Mortal Sight

by Sandra Fernandez Rhoads

  “You still have both your parents?” I’m a little envious. “That’s cool.”

  Kellan puts the flask away. “Sometimes.” His answer is loaded, but I get the feeling I shouldn’t press him.

  There is a long silence before I dare to ask, “So am I Blade, or what? You didn’t exactly tell me earlier.”

  “Jury’s still out. Your Bent seems scrambled. I’m not positive that you’re a Blade, even though you read like one.”

  There is an instant bounce in my step. “I read like one? Seriously?”

  “Some aspects you do, but like I said, other parts seem . . . I don’t have any other word but scrambled.”

  If that’s the case, then I’ve got to erase any doubt in his mind. The idea of training with a Blade like Gray sounds right up my alley.

  Our cadence is light as we jog along the cracked sidewalk, searching for Cormorants in this abandoned part of town. As the sky begins to lighten, sleep and exhaustion settle in. A light two-mile jog was fine but not an eight-mile run. My mouth is dry, but I don’t let up.

  After ten more blocks, Kellan slows his stride. “Your endurance isn’t bad.” Glad he thinks so because I’m dying on the inside. “Looks all clear. We’ll walk it off and head to the warehouse to meet the others.”

  I follow his lead. We walk several blocks, venturing deeper into East Ridge. I stuff my hands in my pockets, wishing I had taken a sip of the drink to warm me up. We turn the corner and find Claire, Rhys, Tanji, and about three others I don’t know warming up by a fire lit in a trash can at the edge of an abandoned warehouse. The building lacks a wall and exposes the inside. Wind whistles through the broken panes. The smoky air inside the warehouse is warmer than the street but not by much. Broken glass and splintered pallets lie around the vast, dusty space. Huddled around the fire, Blades’ distorted shadows dance on the rusted rafters. For some reason, the shadows remind me of the warped trees in Mark’s gallery. Wow. The gallery and seeing the picture of The Storm seem like a hazy dream from long ago.

  Tanji’s shadow dominates the ceiling in the flickering light. “We were all clear tonight.”

  “Good. So were we.” Kellan unzips his jacket as he warms his hands by the fire. Whatever they’re burning has a faint smell of whatever sulfuric chemical Mark had in the gallery. I don’t join them, because inhaling that smoke can’t be good. Instead I stay outside the circle, a few feet behind Kellan. The faint hum of an industrial light bulb echoes through the cavernous space. That’s odd. There aren’t any lights other than the fire.

  “Can we go back now?” Claire picks up a metal lid, ready to smother the fire.

  I must be exhausted because deep in the warehouse where the light doesn’t reach, the darkness warps. I blink. The darkness turns to a black, misty smoke.

  Maybe it’s the air. I blink again. No. Something’s back there.

  Kellan keeps talking as the humming sound grows louder. Is that humming or buzzing? “Cera came up with a good plan. Let’s head back and talk about it.”

  Tanji looks me over with distrust. “Plans go through me.”

  No one else is reacting to the sound. Can they not hear it, or is something wrong with me? I glance at my hands. They’re not clenching, so I know this isn’t the onset of a vision. At least it doesn’t feel like one.

  “Calm down, Tanji,” Kellan says. “No one’s putting anything into action yet. It’s just an idea. I’ll run it by you and see what you think.”

  Thick smoke moves across the far end of the warehouse floor. No. I’m not seeing things. I point to the far end of the space. “There’s something . . .”

  Kellan turns around. “What?”

  I widen my eyes, soaking in the darkness, and step toward the fog. “There’s black smoke . . . or mist . . .” The sulfur stench grows stronger. Milton nudges me with the verse: “A pitchy cloud / Of locusts, warping on the eastern wind.” Yes, it’s a black cloud for sure, Milton, but you’re wrong about the locust part. “Like a black mist low creeping.” Yes, that’s more like it.

  Kellan comes to my side and takes hold of my elbow to keep me from going any further. “Claire, take her back. She’s dehydrated. I don’t want her passing out on the streets.”

  “I’m not . . .” The mist sways and the cloud takes form. “Now it looks like a person . . . and there’s a . . . buzzing.” I pull away and turn to face him. “Can’t you hear that?”

  He takes another look at the darkness. His body tenses as he tilts his head in the direction of the sound. Without warning, he grabs my arm and shoves me into Rhys. Everyone huddled around the crackling fire stands frozen. No one speaks. Rhys stares at the dark shadow as he slides a short knife from his jacket.

  I stiffen. “Is that a—”

  Claire slaps her cold hand over my mouth and whispers against my ear. “Legions hunt by sound.”

  From the darkness, a shadow rises. The mist evolves into a deformed human shape with elongated arms drooping lower than possible. It has flaky, ashen skin too pale to be human. The creature doesn’t walk. It has a cloud of mist where feet should be. And the face, distorted and deformed with caverns for eyes. My skin prickles. I’ve seen this creature once before—it’s the sallow man from my visions.

  Kellan puts his hand inside the lining of his jacket and draws out his hunting knife as the shape creeps forward. Tanji does the same. So do all the others. Eight pointed knives sparkle in the dying firelight. Spit sticks to my dry throat. Lucky for me, the whistling wind and a loose board banging against the side of the building hide the sound of my rapid breathing.

  Kellan glances at Tanji and nods. Without making a sound, Tanji inches closer while the others slip out of the warehouse. One by one, the rest of the Blades disappear around the corner. My adrenaline runs on high. We should be attacking them, not running away.

  Claire grabs my arm with her free hand. She mouths, “Get out.” I shake my head. When I step back, my heel crunches on broken glass. The sound echoes through the warehouse. I freeze. The creature stops swaying. Claire’s eyes widen, confirming my screw-up.

  The buzzing intensifies. I look at the deformed man floating midair at the back of the warehouse. The shadow contorts, unhinging a crooked jaw, and releases a piercing shriek. Over the curdling cry, Kellan turns to me and shouts, “Get out! Now!”

  The creature hovers six feet above Kellan and Tanji. Claire drags me out of the warehouse. My pulse pounds. I can’t leave them alone with the beast and run away to save myself. I wrestle to break free, but Claire drags me down the street.

  When we’re far enough away, I whisper, “Claire, we have to help them.”

  “No. We’ve got to go back to Hesperian and let the others know to wait inside.”

  “But that thing was too high. It would have to descend on them before they could strike it.”

  Claire maintains her grip as she pushes me around the corner. “You’re unarmed. If you go back there, that thing will descend on you, suck your soul, and leave you burning in ashes. Is that what you want? You can’t fight it bare-handed. If you run back there, you’ll get in the way and put their lives in danger.” Her angry face looks menacing under the faint light of the streetlamp pooled by insect carcasses.

  “But we should fight—”

  “We’re not trained the way Kellan and Tanji are. They’re giving us time to get back and warn the others by holding the Legion off so it won’t come after us and give away our location. Don’t screw it up.”

  I had sworn I wouldn’t hide anymore and I’d face things head-on—even if it meant my own life. I hadn’t thought about what it might cost someone else.

  Rhys comes around the corner. “Keep your voices down. If there’s one, there’s a good chance there might be others.” That’s another thing I hadn’t thought of. I glance around. No signs of creatures or mist. So far.

  I cross the street and follow Rhys and Claire, despite this nagging feeling that something’s not right. Our brisk footsteps are quiet, but retreating through s
hadows seems like a horrible idea. I drift toward the dimly lit street. If other Legions in mist form are lingering in the dark, we wouldn’t see them until it was too late.

  As we walk down the street, the gnawing sensation claws at me. Something terrible is about to happen. I can sense it. My insides feel about as torn up as the demolished building we pass. We’re supposed to be running back to Hesperian to warn the others to stay inside and hide, but leaving Kellan and Tanji alone to fight feels reprehensible.

  Rhys and Claire jog ahead of me, knives at their sides as they scan the sky. I search the ground for mist, letting my stride fall a little slower. Shops are closed with protective metal coverings; others have barred-up windows. If I have my bearings right, we’re about four blocks from Hesperian. Not far.

  The nagging sensation grows like a scream I can’t ignore. As soon as Rhys and Claire turn the corner, I turn around and head back. With each step, the sensation gets stronger.

  I listen intently as I pass the demolished building. A sound echoes from somewhere in the rubble. It could be a buzzing, like the one in the warehouse, but the sound is so faint, it’s hard to tell. I search for something to use as a weapon. Broken rebar pokes out from a busted sidewalk. Another piece lies on the ground. It’s longer than my arm and wouldn’t have any problem digging deep into a creature’s heart.

  I swipe the metal shaft off the ground, feeling the weight in my palm. The cold grooves press against my skin, and my fingers pulse with a heightened sense of danger. The chemical stench of sulfur is strong. It’s the same scent from the warehouse. From what I can tell, only a trash pit remains where a building once stood. The nagging rips through me. Something is down there.

  I should probably run, but I can’t. This is my chance to fight back. Avenge the pain those beasts inflicted on unsuspecting kids who never deserved to die. I tighten my grip on the metal bar and squeeze my way through an opening in the fence. A few remaining steps lead to the bottom. I take one step down. Then another. It’s dark, but not so much that I can’t see the heaping pile of trash near the bottom of the steps. Hidden under the mess of cardboard, splintered wood, and deflated trash bags, I know the creature is there. I can feel it.

  Something in the trash pile moves. Maybe a rat. Maybe not. I clutch the rebar and hold it out in front of me. According to Kellan, I’ve got to get close enough to stab it through the heart. I inch closer.

  The pile is too small to be a Cormorant. It must be a Legion. I’ll lift the trash, and in one swift motion, I’ll strike the beast before it can see me. If I was confident of my strength, I’d stab through the cardboard, but I won’t risk the pole not penetrating through the ghastly skin of the creature. If there’s skin at all. I didn’t get a good enough look.

  I swallow. This is it. I’ll do it on three. One. I tighten my grip. Two. I reach down and place my fingers on the wet cardboard. Three. I fling the cardboard back and stab the darkness.

  A girl screams.

  I stumble. My makeshift sword punctures a trash bag. Not the girl, thankfully. She’s huddled in a tight ball with her hands wrapped over her head. My hands shake. I almost killed someone. I toss the rebar as far as possible.

  Landing on the concrete, the clinking metal echoes through the dark. “What are you doing out here?” Cold sweat drenches my back. “I could have killed you!”

  She uncovers her hand from her face and peers at me. She’s older than I thought. “I’m hiding from the”—she hesitates—“monsters.”

  “Monsters?” I sink to my knees. “Oh no. I’m so sorry.”

  She grabs hold of me. “It was hideous. The worst. His mouth was open.” She bawls the rest of the words into my sleeve.

  I hug her tight. “You were right to hide.”

  “Was it real or . . . ?”

  “It’s real.” I sit back on my knees and repeat what Maddox said when he first found me. “You’re not alone.” The words stick in my throat.

  “You can see them too?” she asks through another sob. “I’m not crazy, right?”

  “No. You’re not.” Euphoric strength churns inside me. Is this what it’s like for Guardians to find someone? “Come with me. There’s a place that’s safe, and others can tell you what’s going on—what you’re seeing.”

  I help the girl to her feet and grab a splintered wood spear in case we encounter a creature on the way. She’s a foot shorter than me, has tangled curly hair and a pronounced limp. Even though she’s shaking, she follows me willingly.

  I keep my voice quiet. “There’s a place a few blocks from here. You’ll be safe there.” I slide my arm around her shoulders and help her up the steps. “What’s your name?” I get the name part out of the way. Maddox took way too long.

  “Juniper.”

  “I’m Cera.” This girl is compliant and follows without question. Unlike me. It’s a wonder Maddox didn’t leave me on the street to die. I’ll thank him for it later. “What were you doing out here alone?”

  “I was on the train. I got off at the wrong stop, then I started seeing these monster things that kept following me everywhere.”

  “Have you seen them before?” I ask. She shakes her head. “Did you just turn seventeen?”

  She nods. “Yesterday.”

  As I hold the chain fence open for her to slide through, I notice tiny squares of paper napkins sticking to her skin. “What happened to your arms and neck?”

  “Oh, that? I had a few scratches and made a salve with honey and paper napkins to keep them from getting infected.”

  “How’d you know to do that?”

  She shrugs. “I don’t know. I just did.”

  She’s a Healer. I smile. Harper’s gonna freak.

  The feeling of danger still churns in me. My smile fades. I can’t tell if it’s the aftereffect of the adrenaline or if there really is something looming out here. Just then, Claire turns the corner. “Where did you go?” Her harsh whisper saps my momentary joy of finding Juniper.

  I motion to the girl. “This is Juniper. She might be what the Legions were looking for—she’s newly Awakened and a Healer.”

  “I’m what?” the girl asks. It’s hard for me to believe she’s older than me. She looks about fourteen. There’s an innocent quality to her wide eyes and round face that reminds me of Jess.

  “Get her to Hesperian.” Claire’s frown is easy to make out in the predawn light. And so is the black mist creeping down the sidewalk. “Rhys is out looking for you.”

  “Claire,” I whisper, motioning to keep her voice down.

  Claire turns around. “What?” She’s way too loud. The black fog slinks in our direction, floating a foot above the ground. I grab Claire’s wrist and shove her near Juniper. I point in the direction of Hesperian, then press my finger to my lips.

  Back at the warehouse, the beast didn’t attack while it was a mist. If I can get close, then I’ll make noise to let the beast form. As soon as it does, I’ll lodge this wooden plank right through its heart.

  Claire squints, looking right at the cloudy mist. “There’s nothing there.”

  The mist curls up in the middle of the road. The shadow takes the shape of the sallow man. I’m almost out of time. I quietly race around a parked car and head straight for the creature, leaving Claire and Juniper on the sidewalk. I have to kill it before anyone gets hurt.

  I leap over a puddle so I don’t make any splashing sounds. I’m ten feet away from the beast. It’s not fully formed. His chest needs to appear so I can strike. I grip the spear, lifting the wood up near my ear. “I’m right here!”

  The creature shrieks, fully forming into the disfigured man. Juniper screams. I run full force and spear the sucker deep in the heart, just as Rhys turns the corner. “Cera, no!”

  My arm sizzles with the feeling of burning acid as I slice through the beast and go flying as if he were nothing but air. I drop my weapon. The wood thumps on the ground and echoes as I land on the concrete. Broken cement digs into my palms and knees.

 
The ground shakes beneath me as the Legion shrieks. I glance up over my shoulder. The beast floats three feet above me. What? I did exactly what Kellan said to do. It’s supposed to be dead!

  Rhys races in my direction. His knife is drawn. He leaps into the air as the creature descends, but the beast slaps out an octopus-like arm, knocking him back. The blade flies out of Rhys’s palm and skids out of reach as he lands on his back. The creature’s shriek ripples the air. Before I can push to my feet, the monster descends on Rhys engulfing him in a black fog. He screams in agony.

  I scramble over and reach through the fog finding his arm. My own flesh is burning, but I tug and pull, digging my feet into the concrete to drag Rhys out of the mist.

  Footsteps pound the concrete behind me. “Leave him alone!” Claire’s eyes are wild as she clutches the knife out in front of her and swipes at the beast. Sparks kick off her knife as she makes contact with the fog. The monster ascends into the sky, abandoning Rhys. Juniper is left unprotected in tears on the corner.

  Claire sinks to her knees next to the wounded Blade. He’s unrecognizable. Black ash eats away most of his face. Half of his hair has disintegrated, and where there should be skin, blistering black-and-red sludge remains.

  Don’t cry, Cera. Not now.

  “Stay with me, Rhys,” Claire pleads. “It’s gone. The Legion is gone.”

  He chokes and wheezes through labored breath. Claire is wrong. The creature isn’t gone.

  It hovers ten feet above us in mist form, searching. Searching for . . . Juniper. She’s pressed up against the corner of the building with her face buried in her hands. I put my hand on Claire’s shoulder. She shoves it away and shoots me a glare that sears the truth deep in my soul—this is all my fault. Despite that, I point up and place a blistered finger over my lips.

  The rising sun lightens the sky. The mist drifts closer to Juniper. The creature is too high for me to attack. For anyone to attack. I don’t have a weapon, and the last one I used was futile.

  I curl my fist. I tried taking out the creature, and I failed. The only thing we can do now is get Rhys back to Hesperian and protect Juniper. But how? Claire can’t carry him back alone. We can’t leave him on the street, but if we don’t run, then we’ll all be dead. I’ll have to distract the beast, make it follow me so Claire and Juniper can get Rhys back.