Class Reptilia

Fallen leaves crunched underfoot as Ember and the woman walked through the dense forest outside of the wall. Neither had spoken a word, and despite Ember's introversion, she found herself missing Naz's quiet support and Carn's need to fill the silence.

It was the first time that Ember had been outside of the northern wall since her arrival, and although it was picturesque—owls hooted in the distance, fireflies buzzed in halos of light, and the eyes of curious animals glinted in the darkness—there was also an undercurrent of disquiet, a reminder that the forest was a barrier between Mendel and their contentious neighbors. That, combined with the tension between her and the woman, made what might have been an exciting first leg of her journey unpleasant.

They walked next to the main path, not around it. The woman seemed to navigate through touch, dragging her fingers against tree trunks and vines as she passed, but Ember's infrared could do nothing to stop brambles snagging at her clothes. Just as she was considering asking how they would make it to the edge of the forest before sunrise if they were to walk the entire way, the woman stopped and held up a long-fingered hand. There was the sound of twigs snapping, and Ember's infrared revealed two large shapes before a pair of elk emerged from the trees. They were both males, their coats short and their antlers furry with summer growth.

Ember felt a surge of anxiety. She was a poor rider, and took mounts only when it had been required of her. She reached out with a gentle hand to greet her elk, but it dipped its head and shied away. Ember looked to see if the woman was watching—she was, of course, with her eyes narrowed in derision—and Ember's face heated up. With great effort, she tamped down her emotions, trying to make her aura as non-threatening as possible. When she reached out again, the elk accepted her, and she managed a half-decent mount.

As soon as she had steadied herself, her elk took off at a trot, and Ember squeezed her thighs around its middle to avoid sliding off. She could feel the animal's muscles flex underneath her as he navigated the terrain expertly, bounding sure-footedly over knots of roots and weaving through gaps in the trees. When a branch snapped against Ember's forehead, she repositioned herself closer to his neck, chagrined.

The woman rode just a couple of paces ahead, her position also low on the elk's back. Dishwater-colored hair whipped behind her, but the rest of her body appeared to be as still as if she were standing on solid ground. Upon further examination, Ember realized that she was moving subtly—a little tilt of the pelvis or a press of a calf—adjusting to the elk's movements so that her weight would not work against him. She was undeniably an expert rider, although the thought made something unpleasant curl in Ember's stomach.

Watching her, Ember remembered Naz's report. One of the more vague descriptions had been for a woman called Callia, and Ember brought the page into her mind:

Callia Vanderbilt

Age: Thirties

Class: Vermes. Species: Unknown

Profession: Unknown

Ranking: N/A

Description: A woman of above average height, with dark blonde hair and grey eyes. Skin is particularly pale. Often veiled, with a secretive personality.

It was unquestionably a match, and considering how little was known about Callia's activities—combined with her ability to pass as a (if a little ill) human—Ember would be surprised if the woman's career was not espionage. The class explained some of her uneasiness: vermes were a diverse but rare group, distant from both humans and reptiles. It was a small relief, at least, that she was no longer completely in the dark.

They rode on without a break. The bones of Ember's pelvis grew sore, and shifting did little to alleviate the pain. Her trousers, too, chafed against her skin, and she wished she had worn something more suitable for riding like Callia's loose pants.

Dawn had not yet come when they arrived at the border of the northern forest, and the old, dark-limbed trees loomed like giants in the grey. Ember looked out at the vast expanse of countryside and felt squemish with apprehension. She was at once struck by the irony that she had been terrified to enter the forest less than a year before and now she was loathe to leave it.

They rode a little further within the confines of the treeline before Ember picked up on voices. There was a small gathering of Linnaeans, four in total, standing in wait near the trunk of a grand fir tree. A knot in Ember's chest relaxed the moment she recognized Orthus, although she did not greet him, since they had agreed in advance to keep their relationship a secret to avoid suspicion.

Callia dismounted her elk and Ember followed, wincing at the stiffness of her legs. Both animals turned tail and disappeared into the deeper forest.

This story has been taken without authorization. Report any sightings.

"The stragglers have joined us," a male Linnaean said by way of greeting. He was older than the others, a short and stocky mammal with a thick black beard. His black eyes were small and angular, and tufts of whisker-like hair surrounded his mouth. His expression was humorless as he examined Ember, his mouth twisted into a disapproving frown.

"I apologize," Callia said smoothly.

"I suppose it is excusable. I trust none of you were spotted by the patrols?" he asked, hands clasped behind his back. Everyone spoke out in affirmation, and he nodded with satisfaction. "Good. And this area has been secured?"

"Yes, commander," a female Linnaean replied. She was shorter than Ember, with a pinched-looking face and beady black eyes. Most surprising, however, was a large rat that sat on one of her shoulders, chittering into one of her too-large ears. It drew back its lips when it saw Ember looking, showing its yellow teeth, and the woman offered it a comforting finger.

"Then come, follow me," the commander replied, and Ember spurred her legs after him as he began to walk to the west. "As most of you know, I am Commander Blackstone, the leader of this operation. Our mission is to retrieve Mendel's captured spy from the custody of Ciradyl's Holy Order, or to eliminate the information leak if that proves impossible. We will travel during nighttime and the grey hours, so I anticipate reaching Ciradyl in three days."

Ember gave a small nod—by her best reckoning, it had taken thirty hours of near-constant travel to reach Mendel when the men had kidnapped her. They had traveled by horse-drawn carriage then, which she hoped would be the case again.

Blackstone paused, looking back at his subordinates with his brow lowered. "As you all know, the relationship between Ciradyl and Mendel is at a low point. As such, we must act with the utmost discretion. I am aware that you are all more talented individuals than myself, but for now, you are in my command, and I expect your compliance."

"Yes, commander," the others chorused. Ember added her voice to theirs, cringing inwardly from guilt and the knowledge that Blackstone would not be merciful when her defection was discovered.

"Here," he said, rounding a tree to reveal a small outpost, where six horses were tied, and a familiar sinking feeling settled in Ember's stomach. At least this time, all of the horses were fully tacked in human-made gear, including a leather saddle that promised to be more comfortable than riding bareback.

Ember followed the others' lead and approached one of the horses, a black and white-speckled mare. Although she was struggling to control her instincts, the horse was well-trained, and did not seem to mind as she stroked her mane. She hoisted herself onto the saddle, and mirroring the rat-Linnaean, she grabbed the reins in both hands.

Sat atop a brown stallion, Blackstone circled the group, his gaze pointed up at the sky. "Let's go," he said. "We must ride quickly to reach the first checkpoint on schedule." He clicked his tongue and tightened his thighs, and the horse responded right away. Ember copied him, her knuckles white as she gripped the front of the saddle for fear of being thrown.

They broke through the treeline at a canter. Seemingly unprompted, the horses assumed a linear formation, with Blackstone riding in the front, Callia in the back, and Ember second-to-last. She watched the others from behind, running through Naz's notes in her mind.

Blackstone, who she guessed would be the biggest obstacle to her plans, was a known ranker and serviceman for Mendel. He had retired from the rankings in his younger years, with his last known rank in the low 200s. His species had been listed as the Sarcophilus satanicus, the Satanic-flesh lover (a sure sign that it had been discovered by humans). He had a reputation as a strict, though not vindictive, leader.

The rat-Linnaean, named Lilith, was an information specialist with the rare ability to communicate with her source species, like Kora and Corax. Naz had written that she was smart, quiet, and known for following orders well. Her presence made Ember uneasy; since rats were one of her prey species, she could detect them easily enough, but she would have to stay on her guard lest her plans be exposed.

The last new group member, who had yet to speak, was a male Linnaean of medium stature named Kairo. His species had been listed as the caracal, although Ember would have known that he was a cat even without Naz's help—he oozed a predator's aura even more potent than Jisu's. He had long canines, caramel-colored fur, and thick claws that were half-retracted into his fingers. His unusual ears were mostly covered by a mop of brown hair, and if he had a tail, it was well hidden. With the right disguise, he could pass as human, although naturally he was the least human-looking of the group other than Orthus.

Ember had no doubt as to why Kairo had been included in the mission. Being near to him induced the same hyperawareness in her as when she had first met Ophelia and Tarek, and Naz's notes confirmed that he was in the top fifty rankers. She had no illusions about her skill compared to his, and knew a fight must be avoided at all costs.

Ember sighed, shaking off the thoughts and focusing on the present moment. They rode swiftly, off of the overgrown road, which she glimpsed once on the crest of a distant hill. She could feel the movement of the mare's powerful muscles beneath her legs, and the steady thumping of the hooves was almost soothing. Rolling hills stretched endlessly over the horizon, dotted very occasionally by a maple tree or scrub, and the only sound besides the horses was the whooshing of the wind through the tall grass.

There were no villages so far south, and Ember was struck by melancholic loneliness, realizing she had become accustomed to the press of the forest on all sides. As the horses climbed another hill, she settled lower in the saddle and risked a look back, past Callia. Many miles away, dawn was spilling over the tops of Mendel's giant trees, illuminating them like the spires of a fortress.

It was only because of her poor father that she was able to face forward again and leave Mendel behind.