by J. A. Comley
His brisk pace took him past a small alcove. He didn't notice the figures hiding inside.
“Quickly,” a shrill voice whispered to her companion, “We must find my fiancée.”
Both figures darted out of the shadows, heading for the lit stalls.
Starla sighed contentedly, sitting down at the edge of the pond. She felt giddy. The hope and determination that had filled Larkel swelled her heart. She knew he would hurry. The passing fear in his eyes was troubling, however. She tried to steel herself for the reactions of the General and King.
“A Soreiaphin,” she said to herself, then shook her head.
Thoughts of sacrifice filled her mind. How would she cope if she had to give up her sight? Or the ability to walk?
Or death? She skittered away from the thought. That possibility chilled her blood. Her previous terror of death seemed only to have grown as her love for Larkel had grown. Nothing would be worse than having to leave him, to cause him that kind of pain.
While she was thinking, a trembling ball of grey fur materialised out of thin air.
“Biki!” Starla choked, jumping to her feet, one hand over her heart.
“Oh Starla! Oh I found you!” Biki said, her voice sounding a little off. “Please, help me, it's an emergency.”
Starla watched Biki, still trembling, her brown eye darting around nervously. She looked terrified.
“Biki, it's okay. Tell me what happened,” Starla said soothingly, reaching out to pat the creature's head.
Biki jerked backwards, out of reach, her big eye locked on Starla now.
“It's awful!” She began to sob. “Gaby was trying to foil grobbler traps in case you came to the Wood to find her. They want to catch you. But … oh, Starla, she's been caught! They have her and Flek and Heny, too. But I turned invisible and they didn't find me. I didn't know what else to do, so I came to find you.”
Starla felt a pang of sympathy for the little creature. With the other Guardians off planet, Biki had come to find her. And then a wave of guilt hit her. Gaby had been captured because of her.
“Don't worry, Biki, we'll get them back. I will talk to the High Lord as soon as he comes back and—”
“No!” squealed Biki.
“He's not our enemy. I promise you, we can trust him,” Starla said, realising that Biki must share the Sacrileons' fear and mistrust.
“There's no time to wait, Starla!” Biki cried, clearly hysterical and in a huge hurry. “They're going to kill them. Tonight! When the moons hit their apex. I heard them say it before I fled. They're quite some way north.”
Starla stared up at the sky. Maybe two hours to midnight. She looked at Biki, then down the path Larkel had taken.
No time.
Starla came to a decision. Flipping open the bird book to a page for notes, she picked up her lightning fern pen from where she had dropped it when Biki appeared.
She signed off the little note, then carefully removed her bracelet and laid it in the book like a bookmark. Placing the book carefully on the side of the pond, she straightened.
With one last look down the path, she turned to Biki.
“Lead the way.” Her friends needed her. They were in trouble because of her and she would not abandon them.
Looking relieved, Biki turned and led Starla on a convoluted route through the gardens past a few empty manor houses until they reached an area of the Imperial Wall near a darkened, three-story manor.
“Biki, how will we get there in time?”
“It's okay. I can get us close.”
Starla felt a strange tug around her naval then blinked in surprise at finding herself on the edge of Rainbow Wood.
“How—” Starla began, but Biki had already taken off into the softly glowing trees.
Unease clenched Starla's stomach. She thought of turning back, of waiting for Larkel.
If Gaby dies because of me I will never forgive myself, Starla thought.
How Biki had brought them here didn't really matter.
Starla followed, pushing the question from her mind. She had to concentrate, now. She wasn't sure what she could achieve, but she had to try. She would try to keep alert, in case her instincts proved correct. Hopefully, Larkel would find her note and be following close behind.
***
The Baron had hissed in delight when his idiot of a fiancée had told him of her discovery. Now, he was running full-tilt towards the little secluded spot Larkel had left the woman in, alone.
I must get there first, he thought, his breath coming in deep puffs. The Master will be—
His train of thought broke off as he barrelled headlong into the empty enclosure.
Glancing around, he cursed Vinaria under his breath for giving him the wrong directions. She would pay for her mistake.
A glint of reflected light drew his attention to the little pond just as he was about to leave. A book was resting on its rim, something gold sticking out of the pages near the back.
He strode forward and scooped the book up. He smirked as he flipped the book open to the marked page. Starla had been given this bracelet by Larkel this very evening.
He turned his eyes to the hastily written message, each letter glowing brightly in the dark.
Larkel, my love, I am sorry to have to leave like this. Biki was here. She said that Gaby and some other creatures have been captured by grobblers, who intend to kill them tonight, when the moons hit their apex. They're there because of me. I don't know what I can do, but I have to go and help. You told me a while ago that you could track people by following their aura markings. Please follow mine and come and help, quickly.
Sorry for not waiting.
All my love, forever,
Starla
“How sweet,” the Baron said, a cruel laugh sliding out between his teeth. He ripped the page out and shoved the book into a pocket in his cloak.
“If she is in the forest, I will have her soon,” he muttered, shredding the note and tossing the pieces into the water, where the lightning fern ink reacted with the water, sizzling the paper into nothing. Footsteps drew his attention away from the three scraps that missed the water and floated down to a stop in the deep shadows beside the pond.
Pocketing the bracelet, he prepared to hide.
“My Lord?” came Vinaria's shrill whisper.
“I am here,” he said as she entered the little space, Yilia and Deled following close behind. He addressed them all. “Things are going better than planned. The girl has run into the forest on some fool's errand. Vinaria, alert the magmus. Deled, find Captain Trent, tell him to ready our allies.” He turned to Yilia, a grin spreading over his face. “You, start spreading panic. I think it is time our citizens learned a few secrets the King has been keeping.”
“And you?” Vinaria asked, her voice hurting his ears.
“I will alert Makhi Ditte. Our final stage begins tonight. Once I have finished and the King is turned against Larkel, I will meet with the Master. Be alert for your own summons.” With that, he turned his back on them and pushed his way past the snagging bushes towards the Makhi Tower.
The others followed his example and avoided the paths, disappearing like ghosts into the shadows.
Chapter 13
Grobblers and Spies
Biki moved swiftly through the trees and Starla fell behind as her dress got snagged on hidden bushes. She had kicked off her high-heeled shoes almost as soon as she entered the Wood, sending a silent sorry to Naleiya, from whom she had borrowed them.
“Biki! Slow down!” Starla called, although she dared not raise her voice above a whisper, fearing that the grobblers might be close. Surprise seemed to be her best offence at the moment.
“What's our plan, anyway?” she asked, stumbling over a rock, all but invisible in the softly-glowing wood. It probably didn't help that she kept looking over her shoulder, hoping to see Larkel running up to help her.
“Sorry,” Biki said, her voice still strained, not slowing down. “Don't worry
, I have it all figured out. It'll be easier to explain if I can show you the camp, first. Just a little farther.”
Starla shook her head, feeling uneasy about this but decided to concentrate on keeping her footing. If they weren't far out, then she had to avoid noises, like snapping branches and loose rocks. Her feelings of unease grew as she looked up and saw Biki disappear into the leaves above.
“Biki!” she whispered as loudly as she dared. Her stomach churned with tension. She shivered again. The air here was much colder than in the City. Starla had felt the change as soon as she had passed through the Outer Wall.
How far north are we?
She took a deep breath, meaning to call a little louder, when a low, menacing growling filled the night air.
Starla stopped dead, terror freezing her limbs a moment before adrenaline set her body alight. She revolved slowly on the spot, squinting into the deep shadows between the lightly shimmering trees. Something was wrong. Very wrong.
Without warning, nets and chains came flying out of the shadows, seemingly from everywhere at once. Struggling in vain, Starla collapsed under the weight of the nets and dragging chains, still looking for her captors.
A strange little creature about the size of a young child emerged from the surrounding gloom. Slightly larger ones followed, though all were diminutive. Their scaled bodies glinted oddly as they passed by the glowing trees, their yellow, clawed hands held fast the chains and nets that kept Starla down.
Biki swooped down out of the trees and landed in front of what Starla assumed were grobblers. Their extra-long canines reflected the light as they snarled at Biki.
“No! Biki, fly away! Get Larkel!” Starla shrieked, as the little creature turned calmly to face her.
Biki smiled and two long canines glinted against her fur. Starla's eyes widened in horror as Biki began to melt away, revealing the grobbler within.
Starla stared, frozen with shock. This had all been a set-up, a trap. Her head spun at the thought of the consequences that she now faced.
Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt as the grobbler who had led her here hit her over the head with a small club.
***
Groaning, Starla opened her eyes. The world was on its side, the glowing trees making horizontal lines. Sighing, Starla rolled into sitting position and tried to raise her hand to rub the tender spot that throbbed fitfully just above her right temple, but found her hands chained to the floor of the cage she was in.
Remembering how easily the grobblers had managed to trick and capture her, she felt sick. How could she have been so stupid! A low moan drew her attention. Slowly, she looked around to her left and gasped.
“Gaby!” The Sacrileon was also chained to the floor, but her chains glowed blue.
So it wasn't all a lie. No wonder the fake Biki had sounded so sincere, so easy to believe.
“I knew you couldn't be trusted. You've doomed us all,” Gaby said, as Starla reached out to her. Her voice was harsh, raw. Her eyes, tortured, violet circles, locked on to the Star as it slid out from Starla's cleavage when she bent towards Gaby.
Starla flinched back from the hate-laden words. “I only came here because a grobbler pretending to be Biki said you had been captured. I couldn't just leave you.” Her words came out layered in pain. She tucked the Star away.
“Look,” a grobbler grunted in his guttural voice, “our latest catch is awake. Shall we send for the magmus?”
“Not yet. We need to be sure that she is the girl in the picture, as ordered, or the Master will be angry,” replied another grobbler in a commanding voice. “Do as I say!” he yelled when the others didn't move.
“Do it yourself, if you think that I brought us the wrong girl,” growled the first grobbler, swinging a small club. “Who put you in charge, anyway? This whole thing was my idea. If I hadn't morphed into that creature, we would never have caught the girl in the first place.”
A small brawl quickly broke out between the twenty or so assembled grobblers. Starla quickly turned back to Gaby, taking advantage of their distraction.
“Gaby, quickly, think. There must be a way to escape—” Starla let her voice trail off. Gaby didn't seem to be listening. She followed the Sacrileon's haunted gaze to a campfire the grobblers must have built.
At first, Starla assumed the pain in her friend's eyes was for the burning trees. After all, it was Gaby's job to protect the forest. Then she spotted three tied up creatures laying beside it. Flek, Heny and the real Biki.
“They plan to eat them,” Gaby said, her hands chafing her obsidian arms. “How could you let them trick you?” she accused, some of her old venom in her voice.
Starla flinched again. “I thought you were in trouble. I couldn't just abandon you.”
“Yes, you could have! You should have,” spat Gaby, white curls flashing as she jerked her head. “This is a war. There is no time for friendship, no place for love.”
Starla felt the tears stinging her eyes. “You're right, I let myself get caught, which was stupid. But,” she continued, ignoring Gaby's contemptuous glare, “we can still get out of this. If we can't escape then we must stall them. I left a message for Larkel. If we can stall until he gets here, then—”
Gaby's bitter laugh drowned out the rest of Starla's sentence.
Starla bristled, intending to defend her lover and her plan. Then Gaby's harsh glare turned to defeat and she looked down, her voice a pitiful whisper.
“He will not get here in time. No one will.”
As if in confirmation, a grobbler laughed right next to the cage, making Starla jump. The laugh was a strange sort of barking sound, but it was undoubtedly filled with triumph.
“It's her!” he crowed, clearly delighted. “It's the girl from the picture the Baron sent us.” His words brought an end to the two still-squabbling grobblers and earned an excited murmur.
“The Baron? Baron Malion?” Starla asked no one in particular, hate and horror warring in her voice.
“Yes,” Gaby answered, still whispering, her eyes locked on the animals around the fire. Her green dress glittered softly as she moved. “He offered a very tempting reward for your capture. We have been foiling their traps ever since, but this time they were ready for us.” Gaby's gaze sharpened. “He wants you for himself,” she murmured, mostly to herself. “If they take you to him and you do what he wants, get him to drop his guard, you might just manage to escape.”
Starla felt her blood run cold, and the bile rise in her throat. The picture Gaby painted made her feel like screaming.
“We take her to the Baron, first, and claim our double reward,” grinned the grobbler with the club as if it had heard Gaby's words. Several grobblers muttered their agreement.
“No, no,” moaned another grobbler, “the Master can choose to give her to the Baron if he desires. We must call the magmus.”
“No need,” hissed a voice out of the darkness above.
The grobblers all fled back, crowding around their fire, many visibly trembling with fear. A small, dragon-shaped creature hovered down through the tree tops. It was only the size of a cat.
At first, Starla didn't understand their fear, then her eyes widened and she couldn't look away. The creature seemed entirely made of flame as it descended slowly into the clearing. The flames flared and flickered as the creature grew until it filled most of the clearing. Its molten body solidified into great, black scales.
The creature landed heavily and Gaby gave a small squeak. The grass sizzled and turned to ash where its great, clawed feet touched the ground. Starla watched, mesmerised, as the black scales that had appeared rippled with its landing. The scales that ran down the front of its neck, belly and the underside of its tale were transparent. Flames churned brightly beneath them, filling the creature.
“This is the female the Master wants?” the magmus hissed through an unmoving mouth, its two blinking red eyes flicked from the cage to fall on the assembled grobblers.
“Yes, yes,” squeaked the
grobbler who had wanted them to call the magmus.
Movement, maybe footsteps, were suddenly audible, crashing through the undergrowth. The magmus turned its gaze back to the cage. Starla shifted her eyes to a wide band of gold that glittered around the magmus's neck. Though the flickering firelight made it difficult to see, Starla was sure the creature bore the flaming, withered tree of Kyron.
Forcing her eyes shut to block the dark terror before her, she focused on the approaching footsteps. Her heart leapt. They were definitely footsteps. At least three pairs, maybe more, and they were running.
I knew Larkel would find me in time!
The footsteps slowed and the bushes behind the magmus rustled. The emerging creatures froze Starla's galloping heart and filled her chest with ice.
“Drodemions,” Gaby choked out, though it was unnecessary. Starla recognised the creatures. She had seen them in Larkel's most tortured memories.
Horrified, she watched the four creatures approach. They appeared androgynous in shape, but they were skeletal. Their skin, grey and melted. In some places, the grey skin was completely gone, exposing the charred bone beneath. One looked small enough to have been an adolescent. Their white, blind eyes turned in synchronisation to the cage.
“Amulet,” the tallest drodemion said. Its voice seemed to rattle up through its chest. The skin hanging in molten strips over its mouth barely moved. Its arm extended towards Starla.
“How did it know?” breathed Starla, automatically clutching at her Star through the thin fabric of the dress.
Gaby turned her incredulous gaze on Starla. The hatred and anger in her eyes burned so fiercely that Starla half expected to find herself on fire. Then it all vanished. The violet eyes became dead and hopeless, the stone face crumpling. Starla shuddered at the emptiness.
“That thing was probably a Makhi, Brosney or Inagium before Kyron corrupted its mind and body. Or perhaps some other sort of magical creature from another galaxy. He arrived here with a small army already.” Her voice was just as empty as her eyes, as if nothing mattered any more. “Now, it is just a slave. A drodemion shaman. All the magic it possessed is Kyron's to control. It serves its purpose by detecting magical stores in objects and people, able to use its own magic only as Kyron commands.”
