“Well, it’ll all be over soon… One villager to talk… justification… locals on our side… delicate situations.”
“…doesn’t take long.”
“Shouldn’t… just villagers… all.”
Vir finally let out the breath he’d been holding. He’d started shivering. When did it get so cold?
“I don’t believe this,” Maiya whispered. “You were right! How? I mean, why? Why’d they come after you? You’re harmless. Ashborn are harmless!”
“They clearly don’t think so!”
“What should we do?”
Vir sat down and sank into thought, the ancient floorboards creaking under his weight.
The answer was obvious. “I’ll leave the village. I can’t risk Father and everyone else getting caught up in this.”
“That’s noble of you and all, but won’t that raise even more suspicion? If you just up and disappeared, everyone will blame Rudvik, won’t they?”
She had a point.
“I can’t believe Akros didn’t snitch on you, but I feel like it’s only a matter of time before someone does.”
“I dunno what he was thinking. He’s the most religious person in town, and everyone knows he hates my guts,” Vir said. “And then there’s Apramor.”
“Dad would never betray you. Never!” Maiya said, raising her voice, before putting her hands over her mouth. The two went silent, but luckily, the guards hadn’t heard.
“I like your dad too, but if the knights threaten you or your mum, what do you think he’d do?”
“He’d, I—Argh!” his friend whispered, grabbing her long, flaming hair. “What should we do? Think. Think! Maiya! Think!”
“Well, calm down,” Vir whispered back, surprising himself. He felt like he was the one who needed to calm down, but seeing Maiya in such a panic made him less nervous.
He took a deep breath. “Let’s… Let’s just wait for my father to get back from the woods, okay?”
“Mmm, yeah. Good idea. Yeah. I’m… uh. I’ll go find Dad. He’ll know what to do. Stay here until I get back.”
“Right. Let’s leave this to the adults. Let’s not do anything rash, okay?”
Maiya nodded vigorously, as if she were trying to convince herself. “Right.” She peeked outside. “Okay. They’re not looking anywhere near the tunnel’s exit.”
She gave him a deep hug. “I’m sorry you have to deal with this. I just… I wish…”
Smiling awkwardly, he broke her embrace. “T-Thanks.”
Maiya squeezed his shoulder, then crawled into the hole and slipped out.
All I have to do now… is wait, I guess.
Vir had lost count of the number of times he’d been alone in the house… but today? Today, the prospect of spending several hours by himself chilled him to his very bones.
“C’mon, Father. Hurry…”
5INTO DARKNESS
Vir never knew that three hours could feel like such an eternity. After agonizing alone in silence, Maiya finally returned, skirting around the guards and entering through the hole.
“Dad says to pack your things,” she whispered, careful not to alert the guards outside. “We’re to meet him in the old storehouse. Your home’s no longer safe. And he wants you to bring as much as you can, just in case you can’t return.”
Vir worked quickly to pack whatever he had into his rucksack. It didn’t take long; he didn’t have much. He followed Maiya out through the hole, and after ensuring they’d slipped the guards, she led him to a storehouse where Rudvik and Apramor waited, some distance away.
Now they all huddled over a crate in the storeroom.
“Well? Why’re all these knights really here? I don’t buy this ‘routine inspection’ grakkery they’re spouting,” Rudvik said. “Fat reason to post guards outside my home!”
“Hmm, why indeed…” Apramor gave Vir a worried glance. “I fear they’re here for your son, Rudvik.”
“Huh? What do dey want with my boy? Unless…” Rudvik’s eyes went wide.
Apramor shook his head. “No, no. Not that. It appears that they’re hunting for Ashborn.”
“Why, though? Are Ashborn dangerous or something?” Maiya shouted.
Apramor held his finger up to his lips. “Quiet, Mai! These knights are everywhere.”
Maiya clamped her hands over her mouth and voicelessly mouthed ‘sorry.’
“But to answer your question, it’s… unknown. Not much is known about Ashborn, but I have heard rumors among my priestly circles.”
Apramor had every eye in the room on him—even Neel’s. The small storehouse was more silent than the village’s grave.
“The new religious advisor to King Rayid may be colluding with the Pagan Order. These are just rumors, mind you, but it seems they are rounding up Ashborn to be brought to the capital.”
“Makes no badrakking sense,” said Rudvik. “Pagan Order hunts demons. Why’re they targeting Ashborn now alluva sudden, hmm?”
“I do not know, Rudvik. They claim they are bringing the Ashborn in for protection, but I am skeptical.”
“You’re grakkin’ right! Protection,” Rudvik scoffed. “Why’d they bring so many soldiers, then?”
Apramor nodded. “Indeed. Whatever their reasons, it does not change the fact that we must act. And fast.”
“Any way to convince those tinheads Vir ain’t Ashborn?”
“I’m afraid not,” Apramor said. “His appearance matches the Ashborn in scripture to a T. Even if they can’t prove it, I fear they will still take him in the name of holy duty. Janak only knows what they will do to him.”
The room fell into a long silence. Vir was the one to break it. “I’ll flee to the Godshollow. Alone.”
Rudvik grunted. “Yer outta yer mind if ye think I’ll let ye go alone, boy. Ain’t nobody knows the woods better ’n I do. If you go, I go. I’d like to see those knights just try to find us there.”
“And where would you go from there?” Apramor asked.
“Viridian Coast,” Rudvik said. “I’ve a bit of coin saved up. Plenty o’ ships bound for Saran or Zorin that put in near the coast. Figure we work sumfin out.”
“Zorin would be your better bet, even if it is Pagan Order,” the priest replied. “Best to escape Hiranya entirely. Though fleeing would be an admission of guilt, Rudvik. You realize this, yes?”
“Guilty of what?” the lumberjack roared, his face flushing red. “Refusing to hand my son over to some highborn chals from Daha?”
“Logic does not work on the government, Rudvik. It’d be seen as an obstruction of knightly affairs. The punishment will be severe…” He paused. “Rudvik, you don’t have to do this. You have fulfilled your end of the bargain. If that four-armed giant ever returns, he can have no qualms about how you’ve raised Vir. And that is a big if.”
“What?” Vir asked. “What four-armed giant? Father, what’s he talking about?”
“Not now, Vir,” Rudvik said, waving him away. “I promise I’ll tell ya, but now’s not the time.”
Rudvik looked the priest in the eye, his rugged expression etched with conviction.
“He’s my son. What father abandons their child in his time of need?”
Vir had never seen Rudvik speak so strongly before, and if he was honest, he was more than a bit happy to see his father sticking up for him like that.
But to leave the village was something he could scarcely even imagine. Was this truly the right decision? He’d be leaving behind everything. Walking away from his dreams of fitting in and helping Rudvik. Would he even be able to survive in the outside world?
“I say let ’em come!” Rudvik continued. “If that’s what it takes ta ensure Vir’s safety, den count me in. But if we do dis, we’d best be quick. Not like’n we got much time now, do we?”