28. Chapter 27
28
Chapter 27
Dacias
Dacias bolted into Souzie’s home the moment she opened the door. “KLORIN!”
Souzie followed close behind. Her heavy silence rattled Dacias, but he couldn’t worry about that now. He had to save Julen.
He recalled a briefing during his training, during which the commander discussed Vinculux. He knew the prison was on the northern outskirts of Lapistra, past a row of immense dormant volcanoes. The harsh landscape and threat of volcanic disturbances made the journey treacherous.
Dacias barreled into Souzie’s bedroom. Klorin sat upright, his eyes wide. “What happened? Where is he?”
Dacias could barely speak. The words burned his tongue. They’re taking him to Vinculux. Vinculux. His chest grew tight, and he crouched onto the ground and started rocking.
Klorin bolted out of bed. “Dacias, tell me what happened.”
Souzie stepped in. “He attacked Haligran.” There was no life in her voice. Klorin gasped. “Who did?” He looked at Dacias. “You?”
Souzie continued, “No. Julen. He nearly killed Haligran. They’re taking him to Vinculux.”
Dacias started doing his box breathing. Don’t lose it. He needs you. Pull it together.
Klorin’s mouth fell open. “Fuck…”
Dacias rose from the ground. “I need supplies. I need a horse to get there. Or should I shift? I shouldn’t. A lion running across Lapistra? I’m an idiot. They’re already on their way, and I need to get to him.”
Klorin stood and tried to comfort his brother, but Dacias shook him off and started rummaging through Souzie’s apartment, looking for supplies. He didn’t even know what he needed, but he had to move. Dacias’s thoughts were pulling him into the abyss, and he had to move before he fell in.
Get there. Get him out. Focus.
Klorin walked after him. “Dacias, you need to stop for a minute. Vinculux is a death trap. You can’t be hasty.”
Dacias exploded, “Fuck that! I have to be hasty. I have to be there now ! The longer he’s there, the more harm will come to him.”
Klorin held his hands up. “I know. I know you are concerned, but you have to be smart. Let’s think about this.”
Dacias wasn’t looking for supplies anymore. He was pacing about the room. “I am thinking. I need supplies. I have to get…to get…”
“You don’t even know what you need; you must calm down,” Klorin implored.
“I AM CALM!”
Souzie’s voice jolted them out of their fight. “WILL YOU TWO SHUT THE FUCK UP!”
They stared at her, eyes wide and mouths formed into circles.
She continued, “This is not helping him. Losing our minds won’t help him.” She scrubbed her hands over her face, took a deep breath, and nodded. She entered her bedroom and came out with a crossbow and quiver.
“There’s a merchant in the northern part of the city center with a large stable. It’s on the way to Vinculux. We’ll steal two horses there.” Life had returned to her voice, and relief washed over Dacias. He needed help. He needed Souzie’s strategic mind working at total capacity.
Klorin looked at her. “Souzie. You are not going.”
Souzie shot Klorin with a look that could freeze lava. “The fuck I’m not!” She closed the distance between them. “That place took my father. They’re taking my best friend. I won’t sit around and cry like I did four years ago. I’m going.”
Souzie tossed Dacias the crossbow, followed by the quiver. “We need rope. It’s in the pantry. The one you are already familiar with…”
Dacias chose to ignore that and walked to the pantry and grabbed the rope.
Souzie pulled riding gear from a wardrobe and tossed it on a table to organize her supplies. “Vinculux is north, so it will be cold. I have nothing that will fit you, so find something you can wrap around yourself for the journey.”
Dacias nodded. This is good. He can follow orders. Thank the Mother Planet for Souzie.
Klorin shook his head. “This is insane. Do you two have any idea what will happen if you go?” He looked at Dacias. “I know you want to get him back, but you’ll probably die. You were at the briefings! Vinculux is the last stop in a person’s life.” His eyes darted between the two of them. “Please! You can’t go.”
Dacias turned to Klorin and gripped his shoulders. “I. Am. Going. I love him. I can’t sit by and do nothing. That is not an option.”
Klorin gawked at them. His breathing intensified. He closed his eyes and sighed. “Fuck. All right. Souzie, do you have another crossbow? We should take water. How many horses are at that stable? Can we snag three?”
Dacias stared at his brother. “You’re coming?”
“Of course, I’m coming! I’m not letting you two go by yourselves. You’re my family now. We’re all going, and we’ll get Julen out of there.” He walked over to Souzie, who had stopped what she was doing and stared at him.
She wrapped her arms around his body and kissed him. They held each other briefly before Souzie said, “Let’s do this.”