She was gone.
2
Hexes and Immortality
Desaunius was disoriented when she awoke. She pushed herself out of the snow and winced. Glancing into the sky, she noticed the maelstrom above her. Snow stuck to everything. It had to be midday, the sun somewhere underneath the clouds. Her heart felt so heavy she wouldn’t be surprised if night lasted forever. She swept feather-light snow off her hair and her stomach lurched.
Nestled in the layers of snow was the ice blue face of her apprentice, Rueann. She let out a cry and stood, stumbling away from the body. She clumsily pawed through the battlefield, her slippers sliding on armor and weapons hidden under the snow. When she reached the edge of the field she fell on her hands and knees. Curling into a ball, she shook as she sobbed.
There had been no warning. The enemy came in the blink of an eye, just like they had on Tempia. War wasn’t meant to touch Avristar. She squeezed her eyes shut and gulped. She had told Kaliel everything about those days in Tempia, the place she lived before fleeing to Avristar. Tempia was a place long destroyed by the Valtanyana. Avristar didn’t deserve the same fate. The thought of her former apprentice made her stomach curl. She didn’t know where Kaliel was. Snow seeped into her linens. She involuntarily shivered and sat up. Her white hair tumbled around her shoulders and she pushed it out of her face. She rose to her feet and dusted off the royal blue dress. It was soiled. Her senses sharpened.
Kaliel didn’t fight in the battle.
Desaunius turned and looked at the field, a snow covered graveyard.
“Kaliel?” she whispered into the wind. The sound carried across the field but nothing stirred. Panic struck her as she called the girl’s name again. She turned and hobbled to the stables, her strides off balance, her body exhausted.
“Kaliel!” she called again as she passed the archway. She opened her mouth to speak again but was met by Istar’s cold, piercing eyes. Desaunius took long strides towards him. His eyes blazed in a way she had never seen before.
His expression told her Kaliel was dead.
Hot tears stained her cheeks as his arms closed around her. “Tell me where she is.” She tried to sound commanding, but her voice weakened.
Istar grabbed her by the shoulders and pulled back, his eyes locking with hers. He flinched at her features. Desaunius glared at him. She needed the truth and she was moments from insanity if she didn’t hear him say it.
“She awakened Avred.”
There was no answer from Desaunius, only a deafening cry that echoed through the halls of the Elmare Castle. She pounded her fists against his chest, unable to control herself. This was the one end she feared most. She never told Kaliel how Avred stopped the Valtanyana in the First Era. She never thought the girl would face that grim fate. Avred wouldn’t help until Avristar offered him a sacrifice. When Avristar agreed, Avred’s rage rocked the island. The kinfolk hid in safe places, but the enemies perished.
Her chest ached like it would implode, guilt poisoning her with self-loathing. She whimpered as she thought back to the girl she had cared for in the forests of Evennses. The clumsy, tardy, rebellious girl she had found swimming with merfolk, that little girl was gone.
Istar caught Desaunius by the wrists and tried to look at her. She trembled again, another cry echoing through the halls. “She chose her fate,” Istar spat. He let go and she fell into a heap on the floor. He turned on his heel and stormed towards the Lower East wing.
Desaunius sat stunned. It was like she had been slapped. She rubbed her wrists; they hurt. She glanced at the archway to the kitchen. Luenelle stood there, tears in her eyes. She looked like she had been working for hours, her apron stained, her face splotched with soot. Luenelle closed the distance between them and fell into her embrace.
“I wondered why I hadn’t seen her,” Luenelle began. Desaunius said nothing as she continued shaking with sobs.
Shimma didn’t stop running. When the mountain exploded, she knew it was too dangerous for her to stay. A familiar surge forced her to flee. Flee the way the enemies were fleeing, find the coordinates for the Lands of Men, get to the boats. She exchanged wayward glances with her sisters, they agreed. They would meet her later.
She pulled the shawl tighter around her shoulders and continued through the cold forests. The temperature was much lower than seasonal for Avristar, the wind whipping around the trees and kicking up stray leaves along the path. She rested her hand on a tree, stopping for a moment to catch her breath. She couldn’t stay in Avristar, Avred was awake. She closed her eyes, pushing the memory of her childhood out of her mind. Those were different times in Avristar. There was no reason for the mountain to thirst for her.
She was far from pure.
She paced along the small winding path through Nandaro, the hairs on the back of her neck standing on end. The cabin was nearby, the one she had been looking for. She pulled up the bottom of her light blue skirt and rushed through the gaps in the trees. Light didn’t do the place justice as she looked at the streak of ash left behind by Crestaos. She gulped, unable to fathom anything worse than Avred, the male spirit of the land, the voice of the volcano itself. She tiptoed over the creek and ascended the mound. She grimaced as another gust of wind rattled her chest and made her heave in a fit of coughs. She hunched over and clutched her chest trying to hold back her lungs. The coughing didn’t end; she gagged, choked on nothing, and drew a shaky breath. She needed to leave before Istar found out where she was going.
Shimma turned to the cabin and rounded the side of it. The cellar was wide open and a pit grew in her stomach. That old Kiirar stored everything down there. She hoped what she needed was still there. She carefully arranged her shawl so her hands were free, and dipped her body into the hole.
Everything was pristine and neat. The foe hadn’t touched a single piece of parchment in the cellar despite the fact the doors were open. She began rifling through stacks of scrolls at the far end. Somewhere in there were the coordinates and access points for the Lands of Men, all seven of them.
She closed her eyes as flashes of the battle danced before her. She almost refused to fight, but with Istar angry and the Valtanyana on top of them she had no choice. Her stomach twisted with guilt. Kaliel. She knew what happened when the mountain exploded. She almost suffered the same fate centuries ago, but that was far less than voluntary. The mountain demanded her sacrifice. Things were so different then.
Shimma picked through the scrolls, looking for the one she needed. When she was finished with one shelf she moved onto the next scouring and searching, opening scrolls at random to skim the cursive script or symbols written on them, stuffing them back into the cubby holes. She shook her head in frustration. This would take longer than she thought. Where were her sisters? Their glances said they would meet her at the boats. What was taking them so long?
She could have used their help finding the coordinates and incantations for the Lands of Men. Nimphalls was out of the question. Kuruny had been hexed by the vile inconsiderate humans that didn’t understand the difference between ambassadors of the Lands of Peace and enemies from the other side. No matter what they tried to do to reconcile the differences between the knights and the dragons, nothing ever changed. She grimaced at the hex. After years of assimilation they learned how to calm the people. It wasn’t through peaceful magic, but she didn’t regret it. She grabbed a scroll at the bottom rack; it was so close to the ground it was almost ruined. She opened it and looked at the symbols despite the spots of water damage. It was what she needed.
She studied the parchment, memorizing the words and coordinates. They would find a village to blend into. This scroll led to a region somewhere near the shore. With any luck they could find safety from the brewing disaster in Avristar. She curled up the scroll and shoved it back onto the shelf. Nothing would stop her from leaving Avristar; by morning they would arrive on Terra.
Kuruny pulled another jar off the witching wall and stuffed it into the bag straddled between
her legs. She tried not to shake, but her hand quivered as she reached for another jar.
“Leave that, we can get more of it,” Kazza snapped. She sat on the other side of the cauldron, twisting the beads of her necklace with her fingertips. She shot a warning glance at Kuruny, watching as the younger sister put the jar back on the wall. Kazza swiveled on the stool and crossed her legs. Her white gown swept the floor as she stood and crossed the room. Brown hair fell in waves down her back. She studied the wall for a moment and grabbed something glittering and gray.
“This doesn’t grow in the Lands of Men.” She dropped the jar into the sack and met Kuruny’s gaze.
“He doesn’t know yet,” Kuruny said. It was half a question, half a statement. Eventually Istar would find out what she had done. She closed her black eyes and shook her head, sending locks of straight black hair falling over her shoulders.
“Nay, but others . . .” Kazza paused. Kuruny listened for sounds in the halls of the Lower East wing. She kept her thoughts close on their protection spell; none had bothered to check for supplies, yet there were plenty of herbs for healing in their quarters. Kazza eyed the rucksacks against the wall.
“Will come soon,” Kuruny finished for her. She ran her hands along the inside of the black sleeves of her dress. They tightly wrapped her arms to her elbows and loosely cascaded towards her wrist. She wasn’t used to this feeling. Avristar was meant to be home, a place away from the distortion they suffered in the Lands of Men, but Istar would have her head if Avristar herself didn’t sentence them to death. She shuddered at the thought and closed her eyes, thinking of Shimma. The third sister was lost in the forests where the enemy had retreated. They had barely enough time to communicate their wants to the youngest of their trio, and yet, they had to trust she would find what they needed—a way to salvation.
Kazza crossed the room and opened up a large armoire. Inside were three cloaks: one black, one beige, and one blue. Kazza handed the black one to her sister as she slid the beige one over her own shoulders, fitting the hood over her brown hair. Kuruny felt melancholy, as though the guilt had seeped into her bones.
“Come, there is no sense in facing him. You know his anger will know no bounds,” Kazza said.
Kuruny’s heart dropped into her stomach when the explosion came, and there was snow. The worst sign was the snow. Avred was known for his temper and threats to cover the island in molten rock, but snow was unheard of. It wasn’t Avred’s doing. Kazza placed her hands on Kuruny’s shoulders and forced her to meet her gaze.
“I will be of no use to you,” Kuruny said, a slight choke on her words. She hung her head. The moment Kuruny stepped foot on mortal lands she would be as normal as the races that lived there. She would have none of her natural abilities, and would need to rely on petty magic, cheap incantations and weak charms.
Kazza wrapped her arms around her and pulled her cheek close to hers. “We will find a way to restore your immortality,” she whispered into her sister’s ear. She pulled away and gave her a meaningful look. “You cannot request that gift from Avristar.”
Kuruny took a long breath and let out a sigh, her body trembling with uncertainty. Her life would be a fraction in the Lands of Men, but it was the risk they had to take to protect Shimma. She solemnly clasped her hands together. “Aye, I can’t hide here any longer.”
Kazza patted her back and slung the bags over her shoulders. “Put your hood on. We cannot risk being seen out there.” Kuruny followed her instructions and took up the last bag. Kazza waited until it was silent in the hallway, retreating into the corridors.
3
Swimming with Merfolk
Krishani watched Kaliel’s dress disappear around the corner as they ambled down the path to the waterfall. He looked at the sky. It was overcast and he smelled rain in the air. Kaliel giggled ahead of him and he smiled at the sweet sound as he quickened his pace to catch up. He hunched his shoulders up and pulled the cloak tighter around him as he treaded along the last few turns. She was kneeling at the pond when he arrived in the clearing, the brilliance of the waterfall crashing into the pond. Her white hair trailed down her back, falling over her shoulders into her face.
“What are you looking at?” he asked as he approached her. He felt so comfortable; nothing could touch them, the waterfall was their secret.
She put a hand in the air, motioning for him to be quiet. He waited, and she rose from the shore, turning to face him. Her green eyes pierced his, making his breath catch in his throat. She raised an eyebrow, perplexed.
“Have you ever spoken to them?” she asked. Her voice was shy. He silently took her hand and led her away from the falls. She was too simple. She ran her hands through the opening in his cloak and pressed herself against his chest, her head buried in his shoulder. He silently wrapped his arms around her and took in the scent of her hair, the beat of her heart against his chest. She was so fragile even after sixteen summers. She pulled away.
“Stop distracting me, Krishani!” She wriggled out of his embrace and hopped to the edge of the water. She stumbled and fought to keep her balance. He laughed, she was always so clumsy. “Quiet!” she squealed, untying the back of her dress.
Krishani turned bright red. He looked at the sky, wondering what she was doing. She stopped, frowned, and moved towards him. She ran her hands along his shoulders, pushing the cloak off him. Heat flushed through his veins as she ran her hands down his arms, twining her fingers with his, pulling him to the pond.
“Kaliel I—” he began, concerned. “What are you doing?”
“I wanted to show you something.” She stepped away, turned, and dropped to the ledge of the pond. Krishani tensed as she looked for the merfolk. He wasn’t sure what they were like. She dipped her head into the water and he froze, waiting, hoping she was unsuccessful in calling them. Moments later she pulled her head out and wiped her face with the upper folds of her dress. She glanced at him, a faint smile on her lips. She looked worried, but turned back to the water. When she gasped, Krishani knew she had found them. He didn’t want to be afraid, but he was.
She shrugged off her dress, leaving a thin layer of undergarments beneath. Krishani coughed into his sleeve, averting his gaze from her practically naked form. He felt her eyes on him and raised his face to meet hers, trying only to focus on her eyes. His pulse thumped so loud it was a wonder she didn’t hear it, too.
“Follow me.” She dove into the pond.
Krishani neared the shore and watched her body glide through the water. He sighed and shed his shirt. This was dangerous for a number of reasons, but he was actually more nervous about encountering the merfolk. He pulled off his boots and sat on the banks of the pond. He dangled his feet in the water, closed his eyes and pushed himself in.
The merfolk were engaged in a conversation with Kaliel. He let himself adjust to the cool temperatures and opened his eyes. There were so many of them conglomerating around her. Some of them played with her hair while others stared at her eyes as though she was more alien than they were. Krishani listened to the hum of their language, enraptured by the experience. He peddled towards her, but she pulled herself deeper. Air left his lungs and he jerked upwards, surprised by the sensation.
The merfolk noticed his abrupt gesture, their heads snapping to his attention. They circled Kaliel, creating a protective shield. They spoke in the same vibratory language he originally thought was melodic, but now it sounded alarmed. It was like they were protecting her from him. He shook his head and pressed his lips together, his lungs starving. Her feet hit the rocks at the bottom, and her blurry form turned to face him.
Krishani opened his mouth and tried to mimic their language. A boisterous sound flowed from his lips with a menacing edge. It was unpolished and raw. The creatures panicked. They curled their webbed hands around his legs and arms and pulled him deeper into their world.
Krishani caught Kaliel’s horrified glare as they dragged him towards her. She shook her head and let out a short hum. Hi
s fearful eyes caught hers; they expressed without words this was one of her worst ideas. She pressed her lips together stifling a laugh. She hummed again at the merfolk and they released their hold. He scrambled to the surface, unable to withstand the pressure, the loss of air. Krishani sputtered and gasped for breath as he paddled to the shore and rested his elbows on the bank.
“Sorry,” she muttered as she joined him. He glanced at her, confused and exhausted. She frowned and wrapped an arm around his waist. Her head found his shoulder. “They’re usually so tame.”
Krishani sighed. It was great until he opened his mouth. He dropped his arm and wound it around her waist, pulling her flush against him. “What were you trying to show me?” he asked gently.
Kaliel laughed. She had an amused expression on her face. “I thought I would teach you how to speak to them so you wouldn’t be afraid.” She pressed her lips together to stifle another laugh.
Krishani raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t succeed.” He shot her a crooked smile as he realized how near to naked they were and how comfortable the water was. He wanted to do more than swim with merfolk.
“I know!” She dove into the pond. He wasn’t brave enough to follow her this time, but she stayed close to the surface. He watched as she splashed around, kicking water at him. He shielded his face until she was finished, her legs and arms working to keep her head above water. Her green eyes filled with a challenge. He pushed off the shore and met her in the middle, pressing his body against hers as she tried to keep her head above water.
“Forgive me?” she asked.
Krishani grunted in response and kissed her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, his hands pulling her tighter against him. She wrapped her legs around him, making it hard to concentrate, and they sank into the pond, his lips locked on hers. Moments passed and the merfolk kept their distance.
Times like this made his life worthwhile. He couldn’t imagine living without her simplicity, silliness, innocence. Krishani broke away and she grabbed his hands, attempting to lead him to the surface. He tried to follow, but a heavy weight pulled him down. He tried to kick it away, but it only became heavier. Air escaped his lungs as he fought against it. Kaliel floated to the surface without him. He thrashed at the water, fighting for survival. The pond grew dark. He blinked as the gray stones and blue waters disintegrated into blackness. He stopped and pulled the darkness around him, pain etching to every nerve ending as he realized this was nothing but a memory of the girl he lost.
JUSTICE (The Ferryman + The Flame #2) Page 2