by Anna Hub
Footsteps sounded down the corridor; they were heavy and fast. I groaned with the strain, my face hot as I backed out of the room.
"Stop there!" Someone called out.
I tried to move faster before a strong hand grabbed my shoulder and yanked me back.
"No!" I cried out.
A man wrapped his arm around my waist and lifted me aside, Brayden's legs dropping to the ground.
"Brayden?" I screamed, desperate to wake him.
A second man took hold of my legs as I tried to kick my way free. They dragged me further down the corridor and I screamed out, terrified that it would be the last time I saw Brayden alive.
Chapter Twenty Four
The elders were waiting in the room with the table. Alana’s face flushed as she stared at Ethel. The cold demeanour she had the day before was completely shattered and replaced by fury.
Wesley stood. “Is this true? Is this man a hunter?”
Two men held me in place. “No.” I still struggled to free myself. “You have to let him go!”
“You said he had grey eyes,” Alana said. “I knew you were hiding something. How else would you have survived the valley?”
“It’s not what you think. I’ve seen hunters, I know what they’re like but he isn’t one of them.”
“Then we have no choice.”
“No!” I struggled once more but the guards had a tight hold of me. “You can’t do this!”
"Wesley, think about this. If he were a hunter, he would have killed her.” Ethel remained calm and confident.
“We can’t risk it,” Alana snapped.
“He won't harm you,” I insisted, becoming desperate. “Give me a chance to explain.”
“I’m sorry, Selena.” Wesley shook his head. "This isn't open for discussion."
“No.” I cried. “You don’t understand! I spent months in that valley with him and he kept me alive. I’d be dead if he were a hunter.”
It was silent for a moment and I wondered if perhaps I’d planted the first seed of hope but Alana was ready to wipe it out. “You can’t do this to me, no matter what it means for the rest of this village, you can’t do this to me!”
"Just let us go. We'll leave your village."
Wesley met Alana’s twisted expression. “Calm down, he’s unconscious, we’ll figure it out.”
“There’s nothing to figure out!” It was clear Alana was going to fight for whatever reason she had and with no history here, what chance did I stand of persuading them?
“The sleep seal is secure. I promise he won’t come out of it while I’m monitoring him,” Ethel added.
“Please don’t do this,” I begged. “He knows what's happening to him; he has it under control. He won’t harm any of you.”
“We have nothing to gain from this,” Alana shrieked.
Wesley placed a tight hand on her shoulder. “Alana, you need to calm down or we’ll have to do this without you. You’re too emotional.”
Elizabeth stood up. “It’s too much for her.”
She left the room and a few seconds later returned with more guards.
The shadowless woman’s eyes flared. “You can’t do this! I’ve kept this village safe. I have a say in this.”
“Of course you do. We’re not making decisions but we need to be able to talk about it. You need to take some time to calm down,” Elizabeth replied.
Alana slapped the guard’s hand away and shouted at Elizabeth before they managed to drag her away.
The room was suddenly too quiet in her absence.
Wesley cleared his throat, as though calming himself before he spoke again. “Tell us what you see, Ethel.”
“His mind is cloudy. It’s pretty much impossible for me to see anything in there. But then, he’s unconscious which usually limits me anyway. But I think the real clue here, is Selena. We’ve all seen hunters; we know what they’re capable of and how immediate their reactions are. Not only is she still alive, but she's been travelling with this man for months. It doesn’t make sense he could be both a hunter and her friend.”
Wesley turned to me. “Selena?”
What I said next could change everything. “The grey in his eyes seems to come from some kind of natural instinct. When it’s there, he can do things he wouldn’t have been able to do without it. But these things keep us safe. He was able to fight back when hunters attacked us and he knew how to escape the cats. Even things like catching fish and starting a fire were made possible by this change in him.”
“How long has he been this way?” Elizabeth asked.
“A few weeks.”
Both elders looked to Ethel. “Is that long enough?”
“In this case, I’d say so.”
There had to be something I could bargain with, just as Ethel said. “If you had him on your side he could keep you safe too. He can help to protect your village from hunters and cats.”
“It’s a big risk for us, Selena,” Wesley explained. “If all these things are true that’s great but what if he does not want to conform to our rules? Then we will have no way to defend ourselves.”
“Then we’ll leave straight away. I'd rather take our chances out there than lose him now!”
“Your word is not enough.” He sighed.
“Just give me a chance,” I couldn't keep the anger from my voice any longer.
Wesley dropped his gaze. “I really am sorry. But we can't allow that.”
Were they really telling me there was only one option? “Are you serious? How can you execute a man without even giving him a chance?”
“This is now a village issue,” Wesley explained. “Our community operates a democracy, the decision will be made by vote.”
Convincing eighty-two people Brayden wasn’t a hunter seemed an impossible task. My mind became hazy with hysteria. The elders didn’t bother trying to calm me. Instead, they ordered the guards to remove me from the cave and supervise me from the hut.
I’d never felt so powerless; this was Brayden’s life I was fighting for and they wouldn’t even listen.
The villagers stopped to stare and a crowd gathered as I was dragged back to the hut beside Tara’s. The guards restrained me easily as I tried to fight them, and then they pushed me through the grass curtain. I tripped on the bed and fell toward the floor, trembling from anger or fear ... I wasn't sure. But I was trapped in here and if I didn’t figure out a way to stop them, they were going to kill Brayden. His fate was in my hands but I had no idea how to help him. How would I live through it if they murdered him? Was it not enough that I'd already lost my entire family? My whole life had been ripped from beneath my feet; how could I lose Brayden too? Would these savages expect me to carry on with my life after that? What would they do with me?
I stood up and paced the room, hoping it might help to focus my mind. There had to be a way out. Wesley told me the decision would be made after a vote. Did that mean it was happening now?
I struggled to contain my raspy breath and peeked outside the grass curtain. The crowd had grown significantly but they all stayed well away from my prison. Tara stood in the main seating area, surrounded by people, her arms held up in frustration. Even from this distance, the anger was clear in her expression. She motioned for the crowd to get back then made her way to the cave.
Hopefully, she would be on my side. From what I'd seen, Tara wasn't afraid to go against the majority vote.
Eventually, the grass in the doorway of the mountain cave swayed and Tara stormed out, past the villagers, heading straight for my hut.
“The elders have permitted me to speak with her,” she said and the guard stepped aside.
Her face remained emotionless as she pulled the grass away and stared at me. “Is he a hunter?”
“No.”
She checked over her shoulder. “Tell me how you got past the cats.”
I fought the urge to unleash panic and beg for her help, instead, focusing on remaining calm and rational. “We knew the cats hunting tec
hniques from when we'd seen them involved with other attacks. Part of it was strategy; the other part was Brayden. He's different but he's not a hunter."
"How is he different?"
"He has a special instinct. Something that developed once his body died in the old world. It helps him predict danger and protect himself from attacks."
“So he fought the cats?”
Although concerned she'd interpret the truth the wrong way; I had no choice but to be honest. “Yes. He fought the cats, using a blade he found to sever their tails."
She paused. "He used their own tails against them?"
I swallowed. "Yes."
"And what about you?"
"He's helped to keep me safe since I first arrived in the shadow world."
Tara folded her arms. "Does he have grey eyes?"
I held my hand out as though it might help to convince her. "Only when he's using his instinct. The rest of the time his eyes are brown. He's still himself. I swear."
"You're sure?"
For the first time, I realised I was completely sure, and it had taken all of this for me to figure it out. "Although I initially found the grey eyes unnerving, he’s never done anything to make me question his loyalty to me."
"Ethel was right, from what you've said, he doesn't fit the profile of a hunter."
"You believe me?"
"I believe you're telling the truth, that doesn't mean I trust him. But I'm interested in learning more."
A small part of the pressure in my chest released, knowing I, at least, had one person on my side. "What happens now?"
“Once Ethel proves she can maintain the sleep seal, the elders will give you a chance to form an argument. Evidence will be given at a public trial and the villagers will take a vote. It works much the same as a trial in the Origin. Both parties will share their side of the story and present evidence. Usually, the person accused may choose a representative to speak for them but given you are the only one who knows Brayden, it will have to be you.”
At least, I had time and Brayden wasn't threatened by immediate execution.
A voice from outside the hut weaved between the grass curtain. Tara turned and pulled the curtain aside.
The guard was still in place but another man had joined him. Judging by his raised eyebrows, he was surprised to see Tara inside with me.
“What do you want, Randall?” she asked.
He hesitated, his gaze falling on me before he looked back at Tara. “I just thought the assessment was over; I was coming to—”
“We don’t have time right now.” She tried to drop the curtain but he grabbed her wrist.
“Maybe I could just introduce myself.”
She glared at his hand until he let her go. “She’s under guard; you can’t talk to her.”
“So why are you in here?”
“I have authorisation. This is serious, Randall.”
He looked past her, his eyes locking with mine. He hovered for a long time but eventually surrendered to Tara's glare. “I’ll come back later, I guess.
Why had he been so eager to come in?
Tara turned back to me. “As I was saying, you’re going to have to negotiate your own trial.”
“I'll have to speak?”
“Yes. All the villagers and the elders will be there. You will be given as much time as you need. You must to use it to convince everyone of your innocence.”
“How do I do that? I don’t know how to form a legal defence and I’m no good at public speaking.”
“Our trials don’t have the same formality as a court trial in the Origin, so you don’t need to follow strict rules. You won’t be cross-examined—in fact, questions and audience participation is strictly banned. You can plan your speech and there will be no need to improvise.”
“When will the trial start? How long do I have?”
“The trial will start at dusk so you have the rest of the day to prepare.”
“Then a vote will be taken?”
“The vote will be taken in the morning. It gives everyone time to review their decision.”
“Who else will be speaking?”
“Wesley will explain the purpose of the trial although the rumours have already spread and most people know, or, at least, suspect what’s happening. And Alana will most likely be speaking against you.” Tara’s face tightened even as she mentioned Alana.
“But she wants him dead.”
“That just means we have to work harder.”
“We?”
“I’m going to help you. We don’t know much about hunters but if they are as violent as we previously thought, why are you still alive?” She was at least willing to consider there might be more to him.
“You’re going to speak at the trial?”
“No. But I will speak to as many villagers as I can before the trial begins. Ethel told me you have offered to leave the village if Brayden is allowed to live. That will be your best defence.”
“She told me there’s nowhere else to go.”
Tara frowned. “There are plenty of places to go.”
“Ethel told me that even if I managed to convince the villagers to let us go, there would be nowhere safe enough to live.”
She contained her reaction quickly but I still saw that flicker of doubt. "Tell me everything you can about Brayden and I’ll do what I can to help you.”
I told her everything I could think of before she checked outside the hut. As far as I could tell, Randall was gone.
She took my shoulders. "Use this time to refine the points you have just made to me. Remember, hunters are regarded with the utmost fear. We’ve seen them kill but we’ve never seen them behave in the human ways you’re speaking of now. I’ll come back before the trial begins.”
Perched on the end of the bed, I went through everything I'd discovered about Brayden and the villagers too.
Tara said the hunters were distinguished by the colour of their eyes, something Brayden undeniable had. She also said they’d tried to question them before but they were too violent and had to be killed. But even when Brayden was most deeply affected by his instinct, he was still able to answer basic questions. It was one small piece of evidence that he was not the same as the others. And the fact I'd travelled so far with him was another. As Ethel pointed out there must be some reason why he hadn't harmed me. I had to remember that if the villagers were to vote on his fate, they might be influenced by the memory of other hunters that had come here. Their fear would probably force them into a premature decision so I had to find a way to reach out to them. Ethel was a well-respected healer. The fact she had helped me may be the only tool I had to convince the villagers he deserved a chance.
Chapter Twenty Five
I spent hours going over my argument in my head. Public speaking had never been a strong point for me and I hoped my nerves wouldn’t make me appear uncertain. In a way, time felt as though it had stopped moving altogether but the preparation period was over long before I was ready.
The scene outside my hut seemed quieter now. The groups of angry villagers had dispersed but Randall was lurking close by. His eyes cast in my direction until he caught me watching. What did he want?
Alex crossed the distance from the cave and paused outside to talk to the guard. She stepped inside and placed a bowl of soup and some bread on the floor for me. I tried to talk to her but she turned her shoulder, refusing to meet my eyes before she left me alone again.
It made me doubt how much of an effect I could really have on a group of people who would be ruled by their fear. Alex had been so friendly to begin with and now she wouldn’t even meet my gaze.
When the sun fell, the villagers lit torches around the village. The time for the trial must have been drawing near. I tried to ignore the sickness in my stomach and ate the food left out for me. My head already felt dizzy but it would only get worse if I didn’t bother to eat.
Tara appeared in front of my hut and the guard stepped aside to let her in. “Are
you ready?”
I’d thought she was going to give me some kind of debriefing but I quickly realised that was not the case. It was happening now. The trial that could change everything. I’d been hoping to speak with Ethel and find out more about what she meant when she said there was something good in me, but throughout the day, there had been no opportunity to ask for her.
“Ethel said to remind you this trial is about Brayden, you’re not to say anything about yourself or offer anything in exchange for his safety,” Tara explained. “We have to go.”
Why wouldn't she want me to mention what she'd told me? The good in me. I shook the thought aside and stood up.
The guards didn’t hold me this time but walked beside me as Tara led the way to the trial area. Silence hung around the huts and the idea of all eighty-two people watching me arrive made me feel nauseous.
We walked past the mountain that hid the cave and I thought of Brayden lying unconscious inside. He might never wake. I had to force the thought away before it broke me.
The logs I had initially seen scattered in a wide open area were now filled with people. Suddenly eighty-two villagers looked like a lot more. My stomach groaned as it struggled to digest my nerves and every face turned to stare as I entered. Even with my shadow strong over my body, I felt vulnerable and exposed, the extra sensation making me feel prickly all over.
At the centre of the group were the three elders. Alana watched me carefully as I walked to meet them but she was more composed than I expected. It was such a contrast to the way I’d seen her behave in the cave.
Tara fell back and sat beside Matt. Suddenly I felt very alone. I took a seat at the front where Wesley gestured.
Hungry eyes watched me and I fought to block everything out as Wesley told my story.
He spoke in a neutral tone and even explained how Ethel tried to help me by buying time with the sleeping seal she’d given Brayden. Alana’s face turned sour at the mention of Ethel’s betrayal.
There was a gasp as he spoke of the grey clouds around Brayden’s mind and how I admitted his eyes did change colour. I held my breath while people muttered the word, Hunter.
