We have to split up.
According to Tigris (the woman with orange and black striped skin) that is the only way. The Sepi already saw me and the guys, so Tigris says that the best way would be for her to go with Leo and Vul as a decoy, wearing my cloak as a disguise. Then Rufus and I will leave thirty minutes later and head to the southeast entrance while Leo, Vul and Tigris all head west.
"We should leave at dusk," Leo says as he pours himself another cup of tea.
"But most of the Sepi are away from the Bratus while looking for her." Vul nods over to me. "With them gone, we should leave immediately."
"She needs rest, especially for when we actually get there. Who knows what we'll be facing?"
Tigris nods in agreement. "We could all use some rest." She stands and looks at me. "Come with me. You can stay in the spare room."
I stand and follow the tall woman past the living room and down the hall to the last door on the left. Her long, rustic pony tail swings from side to side behind her, only a tad lighter than the orange in her skin. Her ears are black with white points and she holds herself with the gracefulness of a cat. Then again she is the Arco of a tiger so it makes sense.
"Actually," I say as we pass a bathroom. "Can I shower? I feel like I haven't been clean in ages."
Tigris turns and gives me an amused smile. "Of course," she chuckles and nods at the bathroom. "I'll grab you some clean clothes, there should be a few towels in there already."
"Thanks," I say as she slips into the room across the hall and I shut the bathroom door behind me.
The water is soft and warm and simply feels amazing as it washes away the dirt and grime that had settled itself on me over the past few days. I scrub at my hair and at my fingers, trying to get rid of the dirt hiding under my nails. After a few more minutes I turn off the water and step out, finding a neatly folded pile of clothes resting on the toilet. Lux is sitting on the sink's edge, swinging her little feet back and forth.
"I don't like them," she says as I roll up the jeans Tigris gave me.
I frown and grab the tank top. "Who?"
"The tiger and the bobcat," she says as she looks up at me. "I've heard things since we've got here, things from the other pixies. Those two are not to be trusted."
"But they're here to help us. They're gonna help me find Nina," I argue as I slip on the tank top and grab the camouflage jacket.
Lux sighs as she stands and brushes herself off. "You don't have to abide by my words, Ari. It's just a warning."
Before I can respond, I hear a loud pounding coming from the front of the house. I glance at Lux who also has a confused look on her face as I tug open the door and peek down the hall.
"The human's here?" an unfamiliar voice shouts. "Are you crazy? Do you know what will happen to you if the Veti found out you were harboring a human, let alone the sister of our Hospes?"
I freeze.
A Hospes? What is that?
I hear the mumbled voices of Rufus and Tigris, most likely trying to calm the frazzled Arco down.
"Calm down? You want me to calm down when you are harboring the bane of our existence as a housing guest!" the unfamiliar voice shouts.
My eyes scan the living room and I spot him near the front door. I'm not positive, but he looks as if he is the Arco of some kind of goat. He has wispy grey-white hair and curved antlers on top of his head with his white furry ears close by. He has a white-grey beard and seems a lot older than the Arco I have seen so far. He wears a pair of khaki pants with a black belt and white polo, a blue and white sweater vest over that.
Despite the situation, I hold back a chuckle. The Arco reminds me of my sixth-grade history teacher who had a love for quoting Shakespeare and a weird fetish for black licorice.
"Hircus," Rufus says as he pinches the bridge of his nose. "Why can't you understand what is going on around here? The forest is dying, and that girl is the only one who can put a stop to it and balance out the two worlds. Now will you go back home and pretend you didn't see anything?"
"I must certainly will not! The Veti know what they are doing. I believe that—" the goat guardian, Hircus, is interrupted by the front door slamming open.
My eyes instantly leap to the door, finding Leo and Vul standing there, both covered in dirt and leaves. They are out of breath and look exhausted but when they catch sight of Hircus, they both stand up tall and give the goat Arco menacing looks.
Hircus's eyes widen. "You're even letting those delinquents in here! When the Veti hear about—"
The goat Arco's eyes roll back into his head as he crumples to the ground, revealing an annoyed Tigris with a tray in her hands.
Leo, Vul and Rufus stare at her with wide eyes, but she only blows her bangs out of her eyes.
"He was getting on my nerves," she says simply and Vul chuckles as Rufus sighs, bending over to pick up the goat Arco. Leo lets his bag fall to his feet before helping Rufus carry the large Arco.
"Alright, well we'll bring him back home. I'm sure he'll forget everything when he wakes up," Rufus says and Tigris nods.
"I did hit him pretty hard," she admits and I smile. I am really starting to like her, despite Lux's protest.
Tigris turns to Vul who is trying to pick the leaves out of his hair and shakes her head. "Come on, I think Ari is done in the bathroom. Let's get you cleaned up."
Vul shrugs and follows after her as I slip back into the room. I quickly slide into the army jacket and throw my hair up in a bun as Lux drapes my towel over the rack.
"Ari? Are you done?" Tigris asks as she gives the door a soft tap. I pull it open as Lux hops into my pocket.
"Yeah," I say and step by her so Vul can get inside. "Thank you."
She gives me a kind smile. "No problem kid." She turns and leads me to the spare bedroom.
The room leaves me breathless. The walls are covered with vibrant colored tapestries, some of which hang from the ceiling. The bed on the far wall is draped with quilts and pillows, and even the dresser has its own orange and red tapestry hanging over the sides. The small orbs of light float around the room, casting warm and smooth shadows around us.
Lux wiggles out of my pocket and comes to rest on my shoulder.
"Whoa," she mutters and I nod in agreement.
"This is the spare room?" I ask and Tigris turns to me, her slitted hazel eyes glittering in amusement.
"When I visit the other world, I like to collect things such as these tapestries." She runs her hand along a blue and purple one. "I've always loved the colors and the patterns, but Rufus refuses to have any in our room so I put them in here."
"Cool," I say as I take another look around the room. I sit down on the edge of the bed and Tigris returns to the doorway.
"You should get some sleep, you're going to need it," she says and rests her hand on the doorknob. "I'll have a fresh pot of tea ready for you when you wake up."
She closes the door and I sigh as I fall back against the bed, not the least bit tired.
I think back to the Arco who was in here earlier, and how he called me a 'hospes.' What even is that, anyway? And why is everything here so . . . normal? I mean, yeah the tree houses aren't that normal, but the food they eat and the fact that they have bedrooms and bathrooms just like my world has me confused. Where do they get all of this? Do they just take it from my world? Or does Beata provide this for them?
Ugh, so many questions but no one around to answer them.
Lux brings her hand to her lips as she lets out a yawn, her light flickering the slightest bit. Maybe we should try and get some sleep.
"Come on Lux, time for some shut eye," I say as I climb under the many quilts. I make space for her on another pillow before laying my head on my own. "Just a quick nap," I mumble before the exhaustion consumes me.
"Are you ready to go?"
I nod and stand up from the couch, swinging my newly-stocked bag over my shoulder. I give Rufus a small smile when he hands me a brown paper bag holding one of the sandwiches that Tigris made for us.
I tuck the bag into my satchel before following Rufus to the door. Leo and Vul left with Tigris a half-hour ago, so now it's our turn. Rufus pokes his head outside and takes a look around before gesturing for me to follow. I keep my head low as we race through the trees, the darkened sky concealing us in shadows.
"This way," Rufus whispers. I feel Lux in my pocket, her warmth radiating through the cloth and to my skin, giving me more energy.
We run for almost an hour before I am too exhausted to continue. With an annoyed sigh, Rufus has us stop in the shadows of a few trees to take a break.
I pull out my canteen and take a few sips of water, my breathing uncertain and shallow from the long haul. Rufus crouches down beside me and pulls out his sandwich.
"Why don't you eat now. You'll need your strength, we're almost there," he informs me and I nod and unwrap my sandwich.
Lux wiggles around in my pocket as I take a bite of the sandwich before popping out and pushing the sandwich away from my lips. I swallow the bite that I took and give her a questioning look.
"Don't eat that! It's—"
Rufus swats Lux away with the back of his hand and growls.
"Stay out of this, pixie."
I gulp and crawl back from Rufus.
"Rufus?" I question and he casts me an annoyed glance before standing up.
My eyes follow his every move as he pulls a rope out of his bag. My throat burns and my lower lip begins to wobble. I open my mouth to speak, but only manage a ferocious cough that has me doubled over. I cover my mouth with my hand and when I pull away I'm met with a sticky red substance.
Blood.
"Poor little human. I'm sorry it has to come to this, but I have my orders," Rufus says as he takes a step toward me.
I go to counter it, but my limbs feel like lead. My eyelids begin to droop as another hacking cough escapes me. My body is shaking as my eyes flicker over to Lux who lays sprawled on the ground, her light dimming.
No, this can't be happening. I'm so close. I can't, not now.
I feel my throat begin to close and my breaths come out at an unnatural pace. I cough again and clutch at my throat as if ghostly hands are choking me.
Rufus roughly grabs my arms and ties my wrists behind my back and then goes to work on my ankles.
No. No no no no no.
I try to jerk away from the bag that he places over my head but its no use, I don't have any strength left. It's deteriorating so fast. I can't move, I can't see, I can't fight back. I can't even call on Beata's power.
Nina. I have to save Nina.
I'm drifting now, my eyelids fluttering.
I have to . . . save her. I have to. I have . . . I have . . . save . . . Nina.
Nina . . . Nin . . . Ni . . .