by Nia Night
But the doubt was gone from his expression a moment later, replaced by the calm and collected demeanor that I’d become accustomed to from him. We pushed onward.
The night lingered, as it always did on this side of the barrier. I had arrived at the Academy at night, and the hour I’d left after graduation had also been at night. The sun did not shine for half the day here as it did in places beyond the barrier, only for a handful of hours. This was no doubt part of the reason that Sisters, including myself, felt most at home in the darkness. We wore the night like a blanket, like a cloak, and we drew it near to us when we were feeling cold.
It was in this way that we’d made the enemy of long nights into an ally, another way to survive the circumstances under which we were all reared.
We continued picking our way through the forest, waiting for whatever was coming next with bated breath. After forty minutes of onward movement, I was lightheaded, and knew that rest, if only for ten or twenty minutes, was a necessity. When I told Kieran that we were going to take a break, he looked as relieved at this as I felt, nodding and claiming a spot beside me at the base of an enormous redwood. The trunk was wide enough to provide good protection from the rear, as long as nothing slithered down it and attacked us.
I closed my eyes as I leaned my head back against the bark, wincing at the weight of sitting on my injured tailbone, but happy to have the burden off my legs. My left shoulder was really starting to ache now, and I dug through my pack for some burraroot to ease the pain. As soon as I bit into the bitter root, relief rushed through me. I drank a little more water, and gathered my wits.
Kieran sat silently beside me, and though my eyes were closed, I could feel his gaze on me.
“Stop staring like a weirdo,” I said without lifting a lid, voice low.
A quiet chuckle responded. “I can’t believe you climbed out of that hole with a dislocated shoulder,” he said.
I released a heavy breath. “Yeah, well, I didn’t want to die down there, and no one was coming to help.”
“I wanted to,” he said. “I really didn’t know what to do.” He was quiet for a while, then he added, “It was not a good feeling. I’m not used to being helpless.”
I turned my head and stole a glance at him. “Good thing for me, neither am I.”
We sat shoulder to shoulder. He was close enough that I could see his features in the darkness.
“You’re quite extraordinary,” he said, so quietly that I couldn’t be sure I’d heard it, as though he wasn’t sure he wanted me to hear it.
I swallowed, pulling my eyes away. No one had ever said anything like that to me before, and I was afraid to lean into the feeling it incited. I didn’t need a male to tell me I was extraordinary. All Sisters were extraordinary, the Academy and the Sisterhood would accept no less. I didn’t need an Angel’s approval.
I cleared my throat and pushed to my feet. We’d rested plenty long enough.
We would reach the wall within the hour, and by my estimations, we’d still have a couple hours before the sun made its brief show.
With every passing minute, I felt my strength returning to me, and kept biting on burraroot to stave off the sting of my injuries. I made sure we stayed hydrated and continued to eat at intervals.
We were going to reach the Academy in as good a shape as anyone could hope when going by way of the wood.
I paused in my tracks when I heard a low buzzing sound, my heartbeat jumping and adrenaline spiking. I knew the sound as well as that of my own voice. It grew louder and closer with each breath.
Kieran heard it, too, of course. It was almost comical how big his eyes went, his eyebrows shooting up in a what-the-fuck-is-that expression.
I couldn’t get the word out fast enough. “Run,” I said, and didn’t wait to see if he obeyed before taking to my heels.
The buzzing grew so loud it tickled my eardrums, sent shivers up my spine. I leapt and jumped and hurdled over the brambles of the forest, Kieran following on my heels, glancing over his shoulder at intervals.
The insects were almost upon us.
Fear spiked in my gut, my mind flashing back to the encounters I’d had with these pests as a child. They were the size of my head, and resembled mosquitos in the mortal realm, with veined wings and long, sharp straws attached to their mouths, which they used to drain mammals of their precious blood.
Their bites hurt like the devil, and could cause nausea, paralysis, and hallucinations. They traveled in large groups, often attacking a victim in a horde. I gathered my fire magic within me, sensing that it was not as strong as usual for the fatigue I was feeling, but taking comfort in knowing that it was always there.
Once I had a good amount of it rallied, I held it steady, waiting until the bastards drew near enough.
“Iliana?” Kieran said as we hurtled onward, clearly wanting a plan of action as to how to deal with these bastards.
“Swat and swing when they get near. Maybe release your wings and use them as a shield.” I said, knowing that his defenses against this particular enemy were not as strong as mine. He may be a big strong male, but I had fire at my fingertips, and that was a much more useful advantage than brute strength in this particular scenario.
I glanced back at him when he only chuckled, and had to admit I appreciated that sort of reaction to the very real danger that was about us.
Nearer and nearer the horde drew, until I could see them flitting in the air just above us.
Gods, I’d forgotten how ugly the bastards were. Mosquitos would be insulted at the comparison. And the buzzing was so overwhelming, so obnoxious, so hungry.
They drew closer, darting toward us.
That was when I let the magic go.
A burst of bright red flames exploded out of me in every direction, save for directly behind me, where Kieran still followed. The flames shot up into the air, and I reveled in the hiss of the insects that had come nearest me, the ones who’d been planning to drop in for a bite.
Their large bodies dropped to the ground, wings singed, legs twitching.
More came in their wake. I released another blast of magic, burning those ones as well, lighting up the scene and throwing the night into brilliant contrast. After a third blast, I felt the magic ebbing, reaching the bottom of its barrel quickly for my already weakened state. Glancing around in the darkness, I used one final blast to keep the bugs away and survey the surroundings with the brief illumination this offered.
I spotted what looked like a little den fifteen feet to the left, not much more than an opening within a rock, and steered us toward it. Once I got there, I shoved Kieran inside, and then wedged myself in after.
Much of the horde of insects lost interest now that they could not swoop easily from above and carried on, but a few of the bastards buzzed toward the opening of the small den.
Drawing a breath, I used the last of my fire magic to create a thin wall of flame as a door to the opening. The space was such that Kieran was pressed up against my backside, his warm breath on my neck. The insects that hadn’t abandoned chase buzzed near the flame barrier for a few moments before taking off.
A whoosh of air left me as I let the magic drop. I stood where I was for several moments, listening for the return of the insects and the sharp gasps tearing in and out of me.
When I realized that Kieran was still pressed up behind me, his body a solid, warm wall behind my back, I steadied myself and stepped out of the den.
I stumbled, because Kieran slumped into me from behind. He was heavy enough that I would have fallen if I hadn’t turned and caught him.
“What the—?” I said, getting ready to snap at him.
Then I caught a look at his face, at the way his eyes were rolling, at the panic leaking into them.
I ran my eyes over him, searching for what I already knew I’d find.
There it was. A swelling sting on his arm from one of the damn insects, the effects of its paralyzing poison already swooping into place.
22
I located a larger den nearby that we could take cover in, and dragged Kieran into it.
It was just another outcropping of rock, but it was shielded from the elements on all sides but one, and he could be laid out fully beneath it.
And being laid out was about all he could do. I wasn’t even sure how I managed to do that with one recently dislocated shoulder.
Once that task was complete, I pulled on the dregs of the magic that was already rebuilding in me and used it to warm him.
“You’ve been stung,” I explained as he stared up at me. “The sting is poisonous, but it won’t kill you. It’s gonna work in stages. First, your muscles will be paralyzed. This won’t last too long, a couple hours at most. You’ll alternate between shivering and sweating the whole time, and it’ll exhaust you. You might hallucinate. You need to be ready for that. If you start seeing some strange shit, remember that it’s more than likely in your mind. If you can get past that, you’ll probably be fine.”
Kieran’s eyes widened a bit as I relayed this, likely the only control over his muscles remaining. I settled in beside him, the space tight and intimate.
Perhaps I should leave him and carry on independently. In fact, going in alone might be the better choice, as I would be able to move with more stealth. As I considered this, I glanced back down at the Angel, and knew I could do no such thing. If I did manage to get into the Academy and take the child, there would be no time to stop back here and gather Kieran. I’d likely have to run out of the place like my tail was on fire.
And then what?
The thought occurred to me just now, as I crouched over the immobile Angel in the cursed wood and prepared to break into one of the most secure locations in all the realms.
I was too deep now to turn back, so I took a moment to lick my wounds and consider the next immediate actions.
Stay with the Angel. Night would hold in the wood for another five or six hours, and the effects of the poison should wear off in no more than three. That would leave two hours to get in and out before the sun rose for its brief appearance before yielding to night again.
A groan from Kieran pulled me out of my thoughts. I released a breath and moved closer to the Angel, adjusting his arms so that he was situated more comfortably. His eyes caught mine as I did so, the blue in them already so familiar. I saw the unease there, and knew firsthand how scary the sting of the Irewasp could be. Being fully aware with one’s mind while simultaneously utterly out of control of one’s physical body was a special kind of torture.
I brushed my fingers across his forehead, running them back through his dark hair. “It’s going to be okay,” I said, though we both knew I could make no such promise. “I was stung by an Irewasp once when I was younger,” I confided, letting out a short chuckle at the memory. “It was the worst possible time to be incapacitated, too.”
Blinking, I looked down at Kieran, whose eyes were still fixed on me. In them, I could see the request for me to continue, knew that a little dialogue or storytelling could keep him grounded in the long hours that lie ahead. But I was not someone who was used to talking to people; it wasn’t exactly a part of my job description. I certainly was not someone who opened up to others by telling personal anecdotes.
But looking at the Angel just then, I figured it couldn’t hurt. We were both neck-deep in danger, and we were in it together. If sharing some stories or words could help, it was the least I could do.
“It was actually in my second to last year here at the Academy,” I said, staring out at the dark wood just beyond the den, the memory coming back to me. “Every year, all the students compete in a huge event called The Games. They are a series of tests that evaluate stamina and physical strength, combat skills and cunning, the ability to strategize, adapt, and work with a team as well as independently.”
Just beyond the opening, some unknown creature scurried through the brush, breaking the heavy silence of the place.
I continued on in a whisper. “The Games mostly provide bragging rights, but the prizes can be invaluable to the winners as well, and they set up the expectations for the coming year. The Sisters who train the students are always evaluating, always ranking, always judging.”
I glanced down at Kieran to see his gaze still on me, locked like a deadbolt. I pulled my eyes away and continued.
“The first year I was at the Academy, I ranked third in The Games overall, which is nearly unheard of for someone so new.” I paused and chuckled without humor. “It earned me respect and some friends, but it earned me even more enemies. When competing to be the best is the highest priority, actually being one of the best is not always the easiest position to be in.
“The year I got stung by the Irewasp was my second to last before graduation, before I was made into a Sister and given my first Mark. The challenge was simply to survive the night in the wood, and also one of the most dreaded of the events, not just because of the wood and its dangers, but because the other girls could be ruthless in their methods of winning.
“If the beasts and the pitfalls didn’t claim you, or the insects and serpents or plain exhaustion and dehydration, one of the other girls would. The rules stated that while we could not outright attack one another, there was nothing that stopped people from pushing each other over ledges, or setting traps that could be detrimental to the one who fell into them.
“It was only an hour before sunrise when I got stung. I still think it was Raidyn who set that horde of Irewasps on me. The bitch never liked me.” I laughed. “Shit, we hated each other, were always doing mean shit to the other. She was rude to me my first week at the Academy, and I returned the favor. Our rivalry continued all the years through the training. It’s actually still awkward when I run into her at various events for the Sisters today. Abri used to say that some people just get on like cats and dogs, and there wasn’t much to be done about it.”
I paused, realizing I was getting off track and drawing my attention back to the story.
“When the paralysis set in, my first instinct was to panic, despite the fact that countless hours had gone into training me how to keep cool in such situations. The thing is, you can prepare yourself for something all you want, but you never really know how you’re going to react when the thing actually happens.
“I wanted to cry, and that’s not something I would admit to most people. Hells, if you could talk right now I probably wouldn’t even admit it to you. But that year, after not having shed a tear since the death of my mother, since coming to the Academy…”
I peered out of the den again, having caught a flash of silver eyes. Once I was sure the creature they belonged to was really gone, I continued.
“The wood has a way of messing with you, which is why surviving a night here was always one of the most dreaded events of The Games. It’s a mental test as much as it is physical. It challenges the spirit, which can be as deadly as anything that challenges the body, and can have longer lasting effects, too.
“I managed to stow myself away before the poison fully set in, so that I would be out of the way of the elements and hopefully clear of any other competitor who might want to sabotage me. I remember being terrified for every moment of it, sure that a big cat or something would stumble upon me at any minute and have me as a late night meal.”
I chuckled again. It hadn’t been funny at the time, but like many things, time had allowed me to see the humor in the present.
I clapped a hand on Kieran’s shoulder. “Anyway, I didn’t die, obviously, so that should be a comfort to you.”
Of course, the Angel said nothing to this, his vocal cords as immobile as the rest of him. It felt a little strange to be having a completely one-sided conversation, but it did seem to be helping. He was still looking at me, and hadn’t started groaning or anything, so I supposed that was a good sign.
As time ticked forward, I shared a few other tales from my past, nothing deep and exposing, but tales, nonetheless. By the time I was halfway thro
ugh the story about how Abri and I had flooded the entire western wing of the Academy by overflowing the toilets, I realized that the insect poison was taking longer to wear off than anticipated.
“Kieran?” I said, seeing that his eyes had slipped closed at some point during my talking. They fluttered now as I spoke his name but remained shut.
“Kieran?” I repeated. “Can you wiggle your fingers?”
Not only did the Angel not move his fingers, his eyelids didn’t even flutter this time. My heart skipped a couple beats as I placed two fingers on his neck to search for a pulse. I found one beating there, steady and strong, and released a breath I hadn’t been aware of holding. I gripped his shoulders and tried shaking him. He made a small moan in the back of his throat, but remained otherwise immobile.
Sighing, I slapped his cheeks. Nothing. I checked my wristwatch, noting that over three and a half hours had already gone by. Kieran should have regained some of his strength by now, should have some control over at least some of his muscles.
Unless…
I uttered a curse and got to my knees so that I could check over the Angel. I found what I was looking for as I lifted his shoulder to expose the back of his neck.
Kieran had not been stung once. He had been stung three times.
Fuck.
He’d be lucky to be fully mobile by daylight. So if I waited for him to come to, I’d either have to spend another five hours in this forest until the sun sank again, or I’d have to go into the Academy in broad daylight.
The decision sounded as simple as it would ever be. I had to leave the Angel and come back for him on the way out.
I considered the advantages of this, knowing that sneaking into the Academy as a female would be much easier than it would be for a male, so maybe this was for the better, anyway. With that decided, I began adjusting my gear and prepping myself for the break in.