by C. S. Moore
“I would never run off and leave you!” Cole interjected.
“I know that,” she assured him as calmly as possible. If this trip lasted more than two days, she would be completely bald from ripping her hair out. “You don’t trust Armaan, and I do. I see why you’re having such a hard time with this, but even though you don’t trust him, I know you trust me.” She stepped closer to him, closing the distance she had put between them, and cupped his cheek.
His eyes bore into hers pleadingly, and she was lost in them. She didn’t know who had first said that the eyes were the windows to the soul, but she was reminded of how true the adage was. Cole broke the silence that had settled over the clearing, and when she came back to herself, she noticed the day’s light was now gone.
How long were we like that? she wondered, feeling bad for ignoring Armaan for so long.
“She wants you with us, so you may come with us, but I will be watching you,” Cole said coldly.
Armaan’s face lit up in one of his dazzling smiles. “Are you sure that you can watch me with her around? She seems to be the only thing you can keep your eyes on,” he said gesturing to Amanda with a wink.
Heat crept into her cheek, and she wanted to laugh but instead told him to shut up.
“Do you want him around twenty-four/seven? It could be a long journey,” Cole said through his teeth.
Armaan’s smile stretched wider.
“Stop being proud of yourself for being annoying!” she shot at Armaan. “And yes, I still want him to come.” She squeezed Cole’s large hand and made to let go but he kept it in place.
“Don’t worry; we’re pretty close to New Hovel. We should be there by tomorrow, and if you tell me that one day of my company is too much to bear, it would be a terrible shot to my self-esteem,” Armaan said dramatically.
She wanted to tell him that a shot to his self-esteem would be a good thing, but her mind was preoccupied with thoughts of how nice Cole’s warm hand felt holding hers.
“As much as I enjoy standing in the dark watching you look at each other and hold hands bashfully, I’d like to get some rest, so that I can watch you do something cute tomorrow with the sharpest of senses,” Armaan announced and bowed formally before walking off toward the cave.
She was getting used to Armaan’s embarrassing remarks and barely felt the warmth in her cheeks. “Has he always been so strange?” she asked Cole in a whisper.
“He has always been different; I thought it was because of how bad his childhood must have been, what with Frey as an older brother always making everything a joke. But then he turned into Frey.”
“Armaan isn’t like his brother, you’ll see. He’s been through so much, and he still cares about what you think of him. You should try to be there for him,” she said, glancing sideways, trying to gauge his reaction.
“Don’t worry. I do trust you, and if you trust him, I will try to.”
She was glad that he was trying to have faith in her judgment, but she wished he could forget the Armaan he thought he knew.
“Thanks for letting him stay. You’ll be glad you did when we walk into New Hovel tomorrow and all of your worries are put to rest. Come on, let’s go,” she said, dragging him after Armaan.
When they reached the cave, she wasn’t surprised that Armaan had already gone inside. Of course, it would open for him. Shiphra had made this safe haven, and she sent him to help them, so naturally he didn’t need her to get in. That was another reason to believe in Armaan. As they made their way into the light of the cave, she saw that Madgie was still deathly pale.
“Oh, Cole! Isn’t there anything we can do for her?”
“You have already done everything you can,” Armaan said from one of the stone couches. “Assuming you’re the one who healed her. Just let her rest and try to pour some fluids in her. You’ll have to guide the water down or she’ll choke on it.”
“Well, get your butt off of that couch and warm the water in that canteen, I’ll make her some tea.” She took the bamboo leaves and crushed up the rose buds, placing both into a bit of fabric. She tied it off with more fabric and hoped it would work as a tea bag. “Have you warmed up the water yet?” she asked Armaan, looking over at him.
He had the canteen firmly between his hands, which were bright red and glowing slightly.
“Yeah, it’s steaming. Should be good to make tea. So did you tell him you lost this canteen and were trying to weave one out of leaves?” Armaan asked as he handed her the water.
She would have been embarrassed in any other situation, but seeing the slight smile that Armaan had put on Cole’s face was worth the humiliation. “I would have made a beautiful water basket if you had let me finish,” she said, though she knew it was a lie. “Anyway, I’m not sure I’m skilled enough to get Madgie to drink this without choking her. Will you try to get some in her once the tea is done, Cole?”
“Sure, where are you headed?” he asked as she made her way across the room.
“I’m going to sleep. I’m exhausted,” she said, making his face fall a little. Amanda turned around, making her way back over to him, and whispered in his ear, “I know you won’t sleep tonight. You don’t trust Armaan enough to, but after you get some fluids in Madgie…” She paused as her stomach did a back flip. “You can come and lay next to me if you like.”
Amanda turned around quickly before she could see his reaction. What if he didn’t want to? Why did she have to ask him that? Things used to be so easy with Cole, but now she second- guessed everything she should or shouldn’t say. She was tired all over, and her body begged for rest, but she couldn’t stop tossing and turning with worries about Madgie, Kaedin, and her newfound love life. One of these worries was calmed as Cole snuggled up next to her.
“Madgie drank almost the entire canteen, so stop worrying and get to sleep,” he whispered into her hair.
She didn’t need any more coercing. The steady rising and falling of his thick chest had her sent off to sleep in seconds.
IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL DAY in Shanghai, but Nell couldn’t bring herself to enjoy it. She had strategically perched herself on a large grey rock that overlooked the border of New Hovel. The Healer’s city was nestled in the middle of Century Park. She smiled at the people walking by the border, wondering how they didn’t notice the twenty acres Shiphra had hidden from them. Everyone here thought it was funny to go unseen in one of the most populated cities in the world. However, Nell just thought it was sad that they didn’t get to enjoy New Hovel.
Century Park was long ago modeled after it. Both had beautiful streams and ponds, spectacular topiary hedges clipped into all different shapes, but as beautiful as Century Park was, it had nothing on New Hovel. She had never seen anything like its green hills or cobblestone pathways. Even the sunlight seemed more concentrated, reflecting on the water in golden pools so rich she couldn’t stop herself from jumping into them the first time she’d passed one by.
It felt right; it felt like home, unlike the place she was brought to as a child that was cold and dark. She had grown to love it but not like New Hovel. This place made her forget the only home she’d ever had. Unfortunately, even the beauty of this place couldn’t make her forget how much she missed Armaan.
He’d kept her company the first day she arrived but had gone off on some important mission. She tried to make other friends, and there were plenty to be had. The children were especially friendly. Nell was shocked and amazed the first time she saw a small child run by, but New Hovel had them running everywhere. At her old home, there were no children younger than ten. The kids followed her like a shadow through most of the day, but Armaan was just such a fun person to have around. She had never felt someone’s absence like she felt his, which confused her. She loved Amanda’s company and Madgie’s too, but she never wallowed in their absence. So many things were changing for her and not just location.
Nell hadn’t ever had a thought about her appearance but suddenly couldn’t stop fretting about how she
looked. The morning after getting to New Hovel, she had sat in front of the mirror in her small bright bedroom for at least an hour scrutinizing her hair, which, for the first time, Nell noticed was quite unmanageable. Then when she was finally happy with the way a side swept braid looked, Armaan wasn’t even around to see the trouble she had gone through.
He had been gone for two days now, and she was frustrated at herself for keeping an eye on the clock and frustrated at it for not ticking by the minutes faster. She was going crazy wondering where he was, when he’d get back, and if he was okay.
Nell stood up suddenly and scanned the horizon. A cool breeze sent her long hair into a dance. She didn’t find what she was looking for, so she jumped off the rock, stealing just one more backward glance. Nell ran down the grassy slope until she came to one of the cobblestone pathways that led to the city. One foot after the other, she tried to out run her thoughts. She didn’t even feel like herself; she had never obsessed over some guy. Nell wished Amanda was there to talk to her; she was just so confused. She picked up her pace and jumped the low rock wall that surrounded a deep cool pond. Running hadn’t helped her escape her thoughts, so she leaped into the pond, breaking its peaceful gold surface. She hoped that the water would wash away her uncharacteristic thoughts.
GREY-CLOAKED FIGURES SURROUNDED the small hill where a dead tree perched. Amanda pressed herself against the white trunk, attempting to use its cover to get some relief from the downpour. The twisted leafless branches did little to shelter her already soaking body. She was cradling a small shaking child. Putting a hand to her face, she wiped away the water cascading over her eyes and gazed at the child.
Kaedin looked up at her, clutching her arm desperately. “Help me, Amanda. I’m right here. Don’t leave me again!” the small quivering voice begged.
A face materialized in the wall of grey, a face she hated. She couldn’t believe the physical need she felt to watch him die. Baal’s distorted face wore an impish grin as if he could read her thoughts. Only an Ancient can kill you. His deformed head nodded, and his smile stretched wider, revealing row upon row of sharp yellow teeth. A shiver rippled through her body as remembered words played in her mind.
‘Baal loves the sight of blood.’
“You share my enjoyment Amanda. You have blood on your hands as well. You can try to hide it, but I see the spot there.” He quoted Shakespeare as Carter’s walking corpse appeared at his side.
“Murderer!” he screamed. An explosion of sound ripped open the silence as a bright flash of light split the dead tree down the middle, tearing Kaedin from her arms.
Amanda jerked awake, knocking heads with Cole in the process. Her heart was hammering in her chest, and she sat up, cursing her mind for giving her such dreams. Was it not painful enough to leave her once? She hoped she had gotten enough rest to function. Amanda didn’t want to attempt to sleep again. The dreams were too real to brush off. She could still feel the chill on her skin where Kaedin’s cold hand had grasped her. Pulling up her sleeve showed the red outline of a little hand. Sleep was overrated anyway, she told herself though she wasn’t sure Cole would agree.
He sat up as soon as she did, heavy eyes full of confused concern. “Are you okay?” he asked through a yawn. His eyelids looked like they weighed ten pounds each, and she guessed she’d been right in assuming he wouldn’t sleep as long as Armaan was around.
“Yeah, just another bad dream,” she said, rubbing the fading red skin on her arm. “They seem so real.”
He straightened and pulled her closer to him. “Don’t worry. When all of this is over, the dreams will stop. I used to have terrible dreams but eventually they died down. Minds tend to work out all of the fears we try to suppress once we close our eyes, playing out the most painful scenarios.” Cole’s eyes fogged over for a moment. “The more terrible your nightmares, the more active your mind. We must both be geniuses.”
A muffled thud rang out as Armaan plopped himself on the end of the couch.
“Ouch! Couldn’t Shiphra have made better furniture?” he moaned, rubbing his back. “So what was this dream about? If it was a naughty dream about me, don’t say anything, just raise your eyebrows so Cole doesn’t suspect.” He paused and smiled. “Do you see how high those eyebrows are, Cole? Must have been a good one.”
“Shut up, would you? My eyebrows are this high because I’m shocked at the person Shiphra has sent to help me. Is it possible she can dislike me this much? She hasn’t even met me yet.”
“You wanted him here,” Cole said, rubbing her arm soothingly.
“Okay, you… it’s time you make me glad I kept you around. When do we leave, and where are we going?” she asked, trying to keep her voice even.
“Well, I’m hoping you’ve deduced from all of the bamboo that we’re on the Asian continent. To be more specific, we’re in eastern China.” He paused.
“She didn’t ask where we are. She asked where we are going,” Cole huffed impatiently.
“I think the two questions are closely related. If you don’t know where you are, how will you know where you are going?”
“Ever the philosopher, Armaan. Come on, tell us what’s going on here. We need to get Madgie to a real bed,” Cole said as if he were reasoning with a child.
“Okay, okay. We’re headed to Pudong, that’s a section of Shanghai. New Hovel is there, hidden in Century Park. If we can hitch a ride, we could be there in a few hours.”
Amanda didn’t know what to say. Too many thoughts rattled through her mind. Were they that close? How could someone hide a city of Healers in a park in one of the most populated cities in the world? What was Shiphra like?
“When do you think we should get moving?” Cole asked Armaan before standing up and stretching out.
“Well, we’ll want to make it to the roads as the morning commuters start into the city. Almost no one in China owned a car ten years ago. Lucky for us that’s changed,” Armaan responded.
Cole walked over to Madgie and studied her closely. “Who’s going to pull over and give us a ride? We’re foreigners carrying an unconscious woman.”
“Oh, people around here are super polite, and we’ll just look like tourist hikers that got lost and injured. I’m sure we won’t have a problem, and if we run into one, you can smack ‘em with a confusion orb. You were always good at those,” Armaan said with a smile.
“I’ve never been good at those. You just accused me of hitting you with one every time you were confused. I’m not talented, you’re just stupid,” Cole said with a slight smile dancing at the corner of his mouth.
Amanda was pleasantly surprised by how much tension had faded since last night. Cole wasn’t completely at ease, but she could feel his doubts, which had been so concrete yesterday, seemed a little unsure.
“I know it was you, Cole. You didn’t want me to be better looking than you and smarter. I understand. I would have done the same thing in your shoes.” Armaan laughed.
After they ate a terrible breakfast of bitter mushrooms and berries, Cole and Armaan went outside to scout the best way to the roads. Cole didn’t seem to mind being alone with Armaan, but he wasn’t ready to trust him alone with her. She had a sneaking feeling that Armaan was going to have a shadow everywhere he went until they reached New Hovel, but he seemed to enjoy Cole’s company too much to be annoyed.
After she gathered their belongings, she made herself comfortable next to Madgie. She looked better than she had last night. The color had returned to her cheeks, but she still wouldn’t wake up. She knew Madgie’s body just needed to rest and recover, but it was hard to be patient when Madgie seemed to know what was going on with her.
Madgie had been about to tell her why she had the mark on her hand and why she had fluffy over there following her around. Her wolf’s head turned sideways in confusion from where he lay across the room. Not sure about fluffy, huh? she asked. He shrugged his shoulders and laid his head back down, a gesture so human it made her smile.
If Ma
dgie knew what was happening to her, then this couldn’t just be a one-time occurrence. Someone else out there had to be walking around with this mark and an invisible furry friend. How else would she have known what was happening with her? Maybe this wasn’t any more abnormal than the rest of the Healer world. There was so much that she didn’t know about her own kind. She hated herself again for abandoning her studies for two precious years.
Although she had started a rebel movement against the Ancients. She was grateful that Armaan had given her that bit of self-justification.
There wasn’t much to do in a cave with an unconscious woman. She tried meditating but was too agitated. Jumping to her feet, she started pacing around the room. She’d thought they would be headed for New Hovel already, and the waiting had her antsy. Walking was too slow, and she needed to get rid of some of her excess energy; it was making her twitchy. So she started running steady laps around the place to keep herself from going crazy.
“Trying to make the varsity track team this year?” a voice asked from behind her.
She leapt into the air, almost tripping herself and turned to face the voice. Cole and Armaan stood at the entrance of the cave with curious smiles on their faces.
“No, she isn’t the sporty type. She just has A.D.H.D.,” Cole replied coolly. “I think ten minutes alone in here is worse than prison to Amanda. Do you know why the caged bird sings now?” “No, but I know why fifty percent of marriages end in divorce.” She huffed, too glad that they would be leaving to be embarrassed.
“Wow! You two move fast, married and divorced before you even tell me that you’re a couple,” Armaan teased.
“Oh, shut up already. Can we leave now?” Armaan looked at Cole, who shrugged.
“See what I mean, A.D.H.D.,” Cole said, making Armaan laugh and her last nerve break.
