by CM Raymond
Laurel smiled, making her face all the more lovely. “You bet your ass I am. Now, are we just going to stand here blowing in the wind, or is there some sort of war to fight?”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Hannah’s body ached as she walked back into the farmhouse.
Disposing of bodies was a harder job than she expected, even with the help of her physical magic. Closing the door behind her, she looked up into the faces of two girls, neither of them could’ve been over thirteen years old.
Remembering the words of the Capitol Guards about their intent with the two little darlings, she suddenly felt even more pleased with ending their miserable lives.
“Be good hostesses, now,” Henry said. “Say hello to Ms. Hannah.”
The girls nodded and mumbled something under their breath and quickly went back to playing with Sal who was laying by the fire.
“Sorry. They’ve never seen one before.” He nodded at the dragon.
Hannah laughed. “Who has?”
Henry settled into a chair at the table and motioned to Maddie and Hannah to do the same. The broken bottle had been replaced by a new one, which was mostly full. He poured into two empty goblets and then topped off his own.
“Thank you…” Emotion struck Henry, and he couldn’t finish the line as his eyes cut to his granddaughters.
Hannah shifted in her seat. “I’m not sure if you should be thanking me, or if I should be apologizing to you. It seems that I brought trouble on your house. If it weren’t for me and for the rebellion, those dipshits never would’ve been here.”
She sipped on the stout, which tasted even better than it had earlier that afternoon. The cold liquid cooled her tongue while at the same time warming her stomach. She drank fast so as to numb her aching mind. For the first time, she realized exactly why the mystics drank away the troubles of the world.
Nodding at a skewered hunk of meat over the fire, Henry said, “The roast will be done soon. But for now, we should talk about why you came.”
Hannah looked at Maddie, who cleared her throat. Hannah had done the ass kicking; now it was time for Maddie to do her job.
“Hannah and I are traveling to a few different farms, directed by Ezekiel, to ask for help. There are about two hundred souls living in the abandoned tower—well, I guess it is the once-abandoned tower. None of us expected it to go down the way that it did in the city streets, and there aren’t enough provisions for even twenty people to last there much longer. We’re just looking for whatever anyone can give. I overheard you talking to the guards. I know they tax you, and that times must be tough. But without food, a lot of people are going to suffer.”
The old farmer rubbed his beard and nodded as he listened. He stood as soon as Maddie finished. “I guess while you were eavesdropping on my little chat with those guards, you didn’t get a good look at where you were hiding.” He motioned for them to follow, and they walked back to the corner of the kitchen. Henry stepped through the wreckage of the secret door even further and pushed a candle inside. What Hannah saw blew her mind.
The reason their little hiding place was cramped, was because it was filled with food. Rows and rows of salted meats. Large clay jars filled with what Hannah assumed was dried wheat.
“But... but,” Maddie stammered. “You told the guards you didn’t have much food left.”
“You think I’d tell those—what did you call them—douche nuggets that I had all this. My parents were born during the madness, darling. They taught me to always prepare for the worst—and to keep your shit well hidden. I think this should go a long way to feeding your little army, eh?”
Maddie shook her head. “It’s too much, Henry. You have your granddaughters to feed. And what if the guards come back, looking for more food?”
A hint of sadness played in Henry’s eyes, but nevertheless, he waved away Maddie’s concerns. “I should probably be out there in the tower with you fighting those damn bastards. They want to make the world a worse place. This is really the least I can do.”
Hannah pursed her lips and nodded. “It won’t be used in vain, Hank. I promise you that.”
Maddie chimed in. “We’ll use it to make Irth a better place, for you and your granddaughters.”
Henry’s eyes grew glassy, and he pinched their inside edges with his thumb and forefinger in an attempt to hold back the tears. “Well, enough of this bullshit. What do you say we eat? And then we can figure out how to get all of this food back to your tower. You don’t think your dragon-thing would mind if we hitched a wagon to it, do ya?”
Sal looked over at them, and it seemed to Hannah like he was raising a non-existent eyebrow.
Hannah smiled. “I think that’s a splendid idea.”
****
Ezekiel took up the rear as Gregory and Laurel walked shoulder to shoulder on the narrow path leading back toward Arcadia. The previous day, Gregory had spent most of the time listening to her ask an overwhelming number of questions of the Founder. Half the time, he got lost in watching her muscular figure walk the trail ahead of him.
Once, Laurel looked over her shoulder at him—his eyes happened to be trained on her rear. “Enjoying the view, boy genius?”
“Oh, no, I was… I mean, yes, but I…” Giving up, Gregory fell into a red-faced silence.
“I’m flattered,” she had said with a smile, dimples popping from her cheeks. “In the Forest, we’re taught to appreciate natural beauty—not be ashamed by it.”
But with their first day with the druid behind them, Gregory was starting to feel like himself again. Not the old self of the shy, timid boy from the Academy, but the new self, the one that Hannah had helped to shape.
“What’s it like living in the Dark Forest?” he asked after walking in silence for half an hour.
Laurel looked off into the distance with a faint smile on her face, as though she were recounting her entire childhood. Finally, she spoke. “Life in the Forest is… amazing. Nature surrounds us, and it helps us see the connection in everything. I mean, you need to remember, I have nothing to compare it to. But we druids are all very close.”
“You mean your family’s close?” A lump formed in his throat as the words brought back memories of his own family’s dysfunction.
Laughing, she replied. “Yes, I mean, by your standard. But I forget that family for you is a small word, for us it is expansive. My family is not just my father and mother, it’s everyone—including the Chieftain and Elysia, his daughter. This is taught to us from birth, and the entire community helps to raise each of the children.”
“Sounds cool.”
She pursed her lips and nodded. “Cool, but a little stifling. I wasn’t like all the other kids. They were content with life in the trees. I always imagined the world beyond the Forest—” she motioned around them “—the world out here. Something in me always wanted to explore.”
“So, this is what, like your vacation?”
Laurel slowed her pace, glancing at Gregory. “Yes and no. Part of me wanted to leave to be able to see what lay beyond the trees, sure. Like I said, I always wanted to. But it was really his words,” she motioned back to Ezekiel. “If what he says is true, I had to come.”
Gregory furrowed his brow. “How so? If what he said is true, the druids have every reason to stay put, safe behind that thick hedge of yours.”
Her eyes were lost again on the horizon. “If there is one thing you learn when you spend your life in nature, it’s that beauty matters. Beauty always matters. Evil anywhere is an affront to beauty everywhere, and I think the Chieftain is wrong. If Adrien loves ugliness as Ezekiel says, then he will have no choice but to spread it… and what would be a more tempting prize than the Forest? The rest remained behind because of their love for our home. I am leaving for the same reason. That’s why I took the Versuch.”
She read the look of puzzlement on his face. “You don’t have a Versuch where you come from?”
“Not that I know of. Is it a disease?”
> She stared at him like his face was melting, then kept walking. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t say that.” She straightened her winter cloak, as she continued. “One of the vows of the druids is to remain in the Dark Forest. But every so often, there arises a time when we need to send someone out into the world. It happens seldom, and generally, everyone is pleased with things as they are.”
“But here you are…”
“Patience, city boy, I’m getting to that,” she said. “But in order for one to leave, they must be tested—to prove that they can defend themselves and navigate the world beyond the shade of our trees. This test—or rather series of tests—is called the Versuch. Pass the Versuch, you can pass our borders. I passed, and I got these to symbolize it.”
She raised her arms and let the sleeves of her green cloak fall to her elbows, exposing a set of wooden bracelets extending three-quarters the way up her forearms. Ornate designs of trees, vines, and animals were carved into their surfaces.
“Whoa,” Gregory responded, raising his brows.
“I know, right? They’re made from a rare tree that we grow in the heart of the Forest—almost unbreakable once they’ve been crafted. They’re meant to remind me of my home, wherever I go… And they keep me connected to nature, which is very important when it comes to my casting.”
“Like Ezekiel’s staff,” he muttered almost inaudibly.
She shrugged. “Guess so. Rumor has it the Chieftain gave him that staff, but he’s the only outsider that I know of who’s ever been given the symbol. He’s a mystery to me.”
“Join the club,” Gregory said. After a pause, he asked, “So, you’re on a political mission?”
She nodded. “Of sorts. I’m driven, as I said, by the fight for beauty. You and Ezekiel asked for our assistance, and I answered. But also…”
“Yes?”
“Like I said, I’m not like the others,” she stole a glance at him. “This is a chance for adventure that I just couldn’t pass up.”
Gregory laughed. “So, we’re just an excuse to get away from home?”
She grinned, and her dimples grew deeper. “Your arrival was convenient, young Arcadian.”
“I feel like a piece of meat,” he quipped.
“If the shoe fits…”
They laughed, enjoying each other’s company for a while. Finally, Gregory had one more question. “What the hell was up with the bear?”
“Zobig?”
“Yeah… he was pretty big, but I haven’t seen many in the wild.”
Laurel giggled. “No. Zobig. That’s his name—though, now it makes a bit more sense.” She pulled on her cloak again, making another adjustment. “It’s his familiar… I guess you might call them a helper.”
“Like a pet?”
She frowned. “Not at all. More like a partner. Every druid has one.”
Gregory glanced around. “Where’s your bear, then?”
Laurel clicked her tongue on the top of her mouth, and her cloak started to move. “We don’t all have bears.” She smiled as a tiny head with beady black eyes pushed out of the back folds of her garment. With another call, the squirrel wiggled out and sat on her shoulder.
Gregory snorted in glee. “Let me guess, that’s Zosmall?”
Laurel laughed, covering her mouth. “That was terrible. Good. But terrible. His name is actually Devin.”
Devin, Gregory thought to himself. He opened his mouth to ask about it, but decided against it.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Devin.” Gregory reached out and petted the squirrel on the head, and it almost purred with pleasure. Laurel smiled at the sight.
The two fell into a comfortable silence as they continued walking. Keeping stride with Laurel, Gregory felt something he hadn’t for a long time.
Peace.
But he knew it wouldn’t last long.
****
Gregory’s feet were throbbing by the time they made it out of the woods and onto tower lawn. Ezekiel transported them the last few miles, but nevertheless, it was a long journey. Certainly, the longest he had ever gone on foot. Hannah was waiting on the steps, and he grinned seeing her there. Although it had only been a few days, he and Hannah had spent so much time together recently that it felt like an eternity apart from his first real friend.
He and Ezekiel picked up the pace. Apparently, the wizard was also happy to see her.
As he climbed the steps, Hannah gave a wave, and said, “It’s about time you two came back from your bro-cation. I thought that maybe we lost you in the—” her words fell short as the two stepped apart, and she saw the young woman walking behind them. “Who the hell is that?” she said without thinking.
Gregory ignored the question and pulled his friend into a hug. “Good to see you, too. Can’t wait to tell you about everything that happened.”
She stepped back from his embrace and nodded. “How about you start by telling me about the extra baggage you brought home.”
Ezekiel cleared his throat. “That is no way to show hospitality to our new friend, Hannah.” He tilted his head toward the girl. “But since you’ve asked so politely, this is Laurel. She’s a druid; she’s lived in the Dark Forest all her life. Until now, that is.”
Looking the girl up and down, Hannah stepped toward her and offered her hand. “Sorry. Any friend of these two douche nuggets is a friend of mine.”
Laurel’s almond shaped eyes looked up at Hannah. “Thank you. I’ve heard a lot about you already from this one.” She pointed at Gregory. “He’s your number one fan, even if he is a douche nugget—whatever the hell that is. Is it something that grows in the city?”
Hannah laughed, realizing that the girl was going to fit in just fine. And it would be good to have another young woman her age around. “You got here just in time. Everybody’s assembled waiting for the meeting.”
Ezekiel tapped his staff on the ground. “Good! You got my message.”
Tapping her temple with her index finger, Hannah said, “Loud and clear.”
She turned toward the tower, pulled its broad doors open, and led them in toward the meeting room. When Gregory laid his eyes on the assembly, his heart leaped. Seeing each of them, the people with whom he had survived so much with, he felt like he was home—really home, for the first time.
They stood as Ezekiel crossed the threshold, but all their eyes were on Laurel. Attempting to keep the questions to a minimum, Ezekiel introduced her.
Most of them smiled uncertainly, but it was Karl who mumbled, “Great, another kid to babysit.”
Feeling his face flush, Gregory took a verbal stab back at the Rearick, “She isn’t a kid, and we don’t need your babysitting.”
A grin formed on Karl’s lips as his eyes moved from Gregory to the shiny red Apple he had been about to sink his teeth into. “Aye, someone found a big set of balls on his trip to the Dark Forest, is that right?”
There was a flash of movement that caught everyone off guard. Laurel, without hesitating, whipped a flint blade toward the stout mountain dweller. It whistled as it flew through the air, and what looked like a leather tail trailed after it.
Karl shouted in alarm as the weapon pierced his apple, and with a flick of her wrist, Laurel pulled the weapon back to her and caught it in her hand.
Laurel looked at the piece of fruit, clicking her tongue on the roof of her mouth. Something stirred under her clothes, and everyone stared, wide-eyed, as a squirrel, with a long, black streak down the center of its back, popped its head out. It sniffed the air for a second, then ran down her sleeve and began feasting on the apple in her hand.
Sal, sleeping in the corner, opened one eye and let out a deep growl before falling back into his slumber.
“I think I’ll be OK without your supervision, rearick.” She winked in Karl’s direction. “Hungry?”
The room burst into laughter, including Karl.
His bushy brows twitched as he chuckled. “Looks like you’ll fit in just fine here, lassie. And hunger has b
een my companion since the Battle of the Boulevard, so ya best keep an eye on your furry friend thar.”
“Give it a try, Devin is just a little more ferocious than her master.”
“What the hell kind of name is Devin for a squirrel?” Parker asked.
“It’s her name,” Laurel said, stone-faced, and everyone in the room could sense that that conversation had ended. Gregory made a mental note not to bring it up again. It seemed like a fairly touchy subject.
Ezekiel cleared his throat. “Trust me that Laurel and... Devin have the best possible qualifications—a willingness to help. Now, if we’re finished with introductions, we might as well get to work. We’ve got a fair amount of ground to cover, and not much time. Parker, we’ll start with your report.”
The group settled in and began debriefing the days since Ezekiel had left the tower and all that they had accomplished. They talked long into the night, and by the time they had finished, their plan was as settled as it was going to be.
****
Adrien stood impatiently next to the table as he waited for his final cabinet member to enter. The team had dwindled, if only a little, and he knew that Amelia would be replaced before too long. But currently, a Dean of Students was the last thing he needed on the team—he needed fighters, not teachers.
He exhaled as the mahogany doors of his private conference room swung open. Standing in the doorway was a figure made in nightmares. She was tall, slender, and strong enough to better almost any man in the Pit—in addition to being a wizard of the highest caliber. Yet, any other aspects of Alexandra’s beauty had been taken from her by her accident in the factory.
Her hair, now missing in random patches, had been turned shock white—altered by direct contact with his airship’s magitech core. Her skin, mostly covered by a tight black bodysuit, was burned, but only her face was exposed to the rest of the group, which stared in disgust. Parts of her lip had been burned away, leaving her with a permanent snarl. Her right eye was covered by a patch, the left was barren of lashes or a brow, giving it an intense, unwavering manner.
