ã€ŠThe Silver Siren (Iron Butterfly #3)ã€‹


 Page 1

    Chapter 1

    ¡°She¡¯s getting stronger. Did you see what she did? Never seen anything like it.¡± A raspy male voice rang painfully in my ears even though he whispered.

    My body was sore, battered, and my skin felt like it was on fire, but the cool earth I lay on soothed me. My hands were bound painfully behind my back, and my feet were tied together at the ankles. I was having problems focusing my thoughts.

    ¡°She¡¯s crazy, that¡¯s what she is. Have you seen her face? She¡¯s not like the others, I tell you,¡± a second man answered uneasily. His voice had a slight whine to it.

    I willed my crusted eyes to open, and I saw a flicker of torchlight illuminate a cave wall and a flash of red robes.

    The Septori.

    I groaned silently and wiggled my hands in their bindings.

    ¡°Here. Put a bag over her face, and don¡¯t let her look at you. She¡¯s got the evil eye,¡± the raspy voice said.

    I heard a loud shuffling and quickly closed my eyes, pretending to be asleep. I felt my head lifted and the scratch of a rough burlap sack over my face. It took all the control I had not to fight them, but to lie still. What had happened to my face? They kept saying something was wrong with my face.

    ¡°With that eye, she looks like a demon,¡± the whiner said.

    ¡°Shut up! I¡¯m warning you!¡± said the first.

    ¡°What I want to know is how are we supposed to outrun him? He¡¯ll follow,¡± Whiner continued.

    ¡°That¡¯s the plan. The Raven wants them both,¡± a louder angrier Septori interrupted, obviously the boss. ¡°Now be quiet and watch her. Make sure she doesn¡¯t wake up.¡±

    Even under the burlap, I felt the gaze of the three men and tried to keep my breathing deep and even as if I were asleep.

    ¡°Nah, she hasn¡¯t moved since she passed out in the barn. She¡¯s probably dead,¡± the whiny voice alleged, obviously forgetting the boss¡¯s warning.

    ¡°Dead people don¡¯t breathe, stupid,¡± said the raspy voice.

    ¡°Well, I doubt she¡¯ll wake up. So don¡¯t call me stupid.¡±

    They paused in their speaking. Even blinded and bound, I could still feel the heaviness that permeated the air.

    ¡°We lost Vulture and Heron back there,¡± a new voice chimed in.

    How many were in the cave? It was tough to keep track.

    ¡°We lost a lot more than that.¡±

    ¡°I told you idiots to be quiet,¡± the leader snapped at them.

    Lying as still as I could, I tried to see where we were without moving or alerting them to what I could do. Stretching my senses outward, I sought out my surroundings. All I could see was the cave. I was drained and snapped back into my consciousness. I had reached my limit and hadn¡¯t recovered yet. I doubted I even had enough strength to steal their power.

    I began counting to one hundred, hoping to distract myself and soothe the incessant pain, but it was hard to concentrate. How had I ended up here bound and imprisoned in a cave? I could only remember leaving Skyfell and traveling toward Haven a few days ago. Slowly and painfully, I forced my mind to retrace my steps¡ªto recall everything that had happened¡ªup to that moment.

    We¡¯d been on our way back to the city of Haven with the prisoner Mona. We had just left Skyfell and had been only on the road for a few days. Our traveling party consisted of Hemi, my honor-bound clansmen, a giant of a man with a giant heart; Fanny, a copper-haired woman from Skyfell who was the original inventor of the machine that made me what I was today, although her creation had a different intention. Also, she had proven her alliance by healing me and accompanying us on our journey to speak with Queen Lilyana and the adepts.

    Also with us were Darren Hamden, inherent rover and Joss¡¯s godfather with a penchant for fashion and jokes; Joss Jesai, the rather good looking Denai that I was pretending to be engaged to in an attempt to search for clues for his missing sister. As crazy as the idea was, we were able to save Gloria from being manipulated by the deceitful Mona and to uncover a huge Septori plot all under the Jesai family¡¯s nose.

    And of course there was Kael, the SwordBrother, a silent, deadly, broody, manly, confusing, irritating man who was unfortunately magically bound to me because of what the Septori had done to us. We were a ragtag band trying to make the journey to the city of Haven as quick as possible and trying to stay one step ahead of anyone tracking us. But I couldn¡¯t shake the disappointment of not finding Joss¡¯s sister, Tenya. She was still out there somewhere.

    Joss rode over to us. ¡°We are stopping up ahead for the night.¡± His blond hair was getting long and starting to brush the collar of his cream-colored shirt. Why was I fixating on his hair? And when had it gotten so long?

    Glancing up in surprise, I tried to catch his gaze, but he purposely looked over me and turned around to ride back to the front of our group. My fingers dug into the reins of my horse angrily.

    Great! Joss and I were having our first fight and I couldn¡¯t blame him. He was still upset over my kiss with Kael. And Kael! He¡¯d gone back to wearing his expressionless mask, void of any emotion. For all I knew, he had completely forgotten about that very kiss in Skydown. Gritting my teeth at the stubbornness of both these two men, I mumbled angrily to myself. By the time we were finally settled and had set up dinner, I had given myself an intense headache.

    No one spoke, and dinner had been eaten in record time. I noticed that Mona cast me knowing glances and smirked at me whenever she thought I wasn¡¯t looking.

    Thalia? Faraway, my horse and constant companion, sensed my mood and spoke straight into my thoughts. I was beginning to understand the bond between my Guardian horse and myself. It was still confusing, but he was quickly becoming a permanent fixture within my mind. I didn¡¯t know how I could ever live without him.

    Yes? I thought to him.

    There¡¯s a river nearby. I think you should go and relax a bit.

    That sounds wonderful. I¡¯m going to tell Hemi.

    And I did. Hemi looked at me in surprise, but I politely explained that I needed some time alone. And even though he was uncomfortable with the idea, Fanny persuaded him to let me go.

    ¡°That horse of hers is protection enough. She¡¯ll be fine, ya big oaf,¡± she said. Her copper-colored hair was pulled back off her face with a blue scarf. She slapped him on the arm, and Hemi grunted dramatically as if he were in a lot of pain.

    Grabbing a bar of soap, I took off with Faraway. I placed my hand on Faraway¡¯s neck and walked with him while he led me to the river. By now the sun was setting and the sky was turning dark, twilight. Looking at the calm, slow-moving river made me shake unconsciously. Joss had rescued me the year before from a river much like this one.

    I took off my boots and rolled up my pants before creeping to the water¡¯s edge and stepping in, letting the coldness of the water shock my system and clear my head. Using the soap, I scrubbed as much dirt as I could from my hands, face, neck, and arms. It was the most I could do without taking a full bath, and truthfully, I didn¡¯t feel at all comfortable taking one in the open.

    Once done, I was in no hurry to head back to camp, so I waded out to an outcropping of rocks and climbed upon them as if I were playing the old child¡¯s game King of the Mountain. I stood on them with my hands on my hips and watched as the moonlight reflected on the waters.

    It wasn¡¯t until a hand grabbed my ankle and pulled that I realized someone was in the lake with me.

 Page 2

    Chapter 2

    I was yanked backwards into the water, and I came up gasping for breath and sputtering like a doused cat.

    My black hair covered my face, blocking my vision while loud guffaws alerted me to the direction of my attacker.

    I recognized the laugh as belonging to Joss.

    Pulling my hair to the side, I saw his grin. He tried to hide it when I glared at him. Hastily, I glanced to the embankment to see Joss¡¯s shirt and boots lying on a log. No other clothes were removed and I breathed easier. Not by much, though, because my eyes kept looking down at his masculine chest.

    When Joss still was unable to silence his mirth, I got revenge. Pulling the water to me I made two huge waves rise up on both sides of him and immersed him, I also made sure that the waves soaked his shirt and boots that he¡¯d left on dry land.

    Now it was my turn to laugh mercilessly. I was rewarded by a physical dunking that turned into more splashing. I tried to run out of the water for safety, but Joss was faster, scooping me up around the waist. He threw me, screaming, back into the cold, dark water.

    Only I didn¡¯t come up. I held my breath and swam as low to the bottom as possible. I held still, lying in wait. Paddling backward with my hands, I closed my eyes and searched with my other senses through the water. Sure enough, a frantic Joss shouted my name and dove back in after me.

    When he came up for air, I sprang up out of the water like a swan surfacing. I grabbed onto his shoulders and yanked him into the dark abyss. When he finally resurfaced, he grabbed my wrists and pulled me close to his chest in an embrace.

    I let him hug me and I took advantage of the warmth his body was giving off. My wet clothes were making me very cold and I felt my body shiver. Whether it was from cold or from Joss I wasn¡¯t sure.

    ¡°Don¡¯t do that,¡± he whispered into my hair. Joss¡¯s voice was breathy with exertion. ¡°You scared me.¡± He continued to hug me.

    I was content to not move or say anything, but I could immediately tell when the mood changed.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Thalia,¡± Joss groaned and spoke softly, fervently. ¡°I don¡¯t know how to explain what happened that night between me and Mona, other than that wasn¡¯t me. It was just as my mother said¡ªI could watch myself doing things, but I couldn¡¯t control it. A bad dream that I couldn¡¯t wake up from. I do know, though, that you were meant to see us.¡± Joss pulled away from me and grasped my shoulders. Leaning down, he searched my eyes.

    ¡°I wasn¡¯t in control. You have to believe me. I left you to go change, and Mona was in the hall waiting for me. I felt a pinch and then I felt dizzy. Her voice was mesmerizing. I was compelled to follow her. I heard her mumble something about you under her breath and then the next moment, she was kissing me. And I was kissing her back.¡±

    ¡°Stop¡­please,¡± I shook my head, not wanting to hear more. He had explained enough. But Joss felt he hadn¡¯t.

    ¡°I heard a noise and couldn¡¯t look up until she let me, and I saw your face. I wanted to die. I wanted to scream, to run to you and tell you it¡¯s all a lie, but I was frozen.¡± Joss ran his hand through his hair in disgust. ¡°I wished that you could hear my thoughts. In my mind I was screaming at you for help, but then you turned away and left.¡±

    I closed my eyes and looked down ashamed. I should have known that wasn¡¯t like Joss. I should have seen the signs that something was wrong. But I was too quick to believe that he had chosen someone else.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Thalia. I was angry that you left, that you would believe the worst of me without confronting me. But then Mona made me return to the party and that¡¯s when everything went downhill¡­and you saw the rest.¡±

    ¡°No, Joss, I need to apologize to you too, about the kiss with Kael.¡± I felt awful that I was saying I was sorry for something I enjoyed. ¡°He surprised me, and I didn¡¯t comprehend fast enough to pull away.¡±

    Joss was quiet, thoughtful, and then he nodded his head in understanding. ¡°So are we good?¡±

    I grinned back. ¡°We¡¯re good.¡±

    Joss looked at me and started to laugh again as he pulled a stray twig out of my hair. ¡°You look a mess.¡±

    I made a face and reached up to feel for other items that may have gotten caught in my long hair. Yep, there were other twigs as well. Joss also had a thick twig on his shoulder and when I went to brush it off, it didn¡¯t move.

    Frowning I reached up to brush it off again and it only squirmed. That¡¯s when I realized it wasn¡¯t a twig.

    ¡°Leeches!¡± I squealed in horror and ran out of the water as fast as I could and dove behind a huge rock as my clothes clung to my body. I began to rip my shirt off to pull off the offending leeches but Joss was right behind me.

    Our screams brought Kael and Darren running¡ªKael with his knives drawn, his face a mask of death. They both stopped in their tracks when they saw our frantic dance to remove the leeches.

    Kael¡¯s eyes locked onto me and looked at my wet clothes and then glanced to Joss¡¯s similar state, his mouth turning down in disapproval.

    Darren ran over to Joss and began to pluck the leeches from his body. Kael looked at me awkwardly and then, turning his back on me, headed back to camp. A few moments later, Fanny came running down the same path with something in her hands.

    Fanny arrived with a pouch full of salve. After she plucked all of the leeches from my body, she applied it heavily to their bites. I groaned in protest as the pungent order reached my nose. It was hartswood, a salve that smelled similar to cat urine, and it belonged to Kael. He knew how much I hated the smell of it, and I could just picture him in my mind heading back to camp grabbing the pouch and throwing it to Fanny with instructions.

    He knew I would argue with him if he tried to get me to use it. So he sent someone I wouldn¡¯t argue with. Kael was beginning to figure me out.

    Cold and miserable, I made it back to camp with the others and grabbed my spare clothes out of Faraway¡¯s saddlebag. I glanced around for Kael so I could give him a piece of my mind, but he wasn¡¯t there. So I took out my frustration on Faraway.

    ¡°Why didn¡¯t you warn me?¡±

    You weren¡¯t in danger.

    ¡°Leeches, Faraway. I was attacked by bloodsucking leeches.¡± I hissed.

    Okay you weren¡¯t in any real danger, he chortled. I wouldn¡¯t say attacked. You were the one who invaded their home. They were just hungry. Like I am right now.

    ¡°You¡¯re always hungry.¡±

    Exactly, so I don¡¯t blame them.

    ¡°But I blame you!¡±

    He snorted and went silent on me.

    Once I had changed and laid out my wet clothes to dry by the fire, I sat and combed out the snarls in my wet hair while surveying the rest of my traveling companions. Darren had challenged Fanny to a game involving tossing small stones into a tin cup. Their contagious laughter filled the camp and soon Joss and Hemi were calling out bets as to who the winner would be.

    Darren bowed comically whenever his throw rang true and fell to his knees in dramatic sorrow when he lost another game to Fanny. ¡°Woman, you¡¯ve stolen my pride, my dignity,¡± he crowed, throwing his arm over his face.

    ¡°Nonsense,¡± Fanny snorted drolly. ¡°You would need to have a speck of dignity first for me to steal it. Which you don¡¯t.¡±

    Joss slapped his knee in laughter at the obvious look of mock dismay that crept over Darren¡¯s face. Hemi¡¯s stoic face cracked a smile beneath his red beard, and even Mona had to cover her mouth with her hands to hide her laughter. Overall, the tension from earlier had been alleviated. The fire died down and we settled in for the night, each of us taking a turn on watch.

 Page 3

    I couldn¡¯t sleep. Lying in my bedroll, I stared at the fire until I saw Kael come back to camp. It was the same as before. I felt that I couldn¡¯t fall asleep outdoors unless I knew he was near. As if his presence alone kept the bad things away. Or maybe I knew that if Kael was near, the Septori wouldn¡¯t be able to take me.

    Only Kael didn¡¯t put his bedroll anywhere near mine. He set it up on the far side of camp and actually turned his back on me to sleep. I must have angered him. I was frustrated by the fact that for the last three days he¡¯d slept near me, but now he refused. Sleep never came.

    A few hours later, a hand touched my shoulder and Darren whispered that it was time for my shift. Wide-eyed and tired, I nodded and stood up. I walked the perimeter of our camp and listened while Darren settled into his bedroll. Within minutes he was asleep.

    No one else in the camp stirred. Mona was chained to a tree that was relatively close to the fire. Hemi and Fanny were sleeping around her but out of reach. Joss and Darren snored lightly, and Kael¡ªon the other side of camp from us¡ªnever moved. Not a single sound of sleep ever came from him.

    I scanned with my senses to see if anyone was near. A badger was digging a burrow, and an owl circled overhead searching for dinner. Other than a few small animals, I couldn¡¯t sense anything larger within a half-mile of us.

    Maybe I was becoming lazy and relying on my gifts more than I should. But I let my mind wander, and I kept going back to thinking about Joss.

    I had feelings for Joss, and they were growing, but I was also deeply troubled by the doubt I had about our future. When Joss asked if I would be his lifemate as a pretense to finding his sister, my mind had started to consider the real possibility. After all, he had hinted to it possibly leading to more.

    We were still young, still unsure. But what would a life with Joss actually be like? Even though I really liked Joss, would that be enough to overcome my reservations?

    For one, I didn¡¯t like Skyfell. I hated it¡ªhated flying, hated being imprisoned in the air. Joss was to be the future clanleader of Skyfell, so he had to go back. I was the future clan leader of Valdyrstal. How could both of us uphold our birthrights and be together?

    Second, my clan hates Denai, and I wasn¡¯t even sure that they would allow me to lead. Some of my clan already knew what happened to me, and they were willing to follow me, to protect me. Hemi was proof of that. But even if I convinced them or was able to hide what I am from them, they would never ever allow Joss, a Denai, to be my lifemate.

    Sighing in frustration, I tried to reason with myself¡ªeven to the extent of having pretend arguments with my father and the council to justify being with Joss. And each scenario in my head turned out worse than before. I knew the clan laws; I knew what the punishment would be.

    Exile.

    Could I live with that? I wasn¡¯t sure. But it gave enough doubt to a viable future that I felt I should try and slow down our relationship.

    When my shift was over I was to wake Kael. Walking over to him, I kneeled down and touched his shoulder. A flash of movement, and I flew through the air and landed on my back painfully. The impact knocked the wind from me, and Kael loomed over me, one of his deadly blades pressed to my throat.

    I looked up at Kael in confusion. His dark eyes glittered dangerously, and I felt my breath catch in my throat.

    ¡°You¡¯re getting careless,¡± he whispered into the night.

    ¡°Whatever are you talking about? I¡¯m waking you for your shift,¡± I hissed back angrily.

    ¡°You are letting your guard down; I could have killed you right then.¡±

    ¡°But you won¡¯t kill me. I trust you with my life.¡±

    Kael didn¡¯t speak. We watched each other silently. He swallowed, and I reached up to touch his hand and move the knife away from my throat. He didn¡¯t look too pleased.

    ¡°Thalia, you can¡¯t trust me. You can¡¯t trust anyone,¡± his eyes burned as they stared into mine. ¡°What happened in Skyfell proved that, and you have to be extra careful.¡±

    ¡°I trust you.¡± I meant it.

    ¡°You¡¯re a fool if you do.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯m a fool,¡± I said solemnly.

    A moment of contemplative silence passed as Kael¡¯s mood darkened.

    ¡°Thalia, don¡¯t get too friendly with Joss.¡± Kael warned, his eyes darkening again. ¡°He¡¯s starting to fall for you, and if you¡¯re not careful, he¡¯s going to ask to be bonded to you.¡±

    ¡°Why not? It¡¯s not as if anyone else is dying to choose me,¡± I snapped back.

    Kael leaned away from me. I felt the coldness creep in as soon as he moved. I shivered. Kael noticed and wrapped his blanket around me. ¡°Get some sleep,¡± he ordered.

    ¡°I can¡¯t,¡± I murmured.

    ¡°Why not?¡± He started to walk away.

    I couldn¡¯t look at him; I could only stare across the fire in silence. In a moment of panic I asked. ¡°Are you going to leave?¡±

    He stopped and glanced back over his shoulder at me. ¡°I have to check the surrounding area.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯ve already scanned. There¡¯s nothing out there except for a badger, an owl, and some bats.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure?¡±

    ¡°Positive. So are you going to leave?¡± I hated how weak I sounded.

    Kael studied my downcast eyes and answered, ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°Will you stay close?¡± It sounded crazy coming from my own mouth, but I needed him near.

    ¡°I¡¯ll stay as close as you want,¡± he whispered. Then he sat near me cross-legged. ¡°Is this good?¡± A small smile played at the corner of his lips.

    Nodding my head, I curled up in his bedroll and immediately felt comfortable and safe. I yawned and inhaled the smell of him from his blanket. I was definitely tired.

    ¡°Thalia?¡± Kael leaned over and whispered into my ear.

    ¡°Hmmm?¡± I answered.

    ¡°Why don¡¯t you want me to leave?¡±

    ¡°Mmm. ¡¯Cause you keep the bad things away,¡± I mumbled sleepily.

    ¡°What if I am the bad thing?¡± His thick voice questioned. Was that a hint of fear I heard?

    ¡°You¡¯re not,¡± I answered honestly.

    I was almost asleep when I heard shuffling. My eyes flew open, and I reached out to grab Kael¡¯s arm. He looked at me in surprise.

    ¡°I¡¯m just getting comfortable,¡± he smirked.

    ¡°Promise you won¡¯t leave me,¡± I demanded tiredly.

    Kael nodded, and I let sleep finally win. But I swore I heard him whisper under his breath. ¡°Never.¡±

    Chapter 3

    The next day as we packed up camp, Fanny was apparently the only one who noticed the bedroll I was sleeping in wasn¡¯t mine. She shot me a curious glance but then went back to tending to hers and Mona¡¯s things.

    Kael had kept his word and stayed near me. When I woke up, he was still in the same position. He looked as if he hadn¡¯t moved an inch during the entire night. I felt guilt overcome me and eyed him gratefully as he woke.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said meekly.

    Nodding his head, Kael stretched out his arms and started to stand. ¡°Any bad things come your way?¡±

    ¡°No.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m glad,¡± and he smiled at me. A small smile that made his eyes crinkle in the corners.

    He stood and stretched out his back and then moved to start breaking down camp and to check on Mona¡¯s bonds. She was actually being a very easygoing prisoner. If it wasn¡¯t for the chains she wore, we could almost feel as if she were part of the group. But we couldn¡¯t let that fool us. Underneath her friendly fa?ade, she was still a member of the Septori.

 Page 4

    I had never gotten the chance to speak with Kael about what had happened between us. But it seemed like water under the bridge since he wasn¡¯t giving me the cold shoulder. So we had come to a common understanding somewhere in the night, and we wouldn¡¯t speak of it.

    When we stopped for lunch Kael insisted on running me through training drills. He¡¯d once been my arms instructor at the Citadel, and we bickered constantly. I had felt that he was being tougher on me than the other students, and so I resented him.

    Now he was no less tough on me. In fact it seemed as if he was trying to make up for lost time by beating me around the camp in circles. My anger rose, and I was determined to show him that I would not be so easily bested, but I dropped my sword on the ground.

    Kael kicked it over to me and I bent to pick it up.

    ¡°Wait,¡± he snapped.

    I froze in a crouch. Without warning, Kael attacked again, and I threw my arm up to block the downward strike of his palm. Kael sheathed his knives, so now we were sparring hand to hand. Hemi and Darren had stopped everything they were doing to watch us fight.

    Kael wasn¡¯t giving me any openings, and I had to work hard to get a strike in. Too late, I left my side open and he feinted with a kick. Stepping and bringing up my leg and arm to block, I missed the feint, and he punched me in the solar plexus. Dropping to the ground, I grabbed my middle and fell forward face first into the dirt.

    ¡°What the heck do you think you¡¯re doing?¡± Joss yelled at him.

    ¡°Saving her life.¡± Kael spoke stiffly, refusing to look at Joss.

    ¡°It looks like you¡¯re trying to kill her, not save her,¡± Joss growled back angrily, stepping in front of my prone body to challenge Kael.

    ¡°Move aside. This is none of your business.¡±

    Joss kneeled next to me. I pushed him away as I struggled up from the ground. I glared at Kael, shifted my weight to my back leg, and brought my fists up to the ready position. I wasn¡¯t going to quit.

    Kael wasn¡¯t harder on me because he hated me. He was harder on me because he was scared for me. He knew what I went through in the prison; he¡¯d gone through it too. He wasn¡¯t trying to punish or demoralize me. Kael was trying to make me into the best fighter he could, because he cared about what happened to me. The least I could do was take what he had to offer and dish a little back.

    We continued fighting until Kael called a halt and told us it was time to get back on the road. My muscles ached and I had numerous bruises to show for my stubbornness¡ªsitting in the saddle was a constant reminder of it¡ªbut I was happy. I grabbed my water bag and took a long drink out of it when I heard a horse draw near.

    Fanny rode up to me, her brows knit with worry. ¡°Thalia, I¡¯m not even going to pretend to understand you young ones, because I don¡¯t. But all I have to say is that letting a young man beat you to a pulp is no way to let him know you like him.¡±

    I choked and spat the water all over Faraway¡¯s neck. None too pleased, Faraway stepped sideways in shock and rode into Mona¡¯s horse. Still coughing and wiping my mouth, I noticed Mona¡¯s disgusted expression.

    I had to clear my throat a few times before I was able to speak without coughing. ¡°I think you are mistaken.¡±

    Fanny raised one eyebrow. ¡°Am I now? Well I guess you can¡¯t believe the observations of an old woman like me. I mean, it¡¯s not like I was ever a young girl who held the admirations of a few gentlemen either.¡±

    ¡°No, that¡¯s not what I mean,¡± I tried to apologize.

    ¡°Thalia, you have to be careful and pick one. Otherwise you could end up hurting both of them.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s nonsense. Nothing could hurt Kael.¡± I meant to go on but Fanny raised her hand to stop me.

    ¡°Listen to yourself; you mentioned one and not the other.¡±

    My mouth dropped open in shock at her quick observation.

    ¡°But I don¡¯t feel that way about Kael, and he doesn¡¯t feel that way about me. I love Joss.¡±

    The look that Fanny shot me read that my statement was plain preposterous.

    ¡°Your head loves one but your heart loves another. That¡¯s never a good mix, my dear. Think about it.¡± And Fanny dropped back to ride next to Hemi.

    And I did think about it. I thought about it for hours, and I came to the same conclusion. Deep down, I knew Fanny was right.

    Now if only I could figure out which one to follow.

    Chapter 4

    We came upon a farm when we were still three-days ride from Haven. Darren had suggested we knock on the farmhouse door and ask if we could pay to sleep in their barn for the night.

    Hemi looked at the farm skeptically. ¡°I don¡¯t think they would even open the door to us.¡±

    Darren waved his hands in the air. ¡°Nonsense. They wouldn¡¯t open the door to you. A strapping young man like myself who is traveling with his wife and children on the way to Haven¡ªyes.¡± Darren held out his arm to Fanny who laughed and latched on to it playfully.

    ¡°Yes, my darling husband,¡± Fanny batted her eyes at him. Hemi looked at the exchange and his face darkened, turning red.

    ¡°The rest of you would do best if you stayed back out of sight. Kael, that includes you. Your whole body language reads trained killer. Hemi, you look¡­uh...hmm, well.¡± Darren paused as he took in the huge muscular frame, the wild red hair, his long beard and fur pelt Hemi wore around his shoulders. ¡°Umm let¡¯s just say, you look like you could scare them into saying yes, if it comes to forcing them to let us stay the night.¡±

    ¡°Darren, you don¡¯t really think we would force them?¡± Fanny looked up worriedly.

    ¡°Of course not. Watch and learn.¡± Darren had Kael and Hemi lead Mona into the woods along with two of the horses. While Fanny rode one of our horses, Darren led Faraway, and Joss and I walked demurely behind.

    ¡°Joss, now remember you¡¯re my devoted son who wants to grow up and be just like his good ol¡¯ dad.¡±

    Joss snorted and his shoulders shook in mirth.

    ¡°Shhh, stop laughing. You¡¯re blowing our cover,¡± Darren admonished.

    I had to bite my lip to keep from laughing as we tried to play the parts that Darren assigned to us. Fanny the worried mother, Joss the devoted son and¡ªDarren spared one look at my skeptical face and deemed me the mute daughter.

    No way on earth would this scheme actually work. But sure enough, Darren slumped a shoulder, ruffled his hair, and took on the persona of a worn out father who was looking out for his family. He knocked and we waited.

    The elderly farmer and his plump wife were slow to open the door, but once they looked at Darren¡¯s face and saw Fanny and her children, the door opened wider.

    ¡°What can I do for you?¡± the farmer asked, his eyes crinkled in concern.

    ¡°Well, good sir. We only wish to take shelter in your barn for the night. We are on our way to Haven, to take young Jon here to my brother¡¯s to become his apprentice. Our horse threw a shoe and we¡¯ve lost the light. We had hoped to make it to an inn by now, and my wife and daughter don¡¯t wish to sleep out in the open again.¡±

    ¡°Oh, the poor dears.¡± The farmer¡¯s wife looked at us with understanding, leaving me to believe that she had been in a similar situation. Faraway played his part perfectly by favoring one hoof.

    ¡°We would be willing to pay for the use of your barn, hay, and some feed. We have our own food stores so we won¡¯t need anything else.¡± Darren spoke slowly and calmly.

 Page 5

    I shot a look over to Darren and had to bite my tongue. Of course if I were the one negotiating I would have asked for a bathing tub and maybe some food. The baked bread I smelled coming out of the kitchen made my stomach growl. But then we would have a hard time explaining why we ate enough food for a party of seven.

    When the deal was struck, Darren gave the farmer and his wife enough money to seem generous but not make them overly suspicious. He told them we wouldn¡¯t need anything else and to not worry about us, but the extra few coins paid them for our privacy.

    We led our horses to the barn and waited till dark to motion for Kael and Hemi to bring Mona. The barn was a great distance from the house, so none of us worried that they would hear us talking. Still, few words were spoken as we settled in to sleep, everyone grateful for the abundance of hay to pad our beds. Everyone, that was, except for me.

    Sleeping on the straw brought back awful memories of being a prisoner of the Septori and how Kael had set the whole prison on fire¡ªan underground prison beneath a stable. The similarities were too much, and every time I closed my eyes, I saw the iron butterfly and the cold metal table.

    Not to mention that the fever and burning stomach pain was back. Rolling on my side, I tried to concentrate on breathing until this latest episode passed. That is what I had started calling them. Episodes. Which usually only came during the night.

    Joss had even taken a look at me and couldn¡¯t find anything wrong.

    ¡°It burns. Everything¡¯s on fire,¡± I whimpered. Tonight, it wasn¡¯t letting up. It was getting worse. My body felt as if I were literally on fire. I wasn¡¯t being as quiet as I thought, because cool hands pressed themselves to my forehead.

    ¡°She is burning up,¡± a soft feminine voice whispered. I felt a cool energy pass through me as Fanny attempted to heal me, but the energy came and went. ¡°It¡¯s not working. I can¡¯t identify what is attacking her, so I don¡¯t know how to heal it. It¡¯s not a regular infection. I don¡¯t know what to do.¡±

    A few muffled words were spoken. And someone mentioned Mona¡¯s name in question.

    ¡°No, I¡¯ve checked for signs. It¡¯s not Mona,¡± Joss spoke.

    More muttering and someone cursed in aggravation.

    You¡¯ll be fine. It will pass, Faraway intoned sadly.

    Do you know what¡¯s happening? I gasped as another wave of pain overcame me.

    It¡¯s as the Raven said. You are changing.

    AGHH. I grunted and tried to think the words to my horse. Into what?

    Silence followed.

    Let me guess. You¡¯re not allowed to tell me? By this time, tears poured down my face.

    Is it almost over? I screamed mentally to him.

    No, it will get worse before it¡¯s over. Faraway sounded miserable. He didn¡¯t want to be the one to tell me.

    And for an instant, I saw it all in my mind. I wasn¡¯t trying to scan, but I could see what was happening, and I wasn¡¯t in any kind of condition to do anything.

    ¡°FIRE!¡± I screamed loudly. Opening my eyes wide in pain, I saw the shocked faces of Fanny and Joss. ¡°Fire!¡± I shouted again.

    They just looked at me confused.

    Desperate, I searched for Kael and saw him farther back, watching me with a helpless expression.

    ¡°Save them¡ªfire.¡± I mouthed to him. And I saw my warning register on his face. Kael believed me. Running outside, he saw what I had seen in my mind.

    The farmer¡¯s house was on fire.

    Chapter 5

    A high-pitched feminine scream erupted from inside the house. Glass shattered as someone threw a chair through an upstairs window. Smoke billowed out in waves.

    Everyone rushed from the barn to try and help, leaving me alone in the stall on the floor with Mona nearby chained to a support beam. Darren was smart enough to release the horses, because the smell of smoke would drive them crazy. Hopefully they would find a place to graze out of the way and we¡¯d find them again come morning.

    GO! I commanded Faraway. He paced nervously in his stall, wanting to stay but needing to run.

    I¡¯ll be fine, I lied. He ran outside.

    I tried to crawl out of the stall to see out the open barn doors, but deep down I knew it was too late. Too late for the farmer and his wife and too late for me. In that miraculous instant, I had seen what was coming and had to make a decision to save myself or try to save the farmer and his wife.

    I chose them.

    The fire was too far gone, the blaze too hot to have been caused by something as simple as a candle or lantern. The house had been purposely set on fire as a distraction. I saw Kael burst through the front doors of the farmhouse and heard the clash of steel as he met a group of hidden attackers.

    Darren and Hemi followed suit, dashing in with sword and axe drawn. Joss stayed outside and tried to smother the fire with magic. Slowly the flames were dying down. If only the screams would die down as well.

    My vision became blurry as smoke started to billow into the barn. Tears poured out of my eyes. I collapsed on the floor in pain and let the burning of my body mirror the burning of the house. How I wished I could have stopped it.

    And stop what I was about to have to do.

    A rough hand grabbed the back of my hair and lifted my throbbing head off of the floor.

    ¡°It¡¯s been a while, hasn¡¯t it, Thalia?¡± A large grungy man scowled down at me, his clothes covered with dirt. It looked like he had been on the run. It was Talbot¡ªXiven and Mona¡¯s fake father, and one of the Raven¡¯s apprentices it seemed. But I had known he was coming. I had seen it.

    He pulled me up by my hair and I had little choice but to follow him or have my hair pulled out of my scalp.

    ¡°You are coming with me,¡± he snarled.

    A man in a red robe appeared next to Talbot and grabbed me around the hands. He began tying them together.

    ¡°Wait, what about me?¡± Mona yelled, kicking her feet angrily against the floor.

    ¡°What about you?¡± Talbot looked at her, his eyebrow raised.

    ¡°You can¡¯t leave me here!¡± She fumed.

    ¡°I have no orders regarding you,¡± he laughed cruelly. ¡°Only her.¡± He motioned to me.

    Too bad, I thought to myself. I waited in pain until more Septori filtered in through the back door of the barn. By the noises coming from outside, I knew my friends were facing their own battle. So I blocked Faraway from my thoughts and hoped that Kael was distracted.

    And just as I had known what was about to happen, I knew what I was supposed to do. I let the pain consume me, let my anger rise to the surface, and I gave in to it. Gave in to the burning. Throwing my head back, I screamed painfully and released all of the built up, barely-contained power I had been holding in. I let the fire out. I let the monster out, and once I did, the pain consuming me stopped.

    The barn burst into flames, the Septori burst into flames, and Talbot screamed as he beat at his clothes to stop the fire. The fire shot across the beams of the barn.

    The Septori in a panic, tried to drag me out of the barn.

    The shriek of a horse made me glance to Faraway, and I saw him outside of the barn screaming in terror.

    He was going to try and run in to save me. With a wave of power, I slammed the barn door closed on him, keeping him out. I was going to end this once and for all. I had a glimpse of what I was becoming and I didn¡¯t like it.

    ¡°Burn,¡± I whispered and watched as the flames licked higher. Energy flowed through my body, and I could hear something just beyond my consciousness. Like a sigh being released. My body became warm, tingling. And then more pain.

 Page 6

    ¡°Her eyes. Look at her eyes!¡± One of my captors backed away from me and ran out the side door.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at her, just grab her!¡± Talbot screamed.

    I felt more hands grasp me and I hated it. I hated them. Looking up along the beams of the barn, I saw the main support beam.

    It was time to end this for everyone.. I gave in to the pain and anger, reached for a smaller support beam, and pulled at it. Half of the burning roof came down on a large group of the Septori. They screamed and tried to cover their heads as it fell. Too late.

    ¡°Stop her! She¡¯s going to kill us all,¡± Talbot cried waving his hands at me.

    I smirked. I was.

    Mona screamed in fright and pulled against her chains helplessly.

    I frowned. I felt a moment of hesitation at killing her along with myself. The power was a drug. I looked at her in the corner and some part of me didn¡¯t care whether she lived or died. This was the part I had been fighting to keep inside. This is what I was becoming and I hated.

    Pulling back on the power, I shouted and tried to yank it back and contain it within myself again. The flames were less hungry, less powerful. The burning Septori were finally able to gain control and douse the flames on their body.

    The barn would still burn, still fall, but not at my command. Not yet. I felt only a moment¡¯s regret that I had not gone through with the plan in my head, that I had not been able to kill myself and the Septori along with me. Kill the monster within me that was trying to get out.

    The roar in my ears was deafening as I pulled the power back in and the pain returned. I collapsed into darkness.

    And that¡¯s all I remembered before waking up in the cave, bound and listening to the Septori discuss me.

    What had I done? I didn¡¯t go through with it. My vision had ended and I couldn¡¯t see my future beyond the present. Somehow I knew that even though I tried to save them, the farmer and his wife had died in that fire. What became of the rest of our group, I didn¡¯t know. I had seen what would befall them if they stayed in the barn with me, which was why I tried to alter what I saw. I hoped I could save them if I killed myself and the Septori.

    But I hadn¡¯t gone through with it. I¡¯d changed my mind at the last minute and saved Mona, who was a member of the Septori. Had I lost my mind?

    Apparently so.

    I couldn¡¯t hear the leader¡¯s voice anymore, so I knew Talbot must have left the cave. Could he and the remaining Septori be outside laying in wait? It was still night, so only a few hours had passed. My only guess was that they were setting a trap for Kael. Why? I hadn¡¯t seen any results from whatever experiments they¡¯d done on him. But obviously their leader wanted us both. Could they know about our bond?

    I thought back to my conversation with Talbot in Skyfell before he escaped with a skite. He said he wasn¡¯t going to come for me but would let me come to him. Had he changed his mind or was there someone else involved as well?

    Someone yanked the sack off of my head. I¡¯d been so lost in thought that I didn¡¯t hear him come over. My eyes flew open and I saw a young man with pimples. He grimaced when he looked into my eyes. He had pulled off his red robe and had it tucked under his arm. I had yet to see my eyes, so I could only imagine what they looked like to send such fear into him.

    ¡°See? She¡¯s alive,¡± he yelled over his shoulder.

    ¡°Quick, someone¡¯s coming. Knock her out so she doesn¡¯t warn anyone.¡± The now familiar voice yelled into the darkness. The young pimple-faced Septori grabbed my head, pinched my nose, and poured a draft into my mouth.

    The taste was different. I was actually shocked to realize they¡¯d switched tactics. It was a sleeping draft. I fought against my eyelids as huge weights seemed to tug them down.

    The young man jumped up and moved into the shadows of the cave, blade in hand. A few moments later, I saw the familiar outline of Kael at the entrance to the cave. Walking right into a trap.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I tried to whisper, fighting against the sleeping draft.

    Kael kept walking, oblivious to the trap.

    I heard swords being drawn behind him. The Septori closed in.

    He was outnumbered and cornered.

    Chapter 6

    The scent of leather and musk encompassed me and I felt warm, protected. I almost started to cry. My head throbbed and couldn??t concentrating, but I could never forget the scent that I associate with Kael.

    Only I couldn¡¯t understand how.

    Then I realized the pounding in my head wasn¡¯t actually my head, but the sound of horse¡¯s hooves on a road. I was swaying side to side. Nausea hit me, and I sat up. Strong hands held onto me.

    ¡°Stop. Please stop,¡± I begged.

    The horse and rider slowed to a standstill. Carefully, I held onto the saddle and slid to the ground, testing my legs. I walked a few feet on my own before going further toward a stream.

    The rider dismounted as well and followed a few feet behind me. There was little doubt in my mind as to who the rider was¡ªno one else smelled like Kael¡ªbut I found I couldn¡¯t bring myself to look at him. I had to know first.

    Stopping every couple of feet to regain my balance, I made my way to the stream.

    Kael never spoke a word.

    Kneeling down, I leaned over to look at my face. I couldn¡¯t see anything. The river was rushing too fast and the sun was at the wrong angle. I saw nothing but water.

    ¡°No!¡± I cried and touching the water in disbelief. Something was hideously wrong with my face and I couldn¡¯t even see it.

    ¡°What¡¯s wrong?¡± Kael¡¯s soothing voice finally tried to calm me as his hands touched my shoulders lightly, trying to turn me toward him.

    ¡°Something¡¯s wrong with my face. I¡¯m a monster. Don¡¯t look at me.¡± I tucked my chin toward my chest and closed my eyes.

    ¡°Shh. Thalia, that¡¯s not true. There¡¯s nothing wrong with your face.¡±

    ¡°No I heard them; they said I was a monster, Kael. I know what I heard.¡± I used my hands to cover my face in horror.

    Kael tore a band of cloth from the bottom of his shirt and dipped it into the cold river. He began wiping away the dirt and ashes from my face.

    Jerking from the coldness, I tried to pull away. Kael held me firmly but gently. ¡°How am I supposed to tell you what you look like if you are covered in ashes?¡±

    Keeping my eyes closed, I let Kael wipe all of the dirt and soot from my face. The act was in itself kind, sensual, and completely out of character for the SwordBrother.

    When he finished, he ran his fingers down my face and cupped my cheeks. ¡°Thalia, open your eyes.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m scared to.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m here, remember? I¡¯ll keep the bad things away,¡± Kael said softly. ¡°I¡¯ve kept my promise so far haven¡¯t I?¡±

    He had.

    Besides, if my eyes really were that grotesque, he could handle it.

    I opened my eyes, keeping my head down. I raised them to focus on Kael¡¯s knees and slowly, ever so slowly, worked my way up. This was the first time that I had looked at him since last night. He was covered in soot and ash as well. One arm was bandaged, and blood seeped from a wound on his bicep. His neck had a large scratch on it and his chin was burned.

    My eyes froze on his lips as I remembered the kiss we¡¯d shared, and a longing came over me to kiss him again. But I pushed it aside and traveled higher until I met his eyes.

 Page 7

    Kael¡¯s eyes widened in surprise and his breath caught in his throat.

    I had startled the SwordBrother.

    My hands started to tremble and I grasped his shirt for dear life. ¡°Tell me.¡± My voice shook. ¡°Tell me what you see.¡±

    Kael started to breathe again, though his gaze never left my eyes. His thumb gently rubbed my cheek.

    ¡°I see you, Thalia. You.¡±

    ¡°What else, Kael? What¡¯s wrong with my eyes?¡±

    ¡°Nothing¡¯s wrong. It¡¯s beautiful.¡±

    ¡°It?¡± I cried, confused.

    ¡°It¡¯s silver. One of your eyes turned silver.¡±

    I didn¡¯t believe him.

    ¡°Thalia, one is blue and one is silver.¡± He chuckled still holding my face.

    ¡°Eww!¡± I scrunched up my face at him in disgust. ¡°How horrible.¡± I would have said more, but Kael¡¯s eyes turned stormy in disapproval.

    ¡°I think I¡¯ll be the judge of that.¡±

    He was mere inches from me and I couldn¡¯t help but reach out to him and touch the burn mark on his face. A powerful current raced through my arm, overwhelming me as I healed the blister.

    ¡°Ouch!¡± Kael jumped and stood back. Reaching up he touched his face and found the burn gone, along with the scratch on his neck. In disbelief, he checked his arm and the wound was gone.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± I winced when I realized the power had rushed from me and shocked him.

    ¡°This could be useful,¡± he grinned.

    Have you noticed that power is starting to draw to you? Faraway spoke up. It comes to you almost naturally now. You hardly ever have to pull from me.

    Unfortunately, yes. And I¡¯m scared about what it might mean. That I¡¯m still changing, still transforming? I thought as I mounted him.

    Kael swung himself up behind me and took the reins from my hands.

    ¡°He¡¯s my horse,¡± I grumbled, pulling the reins back from him.

    ¡°Do you know where we are going?¡± Kael argued, a little more stern than he had been.

    Looking around me, I couldn¡¯t even tell where we were.

    ¡°Um, no,¡± I said sheepishly.

    ¡°That¡¯s what I thought,¡± Kael said. He tugged the reins back from me and steered Faraway onto a northerly route. Embarrassed, I had no choice but to let Kael wrap his arms around me and to lean into his broad chest. He kept a quick pace and we seemed to make good time.

    Unfortunately, I fell asleep against him and woke up a few hours later. The sun was starting to set and I had yet to see Fanny, Joss, Hemi, or Darren. I tried to clear my throat but it was dry and scratchy. Kael handed me my water bag. After taking a drink, I wiped my mouth and asked him about them.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. I told them to take Mona and head immediately for Haven. I took your horse and went after you, promising that if I found you, I would do the same.¡±

    ¡°You mean you left them there to fight off the Septori alone?¡± I gasped.

    Kael scoffed at me. ¡°When I left, there were no Septori remaining. Except for the girl. They didn¡¯t even try to rescue her or take her.¡±

    ¡°What happened at the cave? I saw you enter and I tried to warn you. Why in the world would you walk into a trap?¡±

    Kael¡¯s eyes hardened and the muscle in his jaw line twitched. ¡°They¡¯re dead. Well, not Talbot, but he ran at the first sight of me.¡±

    ¡°But how? You were outnumbered.¡±

    Kael refused to speak for a moment. ¡°It was a trap and a poor one at that.¡± He looked at me sideways. ¡°I doubt you really want to know how, do you?¡±

    The look he gave me sent chills down my spine. I had seen him fight; I had seen Kael kill ruthlessly. I didn¡¯t need any gory details.

    ¡°We couldn¡¯t save the farmer and his wife. By the time I got there, I was surrounded by an army of Septori.¡± Kael¡¯s fists clenched and I reached out to touch his hand. My touch instantly made him relax.

    ¡°I know you tried,¡± I spoke softly.

    ¡°How did you know? How did you know about the fire?¡± Kael asked and nuzzled the back of my head with his chin.

    ¡°Would you believe me if I told you I had a vision? I saw it before it happened, so I tried to stop it.¡±

    ¡°Did you know about the Septori?¡± He asked.

    I had a feeling he already knew the answer. ¡°Yes,¡± I whispered meekly.

    ¡°It was why you sent me out of the barn after the farmer wasn¡¯t it?¡± Kael growled into my ear. He was angry and I couldn¡¯t blame him, but I wasn¡¯t afraid of him.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°You are one of the most stubborn, stupid, selfish people I know. Do you realize that?¡± Kael was furious and I let him vent. He needed to vent. I had put him in a position where I knew the outcome and almost made him break his promise to my father to protect me.

    ¡°Do you realize what you did? The barn almost came down. You could have died!¡± Kael¡¯s breath was coming quicker.

    My silence was all the affirmation he needed. He pulled Faraway to a stop and pulled me by the shoulder so I had to look at him.

    ¡°That was you? Were you trying to get yourself killed?¡± His disbelief and anger made me comprehend how foolish I was.

    I dropped my head in shame. I had been trying to kill myself, and Kael must have realized that, because he wrapped both arms around me and hugged me.

    ¡°Don¡¯t! Don¡¯t you do anything like that again? Do you hear me?¡± Kael rocked me in his arms and I cried.

    ¡°You don¡¯t understand, Kael. I felt the monster I was becoming rise to the surface. It loved power and didn¡¯t care whether people lived or died. I had to try and kill it before it consumed me,¡± I sniffed and tried to look away from him, and not show him my silver eye.

    ¡°You have been touched by it, but you¡¯ve survived. You are stronger because of it.¡± Kael grabbed my chin and made me meet his eyes. ¡°I won¡¯t let the monster get you. I promise.¡±

    And like before, I believed him. Kael pulled back to stare over my shoulder, eastward. His eyes took on a faraway look, and I could see the muscle tick in his jaw as he pondered something.

    ¡°I want you to come somewhere with me,¡± Kael said, never taking his eyes off of the distant mountains. ¡°There¡¯s something I need to do.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡± I asked and turned slightly to see where Kael was gazing. It was the mountain range to the southeast. A dry and barren range with little to no life.

    ¡°Why so many questions? This will be just a little detour,¡± he said.

    ¡°What about the others? What about Hemi and Joss?¡±

    Kael pulled away from me. ¡°Thalia, I promise you will get to see them again. It¡¯s just been a very long time since I¡¯ve been this close.¡± His gaze drifted to the barren mountains again, and I could hear longing in his voice. It became soft and husky. ¡°I¡¯m so close, yet so far.¡±

    Never before had he asked for something from me. Demanded yes, but asked no. What harm could there be in going with him? We would just be a few days behind the others, and I knew that with our bond it would be easier if I just went with him.

    ¡°Okay, Kael. You lead, I¡¯ll follow.¡±

    His face erupted into a smile of relief. A smile that rocked me to my very core. I forgot to breathe.

    Kael wrapped his arms around me in a completely unSwordBrotherly fashion and touched forehead to my temple. ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered. ¡°Thank you.¡±

 Page 8

    Chapter 7

    We spent most of the rest of the day on horseback. When we stopped for a drink I switched places. Riding behind Kael, my hands lightly resting on his hips, was awkward at first. But I was tired and emotionally drained from destroying the barn. Frequently, I fell asleep leaning against his warm back. He let me rest and didn¡¯t disturb me, only stopping when I needed a break. I could tell he was in a hurry to get to our destination, so I tried to not call for a rest too often.

    Faraway was tireless, as if he could sense Kael¡¯s impatience, and we covered more ground than should have been possible. We didn¡¯t stop until after the sun had set, and Kael had found a small out cropping against a rock wall.

    Kael dismounted first and without asking, wrapped his hands around my waist to lift me down. My legs were stiff and my back sore from riding in the same position all day, and I was grateful for the extra support from the ground. Stretching out my legs, I walked the perimeter of the camp Kael had chosen. There wasn¡¯t much to shield us from the elements; large boulders and rocks covered most of the terrain other than the large outcropping. There was enough room underneath for two people to sleep if it rained, but we had no supplies. No bedrolls, food, or anything else.

    I turned around looking for Kael but he was gone. ¡°Kael?¡± I called out.

    No answer. My voice echoed into the night, and the lack of response worried me. At night everything looked larger, darker, scarier. I had to remind myself that I had a SwordBrother nearby. Everyone was scared of them. Faraway had remained silent most of the day and even now had moved off to the edge and looked to be standing guard. I knew that my magnificent horse loved to pretend he was invincible but in fact was far from it. He was probably as exhausted as I was.

    You should find some food. You look terrible, I thought.

    His large equine head turned my way, snuffing at me. I look better than you. I was carrying two today. All you did was sleep.

    I felt myself grin as I took shelter under the ledge and pulled my feet up to my body for warmth. I plan on doing some more of that, I teased, my eyelids growing heavy. I was still recovering from the ordeal. My body needed sustenance and sleep to recover, and since there wasn¡¯t any food, I was choosing the alternative. At least sleeping was better than blacking out.

    Then I¡¯ll wait a few more minutes. He¡¯s almost here.

    Where did he go? I asked yawning.

    It looks likes he went up.

    Up?

    He scaled the rock wall and is now coming down. He¡¯s got a pretty proud look on his face. I¡¯d say he probably found some dinner.

    Great! I¡¯m starving.

    Pebbles began raining down around me and bounced off of the slab overhead to roll a few feet out in front of me. It didn¡¯t take much to visualize his strong body, nimbly scaling down the rock wall above me. I could almost picture the serious expression he would have on his face, his jaw clenched in concentration, his blue eyes underneath a furrowed brow, with a sheen of sweat across his forehead. I imagined his muscles bunching as he neared the bottom, as he prepared to leap the rest of the way. My imagination was almost impeccably timed with Kael¡¯s actual descent.

    He appeared by my side a few seconds later. It was a tighter fit under the ledge for him, and he had to duck his head so he wouldn¡¯t scrape it across the top of the overhang. But he managed to squeeze himself impossibly close to me and pull his knees up like mine. Our sides touched and neither one of us pulled away. My breathing quickened, and I had to concentrate to get it back to a normal rhythm, which was happening more often the more time I spent with him.

    Kael reached into the satchel at his side and pulled out two large brown speckled eggs and handed one to me.

    ¡°Dinner,¡± he smiled and took out one of his smaller knives that he kept under hidden away. He poked a small hole in the top of the shell, tipped his head back, and sucked. I watched him eat the large egg. When he was done he tossed the empty shell onto the ground.

    ¡°What kind of¡ª¡± I started to ask, but he shook his head cutting me off.

    ¡°You don¡¯t want to know.¡± Kael took the large egg out of my hand and with the tip off his knife cut a similar hole.

    I took his suggestion and didn¡¯t dwell on what kind of egg it was. I closed my eyes, plugged my nose in a childish show of being grossed out and tipped my head back. The texture was slimy and I had to calm down the gag reflex. After a few more swallows, I was able to ignore my distaste for the egg and focus on counting instead. I got to twenty, and I was done. I tossed the shell away like Kael¡¯s and gave him an odd grimace.

    ¡°Want another one?¡± he asked and pulled out another egg.

    ¡°No,¡± I shook my head and burped. I covered my mouth in embarrassment but Kael only smiled and began to open the other egg. In record time he was done and wiped his hands on his pants.

    ¡°I¡¯ll go see to your horse.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t worry about it. He¡¯s gone.¡±

    ¡°Gone?¡± Kael didn¡¯t wait, but scrambled out of the shelter and started running to where he had left Faraway. ¡°We need him. It¡¯s too far to go on foot.¡±

    ¡°Kael! He¡¯s fine. He¡¯ll be back after he¡¯s found food.¡± Kael stopped running and stared into the darkness. I could see his indecisiveness. He wanted to track my horse, but he didn¡¯t want to leave me alone.

    A few minutes later, he joined me back under the ledge. Once again he sat unnaturally close to me, but by now I was starting to get cold and craving the warmth of companionship.

    ¡°How far?¡± I asked, leaving it up to him to decide how much to tell me.

    ¡°We covered more ground today than I thought we would. A few days travel and we¡¯ll be there.¡± Kael turned his head to look at me, his dark hair looked pitch black in the moonlight. I wanted to reach out and touch it. I kept my hands to myself, wrapping them around my knees.

    ¡°Will you tell me about them? About your family?¡± He didn¡¯t deny that we were heading to the sacred SwordBrother sanctuary.

    Kael sighed and leaned his head back. ¡°What do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°Only what you are comfortable sharing. You once mentioned being in love.¡± Of course I was referring to the story he¡¯d shared in Skyfell.

    He looked at me, a knowing twinkle dancing in his eyes. ¡°Yes I did. Her name was Gwen. We were betrothed. We trained under the same Master. She was the best female fighter, and I was the second best male fighter.¡±

    ¡°You weren¡¯t the best? I find that hard to believe,¡± I teased, nudging Kael in the rib with my elbow.

    He didn¡¯t acknowledge the poke, but his face and voice became serious. ¡°No, there was always one who was better than me¡ªstronger, faster. No matter what I did, I couldn¡¯t beat him.¡±

    ¡°Who was he?¡±

    Kael¡¯s eyes held a hint of irritation, ¡°My brother.¡±

    ¡°Oh,¡± I intoned and thought a moment. ¡°So¡­there are female SwordBrothers?¡±

    ¡°Well, not everyone in our clan is meant to grow up and be trained as an elite warrior. We are a clan like any other¡ªwe need blacksmiths, tanners, and more¡ªbut our heritage calls for the firstborn to be dedicated to our call. The others can choose. Most of the women don¡¯t choose that lifestyle. They choose to marry and have children with the intent to keep our SwordBrother clan filled with strapping young boys, ripe for the initiation.¡±

 Page 9

    I was about to ask about the initiation but he interrupted me. ¡°It¡¯s a test that all of our prospects that are not firstborn go through. And no, I will not discuss it further.¡±

    My mouth pressed into a firm line of impatience, and I elbowed him in the stomach, a sign of my displeasure. He didn¡¯t even grunt or make any movement to signify he felt it.

    His dark eyes stared into mine and I could see how desperately he wanted to pour out his heart, his feelings. But I knew that he would recover and close up again.

    I was right.

    Seconds later, his back stiffened and he broke eye contact. ¡°Tomorrow, I have to blindfold you.¡±

    ¡°What? No!¡± I argued. ¡°You said we were days away still. You don¡¯t mean to¡ªI can¡¯t possibly¡ª¡± My heart pounded loudly and I could feel myself start to panic. Without realizing it, I¡¯d grabbed on to his tunic.

    ¡°Thalia.¡± His warm hands wrapped around mine as he gently pried them off, although he didn¡¯t let go of my hands right away. ¡°I have to protect what is precious to me. No one can know where they are.¡±

    What is precious to him? They? Was he referring to his family? I silently groaned. Of course he was probably referring to Gwen. A sour feeling hit my stomach and I began to doubt everything. The kiss was an accident. It had to be.

    I nodded in understanding and pulled away. Anger replaced the sour feeling. Anger that after all we had been through Kael couldn¡¯t trust me. That he was going to blindfold me for days¡ªwas asking me to go without one of my most important senses. I hated the idea. It would leave me vulnerable. I had to remind myself that thought wasn¡¯t true. I was Thalia Valderstal. I¡¯d killed a small army of Septori just the other night. I¡ª

    Was the reason that the kind farmer and his wife were murdered in their home.

    Guilt was a heavy burden to bear, and at that moment, I decided being blindfolded was nothing compared to living with innocent blood on my hands. I scooted farther from Kael so we were no longer touching, but I could still feel his body heat.

    He watched me, saying nothing. He wouldn¡¯t.

    Just then, a large shadow fell across our feet. I didn¡¯t move, but Kael pulled out a knife, at the ready.

    I heard the shuffling of hooves, as Faraway positioned himself and kneeled down in front of the outcropping. If I stretched out my arm I could touch his white mane. I had been so occupied by my guilt that I hadn¡¯t sensed his approach. He didn¡¯t have to sleep on the ground¡ªit would be much colder for him¡ªbut I was grateful for his sacrifice as we could immediately feel the cold night air cut off and replaced by warm equine body heat.

    Kael put away his knife, and I gratefully turned my body so that I could lay my head on Faraway.

    ¡°He came back,¡± Kael said with a surprised chuckle.

    ¡°Of course. I never doubted it.¡± I said.

    Kael reached out and patted Faraway¡¯s backside. ¡°Thank you.¡±

    Faraway turned his large head and stared at Kael, blinking once. That was probably the only communication he would give to him.

    Being blindfolded wasn¡¯t as bad as I thought it would be. Kael had taken off the headband he wore to keep the sweat off his brow and unfurled it. He positioned the dark blue material around my eyes. The cloth was slightly rough and it smelled like a sweaty Kael.

    He insisted I ride in front of him so he could make sure I didn¡¯t try to take the blindfold off. It was terribly hot and uncomfortable, and my hands kept wiping away the sweat from under my eyes. And that was what I was grateful for, the freedom of my hands. I was being careful to not lift the blindfold but use the edge of my sleeve to wipe at the drips of sweat.

    His hands came up and would press down over my eyes whenever I did this.

    It was awfully hard not to smile and give away my secret the whole day. After two hours, I had found myself having problems breathing. I kept feeling like every step we were taking we were going to fall off a cliff or slip down an invisible embankment. Impossible, I know, but the imagination can wreak havoc on your senses. An hour later I had given in to the temptation and was now cheating. I stretched out to Faraway and connected with him mind-to-mind, sight-to-sight.

    The feeling of falling stopped as soon as the horizon and the solid earth came into view. I sighed contentedly and relaxed. I could now see everything Faraway did.

    About midday, Kael had turned and started heading southeast. It was slowly getting warmer and the ground became rockier. When we stopped, Kael would forage, hunt, and cook dinner. I disconnected from Faraway during these times, so I spilled frequently and my shirt was a mess. The second night we made camp out in the open, and Kael was nice enough to remove the blindfold so I could sleep.

    As long as I didn¡¯t spend too much time studying the surroundings.

    I stretched out along the ground, surprised at how warm the earth was. Heat slowly radiated from the it, and I didn¡¯t need Faraway¡¯s body heat or anyone else¡¯s. I was amazingly warm, which told me that we were indeed heading farther south. As warm as the ground was, I could only surmise that we were somewhere south of the mountains, near the hot springs.

    The next day by noon, I was no longer warm, but hot. Sitting in front of Kael became almost unbearable. I was now sweating not only through the bandana but through my shirt and back. And I was starting to go crazy from having my eyes covered.

    Loudly, I called a halt and scrambled down from in front of Kael. Kael was worried I was going to take off the blindfold, but I just grabbed at the shoulder seam of my dress and yanked until I heard a satisfying rip.

    I heard Kael¡¯s masculine laugh as I attacked the seams on my other shoulder, until the dress resembled what my own clan wore. We were used to harsh winters and cold climate from living in the mountains. Sleeveless jerkins, dresses, and tunics were common. Now in the opposite, the extreme heat, I couldn¡¯t handle it. Stifling.

    The slight breeze danced across my now bare skin and I felt slightly cooler. I plopped down on the ground and reached for the hem of my skirt. Hands touched mine, and I jumped as Kael placed a small blade in my hand. I used the knife to take a hand¡¯s length off of the bottom. Enough I would feel a breeze when riding, but not enough to be indecent.

    ¡°You continue to surprise me.¡± Kael spoke softly and helped get me situated on my horse again.

    ¡°I continue to surprise myself,¡± I said. I¡¯d probably regret this later. After all, I hadn¡¯t gotten many dresses from Skyfell, but for now it felt good.

    Later that day we rode toward a large red rock formation that looked like a fist being shaken angrily at the sky. I was careful to keep my head down as I studied the unique landmark. We continued to head toward the fist as our paths started to ascend. I could smell...something odd. Sulfur? We must be closer to the hot springs. Kael must know that I would be able to figure out where he was going based on the temperature and smells. So why did he still continue to blindfold me? What wasn¡¯t he telling me?

    ¡°Talk to me.¡± I said.

    ¡°What do you want to know?¡±

    ¡°Anything, everything. How did you become captured by the Septori all those months ago?

    Kael stilled, and I felt embarrassed by my insistence. I had let him hide behind walls to long. It was time to start breaking them down.

    ¡°Or not. But I thought after all we¡¯ve been through, I at least deserved the story.¡±

 Page 10

    ¡°It¡¯s not a pleasant story, and it doesn¡¯t have a happy ending,¡± he whispered under his breath.

    ¡°What story does? But I¡¯m sure it has a great hero in it, and daring escapes and a damsel in distress,¡± I teased referring to myself.

    ¡°Aye, that¡¯s true. You always did cause me lots of distress,¡± he spoke slowly. ¡°I had chosen Gwen to be my bondmate, and she agreed. We were happy¡ªat least I thought were. We had set a date, and the closer it came to our union date, the more distant she became. I had no clue that her feelings were changing. Until I found them one evening, hiding in the shadows wrapped in a heated embrace. I was furious. I wanted to kill the man she was with. In anger and without thinking, I challenged him to a battle of honor, to the death. He stepped out of the shadows and I was confronted with my older brother Alek.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I gasped out. ¡°What did you do?¡±

    ¡°Gwen came to me and begged me to leave. She was sorry, but she didn¡¯t want either one of us to die. If I didn¡¯t leave our clan, I would be bound to fight to the death, and I told you, I always lost to my brother. So instead of staying and facing my death with honor, I left in the night. I shamed my clan, I shamed my family, and the choices I made stripped me of my title. When you first asked me all those months ago if I was someone important, I told you the truth. I was no one. It¡¯s why I took the job training the Denai at the school.¡±

    ¡°Where did you go when you left?¡±

    ¡°I wandered for weeks, trying to find my honor again.¡±

    ¡°Kael, you can¡¯t be serious.¡± I said in disbelief.

    ¡°Because the Valley of Swords was no longer my home. I couldn¡¯t go back, because I was disgraced. I became a sword for hire¡ªonly the first job I took, I ended up drugged and in an underground facility. And you know the rest.¡±

    ¡°So why are we going back now?¡±

    ¡°Because I need to explain what has happened between you and me¡ªthe bond¡ªto my clan. The clan members must be warned against others being blood-bonded against their will.

    ¡°What do you think is coming, Kael? What do you know that I don¡¯t?¡±

    ¡°That the time is coming for the SwordBrothers to come out of hiding.¡±

    Chapter 8

    We were in a canyon or what felt like one. Steep cliffs rose high on either side of us and different veins would break off. He took the first fork right, the third left fork, a second right. There was no way to tell where we were going, and I doubt I could get out again without his help. The walls were so close that I could reach out and touch them on either side, but I was proud of my restraint.

    ¡°Thalia,¡± Kael spoke softly into my ear, ¡°I know that you are smart enough to know where we are, and you¡¯ve probably now know enough to make it back, but please, for once in your life, play dumb.¡±

    ¡°I have no idea what you are talking about. And why should I play dumb Kael, what is the big idea¡ª¡± Something shot into the ground in front of Faraway, startling him and making him rear up in fright. There was too much weight with both of us riding double. I felt Kael slide off Faraway¡¯s back. Kael hit the ground hard, and I landed on him. In Faraway¡¯s panic, I lost the connection with his mind. Now I was blind and terrified. I heard my horse¡¯s scream and froze.

    I blinked and tried to make out what was happening, but I was still dazed from our severed sight connection. I crawled forward off of Kael. Another large shadow covered the small canyon and Kael shouted, ¡°Watch out!¡±

    I lifted the blindfold off of my eyes in time to see Faraway¡¯s large body on his rear quarters start to fall over backward toward me.

    Strong hands gripped me under my arms and yanked. The back of my legs scraped against the gravel and I cried out as Faraway fell onto the ground where I¡¯d been lying only seconds ago. He twisted, turned, and tried to get his feet under him. I could see the terror in his eyes, but the canyon was impossibly narrow and perfect for an ambush. Someone came up behind us and pressed a knife to Kael¡¯s throat. A similar brush of cold steel touched my neck.

    I froze.

    ¡°Whose sword do you die for?¡± a raspy voice called out.

    I turned to look at the man clothed in black. His pants, shirt, and boots were black. His face was covered by a black mask as well. I could see a bandolier of weapons, but even the silver of the weapons were painted a matte black to keep them from glinting in the sun. Four more silhouettes of black stood behind him. I turned my head and followed the knife at my throat up the arm to my own attacker.

    He was smaller than the others by a good ten inches, and I stared up at the mask. Like the other man, this person¡¯s face was wrapped with black except for the eyes. Oh. I was surprised at how much hate radiated out of those very feminine brown eyes. My captor was female.

    Kael¡¯s strong voice answered the question without wavering. ¡°My own.¡±

    ¡°Whose land do you die for?¡± A second question came forth from the same man.

    ¡°The land of the free.¡±

    ¡°Welcome home, brother.¡± The man stepped back from Kael and withdrew his knife.

    ¡°Alek?¡± Kael said.

    It took a few seconds for the woman who held the knife at my throat to back away, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel her gaze on me long after I stood up. Her knife disappeared into the folds of her clothes and her hands gripped my forearm painfully. I knew better than to fight until Kael had given me an all-clear signal.

    I glanced over to Faraway and studied his legs and muscles for injuries. He limped a little and had a few cuts and scrapes but he appeared fine otherwise.

    It takes more than a fall to take me down, he said. I¡¯ll be fine.

    Kael and the man spoke quietly with each other. I could see the stranger cast furtive glances over at me and shake his head furiously. Kael¡¯s voice didn¡¯t raise but I could see how angry he was. His body stiffened, his face deadpanned, and he barely moved.

    What¡¯s going on? You¡¯re closer to them.

    They¡¯re arguing over you.

    Me?

    Yes, it is against clan laws for outsiders to come to the sanctuary. Ever. The one that Kael is talking to seems to be his brother.

    The woman holding my arm called out to them in a foreign tongue. An ancient tongue. I could only recognize a few words.

    Oh. It was beginning to make sense¡ªall of the precautions, why Kael didn¡¯t want to tell me where we were going.

    What Kael did is punishable by death. Faraway answered back.

    No. They wouldn¡¯t kill their own member.

    Thalia, it¡¯s not Kael¡¯s life they are arguing over. It¡¯s yours.

    Chapter 9

    Everything became crisp, clear, finite¡ªthe sounds of SwordBrothers closing in around me, knives being unsheathed and raised. Words heatedly passed back and forth between Kael and his brother. My captor¡¯s hand pressed into my forearm. Even the sound of my blood rushing loudly within my ears heightened. My world stopped, froze, and all I could do was exhale. I concentrated on breathing and watching as my fate unfolded before me.

    Kael¡¯s brother took off his hood and they stood face to face. He was a taller, more angular version of Kael. His features were more prominent. Whereas Kael¡¯s hair was dark and long to his ears, his brother¡¯s was lighter in color and cropped shorter. I couldn¡¯t see the shade of his eyes, and I briefly wondered if they turned colors the way Kael¡¯s did when he was angry.

 Page 11

    I didn¡¯t have to wait long, because he turned and gave me the full focus of his deep green-gold fury. His hand rested close to his knife as he gave a short bark of command to my captor. She released my arm, and I ignored both the pain and the desire to rub the area where she had touched me. Kael stepped in front of me, his face once again devoid of emotion. I had no clue what had been decided, and he obviously wasn¡¯t going to give me any hints.

    But then he grabbed my arm and glared angrily at the woman who had just released me. A glare that I had been the recipient of on more than one occasion.

    ¡°Are you hurt?¡± Kael asked. His eyes met mine and then flicked away toward the tall woman again. A second of regret flickered across his face. He continued to watch her as she moved to speak to his brother. I didn¡¯t have to be a genius to figure I had just met Gwen.

    ¡°No. I¡¯m fine,¡± I said stiffly. ¡°Nice family reunion.¡±

    Kael looked back to me and frowned.

    We were moving, or rather being forced to walk, down a narrow ledge barely large enough for a horse. Kael walked in front of me, his head held high, though I knew he watched his clan members warily. He was tense. Everyone was tense. My only consolation was that I didn¡¯t have to wear the stupid blindfold again.

    But¡­maybe the reason I didn¡¯t need to wear the blindfold was because I wouldn¡¯t be alive much longer. My stomach plummeted.

    I wanted to ask Kael questions, but when we had turned a corner and entered a cave, he shot me a worried glance. All questions died on my lips, and I started to look for an escape route. The cave was only dark for a few hundred feet as it emptied us into a deep large valley. Lush trees and a small winding river filled the oasis. On the far side were towering pagodas, barely discernible against the surprising green when all I had seen for miles was brown and parched. This was it¡ªthe hidden camp of the SwordBrothers. We had tracked through barren lands and shale mountains through a land of nothing, where no one wanted to live.

    But in the middle of nowhere was life.

    From the higher view point, I was able to see the difference in the structure and design of the buildings. Many were large, possibly homes meant to hold more than one family with a central courtyard. They had sliding doors covered in rice paper, which were currently opened. That must be for allowing a cross breeze and battle the heat.

    The houses were built in groupings like the one I passed. Banners and flags of yellow and gold waved in the air and along the streets. We turned south down a packed dirt road, and I saw a high stone archway with two swords crossed above it, as if in battle. Through the stone arch, I saw what appeared to be a training arena. Bamboo mats lined the floor and racks of weapons were displayed. I watched with interest as two young men sparred, craning my neck to follow them. But we kept moving.

    People heard our group returning and more gathered around to greet them. A few called out to Kael in recognition, but they soon dropped their hand and turned away¡ªwhen they saw me. Loud whispering and murmurs followed us. We were led into the largest house. Kael stayed close to me, even causing others to step around him, as he patiently waited for me to enter the dwelling.

    With Kael by my side I felt secure, so I entered, holding my head high. An old woman sat cross-legged on a mat, a small delicate tea set before her. Her eyes were closed in sleep or deep concentration. She didn¡¯t move a muscle or even acknowledge the gathering now descended upon her.

    Kael was the first to kneel before the woman. He bowed his head, touching the floor. Others followed, but I stood there awkwardly, unsure of their customs.

    Instead, I focused on the old woman. Her long white hair, braided and draped over one shoulder, was a sharp contrast against the light blue of her wraps. I was fascinated by what looked like a silver sleigh bell attached to the white and gray trim on each of her sleeves.

    ¡°Would you like some tea?¡± She spoke without opening her eyes.

    I really didn¡¯t want any tea, but thought it would be impolite to say so.

    ¡°Yes, please,¡± I answered.

    Her small arm slid forward out of her sleeve and reached for the handle of the white patterned teapot. She filled the ceramic cup to the brim with green tea, and I wondered how I would drink it without spilling any. I watched the bells on her sleeves. Her movements were not necessarily slow, just very balanced.

    Neither bell made a sound.

    The woman replaced the kettle and picked up the dainty teacup and saucer and handed both to me without making a single bell ring.

    The tea cup was warm in my hands and the aroma was relaxing, but again I was left with the problem of drinking it without spilling. I could slurp the top off but that would be crude. Instead, I held the cup up in the air with uncertainty. My own hands were shaking, and the liquid splashed over the top of the cup. The cup rattled loudly against the saucer.

    Out of the corner of my eye I could see Kael on his knees before the woman, his posture stiff. The corner of his mouth made the lightest twitch. Was he laughing at me?

    Carefully, I placed the cup in front of Kael giving him the overly full cup of tea.

    Kael¡¯s eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

    ¡°May I?¡± I gestured to the tea pot and cups.

    She nodded.

    As politely as I could, I picked up the teapot and poured two cups half full. I replaced the kettle and handed one cup to the old woman, taking one manageable cup of tea for myself. Kael was now left staring at the same overflowing cup of tea that I had¡ªand the same perplexing problem. Without waiting for prompting, I lifted the cup took a small sip and was instantly refreshed by the flavor.

    I glanced over at Kael and his full cup. ¡°Is there something wrong with the tea Kael? I happen to think it¡¯s wonderful.¡±

    Kael leaned forward and picked up the small cup, dwarfed by his large hands.

    He was about to attempt to take a sip off the top when the old woman clapped her hands and laughed loudly, her chuckle somewhere between a rasp and a wheeze.

    Other SwordBrothers joined in the laughter.

    Her shoulders shook mercilessly and her face turned pink in color. ¡°Stop, enough! My heart can¡¯t take much more.¡±

    The laughter from the others died down in the room, and Kael gave me a very proud look.

    The old woman wiped the tears out of the corner of her eyes and beamed at me. ¡°My name is Alba, and never before has someone solved the tea test the way you did.¡±

    ¡°This was a test?¡±

    ¡°Yes, everything¡¯s a test. If you are not constantly tested, then how will you expect to pass? Even life is a test. Only at the end will we find out if we have fulfilled our destiny accordingly.¡±

    I pointed to her sleeves. ¡°So the bells? Are they also a test, or is that so they can hear you coming?¡± More laughter came from behind me, from the direction of the SwordBrothers.

    She smiled again. ¡°Yes, this is a test of patience and balance. Learning to move about the world by not disturbing it.¡± Her pale hands rose again, and I watched as she spun them and intertwined her hands in a theatrical way, but one that looked very similar to a disarming technique that Kael had taught me.

    ¡°Or a skill learned by a SwordBrother to make them a better assassin?¡± I crossed my arms and gave her a disbelieving look. I couldn¡¯t help but picture Kael learning this as a young boy. No wonder he was so stealthy.

    Alba shrugged her small shoulders. ¡°That too.¡±

 Page 12

    I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from chuckling. I could hear more stifled laughs behind me, and Kael put his cup down and watched our conversation with renewed interest. He still hadn¡¯t spoken a single word, so I was beginning to feel nervous about my situation again. Why was I here?

    Alba didn¡¯t seem to notice my discomfort but continued with her reading of my teacup test. ¡°Such interesting problem solving skills you have. It speaks much of the way you live your life.¡±

    ¡°How can the way I drink tea or not drink tea tell you anything about my life?¡± I had heard of some people reading tea leaves for fortunes but this was different.

    The elderly woman took a sip of the tea, her smile spreading. ¡°To fill the cup to overflowing is a faux pas. It is considered bad manners on my part, but seeing how you deal with the problem of the overflowing cup tells me much about you. If you had leaned forward and sipped off the top of the cup, then I would know you are a hurried individual, but brave. The first to lead the charge, though prone to anger and rash decisions.¡±

    I turned and gave Kael a thoughtful look. He continued to smile, silently refusing to give me any kind of signal as to what he had done when he was first tested.

    The old woman continued. ¡°If you had poured off the excess, then I would say you are a spirited individual who makes decisions based off of need rather than thought. If you used a spoon to drink off the extra, then you are a thoughtful problem solver. If you set the tea in front of you and never take a sip, then I can tell you are cautious, and fear of failure can be a major obstacle in your life.¡±

    ¡°But what of Thalia¡¯s choice?¡± Kael spoke up.

    With the speed of a cobra, a fan appeared out of Alba¡¯s sleeve and she swatted Kael on the top of the head. He winced and bowed it again in subservience.

    ¡°And you still haven¡¯t changed! Can¡¯t even wait for the end of the story. Why did it not surprise me that you slurped the tea, during your test?¡± Alba gave Kael a fond glare and slipped her fan back into her overly large sleeve. Again there was a lack of tinkling.

    I was afraid to speak after her exchange with Kael. Would she whack me with a fan? She settled back down and refused to go on. Part of me wanted to ask, another wanted to sit quietly and wait till she spoke first. But the third part wanted to get up and walk out. Just leave this whole farce behind. I chose a fourth option.

    Without being obvious, I sent a thread of power to the bell closest to me and knocked it hard. It didn¡¯t make a sound, so I was somewhat confused.

    ¡°Impatient and a bit rude, aren¡¯t you?¡± She looked at me full in the face. She knew what I had done.

    ¡°I picked up a few traits from a certain SwordBrother,¡± I said.

    ¡°Very well, then. I¡¯ll tell you. There was only one other person that I know of that served someone else the tea. That was me.¡±

    Alek spoke up from behind Kael. ¡°Alba, you never told us that.¡±

    ¡°Of course not. Why would I tell you? You didn¡¯t choose that method, now did you,¡± she chastised. ¡°Your choice, Thalia, tells me you don¡¯t wait for others to tell you what to do. You forge your own path and make your own choices, but you are rarely prepared for the consequences.¡±

    I swallowed as a cold finger of fear ran up my spine. She could be guessing.

    Alba turned and addressed Kael. ¡°Now your actions, Kael, on the other hand¡ªabandoning your brethren and family, forsaking your calling, bringing outsiders into the sanctuary¡ªthese are all serious offenses. You know this. You know that no one is allowed to know where we live, and despite how charming this one may seem, she is still an enemy. Not one of us, nor born of us.¡±

    ¡°No, you¡¯re wrong. I¡¯ve been training her in our ways. She¡¯s strong. I think, given time, she could adapt to living here and be one of us.¡± Kael had jumped out of his kneeling position and was standing over Alba.

    I gasped. Not once had Kael ever mentioned the possibility of us not leaving.

    Alba shook her head sadly. I looked over my shoulder and watched Alek¡¯s and Gwen¡¯s reactions. Alek was stone-faced with anger. Gwen looked hurt and confused. So much for the lighthearted laughter from earlier.

    ¡°Kael, you know the laws we live by. She can¡¯t stay. We¡¯re not even supposed to let her to live.¡±

    The sound of swords being drawn made me jump to my feet. I took a defensive stance and stepped away from the delicate tea set to where I would have more room to fight and keep my back to a wall. Alek and Gwen had not moved an inch, but a few of the other SwordBrothers had moved forward to surround me.

    I did not want to fight and kill Kael¡¯s people.

    ¡°Then my life for hers,¡± Kael answered back. His voice rang deep with anger. He strode over and stood in front of me. I assumed he was reaching for his dagger from his bandolier, but instead I watched as he unfastened the leather buckle and began to disarm himself. He wrapped up the bandolier with the knives, took his knife out of his boot, and placed everything in a neat pile on the floor.

    He turned to face me, his deep, dark eyes filled with pain. ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Thalia. I had hoped we would have a different reception.¡± He reached forward and gently brushed my cheek with his thumb. Alek stepped up behind Kael and pulled his wrist away from my face, bracing it behind Kael¡¯s back. Others came forward to secure the SwordBrother, but all I could do was stand there frozen in shock. This couldn¡¯t really be happening.

    His hands were manacled and chains put around his feet. He wouldn¡¯t look at me. He wouldn¡¯t raise those beautiful stormy blue eyes to even try and tell me that we would be okay.

    ¡°No!¡± I turned back to Alba. ¡°You can¡¯t do this! I didn¡¯t know that by coming here, I was putting anyone¡¯s life in danger¡ªmine or Kael¡¯s. You must reconsider.¡± I kneeled on the floor before her and bowed low, my forehead touching the cold wood floor as I pleaded for Kael¡¯s life. ¡°I can¡¯t let him die for me.¡±

    ¡°Child, why are you so upset over this one? If it wasn¡¯t him, it would be you.¡±

    ¡°Because he saved me,¡± I cried out. My chest felt heavy with emotion. ¡°Over and over again he saved me. I owe him my life. And frankly, if he died right now because of this, I would never be able to forgive him. I would hate him till the day I died.¡±

    Alba shook her head at my stubborness. ¡°If it¡¯s not death, then his punishment at dawn is to the very brink. Tortured and beaten till he wished for death. Would that suit you?¡±

    My breathing ragged, it took me a few moments to comprehend her form of mercy still demanded pain. I sat up. ¡°How could you do that to your own? That¡¯s almost worse than death.¡±

    ¡°Yes, it is, but that is our law.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a barbaric law,¡± I seethed.

    Her eyes narrowed and she looked into my face accusingly. ¡°Thalia Valderstal, are you saying that your clan laws are less barbaric than ours?¡±

    ¡°I¡­I¡­uh¡ªhow do you know my name?¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t speak about barbaric customs and laws, until you look deep into your own family history.¡±

    ¡°I know my family history. Yes, there are some things our clan does that I¡¯m not proud of, but I¡¯ve been trying to change things for the better.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t even know if your own clan will allow you to lead. You¡¯re not like them.¡± Her hand reached out and covered my blue eye, so that I only saw her with the horrible silver one. ¡°Just as I thought.¡± She pulled her hand back and poked me hard in the chest. ¡°It¡¯s weak, but it¡¯s there.¡±

 Page 13

    ¡°You know what¡¯s happening to me?¡± A single burst of hope started to rise. ¡°What is wrong with me? How can I change it back?¡±

    Alba scoffed and stood. ¡°I see why he brought you here, thinking that this,¡± she waved at my eye, ¡°might validate all of the wrong things he has done. But it hasn¡¯t. There is much he hasn¡¯t told you. If he did, you might want to change your mind about his punishment. Besides, you can¡¯t change it back. You can¡¯t make something disappear when it¡¯s always been there.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I called out, but Alba was already shuffling off into the back of the house.

    I turned to follow her, but a calloused hand grabbed me around the neck and directed me to the front. I twisted my neck out of the grip and turned to glare at Gwen. Someone else came and grabbed my elbow, and the pair roughly escorted me outside. Gwen seemed to be taking her jealous anger out on me. By the next day, I would have huge bruises. They led me around the building, and I tried to search for Kael, but I couldn¡¯t see where they had taken him. I should have fought, should have stopped them, but instead, I began working on a plan.

    Gwen stopped in front of a small stone shed that butted up to the back of the house.

    ¡°We haven¡¯t had company of any sort in many, many years, so this will have to make do for now,¡± she said.

    Two more hands grabbed each of my arms and began to lift me off of the ground and force me into the shed.

    ¡°Wait! What are you doing with Kael? Stop this¡­ouch!¡±

    With a shove, I was thrown into the dark shed. The heavy wooden door creaked shut behind me. My lip stung. Somehow in my struggle I had been elbowed in the lip. I raised my hand to touch it and winced. I should be panicking, pacing, screaming in suffocating heat that was my prison.

    Instead, I sat down, crossed my legs, and waited.

    Chapter 10

    One of the hardest lessons I never learned was patience.

    My clan was certainly not known for it. I despised it as well as the craziness that comes with being idle for long periods of time. I decided it was worse torture than splinters under my nails.

    I counted to ten thousand¡ªtwice. During that span, I felt the air around me become cooler.

    It was time.

    I stood up and stretched out my arms and legs, did a few squats, then headed to the locked door. I had listened very carefully over the last few hours, and I didn¡¯t hear anyone outside guarding my little shed. I could only hope it was because Alba hadn¡¯t suggested more precautions against me. My father had a saying about people that assumed things.

    Leaning against the door, I brushed my fingers over the chilled metal lock and felt around it for the dense wood frame. My hand grew warm, and I bit my lip as I concentrated. I was phenomenal at destroying things in big showy explosions, or anything that I could just let loose on. Smaller tasks that required more thought, more tact, and more skill were beyond my training, except for healing. That was just encouraging the body in what it already wanted to do¡ªprotect and heal itself.

    Sweat trickled down my forehead, and I shifted my weight. I was trying to break open the lock quietly. If I had a set of lock picks or Joss¡¯s ability to teleport, I would probably have been better equipped. Instead, I kept my focus on breaking the wood around the lock.

    The beam grew warm and I could feel it start to warp under my hand. I heard the first faint creak followed by a crackling noise as the wood buckled. I waited a few seconds for someone to give a cry of an alarm, but there was silence. I continued my attack on the frame, slowly. As I pushed more power toward the wood, the strain on the wood intensified, and it cracked. The large lock fell off and the whole door shifted down. Jumping back, I waited in case the door fell off. It slowly swung outward.

    Creeping forward, I peeked out into the night and gently pushed the door forward enough that I could slide out and duck into the shadows. Someone grabbed my arm and pulled me into the night. Their arm wrapped around my throat, pressing my back against their body. My mind went through all of the drills Kael had taught me, and I reached for a pressure point on the attacker¡¯s hand.

    I heard a cry of pain, but I didn¡¯t stop. I grabbed his wrist and twisted my own body, forcing his body weight to the ground. By controlling his arm, I controlled his whole body, but I needed to silence him before he called out for help.

    Part of me wanted to kill him, but I restrained myself. I picked up the large iron lock from the ground with my left and swung it at his temple. On contact, the guard fell forward and didn¡¯t move. Quickly, I dragged his body into the shed and gently closed the door. From a distance it wouldn¡¯t look like it had been broken open.

    I just prayed no one would take a closer look.

    Where to next? I had to find Kael. I don¡¯t care what he said¡ªor in this case didn¡¯t say¡ªabout the SwordBrothers, I was not going to leave him to their machinations, but first things first.

    I needed a weapon.

    I kept to the shadows and stayed close to the buildings. The streets were empty except for a stray cat. I looked along the rooftops of the buildings and could see silhouettes and torches. When a silhouette moved, I knew it was a sentry. I could see similar torches along the valley¡¯s walls. A door opened down the road, and two figures stepped out of a building, walking toward a tall tower.

    I followed close behind and listened to what they were saying.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe he came back.¡±

    ¡°He shouldn¡¯t have come back,¡± the larger one said.

    ¡°This changes everything.¡±

    ¡°This changes nothing. Gwen has made her choice.¡±

    ¡°Have you spoken with Alek?¡±

    ¡°No. Not until we are sure she¡¯s going to fail.¡±

    Both men stopped talking but continued walking. They headed toward a tall guard tower on the south end of town. I ducked into a bush and listened as they rapped three times, then once, then twice. A slot in the door opened and a large furrowed brow peaked out.

    ¡°What do you want?¡±

    ¡°We want to speak to our brother,¡± the tall man said.

    ¡°No, he¡¯s¡­¡± a deep chuckle spilled forth, ¡°detained.¡±

    ¡°This is important.¡±

    ¡°You will have to wait to have your questions answered like everyone else.¡±

    I watched as the tall man shook his head and motioned for the other to follow him. Both walked down the path and away from the tall tower.

    That must be where Kael is. He had to be the one they were talking about. I looked up and saw that the tower was at least fifty feet high, with one small window and ledge on every floor. There was no entrance other than the door guarded by Mr. Gargantuan.

    I slowly crept backwards and retraced my steps to the open pavilion I had seen as we came into the village¡ªthe one filled with racks of weapons. It was mostly dark. A warm light spilled out of one side of the closest home, and I could see shadows moving behind the screens. Bypassing the occupied side, I ended up in an empty training arena. I closed my eyes and felt a moment of helplessness.

    No, I would just have to keep searching.

    Silently, I went to the dark side of the courtyard and slid open the door. Thankful for how quiet the rice paper doors were, I kept low to the ground and closed the door behind me. I waited. I needed to start checking rooms, looking for weapons that had been put away. On my third door, I hit the jackpot. I took only what I thought I would need to escape: knives, blow tubes, grappling hooks, shooting stars, and a bow and arrow¡ªeverything an assassin needed.

 Page 14

    Everything I needed.

    Armed, I made my way to the towering pagoda that was Kael¡¯s prison. Thankfully, the multiple ledges would give me plenty of help scaling the tower. It had been a few seasons since I used a grappling hook, and it took two tries before I was able to secure it and start my ascent. I left my bow and arrow on the ground. The bow would do little good in such a small room. At each floor, I paused and listened outside of the window before I moved on and up.

    On the fifth floor I spotted Kael, chain-bound in the corner of a small stone room. Each floor had guards posted, and Kael¡¯s floor was no exception. There were two.

    My hand felt into my pocket searching for the blow dart and removing the protective cork. I had chosen the ones dipped in blue, knowing those were the sleep darts, from a previous lesson from Kael. My fingers fumbled with the dart and it slipped through my fingers, falling fifty feet to the ground.

    I froze and tried to calm my nerves down. I had to be less careless.

    A blindfold covered Kael¡¯s eyes. He was gagged, looking like he was asleep, but I could tell he was feigning. His legs were a little too stiff. He probably knew I was outside of the tower and was ready to act, to help if needed.

    Taking aim, I blew. The guard closest to me slapped his neck.

    ¡°What the¡­?¡± He pulled the dart out of his neck. ¡°Sound the alarm¡­esca¡ª¡± He fell over. The other guard turned to attack me.

    I was already over the window ledge and had another dart loaded. The blowpipe was knocked from my hand by the second guard, and I launched myself at him. We rolled across the floor. I was hoping to knock him to the ground and wind him, but now I was on the bottom fighting for my life.

    Kael¡¯s training kicked in, though. I wrapped my arms around his hands, ducked rolled, and wrapped my legs around his head and squeezed. Knowing I wasn¡¯t going to win, and quickly losing the upper hand, I pulled the extra dart from my pocket and stabbed his neck.

    A few long seconds later, the second guard went slack.

    Out of breath, I ran to Kael who now sat up in the corner, tense and alert. My heart went out to him. I reached for his blindfold when a shadow passed over the opened window. I turned and ducked as a shooting star whipped past my head. Another SwordBrother in head to toe black, had crawled in the window that I came in. Where had this one been, on the roof? Had he come up from another floor? I had the element of surprise on the first SwordBrother and luck was on my side for the second, but I don¡¯t know if I could take a SwordBrother in a one on one confrontation.

    I stood in front of Kael protectively, a knife in each of my hands. I bent my knees, balancing my weight evenly, and made myself relax. The other SwordBrother cocked his head when he recognized my technique and he mirrored my stance. Even behind the face mask, I could have sworn he smiled at me.

    I attacked.

    He blocked, hitting my arms with his and deflecting each of my blows.

    I aimed a stab.

    He blocked again and reversed the move, so I had to leap back as he forced my own knife toward my torso. It was then that I noticed his lack of weapons, which only irritated me. Could I kill a defenseless SwordBrother? I realized how stupid that statement sounded, since there was no such thing as a defenseless SwordBrother.

    I needed to end the fighting and end it now, before others came and I would be doomed. Taking my knife, I tested its weight and threw it toward his chest. The SwordBrother rolled and came up closer to me, but I didn¡¯t care about the knife or about hitting him. I could see Kael struggling against his bonds.

    The knife was merely a distraction. I concentrated on my gift, on his life. In seconds, I could see my foe¡¯s heart, his inner light beating. I closed my eyes and reached for the light, beginning to extinguish it.

    The SwordBrother stopped in his tracks and fell to his knees clasping his chest. He moaned slightly, but that was the only sound he made as I continued to pull, drain him, destroy him. His arm reached out toward me, as if asking for help, but I refused. The familiar anger that was my constant companion surfaced and whispered to me to be quick. Hurt him. He had tried to kill me; he was going to die.

    My mind was so focused on my target that I didn¡¯t hear the sound of chains loosening behind me, or the quiet footsteps as Kael escaped his bonds and put his hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, Thalia. Release him.¡±

    ¡°No! We need to escape. I don¡¯t want to be killed. I only came here at your request. Not so that we would be murdered.¡± The man moaned and leaned on his hands trying to crawl toward me.

    ¡°Thalia, look at me.¡±

    My neck whipped to look at the person touching my arm. Deep green eyes stared at me. It wasn¡¯t Kael, but his brother Alek. I saw the empty chains and the blindfold and gag lying on the ground.

    ¡°It was a test?¡±

    ¡°Yes, one that Kael thought up himself¡ªto prove your strengths to us and to prove your bond.¡±

    ¡°But where¡¯s Kael?¡± My mind didn¡¯t comprehend what was happening, and I still had my hold on the SwordBrother whose arms were shaking in pain as he tried to hold himself off of the ground.

    ¡°Thalia, release him now!¡±

    Alek¡¯s warm hands pulled mine down, and I released my hold on the man in front of me, but it was too late. He fell to the ground. In that one second of hesitation I had felt his heart¡ªonce bright and pulsing with energy¡ªstop.

    Alek¡¯s words rolled over and over in my mind until comprehension dawned. I stared at my hands in horror and then back to the body that was on the floor.

    Alek ran forward and yanked off the mask.

    And I saw Kael¡¯s pale lifeless face. Not breathing, eyes closed.

    ¡°No!¡± I screamed and dropped to the floor in despair.

    I watched as Alek listened to Kael¡¯s heart and touched the side of his neck searching for a pulse. He pulled back, clearly distressed. He shook his head. Strong arms seized me and I was jerked back to my feet. The small room was instantly filled with other SwordBrothers. Two had come down out of the rafters, others climbed in over the ledge, the door opened and more filtered into the room. There were so many, and I hadn¡¯t even seen them.

    My mind had been so numb, I¡¯d barely registered the impossible odds of escaping and the cruel test they¡¯d played on me. I had failed.

    And I¡¯d killed Kael.

    Bile rose up in my mouth and the room spun. My knees went weak, but I couldn¡¯t fall. My captors wouldn¡¯t let me.

    Tears finally burned in my eyes as I realized the consequences of what I had done. ¡°Kael! No-o-o!¡± I hiccupped. This was not what was supposed to happen. He was invincible. He could take on a whole army, but he couldn¡¯t protect himself from me, and I had attacked him in the most vulnerable spot. His heart.

    ¡°Let me go,¡± I cried. ¡°Let me go to him.¡± It wasn¡¯t fair that I couldn¡¯t touch him, be with him. I pulled against the two holding me, but Alek turned his eyes to me, blazing with anger and tears.

    ¡°No, take her away. Take her to the pits, and make sure she doesn¡¯t come back. Ever.¡±

    A higher pitched feminine scream erupted over my shoulder as Gwen rushed forward and threw herself on Kael¡¯s body, crying hysterically. Great heaving sobs wracked her body, and I just stared at him.

    At Alek.

    And I knew that I had forfeited my life.

    Chapter 11

    The pits were just that. Pits. Deep dark holes in the ground. I looked up and could see the stars shining bright, teasing me with their twinkling light, but from far away. I walked around the pit and tried to reach across but I gauged it to be at least ten feet. And the walls must¡¯ve reached one hundred feet high. They were smooth stone, no cracks or crevices to provide foot and handholds.

 Page 15

    My father once mentioned places like the pits, but he said they were called oubliettes, places of forgetting. An appropriate place for me as all I wanted to do was forget what I had done. After I had paced the small area back and forth, I finally collapsed in exhaustion and tears. My voice echoed up the shaft as I cried my heart out.

    Pain, unending pain assaulted me.

    I kept wiping my hands on my shirt, trying to wipe away the sin I had committed. Murder. I¡¯d murdered Kael, and I truly knew I deserved to die.

    I was a monster. I should be exterminated.

    This wasn¡¯t really a prison. I knew I could escape from a hole. The question was, without Kael, did I want to?

    I was deep into my own self-hatred when a shadow fell over me and a rope plopped on the ground next to my leg. The rope moved back and forth as someone began to descend it. I didn¡¯t care, and they didn¡¯t deserve my attention. The weird rock formation on the wall next to me became extremely interesting, and I decided it required all of my attention. The shadow stepped away from the rope, and I could hear the sound of the rope being pulled back up.

    Oh well. I had company. At least I wouldn¡¯t die of boredom. The figure moved to stand in front of me. I recognized her when she kneeled in front of me with a condescending expression. I took my earlier words back. I think I would rather have died alone than face her.

    Gwen. The woman Kael had once been engaged to and probably still loved. I pretended the tall beautiful SwordBrother didn¡¯t exist and went back to examining my rock.

    Gwen swatted my leg, prompting me to acknowledge her. It didn¡¯t matter. I could ignore one woman. I could see her lips were moving and she was speaking, but I didn¡¯t comprehend one word.

    Her brows furrowed and her mouth formed a slim line. She prodded me again with her hand, and I rolled my head and glared at her, mimicking her solemn face. She stood up and I could see her mouth form words. She looked like she was yelling at me. I didn¡¯t care. I really just wanted to close my eyes and wish away the annoying woman.

    Then I caught the motion of her black boot as it pulled back to kick me in the side. Now that I wouldn¡¯t allow. Her boot came forward, and I lunged forward and clenched it. I hit her behind the knee, twisted her foot, and pinned it under my arm, forcing her to fall backwards and roll to her stomach. I had full control of her, a great pressure lock on her foot, and I smiled.

    ¡°Don¡¯t kick me,¡± I warned her. ¡°Don¡¯t you ever kick me.¡±

    Her eyes widened in shock, but I didn¡¯t see awe. I saw determination. Gwen screamed against the pain and pushed herself off the ground into me, forcing her leg to bend horribly. She gained enough footing to grasp my braid. She yanked and I saw white blinding stars.

    I kicked out with my feet and wrapped them around her neck and squeezed.

    Her hand snaked up and gave me a palm strike under the jaw. I lost the upper hand as we rolled again in the dirt.

    Kicking and using every trick that I knew, I fought her.

    Voices called down to us, but I couldn¡¯t hear them over the beating of my frantic heart. All I knew was the fight. I pummeled the woman and took my own punishment. This wasn¡¯t about killing or injuring her; this was a fight about honor, and somehow we both understood that. It lasted another five minutes.

    We were equally matched.

    Gwen stood up and wiped at her bleeding lip. She was covered in dirt and scratches, and her cheek was already starting to swell.

    My head was pounding and something warm slid down my cheek. And my eye was hurting. However Gwen looked, I probably looked worse.

    ¡°Are you done wallowing?¡± she said, leaning down and resting her weight on her heels.

    ¡°I¡¯m not wallowing.¡±

    ¡°I wouldn¡¯t blame you for wallowing; you almost killed Kael. You probably should have been left down here for days not hours.¡±

    ¡°Wait¡­what?¡± Kael wasn¡¯t dead? My befuddled brain instantly cleared and recalled the words she¡¯d been yelling at me.

    ¡°Get up. Kael¡¯s still alive.¡±

    She stared at me, shook her head, and then whistled. A few seconds later, the large rope dropped down into the pit, followed by a second one that landed next to me. Gwen reached for one and wrapped it around her arm and foot. I walked over to the second and watched.

    She smirked. ¡°Pull!¡± she called. One second she was there; the next, Gwen disappeared, pulled upward.

    Taking a deep breath, I mirrored her actions with the rope. My stomach dropped as I too was hauled upward. The sun hit my face, and I had to blink to adjust to the brightness. I pulled myself over the ledge and dusted off my hands. The two SwordBrothers that had pulled me up were winding the rope.

    Alek was there, watching us come out of the pit. He reached over and gently touched Gwen¡¯s swollen lip, and he looked at me not with disdain, but respect.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Kael?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°In the infirmary,¡± he answered and turned to walk away.

    I ran forward and followed behind him. Apparently, Kael¡¯s abrupt attitude and lack of small talk was a family trait.

    Every part of my being wanted to ask annoying questions, just to see if he was as calm as his brother. I followed Alek into a plain building that was similar in architecture to the rest of the village. Curtains closed off a wing. Alek pulled the white material to the side, and we ran into Alba just as she was leaving. She leaned over and whispered something to Alek who nodded his head in understanding.

    Alba¡¯s piercing gaze caught mine, but I was unable to read her expression as the small woman left us alone.

    The room wasn¡¯t fancy. It was filled with brown cots and a small table with a pitcher of water, a bowl, and a lone stool. There were no others in the wing that we were in, and for that I was grateful.

    Kael was sleeping on the cot. A white blanket covered him, and he looked so helpless and young. I was taken aback and stared at him for a few minutes just taking him in, trying to figure out what was different.

    He wasn¡¯t in his normal black attire, but a simple white robe, which made his tan skin seem pale against his dark hair. I slowly sat down on the wooden stool, being careful to not disturb his sleep. It was odd, I finally decided, to see him so unadorned and without a single weapon. His eyelids flickered and he turned restlessly. Kael was dreaming. I watched him sleep, fascinated by the turn of events. For once, I was able to watch over him.

    His strong chin showed just the lightest bit of stubble, and I studied his profile silently, noticing a small scar. I followed the hollow of his neck down to the exposed part of his chest¡ªthe part that the shirt didn¡¯t cover up. I¡¯d never been able to see it before, the pale criss-crossing of scars long healed. His body was covered with them. To have so many and still be so young! Some of the scars looked to be years old.

    I turned to Alek who was still behind me watching my actions with interest. ¡°How old are these scars?

    ¡°Oh, that long one there is probably a few decades old. That was an accident during weapons training. The small moon shaped one is from two years ago where I knicked him during a small scuffle over a game of cards.¡± Alek answered matter of factly.

    ¡°But that can¡¯t be. Wait how old is Kael?¡±

    Alek let forth a loud laugh as if my question surprised and delighted him. ¡°What? Has my brother never told you?¡±

    ¡°No, I never asked because he only looked to be a few years older than me. But these scars on his body!¡± I reached out to touch Kael¡¯s bare chest and my hand was enveloped by Kael¡¯s large warm one.

 Page 16

    ¡°Don¡¯t,¡± Kael warned. ¡°That tickles.¡± His deep blue eyes were opened and they were focused on me. His hand had caught mine and pulled it away from his scars. He turned his gaze on his brother and with a firm look warned, ¡°And don¡¯t you tell her.¡±

    By now Alek was coughing as he tried to stop his laughter abruptly. I was slightly annoyed by both of their antics, and by Kael¡¯s sudden burst of energy, and all because of his never telling me his age.

    ¡°What¡¯s the big deal?¡± I asked.

    Alek answered, ¡°Apparently, it¡¯s not just women that lie about their age but SwordBrothers as well.¡±

    Kael still hadn¡¯t released my hand. It was now lying wrapped in his on the cot next to him. I could feel the slight tickle of his thumb rubbing the top of my hand. It was a heady feeling, making me slightly distracted which was probably his goal.

    ¡°Well then, fine,¡± I answered back tartly. ¡°How old are you Alek? Since you are his older brother, he can¡¯t be that much younger than you.¡±

    Alek plopped down on the cot next to Kael¡¯s and leaned back on his arms. ¡°I¡¯ll be two hundred come next month.¡±

    ¡°How is that even close?¡± I stopped and stared at Alek who had quit laughing and was now studying me. ¡°Kael, he can¡¯t be¡­can he? Then how old are you?¡± I turned and glared at Kael.

    Kael¡¯s hand had stopped stroking mine and he pulled it out of my grip. I felt cold and alone with the realization. I studied Kael but he wouldn¡¯t meet my gaze.

    ¡°Kael?¡± I asked again.

    He stood up and took off the white shirt, and I stared again at all of the scars that laid an intricate map across his back. Part of me wished I had time for him to explain every one to me. Kael picked up a neatly folded black shirt and donned it. From under the bed he pulled boots, knives, and more weapons, because he would never be far from a knife. Kael began to prepare himself for battle, dressing the part of the SwordBrother once again. Only I knew that it was going to be a battle of words.

    I wouldn¡¯t admit it, but I preferred him in his black attire.

    ¡°Kael is a hundred and thirty. Our father was 420 when he passed away. It¡¯s our gift, our longevity. It¡¯s in our blood, and it¡¯s why we make the best guards. We¡¯ve been practicing our techniques for over a hundred years.¡±

    I wanted to kick Kael but settled for shoving him angrily in the side. ¡°How dare you berate me for not being as good as you, when you¡¯ve had a century of training on me?¡±

    I heard a long drawn out sigh from Kael and then heard him mutter a single word. ¡°Women.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure he¡¯s not five? Because he sure is acting like a child right now,¡± I grumbled under my breath.

    Alek sat up and motioned for me to follow him out of hearing range from Kael. We stepped just outside the curtain so Kael could finish dressing without an audience.

    ¡°Thalia, Kael told us you know the story about the King of Sinnendor and his SwordBrother body guards. How he had hundreds bonded to the king.¡±

    ¡°Yes, Kael told me. There was a man named Lake that ended the reign of the King by killing him himself along with all of the SwordBrothers.¡±

    ¡°Yes, but that was a very long time ago.¡±

    ¡°Not for Kael and me. Lake was our father. Kael was only an infant when our father brought down the King. The rest of us fled here to live in peace. We are few, but we live a quiet, peaceful, and a longer-than-normal life.¡±

    ¡°Until I came into the picture,¡± I spoke softly. Alek turned to look at me and I could see how pain-filled his eyes were.

    ¡°No, Thalia. He was never at peace. Even here, in our sanctuary I knew it. Every time someone looked at him, they commented on how much he looked like our Father, Lake. I didn¡¯t mean to fall in love with Gwen, but it just happened. We tried to stop it, but neither Gwen nor I could fight the feelings. Now add that betrayal onto all of the pressure to be the best.¡±

    Alek¡¯s words were meant to make me feel at ease, but all they did was leave a sour feeling in the pit of my stomach. He didn¡¯t know what we had been through, and I wasn¡¯t going to be the one to tell him how much Kael had suffered on my account.

    ¡°He¡¯s risked his life plenty of times saving mine. But all I did was take his life.¡± I turned and sat down on a bench outside Kael¡¯s room. ¡°I still don¡¯t know how that is possible. Shouldn¡¯t I be dead since I killed Kael?¡±

    Alek shook his head. ¡°No, although if you had succeeded you would not be alive much longer.¡± Alek¡¯s hand drifted to the knife in his belt as a gentle reminder. ¡°In the times before, if our charge¡ªthe person we were bonded to¡ªdied, the SwordBrother died. Also, a SwordBrother can be killed in battle with no harm to their charge. By all means, Kael should have died, but he didn¡¯t. This is something else. Something different, maybe? All I know Thalia¡­is that he¡¯s alive because you¡¯re alive.¡±

    I could see Alek¡¯s mind whirling with wonder and a hint of awe. I had a feeling I knew what he was going to say, but I was too angry to wait for an answer. ¡°Spit it out, Alek.¡±

    ¡°It means, Thalia,¡± Alek answered slowly. ¡°Kael will live only as long as you do. He will no longer have his gift of longevity.¡±

    ¡°Then undo it!¡± I gasped out.

    ¡°Thalia, Kael was a broken man when he left here. Bitter, angry, hurt, and betrayed by the ones he loved. I¡¯m not sure how, but you¡¯ve brought him back a changed man.¡± Alek tilted his head and gestured to the infirmary, where an odd gravely noise could be heard coming out of Kael¡¯s room.

    It sounded off pitch and grated on my nerves. ¡°What is that sound?¡± I asked.

    Alek covered his mouth with his hand. ¡°Do you see what I mean? He¡¯s humming¡ªmy brother is humming.¡± He tried to hide his smile.

    I couldn¡¯t help the surprised look that covered my shocked face. Kael did not have a singer¡¯s voice. The humming was terribly off-key. I ¡°That sounds like cat¡¯s howling in pain. It¡¯s disturbing,¡± I whispered. The noise from inside stopped.

    ¡°Exactly!¡± Alek said. ¡°He never hummed before he left.¡±

    Kael pushed the white curtain aside and spoke up as he stepped out onto the porch fully dressed, ¡°I do not sound like a cat in pain. Dog, maybe. Cat no.¡±

    My face flushed with embarrassment and I opened my mouth to apologize, but Gwen came back and asked to speak with Kael alone. He agreed and followed her down the hallway, down the wooden steps, and into street so they could talk in private. Alek and I walked slowly behind, giving them privacy. It was hard to not let jealous anger consume my thoughts as I watched them move out of earshot.

    ¡°It doesn¡¯t matter. Can we reverse what was done? I don¡¯t want to be bonded to him anymore.¡± I spoke my mind, since Kael could no longer overhear me. I rubbed my arms worriedly and couldn¡¯t help but wonder when Kael would be done talking so we could leave here. I didn¡¯t want to stay any longer than necessary. ¡°Can you reverse it? Take it off, make it go away.¡± My hands felt clammy, and I started to wipe at them as if I could wipe away the bond.

    Alek shook his head. ¡°The only way to break it is by your death. We are still a very young clan, Thalia. Most of us with the knowledge of bonding died when Lake killed the king. We are all too young to remember. It¡¯s why the art of bonding is gone. It¡¯s a mystery to us as it is to you. But maybe with time, if you stayed with us, we could relearn, reevaluate, and retest some theories. Maybe over time we could¡ª¡±

 Page 17

    ¡°No! I won¡¯t stay here.¡± I glanced down the street, but Kael and Gwen were gone.

    I had to calm my nerves at the thought of being poked and prodded with needles. I stepped just outside of the building into the street with no clear direction in mind. I had no idea where Kael had run off too. He was home, near the woman he used to love. My body was tense, so I began to pace and think over everything I had just learned. I needed to escape, to get out of here and fast.

    Alek gently touched my arm. ¡°We need you. We have no way of understanding what exactly was done without you. You are the other piece of this puzzle. Kael was reckless in his decision-making when he left our sanctuary and it came after a very emotional time for him. He was feeling trapped and betrayed¡ªjustly so.¡±

    ¡°So you are justifying his actions?¡± I steamed.

    ¡°No, it¡¯s in our blood¡ªa desire to be bonded and to protect the weak. Now we are but a shadow of what we once were. We have all at one time or another wished for the glory of the old days and being bonded. He left and his journey has brought him to you. Now he is the first to be bonded in many years.¡± He shrugged his shoulders and I stared at him.

    ¡°What about me? I have no desire to be a part of this. And when I do come here what do you do? You attack me, imprison me, trick me, and throw me in a pit. Now you want me to stay?¡± I scoffed.

    Alek blinked. I had momentarily stunned him. He stepped forward and tried to reason with me. ¡°We are not the enemy, Thalia. It¡¯s been a very long time since we¡¯ve had outsiders in our camp.¡±

    My anger didn¡¯t diffuse at his words, but built up in power like a volcano about to explode. He was about to witness the full fury of the Valdyrstal Clan.

    ¡°You¡¯re right. You are not the enemy, but there is a far greater enemy out there.¡± I pointed beyond the hills, toward what I hoped was the city of Haven. ¡°Instead of hiding away dreaming of days of old and acts of honor, how about protecting those that can¡¯t protect themselves? The innocents.¡±

    People overheard me and a crowd began to gather around the infirmary. I didn¡¯t care. I actually raised my voice even more. ¡°The Septori are out there. They are a plague, an evil that preys on the unsuspecting. They live in the darkness and walk among us in the light of day. And we can¡¯t find them. They are the ones that did this to Kael and me. True acts of honor don¡¯t limit themselves to time of action and war, or to kings and queens, but become greatest when the need is the greatest.¡±

    Alek looked taken aback. But I didn¡¯t let that stop me. I turned to address the crowd of people walking by.

    ¡°I know about the creed, about how you are bound by oath to die protecting those you have sworn an oath to protect. But what about now, when you refuse to lend your sword to a crown? What about the innocents? The children, the poor, the people, whether of Calandry or Sinnendor? This country that you have lived in peacefully for generations¡ªyou don¡¯t think they deserve help when help is due? When there is a common enemy that has struck out at one of your own, you do nothing. How can you even call yourselves SwordBrothers?¡±

    I stared down the crowd and watched in amazement as more than a few eyes looked away from me in apparent shame. A few shuffled their feet nervously, but the ones I studied were the men and women who showed no emotion at all. There were quite a few. These were the trained SwordBrothers. Like Kael, they hid their thoughts from me. A discussion started among the crowd about what was going on in Calandry. Alek stepped forward and answered some of their questions as best as he could relay from what he¡¯d learned from Kael. I used this short distraction to let Alek clean up the heated mess I had caused.

    My eyes caught movement by the steps, and I looked up to see Kael and Gwen walking farther down the street, their heads almost touching as they leaned into each other. I felt a bubble of apprehension surface, and I could feel myself becoming lightheaded. I couldn¡¯t handle either the thought of being an experiment or the idea of a lovesick reunion between Kael and Gwen. It was time to see myself out¡­of the sanctuary.

    I turned to leave and ran into a wall of broad chests covered in black¡ªmore SwordBrothers. ¡°Move please,¡± I lashed out. Surprisingly they moved out of my way. I stopped, looking up and down crowded street, unsure which way to go.

    ¡°Your horse is this way.¡± A SwordBrother waved me over and I followed him to a stable, keeping a careful distance. His hair was peppered with gray, his face tanned, and I could see faint scarring across his knuckles from years of working with weapons. He opened the door and pointed to the back.

    Sure enough Faraway was there, happily munching away on feed. He was groomed and fed. His leg was even bandaged from his scrape on the fall. Though I was reluctant to give the clan any respect, they sure knew how to take care of animals.

    You¡¯ve been awfully quiet, I accused. Faraway had been decidedly absent from helping me lately and I had to wonder if once again, he knew more than he let on. Was this his way of helping me learn to not rely on his strength and power so much?

    And you¡¯ve been awfully noisy in your thoughts. Maybe less talk and more eating would solve more of your problems.

    Food won¡¯t solve these kind of problems, I remarked.

    You¡¯d be surprised what it can solve.

    I found his saddle and began to prepare Faraway to leave. He wasn¡¯t in any hurry to leave his shelter and full feed trough.

    I heard a noise behind me and spun around to see that the same SwordBrother that had led me to my horse was gathering a pack full of supplies. He walked over and handed me a leather knapsack.

    ¡°Thank you,¡± I said meekly.

    ¡°No, thank you,¡± he answered back. He touched his chest and gazed at me with earnest eyes. He looked to be about my father¡¯s age, which in SwordBrother years could be¡­who knows, four hundred? ¡°It¡¯s been a while since I felt a stirring here,¡± he tapped his chest. ¡°I think you leave us with many things to think about.¡±

    I sighed in weariness, dreading the question I needed to ask. ¡°Am I even going to be allowed to leave? Or is your clan going to kill me as soon as my back is turned?¡±

    His eyes crinkled up in the corners. ¡°I think you know that answer already. The knife that kills you has a double edge.¡±

    I dropped Faraway¡¯s reigns and leaned my head against his furred neck. Of course they couldn¡¯t kill me. How could I have forgotten already?

    ¡°So I¡¯ll be allowed to leave?¡±

    ¡°If that is your wish, then no one will stop you.¡±

    ¡°Yes, I want to leave now. Coming here was a mistake. All I¡¯ve done is lost time when I should have been tracking the Septori.¡±

    It wasn¡¯t long before I was saddled and on the road headed out of the village, leaving Kael behind. Any moment, they could come after me and detain me, try to imprison me again. They probably should. If I were them, I would lock me away in a cell and throw away the key.

    But before I made it to the edge of the village, Alba stopped me. This time she was wearing a lavender robe covered with the same silver bells. She had a small velvet bag in her hands.

    ¡°Here. To remember me by.¡± She held up the bag, and I had to lean down quite far to reach it. I opened the pouch and pulled out a single round bell on a string.

    ¡°Thanks,¡± I said, feeling disheartened and sad.

 Page 18

    ¡°No, look closer.¡±

    I turned the bell over and noticed that there was a small indent in the bottom of the bell, where someone had pried open a leaf of the bell and removed the silver ball. The reason her bells didn¡¯t make a sound was because she removed all of the clappers. I looked at her and raised an eyebrow. It was something I would have done.

    ¡°I¡¯m too old for tests, and my arthritic hands were making them constantly jingle and drive me batty. But I wanted to give it to you as a reminder of your choice with the tea. Like me, you find your own solutions to the problems around you. You will find the Septori; you will find the answers you seek. And sometimes, what you gain on your journey is more valuable than the prize at the end.¡±

    ¡°And what about Kael?¡± I asked.

    ¡°What about him?¡± she shrugged her shoulders offhandedly.

    I swallowed and my stomach churned with uncertain feelings. ¡°Will he be all right?¡±

    ¡°Of course, he will be all right. He¡¯s the first to be bonded since we left Sinnendor. Granted, it didn¡¯t work out the way any of us expected it to, but his name will never be forgotten.¡±

    ¡°But he¡¯s forced to give up his freedom.¡±

    ¡°Ask yourself what he is gaining by being bonded to you.¡±

    ¡°Not much. I¡¯m trouble. I¡¯ve been nothing but trouble for him, since he¡¯s met me.¡± I looked down at the ground, breaking eye contact.

    ¡°So what? A SwordBrother¡¯s been forced to do his duty and protect his charge. I¡¯m sure he was furious at first and quite demanding, but I can tell you that secretly, he¡¯s feeling more alive than ever. Truly, he will come around. There is no greater honor for a SwordBrother than protecting their sworn one until death.¡±

    ¡°Which will be short,¡± I snapped out, ¡°with my luck.¡±

    ¡°Which will be filled with more action, battle, and love than any of us have seen in years. So don¡¯t be reckless and spout off about things you don¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°I know the Septori, and they won¡¯t stop until they either capture me or kill me,¡± I grumbled after a moment.

    ¡°Well then, maybe it is a good thing that Kael must protect you. As long as you live, he is invincible. He is the best fighter there is.¡±

    ¡°I thought Alek was the better fighter. That¡¯s what Kael said.¡±

    Alba shook her head. ¡°No one¡¯s better than Kael. I¡¯ve watched them. Kael fights with all the fury and anger he holds from losing his father so young. He¡¯s better than Lake ever was. He doesn¡¯t know it, but he holds himself back when he spars with his brother. He fears that he will kill him and then he will be all alone. He has quite a few feelings to work through. For example, what he¡¯ll feel when he finds that you left without him.¡±

    ¡°He¡¯ll forget about me. He¡¯s already reconciling with Gwen.¡± I said waving off her words.

    Alba snorted. ¡°Oil and water those two. She¡¯s much more fitted for Alek¡¯s temperament anyway. Let the girl say her apologies to Kael and that will be it. She¡¯s been beating herself up about it for months. But you young one¡ªyou are like oil and Kael is fire. Careful, because the two of you can destroy the world with your passion.¡±

    My cheeks heated and I stuttered a bit. ¡°If-if we don¡¯t destroy each other first,¡± I choked out.

    ¡°That too,¡± she agreed. ¡°But the sooner you leave, the sooner he¡¯ll feel the bond moving and he¡¯ll abandon Gwen to come after you.¡± Alba came over and ran her hands over Faraway, noticing the small but significant swirl upon his chest. The mark startled her and she studied it wide-eyed. Few noticed it for what it was.

    ¡°I also wouldn¡¯t count yourself short, if I were you. It seems that there is something special about you that attracts even the Guardians. She rubbed her hands over Faraway¡¯s nose and looked deeply into his eyes. ¡°Isn¡¯t that right?¡± She gently blew into his face. He relaxed and pushed his large head into her chest. I heard him mentally sigh.

    ¡°You know what he is?¡± I asked stunned.

    ¡°Of course. The Guardians only appear in time of great need. When you are as old as me, you¡¯ve seen enough times of trouble to recognize one. They say the Great One gives them to us to guide us and help us during our trial. Their time on our land is short and purpose-driven. One day Thalia, you will awaken and he will be gone.¡±

    When Alba spoke those words, Faraway started and took off up the path that led to the caves, trying to put some distance between him and the woman who had just brought the truth to light. The truth that Faraway had clearly been avoiding.

    I pulled on the reigns but he ignored me and started to trot. Feeling guilty at my sudden departure, I looked over my shoulder to where Alba was standing, but she was gone.

    We were already on our way out of the Sanctuary, and I wanted to ask Alba more questions, but it seemed like Faraway didn¡¯t want me to know anything else.

    Why didn¡¯t you tell me? I spoke directly to Faraway accusingly.

    Anything I would have told you would only upset you or worry you unnecessarily.

    Of course I¡¯m upset. You are going to leave me. My heart felt burdened with the thought of not having him near me. You can¡¯t leave me.

    Not yet, he answered. Until the time when I must fulfill my destiny, I will always be yours.

    Promise.

    Yes. Now let¡¯s go back and find the others. I¡¯m in the mood for a cookie.

    Chapter 12

    Faraway and I traveled quickly and all through the night. By the next day I was tired of traveling and grateful when I saw a small town come into view. Even coming at it from a different direction, I recognized it. I couldn¡¯t remember the name of the town, but when I passed the small inn, I couldn¡¯t help but recognize the two-story Ginger Dragon Inn. Knowing Joss and Darren, they would have stopped here on their way to Haven. I was exhausted and would pay the extra money to stay the night and get a good night¡¯s rest. Faraway headed around back and to the stables. Three other horses were already there.

    The same young boy from a year ago came and took Faraway into an empty stall and started to brush him down. He was taller and leaner, but I recognized the innkeeper Bran¡¯s oldest son.

    ¡°Lad, do you happen to know if Darren and Joss came through here?¡±

    Suspicious green eyes looked me over. ¡°Maybe.¡±

    I reached into my coin purse, pulled out a copper, and flipped it toward him. His hand snatched it midair.

    ¡°They came by to purchase food and speak to Mum and Pop, but they didn¡¯t stay the night.¡± He walked over to the side of the stable and put two scoops of feed into a bucket and carried it back into Faraway¡¯s stall.

    ¡°When was this? How many nights ago?¡± The boy refused to answer.

    I sighed loudly. Opening my pouch again, I pulled out another copper, but he held up two fingers. I pulled out two coins which quickly disappeared into his pocket.

    ¡°They came by five days ago. Bought enough bread to feed an army. My sister cried when they refused to stay. She likes him, ya know. She¡¯s been in a fit ever since, thinking he doesn¡¯t like her.¡± The words flew out of the boy¡¯s mouth in one breath. His eyes kept flickering to the front of the stable nervously the whole time he talked. As if he were waiting for something or someone. He finally stopped and looked at me carefully. ¡°Hey, I remember you. You were here last time, with them. You were awfully scrawny and dirty. I thought you were a boy, until mum said otherwise.¡±

 Page 19

    My cheeks grew warm in embarrassment.

    Want me to knock him over? Faraway asked.

    No, it¡¯s fine. He¡¯s right. I probably did look terrible the last time I came. I had just escaped out of the prison then. Besides, he¡¯s just a boy.

    With no manners. He snuffed and threw his head back, startling the young stable boy who promptly fell on his rump.

    Stop! Don¡¯t do anything. I¡¯ll be fine. I heard Faraway nicker in laughter as I headed to the inn¡¯s entrance. My goal was to get in, get a meal and a room, and do it without a fuss. I didn¡¯t really want it advertised that I was traveling alone.

    As soon as I entered the inn, moppy brown-haired Bran was there to greet me once again.

    ¡°Hello, welcome to the Ginger Dragon, are you here for the fare, or a fair sleep? We serve both.¡± He flashed me a toothy grin, and I couldn¡¯t help but smile back at his odd sense of humor.

    My eyes wandered the room, and I immediately saw the beautiful Vienna serving a meal to a full table of people sitting at a corner table. Her hands flew as she talked, and I could hear her giggle all the way to the front of the room.

    ¡°Both please,¡± I answered Bran softly. Trying not to draw attention to myself. ¡°Food first, then a room.¡±

    Bran went over to a register book and opened it up. He pulled out a quill and began to write in the day¡¯s date. I was about to hand over my money when I heard my name from across the room. There was no mistaking the warm tone of Joss¡¯s voice.

    My head snapped up faster than lightening as I zeroed in on him. He was sitting in the back of the room at the table, talking to Vienna. The inn door opened with the jingle of a bell, and the floor rumbled as someone large dropped a very heavy item to the floor.

    Bran¡¯s mouth opening in a silent oh was the only warning I had before I was scooped up from behind and wrapped in a very furry leather-bound bear hug from Hemi.

    ¡°Ahh, I¡¯ve found you Li¡¯l Wolf. Now I can keep my head and my home!¡± Hemi¡¯s deep voice boomed throughout the inn.

    ¡°He-He-Hemi, put me down!¡± I squealed out in delight, my feet dangling in the air.

    ¡°Not until I see that you are all right. That you have all yer fingers and toes,¡± he challenged back.

    I was allowed back to the ground, and Hemi placed his large hands on my shoulders, studying me, head to toe. His serious eyes missed nothing¡ªthe scrapes, bruises, and cracked lip that had mostly healed from my fight with Gwen in the pits. His hands reached for my face, but I gently knocked them away.

    ¡°Hemi, I¡¯m fine. What are you doing here? Where¡¯s Mona? Where are the others?¡± No sooner had I won my freedom from Hemi, I was wrapped up in the warm embrace of Joss¡¯s arms.

    ¡°You¡¯re safe?¡± he asked in disbelief. ¡°I can¡¯t believe you¡¯re safe.¡± He leaned back and looked at me but startled.

    I had forgotten about my eye and the eerie change. Joss and Hemi had not seen it yet. I dropped my eyes to the ground.

    ¡°Thalia, what happened?¡± Joss said. His voice dripped with worry. I raised my head again and met his eyes.

    ¡°It¡¯s been like that since I lost control of my power in the barn.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s¡­it¡¯s¡­I don¡¯t know¡­¡± Joss spoke, turning my head from right to left trying to see it better in the inn¡¯s dim lighting.

    ¡°It¡¯s different,¡± I shrugged and pulled away from him. I was a little disappointed by his reaction. It was so different from Kael¡¯s. I turned and faced Hemi, so he could see me for the first time.

    Hemi took one good look at me and made a sign to ward off evil spirits. I punched Hemi and he eventually smiled, though it took a while. He too, lifted my chin to stare into my eye.

    ¡°That¡¯s my girl. Still the same¡­right?¡± Hemi asked.

    ¡°Yeah, just with a very bad temper from being jostled around.¡±

    Just then, the inn door opened again, and the young boy from the stable walked in, giving me a sheepish look.

    I put my hands on my hips and gazed sternly at him.

    ¡°So I may have forgot to mention they came back. You would have found them eventually, and now I¡¯m three coppers richer.¡± I moved closer to him and he squeaked and ran up the closest set of stairs to escape my ire.

    Joss looked impatient. He took my hand and pulled me over the table he had just vacated. Hemi followed closely, not willing to lose sight of me again. Vienna sniffed at Joss¡¯s change in mood, but she went to fetch me a bowl of soup and bread.

    Joss continued his story. ¡°We made it to Haven and took Mona to the Queen¡¯s Palace. We told them everything, and immediately we set back off to look for you. Darren and Fanny went west; others from the Citadel volunteered as well. But there¡¯s more, Thalia. More have gone missing. This time right from the Citadel.¡±

    ¡°How can the Septori be so bold?¡± I gasped.

    ¡°They snuck in once; they will do it again.¡±

    Hemi shook his head. ¡°It¡¯s not right, children being taken. Not right! Doesn¡¯t matter which clan they are from.¡±

    Over dinner, I told him the shortened version of the last few days, leaving out that I was blood-bonded with Kael. That information was too valuable for anyone¡ªeven those I trusted¡ªtoknow. Hemi was astonished that I¡¯d actually seen the Sanctuary of the SwordBrothers.

    ¡°Yes, I did,¡± I said uncomfortably, hoping they wouldn¡¯t press me for more information.

    ¡°Where was it?¡± Joss asked. He was on the edge of his seat with excitement.

    ¡°Far away,¡± I mumbled.

    ¡°South? East? West? How many days did you say you traveled on horseback to get there?¡±

    ¡°Joss, I¡¯m sorry. Kael blindfolded me. I really don¡¯t remember and I was so exhausted I didn¡¯t pay attention when I left either,¡± I lied.

    ¡°Where is he? Where¡¯s Kael and how could he not come with you?¡±

    ¡°He was injured when I left. I¡¯m sure he will be following soon,¡± I reached out, trying to distract him from his questions with my hand on his. It worked. Joss reached over and placed his on top of mine and squeezed.

    Hemi, who had been a silent observer, slammed his glass of mead down loudly on the table making me jump. He pulled out a very long knife that he used to pick at piece of dirt under his nail. His warning for Joss to back off was clear as day. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder at the change in his mood. Was it because Fanny wasn¡¯t around that Hemi was only now more observant? Or since we were no longer pretending to be a couple, he wanted distance between us?

    I rolled my eyes and pulled my hand away from Joss¡¯s. ¡°Well, now that I am safe and sound we can head back to the Citadel tomorrow. Maybe we can call in the volunteers that went out looking for me and send them out looking for Tenya.¡±

    Joss suddenly became quiet. ¡°They already did, but any extra help is worth it. I feel like it¡¯s been too long¡ªthat we¡¯re too late. I can feel it here, in my gut.¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t give up so easily Joss. We¡¯ll find your sister.¡± I tried to put as much reassurance into my voice as possible, though I was beginning to lose hope as well.

    ¡°And if we don¡¯t, Thalia? What if we never find her? What are you going to do?¡±

    The thought hadn¡¯t occurred to me. When the search ended, would I go back to my own clan? Just the thought sent a shiver of unease down my spine. ¡°I don¡¯t know, Joss. I guess I would go home.¡±

 Page 20

    ¡°You can¡¯t go home, Thalia. You belong with me at the Citadel. You know I would just come after you again.¡± I could tell he meant it.

    ¡°Joss, I don¡¯t know if I¡¯ll be allowed to go back to the Citadel. I tried to glance at Hemi and gauge his reaction, but since Joss had backed off, he¡¯d put the knife away and sat back in the chair. Now his eyes were closed, and he rested his head on his chest feigning sleep. I knew better. I swore I could see his ears twitch with interest. My stomach growled and I began to dip the bread into my now cold but still delicious soup.

    ¡°Thalia, there¡¯s something I would like to ask you.¡± Joss wrapped his hands around his mug and stared at its half empty contents for a few seconds. He took a deep breath, pushed the mug away, and looked up at me with a guarded expression. ¡°Are you in love with Kael?¡±

    The question startled me and the soft bread became like a stone. I couldn¡¯t swallow it. I coughed loudly, reaching desperately for the cider to wash down the bread before it killed me.

    Joss leaned over to try and give me a reassuring pat on the back.

    During this whole horrid scene, Hemi still hadn¡¯t moved.

    ¡°Joss. I¡¯m really¡ªum¡ªnot sure that I¡ªno. I¡¯m not¡ªin love with anyone!¡± I shot out in between fits of coughing. One great red eyebrow rose on Hemi¡¯s large face before it dropped back down and he let out a snore. Absolutely feigning sleep.

    Finally, when my coughing subsided and my faced returned to a normal color, I looked over at Joss. His expression was unreadable. Joss¡¯s blue-green eyes gazed at me thoughtfully. He leaned back in his chair and tapped his fingers along the hard wood table.

    ¡°Huh, I wasn¡¯t expecting that answer. Not exactly. But then I guess I deserve it, because I need to earn back your trust. Don¡¯t worry. I will.¡± Joss flashed me a very relieved and determined smile.

    I was happy¡ªI think¡ªat his reaction, but I suddenly felt overwhelmingly tired.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, but I think I need to get some rest.¡±

    Joss immediately jumped up and Hemi lumbered up as well. My room ended up being the same room as the last time I¡¯d stayed here. Joss and Hemi shared the room connected to mine.

    Hemi had already walked through my room and checked the door between the rooms. He went back in to settle in for the night, which left Joss and me alone in the hallway. Joss was reluctant to say goodnight. Only one sconce on the wall remained lit. My door, at the end of the hall, was in the darkest corner.

    Joss grabbed my hand and clasped it in between his. It was warm and comforting, until I looked into his face and saw the heat burning there. Suddenly an excited thrill race up my body.

    ¡°You don¡¯t know how scared I¡¯ve been, knowing you were gone and that I couldn¡¯t go after you. I was drowning in worry the last few days without you. But now that I have you back, I can breathe again.¡± He pressed his forehead into mine as his hands delicately ran up my forearms sending a wave of goose bumps in their wake.

    I shuddered and pressed myself closer to him. It was a different being near Joss than it was with Kael. Joss was like a slow burning flame that, if given the chance, could quickly spread and overtake me. And I truly believed he would give up everything to be with me, even leaving his home, his clan. That thought both disturbed me and pleased me.

    ¡°Do you trust me?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    Joss leaned forward and ran his fingers back up my arm, but this time it was different. I felt a tingle of power race up my body and I shivered. It was warm and thrilling. I could see what he was doing. He was opening up a thread of power and was slowly trickling it along my skin. It was intoxicating to be touched by his power, and I wanted to be closer, wanted more. He leaned in and I closed the distance between us greedily.

    The mix of our power and our kiss made my subconscious rise. Even with my eyes closed, I could see the bright light that was his center pulsing and burning brightly. My thread of power reached toward his and caressed it gently. Joss shivered in reaction. But then I saw the color of my power. His was glowing gold, mine a dark shadow. Could he not see the difference, see how wrong mine was? I tried to dismiss my frustration and lose myself once more in the kiss, reaching for him hungrily.

    Joss groaned.

    I was no longer touching him but draining him, like I had done with Kael.

    ¡°No!¡± I ripped myself away from the kiss and stared at Joss in fear. We were both breathing heavily and I held up a hand, warning him to keep his distance. I reached behind me for the door handle. Quickly, I disappeared behind the door and slid the lock in place.

    ¡°Hey,¡± Joss whispered through the door. ¡°I don¡¯t know what just happened, but it was unforgettable.¡±

    ¡°That kiss, dear Joss, was almost your undoing. I think we might both be safer with a solid door between us for now.¡±

    ¡°But that door will have to be opened sometime, someday.¡±

    ¡°If you knew what was good for you, you would keep it closed.¡± Permanently, I whispered under my breath. ¡°I¡¯ll see you in the morning, Joss,¡± I called out, hoping to end the conversation and his hovering by my door. It was a few minutes before the door to the room next door opened and closed.

    My head was starting to pound and I knew how to read the signs. Kael was fast. Faster than I gave him credit for.

    I sighed and moved to ready myself for bed. I cleaned the road dust off with the bowl of water and bar of soap that was provided. I opened the window to let in a cool breeze and then changed into a clean pair of pants and long over shirt. I pulled out the extra knife I kept in my boot, extinguished the candle, and lay in the cold bed, waiting. I listened to the hustle and bustle of the inn as people came in, ate, drank, and either left or went to a room.

    Even though I was exhausted, I didn¡¯t sleep. It must have been after midnight. I shivered in the cold, refusing to close the window and holding onto the knife under my pillow. I made sure to face the wall so I could see the crack of moonlight coming in. It was another hour after before my headache receded.

    I gripped the knife tighter in my hand, noticing the slight change of shadow as the window shutter opened from the outside. I watched as it was slowly closed all the way and then heard him latch it from the inside. I turned silently to lie on my back.

    The room was now in complete darkness, but I could see perfectly. Kael was moving closer to me, and I smiled maliciously.

    My hand shot out with the knife toward his chest, but he caught it easily. With two swift moves, he disarmed me and pinned my hands behind above my head. My knife lay useless across the floor. I was trapped under his body.

    ¡°You know there is such a thing as a door,¡± I whispered. ¡°You should try it sometime.¡±

    ¡°I like the challenge,¡± was his reply back. My heart beat louder in my chest but I froze, refusing to move. The same way he could always find me, I was able to tell whenever he was near, especially if we¡¯d been apart for any long periods of time. Stupid headache.

    ¡°I think you¡¯re losing your touch in your old age, Kael.¡± I looked down at the knife that was on the floor. ¡°Not as silent as you used to be.¡±

    ¡°Maybe I wouldn¡¯t have to keep sneaking in windows and houses if you would just stay in one place instead of running off,¡± he squeezed my wrists firmly in a gentle warning, and rolled onto his back next to me on the bed sinking comfortably into my pillow.

 Page 21

    ¡°Well, I had worn out my welcome in your village, and I was tired of being constantly tossed into sheds and deep holes.¡±

    ¡°None of them seemed like much of a challenge for you. Why balk at a few tests?¡±

    ¡°Tests! Tests. Torture.¡±

    ¡°So you went through a bit of the Initiation, although it was altered because you were an outsider. But you passed all of them and earned quite a bit of respect. When I left, the Sanctuary was in upheaval with all the diverse opinions. Let¡¯s just say, Thalia, I don¡¯t think the clan will ever be the same.¡±

    ¡°I, uh, didn¡¯t mean to upset everyone.¡±

    ¡°Didn¡¯t you though?¡± he spoke softly. ¡°You seem to have a habit of coming in like a storm and leaving a path of destruction and confusion in your wake.¡±

    I pulled at the blanket to cover me but it was now stuck under Kael¡¯s heavy body. ¡°I don¡¯t.¡± I yanked on the blanket again.

    Kael conceded a foot by turning over and releasing more of it. He handed me the pillow and put his hands above his head.

    ¡°You do, but I take it back. It¡¯s not really everyone that you affect that way. It¡¯s just me.¡± He turned his head and I was caught up in both his deep stormy eyes and his confession. I could see the pain, the hurt. It was like a two-edged knife, and we kept using it to hurt each other in our anger.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Kael.¡± The pain and the guilt I had thought buried rose to the surface all over again. ¡°I¡¯m sorry. I didn¡¯t know it was you that night. I lost control and you paid the price. Please you must believe me.¡± Small tears fell down my cheeks, and I fought against every one of them.

    Kael pulled me into his arms, my head on his chest. He didn¡¯t chastise me for crying, and I couldn¡¯t have stopped myself if I tried.

    ¡°Shh,¡± he said, his heart beating a steady rhythm. ¡°Do you hear it? It beats for you, Thalia. It beats because of you.¡±

    I was afraid to move, afraid to wake up from whatever dream we were in. ¡°I still can¡¯t believe you¡¯re alive,¡± I whispered.

    ¡°You¡¯re my reason for living now. In fact, I don¡¯t think my heart truly started to beat until I met you.¡±

    I lifted my head off of his chest, but his right hand slid to my waist keeping me pressed close to his side. His grip was firm. He wasn¡¯t going to let me go.

    ¡°You have to be careful. I can¡¯t control my power lately, and I might kill you again.¡±

    ¡°You won¡¯t.¡± His voice turned husky as he leaned forward.

    I held my breath, waiting to see what he would do.

    Gently, he pushed me back against the bed and sat up. My mouth went dry and my heart raced. Kael crawled over me and, being very careful to not touch me anywhere else, placed his head on my chest, over my heart¡ª

    Which was at this moment racing frantically. I was afraid to move.

    Kael spoke softly as he listened to the rhythm. ¡°As long as your heart beats, so does mine. I kind of like that. It¡¯s the ultimate bond between us.¡±

    ¡°You didn¡¯t use too. You hated it. Hated the loss of your freedom. I remember how angry you were¡ª¡°

    Kael chuckled and silenced my argument with a deep kiss that left me breathless and excited. His lips were soft and warm, but his kiss was intense. Demanding. Possessive. Heat coursed through my body. My heart raced faster than a hummingbird. I was falling off a cliff and, like all the other times before, I knew Kael would save me. And with that kiss he did. It felt more than good, it felt right. And I knew that I couldn¡¯t kill him with a kiss.

    He pulled away, breaking the kiss, and I groaned in disappointment. Kael breathed out softly, ¡°What can I say? You¡¯ve started to grow on me.¡± His eyes said he meant those words.

    ¡°What? Like a wart?¡± I whispered, and tried to hold back the laughter that swelled in me. I was elated that he kissed me, not in challenge to anger or to get back at Joss. Kael kissed me because he truly desired me. That thought both exhilarated me and made me nervous. Was I betraying Joss? Was I leading on two men? My mood shifted from top-of-the-mountain-exuberant bliss to bottom-of-a-rotten-barrel-of-fish depressed.

    ¡°Thalia, you talk too much.¡± His eyes danced with light, and I could see the heat building behind them as he leaned forward and kissed me again. But my own morals had me balking.

    ¡°Kael, you shouldn¡¯t kiss me. Joss is¡­mmmfff¡± Kael interrupted me and kissed me again, and I lost all thought of what I was going to say.

    ¡°Don¡¯t¡­talk¡­so¡­much.¡± His lips pressed against my chin, my neck, my shoulder. It felt good¡ªtoo good¡ªand I didn¡¯t want him to stop.

    ¡°I think¡ª¡± I started.

    ¡°You think too much as well,¡± he challenged, looking at me sternly.

    ¡°You shouldn¡¯t kiss me.¡± I tried to pull away. At first he wasn¡¯t going to let me go, but then he did. I escaped from the intense heat of his body by scooting over closer to the wall.

    His eyes turned dark with frustration. ¡°I¡¯m tired of waiting, Thalia. I¡¯m not a patient person. You have to know.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean, Kael? You know I like Joss.¡± I tried to move away again, but his hands on either side of me pinned me in. Kael¡¯s determination scared me.

    ¡°You know what we share is infinitely more powerful than¡­that. And you feel this between us too,¡± he growled. ¡°You melt when I kiss you. You watch me when you think I¡¯m unaware. You can¡¯t sleep unless I¡¯m near you. Tell me none of that is true.¡±

    I swallowed nervously and licked my lips. ¡°No. That¡¯s all true.¡±

    ¡°I promised your father I would give you time, but I¡¯m tired of waiting. Tired of watching Joss try and win your heart from me.¡±

    ¡°Kael, I don¡¯t understand. How is Joss keeping you from me, when you and I don¡¯t think of one another that way?¡±

    ¡°Don¡¯t think of¡ªThalia! You and I are life mates.¡±

    Chapter 13

    I shoved away from Kael, banging my head. ¡°Ouch! How can that be? You aren¡¯t making sense, Kael.¡± I brought my hand up to my head to make sure a knot wasn¡¯t forming.

    I couldn¡¯t breathe. My chest tightened with anxiety and something else I couldn¡¯t identify. Fear? Excitement? Hope? In one sentence, my future had been decided for me. The choice was never mine. It was foolish of me to think otherwise, since I was willing to marry the winner of the Kragh Aru. Now the prospect of being with the strong, deadly, passionate SwordBrother for the rest of my life filled me with both panic and elation.

    Kael sat up on the edge of the bed, turning his back to me. ¡°It was the only reason your father allowed you to go to Skyfell in the first place, Thalia, because I promised my life for yours. That is not something a SwordBrother does lightly. Yet I would do it again for you.¡±

    All I could do was shake my head at Kael. ¡°How did you get my father to agree to it? You¡¯re not clan.¡±

    Kael shot me a look over his shoulder in disbelief. ¡°I won the Kragh Aru, remember? The final battle was rescheduled to take place the next day between your cousin and me. Instead, our final match was a battle to the death beside a waterfall¡ªa small technicality, but one worth mentioning to your father. And if you remember, it was you who determined the prize for the winner of the Kragh Aru. You were to be his life mate.¡±

 Page 22

    ¡°But you said you weren¡¯t entering the Kragh Aru for the prize. You said you were competing so I would be free to help find a way to break the bond. I remember. You said it was a silly marriage game, and once our bond was broken I could be free to make whatever stupid mistakes I wanted.¡± I was filled with panic, but I wasn¡¯t sure why.

    Maybe I had thought so hard and so long about how a future with Joss might be near impossible, that I never bothered to think of a future with Kael.

    ¡°I lied.¡± Kael turned to face me and his eyes bored into mine. ¡°I don¡¯t want the bond broken between us. It has become quite handy when you get in trouble, which is often.¡± He reached forward and ran his calloused hand gently over the top of my head and down my cheek.

    Closing my eyes, I let his words sink deep within my soul and anchor there.

    ¡°Later that night, when your cousin Bvork had kidnapped you, I felt like I lost you. And I realized¡ªbond or no bond¡ªI needed you in my life.¡±

    ¡°But you only came after me because of the bond. If you hadn¡¯t you would¡¯ve died, right? Your feelings are misplaced,¡± I implored.

    ¡°Thalia, I followed you to Haven because of the bond and the fear of death. And I know what I said about following you to Valdyrstal. I did try to stay away from you, but I couldn¡¯t. Not because of the pain but because I didn¡¯t want to be away from you. I can still feel you¡ªhere.¡± Kael touched his chest. ¡°I can still feel the magnetic pull of you. I¡¯m drawn to you, Thalia.¡±

    Kael lowered his head and pressed his forehead to mine.

    ¡°You didn¡¯t know this, but since the first day I arrived in the dungeon, every time they drugged you and brought you into the laboratory, I was there too. I was chained to the wall, bound, and forced to watch helplessly as they tortured you in the machine.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I whispered, my doubt genuine. ¡°I never saw you.¡±

    ¡°But I saw you, Thalia.¡± He stood. ¡°I watched as they strapped you in and injected you with a serum. I begged them to stop when they started the machine and you screamed until you would pass out.¡± Kael¡¯s knuckles clenched in frustration and his voice deepened with hate. ¡°I even offered complete compliance, if they would just quit torturing you.¡±

    I blanched at Kael¡¯s offer of utter sacrifice for me.

    ¡°They usually drugged me, you know this already. But they promised to take it easier on you, if I complied. They took my blood and did something to it. I felt like they were tearing away a part of my soul, and I watched as they gave it to you. Even then I wanted to rip them apart and kill them. I wanted to protect you to save you. Something started in those moments, and I began to fall for you.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know.¡± I choked on my emotion. ¡°I never knew you were there.¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know what to make of these feelings. I¡¯d been angry when Gwen chose Alek, but the feelings I had for her were never like the ones I feel for you. And when I freed you from the prison and saw you, it was almost my undoing.¡±

    I remembered when Kael opened the door to my cell, he refused to touch me. He refused to help me and yelled at me. ¡°I thought it was because you thought I was ugly.¡± I studied the floor in embarrassment.

    ¡°I tried to ignore it, tried to fight it, tried to let my anger cover my feelings. It didn¡¯t work.¡± Kael paced back and forth like a caged cat.

    ¡°That explains why you acted like you hated me.¡± I wrapped my arms around legs and brought my knees up to my chin.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never hated you. I¡¯ve tried to warn you away from me, thinking that you were better off without me. But I¡¯m a selfish person, Thalia. I don¡¯t think you¡¯re better off without me. In fact, I know how much you need me. No one could protect you better than I can. And I don¡¯t want anyone else to try.¡±

    I took in his battered appearance and felt a flood of guilt. He was wounded because of me; he was injured saving me.

    ¡°I returned home for two reasons: to ask for forgiveness and to inform them that I intend to take you as my wife. They wouldn¡¯t approve of you without a test of your worthiness.¡± He smirked. ¡°You must have done well enough because Alba found me and threatened to strike my name from the family scrolls if I didn¡¯t take you as my lifemate. She said I was to ¡®get after you right now,¡¯ because apparently you had already left.¡±

    Butterflies filled my heart with joy and I felt like I was soaring. He wanted to be with me. He wanted his clan¡¯s approval and I didn¡¯t find the idea terrible. And then I thought of losing Joss and guilt started to bring me off of the temporary cloud I was soaring on. I caught a glimpse of a shadow of my reflection in the mirror across the room. It was too dark to see clearly, but I knew what I would see. One silver eye. My throat closed up and I quickly turned away, feeling ashamed of myself. I didn¡¯t know what was happening to me, and I didn¡¯t want to involve Kael any more than he already was.

    ¡°Regrettably, Kael, I don¡¯t think you should have a monster for a lifemate.¡±

    ¡°But it¡¯s so much more than just lifemate. I feel it here,¡± he touched his heart. ¡°You¡¯re my soul mate. Only death will part us.¡±

    ¡°That remains to be seen.¡± I challenged, glaring at him. I still wanted a way to break the bond without killing us. Soul mate meant bond or no bond, our lives would always be tied together. Arguing with him over this was futile¡ªespecially when I didn¡¯t understand it all. I wanted the freedom to choose Kael on my own, and now I wasn¡¯t sure if I would ever have it. I turned over to face the wall and pulled the blanket up over my shoulders.

    Kael settled in on top of the blankets, close but not touching.

    Chapter 14

    I awoke the next morning to something warm wrapped around me. I peeked out of my blankets to see Kael¡¯s body spooning me. Somehow during the night, the pillow had disappeared. My head lay on Kael¡¯s arm. I was comfortable and cozy with his left arm lightly draped over my waist. I turned to look at him but his eyes were closed. I tried to move away without disturbing him, but he pulled me closer in protest.

    ¡°Mmm, warm,¡± was all he said before his head dipped and he snuggled into the back of my neck.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked.

    ¡°You got cold last night. You started to shiver and you said my name. I¡¯m obligated to protect you, even if it¡¯s from an evil draft.¡±

    ¡°I did not. I had the blanket, and I was fine,¡± I argued quietly, hoping Joss or Hemi didn¡¯t appear at my door any minute.

    ¡°Okay fine, maybe it was me that was shivering and cold last night. But it was the least you could do, since you wouldn¡¯t share your blanket.¡±

    In a final fit, I wrenched the blanket off of me and threw it over the Kael, and I crawled out of bed.

    ¡°For a SwordBrother, you sure are a big baby,¡± I hissed out and kept looking around the room for a decent place to change.

    ¡°If I remember right¡­¡± Kael pulled the blanket off and stood up to stretch out his long limbs, ¡°¡­it was always you who couldn¡¯t sleep unless I was near. I think it now goes both ways. I can¡¯t sleep unless I¡¯m warm and close to you.¡± He smiled at me, and a tingling sensation ran through my whole body.

    Just then a loud knock came on my door. Oh no! If Hemi saw Kael in here, I had no doubt he would do some serious physical damage. I ran across the room and opened up the window shutter and frantically pointed for Kael to leave through the window.

 Page 23

    He frowned and shook his head.

    ¡°Oh, why can you climb in the window at night, but you can¡¯t climb out it during the day?¡± I taunted out at him. ¡°Are you scared of daylight?¡±

    Kael straightened his shirt and gave me a stern look. ¡°I¡¯m not ashamed to be with you.¡± He walked over to the door and opened it to a shocked Joss. Joss looked handsome in brown breeches and light blue shirt and vest. He even had a plate of cheese and bread.

    I watched Joss survey the room and frown disapprovingly at Kael. He entered to place the tray of food on the one small dresser. Joss stepped forward and reached out to touch my cheek, and I couldn¡¯t help but pull away before he touched me. My rejection caught him by surprise, and I could see the hurt flash across his face.

    I didn¡¯t know how to act around him. If what Kael said was true, then Joss and I could never be more than just friends.

    Joss dropped his hands to my shoulders and studied me closely. His posture stiffened and he glared at Kael. ¡°You told her didn¡¯t you?¡± Joss asked, frustration making his voice quiver in anger.

    ¡°That she¡¯s mine. Yes, I did.¡± Kael came and stood next to me protectively, glaring at Joss¡¯s hands. ¡°I had a right to tell her. I gave her time, like I promised her father.¡±

    ¡°But you didn¡¯t wait long enough.¡± Joss yelled. ¡°I didn¡¯t get a chance to prove myself.¡±

    ¡°I would ask that you remove your hands from her before you lose them,¡± Kael commanded through clenched teeth.

    ¡°You knew about this, Joss? How long have you known when I didn¡¯t?¡± I demanded.

    Joss hung his head. ¡°Since our first day on the road to Skyfell. Kael confronted me and told me to back off, but he also told me that you didn¡¯t know yet and Bearen asked him to wait to tell you.¡±

    ¡°Why Kael?¡± I pleaded. ¡°Why wait so long and pretend to not care when the whole time my feelings for Joss were growing?¡±

    Kael¡¯s fists clenched angrily by his side. ¡°I was honoring your father¡¯s wishes. He wanted me to try and win your heart before I told you about becoming my lifemate. So you wouldn¡¯t resent me and the loss of your freedom, even though you agreed to the terms of the Kragh Aru.¡±

    Stepping around me, Kael confronted Joss and pushed him hard in the chest. ¡°But this one¡ªknowing the oath I made to your father¡ªtook advantage and tried to steal you from me before I even had a chance.¡±

    ¡°Is this true, Joss?¡± I whispered, the gut-wrenching feeling made the words hard to speak.

    Joss¡¯s face turned red and he nodded. ¡°Don¡¯t be fooled, Thalia. I¡¯ve always had feelings for you. It was you who kept me at a distance. If I had known, I would have entered the contest to win your hand in marriage. I would have won the Kragh Aru.¡±

    ¡°Doubt it,¡± Kael growled out. ¡°You wouldn¡¯t have beaten me.¡±

    ¡°I might have.¡±

    ¡°You would have died trying.¡± Kael smirked.

    ¡°Now we¡¯ll never know, will we? It was only by chance that I showed up too late. I feel like I¡¯m always too late,¡± Joss answered.

    ¡°You would never have been allowed to enter Joss,¡± I said. ¡°My father would never have allowed a Denai to participate in the Kragh Aru.¡±

    Joss shook his head in disagreement. ¡°There¡¯s still time Thalia. You can still choose me.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t betray my clan. I would be exiled.¡±

    ¡°You don¡¯t know that for certain. You¡¯re the clan leader¡¯s daughter. And if you loved me it wouldn¡¯t matter. Choose me and live in Skyfell,¡± Joss argued.

    How could I be so torn between them? They¡¯d both made terrible decisions, and now I had to live with the consequences. I had started to fall in love with Joss, while Kael stood by and let me. I couldn¡¯t simply take those feelings back.

    But at the same time my love for Kael had always been there¡ªburied deep and ignored on both of our parts. Slowly, a bit at a time, he¡¯d been working to dig them up.

    I felt like I couldn¡¯t breathe and took a step away from both of them. Both Kael and Joss stepped forward, reaching out a hand to steady me. Shaking my head, I held up my hands and continued to back away.

    Joss and Kael kept their hands outstretched, as if asking me to choose one.

    I couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Both of you, leave now.¡± I pointed to the door, surprised when they obeyed. The door shut behind them and I sat on the bed, crying in silence.

    It was midmorning before we left the Ginger Dragon Inn and headed to Haven. Joss rode Anthem. How had I not recognized his horse in the stable yesterday?

    Hemi didn¡¯t seem at all startled or shocked by Kael¡¯s sudden appearance. In fact, he seemed to relax a bit more in his presence. I hadn¡¯t noticed it before, but Hemi seemed to have more respect for Kael than Joss. I only could guess that Hemi also knew of the arrangement with Bearen.

    Because of our late start, we were entering the city of Haven after dark. It seemed surreal. The last time I had left the city of Haven, I was being escorted by a retinue of my father¡¯s men and going home to Valdyrstal. There had been little chance in my mind that I would ever return to see the city again or to enter the school.

    We came to the valley and there it was. Haven.

    Once again I was struck by its beauty, even at night with a thousand flickering lights of fireplaces and lanterns. If it had been daylight, I would actually have seen the houses and streets painted in a variety of brightly colored paints, signifying their districts.

    On a hill overlooking the city of Haven was Queen Lilyana¡¯s castle. Though a beautiful castle, it looked cold and uninviting. I wondered briefly what it would be like to live in a castle and be queen. How lonely was it? My eyes quickly sought out the Citadel to the east of the castle, the Denai training school. My heart jumped with joy. I had missed this place¡ªLorna and Pax and even Donn. I had been forced to leave without saying goodbye. Now, I felt like I was back home.

    The Citadel¡¯s training arena was covered with a large glass dome. At night, the dome was alit from within, creating a soothing nightlight effect across the city. It reminded me of a glass ball I had once seen in a shop. The globe had been filled with water and held a miniature figurine of a small girl. It was a Denai toy and very expensive.

    We entered the city.

    The night was silent except for the sound of water running off of a slate roof and the occasional sound of a dog barking in the distance. A few men could be seen hobbling home in the wee hours. By the smell of them, I guessed they¡¯d spent the night drinking and gambling. After a few minutes, we heard a soft rumble, the sound of approaching horses filling the air.

    Kael met my eyes, a worried frown on his face. He directed our horses down a dark alley between two shops. We both slid off of Faraway and waited. A few seconds later, a large number of troops wearing Calandry¡¯s colors paraded down the street. Four of the troops broke off and headed toward the drunken men, while the others continued down a side road.

    Loud voices erupted between the guards and the men. The largest of the inebriated men turned and tried to take a swing at the closet guard. He missed and landed in a puddle. In quick succession the men were rounded up. Their hands were tied and roped to the horses, and the group departed in the direction of the palace.

 Page 24

    ¡°Something must have happened since we left. It seems like there is a curfew in effect. Those were not the normal guards,¡± Kael warned.

    Joss was tense and on alert the whole way as well¡ªeven up to the white stone guard towers on either side of the silver gate of the Citadel.

    Kael sat stiff in the saddle and kept a blade hidden by his leg while the guard at the gate questioned us.

    The astonished guard called out. ¡°What are you doing out? It¡¯s past curfew! If you¡¯re caught, you could end up in prison.¡±

    ¡°Well then, open the gate and so we can avoid the cold cells. I for one would like a warm place to sleep tonight,¡± Kael answered back. ¡°You can tell the adepts that SwordBrother Kael has returned.

    The guard rushed over and immediately began to unlock the gate.

    ¡°Wait!¡± he called to him. ¡°Are you daft enough to open the gate because you recognize a name? Did you even bring over a light to verify my identity, to check or to ask who else is with me? For all you know, I¡¯m being held at knifepoint and the young woman here is an assassin using me to get into the school.¡±

    I chuckled silently at that thought.

    Even though Kael was no longer training the Citadel¡¯s guard he still felt it necessary to drill in the ideas he had tried to teach them. Apparently they hadn¡¯t sunk in yet.

    ¡°Uh, no, sir. I mean, yes sir.¡± And the young guard brought over a lantern and inspected our whole party thoroughly before demanding our names.

    ¡°Thalia Valdyrstal.¡± I spoke up proudly, grinning when the young guard did a double take and eyed me again.

    ¡°Well, I¡¯ll be. It is you?¡± He sat there, wide eyed and kept looking back and forth between us.

    He went over and spent quite a few minutes looking over Hemi. I could tell he didn¡¯t really trust the size and brute strength of my clansman, but he relaxed again when he saw Joss.

    ¡°So are you going to let us in now?¡± I asked impatiently.

    The guard looked to Kael for approval and Kael nodded, giving him permission to open the gate. I dropped my head and had to snicker softly into Kael¡¯s back. I was glad that I had decided to switch and ride behind him. I was getting too many looks affectionate looks from him throughout the day, making my cheeks burn in embarrassment. This way I couldn¡¯t see what he was thinking.

    ¡°It¡¯s not funny!¡± Kael growled. ¡°It¡¯s as if they¡¯ve forgotten everything I¡¯ve taught them within a few months. I could have walked right in and killed them all. The fool. I¡¯m going to have to speak with the Commander on this one.¡±

    ¡°Aw, Kael, take it easy on him. Obviously your reputation still has an effect on people.¡± I laughed again.

    Stable Master Grese greeted us warmly and took Faraway into the stable, promising him plenty of his favorite cookies.

    Once Faraway was settled, we turned to look at the Citadel¡¯s towers. I scanned the various parapets looking for the flags that signaled which members of the Adept Council were in residence. Even though it was still dark, I could make out five flags twisting in the breeze. All of the adepts were here.

    Where do I go? What do I do first? I didn¡¯t know whether to summon the adepts in the middle of the night or to retire to my old room. I also needed to inquire whether Darren and Fanny had returned yet.

    My thoughts were spinning and heading nowhere of consequence. Kael took my elbow and led me to the main hall doors. I hadn¡¯t even realized I had stopped walking in the middle of the courtyard.

    A few months ago, Kael¡ªin the guise of a student¡ªhad entered through these same doors during a training exercise and had fake-assassinated half of the students and guard. That same night, one of the Septori had genuinely tried to kill me. My mind was dwelling on that horrible thought when someone stepped out of the shadows of the darkened main hall right in front of me.

    ¡°EEEeeep!¡± I jumped. A moment later, I recognized the dark skin and shaved head of the fiercest of the Adept Council, the five who ran the Citadel¡ªPax Baton. His black uniform and skin helped him blend into the shadows with the ease and ability of a SwordBrother. He had one gold stud in his ear, his only show of decoration.

    ¡°Did Darren and Fanny return?¡± I spoke up, searching the main hall for any sign of them.

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry, Thalia. They haven¡¯t arrived yet.¡± Adept Pax looked at me sadly.

    ¡°Then how did you know we were coming? How did you know to meet us here?¡± I challenged.

    ¡°I saw the four of you.¡± Adept Pax touched his forehead. ¡°Here. And I have heavy news to bear. A lot has happened in the last few weeks.¡±

    ¡°We saw that there are troops patrolling the city for curfew.¡± Kael said.

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you heard?¡± Pax asked and gestured to Joss. ¡°Hasn¡¯t he told you yet?¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯ve been traveling. We just found each other last night,¡± I gave out a lame excuse to cover for Joss.

    ¡°More Denai have gone missing, this time in the city. And now they¡¯ve taken them from our own school.¡±

    ¡°What?¡± Kael shouted. ¡°When? How?¡± Kael was immediately in protective mode, his mind spinning and strategizing.

    ¡°They disappeared in the middle of the night. Their beds were slept in, and all of their belongings were still in their room. But the students are just gone,¡± Pax said in a forlorn voice.

    ¡°Show me the rooms of the missing students,¡± Kael demanded.

    ¡°We¡¯ve already searched them for clues. We found no foul play. The windows, doors and locks weren¡¯t tampered with,¡± Pax added.

    ¡°Then that leaves us with one alternative,¡± Kael¡¯s eyes turned dark. ¡°It seems that our enemy walks among us.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re thinking an inside job? Impossible. All our staff are loyal to both school and crown.¡±

    ¡°Oh they may be loyal, but loyal to a heavy pocket of gold. Don¡¯t worry, Pax, this doesn¡¯t have to go any farther than our group. But I do need a list of everyone who was on duty, on staff, and present at the Citadel when the students went missing.¡±

    Pax nodded. ¡°This way. I started gathering the information already.¡± He motioned for Kael to follow him, but paused to address Joss, Hemi and me. ¡°Thalia, your room is still available for you if you want to rest. Joss will see that your friend gets situated, won¡¯t you Joss?¡±

    ¡°Of course, Adept Pax,¡± Joss said before turning to me and giving me a small smile. ¡°It might take a bit of waking servants and poor Tearsa and Forrest to try and accommodate Hemi. I fear we may have to actually push some beds together.¡±

    ¡°Why you little¡­¡± Hemi made a fake grab for Joss¡¯s head as if to box his ears.

    I tried to smile, but it felt hollow. Was I in danger? Would they come back for me? I looked over to Kael and felt a little bit of relief. He wouldn¡¯t let them take me. But I couldn¡¯t stop imagining the students in the same predicament that I was in, and the thought made me sick. ¡°I¡¯ll meet up with you both for breakfast,¡± I called out to their disappearing backs as they turned to head down the hall. The catch in my throat was evidence that I was coming to breaking down and crying.

    So I turned and swiftly walked back into the main hall. Not sure where I was heading, I kept walking. I wandered wherever my feet led me and ended up heading toward Adept Kambel¡¯s office.

 Page 25

    ¡°So the sewer rat has returned.¡± A haughty feminine voice interrupted my thoughts.

    It didn¡¯t take a genius to recognize Syrani, the most powerful, or should I say most popular, student within the school. She was in her sleeping robes, her hair braided down her back. Her eyes looked wild and I could see a few dark circles under her eyes.

    ¡°Why are you wandering around late at night?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I live here. I have every right to come and go as I please. What of you? Did your dirty clansmen bring you back because they no longer wanted you?¡±

    At one time, Syrani may have made me feel self-conscious or pitiful and nervous but not anymore. Now she only grated on my nerves. I let the anger rise to the surface and felt wind blow my hair even though there weren¡¯t any open windows near. I let my skin crackle with power, and I showed her what really lay beneath the surface.

    Syrani stepped back and almost toppled over in fear when she saw the difference in my eyes.

    ¡°Y-your eye. It¡¯s glowing. You¡¯re not a rat,¡± Syrani stuttered. She tried to back away down the hall and maintain her confidence, but her fear was obvious. ¡°You¡¯re a freak!¡±

    Chapter 15

    ¡°This is highly unusual,¡± Adept Lorna said. She tilted my face from side to side, studying my eye. Her blue eyes pierced mine. Lorna¡¯s spiky white hair always seemed to be at attention. Her tanned skin and angular face made her look so serious, you¡¯d never guess she had a softer side until you heard her deep throaty laugh. But she wasn¡¯t laughing now. ¡°I¡¯ve never seen anything like this. Have you, Kambel?¡±

    ¡°No, I haven¡¯t. I once read about another race with eyes silver like the moon, but they weren¡¯t here in Calandry.¡±

    ¡°Where?¡± Lorna asked.

    ¡°Not where¡­when.¡± The elderly adept known as Kambel Silverbane spoke. Taking off his spectacles, he cleaned them and slid them back onto his pointed nose as if by that action alone he could clear up the puzzle of the one discolored eye. He scratched his head with an ink-stained hand. ¡°I came across a scroll from Avellgarde¡¯s archives that spoke of another race from before the fall. Before the Denai came to Calandry. But that scroll disappeared shortly after I found it.¡±

    ¡°Are you sure you didn¡¯t just lose the scroll in your office?¡± Adept Cirrus asked.

    Kambel shook his head. ¡°No, I¡¯m positive. I¡¯ve continued to search, but any other mention of Denai life before Calandry has been destroyed. The few books I¡¯ve been able to recover over the years are unsalvageable.¡±

    They had found a stool for me to perch upon, and one by one, the five adepts studied my deformed eye and asked me pointed questions. I squirmed uncomfortably in the stool and tried to answer as honestly as I could, but the truth was I didn¡¯t know what was happening to me any more than they did.

    But I was most uncomfortable with the silent figure that sat quietly in a chair, observing me with piercing blue eyes. Her red hair was held off of her shoulders with delicate bejeweled pins and her delicate hands never twitched or moved. Her posture and composure bespoke years of training that I knew I would never be able to learn or mimic. How could I possibly? She was the queen.

    ¡°So you say you have been regaining more memories concerning the experiments done to you,¡± Adept Cirrus asked thoughtfully. His long blond-white ponytail made him look the most normal of the bunch. I just appreciated his level-headedness.

    ¡°Vivid dreams have been bringing it back in bits and pieces in.¡± I shivered just recounting my last few.

    ¡°How do you know what you¡¯re dreaming is truth?¡± Adept Cirrus asked, no hint of accusation in his tone.

    ¡°Also the pain of the experiments could have hidden the memories deeper as well,¡± Kambel spoke up again, his gray head bobbing. ¡°If she kept encountering similar pains or experiences, they could have triggered the subconscious.¡±

    My mind immediately jumped to the sound of thunder and how it pulled me back into the pit, back to the prison. ¡°I think Adept Kambel is right. High stress situations seem to bring it back faster. It¡¯s been a slow process, like a disease. Over time, it¡¯s spread and gotten worse. Especially in the last few weeks. I¡¯ve been in more pain, but I¡¯m getting stronger. Talbot himself said I was exhibiting at least four Denai gifts, and it is fairly obvious I¡¯m not a Denai. The Septori must¡¯ve succeeded, and I¡¯m positive in what my powers are doing. They drain all of a Denai¡¯s powers and give them to another.¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t think we should trust her. Or whatever you are calling that Denai imposter¡± Breah challenged. She was never afraid of speaking her mind in front of Queen Lilyana. Breah, the youngest of the Adept Council seemed to have disliked me from the moment I arrived in Haven. Her auburn hair was in a coif today¡ªprobably an attempt to make her look older.

    ¡°Look at her,¡± she fumed angrily. ¡°Look into the true face of evil!¡± Silence filled the room, except for the angry panted breathing of Adept Breah. ¡°I¡¯ve said it once, and I¡¯ll say it again¡ªshe shouldn¡¯t be here.¡±

    It was Pax who stood up and came to my defense, gently taking the young woman and directing her toward a chair. No one argued against the giant of a man.

    ¡°She should be chained up, imprisoned,¡± Breah sniffed over her shoulder and sat down, glaring daggers at me.

    The hatred that poured from Breah toward me came off of her in waves and, for once, I actually feared the adept. In that moment, I saw clearly how delicate the balance of power was among the Adept Council members. I glanced around and saw the uncertain expressions on Kambel and Cirrus. Adept Pax and Lorna were unreadable, and they were the two that usually were on my side about everything.

    The scale could have tipped at any moment, deciding the rest of my future. Maybe the Adept Council weren¡¯t my allies but could potentially be my enemy. Ultimately, I could only trust myself. And right now the less I told them the better.

    Queen Lilyana had raised an eyebrow at Breah. ¡°Come now. I doubt she is in any way to blame for what was done to her against her will. You need to let that go, Adept Breah. She¡¯s the victim here. She wasn¡¯t a danger to us before, and even though she is growing stronger, I doubt that her intent is to kill us all in our sleep. Thalia would rather have this whole process reversed if possible, am I correct, Thalia? If you had the chance to undo what was done to you, would you take it? Give it all up for normalcy?¡±

    The air left my lungs and I couldn¡¯t catch my breath. My hands shook and I leaned on my knees and lifting my gaze with utter hope. A weight lifted off of my shoulders as I stared into her beautiful blue eyes. I would do anything to just have two the same color again.

    ¡°Yes,¡± I sighed. Even to me the words were barely audible, but she leaned forward as if to catch them.

    Then she smiled softly and leaned back in her chair. ¡°So now that we know that we have her cooperation, let¡¯s work on fixing this.¡±

    Kambel spoke up in nervousness, ¡°My Queen, I don¡¯t think I could unless I actually had Lord Horden¡¯s journals. I think these experiments are a direct link to his findings. If only I had the original journals. I could¡ª¡±

    ¡°Well you don¡¯t,¡± Lorna interrupted. ¡°So use that brain of yours and find a way around it.¡±

 Page 26

    Cirrus stood. ¡°I¡¯ll help you, Kambel.¡± Kambel visibly brightened and the two began to talk quietly.

    The great entryway doors crashed open. ¡°She¡¯s escaped!¡±

    I whirled around in my chair to see who had burst through the double doors of the Adept Hall. One of the captains of the guard. The reddish-blond hair could only belong to my friend Garit.

    Garit¡¯s face was ashen; his hands were clenched in fists displaying his anger at the situation that he now faced. But he stood tall and straight, his chest only slightly heaving from his haste to warn the others.

    Pax stood up. ¡°Who did?¡±

    ¡°The female prisoner they brought to the castle. She¡¯s gone.¡±

    My stomach dropped. Mona had been our only chance to find out where Tenya, Joss¡¯s sister was. Now we would never find her¡ªunless we found every Septori member and used the truth serum on them. I couldn¡¯t help but sink dejectedly into the chair and feel the weight of the news press into my heart. Who would be the one to tell Joss?

    Queen Lilyana stood up and raised her voice angrily, ¡°What are you doing then? Send out a search party.¡±

    ¡°Commander Merryl has already done so,¡± Garit answered back.

    Queen Lilyana turned and looked at Lorna. ¡°Because the prisoner is a Denai, I would like the adepts¡¯ help in the search. I have heard rumors of the Septori being spotted in the southern provinces. I want you to search south as well.¡±

    Adept Lorna walked over to stand by Queen Lilyana. Lorna was a good foot taller than the young queen. ¡°Of course, Your Majesty. I¡¯ll personally look into this.¡±

    She nodded her thanks and turned to me. ¡°I am very sorry for all that you¡¯ve been through. I can only hope that this will all be over with soon.¡±

    Garit shifted his weight uncomfortably. ¡°My Queen, we need to take you back to the palace quickly. We don¡¯t know how she escaped or if there are others helping her. You are not safe here.¡±

    He turned on his heel and left, ushering the queen out before him. I felt oddly offended that he hadn¡¯t even acknowledged me. He must have seen me. When the doors closed with a click, the atmosphere in the room exploded.

    ¡°Lorna, we are not the bloodhounds for the queen¡¯s army,¡± Breah huffed out. ¡°They can¡¯t expect us to help track down people whenever they ask. The prisoner is a Denai for goodness sake¡ªone of us. Next thing you know, Queen Lilyana will change her mind about the Citadel and want us to track down all of the Denai in Calandry.¡±

    Lorna spun around and pointed her finger at Breah. ¡°It is exactly because the prisoner is a Denai that we will help. We will not endanger the weaker because one of our kind chose to use their gifts for evil. If this Denai kills any humans, the responsibility falls on us. All of us as, a race. We can¡¯t afford for another genocide on our kind. Our race is already too weak¡ªand growing weaker with each generation.¡±

    Breah¡¯s eyes went wide in shock and then squinted as she pointed heatedly at me. ¡°She¡¯s not growing weaker. In fact it seems like she is the only one that is growing stronger¡­and she¡¯s not even one of us. Maybe the Raven is the only true Denai among us. Maybe he is the one that is in the right. Have you thought about that? If he did this to a mere human, what do you think he could do for the Denai?¡±

    Lorna gasped, Kambel dropped the book he was holding, and Pax stiffened. Cirrus¡¯s eyes bored into Breah¡¯s with intensity. Breah took a step back, her skirt swishing against her legs and she looked at each of her fellow adepts in turn.

    ¡°Don¡¯t tell me none of you have thought about it. I know you have, because I have. I only want what¡¯s best for us. Best for the Denai race,¡± her voice quivered and her eyes were glassy with unshed tears. ¡°She is not our future.¡± Her finger pointed at me. ¡°That girl is not the savior of the Denai race. She is only the product of a greater Master Plan. We should simply consider that we might be wrong about the Septori. Maybe they are right.¡±

    Lorna swallowed slowly and raised her hand in an attempt to calm Breah down. ¡°Breah, this cult has kidnapped, tortured, and killed Denai children.¡±

    Breah shook her head. ¡°No, we don¡¯t know that. We don¡¯t know for certain. All we have is her word on that. She could be lying. Did you actually see the Denai killed¡ªdid you see their bodies?¡± I stopped breathing as her words rang through my head. Had I seen any bodies? No. But I¡¯d heard Scar Lip and the others talk about how no one else survived.

    ¡°No, they¡¯re dead. I heard the Septori say that some of them weren¡¯t strong enough for the treatments.¡±

    Breah kept shaking her head at me. ¡°Liar! You aren¡¯t a Denai. How can a mere girl without any gifts be strong enough for the treatments but not a powerful Denai? It doesn¡¯t make sense.¡±

    ¡°No, it doesn¡¯t. It probably never will. But I can tell you that I¡¯m not just a girl without any gifts. I¡¯m a Valdyrstal, a steel wolf. I have the blood of the Sinnendor Kings running in my veins, I was raised to rule our clan, and I¡¯ve fought in a Kragh Aru tournament. I am who I am, and I am who I will become¡ªwhich is¡­I don¡¯t know what. A monster, a powerful Denai, or something else, But I am no mere girl.¡±

    I stood to leave but I looked over my shoulder at the room that had now been divided. Kambel, Pax, and Lorna on one side of the room. Breah on the other and Cirrus who sat squarely in the middle, obviously not taking sides.

    ¡°You, on the other hand, dear Breah, are nothing more than a mere Denai.¡± I opened the door and closed it, but not before I heard an angry shriek in return.

    I couldn¡¯t help but smile.

    Chapter 16

    I had never felt more helpless than I did the next morning. I wandered the halls and peeked my head into the classrooms, my heart saddening at so many empty seats. No one had come out and stated it, but I knew deep down that these missing students hadn¡¯t gotten anxious and gone home. The empty seats signified how many had been kidnapped in the middle of the night.

    Like I had been.

    A sour taste filled my mouth and I bit back the bile that wanted to rise to the surface. I¡¯m stronger than this. I¡¯m stronger than all of them. But I needed to do something useful until the adepts had news. Pax, Lorna, and Breah had all left that morning with a couple of the journeyman students. Hopefully, the next time I saw them they would know something.

    Joss had fallen back into the routine of attending classes and studying. Kael had disappeared, and Hemi and Fanny were out in the city, quite taken with each other.

    I didn¡¯t want to attend classes like Joss, but I felt useless standing around. In my wanderings, I made my way back to the kitchen. I entered and tried to stay out of the way of the servers and kitchen staff. Having worked here, I knew how crazy it could get. I found myself pitching in, washing dishes. It was busy work and I let my mind wander.

    I had probably been washing dishes for a few candle marks when strong hands wrapped around my waist and lifted me into the air.

    ¡°You¡¯re back!¡± Donn yelled out happily. ¡°I¡¯ve missed you.¡±

    I grunted from the strength of Donn¡¯s awkward hug, but I put up with it until I was set gently back down on the ground. ¡°Look at you. You¡¯re skin and bones! Here, I bet you¡¯re hungry. Come eat, come eat.¡± I was pulled into the side kitchen and Donn started to make me a plate full of eggs, sausage, and bread.

 Page 27

    I hadn¡¯t realized how hungry I was until my mouth started to water. Eating back there felt like old times, so I stayed and chatted with him until lunchtime. Happily, I grabbed a tray and started out to the tables to serve the students. I couldn¡¯t help but think back to how embarrassed I¡¯d been to be a servant in the kitchen.

    Now I couldn¡¯t care less. When I put the tray down and unloaded the roasted chicken, I noticed how quiet the room was. Students were eating, but it was obvious from the mood of the room and from the table on the dais with five empty chairs where everyone¡¯s thoughts were. Two more students had been found to be missing just that morning, and even more guards and teachers patrolled the halls and city.

    A few hushed whispers and panicked looks flickered between the younger ones, but then an older Denai would lean over and give them a pat on the back to relax them.

    On my second trip out of the kitchen, I carried a jug of cider to pour at each table. I was about to hand a cup to a young Denai boy when someone knocked the cup out of my hand.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch or eat anything the freak serves you. She¡¯ll turn her evil eye on you and you will disappear like the others.¡± Syrani spouted loudly. My hand still stung from where her hand slapped the drink out of my grip.

    I watched as the Denai boy looked at Syrani and then looked back up at me. It was then that he noticed my eyes. He shrunk back from me in fear and began to shake.

    ¡°How dare you spew lies and instill fear into them!¡± I turned on her angrily. ¡°I have nothing to do with those missing children, and you should know better.¡±

    Syrani smiled wickedly. ¡°I think you know more about the missing students than you are letting on.¡±

    I was taken aback. Was she bluffing, or did she actually know what happened to me? Syrani must¡¯ve noticed my hesitation.

    ¡°I thought so.¡± She leaned in close to me and whispered. ¡°I¡¯ve heard things about you. None of them good. Everything I¡¯ve heard proves you to be nothing more than a freak. You should leave now! And not just the room. Leave the city and don¡¯t come back.¡±

    I felt everyone¡¯s eyes on me. ¡°I have nothing to do with their disappearances. I wasn¡¯t even here when they happened. So lay blame where the blame lies, and that¡¯s not on me¡ªbut on whoever took them.¡±

    ¡°So you too believe they were taken. No one else has said anything about kidnapping.¡± The room erupted with the sound of Denai talking, yelling, and a few crying.

    My whole body wanted to melt into a puddle on the floor and disappear. I had caused this.

    ¡°Who¡¯s next? Am I next to be kidnapped? Are you a spy sent here to lure us out into the night?¡± She pointed to the young Denai boy I had tried to serve. ¡°Is he going to disappear next? When will the madness stop?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that. The Adept Council will find them. They will save them.¡± But my words fell on deaf ears. No one could hear me over their own fear. The room had turned into a terrified mob.

    It was time to tell the truth, no more lies. I stood on a table and whistled loudly. It took a few moments for the room to quiet down, but I had everyone¡¯s attention.

    My hands shook with nervousness, and I tried to hide them in my skirt. ¡°Do you want to know the truth?¡±

    Heads nodded, and I glared at Syrani, daring her to interrupt. ¡°Then, I will tell you the truth, even though it could put me in danger.¡± I sighed and prayed for wisdom before I spoke. ¡°Yes, there is a possibility that they were kidnapped by the Septori. The Septori wear red robes and are branded with a circle and slash mark somewhere on their body. They follow the directions of their leader, known only as the Raven. I know, because I was once taken in the middle of the night by these men, from my own homeland. I was imprisoned with others.¡±

    ¡°What happened next?¡± The young boy who¡¯d been so afraid of me moments before asked. A movement by the door caught my eye, and I saw Joss enter quietly to stand by the back wall.

    I looked at him and smiled. ¡°Well obviously, I escaped. The people who kidnapped me are still looking for me. I know for a fact they are not done with their plan, because more and more Denai are disappearing, and none are reappearing.¡± I looked at Joss pleadingly.

    He nodded his head once and gave me permission.

    ¡°Joss¡¯s own sister Tenya was kidnapped. These people infiltrated his home, used mind control, and manipulated his family. And they were a family of strong Denai. I believe this same group¡ªthe Septori¡ªare behind the missing students here.¡±

    ¡°What can we do?¡±

    ¡°How can we protect ourselves, when the Jesai family couldn¡¯t protect their own blood?¡±

    ¡°I wanna go home,¡± someone wailed.

    ¡°You should leave and don¡¯t come back,¡± another voice hollered.

    More and more shouting began, and I felt overwhelmed. Syrani sat silently in her chair and looked at me thoughtfully. Her calm demeanor bothered me.

    Joss ran between the tables and jumped up onto the table with me. If anyone could speak reason to them, Joss could.

    ¡°We weren¡¯t prepared before. You¡¯re prepared now. It is obvious that they are now actively pursuing Denai. But you are not defenseless. Your whole body is a weapon. You were raised to be peaceful, but you know that peace is only an illusion of the mind. Last semester you began training in combat.¡± He turned and pointed a finger at an older student. ¡°How many ways can you take down an armed attacker?¡±

    The student was taken aback at the direct question. He stood up, pushed his glasses back onto the bridge of his nose, and thought about it. ¡°Um, four?¡± he answered.

    ¡°Wrong!¡± A strong, angry voice interjected. A thrill raced through my body just hearing it.

    I turned to see Kael¡¯s tall form stride into the room. Eyes followed him as he moved forward, and he turned a furious gaze on each of them. ¡°I taught you twenty four ways to disarm an attacker without using your power. Thirty-two if you had a weapon in your hand. You are Denai and are strong. You shouldn¡¯t cower from these men who hide their faces behind masks and robes. You could destroy them before they ever touched you. The only thing stopping you is fear.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s right. We will find these monsters and they will be brought to justice. Now all of you, get back to your studies,¡± Joss demanded.

    I could hear the groups grumbling about how we didn¡¯t answer more of their questions. If Lorna or Pax had heard what we had just done, we would have been in serious trouble. But since they were gone¡­

    When the room emptied out, Kael turned on me, his voice deep with frustration. ¡°You shouldn¡¯t have told them.¡±

    Joss stepped nimbly between Kael and me. ¡°I think she should have. If someone is targeting them, they should know about it. Thalia¡¯s right. They have a right to defend themselves.¡±

    ¡°What do you think I¡¯ve been teaching them? How to knit? I¡¯ve been preparing them for this. But now you¡¯ve made them terrified.¡± He looked at me, his dark eyes filled with emotion. ¡°You should have known better.¡±

    I pushed Kael hard in the chest in anger. ¡°I only did what I thought was right. If there are monsters out there, then they should know about them.¡±

    Kael sighed and looked up at the ceiling. ¡°There are always monsters out there. Thieves, murderers, slave traders. And you can¡¯t protect everyone.¡± He stared at me and I noticed the light stubble on his chin and the dark circles under his eyes exhibiting his lack of sleep. Something was bothering him, but he hadn¡¯t come to talk to me about it.

 Page 28

    ¡°Kael, I¡¯m sorry.¡±

    His shoulders stiffened and he spoke to Joss, ignoring me. ¡°I bet that tomorrow morning, we will lose more students. And it won¡¯t be because they were taken in the night.¡±

    Kael was right. The next morning, there were fewer students at breakfast. News had traveled fast and concerned parents arrived that morning with carriages to take their sons and daughters home. Letters arrived by messenger, pigeon, and even an eagle, demanding that the Denai students who lived farther away be escorted home.

    Kambel was at his wit¡¯s end. Without Lorna and Pax, he had no choice but to release the students. Queen Lilyana had organized a guarded caravan to leave in three days to escort the others home. She had seemed truly disheartened, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel responsible. Over half of the Citadel¡¯s students were leaving with the caravan.

    I was going with them.

    Queen Lilyana was angry at the change in attitude and the loss of students. Her presence at the school was becoming routine, so she stepped in and helped handle the dismissal. Physically, she was tensed and a bit high strung.

    I approached her quietly. ¡°Is there anything I can do to help?¡±

    ¡°Haven¡¯t you done enough helping?¡± she snapped. ¡°Go with the caravan for protection and go home. Please.¡±

    I was heartbroken. I was going home a failure. I hadn¡¯t found Joss¡¯s sister. I hadn¡¯t found the Raven, and Mona had escaped.

    On our day of departure, I found myself at the back of the caravan on Faraway with my packs. Garit had been commissioned to lead the caravan, and Kael was hired on as an extra guard. Joss chose to come with me, to see me home back to my clan. I had a feeling he wanted to talk to my father and try and get him to reconsider the agreement concerning Kael and me. Hemi was excited about returning home, but saddened that he wouldn¡¯t get to say goodbye to Fanny. I knew how much he liked the copper-haired Fanny, but I also knew how much my family despised outsiders.

    The rear of the caravan was the dustiest and dirtiest place to ride. I was literally eating the dust kicked up by the horses. But I chose to ride rear because I could ride in silence. Behind me, four guards rode. If I slowed my pace at all, they would kick their horses and force me to speed up.

    Travelling was simple for me because I didn¡¯t have anything that I needed brought home.

    Syrani, on the other hand, had two wagons filled with cargo. Even all the way at the back, I could hear her shrill voice yelling at the wagon driver to be careful and go around the pothole. I grimaced, feeling bad for the man. When I realized it was Donn, I was both surprised and excited he¡¯d been assigned to come as well.

    For four days we traveled, and for four days I barely saw or spoke with Kael. We made it to the home of Pan and dropped him off with his welcoming but anxious family. It was bittersweet to watch his mother and father worry over him. We got back on the road headed west, toward young Brecken¡¯s home.

    Later that evening, the wagons were pulled into a circle, just like every other night. Donn went to work with a few of his kitchen staff to prepare the evening meal around the central fire. Other smaller fires were started closer to each of the wagons. There were a total of ten wagons, fifteen students, not including Joss and me, six servants and twenty guards. We were quite a large group to feed on the road, but Donn and his team put out a wonderful spread.

    It was a warm meal of soup and fresh pheasant shot down by a guard earlier that morning. Donn even brought a barrel of cider and warmed it up for us on the chilly night. At first it was quiet as everyone was eating, but soon it became louder as trepidation dropped and a sense of security set in. To most of the Denai students, this felt like an adventure. Someone started to sing, and then others joined in. Soon even Donn was bellowing a song about lost love in his deep baritone.

    I didn¡¯t join in the festivities. I couldn¡¯t. I was too busy thinking of what I was going to tell my father. A shadow fell over my shoulder and Hemi lumbered down to sit by me, placing his large axe by his right knee. I turned and studied him, realizing I hadn¡¯t given him much thought lately. I¡¯d been buried in my own problems. He had come bearing two cups of cider and handed one to me. He took a long drink and licked his lips and sighed.

    ¡°You miss home?¡± I asked.

    He stroked his long red beard before answering. ¡°Yes, I will be happy to be back to my own home, but I fear that it will feel very empty.¡±

    ¡°Do you love her?¡±

    Hemi started to gasp and sputter like he was choking. His face turned a deep red and he started to mumble.

    ¡°So bring her home with you. Marry Fanny. Who cares that she is a Denai?¡±

    Hemi didn¡¯t even argue with me about him wanting to marry her. ¡°I don¡¯t think she would be happy there. Even if she could pretend not to be a Denai, she would always be inventing things, creating things, people would call her names because they wouldn¡¯t understand her. Our clan would ostracize her for being different. It happened before with your mother. I wouldn¡¯t want to repeat it with Fanny.¡± I watched the great bear of a man groan and stretch out his arms. He downed the last drops of his drink, so I handed my untouched cider to him. His smile widened and he soon polished off mine.

    ¡°Does she love you?¡± The sputtering occurred again from Hemi. I took it for a possible yes. ¡°Then leave the clan and marry her. Live in Skyfell.¡±

    ¡°And betray your father? I can¡¯t. I won¡¯t. Don¡¯t ever speak of it again.¡± He stood up and grabbed his large axe and walked away.

    I had upset him. I knew that this was going to be a very long trip, even longer because we were only going to our second drop off tomorrow.

    High-pitched laughter came from over by the nearest fire. It was Syrani, laughing at something Joss had said. I couldn¡¯t help but feel a surge of disgust at her.

    I pulled out my bedroll, laid it out under the wagon, and tuckered down for the night. Someone came by and whispered my name. It sounded like Donn but I ignored him. I just wished to be done with everyone. I had failed, and I wanted, I wanted¡­I didn¡¯t know what I wanted.

    So you don¡¯t feel like talking?

    No, I don¡¯t feel like talking, even to you.

    My¡­aren¡¯t we moody?

    Of course, I¡¯m moody. Queen Lilyana sent me home! She didn¡¯t ask if I wanted to leave, but she commanded that I go home. I feel unimportant.

    Nonsense, I don¡¯t think that was really the reason she sent you.

    I couldn¡¯t possibly think of any other reason.

    I¡¯m sure you could think of one, if you tried.

    Gah! I mentally screamed at Faraway. I¡¯m done. Goodnight.

    I pulled my blanket over my head and watched Joss and Kael talking across the camp. I could see Joss shaking his head angrily and Kael, arms crossed, standing firm. Finally, Joss threw his arms up in the air and stormed away. Kael watched Joss¡¯s retreating back and then he turned and stared at my makeshift bedding arrangement. I wasn¡¯t sure, but I thought I saw his shoulders shake with laughter. I pulled the blanket even tighter over my head and completely blocked the sound of the camp.

    I lay awake for hours under the wagon. I listened to servants gently admonish their wards to get ready for sleep. The wagon above me shifted and groaned as two students moved their luggage around and made beds in the back. I could hear them giggling as they hefted what sounded like a large waxed tarp above them. I could feel the pull of power as another Denai used his gifts.

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    Opening my senses, I let myself see the glows and threads of power being manipulated by the Denai. I marveled at how much I was able to do now, but couldn¡¯t months ago. I recognized the one using his gifts. It was Tydus, the Denai who had sat next to me to record the council session last season. The session during which the Valderstal clan came to find me.

    Tydus pushed back his spectacles and frowned in concentration over a particular spot in the dirt. He waved his hands in a coaxing manner and a small seed began to sprout. He manipulated the sprout, and within seconds it grew into a large tree. Most impressive were the vines that wrapped themselves around the tree to create a large swinging bed that hung suspended from the largest branch.

    When his great accomplishment was completed, Tydus smiled and crawled into his bed with his wrap and immediately went to sleep. Someone started to hum and a bright light flashed. I turned over in my bed and watched as another young Denai, Brecken, made the dying campfire spring back to life. He took his bedroll and lay down unnaturally close to the wall of heat.

    I watched a young girl named Karni run over to the next wagon, braids bouncing against her shoulders. She got comfortable next to her older brother Marcel. The two whispered back and forth. I was able to catch bits and pieces as Marcel told her a bedtime story. By the time the story was over, the princess was saved by the powerful Denai and the young Karni was fast asleep. Marcel opened his hand and created a soft ball of glowing light and placed it near his sister, in case she became scared.

    My soul was conflicted. I was jealous of their gifts that were so natural and the way their inner light glowed brightly. Whenever I looked inside myself, all I saw were shadows. My eyes burned and a small tear slid out of the corner of my eye. Here I was feeling sorry for myself again. I wanted to be like them, a Denai from birth who always knew who she was and what she came from. A Denai who wasn¡¯t scared to use her gifts. I would never have thought to spend the energy and create a bed out of a tree or build a wall of fire to keep me warm.

    Joss never did those things excessively because he thought it was a waste of valuable energy. I had forgotten for a second how wonderful the Denai truly were, but now I was to go home and pretend to be something I wasn¡¯t¡ªagain. And I realized right then, I didn¡¯t want to go home. I didn¡¯t want to go home in disgrace. But if I stayed with the caravan, there would be no way to avoid it.

    Because Kael was on duty as a hired guard, I knew he wouldn¡¯t sleep anywhere near me tonight. I doubted he would sleep at all over the next few days. My determination grew. When the time was right, I would leave my companions.

    I didn¡¯t have a plan on where I was going to head, but I knew I didn¡¯t want to come home with my tail tucked between my legs, and I didn¡¯t want to lead the clan. More tears slid down my face as I mentally walked out the consequences of my decision. I was planning on never seeing my father again. I found it hard to breathe. The wagon moved slightly and I opened my teary eyes to see Hemi wrapped in a blanket leaning against the wheel to try and sleep sitting up. I caught a hiccup in my throat and rolled over away from him. I¡¯d be abandoning Hemi to my father¡¯s wrath as well. At that thought, my soul all but shriveled up and died.

    I was a terrible person.

    Another nightmare attacked my dreams and I awoke shivering and shaking. I turned over and looked at the fires.

    Something was wrong. They had all burned out and only smoldering coals remained. I tried to take stock of the camp, but the moon was hidden by shadows. Someone tiptoed past me and went over to Brecken, whose wall of fire had dissipated. The silhouette leaned forward, and a second later, Brecken was lifted into the air and slung over the taller person¡¯s shoulder.

    The wagon creaked above as someone stepped into the bed. I could hear whispering. ¡°Here, take the girl. I¡¯ll grab the older one. Make sure you stuff their mouth with cloth. The others will start to wake up soon, and I would hate for these couple to start screaming.¡±

    I was instantly wide-awake. I slid my hand over to try and shove Hemi. He¡¯d collapsed and was sleeping soundly on his side. I shook him, but he didn¡¯t move. I even tried to pinch him, but he was knocked out and snoring loudly.

    Someone stepped out of the wagon, and I saw the flash of red robes.

    My body froze. The Septori. They were here. They are kidnapping the Denai students. I heard a branch break and my head snapped in the direction of Tydus. Someone was snapping and breaking the branches around Tydus¡¯s hanging bed.

    Faraway!

    Hmm? A sleepy voice answered.

    The Septori are stealing the students!

    Instantly he was alert. ¡°Not if I can help it¡±

    A loud scream from Faraway pierced the night, and the second Septori that was coming out of the wagon cussed in surprise. ¡°What was that?¡±

    Faraway let out another frightening scream. The other horses he was tied up with started to get nervous from his temperament.

    ¡°It came from one of those horses.¡±

    ¡°It could wake the others.¡±

    ¡°Then you better go take care of it, and silence the beast.¡±

    I held my breath in horror at the thought of him killing Faraway. He couldn¡¯t.

    One of the Septori leaned forward and put the unconscious Karni on the ground. The other moved away in the darkness and approached the horses. I grabbed Karni and pulled her under the wagon, hiding her behind Hemi¡¯s large form. I took my blanket and draped it over her.

    I slipped out from under the back of the wagon and very carefully tracked the Septori that was heading toward the horses. My heart pounded heavily in my chest, and I could feel my ears start to ring from stress. A tingling sensation ripped through my hands as I pulled a knife out of my boot. A moment later, I struck. I was swift, quiet and deadly¡­just like Kael had taught me. The infiltrator slumped to the ground in a heap, and the horses quieted their noise. I wiped off the blood on the grass. I untied Faraway¡¯s tether from the tree and let him free. I needed his extra set of eyes.

    I needed to find Kael.

    I needed to find Joss.

    Where were the guards? I tripped over someone in the dark, landing on something warm and soft. I stifled a scream as I recognized the familiar uniform of one of the Calandry guards. I pulled away and reached for his neck, feeling for a pulse and relieved to find a steady one. He was alive. I left the unconscious guard on the ground and stood up to run toward another robed figure who was leaving with Emry.

    I was about to reach the Septori when the ground opened up in front of him and he sunk down to his waist in quick sand. He had dropped his prize, and the young girl fell to the ground a safe distance from the deadly sand.

    ¡°Wha¡ª?¡± He yelled and tried to scramble out of the ground, sinking lower and lower. Within seconds he was gone and the earth hardened once again. There was no hint of the tomb buried below. A blonde girl ran out of the shadows and checked on the younger girl. Syrani! I was somewhat taken aback by her efforts. She hefted Emry in her arms and looked around in confusion. It was clear she didn¡¯t know what to do then.

    ¡°Woods!¡± I whispered loudly from behind her. ¡°Run to the woods.¡±

    Syrani jumped and let out a little noise in fear. Once she recognized me, her eyes widened, and I thought I saw a small hint of relief. She turned and carefully headed into the dense trees, carrying the young girl.

    Thalia, they¡¯re leaving!

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    Stop them. We can¡¯t let them leave with the students!

    It was time to stop being quiet and stealthy. I didn¡¯t know if anyone else was awake during the midnight ambush. I had to do what Kael always said to and assume the worst.

    I ran into the middle of camp, making every single fire relight at once and blaze angrily into the night sky. I wasn¡¯t going to hide. I wanted to see how many of my attackers there were, and I wanted to face them. I¡¯d usually become the strongest when I was angry.

    And right now, I was ticked.

    I launched the burning logs like missiles at the men. One screamed before he was silenced by my fiery dart. I wanted the robes to burn. I wanted to see their faces. One of the taller men yelled and tried to pat down his robe but the flames spread quickly. He ripped the robe from his body, revealing his Calandry military uniform and flung it to the ground away from him. He wiped the sweat from his forehead, panting with fear before he looked up and realized what he had done.

    Familiar eyes met mine and my heart plummeted.

    I halted my attack midair and let the fire fall to the ground, dissolving. There are times in my life where I think I can handle anything. But I wasn¡¯t prepared for this¡ªnot Garit.

    ¡°Thalia, I can explain.¡± Garit held up one hand to me, while his other hand rested on his sword. His discarded Septori robe lay burning in the grass next to him. He took a step toward me and I mirrored his step by walking toward him.

    He licked his lips and smiled wanly at me. ¡°It¡¯s just a job, you know. I was at a tavern in town and someone approached me.¡± The others in red moved nearer, closing in.

    I wanted desperately to hear his explanation¡ªto hear the reasons Garit changed sides and was working for the Septori. I wanted to know how long and why.

    But not at the expense of the Denai lives. I wouldn¡¯t let what happened to me happen to anyone else.

    ¡°How many of you?¡± I asked. ¡°How many more like you have been compromised?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± Garit crooned. He turned his green eyes on me pleadingly, asking me to trust him.

    I watched his sword hand until he was within four feet. Then I stared into his eyes and waited for the tell. The sign. It came seconds later.

    His eyes widened just a millimeter and I rolled. His sword swung and missed me by seconds. He yelled and lunged. I stepped back and directed all of my anger on on his blade. It shattered and Garit froze mid-attack.

    His mouth gaped open in shock and he stumbled backwards holding his stomach, where a piece of his shattered sword had blown back and impaled him.

    I let out a cry of grief and reached out to help him, but he fell forward and I rushed to catch him.

    ¡°Garit, I¡¯m so sorry. I wasn¡¯t trying to hurt you, I swear.¡±

    ¡°But I was¡­and I wouldn¡¯t have stopped trying until you killed me,¡± he rasped out.

    ¡°Garit. Where are the others? Where¡¯s Joss?¡±

    ¡°Gone. They were the first ones,¡± he gasped in pain. ¡°They were the first to be taken.¡±

    ¡°Gone? Taken where, Garit?¡±

    ¡°I don¡¯t know,¡± he whispered, losing strength. ¡°They no longer care about you. To much a risk. But we were to ordered to get the SwordBrother at all costs.¡± Garit grabbed my hand and squeezed tightly. He started to sputter, and I reached out to try and heal him, but I was yanked backwards off of him.

    ¡°Thalia,¡± he groaned.

    I kicked my feet as one of the Septori rolled me to my back and jumped on me. I couldn¡¯t believe I had let myself be sidetracked by Garit, that I lost my peripherals.

    I turned my face to spit out a mouthful of dirt and the man punched me. Bright lights flickered in my vision, and I could feel myself start to black out. His fist rose into the air again, but a giant boulder came barreling through the air straight at him and knocked him off me.

    I looked to the edge of the camp. Syrani¡¯s hands were raised as she used her power to attack the remaining Septori. She didn¡¯t stop after the first attack. The ground shook as more large boulders and rocks rose out of the earth around her, and she sent a barrage at the rest of the Septori. Her mouth was pressed into a determined line as she focused on killing. The girl was a deadly force, her beauty deceiving. I shuddered to think back to our battle in the arena. If I hadn¡¯t attacked her personally, she probably could have killed me.

    Syrani was tiring, so I leapt up and ran toward one of our wagons. It had been separated from the formation and was being hooked up to horses. Several bodies lay bound and tied inside, and I thought I saw Joss unconscious in the back.

    ¡°No!¡± I screamed. The driver used a whip on the horse and it began to move. I flung out my arms and gritted my teeth, unearthing a large sycamore tree. It landed directly in front of the wagon, making the horses rear up in fright.

    I kept running, but another Septori lumbered at me with a giant knife. I turned and flung him into the wagon. I heard his head crack against the wheel and he stilled. I winced at the sound, knowing he was dead.

    The wagon driver stood, raising a robed hand toward me. I saw a bright blue light emanate from the driver¡¯s palm and then I couldn¡¯t breathe. A blue ring appeared around my neck as I started to suffocate.

    My hands grasped at my throat and I fell to my knees. I tried to suck in air, but there wasn¡¯t any. I crawled on all fours toward the wagon, but it was being backed up. I watched helplessly as it moved away. My lungs burned.

    In the predawn light, I could clearly make out the slumped form of Joss. His whole body was slack, and I couldn¡¯t tell if he was dead. A smaller robed figure crouched next to him as her feminine hands draped possessively over his shoulder. I watched as the hooded passenger in the back of the wagon looked toward me and removed her hood. I recognized the dark hair and beautiful eyes of Mona. She laughed maliciously and stroked her hands down Joss¡¯s face.

    She blew a kiss at me as I struggled to inhale.

    I heard someone call my name and I turned toward Kael, who was running toward me. But my vision was blurring, fading. He was going to be too late. He sounded miles away and I was falling¡­slowly falling.

    There was blackness, darkness, and then my chest was on fire. Pain, but then relief as the mysterious clamp that was around my throat disappeared and I could breathe. My eyes fluttered open and I inhaled. But it wasn¡¯t enough. My body wanted to inhale again, but I couldn¡¯t. I started to cough.

    Kael leaned over me. His eyes dark with worry, his breathing was ragged. But when he realized I was breathing, his shoulders slumped in relief.

    ¡°Kael, they got them, they took them!¡± I said, wishing my voice were stronger. I swatted at his hands touching my neck. Every minute we delayed was a minute that helped in their escape.

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, settle down.¡±

    ¡°Joss!¡± My throat burned but I ignored the pain. ¡°Joss. The others. Kael, we have to go after them.¡±

    Kael pulled away from me as if my words burned him. He looked at me in doubt and then he turned to stare down the road where the Septori had disappeared. I could see the effects of his inner turmoil. The muscle in his jaw ticked as he ground his teeth together.

    ¡°Kael, please. We have to go after them,¡± I reached out and tugged on his arm. Fear shot through my whole body and I couldn¡¯t control my voice from quivering. ¡°W¡ªwe can¡¯t let what happened to us happen to them,¡± I implored.

 Page 31

    ¡°I won¡¯t,¡± Kael looked at me his eyes pleading with me to understand. ¡°But you have to stay here.¡±

    ¡°No, I¡¯m coming with you Kael. I can fight them,¡± I argued and tried to stand. But my body disagreed and I flopped back down to the ground.

    ¡°Thalia, I won¡¯t go after them unless you promise to stay here, take care of the others, and get them somewhere safe,¡± Kael raised his voice. ¡°It¡¯s too dangerous.¡±

    ¡°Then I¡¯ll go without you. You can¡¯t leave me behind. I deserve justice for what was done to me,¡± I cried out. Finally, I was able to get my legs to stand firm beneath me. I raised my chin and dared him to argue. ¡°I¡¯m going too.¡±

    ¡°Thalia, it¡¯s not too dangerous for you. It¡¯s too dangerous for me,¡± his voice dropped to barely above a whisper. He leaned in close to me, his eyes zeroed in on my lips and I held my breath expecting him to kiss me. He saw my inhaled breath and he hesitated. Instead he tucked a stray wisp of hair behind my ear. ¡°You leave me¡­vulnerable.¡±

    I could see the sweat from the heat of battle along his brow, the smear of blood across his arm. None of that took away from how handsome he looked. Kael was the best fighter in all of Calandry, and I was his weakness.

    Kael¡¯s eyes dropped from my mouth and he turned to survey the dead bodies of both the Septori and our own guards. His body stiffened and his voice became stern. ¡°I failed today, because as soon as I knew something was wrong, I came to protect you instead of the students. I failed the Adept Council. I failed in my duty because I was distracted...by you.¡±

    The bitter taste of guilt began to consume me. I was a liability. He was right. As long as I stayed alive, he would be fine. But if I did something reckless he would pay the price. If I went with him, he would always be looking over his shoulder.

    ¡°Fine, I¡¯ll stay here and help get the others somewhere safe.¡± By now my imagination had started playing horrible tricks on me. I imagined Joss on the table and the Raven doing experiments on him. I could see Joss cry out in pain as the iron bands wrapped around his body and pierced his skin. I squeezed my eyes shut and turned my head, trying to stop the terror that threatened to consume me.

    He nodded his head in agreement. I could tell he didn¡¯t want to go, but would¡­for me. ¡°I¡¯ll be faster if I go alone.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± I said.

    Kael stood up and walked over to a lone horse that belonged to one of the kidnappers. He hastily opened the pack, looked inside, and apparently approved of the rations and tack he saw. He mounted the horse and, before he rode off, he turned back to look at me. His expression was grim and determined.

    My emotions ran amok within me. I was sick to my stomach at the thought of Joss at the hands of the Septori. But knowing I was sending Kael into the pit of vipers after him terrified me to my very core, and gave me the wakeup call long coming. I needed Kael, not just in that moment, but forever. Neither one of us knew what perils he would walk into, but I knew he would come back. He always came back. He had too.

    ¡°Wait!¡± I yelled and ran after him on foot. Kael abruptly halted the horse and turned in his saddle to look at me, his brows furrowed in confusion. I had to state what was warring in my heart. I had to hear myself say the words out loud. ¡°I choose you,¡± I called out to him. ¡°I would have chosen you contest or no contest.¡±

    ¡°I know,¡± Kael said confidently.

    ¡°So hurry back to me.¡±

    ¡°No matter where you go, I¡¯ll always find you,¡± he promised.

    ¡°You better,¡± I called out to him, watching as his face drank in mine. It was if he was memorizing every part of me. He finally dragged himself away and started off down the road, following barely discernable tracks.

    I watched him until he disappeared and then turned to my attention back to our destroyed camp.

    Chapter 17

    A wagon, tipped over in the fight, marked the far side of camp. Bodies lay strewn throughout the area. Some dead, others drugged. I counted our numbers. Over half of our camp was dead or missing. I walked among the fallen, frustrated at our inability to stop them. How could they have drugged the whole camp? I walked over to my comrade Hemi, who was still out. He had rolled over onto his back, snoring, his arms flailed wide. I could see Karni, her little arms wrapped over her head as she still slept under my blanket.

    ¡°Hemi!¡± I growled, nudging him with the toe of my dirty boot. The snoring stopped for a second and his large head wobbled back and forth before settling again. The snoring continued even louder.

    ¡°Here, try this,¡± a soft voice said from my side. I turned and saw Syrani, holding a tin cup filled with water. A hint of mischief glinted in her eye. Her blue dress was ripped, her hands were covered in dirt, and her hair had fallen out of its pins. But she still had a smile on her face as if the battle, and the dead, and everything that happened had invigorated her.

    I took the cup filled with water and took a quick sip to quench my parched throat before I unceremoniously dumped the rest onto Hemi¡¯s face. He roared to life as streams of water dripped off of his red beard, and his hand reached for his battle-axe.

    ¡°I¡¯ll kill him. I¡¯ll kill the dirty rat that tried to drown me in my sleep,¡± he roared, glaring at us accusingly.

    Syrani snorted and looked from the cup in my hand to my face. She raised one eyebrow. ¡°So I¡¯m not the only one who calls you a rat.¡±

    Hemi wiped the water from his face and stared at us. Syrani shrugged, picked up her skirt, and turned back to the rest of the camp. A few of the guards had started to wake up, along with two maids. Syrani began directing the cleanup and taking inventory of what was lost, who was taken, how many horses. She also directed the guards to plan a protection detail to get them on the road and moving as fast as they could.

    I was completely taken aback by her change in demeanor. The guards that were left didn¡¯t disobey. It was obvious they were still shocked from learning of the betrayal from within their own ranks, including even their captain. They were understandably shaken.

    As Syrani organized our departure, I decided to take a look at our dead and to try and piece together what had happened last night. What had happened that allowed everyone to be drugged? Why weren¡¯t Syrani and I drugged? Why were we the only ones not affected?

    What could I do now? Should I take the few remaining Denai students to their homes? Take them back to the Citadel? Or could we go somewhere closer for safety?

    As I walked, I passed the perimeter to the outer side of the wagons and gazed down the road. The same road that Kael and Joss had gone down. I relived the last moments in my head again. The attack by the lumbering Septori, the driver who stood up and tried to suffocate me. I felt a tear of frustration run down my cheek and brushed it away with the back of my hand. I turned to look for the Septori I¡¯d killed and spotted him. Over by the wagon wheel, crumpled to the ground in a lifeless heap.

    I had to pause and collect my courage as I reached for the red hood. Every part of me revolted at the soft red wool. It could have been shards of glass for the way I flung it as quickly as soon as I picked it up.

    My heart sank as the betrayal ran deeper than I had imagined. Donn. I hadn¡¯t seen him among the sleeping or dead, and this was why. His large face was slack, his eyes closed, and I pulled up his long sleeves to search for the mark. It wasn¡¯t on his arms. I looked down and could see the faint brand upon his upper leg after I pulled up the leg of his pants. Here was the answer to how we were drugged.

 Page 32

    I sat down on the ground next to Donn¡¯s dead body and I cried. The raw emotions of betrayal by Garit and Donn broke my already fragile heart. Two of my friends had never really been my friends. They were my enemies.

    And my one enemy, Syrani, turned out to be a friend.

    The soft nudging against my shoulder brought me out of my sorrowful reverie. Faraway forcefully bumped me and I almost fell forward. He kept on with his onslaught until I was on my feet again and moving away from Donn. A few seconds later, two of our guards had come to carry his body away.

    I walked back into the camp and searched for Garit. He was wrapped in brown burlap and already tied up with twine. But I had to know. What if he carried some clue about the Septori¡ªsomething we¡¯d missed? I had lost my knife last night in the battle, so I borrowed Hemi¡¯s to saw away at the twine.

    It took every ounce of my strength to not look into his face as I searched inside his pockets, boots, and socks. Looking for instructions, plans, a name. I found nothing. I started to pull up his shirt and Hemi put a warning hand on my shoulder.

    ¡°What are you doing, li¡¯l Thalia? You should let the dead rest.¡±

    ¡°I need to know if he bears the mark. The brand of the Septori. It looks like this.¡± I picked up a stick and quickly drew a circle in the ground with two slashes through it. ¡°I need to know if he was telling the truth.¡±

    ¡°Searching the body of a dead man is not for our clan leader¡¯s daughter. I¡¯ll do it.¡± Hemi leaned forward and very carefully began to search Garit¡¯s body for a brand.

    It was a rash idea, but I needed to know how long Garit had been betraying me. He couldn¡¯t have hidden the brand on his back, otherwise his soldier friends would have seen it. Hemi searched carefully, shielding Garit from me. I could tell when Hemi found the brand because he let out a long sigh. He re-wrapped the body and came to stand beside me.

    ¡°Where was it?¡± I asked.

    ¡°Upper thigh,¡± he answered and turned to walk away.

    ¡°Was it an old mark or new?¡± I called out loudly after him.

    ¡°Li¡¯l Wolf, you don¡¯t need to know. He¡¯s your enemy.¡±

    I spun on Hemi and raised my voice. ¡°Old or new?¡±

    Hemi looked at me, his voice filled with sadness. ¡°It¡¯s newer, a few months old, I¡¯d say.¡±

    My hands trembled and I grounded myself with hate¡ªwith fury toward Garit and Donn. Both men had gotten under my defenses so easily, with a joke, with a gift, with friendship. Donn¡¯s mark had been old, Garit¡¯s betrayal recent. Both deaths had been hard, but I couldn¡¯t let them be my weakness.

    ¡°Call everyone that is left to gather. We will check everyone for the brand. Now!¡±

    Hemi gave me a long look before he nodded his head to obey. Minutes later everyone had been gathered. Hemi helped check the men, while Syrani and I checked the females. We had hung up makeshift clotheslines with blankets over them to keep some privacy. After the two little girls were checked, Syrani stepped into the changing area and started to unbutton her dress.

    ¡°What are you doing?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I may not trust you. But I want to give you no reason not to trust me.¡± She pulled her long hair up over her shoulders and subjected herself to the same humiliation that we had put the others through. I could see her swallow in nervousness, but she was clean. No mark upon her.

    Not to be outdone by Syrani¡¯s bravery, I let her check me. Satisfied, we started to get dressed.

    ¡°You match now.¡± Syrani¡¯s back was to me as she ran her fingers through her hair and began to braid her long blonde hair. I had no idea to what she was referring. ¡°You know, your eyes. They¡¯re not so freaky now. They¡¯re actually quite pretty.¡±

    I hadn¡¯t known that my other eye had changed. Inwardly I groaned, but I was able to be nice. ¡°Thanks, I guess.¡±

    ¡°Do you know why they do that?¡± she asked causally. Her hands deftly wound the braid into a bun on top of her hair, and with only a few hairpins she was able to keep it secure. The style, though simple, made her look less like a spoiled girl and more like a meek young woman.

    ¡°No, it started happening when I lost control of my power.¡±

    ¡°What¡¯s the chance of it happening to me? I think I would look nice with silver eyes. It takes some getting used to, but they are quite fetching.¡± She turned to look at me, her head cocked sideways as she studied me.

    ¡°Pretty slim,¡± I sighed.

    ¡°Oh well. I would hate to be too beautiful.¡±

    I snorted in reply. Syrani didn¡¯t notice. Loud voices greeted us as we headed back to the group.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I yelled over the din.

    One of the soldiers had a male kitchen servant on his knees, a sword pointed at his neck. ¡°Narn. He¡¯s burned the mark off.¡±

    ¡°I did no such thing. I burned my arm this morning when I was moving the hot coals from one fire to make another¡­away from them,¡± Narn wouldn¡¯t look in the direction of the few dead bodies of the Septori or of our own, laid out very close to the central cooking fire.

    ¡°Yeah right. You dropped the coal on your upper arm?¡± the soldier said sarcastically. The soldier pulled up Narn¡¯s sleeve to reveal a large red circle burn. It was still swollen, an angry red blister had appeared, and the edges had burned black. The smell was rank and the sight of the yellow pus made me sick, but I tried to look closely for any sign of a previous mark. It was just too hard to tell.

    I wasn¡¯t like Adept Lorna and I couldn¡¯t read him.

    ¡°Kill him,¡± Karni spoke softly.

    I was surprised at her young voice and the certainty with which she demanded death. Syrani looked to me with a question in her eyes. Neither of us knew what to do.

    ¡°Please, please don¡¯t kill me! I¡¯m innocent, I swear,¡± Narn cried out and fell forward to the ground, burying his face in his hands. ¡°I didn¡¯t do nothing wrong. I¡¯m not a killer. I¡¯m not like one of the others.¡±

    ¡°Tell me what you know of last night,¡± I demanded angrily.

    It took Narn a few tries before he was able to calm himself to answer. ¡°Nothing out of the normal. We made dinner, like normal. Same stuff we make at the Citadel. Nothing new, soup, bread.¡±

    ¡°Did you notice anything strange?¡± Syrani prodded.

    Narn started to cry again. ¡°N-n-nothing. Except that Donn wanted to bring out a case of cider. He was very adamant that everyone get a cup. He said he was trying out a new recipe.¡±

    I thought back to last night. And how everyone had happily been indulging in the cider. Hemi had brought me a cup and ended up drinking my portion. So that was why I hadn¡¯t drunk any. I looked to Syrani and flat out asked her, ¡°Why didn¡¯t you drink the cider?¡±

    A blush ran up her face and she refused to look at me. ¡°I¡¯m allergic to cinnamon. So I never ever drink any cider. I break out in an ugly rash.

    I remembered when she tripped me at the Citadel when I was carrying a pitcher of cider. The drink went everywhere, but not a single drop spilled on Syrani. I guess, if something as simple as cinnamon could mar her beauty, she would be extremely aware of it.

    ¡°Well, I suppose that leaves us no choice.¡± I looked over at Narn¡¯s pitiful form. Snot and tears ran down his nose. ¡°Leave him with a few days of rations and no horse. He can find shelter in that time, but he can¡¯t do us any harm if we leave him.¡±

 Page 33

    Narn began to wail loudly. ¡°No you can¡¯t leave me. I don¡¯t know how to survive out here. There could be bears, wolves, or monsters out in these woods.¡±

    Enough. I¡¯d just decided to spare his life and now he was whining. ¡°I¡¯m the monster you need to worry about,¡± I growled.

    He shut up and began to sniffle and cry.

    We decided to tie him up until we were ready to pull out. But where to now? We needed more men, more protection. We were vulnerable to attack. I looked to Hemi and he nodded his head at me. He knew what I was thinking.

    ¡°We keep heading north. To the Valdyrstal lands,¡± I announced. ¡°Right now, out in the open, we are under constant threat of attack. We need to get help, regroup. We are closer to Valdyrstal than Haven, so I say let¡¯s go forward.¡±

    The few soldiers that were left became silent. I looked over the students, and even Syrani had a bemused expression. Hemi stepped in and began ordering them to transfer only their absolute necessities into the first three wagons. We would leave the rest.

    I only prayed that my father would understand and forgive me as I led a ragtag bunch of Denai, his sworn enemy, right into his home.

    Chapter 18

    Understand was a stretch. Not only did my father not understand our arrival, Bearen was livid.

    At first he was delighted to see his daughter and his good friend Hemi return. His face dropped into a scowl when the first wagon crested and he saw Karni on the seat next to the driver. His face turned from red to purple when more of the Denai students crested the hill behind us, escorted by soldiers.

    Fearful for my friends, Hemi and I rode out ahead to greet my father. ¡°Father, we need help!¡±

    ¡°Turn around, because you will find none here,¡± Bearen threatened, pointing the direction we had just come from.

    ¡°We can¡¯t. We were attacked; we lost most of our men and many of the students. They were taken, like I was before,¡± I whispered the last sentence so only he could hear it.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the SwordBrother?¡± he asked, searching for Kael. ¡°He swore on his life that you would be taken care of.¡±

    ¡°He made sure I was safe before he went after them. Father, the Adept Council and all of Calandry are in a dilemma. We don¡¯t know where to go. People have even started disappearing from the city, the Citadel, the roads. Nowhere is truly safe anymore. The Septori always seem to be one step ahead of the Queen and adepts. This was the safest place I could think of.¡±

    Bearen rubbed his long black beard thoughtfully as he listened to my words. Odin had come and stood by to listen in, along with Eviir and quite a few others. The three wagons continued straight into the middle of town, and the five remaining students began to hop down and gaze in awe at the unique architecture of our longhouses. Some started to shiver. I supposed it was because we were high up in the mountains and it was cooler than most were used to.

    Women came out of the houses carrying extra coats and blankets. Their own children followed closely behind and were drawn to the beautiful Denai. Looking at those left, I realized sadly that only the youngest were spared. The Septori had taken all the older ones but Syrani. Whatever their plan was, they didn¡¯t need the young children anymore.

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s the safest place. We are the best warriors, but I don¡¯t think it would be good¡ª¡± Bearen started to speak again.

    ¡°This problem is bigger than our distrust of the Denai. The safety of these children is now our responsibility. Help us get them home safely. That¡¯s all I ask.¡±

    Odin, one of the older warriors and my godfather stepped forward. ¡°No one would blame you, Bearen, for taking in children. Even we can make an exception. And as you know, times are quickly changing. The borders are no longer closed.¡±

    My ears perked up and I gave Odin a questioning look. He waved at me, signaling that we would talk later. After a moment of consideration, Bearen stepped forth and began directing families to volunteer and house the Denai students. Hemi and I had expected a fuss among the clan members about the taint of the heathen Denai. We thought we would have to force them to shelter them. But without my Uncle Rayneld there, no one started trouble. Apparently his hatred had died with him.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Siobhan?¡± I asked, craning my head to see her among the crowd. I was hoping to check in on her, to see how she was holding up.

    ¡°She¡¯s gone,¡± Odin answered without any emotion. ¡°She couldn¡¯t handle the accusations that kept floating around about her involvement in the fire. She went to live with her aunt in the mountains. I don¡¯t blame her. No one trusted her anymore.¡±

    We continued to oversee the delegating of children to host families. My clan members surprised me when quite a few stepped forward and gladly offered up their homes, food, and shelter in the main barns for even the soldiers that were left. The few remaining servants immediately went to work at the cookhouse, helping with the main meal for the village.

    Bearen stood looking around, his eyes furrowed over his hawk-like nose in apparent disappointment. ¡°I really thought it would be more of an issue.¡±

    I watched as young Karni attached herself to Eviir and grasped his hand, refusing to let him go. Eviir¡¯s wife was laughing and talking animatedly to the younger girl. I had forgotten that Eviir and Lina couldn¡¯t have children.

    Hosting a young Denai child might lead them into a few surprises, Faraway chimed in, chuckling.

    ¡°I¡¯m surprised there wasn¡¯t more of a discussion either,¡± I agreed. But I remained hopeful.

    ¡°Maybe it was I who had problems accepting change. The clan is much more willing,¡± Bearen remarked.

    ¡°But these are children,¡± Odin spoke up. ¡°The older one, that girl. I noticed that no one has come forward to offer her a place to stay.¡± He gestured toward Syrani.

    Syrani stood off to the side, for once looking completely out of her element. Maybe it was because the men in my clan were giants. Or it could have been because Fenri was close by. She probably recognized him by the fox fur he wore, and realized he was the one who knocked her in the mud that fateful day at the Citadel when my father had come to retrieve me.

    Maybe you should offer your home, before Fenri sees her and knocks her in the mud again, Faraway said.

    I guess you¡¯re right.

    Course I¡¯m right. I¡¯m always right, he said.

    And you¡¯re always hungry. So it usually comes down to whether you¡¯re thinking with your head or your stomach. You¡¯re just not saying we should shelter Syrani, so I can get you back to the barn for feed are you?

    No¡­Maybe...Now I¡¯m hungry.

    Figures.

    I was about to approach Syrani, but Fenri saw her first.

    Syrani¡¯s eyes went wide and her face paled when Fenri came forth out of the crowd to stand in front of her. She took two steps back in fright, and her hand flew up in an attempt to keep him at a distance. He spoke softly, and I watched as her hand dropped, her face flushing pink. She looked around desperately, as if waiting for another offer from someone else¡ªanyone else. When none came forward, I expected her to balk and lash out at Fenri with her viperous tongue. Instead, her shoulders slumped and she nodded her head, following him with her small bag of belongings.

    She would be in for a bit of surprise when she met Fenri¡¯s mother, Gentri, who was just as demanding as Syrani was. Gentri would keep her in line and may even teach her a thing or two about homemaking. Of course, I was also aware that if she couldn¡¯t curb her spoiled ways, Syrani could very well be running for the hills by the end of the night.

 Page 34

    When everyone was taken care of, my father sent off two messengers to Haven to tell them of the attack on the caravan and ask how they would like them to proceed. But now that our first duty was taken care of, all I could think about was Kael. What would happen if I went after him?

    He said he would come back. But the waiting was torture.

    It was strange, this new feeling of responsibility for someone else¡¯s life. It also made my emotions swing like a pendulum from melancholy to anger. After a week among my clansmen, Kael still hadn¡¯t returned. My mood became perpetually dark. I sat at the large table in my house poring over a map and guessing possible locations the Septori might have headed. Though I¡¯d asked, Bearen had refused to let me leave to go looking for Kael. I was tempted to sneak off and go after him anyway, but I couldn¡¯t leave the students. I was responsible for all of them, and I couldn¡¯t leave until we had heard back from the Adept Council or the queen. All I could do was for answers.

    I found Skyfell on the map, placing a coin over the city from which Tenya had been taken and where we had first encountered Talbot, Xiven, and Mona. I put another coin down to mark the spot our caravan of wagons had been attacked. I put a handful of coins on the city of Haven to represent all of the students disappearing. Last, I put a coin on the riverbed where Joss said he¡¯d found me, downstream from where Kael and I had escaped. Queen Lilyana had said that the underground hideout was on the river that bordered Sinnendor and Calandry. She suspected Sinnendor.

    Everything about this seemed to point to Sinnendor and King Tieren, but something just wasn¡¯t feeling right.

    Something nagged at me.

    Before I killed him, I asked my uncle who the Raven was. He told me it was one of my precious Denai.

    And why was the hideout in Calandry, if Sinnendor was the enemy? Why not take us into Sinnendor? Why risk everything by hiding in their enemy¡¯s lands?

    No, something was off.

    I wrote down every clan in Calandry and found them on the map. I put another coin on each of the clan¡¯s lands. At first I had thought they were taking both human and Denai, but that was because I didn¡¯t believe I was human. Now there was a thread of doubt. I believed the Raven was looking for something specific in each of the clans. It was probably blood-related, so the Septori hit the strongest clans first. When that didn¡¯t¡¯ work, I guessed they went after the strongest Denai.

    No matter how I looked at the map and the layout of coins, I couldn¡¯t help but notice that Haven was the epicenter of the movement. If Sinnendor was the answer, then wouldn¡¯t there have been more coins placed near the border? In fact, other than the one I placed on my own home, there was a noticeable lack of coins in that region.

    ¡°Gah!¡± I pounded my fist on the table and then swiped all of the coins onto the floor. I wasn¡¯t skilled in the art of war, but I knew someone who was.

    I left my house and headed down the road to the main building. It was dark and I passed an open window. I could see that the clan council had gathered with my father. Even though he was the rightful leader, each seat of the council was held by the head of one of the founding families. Bearen and Odin were leaning over the table pointing at areas and speaking in low tones. They too were studying a map. I noticed that our setups mirrored each other, but their map was more detailed. And quite a few red wooden markers stood on theirs.

    ¡°Markis, tell me about your recent survey into Sinnendor.¡± Bearen leaned back and directed his attention to a man sitting by a wall.

    I stood on tiptoe and tried to lean closer to the window. This is what I had been waiting for¡ªwhat Odin had alluded to.

    Markis, a short clansmen with blond locks, stood up and walked over to the table, pointing at the map. It looked like he had been on the road for a while, because both his short beard and the bobcat furs he wore were covered in dirt.

    ¡°We know that, since Tieren became king, trade has been non-existent. Over the years, little traffic has entered Sinnendor because of fear of the Elite, guarding against Denai. But I was able to cross over quite easily. There are less patrols.

    ¡°Why would they abandon their borders? What reasons do they have for slacking in this area?¡± Odin asked.

    Markis shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. Maybe it¡¯s a trap to draw us in? But I made it to Merchantstown and have heard from a few servants in the palace that it¡¯s gotten worse. King Tieren¡¯s left his borders wide open, and people are coming and going. The Elite have drawn their troops in, closer to the king, staying within the castle walls, and protecting the crown princes. They¡¯re weaker than we¡¯ve ever seen them. They are scattered and disorganized, and they know it.

    ¡°But they still continue sending messengers.¡± Odin said exasperated. ¡°Why continue with their demands?¡±

    Gotte walked over to the map and pointed out a trail along the map. ¡°I¡¯ve been wondering that myself. They¡¯ve been sending someone almost weekly now down Sumner Pass. But Bearen, how long can we keep killing the messenger without consequence? It won¡¯t be long before Tieren tires and sends a small army.¡±

    Markis spoke up before Bearen could answer, ¡°You can be sure we aren¡¯t the only ones to have noticed Sinnendor¡¯s lack of patrols. I¡¯ve seen others¡¯ scouts. We never came face to face, but I believe they are from Calandry. Do you know anything about this Bearen?¡±

    Bearen crossed his arms and stared at the map. After a moment, he stood up and made eye contact with every man in the room. Many became uncomfortable, shifting their eyes elsewhere. ¡°Yes, it¡¯s apparent from the last message from the Citadel that the queen firmly believes Sinnendor is behind the recent abductions of Calandrians, including my daughter.

    ¡°For generations, we¡¯ve purposefully kept our distance from Calandry and their politics. We¡¯ve always been vassals of Sinnendor, and lately those lines have been muddied with the current events, but we mustn¡¯t let it cloud our judgment. I¡¯ve known it would one day come to this, and now I must ask you. If this leads to a war between Calandry and Sinnendor, we cannot sit idly by. We must choose¡ªa side we are willing to die for. I will not be the one to start the war, but by the stars I will be the one to finish it.¡±

    The room erupted. Clansmen slammed their mugs on the table, yelling and pushing each other. A few even came to blows, but I wasn¡¯t surprised. It was normal for my people to discuss matters with fists first and heads later. I was, however, surprised to see my father open up the discussion of switching allegiance to Queen Lilyana.

    ¡°Eavesdropping?¡± a quiet voice drifted over my shoulder.

    I turned to see Syrani standing behind me. Her blonde hair was pulled to the side and tied with a leather strap. She wore a simple blue wool dress trimmed in rabbit fur. It was obviously not one of her more expensive dresses, but one more suited to my own clan¡¯s style. Over the dress, she wore a large brown apron, covered in dirt and clay. Even her fingernails were covered in dirt. She didn¡¯t look intimidating or haughty. She looked happy.

    She caught me staring at her dirt-caked hands and began to pick at the dried clay and flick it to the ground. Her cheeks reddened and she shrugged her shoulders. ¡°I¡¯ve discovered that Fenri¡¯s mother has a potter¡¯s wheel, and I¡¯m a natural¡ªobviously.¡± She said the last word in a lighthearted manner. A piece of stray hair fell down into her face and she tucked it behind her ear with her hand. Still wet clay smeared across her cheek.

 Page 35

    ¡°Syrani, you seem different.¡± I tried not to sound callous. ¡°I mean, at ease. I didn¡¯t think you liked my clan. You called us barbarians.¡±

    Her mouth opened and her hands flew out in front of her. ¡°Oh, I know. I¡¯m terrible. I was terrible. I mean, I¡¯m trying to change. I¡¯m trying to figure myself out. Oh, how do I say this?¡± She wrung her hands together and began pacing back and forth. ¡°Your clan is¡­yes¡­backwards and a little barbaric, but Thalia! No one knows who I am.¡±

    ¡°They know you are a Denai, Syrani,¡± I cocked my head to the side and crossed my arms.

    ¡°Of course they know that. It¡¯s obvious by my looks, but they don¡¯t know anything about my family, my parents, and my heritage. They don¡¯t treat me any different than¡­um, you.¡±

    ¡°Why would they? My clan doesn¡¯t care about the Denai or their culture at all.¡±

    ¡°Exactly! They don¡¯t know that my father is a powerful leader, or that we¡¯re rich. I¡¯ve never been allowed to do anything, because I had to have a servant do it all. I¡¯ve always been expected to do whatever my family wanted. I¡¯ve never cooked, cleaned, sewn. All of those things you did at the Citadel, I would never even be allowed to touch, or it would get back to my father. Here, Gentri is making me learn to bake and sew. But once I burned the bread, she had me clean out a storage shed and I found the potter¡¯s wheel. Fenri pulled it out and I¡¯ve been at it for days. With my gift, I¡¯m able to do some really amazing things even without the wheel. But I¡¯d never be able to sell it or trade it or let anyone know I made it. Here, the women are already lining up and placing orders. They want something from me! They want something I¡¯ve made.¡± She reached out and grabbed my hands and did a little dance in excitement.

    I was too shocked to do anything more than a few jumps of excitement with her. ¡°Really? That¡¯s great!¡±

    ¡°I know. I think so too!¡± Syrani flung her arms around my neck and¡ªafter a brief moment¡ªpulled back awkwardly. ¡°I¡¯ve got to get going. I just needed a breath of fresh air before I went back to work. The air up here in the mountains feels different than back home and it smells wonderful.¡± She waved at me and headed back to the main road.

    I suspected that the real difference was freedom. I was completely humbled by what I¡¯d just witnessed¡ªand a little unsettled. Was that all it took to change Syrani? A chance to be something other than what she was raised to be?

    Isn¡¯t that what I wanted? Suddenly I was jealous of her happiness and wanted a chance to start over too.

    Reluctantly, I waited over the next hour. It had grown dark. A slight chill filled the air, but I refused to move from my position. Even my growling stomach didn¡¯t deter me from my mission. I did find a barrel and move it close to the window just under the sill. It was a perfect solution for my sore legs. It seemed the clan couldn¡¯t reach a decision over whose side to fight with if it came to war. The families that were housing the Denai had been won over and voted to pledge allegiance to Calandry along with quite a few others. But there were still a good portion that refused to side with Queen Lilyana, while others wanted to remain neutral.

    Twice more, I heard mention of the convoy King Tieren continued sending to Valdyrstal.

    I had never seen anyone ever come into our lands, so there had to be a meeting place in the mountains. I remembered months ago when my father had watched the pass, and he rode into the mountains with Odin and Fenri. They¡¯d refused to let me follow. Had it been for some sort of private meeting? Had my father been secretly meeting with messengers from Sinnendor?

    Lying in bed, I stared at the large beam that crossed my ceiling and I placed my hand over my heart. As I felt its strong beat, I thought of Kael. Please, stay strong Kael. I¡¯m coming for you. I promise. Somehow, I¡¯ll find you. I¡¯d become grateful for our bond. Because no matter what the Septori did to him, he would survive as long as I did.

    Slow tears fell upon my pillow as they had every night since I lost him. I knew that the same tears of guilt and worry would fall every night until I found him. More questions without answers swirled through my head, and I couldn¡¯t help but feel overwhelmed.

    I hoped sleep would bring me answers. Because if I didn¡¯t hear from Kael by tomorrow, I was determined to go to find Kael myself.

    Chapter 19

    The trail was a small one, hidden along a cliff and barely discernible.

    During the winter months it would be completely blocked by snow. Even now, snow started to fall gently, covering the pines and leaving a white blanket across the higher peaks. It wasn¡¯t cold enough to stick, but in another few months it would be impassable. My breath left a white trail in the air as Faraway and I continued up a cliff opposite of Sumner Pass. Gotte said they had been watching this pass, and I wanted to confirm with my own eyes who was coming and going.

    This wasn¡¯t a stealth operation. I knew that Gotte or one of his men would have seen me already riding up on my horse. Faraway¡¯s white coat was a beacon in the valley. Still, now that we were heading north, he had a better chance of blending in among the light flurries and gray rocks.

    Once we found a comfortable perch on a ledge to wait and watch, I donned a thick wool cloak and sat. The chances were slim of catching anyone using the pass. I imagined I could sit here for weeks and not see a hint of life. Well, that wasn¡¯t true. I¡¯d already seen movement on the other side of the pass. I¡¯d recognized the stance and red fox fur wrap of Fenri, before he moved and hid behind a tree, taking up watch across the pass from me. But he was trying to be seen. He had noticed me across the way and had waved his arms and gestured angrily toward the village.

    I pretended I never saw him.

    A few hours later, after I had accidentally eaten most of my day¡¯s rations out of boredom, things changed. I heard something before I saw anything¡ªthe echo of horse hooves on rock. Instantly alert, I crouched low and watched with anticipation. Six horses with riders walked single file down the pass below, still a great distance off. Five of them were dressed in metal armor ready for battle. The man in front, the one with a trimmed mustache, wore a brown wool cloak and leather gloves. Very official looking.

    Movement across the way distracted me as Fenri raced from his position and down the mountain. He pointed up at me angrily and mouthed the words, Stay there! With his hands, he pointed to me and signaled me to stay put. He slid down a path to his horse tethered at the bottom of the mountain and raced off toward the village.

    I watched in interest as the riders passed beneath me. The finely dressed noble rode ahead of the others, while the fighters scanned both sides of the pass. I ducked behind a large rock and waited until I couldn¡¯t hear the sound of their horses¡¯ hooves clapping against the rocky path.

    ¡°Hoowah,¡± someone called just enough to echo across the pass. I peeked over the top of my boulder and saw Gotte standing there. He looked grim and had a bow and arrow nocked, ready to release. I ducked back down as he shot the arrow into the tree closest to my hiding place. It only took a moment to spot the arrow and see the slim parchment tied to the shaft.

    I pulled it down and opened up the message.

    King Tieren¡¯s men.

    Stay hidden.

    Of course I couldn¡¯t obey. If someone got hurt, they might need me. I could see Gotte mutter something when he saw me run for Faraway. Like the arrow that had flown toward me, we made it quickly to our destination. At the bottom of the mountain, Faraway took off, sprinting across the field. We were still miles from the village, but I could see that the convoy of Tieren¡¯s men would never make it that far.

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    My father, Odin, and Fenri were locked in battle with the five armored soldiers. Tieren¡¯s messenger already lay dead on the ground, an arrow through his heart, his quiver of arrows scattered on the ground. The bow just missed being trampled under the horses¡¯ feet. Odin screamed a war cry, ducking under a sword. He used his axe to swing into his opponent¡¯s back and knock him to the ground.

    Bearen was dueling with the largest of the men, but the man¡¯s armor protected him from side blows and deflected the smaller swings. My father wasn¡¯t as lucky¡ªhis leathers offered little protection. He was faster than the armored knight, but he was also older.

    Odin was the first to go down, a sword in his stomach. Fenri let Odin¡¯s cries of pain distract him, and he missed a parry, slipping on the wet grass.

    Bearen roared as he continued battling two of the men.

    Not again! I refused to lose any more to battle if I could prevent it. I darted in for the bow and picked up a few scattered arrows. I aimed to pick off each of the warriors in succession, one after another. I knew my gifting would very well lead me to lose control, but in that moment, all I cared about was saving those so important to me. I screamed in pain and frustration as I channeled that destructive power into the arrow and aimed for one man¡¯s beating heart. Faster than I have ever done it before, I released the arrow.

    Like a snuffed candle, he was gone.

    Each arrow exploded with my rage upon contact. I worked my way out, focusing on those closest to me. The one who had his sword raised to stab Odin again was blasted backward as my next arrow exploded into his chest.

    I curled my fingers and turned to Bearen¡¯s attackers. One danced an intricate dance of parries and thrusts, leading my father around to expose his unprotected back to his companion. The other man saw his opening and ran forward to thrust his sword into Bearen. With an enormous magical push, I shoved my father out of the way. Unable to stop his momentum, the enemy stabbed his own comrade. Bearen used the opening to kill the other man while he was distracted. He slid his knife into the soldier¡¯s back and held him until he fell forward to the ground dead.

    Fenri had regained his footing and run over to Bearen. Only one man remained. glancing around, he ran for his horse to make a hasty escape. I should have been exhausted, falling over faint with the use of expended energy. I should have been on the verge of blacking out.

    Instead, I felt alive. Powerful. And it scared me.

    Odin pulled himself up and surveyed his wound. It had apparently missed any major organs. He was already ripping his vest and making a bandage. Since he wasn¡¯t worried, I wasn¡¯t worried.

    Fenri turned to yell at me, but I was already moving away from them. I had one particular goal in mind. The messenger. The first one killed. I stared, unfeeling, at the body of the stranger. Maybe I should have felt something akin to pity but I didn¡¯t. Instead, I focused on the leather satchel attached to his side. With a quick flick of my knife, I detached the bag and shoved it under my arm as I ran to Faraway and mounted him.

    ¡°Thalia, don¡¯t read those,¡± Bearen warned, running toward me.

    ¡°I won¡¯t if you tell me what they say. Why have you been hiding this from me? If this has something to do with the Septori, then I need to know.¡± I grabbed the bag and shook it in his face.

    Bearen reached for the satchel and tugged it gently from me. ¡°Once a year, he sends a messenger with men demanding that you come to Sinnendor. Every year we refuse. When you were younger he didn¡¯t know your name, just demanded that the child of Thelonia be escorted back. A few years later, he demanded the girl child. Now he asks for you by name.¡±

    ¡°Why?¡± I gasped.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know. There were many things your mother refused to share with me about her past. But I discussed it with the council and we all agreed that we would not respond or give you up. Recently, the demands have come closer together¡ªthe first week of each month.¡± Bearen opened the satchel and pulled out the message. He turned and showed me what was written upon it in fine script.

    Bring me Thalia Valdyrstal.

    ~King Tieren

    ¡°That¡¯s it?¡± I scoffed. ¡°That¡¯s all it says.¡±

    Odin winced as he walked over to me. ¡°It¡¯s exactly as your father says.¡± He nodded across the field to a large mound of rocks¡ªthe kind we used to cover the graves of our fallen members. The one he motioned to was larger than the other, so tall and round it looked like part of an avalanche. ¡°They¡¯ve been coming more frequently over the last few months, and we¡¯ve started leaving fewer and fewer survivors.¡±

    ¡°Does this have to do with Sinnendor¡¯s borders being open?¡± My mind began to whirl with possibilities.

    ¡°As far as we know, the two are separate matters.¡±

    Odin turned to go back to his horse, and I couldn¡¯t help but reach for him and gently touch his side. His face relaxed and he sighed as I sent a healing touch through him, closing up the wound and spending an extra few seconds working on his bruised muscles. ¡°One could definitely get used to this.¡± He opened his eyes and leaned forward to give me a side hug. ¡°Having my own personal healer would make aging much more enjoyable.¡±

    Bearen watched us with a solemn expression. He looked down at his forearm and the deep cut laced across it. He looked over at Odin and then back at me before he thrust it my way and turned his face away.

    I tried not to smile as I ran my hand over the sides. It was easy to coax the body into healing itself. I pushed a little bit of energy toward the wound and watched as it sealed itself up. My father tilted his head just slightly to watch what was happening out of the corner of his eye. When I was done, he held up his arm and flexed his fingers, studying the place where the wound had been with interest. ¡°Yes, and it may be that Tieren knows something more about you than we do.¡±

    I smiled wanly. I was happy that I¡¯d healed my father, but scared of the new turn of events and what it meant for my future. I couldn¡¯t ignore that there was an unending threat that seemed to be closing in on me from every angle. It was only a matter of time before it caught up to me. I just couldn¡¯t guess who would strike the first blow.

    King Tieren and his army or the Raven and his Septori.

    Chapter 20

    The sound of metallic swords clashing and women screaming made me fly out of my room with barely enough clothes to be considered decent. Leaving boots by the door, I grabbed one of my father¡¯s swords and rushed into the street, unsure what I would find.

    I was unprepared for the bloodshed. People rushed by, running for cover. Others grabbed weapons, attacking the invaders.

    Horses with black-clothed riders flew between houses laying waste to anyone who opposed them. My heart raced as I tried to scan the crowd for my father, but one warrior was too hard to find among the mass of furiously battling clansmen.

    Still, something was very wrong. This wasn¡¯t a ragtag band of thieves trying to steal and pillage from my village. They were trained soldiers in black and silver.

    HERE! I heard Faraway call to me and I ran over to him, jumping onto him bareback. We rushed into the fray and fought for our lives and for those of my clan. I killed without blinking an eye. I stabbed an attacker in the back as he was about to behead a little one. He fell off of his horse to the ground, and I leapt from Faraway to finish him off¡ªhell bent on saving the child.

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    I saw another towheaded child run between the houses. A horse nearly ran her down. I caught her, threw her onto Faraway, and beckoned the other child as well. He was smaller, probably around four. It pained me that I couldn¡¯t remember his name, but I placed him in front of the girl and told her to hold him, giving Faraway instructions.

    Take them into the woods and guard them.

    I should stay with you.

    Children come first. I left no room for argument. Faraway bobbed his head at me and carefully trotted into the woods, keeping his gait nice and even for the children. I heard the boy yell out ¡°horsey!¡± I could tell from the slant of Faraway¡¯s ears that I had hurt his feelings, but I didn¡¯t have time for that. Someone needed to get the children out of harm¡¯s way.

    Someone yelled my name, and I turned to see Syrani send a soldier flying through the air as she kept another soldier from entering a house. There must be someone inside. I yelled for my father and ran toward the town center. The soldiers were after something. They were entering each of the houses and pulling out the women.

    Me! They were here because me. My mind roared at the thought! Fenri fought ferociously with a sword in each hand, spinning and attacking the cavalrymen.

    Pounding hooves alerted me to an attack from behind, and I turned and raised my sword to meet the downward thrust of a blade. I deflected, and the rider turned in his saddle to glare at me. He slowed and turned back, beckoning me with his black-gloved hand.

    Fear raced through me, but anger matched its intensity. How dare they attack my home and taunt me! I adjusted the heavy sword in my hand and tilted my head in acknowledgement. I knew that on my own, I was no match for soldier on a horse, but I had a different kind of advantage if I had enough control on my power to wield it.

    The horse snorted as the rider kicked his mount spurring it on. He leaned forward in his stirrup and held his sword high.

    I rushed forward, my sword low to the ground, trying to keep a small target.

    He swung down.

    I rolled to the left, sprung back up, gripped my sword and used all my strength, plus whatever power I could still pull from within to launch the sword directly at his torso. It flew straight and true and should have been a kill shot.

    What followed was near impossible.

    He saw the sword leave my hands. His eyes widened in surprise as a young girl launched an impossibly large sword at him. He twisted his body at the last second and almost unseated himself from the saddle, but the sword passed him by.

    I¡¯d missed. My mouth dropped open in utter shock. And to make matters worse, I had just thrown away my only weapon.

    The soldier beckoned to another of his comrades and pointed at me. ¡°That one.¡± Both horses turned toward me and I could see their intent.

    Closing my eyes, I reached outward, trying to grab their life forces. I was shocked when I saw that they were surrounded by dark shadows. Their inner light wasn¡¯t bright and white like the Denai but black and shaded like mine. How could we be the same? The discovery momentarily distracted me, and I didn¡¯t act in time.

    The ground shook as the horses bore down and I turned to run.

    Hands gripped my shirt and I was pulled upward and over the rider¡¯s lap. I gulped as the pommel thrust into my stomach. I could smell, sweat, leather, and something akin to cinnamon. I kicked, screamed, and scratched until the horse started to gallop and the pommel knocked the wind out of me. I gasped loudly. Weak, I looked over the rider¡¯s leg and could see Fenri running after me.

    We were moving too fast. I screamed out one last time as the other mounted soldiers surrounded him, drawing their swords. Fenri slipped through the cracks of soldiers and was able to position himself next to Syrani, but the odds were impossible. I imagined I could see his cheek tick with anger at the thought of being cut off. He raised his sword and rushed forward. We crested the hill and galloped down.

    And I lost sight of Syrani and Fenri.

    My heart exploded with worry and fear. For them certainly, but even more for myself. What would these men do to me? What kind of danger was I truly in? Thinking fast, I played opossum. I went slack across the horse and could feel the rider adjust to try and keep me balanced. I used his instability to try and push backwards off the horse, but he caught me. He grabbed my hair and yanked me up into a sitting position in front of him. Pain raced down my scalp, leaving a burning ache.

    ¡°You think you¡¯re smart, trying to get away. No one gets away unless we want them to.¡± I dared a glance at his face and was stunned by his golden yellow-toned eyes. His deeply tanned skin only enhanced the ghastly color of his white-dyed hair. Something about the combination chilled me to the bone. I studied my captor¡¯s black uniform, cloak, and gloves.

    The hair on my neck rose in fear as I pieced together who these men were. I only had to look a little closer at the clasp on his cloak to see the pendant. I already knew what the design would be. Hadn¡¯t I always known? It was the same crest that decorated my own home. A silver wolf, the crest for Sinnendor. We didn¡¯t have to cross into Sinnendor, after all. They came here first¡ªand they hadn¡¯t sent just any soldiers. We¡¯d been attacked by Sinnendor¡¯s strongest warriors.

    The Elite.

    Suddenly, the soldier pressed something over my eyes and shoved a gag into my mouth. A sickly sweet smell wormed its way through my head, and then everything went black.

    Chapter 21

    Darkness. The sound of dripping water somewhere nearby made my body crave the refreshing liquid. When had I last eaten? I couldn¡¯t remember. I tried to count the minutes and the passing of time to keep myself from going insane. I was once again in a prison cell. Shackles bit painfully into my wrists.

    A door opened several yards away. I did everything I could to keep my nerves in check and not start sniveling like a coward. I stood up, wiped my face with the sleeve of my shirt, and tried to appear strong, like my father would want me to. A flame flickered outside the door and keys rattled. The door opened a with a creak and then was abruptly pushed wide. A short balding man stood before me. He hardly looked like he could be a threat, but you never knew.

    Appearances could be deceiving.

    ¡°Miss?¡± he called into my cell. ¡°Ah¡­yer uh supposed to follow me¡­this way.¡± He beckoned up the stairs with his candle. ¡°Gideon is waiting upstairs.¡±

    I looked at the stairs and back to him and walked out quickly, trying to not show my eagerness to escape the prison. The chains around my wrists jangled as I held my head high and walked slowly up the steps, being careful to keep an eye on the man behind me. I was hoping I could find chance to run away.

    A man¡ªGideon, I assumed¡ªwaited at the top of the stairs. His white hair stood out like a beacon in the shadows. As I approached him, his strong hand wrapped around my elbow, directing me until I silently followed his lead. We walked down a long stone hallway. The air became fresher, sweeter. Then we stepped through a door into a large, mostly empty courtyard in front of a towering castle. The bright moonlight illuminated guards half hidden in the shadows, wary of people like me.

    I could see the main gate, a secured pulley system, and the guard tower. Keeping my head lowered, I scanned quickly but didn¡¯t see a way out. My heart dropped a little, but I knew better than to give up so easily.

    We came to wide stone steps and I slowed my gait. He lugged me onward. More guards greeted us but they didn¡¯t even blink when we passed them. Either we were invisible, or they just couldn¡¯t bear to look at the intimidating Gideon.

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    Once we entered the main hall, the extravagant beauty of the halls took me aback. From the Citadel, I¡¯d only been able to see Queen Lilyana¡¯s palace from afar. Tapestries of unfamiliar wars hung upon the walls, and tables were laden with gold candelabras and bowls of food. A set of double doors towered at the end, and I could only assume they led to the throne room.

    We turned down a side hall, and I could smell the familiar scent of bread baking. My mouth watered at the smell and I became distracted. When I looked up, I was in an unfamiliar room with a giant wooden tub. I stared, confused, and hands reached up to touch my back and remove my garment.

    I jumped backward and screamed. A small woman walked in front of me and held her hands up and to show that she meant me no harm.

    Gideon gestured to the warm water. ¡°You should wash before you meet King Tieren. You don¡¯t want to take the chance of offending him.¡±

    I held up my manacled hands to him and he laughed.

    ¡°No those stay on. The maid will help you.¡±

    I waited for him to leave, but he appeared as if he was going to stay.

    Well, that wouldn¡¯t do.

    ¡°I¡¯m not changing in front of you!¡± I challenged.

    ¡°You have no choice. I¡¯m not leaving a prisoner in an unsecured room.¡±

    ¡°Then you leave me no choice,¡± I shouted in return. Turning my back on him I stepped toward the tub and before the maid could undress me, I leapt into it fully dressed, making sure to send a huge wave of soapy water sloshing over the tub and onto Gideon¡¯s feet. His horrified expression as the water soaked his boots was enough of a reward for me. The poor maid squealed and jumped out of the way as she raced for towels to dredge up the water across the floor. I did a poor show of pretending to wash, dunking my head a few times before standing up, jumping out, and purposely re-trailing suds and water across the wooden floor.

    ¡°Okay, I¡¯m clean. Let¡¯s go.¡± It took every inch of control I had to keep from grinning.

    ¡°You good for nothing wildling. No wonder your clan lives in the mountains. You have no manners,¡± he seemed more put out than enraged.

    ¡°I have enough manners to not keep a king waiting, so as soon as you¡¯re ready to escort me¡­or perhaps I should just go find him myself.¡±

    I made a move toward the door, but he quickly stepped out, slammed it, and said, ¡°Not before you take a proper bath and get dressed. I will wait here. No further.¡±

    I started to laugh and the poor maid stood in the corner shivering, whether from fear or cold I didn¡¯t know. Quickly, she helped me bathe and get dressed in a simple green gown. After she braided my hair, he held a mirror up to my face and I inspected the results. I had a slight bruise on my face from the altercation in my village.

    ¡°We should get this looked at,¡± she whispered nervously.

    ¡°Don¡¯t waste your time. I don¡¯t know yet if I will even survive the night.¡± The words came out sharper than I had anticipated, but they were sharp because they were the truth.

    No matter how the meeting with the King played out, it would end very badly for one of us. But if the Elite were on guard, then there would be a good chance I wouldn¡¯t make it out alive.

    Surprisingly, I was extremely calm.

    ¡°Ah, Thalia! We finally meet.¡± The words came from King Tieren himself. The oddly high timbre of his voice made him seem much younger than he probably was.

    I stared at the King of Sinnendor with open distrust. He was of medium build and average height, with a closely cropped sandy brown beard peppered with gray. His mouth was thin, and his teeth were even. He was, for all intents and purposes, very average looking. If he weren¡¯t sitting on the throne, I would never have guessed him to be the King of Sinnendor.

    ¡°I would have thought you wouldn¡¯t want to see me, especially after I was treated to a stay in the dungeon.¡±

    ¡°Ah you have to forgive my men. They got a little carried away. You are here as a guest, child. I mean you no harm,¡± he smiled making his beard twitch.

    ¡°Do you mean to tell me that¡ªafter generations of my family¡¯s exile¡ªyou would invite me back? I find that hard to believe.¡±

    ¡°No, what¡¯s hard to believe is that your father would refuse my invitation. After all, I have always asked nicely.¡± The king stood up and strode to a side table to pour himself a goblet of wine. He was humming under his breath. At first I didn¡¯t recognize it, but then its melody reached my ears and I cringed. Tieren was humming a children¡¯s song about a plague. The dissonant notes made my skin crawl, but he didn¡¯t seem to notice its affect on me.

    I used the momentary distraction to gauge my surroundings. The room was dark and stuffy, as if he were afraid to open the windows and let in the air. Incense burners hung from the marble columns clouding the air with the smell of sandalwood. The wooden throne itself was polished and inlaid with silver. The king¡¯s standard¡ªa silver wolf upon a black background¡ªhung from posts above the throne. My skin prickled with irritation, noting again that it was the same standard as our own clan¡¯s. The king even wore a silver wolf ring with emerald eyes. Every time he took a sip, the jeweled eyes seemed to taunt me, to tease me about what could have been.

    Frustrated, I turned my head to look at his bodyguards. Two more of the Elite stood in the darkened shadows watching us carefully. Like Gideon, they too sported the white hair.

    The king noticed my curious staring. ¡°Ah, I see you¡¯ve noticed my guards. Only the purest of blood serve me.¡± He raised his goblet of wine as if to salute them before taking the tiniest sip. ¡°They guard that which is precious to me.¡±

    ¡°Which is?¡± I asked politely.

    ¡°Me,¡± he laughed. He cocked his head to the side as if listening to something and then began to whisper angrily to no one in particular. King Tieren turned his back on me and continued to whisper and sing.

    I lost my patience. ¡°Why am I here? Why did you attack my clan and kidnap me? And then you have the nerve to pretend I¡¯m an honored guest.¡±

    Tieren turned back around, his eyes focused on me. ¡°Ah, now that is where you are wrong. I don¡¯t want to kill you or your family. In fact, I keep trying to bring us closer together.¡± He put his goblet down and seated himself upon his throne, looking down on me through lowered lashes. I wondered briefly if he was slightly inebriated. ¡°Every year on the same day, I send a messenger to your village for your father. And every year I receive the same answer in the form of another dead messenger. I sent more messengers, more frequently with the same result. So you see, you left me no choice. I had to resort to a more permanent summons.¡±

    ¡°So it is my father you want to come, not me.¡±

    ¡°No, this has nothing to do with your father. It has always been about you. Perhaps if I had chosen a different date to summon you, I might have received a more positive reply,¡± he rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

    ¡°I don¡¯t understand how one day would make any difference in his answer.¡±

    ¡°Nothing and everything. What do you know of your mother¡¯s family, where she came from?¡± he leaned forward, waiting.

    His words, though harmless, began to tear a whole in my confidence. I refused to answer, instead turning my back to him.

    ¡°Ah, see? You don¡¯t know. Or your mother never told your father. Shall I tell you about Thelonia, your mother?¡±

 Page 39

    ¡°What does she have to do with this?¡±

    King Tieren leaned forward in his chair, bracing his elbows on his knees. He spoke slowly¡­deliberately. ¡°Thalia, your mother¡ªThelonia¡ªwas my sister.¡±

    Chapter 22

    I blinked at King Tieren, unable to whole process the mind-blowing news he???d just shared with me. It couldn¡¯t be possible. I tried to picture my mother but could only grasp flickering memories. The sound of her laugh, the color of her hair.

    The rest eluded me. She couldn¡¯t be the king¡¯s sister. I felt myself digging my nails into the palm of my hands to keep back the anger that billowed inside me. I felt betrayed. I knew he had to be lying, but I couldn¡¯t understand why.

    ¡°You lie.¡± I tried to sound brave but the words came out a whisper.

    ¡°I never lie.¡± King Tieren stood up and beckoned for me to follow him. My feet felt leaden, but I slowly followed after him as he descended the dais and exited a small door hidden behind the giant throne. We came to a stone hallway filled with hand-painted portraits that were, unlike the tapestries, well taken care of.

    ¡°Perhaps I should explain a little more. That was a lot for you to take in, and you just got here. Ah, here we are.¡± He stopped in front of a portrait of a younger version of himself, standing next to a very tall thin woman with wavy brown hair. A small tiara sat upon her pale brow. The younger Tieren was seated as the stoic woman stood behind him.

    She wasn¡¯t my mother. I knew that. The corner of my mouth begin to curl up in triumph.

    ¡°This is Queen Andia, my first wife and mother to Prince Sevril.¡± He stood before the picture with his hands clasped behind his back reciting information like it was out of a textbook. ¡°She was born to be queen. Her parents and mine arranged the marriage when we were young. We weren¡¯t in love, but we didn¡¯t need to be to rule a country. Sadly, she died twenty-four years ago during childbirth.¡±

    I tried to not roll my eyes. He seemed to enjoy keeping me in suspense.

    He walked to the next portrait and a different woman stood next to him. Her fiery red hair, high cheekbones, and pert nose made her very fetching. In this portrait, the woman sat in a smaller chair next to King Tieren. ¡°This is Queen Beryl, my second wife. We were married only three years, and she bore my second son, Tomac. She died from the crying plague.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sorry.¡± The words felt hollow coming from me, but I could tell from the picture that they loved each other.

    He bowed his head in silence before walking to the last portrait on the wall. He stopped. Unlike before, he actually walked forward and touched the painting by pressing his forehead against it. I couldn¡¯t hear him but could tell from his shaking shoulders that he was silently crying. I was so fascinated by King Tieren¡¯s reaction to this particular portrait that I actually forgot to look.

    Quickly, I glanced over his brown head to see¡ªmy mother.

    I recognized her. There was no denying the pale as starlight hair, her bright blue eyes, and her beauty, even at a young age. She couldn¡¯t have been more than ten in the picture. I choked back a sob as well, shocked at the sight of my mother. There was no refuting it. Just as there was no denying the royal crown that sat upon her brow and the exuberant joy that radiated from her face as she sat next to a very young Tieren. Both Thelonia and Tieren were seated on smaller stools at the feet of their parents, the King and Queen of Sinnendor.

    My knees felt weak and I had to grab hold of the wall to steady myself.

    It was too much. I felt dizzy, sick, and weak. King Tieren opened his mouth to say something to me, but I couldn¡¯t hear what he was saying. He motioned for a guard who came rushing toward me. I panicked and reached for a thread of power to push the guard away, but nothing came. Strong hands seized me.

    I was expecting the dungeon again, but instead they placed me in an extravagant suite. I lay upon the oversized bed and stared at the stone walls. Someone had lit a candle in my room, and it had been burning so long it began to flicker, dying out.

    When the candle finally gave up and my room became dark, still I lay there, silent, waiting¡­thinking.

    All King Tieren had done was destroy everything I thought I finally knew about my family and life. It was like being thrown from a horse and having the wind knocked from me. I stared in the direction of the candle and tried to get it to light, which wasn¡¯t my specialty. Still, I felt like I should have felt something¡ªsome stirring of power. Instead, I felt empty, as if a part of me were missing. My head still felt a bit fuzzy and I wondered if there were a bit of drugs still running through my system, blocking me from using my gifts. If that was so, then I was going to have to continue to be a polite guest until use of my gifts came back. Maybe by then I could blast my way out of the castle.

    Maybe I could even bring down the castle with me in retaliation. I smiled at the thought and continued to wait. I¡¯d keep testing the limits and reaching for power every few minutes.

    After a quick knock on my door, an older woman opened the door and entered. Her graying blonde hair was pulled into a crown upon her head. Her skin was fair, and fine wrinkles sprayed across her proud face. Her black dress, though made of the finest velvet, had little adornment other than the cut and the style of the dress. But all suggested someone of importance.

    She stopped within a few feet of me and studied me carefully. I glared at her, refusing to look away. Her mouth pinched in a worrisome frown and then she released a loud, dejected sigh. ¡°Well, you definitely have your father¡¯s coloring, but you can¡¯t hide those eyes. Even if the shade is off.¡±

    The remark stung but I didn¡¯t let it show on my face.

    ¡°Well stand up, dear. Let¡¯s take a look at you.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I said firmly.

    She looked tired and impatient. ¡°Your mother would have said the same thing. You, I hope, will be more loyal to our cause.¡± The things this woman said made me want to scratch her eyes out or push her out a window. She was horrid.

    She came forward and stared down her long straight nose at me and I watched as her nostrils flared in impatience. ¡°You will have to do. Heaven knows I don¡¯t have time or the resources to play these kinds of games much longer. I¡¯m too old for such tricks.¡±

    I let her ramble on and on as the door opened again and two servants brought in a trunk. They began to lay out a wardrobe befitting a queen¡ªsilk dresses, petticoats, shoes, ribbons, stockings.

    They measured me and stuffed me into eight different dresses before they found one that complemented my skin tones and my unpleasant eye color.

    ¡°No, go with the silver. She¡¯s got the blood¡ªwe can¡¯t hide it now,¡± the woman chuckled softly.

    Soon, a smaller servant girl began to sew me into the dress and kept accidentally poking me with the needle. As soon as she was finished, I stormed across the room and right up to the cruel matriarch.

    ¡°I don¡¯t know what you¡¯re trying to do, but I am not a doll.¡±

    ¡°Of course not, my dear. You are my granddaughter, and I am trying to keep you alive. So hold your tongue and your patience, and maybe we will both live through the upcoming dinner,¡± she muttered something else under her breath. I thought I caught the barely audible words, ¡°¡­and the war.¡±

    ¡°Grandmother?¡±

    Her words momentarily stunned me. I¡¯d never had a living grandmother before, so I was unprepared for what to say or how to address the situation.

 Page 40

    But the announcement hadn¡¯t fazed her. ¡°You may call me Lady Portia, or Grandmother. Either one is suitable.¡±

    I bit back my impatience at her lack of care and asked again, ¡°Why am I here?¡±

    ¡°Because if what I¡¯m hearing about you is true, and the seal around you is breaking, then this is the best place for you, don¡¯t you agree?

    ¡°Seal? What seal? And I was safe where I was,¡± I countered back.

    ¡°Even your own clan couldn¡¯t save you from the Elite. Now this is the safest place for you. Out of the out of the reach of the Denai.¡±

    ¡°But I¡¯m not safe from you,¡± I glared at her.

    ¡°True,¡± she cracked a crooked smile. ¡°I¡¯ve been told that the truth hurts. And I hope you¡¯re not afraid of a little sting, because you are to learn that everything you know is a lie. It was not just Tieren that wanted you to come here. I¡¯ve been pressuring him to bring you back here for years.¡±

    ¡°Why would you do that?¡±

    Portia went to the mirror in my room and began to straighten her hair. ¡°You don¡¯t think our Thelonia left the luxury of the castle to go live in the mountains on her own accord did you? She left to find your father, to try and save our kingdom.¡±

    Her words hurt, and I could feel the poison of them seeping into my very thoughts. If I let them, they¡¯d eventually destroy my childhood memories bit by bit. I didn¡¯t have many that included both my mother and father. But I couldn¡¯t let that get in the way. I needed to learn more. ¡°Are you saying that she never loved my father?¡±

    Portia looked dismayed. ¡°That was a poor choice of words, dear.¡± Her tone softened and she turned to grasp my hands. I wanted to rip them but I waited to hear what she had to say. ¡°I¡¯m sure eventually she fell in love with Boren.¡±

    ¡°Bearen,¡± I corrected curtly. This time, I did yank my hands away.

    ¡°Yes, that¡¯s right. I remember now. But Thelonia was the one to come up with the idea of finding your father and your clan. She had every intention of bringing you back to Sinnendor when you were older. She hoped that whatever curse affected our royal family would lose its strength if you lived in Calandry.¡±

    ¡°Curse? What curse? And why share this with me now?¡±

    ¡°All of the males are mentally unstable and I fear that Sinnendor will soon fall,¡± she whispered, her eyes searching the hallways for listeners. ¡°After your mother died, our only hope was to manipulate Tieren into bringing you here. It was her desire that you one day come back and rule as Queen of Sinnendor. Even if we had to start a war, and take the throne from her own brother, what better family than the original descendants of King Branncynall himself to retake Sinnendor¡¯s throne.¡±

    ¡°A pawn. I was a pawn before I was even born. A means to an end.¡± I felt disgusted at Portia and¡ªfor once¡ªeven a little resentment toward my own mother. But then I remembered her smile and how much she loved me. However selfish or noble her intentions were at the beginning, I couldn¡¯t help but realize they weren¡¯t the same at the end. My mother loved me.

    ¡°But it is a glorious end that comes with a throne,¡± Portia added, interrupting my thoughts.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want it. It has been and always will be just a chair. Whether it¡¯s padded or covered in gold. Even if it comes with a country to rule. I¡¯ve no interest in attaining any furniture.¡±

    Portia frowned at my cheekiness. ¡°Now you sound like your mother.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t help but smirk before asking, ¡°Who else knew about this?¡±

    ¡°Neither Tieren nor his sons know of our plan. Only your mother, Gideon, and I did.¡±

    ¡°Is the king so easily influenced?¡± I asked, confused.

    She shook her head, signaling silence and opened my door and walked out. The thickening plot intrigued me now more than ever. I simply couldn¡¯t justify leaving without getting answers about both Tieren and my mother. Clearly, Portia knew how to bait the hook and keep my interest piqued, but whether or not she could catch me in her nets was up me.

    I had to stay one step ahead of her.

    I lifted the hem of my dress and followed her down the stairs, across the hall, and into the largest dining room I¡¯d ever seen. The long table could easily seat thirty guests. Only five tableware settings were placed near the head of the table, which was filled with gold platters of food¡ªboar, duck, meat pies, fresh bread, soup, and a spread of delicate pastries and desserts.

    ¡°Be silent unless spoken to. Watch and learn. Judge for yourself why we needed you here in Sinnendor. You will see why our future depends on you,¡± she whispered and sashayed to the table quickly.

    Tieren sat in the large oak chair at the head of the table. He focused more on his goblet of wine than the plate filled with wonderful cuisine in front of him. Prince Sevril sat stiff in his chair, his arms held out in front of him in fists. He had dark brown hair that fell to his shoulders, his eyes were ringed with shadows, and his clothes looked like he had been sleeping in them for days. I identified Tomac because of his bright red hair, a trait obviously passed down from his mother.

    Portia motioned for me to take the empty seat next to Prince Sevril, while she moved to sit next to Tomac. I watched carefully as Portia started to serve herself some soup and daintily sipped from her spoon.

    Tomac had already had a huge boar leg and was speaking with his mouth full, one leg thrown casually over the arm of his chair. ¡°So, Sev, where have you been disappearing to the last few days? You look like horse manure and you are starting to smell a fresh steaming pile.¡±

    Sevril ignored his younger brother¡¯s taunts and buttered a roll. Actually, I wondered if he even heard Tomac¡¯s insults, because he barely blinked an eye as he ate. He just chewed with small distinct bites and swallowed.

    Tieren happened to look up from his goblet of wine and glance over at me, blinking a few times in confusion. His eyes brightened, and a smile lit up his face as if he¡¯d just noticed my appearance.

    ¡°Thelonia, you¡¯re here! I was just telling Gideon how I couldn¡¯t believe you won my best pony from me in that hand of cards. I bet you cheated. You cheated, didn¡¯t you?¡± Tieren¡¯s face was ruddy and his words were slurring.

    I looked between Portia and the king for guidance, but she encouraged me to continue the discussion. I faltered a bit, gathering my courage to play the part. ¡°No, you were just always bad at cards.¡±

    Tieren slammed his golden goblet down on the table and everyone turned to stare at him. The red liquid dripped down the side of the gold rim and pooled around the base of the goblet¡¯s stem. Tieren¡¯s eyes scrutinized the dribble before a huge smile arose on his face.

    ¡°Right you are. Right you are.¡± He turned and looked at the tapestry hanging on the far wall and began to have a full on discussion with the stag sewn into the fabric.

    My hands shook as I reached toward my cup and tried to fill it with water from the pitcher. After I took a drink, I turned to Portia who nodded in affirmation.

    Feeling a little bit braver I decided to press on. ¡°King Tieren,¡± I spoke his name and waited for him to come around to looking at me again. Finally, his eyes focused on me. ¡°Why do all of the Elite have white hair?¡±

    Tieren¡¯s eyes slid from my face down to the table and then back up. ¡°It¡¯s a mark of honor, of respect to be part of the Elite. They¡¯re not as good as having a bonded SwordBrother, but they are good at protecting us from the Denai.¡±

 Page 41

    ¡°But the Denai don¡¯t come here,¡± I answered. I briefly wondered if Tieren knew about Kael and me. He couldn¡¯t. Unless he knew more than he was letting on.

    ¡°That¡¯s because we don¡¯t let them,¡± Tieren scoffed. I watched as he became more inebriated, and I stood up and walked over to fill his cup with more wine. The drunker he became, the freer his words flowed.

    ¡°That¡¯s a shame that there are no SwordBrothers here to replace the Elite. I heard that they are the fiercest warriors in the world.¡±

    Sevril tilted his head slightly and watched me out of the corner of his eye. It wasn¡¯t much, but I could tell that he was suddenly interested in what I had to say. His bites became slower, as if he were afraid to miss something.

    King Tieren bobbed his head. ¡°If I had a retinue of SwordBrothers, then I know I would have been able to protect you, Thelonia. You wouldn¡¯t have died in that horrible land.¡±

    ¡°Died¡­yep. Dead, dead, gone,¡± Tomac sang in a singsong voice, then giggled and snorted into his hand.

    Sevril leaned back in his chair, turning to watch me warily, under half-lidded eyes.

    It was very disturbing the way King Tieren switched between past and present, and how he kept mistaking me for his younger sister.

    I¡¯d hoped I was just on the verge of discovering the identity of the Raven and the Septori, but the more I learned, the more I felt like I was in the middle of two separate paths that kept merging together only to spin off into dead ends.

    ¡°If you had a SwordBrother, you would be unstoppable.¡± I countered, stroking the king¡¯s ego.

    ¡°If I had a whole army of SwordBrothers I would send them to assassinate Queen Lilyana and then every single one of those bloody Denai!¡± Tieren stood and knocked his wine across the table as he roared his enthusiasm for the extinction of the Denai.

    Sevril made a motion with his hand as if he was signaling someone. I followed his line of sight and saw movement over King Tieren¡¯s shoulder. A very familiar face leaned in an open door to mouth a few words to Sevril. The man paled when he saw me, and the door snapped shut.

    It couldn¡¯t be, but it was. I hadn¡¯t seen him since he disappeared from Skyfell¡ªXiven. Mona¡¯s phony brother. He¡¯d posed as a friend of Joss¡¯s family so Mona could get close and try and control them. He was here in Sinnendor. Fear ripped through my body, turning to excitement as I decided I needed to follow him. He knew more about me than he let on. If he was here in Sinnendor, did that mean the Raven was too?

    Tomac whistled, distracting me from my train of thought. I faced his direction just in time to see his half-eaten boar leg fly across the table and into my lap. Startled by the flying meat, I knocked my cup onto Prince Sevril.

    Sevril swore under his breath, slamming his own cup onto the floor. He stood on his chair and launched himself across the table at Tomac. The brothers started fighting on the floor, knocking into unused chairs and into a pedestal holding a flower-filled vase.

    Either Tieren was immune or he could no longer see or hear his sons as they yelled, punched, and beat each other senseless. Portia didn¡¯t move or give anyone attention other than the perfectly delicious soup sitting before her. With unhurried sips, she enjoyed her meal and even helped herself to a small pastry. I mimicked her every movement, because it was obvious she was used to the insanity of the dinner table.

    It seemed like ages before the princes had calmed down enough from their fight to return to their table. King Tieren had now drunk himself into a stupor, and Sevril took a plate of food and left. Tomac, on the other hand, took to playing some sort of bowling game with whatever platters and goblets were left on the table.

    Portia was right. They were absolutely mad. I fidgeted with my cloth napkin and waited for an opportune time to slip out of the room to follow Xiven.

    Neither happened. As soon as dinner was over, I left and tried to make my way down the hall, but there was a soldier on my arm, pulling me in the direction of my room.

    He shoved me in, and the door locked behind me.

    I had been in the castle for hours and I still couldn¡¯t feel power around me. I tried to still my mind and body and reach for it¡ªnothing. It felt very much like being in Skyfell, except in Sinnendor my gifts weren¡¯t muted. They were gone. And without access, without being able to hear Faraway, and knowing I was separated from the power that I had come to rely on, I felt claustrophobic. I walked across the room to stand beside one of the small elongated windows.

    Windows so slim escape was impossible.

    I screamed in frustration and threw whatever objects I could find that were light enough for me dislodge and break. The vase, the matching ceramic bowl, a gold brush. I knocked over a plush oak chair. I sat down on the cold hard stone floor and pulled up my knees to my chest, staring at the mess I¡¯d created. Only a portion of me was happy with what I had done. The other part felt indifferent as I started to slip into the apathetic zone.

    Wasn¡¯t this what I¡¯d wanted? To be powerless? Human again?

    No! I didn¡¯t.

    A large piece of the vase had survived my temper tantrum, and I glared at it angrily. I reached toward it and tried to focus everything I had into moving it. Nothing happened. I crawled forward and lay on the ground in front of it, trying to focus on the spot right in front of the piece, searching for a thread of energy to manipulate.

    Nothing.

    I picked up what was left of the vase and smashed it into the ground.

    Chapter 23

    The next morning, I stuffed clothes and a pillow under the blanket on my bed to resemble my sleeping form. Then, I hid behind the door and waited.

    As the servants came in to dress me, I slipped around and tried to run down the stairs but was caught by a cast iron tight grip.

    ¡°Aargh! You!¡± I cried out in frustration. Gideon stood there with two other Elite. He physically lifted me into the air over his shoulder and walked calmly into the room. I screamed at him, clawed at his shirt, and heard a long rip as tossed me onto the bed, startling the confused maids. The sleeve of his shirt came with me as I slid off the bed and landed on the floor.

    ¡°You can¡¯t leave,¡± Gideon roared. ¡°You¡¯re needed here.¡±

    ¡°What happened?¡± The worried voice of Portia floated into the room as she stared at the mess I had created the night before. A second later she appeared around Gideon¡¯s shoulder and looked at me worriedly. ¡°Thalia, what did you do?¡± she asked.

    ¡°Why am I here?¡± I launched off the floor to stand in challenge. ¡°It¡¯s oppressing, like being suffocated.¡±

    Portia walked slowly to me, as if approaching a startled horse. Her palms were held up as she circled me warily. Part of me wanted to laugh at how ridiculous she looked. I ran around her outstretched arms and tried to duck under Gideon¡¯s arm, but he snagged me and lifted me into the air.

    Portia quickly ushered the servants out of the room. The two Elite stepped out, and she closed the door. Gideon placed me back down on the ground and stepped back.

    I backed up as far as I could until my back touched the opposite wall. Scared and nervous, I reached for power again around me but I found none.

    Gideon watched my straining with interest. ¡°It won¡¯t do you any good. The reason like you feel you¡¯re being suffocated is because there are too many of us in one place. The power is here, but it is beyond our reach because we cancel each other out. The farther you go from us, from Sinnendor itself, the easier it will be on you.

 Page 42

    ¡°How can that be, the adepts said there was power in everything. It existed in everything.¡± I answered.

    ¡°There are so many of our kind here, you would be hard pressed to find a single thread of magic in Sinnendor, though it exists in Calandry because of the Denai. Think of it like an unbalanced level or a magnetic pull that pushes all power away from us. It¡¯s here, but just beyond our reach and that drives us¡­just a little mad. But for you it may be different, if we can fully break the seal around you.¡±

    Gideon looked to Portia who nodded slowly, encouraging him to go on. The large Elite warrior paused as he tried to gather his thoughts. ¡°First, you must understand, we are on the brink of war.¡±

    ¡°Everyone is always on the brink of war,¡± I answered back. ¡°There¡¯s really no surprise there.¡±

    He looked irritated but only gave me a disapproving look before he went on. ¡°Let me clarify. Wars, plural. We can¡¯t keep it contained.¡±

    That I didn¡¯t know. So I decided to wait and hear answers.

    ¡°Do you know the history of the Denai race? How they were banished from their ancestral home and came down to live among the humans of Calandry?¡±

    ¡°Yes.¡±

    ¡°What you don¡¯t know is that they weren¡¯t the only race banished. The Denai¡¯s constant feuding with their more powerful brethren led them both to what we call the Fall.

    ¡°Because their brethren¡¯s powers were so great, their powers were sealed within them and they were forced to live as humans. The Denai were the favored race, the blessed. Allowed to keep their gifts. It is no great wonder to see that the battle followed them here into these lands. One of the Fallen became King of Sinnendor and, even on this earth, he wanted to destroy the Denai. He didn¡¯t realize how that would affect them in the end¡ªhow it was almost his undoing.¡±

    ¡°King Branncynall?¡± I whispered in awe. ¡°Why isn¡¯t there a record of this? Didn¡¯t the Denai know that their enemy was among them?¡±

    Gideon shook his head, ¡°No, they were as human looking as¡­well, a human. Listen up.¡±

    ¡°What does that have to do with the Raven and the Septori?¡±

    ¡°Everything.¡± Portia¡¯s voice quivered with anger. ¡°It¡¯s a balance, Thalia. Just like the sun needs the moon, light needs shadow. They are both magic races.¡± Her eyes flashed. ¡°The Denai are dying out, because we are dying out.¡±

    Chapter 24

    ¡°Who are you?¡± I asked warily. If what she said was true, it involved me.

    ¡°Long ago we had many names: demons, Djinn, angels,¡± Gideon spoke. ¡°Here in this land, we¡¯ve chosen to be called Sirens.¡±

    The name consumed my mind and I tested it on my tongue.

    ¡°But how is it possible? How can one race affect the other so? The adepts said there¡¯s a balance. That the thread of energy is in everything,¡± I argued. ¡°Can¡¯t you create a balance?¡±

    ¡°We are the balance. We have nothing. No power, no magic. While the Denai have it all. Our power is locked away, Thalia. But if the seal on our power were broken, we¡¯d be free to use it. If there weren¡¯t so many of us here canceling each other out. The lack of magic starts to drive those with the strongest Siren bloodlines mad. It¡¯s the reason Denai aren¡¯t allowed in Sinnendor. Fear of discovery. Our race is at the weakest we¡¯ve ever been.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s why Sinnendor wanted the SwordBrothers, to protect themselves from the Denai,¡± I spoke aloud, the sudden realization dawning on me.

    ¡°Not just that, but for a while, it seemed being bonded to a SwordBrother stabilized the royals. Still, it wasn¡¯t fool proof, which led to the mass destruction of most of the SwordBrothers. Since then, only the Sirens that are the most stable have become a part of the Elite.¡±

    ¡°But you said your kind are dying? And that¡¯s why the Denai are dying out as well?¡±

    ¡°The hand we¡¯ve been dealt is unfair¡ªour gifts sealed away within us. Knowing they¡¯re there but being unable to touch them is like being deprived of air. It slowly drives the strongest mad.¡±

    ¡°What about before the Fall?¡±

    Gideon smiled wanly. ¡°It¡¯s said that the Sirens¡¯ power came from our fury. Death and destruction were once our greatest gifts and we were unstoppable. There were no physical limits, because we could take at will.¡±

    Gideon¡¯s words chilled me to the bone. ¡°And now?¡± I asked, uncomfortable.

    The smile slid from his face. ¡°We¡¯re nothing.¡± He held his hands out palms open. But you¡¯re not. Your clan came from the strongest Siren blood. Your father is descended from King Branccynal, which means you are too. Your mother is from the second strongest Siren line after the war. You, child, have been blessed because you are a Siren like us, yet born and raised outside of Sinnendor. The seal around your core, around your powers, have started to break open.¡±

    ¡°It wasn¡¯t with my consent,¡± I accused. ¡°It must have been the Septori. They must have found a way to do it.¡±

    ¡°But you are the first Siren since the Fall to show signs of regaining their power,¡± Portia spoke up quickly, hoping to encourage me with the news.

    ¡°This gift you keep telling me about came at a great cost, and with a lot of pain,¡± I clenched my fists together in anger. ¡°And it is not wholly my own.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s a lot for you to take in, but we would like you to understand you are free to leave. We only ask that you give us time to help you learn who you really are¡ªyour heritage, your destiny. Then when you are fully satisfied, you can go.¡± Portia, for the first time, looked vulnerable. Scared that I might take her up on her offer. She abruptly added, ¡°But might I remind you, you are safer within the walls and borders of Sinnendor than you have ever been in Calandry.¡± She moved as if to touch my shoulder but pulled her hand back at the last minute.

    ¡°So I can leave? Walk out that door right now and you won¡¯t stop me? Tieren won¡¯t stop me?¡± It seemed too good to be true.

    Both Gideon and Portia shot each other worried glances as if reassuring themselves. Gideon shuffled his weight and cleared his throat. ¡°Um, well you do have to wait for a time when Tieren is more¡­in the present than in the past.¡±

    Portia rushed in, ¡°He¡¯s really much more himself in the morning compared to evening when his mind starts to tire. You arrived here late at night and he couldn¡¯t remember you, so you were placed in the dungeon until we could change his mind.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m sure I should understand, but I don¡¯t. More reasons to leave. What about Sevril and Tomac?¡± I asked. ¡°Neither of them seem like they want to harm me¡­yet.¡±

    ¡°Sevril understands why you¡¯re here. He knows that our future depends on you. Even though it depresses him, he works tirelessly for our cause. He has been showing great progress. Tomac is another story. Keep your distance from your youngest cousin. He is quite mad, more so than Tieren. And he is not safe.¡±

    ¡°Not the most reassuring news.¡± I moved around Gideon and Portia and walked to the door.

    ¡°It would be wise to wait,¡± Gideon answered.

    I paused in thought, my hand on the doorknob.

    There were still so many answered questions, and I was the first in my clan to get back into Sinnendor. Did my father know about the madness that would have plagued him if he had come back? I thought back to the dinner table and imagined me in Tomac¡¯s place. Talking incoherently, throwing food. How long could I stay before I started to show signs of madness?

 Page 43

    Was that my destiny? Had I already started down this dark path? In some ways it felt that way.

    ¡°One more thing, Thalia,¡± Gideon suddenly spoke up. ¡°You may have loyalties to the Denai now, but you are first and foremost a Siren. You belong here. With us.¡±

    I grimaced in pain when I pulled the door handle open, and I heard Portia¡¯s intake of breath as she waited to see if I would leave. I didn¡¯t turn around, for fear of changing my mind. Instead, I walked out.

    Immediately, I heard soft sobbing sounds behind me, as the stoic Portia broke down in tears. Gideon¡¯s comforting voice followed me down as I made my escape from the tower.

    Surprisingly, the Elite outside the room didn¡¯t try to stop me. Nor the ones at the bottom of the tower. I did make a few wrong turns before I made it to the main hall and looked around me in wonder. If my mother had lived, I might have roamed these halls and played with my cousins.

    Or I might have never stepped foot in the palace. There were too many what-ifs. I could be lost in my own thoughts forever.

    One side of the double doors opened as a page walked in and turned down a hallway. Sunlight streamed into the entryway, creating a path of light that beckoned me to freedom. The view to the courtyard called to me, mere feet away. Seconds more and I¡¯d be out the door.

    I could feel my feet slowing in hesitation. I tried to remind myself that this was a prison and right now the door was open. I could walk out the double doors and never look back. I could go home, see if my father was okay, find Faraway¡­and then do what? Wait impatiently for Kael to return? Wait and see if he had found Joss and the others yet? Wait for the Raven to eventually find me? The thought of waiting for the unknown terrified me as much as being in a castle surrounded by insane relatives.

    Or, I told myself, I could stay, try to find out what really was going on, find out why Xiven was here, and maybe find the Raven first. I crossed the threshold and stood on the large stone steps outside.

    People were working¡ªservants were busy carrying wood inside, and a man was leading a very magnificent horse through his paces. I watched as two of the Elite elbowed each other in excitement. I heard girls laughing as they carried a large bucket of water to some workers repairing the outer wall. A dog chased a cat under the horse¡¯s feet, and the horse reared, making the Elite jump into action. Two of them calmed the horse and moved it away. A third man caught the dog and held it back from the scared cat who scurried up a tree. I expected the Elite to whip the dog or get angry. Instead they laughed and trying to coax the cat out of the tree.

    Why did the people of Sinnendor have to remind me so much of my own clan and family? Why couldn¡¯t I view them as the enemy?

    A shadow flitted across the courtyard. A very large black bird flew across and perched on the outer wall¡ªa raven. Something about it chilled me to the bone. A bad feeling overtook me, and I stepped backward into the main hall and shut the door. At the sound of the latch, I realized I¡¯d just chosen prison over freedom.

    ¡°So you¡¯ve decided to enjoy our hospitality a little longer. I commend you. Although remember that while the food here is very fine, the company has much to be desired,¡± a male voice spoke from behind me.

    I whirled around and saw the tall form of Prince Sevril leaning against a column. His clothes looked tidier than yesterday. He still had the dark circles under his eyes, but today at least he tried to be friendly toward me.

    I licked my lips and tried to act pleasant. ¡°I might be able to stomach a few more days as long as dinner doesn¡¯t always end up in my lap. I generally like to eat my food, not wear it.¡±

    Sevril¡¯s laugh started deep in his throat and then it got louder. He held onto the column and wheezed, having to cover his mouth. When he was able to breathe again he smiled widely. ¡°You, Thalia, are a breath of fresh air. So how do you like your family so far?¡± He moved away from the pillar and clasped his hands behind his back as he circled, studying me. ¡°Are we as crazy as you expected?¡±

    ¡°I think you¡¯ve all been given a raw deal,¡± I answered truthfully. ¡°If what Gideon says is correct, and our family will eventually go insane then I feel pity toward you and your actions, since they can¡¯t always be helped. But I notice you use it to your advantage, as well. To get away with foolish behavior, just because everyone expects you to.¡±

    Sevril stopped his pacing and turned his dark brown eyes on me. I didn¡¯t feel afraid, but I didn¡¯t feel entirely safe either. ¡°Every single day, I fight the feelings, the shadows, the dark thoughts, the anger. And every day I find another reason to prove my sanity. That is what I find my solace in, my striving to be human.¡±

    I started to laugh. It wasn¡¯t meant to be mean or condescending, but I felt hopelessness bubble up out of me and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder where it came from. ¡°But we¡¯ve never been human. We truly are just freaks who would be better locked up.¡± The laughter turned into a pitiful sob, and I could feel the sting of disappointed tears in my eyes.

    His eyes turned dark with anger.¡°Careful, Thalia. Not all of us have such control of our other inner demons.¡± He whirled around and left the room, leaving me in solitude.

    His footsteps echoed outside the chamber and I was left with one thought. Now what?

    Chapter 25

    Portia and Gideon were right about King Tieren. He seemed more himself in the earlier hours of the day and more lost toward evening. Part of me thought it had to do with all of the drinking he was doing, but then I began to believe it had as much to do with the darkness that came with the night. Sometimes I found him avoiding darkened hallways and stepping around shadows that were cast on the floor.

    Tomac on the other hand, I didn¡¯t believe was ever sane. I had stumbled across him in a side parlor practicing sword fighting with a dummy. He was swift, agile, and explosive¡ªexpending all of his energy across the room. He would run and jump up on a stool, knocking it over, use his sword to slice through the roses, cut up the long curtains, and flip over a chaise, all before he even attacked the dummy.

    I could actually picture him as a true Siren, his red hair blowing in the wind, eyes glowing with power. In that mental image, he wielded a flaming sword as he threw himself into battle. At one point as I watched, he leapt from the top of a table and I could imagine him with wings flying. His energy was so intense I could feel it almost bubble over him in waves. But here, where there wasn¡¯t any magic, what I felt from him was enough to roll my stomach. It was hatred, despair, and self-loathing, and I had to ask myself whose feelings I was truly experiencing.

    His or mine?

    Tomac¡¯s sword arced and he turned his body into the movement, decapitating the mannequin in one fluid movement. The straw-filled head flew across the room to come and rest by my foot, face down. Tomac turned and apparently noticed my intrusion for the first time. His head cocked to the left, the movement very much like a bird of prey as he studied me with interest.

    ¡°Tha-l-i-a,¡± he dragged out my name in a trill of notes that made my skin crawl. ¡°I broke it.¡± He gestured to the stuffed head that had rolled to my feet. ¡°Could you fix it, please?¡±

    I looked down at the faceless structure and picked it up. Part of me wanted to run from him, but another wanted to prove to myself that I wasn¡¯t afraid of Tomac. That even without my powers he couldn¡¯t scare me. Somehow, knowing that we were both the same, both susceptible to the same anger and fury, made me want to pity him. Help him¡ªbecause in some way, I would be helping myself.

 Page 44

    The head felt heavy in my hands and I looked underneath into the neck and saw that there was a wood handle that had been severed in two. I walked with confidence across the room, my shoes echoing across the stone floor. The mannequin was finely made. Someone had taken good care in making it as lifelike as possible. It was even dressed in a long green robe. I pulled the handle farther out of the head and jammed the stake into the body of the practice dummy, twisting and turning it as it slowly slid down. I had to stand on tiptoe as I spun the head around to face the front.

    What I saw stopped me cold.

    This dummy was not faceless. I had expected this one to be like those we¡¯d used at the Citadel. But someone had taken the time to sew on a mouth and two silver coins for eyes. My hands started to shake as I stared at the face of the dummy. There was no mistaking his choice of coins for eyes. The silver was intentional. I swallowed nervously.

    The hysterical laugh was the only warning I got as Tomac¡¯s sword cut through the air.

    I ducked and rolled. The sword missed my head by mere inches, re-decapitating the practice dummy. Only my roll didn¡¯t go as well as I hoped, since my very long dress wrapped around my legs, hampering my escape. My heart was in my throat as I tried to scamper backwards on the floor and untangle my feet from the yards of material considered proper for a young woman. This dress would soon be the death of me.

    Tomac danced around me on the floor, whooping and hollering to his own manic song. I kicked free of my dress and jumped up, running for the door. He flung a broken piece of chair across the floor at me and it rattled along and tripped me. My chin slammed into the floor first and pain raced up my jaw. Lights flickered painfully in my skull. I felt dizzy as I rolled over to my back, just as Tomac kneeled over me pinning me with his knees and body. One hand grasped me around the throat and his other arm rose high behind him, the sword tip at my throat. My hands wrapped around his hand and I worked on twisting it to release, but I couldn¡¯t fight both the hand and the sword tip. I felt a prickle of pain and something wet pooled down my neck.

    ¡°Nighty-night, birdy. You will no longer plague my dreams.¡± His body weight lifted, and I knew he was about to plunge the sword into me.

    I closed my eyes and relaxed, preparing myself for the pain that would inevitably come, followed by my death. Until I reminded myself that I was surrendering, and I don¡¯t surrender.

    Besides, Kael wouldn¡¯t want me to. He would tell me to be strong. And I had to for him as well as myself. My death would leave him vulnerable.

    I reached deep down in myself for the anger and rage at my situation. Right now I hated Tomac. Not as much him as what was done to him. This wasn¡¯t his fault.

    My body silently screamed with rage, focused not on Tomac but on the sword. Pain ripped through my body and I felt like I had been pierced, though the sword had not touched me. I let the pain flow through me and outward, focusing on the sharp blade only inches from me. Tomac hesitated for a second, and in that one pause I was able to push through the nothingness, the void, the shadows that were Sinnendor.

    The sword cracked, just a single crack splintered up the side, but Tomac pulled back to look at the sword in puzzlement. It wouldn¡¯t be enough to stop him. He just smiled and raised it again.

    Now, I was beat, tired, and exhausted.

    A roar ripped through the air as Sevril¡¯s body flew into Tomac, knocking him to the ground. The sword still nicked me, but I was free. Hands gripped me under the arms and started to drag me backwards out of the room. I watched as Sevril had Tomac pinned to the ground, punching him again and again. The sword lay abandoned feet across the floor.

    I lost sight of Sevril and his brother as someone pulled me out of the hall. Whoever had me stopped and then came to my side to pick me up.

    Xiven. I couldn¡¯t help but use what little physical energy I had left¡ª

    To slap him.

    Chapter 26

    ¡°Ouch! What in heaven did you do that for?¡± Xiven grunted as he continued to keep a hurried pace as he jogged away from the hall where Sevril and Tomac were fighting.

    ¡°Put me down! Put me down before I kill you,¡± I seethed. His hands loosened and I dropped unceremoniously to the ground. My feet barely caught me.

    ¡°Now, Thalia! It¡¯s not like you think. I mean¡­it is like you think, but really it¡¯s not.¡±

    ¡°You work with Talbot. You¡¯re part of the Septori,¡± my voice carried loudly and echoed. Xiven winced and looked around helplessly.

    Feet pounded down the hall, and then an out of breath Sevril appeared. ¡°Quick, let¡¯s move her before Tomac gets up. I hit him hard, but he could wake up in a rage.¡±

    ¡°Where are the Elite when you need them?¡± I called out as I picked up my skirt and followed Sevril up a staircase and down to a landing. Xiven stayed right on my heels.

    ¡°They¡¯ve learned not to deal in family affairs,¡± Sevril huffed as he continued to run. He went to the third door and pushed it open, waiting for us to pass through before he closed it. After locking it, he stepped away from it. After a second thought, Sevril pushed a large trunk in front of the door for added support.

    I glanced around the room and was quickly able to deduce it was Sevril¡¯s personal suite. A very large four-poster bed stood in the center of one wall, with curtains all around, drawn to keep the light out. A sizeable table covered with scrolls, quills, and journals was off to the side. Candleholders littered every space available with candles, long since burned out. A hefty plate filled with half-eaten food sat forgotten on a stool.

    All of these were signs that Sevril probably slept through the day and spent many nights awake. Xiven ran his hands through his hair and took a deep relieved breath.

    An animal-like scream erupted from the hall as a heavy body was thrown against the door, and Xiven jumped.

    Laughter followed by a singsong voice carried through the thick wood. ¡°Come out, come out! It¡¯s time to play!¡±

    I found myself stepping farther away from the door in terror, eyes glued to the rattling handle.

    The pounding continued.

    None of us spoke as we waited for Tomac to stop. It was a half candle mark later when we heard him call out to a passing servant.

    ¡°Hey, is that a cobbler I smell coming up from the kitchen?¡± Someone mumbled an answer. ¡°It is? Oh boy! I love cobbler.¡± A few seconds passed and then he called out again to the servant. ¡°You haven¡¯t seen my brother, have you?¡±

    Then we heard nothing.

    ¡°What was that?¡± I whispered, letting the fear show in my voice.

    Sevril turned to look at me. ¡°An episode. It seems that we all get moments of blackouts where we do terrible things and hardly remember them. It¡¯s why we were desperate enough to turn to Xiven and the Horden journals for answers.¡±

    Xiven moved forward, but I pointed my finger up at him. ¡°Not you! You can sit over there, where I can see you. And you, Prince Sevril, can start at the beginning.¡±

    Sevril looked taken aback, but he rubbed his chin and then asked. ¡°Okay, so how much do you know about Sirens?¡±

    ¡°Gideon dumped that information on me a few hours ago. We¡¯ve got Denai, Sirens, blah blah blah, and Sirens have no power and are going crazy. But that doesn¡¯t explain what he¡¯s doing here.¡± I pointed to Xiven again, who had moved the tray of food off of the stool and sat there, waiting patiently as instructed.

 Page 45

    ¡°I am kind of a mystery, aren¡¯t I?¡± Was he trying to lighten the mood?

    ¡°Shut it.¡± I turned on him and he looked down at his hands and stayed quiet.

    Sevril snorted in response. He moved to the table, picked up a cloth napkin, and poured water from the pitcher onto it. Then, he handed it to me. I stared at it with a look of confusion.

    Sevril looked at me sheepishly and then glanced at the floor. ¡°Uh, your neck.¡±

    How could I have forgotten the wound? It had stopped bleeding, but now I was streaked with blood and my dress had stained a dark black. I dabbed at the bloodstain, but when I pulled the cloth away, it was still black.

    ¡°Blistering son of a scorpion, why is it still black?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s just you. It¡¯s who you are.¡± Sevril stated. I wiped at my neck furiously, but the cloth kept coming away black.

    I could feel myself start to panic. It was the dreams¡ªthe dreams were becoming real.

    Xiven glared at Sevril in obvious frustration. He came over to me, grabbed a knife off the table, and made a quick slice down the palm of his hand. He held up his hand and I could see rich, red blood making a fine line across it.

    Prince Sevril winced at Xiven¡¯s actions, but held up his hand for Xiven to pass him the knife. A second later, Sevril mirrored Xiven¡¯s actions and held up a hand lined with dark black blood. ¡°Do you want any more proof you are not human or Denai? You¡¯re Siren.¡±

    ¡°But it wasn¡¯t always like this. You did something to me!¡± I tossed the wet and bloody napkin on the table and went and sat down on an empty stool. I made sure to turn just enough that I wouldn¡¯t have to make direct eye contact with Xiven.

    Sevril let out a rush of air and tried to explain, ¡°If you had grown up in Sinnendor that would have always been the color of your blood. It would have eventually turned black like mine¡ªa sign of royalty and a sign that you are indeed Siren. It was only because you lived in Calandry and away from our lands that you showed more human characteristics. There were rumors that the Valdyrstal clan living in Calandry weren¡¯t exhibiting the same traits as us. The only thing we could think of was that maybe the trait had died out genetically. Or somehow, because they were living on Denai land, it balanced it out.¡±

    There was that word again. Balance.

    He shifted in his seat and continued. ¡°Thelonia went looking for your father as a means of escaping her own curse. We don¡¯t know if she found it or was ever cured because she died a few years later. But it seems she succeeded in raising an heir to the throne that isn¡¯t¡­well, useless like me.¡± He smiled feebly and his hands started to scratch at his skin, like something was crawling under it.

    ¡°What about the Septori?¡±

    Xiven leaned forward. ¡°My story was similar to yours. All I know is the Septori¡ªthey are my family. Or were.¡±

    ¡°You admit this and yet you want me to trust you?¡±

    ¡°No, I just want you to listen.¡±

    I was about to say more but pinched my lips together and crossed my arms.

    ¡°I have no memories before my time with them. I don¡¯t even know how old I am.¡± Xiven paused and stared at the back of his hands as he held onto his knees.

    I nodded my head in encouragement for him to continue. Having no memories was something that I could relate to.

    Xiven continued, ¡°They ingrained in me their convictions, their mantra, and their cause for a better future for the Denai. I had no reason to argue with them. They convinced me that they had the key to helping the Denai regain their former glory.¡± Xiven stood up, lifted up his shirt and turned around to show me the Septori brand on his upper back. ¡°We have to be willing to be branded, to show that we are willing to inflict pain as well as endure pain for the good of Denai kind.¡±

    I flinched and had to look away. It was uncomfortable for me to hear this, making me feel sympathy for those who did this to me. I couldn¡¯t allow my feelings to be swayed. But his words made sense, they were doing this for the good of Denai and the map with the tokens centered around Haven filled my mind.

    Xiven saw my hesitation and spoke. ¡°Thalia, if you don¡¯t want me to continue, I¡¯ll stop. Just say the word.¡±

    ¡°No, I need to know what else happened. I want to know what you know,¡± I answered.

    Xiven looked grim but kept going. ¡°I think I was a scholar¡¯s apprentice or something before I lost my memories, because I know how to read complex formulas, translate ancient texts and languages, and build things.¡± He clenched his hands together in frustration. ¡°They used me to translate these journals and I was kept on a tight leash. I didn¡¯t complain, because I was completely fascinated by the whole idea and process. Of course I wanted to see if it worked. I was only allowed to set it up and watch. It didn¡¯t take long to figure out that what they were doing was wrong.¡±

    ¡°Of course it¡¯s wrong. People died.¡± I stated. My skin crawled when I looked at Xiven¡ªand at the realization that he may have seen me being tortured.

    ¡°Not you! Not Kael,¡± Xiven answered, a knowing look appeared in his eyes.

    ¡°Luck,¡± I said.

    ¡°I had heard about you long before I met you. You surprised the Raven, Talbot said. You reacted differently than the others, differently than the Denai. Sirens thrive on pain, anger, and destruction. Your anger made you stronger. More volatile, and that was intriguing. I heard that in one of the sessions, you actually destroyed the machine.

    ¡°No, I didn¡¯t. I would remember that.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m just telling you what I heard. You didn¡¯t show evidence of any Denai traits at the time, because you were definitely not Denai. That¡¯s what alerted the Raven to the existence of the Sirens here in our world. I had found the name of the race repeated over and over in the Horden journals. You were just proof that they truly existed.¡±

    ¡°I thought I was turning into a monster,¡± I sighed and rubbed my arms, trying to make the goose bumps running up my spine go away.

    ¡°All I can say is that the news of your escape traveled fast. The Raven wanted you captured quickly and silenced. There was even a bounty placed on your head, but the attempts to collect you kept failing. Thanks to the SwordBrother.¡± Xiven smiled slightly.

    ¡°Yeah, Kael takes his job very seriously.¡±

    Xiven wiped his palms on his pants and looked at me. ¡°They didn¡¯t know he was a SwordBrother. They thought he was part Denai, so you could just imagine their shock when they accidentally bonded the two of you. Now you are a hybrid of the two races. Which made the Raven value your gifts even more. Not only were you collecting more traits than any of the others, your Siren powers were coming through and you were bonded to a SwordBrother. You were the ultimate threat,¡± Xiven started to chuckle wanly.

    ¡°Why did you leave? Why are you here?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t want to be a part of what the Septori were doing. I started to feed the Septori false information in the translations of the journals. Which unfortunately led to more failed experiments.¡±

    ¡°Deaths of innocents.¡± I snapped. Xiven flinched as if my words physically hit him.¡±

    He licked his lips and continued, ¡°Raven was beginning to distrust me, so he sent me with Talbot and Mona for collection.¡±

    ¡°Collection?¡± I let the word slip out.

 Page 46

    ¡°Kidnapping. It was all the same. We needed Denai.¡± He shrugged his shoulders and gazed at the ground. ¡°What the machine actually did was slowly strip a person¡¯s power and convert it into a liquid serum. Ultimate power in a bottle. Sometimes the Denai lived through it and sometimes¡­¡± Xiven shivered. ¡°All that was left was a hollowed shell of a being.¡±

    ¡°Why? Why would you do something so horrible?¡±

    Xiven stood up, his eyes blazing in indignation. ¡°I didn¡¯t know any better. I felt trapped. I stayed until I learned all I could. I pretended to go along with everything, translating the books, writing up plans, and then I watched what they did and I felt sick to my stomach. When I saw with my own eyes how powerful you were, I realized the Raven wasn¡¯t going to stop with just you. There were hints, things said, that lead to a much larger plan. And since the secret of the Sirens was out, I had to act. In Skyfell, in that moment of chaos when I thought I¡¯d killed you. It was my only chance.¡±

    ¡°You left me to die!¡± I screamed at him. ¡°If it wasn¡¯t for Hemi and Fanny, I wouldn¡¯t even be here.¡±

    ¡°I know. It was wrong of me. But I did it. And I fled to Sinnendor. I had learned enough to follow the Siren bloodline and went to the source.¡±

    Prince Sevril leaned forward and scratched the back of his head. ¡°He admitted freely what he had done and we began to talk. We believe we can alter the machine to help with our Siren curse.¡±

    ¡°By breaking the seal on your power?¡± I asked.

    Xiven shook his head no. ¡°We don¡¯t want to make Sevril stronger by injecting him with Denai gifts. Instead, we¡¯ve chosen a safer alternative. We¡¯ve just decided to strip every essence of Siren blood from him. We do it in small steps, not as painful. And much easier to monitor.¡±

    ¡°You can¡¯t be serious,¡± I said. The horror of their building another machine made me cringe.

    ¡°Even I know what my future holds. Madness, pain, and darkness. I¡¯m willing to go through all that to stop the curse from passing on to another generation. Do you really think I want to have children like Tomac? Who are happy and beautiful one day and the next terribly insane? I would give it all up to be free of my generational curse.¡±

    ¡°But you heard Xiven. Half of the experiments failed. They ended in death.¡±

    ¡°And the others ended up empty shells. Both are preferable to my current destiny. Right now, even death seems like a quiet and peaceful alternative.¡± Sevril cried out, jumping up from his spot and pacing the room He fidgeted with his shirt sleeve.

    ¡°Thalia,¡± Xiven said. ¡°We are not asking you for anything. We aren¡¯t asking for your permission. We¡¯ve already begun the process. You may not know it because you haven¡¯t been here that long, but Sevril¡¯s already changed.¡±

    ¡°What? You mean you¡¯ve already started?¡± I turned and glared at Sevril, feeling like he was a bigger traitor than Xiven. That he would willingly trust and accept the help of someone who admitted to lying, kidnapping, and torturing innocents.

    Sevril worried the inside of his cheek, let out a long sigh, and then pulled up his sleeves to show me the black bloodied bandages that ran up the inside of his arms. No wonder his arms were uncomfortable. ¡°I doubt you would ever believe me, but the episode Tomac had was tame compared to how mine were even few short weeks ago.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t tear my eyes away from Sevril¡¯s arms. He willingly went under the machine, knowing he could die, just to be free of his curse. A curse only now beginning to plague my body.

    ¡°It¡¯s not the same as what was done to you, Thalia.¡± Xiven tried to make an excuse to ease the horrified look I plastered Sevril with. ¡°The Raven figured out what you were when the experiments started to work.¡±

    I turned to glare at Xiven, my voice filling with conviction. ¡°Who is the Raven?¡±

    Xiven shifted uncomfortably and sat down on the stool again. ¡°I¡¯m not exactly sure.¡±

    ¡°How can you not know?¡± I snapped.

    He bowed his head to stare at a spot on the floor before he looked up to me. ¡°I have a suspicion, but it¡¯s unfounded and quite unlikely that anyone will believe me. And even if I did tell you, it won¡¯t change what is to come.¡±

    ¡°And what is that?¡±

    ¡°The Raven wants the Denai to be the most powerful race in the world. To make that happen, the Sirens need to be destroyed.¡±

    ¡°Well, the queen is certainly convinced all of the evidence points to Sinnendor,¡± I said.

    Xiven¡¯s head snapped up and he met Sevril¡¯s eyes. A silent pause passed between them, and I could almost see the silent conversation.

    ¡°Interesting and a bit coincidental isn¡¯t it?¡± Xiven asked. ¡°The queen and her Denai are hesitant to pursue justice for these horrendous deeds. They won¡¯t enter Sinnendor to find answers, even when¡ª¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s not like that,¡± I sighed loudly. ¡°The Denai are not strong enough to enter into a war with Sinnendor, and I doubt that even Queen Lilyana would sacrifice any of their lives needlessly. Even though I¡¯m sure if she asked the Adept Council, they would do everything they could to help her.¡±

    ¡°So what? She could send Calandry¡¯s emissaries into Sinnendor? Why hasn¡¯t she done so already?¡± Sevril replied, crossing his arms to wait for my answer.

    ¡°Maybe she fears King Tieren would think it a threat and attack Calandry in retaliation,¡± I rushed out.

    ¡°Listen to yourself. You are basing this on a whole lot of what-ifs, for a queen and race your clan doesn¡¯t even like.¡± Xiven answered back, a quizzical expression on his face.

    ¡°I am listening to myself, and I¡¯m making more sense than you are. You suddenly show up in Sinnendor of your own free will. You¡¯re doing experiments to try and remove all trace of Siren genes from the Prince of Sinnendor. And all to save a dying race that you didn¡¯t even know existed a few months ago.¡± My voice rose loudly in conviction with each word I uttered. It felt like my blood was rushing through my veins, and I was finding it harder to control my emotions. I looked over to Sevril to see if he shared my concern.

    He looked at me and shrugged his shoulders. ¡°If he has an ulterior motive, so be it. I would rather live a fully human life than a mad one.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯re pathetic,¡± I shouted. ¡°He could be plotting the destruction of all of us¡ªyour grandmother, father, brother. Don¡¯t you have any loyalty?¡±

    Sevril¡¯s eyes blazed. ¡°My loyalty has always been that of the people of this land¡ªno matter what their race. I do this for them! So that they can have hope for the future. A cure. Who are you to question my choices and motives?¡±

    I was stunned by the utter fury and conviction that laced Sevril¡¯s words. His eyes were dark with anger, his hands clenched into fists. Even his hair looked as if it stood on end in anger. I had, in that one moment, seen a glimpse of the madness and power that lay sealed within Sevril. Here was proof that he may have been the more unstable one.

    My own vision became blurry with fury. I knew I needed to leave and leave now, before I lashed out. I stomped over to the barricaded door and began to forcefully shove the trunk to the side. It was heavy and made a loud screeching noise.

    Xiven stepped forward to offer help.

 Page 47

    ¡°Get away from me!¡± I yelled at him and whacked his hand. He moved suddenly, and I fell onto my backside.

    Instead of keeping a serious face, Xiven started laughing. Even Sevril began to chuckle, their moods easily tempered apparently. Mine was too far gone.

    ¡°Stop laughing,¡± I said in warning. I tried to focus on my uneven breathing.

    The laughing continued and my hands began to shake.

    ¡°Knock it off!¡± I yelled out loudly and stood up, my whole body trembling with the beginning of the power again.

    Sevril snorted which caused Xiven to howl.

    My ears burned red, my temper loosed, and I couldn¡¯t hold it in anymore. The anger at my situation, my attempted assassination by Tomac. There¡¯d been too much. I was helpless in finding the solution to my disease, which is what I was now calling it. I was more than frustrated over not knowing what was happening with Kael and Joss. I shouldered guilt over not saving the innocent Denai. It was too much for me to contain, and I let it go with a throaty yell.

    I opened my eyes and turned my wrath on the trunk. The power seeped out like a trickle of water through a fissure in a mountain side¡ªescaping even though the rock tried to keep it prisoner. That is how I described what was happening with me. The Siren blood was too loose¡ªtoo powerful¡ªin me now. It pounded at and weakened the Sinnendor barrier like it had when I splintered the knife. Only this time I wasn¡¯t afraid for my life.

    Just furious.

    The trunk blasted into a hundred flaming pieces, all of the contents scattered. Apparently, it had been packed with books. Pages of paper fluttered to the ground as they turned to ash. I looked at Xiven triumphantly between half-closed eyes and smirked.

    He just clapped his hands in joy. Then he turned to Sevril and said, ¡°You know she is showing you what an unleashed Siren¡¯s gifts are. It¡¯s not too late to reverse your process.¡±

    Sevril stared at the blackened spot, where his trunk had sat in front of the door. He shook his head, ¡°No way. That is too much power for one person to have. Especially me.¡± Sevril¡¯s eyes sadly left the carnage of burning books to give me a pitiful look. ¡°At least I¡¯m sane enough to know that.¡±

    The smile fell from my face.

    Chapter 27

    It was easier than I¡¯d expected to leave the castle.

    I walked out of Sevril¡¯s room. I listened at every bend for the maniacal laughter of Tomac and followed a group of servants out the front door. My remaining anger fueled my determination as I stormed into the stable and demanded a horse to be saddled. The stable master stuttered, bobbed his head, and ran for a saddle. I was counting on my current palace attire to curb any forthcoming questions.

    A few of the Elite gathered outside of the stables to watch my departure with interest. I ignored them, as any lady of a royal house would, and acted impatient. I was surprised when a very large destrier was brought out and presented to me. By no means was he as stunning as Faraway, but he was the largest horse I had ever seen. Sixteen hands tall and well muscled.

    Gideon¡¯s head popped around from behind him, and he handed me the reigns. My cheeks flamed red. I was about to explain my actions but he just shook his head.

    ¡°You¡¯ll need a reliable companion to see you home.¡± He smiled wanly.

    ¡°A suitable mare would have been fine, but you give me a war horse. Why?¡±

    ¡°I hope that you will one day personally return him. But if it comes down to courage and strength of will, there isn¡¯t any finer than Loker.¡±

    ¡°I may beg to differ.¡± I said, again wishing for my own friend and companion. The leather reigns of Loker in my hand felt like shackles being snapped around my ankles. All the more reason to leave and leave now. ¡°I should leave. I should have left earlier. If I don¡¯t, you may have the whole Valdyrstal clan on your doorstep. Unanswered questions were all that kept me here.¡±

    Gideon came over and kneeled, politely offering me the boost I needed to get up on the large beast. I stared at the cupped palms he was offering me and hesitated only a moment.

    ¡°I¡¯m assuming that since now you are leaving, you¡¯ve gotten your answers.¡± He adjusted the stirrups on Loker to accommodate my shorter legs.

    ¡°All but one.¡± I took a deep breath and prayed for guidance. ¡°Is King Tieren going to send any more men to attack my village?¡±

    This time Gideon turned red and rubbed the back of his neck. ¡°I¡¯ve heard that your own family line is not affected the way we are. I¡¯m hoping that with time we can find a cure to help King Tieren and his sons. And I think the answer lies with you. You will see us again, hopefully under better circumstances. We would like to see an understanding between the two great families once again, because our future depends on it.¡± Gideon pinched his lips in a solemn expression.

    I supposed it was the closest I would get to an answer. I didn¡¯t wait. I spurred the horse on and headed toward the gate before I lost my nerve, or before King Tieren had a mood swing and I ended up back in the dungeon.

    I neared the gate, and Gideon motioned for the guards to let me through. Sitting straight and tall in the saddle, I looked neither right nor left but continued on my journey. Unlike the palace in Calandry, Sinnendor¡¯s castle was nestled in a small mountain range. The closest town, Merchantstown, was a good three miles away and located along the river Sterling. I could either take the main road into Merchantstown or bypass it and head into the forest that lay south of the castle. I was hoping to continue south and meet up with a road that would lead me back into Calandry.

    I could see barely see the outline the Shadow Mountains from where I was, and I could envision King Tieren staring out of his castle into that very mountain range and wishing desperately for his sister¡¯s return.

    No wonder he became obsessed with getting her back.

    I spurred the horse forward toward the trees, hoping that I could put some distance between me and the castle before it became dark and Tieren sent Gideon back after me. I didn¡¯t really know whom to trust. It wasn¡¯t long before I found a path and followed it. Any time it forked, I took the road that seemed to head south.

    Hours passed and the sky darkened. I couldn¡¯t help but glance over my shoulder every few minutes, looking for Gideon¡¯s form or one of the Elite to come barreling after me.

    My stomach growled but I ignored the rumbling until it no longer cried out in protest. I was cold, shivering. By now I was fighting to keep from falling asleep. My eyes grew heavy and every few minutes, my head nodded off to the side. I would instantly jerk awake and stare into the night. I couldn¡¯t help it, I was mentally and emotionally exhausted, and even my flight instinct wasn¡¯t kicking in to keep me awake.

    I must have dozed off again, because I awoke to something poking me in the side. Maybe I had rubbed against a brambleberry bush. Loker stopped moving and the poke in the side dug deeper.

    I opened my eyes to the edge of a sword pointed at my face.

    Chapter 28

    I was instantly alert. It must be the Elite. Tieren must have sent them back for me. My hand reached for a weapon but I came up empty. The forest was unnaturally quiet, except for the whispers I could hear from my ambushers. I couldn¡¯t take my eyes off of the sword pointed toward my throat, and I recognized the pain in my side as another knife. I saw black shapes moving about, dark cloaks, and more swords appearing.

 Page 48

    I heard hissing, the sound of an argument.

    ¡°Oh for stars sake, here let me,¡± a feminine voice called out and then a small flash of light appeared in the darkness fairly close to my head. I jumped slightly, and so did the person holding the sword. Luckily, it didn¡¯t slice my jugular. The bright flare made spots appear in my vision and I heard the same voice call out, ¡°See, it is her.¡±

    There was no mistaking Syrani¡¯s voice. The sword and knife in my side were quickly withdrawn. Strong hands pulled me down and I was embraced in a gripping bear hug.

    ¡°Odin,¡± I called out and he released me. He stepped back and others came forward out of the forest. I saw Hemi, Gotte, Eviir, Fenri and Syrani. More lighted orbs appeared in the air and I could see my father approaching on a horse, with what looked like a whole army of clansmen behind him.

    ¡°Father, you came.¡± I wasn¡¯t surprised that he would. Just glad that he did.

    Bearen stared at me in confusion. But then it washed away to be replaced by a look of happiness. ¡°Thalia? You¡¯re free? How in the world is that possible? We were about to come and rescue you.¡± Bearen turned in his saddle and¡ªas my eyes adjusted to the darkness¡ªI made out far more silhouettes than I¡¯d expected. There were hundreds of men. He must have gathered the clans to attack Sinnendor.

    ¡°With some help of course,¡± Syrani called out. It completely surprised me to see Syrani, dressed in my clan¡¯s fur cloak and armor. She was dressed for battle and looked quite comfortable. With a flick of her wrist, the orbs of light, which actually turned out to be floating burning coals, extinguished and dropped to the ground.

    ¡°Yes, I¡¯m free. It¡¯s a long story, but I¡¯m fine.¡± I was quickly ushered into the darkened camp. No campfires had been made, no torches, no light whatsoever trickled out of the camp. It looked like they had just made camp and were getting prepared to invade in the morning.

    I was given a bowl of gruel and a blanket to wrap around my shoulders. Even though there were no fires, it was warm. I gave my father an accusing look and he just shrugged his shoulders and pointed to Syrani. She was leaning over a pile of flat stones and I watched in awe as they slowly glowed. She pulled away and Odin picked up a large pot and placed it over the stones. A few seconds later the water was boiling.

    ¡°How many injured and dead from the raid?¡± I asked as soon as we were away from the others.

    ¡°Thirty injured, four dead,¡± he answered grimly. I could see the dangerous glint in his eye and the anger that he barely contained. I couldn¡¯t help but wonder how many generations of living in Calandry it had taken to tame the fury of the Siren blood. Now that I knew the signs, it was easy to spot, even when diluted. But the question remained. Did my father know about his bloodline? Did anyone in Valdyrstal know anything about Sirens? And was that the true answer to why the Valdyrstals hated the Denai as much as they did? It sure seemed plausible.

    My eyes kept drifting to Syrani as she worked tirelessly around the camp. I couldn¡¯t help but watch as Fenri stood by protectively, watching her every move.

    ¡°I can¡¯t believe you brought her.¡± I said skeptically. But I couldn¡¯t help but feel somewhat proud at the same time.

    ¡°Not on purpose,¡± Bearen growled out, trying to sound angry, but I could hear the hint of pride in his voice as well. ¡°She wouldn¡¯t stay behind. We were just getting back on our feet, day after the attack by the Elite, when a delegation appeared from Haven to pick up the remaining Denai and escort them home. The girl refused to go with them. She about destroyed the main road into town when they tried to force her, so they left her alone. We¡¯ve been preparing to come here and demand your release, so she came with us. I don¡¯t know what it is about her, but she kind of reminds me of you.¡±

    ¡°Ugh, please don¡¯t say that.¡± I rolled my eyes. I knew my father didn¡¯t know the old vengeful and bitter Syrani like I did. ¡°So the rest of the students were taken home?¡±

    ¡°Yes, but something didn¡¯t seem right,¡± Bearen said.

    ¡°What do you mean, something wasn¡¯t right?¡± I could tell from his tone he was worried.

    ¡°It was just too soon. The timing was off. The messengers we sent to Haven hadn¡¯t even returned yet, and there was an army at our village.¡± Bearen¡¯s eyebrows furrowed and he leaned over and his voice lowered. ¡°How could a large delegation arrive from Haven and make it through the pass before my men returned? There were two of them on our swiftest horses. They should have been back before the delegation arrived.¡±

    ¡°Maybe they passed one of Queen Lilyana¡¯s parties on their way to Haven and happened to pass on the message. Or maybe they were delayed in their return trip. Or maybe¡ª¡±

    ¡°They¡¯re dead,¡± Bearen interrupted.

    ¡°Don¡¯t say that,¡± I gasped, feeling my stomach sour.

    ¡°The delegation was too large. There were too many horses. Too many warriors.¡±

    ¡°Well, our caravan was attacked. Maybe they are bringing extra protection from the Septori. They may be unstoppable if they continue these experiments to enhance their gifts,¡± I mumbled unable to even convince myself.

    ¡°Ask the girl!¡± Bearen shook his head and pointed back to Syrani. He crossed his arms and refused to say anything else. It was odd that I found myself in this position, arguing with my father. ¡°She said it was odd too, refused to go.¡±

    ¡°Then why didn¡¯t you make everyone stay? Refuse to let any of the Denai go?¡± my voice rose in frustration.

    ¡°Because they weren¡¯t my priority. Finding you was.¡±

    ¡°But obviously you felt something was off, because you are bringing it up now.¡± I said.

    ¡°Well, you¡¯re safe so we can now focus on the important thing at hand,¡± Bearen scoffed.

    ¡°Which is?¡±

    ¡°We have to decide whether we will continue our assault on Sinnendor, which could lead into an all out war we would very likely lose. Or¡­¡±

    ¡°Or what?¡±

    ¡°We go after the delegation and get the children back,¡± Bearen answered, a mad twinkle in his eye.

    ¡°Excuse me? Did I hear you right?¡± He couldn¡¯t possibly have just said that.

    ¡°You said the queen is at an impasse and they don¡¯t know what to do. It¡¯s time that someone did something. Our clan is prepared for war, prepared to fight to the death for the cause. Let it for once be a cause that will bring peace instead of more war.¡±

    ¡°You really think that it was someone else that showed up and took the Denai students? You think it might have been the Septori¡ªsay it.¡± My knuckles cracked as my fists closed tight in rage. I couldn¡¯t believe he just let them go. If he had any hesitation about their motive at all, he should have stopped it.

    ¡°Thalia, we had just been attacked. We were not ready to face another battle; we were still burying our dead. We¡¯re prepared now.¡±

    I sighed loudly and shook my head. There was a lot to think about. And I was about to give him more. I took a deep breath and looked him right in the eye.

    ¡°I found something out about the King of Sinnendor. King Tieren is mad, you know.¡± He looked unfazed. ¡°But you already knew that, didn¡¯t you? It¡¯s why you really don¡¯t want to go back to Sinnendor, unless you have to. For fear that the madness will start to affect you too,¡± I accused.

 Page 49

    ¡°I only know what your mother told me,¡± he rushed out. ¡°We haven¡¯t had any of the side effects that they had. It could be because we settled on Calandry land. It could be because that trait died out. We don¡¯t know, except that you weren¡¯t affected. It¡¯s even more proof as to why King Branncynal wanted to rule Calandry, and why they hate the Denai.¡±

    Bearen¡¯s hand rose in warning, and he cocked his head and listened. I strained to hear what he was listening to and heard it as well. A commotion on the far side of camp. Bearen picked up his sword and ran. I followed closely at his heels, my heart pumping with anxiety. I jumped over a fallen log, pushing past the swinging branches that my father inadvertently sent crashing into me as his large form broke through them.

    He stopped, and I almost ran into his large back. I nimbly jumped aside and saw what caught his attention. A large group of clan members had surrounded a wild and mute girl. Odin held a lit torch. Apparently, one too many visitors on the same night warranted a breech in protocol.

    Bearen pushed forward but kept his distance from the one causing the ruckus.

    The girl¡¯s dark hair was tangled, her skin smudged with dirt. Even her dress was frayed and tattered. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish, but no sound came forth. Her hands were splayed out in front of her like she was balancing above an invisible crevice, and she looked like she was about to fall over.

    ¡°Siobhan?¡± Fenri stepped out from the back of the ever-growing crowd of warriors. He moved to stand in front of her and tried to reach for her hand. It was my cousin, but something was off about her. There was something about her eyes. When she turned, I saw an odd color reflected in moonlight.

    She turned her eerie silver eyes on me, and I was startled at our resemblance. Same hair coloring, same silver-tinted eyes. I was looking at myself. I took a step closer and a slow, evil grin slid up her face. But it looked forced.

    ¡°They come,¡± she called out. Her voice sounded hollow, empty. I felt my heart break in sorrow as I saw the marks upon her arms. She never made it to her aunt¡¯s. She¡¯d been taken by the Septori, like I was.

    But this time, they knew who they¡¯d caught. They¡¯d found another Siren.

    My heart thudded loudly in my chest as fear ripped through my body. I swallowed and tried to focus my gifts and to see her. To truly see her.

    It took a few tries, but I blinked and I saw the shadow that surrounded her. Also, a dark purple thread of light wrapped around her heart and led into the woods. The shadow that I saw within Siobhan wasn¡¯t as dark or large as the one I could see within myself.

    But the thread of power troubled me. It meant that she was being controlled. Just as the Raven controlled animals, just as Mona controlled humans. Siobhan wasn¡¯t acting of her own accord. A puppet. But who was pulling the strings, and why was she here?

    Siobhan¡¯s body started to shake and I could see the thread of power connected to her start to wane, thin out, and disappear. She fell to the ground and looked up at me, her arms reaching out to me, pleading.

    ¡°Help me! It hurts. It hurts so much!¡± She wrapped her arms around her stomach and began to rock back and forth, crying. Big tears slid down her face and dropped into the soft, darkened earth. I knew the pain she was in, the gut wrenching fire that consumed one during the change. Fenri gave a little cry of anguish and ran forward to help Siobhan up off the ground.

    ¡°Don¡¯t touch her!¡± Syrani cried out and entered the circle. Fenri pulled back and gave her a frustrated look. She rushed forward and stared off into the woods where the thread dissipated. Her hands clenched into fists and she looked between the crying girl and the disappearing thread. Syrani turned to frown at me and then stared back into the woods, worried. She had evidently come to the same conclusion I had.

    Siobhan¡¯s cries continued, and I could see Fenri on the verge of ignoring Syrani¡¯s warning. I teetered between feeling somewhat responsible and helpless. A few seconds more and Syrani stood up and turned to look not at me but at my father.

    Her expression was grim. ¡°Leave her. We need to go!¡±

    Siobhan must have heard the golden-haired beauty because she began to cry even louder. ¡°No, please, don¡¯t leave me. Help me!¡±

    I could feel tears sliding down my own cheeks in response to my cousin¡¯s cries. I stepped in front of Syrani and tried to defend Siobhan. ¡°You don¡¯t know what they¡¯ve done to her. We need to help her.¡±

    ¡°That¡¯s exactly why we can¡¯t take her with us.¡± Syrani turned and pointed toward the woods and the flickering, waning thread of power that only we saw. ¡°I don¡¯t think she¡¯s the same person you knew.¡±

    Fenri gave her an ugly look of accusation. ¡°I know her better than I know you. She¡¯s one of us.¡± The emphasis that he put on the word us, made Syrani suck in her breath and blink in surprise.

    Siobhan cried even louder and started to reach out to Fenri. He stood there between the two, clearly torn.

    ¡°Fenri, don¡¯t,¡± Syrani spoke cautiously. A heated look shot between Fenri and Syrani.

    He hesitated, and it suddenly dawned on me. Syrani had fallen for Fenri. Of course she couldn¡¯t have known that Fenri already felt attached to Siobhan. Still, the fact that she¡¯d left for her aunt¡¯s might have cut off their budding romance, leaving him hurt and vulnerable, open to the beautiful Denai.

    It was a silent battle of wills, and the moment lasted so long that I was left with no doubt in my mind that in the last few days Fenri had kissed Syrani. Clearly, she had given him her heart in return. Syrani squared her shoulders and in silence communicated: Her or me.

    Fenri stepped forward and said, ¡°I have to.¡±

    A trickle of apprehension ran through my body.

    A warning.

    I tried to call out to caution Fenri, but it was too late.

    As soon as he reached out to grab Siobhan¡¯s pale arm to help her up, he started to gasp for breath. His hand went to his chest and he fell to his knees in pain.

    ¡°No!¡± I screamed and burst forward to confront Siobhan. She whirled on me and her face lit up in recognition. Her hand pointed at me and her finger beckoned.

    Syrani screamed and ran to Fenri as he collapsed. Her hands wrapped around him possessively and her hands glowed as she sent a healing touch through him, but he still wasn¡¯t breathing. I could hear Syrani¡¯s cries for help and I had no choice. If Syrani had access to power, then so did I.

    I knew what Siobhan was doing to Fenri, because I had done it enough times, but I wondered if she had ever been attacked by a ticked off Siren herself.

    Well, she was about to be. Walking slowly, I stepped in front of Fenri, cutting off the view, and I attacked her. Going for the pulsing light, I began to pull at her essence, stealing her life. She choked and stared at me, her eyes wide in fright. Attacking the very essence of either a Denai or a Siren, I had learned, was not a quick attack. It was a slow process, and the results¡ªthough devastating¡ªtook time. It was a painful way to die, and I was inwardly suffering because I didn¡¯t have another option. It was the only way I knew to break the bond, other than distance.

    My cousin tried to cry out and she grasped at her chest, her fingernails digging into her dirt-stained shirt. Her eyelids began to flutter and I saw her head start to bob, as she stopped her attack on Fenri. Then, and only then, I released the pull on her soul.

 Page 50

    I watched as Fenri started to breathe again. Odin ran forward and pulled him out of the circle of onlookers, out of range. Syrani stared at the empty spot that Fenri had just vacated, her eyes glassy and filled with tears. When she turned those blue eyes on my cousin, they became filled with hate.

    ¡°Siobhan, you don¡¯t have to hurt anyone. Especially Fenri. We¡¯re your family.¡± I held my hands up to her, showing her that I didn¡¯t have a weapon. I watched my cousin for signs of change, but that thread of power controlling her was back, and thicker than before. Bearen came forward and started to kneel in front of his niece. ¡°Stay back,¡± I warned my father. I tried to think of a way to immobilize her without hurting her.

    Siobhan started to laugh, a loud cackling that chilled me to the bone. It continued to echo forth out of her frail body. My cousin was eerily close to breaking.

    A large rock came out of nowhere and wacked Siobhan on the back of the head. She fell face first into the dirt, unconscious. At first I was worried that the rock had killed her, but I saw that it had crumpled into many tiny pieces upon impact. It was a soft blow, not a deathblow. Meant to incapacitate.

    I looked over my shoulder accusingly at Syrani who stood next to me. She shrugged her shoulders. Syrani kneeled on the ground and began to run her hands back and forth along the cool earth, as if she were communicating with it. I could see a slight glow as she sent little pulses of power through the ground and waited.

    Seconds later, she jumped up from the ground and looked to Bearen. ¡°The girl was right. They¡¯re coming.¡±

    Chapter 29

    ¡°Who¡¯s coming?¡± Bearen growled out. ¡°Sinnendor¡¯s Elite?¡±

    Syrani shook her head and looked at me, her eyes filled with uncertainty. I didn¡¯t wait for her to answer. I reached out like Syrani had but¡ªwhere she used the earth to search¡ªI went high. I pushed my senses out toward the thread of power connected to Siobhan and followed it back. It took a few minutes of scanning, searching, even traveling at impossible speeds and it was dizzying. The farther away I searched, the blurrier the vision became.

    I wasn¡¯t sure what I was seeing. There were many blurred and shadow beings. Horses, hundreds of horses, weapons, swords¡ªand they were on the move. It was easy to doubt what I was seeing, and I could understand Syrani¡¯s hesitancy in speaking out. It was a very large army and they were traveling in the night. I felt like I was zooming in and out of focus as I tried to find the anchor, the person controlling my cousin.

    Using my sight to search was taxing and it left me vulnerable to my surroundings. I was barely aware of people making plans around me. I knew that Syrani was watching me intently, waiting for me to see what she had seen.

    There! I saw a thread of purple like the one used to control Gloria at Skyfell. I followed it to a rider who sat silently off to the side of the army, focusing on a spot in the distance. He was probably doing his best to reach Siobhan¡¯s consciousness, but since she was incapacitated, she couldn¡¯t hear his commands.

    The rider was clearly frustrated, pulling on the reigns of his horse, trying to keep him in check, as the horse wanted to follow the hundreds of others moving in a throng.

    I was slightly confused by what I saw through my sparse sight. More threads of shadow moved around the camp. I blinked in surprise when I saw Narn scurry passed the man on the horse. So he had lied and safely made it back to his brethren. I realized what my moment of pity cost me. One more soldier in the Septori army. I should have executed him on the spot. But I couldn¡¯t worry about him now. I needed to keep searching.

    I continued to scan and, most of soldiers were humans, with quite a few bright beacons of light symbolizing Denai. I had just about decided to stop my search when another horseman came by and spoke to the power-focused Denai.

    ¡°So what? You lost track of one. We¡¯ve hundreds more to see us through. Focus on them and we will soon see victory.¡±

    The hooded rider shook his head. ¡°I can¡¯t believe that one got so far away before I realized it. She stopped just inside the border of Calandry. Perhaps I can keep her there. We can get her before we cross over. She¡¯s so much like her cousin. Not someone we can afford to lose. Without her, I can¡¯t make more of the serum for our Denai.¡±

    ¡°The Raven won¡¯t be angry. Not when your results these last few weeks have been impeccable. Surely, there is room for a little error,¡± the other rider spoke.

    ¡°Impeccable? I failed time and time again. Raven wanted another like her, and I gave provided her¡ªeven sped up the process. But now I¡¯ve lost her, even tethered like the others. There¡¯s something about these Sirens that doesn¡¯t like to be tamed. Blast! Why did it have to be that one to wander off?¡±

    ¡°It won¡¯t matter. There won¡¯t be any more Sirens soon. Come, we must catch up with the others. Either bring the girl back or release her.¡±

    ¡°If she is harming our mission, I need to cut her off, but I can¡¯t reach her,¡± he said through clenched teeth. ¡°I had her. I found her. She was among a large group of people, and I used her to attack them, but now? She¡¯s too far, I just get muddied pictures.¡±

    My heart began to thud loudly in my chest. My head pounded and spots marred my vision. The distance was too far, and the Denai and I were both struggling with the sight. If I found it this hard to see, he was finding it just as hard to control from this distance. But it gave me answers. They hadn¡¯t meant for Siobhan to escape. It sounded like they were moving, preparing to attack. Their pawn had just wandered off.

    ¡°Cirrus, come. It¡¯s time,¡± the other rider reached out and touched the man¡¯s shoulder. Part of his hood slid down and I was greeted by the long bleach blond hair of Adept Cirrus. A soft wail escaped with the revelation. It was a deep, deep betrayal. But how deep exactly? Was the whole Adept Council involved?

    Cirrus growled. ¡°As soon as I can reach her again, I¡¯ll destroy her.¡±

    I backpedaled, pulling my conscious back to me as fast as I could. But not before I heard Cirrus reply. ¡°Jay, remember not to use my name in public. It¡¯s Albatross.¡±

    I snapped back into my body and I was cold, freezing. I groaned inwardly and I felt my neck pop. My head still pounding, I felt like I had been hit numerous times. Something wet dripped from my nose. I reached up and pulled my hand away. Blood smeared across the back of my hand.

    Syrani came over and handed me a small handkerchief. ¡°You were scanning too long. Your conscious is not used the toll it takes on the mind and body. You were able to see longer than I could.¡± Her voice dropped off and her eyes flickered to the ground and back up to me. I knew she wondered what I saw.

    ¡°I saw enough,¡± I answered.

    I used the small white cloth to wipe at my nose and I studied her expression. I could tell from the uncomfortable look on her face that she had recognized him as well. After all, Syrani was Adept Cirrus¡¯s niece.

    ¡°I didn¡¯t know, I¡¯m still in shock. I¡¯m still¡­I don¡¯t know. But you have to trust me, I didn¡¯t know.¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s okay, we¡¯ve both been betrayed by family.¡±

    ¡°What do we do?¡± Syrani whispered. Her posture dropped and she looked over to my father who was organizing the men, getting everyone on horses, and moving out.

    He was furious. I could tell by the way he carried his shoulders. ¡°What did you see exactly?¡± I asked.

 Page 51

    ¡°An army larger than I¡¯ve ever seen, and they are heading this way,¡± she shivered. ¡°What did you see?¡±

    ¡°I heard Cirrus discussing their plans. It sounds like they are heading to Sinnendor. They intend to wipe out all of the Sirens.¡±

    ¡°Sirens?¡± she questioned. ¡°And you could hear them? I can only see them through vibrations. I can¡¯t actually hear anything, but I recognized my uncle¡¯s horse.¡±

    I shook my head and waved my hands. ¡°Long story, but in short, if Siobhan wakes up, she¡¯s dead,¡± I finished just as Bearen overheard my last sentence.

    ¡°She tried to kill Fenri. She¡¯s one of them now,¡± Bearen said.

    ¡°No,¡± I corrected. ¡°She¡¯s one of us and she¡¯s being manipulated. If we can keep her from coming to long enough, we might be able to save her. But Syrani¡¯s correct. We have to leave. They¡¯re coming.¡±

    ¡°Whoever it is,¡± Bearen¡¯s voice rose in frustration, ¡°we can handle them.¡±

    I shook my head and watched as Syrani paled at the thought of fighting her own kin. ¡°No, it¡¯s an army. Larger than any of us could imagine, and we are right in their path.¡±

    ¡°Daughter! Speak clearly now, for your constant dancing around the answers is starting to give my brain blisters. I can¡¯t keep up.¡± Bearen warned.

    ¡°It¡¯s the Septori with an army of Denai, and they are heading toward Sinnendor. So choose now father, whose side you are on, because we are standing in the middle of the battlefield. You said you wanted to go after the Septori, a chance to bring peace.¡±

    Bearen looked at me stunned, his mouth dropped open as he processed what I asked of him. Before he could say anything I continued, ¡°But whatever side you choose, I¡¯m taking my cousin back to Sinnendor. There might be my only chance at saving her.¡±

    ¡°Their Elite attacked our village!¡± He pointed his finger into the night back toward Sinnendor.

    ¡°And you¡¯ve been murdering their messengers for years. I think you two are even now. But I promised myself that I would stop the Septori from hurting anyone anymore ever again. They are going to try and wipe out our kind, using Denai as pawns to do it. And they are using my blood to do it. They must be stopped at all costs. Even if it means siding with our enemy.¡±

    Odin had come alongside us during this exchange and had listened quietly as Bearen and I discussed our plans. He finally reached up to scratch his head and raised his hands up playfully. ¡°Uh¡­you know, Bearen, what they say about enemies.¡±

    Bearen¡¯s beaded eyes snapped to glare at Odin, ¡°What¡­ the enemy of my enemy is my friend?¡±

    ¡°No,¡± he scoffed. ¡°When my enemies fight, I raid their coffers.¡±

    Something came up behind me and Syrani made a small squeak. I turned around and was surprised by a very large horse. I felt my whole body relax as I wrapped my arms around Faraway. He was dusty, dirty, and smelled of horse sweat.

    You came, I sighed and leaned my full weight upon him.

    You needed me.

    I need Kael, and Joss, I whispered into his mane. I can¡¯t do this without them. I can¡¯t fight the Septori without them. Where are they? Why haven¡¯t they returned? Do you think Kael was captured and among the¡­ I started to lose myself in my own fear and self-doubt.

    Faraway quickly anchored me back into the present by nuzzling my shoulder.

    I don¡¯t know if I¡¯m strong enough for what¡¯s to come.

    You were born with all the strength you¡¯ll need, he stated.

    Chapter 30

    We converged upon Sinnendor¡¯s gates in record time. We should have been cut down immediately when our heavily armed warriors appeared. But we weren¡¯t. It might have helped that I left the Valdyrstal clan a half mile behind me. But I knew that scouts would have seen our army no matter what.

    The castle was locked up tight. I convinced my father that my resemblance to my mother may be our only chance of getting into the castle. He agreed to let me talk.

    Only my father escorted me to the gates, watching over Siobhan who was in front of him, still unconscious. Odin had been doing his best to keep her heavily medicated. Now we just had to convince our enemy to let us into their gates. Yes, it was an impossible feat, and I was not keen on letting my clan act as sitting ducks between the approaching forces.

    ¡°Gideon!¡± I called out loudly. ¡°Gideon, we need you!¡±

    ¡°A strange way to ask for help,¡± Gideon called back down to me from the battlements. ¡°With a full army.¡±

    ¡°No, we¡¯ve come to offer help as well as ask for it. Talk to Xiven. You know as well as I do what was on the horizon. It has come to your own door, but it¡¯s not us. The enemy you¡¯ve been worried about and preparing for is close on our heels. We ask you to help us with one of our own and to accept our help in the coming war.¡±

    Gideon disappeared from behind the wall, and breathing became difficult. I couldn¡¯t help but feel terrified that the gates wouldn¡¯t open. Raven and his army would appear any minute and cut us down.

    It was many anxious minutes later before King Tieren appeared, surrounded by more guards. I held my breath and prayed that today was a sane day. Tieren peered over the wall and saw me. His eyes lit up with excitement.

    ¡°Thelonia! You¡¯ve come back! How I knew you would, but you did something with your hair. I don¡¯t like it dark like that. Oh, and what did you bring me?¡±

    My hands started to shake in anger. What a time for the madness to consume him! When I was trying to save his kingdom and his own hide. How could I help protect him when he couldn¡¯t protect himself?

    But my brain quickly formulated a plan. ¡°I¡¯ve come bearing gifts. I¡¯ve brought you an army,¡± I yelled back coyly.

    King Tieren frowned and looked out over the field to stare at the mass of armed men behind me. ¡°But I¡¯ve already got one of those,¡± he pouted. ¡°I don¡¯t need another.¡±

    Bearen turned his head and whispered angrily. ¡°What is this mad game you¡¯re playing? He is not fit to defend this castle. We could easily take it.¡±

    ¡°No sooner would you have won it, then you would have to defend it.¡± I hissed back. ¡°Do you think you can fight a whole army of men and Denai? If I remember right, the Sinnendor line does not have a great history of winning. Today we need to choose our enemy, instead of fighting two.¡±

    I turned my attention back to King Tieren who was in a deep discussion with Gideon. I could see that Tieren was shaking his head, and then his hands pointed angrily to me. Gideon¡¯s face was getting flushed. King Tieren¡¯s guard seemed a little wary of us and our talk of war. I could see the reflections of spyglass lenses trained on the road behind us. I could tell from their hurried discussions and antics that they knew we were speaking the truth. They probably could see the dust cloud from the army miles away. We were asking for a miracle.

    Gideon leaned back over. ¡°How do we know you are speaking truth? We would let you in, but him and them?¡± He pointed to my father and the army. ¡°No.¡±

    I gritted my teeth so hard, my jaw hurt. ¡°You said yourself that the answers to your future lie with me. Here we are, our whole clan, at your disposal, ready to fight not each other, but our common enemy. The same enemy that we¡¯ve been battling for eternity. It¡¯s once again come down to a battle between the Denai and the Sirens and we have made our choice which side to fight for. We know that alone, you are not strong enough for them, but I have here with me another Siren. My cousin. Proof that our gifts can be unlocked. Help me help her. We may be your only chance against your foe.¡±

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    Even as I said the words, I could feel my heart speeding up. It was as if deep down inside me, something was waking up, reaching for the surface at the promise of a coming battle with the Denai.

    Bearen sat still on his horse. He stroked his long black beard which hid his lips and he spoke again only to me. ¡°It¡¯s not working, Thalia. We must leave now, before we are trapped.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t. If the Septori take Sinnendor, there¡¯s no stopping them. They¡¯ll capture more Sirens. Create better warriors. It will be our doom. No one will be safe. Not even Calandry.¡±

    King Tieren danced up to the wall again, and I seized my chance. ¡°Tieren,¡± I called out. ¡°I¡¯m tired and wish to come inside where it¡¯s warmer. Your army is getting hungry and cold too. It¡¯s bad form to not take care of your own men.¡± Tieren¡¯s forehead puckered as he looked down at me in confusion. He turned to Gideon for explanation.

    ¡°She¡¯s right, your highness. We can¡¯t leave our men out there unprotected.¡± Gideon spoke slowly. I could hear his unease.

    Tieren turned and waved at me. ¡°All right. Bring them in, but make sure that they are ready tomorrow. I think I shall send a message to my brother-in-law Bearen. I would like to visit my niece. I wish to know if she looks anything like you, Thelonia.¡± He stepped down and disappeared.

    Bearen turned to me, his dark eyebrow arched so high in surprise it got lost in his messy mane.

    I shrugged my shoulders and turned to watch the gate. It was another five minutes before Gideon was able to convince the soldiers to let us in. Thankfully, Bearen had stayed quiet during the exchange.

    There wasn¡¯t enough room for all of our clan, so Bearen and Odin split our army into three divisions. Two would head north and take a wide berth around Merchantstown, keeping to the outskirts. They would be part of the army that would pin the Septori, once the attack had begun. Valdyrstal¡¯s main clan quickly fell into line with Sinnendor¡¯s Elite. When men of battle came together for a cause, it didn¡¯t take long to put differences aside. Especially when they all knew that they were truly brethren.

    I heard the whispers that spread like wildfire about Bearen. The true descendent of King Branccynall, the king that was banished. They were amazed at Bearen¡¯s size and his apparent sanity. I could tell that it wouldn¡¯t take long for the two lost families to merge into one.

    I had even seen Bearen speaking with Gideon. Gideon bowed in respect and moved to obey, not Tieren¡¯s orders but my father¡¯s. If we won this upcoming war, Bearen might not even have to fight for the throne of Sinnendor. It might just be thrust upon him, by Sinnendor¡¯s people.

    But I was running out of time. I needed Xiven and Sevril to help my cousin. As soon as I entered the palace, I called out for a servant to prepare a room for Siobhan.

    Syrani followed me into the dark main hall and looked around and whistled. ¡°It could use a female touch.¡±

    ¡°The danger is not only outside the castle, but it¡¯s inside as well. Stay far away from the two princes,¡± I warned.

    I thought Syrani would make some sort of snide remark about handsome princes, but Fenri distracted her. His face was pale, which made his reddish hair take on an even darker hue. He entered the hall with an unconscious Siobhan in his arms. I knew he was probably still physically weak from his attack, but this seemed to be a matter of pride. A servant came and pointed to a room upstairs, and he quickly followed. I couldn¡¯t help but feel sorry for Syrani, since she couldn¡¯t pull her eyes away from him.

    ¡°You know he kissed me,¡± she whispered delicately to me. Her eyes took on a soft, vulnerable look.

    ¡°I figured he might have,¡± I answered.

    She turned and shot me an angry look, and I felt I needed to explain. ¡°It¡¯s not like that¡­I can just tell he really likes you.¡±

    The resentment dropped from her eyes and she moved closer to the stairs as if she were going to follow him up. ¡°I¡¯ve never felt like this before. At first I hated him. I mean, I really, really hated him, because he humiliated me. He wasn¡¯t much nicer when I went to stay with his family. I tried, I really did, to do what his mother asked of me, but I couldn¡¯t do anything without making a mess of it. I burned the bread, served them raw meat, and I even put more holes in the sock instead of mending them. I threw the biggest fit of my life. I was terrible, I said nasty things, and do you know what he did?¡±

    I could easily picture everything Syrani was saying, even down to her temper tantrum. ¡°What did he do?¡±

    Syrani tucked a strand of stray blonde hair behind her ear and her cheeks turned red as she continued, ¡°He laughed at me. I showed him my worst and he laughed at me and told me that my bark was worse than my bite. Then he sat down and showed me how to darn socks. Can you believe it? A strong warrior knew how to sew and I didn¡¯t. I was mortified and humiliated.¡±

    There was a time I¡¯d have cheered at her misfortune, but I found it surprisingly pleasant that we were beginning a tentative friendship ¡°What did you do?¡± I asked.

    ¡°I did everything I could to get back at him after that. I put too much pepper in his bowl of soup. I put wood glue in the bottom of his boots. I even went so far as to cut more holes into every pair of socks he had.¡±

    I started to chuckle at her and she just shrugged her shoulders. ¡°But he didn¡¯t tell his mother or demand I leave their home. Instead, he cornered me in the stable. I thought he was going to yell at me or beat me.¡± She brushed her fingers across her lips in memory. ¡°He said he knew a cry for attention when he saw it. And then he kissed me! It was the most mind blowing kiss ever and now¡­¡± Her eyes flew to the stairs.

    The sound of footsteps proceeded Fenri¡¯s walk down the stairs. At the bottom, he halted and looked at Syrani. Confusion and guilt laced his green eyes, and he quickly turned his attention to me.

    ¡°Uh, Siobhan¡¯s still sedated. You said that there was someone who may be able to help?¡±

    ¡°Yes, we need Xiven. Ask for the man named Xiven and see if he¡¯ll take a look at her.¡±

    Fenri looked down at the ground and then back at me¡ªignoring Syrani completely. ¡°What do you think the chances are she¡¯ll come out of this unscathed?¡±

    ¡°We¡¯ll all bear scars when this is through. I held up my forearms to show him. But only time will tell. Fenri, what happened between you two after I left?¡±

    Fenri looked horrified at my question, but he saw my stubborn gaze and glanced over at Syrani apologetically. ¡°Your father told me about your betrothal to Kael, since he won the Kragh Aru. I knew then that I would have no chance with you. When it was obvious that you were taken, Siobhan started to show interest toward me. But she quickly left under the pressure of her father¡¯s traitorous actions, before either of us could ascertain our feelings. I swore to myself that, if she returned, I would find out if she truly loved me and if I returned those feelings.¡±

    Syrani sucked in her breath and took a step back from Fenri. It looked like she was going to try and make a dignified exit before hearing anymore. I felt ill for her, because I was the one who¡¯d started this.

    ¡°No wait!¡± Fenri turned and grabbed for Syrani¡¯s hand, but she pulled away from him hard. Tears ran down her cheeks.

    ¡°Let me go!¡± she cried out. ¡°I stayed because of you. I was willing to give up my whole family and heritage because of you.¡± She yanked hard but was she was no physical match for the warrior Fenri. I knew how strong he was. She raked her nails across his hands, but he refused to let her go. ¡°I was so stupid,¡± she seethed.

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    ¡°No, I won¡¯t let you go!¡± He raised his voice. ¡°We may not have another day together, because tomorrow is not guaranteed. So I will not wait for what could have been. Yes, I felt guilty when I saw Siobhan and what has happened to her. It hit me that it might have been my fault. If I had approached her with my intentions to court her, she may have stayed. She wouldn¡¯t have been captured and turned into that¡­thing. What are you calling it?¡± he asked.

    ¡°It¡¯s not an it. We¡¯re Sirens.¡± I spoke irritably.

    ¡°Okay, whatever. Siren. I saw her and I felt overwhelmingly guilty for my lack of action, so I wanted to make it up to her. But since then, on the journey here, I¡¯ve had time to think.¡± Fenri reached to grasp Syrani around the shoulders and pull her closer to him. In a last ditch effort of feminine ire, she slapped him.

    Fenri only smiled. ¡°It looks like you¡¯ve had plenty of time to think as well. But just so you know, I can¡¯t stop thinking about you, Meja Tigyr.¡± He pulled a shocked and crying Syrani into his embrace and kissed her full on the mouth.

    I couldn¡¯t help but smile. It would take awhile for Syrani to learn our tongue and to realize that he just called her Little Tiger, which was actually fitting. I looked away and started up the stairs, trying to give them privacy as they made up and poured out their hearts to each other. Fenri was right, this might very well be the last night they truly did have together, so it shouldn¡¯t be wasted being angry.

    And if we did all survive, they could very well be the first of a new generation, Denai and Siren living harmoniously together. Oh, how that would be a world worth living to see.

    I found a servant in the halls and told them to find Xiven for me and tell him that I would be in the upper tower room. The young boy promised he would immediately search him out.

    Exhaustion slowly crept up my body and began to weigh heavily on my eyelids. I hadn¡¯t slept in over thirty-six hours, and I knew that I needed to sit before I collapsed. My father and Gideon were preparing for an invasion. Any moment, Xiven would come and we would spend hours trying to find a way to save Siobhan. I might only have a few moments to myself.

    I rubbed my arms as I took the stone steps slowly. Once again I was filled with loneliness. Fenri said he had many hours to think over who was right for him, and I too had spent many hours thinking over my future. Joss and Kael. As much as I tried to tell myself that Joss was the more stable of the two, I couldn¡¯t help but know that I was lying. I needed Kael like I needed air. I wasn¡¯t whole without him. Everything started and ended with Kael. He was there in the prison with me, he was there by my side saving me, training me, guiding me. He was always there, and now he was always here. I touched my chest and felt my heart speed up just thinking about him.

    I turned left down the direction Fenri had come and found Siobhan in the fourth room. Exhausted, I pulled up a chair and sat next to her bed to wait. To watch her sleep. No one had cleaned her up, so I took a bowl of water and did my best to get the dirt and grime off of her. When I was finished and I had brushed her hair, I laid my head on my arms at the edge of her bed. I tried to close my eyes and scan for Kael. But I couldn¡¯t. I was now surrounded by more Sirens. My gifts were muted once again. I could feel them, just beyond my reach. It was difficult, but I navigated the obstacles faster.

    Then Queen Lilyana¡¯s words came rushing back to me just as I was about to pass out from fatigue. If I could reverse what was done to me, would I give it all up for a chance to be normal? Before, I had said yes without a doubt. But now¡­I didn¡¯t know if I could.

    Chapter 31

    The knocking at the door didn¡¯t surprise me¡ªI was expecting it. But I wasn¡¯t expecting Portia to come barreling into the room and wrap her arms around me in a desperate and undignified hug.

    ¡°I knew you would come back. I knew that you cared,¡± Portia said.

    ¡°Xiven,¡± I interrupted. ¡°Have you seen Xiven? My cousin. We need to try and save my cousin.¡±

    She pulled away and a frown appeared on her face. ¡°No, I haven¡¯t seen him since yesterday.¡±

    ¡°What about Prince Sevril?¡± I was now fully alert. This was not what I was expecting.

    ¡°No. He didn¡¯t come down for dinner last night or for any meals today.¡±

    ¡°Then who¡¯s going to help Siobhan?¡± I cried out, letting my worry and frustration ring through my voice. I knew we couldn¡¯t keep her unconscious forever. She would eventually wake up on her own. And then, Cirrus could kill her.

    ¡°She¡¯ll be fine. But we need to discuss you and your future.¡± Portia admonished me, but I just ignored her. Whatever she was going to say wasn¡¯t important.

    No one understood my concern. Siobhan was me. If they couldn¡¯t help her, then what chance was there of ever saving me?

    Loud footsteps rushed down the hall and one of the Elite came in with a worried expression on his face. He spoke quickly and quietly to Lady Portia. His shoulders straightened and he turned to give me a onceover before he spoke aloud.

    ¡°They¡¯re here,¡± he said stiffly.

    Portia let out a little scream of fright, pulled up her skirt and ran out of the room. I ran after her. I watched as Portia ran down a hall away from the front door. I left my cousin and ran to the main hall, where I saw that a small selection of weapons had appeared. I watched as servants and anyone willing to defend the castle began to assemble themselves for battle. My throat constricted when I saw a young boy of ten or so pick up a sword much too heavy for him.

    I immediately pulled it out and tossed it onto the table. I grabbed a shorter, lighter sword and handed it to him. He gave me a defiant look and I couldn¡¯t help but raise my voice at him.

    ¡°You won¡¯t be able to handle the larger sword. It¡¯s too heavy and not balanced right for your arm length. Speed is your ally. Hiding and attacking from afar. Only engage in hand-to-hand combat when cornered. Do you understand me?¡± Next, I handed him the smallest of the crossbows, one that I knew he could load as well as a quiver of arrows.

    ¡°Yes, ma¡¯am,¡± he said before darting off to what I hoped was a good hiding spot. He seemed relieved that I didn¡¯t deny him his right to defend his home. I should have told him to run to the woods and not come back. I took it upon myself to make sure that the household staff was properly outfitted with weapons. It didn¡¯t matter how much convincing I did. The head cook wouldn¡¯t choose any other weapon other than the meat cleaver. The same with the older boys. They took up stations using scythes and hoes. Each person chose a weapon they knew and were comfortable with over something that was foreign.

    I couldn¡¯t help but feel a mixture of pride for their willingness to fight and sadness. This day would end in a lot of death.

    For myself, I found a bow and a quiver full of arrows. Next, I chose a knife and began to work on my dress. It had long since been destroyed by my foray through the woods and riding. I sliced the dress off at the knees and cut long slits up the sides, so it resembled a tunic. My riding boots, thankfully, were high and would offer some protection.

    I went out to the courtyard and met my father and his men; they were preparing to go with King Tieren to meet the army. Bearen and Fenri were already mounted. I had convinced my father to take Faraway into battle instead of his own steed. There was no one I trusted more to take care of my father if things went downhill. Faraway would protect my father since I couldn¡¯t. Even now, I could easily spot Faraway¡¯s gleaming white coat with Bearen¡¯s large form riding next to Gideon. Everyone¡¯s faces mirrored the same grim expression.

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    Keep him safe. I shot to Faraway as he rode proudly on.

    I will take care of him. I promise.

    Syrani came and stood by me. As the men rode toward the gate, she reached forward and gripped my arm.

    ¡°I¡¯ve never been so scared in my life,¡± she confessed. ¡°This is nothing like the arena.¡± She gently led me toward the stone steps to go to the wall where we could try and watch the armies meet.

    ¡°I know what you mean. There is no safe zone. We can and will die in battle.¡± I gave her a reassuring squeeze. ¡°But I think you might have an advantage here. There¡¯s a whole lot of earth, and you¡¯re very strong.¡± I encouraged.

    ¡°I am strong. I¡¯m one of the strongest Denai ever born in earth,¡± she said confidently. Syrani¡¯s blonde hair was braided and tucked under her cloak. A stray wisp kept getting blown about by the wind. She tucked it behind her ear again.

    I could feel her anxiety.

    ¡°But I¡¯m not as strong as you. I felt it, in the arena, your power. When you were under the earth, I could feel you start to give up. But then I felt a sudden surge of power burst forth out of you, and you counter-attacked. Are there more like you? Out there?¡± She nodded with her chin to the approaching army.

    ¡°Oh, stars, I hope not. I don¡¯t think I¡¯m strong enough to face others like me.¡±

    ¡°You¡¯ve changed since the arena. If anything, you¡¯re stronger,¡± she argued.

    ¡°There¡¯s a barrier here.¡± I snapped back, suddenly irritated. ¡°It makes it harder for me to use my gifts. Unlike you.¡±

    Syrani spun to face me, her nostrils flared in anger and a heated spark flashed in her eyes. ¡°The only barrier is in your mind.¡±

    Noise below drew my attention to the courtyard. Troops ran back and forth, calling each other to arms, to the gate. I followed the army of Sinnendor, their black banner, with a silver wolf flying high in the sky across the field as they met the encroaching army. I could easily pick out my father, who looked like a giant surrounded by his own retinue of men.

    I saw hundreds of approaching horses and a division of riders wearing a color that I wished I could rid my mind of¡ªred. In front of the army was a large group of ground soldiers, dressed in browns and red, armed with swords and shields. Something glinted toward the front of the army, and I craned my neck to see if it would flicker again. There! A lone rider covered in a robe wore a silver hook-nosed mask, and perched on his shoulder was the largest black raven I¡¯ve ever seen.

    My body ran cold and my hands started to shake, but only for a minute as my fear was replaced by anger. We had a score to settle, and I was determined to watch him die. Preferably by my own hand.

    After all, it would be fitting for him to be killed by his own creation.

    The Raven and his army marched down the hill, and I watched as King Tieren, dressed for war, rode out to meet the much larger army.

    I couldn¡¯t help but wonder if King Tieren was in his right mind at the moment. I could see Gideon¡¯s white head riding close to the King, keeping him protected and flanked. Both armies pulled up to face each other and stood firm a short distance apart, unmoving. King Tieren and Gideon spurred their horses forward, and the Septori parted so that the Raven could come forward and greet the men.

    Words were exchanged and King Tieren pointed his hand back the way the Raven had come. It didn¡¯t take much to read his body language.

    The silver mask glistened again as the Raven tossed his head back and laughed. Desperately, I wanted to be able to hear what they were saying. It didn¡¯t seem to be going in Tieren¡¯s favor as I saw him raise his sword to attack the Raven.

    ¡°Please,¡± I whispered. Wishing, hoping for the sword to strike true¡ªwishing that the Raven would be no more. But it was Tieren whose sword stopped midair and fell from his fingertips. I gasped as Gideon¡¯s sword flashed out and sliced through Tieren¡¯s midsection, fatally wounding his own king.

    Red flowed from Tieren¡¯s side and I could see his body tilt toward Gideon, a shocked expression on his face. He fell forward to the ground and stopped moving. I couldn¡¯t tear my gaze away from the ghastly scene.

    Gideon killed Tieren!

    The Elite turned on Gideon, just as I realized that he was being controlled by a very powerful Denai. Gideon turned his horse, his face a blank and confused mask. His men fought for their lives behind him. Gideon sat frozen upon his horse like a statue as the Elite were cut down one by one. A quick arrow into his torso released Gideon of whatever spell he was under and he slid from his horse.

    ¡°NO!¡± I screamed in fear as Sinnendor¡¯s army was quickly overrun in the mass confusion. I lost sight of my father.

    Faraway! Get him out!

    But he wouldn¡¯t answer me.

    The Elite fought bravely but were disheartened by the quick death of their king and the apparent betrayal of their own leader. The Septori rode forward, pressing Sinnendor back toward their gates.

    ¡°VAAALDYRRSTAL!¡± The cry echoes through the valley. My father bellowed the battlecry once more, holding his sword high in the air, calling his men to him. ¡°For Valdyrstal we ride; for Valdyrstal we die!¡± There was a surge of energy and the mass confusion that was a leaderless army regrouped under Bearen Valdyrstal. My father does not give up easily. I watched Faraway bravely carry my father into the fray. Twice, I saw him preemptively sidestep a sword strike, keeping Bearen just out of reach of his attacker¡¯s sword. I kept holding my breath, but it seemed that Bearen and Faraway were a formidable team.

    Thalia, we can¡¯t run away, Faraway finally answered. We are needed here. He is needed here. Please forgive me.

    I understood. I didn¡¯t have to like it, but I understood. If Bearen ran now, everyone would follow. There would be no leader and we would lose before we barely began.

    Make me proud, Faraway!

    And he did.

    The tide slowly began to turn. But it would be too late. A gap had been made in the line and Raven¡¯s army made it to the castle.

    The Raven watched the massacre of men before him with interest before his head turned ever so slightly to look up to the wall and right at me. I stepped back in alarm. He couldn¡¯t see me from this far could he?

    Some of his men didn¡¯t move in a natural way¡ªmore like they were puppets being jerked around by an unskilled puppeteer. More of his Denai powers?

    Sinnendor¡¯s archers were deployed as they tried to pick off the early leaders in the attack. I breathed a sigh of relief that our gate was closed, and I didn¡¯t see a battering ram, but then I was quickly reminded that an army created by the Raven would not need one.

    A huge blast ripped through the outer wall and the ground rumbled below me in distress. Screams of pain and fear ripped across the courtyard below as those who didn¡¯t have time to run were caught in the explosion. Scattered about, they lay injured or dying. The first of Raven¡¯s army ran through the opening in the wall and met with our army, who fought bravely.

    ¡°Son of Light, save us,¡± Syrani called out in horror as she pointed to the Denai that blasted our wall apart. He stood on a small hill to the side. His blond hair whipped in the wind as the air he controlled whirled around him in mini tornados. His once-smiling face and dimples were hidden behind a mask of anger and hate.

    ¡°Joss?¡± I cried out. My heart lurched with terror. There he was, standing tall, wearing the same clothes I had last seen him in, although dirtier and torn. His eyes looked dazed as if he weren¡¯t fully in control of his own actions. Whatever they had done with Siobhan was child¡¯s play compared to what they had done with Joss.

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    He threw his arms open wide. Another flash of bright light and a blast of air ripped at another part of the wall. The second explosion mirrored the damage of the first one.

    ¡°He¡¯s going to bring the whole castle down on top of us!¡± Syrani screamed.

    A girl came and stood next to Joss, her blonde hair a shade or two lighter. She closely resembled a younger version of Gloria. ¡°They are!¡± I agreed, as Joss¡¯s sister, Tenya, hurled a wave of power at the closest flank heading to attack them. She was guarding Joss as he rounded up for another attack on the castle. She was smaller and not as strong, but she was still a weapon to be used against us.

    ¡°Syrani!¡± I yelled at her, ¡°Do something.¡±

    Syrani gritted her teeth and began frantically rebuilding the wall with earth. She filled the gaps in the walls and sealed them, trapping some of the Septori within the earthen layer as she desperately tried to build up the wall.

    I couldn¡¯t help but scan the army and seek out the others. The Denai. If Joss was here, then the others that were taken would be here. And then I began spotting them. Brecken, Tydus, Marcel, Karni plus dozens more of controlled Denai, all scattered along the field. Fireballs erupted out of the earth as Brecken cleared the way for another wave of troops to attack.

    All of them, under the influence of the Septori, were reaping massive destruction upon the horde of the Sinnendor army. I picked up my bow and arrow and nocked it, but I couldn¡¯t find the willpower to release it. How could I kill my peers? While my inner battle consumed me, I managed to pick out an older faceless target wearing a red robe as he ran down one of the Elite. I released the arrow, and sighted my next victim. One by one, I picked off random targets from among the Raven¡¯s Septori. I felt a little more vindication with each death, but it couldn¡¯t come near to erasing the devastation the mind-controlled Denai wreaked.

    ¡°Thalia!¡± Syrani called out, her face now completely covered in sweat and dirt. She built up another wall, only for Joss to blast a hole somewhere else. ¡°There are too many of them. I can¡¯t fight off all of them by myself.¡±

    A desperate voice cried out a warning from below, and we ducked as a large fiery missile just missed our heads, crashing into the courtyard beneath us. Fireballs rained down from heaven as the young fire-gifted Brecken started an attack from the air.

    ¡°Do what you can, Syrani. Show them what a Master Denai of Earth can really do,¡± I encouraged. Her worried look transform into one of complete and utter confidence.

    ¡°You¡¯re right! I¡¯m from one of the most powerful Denai families in Calandry. I don¡¯t clean up other people¡¯s messes. I make them.¡± Syrani¡¯s face lit with pure delight as she abandoned her defensive strategy and went on the offensive. She focused her power on the earth around Joss. Suddenly, he and his sister vanished into a cavern deep below the ground.

    ¡°Did you¡­?¡± I couldn¡¯t finish.

    ¡°No, I just sealed them in a hole deep below. It will take them a bit to get out.¡± She turned her gaze toward another group of enemy soldiers running toward our gate. Hundreds of Septori slid into a huge pile of quicksand¡ªthe more they struggled, the more they sank.

    I fired another arrow and took out another Septori.

    Apparently, we would have to go without rebuilding the walls. Syrani couldn¡¯t do two things at once, and attacking the army was more important at the moment. I needed Syrani to unleash her power like she¡¯d never done before.

    Targeting pockets of the enemy army without attacking our own became more difficult for her, though she was clearly doing her best. Sometimes one of the Elite were caught in the landslide or shifting sands and disappeared with the men deep under the earth.

    I reached behind me for another arrow and came up empty. ¡°Here! More arrows!¡± I called.

    A young boy ran along the wall, staying low, to bring me another quiver of arrows. He deposited them at my feet and stood up to give me a relieved smile that soon fell into a mask of pain. His eyes dropped and I couldn¡¯t help but follow his gaze to see the silver tip of an enemy arrow protruding from his chest. His mouth opened in a small oh and then he slid to the ground.

    ¡°AAAAHHH!¡± I screamed and whirled around, searching for the attacker with an arrow at the ready, but I was greeted by the surprised look of Prince Sevril. He looked awful. Dark shadows ringed his eyes and he looked pale. He looked over the rampart and watched as Sinnendor¡¯s flag bearer went down. The long black banner fluttered once, twice, and then fell to the ground.

    Prince Sevril looked grim. ¡°Come with me before all is lost.¡±

    I looked to the boy and felt anger and fresh tears fall down my face. Everything was already lost. I couldn¡¯t even find my father among the mass of red soldiers and field of blood. Our clan was now separated, and I had no clue who was alive or dead. I wasn¡¯t ready to retreat, but we needed a better battle plan. I turned to grab Syrani, but Sevril shook his head.

    ¡°Let her be. She will be most useful here,¡± he said.

    ¡°She could die here.¡±

    ¡°We will all die here,¡± Sevril said solemnly but grabbed my wrist and pulled.

    I hesitated. I couldn¡¯t abandon Syrani.

    He saw my hesitation. Sevril took a deep breath looked me in the eyes and begged. ¡°Please. I need your help.¡±

    It was the ¡®please¡¯ that did it. I ran after him, careful to not look at all of the dead bodies lying on the ground. Even though they were strangers, a sense of heavy injustice filled me. They were my people. They were Sirens like me. Blood watered so thin we couldn¡¯t possibly be related, but still. I felt like they were my responsibility.

    Swords and shields clashed as the army made it through one of the partially repaired walls. They were right on our heels. The large double doors were barely being held open as a servant waited for Prince Sevril and me to dash through. As soon as I passed through the threshold, the doors were slammed and bolted. Furniture started to pile up in front of the doors. Ready to make a last defense, the servants faced the oncoming slaughter with grim determination.

    This day was a rewriting of history. Only this time, it wasn¡¯t the Denai being slaughtered but the Sirens.

    We could hear the pounding of the castle doors as the army tried to break in. Servants and more troops arrived to block the door with more heavy objects, tables and chairs. More of the Elite in armor gathered in the main hall preparing to defend with their lives. It was odd. A few days ago, they¡¯d been my enemies. Now they were trying to save me.

    Sevril pulled me on. I followed him down hall after hall, until he came to a large marble sculpture in an alcove. Sevril stepped up to the statue and pulled the curtain behind the alcove to reveal a small wooden door. With a quick push, he had it open and beckoned me to follow him down a dark set of stairs. Why did everything always have to lead down? I halted and he turned to stare at me impatiently.

    ¡°Come on,¡± he grabbed my hand and pulled me down after him.

    ¡°No, not until you tell me where we¡¯re going.¡± I argued. A loud crash and the metal clang of swords alerted me that the invaders had breached the main hall.

    ¡°We don¡¯t have time for explanations,¡± Xiven suddenly appeared behind me. His hands hit my shoulder blades and pushed me roughly down the stairs. I fell forward the first three steps, my ankle twisting as I tried to catch myself.

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    Xiven entered and bolted the door behind him, encasing us in darkness.

    Sevril reached down and tried to help me back up, but now I was limping. He put his head down next to mine and wrapped my arm around his shoulders. He half-dragged, half-carried me the rest of the way down the stairs. I impeded him with my awkwardness and refusal to walk where I couldn¡¯t see.

    Xiven stopped and felt along the wall for a torch.

    A few seconds later, it was lit. Then, I was only semi-impeding Prince Sevril¡¯s movements.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Tomac?¡± I asked as the stairs ended and we were met with a catacomb of tombs. Again I tried to stop.

    ¡°Thalia, for the love of all that is good, you have to keep going,¡± Xiven said.

    Sevril shook his head. ¡°I don¡¯t know. I saw him run out in the first wave of troops to meet the army. I hope the fool survives.¡± Fear raced across his face and he kept running his sleeve over his eyes, evidently trying to keep the tears at bay.

    Xiven took the torch and now led Sevril and me to another door that he held open, waiting for me to enter.

    As soon as I cross the threshold, I wished I hadn¡¯t.

    It was the machine, the torture device.

    The iron butterfly.

    Every part of me started to shake in terror and I grabbed the handle to the door and tried to rush out. Xiven held the door closed and Sevril grabbed my arms. Tears raked down my face and I started to sob.

    A hand slapped my face.

    I blinked in anger at Sevril.

    He leaned in close to me, his hot breath on my neck. ¡°Stop crying. You don¡¯t have time for tears.¡±

    Anger flowed through my body and I punched Sevril in the face. I watched in pleasure as his head snapped back and his lip started to bleed.

    His eyes lit up and he became excited. ¡°Yes, that¡¯s it. You pathetic excuse for a Valdyrstal. You half-breed imposter to the throne.¡±

    This time I balled up both fists and focused on his pretty front teeth. I was determined to take out a few. ¡°I don¡¯t want your bloody throne, but I¡¯m not above leaving Tomac next in line,¡± I growled out. Feinting a punch, I spun and kicked him in the stomach. Sevril grunted and then fell back into a table full of beakers and instruments. Glass crashed and shattered on the stone floor.

    Xiven yelled at me, ¡°Thalia, stop it! You are not helping any by destroying Sevril¡¯s sacrifice.¡±

    I whirled on Xiven who was working on pulling open the metal bands and preparing the machine for the next victim. This one looked different than the one I spent weeks in but also different than the one I saw in Fanny¡¯s workshop. I felt like I had come full circle.

    ¡°Thalia, I told you in Skyfell that I was your friend. I really hope that right now, you can believe me and trust me what we are about to do.¡±

    ¡°You almost killed me, and then you ran away,¡± I confronted Xiven, pushing him.

    His skin color deepened in embarrassment. ¡°If Talbot had found out I challenged you in a fight, I would have been dead anyway. And if I remember correctly, you were the one who almost killed me.¡±

    ¡°Something I now regret not finishing properly,¡± I hissed.

    ¡°Good, Thalia, that¡¯s it. Stay angry. It will help you through the pain and will bring out the Siren in you faster.¡±

    I grabbed a candlestick holder covered in wax and threw it at Xiven¡¯s head. ¡°There¡¯s no way I¡¯m going near that thing.¡±

    He looked serious. He crumpled his hands into fists and took deep breaths to calm himself.

    Sevril didn¡¯t look happy either, pacing back and forth, eyeing the door. As if hoping Tomac would burst through. Or maybe he was waiting for the Raven to come in so he could crow about how he lured me in to his trap to finish the job.

    ¡°Did you kidnap Joss¡¯s sister? What happened to those people out there? Are you a part of it?¡±

    Xiven looked anxious, but he saw that I wasn¡¯t going to make it easy on him unless he gave me some answers. ¡°Thalia, I¡¯m on your side.¡±

    ¡°From where I stand, I¡¯m surrounded by enemy.¡± I cocked my head upward, indicating the Septori and Elite battling it out to the death somewhere above us.

    ¡°Right. I understand. It can seem confusing and complicated, but what if I told you that there is no good side in this war? Everyone¡¯s wrong. Everyone¡¯s made mistakes and you now have to choose the lesser of two evils. No matter what happens, there will be no happy endings. Just the possibility of an ending that has less people dying horrible deaths.¡±

    Why did he have to make sense¡­now? ¡°Then I would choose the outcome with least amount of death,¡± I stated.

    ¡°And what if I told you that that outcome comes at your own expense¡ªyour own life.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯d say that you a liar. That you can¡¯t know the future. I can change my destiny, if I¡¯m given the choice to do so.¡± I pointed at the table. ¡°That is not giving me a chance to live.¡±

    ¡°Thalia.¡± Prince Sevril gently took my elbow. ¡°Everything we are doing is so that you will live. That through you, our kind will live on.¡±

    I shook my head, the anger slowly dissipating. I didn¡¯t understand anything anymore. I was so tired of hurting. I just wanted to wake up from this nightmare.

    ¡°Okay Thalia, listen. The Horden journals were never clear on what the final step was in creating an all-powerful super Denai. It¡¯s why the experiments didn¡¯t really start to work until they found you. They gave you Denai gifts¡ª¡±

    ¡°What? How did they give me Denai gifts?¡±

    ¡°By infusing you with Denai blood.¡±

    I had both Denai blood and SwordBrother blood in my veins?

    ¡°You started to grow in power, even taking on the traits of the Denai. You were the first to succeed, but you were also the answer. To make the Denai stronger, they needed Siren blood¡­yours. All of those sessions were to harvest your blood, to make a serum, to create that army, Thalia.¡± Xiven pointed upstairs.

    ¡°That¡¯s why they¡¯ve been after me? So they can use me to create more¡­more mind-controlled soldiers!¡± I felt sick. What they had done to Joss and Tenya and all of the others was done because of¡ªmaybe with¡ªmy own blood. ¡°That¡¯s why they went after Siobhan. They were trying to find another like me.¡±

    ¡°I saw her upstairs.¡± Xiven acknowledged. ¡°They¡¯ve drained her pretty good, but I¡¯ve seen her eyes. They made sure to turn her fully into a Siren before they did it. Probably so they could work faster and she¡¯d be strong enough to live through the process. It means that they probably sacrificed a Denai to do it.¡±

    ¡°But she¡¯s being controlled.¡± I wiped my tears on my sleeves. ¡°Can we save her?¡±

    Prince Sevril came forward and shook his head. ¡°We can¡¯t worry about her right now. Right now we have to focus on stopping them. With you.¡±

    ¡°We can¡¯t stop that!¡± My voice rose in frustration. ¡°They have an army of Denai and we have one¡ªa spoiled rich girl who is going to die trying to defend a country she has no allegiance to. I¡¯m completely blocked and I¡¯m completely useless here in Sinnendor. Unless you can break through this seal.¡±

    ¡°I believe we can,¡± Xiven said excitedly.

    ¡°What?¡± I said in disbelief.

    ¡°I can give you all of the serum we¡¯ve extracted from Sevril already over the last few weeks. The overflow of Siren power may be enough to shatter the seal forever.¡±

 Page 57

    ¡°But won¡¯t I go insane? No offense, Sevril.¡±

    Sevril shrugged his shoulders. ¡°None taken. I don¡¯t want it back.¡± He gestured to the bottles filled with blue liquid.¡±

    Xiven shook his head. ¡°You won¡¯t go insane if I immediately balance out the Siren in you by flooding you with pure Denai essence.¡± Xiven paced back and forth, his fingers tracing invisible calculations in the air. ¡°We¡¯d do what the Raven couldn¡¯t. Create the ultimate new hybrid. That¡¯s what Lord Horden hinted at too. An Archangel.¡±

    ¡°A what?¡± the word made me feel sick. Wasn¡¯t it enough that for the last few months I felt like stranger in my own body? That it was slowly turning and changing me into a monster? Now they wanted to fully do that, turn me into something completely different?

    Another monster.

    The ground shook and dust floated down from the ceiling. A loud crashing could be heard and I could only assume that Syrani couldn¡¯t hold Joss back.

    ¡°Thalia,¡± Prince Sevril begged. ¡°Please, help protect my people. Don¡¯t let the Raven use our kind to create mindless drones.¡±

    ¡°Why can¡¯t you do it?¡± I pointed my finger hard into his chest.

    The Prince grimaced and wouldn¡¯t meet my eyes. ¡°Because I¡¯m too far gone. I¡¯m too human. We wouldn¡¯t have enough time,¡± he turned and picked up a small glass jar and handed it to Xiven.

    ¡°He¡¯s right,¡± Xiven answered. ¡°We¡¯ve been spending weeks draining the Siren essence out of him.¡± He went to the table and picked up another glass jar filled with the eerie liquid. It swirled around gently, constantly moving, never stopping. ¡°With each session I collected the Siren essence¡­here.¡± He pointed to the table filled with bottle upon bottle. ¡°At the time we thought we were doing the right thing. We were making him human. But now we truly need a Siren to fight this war.¡±

    ¡°I can¡¯t.¡± I backed away from Xiven and the machine. They were asking me to go back on the iron butterfly. To willingly subject myself to my most terrifying nightmare. And not over a period of time, but in a supernatural speed attempt to break everything in my body.

    ¡°Please don¡¯t ask me to.¡± My hands started to shake and I found it hard to breathe. The room felt like it was growing smaller and smaller. ¡°I can¡¯t do it.¡± My legs went weak and I started to crumple. ¡°No, no, no.¡± I was gasping, hyperventilating. Then I was on the floor, looking up at the ceiling and couldn¡¯t help but notice how the constantly falling dust motes looked like shooting stars.

    Hands grabbed me around the wrists and ankles, and I felt myself lifted into the air. The room spun and I screamed as I felt myself placed in the machine. I screamed and screamed. Braces clamped around my arms and tears burned at my eyes. Pain laced up my arms.

    And I knew I was going to die.

    Chapter 32

    ¡°Thalia¡­Thalia.¡± A dark head leaned over me and I reached out for him and grabbed on for dear life thinking it was Kael. The room stopped spinning.

    I looked around to find that I was not on the machine, but on a large cot off to the side of the room. The pain around my wrists stopped when Sevril let go of them. I blinked at the worried look on Xiven¡¯s face and the anxious one on Sevril¡¯s.

    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± I asked in confusion and saw the blanket placed over my lap, why are you not¡­why?¡±

    Xiven sighed in relief. ¡°Thalia, I will not put you on the machine without your consent. I won¡¯t change the very essence of who you are without your willingness to do so. Unlike the Septori, I believe that using the machine against someone¡¯s will changes the nature of the outcome. I won¡¯t risk it. You have to be the one to say yes.¡±

    Sevril¡¯s eyes were moist, and he was now sitting on the floor, his head against the wall. He kept using his thumb and forefinger to rub his eyes. Little paths of glistening tears had left trails down his cheeks. He looked around the room dejectedly and stood up, brushing his hands on his pants. ¡°Come on. If there is nothing more that we can do down here, then we need to go back up and help. I will not hide down here like a coward when innocent people are dying.¡± His voice, though full of disappointment, rang with pride.

    Xiven nodded his head in agreement and went to stand by him. Sevril would truly be a great king one day, if he didn¡¯t fall to the insanity of the Siren.

    No, I couldn¡¯t let anything happen to Sevril. He might be our only hope for the future. It wasn¡¯t about me. It had never been about me. It would always be about what was good for the people. Not just his people, but all races. That was what made a great king. Someone willing to die for others.

    Sevril would make a great king, if I had anything to say about it.

    My heart was in my throat and I found it hard to talk¡ªso I didn¡¯t. Xiven and Sevril had gone to the stairwell and were arming themselves for battle. Neither one noticed when I pushed the blanket off of my legs and stood up. My legs wobbled, and I eased myself around the large table and went to stand in front of the machine.

    Close up, it didn¡¯t look as scary as I remembered it. It was a long metal table with little knobs along the back which aligned along the spinal column. Bands would wrap around the body, imprisoning the victim, and leather straps held the arms to the side and in place. Only this version of the machine didn¡¯t look as ominous. There were no leather straps to hold the arms in place and there weren¡¯t as many bands. Instead, I was fixated on what looked like a silver crown that would sit on the person¡¯s head.

    My lips were dry, and I couldn¡¯t swallow. I was trying too hard not to throw up. I slid my hand up the back of the machine and rested my hand on the crown. I didn¡¯t even care that Sevril and Xiven had stopped talking and watched me with silent interest.

    Neither one of them moved.

    I couldn¡¯t stop the terrified tears that slid down my cheeks, but I wasn¡¯t breaking down into a hysterical mess either. I held my head high as I crawled up onto the table and lay down. When Xiven and Sevril still hadn¡¯t moved to assist me in my insane plan, I reached up and pulled the crown down onto my own head, and began to fumble and pull the bands around my own body.

    Xiven came over to stand by me, his face solemn. ¡°Thalia, are you sure? I will not be a part of this unless you are completely sure.¡± He reached out and lightly put his hand on my shoulder.

    I closed my eyes and nodded. If I tried to speak, no words would come out.

    He slowly started to readjust the machine for my height. He did it carefully and slowly, although I know he was trying to hurry. A hand reached through the metal bands and grasped mine. I turned my head and gave Sevril¡¯s hand a squeeze. He squeezed back and refused to let go.

    Xiven started to bring the glass jars of Sevril¡¯s Siren essence over to the machine and place them on a table next to me. He started to talk incessantly about what he was doing, as if trying to not make me nervous. It didn¡¯t work.

    ¡°So I will activate the current through the machine myself after I¡¯ve given you the injections.¡± He took out a syringe and filled it with the liquid blue essence of Siren. He felt along the underside of my arms and gently touched the old scars. I had to turn away and not look when I felt the first prick of the needle. The headpiece is different; it¡¯s of my own design. It seems to help the process go faster in unlocking the seals, because it seems to mostly be a mental block. I call it my Crowning Glory¡­get it?¡±

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    Not the time for humor. I couldn¡¯t help it, I let out a whimper at the first sting. Then, a foreign feeling filled my body. Then another sting, and another, as he gave me more doses of the serum. I wasn¡¯t looking forward to the pain I knew would come.

    ¡°That was the last one,¡± Sevril spoke softly and I opened my eyes to see his sad but grateful ones looking at me. ¡°Thank you,¡± he whispered.

    The sound of the cot being pulled and scraped across the floor as it was scooted over to the machine made me curious enough to turn my head and look. Numerous needles and small tubes led from a table filled with bottles to my right arm, but half of the tubes led off of the table and just out of eyesight. I couldn¡¯t see where they led, but I could hear Xiven moving around.

    Finally his voice came out strong and clear. ¡°Are you ready, Thalia? To save us from our past, you must become the future.¡±

    ¡°No,¡± I whimpered out, barely audible. ¡°I don¡¯t want to do the saving. I want to be saved.¡± Oh Kael, please forgive me. I prayed that I would have the strength to survive this for both Kael¡¯s sake and my own. My mind started to flip out and flash forward and backward as Xiven started the machine. I felt a jolt of electric current shoot into the bands and into my spine. I spasmed and started to scream, and it wasn¡¯t even that painful yet. My mind spiraled into a nightmare as I relived every session on the machine at once. The currents began to pulse through my body in a steady stream and each one made my heart flutter faster and faster, until I swore it stopped on more than one occasion. Then the next current would feel like it jumpstarted my breathing again.

    My blood was on fire and a burning pain seared through my stomach. I could only open my mouth in a silent scream as I was rocked with pain through my very core. It hurt so bad I wanted to die. I wanted them all to die. I wanted every person that ever hurt me to die.

    Then there was such an intense pain it was if my soul was being cracked in two¡­and then I was free. Truly free. I could feel the darkness, the monster that was inside of me¡ªmy fury¡ªreach out and relish the freedom. I saw fire, death, and destruction. I knew it was the future I was envisioning, my future as the Siren part of my soul came into full power.

    It was terrifying. I could see myself with dark wings flying over the army, raising my arms and destroying every one of them. Killing them, greedily draining their very lives away and still being hungry for more.

    ¡°No!¡± I breathed out. ¡°Kill me. Don¡¯t let me become that.¡± Sevril never let go of my hand and I could feel myself start to reach out to him, to pull at him for help. Instinctively, I reached for his life force and I heard him gasp. I recoiled in horror, releasing his hand. ¡°I don¡¯t want to become that. They were right. The Sirens¡¯ fury should have been sealed away. We don¡¯t deserve this kind of power.¡±

    The power rushed through my veins and it was addictive. My head rolled to the side and I felt drunk and I needed more. My body began to crave more power, and I knew that if they let me go now, with the seal broken, I would destroy the world.

    A throbbing started in my head, and I first ignored it, thinking it was another side effect of the machine and the crowning glory.

    But it was a familiar pain and one that made my heart soar. Kael!

    Kael was near. He was in the castle, floors above me. KAEL! My heart and soul cried out, and I could feel him and almost see him. He was fighting and he stopped. He turned and began to search for me.

    But then I lost him as the fury and anger once again took over and my heart burned for revenge. Sevril yelped in surprise when the candle on the table next to him alit on its own. Followed by the next candle, and the next. I was trying to fight my instincts to light everything on fire, so I was staying focused.

    ¡°Okay, Xiven,¡± Sevril called out. ¡°Now.¡±

    The pulsing continued, but instead of a burning feeling, it became a cold, soothing pain. I would go hot then cold, then hot then cold. My visions went from destroying the world with fire, to bringing about a famine by a never-ending winter. My teeth started to chatter, and I swore that I could see my breath in the room.

    The soothing ended. This time, the pain felt like I was being not just ripped in two but broken and shattered. Someone was going to have to pick up the pieces of my soul. I bit my tongue and tasted blood. I began to thrash against the bands and scream out my anger. I wanted to die, but then I didn¡¯t. But I couldn¡¯t survive what was happening to my very essence.

    My head slammed against the metal brace and I flashed back to the past. But I was somehow omnipresent. I saw Raven leaning over me. In my dream state, I was able to pull back and gaze around the room from a greater distance. I saw the Raven leave the room with another taller member of the Septori. My subconscious followed them through the heavy wooden door. I don¡¯t know how I did it. Maybe I was dead. I was able to move to easily, and right now I was seeing my life flash before my eyes. I don¡¯t know how, but I was free to follow.

    The Raven stepped into a small room adjacent to the machine and waited as his companion took off the robe and hung it up. I recognized Adept Cirrus and hate raced through me.

    Then, the Raven stepped back and adjusted the hood. Deep red locks spilled forth. I wasn¡¯t expecting long hair to come from beneath the folds of the hood. How had I not seen that before? The Raven was female. Then she opened up a small wooden box with a velvet interior. She took off the silver hook-nosed mask, set it on the velvet pillow, and closed the lid. She turned to Adept Cirrus and wrapped her arms around him, kissing him deeply on the lips.

    I released a mental scream in fury at the deception. Not only by Adept Cirrus but the Queen of Calandry¡ªLilyana.

    The one person whose total goal was to help in the survival of the Denai race played with their very lives, throwing them away for tortuous experiments.

    The door to the room opened and Talbot¡¯s short figure ambled in toward the queen.

    ¡°Good evening, my queen,¡± Talbot intoned politely. ¡°Are you pleased with the results so far?¡±

    Queen Lilyana shot him a condescending look. ¡°You said this one came from the Valdyrstal clan, did you not? And she has the right heritage.¡±

    ¡°Talbot pulled out a piece of crusted paper out of his pocket. ¡°Yes, I have it on good faith from her uncle that she¡¯s Bearen¡¯s daughter.¡±

    Cirrus touched his chin in thought, his eyes alight. ¡°She is showing progress with the treatments, getting stronger, not weaker like the others. So it looks like we found a Siren. If that¡¯s the case, we should stop with the treatments and use her for harvesting to make the portensi serum. You want your army, Lily. I will give you an army,¡± Cirrus crooned and gently rubbed the cheek of Queen Lilyana. ¡°Then we will control the Denai and wipe out Sinnendor and all of that feral bloodline for good.¡±

    ¡°You, my dear Cirrus, will make a fine King of Silandry when we are through,¡± she laughed.

    He continued with the caress and gently followed it with a kiss. ¡°Silandry? I thought we had agreed on Calendor,¡± he teased.

    ¡°Either one is fine with me, as long as we rule it together.¡±

    Talbot moved aside and bowed respectfully as Cirrus and Queen Lilyana passed and went up the underground passage to leave. Talbot sat at a table continuing to write notes in a book, when time began to fast forward. In my vision, I saw Xiven hours later knock on the door and enter. He looked tired and worn out, but excited.

 Page 59

    ¡°Talbot. You will be happy to see that I think I¡¯ve figured out this last translation in the Horden journals. It¡¯s something about finding the balance between light and dark, good and evil. I think this is what Lord Horden was talking about when he was able to create a Denai unlike any other.¡± Xiven pulled out a large book and laid it open on the desk, pointing to the scribbles here and there. ¡°So you see, I think there may be another way to save the Denai from going extinct. It talks of breeding the two races. I don¡¯t think it means what we are trying to do. I think it is just a natural occurrence that can be fixed with simple intermarriage¡­Talbot?¡±

    Talbot ignored Xiven and kept working. ¡°Yes, yes. Fine, fine. Leave the notes and go back and keep Mona company. We are off tomorrow to find Raven some stronger Denai.¡±

    ¡°But don¡¯t you see? If the two races combined naturally, then they would grow stronger. We wouldn¡¯t have to force a change on them metaphysically.¡±

    Talbot jumped up from the table and swung his short beefy hand at Xiven, boxing him in the ear. ¡°Listen to your master, you pinheaded weasel, or you¡¯ll end up one day on the table across from the girl, being drained of your powers. You¡¯re tasked with translating. That is it! Tell Mona we need to find another Denai and I¡¯ll be up shortly. I want to check on the girl before I leave.¡±

    Xiven grabbed his head where he¡¯d been boxed, his face beet red in embarrassment. But he turned stiffly and eyed the door that separated the machine from his current room. ¡°Do you think that I could see¡ª?¡±

    Talbot jumped up from his chair and lunged toward Xiven, who backed out of the door and scrambled up the hidden passageway to the exit. Talbot left his notes and journals on the table. He looked around to make sure no one was watching before he picked up the queen¡¯s silver mask, attached it to his portly face, and then entered the room where I still lay passed out on the machine.

    He walked over to the table and loomed over me.

    I was once again barely conscious on the table in the laboratory. But my dream self could see and hear everything. Talbot walked behind me and mumbled something incoherent. It looked like someone was sleeping in a small metal chair to the right of me.

    Talbot let out a few choice words when he noticed she wasn¡¯t moving. He leaned out in the hall and yelled for Scar Lip, who came walking in wearing his leather butcher¡¯s apron. ¡°Scar Lip, we¡¯ve got one still drugged and another that didn¡¯t make it, but at least her gifts won¡¯t go unused.¡±

    ¡°Oh, and one more thing. Since the Valdyrstal girl is still unconscious, see if you can get the others to bring that young man in again for another donation to our main girl here. He¡¯s a fighter that one. I¡¯m sure he is gifted somehow, if only I can pinpoint his family line and gifts. What the others won¡¯t know won¡¯t hurt anyone.¡±

    Scar lip went over and gently picked up the dead girl and began to take her out. Her head flopped back and I could see her face clearly. My nightmare continued because I recognized her. I was confused. It didn¡¯t make sense. I couldn¡¯t have been there that night. I would have remembered if Scar Lip came back for me. Wouldn¡¯t I?

    I must not have, because Scar Lip carried Cammie, my former cell mate, away from me, out of the room. Ten minutes later, he returned and with more Septori and a drugged Kael. Hours later they deposited us both back to our cells. I was laid unconscious, back on the cell floor, and Scar Lip locked the door.

    Half a day later, I awoke to a tin plate being shoved under my door through a flap and demanded to know where Cammie was.

    Chapter 33

    ¡°Gah!¡± I screamed and opened my eyes. My heart beat incredibly fast, but my body felt alive and on fire. Sevril stood back from me and looked at me warily through the bars.

    ¡°Thalia?¡± he asked carefully.

    ¡°Yes?¡± I licked my lips, which felt swollen and cracked.

    ¡°Are you okay?¡±

    ¡°No. Yes! I¡¯m sore but I feel alive. I¡¯m alive right?¡±

    Sevril¡¯s eyes were red and swollen from crying, but he nodded yes. He began to pull out the needles carefully and cover each of the large red wounds with a bandage. When he was done, he lifted up the metal bands and helped me out of the machine. His gaze kept shifting to my hair and then looking back to my face.

    ¡°What is it?¡±

    ¡°It¡¯s turned white. Your hair I mean. Completely white.¡±

    I groaned but pushed my vanity aside. My feet gingerly touched the ground and I asked him about Xiven. Sevril refused to make eye contact with me and I had to ask again.

    ¡°Where¡¯s Xiven?¡± I demanded.

    Prince Sevril¡¯s eyes filled with tears again, but he took a deep breath and answered. ¡°It was his choice from the beginning. It was his way to make amends. You mustn¡¯t blame him or me. If I had a choice I would have been the one to make the ultimate sacrifice, but I wasn¡¯t the right type. You needed a Denai.¡±

    My voice started to crack and rise in alarm. ¡°Sevril, what did you do?¡±

    ¡°I didn¡¯t do anything,¡± he whispered. ¡°You did. You needed a Denai to balance the Siren. You are now fully both. He knew the risks; he knew that you would need every ounce after being turned to Siren. It¡¯s okay. He understood.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t turn around. Every fiber of my being said Don¡¯t look. Don¡¯t look. But I had too. I had to see if it was the same as my dream.

    I did look. Just like my dream, Xiven was on the small cot next to me. The extra tubes from my arm connected to him. When the Siren side had been about to overtake me, he sacrificed his gifts. The love and peace natural to a Denai helped balance the anger and fury of a Siren. He was the ice to my fire.

    Fresh tears poured anew down my face and my eyes burned like sandpaper. Xiven lay curled up on his side, his head nestled on his free hand, while the other was on his hip. He rested peacefully as if he were asleep. But I knew better. Power was a balance. To try and be a donor to me was too much for him. It drained him. Xiven could have chosen to stop at any time, but he pushed through. He fought until he knew I had made the transformation.

    ¡°Xiven¡­not you.¡± I sniffed. The emotions I felt were so raw, so powerful. And the vivid image of Talbot beating Xiven made me furious. He was as much a victim as me in the whole twisted plan.

    But he had found redemption.

    ¡°I will not forget you.¡± I stood up and my wiped my tears on my arms. Sevril came forward and watched me, a question in his eyes. No words can express the sorrow we felt, and when he opened his arms, I didn¡¯t hesitate. I leaned over for a hug and cried my heart out. Sevril cried as well, and we took comfort in each other¡¯s pain.

    A loud crash startled us, and we looked up in terror. They had found the hidden door. The enemy was coming for us.

    ¡°Thalia, how¡­are you¡­can you?¡± Sevril took a few hesitant steps back and watched me expectantly.

    My head hurt. It was hard to concentrate. My body ached all over and I just wanted to close my eyes and sleep. I was weak, like a newborn child. I was in no condition to save anyone. I tried to step forward to meet him but I couldn¡¯t. I crashed into the wooden table bruising my hip.

    ¡°Oh no! We have to get you out of here until you have time to recover,¡± Sevril grabbed for my arm and pulled it around his shoulders. Footsteps sounded on the stairs, so much closer than before. He hurried and dragged me across the room toward another smaller door hidden in the floor under a rug. I stood propped against the wall while Sevril struggled, pulling on the ring in the stone block.

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    There was yelling and screaming. I looked up in alarm as Tomac ran down the stairs into the room. He was bleeding from numerous wounds and had a murderous look in his eye. I cringed. I was not expecting to be cut down by the prince¡¯s own brother.

    Tomac began to babble nonsense. ¡°Death, death. No one can outrun death. And destiny does not play favorites.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t tear my gaze away from the sword that Tomac held in his hand. The tip was covered in blood, and I couldn¡¯t help but wonder whose blood it was.

    A black form slid silently out of the shadowed stairwell and flew into the room. The pain in my mind was so intense, I cried out, but I was overjoyed, because I knew who it was¡ªKael.

    Kael entered like hurricane, a sword in one hand and a smaller knife in the other, spinning and dancing. His face was a mask of unreadable expressions as he gave Tomac a wide berth. Even with the distance between them, his eyes never left Tomac. He stalked his prey, looking for an opening in which to try and kill him.

    I couldn¡¯t drag my gaze from him¡ªhis tall muscled form, the dark hair that fell slightly into his face obscuring his vision. His eyes were an intense, stormy blue that changed to a darker color when he was angry, like now. His chin wasn¡¯t smooth but showed a few days worth of growth, and his skin had a sallow tint to it. His expression was fierce. Quite a few rips and tears marred his shirt and blood dripped down, almost indiscernible among the black fabric.

    I waited for him to look at me, to catch my gaze. But he was intent on trying to get Tomac away from us. He feinted, trying to get Tomac to attack him, but Tomac stood firm. Tomac stood rooted in front of us, leaving us his back and refusing to rise to Kael¡¯s baiting.

    Stone scraped against stone as Sevril slid the door over to the side. I heard the rushing of water and couldn¡¯t help but look down into the dark hole. The thunderous sound grew louder and my heart froze. Sevril put his arms under my armpits and scooted me toward the door.

    ¡°No!¡± I squealed and tried to kick.

    But he kept pulling.

    Kael¡¯s head snapped to me and I called out his name. He darted to the right around Tomac. A second later, his hand went into his vest and a knife sliced through the air at me.

    Sevril yelled and yanked me to the left. The knife clattered on the floor, just beyond the spot where I had stood.

    ¡°Kael?¡± I asked in confusion. That¡¯s when I caught his dead expression. His head bent at an odd angle and I whimpered in realization. I looked carefully and could make out the dark purple thread controlling him.

    That wasn¡¯t Kael.

    And I couldn¡¯t believe Tomac was protecting us from him. Tomac, who now babbled even louder, saw the intent of Kael¡¯s throw and screamed in fury. He lashed out right and left with his sword, attacking the SwordBrother and sending him on the defensive.

    Kael was backed into a corner. For all of his intense battle skills, there was no training against a mad man that follows no pattern.

    Another knife appeared between Kael¡¯s fingers. Seconds later, Tomac grunted and slid to one knee, the knife buried in his shoulder. Tomac¡¯s shaking hands reached up and pulled out the knife, grunting as a fresh flow of blood poured forth. He staggered to his knees, gripped his sword in the right, the knife in the left and backed up.

    Once again, Tomac put himself between the SwordBrother and me.

    ¡°Run!¡± Tomac hollered over his shoulder at us. ¡°For all that is holy, run.¡±

    I couldn¡¯t look away as Tomac engaged Kael again, in an effort to help our escape. Never would I have imagined that I would see Tomac sane, nor that he would become my ally and Kael my enemy. It must¡¯ve been the fighting and deadly battle that cleared his Siren mind. For once, he was being useful.

    Sevril pulled me back toward the hole, my feet now dangling in front of me into the darkness. ¡°It¡¯s an underground aqueduct. It leads out of the castle and into the river. It is the only way out.¡±

    ¡°I can help. I can fight.¡± I tried to get up but fell again.

    ¡°No, our only chance is for you to escape, to heal, and to return and save us,¡± he argued.

    I could tell from the way he kept looking over his shoulder that he wasn¡¯t going to come with me. He was only partially paying attention to me. The rest of his focus was on Tomac¡¯s struggle to protect us.

    ¡°Come with me?¡± I begged.

    He shook his head. ¡°Tomac was right. Our destiny has come, our time is now. This is our home to protect, not yours. It¡¯s not your time yet. You¡¯ll know when it is. Our kind know when our end has come.¡±

    He was saying goodbye.

    ¡°He¡¯s a SwordBrother, and he won¡¯t stop,¡± I whispered, glancing over to Kael. He winced as Tomac¡¯s knife found purchase and stabbed him deep in the side. Kael growled out in pain but continued to fight, backing Tomac toward the wall. ¡°I love him, and he¡¯s bound to me so he can¡¯t be killed.¡±

    Sevril bit his lip and his eyes crinkled in worry. ¡°Well, that doesn¡¯t look like it¡¯s going to stop him.¡± He quit arguing with me and pushed me into the hole.

    I fell forward and screamed. My fingers grabbed the edge as I dangled in the darkness. ¡°No, pull me up. Let me help. I can fight him,¡± I cried out, my voice echoing around me. The rushing water sounded from far below.

    ¡°You can¡¯t take him like this.¡± Sevril turned back and his face paled. I couldn¡¯t see, but I heard a curdling cry of pain and I knew that Tomac had lost. ¡°Go!¡± Sevril demanded. He kicked at my hands and I lost my grip. I screamed, fingers burning, as I fell into the dark abyss.

    I landed with a splash and was surrounded by cold darkness. I kicked in the direction that I thought was up, but it was hard to tell. All I knew was cold, dark, and stinging pain all over my body.

    An eternity later, I surfaced with a gasp, as lovely air filled my lungs. I tried to fight the current and swim back to where I could see the light from overhead, but I was tired and sore. I hardly had enough strength to keep me afloat.

    I looked up toward the light just as it began to disappear.

    Sevril closed up the hole and I was swept away with the water.

    Chapter 34

    I awoke choking and coughing. Light blinded my eyes and my stomach started to spasm. I rolled over as water expelled itself from my lungs. My body heaved until there was nothing left to purge. I settled onto my back and stared at the stars overhead, each twinkling brighter than the next¡ªso large in the sky they looked like they were only feet away.

    My hand reached forth and I tried to catch one, but it danced away. I watched as my burning stars morphed into reality¡ªlightning bugs. I couldn¡¯t move but continued to lie there on the river bank in a small inlet away from the rushing river. My very breath, each and every one, felt like a glorious miracle. And I savored them¡ªbecause I was alive.

    When the coldness wore off and feeling returned to each of my toes, I pulled myself into a sitting position, then a kneeling one. Minutes later I stood and stared at my reflection in the water from the moon lit sky.

    I was unrecognizable. My eyes were still silver, but my hair had lost its luscious darkness and was now a silvery white which only made my complexion seem paler. My skin no longer had the spattering of a few freckles. It seemed to glimmer and glow with power.

    Which I hoped would wear off.

    My hands seemed to be constantly buzzing. I reached forward and touched the water. Without any effort at all¡ªwith only the thought of cold¡ªthe water crackled and froze into a solid sheet of ice. My body hummed in response, eager and pleased with itself. Curious as to what else I could do, I reached toward a small plant and touched it. I was able to make it grow three feet in a few seconds. With a change in thought, I made the plant wither and die, crumbling to the ground. I now had both extremes of the gifts, healing and death. The power was both intoxicating and infuriating. I wanted to scream out my frustration to the only person listening¡ªthe woman in the moon, but I knew she probably wouldn¡¯t hear my pleas. This was too much power for one girl, and it scared me.

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    Surrounded by tall trees and dense thickets, I found it impossible to know where to go other than to follow the large orange glow in the sky, which had to be Sinnendor¡¯s castle. One of my boots was gone, lost in the aqueduct. I quickly unlaced and rid myself of the other so I could run toward the castle.

    And toward the enemy.

    I was quickly out of breath and out of energy, but I continued on and tried not to think of everyone I was losing. I tried not to think of Joss and Kael. The only way to save both of them was to kill Cirrus and Queen Lilyana. They were my mark, they were my focus.

    I almost walked right into the enemy camp before I heard or saw anyone. I ducked behind a bush as a small patrol of guards wearing the emblem of the Septori walked past me. I was right at the edge.

    I was close to Raven.

    Silently, I crept forward until I saw an outcropping of tents. It appeared that after the battle had begun, the Raven retired to her quarters to rest. It must¡¯ve been grueling work controlling an army of Denai. It was easy to spot the largest of the tents¡ªthe one that was heavily guarded. Patiently, I waited and watched as someone moved past a lantern inside, a sign that it was indeed occupied.

    Reaching down to the ground, I focused my power and sent a bolt of fire directly from the tips of my fingers across the dry and brittle grass to envelope the edges of the tent in flames. Within seconds, the red fabric caught and smoke billowed upward. Cursing and yelling came from within, and Cirrus rushed out followed by Queen Lilyana. Adept Cirrus didn¡¯t waste any time as he quickly smothered the fire by creating a large bubble around it and removing all of the oxygen.

    My hand went to my throat and I could imagine that same feeling wrapped around my throat. Cirrus had been the Denai in the wagon, the one who attacked me. Queen Lilyana looked around the camp nervously. More of the Septori rushed to their aid, and everyone began to search the camp for an intruder. I didn¡¯t try to hide my presence anymore. Besides, it only took Cirrus a few more seconds to follow the burned trail of grass to me.

    I walked into the middle of camp and head held high, my hands glowing with power.

    Cirrus was awestruck by my presence and blinked a few times against the darkness. Then he recognized me.

    ¡°See Lily. She came back.¡± He flashed her a charming smile and held his hands wide open to me in a welcoming gesture. ¡°Our creation came back.¡±

    ¡°I¡¯m not your creation.¡± I seethed, feeling the fury begin to take over. I walked closer to them, into the ring of light created by the torches. So he could see what I¡¯d truly become.

    ¡°She¡¯s beautiful,¡± Lilyana gasped. ¡°She¡¯s become far more than we ever dreamed. Power and beauty. The Denai will be stronger than ever before. Come Thalia, and we can take it all away. I can make you human.¡± She beckoned me toward her.

    ¡°I have not come to give you anything. You¡¯ve taken enough from me. I¡¯ve come to make you stop.¡±

    Queen Lilyana¡¯s pretty brows furrowed, creating a pinched and ugly look. ¡°You said, if given the choice, you would give it all up just to be normal. I can make that happen.¡± She held her petite hand out to me, inviting me to take it. Cirrus stood off to the side, his hands clasped in front of him. He nodded his head in encouragement.

    ¡°That was before I knew who you really were. Do the rest of the adepts know that you¡¯ve been lying to them? Does Calandry know that you are behind all of the missing Denai? And what do you think they will do when they find out?¡±

    Her face registered a moment of shock, and I knew that the other adepts couldn¡¯t know. Then her face took on a haughty expression. ¡°They won¡¯t find out, you idiot child. Because I¡¯m their queen. All Calandry wants is peace. All the Denai wanted was peace, but they were dying out. They weren¡¯t interested in war. I did what I had to do. The answer to their curse lay within the blood of their enemies. I¡¯m doing them a favor. Ridding Calandry of their hated neighbors and providing the cure for the dying out breed. They will grow in power and be safe, and we will be twice as rich and powerful, because I will peacefully rule both countries.¡±

    ¡°You dare call that peaceful!¡± I yelled, pointing to Sinnendor¡¯s castle up in flames. My heart raced powerfully fast as I tried to not think about my father, about Siobhan, Joss, Kael, and all of the innocent lives that were at risk¡ªor already lost. ¡°You call using mind control and drugs to force them to fight for you peaceful? They are people with their own free will.¡± I took another step toward the young queen. Her hands were hidden within the fold of her red dress, her face expressionless.

    ¡°No, I call them a necessary expense.¡± Her lip rose in a smile of disdain.

    ¡°No lives are ever expendable.¡± I roared and felt power begin gather as my fury rose. ¡°I¡¯ll have you know¡ª¡±

    Snarling erupted behind me, and I turned to see a pack of hybrid dogs, with blood-red eyes. Cirrus made a single motion and the pack raced to attack me.

    This time, I knew what to expect as five furious canines barreled down on me. Without even a glance, I flung out my hand and sent them spiraling into the air and crashing back through the underbrush. Yelps of fear littered the darkened forest, though I could hear some of them gathering for another attack.

    Cirrus attacked me head on¡ªa blast to the chest and I flew back into a tree. My head exploded in pain as it slammed into the trunk. Every Denai trait was mine to command¡ªearth, air, water, and fire¡ªas well as the Sirens¡¯ gift of death and destruction. If only my will were strong enough to wield them.

    I got up and lashed out at Cirrus with a bolt of ice. He blocked it before it touched him. I was at a slight disadvantage, because I didn¡¯t know what I was doing, but he did. It became difficult to breathe again as Cirrus wrapped a thread of power around my throat. I fought against it and fell to my knees. I tried to reach for him, tried to stop him, when I heard another growl to my right. Out of the corner of my eye I could see the huge rabid dog growling and preparing to attack.

    He barked twice, flexed his muscles, and lunged for my face.

    Chapter 35

    I closed my eyes, expecting teeth to rip through my throat.

    Instead, something darted in front of me impacting the dog and knocking him down. I opened my eyes to see a large grey wolf in front of me, biting, clawing, and going for the dog¡¯s jugular. I felt a touch of worry in my mind and knew it was my wolf. He¡¯d come back when I needed him most.

    My lungs still burned, and I fought against the lack of oxygen, trying to gasp for air. But with every breath it seemed to squeeze tighter. Cirrus sent another wave, this time encasing me in a ball of fire. Heat engulfed me, flames flickered against my skin, barely touching me.

    But when they did pain followed. He was toying with me.

    ¡°You see, I¡¯m the teacher,¡± Cirrus taunted. ¡°You¡¯re still the student.¡± The ground shook, and I felt myself running as the ground began to collapse below me. I wished for a bow and arrow, for its familiarity. These new powers were still foreign to me. I saw a large stick on the ground and thought of it flying through the air. It did¡ªand sliced Cirrus across the cheek.

    The pressure around my throat released and I could breathe again. But only until he attacked me again. I dodged another large fireball, which grazed my leg and instantly blistered my bare foot. I flicked my wrist and wrapped it with a bandage of frost. The coolness cancelled out the pain.

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    His next attack throttled toward me, but I froze the fireball midair and directed it back at him. Cirrus¡¯s eyes widened and he dove to the side as the giant ice snowball crashed into the tree, shattering behind him. It took him a moment to crawl back up.

    I continued my assault, focusing on the tree next to him.

    It grew rapidly, and branches wrapped around him, imprisoning him in vines. Cirrus grunted and the branches began to whither and burn. When they fell from him in ashes, he gave me an impressed nod.

    I just smirked.

    A realization struck me. To my knowledge, Cirrus hadn¡¯t had this many Denai gifts. He must¡¯ve been helping himself to a few of the injections. He was now stronger than a Master Denai. And he was fighting without showing any signs of tiring.

    But then I saw them¡ªthe threads of power flowing through the camp to the battlefield. I could see them all tied to Cirrus. Which meant that if he was fighting me, there was a good chance that he wasn¡¯t controlling Joss and the others. I had to save them.

    Cirrus closed his eyes, and large ice crystals formed above him. Seconds later, they spun at me.

    I flung up a wall of power and they crashed into it and shattered, littering the ground with flecks of snow. I started to feel myself weakening already. I was draining myself after I had gone through an intense life-altering change. Even though I hated myself for doing it, I reached out to the nearest people and started take their energy to resupply my own.

    My breathing slowed and I stood straighter. I crossed my arms and flung them out with blasts of fiery darts, but I soon felt myself drained again. I reached farther, took more from more people. More Septori. I could actually feel them start to collapse to the ground as I took everything they had to offer.

    You shouldn¡¯t take from them. Wolf nudged my mind. I could see that he was still circling the edge of the clearing, keeping the attack dogs at bay.

    They are not innocent!

    They are all innocent in the eyes of the one who loves them.

    They hurt me! I tried to justify myself. They hurt my family.

    Ja, so did Sinnendor. You forgave them so easily. Why not show these people mercy?

    Who are you to talk about forgiveness? You have not walked in my shoes. Only I can choose to forgive someone.

    It¡¯s not your forgiveness they need. It¡¯s your mercy. Wolf spoke firmly. You mustn¡¯t take from others, if you¡¯re not willing to give yourself.

    My determination wavered and I faltered in my next attack. I made the ground shake beneath my feet and made large cracks appear. I aimed them not at Cirrus but at Lilyana. Cirrus rushed forward and pushed her out of the way just as a giant hole appeared where she had just vacated.

    He studied me. ¡°Oh, I see what you¡¯re doing, but it won¡¯t help you for long.¡± He started to laugh and it sent a chill to my core. I could see his thread of power follow and search and connect with every single Septori I had been draining. A moment later, I heard simultaneous gasps of pain, and power rushed back at me in a painful whiplash. There was a supernatural disturbance as if a rushing wind had passed through and sucked out all the life.

    Cirrus had just dealt a hand of death to all of them.

    Lilyana watched as one after the Septori running around the camp fell over dead. ¡°What are you doing?¡± she screamed at him.

    ¡°She was using our own army against us, draining them to fuel her powers. Now there¡¯s none for her to drain her in camp. She¡¯ll have to take a chance on them.¡± He pointed down the hill to the castle. ¡°There¡¯s no way she can distinguish between the armies. She could be hurting her own friends if she tried.¡±

    He was right. I tried to go after and drain Cirrus and the queen but they were shielded against me.

    Unless I could touch him. He wouldn¡¯t be able to shield from me if I touched him.

    I gathered everything that I could to me¡ªevery remaining dreg of strength within me¡ªand marched toward Adept Cirrus. He sent bolt after bolt of fire, wind, earth. Attack after attack.

    I threw everything I had into deflecting, but some of them got through and scorched me, bruised me, and injured me.

    It was a losing battle, until I realized that I couldn¡¯t lose. I couldn¡¯t afford to lose.

    I stopped fighting against my fear of pain and started focusing on the pain. I could deal with pain¡ªI¡¯d been a born Siren. Sirens relished pain. Instead of fighting it, I welcomed it. Used the pain and fear to bring forth my other gift. Ignoring the blackening vision, I marched forward and watched as Cirrus backed away from me in fear. Power raced up and down my arms. Visible waves of dark power rolled along me.

    Cirrus was scared.

    Every painful step closer to him I came, the wider my smile grew.

    He tripped over a root sticking out of the ground.

    ¡°No, no, it can¡¯t be. You should be dead by now.¡±

    It hurt and I knew that I would blackout soon, but the raspy words fell from my lips and I knew he heard them because he paled. ¡°I¡¯m not afraid of death, not when I know the timing of my own death, for I control death.¡± My finger touched Cirrus through his shirt straight to his hateful black heart.

    I commanded it to stop beating and watched sadly as he shouted, clutched his chest, and died.

    Lilyana screamed in dismay and ran to him. She cradled his body, appearing pitiful. Her hair had come loose, tears streaked down her face, and her dress was ruined from the mud. It was obvious that without Cirrus, she was nothing more than a beautiful, broken doll.

    I turned from her and walked through the camp to see it littered with the dead bodies of the Septori. Dead not by my own hand but by the will of Adept Cirrus.

    I should have felt relieved, avenged. Instead I felt hollow. The more I walked, the number I felt, even when I passed the bodies of Talbot and Mona lying near each other in the grass. They both looked peaceful. I saw the small book that poked out of his vest, and I reached down and pulled out the Horden journal.

    I tucked it inside my dress.

    It was a death march. My footsteps silent as whispers, I made it to the edge and gazed across the field to the castle. More bodies lay strewn across the ground. Young and old, some of the queen¡¯s own army and her Septori, the others Elite and Tieren¡¯s army. I kept walking through the field, my body quivering and shaking with emotion and exhaustion. From where I stood in the middle of the field, I could still see the battle raging on within the castle walls. A few Denai that were close to me fell to the ground. I assumed that without Cirrus¡¯s control they had little power left of their own. But I hoped with their freedom, they were only dazed. Not dead.

    But the large Septori army still fought. Why shouldn¡¯t they? They had already breached the castle walls. There was no way I could attack them all without harming everyone.

    The ground shook and I heard the sound of hundreds of horses behind me. I turned in fear, thinking I was about to be run down by a second wave of Septori. Except they weren¡¯t wearing red. The army that came charging down the hill was actually two separate armies, side by side.

    I couldn¡¯t help but smile and cry as the hill was covered with a hundred SwordBrothers riding into battle. Beside them, a much smaller army of Denai. The SwordBrothers rode right past me and dashed into the castle. Within minutes, I could hear the tide of battle change. People started yelling, not in pain, but in excitement.

    They were cheering.

    It didn¡¯t take much to pick out the large dark form of Pax Baton and Lorna Windmere¡¯s short-cropped hair leading the throng onto the remains of the battlefield. Behind them I saw Adept Kambel trotting admirably on a donkey. Breah followed close behind him and kept yelling at Kambel that he was going to fall off and kill himself before he even did any good.

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    The Denai didn¡¯t attack or join in the battle like the SwordBrothers, but were sent out into the field by Pax and Lorna to for the survivors. Breah was the first to stop beside a young man with a head wound, and she pulled off her cloak and gloves and began to heal him. Never once did she make a snarky comment as she tended this man of Sinnendor. Her enemy.

    Lorna came over to me and looked at my tear-stained face. Her eyes filled up with tears as well, and she nodded her head. ¡°I know child. I know,¡± she intoned in a motherly voice.

    ¡°Well, why didn¡¯t you do anything? Why didn¡¯t you stop them?¡± I cried out, feeling useless.

    ¡°We found out too late. It was when your father¡¯s messengers came to the Citadel that we started to piece everything together. We searched Adept Cirrus¡¯s rooms and found all the evidence we needed: detailed plans, maps, routes of all of the hidden laboratories. As well as letters from the queen. All of them signed with a raven in the corner.¡±

    ¡°We gathered everyone that was willing to come,¡± Pax Baton spoke, his deep voice rumbling in his chest. ¡°And we happened to meet up with the SwordBrothers. It seems they were on their way here, and we explained what the dreadful turn of events.¡±

    ¡°Adept Cirrus. Is he¡­?¡± Lorna drifted off, unable to ask.

    ¡°Dead,¡± I answered.

    ¡°Where¡¯s the queen?¡±

    I shrugged my shoulders and pointed back to camp. She hadn¡¯t seemed that powerful or important, since it looked like as if Cirrus was the one truly controlling everything.

    ¡°Is it over?¡± Kambel urged his donkey toward us. He had tied his long beard into little braids, which were wrapped around his head and tied. I supposed it was to keep them from impeding his hands, but it certainly was strange. I couldn¡¯t help but stare at the beard.

    ¡°I told him to just cut the thing off but he insisted I braid it.¡± Breah huffed and put her fists on her hips.

    ¡°I told you, Breah, that a man¡¯s beard is his dignity. It signifies age, experience wisdom.¡± Kambel slid off his donkey.

    ¡°You speak of dignity and wisdom when you look like a furry rabbit?¡± Breah called over her shoulder as she moved on to another injured soldier.

    Lorna called out to stop the argument. ¡°Hush you two. We have plenty of work to do. There are more injured. Get to it. Argue later.¡±

    As the adepts went to work on the injured, I scoured the field, studying the faces of the dead, looking for any signs of Joss.

    On and on. I searched the deformed hill where Joss had fought Syrani. A few times, I saw the hem of a shirt that looked like Joss¡¯s and started to dig through the dirt. Each time to find nothing but a nameless face.

    More SwordBrothers raced past me into the castle and I scanned each of their faces, looking for Kael¡¯s. Not once did I see his stormy blue eyes.

    Hours I spent, searching the battle grounds for them. For any signs of Kael, Joss, and my father, but I only found death and more death. It was becoming too much, too overwhelming.

    Especially when I began to recognize more and more of the dead. Soon they were no longer nameless. I stumbled across Gideon¡¯s and Tieren¡¯s remains. My stomach tightened in a spasm, about to retch at the look of their glazed sightless eyes.

    But it was Eviir¡¯s lifeless body sprawled protectively across that of a young Sinnendorian child that really ripped the blindfold off.

    I felt it. All the pain. And I began to mourn silently.

    Bit by bit, with the help of the adepts and others, order began to restore itself around me. I knew peace would eventually ensue, but I couldn¡¯t bring myself to go to the castle. I wasn¡¯t ready to confront anymore familiar faces.

    I needed solitude. I had something that needed to be done.

    Wandering back toward the camp, passing the burned tent of the Raven, I headed toward the river. When I got to a secluded spot, I pulled out the journal and flipped through it. I couldn¡¯t read a single word. It was in a language I had never seen or heard of. The script looped and swirled and then ended in sharp angles. It wasn¡¯t going to do anyone any good, but then I remembered Xiven. He¡¯d been able to translate it for Talbot. Cirrus had his own notes, and even Xiven had started making his own additions and performing his own experiments.

    Even if I destroyed this copy of the Horden journal, there were other copies out there.

    Still, it felt good to destroy the item that had ruined my life. I laid the journal on the ground, placed my hand over it, and sent it up in smoke, burning so hot and fast there were hardly any ashes left. After all of the death and battle, this was the one moment I felt a bit of vindication.

    ¡°Get up slowly,¡± his deep voice whispered into my ear. Instantly, my pulse raced and I felt my knees go weak. I turned to gaze up at him and he was dripping wet. Had he jumped into the aqueduct after me?

    I wanted to throw my arms around him, hug him, kiss him, and tell him I would never ever leave him or send him on a mission again.

    But I couldn¡¯t, because he had a very large knife pressed against my throat.

    My mind reeled. How could it be? I killed Cirrus¡ªKael should be free. I carefully used my hands and pushed myself off of the ground, standing up to face him.

    That¡¯s when I saw her, and my body recoiled in hate and fury. She was once again standing feet away from me, wearing a red dress instead of the robe, her hair spilling out of her regal bun. Of course, she wore the silver hook-nosed mask upon her face. It seemed that she needed the mask to help her become the Raven, that she couldn¡¯t quite separate herself from Lilyana without it.

    But what made my heart rise to my throat was the prisoner tied up and on his knees in front of her. Joss¡¯s eyes were clear as day, and his face was red with anger. The Raven pressed the knife to his throat.

    We were at an impasse.

    When Joss saw me he called out my name.

    ¡°Joss, don¡¯t move,¡± I answered back.

    Physically, I was drained, and I couldn¡¯t reach into the castle for power without endangering my friends and father. But I needed strength. I was furious at myself for foolishing turning my back on the queen, and that anger made me reach farther than I¡¯d ever reached before. Instead of inward, or stealing from others, I reached down. Into the earth, into its very core, searching for magic. Gideon had said it was abundant in Calandry, but magic didn¡¯t dwell where Sirens where. But he had to be wrong. There was power in everything. I just had to find it.

    Pushing myself farther and faster than I ever did, I kept at it. Searching deeper into the earth. It was dark and cold against my consciousness.

    There! I could feel it. Power. Miles below the earth. Slowly, like a dragon waking from a deep sleep, the power reared its head and moved toward me, almost eagerly. It filled my very being, and I started to shake with the intensity of the power I had touched. It was old¡ªvery old. And it was mine.

    I pulled away from the knife and sent a bolt of lightning straight into the queen¡¯s heart. She fell backwards onto the ground and twitched.

    Once.

    Twice.

    And then she stopped.

    I sighed in relief thinking I had done it. I killed her. But Kael still held the knife. I looked at him quizzically. He should be free. Kael¡¯s eyes filled with pain.

    Something was wrong. He gasped and then pressed the knife closer, deeper into my skin. I felt a slight sting but was afraid to move. Afraid for what was happening to Kael and what this meant.

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    I heard her hysterical laughter before I saw her walk back into my line of sight and cringed. The queen was not dead.

    ¡°Aha! It worked. I didn¡¯t believe him, but it worked. I have my own SwordBrother. I¡¯m invincible.¡± She crowed and grabbed Joss by the top of his head and wrenched it so far back he cried out in pain.

    The knife at my throat pulled away slightly. I looked up into Kael¡¯s eyes and behind the expressionless mask that he always wore. I saw him. I had stared into his eyes enough times to ponder what he was thinking. And I knew, in this moment, he could see me and he was fighting against that which controlled him.

    He didn¡¯t want to hurt me. His eyes were dark storms of fury and pain. I could feel the shadowing anger roll off of him in waves.

    ¡°Are you bonded to her?¡± I whispered, feeling panic consume me. I didn¡¯t know that a SwordBrother could be bonded to more than one person. The bond was backwards if he was. Her life was now connected to his, and since he was near invincible, it was sheer genius on Cirrus¡¯s part.

    He didn¡¯t answer, or he couldn¡¯t.

    ¡°Okay. Blink once for yes, twice for no.¡± I was grasping at straws.

    Kael¡¯s eyes blinked once slowly. The hand holding the knife shook as he held it toward my throat.

    ¡°Does she know about us?¡± I whispered again. He blinked twice slowly.

    ¡°Don¡¯t look at him!¡± Raven screeched, her voice rising in frustration. ¡°Look at me! What are you willing to give me in exchange for the boy¡¯s freedom? I know you care about him.¡± Even though she had the knife pointed at Joss, I couldn¡¯t tear my gaze away from Kael.

    Freedom! What a glorious thought. I would give anything to be free, and that¡¯s what I answered. ¡°Anything.¡±

    ¡°I want Cirrus back! And you can¡¯t give me that. So instead, you¡¯re going to watch Joss die, the way I watched Cirrus. Then I¡¯m going to kill your father, your cousin, and all of your friends. Then my SwordBrother is going to kill you.¡± She beckoned to someone behind her and they were all there.

    One by one, other Septori came before me and shoved my father, Hemi, Siobhan, and Fenri onto the ground in front of me¡ªall of them tied up and badly beaten.

    ¡°No!¡± I felt Kael try and pull back as the knife brushed my throat drawing blood.

    ¡°Yes! I win. I always win. In chess, you know you don¡¯t win until you take out the queen, you stupid girl. You brought this on yourself.¡±

    She paced back and forth among her victims, toying with them. She made a long slice here and there across a forearm, or a little cut across a cheek. Siobhan screamed when the knife came near her arms.

    ¡°Stop it!¡± I yelled. ¡°It¡¯s me you want. Not them. Hurt me. I¡¯m the one who killed Cirrus.¡±

    ¡°But where is the fun in that? I want you to suffer. Maybe what I should do is let them all live and take them with me.¡± She ran her hands along Joss¡¯s face, then my cousin¡¯s. Look I¡¯ve got Denai, Sirens¡­I can build myself a whole new army.¡±

    ¡°No!¡± I shouted. The thought of my father, of Joss, or of any more innocent people being subjected to the torture I had been through was almost my undoing.

    ¡°Then choose. I¡¯ll give you the choice of who dies first. Will it be the pretty Denai? I¡¯ve heard you¡¯re in love with him.¡± She placed her face close to his and he recoiled from the mask. ¡°Will it be your father? Or the girl? I¡¯ll give you to the count to ten, and then I¡¯ll just pick, shall I?¡± She began to walk up and down the line of victims counting off and pointing the knife at each one of them starting with¡­Joss.

    TEN.

    Thalia, Faraway called out to me. Where are you?

    I¡¯m by the river. I answered tears pouring out of my eyes as I watched the Raven move from Joss to Hemi.

    NINE.

    I¡¯m on my way. Hold on.

    You¡¯ll never make it in time. You¡¯ll be too late, I answered.

    Another brush of thought touch my mind. Wolf.

    Wolf? Can you help?

    SEVEN.

    Nay, I cannot give you what you are unwilling to give up yourself. It was the second time he¡¯d said that to me tonight. Then it hit me.

    SIX.

    ¡°Kael,¡± I whispered.

    His eyes opened and met mine. He was crying with frustration, his tears running freely down his cheeks. His hand shook as he tried to pull the knife farther away from me.

    ¡°I love you. I¡¯ve always loved you, and I always will.¡±

    FIVE.

    He seemed to understand by my tone of voice what I was asking of him. He devoured me with his gaze, memorizing me. His eyes locked onto my lips before he let out a small moan.

    FOUR.

    Kael shifted ever so slightly and succeeded in lowering the knife from my throat. It slid it to a spot over my heart. His hands trembled, and I wrapped my hands around his fists, feeling the warmth of him under my touch. I¡¯d missed his touch so much. I needed him. I missed him, and I knew I could no longer live without him.

    THREE.

    Thalia¡­No wait. I¡¯m almost there! Faraway called out.

    TWO.

    Faraway! I love you. You are the best friend I could ever have. I¡¯m sorry I couldn¡¯t wait for you!

    I watched out of the corner of my eye as the Raven stopped in front of my father and lifted the knife high into the air.

    ¡°One.¡± I breathed the word mere milliseconds before the Raven did.

    I grabbed Kael¡¯s hands and flung myself onto the knife, plunging it deep into my heart. Instantly, Kael was released from the spell that held him. He reached out for me just as I fell into his arms. Kael crumpled to the ground, cradling me.

    I briefly heard my father¡¯s cry of grief and Joss screaming my name over the thundering sound of horse hooves. But none of it mattered, except for the beating of Kael¡¯s heart as I lay pressed against his chest. The sound of my own heart was slowly fading away.

    ¡°I love you too,¡± Kael whispered.

    Our heartbeats¡ªmatched in a beautiful, slowing rhythm¡ªstopped.

    Chapter 36

    There was nothing.

    Just a void.

    No sound.

    But then I heard it, very softly. The last sound I remembered before dying.

    Kael¡¯s heartbeat.

    I opened my eyes and I was weighted down, like something heavy was on top of me. My cheek rubbed against something scratchy, and I lifted my head from the offending object. It was Kael¡¯s extra set of knives, but something else had me pinned.

    I didn¡¯t care, though. I was fascinated by the very handsome man lying underneath me at the moment.

    Kael¡¯s eyes were closed, but then they started to flutter.

    And then they opened. He gaze met mine, and before either of us could say anything, Kael pulled me down to meet his lips in passionate kiss that never seemed to end.

    ¡°Thalia.¡± A soft voice called my name, followed by the sound of clearing throats. I looked up and saw Joss staring down at me as I lay there wrapped in Kael¡¯s arms. ¡°I¡¯m so sorry.¡± He turned away from me, and I looked up at my father in confusion.

    Bearen stood above Kael¡¯s head watching us as well, his face pale. He kept grasping his chest. ¡°I feel like I¡¯ve just seen the impossible.¡± He dropped to his knees and reached forward to touch my cheek.

    I tried to move, but I was stuck.

    Kael noticed my discomfort and tried to help me, but we were both pinned to the ground.

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    I shifted my weight and saw that Faraway¡¯s head was actually lying across my back. ¡°Faraway!¡± I called out playfully to him. ¡°Move.¡±

    ¡°Thalia¡­don¡¯t.¡± Alba appeared suddenly and came to stand where I could see her. ¡°You mustn¡¯t be upset. It was time. I told you there would come a time when your Guardian would leave you. I said you would wake up and he would be gone.¡±

    ¡°What do you mean?¡± I demanded.

    ¡°The Guardian has but one purpose. To give up his life so that another may live. Faraway chose you from the beginning. He was drawn to your strength of courage and your selflessness. Even the wolf saw it. And since you took two lives with you when you departed, he offered up his own, so you could bring two back.¡±

    My heart stopped beating and I began to cry out in pain. ¡°No! You lie. He¡¯s just sleeping. He can¡¯t be gone!¡± I pushed away from Kael, turned under the weight of Faraway and wrapped an arm over his still warm neck.

    It couldn¡¯t be. It wasn¡¯t fair.

    But no matter how I tried to call out to him through mindspeech, he wasn¡¯t there.

    Faraway?

    Wolf? Even Wolf refused to answer me.

    Please Faraway, answer me.

    Nothing. I heard nothing but silence.

    Kael wrapped his arms around me as I mourned the loss of a piece of my soul.

    Epilogue

    Five years later.

    ¡°I don¡¯t want to hear about another delegation from the south. We have no need to trade with the country of Azure.¡± I threw my hands up in frustration.

    Lorna tapped the table with her fingers, pointing to an item on the list that I might have missed.

    ¡°Horses. They raise and breed the best purebred horses,¡± Lorna said, taking advantage of my soft spot for horses.

    ¡°Then send Master Joss and Darren out to Azure. Let them meet the delegates first. I am wary of bringing strangers into our land while we are still new and susceptible to other influences.¡±

    Adept Lorna smiled. ¡°That is a great compromise. I think you are learning your duties quite splendidly.¡±

    ¡°Not because I have a choice.¡± I rolled my eyes at her back when she wasn¡¯t looking. She cleared her throat and excused herself, heading out the double doors of the great hall.

    A tall form stepped out of the shadows and came to wrap his arms around my waist. ¡°You knew Azure was known for their horses. I noticed the moment you saw them on the list. You were going to agree to the delegation days ago,¡± Kael nuzzled my neck. Even now, he still wore no color other than black, but it had never bothered me. Even on our bonding day, when we exchanged vows in Sinnendor¡¯s halls five years ago, he wore black.

    That was exactly why I¡¯d commissioned Berry, the royal seamstress, to make Kael¡¯s attire wedding attire both royal and manageable in case of a war.

    I shrugged my shoulders. ¡°Am I that easy to read?¡±

    ¡°Only because you¡¯re my soul mate. I know everything about you.¡± He walked with me over to the large tapestry that now hung from the walls.

    With the help of the Denai, Sinnendor¡¯s castle had been rebuilt. There were more windows, more oil paintings, and more candles lit throughout the whole castle. It looked alive¡ªproperly lived in¡ªagain.

    With the death of the King of Sinnendor, the title had fallen to Sevril, who¡¯d barely survived his encounter with Kael. Kael had told me once that every time saw Prince Sevril, he was reminded of the terrible sacrifice Tomac had made¡ªbecause of him.

    Tomac¡¯s one true act of brotherly love.

    Still, when the war was over, Sevril abdicated the throne even though he had become completely human.

    Bearen Valdyrstal was a natural leader, and the people of Sinnendor gravitated to my father. But Bearen also refused.

    Which meant I was next in line.

    Sevril had since spent all of his days locked in his rooms, reading and studying. I noticed once that he keeps a single jar beside his desk. No one else but the two of us would recognize it for what it is. It¡¯s filled with blue liquid that shimmers slightly. It is the last of his gifts, the only one that wasn¡¯t donated to me.

    Even though it made me uncomfortable to see it, I couldn¡¯t bear to make him part with it. Not after the sacrifice that he and Xiven made to help me. I¡¯d never once seen him lose his temper, even though Darren and Joss often tried to goad him. Sevril had truly become my voice of reason in all things, a great advisor and a trusted friend.

    I reached out and touched the tapestry, smiling at the feel of Kael¡¯s hand on my back.

    Once, I¡¯d been worried about leading a clan, but now I was leading a country¡ªor countries. We¡¯d permanently opened up the borders between Sinnendor and Calandry. Many Sirens and Denai had found new homes, settling in both lands. In fact since the queen¡¯s death, Kael and I had been traveling back and forth between the two nations, governing them. Although Calandry was doing fine with the clans governing them, they still wanted a queen. That was the Adept Council¡¯s doing. My white hair and silver eyes were proof of hope in the union of the two races.

    I¡¯d more or less become the mascot for the future and was stuck with it.

    At least until the next heir to the throne was old enough to start demanding her own pony.

    The door burst open and a little girl with raven black hair, silver eyes, and an impish smile ran in. She headed right for Kael and wrapped herself around his leg.

    ¡°Ooh, help me, Daddy! Save me!¡± she cried out in mock terror.

    A small red-haired boy entered the room, growling at her. ¡°Roar! I¡¯m a lion,¡± he said as he held up his chubby little hands and pretended to extend claws. ¡°And I¡¯m going to eat you!¡±

    The little girl squealed in mock fright, but was interrupted by the boy¡¯s mother who came running in after him.

    ¡°Fenrier, what did I tell you about scaring the princess?¡±

    ¡°Sorry, Momma,¡± the child said, but not before sticking his tongue out at Princess Lisanne.

    ¡°Sorry for the interruption, Thalia. I was watching them, but then they took off. I¡¯m a little slow these days.¡± Syrani chuckled and gently patted her rounding belly. Fenri is hoping for a calm little girl to add to our brood. But secretly, I want another boy.¡± Motherhood made Syrani glow.

    Gone was the spiteful, spoiled girl. She¡¯d been replaced by a completely different woman. Everyone was watching Fenri and Syrani¡¯s children carefully, because they were in fact¡ªas Xiven had predicted¡ªthe combination of both Siren and Denai heritage. Already Fenrier was more powerful than some of the older Denai. It would be interesting to see what the future held for the next few generations.

    Kael swung Lisanne into the air before depositing her on his shoulders.

    She clung onto the top of his head and yelled, ¡°Giddyup.¡± Her feet kicked him gently in the chest. ¡°I want to wave to Grandpa!¡±

    Kael laughed and led me, keeping my hand in his as we walked down the hall toward a side entrance. Two shadows fell into step behind us, quiet but observant. I waved jovially to Alek and Gwen, our personal bodyguards. Kael complained that I didn¡¯t need a bodyguard since I had him, but after the war we were hounded with offers from SwordBrothers to personally guard our family. We took two of their best, Alek and Gwen. But we refused to be bonded to them. Their lives are their own.

    We stepped out the side entrance and headed across the courtyard to the training field. Bearen yelled loudly to a young soldier as he corrected his stance and the swing of his sword. At least, on the battle field with the soldiers in training, he could fight with a smile. Life in the castle was another story entirely. Bearen and Portia turned out to be mortal enemies. He spent most of his days ranting about how terrible the woman is and how she was secretly trying to kill him with all her etiquette lessons. So he avoids the castle as often as possible, preferring the company of warriors to women. Or so he says.

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    Even though he adores and spoils his granddaughter.

    With Bearen¡¯s leadership qualities it wasn¡¯t long before he was installed as the new leader of the Elite.

    ¡°Do you regret not training them?¡± I asked Kael as we watched my father fighting.

    ¡°No. It feels right. Sirens being trained by their own. Besides, I have my hands full protecting you two.¡±

    I smiled.

    Bearen caught sight of us and raised his hand to wave at his granddaughter who happily whooped and yelled back. We stayed that way, watching my father for a few moments before we headed back inside.

    I couldn¡¯t help but think of Hemi whenever I saw my father. Hemi and Fanny had married. They now spend their free time tracking down the any remaining iron butterfly machines and dismantling them. They¡¯ve found three others over the years and more copies of the journals, which were all summarily destroyed.

    As we stepped out of the sunlight into the cool air of the great hall, a young page approached us.

    ¡°Milady, we¡¯ve just received word that Joss Jesai and Darren Hamdin will be arriving in a few days¡¯ time.¡±

    ¡°Thank you. Will you run and tell the others to prepare their rooms for them?¡± The boy bowed his head and ran off, his skinny legs flying behind him.

    Joss had never been quite the same after the war. He was a little slow to smile, though when he did, his dimple still remained. His eyes still twinkled, though not as often as I would like. At first I thought it was because he couldn¡¯t handle the thought that I had chosen Kael, but that didn¡¯t seem to bother him. It was the loss of his sister Tenya during the war. He won¡¯t speak of what happened, but apparently it was enough to shake him to the core.

    Many times since then, he has come up to me and apologized for not understanding fully what happened to me when I was taken by the Raven. He found it hard to look me in the eye and not be reminded of what happened to him and his sister.

    I had hoped he would marry and settle down, but it seems that he has taken after Darren and enjoys the rover lifestyle. He feels most himself when he is on the road, traveling to new and distant lands. When he comes home he is reminded of Tenya¡¯s absence. And when he comes to visit me, he is constantly reminded of the Raven. Which is the other reason he apologizes so much.

    Kael and I had come full circle and were back in the great hall filled with tapestries. Kael put Lisanne down and she ran across the room to play with a small kitten that had made its home in a basket by the corner. Gwen moved to silently stand in the shadows near our daughter.

    Kael recognized my thoughtful gaze and pulled me into another embrace. ¡°Lost in the past or future?¡± he asked.

    ¡°Mmm, past,¡± I answered. ¡°I feel like all of the answers to the future are in the past. If only we look hard enough.¡±

    ¡°Well, that¡¯s what Kambel is good for. Let him do the studying.¡± Kael grabbed my chin and placed a kiss on the tip of my nose. ¡°You need to remind yourself to look to the future for your answers.¡± He looked to the tapestry beside us, and I was reminded of all that we had accomplished in the last five years. It had taken many council meetings and that many years of networking and planning. I was promoting a more council-led form of leadership for Sinnendor, similar to Calandry.

    New maps had to be commissioned, borders redrawn, clan lands extended. The royal crest was no longer a lone wolf, but now included white horse. And everyone had agreed that since the two countries were now officially one, under new leadership, it was my right as the queen to choose the new name.

    Even now, Kael pointed out the beautiful script of our new country¡¯s name on the tapestry right above a white horse and grey wolf in expansive forest.

    ¡°Any regrets?¡± He tried unsuccessfully to keep a straight face as he pointed to the name.

    ¡°None whatsoever,¡± I answered confidently. ¡°And you shouldn¡¯t complain. If you don¡¯t want to live in the country of Faraway, then I suggest go you live somewhere far away.¡±

    ¡°See what I mean? No one is going to take you seriously as the Queen of Faraway.¡±

    ¡°I told you. I don¡¯t want to be queen in a castle. I¡¯d rather live¡ª¡±

    ¡°Faraway. I know.¡± Kael chuckled and squeezed my hand.

    The End