Outcasts of Aquila (Aquila's Originals 2)

Chapter 18: Worries, Part 3

IT WAS STRANGELY quiet as they made their way through the citadel. It was only when they were passing the open doors of the dining hall, where the kitchen staff were busy setting out dishes for lunch, that Taryn realised why.

"Shouldn't you be in lessons?" she asked Vhen. While she and Orla were still technically convalescing in the infirmary, the other three had no similar excuse.

The tall lad smirked. "We were just sitting down to another riveting performance of Cayn's opinions of the stupidity of the Etherian Expansion when a most ill-timed messenger ran in to tell him you'd woken up. Since he wasted no time in leaving, neither did we."

As a Scudian, Lieutenant Cayn had certain views when it came to his country's northern neighbour and their frequent attempts to conquer the rest of the Greater West. Ones which he never hesitated to share with his students, regardless of if they were Etherian themselves or not. Fortunately neither Taryn nor her friends were, which made their lessons less fractious, insulting and a lot more boring.

"I thought we'd finished that last week," Orla said, half-turning to join their conversation.

"We'll never finish that," Caelo remarked from the head of their group. "Just because Etheria isn't expanding at the moment, doesn't mean they won't attempt to again at some point over the next decade. Keeping them distracted defending their coasts was about the only good thing the kaz-naghkt did for the Overworld, and even that's debatable since they killed almost as many in their raids as the armies do in their wars. Nevertheless, the nations will get restless again sooner or later, especially if Kevian's flighty young queen doesn't hurry up and settle down."

"Didn't Queen Evnia recently celebrate her thirtieth birthday?" Zett asked in confusion.

"Her age is irrelevant," Caelo huffed, waving her hand in the air, "when her head is full of feathers. I don't know what the sovereign council was thinking when they chose her over her older sister. Tavia might be joyless and sickly, but at least she has spine."

"Which is probably why they chose her younger, more malleable sister," Taryn said.

Caelo wrinkled her nose. "More fool them, since Evnia's just as strong willed as Tavia, but entirely lacking in sense. I'm surprised Etheria hasn't invaded already. Sacred fires, I hope that's not what our Rider lives are going to be about, keeping those two apart. That's not going to be fun, at all."

None of them could argue with that and Caelo shivered as she led them out of the citadel, down a steep flight of steps towards a large cave mouth. "How ever did we get onto such a gloomy subject?" she grumbled, marching into the cavern as if oblivious to its history.

The others followed with only the faintest expressions of misgiving, and those were mostly aimed at the sky from which a fresh flurry of snow was just beginning to fall.

Taryn didn't care about the snow or the bitter wind blowing down the mountain. She planted her feet firmly on the path and baulked at entering the cave.

Vhen was the first to notice, as he almost walked into the back of her, then Orla, who paused, no doubt wondering why Taryn was no longer at her side. It took longer for Zett to realise the others had stopped, and once he did, Caelo finally did too.

"What now?" the redhead growled, rubbing her arms against the chill. "It's too cold for nonsense. Come on."

When the others shrugged and moved to follow, Taryn shook her head and backed up like a nervous horsat. "I can't." She held her palms out in a warding gesture. "I can't go in there."

Orla looked at the cave mouth, then back to her. "There's nothing to be afraid of. Our tutors have travelled back and forth through it many times. It's safe."

Taryn shook her head again, realising none of her friends knew what she did. Zett and Orla came from countries that had no interest in Rider doings and likely had heard only the faintest rumours about the late Aquila War, while Vhen had been intent on other things. Taryn didn't know what Caelo knew, but it was obvious from the way the girl had her arms folded and foot tapping impatiently that she didn't care about the fact this tunnel was basically a tomb.

"Don't be foolish, Taryn. You know full well they dug all the bodies out years ago."

"Bodies?" Zett swung around to stare at her.

"Dug?" Orla's eyes widened.

"How many years ago?" Vhen asked.

Caelo rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes, and guess. Honestly, don't any of you know anything about Aquila's recent history? And I'm including you in that, Taryn, as you must know one of the first duties when rebuilding the citadel was taking care of the dead. Stop being squeamish and get inside, it's too blasted cold out here for delicate sensibilities." She stomped inside the cave, which Taryn doubted she'd find much warmer, although it wouldn't include falling snow.

"What's she talking about? What happened here? What recent history?" Orla and Zett were both equally anxious now, while Vhen sighed and opened his arms, ushering them all towards the cave.

"While I don't know anything about bodies, I do know Caelo was right - much as it pains me to admit it. We need to get out of this weather, unless we want to be dug up ourselves next spring. Stop flinching, Taryn, and get in the cave."

Another bitter blast gusted down the mountain, making Orla's teeth rattle and Taryn realised her loyal friend would stay outside every bit as long as she did. Steeling her nerves, Taryn followed the others inside.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Caelo cooed, and now that Taryn had made it beyond the entrance, she had to admit it looked pretty normal. No bloodstains, no overlooked bones, no scent of rotting corpses. No ghosts. No eerie sensation of death or sadness. It was just a cave, much like any other, carved out of rock and filled with chilly darkness. There weren't even any scratch marks to show where the kaz-naghkt had scrabbled, attacked and slaughtered. Just dark rock, gleaming damply in the red-gold glow of the globe Caelo held in her hand.

"Feeling better now?" the redhead asked with a mocking tinge, although her eyes were serious as she offered a second globe to Taryn, then handed more to the others.

The light was warm as it settled in Taryn's hand and it seeped into the chill that clung to her skin as she looked around the wide cave mouth, searching for any signs of the tragedy that had occurred less than a decade before. There were none to be seen. Aquila kept its secrets well.

She closed her hand around the globe and nodded at Caelo. "Let's go."

Despite dubious looks, Zett and Orla fell into step, while Vhen brought up the rear with his usual sardonic smile. "Are either of you going to explain what that was about?" he asked, as the cave narrowed into a tunnel and the ground began sloping gently down beneath their feet.

Pressing a hand against the cold stone, Taryn considered the close walls around her and shook her head. Talking about the fall of Aquila and how the kaz-naghkt had once dug through the mountainside to devour fleeing survivors really would not help at this point.

Someone's foot scuffed on the uneven ground, sending a pebble rattling into the gloom. Taryn flinched, clutching her glow globe tighter, trying not to think about how much the distant ticking sounded like claws.

"I'll tell you about it later," Caelo promised. "But now, for the love of light, stars and cinnamon swirls, will you all just get a bloody move on!"

As the irritated echoes bounced up and down the tunnel, Taryn took a deep, shuddering breath and trudged loyally into the dark.