Adrian drew his sword and chopped a bramble from the path. Although the bandage protected his hand, the cut throbbed. “I’ve heard that tune somewhere. Did Frederick teach it to you?”
“Yeth. He called it Thon of Tholaruth.”
“Oh, yes. Son of Solarus. My mother taught us that when we were little, but I don’t think she has sung it in years.” He swung their arms with her beat. “Do you know the words?”
“Thome of them.”
“Sing as much as you can, and I’ll see if I can fill in the gaps.”
“Okay.” With her eyes aimed at Solarus, she sang in a warble.
Tholaruth give me light today
And warm my little theedth
O help them thprout and grow tho tall
Give …
She paused. “I can’t think of the word.”
“Bounty,” Adrian prodded.
“Oh yeth. Give bounty for our needth.” She took in another draught. “That’th all I can remember.”
“That’s okay.” Adrian lifted his nose higher. “Do you smell anything yet?”
“The tree behind uth. I think it’th thtill pretty far to the thecret plathe.”
“Okay. Then I’ll finish the song.” He looked down at her. “If that’s okay with you.”
She grinned. “Oh yeth. Pleathe do!”
Adrian cleared his throat and sang in a quiet tenor.
I want to be a son of yours
And shine a light for hours
To warm cold hearts and help them see
Creator’s love and power
And when they sprout and spread more seed
I’ll warm their little shells
Then people everywhere will see
His light and love as well.
When he finished, he let out a sigh. Mother used to sing the simple rhymes quite often, but after Prescott banned the Code, allowing only the priest to read and interpret selected passages in Cathedral, she used her singing time to quote the portions of the Code she had memorized, often in singsong to enhance her children’s ability to memorize the verses as well.
Regina stopped, her head swiveling as she sniffed. “I thmell it.”
“Good girl!” Adrian inhaled. The skunk odor was gone, replaced by a faint hint of rotting flesh. As with the skunk odor, it carried a pleasant nuance, a flavor that promised something less fetid than a decaying carcass.
Regina pointed to their right. “It’th that way.”
Adrian looked in that direction. They would have to depart from the path and plunge into dense brambles that would surely cut Regina’s delicate skin.
He scanned the path ahead. If Frederick came this way, bringing Regina with him, traces of his veering away should still be evident. “Did he carry you from this point?”
“On hith thoulderth. It wath fun.”
“Okay. We can do that.” He hoisted her onto his shoulders and held her bare legs. “Are you all right way up there?”
She giggled. “It’th not that high!”
“Oh, no?” He marched away from the path, hacking at the brambles. “Pretend you’re flying like a bird. I’ll take you through the treetops.”
“Okay!” She giggled again, flapping her arms. “I’m flying!”
“Don’t forget to follow the smell and tell me which way to go!” Adrian plunged into the thicket, constantly glancing between the floor of the forest and his little bird above. As her hands brushed by leaves, vines, and twigs, she caressed each sensation with her probing fingers. At times, he had to duck low to keep her head from colliding with a limb, and with each sudden dip, she gasped, then giggled once again.
After a few minutes, she pulled on his shirt. “Go that way.”
Adrian looked up. Her rigid arm and finger indicated a sharp left turn. The ground sloped downward in that direction, diving into a much darker part of the forest. The trees grew so dense, Solarus couldn’t possibly warm any seeds in there. “Are you sure?”
“I hear the water. It’th at a thtream.”
“You didn’t mention water. Is the smell that way, too?”
“Both are.”
“Okay. Let’s go.” Hacking at bushes again, Adrian strode down the slope. After several steps, he came upon a wall of massive trees that appeared to encircle a central point beyond his view. He squeezed between the closest two trees and emerged in a dark glade.
The forest floor lay perfectly flat, a round table of earth stretching about thirty paces across without a hint of leaf, root, or grass. Above, tree branches intertwined in a thick web, beginning just a foot or so over his head and rising out of sight, completely blocking the sky. Since the gaps between the trees provided the only source of light, the center of the glade lay in near total darkness. Except for the tinkling sound of running water, all was quiet.
“We’re here,” Regina said. “Do you thmell it?”
Adrian inhaled. The odor of rotting flesh hammered his nostrils. “I certainly do.”
As he walked toward the center, his boots made squishing sounds in the damp soil. With every step, the ground grew wetter and wetter. Soon, his eyes adjusted. A spring welled up at the focal point, bubbling and gurgling as it flowed from below and spread out over the ground.
Adrian inched closer, sliding his feet to find the spring’s edge. As if burping, the spring expelled loud gaseous bubbles, bringing with each burst an odorous draft.
When his toes found the border, he stopped and looked around. What secret lay here that Frederick kept from Arxad? And why would he bring Regina with him? Surely a flying dragon would be able to see this place. Maybe Arxad knew it was here but was unaware of all the mysteries within. The trees were packed so closely together, he could never enter the glade.
Adrian pushed his sword between his belt and waistband, then pulled Regina down and set her gently on her feet. Crouching, he spoke softly. “What did you and Frederick do when you came here?”
“Firtht, we drank thome of the water. Then, he put thome in my eyeth.”
“He washed your eyes with this water?”
She nodded. “And my thkin. It feelth good. It tathte good, too.”
“Interesting.” Using his bare left hand, Adrian scooped up the cool water and drank it. Although somewhat fetid, it carried a sweet flavor, much like vanilla-laced cream and sugar. “Do you want some?”
She nodded vigorously. “Yeth, pleathe.”
Adrian gazed at her. Although her face was now veiled in the dim light, it seemed that her eyes and skin shimmered, like the faint luster of dew on a moonlit night. What properties had this water transmitted?
“Wait just a moment.” He stripped off his bandage and dipped his right hand into the water. The cool flow stung his wound, but after a few seconds, the pain eased. He raised his hand close to his eyes, but the darkness and the presence of stitches wouldn’t allow a clear view of the cut. He closed and opened his hand, flexing the muscles. It didn’t hurt at all. The water had healed the wound!
Adrian’s mind flashed back to Regina’s earlier revelation. She was the only one Frederick ever brought here. And why? The realization breezed through his lips in an excited whisper. “Frederick was trying to heal your eyes!”
* * *
FIVE
* * *
MY eyeth?” Regina said. “He didn’t tell me that.”
“He probably didn’t want to disappoint you if it didn’t work.” Adrian scooped up some water and held it to her lips. “Here.”
She sipped, but most of it spilled to her tunic.
“Sorry. That was clumsy of me.”
“It’th okay. I can get thome mythelf.” She knelt and drank straight from the flow, slurping loudly. When she rose again, she smacked her lips. “That was so good!”
Adrian jerked his head toward her. “What did you say?”
“I thaid that wath tho good!”
“No you didn’t. You said your esses correctly.”
She blinked. “I did?”
“
Here.” He scooped another double handful. “Drink some more.”
She slurped, but again it spilled. “It’th eathier my way.” Still on her knees, she bent low and drank, this time taking her time to swallow big gulps. When she finished, she raised up and wiped her lips with her forearm. “Yummy!”
Adrian touched her cheek. “Say, ‘See the slithering snake.’ ”
She grinned. “See the slithering snake.” She slapped a hand over her mouth and breathed between her fingers. “I said it!”
“Yes, you did!” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “That’s wonderful!”
She pushed away, her eyes again shimmering, yet wandering. “But you said I did it right before. Then I messed it up again.”
“I know. It’s strange.” Adrian looked at the gap between the two trees where they had entered. “When you came with Frederick, did you drink much?”
She nodded. “More than this time. He brought a cup, and he never let me off his shoulders.”
“So he dipped it for you and lifted the cup to your hands.”
She nodded again.
“Interesting.” Adrian imagined the process—Frederick stooping with Regina on his shoulders. He likely wanted to protect her from falling into the spring. And he had brought a cup, knowing he would use it for that very purpose. He had planned this healing attempt carefully. Yet, the water didn’t work. Why? What was the difference between then and now? Only one possible difference came to mind. “Let’s try washing your eyes and skin again. This time, I want you to do it yourself.”
“Okay.” She knelt and scooped handfuls of water, splashing her face and eyes. After rubbing it over every exposed part of her body, including her scalp, she blinked away the moisture. “I’m waiting,” she said, a hopeful smile dressing her face.
Adrian passed a thumb across a blemish on her cheek. The black mark smeared. Using his sleeve, he cleared it and several other marks away, revealing healthy skin from her chin to the top of her head. His chest heaving, he barely held back a sob. “It … it worked.”
“It did?” As she rubbed her forearm, her brow shot upward. “It did!”
He looked into her eyes. The shimmer strengthened until a dim aura emanated. “Can you see anything?”
She blinked several times. “Not yet. Maybe it will come soon.”
“Maybe.” He kept his gaze locked on her oddly glowing orbs. At this point, it probably wouldn’t do any good to tell her about the phenomenon. It might get her hopes up too high. “Just let me know when it comes.”
She threw her arms around him, brushing her face against his. “Thank you.”
He laughed. “I didn’t heal you; the water did.”
Pulling back, she pressed her palms against his cheeks. “But you brought me here, and you let me get wet.”
“Let you get wet? What do you mean?”
She rose and splashed with her feet. “No one lets me do anything on my own. They’re always scared I’ll hurt myself.”
“They’re just trying to protect you.”
She stomped, raising a bigger splash. “I’m blind, but I can do things!”
“Of course you can,” he said, ending with a shushing sound. “And you brought me exactly where you said you could. I wouldn’t have found it without you.”
Closing her eyes, Regina crossed her arms and nodded firmly. “That’s right!”
“So this is where the Bloodless are trapped.” He scanned the area again. “But where?”
She pointed at the water. “Down there, maybe?”
“Underground?”
She nodded.
“You mean down in the spring?”
“There’s a spring?”
“Sorry. I forgot. You can’t see it.” He formed a circle with his hands and let her feel the shape. “There’s a hole in the ground where the water comes out, but I don’t think a dragon can fit through it.”
“Okay. What else is here?”
“I assume you felt the trees I squeezed through. We’re in a clearing that’s surrounded by a circle of big trees, and up above, the branches intertwine so thickly and tightly, they create a …” He gazed at the branches, allowing his eyes to survey the intricate pattern. “A net, like a spider’s web.”
Regina clasped her hands together, intertwining her fingers. “Spiders catch things!”
“Yes, I was just thinking that.” He rose to his full height and jumped, grabbing a branch. Hanging from it by one hand, he snatched out his sword and slashed the wood. The branch snapped, and he fell back to his feet.
“What did you do?”
“I cut off a piece of the net.” He drew the wood close. The section was about a foot long and as wide as a broom handle, but nothing else was apparent. “It’s too dark to study it carefully.”
She reached out. “Let me!”
“Sure.” He pushed it into her grasp and closed her fingers around it. “It feels like normal bark to me.”
She ran her fingers all along the surface, then suddenly stopped. “What’s this?”
“What’s what?”
She groped until she caught hold of his wrist. She pulled his hand close and pressed his finger against a spot on the branch near the center. “Feel it?”
Adrian rubbed the spot. “A notch?”
“Uh-huh. Like it’s been cut.”
“I see what you mean.” He slid it away from her and felt the gap. His own blade hadn’t done this. His single slash had cut it at the end.
He looked up again, straining his eyes. Since there appeared to be no design in the snaking, twisting branches, it was impossible to tell if the web had suffered any earlier wounds. Even the branch he had cut away had already grown back. “If Frederick’s been trying to break the trap, he hasn’t had much success.”
“Can you see any dragons up there?”
“I can’t see anything but branches.” Standing on tiptoes, he reached with his sword and poked through a gap. The point struck another branch. “I think there are multiple layers.”
“No wonder the dragons can’t get out.”
“True. Arxad said they aren’t the answer to the need for an army. That could mean that Frederick wants them out to help him rescue the slaves.”
“So is Arxad afraid of the Bloodless?”
“That’s a smart conclusion.”
She grinned. “I told you I could do things.”
“I never doubted you for a moment.” He looked again at the web. “If they’re trapped up in those branches, maybe Frederick was trying to help them by breaking a layer. But as fast as the branches grow back, it’s no wonder he hasn’t made a dent.”
Regina pointed at the water. “The spring makes the trees grow. It makes the branches stronger.”
“And heals them.” Adrian rubbed her newly cleansed scalp, feeling the stiff bristles. “You really are a smart one!”
She crossed her arms again, this time saying nothing.
Adrian pushed a boot against the water’s flow. “So, maybe the secret to getting them out is to plug the spring somehow.”
“But …” Regina touched her finger to her chin. “But should you do that? If Arxad is scared of them, shouldn’t we be scared of them, too?”
“Maybe these Bloodless are enemies of Arxad’s kind. If Frederick was trying to set them free, maybe they would be our friends.”
“And maybe not.”
“So we need to learn more and proceed with caution.” Adrian knelt and pushed his arm down into the spring. Several seconds of probing produced nothing but cold water and another smelly belch. “Well, I can’t find a smaller hole down there, so if we decide to plug it, we’ll have to get a boulder big enough to cover the top.”
Regina spread out her hands. “Where would the water go then?”
“Good question. If it doesn’t have another outlet, it could burst out somewhere else. It might be better to divert it.”
She pointed upward. “Shouldn’t you make sure the dragons are there??
??
“Well, I just assumed Frederick already checked.”
She shrugged. “Maybe they got out since he checked.”
Again gazing at her, he shook his head. “The more I listen to you, the dumber I feel.”
She felt for his back and patted it. “It’s okay. At least you’re not blind.”
Adrian caressed her cheek, shadowed and barely visible. On Major Four, with her lesions, hairless head, and dead eyes, she would have been considered ugly, useless, fit only for simple farm labor, never for a position of nobility. Even with newly cleansed skin, most males would never give her a second look, considering a sightless female an unsuitable wife or bearer of children.
So who were the blind ones? Easy. The fools unable to see inner beauty, the hidden treasures that lay beyond the eyes. And now, veiled by shadows, this precious girl’s splendor shone as bright as Solarus.
His throat tightened, pitching his voice higher. “I think you’ve helped me to see better than ever.”
“Good.” She patted his back again. “Maybe that’ll help you find the dragons.”
As he rose, he looked once again at the web above. “I’m going to try to climb up there. Maybe I’ll find more space than meets the eye from here.”
“Can I come, too?” She raised her arm and flexed her bicep. “I’m strong. I can climb.”
Adrian opened his mouth to say no, but quickly shook the word away. “Sure. Let’s see if we can scale the trunk and go up where the branches are bigger.”
Regina clapped her hands. “Fun!”
Taking her hand, he led her back to their entry gap and searched the trunks, now much easier to see in the light between the trees. Every limb protruded toward the center, branching off quickly and in dozens of directions. The closest limb hung low enough for her to reach with a boost.
He laid down his sword and spoke in a cheerful tone. “I’m going to lift you up, so reach your hands as high as you can.”
She stretched her arms over her head. “Like this?”
“Perfect.” Grabbing her just below her hips, he heaved her upward until her hands wrapped around one of the smaller branches. “Got it?”