Allyson S. Barkley - A Memory of Light: Book 1 of the Until the Stars Are Dead Series

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Memo rY

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A

Memo rY

Of

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Until the Stars are Dead:

Book One

Allyson S. Barkley

atmosphere press

Copyright 2021 Allyson S. Barkley

Published by Atmosphere Press

Cover design by Ronaldo Alves

No part of this book may be reproduced

except in brief quotations and in reviews

without permission from the author.

A Memory of Light

2021, Allyson S. Barkley

atmospherepress.com

For Muffin, who was my Dav.

Chapter I.

An arrow whistled by, then another. One, two, three. When the fourth nearly missed her right ear, Ari gave an authoritative pull on the reins and steered her nervous horse off into the woods without slowing their rapid pace. The gangly chestnut gelding let out an anxious snort as a large calfskin sack thumped against his flank, the goods inside making a steady clank-clank-clank to the rhythm of his stride. Ari chided herself for picking this animal for the job. Geldings were never good in a chase. Stallions were brave, mares had attitude, even donkeys and mules had a sort of cantankerous courage that might suffice if only they could run fast enough. If she could just make it to the river, it would be easy to ditch the horse in the next village and go the rest of the way on foot. Another arrow pinged off a tree in front of her and the chestnut started in surprise.

Shhhh, she soothed, urging him on with a forceful squeeze. It was difficult to continue at a flat gallop now that they were dodging the ever-thicker forest growth. She hoped that her pursuers were having the same problem. At last count there had been six of them, but cutting through the woods always helped to eliminate one or two, especially when they didnt know the land like she did. Ari took a risky glance over her shoulder, turning back around as soon as she caught sight of two men in brown hoods. From the sound of it, there was still one more behind. If their horses werent so fast, they would not have been so lucky.

She folded into the geldings neck as he jumped a fallen log, bringing her dangerously close to some low-hanging branches. The rucksack made an extra loud clank as they landed on the other side, spooking the horse into a new burst of speed. Ari smiled to herself.

They were nearing the river now, and this was the difficult part. There was a hidden passage that cut under the water, known only by locals, smugglers, and thieves. As long as she could get this nervous fool of a horse to run through the ivy wall, she was in the clear.

One more arrow shot by, way off-target. The pounding of hooves drilled into Aris ears, reverberating through the otherwise-still forest. Please dont stop, she begged her mount silently. Trust me, trust me, trust me .

Still moving at full speed, they followed a short, steep hill down towards what appeared to be a large, ivy-covered rock. Seeing this, the chestnut flicked his ears forward and then back to her, wondering what was happening, asking her what to do next. Ari could feel his muscles tense, ready to freeze even as they continued flying at the wall. She squeezed her legs as hard as she could and leaned forward slightly, giving him a little extra rein to plunge through the hanging vines. Before the confused horse could decide what to do, they had run straight through the leafy curtain, thundering into the dark tunnel and out the other side in seconds.

Hey! Ari could hear the men calling on the opposite bank as she rode back into the trees, putting more and more distance between them. Whered she go?

Dont look at me I was following you!

Hell kill us for losing her!

Their bickering grew less and less audible as Ari galloped on at the same rapid pace. The gelding was white at the mouth now, flecks of sweat running from his neck and chest down the length of his body. She couldnt risk stopping until they reached Irlanda, the village closest to the river. Even though her pursuers had been deterred, it would not be long before they discovered the tunnel, or some other way to cross and continue their chase.

As she rode, the forest changed around her. The great old trees began to thin out, giving way to smaller shrubs and saplings that were less densely packed. Wildflowers of white and yellow sprung up in their path, only to be trampled by the chestnuts frantic hooves. They were nearing Irlanda, but the seconds seemed to stretch into minutes, the minutes into hours.

Finally, Ari caught sight of the little town, its brown roofs appearing over the top of a small, grassy hill. Here and there she noted blackened shingles and gaping holes, friendly reminders of the latest attacks. She allowed another cautionary glance over her shoulder. If the brown hoods saw her entering here, it would be much harder to escape again. But there were no riders behind her, and no shouts nor hoof beats to disturb her calm. Bringing the trembling horse back to a canter, and then to a brisk trot, she crested the hill and descended into the village.

Many of the small shops and cottages were shuttered closed. Those that were not bore shattered windows and wooden doors banged in, hanging off their hinges. The air smelled of smoke and it felt empty, though Ari knew it was not. She pulled her hood further down over her eyes and urged the tired gelding into a faster clip.

Irlanda was small and growing smaller. It was only minutes before she had passed quickly through the center and came upon a small barn on the western edge of the village. A young boy sat outside the wooden building, playing with a toy boat in the half-full water trough. His eyes widened as she approached.

Dont go, Ari called, seeing that he was ready to stand and run inside. Will you take this horse for me? Ill give you a silver piece.

The boy froze where he was, torn between his fear of her and the temptation of the money. Are you a Zaera soldier? he asked, his voice high and sweet, vibrating with uncertainty and excitement.

Ari smiled at him. No, Im just a traveler that needs someone like you to take care of her tired horse.

So, are you in the Malavi? Still perched on the edge of the water trough, he tugged at his worn shirt, adding a new dirt stain as he did so.

No, she answered again, now checking the gelding into a full halt and swinging her leg over the saddle in a smooth dismount. She slung the rucksack over her shoulder and patted the flap to be sure that it was still securely sealed.

Daddy says everyone is either with the Zaerans or the Malavi, the little boy told her, his eyes fixed on the large leather bag and the sword hanging at her hip.

Ari pursed her lips, wishing that the child wasnt causing so much trouble. She was running out of time. I dont like the war, she told him at last, pulling two silver pieces out of her pocket and holding them out along with the horses reins. Some people dont like to choose either side. And your daddy shouldnt let you use those names. Not around strangers.

He looked at her for another second and then grabbed both pieces in one hand, the bridle in the other. Ari gave him a nod, prepared to walk away before he could say anything else, but he was already stuffing the money in his pocket and leading the horse into the barn, whispering a childs tune as he went.

My fathers mother told a tale

from her warriors life

The skies, they filled with fire and flame

through that week of strife.

The noble hero she rode in fast