by B. T. Narro
Diymas came from behind. She got up and ran, but there were more far off in front. Between them was Neeko, jumping from his mount and rolling along the ground. Shara was there beside him as he got up.
“Get on my back,” he told her.
“You said that wouldn’t work.”
“It’s our only choice!”
She jumped up, locking her arms over his shoulders and wrapping her legs around his waist. He extended his arms, then pulled them back down, trapping pyforial energy beneath them.
It felt like he jumped, only this was the highest, longest jump ever in the history of mankind. She kept expecting to fall back to the ground. Instead, they kept rising and shooting forward as if weightless. A strange feeling fluttered within her stomach, as if a small torrent of air had found its way inside.
They were about to crash into branches. Neeko needed to lift them higher. Was her extra weight too much for him?
Alarm drowned out every other feeling as Neeko jolted and cursed, his right shoulder dipping suddenly. The pyforial energy must’ve slipped out. The twist of his body nearly shook her off. She tensed every muscle, squeezing with all her might to hang on.
The energy under his left shoulder couldn’t hold them for longer than a breath. The ground came fast, giving her only a moment to separate from Neeko. She fell into a tumble. Something hard on the ground ripped her arm open. She tasted blood before she noticed the sharp pain from biting her tongue.
Neeko pulled her up, then knelt before her. “Get on again.”
With the diymas enclosing, Neeko got them into the air once more. They soared slowly, too slowly. Sartious energy circled around them.
“Faster,” Shara told him.
He grunted, and a sudden lurch took them through the hardening sartious cloud that was dense against her face. Emerging out of its top, Shara saw their speed had tripled as they now soared toward the treetops.
Expecting to fall, she was surprised each moment they rose higher. The canopy of the forest approached. Neeko couldn’t seem to guide them into the space between trees, his forward speed too fast.
Shara hoped the bushy tops of the trees were as soft as they looked. She tucked her head down.
Neeko was her shield as they crashed into thin branches. He cursed as the wood snapped.
Then they were through, going higher and faster and propelling forward like birds. Shara took in the clear blue sky. Feeling the wind at her back, she felt as if she could let go of Neeko and keep flying. She blinked away tears as her body tingled.
The diymas couldn’t find them as long as they stayed above the trees. But they would need to go far enough before coming down so they couldn’t be located.
“I can’t keep going,” Neeko said, his strained voice sending Shara into a panic.
Suddenly they were falling back toward the treetops. She screamed, completely aware her mouth was right beside his ear, yet unable to stop.
They were plummeting too fast; there was no way back into the cover of the forest without hitting numerous branches on the way down.
“Neeko, slow us!”
He made no reply. She loosened her grip, ready to jump for the first tree as they came near it.
No, it was an insane idea. She squeezed her legs tight around Neeko. Another scream ripped from her throat as they crashed through the trees.
Neeko joined her in screaming as he snapped four thin branches in a row with his chest. He veered to the left to avoid a tree trunk. Their shoulders slapped against the outstretched branches. Then he took them right to avoid another. Still propelling forward, they were too high up to jump without meeting certain death.
“Watch out!” Shara warned. They were headed toward two branches too thick to break, their heads about to crack against the top one, Neeko’s knees about to shatter against the bottom one.
She almost fell off his back as they careened upward. Neeko lifted his legs to get his shins over the high one. They weren’t dead yet, but before she could relish the thought, they jolted downward to avoid another branch that would’ve taken their heads off.
“We’ve gone far enough,” Shara shouted as Neeko swerved to get around a set of tree limbs. “Just go straight down.”
“I’m trying.” He sounded exhausted. “Can’t stop going forward.”
The ground was coming too fast. How were they going to land if Neeko couldn’t use the energy to slow them? With Shara’s extra weight, his legs were sure to break.
Something caught her eye—a small lake fifty yards ahead and some distance to their right.
“Over there.”
“I see it.”
There was another lurch as Neeko swerved and lifted them again. He fought against the pull toward the ground, doing well for a moment, but then it seemed to be too much for him to overcome.
Neeko let out a guttural scream as he put everything into keeping them in the air. As he lifted his legs so his feet wouldn’t hit the ground, Shara sucked in a deep breath. She let go as they flew into the water.
It cut against her like a blanket of blades. Her face and chest stung as she opened her eyes. She was surprisingly deep within the clear water. Her shoes touched the soft lake bed, stirring up dirt.
She was alive. Nothing felt broken. She kicked, swimming up to the surface. She was partially out of breath, but it was probably nothing compared to Neeko.
Gasping, he seemed to be having trouble staying afloat, his head constantly sinking back under the water. Terror seized her as the thought came that he’d broken a leg. She swam to him, but he sank as she reached for him.
She sucked in a breath and tried to dive down. Two hells, her bag kept her up. As she ripped her arms free from it, Neeko emerged once again, gasping, his face blanched.
“Shar—” He went under again.
She got her arms around his broad chest. Kicking hard, she kept them both above the surface. Switching her hold to one arm, she paddled toward the bank. But there was too much fabric and muscle for her to get a good grip on him with one arm. He barely helped, still gasping.
Luckily her feet soon found solid ground as she neared the edge. She dragged him out of the water, putting all of her strength into pulling him far enough so she could check him for injuries. He seemed on the verge of unconsciousness, supine and panting, his pupils rolled back, the whites of his eyes showing eerily.
She crouched over him, already crying from the fear she’d find his body broken. She carefully pulled up the legs of his pants. There were a few cuts, but his bones seemed intact. She lifted his shirt, looking for a tree branch that might’ve impaled him. More cuts, but nothing life-threatening. His arms were even more bloody, but again, they didn’t appear to be broken.
Two hells, they still needed to get up and run. The diymas had to be looking for them.
Neeko sat up, the color returning to his face. “I think…I’m all right.” He panted between words.
“Nothing’s broken?”
“I don’t…believe so.”
She helped him up. “What happened? Why couldn’t you swim?”
He bent over, putting his hands on his knees as he sucked in shallow breaths. “I was…passing out…exhaustion.”
“Can you walk?”
“Give me…a moment.”
She watched the trees for diymas. As time passed in apprehensive silence and Neeko slowly regained his strength, Shara came to realize exactly what he’d done. She’d experienced something even other pyforial mages, like Laney, wouldn’t ever be able to experience.
With her clothes still wet, she went back into the water to retrieve her bag. Her tongue felt as if she’d bitten halfway through it, a burning metallic taste in her mouth. Her elbow stung where her skin had opened. Though the scratch was long, it wasn’t deep enough to worry her.
As she trudged back on land, Neeko appeared strong enough to start walking.
“Where’s your bag?” Shara asked.
“I took it off earlier so you could get on my
back.”
“That means half our food and water is gone.” She didn’t mean to say it aloud…and in such an acrid tone. “I’m sorry. You made the right choice.”
He smiled to show she didn’t need to worry. She realized then that his blanket was gone as well.
They started south at a quick pace, their clothes dripping while water squeezed out from their shoes with each step.
After another glance to determine they weren’t being watched by diymas, Shara looked over to check Neeko more carefully. Spots of blood had formed on both legs of his pants, the sleeves of his shirt, and sporadically around his chest.
She saw new strength in him. He could lift her into the sky. The closest feeling she’d had to it was riding a horse strong enough to jump, but that failed in comparison. Filled with awe, she couldn’t help stopping, taking his face in her hands, and kissing him.
“You are a marvelous human being.”
“It would be marvelous to chance upon our horses.”
“No, that would be lucky. You are marvelous.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CEDRI
Cedri felt blood rushing to her face as it became clear she was next. The luminary found some space and sat in front of her, crossing his legs. His dark beard mostly covered a friendly smile.
“How are you this evening?”
She gave the same answer as many before her. “I’m happy. Thank you.”
“Thank you,” he emphasized. “You seem quite young. Were you recruited recently?”
The silence held as a hundred people waited for her answer. She swallowed air and pushed her hands deeper into the sand, relishing the feeling. “I was.”
She knew it was strange to give a curt answer. Everyone else took advantage of the opportunity to speak to the luminary, but she simply wanted this to end as quickly as possible.
He laughed, bemused. “Well, tell us about it.”
Hells. She gave the line she’d been preparing while listening to others. “Jonen recruited me in Glaine.” She paused as she noticed surprise coming onto the faces around her, including the luminary’s.
“I would not have guessed you were a pyforial mage.”
Shit. She didn’t realize there were separate recruiters for bastial mages.
Actually, are there even recruiters for bastial mages? Yes, there has to be. Otherwise that naked man would’ve mentioned something.
“There’s no need to be nervous,” the luminary said. He touched her arm, and she felt more than just his hand. It was like she knew him, and he knew her, but not what she represented—not her allegiance to the North. He knew who she was in that moment, a scared young woman. He was trying to help because he was a leader. She put her hand on top of his.
She couldn’t even call it a feeling. It was knowing—like learning someone’s name. No wonder no names were given or asked. They weren’t needed when there was this kind of connection.
Cedri realized this must have to do with whatever she’d consumed. Panic returned. She had to get out of here. She was a sheep in a wolf’s den.
She focused on using psyche, pushing away every other strange emotion and connection that her mind desperately was trying to form based on the substance she’d eaten.
She recognized a familiar, secretive feeling from the luminary. Steffen had given her the same sense.
He’s attracted to me, she realized. She took that feeling carried by his bastial energy and grabbed it with her mind. Then she began augmenting it. He would forget anything else in the world existed besides her, at least for the moment while she had hold with psyche.
“It’s difficult for me to speak in front of others,” she said, noticing the look in his eyes changing, the grip of his hand tightening on her arm.
If she was a better psychic, she would flood his mind with the emotion to flee this area. But Charlotte had never gotten a chance to teach her. Instead, Cedri would put all of her focus into making this man lust for her. It just might get her out of this.
The luminary glanced around at the watching people. They were dogs in Cedri’s mind, observing their leader obediently, desiring his attention, ready to jump at the sound of his voice. Their forms were changing before her eyes, not their physical form but something behind what her eyes could see—their true forms were becoming visible. The way they sat, perched, and with so much power and love. At their heart, they really were dogs.
“The effects have begun,” the luminary announced, his deep voice like a boom of thunder. “It is nearing the time to speak with the gods.”
All around their wide circle, other luminaries began standing to make similar announcements. The dogs rose. Fur matching the shade of their skin grew out from their necks, then down their arms. Cedri stood and gasped at the sight. The luminary put his hand around her shoulders.
“Come speak with me.”
She let him guide her while she looked back at the PCQs dancing on their hind legs to the beat of a drum. Then she found herself in a copse of trees, hearing howls in the distance.
“Have you begun to see?” he asked.
“Yes.”
“Are you frightened?”
Feeling his lust like heat, she was careful not to say anything that might spark a touch or a kiss. “I’m fine.”
“Is this the first time you’ve met a luminary?”
This hadn’t been asked of the others, but she figured there was no trickery to the question. As she told him that she hadn’t, she attempted to mold his attraction into disgust. She’d never tried going the other way before, though.
It only took her a moment to realize that his lust for her was too strong. She could feel his craving among his bastial energy, and it couldn’t be bent.
“We luminaries have proven ourselves to the great leader,” he said, his gaze darting around her body. He reached out and cupped her shoulders. She got the terrible feeling he was about to lean forward and muffle her face with his beard. His face—it had begun to glow among the shade of the trees.
“We oversee each task,” he said. “And we love all of those who love us. Do you love your luminaries?”
She had felt the love from everyone begging for the luminary’s attention. If she admitted to feeling none herself, it would be too obvious she was an outsider. But she knew what was coming, and she still hadn’t figured out how to stop it.
“I do.”
She shut her eyes as he leaned in, his bright face setting her eyelids aglow. His beard tickled her mouth. She returned his kiss. But as he went for another, she stepped out of his hold.
“What’s wrong?”
She felt genuine confusion coming from him. Next would be suspicion.
She reached out and took his hand. “My mind is on other matters. Would you tell me more about yourself and this task? Then I would feel more…comfortable.”
He smiled. “So you’re not aware that it was me who formulated this plan.”
It wasn’t a complete lie, but it wasn’t altogether true. She figured he’d worked with the other luminaries.
She feigned excitement. “What an honor it is to be speaking with you! Please tell me more.”
“It will be explained tomorrow morning. You mustn’t say anything to the others before then if I tell you now. The announcement has to come from a luminary.”
“I’m very good at keeping secrets.”
She could feel that her words made his lust burn hotter. Cedri noticed someone over the luminary’s shoulder, a face…in a tree. No, it was the tree!
She fell backward as the tree cooed at her, the noise like a deep gust of wind. Somehow, she felt it rustle her hair although there was no breeze.
The luminary pulled her up and put his arm around her. “Nothing will hurt you.” She was surprised at how protected she felt in his embrace, an enemy planning to kill her allies. It’s the substance.
“I was just startled.” She glanced at the tree. Its gnarled face was still there, but its eyes were closed.
&nbs
p; His lips came against her cheek and started toward her mouth.
She pulled back. “I want to hear more…before we do that.”
He spoke in a hurry. “When it’s time, everyone will board our boats and travel downstream for the attack.” He slowed and grinned. “I had to find a way for us to arrive as their army crosses the river over Sastien Bridge. We are to attack after some have already crossed the thin bridge, thus separating the army. Then we’ll disembark and slay as many as we can while our boats sit ready for our escape.”
A rush of relief swam through her. She knew the plan. Sastien Bridge. Commander Jaymes would know where that was even though she didn’t.
She smiled happily, though he would hopefully never know the real reason. “That’s a good plan.”
“Aren’t you going to ask how we know when to leave for the attack?” It seemed as if he'd forgotten his lust for the moment, too indulged in his own supposed brilliance. She took a breath and read the bastial energy emanating from him. Yes, his lust was scaled back to an attraction.
“That’s a good question,” she agreed.
“There’s a signal—fireballs shot into the air at night. It will mean they’re two days from the bridge.”
She swallowed air as she realized what this meant. “You have a spy.”
He laughed. “In time, you’ll learn to simply assume this is the case no matter what we’re discussing. There’s always a spy.”
She tried to hold her smile, but it felt like holding her breath. Too much dread was coursing through her to continue this deception. She needed to get out.
“What’s wrong now?” he asked. “Do you see something else?”
Cedri saw many things. Laughing trees, his glowing face, the true color of the gray wind coming by to carry the leaves along the ground. Everything longed for her attention, wanting to connect. She ignored it all, now finding it impossible even to show a wry smile.
“There’s no reason to be afraid,” he said, squeezing her against his chest. “Everything you see is what the gods want you to see.”
