Dark City

23.

They walked until they came to an opening of Ghost Woods. The trees, only now beginning to yellow, clouded Nathan's mind with color. He plucked a leaf with a very long stem and wound it into Alex's hair.

"What is that?" she asked, touching the accessory.

Nathan stopped her from removing it and caressed her cheek. "You look like Nimueh."

"I thought we were just hanging out," she said.

"Hey. Hanging out's a whole level past talking." Nathan kissed her hand. Like the sun poking out from behind a cloud, she smiled, exuding pure, unadulterated radiance.

"We should talk, Alex."

"We will. But first, let's go deeper in."

"I'll take you to the old hideout."

"That sounds perfect."

A chill rushed through the trees and a bird sent a high-pitched shriek through the canopy above. He took her deep beyond the maze of pines until they reached the hollow beneath the hill. He showed her the barracks hideout there, the dark cavern caged by the exposed roots of an uprooted tree. He huddled over on his cane, reached in and grabbed a stick. When Alex looked ready, he tossed it to her and she caught it mid-air.

"These were our swords," he explained. "We carried these around, smacking the trees like they were battle dummies. Oh, actually, that one you're holding is a mace."

Alex swung the imaginary mace around with smiley enthusiasm. She ducked into the hideout and exchanged it for a gnarled rod that had a top like a claw. Its thorn-shaped fingers clutched a pinecone. She stood there, holding it gently as if it were made of glass.

"Nice choice. That's the healing rod."

"Does it work?" Alex asked.

"Of course," Nathan said. "Originally it was just a wizard staff, but we found this stray whose tail had been cut off. The tail had already healed, but the cat had bad balance and was really skittish. It scoped us out for weeks before it was willing to take any food from us. When it finally came close, Tom started waving the staff over the cat's head to get it to come up on its hind legs and bat at it. Eventually, his balance improved and he was jumping from the tree to tree like a monkey. And from then on, this was the healing rod."

"And which one of you carried this?"

"Neither of us wanted to be healer. So nobody did."

"Well, you're in luck then," she said, wielding the healing rod like a baton. "I happen to be trained in the art of healing." She waved the rod all along his left side and pointed it down at his leg.

Nathan took the rod from her. "It's cold out here," he said. "Do you want my sweater?"

"But then you'll be cold." She turned on her toe, skipping further into the woods. "Show me the witch's noose!" she called back to him. He had forgotten that long ago he told her about the witch's noose. It was really just a rope swing hanging from a bent tree.

"Take the trail North. I'll cover your six."

Sunken branches required them to duck. Sharp edges pulled at Nathan's T-shirt and left thin lines of inflamed flesh on his arms. He followed Alex down the trail, watching the shape of her hips in his dark green sweats. They reminded him almost of woodland fatigues. The fabric hugged her thighs as she stepped over a tree root.

A branch caught in her hair, dislodging the pins that held her braids. One side came loose and hung prettily against her face. Color rose in her cheeks and forehead as she checked her braids with her hand.