“I might have a way into the castle.” Browen started walking again. “They are recruiting soldiers for that upcoming masquerade; I’m going to join them.”
“Are you an idiot!” Ezra snapped as she grabbed his arm again, even with the glove separating their bare skin it was hot to the touch. “You are one of the most wanted people in the known world! They are going to have your wanted poster Browen, they’ll recognize you the second you take that mask off.”
“I have to do something.” He gave her a pleading look. “Amri is also wanted and she is in far more danger than I will be in.”
“First of all, you don’t know that.” Ezra released his arm. “And secondly, how are you going to help her if you get arrested.”
Browen lowered his gaze, he hadn’t thought his plan all the way through. “I’ll use a fake name and I don’t have my ring anymore; I can disguise myself.” He reached up and messed with his hair. He forced the longer parts of his bangs to cover as much of his face as he could.
She gave him a crooked smile. “Nice effort, but you still walk and talk like a noble, they’ll notice that.”
Browen slumped his shoulders. “How about this?”
“You’re determined to do this aren’t you.”
“If I can get inside then I can help Amri get out.”
She sighed. “What is the fake name you’re going to use?”
Browen considered, he obviously couldn’t use Brown Bear again. “What about Percy Brown?”
“That’s generic.” Ezra said, then considered. “It’ll work. I’m going to try and find Ralis and Miri. Be careful alright, Miri will be horrified if she loses two chosen in one day.”
“You too.” He answered. Despite his determination, he now felt nervous about his decision.
Chapter Twenty Four
Ralis
Miri’s discomfort around the thick crowds was all too obvious as they struggled to keep close to Amri. She kept her cloak pulled tight against her frame and looked as if she could burst into tears at any moment. Ralis honestly felt a similar anxiety surrounded by so many Humans and offered Miri his hand in solidarity. At least they would suffer together.
The people pressed in all around them and it was a challenge to keep up with Amri, she moved through the crowds with an ease that Ralis doubted he would ever share with his bulky wings. Ezra and Browen also struggled to keep close as the gloomy throng of people neared their destination.
“Excuse me.” Grumbled a voice as a heavy-set man pushed past Ralis.
The impact knocked his hood down and Ralis gasped as his horns were exposed. He was forced to release Miri’s hand as he hurried to pull his hood back up. His identity concealed again, he cast a nervous glance through the crowd. No one was staring at him thankfully and he sighed in relief. Then he noticed that his friends had moved deeper into the crowd without him. Ralis moved to catch up and was nearly back beside Miri again when a gloved hand clasped tightly around his wrist.
His heart started to race, and he tried to wretch his arm free but was stunned at the incredible strength that held him. He turned to face his assailant and blinked, surprised to see a young boy, with silver eyes, wearing a heavy black cloak. He smiled as Ralis noticed him and, without removing his hand from Ralis’s wrist, lifted his hood just enough to show Ralis a pair of small black horns protruding from silver hair.
“Come with me.” The boy whispered and tugged on Ralis’s arm.
Ralis hesitated. He was curious about the young half Na’tyr and wanted to know where he wanted to take him. He looked back to spot his friends, perhaps this was the reason Miri’s vision had brought them here. There was no sign of Amri, Browen or Ezra and before Ralis lost her too, he reached out and grabbed Miri’s arm.
“Where did they go?” Ralis asked her as she whimpered.
“I do not know! When I noticed you were not holding my hand, I turned for one moment and when I looked back…” Miri’s eyes misted as the crowd squeezed in around them.
“It is exactly as she said it would be.” The boy whispered to himself, then he tugged on Ralis’s arm again. “It is not safe here, for either of our kind. Follow me.”
Ralis blinked. Miri’s hood and hair still thoroughly concealed her Elven ears, there was no way that the boy could know that she also belonged to a hunted race. He looked back through the crowd, hoping to catch a glimpse of Amri, Browen or Ezra.
“You can’t help them yet.” The boy tugged again, harder this time. “You two need to come with me.”
“What do you mean we can’t help them yet?” Ralis turned back, his eyebrows cocked.
“You must follow me; my Mistress will explain everything.” The boy insisted with another firm tug.
Ralis turned to Miri, who seemed too crippled by the crowd to think clearly. Her body was pulled in as tightly as she could get it and her eyes were locked on Ralis like he was a lifeline. One last time his eyes scanned the crowd and with still no sign of the others he decided to follow the boy with a nod of his head.
The young boy led them in the opposite direction of the thick crowds. He expertly wormed a path through the stream of people and with Ralis and Miri trailing so close behind him, movement was considerably easier. The crowd was getting anxious about something as the three of them escaped its influence and began to work their way through the mostly desolate streets. It was as if the entire population of the city had been crammed into the large yard with only a few rare exceptions.
Miri seemed to relax slightly, away from the crowds and as they ducked through a narrow alleyway, she pulled on Ralis’s hand. He stopped to address her and noticed that she was looking nervously between the way they had come and the boy who was leading them. The boy had not noticed that they had stopped and pulled Ralis’s arm firmly before addressing Miri.
“Why are we stopping?”
“I have questions. Who are you?” She asked. “And where are you taking us? Ralis, we cannot leave the others behind.”
“It’s better if you ask my Mistress, I only know what she told me.” He pulled Ralis’s arm insistently. “We need to keep moving if we don’t want to travel the swamps by nightfall.”
“Wait we’re leaving the city?” Ralis turned back to face the boy.
The young boy sighed and looked between them as he struggled with what he needed to say. “My Mistress has seen your arrival; she wishes to help in the one way that she can. I was sent to bring you to her, she told me not to worry about the other three. She said that they were already set on a path that should not be altered.”
“I do not understand.” Miri blinked, her face slightly red.
“Does your Mistress have the Sight?” Ralis asked. The boy’s language had reminded him of how Miri spoke of her visions.
“Impossible… I am the last.” Miri shook her head in denial.
“My Mistress has many gifts and wishes to help you.” The boy then looked warily over his shoulder before leaning in close to whisper. “She knows where the Shrine of Wind is located and will help lead you to it. You will not find it in time without her help.”
Ralis looked to Miri, her face was a blend of complex emotions. “Miri, I think we should trust him.”
“Why?” She shivered despite the warm air. “This could be a trap set by the Queen.”
“The Queen is an enemy to all… even those who serve her.” The boy frowned then he looked to Ralis. “My Mistress said that you will have many questions, not just about the Shrine but about your blood. She has the answers that you’re seeking.”
“I trust him Miri… I have a good feeling about this.” Ralis couldn’t explain it, perhaps it was because the boy was like him. Or perhaps it was the strange insight the boy seemed to hold thanks to his mysterious Mistress. Either way, if following the boy led to answers he could hardly refuse.
“You s
aid that about the Carnival of Dreams too. And what about the others? We cannot leave them here.” Miri pressed.
“They are already beyond your reach.” The boy closed his eyes as he spoke. “My Mistress made it clear that if you try to help them now no good will come of it.”
“But I have not seen anything like that.” Miri gave Ralis a worried frown, then her shoulders slumped in defeat. “I will follow.”
The boy nodded. “Elves are fast right?”
“What do you mean?” She asked.
“We’ll need to run if we want to get to Alumeen before dark, can you keep up?”
Miri nodded and the boy set off, his hand still tight around Ralis’s.
They followed the boy through the quiet city, between towering buildings and through dark passageways. Despite running most of the way, it took them hours to cross the city and find themselves in an industrial warehouse filled district which rested against the outer wall. The boy hurried towards one of the smaller warehouses and pulled a key from his pocket to unlock the door. Inside crates filled the space, but upon closer inspection Ralis noted that most of them were empty. The boy hurried them through to the back wall and finally released Ralis’s hand to push a collection of heavy looking crates away from the wall. He noticed that they had been stacked on a low platform with wheels hidden in the groove of the floor. The stack easily moved aside to reveal a section of the massive outer wall that had been excavated and opened to the other side.
“I’ll meet you outside, I need to lock everything up first.” The boy scrambled to reset the hidden escape as Miri and Ralis stepped into the outside.
A tree and a group of bushes had been strategically planted beside the hole to better conceal it from potential onlookers. Just beyond was a tall field of wheat protected by a modest wooden fence. It was not long before the boy joined them and gestured for them to follow as he vaulted over the fence to run through the field.
Ralis and Miri followed. They continued through the field and through a few more before Ralis began to notice a foul smell on the wind. He wrinkled his nose as he tried to identify the odour but had his answer as they escaped through the other side of yet another wheat field.
Before them, hours from the city, was the beginning of a dense swamp. Tall gnarled trees with tangled vine-like roots erupted from the wet sludge ahead. Those and the pockets of reeds and bushes were the only indication that they were not standing before a body of water. The smell of decay was all around them, in addition to the ceaseless orchestra of frog and insect sounds with the occasional cry of a bird from deeper within.
The boy did not hesitate as he leapt over the fence and dashed into the thick swamp water. The path that he followed never got deeper than the boy’s calves and Ralis hurried after as to not lose the trail. Miri joined behind him with a whimper as her feet became thoroughly soaked in the sludge.
Away from the threat of the city Ralis pushed aside the fold of his warm cloak and gave his wings a stretch. He was tempted to try flying as he followed the boy rather than endure the unpleasant experience of marching through the mud, but the trees were too tightly packed. The boy turned around to ensure that they followed and stopped to gawk at Ralis’s wings.
“Lucky!” He cried as he pulled back his hood to reveal his horns. “Not many of us get wings!”
“Thanks.” Ralis blushed.
As they moved deeper into the wet swamp the boy also removed his gloves to reveal that his soft peach skin faded into a radiant silver at the ends.
“Is it just you and your Mistress out here?” Ralis asked. He felt an odd kinship with the young boy.
The boy looked over his shoulder with a smile. “You’ll see. I’m Tylo by the way!”
They travelled for hours through the stink and the sludge. Most of the time Tylo was able to navigate them through shallow and firm sections but more than once, they were forced to wade into deep sections of the mud. It got very dark in the swamp as night fell, even though it took hours for the summer sun to fully set.
A cluster of lamp lights up ahead caught Ralis’s attention and he was glad that they were moving towards them. The boy sped up as they neared their destination and Ralis felt excited for what he might find there.
Squat little homes built on a rare patch of firm soil came into view. They seemed to have been cobbled together with scraps of materials with some homes looking much nicer than others. Lanterns dangled from the sides of the many buildings and lit up the space in a warm glow.
“Welcome to Alumeen!” The boy beamed proudly as they stepped onto solid ground.
Ralis and Miri eagerly joined him and got to work shaking the worst of the mud from their legs and feet. Ralis felt a burst of wind brush his face and looked up to see a tall man with red wings land next to him. His skin was dark except for the tips of his fingers which were the same red as his wings. His bronze hair was long but kept back in a tight bun and from his brow a pair of red horns reached for the heavens. One of the horns had been broken and only a jagged stump remained. On his hip was a light sword and he rested a hand on the hilt as he looked over the strangers with his brilliantly red eyes.
“Oh Tarmis! They’re here to see my Mistress.” Tylo explained excitedly.
“Mistress Avia told me, I just wanted to get a good look at them.” Tarmis’s voice was deep and calming as he looked Ralis over. “Welcome to Alumeen.”
“What is this place?” Miri asked in awe as she looked at the tall half Na’tyr.
“It means sanctuary in ancient Elvish.” Tarmis stated with a crooked smile. “And it’s the only place in the known world where our kind can live in peace… for now.” He looked to Ralis as he finished. “It’s late and Mistress Avia has closed her doors for the evening, you should run along to Merria’s. Good job Tylo.” He then patted the boy on the top of his head before flying back to the treetops where he watched over the hidden place.
“This way.” Tylo waved as he led them towards the oldest looking of the scrappy buildings.
He knocked on the door and waited beside Ralis and Miri until it swung open and poured more light upon them. The woman on the other side wore a light floral dress with a tight brown corset around her waist. Her dark blue hair had been braided into a long thick bunch that reached her hips. Her horns coiled up and around her ears and were a light teal colour. Flicking by her feet was a tail that was the same faint blue as her skin. She beamed at the new arrivals and waved them inside.
Ralis stepped in and the wretched stench of the swamp was replaced by the mouthwatering smell of fresh baking. The long room was set up as a combination kitchen and dining room, with a long table and benches taking up most of the space. Seated at the table was a young girl who looked up anxiously from the pie that she had been enjoying. She was also half Na’tyr, but her features were far more subtle than the others Ralis had seen. She looked like a tan skinned Human with long brown hair and soft blue eyes aside from a pair of twisting horns that coiled from her scalp. She was pretty, even with the mess of scars that had been cut into her face.
“My name is Merria.” The blue skinned Na’tyr woman continued to smile as she handed them towels for the mud. “Don’t worry too much about that, we’ll get you all washed up and in something clean before bed.”
“I’ll be back in the morning to bring you to my Mistress.” Tylo smiled and closed the door before Ralis could reply.
“Ah, so you’re the ones she was talking about.” Merria giggled as she fluffed up her skirt. “I cannot remember Mistress Avia being this excited before, you must be something special. Come have a seat, I’ll get you each a slice of apple pie then try and answer some of your questions as best I can.”
Ralis kicked off his boots and did his best to clean his pants with the towel he had been offered. Once he was satisfied, he moved for the bench to take a seat. The young girl who had been sitting there abruptly stood and hurri
ed down the hall and into one of the rooms beyond.
Merria sighed as she set a plate of pie in front of both Ralis and Miri. “That was nothing personal. Dia’s had it pretty hard and is still getting used to things here.” She bowed her head and whispered quietly. “We only barely managed to save her before she was delivered to King-Regent Razmir.”
Ralis shuddered, recalling his own incident not so long ago at Snow’s End.
“I run a sort of halfway house here in Alumeen.” Merria smiled, using her bubbly voice again. “A place for our kind to live while they figure out a home of their own. You are both welcome to stay here as long as you need.”
“This is a town of half Na’tyr?” Miri asked as she looked around her with wide eyes.
“It is. It was founded nearly fourteen years ago, just after the worst of the blood feud started. Unfortunately, it has almost been too good of a secret, so few of our kind know about it. But Mistress Avia is working to change that.” Merria smiled warmly. “I promise that the pie is safe to eat, if we meant you harm it would not be with poison.”
Ralis looked at his pie, it smelled delicious. Miri was eyeing her slice wearily even as Ralis took a large bite of his. It was as good as it smelled, a perfect balance of cinnamon and sweet apple flavour all wrapped up in a golden flakey crust.
“Might I have your names?”
“I’m Ralis.” He replied between bites.
Miri’s mouth squeezed into a tight line as her brow furrowed in suspicion.
Merria sighed as she turned to Ralis. “I’ll prepare a warm bath for both of you and some beds. I promise that you’re safe here. We were all skeptical at first, but… The Founders have worked very hard to make this home.”
She stood then and made for the narrow hall leaving Miri and Ralis alone. Miri picked up her fork and looked suspiciously at the food before her.
“It’s delicious.” Ralis offered as he took another large bite.
Sunken Wind Page 24