“Take her to your wagon. I’ve got an insolent shit to go and deal with,” Modius said. Trynneia could see his aura burned crimson, his fury unmistakable. That he trusted her to return as commanded spoke volumes about his emotional state.

“Sure, Modius,” she said, acquiescing. Ditan’s condition made her livid, just as the Warden had promised. She took Ylane’s hand and led her back to her wagon. The Red followed from a distance, but Trynneia didn’t care.

Hung like meat in a butcher’s pen. Modius didn’t even give me a chance to help him, she seethed. Are there any more ways I can find these Sentinels go against our faith? She didn’t want an answer to the question, but knew there would be more than she cared to count.

Ylane held her side, her wound only barely repaired. Trynneia found it hard to concentrate on her with the pace she set to stay ahead of Sariam. The girl crept along with wretched slowness, so Trynneia nearly dragged her.

“The Red, she’s like a witch,” Ylane muttered.

“I’m not sure she serves the Light,” Trynneia whispered back, agreeing. “We need to keep to ourselves. Don’t trust her.”

“I don’t,” Ylane confided. “Why are they doing all this?”

“They don’t like what we stand for,” Trynneia said. “They’ll kill us if we don’t do what they say.” She glanced over her shoulder to Sariam. “I’m not sure why they haven’t yet. Modius gives reasons that make no sense.”

“Thank you for helping me,” Ylane said. “Eilic left me to die.”

“I’m sure he did,” Trynneia said. “He killed my mother. He won’t hesitate. He doesn’t care about anything or anyone.”

“I know that now.”

“Why were you with him? Modius told me you weren’t any more recovered than I was.”

“A lie, clearly,” Ylane said. “Sariam healed me right up the first day. I’ve been struggling to keep up with what they do to him.”

“So you can do it too,” Trynneia pondered. “How long have you been marked?” She hadn’t had much time to talk to the other girl. “I thought I was the only one. What have you learned?”

They approached the wagon and Sariam fell away, apparently content they had reached their destination. A Sentinel guard helped drop the gate and let them up. Trynneia thanked him and wondered why she cared. The small courtesies chipped away at her absolute belief in their villainy.

“Only a little,” Ylane said. “It comes and goes. I can’t rely on it. They beat me if I don’t do as commanded.”

“I know, Ylane,” Trynneia sighed. “When you can hold back, try. They’re testing us to see what we can do. I’d rather not give them everything.” She pushed aside part of Ylane’s torn shirt to examine the thin bit of flesh she had managed to regrow. “It doesn’t look like I take my own advice, does it?”

Ylane chuckled weakly. “Thank the Light for your strength, Tryn. I don’t know how you manage.”

“I don’t either. I’ve managed to negotiate some freedoms for us. We’re captive but can come and go if we need to within the caravan. Try not to squander it.”

“I was wondering about that,” Ylane conceded, then looked at her nervously. “What did you do to earn it?”

“Nothing really, just kinda bossed Modius around. He’s reasonable,” Trynneia said. “It’s okay. I’ve got control of the situation.”

“Better you than me. I can’t imagine anyone bossing him around. Do you think we’ll ever get home?” Trynneia only had lived a cycle or two more than Ylane, but the girl’s immaturity showed through in her naivete. She couldn’t bring herself to tell Ylane that home didn’t exist anymore.

“You shouldn’t even be here. It’s baby steps, I suppose. We can’t go home if we can’t get away.”

“I’ve heard them whisper about us. Marked by Elerion.”

“Lightblessed. My Momma told me about it before they murdered her.”

“The Sentinels did that? Light, Tryn. Why?” Ylane looked horrified at the revelation. “How did you find out?”

“Modius told me.” It sounded so glib coming from her own lips. Some measure of acceptance in her bones forced her to move on. Nothing would bring Rendrys back. After her experience with Gadis, her failure verified that even her powers could not overcome death.

Trynneia watched Ylane’s aura pulsate, alternating between yellow and white. The younger girl’s runes took on a similar cast, but didn’t quite match. She wondered if Ylane saw the same in her, but other concerns distracted her.

“I wish I had a plan to get out of here,” Trynneia confessed. “We’ll hit the desert soon. After that there’s no escape until the other side.”

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

“What should we do?”

“Watch yourself. Be friendly when you can. Don’t make enemies. Look for opportunities.” Trynneia lowered her voice further. “Don’t do anything stupid. We’re in this together. We need to survive, no matter what.”

“No matter what,” Ylane agreed. Her eyes looked far off, staring at the canvas of Trynneia’s wagon. “It’s hard.”

“I know,” Trynneia acknowledged. “Come here.” She laid her hand into Ylane’s ribs and felt her companion’s power. Ylane drew in a short breath. A cloud of Light flowed from Trynneia, glowing across Ylane’s side, rebuilding the layers of tissue that had been so brutally excised.

Trynneia had used light before, but now she pulled from Ylane’s reserves. “This will make you weak. It’s dark in here. We work with the Light. I’m using what I can but I’m using you as a source to heal you.”

“I’d never thought of that,” Ylane admitted. “How’d you learn that?”

“Just now,” she said, smothering a laugh. “I never thought of it either. Our bodies heal themselves. We can just make it work faster. Light is the most helpful. If they force you to do this for Ditan, as weak as they leave him, it might kill him to draw on his reserves. Or any of us or that matter.”

Ylane nodded. “I understand.”

“This is how we help each other. Learn from whatever they make us do. Share it.” Trynneia finished, and the Light frittered away into nothing.

“Thanks, Tryn,” Ylane said, curling against her chest. Healing her had left them both exhausted.

“You’re welcome,” she said into the girl’s hair. Trynneia held her tight. She doesn’t deserve this. None of us do. Damn him for bringing her along. She hated Modius for it. Ylane relaxed and fell asleep in her arms. But if the Light hadn’t blessed her too, she might be dead as well. Who knows how many died when they burned Lidoria?

-Everyone.-

She refused to accept such a grim, final thought. Leaning against one of the crates, she saw a faint aura around the other ones. Even the Sentinels valued life. As distorted as their service to the Light, they had to hold some morals. Burning home was one thing, even an entire town, but they wouldn’t kill everyone.

-They did.-

Quit telling yourself that, she thought. Stop thinking about home. Even if we escaped, we could only help them rebuild. That’s if they even accept our return after that mockery of a trial.

-The Vigil would not.-

Will o’the wisps crept along the floor, murky and gray in the dim light, their colors muted. “Shoo,” she whispered. “Let us be.” She rubbed her eyes and they were gone. “Light, I’m seeing things.”

Her thoughts returned to Ditan as Ylane began to snore softly. “Does he pose a danger?” Seeing him in that kind of distress, even for a few moments, struck at her heart. “I’m the one who has killed with my power.”

But is he doomed to go mad? Driver wasn’t exactly sane. Is that the future for Ditan? I sure hope not. Modius had put a sliver of concern in her mind. She couldn’t deny that they had been plagued by storms for days after he put out the fire at the Chapel, and the ground still rumbled here, days away from Lidoria. Trynneia had learned to tune it out.

We knew it though. We did. He didn’t lose control. There’s nothing to be afraid of. Right?

Everything had subsided since their capture. The storms had vanished. He’d been detained. Locked away. Tortured until he couldn’t command anything, not even his bodily functions. The Sentinels exist to deal with shamans. Maybe their method works. But there needs to be a better way to contain him. Something more humane.

“Who am I kidding,” she whispered to herself. “They won’t listen to me, and I’ve got no alternative. I need to see him again.” Trynneia stroked Ylane’s hair and laid down embracing her. “Modius has been slightly more reasonable. I just don’t know how to make it seem like it is in his best interests.”

I need to get Dee alone. Just keep them out of that wagon. I need to hear how he’s being treated from his own mouth. I can only see so much. They were all being mistreated, she knew. At least I was able to help Ylane. I even removed the scars on her back. The Red just can’t do what I can.

She recognized the extreme difference in their capabilities but couldn’t rationalize why. We both serve the Light. We should both accomplish the same results, yet Ylane struggles where I do not. It doesn’t add up.

Trynneia conspired with Ylane to conceal the extent of their abilities, but she had a deeper motive she didn’t want to share with the younger girl. She refused to tell Ylane that she had restored Ditan’s ear. If they chose, they could do worse and expect her to fix it.

Modius was furious when I couldn’t bring Gadis back. It’s a boundary I cannot cross. Eilic doesn’t know that. He may well murder Dee and expect me to fix it. The thought terrified her. He already tested Modius, pushing the limits of what he could do. If the Warden didn’t stop him or hold him to account, she could not anticipate the atrocities he could do.

Eilic’s unpredictability pushed along her need to discover how poor Ditan’s treatment went. Knowing the Sentinel had been responsible for Rendrys’ murder only made the danger more acute. Even Modius lost his temper at some of Eilic’s actions. Why even keep him around, if he’s so much trouble, she wondered. He seems more trouble than he’s worth.

“Hello, my pet,” Sariam said over the wagon gate. “It growsss late. Get sssome ressst.”

“We’re doing just fine here, Red. I’ll sleep sooner if you leave us be,” Trynneia said. So she’s still lurking around. Like a fly eager to devour refuse. I thought she’d leave once we got inside.

“I will, I will. Jussst checking,” the Red said, leering at them, investigating. Observing. They always have eyes on us. I’d prefer Gadis to her, but she’s no longer an option.

Trynneia suspected why Gadis had died. The woman had chosen to be her ally, as much as any of the Sentinels had bothered. She became an obstacle and potential confidant. Modius or Eilic disapproved. The latter seemed more likely to have taken action. Gadis herself seemed to expect he’d try something. Neither of them knew he’d be so brazen.

Everywhere she looked, when she had the moment to spare, Modius lost control of Eilic. She drifted off to sleep, wondering what the Warden would do to the man.

Trynneia hoped it would hurt.