Dark Unicorn

by Taylor Haiden

  This would be a difficult climb for her, but it should keep the snakes at bay. An hour later, I sank down into the branches of a huge kapok tree. A deep exhaustion filled my bones.

  The fire had turned away, burning in another direction.

  “We should be safe until morning,” I said, wiping the soot from her hair.

  Wren and I sank into each other and claimed some much-needed sleep.

  Dawn illuminated the icy mountains in the distance beyond the jungle. We had made it around to the other side of the Collector’s domain. There was no sign of the snakes, so Wren and I descended to search for some breakfast. A troop of monkeys passed above us in the trees with a cacophony of hoots and hollers. I thought about trying to bring one down with my knife, but instead settled on following them to see what they would lead us to.

  Before I knew it, we were feasting on juicy jungle fruit. The sticky citrus was bright red and tasted delicious. That was when I noticed a patch of brown and green too evenly colored to be natural. It was some kind of building, made of lumber and painted to blend in with the jungle. We might have missed it had we not followed the monkeys to the fruit.

  “Do you see that?” I asked Wren.

  “Where?” she asked.

  I pointed. “There is some kind of building over there, hidden amongst the trees.”

  Her eyes followed along the line of my finger. “I see it now,” Wren said. We walked towards the strange house.

  It had a peaked roof made of something like coarse straw, with one large hole in the middle where it had caved in, but the rest seemed to be in good repair. The outside was streaky with some sort of green slime.

  I approached the building cautiously, drawing my blade. There was movement inside. Wren took a sharp breath as the door opened.

  Chapter 19.

  Wren

  Thackery stumbled out with a yawn. Calen lowered his sword. I had never been so happy to see anyone.

  “Thackery, you’re alive!” I ran forward.

  He grabbed me in a bear hug and swung me around. “Oh Wren, where have you been?”

  “Fighting our way through the jungle,” I said with a smile. “I thought we’d never find you.”

  “I see Calen took care of you,” Thackery said with a nod of thanks his direction.

  We had found Thackery. Maybe our luck was beginning to turn.

  “Oh good,” Calen said, pushing past us to inspect the house, “you aren't dead.”

  Thackery had spent the night there, but still had no clue who had built it or what it was used for.

  “I wonder what this green slime is” Calen said, inspecting the film that covered the outer walls.

  “No clue,” Thackery replied. “Looks like something smashed through the roof though. Whoever was living here is long gone.”

  “Maybe we should move on,” I said nervously, imagining a snake large enough to cave in the roof.

  “Did you have any trouble with the crocodiles?” Thackery asked.

  “Crocodiles?” I rasped.

  “They took my horse. One minute he was drinking peacefully at the water’s edge…” Thackery nodded in the opposite direction from which we had come. “There’s a river full of them over that way.”

  “There goes the last of the horses,” Calen sighed. “No crocodiles,” I replied, “we just escaped a pit of water vipers from the other direction.”

  “Let’s not go near the water,” Thackery said, glancing anxiously around us.

  “I don't suppose you have any other food?” I asked, changing the subject.

  “I've got a pack of venison jerky, and a half-round of cheese” Thackery replied, gesturing to his pack in the corner.

  I rubbed my eyes, stifling a yawn. “You two can fix the roof,” I said, “I will make us some breakfast.”

  The wooden house had a single room covered in leaves and dust. Some shelves held a rusted pot and little else. Before long the boys were arguing about the best way to fix the roof. Despite a few curses, the hole was patched by the time I had heated some water and sliced enough jungle fruit to serve with the cheese and venison. I had pulled over three tree stumps next to what remained of a low table. It would have to do.

  “As much as I enjoy playing house,” Calen remarked, “we shouldn’t linger here too long.”

  “More like playing escape from everything trying to kill you,” Thackery corrected.

  Calen laughed in agreement and the three of us sat down. After we had eaten, we all lay down to catch up on some much-needed sleep. Thackery looked hurt as I curled up by the unicorn’s side, but I hardly noticed.

  Calen pulled me into his arms, rolling my tired head into the crook of his elbow. I felt safe and warm.

  “I’ll stay awake and listen for anything that comes close,” he said.

  He stared down at me for a long moment, the light making all the angles of his face and body sharp. I had to say, his angles looked much better up close. I didn't protest and was quickly asleep.

  Most of the day had gone by the time I awoke. It was humid and sticky. I'd rolled closer to Calen as I slept and sweat now coated one whole side of my body—the side I'd pressed against the planes of his chest and thighs, and other places, which were harder than I remembered them being.

  Thackery was gone, the door propped open to let in some air. Calen was drawing swirling circles on my bare neck, the only bit of me exposed, with a lazy smile and light fingers.

  “What are you doing?” I asked him, trying to push the sleep out of my eyes and voice.

  “Watching you dream,” he said, still moving his fingertips.

  “Where’s Thackery?” I asked.

  Calen rolled his eyes. “He said he couldn’t sleep anymore and stormed off to find some more food.”

  “Will he be okay alone?” I asked.

  “He can take care of himself,” Calen replied smoothly.

  He bent down and kissed me.

  The heat of the room was nothing compared to his lips. It was infuriating, mine were so rough and dry from everything we had gone through, but his were still smooth. He didn't even have morning breath. Instead, his lips tasted sweet like the strange fruit we had eaten earlier.

  His free hand knotted into my hair, and I kept on kissing him, pulling him close. Calen’s practiced fingers traced down my throat and slid under my tunic. My nipples ached. In that moment, there was no thought, there was only his body pressed against mine. I couldn't stop, and I didn't want to. I could die today or tomorrow. For now, I wanted to feel alive and there was nothing I wanted more than Calen.

  He ripped off his shirt, tiny drops of sweat spread across his shoulders and down his muscular chest. His hair was damp and stuck to both our faces. Calen’s tongue parted my lips and I welcomed it—ached for it.

  My hands found the corded muscles of his arms and I gave an appreciative squeeze. I reached for his belt as the heat seeped below my own waist, making my insides pulse, driving me mad. Calen rolled, taking me with him and pulling me on top of him. The motion made my head dizzy as I pressed flush against him in a way that made me want to cry out.

  He bit down on my tongue then, as I'd let it creep into his mouth, and my cry turned into a muffled moan. My hips ground into his of their own free will—seeking a music only they seemed to know. Calen’s hand cupped my breast and he moved to kiss my neck.

  A crash by the door broke the beautiful rhythm.

  Thackery had returned, holding a yellow bunch of bananas the size of his torso. His face was red with anger and embarrassment.

  “Sorry,” Thackery breathed, throwing them to the floor, “didn't mean to interrupt.”

  Somehow I think that was exactly what he meant to do.

  Even as he untangled himself from me, Calen still looked deadly. He could probably draw blood with just the slant of his eyes. Calen reached for the wad of his tunic and strode toward Thackery to stare him down in the proper way, at full height.

  “Next time,” Calen growled, “you sh
ould knock.” He stalked outside.

  “We should leave this place,” Thackery muttered.

  I turned away, unable to believe Thackery’s timing. After a few moments he left me alone.

  My lips felt tender, and so did the rest of me.

  I heard sounds of shouting and knew they were arguing over me.

  * * *

  It was about time. The boy drew his sword, an enraged look on his face. His tiny mind couldn’t deal with the sight of me abed with Wren. I had left all of my weapons inside and was still somewhat weakened from the viper’s venom—which would make this an almost evenly matched fight.

  “You’re sure you want to do this?” I asked, cocking my head to the side.

  “I’ll give you one chance to take your spell off of Wren and walk away,” Thackery said in a low voice. I could see the threat of violence in his eyes. The fool was actually going to go through with it.

  Turning to face him, I widened my stance, preparing for the attack. “It’s not a spell, what you saw was—real.”

  “Liar!” Thacker yelled, raising his sword and charging me.

  My smile faded as he cast the spell he had been preparing. The distance between us vanished in an instant and I was suddenly ducking under a swipe of his sword. I barely had time to avoid it, the blade cutting through the air and slicing off a lock of my hair—he was moving almost faster than I could see. Thackery’s fist connected with my jaw, an inhumanely strong punch that sent me reeling back. He is using what magic he’s been able to pull from this place to match my speed and strength!

  No human could ever beat me, but with my body still fighting against the venom, this magic-infused mage might actually have a chance of killing me.

  “Not bad.” I spat a glob of silvery blood on the ground. “But how long can you keep it up?”

  “Long enough,” Thackery said, twirling his sword.

  The boy seemed to realize I wasn’t at my strongest. He knew this was the best possible time to take me out and seemed certain he could accomplish what so many others had failed to do. That overconfidence would be his downfall.

  I didn’t give him the chance to finish me. Rushing forward, I feigned left and then spun, catching his sword arm in the air as it descended. Striking his wrist, I sent the weapon flying from his grasp, significantly raising the odds in my favor.

  Thackery wasn’t done yet. He kicked me in the stomach and then lowered his head in a vicious headbutt. The blow broke my nose, but I refused to release my grip on him. Instead, I shifted my weight, using the force of his attack to pull him off balance. I bent him into a throw, sending Thackery flying into the base of a large tree. He slammed into the solid wood hard, the impact making an audible smack. It must have broken his ribs.

  Burning the last of his magic, the boy healed his bones and dashed forward. I met him head-on, just fast enough to dodge his punch and unleash a vicious elbow strike to the side of his head. Thackery went down.

  I could have killed him then, his magic exhausted, lying at my feet with impotent rage in his eyes. But Wren wouldn’t like that.

  “Are you done?” I scoffed, ignoring the pain throbbing through my body. It wouldn’t do to let the mage know how close he had come to besting me.

  Thackery groaned, realizing he was spent. “For now.”

  “Good,” I said, extending my hand. “I look forward to the next time.”

  Pushing my hand away, the boy slowly rose to his feet and went to retrieve his sword without another word. I shrugged and walked away. With a gasp I straightened the bridge of my nose and leaned against a tree to wait for Wren.

  * * *

  Straightening my clothing, I went outside to see if they had killed each other yet. They stood apart, their noses bloodied—a purple bruise growing on the side of Thackery’s face—waiting in silence for me to emerge. Hopefully, this would be the last time they fought over me.

  “Thanks for the bananas, Thackary,” I said, hoping to cut through the awkwardness. “Did you see anything else while you were picking them?”

  “I saw a viper kill a crocodile,” Thackery said sullenly. “You never know when one animal will get the best of another. Are we ready to go?”

  Chapter 20.

  Calen

  There were delicate bridges everywhere. Small swaying ones made of nothing but knotty rope between spindly looking trees, and ones you could have driven an entire team of horses across, all tethered to the mightiest of great oaks. A spiderweb of them filled the trees. It would have been an excellent way to travel while avoiding the dangers of the jungle floor below, if only they had been in better repair.

  Curbed and rounded platforms wrapped around the middle of tree trunks forming a ring of wood, many with gaps missing like lost teeth. The ruins of thatch work tree houses could be seen. Had some native people lived here before the Collector had taken over their land? Some of the treehouses had fallen and now lay in splinters amongst the foliage at the water's edge. The water had risen in this area, forming a large swamp filled with crocodiles. Scaled green heads floated in the water below us, circling as they hungrily waited for a meal.

  “This is better than vipers?” Wren asked, “I'd rather the snakes,” she added.

  I watched as she tested the rope bridge nearest to her with a frown on her face, the sleep still in her eyes.

  “It’ll be faster than climbing from branch to branch,” Thackery said, rubbing at his chin thoughtfully.

  The sun blazed overhead now. I had nearly recovered fully from the viper bite and felt confident we could make it. If there were another way, an easier way, we would take it. I knew I wouldn't be able to protect Wren forever, that she didn't need it, not really, but I would do what I could to keep her safe.

  “We’ll have to hope that they hold” Thackery said.

  We settled on a thinner bridge whose ropes were still in good condition. This bridge was the most direct line towards the white mountains and the back way to the Collector’s keep. Thackery took the lead.

  I pulled Wren close to me. “I want you to stay in front of me in case the bridge starts to fall.”

  “And if it does?” she asked.

  “I’ll catch you, I promise.” I was less worried about the fall than I was about wrestling the large reptiles in the brackish water below. I could heal most damage to my body, but having my arm ripped off was another story.

  Thackery stretched out his hand and grabbed hold to the side of the rope bridge. He eased his way onto it, spreading his weight and testing the strength.

  “It should hold,” Thackery said.

  Wren followed his lead. The bridge swayed slightly, but seemed secure enough. I gave her a nod of reassurance and she continued forward as I stepped onto the wooden planks tied together at the base.

  How many years had this bridge hung suspended from these trees? If only it held long enough for us to cross. High above, birds sang to each other in the branches of every tree watching our progress. They shit almost everywhere as well, making the ropes slippery. Though the sun stood directly overhead, shadows were still fat and thick in the canopy below. They seemed almost corporal, and I eyed them warily. Was that large shape moving below us a hippo or something else?

  Yes, we could just as quickly be killed in the trees as on the ground, but I hadn't seen any signs of danger outside of wood rot and the fraying of rope ends. Things on the ground and in the water wanted to eat us. Until that changed, we were safer up here.

  Thackery continued on at a steady pace, keeping his eyes straight ahead and aimed towards his goal.

  “He's afraid of heights,” Wren whispered when Thackery had gotten far enough ahead.

  “He’s doing well, considering,” I said, impressed by the boy’s resolve. I hated to admit it, but the boy was starting to grow on me. I now saw his foolishness merely as inexperience. Yet he was dedicated to saving his people and he would do anything for Wren.

  That stirred up some inconvenient feelings. I was made to soar high a
bove everything. I loved the feeling of the wind buffeting my cheeks, the thought of free-falling into a cold lagoon.

  We were a little over halfway across when I sensed the presence of magic reinforcing the other side of the bridge. The rope had been enchanted, making it as strong as iron. Thick metal flame holders were sealed along the top of the bridge, bringing the possibility of night time use. We had ones just like them, back in the Unicorn City that I had once called home. I remembered the colorful galas and cheerful festivals during warm spring nights and for the first time in a long, long, while, I allowed myself to miss it.

  The crossing passed slowly and mostly without incident. I had to catch myself once when a board gave way beneath my foot, but the others had no trouble and the bridges held.

  Thackery reached the other side first. He passed through a deserted gatehouse built of stone and the beginnings of a paved road.

  “Where are the guards?” Thackery asked. He walked forward and then bent down to examine something.

  “What does he see?” Wren asked.

  “Let’s find out,” I replied.

  We increased our speed and reached the other side. Wren looked relieved and I admitted I too was glad to be done with that bridge.

  “I found some horse droppings,” Thackery said, “and they are still fresh.”

  “Be ready,” I warned.

  The bushes to my left rustled and I drew my sword.

  A small brown creature with a bushy tail and big buck teeth emerged.

  “A squirrel?” Wren asked, in disbelief. “That’s a relief.”

  I lowered my sword.

  “The eyes are red,” Thackery said.

  Then I saw them. Dozens of furry little animals, all with eyes glowing red like dying embers.

  “They must be enchanted,” I said. “These are the guards.”

  We ran. Not away but forward up the road. The Collector knew we were close and we needed to reach his keep before he sent something else to kill us.