Feel the Burn (26 page)

Gredel watched when Cat looked around for the Cyq.

‘She’s gone, Cat. We need to get going,’ he paused, considering, then asked, ‘Would you like me to ride with you today?’

Cat looked at him in surprise, the defensive mask slipping from her face and she shrugged, avoiding his gaze.

‘Cat,’ he said kindly. ‘Come here.’

‘Phroma, I’m going to ride with Cat today.’

Cat shuffled forward and he reached to give her a one armed hug then helped her to shift to the front. The line started moving again with each soldier having a torch to hand, the unlit chemicals glowing a faint green.

Neither he nor Cat spoke for a while then Cat asked, ‘How do you know the language the Cyqs speak?’

That brought back a string of memories, good and bad.

‘When I was young I found a cave near to where we lived. Being a foolhardy child I couldn’t resist exploring it and I met a family of Cyqs in there. My father taught me some of their language when I told him of first meeting the family, he knew Cyqs from the mountains he mined in. I spent a great deal of time in that cave. They became good friends.’

He couldn’t help the sorrowful tone at the end. The cave was an exciting place for a young boy, dark with glowing mosses, insects, minerals, and more. The discovery of friends in that family of Cyqs had made the quiet days, while his mother looked after his newborn sister and father worked in the mines, a joyful time.

‘What happened to them?’ Cat asked tentatively. She leaned back against him, the two of them swaying in time with Loushka’s sauntering gait and it comforted him to have her close. She made Citaan and Rirae feel nearer. Citaan spent so much time with the four girls that they all felt like family and the times Alek and Cat had joined them at his estate had been noisy, laughter filled occasions. It made Alek feel near too. Gredel’s mind drifted, forgetting Cat’s question when he thought to his friend.

Grief never felt quite like you imagined and it never got easier.

‘Gredel? What happened to your friends?’

Cat’s question pulled him back from the memories of the loved ones, always there, deep in his heart and mind.

‘They were taken away.’

‘By who?’

‘Soldiers. The DeNaga’s soldiers.’

‘Why?’ Cat asked, looking over a shoulder at him, her eyes dark in the dim light. A sigh of an exhalation slipped out and Gredel pressed his lips together in a grim smile.

‘You’ve heard of shadow creatures?’

‘They’re evil. They work for Jenviet?’

‘Shadow creatures are one of Jenviet’s “creations”. Created from Cyqs. You see how fast and quiet they are, Jenviet makes them faster and changes their form so they can literally blend with the shadows. She adds an insatiable appetite for flesh and heightens their senses. Makes them lethal.’

‘Can they be changed back?’ Cat asked in a shocked voice.

‘No. All her changes are permanent.’

‘How do they see with those eyes?’

‘Cyqs see body heat. You were blinding to that girl.’

They both fell silent and he idly listened, hearing the numerous footsteps, the clank of armor and supplies, moving against the flanks of those carrying them.

‘Did you ever see them again?’

He went still and I felt his chest stiffen, another sigh shuddering through.

‘Yes, Cat. I saw them again.’

It struck me then, how little I knew of Gredel’s past. How little I knew of all the mens’ pasts and the things that must have occurred to make them like they were. Part of me didn’t want to ask, didn’t want to know just how awful it had been. I’d seen and felt Jenviet’s influence first hand; did I need to know more?

The question whispered out on its own accord. Apparently I did need to know.

In his steady, quiet voice, Gredel told me.

‘There were rumors they’d been taken by the Sorceress’ guards, but nothing to prove it. Townspeople spoke of it, then forgot and eventually I gave up visiting the caves. Life continued. Everyone knew awful things happened across the realm but our small town seemed untouched. Then Phroma came into my life and people thought we were blessed and it only enhanced the complacent attitudes.’

Gredel paused and stretched, his back making an audible crack before he continued.

‘I was out on Phroma, practicing. When we came back over town, thick choking smoke filled the air. The town was alight. We headed for the caves where my father mined and found all the miners dead. Throats and chests ripped open, blood splattering all the rocks. I didn’t even recognize him but Phroma knew his scent and spotted him. I didn’t want to leave him there. I remember trying to piece the shirt back over his chest. When I pulled away I saw it; emerging from his shadow. Thin arms with claws like a rhyel and a face I vaguely recognized, those enormous eyes. Phroma lunged at it when it jumped at me and it vanished back into the shadows. We raced home as it neared dusk but it was too late. I found my mother in the doorway, her back ripped open and when I went to lay her down, found my little sister underneath. The creatures had reached her through the shadows mother created when she tried to protect her. We fled that night. I haven’t been back since.’

Beneath the woolen undergarments my skin prickled and I shivered. Gredel stayed quiet and it didn’t feel right to speak.

‘How old was Gredel when this happened?’
I thought to Loushka.

‘Twelve I think. Alek was still young when Gredel arrived, a thin, haunted boy. Far older than his years.’

‘How does she do that?’

‘Who, Cat?’

‘Jenviet, how does she change them and why?’

‘I don’t know how, but they are designed to terrify. It’s one way to stop revolutions.’

‘Can any escape her reach in this land?’

‘Only those that hide.’

I sat back watching the procession. We still looked to have a way to go; I couldn’t see any walls yet.

‘How do you kill them?’

Gredel, seemingly lost in thought, jolted at my question.

‘They’re mortal. Just enhanced by Jenviet. You need to stay in the light to avoid them. They can hide in any shadow. There’s a faint sound when they emerge, like claws dragging on stone. Be fast, be accurate and keep as much in the light as possible.’

‘Are there any left in Vo’Arum who oppose Jenviet?’

‘Not if they want to live.’

I sighed now, feeling a wave of despair.

‘How are we meant to do this?’

A large hand closed over my shoulder and he squeezed gently.

‘Just do it. We focus on the only task which is getting you girls to the castle. Then it’ll be up to you.’

Anxiety swirled at his words so I sat back and calmed myself by thinking of happier times; of Alek, of Audi and Ada, and Citaan and Rirae. The rocking motion of Loushka’s gait made it easy to almost doze off in the past, mind pleasantly occupied.

*~*~*

Chapter Nineteen

Rumal’s large hand, fingers threaded through hers, kept Kassie’s hand warm while they walked. Kerak occasionally questioned things but most of the time the three of them followed the line in silence.

It’s like you never wake up down here, Kassie thought, blinking when her eyes focused on the pretty green glow the unlit torches gave off. Ahead a quiet call came down the line and in a few more meters they stopped, having reached the entrance to the next cavern.

‘Why are we waiting?’ Kassie asked Rumal and she leaned against him, his long arms crossing her back.

‘Gredel. He knows about the creatures in the next cavern. He’ll give us pointers.’

Around them soldiers and allies shuffled close, the Halenine fae hitching rides on the centaurs, griffons, and Sito. Kerak purred a greeting when Loushka approached and Phroma moved closer too. Gredel and Cat slipped down from Loushka to wait with them and Loi came around to hug Cat. Kassie smiled at them but stayed with Rumal.

Strange how normal this seems now, she thought in amusement, watching Leseach—a vividly striking, obviously not human female—as she spoke to a Halenine fae hovering at face height. Just to think of Earth and her old life, the contrast couldn’t be more different. Kassie shook her head when the familiar sense of astonishment ran through her.

‘All right, love?’

Tipping her head back, Kassie smiled into Rumal’s eyes. Such a beautiful man, she thought and reached a hand to stroke his jaw, feeling a flush of pleasure when his eyes started to glow. He ducked his head, full lips decadently sensual against her mouth.

‘Hmmm,’ she sighed when he pulled away. ‘Will be as long as you don’t stop kissing me like that.’

He chuckled, flashing a smile and they both straightened to watch Gredel, who cleared his throat and stepped into the middle.

‘The next cavern has vork lizards; two headed and nasty. One head is venomous and paralyses and the other head eats the prey. They’re strong enough to drag a centaur off.’

It got noisy while the soldier and allies ribbed one another, excited at the prospect, shouts echoing back and forth through the group. Gredel waited, then, when they continued, raised an arm for attention and they quieted.

‘I promised we wouldn’t kill them.’

Kassie bit a lip to stop a giggle at the slack jawed expression of shock on all faces.

‘W-w-hat?’ stuttered Chaieth, raising his hands in question and stomping his rear feet in confusion. ‘Why would you say that?’

The loud assent from the group made Gredel hold both hands back in a defensive gesture and he gave a grim nod.

‘I know it’s not the normal way but the Cyqs use the lizards as watch guards. They prevent other creatures reaching this cavern.’

‘Did you promise not to kill them all?’ demanded a Nyjen. Gredel stared flatly at the violet eyed man.

‘As few as possible. None is best.’

‘How are we meant to manage that?’ moaned a goblin.

‘Vork’s have excellent vision in both dark and light. But they can’t adjust to sudden changes in it. We get the girls on the four outer points of the group and have them flash their energy to keep the lizards blind. You can do the same with your torches; just put a blade across to muffle it. It takes about five seconds for the lizards to adjust to changes,’ Gredel explained.

Kassie went still with trepidation and looked over at Cat and Loi who wore the same expression.

Oh shit,
Cat thought.
This’ll be interesting.

Do we keep the same time?
thought Loi.

I don’t think that will matter,
Sian thought.
It might work better if we’re out of sync with this.

Weird how it’s harder not to kill things,
Kassie thought, the others agreeing.

‘Gredel, that sort of flashing will blind us too,’ Belsesus pointed out from where he stood beside Chaieth. ‘Our eyes have adjusted to the lack of light in the caves.’

‘He’s right,’ agreed a goblin, the others nodding along. ‘We’ll need to shield our eyes.’

Everyone turned to their packs, hunting through them. Kassie watched Rumal deftly fold a small drying sheet lengthwise, creating a long thin bandana and handed it to her before taking another out and doing the same again.

Leseach handed me a strip of fabric and I tied it around my forehead, tugging gently to make sure it slid into place easily. The thin fabric still allowed me to see through it, but might deflect the flashes. I didn’t want to be completely blind. Everyone else did the same and when I looked around laughter bubbled up. I clapped a hand over my mouth when a giggle squeaked out and those near turned to stare at me. Fully armored centaurs, goblins, soldiers, and Nyjens wore them, the Halenine fae too. The serious stern expressions coupled with confused frowns at my giggle proved my undoing and I doubled up, laughing harder than I’d laughed in months.

Loi turned my way and grinned.

‘Mass ninja induced hysteria?’

I held my knees for support and managed a nod, laughing more at her comment. When the laughter reduced to giggles I worked at stopping them and straightened up, face flushed, and attempted a serious expression. The crowd of confused ninja faces set me off again.

While it made him happy to see her laugh, the timing wasn’t appropriate. Still, watching her crying with laughter while she sat on the ground clutching at her stomach brought a smile to his face and Ignatius started to chuckle. The cavern soon echoed when everyone joined in the odd moment of hilarity, lifting the tense air from all. When they all settled down, Ignatius offered a hand to Catherine who now lay on the ground, chest heaving from laughing so hard. She accepted it and he pulled her to standing.

‘What was so funny?’

She shook her head, biting back giggles.

‘It’s an Earth thing.’

‘Come on then.’

Ignatius led her to the entrance where Rashid, Belsesus, and Larvaste waited. The other three girls, along with Sabyn, Daron, and Rumal, joined them.

‘Spread yourselves across the floor, one at the entrance, one at the exit and two in the middle. Keep the flashes going the whole time and once the last are through, follow. We’ll stand guard on the exit in case any vorks try to get through.’

‘Ready?’ Ignatius asked Catherine and she took his hand.

‘Just don’t let go,’ she said, then pulled the fabric over her eyes. Ignatius adjusted his as they stepped to the edge.

It was a decent drop into the cavern, a short leap for the griffons or maybe a long step down for Sito, and I gasped in shock at the fall into utter darkness. The instant our feet hit stone I flashed my energy out wide and bright, making sure to keep it weak enough so I didn’t fry anything. The room lit up, light bouncing off the angular rocky walls. Shrieks like nails dragged over corrugated iron filled the air and I caught a glimpse of lithe bodies scurrying madly about. Beside me, with my hand in a death grip, Ignatius muttered something under his breath then yelled back to the others, ‘Thirty at least!’

‘Lights out,’ I said, extinguishing the energy.

‘Count,’ Ignatius said, and he led me across the floor. ‘Keep your feet low.’

Two, three, four, five,
I counted silently while fumbling across the cavern with him, grateful for the solid hold he had on my arm when I stumbled again and again.

‘Flash!’

The cavern lit red and again I spied the lizards through the fabric, all frozen mid-step.

‘Shit! Did they gain on us?’

‘Don’t worry,’ he growled. ‘Just focus on counting.’

Three, four, five.

I heard and sensed it when Kassie and Rumal dropped in behind us, and flashed my energy out. In the moment of brilliant visibility I noticed the lizard on my right again.

I’d swear it seems closer, I thought.
 
It was rather beautiful; two diamond shaped heads on elegant necks meeting the smooth lengthy body. Large, almost finger-like, claws on its widely spread feet and such huge eyes, all faceted like an enormous fly eye. The eye blinked.

‘FLASH!’ roared Ignatius.

‘Shit!’ I yelped when it dived at us and flashed my energy out.

Screeches filled the air again, the noise reverberating painfully throughout the room. Ignatius gave my arm a tug.

‘Count.’

When I started my count Kassie flashed and the extreme lights cut through the thin fabric. All I could see when I closed my eyes were splashes of light against the red of my eyelids and the same again when I opened my eyes.

So grateful Ignatius is leading, I thought in relief. The Lieutenant had locked onto the exit like a homing device, moving us forcefully across the cavern. Loi and Sabyn followed in after Kassie and now my head and eyes rang from the mass of lights, the sounds of energy flashes, and the shrieks from defensive lizards.

At this rate, I thought when I let another flash off, I’ll stumble right over a lizard by accident. Sian and Daron took their position by the entrance and the four of us girls linked in.

Okay guys,
Sian’s thought came through.
Easiest way to do this is to each flash on a count, Cat, one, Kassie, two, I’ll do three and Loi, four. Hopefully the erratic pattern will help.

Good,
thought Kassie.
Five seconds is too long.

Did you notice that too?
I thought.

Yup. Damn sure of it.

I thought so too,
Loi added.

With the count loud through our link we started the pattern and Daron called to those waiting in the other cavern. Ignatius and I now stood only meters from the exit and he switched with me, so he could guide those coming through with his free arm. Now we’d stopped moving I kept my eyes shut, relying on the count. I could feel and hear men passing by, the brush of an arm or the clop of hooves.

Okay, Loushka’s coming through. We’ll need to spin the energy through the room to prevent any shaded spots,
Sian thought.
On your next count.

I need to see what I’m doing, I thought and opened my eyes. With my free arm I made a swirl motion, releasing the energy through the cavern. It lit everyone up, spinning past their feet and over their heads, highlighting Loushka’s beautiful red undertones. The griffon squinted while slowly moving forward.