“No more fucking waiting. Either we fight or we die.” Ren drove her spear into the air. “Whose with me?”
Cheers sprang from the crowd. Bows rose above the gathered heads. Spears, knives, swords. The people, sickly, blood-spattered, mourning and lost; had heard Ren. Had understood her. Ren shot the Shamaness a smirk. “Will you join us?”
“You cannot kill him.” The Shamaness hissed. “You cannot—none of us can. You are leading my people to their death.”
“Dying’s better than waiting to fucking die. Ever think about that?”
“There is a reason, Outsider! There is a reason why I’ve made the Mesh wait!” she took a step toward Ren. The tentacles of her magic licked Ren’s skin, but could no longer hold her down. They glazed over her, licking and prodding. “They will break the third maxim. And it will be because of you that the goddess turns on them.”
47
Ren rolled her eyes. “Fine. Wait here. Rot for all I care.”
“You will die.” The Shamaness said, turning to face the crowd. “You will all die.”
“At least we’ll die on our own terms.” Ren said, shooting her spear up into the air again. “If you’re tired of the fucking Kirabo, follow me.”
A surge of Mesh took up the call. Women, men, children. The black glare of the Shamaness followed them to the outskirts of the Wilds and vanished. Sprinkling the village in black soot and shadowy magic.
They met the outskirts at a sprint.
The Kirabo had done something strange to the land and disappeared into a magically dug hole. Ren racked her brains for how she would recreate it—or just ignore it all together. Maybe the camp was farther up and the magic had simply been done to throw Ren and Kato off? Or, maybe the camp was so far out of the way the Kirabo simply had to teleport or risk losing their charges.
Fuck.
All these people counted on her figuring out where the Kirabo were. She had tracked them far, but…
Now was not the time to worry. If worse came to worse, she’d keep going until she found the fucking camp. Ren couldn’t give up. Not now. She had gone too far, had rallied all of these people to follow her. If her confidence wavered, they would all die. She couldn’t be selfish and let fear overcome her. She had to have hope.
A hand touched her shoulder and she nearly screamed. Kato joined the group as they ripped through the underbrush.
His smile was genuine. “I knew you’d do it.”
Ren blinked. “Do what?”
“Elder Lindiwe said that you would be our agent of change. Do you remember?”
“Somewhat.” No.
“The Elders are never wrong.”
Ren slid around a large tree trunk. “I thought you were banished.”
“I am.” He said, following her. His big body hulking over hers. “My father once lived out here in the outskirts. He was banished too, a long time ago.”
He spoke like the man was dead. Ren knew enough not to ask further questions. There’s no point in dwelling on pain.
But he continued anyway. “He disappeared when I became a Scion. Never saw him again.”
His voice quieted. Only the crunching of leaves and the squawking chatter of birds pervaded her senses as humidity swept over the tight group, bringing with it a sheen of salt and sweat.
“The Shamaness created the Kirabo.” Kato said, cluing her in as Ren concentrated on finding the spot where the Kirabo disappeared. “They were a splinter group. A guerrilla force used against the Outsiders on the beach after the Shamaness brought up the Wall.”
“So, they aren’t Mesh who are tired of the Shamaness?”
“They are. But they were not always so rebellious. They once answered to her. But once the water dried up and the tribe became desperate, they turned against her. Spread the belief that the Shamaness could no longer convene with the goddess. The Mafioso came up with the belief that through bloodshed the goddess would speak to us again and destroy the Outsiders.” He ran his fingers through his hair as Ren crouched in the foliage.
There it was—the spot where the Kirabo had vanished. Ren gritted her teeth, narrowed her eyes and cursed.
“The Mafioso is her brother.”
That broke Ren’s concentration. Her eyes snapped wider. “Come again?”
“The Mafioso is the Shamaness’s brother. Nakato’s brother.”
That was her name? Nakato? “How in the fuck?”
“She put him in charge of the Kirabo because…well, the most trustworthy people are those that share blood with you, right?”
“Pfft.” No.
No fucking way.
“So the power he has—it runs in their blood? That’s why he was able to pick up the entire fucking camp and throw it somewhere else?”
Kato shrugged. “Nothing makes sense anymore, Ren. I really don’t know.”
Dammit. “You saw what the Kirabo did before—when we lost them. You don’t know anything about that magic circle either?”
“No, but,” Kato shifted, planted his palms into the dirt. “We’re being watched.”
And Ren was pretty sure she knew the watcher.
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“Fuck this.” Ren sprang up to standing.
Kato yanked at her wrist. Ren snatched it away and strode forward.
“Here I am.” Ren said, opening her arms. “Wanna hit me with another batch of memories? Wanna get set on fucking fire again?” flame burst through her palms.
Bull Skull and Bird Skull stood side by side, black eyes glaring at her. Bird Skull made no move, but Bull Skull took a lurching step forward. Then, another.
“You gave me back my memories fucker.” Ren hissed, standing toe to toe with it. “You expect a thank you? Huh? What do you want?” its breath smelled of sulfur and decay. It should have made Ren gag, but she was way passed that. She was pissed.
Bull Skull cocked its massive head. “You seek the Hollow.” Every word was strained, wheezed and blown out in a belch of black smoke. “Follow.”
Ren squinted her eyes. “What?”
It didn’t repeat its command.
Ren stole a glance at the surrounding bushes. Met Kato’s eyes and he sprang to standing. Nodded to her before turning his back and holding his hands up toward the nearby Mesh. They pealed from the bushes like leaves falling off a wilted tree.
Bull Skull crouched in the exact spot the Kirabo woman had stood. It turned its bleached skull, glancing over its massive shoulder. Bringing up a single finger, it drew a circle. Beckoned Ren closer and she came. Crouched near it and watched. Bull Skull drew a single line through the foliage. Then, added a U shape crisscrossing it. The picture looked like a pitch-fork.
“Draw the circle and you may access the Hollow.” It breathed, indicating with its finger that she must draw a large circle around her.
Ren grinned. “And that’s how we get to the camp?”
The creature nodded.
“How do you know all this?”
It simply stared at her, done talking. Ren nodded and stood. Told the Mesh how the Kirabo used some sort of teleportation magic to go through the earth and arrive at their camp. “I’m going to create a hole here.” She pointed. “And all you’ve got to do is jump in.”
Heads nodded. Some mumbled in island-speak, uncertain and wary. Ren shrugged and crouched. Followed the shape Bull Skull had created and then stepped away. Tracing a large circle in the foliage, when the circle met end to end a blue light evaporated off of her crystal. It flew into the lines, lighting them with blue flame.
Bull Skull lumbered away to the edge of the circle. Ren looked up. Exchanged a smile with Kato who grinned in disbelief.
This is it. After this, there would be no turning back. She’d see Mia again. Save the Dreamers and Elder Lindiwe. She’d have to take out the Mafioso. The thought of seeing him again made her shiver.
The ground beneath her trembled. Somewhere, an explosion sounded. Followed by the familiar snap of gunfire.
The Mesh turned, gasping. They had
heard this before, Ren assumed. Whatever was happening back there—it wasn’t good. But they couldn’t turn back now. Not when they were so close.
The ground beneath Ren opened up. She screamed. Plunged into the earth.
Bull Skull stared as she made her way down. Behind that skull and the black sunken eyes, she made out two sapphire pupils with tan skin filling out the face.
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Ren’s fingers curled through dirt. She opened her eyes, raised her head. A tunnel stretched on, ending as light flooded through it. Standing, Ren looked up.
All she saw was darkness. Then bodies, plummeting toward the tunnel floor.
Kato met her first. Then, the others.
“Did you know they were human?” Ren hissed at him, hands on his muscled shoulders. “The skull people?”
“Wilds Spirits.” He corrected her. “And they are not.”
Ren bit her lower lip. Now was not the time for questions. “Fine.” They’d talk about this another time. It was clear he was hiding something from her, but she ignored the nagging feeling and turned. The tunnel ended about half a mile up. She pointed to the light, making sure the Mesh saw her finger and began to move.
On the other end, a wooden bridge stuck out like a tongue. Ren poked her head out and gasped. They were high up, right in the trunk of a tree.
How in the hell? She was almost—almost—past being shocked by every weird thing that happened on this island. Up ahead on a teetering platform, two figures stood guard directly across. Huts hung from the trees like bird cages. If she strained her eyes past the first five huts, she could see the vat just hanging there. Like shit on a stick.
She could burn it. Burn it all. But first—the Mesh had to find their people. And she had to find Mia, then Elder Lindiwe.
A woman shoved her way up to the front of the Mesh. She wore light leather armor with a sword dangling at her hip. Ren recognized her as one of the Shamaness’s head guardswomen. “We will lead.” She told Ren, accent thick. “Scions, find and release our people. Then, burn this place down.”
Kato nodded. Ren exchanged a glance with her. Brown eyes were fierce, layered with determination and a hint of guilt.
“You got it.”
The guardswoman turned. Hefting her broadsword into the sky, she cried out in island-speak and the Mesh replied with a hissed cheer. Then, the bridge was shaking. Trembling as the Mesh charged across it, howling a war cry that bit through to Ren’s bones.
Ren stole a final glance at Kato before careening across the bridge, fire in hand, careful not to burn the damned thing down once she had crossed it. Kato pulled power from her, sending sharp scythes through the air that threw a group of Kirabo off of their people. The masked men and women went flying off of the nearby platform, shrieking as they careened toward the ground below. When they hit the ground, Ren didn’t even hear a thump.
They were pretty high up.
There were three platforms high in the trees. All were connected by rickety boardwalk bridges that were quickly becoming weighed down with Kirabo and Mesh. Of the three platforms, the one hanging in the middle was the largest. Wooden sheds stood in a semicircle of three, their walls cordoned off. Keeping the world blind to their contents. Ren pointed, slapping Kato on the shoulder before bounding off toward the sheds.
Clambering over teetering planks, Ren fought to keep her balance as the bridge swung to the left. Then to the right. A gaggle of four fought on it, the guardswoman leading this fight as two men acted as her spearmates, shoving their spears to either side of her whenever she pulled away from the Kirabo attacking with swords and machetes. Ren shot a blast of fire that was scooped up by Kato’s air scythe, expanding the fireball into a burning scythe of fire. It hit the three Kirabos masks, setting them aflame. They screamed, throwing their masks off of the bridge before getting gouged by the guardswoman and her spearmates. With a grunt, they slid the convulsing bodies off of their spears and off into the abyss below.
They shrieked the entire way down.
Ren swallowed as her heart speared its way into her throat. No time to be sick now. She shoved past the Mesh on the bridge, skidding to a stop on the largest platform. The sheds exploded with noise—muffled moans, screams, hands thrashing against wood and bamboo board.
Ren had found them.
But the Mafioso had found her too.
He strode out into the center of the platform, his painted skull-face gleaming with blood and sweat. In his massive hand, he held Mia’s head. Her naked body dangled, feet kicking. Trying to run, before he drew her up, body reacting to the sudden movement like a rag doll.
Hot air rushed through Ren’s nostrils as her arms lit up in flame.
Right before he slammed Mia down into the platform. Face first.
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Meeting Ren’s eyes, he let go of her. Mia rolled, wood and blood bruising her puffed up face. Her body hit the nearby shed with a thunk.
So much for not killing him.
Flinging her spear onto her back, flame licked up her arms. Ren charged. The Mafioso grinned. Waited until he saw the whites of her eyes and ducked. Ren stumbled forward, falling onto the Mafioso’s painted back. He screamed as he lifted her up, flinging her to the ground. She hit the platform face first and ate wood. Dirt.
Shadow swallowed up the light. The Mafioso’s body disappeared. Ren turned over.
Massive teakwoods bent over her, crowding over her like storm clouds ready to burst. Ren shuffled backward, still on her ass, until one branch grew out from the middle tree. Then another and another—a gnarled arm of branches reached for her. Ren stood, sidestepped to avoid the gnarled arm but only got socked in the face by another one. Tumbling forward, she rolled beneath another swooping, gnarled, arm. The trees were fighting to get to her—to pick her up and squeeze her until her organs ballooned from her eyes.
Not today fuckers.
She crouched low. Watched as another arm went flying through the canopy and dove toward her. Preparing to sprint forward, her eyes widened as the gnarled arm broke into a thousand little sharp branches that dove right at her.
She ran. Crouched and tumbled beneath three spear branches, earning her a stab in the right side of her ribcage. Another on her bad ankle. She bit back a scream as she baited the branches. Rolling, tumbling, and sidestepping as quickly as she could to avoid the barrage of sharpened branches. But, no matter how fast she moved, one always got her. Sliced through her cheek, through her forehead. Cut a line down her neck, or ripped through her thigh. Breathing hard, she watched as the branches wove up into the canopy. The crowded trees were silent, staring down at her like sentinels.
Somewhere, the Mafioso’s deep laughter threaded through the wood and blood.
“Fuck you.” Ren hissed, holding her side as pain speared through it. Sweat drenched through her shirt, her jeans. Everything was in tatters.
The canopy above her head shivered. Moved and danced. Ren swallowed as a thousand tiny branches tore through the leaves and stabbed toward her. She repeated the dance again, slowing down. Unable to keep up. She made a wrong turn and a branch snapped around her left wrist, her right ankle. Stabbing her free leg through the air, she tried to kick the branches away. But they were like vines, taut and tough and flexible. Ren cried out as her free leg was scooped up. Tried biting at the vine heading for her neck as her other arm was taken. Stretched.
“There is only so much one person can do.” The Mafioso’s voice boomed through the thread of vines. More and more kept coming, kept piling up on her. Slowly, she was being drowned by the vines and branches and leaves. They were pulling her down, piling on top of her like dirt on a grave. She was being buried alive.
“Moira has told me all about you, little one. But I have told her, it is time she died. This world has gone on for long enough.”
Ren ignored him as her entire body was covered. Before long, all that saw past the vines was her right eye. Sweat broke out all over her body. She trembled in the wooden tomb, biting her tongue as
she wreathed and fought. Why was he doing this to her? Why not just boil her? Or kill her outright—fuck it all. When the last vine covered Ren’s right eye, her blood went cold.
“You have fought to survive for long enough.”
It was a death sentence. The vines clenched, snaking around her only to pull in tighter and tighter. Suffocating, fighting to breathe, Ren’s muffled whine sounded pitiful to even her ears. But she had to fight. Had to struggle. There was Mia. This motherfucker killed Mia. Then, Itzel. Kato and…fuck—even Seble. Ren had to survive for them. Ren had to survive to avenge the friends this fucker killed and then save the island from people like her. From her grandfather and his fucked up operation. From the world outside. Hell, if this goddess even fucking existed, Ren would save her. She’d do whatever she had to do to keep this island alive.
But she’d have to save herself first.
Fire. It roared through her veins. Boiled her blood. Seeped through her skin, her eyes, her mouth. Ren opened her mouth and roared, a tongue of fire exploded through her. Rocketed through the vines above her head and the Mafioso let out a blood-curdling scream. Flame licked along her skin—Ren’s scream melded with the Mafioso’s as fire engulfed her entire body. It burned through the vines, the branches. The trees bowed away as the Mafioso screamed with every fiber of his being, his scream ripping through the skin of his throat.
Ren was back on the platform again. Swiping her spear from her back, she stood before the Mafioso. Charged and hailed her spearpoint at him, prodding and stabbing quicker than she could blink. He dodged them, backstepped and kept his forearms up. A river of blood ran down his forearms once she backed away, panting. Her entire body no longer on fire, but her eyes spouting wicked streams of flame.
All she saw was red. All she could understand was this man’s death. The Mafioso had to die.
Wild Magic (The Island Book 1) Page 15
