Books 1-3: A High Fantasy Novel, page 25
part #1 of A Talnarin Novel Boxed Series
We simply stand there, tense, staring at each other in silence. I’m not sure how much time has passed before I break the awkward silence. “Well? Where do we go from here?” I’m rather impressed with myself—my voice only wavered slightly.
A muscle ticks in Malik’s jaw. “Why didn’t you speak of your past before now?”
Is he kidding me? I put a hand on my hip before saying, “And, what? Risk you talnarins killing me?” I huff out a breath. “I wasn’t about to forfeit my life like that, not when I still haven’t gotten my revenge.”
All four talnarins look mildly offended, it would have been funny if it wasn’t so serious. “No talnarin would have you killed you at Craforian.” He says it so firmly, like I should simply accept what he says as truth.
I scoff and nearly roll my eyes. “Well, if you were standing in my shoes, what would you have thought? My only exposure to your kind was when They slaughtered my village and family. Not to mention turning me into a fucking monster. I’m sure you wouldn’t be so quick to trust any others either. I didn’t know who to trust, I still don’t.” My stare turns hard. “Shit, you made it extremely clear that if I stepped one toe out of line, you would end my pathetic and miserable excuse of a life.”
His face hardens. “Fair enough.” The silence grows again as Malik says nothing more.
“Who was He to you? You looked like you knew Him. Who—”
He cuts me off mid-sentence with an abrupt, “I don’t.”
I narrow my eyes at him suspiciously, “But—”
“I don’t. We’re heading back to Craforian come morning.” He gives me a pointed stare. “There you’re going to spend your time training. We are going to test the extent of your abilities and what else you might be capable of. But this time ...” He smirks dangerously. “You’ll be working with me.”
I huff loudly. “Do I have a choice in any of this?” Doubtful.
“No.” His smirk widens as my face darkens.
“Fine then, why didn’t you just say that from the start?” I mutter sarcastically. I don’t know when things changed, but I no longer feel like I need to sugar coat my words for fear of retribution. Somewhere along the way I simply stopped caring about the delivery of my words. Louder I say, “Well, are you going to kill me?”
The smirk is wiped from his face instantly. In seconds, his facial expression hardens and the look in his golden eyes is frightening. I can’t help the shudder that racks my body. “Not yet.”
I gulp audibly. “But you will? When? Why?”
“Nothing is certain yet. There are still too many unknowns about you, even if I did believe your story.”
“So, you’re telling me you don’t buy what I said?”
“I didn’t say that.” His stare is unreadable. “While you were ... collecting yourself, my men searched the village for any documents or data retaining to the experiments preformed here, but came up empty. What the fuck did they do to the humans here?”
I narrow my eyes. He said what did They do to humans in general, not me. Despite what he said about believing me or not, it’s evident he doesn’t. Fine. “The equipment from the manor was similar to what they used here.” Emotion chokes me. “They hooked up the wires to every part of my body. Little needles at the end of the wires stuck into my skin. Then, They attached the golden vials to the other end of the wires.” My eyes glaze over as I recall what They did. “They pushed the liquid into my body, little by little. I don’t know how long it went on for, there were no windows to show the passing of the sun. But it seemed never ending. The liquid burned everywhere it touched. My eyes, neck, legs, no place was left unscathed.” I trail off slowly.
Malik takes a few steps closer. “What was in the vials, and what did it do to those injected?”
I flinch and look down at my feet. “This golden liquid. They never told me what it was or what it did exactly.” I gulp audibly. “All I know is it mutated the others. They seemed to be rotting from the inside out. They became mindless and aggressive, nearly impossible to control.” I look back up with tears in my eyes. “I don’t know why I turned out this way and what made me so different. I don’t know why I maintained some semblance of sanity compared to the others. I don’t know why my hair, ears, and eyes changed.”
Silence reigns in the forest. Even the animals seem to be holding their breath, for not even the rustling of leaves can be heard. The wind has died off and not a trickle of air moves the fallen leaves across the forest floor.
Finally, Malik breaks the silence with a tense sigh. I watch as he rubs his hand over his face in exaggeration. “Well, at least we know more than we did prior to coming here, although it’s not much.” He looks at me with such a serious expression, it makes me tense. “Over the course of your stay at Craforian, you will be under constant watch and will be expected to answer all the questions I ask. Is this understood?”
I swallow hard and nod.
“Good. I still have my reservations about whether or not you are working with the rogues, but we will come to that soon enough.”
“What? I’ve already told you, I’m not working with those bastards,” I nearly yell. “What more do you want from me? What else can I say to convince you that I want to kill those bastards, not help them?” I fling my hands out in frustration, wishing I could pull out my hair.
“It doesn’t matter.” His expression is once more unreadable. “We will know more once we return to Craforian regardless.”
“If you don’t believe me now, how is going to Craforian going to change your mind?” I ask, exasperated.
He smirks a devilish smile that promises trouble. “Well, you are bound to mess up eventually if you’re under constant watch. It’s only a matter of time before the real you is revealed. Besides, with my charming personality, you’ll show your true colors sooner than later. I’ve been told I bring out the best in people.”
I scoff under my breath and mutter, “The worst you mean.”
The knowing tilt of his lips tells me he heard me and merely finds it amusing.
Suddenly, I blurt, “Why aren’t you asking more?”
All four talnarins freeze in place and their expressions turn cold. The fact it happens in the span of a few seconds, in perfect sync, is unnerving. My nerves surface in a flurry of activity and my palms start to sweat. Standing here under the keen eye of the talnarins is enough to make me shift uncomfortably on my feet. The oppressive silence that reigns over them and this forest sets every instinct on fire. My body screams for me to flee while my mind demands an answer. My desire for answers evidently wins out as I remain in place with my fists clenched. I don’t understand this reaction to my innocent question. It’s not as if it’s an unreasonable one to ask after all.
Besides, Malik has hardly asked me a thing about the past I had just spit out less than a few hours ago. The reason I told him about my past in the first place was not only to get it off my chest, but to convince him that I’m not working with Him. Yet, telling Malik didn’t reduce this great weight over my chest and heart. And it sure as Hellvian didn’t convince Malik I’m not working with Him. If anything, I would say Malik and his men are even more suspicious of me, for whatever reason.
To be fair, I’m not entirely certain I would believe a story as outlandish as the one I told, had I not actually experienced that place for myself. Even though it pains me to say this, I can understand where Malik and his men are coming from. But that doesn’t mean I have to like it.
Now if only this insufferable silence and tension would cease. It’s fraying my nerves.
Miraculously as I think it, Malik’s deep rumbling voice echoes through the silence. “Gather our rides, we leave now. Ready them for flight.” With a quick nod from the other three talnarins, Malik looks back to me just as my mouth drops open.
Flight? Ready them for flight? No. No way. In my panic, I blurt, “I can’t fly one of them. It’s not possible. At all. No. I’ll die.”
Malik does the last thing I expect—he laughs. I stare at him dumbfounded for a few minutes before I snap to my senses. It’s not like I haven’t heard the bloody talnarin laugh before. Granted it’s only been once or twice, but still. I cross my arms over my chest and huff out a coarse, “What?”
Malik chuckles. “You really think I’d be stupid enough to let you fly a capalt all by yourself? That’s cute.” He looks down at me condescendingly as he crosses his arms across his chest, mirroring my position. “No, you’ll be flying with me where I can keep a close eye on you.”
My mouth drops open. “What? No, I don’t want to ride with you.” I shake my head vigorously. “If I have to ride with someone, I choose anyone but you. I’ll go with Zeke.” I snap my fingers and point. “Yeah, that’s it, I’ll go with Zeke.” I look to Zeke expectantly and find a highly amused talnarin trying his best to hold back his laughter. I flip by head back to Malik and find him highly amused as well.
He rumbles out, “You’re going with me and no one else.” Malik twists his lips into a mocking smirk. “Just think, by the time we arrive at Craforian, we’re going to be such good friends.” The sarcasm drips from his words.
Face serious, I say, “I’d rather fall to my death.”
“Now you’re just being cruel.” Malik’s lips turn down at the corners now in a mocking frown. “You’ve hurt my delicate feelings.”
I scoff loudly. “Yeah, real delicate, I’m sure.”
His smirk returns.
Malik looks to Zeke, who had been watching the entire interaction with great amusement on our part. Malik sighs dramatically and flings an arm across Zeke’s shoulders.
“Alanna doesn’t believe me. I’m crushed.” Zeke gently pats Malik’s back in a show of support, all the while snickering. Luckily, I’m saved from responding at the return of the other two talnarins. The capalts trot obediently behind them, their great wings gently trailing along the forest floor. I groan, wracking my brain for a way to stall. Coming up short, I watch the beasts prepare for flight in what seems like seconds.
The capalt I had ridden here is saddled up with extra packs from the other four beasts. I assume this is to reduce the weight load during flight for the capalts carrying talnarins. It appears Malik was speaking truth about me riding with him. Great. One capalt is completely removed of all packs and storage items, and moved to mine. I assume this beast is the one Malik and I will ride. With two talnarins on its back, the extra weight from luggage is a hindrance despite the larger size of the beast, especially if Malik wishes to arrive in Craforian by early morning.
I look to the sun to read the time; it’s mid-afternoon. According to the map I read over the previous days, this village is at least a six day ride out. How fast do these capalts fly? This thought makes me sweat and I clench my fists together.
Here we go.
Chapter 2
While I was distracted with my errant thoughts, Malik had moved closer. He’s standing directly in front of me, brandishing furs. With surprising care and gentleness, he wraps them around my frame until I’m bundled tight. Before I can ask why these furs are necessary, he says, “The higher up we go, the colder it gets.” Malik doesn’t look at me. Instead, he focuses on securing the furs around me so they don’t loosen during our ride. “You will likely freeze to death before we reach Craforian without these furs. Wear them.”
I tense, bristling at the command in his voice. Still, I choose to remain silent as Malik wraps my face in cloth. The simple black cloth is stretchy, fitting my face perfectly yet still allowing me to breathe. Malik places a protective covering over my eyes; it’s almost like a pair of glasses, but fitted with fabric that attaches to my ears.
Again, just before I can ask what these are for Malik says, “The wind is especially bitter when flying. The goggles and mask will minimize discomfort.” My brows furrow in confusion. “Keep them in place and you’ll be able to see and breathe.” He glances at my face and gives me a stern look. “Take them off and well... you don’t want to find out what happens then.”
“What are goggles and a mask?”
Malik flashes me an indecipherable look. “A mask is the fabric over your face. The goggles are the eye protection.”
Without another word, he suddenly grips me under my arms and lifts me up. I gasp, my ass landing in a hard saddle and I reach for the horns of the capalt to hold on. In seconds, Malik’s warm body spans the length of my back. His body heat combined with the stifling warmth of the furs is unbearable, and I wish for nothing more than to peel those furs from my body. To make matters worse, Malik’s muscular arms reach around me, gripping the horns I currently hold. Malik’s arms surround me like a vise and I feel caged. With a gentleness I wasn’t expecting, he grips my hands and pulls them from the horns to rest in my lap.
Noticing the thin cloth covering his frame, I blurt, “Where are your furs?”
He snorts. “I don’t need them.”
I glance around his arms, noticing the other talnarins are decked out in furs like myself. My lips pull down at the corners. “The others wear them. Why don’t you need them too?” I try to twist my head around and look at Malik’s face, but only manage to press my cheek against his wide chest.
With my face pressed against him, I can feel the vibrations in Malik’s chest as he speaks. “I can regulate my body temperature with ease. Furs aren’t a necessity, though I do wear them to conserve energy.” He pauses and shifts his weight on the capalt, guiding the beast forward. “You need the furs more than I do.”
I turn my head back around, watching the forest slowly pass by as the beast falls into a steady rhythm. “So that’s your affinity? You can conserve your body heat?” A slight stiffening in the body pressed intimately against mine has me holding my breath as I wait for his reply.
“It’s a power I possess, yes, but it’s not my affinity.” Surprisingly his tone is mild, no sign of tension is present in Malik’s words.
The rest of what he said hits. “Wait, these furs are yours?” My cheeks burn, and a deep rumble escapes his chest.
“Who else did you think they belonged to?”
“I don’t know. I just assumed they were extra or something.” I reach for the furs, intending to pull them off when Malik’s hand grips mine. Once more, he gently pulls my hand and places it in my lap before gripping the horns once more.
“I don’t need them. Leave it.” I bristle at the command but consent. Fine. If he wants to freeze, let him freeze. At least I’ll be toasty. I pointedly refuse to acknowledge the small detail about him being his own furnace. It makes me feel triumphant in a weird way. Before I can say anything, Malik tightens his grip on the horns, further boxing me in. “Hold on tight.”
My hand flies to my head as his words whisper against my ear. Without warning, the capalt rushes forward, the only sound that can be heard is the thundering hooves against the solid soil. To steady myself, I grip Malik’s arms tightly, knuckles white.
My heart pounds in my ears, tandem with the sound of stomping hooves. My stomach drops off and falls to the forest floor some few paces past. My eyes stare wide as the forest rushes by us, everything a blur. The ride here was far slower and I wrongly assumed the beasts couldn’t move any faster. As my unblinking eyes stare straight ahead, I spot a clearing thirty paces away. In my gut, I know what’s coming, but that doesn’t ease the climbing panic. Soon the sky will be visible and the beast will reach for it. I pray and beg for time to slow, just so I have longer to prepare my heart for this.
As I watch, everything grinds to a halt.
It’s as if the Gods heard me and granted me my wish. I whip my head to the side, as far as I can go in Malik’s arm and see the world slow. No longer are we rushing through the trees, instead everything moves so sluggishly, almost as if it isn’t moving at all. The leaves falling from the trees float in midair, gently teetering their way to the forest floor. The thumping hooves echoes so slowly, an ominous sound in an otherwise silent forest. I whip my head to the other side and find one of the talnarins whose hair is gently flowing back in unhurried waves. It reminds me of trying to move through sludge or mud.
Only the whole forest seems to be that way now, except for me. For whatever reason, I’m moving normally while the rest of the world drops away.
It feels like a dream slowly becoming a nightmare. The thought of being stuck in a place as slow as this is enough to slowly drive someone insane. It’s like waiting for snow to fall in the dead of summer. You know it’s a long way off, but you crave the white powder if only to help ease the blistering heat.
A gasp escapes me and I squeeze my eyes closed, fighting the sudden nausea. My head spins, and stars dance in the blackness of my closed eyes. Feeling the world right itself so suddenly leaves me in a cold sweat.
The beasts thunder their way into the clearing that’s looming closer. I count my breaths, waiting for the feelings to subside, before braving to open my eyes once more. I take a cursory glance around and sure enough, everything appears to be back to normal. Perhaps I imagined the entire thing? Was it really a dream? If it was a dream, why are we still charging forward to the clearing in nearly the exact place as before time slowed?
Another look around shows I am the only one who noticed the change. Or, perhaps I am the only one not accustomed to that sensation.
A small squeal escapes me as the beast slams his front hooves forward and jumps high. Before I slam back into Malik, his arm wraps around my waist and pulls me tight against his chest. His arm secures me like a band of steel. A loud rush of air drowns out all sound. Two beats of leathery wings push us past the tree line and into the sky.
Once we level out, I release my death grip on Malik and expel my breath in a slow shuddering exhale. Now free, his hand returns to the horns and I awkwardly shift away from his body. Shaking my head, I brave a look down and jolt. I’ve never seen the tops of dol trees like this, or the forest from this height. It’s like a whole new world viewing it from way up here.
