Page 130 of Bloom
The tunnel sloped up, and Jed’s ragged breathing grew strained. It widened again and ended at a large, round stone. Jed set him down again and gave him the lantern to hold.
The round stone had to be rolled aside although there wasn’t much room. When Jed moved, Jaime’s mouth opened slightly at the huge spot on one side of his coat.
Blood. The other man had gotten a hit in.
The stone didn’t move entirely out of the way, but it was enough. Jed pushed Jaime through and told him to be careful on the rocks.
“Go up.”
Jaime had to fight through brush. A rocky slope led up, and he almost slipped halfway while he tried to clutch the lantern. He glanced behind him to see Jed forcing himself through the gap. He grunted and followed.
Sharp stones scraped Jaime’s palms, and he accidentally hit the lantern hard enough to break the glass on one side. The crystal shards inside started pouring out like pebbles from a bag to tink back toward the tunnel. The pieces, still brightly lit, threw odd spots of light around.
“It’s fine. We don’t need it. Too visible.” Jed took the lantern and flung it back down. “If they’re riding around to look. Elira…”
“You’re bleeding.”
“I’ll be fine. It’s just a scratch.”
“Is there a physician in Rhyo?”
“Yeah, of course.”
“And we’ll bring them back to Father?” Jaime’s voice wobbled. The man had simply slipped by Father. That was all. “And Mother?”
“You’ll be fine.”
That didn’t answer his question. He had no idea where they were. The moon was hiding, and no stars shined. All around them, the landscape was dark except for a few dots of light faroff. For a moment, he caught the whiff of something burning. Jed took his hand.
“They might be attacking a few of the farms.”
Jaime couldn’t smell the sea, and rocks threatened to trip him up as he stayed alongside Jed. He assumed they were near the farms behind the city if one went roughly north. He’d gone riding with his parents before through a spot that was empty fields with patches of bushes, trees, and stumps that needed digging out. Jed’s breathing worsened as they walked, and it wasn’t long before their pace slowed.
“Jed,” said Jaime, not knowing what else to say or do.
“Too deep to bandage,” mumbled Jed. “We’re still okay.”
He didn’t make sense. Jaime couldn’t shake the light tremble in his chest and limbs. The darker mass ahead scared him because it seemed so black compared to everything else. The woods?
Jed let out a pained grunt. “S-stop. Listen to me.” His bulk lowered as he presumably sank to his knees by Jaime, and something rustled. “Are you listening?”
“Yes,” whispered Jaime, trying to make out his face.
Jed took his shoulders with shaking hands. “I need you to take your Father’s sword and keep walking. Go to Rhyo village.”
Into the woods? Jaime couldn’t leave him too like Father and Mother. “No.”
“Yes. You’re a big, brave boy, and if you keep going, you’ll make it.”
How was he supposed to find the physician and bring them to Jed? He couldn’t see where he was, and he didn’t know how to get to the village. Forget bringing someone back. “You have to come. What if-”
“Shh,” hissed Jed. “You have to go quietly. When you get there, someone will take care of everything. They’ll keep you safe. You can’t come back here. Keep this-” He pressed warmmetal into Jaime’s hands. Father’s sword hilt. The cloth around the blade was scratchy, like embroidery. Jed had wrapped his coat around the blade. “Hold it, and don’t take the cloth off until you find someone and can show them. It’s proof of who you are. Tell them what happened.”
“What about you?”
Jed hesitated. “I’m going to rest for a bit…I’ll…go see my wife later.”
But she was dead. Grandma had once said so.
