“At least it’s not rat,” Judicus had muttered. Which meant, of course, that he was judging them, too.
I’d never known the Hand of the Rat as anything other than just raiders. We had tales of them from generations back – darkly clothed, hidden people who snuck into villages at night, stealing and killing indiscriminately. Like how they’d slaughtered my parents. They were the thing of warning and nightmares. Of locked doors and whispered fears.
And now here they were, planning to move inland. What other towns would be sacked by them? What other children would be left orphans?
Thinking about it made my skin itch. And I felt responsible to stop it.
Before, fighting them had been about saving my village and my family – my people. Who were my people now? Kazmerev, obviously. Mally because she was blood. And Judicus because we’d made that vow. What about these other villages? Were they my people, too?
Maybe leaving here wouldn’t be as simple as just running away. Maybe I owed it to everyone to try to stop this invasion before it began.
With my mind churning, I tried to sign to Judicus that we needed a plan, but he shook his head not comprehending. I’d have to wait for him to get there on his own. I tried not to grind my teeth in frustration. Being voiceless often meant having to be patient with how slow everyone else was. There wasn’t another option.
“I didn’t tell you everything,” he said as he ate the food we’d been given – some kind of boiled grain in a bowl. It tasted of an herb I didn’t know. I liked it. “The ai’sletta is more than power and more than a tool to be used to build nations.”
I had hoped so. Otherwise, what he was doing in looking for Mally was just cruel. I didn’t think Judicus was a cruel man. He looked around us before continuing.
“Some say that the coming of the ai’sletta means a time of change – a turning of nations. That those in power will be brought low and the people will rise again.”
That sounded like the kinds of things people said around a campfire to bring them hope. It didn’t sound like the kind of thing that was real. And had he considered that sometimes the guy who lived next to you was just as awful as whoever was in charge? Tyndale had been even more willing to throw me to the wolves than Aunt Danna had when the raiders were outside our doors and they thought it was my life or theirs.
“I don’t plan to hand her over to those in power,” Judicus whispered. “I don’t plan to let them use her for their own ends. That’s what has happened every other time. This time will be different. This time, she’s going to change the world.”
He looked off into the distance, his eyes slightly glassy, while I tried to figure out how he combined that kind of hopeful optimism with my cousin Mally.
I couldn’t put the two together.
“I know it sounds crazy.”
He wasn’t wrong about that.
“But I’ve read everything there is to read about this. I know she’s more than she seems. She can do this. This time, when evil is overthrown it won’t come back to bite us. Not like with my father.”
That was more like it. At least he had this tangled up in some kind of dream of the past. Those could cloud your mind. I could see dreaming of an ai’sletta even after meeting Mally if you believed she could change.
I liked Mally well enough, even if she had her failings. We’d been almost sisters my whole life. But I wouldn’t count on her to change the world. And maybe I could hold Judicus’s hand when he realized that. Maybe the two of them needed me more than they realized. I seemed to be the only one of the three of us with any common sense.
I tried not to find it frustrating that I couldn’t communicate any of this to Judicus. I’d learned a long time ago that frustration brought you nowhere. Patience was key. But this time, I was finding it hard to be patient. I needed to teach him to listen to the signs of my gestures. And I needed to teach him very soon.
“It’s less than an hour until sunset,” Judicus said after a while, finally turning his mind to a plan and his eyes back to me. The raiders had returned to their camp and the only one near us was a lonely picket keeping watch from so far away that I could barely hear it when he sneezed. The air was abnormally warm for this late spring – almost comfortable. “As soon as the sun dips low, you need to call Kazmerev. I’ll use the ropes to set us free and dispatch the sentry – but after that, I’ll be useless. I’m barely staying upright as it is and that much rope work sucks the energy out of a man.” He paused. “Along with other costs.”
I wanted to know what those other costs were, but he stared into the middle distance for a long minute as if weighing all those costs before turning to me again. I shook my head gently. Kazmerev had said he couldn’t carry more than me until I was ready. He wouldn’t be able to help us.
“You’ll have to ask Kazmerev to carry the two of us out of here and after I regain consciousness, we’ll figure out a way to break Mally out. She’ll be safe enough with Cassanetta until she’s brought to the Grand Hadri. Lady Lightland won’t want to give up her chance at that prize. Plus, she has my notes. She must realize how valuable Mally is.”
I shook my head again, this time more firmly. We needed a plan that didn’t involve Kazmerev having to carry both of us. Because that just wouldn’t work.
And I wasn’t as sure as he was that Mally was safe. She was headstrong and tended to speak her mind and other people didn’t seem to understand that underneath all that she was just a girl who was frightened and trying to figure out how to live her life. All that bravado disguised a lot of uncertainty. What if they punished her for it? What if they punished her for our escape? I didn’t like this plan.
I swallowed, looking at the red sun hanging low in the sky. Kazmerev would be reborn soon. And Judicus would want us to act. How could I tell him we couldn’t do what he wanted?
I shifted uncomfortably and tried to get his attention.
“I’m going to sleep until the sun sets,” he said without opening his eyes. “Wake me when Kazmerev arrives. I need every scrap of energy I can find.”
I nudged him. He needed to listen to my arguments.
“Not to put too fine a point on it, Sersha,” he said with a yawn, “but you should eat more. Your elbows are very sharp.”
I sighed and then drew in a long breath.
Patience, Sersha. Patience.
He was snoring by the time I’d composed myself. The frustrating thing about trying to communicate when you are voiceless is not that you can’t speak – it’s that no one is paying attention. I’d have to come up with my own plan.
Even more frustrating was not knowing how this rope worker magic worked. What were Judicus’s limitations? Was there a way to tell how much energy he needed to use? A range on how far it could reach? Could it untie us? Could it capture enemies or only kill them?
I wanted to sigh in frustration, but I would have to wait until I had Mally back to interpret before I could ask him any of these questions – or the hundreds of others I had. Right now, a plan was more important than figuring out how rope workers worked.
I was still thinking it through when the sun dipped into darkness and cold spread across the ground where I huddled next to Judicus. The scent of pine needles filled my nose at the same time the earth in front of me seemed to erupt in flames and out of the fire my glorious phoenix emerged, wings spread wide.
I breathed a sigh of relief, letting it wash all the way through me and deep into my bones.
Kazmerev.
His name was like home to me. His fire burned hot and powerful. I could survive anything if he was near.
Sersha. You’re alive.
His voice was equally relieved. He cocked his head to the side.
There was something just a touch different about him as he was reborn today. Something that seemed to be listening to every nuance of my mental voice.
They tied you to a tree. His own mental voice sounded furious. They don’t tie my Flame Rider to a tree.
It would be okay.
Judicus was going to wake up in a moment and set us free and do something about that guard.
That will knock Judicus flat on his back.
And then he would expect Kazmerev to carry us to safety.
A fresh ripple of fire ran down Kazmerev’s wings and he ruffled his feathers irritably.
I can’t carry both of you unless your mind is already stronger than it was two days ago.
I knew that. But there was only one way to find out – we’d have to try. And if it didn’t work, then we’d do the only other thing I’d come up with while I was waiting.
I sure hoped it worked. Because these were my people now – Kazmerev, Judicus, and Mally and it was up to me to fight for their safety.
This. This right here is why I am born in your heart each evening. There’s faithfulness and hope here. There’s kindness and gentle patience. It tastes like cinnamon. Have you ever tasted cinnamon?
I smiled. I’d never tasted cinnamon.
Someday you will. And I will be there to watch you smile over that, too. Well, wake the boy, and let’s try this hair-brained scheme. But if he gets you hurt, I’ll abandon him and take care of your safety. You may be thinking of all these people as your own, but there’s only one person for me. You know that, right?
I knew it. And while it filled my thirsty soul, it was also part of the reason I was so worried about this. But there were no other options.
I took a deep breath and jabbed Judicus with my pointy elbow.
Chapter Fifteen
“Mmmph.” I had to put my hand over Judicus’s mouth to disguise his grunts as he woke. “Not enough time,” he muttered after he dragged my hand from his lips. “Not enough time.”
I was feeling the effects of no sleep, too. What wouldn’t I give for four hours of sleep and a cup of tea? But there was no time for regrets. If we were going to run, this was our chance. We needed Kazmerev with us for as long and far as we could before his death the next morning.
Just a day ago the idea horrified you and now you speak of my deaths so casually.
My cheeks heated with my chagrin. Guilt flickered in me like a fire. After all, he’d told me it hurt. He told me it was unwanted. I should speak with more respect about his daily ordeal.
I’m teasing you. Your cheeks go as red as my feathers, little hawk.
“Are you ready?” Judicus asked in a whisper.
In the gathering gloom, small things were scampering and an owl was hooting happily to himself. We were about to break that peace. I couldn’t help the bubble of anxiety that burst in my chest as I nodded.
“It’s hard to tell what you’re saying when it’s dark,” he complained. But that was hardly my fault. “Okay. I’m going to untie you. Don’t move until I tell you the guard is disabled.”
I felt the flick of something cold against my wrists – cold like an eel pulled up from the depths. It slid over one wrist and then my bonds tugged apart and fell to the side.
I hurried to massage my wrists, rubbing them to get my circulation going again.
Judicus was doing the same.
“Here we –”
His words cut off and he slumped to the ground. I didn’t even catch him in time. I could only hope he’d done something about the nearest patrol before he fell or we’d have guards here before we could twitch. Hurriedly, I checked to be sure he was breathing.
I swallowed down relief when I felt his breath against my palm. Could Kazmerev get low so I could pull Judicus onto his back?
I can.
He was there in a heartbeat, crouching down low on the ground, bright dancing fire against the rich purple of the closing night.
I was nearly blinded by the glory of him. I had to keep my eyes squinted as I lifted Judicus, hauling him up from under the arms and pulling him onto Kazmerev’s back as my phoenix friend crouched low and wiggled to get underneath. Fortunately, Judicus was light. Any more muscle on those bones and I wouldn’t have been able to move him.
Now, how did I secure him in place? The ropes?
I told you before. I don’t need those things. Magical creature, remember? Now, hop on.
I hopped on.
And through.
His back couldn’t hold me. My mouth dropped open, and I slammed to the ground on my bottom. Ouch!
My heart pounded in my throat as I tried to listen for any sound we’d been heard. There were faint laughter and voices coming from the camp and the sounds of dishes tapping together as they were cleaned. No sound of alarm yet.
I breathed out a sigh of relief. Now, why had Kazmerev suddenly lost his physical solidity? I turned to examine him. Judicus was still on his back. He hadn’t smashed through to the ground.
It’s okay. Steady now.
Confused, I pulled myself to my feet looking frantically around us a second time. No one had seen. Kazmerev would be invisible to them and in the darkness, no one would notice Judicus hovering at waist level. He must have taken down the sentries. He must have, right?
Stop panicking. Try again. Think of me as solid – but not solid enough to make me visible.
I tried again – more carefully this time – and my leg went through his back a second time. Little sizzling feelings of anxiety rolled through me.
Try harder.
I could do this. I could. It was okay.
I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, thought of him as solid with everything that I was, and stepped again.
I met with a solid back. I was about to breathe a sigh of relief when a cry came from the camp.
“Fire! Fire!”
My eyes flew open. Everything around me was bright as day. The nearby sentries lay on the ground – probably just unconscious – I was pretty sure I could see one breathing – but I’d made Kazmerev too visible! He was lighting everything up!
A nearby tree puffed into flame, lighting like a torch.
Kazmerev stretched his wings, half-screeching half-cursing in my head.
We could do this. We could do it.
But as he leapt into the air my strength failed me and I fell through. The second my bottom smacked the hard ground for a second time, the light was gone and only I could see a phoenix – purple with golden flames dancing along his feathers – sweep up into the darkness of night.
I scrambled to my feet, bit my lip, and blinked away the tears from the pain flaring from my tailbone. I’d bruised it for sure. But there was no time to worry about it. No time to think at all.
We’d just have to go with the alternate plan.
Calls and shouts rang from the camp and there’d be a raider here to check on the prisoners or the fire, or something at any moment. I forced myself not to look back, sank into a running stance, and then ran as hard and fast as I could.
Little hawk? Where are you? You aren’t on my back!
I was here. I was running.
You’re supposed to be with me!
Now he was the one who had to stop panicking so that he didn’t drop Judicus. I tried to pour confidence and courage into our connection, but my concentration broke almost immediately.
It was much tougher to run through the woods at night than I thought. I stumbled, went down, and took a branch to the face. My cheek and lip stung but I forced myself up again, running again, my hand hitting a tree.
Pain flared through me. My breath heaved in my chest. This was impossible.
To your right. There’s a path.
That’s where they’d look for me first. No paths.
Then stop hitting trees!
I bounced off another tree and barely bit back a groan and pain flared through my hip. At this rate, I’d be nothing but a huge bruise. My thoughts skittered over my brain like water on a hot pan.
Just run. Stop worrying. Just run.
And you’ll be caught. They’re gaining on you!
My breath rasped in my throat and then Kazmerev was there, right above me, the light of his feathers glowing just enough to light a path for me through the thick trees.
I clambered and ducked, wove and darted, my breath coming in huge gasps as my heart galloped twice as fast as me. But I could see enough to run.
Thank you, friend. Thank you.
He chirped and a puff of sparks kicked up around me.
Behind us, in the camp, I heard a very distinct female voice rise above all the other sounds.
“Bring me the prisoners. A hundred gold crowns for the pair of them!”
Chapter Sixteen
A hundred gold crowns? Did she have any idea what someone could buy with that kind of money? A pair of fine horses. Enough clothing to last the rest of your life. A full field for farming with the supplies to plant it and tend it.
I was still making a list when Kazmerev interrupted.
They’re gaining on you. Don’t go any further to the right or you’ll end up along the sea and a boat’s already launching. They’ll see anything that moves on that rocky shore.
I tried to keep to my feet without moving too close to the shore. The way was rocky here with so many dips and rises that I seemed to be moving more vertically than horizontally. I needed to get inland again.
Kazmerev’s mental voice sounded clipped and urgent. Don’t do that. You’ll cross the trail and you’re moving so much slower than them that they’ll catch up immediately. We need to get you on my back so I can take care of you.
We’d already tried that. I didn’t know how to make him solid enough to hold me and also not be visible.
Then we should try again. And if it doesn’t work, you need to leave Judicus here and I will fly you to safety.
There was almost a whine to his words at the end – like the twang of a string under tension or the sharp whine of a nervous dog. I felt spikes of nerves, too.
Ugh. Don’t compare me to a dog. I am worried about you, Sersha. And consider this. If something happens to you, I will vanish, and no one will be able to take care of Judicus. Hide him somewhere in the brush. He won’t be found. Then save yourself first and come back for him when you are able to. There’s no need for heroics tonight.
Phoenix Heart: Episode Two: Secret Keeper Page 6
