PALE BLUE

Serpent Gorge flowed true to the name, and Jade grew lethargic from following it back and forth before the first hour had passed. The soldier they’d overheard speculating about where General Karnas would lead them next couldn’t have guessed more wrong and more right. As soon as he’d returned from his three-hour solo outing, the general had led them to the gorge. Something the belligerent soldier had not thought Karnas would do.

Now Jade could see how one could lose one’s mind to the gorge’s winding ways. Though the general had cut past the longest curves in favor of a straight run, they’d lost hours—most of the day—going this way. The whole ride made no sense.

Jade wouldn’t complain though. The longer it kept them from arriving at the Dark Citadel, the better it was for her. The place gave her the shivers whenever a stray memory happened to crop up. Memories of when she had been alone in an enemy fortress the size of a plateau. The flickers and the dominion wraith there had come close to consuming her soul before Crystalyn had found her.

Today was different. She wasn’t alone. Her dad was with her. Casting a furtive glance his direction as he rode beside her, Jade marveled anew at the strength he possessed, how easily he handled the big warhorse, and the great sword strapped to his back. Gone was the wheezing and pale skin of congestive heart failure. Her dad was in better shape than she’d ever known, and he’d promised her an escape soon.

Staying alert with the infernal twisting route of Serpent Gorge as a guide was taxing, but she’d manage somehow. Her dad, her freedom, and perhaps her life depended upon it.

Slowing from a gallop to a trot, General Karnas rode down a short embankment and onto a narrow grassy area between a steep ravine and a rocky tributary. Halting, he signaled for a dismount.

“Serpent Falls is the last clean water before Bracken Lake,” Captain Bozlun bellowed. “Water and graze your mounts for one bell, fill your flasks. We ride through the night.”

Her dad led her horse past the captain, stopping a few horse lengths from the two men before dismounting. He held her horse as she put her feet on the ground. Jade was happy to do so, glad to feel the cushion of the green grass growing underfoot, likely the last for a while.

Those of the regiment riding behind them thumped past, coming to a halt in a line stringing toward the Even Flow River and Serpent Falls. The river’s current flowed noticeably faster as it vanished over the fall, the roar of it reaching her ears even from where she stood. Jade wondered how long a drop the river plunged, but she didn’t wish to walk past so many soldiers working with their horses to find out.

Lifting her warhorse’s front leg, her dad inspected its hoof as he spoke quietly, the reins of his horse secured to a wrist. “There is a ferry crossing coming up soon, we make our move as we start loading upon it. Do exactly as I tell you, don’t hesitate a moment.”

Jade seized her horse by the halter as she patted it affectionately on its soft jaw. Slipping her hand under the bridle, she stayed close enough to hear his words.

Dropping the leg, her dad moved to the other side and repeated the procedure. “Stay alert; I’ll have to take the four who carry crossbows out first.”

Too terrified to speak, Jade nodded though he couldn’t see her. Violence was bad enough; however, premeditated vehemence made her stomach flutter from the first thought.

Checking all four hooves, her father untied the reins of his horse from his wrist one-handed, handed them to her, and then bent to inspect a front hoof.

General Karnas strode toward them, stopping to watch her dad as he rubbed his thumbs along the hoof feeling for signs of an embedded object or cracking of the hoof. Leaving without saying a word, the general tromped to Captain Bozlun.

Her father set the horse’s leg on the ground and straightened to his full height. “What was that about?”

Jade stroked the big horse’s glossy black close-cropped mane. “I don’t think he feels well, he seemed a little gray.”

“Perhaps he is. That may work to our advantage at some point. Right now, we should let our mounts graze. We’re going to need them.”

Going toward his men, Captain Bozlun strode past. Chewing on a green stalk of something, he eyed them with distrust but kept his silence, which suited her; the less any of these men knew of her, the better.

Jade led her horse to a clump of grass. The horse lowered its long neck and clamped on bunches of the yellow-green stalks with its strong teeth and versatile lips, tearing it close to the ground and then chomping happily away. Jade gave it another pat on the jowl and then looked around.

Some of the soldiers had their horses’ legs raised, though not all were going as well as her father’s inspection had. Three men dropped a hoof quickly or risked agitating the horse further. One man sat on the ground holding his stomach as he gasped for breath. He was lucky. A backward kick from a powerful haunch could kill a man instantly.

Captain Bozlun strode along the line of soldiers, bellowing at the soldier on the ground. Behind him, light blue and translucent, something winged arose from the edge of Serpent Falls.

“Da… um, excuse me. What is that?” Jade asked, pointing. Two others joined the winged creature, the size of a large bird. Spider-like legs hung from the bottom of an oval body.

Glancing where she pointed, her dad let go of his horse’s hoof and straightened. “Bozlun! Behind you!” he shouted.

Lovely and alien, the lead creature zipped to a soldier woman, its wings a blur. The woman had drawn her sword, slashing as soon as it came within range, but it passed through, having no effect. The creature’s forelegs gripped the woman’s shoulders as the rear of its body curved toward her and then impaled her deep into her thigh as if she wore no armor. The translucent stinger filled with red liquid. The woman screamed and then stilled.

“Leechers! Recall your training!” Bozlun shouted.

Jade screamed. Swarms of the creatures arose from below the falls.

Her dad was at her side. “Mount up, Jade, hurry!” Grabbing her by the waist, he flung her onto the saddle. Jade tightened her grip on the reins as he pulled the horse around. “Go the direction your horse is pointed, top speed. I’ll catch you,” he shouted, slapping her horse on the rump. Her horse leapt into a gallop, racing headlong toward a deep ravine. Several glances behind made Jade wish she hadn’t looked. The woman hung limp in midair, the many legs of the creature gripping her by the shoulders as it lifted her weight with ease.

Thundering past General Karnas, the great warhorse charged into the ravine. Forgetting to grip with her legs, Jade rose from the saddle. The stirrups caught on her toes and slammed her back into her seat. Pain vibrated through her pelvis, but she pressed her knees tight and held on, concentrating on the narrow path ahead. Somehow, the big horse had found an animal trail. Gripping the pommel, Jade leaned back and gave the black gelding free rein, trusting in its footing though she struggled to stay seated, the jostling growing in duration and frequency.

Following a cliff edge of dirt and flat rocks, the trail angled steeply downward away from the lake below the fall. Notably smaller on the opposite side, the bottom of the ravine came into view. Where the gulch emptied into Serpent Falls, as it became a fall of its own, motion caught her eye. A pair of the translucent creatures flew into the mouth of the gorge.

Though it put her downhill, Jade lay forward, hunching low in the saddle and hanging on with everything she had. A stumble and a fall now would kill her, yet better that than letting the bloodsucking creatures impale her.

Arriving at the bottom, the warhorse slowed, leapt across a rushing stream, and clopped up the other side, lunging forward. Leaping uphill, it strained its powerful equine muscles. Jade could barely hold on, her arms and back jarring violently with each powerful thrust. Though only a dozen leaps topped them out, Jade’s grip grew watery, her hands numb, as they leapt upon a plain of yellowed brush and dusty ground, racing toward Bracken Lake.

A quick look told her all she needed. Their wings a blur, all three creatures angled toward them, flying at an incredible rate in a tight formation. A clinical description of Crystalyn speaking of her frightening encounter with the creatures flashed through her memory. Jade tried to turn the horse away and add distance between the spiderbees, but her fingers refused to let go of the pommel while her arms refused to raise the reins. Fright mingled with despair, it was going to be close. Jade rode on.

“Jade, can you hear me?”

Jade flinched. Her sister’s urgent voice rang in her mind, echoing down from somewhere above. She looked up. Only blue sky met her stare. “Crystalyn? Where are you?” she asked aloud.

“Coming to get you, tell me where to come.”

Glancing over her shoulder, Jade lowered her head, matching her dark horse. She willed it to go faster. The spiderbees had gained upon them. “I don’t know where we are; spiderbees are after us. We’re galloping toward a dark lake.”

“Bracken Lake?” a new voice said, permeating her mind with warmth. Surprised, she nearly lost her grip on the pommel. The voice had sounded like her mom’s had. But it couldn’t be; her mom was gone, missing a long time ago.

“Who’s us?” Crystalyn asked.

“Dad! Dad is with me, and he’s changed, Crystalyn, he’s strong! We’ve escaped from the soldiers, and once he kills the spiderbees, we’ll meet you in Brown Recluse. You don’t need to come get me.”

The voice that sounded like her mom spoke. “The contacting is closing!”

Crystalyn’s voice in her mind rose with frustration. “No! Jade, make certain Dad uses wood against the spiderbees, it’s the—”

“Are you there?” The silence of her own thoughts reverberated through her mind. Briefly, Jade wondered why the contacting had closed and then decided she couldn’t worry about it. She had her hands full with staying on the big warhorse.

Ahead, the first vestiges of Bracken Lake sprang into view. Incredibly, the warhorse picked up speed, all four legs tapping the ground at precise intervals for maximum speed. Forcing her terrified muscles into action, Jade bent her knees and raised her rear slightly out of the saddle, letting the stirrups handle the shock she flowed into the ride. Though death flew toward her and raced beside her, she felt exhilarated. The horse gave all it had, and so would she.

Bracken Lake loomed larger on the horizon; a wooden pier came into view. With its great lungs bellowing heavily, the warhorse responded to her gentle pull on the right rein and adjusted their headlong flight toward it minutely. Jade dared not look to the side. Not yet.

Sounding like a zip cycle back on Terra, the drone of wings overrode the labored breathing and hooves thumping the ground of the warhorse. Jade looked. The original three had nearly caught them. Worse, behind them, the sky had spotted with azure; dozens more were on the way.

The warhorse’s front hooves clopped upon the dock, slowing at the halfway point. Tied to the end of the dock, a flat-bottomed ferry floated languidly on gentle waves. For the first time, Jade wondered what she would do when she reached it.

Two ferrymen leapt from the boat and ran toward her. Pulling on the reins, she slid the black gelding to a halt before crashing into them and running out of pier.

As he ran past, the tallest man yelled in her direction, “Here, take this!” and tossed a coil of rope to her.

Jade caught the rope, swung her leg over the mount’s broad back, and dropped to the pier. Turning around, she dropped the reins, her fingers slack.

The three creatures flew onto the pier, slowing to bend oblong bodies and position stingers forward. Behind them, seen eerily opaque through the wings and body, her father raced. Clouding the sky at an angle to overtake him, the swarm drew closer, the drone of it growing in volume.

On silent wings now, the three bee-like creatures separated. Two singled out a ferryman, and one flew for her.

The tallest ferryman waited, standing with his side to the creature, with the rope held coiled at his chest.

Jade was transfixed, viewing the scene through the body of the creature flying for her. Spider-like, its four front legs rising in anticipation, the bee creature glided at the man. When the creature was a horse’s length away from him, the man whipped his arm forward, releasing the coil. The tip struck the creature, popping it with a wet-sounding splotch. A small puddle fell to the pier and dissolved into a puff of white steam. The man spun toward her. “Use the rope!”

Forelegs raised and stinger readied, a spiderbee glided in for a landing on her shoulders. Jade swung the coil of rope, swatting it away. Popping wetly, the creature splashed her face and hands with a blue gel that slid to the dock and dissipated on the wood. Both men flashed a brief smile and then turned to face the opposite end of the pier.

A great ball of pale blue made the sky behind her dad murky. Though the flyers had failed to intercept him, the swarm had gained.

Galloping onto the pier, her father urged the great warhorse on, pulling on the reins the moment before reaching her and throwing himself from the saddle before the horse fully stopped. He ran to her. “Are you hurt?” he asked.

Jade hugged him. “I’m okay.”

Returning the hug briefly, he shouldered her arms loose. Turning, he pushed her behind him, reaching to draw his sword.

Jade gripped his hand, stopping him at half draw. “I don’t think that works against them, take this,” she said, flinging the rope over his shoulder.

“There are too many!” the shorter ferryman shouted. Sprinting up to her, he grabbed her hand and pulled as his companion ran past. “We have to run for the ferry, our nets are there!”

Jade removed her hand, glancing at her father.

Slipping the rope from the ferryman’s hand, her father walked away from her, away from the ferry. “Go, I’ll hold them off. Run!” he shouted.

Jade ran, looking back.

The pale blue ball descended toward him, separating into dozens of creatures, each stinger held at the ready as they dropped from the sky. There are too many! Her steps faltered, but she was at the ferry.

Jade jumped onto the boat beside the shorter ferryman. “Help Jarl untangle the net, hurry!” he yelled.

Tugging on a pile of rope at the bow, the taller ferryman, Jarl, worked at spreading it apart.

With her and the shorter ferryman’s help, the net unrolled quickly across the deck. As the short man clipped the net to rings on the decking set in a circular pattern, Jarl squirmed under it and raised a short pole, slipping it into a tightly bored hole. “Under here, miss!” Jarl shouted.

Crawling under and sitting beside him, Jarl handed her a pole slightly shorter than the one holding the net. Jade took it and fearfully checked on her father.

Both ropes a blur, her father spun them in a tight overlapping ball, whipping them around him like blades on a hover engine, as he moved toward the ferry in leaps, his feet barely touching the deck. Falling from the sky like giant drops of blue rain with greater frequency, the pale creatures burst into white mist, surrounding him with a white haze.

“We have to help; he’s not going to make it!” Jade screamed. Standing, her head touched the top of the net.

The shorter ferryman pointed above her. “Look! We are too late.”

Jade spun, looking up. The top of the ball had broken away and dropped toward them.

“Use your wooden pole, but do not let them touch you with their stinger. They can fit it through a square of net,” Jarl said. Thrusting through one of the squares, he jabbed a creature and then withdrew the pole under the netting.

Going to her knees, Jade stabbed upward at first one, then two, of the pale stinger creatures. The creatures dived, raining down in ever-growing numbers. Her world became an endless series of upward jabs. For every winged creature she burst, two took its place. Her arms quickly grew tired, but she couldn’t quit.

For every one stabbed, two hit the netting and burst, adding watery weight to it before dissipating to mist. So many slammed into the netting, the center pole swayed dangerously, the squares stretching, drooping closer toward her. Still they came.

No longer able to jab, Jade held her pole upright letting the translucent creatures impale upon it, until it, too, became heavy. On they dropped. Propping the pole against the deck, Jade wrapped her arms around it and leaned it against her shoulder.

The netting drooped against her skin, which frightened her and gave her a second breath. Quickly finding a knot in the squares, she wedged the pole in it and lay back. Stingers stabbed through and then burst, each one dragging the net closer and closer. Jade despaired. A stinger would eventually—soon—impale her. The net was so heavy from the weight, the pole bent. You fought so hard, Dad, I’m sorry.

The weight of the net lifted from her. “Jade, are you okay?”

Jade blinked. Her dad stood above her, offering his hand. She stared at it in surprise. Struggling to her feet, Jade wrapped her arms around him. “Dad! I thought we’d had it!”

Her father chuckled once, softly. He patted her affectionately on the back with his right arm. “I believed it over too, and then I suddenly found none were attacking me, they concentrated on going after you.”

Jade disengaged from her father and took a step away, looking him over. The vibrant tanned pigment of his left hand had vanished, replaced by a washed-out gray, and his arm hung limp at his side. Her breath caught at her throat. “You’re hurt!”

Her father flashed a brief smile. “Oh, it’s nothing I cannot live with. One of the buggers nicked my arm with a bloody stinger.”

“The paralysis will not last long,” the shorter ferryman said. His swarthy grizzled face had the look of one rarely indoors. Taking hold of the net, he laboriously rolled it toward the center pole his companion removed. “I am Surn, proprietor of Black Bottom Ferry. My deckhand is Jarl. I thank you for your aid with the leechers; all would have been lost if not for your battle prowess, Citadel soldier.”

Her father jumped upon the pier, gathered the reins one-handed, and led the two horses down the wooden ramp, halting beside her and the ferry owner before speaking. “Nay, it is we who owe our thanks to the two of you. I am called Garn, and this is my charge, Jade.”

Surn’s dark eyes flicked to her briefly and then returned to his task. “I am puzzled as to why the swarm broke from the attack. They would have overrun us in a quarter bell, no more.”

“I am uncertain, though they lost a quarter of their number. Perhaps that was too many,” her dad replied.

Jarl glanced skyward. “In all my seasons, I have never seen such a swarm. Never before has the pole net failed.”

Jade dropped to her knees, helping with the final two rolls of the net. “The pole and net didn’t fail. Your wonderful setup saved us all.”

“Perhaps it did at that,” Jarl agreed, but he looked troubled.

“What cost is the ferry from here to Gray Dust, and how far is it?” Garn inquired.

Surn answered without looking up. “Gray Dust is a two-bell ferry ride; one would think a Citadel man would know this. There is no cost to you and you’re charge. The rest of your patrol shall cover it easily.”

Confused by the comment, Jade followed her dad’s gaze, back along the pier. The dust cloud beyond it indicated riders coming at a fast pace.

“Our time is limited. What cost for the two of us to make the crossing first, with the cost of the others riding toward us you’ll lose out on?” her dad asked next.

After tying the rolled net and pole to rings on the deck, the ferry owner stood gazing at them for a while, his dark eyes unreadable. “Even if you have sufficient coin, I am contracted by the White Lands and Virun to make a certain amount of crossings a day. The two of us only have sufficient strength for three, which means I fill it with passengers or leave at certain bells. This is the third scheduled for today. We depart in half a bell. Your companions will arrive long before then.”

Jade opened her mouth to plead, but a sharp glance from her dad stopped her cold.

“We are in your debt and defer to your ways. Please, advise us of any assistance we can give to make the journey easier,” her dad said. He gave a small bow. Jade didn’t even know he knew how.

Surn’s answering bow was deep. “Nay, my lord, as I have stated, we are indebted to you. Simply care for your mounts, we shall handle the rest.” Letting his deckhand finish clipping any unsecured item in place, he strode to the moorings to await the new arrivals.

On an impulse, Jade slowed the aura spinning around the ferry owner, gazing at the three images as soon as they slowed enough to view. All three contained the same dark image. A tentacle groped about from a patch of darkness and then vanished, leaving only shadows behind. Startled, Jade let the images go and they whipped away, spinning into the gray misty cyclone around him. What do they mean? she wondered, dissatisfied with her useless ability. All it ever provided was riddles without answers. Utterly inadequate, it helped no one, least of all her.

Jade crossed the ferry to stand beside her dad and wait for her captors to arrive.

They did not have to wait long. Soon, the clatter of hooves tromping on the pier rang loud in Jade’s ears. “What are we going to do now?” she whispered.

Her dad barely spoke above the din racing along the pier. “We let them launch, there are but nine of the general’s men left not including himself and Captain Bozlun. Midway across, I’ll finish this, stay alert.”

Jade wasn’t certain she liked the coldness of his tone, but what choice did they have? The hooded man’s commanded escort wouldn’t let them go simply by asking. Jade felt tears building pressure from deep inside, which she quelled with difficulty. Why was everything bad on this world always after her? Pushing down another bout of tears threatening to overcome her, her eyes searched the sky for a pale blue glint.