Last Chance for Robin
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An epic fantasy quest with snow-covered landscapes, divided loyalties, unlikely allies, and monsters around every corner.
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Thank you for making this dream project possible. Let’s go out with a bang!
This is Melinda again for probably the final time for a while. Ran returns next week with an update on all the things that happened outside the Kickstarter. He also recommended we end with another except, featuring him, of course. So here goes:
Hunter’s Night
By Melinda Kucsera
Chapter 14
“Away in a basket, on an uneven floor, a shadow fell over the baby lying there.”
The baby in question, a boy named Ran, waved a tiny fist at the sad woman standing over his makeshift cradle singing to him. Once-bright curtains cordoned off this shadowy corner of a cave deep under Mount Eredren, but a layer of grime had dulled the colorful wheels decorating each one.
“Away in a basket, no crib for his bed, the little baby Ran lay down his sweet head,” Sad Woman continued her song as she rocked the basket.
But he didn’t fall asleep no matter how many songs she sang because he wanted the Bright One to come back. After a while, she blew out a frustrated breath and ceased rocking the basket. It was just large enough to fit a fractious nine-month-old baby, and he turned one baleful green eye in her direction. His eyes did not glow, but the Bright One’s did.
“You’re not going to sleep, are you?” Sad Woman said. Frown lines bracketed her unsmiling mouth. She had sad eyes, even when she put him to her breast. Nothing he did ever changed that, which was why he wanted the Bright One. He knew how to make the Bright One smile and laugh, but the Bright One had gone away many hours ago.
Ran waved a chubby fist at Sad Woman, and she sighed, taking that as a “no,” then rose, rubbing her back as she drew aside a worn curtain. She was worn out tonight and feeling all her thirty-seven years.
“Fine, stay up until your father comes home. He can deal with you then.”
Since that was what the baby had wanted all along, Ran waved and searched the shadows for the Bright One, the young man with glowing green eyes, as Sad Woman slipped from the alcove. But only more worn curtains with dull patterns met his searching gaze. Where was the Bright One with the aura that tickled?
Not here where he belonged. The baby frowned as a tongue of white light flickered into view just a few feet away. Someone was coming. His little hopes rose. Maybe it was the Bright One. But if it was, he’d see that familiar green glow that always preceded the Bright One, and he didn't.
Ran clapped as a shadow stepped out of that light. It wasn’t tall enough or lean enough to be the Bright One. His little hopes fell until another shadow tried to exit the same way. Maybe he was the Bright One. But that white light was starting to fade away.
“Uh-oh,” he said as it winked out, leaving just one man behind.
They both stared after it for a long moment, waiting for it to return. But it didn't. That light was gone for good.
Ran waved bye-bye to it. If that light was anything like the Bright One’s light, it would like that farewell. Ran felt sure of that.
Every day, he learned more about light, especially the green one because it surrounded the Bright One. Maybe the Bright One had sent this confused man. Maybe he had more than green light inside him. That thought lit Ran up, and he laughed and clapped his little hands and wished the Bright One would come.
When that didn't gain his visitor's attention, Ran said, “hi,” to the man and threw in a smile and a wave.
People liked it when he waved, but this man just looked at him in utter bewilderment instead of saying hi back. So, Ran said, “hi,” again and put a little more enthusiasm into the wave.
Maybe the man didn't see his first wave. It was awfully dark in here because Ran was supposed to be sleeping, not entertaining visitors, and his hand was very small. Ran waved again just to rule that out, but it didn’t seem to help. The man didn't fall into the usual pattern of call and response that Ran was used to, and he didn't know what to do now.
“Where’d he go?” asked his visitor.
Ran shrugged. He didn’t know what the man was talking about, and he tried to tell the guy that, but his visitor didn’t understand baby talk. Neither did the Bright One, but he was fun to play with because his light often played too, and it tickled.
“There was another faun with me. I know there was. I saw him in the light. But I'm here, and he's not. So, where is he?”
The man turned into the dim light filtering in between the curtains that created this little alcove. He had curving horns and a furry face like Bear. Maybe Bear could help this fuzzy guy out. Ran felt around for his stuffed friend but didn’t find him. Bear must have wandered off again. Ran called out for him in case he was nearby.
“I guess it doesn't matter. He's probably back with the others. Hyntra must have messed up when she used the wish stone. What a surprise. She’s so damned impatient.” The furry man shrugged as he came to a decision. “I guess you’re the child I came for.” He approached the basket where Ran was sitting and watching him. “Hello, little one.”
“Hi,” Ran replied. Now, this was more like it. He giggled, amused by the strange visitor bending over his basket, hands extended for a pick-up. But his aura didn’t tickle like the Bright One’s. It was all sharp edges, and it pricked Ran’s awakening gift of magic. He squirmed away from the horned man, not liking his touch at all and waved his tiny fists as he kicked out.
But a big hand wormed its way under his rump despite his writhing, and another hand slipped under his head to support it. Ran flailed about with his tiny arms and legs, but the stranger had a good grip on him as he lifted the baby out of his basket, giving Ran a good view of the floor.
The ground was a long way down, almost as far away as when the Bright One carried him. He wanted the Bright One to come right now and take him away from the furry man with the jagged aura. It hurt when it touched Ran, and he cried.
“Don’t you cry, Little One. You and I are going for a long ride in the snow.” A malicious smile twisted the stranger’s pink lips. His captor had a hooked nose marred by a purpling bruise, and it too was furry. A jewel winked in his earlobe. It was the same kind of crystal the Bright One kept in his pockets. It glowed a soft gold.
Ran didn’t want to go anywhere with this stranger, so he let loose an ear-splitting wail as his captor parted the curtains revealing another alcove full of sleeping children. The third child from the left startled awake at his scream. That boy had always been nice to Ran, and he was usually with the Bright One. Maybe he could help. He gave that boy an imploring look.
***
That’s it for this week. Check out the Kickstarter & Back the Campaign to get an illustrated copy of Hunter’s Night and the rest of the series!
Have a great week!
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