Bastial Sentinels (The Rhythm of Rivalry: Book 5)

by Narro, B. T.

  “I’m shooting two arrows at once.” Cleve held out his hand.

  “Have you ever done this before?” Calvon slapped the cloth into his palm.

  “I’ve shot arrows wrapped in cloth.”

  “Two at once?”

  “Yes, though they’ve never been on fire before.”

  Vithos touched his shoulder. “Find target first. Once arrows on fire, you can’t see anything.”

  “And everything will be able to see us,” Jek added.

  When they were prepared, Jek and Cleve waded through the plants while Calvon and Vithos stayed behind. Jek and Cleve could run there in the time it took to draw five breaths, but at their slow pace, it took them fifty breaths to reach the last line of trees before their enemies.

  Please let no mages find us with Bastial light, Cleve thought. Darkness would be the only way they could escape.

  He loaded two arrows onto the string, grasping them with four fingers and holding on as tight as he could. The string dug into his flesh as he pulled it back. Hunger and fatigue made his arm shake. Luckily his target was close enough to reach by throwing a rock. He just needed to land one of the flaming arrows in the large net of the siege weapon nearest to him.

  “Now,” he whispered.

  Jek put his wand beneath Cleve’s arrowheads wrapped with cloth. A jet of fire jumped from his wand, blinding the rest of the forest to Cleve. He’d already chosen his force and trajectory, though. Now it was just a matter of holding steady and trusting himself.

  Skunks yelled to each other. “What’s that?”

  “Someone’s here!”

  “Look!”

  “Get a light on them!”

  The fire in front of Cleve’s face suddenly was secondary as light from enemy mages swarmed him.

  “Now, Cleve!” Jek yelled. “It’s lit!”

  Cleve released. Blinded, he no longer could see the siege weapon. There was no way to tell if he hit his target. He and Jek turned and ran. There was so much light flooding past them, Cleve could see the dread on Calvon and Vithos’ faces.

  “Hurry!” Calvon screamed.

  An arrow passed by Cleve’s shoulder. Skunks sprinted after them. Jek didn’t need to light their path, as nearly the whole forest before them was illuminated. Jek twisted as he ran, shooting a fireball back at their enemies. There was a scream of pain, possibly two. Vithos held out his hand, bringing more yelps of agony.

  Soon the four of them were sprinting together. The ground became soft and even. Quickly getting to the front, Cleve risked a look back. What seemed to be fifty men were slowing. Archers shot, mages cast, yet the arrows and fireballs landed nowhere near them. The light on them dimmed. Jek made his own light from the rear, aiming it before them. Their long shadows hovered in front of every one of Cleve’s steps.

  He looked back again to find ten men still running after them. It might’ve been a battle they could win, but stopping to fight inevitably would lead to their death. The skunks who’d given up still weren’t far away. They could change their minds at any moment.

  Cleve turned to lead their group into the trees and bushes. “Vithos, can you stop them without slowing your run?” he asked.

  “No. They too far. I need stop if pain.”

  “Don’t stop,” Cleve said.

  So on they ran. They did not slow or speak. Cleve was the quickest, so he stayed in front.

  Eventually, Jek uttered through heavy breaths, “I need a break.”

  His light went out. They stopped and listened. It sounded like they still were being chased, though the skunks had fallen far behind.

  Cleve put himself behind a tree. The others did the same, separating, catching their breaths as they waited and listened. Cleve was certain he heard boots, but they were just walking, searching. As he listened closer, it sounded like just one man.

  What the Bastial hell is he doing? Cleve didn’t wish to kill him. How could the skunk be so stupid…unless it was a trap? Cleve wanted to ask Vithos if he could sense anyone else, but the Elf was too far away.

  The sole skunk came close, walking right between where the four of them hid. “Calvon?” the man whispered.

  Cleve’s heart twisted as his mind went to work. Was this an ally who’d been captured by the skunks and managed to escape?

  “Calvon!” the man tried again, this time loudly. “Where are you?”

  Cleve couldn’t see Calvon, Jek, or Vithos from where he was. He needed to know where the other skunks were and what they were planning. Perhaps this was still a trap after all.

  He waited, trusting Vithos to know what to do based on what he sensed.

  The man started into a jog and yelled again for Calvon. Suddenly he screamed. Cleve looked to find him falling while Vithos came out from behind a tree, his palm pointed.

  “Is there anyone else?” Cleve asked, sprinting to Vithos and drawing an arrow.

  Vithos stopped his spell of pain. “Just him, and he no want to hurt Calvon.”

  While the enemy was still weak, Cleve ran to him. He put his boot on the man’s back. “Stay down.”

  “I know Calvon’s here. I just want to talk to him.” The skunk let Cleve take his sword.

  “You don’t want to hurt us?” Cleve asked.

  “No.”

  “It’s the truth,” Vithos said.

  Cleve let his foot off. The skunk gingerly got to his feet and turned to face the four of them. Jek pointed his wand, letting out light to brighten the man’s face.

  “Are there others coming for us?” Calvon asked.

  “I don’t think so,” the man answered. “Everyone stopped but me.” He was in his twenties and burly. Although he didn’t reach Cleve’s height, his shoulders and arms were still just as thick with muscle. With a crooked smile, he stared at Calvon with what seemed to be relief.

  “Do you know who I am?” Calvon asked.

  “Of course. You’re face hasn’t changed a bit. But I can see you don’t remember me.”

  Calvon’s boyish face twisted. “You’re a skunk, aren’t you?”

  “As much as you’re a frog.”

  “What do you want?” Calvon asked.

  The faintest of sighs came out of the man’s nose. “I’m not exactly sure, just to speak to you I suppose. I saw you weeks ago. Our groups spotted each other and exchanged arrows. I recognized you, but I figured you never recognized me.”

  “Who are you?”

  “Oster…I used to live in Dylish with you.”

  “Bastial hell!” Calvon’s mouth dropped.

  Oster smiled. “I noticed you among these others when our mages cast light. I started running without even knowing what I was doing. The others don’t know that I know you. They went back and called me an idiot for chasing after four frogs.”

  With heavy eyes, Calvon was having trouble looking Oster in the face. “Did you want to speak with me so you could hear me apologize?”

  Oster stared, waiting for Calvon to meet his glance. “You think I’m angry with you?”

  “Of course. I was stupid to tell my brother. Part of me knew what he would do.”

  Oster scoffed. “I’m only angry with myself. I was the stupid one. I wish I’d never…” He looked at Cleve and the others. “Could Calvon and I speak alone?”

  “We need to be moving,” Jek urged.

  “Just give us a moment,” Calvon said in a peremptory tone. It was fierce enough for Cleve to realize if they wanted to leave at that moment, they would be doing so without him.

  Jek must’ve had the same thought. “Try to be quick.”

  They left Calvon and Oster to themselves.

  Chapter 27:

  CLEVE

  In the night, the forest bugs didn’t buzz and the birds didn’t chatter. Besides the haunting creek of the trees, it was utter silence, making Calvon and Oster’s murmurs loud enough to hear.

  Calvon was the first to speak once Cleve and the others gave them some distance.

  “I’m sorry.”

&n
bsp; “I’ve always been worried that you’ve felt guilty for what happened.”

  “And why shouldn’t I? It was my fault.”

  “Why was it your fault? You weren’t the one who asked to kiss.”

  “No, but I didn’t have to tell my brother.” Calvon sighed painfully. “And then I didn’t stop him.”

  “You couldn’t have. There were too many of them. ”

  Silence.

  “Look at me,” Oster said. “I’m fine.”

  “What happened after you moved?”

  “I wasn’t stupid enough to do the same thing, if that’s what you’re wondering.”

  Calvon turned away from Oster, meeting Cleve’s eyes. Reflexively, he pretended he wasn’t looking.

  “I knew it was a dangerous question,” Oster said. “But I was young and listened to my idiotic instincts that told me to do it. What were we, twelve?”

  “Around that. I’m truly sorry. I never saw you again…after that day.”

  “I forgive you. Don’t hang onto your guilt. It’s your brother and his friends who share the anger I hold for myself.”

  Silence.

  “I’m still ashamed,” Oster said.

  Silence.

  Cleve wanted to scream at Calvon for saying nothing in response. His friend obviously needed something from him.

  “Well, after I saw you, I figured we should talk,” Oster said, his voice meek and hurt. “We probably won’t have another chance.”

  “Are you marching to the lake?”

  “We are.”

  “How many?”

  “You tell me first,” Oster retorted.

  Silence.

  “Shit on a grave,” Oster muttered. “Quite a situation we’ve gotten ourselves into.”

  “So those Waywen bastards got you saying that now?”

  “Aye. Not sure exactly when I picked it up.”

  “I’d better leave,” Calvon said. “We haven’t eaten anything since breakfast, and we’ll have to walk the whole night to get to the bunker before you do.”

  Oster fished something out of his pocket. “Take this. It’s not much, but I have more food waiting for me back with the other skunks.”

  “I can’t.”

  “I’m going to just leave it on the ground, then.” Oster shoved his hand forward.

  Calvon let out his breath and took it. “This is too kind. We’re enemies now.” Calvon tried to give him back whatever he held, but Oster stepped away and tossed up his hands.

  “You and I will never be enemies.” Oster began walking off. He looked back over his shoulder for one last glance.

  Soon after Oster disappeared among the shadows, Cleve and the others rejoined Calvon. He was hiding his face and crying. Vithos put his hand on his shoulder. “He’s a nice friend.”

  Calvon showed the pouch in his hand. He opened it to reveal bread crumbs that he poured out and shared with them. They were stale and strangely salty, yet possibly the most delicious thing Cleve had ever eaten.

  As they started back, Calvon asked if they’d overheard anything.

  “Yes,” Vithos answered. “Everything.”

  “We didn’t want to go too far,” Jek added quickly. “Just in case someone saw you.”

  Calvon gave no explanation. But Cleve couldn’t let the silence go on.

  “Why didn’t you say anything when he admitted he was ashamed?” More anger came out than he meant. Guilt pinched his heart when Calvon wept loudly.

  “I’m sorry,” Cleve said.

  “I know I should’ve said something,” Calvon uttered as he tried to calm his staggered breaths. “But all I could think about was my father and brother. They would beat me if they found out I was even talking to him. I couldn’t bring myself to say anything consoling, as much as I wanted to.”

  “What happened between you two?” Jek asked.

  Cleve interrupted. “You don’t have to talk about it.”

  Calvon didn’t seem to wish to speak, at least not while he was crying. He used the back of his hand to wipe his eyes.

  Eventually, after he’d stopped, he said, “If any of you tell anyone about me crying, I’ll piss in your breakfast.”

  Vithos and Jek laughed. Cleve chuckled along with them.

  Calvon let out a quick chuckle of his own, then took a deep breath. “Keep everything I say between us,” he said. “I don’t want anyone knowing I have a friend on the other side. Oster used to live in Zav, like me. After his family moved to Waywen, I never saw him again. I had no idea he joined their army.”

  “What did your brother do to him?” Jek asked.

  “I don’t care what Oster says. I still blame myself for it. He was my closest friend throughout childhood, yet I betrayed him. We were talking about girls and kissing. I can’t remember much leading up to his question, but I remember what he said exactly. He wanted to ask me something that he knew would be awkward. I was too curious to let it go, and eventually I forced it out of him. He said he wasn’t sure he wanted to kiss girls. He asked if I would mind if he tried kissing me to see what it felt like. That was all he said…nothing else. I fell silent. I don’t know what face I made, but he quickly changed his mind, telling me to forget he ever asked. We both tried to pretend it never happened, but it didn’t work. Later that day, I told my brother about Oster’s question.”

  Calvon went quiet. Everyone waited, and soon he continued. “I don’t know why I told him. I remember feeling obligated. But I knew he would hurt Oster. I wasn’t even surprised when I heard that my brother had gathered his friends and nearly beat the life out of him. Oster’s family moved to Waywen as soon as he was well enough for the trip. I only found out from my father, who was happy to see them go. He didn’t want either of his sons near him after my brother shared Oster’s question with the rest of our family. At least he seems fine now.” It was clear from his tone he didn’t wholeheartedly believe that.

  When Oster and Calvon had been speaking, there was no mistaking Oster’s tone. It was crying for help, for relief, for something. The man was strong, a skilled liar, possibly even to himself. But whatever had happened to him wasn’t resolved. It reminded Cleve of the way his parents’ deaths had haunted him for so many years. He could’ve wept in that moment if he’d chosen to.

  In this year, he’d grown ten times stronger. He’d faced the toughest challenges of his life, but this time he wasn’t alone. He had friends; he had Reela. He’d even become strong enough to conquer his old fear that memories of his parents would break him.

  But Oster seemed as if he had no one to help him. Whether he faced fear, trauma, or even his own feelings, he must’ve seen something in Calvon—an old friend. He must’ve seen the chance for some form of assistance. Yet he’d gotten nothing.

  As Cleve studied Calvon’s face, he figured Calvon must’ve known this, for he looked heartsick. It was the kind of look that only a visit to the past could solve. However, as that was impossible, waiting for time to take away the emotional pain would have to do.

  Bastial hell, Oster even gave his food to us. Cleve didn’t know what he would do if he saw Oster on the battlefield. All he could hope was that he wouldn’t.

  While the bread crumbs had been delicious, they did little to combat Cleve’s hunger. The morning sun was up, but he couldn’t enjoy its warmth. His shirt stuck to his weary body, soaked beneath his arms with cold sweat. His head was too heavy to lift, and his eyes kept slamming closed. He paid just enough attention to realize he wasn’t the only one stumbling constantly.

  When they finally reached the base of the mountainside, the thought of walking up its twisted path made his legs weak. He remembered the exhausted face of one frog they’d passed yesterday morning, the man who’d turned to look over his shoulder. Cleve knew he wore the same expression in that moment.

  Somehow they made it up and got inside the bunker. “Breakfast should be served…being served right now,” Calvon said.

  “I have to tell Micah and Raymess what we saw,” Jek co
mplained. “They’ll be here before the end of the day. The skunks.”

  Cleve, Vithos, and Calvon staggered into the dining hall and sat at the nearest open table. They put their heads down, and Cleve quickly fell asleep.

  When he awoke, food had been served. The hall was so loud Cleve was amazed he hadn’t woken up earlier. Vithos was beside him, still asleep with his head tucked into his arms on the table. Calvon seemed to be waking up across the table, rubbing his eyes with an open jaw as he stared at the bowl in front of him. Peter was beside him. Jek was on the other side of Peter. On Cleve’s tableside was Reela, who gave him a look of sympathy.

  “Are you alright?” she asked, placing her cool palm on his cheek. A soft moan of pleasure escaped his throat as comfort ran through his body and made him melt. His eyes shut again when she moved her hand through his hair and kissed his cheek. He never wanted her to take her hand off him.

  “You were out all night?” she asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Eat.” Reela pointed at his bowl.

  Cleve was almost too tired. Almost. But by the time he swallowed his first bite, his hunger attacked. If anyone spoke while he ate, he never heard it. The hot oatmeal fell into his empty stomach, making his whole body warm. When he was done, he put his head back on the table.

  “No, Cleve.” Reela stroked his hair. “You won’t sleep well here. Let me help you into bed.”

  “Are we allowed?” he asked without lifting his head, hoping it was loud enough for Jek to hear.

  “Yes,” Jek answered. “We have permission to sleep, of course.”

  “What else did Micah say?” Cleve asked, still trying to find the strength to lift his head from the table.

  “No one’s leaving the bunker to hunt today. We’re preparing for battle.”

  Chapter 28:

  CLEVE

  Cleve did not dream. Reela awoke him and Vithos with an apology.

  “How late is it?” Cleve asked as he sat up.

  “Afternoon. The skunks are close.”

  Vithos stood and shook his head to shed the drowsiness. “Still hungry.”

  “Everyone is,” Reela said. “They’re preparing a light meal for us before battle.”