Chapter 26: Eclipse

“You’re not from around here, are you?” asked Eclipse.

She kept her voice low as the girl curiously stood before her. Andromeda, that was her name. She didn’t answer her question, her grey eyes still staring at them with distrust. Her injured arms were wrapped protectively around herself, shaken from the grip of the tavern man. From the moment she saw her with that bastard Branan, Eclipse knew there was no way she was leaving her in there with those absolute beasts of men.

Eclipse frowned. Andromeda was awfully pale, and had almost collapsed when Eclipse had grabbed her. Her eyes were half shut, and her head tilted as she struggled to keep it straight.

Hang on…

Eclipse raised her hand to the girl’s face. Andromeda took a step back in alarm, before Eclipse gently pressed a palm to her cheek.

“Stars, you have a terribly high fever, and you’re dressed in nothing but a ripped nightgown. What are you even doing here?”

The girl pressed her lips together, shaking Eclipse’s hand from her face. “I said I’m fine.” She took another step back, raising her chin in defiance. Eclipse caught a slight wince as she stepped back, her feet bare against the wooden floor. The girl was most likely delirious, her fever rising the longer she stood without a cover.

Antares took a step forward from Eclipse’s side, his hands raised in a relaxed pose.

“Hey, listen. We don’t plan to hurt you at all. I swear, we only want to help.”

She furrowed her eyebrows, staring him down with her light grey eyes. She didn't look too young, maybe somewhere in her late teens.

“I—” Andromeda started, before a thundering voice cut her off.

“Is this them?”

An enormous man suddenly appeared behind the group, casting a dark shadow in the already dim hallway. Grabbing Antares’ hood, he pulled it off with a jerk, yanking him back by the neck. Antares let out a sharp yelp from the pain as the man reached for Eclipse’s cloak as well.

He pulled the two away from Andromeda, gripping them tightly at their arms as he pushed them forward. A large crowd of men gathered before them, a line of them pouring out from the open tavern.

Eclipse tried to look away, her entire face exposed. The poster was incredibly inaccurate though—maybe they wouldn’t see the resemblance?

“It is them…It’s the one’s from the posters!”

Or maybe not…

“I knew they looked familiar the second they walked in this tavern!”

“How much do you reckon those guards would pay for these two?”

“They said fifteen hundred for the boy and a thousand for the girl, but I’m sure I could negotiate a good amount more…”

“Not a chance! I’ll be the one to deliver them myself.”

Eclipse struggled to break free, the man’s iron grasp biting into the skin of her arm. She cast a glance back to Astrid, who was slowly creeping backwards.

“It seems we’ll have to depart a little earlier than expected,” she murmured.

Eclipse watched as she adjusted Andromeda against her body, keeping her straight up as she was on the verge of collapsing. Astrid subtly began to head for the door, Andromeda leaning against her as she walked.

“I think it’s time you try a little…Persuasion,” Astrid whispered, nudging her head at the crowd. Eclipse nodded back, and turned to face the man.

“Let…us…GO!” she cried, his grip immediately losing its strength as her Gift shot out. His hand slid off her arm, dropping to his side. Antares broke free, and quickly signaled to her at the rampant crowd with his head.

“Stop! All of you!” The entire tavern obliged, freezing dead in their tracks. Eclipse felt the weight begin to crush her in an instant.

“We have to go. Now. I can’t keep them like this for long.”

Astrid pushed her hood slightly back, making eye contact with the pair. “You two. Go get the bags from the room. I’ll grab the horses and meet you outside. Now hurry.”

Without missing a beat, Astrid heaved open the doors and disappeared into the night, taking Andromeda with her.

With a deep breath, Eclipse broke into a run towards the stairs, Antares at her heels. The two of them shoved right through the crowds of dazed, drunken people. Eclipse could feel her grasp on them starting to fade.

No…Just a bit longer…

The two raced up the stairs, their feet pounding against the creaky steps. Rushing down the hall, they came to a stop in front of their door.

The grip she had on them suddenly snapped, the heavy weight lifting off of her in a swift second.

“They’re free,” she said with a panicked breath, before a collective roar sounded beneath their feet.

“GET THEM!”

Antares pulled the room key from his pocket and stuck it in the keyhole, violently turning it as he struggled to get the door open. The muffled shouts and footsteps of the tavern crowd pounded beneath the floor and across the halls. Beads of sweat rolled down Eclipse’s back as she listened to the yells grow louder. Her eyes were glued to the corner, watching. Waiting.

“Hurry, Antares!” she shouted.

“I’m trying! The damn door won’t open!” He shoved the key in further, the metal clanging within the wooden door.

Eclipse cast a look back down the hall, a silent prayer running through her mind. Suddenly, a man emerged from the corner, glancing madly around the dark hall before his eyes landed on Eclipse.

“THERE THEY ARE!”

He broke into a run towards the pair, leaving no time to wait for his companions. Dozens of men emerged behind him, each one of them racing to get to them first. Eclipse watched as another woman blurred, dashing past the first man in a second.

“I got it!” Antares yelled before pushing the door open. Eclipse violently shoved him in, before jumping into the room herself. She slammed the door close behind her, locking it firmly. The woman with Speed slammed into the door with an audible grunt, almost knocking Eclipse to her feet. Antares scrambled next to her, both of them pressing their backs against the wooden door.

The crowd began to pound at the wood, a splintering crack sounding from the door. Their hungry shouts echoed behind them as fear began to run through Eclipse’s veins. She frantically searched the room, her heartbeat pounding in her ears.

“The bed, Antares!” she shouted. He immediately understood. Antares stepped away from the door, and Eclipse pushed harder to compensate as he darted for one of the beds. He heaved it towards Eclipse, the base of it creaking against the wooden floor. Pushing it forward with loud creaks, he stopped when it was only inches away from her body.

Antares nodded to her firmly, and she darted out of the way before he rammed it against the door.

Eclipse stepped further back, taking in short, rapid breaths. Her heart refused to slow down, the shaking door held back only by the small bed. She turned to Antares, who was breathing just as heavily.

“That should hold them,” she gasped. “But not for long. Get the bags, and then we get the hell out of here.”

The pair each went for a sack, Eclipse grabbing a large one leaning against the side. The walls around them shook as the crowd continued to bang at the door. Eclipse heaved the bag onto her shoulder, before Antares quickly approached her with the other two.

“All right, how are we going to get out of here?” he breathed.

Eclipse peered around the room, before letting out an uneasy sigh. “The window. It’s the only other exit.”

“Stars, not again,” he muttered under his breath, before following her to the window. Eclipse tilted her head in confusion, unsure of what he meant, but pushed the thought to the back of her mind at the sound of another yell.

She studied the sides of the window, looking for any way to pry it open. A complex system of latches was at one side, one she suspected hadn’t been used in years. Specks of dust clouded the rusted metal, and another violent rustle sounded from the door.

“Why not use a blade?” Antares suggested, spinning around to show her the sacks at his back. Eclipse dug through one, pulling out the first knife her fingers touched.

Antares quickly stepped back, Eclipse unsheathing the blade into the light. Her eyes focused on the pane of glass as she aimed, before slamming the sharp tip into the middle of the window.

The glass shattered into hundreds of pieces, some of them falling on the room’s floor. A large shard of it still ran through the middle, and Eclipse rammed the blade’s handle into it, knocking it outside. Sticking her head out, she squinted to see the grass below.

“It’s too far down. We’ll break our bones if we jump,” Eclipse observed, looking back at Antares. “Do we have a rope? Any supplies at all?”

Antares shook his head. “Those things were in the other bag. Astrid has it.” He slid a blade out from his side, his eyes glancing between Eclipse and the door.

Eclipse peeked back out the window. All that lay below was a thin field of grass, not nearly soft enough to support their fall. Her eyes drifted around, catching the grove of tall trees just ahead. If they jumped from there, they surely wouldn’t make it.

Unless…

“Antares, do you think you would be able to make that jump?” She pointed to the closest tree, just a few yards ahead.

He leaned forward, stealing a look out the window. “No, it’s too far.”

“What about with your Gift?” At a fast enough speed, she suspected they might just be able to make it.

His eyes scanned the grove, his lips pursed, before a sudden crash came from the door. The blade of an axe pierced through the wood, its shining silver glinting in the moonlight. The axe was pulled out for a brief moment, before slamming back into the plank, widening the crack. A pair of vicious eyes peeked through the door, the man’s stare hardening on the two.

“I guess we’ll have to find out,” Antares said with urgency.

Eclipse threw her bag out the window, a faint thud sounding from below. Antares handed her his own two, and she tossed them out as well. They ran to the far end of the room, shifting to stay in line with the window. Eclipse wrapped herself around Antares, tightly latching her arms around his abdomen. He shifted his feet, and she felt his body tighten as he slipped the blade into his side.

“Let’s try not to die,” she said through shaky breaths.

“Agreed.”

A loud crash. Eclipse whipped her head to see a man Phase through the wall, his body passing through like there was no barrier at all. In the same moment, the door broke open, pieces landing on the bed behind it. There was a triumphant cheer, before Antares lunged forward, Eclipse letting out a yelp.

Shit, shit, shit, SHIT, bad idea, BAD IDEA.

She shut her eyes tightly, which had immediately begun to water. The world tumbled around her as Antares pulled her along, her heart pounding faster than she could bear. She felt Antares leap forward off the floor, her stomach clenching in the air. A sharp pain raced across her arm, wincing as she tightened her grip.

The cool air of the night was a whirlwind around her as she felt them drop through the open sky. With a thud that sent her stomach rolling, she felt prickly branches rustling against her body. After a fleeting pause, there was a sudden drop. Then another drop. And another. She clung on for her life, not certain what was happening.

This better be a tree or I swear to the stars—

Antares finally let go of her, the two of them tumbling out onto solid land. Eclipse’s eyes fluttered open, her head struggling to adjust. The night sky stood still above her, puffs of dark clouds floating in the sea of stars.

Eclipse struggled to sit up, her entire body sore. But they had made it. She was alive!

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Her head was still spinning, and she felt a biting pain near her shoulder. Glancing at her arm, a stroke of dark blood seeped through her white shirt, and a cut lay across her skin in a straight line. She winced at the pain, looking back up to where they had jumped from.

It must have been the window. One of the shards was probably still intact.

Eclipse threw her cloak forward, shaking off the biting pain. She would have to deal with that later.

“So that’s what Speed feels like…” she muttered.

“They’re down there!” a voice cried from above. Eclipse quickly glanced up again, only to see a group of heads staring down at them. At the sight of the two sprawled on the ground, some of the heads popped back in the room, likely racing to get outside.

“No time to rest, let’s go!” Antares said as he heaved Eclipse off the ground. She felt her legs begin to shake, trembling as she grabbed one of the bags and broke into a run.

Sprinting for the stables, Eclipse followed Antares through the night, quickly approaching the corner of the inn. Suddenly, two men jumped in front of their path, and Antares and Eclipse skidded to a stop. A dark gleam in their eyes, one of the men held a shining sword.

In a flash, Antares slid out his blade, circling ahead of Eclipse as he seized the men. She felt her own sword in her sack, her hand creeping towards her bag.

I may not have much training, but it’s still better than nothing.

The man to the left thrust his arm out and tore a piece of earth next to him with Levitation, preparing to throw it straight at them.

Before she could pull her sword out, before he could launch the rock, Antares rushed back into her.

“What—”

With a deep crash, both of the men flew forward, collapsing face-first into the dirt. Eclipse flinched at the impact, her arm instantly raising to block the spray of mud. The hovering mound of earth dropped as the man’s hold on it vanished, landing with a heavy thud. She looked up, only to see a familiar white horse standing proudly.

“Get on,” Astrid said above Maximus, her hand pulling the reins of Bella and Phantom closely behind. Andromeda leaned against Astrid’s back, half asleep.

Eclipse rushed onto her horse, latching her sack into its place, before kicking her heels and breaking off into a rapid stride.

They darted past the inn, the screams of drunken men left in echoes behind them.

I hope she knows where she’s going.

The long strands of Andromeda’s hair flew out behind her as they escaped. They rode straight into the peaceful city, hooves clicking furiously in the quiet night. Eclipse bit her lip, feeling a twinge of guilt. They were undoubtedly waking sleeping villagers nearby.

As they flew past one of the streets, Eclipse caught a group of Zephyr guards down the road, their lanterns held before their silver uniforms with each of their swords drawn. One of them let out a faint shout, his sword pointed at the four.

I don’t care where the hell Astrid takes us as long as it’s anywhere but here!

Eclipse snapped her reins. She could see the city border just within her sights, only at the bottom of the hill.

Almost there.

The three horses burst out of the city, following the dirt road. Eclipse knew the guards wouldn’t be able to catch them on foot, but they had to get out of sight before they were able to ready their own horses. The road was open and clear, grassy fields spanning out at their sides.

“Forest!” yelled Astrid, pointing at the mass of trees that lay ahead. Eclipse nodded, gripping Phantom tightly as she held on.

They darted into the trees, the hoard of leaves masking the night sky above. Branches rustled in the wind as the horses flew by. Glancing over her shoulder, Eclipse searched for any signs of the guards, or anyone else who could have been following them. All that lay behind was a dark trail, Antares a close shadow at her side.

Astrid began to slow herself down, Eclipse and Antares doing the same. “All right, I think we lost them,” she called.

“Where exactly are we going?” Eclipse immediately asked, her breath shallow.

“Well, this trail leads north through Ealis to Aldebaran. Although, I’m not sure that would be the wisest place to go. We can follow the road and camp out in the forests of Ealis.”

“What about Sleepy here?” Eclipse said, nodding at the unconscious girl. “She has a horrible fever, and needs Rebecin immediately.”

Astrid sighed. “I would say she’s your responsibility, since you got us into this mess, but I’m too tired to argue. Do we have any Rebecin? Check the bag.”

Antares searched through one of Bella's sacks, his hands digging through only to be jerked out in disgust.

“It seems we may have cracked the vials when we threw the bags out the window,” Antares said, his hand sticky with remedy. “There are handfuls of broken glass and seeping liquids in here. If we had any Rebecin, it’s all just a stain now.”

“We need to get to an apothecary then,” said Astrid. “Secanth is off the list, and I’m not sure if there’s one in Ealis. This trail only leads through the trees—I doubt there would be any towns nearby.”

“So all that leaves is Aldebaran…” Antares concluded. “Anyone know a place?”

Eclipse’s eyes widened, sitting up slightly in her saddle.

“I do.”

✦✦✦

Eclipse walked into the apothecary, maybe for the last time, the familiar aromas greeting her as they hung in the air. Her dark hood was drawn up, the lengthy cloak flowing behind her as she strode through the door. A cloth mask covered the bottom half of her face, leaving nothing but her eyes visible under the shadows of her hood. They were even closer to the Ash Court than they were in Secanth, so she was at a much higher chance of getting recognized here.

Astrid followed closely behind, her hood drawn up while her face remained exposed. From the corner of her eye, Eclipse could see her pale hair seeping out of her hood, locks of it flowing down her chest in wavy curls. She took note of her tense expression.

She may be skeptical, but she’ll just have to trust me.

Eclipse yawned behind her mask, exhausted from riding for hours the night before. They had set up camp in a secluded forest, miles away from Secanth, but still an hour’s ride from Aldebaran. Although it would have been best to get the Rebecin earlier for Andromeda, the apothecary—along with the entire marketplace—was undoubtedly closed in the dead of the night. Andromeda had made it through the night, yet they feared her fever would only get worse. At the crack of dawn, Eclipse had departed, leading Astrid to the shop she knew too well.

Eclipse’s satchel hung at her side, masked beneath the large cloak. She had remembered to bring it along before coming, knowing they would be carrying quite a few delicate vials. She ran through her mental checklist again, trying to keep the visit brief.

Rebecin, healing ointment, disinfectant, and bandages. Easy.

She stopped near the back counter, vacant of the old apothecary and his apprentice. Astrid stood next to her, observing the tall shelves around her. Just behind the counter, a black cauldron sat above a burning flame, the tiny rumbling sound of boils breaking the silence of the room. Mr. Zelione or Arcturus must have been brewing a remedy at the moment. A small smile formed under her mask, her thoughts drifting to the image of Arcturus covered in purple flakes.

Shaking her head to clear her mind, she leaned over to Astrid, who stood nearly a head taller than her.

“You know what we need, we’ll grab them and leave as quickly as possible.”

Astrid gave a small nod in response. “Where is this Zelione, anyway?”

Eclipse glanced around, wondering the same thing. The bell had rung when they walked in, but it seemed no one had heard it. She tapped her knuckles on the counter loudly.

“Hello?” she called out, keeping her voice slightly lowered.

She listened, a faint shuffling coming from the very back of the store. Eclipse and Astrid stood quietly, waiting, before Arcturus hurriedly stumbled out from the back. His normal brown apron, splattered with stains, was tied on with a thin string, his baggy sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Eclipse searched behind him, Mr. Zelione nowhere to be seen. He walked right up to the counter, looking directly at Eclipse as he stopped.

She stood straight, willing to keep her eyes clear. He glanced between her and Astrid, uneasy at their suspicious appearances, before finally clearing his throat.

“Apologies for the delay. Welcome to Zelione’s Apothecary, what do you need today?” he said, dusting his hands off on his apron.

Astrid raised her chin. “Do you have a stock of Rebecin?”

“Yes we do. How much would you like to purchase?”

“One vial.”

With a nod, Arcturus turned around, already moving towards one of the tall shelves. Eclipse watched him smoothly shuffle past different rows of vials, searching for the Rebecin.

Astrid drifted from Eclipse’s side, her eyes scanning the shelves of glass bottles at their left as though she were searching for something. Eclipse glanced at her curiously, before turning back to the counter when she heard Arcturus approach them again.

He set down a bottle of dark liquid on the counter, a thick cork tightly inserted at the top.

“Is that all you need today?”

“No. A few more things,” Eclipse informed him, lowering her pitch, her words breaking as she spoke. “A healing ointment of some sort, alcohol disinfectant, and bandages. Two of each, but three rolls of bandages.” She took in a breath.

My voice wasn’t too revealing, was it?

She felt her body tense as Arcturus gave her a suspicious look, his eyebrows slightly bunched together.

He dove under the counter, instantly searching for the items. His arm popped out from the floor, placing a handful of bandages before them.

“Oh! We also need Theocine,” Astrid piped in.

“Yes,” Eclipse nodded eagerly. Having to deal with her monthly cycles while camping in the forests and infiltrating bases would be pure hell. If they had access to anything that could halt her cycle, she wanted to have a good amount of it handy.

“Oh…right,” mumbled Arcturus, searching the shelves behind him. He set the healing ointment on the counter, the container knocking against the wood. Eclipse glanced at Astrid, whose eyes were again floating off into the shop, studying its shelves of books and displayed remedies. Astrid abruptly stepped away from the counter as something caught her eye, turning for the shelves at the wall.

Where is she—

“So…are you travelers?”

Arcturus’ question broke Eclipse’s attention away from Astrid, and she bit her lip under the mask.

“Yes. We’re just stopping by to restock.”

She watched him nod lightly and grab a few flasks of Theocine, the flat white capsules rattling around inside.

“Would three be enough?”

Eclipse began to nod before realizing he couldn’t see it with his back turned. “Yes, that would be enough.”

He turned around, setting the bottles next to their other items. Arcturus’ eyes met her own, and she was sure they had widened for a split second before he shook his head. He opened his mouth to say something, hesitating before speaking.

“I’m terribly sorry, but I left a mixture over a flame, and I need to add some ingredients to it. Could you wait here for a moment?” he said it with an odd conviction, a twinkle in his eye.

Eclipse nodded. She felt her shoulders relax as he walked into the back of the store, and let out a quiet sigh.

Astrid appeared next to her, setting down three vials of a cloudy, white elixir.

“What’s that?”

“Just a painkiller. It’ll be good to have on hand.” She looked at the assortment of supplies and vials on the counter. “Is this everything?”

“No, we still need the disinfectant. He’ll be back in a moment.”

Astrid looked at her from under her cloak, her blue eyes meeting her own. “I don’t want to be here any longer than necessary. Persuade him to hurry up.”

She shot her a glower. “I am not going to Persuade him.”

“The longer we stand here, the higher chance you’ll have of being found, and last I checked, there’s a pretty reward attached to your name.”

Before she could respond, Arcturus shuffled out of the back room. He walked to the far edge of the shelves where the separate ingredients sat.

“Again, my apologies,” he called as he reached for an item. “I am brewing Immudial, and it requires Cade leaf before I add the Sedissia to ensure it doesn’t go bad. It will only take a moment, I assure you.”

With a nod, Eclipse watched Arcturus rush back to the cauldrons. Astrid frowned, her eyes trailing behind him. As much faith as Eclipse wanted to have in Arcturus, they were certainly taking much longer than they should.

Eclipse turned back to the counter, her gaze roaming the rows. Yet she paused, something nagging at her in the back of her mind.

Cade leaf before Sedissia? I’m sure it was the other way around…

Her eyes widened. Rushing around the counter, she ran towards Arcturus, her cloak flapping behind her. She had to stop him before he dropped in the Sedissia.

“Wait!” she called out, Arcturus' hand hovering over the cauldron. A dull, yellow elixir lay in the pot simmering above a fire. She grabbed his arm, jerking it away from the simmering liquid.

Arcturus let out an alarmed yelp, the bowl in his fingers slipping from his grasp. With a small crash, it cracked against the wood, the Sedissia spilling onto the floor. He glanced at Eclipse’s tight fingers at his arm, before looking back up at her, shocked and confused.

“Miss, what are you doing?” he asked, staring at her incredulously.

Eclipse blinked rapidly, releasing his arm. “I…I’m sorry,” she stammered. “I didn't mean to make you drop the Sedissia, but I couldn’t allow you to add it to the mixture. It must be added before the Cade leaf so that it has time to neutralize itself in the solution, or else the mixture will combust on itself. You would have set fire to your entire shop.”

Eclipse heard Astrid walk in behind her, still silent. Arcturus stared at Eclipse for a few moments, before cracking a smile and letting out a small chuckle. She watched him, not sure how to respond.

“I’m truly sorry, I can pay for the bowl,” she said, stepping back.

“That wasn’t Sedissia,” Arcturus said.

A pause. “What?”

Another chuckle. “I wasn’t holding Sedissia. The bowl you broke had Cedaper. Any apothecary knows to add Sedissia before the Cade leaf. Any apothecary…or someone well-read in the subject.”

Eclipse opened her mouth slightly, still hidden beneath her mask, stealing a glance at the broken glass on the floor.

It is Cedaper...

Their brown eyes met each other’s, Arcturus’ laughs fading away as he studied her. A faint whisper slipped through his lips.

“Eclipse…?”

She froze, shaking her head before stopping herself. There was no point in hiding it now. Letting out a sigh, she felt her body relax as she reached for her face and pulled down her mask to her neck. She heard Astrid let out a faint groan behind her as Arcturus’ eyes widened. A sheepish smile grew on her face, eyebrows raised.

“Surprised to see me?”