Morteus's trade
Morteus promises two dragons to Razer, leader of Black Sea, in exchange for his son Bastian's freedom. In the Hidden Village, Mili tries to protect her baby sister, Nina, from the invasion.
“Bring me my son, and the two dragons will be yours.”
Razer approached the portal.
As leader of Black Sea, a group that plundered villages and seized territories by force, he was used to receiving offers. This one, however, came from Morteus, the god of trades. And Morteus never offered anything without wanting something in return.
The promised dragons were Aster and Rosel, two of Flor and Lotus's four children, who lived under the care of the cousins Anastacia and Aurora. When he gave Lotus to Aurora, the god had demanded that Lotus and Flor have offspring. He had concealed his intention to take two of them.
Now Razer knew why.
Bastian, Morteus's demigod son, was imprisoned in the Hidden Village, a community of dudurimas concealed in the forest.
“If he's your son, why don't you go and get him?” Razer asked.
“Because the prison was prepared to keep me from reaching him. You can cross the threshold. I cannot.”
Bastian had tried to open a portal for his father inside the village, even after its inhabitants had refused to let the god enter. Elyra, the elder who led the dudurimas, had stopped him. The seals she had placed around his cell contained the demigod's powers and prevented Morteus from taking him out.
Razer would have to persuade Elyra to undo them.
“Show me the way,” he said.
That night, Nina did not want to sleep.
Whenever Mili tried to pull her hand away, the baby gripped her finger and opened her eyes.
“I'll be back soon,” Mili murmured.
The little dudurima was her younger sister. She could not speak yet, but she already recognized Mili's footsteps and held out her arms before she even saw her come in.
Mili tucked the blanket over her belly and waited for her to let go of her finger. Only then did she pick up her staff. She was one of the Hidden Village's defenders, and that night she would guard the entrance.
She never reached her post.
A scream came from the passage between the trees. Then the clash of a sword against a staff.
Mili ran.
Men from Black Sea were pouring through the village entrance. The dudurimas tried to hold them back on the narrow path while others gathered the little ones and shut their homes.
Mili struck an invader's arm and forced him to drop his sword. She was preparing to face the next one when she noticed men moving behind the houses.
The attack at the entrance was keeping the defenders busy.
She turned and ran back to Nina.
When she reached the house where she had left Nina, Mili saw a villager coming out with the baby in her arms. The dudurima was trying to take Nina somewhere safe, away from the invaders.
Mili ran to get her sister, but Razer reached the villager first. The Black Sea leader grabbed the dudurima by the shoulder and shoved her against the wall of the house. Before she could react, he snatched Nina from her arms.
Mili advanced with her staff raised.
Razer pulled Nina against his chest.
“One more step, and she's the one in danger.”
Mili stopped so abruptly that she slipped on the dirt.
Nina began to cry. When she saw her sister, she held out her arms.
“She's only a baby,” Mili said. “Give her to me.”
“Then make your elder come here.”
Elyra found Mili standing motionless before Razer. Around them, the Black Sea men kept their swords pointed at the dudurimas.
The elder looked at Nina first.
“What do you want?”
“Bastian. Free, without your seals.”
Elyra raised her eyes to the invader.
“Morteus sent you.”
“Open the prison.”
“The child has nothing to do with this.”
“Release Bastian, and I'll give the girl back.”
Mili looked at Elyra. She had never asked the elder to release a prisoner. She knew why Bastian was there and knew the seals protected the village.
But Nina was trying to reach her. She did not understand why her sister stayed so close without coming to take her.
“Please,” Mili said.
Elyra pressed her lips together. Then she turned toward the stone building where Bastian was held.
“Come with me.”
Razer followed her, carrying Nina. Mili walked alongside, close enough to speak to her sister, but two Black Sea men kept her from coming any closer.
“I'm here, Nina. I'm here.”
The baby sobbed inside the blanket.
In front of the cell, Elyra passed her hand over the symbols carved around the door. One by one, their light faded. Only after the last had gone dark did she take a key from inside her clothes.
Mili heard the lock turn.
Bastian was sitting by the wall. When he saw the open door, he slowly stood and looked at Razer.
“My father?”
“He's waiting for you.”
The demigod crossed the threshold. He stopped when he noticed the baby in the arms of the man who had come to free him.
“What happened here?”
“Let's go,” Razer replied.
Mili stepped in front of him.
“Now give my sister back.”
Razer looked toward the path leading into the forest. Some dudurimas still held their staffs.
“When I'm outside the village.”
“You said we only had to free Bastian.”
“And you want your sister back. Tell them to clear the way.”
Mili searched Elyra's face. The elder was clutching the key in her hand.
“Let them through,” Elyra said.
The defenders stepped aside.
Black Sea's horses were waiting beyond the last trees that concealed the entrance.
Mili followed the group there. Razer already had Bastian beside him and a clear path ahead.
She held out her arms.
“There. You're out. Give me Nina.”
Razer handed the reins to one of his men and shifted the baby against his body.
Then he put his foot in the stirrup.
Mili grabbed his cloak.
“You promised!”
A Black Sea man pulled her back. She broke free and raised her staff, but Razer was already in the saddle, with Nina in front of him.
Mili could not strike him without hitting her sister.
“Nina!”
The baby turned her head when she heard her name. She reached one hand toward Mili.
Razer spurred the horse forward.
Mili ran after them. The edge of the blanket fluttered beside the saddle; for an instant, it seemed close enough to reach.
She stretched out her arm.
Her fingers closed on empty air.
Among the trees, Nina was still crying.