by Nancy Gray
She walked right up to the bars and glared at him. “I’m not descended from anything bestial.”
“Can you really be sure of that? I’m not saying that you had one of the beast people for a mother or a father. But, if you have a gift, then beast blood is somewhere in your heritage, and that’s something you need to come to terms with. However, since they’re really just humans anyway that really isn’t so bad.”
“I won’t believe it.”
“Then I should just stop talking. I’m trying to help you, you know. I heard that you were looking for the source of the blood rain. This is all information that you might need, and your Blood Wing friend isn’t going to physically be able to tell you any of it.”
Mercy sighed and began to pace. She hated that he was right. Even though it was hard for her to hear, if he was telling her the truth it could be useful on her quest. It could also mean a lasting peace between her people and the Blood Wings. Mercy suppressed a blush as she thought about Erebus’ human form. What could this mean for them?
“I’m sorry. You’re right. Is there anything else that you can tell me?”
Mered nodded. “Each beast man has two natural forms. There’s the human form which they’re born with and later in life, they usually gain a bestial form that they can shape-shift into naturally. Their second form depends on what energy they harness. We harness our energy from air and light. That’s why our forms look birdlike. The Blood Wings harness the power of blood, air, and sometimes darkness.”
Mercy said, “Hence, bats.”
“Yes. It’s one of the first things I was taught when I was accepted into the tribe. All of us can switch between those two forms without much effort, but with practice, beast men can shape-shift into any form they want.”
Mercy sat down on the bed again, running her hands roughly through her hair. Everything felt surreal, as though she was having a strange dream.
Mered continued. “I know how you feel. I told you that you might want to sit down.”
“But how are you telling me all of this? Whenever Erebus talks about this sort of thing, he gets sick or starts bleeding.”
“That’s because the ancestors of the original beast men took a blood oath not to discuss it with “normal” humans, and that pact carries through the bloodline of every single one. I haven’t taken any magical oath and none of my ancestors could harness magical power. I can discuss their magic as much as I want, but if I ever leave the colony, they’ll hunt me down to keep their secrets.”
Mercy stared at him for a moment in disbelief. “But if it’s true that I’m descended from one, how can I talk about magic without being ill?”
“Because they never knew that if they bred with someone who wasn’t a magic user, their offspring would actually inherit a gift or ability. The pact was only for the ‘keepers of magic.’ You never grew up as one of them in one of their cities, and your ability was natural. You had no secrets to keep. Also, the pact isn’t as strong as it used to be. It’s starting to break.”
“But why are you telling me all of this? Won’t they kill you if they find out?”
“No. I’m one of their tribe now, and I didn’t leave the colony to tell as many people as possible. I’ll be punished severely, but I doubt that they’ll kill me. I’d rather them not find out, though. So, I have to trust you as much as you have to trust me.”
“So are all of the beast men just gifted with talents, or can they use real magic?”
“Many of them can use magic. How much they know usually depends on how high ranking they are or what sort of information they have access to. Sometimes it’s just a matter of will and natural ability, which is really why I’ve told you all of this.”
“I don’t understand.”
“Mind of Mercy, if they can do magic, then you can, too. They’re born human, and so are we. That day, when you begged for our lives, you moved your entire council of elders to free us. Do you think they would normally listen to the pleas of an unrecognized orphan?”
Mercy said bitterly, “No, not usually. I thought they might’ve listened because of my father is the chieftain.”
“Not from what I hear about your culture. I’ve been thinking a lot about that day. I think you worked your will on them without even realizing it.”
“I still don’t know what you’re trying to say.”
“Some places are charged magically when a large group of magic users settle there. It changes the place as much as it changes the people. If you have any natural talent in a place like this, you can probably use it.”
Mercy thought about the Blood Wing cave and about wishing to disappear. Did Marrow just overlook her, or did she actually vanish for a moment?
Mered grinned. “Go on and try it. If you have any natural talent, it’ll help me get you out of here.”
Mercy closed her eyes and concentrated. She thought about being transparent, about light shifting through her body. She thought about stories of the forest spirits, and how they could meld with trees or become invisible to sight enough to walk among her people unnoticed. The more she thought about it, the more she began to feel different, as though she was somehow changing.
She heard Mered laughing and she could feel a mixture of emotions from him, mostly consisting of relief and stunned amusement. Mercy opened her eyes and looked at her hands. For a moment, they were as clear as water, and then they slowly became more substantial. It was terrifying, but something about it made her feel incredibly confident and powerful.
Mercy shook with excitement. “If I can become invisible here, what else can I do? Is it limited to things involving air or light, or can I do anything that I want? Can I do this outside of a magically charged area?”
Mered stopped laughing and said, “You are a natural. You must’ve had one powerful ancestor.”
“But how is this going to help me rescue Kylas and the others?”
“I think it’s pretty obvious. You convinced me to give you the keys. I don’t even remember how it happened.”
He threw up his hands with a terrified and concerned expression on his face and continued. “I’m lucky to be alive! One minute I was checking the lock on the cell, and the next I was locked inside.”
Mercy chuckled. “I’m starting to think you weren’t really sorry about stealing those eggs.”
“I can’t help that I was born with an innocent face. And, despite what Josiah would like you to believe, there’s a reason that our people are labeled as thieves. Just promise me one thing first.”
“What?”
“That you won’t kill anyone if you can help it. I understand the need to kill in self defense, but please try not to murder anyone outright. The guards here are my friends. I don’t want anyone to die because I helped you escape.”
“Fair enough. Honestly, I don’t want to kill anyone. I suppose that you also don’t want me to tell anyone about the information that you just told me?”
“Well, it would be in your best interest not to. The beast men have kept their secret for over a century. Knowing too much makes you a threat, and you never know who you can trust.”
“I’ll keep your warning in mind.”
“And, don’t tell Kylas about me just yet. He didn’t recognize me on the way down here. He would probably try to ‘rescue’ me, and if he comes back here, the others will kill him.”
“Don’t worry. I won’t tell him. I don’t want anything to happen to him either.”
Mered held the keys out through the bars, placing his spear against the wall. Mercy cautiously grabbed them from him and then unlocked the door of the cell.
Mered walked inside and said, “Now, lock me in. I’m not going to start shouting for help until about a half of an hour has passed so that you have a good head start. I’ll tell the others that I just blacked out for a little while.”
“Where can I find Kylas?”
“He’s on the level above this one. There are only two guards stationed there to watch him. Since he’s
been condemned to die, he’s been given the nicest cell as a sort of last request.”
“Where do I go after that?”
“There’s a door on Kylas’ floor that leads to a courtyard. In the back of the courtyard there’s a secluded path that leads to the Cemetery of the Condemned. If you can make it there, you shouldn’t meet much resistance on your way off the cliffs. Watch out for child stealers, though.”
“But what about Erebus? I can’t just leave him behind.”
“He’ll be right behind you. As soon as the guards let me out of here, I’ll rush out saying that I need to warn Lord Radian that the prisoners have escaped. I’ll just make sure to warn him loudly, in front of Erebus. Once Erebus knows you’re no longer ‘in the dungeon,’ Lord Radian will have lost his bargaining chip. I’m sure that Erebus will be behind you shortly.”
Mirilee spoke up, startling Mercy, “But what about my people? Will yours attack them in retaliation if we escape?”
Mered sighed and paced back and forth in the cell. “I hadn’t thought of that. I don’t think they will. Hopefully, Erebus is negotiating for your people right now.”
“I don’t know if I can take that risk.”
“Mirilee, if we don’t do something, they’re going to kill Kylas.”
Mirilee slammed her hands against her cell door. “Don’t you think I know that? Of course, I want to save him, Mercy, but I have to think about the safety of everyone in the encampment too.”
Mercy said, “If they attack your encampment, we’ll join the fight, and it won’t be without a cost to them.”
Mirilee grinned on the play on her words from earlier. “Okay, get me out of this cage.”
Mered said, “Your weapons will probably be in a crate somewhere on the top floor. I would suggest that you leave them behind. Hopefully, you can get new ones when you knock out the guards. Good luck.”
“Thank you, Mered.”
Mirilee took a deep breath and said, “I thought that was you, Mered. First my parents and now you.”
“I’m sorry about your parents, Mirilee. They talk about you all the time.”
“I really don’t want to hear it. I just want to get out of here, get Kylas, and go.”
Mercy said, “Well said, as always.”
She unlocked Mirilee’s cell.
Mered motioned with his head at the spear he left lying against the wall. “I would take that. You might need it.”
Mirilee took it without a word.
30
Mercy and Mirilee walked in silence to the top of the stairs. Mercy tried to look confident, but the more she thought about the plan, the more flaws she saw within it. First of all, she was concerned about trusting Mered in the first place. Secondly, even though she knew that she had magical abilities here, could that really help them escape? Disappearing in the cell felt so foreign that she wasn’t sure if she could even do it again. She couldn’t try to do something like that again in front of Mirilee or Kylas. What would they think? Could she tell them that she was possibly descended from some form of bestial human?
Mercy paused in front of the closed door. She gently tested the lock, making sure to turn it so slowly that the knob didn’t even squeak. It was still unlocked. Mirilee gently grabbed her arm and shook her head, motioning that they should listen at the door first. Mercy nodded and put her ear to it. She didn’t hear anything. That was a good sign. If someone heard her testing the lock, they would’ve at least moved to check it or call for Mered since he was the last guard to patrol.
Just as she was about to open the door, Mercy heard Kylas say, “Just let me see my friends so that I know that they’re okay.”
An unfamiliar voice that sounded like a young man said, “Quiet down. You’ve been given an excellent meal, a nice room to stay in, and we’ve been more than fair to you. It’s more than you deserve, spy.”
“You did all of that without me asking. All I really want is to know that my friends are safe.”
“Well, maybe we’ll grant your request and let them watch the execution.”
Another voice said, “We’ve already told you. They’re safe and secure on another level. Now be quiet, unless you’d like us to assist you with a sleeping dart.”
Mercy took a deep breath. It seemed that Mered had at least told them the truth about Kylas’ location. They didn’t have any choice. If they were going to save him, they had to move. Mercy glanced in Mirilee’s direction. She nodded. They were ready.
Mercy opened the door quickly and loudly. Both guards looked her way at once. They were in a large room that appeared to house four very well-decorated prison cells. Mercy thought that her prison cell was luxurious, but in comparison to Kylas’ surroundings, it was practically torture. Kylas was seated in the middle of a lavish room that looked like it belonged in a castle rather than a prison. He was sitting on large bed filled with pillows and comfortable looking blankets. Ornate furniture lined the walls, and there was even a working fountain in the center of the room. The heavenly aroma of some sort of roasted meat filled her nose and made her mouth water instantly. At least she knew that Kylas wasn’t suffering.
For an instant they all regarded one another in stunned silence. Mercy felt her heart beating faster, recognizing the sensation. It was the same feeling she often got when the Blood Wings attacked her village. It was the instant of composure before a fight. Then, it was over, and everyone was moving in chaos.
The guard closest to them ran in Mercy’s direction while the other rushed towards the stairwell, clearly to get reinforcements. Mirilee aimed carefully and threw her spear, stabbing the running guard in the leg. He screamed in pain and surprise and then tumbled down the stairs, but when he landed he was already reaching for one of the arrows in his quiver. Mirilee ran in his direction, leaving Mercy to face the other guard.
The guard in front of Mercy looked very young, probably her age at the oldest. Just like all of the other Stealer Wings, he was extremely attractive. He had large ivory white wings and hair that looked like spun gold. It seemed that Mirilee was going after the more experienced of the two. Mercy could feel the boy’s nervous excitement and his thirst to prove himself, similar to a dog trying to please its master.
He unsheathed a glowing sword from his side as he ran in her direction. Mercy easily sidestepped out of the way and shoved him in the back, knocking him off balance. He teetered for a moment and she kicked him squarely between the shoulder blades, knocking him onto his front. As her opponent cursed and attempted to right himself, Mercy risked a glance in Mirilee’s direction.
Kylas shouted, “Mirilee, watch out!”
Mercy cringed as she saw Mirilee just dodge out of the way of an arrow that was aimed for her chest. It grazed Mirilee’s arm and just barely missed Mercy, as well. Mirilee barreled into the older guard, knocking him over and they began to tussle on the ground. In the back of her mind, Mercy noticed that the older guard had similar features to that of the boy.
The young boy had just stood up when Mercy looked back at him, but he hadn’t spun around to face her yet. Before he could turn, Mercy brought both of her fists down hard on the back of his head. He cried out in pain and she did it again, harder. He sunk to his knees with a groan and collapsed on the ground. She tried to feel what he was feeling, afraid that he was faking unconsciousness, but his mind was as blank as a toy doll. She cringed, hoping that he was alive. Either way, she had to help Mirilee before she could worry about him.
When Mercy looked around, Mirilee was still scuffling with her opponent, but it looked like he had the upper hand. He had both hands around Mirilee’s neck and was squeezing, clearly trying to choke her into unconsciousness. Mirilee was clawing at his face, leaving large gashes close to his eyes, but Mercy could tell that she was getting tired. Mercy rushed forward and pulled the spear from the wounded guard’s leg. He released Mirilee’s neck with one hand, grabbing for Mercy’s ankles, but not before she slammed the shaft of the spear across his jaw with a disgusting cracking
sound, knocking him senseless.
Mercy didn’t wait to see if Mirilee was alright. She rushed up the stairs to the upper floor, hearing the sound of hurried footsteps outside. Mercy slammed the head of the spear into the lock, hoping it would at least be enough to slow the other guards down. When she glanced down again, Mirilee was already up and unlocking the door to Kylas’ cell.
Mered was right. She couldn’t risk going to the top floor to get their weapons. She rushed back down the steps and quickly searched the guards for anything useful. On the older one, she found a few darts along with a dart gun, a bow, and eight arrows. Then, she examined him to make sure he was alive. As she got a closer look at his features, she realized that he was the young boy’s father.
She quickly checked his son’s pulse. He was alive and was breathing steadily, still unconscious. Mercy wanted the boy’s glowing sword but was disappointed to find that it had reverted back into a regular short sword. She tossed it to Kylas and tossed the dart gun and a dagger to Mirilee.
Mercy jumped as she heard the sound of the guards outside slamming their bodies into the door. The spear jiggled. It would come out of the lock soon.
Mirilee whispered urgently, “Come on,” and motioned at a small, plain door between two of the cells.
Mercy nodded and rushed for it, but it was locked. She took the ring of keys, trying each one in desperation, glancing behind her as she heard the sound of the spear clattering to the floor. Kylas cringed, closing his eyes as though he expected an arrow to materialize in his back at any moment.
Mirilee grabbed the key ring and said, “Move over!”
She glanced at the keys for an instant and then picked the one that looked different, trying it first. The door creaked open and all three of them rushed out, just as they heard the sound of feet rushing down the stairs on the far side of the room.
