The Tainted (The Tainted Series Book 1)

by Anna Hill

  “Why? Why would they care?”

  “They don’t like that we’re massing and finding each other. They’re threatened by it.” Etain took a seat at the base of a tree and Rebecca sat beside her. “It’s only happened a few times, thank goodness, but if we take too long to move the safe house the soldiers will attack and we have to be able to defend ourselves, and the others, until we can get them to safety.

  “You’ve fought an Aillil?” A shudder of fear ran up Rebecca’s spine.

  “My ability doesn’t really lend itself to combat as much as the others. I can still hold my own in a fight but, when there’s an attack, I’m usually too busy getting the young ones to safety to help the others defend.”

  “I don’t know anything about fighting,” Rebecca admitted. “I’ve never been in a fight in my entire life.”

  “Don’t worry. We’ll teach you the basics, how to punch, kick, and defend yourself effectively, but you’ve already shown you have the most important element.”

  “I have?” Rebecca asked, unsure of herself.

  “Earlier, when you thought we were in trouble, you ran toward the danger, not from it.” Etain’s face softened into one of respect, “You’re much braver than you realize.”

  For the rest of the afternoon, Etain worked only with Rebecca. First, she taught Rebecca how to maintain a stance that not only protected her body, but allowed her to be ready to attack at any moment. Next, they worked on jabs, hooks, crosses, upper cuts, front kicks, sidekicks, and, finally, roundhouses. After over three hours of relentless training, Rebecca collapsed on the mossy ground, splayed out and panting heavily.

  “I didn’t even know there were that many ways to attack someone,” she said between gasps.

  Etain stood over her, also sweaty from their workout, but not nearly as physically exerted. “You did well today. Still, fighting a foam pad and fighting a soldier are very different. You’re going to need a lot more practice.”

  Rebecca exhaled heavily and closed her eyes. She wasn’t sure she was ready for these training sessions to become a regular occurrence. At this moment, all she wanted to do was curl up in bed and pass out.

  “Alright, let’s head back and get some dinner. I don’t know about all of you, but I’m starving!” Owen called out from somewhere off to her right.

  Rebecca lay there with her eyes closed for a moment longer, listening to the others begin to leave the small clearing. After a few minutes, the forest around her fell into a calming silence, the only noise coming from the soft rustle of the wind as it danced through the branches above. It had been so long since she’d been able to just lie in the stillness of the woods and relax.

  Her body ached from the workout, and she could feel the sweat on her skin begin to dry and cool, causing goosebumps to rise up on her flesh. But, at that moment, nothing seemed to bother her. Breathing deeply, Rebecca cleared her head of all the worry and fear that had built up over the last few days. Her sadness and anxiety melted away, and a sense of peace that only the forest could provide settled over her.

  “That’s the first time I’ve seen you smile since we left.”

  Rebecca bolted upright, her eyes flying open in shock. She sighed with relief, however, when she spotted Maverick standing over her.

  “I’m sorry,” he said as he sat beside her. “I didn’t mean to ruin your moment, you just looked so peaceful and happy…I was worried I’d never see you like that again.”

  Rebecca leaned back onto her elbows and looked up at the branches above them. “It’s the forest. I feel at home out here, amongst the trees.”

  Maverick followed her gaze upward. “It’s the one place you feel safe. I understand, I’m the same. It comes from your Ailill side.”

  “When I used to live in the city, I never got to experience nature, except for what I saw in small parks. In Cle Elum, when I finally got to run through the woods, I felt a peace I’d never known before.”

  They fell silent for a moment, simply enjoying the beauty of the forest that surrounded them. Breathing deeply, Rebecca closed her eyes again, allowing the tranquility of the moment to wash over her.

  “I’m glad you decided to come with me,” Maverick broke the silence, looking over at Rebecca.

  She turned and met his gaze, her cheeks flushing slightly, but she didn’t answer him.

  There it was again, the feeling as if she were being drawn to him, as if every fiber of her body was calling out for him. Though she fought against her urge to move closer, she made no attempt to pull away from him.

  Maverick remained still as well, seeming equally immobilized. For a second, it looked as though he was just about to move his hand over toward her when, out of nowhere, something flew out of the trees and pounced on him.

  Rebecca instantly rolled to the side and sprung to her feet. When she turned back toward Maverick, she couldn’t help but burst out laughing at what she saw.

  Maverick was sprawled out on the ground with little Trysten perched happily on his chest, smiling down at his captive.

  “Do you always have to do that?” Maverick groaned.

  “Yes,” Trysen answered readily. “Etain says that if you both don’t come now, then it’s not her fault if there’s no food left for you.”

  As quickly as he’d appeared, Trysten was gone.

  After a second, Maverick coughed loudly and struggled to stand up, “I may love that little menace but, one of these days, that’s not going to stop me from giving him some payback.”

  As they made their way back to the house, Rebecca and Maverick attempted to make small talk with each other, but eventually drifted into silence. It wasn’t the same comfortable silence they’d shared in the woods. This time, it felt awkward, as if both had things they were reluctant to say. The few times they made eye contact, Rebecca noticed something different about the way Maverick looked at her. There was pain and confusion in his eyes that she hadn’t seen before.

  “I’ve got to get some things done before the end of the day,” Maverick mumbled as they walked into the house through the garden door. His face had gone hard and he refused to make eye contact with her. “The kitchen is in the other wing on the first floor. Etain will help you with dinner.” Then, without another word, Maverick turned and headed off down the hallway.

  “Thanks.” Rebecca muttered sarcastically, as her anger surged up in her chest. How could he be so rude to her after everything she’d been through?

  Rebecca spun around and marched down the hallway toward the kitchen, repeatedly clenching and releasing her hands at her sides. As much as she didn’t want to admit it, Maverick had gotten under her skin. She stopped for a second as she approached the kitchen and shook her head, trying to throw away the rush of emotions he’d caused in her. She wouldn’t allow him to make her feel like this again.

  Inside the kitchen, Rebecca saw all the others, even Faolan, had joined for dinner. Somehow Etain had managed to pull together a delicious meal of eggplant parmesan and fresh green salad.

  The group ate unceremoniously, each perched in various spots around the kitchen, as they laughed and joked with each other. Owen was by far the funniest, making the others laugh so hard that they could barely eat their food. But he wasn’t the only comedian, as everyone took part in playfully berating each other, swapping stories of past antics.

  Although Rebecca laughed at the jokes, she stayed mostly silent, quietly watching them. They all seemed so happy and close, like they really were family. Rebecca felt touched that they’d accepted her so readily, brought her into their group without a hesitation, but she struggled to do the same. She’d spent so much of her life keeping people out that now she’d placed a distance between herself and others. As nice as the crew was, she wasn’t ready to fully trust them.

  After the meal, Rebecca thanked Etain for the food, said goodnight to everyone, and headed to her room alone. It was late, and it had been such a long, eventful day that all she wanted to do was lie down and pass out. But she’d barely m
ade it into her room when she suddenly felt like someone was behind her.

  Rebecca turned around to see Faolan leaning up against her doorframe.

  “You gonna be alright tonight?” Faolan asked. Her face was always so straight that Rebecca couldn’t quite tell if she was concerned or just simply checking in.

  “I’ll be fine, I’m just tired.”

  Faolan looked at her for a moment before continuing. “I’m down the hall from you. If you need anything, feel free to come ask me. I don’t sleep much.”

  Rebecca chuckled cynically, “Nor do I.”

  “Because of your dreams?”

  Rebecca fell silent. As far as she knew, the others didn’t know about her ability. Had Maverick told them? And if so, how much did they know?

  “Don’t worry, the others don’t know. Only Maverick, Etain, and I. I sensed it in you the moment we met in the woods. If it weren’t for my own ability, I never would have known…but your power was almost overwhelming. You shouldn’t be afraid of your ability though. We call them gifts for a reason.”

  Rebecca looked away, unable to respond. She didn’t see her ability as a gift. In fact, it felt more like a curse, a plague she couldn’t cure herself of. She hated it, everything about it

  “You’ll see in time. Goodnight, Rebecca.”

  With a quick nod, Faolan disappeared down the hallway. After a moment, Rebecca turned back around and slowly started to get ready for bed, hoping that tonight she would be able to sleep peacefully.

  * * *

  The room was dark, almost pitch black except for the few rays of light that pierced through the barred window in the thick, wooden door. The walls were made of cold, heavy stones that were cemented together, giving the room an impenetrable feeling. Rebecca sat curled up in the back corner with her head resting on her knees, shivering from the chilly, damp air that surrounded her.

  Suddenly, a loud clunk came from across the room, as a heavy metal bolt was pulled back. The rusty hinges on the door creaked heavily as it slowly swung inward, sending dancing flashes of torchlight cascading across the floor.

  Rebecca kept her head down, listening as two different sets of footsteps entered the room. Then, once again, the door was swung shut and the bolt replaced.

  “Are you done feeling sorry for yourself?” A harsh voice spat at her from near the door.

  Rebecca looked up and met eyes with a harsh, tall man in a strict green uniform. She recognized him instantly as the man she’d seen in the woods before being taken. He was no less frightening now in the cell than he’d been in the forest. His face was thin, with cheekbones so sharp they threatened to pierce through his taut skin. He was older and thin, but held an air of power about him that made Rebecca cower. His mouth was a stiff, straight line across his face, and his dark brown eyes held nothing but hatred.

  Rebecca shifted her gaze away from the imposing figure and scanned the area around her. She thought she had heard some other movement, possibly someone else entering the room, but her limited vision could see nothing in the darkness that surrounded her.

  “I know you’re an impure, there’s no use trying to hide it.” The man stepped closer to her, slowly bringing his hands back and clasping them behind his back.

  “I…I don’t know what you mean.” Rebecca’s voice wavered and she refused to meet the man’s gaze.

  “Don’t play games with me girl, I don’t have the time,” he snapped back at her, taking yet another step closer.

  Rebecca’s body started to shake with fear as she tried to press herself back even further into the corner. “Really…I don’t know what you want.”

  Suddenly, the man made a swift movement with his arm and a thick vine shot up out of the ground, wrapped around Rebecca’s neck, and wrenched her into an upright position. She struggled against the tightening vine, pulling as it closed ever stronger around her throat, slowly closing off her airway.

  The man took a final step toward her and leaned over until his face was only inches from her own. A malicious grin split his taut mouth as he watched her struggle. “You think you’re brave? I guess I’ll have to break you of that.”

  The man stared at her a moment longer, watching her fight for air, then turned around and nonchalantly flicked his hand. The vine instantly loosened its grip and Rebecca fell to the floor, desperately gasping for air. As she lie trembling on the ground, waves of despair and terror washed over her, plunging her into a state utter panic.

  * * *

  Rebecca sat up with a jolt, breathing heavily as she frantically felt around her neck, making sure she was alright. It had only been a dream, a nightmare, but it had all been so real. She could still feel the vine’s unyielding grip around her throat as she slowly asphyxiated; see the evil man staring maliciously into her frightened eyes.

  Goosebumps rose up on her flesh and she realized she was soaked in sweat. Looking down at the bed, she saw the covers had been torn off the mattress and pillows thrown on the floor. Clearly, she’d been thrashing in her sleep, though with all hope she hadn’t been screaming.

  Slowly, Rebecca pulled her knees to her chest, curling up into a ball on the disheveled bed. This was not a gift, it was a curse, and one she wanted nothing more than to be free of.

  Eight

  Dear Emily,

  How are you? How is school? With all the craziness going on in my life lately, I almost miss the monotony of it. But more than anything, I miss you.

  I know I didn’t tell you much about why I was leaving town, but it was something I needed to do, and I’m glad you could understand that.

  Life has been such a whirlwind since then, that it’s hard to believe it was only a month ago. I left town with Maverick, which you probably already figured out, since he’s been gone too. He knows about my parents, and where I can find them. He’s helping me uncover my past.

  I’m living with him and his friends. You’d like them. They’re all orphans like me, and we all want to find our parents. It’s nice to have them around and they’ve taken me in as a member of their group, but it’s still not the same without you.

  They’re teaching me to fight and defend myself. I know that probably sounds strange and, trust me, if I could get out of if, I would. But they say it’s for my own good. We spend every day, rain or shine, training out in the woods by the house. Etain, one of the crew, works with me, teaching me how to kick and punch and block, and whatever else she feels I need to know. She’s relentless, Emily! I swear, most days I can barely walk back out of the woods after we finish. But after a month of training, I’m actually starting to notice changes. I’ve got biceps--I mean real biceps. I didn’t even think that was possible.

  I’m still getting my nightmares most nights. One of the crew members, Faolan, has been helping me. On nights where they’re really bad, she’ll come in and curl up on the end of my bed and sleep. It may seem weird, but having her there helps somehow. I don’t feel so alone and afraid.

  Except for Faolan, no one else here knows about my dreams. And I haven’t even told her what I dream about. As much as I trust and like everyone here, I’m just not ready to tell them yet.

  As for Maverick, I barely see him. He’s obviously avoiding me for some reason and he needs to just man up and talk to me. I’ve seen him in the hallways a few times over the past month, and he’ll just stare at me in shock for a moment before mumbling some lame excuse and rushing off. I swear, one of these times I’m just gonna deck him. With all this training, I’m betting I could knock him a good one. Maybe that’s a bit harsh, but he’s the one who brought me here and took me away from everything--including you. All because he promised he’d help me find my parents. I don’t see how that’s ever going to happen if he refuses to talk to me.

  Still, as angry as he makes me, I miss having him around. There’s something different about him. Even though it’s hard for me to trust people, I trust him. I may be crazy for it, but I do. I just don’t know how long that trust will last if he doesn’t start talking
to me soon.

  I know you probably still have a lot of questions and that this letter hasn’t done much to explain what’s going on. But for now, I just need you to know that leaving was something I had to do for myself. Hopefully, someday, I’ll be able to better explain all of this to you. Until then, I need you to trust me and know that I’m alright.

  Please tell Ingrid and Thomas that I’m so sorry for leaving, and I miss them very much.

  Not a day goes by where I don’t wish you could be here with me. I miss you more than anything, Emily. I hope everything is going well for you. I’ll try to write you as often as I can.

  Your sista’ from another mista’,

  Becs

  Nine

  The sun had yet to light the horizon outside of Rebecca’s window. It was barely three in the morning, but she knew she wasn’t going to be able to get back to sleep. She’d had the dream about the horrible prison cell again. It had felt so real. The vine wrapping around her throat, completely cutting off her air. Watching helplessly as the menacing soldier smirked down upon her while she struggled for breath. She was having the nightmare at least once a week now, and every time she awoke from it she found herself fighting for air and drenched in sweat. While none of her dreams were pleasant, this one was by far the worst.

  Faolan usually came in and helped her get back to sleep, but she had left the day before to patrol the surrounding woods. Trysten had spotted boot prints out in the trees a few days earlier, and Maverick was worried a scout was closing in on them.

  When she’d left, Faolan had taken the letter Rebecca had written to Emily, and promised to mail it for her. Etain didn’t want her writing to Emily, in case the letter was intercepted somehow, but Rebecca needed to contact her friend. It had been over a month since she’d left Cle Elum, and she knew Emily would be extremely worried.

  Faolan had agreed to send the letter only if Rebecca didn’t use her real name, and if there was no return address on the envelope. Rebecca knew Faolan was taking a great risk for her, and she could not have been more grateful to her new friend.