“I didn’t. Juniper did.”
I turned, eyes widening as they met Juniper. As they met the two swords he now held.
A flush crossed his cheeks at Ember’s words. “Honestly, I didn’t do much. I blocked one his aims, then dove at him with the sword Aurora gave me. He darted backwards and, well, he ended up tripping over a root and knocked himself out.”
“Oh.” I looked down, now noticing the root that had managed to break through the stone path near Ash’s feet and developed a whole new appreciation for mother nature. “Well, that works.”
I moved towards Aurora who was crouched down next to Finn. The ground beneath him was becoming soaked with red. A sheen of sweat glistened on his dark forehead.
“Is he okay?”
Though she still seemed a little flustered, her face paler than normal, her voice was steady. “I think so. I wrapped the area and the bleeding has stopped for the most part.”
A gray piece of cloth wound its way around the wound, small beads of blood slowly saturating the layers. Where had she found it? But as soon as I glanced over at Shale who stood nearby, I had my answer. The last several inches of his baggy shirt were torn away.
Bending down beside Aurora, Coal quickly ran his fingers along Finn’s shoulder, ignoring the pained moan as he tightened the layers of woven cloth binding the wound. He nodded, letting out a slow breath. “It’ll suffice for now. The wrap is secure enough and the bleeding is minimal. You saved his life Aurora.” A look of relief spread across her face at his words.
Slowly twisting to face me, Coal gently shifted the neckline of my outfit, studying the marred skin underneath, sliced apart by Blaze. “That’s okay for now, too,” he murmured.
I stared at him. At the concern in his eyes and the bruises already beginning to form along his neck. Nodding and swallowing deeply, I lifted the zipper, then turned to face the others.
“Let’s go then.”
✽✽✽
For the rest of the trek through the crumbling city, Shale and Juniper took the lead, keeping two goals in mind the entire time. One, avoid any paths the other trainees may come down. After that run in with Blaze and Ash, I didn’t know how we’d fare facing off in another fight. Two, get to the tree line as quickly and quietly as possible. Time seemed to be passing incredibly quickly, the sun growing lower and lower in the sky as its rays darkened to gold, and the pressure to escape grew. Both Ember and Aurora helped a stumbling Finn along.
Finally, we reached the bordering edge of trees, the crumbling stone paths finally giving way to dirt and weed as nature reclaimed them. After several minutes, just before the trees grew dense, heavily cloistered together, we came across it.
The electric fence. The barrier that had kept Juniper and Shale trapped here all these years.
Coal lifted a hand, and we all paused as he leaned closer to it. Listening. The rest of us waited silently. Picking up a nearby stick, he lobbed it towards the fence. It fell and hit the ground without a sound. The hope inside me grew.
Taking a breath, Coal stepped forward, raising a finger towards it. I bit my lip, the breath freezing inside my chest.
Slowly the skin of his index finger touched upon one wire. And…
Nothing.
A breath of relief escaped as he closed his entire hand over it, grinning,
“It’s off.”
I couldn’t contain the gasp that escaped my chest, though a nagging feeling took up residence there, replacing it. Why would they have left it off? Wouldn’t any of the ‘Rogues’ hiding back here have tried to escape as soon as they’d cut off the current running through it?
But as I blinked, not quite understanding, the others slowly started to climb up, making their way over the ten-foot metal fence, a tangle of electric wires running through it, and dropping down to the other side with ease. Taking a breath, I pushed the feeling deep down, and made my way over. Coal and Ember went last, helping Finn up, then lowering him down to us on the other side.
Closing my eyes, I felt the rings’ tug once again, and allowed it to pull me, to lead us all forward. But as we moved further away from the remnants of that fallen city, the faintest of noises filled my ears. I told myself it was a wasp buzzing nearby. It was the rushing of the distant river we’d crossed over in the train car on our way here. It was the rustle of a deer in the woods, leaves crunching below its hoofs.
Because it couldn’t possibly be the electric barrier snapping back to life after we’d so recently crossed it.
Could we just have been that lucky? Or was there some other reason for its sudden return…
I gazed around but no one else seemed to notice the noise. And a few steps later, neither could I. I shook my head, pushing the feeling down further, burying it, and we continued on our way, not looking back.
Chapter 44
Several minutes later, after piling on some more of the warm clothes from the supply packs, we continued on. Stumbling up the hills, winding our way through the dense forest, we climbed higher and higher. At points the terrain would plateau, and we would travel on flat ground for a while, but eventually it would shift, again elevating.
But as the hours dragged on and the land became steeper, it became clear Finn was getting worse. His face was drawn, his eyes glazed, and he moved slower and slower, each step a strenuous effort.
Step by step, we wound ourselves deeper into the dense woods, the barren oaks and dark green firs pressing in on all sides. Finn’s pace slowed even more so, wincing as he shifted his shoulder uncomfortably. Eventually he stopped, dropping onto a nearby rock. “I…I just need a minute,” he gasped, his breaths ragged.
“Of course,” Aurora said, then sat down next to him and checked his dressing. Biting my tongue, I nodded, though the last thing I wanted to do was stop. The further we went, the stronger the tugging force of the ring had become. I studied it, rotating the band of metal around my finger.
“Sage.” I looked up to catch Aurora’s intense green gaze directed at me. “I think it’s about time you tell us about this ring. How is it possible that we are following a ring? And where we are following it to?”
I sighed, knowing this moment had been inevitable. Taking a deep breath, I turned to face her. And was surprised when I realized that everyone, besides Coal, was now staring at me intently, waiting for answers.
Slowly, I explained everything that had happened since my mother gave me the ring. I did, however, leave out the parts regarding the dreams I’d had about her. I didn’t understand them, nor did I think they played any bearing on our future.
When I finally finished, I was met with wide eyed, slack-jawed stares. But finally, there was a clearing of a throat. Unexpectedly, it was Ember.
“As crazy as that sounds, and don’t get me wrong, it sounds crazy, I…I think you are right. The pieces fit.” He motioned towards my hand, towards the ring encircling my finger. “Maybe it really will lead us to them.”
And though everyone besides Coal stared at him in disbelief at his sudden acceptance of what sounded like a…well, a crazy legend, eventually they nodded, realizing that at this point, we didn’t have any other choice but to continue on.
I stood to do so, only to stop as a sudden gasp of pain echoed through the air. Finn had risen shakily to his feet, only to collapse back to the ground, beads of sweat now dripping down his face despite the cool temperature.
“This isn’t going to work,” Aurora said, shaking her head. “Finn isn’t going to be able to continue to walk like this.”
“Well, what can we do?” interjected Juniper. “We can’t stop already. We haven’t covered nearly enough distance.”
“He can’t continue like this,” she argued. “Anyway, it’s going to start getting dark soon. Then what?”
At that very moment the wind picked up and swept across our faces, the chilly air making me shiver as the sun set lower, fewer and fewer warm rays reaching us. Coal bit his lip, his eyes scanning the group of us. “Look,” he began, starting to pace a little as
the wind tousled his hair. “Aurora’s right. We can’t continue with Finn in the shape he is. It’s obvious we aren’t going to make it to the village of Healers tonight. We don’t know how far away we are from reaching it. That is, if they even exist, because right now it seems we don’t know a single thing.”
An awkward silence clung to the air, gazes travelling from me to Coal and back as the others shifted uncomfortably. Immediately guilt began to crawl its way through me and I felt my cheeks warm. It was because of me and this ring we were traveling along this path, hoping to reach a particular group of people. A group that was based on a story.
But the ring was still drawing me down this path, growing stronger with every step we took. It was leading us somewhere. I couldn’t lose hope in that, not yet.
Coal bent his head, guilt drawing his features tight.
“I’m sorry, Sage. I...I’m just tired. I wasn’t thinking.”
I shook my head. “Don’t apologize.”
“But how can we stop?” asked Shale, breaking up the uncomfortable moment. “There’s nothing around. We can’t just spend the night out here in the open.” He gazed up, the sky now turning gray as another strong gust blew past. “With no shelter,” he added quietly.
Coal’s face was grim. “If we keep going, we might get several more miles, and still find no shelter. And by that time, it will be dark and colder, and we won’t have the option of building our own. We need protection. Even if we build a fire and wrap ourselves in the blankets, it likely won’t be enough. We need an actual shelter.” Coal squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing a hand across his face. My stomach plummeted. None of us, myself included, had thought about what we’d do as night fell.
“Guys--,” Ember began.
“Are you actually suggesting we build something?” Juniper said incredulously to Coal.
“Look, we don’t…,” Ember tried again, his words only to be drowned out by Coal’s blunt retort, frustration emanating from him.
“I don’t see you coming up with any ideas.”
I stepped between the two of them. “This isn’t getting us anywhere.”
“No, it’s not,” Ember nearly shouted, and we all turned to face him in surprise. “And if any of you would bother to listen, you’d see it’s irrelevant!”
Frowns swept over everyone’s faces at that. “What do you mean, irrelevant?” Aurora asked uncertainly.
A slow grin spread across Ember’s face, those dimples appearing as he lifted an arm, pointing up. Following in that direction, I squinted my eyes, peering into the distance. And suddenly saw it.
At the very top of a craggy slope, wedged between several trees, was a small shelter, so concealed by rocks and shrubs it was nearly impossible to see.
“Ember!” Aurora managed to gasp, while everyone else stared, speechless. But the excitement was quickly dashed as a flicker of anxiety crossed Shale’s face. “How do we know no one’s there?” he asked slowly. “What if there are more Combatants living out here.”
His worries echoed my own. Coal shook his head. “We don’t. But right now, it’s the best chance we have out here. The best chance Finn has as well.” I followed his gaze, my eyes resting on Finn’s hunched body. Though his breaths had slowed, his face still contorted in pain, every movement more excruciating than the last.
With Ember practically carrying Finn now, we made our way painstakingly slow up the slope, along the slippery soil which turned into slick rock, maneuvering dense branches and undergrowth from our path. Dragging myself up the last few steps of the steep ground and avoiding the slick patches of snow now coating the ground this high up, I came to a stop in front of the shelter.
Coal, along with Ember, who’d handed Finn off to Aurora now, walked around, searching the perimeter. No sound or light emitted from the structure, and it appeared to be completely deserted. Stepping forward, I approached the door. Taking a deep breath, everyone tensing around me, I squeezed my hand into a fist and rapped my knuckles against the worn wood.
Nothing.
Standing on my tiptoes, I peered through the small window carved into the top of the door. But there was only darkness. Moving my hand to the knob, I twisted it, trying to enter.
Locked.
Coal and Ember appeared from the other side of the building. As he came back around, Coal shook his head. “It’s abandoned.”
“But it’s locked. How do we get in?” Aurora bit out a bit breathlessly, her body bending beneath the weight of Finn as he leaned heavily against her.
Coal walked towards the shelter, leaning down to examine the lock and doorframe. And then backed up several steps…
Propelling himself forward, he kicked up his leg, slamming it into the door with a forceful blast and it crashed open.
Well, that was one way to go about it.
Quickly I ran back to Aurora and wrapped Finn’s other arm around my shoulders as we carefully ushered him inside.
Picking up a fallen chair settled him into it. I pulled off my thick cap and gloves and glanced about, surveying our surroundings. The building consisted of a single small room. On one side was a brick fireplace, a metal cookpot resting at its hearth. Along the other wall were two tiny windows, each covered with dark black cloth. No wonder we couldn’t see in.
Several chairs lay scattered about and an old rug lay across the floor, ripped in spots, its prior colors so muted they were now anyone’s guess. A small cot was crammed into a corner and several stray candles lay strewn about the small night table beside it. A fine layer of dust covered the gray wood floors and the air was musty and damp. No one had been inside in years.
But who had lived here? Whose home had this been? And why had they abandoned it?
✽✽✽
As Ember and Shale set to making a fire, Juniper began unpacking the bags of supplies and setting up the area where we would spend the night. Aurora and I helped settle Finn, removing his heavy coat while Coal gathered freshly fallen snow from outside, filling the cookpot. Returning, he placed it over the fire that was now roaring, just as Ember and Juniper headed outside to gather more wood and further explore our surroundings.
Removing his jacket and slipping off the armored vest underneath, I watched as Coal took a small leather pouch from around his waist.
I stared at him in surprise. “You brought the herbs?”
He nodded, removing the contents.
“Why?” I asked. I’d assumed he’d left it behind with our other belongings that now sat in Combatant. A pang ran through me at the thought of my mother’s knit hat and scarf, two items I’d never see again.
He poured the dried herbs into a small bowl. “As I was dressing this morning, before we left Combatant, I saw it inside the drawer where I’d hidden it. I knew it was a risk bringing it with me. But there was more danger in leaving it behind.” He added the glistening brown extract, then pulverized the mixture with his pestle, slowly forming the paste. “But somehow, more than that, I knew I needed to bring it. Felt I would need it.”
Aurora started to unwrap the bloody makeshift cloth bandages tied across Finn’s shoulder. As she peeled them back, layer after layer, they grew darker and darker, saturated with blood.
Finn looked up, his pained gaze meeting mine. A sheen of sweat covered his entire face. “Sage, how bad is it?” he panted.
I swallowed thickly, forcing myself to smile. “You’re going to fine. Everything will be fine.” Aurora shot me a glance, the fear in her eyes unmistakable. Were my words true? He’d already lost so much blood, was already so weak.
Wrapping a thick wool scarf around his hand for protection, Coal took the steaming cookpot from where it hung over the fire, setting it down near Finn as Aurora peeled the last layer of cloth away, finally revealing the wound. I bit my lip to keep from crying out.
Finn’s shoulder had been torn apart by Ash’s blade, his dark skin ripped to shreds only to leave a crater-like gash in its place. But Coal didn’t hesitate, first examining the gruesome wound, prodd
ing the ravaged flesh. Then taking several pieces of material Shale had torn from a spare cotton shirt, he dunked them into the still steaming water, then began washing out Finn’s wound. As soon as the cloth touched him, Finn moaned, eyes squeezing tight against the pain. Aurora moved to his side, taking one of his hands in her own, holding on as the other cupped his cheek. “Look at me,” she whispered slowly. “Only at me.”
And somehow, it helped. He focused on her, his breaths slowing as they imitated her own. Nodding in approval, Coal dropped the cloth, now picking up the bowl of medicinal paste. Pain washed across his face, knowing the kind of agony he was about to inflict on Finn. But it was temporary. And necessary.
But before he could begin to spread it, I motioned for him to pause. “Wait,” I murmured, quickly moving to our supplies. My eyes spotted what I was looking for before my mind realized it, and I drew a curled leather belt out of one of the supply sacks, folding it over itself several times, before I handed it to Aurora.
She stared at me for a moment before nodding in understanding. “Finn, you need to bite down on this,” she murmured as she eased the leather into his mouth. Fear grew in his eyes, but he did as she instructed.
Nodding towards Coal, I moved to Finn’s side, pinning his body and left arm against the chair. Aurora, noticing my movement, pushed against his right, while still keeping ahold of his hand.
“I’m sorry,” Coal whispered, so softly I wondered if I was the only one who caught it, just before he started spreading the paste into Finn’s wound.
Finn’s muffled screams pierced through the air. His teeth clenched against the belt, his eyes squeezing shut. More paste. And more.
Finn started bucking in the chair, fighting our hold as his screams intensified. “Don’t let him move!” Coal shouted.
I desperately tightened my grip, pressing against Finn’s dark tattooed arms. Finn spit the belt onto the floor and an earth-shattering roar exploded out of him. “Finn, stop!” pleaded Aurora, but he couldn’t hear us, couldn’t feel her clutching onto him. Couldn’t feel anything but the horrifying pain.
Awakening Earth and Fire: Earth and Fire Trilogy Book 1 Page 39
