Cursed Song

by Samantha Kroese

  Shadow tore his gaze from the scene to look across the crowd to where Silver stood. Silver looked stricken, pale, and lost. Guilt flooded Shadow and made him feel too warm. He looked back at Ruyne. He wanted to interfere. He enjoyed Derry and their friendship, and even their sexual adventures, but he wasn't desperately in love with Derry in the way he knew that Silver loved Ruyne.

  It was not his place, though. Ruyne would never refuse to take Leadership. He would never pass it to Shadow. There was nothing to be done. Their parents had groomed Ruyne to be Leader from birth. The eldest child always became Leader. Besides, the camp knew well that Shadow was reckless and obstinate, often flouting the rules as much as he could. The Leader could not afford to do that.

  Hestus cleared his throat and raised Ruyne's chin so Ruyne looked at him. "Do you accept this responsibility for the rest of your life, young Ruyne? To always be Leader of this Band? To do only what is best for your people? To follow the rules unwaveringly and lead us all to the will of the Song?"

  Ruyne's brilliant blue eyes glanced to the side where Silver stood. His Adam's apple bobbed with a swallow. He took a deep breath, with an expression of determination on his face, looked back at Hestus and said with authority, "I do accept. I will Lead this band to the will of the Song."

  Hestus pointed the rune staff he carried at the rest of the crowd, turning toward them with a harsh look. "Do you all accept Ruyne as Leader of this Band?" The Band could object, but Shadow knew no one would dare. They all loved Ruyne.

  Shadow glanced again at Silver as the Band responded as one that they accepted. Even Silver mouthed the words, but his eyes betrayed something entirely different.

  Hestus turned the staff toward the sky, raising it dramatically. "Hear me, Song! Bless this one with your power as our chosen Leader!"

  Lightning flashed out of the sky and struck the staff, and the runes glowed a fiery red.

  To his credit, Ruyne didn't make a sound when the staff touched his shoulder and the flash of magic shot into him. He gritted his teeth and stared at the ground, as his body shook with the power of it.

  Shadow could feel Ruyne's Song magic change. It felt strange, as though his brother had become someone completely different right in front of him.

  Hestus hobbled back to the crowd as Ruyne stood. He spoke to the group in an authoritative tone, "Go and sleep. It is late. We leave mid-morning as always."

  The crowd dispersed at once, always obedient and respectful to the will of the Leader.

  "Silver. I would speak with you," Ruyne said, as he walked past his friend toward his own wagon.

  Shadow frowned when Silver's parents hesitated before going back to their wagon without him.

  As she turned to follow her husband to their wagon, Deliah said gently, "Shadow, stay with us tonight. It is an ill omen for you to sleep in Raelle's wagon any longer. Tomorrow when we stop we will help you build your wagon."

  Derry snuck a worried glance at Shadow, then tilted his head after his parents indicating that Shadow should follow.

  Shadow looked back to see Silver disappear into Ruyne's wagon. His brother's azure gaze locked onto him. Shadow frowned but respectfully bowed his head. Then he turned and followed Derry to his family’s wagon.

  Chapter 4

  Derry

  Derry led Shadow into the corner of the wagon that belonged to him. It was no more than a bed with a partial wall and a curtain around it, but it did provide some privacy. Shadow flopped on the far side of the small bed, as he had many times over the years, and turned to face the wall.

  Derry glanced through the wagon to make sure his parents had disappeared into their sleeping room on the opposite side of the wagon before he drew the curtain. He settled down behind Shadow and rested his cheek against Shadow’s broad shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Shadow.”

  Shadow lay there quiet for a little while before he turned over to face Derry. They had to speak softly, so his voice was barely a whisper. “You feel guilty about earlier? Don’t. I knew my mother was going to leave us soon. I was prepared for it. Well, as much as one can be. That’s why I asked you to go out there with me tonight. I didn’t want to be here.”

  Derry cuddled close as Shadow’s strong arms wrapped around him. He traced the tattoos on Shadow’s arms with his fingers gently. He knew each line by heart. “Silver found us. He’s angry.”

  “He’s jealous,” Shadow corrected as he closed his eyes. Then he leaned over to trail his lips over Derry’s ear. “Let’s finish.”

  Derry froze, eyes wide. “Here? We can’t! My parents will hear us.”

  “You just have to be really quiet, Derry.” Shadow’s hand trailed lower.

  Derry fought panic. He didn’t know if his parents would be as understanding as Silver’s were. But then again, Shadow’s mother had just died. He didn’t want to deny Shadow a needed distraction. His thoughts trailed off as his focus switched to staying quiet.

  Somehow, they managed to enjoy themselves without waking Derry’s parents. Derry sighed when Shadow cuddled up to his chest. He knew better. He shouldn’t have these feelings for Shadow. Shadow played with many. Every town they went to he snuck off with a girl, or a boy, or sometimes both. Shadow said it didn’t matter. The rules were wrong. Two people could have sex without getting Song-Bound if love wasn’t involved. If they were just having fun, the Song didn’t bind them.

  Derry had never had sex. Tonight was his first time, and Shadow was his first partner. He had been tempted for a few years now but always too scared to approach Shadow. He had felt a change in both their Songs when they’d joined in the cave. Had Shadow felt it? Or was it his imagination?

  He traced the lines on Shadow’s tattoos again as Shadow drifted off to sleep. Derry tried to convince himself that he was wrong. They couldn’t have Song-Bound. That required a ceremony didn’t it? But if it did, why did the rules warn against casual sex?

  He felt whole. He had never felt whole before. Out of the four of the boys, he had always seen himself as the least special. Ruyne was born to be Leader. Shadow was charming, and could seduce anyone with his voice. Silver was handsome and the best scout in the Band. Derry’s voice was average for someone with the Song, still better than someone without it, but no star of the stage. He wasn’t that good-looking compared to his friends. And he often felt overlooked because his shyness made him quiet.

  “You’re thinking too loud,” Shadow mumbled, still mostly asleep. “Go to sleep, Derry.”

  “Sorry, Shadow,” Derry whispered then stroked Shadow’s dark silky hair until his friend went back to sleep. His own eyes finally got heavy and he, too, drifted off.

  He dreamt of being lost in the woods. The shadows called his name. No. That was his parents. It was morning already and time to move the camp. Shadow hopped out of the wagon and wandered off to find Ruyne, leaving Derry and his parents to prepare for the trip ahead. The Dusksingers never stayed in one place for long, and they needed to get supplies to build Shadow a wagon now.

  A cool breeze whistled through the forest from the sea, and Derry paused to watch the shadowed limbs blow in the early afternoon light. Death was still in the air, and the sea called to him. It had since he was born. He had never told anyone, though. Those who could hear the call of the sea were said to be between worlds and on their final journey. How would they explain the boy who had heard it since birth?

  Chapter 5

  Ruyne

  Ruyne found the magic given to him as Leader quite useful. He formulated a routine for breaking camp and keeping the Band moving despite his grief. He felt the loss of his mother far more deeply than he knew he should, and he tried to bury it underneath his new responsibilities.

  As the Band packed up and prepared to leave, he strode across the camp. Shadow stood there talking with Derry and Silver. They all seemed rather tense and were talking in hushed tones. They fell silent as he approached. He frowned a little, keenly feeling the difference between them now. He was Leader now as well as their friend, a
nd they were guarded. “Silver, I want you to scout ahead. Take Derry with you.” Ruyne said as he came to a stop near them.

  Silver stared at him with wide eyes for just a moment before he bowed his head. “Yes, Leader. Come on, Derry.” He tugged at Derry’s sleeve to pull the other boy away to ready his mount. They paused nervously when they heard Shadow object.

  “No.” Shadow scowled at Ruyne and crossed his arms. “You know Derry isn’t our best scout. Let Bronze and Silver do it.”

  Ruyne narrowed his eyes at Shadow. He was still angry with his brother, but he tried to push that aside. “Brother, I am Leader now.”

  “I’m well aware. I am still your brother, Leader. Sending Derry is a poor choice. I am giving you counsel.” Shadow’s scowl only deepened, and his dark eyes were hard.

  “It’s okay, Shadow. I’ll go. We are his to command,” Derry said quietly as he brushed past them to hurry toward his parents’ wagon.

  Silver watched the brothers for another tense moment then used the chance to help Derry as a way to escape them.

  “Walk with me,” Ruyne commanded and turned on his heel, not waiting to see if his brother obeyed. Shadow didn’t obey immediately, but he did follow. Ruyne could feel his brother’s anger through the Song and how out of harmony they were. He had to clear it, or they would disrupt the entire camp and bring ill fortune on everyone.

  Once they reached his wagon, he pulled Shadow around it and out of sight of rest of the camp. Then he leaned close to his brother, speaking in a low tone. “I know we have our differences, Shadow. And you are used to speaking your mind to me. But it is different now. I am Leader. The Band will not tolerate you showing me disrespect.”

  Shadow leaned against the wagon and wouldn’t meet Ruyne’s gaze. “I also lost a mother, Leader.”

  Ruyne closed his eyes. “Why weren’t you here, Shadow?”

  “I knew she was dying. I couldn’t bear to watch the sea take her. You are stronger than I in that manner, brother. Let me grieve how I must. Mother understood why I was not there. That is why she did not wait for me to return.” Shadow took a deep breath then looked back at Ruyne.

  “I did not ask for this burden, Shadow. It was chosen for me. Please do not let it create a rift between us. Would you take the mantle of Leader if I passed on it?” Ruyne asked.

  “Of course not. I want nothing to do with Leadership,” Shadow snorted. “The Band would not follow me anyway. I’m the black sheep of the camp, remember?”

  Ruyne studied his brother. The Song warned him something was different, but he couldn’t quite pin it down. “Shadow, what were you doing last night?”

  “That is none of your business,” Shadow stated, setting his jaw.

  “I am Leader. It is all my business. Your Song is different today.” Ruyne tilted his head. “What were you and Derry doing?” He paused as realization hit him and he could only stare slack-jawed at his brother. Then he grabbed Shadow’s arm in a vice-grip and yanked him closer. “Shadow! You are Song-Bound to Derry? What did you do?”

  Shadow stared at him then yanked his arm away and backed up, shaking his head. “No. That’s not true. You are just adjusting to your Song being different. Mine is the same.”

  Ruyne ran a hand through his long hair, distressed. There was no mistaking that Shadow’s song now mingled with Derry’s in a way only those who were Song-Bound achieved. But Shadow and Derry were not bound by law. “You slept with Derry? He’s your best friend, Shadow!”

  “There is much you don’t know, Ruyne. I sleep with someone every time I’m in a city. Whenever I want, whoever I want. I have for years now. So don’t act like I’m Songbound to Derry just because we had sex once.” Shadow shook his head.

  Ruyne braced himself with a hand on the side of the wagon. He felt like he’d been punched. He knew Shadow recklessly skirted the rules. He had not realized his brother outright broke them whenever he felt like it. “Shadow! There are reasons you don’t do that with townspeople! If you were to impregnate a girl, she would be forced to join the Band.”

  “I don’t need a lecture, Ruyne. I’m careful.” Shadow narrowed his eyes. “Besides, I’ve been doing it for years.”

  “And now you’ve done it with a member of the Band with a Song. You are Song-Bound, Shadow.” Ruyne hissed, looking around before pulling Shadow further around the wagon. “You have to bind to Derry now. The magic has already bound you.”

  “We were just messing around. Song-Binding requires a ritual and love. We are close friends; it was just a fun distraction. The Song would know the difference,” Shadow growled.

  “You fool,” Ruyne hissed into his brother’s ear. “Derry has loved you for years. The Song is not fooled. You can say he is just your friend all you wish, but the two of you are closer to each other than anyone in this camp besides me and Silver.”

  “No. I won’t do the ceremony. I won’t bind to Derry. I don’t want to be tied down yet,” Shadow backed away. “Pretend you don’t know, Ruyne. Brother. For me. No one has to know. I will take care of Derry.”

  “Leader? We are ready to leave,” Bronze called from the other side of the wagon.

  Ruyne stepped away from Shadow with a scowl. He had no choice but to let it go for now. “Consider carefully Derry’s welfare, my brother.”

  “Like you did when you sent him to scout?” Shadow hissed, then stormed off through the camp to the newly built wagon the camp had helped him make that morning.

  Ruyne watched him go, stunned by the harsh words. Leader for a day and already Shadow had broken their laws in a way he found atrocious. Shadow marrying Derry was the only possible way to fix it. He had to convince his brother to do that before anyone else caught on that they were Song-Bound. Others in the camp with strong connection to the Song would sense the Song-Binding.

  Ruyne could not look at Derry’s parents as he passed them on his way to climb up onto his wagon. “Let us move out!” He called to the camp.

  The horses strained and the wagons started to move, as the Band broke into the traditional song to begin their journey. Ruyne watched as Silver and Derry disappeared on the road ahead of them to perform their scouting duties. He could feel Shadow’s displeasure over the Song.

  Chapter 6

  Silver

  Silver felt much better as they got farther from the sea. He loved scouting ahead of the Band. It was dangerous, but only rarely. Their Band followed a specific path every year, and the towns they visited always greeted them with fanfare and excitement. There were other Bands throughout the world, but theirs had gained renown, mostly due to the talents of Ruyne and Shadow. Derry and he hadn’t spoken much while scouting since the point was to remain quiet and listen, but Derry nodded to him as they returned to the Band just as the wagons broke formation to make camp. Silver nodded back and watched Derry disappear.

  “Silver, no trouble on the road?” Bronze asked in his gruff voice, as Silver rode up to their wagon.

  “No, Father.” Silver slid off Thorn. Once on the ground, he pulled the saddle and blanket off her sweaty back and started to cool her down. When she was fed and watered, he ducked into their wagon to prepare for the festival of the night. By the time he was clean and dressed in his special clothes for performances, most of the camp was going to the town. He grabbed his flute on his way out and stuck it in his pocket before hurrying down the cobbled road. Although he didn’t expect to be asked to perform sometimes he would get asked. Better to be prepared.

  Everywhere around him the Band members in bright costumes danced and swirled while playing whatever instrument for which they had the most talent. They drew the townspeople out to the temporary stage they Band had set up. Silver hurried through the boisterous crowd and took up position by the sales wagon. The only wagon that was allowed to leave the camp, the sales wagon held all of the Band’s crafts and trade goods.

  “Will you play tonight, Silver?” asked Cascade, the kindly older gentleman chosen to run the trade wagon tonight. He leaned on the counter
as Silver sat down next to the wagon.

  Silver shook his head. He scanned the crowd, trying to find Ruyne in the multitude. “I’m just going to watch Ruyne.”

  “It will be his first performance as Leader. He was talented before. He will be much better tonight,” Cascade winked at him. “Perhaps you should find a seat closer?”

  “Oh, I can see fine from here,” Silver muttered, turning his head so Cascade wouldn’t see him blush. He didn’t dare get closer to the stage. He’d learned early on that his best friend’s Song magic drove him crazy with desire when he was too close. The mass of people gathered around eagerly, pressing against the stage. Ruyne and Shadow were the most popular singers in the Band and they always drew the best crowd. Even though the Band only got around to each town once a year the people always remembered the brothers.

  There he was. Silver finally spotted Ruyne’s unmistakable azure hair through the crowd. He felt a shiver go down his spine as he watched Ruyne stride boldly onto the stage. Ruyne had been born a showman. Even from a young age, he’d been the most confident performer in the Band.

  The crowd fell silent as Ruyne came to the middle of the stage and bowed. “Greetings, people of Balerno. The Dusksingers thank you for your warm welcome.” The townspeople erupted in screams and cheers and Ruyne bowed again, along with all the other Band members near the stage.

  Silver chuckled when the rest of Ruyne’s welcome speech was drowned out by the crowd shouting his name and demanding he start singing.

  Ruyne finally laughed and raised his hands to quiet them again. When the crowd settled, he picked up his lute and sat down on the stool center stage. Silver tilted his head at the unfamiliar chords Ruyne began to pluck. He thought he knew all of Ruyne’s songs. Had his friend written a new one?