“Get to the horses,” Tiberius shouted to Lexi.
He raced forward, shouting his spell as he dashed around the grove of trees.
“Ingesco Exsuscito!” he shouted. “Ingesco Exsuscito!”
Tree after tree, burst into flame. Tiberius couldn’t see Rafe as he sprinted around the grove of trees, but he hoped his friend could somehow break free in the confusion. Behind Tiberius trees were falling to the ground. Their roots were spread along the ground, not into the soil the way the towering pines and majestic fir trees did on top of the mountain. When the other trees pulled away from those that were on fire, the burning trees toppled outward. Tiberius didn’t stop, even though he realized that he was killing a sentient creature. Trees lived and grew in Avondale, but Tiberius had never known them to have conscious thought. But he acted to save his friends, the same way he’d fought the Graypees outside Avondale’s walls to save Rafe. He’d slain a Graypee then too. Tiberius didn’t know if the trees were separate beings or just many parts of one creature, but he knew he wanted them all to burn.
He continued his circuit of the grove of trees, finally reaching the far side and seeing to his relief that Rafe was free. He was picking up Olyva and moving her further away from the fire. Lexi had already seen to the horses, speaking calmly and reassuring them that everything was okay.
“Well,” Tiberius said, leaning forward and putting his hands on his knees as he struggled to catch his breath. “I guess I told you so would be overkill.”
“Shut up and help me,” Rafe growled.
Tiberius walked over to where his friend was laying Lady Olyva back onto the ground. She was still unconscious, but breathing. Tiberius didn’t see any injuries, not even minor cuts or bruises.
“What’s wrong with her?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” Rafe said. “I can’t wake her up.”
“Here, pour some water on her,” Tiberius said, snatching up the water skin.
He took a long drink, then, handed it to Rafe.
“There isn’t much left,” he said, as he dribbled the water over Olyva’s face. He wiped the water away carefully. She’d been lying on the ground, covered by tree roots, and there were streaks of dirt on her skin. Rafe spoke soothingly to her, trying to wake her up. She didn’t stir.
Tiberius touched her forehead, but there was no sign of fever. She didn’t feel cold either.
“Perhaps the trees released some kind of gas that made her sleepy,” he said. “That would explain why we can’t wake her up.”
“Let’s move away from those things,” Rafe said, pointing at the burning trees. Thick black smoke was billowing up into the amber sky. “That smoke may be toxic.”
Tiberius agreed and starting packing up their meager belongings. Lexi came over to help him just as Tiberius was drinking the last of the water in their skin.
“Tell me that’s Rafe’s water skin,” she said.
“No, ours. Why?”
“I can’t find Rafe’s in his pack,” she said.
“It wasn’t in my pack. I got it out, along with my blankets last night.”
“Well, then we have to find water,” Lexi said. “We’re completely out.”
Tiberius felt terrible. “Oh, no, I’m sorry,” he said. “I didn’t realize I was drinking the last of it.”
“It’s okay, we can ride the horses to that river we saw in the distance,” Lexi said. “It can’t be more than a day’s ride, and the horses need water too.”
“We can’t,” Rafe said. “Olyva can’t ride.”
“She’ll have to ride with you,” Lexi said. “We can’t afford to wait.”
“She’s right,” Tiberius said. “We’ll tie her behind you, and use her horse to carry the supplies.”
“Fine,” Rafe said, obviously not happy about the arrangement, but unable to argue against the need to find water.
Chapter 29
Lexi
Lexi found she enjoyed working with horses. The ones she had stolen were gentle creatures that responded to her encouragement almost as if they understood what she was saying. She had never owned a pet, and Shadow was quickly becoming Lexi’s favorite. She and Tiberius saddled the horses, then loaded the three packs of supplies onto the smallest of the mounts.
“What are their names?” Tiberius asked.
“They don’t have names yet,” Lexi said. “Except this one. This is Shadow.”
“I think I’ll call mine Star,” Tiberius said, rubbing the bright patch on his horse’s forehead.
“Well mine is Mars,” said Rafe. “After the great warrior from before the cataclysm.”
“What about Olyva’s horse?” Lexi asked.
“We’ll let her name him when she wakes up,” Rafe said.
“That’s a mare,” Tiberius corrected his friend with a smirk.
“Then we’ll let Olyva name her, when she wakes up.”
“You two fight like old women,” Lexi said as she pulled herself up into Shadow’s saddle.
She was still a little unsteady. Her ride around Avondale had given her confidence, but that was two days ago. She had forgotten how out of control she felt on the back of a horse. She could guide the animal, but ultimately it would go where it wanted and she could hang on or fall off. It didn’t help to see how natural Rafe seemed in the saddle. He swung himself up easily and then helped Tiberius arrange Olyva behind him. She was set on the horse blanket, behind the saddle, sitting upright and leaning onto Rafe’s back.
Tiberius tied Olyva into place using some rope from his pack. Her hands were tied together around Rafe’s waist, and her legs were fastened with a leather strap that ran under the horse’s belly.
“You think that’s good enough?” Tiberius asked.
“We’ll just have to try it and see.”
They could still feel the heat from the burning trees. The smoke sometimes blew toward them on the wind, making it hard to breathe without choking. Riding away from the horrific scene of their fight with the malevolent trees was a relief to Lexi. She hadn’t known what to think when Tiberius had such a strong reaction to the grove of trees, but she had wanted to trust him. She had been a little nervous just being in the blighted lands to begin with, and when Tiberius said the trees were predatory, she knew she didn’t want to be anywhere near them. Even if Tiberius had turned out to be crazy, she didn’t like the idea of killer trees.
They rode across the plain, with the billowing black smoke at their back and golden sunlight all around them. It was warm on the prairie, much hotter than it ever got in Avondale. They were all sweating freely in the warm humid air. Lexi’s mouth was completely dry, but she didn’t want to complain about it. She knew it would only make Tiberius feel guilty and he hadn’t meant to drink the last of their water.
They saw more of the bovine animals moving around the river. They had to stop several times and adjust Lady Olyva, who Lexi was seeing more and more as dead weight. Lexi didn’t think that Olyva would make it very long in the blighted lands; she was too fragile, too incapable of doing anything for herself. She felt bad having such a negative attitude about Olyva, but there was no getting around it. Perhaps the shock of being banished from Avondale, in front of King Aethel no less, was too much for her. Perhaps the strain had broken her will to live. Whatever it was, Lexi felt that she was putting everyone else in danger.
They didn’t stop for lunch, but pressed on. They still had food, but those rations were waning too, and eating the salted pork or dried beef would only make them even thirstier. Lexi didn’t think she could work up enough saliva to even make the meat edible. It was early afternoon when they finally reached the river. It was a swiftly flowing stream and Lexi had feared that the water might be contaminated. If there was no drinkable water, it would explain why no one had ever returned from the blighted lands. If the killer trees didn’t get them, or the giant monsters, then they probably all died of thirst.
“It looks good,” Rafe said.
He had to wait on his horse w
hile the others dismounted. Lexi held Shadow and Star while Tiberius walked over and helped Rafe untie Olyva. The fact that she hadn’t woken up was not a good sign.
“We could let the horses drink, just to make sure it’s safe,” Tiberius said.
“If it isn’t safe, we won’t last long anyway,” Lexi said. “We’re dead without water.”
“Let’s get a closer look,” Rafe suggested.
They carefully laid Olyva on a blanket, then led the horses down to the stream. The water had looked blue from high up the mountain, but up close it was crystal clear. They could even see a few fish gliding past.
“It looks safe enough,” Tiberius said. “I’ll test it and see.”
The horses were straining on their leads, trying to get to the water and slake their thirst. Tiberius knelt down and scooped up a handful of water. He slurped the water nosily, making Lexi even thirstier than she already was. She thought that if the water was bad she would surely go insane with thirst.
“It’s fine,” Ti said. “Tastes great.”
Lexi hurried forward. She let the horses drink a little way down stream. Then she knelt beside Tiberius and used both of her hands to form a bowl. She scooped up water and drank it down. It was the best thing she’d ever tasted. It was clear and refreshing. She couldn’t help but laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Rafe asked.
“I just can’t believe this,” she said. “The blighted lands aren’t blighted at all. It’s wonderful.”
“Even the killer trees?” Rafe said sarcastically.
“Not counting the killer trees,” she said. “I just thought it would be so much harder.”
“Well, we shouldn’t let our guard down, just because the water’s not poisoned,” he grumbled.
“Fill the water skin and take it to Olyva. We’ll settle in for the night,” Tiberius said. “There’s nothing wrong with celebrating a little good luck.”
Lexi smiled. She liked the way he thought about things. He was calm under pressure, courageous, yet a peacemaker. She thought he was everything a good Earl should be, yet he wasn’t even considered for the position because he wasn’t the firstborn. She thought the entire line of succession and the value of lineage was completely ridiculous.
They unsaddled the horses and Lexi found clumps of grass that grew longer close to the river. She pulled some up and used them to rub down the horses. Tiberius put their packs and saddles near a dip between the river and the more open plain that stretched back toward the mountains. There was no wood close to the river, not even brush of any kind, but Tiberius found big round chunks of dried dung.
“What is that?” Lexi asked.
“It’s dung,” he said.
“Oooo, what are you going to do with it?”
“It burns,” Rafe said.
“Gross,” Lexi replied. “Be sure and wash your hands when you’re finished.”
Rafe prepared a simple place for Olyva. He spread a blanket on the soft grass and arranged her saddle underneath at one end. Then he carried the still unconscious girl down and laid her out with her head elevated. He dribbled water into her mouth and covered her legs with another blanket.
“I guess we’re sleeping on the ground tonight,” Lexi said to Tiberius under her breath.
“We’ll manage,” he said with a grin and a wink.
They used some of the moss to help start the fire. Nothing seemed dried out, but the moss burned readily enough. The dung took a while to ignite, but once it did, it burned almost like wood.
“I’m glad it doesn’t smell,” Lexi said.
“Me too,” Ti agreed.
“Don’t you think she should be waking up?” Rafe asked about Olyva.
“I don’t know,” Tiberius said. “It could take a while for the effects to wear off.”
“Can’t you do something? Use your magic on her?”
“I don’t have a spell for that. I can work on fever, on seasonal ailments, broken bones and burns, but not something like this.”
“Damn, I just feel so helpless.”
Tiberius moved over by his friend and talked reassuringly. Lexi wasn’t as confident as Tiberius, but she didn’t foster ill will on Olyva. She got busy making a simple stew with the salted pork and the few vegetables that Tiberius had packed away.”
“I meant to buy more food at the market before I left the city,” he said when he finally came back to the fire.
“That would have been nice,” Lexi agreed.
“Rafe’s exhausted. He hasn’t slept much at all since we left Avondale. I told him we’d cover things tonight. I hope that’s alright.”
“It is,” Lexi said. “After you eat you can get some sleep. I’ll stand guard as long as I can, then wake you.”
“Alright,” he agreed.
The soothing sound of the river, combined with warm food in their stomachs, was the perfect combination to help everyone sleep. Rafe was out almost before he finished eating. They didn’t have much in the way of dishes. Tiberius had packed a small pot, a tin plate, and two pewter cups. There were three more cups in Rafe’s bag. So they ate out of the cups, and Tiberius helped Lexi wash up after diner.
They sat and talked for a while, both marveling at the beauty of the blighted lands. Tiberius felt guilty for not staying up with Lexi, but she assured him she was okay. Once he laid down on their blanket, he was asleep almost immediately.
It was easier to stay awake if she walked, plus stretching her aching muscles felt good after being in the saddle all day. Her back ached and her bottom was sore, so she paced back and forth beside the river. She had seen to the horses, removing their bridles and saddles, rubbing them down, and hobbling them in patch of long green moss that they seemed to enjoy the taste of.
The night wore on and despite the beauty of the blighted lands, she missed the stars at night. It was still warm, with a soft breeze blowing, nothing like the nights she had spent shivering in Avondale with no place to sleep. Many nights had been passed in tiny spaces between buildings, lying on the hard ground, staring up at the bright stars. They seemed magical to her somehow, like dreams. They were beautiful, but untouchable, and now they were hidden behind the thick mist that covered the blighted lands like a blanket.
She was getting tired after what she guessed was several hours. She tried to be strong and let Tiberius rest, but she could hardly stay on her feet and she knew that if she sat down, even for a moment, she would drift off to sleep. Rafe’s words came back to her, we shouldn’t let our guard down. Their camp by the river seemed so idyllic, yet she knew they couldn’t risk going without someone on watch, no matter how much they all needed to rest. There were still wild animals in the blighted lands, Tiberius had even seen Graypees by the river. She hoped they were nowhere near the place where the Graypees had been seen.
She walked over and nudged Tiberius.
“Ti,” she said quietly. “Ti, can you wake up?”
“Huh?” he asked sleepily. “What is it?”
“I can’t stay awake,” she said.
“Okay, okay, I’ll get up. Thanks for letting me sleep.”
She knelt down on the blanket as he got up. Her body was aching and her eyes felt dry. All she wanted to do was stretch out and sleep. She was arranging herself on the saddle, which didn’t make a bad pillow in her opinion, when Tiberius lay down a velvety cloak with fur around the edges, covering most of her body.
“It’s a little out of place on a journey like this,” he said. “But it was all I had.”
“It’s wonderful,” she said.
She could smell Tiberius in the soft garment. He must have had it stashed deep in his pack, she thought. She pulled it up around her face, and fell instantly asleep.
Chapter 30
Tiberius
Tiberius walked slowly to the river and splashed cold water on his face. He was exhausted, but he knew that it was important to keep watch. Perhaps they could stay near the river for a few days and get some much needed rest.
&nbs
p; Their fire had died down, so Ti added more of the dried dung. Once the flames took hold and cast a little light around the camp, Tiberius went to check on Olyva. He touched her forehead, but there was no sign of fever. Rafe was sound asleep as well, and Tiberius was glad that for the moment they were both at peace.
He paced back and forth across the camp, peering into the darkness. There was nothing to see, just a pitch-black void on every side of the ring of light cast by the dancing flames of their campfire. The hours seemed to drag on relentlessly and Tiberius did everything he could think of to stay awake. He exercised, doused his head with cold water from the stream, and stood close to the fire until his legs ached from the heat.
It was still an hour before dawn when he noticed the change. He was standing close to the fire, with his back to the flames, staring out into the darkness. His mind kept drifting off into blank thought. At one point he worried that he would fall over into the fire if he wasn’t careful. He tried not to worry that he was letting everyone down, but it was difficult. He felt like a stronger man wouldn’t fall asleep on watch. Of course, he hadn’t had a full night’s rest in several day either. They all needed more rest and better food.
Suddenly, after shaking himself awake yet again, he realized he was seeing something in the darkness. It was so small he had to rub his eyes to be sure he wasn’t dreaming. There were lights in the distance. Tiny sparks of light, at least a dozen of them. He stood staring at the lights for a long time, entranced that he could actually see something in the darkness. Then it occurred to him that the tiny sparks of light were getting closer and they they were pairs of light. He watched them, looking for confirmation and sure enough, the lights were moving closer. Each light had a twin that moved in perfect synchronization. It finally occurred to him that what he was seeing wasn’t light at all, but a reflection of light from his own fire. They were eyes.
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