The Hive Child by Rebecca L. Fearnley

Author:Rebecca L. Fearnley [Rebecca L. Fearnley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Lightning Hyena Press
Published: 2022-06-02T00:00:00+00:00

Twenty-Four

Solma snaps awake with a yelp and claws the air. The image of Vulkan, the violet-eyed Fire Maker she’d met at Sand’s End last summer, fades and she’s lying on her back, staring at the canvas ceiling of her tent as it shifts in the midnight wind. Just a dream.

She closes her eyes and takes a few deep breaths, waiting for the tremble in her hands to calm. She’s been dreaming about those damn Fire Makers more often lately. Whenever she closes her eyes, she sees flames in their hands, the tattoos above their eyebrows gleaming in the light of their destruction. Those two could be anywhere, and here at Skyheart, Solma can barely keep her brother safe from Norsen and his greed.

So far, Norsen hasn’t fallen for the trap she and Reya set for him. There’s nothing to do but wait and watch. Somewhere out there, Reya and her most loyal Gatra patrol the forest, disobeying Norsen’s orders, for the sole purpose of catching their leader.

Solma sighs. Beside her, Olive snores gently, her sleeping bag slipping off her shoulders. It’s the first time in ages they’ve shared a tent again and Solma’s grateful for Olive’s company. She strokes a strand of hair from Olive’s face, smiling. It’s warm tonight, despite the breeze, but that’s not what keeps waking Solma. She tucks her hands under her head and tries to calm her whirring mind. It doesn’t work. She’s bone-weary, every muscle aching for rest, but there’s no taming her thoughts.

She’d been so angry with Warren when he’d turned up at Bell’s. Hadn’t she told him to stay in the glade? Bell weighed in—remarkably, on Solma’s side for once—and Warren got upset. Everyone was shouting and no-one was listening. In the end, Solma stalked out of the house, dragging Ig with her (that damn kid!) and left Warren and Yenn at the table, poring over Bell’s books. Warren had one thing on his mind. Bees, bees, bees. Solma could barely think straight for frustration. Doesn’t he get it? A Keeper child has been kidnapped and they’ve no idea who took her or where.

He and Yenn have been sleeping at the house for the last two weeks at Solma’s insistence. Behind a locked door is exactly where she wants Warren, at least until she can prove Norsen’s treachery. She fetches them every morning, shadowing their every step. Warren doesn’t hiccup without her knowing and she can tell it’s bothering him. He’s yelled at her numerous times. Partly, Solma thinks, it’s because he and Yenn can’t work

out what’s wrong with Yenn’s bees. She knows it’s getting to him. He spends so much time sat outside that hive with bees crawling on his hands. He’s obsessed, and Solma’s losing patience with it. Every day they’re here is another day he’s under Norsen’s power. Another day she might wake up to find he’s disappeared, just like Addie. The thought makes her gut curdle.

She rolls over so she can peer between the flaps of the tent entrance, checking the moon.

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