She Awakens

by Caitlin Denman

  I try to pull away, scratching and clawing at anything to get away from whatever is holding me down but in the next instant I hear hooves. Then the creature's claws rip from my arms and the weight of it rolls over my head and away from me. I reel away from the creature and roll backwards into Raven’s legs. Raven puts her head down protectively and snorts. I maneuver my head around hers to take in what attacked me and realize it’s a Solis.

  This one is a woman. Patches of her hair have been ripped right out of her scalp. Her nails are exaggeratedly long like a predator’s claws, the color of dirt, and they have my blood dripping off of their sharp tips. Her clothes are non-existent and the skin covering her skeletal naked body is scale-like. The stench permeating from her is what smelled so sweetly rotten in this building. I can’t believe I didn’t smell her when she stalked up behind me before she attacked me.

  I turn, grab on to Raven’s leg, and pull myself up on wobbly legs. The Solis just stands there watching in a crouched position growling, looking like a wild starved animal, not sure if she wants to take us both on alone. I hear Raven behind me.

  “You need to finish this. Dispose of this creature. Put her out of her misery.”

  I’m still in a daze from being knocked to the ground so roughly all I can do is nod.

  Without thinking I start pulling the pack off of my shoulder to get to my bow but as soon as I touch the bag, I hear Raven behind me.

  “Not with the bow. Use the sword, you need to know what killing with it feels like.”

  I nod silently again. She’s right. This needs to be done. I can do this. I take a deep breath and reach to my hip. I hear a loud growl and the Solis starts running at me with her claws out like she knows I want to kill her, and she’s going to try and scratch my eyes out for it.

  I get my sword pulled out and pointed at the Solis before I freeze with fear. I’ve killed many animals over the years but never a human, or I guess something that used to be human. I hold my sword out toward the Solis, and it impales itself on the end of my sword, running it’s full body to the hilt, it’s dried out dirty body squelching down the edges of my blade, before slumping down.

  I drop my sword in shock and back away from the corpse right into Raven’s chest. Milliseconds before I feel the woman’s scaled hand grab my ankle, Raven yells in my ear, “She’s not dead until you cut off the head.” I glance down at the Solis as it’s gaping maw reaches for my calf.

  I wrench my leg away, but she’s digging in deep with her claws. I slice down with all my strength and cut through the Solis’s neck like a knife slicing through water. The body of the Solis finally slides against the ground and doesn’t move again.

  Without saying a word, I wipe the blade off on the woman’s back and resheathe it. I squat down and start to pry the Solis’s hand off of my ankle. Blood trickles down my ankle and both of my arms.

  Quietly, I stand. Without thinking, I walk off away from Raven and away from the dead Solis. I faintly hear Raven saying something, but my mind is coated with dense fog. I walk down a different isle with no real direction, in a daze, until Raven pushes me from behind. I fall flat on my knees and the palms of my hands, bringing me out of the haze and I hear Raven.

  “Holy crap kid, are you okay?” I nod. “I was calling you and calling you and you had this blank expression on your face and kept walking away from me. I had to nudge you to get you to respond to me.”

  All of a sudden, I have tears pouring down my face. “Raven” I choke out. “I just killed a person, a real person. How could I do such a thing? How can I live with myself?” I start drowning in my tears. My mind starts running and the muscles in my back are ravaged from the vivacity of the sobs escaping my lungs.

  Raven nudges me. “Hey kid, it’s okay. You had to kill her. She was attacking you. You had to fight for your life. Besides, she was a Solis, you did her a favor by giving her the true death. Now she can rest in peace.”

  “She was a person!” I shout, as I turn away and walk off.

  Raven doesn’t follow me. After taking a few breaths I realize I’m not sure why I yelled at Raven. I know she’s right, but in that moment I needed to scream.

  I wipe my tears and walk around the market filling our pack back up with supplies and grab two more kegs of water before heading to the front door. Raven is waiting there, but I can’t meet her gaze just yet.

  I stride outside with the supplies and hear Raven following me. Without turning around I yell back to her “We’re going to stay in one of the houses here. We’re both too dehydrated to continue, it will be light soon and I don’t feel like walking through the heat. According to the map, the next town is only around a day away so we will be there by this time tomorrow.” Raven says nothing back but I hear her continue following me as I head for the closest house.

  It’s not much to gander at. The house, like the rest of the buildings in town, is made out of clay bricks with a wooden front door. There are two windows facing the main road, one on each side of the wooden door. Sheets hang on the inside of the building covering the windows.

  I unsheathe my sword again and kick open the door. It slams and smashes back against the front wall. I walk in. Thankful this house has only one room. The room is sparse. The only thing in it is a couch, a bed, and a small toilet and basin in the corner. I check under the couch and under the bed but this house is empty, just like the rest of this town. I turn around as Raven’s hulking structure squeezes through the door, then I step out behind her closing and locking the door. The air feels thick with words unsaid.

  “Look Raven, I’m sorry—” I start as I turn to face her, but she cuts me off.

  “Kid, it's fine, I get it. This is a tougher world than you ever knew and getting used to that fact comes with growing pains. If I were in your shoes, I would have probably yelled at me too. No hard feelings.”

  Her response shocks me. Seriously? No hard feelings? No shitty comment? No making me grovel? I know we have a different relationship now, but I figured she’d give me some hell for how I behaved. “You sure?” I ask skeptically.

  Raven bows her head and smiles from her eyes as she says, “Yes my lady, I am sure.”

  I walk over to her and wrap my arms around her neck and snuggle my face into her shoulder. “Thank you, Raven.”

  “You’ve been through a lot, let's get you to bed.”

  I nod my head and move to her side and start unsaddling her, as I work my mind calms. Then I grab the pack and pour some water out into our pot for Raven to drink.

  “Are you hungry? There’s no hay or grass in town but I can cook you something” I ask Raven.

  After she finishes drinking, she lifts her head and says, “Just tired. Let’s get some sleep, we can eat tomorrow.” Raven somehow fits herself on the couch putting her head between her legs on the arm of it and falls deep asleep.

  I finish the other keg of water and clean my wounds before crawling into bed. The sheets have a smell of old dust and dirt to them, and they have a rough almost gritty texture, but sleeping in a bed is so much nicer than sleeping on the cold hard ground.

  Before I try to fall asleep, I reach next to the bed and search in my quiver, pulling out the family picture I took from my childhood home. Tears fill my eyes. Now they’re both gone. I would give anything to be able to talk to them one more time. I wrap my arms around the small frame, and it doesn’t take long before my exhausted body relaxes and I quickly fall into a deep fitful sleep with our picture still clutched to my chest.

  21

  Attina

  I wake by afternoon the next day, Raven is still sleeping on the couch so I slip out of the house with my bow and quiver strapped to my back and my sword hanging low on my hip. For the next couple of hours I practice. I shoot arrows into the building across the street and practice unsheathing and re-sheathing my sword over and over again until it is second nature, until I can do it without thinking. This is no small feat. I fight mercilessly with the shadows until the sun is threatening to set. I
’ve practiced everyday on our long journey, and my progress is showing. The sword feels lighter, and I feel like it’s beginning to be a part of me, like my bow is.

  Sheathing my sword and collecting my arrows, I head back to the town market, only walking inside so far as to grab us two more kegs of water for our journey. I do not want to set eyes on the Solis woman lying there dead because of me.

  When I walk back through the front door of the house, Raven is finally starting to stir. She must have slept well because she seems confused and disheveled when she sees me in the door.

  “Good morning sleepy head. I let you sleep for as long as I could, but we need to eat and get back on the road, the sun is starting to set.”

  “Are you sweating?” she asks, confused.

  “I’ve been outside practicing the past couple of hours.” Raven smiles and I smile back continuing, “Come on, let’s get on the road.” After a quick meal, I get Raven resaddled and we head out of town.

  The feeling of being watched is getting stronger and stronger as the night drags on. It’s getting to the point where I can’t ignore the problem any longer. I keep spinning around in the saddle searching all around us.

  “Kid, what’s the matter? Why are you so squirrely up there?”

  I answer her, but keep my eyes peeled around us. “Do you feel like we’re being watched?”

  “I haven’t really caught on to anyone following us, but with your Fae powers blossoming I would listen to your gut feeling on this. What do you want to do about it?”

  “I’m not sure, but we’re going to have to do something about it by the time we make it to Fedum.”

  We sit in silence for the next few hours, contemplating what to do when we get to the next town. If there is someone following us, we have to handle it here. It’s the last town before Sanctuary, and there is no way we can allow anyone to follow us there to our townspeople.

  “Okay Raven, I can only think of one plan. It’s a long shot and you’re not gonna like it, so if you have any other ideas now is the time to speak up.”

  Raven just shakes her head dejectedly.

  “Well, if I’m right, whoever is out there hasn’t shown himself while we’ve been together. The only times I’ve caught glimpses of him or her were while I was alone. So, we need to split up.”

  At this Raven stops so abruptly it unseats me, and I almost fall off over the front of her shoulder. I wrap my arms around her neck to keep myself upright.

  “No,” is all she says with so much conviction and force in her voice, I second-guess arguing with her but I know there’s no other way.

  I softly say, “Raven,” but she immediately interrupts me.

  “No! I am the last one left to protect you. You’re our future queen. This is too big of a risk. I won’t allow it.” I take a deep intake of air and let it out, thinking of everyone in Sanctuary, of James, and finally of Father and Oak.

  “If I allow whoever or whatever this is to follow us to Sanctuary then Father and Oak’s deaths will be for nothing. If whoever’s following us is Fae, we will lead them right to Sanctuary, right to our townspeople, right to James.”

  “If you’re killed, their deaths will have been for nothing!” Raven shouts.

  I climb down off of Raven and walk to face her. I hold her sweet baby doll head between my hands and put my forehead on hers.

  “Raven, I am to be queen. You will have to put some faith in me.” Raven glances down to the beige, sizzling sand. I can tell she’s sad and conflicted. “Those are my people at Sanctuary. I have to protect my people with everything in my being.”

  Raven lifts her head. “But you don’t have to do it alone.” I can hear her heart is no longer in the argument, she knows I’m right. She just doesn’t like it.

  I pat her head. “Yes, Raven, with this one I do need to do it on my own. You will let me protect my people to my best ability or you will find another queen.”

  Shock registers on her face before Raven nods her head knowing she’s lost the argument. “Okay, what's the plan, my lady?”

  “It’s simple. This is the last town before Sanctuary. The last chance we have to draw this person out before we lead them straight to all those innocent people. We’re simply going to act like this is any other town. We scout it out, and then I head through town while you go around it. Then I'm going to hang out in this town by myself longer than usual. I have a feeling if I’m alone long enough this person will show themselves. If we’re not being followed, then no problem, but if we are being followed, I will have to handle it. If I don’t show up at the rendezvous point within an hour, then you better come find me.” Raven glances at me with worried eyes. I smile at her. “Don’t look so glum. Everything will be okay.”

  For the first time in my life, I give Raven a real hug, wrapping my arms around her neck. She leans into me and for a moment we just stand there in each other’s arms. I breathe in her smell. She doesn’t even smell like a horse to me anymore; she smells like home.

  I’m the first one to pull away. “Let’s get going and get this over with.” I wink at her and turn to walk towards Fedum with Raven close behind me.

  We do our usual walk through the town paying special attention to its Main Street, market, and houses. We eventually find multiple exits and escape routes, then agree on a place to meet up at the end of town. Raven drops me off at the start of town and heads off to our rendezvous point before I start my trek down through Fedum.

  From the moment I split away from Raven, I feel the ominous presence intensify. My body begins to pulse with an unknown sensation. I have a feeling I won’t have to wait as long as I thought for whomever it is to show.

  The further I get into town, the more intense the pulsation becomes, rolling through my body from my heart to my toes and back again. By the time I get into town, I feel like my body is not my own anymore. In my head I see images flashing by and I try to stay calm, but lately keeping a hold on my emotions has been tough. I tell myself over and over this is only my Fae side manifesting.

  It takes a few minutes for me to figure out exactly what is happening and what I’m seeing, but I realize the flashes in my mind are from someone else's point of view, from a Fae’s point of view, if I had to take a wild guess. I can see myself walking, my long brown hair swaying back and forth, my bow in my hand. The sunshine glinting off the way my hair moves. Then, whoever it is, scans to the left and right searching for possible threats.

  Pssh, whoever they are, they don’t seem to realize I’m the threat here, I think to myself, annoyed, I’m not seen as even a potential threat with the way they’re barely watching me.

  Then the eyes drift down to my hips moving back and forth as I walk, and the vision stays there locked on my butt, my hips moving back and forth like a pendulum as I walk.

  Must be a man, great a male Fae. I roll my eyes as I feel my lips quirk up.

  Then I’m hit like a ton of bricks. There is a male Fae stalking me. Why had I let down my guard so easily and found that funny? He is the enemy, and most likely here to kill me or follow me to Sanctuary and kill my people. I can’t let this drag out. I need to end this now. I turn and loose an arrow to the left behind me where the Fae must be standing based on the visions I’m getting sent to me through his eyes.

  22

  Attina

  As soon as the arrow leaves my hand, I am on the move, running as fast as my body will take me. I notice I can run faster than a normal human, but I still seriously doubt I can outrun a full-blooded Fae.

  On the forefront of my mind the only thing pounding through my thoughts is Fae! A Fae found me! How is this possible? But in the back of my mind, I’m glad I sent Raven on her own path, but mad at myself at the same time because there would be no waiting for her to save me this time. I would rather die alone then let a Fae get their hands on Raven, bringing her back to Henrik. So, for the first time in my life I will have to get myself out of this danger.

  Thank goodness Raven and I mapped out the tow
n and surrounding areas beforehand. Father would be proud we followed his lessons. But then it hits me he can’t be proud of us anymore because Father is gone. My eyes start to water as I run. I rub them and push those feelings down deep. Maybe someday I will have time to grieve for my father and Oak properly, but today is not that day.

  I shake my head to clear my thoughts. I have to keep my mind sharp. I know my arrow hit the Fae because I heard him groan in pain, but he’s chasing me, so he obviously moved out of the way too fast and my arrow missed its mark.

  After checking out the area, I know there is an entrance to a canyon right outside of the North side of the city. I could run to Raven, but then I would lead this Fae right to her and who knows, he might try to take her from me.

  I head to the canyon entrance at top speed, but I was right; he is faster than me. I take a quick glance back and take a deep intake of air, even with him slowed a little from being hit with an arrow he is gaining on me fast. Right as I reach the end of town, I hook a left running North. I will be out in the open for a few seconds, but I’ll have to risk it.

  From the quick glance I got of him, I don’t think I saw a bow on the Fae so hopefully I’ve been lucky in that department. He hasn't tried to attack me back yet either, so all I can do is pray to the Gods he will simply continue to chase me. I can see the edge of the canyon opening about a hundred feet away. I think to myself, just a little farther and hopefully I can lose him through the canyon trails. On the way to the canyon there is a sloping tan sandy hill. When I’d seen it earlier, I had hoped I could get over it before the Fae could pass all of the buildings in the town, maybe I could even get over it before he saw where I had gone, but I wasn’t so lucky. He knows exactly where I am.