“You have to let that go,” Aja said.
“I have concerns about Niv’s position and the conflicts—”
“Not that. Your encounter with Shareis.”
“I…” Maeva stopped herself. “What kind of magic is this?”
“I told you I’m a healer,” Aja replied.
Maeva opened her eyes, pulled away from her, and looked carefully at Aja. After a brief stare, she barely contained a gasp and looked away.
“That’s enough. I thank you, but these are my issues.”
“I was only trying to help,” Aja said.
Maeva went to her horse and fetched a bedroll, then set it up a fair distance from the campfire.
“You’ll be cold over there,” he said.
“I’ll be fine. Again, thank you both for your hospitality. I will be out of your way by the time you wake.”
Aja rejoined him by the fire. She couldn’t hide the look of defeat on her face if she tried. “Will you talk to her?”
“I think it’s best if we—”
She took his hand. “Please?”
He nodded. “Alright.”
He approached Maeva. “I’m sorry to disturb you.”
Maeva sat upright on her bedroll. “Yes?”
“My friend is—”
Maeva took a deep breath. “Your friend is a wonderful soul.”
“She didn’t mean to insult you.”
“I know. She was trying to help, and I respect that.”
He started to leave but decided to air a concern. “Do you know Aja?”
Maeva stammered. “Know Aja? Why?”
“You seemed to recognize her when she was trying to help you.”
“No… of course not. This is the first time I’ve ever met either of you.”
He nodded but didn’t accept her answer. She was clearly lying.
“If I may, Adrious, why are you going to the Jeweled Woods?”
“I finished a translation of a tablet that coincided with a vision Aja had of the Jeweled Woods.”
Maeva stood. “Vision? Of its destruction?”
“Yes. How did you know?” he asked.
“Because I had the same vision.”
Chapter 30
Frasie opened her eyes. Her head ached and her throat hurt. She tried to move, but her body wouldn’t cooperate.
Aiden sat by her bedside. “Good to see you awake.”
She opened her mouth to speak in a ragged whisper. “What…happened?”
He took her hand. “We were ambushed. You were shot in the neck.”
She felt the bandage.
“It didn’t hit anything vital. I’m not sure how, because you have the most slender, graceful neck of anyone I know. Niv healed you and teleported us all to safety. We’re in Ashmar.”
“Teleported?”
“With magic. I am amazed it worked. I can’t help but to wonder if some piece of me is still on the roadside.”
“Is everyone alright?”
Aiden took a deep breath. “You, and a couple of others, were in bad shape. But you will recover.”
“I feel so weak.”
“You lost a lot of blood.”
“Thank you…for being here,” she said.
He brushed away a curl and kissed her forehead. “There isn’t anywhere else I’d rather be.”
Shareis entered the room. “How is she?”
“Awake and on the mend.”
“Tell Nivvy thank you,” Frasie said.
Shareis smiled. “I will.”
* * *
Shareis walked down the hall to Niv’s room. Her wife was still asleep, so she climbed into bed next to her and watched her chest slowly rise and fall. Niv had spent the past few days tending to everyone else at the expense of her own health, so she was delighted her love could finally get the rest she needed.
She looked out the window and noticed the full moon rising in the east. She knew she would miss their window to conceive a child and there wouldn’t be another chance for nearly a year. It was for the best. What kind of life would a child have in this horrible war?
A faint knock at the door startled her. She must have dozed into a light nap. She quietly opened it and found Lilly on the other side.
“I’m not disturbing you, am I?”
“Not at all.” She stepped out into the hallway. “But let’s talk out here. I don’t want to risk waking Niv.”
“I’m glad she’s getting a chance to rest,” Lilly said.
“I have never seen her so exhausted.”
“How about you?” Lilly asked.
She shrugged. “We don’t need as much sleep.”
“You are half-human,” Lilly said.
“I’ll manage,” she replied. “How’s Mauria?”
“She nearly lost her leg. If it wasn’t for Farius…” Lilly paused. “I don’t know if we can win this.”
“We’re getting very good at running.”
“I’d better get back to Mauria.” Lilly put her hand on Shareis’s shoulder. “Get some rest, Shareis.”
* * *
Lilly walked upstairs to the third floor and entered the double room with Mauria and another wounded person from Brenloh.
She sat beside Mauria’s bed.
“What are you doing here?” Mauria asked.
“Checking on you.”
Mauria pointed to her leg. “It’s still here. Barely.”
“It’s going to be fine,” she replied. “Druids are renowned for their healing magic.”
“If those soldiers attack this inn, don’t be stupid,” Mauria said. “You and everyone that can should run.”
“Sure,” she said. “As long as I’m carrying you.”
“Run where, Shareis? Are we going to run all the way back to Masola? To Selandis?”
“As far as we have to,” she said. “As long as you’re safe. That’s all that matters to me.”
Chapter 31
Niv woke shortly after noon. It was the first full sleep she had in days. She hadn’t caught up on rest, but it would have to do. Shareis remained asleep, so she quietly slipped out of their bed and walked around the inn. Though a fair number of her party suffered varying degrees of injuries, they had miraculously not lost a soul in the terrible ambush.
She knew most of the citizens of Brenloh who teleported with them, so visiting with them brought her a bit of comfort. They praised her for her leadership and put on a brave face, but all but the most non-observant could see their anxiety.
She headed outside to get some fresh air. Dark, gray clouds hung in the sky and a cold chill took her breath. She tightened the tie on her cloak and watched the people of Ashmar go about their business. She couldn’t guarantee any of their safety, let alone those in her direct charge. They were all going to die, and there was nothing she could do to save them.
“High Priestess.”
The woman sounded much like Shareis. She lowered her cloak and saw Lilly standing next to her at the end of the tavern steps.
“I’m your daughter-in-law,” she replied. “Niv is fine.”
“You told me, but I forgot. It is a force of habit.”
“If you don’t stop, I will call you mother.”
A thin smile crept across Lilly’s face. “You’ve made your point, Niv.”
“I am not sure I deserve the title,” she admitted. “A spiritual leader would do something to save them, yet I am powerless against these monsters.”
“You speak as though they are all marked for death.”
“Can you tell me they’re not?”
“Our defeat is not certain.”
“They’ve killed over a hundred and burned our town to the ground.” She took a deep breath. “And I fear we’ve lost Olivia. If that teleportation spell hadn’t worked—”
“But it did work,” Lilly said.
“We got lucky.”
“Maybe. But you can’t allow yourself to think like that. If we are to have any hope of defeating them, we must ma
intain confidence in ourselves and our abilities.”
“In magical practices, I would agree,” she said. “Without unshakable belief in the outcome, even the simplest spell is destined to fail. But magic doesn’t work against them.”
“There are many kinds of magic, and we won’t defeat them with the brand that you and your father normally practice. Your people need faith.”
“How can I give them something I do not possess?” she asked.
“When my people were on the verge of extinction during the Proctor Wars, we felt much as you do now. After a victory, we felt a renewed sense of hope. After a defeat, we fell into the depths of despair. For years, we let the enemy decide what we could and could not accomplish, and thus lost sight of what we were fighting for. Eventually, a friend of mine—a very wise friend—helped me see we could not win unless we had faith in ourselves.”
“I admire her confidence. I wish I could meet her.”
Lilly held a charm on her necklace. “You would have liked her. She’s no longer with us. She died not long after she brought me to my senses.”
“I am sorry,” she said.
“She would not want us to be sorry, because although she died, she was not defeated. She died with more courage, more bravery than anyone I’ve ever known.” Lilly removed the charm from her necklace and placed it in her palm. “She’s helped me through many a dark night. Perhaps you can borrow some of her courage, too?”
She felt a surge of strength from the cold metal in her hand. “I don’t know what to say.”
“Let her bravery fill you and do as I have and pass it on. Your people need you now more than ever.”
She nodded. “Thank you.”
“It doesn’t feel as cold as it did when I came out here. Perhaps this winter won’t be so rough after all.” Lilly motioned with her eyes to the top floor of the inn. “Go, talk to your wife. You have something to discuss.”
She almost asked her how she knew, but instead decided to let Lilly’s wisdom remain mysterious. She walked upstairs to her room and found Shareis sitting on the edge of the bed.
“Good afternoon, love,” Shareis said.
She sat next to her. “Good afternoon.”
Shareis put her hand on her shoulder. “Did you sleep well?”
“Yes. I thought things would be clearer after I slept, but now they’re an even bigger jumble.” She showed Shareis the charm. “Your mother helped.”
“That’s one of her most prized possessions. She must have thought you needed its strength.”
She took Shareis’s hand. “I want to have our child. My heart is ready, but… I know now is not the time.”
“There will be another alignment.”
“Not until next summer.”
“There is no rush.”
She stood and walked to the window. “This war has taught me never to take anything for granted. We aren’t guaranteed tomorrow.”
Shareis wrapped her arms around her. “True. But love, we cannot live the rest of our lives in one day.”
“I cannot shake this feeling that if we don’t conceive a child now, we never will.”
“That is not clairvoyance, that’s fear,” Shareis said.
“I hope you’re right.”
Shareis held her stomach. “I want to create new life with you. But I don’t want to subject our child to the same horrors of war I had to endure.”
She turned to Shareis. “Next year, then.”
Shareis brushed a lock of hair from her face. “Next year.”
Chapter 32
Frasie sat by the fire on the main floor of the inn. Aiden cuddled next to her, while others, including Mauria and Lilly, sat in adjoining seats. Rain started to pour, so Aiden closed a nearby window and returned to their chair. The somber mood and dreary weather permeated everything. Conversations were scarce and short-lived. Worrisome internal dialog was evident across all their faces.
She leaned her head against Aiden’s chest. “I don’t want to be here. And I don’t want to be anywhere else.”
He pulled her closer. “I understand. To be honest, I’m thrilled you felt like getting out of bed.”
“I didn’t. But I wanted to.”
Nivvy and Shareis sat on an empty couch next to them. “You’re awake, Frasie.”
“Of course, I’m awake.”
“She’s even drinking cider,” Aiden said.
“Perfect,” Nivvy said. “She’s got a lot of healing to do.”
After a moment of silence, Nivvy knelt in front of her. “Frasie… I know you’re angry at me.”
“You’re my best friend,” she said. “And you saved my life.”
“But you’re still upset.”
She sat back in her chair. “Yes. We left without Aiden.”
“Staying would have put us all in grave danger,” Nivvy said. “I loathed the idea, and hated telling you no.”
“She’s right, Frasie,” Aiden said. “Niv, I understand you did what you had to do.”
“Thank you, Aiden,” Nivvy said. “You are part of our family and I would have done anything I could to save you. I had every intention of mounting a rescue effort.”
“At some level, I knew that.” She paused as she remembered the flood of emotions she felt while escaping the battle. “Everything happened so fast. But Olivia… She was the calmest of us all. She literally jumped to the rescue.”
“And in turn, we will rescue her,” Shareis said. “It will take all of us working together to survive this.”
Aiden motioned toward Shareis. “If a Proctor tells you to stick together, you know it’s serious.”
“I understand.” She tried to pull Niv in for a hug but winced in pain.
Niv embraced her. “Are we alright?”
She nodded. “We are.” She studied her best friend’s face and broke out into a slight grin. “What have you two been up to?”
“Resting,” Nivvy replied. “We were exhausted.”
“On the full moon?”
Nivvy’s face reddened. “I…”
“What?” Aiden asked.
She wanted to squeal in excitement but didn’t have the energy. She whispered into Aiden’s ear.
“No use in denying it,” Aiden said. “If you do, she’ll just announce it loud enough for the whole tavern to hear.”
“Don’t worry,” she said. “I can only manage a smile right now. But I’m so happy for both of you.”
Nivvy hung her head. “There’s nothing to celebrate.”
“Not yet. Give it time.”
Nivvy looked toward Shareis. “We decided to wait until summer.”
“I’m sorry.”
“It is for the best,” Nivvy admitted.
She took a slow sip of her hot cider. “What will we do, Nivvy?”
Nivvy took a slow, deep breath. “I’ve been thinking about that. And to be honest, I’m not sure.”
“We need the Selandis army,” Aiden said. “With the right horses, we could be there in a few weeks.”
“In a few weeks, horses might be all that’s left.”
Nivvy sat and stared into the fire. “This decision involves everyone.”
“Indeed, it does,” a female voice said. She turned to see Maeva, Adrious, and a young woman at the door.
Mae took off her cloak and approached them. “I’ve come to help.”
Chapter 33
Niv stood. Before she could open her mouth, Frasie ran toward her mother. Frasie grunted in pain as she hugged Mae.
Mae put an arm around Frasie. “Well hello, Frasie.”
Farius approached his wife. “It is good to see you, my love.” He awkwardly maneuvered around Frasie to embrace her.
Mae kissed Farius. “And you too, dear.”
She looked to Shareis, and with a quick nod, her wife left the room. She knew exactly what she wanted.
Mae smiled. “And there’s my beautiful daughter.”
She slowly walked toward her, keeping her hands at her side. “Hi.”<
br />
Mae extended her arms. “Hi? That’s no greeting for your mother.”
Shareis brought Cherin and Ren from the kitchen.
“Cherin! Ren! I hope you two are doing well.”
Cherin took a deep breath. “All things considered.”
Mae hugged her sister. “I saw militia in the street and barricades along the square. Has the devastation started already?”
“Yes,” she replied. “But how did you know?”
Adrious took a few steps toward them. “Hello, High Priestess. Shareis, Mauria—it’s good to see you again. Both your mother and my friend, Aja, experienced the same premonition. Metal marching through the woods, flames scattering wildlife…people screaming...”
She gasped. “The invasion has already begun. Will Masola or Selandis send aid?”
“Send aid?” Mae asked. “They don’t even know about this.”
“But you had a premonition,” Frasie said. “You didn’t tell them?”
Mae shook her head. “No one will send armies marching on the authority of a vision.”
“Word should have reached Gray Oak by now,” she said. “And they know nothing?”
“No,” Mae replied.
“They must have captured our messenger,” Farius said.
“Then we are alone,” Niv said.
Mae took a step toward her. “We have powerful magic. Combined, we can—”
“They are immune to magic.”
“Immune? How can that be?” Mae asked.
“We don’t know,” she replied. “Only swords, arrows, and explosives have had any effect.”
“Cadrin is leading the forces against us,” Farius said.
Mae’s mouth hung open in shock. “Cadrin?”
“Him and his wife…or mistress. Not sure which,” Aiden said. “Their dynamic is quite unusual. She seems to have great influence on him.”
“Narelle was killed, wasn’t she?” Mae asked.
“Yes,” she replied. “It wasn’t Narelle.”
“She’s a blond-haired woman.” Aiden rubbed his forehead. “I’m trying to remember her name. She has quite striking features. Crystal blue eyes…”
“Her hair blond as wheat, her eyes blue as glass… Her jaw firm as the most determined leader,” Adrious said.
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