Redemption (Night Marchers #2) Written by: Rebecca Gober and Courtney Nuckels (13 page)

As if my mind is trying to give my heart some
type of peace, the memory of Kai and me dancing in the Menehune’s
cave pops into my head. I hold that thought replaying the way he
held me and looked at me as well as the necklace he gave me. I take
the necklace out from my shirt and hold it to my lips. Stealing all
the memories I can from it.

I can hear Tristan and Kaylee calling for me
somewhere in the distance. I don't answer though. I lay still;
holding the necklace with my eyes closed; allowing myself to just
be.

Chapter 8

It’s funny how time seems to stand still
while I lie here in a heap. Night has fallen all around me, and I
sit straight up in utter shock, disbelieving that I could have
fallen asleep on this hard forest floor. I stand up and rub my
eyes, as if rubbing them would activate my night vision. The moon
is full tonight and I can see bits and pieces of it through the
tree canopy overhead. "Hello?" I say in a croaky voice caused in
part by sleep and in part by my earlier tears. I clear my throat
and yell out louder this time, "Hello? Tristan! Kaylee!" Nobody
answers me in return. Crap. What is up with me falling asleep out
here at the worst times? Shrugging it off, I decide to get moving
and try to head back towards the campsite.

I stand up and turn in circles trying to
remember which way I came from. I shouldn't have run so fast
earlier. I shouldn't have done a lot of things, but there's no
point going down that road right now. I need to find my friends;
I'm sure they’re worried sick. Up ahead, I can see that the trees
seem to be getting thinner, so I start walking in that direction.
At least I'd be able to see better if I find a clearing and there's
always that faint possibility that perhaps by some miracle my cell
will find some bars out here.

Déjà vu hits me strong when I reach the tree
line and realize where I am. In front of me is the boulder that Kai
and I had hid behind that first fateful night when I witnessed the
Night Marchers procession. I walk over to it and put my hand on the
cold, hard stone. The reminder of Kai hunched in front of me,
protecting me with his arms like a shield sends my heart
fluttering. Visions of memories flash through my head like a
slideshow on fast forward. My heart aches when it stops at the last
vision of Kai being pulled into the Night Marchers ranks as I ran
helplessly after him.

Caught up in the memories, I barely noticed
the approaching beat of the drums. When my brain finally processes
that what I am hearing is in the present it sends the adrenaline
pumping through my veins. I start looking wildly about for an exit
plan while my heart pounds ferociously. The drums near closer and
all of a sudden the scenery is passing quickly before my eyes. I
hadn't even realized that my feet were moving me away from danger.
I run for a few seconds allowing the tree branches to whip against
my arms and scratch at my skin as I put distance between what I
know is coming and myself.

Wait!
I literally yell internally to
myself. I stop just as suddenly as I started, my breath is labored
and my mind is reeling. This is what I came for! Why would I run
away now? Not when Kai is so close. I turn and start heading back
towards the clearing. My body is sluggish and it feels as if I'm
trying to walk through mud. It's as if my brain is trying to pull
my body back away from the danger yet my heart is pulling me deep
into the thick of it. I forget the internal war that my brain and
my heart is waging when I see the flicker of the flames through the
dense vegetation in front of me. Now I just do an all out run back
towards the clearing, towards Kai.

When I reach the clearing, I see that the
procession has started. I move silently over to the boulder keeping
my eyes averted. Think Emma! I need a plan for what I'm going to do
next. If only I could look into Kai's eyes, maybe somehow I can
remind him of who he is. He's not one of them, he's...he's mine! I
surprise myself with my last possessive declaration. Keeping my
head down I watch as the flames throw shadows against the ground in
front of me. I wait, watching the footprints glide across the dirt
but I see no feet accompanying them. I don't dare look up, the last
thing I need right now is to evoke another curse.

A thick fog rolls across the ground blocking
my view of the footprints. I force myself to look up ever so
slightly to check for the end of the procession. I know what will
be at the end: Kai. I can see the ancient battle gear and the eerie
ghostly tint of the soldier’s muscles that wear it. They march
stoically in rows alternating men and women soldiers.

The weapons they carry are far from
apparitions though. I know for a fact that they are very real and
the glare of the metal tip of a spear sends a shudder through my
body. I look up from the spear to the arm of the Night Marcher who
carries it. The black ink of Kai's tattoo still stands out dark as
night. My heart starts pounding, not entirely with fear though,
more so with excitement. I force my eyes to look up now and I see
his face. His beautiful face. I knew that I missed him but I had no
idea how much. It's as if my heart leaps with joy at the sight of
him and my body feels overwhelmed and excited in anticipation of
touching him. I run towards him, but he doesn't turn to me. He
keeps marching, eyes forward, focused intently on the back of the
head of the soldier in front of him.

"Kai!" I yell out his name. I don't know if
any of the other Night Marchers have turned to glare at me, I keep
my eyes focused on him and him alone. He doesn't turn, but I can
see his jaw clenched tight. Against my better judgment I run
towards him.

"Kai!" I say out of breath from the sprint.
I'm so close to him now that I can touch him. I reach out and grab
at his arm. It's cold yet my hand doesn't pass through it like I
would envision it would, being that he's basically a spirit. He
still doesn't look towards me.
Why won't he look at me?
"Kai!" I yell in his ear and yank his arm so hard that his step
falters and he can't help but look at me.

My breath catches and my arm drops from his
as he stares at me, stepping away from the procession. He looks
just like I remembered but different still. There is an eerie gleam
to his skin that reminds me that he's not human anymore. His eyes
are no longer completely grey. They are flaked with black specks
starting at the pupils and heading outward. I shake my head as
tears start filling my eyes.
I'm too late!

"Emma." He says through gritted teeth. I look
back into his eyes, hopeful when I hear him recall my name.

"Yes, Kai, I'm here. It's going to be okay.
We will get you out I promise!" I say as tears spill down my cheek.
I grab at his arm to try and drag him away with me, but he stands
firm as if he's made of stone.

I look up into his eyes pleading with him to
come back to me. As if the reminder of what we have together could
free him from this eternal solitude that he's been condemned to. I
don't know if I am just wishing for it, but I think I register a
slight softening around his eyes.
He's still in there!
It
was only for a brief flash of a second until his features harden
and a look of anguish succumbs him.

"Em-ma." He says my name painstakingly so, as
if it takes an overwhelming strength for him to force out the two
syllables. The muscles in his body tense up almost to a point of
which I think they might explode from within him. He stares at me
and as if I'm hypnotized by his eyes, I stare back unable to look
away even when it gets uncomfortable.

"R-un" He says through gritted teeth.

Run?
I register a slow movement in my
peripheral vision and realize that it's his arm moving, the one
with the spear!

"R-u-n!" He says forcing the word out of his
mouth. With his teeth clenched, a look of pure torture overtakes
him.

Pulling my gaze from his might be the hardest
thing I've ever had to do. I do it just as he takes his first step
towards me. He looks like he's trying to advance against a
hurricane. Every movement is counteracted with his suppressed will
not to hurt me.
He's fighting it!
It's a good sign, but he's
not strong enough. His hand slowly pulls the spear to where it's
pointing at me now.

"Pl-ea-se!" He says urgently, eyes fixated on
me.

Tears well up knowing that he can't hold
back, he's fighting with all he's got, but he can't stop it. He
can't stop the urge to try to kill me. I turn and run from him. I
run as fast as I can into the forest and through the trees. I trip
a few times but I pick myself back up. I can hear the snapping of
tree limbs and foliage behind me. Kai is pursuing me! My heart
starts pounding as I realize that this is a very real threat. He
might not be able to hold back, I've struck a curse that I can't
undo this time.

I don't know when I decided to do it, but I
stop dead in my tracks. Something tells me that this is the only
way. This is the way it should have been. Kai is a Night Marcher
because of me and right now, I have a way to save him. If he kills
me, I will switch places with him, freeing him from the prison I
condemned him to.

I force myself to turn around slowly, my body
is shaking like a leaf. My brain is telling me to run, but I'm
fighting against it. I see the flame flicker behind a tree in front
of me.
It's time.
I drop to my knees as Kai steps out from
the cover of the tree. His eyes plead with me to run, but I just
shake my head and look away tears overflowing.

I hear him take a step, then another one.
Each step takes several seconds. I know he's trying to fight it,
but he can't help it.

"Itt's okkay." I manage to stutter out. I
close my eyes and a moment later I'm sailing through the air. At
first I don't realize what's happening but when I open my eyes, I
see the landscape flashing past me upside down. The blood is
rushing to my head making me disoriented and dizzy. I try to use my
stomach muscles to sit up but it's no use. I realize that I'm
hanging over someone's shoulder in a fireman carry as they run
wildly away. I have no idea who that someone is.

I crane my head when I hear running feet
behind us. Kai! He's chasing us. His face is contorted with anger
now. His spear raises and I shut my eyes tight. If this is how it
ends, I don't want to see it. A conch shell blows and I look up
just in time to see him as he's pulled backwards away from us. It
looks as if he's being sucked up into a vacuum. I look into his
eyes, which only a moment ago showed anger, now they show worry and
panic. I continue to watch him, straining my neck until I can see
him no longer.

The person who's carrying me stops and sets
me down none to gently. The blood rushes back down my head from the
sudden movement and I fight the urge to fall flat on my butt. I
look up expecting to see Tristan. Nothing could have surprised me
more. In front of me stands a very angry Kao.

The stark resemblance to Kai makes me cringe
until I look into Kao's obsidian eyes. The evil that once was
there, as a Night Marcher still remains as one of his most striking
features. I can’t help but stare. I should be scared. I should run.
But, for reasons I cannot say, I don’t. I just stand there and
stare at him, feeling numb from all the emotions that came with Kai
trying to kill me.

Kao is the first to move. I can see his chest
rise and fall as he catches his breath. I hear him clear his throat
as though he is about to speak to me. “Are you alright?” He asks
me, his face contorting to one of concern.

No other expression from him could have
surprised me more. I want to hate him. I want to be mad at him, but
for some reason unbeknown to myself I’m suddenly not. I don't know
if it's because I just saw Kai try to kill me, or what. He fought
it with all he had and I did technically get away, but he still
tried never the less. The urge to kill me was ingrained in him he
had no choice, I think, trying to convince myself. Perhaps seeing
this happen with Kai is what strikes this small bit of empathy for
Kao. I'm not sure. “Yeah, I’m fine,” is all I can muster. I feel
like I am treading thin ice here and have no idea what to say or
do.

“Come on, let’s get you inside.” Kao reaches
out and grabs my hand not so gently, leading me away. I have no
idea why, but I don’t question it, or try to pull away. I just let
him lead me, as if I am helpless and blind. I close my eyes for a
moment and pretend that it's Kai leading me away to safety.

After several minutes of hiking through a
non-existent trail Kao makes a turn heading towards a large pile of
boulders that must have crashed down from above. He looks at me for
the briefest of seconds and then turns his head back around weaving
us through the undergrowth and trees. We walk for what seems like
twenty minutes, still hand in hand, until we finally push through
into a clearing. It’s not just any clearing though; Kai’s tree
house looms up above us.

I stare up at it and then back down at Kao.
It seems like my body is magnetically charged to attract trouble; I
just can’t seem to escape it.

Thoughts of Adam and the Menehune's begin
flooding my mind as I look at all of the intricate architecture and
woodcarvings that illuminate before me. They definitely left their
mark on this place.

Kao leads me gently along a trodden dirt path
until we reach the stairs that lead to the main house. My heart
starts pumping now, as if I just realized that I'm alone with a man
who could very well be dangerous. I feel like I’m playing with
dynamite. I wonder if Kao is going to hold me prisoner, or if I’ll
be treated as a guest. I start ascending up the stairs anyhow since
Kao is still leading me by the hand. I make it halfway to the top,
when the wood step I'm standing on breaks, sending my foot right
through it. I hear my pants tear and feel the sting of the wood
slicing into my leg as I lose my balance and fall half way through
the broken stair. In mid-fall I tighten my grip on Kao’s hand
instinctively dragging him down with me. I’m in utter shock as I
dangle nearly twenty feet above the ground. I’m in such utter
dismay I can’t even breathe. The only thing that is holding me up
is the fabric of my pant leg that's caught on the edge of the stair
after ripping halfway up my calf and of course Kao’s hand. I look
up seeing Kao’s black eyes staring back at me through the missing
slat. He grabs my arm with his other hand and begins to pull me up.
I continue to hold my breath when he picks me up and carries me the
remainder of the way. We reach the top of the stairs and I let out
a big exhale when he sits me on one of the benches that line the
porch section of the tree house. I begin feeling the blood trickle
down my leg as the adrenaline wears off. In the light of the moon
it’s hard to see what my leg is really up against. Out of the
corner of my eye I see Kao digging in a satchel, as he retrieves a
flashlight. He fumbles with it for a moment before a bright beam of
light shines directly in my eyes. I flinch and instinctively cover
my eyes as Kao points the beam in a more downwardly direction. When
the light first hits my leg, I cringe at the sight. A twelve-inch
gash is running the length of my leg revealing a significant amount
of blood flowing from it. The sight of it makes me woozy so I have
to look away. I catch Kao taking off his shirt as he rips pieces of
material from it, tying it in pieces around my leg. I try not to
look at him, but I have a hard time averting my eyes. The
similarities between Kao and Kai are so striking it sends an
uncomfortable pang through my body. They even have similar tattoos.
I look closer at the tribal markings on Kao's shoulder that run
along his chest and over his heart. It could just be my mind
playing tricks on me, but the edges of the tribal designs on his
tattoo look more jagged and sinister than Kai's. A shiver runs up
my spine and I promptly look away.