Hi all, here is chapter 6 as promised. As usual, thanks for all the lovely reviews. I'm glad you all seem to be having as much fun with this as I am! With regard to future releases of chapters, these past few weeks have bogged me down with a load of school projects, making my chapter buffer shrink much more than I would like. So on May 23, (that's the week after next) I will be taking a one week hiatus. That's Memorial Day weekend anyway, so I'm sure a few of you will be quite busy already, and that will give me time to catch up again so that I can maintain a nice regular schedule for you! I'm working really hard on making sure there are no excessive waits for each chapter (unlike my previous fanfic)!
Cheers and enjoy!
Chapter 6. Heart of Fire
Nod and Maia followed the silk moth as it tracked MK's scent through the Borderlands. They kept low to the ground, under the cover of the thick shrubbery. It was impossible to tell when and where the Boggans were trying to expand their territory, and spies lurked throughout those parts of the woods. If Nod were seen as encroaching on the Wrathwood claim in any way, Mandrake would not hesitate to initiate a fierce retaliation.
The farther the moth led them, the more Nod's stomach wound into knots. Soon, the territory would cease to be the Borderlands and open into unadulterated Boggan domain. He'd told her where the Wrathwood was, what it looked like. The only way she would have come this far was if she'd had no choice. He bit his lip to push away the images of MK in the hands of the Boggans that formed in his mind.
They reached the edge of the greenery, where the bright life of the forest fell away into dust and ruin. Nod dismounted, gesturing for Maia to stay low and quiet. The moth fluttered in front of him, staring with cold, silent eyes before heading back the way they came. Nod muttered his thanks as it left, swiping off the noxious moth powder that landed on his clothes.
"Wait for me," he whispered to Maia, and crept out of the shade of the brush.
As far as he knew, Boggans did not enjoy being out in the height of the afternoon. The deserted, dead land was quiet and still, but Nod restricted his path to the twisted shadows cast by the woody debris and stone that scattered the landscape. Off in the distance loomed Mandrake's Hollow. Few Jinn had ever come back from the heart of Wrathwood, and those who did never escaped unscathed. Any injury MK bore would be his fault. He clenched his fists and pushed forward.
In a less sober situation, Nod would have grinned imagining Ronin's face at his stealth. Ronin never missed an opportunity to nag Nod about his poor sneaking skills. At least I know I can do it when it counts, Nod mused.
The strip of shade he had been walking under ended and a brief patch of open space extended out in front of him. Nod cursed under his breath. There was nowhere to hide there, but he was already losing valuable time. He shook out his nerves, then broke into a sprint across the clearing.
Just to that little crevice there! He kept his gaze honed on his target as he ran. As he approached shelter again, he dove forward and rolled into the shadows. Nod sat for a moment, composing himself and catching his breath, trying to stifle a grin of triumph, when he heard the familiar snap of a bowstring.
Nod ducked away from the arrow just in time, the velocity still humming in his ears after it grazed past him and ricocheted from the stone wall at his back. He shot a glance up, dancing away from two more bolts that raced toward him. Time to make a break for it.
He pulled out his sword and dashed away toward the Hollow, juking to the side each time he heard the sound of another volley. Up on the walls that surrounded the path, Boggan guards burst from the woodwork to chase him. The screeches of grackles soon joined their shouts and ominous shadows flashed across the sun as they soared overhead. Nod skidded around a corner and crashed into a quarry of bones. He thrashed at the obstacle, trying to climb over the perilous mound when a scorpion rose from the pile, mounted by a Boggan. She nocked an arrow in his face and hissed at him.
"Lost, bark-muncher?"
Nod pivoted around to see a hoard of guards coming up from behind. The scorpion rider laughed.
"Heading for the Hollow, I think. Looks like you've got an appointment with the chief."
Something slammed into the back of Nod's head and his vision flashed before going to black.
When he awoke, Nod was sitting in a dank room of the Hollow. Cobwebs hung across the decayed plates of wood above him. He struggled against the cords that kept him tied to a post of bone. Voices approached from the door, and the canvas flap that covered the entrance flung open as the Boggans returned.
"Here's the scum we found slinking around," the scorpion rider said.
Nod looked up to see who else was there, and a chill ran through him. He gritted his teeth as Mandrake entered the room, followed by an entourage of guards. The only time he had ever seen his father's killer was from a distance during a particularly nasty territory skirmish.
"Well. Welcome. Do forgive me for not tidying up a bit. I wasn't expecting a guest." Mandrake's courteous tone simmered with undertones of venom.
Nod worked hard to return the scorn. "Oh, don't worry about it. I was trying to avoid bothering you."
"You shouldn't have. We all love the opportunity to show off our hospitality to our respected friends from the Brightwood." Mandrake stalked in front of him, planting his staff right in Nod's field of vision. The poisonous Blight glistened at the top. Mandrake noticed his stare.
"Oh yes, my favorite party trick." He lowered the staff and touched the Blight right in front of Nod's feet. The ground boiled and curdled, spreading out closer to Nod's toes which curled in involuntarily. Mandrake raised the staff again. "Oops, don't want to spoil the punch line."
"Cut the crap, Mandrake," Nod said, his voice coming out hoarse as fear constricted his throat. "We all know how the Blight works. You love to show it off enough."
Mandrake smirked. "Well you're no fun. A good joke always needs a proper set up."
No time left for banter. He clenched his teeth. "Look, you're going to kill me. I can't stop you." His voice rattled, and cursed himself for sounding like such a coward. "But there was a girl who wandered into Boggan territory yesterday. She looks like a Jinn, but she's not. If she's still alive, please let her go. It's not her fault she trespassed. It's mine. She's not one of us. She's not a part of this. Please. Let her go, and I won't complain about any torture you inflict on me. I swear."
Mandrake's eyes widened, breaking his intimidation like a wave. "The Stomper girl?"
"You know?" Nod gasped. "Is she alive?"
"I do, and she is. Quite the story, she has."
"Did you hurt her?" Nod's expression darkened, and he worked his wrists against their bindings.
Mandrake's eyes narrowed, and the tension returned. Nod held his glare until the force of Mandrake's gaze made him fidget. The Boggan chieftain's lip curled in a sneer. "Look at you. Trying so hard to look like a big shot. It's pathetic. What do you care about her, anyway?"
Nod grimaced, shoulders drooping. "It's my fault she got lost in Wrathwood. She would never have been involved otherwise. I know you hate us. But she's not one of us. Don't take it out on her, please."
Mandrake snorted and paced in front of Nod. "Hmm…You must be one of her caretakers she spoke of. Not very good at your job, are you?" He grinned at the horror that crossed Nod's expression.
"Did you—?" The words latched into Nod's throat. No, MK…
To his surprise, Mandrake merely rolled his eyes. "No. The Stomper is unharmed. Besides, you'd be surprised. She seems like she can take perfect care of herself." He turned, the edge of his cloak snapping like a whip in Nod's face. "The one you should be worried about is you."
MK woke to the sound of rustling and soft voices. She sat up slowly, eyes fluttering open. Amianth and Dagda were rummaging through the contents of her backpack, confusion knit into their expressions. MK couldn't help a smile.
"You shouldn't be sitting up yet," she scolded Dagda.
"I feel better already!" he said. That earned him a stern glare, and he slid back down into a lying position.
"You need to stay still, unless you want to reopen your wounds again, and that will make your father very unhappy with me," MK said. She regarded her bag. "Find something interesting?"
Amianth frowned as she picked up MK's key ring and rattled it. "Is this a weapon?"
MK laughed aloud at that. "No! They're keys. I use them to unlock things."
"They're just sticks. How do they work?"
"Uh." How did keys actually work? It wasn't something most people thought about. "I don't know exactly. But locks usually come with a little slot to put the key in. If it's the right key, you can turn it and the lock opens."
"Strange," said Amianth, rattling the keys again.
"Let me see." Dagda held out a hand, and Amianth dropped the keys into it.
"Don't lose that! I'll need it to get back into my house if I ever…" MK trailed off. "…Get back." Her vision glazed over. She only seemed to get deeper into the forest lore. If only she'd left an offering at the foot of the hiking trail like the grocery clerk said, maybe none of this would have happened.
"Are you really a Stomper?" Dagda was holding the keys up above his head and examining the different shapes. They slipped from his grasp and dropped onto his face. "Ow!"
This time MK and Amianth laughed together.
"Yes, I'm really a Stomper," MK said, smiling. Dagda plucked the keys off his face and handed them back.
"What are all these things on the floor?" Amianth gestured to the contents of the first aid kit.
"Hey! Is that my arrowhead?" Dagda interrupted.
"Lie down!" MK hissed. She handed him the bloody arrowhead, shaking her head. She was babysitting children.
"That's my first aid kit. It's bandages and medicine and anything else I would need to help someone if they got hurt and there wasn't an infirmary nearby," she answered Amianth.
MK proceeded to explain the gauze and antiseptics and Stomper health care to the curious Boggans, when a distant scream of pain erupted in the air.
"What was that?"
Amianth got to her feet. "I don't know."
Another cry rang out, and MK stood as well. "Do you think someone else is injured?" Somehow the cry sounded familiar, but it was hard to tell when it was so muffled. "I should go help."
"Mandrake would send for you," Amianth began, but at the sound of a third scream, MK dashed toward the door.
"It would save time if I just meet them halfway!" she shouted back to the Boggans.
"Hey!" Amianth shouted, chasing after her.
"Stay with Dagda!" MK called back. Amianth paused with indecision.
"I'm not going anywhere, Ami," Dagda said. Amianth nodded and followed MK.
MK followed the sounds, peeking into various crevices and chambers. The Hollow was so asymmetrical, it was easy to get lost. Finally, she found the door that led to the source of the noise.
"I can help if anyone else is…" MK rushed into the room, and everyone froze. "Hurt," she finished, staring at Nod who was nursing a bleeding lip and a black eye. He crouched, doubled over in pain, just as a Boggan was preparing to deliver another kick to his stomach.
Amianth rushed in a few seconds after. Mandrake fixed them both with an imperious look.
"Stomper, we should go." Amianth tugged at her arm, but MK brushed her off and hurried forward.
"Nod! What are you doing here?"
Nod jerked his head up at the sound of her voice. "MK! You really are all right! I was looking for you," he croaked.
"Amianth," Mandrake said in a low, dangerous voice. "Get her out."
"Wait, no! Please, let him go! He only came here for my sake. He wouldn't have intruded if it weren't for me," MK said, trying to position herself between Nod and his assailants.
"Funny, the story I heard was that you wouldn't be here if it weren't for his carelessness. So really, this problem is still his fault, and now he can deal with the consequences," Mandrake said with a flippant flick of his hand. He narrowed his eyes at her, and MK eyed the smoldering staff that now leveled at her. "Besides, why should you care? I thought you were neutral."
"I am. I didn't take their side, but I made no promises to your side either. My job is to heal people, but even more so, to prevent any harm at all!"
"It is really in your best interest to be the sort of neutral who doesn't meddle in things that aren't her business," Mandrake said.
MK didn't budge. Do your job, Nurse Malone. "The well-being of others is my business."
"MK, get out of here. Just go, before they hurt you too," Nod said weakly from behind.
"Listen, if Nod didn't lose me yesterday, I would never have found Dagda. He would have lost way more blood, wouldn't have gotten proper treatment. He might have died like so many others before him. So really, Dagda is alive because of him." MK pointed behind her. "If you spare him, then you would be even. It's just numbers. You don't want to be indebted to a Jinn, right? And it's more than a fair trade. Dagda's life for one Jinn? It's obvious which one is worth more." She scrabbled for words hoping that if she fired enough of them at Mandrake, she would find the ones that worked. A fuzzy voice murmured in her mind about whether Nod would be insulted. She imagined his classic mock indignation until her mind slapped her back into focus.
"MK, what are you doing?" Nod hissed.
"I won't leave. I'll stay here like you wanted," she forged on. MK glanced back at Nod. "No one else will come in trying to rescue me. I'll keep my good faith. No taking sides, and I'll even stop meddling."
No one moved in the room, and all the Boggans stared at their leader.
"Please! He's barely more than child. Give him another chance," MK begged.
"No, stop! Don't do this." Nod struggled against his bonds, but MK hushed him.
"Fine."
Everyone looked up sharply at Mandrake. The Boggans murmured in shock.
"I accept your offer," he said to MK. Mandrake looked down at Nod. "The second time I lay eyes on you, no bargain, no debt, no miracle will ever defend you again." He jerked his head at one of the guards. "Get him out."
"Sir?" The guard hesitated, as if waiting for extra orders.
Mandrake's expression was that of one examining fresh sewage. "I'll keep my word. I'm no backstabbing Jinn." Mandrake waved them away sharply, and the guards dragged Nod out.
"Remember, no rescuing!" MK shouted as he was pulled away. Nod only stared back, guilt and hurt swimming in his eyes. The Boggans filed out, until none was left but Mandrake and Amianth. The latter stood tensely, waiting for orders.
Mandrake turned to face MK, expression inscrutable, and she cringed, waiting for rebuke. Instead, he gave an exasperated snort. "You've got some gall." His gaze grew distant, as though reminiscing. "A heart of fire," he murmured—so quiet, MK wasn't sure if the words were meant to be heard. He walked out of the room, and Amianth let out a breath.
"I thought he was going to kill you," she said bluntly.
MK grimaced. "Me too."
"Or at least the Jinn boy," Amianth added. "We should go back to Dagda."
MK nodded, and let Amianth lead the way through the winding corridors of the Hollow.
"Dad didn't kill you?" Dagda said, the moment they returned to his room. He sheepishly lay back down, not for the first time, after receiving a scathing glare from his nurse as she entered.
"Is this such a regular thing," MK asked waspishly, "that you people need to keep remarking about it?" To be fair, Mandrake had warned her to be very convincingly neutral, and she'd done a fabulous job of mucking that up.
"He ordered you to stay here," Amianth commented.
"I was only trying to be proactive," MK said, making a show of swiping dust from her sleeve, perhaps a little harder than needed.
"No one talks to the Chief the way you do," said Amianth, glaring at her with bright hawk-eyes. "He could kill you just for that."
MK refrained from expressing how stupid she thought that was. "Well, he didn't," she said.
"Dad won't kill you. Not right now anyway," Dagda said. He looked thoughtful. "You know a lot of useful things that could help us. But you should probably be more polite like Ami says. It's hard to tell with him sometimes."
He spoke about his father the way an engineer had once spoken about a particularly troublesome equation they had devoted years to solving. "I hope you're right about that," said MK. "Anyway, I'm only disrespectful when someone's life is in danger. Like yours for example."
"But not your own," interrupted Amianth.
MK frowned at her. "What?"
The Boggan shrugged, and her coat of wings shimmered. "You don't seem stupid. You must know you have put yourself in harm's way to protect others."
"I guess. It's part of my job. Do you think much of your own safety when you fight for your cause?" Whatever that is, she added.
Amianth paced along the side of Dagda's bed, and the two of them seemed to confer with each other tacitly before they shook their heads.
"Something more important than yourself," Amianth said slowly.
MK nodded. "You have your battles; I have mine." The three of them pondered separately for a while before MK breached the silence. "Does 'heart of fire' mean anything to you?"
Amianth and Dagda shared a glance, engaged in that continual, wordless conversation.
"Where'd you hear that?" Dagda asked with a shifting gaze.
"Your dad muttered it under his breath before he walked out."
Another shift, another silent discussion. Eventually, Amianth answered, "Those words weren't meant for you to hear."
Dagda added, "And don't ever mention it in front of Dad—unless you want to be turned into compost."
Chapter 7: Interlude I will be out May 16.
May 23 will be a hiatus week and then Chapter 8 will release on May 30.
Here's an excerpt:
"If my son was going to put his life in danger, at least let it be for something he believes in with his whole heart, not to live up to some shadow of the past." She stood, and seeing her, Nod thought she could have become the real commander of the Leafmen if she had wanted. Eilley parted crowds in every reach of the Neutral, even among the racers and Bufo's gamblers. The war would never have even started if his mother had championed the Brightwood's cause.