Noble Lies

by Lyneal Jenkins

  I moved among the Damiq, giving them a reassuring word or squeeze of their shoulder, always moving closer to the hungover soldier.

  When I reached the edge of the cluster, the soldier remained several metres away, my access blocked by a beast of a man who could knock me down with one overly muscled arm. I needed a weapon to deal with him. Many scenarios played out in my mind. None of them ended well, even when I added an optimistic edge to my thoughts. I had to do something. I wouldn’t let them put us in cages. Possible solutions continued to tumble through my mind when a soldier approached and, with little inflection in his words, told us we would leave soon.

  Ten minutes later, we heard the rattling roar of an engine pull up outside the warehouse. We waited, our nerves causing all manner of dark thoughts, until the soldiers escorted us into trucks, leaving us to help our own injured. Once we all climbed in, we waited for another ten minutes before the short, barrel-chested soldier I had fought beside lifted Holly into the vehicle. Damn, I had clean forgotten about her. She stumbled inside and scurried to the back. Some of the Damiq helped her onto the bench, squashing her between them.

  Everyone remained tense as the truck rocked down the road. I couldn’t banish the thoughts of concentration camps. I tried to reason that such places didn’t exist now, but Harvey laughed at my thoughts. Did you not see the cages they had the Damiq in? They were so scared. Harvey stood near the exit, holding onto the poles of the truck as it swayed. What if they aren’t taking you home? He sniggered. What if they are taking you to a more secure location?

  ‘Then Eris will have to save my ass,’ I muttered, my words swallowed by the engine’s howling protest as it lumbered towards either our home or capture. Would Eris rescue me? Hopefully, I wouldn’t have to find out.

  Harvey had six hours in which to taunt me before the truck came to a stop. I flexed my freezing hands and rubbed them together, ready to fight if needed. My body ached and I had no weapon to speak of. I wasn’t equipped to take on armed soldiers. Hopefully, we wouldn't need to fight. Please God, just this once, don’t drop a load of crap on me.

  The soldiers remained alert, watching as we all dropped out of the truck onto the deserted road. Trees towered over us, shrouding us in cold shadows.

  I looked around, not recognising the area. ‘Where are we?’

  One of the soldiers tossed my dagger onto the dirt edging the road and pointed north. ‘About a click from where we picked them up.’

  I retrieved my weapon with relief. It felt good to have it back. I slipped it into the empty sheath strapped to my leg. ‘Thanks.’

  ‘Don’t thank me.’ He scowled as he stepped back. ‘I wouldn’t have let any of you go.’

  In an act of defiance and with difficulty, I turned my back on the soldier and helped one of the injured Damiq from the truck. I kept expecting the soldier to strike me down, but I refused to look back at him. I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing my fear.

  When I turned back, he’d left. He had consumed my mind for longer than I had crossed his. I almost laughed with nerves for my own rampant fear. As soon as everyone stood on the side of the road, the soldiers left.

  I watched them go, sure they would stop and open fire on us, gun us down where we stood. My heart continued to pound even when the vehicle crossed the brow of the hill and trundled out of sight. They could turn around at any second and come back to finish us off.

  Once the sound of the engine faded, Toby came to my side. ‘Do you think they will leave us alone now?’ His fevered eyes gleamed with hope. While in their custody, they hadn’t harmed his body, but the physical form wasn’t the only thing they could harm. He wouldn’t get a good night’s sleep for a while.

  I shrugged. ‘We can hope so.’ I turned the Damiq north-west, towards the last place I had seen Nicolai. If they had moved on, they would have left someone to wait for us or, at the very least, a sign to their new location.

  I spurred the Damiq on, pushing the injured to their limits. I needed to speak to Cissy before she left for America. I needed to warn her that the government now knew about Kipsu. Then, like it or not, I needed to be honest with Eris. Dread seeped into every muscle. I didn’t relish that conversation.

  We trudged through the trees in silence, each of us trying to make sense of everything that had happened. Grief for their lost comrades enveloped the Damiq, dragging on me, making it impossible to think clearly. Even when I sensed Adam approaching, I couldn’t shake the feeling of despair that wanted to force me into a curled ball, to hide away from the world.

  He reached us and touched his fingers to my fresh, stitched gashes. ‘What happened?’

  I sighed. Exhaustion drained every muscle. ‘An incident with the Fae. We were lucky the government let us go.’

  ‘Does Eris need to hear this?’

  I nodded, glanced around to make sure no one could hear, and leant in close. ‘They know about Kipsu.’

  His eyes darkened. ‘How?’

  I looked at the ground, unable to confess my screw-up.

  He gripped my chin, tilted it up, and looked into my eyes. ‘They harmed you?’

  I shook my head. ‘I'm sorry. I was trying to defend Eris, and it kind of slipped out.’

  He cursed under his breath, and I braced, ready for him to let rip on me.

  ‘Why would you need to defend Eris?’ His tone held none of the anger I’d expected. Instead, it was flat and void of all emotion. I couldn’t decide which was worse. Adam wasn’t meant to be drained by it all. He was the one who made the decisions and, much to my dismay, was the sole person keeping me alive.

  ‘They showed me footage of a Fae. It said that the Siis council created it.’

  His eyes narrowed. ‘Are you certain?’

  I nodded. ‘Maybe the Fae was lying to cause trouble’—the thought of it being true caused nausea to curl through my stomach ‘—but it looked genuine. The Fae had been tortured.’ Another thing I couldn’t think of. I wouldn’t feel pity. Not for a Fae. Never for a Fae.

  His lips became a sharp slash as his features hardened. ‘I will confer with Eris on the matter. How does the child fare?’

  ‘What child?’

  He pointed at my stomach, and my heart sank. I had almost forgotten about that. ‘Fine.’ I forced a strained smile. ‘I could really do with a coffee. The government’s tea tastes like dishwater.’

  His lips quirked but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. ‘Let’s get back. The Damiq have formed a simple camp for the night.’

  ‘Is Cissy still around?’

  He shook his head. ‘Her flight left an hour ago.’

  I groaned. ‘Someone needs to find her. I bet the American government now know she created the Kipsu.’

  ‘How is it possible to accidentally release that information?’

  I shrank under his stern stare, yet, deep inside, though, not as deep as I would have liked, I felt relief to hear him more like himself. ‘I only mentioned her name. They put the rest together on their own.’

  The first of the Damiq came into view saving me from his tart retort. The Damiq, a plain young girl whose name I couldn’t remember, dropped the bag of supplies she’d been collecting and stared as us with her mouth agape. After a few seconds, what she saw registered. ‘They’re back!’ she shouted, running from us. ‘Nicolai, Parker, everyone, come quick. They’re all back. Ana brought them. Nicolai.’ She continued to shout as she ran through the trees, her bag forgotten on the ground. I scooped it up as we passed.

  As Toby led the Damiq into the clearing, I held back, hidden by the trees. A small smile flittered across my lips as I listened to the shouts of joy, mingled with tears as they greeted each other. They all huddled in the middle of the clearing, their bodies pressed together as they gripped a shoulder, patted a hand, or hugged each other. Someone yelled for Doc, and he shouted for the crowd to move back in order for him to reach the injured.

  Vanessa smiled as she travelled among the returned Damiq until she reached a waif
of a girl I didn’t know, one of the Damiq from the warehouse. She stopped and her hand flew to her mouth. ‘Trish?’ Her voice cracked, and her eyes filled with tears. ‘Trish? Is that really you?’

  ‘Vessy!’ Trish threw her arms around her sister. ‘I never thought I would see you again.’

  Their greeting gathered attention, and a few more Damiq crowded around Trish. More names were shouted as the Damiq found lost loved ones.

  After a few minutes, I backed away. It was all too much. I stumbled through the trees as scalding tears threatened to overrun me. Adam followed, a solid presence offering silent support.

  I buried my face in my hands. ‘Go away.’ He couldn't see me cry. That would push me right over the edge. I just needed to let a little out. Not all of it. That would suffocate me. But just enough to force a smile onto my face. Just enough to quell the rising storm inside of me.

  Adam placed his hand on my shoulder. ‘You did well.’

  I laughed, though it came out as a strangled sob. ‘Seven of them died before we got here.’

  ‘Over thirty lived.’

  ‘Many more died in my battle with Seraphine.’

  ‘Get a hold on yourself.’ He pulled my hands from my face. ‘There is no space for self-pity. They died protecting their home. It was their choice, and one they do not blame you for.’

  ‘I could have saved more.’ I met his eyes, allowing him to see the stark guilt that ate away at me. ‘The way I dragged the shi from Seraphine and you, and all the Damiq. I could have saved them all if only I had used it sooner. In the warehouse, when the Fae escaped, I could have saved people then. But I didn’t.’

  ‘Why?’

  ‘I didn’t think.’ I looked down, unable to meet his eyes.

  ‘Speak truths, Ana.’

  ‘I am.’

  He shook his head. ‘No, you are not. I believe you speak correctly regarding Seraphine, however, in the warehouse—’

  ‘Fine! I didn’t use it because I was scared. Are you happy now? I was scared that it wouldn’t work. Damn, I was scared that it would. I don’t really know what I did to Seraphine, but I know something—when your council finds out, this baby won’t stop them taking my life. If the government find out, nothing will stop them from capturing me again to use as a weapon. And then there is also Vakros and Cleas to think about. They probably want to kill me.’ My breathing ragged, I slid down the tree to sit with my legs out before me. ‘I’m so scared all the time. Not just of your people or the government, but of me.’

  Adam hunkered down before me. ‘Eris is wary of you.’

  I looked up with a start. ‘Eris? Scared of me?’

  He chuckled. ‘I have never known Eris to fear anything, however, she has a wary respect for your abilities.’

  ‘Great. Now I need to watch my back from her, too.’

  Eris laughed from my left. I sprang to my feet, reaching for my dagger.

  She rolled her eyes as she approached. ‘You always need to watch out for me, Ana. But don’t worry, I don’t plan to kill you today.’

  ‘I feel so reassured,’ I muttered, dropping my hand down.

  ‘I wouldn’t relax yet.’ She looked at Adam, all signs of humour gone. ‘Malachi is sending Gabriel.’

  My heart dropped to my feet and bounced up into my throat. ‘Gabriel?’ I whispered. ‘Does he know?’ I leant against the tree, my legs weak and shaky. I hadn’t even considered Gabriel finding out.

  ‘About the pregnancy?’ Eris asked.

  I nodded.

  ‘Yes, but he knows nothing more than you are pregnant.’ She grinned. ‘He believes it is his.’

  The blood dropped from my face and my stomach lurched. ‘You didn’t tell him it wasn’t his?’

  ‘Where would be the fun in that?’ She met my eyes with no hint of shame.

  Adam growled low in his throat. ‘That was irresponsible, Eris.’

  She shrugged. ‘I figured it was better for him to find out here, away from the council.’

  ‘Why?’ I demanded. ‘Why do you hate me so much that you would do that to me?’

  Eris rolled her eyes in exasperation. ‘I don’t care enough to hate you. I do care about the challenge he will request that the council sanction.’

  ‘Challenge? What challenge?’ I looked from her to Adam.

  His eyes glinted with shame as he looked past me into the distance.

  ‘Adam?’ I demanded. ‘What challenge?’

  ‘He doesn’t know it was you,’ Eris said to him. ‘We can keep it that way.’

  He sighed with a heavy heart. ‘I cannot do that.’

  ‘You know what it means?’ Eris murmured. ‘You know what you will need to do?’

  He scowled at her. ‘I will not kill him, Eris.’

  She groaned with frustration. ‘And that’s why I'm worried.’

  ‘What the hell are you talking about?’ I glared at them both. ‘Why would you need to kill him?’ I backed away from them with my hands up as if they threatened my life, not Gabriel's. ‘Please tell me that you’re not talking about that stupid challenge thing Gabriel can do if I date someone.’

  ‘Stupid challenge thing?’ Eris said. ‘There is nothing stupid about it. Adam broke the law by laying with you, and Gabriel has every right to enforce the punishment.’

  I crossed my arms. ‘He won’t.’

  Eris laughed. ‘Don’t you know who you fell in love with?’

  I glanced at Adam before I could stop myself. I couldn’t think about things like that. Not now. Probably not ever. I focused on Eris. She was my problem right now.

  Eris’s eyes widened in surprise as she took a sharp intake of breath. ‘Wow, I didn’t see that one coming.’ She shook her head in amazement. ‘He will definitely challenge you now. Adam, please tell me that it is not same for you?’

  ‘What are you talking about now?’ I demanded.

  Eris laughed. ‘If you don’t know, I can't help you with that.’

  Adam glared at her. ‘Stop with the games, Eris. When is he to arrive?’

  She shrugged. ‘Today, maybe tomorrow. It could be next week for all I know.’

  ‘He needs to be told the child is mine,’ Adam said. ‘Before he reaches here.’

  Eris grinned, her eyes sparkling with pleasure. ‘But he is so happy. He thinks Ana will have to return to him now.’

  My eyes burned with unshed tears. I marched to her and stopped with my face inches from hers. ‘Don’t be cruel! How can you let him believe such a thing?’

  All humour left her as she stared at me, her eyes now as cold as the artic. ‘Step back, Ana.’

  ‘No! I won’t step back! I am fed up with your crap! You act so high and mighty, thinking you are better than everyone else, but you are just a spoiled brat!’ My shi pulsed with anger as a single burning tear travelled down my cheek. Annoyed, I brushed it away with the back of my hand. ‘You are nothing more than a psychopath with abilities. But mark my words, Eris. One day, someone more powerful is going to come along, and you aren’t going to be so smug then.’

  Eris gave a cold, ruthless laugh. I shivered and took an involuntary step back. Her laughter ceased as her gaze hooked me in. My surroundings faded as I struggled to break free from her scrutiny.

  ‘Are you challenging me, Ana? I have a few minutes spare and I am eager to see these new abilities I’ve heard about.’

  ‘Stop this!’ Adam said. ‘Both of you.’ He stared at Eris, his dominating gaze ordering her to acknowledge him. She relaxed; even she couldn’t ignore his silent demand.

  ‘No!’ I wouldn’t let her intimidate me anymore. ‘If she wants to kill me, let her do it. I am sick of constantly living under your threat. So, if you are going to do something, just get it out of the way and do it!’ I glared at her with my chest heaving, ignoring the whimpering voice in the back of my mind, begging me to stop, begging me to walk away from the dangerous woman before me.

  Eris looked over my shoulder at Adam and laughed. ‘She has more nerve than I gave he
r credit for.’ She looked back at me. ‘Heel now, Ana. There might come a day that we battle, but today isn’t it.’ She turned and sauntered back to the Damiq. ‘But I do look forward to that day,’ she shouted over her shoulder. ‘It should be interesting.’

  ‘I let you in my home!’ I shouted. ‘I was the one who convinced Gabriel to forgive you when everything you said was a lie.’

  She whirled on me, her eyes bright with naked rage. ‘Forgive me?’ She stalked towards me. I stumbled back until a tree blocked my way. ‘You think I need forgiveness from him?’ She came so close, I couldn’t move nor see anything but her. ‘You think my words to get into your life were anything more than just words? You have no idea what you speak of. You have spent a year in our world, and you think you know better? You think you are above me?’ She laughed, a cold, dangerous sound that sent a shiver up my spine. ‘You know nothing of our world, nor of Gabriel. Don’t presume you do.’ A small smile played across her lips as her eyes travelled down my body, taking in my violent shaking. She met my eyes once more, mocking me, before she turned and stalked through the trees.

  I let out a gust of air and slumped against the tree. Maybe that hadn’t been such a good idea. But what she’d done to Gabriel was too much. She had ensured his happiness with the plan to whisk it away. Regardless of their history, it was too much, even for Eris.

  ‘That was unwise,’ Adam said.

  ‘I know.’ I wound my fingers together, trying to hide the violent shake of my hands. As if Adam missed it. ‘She just drives me nuts.’

  He chuckled. ‘You are not alone in that.’

  ‘Why are you friends with her? And what the hell was that regarding Gabriel?’

  ‘Be warned, if you challenge her again, be prepared to fight. You only get one chance with Eris, and you have now used yours.’

  ‘Tell me what she meant about Gabriel. Please. I need to know what I’ve gotten myself into.’

  He sighed. ‘When Deonti died, Gabriel’s whole world collapsed around him. He blamed Eris for letting Deonti fight.’

  ‘I know that. Eris told me when she pretended to be my friend.’