“The Liarre Council?” I asked, thinking back to something that Cate had told me during my brief stay in the rebel camp. It amazed me when I remembered that only a week had passed. So much had happened since then.
“Chairwoman Maresth is their leader. She has been calling all of the Council members to cast their vote and decide.”
I narrowed my eyes suspiciously. This information sounded strangely familiar. “Decide what?”
“Whether to help the rebellion.” The rest of my conversation with Cate came back to me. She and Larna were hoping to act as emissaries on Jett Bahari’s behalf. My dark mood lightened a little when I realized that there would be welcoming faces at the other end of our journey.
“Of course they will help the Rebellion,” Rapunzel said, sounding more confident than I felt. “The Liarre are sensible creatures. If the Queen has all of Amendyr under her thumb, what will stop her from crossing their border and expanding?”
I shrugged my shoulders, not having an answer for her. The terrain was becoming more uneven, although it had not yet started to slope upwards. That would probably change in the next few days. Thinking about the next few days prompted another question. “How long will we be traveling?”
“Two weeks,” said Doran, “if we are travelin’ steadily.”
I was so surprised that I stopped walking altogether. “Two weeks?” I repeated incredulously. No geography map buried in the dusty pages of a book had prepared me for the reality of traveling across such a large area. “We can’t walk for two straight weeks!” I did not mention that Doran, powerful wizard though he was, remained a slave to his aging body, and with Rapunzel expecting a child. “Couldn’t we fly? You controlled Mogra’s great wind to bring us here.”
Doran kept walking, forcing me to take several hopping steps in order to catch up. Rapunzel followed him, although she glanced at me curiously over one shoulder. “Mogra would be sensing the magic… as well as other things…” He chose not to elaborate. I did not mind. I had no desire to be reminded of what those other things might be. “Without magic is the safest way.” He glanced at Rapunzel meaningfully when she was not looking, and then caught my eye. Suddenly, walking did not seem to be such a bad idea. I did not want to put any magical stress on Rapunzel’s body, even if the chances of harm to her or the child were remote.
“At least the country will be less open once we reach Catyr Bane,” I muttered, trying to find something good in the situation.
“Wyverns live there.” Doran’s reminder ruined any positive thoughts I tried to have. Wyverns were the smaller, less-intelligent cousins of the extinct dragons, and although they were only capable of the most rudimentary human speech, they were cunning and dangerous. They were also known to eat human flesh when they could find it. “Another reason not to use a great wind.”
“I don’t mind,” Rapunzel said, trying to reassure me. Somehow, she knew exactly why I was worrying even though she was walking ahead of me and could not see my facial expressions. “Everything will be fine.”
I sighed. It was going to be a very long and frustrating journey, especially since we could only carry a few light packs between us. We would need to ration carefully if we wanted our food, water, and supplies to last us two weeks.
The days smeared together into a fog of constant panic and weariness. Although the feelings of being pursued never eased, the landscape around us was shifting quickly. Most of my traveling had been done in the heart of the country, through the small villages and farms that dotted the flat plains beyond The Forest. The cliffs and ridges of Catyr Bane were completely foreign to me.
While these new surroundings made me feel uneasy, they delighted Rapunzel. She always took the time to point out interesting colors that swirled in the sheets of rock sprouting from the ground, memorizing landmarks and their proportions in order to draw them later. My mood was still tired and fearful, but I did enjoy seeing her happy.
While the landscape changed, Rapunzel’s body also changed. I had seen and treated pregnant women before, but the swift, dramatic transformation of my lover’s figure was astonishing, wondrous, and a little frightening. Her stomach had a noticeable swell now as the child grew and shifted forward inside of her, and I was amazed that I had not noticed the second I saw her. Of course, she had been entertaining unwelcome company at the time, and then my mother tried to kill both of us. I excused myself for my lack of observation.
Even so, Rapunzel’s pregnancy seemed to be progressing much more rapidly than I expected, and I had difficulty determining how far along she was. Despite my doubts and questions, Rapunzel was thrilled. Perhaps some of her happiness was a result of the changes she was experiencing, but I knew that most of it had to do with me. My being with her. Having such a large influence over another person was a large responsibility. It frightened me almost as much as the unborn child and the thought of my mother pursuing us.
Doran remained quiet and introspective, and since he chose not to dampen Rapunzel’s optimistic attitude, I followed his silent example. At first, I thought that my lover had no idea how much danger we might be in. She soon corrected my mistake.
“What are you doing?” I asked, sitting down beside her as she rolled out her thin sleeping pallet. I caught a glimpse of something at her hip, a flash of silver, and realized that she was staring down at a knife. “What on earth are you doing with that?” Automatically, I reached out to remove the sharp object, but Rapunzel caught my hand.
“You and Doran have magic to protect you,” she reminded me. Although her voice remained steady and calm, I could tell that she was annoyed. “What do I have? A knife is not much, but it is better than nothing.”
“You could cut yourself,” I insisted, immediately feeling defensive.
“I am not a child anymore, Ailynn. You taught me how to hold a knife properly when I was barely able to walk. I am no great healer, but I know how to chop plants. ” Patting the handle of the knife to reassure herself that it was still secured to her waist. “Using it to fight can’t be too much different.”
It was, but I did not tell her so. I was no knife-fighting expert by any means, but even though the thought made me uncomfortable, I wanted Rapunzel to be safe. I reached out to take the knife again, and something in my expression stopped the protest that was forming on her lips. She allowed me to draw it and I examined the blade. It was simple, as knives went, but I supposed that it did not matter what kind of knife you had as long as you drew the first blood.
“This is an average knife hold,” I said, showing Rapunzel the grip even though she already knew it. “You can use it for quick forward jabs at the stomach or other vulnerable areas. And this,” she waited patiently as I adjusted the knife until the tip was facing down, edge up, “this is a dagger hold. Use it for downward swipes at the face and chest.” I handed the knife back to my lover, and she copied the grip perfectly.
“If you are in a knife fight with another armed human, especially a man, do not focus entirely on his weapon. A good fighter will try to punch or kick you while you are staring at his blade. Then, he will take your weapon when you drop it. Do not try that yourself. Neither of us has enough upper body strength to stun someone with a punch, but you could try substituting a quick knee to the groin.”
Rapunzel nodded, listening intently, and I was struck by the sudden realization that she really was grown up. She understood the perilous situation that we were in, traveling into Wyvern territory with a Witch and various monsters pursuing us. She was not blind or naïve and I could not help admiring the unwavering optimism that she displayed in spite of the looming danger.
“A human will probably underestimate you. He might not expect a young woman to fight back. If you move first, you might be able to injure his eyes or another vulnerable place. If you are facing a Kerak or some other beast… do not turn your back on them. Find something to protect your flank.” There was not much more to be said. Even armed with a knife, it was doubtful that Rapunzel would be able to defend
herself against a Wyr or a Kerak. Privately, I swore to myself that no human or beast would get close enough to harm her in any way.
Putting the knife away, Rapunzel sat down on the sleeping pallet, using her bag to support the weight of her head. When she looked up at me and smiled, I knew that I was forgiven and lowered myself to the ground beside her.
“Ailynn, will you tell me a story?” she asked, and for a moment, I was reminded of a hundred other times when she had posed this same question. I knew that she was asking me because I needed the distraction, not her, and I was touched.
Resting a hand on her side and slowly curving it over her stomach, I said, “yes. I will tell both of you a story. Which one do you want to hear?”
“I want to hear the story of Reagan and Saweya.”
For a moment, I wondered if I should be offended. My memories of that particular story were entwined with memories of Byron, and I wanted to think about him as little as possible. However, the protagonist of the story was a dragon that protected her princess against all-comers, defeating knights and princes in order to defend her love. I decided to take Rapunzel’s request as subtle reassurance, even a compliment.
Taking a deep breath, I began speaking. “Reagan’s tongue flicked next to the frightened youth’s ruddy cheek, her gleaming teeth reflecting the bright noon sun. Her scales shifted, not even scratched by the boy’s blade, enchanted though it was. His weapon long-since discarded, the youth lay, defenseless and trembling, at the mighty dragon’s feet…”
Rapunzel closed her eyes, listening to the story, and I imagined that she was picturing it in her head.
“Never one to kill needlessly, Reagan lifted her proud head and roared once, sending great showers of rock tumbling down the sides of the nearest mountains with the power of it. ‘Run,’ she said to the boy, ‘run or I will feast upon your pathetic carcass and leave your bones to bleach in the sun…’”
…
Chapter Four:
Afternoon crept into evening as the sun sank below the horizon line. The shadows lengthened from beneath the base of the cliffs, leaving black streaks over the ground. I began to feel tired after hours of trekking over the uneven terrain. It had been two weeks to the day since we left Doran’s house, and being in a constant state of alertness was exhausting. I concentrated, making sure that my steps did not slow down. Journeying on foot drained more of our energy with each day, and Rapunzel and Doran were both beginning to show signs of weariness.
“We should find somewhere to stop for the night,” I said, looking forward to a mouthful of food and a few hours of sleep.
Doran stopped, scanning the narrow passageway we had been following between the largest cliffs. “I am not seein’ any cover,” he said regretfully. “I dinna think we should stop here. It is too exposed…”
As if his words were a signal, a loud scraping sound came from somewhere above us. Our heads whipped up as we tried to spot the source of the noise. “What was that?” I whispered, keeping my voice soft.
“I dinna-”
A large black shadow appeared before us, expanding around our feet in a matter of seconds as it grew larger. “KEELUM! Kir-rak – Kir-rak!” A hot, tearing pain burst across my back as something tore through flesh, hooking in to my shirt. I screamed, and somewhere behind me, Doran’s voice shouted a Word of Power that I had never heard before.
The biting scent of magic filled the air, and the thing on top of me fell to one side. I dragged myself to my feet, staring down at an enormous, scaly mass. It writhed and thrashed over the ground like a giant snake. Instantly, I knew what it was: a Wyvern. Despite being injured, my first instinct was to step in front of Rapunzel. I wanted to put as much distance as possible between her and the beast. She might have argued, but something in her, perhaps the knowledge that she was carrying a child, stopped her from protesting. She took several steps backwards until she was pressed against the vertical wall of the canyon, arms curling over her stomach as she watched the Wyvern with wide brown eyes.
“KEELUM!” it clicked again, its side fins puffing out from its neck in anger. It was over three times my size, and I stepped back rapidly, trying to remember what Doran had taught me about battle magic as warm, sticky blood seeped through the back of my shirt. To my surprise, the first memory that flashed into my mind was of the great wind that Mogra had used to lift Rapunzel and me into the sky.
Thinking only about getting the Wyvern as far away from Rapunzel as possible, I jerked the threads of magic that surrounded us and used them to push a wave of air towards the creature. The Wyvern weighed almost nothing, and I was surprised when the sharp gust pushed it back several feet. Its claws scrabbled against the dust in the road, trying to find purchase. Lifting its snout, it let out a series of sharp whistles and clicks.
Before I knew it, we were surrounded. Three more Wyverns crawled out from crevices on the cliff’s face, their blotchy hide matching the brown colors of the mountain stone. Bracing myself and holding my ground, I waited for them to charge.
Surprisingly, they did not attack, only clicking and hissing their displeasure and puffing out their neck fins to seem large and threatening. “Keelum! Kriii! Kir-rak!” they croaked, clacking and whistling at each other. Their tails lashed like a hunting cat’s as they tried to decide what to do.
The Wyvern that I had blown backwards had managed to find its balance and was hobbling about, waving its wings at us and clacking its beak. The other Wyverns decided to join it, launching off of the vertical cliff face and landing on the ground beside their wounded companion. All four of them stretched out their wings and fins, sucking air into their chests and trying to look as large as possible.
“Stay still,” Doran whispered, slowly edging towards me without taking his eyes off of the Wyverns. I did not move until he reached me. The tear in my back stung horribly. “They will be trying to scare us away first. Protect your back and stay in front of Rapunzel.” Together, we turned our backs to the stone wall making up the narrow passageway’s other side. Instinct urged us to protect our flank.
The Wyverns look puzzled that we were still in their territory and not running or attacking them. They jabbered and clicked at each other with wild sounds that almost seemed like a language. For all I knew, they really could talk to each other.
I noticed that the light around me was fading and felt a small lift of hope. Wyverns were daytime hunters, and although their eyes were excellent during the day, they were very nearsighted and unable to function at night. If we waited them out, perhaps they would leave once darkness settled and they could no longer see us.
Finally deciding that threats and intimidation were not going to work, the Wyverns decided to charge. They were quick – there was only the briefest moment of silence and the tightening of muscle before they were on us. With quick gusts of air, and glowing balls of energy from Doran, we tried to push the beasts away from us. They were light and easy to hit, but they were quick, and their sharp claws were made for tearing through flesh. After a minute we had made no progress, and I sported another shallow cut on my arm. The four Wyverns darted back and forth, not interested in a quick killing blow. They wanted to tire us out. I began to worry that their strategy might work.
As the last of the sunlight disappeared, a loud shout echoed through the canyon pathway, startling the four Wyverns. Before they could take flight, arrows sprouted out of their hides and they squealed with pain. One managed to lift off the ground, but the other three collapsed in the canyon, dead.
Movement drew my eyes to our left. Standing in front of us was a creature out of legend. The sight nearly took my breath away. The half-man, half-horse was an Equiarre, tall, proud, and infinitely more wild and beautiful than any depiction I had seen in a book or on a tapestry. His chest was bare, and his lower horse’s body was a dappled gray. His face was – but was not – human. The angles were wrong and his features stretched out, not ugly, but noticeably different. A beautiful bow was held loosely in his left hand and the
re was a quiver of arrows on his back.
“Well met, Doran,” he said. “It looks like Rachari was right and we found you just in time.”
“Well met, Hassa,” said Doran, stepping forward and clasping hands with the large creature. They obviously knew each other, and I could not help but wonder how they had met before.
For the first time, I noticed the other creatures standing around the Equiarre. One of them looked vaguely reptilian, with fangs, scales, and a long, winding tail. Another had the black, bulbous body of a gigantic spider. The eye tattoos on her cheeks stood out even in the dim light. They were the Liarre, magical experiments gone awry that had flourished into their own race after the death of their creator, Lir the Shaper. They were human and animal and something entirely different, and although some of them were wary of humans, they were usually a peaceful race.
“Thank you,” I said, my voice an octave lower and very tired. Now that the burst of energy brought on by fear was beginning to wear off, the pain in my shoulder was much worse. Seeing my legs shake, Rapunzel grabbed my arm and supported me as my knees buckled slightly.
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