Before the Sky Fell

[ 30 ] Cloud Seeker

-30-

Cloud Seeker

Whik couldn't see the sun, but the early morning light flooded into each corner and crevice of the sinkhole, drowning out the glowing lights. Malachi climbed out from the water and sat with his back against a rock.

"We get out the same way we came in," Whik told them. He glared at Malachi. "If you fight, I'll kill you. Pelk, grab his other arm." Whik lifted Malachi up, keeping his dagger far from the murderer's reach.

Frankford Millstone lay lifeless on the ledge. A pool of blood crept down the rocks and dripped into the water.

"Seras, we need to leave the cave. Can you do that?"

Seras stared at Frankford's corpse. "No," she told him. "Frankford wouldn't like it. The cave is my mother."

"My daughter is your mother," Malachi said. "My beautiful daughter. Not a cave."

Seras ran her fingers through her hair. She looked at each of them, Pelk first, then Whik, then the murderer. "Hold my hand," Whik said. "Stay close to me. I won't let anything happen to you."

Seras wrapped her fingers into his. The darkness returned when they entered the passageway. The trip through the cave was eerie and Whik kept a tight grip on Malachi's arm. Pelk breathed heavily beside him.

Malachi's voice echoed off the cave walls. "You think you're the only one who's lost something?"

Whik stepped cautiously. Any trip or misstep could give Malachi the chance he needed. "We've all lost something."

"I wasn't much different from you back in my days. An adventurous boy just looking for anything but what I had. I didn't appreciate it."

I'll appreciate it when you've paid for what you've done. Whik squinted into the darkness. The noisy stream of water quieted to a trickle as the slope declined.

"You would have liked Anaeyl. She would have liked this cave."

"She didn't deserve a father like you," Whik told him. He had to be careful. Aggravating the man would help no one.

"You're probably right. She deserved the world and I couldn't give it to her. But neither could that old man. All he gave her was an early grave."

A grave is a grave. Early or late, it only matters who's in it. Thinking of graves brought a sudden revelation. John. How had Malachi gotten around his friend? Or had he just gone through him? Whik dug his fingers into Malachi's arm. "Where is our friend, John?"

"The big burly fellow? He had quite the sense of humor. I left him with my Larks. I'd assume it got ugly. He didn't look like much of a fighter."

When Whik stepped out of the cave, the sunlight overtook him. It pierced his eyes and he couldn't help but squint. In his moment of blindness, Malachi lunged forward, breaking Whik and Pelk's hold. He took off for the forest. Whik reached for his dagger. He didn't need to see it; the blade had been pressed up against his thigh the entire way.

The dagger flew through the air, handle flying over blade until it stuck into Malachi's shoulder. Pelk ran up to him and pushed his knee in between the murderer's shoulder blades. Without a word, he grabbed the dagger's handle and pulled the blade out. Malachi howled. He lay in the dirt and leaves, groaning and cursing. Pelk wiped the blade on his pants.

Whik scanned the forest for more of Malachi's men. Leaves rustled. Birds darted from the trees. The wind howled through the cave entrance, but no beasts came out of the forest. Something in the distance caught his eye.