King of the Seditious

The day came that the gates opened to let in a mass of slaves that had been rescued from trader ships headed for the Isle.

Dimurah was quick to weave into the crowd. Twisting enough to look like she was moving forward, but making her way further to the back of the crowd until able to get out the gates, and across the bridge. Scampering over the boulders bordering the fortress and along the ridge. She hissed through her teeth at the sight of the sheer drop. And down below, in the murky green water, she could see the pink bodies floating as they plopped against the rocks and returned with the waves. She grimaced, having no wish to join them as she lifted her skirts and took care of her footing. Making her way around the edge of the castle to get behind it.

As she’d expected, it wasn’t long before a guard shouted a warning announcing her presence on the boulders.

But no one ran out to get her.

Though they often watched for intruders trying to get in. Someone wandering out was of no consequence.

Until Rosemary discovered her absence.

She climbed faster. Squawking when her foot slid off a rock and dropped down between. Twisting her ankle. She yelped in pain but pulled it out as quickly. Favoring it as much as she could as she made her way toward the deeper fog. Finding her way through the heavy fog was much harder than she expected. Which was clearly why people took the preferred method of sailing, to navigate around the outer edge of the Island.

The land bridge was dangerous. And she’d heard that animals hunted here. Things that would leap from the fog to eat humans. Thus, making it a forbidden land.

But Dimurah wanted to find her way back to Savage and reason with him. During all the time she’d been on the island, he’d not sent her a single missive. No message at all to let her know he was okay.

She knew the reasons why.

He’d told her that any communication he attempted could be tracked straight to her, which would void the whole purpose in having her there.

But since he’d rescued her from that ship, they’d never spent more than a few days apart.

Now it’s been over a month.

She was restless and getting worried he might never come back for her.

It wasn’t like the fog that descended in the Dread Hideout. Where glimmers of sun and warmth could still seep through. This was a bone-cold fog that rose straight off the water and lie over the ground. Making it hard to even see your own feet, on occasion.

In the distance she heard an ominous growl. Seeing something dark moving through the fog further along the land bridge.

Dread clamored through her as she eyed it. She looked up and noticed that the mist was beginning to have a strange hue. Flickering as if it had a heartbeat and turning shimmering red. There was a vivid glow changing the light.

She tried to move faster over the brown rocks. Hearing them clattering far below. Indicating that there was a steep drop off leading to the rushing waters below. She tried to see the other direction to determine if it was any safer. But she heard rocks rattling nearby and the huff of another beast.

“Stop moving.” A man shouted to her. “You’re drawing them to you.”

“Who are you?” She demanded. Lifting her skirts as she decided if she’d try to flee them.

“I’m a tracker. I followed the beasts here. They’ve been beelining this direction, clearly sensing that light you’re generating.”

“Light?” She lifted her hand and stared at it in astonishment.

The red glow that was fragmenting off the fog and illuminating her path was coming from her. Burning as if she were an ember in the heat of the fire.

“Shut up!” The man barked. “So, I can listen.”

She heard him suddenly grunt and heard a dull thud. She was silent, looking back over her shoulder as she wondered if she should flee back toward the fortress.

Something was clearly hunting her.

It sounded like that man had been knocked to the boulders. And who knew who he tracked for.

Savage had told her about the crowns being offered in exchange for her head.

Was this one of the many men who wanted to collect it? Could he even know who she was?

She couldn’t see the fortress behind her. The fog was so thick and red now that it was impossible to see more than a step at a time. She began slowly moving one foot forward. Careful to find footing before she shifted her weight. Parting fog that was so thick it nearly made it hard to breathe.

She only made it a few steps before a hand emerged through the wet gray film. Cupping her elbow. She squawked and pulled away, but a face appeared.

Flawless, human, and with bright green eyes which were nearly mesmerizing. He had long dark hair and was very thin. Twitching his head in an indication for her to move with him.

She was careful to find footing. Glancing down, she noticed he was barefoot. Standing on these jagged rocks. She’d never seen someone out walking the lands of Ardae barefoot.

He was scanning the fog as though he could see.

“Can you see?” She asked.

“No. But I can hear. Smell. And feel their movement.”

“What are they?”

He didn’t look back at her. “Most call them the Dogs of Battling.”

“This far East?”

“They can be anywhere. You’d be surprised how much ground they can cover.”

“Why are they here.”

“I think they’re after you. Now be silent. The quieter we are the more likely we are to make it out of this fog with our heads still on our shoulders.”

She nodded. Clutching the same forearm that gripped my elbow, to keep us linked, in case one of us slipped. Praying it wouldn’t be her.

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