Chapter 31

“What are the Y'kil?” Because the way he said it sounded grim and final.

“We must wait for the Prime. I have left him enough information he will piece together where we are, likely before dusk. Until then, you should sleep, if you can. The effects of the drug, and the false virus, will play havoc on your systems, you will be week and disoriented for a while yet.”

Yes, the false virus.

“I hate you for that, you know. Why torture me with such a thing? Why not just approach Draven and ask him for his help?”

Jhudur looked up at her and snorted. “Why don't you ask your Prime what happened to the last Kirich who tried such a tactic?”

Mia snapped her lips closed. What was that supposed to mean? Had other Kirich tried to communicate with the Livarians? Because it had been Mia's understanding that the footprints in the orchard had been the first sign that anyone else alive.

“Sleep woman, you need your rest. Do not make me drug you again.”

She growled at him, really growled. She was sick of her body being disabled at the whims of others.

He rose from the spot where he sat and returned to her with one of the very soft looking blankets that were piled on the bed. She looked at it askance.

He chuckled. “It is not mine, simply a relic of this place. I am certain the owner of this home would not mind your using it, since it is no longer of any consequence to them.”

That didn't make it any better, but the air did have a bit of a chill to it, and despite feeling like her brain was clearing itself of cobwebs at last, Mia knew her body was exhausted. She accepted the blanket grudgingly. It was as glorious as the bed had made it appear, the fibers ultra-soft and yet with a smooth silkiness that felt like heaven against her skin. The urge to lay back on the lounge and do as Jhudur commanded was great.

“Sleep,” he repeated. “In three hours, we move.”

Somehow, Mia slept. It was dreamless, but thankfully also painless, and she didn't awaken again until Jhudur was shaking her shoulder gently.

“Come human,” he said urgently. Whatever clarity he had found was gone now. His eyes were glassy and he moved with an edginess that had Mia watching him with caution.

She rose, or tried to. Her muscles felt like wet spaghetti and she was shaking by the time she was standing with Jhudur's help.

He hustled her, as much as he could, toward the door and then they descended the staircase in complete blackness. Jhudur grunted and muttered something behind her but she couldn't make anything out. The streets were sadly empty of Livarians. It was late afternoon, but clouds covered the sky marking the day with gloom. Wind whipped through the streets, dashing leaves and small bits of debris along the abandoned stone walls. Thunder crashed in the distance. A storm was approaching.

Mia got the delightful idea that if she delayed and played at her weakness, she might buy Draven time to catch up. Jhudur's animalistic snarl behind her made her re-think the plan. Her heart pounded in her chest and she risked a glance back. Jhudur's crazed expression pushed her forward more quickly than any words might have. Even still, she wasn't quick enough for him and he pushed past her, latching a hand onto her wrist and dragging her along. Gone was the cautiousness that he had traversed the city with before and Mia found herself scanning the streets and buildings, fully aware that he was bringing attention to them and a predator might pop out at any moment.

Jhudur pressed into the city, expertly slipping between buildings and around garden walls. It became obvious, as he moved, that he had been in the city for a long while. They backtracked toward the orchard, and then followed the outer wall eastward. The structure was in worse shape the farther they went, several large sections had crumbled as if hit by something large and forceful. Jhudur scuttled along them, oblivious to the danger. He seemed to be getting worse and worse as they moved, he paused every so often glancing at the sky and muttering under his breath. The hand that wasn't clamped to her wrist flew about with nervous energy, sometimes tapping against his leg, others scratching some imaginary itch. Never still.

Worry burned in her gut. This felt very much like a murder mystery where the victim was dragged off into the woods to be killed in the grizzliest way.

“Where are we going?” she ventured, her words coming out in tiny pants. Her muscles burned, the effects of whatever drugs were in her system playing havoc with her stamina. The orchard wall went on forever, with no changes in its direction that she could see, and she didn't know how much longer she could keep marching at Jhudur's frenzied pace.

He didn't answer, his attention flitting from the path ahead of them to the wall and then into the streets. Always pushing forward, always moving, jumping at shadows that flickered before them.

Finally, there was a break in the long stone barrier. Here, the walls crumbled on both sides, but the top of the wall had changed shape, rising higher into the sky. Bits of metal, or some similar material, indicated that there had once been gates here. The conclusion was confirmed when she noted that a second street had been paved through the section.

Mia tumbled over a stray piece of rock, her legs turning to rubber.

“Forward,” Jhudur demanded, yanking her back to her feet. Her muscles ached and sweat ran down her back, drenching the shirt she wore. Her resistance faded, even her concern about their destination had faded. She just wished they would get there and quit this unholy march.

They rounded the corner in through the gates and she halted, unable to stop herself.

A white stone palace sprawled among towering trees and vivid shrubs and flowers. Towers rose into the gray sky, carved lovingly with designs that drew the eye and inlaid with a blue stone that gave off a faint glow. It had seen damage, though, at least one of the spires, to the west, had crumbled. The garden surrounding it had grown wild with years of neglect, but remnants of stone paths and ancient statues dotted the landscape. It was like something from a fairy tale and she stood for a moment just taking it in.

“He has not shown you the palace?”

Mia jumped when Jhudur appeared beside her, noting the wide-eyed attention she was giving the ruin. She shook her head.

“Only the orchard, and I couldn't see it from there.”

Dark brows rose, but Jhudur said nothing more for a moment, just stood, contemplating.

“The temple is near,” he told her at last, pulling on her arm and pulling her forward again.

A temple. Yup, she was really being dragged off somewhere to be murdered. Maybe he meant to use her as a sacrifice. She wondered if she should tell him that if he was looking for a virgin, he was shit out of luck. Her pulse sped up and adrenaline perked up her system. She tried pulling back from Jhudur's grasp, but his strength was too much.

“What is…was worshiped at the temple?” Maybe it wasn't so bad. Maybe it was a temple of healing and this was all some sort of misunderstanding.

Jhudur pulled her along a neglected path that led toward the palace.

“Many things were once worshiped,” he told her. “Many things that should not have been forgotten. My people are the only ones left who remember.”

“There are more of you,” Mia exclaimed before she could think better of it. She had been right. If some of the Livarians survived, it only made sense that other pockets of isolated peoples survived, as well.

“My people are suffering. We will not survive much longer.”

Mia frowned. The Livarians seemed to be doing alright. Battered and bruised from the worlds end but surviving nonetheless. Surely they wouldn't begrudge others the aid that they need, and it was obvious Jhudur had known where the Livarians had set up base.

“Have you asked the Livarians for help?”

Jhudur shook his head, and Mia couldn't help but notice the way the shadows moved across his face, highlighting his almost ethereal beauty.

“We are at war.”

“I would think after the destruction of your world that would have changed. Draven said they had searched everywhere for signs of life. I'm certain he would work together with you if he knew of your people.”

Jhudur chuckled. “Earth must be advanced indeed if you believe something as trivial as an apocalypse will heal such wounds.”

Ah...no. No, Earth was most definitely not that advanced. As much as she would like to pretend it was, she knew there were factions of people that would rather die trying to survive on their own than work together with a group they disagreed with.

They had neared the palace, close enough that Mia could make out individual stones and patterns. Jhudur turned on the next pathway, so that instead of making their way toward the building, they were now traveling alongside it. Enormous trees shot up from the ground, towering above the garden and palace alike. They were spread out enough here that she could get a sense of what the garden might have once looked like. A small yellow lizard on the face of a statue caught her attention, it's bright blue markings a dizzying combination of spots and slender stripes. It blinked at her and tasted the air as she passed.

“Are they here, in the city?” Mia asked.

Jhudur had slowed a little, having mercy on her panting and grunting as she tried to keep up. He glanced at her through the corner of his eye, the rest of his attention still alert to their surroundings.

“Your people,” Mia clarified. She knew Draven thought they were, the markings the men had found in the orchard had definitely given the Livarians the impression of more than one enemy.

“I have risked much,” Jhudur bemoaned. “Too much.”

Mia pressed, but no matter what she asked, Jhudur would talk no farther. His paranoia increased and he flinched at each rustle of leaves, each shifting of shadows.

They had traveled nearly the length of the palace and now turned north. The gardens here were darker, the trees allowed to grow closer together. The wilderness seemed to find it more palatable, as well, and had encroached much farther than at the palace's front. Nearly wild, with only the faintest remembrance of trails, fallen branches and twisted vines often obscured the path, but Jhudur seemed confident in where he was going.

The palace had receded…all signs of civilization had receded, when he finally stopped. Mia looked up from the ground where she'd been concentrating on putting one foot in front of the other.

A great archway stood several yards away, the peaked top three to four times the height of a man. It was constructed of something so black it seemed to gather light into itself, as if living shadow had come together to form it. Odd symbols glowed up it’s sides...or maybe they didn’t glow but just contrasted that much with the black stone. Mia found herself both drawn to it and very much wanting to get away from it. Something about the structure struck at her instincts and warned her of danger and threat.

So consuming was the arch that she startled when she glanced at its surroundings. A clearing, with a circle of stone pillars, some of which still held arches. The ground had once been covered with the same smooth white material, but over time, weeds and bits of grass and tree roots had pushed up, creating a spiderweb of trails. None of that was incredibly terrible. Mia pressed her palm to her mouth because what was terrible was the pike, situated near what she assumed was the archway's front. It held a body, headless and destroyed.