by David Webb
The creature pounced into the air directly at the two girls, and Aniya shut her eyes tight.
19
After a few seconds, Aniya opened her eyes again to see the creature pinned to the ground by Tamisra’s surprisingly strong arms. One of the girl’s hands clutched a large collar around the animal’s neck. Still catching her breath, she looked up and spotted several bobbing torches further down the tunnel.
“Who left a cage open?” Tamisra shouted down the tunnel. She was struggling, and Aniya slowly backed away, knowing even this fierce girl couldn’t hold the monstrous creature for long.
The beast was huge, much larger than any Aniya had ever seen, but she recognized what it was. She gaped in wonder. “Salvador wasn’t exaggerating about the moles.”
Tamisra laughed as the mole underneath her squeaked and bucked in frustration. “This is just a little one. His mother made for a good dinner, and this one will make for a good mount.”
Two boys about Aniya’s age appeared from the shadows and took the mole from Tamisra, attaching two ropes to its collar. While Salvador’s daughter had been able to hold the creature down herself with some effort, it took both boys to steady the mole in place.
“Sorry, Tami,” one of the boys said. He looked back to the men gathered behind. “One of the trainers didn’t secure its cage properly, and you know this one will get out the first chance it gets.”
“It’s a he, Xander, and his name is Brisket.” Tamisra folded her arms. “And maybe he’d behave better if you treated him with respect.”
The other boy smirked. “He bucked you clear across the arena yesterday. Respect hasn’t gotten you very far.”
“We’ll see about that, Malcolm. There’s always today.”
Aniya gaped. “You ride these things?”
She received a sharp elbow in her side from Tamisra. “Things?”
“Who’s this?” Xander turned toward Aniya.
Tamisra put an arm around her. “This is Aniya, our newest rider.”
“Oh, no,” Aniya said, distancing herself from the creature. “I’m not getting on one of those things.”
Another jab from Tamisra.
“You look like you just came in from the sectors,” Xander said. “You’re definitely in for quite a ride.”
“Doubt it,” Malcolm said. His cold eyes narrowed as he gave Aniya a once-over. “The city girl won’t last five seconds.”
“I don’t think you’ve made it five seconds on Brisket yet, Malcolm,” Xander said, nudging his brother with an elbow. “I’ll bet you a half-ration that she can make it longer than you.”
“You’re on.”
Xander handed the rope in his hands to a man behind him and shook Aniya’s hand. “I’m happy to meet the girl who’s going to best my brother. It’s good that he’s put in his place every now and then.”
“We’ll see,” Malcolm scoffed.
Tamisra grabbed Aniya’s other hand and pulled her along. “Come on!”
The trainers took the mole from Malcolm, and the group continued down the tunnel and came to another cavern, this one nowhere near as large as Refuge’s main camp, but still quite sizable.
“This is what we call our stable,” Tamisra said, her hands on her hips.
In the middle of the cavern was a large, roped-in area. Along the walls of the cavern were several metal cages, and in the glow of the torchlight, Aniya could make out the glowing eyes of animals contained in each one.
“You’ll need this.”
Aniya turned to see Xander presenting her with a torch.
“If they’re not too angry, the moles are attracted to the light,” he said. “Ironic, really, considering they like to burrow into the ground.”
Tamisra took her own torch and waved it slowly in front of the mole she called Brisket. The animal quieted down and stared into the light, its nose following the flame as it wavered and flickered. “We think it’s part of the mutation. It seems to almost hypnotize them.”
With that, she vaulted onto the animal and grabbed the back of its neck. She placed her hands on her hips triumphantly.
“See? Just like that.”
The mole, however, seemed to wake up from its trance and began to stir. Sensing the load on its back, it began to thrash, launching Tamisra into the air and several feet away, where she landed with a moan.
Malcolm laughed scornfully as he grabbed the ropes and waved another torch in front of Brisket, calming the creature down again. “Just like that, huh? I don’t think this one can be tamed.”
“Let me try.”
Aniya turned to see Roland leaning up against the wall of the cavern next to Salvador and another man.
“How long have you been here, cutie?” Tamisra jumped to her feet and smiled.
Roland seemed to ignore the term of endearment. “Long enough to see you fall on your face.”
Tamisra’s smile grew larger. “Feisty, aren’t you?”
As Roland approached Brisket, Xander placed a hand on his shoulder. “I wouldn’t recommend starting on this one. We just brought him in a few days ago. Hasn’t had any training yet.”
“Neither have I,” he said. “Should be fun.”
Roland took the torch from Aniya but stopped as she placed a hand on his arm.
“Where have you been?”
He looked at her with a gaze she could not interpret. “Later.”
“Careful, pet,” Tamisra said. “I don’t want Brisket to hurt you before I’ve had my way with you.”
Aniya rolled her eyes. Just when she was starting to like her.
Malcolm glared at Roland. “So, you’re Tami’s new plaything?”
“You had your chance,” Tamisra said, waving her hand dismissively.
Roland waved the torch in front of Brisket’s eyes slowly, and the creature drooped its head, bobbing in time with the torch. With considerably less agility, he grabbed the mole’s neck and jumped on its back.
The instant Roland landed, the creature’s eyes flew open, and it bucked again, sending Roland tumbling into the dirt not far from Tamisra’s landing place.
It bucked again and rammed Xander’s chest with its snout, sending him tumbling to the ground.
The mole was now free, and it snarled at the rest of the trainers that began to approach, keeping them at bay. It growled louder and hissed, and even Tamisra’s eyes widened as she pulled Roland away from the agitated creature.
Meanwhile, the man standing next to Salvador had burst into action, and he strode toward the arena, shouting at the trainers. “Tie it down, men. It can’t overpower all of us together.”
“Yes, Lieutenant!” One of the trainers tossed a rope toward the mole, and a noose settled around its neck.
The man known as the lieutenant turned to the other trainers. “Not one at a time. All together!”
But it was too late. Brisket spun around and charged, tackling the rope-wielder and biting into his neck.
Over the trainer’s screams, Aniya heard the lieutenant shout, “Bring it down!”
“No!” Tamisra shrieked. She lunged forward and knocked a gun from the lieutenant’s hands.
The trainer next to Aniya launched a spear toward the mole, driving the tip into Brisket’s side. The mole shrieked, its agonizing cries echoing throughout the cavern. It turned and charged again, this time directly toward Aniya.
As the beast bore down on her, Aniya found herself rooted to the ground in terror. As a desperate last resort, she held up her hand in front of her face and closed her eyes, preparing for the worst.
But it never came.
The mole’s footsteps slowed, and it came to a halt inches from her hand.
After a second, Aniya opened her eyes slowly to see the mole staring back at her, its eyes wide. Her every instinct told her to pull her hand back before it was bitten off, but she found herself stretching out her hand, gently laying a finger on the tip of the mole’s snout.
Brisket sniffed her finger, then withdrew sharply. Afte
r a moment, it cocked its head, then pushed its nose forward again, placing its snout into Aniya’s hand again.
Slowly, Aniya stood up, carefully stroking the mole. She removed the noose from around its neck and tossed it to the ground. Then, as her left hand massaged its nose, her right explored the mole’s body, caressing its head and neck. As her hand reached its back, the mole whined and flinched, and the spear in its side quivered.
Keeping one hand on its nose, Aniya held her breath and wrapped her hand around the spear’s base.
“I wouldn’t do that if I were you,” a voice came from behind Aniya, and she turned to see the man who had been shouting orders.
“Lieutenant Haskill is right,” Malcolm said. “You’re just going to enrage it.”
Aniya ignored them and pulled the spear out quickly, wincing as Brisket shrieked again. The mole swayed as blood trickled from its side. She stroked the animal and examined the wound. It didn’t seem very damaging. Just deep enough to hurt.
“They’re quite resilient creatures.”
Aniya turned to see Tamisra, the only one bold enough to join her side.
“The larger ones have even thicker skin, almost like armor. He probably doesn’t even feel it now that the spear is out.” A spark lit up Tamisra’s eyes as she nudged Aniya. “Want to go for a ride?”
“I don’t think he’d let me.”
“For some reason, he likes you more than any of us. If anyone has a chance of staying on, it’s you.”
Aniya looked at Brisket again. Sure enough, the mole seemed docile now, even uttering a low, peaceful sound that was quite unlike a growl. She grabbed its neck, and it seemed to crouch to the ground slightly, as if inviting her up. Without giving herself or the animal a chance to change their minds, Aniya leapt onto its back and steadied herself as the mole raised up to its normal height again.
“Okay, I was just saying that,” Tamisra said, her eyes wide. “I didn’t really think it’d be that easy.”
Xander approached and handed her the two ropes. “Here. Use these to direct its movement, pull to stop, and whip up and down to make it go faster.”
Aniya took the ropes hesitantly. “Can you repeat that?”
“You’ll figure it out,” Tamisra said before Xander could respond. With that, she smacked the mole on its hindquarters, and it reared slightly before dashing forward.
Aniya was unprepared for the start, and she almost fell off immediately, but she managed to hold on to Brisket’s neck with one hand. After a few seconds, she pulled herself back up to a seated position as they took off down a tunnel.
Brisket’s body shook back and forth with every pump of his legs, and Aniya had to continually pull on the ropes in a desperate attempt to keep from falling. Maintaining her balance proved harder than Aniya imagined, and she was sure she would fall off at any second as the mole ran faster and faster.
The torches on the wall flew by, and as Aniya grew more accustomed to the creature’s movements beneath her, her only concern was the very real possibility of getting lost in the labyrinth of tunnels that ran throughout the Web.
So before Brisket had a chance to turn down another fork in the tunnels and disorient Aniya for good, she pulled the reins backward gently, slowing her mount. She then pulled the right rope only, directing Brisket to turn around in the tunnel and go back the way they had come.
Within a few minutes, Aniya was back inside the cavern, greeted by several applauding trainers. Tamisra jumped up and down gleefully, clapping her hands. Malcolm stood next to her, folding his arms while Xander elbowed him in the side and grinned. Lieutenant Haskill gave her a nod of approval. Only the trainer that Brisket had bitten seemed to be in a sour mood, and he glared at the mole as another trainer bandaged his neck.
Aniya dismounted and handed the ropes to Xander and Malcolm, who guided Brisket into one of the cages by the wall, but not before the mole nuzzled Aniya’s cheek in farewell.
“You did it!” Tamisra slapped Aniya’s back, making her stumble forward. “I’m glad we decided not to kill you after all.”
Roland approached and stuck a tongue out at her. “Show off.” He hugged her, whispering in her ear. “I thought that thing was going to kill you.”
Aniya smiled and hugged him back. “You worry too much.”
“Hey now, hands off my pet!” Tamisra pulled Roland away and wrapped an arm around his neck as she smiled at Aniya. “I hope you had fun, but you two need to get some rest if you still plan on leaving tomorrow.”
Aniya had forgotten for a moment that their stay in Refuge would be a short one.
“Well done, young one.”
The trio turned to see Salvador, who had approached them silently.
“Few of our riders have such natural talent. I daresay you may even rival my daughter.”
“I wouldn’t go that far,” Tamisra said, elbowing Aniya for the third time.
“Then you do not give her much credit, Tami.” Salvador approached and placed a hand on Aniya’s shoulder. “Your father would be proud, Annelise.”
Words caught in Aniya’s throat as her eyes grew wet.
“She likes ‘Aniya,’ Father.” Tamisra spoke up after a moment of silence with a forced laugh.
Salvador kept his eyes on Aniya. “I like her given name better. It suits her.”
Before the following silence could stretch on once more, Tamisra piped up again. “Well, we need to get going and let them get some rest.” She tugged on Aniya’s hand and led her away from Salvador.
With one last look at Brisket, then Salvador, Aniya followed Roland and Tamisra back to the main camp.
When they approached the central building, Tamisra gave them back their rucksacks. “There’s two cots on the fourth floor where my father sleeps. Take those, get some rest, and I’ll take you to Ravelta as soon as you wake up.”
“Ravelta?”
Tamisra nodded toward Roland. “He’ll fill you in.”
Aniya and Roland made their way upstairs, set their rucksacks aside, and made themselves comfortable on the two cots.
After several moments of silence, Aniya rolled over to face Roland. “You haven’t said anything in a while. What’s up?”
Roland shook his head. “Nothing. Just thinking about the way ahead. We still have to make it through Ravelta somehow, the sector right next to the Hub. Whatever tunnels that may have once led to the Hub have been too well covered by the Lightbringers, according to Salvador. We’re not getting in there through the back door.”
“Tamisra said the same thing,” Aniya said. “Does he have any ideas for getting into the Hub itself?”
“He said he’d explain in person before we leave.”
“What did he want to talk to you about?”
“Plenty.”
“Like?”
“Like how much we need to get rest for a long trip ahead. We’ll talk tomorrow, okay? We’ll have plenty of time with nothing else to do but walk.”
Aniya frowned as Roland blew out the candle, but she rolled over and eventually gave herself over to sleep.
The night passed uneventfully, and they woke up a few hours later, silently gathered their things, and made their way downstairs.
“Finally!”
Tamisra stood up from the table, where Corrin remained sitting. He glanced at Aniya, then quickly looked away as Tamisra continued.
“You know you slept for fourteen hours?”
Aniya wasn’t surprised. After her last few days, she could have slept longer.
“Come on,” Tamisra said. “My father is waiting for us.”
They stepped out into the camp but halted as a loud bell sounded from somewhere in the cave.
Tamisra’s eyes flew wide open, and she took off running.
Aniya and Roland followed until they stood near the entrance of another tunnel, where Salvador stood waiting.
“What is it?” Tamisra asked, breathing heavily.
“The Ravelta tunnel,” Salvador said. “It could be a mol
e. Could be the Silver Guard. But our tripwires in the main tunnels usually go undisturbed. The moles have adapted to our ways, and the Silver Guard have learned their lesson. We have sent out a few scouts, but I think I already know the answer.”
Aniya knew as well, but she asked anyway. “What is it?”
“The only thing that’s changed is your presence. The Lightbringers know that the fastest way to the Hub is through Ravelta.” Salvador narrowed his eyes. “Annelise, they are coming for you.”
20
Aniya walked down the tunnel with a silence brought on not just by the impending danger, but also by her guilt.
As she walked with Roland, both of them surrounded by two dozen men, she hung her head in shame. After incredible loss, Refuge had learned to thrive again, at least as much as they could in the irradiated caves. Salvador had built a city where people could live free of the threat of the Lightbringers.
And she had brought an army to their front door.
As if he sensed her shame, Roland clutched her right hand. She slipped away, feeling undeserving of his touch.
“Don’t feel too bad,” Tamisra said, walking on her other side.
Am I that transparent?
“It’s been a long time since I got my hands on one of those shiny spooks,” Tamisra said. “It’s about time for a fight.”
Malcolm spoke up from behind. “Please. Giggling at them during the trial doesn’t count as fighting one of them. And trust me, it’s a lot different from sparring with us in the arena.”
“Clearly you haven’t wrestled with Tamisra since you broke up,” Xander said. “She’s tough when she’s not going easy on you.”
“We can settle that when we get back,” Malcolm muttered.
“Silence, boys,” Corrin said from directly in front of Aniya.
Xander bowed his head. “Sorry, Father.”
The plan had changed. Rather than going to Ravelta, they would be going to Basradur, its neighboring sector. It was still close to the Hub, but not the first place the Lightbringers would suspect her.
