The Lotus Effect (Rise Of The Ardent) (7 page)

He finally slowed, pulling me inside the shadows of the algae covered tunnel. With my frantic searching eyes, it appeared this tunnel was the one that led to the sewers beneath the Wall.

Was this a guard?

Frustrated that my unrelenting attempts at escape had not even fazed my attacker, I opted for another approach. Knowing my mouth could be used as a weapon in more ways than one—I bit down hard into his unprotected hand.

He groaned and bit back a curse, but still, never relinquished his grip.

Angry that I had run out of options, I tried slamming my head back into his face. He unsurprisingly caught onto that tactic too and dodged it effortlessly.

“Stop it, Lily,” my attacker said firmly with a gravel-laden voice that seemed all too familiar. “I’m not here to hurt you.”

Then I knew
.
My heart leaped in stunned disbelief.
Not a guard. No. The presence that I had felt following me all along.

“
You
?” I asked as I tried to turn backwards to get a look at him, but my question came out as a jumbled mess with his hand still covering my mouth. I looked at him pleadingly before he cautiously removed his hand so I could speak.

“
Xander
? What are you doing here?” I hissed.

He didn’t respond, but only arched his eyebrow at me as if he too could ask the same of me.

“Were you following me this entire time?” I demanded, spinning on my heels, impatient for answers. I was angry that I allowed myself to be so easily pursued.

Xander merely shrugged as he handed over my knife, hilt first. I almost missed the action for he blended so well into the shadows of the tunnel.

Hesitantly, I took the knife and secured it back onto my hip.

He moved closer then, and took my wrist in a firm, but not ungentle grip. “I’m taking you back,” he said, a menacing look about his eyes.

It was a statement and not an offer.

I reared back, ready to fully object, but was interrupted by a not so distant noise. We both couldn’t ignore the strangled moans that came from no further than thirty feet away. They sounded definitely feminine and no doubt close to the Wall.

My throat clenched at the pitiful sound. Forgetful to remain in the relative safety in the darkness of the tunnel, I surged forward, trying to pinpoint the exact direction in which the sound came.

Xander,
of course
, was spry on top of things. He grabbed my hood, yanking me back. His shoulders hit and scraped against the brick as he held my face to his chest just as another pair of guards were making their rounds past the tunnel’s entrance. My dark hood had fallen away to expose my face and unruly locks of blond hair. Though angry, I allowed him to hold me there, knowing ashamedly that I had almost made a mistake. My actions were so rash and thoughtless that I didn’t even think to consider the guards who still patrolled the streets beyond.

I was overly conscious that I now rested my cheek against a stranger’s chest. But still, I couldn’t help but notice the steady beating of his heart as compared to the racing surge that was mine. He was calm while I was frantic.

After what felt like an insurmountable amount of time, the guards finally moved on. Xander slowly removed his hand from my head and allowed me to step away. I sucked in a breath as I stumbled from him—I didn’t realize I had been holding it, fearing the slight rasping would have given us away.

Xander looked at me with sympathy in his eyes, but his voice continued to hold every bit of firmness from before. “Lily, you cannot help her. You’re going home.”

He knew.
He knew that she was here.

I spun on him again, eyes furious. “
No
. I’ve already come this far. It’s my fault that she’s here and unlike everyone else, I am
not
leaving her here to die.”

Xander’s
jaw clenched as he regarded me, his dark hood shadowing most of his face. “You have no business being here,” he said plainly, his voice low.

“Says
who
? I have every right—” I began to argue, but stopped, realizing my voice had risen sharply from my anger.

Xander’s jaw shifted in thought before he turned to me again. “I’ll come back for her. On my own—I’m taking you home first,” he said with a hard finality laced in his tone. He stepped past me, his posture authoritative.

“So you’ve told me before!” I whispered fervently to him. “It could already be too late. You heard what they said about cutting her loose?” I tried hard to keep the whine from my voice. “You’re not taking me
anywhere
.” My fingers moved, hovering just above the handle of the blade at my hip.

Xander narrowed his eyes. He sniffed as he looked at my hand. “Fine,” he said, throwing me off balance. It made me think that he knew she didn’t have much time either. Or perhaps he didn’t want to deal with me and the scene I’d likely cause if he tried to take me back.

He lowered his face to match my height. His gaze pierced through the darkness and drilled into mine. If I wasn’t so frustrated with the situation, I could easily say that those eyes were intimidating.

Intimidate me all he wanted, this Xander—whoever he was—wasn’t going to stop me.
 

He spoke slowly, “You stay behind me. Step where I step, and if I tell you to do something you do it. Understood?”

I nodded even though I didn’t like being spoken to as if I was a child. Satisfied we were actually pushing ahead, I didn’t argue.

Xander repositioned his hood and moved past me like an animal on the prowl. His demeanor led me to believe that he had sufficient practice when it came to evading Sector guards. My mouth was dry from anxiousness as I watched him. I tried to swallow, but found it difficult. How unbelievably spoiled and unprepared I felt standing with only a kitchen knife to protect myself with.

He seemed to notice my nervous reaction.

“A logical plan would involve me making you stay here,” his voice whispered from the shadows. “My senses, however, lead me to believe that you are among the stubborn type.” He spoke
at
me instead of
to
me as he took the position in front. He held me back with one hand as he peered around the brick edifice.

That last statement should’ve offended me. But some part of me believed he said it to keep my mind from my nerves.

Besides, he was right. I wouldn’t have listened.

After a few moments Xander regarded me squarely and whispered, “Are you certain you’re ready for this?”

I nodded quickly, trying to look confident. But my mind kept returning to the image of the warring flames within the lanterns. The chaos. I wished I could’ve taken back what I had thought earlier—this was never what I wanted.

He raised his eyebrow at me as though he had his doubts, but nevertheless he reached for my arm.

Just when I thought he was going to lead me out into the street, he walked past, and directed me further into the darkness of the tunnel. I frowned, curious as to how this was going to get us any closer to the Wall, but didn’t protest, realizing quickly that I was out of my realm of knowledge. The only way in would be through this Blacksmith, Xander, and his experience.

Chapter 7

Abnormal Afflictions

  
       
It was dark. So very dark in the tunnel that I could not even see my free hand as I held it splayed in front of my face.

       
Water dripped from the ceiling and splashed in a constant rhythmic pattern as it hit the puddles below. The droplets sounded farther away than they had previously so I gathered that we must have now entered into a larger expanse of the tunnel. The musty mold smell that I had sniffed outside intensified the further he led me down into what I now expected to be the sewers—no, the sewers would smell worse. This must be a drainage tunnel.

       
Before I knew what he was doing, Xander grabbed my forearm and hauled me unceremoniously onto his back. I had never been carried like this and found it extremely insulting.

       
“What are you
doing
?” I hissed. “My legs are capable of holding their own.” I pushed at his shoulders, but his grip was unrelenting.

       
“Not where I need you to walk. You’re no good to me if your boots get wet.”

       
I narrowed my eyes in the dark.
No good to him
? What was I? A blacksmithing tool?

Sighing in aggravation, I awkwardly positioned myself onto his back and allowed him—with much annoyance—to carry me like a toddler. His steps were sure footed and surprisingly gave off little effort as he carried me through the dark. The muscles in his back were tense as they reacted to his every movement, every slight footfall. The longer I held on, the more exhausted my arms and legs grew from trying not to slip further down his back. I believe it resulted mostly from me trying to hold myself away from him.

Perhaps I am being a little bit stubborn.

“This is
ridiculous
,” I mumbled to myself.

I cringed, embarrassed as I felt my arms start to quake and felt my body start to slide.

Xander paused as he noticed my unease. I took the opportunity to try and re-adjust myself, but found that my tiring arms made the task difficult.

“Relax,” he said tersely over his shoulder. “I’m only trying to carry you, not court you,” he added gruffly.

He then, in one swift upwards motion, adjusted me back into position. He took my hands which were poorly gripping at his shoulders and placed them around his neck, securing them with his left hand. “We’re almost there,” he quietly encouraged, this time his tone was softer, apologetic. Surprisingly, I felt more calm this way—though it was still a bit unsettling with my face so close to his neck and with the fabric of his hood that kept scratching at my cheek.

The constant dripping from the entrance of the tunnel had long dissipated and was replaced with an eerie hollow echo the deeper we went. An ominous droning. In an effort to bypass the water himself, Xander moved in errant paths, sidestepping and zigzagging his way through the tunnel. My eyes, which still had not adjusted to the darkness, were not helping my attempts to pervade the oncoming disorientation that I could feel creeping up on me from the swaying. I discreetly placed my head on his shoulder as I tried not to succumb to the dizziness—and hating myself for having to do so.

Xander stalled. “Do you need me to stop?” he quietly asked, his face mere inches from mine.

“No, I’m fine. I just need to get out of this tunnel—I’m worried about Mrs. Fawnsworth,” I added quickly.

He took a few more steps before he stopped again. He unlatched my arms from around his neck and lowered me until my boots hit stone. He steadied me as I began to sway, directed me to a wall on the right, and forced me to sit. I was relieved to be on steady ground again, but the slimy coldness of the brick against my back did not help to calm my nerves.

“I’ll come back for you,” he whispered before he turned to leave.

I aimlessly grabbed for one of his boots in my shock. “So you’re going to just leave me behind after all?” I asked, trying to sound more determined than panicked.

He stepped back towards me, the gravel crunching, his solid presence crouching. “We’ve arrived at a side entrance,” he whispered slowly, as though he thought I was either half-witted or just paralyzed with fear. I knew I was both.

He began prying my fingers away from his boot then. My hand snapped backwards from his touch. Embarrassed I had been caught acting so pathetic; I sat back against the stone.

A few seconds passed before he spoke again. “I need to pick the lock and make sure it’s safe beyond the door.” He gave me a quick reassuring pat on the shoulder: awkward, and forced.

He cleared his throat, his voice rough. “You’ll only have a few seconds to re-orient yourself once inside. We have to move quickly and quietly. And remember stay behind me,” he added as he began to stand. “And if it makes you feel any better, we will not be coming back through here on our way out.”

Though worded like the comment Scottie had made during the Coronation, ‘
If it makes you feel any better, they were stealing food.
’, this time I actually did feel relieved.

Even in the darkness I thought I noticed Xander smirk as he regarded me, and smugly at that. Which was weird—he didn’t seem like the teasing type. Without warning, he reached across the distance between us and tousled my hair annoyingly before he took off for the door.

Wha . . . ?
 
I sat up straighter and scowled, crossing my arms, and blowing the mop of hair from my face.
Who does he think he is?
I would’ve been terrified being left alone like this if I wasn’t so aggravated with him treating me like a . . . a
child
.

An eerie realization crept up on me then. I let my arms fall to my sides, my anger deflating. Perhaps Xander was just really good at reading me. Either that or I clearly wore my feelings on my sleeve. In this short span of time, he somehow already knew that I reacted better with my feathers a little ruffled as opposed to being numb with fear.

How odd.
 

~

I sat with my back against the cold brick, silent and alone while I waited for Xander’s return. Water dripped from the ceiling not too far from where I sat, the hollow echo filling the tunnel like a transmitting beacon. Trying to keep my mind focused on saving Mrs. Fawnsworth, I refused to let my imagination wander into the places we as children like to go while in dark spaces. No matter how brave I liked to appear on the surface, all my insecurities tended to come out in the dark: the consuming blackness that swarmed and devoured.

Fear: only a fabrication of the mind. Do not give in to it, Lily.

I was starting to run out of things with which to occupy my thoughts:
Why was there a face of a man on the moon? Why did some stars twinkle and others did not? Why was I sitting here thinking about the sky when Mrs. Fawnsworth needed my help?

The gravel crunched lightly in front of me, indicating Xander’s return. I sighed, relieved to no longer be alone. He rested his hand upon my knee.

“I was beginning to wonder if you had—” I said, though stopped abruptly after absently feeling for his hand. It was cold and slimy. A film of algae slid over the skin as my fingers frantically tried to blindly decipher the foreign texture.

“—
Lily
? What’s wrong?”

I heard Xander call out to me from
further
down the tunnel.

And the slimy hand—which did
not
belong to Xander—now clutched at my wrist.

To my credit, I was smart enough to cover my mouth before I screamed.

I kicked out hard. My boot connected with an equally slimy and bony chest. Scrambling to get away from whoever or whatever was crouched before me, I scraped the skin of my knees on the stone, though not caring. My breath clenched in my chest and my body tensed. No matter how much I had tried to calm myself before,
now
I was terrified.

Further down the tunnel, I heard a quick sliding noise of a metal mechanism. I clambered on my hands and knees in that direction, imagining all sorts of terrible things the creature behind me could do.

Managing to get my footing, I scrambled into a blind run, dark tunnel or not and took two leaping steps before I stumbled on the edge of a stone curbing. Luckily my boots absorbed most of the damage as they supported my twisting ankles, though still, I toppled forward. Crossing my arms in front of me, I braced myself for impact, but found myself being twirled around clumsily as Xander pulled me to a stop with a firm hold from under the pit of my arm. Relief flooded into me as I felt his warm
human
hands and the familiar fabric of his hooded jacket.

“Xander. What. Is.
That
?” I managed to huff out through my panicked breathing. I clutched the neckline of my cloak in a terrorized grip.

He didn’t respond, only righted me on my feet, and stood very still as he peered into the darkness.

I felt his arms relax after a moment and I heard the metal sliding mechanism retract itself back into the hidden safety of his sleeves. I couldn’t see exactly what kind of weapon he wielded in this unfathomable darkness that draped us like a cold wet fear, but it sounded menacing.

He sighed, deep and regretful. “Relax. It’s only Eu’jinx,” he said in a resigned tone. “He won’t hurt you.”

“
Eu’jinx
?” I hissed. “Who’s Eu’jinx and why exactly was he touching my leg? Better question,
what
is he doing in here in the first place?” My voice was high and tight in an effort not to screech.

Xander didn’t respond.
 
He did, however, grab my arm and led me . . . yes, even further down the tunnel. He unknowingly tightened his grip after a moment. “He lives here.”

“He
what
?” I slowed, my eyes widening in the darkness.

He must be joking.

“This Eu’jinx . . . he’s a friend of yours?” I asked quieter this time—feeling another pang of guilt surface in my chest.

“This is his home, the only place he feels safe. He was just curious when he approached you. He’s harmless.” His voice was automatic, emotionless.

“How can he live in here?” I sputtered. The idea of anyone—anything—making this foul darkness their home, baffled my already exhausted mind. “Did the Council do something to him? No human being can possibly live here.” I was disgusted at the thought at first, then I felt horrible, realizing what Xander was about to say before he said it.

Xander’s voice was sharp, angry. “According to the Council, he isn’t human—he’s Abnormal.” Xander paused, his tone falling bleak when he continued, “And he’s just a boy. Sector 7 planned to cast him out due to his albino affliction, but he escaped. And no matter how much one tries to convince him to leave this tunnel he always refuses.”

“His parents?” I dared to ask.

Xander was silent as he guided me up and over another stone curbing. I could tell he was facing me, and standing close, judging from the sound of his voice. “They kept him hidden most of his young life.” He paused a beat. “All it took was one mistake. Now, he survives alone.”

Thrown off guard by his answer, I shook my head, finding it hard to swallow again. “How
horribl
e,” I managed to choke out at last. Sector 7 was notorious for casting out those with deformities, claiming it was the result of interbreeding with Outcasts. That the Abnormals would make us sick—but never had I met the victims of such cruelty first hand like this. Murdering his parents too? For only wanting to save their child?

“
Sickness cannot Prosper.
” My own father’s voice echoed through my head.

“I’m . . . I’m sorry.” The apology sounded empty, insignificant—but it was all I could offer. I turned my head to the emptiness behind me as Xander practically dragged me along, hoping that the poor boy who called this tunnel home would forgive my outburst, for kicking him away when he only sought comfort.

Xander didn’t respond to that, but I could feel him withholding some thoughts of his own. He let go of my wrist. “We’re here. We need to get inside quickly—before anyone realizes the door has been opened.”

I squinted from the sudden change of lighting. Xander glanced through the rusty three foot tall opening on the wall to our right before he signaled it was safe to follow. I stared uncertainly at the golden light that radiated from beyond the small square door, casting a slanted glow into the tunnel: another world stood beyond. A world I hoped I was ready for.