Admit it, Mari, you like Shira, and you’re glad she’s here. She gave the woman, who was whistling cheerfully at her side as they walked, a sidelong glance. It was true. Mariah was glad for Shira’s company, but she wasn’t going to tell Shira that. At least not yet.
So, the little trio remained on the road, which curved inward on a path parallel with Jadenmere before turning north again as they left the lake behind. The wide, hard-packed dirt path became narrower and steeper as they went.
It was nothing like the walk Mariah and Shira had taken through Grof when they were searching for Xae. There was no companionable conversation, and no one else passed them as they traveled.
They took a short break to rest when the sun was more than halfway down the horizon. A few wide boulders sat near the road, easy enough for them to climb on to enjoy a break while still being able to see much of the road going and coming. Xae silently handed Mariah a small bit of smoked fish and bread.
Her own legs had started to feel a bit wobbly. She did plenty of work in and around Firebend, but when the distance was long, she always flew. Her legs weren’t accustomed to so much use. She wondered how Xae’s were doing, but when she lifted her head to ask, she spotted him disappearing into the trees nearby, she assumed to take care of his necessities.
“You’ve taken this trip before?” she asked Shira finally. “How long will it take us to get to Kannuk?”
Shira looked at her for a moment, clearly surprised that she had broken her silence, before replying. “Well, it’ll probably take us a couple or three days to get through the mountains. If we stay on the road, it’ll take us another two days to get to Kannuk. From there, it’s a straight shot to Glenley. Two days max, but maybe one, especially if we can hitch a ride.”
Mariah ignored the last part. “What do you mean, if we stay on the road to Kannuk? Is there another option?”
“Well …” She hesitated. “You see, the road out of the Highland goes about a half a day northwest before hitting the North Road, which actually runs northeast in those parts. Between the mountains and the road this far south, it’s almost all forest … dark, dangerous forest. We might be okay, cut a little time off if we skirted the edges, but past that … well, it’s not a good idea. I really didn’t mean anything by it. Forget I even said anything. Stickin’ to the road is our best bet.”
“But the sooner we can get to—”
“No, alright? Just no,” Shira cut her off.
“What are you all talking about?” Xae spoke into the silence.
“Nothin’” Shira huffed and walked off in the direction that Xae had just come from.
“What’s wrong with her?”
“We’re talking about some kind of shortcut through the forest that would get us to Kannuk faster, but she obviously doesn’t think it’s a good idea.”
Xae’s eyes lit up. “If it will save us time, we should do it, Mari.”
“We can’t unless we can convince Shira to guide us. I’d be lost in minutes”—she lowered her voice—”at least without my wings.”
A few minutes later, Shira returned. Xae waited only a moment or two before he asked her, “Why can’t we take the shortcut?”
She growled back at him. “As I already told your sister, it’s dangerous.”
“You’re a bear! What could be dangerous about some woods? Besides, she’s not really my sister,” Xae said.
Shira eyed him critically. “Yeah, featherhead, I got that. Why would you folks tell a complete stranger, even if she did save your life, who you really were? Anyway, Laikos is not a place for anyone to dally in, bear or not. So, I’m not discussin’ the stupid shortcut any longer.”
There was a short silence before Shira rose. For a moment, Mariah thought she was going to leave them again, but the younger woman surprised her.
Her voice had brightened, and she was smiling. “Let’s get back on the road. Not much light left. While we walk, I can tell you more about me and my folks. Maybe then I won’t seem like such a stranger anymore.”
Mariah and Xae shared a glance before following her down. Xae hopped to the ground gracefully, as if he were still wearing his wings. Mariah had to scoot to the edge of the boulder and drop down awkwardly, barely keeping her feet on the landing.
She sighed and rubbed lightly at her shoulder. The mild ache she had felt throughout the day was turning into a sharp throb. Trying to ignore it, she followed her companions, wondering how long it would take for her shoulder to heal.
“Before I was born, my parents worked at my grandpa’s inn,” Shira began. Mariah made an effort to focus on the other woman’s words instead of her own pain. “It’s the family business, ya know, innkeepin’. That was in Westholde. Do you know Westholde?”
Xae nodded, but the name eluded Mariah. It seemed familiar, but she couldn’t place it. “It’s west of Glenley on the road toward Adis Ador,” he reminded her.
She nodded, and Shira continued, her stride unfettered by their conversation. “These days, I hear that Westholde is always filled with troops on their way to the border. Word is they keep Adis Ador from pushing it back again. We hear a lot of gossip at the Hideaway, even though Grof is a bit out of the way. Enough of our fisherfolk travel around to Kilgereen and Quell and the like to keep up. They say it’s only the struggle for the border that has kept Rothgar from launching ships out over the ocean and declaring war on Cillian. If he ever does, Grof might see more of his soldiers than it wants to.”
Mariah bit her lip. Shira was a surprising source of information. If Rothgar ever really secured his hold on Adis Ador through border skirmishes, a war he had been fighting for over a decade, Cillian was doomed. Did the queen realize the danger he posed? Would she protect the Ceo San or use them like Rothgar did? When Mariah was still very young, Rothgar’s sights had been set on Lishorani, the kingdom to the north of Varidian. In a matter of a few years, his army had taken over the small kingdom, slaughtered its royal family, and annexed it as part of Varidian.
Magnus had displayed no qualms—at least not within the confines of his smithy—about ridiculing the king. Mariah had always listened patiently, soothed by the deep rumble of his voice. According to Magnus, who had liked to “educate” Mariah about the world outside as he worked—she realized early on what he really liked was talking—Rothgar had seemed satisfied with his victory over Lishorani for a little while, but just before Mariah had come into adulthood, the king had announced his intention to conquer Adis Ador. If and when he succeeded, it would secure his hold on the whole continent of Glioran.
Mariah was relieved that the Adisians were tougher enemies than the Lishorani. They continued to resist. Shortly after his declaration of war on Adis Ador, the king had decided he needed more specialized troops and spies. He had demanded that all Ceo San within the borders of Varidian be delivered to him to serve in his ever-growing army. Just as Mariah was realizing a bit of her freedom from her parents, she had lost it so they could hide and protect her against the risk that a fellow citizen would discover what she was and turn her over. The rewards, at least at first, were hefty. Although she wished war on no one, the fact that Adis Ador was so vast and had proven to be so hardy against Rothgar’s assaults meant that the shores of her adopted home weren’t yet under attack.
“Anyway,” Shira continued, “by the time I came along, the king was already strongly encouraging folks to send all the children of the gods to Glenley. Westholde’s less than a day’s walk from the capital. Let’s just say that the ‘encouragement’ was already a bit stronger there than in most places. Ma and Pa saw the troops threatening folks—anyone with kids, chosen or not—more than once, saying they’d take ‘em by force and leave nothing of their homes and shops but char and ash if they didn’t give ‘em up voluntary-like.”
“Chosen? Don’t tell me you actually believe that.” How many times had Gwyn tried to drill that nonsense into her head? Now, here she was, across the sea, getting the same speech fro
m an innkeepers’ daughter.
“Of course. In the ancient language, that’s what Ceo San means. Haven’t you heard the old legends? That Ceo San are born in times of need? That they’re chosen by the gods to serve Whitelea?”
“I’ve heard it. It just doesn’t make any sense. I’m sure someone just made it up, put it in a book to make it sound better.” We’re freaks, that’s all. She was still getting used to seeing herself as truly Ceo San. Being somehow chosen? That was just not possible.
“I don’t know,” Shira continued, undeterred. “Maybe, maybe not, but the king certainly thinks it does. He thinks we were chosen for him, born to carry out his great conquest. I hate to say it, but a lot of folks believe him. I can’t wait to show him different.” She muttered the last line under her breath.
“What exactly—” Mariah started, but Xae spoke over her.
“Were your parents threatened?” asked Xae.
“No. Never gave the troops a chance. The day my ma found me sleeping next to her all furry and cute”—she grinned hugely—”they left Westholde, got as close to the border of Varidian as they could. My ma couldn’t stand to leave her family and the kingdom altogether, so they chose Grof. Not many of Rothgar’s troops come through there, and there’s lots of wilderness around to stretch my legs in. They bought the old tavern, turned it into an inn, and the rest is history, as they say.”
“Do the townsfolk know, about you, I mean?”
“Of course not, boy. My mother might be faithful and believe that the Ceo San are the gods’ chosen, but she’s not stupid. There are those who claim to be our friends who’d kill me or turn me over to the king in a heartbeat if there was gold—”
Mariah interrupted. “We should make camp before it gets dark.” She didn’t want to hear any more. Would Shira actually go after the king’s soldiers? Maybe she should find a way to speak privately with Xae. They couldn’t risk the kind of attention Shira might draw to them.
The light was starting to fade from the sky, and pink and orange streaks filled the western horizon. A crisp breeze bringing the promise of a cold night fluttered through the scarf covering her hair, and she pulled up the hood of her cloak.
Shira nodded and stopped in the middle of the road, examining her surroundings. “Give me a minute. If I remember correctly …” She hadn’t even finished her sentence when suddenly, the bear stood in her place. It quickly lumbered off into the uneven grass on the right side of the road and into the treeline a few yards off.
Mariah’s head whipped around, and she sighed in relief. “That woman is going to get us killed. What if someone had seen her change?”
“We haven’t seen anyone except Shira since Grof, Mari.”
“Still. Xae, aren’t you worried …” She trailed off as Shira emerged from the woods, back in human form.
“Glad you stopped me when you did. There is a clearing back here. No one will be able to see us from the road. And the stream that feeds Jadenmere runs nearby, so we can refill our skins.”
Mariah stared. How did she do that? Shift back and forth so easily, with no care that they knew what she really was?
Xae had already joined her at the treeline.
“Well, are you coming?” Without waiting for her response, Shira turned around and disappeared back into the forest, Xae at her side.
With a huff, Mariah started forward, the quick movement causing a stab of pain to shoot through her shoulder. She slowed down and tried to keep Shira’s back in sight through the fading light. Fortunately, it wasn’t far to the small glade. It was full of shadows, but Shira and Xae were already pulling out food and waterskins. Although her stomach was rumbling after their long day, the thought of camp brought with it a wave of exhaustion. She sank to the ground with her back to a nearby tree, cradling her arm.
Shira soon brought her a cup filled with her mother’s green contrivance, but Mariah set it down on the ground next to her. Xae brought her food and water, but Mariah managed only a few bites before she curled onto her left arm on the ground. A moment later, she felt someone lay a blanket over her. Her cup of herbs and spring water sat nearby, untouched as sleep took her.
* * *
When Mariah awoke on the hard ground, wan light was filtering down through the trees, but there was nothing but pain for her. She had somehow rolled onto her right arm during the night, and her sling had slipped off her elbow. She moaned, and the sound reverberated through the trees, an echo of her agony. Grabbing at her bad arm with one hand, she tried to stabilize it, sit up, and take her weight off it. With nothing to give her leverage, all she managed to do was flail on the ground like a landlocked fish.
Xae was suddenly behind her, putting his hands against her back and pushing so that she finally could sit up and get off her arm.
“Looks like she forgot to drink her slime.” Shira’s voice filtered through the lightening shadows surrounding her. “Cup’s knocked over. I’ll go get more water. Check her shoulder. If there is a lump, it may need to be reset.”
“Mari, I’m going to—”
“Just get it over with,” she hissed, setting her teeth together.
The moan escaped her lips once again when the boy’s fingers glided over the top of her shoulder and probed the spot above the break. His examination seemed to last for hours. She was still cradling her arm when his face came into view before her.
“No lump. I think it’s healing.”
“There’s no way …” She couldn’t manage more coherent words through the pounding pain. After a moment, she heard Shira’s voice again.
“Here.”
“I thought you said it was better if we steeped it,” Xae said.
“It is, raven boy, but I don’t think we should wait. She needs it right now.”
“Hey! Watch it! What if someone hears you?”
“You see anybody around here?” Shira asked.
“Maybe we should have left her at the lake,” Mariah ground out through her still clenched teeth.
Xae didn’t answer but instead squatted down on his heels and held the cup up. “Are you ready?” She nodded, and he brought the container to her lips, tipping it slowly as she drank.
When it was empty, he met her gaze. “I have an idea. Can you shift?”
“What? Are you—”
“Listen, your wing’s lighter than your arm. Maybe it will take the pressure off the broken bone. Shira and I’ll take care of breaking camp while you rest.”
What he said made sense. Gwyn had found some comfort in her animal form when she had been injured. Mariah looked at Shira. If she was going to trust her, she was just going to have to do it. If it turned out she couldn’t be … Well, bird or human, neither she nor Xae had much chance against a bear.
She nodded and then lowered her voice as much as she could. “If she tries anything, don’t worry about me. Just fly.”
Xae cocked a brow at her, and she didn’t miss Shira’s eyeroll. Apparently, her hearing was pretty good, too.
Looking back to Xae, Mariah nodded again. She concentrated, pictured herself on the ground, small and light. She needed to be the hawk. The hawk would bring her relief from the pain. A cool wind swirled around her, followed by a warm breeze that tingled on her skin.
And that was it. Her hawk had returned. The breath she released sounded like little hiccups through her beak.
Xae was right. There was still pain, but it was no longer agonizing. Her wings were tucked naturally against her back and didn’t pull on her injury. The throbbing was more toward the front of her body, on her chest now. As long as she kept her wing still, it was bearable. The sling that Rose had given her had disappeared, of course, taken away by the magic that apparently held it somewhere safe. She wondered idly if it worked in reverse. If her hawk was wearing something, would it disappear when she became human? Would she have to shift again to retrieve it?
“Better?” Xae asked, squatting and looking down at her.
&n
bsp; Mariah chirped and settled herself in the little pool of sunlight that had formed at her feet.
Shira was staring at her, eyes wide. “You’re beautiful, lady. I’ve never seen those colors on a hawk. I don’t know why. You said you weren’t really related, but I was expecting you to be a raven, too”
Mariah chirped again, relieved that she didn’t have to answer the compliment with real words. If she did, she’d be blushing. No one had ever described her as beautiful.
Xae, who was pulling food out of one of the packs, said. “My sisters, my real sisters, are ravens.” He started parceling out food, setting some dried fish and bread on a cloth in front of Mariah. Mariah wondered idly if her siblings, if she’d had any, would have been hawks as well.
“You have sisters?” Shira asked, taking the food Xae offered.
Mariah listened to them speak and tore at the fish in front of her, anchoring it to the ground with her talons.
“Yes, Ayla and Nya. That’s why we’re here. They were taken by Rothgar’s men. I escaped. My father was killed. I don’t know what happened to my mother. I don’t want my sisters to grow up as slaves.”
Even in her hawk form, Mariah could hear the tightness in his voice.
Shira was silent. She settled back against a tree trunk and looked at him, her face more serious than Mariah had ever seen it. It looked unnatural on her. “Where did this happen, boy?”
“Glenley. That’s where I’m from. My father … he made hats. We lived above the shop. Ayla and Nya liked to play chase on the roof … as birds. Ma told them not to, but they did anyway. You know … Someone must have seen them.”
“How long’s it been?”
“Over a month.” Xae wasn’t eating, only staring at the food in his hands. The sullen expression he had when Mariah had first met him was back.
To distract him, Mariah let out a trill to get his attention and pushed at the bread with her beak until it rolled into the dirt. Her fish was gone.
“Guess you don’t want bread right now, eh?” Xae took the bread, brushed it off, and replaced it with another piece of fish. When she was done, she used her beak to knock over the empty cup sitting on the ground nearby.
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