Brian Rathbone - The Dawning of Power

"You can't go back in there alone," Kenward said. "It's just too dangerous."

"Yet that is exactly what Catrin and Chase are doing. I'd be in no more danger than them. I can't just stay here and wait while they struggle to survive. I've already seen the dangers they face, and I don't know how they could survive it alone."

In a moment that brought Strom to tears, three of Kenward's crew came forward: Farsy, Bryn, and Nimsy. "We'll go with him," Farsy said. "Others volunteered as well, but we know we can't all go."

Kenward seemed torn, and he paced the deck while he considered. Nora stood nearby, watching him, and she tapped the toe of her boot on the deck. "I'm sorry," Kenward said, "I can't let any of you go. If you were lost, then chances are none of us would ever see our homes again. We simply can't afford to lose-by the gods!"

Everyone turned to see what had frightened Kenward, and Strom saw a terrifying sight. Like a wave of death, a black tide raced toward them. Like a single, huge organism, it moved faster than the swiftest horse. Strom braced himself and offered a hasty prayer, knowing they would need every bit of help they could get. No longer could he hope to find Catrin and Chase; now he could only hope to survive.

"Get up," Chase said. "He's gone."

"What? Who's gone?" Catrin asked, still trying to clear her mind of sleep. Outside, it was still nearly dark, only the blush of the false dawn gave any light.

"Prios."

With a wide yawn, Catrin sat up, her body stiff and sore. "He'll be back."

"How can you be sure it's not a trap? He could be going for help. I know he said the rest were dead, but I don't trust him."

"Prios and I are connected," Catrin said. "There is a bond between us that I cannot explain, but I know it's there. We can trust him. I assure you of that." As if to prove her point, Prios returned to the hall in that moment, carrying a basket of freshly caught fish.

Breakfast.

"Thank you," Chase said after Catrin relayed Prios's words. "I'm sorry I didn't trust you."

Trust should be given only to those who have earned it. Maybe, someday, he and I will trust each other. Maybe today.

Catrin relayed his words, but Chase made no response; instead, he helped clean the fish while Catrin sliced the fresh roots Prios had found. Using Belegra's cook pot and a jar of fresh water from his stores, they made a bland but filling stew, and knowing they would need all the energy they could get, they ate all of what they had.

When they finished the meal, Prios took Catrin by the hand and silently led her to the back of the hall. Beyond the rooms used for storage and what had been sleeping quarters for the soldiers was the room Belegra had used. Inside were two rough stone slabs. One he'd used for a bed and the other as a table. On the table, next to the remains of a burned-out candle, was a stack of leather-bound books, and Catrin looked upon them with undisguised fear.

The books are not evil. They are just books. Perhaps you can do some good with them.

Despite his words, Catrin reached out for the books with trepidation, haunted by the fear that Belegra had left a trap for her. When she lifted the books from the table, though, nothing happened, and she felt foolish. Taking those and a few other items that could be useful, she loaded them into her pack. Chase and Prios rummaged through the stores and filled packs for themselves.

As they reached the entrance of the hall, Catrin looked out over the mountains, down the river valleys, and to the sea. There, the Slippery Eel waited. "Let's go home," she said.

"Prepare to fend 'em off," Kenward said as the tide of dark shapes gathered near his ship, hiding beneath the waves, waiting to strike. This was not an act of curiosity; Kenward could feel the hostility. Unwilling to leave Catrin and Chase behind, he kept the Slippery Eel moving, but the dark shapes followed them wherever they sailed. With great speed and endurance, they moved faster and farther than the wind could drive the Eel. "We can't outrun them-whatever they are."

"Not sure we can fight 'em either," Nora said. "If they are Gholgi, as Brother Vaughn has guessed, then they have tough, armorlike skin that we are unlikely to penetrate with spears. If they try to board us, we must repel them as we would any other foe, but if they attack the underside of the ship-"

"We're helpless," Kenward finished the thought for her. "Put us under full sail. Let's just see how long these things can keep swimming."

Finding the way back to their boat proved to be more difficult than Catrin had imagined. Surrounded by dense forest, it was easy to lose their way, and each time Chase had to climb above the canopy to gauge their course, they lost precious time. As daylight began to fail, chilling fear nearly paralyzed Catrin, who knew the Gholgi would come. If only she knew when.

Climbing and cutting their way through the underbrush while trying to remain alert for danger was exhausting, and Catrin swayed on her feet, taken by a spell of dizziness. The world seemed to shift and move, and only the tree trunk she found herself clinging to kept her from falling.

Chase cursed and stopped. "I know you're tired, Cat, but we can't keep stopping," he said. "If we don't make it back to the ship before dark, we could be in big trouble."

"I know. I'm sorry," Catrin said, ashamed of her own weakness.

"You've been through a lot. I suppose it's to be expected, but you're going to have to push yourself. Rest for now. I'm going to climb up and make sure we're going the right way."

Catrin lost track of how many times they had stopped and how many times Chase had changed their direction after one of his climbs. The jungle looked the same no matter how far they went, and she started to fear they would never get out.

"We're getting closer. I promise you," Chase said as he climbed back down, but Catrin lacked the energy to respond. Prios moved without complaint. When Catrin rested, he rested, and when she walked, he walked with her. Like a second shadow, he always seemed to be right behind her, and she took comfort from his presence. He was living evidence that she had done something worthwhile, and that knowledge helped to keep her moving. Somewhere, up in the clouds, Catrin imagined Kyrien soaring on the wind, and the image made her smile. That made two good things, and she moved ahead with newfound energy.

It was Chase who called the next break, and Catrin dropped to the ground, suddenly weary once again. The sun was beginning to sink, and their journey took on a new sense of urgency. Though Chase said they were nearing the boat, Catrin wondered if he was saying that just to keep her moving. At the moment, she no longer cared which it was; all she wanted was to be free of the jungle. The longer she stayed under the canopy of green, the more she felt she would never leave.

As they cut through a thicket of bramble, though, the landscape changed. Ahead, huge granite boulders, only their tops free of lichen and moss, rose from the jungle floor and blocked the way ahead. Chase climbed up first; struggling to get a solid grip on the slippery surface. He clawed through the soft moss and dug his fingers into hidden cracks. When he reached the top, he secured a rope to a nearby tree and tossed the other end down to Catrin. Even with the rope, the climb was treacherous, and Catrin cried out when she lost her footing. With only the rope holding her, she crashed into side of the rock, slamming her wounded leg into a sharp corner. When she finally reached the top, her leg was soaked in blood; her scabs had been ripped open.

Prios made the climb without difficulty while Chase bandaged Catrin's leg. She was tempted to heal herself again but feared the consequences. Already the barrier between her conscious and subconscious minds was breaking down, and she did not want to risk damaging it further. Despite her vows, she feared other, unforeseen ramifications. Still, every painful step tempted her.