Just feet from the ground, Sal stretched his wings out to full length. He caught the air on either side of him and slowed nearly to a stop, touching down in front of the glavne’s door.
Leaping from her dragon’s back, Hannah slung the bag behind her and raced for the door, praying that it wasn’t too late. She pushed into the house and found Laurel, the glavne, and another cat-person kneeling by a cot in a back room. She slid through and looked down at Parker. His face lacked any color, and the only sign of life was the sweat dripping down his forehead.
Vitali reached into her bag and pulled out a vial. “Bottoms up,” he said as he uncorked the glass and poured the liquid between Parker’s lips. Within a few seconds Parker sat up with a gasp and then started to cough as if life itself was trying to escape.
“Welcome back,” Hannah said with a smile.
Parker’s eyes darted around the room. They landed on Hannah, but then cut to the foreign creatures. “Thought it was a dream. They’re real?”
The glavne laughed. “As real as the poison that almost finished you off, son.”
Parker tried to sit up, but Hannah gently placed her hand on his chest and pushed him back down. “Take it easy, tough guy. I didn’t go in and destroy a tribe of nasty kitties just to let you kill yourself from pig-headedness.”
Parker nodded and faintly smiled. “Guess you have some stories to tell.”
“Do I ever!” she replied.
“Good.” Parker lowered his head onto the pillow. “But more importantly…”
“Yes?” Hannah whispered, pushing his hair back off his forehead.
“We still need to beat Hadley.”
Her caress turned into a gentle smack. “If I hear one more word about that damned bet I’m going to leave you here to rot.” She turned to the glavne and said, “We did some damage to your cousins. I hope you don’t mind.”
His face was solemn. “They have been a thorn in our sides for many years. I can barely remember a time when they were kin. I’m glad you made it back.”
“Come with me,” Hannah said as she left the room and walked to the dining room table. “We set their armory on fire and Sal killed the head douche nugget, but I imagine they’ll pull themselves together.”
“No one saw me,” Vitali added, “but they’re not that dumb. They’ll put two and two together and come here looking for answers.”
The old man sighed. “Then we had best get ready. We’ve stayed out of the fight for too long as it is. Maybe it is better to die in a blaze of glory.”
Hannah smiled. “I don’t think things have to go that far. I’ve brought a little gift back for you that may just take away their unfair advantage.”
She opened her bag and gently tilted it, spilling the flowers onto the table. “This should aid in your defense.”
The old man’s glowing yellow eyes turned glassy, and two thick tears dropped from his eyes, blending with the fur on his face. “I don’t know how I can repay you.”
Hannah glanced over at Vitali and said, “It wasn’t just me.”
Vitali held his breath, wondering if she was going to share their little secret. Placing her hand on her new friend’s back, she said to the glavne, “I never would’ve found the place if it wasn’t for Vitali. I owe him one, that’s for sure. And I think it was tough for him stay out of the fight, and all.”
He looked at his son and gave him a wink. “I’m sure it was.” He returned his eyes to Hannah and held a furry paw up in a salute. “I hope, Arcadian Magician, that someday I might be able to repay in full that which you have done for us. If there is ever anything I can do, please don’t hesitate to ask.”
“Well, since I’m no good at banking favors, there is something that you might be able to help me with right now.”
“Name it,” he replied, the thick brown fur on either side of his face standing up. “Anything.”
“This one might be easy—I just need some information. My friends and I are on a quest. We have come to find a piece of ancient technology, something that would have crashed near here decades ago—soon after the Age of Madness. We have this map,” she said, pulling the parchment out and smoothing it on the table in front of him.
She placed her finger on the “X,” where Lilith had explained they would find the tech. “Our map led us in this direction. It shouldn’t be far.”
Something between a purr and a growl came from deep within the old cat. “Yes,” he said, the “s” lingering for a second on his lips. “You have found precisely the mark on your map. And there are many things from before the Madness that remain there.”
“So it’s here?” she exclaimed, her eyes brightening.
He closed his yellow eyes and shook his head. If Hannah’s eyes could have penetrated his fur, she would have seen the goosebumps rise on his skin. “It was. But no longer.”
“Shit. I should have known it wasn’t going to be that easy.”
He continued, “We’re a superstitious group. Not long ago, we unearthed it when we were expanding the village. Even the brightest of Lynqi couldn’t figure out what it was, but many feared that the Muur might take it and determine how to use it against us. So we put it somewhere we knew they would never go.”
She furrowed her brow, and the glavne waved her toward the door. He pointed toward the horizon, where a tower rose from the jungle canopy, jutting toward the sky. “There.”
“How do you know that they won’t go in?”
He shook his head. “Because the damn thing’s haunted. The men we sent in with the tech—good men—never returned.”
“Well,” she said, looking at Laurel, “it looks like we’re going to kick some ghost ass.”
Laurel's eyes cut from Hannah to Parker, who had again reclined on the cot. His face was paler than she'd ever seen it, his eyes drawn and barely open. "Uh, Hannah, I don't think we’ll be going to kick ass anytime soon, no matter how much I want to. At least not with your boyfriend."
"You're not leaving me here," Parker croaked, his voice trembling. "I'm going with you no matter what."
Hannah sat on the side of the bed and raised the back of her hand to Parker's forehead. He was on fire. She swiped his hair off to the side. "You just settle down, hot stuff. You'll do what we need you to do." She looked up at the glavne, who was standing a few feet away. "How long does it take to recover from the poison?"
He thought for a second, and then answered, "Hard to say. We’ve never known anyone to survive it. I’d give him at least a month. Maybe two, just to be safe."
"All right then, it's settled." Hannah stood. "We'll leave in two days."
Parker groaned. “How’d I know you were going to say that?”
Hannah smiled. “Because I have your best interests at heart. And because I’m a cruel team leader. I guess you could always stay behind while Laurel and I finish the quest…”
“No freaking way,” he said. “I’ll be juggling and pulling cons in no time. Gotta figure out how to beat Wildman Hank in the pits.”
Laurel looked confused. “What the hell is he talking about?”
Hannah shrugged. “Must be delirious. He thinks we’re back in the Boulevard.”
"Listen," the glavne said. "I won’t stand in between you and your quest, but it’s clear your friend here needs some rest. And from the looks of things, he's not the only one who needs to regain his strength."
With all the excitement of finding the antidote to the poison and getting back in time to save Parker from certain death, Hannah hadn’t taken any time to assess her own state. The glavne was right. She was exhausted, and she needed time to regain her strength, both physical and Etheric.
The glavne nodded to Vitali and Illah, who were standing in the doorway. "Go with them. They’ll make sure that you are fed and find a place to rest."
Hannah and Laurel followed Vitali and Illah out of the house. Once outside, Hannah leaned over and whispered to Sal, “Listen, buddy, I want you to stay here with Parker, all right?” He responded
by rubbing his head against her leg and flapping his wings slowly, making Hannah laugh. “I know you want to come, but I need this. We don’t know them so well yet…and it’s Parker.”
After one last nuzzle of his smooth head on her leg, Sal loped over to the glavne’s door, turned in a circle three times, and curled up into a ball.
“Thanks,” Hannah said, blowing him a kiss. “I owe you one.”
“Kaffe?” Laurel joked.
“Hell, no!” she shouted. “These people are helping us. We don’t want to accidentally destroy the village.”
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Karl sat alone by the enormous fireplace, finishing mug after mug of the Heemites’ wine. Its taste hung on his tongue, and it was strangely both sweet and tart at once. Thankfully it packed a punch, and a buzzed grin was plastered on his face.
Like most men in Craigston he had considered marriage. Had almost taken the plunge once. But unlike most men in the Heights, he had chosen the adventure of the open road over the quieter adventure of family life in a simple house amongst the rocks. He tilted his glass back and shook his head as he considered the possibility of spending his life with these foreign people in this faraway land.
Before he could look up from his empty vessel, a servant stood before him with a fresh bottle. “More wine, Mr.…”
“It’s Karl.”
“Mr. Karl,” the young woman confirmed.
“Just Karl. And sure thing, lass. Keep ‘em comin’, if ye don’t mind.”
Hadley dropped onto the couch next to him. Looking up at the server, he held his own mug toward her. “Don’t mind if I do, dear,” he said with a wink. Without a word she poured his drink, then turned and left. “It’s the strangest thing. The women here just don’t like me.”
“Scheisse, ye bastard. First time for everythin’, no?” Karl couldn’t help but laugh. “What the hell’d ye get me inta, Hadley? I know we give each other the shite most of the time, but I thought we was friends.”
Karl was drunk enough not to notice that Aysa had joined them. “Karl, you don’t get it, do you?”
The rearick jumped. “Where’d ye come from, ye long-armed good-fer-nothin’. I know ye had somethin’ ta do wi’ this.”
Aysa smiled. “Wish I did. I think it’s brilliant.” She turned to the mystic. “But seriously, Hadley, tell him how it works before he drinks himself to death.”
Karl belched long and hard. “Yeah, Hadley, ye shite-eatin’ traitor, tell ol’ Karl.”
“I will, if you stop talking about yourself in the third person.” Without waiting for a response, Hadley continued, “You don’t have to marry anyone, as long as you win.”
“I don’t?”
“No!” Hadley and Aysa said together.
“Listen, we needed the betrothal so you could fight. It makes you an insider. That was all the king’s idea. I guess he likes you...or maybe he despises his daughter and you’re just a pawn? Who knows. Anyway, you only get married if you lose.”
Karl’s eyes grew wide. “And if I win?”
“That little mountain cutie gives you a kiss on the cheek and sends her handsome hero down into paradise, never to hear from him again. It’s all very romantic. Very tragic.” Hadley took a long drink from his mug. “So just don’t lose.”
Aysa added, “Not to mention, we need to get your ass in there to get those crystals anyway. Without the crystals, we don’t have much time until the Skrima and Hadley’s buddy Laughter come through and devour us all. Probably just enough time for a honeymoon.”
“Scheisse! I just have ta win a fight! I can do that. I can do that, no problem.”
“That’s the spirit.” Hadley pounded him on the back. “Just don’t lose!”
Karl nodded. Hadley’s words swam in his drunken mind.
“Karl,” Aysa said with a straight face, “if you do end up losing, can I be your maid of honor?
“Screw ye. Ain’t no one on this bloody mountain could handle me. Them’s all show fighters, after all. It’ll be a walk in the damned park.”
Aysa cocked her head to the side and her eyes danced as a smile spread on her face. “Well, there is one person entering the ring who is most certainly not a show fighter. They’ll stand a chance. A damned good one.”
Karl narrowed his eyes. “Spit it out, freak. Who ye talkin’ bout?”
“You’re looking at her.”
Karl’s knuckles grew white on his mug, and Hadley was sure he was about to shatter it. “What the shit-encrusted donkey balls are ye sayin’? Ye can’t fight. Yer an outsider.”
Hadley placed a hand on Karl’s chest to ensure he didn’t initiate the festival fight early. “Technically, she isn’t…at least as far as the king is concerned.”
Karl was silent. He stared at Hadley in confusion, then shifted his eyes back to Aysa. “Don’t tell me yer marryin’ some prick up here? Yer too young.”
“Hell, no,” she said.
“Gregory convinced the king that Aysa is your cousin,” Hadley replied.
Karl looked the long-armed Baseeki girl up and down, and finally he snorted a laugh. “And how the hell’d he do that?”
“Well,” the mystic tapped the side of his temple, “Gregory had a little help from me. The king was so easily influenced.”
Hadley grabbed the half-full mug from Karl’s hand. “Let’s lay off this so you’re not fighting the best warriors in Heema and a hangover at the same time. You’ve only got one more day to prepare before the festival begins.”
Karl pulled the mug back and took a slug. “Blasphemy, ye mental freak. I’m always prepared. And rearick don’t get hung over. Just a wee bit tired sometimes.”
They all laughed as Aysa and Hadley pulled Karl to his feet and led him to his room, dropping him on his bed boots and all.
“Think he stands a chance?” Aysa asked.
Hadley looked down at Karl, who was already snoring louder than Sal. “Damn, I hope so. Otherwise Hannah is going to send him my head as a wedding gift.”
****
The two young Lynqi led Hannah and Laurel down a winding path that carried them the length of the village and terminated at a small hut near the edge of the jungle. Illah paused outside of the door and then turned the knob, sticking her head in. "Looks like we'll have the place to ourselves."
Vitali turned to Hannah and said, "Illah's father is… Let's just say ‘a little overprotective.’ I don't think he’ll take it too well if she…"
"Cavorts with hairless foreigners like us?" Laurel asked.
Vitali grinned, the long, soft hair on his cheeks standing on end. "Exactly."
Illah stepped through the doorway and the others followed. She motioned toward the table, simple and wooden, in the corner of the main room. It was just like the rest of the hut; everything tidy and in its right place. "Grab a seat. We'll get some food."
Suddenly Hannah realized she had no idea what the Lynqi ate, and she imagined them coming back with live fish or dead mice. She shook her head to get the vision out of her imagination just in time for them to join her again.
For once she was happy to have been wrong.
Illah placed a spread of sliced meats and cheeses on the table, along with an assortment of breads. Vitali followed with beautifully handcrafted ceramic mugs, filling each with dark red wine. Once the plates were on the table, they joined their guests for the afternoon feast.
“This looks freaking amazing,” Laurel squealed. “Didn’t know quite how hungry I was until right now.”
Illah and Vitali smiled at each other and then at their smooth-skinned visitors. “Dig in!”
They didn’t need a second invitation to begin piling food into their mouths. Hannah was hungrier than she had thought, and she plowed her way through three thick cuts of pork and half a plate of cheese before stopping to take a breath. Once Illah had cleared their plates and Vitali had refilled their drinks, they had time to talk.
"You’re staring at me like you want to ask something. Ask away. I
promise I won’t bite," Vitali purred.
Laurel looked at Hannah and nodded, shifting her eyes toward the Lynqi, attempting to indicate that the leader should be the one to ask.
Finally, Hannah picked up on her hints. "I don't mean to be rude, but what exactly are you guys?"
Vitali and Illah smiled. "Reasonable question," Vitali answered. "We’re just not used to being asked that around here. I'm fully aware that when you look at us you think of yourselves as normal, and us as, well…”
“Strange,” Illah offered.
“But remember, we think the same thing about the two of you."
"Point taken,” Hannah conceded. "But still, you know that most of the world is made up of humans, right?"
"Have you seen all of the world?" Illah asked.
Hannah thought about that for a second. She had a point. Since they had begun their journey from Arcadia, they had traveled literally thousands of miles to Kaskara. But still, Hannah had not been around the entire world. In fact, she had no idea how far the world even went.
"Are you saying that if we just keep going east, all we’re going to see is people like you?"
Vitali shrugged. "Maybe. I haven't been outside of Kaskara myself. The Lynqi usually stay close to home. We have a bit of a, how would I put it, ‘herd mentality.’"
Laurel giggled. "Elysia always said that looking after me, Arryn, and Cathillian was like herding cats. So yes, that makes sense."
"That's funny. Around here we call it ‘herding humans,’" Vitali quipped.
The girl’s mouth dropped open. "No shit?"
Vitali and Illah both laughed heartily. "Nah, I'm just screwing with you. But you have to agree, people define normal as it relates to them, making everyone else the strange ones.” He paused to let his words sink in. “There is a story about where our people came from, and why we look like we do.”
"Okay, let's hear it," Hannah said.
Vitali stretched his arms over his head and leaned back, cracking a few vertebrae in the process. "This is just a legend, so take it with a grain of salt. But the story says our people didn’t always look like this, at least not all the time. Years ago, before the sickness spread throughout our land—"
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