"Static? Garrett asked. "Is that remnant or the red beasties?"
"Remnant, I think,” Julianne told him. “Be on your guard.”
Garrett nodded, and Julianne passed the message to Danil and Marcus. She told the other mystic to stay where he was in case of an attack from their rear.
I’ll give our new friends a bit of a nudge, Julianne sent to Danil. I may need you to maintain it once we’re fighting, though. She muttered a spell that allowed her to make a rather potent suggestion to the people with them.
Stay together. Don't run. Running is dangerous. There is safety in numbers. You are safer together. She repeated the words like a mantra, sinking deeply into the psyche of each person from Kells.
Although they didn’t notice the magic being used on them, the villagers clumped into a bunch as far from the edges of the road as possible. Instead of eyes darting toward the false safety of the dense growth lining the roads the people turned inward, taking refuge and comfort in each other.
Even little Flea was firmly caught by the spell, burying herself among the people around her. Julianne breathed a sigh of relief glad the girl’s magic hadn’t also given her a strong blocking ability.
I can take it from here, Danil sent. When she felt him take over the spell Julianne let go. The handover was seamless and allowed Julianne to focus her attention on the horde of enemies headed their way.
And what a horde it is. The buzz swelled inside her mind and she tried to guess the numbers they faced. Upward of twenty, maybe more.
Chapter Eighteen
Garrett gripped the haft of his axe tightly, adjusting his grip to compensate for the thin sheen of sweat that covered his hands.
It was rare for him to feel nervous before a battle, but knowing they only had five points of defense over such a large area—one packed with so many people—gave him the heebie-jeebies. It wasn’t that he doubted he could take down whatever army approached. It was doing it without innocent casualties that gave him pause.
They're coming closer, Julianne sent. Garrett shivered both at the impending battle and the uncomfortable feeling of someone being inside his head.
He had taken point, placing himself at the front of their small formation. Marcus stood to his left, Julianne was to his right, and Polly was behind him to catch any remnant that might slip through. Danil had taken the rear, keeping watch in case another attack sprang from behind.
Despite Garrett's distrust of magic in general and his loathing of it being used on him, he appreciated that it could be useful.
When Garrett crouched he felt the slightest tremble through the soles of his boots, so he pressed two fingers to the ground. "Here they come!"
He pulled his axe in closer, angled it to one side, and pointed it slightly toward the sky. Anyone could clearly see he was prepared to fight.
The trail ahead darkened, then screaming monsters exploded from the trees. The remnant horde filled the road, jostling each other as they ran. Garrett gripped his axe tighter.
They came nearer, and he blew out a slow breath. If anyone had told him his method for preparing for battle closely resembled a mystic embracing a trance he'd have laughed. He reached for the part of himself that was quiet and focused; the part that reacted on instinct rather than thought. The part that was engineered to protect and defend.
The horde raced closer. Garrett sucked in a breath and prepared to dive forward.
The enemy group split like a parting wave, a synchronized move that sent the horde past Garrett, Marcus, and Julianne and out of the reach of their weapons. Their eyes were focused ahead rather than on the tempting mass of victims huddled in the center of the road
Garrett's jaw dropped in shock, and a moment later he yelped when he realized that the first ranks of the remnant army had already passed him.
Garrett spun, expecting to see carnage behind him.
Instead he saw the teaming mass racing down the road, leaving an empty path on either side of the refugees.
"What the fuck are they doin’?" Garrett yelled.
Julianne raised a hand to hush him and called, "I don't know, but let's not start a fight if we don't need to."
Garrett’s rough headcount suggested that might be the prudent option. At least a hundred remnant had hurtled past, far too many for the fighters to defeat while guaranteeing the safety of their charges.
The ground shook under the weight of the remnant’s rotten boots hitting the ground in perfect unison. The air was filled with incoherent babble, the whimpers of terrified people, and the occasional squeal of fright. Soon, though, the only sound remaining was the panicked panting of the villagers left behind.
Garrett shook his head in wonder. “What were they thinkin’? None of ‘em attacked. Were they scared?" His shoulders straightened. "I mean, I know I'm gettin’ meself a bit of a reputation, but really!"
He chose to ignore Julianne's eye-roll. "You certainly do have a...reputation, but I don't think that caused this. It almost looked like they were on a mission. Perhaps in search of Skrima?"
Garrett shook his head. "Whatever it was, it’s one fer the books. I've never seen anythin’ like that in me life."
"You're telling me!” Marcus agreed in a low voice. "Remnant running from a fight?"
"Julianne, what if they are after Skrima?" Polly asked. "Is there any risk of running into an even bigger battle if we keep moving?"
"You've got a good point there," Julianne said and she fell silent, eyes lighting up. When they cleared, her shoulders dropped in relief. "I can’t sense anything ahead. I want to get moving as fast as possible and leave those guys behind."
"Glad ta have a plan," Garrett said with a grin. "Up ye get. Come on, stop yer lollygaggin’ and start walkin’!"
Garrett traipsed through the crowd of confused people and went over to untie his horse from the side of the road. He had secured it there earlier, unwilling to trust the stupid beast in a fight.
"They didn't even stop fer the horses!" Garrett mumbled. "What were they thinkin’?" He eyed the equine. "That's the second time ye've dodged a bullet, horse," he said. "Is there somethin’ wrong wi’ ye?"
The horse snorted but didn't answer. Shaking his head again in disbelief, Garrett mounted and gave the horse a solid kick. “Get goin’, ye crusty old nag.”
"Danil, let's get these people moving,” Julianne called, her eyes flashing white a moment before Danil's did. The people milling about turned toward their destination as one, stepping out in the same eerie unison as the horde that had just passed.
A few minutes later Julianne let go of her spell with relief. Shaking off the uneasy sensation brought on by the similarities between the people of Kells and the mindless monsters, she wondered what exactly they would find in Anrock.
They traveled until dusk. When they reached another fork in the road, Julianne only needed a cursory glance at the map to tell they needed to take the western trail.
She sent the instructions ahead to Danil, who now led their entourage. When he didn't immediately respond she reached out again, this time adding a gentle prod.
Danil's response worried her.
I know which way to go, Jules, but unfortunately this damn horse has other ideas. He’s flat refusing to listen to me. He keeps shying away from the road every time I pull him to that side.
The hint of worry in Danil’s thoughts echoed Julianne's.
"Let's take a short break, shall we?" she called, keeping her voice casual. Garrett shot a questioning glance over his shoulder. When Julianne gave a minute shake of her head, his eyes widened.
"Ye heard what the mystic said. We’ve got a ways ta go, and we don't want yer sorry asses slowin’ us down cuz yer tired. Take a break, and if ye’ve got somethin’ ta eat, eat it now."
Garrett was less effective at disguising the concern in his voice, but no one seemed to notice.
The villagers were worn out from the journey and the fight that had preceded it, not to mention the months of bone-deep fear that
had sapped what little energy they’d had.
Garrett wheeled his horse around once he was sure everyone had come to a halt. Julianne didn't wait for him to approach, but nudged her horse toward the rearick.
"Need me ta go for a wee walk?" he asked in a low voice.
Julianne nodded. "I'll come with you. I don't know what's ahead, but the horses are sensing...something."
Garrett nodded sagely. "The cantankerous bastards have a sense fer trouble. At least," he added as he slapped his mount’s neck, "the ones who aren’t as dumb as bricks."
Danil, stay here with Polly and Marcus. Julianne sent the instructions not only to the other mystic but to the rest of their party as well. Garrett and I will go and scout the path ahead. Try not to alarm anyone, but be ready to move if we need to.
Since she was still touching Marcus' mind, Julianne could feel the protest he was about to launch. She tossed him a glance, rolled her eyes, and shook her head. Marcus slumped in resignation, raised his hands in surrender, and nodded.
"Let's go." Julianne kicked her horse to the front of the group with Garrett close on her tail.
A few moments later she pulled to a halt, noting her mount’s anxious snorts. The horse shook his head and tried to turn away from the western trail.
"Maybe we should walk the rest of the way," Julianne suggested.
Garrett, whose horse danced even more nervously than Julianne’s, eagerly agreed.
"It's not that I don't like horses," he explained once his feet were solidly on the ground. "It's just that I really don't like horses."
"I think the feeling is mutual." Marcus nodded at Garrett's mount, which had skittered as far from the rearick as it could.
Garrett eyeballed the beast and snorted. "Let's get on wi’ it."
“Horse! Stay wi’ the pretty soldier boy, ye hear? He’s got my permission ta turn ye into glue if ye misbehave.”
Marcus chuckled and grabbed the indignant beast’s reins. “You two be careful out there, ok?”
Julianne let Garrett take the lead as they slowly made their way along the overgrown road. Garrett strained his ears for trouble, but he heard nothing.
"The damn quiet is more unnerving than the sounds of battle," Garrett griped, and Julianne nodded in agreement.
"Not even the birds are whistling," she remarked.
Garrett shivered as goosebumps ran along his skin. Rubbing his arms to flatten the hairs that had bristled, he opened his mouth to speak, then stopped. He put a hand out to warn Julianne.
The rearick cupped a hand to his ear, straining to identify the rasping and sucking noise up ahead. He cursed the serpentine trails, wishing that they were on flat ground with straight roads instead of paths winding around hills and gullies.
Silence fell, and Garrett shot a cautious look at Julianne before creeping forward again. With a few quick hand gestures he motioned her off the path and directed her to keep out of sight.
Julianne nodded and faded into the bushes. Garrett took a dozen steps, then looked back for her. If he hadn't known where to look, he would never have noticed her dusty white robes fluttering between the dense tree trunks that lined the road.
Satisfied that she was not only out of sight but could take care of herself even if she were seen, Garrett plowed ahead.
He didn't have to go far.
The smell reached him first. The choking metallic scent of blood soaked the air, filling his lungs and making his stomach heave. Garrett smothered a cough and pulled his shirt over his nose.
A few more steps, and source of the vile odor became clear.
Remnant everywhere, all of them dead and sporting deep wounds. Guts and limbs were strewn across the road and over the piles of bodies.
Garrett jumped at a rustle nearby, then stooped to examine the glassy-eyed remnant who had made the sound.
"You're not dead?" Garrett murmured in surprise.
The beast's torso had been slit open from sternum to pelvis and glossy ropes spilled out of the wound, leaking shit all over the ground.
The remnant gave a half-hearted whimper, the pain in its voice enough to move even the sardonic rearick. Garrett gave his axe a tiny flick to adjust his grip, then lifted it and brought it down in a single swing. The whimpering stopped.
Garrett glanced around to see if Julianne had witnessed his act of mercy, but she was nowhere to be seen. He shook off the prickling feeling that he was being watched and stomped through the remainder of the battlefield. Apart from the lone survivor they were all dead, each from a gruesome wound and each displaying defensive wounds.
Putting the mass of bodies out of his mind, Garrett focused his attention on the soft dirt of the road and the nearby bushes, but the mess of boot- and footprints was too jumbled for him to discern what had happened.
After following the trail for some distance, he got the impression that the remnant had been traveling as a group before turning on each other for no obvious reason. Even Garrett was unsure how they had dealt such grievous harm to each other without leaving any survivors.
He moved back to the beginning of the trail, squinting closely at the ground.
"Maybe there were survivors," he muttered.
"I imagine those who passed us earlier were running from whatever happened here."
Startled by the unexpected voice behind him, Garrett launched himself into the air and let out a shrill squeal.
Julianne laughed. "I didn't mean to scare you."
"Scared?" Garrett grumped, his eyes still scanning for danger. "I ain’t scared."
“The question remains," Julianne murmured, looking at the bloodied mess. “Were the Skrima the attackers here or the attacked?"
"Skrima?" Garrett squinted at the mystic, wondering what her magic had revealed.
Noticing his bewilderment, Julianne pointed at something half-obscured by a limp body—the crushed shell of one of the smaller Skrima they had seen in this region. Garrett scanned the ground and quickly found more evidence of the small beasts.
Julianne turned the remnant’s body over with her boot to look at the back of its head and nudged the base of the remnant's skull with her toe.
"Oh." Garrett squatted next to the corpse and leaned closer to examine the bloody hole. He thrust a finger at some marks—three scratches surrounding the wound, pointing toward the center. "Is that how the little bastards latch on?"
"I imagine so," Julianne said. "But what's that?"
Julianne pointed one end of her staff at the hole in the remnant's neck. Just as Garrett was about to explain to her it was a hole in a head, he realized what she was pointing at.
Under the matted hair, swollen flesh, and streaks of congealed blood, something was almost hidden. Though a red lump on the side of someone's head would not normally be anything to remark upon, this one looked different.
Garrett grabbed a dagger from his boot and dug into the lump. He slipped the knife in a little deeper, twisted it just the right way, and flicked it out. A long white wormlike thread stretched from the tip of the knife back to the remnant’s head.
As he pulled the blade away the appendage stretched and then snapped off with a wet pop, flying off the knife and landing in the dirt several feet away. It twitched and thrashed for a moment before spasming into a tight knot and falling still.
This time Julianne didn’t comment on Garrett's squeal—possibly because she had let one out herself.
"That. Is. Disgusting!" Julianne said, injecting more feeling into the phrase than she ever had in her life.
Garrett nodded, eyes wide. "That's putting it nicely. What is it?"
"It's part of the Skri—” Julianne began.
"No, no. I know that. But is that how they control the remnant?" Garrett prodded the wormlike length with the tip of his knife, but it had hardened and didn't react. "What would happen if ye stuck one o’ those in me brain?"
Julianne shuddered with the implications of his question. "Nothing good, I would imagine. Let's hope we never have to find out."
Garrett stood and shook his head. "Well, no matter what happened here, we've got a whole bunch of people back there ta deal with. We can't let ‘em see this. They’ll shit their pants and run for the hills, magic spell be damned. Do ye think ye can fuck wi’ their minds enough that they don't see it?"
Julianne considered it. "I can't guarantee it. If anything goes wrong, the illusion might slip. And getting them past without at least one falling onto one of these bodies would be almost impossible."
"Is there a way around?" Garrett asked.
Julianne frowned, her mind going back over the map she had left on her horse. "I think so. We'll take the other trail. I think it joins up with this one farther down. I'd rather lose a day of travel than subject our new friends to a sight like this."
Chapter Nineteen
Julianne sat by her tent, watching the low hum of activity on the other side of the campfire. Beside her, Danil flipped a bronze coin over the backs of his fingers.
"How can we keep all of these people safe," Julianne whispered, "when it feels like the whole world wants us all dead?"
Danil shrugged. "We can't. Not all of them, at any rate, and not forever. Even the ones we protect from aliens and remnant will eventually die of old age, or illness, or childbirth. Or maybe tumble off a cliff that drunk rearick—”
"You're not helping," Julianne said dryly.
"Sorry, but I stand by my point. You can't keep everyone safe. It's not your job." Julianne began to protest, but Danil waved her down. "Hear me out. You're the leader of the temple, and that's a job that you do very well. I know you feel like it's your job to protect the whole world from harm, it's not. Oh, it's your job to try—but that's also my job, and Marcus’s, and Garrett's, and everyone else's. It's the responsibility of all humanity to do our best to keep each other safe. And even though it’s our job to try, that doesn't mean we’ll succeed. And even if we don't succeed, it doesn't mean we failed."
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