum. The orbs of light I saw earlier are back, and begin to grow increasingly brighter on either side of Videus, but he takes no notice whatsoever.
“Here, I was coming to check on my little…project. Imagine my surprise to find the elusive Daughter of Five available for the taking. I figured it would be more difficult than this. Especially after all that’s happened,” Videus says. “I mean, I knew ultimately, you’d be lured here, but I never dreamed it would be so soon.”
I jut my chin out, standing straighter, and stepping forward, “You can’t have Ammon.”
As expected, Videus laughs. A hearty, deep, and jolly laugh.
“Oh, child. I assure you, I can and I will. He certainly can’t go with you. That would be disastrous,” Videus says.
His cockiness irritates me and it feeds my growing decision to overcome not only this situation—but him. He has to be stopped, by whatever means necessary.
“Runa, stop moving toward him,” Ammon says, tugging my arm, trying to pull me back to him.
I hadn’t even noticed I was walking closer to Videus and taking Ammon with me. It was as if an invisible string was pulling me to Videus and I was unconscious to stop. But why hasn’t Videus come towards us further? Why hasn’t he attacked yet?
Behind me, the spider stomps heavily, shaking the ground beneath our feet and forcing us all to lose balance. I glance over my shoulder to see her barreling down on us, large furry legs penetrating into the dirt and rock as she nears. The air fills with static electricity and the orbs of light burst into bright, tiny stars on either side of the cavern between Videus, Ammon, and I. All at once, the orbs react to each other and start spitting out strings of light that weave together into a blue, luminescent web separating us from Videus. The spider’s song cuts off and once again she roars behind us, then charges.
My eyes widen in horror as she slams into Ammon, forcing him into me and shoving us toward Videus and the blue web. My feet dig into the ground and I throw my arms out, trying to grab hold of the rocks along the wall. It’s no use, though. The spider has too much mass and too much force behind her.
We’re going to be trapped in the web and there’s nothing we can do about it.
I close my eyes in utter disbelief, waiting for contact with the strings of light. The moment we hit, it’s like being forced through a warm waterfall. Rather than being stuck, the silky strands of the web brush my cheeks and tug at my hair. After a moment, I open my eyes.
“Uh, why’s it so bright?” Ammon says, releasing my arm and tipping his head up slightly, trying to see through his swollen cracks for eyes. “And so nice and warm? Ah, man, I haven’t felt this kinda warmth in ages.”
We’re surrounded by white light and I shield my eyes with my arm trying to get my vision to adjust.
After a few moments, sand dunes take form. Then the horizon and the blazing sun.
We’ve been transported elsewhere on the planet. By the looks of things, not terribly far, though.
“How?” I ask aloud.
“No clue over here. One second I figured we were spider food. Next thing I know I was getting pushed straight toward certain death—well, then we were here. How did that happen?”
My mind is reeling as I try to make sense of things. The spider wasn’t pushing us to a trap. She was helping us to escape? I should have realized.
“I think—I think we were just helped out of a sticky situation,” I say.
“You’re not kidding,” Ammon says, shuddering, “I thought he was using some sorta force to pull us to him.”
“Didn’t you see the blue web of light? Or any light at all as we were being pushed?” I ask.
Ammon shakes his head, “I could almost make out glowing orange, but that’s it. Everything’s so blurry.”
Of course—the orbs, the blue web, it was something only I could see. My gift from Tethys. The spider was opening some sort of portal and getting us to safety. All right in front of Videus’ nose, too.
I turn to Ammon and say, “I think we were just sent here by a TerraDweller.”
“A TerraWhater?” Ammon says, scrunching his face.
“I read about them in my book here, remember? They’re creatures of Pendomus who lived here before humans took over. No one has really seen them before. I guess I kinda understand why. They’re hiding in the darkness,” I say.
“If they have the kinda power to send us other places, why send us here and not somewhere with food and shelter?” Ammon mutters, shifting from side to side on the hot sand.
That’s actually a really good point.
Using my hand as a shield, I survey the landscape, trying to get a clue to explain why we’re here. In the horizon, the sunlight dances across the golden white sand, but there’s nothing immediately evident.
“We can’t just stand here. We should get outta the sun. Ouch…” Ammon says walking forward on his toes. Then he vanishes in front of me, as though he walked through a curtain.
“Ammon—” I call out, holding my hand out in front of me in disbelief.
“Uhm…Runa, what just happened?” Ammon asks.
I blink back, surprised to hear his voice, “Where are you?”
“Right in front of you, I think? Keep walking.”
With an arm outstretched, I walk forward. One second I’m in the desert, the next I’m standing in the lush, green field from my vision with the spider—TerraDweller.
Ammon walks forward, running smack dab into a fruit dangling from a low branch. He reaches up, and plucks it off the tree.
“Is this—fruit?” he says, bringing it to his nose and inhaling deep.
“Yes, Ammon, it is,” I say in amazement.
Ammon doesn’t hesitate. He takes a big bite and juices squirt out in all directions, rolling down his hands and forearms. It smatters his face and he smiles broadly.
“Runa…” he says, food dripping from his mouth, “you have gotta try this.”
My belly rumbles as he reaches out, handing me the fruit. As it passes from his hand, it drops straight through mine and onto the ground.
“Way to go, butterfingers. You’re supposed to eat it, not drop it in the dirt,” he says, waving his arms above his head to find another one.
“Ammon, I didn’t drop it,” I say, peering closely at my hand.
Am I not really here?
“What do you mean?” he says, plucking another one off a branch.
“I mean…” I take a step toward him and hold out my hand, “I didn’t drop it. Try again. Place it in the middle of my palm.”
Ammon’s eyebrows flicker, trying to tug in, and he flips the fruit over to pass it to me. Once again, it drops straight through to the ground.
“Oh, this is just wonderful,” I mutter, my stomach growling louder.
I walk over to the tree and reach for one of the fruits myself and as suspected, my hand goes straight through it. Beside me, Ammon juts out a scrawny finger and jabs it into my arm—hard.
“Ouch. Do you mind?” I say, rubbing the spot where he poked me.
“How can you feel that?” he asks.
“Ah,” I say, realization dawning, “It’s obvious, isn’t it?”
Ammon quirks his face, “It is?”
I walk to the large table from my vision filled with lush, wonderful looking foods displayed across its top. Setting down the Caudex, I dangle the aquamarine stone in front of it and splay the pages open.
The first page I see holds a warning that would have been convenient to know:
Trust in Kantella; her web will be your salvation.
Ammon maneuvers to stand nearby and I help him take a seat at the table.
“Are you looking at your book again?” he asks.
“Yeah—it says to trust the TerraDweller, go figure,” I laugh.
“Nice,” he says. “Woulda been better to get the memo sooner.”
This must have been
what the book was trying to warn us of when Videus was getting close. Or perhaps when Ammon was warning us to leave and I was trying to read more. Sighing, I flip back to the last page I was reading before the cavern started to shake and Videus showed up.
Again, I read the passage aloud,
“It has been decided. Each of the five trials will take form in the basic elements as brought to life by the Daughter of Five. The first is hunger. In order to truly know the essence of life, the Daughter of Five must face the deepest levels of the human body’s needs.”
I look at Ammon, who’s mouth is gaping wide in recognition.
“Oh, right,” he says. “Well, that kinda stinks.”
“It truly does. Especially since there’s a table here with the most delicious looking food,” I tell him.
“There is?” his hands fly out as he spins around and feels across the top of the table. He tilts his head, “Does this mean we finally find food and you can’t have any? Kind of a cruel joke, if you ask me.”
“Yeah, it kinda seems that way. But you don’t have to wait,” I say, guiding Ammon’s hands to some of the foods for him to grab. “Well, the sooner I overcome the trial, the sooner I can eat.”
I pace away from Ammon and his voice and muffled chewing drifts off as I get caught up in my own thoughts. Despite the interaction, my body is surging with a strange tingly sensation and every nerve in my body feels alive—ready for whatever comes next.
My stomach rumbles and I keep my back turned to the array of delectable foods a few feet away. How does simply facing the fear of hunger help one overcome it? There has to be more to it than that… How long will I really have to go without food before the test is over? What if I have to learn something specific before the trial ends—and what happens if I don’t learn it…
I shudder at the thought.
Surely they wouldn’t push a trial to the point of death?
I shake away the ludicrous thought. No way would they jeopardize the Daughter of Five.
Two bright blue eyes blink at me from behind a tree in full pink bloom and I stand still, watching the creature hiding in the shadows. After a moment, a medium sized mammal with the appearance of an earth wolf steps forward, holding my gaze. Then he turns deliberately, walking alone through the pathway of trees.
Instinctively, I start to follow after him.
“Hey Runa, where are you still here?” Ammon calls out through full cheeks.
“I’ll be right back, Ammon. Stay at the table,” I say, holding my hand outright.
“Suit yourself,” he says, shrugging, “Just don’t go too far, mkay? I still can’t see all that well, and I sure as heck don’t want to come looking for you.”
“I won’t,” I mutter, slowly following after the wolf.
He stays a few feet in front of me, his energy always aware of the distance I follow him at—just as my energy is aware of his. In a way, he reminds me of Tethys’ with her all-knowing aura and protectiveness.
We reach a small cliff and the wolf takes a seat precariously at the edge. Slowly, I sit down beside him, letting my feet dangle over the edge as I peer out into the vast abyss in front of me. A soft haze blankets the far away reaches of the planet where my eyes can see. The sun, oddly enough, no longer carries the same halo as it had in the frozen side of the planet I’m from. But it’s still beautiful in its own way as it bleeds orange and reds across the canopy of the sky.
The wolf’s tail twitches from time to time, but he sits majestically patient.
Birds flock against the blue sky, twirling in a spectacle dance off in the distance. A shudder runs down my spine and a hint of fear creeps its way into my soul.
“Why am I here?” I ask, turning to the wolf, half-expecting him to answer. Stranger things have happened on Pendomus. “How do I overcome a trial of hunger? How long will this last? What am I missing?”
The wolf meets my gaze, his blue eyes the color of cold ice, and very similar to the color of the Salamander who helped me. Suddenly, he tips his head back and a howl bursts from his throat. The resonance is so loud, I cover my ears to keep them safe.
The birds in the distance switch directions, their flock practically coming to a halt in mid-flight before they come streaming toward us. I scramble upward, away from the ledge and back to the safety of solid ground.
There was once a time when I loved the sight of birds on the breeze—but no longer. Their presence has become ominous and synonymous with suffering, death, and betrayal.
I glance around, looking for a place to run to and hide. But beyond leading them straight back to Ammon, there’s no where to go.
“Please, tell them to stay away,” I cry out.
As if confused, the wolf’s head tips to the side and he perks one ear to the sky.
Turning around, I race back to the cover of the tree line. When I reach it, I duck behind the closest tree, waiting for the convergence with the birds. However, the sky is devoid of their presence; as if they never existed at all.
The wolf saunters to me, a single gray bird in its mouth and he drops the corpse at my feet. Horrified, I cover my mouth.
“Why would you bring this to me?” I ask, “Why on Pendomus would you do this?”
The wolf and bird merge, transforming before my eyes into a naked man, lying on his side on the warm ground. His brown hair flutters in the breeze revealing hints of red hues. His back is turned to me, but I can’t take my eyes off his body and the familiarity in its lines. My eyes resting on the small of his back, traveling downward.
“Hello?” I whisper, refusing to move from my location.
The man rolls over, and I shield my eyes before taking in the entirety of his naked body. Something odd stirs in the depths of me—curiosity, I suppose. But it’s more than that. Almost an odd sense of hunger—one I can’t begin to describe.
As he stands up, my heart threatens to burst from its cage. How—how can he be here? Was he transported too?
God, I’ve missed him so much.
“Traeton, you—you have no clothes on,” I blurt out, wanting more than anything to run to him and wrap my arms around him. Instead, an awkward restraint keeps me from him.
He chuckles, “It’s Trae, Runa.”
“I—I know that. It’s just—you’ve caught me off guard. Where are your clothes? Can I help you find some?” I ask, turning around and calling over my shoulder. “And what—what happened to your hair? Are you okay?”
My thrumming heartbeat pulses in my ears, and I’m acutely aware of the rigidity of my stance.
I hear Trae shift, walking over to where I stand, and I freeze. How can he be here? Finally, now? After all this time, and all my wishing.
“Clothes are unnecessary, don’t you think?” he says, standing directly behind me. The heat of his body radiates along my entire backside, making me shiver.
“I don’t—I think—” I begin.
Trae grabs hold of my wrist, gently pulling my hand back behind me, and slowly dragging it along his hip. My insides clench, and a heady wanting threatens to consume me.
“You feel that, don’t you?” he says. “The way I want you. Do you want me too?”
“I—of course I want you, Trae. I’ve missed you so—”
I shiver.
Every nerve in my hand burns intensely as he uses it to gently stroke the skin on his thigh. I’m acutely aware of his body, of the fact I’ve never seen anyone naked in my life—and the fact every fiber in my being wants to turn around. Yet, the overwhelming programming from the Helix taunts me from the back of my mind. It says I shouldn’t. It’s dangerous.
“Do you, really? Do you understand what I mean?” he whispers in my ear.
His words curve around me, lulling me into wanting something more.
My heart races, my breath is shallow and ragged, but I wait as still as I possibly can.
“I—what is this, Trae? What are you trying to— ” I breathe, closing my eyes.
I don’t know what this feeling
is, but it’s consuming. I should be able to control myself better, but the urges are overwhelming. I want to step out of my own clothes and feel his skin against mine. I don’t even know why—I just do.
Trae closes the last remaining gap between us, his body pressing against the back of mine. I feel every aspect of him as our bodies touch.
“Runa, men and women—we’re meant to connect. We’re meant to physically connect. And that’s how I want you. How I’ve always wanted you, but was too afraid to say. I knew you wouldn’t know what that meant before. But now—I can’t help myself. I need— ” he says, his voice low and husky.
A shiver runs down my spine. Then what does he mean?
“Traeton, I don’t understand, but I think you know that already,” I say, sighing heavily. A part of me wants desperately to turn and face him, to understand, to kiss him and allow whatever happens to unfold.
As if reading my mind, he takes my shoulder in his hand and slowly spins me around so I face him. Refusing to look down, I consume myself with the way his hair is its natural brown, rather than the blue I’ve come to love.
He grins, his dimples emerging, “There you are.”
He stands, unfettered, unembarrassed; simply himself while I stare into his deep brown eyes. Taking my hands into his, he places each on either side of his hips, then rests his own on mine.
Something in the way he’s leading me—or perhaps the look in his eyes—his natural hair—it awakens my awareness. There’s more to this than meets the eye. There’s something just slightly off—
“Where are your clothes, Trae?” I repeat, blinking. Right now, it’s all I can think to say. It’s so hard to stay focused, to not take all of him in. The hairs on his chest are in my periphery, taunting me to take my gaze further.
It occurs to me—had this been Trae, my Trae, he would have been startled by his lack of clothes. He would have wanted to know where they were—and at the very least, attempted to be modest.
I remove one hand and gently place it on his chest, just above his heart, needing to know if he’s real or just a mirage. I maintain eye contact with him as he lets it rest there, allowing me to feel his heart beating through my fingertips. His heartbeat is as fast as mine feels, and just as real. Slowly, he reaches up and pulls my hand downward…
The Complete Pendomus Chronicles Trilogy: Books 1-3 of the Pendomus Chronicles Dystopian Scifi Boxed Set Series Page 31