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Yay! I finally finished my first real original story.
Title: The Exile
Author: Lhinneill
Summary: "What about me? I'm a traitor. I can't go home."
Length: 5325 words
Rating: PG+ for mild language and violence.
Category: Fantasy/Scifi/Action/Adventure
A/N: Part I of the Freedom's Call series. I'm hoping to get Part II done sometime in the next couple weeks.
The stench of ash and rotting flesh hung heavily in the air. What rain had fallen overnight had done nothing to cleanse the smell. In fact, Kaeth thought it might have made it worse. Crinkling his nose distastefully, the young elf craned his neck to peer at the blackened walls of high-rising buildings above. The Hiibär had done a good job destroying this part of the city, just like the intel reports had said.
Deep craters marked the sites of bomb explosions, and the buildings all around those craters were blackened and crumbling. Although he had recently studied reports of the advanced weapons technology of the Hiibär, Kaeth had never before seen the destruction firsthand.
We don’t stand a chance.
The war was a mistake. Kaeth never had agreed with the Taenan military’s decision to invade Hiibära, the smaller of the two continents on Taenar, a choice which ultimately forced the peace-loving people to flee to Mytiania, one of the planet’s three satellites. That had been four years ago. They had heard nothing from the Hiibär for all that time. Until now.
“Hiibär scum!”
At the loud voice of his fair-haired squadmate, Jarel Nison, Kaeth tore his eyes from the destruction. The young demolitions officer walked several paces ahead of Kaeth, dangling a light submachine gun from one hand, toying with the trigger pin of a grenade in the other.
Stupid kid. He’s going to get himself blown up one of these days.
“Hey, Gaan.” Jarel turned suddenly to look at Kaeth, a mocking smirk plastered over his face. He never had liked Kaeth. “I heard a bunch of elves took off and infected to the Hiibär’s side.”
Kaeth grunted and rolled his eyes. The feeling was mutual. “It’s defected, you idiot.”
The smirk faded. “Whatever, elf,” Jarel grunted. Without another word, he whirled and stalked away, placing the team’s second in command between Kaeth and himself.
Kaeth didn’t mind. Of all the team members, Lieutenant Jasyn Lakka was the only one who bothered to treat him with any respect. He’s the only one who acts like I’m not just some animal. Because of that, the pair had quickly bonded after Kaeth joined the squad.
For as long as he could remember, his family had never been free of the fierce prejudice of the Taenans. This war with the Hiibär was nothing new. Taenans had been waging their own wars within the borders of their country for centuries now.
Kaeth never had been-and never would be-ashamed of his elven heritage, but it did make his military life difficult. Especially when lesser-ranked soldiers wholly ignored his seniority. It didn’t matter that he too called himself a Taenan. They took one look at the elegant points of his ears and nothing else mattered.
“Hey, Gaan. You okay?”
Kaeth looked up. He hadn’t realized Lakka had dropped back to walk beside him. “Yeah. I’m fine, sir.”
Lakka shifted his weapon to his other hand and dropped his free one onto Kaeth’s shoulder. He nodded and smiled encouragingly. “You’re a good man, Gaan. Those pointy ears don’t have nothing to do with that. Don’t let nobody tell you otherwise.”
“Yes, sir.” Kaeth smiled thankfully, and Lakka let go of his shoulder.
“Don’t mention it,” Lakka said, then nodded towards their teammates. “C’mon, kid. We’ve got some scum to hunt.”
Kaeth cringed at Lakka’s choice of words, but the Lieutenant didn’t seem to notice. Instead, he wordlessly dropped in line behind the fifth member of the squad, an old guy they knew as Ammo. As far as Kaeth knew, the man didn’t have a real name. At least not one he wanted to share.
A sudden gesture from the squad commander, Raak Terram, sent the squad to the ground. Kaeth ducked behind the blackened remains of a family auto. Jarel dropped to the ground beside him, still absently toying with the pin on a grenade. Eyes widening, Kaeth shuffled further away, placing as much distance between himself and the demo as possible. He wasn’t nearly far enough for his liking, but he had nowhere else to go.
Kaeth popped his head over the rear bumper of the auto. He quickly spotted Raak and Lakka, huddled beside an abandoned delivery auto. One look at the melted rubber of the tires told Kaeth why it had been left.
Raak lifted a hand, shaking a clenched fist towards the other side of the street. Ammo darted from his cover at the signal, then vanished into the rubble of a burnt-out bakery. Even with his keen elven eyesight, Kaeth couldn’t make out where the sniper had gone. A chill rushed down his spine. Rumors said Ammo was just an escaped convict, looking for the thrill of killing on the battlefield. And even if that wasn’t true, something about the man made Kaeth uneasy. He never trusted the sniper to watch his back.
It didn’t take long for Ammo to return. He dropped down beside Raak and Lakka, a crooked grin showing off his yellowed teeth. “Hiibär. A whole ton of ‘em, just waiting for us to drop in.”
Raak’s lips twitched, and he mimicked Ammo’s grin. “Good.” He waved for Kaeth and Jarel to join the three. “We’ll take ‘em fast. Ammo, you set up shop up there,” he pointed to a high-rise office complex. “Take out anybody trying to get away. Jarel, you’re with me. Lakka...you make sure the elf doesn’t get himself in any trouble.”
Kaeth felt his skin flush hotly. Jarel cackled gleefully, scrambling off behind the Commander as he darted from the cover of the delivery auto towards a building to the left.
“You ready, kid?”
Kaeth nodded grimly and met Lakka’s cool gaze. “Ready, sir.” This wasn’t his first time in combat. Three years in the CPF-City Police Force-had conditioned him to close-quarters combat where there was no time to think, just react. He’d gotten a medal for his distinguished service.
“Let’s go, then.”
The two went to the right, darting stealthily through the rubble. As he looked across the street, Kaeth caught the occasional glimpse of his squadmates’ camo gear. They were doing well at staying out of sight. They all were. So well, in fact, that the Hiibär never saw them coming. Their first and only warning was the sound of one of Jarel’s grenades landing in the middle of the group.
Someone screamed a warning, but it was too late. The grenade exploded spectacularly, sending a shower of dirt and rock high in the air. Kaeth’s earpiece crackled to life with Raak’s order. “Move in!”
“You heard him, kid. Let’s get ‘em!” Lakka shouted as he darted out of the rubble. Kaeth followed close behind, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.
Lakka drove headlong into the group of soldiers, mowing down several as they reached for their weapons, then diving for cover. Kaeth flipped his machine gun over to single shot mode and fired once, taking out a Hiibär as he moved towards Lakka. He dropped to one knee, fired again. The strong stench of gunpowder burned in his nose. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Lakka scrambling for more cover, still firing like a madman. Raak, Jarel and Ammo were nowhere in sight.
Kaeth hissed. The Hiibär were regrouping, and several had seen Lakka. Kaeth burst from his own cover, planning to move into a position where he could help his superior. A sudden flash of movement, and he whirled, dropping to a crouch with his K-87 raised. The frightened eyes of a female Hiibär met his gaze. He didn’t fire. Something about her looked familiar.
The uniform, he realized, then cursed. She’s just a medic!
“Gaan! What the cran are you doing?” Raak’s voice was loud in Kaeth’s ears, and he whirled to find the Commander right behind him, his face and uniform blood-spattered.
“She’s a med, sir!”
The Commander’s eyes darkened angrily. “A med?” He broke eye contact with Kaeth long enough to slam the butt of his rifle into the face of a retreating Hiibär soldier. “She’s a Hiibär, Gaan! A damned Hiibär! Kill her and move on! We’ve got work to do here.”
Kaeth didn’t move. A damned Hiibär, huh? He remembered the Commander saying something very similar about elves once before.
Raak scowled. “Fine, I’ll do it myself.”
The Commander strode past, roughly slamming an open palm into Kaeth’s shoulder. The young med’s eyes widened, and she scrambled back.
There isn’t time to think, Kaeth. You have to trust your instinct. One day, it might save your life, or the life of someone who’s depending on you.
Raak’s weapon clicked loudly as the man chambered a fresh round. Kaeth cursed, his hand dropping to the sheath on his thigh. He ripped the combat knife free and dove forward. One arm wrapped around the Commander’s throat. Kaeth jerked him back and drove the knife into his side. Raak grunted in pain, and his gun went off, spraying bullets into the air. The med shrieked. Kaeth pulled his knife free and pushed the Commander away. He sheathed the weapon, then held a hand out to the med. She hesitated, and in that moment of indecision, Ammo fired.
The bullet missed Kaeth’s protective vest by less than an inch, piercing deeply into the muscle of his left shoulder. The force of the blow knocked him to the ground. He lay stunned for a moment, blinking at the gray undersides of the clouds above. Then, to his surprise, he felt cold hands gripping his own, pulling him back to reality.
I just gutted my CO, he realized somewhat sluggishly. So much for instinct.
It was the med’s hands he felt. She struggled to pull him up, out of the line of fire. Kaeth bit back the pain and struggled to his knees, then his feet. He caught the med’s jacket in his right hand, pulling her along behind him as he made a dash for the gaping window of a nearby building. Ammo’s second shot shattered what was left of the window frame just as the pair dove through.
“Stay down,” Kaeth instructed. He scooted back against the wall, craning his neck so he could peer through the low window. Aside from Raak, lying face down in the street, none of the squad was in sight. It looked like the remaining Hiibär had fled, leaving their dead. Kaeth couldn’t blame them.
“Why are you doing this?”
Kaeth turned to look at the med. She sat against the adjoining wall, knees drawn close to her chest with arms wrapped tightly around her ankles. Her dark blond hair hung in damp strands across her pale green eyes. He frowned. “Good question.”
Static crackled in his ear. “Kaeth. This is Lakka.” Voices echoed in the background, angry voices. Probably Jarel and Ammo. If they were near enough for their voices to pick up on Lakka’s radio, then Ammo must have come out of hiding. Lucky for us, Kaeth thought.
Lakka quieted the two. “What d’ya think you’re doing?”
Kaeth let his head drop back to rest on the block wall. “The right thing, Lieutenant.”
“What?” the med asked confusedly. Kaeth motioned her to be quiet, then pointed to his earpiece.
There was a long moment of silence. Kaeth figured the three remaining squadmates were arguing over how they were going to kill him. Well, two of them anyway. “You just signed your own death warrant, kid. I can’t help you now.”
“You do what you have to, Jasyn. I made my choice.” With that, Kaeth tore the radio from his ear and tossed it to the ground. With his left arm cradled protectively against his chest, he pushed himself to his feet. “Come on.”
The med rose as he strode from the front section of the store, moving back to the food-strewn aisles. “Where are we going?”
“Somewhere other than here. They’ll be coming for us now.”
As if to emphasize his words, a sudden explosion rocked the ground. The med lost her balance, falling against a row of shelving. “What was that?”
“Jarel. He’s trying to scare us.” Kaeth stopped. Trying to herd us. He had been planning on taking the rear exit. But with the sudden explosion, he realized the three had likely covered all the probable exits. Something he should have thought of already. Kaeth muttered a low curse, then turned suddenly. “We’ve got to find another way out.”
They were trapped, though. If Lakka had followed standard procedure, he would have radioed for backup. Not that the three alone weren’t enough of a threat. I could use your help right now, Kharl. His thoughts returned to his old CPF mentor, Kharl Locke. If not for Kharl, Kaeth would have been long dead. The man had taught him the important things of life. Like justice, right and wrong, truth. Kharl was a rare find. Most men involved in any military service cared nothing for that. They just followed orders with no thought of whether it was right or not.
“This way,” Kaeth directed suddenly. He moved off towards the source of the explosion. Just the day before, Jarel had been boasting of his skill at setting traps. Just because a bomb went off, it didn’t meant the demo was actually there. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll get lucky.
The med didn’t ask anymore questions as they moved through the store, tripping over the rubble of the collapsed ceiling. His shoulder throbbed dully. He grit his teeth against the pain.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Fine,” he nodded stiffly. Until they escaped this trap, he had to be fine.
Fortunately for him, it didn’t take long for them to reach the gaping hole left by Jarel’s explosive. Kaeth motioned for the med to stay back. When she didn’t, he stopped to glare. “Stay back?”
She winced. “Sorry.”
She moved behind him, still sheltered from view behind the wall, as Kaeth peered out. Jarel wasn’t hard to spot as he moved through the rubble, probably searching for better cover. Kaeth lifted his K-87 with his good hand, aimed, then pulled the trigger once. The gunshot rang out loudly in the enclosed space of the store. Jarel jerked and went down. There was a pause, then an explosion rocked the rubble and tore the side off the building nearest Jarel. Kaeth grit his teeth and dropped his gaze. As much as he disliked the kid, he wouldn’t have wished that kind of death on anyone.
“What happened?” the med whispered.
“Kid blew himself up.” In the shocked silence that followed, Kaeth stepped through the crumbling wall. The med followed. “They’ll have heard that. We have to move quick.”
By now, he thought he should have gotten used to the pain in his shoulder. But as he led the med at a fast jog through the back alleys of the city, every step jarred his wound and sent a fresh wave of pain throughout his body. His breath came in pained gasps.
“Hey, wait.” The med caught the sleeve of his jacket, pulling him to a stop. “You’re hurting.”
“I’m fine. We’ve-”
“You’re not fine. If I don’t do something about that wound, you’ll bleed to death!”
She was right, of course. But for the moment, there was nothing he could do. Both Lakka and Ammo were in good condition. Either one could catch up with the pair at any moment. “We have to keep moving.”
“We won’t make it very far if you collapse.”
He snorted, shaking his head. She certainly was persistent. “Then I won’t collapse,” he said, meeting her gaze.
She shook her head and sighed softly. “You’d better not.”
Nodding, he gave a soft sigh. And as much as he knew they had to keep pushing on, he slowed to a pace that was somewhere just faster than a walk. He knew it wouldn’t be enough, but at least they were still moving. As they did, he kept casting glances over his shoulder. He didn’t see anyone in pursuit, even with his elven eyesight. That worried him. What are you planning, Ammo?
Of the two, he was most worried about the sniper. Lakka was a soldier, and a good one too. But Ammo was dangerous, unpredictable. Kaeth didn’t doubt that he was a murderer. It was in his eyes. Just remembering how the man’s eyes glistened at the mention of combat was enough to keep Kaeth putting one foot in front of the other.
Glancing toward his companion, he watched her in silence for a moment. She was shorter than him, but only barely. And though her shoulders were slightly slumped, he could tell she wasn’t one to give in easily to pain or weariness.
“How far to your people’s lines?” he asked.
Her eyes rose to meet his. She frowned, a subtle blush creeping over her cheeks. “Honestly? I don’t know.”
“Intel placed your transport ships to the west, near the coast. They said you’d set up base there. That right?”
She nodded slowly. “Yeah.”
Kaeth’s gaze moved to the horizon. Dark clouds obscured his view of anything more than a mile away, but he could see the level of destruction beginning to wane. Hiibär bombers had focused most of their attack on the business district. Intel hadn’t bothered to disclose their theories on the Hiibär reasoning behind that strategy. “I don’t think it’s far. We’re in the red zone right now.”
“Red zone?”
“Where your people and my people are fighting,” he explained shortly.
“Oh.” She fell silent for a moment. “You’re taking me to my people?”
“Where’d you think we were going?”
“I...don’t know.” Her brow crinkled in a thoughtful frown. “But what about you?”
He snorted. “What about me? I’m a traitor. I can’t go home.” She didn’t answer, and when he looked back to her, her gaze was distant. “You okay?”
Startled, her eyes flew to his. She smiled shyly. “You’re the one bleeding, you know.”
He smiled softly and shook his head. The motion made his vision swim unexpectedly, and he stumbled over an unseen brick on the ground. Instinctively, he threw out his arms to catch himself, not expecting the jolt of intense pain as his hands met the pavement. He groaned.
Hands gripped his vest, rolling him onto his right side. The hands moved to his face, and he opened his eyes to find the med leaning over him. “Don’t you leave me here by myself, soldier,” he heard.
He nodded groggily.
“Can you get up?”
“Think so.” His head had cleared some, and the initial pain from the fall had eased. With the med’s help, he made it to his feet. She draped his uninjured arm over her shoulder, wrapped her arm around his waist, and led him to the shelter of a nearby building. It looked like it had once been someone’s home. They’d left it quickly too. Kaeth could tell that much by the scattered possessions he kept stumbling over.
The med guided him to the couch, and he rolled free of her grasp, dropping onto the soft cushions with a low moan. Her hand brushed his forehead, then went to his wrist again. She quietly cursed. “You’ve lost a lot of blood. I should have made you listen to me.”
He shook his head. “They’re gonna find us if we stay here.”
“Let them. You’re not going anywhere like this.”
“Then we both die.”
She didn’t answer. With lips pressed into a firm line, she unzipped his vest and helped him slide his right arm free, then pulled it over his left arm. The jacket came off next. Kaeth’s stomach lurched at the motion, and he closed his eyes, fighting against the nausea. She touched his forehead again, her hand cool against his sweating skin.
“I don’t have anything to dress this,” she whispered.
“Field kit. Vest pocket.”
He vaguely heard her tearing through the pockets of his vest as he fought the blackness that tugged at him. He had to stay awake. He couldn’t just leave her alone. They would kill her without him here to protect her. He struggled to keep his eyes open, to focus on her face as she leaned over him. Her lips moved as she said something he couldn’t hear. No matter how hard he fought, he could still feel himself slipping. Her hand touched his cheek, and he finally let himself go to the darkness.
He woke to the sound of rain mercilessly beating the roof overhead. He blinked at the dark air around him, and for a moment couldn’t remember where he was. The memories returned with a wave of pain. A soft moan escaped his lips, and he pressed his right hand to his eyes. As he did, he realized he was bare-chested beneath the jacket laid over him. He touched the fabric and frowned. The med must’ve cut off his shirt. He felt across his chest until his fingers landed on the light bandages around his shoulder and chest.
“Hey.”
The soft voice came from the floor beside him. He rolled his head to look at his Hiibär companion. Even though it was dark in the room, he could make out her features. She smiled softly, chin resting on her knees, arms draped around her ankles. He tiredly smiled back. “How long?”
“About three hours. I think the moons are up, but it’s hard to tell with the clouds,” she said softly. Her hand brushed his forehead. “Feeling better?”
“Yeah.”
She pulled her hand away, and he heard the rustle of her clothes as she shifted positions on the floor. “You had me worried there for a while.”
Kaeth didn’t answer. Somehow it felt strange to hear her say that. She’s worried about me. The enemy. He sighed at the thought, letting his eyes slide closed again. The rain continued its attack on the roof. “You haven’t seen anyone?”
“No. Maybe they gave up,” she said. He could hear the hope in her voice.
“They never give up.” And that was what worried him. He had stabbed Raak and shot Jarel. Yet, he’d seen no further signs of any of the squad hunting him. As much as he wanted to believe Lakka had some part in that, he knew the Lieutenant was too good a soldier to just disobey an order that way. Kaeth, on the other hand, was an enforcer. His job had always been to protect the innocent.
“I’m Caelyn, by the way. Caelyn Synla.”
Surprised by her sudden introduction, he looked at her again, hesitating a moment before offering, “Kaeth Gaan.”
“Hi, Kaeth.”
He smiled again. “Hi, Caelyn.”
“Hungry?”
“I’m always hungry.”
She laughed quietly, then stood. A moment later, a flashlight clicked on. He screwed his eyes shut as the beam caught his eyes. “Ow.”
“Sorry.” She patted his uninjured shoulder, then moved further into the house. He heard some clattering in another room, then something shattered. Eyebrows rising, he rolled as much as he could to look back at the doorway over his shoulder. Shadows danced across the walls as the med moved through the room, then Caelyn reappeared in the door. She returned to sit on the floor beside him.
“They left their food in the house,” she explained. He heard paper rustling, then felt her lay something in his open palm. “It’s a little stale, though.”
Kaeth grimaced as he bit off a shard of the overly crunchy bread. “A little?”
“They don’t have any water either.”
“Vest-”
“I know. I already went through all your stuff and the vest pockets. I never thought you could fit so much stuff in a few pockets.”
He frowned. She went through my stuff?
“You’d be surprised,” he murmured. He took another bite of the bread as she handed him his canteen. The water helped soften the bread some, but not much. He coughed, then gasped as his shoulder protested painfully.
“Hey, you okay?” Caelyn scooted closer, fingers of one hand clasping his wrist to take his pulse, the other moving to his face again.
He grunted. “I’m fine.”
“You want some pain pills?”
“No,” he pushed her hands away. “I have to stay alert.”
“Wait, what are you doing? You’re going to make yourself bleed again!” Caelyn objected harshly as he struggled to push himself into a sitting position. He batted her hands back firmly as she tried to pin him in place.
He tossed the jacket aside, shivering a little as the cold air met his chest. “We can’t just sit here. Ammo, at least, will be hunting us. We can’t stop moving. We’ve already waited too long now because of this. If you don’t get back to your people soon, the Taenans will kill us both.”
He heard her sigh heavily. Silence settled. And as much as he knew she was right, as much as he wanted to lie down and sleep, he knew he couldn’t. He had to get her to safety.
“Fine,” she whispered at last. “Just let me help you.”
Her arm slid under his shoulders, supporting him as he sat up on the couch. The room tilted dizzyingly. Kaeth pressed his hand to his eyes, once again fighting a wave of nausea. He wavered, forced to sit still a moment longer until the feeling passed.
“This isn’t a good idea.”
Kaeth shook his head firmly, then shakily stood. “No. But neither is waiting here.”
She sighed. “I hope you have a plan. We won’t get very far with you in this condition.”
“Have to try,” Kaeth managed weakly. Now that he was on his feet, he was having trouble staying there. Every little move he made sent him into another bout of vertigo, and he found himself clinging to the med more than he would have liked. He breathed in a deep, shuddering breath, then let it out. “Okay. I’m okay.”
She let go slowly and stepped back. He felt her watching him, even though she didn’t say anything.
“My gear?”
He heard cloth rustling. “Give me your arm.” He did as she instructed, and she slid his jacket on his right arm first, then draped it over his bandaged shoulder. She started to put his vest on, but he stopped her.
“You wear it. I don’t think I can get it back on right now.”
She acquiesced quietly, and he heard her slide into it. There was some more quiet clattering, then she moved to his side and placed his right arm over her shoulder. He frowned deeply and tried to shrug her off. “You don’t have to help me. I can walk on my own.”
“Really? I don’t think so, soldier. You’re stuck with me.”
He sighed. “Fine. Where’s my gun?”
“Your handgun’s in your holster. We’re leaving that heavy thing. You can’t carry it, and neither can I.”
“Are you always this bossy?”
“Oh, yeah.” He could hear the grin in her voice, and shook his head, glad she couldn’t see the smile on his own lips. She shifted his arm, then settled her left arm around his waist to balance him. Not that he would admit it, but if she had been a man, he would have objected far less to her helping him. As it was, he hated to burden her.
“Ready?” she questioned.
He nodded. “Yeah. Ready.”
She flicked on the flashlight, guiding him around the family’s discarded clothing, pans, and other odd possessions scattered across the floor. She pushed the door open and stepped through first, shifting her grip on Kaeth so he wouldn’t run into the door frame. He watched with an amused smirk as she closed the door behind them.
“Lets go, then,” she said, resuming her position beside him. The rain had let up sometime after Kaeth had woken, but the clouds still covered the moons. Kaeth did his best to keep as much weight as he could off Caelyn as the pair struggled down the road, but the further they went, the more he was forced to hold on to her for balance. The darkness only made it harder.
Fortunately for both of them, a gentle wind started up, blowing out of the south. It was cold, but welcome. The low clouds drifted apart, revealing the glowing face of Mytiania for just a moment. Kaeth glanced up to gaze at the moon, wondering again at just how beautiful it was. Hearing a wistful sigh from beside him, he turned his gaze to Caelyn. “Miss it?”
“Yes. It’s become like home to me since we fled Taenar.”
Kaeth winced, his eyes never leaving Caelyn’s face as she watched until the clouds moved to cover her homeworld again. There it was again. That reminder of how much the evil of the Taenans had broken and battered innocent people. No, I’m not sorry I’ve done this, Kaeth mused.
They didn’t have long to wait until the clouds cleared again. This time, Mytiania’s companion, Quaeneth, shone her light down on them in addition to Mytiania’s illumination.
“Thank you, Great Degus, for the light,” Caelyn murmured softly, bringing Kaeth’s attention back to her once again.
Kaeth’s brows furrowed. “What?”
She looked up to meet his questioning gaze. “Degus. The Great Watcher who protects us all. You haven’t heard of him?”
“Not before now, no.” Kaeth admitted softly.
She frowned, then looked away. “They said you didn’t believe,” she whispered.
“I...” Wait. What was that?
“What?”
He thought he’d heard something, a distant whining sound. An engine, maybe. There it was again, but this time it was louder, closer. “Get down!” he hissed, taking advantage of his arm around her shoulders to pull her towards the safety of a row of trees surrounding a nearby home. They dropped beneath the trees, out of sight in the shadows. Kaeth bit back a curse, eyes squeezing shut against the pain as he jarred his shoulder.
The vehicle continued its approach. The sound came from the east, along the road they’d just taken. Kaeth frowned softly. He didn’t recognize the sound of the engine. It didn’t have the same metallic rattle as most Taenan vehicles he had heard. The sound it made was higher pitched, smoother.
As soon as it came in sight, he knew he didn’t recognize it. Rather than being supported by wheels, it floated several feet above the ground. A squad of soldiers flanked it-three on each side. They wore dark gray uniforms, just like the one the soldiers his own squad had ambushed wore.
Hiibär. The very thing he looked for had come to him. He sighed wearily. Now that they were here, he only had to figure out how to surrender without them opening fire as soon as they saw him.
Without warning, Caelyn burst out from the cover of the trees, shouting as she did. “Taylor!”
“No, wait!” Kaeth darted after her, right hand grasping for her jacket. He missed.
The squad broke from the vehicle as soon as they saw the pair. Their weapons whined, signaling a sudden charge of energy. Kaeth halted abruptly. One of the six broke off, catching Caelyn in a crushing embrace as she rushed towards him. The others aimed for Kaeth, forming a close circle around him. He raised his right hand, palm facing outwards as a gesture of peace. “Hey-”
A sudden blow from behind cut him off, and he couldn’t quite quench the cry of agony as pain flamed out from his injury. He stumbled to his knees. He thought he heard a cry from Caelyn, but it sounded like she was very far away. He looked up, trying to see where she was, what had happened to her. A row of gray-clad legs blocked his view. The sudden high-pitched whine of a weapon filled his ears, then pain flashed through his body. Lights flickered in his vision and he pitched forward. The last thing he remembered was another sharp cry from Caelyn as he fell into the welcoming arms of blackness.
Title: The Exile
Author: Lhinneill
Summary: "What about me? I'm a traitor. I can't go home."
Length: 5325 words
Rating: PG+ for mild language and violence.
Category: Fantasy/Scifi/Action/Adventure
A/N: Part I of the Freedom's Call series. I'm hoping to get Part II done sometime in the next couple weeks.
The stench of ash and rotting flesh hung heavily in the air. What rain had fallen overnight had done nothing to cleanse the smell. In fact, Kaeth thought it might have made it worse. Crinkling his nose distastefully, the young elf craned his neck to peer at the blackened walls of high-rising buildings above. The Hiibär had done a good job destroying this part of the city, just like the intel reports had said.
Deep craters marked the sites of bomb explosions, and the buildings all around those craters were blackened and crumbling. Although he had recently studied reports of the advanced weapons technology of the Hiibär, Kaeth had never before seen the destruction firsthand.
We don’t stand a chance.
The war was a mistake. Kaeth never had agreed with the Taenan military’s decision to invade Hiibära, the smaller of the two continents on Taenar, a choice which ultimately forced the peace-loving people to flee to Mytiania, one of the planet’s three satellites. That had been four years ago. They had heard nothing from the Hiibär for all that time. Until now.
“Hiibär scum!”
At the loud voice of his fair-haired squadmate, Jarel Nison, Kaeth tore his eyes from the destruction. The young demolitions officer walked several paces ahead of Kaeth, dangling a light submachine gun from one hand, toying with the trigger pin of a grenade in the other.
Stupid kid. He’s going to get himself blown up one of these days.
“Hey, Gaan.” Jarel turned suddenly to look at Kaeth, a mocking smirk plastered over his face. He never had liked Kaeth. “I heard a bunch of elves took off and infected to the Hiibär’s side.”
Kaeth grunted and rolled his eyes. The feeling was mutual. “It’s defected, you idiot.”
The smirk faded. “Whatever, elf,” Jarel grunted. Without another word, he whirled and stalked away, placing the team’s second in command between Kaeth and himself.
Kaeth didn’t mind. Of all the team members, Lieutenant Jasyn Lakka was the only one who bothered to treat him with any respect. He’s the only one who acts like I’m not just some animal. Because of that, the pair had quickly bonded after Kaeth joined the squad.
For as long as he could remember, his family had never been free of the fierce prejudice of the Taenans. This war with the Hiibär was nothing new. Taenans had been waging their own wars within the borders of their country for centuries now.
Kaeth never had been-and never would be-ashamed of his elven heritage, but it did make his military life difficult. Especially when lesser-ranked soldiers wholly ignored his seniority. It didn’t matter that he too called himself a Taenan. They took one look at the elegant points of his ears and nothing else mattered.
“Hey, Gaan. You okay?”
Kaeth looked up. He hadn’t realized Lakka had dropped back to walk beside him. “Yeah. I’m fine, sir.”
Lakka shifted his weapon to his other hand and dropped his free one onto Kaeth’s shoulder. He nodded and smiled encouragingly. “You’re a good man, Gaan. Those pointy ears don’t have nothing to do with that. Don’t let nobody tell you otherwise.”
“Yes, sir.” Kaeth smiled thankfully, and Lakka let go of his shoulder.
“Don’t mention it,” Lakka said, then nodded towards their teammates. “C’mon, kid. We’ve got some scum to hunt.”
Kaeth cringed at Lakka’s choice of words, but the Lieutenant didn’t seem to notice. Instead, he wordlessly dropped in line behind the fifth member of the squad, an old guy they knew as Ammo. As far as Kaeth knew, the man didn’t have a real name. At least not one he wanted to share.
A sudden gesture from the squad commander, Raak Terram, sent the squad to the ground. Kaeth ducked behind the blackened remains of a family auto. Jarel dropped to the ground beside him, still absently toying with the pin on a grenade. Eyes widening, Kaeth shuffled further away, placing as much distance between himself and the demo as possible. He wasn’t nearly far enough for his liking, but he had nowhere else to go.
Kaeth popped his head over the rear bumper of the auto. He quickly spotted Raak and Lakka, huddled beside an abandoned delivery auto. One look at the melted rubber of the tires told Kaeth why it had been left.
Raak lifted a hand, shaking a clenched fist towards the other side of the street. Ammo darted from his cover at the signal, then vanished into the rubble of a burnt-out bakery. Even with his keen elven eyesight, Kaeth couldn’t make out where the sniper had gone. A chill rushed down his spine. Rumors said Ammo was just an escaped convict, looking for the thrill of killing on the battlefield. And even if that wasn’t true, something about the man made Kaeth uneasy. He never trusted the sniper to watch his back.
It didn’t take long for Ammo to return. He dropped down beside Raak and Lakka, a crooked grin showing off his yellowed teeth. “Hiibär. A whole ton of ‘em, just waiting for us to drop in.”
Raak’s lips twitched, and he mimicked Ammo’s grin. “Good.” He waved for Kaeth and Jarel to join the three. “We’ll take ‘em fast. Ammo, you set up shop up there,” he pointed to a high-rise office complex. “Take out anybody trying to get away. Jarel, you’re with me. Lakka...you make sure the elf doesn’t get himself in any trouble.”
Kaeth felt his skin flush hotly. Jarel cackled gleefully, scrambling off behind the Commander as he darted from the cover of the delivery auto towards a building to the left.
“You ready, kid?”
Kaeth nodded grimly and met Lakka’s cool gaze. “Ready, sir.” This wasn’t his first time in combat. Three years in the CPF-City Police Force-had conditioned him to close-quarters combat where there was no time to think, just react. He’d gotten a medal for his distinguished service.
“Let’s go, then.”
The two went to the right, darting stealthily through the rubble. As he looked across the street, Kaeth caught the occasional glimpse of his squadmates’ camo gear. They were doing well at staying out of sight. They all were. So well, in fact, that the Hiibär never saw them coming. Their first and only warning was the sound of one of Jarel’s grenades landing in the middle of the group.
Someone screamed a warning, but it was too late. The grenade exploded spectacularly, sending a shower of dirt and rock high in the air. Kaeth’s earpiece crackled to life with Raak’s order. “Move in!”
“You heard him, kid. Let’s get ‘em!” Lakka shouted as he darted out of the rubble. Kaeth followed close behind, his heartbeat pounding in his ears.
Lakka drove headlong into the group of soldiers, mowing down several as they reached for their weapons, then diving for cover. Kaeth flipped his machine gun over to single shot mode and fired once, taking out a Hiibär as he moved towards Lakka. He dropped to one knee, fired again. The strong stench of gunpowder burned in his nose. From the corner of his eyes, he saw Lakka scrambling for more cover, still firing like a madman. Raak, Jarel and Ammo were nowhere in sight.
Kaeth hissed. The Hiibär were regrouping, and several had seen Lakka. Kaeth burst from his own cover, planning to move into a position where he could help his superior. A sudden flash of movement, and he whirled, dropping to a crouch with his K-87 raised. The frightened eyes of a female Hiibär met his gaze. He didn’t fire. Something about her looked familiar.
The uniform, he realized, then cursed. She’s just a medic!
“Gaan! What the cran are you doing?” Raak’s voice was loud in Kaeth’s ears, and he whirled to find the Commander right behind him, his face and uniform blood-spattered.
“She’s a med, sir!”
The Commander’s eyes darkened angrily. “A med?” He broke eye contact with Kaeth long enough to slam the butt of his rifle into the face of a retreating Hiibär soldier. “She’s a Hiibär, Gaan! A damned Hiibär! Kill her and move on! We’ve got work to do here.”
Kaeth didn’t move. A damned Hiibär, huh? He remembered the Commander saying something very similar about elves once before.
Raak scowled. “Fine, I’ll do it myself.”
The Commander strode past, roughly slamming an open palm into Kaeth’s shoulder. The young med’s eyes widened, and she scrambled back.
There isn’t time to think, Kaeth. You have to trust your instinct. One day, it might save your life, or the life of someone who’s depending on you.
Raak’s weapon clicked loudly as the man chambered a fresh round. Kaeth cursed, his hand dropping to the sheath on his thigh. He ripped the combat knife free and dove forward. One arm wrapped around the Commander’s throat. Kaeth jerked him back and drove the knife into his side. Raak grunted in pain, and his gun went off, spraying bullets into the air. The med shrieked. Kaeth pulled his knife free and pushed the Commander away. He sheathed the weapon, then held a hand out to the med. She hesitated, and in that moment of indecision, Ammo fired.
The bullet missed Kaeth’s protective vest by less than an inch, piercing deeply into the muscle of his left shoulder. The force of the blow knocked him to the ground. He lay stunned for a moment, blinking at the gray undersides of the clouds above. Then, to his surprise, he felt cold hands gripping his own, pulling him back to reality.
I just gutted my CO, he realized somewhat sluggishly. So much for instinct.
It was the med’s hands he felt. She struggled to pull him up, out of the line of fire. Kaeth bit back the pain and struggled to his knees, then his feet. He caught the med’s jacket in his right hand, pulling her along behind him as he made a dash for the gaping window of a nearby building. Ammo’s second shot shattered what was left of the window frame just as the pair dove through.
“Stay down,” Kaeth instructed. He scooted back against the wall, craning his neck so he could peer through the low window. Aside from Raak, lying face down in the street, none of the squad was in sight. It looked like the remaining Hiibär had fled, leaving their dead. Kaeth couldn’t blame them.
“Why are you doing this?”
Kaeth turned to look at the med. She sat against the adjoining wall, knees drawn close to her chest with arms wrapped tightly around her ankles. Her dark blond hair hung in damp strands across her pale green eyes. He frowned. “Good question.”
Static crackled in his ear. “Kaeth. This is Lakka.” Voices echoed in the background, angry voices. Probably Jarel and Ammo. If they were near enough for their voices to pick up on Lakka’s radio, then Ammo must have come out of hiding. Lucky for us, Kaeth thought.
Lakka quieted the two. “What d’ya think you’re doing?”
Kaeth let his head drop back to rest on the block wall. “The right thing, Lieutenant.”
“What?” the med asked confusedly. Kaeth motioned her to be quiet, then pointed to his earpiece.
There was a long moment of silence. Kaeth figured the three remaining squadmates were arguing over how they were going to kill him. Well, two of them anyway. “You just signed your own death warrant, kid. I can’t help you now.”
“You do what you have to, Jasyn. I made my choice.” With that, Kaeth tore the radio from his ear and tossed it to the ground. With his left arm cradled protectively against his chest, he pushed himself to his feet. “Come on.”
The med rose as he strode from the front section of the store, moving back to the food-strewn aisles. “Where are we going?”
“Somewhere other than here. They’ll be coming for us now.”
As if to emphasize his words, a sudden explosion rocked the ground. The med lost her balance, falling against a row of shelving. “What was that?”
“Jarel. He’s trying to scare us.” Kaeth stopped. Trying to herd us. He had been planning on taking the rear exit. But with the sudden explosion, he realized the three had likely covered all the probable exits. Something he should have thought of already. Kaeth muttered a low curse, then turned suddenly. “We’ve got to find another way out.”
They were trapped, though. If Lakka had followed standard procedure, he would have radioed for backup. Not that the three alone weren’t enough of a threat. I could use your help right now, Kharl. His thoughts returned to his old CPF mentor, Kharl Locke. If not for Kharl, Kaeth would have been long dead. The man had taught him the important things of life. Like justice, right and wrong, truth. Kharl was a rare find. Most men involved in any military service cared nothing for that. They just followed orders with no thought of whether it was right or not.
“This way,” Kaeth directed suddenly. He moved off towards the source of the explosion. Just the day before, Jarel had been boasting of his skill at setting traps. Just because a bomb went off, it didn’t meant the demo was actually there. Maybe, just maybe, we’ll get lucky.
The med didn’t ask anymore questions as they moved through the store, tripping over the rubble of the collapsed ceiling. His shoulder throbbed dully. He grit his teeth against the pain.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Fine,” he nodded stiffly. Until they escaped this trap, he had to be fine.
Fortunately for him, it didn’t take long for them to reach the gaping hole left by Jarel’s explosive. Kaeth motioned for the med to stay back. When she didn’t, he stopped to glare. “Stay back?”
She winced. “Sorry.”
She moved behind him, still sheltered from view behind the wall, as Kaeth peered out. Jarel wasn’t hard to spot as he moved through the rubble, probably searching for better cover. Kaeth lifted his K-87 with his good hand, aimed, then pulled the trigger once. The gunshot rang out loudly in the enclosed space of the store. Jarel jerked and went down. There was a pause, then an explosion rocked the rubble and tore the side off the building nearest Jarel. Kaeth grit his teeth and dropped his gaze. As much as he disliked the kid, he wouldn’t have wished that kind of death on anyone.
“What happened?” the med whispered.
“Kid blew himself up.” In the shocked silence that followed, Kaeth stepped through the crumbling wall. The med followed. “They’ll have heard that. We have to move quick.”
By now, he thought he should have gotten used to the pain in his shoulder. But as he led the med at a fast jog through the back alleys of the city, every step jarred his wound and sent a fresh wave of pain throughout his body. His breath came in pained gasps.
“Hey, wait.” The med caught the sleeve of his jacket, pulling him to a stop. “You’re hurting.”
“I’m fine. We’ve-”
“You’re not fine. If I don’t do something about that wound, you’ll bleed to death!”
She was right, of course. But for the moment, there was nothing he could do. Both Lakka and Ammo were in good condition. Either one could catch up with the pair at any moment. “We have to keep moving.”
“We won’t make it very far if you collapse.”
He snorted, shaking his head. She certainly was persistent. “Then I won’t collapse,” he said, meeting her gaze.
She shook her head and sighed softly. “You’d better not.”
Nodding, he gave a soft sigh. And as much as he knew they had to keep pushing on, he slowed to a pace that was somewhere just faster than a walk. He knew it wouldn’t be enough, but at least they were still moving. As they did, he kept casting glances over his shoulder. He didn’t see anyone in pursuit, even with his elven eyesight. That worried him. What are you planning, Ammo?
Of the two, he was most worried about the sniper. Lakka was a soldier, and a good one too. But Ammo was dangerous, unpredictable. Kaeth didn’t doubt that he was a murderer. It was in his eyes. Just remembering how the man’s eyes glistened at the mention of combat was enough to keep Kaeth putting one foot in front of the other.
Glancing toward his companion, he watched her in silence for a moment. She was shorter than him, but only barely. And though her shoulders were slightly slumped, he could tell she wasn’t one to give in easily to pain or weariness.
“How far to your people’s lines?” he asked.
Her eyes rose to meet his. She frowned, a subtle blush creeping over her cheeks. “Honestly? I don’t know.”
“Intel placed your transport ships to the west, near the coast. They said you’d set up base there. That right?”
She nodded slowly. “Yeah.”
Kaeth’s gaze moved to the horizon. Dark clouds obscured his view of anything more than a mile away, but he could see the level of destruction beginning to wane. Hiibär bombers had focused most of their attack on the business district. Intel hadn’t bothered to disclose their theories on the Hiibär reasoning behind that strategy. “I don’t think it’s far. We’re in the red zone right now.”
“Red zone?”
“Where your people and my people are fighting,” he explained shortly.
“Oh.” She fell silent for a moment. “You’re taking me to my people?”
“Where’d you think we were going?”
“I...don’t know.” Her brow crinkled in a thoughtful frown. “But what about you?”
He snorted. “What about me? I’m a traitor. I can’t go home.” She didn’t answer, and when he looked back to her, her gaze was distant. “You okay?”
Startled, her eyes flew to his. She smiled shyly. “You’re the one bleeding, you know.”
He smiled softly and shook his head. The motion made his vision swim unexpectedly, and he stumbled over an unseen brick on the ground. Instinctively, he threw out his arms to catch himself, not expecting the jolt of intense pain as his hands met the pavement. He groaned.
Hands gripped his vest, rolling him onto his right side. The hands moved to his face, and he opened his eyes to find the med leaning over him. “Don’t you leave me here by myself, soldier,” he heard.
He nodded groggily.
“Can you get up?”
“Think so.” His head had cleared some, and the initial pain from the fall had eased. With the med’s help, he made it to his feet. She draped his uninjured arm over her shoulder, wrapped her arm around his waist, and led him to the shelter of a nearby building. It looked like it had once been someone’s home. They’d left it quickly too. Kaeth could tell that much by the scattered possessions he kept stumbling over.
The med guided him to the couch, and he rolled free of her grasp, dropping onto the soft cushions with a low moan. Her hand brushed his forehead, then went to his wrist again. She quietly cursed. “You’ve lost a lot of blood. I should have made you listen to me.”
He shook his head. “They’re gonna find us if we stay here.”
“Let them. You’re not going anywhere like this.”
“Then we both die.”
She didn’t answer. With lips pressed into a firm line, she unzipped his vest and helped him slide his right arm free, then pulled it over his left arm. The jacket came off next. Kaeth’s stomach lurched at the motion, and he closed his eyes, fighting against the nausea. She touched his forehead again, her hand cool against his sweating skin.
“I don’t have anything to dress this,” she whispered.
“Field kit. Vest pocket.”
He vaguely heard her tearing through the pockets of his vest as he fought the blackness that tugged at him. He had to stay awake. He couldn’t just leave her alone. They would kill her without him here to protect her. He struggled to keep his eyes open, to focus on her face as she leaned over him. Her lips moved as she said something he couldn’t hear. No matter how hard he fought, he could still feel himself slipping. Her hand touched his cheek, and he finally let himself go to the darkness.
He woke to the sound of rain mercilessly beating the roof overhead. He blinked at the dark air around him, and for a moment couldn’t remember where he was. The memories returned with a wave of pain. A soft moan escaped his lips, and he pressed his right hand to his eyes. As he did, he realized he was bare-chested beneath the jacket laid over him. He touched the fabric and frowned. The med must’ve cut off his shirt. He felt across his chest until his fingers landed on the light bandages around his shoulder and chest.
“Hey.”
The soft voice came from the floor beside him. He rolled his head to look at his Hiibär companion. Even though it was dark in the room, he could make out her features. She smiled softly, chin resting on her knees, arms draped around her ankles. He tiredly smiled back. “How long?”
“About three hours. I think the moons are up, but it’s hard to tell with the clouds,” she said softly. Her hand brushed his forehead. “Feeling better?”
“Yeah.”
She pulled her hand away, and he heard the rustle of her clothes as she shifted positions on the floor. “You had me worried there for a while.”
Kaeth didn’t answer. Somehow it felt strange to hear her say that. She’s worried about me. The enemy. He sighed at the thought, letting his eyes slide closed again. The rain continued its attack on the roof. “You haven’t seen anyone?”
“No. Maybe they gave up,” she said. He could hear the hope in her voice.
“They never give up.” And that was what worried him. He had stabbed Raak and shot Jarel. Yet, he’d seen no further signs of any of the squad hunting him. As much as he wanted to believe Lakka had some part in that, he knew the Lieutenant was too good a soldier to just disobey an order that way. Kaeth, on the other hand, was an enforcer. His job had always been to protect the innocent.
“I’m Caelyn, by the way. Caelyn Synla.”
Surprised by her sudden introduction, he looked at her again, hesitating a moment before offering, “Kaeth Gaan.”
“Hi, Kaeth.”
He smiled again. “Hi, Caelyn.”
“Hungry?”
“I’m always hungry.”
She laughed quietly, then stood. A moment later, a flashlight clicked on. He screwed his eyes shut as the beam caught his eyes. “Ow.”
“Sorry.” She patted his uninjured shoulder, then moved further into the house. He heard some clattering in another room, then something shattered. Eyebrows rising, he rolled as much as he could to look back at the doorway over his shoulder. Shadows danced across the walls as the med moved through the room, then Caelyn reappeared in the door. She returned to sit on the floor beside him.
“They left their food in the house,” she explained. He heard paper rustling, then felt her lay something in his open palm. “It’s a little stale, though.”
Kaeth grimaced as he bit off a shard of the overly crunchy bread. “A little?”
“They don’t have any water either.”
“Vest-”
“I know. I already went through all your stuff and the vest pockets. I never thought you could fit so much stuff in a few pockets.”
He frowned. She went through my stuff?
“You’d be surprised,” he murmured. He took another bite of the bread as she handed him his canteen. The water helped soften the bread some, but not much. He coughed, then gasped as his shoulder protested painfully.
“Hey, you okay?” Caelyn scooted closer, fingers of one hand clasping his wrist to take his pulse, the other moving to his face again.
He grunted. “I’m fine.”
“You want some pain pills?”
“No,” he pushed her hands away. “I have to stay alert.”
“Wait, what are you doing? You’re going to make yourself bleed again!” Caelyn objected harshly as he struggled to push himself into a sitting position. He batted her hands back firmly as she tried to pin him in place.
He tossed the jacket aside, shivering a little as the cold air met his chest. “We can’t just sit here. Ammo, at least, will be hunting us. We can’t stop moving. We’ve already waited too long now because of this. If you don’t get back to your people soon, the Taenans will kill us both.”
He heard her sigh heavily. Silence settled. And as much as he knew she was right, as much as he wanted to lie down and sleep, he knew he couldn’t. He had to get her to safety.
“Fine,” she whispered at last. “Just let me help you.”
Her arm slid under his shoulders, supporting him as he sat up on the couch. The room tilted dizzyingly. Kaeth pressed his hand to his eyes, once again fighting a wave of nausea. He wavered, forced to sit still a moment longer until the feeling passed.
“This isn’t a good idea.”
Kaeth shook his head firmly, then shakily stood. “No. But neither is waiting here.”
She sighed. “I hope you have a plan. We won’t get very far with you in this condition.”
“Have to try,” Kaeth managed weakly. Now that he was on his feet, he was having trouble staying there. Every little move he made sent him into another bout of vertigo, and he found himself clinging to the med more than he would have liked. He breathed in a deep, shuddering breath, then let it out. “Okay. I’m okay.”
She let go slowly and stepped back. He felt her watching him, even though she didn’t say anything.
“My gear?”
He heard cloth rustling. “Give me your arm.” He did as she instructed, and she slid his jacket on his right arm first, then draped it over his bandaged shoulder. She started to put his vest on, but he stopped her.
“You wear it. I don’t think I can get it back on right now.”
She acquiesced quietly, and he heard her slide into it. There was some more quiet clattering, then she moved to his side and placed his right arm over her shoulder. He frowned deeply and tried to shrug her off. “You don’t have to help me. I can walk on my own.”
“Really? I don’t think so, soldier. You’re stuck with me.”
He sighed. “Fine. Where’s my gun?”
“Your handgun’s in your holster. We’re leaving that heavy thing. You can’t carry it, and neither can I.”
“Are you always this bossy?”
“Oh, yeah.” He could hear the grin in her voice, and shook his head, glad she couldn’t see the smile on his own lips. She shifted his arm, then settled her left arm around his waist to balance him. Not that he would admit it, but if she had been a man, he would have objected far less to her helping him. As it was, he hated to burden her.
“Ready?” she questioned.
He nodded. “Yeah. Ready.”
She flicked on the flashlight, guiding him around the family’s discarded clothing, pans, and other odd possessions scattered across the floor. She pushed the door open and stepped through first, shifting her grip on Kaeth so he wouldn’t run into the door frame. He watched with an amused smirk as she closed the door behind them.
“Lets go, then,” she said, resuming her position beside him. The rain had let up sometime after Kaeth had woken, but the clouds still covered the moons. Kaeth did his best to keep as much weight as he could off Caelyn as the pair struggled down the road, but the further they went, the more he was forced to hold on to her for balance. The darkness only made it harder.
Fortunately for both of them, a gentle wind started up, blowing out of the south. It was cold, but welcome. The low clouds drifted apart, revealing the glowing face of Mytiania for just a moment. Kaeth glanced up to gaze at the moon, wondering again at just how beautiful it was. Hearing a wistful sigh from beside him, he turned his gaze to Caelyn. “Miss it?”
“Yes. It’s become like home to me since we fled Taenar.”
Kaeth winced, his eyes never leaving Caelyn’s face as she watched until the clouds moved to cover her homeworld again. There it was again. That reminder of how much the evil of the Taenans had broken and battered innocent people. No, I’m not sorry I’ve done this, Kaeth mused.
They didn’t have long to wait until the clouds cleared again. This time, Mytiania’s companion, Quaeneth, shone her light down on them in addition to Mytiania’s illumination.
“Thank you, Great Degus, for the light,” Caelyn murmured softly, bringing Kaeth’s attention back to her once again.
Kaeth’s brows furrowed. “What?”
She looked up to meet his questioning gaze. “Degus. The Great Watcher who protects us all. You haven’t heard of him?”
“Not before now, no.” Kaeth admitted softly.
She frowned, then looked away. “They said you didn’t believe,” she whispered.
“I...” Wait. What was that?
“What?”
He thought he’d heard something, a distant whining sound. An engine, maybe. There it was again, but this time it was louder, closer. “Get down!” he hissed, taking advantage of his arm around her shoulders to pull her towards the safety of a row of trees surrounding a nearby home. They dropped beneath the trees, out of sight in the shadows. Kaeth bit back a curse, eyes squeezing shut against the pain as he jarred his shoulder.
The vehicle continued its approach. The sound came from the east, along the road they’d just taken. Kaeth frowned softly. He didn’t recognize the sound of the engine. It didn’t have the same metallic rattle as most Taenan vehicles he had heard. The sound it made was higher pitched, smoother.
As soon as it came in sight, he knew he didn’t recognize it. Rather than being supported by wheels, it floated several feet above the ground. A squad of soldiers flanked it-three on each side. They wore dark gray uniforms, just like the one the soldiers his own squad had ambushed wore.
Hiibär. The very thing he looked for had come to him. He sighed wearily. Now that they were here, he only had to figure out how to surrender without them opening fire as soon as they saw him.
Without warning, Caelyn burst out from the cover of the trees, shouting as she did. “Taylor!”
“No, wait!” Kaeth darted after her, right hand grasping for her jacket. He missed.
The squad broke from the vehicle as soon as they saw the pair. Their weapons whined, signaling a sudden charge of energy. Kaeth halted abruptly. One of the six broke off, catching Caelyn in a crushing embrace as she rushed towards him. The others aimed for Kaeth, forming a close circle around him. He raised his right hand, palm facing outwards as a gesture of peace. “Hey-”
A sudden blow from behind cut him off, and he couldn’t quite quench the cry of agony as pain flamed out from his injury. He stumbled to his knees. He thought he heard a cry from Caelyn, but it sounded like she was very far away. He looked up, trying to see where she was, what had happened to her. A row of gray-clad legs blocked his view. The sudden high-pitched whine of a weapon filled his ears, then pain flashed through his body. Lights flickered in his vision and he pitched forward. The last thing he remembered was another sharp cry from Caelyn as he fell into the welcoming arms of blackness.
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