The Crystal Mines

66 Callion

Day four without enough sleep. We slaughtered a hound each night, their trail on us getting faster as we grew slower. Last night we were only able to get an hour of solid sleep in before a hound appeared. As with each one, we took it down and questioned it. But none were as forthcoming as Callas. The group was silent as we walked. Irritability sat in yesterday and Sera seemed to be the only one intelligent enough to tell everyone to shut their mouths and walk before a full-blown fight broke out over food. We hadn't had time to hunt. A bunch of us took turns growing fruits and nuts to eat quickly but it wasn't nearly as satisfying as cooked meat.

Ameer led the way for the most part, but occasionally Jakota or I would force him to fall back and rest. I knew how to get to Riveton Plains just as well as he did. It was from there that I had no knowledge of how to get to Aegran.

"You're doing it again," Nik said from beside me with a tap on my shoulder

I shook my head. All of us had begun sleeping while walking. Taury called them microsleeps. Our bodies fighting to collapse in exhaustion. There was no magic or way around the exhaustion. All we could do was walk on fighting our bodies each step.

Though those of us Erix was after, Nik was the most awake of all. Whatever special substance that resided in our blood, allowed us to fight the effects longer. Many times, I saw Nik's eyes glow and she would straighten up almost renewed. But each time it worked less and less. I mimicked her a few times, drawing on deep well within, finding that I felt strange. The rest was artificial, and my body knew it.

When the group curled up for the night, it was earlier than we had the others. It was a desperate attempt to get more rest. We had made it to the edge of the forest and had to follow a narrow road through the mountains. No one spoke as we slept, an unspoken routine having set in. Tonight, we went without a fire, warming ourselves with small kernels of magic instead. I traced a finger along Nik's arm like I had every night since the first. She had her back to me and in her slumber had backed up against me, seeking warmth. I fought with myself, knowing it would hurt Ameer to hold her. We were all freezing.

But he saw the truth in my face as he met my eyes through the fire. It didn't take him long to relocate by her other side and together, we all kept warm. She nestled between us, and we slept.

And slept.

And slept.

When the warmth of the sun beat down on us, I could see the red of my eye lids before forcing them open. I stood with a start. Had anyone kept watch? Where was the hound? Nik and Ameer stirred, and I cursed at myself for being too loud. Rion was awake and at a small fire looking relaxed. He offered a nod of reassurance, that everything was fine, but even I still scanned the area on alert. Gods that was meat he was cooking. Jakota entered our clearing from the woods followed by Lilta and Jaixin full of giggles. When Jakota noticed my attention, he walked over like the confident bastard he was.

"What's going on?" I asked without keeping the skepticism out of my voice.

Jakota ran a hand through his hair. "We all voted to let you three sleep. Nik had been feeding us her energy for days and you two took most of the watches. Dath kept watch last night and I the night before."

Night before?

I took a step towards him. "How long were we out, Jakota?"

The male had the decency to show guilt. "Three days. The first day, we all slept into the afternoon, and then two more."

All that time lost just so we could nap. "And what of the hounds?" The voice of a prince came out and Jakota didn't miss it.