“Do you know if all these Treas—people are from the Bastion? Like you?”
Rosie’s head nods affirmatively. “Yes, m’lady. Nile helped them get out.”
I smile as she confirms my thought from a few days ago: that Nile has been smuggling people instead of liquor. A more noble occupation, for sure. But my approval fades as I remember what’s really going on: as crowded and dirty as the Bastion is, it’s home to these people, and they are getting farther away from home with every step, and likely farther from their loved ones.
A pang of guilt strikes my chest that I’m getting closer to my home.
But the thought doesn’t bring as much relief as it once did; each step also carries me farther from Leif.
My next words are meant to comfort myself, as much as the girl. “We’ll all be together again, Rosie. I’m sure of it.”
It’s late afternoon. We’ve been traveling for hours as the weather’s been cooperating, and we’re making good progress up the mountain. Rosie’s head is resting against my chest; the child’s been asleep for the past hour.
Suddenly she darts awake and looks around wildly. “What’s that I heard?” She’s trembling.
Then I hear it too, a terrible screeching noise. It grows louder with each passing second, the sound echoing through the trees. It’s everywhere—all around us, inside my head. My body shudders as the vibrations pass through. Everyone is frozen, hands over their ears, eyes wide with terror.
But I’m not. I know what the sound is from, dreadful as it is.
The black shape swoops overhead, and the scent of rotting flesh makes me retch. The creature’s screams blend with those of the Treasoners. Then, like the last time I saw the wildegaards in the bearcat lands, the creature flies away again. The screaming ceases as suddenly as it began.
“It’s all right, everyone!” I turn a jittery Pearl so I’m facing the group, rubbing her neck to calm her down.
“What was that?” a woman cries out near me. Her hands are clenched under her chin.
“That was a wildegaard.”
“Will it be returning?” Another trembling voice, a male one from near the back of the procession.
“It might,” I call out. “But do not be alarmed. It only belongs to the bearcats.” Gasps and cries fill my ears.
“Bearcats! Here?”
I don’t think my reassurance is working. “Yes, bearcats. But you needn’t be frightened of those either! The bearcats are my friends. They are kind. And clever.”
More gasps and whispered words I can’t make out. But a few do reach my ears: Terrible. Beastly. Murder.
I remember that bearcats once made me think of those words too. But then I got to know them, and now Cecil and his clan are dear friends. They saved our lives.
“No! The bearcats are not murderers. You’ve only been taught to believe that. By Araroa and his predecessors. They are not dangerous or terrible. Their reputation is undeserved. The bearcats have helped to ensure my safety. On more than one occasion.” I glance at Tui, sitting atop Pango a few yards away. He’s smiling. Our eyes meet, and he winks. I go on. “You mustn’t fear them—the wildegaards or the bearcats. The creature’s appearance is a message from the bearcats, that they are here and will continue to protect us.”
There’s a ripple through the crowd. Their piercing eyes make it obvious they don’t believe me.
I glance around, searching for Nile. He’s next to one of the carts, leaning against it with a casualness of no one else present. Watching me. There is no fear about him; it’s then I’m certain he’s seen the creatures himself. I raise my brows at him, willing him to back me up. But he merely nods his head silently.
So I continue. “You have my word. We are not in any danger.”
More whispering. Heads nod. Hands unclasp. There is what seems to be a huge exhale from the crowd. It is only then that Nile speaks.
“Shall we continue on, m’lady?”
There are still a few hours left of daylight, but I know everybody is likely as tired and hungry as myself.
“Let’s find a place to camp and get everyone fed.” I nudge Pearl, and we ride up to take the lead in finding a clearing to spend the night.
We continue up the mountain for several more days. The trees have thinned out to mere saplings; the ground is rough and rock-strewn. The summit can’t be too far off. Nile says we’ll cross it tomorrow, in fact.
But it’s slow going. Agonizing. We pick our way among the boulders. Pearl steps carefully, but some places are so rough, she stumbles. Eventually, I dismount and lead her along the clearest path.
The other horses struggle too, especially the ones pulling the small carts with all our gear. I watch them strain as wheels get caught in crevices. The men have to push to free them.
“They’ll make it.” A voice to my left. I startle as I’d thought I was walking alone, leading Pearl. Nile’s green eyes twinkle at me.
“You sure about that?”
“Positive, m’lady. I’ve brought Luna this way many times.” He indicates to a graying mare struggling to pull her cart. Her head is bowed with the strain. “Besides, this is the worst of it. We’ll reach a flat ledge of sorts in a couple of hours, and we can camp there. Another few hours in the morning, and we’ll be at the top.
I can hardly wait. I’ve never forgotten what it felt like to stand at the peak of Mount Zenith, the most challenging crossing that lies far to the south of where we are. To look around at my kingdom, Nadir, so far below, it seems like a child’s model. Majestic.
“Do you think the rest will make it too?” Nile knows I’m not talking about the horses now.
“I hope so. It will be much easier after tomorrow, besides.” The Treasoners usually chat among themselves. But now they trudge up the mountain, not looking so unlike Luna. Most of them pant for breath, having lived most of their lives in the Bastion at sea level. The children aren’t running around any longer either, but they hike with good spirits still.
As Nile had described, we reach the flat ledge in the late afternoon. Everyone collapses on the ground, and I notice many rubbing bare feet. That’s when I realize they haven’t been wearing shoes. My chest stabs with yet another pang of guilt; the only reason these people have been forced from their homes in the first place—and with only the clothing on their backs and shoes worn through and discarded—is because of me. If I’d never been alive in the first place, none of this would be happening at all. And if I stayed back on Nuimana, everything would have gone back to normal in Nadir. Eventually.
There is no fire tonight. There is nothing to burn. We pass around the last of the bread, and everyone gets a piece of dried meat and a few of the last of our berries. The goats are milked, but they’ve not had a drink in days and have produced little. Each of the smallest children receives only a few sips of the nourishing liquid.
Two more days, I tell myself as I’m falling asleep. Only two more days, and we’ll be with the others.
The sound of footsteps wakes me. Not the soft pad of bare feet or leather but the hard crunch of boots with leaden soles. Don’t panic. There’s nothing to worry about. I keep repeating these words in my head, hoping they are true. It’s unlikely the King’s Hunters would be this far out in the middle of nowhere. It’s likely some regular hunters, of the animal kind. I peek out from under my blanket. It’s still dark, the sky just beginning to brighten.
The footsteps grow louder. Fortissima’s lying against my side, and I clasp her grip. Ready.
“Stay there, m’lady. I’ll take care of these fellas.” Nile’s quiet voice is next to me. I don’t argue.
I hear others waking, stirring, but no one rises. When the footsteps halt, only yards from where I’m lying, Nile greets the three men, all heavily armed. They each have a bow and quiver of arrows across their backs, a large machete and sword on each belt, plus several knives strapped to their pant legs. And who knows what else underneath their clothing. Not a welcoming air, to say the least.
; “Good morning, sirs. How are you doing this lovely day?” Nile’s tone is friendly but clipped.
“Fine,” one of them grunts. “What are all you doing out here?”
My heart starts pounding so loud, I can barely hear Nile’s answer.
But he doesn’t miss a beat. “We’re heading east, sir. To the Bastion. We’ve all been doing some trading, and we’re on our way home.” He motions toward the carts. I really hope they don’t look in them, as there’s certainly nothing worth trading. Just some tents, stale food, and instruments.
None of the men speak for at least a half minute. Studying each other. “And you?” Nile finally asks.
Another pause. The man doesn’t answer his question. “There’s an awful lot of you for a trading band.” The other two men are looking everyone over. My hand clutches at Fortissima so hard, I’m afraid I’m making a dent with my fingers.
Nile’s response is a chuckle. “Oh yes. Don’t recommend it. Slow going.” He winks. The hard lines of the men’s mouths do not budge.
Finally, the man answers Nile’s original question. “West … we’re heading west. After we cross the summit today, we’ll make our way down to the main road. Got lost and need to join up with the others.”
“Others?”
“We’re told a band of Loyalists are heading that way. Plan to join up. You’ve not seen any Treasoners out here, have you?”
“Oh dear, no we have not,” Nile says. I expect his voice to crack. Waver. Anything. But it’s steady and true—he’s a master storyteller, after all. “We’ll be glad to be back in King Araroa’s domain. Far too much going on out here, if you know what I mean. Well, I’d better let you get going if you’re planning on summiting today. You’ve quite a way to go. Long live King Araroa!” Nile raises his hand in a salute, and the men return it.
I listen to their footsteps fade into the distance. Still, I don’t move.
Several minutes more pass, and I pull the blanket off my face. It suddenly feels stifling. “What are we going to do?” I ask Nile, who’s seated on a nearby rock. “We obviously can’t follow those men—you told them we were heading in the other direction. Besides, the last thing we want is for them to follow us to the other Treasoner camp.
He says nothing at first, stroking his bearded chin as he considers this. His emerald-green eyes look right into mine. “What do you think we should do, m’lady?”
What do I think? I think I want to jump atop Pearl and ride nonstop until I get back home. Grab ahold of everyone I love in Baldachin, swing through my beloved trees, never let Leif out of my sight again …
I sigh. “I think we’d better wait another day here. Let the men get ahead and then continue on.”
Nile nods, a half smile forming above his beard. “I agree that’s the best plan, m’lady. Shall I tell everyone?”
“No, I can.”
When everyone is awake, I do just that. I explain that the men who’d passed through were Loyalists, and we wouldn’t want to run into them again, much less lead them to the other Treasoners. Heads nod in agreement, but still, faces are grim—not with disappointment but fear. I remember what the men said about being Loyalists. The very people Miss Lilith had warned me about, those that want me dead as much as King Araroa. If Nile hadn’t handled the situation as well as he had … I shudder with what they probably would have done.
So we stay put.
I thought I knew what torture was after my days spent in Araroa’s dungeon, but this—this waiting, this standing still—tops that by far. Every second I’m stuck here is another footstep closer for the Hunters to Baldachin. My heartbeat marks every one, pounding in my ears. Everyone else is glad for the rest. The kids run around, and musical instruments come out again. I wish I could appreciate what’s really a joyful scene, but I can’t.
All day I walk in circles. I walk until my feet are sore. Finally, I give up, sit down on a large rock overlooking the forest below. I squint my eyes, and I’m sure I can see them, tiny in the distance. The Bastion’s towers. Where Leif is.
Footsteps startle me. I leap up and turn around. It’s only Tui.
“I’ve been looking for you,” he says as we both settle ourselves onto the rock’s cold surface. “Wondering what our plan is, for when we reach the camp on the other side.” He pauses. But I can tell he’s not done talking. I wait. “Don’t you think we should move, um, a bit faster?”
“Ha! Faster than this?” I wave my arm toward where the Treasoners are lounging in our makeshift camp in the distance.
“Yeah, that’s what I mean. I also mean … if it were only you and me on our horses, maybe we could really pick up the pace.”
“You mean leave Rosie with them?”
Tui nods. His lips are pressed together. He doesn’t like the idea any more than I do. “She’ll be disappointed. I know she was looking forward to seeing Baldachin. But still … she’d be fine with them.”
“She would be. We should probably be off right away. Every day we’re slowed down …” He doesn’t finish, but I know exactly what he’s going to say. I hope we’re not too late already.
We’re off before dawn in the morning. Despite what Nile told the men the day before, we reach the summit only a couple of hours later. It’s not quite like the snow-covered, rugged Mount Zenith, but the view is spectacular all the same. We pause only for a few minutes to take it in: the Bastion and the sea in the direction we’ve come; the plains and forests and Western Mountains on the other side. I dismount Pearl and stand, mesmerized at all that is before me.
Without warning, my body feels as though someone has poured ice over it. The last time I stood looking out over my kingdom like this, Leif was by my side. The emptiness of the air next to me is a vortex, sucking my breath right out. I close my eyes and imagine he is there, just as he should be. My body tingles with his nearness. My knees might give out. I feel him move closer, reach for my hand, grasp it tightly in both of his own. He brings my hand to his mouth, planting a soft kiss on the back of it. He clutches it to his warm chest, and I look over to catch his green eyes taking me in. All of me. I turn toward him. Reach up to touch his disheveled golden hair …
“Raven!” My eyes shoot open, and my daydream dissolves into the frosty air around me. Tui’s hand is on my arm, gentle. “Are you okay? The others have already left.” Sure enough, we’re alone on the peak, the line of Treasoners weaving their way down the other side.
“Yeah, I’m all right. We should go.” I catch Tui glancing at me sideways and thank the gods that he doesn’t say anything further. We climb atop our horses and make our way down the mountain with the others. Before we slip beneath the crags, I look back at the Bastion one final time.
But somehow, I am certain Leif is no longer there.
At the end of the day, we return to the cover of the forest. It’s a huge relief when we do, exposed as we were crossing over the peak.
Nile continues to lead, weaving us through the trees confidently. It’s nearly dark when we stop to camp. A fire is built up, and soon a stew simmers over it. Spirits are higher than they’ve been in days, including mine. It feels like we are finally making real progress.
We’re up before dawn. Nile says we’ll possibly reach the others if we get an early start and move quickly. I agree.
Summer returns as we make our way down the mountainside. The mists clear that always seem to drape themselves in the alpine trees. I pack the skirt away again, my jacket too; it’s far too warm for these. Rosie runs along with the other kids, especially another girl—Maddie—a few years older than her that she’s become attached to. They’re holding hands now, skipping through the trees over the mossy ground. It makes me smile to watch them. Reminds me a bit of myself at their age, back when Tui and I would run through our treevillage and swing through the trees together. So long ago, it seems now … before all this started.
The girls disappear into the trees ahead. I know they’ll wait up if they get too far. But when I hear the piercing scream, I
know it’s Rosie. I only have to give Pearl a gentle kick, and we’re off on a run, rushing past everyone into the trees ahead. Another scream of terror, and I have to will myself not to panic. I see them only a minute later; Rosie’s stopped screaming but is crying out, her hands over her face. Maddie is standing next to her and looks up at me with wide eyes. She points at something on the forest floor, but I’ve already seen it.
Several pairs of boots lie scattered about. There are feet and parts of legs still in them. Other bits and pieces of human bodies are strewn among the ferns, and torn bits of clothing are everywhere. The only things that are recognizable are the weapons: several bows and dozens of arrows, long knives and swords. Even those are broken in pieces.
I alternate between fighting off the urge to scream and the urge to vomit.
I jump down from Pearl’s back and grab Rosie into my arms. She sobs into my waist. “Wh-what did this?” she says, shuddering.
“I don’t know, Rosie. Some sort of animal, I think. Don’t worry, you’re going to be okay.”
Tui arrives a minute later, along with everyone else. “What’s going—oh.”
More gasps and screams from the Treasoners. A slight breeze drifts toward me. It’s warm, and the smell makes me gag. I cover my nose and mouth with my scarf.
Tui covers his mouth with his hand and studies the remains. He plucks something hanging off a low branch and brings it over to show me.
It’s a piece of golden-brown fur.
Chapter 15
Leif
We’ve spent a day and a half trudging along in the Northern Desert. The Treasoners are red-faced in the searing sun. Around me, the Hunters are wearing their regulation hats. But not me, of course.
“Where’s your head protection?” a commander barks. I hold up my hands, palms up in submission.
“I’m very sorry, sir. I have to admit I lost it.”
He grunts. “Find another when we get to the camp.”
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