by J. McSpadden
She stared at him, confused, but his lips twitched with a slight smile. "Your mother," he said, almost choking on the syllables. "You have the same determination to do right, to protect those around you even at the expense of yourself. Jesabelle would be proud of you, proud that you're still fighting."
He coughed loudly, spitting copious amounts of blood on the ground. The wound across his chest bloomed with color, and the poison spread like black ink through his veins. His once-bright eyes were now bloodshot, and his curling brown hair stuck to his sweat-slicked forehead. "Camille, please, you have to kill me. I will turn; I can feel it."
Camille shook her head violently. "No, I can't. What about Charlie?"
"She can take care of herself. Please—I don't want her to see me like this." His eyes started to fill with tears, and his skin flushed with the heat of fever.
"What about the antidote? Do you have more?"
Phillip shook his head. "That was my last one."
His eyes were almost entirely glossed over with red; he wouldn't be able to keep the venom at bay much longer. Soon his mind would recoil in agony, and he'd either die or transform into a monstrous beast.
Camille's eyes shot up toward the rim of dead Chimera as Vesyon, Theo, Neeko, and Charlie crested the pile.
"Do it. Now," Phillip commanded, placing his dagger in Camille's right hand.
"No!" Charlie screamed as she catapulted over the edge of the barrier wall, lumbering through the bleeding bodies toward Phillip. "Daddy, please! I can save you!"
Camille stared shakily down at Phillip, the dagger in her hand suddenly weighing a hundred pounds.
Phillip's eyes rolled back, and he slumped over, blotchy green face angled up to the misty night sky.
"Daddy, no!" Charlie hovered over her father's body, and then looked from Vesyon to Theo in desperation. "Help me, please, help us!"
Vesyon and Theo moved swiftly down the embankment, while Neeko remained above in jaguar form.
"Give me the blade, Camille. Theo, please hold Charlie back," Vesyon said. "The Chimera have moved down the mountain, seemingly having lost Camille's scent, but the Equestrians will be here any minute. We need to leave now while we have the chance to escape."
The venom started to rage through Phillip's veins, and he shook violently as though he was having a seizure. His body bucked and jerked beneath Camille's hand, red oozing from his mouth and nose as though his body was rejecting his own blood.
"No, please, no!" Charlie begged as Theo yanked her back. "You can't do this!"
Camille handed Vesyon the blade and stood, moving closer to the wall of putrid, stinking Chimera flesh to get away from what she was about to witness. Neeko growled from above, his warning loud and clear: The Equestrians were coming.
"I'll go!" Camille shouted. "Take Phillip with you and leave me. You could make it to White Wall—once the King Regent has me, this will all end."
"Yes," Charlie said in a manic rush of hope, her amber eyes sharp like a hawk searching for prey.
"No!" Theo and Vesyon said in unison.
"You will not hand yourself over to the King Regent! Not now. Not ever," Vesyon said sharply. "It wouldn't do anything to end this war, I promise you." He put his hand out to keep Camille back, his eyes forcing her feet to remain solidly where she stood.
Phillip lay before them in a pool of his own blood, drowning in a mountain of venom and about to die at Vesyon's hand. Camille watched as Vesyon grasped Phillip's hand tightly, their eyes connecting for a long moment.
"Forgive me, my friend," Vesyon murmured.
Phillip's voice was gone, but he blinked several times as if to say, please end this torture.
Vesyon lifted the knife up, angling it for the swiftest and least painful death. Camille couldn't avert her eyes and inhaled a shaky breath, filling her nose with the metallic tang of blood and slain beasts as Vesyon drove the dagger into Phillip's heart.
Without warning, a crushing weight slammed against Camille’s back and she shot forward into the mud. She landed on her left side as sharp fangs clamped down on her right shoulder, arm, and abdomen. A violent scream burst from her lips as searing pain invaded her every cell, wrenching, tearing, and destroying until she saw only blackness.
Chapter Nineteen
White Wall
Vesyon was in motion the second the Chimera pounced on top of Camille, but he was too slow to save her from the beast’s piercing bites. Her scream penetrated the silence as Theo rushed forward, slashing the Chimera's throat in one fluid motion.
"Cam! Oh, Ma'Nada!" Theo shoved manically at the gigantic animal as Vesyon managed to pull her free from underneath it.
The Chimera had bitten her, it's venom now coursing through her body. Together they assessed the damage and saw that it went clean to the bone, far worse than the wounds Phillip had endured.
"Camille, damn it! You don't get to die on me, you hear?!" Vesyon said in a rush. Each puncture was deathly black against her alabaster skin blood seeping from them staining her clothes.
Neeko growled loudly, racing back and forth from his lookout spot.
"We need to move!" Vesyon said, glancing over his shoulder to see Charlie still sprawled over her father's body. "Charlie, come on!"
Another explosion rang out as they quickly made their way over the pile of dead Chimera and down the hill. With the thankful protection of cloud and smoke cover, Vesyon's small group made their way east of the village grounds, and he silently thanked Phillip for allowing him to complete the plan they'd formulated. They'd held off the Chimera and Equestrians as long as they could, and it was far past the time to flee.
"They infiltrated the compound just like you predicted," Theo huffed beside Vesyon, dragging a sobbing Charlie along. "What now?"
"We'll make our way to White Wall," Vesyon said, readjusting Camille's limp and feverish body in his arms before bounding through the underbrush.
Neeko sprinted in front of Vesyon and bobbed his head around, pointing his snout in the direction of impending danger.
"Damn it!" Vesyon cursed, catching a whiff of that horrendous, floral scent at their backs. The Night Rave was coming, and judging by the multitude of footsteps, the woman in red had brought some friends.
Vesyon found the spot he'd prepared the previous evening, where several sturdy grey mares stood in waiting for them. "You must get her to the White Wall. No exceptions!" Vesyon said as Theo hopped onto the first horse and reached out for Camille.
"What's that strange smell?" Theo asked furtively, arranging a now somewhat conscious Camille behind him on the saddle. Vesyon moved to secure her while keeping an eye out over his shoulder for an incoming invasion.
"LeMarc's new regiment—Night Raves. I only saw the one but, there must be more. Theo, don't waste any time. Head west through the flatlands and keep a good distance from Dwaa. You must cross the Syene River and get Camille to Langhorn."
Vesyon mounted his own horse, adjusting his postion to face what sounded like a herd of Chimera charging through the forest toward himself, Charlie, and Neeko. Turning back to Theo, his face appeared like a ghost from the shadows. "You can lose them beyond the bridge past Syene. I'll join you when I can," Vesyon said, yanking Charlie up behind him on his horse.
Theo dug his heels in, and his mare shot forward, Camille's long copper tresses like a flag of fire in the wind.
There was little light so far from the fire of the compound. Darkness spread around them like a shroud, their last mode of protection giving them mere hours to the breaking of dawn.
Lifting his face to the swollen, rain-filled clouds hanging over his head like malevolent gods, he felt a tremor of hope. Camille would make it to White Wall, she would live, and the war for their freedom would continue.
***
Theo sped off through the trees on his mare, Jolie, while urging Camille to hold on tight. The massive snow-laden pines gave way to open, crisp meadows and rolling hills, providing his enemies with a more unobstructed view. The c
louds had dwindled, but he still could only make out a sliver of moonlight behind the low hanging clouds.
Theo glanced over his shoulder and saw them: five Night Raves closing in, each riding a pure black stallion.
They were clothed in deep red leather, some with more skin showing than covered. There were three women and two men, all sporting a tight gold and silver choker around their necks. They were packed down with swords, axes, bows, and rifles.
"Give her to us," a Night Rave called out, her voice a menacing hiss.
Jolie pressed forward as fast as her muscular body could manage, her hooves thundering through the meadow hills and kicking up dirt and grass in her wake.
"Are they close enough to shoot down?" he yelled back to Camille, who was fumbling with his bow.
"Almost," she replied, twisting to get a better look. Theo heard the creaking pull of an arrow against his bowstring, and then the reverberating shock as one of his arrows took flight. There was no chance of him looking back, but the sharp exhalation of breath from Camille let him know she'd missed.
Theo pulled Jolie's reins to the right, toward the Syene River. If he got to it in time, he could cut the tethers of the bridge once they'd crossed and the Night Raves would be forced to find another way.
Another snap and a stumbling crash from behind—Camille had downed a Night Rave. He knew she was struggling; he could feel the blaze of her body against him like a blanket of coals pressed to his back, yet she continued to fire.
"I only have three arrows left," she screamed into Theo's ear, her legs losing grip when Jolie leaped over a mound of sharp boulders.
"Stay with me, Cam!" Theo said, reaching back to steady her.
They catapulted through a sea of thick bushes and over a tumbled tree, barely able to make out their surroundings in the dark night.
One Night Rave pulled in close, his arm outstretched. Without a word, Camille snatched a dagger from Theo's belt loop and chucked it at the Night Rave, sending him tumbling off his horse into a thicket of weeds.
Camille leaned against Theo, keeping her hands linked in front of his abdomen. "Theo," she murmured, barely loud enough for him to hear, "thank you for everything."
"Don't you do that! You hold on, damn it!" He felt her nod against his back, but she was fading fast. A racking shiver tumbled through her system as the fever set into her bones: the final calling card of the Chimera virus before it took over completely. Praetorian or not, she would eventually succumb.
Jolie bolted up the final yards of the hillside, immediately sliding to a stop at the edge of a cliff. Several hundred feet below them was the rushing Syene River, cascading with vicious force through the jagged valley walls. The treacherous crossing was as Theo feared—an old wooden bridge that looked ready to crumble at the slightest weight.
"Really?!" Theo barked out, urging the mare forward.
Jolie balked at the rotted wood but acquiesced as the remaining three Night Raves gained on them.
"Halt, Praetorian! Don't move another step!" one of the Night Raves bellowed as they vaulted closer.
Camille notched another arrow and let it fly, with a resulting crash telling Theo she'd hit her mark.
"You've been warned!" another Night Rave seethed, notching her own wooden bow with a steel-plated arrow and following them across the bridge on foot.
"Go, go!" Theo said, kicking Jolie in the sides and praying the planks beneath them held. The grey mare cleared the bridge and Theo leaped off the horse tugging Camille down with him. Yanking two daggers from his saddle, he tossed one at Camille and charged toward the bridge. "We need to cut the ropes!"
"No!" screeched the Night Rave who was already on the bridge charging toward them, but it was too late—with a few more zealous cuts, the rope handles were severed, and the rickety bridge gave way.
Theo watched as the Night Rave tumbled into the rapids below and dodged an arrow that zoomed past his cheek from the remaining Night Rave still crouched on the opposite side.
"Camille, come on," Theo said, grabbing her hand and half dragging her into the woods behind Jolie.
"I can't go any further," she said once they were hidden by the underbrush. Her legs gave out, and she tumbled to the ground in a mess of blood and sweat.
"Cam! Wait—please! Hold on!" Theo cried, crouching to gather her into his arms. "We're almost there, we're almost to the doctor—" His eyes searched her face, but she didn't move or speak. With shaking hands, he caressed the soft sides of her cheeks, feeling the burning fire raging beneath the surface. Tears welled up in his eyes, but he brushed them away in fierce, sharp swipes.
"I love you, Cam. Dear Ma’Nada, I love you," he sobbed, pulling her limp form against his chest. "I won't let you die, not now! You don't get to leave me this time—do you hear me!"
He gripped her face and kissed her burning lips before a firm determination flooded his system. After lifting her onto Jolie, he climbed up behind her and nudged the mare toward White Wall. "Fly my sweet girl," he cooed in Jolie's ear. "Take us home!"
***
An amber sun rose majestically over the horizon, its gentle glow highlighting the sheen of sweat on Camille's chalk-white face.
Amazingly, the fever seemed to be breaking, but Camille's breathing remained shallow and intermittent. Usually, an Asperian would be howling bloody murder as their body underwent the steps to become a Chimera, but Camille hadn't made a sound.
Just as the sun began its climb across the sky, Theo and Camille crested over the hills of White Wall territory. The vaulted walls of the city cast dark and looming shadows over the ground, the main village zigzagging up the mountainside.
The climb toward the outer wall seemed endless, and Theo felt as though Camille was slipping out of his grasp with every pound of Jolie's hoof against the muddied path. "Hold tight, my love. Almost there."
Despite the darkness of the looming village, White Wall was a place of rebuilding and recovery for anyone suffering from the virus. No one questioned the methods of the old man at the top of the keep; it was with unshakable faith that anyone who was sick or in need of a remedy sought out Langhorn. He was the most knowledgeable doctor in Aspera, and one of the few citizens who remained free of the High King's far-reaching control.
Camille would be in good hands with Langhorn, although Theo was still worried about how long she'd been under. He could tell her body was fiercely fighting the venom, but only Langhorn's assurances would make him feel better.
Jolie's hooves clopped loudly on the white cobblestones of the village square as they entered. Maneuvering Jolie along the twisting streets, he urged her faster with increasing determination. Once they'd reached the tallest tower, Theo slipped from the horse's back and threw the doors open, leading Jolie and Camille straight into the main hall. A group of Rogues were gathered around a table at the far end of the room, equally as blood-soaked and spent as he was..
"Theo, is that you?" a Rogue said, rushing forward with a look of extreme concern as he took in Camille's condition. "Send word for Langhorn—we need to get this girl to the infirmary."
"She's been bitten," Theo said. "We must hurry—"
"I'm here," said an elderly man, approaching from a side entrance. "Where is she?"
Theo cradled her close as he walked over to Langhorn. The old man's piercing stare was bright with intelligence, his eyes a soft, mossy green. Relief flooded Theo's body at the mere sight of the legendary doctor.
The old man didn't ask for an explanation as he traced the edges of Camille's face, his eyes widening and narrowing as he assessed the damage. He took in the greyish pigment of her clammy skin and the garish holes along her arm, chest, and abdomen before motioning for Theo to follow. The old man moved with haste, his long grey and white robe—tied with a silver sash—billowing out behind him like a sail when he walked.
Langhorn moved with purpose, striding swiftly down the maze of hallways and stairs as though he were a leaf floating down a brisk stream. Never second guessing, neve
r careening off the road map stamped in his head. Langhorn knew the caverns, hallways, corners, and crevices of his home like nobody else.
They burrowed deep into the belly of the mountainside, finally arriving at a seemingly old wooden door, reinforced by a thick slab of iron on the other side.
Langhorn went inside and beckoned for Theo to follow. "Put her there, on the examining table."
Theo listened and watched as Langhorn bustled around Camille, scribbling things on a tiny slip of paper as he stripped the blood-soaked clothes from her wounds. He carefully doused the puncture holes with various ointments, before wrapping the open wounds in a thick cushion of bandages.
Camille didn't move an inch during the entire process. Her skin had returned to a nearly-normal, pinkish hue during the cleansing, but she was still extremely dirty and bruised all over.
"She's going to be okay, right?" Theo asked, aching to touch her, to feel the warmth of her skin beneath his fingertips, but he refrained. Not that he cared if Langhorn saw. Theo was worried his ability to maintain control would falter. The wall keeping back his emotions was perilously close to crumbling, and he feared a single touch of her skin would send him down a darkened path of aching guilt and regret.
"Of course; Camille's a strong little bird. It would take more than a few Chimera bites to do her in," Langhorn said brightly, continuing to clean the dozen or so other small cuts she'd sustained on her face and limbs.
The door suddenly burst open behind them, nearly flying off the hinges as Vesyon and Neeko bounded into the room. Langhorn didn't even pause in his cleaning and wrapping, working methodically to address every wound with precision.
"How is she?" Vesyon asked as he moved swiftly to her side.
"Fine, she's just fine," Langhorn said calmly.
Theo watched as Vesyon pulled one of Camille's hands into his grasp, and a small pit of jealousy formed in his belly. He'd seen them touch, hug, and hold each other many times before in moments of extreme emotion and in the comfort of friendship. They were close, he knew that, but still, it irked him. Something about the blazing heat of panic swimming openly across Vesyon's face rang an alarm in Theo's pricked awareness.
