Asha's Power (Soul Merge Saga Book 4)

by M. P. A. Hanson

  ASHA’S POWER

  M.P.A. Hanson

  Asha’s Power

  Copyright: M. P. A. Hanson

  Published: 22nd September 2016

  ASIN: B01KR7J0SS

  The right of M. P. A. Hanson to be identified as author of this Work has been asserted by her in accordance with sections 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.

  This book is dedicated to Mo, for all of her incredible help and advice.

  Chapter One

  DREAMS OF GLIDING

  In the dream Asha glided through trees taller than mountains. She liked the dreams where all she did was fly and watch the elves below her go about their lives.

  Asha knew the elves in this city were bad people, which was why in some of her previous dreams about flying she would sneak into the houses in the trees and take some of their things. In those dreams she always felt nice because she gave the bad peoples’ things to the hungry, sad people who lived outside the city and had no houses.

  But Asha could tell this wasn’t going to be one of those dreams from the moment she glided down towards the largest tree, which grew proudly in the middle of the tree city. In the dream, she lived in this tree with her family and lots of servants.

  When she landed on a balcony, Asha quickly changed into a heavy dress, like the ones that grandmother wore to parties. Her big black wings, she folded quickly behind her back, and magic made them disappear into her skin.

  “My lady?” A short man she did not know walked into her room, and Asha pulled a sharp looking sword out of her dresser. “Come with us and you’ll not be harmed.” The little man said, brandishing a large axe, while more little people joined him.

  “I think not.” Asha replied, her voice cold and not at all like her own. “You have one chance to turn yourselves over to the guard and spare your lives.” Asha began to panic as she realised the dream was taking a bad turn.

  The little men laughed, but it didn’t last long. In the dream, Asha leapt forwards, and quickly severed the head of one man. Bright red sticky blood poured out and splashed everywhere, and then more splashed as she attacked more of the little people.

  *

  Romana woke to Asha’s screams and teleported straight to her daughter’s room and her distressed child. In the year since her birth Asha had exceeded even elven development, and now looked about the age of a human four year old. She spoke three languages fluently and could ride the small ponies kept in the stables without help. Her abilities and her aging were worrying evidence of her Ancient lineage that had Romana constantly on edge for any other, more destructive, abilities. However, so far, her daughter remained blissfully magicless.

  “What is it sweet?” She asked, sitting on the edge of the bed and drawing Asha into her arms.

  “Mama,” Asha shuddered, “There were dead people in my dreams.”

  “Do you want to tell me about it?” Romana cradled her child gently, stroking the long bronze hair that fell to her waist.

  “I was flying like usual on my big black wings in the elven place with the big trees.” Asha informed her, “But it wasn’t a good dream because I went to the biggest tree and little people tried to hurt me with axes. So I took a hidden sword out from my dresser and then I killed them all and there was sticky blood everywhere and it was scary.”

  Romana stiffened. “You have dreams about black wings normally?” She pulled Asha’s head back to look her in the eyes. Her daughter had beautiful eyes; one was gold and the other silver. But while gold was the colour of the eyes of all descendants of the Ancients, silver signified Asha’s connection to Romana’s half-sister. A connection that, it appeared, would not be extinguished by distance.

  “All the time,” Asha confirmed Romana’s fear. “Big, black, bird’s wings, and sometimes I use them to steal from the bad elves and give to the sad ones.”

  “Well, I’m sure it was just a dream, sweetheart.” Romana lied. “Do you think you can get back to sleep of shall I send for a servant to bring you hot milk?”

  “I can sleep.” Asha replied, hugging her. “Goodnight, Mother,”

  The little girl leaned back and snuggled into her quilts and Romana kissed her briefly on the forehead before leaving the room.

  Outside she found Marten leaning against the wall, his eyes animal bright with protectiveness. “She’s dreaming Silver’s memories,” Her husband stated.

  “She will learn to block them as she gets older,” Romana informed him with more confidence than she actually felt. She closed the door to their daughter’s room and brushed past him, stroking a hand down one of his arms in comfort.

  “She won’t grow into her magic for a few years at least,” Marten observed. “In that time, she’ll see a lot worse than a few simple killings in your sister’s memories.”

  “What would you suggest then?” Romana let him pull her into his arms and hug her tightly.

  “Talk to Silver,” Marten urged her. “Ask if she can do anything to help Asha.”

  “We have no way of knowing what her version of ‘help’ will entail.” Romana interrupted him, “What if Silver decides to introduce her to more violence as a way of ensuring she can cope with anything she dreams of?”

  “She promised never to hurt Asha,” Marten reminded her. “You know as well as I do that Silver has had demons watching over our daughter since before she was even born.”

  Romana knew that, she felt the creatures’ presence in the darkness and was sometimes insane enough to be thankful for their protective presence. “She shouldn’t be introduced to the Dark Coven so young.” Romana argued.

  “Kate said it was her destiny to become a bridge between the two covens.” Her husband said, with a resigned look in his eyes. “You already agreed to Silver being her mentor.”

  “Agreement had nothing to do with it.” Romana muttered, “Fate tied them together as teacher and pupil. And she won’t go to the Dark Coven till she is old enough and mature enough to handle her powers.”

  “Darling, if she never meets them, and all she experiences is servant and court gossip about them, how terrified will she be when she finds out that she needs to spend years studying and living among them? Does she even know she has an aunt?”

  Romana shook her head silently, her shame showing all over her face. “I know Silver deserves to be in her life after all she’s done for us. But Marten, she’s a criminal. How many bodies did we pick up off the streets before the war with Kobos? How many mutilated corpses did you see chanting her name? She may hold a piece of my soul, but my sister is no saner than she was before. How can I tell my daughter about someone like that?”

  “Tomorrow I will invite Silver to meet her.” Marten decided.

  “It’s too soon.” Romana replied, taking his hand and leading him towards their room.

  Marten gave her a look and Romana sighed, why did he always have to be right?

  “Fine, I’ll talk to her in the morning.”

  “No need,” Marten pulled out a small and slightly battered metal tin for behind his back and opened it to show her a scroll sealed in black wax. “After all these years, it still works.” His tone was slightly awed.

  He ripped open the scroll and read it, his face emotionless.

  “She’s on another world, but will travel back tomorrow at first light. We’re to bring Asha and meet her in the forest outside of Morendor. She’s left us dire
ctions.”

  Romana nodded, before realising that in her worry she’d neglected to notice that they’d climbed into bed.

  “We should get some sleep.” Marten told her, hugging her so her head rested on his collarbone in that nook that seemed to have been made for that exact purpose. “Dealing with Silver is hard enough, doing it whist tired is nearly impossible.”

  Romana nodded, then cocked her head at a sound she knew didn’t belong in the castle at this time of night.

  They both stilled suddenly as the realisation hit them.

  “Asha heard everything we just said.” Marten realised, identifying the muffled scurrying of a child’s footsteps. “How has she learned to be quiet enough to go unnoticed by my elvenhearing?”

  “She has Ancient blood,” Romana muttered, just truly beginning to realise what that would mean for her daughter.

  Chapter Two

  THE KINGS PROPOSAL

  Silver stepped through the portal she’d created and directly into the forest of her home world. It was still an hour before dawn, but she intended to use the time to disarm any traps left for her by either her brothers or the kingling. She seriously doubted Marten’s letter about Asha needing help was genuine, yet eventually she had decided that even if it was a trap, it wouldn’t be anything she couldn’t deal with.

  Besides, she probably should catch up with her coven after a year of travelling, looking in vain for her next target while secretly also establishing which Ancients were siding with Gaillean in the war her Aunt Marta had foreseen. All of these tasks had left little time for her to remain on her own world since defeating Alda. She’d seen sights no other living being had, but she’d also successfully remained away from Keenan since making the vow to try to accept his affections. Something that she couldn’t have helped, especially not now she knew how dangerous the other worlds in this realm were.

  Many times she’d escaped by the skin of her teeth, the worlds’ inhabitants or Issart’e’s people finding her when she least expected it. Then there had been the desolate landscapes, with people rake thin from famine, and the world with a civil war that touched all corners of the globe.

  Keenan would not have survived, but Silver had commanded demons and survived the demonic realm. Nothing this realm could offer would compare to that.

  As if her thoughts had summoned him, Keenan dropped down from the trees.

  “How was the hunt?” He asked

  “Unsuccessful,” Silver muttered. “How did you know I would be back?”

  “King Marten was overheard talking about taking his daughter on a horse ride to meet her aunt tomorrow, without his wife.” Keenan replied. “My contact relayed the information to me as soon as he had confirmed it.”

  “You decided to remain within the Thieves’ Guild?” Silver soaked in the news. Last she had heard, Keenan had planned to leave the guild as soon as the battle with Alda was over.

  “I decided that such a position would serve you best upon your return.” He admitted. “Leigh left the guild to serve full time as Lady Katelyn’s protector on her journeys mapping the world. She is old, and our work is beginning to take its toll on her. But should you call, I have no doubt she would come.”

  Silver nodded, even as she accepted she would never call upon Leigh, two centuries of service was more than most of her companions ever served, and after all of the misplaced distrust between them recently, Silver felt the centaur thoroughly deserved her retirement.

  “Miria has gone with her,” Keenan said, “She was found to be working with you by the Guild of Death and so she was forced to get away fast, or pay the price for betrayal. Grandmother Black since revoked the bounty they placed on her head, but would request you keep your spies out of her organisation.” Silver nodded, her intent had always been to let the Dark Coven run itself independently.

  “The brownies?”

  “Both remain in your service, keeping Dalmorin ready for your return.”

  Silver nodded. Acis and Lena were loyal to the core and, like most of their kind, would serve till their deaths or they were presented with payment.

  “You?” She asked.

  “You know I remain in the guild and in your service.” Keenan muttered.

  “That’s not what I meant.” Silver snapped. “I left almost as soon as the battle was over; we never had a chance to discuss… what happened.”

  “Which part did you want to discuss?” Keenan looked amused by her clear discomfort. “The part where you kept calling me an idiot or the part when you made a vow not to keep hiding your feelings away?”

  “I was not hiding.” She refuted.

  “You also made a vow a while before the battle to be honest with me.” He reminded her.

  Silver snorted. “I was disguising my feelings for strategic reasons. You were already a target for the Ancients because of me,” She touched one of the scars on his biceps briefly. “Further contact between us may lead to more of the same.”

  “I don’t care.” Keenan shrugged it off, “There are few enemies you or I could not defeat should one of us be held hostage for the other again.”

  The problem with his statement, apart for the sheer arrogance of it, was that he was right. Silver’s list of excuses grew shorter.

  “I am royalty.” Silver muttered, “My brother would expect the man courting me to be of noble birth, not a thief.”

  Keenan gave her a glare. “My clan name is Iceblood.” He stated clearly. “My father is royalty of the winter court.” He snorted in disgust. “He seduced a human slave – my mother – and I was born as a royal bastard.”

  Silver was shocked, and it definitely showed on her face as Keenan’s lips twitched in a sad smile.

  “I would have told you sooner, however you were avoiding me. It just goes to show how much you know about the fey.”

  “I know how to kill one.” Silver retorted. “When last I checked, the Snowblades were the royal clan.”

  “A sudden coup almost completely wiped that clan from the fey islands just over half a century ago.” Keenan replied. “Any more excuses?”

  Silver was still recovering from the knowledge that Keenan was a bastard royal. “A few,” She admitted. “But they will have to wait. If I am truly to meet my niece she will arrive at any moment. I –” She cut off, unsure what to say. “I would appreciate your presence, should anything happen.”

  “You’re scared you’ll hurt her.” He looked sombre.

  “No, I’m scared I’ll run away.” Silver whispered.

  Whatever Keenan planned to say in reply was cut off by Marten drawing up beside her on a horse.

  “You came,” He sounded oddly relieved.

  Marten was aging well; his half-elven blood making him look much the same as when she’d first met him. Only his eyes marked the passing of time, responsibility seemed to weigh heavier upon him that it had before. Then there were the delicate pair of arms wrapped around his waist.

  The king dismounted and Silver got her first look at the infant who was tied to both the destiny of her own coven and Romana’s.

  It was surprising how much she had grown, but Silver had expected something similar. Though Romana’s childhood had been infuriating – Silver had been a fully mature woman shut in the back of a child’s mind for eighteen long years - it had also been short, and Romana had been able to walk soon after she was born.

  She shrugged back the memories and focused on the girl before her. Her long bronze hair had been braided down to her waist, but some strands had escaped to frame those mismatched eyes. Most of Asha’s appearance mirrored Romana.

  But there were definite parts of her father in her appearance. The cut of her jaw, her hairline and even the aristocratic nose showed that she was related to the King of the Human Realms.

  “Asha, this is your aunt.” Marten lifted the child down and brushed the dust of the road off of her ruffled white peasant blouse. They had dressed like merchants, most likely to avoid attention.

  The urge to
run came, but not as strongly as before. Silver saw the innocence in the girl’s eyes, yet it was something else that steadied her. Asha’s face was set with determination, an expression Silver saw every time she looked in the mirror.

  “A pleasure to make your acquaintance, lady-aunt.”

  Silver nodded while Keenan smirked and took her hand. There was a moment when Silver considered yanking her hand from his grip, but she dismissed the idea when she remembered her vow.

  “You may address me simply as Silver.” She replied. “I don’t care for courtly fakery.”

  “Silver,” Marten interrupted, “Asha has been having dreams.”

  “Most likely as a result of your human lineage.” Silver couldn’t see the problem,

  “You misunderstand.” Marten informed her. “Asha, tell your aunt what last night’s dream was about.”

  The child complied, and soon Silver was listening to a detailed - if childish - retelling of a night that had happened thousands of years ago. When it was finished, she quickly ran through a list of possibilities.

  “The wings in your dream,” She finally began, unmerging her own from her back. “Were they these wings?”

  Asha ran towards her and Silver braced for attack, yet all the tiny girl did was grab her left wing and run her fingers gently through the feathers.

  Silver had to repress a shudder of pleasure at the sensation.

  “Slightly lower, Asha,” Silver cautioned the girl as her fingers approached the area where her wings connected to her back. The huge amount of nerve endings there made the area vulnerable and touch there seemed inappropriately intimate.

  “Sorry!” The girl whispered, “These are the wings in my dream,” She seemed almost in a trance as she petted the feathers with extraordinary care.

  Silver deliberately extended her wing so more was in the child’s reach.

  “The dream she speaks of is an event from my past.” Silver informed Marten. “Surely you already guessed that? Why summon me?”

  “We need you to help her.” Marten replied. “If she continues to have the dreams then sooner or later she will experience some of the more upsetting memories.”