Aerenden: The Child Returns (Ærenden) Read online

  Meaghan focused on the ground in front of her, careful to avoid tripping over rocks or roots. She did not want to slow their progress even further. When they approached a thick curtain of vines, Nick tapped them with his stick, waited a moment, and then started to walk through them. She hesitated and he tightened his grip on her waist.

  “They won’t hurt you,” he said. “They didn’t react when I touched them. They aren’t creeper vines.”

  “Creeper vines,” she echoed. A chill ran through her. “Why do you have to test them with the stick? Why can’t you sense them?”

  “Because they aren’t magical.” He urged her forward with the slightest pressure from his arm. “They’re a different species of vine which can think and react. They attack when they’re provoked. You must have stepped on one.”

  “I was running. I,” she hesitated, swallowing hard when a vine brushed her cheek. “I tripped.”

  “Why were you running?”

  “The man. He scared me and…” her voice failed her as another vine brushed her shoulder.

  “What man?” Nick stopped and stared at her. A breeze stirred the vines. They swayed around her, brushing her head, her cheek, and her neck. She felt sick. She wanted to run, but her ankle throbbed and she knew it would not hold her.

  Fear quickened her breathing. “Please. The vines. I can’t…”

  He scooped her into his arms. The vines cleared from her sight as he carried her through the curtain, setting her down on the other side in front of an oak tree. She leaned against it, closing her eyes to calm her speeding heart.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  She felt Nick’s hand on her cheek and she opened her eyes. “I’m the one who should be sorry,” he told her. “I’m not doing a good job of protecting you, am I?”

  “So far, I’d say you are.” She covered his hand with hers and smiled. “I’m still alive, despite my tendency for getting into trouble. At the rate I’m going, you’ll wish you’d never met me by tomorrow afternoon.”

  “We’ll see.” He chuckled, and then broke their contact, his face turning serious. “Tell me about the man.”

  “I trailed behind,” she confessed, lacing her hands together in front of her. “I shouldn’t have, but I did. That’s when I heard him. His voice came from every direction. It made it impossible for me to find him, but he had to have been hiding someplace nearby because he said he was watching me.”

  “This happened right before you ran into the creeper?” he asked. She nodded and he slid a hand between hers. “Did anything else odd happen at the time? Was there wind or water?”

  “There was wind,” she answered. “The more he spoke, the stronger it got. When it swirled around me, I ran.”

  “He came on the wind,” Nick said and to her surprise, he smiled. “That’s fantastic news. We’ve had wind since, which means he’s following us.”

  “I don’t understand. What do you mean?” She stood up straight. He brought his hand to her waist to steady her. “Why is that good news?”

  “Because the man you heard has a power I’ve been trying to sense since we set out this morning. He can use the four elements to send his presence somewhere else. He can also use those elements to see, sometimes for miles.”

  “So he could see me and talk to me, but he wasn’t there?”

  “Right.”

  “Can he see the future?”

  “No,” Nick responded. “He’s not a Seer. He’s a Guide. He can’t see the future. He can only see what’s happening now. But now that he’s found you, I can stop concentrating on finding him. He’ll lead us to him.”

  “That is good news then,” Meaghan decided, though she had trouble finding relief when her first meeting with the Guide had instilled her with so much fear. “Why did you need to find him?”

  “He’ll be able to tell us where we are and what the safest route of travel will be.”

  “I see.” This time she allowed relief to take over. She met his smile with one of her own. “That’s the best thing I’ve heard all day. You said he uses the four elements. Do you mean Earth, Water, Fire, and Air? He used those words when he spoke to me.”

  “Those are the four,” Nick confirmed. “What else did he say?”

  “Something about water and our path not being safe.” She hesitated, trying to focus on her memory of the Guide’s song. She could hear the melody in the back of her head, but found the harder she tried to remember the words, the more they stayed out of reach. Her smile faded. “I can’t seem to remember. I was scared. All I could think about was escaping from him.”

  “I understand.” Nick squeezed her hand. “I suspect you remembered the most important part. If he said our path isn’t safe, we need to be careful. As far as the rest, he’ll make sure we get the message again when we need it."

  She leaned into him and hoped so.

  §

  THAT NIGHT, they set up camp in a small clearing, both of them taking shifts watching for danger. The dense forest surrounding the camp permitted a small fire for a short time, so Nick made her a cup of jicab tea and a poultice from wide leaves he found in the forest. The tea eased the pain and the poultice reduced the swelling so that by morning, Meaghan could wear her sneaker again, even if she had to remove the laces.

  They ate the last of the energy bars and Meaghan choked down another cup of tea. The tea allowed her to walk most of the day on her own, but by mid-afternoon, she needed Nick’s help again. Although a gentle breeze greeted them several times while they travelled, they did not hear from the Guide. Nick remained unconcerned, but Meaghan worried she had ruined their opportunity to find the elusive man.

  By late afternoon, a fine mist fell from the sky, turning the soil to mud. They took a break underneath the branches of a tree, picking its orange nuts to satisfy their hunger. Nick called them túrú nuts. He shelled and devoured them by the handful, but she ate them one at a time, savoring the flavor as it moved from rustic and earthen to sweet in her mouth.

  After they finished their snack, they continued. The rain fell harder, creating rivers in the forest. Nick led her at a slower pace, cautious of the softening earth. Their clothes and hair stuck to their skin. Their feet sank into the ground, leaving deep impressions behind them as they moved. The sky continued to darken and soon they had trouble seeing in front of them. The forest thinned, giving way to rock outcroppings and large boulders and Meaghan knew they were nearing the mountains. Spotting a clearing up ahead, they hastened their pace, hopeful for a place to rest for the night. Nick froze steps from their goal.

  She started to ask if everything was okay, but stopped when he covered her mouth with his hand. He kept his eyes locked on the clearing as he pulled her into a thicker part of the forest, then he pressed his lips to her ear. “Mardróch,” he whispered.

  In the waning light, she had missed them, but their rotting stench sat in the air. They skulked along the edge of the clearing. One paused, turning his hooded head toward Nick and Meaghan’s hiding place, and then glided partway into the forest. She shrank a step back, stilling when Nick tightened his hand on her shoulder. An almost imperceptible shake of his head kept her immobile.

  She held her breath. The creature moved closer, raising and lowering his chin in a way that reminded her of a dog sniffing for food. He paused, glided closer, and then turned away. Relieved, she exhaled, but found it impossible to move when the creature raised his hand to signal the others. Three Mardróch charged on Nick and Meaghan’s hiding place. One of them raised his arms and Nick pushed her toward the clearing.

  “Run!” he commanded as bolts of electricity shot from the creature’s hands, exploding their hiding place. Wood and dirt flew into the air. Despite her protesting ankle, she propelled forward, launching over rocks as she fled. She heard Nick panting close behind her.

  Out of the corners of her eyes, she saw the creatures flanking her. They moved faster, unimpeded by the rocky terrain. The electricity they threw into the field corralled her
and Nick rather than hitting them. Soon, Meaghan faced a rock wall on the side of a mountain, a dead end. She veered toward one of the creatures in an effort to find another route, and then came to a halt when she realized Nick no longer followed her. She turned and spotted him a few yards away. A Mardróch had blocked his path.

  The creature faced Nick, who stood stiff, his feet planted and sinking into the mud. His arms hung at his sides. His face showed no emotion.

  Meaghan did not understand why he did not move or try to escape. The creature had not attacked. Nick could fight, yet he did nothing. She took a step toward them, but froze when a wave of fear struck her. Her own terror flooded her brain, masking the foreign emotion at first, but once she felt it, she knew it was Nick’s.

  She heard a whispering movement behind her and turned her head to see the other two Mardróch approaching. One raised his hand to his hood and she understood. The dranx’s eyes had been red because of its power, and so were the Mardróch’s.

  She averted her eyes when the creature removed his hood and then she took off running. She headed straight for the Mardróch guarding Nick, tackled him, and sent him sprawling to the ground. His body felt denser than she had expected, and she scrambled away to prevent him from flipping her over. He whipped his red eyes toward her, but before he could catch her gaze, a hand grasped her own, yanking her away.

  Nick pulled her behind him as they fled from the field toward the mountain. The creatures pursued, howling in anger, a mournful, high-pitched wail that hurt her ears. This time, the electricity cascading from their hands did not aim to miss. Rocks exploded beside them as they charged up the mountain. They dodged around a boulder, then up a dirt path hidden behind it. When Nick spotted a cave large enough for two people, he tugged Meaghan into it, pulling her down at the entrance so they could view the trail.

  “They’ll see us,” she protested, tugging on his hand. “Nick, please,” she tried again, quieting when he held his finger to his lips.

  The Mardróch circled the boulder. They stared toward the cave and Meaghan tensed for a fight, but the creatures kept moving without slowing down. She shrank back as they glided past, their cloaks swirling into the entrance of the cave inches from touching her arms. They continued up the trail, and then disappeared around a sharp bend. Meaghan waited several minutes to ensure the Mardróch would be out of earshot before she spoke.

  “Why didn’t they see us?” she asked, keeping her voice low.

  “They couldn’t,” Nick answered as he shifted out of the backpack. He opened it, smiling when she raised an eyebrow at him, but did not continue to explain. He pulled out the blanket and unfolded it. “I realize we’ll be a little crowded, but it’s safest if we sleep here tonight.” He spread half the blanket on his side of the cave, and then flipped the other half in her direction so she could do the same. He sat down. “Tonight, we can get a full night’s sleep. It isn’t necessary to remain on watch.”

  “I still don’t understand why,” she said and sat down opposite him, crossing her feet in front of her. He grinned and she sighed. “You’re being juvenile.”

  “Probably.” He chuckled. “It’s a relief to be here, and I guess I’m having some fun at your expense.” He pointed to the entrance of the cave where several small, white crystals hung from the ceiling. “Those crystals are used for protection. Guardians hang them around cabins and caves throughout dangerous areas to provide safe havens for travelers. The hiding places appear to Guardians or people in need of them. To anyone else, this cave looks like part of the mountain. We’re safe for now, but the Mardróch know we’re in the area so from now on, we need to be on guard and more discreet about our travels. Tonight, though, there’s nothing to worry about.”

  He stretched out, lying down along the back of the cave and she did the same, filling the space in front of him. Though the rain brought a chill to the air, the small cave consolidated the warmth from their bodies. By morning, she knew their clothes would be dry.

  Feeling safe for the first time in days, Meaghan smiled and rested her head on Nick’s arm. His steady breathing soothed her and soon she drifted to sleep.

  CHAPTER NINE

  CLOUDS CONTINUED to blacken the sky as the night’s storm persisted, denying morning its rendezvous with the rising sun. Nick could hear the rain pelting the soil, muted thumps hinting of large, skin-soaking drops. The thought of slogging through another mud-filled day did not thrill him, nor did the idea of trying to scramble along narrow mountain paths with limited visibility. Though the forest had been unpleasant, a dense canopy had kept some of the rain at bay. The mountain would not provide the same protection, and the slick rocks would be treacherous with Meaghan’s injury.

  He considered staying put until the rain subsided. He felt warm, comfortable, and somehow content despite the fact the cave left them little room to move and the floor remained hard and unforgiving underneath the blanket. He guessed it had more to do with the company than the cave. During the night, he had awoken to find Meaghan shivering and had taken her into his arms to warm her.

  Although holding her had filled a functional role, he could not deny the pleasure it had brought him. She had curled into him, pressing her face into his neck, her soft breath tickling his skin, and he had fought the urge to stroke her hair in return. She had shifted and he had tightened his arms, drawing her close, but had stopped short of caressing her back. And once, while she had remained lost to a dream that curled a soft smile onto her face, she had lifted her mouth to his.

  The electricity he had felt when they connected jolted him backward, knocking his head against the rock wall. He had not been able to decide if he had seen stars in front of his eyes or the crystals flickering against the black night, but the pain had been enough to bring him to his senses. He let her go. Shivering would not harm her and it seemed better than the alternative.

  Even without the direct contact, the confined space had left her too close to him. The slightest movement had brought light touches and brush-ups that had elevated his heart rate and bred excitement. Although he hated to admit his weakness, he knew he could not withstand a full day in close quarters with her. Travelling in the rain would be safer than staying in the cave and risking a different danger he never wanted to face. Placing a hand on her back to wake her, he frowned, sensing something from her he did not expect.

  He shook her and she opened her eyes. They seemed cloudy. His worry increased, but he kept the emotion from his voice when he spoke.

  “Tell me what’s wrong.”

  “I’m fine,” she said, sitting up. For a moment, he wondered if he had misunderstood what he had sensed, but then she crossed her legs, the movement bringing a grimace to her face, and he knew she had lied.

  “You’re not fine,” he said. “I can feel your pain, so don’t bother denying it. Let me see your ankle.” She uncrossed her legs and he lifted the injured leg, setting it on his lap before he began unwrapping the bandage. She closed her eyes, her breath growing shallow as each movement brought tension to her face. When he saw her ankle, he understood why. It had swollen to twice its normal size. A large, black bruise stretched from the top of her foot to a few inches above her ankle. Where the bruise ended, the bandage had rubbed her skin red. “Meg,” he sighed, covering her ankle with his hands. It felt warm to the touch. He looked up at her. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  She shrugged. “I didn’t see the point. We can’t light a fire, so we can’t make tea. Until we’re able to, I can walk on it well enough to make it through.”

  He stroked his thumbs across her skin. Although he kept his pressure light, she still winced. “You’ll be lucky if you can stand on it,” he told her. “Is this from running yesterday?”

  “Yes.” She leaned her back against the cave wall. “Now what? We can’t stay here all day.”

  “No, we can’t,” he agreed, “but we can stay a while longer.” He slid her leg off his lap and set it down on the ground, careful not to bump it. “I’ll find b
reakfast and something to help you. Rest some more.”

  He stood, and then stepped into the rain.

  §

  THE DOWNPOUR continued, pattering rocks outside the cave in a steady rhythm and Meaghan counted time by the noise until Nick returned some time later, holding a thick, pointed leaf in one hand and his sweater tied up in the other. Both his jeans and his white undershirt stuck to his skin, and his hair, heavy against his head, released rivulets of water down his body. He flipped the blanket away from him, and moved to sit on the bare floor.

  “You need this more than I do,” Meaghan said, and though pain charged through her with the effort, she struggled to her feet. Collecting the blanket from the floor, she offered it to him. “If you don’t dry off, you’ll get sick, and I’m pretty sure there’s a rule that only one of us can be sidelined at a time.”

  Nick chuckled and accepted the blanket. Running it over his head, he shook as much of the water from hair as he could, and then draped it over his shoulders.

  Meaghan eased back to the floor. Untying Nick’s sweater, she discovered a pile of apples. After handing one to him, she grabbed another and feasted on it, easing the rumbling in her stomach. A second apple went down with the same speed, but she slowed her pace for the third, taking the time to enjoy the newness of the fruit. The intensity of the aroma was heavenly, sweet and alluring, and the flavor, crisp and tart, danced along her taste buds. Or perhaps, she thought, she appreciated the food more when she had to go so long without it.

  She finished her last apple, and then stretched her leg out in front of her. As she waited for Nick to finish eating, she focused on the storm again, allowing it to distract her from the pain. The gray sheet the rain cast across the horizon blurred the shapes of the rocks and trees in her sight, blending them into a muted painting that served as a fitting accompaniment to the patter of drops against the rocks. Lulled by it, she did not realize Nick had moved until she felt his hands on her leg.

  “I’ll try my best to do this without hurting you,” he said and rolled up her pant leg. “I found an ice bush. It should help with the swelling, but the salve has to be rubbed in to work and I’m afraid that won’t be pleasant at first.” Picking up the leaf, he snapped it in half. It oozed a pale yellow gel. “Are you ready?”