Reapers -- The First Familiar (Reapers Chronicles Book II)

26 - George (part 2 of 2)

I wasn’t the only girl in the group. Besides me, there was two others, both of them lean and supple, with tanned-skin that told me they had been doing this for quite a while. Of all my eight companions, none talked to me except for Byron Flynn and Grigori. Now and then, Levi would collectively give us instructions and that was it.

We took a dirt path opposite the beach route. For almost an hour, we trekked down deeper into the woods. The redwood was amazingly abundant in these parts, their thick lush boughs granting no passage for the afternoon sun’s harsh rays. Like ancient abodes, they housed birds, small mammals and some parasitic flowering plants.

I was panting by the time we reached a series of enormous redwood strewn together very closely forming a towering fence.

“You want me to carry you, Little Miss?” Grigori offered for the nth time. “I carry Luci on my back all the time and she’s quite fond of it.”

Muttering “No, thanks,” I hastened my steps and walked ahead until I reached Levi.

Without the armor, he looked taller and wiry. His muscles, lean and prominent from beneath the tattered shirt he wore were an obvious product of manual labor, not of vanity. Yet, everything about him gave off effortless grace and regality. Half of his raven hair was tied up from the level of his ear, making his blue beryl eyes all the more noticeable.

He led the band to a manmade tunnel carved into the biggest redwood in the fence. It was as large as a subway.

Feasting my eyes on the astonishing distractions, I followed the drift inside the tree. A minute later, the sound of running water could already be heard.

The tunnel yawned into a river stretching as far as my eyes could see. Smaller trees bowed from either banks, splaying their arms into the water as if pleading for forgiveness to an unseen deity.

With the rest of the men filing out the tunnel, I was forced to the edge of the bank.

The water was crystal clear and moving serenely. Fish of all sizes and colors came to and fro among the colorful rocks under the river. A large river dweller surfaced, sporting its flamboyant dorsal fin.

I couldn’t tell how deep the river was, but I was sure it was too deep for me. Anything above the waist was too deep for me.

My breath scraped against my throat and I couldn’t feel my legs.

“Grigori, take Aeshma, Elyon and Jefischa with you and utilize the nets,” Levi instructed with an air of diplomatic authority. “Seek out the larger ones downriver. Zarall and I will trap smaller ones. As for you two…” he turned his attention to us, narrowing his slanted eyes. “Elemental, I heard of you as an excellent swimmer. You and the girl can herd the larger ones into the net and perhaps, collect clams at one fell swoop.”

I was shaking. “M-me? Dive?”

Before I could complain, everyone was moving.

Grigori handed me and Byron Flynn a long, hollow bamboo stick each. I could only stare at it, terrified out of my wits.

“Use it to breathe under water,” Grigori said, sensing my confusion. “So you won’t have to surface so often.”

Skillfully, Byron Flynn tied the end of the stick with a piece of rope. Then he tried it to an overhanging branch so that the tip of the bamboo stayed a feet above the water.

I looked around.

Grigori’s group was setting the nets downhill. Levi and his partner had already dived, carrying a wire mesh trap.

Byron Flynn removed his tunic and tumbled backwards screaming into the river. Before a minute could elapse, his red head came up. “Hurry, Aramis! The water is wonderful!”