by Sara Kincaid
Rina’s face darkened. “The Kaldarians attacked us. They’ve impeded our travels since day one and we lost a valued comrade to their swords.”
“Have you considered that the Kaldarians were denied something they fervently needed?”
Eldon dropped his fork on his now empty plate. “Denied? By whom?”
“If they were denied anything, they’ve certainly taken it back with a vengeance.” Halay leaned back in her chair, her braid curling over her shoulder.
“They’ve taken our Mystics. What do they want with them?” Rina glanced around the table and caught Brother Sloan fidgeting in his seat. “I think you both know what’s going on here. Why won’t you tell us?”
“The Mystics aren’t just a power source,” Halay interjected. “They’re people too. They don’t deserve to be held against their will. Surely you above all others understand this. Isn’t your brotherhood sworn to protect them?”
But Sister Rowan was not to be swayed. Her face hardened, her lips folding into a thin line of displeasure. “In Burga, you have been lucky to avoid some of the troubles that other city-states are now facing. Unfortunately, your Regent has not shared with you the burdens of your fellow people and what they’ve discussed in the Council of Peace. It is not our place to stir discord.” She paused, eyeing each of them around the table. “I think we’ve had enough discussion for one evening. Brother Sloan, report to my quarters once you’ve escorted our guests back to our rooms.” Brother Sloan quelled under her gaze and scrambled to his feet.
Back in their room, Rina paced the floor while Halay sat curled up on one of the small beds. She watched her sister tread back and forth, her steps short and brisk. “We don’t have time for this. I should never have taken us off our path. Now it will just take longer to get there.” She stopped pacing and threw the edge of cloth back over her wings laying uselessly on the bed.
“Why do you think the Kaldarians stole the Mystics? Do you think the council denied them something like Sister Rowan suggested?”
“Sister Rowan could be feeding us lies for all we know.” She rubbed her eyes.
“Would Regent Arayna have told you if there was something more at work with the Kaldarians?”
“Halay, enough.” Her voice was quiet, but there was a finality there that Halay couldn’t ignore. “I don’t know the answers to your questions. Nia help me.” Rina gently picked up her broken wings and laid them on the table beside her bed. The Regent would never have confided in her. The only person likely to know the answer to this mystery was General Shin.
Halay bowed her head and dutifully drew back the covers of her own bed. Rina sighed and sat down, contrite. “Halay, I’m sorry. I’m just frustrated. Look, let’s just get some rest and we’ll figure this out in the morning, okay? At least we have a dry place for the night, right?”
Halay’s mouth turned up into a small smile. “It’s okay.” She dimmed the spark lamp and lay back against her pillow watching shadows dance on the stark ceiling. She closed her eyes, summoning sleep, but felt herself unable to relax.
Chapter Twenty-four
Halay
Sighing into the darkness, Halay opened her eyes, her ears perked for the sound of Rina’s gentle breathing. For a moment, she was reminded of the few years in which they shared a room. Halay had been very young then, still afraid of the dark. Rina had pledged her protection from the shadows of a child’s imagination. But now, it was Rina who was battling her own shadows, and fighting against time to rescue Eli and the other Mystics.
The Brotherhood had welcomed them into their home with the promise of help. But, Sister Rowan had refused their plea. There were too many questions and Halay was determined to find her own answers. Her eyes slid to the left and she peered through the dark, searching for signs of restlessness in her sister. Rina was a light sleeper and a warrior trained, positioning herself in the bed that was closest to the door so that she could protect Halay if need be. Escaping the room unnoticed was going to be a challenge. But Rina underestimated her own sister’s ability. Halay spent evenings on the mountainside alone with her herd, watching for wolves and other predators who lurked in the swirling darkness.
Halay held her breath and slowly slid her legs from the bed to the floor, her movements a whisper against the silky sheets. The room was still and silent, the only sound coming from Rina as she shifted in her sleep. With her bare feet on the floor, Halay brushed the blankets back, exposing her bare legs to the chilly air and stood up. Ignoring the shiver that ran through her, she felt her way across the room, lecturing herself for not memorizing the location of obstacles in the room earlier. Once she’d made her way to the door, she placed her hand on the knob and inched it to the left, begging Nia to keep the latch quiet.
With the door closed softly behind her, Halay breathed a sigh of relief into the hallway. She stood staring at the door to Eldon and Jarem’s door, her bare feet chilled against the stark stone floors, before stepping forward and knocking gently.
At first, she didn’t think anyone would hear and she dared to increase her knocking. The door swung open and a sleep-rattled Jarem stood blinking into the spark light of the hallway sconce. “Halay?” His hair was a cloud of brown around his head with frosted ends and he tried to pat it down with his hand when he caught her staring. “What are you doing?”
“We’re going to find out what’s wrong with those people.”
“In the sick bay? Why? They’re sick. So what?”
“Why are they tucked away like that? Why did that man try to divert our attention away from them?” She turned and began padding down the stairs. When he didn’t follow she glanced back at him. “Well? Are you coming or not?”
Jarem cleared his throat, clearly uncertain. “They may just want privacy or not to spread disease.” His eyes followed her as she disappeared down the stairwell. “But I can’t let you go alone.” He let the door close softly behind him and jogged to catch up with her. “Rina isn’t going to like this.”
“Rina will thank us when we have more information that will help us get her wings fixed.”
“That’s a big if. And one of the first rules of the Aviator brotherhood is to listen to your leader.”
Halay paused, her foot hovering above the last stair. “ Rina isn’t my commander.”
“She’s not the commander. But, she’s leading this mission. And we’re also breaking rule number two.”
Halay put her hands on her hips, impatient. “You have too many rules.”
Jarem shrugged and then reached for one of her hands. “Maybe so. But it’s how we stay alive.”
Halay felt a jolt at the unexpected contact. She withdrew, but when she looked up at Jarem, he was smiling softly at her. He brushed past her, pulling the spark light sconce off the wall as he went, and called softly over his shoulder. “Well are we going?”
Chapter Twenty-five
Halay
Without the spark light sconces turned up to full light, the inside of the mountain was one great shadow. Halay was grateful that Jarem had thought to detach the light from the hall outside of their rooms, though it did little to penetrate the darkness. She gripped the wooden banister and peered out into the great hall below them. She could make out the pyramid-like shape of the entry hall, thanks to a couple of small spark lights left burning near the main door. A strange breeze with no origin tickled her face and the light Jarem held in his palm flickered sending shadows fluttering along the ancient rock wall behind him.
“Drafty old place, isn’t it,” Jarem whispered, his lips near her ear, as he joined her, leaning against the bannister. Halay’s skin tingled at his closeness and all she could do was nod in agreement. “Come on. We better get going.”
Halay reluctantly left the safety of the bannister, her resolve fading as they moved farther away from their rooms. Beneath her bare feet, the rugs were thin and threadbare and she glanced behind
her, almost wishing that she’d stayed in bed. When she turned her gaze forward again, she stumbled, stubbing her toe against a small side table. A heavy book clattered to the ground with a loud thud. Halay’s eyes rounded in fear.
At the noise, Jarem started, whipping around, his eyes falling on Halay who stood rigidly, her hand over her chest. The two waited, willing their hammering hearts to slow. But no one came and the only sound in the hall was their labored breathing. Satisfied that no one had heard them, Jarem retreated and put his hand on the small of Halay’s back, guiding her forward. “Didn’t do much sneaking around as a child did you?”
“No.” Halay swallowed, her throat dry despite the dampness. She smiled through her fear, striving for bravery even as her legs quaked. “I think the sick bay was just down on the next floor.”
Halay and Jarem crept to the next set of stairs and descended slowly, Jarem shading the glow of the spark light with his free hand. The stairwell opened up to a large hallway with several doors. The rugs beneath their feet were thick and the hall was much warmer than the upper wings where the travelers had been housed.
Halay rubbed her eyes, willing them to adjust to the brighter lights and Jarem tucked the small spark light onto a nearby bookshelf where it could be retrieved easily. A breath of warm air greeted them as they entered the hallway, heat from some ancient spark-powered machine filtering warm air through a discreet ventilation system. Halay put her hand against one of the vents, marveling at the warm air as it puffed through.
They proceeded slowly, aware that a person could appear at any moment. A door at the far end of the hall stood ajar and light flooded from within. When they reached the first door, they heard hurried steps shuffling up from another stairwell. Jarem put his hand on the nearest door and opened it, shoving Halay inside and closing the door until just a crack remained. Against the adjacent wall, Halay and Jarem were a tangle of limbs. Halay’s nose was pressed against Jarem’s chest and she breathed in the soft scent of sandalwood. His arms were solid around her and she felt her heart flutter for a different reason. They parted somewhat reluctantly and peered out into the hallway. A person wearing a white tunic and carrying an armload of towels or bandages hurried toward them, turning into the room with the bright lights. More light spilled into the hall as the door was left ajar.
“Something must be wrong.”
“And why do you think this is the key to getting Rina’s wings fixed?”
“Just a hunch.”
“You’re risking a lot on a hunch.”
Halay’s eyes narrowed and she let out a small huff. “Would you say that to me if I were Rina?”
Jarem paused, considering. “Rina doesn’t act brashly. She’s always very calculated.” Then, he remembered watching Rina disobey orders from their commander and dive-bomb the Kaldarians as they carried off the Mystics, racing down the side of Mt. Yama even as they wielded that crossbow that blasted through Rina’s shoulder. “Well, most of the time.”
Halay smiled, in spite of her indignation. “You’re avoiding my question.” Once the attendant retreated from the room, Halay and Jarem watched the hall for a bit longer. “What are we going to do once we get in there?” He waited for a moment for a response. “You don’t know?” When Halay’s face fell, Jarem grasped her arm. “It’s fine. We’ll just walk in. They’re not going to harm us. We’ll see if we can help.”
Halay squared her shoulders. “Okay let’s go.”
Jarem inched the door open and peered out into the hall. A few of the spark lamps had been dimmed and the hall was much darker. As they neared the sick room, Halay could hear the broken sounds of gentle sobbing. She pushed the door open and stepped into the light.
The room was thick with damp, warm air and the lights were dimmed down to a gentle glow. A row of beds lay lined up against the wall. Three of the beds were occupied by patients who appeared to be in a deep sleep. One bed had been stripped and the linens lay in a pile on the floor. A woman wearing a white tunic leaned over the empty bed, sprinkling a scented powder over the mattress. She stopped and wiped tears from her eyes, her blonde hair falling out of the knot tied at the nape of her neck. When they entered the woman stopped her task and turned, a look of surprise on her face. “What happened?” Halay hurried forward, putting a comforting hand on the woman’s arm.
“Who are you? You shouldn’t be in here.”
Halay paused, trading glances with Jarem. “We’re guests. But, we couldn’t sleep. I’m Halay and this is Jarem. We saw a light and though we’d see if you needed help. I’m sorry if we’re intruding.”
The woman’s face softened, her eyes red-rimmed and puffy. “It’s alright.” She put a hand to her forehead. “I think it’s just getting to me. That’s all.”
“How long has it been since you’ve had a rest?”
The woman shrugged her shoulders. “A few days. But it’s not that.”
“What is it?”
She sat down on the bed with a sigh. “It’s just so strange. They never wake up.”
Halay sat down next to her. “What do you mean?”
The woman gestured to the other sleeping patients, a man and two women. “They were brought here from Antel. Nothing rouses them. They don’t eat. They don’t move. Eventually, they waste away.”
“What’s causing it?”
“Goddess only knows.”
“We haven’t had anything like this happen in Burga have we?”
“Not that I’ve heard.” Jarem replied as he stepped forward and knelt beside Halay. “But why do they send them here? Is the brotherhood also a group of healers?”
The woman shook her head. “We do have some healers. But most of us are not. We simply protect the knowledge of the spark and the heritage of the Mystics, the few that are left. Sometimes we offer guidance.”
Halay sat tapping her fingers on her knee. “They must send them here for a reason. Do they think that the spark is causing the illness?”
“Or the lack of the spark.” Jarem reached for Halay’s hand and the two exchanged glances.
“That would mean that we are more tightly bound to the spark than anyone ever knew.”
The woman dried her eyes, listening to the exchange. “The spark is much more than a tool. It’s a part of who we are.”
“Do you have proof?”
“Proof? What more proof do you need?” Indignation shortened her voice and her blue eyes turned to ice. “The spark has been hemorrhaging since the great war. Over that time, there have been fewer Mystics found in the population. Their ability to create the spark has dwindled. And now this.” She gestured at the remaining patients struck by the strange, deep sleep.
The door opened and Sister Rowan entered the dimly lit room. When she saw the Burgan travelers, her gaze narrowed. It was clear that she, too, had been mourning the loss of the patient. “What are you doing here? This is not the place for you.” At the sister’s harsh tone, Halay jumped to her feet. “We welcome you into our halls and this is how you repay our hospitality.”
“No, sister.” The blonde woman interjected, laying a hand on Halay’s arm. “They were wandering and saw our light on. No harm done.”
“Sister Sage, I’m surprised at you.”
“I suppose I needed some comfort. My apologies, sister.” Sister Sage bowed her head briefly.
Rowan’s face softened and she hurried forward, hands outstretched and grasping Sister Sage as she drew near. “Sage, darling, you’ve been working so hard caring for poor Rosa. You’ve not rested in days. Please return to your quarters and rest. You’ve shown great care for our ill guests these many nights.” Like a flower, Sage’s head rose and the light returned to her flushed face. Rowan squeezed her hands once more and shoed her out the door.
When Sage disappeared, Sister Rowan returned her attention to Halay and Jarem. “We don’t appreciate people sneaking around our compoun
d. Please return to your rooms. We will talk in the morning.”
Halay bit back a retort and instead allowed Jarem to hustle her out the door and back the way they’d come.
Rina sat on the bed with a huff, her scar hidden beneath a fresh layer of gold paint, damp and glinting in the spark light. Sometime in the night, their clothes had been returned to them freshly washed and pressed. Rina and Halay were grateful to be back in their own clothes and out of the white robes that belonged to the brotherhood. “I can’t believe you disobeyed our hosts. You do realize that we’ll likely never get the help we came here for, right? And then how are we going to get into Opher’s palace?” Her cheeks turned a deep pink in her anger.
“It just felt like they were hiding something.”
“Did you go alone?”
Halay’s heart jumped with panic. She didn’t want to get Jarem in trouble with his commander. “I...”
Rina held up a hand. “Don’t bother. I already know the answer. The brotherhood clearly didn’t want Burga to know of their existence and you’ve given them a good reason to keep the doors of communication closed.”
Halay gripped the bedclothes in her hand, unsure of what to say. “I’m sorry. I wanted to help.” She looked up at her sister, guilt heavy in her dark eyes.
Rina dragged a hand through her hair and sighed. “It’s fine. I’m sorry, Halay. I don’t mean to yell. This entire excursion has been such a mess, an embarrassment to the battalion.”
Halay stood slowly and sat beside her sister, her hand covering Rina’s battle scarred fingers. “And Eli.”
A sardonic smile surfaced, the edge of Rina’s eyes crinkling. “And him too,” she acknowledged. “I can’t fail him.” Saving Eli was much more than just saving the Mystics. He was her crux, one of her two remaining weaknesses. He was the thing that kept her sane and drove her mad all at once.
