by Nancy Gray
Mirilee was already sitting down. She looked exhausted. Even though she was grasping her ribs and doubled over in pain, she looked better than Mercy expected. She even had a wry smile on her face.
“I fooled it, Mercy. I pretended to pass out from the pain before it could break my back, but I think one of my arms might be broken.”
Mercy examined her arm. It was amazing that Mirilee was able to tough out the pain long enough to hit the goyle with the tree branch. She guessed it was probably the excitement and danger of the situation that made her able to withstand it combined with the shock of her injuries. But, now that the fight was over, she was feeling them full force.
Mercy touched her ribs first. Mirilee winced, but it seemed by some miracle none of her ribs were broken. They were definitely bruised, though. Then, she checked her arm. It was bent in a way that made Mercy feel a little sick. Since they didn’t have any of their supplies, splinting it was going to be a challenge. She searched around until she found a straight, low hanging tree branch and cut it down with Mirilee’s dagger.
Mercy grabbed Mirilee’s wounded arm and muttered, “This might hurt a little…”
Mirilee closed her eyes and groaned loudly as Mercy set the bone. Mirilee looked green for a moment, as though she was going to be sick, but she remained stoically silent with her eyes closed while Mercy splinted the wound with the branch and wound her tattered cloak around the injury. Mercy smiled with satisfaction. Despite the lack of real medical supplies, the splint looked pretty good. It made her think about saving the man with the head injury in her village. It seemed like so long ago now, but before her journey she would’ve never had the confidence to tend to her friends injuries and keep a level head after such a dangerous fight.
Mirilee tried to smile. “That already feels a little better.”
“It seems I picked up a thing or two from Mender of Spirits after all. I’m just glad that our injuries aren’t worse. We were lucky.”
Mirilee said, “If I see Mered, I’m going to kill him. ‘Go through the cemetery, you’ll be fine.’ Moron.”
Mercy gave her a warning look but it was too late.
Kylas looked up with a puzzled expression on his face. “Mered? What are you talking about?”
“We saw Mered. He helped us escape. He’s the one who told us to go through the cemetery to rescue you.” Mercy decided to leave out the fact that he was risking his life by letting them go.
Kylas tried to stand up but sank back to his knees, groaning and burying his face into his hands.
“So dizzy...but we have to help Mered.”
Mirilee said, “We’re not doing anything of the sort.”
“He was my best friend, Mirilee! I’m not abandoning him to those monsters.”
Mercy sighed. “He wasn’t a prisoner, Kylas. He was one of them.”
Kylas stared at her with his mouth hanging open in disbelief. He glanced at Mirilee as though he expected her to protest, but she just nodded her head sadly.
“But, if he helped you escape he risked his life to help me. We can’t just leave him behind.”
Mirilee shook her head. “If we go back now, you’ll be captured and all that we’ve been through will have been for nothing. He’s not the only one who risked his life to save you, Kylas.”
“You would do the same for your parents.”
Mirilee stood up in defiance, not even wincing.
“No. I wouldn’t. If my parents wanted to help me then they would’ve come for me in the prison. Mered didn’t want to come with us. He just wanted to make sure that you were safe. He told us not to tell you that he was alive, because he knew you would do something irrational like you’re trying to do right now.”
Kylas was silent and stared at the ground. Mercy could feel his conflicted emotions keenly. It seemed that Mirilee’s logic was winning out, replacing his desire to help his friend with overwhelmed mental exhaustion.
“Mirilee is right. We’ve come this far already.”
Kylas snapped, “We still haven’t gotten out of this yet, Mercy.”
Mercy sighed and said, “Look, let’s just rest for a few minutes and have something to eat and drink. When we’re done, we need to try to keep moving. I know it won’t be easy, but the longer we wait the more likely it’ll be that the Stealer Wings will catch up with us.”
Mirilee said bitterly, “After meeting Erebus, I felt bad calling the desert beast men ‘Stealer Wings.’ We named them that after the child stealers. After all of this though, I don’t intend to stop calling them that.”
“I don’t blame you.”
Kylas sighed. “What exactly do you intend for us to eat? We don’t have any supplies.”
“I saw a stream close to the graveyard, and there are birds in the trees. I’m going to go and hunt. Kylas, can you help Mirilee start a fire?”
“I can, but are you sure a fire would be wise? It’s dark. It’ll lead the Stealer Wings right to us.”
“Only if they’re close by. Since its dark they won’t see the smoke, and it sounded like they don’t want to risk even coming near the graveyard. Do you really have the energy to keep moving if we have nothing to eat?”
“No.”
“Then I’d better get started.”
Mercy managed to kill a few green quail and happened upon a fish stranded in a puddle of water close to the stream. Even though it wasn’t much, in her exhaustion it looked like a feast. The biggest problem was transporting the water to the others. She found a plant with large leaves close by and carefully cupped the water within one of the leaves, drinking her fill. Then, she put another serving of water in the leaf and carefully walked back to the graveyard.
The small fire was a beacon in the darkness, and it made her wonder if Kylas was right that it wasn’t wise to use it, but it made her feel safer in the desolate graveyard. It definitely would alert the Stealer Wings to where they were if they were anywhere close by, but it would hopefully keep any other natural and unnatural predators away. It was a risk, but right now they needed time to recover, and it was a risk she was willing to take.
Mercy cooked the food in silence and then distributed it evenly among them. She didn’t drink any of the water since she had already had her fill at the stream, letting Mirilee and Kylas split it between the two of them. The only sound they could hear was their chewing and the sound of bugs in the trees. Mercy looked at Mirilee and wondered what she was thinking about.
She also wondered if Mirilee was going to tell her people about the oasis. It could very easily start a war. The stream led her to believe that the place was at one time a natural oasis, but the overabundance of plants and animals told her that it had been helped along by the Stealer Wings’ magic. Even if Mirilee’s people took the land, she had a feeling within a few months it would dry up entirely and the cost in lives wouldn’t be worth the effort.
Mercy knew that Kylas was thinking about Mered. She hoped that he had gotten the thought of rescuing him out of his mind. It seemed that those kidnapped by the Stealer Wings weren’t discontent when they became one of them. She would have to tell both of them everything that Mered had told her in the prison, but not now. Right now, they had to concentrate on escaping.
When everyone was finished eating, Mercy stood up and kicked the fire out with her uninjured leg. Even in the darkness, she saw Kylas’ face fall. She knew they were all bone tired and wanted to sleep, but they didn’t have time to stop, and sleeping with a head injury was dangerous. Mirilee groaned, standing up. Kylas tried, but was still staggering. Mercy and Mirilee got him under his arms and somehow managed to keep him up. As they tried to walk in a straight line, they found it to be impossible.
Mirilee suddenly began to laugh. “I’ve heard of the blind leading the blind, so is this the lame leading the lame?”
Mercy couldn’t help laughing, as well. “I hope that we survive this. This is going to be really funny to talk about later.”
Kylas chuckled. “I think it’s pretty fu
nny right now.”
They suddenly found themselves laughing hysterically. It was a wonderful feeling. It was as though the stress of the day bubbled out with their laughter, and they were left grinning like fools as they wandered out of the gate on the other side of the graveyard.
32
Mercy cherished their few minutes of laughter in her mind the longer that they hobbled down the trail. Her leg was becoming an unbearable red hot pain, and occasionally she felt as though it was going to buckle under her weight. Several times, Kylas nearly brought both of them down on top of him when he became dizzy and fell.
No one spoke. They trundled down the trail like wounded animals hoping that the hunters wouldn’t find them. The narrow trail didn’t help their outlook, especially since it was hardly wide enough for one person, much less three. They were getting covered in brambles and small cuts from low hanging branches. Mercy thought she heard Mirilee wishing ill will on Mered again under her breath as a particularly sharp branch slid across her face, leaving a gash in her cheek.
Finally, the trail became wider and ahead of them they saw a large clearing. It was close to the edge of the plateau and she could see the adjacent plateau across the canyon. The view was so overwhelming that for an instant Mercy forgot all about her pain, stunned. The oasis that stretched out on the other side was as lush as her jungle home. There was a small stream and wildflowers were blooming all around it. She could see many different types of tropical birds nesting close to the spring.
Next to the oasis, they could see the Stealer Wing city. It was one of the most magnificent places that Mercy had ever seen. When Mirilee saw it as well, her jaw dropped open in amazement. The top of the plateau was covered in water and waterfalls falling over the rock face in all directions. In the center of the water there was a large land mass crowded with buildings that leaned out over the water like the twigs of a bird’s nest.
The buildings looked as though they were carved from the reddish rocks but in intricate designs. Simple but elegant cottages were dwarfed by giant blocky pyramids and grandiose towers. Mercy could see child stealers flying around and nesting on the inside of an open area close to the top. It was just as magnificent as the city of the Blood Wings but far more beautiful, especially since it was lit up in stark contrast to the black midnight sky.
Mirilee said in a shaky voice, “It looks almost exactly like the city that I saw in the glass dunes. How is that possible?”
“I don’t know. Are you sure?”
“Yes. The only difference was that city looked like it was made of glass and it was arranged differently, but the architecture was the same. Kylas, do you think that the beast men could somehow be related to our people?”
“No, not at all.”
Mercy frowned. She didn’t want to tell them what Mered had told her, but she knew that she would have to tell them soon. Since Mirilee had a gift of prophecy it meant that she had a beast man’s lineage somewhere in her bloodline, as well. She wondered silently if Mirilee was ready to hear that. Even if she wasn’t, Mirilee didn’t seem ready to give up the argument.
“The war was over a century ago. Do you think at one time they might’ve been allies of ours? If that’s true, then why are they against us now?”
Mercy groaned. “I’ve seen that look in your eyes before, Mirilee. We’re not sneaking into that city. We’re in no condition…”
“I’m not stupid, Mercy. I just can’t help wondering if there’s some sort of secret we could find out by getting a closer look.”
Mercy glanced at her feet with a guilty look on her face. “I might know a little something about that. Mered told me a lot about the beast men before you woke up. I don’t want to tell you right now though. We need to stay focused if we’re going to get out of here alive.”
“If you know something, I’d like to hear it.”
Kylas cleared his throat. “I agree with Mercy. Whatever she has to say can wait until we’re safely away from the cliffs.”
Mirilee took one last longing look at the city and then pouted. “Well, since I seem to be the only one that thinks this might be important, I guess we’d better get moving.”
Kylas rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything. They both knew that Mirilee really just wanted an excuse to sneak into the city, but she had only relented because it was across a chasm that all of them were too hurt and tired to traverse. Mercy wondered if Mirilee also secretly wanted to go so that she could search for her parents. She wasn’t about to ask. As they started down the trail again, Mercy had the distinct impression that someone was close to them watching. The clearing ahead would be a good ambush spot.
“Let’s not go into the center of the clearing. It would be safer to walk around it.”
The others nodded and they walked silently along the edge of the canopy, careful not to walk into the open. Mercy glanced at the trees around her, searching for movement or shadows or anything to indicate that they were being watched from above. Despite how hard she stared into the darkness around her, the forest was still and silent. She could tell that the others felt it, too. The birds that had been jabbering and cawing in the tree were strangely silent.
All they could hear was the burbling of the nearby stream. Mercy listened closely, but the longer she listened, the more she thought that the water sounded like voices whispering. She wasn’t sure if it was her imagination or if someone was really talking in hushed tones. And, from what Mered told her, the Stealer Wings could change their appearance into anything they desired. They could take the guise of a jungle animal, and if they were anything like the Blood Wings, they could also probably blend in with the surroundings.
Either way, she took her bow from her shoulder and readied an arrow, just in case. She noticed that Mirilee was also getting ready, resting the hand that wasn’t around Kylas on the hilt of her dagger. Kylas’ head was sagging slightly, and it seemed he was having another dizzy spell, oblivious to the world around him. Mercy and Mirilee exchanged a glance. If they were attacked, it would be up to them to protect Kylas since he was currently incapable of defending himself.
They walked as quietly as possible. Mercy watched the skies while Mirilee watched the forest around them. From what Mercy could tell, they had already walked long enough that they would reach the edge of the plateau at any moment. She hoped that the trail continued down. There would be no way for her to climb a vertical cliff face with such a deep wound on her leg, and the others wouldn’t be strong enough either. She decided to take it one step at a time. Getting down the cliff side would only be a problem if they actually managed to reach it.
Mercy paused and pointed. There was another clearing, this one wider than the last, but at the base of it she could see that the trail zigzagged downward, all the way to the bottom of the cliff. Off in the distance, the dust storm was still blowing full force. The tents of Mirilee’s people were clearly visible, silhouetted by firelight. Even though they couldn’t see much, it was a heartening sight. There were no bodies or signs of a struggle, so clearly the beast men hadn’t attacked them. The people seemed more subdued than usual though. As she looked into the sky, Mercy could see why. Hovering over the encampment, there were Stealer Wings riding on the backs of child stealers.
It was clearly a search party, probably looking for them and making sure that none of the Desert People left their encampment. Mercy hoped that the visibility of the Stealer Wings would at least be limited by the dust storm, but she guessed they would see them moving down the trail anyway since the storm didn’t touch the plateaus. Mercy glanced towards the bottom of the cliff, searching for which rocks would probably contain the best places for them to hide. There was a pretty large formation close by that looked like it might contain some sort of small opening for them to wedge into until it was safe to venture out further. Mercy motioned to the formation and Mirilee nodded in agreement.
Kylas looked up. “We’ve reached the edge? Oh, thank the God of the Stars. Quick, let’s get out of here!”
Mirilee and Mercy tried to hold him back, but it was too late. They hadn’t expected Kylas’ sudden burst of energy so they weren’t holding him tightly enough. He managed to break away from them and walked right into the center of the clearing. Mercy heard the familiar screech of a child stealer and then, about a dozen mounted Stealer Wings darted out of the jungle around them. They were hidden within the trees.
From their surprise and excitement, Mercy could tell that they hadn’t expected to see them coming this way, so at least Mered hadn’t sold them out to the others. She found that thought to be very little comfort as they began to circle over their heads like vultures, talking back in forth in their lyrical language.
Mirilee gripped Kylas’ elbow hard enough that her nails left a mark. “Brilliant, Kylas.”
“Ouch. Sorry, I just thought...”
Mirilee snapped, “I think we would’ve been better off sneaking into the city.”
Mercy snarled, “We don’t have time for this. Back to back, everyone. Get ready, they’re about to strike.”
Mercy didn’t have time to warn Kylas as the first arrow shot down in his direction, but she didn’t have to since Mirilee saw it first. She dove in front of him just in time for the arrow to bury itself halfway into her shoulder. She shrieked in pain but somehow kept her footing, holding her shoulder with one hand and fishing for her blow gun with the other. Mercy loosed an arrow in the direction of the man that shot at Kylas, hitting his child stealer right under its ribcage, and it plummeted to the ground. The man gracefully spread his wings, leaving his mount and unsheathing his sword. One of the others flew next to him and began to berate him loudly. He pointed in the direction of the city, and the other Stealer Wing flew away in shame.
