She pulled away from Lana and touched her face, eyes filled with love.
“Thank you for telling me all of this. I love you, Mother… you, and Father.”
***
The next day, Yara left the dwelling and made her way back to the Soar. She hoped Kristos would be there. She felt calmer after her mother’s reassuring words the day before. Perhaps, what she had discovered in the Greens had another explanation. She desperately needed someone to talk to… someone she could completely trust.
She could see Kristos sitting right on the same boulder from where he had witnessed her shameful display of tears. He seemed to be deep in thought, and very troubled, but as he noticed her approaching, relief flooded over his face.
Yara walked up to him and then perched on a tuft of grass facing him. She stared at him, unsure of how to begin speaking. So instead, she let her eyes drift along his face and body, absorbing details that were both familiar, yet so different. She had never really noticed that he looked so much more mature now than when they were kids. He was becoming a man. His skin and markings seemed to glow with Sunstar’s light, revealing waves of muscles that twitched with strength. His brown eyes peered deeply when she finally allowed hers to meet his again.
“Talk to me…” he whispered.
She took a deep breath. Then, it all came rushing out like a flood. She told him about her decision to go into the Greens, about how amazing the glow of the Guiding Thread was, about seeing the Saptree and the refreshing moment she had, and about her spotting the exquisite mushroom patch. His eyes lit up with many emotions… fear that she went in alone, excitement for what she had seen, pride at her bravery, and then confusion.
“These all seem to be amazing experiences, Yara…”
“I know… but it's what happened next…”
She gazed down at the pocket that held her Guiding Thread.
“One mile… Our first issue Threads are always one mile long… right?”
“Yes…?”
“Kristos… the Saptree was one mile in… my Thread… it was finished. I didn’t even notice… I was so caught up in the moment…”
She paused at Kristos’ perturbed then angry expression.
“You went in the entire mile?! On your first time?! How could you even see? Yara, that’s so dangerous! Not even Pekone could handle the blurring for an entire mile in on his first time! WHAT were you thinking?!”
Kristos was no longer holding back the extent of his care for Yara. She could feel the layered concern in his words. It warmed her strangely… but it made her hesitant to continue.
Be brave, Yara, she told herself.
“Well… that’s just it. I didn’t feel a thing… as in, I never… I never had any blurring…”
“What…?”
“I don’t know how to explain it… I think I could have gone further… but then I realized I had no more Thread left…”
Her eyes brimmed with tears.
“I thought I had experienced Light Blindness, Kristos! I thought if I could see so clearly in the Greens, it meant I couldn’t be in Sunstar anymore. But I ran back out, and I was fine… I was fine… I don’t know what it means, but…”
With the rest of her resistance giving way to her outpouring, she willed herself to say the words that scared her the most.
“I can see… I can see clearly in the Shadows…”
Chapter Eight
Kristos stared at Yara in complete confusion and, with it, hints of fear. What she was saying was not rational… It was not possible. He gazed at her, uncertain how to respond to what she had said. Only Skotads, and Light Blinded Photaks, could see clearly in darkness… but they definitely could not also dwell in Sunstar’s light. Somehow, Yara could do both.
The rays of Sunstar caused Yara’s iridescent eyes to gleam as she earnestly waited on his response. Kristos could see their sparkling colors… yellows, reds, and golds with specks of blues and greens. For the first time, Yara’s eyes didn’t seem quite as mesmerizing. They now felt… strange… to him. They felt slightly suspicious. Guilty pangs shot through him. This was Yara. Yara, the girl that he had known his entire life, the girl he loved. Still, as he looked over her unmarked skin, he wondered…
What… is she…
His thoughts ran to his father. Chief Lamad had risked everything to let Lana and Sorin keep Yara. Now, Kristos was the only chance his father had at being saved. How could he save him if he couldn’t prove that Yara was a Photak?
“Kristos… say something…”
Yara’s expression began to turn to one of regret. Kristos didn’t want her to feel she shouldn’t have told him, but he also still didn’t know how to respond.
“I’m sorry, Yara… I am still trying to process everything you’re saying…”
“And I am trying to process everything that’s happening to me, Kristos! You think I asked for any of this?! I’m telling you because you’re the only person in this world that I can trust… because I know you will keep my secret and help me figure this out. You will, won’t you? Or are you too caught up in your own shock to even care?!”
Kristos winced at her harsh words but mentally shook himself. He hadn’t stopped to think about how scared Yara must be feeling. She hadn’t known that any of this would even happen. Compassion filled his heartstar. For a moment, he put aside his fears for his father’s life. He put himself into her shoes and understood how much her world must be falling apart.
“You’re right. I really am sorry. I let the shock of what you said eclipse my commitment to you as a friend.”
“A friend? So… I am no longer good enough for your love then… no longer worthy of being your mate because I can see in the Shadows…?”
“Yara, I didn’t mean—”
“Save it.”
With her curt reply, Yara got up and angrily walked away.
Kristos sighed gruffly and dropped his head into his hands. He wanted to call after her and ease her mind. He also knew he couldn’t do that without having to explain everything. How was he to tell her that if he didn’t commit to spying on her and reporting back to the Elders, he could lose his father to the darkness forever… the very darkness in which Yara could apparently see. He didn’t know how she would react, but he knew nothing good could result from it.
Added to that, Kristos was now confounded by Yara’s revelations about the Shadows. Within himself, he had never seen Yara as anything other than a differently beautiful Photak. He felt himself beginning to doubt that for the very first time. His mind ran across what one of the Elders had told him the day before.
“Yara is a Skotad weapon!” Elder Malek had said. “They found a way to help her withstand Sunstar’s rays! They planted her here among us until the time was right… and that time is now! Did you see how she fought? She was the most advanced Skotad we have ever seen. They must have been training her all along! Plus, no one gets over the Sleeper like that!”
Kristos had grunted defiantly at the Elder’s accusations, but now he wasn’t so sure anymore. He certainly didn’t think that Yara had been training with the Skotads, especially since they had spent almost every day together for the past eight years.
But what if she is a weapon, or a Skotad of some kind, and she doesn’t even know it…
Kristos jumped up, suddenly aware of what he needed to do. If he could get Pekone to decide that Yara was not a weapon, or at least not one by choice, the Elders would listen to him… because no one knew more about Skotads and their weapons than Pekone. That could be the only way to fix this, for his father and for Yara. He needed to talk to Pekone, and he needed to do it right away.
As Kristos made his way to Pekone’s dwelling, he went over what he would say, again and again. Pekone lived on the far outskirts of the village, close to the most dangerous edge of the Greens. He had his dwelling built there on purpose, so he could personally ensure he was always on the frontlines for possible Skotad attacks. As Kristos walked up to the dwelling, he could see Pe
kone sitting on his large chair just outside, smoking his pipe. He didn’t seem surprised to see Kristos.
“Young Chief, what brings you this far out of the village?”
Kristos grabbed a Saptree log that lay nearby, turning it into a seat, and studied Pekone. He could never tell what mood Pekone was in.
“I am sure by now you know about what the Elders have asked me to do…”
“Spy on your blue-haired love in exchange for saving your father? Why yes, I’m aware…”
Kristos balked a little at Pekone’s directness but willed himself to concentrate on his purpose for coming.
“Yes, they want me to report to them about Yara so that I can prove my loyalty to the Tribe… in exchange for mercy granted to my father and his vote so many years ago.”
Pekone looked at Kristos with a continued blank expression, and it unnerved him a bit more.
“Why do you think the Elders see Yara as a Skotad weapon? I mean, you’re the expert at weapons… so do you agree with them?”
Pekone’s eyes narrowed slightly. He took a long pull through his pipe and breathed the smoke out slowly.
“A Skotad weapon…?” he drawled.
Kristos felt a small surge of annoyance, but he knew he couldn’t afford to reveal his desperation.
“Yes. That’s what Elder Malek said.”
“Hmmm…”
He took another long pull, and Kristos felt himself getting angry.
“Unless, of course, you aren’t that knowledgeable about Skotad weapons.”
Pekone immediately glared at Kristos but finally gave him the answer he sought.
“I know everything there is to know about Skotad weapons. Skotads are a ruthless people, a violent people… but they aren’t proficient at weaponry design… certainly not anything close to producing a weaponized baby.”
Kristos grinned slightly. He saw the look of annoyance spread over Pekone’s face as he realized he had been baited. Pekone continued, still glaring.
“Perhaps, the Elder found some answers in the ancient texts of Truth that substantiate his claims…”
Kristos’ smile was immediately erased. If that were even remotely true, there would be nothing he could do to fix this. The ancient texts of Truth were above all other knowledge, and judgment. He knew about them only because he was the son of the Chief. The Elders and the Chief used them for reference on all things that concerned Photak Law.
“Did they? Did they find anything in them?!”
Pekone’s eyes glinted with satisfaction at his reaction, but Kristos didn’t care. Pekone grunted and then looked at him with unusual seriousness.
“Look… I know you wouldn’t be here if you didn’t need me, Young Chief. You’ve clearly been with Yara today, and there must be things you know. So… I’ll tell you what… if you share your secrets with me, I’ll share mine with you… and together we can figure all of this out.”
Kristos couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief at Pekone’s offer. The burden of all of this was something he usually shared with his father. He felt a stab of shame knowing he was going to share Yara’s secret, but he mostly felt a renewed sense of hope. Whether or not Yara would admit it, she too would know that Pekone was a powerful ally.
He told Pekone everything. He told him about their training sessions, Yara’s innocence in the inner fight, her fears that anyone could ever think she was a Skotad, and even his professed love for her. Then, he told him about Yara’s trip into the Greens.
Pekone’s body straightened the more that Kristos shared. He leaned forward as Kristos told him Yara had used the full length of her Guiding Thread.
“The full length… the entire mile… on her very first time? Kristos, are you sure Yara hadn’t already been journeying into the Greens on her own?”
“I’m certain of it,” Kristos responded.
“She must have barely been able to see. I know she is a brave one, and she probably feels like she has something to prove, but that sounds like pure stupidity!” Pekone said indignantly.
“Well… that’s just it… she… she never experienced the Blurry…”
Pekone’s eyes narrowed.
“What did you say?”
“Yara…” Kristos stammered a little, “she… she can see in the Shadows…”
Pekone rose from his chair, gawking at Kristos. Then, he began to pace with a deadly serious look on his face. After a couple of minutes, he turned and faced Kristos.
“Where is Yara now?”
“I… I don’t know… I might have angered her, and she walked off so—”
“Where do you think she would she have gone?!”
“Pekone, I said… I don’t know. She roams a lot when she is upset. But why? Why do you need to know where she is? And what are your secrets? What does all of this mean?”
Pekone looked at Kristos dead in his eyes.
“It means if we don’t find Yara and get to the bottom of this before the Elders find out, your father will definitely be sent to Light Banishment. They plan to secretly judge him today, Kristos! In the next few hours! Find her. Find her and bring her to me. Find her before you lose your father forever!”
***
Yara gasped softly. Quickly, her hands shot up to cover her mouth. She couldn’t believe what Pekone had just said. As she lay hidden in the bushes, she finally understood why Kristos seemed so torn and grieved by her revelation. She had angrily returned to the Soar to tell him a bit more of her mind when she saw him walking in the distance. She realized that his direction meant there was only one place he could be going, and she fumed with even more anger. He seemed to be ready to betray her trust right away. To be certain, she had snuck up the other side of Pekone’s dwelling and listened to all that was being said. She never expected what she heard.
Poor Kristos…
Her heartstar broke at the thought of the torture he must be going through. To know that in all of this he was still trying to save her along with his father, that meant the world to her. Still, she wasn’t quite sure she was ready to face Pekone. Yara had found it difficult to ever trust anyone the way she trusted Kristos. She knew Kristos had left Pekone’s dwelling to go search for her, but she wasn’t ready to be found.
Then, as she was about to sneak away, she heard Pekone call out.
“You can come out now, you know… He’s gone.”
Yara felt her stomach pang, and she lowered her head. She had been so careful. No one had ever discovered her when she was in stealth mode before.
As she got up to come out, she heard another voice respond.
“Well… that was interesting…”
Then, out of the shadows of Pekone’s dwelling came Elder Malek.
Chapter Nine
Tears of terror flooded Yara’s eyes. Her heartstar pounded so hard that she could barely hear anything else. Her thoughts went wild with panic. Elder Malek was known to have been the strongest opposition to her Tribe parents even keeping her as a baby. He had openly accused Lana and Sorin of purposely putting the Tribe at risk. He saw her parents’ defiance as a form of rebellion against the will of Sunstar. He believed that if Lana were meant to have a child, then she would have had one on her own with Sorin. To him, Yara was a curse.
“We always knew the blue-haired abomination was a Skotad weapon. Even you can’t deny it now, Pekone.”
“A weapon… maybe. But a threat… definitely. I will say it is curious that she can still also survive in Sunstar’s rays…”
Malek spat indignantly.
“That child’s very existence defies the will of Sunstar. We have found nothing in our extensive search of the ancient texts that corroborates Lana’s naive claims of signs from Sunstar.”
“Well… you did find one thing…”
“Unsubstantial!” Malek sneered. “Plus, she has no markings, so it’s impossible! All living things, ALL creations of Sunstar, have sacred birthlines. She must have been made by the Skotads!”
Pekone seemed to consid
er the possibility for the first time. He turned to the Elder as a flash of alarm crossed his face… one that Yara had never seen before.
“If that be the case, then the Tribe is in far more danger than we have estimated.”
“So, find the abomination, Pekone! And find a way to ensure she speaks. Your light torches won’t work on her. She must be interrogated like the Skotad she is. I am holding you personally responsible for the safety of this Tribe!”
Pekone’s eyes narrowed. He didn’t like to take orders. As Malek walked off, Pekone called after him in a cold, deadly tone.
“Perhaps, if you had finished the job, Elder Malek, we wouldn’t be in this position. Your cowardice when the Skotad saved Lana is the reason why Sorin and Yara stayed. If you had killed her like you planned, the three days would have passed, and Sorin would have assumed that Lana had succumbed to Light Blindness. Sorin would have left with Yara in search of Lana… He would have given up Sunstar’s rays for her! And if he had done that, we wouldn’t be in this mess today. But don’t worry… I won’t be as careless as you were… No Skotad could ever get in my way.”
Malek had paused while Pekone spoke, but then he continued walking, clearly deciding it wasn’t worth it. Pekone went into his dwelling with an insidious laugh.
Yara covered her mouth and held back a horrified cry. She didn’t believe… she couldn’t believe… Elder Malek had been responsible for the attack on her mother. He was the one who had wanted her dead.
And a Skotad… saved my mother?
She felt nauseated but forced herself to check her surroundings. Even if she had the capacity to, she couldn’t afford to think about this at this moment. Not when the present threat was so great... When she felt it was safe, she pushed herself up. They would be sending a search party for her soon. She needed to go. She needed to go now.
The Unmarked Girl (The YaraStar Trilogy Book 1) Page 6