The Huntress of Iyhiri

Chapter 24

Yaalon and Agnez bolted through the bridge, the star map still hovering over the seat that Agnez had been sitting in. Everything around them became blurry and Agnez realized that they were surrounded by the Vi'qom on all sides. Not sure what these beings were capable of in this airy form, she moved her legs faster.

Without the torch, the mirrored hallway was dark but Agnez realized she could still faintly see the outline of the hall and Yaalon running at her side.

"They're light!" she yelled as they ran.

"What?" Yaalon tried to turn to look at her as they ran but tumbled into her. They both crashed into the wall and landed on the floor next to each other.

"Light. The Vi'qom--they shine," she said as Yaalon jumped up and hurriedly yanked her upward.

"We'll figure out why later. Keep running," he said dragging her behind him.

"Will you let go of my hand? You're gonna make us fall again," she yelled, yanking her hand out of his grip.

The whistling sound chased them through the hall and the shimmer grew brighter as the Vi'qom gained on them. Agnez's head started to throb, the whistle seemed to travel through her ears and out the top of her head.

Agnez grabbed an arrow from her quiver and notched it to the bow as she ran.

"What are you doing?" hollered Yaalon twisting his neck to look back at her.

"Finding out what we're up against!" she yelled as she stopped, pivoted to face behind them, and let the arrow fly.

A shimmering pool of light exploded as the arrow hit it. The Vi'qom turned back into a mirror image of Agnez and hit the ground, black liquid pooling beneath it as the whistling sound it was making turned to a high pitched screech. Several of the shimmering Vi'qom stopped to aid their fallen comrade.

"Keep going," yelled Agnez to Yaalon as she notched another arrow.

"Not without you," Yaalon called over his shoulder.

"I"m right behind you. Keep going."

The hatch was close enough that Agnez could see light shining through.

"Come on!" yelled Yaalon. "The opening is right there!"

"Go, go, go!" yelled Agnez.

As she hollered to Yaalon, she noticed a hall that branched off just beyond the hatch. She pictured the ashes of Pylak, a member of her tribe burned to nothing. She remembered the taste of ash in her mouth as she sifted through the remains of her family home. She pictured the rotten, burnt trails weaving through Iyhiri. She thought of her baby sister in her arms the night their mother died. And she knew that she had to be the one to stop the Vi'qom. Here. Now.

Yaalon jumped for the hatch, grabbed onto the edges of the opening, and pulled himself up and out into the light. He turned to reach for Agnez to help her out and saw nothing but faint shimmers down in the hall he had just exited.

Yaalon dropped down to the opening and stuck his head into the dark, empty hall.

"Agnez!"

Rockdog's sharp bark grabbed Yaalon's attention and he turned to see what his wolf friend was trying to tell him. What he saw froze him where he was.

Rajhani, covered in blood, was holding onto Cyran's ankles and dragging him toward a large hole near the hiriberry bush where he and Agnez had left her hiding. A bloodied knife lay on the ground near the hole. Rockdog's front legs were dirty and soil was packed under his nails. Rajhani's clothes were dirty and torn. Rockdog's muzzle was smeared with red.