Heaven Fall by Leonard Petracci

Author:Leonard Petracci [Petracci, Leonard]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2021-02-10T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 30: Draysky

“Four times pay, you bastard! Four times, if you pull up as many buckets as half the team. And I want quality crystal!”

It was the next quota day, and Oliver was behind more than ever. There were two reasons for this. First, the Keepers above him had noticed him meeting quota every month. If quota was being met, that meant quota could be raised, and they had increased it by ten percent. Second, and with more of an impact, was the winter fever that rampaged through the outpost. Every year the fever came with the change of seasons. As winter turned to spring, the fever came to chase the bitterest of the cold away with the rising heat of the ridgers’ bodies. The fever did not discriminate; young and old, man and woman, Keeper and ridger, it descended upon them. And though deaths were exceedingly rare, none who came down with the fever could lift a pickaxe, let alone swing it. In a particularly bad fever year, the Keepers had tried to force a team of ridgers sick with the disease up the mountain. None made it to the top. Two died, and the rest were bedridden for weeks.

This year had been savage. At least half the ridgers had failed to show at the morning roundup, and Oliver threatened to barge into their homes and personally pull them out of their beds. But it had not struck until the last week of the month, and though almost impossible, meeting quota was still within his grasp. They had been a full day ahead, and so long as they did not slide back, they’d make it with ease.

“I’m not just holding him accountable!” Oliver shouted, his finger cutting across the others. “I know plenty of you bastards despise me. You probably want to get rid of me, don’t you? Well, here’s a little secret for every one of you. If we make this quota, you can do just that. I’m here until I hit quota four times in a row, so here is your chance to get rid of me. Bring up enough crystal and you can wave me goodbye. If you don’t, well, just imagine how angry I’ll be when I have to stay. You won’t even have to imagine it, I’ll make it quite clear to you!”

His fingers flexed in the glove, and for a moment, Draysky could smell its sweet scent—not from proximity, but from memory. The side of his face stung as well, and he narrowed his eyes. Out of the Keepers, Oliver was the most dangerous due to his temper. Not just that, he was among the few that knew just how far Draysky’s ability had advanced. Burnsby had continued to warn Draysky that his increased crystal production was treacherous, and his grandmother had reiterated what had happened to his ancestors when they were deemed too powerful. With Oliver gone, Draysky would effectively reduce the Keepers' memory of his skills, as Oliver was one of the few that had personally seen it.

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