by J B Cantwell
"Really?" I asked. "Then why did so many die the other night? Was that Arte's doing?"
"I doubt it. We've never been attacked by more than one at a time, and those three the other night were huge. I don't think Arte could’ve done anything to help. Not really. Usually, we just hide. Helped by the fact that their homes are built into the side of the mountain itself, we rarely get hurt. Also, that attack was unusual. They usually give some warning, howling and carrying on before an attack. But this one came out of the blue, surprising us."
My chest hurt at her words. It was because of me. Of course, it was. My presence was the reason so many had died, that the monsters were plentiful that night. I felt I was a beacon for Torin and his servants. In that way, I feared it was on my head, all those deaths.
"Maybe that's why the others don't want to follow me," I said. "At least not anymore."
"They're fickle," she said. "You must understand, they've lived under his rule for many hundreds of years. Habit breaking is hard for anyone. Even I wish I could trust him again, and I can't stand the man."
"Are you sorry you followed me?"
She laughed, and a couple of giants turned around and looked at us.
"Oh, mind your own business," she said, waving them away. The two scowled, but they did turn their heads back toward the rest of the group.
She leaned in to speak more quietly.
"I'm not sorry," she said. "I can't speak for the others, but I suppose it's possible that the reason the group doesn't fully trust you is because of me. You and I, we're friends, aren't we?"
I smiled.
"Definitely."
"Well, there you have it. If you get rid of me, your problems might just disappear," she said.
"The only way my problems will disappear is if Angus and Arte disappear." It was harsh, but it was true. Then again, dragging what was left of the village all the way across the Shadow Mountains hadn’t been part of my plan. Maybe I should’ve left them all behind well before now.
I looked up at Duna, but she was looking up ahead and not at me. I wondered if she was imagining killing them somehow.
No. She wasn't like that. She was cranky and abused, but she wasn't bloodthirsty. I was certain that Duna was a good woman through and through. I inherently trusted her, even more so than Connell or Kaelin. It seemed that the others were happy to follow Arte once more. Only Duna questioned, and that was why it was so easy to believe in her.
I decided I needed to speak with Angus on my own, away from the others. If I was going to trust him, he was going to have to prove himself to me.
"I need to go up there," I said to Duna.
She sighed heavily, but she didn't question me, just raised her eyebrows.
"What?" I asked as I moved to walk away.
"Keep your head about you," she said.
"You know I will."
I didn't need to wake them up. I found both Arte and Angus standing at the front edge of the group, presumably keeping watch, though for what I wasn't sure. They saw me coming, and Angus walked up to meet me.
"What can I do for you, Bree, is it?"
I knew he knew my name, and him asking it in this way made me bristle. It took me a few moments to figure out why, but when I did, it put me on edge even more.
He was taking over. He was the one in charge now. His brother was just a tall man next to this gigantic, powerful sorcerer. This angered me, and it made me worry for the safety of the people who remained from Ezvar. They’d chosen me, or rather, chosen to follow me. But here was this giant full of stories and magic. Surely, they would be safer with him.
I hoped this wasn't true. I hoped the giants weren't thinking these things. Angus had helped them flee from the Wicks. And I had helped them kill the Howlers who had decimated their village. Was one better than the other?
"And you're Angus, right?"
I could play this game, too.
He smiled but didn’t answer. I went on.
"I think you and I should talk," I said.
He raised his hands, looking around.
"Of course."
"But not here. We need to speak away from here."
He frowned. "But they won’t be safe without me."
"You underestimate the power of these giants," I said. "There are many with magic among them, and I'm certain all of them are still awake, watching."
He didn't like this, being told that his help was unnecessary. Truth be told, I didn't like it much, either. Part of me felt I would’ve rather left all of the giants in his care. It would've been so easy. The idea that someone other than myself could watch out for these people was encouraging.
But I needed to know more first.
The idea of leaving the giants in the hands of novice sorcerers made me squirm, but what I needed to do, I couldn't do here.
"Will you come?"
He looked back at Arte. "Keep an eye out."
I turned to go, and soon he fell into step beside me.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"It doesn't really matter," I said. "We just need to be away from the others."
"Why?"
"Because what I want to do is dangerous. If the others are too close, they’ll be in danger, too."
He looked back. Nervously, I thought.
"What's back there?" I asked.
He turned around again.
"Everything. Are you going to fight me?"
"I hope not."
"When are you going to tell me what this is about?"
"I'm not," I said. "But I don't think you need to worry. You've been trained by one of the greatest sorcerers ever known. I suspect you’d be in little trouble if I were to try to attack you."
"You'd be surprised," he said.
I scoffed, but I kept walking.
He didn't seem to like the silence between us, and he made an effort to keep talking.
"Arte told me about you," he said.
"And what did he say?"
"He said he doesn't like you."
At this, I laughed.
"What a surprise. What else did he tell you?"
"He told me about the massacre in the village the other night."
He was walking with his head down, I noticed.
"You feel bad for not having helped, don't you?" I asked.
"Of course I do," he said.
"You should."
I wanted to ask him why he’d hidden, but then I realized that any response would make me hate him more. Because I did hate him, him and everyone like him. I knew it wasn't fair, but part of me wondered if Torin had been telling me the truth in my dream. He’d told me that all of his followers had come willingly.
That meant Angus had, too.
"So tell me why I should trust you," I said.
He was silent for a few long moments. Then, when I thought he might be quieting down for good, he spoke.
"I can't tell you why you should trust me. There's no reason for you to. It doesn't matter how many of your people I save or teach or connect with. If you look closely at me, you’ll find a flawed, terrible man. I’ve hidden for all these years, watching from afar in shame."
I couldn't help but be intrigued. Shame?
"Why didn't you help them?" I asked.
"Don't take this the wrong way, but it was because of you."
I stopped walking, crossed my arms, and glared at him.
"Explain."
"I thought that if I appeared, you would kill me. Arte told you our story. Even if I'd helped, my life would've still been in danger."
"Your life? Are you serious?"
If I had been taller, I might've punched him.
"It's been a long time since I felt useful. Maybe I thought, and I believe this to be true, if I were to return to the Ezvar, I would've been killed."
He smiled sadly.
"Maybe not just by you. Maybe by all of them. It's been a long time since I used my magic. Like any giant, I’m able to hide. I've seen Torin's sons walking through the
se valleys, but I was too frightened to confront them. Just like I was too frightened to confront my brother."
He may have appeared large, but he was small on the inside.
"You've had no trouble using your power in recent days," I noted.
"That's because Arte was alone. I took a chance, knowing it would be very difficult for him to kill me."
He turned and kept walking.
"I was lucky, lucky to find him broken, willing to speak with me."
"You could have done so much," I said. "You've had hundreds of years."
"I've been hunted for every one of those years," he said. "First, by Torin, then by his sons. I feared if I let myself be seen, I would be forced to battle with them. You know, of course, that giants can die. I guess seeing Arte made me realize that I might possibly begin to live again."
"I can't believe he forgave you. You don't deserve it."
"I know."
There seemed to be nothing more to say, and it was several minutes before he spoke again.
"I know I've been asking you, but where are we going? My power to protect the group can only extend so far."
I stopped walking, looking around. I had led us into the center of the valley on purpose. I wanted us to be as noticeable as possible because that was the only way I could be sure about the man standing in front of me. If he were full of lies, I would be dead shortly.
I held up my knives, ready.
"Are we protected?" I asked.
"What are you doing?" he asked, alarmed. His eyes scanned the valley.
I didn't wait. I lit the knives with every bit of power I had. They burst with light, sending a beacon straight up into the sky, a siren's call for Wicks. The valley was suddenly bright and clear, and for a quick moment, I realized how beautiful this place must've been before the skies had gone dark.
Angus's eyes were wide, but a moment later, the look on his face shifted to one of resolve. He looked far into the distance, and I realized with a measure of satisfaction that there was a group of Wicks headed in our direction.
I readied myself to battle the Wicks, holding out both knives, which pulsed with light at my touch. But just before the Wicks came within reach, they stopped flying, looking confused. They flew all around us, but they didn’t attack.
I looked up at Angus, and I found his face deep in concentration.
Then he surprised me and took off running back toward the group. He was on his way to save them, using his own bright magic from his hands to distract the Wicks and drive them away from me. In that moment, I knew that only Angus had enough power to protect the entire village without help, and that was what he was about to do.
That was when I knew.
For all of his faults, his lies, his years of hiding, he was, in fact, true. He'd had every opportunity to kill me, himself. Or allow me to be killed by the Wicks.
As Angus approached the group, more Wicks came, and I took off running after him. Duna and the others wouldn’t be able to protect the group without help.
Our help.
Because I had found, flaws and all, the newest member of our party.
Angus.
Chapter 25
Angus made it there first, and immediately he set up his barrier, confusing the Wicks and ultimately driving them away.
When I got there, I found the group on alert. Trina was high above, flying around in circles, keeping watch. Duna, Connell, and the rest of them stood guarding the others, eyes on the sky. All of the other giants were silently waiting for our return. Arte stood in the center of the group, and it made me wonder if he was there to provide comfort to his people or for his own protection. I was guessing the latter.
These two brothers, how different they were. And neither of them particularly good.
As we neared the edges of the group, Angus spoke.
"They can't get to you now," he said quietly. "They can no longer see us."
Several sets of eyes looked up at him, and I realized that the giants didn't trust him so much as I'd originally thought. When it came down to it, he was a stranger in their group, and while they seemed to be embracing Arte's return, they were still on guard with Angus.
Duna and Connell walked up behind me.
"It's true," I said, turning. "I saw it for myself. I called the Wicks, and as soon as Angus lay his protection over me, they lost us in plain sight. They flew around confused for a while and then took off."
"So you trust him now?" Connell asked.
Duna was glaring at Angus, but I caught her eye as I answered his question.
"I trust him enough," I said.
Arte was making his way through the crowd, and a moment later, he joined our conversation.
"Where have you been?" he asked angrily. "We were nearly attacked."
He was clearly unhappy with his resumed position as leader. I sincerely hoped he would be leaving us again soon.
"You're all under my protection now," Angus said. Then he turned to me. "Where are we going next? Ah, yes. To the elephant. I don't see any reason for us to wait; everybody is up already. Shall we head out?"
A few moments later, Trina landed in our midst. She looked winded and worried.
"There are tons of them up there," she said. "Wicks. I saw at least thirty. It's a miracle I wasn't attacked."
"Do you know how to get to the elephant?" I asked.
"No."
"We need to look at the map," I said. "We need to make sure you can find your way back to us."
I grabbed my pack and took out Bevyn's map. Duna held her wand, lighting it from above. It was then I realized that we had only two more Keepers to visit in the darkness. Suddenly, I wasn't sure we should.
I looked up at Duna.
"Maybe we should just make a run for it," I said.
She looked down at the map, her face intrigued, and I knew she thought it was a good idea.
"We can't do that," Connell said. "We need their counsel before we leave this place. That, and the giants need to refill their canteens with Light."
"Can't they just drink water?" I asked.
Everyone but Connell laughed, which I found particularly annoying.
"And where would we find water?" Arte asked.
I raised an eyebrow at him, then passed the map to Duna and knelt to the ground. I spread my fingers out over the dirt, and a few moments later, water sprang up from the earth.
Nobody was laughing anymore. Instead, they all looked around at each other, almost as if they were deciding whether or not to tell me something.
"It's not that we can't drink water," Trina said. "But it's known that doing so reduces our abilities. We can still live long lives, but with only water to drink, our bodies become mortal, as mortal as a human's."
"And is there no healing from this?" I asked.
"Oh, there is," Duna said.
And I understood. Duna, alone, could do this. And what about her? Would she, too, become as weak as a human? I wasn't willing to risk it.
"So we have no choice," I said. "We’ll strike out for the elephant." I looked around at the group. "There's no time to waste."
I folded up the map and stuffed it into my pack, then looked up at Angus.
"Can they hear us while we're under your protection?"
"No, I don't think so. And even if they could, they wouldn't be able to hurt us."
"That will have to do." I found a rock and climbed on top of it. "Everyone!" I called, and soon all eyes were on me. "We must continue through even though there is the risk of attack. We had no luck inside the mountain, so we’ll have to walk through the valleys instead. Angus can protect us, but we all must be on guard. One wrong move, and the enemy will find us again. Who will follow?"
There was mumbling, and most heads nodded.
"Let's go!" Duna called.
It was only at her words that everyone got ready. Considering that Arte had returned, it was unusual that they were choosing instead to follow her. Maybe I hadn't given them enough credit. Ma
ybe they hadn't forgiven him yet, either.
Good. Whether he deserved it or not, the giants were starting to realize the danger of their situation. No one was to be trusted one hundred percent. Not even me.
"Can you fly beyond?" I asked Trina. "You'll be all on your own up there. No Angus to protect you."
She grinned, and when I looked over at Tosia, I found a smile on her face, too.
"She doesn't need anyone to protect her," Tosia said. "I doubt they could catch her."
"Let's just hope their aim is off. You may be fast, but I doubt you're faster than a curse."
This seemed to bring her to her senses, and her face became serious.
"Don't worry. I'll be okay up there. Will you be okay down here?"
I looked up at Angus. "Will we?"
He nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
"Alright, then," I said. "Fly to the elephant. Let her know we're on our way. And be careful."
Her eyes were fiery, determined, something I could see even in the dark.
"I will." She took a quick look back at Tosia. "Look out for Mother."
Tosia's face fell, but she nodded, turning toward the rest of the giants and walking away.
Trina took off, and I turned back to the group.
"The time has come!" I called. "Everybody move out!"
Quickly the group set off, moving as one. Everybody traveled much closer together now. Seemingly, their brush with death had done enough to keep their attention. I wondered if they would somehow become hardened, become warriors. I didn't know what awaited me on the other side of those mountains. An army, perhaps. Or maybe it would only be thirty giants in all the world and me against Torin. I just hoped that their bravery would hold out, and mine as well.
Connell walked alongside me at the back of the group. I’d let Angus and Arte lead the way. I trusted them more now, but I still felt safer without anyone at my back.
I was finding that with every new day I was able to see just a little bit better in the dark. I was less likely to trod upon anyone walking in front of me, for one thing. But it also helped me keep an eye out for trouble. Sometimes I would see things out of the corner of my eye, though, and it did nothing for my comfort level. I would turn around then, walking backward, scanning the land in search of a threat I couldn't see.
