by T. A. White
Fiona waited expectantly
Eva got the feeling she could refuse, but if she did the overtures of friendship Fiona had extended might disappear. No more hunting invites; no more odd conversations that made her smile. Eva would return to having the herd, and occasionally Ollie, as her only companions.
She dragged her thumbnail along her bowl.
She couldn't go back to that lonely existence—one she hadn’t realized was so sparse until now. The nights were long; the days even longer. If she wanted out of her self-inflicted exile, now was the time.
"It's not much of a tale," Eva began. "Caia found me one night, and the next day Ollie stumbled on me. I've been tagging along ever since."
Caden watched her carefully. "The mare wandered into a village?"
"No, I was living alone in the Hags’ Forest," Eva said.
Ollie lowered his bowl, his attention on her. She hadn't spoken much of her past, even to him. What had happened was done. She didn't want it influencing her present or future.
"Isn't that dangerous? Even in the Lowlands?" Roscoe asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.
She lifted a shoulder.
"Why?" Caden rumbled.
Eva licked her lips, her eyes rising to meet his. Might as well share. She had a feeling his nagging would be more annoying than Fiona's now that he'd taken an interest.
"It was that or let my village sacrifice me to the old gods," she said in an almost inaudible voice as she shared her greatest triumph and her greatest shame. "I chose to run instead."
Only the crackle of the fire filled the air, making Eva grateful for its warmth, especially when revisiting those dark days chilled her soul.
"Sacrifice?" Hanna asked.
"The Lowlands have many superstitions. When times get tough, its often to those they retreat." Reece's voice floated from the dark.
Eva strained to see him, his figure barely distinguishable as he rested outside the range of the fire's light.
"It's an old custom. One we thought was gone, but when people's bellies are hungry and they think the harvest will fail again, they'll do nearly anything to survive." Eva dropped the stick and wrapped her arms around her legs.
"Even killing one of their own?" Ghost asked disbelievingly.
Eva's smile was sad, conscious of Ollie stiff and unmoving beside her. "Even that." She paused. "But I wasn't really considered one of them. You could say I've always been something of an odd duck. Different. So, when I was picked to water their crops with my life’s blood, I decided to go somewhere where my differences wouldn't matter.” Seeing the stunned shock on their faces, Eva tried to make it seem less awful than it was. “It’s not all bad. That’s when Caia and Ollie found me. I decided to follow them after that, and I haven’t looked back since."
Quiet settled around the campfire.
Fiona was the one who pointed to her. "I have a feeling there's a lot more to that."
"Maybe so, but you won't hear any more of it tonight.” Eva needed boundaries and the little bit she’d shared had left her feeling fragile. The past felt like it was trying to swallow her soul when she had no intention of letting it into her present.
Fiona's frowned and Eva had the feeling she would have kept prying if Laurell hadn't shoved her friend just then. "Enough maudlin stuff, tell us about how your two idiots managed to get demoted right after the battle in the pass."
The two warriors beside Fiona groaned.
Fiona twisted. "Oh yeah, I never did tell you what they did to make the commander see red, did I?"
"Let's keep it that way," Ghost volunteered as Roscoe nodded emphatically.
Fiona's lips curled up in a cruel smile. "Not a chance, men."
Eva saw Caden's spot on the other side of the campfire was empty, the other man having slipped away at some point.
She rose as Fiona started in on the story.
"Eva?" Ollie asked.
"I'm tired. I'll head to bed now," she told him.
His gaze was uncertain. She summoned the most reassuring smile she could, one that felt brittle but must have convinced him, because he stayed put.
Eva started toward her side of camp where she’d set up next to the wagon as Caden had suggested. Not because he had suggested it, but because it made sense being near Sebastian and Ajari.
She spotted Caden walking back from that direction, and briefly debated turning around and heading to the fire. She didn't want pity from him over her sad story. That was the last thing she needed.
He tilted his head down in a brief nod before continuing. She stopped and watched him go, feeling slightly hurt. While she hadn't wanted pity, she hadn't expected to be ignored entirely either. Her relationship with the Anateri commander was complicated, but it was one she was coming to enjoy, if only because he was one of the few she found the courage to argue with.
She started to settle into the sleep roll she had set out earlier when she paused as her leg brushed against something hard. Her hand quested for what her leg had brushed, her fingers closing on the hilt of a dagger.
Even in the pale moonlight, she could tell it was a quality piece. Much better than the dull, rusted thing she carried to dig out harmful plants. This was a masterpiece for the deadly arts. She had a feeling if she took it out of its sheath it would cut flesh as easily as it would a feather filled pillow.
She looked to where Caden lingered by the fire. Had he left this for her? If so, why?
It wasn't the first item that wasn't hers she'd found among her things. First was the apple. Then it was a flint that was in a lot better condition than hers. Next it was a waterproof jacket. She’d assumed Ollie or Fiona was the responsible party despite their claims to the contrary. Now she was forced to wonder if Caden had been responsible for all of it.
A strange thought to have about a man she could have sworn barely tolerated her.
She set the dagger aside as she snuggled down on her sleep pad and stared up at the sky.
Was the dagger a form of apology? Now that she thought about it, most of the presents had appeared after an altercation with him. If so, why hadn't he given them to her directly?
As a distraction it worked, pulling her from thoughts of her past as she debated the mystery of the dagger and Caden’s motives.
*
Something woke Eva with the moon still high overhead, morning hours away.
She lay still for several seconds, her heart beating loudly as she tried to get her bearings.
Rock skittered down the cliff.
"Careful," someone hissed, the sound faint and high above. Had she not been right under the cliff, she never would have caught the whispers.
"I am being careful."
"Quiet," a deep force said. "You wake the camp and I'll kill you myself."
Fear caught Eva by the throat as she realized what exactly she was hearing. She was no longer alone and safe. There were people who planned mischief that could only result in blood and death lingering on the cliff above.
She forced herself to peel her blankets back very slowly, careful not to make a sound. She chanced a quick glance around from her nest beside the wagon, relieved when no furtive shadows greeted her.
"Where is the beast?" someone asked. "Pierce said his spy indicated he'd be near the wagon."
"He's not here," the second person said. "I told you we shouldn't have trusted him."
"Everything else is as he said. Patience," the leader said.
"We can't linger. If we're discovered by them, we'll die."
Eva finally caught sight of movement above as figures slowly made their way down the cliff. She scooted until she was huddled under the wagon, cursing her luck.
Why had she listened to Caden? If she'd slept next to the Trateri, she'd be safe within their ranks.
"Don't worry. Soon enough we'll be the least of their problems."
Where were the sentries? Where were Drake and Jane? They’d shadowed her every waking moment until now. Figured when she needed them most, they w
ere nowhere to be seen.
The interlopers were quiet as they neared the ground below the cliffs, falling silent to avoid discovery.
Eva scooted back, crawling slowly out from under the wagon on the other side and huddling behind the wheel. She needed to summon help.
Half of the attackers were still climbing down the cliff. Plenty of time to make her way to the sleeping Trateri and wake them.
She pushed away from the wagon and froze as dark shadows rose from the water. The creatures’ eyes glowed blue, long strands of ropey hair cascading over their shoulders. Their bodies were naked and caked in muck, the water barely rippling around them.
Fear locked Eva in place as a piercing cold stole through the air. Her breath plumed in front of her as the temperature dropped rapidly.
A deadly lullaby rode the air, stealing Eva's thoughts and rendering her limbs immobile. She struggled to move, to call out, but found herself locked in place, immobile as death crept ever closer.
A scream welled in her throat. Building and building but unable to escape.
Sebastian landed hard beside her. Act, Caller.
The scream ripped loose and the song's spell snapped.
"We're under attack," Eva finally shouted.
The camp burst into a frenzy, Trateri exploding from their bedrolls, weapons already in their hands.
Darius came into view, his face furious as he called. "On me. Archers aim toward the water. Spearmen prepare for battle. On your feet. Today is not our day to die."
The song playing in Eva's mind changed to a grating one, cymbals crashing, metal grinding.
Arrows loosed from their bows, some hit the water. Only a few found their target as the camp descended into battle.
A hand clamped on her shoulder, hauling her upright. The face of a man painted dark to blend with the night, his clothes the same, loomed over her. Even through the paint or mud he'd smeared himself with, the fury on his face was unmistakable.
Faced with the horror of what was coming from the water, Eva had momentarily forgotten the enemy at her back.
"Don't waste time with her. Help us secure the beast," a man snapped, rounding the other side of the wagon.
His companions appeared behind him like ghosts.
Eva glanced around frantically, hoping help was near. No such luck. The Trateri were preoccupied with the creatures in the water which were making their way to dry land.
At some point during the night the water level had fallen, revealing the half-submerged ruins of a city and wisps of fog curling up from the water like ghostly tendrils.
Sebastian reared, pawing the air with his hooves as he screamed a challenge.
The man holding Eva shook her. "Calm him, or we'll kill you both."
She didn't waste words on a refusal, kicking out as she struggled to free her arm. With her other hand, she reached for the dagger she'd found in her bedding last night. Her finders snagged the hilt, pulling it free.
He jerked her back. She buried the dagger in his side.
A growl sounded near her ear. "You're going to regret that."
He drew back his fist. Eva sucked in a breath. This was going to hurt.
Caia appeared behind him, her teeth clamping down on his arm. She shook her head with the force of a terrier, hauling the man off Eva.
The scream that escaped him was high and shrill as he and the horse engaged in a tug of war, the prize being his arm.
Ollie burst on the scene behind her, his arms lifted, some type of club clutched in his hands as a primal scream ripped from his chest. He laid about with the club, knocking the other attackers away.
"Eva, are you alright?" he shouted.
"Somehow." Now freed, Eva scrambled away, dodging as Caia flung the man who'd grabbed her one way and then another. The man tripped, falling to the ground. The horse reared. Her front hooves crashed down on his back as Caia took great glee in stomping him into the ground.
She continued her attack until he was motionless; only then, stepping off him. Her nostrils flared as her sides heaved. Ollie and Eva watched with wide eyes as the little mare snorted, her expression satisfied before she sent one last kick at the man's dead body.
"That's one way to do it," Ollie said, slinging his club over his shoulder.
Eva made an inarticulate sound of agreement.
"Come on, we need to get to the rest," Ollie ordered.
Eva started after him, the all too brief screams of the other men distracting her. She scanned the darkness to see many of them strewn on the ground. Already dead.
Sebastian's horns and hooves gleamed black in the poor light.
Ollie tugged her toward where the main group fought. Eva followed quickly behind.
The Trateri were outnumbered, the creatures swarming them. Several warriors fell to their attack and were pulled beneath the water. It churned from their thrashing.
Eva shook her head, horror coating her tongue as the Trateri desperately fought for their lives.
One of the creatures paused, its head turning toward Eva.
Its body was human-shaped, its form long and spindly. A coarse and kelp-like hair cascaded over its face and shoulders, reaching halfway down its back.
Come, Caller, a feminine voice whispered. Your enemy approaches. We will protect you.
Eva blinked as she slowly twisted to see who was speaking to her, while Ollie continued toward the rest.
"Eva, what's wrong?" Ollie said from a few steps away.
Eva backed away as the creature moved silently toward her, the water barely rippling in its passage.
Ollie started toward her. Eva knew it was too late—he’d strayed too close to the bank—even as a creature rose behind him, grabbing Ollie and pulling him back against its chest.
"No!" Eva screamed, darting forward.
Horror filled Ollie's expression as the creature jerked him further into the water. Eva's feet splashed through the waves seconds later, dagger clutched in her hand as Ollie and his captor began to sink below the surface.
He struggled, not making it easy, thrashing like his very life depended on it—because it did.
Eva grabbed his arm and stabbed down with the dagger, an unearthly scream seeming to vibrate the water. The creature let go of Ollie. Eva tugged him to his feet, pushing him toward the shore. "We need to get back on land."
Before they could move, another water creature was there, her—because that's what she felt like in Eva mind—arms outstretched, sharp, bony fingers grasping Eva's arm.
An arrow, fire licking its tip suddenly sprouted from the creature's chest. A wail, harsh enough to make ears bleed, came from the water creature as her mouth dropped open, exposing teeth pointed backwards like a fish's.
Another fiery arrow landed in its eye.
"Run," Caden shouted at Eva as the creature sank beneath the waves to douse the fire.
Ollie tugged her in his wake, struggling for the shore, but it was too late. More of the water creatures faced her, their other prey momentarily forgotten as they focused on Eva.
On the cliff above, more figures had amassed, preparing to descend.
They were trapped. Strange water creatures at their back, all too human monsters at their front.
Grasping fingers wrapped around her ankle, jerking her beneath the surface. Ollie's hand was ripped from her grasp. She opened her mouth to scream but got a lungful of water instead. She choked, even as she stabbed back and down with the dagger she still held.
The hand released her, and she erupted coughing and gasping from the water.
She rubbed it out of her eyes, gaining her feet to stand in waist-high water. In the few moments she'd been underneath, the battle scene had shifted, becoming even more chaotic.
They were losing, Eva realized.
Ripples in the water headed toward her, forcing her further away from the shore. She'd never reach it like this.
Sebastian landed with a splash next to her. Urgency beat at her mind.
He bobbed his
head and flared his wings.
He wanted her to get on his back.
Those ripples swam closer. In seconds, the creatures below the surface would pull her under again. She wouldn't get lucky this time.
For once, she cursed her inability to properly wield a blade or a sword. Instead, she was good with animals. And totally useless in a situation like this.
The noose was tightening. It was ride or die.
She chose to ride.
She clambered toward Sebastian, the water slowing her pace down to a crawl. Reaching him, she forced her way onto his back in one of the most ungraceful mounts she'd ever attempted. He barely let her settle before he reared, his front hooves punching through the chest of another of the water creatures.
His muscles bunched under Eva as they launched into the air, fierce satisfaction coursing through them both as they left everyone, even the people she’d planned to save, behind.
CHAPTER TEN
Wind rushed past Eva, tugging on her braid and whipping stray pieces of hair into her face. Sebastian fought for height as they bolted into the sky, leaving the cacophony of battle behind.
Eva chanced a glance at the rapidly retreating ground. That was a mistake, she decided as she hid her face against Sebastian's neck. It was so far away and she was entirely too high up.
The conversation she had with Fiona earlier that evening, well yesterday now, came back to her with a hurry. Falling from this height would turn her to mush. There would be no last-minute saves, no surviving. Just a gut-churning trip down with an abrupt ending.
The quick glance did tell her one thing. They were leaving the rest behind at a rapid pace.
"Sebastian, stop. We have to go back. We can't leave them to die." The wind stole Eva’s words as the Kyren continued to wing his way into the night sky.
She leaned forward, doing something she'd never tried before. She pushed her emotions out, hoping and praying they'd somehow reach Sebastian.