The Sentinel's Reign

by Suzanne Rogerson

  But then the pull of the island called to them and drew them along.

  ‘I’ll look after Tei for you. I’ll be like her big sister.’

  The woman’s eyes welled with tears. ‘Thank you, Callisa.’

  The pull of the island became stronger, but the Spirit Guide still hadn’t arrived. Callisa looked at the thickening mist and led the woman’s spirit. She knew the path the Spirit Guides took, she’d trailed after them in the past, staying hidden, watching.

  As they floated along, she turned back to the woman. ‘Why did you die? Couldn’t the magic save you?’

  ‘Sometimes the magic can heal, but everyone dies eventually. This was my time.’

  They reached the edge of the void and Callisa could go no further. Only the dead could pass through. She let go of the woman’s hand and watched as the magic reached out to welcome the woman’s spirit.

  ‘May your spirit live on in Kalaya.’ She whispered the words, not quite certain why, it just felt right. The white glow of the island spirit grew and swelled, reaching out to surround the woman. She stepped towards it and, as her spirit glow merged with the island’s light, both flared brighter as they became one. But she halted on the threshold and turned back to Callisa.

  ‘Good luck, Sentinel,’ she called and then she stepped forward and was gone. The Astral Plane shivered and swelled, welcoming the woman.

  As Callisa returned through the layers of the Astral Plane, she felt a presence watching her. It was dark and brooding, and filled with menace. She fled back to her body, terrified...

  Callisa woke up abruptly, the same terror filling her as she realised that had been her first glimpse of the Soul Eater. She swallowed down the sour taste of sleep with a few swigs of cold tisane. It hit her empty belly and made her stomach cramp. She forced down some dry bread, enough to stop the nausea.

  Then she walked to the window. Turrak opened out below her, but she still saw the moment Tei’s mother joined with the island magic.

  With a jolt she realised the time. Tei wanted her at the meeting to rally the Elders to Brogan’s favour, but Callisa couldn’t face her with the memory of her Confidante’s mother’s death so fresh in her mind.

  They were encounters she longed to share with Tei, but now wasn’t the right time to burden her with memories. Callisa returned to her desk and reached out to Benon, knowing he would soon be reaching Newington. If his mission succeeded, all of this could come out into the open and the exiles could get on with their lives without the threat of persecution and war. She knew pinning her hopes on one young assassin was folly, but all the same, she wished Benon success with every fibre of her being.

  ***

  Tei paced outside the room, wishing she could hear the conversation through the thick wood of the closed door.

  She sighed, remembering the day she’d met Undren outside this room. She’d been humiliated by the Elders questioning her appointment as Confidante, but Undren had known exactly what to say to make her feel better. She saw his smiling brown eyes, and then she saw the flashing blades and blood. Thinking about his death re-opened an ache inside her. How could she be doing this again with Brogan?

  She had so many doubts running through her mind. Where was Callisa when she needed her? She’d promised to be here for the ceremony, but promises appeared to mean nothing to the Sentinel.

  Tei leant her back against the wall and closed her eyes. She took a few deep breaths and then reached out for her friends in the Astral Plane. She pictured Rike, longing for his counsel, and wasn’t surprised when he came to her from the mists.

  ‘Hello, Tei,’ Rike said. ‘What are you doing here today?’

  ‘Am I doing the right thing? Is taking a new protector necessary or a stupid risk that could end with more death?’

  He squeezed her shoulders. ‘This fear you feel right now is normal. I know why you’re doing this, and before I would have said it’s not a good idea.’ He grinned at her pained expression. ‘But this is the right choice for now because you must seize happiness while you can. Brogan is a good man and he loves you. Cherish every moment with him.’

  She thought of Rike and Mara and knew he spoke from the heart. ‘Thank you.’

  ‘Now get back there and don’t take any nonsense from the Elders.’

  Laughing, Tei left him and opened her eyes. She faced the door with new resolve; she could do this even without the Sentinel’s support.

  ***

  Brogan looked up as Tei was ushered into the chamber.

  She strode confidently to the front of the room with her head held high and her eyes filled with determination; she was ready for a fight. He forced himself to mask his emotions. He knew the Elders’ judgement could see them separated or even see him thrown out of Turrak. Callisa had warned that even her influence might not be enough if the Elders suspected there was anything more than friendship between them.

  He clasped nervous hands at his side and thought back to the day of his acceptance on to the Assembly. He hadn’t cared either way about the ruling then, but today’s decisions meant everything.

  Hilda stood as spokeswoman for the room of Elders. The old lady looked intense, her mood hard to read.

  Brogan gulped as she looked first at Tei, and then turned to address him directly.

  ‘This is an unusual and problematic situation you have placed us in, Brogan. We have never had a former member of the Assembly join us at Turrak before, much less consider becoming a protector of one of our mystics.’

  A few murmurs of disquiet followed her words, reminding Brogan of the Assembly meetings, but Hilda cleared her throat forcefully and the grumbles ceased.

  ‘Tei has come to us directly with the request, and all of the training captains we have questioned have spoken highly of your responsible attitude and willingness to learn. We have assessed you and see your eagerness to help the exiles is genuine. We knew your mystic mother and knew of your father’s continued attempts to help the exiles. I believe we’ve gathered all the facts to make a decision.’ She looked across at her fellow Elders; no one raised an objection to her summary.

  ‘I declare you a worthy candidate and accept Tei’s request for you to become her protector.’

  Brogan sucked in his breath, not quite able to believe they’d accepted him. ‘Thank you.’

  He risked a glimpse at Tei. With her head bowed, he could just see the flush of her cheeks and the white-knuckled grip of her hands on her cloak.

  ‘This afternoon you will swear oath bonds to each other with all of the Elders as witnesses.’

  Tei looked up, shock written across her face. ‘He hasn’t even been initiated before the people of Turrak.’

  Hilda nodded. ‘With the influx of people coming to Turrak, it is no longer possible to keep holding initiation ceremonies. As of now, all initiations will take place before the Elders.’

  Thal stepped up beside Hilda. ‘And for Brogan there won’t be time. In a few days Hafender intends to take you both out into Kalaya.’

  Tei paled and her lips parted as if she wanted to argue.

  Brogan thanked them and ushered Tei from the room before she could change her mind.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Tei fought alongside Brogan, still learning to read his reactions. The mystic protector pairing they faced had been together years, and almost seemed to move as one.

  After they had suffered the tenth would-be fatal blow, their opponents called time and wandered off to find their next victims.

  Brogan collapsed on the ground and lay spread-eagled, his chest heaving.

  Tei dumped her practice sword in the dirt. Sweat covered her body and she blew damp hair off her face as she rested her hands on her knees and tried to control her breathing. ‘I’m certain Hafender is trying to kill us.’

  Brogan laughed and then sat up to take a long swig of water before handing her the water skin.

  She drained its contents and then sagged, her limbs leaden. She collapsed next to him, still catching
her breath. ‘I’m not used to training from dawn until dusk.’

  They looked around the training ground, watching dozens of mock battles taking place.

  ‘There’s the man to complain to,’ Brogan said, squinting into the sun and pointing at Hafender.

  Tei groaned as she realised the tall captain was striding towards them.

  Brogan clambered to his feet as Hafender reached them.

  ‘You’re doing well. I’m pleased to see how quickly you’ve begun to work as a team. It can take months to develop the kind of bond you two have.’

  Brogan held out his hand and tugged Tei to her feet, and she was glad her sweaty appearance hid her blush.

  As Tei stood before their captain, trying not to stand too close to Brogan, she saw the glint in Hafender’s eye and sensed he was building up to something. She hoped he hadn’t realised they had feelings for each other - they tried to be careful in public, always aware others could be watching.

  ‘It’s a good job too.’ Hafender rubbed his hands together and grinned. ‘My group is heading out into Kalaya tomorrow, and you two are coming with us.’

  She looked at Hafender and then at Brogan, feeling her courage recede. Why had she ever listened to Mara’s advice? What was she doing risking Brogan’s life just so they could spend time together?

  She gulped down her panic. ‘He’s still wanted by the Assembly, you know.’

  ‘Aren’t we all!’ Hafender slapped Brogan on the back.

  ‘But is it wise?’

  ‘It’s just a brief foray into Kalaya to let the people know we’re still here ready to help them in any way we can. I wouldn’t willingly put any of my team in danger, Tei.’ His voice was earnest and she saw the flash of emotion in his eyes, knowing he was thinking of the four exiles that had hanged.

  She nodded, knowing it wasn’t worth fighting the point; she’d never beat Hafender when he set his mind to something.

  ‘Why don’t you two head off and get some lunch.’

  Brogan took Tei by the elbow and steered her towards the mountains.

  ‘And rest up,’ Hafender called after them. ‘We leave with the dawn.’

  ***

  The record keeper scratched at his white beard and looked from his list to the items carried ashore from the rowboats. ‘More plants,’ he stated and raised an eyebrow. ‘What are we supposed to do with them all?’

  ‘We’re going to plant them.’ Farrell beamed at the old man. ‘We’re going to change the face of Stone Haven by re-establishing the natural fauna.’

  ‘And do the council know about this?’

  ‘Of course, they back me all the way.’ Farrell looked along the beach, relieved to see none of the council had made an appearance yet.

  The record keeper tapped his charcoal on the parchment. ‘What about the items on your list? Grain, herbs, meat and the stores of medicine are critically low.’

  ‘Everything is here, or hereabouts. The cargo is split between these three ships and a fourth we captured from pirates, which will arrive at Stone Haven in a few days.’

  ‘Another ship to add to the fleet, that’s fantastic news. You must be proud, Commander.’

  Farrell thought of the dead sailors yet to be honoured and merely nodded. He indicated the plants now sitting high up on the shoreline.

  ‘This is part of my long-term strategy. Once we’ve established plants and habitat, we can introduce animals to give us meat. Think about it; a change from fish, mutton and seaweed. We’ll have plants to eat and fruit we can pick for ourselves. Fresh food, not salted, dried or smoked.’

  ‘We’ve done all this before, Farrell, several times. The plants sicken and die, and the animals we introduce end up needing more care and feeding than we get back from them at the end of it.’

  ‘I know, but this time will be different.’ Farrell waved towards the three ships anchored off the shallows. ‘This time we have the finest, fertile soil from Wennock City to add to the ground.’

  The old man tugged at his beard, a thoughtful look on his face. ‘It could work.’

  ‘Of course it will.’

  ‘I’m beginning to think you’re a very clever man, Commander Farrell.’

  ‘Let’s get these plants established before we start throwing around praise.’

  They watched the next wave of boats row to shore and Farrell waded out to help with the precious bounty, leaving the record keeper to scribble away on his parchment.

  Word of their return had spread, and people began to show up on the beach, dragging their handcarts with them. Soon the whole community gathered to watch, all of them looking bemused by the change to the usual supplies. Farrell waved them down to help bring in the provisions.

  The islanders left their carts on the pathway they’d worn into the stony ground over the years and formed a human chain down to the shoreline. Soon all the clay-potted plants were loaded onto the carts.

  The trees and saplings came ashore next. Everyone watched the spectacle of grown men hanging onto tree trunks as the boats bobbed on the waves, trying to stop the largest of the trees toppling into the sea. Those ashore dragged the boats as far up the beach as they were able to tow them, and then two men apiece carried the trees, holding onto the handles of the hessian sacks that protected the roots.

  ‘Careful not to get them in the sea,’ Farrell yelled as a sailor slipped in the surf and almost lost his footing. People ran to help, hoisting the trees high and carrying them with ceremony to sit beside the overflowing carts.

  Leaves rustled in the breeze, seeming to glisten with the pleasure of being back out in the sunlight. Thankfully, most of them still looked healthy.

  Farrell watched those too young to remember trees and those born on Stone Haven stare wide-eyed at the sight of so much greenery.

  Pride filled him as he watched the community come together, their laughing and joking reminding him of the strong, enduring spirit of his people.

  ‘What do you need us to do now?’ one of the retired sailors asked.

  Others nearby gathered to listen to Farrell’s answer. He stared at their eager faces and grinned. ‘Firstly we need to get the plants inland and sheltered from the sea breeze. Then we need to build an enclosure to stop the sheep from eating everything.’

  ‘We’ve been here before, Commander, why are you wasting our time again?’ a lone voice questioned, the old man’s words dousing everyone’s enthusiasm.

  Farrell nodded graciously at the speaker. ‘I understand your reluctance, Renark, but this time we’ll do things differently.’ He paused and pointed to his anchored ships. ‘This time I’ve bought rich and fertile soil from Wennock City. I’ve consulted with Wennock’s head gardener and together we’ve selected plants that are hardy and suited to this environment. Once we’ve transported the soil ashore, we can map out the whole island and choose the most sheltered site to start planting our first garden.’

  More people streamed forward and tagged onto the group. They were hanging off his every word and seemed invigorated by his plans. ‘The key is to start small, not rush to grow crops as we did in the past. And the most important part is that we do this collectively.’

  He glanced back at Renark, remembering suddenly that he had been part of the original team who’d failed in the past. The old man dipped his head in acknowledgement, his eyes shining.

  Farrell coughed to clear emotion from his voice. ‘I need farmers of old who remember the ways of Arconia to oversee this. Those who know about soil and plants, and who’ve worked with them in the past need to share their knowledge with the younger generations.’

  He looked at the trees and shrubs and smiled. ‘I’ve brought them this far, now I need your help to make this work.’

  Everyone cheered, even the doubtful. Their high-spirited enthusiasm lifted Farrell’s mood just as the council arrived to spoil it.

  ‘Please take everything towards the stores and start working on the enclosure so we have something safely rigged up by nightfall.’

/>   Several of the older people, including Renark, stepped forward to shake his hand before the people departed and hurried to do his bidding.

  With the people fawning over Farrell, he didn’t need magical senses to see the council were displeased with him.

  Banuth strolled through the rush of people and shook Farrell’s hand. ‘I can’t believe you’ve actually gone ahead with this, Commander.’

  Farrell noted the genuine shock on the councillor’s face, and thought there might have even been a grudging note of respect in his voice. ‘I said this land had more to give us and, with the people behind me, we won’t fail again.’

  Banuth stared at the joyous islanders, who hadn’t had much cause to celebrate over the years.

  ‘See you don’t go back on your word, Commander,’ the old councilman said coldly, as he turned his dour stare from the carts filled with plants back to Farrell.

  ‘I won’t.’ Farrell held Banuth’s gaze.

  ‘No matter what happens here, you will still deliver us Kalaya.’

  ‘I won’t go back on my word, so long as you don’t go back on yours, Councillor.’

  Banuth gave a curt nod, pulled up his coat collar and then headed back into the crowd.

  As Farrell watched him go, his moment of triumph evaporated, but it left behind a determination to show Banuth the error of his ways. Stone Haven could be the home his father always wanted for them, and Farrell wouldn’t rest until he’d proved it.

  ***

  It was dark in the forest, but Morane pushed her bone-weary body on, desperate to reach the mountains. The food supplies were almost gone, and hunger was a constant ache as she tried to give Beliss the bigger portion of their provisions.

  She reached out with her magic, trying to feel Turrak. It was closer, but still so far away when she considered the threat of the Assembly and town guards. She had no reason to suspect they’d be tracking them, but Morane couldn’t shift the hunted feeling. The irrational fear compelled her to travel through the forest rather than skirt around the dense woods. It was pitch black and the pony shied away from walking any further into the trees.