by Marlow York
“What do you think they will decide?” I asked Cypress.
He stared thoughtfully into the distance. “It’s hard to say. We were not raised to fight like the Grakkir, and I worry my people have grown complacent.” He turned to me. “The City has destroyed two villages already. I don’t want ours to be next.”
“Then you must act,” Saven hissed.
I silently agreed with him. Before I could speak, the door opened behind us and Kalea stepped outside. Her eyes cut me like daggers, but her voice was steady.
“You have put us in a very difficult situation, Valieri.”
“Not nearly as difficult as the situation the City would put you in.”
Kalea didn’t argue. “I’m going to call the entire village to meet in about half an hour. Canoga wants you to speak—tell your story and let our people decide how to use the information.”
“You sound undecided,” Cypress said.
Kalea sighed as she looked at her son. “I worry for our people. If we fight, many will die. If we don’t fight, all of us may die. There is no way to win.”
“You’re right,” I agreed. “But at least you stand a chance if you try.”
Kalea didn’t respond. She squeezed her son’s shoulder before she walked away to gather the villagers. Cypress’s eyes softened, and he nodded.
As the minutes passed, I grew more and more anxious. The villagers abandoned their tasks and clustered in a large group in the center of town. Canoga stepped onto a tall platform constructed of woven vines and roots, and the other Secaran leaders lined up along the edges. Cypress stayed close to Saven and me as we found a spot near the platform.
Canoga lifted his hands and the villagers ceased their quiet chatter.
“I know many of you have concerns regarding the appearance of the City’s airship. We do not take this casually. New information has come to light. Our Grakkir friend informed us that the City is searching for a Fiero fugitive. One who possesses the Ancient Fire.”
People gasped in surprise and babble rose up around me. Canoga hadn’t said my name, but it felt like they already knew it was me. I rubbed my sweaty palms on my pants, hoping no one could see my hands tremble.
“This Fiero is no criminal,” Canoga continued, his voice sympathetic. “Their only crime is their existence. The City wishes to kill this individual because they fear the Ancient Fire will grow more powerful. If that is the case, then the rest of us are in danger. Hiding may no longer be an option for the Green Blooded. The Grakkir village was destroyed, its people killed, and the survivors forced to flee their homeland. I do not wish this fate upon any of us, and so I ask you all to decide. Do we stay here and hope we are not discovered, or do we fight the City and try to stop their genocide?”
Voices rose up all around us. Some muttered to the person next to them and shook their heads, others shouted their opinions above the noise.
“This is madness! We don’t know how to fight!”
“We can’t hide forever! Two villages have been destroyed; it’s only a matter of time until we’re next!”
“We should run and hide someplace else!”
Finally, a man said what I most feared. “Where is the Fiero fugitive? We should just hand him over!”
Some agreed with him, but another spoke up. “What good would that do? Throwing one lamb to the slaughter doesn’t save the flock. We should defend ourselves and the forest that is rightfully ours!”
Villagers cheered in agreement. I turned to Cypress, whose eyes darted among the crowd, trying to think of something to say. I looked to the stage. Canoga was the only leader who didn’t seem flustered. His eyes met mine and my heart thumped.
“You should say something,” Saven told me.
“And tell them who I am? Half these people look like they want to kill the elusive Fiero fugitive.”
“Let them try,” Saven said coolly, swishing the end of his tail. “The ones most inclined to kill you are the ones you need to convince. Tell them your story; let them see for themselves what their fate may be if they don’t act now.”
Canoga stared at me, his eyes encouraging me to come forward. My legs felt like jelly, but I forced them to move without making my hesitance obvious. I hurried onto the platform and stood at Canoga’s side. He lifted his hands. “Quiet!”
Silence engulfed us, interrupted only by the breeze billowing in the leaves above.
Canoga looked at me and gestured to the audience with a sweeping arm. He took a step back, indicating the floor was mine. As I looked at the gawking eyes before me, I felt like I had a target plastered to my forehead.
“Just tell your story,” Saven encouraged as he slithered behind the stage.
My heart struck painfully against my ribs and made my neck throb. I lifted my chin and pulled my shoulders back, holding the Grakkir Warrior posture to keep myself from toppling over. “My name…” My mouth went dry. I swallowed hard and cleared my throat. “My name is Valieri. I am from the Fiero clan.”
A few people whispered, and others looked at Saven with confusion. A Fiero with an Animal God was impossible.
“The City attacked my village with the intention of killing or capturing all of my people. Somehow, they discovered the Ancient Fire still exists, and they wanted to destroy the threat while punishing the Fiero for not reporting this so-called ‘crime’ when they discovered it. I escaped and was captured by the Grakkir clan. I was a slave until the Goddess of Snakes came to me. She sent Saven to be my companion. Eventually I was allowed to train as a Warrior. I chose this path because I wanted to become strong enough to fight the City. But when they suspected I was living among the Grakkir, the City destroyed their village too.
“I know now we can’t fight the City alone. It would take an army of people like us, clans with Ancient Blood who will no longer stand by and watch our brothers and sisters be killed. We do not deserve to live in hiding or bow to the City’s tyrannical control. We need to fight back and regain our rightful place in this world.”
Though my voice shook with emotion, I knew I looked as powerful as I felt. Eyes shone with both fear and conviction. I knew I wasn’t alone, but I could tell the Secara were not ready to fight with me.
“We’re safe here!” a woman called. “We have been for decades, and you’re asking us to risk our lives and our freedom?”
“Safety and freedom are never guaranteed to last forever,” I replied. “The City is determined to find people like us, and they have both the power and the technology to do so. But only if we let them.”
“You’ve seen their technology?” someone else asked.
“I’ve seen what their weapons can do. They lit my entire village on fire and decimated it within minutes. I’ve fought soldiers wearing nearly unbreakable armor. Surely they can detect people like us somehow.”
“We can’t fight them alone,” a man added worriedly. “Who would fight with us?”
“The Secara are peaceful people. We don’t even know how to fight!”
Voices clamored around me, drowning out my attempts to answer their questions. I turned to Cypress and Saven in desperation.
Cypress hopped onto the stage and stood beside me. “Listen!”
The noise lessened and gradually stopped.
“I know this sounds crazy and we are all terrified, but I agree with Valieri,” Cypress continued.
We locked eyes for a moment. He’d seemed uncertain before, but now he was assured. “It will be risky, and not all who fight will survive, but I think we deserve a chance to experience the world. We’ve carved out a small place for ourselves, but we deserve more.”
“We have a good life here,” the first woman argued.
“This isn’t living, this is hiding!” Cypress said bluntly.
Whispers began again, but I spoke up before the conversation got out of hand. “The Grakkir are still your allies. I can send a message to them and I’m sure they will train anyone who is willing to fight.”
“Send a message how?�
�� someone asked.
I swallowed hard. “I have my ways.”
Saven hissed slowly and we shared a knowing glance.
“I won’t demand anything from you, nor will I beg,” I continued. “All I ask is for each of you to think about my request and the future of your people—of all people with Ancient Blood. We are stronger than the City realizes, and I think it’s time we showed them we won’t run and hide. We won’t bow down to them anymore.”
I stepped down from the platform, Cypress following close behind. “Do you think it worked?” I asked Saven while Canoga addressed the Secara.
“It’s difficult to tell.” Saven tilted his head thoughtfully. “I sense much doubt and hesitance among these people, but many were inspired by your words.”
I pinched the bridge of my nose as a headache pulsed in my temples.
“You did well,” Cypress said. “I think many people will want to join you.”
“Including you?” I asked. “You sounded awfully certain up there. What made you change your mind?”
We watched the crowd break as people returned to their work. “I was never completely opposed to the idea,” he replied, not looking at me. “But your words tipped my point of view. The City thought the Ancient Bloodlines were dead and they’ve made it clear they wish to wipe out anyone who is still alive. First the Fiero, then the Grakkir. It’s only a matter of time before we’re next. I’d rather do something about it than sit and wait for it to happen.”
“Even though you may not survive?”
Cypress swallowed, trying to hide his nervousness. “Then I’ll go down fighting.” He looked at me. “Isn’t that what the Grakkir believe?”
I smiled. “A Warrior does not watch a battle when he can fight.” As Tarek’s words left my mouth, I heard his voice in my head—strong and certain. That was how I needed to be if I was going to convince anyone to fight alongside me.
✽ ✽ ✽
The sun was setting when Saven called upon two of his snake brothers to send a message to the Grakkir. We instructed the small serpents to move quickly and cautiously until they found the Elder Council and let them know that we needed Warrior expertise and as many able bodies as possible.
As we sat outside Cypress and Kalea’s house and watched the snakes disappear, I turned to Saven. “I find it difficult to be hopeful when my heart is filled with uncertainty.”
“That is no way for a leader to think.”
I snorted. “I’m no leader.”
“Others may believe differently.”
He turned and I followed his gaze. A small group of men and women—perhaps a dozen total—strode briskly towards us. I stood when Cypress stepped outside the house, his expression as confused as I felt.
A slender man with the strong arms of a gardener stepped forward. “Valieri Fiero?”
I nodded.
He seemed nervous despite his stern expression. “Will you show us the Ancient Fire?”
I looked from one expectant face to another, feeling embarrassed. Still, I lifted my hands and called the fire, which surprised several of them so much they jumped in alarm.
The gardener’s serious face relaxed and he breathed a sigh of relief. “So, it’s true. But how strange—a Fiero with an Animal God companion?”
I shrugged and lowered my hands. “If I could explain it, I would.”
He shook his head. “No need. I think it is a sign. An omen. I think the gods want us to fight the City. They want us to win.”
The group nodded in collective agreement. I didn’t know what to say, but their minds were made up whether I believed in omens from the gods or not.
“Valieri, ma’am,” the gardener continued. “We’re not trained Grakkir Warriors. I’ve never held a sword and my powers have never taken a life, only given it. But I want my family to live freely. We all do.”
More nodding and murmurs of agreement followed his words.
“Teach us to fight and we will stand behind you,” the man said. “We will fight for our peoples’ freedom, even if we never live to see it.”
For a moment I was lost for words. I took a breath and stepped towards him. “What’s your name?”
“Farsil,” he replied.
“Farsil, I do not wish anyone to stand behind me. But, if you will fight beside me as an equal of the Ancient Bloodlines, then I will proudly accept your camaraderie.”
The man smiled brightly and offered his hand. I accepted it and returned the smile, then shook the hands of each person within the group. I could only hope that more would join our cause if given some time to think about it.
But I knew it wouldn’t be that easy.
Chapter 4
Jenassa appeared in my dream. I’d seen her every day since I’d been born, right up until the moment she disappeared during the City’s attack on our village. I knew the exact hue of her blue eyes, each wisp of her blonde hair, her mannerisms, her favorite phrases. But in my dream, her face was blurred and featureless. Her monotone voice lacked the familiar lilt that made it undeniably hers. She could barely speak, but I knew instinctively that she wasn’t the same.
Or maybe I just couldn’t remember her anymore.
“Valieri.”
The breathy voice came from behind me. I turned, but my surroundings were an empty black void. This wasn’t the Fiero or Grakkir village. It wasn’t the Northern Forest or Snowy Mountain. It was nowhere, nothing. When I faced my sister again, she was gone.
“Valieri, look out!”
I felt Saven’s distress before I awoke. His voice entered my dream like a solid bodily presence, jolting me from sleep. I bolted upright seconds before the glass shattered and showered me with debris. I rolled to the side just in time to avoid the rock crashing to the floor where my head had been.
Saven’s hiss vibrated through the air with such ferocity that I grabbed my war axe and raced out of the room. I stumbled across the dark house, my hip colliding painfully with the table, until I found the front door. By the time I rounded the corner, all I saw were three figures disappearing into the maze of houses surrounding us. Saven stood tensely at full height, radiating with protective anger.
“What happened?” I gasped. Cypress and Kalea ran up behind me.
“I could’ve just killed them, but I assumed that would not help our cause.”
“Did they attack you?” I asked.
“No, they snuck up on me. Two of them distracted me while the third threw the object through the window.” He sighed and looked at me, his voice softening. “Are you okay?”
“Yes, I’m okay. The rock missed me.” I turned to Cypress and Kalea. “Did you recognize them?”
“One had a limp, but I can’t say for sure who it was.” Kalea’s eyes narrowed distastefully.
Cypress disappeared into the house and looked at us through the broken window. He passed the rock to me and I examined it closely.
“It says something.” I called the Ancient Fire to get a better look. “Leave. You will be the death of us.”
I looked from Cypress to Kalea. Both shared expressions of anger and shame towards their fellow Secara.
“It’s safe to say not everyone is on board with your battle plan,” Cypress finally said.
Kalea snatched the rock from my hand with such vehemence I thought she’d throw it through a window too. Without a word, she stomped back into the house. Saven hissed nervously.
“Don’t worry,” Cypress said, as though reading both our minds. “They won’t be back tonight, or any night if my mother has anything to say about it.”
I sighed, hoping he was right. “We should go back to sleep.”
“I’ll stay awake and keep watch,” Saven insisted. I knew better than to argue.
Even with Saven watching over me, sleep didn’t come easy. I shouldn’t have expected everyone to be eager to fight, and it was difficult not to be disheartened. By the time I fell into an uneasy rest, the sky was turning blue. Jenassa didn’t visit me again that night.
✽ ✽ ✽
Over the next two days, an odd sort of excitement filled the village—a nervous bustling as a result of my request. I passed more than one animated debate and even a few arguments regarding what the Secara should do. Some people came to me personally, eager to pledge their allegiance and fight for the Ancient Bloodlines. Others glared at me with obvious hatred, convinced I would lead them to their deaths. I wondered who among them had thrown the rock through my window, but I knew they wouldn’t step forward in broad daylight.
Such is the way of cowards.
Late in the afternoon on the second day after the village meeting, a pair of chickadees arrived with small pieces of paper attached to their legs. They fluttered around Saven’s head before landing in a nearby tree, cheeping animatedly.
“They came from the Grakkir clan,” Saven translated.
I reached up and let the birds hop into my palm, their claws poking me like needles. Cypress approached but kept a respectful distance as I untied the notes. “Why send two?” he asked.
“The City already knows the Grakkir are against them, and they know about the Animal Gods. I’m sure they are keeping an eye on unusual migratory patterns among the local animals.” The birds hopped onto the ground and began pecking for bugs, exhausted and hungry from the trip.
“So it was safer to send two messengers, just in case.” Cypress stepped to my side and I noticed he carried a loaf of old bread meant for the neighbor’s pigs. He tore it into small pieces, tossing them on the ground for the grateful birds.
The notes had identical messages written in the blunt Grakkir language. “Stay where you are until further instruction arrives.”
“That’s not much of an answer,” Saven grumbled.
There was no indication of when or how they would send instruction, but I doubted Ysolda and the rest of the Elder Council would dismiss a willing ally in their revenge. Despite my unease about overstaying my welcome, I knew I should stay to bridge any gap that may stand between them.
“What do we do now?” Saven asked.
