Slave to Sapphire
Chapter 31

Iris and Julian shared a breakfast of hard cheese and dried fruit. They had only slept a couple of hours, Julian wanted to start early so they would make it to the coast before nightfall. Iris’ thighs and butt were sore from the hard riding yesterday and she didn’t look forward to the idea of spending another day atop a horse.

“I would prefer to walk today.” Iris stated. Julian eyed her suspiciously. “What? The forest is thick, and the ground is covered in roots, I can walk at the pace that Tempest goes.”

“Fine, but we are not stopping for a break when you get tired of walking. You will eventually have to ride.”

Iris shrugged and waited for Julian to mount Tempest and lead the way. They picked their way through the forest, Iris walking alongside Tempest. The morning sun shone through the leaves of the forest forming a kaleidoscope of green shadows on the forest floor. The walking helped to ease the soreness from her legs and the constant movement helped blunt her need for azure. It was quiet except for the occasional bird song and padded sound of her boots and Tempest’s hooves on the moist forest soil. Prior to last night Iris had never been in the forest. The contrast to Scarlet Town was dramatic, both teemed with life, yet the forest had a peacefulness about it that Scarlet Town never would. Iris inhaled deeply taking in the smell of the forest, a mixture of pine, soil, and decay. The forest floor was carpeted in a layer of decomposing leaves, death in the forest was natural and a part of its life cycle. Death in Scarlet town was expected but not natural.

They traveled for hours through the forest. When the sun was high in the sky Julian handed Iris a piece of dried meat to chew on. They stopped once at a stream to drink water before continuing on. Iris’ legs were growing tired, she was too stubborn to ask for a ride. She turned to Julian looking to distract herself from her leaden legs.

“Tell me more about being a conduit.”

Julian peered down at Iris. “What do you want to know?”

“I have killed six people by taking their life source, I need to know everything.” Her voice was hollow as she spoke.

Julian tensed at her response, “I am sorry you had to kill those people; I am sure they deserved it.”

Iris looked away, “Maybe.”

Julian sighed before speaking, “A conduit must be wearing a source stone in order to manipulate life source. You can give life source to any living thing or object whether or not it has a source stone. But you cannot take life source from a person or animal unless they are wearing a source stone. You also have to be physically touching whomever you are taking or transferring life source to.”

“So, I couldn’t kill you?”

“You could definitely kill me, just not by taking my life source.” Julian smiled at her and winked.

Iris groaned, “I swear you have a twitch in your eye.” Julian’s chest shook with a deep laugh. Iris continued her questioning, “Why is it that everyone with a source stone has the ability to transfer life source to another person wearing a source stone?”

“In a way, I guess everyone has some small ability to act as conduit. The average person can only transfer life source to a person who has less than them. Life source naturally wants to move from a high concentration to a low one. It doesn’t take much for a person with a large amount of source to willingly transfer it to someone with less. Even so they must be touching their source stones to one another. It is similar with the ability to heal from injuries, a person must have an excess life source in their stone in order to heal rapidly from an injury. The excess life source moves from their source stone to heal injuries without their control. A person who is not a conduit is not able to transfer source with the intent to heal another person. A conduit can heal themselves or others even with limited source.”

“I have worn a cuff for nearly half of my life and the mechanics behind it have been kept a mystery to me. Earlier you said conduits had the ability to transfer life source to an object, what do you mean by that?”

“It’s difficult to explain, you will have the opportunity to learn more once you are in Volos.”

“Why would I learn more in Volos? People in Volos aren’t cuffed with source stone.”

“Have you been told you ask a lot of questions?”

Iris paused; the question reminded her of her first carriage ride with Ezekiel. She cleared her throat. “Only by people who are not being forthcoming.”

“You can learn more in Volos, because unlike Orinth the people of Volos have access to knowledge. There is a library in Volos, where you can learn about whatever topic you wish.”

Iris focused her eyes ahead on the narrow spaces between the dense trees. “Speaking of Volos, I still haven’t decided if I am coming with you.”

Julian halted Tempest, almost falling off in shock. “Iris, you have to go! Ezekiel put himself at risk to rescue you from the mines and there is no place in Orinth for you.” The loudness of Julian’s voice was increasing with his exasperation. “The ship headed for Volos with Sabine, Maddox and Cora has been waiting two weeks for us to join them!” He was nearly shouting.

Iris jaw clenched and she snapped her gaze to Julian, “I appreciate the rescue, but I never asked you or Ezekiel to help me. I was in the process of making my own escape from the mines, though it was going to be a much lengthier one. There may be no place for me in Orinth but there isn’t one in Volos either. In Orinth I have a purpose.”

Julian threw his hands in the air, “And what purpose is that, Iris? Revenge against Lucious?” His movement pulled on the reigns causing Tempest to snort with frustration.

Iris straightened her shoulders and narrowed her eyes at Julian. “Yes Julian, retribution for the murder of my family, for a year of my life lost in the mines, for my stolen future, for being chained, beaten and forced to crave azure.”

Julian dismounted Tempest so he could stand before Iris. The muscle in his jaw feathered, his amber eyes searching her face.

Iris didn’t look away. She spoke her next words with force “Because of Lucious, there is nothing left of me but vengeance.”

Julian put his hands on Iris’ shoulders. “Lucious is evil, but he is just a cog in a wheel. It is not Lucious that has stolen so much from you. It is the system that the Grand Ruler and the wealthy of Orinth have built that is to blame. Going to Volos and having a future is your vengeance.”

“And what future would I have?”

“You speak of yourself like you are broken and there is nothing left of you. But you are strong and very stubborn and you have people that care for you.”

Iris raised her eyebrow at his statement.

Julian dropped his hands from her shoulders, “I promised Maddox, Cora and Sabine that I would bring you to them. Don’t make me a liar.”

Iris contemplated a future that didn’t involve Lucious, that didn’t involve Orinth.

The silence was broken by a distant shout. Julian tensed and leapt back on to Tempest. He extended his hand down towards Iris. “We have to go now! The Grand Ruler’s Inspectors have followed us.”

Iris didn’t move towards Julian.

“What!?” Iris had barely got out her question when an arrow whizzed through the air, narrowly missing Julian.

“Damnit, Iris!” Julian hissed.

Julian leaned low over Tempest keeping his arm outstretched to Iris. Iris hurried towards him, he grabbed her arm and pulled her over the saddle so that she was laying across it and in front of him. Julian kicked Tempest into motion. It was difficult for Tempest to maneuver through the thick forest and the gnarled roots on the ground, but Julian urged the horse past the point of caution. Tempest was nimble and managed to keep her feet beneath her. The shouting grew louder along with the pounding of hooves. More arrows sliced through the trees, the dense forest that was slowing down their retreat was also their only cover.

Iris managed to adjust her position so that she was straddling Tempest. “Keep low, we are almost to the coast,” Julian shouted.

Iris molded her body against Tempest and gripped the coarse hair of Tempest’s mane to help steady herself. Julian sat behind her hunched low so that his chest was pressed against Iris’ back. Julian sharply inhaled and his body tensed against Iris. A breeze carried the sound of crashing waves and the salty smell of the ocean towards them. Julian grunted and tensed a second time.

“Julian, are you hurt?” her question was lost to the noise of their escape

“Just a little further,” Julian grunted through clenched teeth.

Pieces of bright blue sky peaked through the crowded trees ahead. The shouts of the men following them were filled with the excitement of closing in on one’s prey. Julian’s warm blood seeped through the back of Iris’ shirt. Tempest broke through the forest line and skidded to stop. The ground dropped precipitously in front of them, forming a sheer cliff face with the ocean waves pounding against it. Julian swung off the horse. Two arrows protruded from his back. He looped an arm around Iris’ waist and pulled her from the horse.

Men in dark navy uniforms with silver trim emerged from the forest on horseback. Their horses’ nostrils flared, their black coats glistening in the sun. The men leveled their arrows at Iris and Julian. The wind gusted off the ocean and whipped through Iris’ hair.

“Hold your breath,” Julian ordered.