Chapter Forty-Four
“But how do we know we can trust them?” The cold stares from Moon students burn through River and me as we stand in front of them, vulnerable. The only shield that stands between us and them is Ryder.
“Their kind is the reason the Moons are going missing in the first place,” another student shouts out, this time a female.
She has long blonde hair, French plaited all the way down to her bottom, and she is wearing a low-cut black vest top and cargo trousers with a dagger in a holster on her thigh.
Her statement riles up the crowd even more, and they begin talking over each other and stomping their feet.
“How do you know she isn’t working with the enemy?
” Is the only sentence I can make out as the murmur between the students gets louder.
I am starting to think this is a bad idea.
I stare down at the stone flooring of Moon Archive, wishing it would just swallow me up.
River nudges my arm gently, sensing my unrest, and gives me a reassuring smile.
“ENOUGH!” Ryder booms, and the whole crowd quietens.
He waits a moment before speaking, making sure that he has everyone’s attention.
“She is the only reason we know where to look in the first place.” He gestures to me, and I flash a small, insecure smile. “Yes, she comes from enemy territory, but that does not mean she is the enemy.”
“How can you jump at creating an alliance with the Sunkind? Have we learned nothing from our ancestors? You of all people know exactly what they are like,” another voice calls out, and Ryder tenses his jaw. His fists clench at the unrest in the room.
“Asha is different!” His voice is stern. “Show them.” His eyes meet mine encouragingly, and I know he wants me to flaunt my gifts.
I shuffle in my stance awkwardly as silence rolls over each member of the audience.
I gulp as the attention turns to me and stare back as their faces gleam with anger and resentment, waiting for a villain to project it onto.
Ryder gives me a reassuring look and stands by me like a bodyguard.
I bite the bullet and ignite my Gifts, not knowing how the crowd will respond.
The anger and resentment quickly contort into shock and disbelief as they gawk at my palms, a shadow in one hand and a fiery orb in the other.
“My mother was a Sun and my father was a Moon… I have no sides. I just want to do what’s right.”
The chatter arises among the Moons as Ryder steps forward again.
“But that’s impossible!” a small voice breaks through the stunned crowd.
“That’s what the Sunkind wants you to believe,” I interrupt, looking around the room at the sea of open-mouthed faces. “You and I have a common enemy. The Sunkind wiped out my race thousands of years ago and then made everyone forget.”
The room falls silent.
“But that was then, and I have been around them long enough to see that they aren’t all bad.” I smile at River, who forces a smile back at me, keeping his head high to not show weakness.
“Ryder and I staked out the place. Moons are involved in this too.”
Another gasp waves through the sea of people.
“Anyone have anything to say now?!” Ryder’s voice bellows as he crosses his arms. Not a noise ripples through the room. “That’s what I thought.”
He paces the stage before addressing the crowd again. “I have alerted my father to the plan, we already have an army, with or without you.”
His eyes narrow on the crowd. “Who is going to join us?”
***
I toast my hands in front of the fire and find myself getting lost in the flames, the faint crackle swallowed by the ambient noise of Moons sharpening their swords, checking their straps and lacing their boots to prepare for battle.
The Moons possessing the Gift of Xoro, masters of weaponry and skill, have been turning mere sticks and leaves into the sharpest, shiniest blades and weapons I have ever seen as if by magic.
We set up camp for the night in the forest at the bottom of the mountain.
The road is only a few miles out, and the Shadowers have their hawks on watch for the van to alert us when it makes an appearance.
The heat from the fire fights the cold air and barely warms my skin.
My stomach hasn’t settled. Images of the red-veined creature keep biting at my brain with needle-sharp teeth, and I can’t help but feel at a disadvantage.
The Moons surround me, gearing up for a battle they may lose.
My eyes dissect them. At first glance, they look unbothered, laughing amongst each other, telling dirty jokes and play-fighting.
But an eerie stillness follows their conversations, hanging on the edge of their lips, just waiting for a pause to reveal itself, a seed of doubt sprouting through the cracks of their words, and I know they feel it too. The calm before the storm.
“What are you thinking about?” River interrupts my thoughts as he begins tightening the laces of his boots.
I sigh. “I just can’t help thinking we are in way over our heads,” I whisper, looking at Ryder, who is talking with a tall blonde boy on the other side of camp.
“Who are you and what have you done with Asha?” River smirks as he wraps his laces into a small bow. “The Asha I know is absolutely fearless.”
He laughs, and I can’t help the slight smile that rises on my lips. A brief silence encumbers us.
“If anyone should be scared, it’s them,” he says in all seriousness. “Because they don’t have you.” He smiles and shuffles closer to me, and for the first time this evening, my shoulders relax a little.
“Thanks.” I smile and prod the flames. “Thanks for wanting to help me.”
“Always.” He smiles back and begins ripping the fabric of his shirt with his teeth. I stare back at him, confused for a minute, and then chuckle. “A very smart girl once showed me how to do this,” he jokes and wraps the material around his knife.
“Oh, really?! She must be a genius,” I banter back, laughing out loud for the first time today.
“She’s really something.” He smiles a genuine smile and gazes soulfully into my eyes, my cheeks flush pink, and I clear my throat to interrupt this moment.
Ryder’s heavy footsteps barge in, and he squeezes himself between us.
“You okay?” Ryder asks as he cups my face in his hand. I ease into his touch and watch River walk away.
“Did you really have to do that?” I reply, brushing his hand away from my cheek.
“Do what?” Ryder shuffles back, looking confused, and I stare at him for a moment.
“Make River uncomfortable like that,” I respond, gesturing to the space on the log that River was sitting on. “He is here to help.”
“He doesn’t give a shit about the missing Moons, Asha,” Ryder spits at me, and I am taken aback by his outburst. “He is doing this for you.”
Now I am the one looking at him confused.
“He obviously still has a thing for you,” Ryder’s voice softens, and the flames dance in the reflection of his eyes.
“Are you…jealous?” I smirk, cupping his face in my hand, his stubble scratching at the soft of my palm.
His reddened cheek retreats from my hand as he looks away.
“Ryder, look at me.”
His eyes drift slowly towards me, and I see it, a flicker of fear behind his eyes, but not for the battle or bloodshed that lies ahead of us, the fear of losing me.
“I’m yours,” I whisper, and he gives in to me, crashing his lips against mine, and for a brief moment, fear has no power, only love.
Someone approaches Ryder and taps him on the shoulder, whispering in his ear, “Ryder, the vehicle is approaching”, just loud enough for me to hear. Ryder nods his head in response and addresses the rest of the camp.
“Gather round,” he demands and makes a circular motion with his hand. The group falls silent, and the students do as they’re told. “The hawks have spotted the van about a mile out. You all know your positions… Let’s go bring our brothers and sisters home.”
His loud voice is suffocated by the Viking cheers of the Moons around camp. They rage like a fire ready to burn, but I don’t rage like them.
“Shouldn’t we wait for the army?” I ask, trying to hide the worry lines on my forehead.
“I’m not leaving them in there any longer than they have to be.” He points up the mountain trail to where the missing Moons are being held. “My father will catch up with us.”
It seems he has already made his decision.
The hustle and bustle of Moons arming and readying themselves for battle fills me with unease. The way they laugh whilst sharpening swords and knives lives up to the stories of the deadly Moons I had worked so hard at forgetting. Let’s just say, I am glad I am on their side.
“You coming?” Ryder says to me as he leads a team of troops to intercept the van.
“Yes,” I respond and shove two small throwing knives into my belt, the moon’s gleam glinting off the blades as I do so.
Ryder’s eyes sparkle as he offers me a warm smile before trailing through the crowd to lead the small troop.
River falls back and walks with me. The crunch of hungry boots chomping at the earth below our feet is daunting, but there’s no going back now.
We lay on our fronts, camouflaged behind a bush, a few clicks ahead of the van, watching the trail.
River and I Influenced a large tree to block the road, which went surprisingly smoothly.
River is definitely one of the strongest Influencers I have ever met.
Now we wait. The idea is that the van will stop, and the passengers will have to get out to move the obstruction. Then we attack.
“Shh, here it comes,” someone whispers, and my body stiffens.