The Long Summer

This story is featured in the second Den of Quills Seasons Anthology and will be featured in my upcoming collection of stories as well.

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Thanks for reading.

The Long Summer

Anthony D Farr

Nessa stared into her glass, watching the amber liquid shimmer like a mirage as the ice melted in its vain attempt to keep the drink cool. She took another swig and winced at the stinging in her throat. Before the remainder of her drink could mock her, she tossed back the alcohol and slammed her glass on the counter. She chuckled as the bartender slid over to her. She found herself unable to understand how he deftly maneuvered his bulk behind the bar to service customers. He raised his eyebrow and accepted her nod as an affirmative.

“More ice, please, with the ealu,” Nessa said tapping the counter top.

“Fore I go with the ice, I need to see you have the coin to back it up.”

“Well, my good ‘keep,” Nessa said, reaching into her pouch, “I’ve just gotten paid, and I do believe that I’ll have more ice in my drink.” She tossed two Five Day tokens onto the counter and smiled at the glint in the barkeep’s eye. Money talks, especially minted day tokens, she thought.

The barkeep wasted no time in filling her glass with ice and pouring the amber ealu into the clear glass. He pushed it over to her and scooped up the tokens in his free hand. Nessa drank this glass with more patience. She let each sip remain in her mouth and closed her eyes as the liquid cooled her mouth. She swallowed and allowed herself to smile at her reward for a job well done. Nessa knew she needed to conserve the bounty from the last job, but the call of a cool drink proved too much to bear. She took another sip of the drink, and pressed the glass against her forehead.

At the hiss of the airlock on the door seal and the rush of hot air from outside, Nessa looked up to see a newcomer. His attire marked him as an upper tier dweller. Possibly a patrician, she thought. He removed his goggles and face­mask, revealing his pale face, and Nessa knew at once he spent little time on the lower tiers in the open sunlight like herself and others born on the lower levels of the city. As he approached the bar, he looked around wildly, his eyes darting from patron to patron until he finally rested on Nessa. As he focused on her he walked directly to the stool next to her and sat.

“Water please, sir,” his accent lilted, furthering Nessa’s assumption about his class. The bartender remained immobile, his face slack at the request of straight water. “I believe this will cover the charge, sir,” he placed a Fifty Day Token on the counter and slid it to the far side of the counter. The barkeeper remained motionless staring at the coin before him.

“Excuse him, he’s never seen a minted coin over a Ten Day,” Nessa raised her glass to the newcomer. “Not many on this level have that kind of coin. Just be glad you didn’t try to pay like this on a lower tier. Your purse wouldn’t stay yours for very long.” She looked to the barkeeper, “Nathan, serve the man his water. Hurry before the token disappears.”

Nathan woke from his stupor and swiped the token off of the counter with one hand and poured a glass of water with the other. He slid it gingerly over to the stranger and bowed his head, “Forgive me, sir.”

“No apology needed,” he said, and Nessa shook her head at the accent. “Thank you for your service.” He bowed his head and swerved on his stool to face Nessa.

Before he could speak, Nessa raised her hand and said, “You’ve got business with me? Want to hire me for a job?” He stammered and averted his eyes. She continued, “Not many upper tier patricians come down to the low­er levels unless they have a job that needs dirty hands. Just so you know, I don’t take personal hits. You may have to go down a couple of tiers to find someone to take that kind of a job.” She winked and faced the bar again hoping the stranger would be on his way.

“Pardon me, I think you may have the wrong idea,” he leaned in and Nessa caught a hint of perfume seeping out of his stark white protective suit. “I do not wish you to take on an assassination contract, but a legitimate bounty, for which I will pay an extra fee.” He reached into a pouch on the side of his suit and removed a folded piece of paper. His hands shook as he spread it out on the bar, smoothing the edges as it threatened to fold back on itself. “My name is Lucian Bez and this is Jearon Delial,” Nessa looked at the crude photograph of a young man and stuck out her hand, motioning with her fingers. Lucian handed it over and continued, “This man…This monster killed my brother. I have been tracking him through the tiers for the last couple of weeks, but now I’ve received word that he’s fled into The Waste, and cannot find him on my own.” Taking a deep breath, he continued, “With the Long Summer, I have found no guides willing to take me beyond the outer walls of the city, but everyone says you frequently chase your bounties into the deep Waste.”

She examined the paper. The picture, faded but still visible, showed a head shot and profile view of a dark haired man. His jaw line and chin marked him as an upper tier patrician. Nessa brushed her fingers over the notice until her fingers stopped over the text at the bottom. She skimmed the details. Murder. Tier three patrician. Archeologist. High profile. She tapped the bounty and raised an eyebrow at Lucian.

“Two hundred day Tokens?” She whistled, then continued, “That’s a fair amount, but what are you offering that’ll encourage me to go beyond the walls into the Waste?”

“I will give you a bar…No, two bars,” he held two trembling fingers up, “of Imperial minted gold.”

Nessa shoved him back and stood. She threw the last of her drink back and dumped the ice into a pouch on her belt. “We are done here,” she said as she slammed her hand on the counter and stepped away from the bar.

“No. Please wait, no. If that’s not enough, I can pay more.” Lucian straightened himself and grabbed her arm. “I have more gold,” he whispered.

“It’s not about the amount, you idiot,” Nessa pulled his hand off and pressed a finger directly into his chest. “How do you think the Trade Inspec­tors would like it if they found out I was getting paid in minted gold.” She turned away and walked toward the door, pulling her hood over her head, and tucking her black hair back into the covering. She fitted her mask and settled her goggles over her face before activating the seal on the door. The hiss of the air lock muffled the sound of Lucian fumbling with his suit behind her. As the inner door swiveled closed, Lucian slipped between the opening to stand in the chamber with Nessa before the exterior door opened to the outside.

Lucian spoke, muffled through his white facemask, “Nessa, I’m so sorry. I never thought of that. I can pay whatever you like on top of the bounty. Anything. I promise.”

The exterior door seal hissed and opened. Nessa, proceeded outside with no word to Lucian. Torn between the prospect of coin and the threat of facing Inspectors, she continued to walk in silence until she crossed the courtyard. The dual suns glared upon the city. Even though she had goggles, Nessa instinctively squinted her eyes. The muted browns and grays of the city architecture waved in the heat.

I wish it were all a mirage, Nessa thought looking over a terrace to see the lower levels shimmering from heat and pollution. She stopped at the edge of the terrace, overlooking the Great Road leading out from the First Tier, through all of the levels, and finally out into the Waste. The thought of heading out back into the Waste did not appeal to her. As long as the patri­cian’s coin proved good, she would take the job. She spun on her heels to face the white robed patrician standing only four feet behind her.

“You cannot pay me in minted coin. Let’s get that out of the way now. I swear if you bring down Inspectors on me…”

“No. No, I promise. No one from the Inspectors will come to you. My family has connections. I swear on the Earth-that-was, you will be well com­pensated for this venture.”

“Earth-that-was?” Nessa spat. “Please tell me you don’t worship that old story? No, never mind,” she waved her hand, “I don’t care what you believe as long as the coin is good.” She lowered her hand and continued, “I take this job, and I get full bounty, plus three hundred Day Tokens…”

“I believe my offer was two hundred.”

“It was before you blabbered in a crowded bar about giving me minted gold, so now it is three hundred, two thirds up front, plus fifty per diem for each day that I am in the Waste. You will also pay all expenses to furnish my expedition.”

“Sorry to interrupt, but I will be accompanying you into the Waste.”

“By the Spire you will not.” Nessa pulled her mask down and articulated each word, “I’m not going to be responsible for you in the Waste.” She pulled her mask up and watched Lucian wring his hands.

“Nessa, I must be there when you kill this man to take him in. The bounty is for his dead body, but I must see it happen. I have sworn an oath to my family to exact vengeance upon this man.” He shifted his feet in the dust and said, “I will double your price. On all points. Six hundred. Paid in copper or lower tier Tokens. Also, one hundred per day, with expenses.”

“No, I’m not a babysitter and I will not take some soft weak upper tier patrician into the Waste. Not only would I be risking my life, but yours as well. We are done here.” Nessa turned, but before she took a step, Lucian grabbed her arm harder than before and stopped her.

“Listen,” his voice reached a high pitch, heard even through his mask, “The promise I made about the Inspectors,” he released her arm and contin­ued, “goes both ways. My family’s influence can guide them to you or can make your life easier.”

“Damn you and your ‘Earth-that-was.’ Are you trying to force me to take you into the Waste? Do you even know what is out there?” Nessa pulled away and faced him again.

“Only stories of the Waste-devils that roam the barren land. Taking those that wander through their territory…”

“So, only spooky stories told to you by your upper tier nanny. Is that right?” Nessa adjusted her goggles and wiped the gathering dust off the lenses. “You coming into the Waste would mean both our deaths. I cannot hunt a bounty and protect you at the same time.”

“I will pay you handsomely and I will ensure that neither Trade Inspec­tors nor Inquisitors will bother you again. You will be free to trade. I would even sponsor you for citizenship if you wish. You could accept minted coin then.”

“Minted upper tier coins?” Nessa inclined her head toward Lucian. “You could arrange that?” Lucian nodded and she continued, “I want a writ, signed and sealed, with an agreement for sponsorship upon delivery of the bounty. Do that, and I will accept your original terms. Both in advance of delivery.” She paused and thrust her hand out to Lucian, “Deal?”

“Deal. That is acceptable.” He shook her hand and Nessa scowled at the weak grip. She pulled her hand away as he said, “How soon can you be ready?”

“Give me until tomorrow morning. We will leave at first light. I’ll not start our venture in the dark. The Waste is too dangerous at night.”

“Will…will the Kadeer be a problem?”

“No,” Nessa shook her head, “the people of the Waste will leave us alone as long as we leave them alone. They are fierce and strong, but will not attack unless we disturb them. It’s the fauna of the Waste that we need to worry about. The Long Summer breeds the hardiest predators.”

“I trust your guidance. I will leave you now with this,” he grabbed her hand and placed a leather pouch onto her palm. “Consider this an advance and a retainer for your services. I will meet you tomorrow at the city gates. I will be ready.” Before Nessa could respond, Lucian strode over to a covered motorized litter waiting outside the nearby bar and pulled himself up into it. He offered a wave back at her as he pulled the seal closed over the sitting compartment. As the litter rolled away from the bar a few of the vagrants lifted their heads as it passed.

Nessa left the pouch unopened. Judging by the heft of coin in it, she did not want to advertise the sum to the urchins wandering outside. She tossed the strap over her shoulder, held it close to her side, and lowered her head as she made her way through the back alleyways. She did not want to be outside long with her payment. She ignored the beggars and urchins with their hands outstretched as she crisscrossed various back paths across the level. She stopped just as the sun dipped below the horizon and the inky black of the night sky crawled across the sky. She pulled her goggles up as the light reced­ed and paused as her eyes adjusted. She stood before a small two story house with flickering lamplight dancing in the windows. As she approached the door, she heard laughter and the sounds of children running on the other side. By the second rap on the door it opened a crack and a yellow tinted eye peered out at her.

“Saul, it’s only Nessa,” Takarin said throwing open the door and inviting her inside. His mouth flicked into a half smile that showed the fangs identi­fying him as a Kadeer. She pulled her mask down and returned a smile. He pulled her into an embrace and his short coarse hair covering his face brushed against her cheek. “Where have you been? You’ve got to see the rel­ics we found today. Good haul.” She pulled herself away and patted him on the chest as she heard small footsteps approaching from around the hall.

“Nessa!” A boy and girl burst from around the corner and ran into Nessa at full speed. She staggered back under the weight of the two children and dropped to her knees hugging them both. Takarin closed the door behind them and bolted it shut. No hiss of an airlock on their home. Nessa knew they were saving up for an air seal door, but Saul and Takarin ran into trouble getting enough coin as relic traders, and Takarin being a Kadeer made him less than a citizen.

“Sorry, rats,” Nessa said as she stood, “I don’t have any gifts this time. Scurry along.” She swatted at their backs as they ran from her around the corner. As their voices subsided, a bearded man turned the corner. Nessa pitied him, after years in the city, he still carried himself and dressed as a scholar. He never mentioned why the Academy in Uricet kicked him out and forced him to take refuge as a relic trader here, and Nessa never asked. He and Takarin were the closest she had to family within the walls of the city.

“Nessa my dear,” Saul came around the corner and embraced her. His long arms wrapped completely around her. “It’s been too long since you’ve regaled us with one of your adventures. Anything new happening in your circles?” He kissed her forehead and turned away, leading the three of them to a side room with lounging cushions scattered on the floor. Saul took the largest and settled himself, motioning to Takarin and Nessa to do the same.

As she settled, Myrium, Saul’s thick short wife walked in and greeted her then said, “Nessa, would you like some water, dear? We have plenty, the boys had quite a haul today. You’ll be proud of them. I know I am.” Nessa nod­ded and within moments, Myrium disappeared and returned with a cup filled with an ounce of water. Nessa thanked her host and placed some coin on the small table between her and Takarin before taking a sip. “Oh dear, no need for that,” Myrium protested.

“Myrium, I insist. Least I can do after all you two have done for me.”

“And are still doing,” Takarin said through a smile.

“I don’t see you going anywhere, Waste Rat,” Nessa retorted and they both laughed. When silence returned, Nessa said, “I’ve got a new bounty. He’s run into the Waste and I have a patrician sponsor willing to pay above the bounty if I take him with me.”

“No,” Takarin interrupted, “No. You know how dangerous it is out there. You wouldn’t have survived if I hadn’t taught you how to make it. What chance does a pale skinned upper level weakling have out there?”

“Thanks for the vote of confidence in my abilities as a guide, but I’m not here to ask your permission. I need you two to hold the coin he’s already paid.” She pulled the pouch off her shoulder and handed it to Saul. The leather bag resounded with a deep thump as he dropped it to the table. He and Takarin leaned forward as Saul pulled the pouch open, and looked inside.

“Nessa…” Takarin said, then fell silent as his eyes darted between her and the coin.

“Nessa,” Saul said then cleared his throat before continuing, “do you know how much is here?”

“I haven’t counted it yet, but I need you to hold onto it while I’m in the Waste. I can’t leave it at my place.”

“Of course,” Saul nodded. “Of course, we’ll keep it safe, but are you safe? This amount of coin isn’t parted with easily. Do you know who your client is?”

“I have a name. Of the client and the mark. He is an upper level citizen. His suit had barely been used. No signs of wear on it.”

“He’s really willing to go outside of the walls?” Takarin shook his head.

“Yes, he’s willing to pay top coin. Says the bounty murdered his brother and he wants to come with me out of some sick version of honor. Never know with these noble types. As the saying goes, ‘Never trust a patrician in the summer.’”

“Nessa, you need to be careful,” Saul reached forward and took her hands, “the Long Summer makes people crazy. The heat of the Waste will drive him mad. You have been conditioned, but he has not. Please do not go.”

“I can take care of myself, I just need you to keep the coin safe.”

“Nessa,” Saul gripped her hands harder and his voice became rough, “people are at their worst before the end of a season. We have been in the Long Summer for almost three decades. You do not know what it was like before. You have never seen the cold of the winter on this world. That lasted almost seventy years before our path around the twin suns caused the shift into summer. I implore you, do not take this man into the Waste. We are near the end of the season, and that is when people are the worst.” He released her and sat back but did not take his eyes from her.

“Saul, no one can predict when it will change. We may have another decade or two before we have to adapt to being cold again.”

“It is possible,” he said, “I learned much in my time at the Academy. We knew the secrets from the early settlers of the Earth-that-was. We looked at the patterns of the suns and know how to read them. It is coming soon, my dear, and you should not take someone that inexperienced into the Waste. His mind cannot handle it.”

“Don’t let the old man fool you,” Takarin said, “Don’t listen to that mumbo jumbo about Earths-that-were and patterns of the binary suns. He gets the info from me. I am Kadeer. We sense when the planet is shifting in its orbit and axis.”

“So what does your gut tell you my young friend?” Saul crossed his arms and fixed his gaze on Takarin.

“Oh, that it’s coming soon. You are right, I’m just having fun.” Takarin stood and laughed. “Saul, I trust you to take care of that. Nessa, I wish you well in your travels tomorrow, and I bid you both goodnight.”

“What, you’re not going to stay and help me talk her out of it?”

“Saul, wake up. Look at her face. She’s not giving up on this one. For whatever reason, she’s doing it without us. Right, Nessa?”

She nodded her head and he replied with a wink. Without another word, Takarin left and silence permeated the room between Saul and Nessa. Nessa fidgeted on her cushion under the gaze of Saul. His eyes piercing her, search­ing her, until he stood and turned without saying a word.

“Nessa,” he said with his back to her, “as much as it pains me to admit it—Takarin is right. You are going to do this on your own. So, all I ask is come back safe. Don’t let anything happen to you.” She stood and hugged him from behind. They did not exchange any more words as he walked away, leaving her alone in the room. She waited until his footsteps quieted and set­tled herself onto the largest cushion. Curling up, she allowed sleep to flow over her and fell into a dreamless sleep.

When she awoke, she untangled herself from the children and left the house without waking anyone. She trusted Saul and Takarin with her life and with her coin. She just hoped she would get the chance to enjoy it.

She spent the predawn hours gathering supplies from her hidden caches on the level. When the first light preceded the dawn, she had traveled through two more levels to arrive at the city gates. On the lowest rung of the city the smells and filth threatened to overtake those not used to it. The city wall; the last barrier between citizens and the wild of the Waste towered over her. This level of the city lay steeped in darkness. Constant shadows danced around, making this one of the most dangerous places within the walls. Nessa avoid­ed the darkest alleys as she paced the courtyard waiting for the gatekeeper and her client. The shadow of the upper levels of the city started to shrink as the morning grew later. Nessa increased her pacing until she noticed Lucian standing nearby with his hood and goggles hanging from the back of his pristine white suit. She pulled up the pack on her back and approached him.

“You know, that’s not going to stay clean, right?”

“Yes, but it’s the only protective suit I have. Should I purchase another?”

“No, we need to be ready to walk out the gates as soon as they open. I don’t want you standing around here for too long. Here put this on,” Nessa pulled a robe out of the bag hanging off her shoulder. She handed him the robe and he put it over his suit. Nessa nodded and smiled, glad the stark white of his gear was now hid beneath the dull brown robe.

Both jumped and winced as a loud klaxon sounded from the gate. Every five seconds another blast. The gate to the Waste slowly opened until a vast expanse of sand lay before them. Nessa fitted her mask and gog­gles to her face and pulled a robe over her suit as well. She looked back at Lucian to see him fitting his protective gear as well. When he finished, he nodded to her, and they set out for the gate to pay the exit fee. Only two merchants with loaded wagons were ahead of them in line.

“Lucian, do you have the writ?” Nessa asked, holding out her hand.

“Yes. Yes, here it is.” Lucian reached beneath his robe and pulled a parchment out of a pocket in his suit. Nessa read it and noted all the items were in order along with Lucian’s signature and the signature of an Inquisi­tor. She held her breath as she stuffed it into her own pouch and thanked Lucian. “Pardon, but do you have a plan?” His voice cracked, and his goggles remained fixed on the land beyond the gate growing ever brighter in the ris­ing of the first sun.

“Well, I read up on the bounty and his past on the data sheet provided, but I’m hoping you can fill in some of the blanks, so we can find him swift­ly.” Nessa watched the Inspectors searching the first merchant’s wagon. Nessa hoped for his sake he was not carrying contraband. “What can you tell me about him?”

“He lived one level below us. My brother and I knew him growing up as his father was our family physician. They are an old and honorable family on the Third Level. Well, at least I used to think they were, but no longer. He has tarnished his father’s reputation.”

“Where might he go, do you have any idea on that one? And, why did he go into the Waste?”

“He won’t go to any other city, I know that. The Inquisitors have warned the other cities to keep a lookout for him. He knows that is the first action they would take.”

“But why the Waste?” They moved forward as the gate keepers cleared the first merchant to leave.

“He was fascinated by it, I think. Growing up, he would always talk about how he believed our destiny was to survive the Waste, to live in it, no matter if we were in the Long Summer or Long Winter. He called it a mani­fest destiny.”

“Sounds crazy to me. So where do you think he’d go?”

“The Spires always fascinated him. They held a romance he did not believe the cities held for us. He knows how to survive in the Waste. I have no doubt he will stay at the Spire as long as he can before moving on.” They walked to the guard as the second merchant passed the checkpoint. The guard closest to Nessa held his hand up and looked at his clipboard. Nessa wished she could see his face, but the all black gear made identifica­tion impossible.

“State the nature of why you are leaving the city,” he barked.

“I am a bounty hunter,” Nessa presented her license to the guard, “I am pursuing a mark into the Waste.”

“Nessa, is that you?” The guard inclined his head toward Nessa

“Yeah, Alain,” she replied, “what are you doing on gate duty at the exit? I thought they usually stuck you with market duty one level up.”

“This is what happens when they catch me taking bribes. It’s either this or they send me to the Trade Inspectors, and I’m not built for that.” He looked over her papers and handed them back. Pointing at Lucian he said, “What’s his story? You taking an apprentice?”

“I’ll have you know…,” Lucian said before Nessa cut him off with her hand.

“He’s a client and he’s paying well. Would twenty days be enough to overlook his papers?”

“Twenty, Nessa, come on, I just got busted. I can’t have more heat on me now.”

“Thirty, and that’s the most I’m offering.” Nessa pulled the coin from a pocket and held her hand open before him.

“Thirty? You need to pack it in and go home, Nessa.”

“Pardon me,” Lucian said, “I don’t mean to interrupt your banter, but time is of the essence. Alain, I believe your name is,” Lucian removed his left glove and held his palm up to Alain and Nessa, presenting a small tattoo of three concentric circles on his palm beneath the ring finger, “you will let us pass with no further questioning. I will ensure you are well compensated upon my return and will not be reduced to gate duty in the future.” Nessa wanted to slap Lucian but restrained herself and watched in silence waiting for Alain to question further.

Alain gave one brief nod and said, “Okay, it’s your death wish. The Waste doesn’t care if you are noble blood or not.” He stepped aside, and they walked past him towards the Waste. “Nessa, watch your back. You know how it is out there. Don’t let him be the death of you.” Lucian kept walking while pulling his glove back onto his hand and did not look back. Nessa patted Alain on the shoulder and followed her client out of the city.

As they exited the gate, the monolithic walls extended in Nessa’s periph­eral vision. The rising of the second sun caused double shadows to cast across the shore of the great desert. Nessa pointed toward the main road and they walked in silence until the city rested on the edge of the horizon behind them and the first glimpse of the Great Spire rose on the horizon before them. Both suns beat down and Nessa felt the heat starting to seep into her suit. The thermal layer of her suit dispersed the heat as she walked. Without it neither of them would last long beneath the dual suns. Nessa guided them off the road to a small outcropping of rocks. She pulled out a canister and drank a small mouthful of water before passing it to Lucian.

“Here, you need to drink. We’ll rest in the shade,” she said as Lucian took the canister and quenched his thirst as well. He handed it back and she continued as she placed it into her bag, “With the spring inside of the Great Spire, your friend could stay there indefinitely if your faith in his abilities in the Waste is founded.”

“Oh yes, he actually studied as an apprentice to a few of the archeolo­gists who came out to the Spires. This was before he returned to the upper levels as a merchant.” Lucian sat on a nearby rock and pulled his facemask down. He sighed, drew in a sharp breath, and said, “Wow, you don’t realize how dry the air is until you are really out here.”

“Pull your mask back up,” Nessa said, reaching over and tugging his mask back over his face. “If you die, I don’t get paid.” He adjusted the mask and sealed it against his hood. He dropped his hands to his side and Nessa could see his eyes beneath the goggles darting around. “Worried about the Kadeer? Or something else?”

“Do the Kadeer really eat people?” He shifted his boots in the sand and wrung his hands together.

“No,” she said, and then chuckled before continuing, “One of my clos­est friends is a Kadeer. He lives in the city actually. As far as I know, he’s the only city dwelling Kadeer.”

“Why did he leave?”

“Don’t know. Never asked him, but rumor is he was exiled. Doesn’t matter though, because he taught me how to survive out here in the Waste.”

“Is he a savage? I’ve been taught they are a failed experiment of the Ancients. When our world could no longer control the elements of this planet, and they had lost contact with the Earth-that-was.”

Nessa shook her head, laughed again, and said, “No, they are a noble people. I don’t know if they are failed ancient experiments or not, but they are good. Unless you cross them.” She paused then said, “Then, they’ll flay you alive.” Lucian did not respond but stood and walked to the edge of the rock’s shadow and looked around. Nessa pushed up from her seat and crossed the shadow to stand with Lucian. “Don’t worry. We’ll catch your man. It’s just another couple of hours walk from here. We’ll be at the base of the Spire before nightfall. Before the real nasties of the Waste come out to play.” She pulled her mask down and took another sip of water. Lucian declined when she extended it to him, and she packed it away in the bag. “Come on,” she said and pulled the pack back up onto her shoulders, “let’s push on.”

At first, neither spoke, but Nessa noticed Lucian raising his hand in an attempt to gain her attention. “What?” She turned to face him, and he halted mid step.

“Sorry, but I am curious, your friend, was he alive during the Long Win­ter. I hear the Kadeer live long lives, and I wish to meet someone who was alive to see the shift.”

“No, sorry, he wasn’t alive. He was born during the summer, like us.”

“I heard stories that the Waste adapts to the cold just as it did to the heat. That the monsters take on the properties of the environment and the Kadeer are the only people (if you can call them people) able to live in the frozen lands.”

“You need to quit wasting your breath on foolish tales. You and I may or may not live to see the end of the Long Summer, but it doesn’t matter. All that matters right now, is getting to that Spire before night comes.” She turned in the sand and continued to walk toward their quarry.

They continued in silence, and the city’s dirty lower rungs dipped into the vanishing point leaving only the stark white of the upper levels shining in the bright suns. Every step forward brought the black pillar of the Great Spire higher and higher. Whatever material the Ancients used to craft the Spires reflected no light. Nessa always thought it appeared to suck in any illumination. She slowed her pace as she heard Lucian gasping for breath and once again cursed him for coming along.

As the first sun began to set, Nessa grew more concerned. Even a hun­dred feet in the Waste once full night fell could prove deadly. She motioned to Lucian with her hand and he quickened his pace until he was at her side.

“We need to move faster. We need to run; can you do it.”

Lucian nodded and they both accelerated to a jog. Nessa heard his breathing straining as he struggled to keep pace, but she remained focused on the Spire as it drew closer. Her legs burned, and her breath hitched as she sprinted. The second sun touched the horizon and she heard the first signs of the night fauna of the Waste. Her stomach tightened, and she felt bile rise in her throat.

“Cutting it too close, run!” She glanced back at Lucian and saw move­ment in the shadow of the Spire behind them. She put on another burst of speed and focused on the entrance. Now she heard growls behind them and felt the hairs on the back of her neck raise. As she reached the steps she reached into a pouch on her suit and pulled out a handful of small spheres and scattered them behind her. Lucian, only a few feet behind her, jumped over the spheres and landed splayed on the steps. Nessa dragged him to his feet as she felt a low vibration travelling through her feet and swallowed hard as a wave of nausea washed over her. Lucian vomited and dropped back to his feet. He scampered on his back up the stairs as a large cat, the breadth of three people and taller than Nessa, burst out the shadows and leapt toward them.

It stopped abruptly as it approached the spheres. Shaking its head, it paced for a few moments before turning around. Nessa choked back bile as the vibrations continued and lifted Lucian to his feet again. As they limped up the stairs she heard growling as the beast retreated. Halfway up the stair­case the vibrations subsided, and Nessa felt her head and stomach settle.

“What…was…that?” Lucian stood on his own, but he swayed as he pushed Nessa to arm’s length.

“The beast was a lox. Nasty Waste predator. The spheres I dropped are geswings. They produce an infrasound vibration. You and I felt the effects, but it really affects animals. The lox will return but the geswings will buy us some time to get inside, and we won’t have to worry about animals then. They never go into the Spires.” She stood upright and continued up the stairs to the black entrance in the face of the tower before them.

They covered the last half of the stairs in moments. Neither looked back, but Nessa heard the growls of multiple loxes waiting below. At sunrise they would retreat to their caves, but for now they waited for their prey at the foot of the Great Spire. Once they reached the top Nessa glanced down and saw one solitary lox stopped a quarter of the distance up the stairs.

“Are we safe?” Lucian asked.

“From him? Yes. He is having a conflict with his hunger and whatever primal part of his brain fears the Spires. We will be fine. People are the only things too stupid to stay away.”

Nessa looked back at the entrance, a ten by twenty-foot gap in the side of the Spire leading into the heart of the black monolith. They approached the entrance and Nessa pulled a glowrod from her pack and held it up. The soft green light illuminated the entrance. A mural carved into the wall imme­diately inside the entrance showed the placement of the four Minor Spires with the Great Spire in the intersection of the others. A small hallway to the left of the mural led into the main chamber. Nessa saw a faint flicker of fire­light dancing around the corner in the hallway. She pulled her protective gear from her head and pressed her finger to her lips. Lucian nodded and fol­lowed her into the hall.

As they rounded the corner a small fire greeted them. Beyond the small fire stood a haggard looking man Nessa recognized from the bounty order. He pointed a crossbow at the two of them, aiming it back and forth between the two. His hands shook as he held the crossbow level. Nessa held her hands out in front, palms facing him, and approached the fire.

“Stop,” he said through a dry rasp in his voice. Nessa stopped, and he continued, “Stop. I don’t want to hurt anyone. I just want to be left alone.”

“You don’t have to hurt anyone. We just want you to come back to the city with us.” Nessa lowered her hands to her sides and took another step forward.

“No!” He raised the crossbow and steadied his hands with the bolt aimed at Nessa’s head. “No, I’m accused of murder. I can’t go back. No one believes me.”

“I believe you,” Lucian said as he pulled his hood back and removed his mask and goggles. “Jearon, I believe you.”

“Lucian? What are you doing here?” Jearon lowered the crossbow and focused his eyes on Lucian. “You are here with a hunter? Why?”

“Jearon,” Lucian said as he walked up to Nessa’s side, “I know you. We were practically brothers. You, me, and Nathan. We were all like brothers.” He laughed and continued, “You…You look like him, I know you’ve heard that before, but you do.”

“Lucian, what are you doing?” Nessa stepped away from him and turned to look at him.

“I’m talking to my friend, is what I’m doing.” He took another step closer to Jearon. “Did you know Mother loved Nathan the best? He always had a way with the ladies. Everyone always said he was charmed.” Another step closer. “You should have seen everyone when they found his body. Stabbed three times in the chest.” Another step. “I told everyone it was you who had killed him, and I would ensure justice would be met.”

“You? You told them? But why?” Jearon’s shoulders slumped and tears streamed down drawing shining paths through the dirt and grime on his face.

“Everyone believed me. The family cheered. Especially my mother. She…she told me to avenge her son. I told her I would find you and put you to death.” He lunged over the fire and drew a knife, and before Nessa could react, Lucian plunged the knife into Jearon’s chest and wrestled the crossbow away as Jearon dropped to the ground. Lucian pointed the weapon at Nessa and shook his head. He stepped back until both Nessa and Jearon were within his field of vision and said, “Now that I’ve found you and brought you down, I can tell you I killed Nathan. I couldn’t take it anymore and you were the perfect person to blame. You were so much like him. It just made so much sense. I’m sorry Nessa,” he turned to her, “I’m sorry you got dragged into this, but I needed a guide out here. My family is mounting an official expedition that should be here tomorrow. I needed you with me in case I couldn’t handle the Waste. I am truly sorry.” He shook his head and straight­ened the arm pointing the crossbow at Nessa.

Jearon rolled himself to his side and grabbed at Lucian’s leg. Lucian squeezed the trigger on the crossbow, throwing the bolt off its mark. It struck Nessa in the leg and she cursed as she fell to the ground clutching the shaft protruding from her thigh. Lucian kicked Jearon and struck him across the face with the crossbow. As he turned Nessa pulled a knife from her boot and threw it.

With a wet thud, it struck Lucian in his left eye. He stumbled back a few steps and slumped against wall. He slid down until he sat on the floor and his hands flailed uselessly at the knife embedded in his face. His mouth worked wordlessly for a moment and then his right eye closed as his body slumped. Nessa looked to Jearon, did not see his chest rise, and dragged herself over to her pack. She grimaced as she used her first aid kit to bandage her leg. Wrapping around the shaft of the bolt and her leg, she pulled the gauze snug around her thigh.

She crawled over to Jearon and felt his neck. No pulse. Pulling another knife, she hacked his left hand off and stuffed the severed appendage into a lined cloth bag.

“Might as well collect the bounty,” her words echoing off the walls of the chamber. She scooted herself back until she leaned against the lip of the spring and drew handfuls of water to her mouth. She laid back on the cool surface of the chamber’s floor and chuckled.

“You were right. Never trust a patrician in the summer.”



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