by Brondos, Pam
“Thanks,” Nat responded faintly, tearing her eyes away from the blocked entrance.
The orb nestled in the crook of Nat’s arm as she lay in bed. She yawned and pressed it closer to her body. The fear of failing to connect with the orb lingered in the back of her mind as she tried to relax. Feeling thirsty from the syrupy liquid she’d downed before bed, she pulled off her blanket and climbed carefully down the loft to get a drink, carrying the orb with her.
She held the ball tight in one hand and grasped the handle to the adjoining bathroom. The hairs on the back of her neck stood on end when she heard a sound like air escaping a tire behind her. Slowly, she turned. Her room was gone. An enormous black pit like the one in Gennes’ camp swallowed the space in front of her. A Nala, monstrous in size, crept out of the hole. Nat spun back around, opened the door, and slammed it shut behind her.
She clutched the orb to her chest and looked around. Her breathing slowed when she realized she was in her family’s barn. Lambs bleated in their wide pen in the corner. Her father looked up from his lathe. He smiled at her and brushed the sawdust from the thick leather apron covering his chest and legs. Nat ran to him. He enfolded her in his arms with the orb pressed between them. The moment she touched him, a rush of memories of her family flowed through her mind. Visions of her sisters when they were just babies—Cal, then Marie Claire born eight years later. Nat riding on the rocking horse her father had made for her one Christmas. Snuggling next to Cal in bed when thunderstorms shook the hills around their house. Letting MC struggle with a horse before stepping in and boosting her onto the saddle. Her parents singing, fighting, crying, hugging, laughing.
It was overwhelming. She lost all ability to pause or control her thoughts as memories she had forgotten surfaced, only to be replaced by streams of emotions and questions. When had she and Cal grown apart? How had her parents found a love so strong? What would MC be like when she was older, carrying so much concern for others at such a young age? Did any of them know how much she truly loved them?
She opened her eyes and found herself in a room with walls so white she immediately brought her hand to her brow to shield against the light. A square block rose from the center of the floor. Curious, Nat approached a screen centered in the middle of the block. A simple equation flashed across the screen. Nat tucked the orb into her pocket, knowing she had to provide an answer. The moment she typed the solution on a keyboard at the base of the screen, a chemical equation appeared. She glanced at it and realized something was wrong, then moved the cursor to fix the mistake. Another problem followed by a question popped up. Her hands flew over the keyboard with lightning speed, answering every question that materialized. After what seemed like an endless series of questions, the screen went suddenly blank.
She stepped back, and an image appeared above the screen. The hazy forms sharpened into Estos sitting on a metal bleacher next to her. Nat recognized the encounter immediately. It was from the morning he’d explained how Mudug had ordered the death of his sister, Emilia, the morning Nat had agreed to help him return to Fourline. The image swirled and she saw herself talking on the phone while walking through campus. Voices filled the room, and she listened to herself explaining to MC how to send their mom and dad’s account information so she could pay their mortgage.
The vision reshaped itself again. Nat was talking to a boy from her high school as he leaned against the gray lockers. Her skin crawled at the memory. She did not need to hear the voices to remember the conversation. The boy had posted explicit pictures of ex-girlfriends online and had set his eyes on Cal. His defiant look disappeared when Nat’s track team suddenly appeared in the hallway and stood behind her. He’d never said another word to Cal.
More images materialized. She watched scene after scene of problems that had popped up in her life or in the lives of those around her and how she’d dealt with them. Nat dropped her eyes, confused. She pulled her orb from her pocket and felt the comforting smoothness of its surface.
When she looked up, she gasped. She saw herself cradling Soris’ head in her lap as a river coursed behind them. The fabric around his shoulder hung in shreds. Blood and venom stained the skin encircling the deep bite wounds. The body of the dead Nala lay curled up near the water. Nat felt a fury inside her and brought her fist slamming down on the screen. The glass splintered and the walls of the room fell, then disappeared like the image.
She was alone in a field that spread forever in every direction. She stood in the long grass and turned, wondering which way to go. Curling her fingers around the orb, she set off running down a dirt path that appeared at her feet. She felt the ground beneath her rise slightly as the path cut over a hill. The grass disappeared. Slabs of split granite shot up from the top of the hill. Nat held on to her orb tightly and climbed up and over each ancient rock until her fingers brushed the familiar ledge of her dream space.
Nat paused before pulling herself over the ledge, remembering Barba’s words. You can come in, she said to her orb, then threw her leg over the boundary and tumbled onto the floor. The bars of light along the ledge lit up like a series of fireworks, but she hardly noticed. She held the orb in her hand. It felt solid, real. Is it really with me, or is it just a figment?
She glanced around the empty space, remembering how she’d touched people and objects in her dream space in the past. She clutched the orb, convinced of its physicality, and sat with her legs crossed on the floor. She stared at it, knowing everything her dreams had revealed. Did you see all of it, too? she silently asked the orb as she thought of the images, intentions, feelings, and beliefs she hardly remembered and those painfully new. She stared intently, willing it to accept her emotions.
After what seemed like hours, Nat fell onto her back, exhausted. The ball rolled onto the floor, lifeless. She closed her eyes, knowing she’d failed. It’s okay, I can still go back to Fourline, find the Nala, and finish it off so Soris and I can be free of the remnant. I know so much more now. It doesn’t matter that I’m not a Sister. It doesn’t matter. It doesn’t matter.
She sighed, feeling the heavy weight of her doubt return. She glanced at the floor, looking for the useless orb. It was gone. Figures, she thought as she stood up and walked glumly toward the barrier lights. I can’t even conjure a working orb in my dream space. Nat rubbed her forehead and wondered how Barba would take the news.
She stretched her arms above her head, trying to loosen the knot forming in her neck. She knocked into something hard and glanced over her shoulder. Her orb spun away from the impact with her hand. A faint light pulsed from deep within its core.
“No way!” Nat cried. The orb burst with light, filled with the joy spilling from Nat. A nervous thought fluttered through her. Hesitating a moment, she dropped her light barrier. The orb zipped across the ledge into her dreams as if it’d read her mind.
Okay, now for the real test. She turned her back on the orb and forced her mind to think of nothing but a blank sheet of paper. Warmth tickled the back of her neck. She opened her eyes and spun around. The orb had crossed her barrier without an invitation. You are part of me!
“Yes!” she cried, feeling as free as a child. The sphere whizzed around her head and Nat raced toward it, exuberant. The ball settled into her hand and warmth spread through her cold fingers. A smile broke across her face, and she released the orb. An undulating meadow flowed in front of her. Nat ran through the blanket of yellow flowers, laughing uncontrollably while her orb bobbed and spun around her.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Nat thought back to the dreams of the night before as she stood at the edge of the warehouse near Andris’ training arena. She glanced at the glowing ball of light hovering next to her head. She closed her eyes and silently ordered the orb to search for Barba, who had hidden herself somewhere in the warehouse. Barba had said this was the last test to see if the connection between Nat and her orb was strong enough.
The sphere bobbed and whizzed toward the pine trees growing at the far end
of the massive room. Nat felt a sense of elation as she watched the orb—her orb—weave between the tree trunks until it hovered above a sickly-looking pine tucked near the back of the indoor forest. Barba emerged from behind the tree, applauding. Nat closed her eyes again; the orb zoomed toward her and landed in her hand. When she opened her eyes, Barba stood before her with her chin tilted up and her shoulders perfectly straight.
“A Warrior Sister honors the memory of the Four Sisters. Her loyalty rests with the Four Houses and a just regency. She offers aid to any Sister and fights for peace and stability regardless of personal cost or sacrifice. But above all else, she seeks to diminish and destroy the Nala through strength and wit. Are you such a person, Natalie Barns?”
“Yes.”
“Do you, on your oath, accept these obligations and duties willingly?”
“Yes.”
Barba wrapped her arms around Nat and gave her hug. “Congratulations, Sister,” she said.
Nat’s cheeks ached so much from smiling that she simply nodded in response. Sister, she thought. The title meant something deeply personal to her now.
The women turned away from the trees. Nat’s heart beat faster and her mind spun as the meaning behind her oath sank in. She cupped her hands around her orb and rolled it between her palms, feeling its warmth seep into her.
They passed Ethet’s neglected greenhouse. “You’ve told your family and friends of your plans for the summer?” Barba asked as they walked out of the warehouse into the hallway. The question caught Nat by surprise and she frowned.
“Viv knows I’m working on another show with you.” She trailed Barba into the kitchen and settled onto a bench next to the long table. Her orb spun in circles around a dark-blue bowl, and Nat had a fleeting thought that its movements looked almost agitated, the same way she felt. “She thinks I’ve been going to counseling, and since I’ve put on some weight and haven’t woken up in the middle of the night screaming, she’s happy enough for me whatever I do.” She shrugged the lopsided shrug she’d adopted since her shoulder wound.
“And your family?” Barba asked as she placed a thick slice of pie in front of her. Nat sent her orb to eye level and grabbed a fork.
“I haven’t told them yet.”
Barba looked at her over her glasses.
“I’ll call them,” she said, not relishing the idea of informing her family she was leaving to work on another “show” for the costume shop in Canada instead of returning home for summer break.
“Don’t delay telling them. I expect you here ready to leave in two days’ time. We received word from Riler last night.” The mention of Riler, one of Estos’ private guards, got Nat’s attention. “Gennes and the rebels will start a string of minor assaults on Mudug’s garrisons in the North soon. They want to clear the way for any Sisters living in the fringe who wish to return once Estos’ presence is revealed.”
“Mudug still doesn’t know he’s back?” Nat asked, surprised.
“Fortunately, no. Mudug has no clue Estos has returned. Whatever you and Soris did to the Chemist’s tracking device worked beyond our best expectations, thank goodness. Although he’s claiming to be only temporary regent, you know as well as I that Mudug would expend every resource available to kill Estos if he appeared before his birthday next winter. Mudug will want formal recognition as regent, and that can only happen if Estos fails to claim the regency once he reaches the age of majority. His death would cement Mudug’s rule. My point is Mudug will be occupied in the North. Now that your training is done, it’s a good time for you to slip back into Fourline.”
Nat stared at the plate. “Did Riler’s message say anything about Soris?”
“No, we still have to assume he’s with Ethet. It would be difficult for a duozi anywhere in Fourline without friends to hide him,” Barba explained gently.
Nat clutched the mug Barba set in front of her and silently sipped the hot tea.
“Your grades this semester are excellent. I’m sure your parents will be as proud as I am,” Barba said, changing the subject.
Nat felt a tinge of pride when she glanced at the small red-haired woman in front of her. She’d grown to deeply respect Barba despite the grueling schedule and the panicky fear that overshadowed every part of her training. “Thank you,” she said.
“I’ve said it before, Natalie. Your intelligence is your best asset. Rely on it and it will see you through anything. Now finish up, Sister. I need to show you your new cloak.”
“You sure MC doesn’t want my turtle for the summer?” Viv asked as they looked around their nearly empty dorm room. She wore a black T-shirt with “Vengeance Is Mine” emblazoned on the front, and her hair was spiked up like a hedgehog.
“She’d love it,” Nat said, knowing her little sister would flip at the chance to take care of a turtle. “But like I said, I’m not heading home.”
Viv shrugged and lifted her final box off the floor. “Call me from the hinterlands of Canada this summer,” she demanded. “I go into withdrawal when I don’t hear your melodious voice.”
“I’ll make sure to call you every morning at the crack of dawn before I go for a run.” She held the door open for Viv.
“Don’t you dare,” her roommate huffed and shoved the box into the already cramped backseat of her car.
“It’s a.m. calls or nothing.”
“Nothing it is, then. I’ll speak to you in August.” Viv gave Nat a quick hug. “I’m glad you got your ducks in a row, honey,” she whispered into her ear. Her eyes were misty when she pulled away. Nat’s throat tightened.
“Thanks, Viv. I’ll be even better in August.” She gave her roommate another quick hug, hoping that there was truth to what she’d said. She watched Viv drive away before grasping the handle of her bag. Cars and trucks were parked on the sidewalks and lawns as students loaded their belongings. Nat wove her way in and out of the traffic and climbed into the back of the small maroon bus idling in front of the Student Center. She placed her bag on the seat next to her and retrieved her phone as the bus lurched down the road. Her dad picked up on the second ring.
“Hey, Nat. You making it home tonight?” She heard a little buzzing sound in the background and knew her dad must be in his shop.
“About that, Dad . . . I tried to call yesterday and the day before and only got your voice mail. I’m not coming home right away. I got another job this summer in Canada.” The driver steered the bus around the students and parents clogging the road. He honked, but Nat didn’t notice. She was listening to the silence on the other end of the phone. “Dad, did you hear me? I got another job this summer in Canada. I leave this weekend,” she said softly.
“How long this time?” His tone was terse.
“I don’t know. Could be a month, but they may run two shows, so it might be longer.” Telling her father the string of lies felt horribly wrong.
“Your mother will not be happy. And what about MC? Do you have any idea how crazy she’s been waiting for you to come home? Even Cal’s been asking about you.”
“I’ll make it up to MC,” she said, unsure how she would make anything up to MC. She doubted Cal cared whether or not she came home, but she was still grateful to her sister for not sharing her breakdown with her parents. She thought back to the dream images she’d shared with her orb. Maybe she and Cal could find a way to be close again.
“Nat, there is more to life than money and working all the time.” Her dad continued his lecture. “I’m starting to think that when you left for school, you decided to leave your family behind as well.”
“It’s not just about money.” It never really was, she thought. “It’s an opportunity I can’t pass up.” She shifted in her seat to avoid pressing against her wounded shoulder.
“How is working on sets in some theater in Canada going to help you? You’re a biology major.” The bus bumped over the bridge and turned onto Grand Street.
She swallowed. She couldn’t explain Soris or any of her problems to him, but
she had to say something so he’d understand. “Dad, you know how you’re always telling the three of us to live our lives the right way? It’s hard to explain, but that’s what I’m trying to do now. Trust me on this.” She sighed. “I’m sorry I can’t come home. I really am.”
“I trust you, Nat. I . . . We just miss you. I guess we’ll see you when you get back. I suppose it’s the same bad cell coverage as before?”
“Yeah, it is. Same bad cell coverage.” She watched the town slip past as she said good-bye to her dad and the bus brought her closer to the entrance of Fourline. Thinking about home, she walked to the costume shop, where she met Barba at the back entrance.
Barba left her alone as she dressed. She stood in front of the mirror, looking at her reflection. She took in her tightly braided brown hair, the drape of her new cloak, and the flash of the dagger sheath hanging from her belt. Her orb spun next to her wounded shoulder. She turned away from the mirror, letting her thoughts of home disappear with her vanishing reflection.
“How are you feeling?” Barba asked as Nat walked into Ethet’s laboratory.
“I’m petrified.” She looked at the shadowy entrance to the tunnel and swallowed.
“Good.” Barba adjusted the clasp on her cloak. Nat glanced at her right arm and wiggled her fingers as Barba fussed over her. Her exposed Warrior markings twitched with the movement. She’d hidden them under long sleeves for months, afraid of her parents’ disapproval and hating their constant reminder of Soris’ fate. Now they held an entirely different meaning for her.
“Barba, I was wondering about my Sister markings. You told me they’d fade away and they haven’t.”