Edge of Truth (9781310978142)

by Hanova, Natasha

  “Blaze doesn’t know how to find what you’re looking for.”

  Topaz scrutinized her for a few seconds before he spoke. “How is it that you knew where to find us or what I’m looking for?”

  “I’m the one who discovered it. First.”

  “You’re too late.” Topaz pointed with the tip of the knife to a deep-looking cave on his right, his back still turned to Nevan. “If the girl knows what’s best, this cave better be the one I want. And if it’s not...” He flung Blaze to the ground like a piece of useless garbage.

  Blaze caught herself in time to prevent gouging her eye. Sorrow filled her expression as she scrambled to sit up. “R-rena, I’m s-sorry.”

  With a glare, Topaz pointed the knife at Blaze, summarily silencing her.

  Rena rushed forward, putting herself between Blaze and Topaz. Before he could act upon the threat, Rena grabbed his arm with both of her hands. “You will not hit her again.”

  Topaz yanked his arm free and seized Rena by the neck. His manicured fingernails dug into her throat as his words seeped out between clenched teeth. “Little girl, if you knew what was best for you, you would’ve stayed home.”

  Nevan sprinted full-force toward them, but still had too much ground to cover. With all her strength, she kicked Topaz between the legs. Eyes clenched shut, his mouth opened in a silent roar. He let go of her neck, dropped the knife, then grabbed himself. She elbowed him in between the shoulder blades on his way to the ground.

  “And if you knew what was best for you, you wouldn’t mess with Rena Moon,” she said as she kicked the knife away.

  “Don’t you,” he growled between coughing and spitting fits. He winced as he struggled to sit. “Don’t you dare try to run.”

  She checked to make sure Nevan was close enough before she turned to help Blaze get to her feet. “Come on, let’s get out of here.”

  “Watch out!” Blaze shouted.

  “Don’t worry.” She started to turn around. “It’s only Nevan.”

  Topaz stood, still slightly hunched. Rage in his eyes, he balled his hand into a fist, pulled his arm back, and swung at Rena. Seconds to impact, his hand stopped.

  “What the…”

  “That’s right, mofo.” Nevan’s words sizzled against the hot rocks as he grabbed Topaz by the neck and slammed him to the ground. Using his foot, he pinned him down. “Don’t nobody hit my girl.”

  “You’ve no idea who you’re messing with.” Topaz slowly turned his head to the side, his gaze on the cave.

  That the man didn’t attempt to break free concerned Rena. She stood silent, sensing for vibrations, tracing them. Movement came from the direction of the cave, like someone jogging. “I don’t think he’s alone.”

  “He’s not,” Blaze confirmed.

  Nevan pulled Topaz up by his collar and knocked him out with a single punch. He let the jerk drop to the ground, scooped up Topaz’s knife, then raced to Rena’s side. “Let’s get you two home.”

  “Owww! It hurts! It hurts! It hurts!” Blaze protested as she stumbled back to a shaded spot created by a huge boulder and braced herself against it. “The sunlight, I can’t. Rena, I feel like I’m about to pass out.”

  Rena rushed to her, ready to catch her. They needed to get across the flat land to the small forest woods, but one glance told her they’d never make it in time. The foothills behind Blaze were closer by about half a mile, and a quarter mile beyond that, the number of trees increased with the incline of the steep hillside. If they could make it to the top, they’d be able to drop out of sight on the down slope. She wondered if Blaze could handle it. Her entire face and all exposed skin were sunburned. She couldn’t stomach the thought of how much pain her friend had suffered.

  Rena swallowed hard, glancing at the dark mouth of the cave before seeking her friend’s eyes. “I count three distinctive footsteps. Can we take them?”

  Blaze shook her head. “They’re too big. Even for Nevan.”

  “They’re getting closer.” Rena bent down and yanked off a piece of material from Blaze’s tattered hem. “Stay here,” she told Blaze and Nevan.

  She dashed pass a still unconscious Topaz, and to a spiked bush, about a quarter of the way to the patch of trees. After she snagged the material on the shrub, she sprinted to her friends. Her limbs ached; her muscles reeled against the exertion.

  “Good move, Lil’ Mama,” Nevan said, motioning toward the bush with his chin.

  “We need to help Blaze get to the hillside.”

  Blaze yelped and protested when they grabbed her sunburned arms, but they couldn’t afford any setbacks as they dashed to the foothills. With a firm grip on Blaze’s arm and Nevan on the other side, they hiked up the slope, leaning forward to compensate for the steepness.

  As the Burning approached, the air grew dry. Nevan steered them toward a thicket of trees, crossing under as many of them as possible on the way. Every time Rena left the grace of shade, sunshine blasted her like heat from an oven. Sweat dampened her shirt and the waistband of her cargos. Her toes felt sloshy in her sandals, and she couldn’t wait to take them off.

  The rising temperature drained her energy, and by the way Blaze leaned on her, Rena assumed her best friend was close to her limit. Ahead, a wide stretch of shade awaited them and beyond that, the crest of the hillside topped by a bright blue sky.

  “Two, maybe three minutes and we’ll be there,” she told Blaze. “You still doing okay?”

  “I’ll make it, and when we do, you have some explaining to do.” She lolled her head toward Nevan, but he was too focused on the landscape to notice.

  Blaze released a sigh of relief as they entered the shaded area. Rena glanced back. The trees blocked her view of the flat land below, as well as Topaz and crew. She and her friends pushed forward at a rapid pace, until they reached the peak. The hills and valleys stretched on as far as Rena could see.

  She mentally captured the landscape as they picked their way down the ridge. Clusters of lanky trees grew in sets of threes. Caves pockmarked the mountainous terrain in constellation-like patterns. A crisp, refreshing scent clung to the air, and dried pine needles on the ground snapped beneath her sandals. She collected the information, creating a three-dimensional map in her mind.

  Sending Nevan and Blaze ahead made it easier to sense footsteps approaching from behind. Topaz had been unconscious when they left him, and the crew he had with him were still in the cave. She hoped the scrap of Blaze’s dress would make Topaz think they went back to Hollowcrest instead of the mountains. She refused to base safety on hope alone.

  “Guys,” Blaze said. “Can we find a place to rest.”

  Rena really wanted more space between her and Topaz, but couldn’t refuse Blaze. They found shelter in a north-facing cave with a slight overhang. The air smelled stale, but tolerable. Nevan ducked his head as he took a few steps to the back wall and sat. Rena settled down next to him, her left knee pressed to his right one. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness, she searched her backpack for lip balm and handed it up to Blaze. She put some on and returned it.

  When Blaze sat across from her, moisture welled up in Rena’s eyes. Her throat hurt so bad she could hardly talk. Nevan laced his fingers between hers. Whatever tension she held evaporated with his touch.

  “I’m—” Rena cleared her throat. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner.”

  Blaze struggled for control. When she finally spoke, her voice sounded thick with unshed tears. “I’m glad you’re here now.”

  Rena wrapped her free hand around her waist. “I wish I could hug you.”

  “See, that ain’t right. You should be able to hug your girl.” He squeezed Rena’s hand as he looked at Blaze. “How’d you get burned this bad?”

  Blaze lowered her gaze to her twiddling fingers. After a few seconds, she whispered, “He made me walk in the sun for almost twenty minutes.”

  Nevan balled his fist. “I should’ve snapped his neck.”

  “Was he in the sun, to
o?” Rena asked.

  Blaze shook her head. “They had sunbrellas.”

  Rena clenched her jaw so hard, she thought she’d chipped a tooth. She never thought Topaz would end up on the Give-Me-A-Reason-Not-To-Kill-You-List. He was supposed to be just some random guy she and Blaze liked to look at. Not a threat to their survival. “By the looks of you, it had to be during the Burning.”

  She nodded.

  “That’s cruel.” Nevan caressed Rena’s knuckles with his thumb. “Why was he trying to hurt you?”

  “He wanted me to take him to the cave where the book came from. Said he wouldn’t let me back in the shade until I did.” Her glistening eyes found Rena’s. “I got turned around. The sun was on the wrong side.”

  She reached out to pat her friend. “It’s okay.”

  Blaze scooted away. “Don’t.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  “There’s something you should know about the men he brought with him.” She smoothed down the material of her skirt. “Two of them are human, but the other is a Synbot.”

  “You sure?” Nevan ran a hand over his dreads.

  “Well, it walked right next to me to make sure I stayed in the sun. It didn’t so much as sweat. And it has bad hair.” Blaze motioned her hands a few inches from her head, one hand higher than the other hair. “I think it’s an older model. Solar powered.”

  Nevan leaned back. “From what I hear, those codes are easier to hack.”

  Rena scrambled to her feet. “We need to get out of here.”

  “No kidding. This cave isn’t deep enough to hide us.”

  “No.” Rena’s face paled. “Somebody’s coming.”

  Blaze sprung up and stood as close as she could to Rena without touching her. With the two girls huddled as far back in the shallow cave as possible, Nevan inched his way to the entrance. He put one hand on the wall and slowly leaned forward to peek around the corner. After what felt like an eternity, he stepped out of the cave to a spot still shaded by the overhang.

  Rena’s heart dropped to the bottom of her feet. What was he thinking, leaving the cave like that? Was he trying to get caught? Did he not understand that they were coming? In unison, she and Blaze took baby steps toward the mouth of the cave.

  “Psst! Psssst! Get back in here!” Rena whispered. The vibrations intensified.

  Nevan strolled back to the cave, shaking his head as he stared at her feet. “Them some sensitive feet you got, Lil’ Mama.”

  “Did you see them? How far away are they?” Blaze was on the verge of tears.

  “Pretty close, but…”

  Rena yanked him back into the cave. His shoulder popped under the force. The vibrations intensified, she looked to the mouth of the cave right as a small herd of deer raced past and up the next hill. Blaze took one look at Nevan struggling to hold back his amusement, and the two of them busted out laughing. Rena recognized nervous laughter when she heard it, but it irritated her all the same.

  “This isn’t funny, you two.” Rena stepped out, watching the deer climb. “We can’t stay on this side of the hillside during the Burning, either. Who knows how close Topaz might be?”

  Blaze stopped laughing and backed away from the entrance. “But he has to protect himself, too. I think there’s just a little over an hour left. Can’t we wait it out?”

  “What if he sent the Syn ahead to scout?” Rena asked.

  Blaze paled, but then said, “The Syn’d still have to go back and report where it located us.”

  “Not if it has a commlink.” Nevan shifted closer to the entrance. “Rena’s right. We need to find a better hiding place. The sun is already heating up this cave.”

  “Tell me about it.” Blaze held her arms away from her sides as she stared outside. “But I’m more afraid to go out there. Too much sun.”

  “If we move fast enough, we should be able to make it over the hillside. Plus, we’ll be partly shielded by the overhang. We didn’t bring anything for additional shade, but…” Rena stepped back in the cave. “If you take your skirt off, you could use it to shield your arms.”

  “I think I’ll wait in the shade while you two work this out,” Nevan said.

  Rena grabbed his arm. “Wait.” She squeezed past him and crouched in the cave threshold. Behind her, Blaze shuffled side to side and Nevan thrummed his fingers against the stone.

  “Be still. I need to listen.” This place was full of so many vibrations, but a lifetime of experience tuned her into the signature stomp of Syns. Detecting one here would be like singling out Blaze’s voice during assembly. Difficult, but not impossible. She had no idea how far her ability reached because she wasn’t used to such wide-open spaces without tons of people. Still, she sensed for the steady clomp of the machine. “It’s quiet. We should be okay.”

  Nevan brushed her hand on his way out. The brief contact tingled throughout her arm. She pressed her lips together to keep from smiling as she turned her attention to Blaze. Between the tights and the skirt, her legs had double sun protection, but she really needed to protect her arms. Rena helped her wiggle out of the skirt, making a conscious effort to avoid touching her sensitive skin. They draped it over her shoulders before they joined Nevan outside.

  With a dimple accompanying his broad smile, Nevan held his hand up. “Look what I found.”

  Blaze took a step back, landing inside the cave once again. “You broke a plant?”

  “What is it?” Rena asked, touching the thorny edge of a speckled yellow, sword-shaped green leaf.

  “Aloe vera. Helps treat burns.”

  “That’s very thoughtful of you.” She gave her best friend a pointed look. “Isn’t it, Blaze?”

  “Yeah. Thanks,” Blaze mumbled.

  She rolled her eyes at her friend’s feigned appreciation before looking back to him. “Let’s get over this ridge first. Then you can show us how to use it.”

  He motioned east with his chin. “I was thinking maybe we should follow the deer. Can you track them through the ground if they get too far up the hill?”

  Rena nodded.

  “Good, they’re probably heading for water.”

  Blaze shuffled across the cave floor. Rena glanced up the next hill, but the deer were already out of sight. If Rena could get Blaze out the cave, they should be able to reach the other side in less than twenty minutes. She knew just the thing to draw her friend outside.

  “Before I forget, I got you this.” Rena held out a new blue sunhat, but to reach it, Blaze would have to leave the cave. “Why don’t you walk in front? Me and Nevan can help block the sun.”

  “But then you guys might get burned, too.”

  Rena and Nevan glanced at each other before looking back at Blaze. They answered in stereo, one bass, one tenor. “Don’t worry about us.”

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  They trudged along a thin slice of shade, which gave way to sunlight every now and then. Walking arm to arm, Rena and Nevan created a block of shade and took the brunt of the scorching sunrays to provide Blaze with added protection. The hot air singed Rena’s lungs. She breathed between parted lips that were quickly drying out no matter how much lip balm she used. She needed water, but finding shelter took priority. For now, the fact that she found Blaze and they were safe would have to be enough.

  When they finally reached the shaded side of the hill, Rena stopped. With her head tilted back, she closed her eyes and smiled as cooler air played over her heated skin. The air smelled so fresh and clean. After a moment, she opened her eyes.

  “Oh, wow.” Her voice came out in a whisper as she stepped deeper into the surrounding woods.

  The thick canopy significantly lowered the temperature and made the air easier to breathe. Slack-jawed, she pivoted in a slow circle. Old Lady Eva’s yard was a desert in comparison to the abundance of plant life on this side of the mountains. She counted more than five shades of green. Flowers splattered the forest with red, gold, pink, and white. Foliage grew from every crevice.

  Rena h
ad never seen this many thriving plants in one place. Its beauty brought tears to her eyes for reasons she couldn’t understand. She expected barren land, like the landscape surrounding Hollowcrest and most of Westrock, but trees sprawled out as far as she could see. How was that possible?

  “Why are there so many more plants on this side?”

  Nevan stood silent, with his hands on his hips and his gaze on the surroundings. He had such a reverent look on his face, she didn’t want to disturb him by repeating the question. At first, she thought the environment was impressive because she wasn’t used to seeing so much green. His expression told her otherwise.

  “There should be a word for a place like this. Better yet, a song.” He spoke softly, as if the music were already forming in his mind.

  “I know, right,” Blaze said.

  Rena pushed off her hat and stepped farther into the breath-taking environment. “This place is unbelievable.”

  “Guess the war that brought down Crimson City stayed on that side of the mountains,” Nevan rolled his hat and stuffed it in his back pocket.

  “I don’t mean to rush anyone, but aren’t we supposed to be following those deer?” Blaze asked.

  “This must be their trail.” Nevan edged along a path where the brush was broken and trampled. “It’ll probably take us to their waterhole.”

  “Good. Then we don’t have to try to keep up with them.” Blaze eased down on a moss-covered boulder. “I need a break. My feet are killing me. I thought that hike would never end.”

  Rena pulled out a half-empty water bottle and took a swig. “Ain’t that the truth.”

  Blaze’s forehead crinkled in confusion. “What did you say?”

  “She’s starting to sound like me.” Nevan bumped elbows with her. “Here, let me show you how to use this plant I found for Blaze’s sunburn.” He kept one of the long waxy green leaves and handed Rena the other three. They were heavier than she expected.