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Qatar

The noise was almost unbearable. And the shaking was enough to make even Yila, catlike on her feet, take an extra step and grab Niarok’s arm.

Evie was already running toward the hole. the whole room had cleared faster than he had thought possible. Locran and Liorah had stopped their arguing; Liorah had run lightly to the hole and dropped in, Locran had just…vanished. I think he calls it teleporting.

Qatar shrugged and started after Evie. If Klein had fallen on his head that must mean the hole was pretty deep, and maybe she needed a hand. Niarok and Yila were standing by the edge, the doctor trying to convince his patient that she had to jump, Yila hanging back, her face twisted into knots to keep from crying.

Get over it, kid.

Suddenly he stopped and looked again. She was clinging to her brother’s arm with one hand, staring with a terror he had only seen in Quin’s weak face at the mouth of the hole. The other hand was fingering one of her knives. How many lives had that one knife taken without a second thought. He knew what the steel in her eyes would look like as she sent a deadly blow home. The same steel they had as they looked on the most mundane things of life.

And yet here she was, staring with childish fear at a little jump down a hole.

He clenched his fists. Whoever it was that had trained her, and other’s–what had they called it, Shadows?–like her! His jaw set. Couldn’t they see what they were doing to her mind and soul? They had done this.

Beside him a crack opened in the cave floor, and he jumped away, shaking himself. Now was not the time to stand still, contemplating a woman’s fear.

He sprinted after Evie, but she was already swinging herself into the hole. Qatar smirked. That’s the way.

He came up next to Niarok and touched the doctor’s arm.

“Would it help if I went first and caught her?”

Niarok shook his head. “Thanks anyway.”

Qatar glanced at Quin. He was hanging back, hobbling forward on his two makeshift crutches.

His eyes were smaller reflections of Yila’s. Scared. Qatar felt sick. Always scared. He turned and jumped into the hole.

Down there, everyone was gathered around a newcomer. Where are they coming from?

He was looking around, a big grin on his face as though nothing were wrong with the world.

Yila and Niarok thumped down beside Qatar. Then came Quin.

The newcomer was loud. Qatar winced. Very loud. Something about this new cave didn’t feel right. Something was in here, and yelling wasn’t going to make it happy.

Klein clamped his hand over the man’s mouth, and Niarok strode up and introduced himself.

The man grinned, as though it was an honor to be almost tackled by a giant in armor. He looked past Niarok and his smile widened.

Qatar followed his glance. He was smiling at Yila. She was scowling.

typical.

Qatar smirked. She probably thinks smiling is a death-threat. Suddenly his smile vanished. The man’s gaze had shifted.

He was looking Evie up and down, grinning so widely that it looked like he’d crack his head in half. And there was that droopy wet look about his eyes.

Qatar crossed his arm. I hope that smile of yours busts your head open!

Evie stepped forward to introduce herself. Qatar stepped up behind her.

 

@irishcelticredflowercrown @denali-christianson

leave or change whatever! If Daire keeps making eyes at Evie things are NOT going to turn out well. Oh, Qatar! I hope you never become jealous of your future wife; it will not be pretty!