Elemental Trial, page 11
“Riley.”
“Yeah?”
“Are you hyperventilating? I know I’m hot but that’s a bit of an extreme reaction, isn’t it?”
I elbowed him again.
Morning was a far more somber affair.
I woke relatively refreshed and warm to find myself wrapped in Jasper’s blanket. He came in from outside as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. Morning sunlight streamed in behind him, framing him like some obnoxiously handsome angel.
“You look stunning,” he said as I wiped some dried drool from the corner of my mouth. I merely grunted as I retied my frizzy hair, not bothering to comment on his appearance. Because of course he looked perfect. That had to be another of the vampire’s unspoken powers: stupidly good looks, even when it made absolutely no sense.
“I’ll be outside when you’re ready,” Jasper said.
I tucked the last strand of hair away. My eyes fell on Rasesh’s body. “We need to do one more thing before we go.”
We found a plot of soft dirt in the center of a grove of trees just outside town. It took close to a half hour with flat stones and strong pieces of wood, but soon we had a hole deep and long enough to lower Rasesh into it and cover him again. I stacked stones atop it and knelt there for a moment after we were finished.
“You couldn’t have done anything more,” Jasper said.
“I should have expected Lukas to do something like that,” I said, hands curling to fists. “If I’d have been stronger—”
“You are stronger. You’re one of the strongest people I know. But even strong people can’t stop every bad thing from happening.”
I clenched my fists so tight they shook, then released them with a breath. I placed the final rock atop the pile and pushed myself up to standing.
Lukas would pay. Not just for this, but for the dozens of other people he’d hurt, even before I’d become an Outcast. I’d win this trial and steal the throne he thought he owned. I’d take away any chance he believed he had of lording over us and wreck him until he was nothing but a bad memory.
“Let’s go,” I said.
Jasper caught my arm and jerked his head back to the grave. “Look.”
Small green buds had sprouted from the dark earth. They grew like a time-lapse nature documentary until fully grown chrysanthemums covered the plot. I didn’t know whether that was the Dying Lands giving Rasesh one last goodbye, or something that happened with all the Horde, but I felt a bit lighter as Jasper and I started off again.
“What’s your plan?” I asked Jasper after an hour of walking in relative silence. We’d long left the dead town behind and found ourselves along a marshy cove on the shore of an inlet. The smell of saltwater and cool air helped clear any lingering grogginess. My muscles felt lighter. I’d stopped trying to guess where we were or what part of the mundane world we’d pop out of next.
“Just to push ahead,” Jasper said. “Make up for lost time and try to find the next shard, I guess. Whatever I have to do to keep Valencia off my back. I’m glad you told Lucinda to be on guard, but I don’t want to give Valencia any reason to try hurting the Outcasts. I’m not sure how to find the first one though, if earning one is as ambiguous as you said.”
I’d told him about receiving the shard of compassion following Rasesh’s death, and Jasper had merely given a tight, annoyed nod. It was frustrating, I got that. I also understood the trial’s desire to give out shards only for events it deemed worthy, but that still left a lot of guesswork on what to do next. Were we just supposed to walk through the Dying Lands, performing good deeds until we collected all four we needed? That seemed too simple. If I’d wanted the experience of earning merit badges, I would have joined girl scouts.
“You’re suggesting we split up,” I said, hating the words even as they left my mouth.
Jasper worried his bottom lip with the tip of one fang before answering. “Yes. Just like the Outcasts are following you, I’m sure Valencia sent someone to keep an eye on me. The more we’re together, the greater chance the Deathless might think I’m helping you. That means trouble. But I still hate…”
He hated to leave me practically alone with Lukas on the prowl. I understood.
“I’ll be fine,” I assured him. “He caught me off guard once. It won’t happen again.” I hoped.
I pulled my shoe from where it’d started to sink into one of the squishy parts of the marsh. The trail we were on curled away from the water and cut deeper onto more solid ground. I perked up as I heard noises that weren’t a bird or our squelching feet.
“Wait.”
I held up a hand and Jasper stopped. He nodded a moment later as his vampiric hearing picked it up, too. “Voices. Not too far ahead.”
“Should we go around?”
He listened a little longer before giving a slow shake of his head. “I don’t think they’re the Horde or Deathless.”
“Then what else could they…” I trailed off as I realized exactly who else they could be. I sighed. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”
Three people mingled in a clearing just ahead. The trail split behind them, the left fork no doubt leading back to the mundane world. My guess had been right, their uniforms matched the people who’d been with my mom and dad. The Elemental Order.
“Are you sure you can trust them?” Jasper said as we crouched outside the clearing, watching them.
“They’re with my parents,” I said. “They want me on the throne, not dead. As far as allies, they’re the best we’re going to get right now.”
That didn’t appear to convince Jasper. I wasn’t convinced, but the people were standing right in the middle of where we needed to go, and if they were lingering here then it was probably for a reason that involved me.
Jasper and I stepped into the clearing. It took a moment for the first of the group to spot us, a guy with spiked blonde hair and a seashell necklace I was sure was against Order dress code. “’Bout time! You’re slower than we thought.”
Spikey narrowed his eyes on Jasper. “Is this guy your friend or…”
The other members slowly reached behind their backs for what were undoubtedly weapons. Jasper let out a humorless grin. “Try it and see what happens. Please.”
“No, no, no, don’t try it. He’s a friend,” I said quickly, since Jasper didn’t seem inclined to defuse the situation. “He’s helping me out.”
“For his own gain, probably,” one of the women said, the sleeves of her jacket rolled to the elbows, her sunglasses too small for her face. “He’s the Deathless Champion.”
“If you think he actually wanted to be then you don’t know anything about him or me,” I said. “Now put the weapons away.”
I wasn’t sure if it was my words or the threat of facing off against a Forsworn vampire that finally convinced them that fighting would be a no-win situation, but the others finally dropped their hands and relaxed. Spikey let off a disarming smile. “We’re cool, then. We’re not here to pick a fight.”
“Then what are you here for?” I asked. “In case you forgot, we’re in a bit of a time crunch.”
Spikey looked to one of the others, a vampire, I realized, who’d been peering into the trees behind us. The vampire gave a slight shake of his head and Spikey sighed.
“She’s not with you, then?”
“Who?” Jasper said.
“I told Iris to leave me alone back at the start of the trial,” I said. “I haven’t seen her since. I thought she was back with the rest of the Order.”
Sunglasses girl shook her head, arms crossed. “She’s a disgrace.”
“She’s not a disgrace,” I said, automatically jumping to her defense. “She’s the hardest working person I know. She only didn’t follow me because I told her not to.”
“It shouldn’t matter what you told her,” Spikey said. “She was given orders and couldn’t even be bothered to follow them.”
“Cut her a little slack.” It was the first time the vampire spoke. I wasn’t sure if he was the leader, but the other two fell silent. He fixed me with that intense, sometimes unreadable vampiric gaze I was so used to with Jasper. “I have been made aware of Iris’s unfortunately poor choice.”
“Really? ‘Poor choice’?” I said. “I guess that’s one way of putting it.”
The vampire gave a half smile. “Indeed. I lamented that one as talented and promising as Iris committed such a terrible act. She actually trained with us when she was first initiated. We were a few years older and already on to the more advanced lessons that would enter us into full-time service for the Order, but Iris blew through the basics so fast the higher ups—and your parents—took interest in her and moved her along with us. She was always the most passionate among us.”
“Passionate? You mean reckless,” Spikey said. He thrust a finger at me. “Look what she did to her. And she never knew when to give up. That idiot always made any opponent beat her into a pulp before she yielded. She never showed you all the scars she has, did she?” he asked me.
I blinked, trying to think if she had. I knew Iris was always tanned and in shape from swimming, and never seemed to gain weight no matter how much she ate. But in all the years I’d known her, all the summers we spent running around in nothing but swimsuits, I realized I’d never seen any scars.
“Our training camps kept us in shape throughout the year,” the woman said, as though reading my mind. “The most intensive ones were always in the summer.”
“I thought you said she went to summer camp,” Jasper said to me. “And was on the swim team.”
“I thought she was,” I answered truthfully.
“You ever go to one of her meets?” Spikey said sarcastically. When I didn’t answer he gave a humorless chuckle. “Swim team, really? She couldn’t come up with a better excuse than that?”
I looked at the vampire, mind still reeling. “The only reason my parents took interest in her was because she was friends with me and they wanted someone to watch me closely. That’s it.”
“Maybe,” the vampire conceded. “But I do know she hated leaving you.”
“You mean she hated coming to get her butt kicked,” Spikey said.
“Please,” the woman chimed in, “if anything, she was kicking your butt.”
“I tell you all this so you understand that Iris had a lot of expectations.” The vampire cut through their chatter. “She still does, on top of trying to scrub away the stain of betrayal left on her. Next time you see her, remind her of that.”
“Remind her yourself,” I said.
The vampire smiled. “We’re not the ones she’ll be seeing first. I can guarantee you that.”’
“Enough.” Spikey shoved off the tree he’d been leaning against and thumbed over his shoulder to the trail branching off to the left. “This way leads to a gas station in the mundane world. Head there, then duck back into the Dying Lands a little farther down the road. It’ll save you some time and beats walking through the thick brush the other trail leads through.” He glared at Jasper. “He can go too, I guess.”
“I wasn’t aware you were going to try stopping me,” Jasper said.
“Whatever,” Spikey said. “We’ve got some food and water for you, too.”
By this point, I was still so in shock from hearing about Iris that I didn’t even question accepting help from outside sources. Between Lukas’s attack and Jasper and me traveling together, the rules of the trial were so broken that the Courier would probably tear his hair out in frustration if he knew.
I took the energy bars, trail mix, and water Spikey offered and then motioned for Jasper to take some, too.
“None for him,” sunglasses girl said. “Sorry,” she added, almost sounding like she meant it. “The Order specifically told us to help only you.”
I frowned at her, then reached out my hands. “Can I have some more food and water, please?”
The woman hesitated, then handed another couple of bars and water bottles over. I immediately gave them to Jasper. “There. Was that so hard?”
“Fine, that’s done,” the woman said, sounding a bit put out. “Gas station’s up that way. Good luck.”
With only a curt thank you, Jasper and I took off down the left trail. I waited until we were out of range of even the vampire’s enhanced hearing before saying, “Call me crazy, but I got the strangest feeling they didn’t like you.”
Jasper chuckled. “Almost like they were playing favorites, wasn’t it?”
“You think they were telling the truth about the gas station and the short cut?”
I could feel Jasper’s gaze boring into me before he said, “Do you have a reason to think they were lying?”
“No. I guess not.”
I had no reason at all. Except that the people closest to me, the ones who’d been lying to me my entire life, were part of that Order. And after hearing the others talk about Iris, I was more aware than ever of just how little I actually knew about my former best friend.
Chapter Thirteen
Despite my initial misgivings about the Order telling the truth, the trail eventually led us to a Chuck-ee’s gas station on the side of the highway. I couldn’t tell by just looking either direction down the lonely emptiness of the tarmac, but it sure looked like the same road I’d nearly been flattened on earlier. We really were passing through the rural middle of nowhere.
Beneath the sagging metal awning of the station pumps was only a single pickup truck that looked like it was made of more rust than working parts. A woman passenger stared at us as we walked past, and I gave her a friendly smile. She remained blank faced. No doubt wondering who the heck had just walked out of the woods.
Jasper eyed the grimy front of the gas station. “We probably shouldn’t hang around. I’m not saying the Dying Lands are tons safer, but we’re exposed out here.”
“Agreed,” I said. “Let’s grab what we need and—”
Jasper suddenly stopped. He tilted his head, then looked over to the side of the gas station, a smile growing across his face. “Well it’s about time you joined the action.”
Ari stepped around the corner, grinning right back at us. “Oh shut up. I knew you two were having plenty of fun without me.”
“Ari!” I hugged her tightly and she enthusiastically lifted me off my feet. “Glad you’re okay,” she said into my ear. “Jasper’s not being too much of a pain?”
“The usual amount,” I said. “Nothing I can’t handle.”
“You know I can hear everything you’re saying,” Jasper said.
“We know,” Ari and I said in unison.
“I’m assuming Kaia found you,” I said. “Is she doing okay?”
“She’s back with the other Outcasts, watching the Loft,” Ari said. “She felt you’d need some help.”
Jasper brushed the back of my arm and subtly jerked his head toward the pickup. The woman was still staring at us like aliens who’d just crash landed. “Not that I believe she’s an enemy, but let’s find a less conspicuous place to talk.”
“Inside,” Ari said. “Sienna told me that Sawyer’s found something.”
She led the way inside. The bell over the door dinged and the attendant looked up from the front counter where he was lining up cigarette lighters by color.
“Where’re your restrooms?” Ari said politely.
“Way in the back,” the man said. “You gonna buy something first?”
Jasper grabbed a pina colada scented car air freshener and put it on the counter. “We’ll pay for it when we’re finished.”
“Very smooth,” Ari said as we wove our way through the racks of sugar-filled snacks, pork rinds, and past the cold beer. “I’ve missed your negotiating skills.”
Jasper stuttered to a halt as Ari pushed the door to the women’s bathroom open. “Where are you going?”
“I told you, Sienna and Sawyer found new information.”
“I understand that. I thought you were just going to tell me about it.”
I pushed Jasper into the bathroom. “Don’t worry, I’ll protect you if any unsuspecting women come in. I know how much trouble you have keeping them away.”
Jasper muttered darkly as we piled inside the cramped bathroom and Ari stuffed us into a stall at the very end. The air was thick with the rank smell of prior occupants and things-that-shall-not-be-named. I avoided staring at the writing etched into the walls and focused on the grimy toilet Ari knelt beside.
She knocked on the side of the toilet twice. “Lucinda? We’re here.”
Jasper crossed his arms. It didn’t make our tightly packed situation any better. “We couldn’t have done this outside in a puddle or something?”
“She’ll be thrilled to hear you think she can fit into a puddle,” Ari said. Then, “there she is.”
Forget a puddle, I wasn’t sure how Lucinda managed to fit through the pipes (magic, I supposed) because one second the toilet bowl was empty and the next Lucinda’s face was staring back at us as though the surface of the water was a mirror. “You found her! And Jasper, too!”
“How’re you doing, Lucinda?” Jasper said. He smiled and pressed himself closer to me to get a better view. “Staying safe?”
“Safe as usual! Well, maybe not usual, because…well, you know. I’m sure you know! Of course you know…” She trailed off shyly, her face shrinking as she pulled away.
I hitched my arm up so the toilet paper dispenser wasn’t cutting so much into my side. “Good to see you again, Lucinda. Ari said Sienna and Sawyer found something?”
“They did! They—Hold on.” Lucinda’s face briefly vanished from the toilet bowl. I imagined her popping her head back up in the Loft, probably in Sawyer or Sienna’s bathtub, to confer with them.
Jasper shifted uncomfortably. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you, Ari?”
“It’s been too quiet with you gone,” Ari said from around his shoulder. I could hear the smile in her voice. “We’re all looking forward to when you can come back to the Loft and we can josh each other all the time.”
“It won’t be long,” I promised. “As soon as I get the crown I can force the Deathless—”
