by Jamie Day
I didn’t want to leave. I didn’t want to stay. I couldn’t think; the emotions of the night had stolen my thoughts and swirled them together. “What about the cave? We could go there. Perhaps they haven’t found it.”
“What if they have?”
I didn’t have an answer. “We can find out,” I told him. “I know this forest. It’s my land. I’ve been wandering through the dark since we got here.” I reached out for Darian’s hand. “Those men, whoever they are, can’t find their way as easily. Did you hear them? They’re clumsy. Please come with me. If they haven’t found the cave, we can hide there—like we planned.”
It wasn’t a good plan, but it seemed better than fleeing into the night with nothing to help us. Even if we escaped their hunt, how long would we last after then? How long until they found our cave and supplies? In a couple days, we’d be the scavenging helpless runaways that had escaped from Morgan only days ago.
“Let’s go see,” said Darian. “If they’re at the cave, we’ll come back and climb the mountain.”
I couldn’t disagree. If the men were there, we didn’t have much hope of anything. We walked along the hidden trails that I knew so well until the voices of the men were distinct and clear.
“She’s around here, somewhere.” Cael’s voice was unmistakable as he ordered the others. “Find her.”
The men scattered into the dark, but not alone. Three torches meant three groups. The men were tough together but cowards in an unknown forest. I smiled at the thought of one of them losing his way in the trees and calling to the others to save him. These men had kidnapped me, and for them, I had no pity. Tristan’s voice still made me shudder—if he were to find us, the payback from our escape would be cruel and painful.
And Cael. He knew I was here. My good friend was no longer the trusting ally I had hoped could help me. By his voice, he was leading the men, just like the night Ethan and I had been taken. He must have known then. What had he become?
Gwenn screamed when someone jerked roughly on her harness, stopping my thoughts. Any other place, I would have cried in agony. I couldn’t, not that night. When another man yelled at her to comply, my fears hardened to terror. I recognized the voice. David Dunn. An Elder was involved in this, another friend of the family. First Cael, now Mr. Dunn. Father’s suspicions had been correct.
I nudged Darian’s arm and slid under the branch of cover. I didn’t have to tell him, he knew my meaning: we could make it to the cave. We scrambled through the brush and once inside, we quickly went to work. While Darian loosed the dirt with his feet to hide our footprints, I slid behind the gate and grabbed the old broken lock. Keeping the rusted iron from creaking was terror; it squealed once, loud enough to bring a host of trouble. I made tiny motions after that, holding the silence and my breath. We attached the lock. It didn’t work any longer, but that didn’t matter. If someone discovered the cave, that person would see it and think we couldn’t be inside. That was our hastened plan.
In the cavern where we had camped, I stuffed our supplies and food into the large sack my father had left. Darian pulled the stones from our fire and set them quietly in different places along the cave wall. Then he kicked and scattered what glowing ashes remained until, in the darkness, there was no sign that anyone had been living there.
Once our camp was ruined, we crept deeper into the cave. There was no light, but I knew the cave well enough to manage without knocking the walls or bumping my head. Darian took the bag from me and hid it inside a crevice while I knelt by the wall.
The night seemed to last forever. Nothing told us, save our counted breaths, how long we waited. We stood in the dark, shivering, and frightened, waiting to discover our fate.
“You should sleep,” Darian eventually whispered. His voice shook—I didn’t think it was from fear, but from the wet clothes and cold air of the cave. “I’ll watch for a while and wake you when I get tired.”
I shook my head, though I knew he couldn’t see me. “I won’t be able to sleep like this.” I searched the dark with for his hand and gripped it tight. “Can you feel that in my fingers?” I told him. “I’m lucky my heartbeat doesn’t echo. It’s pounding so hard.”
Darian allowed his hand to stay in mine, but crouched lower against the wall. “Come closer,” he said, “I’ll share this blanket with you.”
Together, both of us would be warmer underneath. I had become used to the fire; without it, the cave’s dampness left me chilled. We were risking a fever standing against the cold stone in sodden clothes. I scolded myself for not waiting to wash until the sun was out; although it was doubtful I could have borne my filthiness a moment longer. I leaned into Darian to accept his warmth and tried to think on the pleasant memories from our time at the lake.
Waiting in the dark, hoping the men wouldn’t find us, overwhelmed any comfort I felt in Darian’s arms. It was terrifying and noisy. Shouts from the forest found their way inside the cave and bounced off the walls as ominous warnings. The men were angry; their curses announced they didn’t want to spend their night searching the woods. That didn’t help us. I feared them more because of their complaints.
I listened for a while, but soon lost their words as slumber began to take hold of my senses. My mind was drifting when the first man entered the cave; his voice startled me so much that I screamed into Darian’s hand.
“There’s only one,” Darian whispered, soothing me with his breath. “We’ll be all right.”
The man who discovered my cave was clumsy and unwitting. More than once, he bumped into a wall, or a ceiling, and cursed the stone for its intrusion. He fell down each time—the man was probably drunk—and hollered so loud that his echo made tiny drops of water shower down upon us.
“Someone get me a torch!” His words slurred into one another. “I found something.”
We were fortunate he didn’t know what he had discovered.
“Haniber? Haniber! Get in here and bring some light.”
Haniber must have joined him because, soon after, the iron gate creaked and moaned. Someone shook it violently, scraping the air with rusty steel that wouldn’t budge.
“There’s a lock on the door, Loman. Nothing’s there.”
“Locks have secrets.”
The gate shook again. Something struck the wall—something iron.
“This lock is worthless.”
The gate creaked as it opened. The man’s voice grew louder. “Come on. Let’s find ourselves a secret.” He coughed again.
“I’m not going in there,” said Haniber, his voice distant. “The gate was locked. Whatever’s in there is dead or rusted.”
“Get in here or I’ll hit you.”
Darian freed his arm from around my waist.
“The knife?” I whispered.
“Get ready to run,” he answered. “We’ll make a stand past the trap.”
That had always been the plan; a plan I never wanted to follow. Thinking about it before meant accepting that this night might happen. The night was happening now. Haniber’s next words sent a chill down my back.
“We still have the faerie sister,” he said. “She’ll tell us where she’s hiding.” He laughed. “Even if she doesn’t want to.”
Darian must have sensed my tension because he covered my mouth and kept me from yelling back at them.
They had Leila? How? The ice that had consumed me vanished and a void replaced it. Leila had nothing to do with what had happened. What had I done?
Both men laughed at their own words. Did they know I was there? Were they mocking me to get me to reveal myself? “Dunn will take care of that,” said Loman. “We have the horse as proof that the family knows where she is. They’ll pay for that.
“We should kill the beast in front of them,” said Haniber, “while we torture the little one.”
“I won’t waste the meat on them. There’s plenty to trade and eat ourselves.”
I wanted to vomit. Listening to both men talk, capture seemed an easy end to t
he nightmare. I feared the worst, death even, but my sacrifice would certainly be a relief for the pain they planned to inflict on my family—or already had. Darian held me tighter, but I couldn’t tell why. Was it to keep me from screaming back at the men, or to comfort me?
Distant yells interrupted the men’s hateful conference. Haniber yelled back to them—using words I didn’t understand.
“Forget them,” said Loman. There was spite in his tone. “If there’s treasure here, we can split it—between you and me. Let them wander the forest if they want.”
“Tristan was shot with an arrow!” A new voice entered the cave.
“That idiot, Cameron shot his friend.” Loman kept the spite in his tone.
“Go on back,” yelled Haniber. “We’re gonna check this cave.”
“Cael wants everyone back at the dock ‘till we sort this out.”
Hearing the men leave and the gate slam shut didn’t calm me. I was terrified. Emotion took over and I cried. I didn’t care how loud my sobbing was, and despite Darian’s efforts to calm me, I refused to stop bawling. “Let them come,” I cried. “It’s not worth it. I won’t let them hurt my family.” I shied away from Darian’s hand and leaned against the cave wall.
“I won’t leave you here.” Darian whispered so soft I could barely understand. “I’m staying with you. I won’t leave you.”
“They’re going to hurt my family.” I pounded the stone. I was supposed to be strong, but I couldn’t, not facing the danger to my family. “They didn’t do anything. It was me. It was me!”
I couldn’t see him, but imagined that Darian was staring at me in disbelief. I crouched in a ball and closed my eyes until the tears stopped burning.
Trust
Darian’s voice was close to my ear. “You’re not terrible.”
“What did you say?” I lifted my head; it felt heavy and sore.
“You said it,” he answered. “In your sleep. I don’t think you are.” He nudged closer.
“Sleep?”
“You talk in your sleep. Did you know that?”
The darkness swirled around me. I couldn’t see anything, but I felt the cave spinning. I didn’t sleep. Did I? If so, why had the night been so short?
“Is it morning?” I asked.
“Listen.”
Delicate chirps of birds, announcing daylight, had replaced the men’s yells from the forest. I stood up, dizzy, and immediately missed the warmth of the blanket—and Darian. I staggered for a moment before walking toward the sounds.
What had happened? The gate at the entrance of the cave was ajar, confirming that I hadn’t dreamt the trouble last night. I found the rusted old lock and kicked it against the wall.
“They never came back.” Darian stood closer to me than I expected.
I turned to question him with my eyes. He looked back but didn’t answer. I rubbed my forehead and caressed my hair with my fingers. It was still damp in places. The cave. The night. The lake. Every memory that found its way to my vision seemed to be one mistake after another. Oh, the lake.
“What was I thinking?” I whispered.
“Are you okay?” Darian tried to put an arm around my shoulder, but I shuddered and stepped through the gate to escape. He didn’t follow me.
“Did anything happen?” I asked. “After the men left?”
Darian offered a smile. “You slept,” he said, “while I watched and waited for the night to pass.”
I stumbled to the sunlight and stared at the forest. Somewhere out there, Gwenn was a victim of the cruelty of men. Then I remembered my family.
“No!” I stepped into the trees, wishing I could look past them and see Leila. I wanted to warn her. I wanted to be there, protecting her from danger. “We can’t stay here.” I rushed back into the cave. “We need to go to my family.”
I brushed Darian aside and stepped into the darkness, searching for my supplies. When I found the sack he had stashed, I tossed it over my shoulder.
“You’re right. We can’t stay here.” Darian had followed me. “But don’t go home.”
“Why?” I flashed a glare that I knew he couldn’t see.
“Because of the men,” he answered.
“That’s right. I need to warn my family. They’re in danger.” I struck him with my shoulder as I passed him, heading for the forest.
Darian ran past the open gate. “You’re not thinking smart,” he said. “I just told you we can’t go there.”
“You can come with me if you want,” I told him, “I’m going to sneak across the Trader’s Trail and find my father.”
Darian slouched against the cave wall. “I’m not going.”
“Come on, we’re wasting the morning. Cael’s men might already be there.”
“Another reason I shouldn’t go.”
“Stop being stubborn!” I tossed the bag into a bush, returned to the cave, and pulled on Darian’s arm. “Let’s go.”
“The last time I was in your village, I was bound, gagged, beaten, starved and kept in a dirty hut. Then your villagers shot me in the arm with an arrow, threatened me and tried to drown me. Finally—finally I escaped, thanks to you. I’m not going back.” He allowed me to pull him up. “You shouldn’t either.”
I crossed my arms and waited for him to continue speaking.
“Your family is in danger. I understand.” Darian nudged my back but I didn’t move. “There’s still a threat, whether you go to them or not.”
“That’s why I need to warn them.”
“You’ve spent the last few days telling me how dangerous it was for you in Aisling, how there were men in charge who wanted you dead, how you didn’t know who to trust. Is all that going to change if you stroll back into your village and tell everyone that your family was threatened?” Darian moved around to face me. He lifted my chin so that I could see his eyes. “If you go back with only a story, you’ll be in more danger than your family. Let’s find the scrolls you’re looking for. Where you find them should answer all the questions about who you can trust. Return home with the missing scrolls and your story. Then people will trust you.”
“What if it’s too late?” I fought back tears. “What if my family has been hurt before we find the scrolls?”
“Then let’s find them fast.” Darian caught my tear with his finger. “There’s only one reason to go after your family. Every other reason says don’t. If you go, I’ll understand, but this will be our last moment together.”
I forced a smile as another tear trailed down my face. “I’m not strong,” I said, sniffling. “I can’t let my family get hurt.”
“You are stronger than those men, stronger than you give yourself credit for. Make the bold choice and clear your name.”
Darian pulled me into his chest and squeezed me. I took a breath as he exhaled. He smelled like soap.
“I will help you,” he whispered.
There weren’t many options left for us. Despite my stubbornness, Darian insisted that we stay away from the Trader’s Trail and Owen Dorsey’s home. He was right. Only after we had wandered there yesterday, had our captors come close to finding us. We decided to hike up the mountain and take the main road back down. From there, we would head for the Bauer well, where I was certain we’d be protected. Besides, Earl needed to know what his son was involved with.
~ O ~
Taylor’s Ridge felt crisp and cool, even for Sun Season, even during the day. It was a refreshing change from the cave, and a welcome one. I took deep gasps of air, filling each breath with filling mountain air.
While we climbed higher, I found fascination in the hoof marks that dotted the forest soil. Horses. Dozens of tracks crossed back and forth below and between the trees. We discovered where they had grazed, where they drank from the stream, where they walked single file between large pines. The higher up the mountain we walked, the more excited I became. What if Maeia was with them? I wished we hadn’t left my saddle hidden back in the cave.
Our first view of t
he herd came after Darian chased a rabbit he chose for a meal. I was hungry too, but I knew better than to try to pursue a quick little rabbit. He dropped the sack he carried and scampered around the trees, leaning low to the ground like a fool as he chased it. After passing a cluster of large granite stones, he returned, yelling and waving his arms.
“What happened?” I asked with a laugh. “Did the bunny bare its fangs?”
Darian leaned over, panting. He pointed toward the stones. “Horses,” he said. “There are horses over there.”
I left him sucking air and dashed to where he pointed. Twenty of our mares gathered casually in the shade, guarded by a stallion, Blaze. He was easy to recognize. His black mane and blaze were unmistakable. I scanned the herd, looking for Maeia, but she wasn’t with them. A few horses came close to me, and I thanked them with clumps of grass and kind strokes by their ears. When Darian returned, he climbed on a large rounded rock and watched from a distance.
“Come closer,” I told him. “I’ll introduce you to my herd.”
“Those are all yours?” He didn’t come.
I patted Blaze on the shoulders. “We care for them.” I left the horses and leaned my stomach on Darian’s round stone.
“So, we’re done?” he asked. “You found the horse you were missing?”
“No,” I answered. “You would know her if you saw her. She’s pure white. Let’s keep looking.”
Higher up, we found another group of a dozen horses. Then higher still, another five. I cried when I realized how many of them had escaped. Our livelihood, everything my family had depended on to support us since my father’s father, was roaming loose on the mountain.
Near the road, I found Maeia. Shaggy and unkempt, she looked wild, but was white where the dirt didn’t cover her. She grazed in the meadow where I had once overlooked the valley. While I stroked her mane, I saw the heart of Aisling for the first time since the solstice. Charred tree stumps and barren black spaces dotted my village. It was obvious—the fires were intentional. No natural flame jumped around as much, missing half the forest only to demolish the rest.