“Can you?” he asked.
Could she? Physically, she might be able to take on one or two, but a lot of people destroyed her village.
The look on Ethan’s face felt worse than any jeers or stuff Andreas and his ilk could do. It was pity. She didn’t want pity. Unfortunately, she was starting to want other things and wasn’t comfortable with that, either.
“I’ll be fine.” She assured him. “Really. They won’t do anything worse than break my things.”
“I’m pissed they think they can do this without punishment.”
That made her smile a little. “And it’s sweet—um, kind of you to say that.” Wow, smooth girl, she kicked herself.
“What do you want to do about this? Do you want help cleaning up? Maybe Shea, or Roxelana could help—?” He stopped, realizing what already happened with her gifted friends.
“No. I’ll be fine. Just leave it. Think of it as a new form of fung-shui. We’ll call it Smash Deco. I’m sure it’ll become all the rage around here soon.” The humor hopefully covered up the hurt.
He smirked. “If you say so.” He reached out for a second, as if to take her hand, but stopped himself and awkwardly dropped it to his side. He blushed. She blushed.
They were awkward, weren’t they?
“Feel better.” He said.
She flicked back some hair and tried not to look at him. “Thanks.”
“Any time.”
He walked off the pedestal and dropped off the end, soaring out over the valley. Dani watched him go, sighing to herself. Her and boys; they didn’t mix.
Mastema was cleaning the pavilion when she arrived. Broken training swords and bowstaves, emptied crates and ripped up floorboards littered the space. Her intruders also took the tomes and scrolls Mastema brought her from the Anthenaeum and ripped up the pages, scattering the remains. He didn’t try to fix them. A la Humpy Dumpty, it wasn’t going to be put back together again.
“When you said they might put us in stocks in a dungeon if those got destroyed,” she asked nervously, “were you serious?”
He gave her a very sarcastic look. She was rubbing off on him in more ways than one. “They will not revoke your library card, so you can make your best educated guess.”
“Was that a joke?” she asked, half-hopeful for something humanlike from him.
Unfortunately, that was all she got. “They do this to worry you.”
“They do worry me.”
“Then at least you are not a fool.”
______________________
Dani was able to put some things back in place. A few earthen cups and dishes survived. She still had her campfire. And, after putting a few animal skin blankets over the tears, her mattress was more or less intact.
She was cleaning the pavilion when she heard rustling from the trees. She grabbed the nearest weapon she could find: a broken wooden baton. Held ready, she ran out into the square to confront her intruder.
Instead, she found Nessus. The centaur stood on the edge of the clearing, bow under his arm. He wore some kind of ceremonial tunic; silky, embroidered.
He bowed respectfully. “Dani.”
“Nessus!” She dropped her baton. “What are you doing here?” “Our commander, Lady Alecto, is in the city. She sent for an escort
of centaurs.” He looked past her. “What happened to your hovel?” “My hovel?” she glanced over her shoulder. “Oh, the house. I’m
sorry, Nessus, someone destroyed it.”
“Why?”
“Because people are jerks.”
He cantered over, touching the broken beams and places where they
ripped plants out. As if sensing, he said, “Someone with great anger and
jealousy did this.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
He frowned, pressing his palm flat against the side. He closed his
eyes and breathed deeply. As Dani watched, the vines moved. More of them
grew from the broken ends, wrapping up along the boards and pulling them
tightly into place. Holes filled in with moss or branches. New flowers and
fruit grew to replace those destroyed. In a matter of seconds, most of the
damage was undone.
“Wow.”
“It is a temporary fix.” He said, withdrawing his hand. “More
extensive repairs will be necessary. But with the Trials to commence, we
cannot venture far from the Vale. I’m sorry.”
“It’s fine. It’s better than fine. Thank you.”
“Cowards attacked you.” He grunted, trotting around to her. “They
should not have done such a thing. I worry for you, Dani the Novice.” “I can handle myself, Nessus the Centaur.” She joked. But Nessus wasn’t in a humorous mood. “That does not mean you
should endure what others will do.” He stepped close, lowering a hand to
her cheek tenderly. It wasn’t sexual. If anything, it was strangely brotherly.
“You show kindness others of your kind do not. You should be praised, not
harmed, for such compassion. Do not lose this gift. It is a rarity in such
times.”
“I won’t.” she promised. “Thank you.”
He withdrew his hand. “Until we meet again.”
He turned and cantered off towards the Vale entrance. A fluttering of wings and Caesar arrived. She swooped down,
landing on the rim of the fountain.
“Oh my God, hon! What happened?”
“Boys.” Dani grumbled.
If birds could glower, Caesar did. “Which ones? Want me to do a fly
over? I’ve got a full bladder.”
Dani braved a smile. “Nah. Maybe later. Why are you back so early?” The bird shifted on the edge of the fountain. “I wanted to tell you
what I learned.”
“Learned?”
“What did you think I was doing all day? Mating calls? No, I took a
little tour of the Vale while all the excitement was happening in the main
city.”
After everything that happened, that made Dani nervous. “Caesar, if
they found out what you were doing, you could get in trouble.” “How?”
“I don’t know. But,” she glanced at the house, “I don’t want
something bad to happen to you.”
“They don’t know we talk. They don’t know we can talk. If they did
find out you knew something about the Trials, you could just say a little
birdie told you. It wouldn’t be a lie.” If birds could smile, Caesar did. “Funny.” She had a point, though. “So, what did you find out?” “Oh, a few things. A bunch of Numen have been working in the
Vale; Naturals and alchemists, I think.”
Naturals and Alchemists; that meant plants and poisons. “What else?”
“Someone arrived today from Earth. I’m not exactly sure who he is. I’ve never seen him before.”
“A Hellion?”
“Human, I think. Big guy. Thick beard. He had a bunch of people with him but they didn’t look human. If I had to guess, I’d say they were— .”
“Clay.” She finished for her. “They’re golems. And if I had to guess, the big guy is Judah. He makes them.” She nodded to herself. “Okay, this is good to know. So poisons, plants and golems. Anything else?”
“Well, there’s the centaurs. They’re setting up along the top of the Vale. And if you had any idea how they were looking at me when I flew over—whew! It’d make a sailor blush.”
“Caesar!” Dani groaned and giggled. “I really don’t need to know stuff like that.”
“Yeah, well girlie, sometimes a girl just has to share.”
Dani shook her head.
Chapter Twenty-Six The morning of the first Trial arrived. Dani hadn’t slept much the past few days. The whole of Empyrean gathered at Vale entrance just after sunrise; Numen, gifted. Dressed in her eagle-standard
Novice browns, Dani took her place with Crux and Corona amongst the pillars, ignoring Michael’s sneer and other rude glimpses.
Aerie sigils decorated the Vale entrance archway : her eagle, Corona’s circle and Crux’s cross with a loop at the top—the ankh. Dani stood before her standard with Mastema. Some of the others came to see her off.
“Hope for the best.” She told Mastema.
“False hope gives no hope.” he quipped back.
Dani shook her head. “That’s sweet. What is that? Poetry?” Amongst the crowd, Dani looked for Roxelana. Even though they
weren’t speaking to one another, Dani hoped for some sign of her friend coming to see her off. There wasn’t, unfortunately. Nathaniel gave her a hug. When he did, he kissed her cheek. Dani didn’t know how to react to that but didn’t shy away from his affection. It wasn’t the right time to have that conversation.
Ethan was last. No hug, but he ran his hand down her arm. “Good luck today. I’ll be watching.”
“How will you do that?”
“Same way as everyone else.” He told her cryptically. “And I’ll keep a close eye on you.”
Dani tried to be funny. “Please tell me you won’t be monitoring my frequency.”
Ethan, who’d come to expect movie quotes and quips from her, shook his head. “I have no idea what that means.”
“It’s Star Trek.”
“Oh.” Again, awkwardness. It was a little better since he didn’t get the joke. If he did it would make it super obvious she wasn’t joking around.
“Um, thanks.” She squeezed his hand affectionately.
Horns sounded. “It’s time.” Mastema told them. “Come.”
Her friends joined the crowd. Dani stood on her own. The Elders positioned near the entrance, dressed as they had the first day with crowns and robes. Only eight stood apart. The Arbiters. Amongst them, Alecto smiled warmly in Dani’s direction.
“Quiet please!” Castus’s voice rang out loudly over the din of gathered Numen and gifted. His voice magically carried. “Thank you and welcome! Today marks the beginning of the three Novice Trials!”
The crowd clamored in excitement. Dani saw some of the gifted exchanging shekels. Bets?
Castus waved them silent. “As per tradition, each aerie must escape the Vale to succeed. As much as they face one another, they face the valley itself. They must make their way downriver past the bridge to the falls. There, they will find our river gate and a bell. Only by ringing it will they be declared victorious in their Trial. It matters not which aerie rings first, so long as one representative of each does. To accomplish this they have been given a loop of rope and a choice of weapons. They will have until noontide to achieve their goal. Aeries, are you ready?”
Dani had the cord looped over her torso and knife on her belt. She looked around glumly. The other aeries had twelve Novices to rely on; armed, ready, with better odds than her to succeed.
“Very well, then. Novices, let the Trial begin! Corona, descend first!”
The first twelve surged forward together. They had all assortment of weapons; swords, bows, axes. They looked confident.
After a moment, Castus called, “Crux, descend!”
Similarly, the next aerie descended.
Then it was Dani’s turn. She felt almost silly, everyone silently watching her. She could feel people staring as she approached the archway.
“Arn! Descend!”
She withdrew her knife from its sheath and began downhill, feeling the near one-thousand pairs of eyes on her back. She waved over her shoulder for fun and hoped no one saw the fear in her eyes.
______________________
It didn’t take long to see this wouldn’t be like t he last time. Last time, it was quiet and tranquil. It was still quiet, but not tranquil. Dani saw a Novice pinned to the tree only a hundred yards in; out cold, tied by centaur-arrow bindings.
She dashed through the underbrush, hiding when two equine warriors rode by. She kept to the rocks and boulders lining the cliffside. They wouldn’t be able to follow her.
All around her, she heard sounds of battle. Two Novices soared past, using Aer to dart through the trees. She jealously watched them pass with ease, but then arrows lanced out of the underbrush, wrapping one Novice and pulling him down. The other landed in front of Dani.
She didn’t know him. He drew his sword. She went for her knife, unsure of what he’d do. But one step and the rock beneath him shifted. It cracked open and swallowed him whole.
Holy…! Dani kept running.
She kept at a jog, getting her bearings quickly. Head downriver; it
was easy enough to remember. She could hear the river rapids in the distance but instead of trying to trek the path that got her lost before, she kept the cliffs on her right and kept going.
It wasn’t long until Dani hear d screams again. She paused, kneeling down behind the nearest boulder. More screams. They were close. She knew better than to run towards the sounds of battle. Mastema taught her that much, at least. As Dani closed in, she could see it through the trees.
Three Novices stood back to back, adamantine weapons drawn. They were in the midst of a clearing, swinging their blades left and right. The wind whipped around them, moving the branches and trunks of the trees. She didn’t see any opponents, but as she watched something exploded from the ground. In a shower of dirt and rock, it wrapped around one’s wrist and yanked him forward.
“No!” he screeched, hacking with the broadsword.
“Braeden!” Another yelled. “Axe!”
Braeden, the third Novice, turned and heaved with a large axe. His
blow came down on whatever it held the boy’s wrist and sliced it off. But then behind him, something whipped out of the tree branches overhead, snaking around him and yanking him off his feet. Braeden let out a terrified scream before he disappeared.
It took Dani a second to realize it wasn’t wind moving the trees. The tree moved on their own. They were attacking the Novices.
Naturals. Dani knew those who were gifted with Erthe could manipulate plants. But to attack?
Snatching up the fallen axe, the first boy spun on his knees and hacked apart another root that broke from the ground. The two remaining Novices defended themselves as best they could, adamantine weapons flashing the sunlight to cut down branches, vines and roots that backed them to the middle of the clearing. Even the grass rose up to bind their boots, forcing them to pull hard as they fought the losing battle.
“Run.” Dani whispered. “Get out of there!”
But the boys kept fighting like idiots. She couldn’t watch. They’d lose. You couldn’t fight nature and win. She jogged away, getting as far from this place as she could before anyone spotted her.
But even as she climbed the rocks, she could hear them yelling. The one who snatched up the axe was pulled under. The ground opened up and swallowed him. The other boy slashed with his sword and jumped to the nearest rock face. The plants couldn’t rise over the rocks. And that’s when Dani knew how to save at least one of them.
“Hey!” she screamed loudly, waving her arms. “Hey! Over here!”
The boy turned towards her.
“Get to the rocks! They can’t get you if you’re on the rocks!”
The remaining blonde-haired Novice fled through an opening in the trees. The boulders Dani stood on extended down to the edge of the clearing and he leapt onto them, scaling deftly from one to another, slicing vines out of the way. The roots tried to grab him, but couldn’t. He was free.
Dani joined him, both running uphill away from the hungry plants. The blonde was barely able kept up with her; exhausted. Only when they were out of sight of clearing did they stop.
“Thanks.” He gasped, doubling over to catch his breath. “Zounds!”
“You’re welcome.” She sat down, catching her own. “I’m Dani.”
“I know.” He scowled, but she just saved him, so he extended his hand. “Chase.”
“Nic
e to meet you.” She shook it and he helped her up. “Where are the others in your aerie?”
Chase, whose blonde locks hung into his sky blue eyes, regarded her warily. He took a step back from her, his hand moving to the sword sheathed on his side.
Dani’s own gripped the knife hilt. “Whoa there, tiger. I just helped you.”
“And?”
“And I could have let you get eaten by trees like a demented game of Hungry Hungry Hippos. But I didn’t. So settle down.”
He warily looked her over, more so than she would have liked a guy to. Still, Chase didn’t move an inch nearer his weapon. Then he relaxed. “Sorry. I wasn’t expecting to make it out of there.” Chase looked around. “So what now? My aerie got separated. The centaurs ambushed us five minutes into this blood hole of a valley. I’m not sure what to do now.”
“Well, I suggest we keep moving. There are more things in this valley than centaurs and peopleeating trees.”
Chase agreed. Together, they scaled down the rocks on the other side, continuing downriver. She wasn’t comfortable with him since they almost stabbed one another, but she didn’t see a point in picking another fight. Besides, he wasn’t half bad with the sword.
Chase was mostly silent next to her as they walked. He wasn’t in that bad of shape; tall, built like a quarterback and had the All-American vibe. He kept looking around, expecting one plant or another to attack. He learned his lesson. Sparkling conversationalist or not, at least she wasn’t going to have to babysit him.
“So what’s it like?” he finally asked a few minutes later as they hiked over another set of boulders.
“Hm? What’s what like?”
“Being the only girl.”
She shook her head. “It’s like a party twenty-four-seven, except there’s no music, someone spit in the punch, and everyone’s a jerk.”
He laughed. “I heard you were sarcastic.”
“That so? Glad I don’t disappoint. What else have you heard?”
“You’re tough. A lot of guys are scared of you.”
“Really?” that wasn’t exactly bad news.
“Yeah. But a lot of them are also pissed at you.”
“Like who?”
“You know Michael?”
She smirked slightly. “I remember nearly putting his eye out.”
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