by Meg Bonney
“I’ll do better, Ren,” I said into the fabric of his shirt. “Please.”
His chest moved. Startled, I sat up. “Ren?”
He blinked and took a deep breath.
“Ren!” I began to laugh and cry at the same time, somewhat hysterically. I hugged him tightly. His eyes were only partially open.
“Ren?!” Ara shrieked. She dropped to her knees above him and cradled his face in her hands, kissing his forehead.
Jason grabbed Ren’s hand, still crying.
I can’t believe it.
Ren looked at each of us, and a smile crept over his face as his eyes filled with tears.
“You’re going to be okay, Ren,” Jason said.
Ren nodded, looking at Jason and grinning widely before looking up at Ara, who was stroking his hair. And then his eyes stopped on me.
“Hi,” I said softly, tilting my head to the side.
“Hello,” Ren replied, still beaming.
Ren looked over at his injured arm as Gullway lifted his hand. Ren’s artery had stopped gushing, most of the shreds of skin had healed, and the bone was no longer visible.
“Whoa!” Ren’s eyes went wide when he realized the mountain troll was looming over him. Gullway jumped back and grunted a little.
“It’s okay,” I assured Ren. “He helped me move the boulder.”
I looked Ren over. His face was still very pale and his eyes were still half closed, but he was alive. I put my hand on his chest and felt his heart beating strong.
Ren smirked.
“I have never been so happy to see that stupid smirk.” I shook my head
and smiled.
Ren smiled widely and let out a laugh. It was the happiest I had ever
seen him.
“Jason, are you okay?” he asked, his voice raspy.
“Dude.” Jason nodded. “You saved my life!”
“What just happened?” Ren narrowed his eyes, sounding woozy.
“I think you died.” I tried to take a few deep breaths to calm down as I wiped my face with my arm. He was awake and talking, but his blood still covered the road beneath him.
“I am okay. It is okay,” Ren said softly, still smiling. “Thank you. All of you.” He beamed, but it was clear he wasn’t at one hundred percent just yet.
Ren started to sit up.
“Wait,” I said, lifting the blade of my sword to my palm again.
“Madison, what are you doing?” He grabbed my open hand.
“Healing myself was the only way to heal you too,” I replied, pulling my hand back and cutting my palm. Everyone stood quietly as I laid my bloody hand on Ren’s shoulder. I closed my eye and focused on Ren. I imagined his wounds healing and his energy coming back. My arm tingled. I exhaled loudly and opened my eye.
“Wow, Maddy, look at this,” Jason said, pointing to Ren’s wound. His arm wasn’t even gashed anymore. It was continuing to mend and heal. My finger traced the longest of the raised pink scars.
I smiled. “It’s healing.” I followed Ren’s eyes as they went to my ear. I grabbed the earring and smiled. “Still me.”
He touched the little silver lightning bolt earring on the collar of his shirt. “Me, too,” he replied.
“How do you feel, Ren?” Jason touched Ren’s mended arm. “Can you move it?”
Ren looked over at his arm. He opened and shut his hand, then lifted the arm from the blood-soaked ground. Both Jason and Ren looked at me as I put the sword back in my scabbard. Jason’s mouth hung open, but it still turned up in a smile. Ren grasped my hand and examined it. It had healed, too.
“Help me up.” Ren lifted his good arm.
Jason braced his back as he sat up. “Careful,” he said as Ren steadied himself. I felt a dull pain shoot up my arm, and then it went away when Ren stopped moving his arm.
“Wait, don’t move your arm. Let it rest,” I said, startled. I rubbed my
own arm.
“You okay?” Jason narrowed his eyes.
“Yeah. Sympathy pains.” I snickered, standing up, and wiped my face. “Um, Ren…before, when you were out, I said some things that I should have told you when you were awake.”
“I heard you. I heard what you said,” he whispered. I turned away.
“Are you okay?” I asked Ara, who had still not said a word.
“Thank you, Madison,” Ara said. “That was amazing.”
I half smiled. It was kind of amazing.
“Can you stand?” I asked Ren. He nodded, so I reached down and lifted him with his good arm. Jason stood, too.
Ren faltered a bit. “Ahh!” he yelped.
I put a hand on his chest and his back. He toddled forward. “Whoa, take it easy. You okay?”
“Yeah, I think so.” He sighed, looking at Gullway, who was still standing near us. “Hey, troll?”
“That’s Gullway,” I said. Gullway grunted at Ren.
Ren looked at me. “The one from the hilltop?”
“Yeah.”
Ren nodded. “I see. You set him free. That explains it.” He looked back at Gullway. “Gullway, you thought she was in danger, which is why you grabbed her, right?” Ren asked him. “You thought we were the Cloaked and she was in danger.”
Gullway nodded.
“She set you free, so you tried to protect her?” Ren asked.
Again, Gullway nodded.
“Garl save Gullway. Gullway hers,” the troll said in his low, grumbly voice.
Ren nodded. “Then you will come with us.”
“Ren, no! He just tried to kill you guys!” I argued.
“He thought he was protecting you, Madison. He is in your service now. That is how the troll code works. You saved him. Now he owes you a life debt,” Ren explained.
I chewed my lip, shaking my head. “Technically, he owes me two life debts,” I said with authority. “He killed you.”
“He will protect you. We need him. Look at how much damage he can inflict.”
“Ren is right, Madison.” Ara stepped forward. “He will be very helpful
to us.”
Gullway nodded.
“And no boulders. Got that, Gullway?” Jason pointed his index finger at Gullway.
“Aye,” Gullway nodded again.
A mountain troll on our side certainly wouldn’t hurt, I hoped. I kept my arm around Ren’s waist.
I studied Gullway again. “Aye. Gullway, you can join us, but I am watching you.”
Gullway nodded.
“Gullway, can you take my bag?” I lifted it from my shoulder and held out the small satchel. He took it.
“Let’s keep moving. The sun will be down soon,” I stated. Ren and I pivoted on the path to continue on the Temple Road.
Ren walked pretty well, considering he had just died and come back to life, but he still seemed to be straining as Ara and Jason walked ahead.
“Do you want Gullway to carry you?” I asked as we took a few steps. Ren had his arm around my shoulders. I held his hand with mine and kept my other arm around his waist.
“No, I am okay,” Ren said, and shifted his weight, leaning on me less as we walked. “To the temple?”
“To the temple,” I agreed.
CHAPTER 27
We walked relatively quietly on the Temple Road for the next hour or so. It wasn’t really a road; it was a dirt path about as wide as a compact car. My calves started to ache even though the road’s upward slope was gradual.
The forest to the left of the Temple Road was denser than the wooded area near the portal, and the trees were much smaller here. Their trunks were thinner and their bark was white, but they were still massively tall. Their roots rose up past the dirt and lay twisted on top of the ground.
To my right, I could hear the crashing of the sea against the rocks. There was a steep drop-off to the sea below, making me stay as far left as I could on the path. I took a deep breath and the air smelled like Greenrock. That salty
smell gave me a certain comfort I hadn’t expected.
Ren was walking on his own now, but he stayed by my side after two more healing sessions with my cut hand and my sword. Even though he reassured me he was okay, I watched him out of the corner of my good eye.
Jason and Ara walked in front of us. Gullway walked behind me. I could hear his breathing getting heavier as we continued.
“You okay back there, Gullway?” I said aloud. He just grunted back.
I started to feel tired, too.
Ren looked over at me, and our eyes met.
“Doing okay?” I asked.
He nodded.
We all had the gray cloaks on now, me included. The material was itchy and mine smelled worse than me after a boxing class at Ruth’s Gym, but it was a necessary evil. If we wanted to get into the temple undetected, we needed to play the part. And having a troll with us only made it more believable.
Just then, Ara stopped and raised her hand. We all came to a stop.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Shh,” Ren whispered.
I turned, canvasing the area. The sounds around us were the same as they had been for the entire walk. The trees rustled in the breeze. The ocean gently roared as the water crashed against the shoreline. I opened my mouth to question Ara again, and then I heard it: a gentle rumbling sound.
“To the trees!” Ara pointed at the wooded area to our left. Jason, Ara, Ren, and I ran into it.
“What is it?” I asked Ren as we ran together, farther into the thick of the trees. Gullway stomped behind me.
“Someone is coming. We need to get off the path,” Ren answered.
“Come on, Gullway!” I urged him as I waved him along. He was panting loudly. “Gullway, are you okay?”
The troll nodded. His face was wet with sweat, as was his shirt.
Ara pulled Jason to the ground and they laid flat on their stomachs.
“Get down!” Ren insisted. He rested his head on the ground next to Jason. I couldn’t tell if he was hiding or just exhausted.
I stood until Gullway reached me. Then I lay on the ground next to Ren and watched the road. We were far enough back from the path and behind some brush; hopefully, we would not be seen. The same couldn’t be said for the giant mountain troll with our group.
“Down, Gullway!” I instructed him.
He crashed to the ground, falling forward like a giant tree. I rolled to the side as he landed on his stomach between Ren and me. Then Gullway farted. Long and loud.
Jason snorted and started laughing.
“Shh!” Ren insisted, although he had started to laugh, too.
I clamped my hand over my mouth and buried my face into the ground to suppress my laughter.
“What? Are you all children?” Ara said to Ren, Jason, and me, but it only made us laugh harder.
“Sorry, but are farts not funny in Everly, like they are in our world?” Jason asked, laughing.
The noise from the road grew louder. I regained my composure, looked up at the path, and saw about a half dozen of the Cloaked. A horse was pulling a large wooden carriage that was painted blue. It reminded me of those old-timey carriages you see in western movies.
The carriage had large, open windows, allowing me to see inside. The passengers were also wearing cloaks, but they were a deep blue color, and their hoods were down.
“More Magics,” I heard Ren whisper.
“Headed to the temple,” Ara chimed in.
I lifted my head to get a better look. The passengers on one side of the carriage had bags on their heads, just like Sinder did before I rescued her. I moved a branch over to peek at the driver. He was dressed nicer than the other Cloaked we had encountered. He wasn’t even looking around as the carriage passed us; his face remained forward, and he looked almost bored.
“Aren’t they worried that someone will attack them?” I asked. “Don’t the other Magics fight back? That guy wasn’t even checking for danger.”
The cart continued up the slope and soon was out of sight.
“Doubtful,” Ren replied. “The Cloaked haven’t been opposed. They are too feared.”
Ren sat up. I stood and extended a hand to help him up, then brushed the dirt and leaves from my shirt and pants. Jason and Ara walked over to us.
Gullway hadn’t moved. I nudged him with my foot.
“Gullway?”
Nothing.
I laid my hand on his back and rocked him a little. He let out a rattling snore.
“He’s asleep.” Ara laughed.
“Couldn’t you have found a fully functional mountain troll to put in your debt, Maddy?” Jason snickered. “You know, maybe one that doesn’t try to kill us, fart, and then pass out?”
We all laughed.
“The sun is going down. I guess we set up camp for the night and head to the temple at dawn,” I said, looking at Ren and Ara. “This area is pretty clear.”
There weren’t many bushes, and the trees were spread a little farther apart right here but still dense enough that we wouldn’t be visible from the Temple Road. It was an ideal spot for resting. Ren set his stuff down and slumped to the ground against a tree.
Ara sighed. “Truly. It is best to travel by the light of day. I guess this spot is as good as any.”
I nodded. “Gullway thinks so.”
“Don’t have to tell me twice.” Jason dropped his bag on the ground and plopped down next to Ren. “Hills are the worst.”
“You should relax, Madison. Tomorrow’s tasks will not fall lightly on you,” Ara said. I turned to face her, and I smiled when I saw that she was holding a sword smaller than mine. She twirled it in her hand, showing off her skill.
“Cool sword.”
“Thanks.” She slid it in her scabbard and pulled her long, silky hair into a ponytail. Her dress fluttered in the wind, and her skin shimmered in the glinting sunlight.
I looked down at my own clothes. Unlike Ara, I was disgusting. My arms were splattered with dried blood, and my black shirt was damp with sweat. To top it off, my seashell eye patch kept slipping down my face, making it a constant annoyance. I groaned as I tried to get it to sit right on the back of my head.
“Madison, if you braid the string into your hair, it won’t move,” Ara said. “May I?”
“Sure.” I nodded and turned around.
Ara made quick work of my hair, pulling my ponytail out and combing through my tangled knots with her fingers. I kept my head straight, staring at the peeling white bark of the trees in front of me.
“Oh, cool,” Jason said behind me. “What kind of braid is that?”
“Fishtail,” Ara replied.
“A half-Mermaid is giving me a fishtail braid.” I sighed. “That’s kind of awesome.”
“There. Now your string will stay put,” Ara said cheerfully. I reached back and ran my hand over the thin plaits of the braid.
“Thanks.” I smiled. “I don’t think my hair has ever been braided like this before. Super cool.”
“Thank you. My mother taught me.”
I felt a little twinge of jealousy but forced a smile. “That’s really nice.”
“That’s cool,” Jason said, crossing his legs and leaning against a tree. “Is that a Mermaid thing?”
“Mermaids don’t have much need for hairstyling, but my mother loved to braid and tie knots. Her family made ropes and nets for fishing in the Jade Village,” Ara said.
“Aww, is that how your parents met? Fishing?” Jason asked as the wind picked up again, making the leaves roar as they rustled above us.
Ara nodded. “Truly. Now, come help me gather some sticks, Jason. The sun is setting and we will need a fire.”
Jason groaned and climbed to his feet, following Ara around the little clearing that we occupied. They walked around Gullway, who still hadn’t budged.
“How do you feel?” I stood in front of Ren and tapped his foot with my own.
&nbs
p; He rubbed his hand through his hair. His emerald eyes were bloodshot, and his eyelids drooped. “I have been better. But then again, that is the first time I have ever died and been brought back to life, so maybe this is how you are supposed to feel.” He looked up at me and smiled.
“Do you want me to heal you again?” I asked, reaching back to grab my sword.
“No, no.” Ren held his hand up. “No, you have done enough.”
I half smiled. “Okay.”
Ren dropped his head back against the tree. “You look concerned.”
“Yeah. Just thinking about Lacy.” I sighed. “I know she must be a worried mess in Greenrock.”
“You will see her again. I did not realize that it was not her back at your house. I am relieved, though,” Ren said.
“Relieved?”
“Yes. I really disliked Lacy when I met her in Greenrock. But it was not her. It was Sinder.” Ren looked away as he spoke.
“I hate Sinder.” I clenched my jaw.
Ren leaned back, looking deep in thought. “Me, too.”
“Don’t worry. She got what was coming to her,” Jason chimed in as he and Ara walked past us, holding a few sticks of varying sizes.
“How so?” Ara asked, clearly intrigued.
“Jason, wait,” I cautioned.
“Maddy took her head off in the cave. Literally,” Jason replied absently, reaching down to pick up a stick.
I winced and looked down at the ground, not wanting to see Ren’s or Ara’s reaction.
“The blood. The blood that was covering you before.” Ara stopped. “Was that Sinder’s?”
“I didn’t touch her hands. She can heal. We just needed to get away, and she messed with my mind,” I said, louder than I intended to. “I had to. She was in my head.”
“Oh, yeah, no, Mads!” Jason spun around. “I didn’t mean it like that.”
“I am sure you did what you had to do, Madison,” Ren said.
I smiled at him gratefully. Ara was already looking at me when I turned around. She dropped her sticks into a pile near the middle of the clearing, away from the bushes and trees.
“I wish you had taken her hands off, too,” Ara asserted with an icy stare.