For the first time since Ikovos had started my eyes moved off of him, over to Jaden. He was backed against the wall now, arms still crossed, jaw clenching as hard as hard as I’d seen it yet.
My skin shivered all over, hardly able to register what I was hearing. I forced my gaze back to Ikovos gravely, afraid of what would come next. He was starring out the window, smirk falling to a cold line.
“We were playing tag when we first heard the screams from outside. They told us to stay in the building. I found my parents. Mom was holding onto the three of us tightly, blocking my sister's eyes. Dad stood above us. Everyone was huddled in the same corner. I remember seeing the musicians’ son standing with his parents . . . he didn't look scared at all and I didn't know why.”
“When the first Meoden came in, no one knew what it was, we'd never seen or heard of anything like it, so we couldn't have known . . .”
My eyes dropped to the table.
“I watched my dad die first. He was trying to fight them off. The Meoden kept coming until all the men were dead. I stood out in front of my mother and sisters, but the monsters just grabbed me and pulled me away from them. I can still remember Lucy's face. My mom tried to . . . but they held her off. They grabbed the other boys too. When they tried to take the musician's son from his mom, she wouldn't let go, so they killed her while she was still holding him. Then they threw him over with the rest of us.”
I looked back up.
“We weren't strong enough, none of us were strong enough. . . . I didn't even get to look back before they took us outside. Then they locked us in a caged wagon.”
I could barely breathe.
Ikovos narrowed his eyes. “The boy was next to me screaming, he hadn't stopped since they'd killed his mom. I just kept banging my arms against the bars, trying to break through. I don't know how long it was. My hands were bloody by the time the fires started. I swear I could hear my sisters screaming, but the wagons pulled out before the building had even finished burning. I never saw my family, or my home, again.”
Lightning continued to flash from the window, but it barely registered in my consciousness. The boy across from me took a heady breath.
“We were in the wagons for days without food or water. By the time they stopped us, there were only seven of us left alive. The musician's son was one of them. He hadn't said a word since the first night. When the Meoden directed us out of the wagons I forced him along. At the time I told myself that it was because I didn't want him to be left to die with the bodies, but . . . I think I just couldn’t bear to let go of the last bit of my old life.”
My eyes dropped again.
“We were brought into the Meoden dimension soon after, one of their larger strong-holds. There were other boys there, some older, some younger, most of them were really strange, twisted. The seven of us stayed together at first, but over the next few months . . .” I saw him tilt his head up, maybe to check my face “. . . You can't describe what they do . . . it was torture. . . sometimes. Other times they'd talk to us in human form. This was almost worse. The lies, the confusion. They'd blur the lines between right and wrong, good and evil . . . so many of the boys gave in, even the ones we'd come with. They grew steadily worse until they were as screwed up as the Meoden themselves.”
“Somehow me and the musician’s son held it together . . . not that we didn’t pay for it.” His mouth tipped without humor. “It was easier if you gave in to them, you see. In fact after a year the five boys we had come with were actually released. That's how it worked . . . just not for us . . . we got moved to a separate compound for labor, didn't want us leading any new acquisitions astray.”
“We escaped soon after that . . . sort of. . . . At the time we pretty much just thought we'd die on the frost planes. There was no way to get to a portal and return to our own world. Still, we decided it was better to die then continue on with the life we were living.” He smirked dryly. “We were close to it too . . . too far to go back, and no food or water left in our supply. That's when we came across a burnt-down camp, one of the Meoden’s. Master Thoran found us then, he'd been the one to attack it. After we explained our situation, he fed us, cured us . . . then took us back to the lodge.”
I let out the smallest breath as his eyes turned up.
“I think you know the rest of the story from there.”
The rain seemed almost muted beyond the window, maybe it had stopped. My eyes turned to the table. I was tracing a knot in the wood with my finger.
“So now you know.”
I didn't respond. What could I say? There was nothing I could do or recommend to make it better, no consolation that would change anything, change what had happened . . . was it just selfish of me to ask in the first place? . . . Thinking I had a right to know, what about them? . . . What could be done for them?
“Hey.” He reached a finger across the table to bring my chin up, eyes quite at ease. “Don't go second guessing yourself now. You're my friend and it was right that you asked. . . . In fact I probably should have told you sooner. I just didn't . . .” His features twisted.
For the first time since he'd started, tears began to fill my eyes.
He lifted his expression immediately, hand pulling back. “Come on, now, don't cry on me.”
I sniffled, wiping the tears as he smirked.
“We turned out okay, right?”
I nodded, sniffling again. “Yeah.” Then he wiped a stray drop from my cheek and laughed shortly.
“Just gives us more motivation to fight the suckers.”
I tried to join in his lightening, but it didn't work well. He turned his head off to the right then Jaden spoke.
“Come on, it's late.”
I hadn't forgotten he was here, but the story and his part in it . . . it was almost too much to bear to even look at him.
I slid out immediately, obediently.
“See you tomorrow, okay?” checked Ikovos, his tone assuring.
I nodded and he lifted a hand.
Anything I could think to say wasn't enough . . . I just followed Jaden quietly out of the room, trying to keep myself composed. It didn't seem, after all, his ideal that I find out.
He lead the way forwards at a slow and even pace. His back turned, with no opportunity to catch his expression. When we got to the room he waited for me to unlock it, then went in to check it . . . for the third time tonight.
I walked over to the bed straightaway, expecting him to leave without word when he'd finished. As I pulled back the blanket, his voice came behind me.
“You're probably going to have nightmares now.”
I spun around. He was standing a couple feet away, smirking slightly. It seemed so arbitrary given the situation.
I frowned. “I'm sorry that I—”
“It's fine.” He began to walk forward, eyes intent. “Vos was right, you deserved to know.”
I faltered a bit. “But I thought you—”
“I didn't.” He was still moving closer.
“But, then, um . . . Is the room safe?”
He nodded. Very near now. I was forced to back up till my legs hit the bed.
“Th-then what are you still doing here?”
He took my hand firmly, causing my chest to rush. “Getting your mind off of what you just heard.”
When he lifted my palm up, a purple flame was floating brilliantly. I had to force my gaze away from his dark eyes to rest on it. Still, as soon as I did, I felt better . . . comforted.
He let go. “Helps, right?” He asked it lightly.
My features twisted for just a moment, then I forced a smile, head bobbing. “Yeah . . .”
He backed off then, eyes distant. “Night, Eve.”
Before I could even get up the courage to reply, he was gone.
The click of the door felt like an emotional release. My eyes turned foggily towards the fire. I must have been wrong about the rain stopping because it sounded very loud now, even behind the curtains, light could be s
een flashing.
I dropped into the bed, eyes still glued on the flame.
This is a good. A good distraction.
I slid myself back till I was braced up against the pillows. I don't remember turning the lamp off. But the only light was my purple flame, so I must have.
With the storm thundering around me, I squeezed my body closer, cradling my hands around the fire.
Ikovos was right, they were okay now. Just look at all they do to help others because of what happened . . . The flame flickered. An image of their families flashing through my mind.
They're okay.
Tears filled my eyes. I squeezed closer.
“They're okay.”
The flame dimmed smaller. My lips quivered.
“They're—”
It vanished, and in the next moment I broke into sobs, covering my face with my hands.
I went on like that for a while, eventually falling asleep cradled up on my side. Tanis cuddled up beside me too for once, he'd been staying up all night usually. When I awoke in the morning he was still there.
My hand lifted up to my eyes reflexively. The skin around them felt all puffy and moist. I sniffled once, then leaned up, trying not to wake Tanis in the process.
When my eyes moistened again, I immediately reprimanded myself. This was a new day, I really didn't need to be all weepy throughout it . . . that's not what the boys would want.
I walked into the bathroom without turning the lights on. I was right about my puffy eyes. They were blotchy too. I rubbed them a couple times, then rinsed water into them, sighing when I looked up. Even the pink on my lips was starting to wear off, that at least would have helped distract from it. This thought got the slightest smile out of me, though it almost just as quickly turned into a contorted frown.
I put my dried clothes on, then straightened the bathroom up dutifully. . . . I was just going to have to deal with being a little over-emotional today.
When I walked back into the room I pulled the curtain back, streaming light across the area, then went over to pat Tanis.
“Come on, boy, you gotta wake up at least long enough to get into your pack.”
He didn't budge. I sighed.
*
Thirty minutes later I was making my way down the last story of stairs. Before heading down, I'd cleaned the room and packed all my bags, but forwent checking on the boys. I didn't want to wake them if they were sleeping, and knew they'd find me soon if they weren't.
I was a little surprised when I hit the first floor just at how packed the place was. There was a sign hanging above the right wall that read “continental breakfast” below which ran a long table piled with food and lined with people. The smell was mouthwatering. Almost all of the couches and tables were full of eating people.
I stood at the steps, mouth agape. Wow.
When a group coming down forced me to move, I made my way into the back room. The band wasn't there any longer, but the fireplace was, a long couch was open right in front of it. It reminded me of my favorite spot in the lodge library. How lucky.
I headed over to it, very cautiously . . . All of these people were more than a little intimidating. I kind of wished now that I'd waited for Ikovos and Jaden. . . .
After sitting down for a while and watching the fire, I opened up my pack and tried to get Tanis to come out.
“Tanis,” I whispered.
He didn't move.
“Tanis, please come out and keep me company.”
Still nothing.
I tied it begrudgingly. “You're such a lackluster friend.” Then I crossed my arms grumpily and looked back to the fireplace.
I made no other motion till I felt someone sit on the other side of the couch. Then my eyes slid over. It was a boy. He was looking at me. I widened a bit, then turned back, ignoring him.
When he moved closer and addressed me I had to acknowledge.
“Pretty crowded, aye?” He gestured around.
I turned to him, smiling shortly. “Yeah.” Then back.
He continued. “That was some pretty crazy weather we had last night. . . .”
I didn't reply this time.
“So, are you from here?” he asked.
I looked over at him. He had dark hair and blue eyes. He seemed like a nice enough fellow, but he was giving me an obviously interested smile.
I winced then dropped my head in closer to him. “You better go,” I whispered.
He chuckled at this. “Huh? Why?”
I bit my lip, glancing around. “I'm sure you mean well, but if you stay here any longer and my friends come they're going to get the wrong idea.”
He laughed openly now, moving closer to me. “I think I can handle mysel—!” His face went wide when a hand wrapped around the back of his shirt, lifting him out of his seat.
“Alright, fun's over.” It was Ikovos. He had a placid, intolerant expression on his face.
I just winced.
The boy took a step back immediately, eyeing him. “Jeez, okay. I didn't mean anything by it.”
Ikovos nodded disapprovingly to him, then walked past to face me in front of the couch.
“Good morning,” he said sweetly.
“Good morning,” I replied, then looked to the boy and back to him. “He really was just being nice.”
Ikovos shrugged apathetically. “You're just lucky it was me instead of Jaden. He's gonna kill you for coming down alone again.”
“What?” I made an innocent face. “It's daytime.”
His head shook, then he put out his hand. “Come on.”
I grabbed it, lifting up and pretty much just feeling very glad to be with him.
“So how did you sleep?” he asked, starting a conversation that continued all through breakfast, where Jaden joined us, and on until we were walking down the road towards the parts shop.
~ ~ ~
Chapter 17
Interrupted
“OKAY, SO AFTER that, you take ten steps?” questioned Jaden, attempting to understand a game I'd been describing to them.
“Yeah.” I nodded. “And, you know, whoever gets there first, wins.”
“That's how it usually goes,” commented Ikovos.
Jaden shook his head. “I don't get it. . . . Where do you learn all these games anyways?”
I looked down. The cobble street we were walking was brightly lit.
“I don't really know . . .”
He smirked, then stopped suddenly. “Be right back,” he said, before disappearing inside of a tall shop right off the sidewalk.
I noticed now that the river was running alongside us, past the buildings to our left.
“Is that the part shop?” I asked, looking to Ikovos lightly.
He nodded. “Yeah.” He was wearing the same white t-shirt as yesterday. Lucky for him the rain had stopped in full force. Now the sun was shining down like a death beam.
“It might be a while,” he continued. “Do you wanna go check out the river or something?”
I nodded happily, then followed after him down a path that led to the water’s edge. The river itself was about six or seven feet below ground level, very wide across. It sparkled quite beautifully, almost glowing with the sun’s light, and reflecting the puffy-cream clouds above.
The whole scene reminded me of something.
“Ikovos, have you ever heard of something called a Gaeln?”
“A Gaeln? . . .” one of his eyebrows lifted contemplatively as he glanced out over the water “. . . I don't think so. Is it a type of animal or something?”
My eyes turned back out disappointedly. “No. Well, I don't think so . . . They're supposed to be able to talk.”
He looked over then. “Talk?”
I nodded.
“But they're not human?”
“Mnm-mm.”
His head tilted quizzically, obviously skeptical. “And you heard about guys where?”
I pursed my lips, still looking forward. “In a book.”
“Oh, so it's a fictional creature. . . .” He seemed relieved. “Like an elf or something.”
My brow knit, considering it. “I don't know . . . they didn't seem fictional. Everything else in the book was real.”
“Well, what are they supposed to be like?” he asked casually.
“Umm . . . good . . . and kind . . . Protectors, sort of. Very strong,. And ah—” I put my hands out “—in their appearance, they're very light, almost glowing, and creamy.”
“Creamy?” he repeated with a smirk.
I gave him a look. “You know what I mean, like the color.”
He gazed back out at the water, so obviously not buying it.
“The Meoden were in the story too. The Gaeln fought them in it.”
His attention perked. He looked back at me. “What book is this?”
“I don't know,” I said, shrugging. “It doesn't have a name . . . Adzamaruha gave it to me.”
“Oh. . . .” He went back to staring ahead. I’d lost him again with the mention of the old wizard. Still, I could tell I'd at least hit a nerve.
“Think about it,” I urged. “It makes sense. I mean . . . the Meoden are evil, right? Shouldn't there be good creatures too?”
“You really believe this, don't you?”
I felt a bit taken aback at his words. I guess I was trying to convince him, but . . . did I believe it? . . .
My eyes tightened once, but then I shook out my head dismissively. “You're right. It's pretty far-fetched. I'm just letting my imagination get the better of me.”
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