A sword. The most magnificent sword he’d ever seen. But it meant nothing to him because he could see the hilt. A dark hand, battered and covered in blood, encased it.
Tendaji kicked the piece of metal aside and went to work on freeing that bloody hand. The shaken, fallen leaves and broken trees gave way to an arm, a battered leathern jerkin, a tangled braid, and finally . . .
“Kai.” Tendaji’s whisper barely broke the sound of rustling leaves as he exhumed his sister from the earthy tomb she’d been incased in. Chunks of marble and bark fell away as he pulled her gently to his chest, just cogent enough to briefly wonder why there had been marble in a military keep and how it had made its way this far from the crumbling ruins. Then that thought was gone, and he was concerned only about the blood on his sister’s face, her arms, her armor. He lowered his ear to her chest, terrified of what he might not hear. His own heartbeat quickened to a thundering beat, so loud that for a moment he couldn’t hear. Couldn’t tell . . .
There. The steady, quiet thumping of Kaiya’s heart was the most beautiful thing he had ever heard, and he wanted to cry for joy. Instead, he only drew Kaiya closer to him and hugged her close. After everything, she’d somehow made it through alive. “Tendaji?” Tendaji twisted to face Lyn as she approached from behind. She put her hands on her hips at the sight of the former Croeli. “Why’d you run off? There are still things to—” She gasped, wide-eyed, when she saw the woman in his arms. “Oh, blades—Kaiya . . .” Before Tendaji could reply, Lyn had already crossed the space that separated them, pushing him to one side as she grasped Kaiya’s shoulders in both hands.
“Kai? Kaiya! Answer me, Faoii!” A light slap to the face. “Come on, wake up!” Lyn was rougher than Tendaji would have been, but there was an urgency, a fear in her movements he’d never seen in in her before. He stood slowly, watching as Lyn’s voice rose by degrees. “Damn it, Kaiya! Come on! Answer me!”
Finally, blessedly, Kaiya’s jade eyes fluttered open, and the weight that lifted from Tendaji’s heart was nearly staggering. Lyn’s entire body sagged in relief, and she roughly brushed the hair out of Kaiya’s face while cursing under her breath in clipped syllables. The cursing only stopped when Kaiya tried to pull away.
“Lyn? What are you doing here?”
The silky-haired Faoii narrowed her eyes. “What am I doing here? What are you doing here?” She shook Kaiya once before pulling the Faoii into a tight embrace, kissing her forehead, her cheeks. Her flowing tears helped to wash away some of the grime. It was a long time before she released her enough to meet her gaze.
“Damn it, Kaiya, I told you I’d follow you anywhere. How dare you try to leave me after that?!” Kaiya hesitated for a moment before finally giving in with a shaky laugh.
“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”
“Never?”
“Never.” A sudden crash rocked the ground around them, and Kaiya was immediately on her feet, spinning toward the falling keep as it groaned in its decay. Seconds passed in rigid agitation before Kaiya finally relaxed a little and turned to survey her surroundings. Her gaze fell on her brother.
“Tendaji.” Her voice cracked as she took a few hesitant steps toward him. He nodded once before enveloping her in a relieved hug.
“It is good to see you, Kai.” And then, quieter: “Goddess, how good it is to see you.” Something about what he said caught Kaiya and she stumbled away, quaking violently. His heart clenched with concern. “Kai?” There was no response. “Kaiya?”
Lyn strode forward with quick, deliberate steps. She scowled at Tendaji before spinning Kaiya around to search her face. “What is it, Kai?” She snapped her fingers. “Come on, Faoii. Talk to me.”
“I . . . I killed . . .” The shaky whisper was cut off by Kaiya’s suddenly chattering teeth, her eyes trained once again on the keep as it fell away into the forest. Lyn relaxed.
“Thinir. We know. Don’t worry, Kai. You did well. Illindria is proud of you.”
“No!” Kaiya shoved herself away from Lyn and took a step backward, out of reach, still staring at the towering ruins. “No. Not Her. Not the Goddess. She couldn’t . . . I can’t . . .” She released a sobbing laugh and stilled. “She’s dead. I killed Her.”
“You . . . what?”
Kaiya turned back toward the other two, her eyes streaming in the starlight. “I killed Her.” She shook her head. “I wish I could tell you all that I learned. All that I saw. I need to tell you. And the Faoii. And the Croeli. Not only the ones here, the ones in the Blackfeather Wilds—everyone. We need to . . . I have to . . .” Her voice cracked, and she tottered.
Lyn caught her, and Tendaji knelt in front of her quaking form, contemplating what she’d said and what it could mean. He kept his voice soft and gentle when he spoke. “You killed the Goddess? Alone?” He shook his head slowly, laying a gentle hand on her arm. “I’m sorry, Kaiya. We should have been with you.”
Kaiya opened her mouth to speak, but Lyn shushed her immediately. “That doesn’t matter now.” She threw a withering glance toward Tendaji, then returned her attention to Kaiya. “It doesn’t matter. What matters is that you’re back now, and you’re alive. We can . . . we can worry about the Goddess later.” She glanced at Tendaji again, softer this time. So much had changed. For good or bad, things would be different now. He smiled reassuringly and clicked his tongue at his little sister in a quiet way.
“She’s right. There’s time to figure out everything. We’ll begin gathering the people that are left. We’ll meet up with the remaining warriors and send a diplomat to the north. We’ll decide what to do.”
“We’ll decide.” Kaiya smiled up at the sky, her eyes closed. Tears leaked out of the corners and trailed down her cheeks. “Yes. For the first time, we’ll decide for ourselves.” She released a shaky sigh. “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but at least we’ll all be uncertain together. We’ve earned uncertainty.”
Lyn helped Kaiya stand, and they turned back toward the field that now held more than Croeli and Faoii—it held the warriors that would usher in a new age.
The scent of sunflowers and dew carried on the wind as Thinir’s keep finally settled.
Glossary
(A Letter from Andarian)
Art, if you’re dead set on visiting Clearwall, then I figure I’ d better tell you what I know of it. Not just the town, but that entire country is . . . different. And you’ d better know a few things before you go getting yourself killed. Read through this. Carefully. And don’t ask how I know any of it.
-Andarian
Faoii (Fah-yee): Leave it to women to make their most important word the most complex one. The word Faoii is a title. And an adjective. And probably some sort of curse word. Mostly, it’s used to describe an entire order of women that serve the Goddess Illindria. They’re Her soldiers, healers, speakers, whatever. If you see a woman with a sword, she’s a Faoii of some sort. If you see a woman using magic, she’s a Faoii of some sort. If you see a woman that looks like she could kill you without much thought, just assume she’s Faoii of some sort and act accordingly. It doesn’t matter if she’s in full armor or not. They can look like a baker, a prostitute, or even some mad woman talking to herself—those witches can be anywhere and everywhere.
-And for the love of the eternal blade, never call them witches!-
Oh yeah. There are different types of Faoii, too. I’ll tell you about the others in a minute, but if you can’t tell at a glance what type of Faoii she is, just call her Faoii. Out of the three branches, the Faoii (which translates into “warrior” but is only a word if you apply the feminine conjugation) are the most common, and the entire organization answers to it without offense.
If one gives you her name and she says Faoii at the beginning of it, it means she’s ascended—like a graduate of the order. She’s proven herself and has earned more respect than the girls with Faoii at the end of their names. Even if a girl is unascended though—like someone named Dawn-Faoii—she still might
cut your eyes out if you offend her or the Goddess. So please, please don’t be your regular self around any of them. If they figure out what a philanderer you are, they might kill you on principal.
Preoii (Preh-yee): Translates into “speaker.” There aren’t many of these women, but they’re still part of the Faoii Order. Supposedly, they used to be the ones that could see the Goddess’s Tapestry—and could use it to see the past, present, and future. I guess there hasn’t been a true Preoii in generations—the ones that are around now are more of a political head of the society rather than true oracles. Still, they’re as good at fighting as a regular Faoii, so don’t say anything stupid, and you’ll be fine. Knowing you, though, you’d still get your head chopped off, so thank the Blade that they pretty much only stay in their monasteries. If you ever have the chance to meet one, then it means something is very, very wrong. Keep your head down and get the hell out of there.
Cleroii (Cler-yee): Translates into “healer.” More common than Preoii. Less common than Faoii. These women are the best at using magic to heal others. They are also trained to be diplomats rather than warriors most of the time. Don’t get me wrong, every branch of the Faoii can use a sword better than you or me, but these women are the ones most likely to be found in Clearwall. I’ve heard they’re less likely to draw steel than the others in the order, but don’t push it, okay?
Fantoii (Font-yee): This is the long, single-edged sword the Faoii carry. Each one is unique and tied to the woman that wields it. Some say the blades scream in battle. Others say they sing. I’m pretty sure that what you hear depends on what side of the fight you’re on, so just do your best to never hear one at all, okay?
The Oath: I didn’t tell you how to pronounce the Oath, because if you can’t figure that out on your own then you’re dumber than you look, and no amount of help on my part is going to save you from your own stupidity.
Anyway. The Oath is the promise that the Faoii make every time they wake up, go into battle, take a sword, help someone, or whatever else it is they do. Blades, they might say it before they go to the bathroom, I don’t know. But they say it a lot. It’s absolutely sacred to them and apparently gives them access to the magic they use. They know it forward, backward, and everything in between. If you ever make fun of it or try to get a Faoii to break it in any way, they will probably kill you. I’ve attached a copy of it for you so you’re less likely to mess something up and sprout a fantoii from your stupid face.
Croeli (Crow-el-ee): No one else knows about any of this, so keep your trap shut about it, okay? The Croeli used to be part of the Faoii order. Don’t ask me how I know. And if you ask any of the Faoii today about it, they 1) won’t believe you, and 2) will probably kill you for saying so. But it’s true. Centuries ago the Croeli and Faoii were part of the same order, but they interpreted the Oath differently and it caused a divide. Then a war. Eventually, what we know as the Faoii today came out on top and banished the Croeli to the Blackfeather Wilds. No one has seen them since. But I’m telling you, they’re out there, and they’re going to want revenge. I don’t know when, but it will happen. It’s best to be prepared.
Criukli (Kree-oo-klee): The Croeli blade of choice. Shorter and broader than the fantoii, these single-edged swords are often slightly jagged. They tend to maim, rather than kill, so if you ever see one, RUN THE OTHER WAY.
Tonicloran (Tah-nic-lore-ahn): A plant with flat, broad leaves. Legend says that it used to be used for some sort of Faoii ritual. I don’t know how since it’s literally the most poisonous substance on the planet. That stuff will make your flesh boil and your skin come off in ribbons. Stay away from it.
I know I’ve told you all the reasons that a Faoii might kill you, but truth be told, they actually seem like good people. Most everyone respects and reveres them. Most don’t have any problems with them and are grateful that they’re around. But, unlike most people, you’re an idiot, so I had to get the point across somehow. Take care of yourself.
-Andarian
Acknowledgements
Thank you to every Faoii that pre-ordered a copy of this book so that we could make it possible. While I am grateful to have moved away from the publisher that made those original pre-orders necessary, I will never forget that this could not have happened without your initial support. This is your victory as much as mine and it has been an honor to have you by my side through everything. Shields up.
Also, a special thank-you to my father for being there every step of the way. You have read every version of this story, seen every change and progress update from its conception, and have always had the most honest and helpful suggestions. Whether I needed an editor or someone to vent my fears to, I couldn’t have made it this far without your help. Thank you for raising a Faoii rather than a damsel. I love you dearly.
A Special Thank-You to My Eternal Blades:
Amanda Garner
Bob Dalrymple
Cole Early
Daniel Struckman
Dianne Wendlick
Evan Graham
Jacqueline M. Hencsie
Janis Lynn Hedin
Jessica A. Drake
Jessi Earleywine-Nelson
JR Abrahamson
Kathy Bechtold
Lindsy Martens
Mark A. Haas
Pamela Earleywine
Patrick Wolters
Scott R. Mcinnes
Vonda Ellis
For More Information
about Tahani Nelson and the Faoi Chronicles
Please Visit
TahaniNelson.com
The Last Faoii Page 33