The Marked Son (Keepers of Life) (27 page)

His gaze slides to his grandfather. “You raised me to do the right thing, even if it means I might get hurt.”

Pop’s eyes grow misty, and he shakes his head, fighting the words his grandson is throwing at him.

Leo leans forward, the intensity on his face a scary thing. “You’re right, Pop. This isn’t a movie. It’s reality, and I have to do what’s right. I can’t leave. Not after what they did back home.”

“You want revenge? I’ve been down that road,” he whispers back just as heatedly. “The rules here are different. They don’t understand mercy.”

“Good,” Leo snaps, “’cause right now, neither do I.”

Defeated, Pop shakes his head and walks away.

Latching onto the energy pouring off of Leo, Jason smiles wickedly. He grabs Leo’s shoulders and gives them a hard shake. “I never knew you had it in you. That’s the way to do it. Storm the castle and be damned the consequences. No guts, no glory. Fight to win, or don’t fight at all.” The clichés keep pouring out of him. He turns to me, his eyes glittering with excitement. “I’m with you to the end. We’ll destroy them.”

I’ve never experienced such fierce loyalty. It’s humbling, but scary. “All I want is Kera. We can go after Navar later.”

“Now or never,” Bodog says. “Destroy him now, for when he takes the throne, he will be invincible.”

That sounds ominous. “How invincible?”

“He will be infused with power above all others.”

No wonder Navar is so desperate for his butt to warm that throne.

Jason whistles. “Knowing all the crazy stuff Dylan can do, I’d say letting this Navar guy live isn’t in our favor.”

“And how are you going to kill him?” Pop’s voice rises from his post in the shadows. “Unless you boys have been leading a double life, none of you have ever seen a man die, and you sure as hell haven’t killed anyone.”

I have.

Time’s trickling through my fingers. I want all this to be over. “I’ll do it.”

“You can’t rescue Kera
and
kill Navar.” Leo puts his hands on top of his head and paces. “I saw this show about how war is similar to a game of chess. You need to see what your opponent is working with, where his men are, and then take them down one move at a time.”

Jason nods his head enthusiastically. “That sounds good.”

Bodog thumps the table. “Scout out the enemy. Find Kera and Navar.”

Leo brightens. “Right. And then we come up with a plan.”

They all stare at me, eager for my approval. Even I can see this is a complete crap shoot, but it’s a bet I’m willing to take. “Let’s do it.”

We gather our weapons and head out. Pop rushes forward, grabs Leo, and holds him tight. “Don’t go.”

I stand outside the threshold, unsure if I should stay or leave. I’m not completely out of sight, though far enough away to suggest privacy.

Leo struggles out of Pop’s desperate embrace. “I have to. I can’t not help. I’m not like you.”

Pop nods, his body sagging with inevitability. “Then I’ll go.”

“No.” Leo backs away, his hand warding Pop off. “I’m sorry, Pop. You’re a weak link. We can’t take that risk.”

Wounded, Pop’s features crumple, digging the lines of age deeper. He steps back, shoulders as straight and as rigid as rebar in concrete. He clears his throat, his Adam’s apple rising, then plummeting, once, twice. His eyes are hot, his voice scratchy. “Be safe. All of you.”

Leo nods and backs away. “We’ll be back. Keep out of sight.” When he closes the door, he gives me a quick don’t-press-me glance. “He’s staying.” Without any more explanation, he takes off after Jason and Bodog. I fall in behind him.

We quickly catch up to the others, and I let Bodog take the lead, my mind fogged with worry. The risk we’re all about to take deepens my footsteps. I agree with Pop. The air is thick with the scent of impending death.

And if one of us dies, it’ll be my fault.

Heartache

Dylan was dead.

Kera tried to banish the thought, but it hammered into her, drowning her will, dulling her brain. She did whatever Faldon asked. No complaint. No joy.

Dead. Dead. Dead. She stared out over the crowd, a lifeless shell. No one seemed to notice. They thought she was honored, her demeanor somber because of the occasion.

She wanted to scream her pain. Curse at Dylan for leaving her. She bit her lips raw, tasting blood. Knowing regret.

She should have never found him.

The singing grew louder. The crowd’s happy faces turned to her. Watched her. Yet the one she loved was dead, and no one could see how her soul was shriveling. Faldon had drilled into her the need to hide her emotions. She hadn’t realized how well she’d learned the lesson until now.

The gryphon pranced beneath her, the only one cognizant of her sorrow. A commiserating whirl rumbled in its throat.

Kera clutched the pommel, feeling the roll and clip of the animal’s gait, knowing each step brought her that much closer to everlasting misery.

Waiting in the Dark

Torches smoke and flare, breaking up the darkness in small pools of light that join to make a wider circle. The moon, an eerie blue-ish black, hangs low and lonely in the sky. Its dimness would normally be to our advantage, but not here. Not even the deepest shadows of night are dark enough to hide strangers from the
firsts
. If anyone turns around, we’ll be seen.

We creep forward. Surely, they can hear us? Every time I shift, the leaves crunch under my hands and knees. I drop to my belly along with everyone else and wait. Nothing happens. The crowd congregating in the meadow outside the village only sways back and forth to the mournful chanting coming from a woman standing beside Kera. It’s like the earth in this spot has fallen asleep. Even I feel the song slip under my skin and lull my mind.

I shake off the strange sensation and lock my eyes onto Kera. The light from the fire paints her simple, white gown a soft yellow. Her dark hair hangs loose down her back, anchored at the top by a crown of fresh flowers. She looks innocent and pure and…dead. I force myself not to rush forward and challenge them all.

The crowd shifts, and a large beast swivels its head in our direction, its eyes seeming to pierce through the underbrush. The head is that of an eagle, the body of an overgrown lion with wings. A gryphon—a mythological beast said to be able to disembowel a man with one snap of its beak.

Fantastic.

My breathing grows shallower until I’m nearly hyperventilating in my effort to remain still. Bodog grasps my forearm and casts me a hard look that says, “control yourself.” I close my eyes and regulate my breathing. I need to refocus on what we’re here to do.

Opening my eyes, I nod, the motion small, but firm. The beast stares for a few seconds longer, flexes its wings, and then turns its head away. I can feel Leo’s sigh. I can smell Jason’s awe. Whatever that thing is here to do, I hope it stays clear of us.

Bodog’s touch keeps me grounded, and as soon as it’s gone, my attention snaps back to Kera. I take note of how many people there are, and if anyone is armed. I crawl forward and dig my fingers into the earth, grasping at the power I’ve come to expect. I try to send a silent message to her, to tell her I’m here. It’s like clawing through ice. Something cold and dark blocks my efforts. I try harder, concentrating on her face. No emotion flickers in her eyes. No recognition that she can even feel me.

I know that look.

She believes I’ve abandoned her.

The chant flows easily as the woman helps Kera step into a basin filled with shimmering powder. Taking up an ornate cup, she pours the powder over Kera’s feet and ankles, casting up a cloud of gold. The woman walks in a circle, tossing the finely ground gold in higher and higher arches until the billowing cloud engulfs Kera. When the dust settles, every inch of her sparkles. Amid the growing hum, like the drone of bees calling the stragglers back to the hive, a single tear slips down Kera’s cheek, cutting a pale track through the golden dust.

From a patch of shadow, a man approaches. Faldon. He cups the side of her face and whispers something before taking her hand.

The woman affixes a densely jeweled cloak around Kera’s shoulders. Its heaviness engulfs her like a constrictor would its prey. The woman smiles at Kera as if what’s happening is a good thing, an honor.

The crowd parts for Faldon, who escorts Kera to the gryphon. The hem of her cloak drags behind her like a warning of the unhappiness to come.

With care, Kera sits sideways on an elaborate saddle affixed between the creature’s wings. Faldon squeezes Kera’s hand before he lets go and leads her strange mount forward. As she passes through the crowd, people fall in behind her. A drum and lute sound, and everyone begins to sing. Soon the clearing is empty. Whatever strange spell they used to block my magic from reaching Kera lifts. The energy I sought earlier springs to life beneath my fingertips. I can feel Kera’s heart breaking, smell the deep, molasses scent of her sorrow.

Jason sits, his gun cradled on his lap, and grunts. “What kind of ceremony is this? Human sacrifice?”

“They covered her in gold,” Leo says on an awed whisper. “Like some virgin goddess.”

I don’t want to think about the symbolism behind the ceremony, but it buzzes along the edges of my brain anyway. I can’t fail her. “Where’re they going?” I ask Bodog.

“To the lake. She must be purified.”

“Oh, man,” Jason says, “that totally sounds like a human sacrifice I saw in a movie once.”

“Shut up,” Leo and I say.

My fist balls around a clump of dirt, and I fling it into the now-empty clearing, feeling the weight of defeat press down on me. “How are we going to get her with all those people around? And a gryphon! How do you fight that? It’s impossible.”

A swift kick thumps my thigh. Bodog’s face writhes between disgust and disappointment. Apparently, my sudden slump into self-doubt irritates him. “Not much time. We must beat them to the lake.”

Does he mean what I think he means? “You’ve got a plan?”

He flashes me a rare smile. Good thing it’s rare—that toothy, uneven crack along the lower half of his face isn’t a pretty sight. But it’s a welcome one. It pokes at my doubt, yanking me out of my self-pity with its snaggle-toothed jab. Without another word, he dashes into the trees.

Jason gives a soft whoop. “Cool! We’ve got a plan.”

“Um, guys,” Leo says, staring down the path Bodog took, “he’s getting away.”

I look to where Bodog went. “For a little guy, he sure is fast.”

“Damn rabbit,” Jason grumbles.

Time has a way of sneaking up on a person, or sometimes holding still. I hope for the latter. Navar and his men swarm the woods, clogging up the bulk of the paths. We barely make it to the lake undetected and ahead of the crowd when Bodog waves us quiet. We slow our steps and sneak to the edge of a huge lake. Its waters are smooth and deep, but on closer inspection, an unwelcome shiver slides under my skin. The lake pulses with energy. It has the power to destroy me, to take the one person I love above everyone else, and prepare her for another. For all its peaceful reflection, it holds the beginning to my end.

Our part of the lake sits farther down the shore than where Bodog says the procession will end, hidden by an outcrop of stiff reeds and tall brush. We have precious little time to get into position. Before we break apart, we do a quick weapons check. Leo gives me a thumbs up with one hand and holds his slingshot with the other. Bodog pats his ax. Jason inspects his gun, then nudges me. “I’m good. You?”

If no one messes with the lake or deadens its power, I’ll be fine, but I don’t like the glimmer skittering around in Jason’s eyes. He’s taken on a Rambo persona. I can see why he’s the number one wrestler in the state of Oregon—he’s got intimidation down to an art form. His hands grip the gun steadily enough, but there’s a restlessness, like a gunslinger counting down to noon, that makes me pause.

“No shooting unless there’s trouble,” I remind everyone. “This is a sneak attack. Agreed?”

Leo and Bodog immediately nod. Only Jason continues to sight down his barrel.

“Jason?”

Tension makes the planes of his face stand out in harsh lines and deep hollows. He looks away. “Yeah, got it. Shoot when trouble shows.”

I don’t like the way he’s twisting my words, but there isn’t time to spare. As Jason ducks behind a tree and Leo and Bodog find cover nearby, I slip into the warm water of the lake, a hollow reed in hand. The plan is simple, but risky. My timing has to be perfect.

From my hiding place near shore, I see the glow of torchlight breaking through the tree line, then the procession. The crowd stops. Faldon helps Kera dismount, and they move onto a natural beachhead that juts into the water. The pebbles shift under their feet, and Kera’s grip tightens on Faldon. He pats her hand and moves behind her. Unlatching the cloak, he pulls it from her shoulders and steps back.

I not only
see
her misery, our connection lets me
feel
it. I try to break through to her, but I can’t. Despair has taken root, wrapping itself tightly around Kera. With each breath she takes, it strangles her inner light, weakening it. Isn’t Faldon alarmed? Do none of them see what they’re doing to her?

A hum rises from the crowd, and a flute spins a haunting tune that’s far from comforting. Kera takes a step forward, her hands lifting her skirts in order to walk more easily. Even I can see them shake.

The lake laps against her toes. She slowly moves forward, water inching up her legs and rippling away from her body in ever-widening circles. When the water reaches her waist, I put the reed in my mouth and dive. I’m surprised when, after a moment of darkness, my eyes adjust, and I can see almost as clearly underwater as I can in the night. With long strokes, I plow forward. I see her shoulders dip, see her take a deep breath. When she submerges her whole body beneath the water, I grab her wrist, startling her eyes open. I quickly command the gold dust to gather into an outline of her body and float toward a large grouping of lily pads a few yards away. With the reed in her mouth, we swim in the opposite direction as fast as we can. In no time, we reach the thickly growing brush.

I help Kera out of the water amid the rumbles of apprehension slowly filtering through the crowd. The rumbles turn to alarm, and Faldon wades into the water, searching. Someone points to the golden outline near the lily pads and several of them jump in. The gryphon takes flight. Soon they’ll know Kera’s gone.

Leo begins to melt into the forest, his attention on Bodog’s retreating form. “Come on,” he rasps, his deep voice cracking with tension. “They won’t be searching the lake for long.”

Kera turns in my arms and kisses me, the scent of molasses quickly fading. “You’re here, you’re really here.”

Holding her calms the raging obsession that brought me to her. “I told you I’d be back.”

“They said you were dead.”

I take her face between my hands. “They’re idiots. I’ll never leave you. Ever.”

Jason pops out from behind a tree, his gun still trained on the
firsts
. “Gee, this is real sweet and all, but we gotta go.”

He’s right. I take Kera’s hand and pull her after me. The weight of her fingers in mine calms my heart. She’s mine. We’re together. Nothing can stop us now.

We follow Bodog’s lead down a faded path, our steps heavier on the debris than I like. Kera follows me closely, her whispered voice a constant in my ear. “It’s not what I wanted. You understand, don’t you?” Her words hang on a breath laced with fear. “I was given no choice in the matter. I told my father about us. Then you left, and Faldon said one of Navar’s beasts had—”

Her voice cracks, and she grows silent.

“Why did you doubt me?” My hand stiffens within hers. “I told you I’d be back. You asked me to believe in you. I did. Why didn’t you believe in me?”

Her breathing grows ragged. There’s a feverish intensity to her gaze. A plea for understanding fills her voice. “Didn’t you hear me? When you didn’t return, Faldon told me you were dead.”

“Faldon,” I say on a sneer, remembering the ceremony and his hand in it. “I see where his loyalty lies.”

“With me. He believes if I join Navar, I can help our people in some small way. You can’t fault him for that.”

“Yes, I can. He’s using you. They all are.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I see Bodog push through the overgrown path. “Time is precious.”

Just then, a sound like a fire cracker rips through the night. My hand tightens on Kera’s arm, and I instinctively hunch down, pulling her with me.

“What was that?” Kera asks.

My stomach twists and grows heavy with dread. I know exactly what that sound is.

And I know exactly who’s to blame.

Jason had volunteered to bring up the rear. Because my attention was fully on Kera, I hadn’t noticed how far back he lagged. I push Kera at Bodog. “Catch up to Leo and take them to the wall.”

Leaving Kera struggling against Bodog’s big hands and his insistent urgings to move, I run toward the sound of the gunfire. When I draw near, I see Jason pop up from behind a bush and fire at the men who’ve left the lakeside to search for Kera.

The bullet spins a man to the ground, and in the next instant, I’m staring down the hot end of Jason’s rifle. He has fever eyes. He sees me, but not
me
. Before he can do anything, a tree branch snakes down and snags him around the waist.