Reflection: Harbinger of the Phoenix (Records of the Ohanzee Book 2)

by Rachel R. Smith

  She flopped over onto her other shoulder. A few strands of light blond hair draped across Raysel’s serene face. Long lashes fringed his closed eyelids, and he looked utterly peaceful, but the hilt of Thorn lay just inches from his face. Nerissa could see that his hand grasped the sword’s sheath, even now. She quietly shimmied out of her own bedroll. Raysel was a light sleeper, and she wanted to be careful not to awaken him. There was no point in both of them being tired in the morning.

  It was Cole’s turn on the night watch, and he raised a hand at her in acknowledgement when he saw her get up. She returned the gesture and noticed that Rian’s bedroll was empty. Thinking that a few laps around their small encampment might help to clear her head, Nerissa began walking. As she drew closer to the wagon, she could see the dark form of a person sitting on the steps that led to the back door. It was Rian.

  “Good evening, Caeneus,” he said softly as she approached. He slid over on the step, making room for her to sit beside him.

  “Good evening, Rian,” Nerissa returned, groaning inwardly. She didn’t dislike Rian, but he was definitely the group member that she liked the least. Was he attempting to be friendly now? she wondered. If so, it would be rude to keep walking. They were allies in this mission, and it would do no good to complicate an already awkward relationship over a perceived slight. Trying not to let her reluctance show, she sat down beside him.

  Rian stared up at the sky without saying anything more. They sat in uncomfortable silence for a time, until Nerissa couldn’t stand it anymore. “I noticed you didn’t join us for sparring practice tonight,” she commented.

  “I’m focusing on refining my sword-drawing techniques right now,” he answered absently.

  He didn’t elaborate further, and the silence stretched between them once again. Why did he want me to sit with him if he planned on ignoring me? Nerissa wondered irritably.

  “Oh! Did you see that one?” Rian whispered excitedly.

  Nerissa followed his gaze and looked up at the sky. The stars were obstructed only occasionally by wisps of clouds. There was nothing remarkable to be seen. “No. What are you talking about?”

  Rian answered without turning his attention away from the heavens. “There’s a meteor shower tonight. Isn’t that why you’re awake?”

  Nerissa felt her annoyance melt away. So that was why he wasn’t talkative. “I couldn’t sleep. I didn’t know there was a meteor shower,” Nerissa replied. She leaned back, propping her elbows on the step behind her and tilted her head upward. “Do you watch the stars often?”

  “A few times a week, at least,” he said. “It’s relaxing, and I like the mythology behind the constellations.”

  “I haven’t seen a shooting star since I was a child.” Nerissa caught herself before she said “little girl” instead of “child.”

  “That’s a shame,” Rian said. “There are many showers that happen at the same time every year. As long as the sky is clear, all you have to do is look up on those nights, and you’re almost guaranteed to see them. There is an old superstition that falling stars grant wishes. Apparently, there are even a few villages in northern Chiyo where people still believe that. They write their wishes on paper strips and hang them as high in the trees as they can climb. The closer the wishes are to the heavens, the easier they are for the stars to reach.”

  A streak of white light streamed overhead, disappearing almost as quickly as it appeared. Nerissa sighed longingly. “I wish I had a piece of paper right now. It couldn’t hurt to try.”

  “Mm-hmm,” Rian hummed in understanding. “I have a few wishes of my own to write down.”

  Nerissa glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. “What would you wish for?”

  He didn’t answer right away. For a moment, Nerissa was afraid that he thought the question was too personal. She really had only asked it to keep the conversation going. Three more stars shot across the sky, one after another.

  Finally though, his answer came in a rush of words. “My wish has always been to be a personal guardian to one of the members of the Royal Family. It is the highest achievement attainable to a member of the Ohanzee. That isn’t possible now since the Royal Family perished in the attack and Raysel has already been assigned as your guardian. I was never even eligible to be a guardian anyway.”

  Nerissa’s brows lifted and she turned toward him. “Why were you never eligible? From what I have seen, you are certainly skilled enough.” She had also seen enough to know he was arrogant and ill-tempered, but, in the interest of diplomacy, sometimes it was necessary to selectively omit inconvenient details.

  Rian’s shoulders straightened as he preened from the compliment. “My mother fled Marise and joined the Ohanzee when I was an infant. Because I am an outsider, and because my father is chief among the Ohanzee’s enemies, I cannot be one of the personal guardians.”

  “That doesn’t seem fair. Your loyalty is determined by your own choices and behaviors, not the circumstances of your birth.”

  “I appreciate the sentiment, but it won’t change anything.” He pointed up as two more stars dropped toward the horizon. “What would you wish for?”

  “Before, I didn't really wish for anything. I was happy with the way things were. I had always thought that my life would stay exactly as it was—I took it for granted that nothing would ever change. I didn't realize how naive that attitude was. Now, I wish for many things. But more than anything else, I wish I could have my family back,” Nerissa said quietly. Rian’s mention of the Royal Family had caused that old pain to resurface.

  “Did everyone in your family die in the attack? I heard that was why Einar brought you to Darnal,” Rian asked.

  Nerissa hesitated. She didn’t see any reason that her answer would give a clue to her real identity, but she still considered her response carefully first. “Both my mother and father were killed.”

  Rian considered saying “I’m sorry for your loss,” but he was afraid that the words would seem empty. Instead, he said, “I was the leader of the extra guards at the masquerade. I am sorry I couldn’t do more to protect the Manor that night.”

  The statement didn’t seem to need an answer, so Nerissa said nothing in response. They watched the sky together for a while longer without saying anything more.

  “Did you have any siblings?” Rian finally asked.

  “No, I am an only child,” Nerissa replied.

  “So am I,” he said.

  There was a snap and a rustling, and the trilling of the insects nearby suddenly ceased. Nerissa’s head whipped to the side, and she stared into the tall grass. Rian leaped to his feet, and Nerissa could hear grinding as he unsheathed Bane. He positioned himself protectively between her and the source of the noise. Nerissa rose, ready to move at a moment’s notice. Why hadn’t she brought Harbinger with her?

  The blades of grass parted, and a furry white face with a long, pink-nosed snout popped out from the gap. Yellow eyes flashed in the moonlight as they peeked out from their hiding place. Rian’s shoulders dropped, and he slid Bane back into its sheath. The animal hissed up at them before shuffling back into the grass.

  “An opossum.” Nerissa exhaled and relaxed her fists. She sank back down onto the steps. “You would think that we were the ones that had startled it.”

  “Ugly little creatures, aren’t they?” Rian joked, resuming his place beside her.

  “Walking the thin line between ugly and cute, in my opinion,” Nerissa said with a smirk. “Although, with that kind of attitude, I’m leaning more toward ugly.”

  Rian suppressed a laugh, not wanting to draw Cole’s attention by making any more noise. Stars continued to streak across the sky in spectacular, but brief, blazes of burning white light. The two sat side by side, watching and chatting, until Nerissa could no longer keep her eyes open. She bid Rian goodnight and returned to her sleeping bag where she fell asleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.

  Rian remained on the steps and watched her walk away. He should ha
ve been tired too, but his mind was racing. One thing from their conversation kept running through his head. If Caeneus was an only child, there was no sibling who happened to have the same, remarkable green eyes. There was only one logical conclusion to be drawn—Caeneus was the girl from the masquerade.

  Chapter 10

  A Promise over a Meat Pie

  Despite the breezeless autumn air, leaves swirled at the foot of one of the trees surrounding the University President’s house, stirred into sudden motion by the flapping of Nerissa’s and Raysel’s cloaks when they dropped out of their hiding place among the branches. The residence was nestled in a dense grove of trees that lay less than a half mile away from the building that hosted the President’s Office and the Department of Horticulture. Nerissa had spent many happy hours attending classes and studying in that building, and even more time at the President’s home scheming, dreaming, and gossiping with Charis. It was just far enough from campus that few people ventured this way unless they were making a personal visit. Though she had visited Charis here more times than she could count, never once had Nerissa done so while dressed as a man and wearing a prosthetic nose and chin. Until now.

  The Ohanzee had arrived in Niamh the previous night and had been watching the President’s house in shifts all morning. They had already learned that Charis would be home alone for several hours in the early afternoon. Having the opportunity to approach Charis on their first full day in Niamh was an unexpected, yet fortuitous surprise. Once again, the risk of encountering someone who would recognize Nerissa, even in her usual men’s garb, was too great for her to go out in public without additional makeup. Even with the prosthetic precautions, Raysel was still concerned that her identity could somehow be exposed. The less time spent in the city, the better.

  Nerissa and Raysel had waited several minutes after Charis entered to be sure she planned to stay for a while before leaping from the limbs and striding to the porch. Nerissa knocked on the front door, and there was a thumping sound in response. She wasn’t sure if the sound was the pounding of her heart or Charis’ approaching footsteps. The door opened, and Charis peered at them with a quizzical look on her face and a steaming meat pie in one hand.

  “Hello,” she said. “What brings you here?”

  Nerissa reached into the hood of her cloak and unfastened the crystal choker from around her neck. “Charis, it’s me,” she said. Freed from the modulation of the choker, her voice was light and sweet.

  Charis’ face froze. Her eyes grew so large that it appeared they might pop out of her head. The meat pie tumbled from her hand and landed on the floor with a wet splat. “Ner—”

  Raysel cut off her shriek of surprise midword. “Shh!” he said, urgently lifting one finger to his lips. “Can we come inside?”

  “What?” she spluttered, only now seeming to register Raysel’s presence. “Oh! Yes! Hurry! Come in!” she exclaimed, ushering them inside at the same time.

  Nerissa had barely crossed the threshold before Charis threw her arms around her neck. Raysel closed the door and turned the lock behind them. He then moved from window to window in the living room and kitchen, pulling curtains shut.

  “You’re alive,” Charis blubbered through a stream of tears.

  Charis had always been a crier, so the fact that she was doing so now wasn’t really surprising. Nerissa had made a habit of always carrying an extra handkerchief with her when they visited the theater together. She cried while reading sappy stories, sad ones, and even those with happy endings that could have ended tragically. Seeing a lost dog reunited with its owner was enough to get the tears flowing. What Nerissa hadn’t expected, however, was the sudden tightening she felt in her own throat and the prickly sensation that threatened her eyes. She returned the hug, squeezing her friend as tightly as she could until the feeling passed.

  “Yes, I am. Alive and well,” she finally said. Her voice was raspy despite her efforts to contain her emotions.

  Charis drew back and clasped Nerissa’s hands as she spoke. “I kept hoping that you had somehow escaped that night. I’m so happy that you did!”

  Raysel cleared his throat as a gentle reminder that he was there. “How rude of me,” Nerissa said, turning to look at him. As she did so, the hood of her cloak fell away, exposing her face. “This is Raysel, my friend and guardian.”

  Charis bobbed her head politely. “It’s nice to meet you, Raysel.”

  “Likewise,” he replied. “I’ve heard so much about you over recent months. They were all good things, of course.”

  “Then Nerissa has been keeping the really interesting stories from you,” Charis said with a wink. “Now, what have you done to your face? I would never have recognized you if I hadn’t heard your voice!” Charis reached out and prodded Nerissa’s nose with one finger.

  “It’s makeup and a fake nose and chin,” Nerissa explained. She laughed and winced simultaneously as she removed the prosthetics.

  “Why don’t you two carry on the rest of your conversation in Charis’ room?” Raysel suggested, interrupting. “I will watch the front in case someone comes.”

  “Yes. We have a lot to talk about,” Nerissa said. “Unfortunately, our visit today is not a social call.”

  As soon as they entered Charis’ room, Nerissa closed the curtains. The room was much the same as she remembered it, except for one surprising new addition. Hanging centered in front of the window was a set of seven slender, transparent points suspended on wires as fine as hair. Nerissa immediately knew they were her spirit chimes. She thought that they would have been destroyed in the attack with everything else. They had been the most delicate-looking pieces in her collection, and yet, here they were—undamaged—in Charis’ room.

  “I snuck out one night and found them in the rubble after the attack,” Charis explained when she saw that Nerissa was staring at the crystals.

  “That was risky!” Nerissa exclaimed. “I can’t believe you were bold enough to do such a thing!” She dropped the nose and chin into the pocket of her cloak before removing it and draping it over the desk chair. The bed frame creaked as Nerissa sat down and Charis settled in beside her.

  “I heard that Casimer was scavenging valuables from the rubble. I didn’t want him to have anything that belonged to you.” Charis’s tone was adamant. “I did have help from Amon though,” she added reluctantly.

  “Still not getting along with Amon,” Nerissa noted.

  Charis shot her a withering look. “Amon is not important right now. Where have you been since the attack? Were you hiding somewhere?”

  “It is of the utmost importance that you keep what I’m about to tell you a closely guarded secret. Your life, my life, and the lives of many others could be endangered if any of this information were to fall into the wrong hands,” Nerissa said.

  “I understand,” Charis said solemnly. “You know I will keep your secret even if it would cost me my life.”

  Nerissa nodded. “But I would rather not put you in that situation, which is why I did not contact you before. Now, it seems that you may have something we need.”

  Charis answered without hesitation. “If I have anything that can be of help, it’s yours.”

  With that said, Nerissa began to summarize how she had been rescued on the night of the masquerade, about the Ohanzee, and how she had come to take on the guise of Caeneus. She told Charis of the prophecy, the glowing crystal, and how it indicated that she was the One who could stop Casimer and prevent a disaster from befalling Renatus. Once she finished the explanation, she waited expectantly for a response.

  For a moment, an awe-struck Charis was speechless. “Well, I didn’t quite follow all of that, but I can tell that you are surrounded by people who care about you and will protect you. That’s good enough for me.”

  “Yes, the Ohanzee have protected my family and Chiyo for generations. I could have no better allies at my side,” Nerissa said.

  “And what about your handsome escort Raysel?” Charis asked.
She wiggled her eyebrows up and down.

  Nerissa’s head fell forward into her hands. The future of Renatus was at stake, and the first thing that Charis wanted to know about is her relationship with Raysel. “Charis! Where are your priorities! I have far more important things to think about than romance,” she exclaimed.

  Charis threw her head back and laughed. It was the deepest and most heartfelt laugh she had experienced in months. “That’s why you’re the Heiress of Chiyo, I suppose. I wouldn’t be able to think about much else with him around.” She winked and then her expression turned serious. “You haven’t told me what you need from me yet.”

  “I think that you may have one of the other five books we are searching for,” Nerissa said.

  Charis tilted her head to the side, and her brows drew together. “You said each of the books has one of those glowing crystals with it, right? I don’t have any books with crystals…” her voice trailed off. “Oh! Except my mother’s book used to have one.”

  Nerissa’s head bobbed up and down rapidly. “I remember talking about that when you brought it over on the day before the attack.”

  “Do you need the crystal to know if you have the correct book?” Charis asked. “I think I remember seeing one with it when I was younger, but I don’t know where it is now.”

  “The prophecy is probably hidden underneath the inner lining of the cover. Even without the crystal, if we peel away the lining, we’ll know if it’s the right book,” Nerissa said. “I will feel bad if I am wrong and we damage your mother’s book for no reason. I know it is precious to you.”