Page 9 of Riftborne
Just a few paces away, I heard the thud of boots coming up the stairs like beats of a war drum. A figure emerged at the edge of the platform with armor bearing the emblem of the Sídhe Guard. My stomach twisted. His golden hair and icy blue eyes seemed so unassuming. But his wicked smile left a rotting taste in my mouth.
This one always started off so peacefully. It was hard to imagine this day could have ever turned into what it did.
I leaned against the dam's railing; my attention drawn downward as a group of seven emerged from the nearby tree line. They mingled in the high grass, piercing the silence with laughter as they set up camp just a stone's throw from the river's edge. I watched in horror as five of them discarded their clothes and dove into the river, one by one.
I wanted to scream, but my voice was trapped, my body wasparalyzed. I wanted to tell them to leave, to run back to the city as fast as they could. But I remained in excruciating uselessness.
They would never see it coming. By the time the gates opened, by the time the current raced in, it would be too late. They would never make it back to shore.
All I could do was look on as my best friends met the wrath of the Sprithe dam and the hateful hands of those who controlled the levers.
This was one of the nightmares I hated the most.
They swam out to the center, painfully unaware of the consequences. My gaze lingered on the faint glimmer from Mairyen’s left hand, the one that reflected the light. The one that bore her Riftborne curse.
The distant sounds of knocking interrupted my thoughts, reverberating through the dream like a manifestation of doom itself. It was only drowned out by the sudden screeching of metal.
The ground beneath me rumbled. I tried to tear my gaze; I couldn’t watch this. Not again. But my body betrayed me.
My eyes lowered to see the water rush through the gates, tumbling to the river below. It hit the surface like a reckoning.
My body joltedback into the reality of our living room. My eyes snapped open. Osta was sprawled out on the floor beside me, snoring softly. I glanced around, blinking the sleep from my eyes.
Knock, knock, knock.
The sound sent my eyes flying in the direction of the door. Someone was knocking. Pounding, actually. Panic surged through my body as my mind recollected the events from the night before. Osta stirred, shifting on the floor as another set of knocks reverberated through the apartment like trumpets of doom.
I ran my shaking fingers through my hair, causing it to float around my head like a demented halo. Each of my veins pulsed with worry as I sat in silent contemplation. The time of my reckoning had arrived.
Osta sat up slowly, her eyes still closed as she yawned and stretched out her arms. “Is someone at the door?” she mumbled. We never had visitors.
The sound boomed through the room again, but this time, it was followed by a question.
“Fia! Are you in there?” A familiar voice shouted, the words drenched in concern.
My heart did somersaults in my chest.
“Fia, I swear to Eibhlín, if you don’t open this door, I’ll have no choice but to use this firesbane I’m holding.”
This brought me to my feet. I stepped over a half-asleep Osta and moved towards the door, slowly pulling it open to meet the furious gaze of Maladea Thiston.
It was just Ma.
Could last night really just have been some sick dream?
“Fia, do you have any idea how worried I have been?” she scolded with flames in her eyes. She swung the door open wide and pushed past me, stomping right into our flat. The silver peaks of her chestnut hair seemed more prevalent today. Sweat glistened on her wrinkled temple, and her hibiscus-stained hands were clenched into fists.
“Worried?” I managed to croak.
Ma found her way to a recliner in the corner and sat down, shooting me a disapproving look. Osta’s eyes followed her with confusion.
“Fia. First, you leave the shop without saying anything. Second, you don’t show up for work this morning. Third, I have to hear from Eron thatyouended up making the last delivery to the Grove last night. Can you even imagine where my mind went?” I saw a brief glimmer of fear wash over her eyes before she cleared her throat and composed herself, shaking her head.
“Ma… I’m so sorry. I didn’t sleep well last night. I must have dozed off…” My voice weakened.
Ma leaned forward. “More nightmares?”
“Erm–yes. But that’s nothing new. I expect them at this point,” I mumbled, shifting my weight. I glanced at her nervously. “But everything is fine at the shop?”
