Orenda (7 page)

“This is heavy,” Rawlie said, showing it to Lil. “Your blood is different though, and you should be able to carry it easier—we think.” He handed the sword to Lil.

She reached for the handle and hesitated before she lifted it into the air. It was lighter than she had imagined. She’d expected it to be heavier since it had taken two of them to carry it. With ease, she whipped it through the air, slicing back and forth. Arianna and Rawlie took a quick step back to keep from getting hit.

“It worked,” Arianna gasped.

“What do you mean?” Lil reached around with the sword, sliding her hands into the small space, and practiced another slice through the air.

“Not being of this world, it makes you stronger,” Arianna said. “If Eilith has any inkling, she'll want you dead. Bray too.”

“Can’t Bray defend himself if he’s stronger?” Lil asked.

Rawlie frowned. “It only works with certain elements. The sword, for example. Of course, when you return home, your powers will be muted. Like it never happened.”

“What about the design on my fingernail?” Did it mean an inkling of power remained back home?

Arianna gave Rawlie a confused glance.

The door swung open and a boy a few years older, with short sandy brown hair, stepped into the room. His skin was pale and he had honey-brown eyes as well as delicate pink lips that frowned with his brow in concentration. “What's she doing here?” he spat, setting eyes on Lil.

“Calm down, Hudson.” Arianna held up a hand.

Lil lifted the sword, prepared to fight him if she had to defend herself. She wasn't letting anyone come between her and Bray.

His brown eyes locked on Lil's. “Calm down?” he asked. He couldn't take his gaze from her, no matter how hard he tried. “You think bringing this girl to Orenda is going to save Willow? Do you see the way she holds the sword?” He laughed and reached out to snatch it from her, only to find Lil whirling it back and forth through the air. “Careful, or you'll poke your own eye out,” he said.

“It's why we're here, to train her,” Rawlie said. “We're not throwing her into battle with Eilith without at least basic training.”

“Yes, a day or two of training and the eternal suit. Do you think that's going to save either her or Willow?” Hudson asked with disgust. He glanced again at Lil.

So this was his concern. Not the girl standing in front of him, but the fact that she might cause more harm than good. “Willow isn't the only one missing!” Lil shouted at Hudson. “Eilith took my friend Bray, too. I'm not leaving.” Fuming, she stood her ground, sword in hand.

Rawlie walked over and stood between Hudson and Lil, holding his arms up to keep them apart. “That's enough! I need you both with your heads attached. Get yourselves in check. Hudson, if you're going to help, I need you to teach Lil the proper way to wield the sword. Otherwise, find Jamie and bring him here to train.”

Hudson rolled his eyes. “I'm not an errand boy. Send Arianna to find Jamie.”

“Fine, I'll go,” Arianna said.

“Good enough for me.” Hudson grinned. “Now you want a lesson or two in using that sword,
Lil
?” he mocked, taunting her.

The smile sent a chill through Lil, making her stomach flop. “I, uh, I'm sure I can figure it out on my own.” She wasn't confident in learning anything from Hudson, though if he knew anything, it had to be about fighting. He didn't seem to get along with anyone.

“No, you can't. Let me help you,” Hudson said.

Rawlie stepped out of the training arena, leaving Lil alone with the deranged psychopath. She tried not to show fear. With a resigned sigh, she handed Hudson the sword. “Fine.”

It was heavy and Hudson struggled to hold it, but not before first stabbing her once in the chest, causing her to hit the ground with a thud. “First mistake. Not being prepared. Now, get up!” he demanded at once. “Don't be a baby. Eilith would have slit you open and gutted you by now.”

“You just stabbed me.” Lil gasped for air and moved her right hand over and across her chest. There was no mark, no cut, just a slight sizzle as the material stitched itself. The jacket saved her life.

“Get up!” Hudson rolled his eyes and pointed the sword tip at the ground. His other hand helped Lil to her feet. He steadied the sword, to keep it from falling. “Eilith isn't going to wait for you. As soon as she discovers what you're wearing is a protection shield, she'll cut off your head. Use the eternal suit as a last resort.” It was a warning.

“Okay, got it.” Lil reached for the sword. “Can I try it now?”

“Knock yourself out.” Hudson smiled, watching as she lifted the blade with ease. His smile faltered as she used two hands to wield the sword through the air, whipping and whizzing it by him as he jumped, ducked, and even shifted sideways to keep her from killing him. “Careful. There's only one eternal suit.”

Responsibilities

Chapter 4

“Do you think Lil is okay?” Bray asked.

Willow used a pestle to crush the bone into a powder. Bray was not any help, standing there watching. Willow wondered if he was incapable of help, or if he just refused to work.

“We’re lucky she’s not forcing us to clean up dead bodies. I think you should grab a bone and help me out.”

Bray shot her a look and stalked to the opposite end of the table. He bent down, lifting the smallest bone he could find. “I need a pestle.”

“Help yourself.” Willow pointed behind her at the assortment of various sized pestles on the counter. Evidently, Eilith crushed a lot of bones, herbs, whatever you could make into a potion.

“Please tell me you're coming up with a plan to escape. I don’t want to become that guy.” Bray gestured to the skeleton on the table in front of them.

“We just have to get downstairs without getting caught.”

“Not easy considering she locked us in this place. We should be burying the dead, not smashing their bones.” Bray paused, the color draining from his face. “How is it even possible? How is any of this real?”

“It's as real as you and I are,” Willow said. “I have to admit, you've handled the whole doppelganger aspect pretty well.”

“That’s the easiest part to deal with right now, trust me. Besides, you and Willow are nothing alike.” Bray grabbed the pestle and slammed it across the bone on the table. The bone shattered into a dozen pieces. Repeatedly, he beat the pestle on the table, letting out his frustration.

“I know you’re upset,” Willow said, “but don’t let her get to you. Keep a level head; you’ll need it when we try to escape.”

“Escape? I’m just trying not to become her next victim. Maybe if we do what she says, she’ll let us go.” Bray paused, silence encompassing them. “She killed him, didn’t she?” He dropped the pestle to the table. “What happened to this place?”

“Eilith has the uncanny ability to kill anything in sight. She sucks the life out of the living, human or otherwise. There are no plants or animals within miles of her castle, unless you count her pet dragons.”

“Dragons?” Bray raised an eyebrow. “That is almost cool. If it wasn’t for the fact I’m trapped in a demon’s castle.”

“Demon sorceress,” Willow corrected him. “I’m not sure where the dragons originated. Before the Scourge I’d never seen one.”

“We're going to die here, aren't we?” Bray asked.

“We might.” Willow made no effort to soften the blow. “I'm trying to devise a plan, but it's going to take time. You don't think I'm going along with this for nothing, do you?” That was not how she operated. She gestured for him to come closer and as he did, she balled her fist and punched him in the shoulder.

He doubled over in pain, one hand holding the injured area. “What the hell was that for?” he asked.

“I thought you would have had defense training.” Willow reached out to touch the injury, but Bray backed up, forcing himself against the wall. He held his head back up, gritting his teeth.

“Why would you think that? Stay away from me,” he said, raising up his good arm to protect himself.

Willow rolled her eyes. “I'm not going to hurt you. We have a lot of practice to get through if there's any shot of you escaping with me. I guess I was wrong about your training.” She reached for his shoulder, lightly touching it. “You'll be fine. It’s not broken or dislocated. This evening, assuming we're not separated for sleeping, I'll teach you how to defend yourself.”

Bray didn't move any closer to Willow. He gave the faintest nod. “What’s the actual plan?”

“We fight our way out of this place. Just keep yourself alive.”

Hudson stood behind Lil, his arms at either side of her. They held the sword together in both hands. “Like this,” he said, demonstrating how to spin the weapon and stab the enemy. His left hand came to rest on her hip, forcing her to take a step back and to maneuver her feet. “If you stand in the same place all the time, Eilith will kill you.”

It was growing darker by the minute. Lil had missed the sunset. An odd green and blue sparkle had twinkled across the sky as the red sun had faded down into the horizon. The training arena's lights flickered on, brightening as the hour grew later.

“How much more training do we have tonight?” Lil asked, feeling Hudson's breath against her ear. She didn't mind the sensation. He was good looking and had a great physique, though she wasn't used to being this close to any boy—not even Bray. He had never kissed her, and hugs were for rare occasions when something terrible transpired. He was a shoulder to cry on, but she'd never been overly affectionate with anyone. Hudson had stirred something within her. She couldn't quite grasp or explain the feeling. Lil's cheeks reddened, but she hoped it had more to do with the training exercises than his proximity. Though Hudson had rubbed her the wrong way when they’d met, he was growing on her.

“Until dinner is served.” Hudson breathed against her neck again. “It'd be nice if Rawlie started it, since he's not doing anything else.” He shot Rawlie a sharp look.

“I'm busy.” Rawlie held up his hands in defense. “Just because it may not look like I'm busy to you doesn't mean I'm not learning something.” He'd been sitting there since training had begun.

Arianna brought Jamie into the training arena while Rawlie watched in amusement. “You could offer a hand,” Arianna shouted at Rawlie.

“Has training worked up an appetite?” Rawlie smiled. “Good, then you'll be hungry enough to cook for me.”

Hudson's breath lingered against Lil's ear a little longer than necessary. “I think now's a good time for a break,” he said, helping her put the sword down, though he doubted she needed the assistance. She swung it with ease and though she'd been practicing with the sword for hours, she showed no signs of exhaustion.

“I've got it,” Lil said, taking the sword back to where she'd seen it retrieved from earlier.

Hudson waited while she returned the sword. He stood outside the small weapons closet, making sure she didn't touch anything else. “You're a quick study. I've never seen anyone take to the sword like you did today.”

“Thanks.” Lil smiled. “Turn around, would you?” The last thing she needed was to disrobe in front of a stranger.

He obliged. “It's amazing. You and Willow are the exact same size.” Hudson stood guard outside the small cubicle while she removed the suit and slipped back into her clothes.

“Well, we're kind of the same person,” she said. “Aren’t we?” She closed the cabinet and touched his shoulder to pass by him when she finished.

“I suppose so, but in all honesty, you two look nothing alike.”

“I don't normally look like this.” Lil gestured to her hair. “Back home my hair isn't highlighted and my nails . . . ” She held her painted fingers up to his eyes. “They're plain. Not that I can't paint them, but not in this detail.”

“Even so,” Hudson said, “you look different from Willow.” He followed her toward the center of the training arena where Arianna and Jamie were battling it out in hand-to-hand combat. “Personalities and what not,” he said. Lil raised an eye, waiting for Hudson to continue what he was saying. He didn't. “I should go. I have some things to do before we set off tomorrow.”

“Okay,” she said, watching as he disappeared through the exit to the corridor. Lil heard a soft snicker, and her gaze moved upwards as she caught sight of Rawlie above her on the rafters. He had a full view of the training facility. “Coming down?” she asked, staring up at him. Though she wasn't thrilled with Rawlie for bringing her here, she was beginning to understand his reasoning. She'd need more than just her bare hands to fight Eilith. The sword, the training, and the eternal suit would come in handy.

Rawlie grunted in protest before slinging himself down from the ceiling and onto the floor without so much as a flinch. “I'm not making dinner,” he said. “Don't think she won just because she got me to come down,” he told everyone.

Lil watched Arianna and Jamie practice. She peered toward the hallway where Hudson went. “Where's he going, anyway?” She was trying to make sense of the sanctuary and its corridors. Lil learned she could only access the back part of the building, and Hudson was going toward the door that she had no chance of opening. He must be related to Rawlie. She remembered it had something to do with blood and a chip in his palm.

“Who, Hudson?” Rawlie asked. “Don't know. Not sure I care. You did well today. Impressive. I thought it'd take you longer to learn how to handle the sword.”

“Guess I'm full of surprises.” Lil grinned.

“That you are. I think Hudson likes you.” Rawlie kept his tone indifferent.

“He's nice,” she said and followed Rawlie out into the hallway. “Which way?” She still wasn't familiar with the corridors.

“Left, to the kitchen.” He led Lil down the hall until they reached the second door on the right. Inside was the kitchen.

“You're not expecting me to cook for everyone, right?” She'd seen the exchange earlier and was not about to fall into their trap.

Rawlie laughed. “No. If your cooking is anything like Willow's, we'll keep you far from any appliances. You can watch, since you're the guest. Besides, Hudson should be back soon.”

“Who is Hudson to you, exactly?” Lil asked, perching herself on a stool. “You both can access the other part of the sanctuary; so are you related? You mentioned an aunt. Would that make him your cousin?” She had been paying attention, as much as one could when things made little to no sense.