by Anna Hub
Wesley hushed them and continued, “The truth is, we have always defined a hunter by the one characteristic—their grey eyes—but Selena believes there is more to it than that.”
When it was time for me to speak, I turned to face the group, trying to hold my head high enough that I could look over the top of them. If there was ever a time to be confident, it was now. This could be the last thing I did in my life that meant anything.
I cleared my throat and began, “Ethel was keeping Brayden asleep so I would have the opportunity to explain his story. This was to stop you judging him by a trait he shares with the hunters.” I wanted to reiterate the fact Ethel was on my side and hoped the healer wouldn’t mind me using her in my speech. “She believes there is more to Brayden than meets the eye. And it's true. When I first met him, he was the same as everyone else. When his body died and his eyes changed colour, my first reaction was fear, just as that is yours now. I too have seen the hunters in action. I’ve spent months hiding from them in the valley and I thought that was what my friend had become.
“Then I discovered his eyes only turned grey when we were under threat or we needed survival help. It’s almost like an enhancement of his instinct. But they always turn back.”
I went through countless circumstances, always ensuring he sounded like a hero. I told them how he'd kept me safe and how strong our friendship had become.
It was safer not to go into detail about his inhuman strength and the speed at which he could fight. Instead, I spoke about his awareness of the grey within him and how he knew it wouldn't take over completely. It was only ever used as a defensive mechanism.
The more I spoke, the more passionate I became about saving him. I didn’t even notice the faces that looked cynical.
“All we wanted was to find a way to live in this world. It was never our intention to try and find out about your home. Brayden was injured so I came here for help. I'm not asking for you to accept us. All I ask is that you let us go and we will never come back.”
I sat down and instantly felt sick; my part was over. His fate was out of my hands.
Alana stood up. This was the moment I’d been dreading. It didn’t make sense the elders were allowing her to represent them. In the cave she’d been too emotional to be even part of the discussion, how was it fair that she speak now?
She hardly looked like the same person; she’d clearly had time to calm herself but it disturbed me that she’d made such a dramatic transition. It was almost as though she knew I didn’t stand a chance. She wasn’t afraid of losing this trial and she must have found a solution for what caused her so much distress in the cave.
“There is no question about whether this man should be allowed to live amongst us. I think it's fair to say, more than half of us would already disagree to that. But he isn’t the only one we need to be concerned about. Selena can’t be as innocent as she has made out.
“This man is a hunter. She’s tried to make it sound as though he is unique but at the end of the day, he has the grey in his eyes. History has shown us; there’s no exception when it comes to that. If he’s a hunter, I’d like to know what she is. Why has he allowed her to live alongside him? What kind of agreement have they made with each other?”
My anger rose again. I had no idea I was going to be a target as well.
“He may be unconscious right now, but Selena has already seen too much. She knows how we live; she knows we’re not strong enough to fight the hunters because we have already told her that. Even if his innocence were true, even if he had no intention to harm us, how do we know his ability won’t do so anyway?
“This woman has explained he only behaves like a hunter when threatened but what if we are considered the threat?”
My mouth dropped open as she began to repeat the words she’d overheard Ethel speak to me privately. The healer’s attempt to help me could now be the very thing that ended me.
“When he wakes and his partner tells him of our trial, will he not feel threatened then? And if he returns, he could kill us as easily as he killed the cats in the valley.”
People in the crowd called out their agreement.
I stood up. "This is ridiculous! Why would I—"
A guard took my arm and Wesley held his hand out to silence me. "You've already had your chance to speak, Selena."
"But she's making it sound like—"
"This is a warning."
I caught Tara's glare. She gave me a gentle shake of her head. Some kind of silent promise hung in her eyes.
How could they condemn a man without giving him a chance? How could they take the life from someone who was defenceless? And what did they plan to do with me?
Alana smiled, she was already confident she had won but there was something disturbing in her expression. It no longer seemed as though she was having a personal reaction. She had a very clear objective and she was manipulating the villagers to respond how she needed them to.
The trial drew to a close and although the elders had made out that I was given a fair chance to defend Brayden, it was clear the whole thing had been constructed in a way that meant I never had a chance. Ethel was my best line of defence but they didn’t allow her to speak and brushed over the finer details of why she hadn't told everyone Brayden was a hunter.
My ears rang as Wesley explained the votes would be counted in the morning. I could already hear conversations of outrage behind me.
Some people started to leave while others stayed back to talk amongst themselves. Tara and Matt ushered them away then returned to collect me.
I was still sitting in my seat, my body numb. This couldn't be happening. “I have to do something! There’s no chance I’ll ever win this trial!”
Tara kept her face neutral. “There are a lot of people who will vote against you but we’ll work through the night to help your cause.”
“What else can I do?”
“I think you have done all you can. For now, you can only rest.”
I would have preferred her to tell me anything but that. I needed something to occupy my mind so I wouldn't torture myself. But she led me back to my hut in silence as the guards followed close behind.
Chapter Twenty Six
The village fell quiet as people retired to their own huts for the night. How could anyone sleep when they were sentencing a man’s life? I paced; wracking my brain for a solution. But instead of coming up with answers, I couldn't help reliving the decisions that had brought us here. If only we'd gone a different way. If I hadn't been so insistent on leaving the forest, perhaps we could have escaped the battle with the cats. And if Brayden hadn't been injured, we could have avoided this village completely.
I groaned and tried to push all those thoughts aside. They wouldn't help us now. Maybe nothing would.
Muffled voices sounded outside my shelter. I paused, listening intently.
“The elders told me to check on her,” someone muttered.
I peered out of the grass curtain, catching the guard with his arms crossed. "Now?"
“They think she might be capable of more than we expect. We need to keep an eye on her.” Light shone behind the newcomer, his face concealed by shadow.
“She’s sleeping, I’ve already checked,” the guard replied.
“I just need to go inside for a few minutes and make sure she’s secure."
My heart raced. That didn't sound legitimate.
“I was told not to let anyone in or out," the guard insisted.
“It was a direct order.”
“I can’t do it, Randall. If the elders need her checked, they’ll have to come and give me the order themselves.”
Randall? That was the man who’d been outside my hut before the trial. Why was he so eager to reach me? I thought of the trial and how I might have appeared to the villagers. Ethel advised me not to talk about myself. The trial was about Brayden, but the shadowless woman talked about me as though I had a malicious intent of my own.
I quickly looked
around the hut for gaps in the structure but it seemed solid. How would I escape if the guard eventually gave in and let Randall past?
They argued quietly for a while longer before finally Randall gave in. He said he would be back with an order from the elders but when I watched through the curtain, he didn’t even bother going toward the cave. Slowly my heart rate returned to normal. I only hoped he didn’t come back.
Hours passed as I chewed at my fingernails and checked nervously outside each time the grass curtain swayed in the wind. Although desperate to escape, the guard remained stationed outside my door and all attempts to dismantle a section of my hut had been unsuccessful.
A thump outside set my nerves on edge. Imagining Randall knocking the guard unconscious and coming back for me. I backed my way deeper into the hut, looking around for anything that would serve as a weapon. Grabbing at the bed frame, I managed to rip a branch free. It wasn't much but it would be better than nothing.
The curtain parted and a figure stepped in; a bow in their hand.
"Tara?"
She reached in and grabbed my wrist. I stumbled at the doorway as she pulled me outside. The guard had collapsed on the floor. Tara followed my gaze. "It's only a sleep mix. He'll be awake in an hour.” She checked the huts surrounding us before stepping over the guard and dragging me with her.
“Where are we going?"
"To get Brayden."
Why would she risk so much for us? Although her motive wasn't clear, I would accept any help that was offered.
We bolted through the middle of the village in complete darkness, almost before the elders' mountain when someone cried out in warning.
“Hurry.” Tara hissed and I ran faster, desperate to rescue Brayden before the alarm was raised.
A woman ran at us from the side, calling out for help as we neared the stairs.
"Keep going!" Tara urged as she turned to stop the woman.
I continued running, glancing to the side as Tara threw out a fist and knocked the woman to the ground.
A group of people ran from the back of the village and I could feel my panic rising as I realised how close we were to losing. I focused on the steps, only a few feet away, unsure what I would do once I actually reached the cave.
A figure emerged from the cascading grass of the entrance—one of the guards—his muscles highlighted beneath the gentle glow of the moon.
I gasped and in a desperate attempt to slow down, I skidded to the ground, skin tearing in the process. There was no time to dwell on the pain. I rolled onto my stomach before bringing myself into a crouch.
Tara joined me as another figure appeared at the stop of the stairs and I realised they weren't guards. They descended the stairs, each of them working to hold Brayden's body straight as they ran away from the village.
Angry voices grew louder behind us but they were still a good distance away.
We kept going and closed the distance to the larger group. A fragile figure broke off and it wasn’t until she ran at us, that I recognised it was Ethel.
She motioned for us to keep running. “Go quickly. I’ll hold them back.”
My gaze hovered on her as we passed, her lips set tight in determination. I didn’t understand how any of this had come to pass but I wasn’t going to waste the opportunity.
We moved to the outside of the mountain, Matt and three other men carrying Brayden's body. The shouts of the villagers grew more animated but it wasn’t long before the sounds became distant. I thought of the healer staying back to distract them.
“What will happen to Ethel?” I asked.
Tara followed at the back of the group, keeping a lookout for followers. "They won’t hurt her; she’s too important to the village.”
The forest became thicker and our pace slowed considerably but the others didn't seem concerned. Tara noticed me looking back and squeezed my arm. “No one travels back here; I doubt they will follow now.”
“But how badly do they want him dead?”
“If you stay away from our home, they will eventually let it go.”
For hours, we travelled deep amongst the trees and between the adrenaline and the sudden relief of escaping, I'd completely lost my bearings.
“We’re here.” Matt stopped and the other men helped to lower Brayden's body to the floor outside a small cave. “No one knows of this place and few villagers would dare to leave our boundary. You'll be safe here for the time being.”
I leaned for a closer look in the darkened cave, remembering the reptile I'd been trapped with.
Matt smiled. “This forest is nothing like the Valley of the Hunters. You don't need to worry about the same kind of dangers."
Tara handed me an animal skin bag that I hadn't noticed hanging on her shoulder. “There's some food inside. Hopefully enough for a few days.”
I took the bag, speechless for everything they'd done.
“It may be a while before we can come back.” She started backing away, eager to leave. “The villagers may be on the lookout for a while and Alana will be looking for someone to blame.”
I nodded. "I don't know why you helped us, but—"
“You can leave the cave but try to stay on this side.” Matt pointed to the left. "Being close to the village will keep you somewhat sheltered from other dangers but if you leave, nothing will protect you.”
“We'll bring more food when we can,” Tara added.
I searched for words to express my gratitude. "Thank you. For ... everything. I—"
“We need to go back.” One of the unknown men walked away and Matt quickly following.
“Please just make sure he stays away from the village.” Tara motioned to Brayden.
I nodded as she got further away, bewildered by all that had happened. “Tara? Wait. How long till Brayden wakes?”
She shrugged. “Ethel says a day at the most.”
And then she was gone.
Chapter Twenty Seven
Thrown into the dark cold of an abandoned forest should have been disconcerting but I'd never been more relieved. Brayden lay at my feet, his head hanging awkwardly to the side. I wanted nothing more than to take him in my arms but I'd learnt to survey my surroundings before ever letting my guard down.
With short raspy breaths, I worked hard to slow the heartbeat in my ears, listening to the sounds of the forest. I ran a hand along the wall of the cave, tiptoeing around and searching the ground with my feet for any clue of animals who might have taken shelter here.
Once sure we were alone, I turned back, fresh tears springing to my eyes as I realised the nightmare was finally over. I kneeled, checking Brayden's breathing and pulse before scooping his hand into mine. Although still injured and unconscious, he was alive and that was almost more than I'd dared to hope for.
I ran a hand across his forehead, dragging hair from his eyes and stroking his cheek. My thumb brushed against the stubble, reminding me of the day he'd shaved and the simple happiness in his expression. He was so different from when I'd first met him and I'd been so afraid to let go and trust him completely because of the grey and fear of the future. But the attack with the cats was like nothing we'd experienced before. His instinct had been more alive than ever and if I hadn't been so terrified while it was happening, I might have realised that the risk of Brayden becoming a hunter that day was far greater than it had been before. If anything were going to turn him, that would have been it. And yet, once we'd escaped that fight, his eyes had changed back. Although he hadn't been conscious for long once the instinct left, it was enough for me to see that he was still himself. He was still in there, and just as he'd promised; he was different from the other hunters.
I stared at his expression, peaceful despite everything that had happened. My thumb slipped down to his mouth and gently traced over his lips. All kinds of emotions filled me and I couldn't contain my tears before they dripped down and landed on his cheeks.
I sat back, wiping my own face, completely overwhelmed by the sudden freed
om. If only he'd been awake to share it.
The night grew cold quickly and although I wasn't skilled at fire making, it would have been too dangerous to consider it anyway. I shuffled close to Brayden, wrapping myself against his body and resting a cheek against his chest. The rhythmic sound of his heartbeat eventually lulled me to sleep.
--*--
Trees swayed at the mouth of the cave, leaves glistening in the morning light. Oddly enough, I felt at home, away from the stillness and uncertainty of the village huts. Brayden still slept, his eyelids fluttering as though waking might not be too far away. I smiled at the way his arm had curled tighter and held me in place. It was the closest we'd ever been and for a long time I lay still, enjoying how good it felt to be near him.
Eventually, I stretched out. My groaning stomach urged me to check the bag Tara had left. Inside there was a small loaf of misshapen bread, a water bag made from animal skin, dried meat and an assortment of fruit. As well as one piece of animal skin which could be used for clothing or a blanket. I picked at the bread, remaining controlled in case it was a long time before we found more food. I'd eat bugs again if I had to but after seeing all the food the villagers had in stock, I wondered how plausible it was for us to survive on what we could gather in the forest. Tara said they planned to return with more food once they could. At least, we had that as a backup for the time being. I wondered what their intensions were for the future. It seemed they expected us to the stay close to the village but I wondered how long that offer stood.
At the time of the escape, I'd been too overwhelmed to really question their motives, but now that I had time to think, I couldn't understand why they'd risked so much to help us. Surely there would be repercussions for what they'd done. Tara said Ethel was too important to the village to be harmed, and that may be so, but her gift didn't make her an authority. Otherwise she would have been one of the elders. Surely she wasn't responsible for making decisions like that. And Tara and Matt were obviously skilled sentries at the mountain pass, but if they didn't abide by the rules and were willing to rescue a potential hunter, the villagers wouldn't trust them to keep watch on their home.
