by Nichelle Rae
When I was floating at about the height of my brother’s shoulders, I felt myself begin to turn. He slowly put me on my back, and then I was gently lowered into his arms. My body relaxed and Rabryn was holding me.
He grinned down at me. “Not bad for a newbie, huh?”
I wanted to smile, or chuckle, but I didn’t dare. Rabryn stood and began to carry me away. I looked for Acalith, but she was gone. Big surprise.
I turned my eyes up to Rabryn’s face. “H-orle-ho?” I managed pathetically.
He looked down at me confused. “What?”
“H-or-lehl-go?”
“Ortheldo?” I nodded slightly, relieved he understood me. “He’s okay. We started getting worried when you two took so long, so we started searching for you. We found him first, injured and alone, which alarmed us quite a bit. While I fixed him, he told us what happened and that you were okay.”
“Haw. . .” I strained, “haw hig goo hind nhe?”
Rabryn smiled. “Let’s make this a little easier on you…and me.” I wanted to smile again but couldn’t. As I looked at him, a sparkling gold light developed in his eyes and began rapidly swirling around as he stared down at me.
Gods, I thought, how does he suddenly know so much about using his magic?
The light went away and he was smiling. “Addredoc’s been teaching me since we left Narcatertus.” I would have flinched if I wasn’t completely broken. His smiled widened. “I just made it possible for me to hear what you were thinking.”
Oh, I said. Really?
“Really. Now what did you say before?”
I was wondering how you found me.
His brows dropped. “I don’t know. It’s odd. I just somehow always know where you are. I feel your presence even if you’re far away, and I can follow this presence right to where you physically are. It’s strange. It’s like I can feel an invisible tether between us when we’re apart. I used to believe it was just because our sibling bond was so strong. Now I’m thinking it’s because I can use my magic more; feeling your presence is steadily getting easier as my knowledge of my magic gets stronger.” He smiled sadly. “We all figured you needed time to cool off after what Ortheldo said happened, so we weren’t going to come after you. Addredoc teleported us back to the clearing to wait for you. When that Black Storm hit though, Gods almighty, those Redians damn near scared me to death with the fit they started to throw.”
Black Storm?
“That’s what the Redians called it.”
What does it mean?
“From what I got out of their panic, it had something to do with a warning from the Light Gods that the White Warrior was in serious danger from someone in a very high ranking position to Hathum. The man I just killed must have been a bigwig in Hathum’s chain of command.”
I forced the corners of my mouth to go up in a weak smile. That’s the second man close to Hathum that you’ve gone after on my behalf, little brother.
He smiled affectionately. “I told you I won’t let harm come to you if I can help it.”
So I’ve heard. But when do I get to kill someone for you?
He laughed heartily. “I’m sure you’ll get more than enough chances for that, Azrel.”
I’m sure I will. Then I remembered something. Nekinda! Did you find her? Is she okay? What about her son?
“Whoa whoa, slow down, Azrel,” he said with a smile. “We found her and her son. When the storm hit, Addredoc began building a shelter with his magic while Acalith and I took off to get you. It wasn’t long before we ran into her. I directed her towards the shelter and told her we were all friends.” A confused look passed over his face then.
What is it?
“Only Salynns bow to Salynns, right? Or is there another race that bows to us?”
Only Salynns of lower rank bow to those of higher. Why?
He nodded. “She must have caught a glimpse of my hair because even though she had a child in her arms, she attempted to bow to me in the same fashion that the Redians had, nearly dropping her son in the process before I stopped her.” Nekinda was a Salynn! “I was just curious as to why any Salynn would be here, unless she’s from Rocksheloc.”
She could be. The man you killed, I think he kidnapped her to get to me. Did you see the color of her flowers?
“No. The scarf covering her hair and the blanket covering her son’s kept them hidden. I wasn’t paying much attention to her, I was too preoccupied with getting to you.” He smiled.
It was quiet a moment before I looked up at him again. Don’t you want to know how I got myself into the mess you just cleaned up for me?
He shook his head, keeping his eyes ahead of him. “I’m inside your head right now. I see it all in your mind.”
Ew, my brother is inside my mind? That’s creepy. Did you take lessons from Hathum?
He smiled down at me. “No. It’s actually kind of easy to learn what’s in people’s memories, as long as you don’t try to see pictures of them. I just listen to the sounds you were hearing and fill in the rest. I’m sure Hathum cannot only see pictures in people’s minds, but also pull them out into the physical world.”
I tried to suppress my fear at the thought of Hathum’s abilities. You’re probably right.
He glared down at me playfully. “I hear that some matters remain unsettled because you ran away from Ortheldo.”
Maybe.
Rabryn winced uncomfortably, then gazed out ahead. “I’m listening to what happened between you and Jonoic now.” He stayed quiet a moment and his face brightened. “Wow, what a smart way to get him off you.” He smiled down at me. “That was brilliant, even for you Azrel.”
Humph. You’re right, it was brilliant. But that wasn’t me, it was the White Warrior.
Rabryn’s brows dropped. “What?”
She was the one scaring him mad with ideas of what Hathum might do to him if he brought me to him with no proof I was the White Warrior, and maimed this badly. I was too busy clawing at his leg to try and breathe.
“You were clawing at his leg while the White Warrior spoke to him?”
Yes. I was getting nervous now. Was something wrong? Was something else wrong?
“She hadn’t taken over your body?”
No.
“And you heard her talking to him?”
Yes!
“Are you sure it wasn’t you?”
Yes! I was too busy trying to survive to have such a calm and witty conversation with him!
“Are you serious?”
Yes Rabryn! Why would I joke about that?
He narrowed his eyes and drew his face closer to mine. He looked into my eyes as if he were looking for a certain speck in my eyeball. Then his face brightened slightly. “Azrel! Have you used your magic recently without it completely taking you over—besides with Jonoic?”
Well, yes actually. Killing those last few Legan’dirs was my doing. I was in control of that.
He smiled a little, still looking like he was concentrating on the speck. Suddenly, a look of severe concentration came over his face. He stayed that way for a long while until I started to get squeamish under his gaze.
Finally I heard him whisper, “There it is.” His expression brightened considerably. “I see it now! I can see that the window is open a slight crack.”
Uhh, what window? My brows dropped. Are you seeing things in my mind now?
“With every shred of concentration and focus I can manage, yes I am. I’m talking about the window in your mind that separates you and the White Warrior. It’s the window that needs to disappear in order for you and her—your magic—to be joined again. And it’s open a crack.”
Is it?
“Azrel! I’m so proud of you!” He tried to hug me closer, but the pressure of that made me cry out in pain. “Oh Gods! I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
It’s okay. My ribs ached as if I’d just been kicked again, but I had more questions. Why do you call it a window instead of a door? A door blocking her off seems more app
ropriate.
“Well, you both can see and hear everything the other does, no matter who is dominant at the moment. I call it a window because you’re separated but not completely cut off from one another.”
I moaned. You mean to tell me that she feels like a stranger in her own skin all the time, the way I do when she takes over temporarily?
“Probably.”
Gods! That is such an awkward feeling. How can she stand it?
“Well, maybe it’s not a constant thing for her. She’s got that ‘other world’ to retreat to when she needs a break—though that must be lonely. She only gets company when she pulls her followers to her while they sleep and gives them orders.”
Goodness, I’d hate to feel like that all the time.
“Well, she’s just starting to come into more power. She’s been in your subconscious, that ‘other world’ place, for years and she’s just breaking free now. I’m sure she’s been lonely all that time when she wasn’t making plans with her followers, but I doubt it was a constant detached state of being.”
I’m getting a headache.
He smiled sadly. “It looks to me it’s more than your head that aches.” My ribs screamed in pain again and I grimaced. Rabryn’s face shadowed with concern. “You’re getting worse as we speak. Try to go to sleep. It will lessen the pain until I can get you to Addredoc.”
On one condition, I thought, my eyes already drooping.
“What’s that?”
Get out of my head. It’s creeping me out.
He laughed softly. “Yes ma’am.” I felt his power withdraw from me and I was very quickly asleep.
Chapter Three
Azrel
It began with me walking in a field of white grass. The place I was in even had a white sky. I had on a very graceful white dress, with white beads and lace lining it. As I walked across this field, gazing at its beauty, I saw Rabryn, Ortheldo, Addredoc and Acalith in the distance, lying curled up on the side of a small white hill. They clutched their stomachs as if they were in great pain.
I started running to them in a panic. As I drew closer, the white of the world gradually turned deeper and deeper shades of grey. Just as I reached the foot of the hill, the world became a very dark grey, almost black. The only white left was a small light behind my four companions.
From this light I emerged—only in my White Warrior form.
I stopped running and looked in astonishment as White-Warrior-me held up her blade to me, almost in warning to stay away.
Rabryn, Ortheldo and Acalith turned to White-Warrior-me and seemed to strengthen as they reached for her. I watched gladly as they became almost fully healed. When she…I…bent down to take their hands, they all smiled. Before they could take hold of her, though, the entire world went black, save for the white light illuminating from my White Warrior form, which shone brightly over the other four.
I suddenly felt a breeze blow around me—the me in the dress observing this—and when I looked down at myself I froze in horror! A black, transparent, human outline surrounded me. I somehow knew it was Hathum, his chin resting on my right shoulder.
I wanted to get away from him, I wanted to run, but I was suddenly put in black, full-body armor and I was holding a sword that was ablaze with Black Fire.
White-Warrior-me stepped out bravely in front of my companions and took a battle stance, while they held onto each other for dear life behind her. I was approaching, holding the black sword high above my head. White-Warrior-me glared at me challengingly without a trace of fear. I was attacking her . . . I was attacking myself!
Or so I thought. Hathum made me slice the Black Sword straight down, not hitting White-Warrior-me, but cutting a black fiery line straight up and down in front of my eyes. The stream of fire hung there for a second and then more black streams burst forth from it and stretched to White-Warrior-me and my friends. I watched, terrified as all of them were burned to ash when the black currents of energy touched them.
Even as I awoke, my own screams of pain and horror echoed in my mind.
“Please tell me that’s not Azrel you’re carrying,” I heard Ortheldo plead.
“I’m afraid so. She’s gotten worse since I found her. Where’s Addredoc?”
“Inside. Here, let me take her.”
I felt him try to slip his hands under my back, and even that slight movement felt like a knife was jabbed into my side. I cried out in pain without moving my jaw.
“No, don’t! She’s got some broken ribs. I can’t move her too much.”
“Gods,” Ortheldo breathed and I felt Rabryn carry me away.
Though my eyes wouldn’t open, I had a sense he’d carried me into some sort of building. Then I heard everyone’s voice at once, people asking what happened and whatnot. Rabryn kneeled on the floor, setting me down gently.
“What’s the damage?” Addredoc’s voice asked, sounding close.
“Broken ribs, one side of her jaw is in four pieces, and the entire bone itself is driven backward into her face. Her chin and nose are dust and she’s swelling rapidly. She wasn’t nearly this bad when I found her.”
I felt Addredoc run his fingers lightly through my hair and then he rested his hands on my cheeks. I sucked in air and whined from the pain of his touch.
“You’re hurting her!” Ortheldo yelled.
“I’m sorry, Azrel. I have to hurt you to help you. You’re very damaged.”
I heard myself whine but it was cut short when I screamed in my throat, unable to open my mouth, as his fingertips pressed hard into my cheeks. I lay in agony, screaming as I endured the merciless force on my face. Soon though, it melted away and I felt the gentle warm tingle of healing magic slither through my cheeks and all the way down to my ribs, mending my broken bones and taking away the swelling. Finally, I was breathing with ease. I opened my eyes.
Addredoc smiled down at me. “My debt is repaid.”
I smiled back. “As if you couldn’t have healed your own jaw.” We both chuckled.
His smile melted away then, and he looked at me with regret. “Azrel, I truly apologize for what happened at my house. I didn’t…”
I sat up and waved my hand dismissively. “Don’t worry about it.” He looked like he wanted to say more, but I really didn’t want to talk about it. He and his parents had saved my life today. I gripped my jaw with one hand and moved it from side to side. “Oh! Very nice, Addredoc. Very nice.”
He smiled again. “It was an honor and a pleasure.”
Rabryn suddenly gripped my face, turning it towards him and examining me closely. After a moment he smiled and looked at Addredoc. “You make it look so easy!” he cried, and we all laughed—all except for Ortheldo.
He sat on the floor away from me with his head bowed. I wasn’t sure how I felt right now. My father had told him more about his past than he’d told me. My father had loved him more and I hated Ortheldo for that, but was it really Ortheldo’s fault? I should hate my father just as much, but I couldn’t bring myself to hate my father, my teacher. If I couldn’t hate my father for this, it didn’t seem right to hate Ortheldo.
“Are you okay?” I asked him.
He looked up at me, his eyes sad and regretful, then shook his head and looked back down. “I had a bad feeling about him the minute I saw him. I left you alone with him because he’d embarrassed me, because he’d made me look like a fool. I knew I should have stayed! I wish I . . .”
“Ortheldo, stop,” I said and crawled to him on my hands and knees. I kneeled in front of him and put my hand on the side of his neck. “We were both jerks.”
“You being a jerk didn’t almost cost me my life!” he snapped. “That was no reason to leave you with him! I was an idiot and I’ll make it up to you. I swear.”
“Will you stop? Everything is okay.” I embraced him tightly. “Just forget it.” He held me tight and I felt safe, like nothing else mattered in the world except him holding me like this. I couldn’t indulge myself though and pulled away, lookin
g around the decent-sized, one-room shed Addredoc had built. “Where’s Nekinda and her son? Are they alright?”
“We’re here, White Warrior,” I heard a gentle voice say from the back of the room.
The Redians parted to allow me a view of her sitting against the back wall, her baby still in her arms. She’d been crying. She looked at me helplessly. I crawled over to her, not fully trusting my legs to work after so recently being healed. She just stared at me with tears in her eyes.
“How is he?”
“Worse.”
“Let me take him?” I said and held out my arms.
She gently handed me her child. I cradled him. He had gotten worse. He was pale and the entire blanket in which he was wrapped felt hot enough to catch fire.
I looked up at Nekinda, gently rocking the boy in my arms. “Thank you for your warnings to not cry or use my magic, even though I was going to help your son. That was very brave and very selfless, my Lady.”
She nodded. “I knew if your identity got out prematurely, more lives would be in danger.”
“Jonoic kidnapped you and forced you to play along with him, is that right?”
“Yes.” She wiped a tear from her cheek.
I gazed at her scarf covering her hair. “He made you wear that to hide your race.”
She nodded and began to untie the scarf under her chin. “He thought you would immediately get suspicious of him because interracial marriages between us”—she took her scarf off and I saw the white Sallybreath flowers dotting her hair—“and humans are very uncommon.”
My eyes went wide. “You’re from Galad Kas.”
Nekinda’s eyes shifted behind me and she gave a little nod of recognition. I assumed the Redians were bowing to her in formal fashion. “Yes, we’re from Galad Kas.”
I gently pulled the blanket off the child’s head and stared in awe of his beauty. He had his mother’s auburn hair, but it was straight. The back of his hair was worn long enough to just touch his shoulders. The front reached his jaw. He only had about seven white Sallybreaths dotting his dark locks.