The Trade

      And then it stopped.

      Everything hurt, and she was trapped in mud to her shoulders, but she was alive. For that, she could be grateful. But she was in no condition to free herself. She was at the mercy of the elements as she hopefully awaited rescue. She hoped that both Zan and Lou had gotten away to safety.

      She must have dozed off somehow because she startled awake as a hand touched her neck. She looked up into the face of a Stealthy Draik.

      “Remain calm while we dig you out,” the Draik said.

      It was then that Korri noticed there were others around, digging at the thick mud with shovels in a steady rhythm. Within a few moments, the mud had been cleared away, and she was free, well, mostly. A large rock had settled on her right leg.

      “Dagger,” the Draik ordered with a wave of her hand.

      For a wild, horrifying moment, Korri thought they meant to cut her leg, but thankfully, a hefty Darigan Grarrl stepped forward to lift the rock with ease instead.

      A Tyrannian Eyrie took his place and helped Korri to stand, but she cried out as she tried to put her weight on her hurt leg.

      “Shekhar, carry her,” the Draik ordered.

      The Tyrannian Eyrie scooped Korri into his capable arms, and she let out a yelp, horror, surprise and pain mingling together. She instinctively looped her arms around his neck to steady herself, and he grunted at the contact.

      “It isn’t far to our camp,” the Draik continued. “Our healer is already en route, but we’ll do what we can to make you comfortable until he arrives.”

      “Wait, I wasn’t alone,” Korri started, panic beginning to set in. “I was travelling with two Buzz-”

      “We know,” the Draik interjected. “We found them first once we were alerted to the landslide, and they told us what had happened to you. You’re lucky to be alive.”

      “Are they alright?”

      “They’re both safe and well.”

      Korri sighed with relief. “I’m glad to hear it.”

      Fatigue and pain dogged her, but, as the Draik had said, they didn’t travel far before reaching a cliff face. One by one, the group slipped through a narrow crevice that Korri would have missed entirely, even if she were looking for it. It almost appeared as if the pets disappeared directly into the cliff. Shekhar, the Eyrie carrying her, took his turn and they were almost immediately swallowed by darkness. But Korri could feel rock walls on either side of her and knew it was narrow, just enough for one ‘pet to pass through at a time; she could hear the others both ahead and behind them. And though it was dark, Shekhar didn’t hesitate or stumble. This had to be a familiar route, given how confidently they travelled. Thankfully, they weren’t walking for too long before light appeared ahead of them, signalling the end of the tunnel.

      But what they saw when they were finally back in the open made Korri’s jaw drop open in wonder.

      A hidden valley lay before them with a lake surrounded by pines and, near the shore, a Shenkuuvian-style house. Korri’s fingers ached to paint such a scene, to capture its beauty. She would not do it justice, but she could certainly try. At least every time she looked at it, she would be reminded of this moment.

      “Take her to the house,” the Draik ordered Shekhar before she looked at Korri. “I imagine you want to get cleaned up. Echo will help you with that.”

      “That would be wonderful. Thank you,” Korri said. Before she could ask who Echo was, a shout sounded from the house, and Lou raced towards them.

      “Thank the stars they found you!” Lou exclaimed. He buzzed anxiously beside Shekhar as the Tyrannian Eyrie continued towards the house with Korri in his arms. “I was so worried about you. How badly are you hurt?”

      “My leg got smashed by a boulder and I’m battered, bruised, tired and dirty but thankful to be alive,” Korri said with a small smile.

      “You and me both,” Lou said, daring to reach for Korri’s hand before they made it inside.

      Shekhar carried Korri through what appeared to be a main room and a dining room before depositing her in front of an open door where a shadow Korbat that Korri recognised from the group that had dug her out waited.

      “You can get cleaned up in here, and there are spare clothes you can wear as well,” the Korbat-Echo, Korri guessed, said, pointing into the room that she could now see was a bathroom.

      “Thank you. I think I can manage from here,” Korri said, looking back to see that Shekhar had already left.

      “I’ll wait in one of the rooms for you,” Lou said, pointing down the hall towards another door.

      Korri nodded and was finally left alone. Slowly, painfully, she hobbled over to one of the shower stalls (there were three) and was relieved to see that there was even a bench for her to sit on. The stall was small but not cramped, and Korri took her time, wanting to be thorough and also not wanting to hurt her leg even more than it already was. As she sloughed off the mud from her limbs and hair, her mind whirled with questions.

      Zan had been taking them to the bandit leader. But where had they ended up instead? There were over half a dozen pets, but only one building, so not a village. Who were they? Were they hiding from the bandits? The Draik had said both Lou and Zan had survived the landslide. So where was Zan? Had he decided to cut and run now that she was injured and couldn’t complete the journey?

      Wanting answers, Korri finished up in the bathroom, putting on the clothes that had been left for her. She was thankful to have a change of clothes since she had naturally lost her pack in the landslide. Even if they were a poor fit- too big in some places and too short in others- that couldn’t be helped. It was blissful to be warm, clean and dry. Grimacing against the throbbing pain in her leg, she hobbled down the hall to the room where Lou said he would be. To her surprise, Lou wasn’t alone in the room.

      “Zan!” Korri exclaimed. “You’re here!”

      It was one thing to be told by a stranger that he was fine, but another to see it for herself. Lou frowned at her enthusiastic greeting, and she couldn’t blame him. She was surprised at herself for her own response upon seeing the bandit. Was it pain and fatigue? Was it relief to see another familiar face surrounded by strangers? It couldn’t be anything else. Like she had actually come to care for him, had she? She shied away from the thought.

      Zan, for his part, did not return the warmth of her greeting. “Of course. Where else would I be?”

      Suddenly feeling flustered, Korri sank down on the futon next to the door, unable to look at either Lou or Zan. “I thought you might have left to rejoin the Mist now that I’m hurt.”

      “We are with the Mist.”

      “What?” Korri jerked her head up to look at him, jaw falling open in surprise.

      “This is the Mist camp,” Zan said, as if it were obvious.

      “But-I thought…” Korri shook her head. When she thought of bandits, she thought of dirty ruffians living on meagre supplies and what they could carry. Not the beauty and luxury she had seen since she arrived. “This is nothing like what I imagined.”

      Zan scoffed, but before he could say more, a woodland Scorchio entered the room.

      His gaze skipped over Lou and Zan before focusing on Korri. “You must be the patient. My name is Florian, and I’m a healer.” He glanced at the two Buzz. “Are you comfortable having them in the room while I examine you?”

      Korri glanced at Lou, but her friend was already making his way out. “I’ll leave you to it.”

      “Not that it matters, but I don’t need to be here for this,” Zan said with a shrug before following his cousin out of the room.

      Florian smiled at her. “May I?”

      Korri nodded, and the Scorchio stepped forward, giving her a thorough exam from head to toe.

      “Some minor bumps and bruises but no concussion, which is good. Now, let's look at that leg of yours.” The healer clucked in dismay as he took in the full extent of the damage. His brow furrowed in concern. “Now, this is the real issue. The good news is that your leg isn’t broken, but this is a bad sprain that’ll take several weeks to heal. And you certainly won’t be able to travel on it until then. I’ll give you something for the pain and exercises to do during your recovery, but there’s something else I need to discuss with you.”

      The Scorchio healer looked intently at Korri. “Do you understand where you are?”

      “I’m with the Mist,” Korri answered softly, voice hitching just a bit over the name.

      Florian nodded. “Yes. You’ll be stuck here for a while, but I want to reassure you that while they aren’t good, they aren’t villains either. They’ll care for you during the course of your stay until you’re well enough to leave. You don’t have anything to fear from them.”

      Already, Korri’s understanding of the notorious bandit group was changing wildly, and while she was still coming to grips with it, she felt she could trust the healer, if nothing else.

      Florian stayed for a few moments more, going over her care instructions. “I’ll visit every couple of weeks to see how you’re getting on, but if you need me between visits, the Mist know where to find me,” the healer assured her before finally taking his leave.

      Lou and Zan returned to the room.

      “What did the healer say?” Lou asked at once, sitting beside Korri.

      Korri filled in the Buzz on what Florian had said.

      Lou looked stricken. “So, you’re stuck here.”

      Korri nodded. “Yes, but-”

      “Korri, I’m so sorry! I tried to go after you but-”

      “I had to physically hold him back or else my idiot cousin would have gotten himself hurt or killed, too,” Zan said, jaw clenching.

      Lou drooped, unable to meet Korri’s gaze. “He threatened to knock me out.”

      “And I’m glad he did, or else we would both be hurt now,” Korri said.

      Lou looked up at her, startled.

      “Which means you get to go home now,” Korri continued.

      “What? No, I can’t leave you here!”

      “That’s not your decision to make!” Zan snapped. “Lilanh has already given Korri permission to stay during her recovery, but you have no reason to be here now.”

      “Then let’s go ask her,” Lou said, turning for the door.

      Korri rose to follow, but the room spun, and she swayed. It would appear that the day’s events and the medicine Florian had given her were starting to take effect.

      Zan was there at once to steady her with an arm around her waist. “It's late, and we’re all tired. Better to rest and sort this out in the morning.”

      Lou turned back, jaw clenching as he saw his cousin supporting Korri. “Fine. Where do we sleep?”

      “This is one of the bedrooms.”

      Looking around, Korri could see futons lining the walls. “Where is everyone?”

      “In the other rooms,” Zan answered. “It’ll just be us in here.”

      Korri nodded tiredly as Zan helped her settle back on the futon. She unfurled her blanket where it had been folded on the edge of the futon. Almost before her head hit the pillow, she was asleep.

      The next morning, Korri groaned as she sat up, her entire body aching. Looking around the room, she saw that she was the only one there. Slowly, having to stop often to rest, she got up and headed for the dining room. She only made it to the corner before Lou met her, a bowl in his hands.

      Her friend rushed to support her. “I was just coming to check on you and bring you something to eat.”

      “Is that congee?” Korri asked, nodding towards the bowl.

      “It sure is,” Lou said with a smile.

      Lou tried to get Korri to return to the bedroom, but she shook her head. “I’d rather eat in the dining room.”

      Once more, the room was empty. For a house full of bandits, she hadn’t seen many of them since she arrived.

      Lou frowned at the low table. “Are you sure you want to eat here?”

      “Yes,” Korri said with a nod.

      He helped ease her to the ground, and Korri awkwardly stretched her injured leg out to the side before beginning to eat.

      Zan strolled into the room with a cup of tea and set it next to Korri.

      “Good morning, Zan,” Korri said lightly. “Where is everyone?”

      “It’s not my business to know where everyone is,” Zan said. “That’s up to Lilanh.”

      “Speaking of Lilanh, can we see her now?” Lou asked, impatient.

      “I’ll see if she’s available,” Zan said before leaving the room.

      It allowed Korri to finish her meal and drink the tea Zan had prepared for her. She recognised it as the herbal blend Florian had left for her. She was touched by the gesture. Zan could be temperamental, but he did care, in his own way. Not that Korri understood why; they were from the same village, but they had never been friends.

      She couldn’t think on it too much, however, as the bandit occupying her thoughts returned.

      “Lilanh is ready for you now,” Zan said. When Lou moved to help Korri down the hall, he put a hand up. “Not you. She’ll deal with you after she speaks to Korri.”

      Lou glared at his cousin, clenching his jaw. “Very well.”

      Zan took his cousin’s place at Korri’s side, and they limped through the dining room and the living room before turning down another hall. Once they were there, Zan smirked, stepping away from Korri.

      “Here,” the Speckled Buzz said, grabbing a pair of crutches leaning against the wall and handing them to the green Nimmo, “Florian had these dropped off for you earlier.”

      Korri accepted them gratefully. “This will make a world of difference.” She adjusted them under her arms and then looked over at Zan. “You couldn’t have given these to me sooner?”

      Zan’s smirk remained firmly in place. “I never pass up an opportunity to get on Lou’s nerves.”

      Korri snorted and shook her head but didn’t say anything else.

      Together, they continued down the hall. It seemed to be a mirror image of the other hall. Two bedrooms in the middle and bathrooms on either end of the hall. They rounded the corner and paused at the only door in this new hallway.

      Zan gave a curt knock on the door.

      A stealthy Hissi opened the door, and Zan stepped back.

      “Lilanh is waiting for you,” Zan said with a nod, urging Korri to enter the room.

      Korri felt a little unmoored without Zan’s support, but she had come this far. She wasn’t about to turn back now, even if that were an option. She stepped into the room, taking in the shadowy interior before her gaze snagged on the far wall.

      “That’s my painting!” Korri breathed.

      “Zan said he brought you here because you had something to discuss with me.”

      Korri startled, leg buckling; she would have fallen if the crutches weren’t there to help keep her upright. She dragged her eyes away from her painting, only to land on the Stealthy Draik from the day before. She should have known. The Draik had acted with a leader’s authority from the start, but Korri hadn’t had the energy to put it together.

      “It’s you,” Korri said softly.

      Lilanh inclined her head. “Whatever it is was important enough to track down one of my bandits, follow him into the mountains and almost cost you your life. You have my attention now, Korrinea Nimora. What is it that you want from me?”

      “How do you kno-” Korri began before shaking her head. Of course, Lilanh would know Korri’s full name. The Mist leader had a long reach, and she seemed to make it her business to know everything. Not wanting to delay any longer, Korri cleared her mind and got right to it. “That,” she said, nodding her head to the wall behind Lilanh, “is my painting.”

      “Whatever it was before, it’s mine now,” Lilanh said.

      “You stole it!”

      “And what are you going to do? Steal it back?”

      Korri didn’t have an answer to that.

      “How about a trade?”

      “For what?” Korri was wary, uncertain what the bandit leader was getting at.

      “A painting for a painting,” Lilanh said. “You paint a replacement piece for me, and you may have this one back.”

      Korri scowled, not liking the idea. But, as Lilanh had already pointed out, she couldn’t steal it back. She didn’t have enough coin to buy it outright. But she was repulsed at the idea of rewarding the bandits for their thievery. After all, the painting rightfully belonged to her.

      “And if I don’t agree?” Korri asked cautiously.

      “Then there is no reason for you to stay here any longer.”

      Korri flinched. She had no doubt the Mist would get rid of her if it suited their purposes. She was trapped here until she recovered and Lilanh knew it.

      “Very well,” Korri said, hating every word she spoke. “I accept your terms.”

      Lilanh nodded, a gleam of satisfaction in her sky-blue eyes.

      “But I’ll need supplies which are back in the Imperial City.”

      “Done. I’ll send one of my bandits to fetch what you need today.”

      Recognising their conversation was over, Korri left Lilanh’s quarters to find Zan waiting for her. Together, they returned to the living room where Lou had moved to wait.

      “What did she say?” Lou asked anxiously.

      “My painting is hanging in her quarters. She refuses to give it back.” Korri grimaced. “But she wants me to paint a replacement piece, and I’ll be able to take the original home with me.”

      “And you’re okay with that?”

      “I don’t have much choice, now do I?”

      “Your turn,” Zan told Lou.

      The glowing Buzz placed a comforting hand on Korri’s arm before leaving the room. Less than five minutes later he was back, fury in his green eyes.

      “Lou, what’s wrong?” Korri asked at once, concerned.

      “I have to leave,” Lou said. He gave her a pained look. “And you’ll still be here.”

      Alone.

      With the Mist.

      Suddenly, the next few weeks felt impossibly long and daunting. And now lonely. It was a good thing she would be preoccupied with her recovery and her work, but still…

      “I’ll be fine, Lou,” Korri said, giving her friend an assuring smile that she did not feel.

      They hugged for a long moment before Zan cleared his throat.

      “We’re losing daylight. If Lilanh wants you gone, she means now,” Zan said pointedly.

      “Does that mean you’ll be going with him?” Korri asked, feeling a flicker of surprise and unease.

      “Do you see anyone else?”

      Korri wondered again where the rest of the bandits could possibly be, but knew better than to ask. “In that case, can you bring me some of my other things, like my clothes, along with my paint supplies and Ivy?”

      “Ivy?”

      “My Camelior. I’ve never been without her for long, and I’d like her company.”

      Zan dipped his head. “Very well.”

      “Thank you, Zan,” Korri said, placing a hand on his arm.

      The Speckled Buzz froze for an instant, as if surprised by her touch, before yanking away from her. “Let’s go, Lou.”

      “Don’t worry. I’ll help him get what you need,” Lou said before he followed his cousin out.

      Korri stood at the entrance of the house and watched the Buzz cousins until they reached the valley’s secret entrance.

      Lou raised a hand in farewell, and Korri responded in kind before disappearing into the dark tunnel.

To be continued…