“It’s been a while since I’ve done anything like this,” Ben said from his seat behind them. “The dampeners are pretty good.”

  Pretty good? Did he mean it would be rougher than this? She’d keep that in mind. It could be worse.

  The ship came out from under the clouds, traveling across ink-dark sea. The coast came into view—jagged islands, black shapes rising up from the ocean. Waves surged up cliffs, reaching toward the ship. The rainforest loomed beyond the cliffs, thick and impenetrable. Their landing site was somewhere in that wilderness.

  The ship slowed. Dru had shown her and Ben the rocky outcrop where Javelin would land. It stood out like an old man’s pate surrounded by trees.

  Kit exhaled, willing her pulse to stop pounding. They were in. No one had seen them.

  At least, she hoped.

  Dru rose from the pilot’s seat. “Okay, weapons check. Pistols on stun, fully charged?”

  Kit pulled out her pistol. She’d proved to be a pretty good shot but using it to hurt somebody? She pushed the thought away and checked the settings and power. “Check.”

  “Everybody out.”

  Kit followed him and Ben out into cool darkness. Stars shone in the gaps between drifting cloud and a breeze ruffled her hair.

  “This way,” Dru whispered.

  Kit followed him, picking her way carefully, wishing she could have turned on a torch. The infrared goggles Dru had given her were good, but she yearned for the visible spectrum. Her foot slipped on a pebble and she tensed, recovering her balance. She put out her hand and Dru caught it.

  “Steady,” he said.

  She grimaced. There she was again, needing his help. She shook him off. “I’ll be fine.”

  She took care, picking her footing and testing her balance. In a few moments the tops of the trees rose around her and the breeze disappeared. The thrum of an engine startled her and she cringed back until she realized it was Javelin taking off.

  She’d reached a small clearing, nothing more than a ledge fending the trees away from the rock. The shimmering infrared figures of Ben and Dru appeared.

  “Are you okay?” Dru asked.

  “Fine.” She hoped he believed her.

  Ben gazed around. “Ziaarn should be here very soon. We’re a little bit early.”

  They stood in silence, almost becoming part of the forest. The clouds had thickened, obscuring the stars. Small noises became loud. The furtive rustle of grass, a glimpse of a small creature scampering up a tree, the rhythmic drip of water from sodden branches.

  Ben checked the time. “She’s late.” He sounded concerned.

  If he was concerned, so was she. What could have happened? Maybe Ziaarn had been followed and stopped. Kit stared at Dru. He returned the hint of a smile and squeezed her hand.

  And then a glow appeared nearby, two bright red spots surrounded by red mist. Kit jerked to attention. “What—”

  Ben raised his hand. “Relax. It’s Ziaarn.”

  The tall Yrmak walked toward them. Ben had taken off his goggles and Kit followed suit.

  She wore the everyday uniform of a warrior and carried a military weapon. “I am late. I am sorry. We must move. Follow me quickly.”

  “Ben, you go first, then Kit, then me.” She noticed he and Ben both had their pistols in their hands and hurriedly drew hers.

  Ben followed Ziaarn, scrambling down onto a path of sorts winding between the trunks of the trees. The forest pressed in, damp and dense. Leaf litter covering the track deadened their footfalls but the slick surface caused Kit’s foot to slip several times. More than once she had to push a branch aside. Ahead, Ben moved in equally careful steps, his outline flickering in infrared. She glanced over her shoulder to check that Dru followed behind.

  A sound broke the hush—boots on wet ground. Kit stilled, fingers tightening around the butt of her pistol. Yrmak voices drifted through the trees, low and guttural. A brief burst of light cut through the dark as one of them adjusted a scanner. The beam swept wide, raking over ferns and slick trunks. They were close. Too close. Kit eased herself down, pressing against the buttress roots of a giant tree.

  Ben’s outline showed him crouched off the track. Dru wasn’t far away, a bright red figure a few meters behind her. Kit hoped the Yrmaks didn’t have infrared technology. Ziaarn was nowhere to be seen. That was a worry. Where was she? What was she doing?

  Voices spoke, too fast and too guttural for Kit to understand. The light vanished. Footsteps shifted, then faded as the Yrmaks moved on. Kit waited, counting heartbeats, until even the forest seemed to exhale.

  Ben shifted first, lifting his arm, fist closed. All clear. Kit nodded and rose, reaching for the water bottle at her waist. Her mouth felt like a desert. Ziaarn appeared from wherever she had been and gestured to them. They pressed on, deeper into the oppressive dark. The trees crowded her, branches brushing her arms as if they were alive. More than once she stumbled on a root or a rock or slithered on the damp undergrowth. Her legs ached. She had no idea how far they’d travelled or how much time had passed but she knew she needed to rest.

  Ziaarn had stopped, waiting until they had caught up with her. They stood at the edge of a gully. The feel of breeze on her skin brightened Kit after the claustrophobia of the trees. Water gurgled nearby.

  “Not far now,” Ziaarn said. “We must cross a creek. Take care and keep off the rocks. They are very slippery.”

  The water was cold enough to snatch Kit’s breath away. What a great adventure. I’m tired, aching, and my toes are about to freeze off. She brushed the thoughts away. Had she expected finding an ancient ruin was going to be comfortable? No, she hadn’t. But first she could use some food. And rest.

  They paused on the opposite bank.

  “That patrol we encountered, are they going to be around?” Dru asked Ziaarn

  She shook her head. “I don’t think so. They must have heard the noise of your landing.”

  “But you got to us first?”

  “They were patrolling toward the ruin. They had further to go.” Her eye ridges reddened. “You still do not trust me.”

  Dru snorted. “No. Sorry.”

  Ben stepped forward. “What did they say, Ziaarn?”

  The tension drained a little. “They were complaining about having to turn out down here at this time of night. And all for nothing. The leader was not happy with the underling who was sure he’d heard an engine.”

  Dru chuckled. “Sounds about right. Still, that’s good.” He contacted Astra, a brief exchange to indicate both of them were where they were supposed to be.

  “This way,” Ziaarn said, pointing upstream along the creek.

  They worked their way along the bank, stepping over fallen logs and rocks. Even so, it was preferable to the oppressive darkness of the trees. Once, the red form of a beast bounced away from the water’s edge. Kit wondered what it was.

  Ziaarn beckoned, turned, and led them into the forest toward a hillside where she pulled aside a curtain of brush. Kit walked past the Yrmak into a cave softly lit by lanterns.

  Limestone walls had been smoothed by water and time into flowing contours that shimmered in the soft lantern light. Stalactites hung from the ceiling, their surfaces glistening faintly with moisture. The air smelled of damp earth and minerals. A pool on one side of the cavern reflected the glow of the lanterns in shifting patterns. Beyond the immediate light, the cave stretched into shadows, its deeper recesses invisible. There was no furniture, no signs of long-term habitation, only a few simple mats laid near the walls, a table, and a stack of supplies tucked neatly in one corner.

  “Wow,” Dru said, turning around in a circle. “Nice place. Are you the only one who knows about it?”

  Ziaarn rumbled the Yrmak equivalent of a laugh. “It is known but it has been forgotten. The creek has changed its course. And it hardly matters. We will stay here until sunrise, then go to the mountains.” She waved a hand at the table. “I have found food for you. Eat and then rest.”

  Kit’s stomach rumbled at the mention of food.

  “The food’s safe for Humans,” Ben said. “There’s fruit and cheese and bread.”

  The older man sounded tired. In fact, now she had time to look, he was exhausted. He leaned against the wall, his shoulders sagging, his eyes closed.

  Ziaarn sat on a rock near the cave’s wall. “I collected the food from the market you visited.”

  Kit picked up a slice of a dark, slightly spongy substance and sniffed it. It smelled slightly nutty.

  Ben had already picked up a piece, placed a piece of cheese onto it, and taken a bite. “Try it. You’ll like it.”

  He was right.

  The dark bread contrasted with the tang of the soft cheese. Kit noticed Dru tucking in. He clearly liked it, too. He washed it down with water provided in a jug.

  Kit sat on the ground beside Dru and stretched out. A few hours’ sleep sounded like a good idea.

  THE CAVE DRIPPED. DRU could believe the creek had run through here at some stage. If they were in a city, he would have called a plumber to fix the tap but here, he’d just have to put up with it. Kit stirred in her sleep, finding a more comfortable position. Further away, Ben snored gently. Dru checked his comm. He’d had several hours’ sleep. He doubted if he’d drop off again. He looked for Ziaarn and found her lying on the opposite side of the cavern.

  He still didn’t trust her. Not entirely. But he had to admit she’d done nothing to betray their trust so far, apart from being a bit late. Could it be a setup, though? Would she betray them later? But then, why should she? What was in it for her? Or for Ben when it came to that. It was easier to think of a motive for Ben. Find a treasure, cash it in, get off this rock. But somehow, it didn’t feel right.

  Movement and subtle sounds caught his attention. Across the cave the Yrmak rose to her feet, a deeper shadow in the darkness. He tensed. What now? But she moved to the pool, crouched, scooped up water and drank. She was awake. And if she had anything underhand in mind, he could nip it in the bud.

  Using all his marine-trained skills he padded over to her. Even so, she heard him, standing and turning to face him. Her eyes glowed yellow.

  “Where to from here?” he asked her.

  “The ruined village.”

  “And the patrols?”

  She crouched and drew lines and circles on the sandy floor. “The ruin is here, on the mountain. The patrols walk the perimeter every smyta. It will not be difficult to avoid them.”

  A smyta, he knew, was the equivalent of one and a half standard hours.

  “Every smyta, a regular time?”

  A hint of fang showed between her lips. “They have become...careless. At first the patrols went out at different times, not a pattern. But now, nothing has happened.”

  He nodded. He’d seen it many times. Complacency. Slackness. He’d had one command where he dealt with it fast. They’d learned to be ready at any time.

  “Do they enter the ruins?”

  “No.” She crossed and uncrossed her arms in a scissor motion. “They believe that demons live there, the ghosts of those who died. They are ordinary warriors who fear for their souls.”

  “What about the temple? Will that be full of demons?”

  She shook her head, pausing for a moment as if to collect her thoughts. “In our mythology it is possible, perhaps certain. But I do not believe it.”

  A hint of fear, a lot of resolve.

  Kit rolled over and sat up, rubbing her face. “What time is it?”

  “After dawn.” Dru went over to wake Ben.

  “Get some food,” Ziaarn said. “We should leave this place.”

  After they’d eaten Ziaarn directed them to the supplies stacked neatly against the wall. “I have brought climbing equipment, extra weapons, extra food.”

  Dru checked what she had provided, all sensible items that he might have recommended himself. Climbing gear, hard rations, good knives. She’d certainly been thorough. He stowed the gear into his pack and helped Kit. Ben had already collected what he needed.

  That done, they headed out of the cave, following Ziaarn between the trees away from the creek. The rainforest closed in around them, dense with twisted vines and thick undergrowth that swallowed sound and light. Dru kept his steps light, but every so often his boot caught on a hidden root or sank into the spongy earth. The tracks Ziaarn followed were little more than faint impressions in the loam, obscured by fallen leaves and creeping ferns. It felt less like a path and more like a memory of one. The canopy overhead pressed low, filtering the sunlight into a dim green haze. Branches clawed at his arms as he pushed through them. There wasn’t much animal life, just the occasional flutter of something in the trees, or a rustle on the ground.

  Dru kept Ziaarn in sight, watching the way she moved—sure-footed, never hesitating, as if she knew exactly where she was going. Maybe she did. Maybe she wasn’t leading them into an ambush. But he wasn’t ready to bet his life on that.

  The further they went, the harder it became to tell direction. The trees pressed in on all sides, identical trunks stretching skyward, their moss-draped limbs swallowing any sign of the mountains beyond. Only the occasional glimpse of the sun, fractured through the canopy, gave any hint of their heading.

  They’d been walking for over an hour when a flicker of movement ahead made him stiffen. Ziaarn raised a hand, pressing down urgently. She crouched, disappearing from sight. Something must be wrong. Dru signaled to Ben and Kit. Get down. Hide. Crouching in the undergrowth he drew his pistol and reached out with his senses. Footsteps, deadened by the ground but occasionally audible. The first Yrmak passed by, clearly a warrior cradling a weapon but showing no spatial awareness. Sloppy. He wished he knew how many there would be. And if Kit was safe. He dared not look for her. Another warrior appeared, gazing around him. Then a third. The fourth was a couple of steps past Dru when he stopped and called to his colleagues, a sharp, one word command. His stance altering, he raised his weapon, tracking across the ground where Dru and the others were hidden.

  Dru silently shifted position. If he had to fire it would be a head shot.

  The other warriors had come back. They had a brief conversation, staring into the forest before the leader gave an order and they carried on.

  Dru exhaled slowly. That was close.

  Ziaarn reappeared and beckoned but Dru covered the space between them in a few strides. “I thought you said there wouldn’t be a patrol,” he hissed.

  Her yellow eyes glittered. “The leader is new. Higher ranking. We must be careful.”

  Rats. He’d bet it was a new commander intent on slapping his or her troops into shape. Just what they needed.

  “What’s the plan?” Ben asked. “Can we trust they won’t come back?”

  “I do not think so. Aestra may have sent warriors to look for me.”

  Gee and why wasn’t that nugget mentioned before? “Can we find another way that they won’t think of?” Dru asked.

  “We can go up and come down from the mountains above the ruins. They do not patrol there.”

  “Really? Why is that?”

  “It is difficult terrain. Perhaps they don’t think anyone would approach from the mountains.”

  “Tell me again, these patrols are here to keep people out?”

  “Yes. Youths can be foolish, defying a ban. And if they return to a village infected with some strange disease, that is dangerous for everyone.”

  He supposed it made sense. The same thing would happen in Human society, some young blood taking on a dare. But something niggled, didn’t feel right. He scratched his ear. He didn’t like this.

  Ben put a hand on his shoulder. “Mate, the Yrmaks won’t go into the ruins. The best thing to do is get there as quickly as we can. I’m happy to follow Ziaarn.”

  Dru exchanged a look with Kit. She was, too.

  “Okay. Let’s do it.”

  They backtracked, stepping carefully to avoid snapping twigs or disturbing the undergrowth. The rainforest felt even closer, the air thick with the scent of damp earth and moldering leaves. Ziaarn moved like a shadow, her steps precise and silent, but Dru wasn’t fooled into thinking she wasn’t tense. The patrol’s altered route had surprised her. That made him uneasy.

  They climbed steadily, the terrain growing steeper with each step. The faint trail they’d followed vanished beneath thick ferns and tangled roots, forcing them to navigate through dense foliage. The ground was slick, the ever-present moisture turning the soil into mud.

  Ben was having trouble keeping up, grunting as he pulled himself up a ledge, his breathing ragged. “I’d ask if you’re sure about this route,” he muttered, “but I’m guessing we don’t have a choice.”

  Ziaarn didn’t answer. She only glanced back once, her yellow eyes unreadable, before continuing upward.

  Dru wiped sweat from his brow and focused on his footing. The higher they climbed, the more treacherous the terrain became. The trees appeared to thin. Between the trunks he caught a glimpse of a mist-filled valley. They were walking along a ledge. He didn’t mind heights but a fall here would be messy.

  Ziaarn stopped. “Here we must go down.”

  Kit edged up beside Dru, peering down. “Well,” she muttered, “this just keeps getting better.”

  It looked as though sometime in the past the mountain had given way, creating a landslide long since covered by the forest. At the base of the steep, rocky slope the round bulk of the ruined temple was still discernible, although half-swallowed by the jungle. The slanting afternoon light turned the broken remains of the central dome gold, but shadows pooled in the cracks, in the hollowed doorways, in the places where roots had pried stone apart. The jungle pressed close, branches trailing over stone, vines spilling over walls.

  Ziaarn had put on her climbing harness and now secured her line to a sturdy outcrop of rock. “We descend here.”

  “You knew about this route.” It wasn’t a question.

  She didn’t look at him as she tested the line. “I have been here before. But only to look.”

  Great. Dru clenched his jaw but said nothing. He didn’t trust her, but right now, she was their best chance of getting through this alive.

 

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