Meadowcity (13 page)

“Please, call me Sorin.”

“Savannah been talking up our fireworks, then?” Kent threw a mock wary eye at Savannah.

She laughed, suddenly turning with two glasses of cider in her hands, handing one to Sorin. 
“You know it Kent.  They’re the best in city,” she grinned at Sorin, who took a sip from his cider. 
The tart drink was sweeter on his tongue than the one he had sipped in the Hall.  He looked up at the sky, the only evidence of the sun now a dissipating glow from the west.

The woman next to Savannah introduced herself as Avia, Kent’s wife.  They were only a little older than Sorin himself.  Avia was much shorter than her husband, and Sorin thought they made an oddly contrasting pair.  She was very delicate, and Kent was a massive man with thick arms and a booming voice.  He recognized Avia from somewhere though, but couldn’t quite remember.

The dusk air was becoming cool in the absence of the sun.  Savannah put her cider glass down on the table and took a step towards Sorin.

“I’m just going to nip inside for a shawl,” she told him, leaning in and brushing his arm.

Sorin nodded, and took a sip from his glass.  He let out a steadying breath, as he watched some of the neighbors lighting globes hung from wire around the yard.  The glow from the sun was waning steadily as excitement began to build for the firework display.

He turned back to Kent, who was placing the fireworks on the battered wooden table, all down the edge.  The table was clearly used for this before, burn marks, stray nails and scrapes marking its history.

“I’d offer a hand, but I’m afraid I wouldn’t be of any help,” he told Kent, shrugging with a smile.

The big man smiled as he began nailing the base of a firework to the table. 
“No worries, Governor—but wait ‘til we get to the fun part, and I’ll let you set one off.”

Sorin wasn’t so sure that was a good idea,
Though, Savannah said she set them off herself, so he might very well want to try.

Just as his thoughts returned to her, he looked and saw her hopping down the short stairs behind her villa.  She had a black fur wrap around her shoulders, and had changed out of her golden gown.  She now wore sleek leggings, and a soft woven top. 
More appropriate for setting off backyard fireworks
, he thought.

He tried not to watch her walk back to the table, but couldn’t help it much.  He looked over to Avia as Savannah was returning, and suddenly realized where he recognized her from.

“You’re a Book Keeper,” he said to Avia, who nodded.  There was something else he couldn’t recall though.

“Yes, I spend some time there during the week stocking shelves,” she said warmly.

Savannah had rejoined them at the table, though now they all began to edge away, as Kent was clearly in his element installing the fireworks.  Sorin had no idea what he was doing, but it looked like Kent sure did.

“Avia’s studying to be an instructor at the school though,” Savannah said brightly.

Avia nodded, her curly brown hair brushing her shoulders. 
“There’s no better place to learn about history than the Library.”

Sorin’s stomach flipped.  The Library.  The book. 
How could he have forgotten, for even a moment?

“Alright everybody, move back,” Kent called, and everyone started moving towards the perimeter of the yard.

He had never found Falx at the Hall.  He had to find out where the book came from.  But now he was here watching Skycitizens set off fireworks
—with Savannah
.

Surely the book could wait until tomorrow.  It certainly wasn’t going anywhere.  But what of the fifth city?  Could it possibly exist?

He watched as Kent brought a long stick to the hearthfire, holding it there long enough to secure a flame.  Another man lit one as well as the two approached the long battered table.  Sorin looked at Savannah, clutching her fur wrap about her shoulders and grinning.

They had backed up to the long stone wall that separated the street from the commonyard.  Few scattered lamps lit the yard as they all waited, looking at the sky, now dark enough for them to begin.

Kent let out a whooping yell as he and his friend lit the first few on the table.  Sorin looked up at the sky as smooth fingers slipped into his hand.  He looked at his side to Savannah whose face was beaming.  Her grey eyes were lit up as a smile curved her lips.

Above them, two sharp bursts of light and sound marked the beginning of the celebration.  Without thought, Sorin turned and took her face in his other hand and kissed her.  Her smooth lips pressed against his as he just as suddenly pulled away.

She opened her eyes and Sorin could see the bright white fireworks reflected there, the cheers of the crowd behind them and the sound of more neighborhood fireworks filled his ears.

The book could wait until tomorrow.

Chapter Fifteen
 

Ven had stood watch over Sylvia and Flint as the sun rose through the pine forest.  When Sylvia woke, she could see it hanging between the trees, spreading its light through the green needles.

From her pine needle bed, she laced her fingers above her head and stretched, sending her toes down past the edge of her deerskin blanket.  She reached out and then back in, bending forward to sit up.  After rubbing her calves and returning her boots to her feet, she rose and began to ready herself for another day of journeying.

The smell of roast meat wafted to her and she realized Ven had started a fire and apparently cooked the rabbit they had caught last night.

Ven crouched by the tiny fire—only embers now—and grinned.

“Breakfast,” he gestured to three big green leaves each holding an equal portion of the rabbit meat.

Sylvia’s stomach rumbled.  She couldn’t remember the last time she had eaten—especially anything but the heavy brown bread she had in her pack.  Flint reached over and grabbed the nearest rabbit-leaf parcel.  Ven stood and brought one to Sylvia, as he bit into his own portion of meat.

Flint ate a bite of rabbit with a satisfied moan then began rummaging in his pack.  He took out the tiny canister of burn cream, and began to carefully apply it to his face with his finger as he chewed.  Sylvia couldn’t help but notice that the wound looked rather better than when they had first met.

“That’s looking better,” she said, picking a piece of meat out of her leaf and eating it.

Flint met her eyes and his fingers paused briefly at his face.

“It is?”

Sylvia nodded.  She reached into her pack for her water canister.  It was nearly empty, since they last filled their canisters at the river.

“Must be some potent cream then,” he wiped his fingers on the edge of his dark colored top and closed the lid of the canister.  “I got a good look at my face before we left, it didn’t look too pretty.”

“Caylee’s a good Healer,” Ven said, shrugging.  Ven silently offered Sylvia his water canister when he saw her finish hers off.  She shook her head.  He couldn’t have much left either.

“Oh right, I forgot she was your girlfriend,” Flint grinned mischievously.

“All right, no more rabbit for you,” Ven smirked and lunged for Flint’s leaf.

Flint rocked backwards to keep it out of Ven’s reach.  They both chuckled as Ven relaxed back to his seat.

“Fine, you can have it—but you get first watch tonight.”

“Done.  I haven’t had any yet and I imagine they’re thrilling,” he waggled his eyebrows at Sylvia.

She just snorted and shook her head with a smile.

The rabbit in her belly filled her with content, and she began mapping today’s route in her head, idly drawing her fingers through the pine needles near her feet as she thought.

She guessed that they still had about two full days of traveling left until they reached Riftcity.  However, that didn’t count how much time it would take to find Flint’s hidden passageway in the woods.  Sylvia was hoping that between the three of them, they could locate it quickly—Ven and Sylvia were trained in studying the contours of the land, and Flint had actually seen the place.

They decided that they would keep up last night’s routine from now on and keep moving at night, taking two short sleeping shifts.  It seemed the best plan to follow—the sooner they got to Riftcity, the better.  Sylvia knew Flint was keen on finding his sister, but the danger of the hunters in the woods was making Sylvia anxious to finish their task.  The sooner they got back to Meadowcity, the better.

Sylvia led them on no real path, and she had to constantly stay focused on where they were going.  Normally she didn’t have to plan out each step she took, but this time she was forging her own path, and remaining hidden was imperative to their survival.  She took point from now on, and let Ven follow from the back, keeping his eyes trained on the forest around them for signs of wolves or lions—
or
people and lions. 

The location of the sun in the sky was Sylvia’s only guide.  She was much less worried about the natural predators in the woods now than she was about the humans.  They walked in a jagged line, all of them still anxious that the hunters were following them.  The best part was that Flint had finally stopped complaining, for the most part.

All day they trudged on through the old pine forest, their feet silently but steadily treading across the dusky colored pine needles.  They walked on through mid-day, only stopping for a brief moment when they found a stream.  They all drank as much water as they could and filled their canisters to the brim.  Sylvia finally felt like they were making good progress again.

When it came time to rest for the dusk, Flint took first watch and let Sylvia and Ven sleep.  Sylvia gave Flint her knife, and Ven handed over his bow.

When Flint woke her after sunset, Sylvia silently took back her knife and readied herself for another night’s walk.  Leaving the long knife unsheathed, she threw on her pack and began walking.

Wordlessly they all trudged on through the night, and Sylvia imagined what Ven and Flint were thinking about as they followed her through the darkened wood.  Flint would be thinking about his sister Ember.  Sylvia really hoped the girl was alright, as it sounded like she was the only family he had now.

Ven’s family must be worried like mad.  By now, all of Meadowcity would know about the lockdown, and there would be rumors flying over the cause.

The council would be deliberating over the threat.  Sylvia imagined them studying the letter, trying to determine Greyling’s meaning.

And what
was
his meaning?  Why was he doing this?  She didn’t envy Gero the task of working with the council to come up with an answer.

*  *  *

The next day was their last on the road, and found Sylvia, Ven and Flint walking west looking for the stream that would mark their proximity to Riftcity.  After Ven and Flint slept at dawn, they had made a steady pace all day, covering a lot of ground, and were getting close now, Sylvia thought.

The old pines were gone now, and above them swayed the branches of full leafed oak trees.  Their leaves were a deep green, and would stay that way until Summer’s End, when they would start to turn magnificent shades of orange, yellow and red.

Normally, Summer’s End was Sylvia’s favorite holiday, but with the prospect of an attack from Skycity, she didn’t know if Meadowcity would even be able to celebrate.  She couldn’t imagine anyone wanting to celebrate or set off fireworks in the face of war.

They wove through the trees, sometimes getting caught up in the brush that blocked their way now and again.  Sylvia had to hack away a few bushes with her long knife so they could pass.  Once they found the stream, Sylvia would be able to guide them to the city.  It would lead them all the way up to Riftcity’s outlying forest—right where they could start searching for the tunnel.  They were coming from the south, which would let them avoid being spotted by the gate. 

Sylvia, Ven and Flint hiked on.  Eyes on the sky, Sylvia watched the sun’s descent as they continued west. 

Mid-day found Sylvia and Ven hacking away at some thick brush with their knives, tiredly trying to forge a path.  As they finally cut through a particularly twisted section of thicket, Sylvia saw a tiny stream just as she was about to step into it.

Ven grabbed her arm and she caught herself, shifting her weight backwards.

“Woah, hey, the stream!” Flint said from behind them, bending the green branches aside.

Ven let go of Sylvia as she gained her balance.  She leapt over the stream easily onto the other moss-covered side.

Ven and Flint followed her, and they all stopped to refill their water.  Sylvia didn’t know exactly how far it would be to Riftcity, but at least it was a straight shot now.

“Why don’t we stop for a bit?” she asked.

Ven and Flint nodded eagerly, sitting down on the mossy bank and immediately opening their packs. 

“How far until Riftcity?” Ven asked.

Sylvia shook her head.  “Probably a day.  I’ve never been this far south before, but this stream will lead us there.”

“Wish I knew more about Arcera,” Flint said, taking a bite out of some bread.  “I only really remember the history lessons, not geography.”

Sylvia shrugged.  She hadn’t learned much about geography in lessons either—all of what she knew she had learned from her father.

“We really only learned Meadowcity history too,” Ven said, leaning into the stream to fill his water canister again. 

Sylvia had spent most of her school days staring out the window of the small school building, dreaming up adventures that her father might be on. 

He was one of the most prominent Riders of the time, and was greatly revered for his skill at the trail.  He knew shortcuts no one else knew, and he always came away from skirmishes unscathed.

When Lark was traveling, Sylvia longed for him to return just about as much as her mother did.  His absence from the majority of her childhood was nothing compared to the time he actually spent at home.  Sylvia prized every moment he was there.  These days, she sometimes envied Sonia for getting to spend so much time with him, now that Sylvia was always on the road.

When she was young, Sylvia would start pestering her father with questions about his journey as soon as he would walk in the door.  One day he had jokingly put a rule in place that he must sit down and eat dinner before Sylvia was allowed to ask any questions.  At the time she was about Sonia’s age, so she had taken him seriously and would hold her tongue until dinnertime was over.

“The Cities are basically a misshapen square,” Sylvia said, poking holes in the moss in front of her crossed legs.

“Skycity and Lightcity are up here, and Riftcity and Meadowcity are down here.  Everything in between, you have to figure out yourself,” she grinned.  “Can’t go giving away all of my Rider secrets to you two.”

The land in between was like a puzzle.  There were huge forests and valleys to cross, and sometimes wide plains.  Giant stones scattered some areas, haphazardly, or sometimes running in long lines.  Sylvia gathered that they were old walls, and they were always eerie places place to travel by.

But the forests used to be a place where Sylvia felt at home—always moving from one place to the next—even if they were filled with predators.  But now they held a danger she didn’t understand.

*  *  *

“Time to stop?” Flint asked, his eyes eagerly roving over the woods around them.

“Last stop before Riftcity,” Sylvia said.  They had been following the stream north all day, and dusk was fast approaching.

They had found a clearing a little way off from the stream, and Sylvia set her pack down by a tall maple tree.

Flint crossed the clearing and claimed a spot by a fallen tree, tossing his pack down and sitting on the tree to stretch out his legs. 

“Is it me or you first watch?” he asked Ven.

Ven set his pack down next to a nearby tree, “Me.”

“Yes,” Flint hissed under his breath, grinning at Sylvia. 
She
had second.

“We going anywhere tonight?” Ven asked.

Sylvia thought for a minute as she reached for her pack and untied her deerskin blanket. 

“I don’t think we should, or need to really. We’re close enough now.”

She didn’t particularly like walking at night.  It was much harder to see if anything—or any
one
—was sneaking up on them. 

Ven shrugged, “We probably won’t find the tunnel entrance in the dark either.”

“Why don’t we do three watches then?” Sylvia said, hiding a grin as Flint groaned from his log.

“I’ll still take first,” Ven leaned over to Flint, as if doing him a favor.

“I’ll go last, unless you want to Flint?”

He groaned again, fully resigning to the fact that he wasn’t going to get a full night’s sleep anymore. 

“Nah, you can do it.”

Sylvia pulled her long knife from the sheath in her boot.