His next words burst out in a swarm of whispers, trickling through the air and somehow filling the wide spaces around us. “I’m sure you all know that I don’t take kindly to my suggestions being denied. You five have ignored our rules for far too long. Don’t forget that you stand here among the dirt-dwellers, growing weaker by the sun-cycle. You wouldn’t want one of the gods to take advantage of that now, would you? I can make sure that you have no more trouble here, all you have to do is find my Beta.”
Rome’s arm tightened minutely around me. I wouldn’t have noticed if I wasn’t completely aware of every single part of my body pressed against his. Of course, that was far less worrying than the fact that his arm had tightened! Was he worried? Shit, of course he was worried. This was a god, even if there were five Abcurses, it wouldn’t matter. One god could annihilate them in an instant.
No! That was not okay, I … what the hell was I going to do?
In my panic, I had missed some of the boys’ reply to the veiled threat from Rau. I caught the tail-end of Siret saying, “… would be a mistake to try us. We take orders from no one, not even you.”
Rau grinned then, and somehow that was even more sinister than the previous dark scowl. “We’ll see, boy, we’ll see. Stay safe out here tonight, looks like a storm is coming.”
With that not-at-all-creepy parting line, he turned, and in a flash of red robes, he was striding back into the trees. I felt it, the moment he left Minatsol. The air around us thinned-out somewhat, even though the storm above seemed to be growing in ferocity. Which said nothing for the five sols still surrounding me. Their bodies seemed to swell as their muscles tensed. I struggled against Rome, needing to get down so I could see them all better. So that I could ask them what the hell had just happened.
The strength-gifted sol released me, keeping one hand on me as I stumbled. Somehow, he knew that I was going to stumble. Okay, let’s be real here … everyone knew that I was going to stumble, I just wasn’t used to anyone knowing this fact and preparing for it. Don’t get used to it, I forcefully told myself. The Abcurses weren’t going to be there to pick me up forever, I had to remember that. I had to step back from all the confusing emotions they instilled in me. Sometimes, they almost treated me like an equal; like when they saved me from being sentenced to death-by-sacrifice, just because of a stupid competition. Or just before, when they had formed a circle around me to protect me, as though I was someone worthy of protection. A dweller that actually meant something to them. A dweller that meant something … period. And then there were the other times. The times when they treated me like dirt beneath their feet. The way they were supposed to treat me.
I needed to make sure I never forgot my place—dwellers who did that ended up with a fate worse than death. They became Jeffrey. Or something. I didn’t really know. I was just assuming that becoming a Jeffrey was the worst thing that could happen to our kind.
Time to remind them all I was an emotional dweller.
“Which one of you sols is going to tell me what the freaking hell just happened right then?” Going on the attack felt natural. “How in the hell did a god just walk out of Topia and talk to us? What the hell is this weather—storm—thingy? What the hell are you five hiding that means you can walk into Topia … and you know about the god’s colours … and what the HELL?”
I might have been yelling toward the end there, which might have caused lots of huffing and puffing when I finished. Damn, I needed to get into shape. Clearly making beds was not enough to build stamina.
As I heaved, five sets of eyes observed me, each sparkling unnaturally in the darkness around us. Was it possible that these sols were extra-special? Sure, they had told me that they were, but I figured that it was just their arrogance speaking. I hadn’t really taken them that seriously.
Maybe I wasn’t paying close enough attention.
And why wasn’t anyone answering me?
I was about to go crazy-dweller on them again when the sky opened above us and Rau followed through on his storm promise. I was scooped up by someone, and then we were running. It was only the hint of gold and the summery scent of burning sugar wrapping around me that told me it was Aros. He tucked me close to his body so that no trees smashed into my limbs, and then they were full-on sprinting.
“We need to get to higher ground!” Siret shouted. He looked to be out the front, leading the way. “I know a spot!”