by N. R. Larry
“I need your help getting into Camp Death. After that, I’ll be out of your hair.”
His eyes widened. The following silence stretched out for so long, I started to worry I’d pissed him off so much that I was officially on my own. Finally, he leaned forward and whispered, “Are you out of your mind?”
“Probably,” I said, without thinking. “But that’s why I came to the surface, to help my friends.” I looked at my fingers. “I have to make things right. Somehow.”
He snorted. “Sweetheart, the only way into Camp Death is through the Party, and the only way out is in ashes.”
I stared at him. “Well, I hope you’re wrong about that.”
“I’m not.”
I frowned. “Well, either you help me figure out a way in there, or I turn myself in.”
He stared at me.
I shrugged. “I must be the most wanted witch in the nation’s recent history. I’m sure offering myself up can get me what I want. Me in exchange for my friends.”
There was a beat of silence. Then he said, “I doubt they’ll be willing to negotiate with you.”
I sighed. “It’s the only move I have.”
Again, silence stretched out between us for miles. “That’s because you think too small,” he finally said, standing up. He went to the kitchen and returned with a steaming mug of what smelled like green tea. I hadn’t had green tea in ages. It had always been my mother’s favorite. He handed me the mug, and I took it with a grateful smile.
“So, I guess you’re not going to help me, then?” I took a sip and let the liquid warm my chilled insides.
He rubbed his hands together. “No, I’ll help you,” he said without hesitation.
My eyes widened. I hadn’t expected it to be that easy.
“But first, you have to stop thinking so damned small.”
* * *
An hour or so later, I was feeling like myself again. I stood beside Ty, outside of Adrian’s lopsided, wooden home, staring at the sheet that served as a door.
“This is stupid,” I muttered to him out of the side of my mouth.
“This is the deal.”
I turned to him, readjusting the bag I carried on my shoulder. “You said everyone here wants me gone. I assume this goes doubly so for the person I tortured.”
He snorted. “It was only a few seconds. Adrian is a tough broad, but she’s also kind of a drama queen.” Still staring ahead, he added, “Besides, you want my help, this is the deal.”
I sighed. “Can’t I start with someone else?”
He turned to me. “Stop acting like a child.”
I narrowed my eyes. He half grinned, moved the sheet to the side, and then ducked inside. I stared after him, thought about calling out, and then decided against it. Seconds later he returned with a broad smile. “She said if you touch her you’re dead.”
I sighed and then started to turn around. He stopped me with a hand on the shoulder. Once again, I had to ignore the electricity he brought with his touch.
“No, you’re still going in.”
I blinked up at him. “But—”
“Not my problem,” he called over his shoulder as he walked away.
I glanced from his retreating back to the sheet that was now blowing in the night breeze. Closing my eyes, I lifted my face to the sky and tried to calm my thoughts. Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. I was here to help, after all.
I stepped inside and was met by total darkness. Frowning, I darted my gaze around and then started to feel along the walls for a light switch. I snorted to myself in the darkness because I knew this camp didn’t have electricity. Raising my hand, I tried to summon light into the palm of my hand, but my head throbbed from the effort, and I swayed to the side, knocking something to the floor.
“Shit,” I hissed, bending and swinging my hands out in front of me, trying to grab whatever it was.
Footsteps padded toward me. There was the sound of something brushing against something else, and then the room lit up with a faint glow. I glanced up to find Adrian, glaring at me from behind the flame of a long match.
“Get out,” she said through clenched teeth.
I looked down, found that what I had dropped was a book, and then placed it on the packing box that seemed to be serving as a table. I stood up and brushed off my hands. “I will, after I treat you,” I said, trying to line my voice with confidence.
She narrowed her large, green eyes. For a moment I wondered if that was a common trait among shifters, those bright green eyes.
“I don’t need your help,” she said with a shiver.
I raised an eyebrow. I didn’t need any magic to feel her suffering. Her skin was damp with sweat. Guilt turned my stomach into knots. “Look, I know you don’t like me…”
She scoffed. “We’re not high school girls, witch.” She jutted her chin upward. “It’s not that I don’t like you. I don’t respect you.”
I wanted to laugh. “You don’t even know me.”
She scanned me up and down with that keen gaze. “What I do know isn’t worth respecting.” She pointed over my shoulder. “Get out.” With that, she turned and vanished into the darkness behind her.
I stood there for several seconds, trying to decide what to do. If I didn’t help these people, Ty wouldn’t help me, and I needed help. I was back in a world I wasn’t used to, and my friends’ lives were on the line. Lots of lives were on the line, and it was all my fault.
I bit down on my lower lip. Maybe I didn’t deserve Adrian’s, or anyone else’s respect. Just like that, I felt totally isolated. A woman on an island, and in every direction I turned, there was only more water. I shook my head, clearing my thoughts. I didn’t have time for this.
Taking a breath, I tried once again to summon light into my fingertips. My hands throbbed with the effort, but a dim, pathetic glow finally pulsed at the ends of my fingers. Holding out my hand, I followed Adrian into the back.
She was lying on a mattress on the ground, her back toward me.
She sniffed. “So, not only am I dealing with a coward. I’m dealing with a coward that doesn’t listen.”
Ignoring her, I bent over and placed my bag in front of me so that I could get out everything I would need. With my hands full, I sauntered around so that I was looking down at her. “I need you to sit up.”
She glared up at me. “Are you stupid?”
“Please,” I said from between clenched teeth.
Her eyes narrowed, and she shot up to a sitting position. She let out a little groan and then swayed to the side. Without thinking, I placed my things on the mattress beside her and reached for her shoulder. “You’re going to want to avoid sudden movements.”
She jerked her head toward me and swatted at my arm. Hard. I pulled back and bit the inside of my cheek, resisting the urge to punch her. “Look, I’m trying to help you.”
She stood up and pushed me against the wall. It rattled so violently that for a moment, I was afraid we were both going to go through. Weakened as she was, she was still pretty damned strong. I threw my arms out as she came at me, gripping me by the shoulders, and slamming me into the wall again.
“I don’t,” she said, panting, “want your help.”
I narrowed my eyes and shoved back against her. She didn’t budge. Her grip tightened around my shoulders until her nails were digging into my flesh.
I gritted my teeth. “Look, I’m sorry about what I did to you.”
She scoffed. “Not yet, you’re not.”
“But it damaged you,” I went on, ignoring the throbbing in my shoulders. If she squeezed any harder I’d have to treat myself for broken bones. “Affected your ability to heal. You will be slower. You will heal slower, and your shifting will be sloppy.” I pressed against her again. This time, her grip on one of my shoulders slackened. “And you don’t seem like the type of girl that enjoys being a shitty shifter.” I leaned forward, trying to match the contempt in
her expression. “But do what you want. I don’t give a crap.”
Her nostrils flared. After one final squeeze, she let me go and plopped down on the bed, lowering her head down between her knees.
I stared down at her, and then tucked my hair behind my ears. “Are you dizzy?”
For a while, she didn’t move or speak. I gathered up the things she’d knocked out of my hands, placed them beside her on the mattress, and then kneeled in front of her. “Look, hate me later. Hell, hate me while I help you. Just let me help you.”
She dug her hands into her hair, sighed, and finally looked up. She nodded. “Yeah. Yeah, I’ve been dizzy ever since…” Her eyes narrowed as she turned to me.
“Right.” I started to empty herbs into my ceramic bowl and then crushed them together with a mortar and pestle. “I need one of those matches. And water.”
Things banged around on the shipping box set up next to her mattress. Without looking at me, she tossed me a box of matches. I picked up my bowl, struck a match, and stood up. “Water?” I asked.
She pointed down the hall. I moved toward the cramped kitchen, which was really a sink in the middle of the room, and what looked like a cooler beside it. I didn’t need much, just running water. There was a stack of red, plastic cups on top of the cooler.
When I turned the handle on the faucet, the water dripped into the cup at a maddeningly slow pace. Finally, when it was more than half full, I dumped in my herb mixture and held a hand over the cup.
I hadn’t even reached for my magic when my heart started thudding like I was sprinting. Gritting my teeth, I forced myself to focus. If I couldn’t charge this mixture it was nothing more than herbs floating in water.
I took a few deep breaths and finally managed to summon enough magic to charge the water. For a few seconds, the water lit up white, like a light was shining from underneath the cup. Going back to Adrian, I held the cup down to her.
“This should fix you right up,” I said, trying to return my breathing to normal.
She stared up, and then made a face at the cup. “What is it?”
“Healing potion.”
She frowned. “I think I’ve had enough of your particular brand of magic today.”
Ignoring her again, I practically shoved the cup under her nose. “That’s fine, but if you don’t drink it, I’ll be able to kick your ass without magic.” I smiled, as annoyed with her as she was with me. “And won’t that be fun for you?”
Her eyes narrowed so much they seemed to vanish from her face. Hesitating for only a beat, she snatched the cup from me so hard water splashed over the side of the cup. I rolled my eyes and pulled both hands behind my back. “That’s great. Waste it.”
She snorted and then drowned the contents of the cup. Right away, the color started returning to her high cheeks. She shuddered and stuck her tongue out. “Gah, that’s disgusting.”
I sighed. “You’re really unpleasant.” I started gathering my things and slung my bag back around my shoulder.
“Is that it?” she asked.
“Unless you want me to stay.”
She stood up, blocking my exit. “Don’t think this makes us square.”
I scanned my gaze up and down the length of her. “You don’t have to worry about me, you know.”
She gave me a half confused, half angry look.
“This is about Ty, right? You think he’s interested in me?” I readjusted my bag. “He’s not.”
She laughed. “Like I said before, we’re not in high school.” She edged in closer to me. “You don’t belong here, and I’m going to make sure he sees that.”
I raised my chin and stared her down. “You’re welcome.”
With a smile, she stepped aside. “Enjoy your very short stay.”
Chapter 9
Later that night, I stood under the glow of the moon, a rolled-up note in one hand, my bow in the other. I had visited at least fifteen people, mixed potions, comforted them, and performed basic healing rituals.
I was spent.
Despite having eaten the boar Ty had hunted earlier, I was achy with hunger. Magic was like any other energy, it required fuel to be of any use. I closed my eyes and loaded an arrow into my bow.
Aiming it at the sky, I pulled back on the string, and let loose the arrow. The air sang as it sliced through the night, flying toward the moon, with a faint light traveling at its tail. It paused in the sky, and then shot to the right, sending my message to Aubrey in the Underground.
The Underground.
If I thought about home for too long, my chest ached with homesickness. It made me feel small, like a little girl lost in a crowd, trying to find her parents, and face after face turned around, only to prove themselves strangers.
Footsteps crunched against the dirt behind me. I turned, to find Ty. He eyed my weapon as he came to a stop beside me. “You any good with that thing?”
I rested it against the front of his house. “I’m okay.”
He peered up at the sky. “Nice night.”
I nodded, and then we both fell into silence. Finally, he said, “I really appreciate what you did here.”
I glanced sidelong at him. “Does everyone still want me gone?”
He kicked at the ground. “How you holding up?”
I raised an eyebrow. Finally, I decided to ignore the fact that he ignored my question. “I held up my end. Are you going to help me, or not?”
He nodded. “I’ve got something for you,” he said. “If you’re up for it tonight.”
Strapping my bow around my body, I nodded. My eyelids were heavy, but I wouldn’t be able to sleep until I had some sort of plan. “What is it?”
He jerked his head toward his house. “Come on.”
I followed him back inside the cramped space. Once we were inside, he retreated to the corner and returned with a box. Going to a circular table in the middle of the room, he swept everything on top of the table into the box, and then went back to the corner. He dropped the box to the floor, and then came back with a kerosene lamp, which he lit, and set down on the middle of the table. Then he brought over two black crates and gestured for me to sit.
I did.
He sat down across from me and began placing pieces of paper on the tabletop. I peered down at them. They looked like surveillance photos. He leaned across the table and began placing the photos in order. It took me a few seconds to figure out that he was sorting them according to the time stamp they all had in the corner.
“I got these from a buddy of mine that works at the stations,” he said.
My eyes narrowed. The pictures showed the bullet trains that fed into and out of the Birmingham train station. He pointed at one of the conductors. “This guy works for Camp Death. According to my buddy, a train dumps prisoners into the camp every Thursday, at this time.” He pointed to the time stamp.
My eyes pored over the images of the dejected looking prisoners. Most of them were naked and subject to the free citizens snapping photos of them with their cameras. Some even showed prisoners being forced to stop to take these pictures.
“Okay,” I said, leaning away from the photos when I didn’t want to see anymore. “So, what’s the plan?”
He actually smiled. “It’s really stupid.”
I shrugged. “According to you, that’s my specialty.” I stifled a yawn. “Give it to me.”
He pointed again at the conductor and then indicated the entrances into the station that were located beyond the railroad tracks. “We sneak in, hours before the shipment is to go to Camp Death.” He pointed now to a booth in the corner of the station. “My buddy told me the conductor always takes one of the witches into this corner about half an hour before they have to board.”
My nose wrinkled. “Ew.”
He nodded. “Yeah, but we get to him, and um, dispose of him. Then I can drive the train straight into that camp.”
I lifted my gaze to him, my eyes widened in s
urprise.
His expression tightened with what looked like worry. “You would have to board the train posing as a captured witch.”
I stared back down at the photographs. I had to admit, it was a good plan. It got us into the camp without having to go through any purity checkpoints. We’d be sneaking in plain sight.
“Okay, but how do we get out?”
His nostrils flared slightly. “I’m working on that.”
“Do you have anything in mind?”
He nodded. “One of my pack will come in, posing as a buyer, and walk you all right out.”
I shook my head. “That won’t work. My face is so recognizable now, no way they let me walk. Even for the right price.”
He nodded. “I know. That’s why we go in disguise.”
I raised an eyebrow. “A glamour?” I frowned. “I’m not nearly as good with that sort of magic as Danica. Plus, the camps have magical safeguards in place all over. Everyone that goes in is fitted with a collar.”
“Yeah, like the one that prevented me from shifting at the witch trade that day.”
I nodded.
He half smiled. “That’s why we’re not going in magical disguise.” He drummed his fingers against the table. “We’re doing it the old fashioned way.”
I almost smiled. The plan was almost exciting. “Who is going to come in as a buyer?”
His expression darkened. “I’m still working on that. We have three days to get this together. Mrs. Sophie is going to do our disguises. She was the go-to woman back in the day for people that needed to get into and out of the city undetected.”
I grinned. “Of course she was. I get a real bad ass vibe from her.”
His answering smile was bright. “You have no idea.” He covered his mouth, hiding a yawn. “For now, we should get some rest.” He stood up. “You did good work today.”
I frowned and stared down at my nails. “Sorry about the thing, with the Anchor.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “Yeah, I want to talk to you about that.”
“I know. Every time I let it in, it gets stronger.” I shook my head. “I knew that, but I had to take the risk. The little girl, Dorothy… She reminds me of someone I know.” I looked back down at my nails. “Someone worth fighting for.”