Page 89 of Artemysia
Because that would mean…
He never intended to be with me beyond what we had during this assignment.
This splinters my soul into a thousand pieces.
“Even if I am shattered, the pieces left over can be strong.” - Delphine
Iharden my heart and tell myself it’s my own fault for getting attached. This isexactlywhy I don’t. It clouds my judgment when I need it most.
Forcing myself to compartmentalize my feelings as best I can, though failing for the most part as doubt painfully lances through me, I remain emotionless on the outside for the rest of my team.
I’m tough. Even if I am shattered, the pieces left over can be strong.
If I tell myself enough times, perhaps it will be true.
There are no motivational sayings for a time like this. Throg cringes when I use them anyway, and they don’t work on soldiers like Ivy or Riev, so I haven’t bothered with a constant stream of optimism with this team.
My assignment ordered by King Galke remains: I must make it through the woods, seek aid against the Syf, and return to Stargazer.
My commitment to my squad remains: I will keep everyone alive, and we will make it back together.
I turn to my silent and downcast companions, hands on my hips.
“A squad member has been captured. As with anyone under my command, it’s my job to keep them alive. We will rescue him, make it to the other side, and complete our mission. If Riev wants to leave, he can. But I won’t leave his fate up to the Syf, who have no reason to leave him unpunished.”
“Yes, Captain.” They look to me for leadership in this hour of need, and leadership is what they get.
“We aren’t going to wait. I refuse to sit around for the Syf guard to tell us when we can leave.” Action gives me a sense of control. Doing something is always better than doing nothing.
I glance up at the rock walls surrounding us.
The slab of rock blocking our exit has shiny, silvery specks.
I know what to do.
“Throg. Stack the extra firewood from last night that we didn’t use. Here.” I point to our blocked entryway. “Ivy, start a fire at the base of this slab.”
“What do you have in mind, Captain?” Throg piles the firewood where I direct him.
“We’re getting out of herenow. While we have a chance to track Riev.”
“Agreed,” Throg says. “That grouchy ass of his doesn’t deserve whatever the Syf have planned for him. If he really was going to abandon us on the other side, I’ll beat him down myself once we free him.”
While Ivy stokes the fire, Throg and I move deeper into the cave to collect as many silver-specked rocks as we can carry. This takes up precious time, because we also search for the largest one with the most shimmer. We need it for what I plan to do.
Throg finds a massive rock larger than a valley bison’s head, streaked with large veins of silver. It has to weigh more than Ivy, but he squats to lift it and waddles back to the entrance.
Once the fire is blazing, I toss in the smaller, glittering rocks. The fire surges with a loud crack. Ivy lets out a “Whooo!”
I nod to our right. “Ivy and I will duck into the other cavern with the elk. Throg will hurl the boulder into the fire and join us. As fast asyou can, Throg. Don’t stop to watch what happens.”
Ivy and I scamper away and watch from around the corner of the second cavern. Throg catapults his boulder into the fire and sprints to us, diving out of the way as the fire rises to the ceiling. His boulder combusts, exploding with a thunderclap that reverberates deep into the cave. This sets off a chain reaction, and the slab of rock that traps us in bursts into flame. We cover our ears as it detonates into a massive spray of rock and fire. The elk behind us snuffle and stamp, but there’s nowhere for them to run.
The vibration ripples up the cavern walls, and I’m worried that it will take down the entryway with it, but when the tremors stop, trees are visible, and no Syf are around.
Or they were blasted away too.
The rocks that have caught fire continue to burn, and the conflagration grows.
