by Miles, Amy
Holding up the black pants, I examine the foreign material up close. It is soft to the touch but looks to be as durable as leather. It will do. I dig deeper and pull out a matching black shirt. It will drape my slender frame like a tent, but it’s better than nothing.
I eagerly lift Bastien’s sweater over my head and lay it across the blanket, the cold nipping at my bare skin as I reach for the shirt. Suddenly, I hear footsteps behind me and I turn in surprise.
“Bastien!” I scream as I scramble to cover my near nakedness.
His head whips up, eyes widening as he comes to an abrupt halt. I can see the indecision in his eyes as he takes a step back.
“Go!”
He turns and jogs back outside, tossing my clothes toward me over his shoulder. “Guess that one was kinda my fault,” he calls from just outside.
I run my hands over my face and release a nervous laugh. “Just don’t peek!”
I scramble along the cave floor and snatch up my clothes, wincing at the damp still clinging to the worn fibers. I look back toward the alien clothes and groan. If I’m going to be warm, I know I have to wear them.
I pull on the pants, amazed at how warm the thin material is. I snag a bit of rope from Bastien’s bag, wind it around my waist, and tuck in the billowing shirt. I roll up the sleeves and pat myself down. “You sure know how to make a statement,” I grumble as I head for the cave entrance.
Lifting my arm to shield my eyes from the noonday light, I discover that Bastien has fled from the cave. “Over here,” he calls.
I squint, fighting to adjust my vision to the brilliant, cloud-free day. I reach out a hand to steady myself as I approach the large rock he’s perched on. Instead of connecting with rock, my fingers grasp something firm and warm. Forgetting about the glare, my eyes pop open as I realize that my hand has fallen rather high on Bastien’s thigh.
“Hi.” He grins as heat stains my cheeks and I wrench my hand back.
“Hi yourself.” I wipe my hand on my pants and hoist myself up beside him. “Where have you been?”
“Foraging,” he replies, holding up a handful of winterberries. My stomach growls obnoxiously as I cup my hands.
The instant the last berry plops into my hand; I toss back my head, emptying the handful into my mouth. The soft flesh bursts with flavor as I chew, savoring the sweet taste. “Thanks.”
He looks down at the remaining berries and offers them to me. “Go on. You need them more than I do.”
I hesitate, torn between wanting to snatch them from his hand and remembering to be a decent human being. It’s a tough struggle with my stomach growling so loudly. “Seriously?”
He grabs my hand and rolls the berries into it. “I insist.”
I know I should feel guilty about taking his food, but I don’t. Well, not really. There is a slight twinge, but I choose to ignore it the instant the berries pop in my mouth. “Thanks.”
He smiles and leans back. I follow suit, wiping the berry juice onto the side of the rock. “Why are you out here?”
“Just needed some time to think.” He stretches his arms out before tucking them behind his head.
“About?”
“You.” He rolls his head to face me. I blink, shocked by his direct gaze. “What happened last night?”
I clasp my hands in my lap and dangle my feet over the edge. “I was ambushed not too far from our camp. We got word that the Caldonians were on the move and we wanted to see what they were up to.”
“We?” His brow arches.
I nod and turn away. “My friend Eamon was with me. We got separated when the Squaddies attacked. I’m not sure what happened to him.”
Bastien is silent as I take a deep breath and continue. “I wasn’t familiar with the territory so I was forced to run. I thought I’d made it, but an alien found me.”
His arms clench beside me. “Did he hurt you?”
“No,” I say, staring up into the sky. My eyes have adjusted to the brightness and now I can see large puffy white clouds dotting the blue sky. The weather has been so unpredictable lately. I suppose I should enjoy it while I can because once winter hits, it’ll be gloom for several months. “He tried to save me, actually, but then one of those spider things showed up and shot at me”
Bastien jerks upright, turning to stare down at me. “You were hit by a laser?”
“No,” I hedge, looking beyond his ear instead of meeting his gaze. “I sort of…caught it.”
His mouth falls open. “Caught it?”
I sigh and sit up, curling my legs under. “Apparently I can do that now, too.”
Running his hands through his hair, Bastien lets out a deep breath. “Did anything else happen? Other than the tornado?”
I shake my head. “No, I don’t think” I cut off and eye him suspiciously. He’s not looking at me now. Something is off. “What are you digging for, Bastien?”
He scratches his stubbled chin and purses his lips. “I, uh…something happened to me last night.”
I turn my entire body to face him, my knees pressing against his thigh. My stomach clenches with worry when he refuses to look me in the eye. “Tell me.”
He stares out into the woods. From here, I can see the lake in a small valley below. The water ripples in the sunlight, stunningly peaceful, but I know appearances can be deceiving. “Something came through the woods last night. It was like a force field, invisible but very real. It knocked me out when I was hunting beside the lake.”
I dig my fingernails into my palms as I fight the wave of nausea that rolls through my stomach. I have a bad feeling about this.
“When I woke up I felt…different.”
“Different, how?” I press.
He shrugs. “I don’t know. I can’t really explain it. Just…stronger I guess.”
“So you haven’t noticed anything else?” I lean forward, trying to judge the expression on his face, but he remains infuriatingly blank.
“Well, there was one thing”
I hold up my hand. “Did you hear that?”
“Hear what?” He tilts his head and searches the woods around us. I already know that the voice I heard didn’t come from the woods. The birds are still singing in the trees. If we were about to be attacked, the birds would have fled to the skies.
“I don’t know,” I frown, chewing on my lower lip. I know if I tell him I thought I just heard a voice calling my name he’s going to think I’m crazy. “Probably just the wind.”
Bastien leans over and presses his hand to my forehead. I flinch back, but he holds me still. “No fever, but you need to regain your strength. You almost died last night.”
I know that he’s right. Although I do feel better, I’m certainly not in top form. “I don’t have time to rest,” I grunt as I slip down off the rocks. Pain reverberates up my legs as I start toward the cave.
“Wait!” he calls after me. I hear him land with a thud and then rush to catch up. “Where are you going?”
“Home. They will have search parties out looking for me now that the sun is up.”
He grabs my arm and spins me around. “I can’t let you wander through the forest on your own.”
“Then come with me.”
“That’s the second time you’ve invited me home with you.” He grins. His grip loosens on my arm, but I notice he doesn’t let go. “A guy might start to think you’re up to something.”
I laugh. “You know, I almost like you like this.”
“Like what?” He asks.
“Real.”
“Ah,” he sighs. “I have my moments.”
“You should show them more often.”
His gaze flickers toward me. “Maybe I would, if I had a reason to.”
A blush betrays me before I have a chance to hide behind my veil of hair. I catch a fleeting glimpse of his smirk before I get my mind right again. “Look, you can’t stay out here alone. You’re a City guy, not a tree hugger. You really should come with me.”
He rubs hi
s neck, a signal I’m quickly discovering reveals his unease. “I’ve been alone for a long time. I like it that way. No rules. No one to care about. It’s easier that way.”
“I get it, you know?” I drop my gaze.
The wistful tone in my voice makes him pull my chin up to face him. “You do?”
“Sometimes I hate living in the commune. People are always watching me, waiting for me to run out on another one of my harebrained adventures. Most of them say I’m too reckless. The kids hate me, which I’m pretty much cool with, and my friends are great. Sometimes I don’t think they understand me, but they’re the only family I have.”
I step up closer him, steeling myself to be ok with him in my personal space. This is the first time I’ve ever done something like this. My fingers tremble as I reach out as if to touch him but draw back. “Come with me, Bastien. I don’t want to leave you here alone.”
He looks off into the woods, his sadness painfully evident. “I told you. I’m pretty good on my own.”
“Maybe.” I step even closer to him, his eyes widening as I approach. I have to will myself to not to step back. His breath appears to catch as I stop only a couple inches from his side. “I still want you to come.”
He tilts his head, staring hard at me. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were hitting on me, Illyria.”
“You wish.” I snort and turn to head back toward the cave. I don’t wait around to see if he’s going to follow me. I know he will.
Chapter 14
Illyria.
I hold out my hand to stop Bastien. His grip tightens around the neck of the sack slung over his shoulder, his piercing gaze searching the forest for any sign of danger. When he sees none, he gives me a quizzical look. I press my finger to my lips and wait.
Illyria? Can you hear me?
I whip around, searching the late afternoon woods for the source of the whisper. The voice sounds so familiar, but nothing stands out to me. “I heard it again.”
“Hear what? We’re not going to start this again, are we?” Bastien shifts his stance, adjusting the weight of his bag. With two pairs of clothing missing and the blanket lassoed around the middle of the pack, Bastien managed to combine his two bags together. I noticed the care he took to replace the brown teddy bear, but he said nothing about it, so neither did I. Whatever sentiment this bear holds for him, I’m not about to pry.
“That voice. It sounds like…” I trail off as I realize why it’s familiar to me. “It’s my friend, Aminah.”
“Out here?” He glances back through the trees toward the lake we passed only a few moments ago. He squints into the winds that lash out at us from across the wide expanse. We haven’t seen a living soul since we left the cave an hour ago.
“No.” I shake my head. “I think she’s in my head.”
I ignore Bastien’s obvious disbelief as I close my eyes and listen. Illyria? Are you there?
Aminah? I can barely hear you. How are you in my head? Chatting with Kyan with my mind was crazy enough, but doing the same with Aminah is beyond bizarre.
I’ll explain when you get here. Where are you?
I move past Bastien and sweep my gaze along the lakeshore. Judging by the sun, we are heading northeast. Once we hit higher ground, we’ll have to veer slightly, but it should be almost a dead shot straight home.
By the lake. We’ll be there in less than two hours.
Bastien stares blankly at me as he moves to block my view. “What’s going on?”
“Shh.” I wave him off. “I’m talking to my friend.”
He shakes his head. “I’m not even going to ask how you’re doing that.”
“Good, cause I really don’t know.” I wait in silence for Aminah’s response. When none comes, I worry that I’ve somehow disrupted our connection by speaking out loud.
Is someone with you? She asks hesitantly.
A friend. I can feel the waves of tension my response creates. Naturally, bringing a stranger into our camp will be met with great opposition, but the fact that it’s Bastien will be especially hard for Eamon. He didn’t take our little night in the City so well before. I’m not sure how I’m going to be able to tell him about this.
Toren is coming for you.
Wait? What? I step forward when the connection suddenly severs. It’s an odd feeling, like a door closing in my mind. I’m aware of the disconnect, but have no clue how to open the door again myself.
“So, what’s up?” Bastien asks.
I step back toward him and frown. “She said Toren’s coming.”
“Another friend, I’m assuming.” He glances at the sky, frowning at the sun’s rapid descent. The Sky Ships will fly over soon. Memories of our adventure with the Caldonians two nights ago weigh heavily on both our minds.
“Wouldn’t it make sense just to wait for us to arrive?”
I shrug. “I would think so. She sounded a bit off when she said it though.”
Suddenly, a blast of wind whips my hair into my face. Bastien drops his bag and leaps in front of me.
“Whoa! I’m not looking for a fight. I’m just trying to find my friend.”
I poke my head out around Bastien and my mouth drops open. “Toren?”
Bastien looks back at me over his shoulder. “That’s your friend?”
“How did you get here so fast?” I round Bastien’s side and gape at Toren. His short wavy hair is tangled into a windblown mess.
Before he answers me, he gives Bastien a hard once over. Toren’s eyes come to rest on the blade held firmly in Bastien’s hand.
“It’s safe,” I say, motioning for Bastien to lower his weapon.
His jaw clenches as he darts a glance between Toren and me. He nods and slowly eases out of his tense stance. Toren doesn’t show any hint of relaxing. “Aminah told me you weren’t alone.”
I look over at Bastien and fight to control my anxiety. If Toren doesn’t approve of him, there’s no way Bastien’s stepping foot anywhere near our cave. “This is Bastien. I told you how he saved my life in the City. He saved me last night from the aliens again.”
I can tell Bastien noticed that I edited out the part where I nearly drowned because of the tornado I somehow created, but he lets it slide. Toren’s eyebrows arch as he crosses his arms over his chest.
“Is that so?” Bastien shifts from one foot to the next. I can’t help but notice that each time he does, he inches a bit closer to my side. “Seems rather attached to you,” Toren mutters, staring him down.
“I made a promise to myself to protect her back in the City. I don’t break my promises.” Bastien replies with cool confidence.
I step between the guys and rise up on my tiptoes so I’m eye level with Toren. “You know I would never risk everyone’s safety if I didn’t think we could trust him.”
Toren rubs his chin, thinking it over. A part of me fears this decision won’t go in my favor. I look toward Bastien and feel torn as to what I would do if that happened. I can’t stand the idea of him being out here all alone.
“Fine,” Toren begrudgingly concedes. “We’ll let the group decide when we get back. Eamon will be furious if I keep you any longer. He’s beside himself with worry.”
“He’s back? Was he hurt?” My voice rises an octave as I cling to Toren’s arm. “I tried to find him, but the aliens came at me so fast I couldn’t go back.”
“He made it out alive but he’s blaming himself for the attack.”
“Stubborn fool,” I grumble. “There’s no way he could have known.”
“Everyone knows that, but he’s not listening to reason right now. Maybe you can talk some sense into him.” Toren holds out his hand to me. “Grab on and whatever you do, don’t let go.”
Bastien steps forward and grasps my hand. “Hang on a second. I’m not letting her go, just like that.”
Toren’s face darkens with anger. “You have no claim to her. I suggest you back off.”
“No,” I plead, feeling like a rope tugged in two d
irections. “Stop it, both of you.”
I pull out of Toren’s grasp and place a hand on Bastien’s arm. I try not to let my thoughts drift toward the fact that this is the first time I’ve willingly touched him. “It’s ok. He’s my friend, Bastien You don’t have to worry.”
He lifts a challenging gaze to Toren. “Oh sure, he’s got warm fuzzies written all over him.”
I laugh and nod. “He has his moments.”
Stepping back from Bastien, I accept Toren’s hand. “So are you gonna tell me how you got here so fast?”
“Nope,” he offers a smile. “I’m gonna show you. Hold on tight.”
***
I push the tangled mess of hair out of my eyes as we appear at the edge of the cave within only a few seconds of leaving Bastien at the lake. I pry my fingers from around Toren’s shoulders, offering a sheepish grin as apology for the nail marks I’ve left behind.
“How do you feel?” he asks as he holds me upright.
“Like I left my stomach three miles back.” My knees buckle and I slump against his side. “How are you able to run so fast?”
Toren’s jaw clenches as he turns. I watch his profile glow in the fading light. “I’m not really sure. Something weird happened last night.”
He turns back and offers a strained smile. “We can talk about that when I get you home.”
“Oh no.” I hold out my hand to push Toren back. “You have to get Bastien.”
“It’s probably better if he stays”
A ripple of anger makes my nausea vanish. “You promised.”
He sighs heavily, averting his gaze. “You know Eamon won’t be happy.”
“Tough. I’m not leaving Bastien out there by himself. I owe him, Toren.”
Gritting his teeth, he nods and backs away. “Fine. Don’t move. I’ll be back in a minute.”
Only a whirlwind of leaves reveals his path as he blurs out of sight. I shake my head and lean back against the cold stone.
I don’t understand what is happening to us. Aminah can talk to my mind, Toren can run faster than bullet and Bastien can… I frown, realizing Bastien never told me exactly what he could do. Has everyone been affected by my blast?