Tess stared in silent shock at the gravestones. “I—I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I, Preceptor.” Nikolai faced her. Tears wet his eyes. “All I know is that for some men, the line between war and sport is a blurred notion. Maravek doesn’t kill because he has to, nor because he defends what is his. Maravek kills because taking lives feeds some kind of twisted lust within him. That kind of evil cannot be explained.”
“So you stopped the train and drove us into the mountains because you knew Maravek was in Galaratheas.” She met his eyes. “If you succeed—if you kill Maravek—you’ll be asking for another war. You have to understand that.”
Nikolai gestured at the rest of the gravestones. “The people in this dark hole with me? We’re not an army. We’re not terrorists. We’re a family, bonded by ties that run deeper than blood. Maravek took something from each of us. Loss, pain, hate, justice…this is what drives us. You fear war? When Maravek lies cold on the ground, we will return to the mountains, and even if the Order did reach its arm this far, it would never find us. No, Preceptor, there will be no more war.”
Tess had no response. A myriad of thoughts whirled in her mind. She couldn’t make sense of it all. Her loyalties were with the Order, and like it or not, that meant protecting Maravek was now her primary concern. But if what Nikolai said was true…she pushed the thought aside. She couldn’t betray the Order.
Nikolai turned aside. “Tarvin will escort you back to your cell. You’ll remain with us until Maravek comes for you. After that, you’ll go free, and you’ll never see us again.”
“What if he doesn’t come?”
Nikolai was silent for a long moment. “He will come.”
* * *
Daniel stood in a cleft in the rock of the mountain that granted him passage into the secluded valley below. In the valley, Obenon stood out like a concrete blotch. As he gazed down into the desolate valley, sorrow welled up inside him. The village was an ash-covered ghost town. No, not a ghost town. If even a ghost wandered the desolate streets it would have given more life to this place. He could picture the people filling the streets, miners coming and going from the factories built into the hillside.
He tore his eyes away from it all. He couldn’t allow himself to be distracted by haunting memories. Hastening down the slope, Daniel descended into the valley. His pace quickened as anxiety overtook him.
The memories of that dreadful day ripped through his heart, as they had every time he slept since then. That soul-wrenching whistle. That heart-piercing hiss of steam. The sounds of the train.
He forced himself to press on. The closer he got to the sooty buildings, the more he shook. He was afraid. Afraid that he had come all this way for nothing. Afraid that he had deceived himself all this time into thinking it was even possible. Afraid that something had happened, and he would have to face the truth.
He entered Obenon, and, palms sweating, combed the town street by street, calling out Litty’s name, hoping beyond hope at each corner that he would round the curb and she would be there, running towards him.
Yet there was no sign of her, no answer to his calling. The streets were bare, devoid of life. Not even a breeze stirred. Daniel didn’t go to the train platform. He couldn’t bring himself to revisit it, and if Litty was there, which he doubted, she would have heard him calling.
At the edge of town, Daniel trudged with heavy feet up the trail he and Litty used to walk every day. His throat tightened, and he instinctively reached down his hand to take hers. His fingers curled in, empty. Then, like a battering ram, flashes of her presence pounded into his head—her smile, her bouncing hair, her giggles, the way she said his name…his eyes blurred, but he ignored the tears and broke into a run. He couldn’t help it.
Daniel sped along the trial like a madman, cresting the hill and nearly sliding down the embankment into the narrow, wooded dale. There, he stopped. Everything was exactly as it always was. The creek still gurgled contentedly; the cottage still nestled among the trees. His eyes swept the scene, searching desperately. No Litty.
Daniel swallowed past the lump in his throat and shouted Litty’s name again. When the echoes receded all was silent.
Nobody answered.
Daniel’s energy drained from his body like water down a spout. He crumpled in a heap by the stream. She was gone.
His vision clouded. Devoid of any will to go on, he shuffled numbly into the cottage. In a bitter way, it seemed only fitting that things should end here, where it all began. Nothing mattered anymore. Without Litty, what more was there for him?
He stared at the cold gun in his hands. One bullet left. The click of the chamber resounded in his ears like a gong. He raised the gun—then something caught his eye. On the edge of the table in the middle of the cottage was a pile of small, smooth stones. Stones from the creek. Sticking out from the bottom of the pile was a strip of fabric. Trembling, Daniel pulled it out and clutched it between his fingers. The cloth was faded pink.
Daniel shoved the table aside so violently that it overturned. The pebbles—Litty’s pebbles—bounced across the floorboards. Under the table, the trapdoor that led to the bomb shelter was ajar. He flung it open and flew down the stone steps.
He dared not call out for fear of the silence that was sure to meet him.
At the bottom of the stairs, a tunnel led down into darkness. Blind, he stumbled forward. They had never used the shelter. Litty had always been terrified of it. But maybe, just maybe…he abandoned his slow pace and broke into a run.
Mustering some small glimmer of courage, he shouted her name over and over so that the echoes jumbled together and created a cacophony so loud that it would blot out any answer he might have gotten.
Then he reached the end of the tunnel. The air was cold and still, permeated by the smell of damp concrete. With a tremor in his lips, he said her name, softly.
He waited. For the longest time, silence. Then, a pattering of little feet. Something soft and warm touched his hand. He heard a voice whisper up to him. It whispered one word. “Danny.”
Chapter Nine
“Everything's going to be okay." Daniel couldn't let go of her. He sat on the floorboards in the cottage, holding Litty against his chest, rocking her back and forth. He pressed his face against her head. Her hair was dirty and tangled, but she still smelled the way she always did. He kissed the top of her head. She was content to sit on his lap, putting up with his obsessive smothering.
Eventually, Daniel let her sit back, and she smiled up to him. He smiled back. "We need to get you cleaned up," he said, wiping a smudge off her cheek with his thumb.
Still holding her, he stood, and without a single backwards glance, they stepped outside into the dying sunlight. He took a moment to breathe in the familiarity. The creek rippled down by their house, and the smell of musty leaves brought back all the memories. He couldn't describe the emotions coursing through him. The bitter-sweetness of seeing his home abandoned after such a short time away from it surprised him, but it was overshadowed by the relief of finding Litty safe and sound and the joy of holding her again.
Litty wiggled in his arms. He grinned and let her down. He watched her trot over to the stream, and his eyes glistened when he noticed a second small pile of rocks at the water’s edge. She knelt over it, picked one, and came back to him. She held out her little fist.
He knelt with her. "I have one for you this time." He pulled the smooth stone from the pool out of his pocket. Her eyes sparkled, and she snatched it out of his hand. She skipped back to her pile and began rearranging it.
As he watched her play, unease settled in his stomach. Maybe it was just the apprehension of being back in Obenon, the place where everything had fallen apart, but Daniel couldn't shake the sense that something was wrong. He had no clue what, but he wasn't taking any risks this time.
"Come on, Litty. We need to wash up quickly and go."
She puckered her lips, reluctant to abandon her precious rock collection.
Daniel's eyes darted over their surroundings. Nothing seemed out of place. He scooped up the rocks and distributed them in his pockets. "There, see? We'll bring them with us."
Daniel took off her faded pink dress, and together they washed in the shallow stream. Litty giggled and splashed, thoroughly enjoying herself. The sound of her laugh made Daniel forget his worries. For the moment, he would just enjoy hearing her voice during one of the few moments it wasn't as weak.
Daniel rubbed his legs and arms, rinsing off most of the grime that had collected on him from the last couple days. It felt good to be somewhat clean again, but he wished he could have a warm bath and clean clothes. Those luxuries would have to wait. The thought of the other townspeople and the Preceptors still stuck on the mountainside brought a strange sense of longing to him. He had Litty back, but many questions still lingered. Would the Preceptors be able to keep them safe until the tracks were fixed? After that, how would he and Ram get to Cerdania? Was that even the right thing to do?
Once they were relatively clean, Daniel dressed Litty. "Ready, little one?" He kissed her cheek. He took her hand, but she tugged away from him. "We need to go."
She pulled again, wriggling her hand out of his. She hopped around to the back of the shack. Daniel followed, still feeling anxious to be gone from that place. But when he saw what Litty was leading him to, his concerns doubled.
Basel Crow was dead on the ground. Long, raw gashes ran up and down his exposed chest. His shirt was shredded, and a grimace tightened his blood-spattered face. His curled fingers clutched tufts of dark fur.
Daniel drew Litty close to him. She whimpered, but reached out towards the old man with her hands.
"What happened?" Daniel asked.
Litty crouched over Basel’s body and pulled a handful of small, dark orbs from one of his pockets. Blackberries. She popped them into her mouth and chewed. Juice dribbled down her chin. She smacked her lips and smiled.
Daniel's eyes widened. It all clicked into place, and his stomach twisted as he realized just how much he had misjudged the old man. He scooped Litty up in his arms. "We'll stop in Obenon to get you some more food." As he walked away, he looked once more over his shoulder at the body on the ground. "Thank you," he whispered.
* * *
Night had fallen by the time Daniel and Litty reached Obenon. After seeing Basel’s torn body, Daniel had no desire to try to make it to the Weeping during the dark hours. The mountains themselves were treacherous enough during the day. No, it would be best to spend the night indoors.
Despite the necessity of it all, Daniel didn't relish the thought of staying in the deserted town more than he had originally planned. As he carried Litty down into the dark streets, he avoided the train station at all costs. That was one place he would never revisit. Instead, he picked his way towards the distribution center. On his shoulders, Litty hummed a soft song and patted his head with her hands.
Daniel gave her leg a squeeze. "Are you hungry, Litty?"
"Yes," she said in her whispery voice.
"Me too. Let's find some food." As if on cue, his stomach rumbled like bear waking up from hibernation.
Litty giggled, and he couldn't suppress a big smile. Her laugh had healing powers over his mood.
At the center, Daniel skirted around to the side to the door the Preceptors always used to use, where the townspeople were never allowed. He tried the handle, and the door opened on rusty hinges, making an awful screech. Litty covered her ears with her hands until the door was wide open.
"Sorry, little one," Daniel said, lifting her off his shoulders.
He stepped into the building and immediately wished he had the flashlight from Ram's backpack. It was like stumbling around with his eyes shut. He ran his hand up and down the wall on either side of the door until his fingers jammed against a light switch. He flicked it down, and after a few agonizing seconds, a fluorescent overhead fizzled to life, casting a dim light over the room. They were in some sort of empty antechamber the size of a large bedroom. Empty cardboard boxes, plastic bags, and other bits of trash littered the tile floor. There was a door cracked open in the opposite wall.
Daniel put Litty down and, taking her hand, crossed the room and swung the second door open. Again he found a light switch, and again the light in the ceiling took a moment before blinking on with a snap and a sizzle. This time, the room showed promise. Much larger than the antechamber, it looked like the main storage facility. Flimsy metal shelves rose from the floor to the ceiling, held together with rusty bolts and washers. Most of the shelves were empty, but a few of them had boxes stacked haphazardly. What was in them, Daniel had no idea.
Litty pulled free and scampered between two of the shelves. Daniel let her go. He went to the nearest box and pulled it off the shelf. It was light, and sure enough, he pulled back the flaps to find nothing but a short stack of towels. He tossed it aside. Shelf by shelf, he made his way across the room, inspecting all the boxes. Some were empty, while others had rather useless supplies in them.
"Danny," Litty did her best to call to him from behind one of the shelves.
He rounded the corner and found her poking through a box on the floor, pulling out cans of soup, just like the ones Ram had stashed in his bag. "Good job!" Further searching revealed just a couple packages of dried fruits, which he wrinkled his nose at but stuck them in his pocket. On the bright side, he also found a handful of spoons—he assumed the Preceptors used them—and a bowl for Litty to use.
He grabbed the box of soups and took Litty back into the antechamber. He flattened some of the empty boxes and the two of them sat with their backs against the wall. Daniel peeled back the top of a can of vegetable soup and poured some into the bowl. He eyed the contents reluctantly—the little cubes of vegetables floating in the broth looked anything but appealing. He gave the bowl and spoon to Litty. "I hope you like this stuff more than I do."
Litty frowned at the cold soup. “Yuck.” Despite her complaint, she was hungry enough to grab the spoon in her fist and take a big slurp.
Somewhere out in the darkness of Obenon, footfalls pattered down the cobblestone street. Not the slap of shoes or boots on the road, but a softer, quicker patter of something on four legs.
Daniel rose silently and tiptoed to the door. He poked his head outside. Of course, he couldn't see anything after being in the lit room for so long, but the quick feet stopped. Instead, he heard a wet panting—uncomfortably close. He shot back into the room and shut the door. He didn't know what it was out there. It could have been a wolf, a coyote, or something altogether different. Regardless, he was glad they were safe indoors. He had no intention of meeting the same fate as Basel Crow.
Litty was making quick work of her cold soup. Daniel watched her messy eating. He wondered how much Basel had been able to feed her over the last couple days before he had been attacked. He felt a weight on his shoulders. Basel’s sacrifice was a debt he would never be able to repay.
Outside, the mysterious animal trotted away, and a moment later, Daniel heard a short howl, which was joined by a series of sharp barks from further away. Litty stopped eating and looked towards the door.
Daniel put his arm around her. "Yeah, we're definitely staying in here tonight."
Litty nodded, her hair bouncing, and returned to slurping her soup. Within a half hour she was asleep, snuggled up against him. He gave in to the weariness of the day as well, and was soon in a deep sleep.
* * *
Daniel opened his eyes wide, woken from his sleep by something unheard. Everything was just as it had been during the night. Litty was curled up on his lap, her warm body nestled against his stomach. A thin strand of hair swayed back and forth, gently blown by her breath. The door was still closed, and the light still fizzled overhead. What had woken him?
He felt a tickle through his pant leg on his shin, and he looked down. He froze, and his heart jumped to his throat. A brown scorpion was leisurely crawling up his leg. It was the size of his fist. Dan
iel had seen scorpions near Obenon before. He'd caught one in a jar once, before Litty was born. But never had he seen one so big or so close.
The scorpion didn't seem to be in any hurry. It took its time crawling over his knee. Still, Daniel had to do something. He didn't dare move, lest he startle it, but if he kept still, it would soon be on Litty.
His heart hammered, but he tried hard to keep his breathing calm. An idea came to him. It was insane, but it was the only way he could think of to get rid of the scorpion.
Slowly, inches at a time, he reached with his right hand to the gun on the floor beside him. He wrapped his fingers around the grip. Every muscle in his body was tense.
The scorpion paused momentarily at his thigh.
Daniel curled his index finger around the trigger, and brought the pistol up towards his leg ever so slowly. He clenched his teeth, and pointed the gun at the scorpion, holding it as close to his leg as he dared move it without startling the scorpion. One jab of that stinging tail and he'd be done for.
One bullet left. He couldn't afford to miss.
The scorpion continued another couple inches up his thigh, then stopped again. Its tail wavered side to side.
Daniel held his breath. If he couldn't steady his hand, he'd end up blowing a hole in his own leg.
He squeezed the trigger. The shot split his ears his ears like cannon. The scorpion flew against the wall, its tail severed from its body. Litty jolted in his lap and began to cry. Daniel scooped her off his lap, crossed the room in two strides, and crushed the scorpion's head under his shoe for good measure. It crunched, and he grimaced at the sickening sound. Only then did he let his pent up breath out.
He stood there, unable to control his shaking. Litty wrapped her short arms around his neck, still sobbing from the fright. He hugged her close. "I'm sorry! I know that really scared you." He rocked his torso back and forth to soothe her. "I had to do it."
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