Megan ORussell - Wrath and Wing

There is a world outside the village of Harane. Beyond the towering mountains to the east and the open skies to the west. Beyond Ilbrea and the seven Guilds that rule our country with a golden fist.

There is an ocean where free men sail to lands beyond my imagination. There are countries ruled by good and just leaders. There are places where magic is more than a thing to be feared.

But I do not live in any of those places. I live in Harane.

I was born in Harane, my parents died in Harane. And as I stood in the field, blood surrounding my boots, it felt as though the outside world might be a lie.

There was nothing in existence but pain and death, and there was no chance of surviving if a person was fool enough to hold on to the dream that something more could be found.

Youve got to save him. Handor knelt beside his son, pushing the boys hair away from his face as though it might somehow spare his life. Jesep. Hold on, Jesep. Ena is here.

He said my name like there was something I could do.

Please, Ena. Tears streamed down Handors face.

Id hardly ever seen the man smile, let alone cry.

The wound was too big for me to mend. The fool Jesep had let his axe strike his leg instead of the wood hed been cutting. By the time Karin had dragged me to Handors home, the axe had been pulled from Jeseps thigh, and mud had somehow smeared into the wound.

Give me your shirt. I knelt by Jeseps leg.

Handor struggled out of the sweat-soaked fabric.

I tied the shirt just above the gash, but there was already too much blood on the ground.

Hold on, boy, Handor said.

Ena, is there anything I can do? Karin asked, her back still turned to the whole bloody scene.

I wanted to scream that there was nothing any of us could do. Even if a Guilded healer raced up on horseback, there was nothing but magic or the gods that could save the boys life.

But I wasnt strong enough to say that to his father.

Run and grab the brown jug from under the table at Lilys, I said.

Karin sprinted away. By the time she got back, Jesep would be dead, but Karin didnt need to listen to the boys final breaths.

I dragged the cutting block over and flipped it on its side.

Hold his head up. I lifted Jeseps legs onto the block as his father cradled his head.

Jesep gave an awful gasp. The blood flowing from the wound had slowed. It had nothing to do with the cloth Id tied above it.

Speak to him. I knelt, feeling the warmth of Jeseps blood seep through the knees of my skirt.

Youre going to be just fine, boy, Handor said. Ena will get you stitched up. You wont be able to work for a bit. Youll miss the spring planting. Youve always hated the planting, and youll get to rest this year.

I ripped the slash in Jeseps pants wider so I could get a better look at the wound. The axe had cut well beyond stitches ability to remedy.

How does it look? Handor asked. Do you need help?

Just keep talking to him. I couldnt bring myself to press on the wound. I wouldnt cause Jesep any more agony in his last moments, even to comfort his father.

Just hold on, son. Im right here, so hold on.

Jesep took a shuddering breath, and fled from his pain.

No! Handors cry sent the ravens scattering from their perches in the trees. Wake up, son. I am your father, and I am telling you to wake up.

Im sorry. I didnt reach out to comfort himthere was too much of his sons blood covering my hands.

Handors cries beckoned the rest of the village like a sirens song. The few who had been lingering by the corner of the house left the safety of the shadows, and more appeared every moment, coming to see what new grief had stricken Harane.

We should get him into the house. Shilv ran a hand through the fluff of his graying hair. Come on, Handor, lets get the boy inside.

Other men from the village came forward to help carry Jesep.

I faded to the back of the group.

Next would come finding money to pay for the burial papers, deciding who would dig the grave, and settling the family into mourning. I could help with none of those things.

I kept my hands in front of me as I made my way back to Lilys house. My skirt was already covered in mud and blood, but wiping my hands on the fabric seemed like it would somehow make everything worse.

Karin raced toward me, brown jug in hand. Her steps faltered as she stared at the blood on my clothes. She nodded and kept heading for Handors house, her steps slower now that there was no reason to run.

I hoped the jug could be of some comfort. Lily had brewed the liquor to clean wounds, but Handor would be far beyond caring how foul his drink tasted.

The giant tree waited in front of Lilys house when I arrived home. The barren branches looked the same as they had when Id sprinted away. It seemed impossible that the shadows the tree cast across the road hadnt changed. Death had come so quickly, the afternoon sun had barely shifted.

I wanted to climb up into the safety of the trees limbs. To peer at the world from high above and see if Handors pain was somehow justified when viewed by the stars.

Better yet, I could run for the safety of the mountains, where no one would dare to follow me, and pretend Jesep was still alive.

But the proof of his death was sticky on my hands, and Id waded through enough blood and grief to know I couldnt hide from the pointless reality of Jeseps fate.

I shouldered open the gate to the back garden, hoping Lily had returned from helping deliver Bidas baby.

The garden was empty. I stood at the door to the house for a while, staring at the latch. There was no way to get inside without touching anything and no way to wash Jeseps blood off my hands without getting in to the sink.

I pressed my forehead against the sun-warmed wood of the door.

Ena?

I jumped at the sound of Cals voice, knocking my elbow into the door as I spun around.

Cals eyes went wide as he stared at me, but his voice was level as he spoke. I just came from Handors. I heard youd been there.

Lilys with Bida, I said. Poor womans been in labor far too long.

Have they sent to Nantic for the Guilded healer? Cal opened the door for me.

The scent of dried flowers and herbs cut through the metallic stench of blood.