by M. J. Haag
My bag, slung across Kerr’s back, caught my attention. My stomach, which had been emitting increasingly louder growls, needed something in it. Although I desperately wanted to get my hands on my bag and my water bottle, I didn’t want to call attention to my growling stomach.
Kerr turned slightly, a notched arrow poised to fly. I followed his watchful gaze, half-expecting to see a hellhound, despite the light.
“If you only use your weapons for hunting, then why use them now?” I asked Drav.
“We must find food,” he said, giving me a pointed look.
So much for hiding my hunger. He’d probably heard each growl.
“My hunger wouldn’t be a problem on the surface,” I said softly, not wanting to startle away whatever critters Kerr hoped to shoot.
“We need to reach my city first, Mya.”
My gaze again sought out my bag where the four precious cans hid. So little food. If I knew how long it would take for us to get to the city and back to the surface, I’d consider sacrificing a can now. Without knowing, though, I needed to try to hold out. My stomach clenched in rebellion.
Kerr lifted a hand, and Drav clasped my arm, stopping me. A few of the men ahead of us dropped to a crouched position, their hands brushing against their quivers, readying arrows. One of the others, who had a spear, lifted the deadly tip.
Before I could ask what was happening, Kerr’s arrow flew. It whistled through the air and landed with a meaty thump. The men in front of us relaxed as they stood again.
Kerr motioned to the closest man, who took off in the direction the arrow had flown. Instead of trailing after him, the group started forward, veering in a different direction. Drav nudged me to follow.
We hadn’t gone too far when the fey who had run off returned with a jackalope hanging from his belt. Without stopping, he handed Kerr the cleaned arrow and joined the group.
The men remained alert. I didn’t hear anything, but a couple of times the men startled me with a sudden change in direction. The next time an arrow flew without warning, I squeaked and jumped, bumping into Drav. He wrapped a protective arm around me and pressed me to his side as the hunter ran off to fetch his kill.
“It’s okay,” I said against Drav’s chest. “I was just startled by the sudden movement.”
He nodded, releasing me. We continued to walk with the others.
“Is it always this difficult to find food?”
“No, but we are still on the outskirts. This is hellhound territory, and the other animals tend to stay away.”
“Is that why there are fewer and smaller trees in these caves? Because we aren’t closer to the source crystal?”
“No. The source crystal doesn’t control all the growth. Each cave’s crystals control that. The trees grow best in the light of strong crystals.” The tone he’d used to answer me seemed abrupt.
“Are you annoyed?”
Drav grunted, and a few of the men shot me looks.
“Because my talking is scaring away potential food?”
Drav gave me a matching look.
“I’ll take that as a yes.”
“Mya, you need to eat. We need to hunt for that to happen. You must stay quiet,” Drav said, not scolding, but I could see the worry in his eyes because I wasn’t eating.
At the thought of food, my stomach growled loudly and my head throbbed. My gaze found its way back to my bag and the water that remained.
“One last question…will we be resting soon?”
“I will carry you,” Drav said, misunderstanding the reason behind my question.
A couple of eager,‘I will carry, Mya’ comments followed.
I shook my head, both at the willing men and Drav’s offer.
“I’m good.”
We walked through the knee-high, dusky purple grass growing between the pale blossoming trees. Grasping the passage of time or distance in this place proved too hard, and I gave up trying. Instead, I focused on the abundant plants and the way the grass squished underneath my feet.
While Drav remained beside me, the other men moved more swiftly through the trees, often disappearing from my sight for a minute before emerging. They seemed so at ease here that, although I felt bad for all they had lost, I could tell they had found the home they had searched for. Even as cruel as their home could be.
When the men finally slowed a few minutes later, I saw dead jackalopes hanging from most of their belts. One even had a bird. The men walked over a patch of grass, flattening it down, then unhooked their kills and set them in the middle.
“We will make camp here,” Drav said, tamping down an area of tall grass for a sleep nest just off the main circle.
The fey brought out small skinning knives and started to work on their kills. My empty stomach turned at the sight, and I frowned. Under normal circumstances, I didn’t think myself a squeamish person when it came to food prep. Hunger was messing with me. How long had we been down here already? Almost two days? And only a raw piece of fish to eat during that time.
I plopped down in the space Drav had created. He sat beside me and brushed the backs of his fingers along my arm. The touch comforted me, his need for constant contact not bothering me in the least.
Kerr came over, handed me my bag and Drav a jackalope. I immediately opened the bag, ignoring Drav’s work, and dug inside for the water, which I sipped carefully. That action only added to a new urgent need, and I pressed my legs together.
“Drav…”
Hands full of jackalope innards, he paused to glance at me.
“Is it safe around here?”
“I will protect you.”
“I know, but if someone had to take a quick walk, would it be safe?”
Drav stared at me, obviously confused. I leaned close, my lips just about to brush his ear.
“I have to pee,” I whispered.
“I will take you,” he said gently.
I wanted to groan because I didn’t need company, just the assurance something wouldn’t attack me with my pants down. Drav handed his jackalope to the closest man, who took it with a nod. The others continued their work as we walked away.
After relieving myself, my stomach cramped painfully with the need for food.
The subconscious hope I held for something resembling fried chicken died when we returned and I saw raw meat laying on a large frond in the center of their circle. It didn’t escape my notice that the men hadn’t yet touched the meat they had so carefully cut into strips. There could only be one reason for that. That shit tasted as bad as it looked.
Drav sat smoothly and waited for me to join him. Reluctantly sitting, I glanced at the meat. Drav picked up a few pieces and tried to hand them to me.
“You’re not going to cook that?”
“The kill is fresh, and the meat still warm.”
My brain gagged on that thought, and I picked up my water bottle, shaking it at him.
“I’m good.”
“No, you must eat.”
“I’m really okay. Seriously. You guys eat up.”
“I warned you, Mya. You will eat.”
I glanced at the bloody meat that Drav was offering. If I ate raw meat from a demon-eyed rabbit, I’d be lucky if the only thing I got was a tapeworm. With the world up top going to hell, I couldn’t take the chance.
“Don’t try bullying me. I’m not the one running around carrying another person or fighting hellhounds. You guys have to keep your strength up. I will be fine.”
Drav let out a slow breath, and I realized I’d really annoyed him. Good. I owed him.
“If you will not eat this,” he said,“you will eat your food.” He glanced meaningfully at my bag.
I followed his gaze, beyond tempted. Yet, worry still niggled the back of my mind. My stomach growled loudly.
“Your stomach agrees that you need food.”
“It’s a liar.”
“Mya.”
The warning tone of his voice didn’t allow for argument. Not that I had a
ny. Or willpower. I dug into the bag and pulled out a can of green beans. Thankful for the pull tab, I took the top off and tucked the metal circle back inside my pack. Drav and the others watched in fascination as I poured out the brine and fished out a piece.
I lifted the green bean to my lips. He shadowed my move with the piece of meat he held, the message clear. He wouldn’t eat until I did. Rolling my eyes, I popped the bean into my mouth and chewed. He nodded and bit into the meat. The rest dug into their portions.
The quick, quiet meal of beans settled my angry stomach. Content, I scooted back a few steps and curled on my side. Drav settled in next to me.
Sleep tugged at me but not before I felt his lips brush against my forehead then my cheek.
Too bad we were surrounded by other people.
* * * *
The unexpected feeling of my body leaving the ground penetrated my peaceful slumber. Before I fully woke, though, the press of Drav’s forehead to mine and the firm hold of his arms reassured me. I became aware that we were moving again, but I didn’t open my eyes. Cradled in his arms, I couldn’t resist the temptation of sleep.
I roused again when Drav’s arms tightened around me, his muscles rolled with his impressive pace. I’d just opened my eyes to see what had him moving so quickly when the desolate call of a hellhound echoed around us. Dread coated my mind.
“We are close to the next crystal source,” Drav said, noticing I had woken up.
Looking around, I saw no welcoming glow of light.
The rhythmic sound of thumping feet grew louder behind us. When I peeked over Drav’s shoulder, I saw the three dim blue lights from the feys’ bracelets. Further back, I saw two sets of red eyes rushing toward us.
“Shit.”
The men running behind us fell back to meet the attack. I watched the dim blue glow of their lights as they clashed with the hounds. The thwang of arrows and the thump of them hitting their marks echoed around us. After a grunt and a yip, one of the hounds fell behind, its eyes still glowing and moving slightly. Whatever the fey had done had stopped it, but not killed it. Just like on the surface, nothing seemed to kill the hounds.
The other set of red eyes neared one of the men, and I saw the lunging hellhound clamp down on his arm. Teeth dug into flesh. The fey grabbed the hound’s snout with his free hand and pulled back almost as Drav had all those nights ago. The other two fey hovered close. As soon as the first fey pulled free of the beast’s teeth, one of the men jumped on the hound, slitting its throat with a small blade.
The hound fell to the ground, not dead, but struggling to breathe and to get up again. The men left it and caught up with the group. Drav shifted my weight in his arms and ran faster.
The injured hound’s noise began to fade with distance.
“Shouldn’t we bandage him?” I asked, looking pointedly at the one with the injured arm.
“No. We must leave this area before the hounds heal.”
My gaze returned to the wounded fey. He ran with the rest, seemingly unbothered by the blood coating his arm. If the hound’s bite affected them as it did humans, the others would have been more upset. Right?
Just like before, the terrain changed slowly with the approach of another lit cavern. The barren ground gave way to short, sparse grass then wispy ferns.
A shiver shook me when we crossed from cool, dry air to humid warmth. The crystals’ soft glow from above pulsed. Drav moved quickly and the sights flew by. Glimpses of trees with thick, broad drooping leaves and of vines twining up the rocky pillars teased me. A few times, I thought I saw a flower or colorful piece of fruit.
The group stopped after several minutes, and Drav slowly set me on my feet.
“We will rest for a bit, but we must leave before the crystals dim.”
Drav’s words about the crystals dimming during their version of night came back to worry me. The hellhounds would follow the scent of the wounded fey’s blood.
I glanced at the man, who stood not far away, wiping at his wound with a huge leaf. Blood still smeared his arm. I moved toward Kerr.
“Can I have my bag, please?”
Kerr looked over my shoulder, where Drav hovered, before handing it to me. I took my bag and went to the wounded fey. With interest, he watched me approach.
“What’s your name?” I asked.
The man glanced behind me before answering.
“Shax.”
“May I look at your arm?”
Shax looked over my shoulder once more. This time I turned to glance at Drav, too. Drav met my gaze then nodded at Shax.
“Seriously? What do you think I’m going to do?” I said with an arched a brow. Drav didn’t comment.
Turning back to Shax, I examined the arm he held out for my inspection. The blood ran darkly over the jagged bite. When I looked up to check Shax’s eyes for any hint of cloudiness, he stared at me with unblinking focus.
“Let me know if you start craving human brains, okay?”
Not expecting an answer, I dug into my bag and pulled out my half-empty water bottle. Damn. Not cool, but I knew the wound needed to be cleaned. Wetting a large white bandage from my first aid kit, I gently washed away the clotting blood. The wound looked less horrifying once cleaned.
The others crowded around us, watching as I pulled out another bandage to wrap around his arm. Drav stopped me.
“He will be fine,” he said.
“It should be covered so it doesn’t get dirty.”
“Save the wrap. He will be fine.”
Drav gave Shax a look, and Shax nodded once before walking away without the bandage. I watched him pluck a new leaf and wrap it around his wound.
“He could have had the bandage,” I said, turning to look at Drav. “There are more of them.”
“He does not need it, but you may.”
A frustrated groan escaped me.
“If you really think that, then why am I down here? Wasn’t the point because it’s supposed to be safer? Just take me home, Drav. Let the rest go to the city.”
“We go together.
Frustrated, I turned away from him and started to put my things away. Immediately, I noticed my water bottle missing. I checked the nearby plants in case the empty bottle had rolled. However, I didn’t find it. Panic began to grow. Without the water bottle, how would I drink? Stuff in the water wanted to eat my face.
Drav said nothing as he watched my increasingly frantic search.
One of the other men approached and said my name, interrupting my efforts. Glancing up with impatience, I saw my filled water bottle in his hand. Relief coursed through me.
“Thank you.” I stood and accepted the cold container.
“Upstream,” he said with a smile.
I grinned in return and put the bottle away. Kerr came for my bag, and I noticed the crystals certainly had dimmed during our short break.
“Did you need to go pee?” Drav asked.
“I’m good.”
“I will only be gone for a moment. The others will watch over you.”
After he relieved himself in the trees, we were on the move again. As we passed from cavern to cavern, I caught glimpses of beauty in this underground world. Different trees that spiraled versus growing straight and plant life that grew as tall and strong as the trees.
We emerged from a fertile cavern into a vast space which easily stretched for miles and had a ceiling so high the crystals twinkled like distant stars. In the distance, a larger crystal shown like a full moon on a clear night.
The men moved swiftly, their leather clad feet barely making a noise against the hard surface of this cavern’s floor.
Awe filled me as I studied everything I could see. That awe turned to stunned disbelieve when I caught sight of a stone wall stretching beyond sight in both directions.
The closer we drew, details became clearer. The soft light played on veins of white running through the gray and black stone that seamlessly rose out of the cave’s floor. Carved out of existing
stone, or made from magic, the wall was a part of the cave.
“What is this place?” I asked.
“Our city,” Drav answered.
Nine
Kerr pulled ahead, outdistancing the rest of us.
“Where’s he going?”
“To tell the others to open the door,” Drav said.
“Door?”
Kerr’s faint shout reached us, and I watched a figure appear near the top of the stone wall. A moment later, the figure waved an arm and disappeared again. A grating, low rumble filled the air and a crack emerged in the smooth expanse of rock just as Kerr reached the wall.
We joined him not long afterward, and I stared at the massive stone entrance before me.
The wicked, long furrows in the heavy slabs that comprised the entry to the city momentarily distracted me from what lay inside. When I did finally focus, shock filled me. The uninhabited, wild areas outside the wall had misled me into believing Drav’s“city” would be nothing more than hovels grouped together in more of the same wild. I should have known better.
A dirt trail, bordered by thick flowering vegetation, wound its way toward a vast grove of trees towering high in the distance. In the immense space between the gate and the grove, neatly planted fields spread out to the right and left, illuminated by countless crystal lanterns suspended at the top of long poles. Soft, glittering lights gave the land a surreal feel.
“It looks like fairy lights,” I said softly.
Drav jogged through the opening and deposited me on my feet. I felt him leave my side as I continued to look around.
They were farmers. Even with what the crystal had shown me, my mind struggled to process the concept of cave farming. Actual dirt lay beneath my feet, not stone. How?
I already knew the answer. The source had shown me that the magic to influence nature ran in their blood. The proof of what their powers, combined with that of the crystals, could accomplish stunned me. Not only had they created a wall, they’d created arable earth.
The grinding rumble of the gate drew my attention, and I turned around to watch Drav and another man strain to push the stone slab closed. Their muscles rolled and flexed with each laborious step.
