Fall

Piper

The fire had dimmed until only the strongest of outlines were seen. Shapes clouded Piper’s eyes, some of them real, with most imagined. She felt like a child chasing nightmares away.

She dug into Reine’s fur for comfort. You don’t think they forgot about us.

If they did, then they will pay for that mistake with their lives. For we are Piper and Reine Amur! Heroes of Elbe, and bringers of death! To our enemies, the fera quickly added.

Piper closed her eyes. I don’t like ‘bringers of death.’

Well I will not agree to anything cute and snuggly. We are great warriors. Reine purred at her own compliment.

“Life! Why did they just take Atlas?” Skye complained. Her voice was shrill in the darkness.

“Hush, child,” Milla said. She lowered her tone. “You don’t know where listening ears are hidden.”

The wooden pen around them was tall, the odds against them escaping together even taller. Piper furrowed her brows. We have to help Atlas.

We almost did, earlier. Reine’s regret was scathing.

Atlas’s intensions were clear; we were not to intervene. But now—

Wait. Reine’s head swung to the left.

Piper listened closely. What?

Reine allowed Piper to use her ears. A faint clicking was heard. A jiggling…

Of a lock. Our lock, Piper thought. She pinpointed the source to their pen gate.

“Finch?” Piper breathed.

A grunt was all the acknowledgement she received.

Minutes passed in silence. Piper did not know how to pick a lock, and was nearly certain her help would hinder Finch’s progress. But what if he didn’t know how to pick a lock either?

The bird-brain could be doing it for show, instead of sitting around like a damsel. Like us! Reine shoved her muzzle through the pen’s slats. It would take me but two seconds to rip through these twigs.

And another two for us to be captured from alerted guards, Piper said.

And another two after that for me to shred the guards! Six seconds, Reine growled, that’s all I need.

Stealth is key here. Not necessarily— Piper caught herself from tumbling into the dirt. The space where her shoulder had rested was now a vacuum.

Speed, she finished.

Reine sauntered out of the open gate. It certainly took him long enough.

Piper scrambled to her feet, and closed her eyes to use Reine’s vision. The leopard’s night vision however, was too disconcerting for Piper to follow. Combined with the pace Reine was making towards the exit tunnel, Piper felt dizzy when she returned to herself.

A soft, solid form bumped into her from behind. June.

“You can hang onto the saddle, dear,” Milla whispered.

Piper nodded, then remembered that the ambassador couldn’t see her action. “Thanks,” she whispered back.

Wait for us, Piper said irritably to Reine.

I’m scouting with the scout. Reine was next to Finch.

He’s a messenger and spy. Not a scout, Piper corrected.

Hm. Maybe ‘scout’ should be added to his job description. As well as locksmith.

Piper sighed in exasperation. Reine…

“What’s happening?” Skye said softly.

“I don’t know.” Milla slowed as they reached Finch.

They tensed as a slow, hard clap filled the air.

“Very good, Elbens. I wondered how long it would take you to escape your cage.” Eliza came from behind Skye, and put a hand on her shoulder. “I wanted to see if the stories of your escapes were true.” She gave a little laugh that rang oddly familiar in Piper’s ears. “Come. Nell waits.”

Kane

Kane balked. “Fingerprints… Vitrum fingerprints?”

Cooper bobbed his head. “Yes, yes. And I can read them. So come, princeling. It is time our little trap is sprung!”

Flint tossed a string of caution to the wind. We must report our findings to King Asher, before we go any deeper in this.

Kane put up a hand. “Give me an hour, Cooper.”

The inventor twirled his mustache. “Of course. Meet me at my lab, and I can tell you more from there.”

Kane, and Flint, thought quickly of a fitting response. “Your help is invaluable. Thank you.”

“Bah,” Cooper waved a hand, “it’s nothing for my king and country.”

They left Poppy and the soldiers to look for any additional evidence while taking their personal guard back to the palace. Kane was silent for the trek, quietly pooling his thoughts with Flint about the attack.

Nora should have been eradicated before the battle. Our pesky weed has grown thick roots, Flint said.

Kane was in grim agreement. My father even went down with a group and investigated…. But for what?

We are missing something. Something important, Flint concluded.

Is Nora working alone, or with the East and West? Is Queen Celia behind this as well? Kane wondered.

Flint flared his nostrils, and dug up the earth with each step. Queen Celia was not at the battle, nor the treaty signing.

Kane slowed. Queen Celia has not been seen since her ascension. A representative was at the treaty signing… Her general.

And no one is concerned about this, Flint said.

If an abnormality becomes routine, then it becomes normal. We were so happy that we turned them away… We didn’t question anything. Or anyone. Kane groaned. We didn’t question anything at all!

One of their guards frowned as they entered the palace gates. “A problem, Prince Kane?”

“No, no…” Kane rolled his shoulders. “I just have some thoughts for the king.”

Atlas

An hour and a half was passed in stifling silence. Nell stared at Floyd. Rested her hand on his horns. Patted his fur. Her face was impassive, but her squirrel fera quailed on the desk, full of emotion.

Her autumn warriors had not been dismissed, and glared daggers around them. Atlas tried to make conversation at first, to have diplomatic contact. But his words met an invisible wall. When he tried to rise, he was forcefully pushed back to his chair.

For the remainder of the time, Atlas conferred with Hudson and kept his expression blank. He felt that his standings were thin, and that his life meant nothing to Nell. Other than the fact that he could provide answers, as clearly shown through Floyd, and the red cape draped over the leader’s desk.

The sky outside was overcast and gray from the open windows. A light drizzle began to fall, promising a chilly day that would be enjoyed best inside. Atlas yearned for a steaming drink to bring comfort. Something strong, in this case.

I wonder if this is her version of torture, this silence, Hudson thought.

The weight of the two documents in his hands felt heavier than lead. Atlas cleared his throat. “Please, Nell. This has gone on long enough. I have closure for your pain. Wouldn’t Loy have wanted it this way?”

Nell did not respond. They sat listening to the rain for several minutes, until a faint clomping was heard. Hudson strained to hear what the commotion was.

Before he could confirm his suspicions however, a knock was at the door. Without Nell’s visible consent, the guard closest to the door opened it.

Eliza walked in, followed by Finch, Piper, Reine, Skye, and Milla. June was not seen, and a worry embedded itself in Atlas. What had made his former teacher leave her fera on the ground?

Nell finally lifted her head. “Do not tell me of your journey, or your wishes. Micah has said enough in your defense.” Her voice croaked from disuse.

A few of the guards exited to make Nell’s office less crowded. Chairs were brought in, and the Northern group was made to sit.

Nell waved her hand, and Eliza put her action to verbal command. “Clear out, all of you.”

The autumn warriors filed out, but made sure to keep eye contact for as long as possible with Atlas. Watch yourself, they seemed to say. We are still here.

Eliza walked slowly, purposely, to Nell and stood behind her with her arms crossed. Atlas did a double take. Eliza had the same scowl, the same stance as an angry Nell, and her voice… her voice had a certain quality to it that was stronger than her Western accent.

She sounds like Loy, Hudson said.

“You’re Loy’s sister,” Atlas repeated aloud.

Eliza grimaced. “And?”

“I have two children.” Nell paused. “Had.”

Hudson blinked in surprise. The other members of the party were equally stunned.

“What is your verdict?” Eliza asked.

Nell put her palm flat on her desk, and allowed her fera to scurry onto her shoulder. “The ram is truly Floyd, and the coat… is Loy’s.”

Eliza knelt to eye level with the ram. She scrutinized his face, and jerked back when he bleated. “Darn thing was always resilient. If Life struck him with a bolt of lightning, he would still run.”

“That is not a way to address a fera,” Milla said quietly. “Especially if one in the bond is deceased.”

Nell pursed her lips. Eliza rose, chuckling. “You don’t get it, do you?”

Atlas looked to the woman’s fera. Her turtle still glared from its sling under her arm.

“Get what?” Piper said.

Eliza twirled a lock of her dark hair. “My brother never had a fera.”