by Brindi Quinn
None of these were lies. They were all definites.
Nyte looked down at his gripped cloak, his breathing short.
“Miss Hav- Aura, after this is all over, I intend to bring you through the Wood of Erow. Would you oblige this desire of mine?”
He swallowed.
“Before, you said, ‘bride’ – does that mean . . .”
What else could it mean?
A grin lit Nyte’s face.
“Do you feel coldness in your feet already?” he teased.
“No! I’m just . . . that’s so serious, and I . . .”
“The walk through the wood is a trial of partnership. At its end, the wills of both will be discerned. There, a proposal can be made if the hearts are found compatible. It is unusual for someone non-Elf to undergo the trial, but it is my intention to break tradition and take you with me.”
That’s far less sudden than I expected.
“After proposal, courtship occurs. It can last for many years, so you need not fear becoming a wife at such a young age – although, I must say, your wifely skills have been found to be surprisingly adequate.” He fought to contain a snigger, most certainly remembering the first time he drank piit. Next his face became serious – even longing. “However, as to that ‘bride’ business, eventually, Aura, I would like you to become mine forever – if that is not too much to ask.”
The answer came blazingly fast.
“No.”
Nyte looked like I’d just thrown a dagger at him.
“No? You do not wish to come with me?”
“No! I mean, ‘no, it’s not too much’. Everything you’ve said sounds . . . wonderful.”
“Oh! Really?” He eagerly studied me for teasing intent. Finding none, he then released his head back, exhaled, and sighed. “I am relieved. No, I am more than relieved. I am rapturous!” A blissful smile spread his mouth.
Stomach flipping, I laughed.
Somehow, past all of that Elven formality, I’d just agreed to be his girlfriend . . . or maybe even fiancée, and his reaction was more elating than I could handle.
“But before that all happens,” I said, trying to ground myself, “it would be great if I could, you know, start being able to touch you again.”
“We’re hopefully gonna have the answer ta that real soon.”
Grotts, who’d been walking over to retrieve us, had just caught the end of our conversation.
He clapped us both on the shoulders. “Ya two ready ta have yer memories searched?” I could feel his calluses even through my layers of shirt and cloak.
“Most definitely,” I said.
“Great! But we’re gonna wait til were outta the tomb. Rend’s all up ‘n arms ‘bout us treading on the dead and whatnot. We’ll find somewhere real close by, though, so prepare yerselves. Ya ready, Nyte?”
Nyte took longer than average to answer.
Your memories’ ally.
I locked eyes with him and he took in a breath.
“Yes.” He nodded. “Let us begin.”
Chapter 13: The Memory
The place we found for the memory retrieval ended up being not as close as we would have hoped. The sun was out when we left the tomb, but there were a few remaining dargons prowling the nearby area. We managed to get away from them, but traveling was difficult whilst holding a sloshing bowl of purified andap. Scardo, having persistently insisted that he carry the wisping stuff, struggled to keep up with the rest of the group. This severely hindered our pace.
Pothole after pothole, we searched for a safe place to build camp. The memory retrieval would take time and energy, and after the second dargon encounter, we had little to spare of each. It wasn’t until several hours later, on the other side of the Nalla, that we were able to find a place to settle. It seemed we hadn’t been the first travelers to do so either.
We stumbled, entirely by chance, upon a small stone hut very near the border of the Nalla – actually only three or so hours in, according to Scardo’s map. Inside, there were no provisions, but we did find an old mess of dusty blankets on a small wooden table in the corner and the stone-carved message of one who’d traveled before:
The dargons come when shade grows long.
“Well, that is stupidly simple and obvious.” Rend wrinkled her top lip at the carving. “Thank the Creator it is not in Elftongue, or I should feel ashamed of my own brethren.”
“Hey, did it ever cross your sour-puss mind that maybe whoever left it was just trying to be nice?” said Kantú, looking as sour as she claimed Rend to be. “You know, warning people who-”
“Who what? Wander three hours in without coming to understand a dargon’s behavior on their own?”
“We wouldn’t have known if Grottsy hadn’t told us!”
“Speak not for me, hybrid!”
“Why, you-”
“Kantú, ya’ve got a visitor!”
Grotts had been on guard duty with Nyte, but he’d just poked his head through the door.
“Huh?” Kantú’s ears perked.
“Come on out here ‘n see.”
Kantú scurried to the door, but upon peeking out, she let out a disappointed groan.
“Oh. It’s just you,” she said before notifying the rest of us, “It’s just the Spirit of In-between, guys.”
And who else would it be, way out here? Batty squirrel.
She let the door slam behind her.
“Splendid!” Darch peeked through a knothole in the door. “Maybe they can reconcile!”
“You do realize, the bird’s been avoiding you this entire time, don’t you, Darch?” Ardette threw his cloak across the small table. It felt like forever since we’d been able to take off our traveling garments and settle in somewhere. I followed the example by slinging my bistre cloak across his.
“Aw, phooey!” answered Darch. “I’m just a simple Magir with simple aspirations.”
“Have we nothing to eat but dried fruit?” Rend was searching through Nyte’s open pack.
“I’ve got some dried shepshep if you’re interested?” offered Darch.
“Revolting!”
With one arm tossed carelessly over his head, Ardette stuck his hand beneath his shirt and rubbed his abdomen. “How I enjoy a woman that knows what she wants.”
Blushing, I quickly pulled my eyes away, instead settling them on an uninteresting clump of lint in the corner.
“Re-volt-ing,” said Rend again. “On second thought, I do not feel hunger any longer.”
Ardette beamed, openly proud of himself.
“Pardon me, Ardette, but shall we begin the retrieval soon? I’m sure the Pure Heart is anxious to get going?”
Scardo was right. I was anxious. I was anxious to know what Nyte knew. I was anxious to find out what had happened on that night. The image of the alluring hand reaching through the darkness had been again flashing in my head off and on all throughout the Nalla. But I’d had enough. It was time to find out. To be rescued from the oblivion-lined corners of my memory – of Nyte’s memory. It was time.
But Ardette had other plans.
“Sorry to disappoint, oh favored one, but how, might I ask, do you expect me to retrieve a half-decade or more’s worth of memories without even an hour of rest? When was the last time we slept? I’ve yet to fully recover from that bit of sorcery back at the tomb, mind you.”
His words made me realize just how tired I also was.
“Call the Elf back in here. Rested minds are far easier to traverse.” He shuddered. “Still not looking forward to crawling around in the depths of that sardonic head.”
Hmph. If anyone’s sardonic, it’s you.
“You too, my cherry pit. Sleep. There’s plenty of room over here next to me.” Ardette patted the blanket next to him.
“Not a chance.”
“I’ll take it!” Darch thumped down where Ardette had patted.
“Yippee,” droned Ardette, not at all enthused. He looked back at Scardo. “I trust you’ll guard the anda
p while I’m recouping?”
“Yes! Certainly. When would you like me to wake you?”
But Ardette was already out, his face more peaceful than I’d ever seen it.
~
“You’re not a Sape! You’re-”
“I will teach you a mist splice song, Aura Rosh.”
“Mist splice?”
I was in the meadow. On the edge of the woods. Illuma was beside me, reaching for a hand with long, slender fingers. She was beautiful – her usually-violet hair indigo, kissed by the moon’s light.
“Yes. I will teach you, but do not tell anyone.” I could hear the voice more clearly this time. It was male, and it was coming from the direction of the alluring hand.
“Um, I’m not sure. I usually don’t break the rules, and I’ll get in trouble if Miss Danice finds out.”
“She will not.”
“Alright. I trust you.”
“Good. We need to hurry. You must learn it before Ged’ra gets back.”
“Do I get to learn it too?” asked Illuma.
“No. We have other plans for you.”
“Huh!” Startled, as I nearly always was when I awoke, I hurled myself up and smacked into Grotts' leg. “Ungh.” I groaned.
“Aura?” whispered Grotts. “Ya all right?”
“How long was I out?”
I felt no less tired than when I’d gone to sleep.
“Just shy of an hour.”
“That’s it? Dang.”
“Go back to sleep. Scardo and I are keepin’ watch, so ya don’t have ta worry ‘bout anything.”
I looked around. Nyte, Rend and Kantú had joined in the doze. Nyte and I were separated by two bodies, but I was still aware of him there. I could even feel a small trail of warm energy slipping slyly through the air and drifting into my space.
He’s vulnerable.
Gah! I shook the thought away.
“Aura?” Grotts prodded. “What’re ya doin’?”
My hand had been reaching for the trail of warmth that temptingly passed over my face. I pulled it back into myself and sat up.
“Grotts, who’s Ged’ra?”
“Ged’ra?” Grotts sounded a little surprised. “Where’d ya hear that name?”
I tapped my temple. There was most certainly a troubled furrow to Grotts’ busy brows, but it was unreadable in the dark.
“I see,” he said. “Well, ‘e’s the no good officer that let down the barrier and nearly got ya killed.”
“Oh! Really? Why’d he do it?”
“Who knows. Probably let the allure ‘o mekanix get to him. We never were able ta question him.”
“Why’s that?”
“Pietri disposed ‘o him before we got the chance.”
“Pietri did?”
“Yup. After releasin’ the seal, Ged’ra went into hidin’. Luckily Pietri found him as he was crossin’ through the Elven Kingdom. Pietri tried ta take ‘im alive, but . . . well . . .”
“Wow.”
“Maybe yer boyfriend’ll be able ta tell us more.”
My face grew hot. “Grotts . . .”
“Heh.” He shot me a grin. “Don’t worry ‘bout it. It’s good that ya’ve found each other. I’ve had my doubts ‘n all, but he’s all right.” He winked and added, “Ardette’ll survive, I’m sure.”
I suddenly became aware of him, too. We were separated by four bodies, but I felt it when he rolled over.
“Grotts, what’s ‘Darch’s story’?”
Grotts took a moment to answer.
“Naw. Can’t tell ya that. That’s not my business. It’d be better if ya never heard that one, to tell ya the truth. It’d only complicate things.”
“Complicate? Oh.”
We were silent. The off-rhythm breathing of five sound sleepers filled the small hut. After a moment Grotts said,
“Nuff jibbering. Don’t mean ta sound like a dad, but ya really should git back ta bed, Miss Aura.”
Back to bed. My eyelids grew laden with heaviness.
I sighed. “Oh, alright. See you on the other side.”
~
“Are you well fed?” asked Darch, pacing the floor. He’d already given Ardette some of himself along with a rather large dose of andap.
“I think I’d feel better if I had a small drink of cherry pit.” Ardette grabbed a handful of my hair and bit his lip.
“Gross,” I said. “You sound like a vampire.”
Actually, he sounds a lot like me.
Nyte gave Ardette a glower. “You have had enough, gluttonous Daem.”
“Enough, have I? Fine, let’s just see what happens if I run out of juice whilst inside of your brain. I’d hate to render you paralyzed. What a shame that would be.”
“Let us get this over with already!” said Rend. “This excursion has gone on long enough!”
“I’d settle for a drink of you too, my dear Rend.”
“How DARE you!”
Nyte pulled her shaking, circled hands down.
“Cousin, please wait outside,” he said.
“But-”
“We require someone to guard, do we not?”
“Yes, let’s clear out some of you.” Ardette made a small dismissing motion with lazy hands. “It’s a bit cramped in here.”
If it’s so ‘cramped’, then why are you standing so close to me?
“I’ll go with ya, Rend,” offered Grotts.
“No,” said Darch. “You should stay. You know more about the events back then than I do. I’ll go with her.”
But Rend didn’t seem to like the idea at all.
“You cannot even fight!”
In the end, Scardo ended up taking guard with Rend. He’d happily accepted the task once I ordered it upon him. Darch joined them, saying that he’d offer his company even if he couldn’t offer a blade. Ardette was glad to get rid of him even if Rend was incredibly annoyed by his joyous small talk. Even with the three of them gone, the small room was still cramped, holding the bodies of Grotts, Ardette, Nyte, Kantú, me, and one other – one avian in nature.
The previous night, when the Spirit of In-between had met with Kantú, it’d insisted on being present for the memory retrieval. She’d declined, still bitter at him, but when he’d threatened to intrude into her body anyway, she’d reluctantly agreed. This coercion didn’t help to end their feud. The bird now sat in the corner, looking sour and wise, its gleaming feathers no less shiny in the sunless room. It made me uneasy to have it there, staring, but at least the view was blocked by Grotts and Kantú, who were conversing softly just before it.
“What should I do?” asked Nyte.
“Just sit,” ordered Ardette. “There’s not much you can do, is there? Just sit and prepare to welcome the memories of all of those pleasant things you did.”
Ardette didn’t notice, but Nyte flinched.
“Can I stay near him?” I asked.
“Do whatever you want. Why should I care?”
“Ardette . . .” At first I said it as a tired reprimand, but then I realized, “Be careful, okay?”
“Worried are you? How charming.”
“Alright, Nyte,” I said, “ready?”
“No.” Nyte grinned. “But wait for me regardless, Miss Hav-”
But with a sadistic smile, Ardette punched Nyte in the face, knocking him out before he could get the words out.
Kantú and I yelled at the same time:
“Nytie!”
“Nyte! Ardette, what the hell-”
“Relax!” spat Ardette. “And if you’re going to get in the way, you two can leave too!”
“Watch yer tone!” growled Grotts.
“Just be quiet, all of you. Let me concentrate.”
Ardette’s words were a pant, and I realized then that his shadowed hand was inside of Nyte’s skull. He hadn’t really punched Nyte; he’d punched through him, and while the force behind the motion had been unnecessary – and entirely pigheaded – in the end it’d been to help us out. Ardette had
nothing to personally gain from the memory-retrieval venture, yet he was cooperating . . . sort of.
I’d play by his rules, just this once.
“Sorry,” I muttered.
Ardette closed his eyes. He was silent, save the sound of his breathing, which was winded and shallow, like that of a wheezy old man.
“Let me know when you need more andap, all right?” I said. The basin was at my side.
He didn’t respond.
I looked over my shoulder at Grotts, who was now joining in the forbidden act of consuming jerky with Kantú. The pair of them had most likely stashed the taboo item away until a time free from Elven onlookers. At my inquiring glance, the gruff man shook his head.
“What the?” A sudden interjection from Ardette made me swivel my head back around. “HYUNGH!”
“Ardette?! What is it?”
“Some – something’s – eyugh!”
Ardette’s lids flew open, and this time his eyes were black – they were completely black and without irises, seeming like endless pools of shadow upon the canvas of his white face. He let out a heave.
“Ardette?”
“What’s wrong with him?” squeaked Kantú. She then angrily shifted her focus. “And what’re you so happy about, stupid bird?”
“It’s happy?!” I asked.
Indeed, the bird had a smug look on its face. It was slightly terrifying.
“How dare you laugh, you stupid, feathered . . .” Kantú erupted into an angry chittering mess.
Grotts was now on his feet. “Ardette, pull outta there, why don’t ya?”
“No! I – am – close!” he huffed.
No sooner had the words escaped Ardette’s mouth than Nyte slumped limply forward.
“Hold – him – up!” Ardette yelled at me. At the same time, he grabbed my palm and forced it onto his right horn, taking a small drink that brightened his eyes and lessened his pant just a bit.
“But-”
“I won’t let him feed you,” he said with new vigor, throwing my hand back to me, “just grab him!”
“Ardette, here, let me-” Grotts reached out in my stead.
