Chapter 29

Carter

I wasn’t much for sports, although I played on many teams as a child. I guess I was popular because I could run. Fast.

Now years later, my life had taken a turn at lightning speed. The question was, after all that I’d lost and all that I knew would lay ahead, did I want to keep running?

SOME TIME LATER

“Are you sure you want to do this?”

I gave Stevron an affirmative nod.

I saw Angie shake her head. “No, Stevron, it’s too dangerous.”

Angie’s objection made me pause. What did she care if I put my life at risk? She was firmly in Emmalee’s camp. As she should be. I, on the other hand, was the enemy. I had torn the Sky family apart seven years ago. To her I was dispensable and eagerly replaceable.

“Angie’s right, Carter,” Calvin mouthed. “If a fyre crawler bites you, you probably won’t survive.”

Death. At this point I didn’t much care if I lived or died. I’d lost the one person who had kept me going all these years. The one person I would never stop loving.

Emmalee knew the truth. She knew exactly who I was and what I’d done. I was a liar, a traitor and worst of all, a killer. To make matters worse, Jake was laughing at me.

“We need the venom,” I countered.

“There must be another way to collect it.” Deep frown lines creased Angie’s forehead. Her eyes held more concern than they should.

“This is the fastest and most efficient way,” I argued.

Angie shook her head again.

“Stevron and Carter are right,” Dirk mouthed turning to Angie. “The fyre crawlers’ venom is the only method we have to attack the Larcore with.”

I watched Angie press her lips together. I knew she was struggling with the option of allowing me to risk my life, against our desperate need for the venom. Time to push her to the other side.

“Listen, Angie, the Larcore are getting stronger. What if they were responsible for putting those Prayers into the cave? It’s no secret that our salvage operation is getting riskier and riskier and you know other salvage teams aren’t faring as well as we are. The Larcore are devouring more and more fyre wings.”

“Yes, but-”

“No buts. Look at what happened to that village. The Larcore are gathering forces. They’ve now got the Doorcou on their side. Not to mention what happened to Jam and Em in the cave with that Prayers. We need an effective weapon against the Larcore,” I pressed. “If we don’t get one, none of us may survive.”

I saw that my last word was the tipping point. Angie reluctantly gave in. Her frown lines didn’t lessen as she gave me a nod. “Be careful.”

I gave her a brief grin. I took the protective gloves Stevron was holding out to me and shook my head at the pair of heavy knee high boots Dirk offered. “They’ll only slow me down.”

Dirk made a face then he grabbed my shoulder and hauled me up against his chest. He gave me a crushing hug. “Run fast,” he said to me when he’d pushed me away.

I nodded and turned to the others. “Any other advice?” I asked the group.

“Try not to die,” was Calvin’s advice.

Stevron gave me a serious look. “The moment you see movement in your direction, turn and run. Those little critters move at lighting speed. You’ll only have a few seconds at best.”

I heeded his warning and looked down at the foot deep, hundred yard trench we’d dug and filled with water from the stream we’d bathed in the night before.

I could only take Stevron at his word and trust that once the fyre crawlers reached the trench and fell into the water, they would drop their venom sacks as a defensive manoeuvre before crawling out of the water and fleeing back to their burrows.

If not, hopefully the second water filled trench we’d dug surrounding the truck would work.

Mylane tugged on my arm. I glanced at her. The silvery slivered swirls in her eyes had sparked to life. “I’ll go,” she mouthed.

I smiled. I had to admit the kid had courage, but I couldn’t let her take my place.

Since learning that The Oracle of Death was on a path to die, I’d stopped ignoring Jake’s persistent warnings. I needed to do this, regardless of how reluctant and terrified I was.

The time had come for me to follow my family’s destiny. I knew I was too young but I would show no disrepect. It was time the bext step in my vow to the dead be fulfilled.

I put a hand to Mylane’s shoulder. “I’ll be alright.”

Mylane pressed her lips together. I saw the doubts in her eyes. She reached out and gripped my hand. I felt an icy, prickly sensation run up my arm. It spread over my shoulders and chest and then downward to engulf my entire body.

A soft voice whispered in my head as Mylane’s hand slipped away. “I’m sorry, Carter.”

My questioning eyes flew to Stevron.

He didn’t show any sign that anything odd had just occurred. He quickly mouthed. “Okay, everyone, in the truck.”

The prickly sensation intensified as I watched Calvin, Dirk, and Mylane get into the back of the truck. Angie nodded to me as she opened the passenger door and climbed up into the cab. Stevron gave me one last glance. The silver swirls in his eyes ignited.

When Stevron was finally safe in the truck I swallowed as I gave the two of them a thumbs up sign.

©Legend of the Sapphyre Wings by Janet Merritt