by Nichelle Rae
“And that wasn’t even half of what she went through,” he said.
He released my shirt and I collapsed to my knees, glad to finally be able to throw up. My breakfast emptied out onto the grass in violent heaves. When I finally couldn’t throw up anymore, I looked up at Rabryn, who was still in tears. “Tell me that her past was petty again, and I’ll gut you, Ortheldo. I swear to the Light Gods I will.”
I clutched my stomach and cried like an infant, seeing in my mind over and over what she’d been through. My own past was much like that, and the notion that the woman I loved had had to live it was more than I could bear. I looked towards Rocksheloc through my blurry vision, recalling the last thing I said to her. I’d just left her there, curled up and all alone on the hallway floor. I had to apologize to her, but I couldn’t stand up yet. I just needed a minute. Then I could go back to her and hold her and tell her I loved her and that I’d never let harm like that come to her again.
When I blinked, though, the Deralilya was suddenly squatting down at my eye level, staring at me with those terrifying green eyes. “You can’t go to her.”
I wondered if I had I heard her correctly. “What?”
“You were right to say to her what you did. Believe it or not, it’s helped her. You were also correct in saying that this was something she had to deal with on her own. You can’t help her with this.”
Some of my sense came back. “I can tell her I’m here for her! It’s the least I can do after what she’s been through!”
“Ortheldo, I won’t let you go to her. I will club and sack you if you try to move towards Rocksheloc. You don’t understand the damage you’ll be causing!”
“Enlighten me and I might think about listening to you.” I didn’t understand what could be more damaging than what had already been done, but I wasn’t about to defy the orders of the Deralilya, even if she didn’t have a steel weapon.
“What happened to her is in the past and can’t be changed. Right now, we need to concern ourselves with the future—Azrel’s future and the future of Casdanarus. If you go in there begging for forgiveness, you will destroy both futures. Can you understand that?”
“By apologizing?” I said in disbelief.
“Yes, by apologizing!” She said, clearly reining in her patience. “What you said to her struck a nerve in Azrel, a very vital nerve which opened her mind to listen to what Addredoc had to say. If you want the Azrel back that you fell in love with, you will continue on your way and not go back to Rocksheloc. You and Addredoc have set into motion the process of Azrel digging her old self up. Do you really want to destroy that? Another opportunity to strike such a nerve may never come again. What Addredoc said had to mean something to Azrel, and you made that happen.”
How could I argue with that? I sniffed, trying to calm myself down. “Will she ever forgive me?”
Acalith placed a hand on my shoulder. “She will.”
I looked at Rabryn. He was on one knee now, his left arm resting over his raised thigh and his right hand pressed into his other one. He stared at the ground in a daze, probably reliving those horrid memories he experienced with his sister. “Thank you,” I said. He looked up at me silently for a moment, then nodded and pushed himself to his feet to mount his horse again.
No wonder he was too brave for his own good. He’d had to watch someone he dearly loved endure such inhumane abuse, and yet Azrel had done a fine job making sure he remained gentle and kind, despite the evil he’d seen being done to her. That was why Azrel stayed silent and hadn’t fought back in those situations. She probably didn’t even gripe or complain about a single event to him. She probably even had to constantly defend those monstrous girls to him. She had to have made it seem like it was okay, or at the very least natural for them to do those hateful things to her.
Azrel didn’t want him hating those girls—granted he would anyway—but she hadn’t added fuel to the fire. She’d stayed positive when she was with him. If she’d stayed angry about it, Rabryn would have turned out very different. Azrel had raised her baby brother well, and had smiled in her abusers’ faces so he wouldn’t be consumed with hatred for them. The Warrior of Goodness. No one deserved that title more than Azrel did.
I looked away from Rocksheloc towards Acalith. She stood and held her hand out towards me. I took it and she pulled me up. “We had better go then,” I said and looked up at her. “Are you coming?”
“If it’s alright with you all.”
“Of course,” I replied. Both of us went to our horses. Acalith had a gorgeous and powerful warhorse that I couldn’t help admiring as I walked by. I’d seen her when we were attacked by the Legan’dirs, but was too busy riding for my life to really notice her. She was white with sliver-grey spots all over her and a grey mane.
I stroked her thick muscular neck and shoulders. “What’s her name?”
“Solaris.”
“She sure is a beauty.”
“Ortheldo?” A small voice said suddenly.
I looked up to see Cairikson mounted in front of Addredoc. To my shock, every single one of our party was in tears. “Hey, what’s wrong, buddy?” I asked and went over to him.
“I know you’re sad. So am I. Can I ride with you, and maybe we’ll both feel better?”
Curious, I reached up and took my boy down from Addredoc’s saddle. He immediately curled up in my arms. I looked at the Salynns in concern and curiosity. “Did all of you see what Rabryn showed me?” All of them nodded and I looked at Rabryn atop his horse, wondering why he would show a young boy those horrifying visions.
Rabryn bowed his head looking down at his saddle. “I’m still new at using my magic and I wasn’t able to fully control where it went. It sort of escaped from me and went to everyone.”
“I see.”
I took Cairikson over to Urylia and put him on the saddle. I mounted behind him. I turned back to look up at Rocksheloc Mountain and my heart clenched. “Goodbye for now Azrel,” I said quietly, then faced forward again. I took a deep breath as I prepared for the difficulties that would result from abandoning Azrel like this. I blew out my breath and with a “Ya!” kicked my horse forward into a full gallop before I could change my mind.
I kept glancing back at the mountain for the first few miles, hoping I might see Azrel coming up behind us, but she never came. I also kept my eyes on Rabryn, who rode beside me with a grim look on his face. I couldn’t imagine how hard that must have been for him, especially as a young boy, to watch Azrel be abused so cruelly.
“What ever became of Cluna?” I asked.
Rabryn glanced at me, then looked out in front of him again. “She had an unfortunate accident involving a hike up the cliffs and a slippery rock.”
A corner of my mouth went up and I couldn’t help the sense of satisfaction that came with that. “Did she suffer?”
“Immensely.”
“I hope I can hear the details of this ‘accident’ someday.”
He nodded. “Someday.”
My smile melted and I looked at him more somberly. “Was your mother ill in that last vision you showed me?”
He cast his eyes down and nodded. “She died the next day.”
Chapter Ten
Azrel
This was ridiculous! Addredoc was right, Ortheldo was right and the White Warrior was right. Yeah, she was talking to me now. That was the mysterious power I had felt when I awoke. Apparently she discovered a way we could talk to each other, as creepy as it was. As soon as she became able to talk to me, she quickly took advantage of the opportunity to ream me up one side and down the other. It was odd hearing my own voice in my head yelling at me, and to have my voice reply to myself. I shook my head in disbelief now as I recalled it. I really was mad.
But none of this mattered. All I knew now was that I couldn’t stay laid up in this cursed mountain forever! I had more important things to do. Besides, I was worried for Ortheldo’s safety. Beldorn came to visit me during my little breakdown and reminded me,
in an offhanded manner, that all evil creatures are drawn to the pure Good power of the necklace. He also made sure to remind me how badly Evil would love to get their hands on the gem of all healing.
With the White Warrior’s help, I went down the torch lit halls of Rocksheloc to my room again. I changed out of the blood-soaked clothes I’d been in since Sepp attacked me and then marched back out the door towards the throne room. I knew everyone would be waiting for me there.
I thought about the understanding that the White Warrior and I had come to and wondered if she would keep her end of the bargain. I wondered, too, if she could hear me wondering. I doubted she would keep her word. She was smart and knew what I wanted to hear. Her promise to me was good enough to get me off my ass, though, and get out of here for the moment, but I doubted she’d keep it for the long run. She had probably one hundred secrets conjured up in her mind, but I’d never know about them. I would never fully understand her until I became her, when that “window” in my mind was flung open. And I didn’t see that happening anytime soon.
Our agreement was that as long as I didn’t have any more emotional episodes, she would let me in on the things she did, like gathering over a hundred beings in less than a day to protect me from a mere twenty. I shook my head at that thought. I still couldn’t believe she’d done it. How I longed for that leadership ability. It was rightfully mine, and it burned my heart that another had it! Two people? What kind of psychotic thing was that? Two people living in one mind. It was insane!
I threw open the double doors to the throne room and saw everyone gathered there. Some looked at me with genuine warmth and admiration. Others looked at me with uncertainty and fear. This had just better go by quickly. Ortheldo and the others had left almost a day ago, so I had some serious riding to do to catch up. I only hoped Forfirith was well rested and cared for. His strength was really going to be put to the test if I was to close in on a day’s lead. But it had to be done. Ortheldo was in trouble, which meant my brother was too.
The king was sitting on his high throne and stood when I entered the room. He bowed at the waist, and then came down to me. “We know you are in a hurry, so I will not hinder you long.” He smiled. “I just want to tell you how grateful we are that you have been returned to us, White Warrior. The world is falling to evil once again and the twenty new graves in our cemetery are proof of it. We need you dearly.” He smiled, then bowed again. “Thank you for weeding out those under my mountain with evil hearts.”
“No problem. Is my horse in the stables?”
“Yes. He has already been fed and packed.”
I flinched, “Oh.” I glanced at the hallway out of here. “I must go then. Goodbye everyone.”
I turned to leave, but the king took a gentle hold on my arm. “I have something for you, a token of my personal gratitude for restoring Goodness to my kingdom.”
A human with shoulder length orange hair stepped forward from the surrounding crowd with a beaming smile. He held in the palms of his hands a gorgeous silver box with purple and blue jewels studded all over the top. King Elraramir lifted the lid to produce a thin silver chain. From it dangled an unimpressive brass key.
“This is a symbol of when peace was in the world, peace which you will restore. It may be useful to you.”
He raised the chain to place it around my neck, but I quickly backed away and took it from him instead, not trusting any of these people to get too close to me. I turned it over in my hand, studying it. It was smaller than the length of my little finger and looked very old.
“Does it open anything?” I said looking up at him.
“It once opened the ancient tunnels of Spar Ridges. Both of our lands used those tunnels widely and freely before Evil swamped them and has since taken them over. No one really wants to venture how much Evil has slipped into Spar Ridges from those tunnels, so it stays the most exiled and secluded land in Casdanarus. I suggest you avoid that place, White Warrior.”
I rolled my eyes. A key that opened a tunnel of Evil. Great. “Yeah, I’m sure this will come in real handy,” I said, and shoved it in my pocket.
He smiled despite my bitter attitude. “You never know.”
“Well, I don’t plan on going that far east,” I said. “I’d rather avoid the Black Mountains and Blood River and all those lovely lands out that way anyhow.”
“We wish you luck and happiness and a safe journey, White Warrior. I pray we may meet again.”
“Goodbye,” I said, then bolted toward the hall leading to Beldorn’s room. I had more questions for the old man and hoped he’d be here still. I frantically pounded on the door, but with no response.
I sighed. I didn’t have time for this. I ran down the stairs to the outside and turned right from there, knowing the stables were carved into the northern face of the mountain. Thankfully Forfirith was in the first stable with three other horses. He looked at me as I approached and began pawing at the ground, seeming impatient to get out of there. I jumped over the top of the gate, swinging my legs over it and landing softly.
“Ready to run for it, boy?” I asked as I pulled his reins down from a nail in the wall.
“He should be,” a voice said.
I spun around and saw Reese come from the shadows at the back of the stall, already mounted on a fine white and brown spotted steed. My brows dropped as I studied the fashion he was mounted in; packs stuffed to the brim, his fine Salynn clothing now replaced with fine travel clothes.
“What are you doing?”
“Going with you.”
“No you’re not,” I said as I mounted.
“I have orders and I will follow them.”
I glared at him, “Orders from whom?”
“The Deralilya.”
My eyes narrowed. “What do you have to do with her and the Redians?”
“I’m a member of her command?” He answered as if it should be obvious.
I glared a moment longer until I realized Ortheldo still hadn’t explained to me exactly what the Deralilya was…or really who the Redians were. “What team?” I asked, risking looking stupid.
Both of his brows dropped. “You don’t know?”
My glare deepened. “If I knew, I wouldn’t have to ask, now would I?”
The expression melted from his face and was replaced by a look of sympathy—sympathy he immediately tried to hide. “The Deralilya is second in command to you. It is the position of the White Warrior’s Lead Protector. The Deralilya is in command of everyone who has ever sworn a binding oath to your father that they—and at least one descendent of their family forever—would uphold Goodness and protect the Barer of The White Sword with their own lives.”
My brows dropped. “You’re a team of…protectors?”
He nodded, holding his head high with pride. “Generations and generations have passed since your father’s reign, but always one member of each family that originally swore the oath has lived to protect Goodness in some manner, since the White Warrior himself wasn’t around to protect it. Now I’m here to do my duty and fulfill my ancestor’s oath to protect you with my life.”
I swallowed heavily. Why would my father keep that hidden from me? Since I outranked the Deralilya, I could order Reese away, but how could I do so after he just told me he was ready to die for me? I sighed. I swallowed again. “Are their others? Other protectors like you and the Redians?”
Reese nodded again. “Though they are scattered across the world right now, they’ve heard the Deralilya’s call and we will cross their path at some point in this journey.”
“Was Acalith’s ancestor also a Deralilya?”
“Her ancestral family had to have sworn the oath to protect the White Warrior, otherwise she wouldn’t be a member of the team. However, her title of the Deralilya was given to her by you.” My brows dropped. “Your father’s Deralilya was chosen by him as well. His Deralilya could have been any one of your protector’s ancestors.”
“But, I never chose Acalith to be…�
� I couldn’t even finish the sentence as the realization dawned on me. The White Warrior had picked her.
He smiled his handsome smile. “You did, you just don’t know it yet.”
He was making a mockery of my double-mind predicament! The White Warrior chose the Deralilya, not me! Probably long ago. He was making fun of…no, he wasn’t. He was just trying to make me see the humor in it. I looked in his eyes and saw genuineness in them. He was trying to comfort me with humor.
While I couldn’t bring myself to smile about it, I appreciated his effort. I looked away from him and towards the closed gate and used a bit of magic to open it. “The White Warrior was right.” I glanced at him. “You should smile more often.”
I squeezed Forfirith’s sides and he leaped forward. Reese was soon galloping at my side. I pushed Forfirith as fast as he could possibly manage.
“Where’s the fire?” Reese called over the whipping wind of speed and the thundering of hooves.
I took a deep breath as I stared determinedly ahead. In Ortheldo’s pocket, I thought to myself.
One day and half a night were behind us. Reese didn’t complain or question me when we rode for hours in the dark, which I appreciated. We rode across open ground with woods lining each side of the clearing. The only worry he voiced was whether I would get enough rest, as I only planned on sleeping for about three hours before getting going again.
Tonight we didn’t even bother with dinner or even a fire. We were too exhausted to care. We just laid out our sleeping gear and fell asleep. Or tried to! My body was tired, but my mind was restless. It refused to calm down and let me sleep. Events of the last few weeks played over again in my head. From the very beginning in The Pitt when the mob attacked, through the short time we had with Norka, then over the events of Crox Path, Oaksher, Blesska, Narcatertus, and finally to Rocksheloc and what was happening now.