Blood Red Road

by Moira Young

  We strip ’em. We truss ’em up, stuff a cloth into their mouths an leave ’em in the bushes, outta sight. We pull their black robes an breastplates over our own clothes. We check that our crossbows an quivers cain’t be seen. My robe’s way too long.

  Allow me, says Ike. He grabs hold an hitches it up through my belt.

  I pull my knife from my boot sheath. Tuck it outta sight in my belt. Ike does the same with his shooter. Then we run to catch up with Lugh’s escort.

  Ike turns to me and grins. His teeth flash white in the torchlight. His eyes spark with excitement. He looks dangerous.

  So far, so good. It’s all gone accordin to plan. Me an Ike managed to join the Tonton.

  But this is where the plan ends. From now on, we gotta wing it. Jest like Jack said.

  We march along the path, through the chaal fields towards the platform.

  We reach the edge of the open space. It’s jam packed an heavin with the hot sweaty bodies of the dancin slaves. The drums beat faster an faster. The slaves stamp their feet an chant. The noise is deafenin.

  The four Tonton torchbearers push their way into the middle of the crowd, shoutin an shovin the dancin slaves aside, clearin the way to bring Lugh through. Then we close ranks an ram our way through the crowd as one unit, with me an Ike bringin up the rear. Close up, the sour smell of unwashed bodies fills my nostrils. Makes me gag.

  We reach the stairs to the platform. We’re goin up the stairs. We’re on the platform. Ike an me shrink down inside our hoods. I throw a quick glance at Vicar Pinch. At the King. He sits on his golden chair in his golden robes, starin out at the heavin, chantin crowd. No expression on his sparklin gold face.

  The four Tonton carryin Lugh march over to the sandpit. As they set him down, his knees give an his head lolls back. They quickly catch him an stand him with his back aginst the pole. They tie him to it, hand an foot. Then they start to lay dry kindlin at his feet.

  Lugh faces out towards the crowd. His chest’s bare. He’s only wearin britches an boots. His eyes is still closed. His head hangs to one side, but I can see his lips movin. Without thinkin, I start towards him.

  Ike grabs me. Wait, he hisses. Watch.

  There’s movement all over the platform. The Tonton finish tyin Lugh to the pole. They jam their lit torches around the edge of the sandpit.

  Then they hurry to line up on both sides of the pit. Two groups of seven, one on each side.

  In the confusion, Ike an me manage to git ourselves on the end of the rows, closest to the pit. We’re the closest to Lugh. Ike on one side. Me on th’other.

  Make the most of any chance you git.

  Drums beat, feet stamp, voices chant. The earth shakes.

  Vicar Pinch, the Sun King, sits in his golden chair, raised up behind us on the small platform. He’s flanked by DeMalo an another Tonton guard.

  DeMalo an th’other Tonton help Pinch to his feet. Now! Pinch screams. Light the fire! He flings his arms open wide. Lifts his head to the night sky.

  The Tonton beside us stomp their feet. They chant an sway.

  Sweat runs down the back of my neck. We need Jack an Epona to make their diversion. Now.

  C’mon, Jack! Where are you?

  I look over at Ike, hidden by the hood of my robe.

  Light the fire! Pinch screams agin.

  Ike nods. Him an me step into the sandpit. We take a couple of the torches. The crowd’s still chantin an dancin an drummin. They don’t seem to be payin that much attention to what’s goin on on the platform.

  Can you cover me while I cut him free? I hand Ike my torch. Lucky fer me he’s so big. He shields me with his robes as I duck down.

  Make it fast, he says. If we don’t light this fire, they’ll start wonderin what’s wrong.

  My knife’s sharp. It quickly slices through the rope holdin Lugh’s ankles.

  Quick! Ike hisses.

  I gotta free his hands, I says.

  C’mon, Jack. The diversion! What’re you waitin fer?

  Light the fire! Pinch yells agin.

  At that moment, a siren wails across the valley. The same one that called the workers in from the fields earlier.

  A quick glance over my shoulder. The irrigation troughs all over the field start to bust open. Fast. One after another. Water sprays out in great gushes, silver in the moonlight. All over the chaal fields, the water troughs an channels blast open, overflowin, collapsin.

  Jack’s diversion.

  It’s a flood.

  The end of Pinch’s precious crop.

  I work at the ropes tyin Lugh’s wrists.

  Pinch screams in fury. Guards! Guards! Move, you fools! Move!

  Around us, all the Tonton start to run. Rushin down the stairs, leapin offa the platform, they disappear into the fields to try an stop it.

  I slice through the last rope tyin Lugh’s wrists to the pole. Ike heaves Lugh over his shoulder.

  Go! I says.

  Then it all happens in a flash.

  DeMalo an th’other Tonton’s still standin beside Pinch. They suddenly notice what we’re up to. As Ike sprints across the platform with Lugh, the hood of my robe falls back.

  DeMalo clocks me. Our eyes meet. Then he turns away.

  He turns away.

  At the same time, Pinch points at me an screams, Seize her! Seize her!

  Th’other Tonton guard leaps from the platform. Comes at me.

  As I grab a lit torch from the sandpit an throw it at him.

  He ducks.

  The torch lands on the edge of Pinch’s golden robe. Flames race up the material. He screams an beats at the flames.

  I don’t stop to see what happens next. I leap down the stairs an into the middle of the crowd. The slaves is too chaaled up to do anythin. Most of them’s still dancin an chantin. Others sit on the ground or stand there, lookin confused, with foolish smiles on their faces.

  Then I’m away. I race through the chaal fields. Stayin low, keepin unner cover. I head towards the Palace an the stables.

  When I reach the stables, Ash’s got all the horses ready an waitin. They’re dancin with nerves from the shoutin an sirens an the smell from the flooded fields. Jack’s already there, on the back of a fine white stallion that’s nervy with excitement.

  Ike’s liftin Lugh up to sit in front of Jack. His head lolls forwards onto his chest. I run over an grab his hand.

  Lugh! I cry.

  No time fer that, says Jack.

  Saba! Here! Ash tosses me the reins of a black mare an I swing myself onto her back. We did it! You got him!

  Her an Ike mount up. Ike holds the reins of a spare horse fer Lugh to ride on once he comes to.

  Let’s go! I says.

  As we wheel the horses around, Ash yells, Wait! Where’s Epona?

  She was right behind me! Jack says. Leave her a horse! She’ll catch us up!

  We cain’t leave without Epona! I says.

  Saba! he shouts it at me. We cain’t wait! C’mon!

  We all gallop outta the stableyard an up the hill behind the Palace.

  I bring up the rear. At the top of the hill, I look back, expec-tin to see Epona hard on my tail.

  She ain’t there.

  But down below, a mob of Tonton’s runnin along the path from the fields towards the Palace. They’re in the orchard, in the gardens, racin around the fountain. An they’re chasin somebody.

  It’s Epona.

  I pull up my horse. Wait! I yell at th’others. They got Epona!

  They wheel around an come back. We got a full view from here on top of the hill but there’s good tree cover so we cain’t be seen.

  Epona reaches the Palace.

  I’m goin back fer her, says Ike.

  Jack grabs his reins. Stops him. It’s too late, he says.

  I watch, my heart in my throat.

  Epona makes a leap at a drainpipe an grabs hold. She starts to shin up it, real fast. Two Tonton start to climb behind her. They’re heavier, not so nimble. Epona ain’t armed
. She must of lost her bow somewhere.

  We gotta do somethin! Ash says. We cain’t jest leave her, they’ll tear her apart!

  We all look at each other. I can see in Ike an Jack’s eyes what needs to be done. I swing my bow around, take it off.

  Go on, I says. I’ll catch you up.

  No, says Ash. No. Oh please, no.

  There ain’t no other way, Ash, says Ike.

  Jack says, Saba, why don’t you let me—

  I said I’ll catch you up, I says.

  They hesitate, lookin at each other.

  Saba, says Ash.

  Go! I says.

  They turn their horses an leave. I pull a arrow from my quiver an fit it to the bowstring. My hands is shakin.

  Epona’s on the flat roof. She runs around, lookin every which way fer escape, but she’s trapped. The two Tonton’s at the top of the drainpipe now. They pull theirselves onto the roof. They reach fer their shooters. Start to move slowly towards her. There’s more Tonton arrivin below. They move out to surround the Palace. Epona looks over her shoulder. Sees the two Tonton comin towards her.

  Epona looks over her shoulder, like she sees somethin behind her. She turns back agin. She sees me.

  Suddenly Epona spots me at the edge of the trees. The world slams to a stop. There ain’t nuthin an nobody else. Jest Epona an me an the sound of my heart.

  Beat, beat, beat.

  She nods.

  An it all happens slowly. So slow, I can see the blink of her eyelids. I can see her lips move as she takes in a breath.

  She starts to run towards me. She throws her arms wide open an lifts her face up. She leaps.

  Tears blur my sight. I wipe ’em away. I lift my bow. I take aim. Epona smiles. She nods.

  She starts to run towards me. She throws her arms wide open an lifts her face up. She leaps offa the roof. She soars through the air. Fer one last moment, she’s free.

  That’s when I shoot her.

  Th’others is gone on ahead with Lugh. Ash waits fer me.

  The clouds clear the moon. I see the tear tracks down her face.

  Hawks take care of each other, she says. No matter what that means. It should of bin me did it, not you. But I … I’m sorry, Saba. I’m sorry.

  She was here because of me, I says. I had to be the one. It’s right that it was me.

  The clouds lift. The wind dies down. It’s a beautiful, clear midsummer night.

  We ride north at a good pace. Head fer the meetin point where we sent Tommo an Emmi to wait fer us with Hermes. We move downhill, outta the mountains the whole time. As we drop down, the ground changes. It’s drier, rockier. The trees is smaller now. Scrubby pine, juniper an some cottonwood.

  It didn’t take long fer me an Ash to catch up with Jack an Ike. Then Jack an me traded horses so’s I can ride with Lugh.

  He ain’t woke up yet. He slumps back heavily aginst my chest. I feel his breath go in an out. My arms ache from holdin him upright.

  Lugh’s here. I got him. He’s safe. I cain’t quite believe it. I dreamed of this so many times. Lived fer this moment, only this moment, fer so long. With a cold emptiness inside of me. A Lugh-shaped space that cain’t be filled by nobody else. An now he’s here, back with me, everythin should be okay agin.

  But it ain’t.

  My whole body’s numb.

  Epona. Fer the rest of my life, every time I close my eyes I’m gonna see her leapin offa that roof. I’ll hear the sound of the arrow singin outta my bow towards her heart.

  Jack falls back to ride beside me.

  Are you all right? he says.

  I says naught.

  Nobody should ever hafta do what you did, he says. I know it don’t feel like that now, but you did the right thing by her. The merciful thing.

  It ain’t right, I says. She’d be alive now if it warn’t fer me. She should never of left Darktrees. My voice comes out thick, clogged.

  Epona made her own decisions, says Jack. She wanted to come. She knew the risks. We all did. Nobody blames you.

  I’m sick of death, I says. I seen too much of it.

  We all have. He reaches out, puts his hand over mine. It’s gonna be okay, Saba.

  This ain’t finished yet, I says. They’re gonna come after us. I’m right, ain’t I?

  Most likely, he says. But me an Ike figger we got a good couple of hours’ head start. Pinch ain’t gonna go nowhere till he gits the floods in the chaal fields unner control.

  I set him on fire, I says. Accidentally.

  Nice touch, he says. Don’t s’pose you could of killed him?

  What was it Ike said? The devil ain’t so easy to kill? No. I don’t think so.

  Too bad, he says. Still, it might buy us a bit of extra time.

  I take a deep breath. Sit up straighter. Let him come, I says. I ain’t come all this way jest to let that bastard win.

  That’s the spirit, he says. That’s my girl.

  We ride on in silence.

  Saba? Lugh’s voice. Hoarse. Confused. Saba? Is that you?

  A jolt goes through my heart. Lugh, I says. It’s me. I’m here. I got you.

  Yer really here, he whispers. He takes my hand an kisses it. Tears start to my eyes.

  He’s awake! I call out. Lugh’s awake! I pull up my horse. Him an me’s ridin at the rear. Th’others wheel around an gallop back to join us. Jack swings hisself down.

  D’you think you can stand? he says to Lugh. I’ll help you.

  Who’re you? says Lugh.

  I’m Jack. A friend of Saba’s.

  I’m another one, Ash says. The name’s Ash.

  Me too, says Ike. Ike Twelvetrees.

  Lugh glances around. I never knew you had so many friends, he says to me. Thank you. Thank y’all.

  Jack helps him down. I slide to the ground.

  We’ll leave you two to say hello, he says.

  After they’ve moved away outta earshot, it’s jest me an Lugh. We look at each other. We stare at each other fer a long long moment by the bright white light of the midsummer moon.

  His face looks thinner. He looks older. Harder. My heart twists.

  My golden brother. Still so beautiful. But changed. He ain’t that Silverlake boy no more.

  Are y’all right? I says.

  A bit dizzy, he says. But … yeah, I’m … I’m good.

  Good. I … Tears start to my eyes. Roll down my cheeks. I dash ’em away. Sorry it took me so long, I says. I got … delayed.

  There’s tears on his face too. He takes a couple of steps towards me. Holds out his arms.

  I run at him. I throw my arms around him. I hug him to me fiercely. I’m weepin.

  Lugh’s arms go around me slowly. Lightly. Like he ain’t quite sure I’m real. Am I dreamin? he says.

  No, I says. No. It’s real. I’m real. Here. Feel. I hug him even tighter. Then he clutches me to him. We hang on tight. I found you, I says. I said I would an I did. I did. I found you.

  They told me you was dead, says Lugh. They said they killed you an Emmi.

  An you believed ’em? I says.

  Not at first I didn’t, he says. At first, I kept thinkin … she’ll be here soon. She said she’d find me. She always keeps her word, she’ll find a way. So I waited fer you. I waited an I hoped an I kept on hopin … fer a long time. But you didn’t come. An I thought … I know Saba. She’s so gawdam stubborn th’only thing that ’ud keep her from comin is if she was dead. That’s when I started believin what they told me. An then I stopped hopin. That was the worst bit. When I thought you was dead. When I didn’t have no hope.

  You really think death ’ud keep me from findin you? I says. You know me better’n that.

  I do, he says. Guess I shouldn’t of bin so impatient. Is Emmi okay?

  She’s fine, I says. Still annoyin.

  I touch his cheekbone. His birthmoon tattoo jest like mine.

  Did they hurt you? I says.

  No, he says. I mean, not … nobody laid a finger on me. I never bin fed so we
ll in my life.

  Suddenly, it’s like he properly notices me. What happened to yer hair? he says.

  I’d fergot all about my hair bein shaved so short. I run a hand over it. It feels longer, softer. Must of grown some since I left Hopetown. But I won’t tell him about the Cage. Or anythin else. Not now. It’s a long story, I says. I’ll tell you later.

  It suits you. There’s a pause. Then he says, You look different.

  I know, I says. My hair.

  No, he says. It’s more’n that. It’s … you. You’ve changed, Saba.

  The day the Tonton rode into Silverlake, everythin changed, I says.

  Guess we’ll jest hafta git to know each other all over agin.

  Guess we will, I says.

  It’s bin two hours or so since we left Freedom Fields. Now that Lugh’s able to ride, we’re coverin more ground.

  Meetin point’s jest ahead, says Ike in a low voice.

  We’re comin up to the Wrecker tire dump where Emmi an Tommo’s gonna be waitin with Hermes. It’s a big one. A hunnerd foot ahead, the piles loom high in the darkness by the side of the trail. Ike holds up a hand an we stop.

  He does a high pitched squeak like a bat. It’s the signal to let Emmi know it’s us. When she hears it, she’ll do one back. That’s what we agreed.

  There ain’t no answer.

  A shiver runs through me.

  Where are they? Lugh whispers.

  Ike signals agin. Nuthin.

  C’mon, Emmi, Ash mutters.

  Ike does the bat squeak once more.

  This time, there’s a soft whinny. A horse.

  Somebody steps out from between two hills of tires. It’s Tommo. He’s leadin Hermes.

  But there ain’t no sign of Emmi.

  My heart clutches.

  We ride to meet Tommo. I’m the first to jump down an run over to him. The rest of ’em’s right behind me.

  Where is she? What happened? I grab Tommo’s arms.

  The look on his face tells me what I already know. She didn’t make it this far. You can tell he’s bin cryin.

  You left together, says Ike. I saw you off safe. What happened?