I wipe sweat from my brow. “They will fail?”
Eldri rises to collect wet cloths and returns to pat them on our wounds. Mine steams and Lexa's releases a series of sparks.
Eldri sits back and swallows. “The gift contained in those necklaces will tear your bodies apart.”
I look at my arm, “Oh.”
Eldri looks over our weary faces. “You two need some rest.”
Lexa protests, “I have much to do.”
Eldri nods. “Yes, you won’t get much done in the state you are in.”
Amder gently helps me to my feet. “Come. The room next to ours has been empty since… Well, it is empty, and you can sleep there.”
Lexa climbs to her feet with assistance from Eldri, and together the four of us make it to the room next door. Amder pulls the sheet across the door to let us in, and gently leaves my side to shake the dust off two beds.
Eldri guides Lexa and me towards them, and we crawl in. My head meets the pillow, and I know no more.
Chapter Thirteen
Surprises
I awake to find Lexa gone. I drag myself out of bed and look around the small room I found myself in. I recall what had brought me here and my eyes dart to my arm. The lines are gone. How long have I slept for?
Eldri bustles into the room with a teapot and cups. “Oh good, you are awake. I thought I would have to wake you.”
I watch the woman unload the pot onto a dusty table. “How long have I been asleep for?”
“Almost a day, and you seem better for it.”
I nod and take the tea she offers me. “Thank you. A day seems a bit extreme.”
Eldri sits back on the bed Lexa had occupied. “It’s not that unusual. Using the gift the first few times will exhaust you, but you will build up a resilience to it. It is like using any muscle, with use over time it will build up strength.”
I look blankly at her.
Eldri sighs. “Think of it like when you first used a sword. I'm sure it was heavy, awkward, and it took time to be able to use it efficiently. Now you pick it up and don’t even think about it.”
I suppose that makes sense. I nod my head in understanding.
Eldri rearranges Lexa's perfectly made bed. “The toll it takes on your physical body though. I have no idea if that will improve.”
Well, that took an unwelcome turn. How am I supposed to use this against Darkmor if it is going to tear my body apart? I rub my face with my hand and let out a sigh.
Eldri peers at me. “It’s okay dear. I'm sure those answers will come clear in time.”
This time I am not even surprised she had read my thoughts. I am glad we can trust her.
Eldri nods, and we sit quietly for a time and sip our tea. I don’t know what is in it, but energy always returns to me after I have it. “Thank you for allowing us to stay. I should go help those injured in the cave in now.”
Eldri nods. “Of course.”
I rise to my feet and wave goodbye as I exit the room, and head over to what I have dubbed ‘the treatment room.’
Lewi eagerly greats me and together we set about tending to people wounds. Lewi by this point is as accomplished as me when it comes to healing. But still he always finds a way to work beside me, chatting the whole time about this and that. He is so mature, sometimes I forget he is only eight,
Everyday people recover, and fewer people require treatment. Soon everyone will be able to return to their tasks, and they will have little use for me.
I spend my day there, doing my part to help the people who had helped me. The day passes quickly, and before I know it, Lexa taps me on the shoulder, ready to take me to the party. We exit the treatment room and walk through the halls. Lexa is quieter than usual.
I poke Lexa in the arm. “What’s wrong?”
Lexa looks at me with a weary expression as we turn into the community dormitory. “There has been a problem with the security today. It has me a little preoccupied.”
“What are we doing?” I ask as I follow Lexa through the rows of cots and over to her bed. “I thought we were going to the party?”
Lexa puts on her armor and collects her weapons. “We are. I am just collecting my armor and weapons as a precaution.”
I watch Lexa collect her things. Her concern rubs off on me. I gather mine also. After all, it can’t hurt. I move over to my bed and spot the healing cream near my pillow I shrug. I must have forgotten to put it away. I collect it and stuff it into my pocket. I will put it away later.
We walk to the party and soon the sound of music drifts through the halls. I speed up my pace, eager to reach the sounds of singing people. As we get closer clapping reaches my ears. I round the corner and get my first look at a party.
I take in the sight of people jumping as they dance with one another in the middle of the room. They are all doing the same movements, and I watch in fascination as they all sway together in time with the beat. A small group of people near the back of the room are creating the music. They use an array of implements. Two have many strings, another seems to be a skin stretched over barrels, and the last appears to be a stick of some sort.
Overall, the sound they create is pleasant, and I am entranced. People surround Lexa, eager to greet their leader. I leave her to it and wander towards the dance floor so I can get a better view of the people dancing to the music. I do my best to memorize the dance, and try to work up the courage to join in.
A short woman approaches me with two cups in her grasp and hands one over to me. For a moment I don’t recognize her. It takes a few seconds to realize the woman with the cups is Tash. She stands across from me, not wearing any of her belts. Without them, she looks so much smaller then what I had grown used too.
I smile. “Thanks, Tash.”
She winks at me. “Drink up.”
I take a large gulp from the cup in my hand. Big mistake. The drink is disgusting and burns the whole way down my throat. I feel my face as it involuntarily scrunches up.
Tash laughs and takes a sip of her own, and grimaces at the flavor. “Courtesy of Lucas. It does grow on you. Eventually. Or at least that’s what I have been told.”
I take another, much smaller, sip of my drink and valiantly try to keep my face straight as I swallow the horrendous liquid. My eye twitches against my will and the rest of my face follows suit in response to the offensive liquid.
Tash laughs and claps me on the back as I choke on the sensation the drink leaves in my throat. Once I recover from the drink, I place it on a nearby table and abandon it.
I turn to Tash, “Is Lexa the leader of this place?”
Tash nods. “Of course, isn’t that obvious?”
“It’s just –she is so young and there are many people here older than her.” I finish lamely.
“No one here is more capable than Lexa,” Tash states. “And in any case, she is the reason we are all here in one way or another.” Tash waves her hand and spots my face. “She and her sister Anne discovered this place a few years back and one by one rescued those of us who managed to escape. The people who manage to get themselves out tend to young adults.”
I look at the younger families. “People got out with children?”
Tash shakes her head. “Most of them were made here. But recently Lexa has formed teams to liberate small groups of slaves as they are marched between compounds. It is tricky business, because it has to look like an animal attack or appear as if the group got lost. That is how we acquired some of our families and the elders.”
I glance back at Lexa, she truly is a marvelous woman.
“Enough shop talk,” Tash declares and drags me out into the dance floor. Lucas is already in the middle with his glasses and floppy hair bouncing around with each step he takes. Together the two try to teach me the dance. After a few failed attempts I learn the dance moves and, for the most part, successfully join in.
The song comes to an end, and the crowd disperses. Melissa walks over to us and holds out two belts for Tash.<
br />
Tash gladly accepts them and straps them over her torso. “That’s so much better, thanks Mel.”
“Next time try not to break the buckles,” Melissa replies with a smirk, and snags a drink from a tray being passed around us.
Tash rolls her eyes. “Next time I'm hanging from a cliff face trying to fix our security systems, I’ll be sure to give my full attention to my belts and any rocks they may be hooked on.”
Melissa nods, dismissing Tash’s sarcasm and experimentally sniffs the cup in her hand. She decides it is safe and downs the whole drink in one swift movement. I watch Melissa intently, and I am disappointed when her face stays neutral. Perhaps Tash is right. Maybe it is possible to get used to the horrendous drink.
“Do you know if they got that finished?” Lucas asks, pulling my attention back to the conversation.
“They were still working on it when I left. We have guard patrols posted around the perimeter, so we should be okay,” Tash explains and shifts her feet. “I have a bad feeling about it though. We still don’t know why it failed.”
The comment sobers everyone’s mood.
I glance at Tash and clear my throat, “Tash, where did you get those belts?”
“I found them in the storeroom of a house I rigged up with power. They were once used to hold ammunition for guns. That was before Darkmor destroyed every one he could get his hands on. Guns were the only weapon that gave us a fighting chance against his monsters,” Tash spits. “The number of times I could have taken him out if I just had one.”
The group nods. The music stops, and a tall, young man with jet black hair is dragged out onto the dance floor by his friends. A group of people walks around handing out cups of the foul liquid to everyone around the room. I reluctantly take one. Lexa and Anne work their way over to us, both with cups in their hands. I eye the drinks. Can they tolerate this foul liquid any better than I can? Everyone turns their attention to the young man and his friends.
A young blonde woman in a light purple dress addresses the crowd. “As you all probably know, we are here today to celebrate Samuel and the fact he has somehow managed to survive this long. It is a truly amazing feat. Anyone who is familiar with Samuel and his antics, knows this to be true.”
Laughter and cheers come from the crowd in response to the young woman’s remark. Samuel is pushed to stand beside her and the blush on his cheeks is now so dark I am sure you could fry an egg on it in less than two minutes.
The blonde woman holds her cup high. “To Samuel, congratulations on surviving sixteen winters! May there be many more to come!
“To Samuel,” echoes around the crowd and everyone takes a drink from the cup in their hands, prompting a round of scrunched up faces.
A loud explosion rocks the ground beneath our feet and dirt falls from the ceiling, landing on the heads and shoulders of the people around the room. Melissa and Tash cast accusing looks at Lucas as they brush the dirt from their shoulders.
Lucas holds up his hands. “Hey, I love a good explosion as much as the next person, but that wasn’t me.”
A single piercing scream emits from the hall outside the room, and a thundering crash forces people to hit the ground with their knees. Seconds later two men burst into the room, covered in dirt, sweat, and blood. They hold their weapons ready as they scan the party. Their eyes fall on Lexa, one of the few who managed to stay on their feet.
The man brandishes his bloodied sword. “Scarlet guards! They blew a hole in the roof! There is a whole army of them.”
Chaos erupts around us as everyone moves about in panic. Lexa doesn’t spare a second before she takes control and efficiently restores order to the chaos. Every available warrior is grouped together and ordered to fend off the invaders. A handful are assigned to protect the children and people who can’t fight. Lexa draws her sword, and the few that are armed follow her lead. Everyone else is forced to find something from the room they can use as a weapon.
Anne turns to Lexa with wide eyes. “How did they find us?”
Nathanial throws me an accusing stare. I meet his gaze. I won’t be blamed for this.
Lexa shakes her head. “I have no idea. We covered our tracks and Claire's too. There is no way they could have found us without help.”
“I told you,” Nathanial growls and throws a meaningful glance in my direction.
Lexa eyes him. “Do you mean to tell me you haven’t had someone following Claire since the moment she came here? I told you not to, but I doubt you listened.”
Nathanial shifts uncomfortably, “She has never been alone,” he grumbles. “I have had someone watching her every minute.”
I have been followed? Have I ever had a private moment while I have been here? My eyes flick to Lexa. How much do they know about the time we spent alone together?
Lexa takes a deep breath and grips the hilt of her sword until her knuckles whiten, “And did she ever have time to send a message as to our whereabouts?”
Nathanial looks at the ground and shakes his head. “No, Lexa, she hasn’t.”
Lexa lets out a huff. “Then leave it, Nathanial. I don’t want to hear another accusation thrown at Claire, based solely on your dislike of her.”
Samuel joins the line of fighters, a kitchen knife in his hand, and his presence puts an end to the conversation but does nothing to end the tension.
Oblivious to what he had just walked in on, Samuel asks, “Should we meet them in the hall?”
Lexa shakes her head and gives Samuel her attention. “Going into the hall will thin out our line. We will be easier to pick off. If we stay here, we force them to come in through the door one or two at a time. Then we can take out more of them.”
An unsettling stillness falls over the room. It doesn’t take a tactical mind to realize we are trapped. Battle cries can be heard on the other side of the curtain. It won’t be long now. Another explosion rocks the room and cracks spread across a wall. A small section about the size of my fist falls to the ground. Air whistles through it.
I nudge Lexa and point to the wall. “What’s on the other side of that?”
Lexa follows my finger and her eyes widen. “The caverns!” She turns to face Nathanial. “Cover that door! Stop them from getting in for as long as you can.”
Nathanial stomps across the room and lifts one of the large wooden tables. All of the food falls to the floor, and others rush to help him. Soon he has the table blocking the entrance to the room and a small army of people holding it in place. Lexa sheaths her sword and moves over to the wall. She kicks at it, and the cracks spread. I go over to help her, and soon we have a small hole letting in air from the cavern.
I wipe sweat from my face as I haul rubble from the hole. “How long do you think they will survive out there?”
Lexa brings her eyes to meet mine. “Longer than they will if they stay in here.”
I can’t argue with that logic. Pounding at the table draws the room’s attention, and I watch as the people there struggle to hold it in place. Families huddle together, and Lexa sends two armed men through the wall and quickly organizes everyone else to follow after them. As people file out, others offer to stay back and fight, some refusing to leave. Lexa manages to persuade most of them to go and protect the others from the horrors of the cavern.
Many offer Lexa the sign of their right fist over their heart before they crawl through the hole. Lexa returns the gesture to each and every person. Soon all the families have left, and only a small group of people remain. Tash and Melissa work together on moving one of the full barrels of alcohol to cover the hole in the wall. The rest of us prepare to hold the scarlet guards off for as long as we can in hopes the others make it to safety.
People are distressed about Lexa remaining, and many plead with her to leave. She refuses them and regroups the line, readying them for when the guards inevitably make it through the door. The pounding at the table block stops and silence settles over the room. A quiet hiss comes from the other side of the door
way.
Lucas’s eyes widen. “Get away from the door!”
Spurred by the panic in Lucas’s voice everyone jumps away from the door as it explodes back into the room. Splinters of wood fly around the area and embed themselves in walls and flesh. A sharp sting in my arm tells me I wasn’t spared by the projectile table.
Scarlet guards swarm the room, through the doorway they had widened with their explosive each of them clad in full armor. These are not the scarlet guards I am used to seeing. These guards are fit and well trained with their swords, very different from the ones who guard the docile slaves. We fly into battle and manage to take out the first wave without any casualties. We don’t get time to celebrate as a second group swarms through the door, closely followed by a third. This group seems better prepared, and they take us out one by one.
I stab at my opponent and pull my sword from the guard in front of me, and he falls to his knees. Another takes his place before my opponent has taken his last breath. Lexa beside me fights off two attackers, her two swords swinging gracefully.
I can’t do anything to help her as my new opponent swings a massive ax at me. I fight him off and knock his weapon from his hands. After that, he is quickly dispatched. I get a rare moment to look around the room. Our numbers have been reduced to less than twenty.
We are overwhelmed, and the waves of guards are endless. Everyone knew staying here would be a death sentence. Our only hope is that the others make it to safety. That our sacrifice will be worth it. Another massive explosion rocks the room, and deep cracks form haphazardly across the roof.
Anne appears next to Lexa and pushes her back towards a small room and away from the swarming guards. I am collected by Tash who pulls me in the same direction.
Lexa looks about in confusion. “Anne what are you doing?”
Anne pushes Lexa to the back of the room with the help of Melissa and Tash. “Lexa you must go, there are too many. Your mission is too important. If you stay, they will kill you.”
Anne pushes us into a storeroom attached to the chamber that hosted the party. The room is filled with several sacks containing large red grains.
Shadowsoul Page 14
