by B. T. Narro
The creature lifted its head to look past them all, the white suns that were its eyes finding Leo. It ignored the army as it gingerly put its front foot down past everyone. Leo could hear many people screaming for him to run, but what was the point of that? Leo would never escape. To his side, he noticed KRenn opening a rift and a swarm of birds darting out. They went for the beast’s massive eyes, blinding its vision.
“Get out of here, Leo!” KRenn yelled. The mage was deathly pale as he fell to a knee.
Leo watched his other allies stabbing viciously at the beast’s clawed toes.
People had already been killed during this mad attempt to help Leo survive. He wouldn’t let any more fall.
Now that the beast was close, Leo could finally do something. If this didn’t work, then he would accept his death with pride.
He lifted his arms as he gathered all the Artistry within a hundred yards. He moved it into a cluster as it sought something to link. Leo took out one of the testing stones he had kept on him since being in the cavern and dropped it as he grabbed hold of the Taesitry with his mind.
Leo pointed at the ground nearby. “Get that spear up!” he yelled at the many brave yet foolish men who had come to his side to fight the kasigerr head on.
They lifted the fallen spear as he ripped the Taesitry out of the stone. A shimmering cloud appeared. It sparkled with a gold hue. He could feel it ready to burst the moment it had even a whiff of Artistry. He slammed the entire cluster of clear energy into the Taesitry and hoped for the best.
There was the usual flash of light and gust of wind, and the normal rifts that exploded out of the volatile energy. Leo let them collapse and split off into dozens of others as he shouted commands.
“Everyone and everything is linked!” he yelled. “Move east, now and together!”
The hundreds of troops still standing marched together, pushing their floating swords along with them. Leo joined the group of strong men as they shoved the spear along, pulled by invisible strings as their movement was linked. So, too, were all the spears, including the ones stuck in the beast.
The beast jittered and fell, clawing at the spears embedded in its feet that were surely moving through its muscles and bones. It squirmed in obvious pain, eventually ripping free one of the spears. The sudden movement to one of the linked items sent everyone rolling, Leo included.
With their unison broken, they struggled to get up against one another. No could rise unless they all did so together, but there were just too many people linked together to organize their efforts. All of Leo’s muscles moved at the mercy of the rest of the army. He was tossed around as he struggled to even find the control to glance in the kasigerr’s direction. But he could see nothing as the world spun around him.
It wasn’t until moments later, when the links finally were broken, that he could sit up as he struggled for breath. He looked around for his father and Rygen, finding Darren on the ground and Rygen atop the palace tower. Leo needed one last look at them before the kasigerr destroyed him.
But the crashing sound of the beast fleeing toward the eastern mountains pulled Leo’s attention away. He got up and watched the beast run awkwardly as it favored its back legs. A thick trail of blood was left behind.
Slowly everyone in the army turned to him. There was shock in their eyes. None of them had seen Taesitry at work before.
Erisena was the first one to start cheering, whistling loudly with two fingers against her lips. Everyone else soon followed suit.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
A few important-looking people asked Leo exactly what he had done just then, Erisena and Lane included. Leo had hoped KRenn would explain it, but the mage had passed out, leaving his flock of crow-like birds to fly around wildly until Erisena was able to tell them to go back in one of her rifts.
When she was done, Erisena gaped in amazement at KRenn as he lay unconscious. “I never would’ve thought the minds of birds could be reached. There is so much we still have to learn from him.” She turned to Teyro. “Will he recover?” she asked worriedly.
Teyro tended to him, though the Analyte looked sickly himself. He didn’t answer Erisena. Perhaps he hadn’t even heard, as he seemed to be concentrating.
Leo watched a shocked-looking Rygen walk down the hill toward him.
“Gods,” she said. “What happened exactly?”
Leo briefly went over using Taesitry, his mixture with Artistry, and the portals and links that formed afterward. He had just finished giving the same explanation to others a few times before Rygen had arrived, and had it down by then. He really needed to ask KRenn, though, what would happen now. It didn’t seem that anyone had an answer. Looking at how pale KRenn was, Leo feared this might be the end of him. Leo felt ready to weep, but he wouldn’t let himself just yet. KRenn might still be alive, and there was so much more to worry about.
The beast survived, making it north around the mountains rather than going back through the capital. Leo feared seeing what state the capital was in after the beast had stomped through it. He saw a small group of soldiers headed down the path, but they were still a couple miles out. News of the damage would come slowly.
Leo was still in shock from it all. He had never seen his father fight anyone or anything before, especially nothing like a kasigerr. Darren really was just as much a hero as the stories had described. It gave Leo great pride.
He noticed a lot of people crowded around his father, looking at him with the same admiration that Leo noticed in some of the gazes directed at him. A few people had come over to thank him. He didn’t know what to tell these people, so he just nodded back.
“You’re welcome” would’ve been wildly inappropriate. He was the reason the kasigerr had come all this way. They shouldn’t be thanking him at all. It was his brave father who deserved all of the praise. Leo waited a long while, expecting the crowd around Darren to disperse, but these people didn’t seem to be going anywhere. So eventually he just walked through them to hug his father.
“You’re all right?” Darren asked.
“I am. You risked a lot for me.”
“It was nothing.”
Darren spoke the words so convincingly that Leo almost believed him.
“Is it time to bring Andar back now?” Darren asked.
“I haven’t felt anything from him. I think we should keep waiting for two days, like KRenn suggested, unless Andar sends me some sort of sign.”
“I’ll manage everything in the meantime. You need to eat and rest,” Darren lectured. “You just got back yourself.”
A wave of fatigue made it impossible for Leo to utter a disagreeing word.
“I’ll make sure he does, sir,” Rygen said. “Can we bring our supper to one of the vacant palace rooms?”
“Yes, Rygen.”
Leo wanted to hug his father again, but Darren was already busy speaking with someone else. At least Leo was glad to have Rygen by his side as he trudged up the hill, but he could feel her looking at him in a strange way. He was too tired to try to figure it out.
His heart was somewhere else in that moment. He needed to bring back his brother. He needed KRenn to live. They all needed to kill the kasigerr so Leo and Andar could destroy the rift. So much to be done, and there was still Jarrel’s army to worry about.
If KRenn was right, which he almost always was, then Andar really had destroyed the southern rift already. That gave Leo hope that they would destroy the rift here soon, and this really might be over one day.
“Are you too tired to talk?” Rygen asked softly.
“I can,” he said as he forced a smile that he knew did not appear genuine.
Rygen frowned slightly. “I was just hoping to know more about how Andar went missing.”
That’s right, I never told her. There was so much else to catch up on. Leo laughed inwardly as he thought of his brother’s reaction to hearing he’d been left out.
“Too busy wooing little Rygen to tell her about what’s most important
!”
Leo had no idea how to woo any woman and was too afraid to try with Rygen. He wanted to reach out and take her hand, feeling as if he wasn’t whole without it, but he ignored the impulse as best he could.
Rygen followed with another question, “I saw the rifts you made when the kasigerr was close. Were those how Andar disappeared?”
“Yes. When KRenn found out I have control of…oh, I haven’t even explained how Taesitry works yet.” He had mentioned using it to fight off the kasigerr but hadn’t gone into detail. Leo thought of the simplest way he could describe it, for it was something that he still didn’t completely understand. “Do you know much about testing stones?”
“I’ve only heard of them.”
“Apparently they come from places where Artistry and Esitry have been packed together over many years until a new energy is formed called Taesitry. Most Ascendants can feel Taesitry in a way that makes them curious to hold it.”
“But it’s an energy, right?”
“Yeah, it can’t be held. The stones it comes in can be touched, though. The energy can change when it is removed from the stone. It contains high amounts of Artistry and Esitry that form rifts when they explode at the same time. That’s what happens when I infuse the cloud of Taesitry with Artistry. I did this with KRenn’s help in a sealed room in the palace. Andar and I trusted KRenn to keep us safe, but even KRenn didn’t expect the rifts that opened to want to suck us up.”
“Oh, yeah, my rifts of Esitry don’t pull anything into them.”
Leo nodded. “Two of the rifts combined into one and it became incredibly strong. I tried to open the door to the room so we could escape, but the pressure from the wind made it impossible. The portal only closed after Andar and Siki flew into it. Unfortunately, the other testing stone we had as backup also flew in. I’m sure my brother has it with him now.”
“That sounds terrifying.”
Leo nodded. “It was right afterward that I saw the human army marching west. I wrote the quick note to you and found Edward. I don’t remember anything I wrote. It probably wasn’t very clear.”
Rygen smiled forgivingly. “It wasn’t too bad. I was still able to figure out that something went wrong with KRenn and Andar was now in some other place. Do you have any idea where he went?”
“Just somewhere far to the south. I can feel my stalwart link stretched in that direction, except for when Andar was in the rift. Then it changed to face the rift here past the capital. It was only then that I felt some of the things Andar had felt, or perhaps these were messages he’d tried getting to me earlier.”
Rygen stared at Leo. “Gods, it’s fascinating.”
Leo chuckled. It had been a long time since he’d thought of any of this as fascinating, but Rygen was right. If he wasn’t so worried about his brother, he would be intrigued by everything that had happened.
Leo said, “I do believe KRenn that Andar has destroyed the southern rift. So now I want to give my brother a day or two to return to the location of my portal.”
“It’s a good plan.”
But in the silence that followed, Leo could tell that Rygen was probably questioning that plan for the same reason as Leo was. It was only a good one if nothing happened in the time they waited.
“I hope the kasigerr will take a long time to heal,” Leo said.
“I’m still not sure I completely understand how Taesitry works. Can you explain it one more time?”
Leo would be happy to, though he was hungry and tired. Rygen seemed to figure this out.
“First, we visit the kitchen in the palace!” she said with excitement.
They spent the rest of the evening eating and enjoying each other’s company. Leo fretted the night soon approaching; he didn’t want Rygen to leave. While listening to her voice and watching her smile, it was easy to forget that they were still waiting for tidings about the level of destruction in the capital. If enough of Dasfis’ troops were killed, they would have no chance against Jarrel and Gavval. Surely men from the capital had reached the camp to share the news, but Leo and Rygen had not left the palace to find out yet.
Eventually, Rygen picked up on his worries, as much as he tried to keep them in. But he was glad when he spoke about them, for Rygen had always made everything easier for Leo, and she did the same now. She reminded him that his father had scouts watching the human army. Jarrel could not attack by surprise. She reminded Leo how Andar would be back soon and they would all be together again. No matter what had happened to the army in the capital, they would get through this.
“And if the news was so terrible,” Rygen added, “then your father would’ve come and told us by now.”
“That’s true,” Leo said with a smile.
Rygen went on to speak about how much she’d learned about Esitry from Erisena. And while practicing with the bow wasn’t Rygen’s favorite use of time, she enjoyed seeing improvement. She then joyously spoke about the beauty of the palace and how wonderful it was for Leo to stay here. But that only worried Leo more.
“You’re not staying here?” He had thought she would retire to a different room when it got too late.
She forced a smile. “The palace rooms are only reserved for the most important people. I’m fine in my room at the capital.” She suddenly looked disappointed as she glanced out the window. “Oh, I have to go.” She stood and looked at the door as if it was a nagging parent. They had been seated at the foot of Leo’s bed for quite some time now. Leo knew this moment would come, when she would have to go. In fact, it should’ve been an hour ago if Rygen really planned to walk back to the capital.
“You’re really leaving now?” he asked, disheartened.
He sat on the bed still, hoping she would sit back down if he thought of just the right way to word it. During the time they’d spoken, he had plenty of time to remember just how her lips felt. He’d replayed the kiss between them so many times now that he felt that a piece of him would go with her if she left without another kiss.
He felt so selfish thinking of asking her to stay longer. She had such a long walk ahead of her, and he was so tired that he couldn’t imagine going there and back. Three miles each way; he was surprised she really was considering walking that far at this hour. Could it even be dangerous?
“Yeah, it’s already late,” she said as she went for the cloak she’d left on his chair.
It pained him to watch her put it on. He couldn’t let her leave if there was anything he could do to stop her.
Was it up to him to ask her to stay, or would that reveal how much he wanted to kiss her? What if she didn’t feel the same?
What would Andar tell him to do?
Leo sighed as he realized the answer.
He stood. “I’ll walk you back.”
“Oh, no, Leo it’s too far for you to go all that way. I can see how tired you are.” She laughed. “I can even hear it.”
Yes, his voice had become gruff. He hadn’t slept much during any of the nights since he’d fled with KRenn. Even on their way back, Leo’s worries had kept him awake, and now it was later than he normally went to sleep.
His heart trilled as Rygen walked over to him. He stood up with a sudden surge of excitement that pushed away all fatigue.
“I’m…not sure when I’ll be back,” she said. “I need to train as much as I can, and everything I need is in the capital.”
“I will visit you.”
“But you have to be here where you’ll be ready to bring Andar back. Besides, KRenn and your father are here. I’m sure you’ll want to spend time with them.”
Leo stepped close to her. He lost his breath from nerves, but he forced out the words anyway. “You should stay here tonight.”
She blushed as stared at him, her breath fast.
“All right,” she said softly.
Their lips raced to touch once again. The intensity of her fevered kiss sent waves of sensation through him. His chest burned. He felt as though he might melt from it all as she reach
ed up and looped her arms around his neck. He could feel her desperation as she pressed herself against him, and it made him need her lips even more.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Leo awoke to someone knocking on his door. “It’s your father,” called Darren. “Can I come in?”
Rygen shot up in bed beside Leo, her blonde hair a halo of tangles. “Oh no!” she whispered in a panic. “What’s he doing here?”
“Gods, I don’t know. Hide under the blanket.” Leo got up and threw a shirt on. Rygen tossed the sheet over her, but it was still plainly obvious that a petite girl was lying on the bed, supine with her arms stiffly to her sides.
“Leo, you need to be up by now,” Darren called. “There is too much to do today.”
“One moment!” He looked around the room for something to put on top of his bed that would better hide her. Then he noticed Rygen’s cloak that she’d tossed on the ground, along with her pants and shirt. Sards! He gathered them up and stuffed them in a dresser drawer, but not before grabbing a few of his clothes and spreading them along the bed on top of her.
She was hidden now. Partially out of breath, he opened the door for his father. Darren looked concerned as he immediately glanced over at the bed. His condemning gaze settled back on Leo.
“I need to speak with you out here,” Darren said as he stepped out into the hall.
Leo pretended to be confused. “Why?”
Darren motioned for Leo to follow, not answering him. When Leo came out from the room, his father closed the door behind them.
“I was hoping this conversation could wait,” Darren said. “You are far too young to have…”
“We didn’t,” Leo interrupted, too embarrassed to let his father finish. “She just slept here because it was late. I…we…” Leo felt too strange to describe what they had done. He and Rygen had stayed up most of the night, leaving Leo’s lips pleasantly sore. But what his father was suggesting was not an option for them. They had just reunited. Leo was sure it wasn’t on her mind yet. It barely came to his, for there was so much else for them to explore first. He shuddered at having to explain this to his father, who seemed to be waiting for an answer. But Leo could not speak.