A World Divided

by Rebekah Clipper

  Caitlin laid down next to Oscar, but her mind was too amped for sleep. “Hey, Lesembo?”

  “Hmm?”

  “Could you tell me about how you met my dad?”

  Lesembo sighed but began the heartbreaking story of Shuri, who had once been the love of his life. She was the only other creature like him he’d ever seen. After they had mated, they learned that she was unable to carry viable offspring. In a moment of desperation, she went to the great sorceress Helenab to plead for a spell to allow her to carry her babies to term. Helenab promised her children in return for her undying loyalty and service. Shuri agreed. Soon after she became pregnant and four months after that she gave birth to three healthy cubs. One female and two males. Lesembo had never felt so much joy.

  The next day he hunted so his mate could maintain her strength. When he returned only pieces of his children remained. Shuri’s soul had been claimed and nothing was left of her but a mindless shell. She tried to kill him as well and would have succeeded if she had retained her strategic mind.

  “I saw red for a long time after that, killing anything that came into my territory with impunity,” said Lesembo, his eyes unfocused as the demons of his memory took hold. “Carey decided he would kill me. He was still young, undisciplined. A skinny little thing.” Lesembo laughed softly, but sadness weighted his eyes. “He wanted glory, and slaying the unkillable beast of the mountains would bring him the accolades he so desperately yearned for. When he arrived, I was ready to die. Everything hurt, and I just wanted the pain to stop. I could have easily killed him at that time, but I was so tired.

  “He set a trap for me. I watched him silently as he built it. To his credit, it was an ingenious trap and would easily trick any beast of moderate intelligence. The humans didn’t know what I was. They thought I was just a mindless killing machine. Of course, they were right for the most part. I chose to spring his trap, to let him kill me. I didn’t consider that tiny little thing would bring along wisdom beyond his years. Instead of killing me, he sat out of striking range and just talked. He left me trapped there for months. I don’t know what made him decide not to kill me. It certainly wasn’t my winning personality.

  “Each week he would bring me food and water and continue talking. He talked about all sorts of mundane things; crop growth, tourneys at the castle, beautiful young maidens in town. He would tell me about his training with the military. I watched his muscles grow every time he came to visit. Slowly, as time went by, the anger drained from me. I looked forward to my weekly visits from my fragile human companion.

  “One day he arrived and told me he was going to let me be free. I hadn’t said a single word to him up until that point. ‘Why?’ I asked. ‘Because you are strong, and I need you’ was his response. He told me of the growing unrest in the land and his belief that the sorceress was working to overthrow the governing bodies. I didn’t need any convincing beyond that. He presented a reason to live on a platter.”

  “What was that?” asked Caitlin softly.

  “Revenge, of course,” said Lesembo. “I had to live to avenge my children. To avenge Shuri.” Lesembo stopped talking, and Caitlin didn’t push him. After a few minutes, he said, “My anger did not retreat entirely during my confinement. I was a difficult beast to be around. If it hadn’t been for your father, and Milufan, I wouldn’t be here now. I don’t want to go into detail. All I’ll say is that I thought Shuri had finally found peace until I saw her yesterday. Knowing that was the only thing that has helped me to heal these last several decades, but apparently I was only fooling myself.”

  Caitlin had silent tears in her eyes. She walked over to him and placed a hand on the bony carapace crowning his head. “I am so sorry,” she said and carefully hugged him around the neck. He relaxed his head on her shoulder.

  “Thank you, daughter of Carey. Seeing you gives me hope we can destroy this new evil and finally give my mate the rest she so desperately deserves.”

  Caitlin laid back down and fell into a restless slumber filled with images of death and pain.

  In the morning a noise pulled Caitlin from her nightmares. Oscar stood up and stretched each limb individually. He walked over to the spring and took a long drink. Finally, with his thirst quenched, he walked over to Caitlin and Lesembo. He snorted at the wolf beast and gave Caitlin a sloppy lick on the cheek. He was moving stiffly, but the light that had been lacking reappeared in his eyes.

  “I’m glad you’re feeling better, my friend,” said Caitlin as she scratched between his antlers. Oscar let out a happy honk and licked her again. “Now that Oscar’s moving, we need to come up with a plan. I have to get to my daughter. Is there any way you can take me to the troggles? I hate abandoning Esme, but I’ve been separated from Elise for too long.”

  “Lesss-eeemboo,” a voice whispered, reverberating off the walls of the cave.

  “It’s Shuri.” Lesembo pushed his way between Caitlin and the entrance.

  “Bring me the girl, Lesembo,” the slurred voice crooned. “Come to me, my love.”

  “You cannot enter, Shuri.” Lesembo’s deep bass voice vibrated in Caitlin’s chest. “This cave is a sanctuary from your kind. Be gone!”

  Caitlin covered her ears as the beast darkening the cave entrance released a shrill, enraged cry. “The girl. Bring me the girl. The master requires her.”

  “I will bring you nothing,” Lesembo responded with a growl.

  “The baby. We have the baby,” said Shuri.

  At first Caitlin was confused. She thought Shuri was speaking of her own children with Lesembo. Suddenly, it clicked. “Elise?” she cried out.

  “Yesssss, the baby. Come girl. The master requires you. Come for your baby.”

  Caitlin started moving toward her, but both Lesembo and Oscar blocked her way. “No,” said Lesembo. “It’s a trick. You cannot go with her.”

  “How do I know you have her?” Caitlin asked.

  “Water. Look at the water,” the florean responded.

  Caitlin pushed herself away from the beasts and walked to the still pool at the back of the cave. The water churned slowly, increasing its flow until the center sucked down into a cyclone. A blurry image appeared and cleared with each rotation of the liquid. Finally, she was able to make out the figures. Her daughter sat on a throne. Behind her stood a slightly older girl with long black hair and one eye covered by a glowing eyepatch. Caitlin recognized the mismatched stone walls from the vision she’d had the night her arm had been cut.

  Elise didn’t look scared. She had her chin raised in defiance. Caitlin had seen that look before. Elise would plaster it on her face when someone told her to do something she didn’t want to do. The young girl appeared to speak, but Caitlin couldn’t hear the words. She waited a long moment, possibly listening to someone out of view and then spoke again. The girl behind her stepped away and a man walked up next to her daughter. He turned his head enough for Caitlin to make out his features.

  Recognition took hold. Caitlin’s heart threatened to burst from her chest. His nose was whole, lacking the previous scar tissue, and his visible eye was clearly blue. Even so, Caitlin would know Dave’s profile anywhere. It had been burned into her subconscious the night Arthur kidnapped her. His brown hair hung past his shoulders and was pulled into a ponytail. His back was covered with a long, black cloak, and he was standing inches away from her baby girl. He said some words to the girl and turned toward Caitlin with a stunning smile on his face.

  “Tell me this isn’t real.” Caitlin stared at the image of her daughter.

  “I can’t,” replied Lesembo.

  “I have to go.” Caitlin’s stomach clenched, and her chest hurt. “I have to get to my little girl.”

  “That’s exactly what he wants you to do.”

  “I don’t give a damn!” Caitlin turned and looked directly into the eyes of her companion. “She’s my daughter. She needs me. I’m going to her, and you won’t stop me.”

  “Then I am coming with you,” said Lese
mbo. “I refuse to leave you alone with evil.”

  “Nooo, love,” Shuri said from the entranceway. “Girllll. Only girl.”

  Caitlin lowered her voice. “Find Esmeralda. Tell her exactly what happened and that I’m headed to Helenab’s castle. I’ll be okay.” She turned to Oscar. He lowered his head and let out a mournful moan. “Don’t be sad, Oscar. I’ll see you again soon.” She wrapped her arms around his neck. “You are a good, strong boy. I’m so happy we got to meet again after all of these years.”

  “Are you sure?” asked Lesembo.

  “She’s my daughter. If you had a chance to be with your cubs, wouldn’t you take it?”

  “Without a moment’s hesitation,” said Lesembo. “Stay safe, daughter of Carey. We will be reunited soon.”

  Caitlin patted Oscar once more and made her way to the entrance of the cave. The light of the sun was blinding, and it took her eyes a moment to adjust. Shuri sat silently watching her with dead eyes. “I’m ready,” Caitlin said.

  Lights floated around Shuri holding something solid between their tiny bodies. “Drink,” the florean said. Caitlin reached a hand up and pulled a canteen from the lights. Before she could talk herself out of it, she placed it to her lips and took a long swig. The liquid was slightly warm and had a surprisingly fruity flavor. It bubbled on her tongue, and she could feel it spreading throughout her body. As the warmth reached her toes the world spun around her. Colors swirled past her in no discernable pattern. Nausea rose in the back of her throat, and just as she was ready to give into it, the world stopped turning.

  She stood in the lavender room. Panic engulfed her. A scream worked its way to her lips, but she bit it back. You are powerful, dammit! It’s just a room. You don’t cower. Her mind was making a compelling argument. She grabbed onto it and slowly the panic subsided. Turning, she took in the view of the whole room. It looked exactly as it had that night so many months before. Fresh cut flowers adorned the nightstand. It was the exact arrangement she’d made for Arthur.

  “Enough bull-shit,” she said to no one. “Show me my daughter, you bastard.”

  There was no response. She walked to the window. Instead of a new housing development, outside lay rolling waves of green. She was on the side of a mountain high off the ground. Below her, a tall rock wall climbed up. A tower to her right connected two walls. She couldn’t see another one to her left, but she knew it had to be there. She was in Helenab’s castle, after all, and all castles needed defense. Within the wall, strange creatures patrolled. They were too far down to make out clearly.

  She turned away and walked to the simple door. The knob turned for her, depositing her in a large hallway with red and silver carpeting. It all looked exactly as it had in her dream. Slowly, she walked forward until she found the wall hanging of the mighty battle. She looked at it closely, tracing Lesembo’s figure with her finger. The image took on a new light, now that she knew its history. Helenab’s visage made her blood boil. She wished the sorceress was there now, so she could light her on fire. Dave would have to do.

  “Elise? Elise. Where are you, honey?” she called out.

  A slight scuttling sound caught her attention. She turned but saw no one. “Elise?” Caitlin said again. Silence.

  Scritch….

  Scriiitch…

  Scriiiiitch!

  Caitlin looked up. Her feet were moving before she could process what she saw. Just behind her a large crystalline chandelier crashed to the ground. Projectiles exploded from the deafening crash site. One piece hit her shoulder, giving her a sharp reminder of the injury Shuri had inflicted with the water. “Ow!” she yelled out. The scream had more to do with shock than actual pain. An eerie, high-pitched laugh echoed from the tall ceiling.

  Caitlin scanned the hallway but saw no one. Suddenly, she was shoved from behind. She fell forward onto her hands and knees and flipped around as quickly as she could. The red rug and wall hangings were all that greeted her. Someone grabbed her braid hard, dragging her to the chandelier’s remains. An hysterical giggle bubbled up directly to her left. Gooseflesh erupted on Caitlin’s arms.

  Her hand found a long, solid wood pole that had been attached to the hanging light. She jumped up and swung it like a bat in the direction she’d heard the laugh. She was so surprised when she hit a solid object that she dropped the pole. “Oof,” said the air. “Naughty, naughty.” Caitlin watched as her fallen weapon floated up into the air. “Such a primitive weapon. You can do better than that.” The voice was masculine sounding, with an odd lilting that made Caitlin uncomfortable. Or maybe it was the fact that an invisible man was talking to her in the first place. She decided it was a little bit of both.

  “It’s hard to pick a good weapon when I can’t see who I’m fighting,” she responded.

  “Awww, poor girl needs some help,” said the voice.

  Caitlin reached within herself, finding the magical vibrations.

  “But should Essecks oblige?”

  Caitlin built the magic on itself, tension tightening her belly. She watched the pole move as if someone paced across the floor, up the wall, across the ceiling, and down the other wall.

  “Essecks doesn’t like helping much. Essecks likes hurting.” The stick stopped several feet above her head.

  The power was trying to rip from her. Caitlin mentally forced it to her fingertips. They buzzed and tingled, heated by the fire that burned inside of her. She pointed her hands up and let the power fly. A white light burst from her fingers. Caitlin screamed in delight as the magic drained from her with such quickness.

  On the ceiling, a creature flashed into being. Caitlin got a quick glance at a thick body with six legs before the whole thing disintegrated into a black pile of ash that snowed down to the floor. “Wahoo!” she shouted as the remaining adrenaline worked its way from her body. “Take that, you ugly bastard! Essecks doesn’t have shit on me.” She stood up and did a small victory jig. “See, Dave! Your stupid monsters don’t scare me. Now give me MY DAUGHTER!”

  “You are being awfully rude,” said the voice directly behind her. Caitlin jumped as hands wrapped around her biceps. “You broke my favorite toy. Now what will Essecks play with?” The muscular hands lifted her up into the air.

  Panic broke free, finding purchase where her adrenaline had fled. Caitlin desperately searched for the magical vibrations within herself but found nothing. She had spent everything on the last attack.

  Her body was forcefully pressed up against a wall. “Essecks could play with you,” said the voice so close to her left ear his hot breath caressed her skin. “You smell good. I bet you taste delicious.” Laughter reminiscent of a hyena bubbled up from her captor’s throat. He cut it off abruptly. He ran his snout along her neck, inhaling deeply. It was dry and cold. His tongue darted out against her skin. She struggled, and he pulled her into his body more tightly. “Yes, please,” Essecks whispered. “Essecks likes it when you try to run.”

  Suddenly, Caitlin was back in the lavender room. Arthur was on top of her, holding her down. Hitting her. Screaming at her. Telling her he loved her. Giving her the scar on her hip that never disappeared.

  Rage boiled inside of her. Deep, primordial anger born from agony and pain. “NO!” she yelled. Heat erupted around her core, and the creature holding her shrieked, dropping her arms. She looked down and saw bright white runes glowing on her belt, her father’s belt. Light flowed from it, encapsulating her body in a translucent mist. It was like walking next to a fan with warm water blowing through it. The mist melded with her skin.

  She turned on Essecks. The top half of his body was held erect by long serpentine coils. He had a face reminiscent of a chameleon, with a stunted snout. His eyes glowed amber. Small wings protruded from his back, corded and covered in scales. His arms were disturbingly human, with green and turquoise scales the only differentiation.

  Essecks hissed at her. Long fangs sprang from the top of his jaw. Liquid dripped from their tips. He lunged for her. Caitlin jumped to the
right, executing a roll she hadn’t even attempted since she was a teenager. Essecks turned sharply and continued his assault. He struck with preternatural speed. Caitlin threw her arm in front of her face. She felt the pressure of the creature’s fangs on her forearm. The mist intensified and Essecks shrieked in pain.

  Caitlin glanced at her arm. Two tiny imprints marked where the beast had struck. There was no blood, and the liquid from his fangs slid off without touching her skin. Essecks hissed again, venting his frustration. He whipped his long tail out at her, knocking her off her feet. Caitlin hit the floor with enough force to expel all of her breath. Before she was able to breathe again Essecks’ tail came down hard on top of her. It was heavy!

  “Essecks will drink the marrow from your bones,” he said, bringing his face close to hers. “Essecks will bathe in your blood and wear your skin as a suit. The mighty Essecks will consume your soul.”

  Caitlin reached her hands behind her head trying to find something, anything to help. Fear and anger set her nerve endings ablaze. Her entire body vibrated with adrenaline. Suddenly, her fingers brushed against something cold and hard. She latched onto it and used all the force she could muster to smash it against his head. Pottery shards exploded. Caitlin felt the crushing weight on her chest ease as the creature fell back.

  She jumped to her feet and sprinted down the hallway to an open door on the left. As soon as she passed through the entrance, she slammed the door behind her and pulled the locking mechanism into place. Her breathing was ragged. For a moment, it was the only thing she could hear aside from the pounding of her own heart. Thunk… thunk… thunk… The door creaked from the impacts on the opposite side. Essecks hit it with so much force the wood splintered.

  Frantically, Caitlin searched the room for an escape. It appeared to be an oversized broom closet. A tiny window near the ceiling provided the only source of light. She was trapped, and that thing would break through at any minute. Caitlin closed her eyes and deliberately calmed her breathing; the way Henry would have her breathe when she was in the throes of a panic attack. She felt the buzzing of magic. It was so faint she wasn’t sure if it was just her imagination. The pounding increased in intensity. Painfully, she pulled the magic to her core. It was a miniscule amount, but it would have to do.