Flock

Chapter 17

I woke to the sound of gurgling water. Pale light filtered down on to me, and when I took a deep breath as my eyes adjusted to my surroundings, I was hit with such a scent of purity my eyes bulged.

Thin, smooth tendrils grazed my exposed skin — the tangy sweetness in the air was intoxicating. I had never seen such a vibrant shade of green in my life. The hillside rose beside me and grass covered every inch of it. But that wasn't what drew my eye.

I had never seen the sky before.

It stretched endlessly in either direction, dropping behind forests, mountains, and the pure curvature of the land. The sky was a purplish-pink; small glittering jewels sprinkled amongst the darker shades as the light dwindled.

I'm not sure how long I sat there. But the light continued to fade, until the moon—this great white, beaming face, stared down at me from above. The black velvet of the sky was more familiar to me; similar to the darkness of the tunnels, with our unnatural light.

After, my shock had worn off, I got to my feet. My wrist and shoulder throbbed. My whole left side was streaked with dirt and scratches. It seemed my creature had dragged me here. I spun slowly in a circle, my eyes on the horizon this time. Darkness flowed over the land, ending with a sparkling city to the east. I took another long inhalation of the fresh air, the scent of smoke beginning to mingle with the crispness.

Above belonged to the Kryjia—Humans were rarely invited to partake in special activities, except on occasion for those who are considered traitors, or those who held political sway.

I stared out at the sea of green before making my decision. I turned away intent to let my feet carry me as far from the lights as possible. But I realized how stupid that would be. I had never been above before. I was unfamiliar with the dangers that existed.

I had heard the stories before, of course, but nothing I could prepare for. I had no weapon. My fingers opened and closed on air, the Kriyfem's absence. That's what I needed: Kriyfem. And if I couldn't find the mines, I could find the city. Someone would be sure to have some, somewhere. Even if I had to steal it.

***

No one stopped me as I entered the city. I wasn't even acknowledged as I passed the first humans. I'm sure my expression would've been startling to one of them if they had glanced up at me at all. They kept their heads down, shoulders slumped forward, and kept a rapid pace as they hurried about their tasks. I was stunned to find so many of them above ground and had to restrain myself from demanding answers.

Where Javink bustled with energy—a lively, relatively warm energy— this city moved in frenzied silence.

The roads were uneven cobblestone, tripping me up as I walked. I could almost understand why the other humans kept their heads down. It was difficult to keep my eyes on my surroundings and my feet underneath me.

Firelight lined the streets in hanging glass dishes from tall posts. I tucked my hands in my pocket and my chin into my neck. A cool breeze had begun, winding down the slowly emptying walkways. I felt the need to get off the streets, the same kind of need I felt when the Kriyjia were visiting Javink and window-lamps were dimming.

But where to go was the real question. I didn't have to think on that long. Three long, lean figures turned the corner toward me. I could tell they were Kryjia by their sheer size, and looked to duck into a shop or alley.