Attack on Phoenix

by Megg Jensen

  Rell thought her own hair was completely ridiculous. When she finished her mission and returned to her place in the religious community, she planned to shave her head and start growing it all over again. It would take another ten years, at least, to get it back to where she liked it. "I'm sure you'll look amazing in blue."

  Leila's guarded gaze relaxed, and she gave Rell a small smile.

  "Let's get Torsten fixed up," Rell said. "Then you can all go."

  Andessa rolled her eyes. "Don't act like you own these tunnels. We can stay down here as long as we like."

  Rell's heart pounded. She swallowed before answering. "Sometimes I come down here. It's quiet." She looked at Torsten and smiled. "At least it usually is."

  "After what happened today, I wouldn't be surprised if more people broke the law." Torsten unlaced his boot and carefully removed it from his foot. He winced, tossing the boot to the side. He grabbed the robe from Leila's hands. Tearing a strip from the bottom, Torsten began wrapping it around his ankle. He reached out to Mellok for the slab of wood.

  "Let me help you." Leila grabbed the wood before Torsten could get it. She placed it against his leg, squaring up the end of the wood with the bottom of his foot, and wrapped a strip of fabric around it. She tied it off, tugging twice to be sure the knot was tight.

  Mellok held out a hand to Torsten. They clasped hard, and Torsten stood. He put weight on his right leg, bracing himself against the wall with his free hand. He winced again.

  "You can't walk like that," Rell said. "You're only going to make it worse."

  "Maybe you can pray the pain away." Andessa said.

  "Torsten needs med care,” Rell said simply, trying not to grit her teeth. These defenders were quickly wearing on her patience. “Maybe one of those medivacs aboveground can take him somewhere."

  "No." Torsten’s response surprised her. "I'll be fine. We need to do what we came here to do."

  "Not with her." Mellok nodded toward Rell.

  She didn't know how to respond. After finding Torsten at the bottom of the stairs, broken and bruised, she assumed she'd help them back up and they wouldn't return until Torsten had received professional medical assistance. Until she'd had time to come up with a better plan.

  "You really should get help," Rell said. "I saw you on the vidscreen. I know you've been sent on a mission. But, surely, your commander will want you to be safe first."

  Mellok laughed, and Rell glared at him.

  "Are you heartless?" she asked the hulking blond. She balled her hands into fists. “You really should get proper med help.”

  Leila sighed. "She has a point, Tor. The meds can patch you up. That's one tech we have. We may not be able to travel far in space, but they can heal your broken bone quickly. We can be back down here by the morning. Will one day hurt?"

  Rell waited for Torsten's response. The others looked at him, too.

  "Okay, fine." Torsten hopped on his good foot. "This hurts a lot more than I was willing to admit. Let's get back up there and get help. Someone will have to run back to the city, though. I doubt I can make it that far."

  "No problem." Andessa tugged on Mellok's arm. "He and I will go. Leila and Rell will stay with you."

  "Let's go up into the church. You can wait there." Mellok wrapped an arm around Torsten's back. "Come on, gimpy."

  Torsten glared at Mellok. So the two weren't good friends.

  Rell needed to learn the dynamics of their relationships in case she ever needed to pit them against each other.

  As they ascended the stairs, Rell glanced back down the hall. She knew the tunnels, and she also knew she could be back in the city much more quickly than Andessa and Mellok could traveling in the sands aboveground. The longer she kept them away, the more time she'd have to come up with a plan to stop them for good.

  As they emerged into the church, orange lights flickered through the stained glass windows.

  "What's that?" Andessa broke away from the group, running to the entrance. She flung the wooden doors open, only to slam them again. She turned around, leaning against the doors. Tears spilled down her cheeks. "It's on fire."

  "What?" Torsten asked.

  "Hadar. It's burning." Andessa choked out.

  Then there was nowhere to go. The dragzhi had attacked again while they were underground.

  "We're trapped in here," Torsten said, grimly.

  Rell said a small prayer in her head, asking for forgiveness for what she was about to do. "I can help you. Follow me back down."

  Chapter Twelve

  Rell scrambled down the steps, careful not to lose her footing. If she injured herself, she'd have to rely on the defenders to help her, which was the last thing she wanted.

  She cursed the dragzhi. Their attack left her no choice but to take Torsten and his friends back underground.

  She'd sworn to stop them from finding the Key. But she couldn’t send them to their deaths, either. From birth, she’d been taught nothing was more sacred than life.

  Rell eyed the guns holstered on their hips. Those weapons were made to kill. She reminded herself these people did not share her values, and if they cornered her, her life might be in danger. The council had set her on a journey turning out to be more formidable than she first imagined.

  Mellok supported Torsten as they followed her through the tunnels. Leila and Andessa brought up the rear. Leila's hand rested on the handle of her gun. Andessa continued to look bored, though Rell assumed it was only an act.

  Rell’s gaze swept over Torsten as she faced forward again. He had been kind, even so... she couldn't bring herself to trust anyone who lived aboveground, particularly those in the military.

  "How much farther?" Mellok asked, his voice straining.

  "Is my brother too heavy for you?" Leila teased.

  "No," Mellok said through gritted teeth.

  "You know, she never did tell us where she's taking us." Andessa's tone was challenging. "We can't go aboveground. Not with what's happening in Hadar."

  "We aren't headed toward the city," Torsten said. "Haven't any of you noticed? She's taking us farther west, under the sands."

  Rell stopped and turned around. She rested her hands on her leather-clad hips. Torsten leaned against the wall, giving Mellok a chance to rest.

  "You're one of them, aren't you?" Torsten asked.

  Rell bit her lip.

  "She is!" Leila squealed, clapping her hands like a child. "Then you can help us."

  "I don't know anything. There’s nothing I can help you with," Rell said carefully, not admitting anything.

  "But, you are one of them. The buried, those that live underground." Torsten said again. He cocked his head, taking her in. "You look like a grounder, with your hair and clothes, but your accent is off. It's been a few years since I lived in Hadar, but I don't recall anyone with that lilt in their voice."

  This wasn't going at all like Rell wanted. Hours ago, her mission had been simple: turn them away, convince them to look elsewhere. But new circumstances had forced her into this corner. She closed her eyes, praying silently, hoping for illumination.

  "Look at her. She's praying again." Andessa chuckled. "I can't believe anyone thought she had something to do with the dragzhi leaving. As you saw, Hadar is burning. Her false religion didn't do any good."

  Rell's eyes snapped open. "It did work. They left because I prayed."

  "Then why didn't you stay up there and protect the city?" Andessa asked, her brow furrowed. "Maybe Hadar wouldn't be burning if you had."

  Rell wondered the same thing, but she put the thought out of her mind. She was here to stop these defenders from finding the Key. Before ascending aboveground, Rell had barely considered the people living on the soil. That shouldn't change now. These people were unbelievers. They meant nothing to her. Not even Renata, who had been so generous.

  If it was the gods’ will for them to die at the hands of the dragzhi, then so be it.

  "Leave her alone," Torsten said, glaring at A
ndessa. "You can't blame one person for what the dragzhi have done. Her prayer didn't work up there. It was coincidence."

  Rell wanted to argue with him, insist he just didn't understand how the Menelewen Dored worked. She was standing in front of him as proof of their power. And yet, Torsten couldn't perceive anything beyond what his eyes saw. His heart was closed.

  "I can help heal you," Rell said, hoping changing the subject to Torsten's injury would divert Andessa’s accusations. “You need to trust me. You need to follow me to the healer's ward."

  "So you are buried." Mellok snorted in disgust. "Cowards, all of you. Hiding underground while the rest of us fight."

  They weren’t afraid. Underground was the only place they could be free to worship the Menelewen Dored. “Your people can’t stop trying to get back into space to return to a planet that has probably forgotten about you. And you think I’m the fool?”

  They fell silent. Rell waited a few moments, turned on her heel, and started back down the winding tunnels. Footsteps sounded behind her, followed by a poorly-concealed gasp from Torsten.

  "Maybe you should all wait here while I get help," Rell said.

  Torsten squinted, pursing his mouth. His chest heaved with every breath.

  "No. You can't just leave us here. What if you don't come back?" Andessa asked. “We’ll be lost.”

  Mellok helped Torsten slide to the ground where he sprawled out, resting his leg.

  Rell had indeed considered losing them in one of the many twists and turns. With her luck, they'd discover one of the many secrets hiding underground. No, Rell would have Torsten healed, and then she would convince them to leave. She just had to find a way to make it happen.

  "I'll go with her." Leila wove her way through her friends and stood next to Rell. "I'll make sure she comes back so we can help Tor."

  "No." Mellok and Andessa both said it at the same time.

  Leila rolled her eyes, turning to Rell. "Ready?"

  "The three of you stay here," Rell said.

  "What if someone happens upon us?" Torsten asked. "What should we say?"

  "No one will. These tunnels aren't used anymore. You're safe." Well, safe from the others underground, at least. There was no reason to tell them the tunnels weren't used because of recent cave-ins. Rell had traveled these tunnels many times when she wanted to be alone, and she hadn't seen any indication of instability. "We'll be back soon. I promise."

  Torsten nodded at Rell, a smile on his face. "Thank you. I really appreciate your help."

  Rell gestured at Leila, and the blond followed her around the bend, leaving the others behind.

  “Will you introduce us to your people? Our commander said the buried were hostile. It’s why she sent me on this mission. I’m pretty good with a blaster.”

  Rell had no intention of letting anyone see the defenders. There would be too many questions. She'd be brought to the council and severely punished. "We probably won't see anyone. I want to get something to help Torsten, and then we'll take it back and heal him."

  Rell crept through the tunnels, Leila close on her heels. They walked in silence. Rell was glad. She had no interest in conversation. When they reached the final bend before the healer’s ward, Rell put a finger to her lips. Leila stood quietly, waiting for Rell's signal.

  Once Rell was sure no one was around, she grabbed Leila's hand, pulling her into the med lab. "Wait there. Don't touch anything." Rell closed the door behind them.

  Leila's eyes were wide. Rell knew what she was thinking. How did they have this much tech underground? Her people had hoarded tech since the day they'd first settled in the tunnels.

  Rell regretted allowing Leila to see it, but there was no other way to help Torsten. Until he was healed, Rell couldn't convince them to leave.

  She rifled through the cabinet, grabbing a healing device. "Okay. Let's go."

  "That's all?" Leila asked. "What about medicine and bandages?"

  "We don't need those," Rell assured her. "Trust me. Now, let's get back to your brother before anyone sees us here."

  They jogged through the tunnels until they were back with the other three. Torsten had fallen asleep, his brown eyelashes brushing his cheeks. Rell knelt next to him, cursing the constricting leather pants again.

  Torsten stirred, his sleepy eyes focusing on Rell. "Hi," he said with a tired smile.

  "Hi." Rell laid a hand on his shoulder. "Hold still. This won't hurt."

  "I believe you," Torsten said. He braced his back against the wall and stretched out his injured leg.

  Rell held the healing device over his leg, slowly moving it from his toes up to his knee. She repeated the process three times. The readout on the device told her his bone had knitted.

  "You can get up now. Try it out. Tell me how it feels." Rell crossed her arms while Leila offered a hand to Torsten.

  He took it, and stood. Torsten placed his weight on his right leg, then his left, then his right again. His eyes widened. "It's fine."

  "Really?" Leila asked, incredulous. "You're okay?"

  Torsten nodded. He dropped Leila’s hand. Smiling, he laughed. Then he did the most surprising thing. Torsten grabbed Rell and pulled her to him. He lifted her into the air, swinging her around in a circle.

  Then he kissed her on the lips.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Torsten stumbled, his back slamming into the wall. He blinked a couple of times, resting a hand over his stinging cheek. Rell had punched him. Hard.

  "I'm sorry," he said, looking over at Rell. She trembled, her hands and lips shaking.

  "How dare you?" Rell backed away from him.

  "Tor, that isn't how you kiss a girl." Leila crossed her arms over her chest. "You always ask first. You always make sure she wants you to."

  A blush burned over Torsten's neck and up his face. He hadn't even realized what he'd done until Rell clocked his face. He'd been so grateful. "I'm sorry. It just happened," he said again. He would say it a million times if it would help erase what he'd done. "I would never, ever hurt you, Rell. Not like that." He wanted to reach out to her, take her in his arms and comfort her, but he knew it was a horrible idea.

  The anger and fear in her eyes told him he'd done something very, very wrong. He tried to remember the small bits he'd gleaned about the buried. The grounders didn't know much about them; they'd been separated for centuries.

  "I never should have helped you." Rell's words were like daggers in Torsten's heart.

  "Okay, Rell," Leila walked over to her. "I know you're stunned, and I don't have a problem with how you reacted. Trust me, I would do the same. But Torsten didn't mean to hurt you. He's not that kind of person."

  "I'm not." Torsten held his hands up. "I swear I'm not." He felt sick watching Rell cower in the corner. He wanted to melt into the walls and disappear.

  "You don't know what you've done." Rell's hands trembled in front of her lips.

  "Unless you tell me, I don't know either. How can I make this right?" Torsten reached out a tentative hand, thinking maybe they could shake hands, or something else completely platonic.

  "You can't." Tears rolled down Rell's cheeks.

  Leila shot her brother an angry look, then took Rell in her arms. The two disappeared around the corner where Torsten could hear Rell's wracking sobs.

  Mellok punched Torsten's shoulder. "Not how it's done, man."

  "Yeah," Andessa sank down on the dirt floor. "Even I asked before I kissed Leila. She even did it herself." She winked at Mellok, who refused to acknowledge her.

  Torsten didn't want to hear about his sister's love life. He just wanted to know how he could make Rell feel better. The last thing he'd wanted to do was hurt her. His feelings were so confusing. He’d only wanted to thank her, and somehow his lips ended up on hers before he realized what he was doing.

  "You may have been out of line, Torsten,” Andessa said, “but there's something else going on here. Just give her space. Don't go over there. She's with Leila. She'll be okay."r />
  Torsten hung back, debating who he should listen to. His instincts or Andessa? He went with his gut. Clenching his fists, he rounded the corner.

  Rell sat on the ground, shaking. Leila knelt next to her, a hand on Rell's arm. Their whispers stopped when they saw Torsten.

  "Do you want me to tell him?" Leila asked Rell in a gentle voice.

  Rell took a deep, shuddering breath. "No. I'll do it."

  "Do you want me to stay?" Leila asked.

  Torsten couldn't help but notice how quickly his sister and Rell had bonded. A defender and a buried girl. From birth, grounders were taught to fear the buried. The military taught its defenders to hate the buried. Torsten had wanted to meet one before he formed an opinion. Apparently Leila was the same.

  "I'm okay. Thanks." Rell smiled, her lips slightly trembling. Leila patted Rell's arm once more and left the two of them alone.

  Torsten said, "I'm sorry. I really am. It was stupid of me."

  A blush crept over Rell's cheek. "You probably don't know much about life underground. There are... traditions... we adhere to. One of them involves physical contact. Down here, we are all the same. Male. Female. It doesn't matter. We all let our hair grow long. We don't wear makeup or dye our hair." Her hand wandered up, self-consciously patting the pink strands. She looked up shyly at Torsten.

  He could feel his heart thumping. His face felt flush. He'd never experienced this kind of reaction around a girl before. He'd been indifferent to all the girls who had noticed him after he'd become a man. Now this girl, this buried girl with pink hair, was tugging on all the emotions he thought he didn't have.

  "So we don't experience these things. Kissing. Hugging. Unless the council tells us to marry another, we stay loyal to the Menelewen Dored. What you did... it goes against everything I've ever been taught." Rell looked down at her hands as if they were the most interesting thing in the world.

  "I had no idea," Torsten said.

  "We're not like the grounders or the military. We don't take those things lightly. I can't just go around kissing whoever catches my eye. Not like you do." Rell's hair completely covered her face.