by Jen Minkman
“I do know that.” He shrugs. “How do you think I managed to become leader of the manor house? Max and Cal are both stronger than I am. I’m just a lot smarter.”
I don’t know what to say, so I decide to say nothing. Instead, I lean my head against his chest and close my eyes when the scent of cooked rabbit and herbs drifts into my nostrils. In my mind’s eye, I can almost imagine how picture-perfect homey we look, standing together like this – if only the whole thing wasn’t so wrong.
Saul lowers his head to give me a gentle kiss on the mouth. “Shall we…” he starts out, but he never gets to finish his sentence. The words lodge in his throat when we hear agitated shouting in the distance. The clamor sounds like it’s caused by scores of people. And they don’t seem to be very happy.
“What the deep is that?” I hiss.
“Another revolt?” Saul wonders aloud. He takes my hand and pulls me along. “Let’s go to the square. I think that’s where those people are.”
After we’ve crossed the clearing, made our way through the forest and left the graveyard behind us, we stop on top of the hill bordering on the village hall, our eyes wide as we take in what’s happening below.
The angry mob in the square consists of about a hundred Hope Harborers with sticks, burning torches, axes, and rocks. And heading the troupe is Phileas, a wild look burning in his eyes.
20 – Alisa
“Who in Dark Father’s name is that?” Saul whispers. He has pulled me behind a tall tombstone to stay out of sight and is craning his neck to look around the gravemarker, observing the small army that has gathered in front of the village hall. Phileas is clearly in charge.
“T-that’s the man who sabotaged our shipbuilding efforts,” I stammer.
“Well, it looks like someone blabbed about the secret shipyard.” Saul’s mouth is set in a hard line. “But this time they won’t lay a finger on those ships. They’ll have to get through me first.”
“You want to try and stop all these people by yourself?” I ask nonplussed.
“No.” Saul takes my hand and we retreat into the woods. “We’ll circle the village and go to the youngster school. We can get help there. Those few assistants working for the Eldest won’t be able to stop those attackers.”
“He’s not even there himself,” I falter. “He went to the harbor with the Bookkeeper to show him the new ships.”
We run as fast as our feet can carry us. Tears burn in my eyes as I run down the forest path. According to Saul, this road leads us past the village and connects with a smaller track leading up to the manor house. How has Phileas found out about us building ships here? Someone must have betrayed us. But this time, he has really gone too far. If Phileas attacks this side of the island, he’ll be thrown into jail. Nathan won’t tolerate this.
I know my way around the manor house thanks to the grand tour the Eldest gave me. Saul goes straight for the main doors and bursts into a classroom on the left. I follow him and stare into the faces of about thirty flabbergasted students and four teachers.
“What do you think you’re doing?” a dark-blonde teacher with a moustache finally protests. “You’re disturbing our class.”
“The village is under attack,” Saul pants, completely out of breath. “By Fools. They want to destroy the ships.”
“They’re in the central square now,” I add. “Please help us.”
The teacher gets up immediately. “Leave everything on your desks,” he tells the youngsters. “We need to get to Newexter right now.”
“But not before we grab some weapons,” Saul says, turning toward the students. “Pete, Han – you’re the best archers. Take Rio, Mia, and Luke to grab some stuff, they aren’t bad either. Obi, you grab some spears and clubs and distribute them among the rest. This is a group hunt, got it?”
I’m surprised at how efficiently Saul manages the children, but even more amazed at how well they all listen. They might still see him as their leader. It helps that he knows his former subjects’ strengths – he knows exactly what to leave in whose capable hands. They get up in one movement and rush toward several rooms in the house to do what Saul ordered them to do. In no time we are all outside on the lawn – thirty heavily-armed soldiers ready for battle. We might be few compared to Phileas’s army, but they weren’t carrying any hunting weapons, as far as I could tell.
“The first thing we do is lure them away from their goal,” Saul addresses the group, his eyes scanning the crowd. “This is not just a Hope Harbor project, it belongs to all of you. All of us. You have worked hard on these ships, and so the last thing we need is for some Fools to torch them out of spite.”
“How do you intend to distract them?” the girl he called by the name of Mia asks.
“We circle the village and attach from the north,” Saul replies. “They’ll probably think the shipyard is up on the northern beach. “
“But that’s where Newmanor is,” one of the teachers protests.
“Cal and Max are strong enough to defend their new settlement,” Saul argues. “Besides, it’s even better if they join the fight.”
“Should we just ward off the attack?” another boy inquires.
“No.” Saul clenches his fists. “These people will only stop this madness if we show them we mean business. Shoot to kill, and make sure every shot counts.”
My breath hitches. I know Saul is right, but I know the attackers personally. Admittedly, I wouldn’t weep if Phileas ended up with a spear lodged in his back, but there are less militant people among his followers huddled together in the village center. One of the younger Phileans used to be my classmate. The grocer always sells us dried mint leaves at a discount.
“Please,” I beg him softly as we take off again, the entire group on our heels. “Let’s just scare them off. Those people don’t all deserve to die. They’ve just been revved up by Phileas and his stupid ideals.”
“They should have thought about that before coming here,” Saul replies unrelentingly. His jaw is tense, and his hands around the bow and arrow he’s grabbed are so tight that his knuckles have turned white.
“Oh yeah?” I seize him by the arm and force him to slow down. “Are you saying you’ve never incited your boys to do things they didn’t want? Did Ben do all those terrible things under your command because he wanted it himself? Would you blame him for doing them?”
He glances aside, the fire in his eyes slowly cooling off. “Fine,” he says softly. “But we take out the leader. No matter what.”
“Okay.” I let out a sigh of relief when Saul turns around to supply his makeshift army with new instructions. This whole thing is bad enough as it is – I don’t want any more people to die.
Avoiding the main road, we storm into the village from the north. Shouting and wielding their weapons, the youngsters pour into the square. A shiver runs down my spine when I see a small boy waving a club tear past me. He can’t be a day older than eleven. What a strange world this is, and yet it is so close to my home town.
Suddenly, the cries die in the children’s’ throats. The entire army stops dead. Phileas is standing in the middle of the square, holding the Eldest in a death grip. Our religious fanatic is pressing a sharp dagger against the Newexter leader’s throat, his face a taut mask of rage. Behind him is Nathan, rooted at the spot. They probably just returned from the harbor.
“One more step and he dies!” he screams, an anxious look in his eyes.
Oh, no. This is not going according to plan at all.
“Why have you come here?” Saul calls out. The slight tremor in his voice betrays his insecurity. He doesn’t come any closer, but his whole stance radiates power, and Phileas seems to sense that. He pales.
“Your village is in cahoots with blasphemers from Hope Harbor,” he says angrily. “We demand you destroy the ships and stop insulting our Goddess. She protects our world, and we will wait. That’s how it’s supposed to be. That is the world as we know it.”
Saul blinks. The corner of
his mouth trembles faintly, and I know what that means. He’s trying to suppress his emotions. I wonder why Phileas’s words seem to have such an impact on him.
“Fear won’t help you to preserve the world,” he says roughly. “And you’re scared. Scared of the unknown. Afraid to find out you’ve put your faith in the wrong things all your life. Terrified of losing control.”
All the people gathered seem to hold their breaths. A peculiar smile tugs at the Eldest’s mouth. It almost looks as though he’s – proud of Saul.
“How would you know?” Phileas yells. “You’ve never even heard of our Goddess.”
“I think your Goddess goes by many names,” Saul replies. “I think we are all looking for her, in a way. But your way won’t work.” His voice cracks.
“Shut up, you Unbeliever!” Phileas edges the blade of his dagger so close to the Eldest’s exposed throat now that the leader of Newexter closes his eyes and starts to tremble. “You are all errant Fools. You should never have crossed the Wall.”
And then, an arrow zips through the air out of nowhere. It confidently plunges into Phileas’s chest, straight through the heart. Without making another sound, the cult leader tumbles to the ground, his glassy eyes unseeingly staring up at the skies. The knife he was holding scrapes the Eldest’s neck, but it doesn’t cause any lethal damage. Just a scratch.
My mouth agape, I stare at the dead man lying on the square. The Bookkeeper lets out a near-inaudible cry.
Mia, the girl with the bow and arrow, turns around and triumphantly looks up at Saul. “In the meantime, I’ve gotten better than Pete and Han,” she says breezily, a blush on her cheeks.
Some ten minutes later, we are gathered in the village hall. A group of men from Newexter has offered to assist the Bookkeeper in marching the rebels back to Hope Harbor. The dissenters didn’t need much convincing. The death of their leader rendered them speechless and seemingly completely harmless. Their anxious eyes were riveted on the clubs and spears the Newexter guard were carrying as they took off along the Scilly Way.
I am still speechless, too. I don’t know what rattled me most – the reality that Phileas is dead, or the fact that Saul actually seemed to be willing to talk to him, despite his previous murderous talk. And in the end, Phileas was shot by a girl not yet sixteen years old.
Saul is sitting next to me and talking to the Eldest, who still looks terribly upset. On the other side of the table is Mia, proudly looking around her. She seems to be happy about stopping the assault on the village.
And then I see her looking at Saul. She catches his gaze and her eyes look at him triumphantly and a bit challengingly. Seductively, even. I swallow down the bitter taste in my mouth. Could it be Mia was one of his former ‘girlfriends’? Did she kill Phileas to impress Saul? If so, I think it’s sick. If she really thinks she can get Saul to admire her like this, she’s wrong.
Or is she? After all, Saul told me during our very first meeting that I should toughen up a bit more. I furtively look aside to gauge what he thinks of the stunt Mia pulled.
He is no longer looking at her. He’s staring straight into my eyes, smiling faintly as he reaches for my hand. “Come outside for a bit,” he says.
I nod my head in silent consent and follow him out into the square. Once there, he fumbles with his leaves to roll a cigarette and take a few drags before holding it out to me. I decline.
“Why did Mia do that?” I ask, more sharply than I was aiming for.
Saul cocks an eyebrow. “I told everybody that stopping the leader was our priority. And besides, he was holding the Eldest hostage.”
“But you were talking to him!” I object. “You – you were trying to make him step down.”
He looks away. “I doubt I would have gotten through to him,” he mumbles. “And Mia would literally kill for a bit of attention.”
“From you,” I conclude in a monotone.
The corner of his mouth trembles. “Yes, from me.” His eyes bore into me, challenging me to pick a fight over this.
“Was she one of your girlfriends?” I blurt out.
Saul lets out an irritated huff. “I didn’t have girlfriends,” he says gruffly. “I told you that. Those girls knew what I was inviting them for. But Mia chose to ignore that. She wanted to turn it into something it wasn’t.”
My eyes blur with tears. “You think that’s normal, to treat people like that?”
“No, of course it’s not normal,” he replies softly. “I didn’t exactly have a normal life. Listen…” He takes a step toward me and rests his hand on my shoulder before gently kissing my forehead. “You have no reason to be jealous of Mia. She and I were never friends. She was part of a life I have left behind now. Or I’m trying to leave behind. And believe me, I’m well aware of the fact that I’ll never turn into a good and gentle man. But when I’m with you, I could almost believe I can.”
When Saul wipes away my tears it only makes me cry harder. All the day’s events crash down on me, beating me senseless. Finn’s death, Saul kissing me, Phileas’s attack and his tragic end. “Why is life so difficult?” I sob.
Saul pulls me into his arms. “I don’t know. But I do know it’s more bearable if you’re not alone.”
It feels like we remain there for the longest time, in the middle of the square, holding on to each other. I open my eyes only when I hear the sound of hooves leaping up from the cobblestones of the Scilly Way. To my surprise it turns out to be Daryl. He slides out of the saddle and runs toward me.
“Alisa,” he pants. “They’re back.”
“Who are you talking about?” I ask wonderingly as I slip out of Saul’s embrace.
“Our adventurers.” He wipes the sweat off his brow. “Walt, William, Leia. We’ve seen the Explorer at the horizon. And there’s another ship with them.”
World Across The Waters
21 – Leia
As soon as I open my eyes, I know I’m not doing well. I have a horrible, throbbing headache and a bad taste in my mouth. Could it be the Exeter disease has struck at last?
I turn my head to look around the room where my bed is. And then, I remember – I was sedated by those men with needles. They took me prisoner.
Coughing, I sit up, my eyes flitting across the room. Am I all alone?
My heart skips a beat when I spot Walt on the bed on the other side of the room. They got him too. I should have run when I had the chance. I could have gotten help from Tony and the others. And now we’re both back in Dartmoor, and that’s my fault. I should have listened to Walt. I shouldn’t have gone to Exeter in the first place, and I definitely shouldn’t have dragged Walt into this with my stupid sense of adventure. We have broken the rules of this society, and now we’re paying for it.
Will the president apply the same law to us, ignorant outsiders? I don’t get it.
“Walt,” I croak out, stumbling toward him on unsteady feet. “Wake up.”
I gently shake his shoulder. He moans plaintively, trying to twist out of my grip. I run my hand over his forehead. “Please wake up,” I repeat. “We’re locked in here.”
Actually, I haven’t checked, but I can’t imagine the door would just open if I tried the handle.
“Leia.” He sits up with a start, banging his head against mine. “What happened?”
“I don’t know,” I whisper desperately. “They took us both. I bet it’s because we visited their forbidden city. I’m so sorry.”
“Hey.” He flings an arm around me. “That’s nonsense. If we want to see our ancestors’ birthplace, we should be allowed to. Let’s just wait until someone shows up to explain it to us.”
“I wish we had something to drink.” I look around, but I don’t see any water or fruits for us. One quick glance through the window is enough to show me that we are being held on the top floor of the palace. Far below, I can see the square where Sam was Purged. Escaping from here is impossible.
Fortunately, we don’t have to wait for very long before somebody pays us
a visit. We both stare at the door expectantly when someone pushes down the handle. When the door swings open, William and Tony turn out to be on the threshold.
“Dad!” Walt is on his feet in one second and bridges the distance between him and his father. William hugs him tightly. Tony puts an arm around my shoulders and gives me an impenetrable gaze before putting down a bottle of fruit juice on the table.
“Tony,” I say, my voice uneven. “What’s going on?”
“You went to Exeter,” he begins. “You could have told me, you know.”
“Sorry.” I cast my gaze to the floor, embarrassed by his disappointment in me. I would have loved to share our trip with Tony, but he’d been so insistent it wasn’t possible to visit the place. And after what happened to Victor, I wasn’t sure I should tell anyone at all.
“President Jacob wants to keep you both here,” William continues, sounding tortured.
“But why?” I burst out. “I didn’t do anything, and neither did Walt.”
Tony clears his throat. “Well, you didn’t get sick.”
I gape at him, my mouth open. “Yeah, so?”
He shakes his head. “That’s a miracle, Leia. It’s just not possible. Everyone who goes there, gets sick sooner or later. That’s why we only send terminal patients to the cathedral, or people who are supposed to be Purged anyway. People come down with symptoms within the hour. There is no escape from the disease that destroyed our old world.”
“But we weren’t affected,” Walt says flatly.
“Exactly.”
I slump down onto the chair in the corner of the room. “So what does that mean?”
“It means you are immune to the war disease. And President Jacob happens to have a daughter who is dying of the sickness. He will do anything to find a miracle cure that will heal her. That’s why he wants to keep you here. For research.”
“But…” Walt clenches his hands into fists. “Why has he taken us prisoner? We can help him with his medical study once we return, can’t we?”
