Bones of Faerie03 - Faerie After by Janni Lee Simner

I needed to try for any weapon within reach.
    “Tolven.” He looked up, and his eyes narrowed, as if suspecting some trick. “You are human. Humans sent the fire. Humans killed the trees. They screamed when they died, so loud—they scream no longer. They whisper of wilting and death.” Soft, wet wind sounds wove in around his moaning. The only people I’d ever heard talk in the language of trees were plant speakers. Tolven stood, held out his hands. They were streaked with blood and soil.
    Before I could test the name he’d given me, another light lit the tunnel. Nys strode toward us, one of the stone links of his belt glowing. Allie followed at his side, a water skin slung over her shoulder. The girl’s steps were stiff, the command that moved them clear, but her eyes were defiant. She flashed me a tired smile, and I let out a shaky breath. She didn’t appear to have been harmed.
    Nys’s sharp gaze fixed on Tolven. He strode forward, grabbed Tolven’s shoulders, and turned the boy to face him. “If you have hurt him in any way, Liza, there will be no further kindness from me.”
    “You’ve shown us nothing of kindness so far,” I said. By the light, I could see scars beneath Nys’s loose hair, as if the left side of his face were wax held too near the fire. I’d known humans enough with burn scars, but on Nys’s delicate features it seemed more wrong, like cracks in the crystal from Before that was meant to be perfect.
    “Whispering hurts,” Tolven whimpered. He pressed his hands over his ears, buried his head against Nys’s shoulder.
    “Hush, child.” Nys’s voice was low, soothing. More scarred skin showed at the sleeve of his tunic.
    “Where’s Elin?” Tolven’s arms bled, staining his tattered sleeves. “I want Elin.”
    “Elin remains above. She will return when she may. Come.” The stone shaper guided Tolven to the mouthof the tunnel, stopping to look back at me. “Allie’s healing has been of much use to us today.” Nys touched the wall. Ice gripped my trapped hand, and then I stumbled forward, the hand free, clenched back into its half-fist. Numbness faded, leaving behind a dull, throbbing ache.
    “I know more of kindness than any human who has not witnessed a world’s dying can understand.” Nys’s voice was cold. “I leave you with drink. If the healer continues to cooperate, I will bring food as well.” He turned to lead Tolven away.
    That tunnel was our only way out—too late, I grabbed Allie’s hand to run after them. Stone descended like a liquid curtain between us. I pounded it with my good hand, but the stone held, leaving Allie and me trapped once more.

Chapter 5
     
    A llie laced her fingers together, pulled them apart, and laced them together again, as if to prove she could move of her own will. Together, apart, together, apart—she couldn’t seem to stop. I grabbed one of her wrists, stilling it.
    She looked up at me, brown eyes wide. “I’m all right. Nys didn’t make me do anything I wouldn’t have done without him. He only made me heal.”
    Tolven’s purple stone lit our prison. Would Nys call that kindness, too? “It’s not okay. Nys had no right—”
    “Stop!” Allie wore boots beneath her nightgown now, and a cloak over it, both too big for her. “It’s bad enough, what he did. Don’t make it worse by reminding me how bad. Don’t.” Allie took the water skin from hershoulder, eyes as intent upon the movement of her arm as they’d been upon her fingers, and offered it to me.
    The drink within was fruity and alcoholic. Wine, I realized, though I’d rarely tasted it and was more familiar with my town’s medicinal whiskey. Only a plant speaker could grow the fruit for wine safely. The liquid, which was clearly watered down, soothed my parched throat. The air was so dry, even underground. I looked at Allie. She looked away. This wasn’t all right, no matter what she thought.
    I gave the skin back to her. “We should search the room again,