Volcrian's Hunt (The Cat's Eye Chronicles) (38 page)

Finally, the Harpy said, “There is a second ship approaching through the storms. This one is captained by a Dracian.”

Sora's heart quickened.

Caprion read her response easily. “I take it you know them?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied.
Jacques!
Could the scoundrel actually be coming to rescue them? She remembered his promise from before they had entered the Crystal Caves. It seemed like months had passed, though it had only been a week or two at most. “They are friends,” she explained. “They're coming to take us home. You'll accompany us,” she added.

Caprion nodded. “Then I will make sure that they can approach the island safely.” He glanced at the stars again, distracted. “Have we covered all of the details?”

Sora frowned. She hadn't realized they were planning everything out—it had happened without her intention. Honestly, she felt much more confident than she had thirty minutes ago. “I think that's all,” she said, feeling the tension loosen in her chest.

“Good.” Caprion reached out a hand to her. “Come, we must go back now. Laina will have returned to your quarters. I don't want the Matriarch suspecting anything.”

Sora stepped toward him and took his hand, surprised by how easy it was. The glow traveled down his wrist and through their fingers, transferring up her arm until her entire body was surrounded with light. Then they lifted up again, floating into the sky, carried by a brisk wind from the ocean.

CHAPTER TWENTY

CAPRION DEPOSITED HER on the balcony outside her room. He nodded to her briefly. “Remember,” he said. “Leave tonight as soon as you can. Come dawn, the Matriarch's soldiers will arrest you. Be gone long before then.”

Sora nodded wordlessly, and watched the majestic Harpy step off the balcony into the open air. He walked a few steps, then flew upward, sailing back toward the Matriarch's temple.

Then she turned around and entered her room. She crossed through it quickly and headed for Burn's chambers. In the hallway, she glanced down at the bottom floor and noticed the two guards missing from around the fountain. Caprion's doing? She couldn't be sure. He hadn’t spoken to anyone on their return, but perhaps he’d already planned for her agreement, for their escape.

She brushed through the beaded curtain into Burn's room. His chamber was the mirror image of her own, everything exactly the same, from the position of the bed to the color of the curtains. The Wolfy was lying down, his arms folded behind his head, staring at the bed's canopy.

He looked at her when she entered, sitting up, his gold eyes quizzical. “There you are,” he said, raising a light-brown eyebrow. “Where....?”

“We need to leave,” Sora said. “Now.”

Burn frowned. “What happened?”

She paused, not knowing how to explain. It had taken half the night for Caprion to outline his intentions, and even then, she wasn't completely convinced that he was trustworthy. “Caprion took me on a tour of the city,” she said briefly. “He told me that the Matriarch plans on imprisoning us. We need to leave tonight.”

Burn's expression grew darker. Sora knew that this brief explanation would not satisfy him. With a deep breath, she quickly rattled off the details of the evening, describing her visit with Crash and the location of the stone circle. Burn listened intently, gazing at the canopy in thought.

“I made a deal with him,” she said. “He’ll travel with us in return for Crash's release.”

Burn gave her an alarmed glance. “Sora....”

“I know, it's risky,” she agreed. She put up a hand to stop him from speaking. “But you should have seen Crash. He was injured....” her voice died in her throat. She pushed herself to continue, “I need you to promise me that, if I die in battle, you'll see that Caprion gets passage overseas.”

Burn looked at her gravely. “Of course,” he said, still considering her words. He looked troubled. “I am so very sorry, Sora, for dragging you into this. It really is my fault. I should have forced you to get away from Volcrian when you had the chance. You're too young....”

She reached out and took his hand, giving him a quick smile. “But I'm here, right? We have to make the best of this.” She squeezed his big hand tightly. “I know what I'm risking.”

“As do I,” Burn sighed. It was a heavy sound. For a moment he looked terribly sad, full of regret. “And you've already risked too much.”

Sora frowned at him. She didn't know what to say. The silence stretched.

“Can we trust him?” Burn finally asked, changing the subject, referring back to Caprion.

Sora hesitated. “I don't know for sure. I know it sounds unlikely....”

“What do
you
think?” he pressed. “You spoke to him. I trust your judgment.”

She thought back over the events of the night, Caprion's words and his actions. “I think we can,” she finally said.

“Then we will. Gather your things quickly.”

“I already have them,” she replied, indicating her daggers and staff. She grinned slightly, and Burn gave her a look of approval.

“Always prepared,” he said. “But I'll need a minute to pack my bag.”

“Then I'll speak to Laina,” Sora said. She sighed inwardly. She wondered if everything had gone well with the Matriarch—if the girl was over her infatuation, or much the opposite.

She left Burn's room quickly and rushed down the hallway. Now she would have to confront the young girl. She anticipated resistance.

When she entered the room, Laina was standing in front of a mirror, staring at her own reflection. Sora paused. The young girl was dressed in a similar white shirt and breeches, with an airy robe covering her small frame. But her hair had been intricately braided on top of her head, woven through with flowers and gold pins. Had the Matriarch done it? One of her handmaids?

“Sora!” the girl said, turning to look at her. “Can you believe it? I have Harpy blood!”

Sora gave her a wary smile. “Yes, it's wonderful,” she said sincerely. “I'm happy for you.”

Laina beamed at her, then pranced away from the mirror, opening the wardrobe on the opposite wall. “Just look at all of these clothes that the Matriarch gave me! Have you ever seen such beautiful fabrics? I could buy a month's worth of bread with one dress alone!”

Sora gazed into the wardrobe, looking at the various colored garments. They were beautifully crafted, though a bit out of fashion. She doubted the Harpies kept up with mainland trends. Laina didn't know that Sora had once been part of the nobility, and had worn fancier dresses in her younger days. She thought of the dress she had worn for her own Blooming, a frilly pink thing of various layers, jewels sewn into the neckline. She had ripped it to pieces after the dance, tossing it into a closet

“Laina,” she said quietly, clearing her throat. “We need to leave tonight.”

Laina's smile melted into a look of confusion. “But you can't! The Matriarch has a feast planned for us tomorrow. Besides, aren't you and Burn being held captive?”

Sora put her hands on her hips. “We're all captives here,” she ground out.

Laina raised an eyebrow. “Not me,” she said. “The Matriarch has given me my own house. Can you believe that? A real house!”

Sora wanted to roll her eyes. The girl was completely clueless. The Matriarch was bribing her in order to get information. After speaking with Caprion, she highly doubted that the Harpies cared about a half-breed girl.

“What did you tell her?” Sora asked bluntly, taking a step toward Laina.

The girl's eyes widened. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, what did you speak about over dinner? Did you talk about Crash?”

Laina grinned. “Oh, don't be so worried! She knew that we were all traveling together. I told her that I didn't like him much, and she said that it was in my blood.” Laina raised an eyebrow. “She also told me something
terrible
about him. Do you know
what he is?
”

“You told her we were all companions?” Sora stuttered, still hung up on the first part of Laina's disclosure.

Laina had the decency to look ashamed. “I'm sorry,” she said briefly. “But she already knew!”

Sora thought of Caprion's warning and wondered if his soldiers would turn up soon. She took a deep, steadying breath. “Never mind that,” she said stiffly. “We're in danger here and we need to leave. Now.”

“Why?” Laina asked, her voice turning stubborn. “I like it here!”

“We're not safe,” Sora repeated with urgency. She took a few steps toward the girl, reaching out to grab her arm. Laina backed away angrily. Sora continued, “Tomorrow the Matriarch is going to have us arrested, maybe killed, and Volcrian....”

“Ugh!” Laina burst out, throwing her arms up in the air. “You're so concerned about Volcrian! The Matriarch is going to protect us. Besides, I feel good here, like I belong.” She paused, glancing at the mirror again. “My entire life, I've felt unwanted and alone, and now I know why. The Harpies understand me, Sora.” She stopped and looked at her. “They think I still have a great-aunt alive. Someone who knew my grandmother...or my grandmother's mother, something like that. They're very long-lived. The Matriarch says she will take me to meet her....”

Sora felt her frown deepen. She didn't like the direction of this conversation. Had the Matriarch influenced her so completely? “But you also have a human family, don't you?” she said softly.

Laina pointed a finger at herself, her face twisting into a scowl. “If I do, then they don't want me,” she said. “And I am better than that! I feel like I have a place here. Some day, I might even have wings!” Then she laughed, a sound that was far too cynical for a thirteen-year-old girl. “I know what this is about,” she said knowingly. “You're jealous!”

Sora balked at that. “What? No!”

The girl's expression turned snide. “Then it's about your dear, precious assassin, isn't it? Poor Crash finally got put in a prison, where he belongs!”

Sora straightened up, her shoulders going tense. “You don't know what you're talking about.”

“Oh?” Laina taunted. “Don't I? I knew he was evil since I first laid eyes on him, but you just wouldn't listen to me.” She looked inordinately pleased with herself.

Sora didn't know what to say to that. Laina and Crash didn't like each other, but that wasn't so unusual. Sora hadn't liked Crash either when she had first met him.

“He's from a bastard race,” Laina continued, “an abomination, a creature of the Dark God! And I, a lowly street child, am one of the First Order chosen to destroy his kind!" The girl made a dramatic flourish, and Sora looked on in shock, unable to believe her ears. “What worries me the most is how badly you've been tricked. You are so far under his thrall that you can't even see the truth.”

"His thrall?" Sora repeated. She didn't know whether to laugh at the girl's outburst or reach for her daggers.

“Yes! You might not realize it," Laina said, leaning closer to her, as though sharing an important secret, “but the Matriarch told me everything. Crash has you under a spell.”

“What?” Sora choked.

Laina nodded, her soft gray eyes now sharp and fevered, imbued with passion. "Yes, a spell. I've known it since I first saw you together! It's very, very obvious.”

Sora almost laughed at the girl's expression. She looked far too convinced for her own good. “Laina, you don't understand,” she said, trying not to grin. “Crash can't put me under a spell, it's impossible.”

"No, Sora, you're not listening!" Laina yelled.

Sora flinched backwards, surprised by the outburst. A tremor moved through her Cat's Eye, warning her to be cautious. The Harpies were playing with Laina's mind. She wasn't thinking straight.

“I need to make you understand!” Laina insisted. “Crash has you under his influence. He's using you, manipulating you to get what he wants. Can't you see that? Dear Goddess, he's not even human! He's less than human, less than an animal! How can you let him touch you?"

“What are you talking about?” Sora snapped, her voice hardening a notch.

At that, Laina exploded. She started ranting at the top of her lungs. "You're his lover, Sora!" she screamed. “It makes me sick to think of it! How many times?” she demanded. “How many times have you let him use you? I admired you for so long—I thought you were such a good person, with such a strong sense of honor....” Her voice wavered. For a moment, her expression changed and Sora caught a glimpse of that young girl again, the one she had rescued from the jailhouse, uncertain, vulnerable. Then Laina's gaze clouded with anger. She took a deep breath and began advancing on Sora purposefully, as though she meant to attack her. “I'm here to stop it,” she spat. “I won't let him use you anymore. I won't let you become his whore!”

Smack!

The sound cracked the air. Sora's hand stung from the slap, her breath heaving in her lungs.

Laina collapsed to the ground, shocked into silence, her arm thrown protectively over her face. A strangled sob ripped from the girl's throat.

“Don't you ever,” Sora hissed, "
ever
speak like that again! Crash is not my lover and he would
never
treat me like a whore!"