“But Ayalah's family was twice blessed. Her abilities extend beyond predicting the best day to plant. I think you know this, and that is why you fear her and call her insane.” Rayna was not sure if she were saying the right words, but the family had not kicked them out yet, so surely she was close.
“We do the best we can for her. We tried to help her fit in, to stop saying such strange things, but she would not allow it.” Pasco was quiet, his tone gruff with shame.
“Please,” said Rayna. “We can help her. Let us try.”
Rayna had never been in a forest like this one. The thin, spindly trees grew in neat rows extending behind the farmhouse.
Pasco had called it “the orchard” when he'd pointed them in Ayalah's direction before hurrying back indoors.
Young fruits still months away from ripening dotted the branches. Rayna thought of Mina's love of squirrel food like this. Like most Fenearens, Rayna ate fruit when she had to, but nothing compared to the taste of fresh meat. She had told Mina that once, to which the sharp-tongued archer had said, “You know, you're scary when you speak that way.”
It felt strange not having Mina by her side. Though she had only known her for six months, nearly all of Rayna's experiences outside of Fenear had been with Mina.
A human scent pulled Rayna back into the present. “We're close, Priestess.”
Marielana nodded and continued to stride through the arbor. “You did well, by the way, Rayna.”
“Well?”
Marielana nodded. “Back at the house. You have a talent for diplomacy.”
Rayna laughed. “Diplomacy? I'm Fenearen, our idea of politics is who can win a fight.”
“That's not true,” said Channon “You calmed me down back there, and found the information we needed.”
“Indeed,” continued Marielana, “In the past year you have almost become a queen, helped lead an army, and perhaps most impressively, convinced dear General Pheros to change his mind. Your strength extends far beyond your physical prowess.”
Before Rayna could reply, a lean figure leaped down from the trees. “I think you're looking for me?”
Rayna jumped back, teeth and nails extending. She was not accustomed to being surprised. The apple trees' strong perfume must have masked the girl's scent.
Marielana appeared entirely unruffled and inclined her head to the new addition.
“Miss Dell, I presume?”
“Aye, but Ayalah is fine.” The girl appeared to be around Rayna's age, maybe a summer or two her junior. Her long black hair was pulled into rows of thin braids. She was the girl Camila had shown her in the dream, the one the goddess had begged Rayna to help.
“I've seen you before,” Ayalah said, taking in each of their faces. “In dreams. All three of you.” Her dark gaze lingered the longest on Channon. He shuffled his feet and looked away from her stare.
Shock so saturated Ayalah's voice, Rayna could not tell whether this was good or bad.
“Impressive!” said Marielana. “I have never heard of a seer having such mastery over her abilities without the benefit of training. You are quite special, Ayalah.” Marielana's white smiled glowed from beneath her veil.
“Seer huh?” Ayalah nodded slowly. “That's the word for what I am? Around here it's mostly loon, or witch. But seer, that's nice.”
“So you already know about your abilities?” Rayna was astonished. Until the gods and Marielana had explained the secret legacy of her bloodline she had been unable to explain—or accept—her visions.
“My mother had them, too. She warned me that when she died they'd pass to me.” Ayalah was matter-of-fact. There was no resistance, or skepticism, only chipperness—even when she spoke of her mother's death.
Rayna suspected it was an act—a mask to protect herself from the pain of being an outsider in her own nation. Who would blame her if it were so? Rayna could not imagine not feeling at home in her own land.
“That is excellent news,” Marielana said. “I would be happy to fully explain your heritage. But first, I have a difficult request. Before you deny it though, I beg that you hear my reasons. The darkest of times are upon us and we all must make sacrifices.” Marielana's smile disappeared. “I must ask that you accompany us back to Fenear, in preparation for war with the Kyrean Republic.”
“You want me to come with you, to leave behind my home, my adoptive family, and everything I have ever known, so I can assist you in this fight against the rising forces of evil.” Ayalah gave a crooked smile. “Well why didn't you say so? Nothing would make me happier than leaving this place far behind me. Shall we?”
Rayna had not thought it possible, but Marielana actually looked surprised at Ayalah’s eagerness to leave behind everything that she'd ever known.
“Well.” Marielana smoothed her skirts. “Shall we return to the farmhouse again and gather your belongings?”
Before Ayalah could reply, the ground shuddered beneath them.
The force knocked Marielana to the ground.
Rayna tried to help, but found herself clutching her head in pain. A migraine like the ones that had plagued her for weeks tore across her skull with a vengeance. Her eyes closed from the pain, but she squinted them open. Both Ayalah and Marielana were writhing in pain as she was.
“Rayna!” Channon steadied her. “What's going on?”
“What's going on?” Rayna screeched out through clenched teeth.
“Dark magic. Powerful.” Marielana rolled onto her back, gasping. “Rayna—”
“I’m here.”
“Flask—water. My hip.”
Tears blurring her vision, Rayna stretched her trembling fingers toward Marielana.
Channon took over, digging through the Priestess’s flowing skirts. He revealed a small metal flask.
“Here!” He shoved the bottle toward Marielana.
Rayna tried to glimpse Ayalah where she lay on Marielana’s other side. All she saw clearly were the Soulousian’s braids whipping fiercely as Ayalah seized.
Marielana popped the cork from the flask and splashed water on each of the seers. “Sanctos elirio Amnem!”
All at once, the pain was gone. Rayna rolled to her hands and knees.
Channon stroked her hair. His racing heart beat a frantic rhythm in Rayna's ear.
Marielana sat up, turning to Ayalah. “Ayalah, can you hear me?”
Ayalah groaned, but her dark brown eyes fluttered open. Her chestnut brown skin was clammy with sweat.
“Is she all right?” Rayna asked.
“Yes.” Ayalah rolled to a crouch. “What was that?”
“I’m not sure.” Marielana came to her feet and the others followed. “Terayan shouldn’t have any idea where we are, let alone be able to—” She cut off suddenly.
Rayna glanced around, listening, though she was not sure for what.
The apples trees swayed in a light breeze, but no birds sang. She scented the currents. There was something unusual there that she couldn't quite place. It was a smoky, sour scent—sulfuric. Rayna was sure she’d scented it somewhere before.
“Channon? Do you smell that?”
Channon went rigid, his blue eyes turned glassy.
“Channon?” Rayna shook him, but he did not respond beyond a whimper.
“What’s happening?” The chipperness had left Ayalah’s voice. She sounded frightened, and Rayna did not blame her.
“No.” Marielana poured the remaining water over her hands. “He can’t have.”
“Marielana?” Rayna followed the Alvornian’s gaze.
They stared down one of the orchard’s rows.
It had grown unnaturally dark.
Rayna squinted. Something shadowy coalesced between two trees. At first Rayna thought it was smoke, but then she saw a glimmering in the darkness—oily black eyes. She gasped.
The shadows shifted into a four-legged form, prowling toward them.
“What is that thing?” Ayalah asked, backing away.
Rayna’s nails and te
eth extended. Whatever it was, it was dangerous.
As it came closer, its shape solidified. It was at least three times her wolf form’s size. A short snout couldn’t contain rows of saber length teeth, and a pair of horns curved from behind pointed ears.
“It's from there,” Channon whispered.
“Barghest Und. Or a shade of one, anyway.” Marielana squared her stance. She was the picture of eerie calm, like the still waters preceding a storm. “Ayalah, you need to run.”
“What? Why me? I can fight.”
“With what weapon?” Rayna asked. But there was no time to argue.
The creature—the Barghest Und—broke into a gallop.
Rayna transformed, leaping in front of the others.
The Barghest Und reared to a halt two tail-lengths in front of her. It lowered its gargantuan frame and paced a slow, menacing arc in front of her.
At this distance, more details revealed themselves in the ever-shifting murk of its shadowy form. Whorls of smoke curled into hackles. Its short, square face was somewhere between a boar’s and a dog’s. But more importantly, serrated edges ran the length of its teeth.
Rayna snarled, her own hackles rolling into spikes. She did not know what this thing was, or how it came to be there. But there was no questioning from where it had come—Hell, as Channon said. Rayna recognized the sulfuric scent now, from her journey to the Mouth of Hell.
The Barghest Und leaped into the air.
Rayna readied herself to meets its claws, but instead a golden wolf jumped in the way.
Channon roared. He barreled the beast over onto its back.
It kicked Channon away with horrifying strength. He flew backward, landing against a tree. He shifted human and slumped over, unconscious.
Rayna ran toward him. She was sure the beast would finish him off.
Instead, it sprinted past her.
She twisted just in time to see it fall onto Ayalah.
No! Rayna’s yelping mingled with Marielana and Ayalah’s screams.
Rayna rammed into the Barghest Und’s side, knocking the creature off Ayalah.
It kept its feet, and turned to her, snarling.
In Rayna’s peripheral vision, Ayalah came to her feet, a thick branch in her hands. She must have used it to protect herself from the monster.
The Barghest Und craned its thick head, trying to see around Rayna.
Marielana came to her side, a dagger drawn in her hand. There must have not been enough water in the vicinity for Marielana to practice Amne Vena. “It’s after Ayalah!”
As the creature moved, Rayna moved to match, keeping herself between the Barghest Und and Ayalah.
Its black eyes stared past Rayna, focusing on Ayalah with murderous intent.
Terayan must have sent this monstrosity to kill Ayalah before she had a chance to see his plans.
Rayna could not let that happen.
It might not have been interested in attacking her, but she would not give it a choice.
Rayna jumped. She dug her teeth into its muscular neck.
Black ichor sprung from its tough skin, squelching between her teeth.
She closed her eyes, shaking her head.
Then, it was gone.
Confusion forced her eyes back open.
Its skin and fur were still there in front of her, but she could not feel them.
Her jaws clasped together.
It was as if its very skin had turned to smoke, sliding free of her grasp.
Its body—now semi-transparent and blowing in the breeze—pulled away from her, reconfiguring and solidifying out of her reach. Its neck was as though it had never been bitten.
How could she fight something that she could not touch?
Ayalah ran to her, wielding the tree branch as a staff. “Can you understand me as a wolf?”
Rayna huffed in answer. Yes.
“It wants me, and in order to hurt me, it has to be solid, right?”
Rayna understood.
They would let the creature close in on Ayalah, and attack while it was corporeal.
Rayna backed away as the Barghest Und eyed Ayalah, searching for an opening. Its gaze flitted to Rayna.
Rayna took her human form, hoping to draw it in with her apparent vulnerability. “Marielana, you need to help Channon and get somewhere safe.”
“No, Rayna.” Marielana stood her ground beside her. “This creature is not of this plane, it cannot be killed by physical means.”
She was afraid of that. Rayna recalled the shape-shifting demon she’d encountered in Hell. Channon had torn off its head, yet it had still risen to attack them again.
“How do we kill it?”
The Barghest Und licked its lips with a barbed tongue. It broke into a run, heading straight for Ayalah.
Instinctively, Rayna shifted and tried to intercept the beast. She rammed into its side.
Its body gave way to smoke again.
She flew straight through, rolling to the ground. She hit her head. Stars spun and she could not find her balance.
The Barghest Und leaped onto Ayalah.
She forced its gnashing teeth away from her face with her staff. Fissures creaked in the wood.
Marielana dug her dagger into its shoulder.
It reared back with a roar.
The knife dropped to the dirt as the beast turned to smoke again. Its teeth tore into Ayalah’s staff.
“Ayalah!” Marielana called to her as Rayna stumbled toward the rising beast.
Ayalah's staff snapped. She tossed it aside and clambered up the nearest tree.
The Barghest Und swiped one massive claw after her, rearing onto its back legs.
“How do we stop it?” Rayna yelled.
“Running water!” Marielana called as she and Rayna both jumped onto the Barghest Und’s back. They dragged it away from Ayalah’s ankles.
“Shades can’t cross running water without being destroyed.”
“Ayalah!” Rayna called as she struggled to keep her grip on the beast. “Did you hear that?”
“There’s a creek through the orchard, a quarter-league east!” She clutched her bleeding forearm.
“How quickly can you run?” Rayna called up to her.
Ayalah took a deep breath. “Let’s find out.” She jumped from the tree, landing in a crouch several tail-lengths away. She broke into a sprint.
The Barghest Und pivoted toward her.
Rayna and Marielana joined the chase. Rayna shifted mid-stride.
Ayalah had a slight lead, but it would not last. Their only hope was to harass the Barghest Und enough to keep Ayalah safe.
Rayna sped after the beast.
Marielana fell behind, but Rayna did not dare stop.
The monster was almost upon Ayalah.
The Soulousian was fast, but the Barghest Und was massive and had the considerable advantage of four legs.
Rayna could barely keep up herself. She swiped at its hind leg, drawing a spray of black ichor.
The Barghest Und turned its blocky head toward Rayna with a snarl. But it did not break its focus on Ayalah for long. It turned back to the Soulousian.
A root loomed in front of Ayalah. Rayna barked a warning, but the Soulousian did not understand.
She tripped. Ayalah sprawled in front of the slavering Barghest Und.
“No!” Marielana’s screams spurred Rayna forward. She crashed into the Barghest Und. Blood coated the Barghest Und’s muzzle. But Rayna did not dare turn away to check on Ayalah.
It shook out its coat, glaring at Rayna.
“Ayalah, the creek!” Marielana caught up to them.
Rayna and the Barghest Und broke eye contact long enough to see Marielana help Ayalah stumble to her feet, and limp toward the stream.
The Barghest Und ran straight through Rayna like a ghost.
She turned as quickly as she could, but it was no use. Their cat-and-mouse game could not go on indefinitely. Rayna smelled the running water was over the hill.
&
nbsp; But Ayalah was hurt. She would never make it.
Marielana knew it, too. “Take this!” She handed Ayalah something and sped toward the stream.
Ayalah fell to her knees, Marielana’s dagger outstretched in front of her.
But the Barghest Und did not hesitate at the sight of the blade.
Rayna sprang again.
The creature dodged.
As Rayna rolled, trying to regain her feet, it advanced on Ayalah.
The Soulousian threw herself out of the beast’s path.
Rayna tried to get in between them, but she could not get there in time.
The Barghest Und took to the air. It dove toward Ayalah, and Rayna’s heart plummeted with it.
The last sight this brave girl would see would be bloody foam and gnashing teeth.
A jet of water blasted between Ayalah and the Barghest Und.
As the monster leaped through the water, its shadowy body blinked away in a cloud of smoke.
Except this time, it did not reconstitute.
Marielana appeared over the hill, hands raised in concentration as she let the Amne Vena controlled water splash to the ground.
Ayalah collapsed in the newly formed mud.
Both Rayna and Marielana rushed to her.
A gash ran the length of her left forearm, but she looked otherwise whole. “I’m all right.” She sat up, breathing heavily.
Marielana set about sealing the wound with Amne Vena.
“What was that thing?” Ayalah asked.
“Barghest Und: creatures bred to hunt down born mages and seers during the Kyrean Invasion. They can sense divine magic as easily as you track a scent. They were banished from our plane of existence long ago, but it would seem Terayan and his compatriots have found a way to summon them. We mustn’t tarry. It is possible Terayan could summon more.”
Rayna helped Ayalah stand. “Still sure you want to come with us?” she asked with a tentative smile.
They limped back toward Channon.
He stumbled to his feet.
“Well,” said Ayalah. “It doesn’t seem like I have much of a choice, does it?”
Chapter Thirty-Four
Twice Blessed Page 40