Slave to Sapphire
Chapter 30

Julian rode Tempest hard over the dirt plane towards the dark line of the forest. Iris had never ridden a horse and it was awkward at first, her sore muscles bouncing on the hard saddle. She eventually relaxed herself so that her body could move in sync with Tempest’s galloping motion. Iris closed her eyes, the cool night air streaming across her face. She imagined they were galloping away from everything that had happened. From her life in Scarlet Town, Lucious, the mines, her hunger for azure, and from Ezekiel. The wind wiped away her tears as they formed at the corners of her eyes.

Tempest slowed down to a trot; the rushing sound of water carried through the night air. Iris opened her eyes and looked up into a dense forest canopy that blocked out the night sky. Julian pulled Tempest to a stop at the edge of a creek. The clear water rushed over smooth rocks and slowed forming a shallow pool before continuing on. Julian dismounted from Tempest. Before he could pull Iris off, she swung her leg over and dismounted with a tumble, gracelessly landing on her feet.

Julian shook his head. “Tempest needs a break, and I figured you would want to wash in the creek. I brought a change of clothes for you.”

Julian removed some clothes from the saddle bag and handed them to Iris. He then led Tempest further up the creek to drink.

Iris waited until Julian was a way up the creek and his back was turned to her. She stripped her clothes off and plunged into the creek. Iris sucked in a breath at the freezing temperature of the water. The pool was shallow and only went up to her waist, which was perfect since she didn’t know how to swim. She drew in a breath and submerged herself holding onto a rock at the bottom of the creek. Her head ached with the coldness of the water, the water flowed over her body pulling off the black dust from the mines and the smells of her captivity. She held her breath until she felt that her lungs would burst. In that moment while her lungs burned with need for air, she forgot her need for more azure. She let go of the rock and her head broke the surface, gasping for air, her constant craving returned. The pine needles of the trees blocked out most of the night sky but there was still enough moonlight for her to see by. Iris ran her hands over her body trying to scrub off as much of the mines as possible. She studied her hands; the black dust lined her fingernails and the creases of her hands. Pale scars marked her palms as a permanent reminder of her return to the mines. She traced her finger over one of the scars. The scars were a reminder that she had chosen to live and climb out of the mines. Goosebumps dotted her arms and she started to shiver. Iris stepped out of the creek and pulled the clean leggings and blouse over her wet skin.

As soon as she was dressed Julian reappeared with Tempest. Iris raised an eyebrow Julian’s timely approach.

“We need to ride deeper into the forest before we can stop for the night,” he stated.

“Why the rush? It’s not like anyone even knew I was in the mines.”

“There are more powerful people at play than you know, Iris.”

“What people? Why are you even helping me? Where are we going?” Iris was tired and Julian’s elusiveness was frustrating. Julian clenched his jaw and stepped towards Iris to set her on Tempest. Iris stepped back and held her ground. “Give me some information or I am not willingly getting on Tempest.”

“I could just force you,” he grunted.

“I know, but I would make it difficult for you and it would be easier for you to just tell me what is going on.”

Julian sighed. “The Grand Ruler knows you are a conduit; your abilities would be useful as a Ministry official.” Julian started to move towards her again.

Iris held up a hand, “and?”

“We are going deeper into the forest with plans of cutting to the coast; once at the coast we will meet up with the ship you were supposed to board two weeks ago.”

Two weeks?!? That was how long it had been since she was captured. Iris didn’t know if she thought it had been longer or shorter. To her it could have been months or only a week.

Julian’s eyes softened as he watched her process what he had said.

“Come on Iris, we have to go.” He reached his hand out towards her.

“I can do it myself,” she stated. Iris had now seen Julian mount Tempest a handful of times. She marched over to Tempest. Placing her hand on the saddle and one foot in the stirrup, she hoisted herself up swinging her leg over the saddle. Iris smirked at her accomplishment. If she could climb out of the Amarath Mines she could mount a horse. Julian looked at Iris and shook his head again. Tempest danced ready to get moving again. Iris stiffened at the horse’s movements and clenched the saddle, her knuckles white.

Julian laughed and seated himself behind Iris. Julian guided Tempest at a trot through forest. The trees crowded closer together and Tempest slowed to a walk. Iris marveled at the horse’s ability to navigate the gnarled roots that covered the ground with only the shrouded moonlight to see by. The forest was alive with sounds of insects and nocturnal birds calling. Iris pictured Samson slinking through woods, his green eye glowing as he hunted unsuspecting birds. Iris didn’t want to dwell on the image too long, she would never see Samson again. Maybe he would make his way to the forest and then back to the mountain range that he was native to.

The swaying motion of Tempest’ gait lulled her and her eyelids grew heavy. Iris’ body relaxed; she jerked awake at the sensation of falling asleep.

Iris was startled by Julian’s voice behind her, “You can fall asleep Iris; I won’t let you fall.” Julian wrapped an arm around her waist to prove his point.

“It’s fine, it won’t happen again.” Iris didn’t like the idea of falling asleep atop a horse or in such close proximity to Julian. She didn’t trust him.

They continued on with Iris struggling to stay awake. Her awareness of her need for Julian’s support made her further resent his arm around her waist. She eventually lost the battle and drifted off to sleep. She was back in the dirt room, suspended by her wrists. Lucious’ enforcer viciously beating her. This time her pain wasn’t blunted by the azure and she felt the full force of each blow. He landed a punch to her abdomen resulting in a horrible cramping feeling. Iris was forced into awareness by the pain. She was still groggy as she looked around. She was seated on Tempest with Julian’s arm around her waist. The cramping feeling in her abdomen was worsening. Iris gritted her teeth and tried to adjust herself on the saddle.

“Just a little longer before we stop for the night.” Julian murmured.

Iris nodded, not trusting herself to speak through the wrenching pain she was feeling. Her hands started trembling and she gripped the pommel of the saddle to stop them. The pain intensified and she swallowed back her rising nausea. Iris battled with her pain until Julian finally pulled Tempest to a stop. He dismounted and waited for Iris. Iris started to get herself down but her hands were shaking and she doubled over with abdominal pain. When she moved to get down, she fell.

Julian reacted and caught Iris before she hit the ground. Tempest snorted and side stepped away.

Julian’s face was filled with concern. “Iris, what is wrong?”

Iris pushed Julian, dropped to her hands and knees and vomited. She sat down and wrapped her arms tightly around her, trying to stop the trembling of her hands.

“I don’t know what is wrong with me,” Iris said through clenched teeth.

Julian studied her. “You are having azure tremors.”

Iris snapped her head up and focused on Julian. “Lucious, he forced me to take azure.”

Julian’s face dropped. “I am so sorry, Iris.”

Julian pulled a heavy blanket from Tempest’s saddle and draped around Iris’ shoulders. “It will pass, I promise.”

Julian then went about setting up camp. He tied Tempest near a small stream and unfurled a bed roll on the ground. Julian sat beside Iris and took out his dagger and began to whittle a piece of wood. Julian then told Iris more stories of his days as a child on the farm. His parents had died after the crops had done poorly and they weren’t able to purchase enough life source. He was fourteen years old and made his way into Scarlet Town looking for work. It was out of luck that he was found by a man involved in a network of people who helped smuggle children out of Orinth to Volos. Julian didn’t give Iris any details about his journey to Volos. In Volos he had learned to ride and care for horses before he trained to become a spy.

Iris focused on Julian’s deep soothing voice as he spoke. It helped distract her from the cramping in her abdomen and the tremors that raked through her body in waves. Eventually her muscles relaxed, the tremors ceased and the pain her abdomen receded as well but her constant craving for azure intensified. Iris was relieved and furious that there wasn’t any azure for her to quench her need.

“The azure tremors will recur, eventually the frequency will decrease, and they will finally go away.”

Iris breathed deeply. “I never took azure before Lucious forced me. I feel this is retribution for all of the lives I have ruined by selling it.”

“If you hadn’t sold it to them, someone else would have,” Julian stated. “Are you hungry?”

Iris’ stomach grumbled in response and Julian handed her some dried meat and fruit. Iris tore into the meat.

“Why did you risk telling Ezekiel I was in the mines? He could have turned on you and left me there to rot.”

“It wasn’t a risk; he is in love with you, and I was his only hope of getting you safely out of Orinth.” Julian stated in so plainly.

Iris didn’t know how to respond. Julian’s statement filled her with a bleak sadness. She cared deeply for Ezekiel, but the truth was she could never love a person like him. Ezekiel was kind and thoughtful towards her, but the dark purple of his source stone kept her from loving him. His long life was the result of other people’s shortened lives.

Julian stood up and walked over to the bedroll. “I am going to try and get some sleep.” Julian laid down on his side. Iris eyed the single bedroll. “You are welcome to stay where you are but I would prefer you join me so we can share the blanket you currently have around your shoulders.”

Iris grunted and walked over to Julian and threw the blanket on him. She lay down beside him with her back towards him. Julian’s breathing deepened.

“I know you were watching me while I bathed in the creek earlier.” Iris accused.

Julian groaned, her statement awakening him.

“I wasn’t watching you bathe; I was making sure you were safe.”

“That is one way of looking at it.”

“Go to sleep, Iris.”

Iris shut her eyes but wasn’t hopeful sleep would replace her. She couldn’t stop her mind from churning, and the nagging desire for azure put her on edge. Julian’s breathing deepened, telling her that he had fallen asleep again. Iris was envious of his ability to immediately fall asleep. Though he must be drained from his journey. The night air was cool and Iris was cold despite the blanket. She edged closer to Julian so that her back was touching his. His warmth crept into her and helped to calm her. Iris was leaving Orinth. To leave Orinth meant letting go of her plans for Lucious. The idea of him continuing on without consequences was galling. However, if she wanted a chance of a future she needed to go to Volos. After everything that she had done and gone through was there enough left of her to live that future? Iris didn’t know the answer to that question. At some point Iris fell into a restless sleep.