by S A McClure
She nodded. She was dying. The Silver Skull coven had won in the end, after all.
“So why the bondages around my hands?” she asked.
“Every time we talk, you get absurdly angry and try to kill me, and that was after you tried to kill Chiara. You almost succeeded the first time because I wasn’t anticipating the attack. After the third time in a row, we decided the best thing for all of us was to ensure that you couldn’t harm us when we weren’t paying enough attention.”
“I see,” she responded coldly. She wondered if even Iris had voted yes to this arrangement, or if it had just been Micah and Chiara.
Thundering hooves approached them farther down the trail. Micah guided their horse off the path and waited for whoever was coming to pass. Emma leaned her head against his chest and closed her eyes. He hadn’t been kidding about the fatigue. Still, she couldn’t help but open her eyes as the hoofbeats approached.
“Whoa!” Chiara shouted as she reined in before them.
Emma took in her frazzled hair and flushed expression. “What’s wrong?”
Chiara nodded to Emma and then looked above her head to meet Micah’s gaze. “How is she?”
“She,” Emma said, “is right here and you can ask me yourself.”
Chiara’s lips twitched, but she kept her eyes locked on Micah.
“She seems more aware time around, but it’s hard to tell,” he said.
Chiara nodded and then looked Emma over.
“Where’s Iris?” she asked.
“Went to find more supplies for her poultices,” Micah said. “I haven’t seen her in a couple of hours.”
Chiara straightened in her saddle. “We need to find her, Something’s happened to the west that we need to discuss.”
“When you say to the west, do you mean Lunameed?” Emma asked.
Chiara raised an eyebrow at her. “What do you know about what’s happening Lunameed?”
Emma shrugged. “Not much. Grandmother Rel heard rumors before—” She trailed off. She intended to say before she left us to die, but her memories of their trip to the mountain and their confrontation with Balkeen were spotty at best. Iris had described her fight with the cockatrice and her interactions with Micah, but those were still hazier than the rest.
“I see,” Chiara said. “Well, I don’t know what rumors you heard when you were still living with the hag, but what I have to tell you may change our plans entirely.”
“Chiara,” Micah said.
Emma could tell from his tone that he was anxious about something, although she wasn’t entirely sure what.
“Micah?” Chiara answered.
“Did you find a healer?” he asked in a slow, deliberate voice.
Chiara rolled her eyes. “Where do you think I heard the news?” she asked. She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a small bit of cloth tied around an object. “The healer me these and instructions on how to extract the poison safely.”
She tossed the package to Micah, who caught it with ease. His hands shook slightly as he unwrapped its contents.
Emma scowled at what she saw: a black, crystal amulet, a poultice of sour smelly herbs, and liquid silver.
“I don’t understand,” she said.
“Once Iris is back, we’ll knock her out so that we can work on her without having to fight her,” Chiara said matter-of-factly.
“Wait a minute!” Emma shrieked, pulling on her restraints. She didn’t want them to knock her out or anything else.
“Emma, this is nothing new,” Micah said with a weary sigh. “We’ve had to make you unconscious each time Iris changed your bandages. Trust me. You’ll be fine.”
Emma slumped her shoulders. “You can’t be serious.”
Before Chiara could answer, Iris walked up from behind them and said, “I found a lovely patch of starflowers over by the river—” Her gaze landed on Emma, and she stilled. “Oh! Emma, you’re awake. Hi…uh… how are you feeling?”
“I’d be better if you would take these bondages off of me!” Emma shook her hands at Iris, gritting her teeth.
Iris bit her lip. “Sorry, we can’t do that. Not until I change—”
“Here,” Micah said, tossing her the package of healing product Chiara had given him. “Chiara says she found a healer who supplied her with those.”
Iris stared down at the assortment of tools and sighed. “I’m not sure what I’m supposed to with the amulet,” she admitted. “Grandmother Rel never used them when she healed people. Or when she taught me how to make potions.”
“Oh, that’s fine,” Chiara said brightly. “The healer gave me instructions.”
Iris nodded, fingering the vial of liquid silver.
“You know, the sooner you heal me, the sooner I can get out of these,” Emma said, straining at the rope again.
“She’s right,” Micah said. “We should go ahead and attempt to extract the poison. If nothing else, we’ll know if we have to keep searching or not.”
Emma opened her mouth to agree with him when his hand clamped over her nose and mouth. He held a cloth in his hand that smelled like burning fungi.
She coughed as she drifted off once more.
Someone jostled Emma, and her eyes fluttered open to find Iris kneeling beside her. She was laying on a blanket on the ground by a fire. Groggily, Emma peered around the makeshift camp and sighed. She was surprised Micah hadn’t taken the time to get it military ready. He was normally so fastidious when it came to following regulation.
Iris pressed a cold hand to Emma’s brow and counted to ten. She frowned as she withdrew her hand.
“You’re still running a fever,” she said, concern in her voice.
“Okay?” Emma said. She wasn’t sure what the big deal was. She rarely got sick and she was confident she would be able to fight off whatever had her in bed.
“What’s the last thing you remember?” Iris asked as she peered into her eyes.
Emma’s brow furrowed as she thought back on the past several days. She frowned when she got to the part with the witch stabbing her in the side and then there was nothing but blank space.
“Some cloaked witch stuck me with a dagger,” she said, and then waited to see her sister’s reaction.
Iris chewed on her bottom lip, her eyes wide.
“Well, you remember more than last time, so I supposed that’s a good thing,” she finally said. “And, thanks be the Creators, the bleeding has stopped.” She paused and her expression fell. “I just don’t know if we extracted all the poison or not. You’ve had a fever ever since we performed the spell.”
“Is she awake?” Chiara asked. She bent over Iris to peer into Emma’s face. Although her tone was rough, her expression was etched with concern. “How are you feeling?”
“Honestly, I’d feel a lot better if you both could give me some space.” Emma tried to wave her hand at them, but found her wrists were bound together.
They backed away and relief immediately filled Emma. She sat up. Her neck was a little stiff, but other than that, she felt great. She smiled at them and lifted her hands.
“Now, can I finally get these ropes taken off?” she asked.
“Of course,” Iris said. She pulled a small dagger from the belt at her hip and sliced the ropes free. Silver lined her eyes when she drew back from Emma and she turned away quickly.
“How long have I been ill?” Emma asked, rubbing the raw, swollen skin from where the rope had chafed against her.
“Days,” Chiara replied vaguely. “We’ve been moving at a glacial pace, trying to keep you from injuring yourself or one of us. Trying to keep you from dying.” She squared her shoulders. “But you’re fine now. Or, at the very least, you’re on your way to recovery.”
Micah came over with a small bowl of soup and handed it to her. He didn’t say anything as she accepted it. She started to thank him, but he hurried away.
She watched as he disappeared outside the tent. She had the vague sense that he had done most of the pro
tecting while she had been out of commission.
Hazy memories flitted through her mind. None of them made any sense. Most of them were of her flailing against one, two, or all three of her friends as they tried to sedate her. She grimaced as she remembered one particular instance in which she slammed her palm straight in Iris’s nose. Blood had gushed from her sister’s nostrils before she’d succumbed to sleep once more..
“I’m sorry,” she whispered to her sister.
“For what?”
“You know, breaking your nose.”
Iris leaned away from her, her eyes wide and her cheeks flushed. “You remember that?”
“Yes.”
“That’s good to hear,” Chiara broke in. “We were worried you wouldn’t remember all the nasty, horrible things you did to us while you were poisoned.” She smiled. “Now we can make you feel bad for the rest of your days.”
A thought occurred to Emma. “Weren’t you going home?” she asked. “To find your family?”
Chiara shrugged. “Once you were hurt, it seemed like they needed me more here than my family does. So, I stayed.”
“I’m glad you did,” Emma said, a smile spreading across her face.
“You might not feel that way once I tell you what I heard when I was collecting the medicine to heal you,” she replied.
“Are you finally going to tell us?” Micah asked as he re-entered the tent. He tilted his head towards Chiara, an eager expression on his face.
Emma pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them as she waited for Chiara to explain what she’d heard.
“Everyone was discussing it,” Chiara began. “The rumors are that Prince Fredrick and Princess Saphria will make an announcement soon that they will want every able-bodied magic-wielder to help in the war.”
“War?” Iris asked, crinkling her nose. “What war, Chiara?”
“The war to the west, of course. In Lunameed.”
“What are you talking about?” Micah and Iris asked at the same time.
Chiara sighed. “I’m sure you heard that King Magnus proposed to his own daughter.”
Iris and Emma shared a look. They had heard that rumor months ago when they were still living with Grandmother Rel.
“Yes,” they replied in unison.
“Well, Princess Amaleah declared war against him. She said that he wasn’t fit to rule her kingdom.”
Emma’s jaw dropped. She’d never heard of a princess waging war against her own father to claim the crown. Of course, it was rare for princes to do that, either.
Chiara turned to look at Micah. “Prince Colin of Szarmi is rumored to be in their number. And the elves. And the centaurs.”
“A Szarmian prince and a Lunameedian princess,” Iris whispered. “Who would have thought they’d ever work together. I thought their kingdoms hated one another.”
“Oh, they do,” Chiara said. “But apparently, they’ve come to some sort of agreement about helping each other fight for their respective kingdoms.”
Emma took in what Chiara was saying without much to add. It was difficult to process. And she didn’t see how any of that information had an impact on her.
“We have to answer the royals’ call,” Chiara said, as if reading her confusion. “We have to.”
Iris shook her head. “What do you mean, we have to? I already told you once, but it seems like I need to say it again, I am not abandoning Liam to be Grandmother Rel’s little toy.”
“But things have changed now,” Chiara pressed. “Can’t you see that? It’s not just about the war brewing in Lunameed or their princess’s rebellion. There’s been talk of a darkness spreading across the land for decades. Even centuries, if you talk to some of the elders. I know what it was liking living with a creature consumed by Darkness.” Her eyes glistened with silver as she spoke, and her hand gestures became more animated. “It might be time for the followers of the Light to take a stand. We have to do something!”
Iris scowled.
“No,” she whispered. “We don’t have to do anything. I’m here for one reason and one reason only— to save Liam. After I find him and rescue him, maybe then we’ll join the fight, but not before.”
“Iris, you have to be reasonable,” Chiara said, pleadingly. “You can’t honestly intend to base all your decisions on Liam for the foreseeable future. Didn’t you tell us that the last time you saw him, he appeared happy to be with Grandmother Rel?”
“Until she began torturing him!” Iris snarled. “And, you forget that Grandmother Rel knew I was watching. I think she wanted to send me a message. Come get him, or else.”
“Alright. Let’s all just calm down,” Emma said, raising her hands in what she hoped was a placating way. “Iris, I know how much you want to save Liam, but if the royal family is asking for help, maybe we should go.”
Iris stared at her for a long moment. She didn’t speak. She barely blinked.
“Say something,” Emma commanded.
Iris looked away from her then. Silver lined her eyes, but the rest of her face was expressionless.
Emma’s heart began pounding in her chest. She’d rarely seen her sister respond like this. Normally, Iris was calm and collected when having discussions. But, like everything else dealing with Liam, she had been emotional and erratic.
“Iris, please, we have to at least consider—” Emma broke off when Iris suddenly leapt to her feet and stormed away.
Chapter Thirteen
Iris
Iris held the tears back until she was out of earshot of her friends and sister. She went into the woods behind their tent. She knew Emma’s words had merit. She understood that, especially with her ability as a Spellbreaker, she needed to focus on the good of all, and not just the good of one.
It didn’t change the fact that every time she closed her eyes, she saw Liam’s face. She saw the wounds Grandmother Rel inflicted upon him. She felt his heartache. Smelled his fear.
He needed her help.
She picked up a fallen branch and walloped one of the trees with it until the palms of her hands had turned red and ached from gripping it so hard. She dropped the branch, then sank onto a log, placing her head in her hands. She sobbed until her body shook.
A low thud drew her attention. She scrambled to unsheath her dagger from its holster on her belt. Tilting her head, she listened for the thud to sound again.
It did. Closer. Louder.
Her body jostled with it.
Clenching her jaw, she rose to her feet and crept back the way she’d come. She prayed to the Creators that whatever was in the woods with her would remain there.
She stilled when, in the distance, two pinpricks of purple light shone through the darkness. They blinked.
Whatever it was, it was alive.
Iris turned tail and ran as fast as she could towards the camp.
Loud booms shook the earth around her, and she screamed. The creature, whatever it was, was getting closer. She ducked beneath a low hanging branch. In her haste, she didn’t notice the large root protruding from the ground until she tripped on it. She tumbled face-first to the ground. Her jaw hit another root and the coppery taste of blood filled her mouth.
Groaning, she stumbled to her feet. The booming was louder. The ground shook more violently beneath her feet as she continued onward. She screamed for help, but the booming was so loud, it drowned out any response that might have come.
She threw out hands, grasping for any sign that a spell had been cast that she could break. There was nothing.
Pumping her legs faster, she increased her speed enough to outpace the creature for a few moments. She stole a glance behind her. There were now five sets of purple eyes.
“Void!” she screamed as she leapt over another upturned root. She ignored the pain in her knees and calves. If she stopped, she knew it would mean death.
“Iris?” Emma called from in front of her.
In that moment, it didn’t matter that she was angry with her s
ister. All that mattered was getting away from the creature.
“Run!” she screamed. She tugged on Emma’s hand as she passed her.
“What’s going on?” Emma asked.
“Monsters. Behind. Us,” Iris said in gasps. A stitch formed in her side. All she wanted to do was stop running.
Emma shoved her forward.
“Whatever you hear, don’t keep running,” she said as she released Iris’s hand.
Iris cranked her head around in time to see Emma square her shoulders and turn to face whatever monster was chasing her.
“To void you are!” Iris screamed, skidding to a halt. “Emma, you’ve barely recovered from the poison!” She sprinted back to her sister and yanked on her arm. “Please, Emma!”
Emma leaned over and kissed Iris on the brow.
“You have always been the best of us,” she whispered as she slipped out of Iris’s grasp and advanced towards the monsters.
“That’s such malarkey!” Iris yelled. She didn’t hesitate as she trailed after her sister. “You and me together. That’s the deal, Emma. You can’t break it. I won’t let you.”
Emma drew her daggers with shaking arms.
“Whatever happens,” she whispered, “I love you.”
“Don’t make it sound like we’re dying today, Emma,” Iris chided. “I am determined that we can survive this.”
She pointed her dagger towards the quickly approaching sets of purple eyes.
Dirt sprayed across their faces as something massive fell to the ground in front of them. She shook as she cracked her eyes open.
A large, rocky figure stood before her. It’s glowing, purple eyes blinked down at her. It had a round head and a crude joint between its lower mandible and its upper.
Iris cocked her head at it. “It’s so ugly, it’s kind of adorable, isn’t it?”
The creature bent down low so that it was nearly eye-level with Iris. It was massive. At least three times as tall as she was and bulky. She quivered slightly beneath its stare.
“Emma?” she asked from the corner of her mouth.
The creature nudged her with its lower jaw.
“Emma!” she said again, a little more forcibly.