by Dana Davis
“I taught you what was required, what I knew at the time. Sorinieve was supposed to take care of the rest with the scepter’s help. If she failed her duty, that is not my responsibility.”
“She did not fail anything.”
“Watch your tone with me, Grandson. You may be the chosen from our tribe, but I am still your elder.”
The man paused a moment as though weighing her words before he bowed his head. “Yes, Honor. I apologize.”
“Good. But you must understand something.” She turned her body so that she sat facing him instead of the table. “Never in our history has anyone attempted to return the lost moon to its rightful place in our skies. We have no precedence for this. All we have are texts and scrolls left by previous generations of seers and elders. Many of those are illegible anymore.” A worried look colored Jason’s dark features, and Honor placed a hand on his shoulder. “Perhaps Sorinieve did not have this knowledge. Perhaps we should have been more forthcoming with the texts, allowing more people access to them, but we needed to keep them safe. As it is, they are falling apart and we have no way to preserve them. Only the desert air has kept them intact this long. Some have been transcribed into new books, but the originals were hidden away for so long, pages rotted before they could be rewritten. We do not have all the pieces to this great puzzle. Do you understand this?”
Jakon sighed. “Yes, Honor. I understand now.”
“However, we do know about Nyanan. And you must be well away from here before sundown tomorrow or she gains full control over the Trine.”
“Where are we going?” Larisa said. She could not imagine any place as safe as this one.
“I will let you know in the morning, just before you leave. That way Nyanan will not see it in your memories, if she decided to look there.”
Kepriah gave her a lingering gaze then turned back to Honor. “What if she attacks one of you after we are gone?”
“That would be a waste of energy. She’s not after my people.”
Larisa glanced around and realized no one had come near them since Honor arrived. The villagers sat at the most distant tables, engaged in their own conversations.
The elder cocked her head to one side and the blue jewel dangled freely against her dark skin as she studied Kepriah. “We have been focusing on your work with the Faytools, but you do understand what will happen once the lost moon is recovered?”
Kepriah glanced at Larisa then Patrice before turning back. “We return magic in full to this world, saving Selenea and Earth from destruction.”
“Yes. Selenea is bound to magic, and without it, everything unravels. But I am talking about you three. The Trine. You will become the most potent sorceresses in all the world. Possibly all of time.”
Larisa did not know whether to feel dread or excitement at that statement. Evidently, neither did her sisters.
“No wonder Nyanan wants our powers.” Kepriah uttered.
Larisa studied the elder woman, whose golden eyes looked very much like Jakon’s. “And we have to complete the hoisting by summer solstice?”
“Exactly. You must have noticed that some days the Faytools respond more efficiently than others.”
“I thought it was me,” Larisa said. “That I was tired.”
“You are still learning so that is part of it, but magic is fluctuating the closer we get to summer solstice.”
Larisa’s heart raced and she felt mild panic from Patrice. Her Earth sister said, “How can we be consistent if magic is fluctuating?”
“You must learn to sense it. Magic will not fade completely unless the hoisting is unsuccessful. Until then, it moves around, making it harder to get at. Each Faytool will react differently. Your ring might work perfectly, while Larisa’s talisman refuses.”
Jakon nodded. “Sorinieve experienced what she called ‘cold spots’ with the scepter. Places she could see visions but could not make archways. Kepriah has run into those, as well.”
Patrice let out a noisy breath. “First, you drag me away from my life, my friends and family. Which I’m still pissed about by the way.” Her irritation pricked Larisa’s senses. “You give me some hokey story about a magic ring and how I’m the only one who can use it. That if I want to save my world, I have to go along this moon-hoisting thing. Now, this magic of yours doesn’t even work right and is fading away.” She frowned and shook her head. “This planet sucks.”
“Impatience and frustration will not help, Patrice,” Honor chided, but her eyes weren’t on the Earth woman.
Larisa followed the old woman’s gaze to the two moons that hung over the western horizon. They would rise and set together for several days before the smaller lagged farther behind again.
“But how do you even know this hoisting will work?” Patrice said.
“It is written in the books.”
Patrice huffed. “So you have no proof it can be done.”
Honor’s golden eyes came back to Patrice. “It is written—”
“So what?”
“Show respect, Noble,” Jakon snapped.
Patrice studied him a moment and swallowed. “Sorry, Honor. I’m not trying to be disrespectful. Really. But you have no proof this will work, other than some pages in a crusty old book. On my world, that wouldn’t get you a bottle of water at a convenience store.”
“I see.” Honor kept her voice low. “Magic does not exist on your world so you do not believe in its power. This world did not exist for you until your sisters brought you here, but can you tell me this is not real? I am not real?”
“I could, if you want to get into a physics discussion, but I’m not sure I remember it all by heart. For all I know, I could be stark raving mad.” She made an arch with one arm. “And all this is some great hallucination. A fabrication of my own mind.”
Honor smiled. “If we do not exist or you are mad, then it will not hurt for you to participate.”
Larisa could feel deflation from her sister. Patrice had been duped by her own logic. “Fine, Honor.” She now sounded like a wounded adolescent. “What do we get out of this whole hoisting thing? The Trine, I mean.”
Honor gave her a look of pure amazement. “Were you not listening? You save Selenea and Earth from destruction and you become powerful sorceresses.”
Patrice glanced at Kepriah then back to Honor. “Powerful enough to get back to my family and friends? Will these new amazing powers return me to my life, the one that was snatched out from under me?” When Honor said nothing, Patrice huffed and her anger waved against Larisa’s senses. “Thought so.”
Jakon nodded to her. “You will save two worlds, Third Noble. You will save your family and friends. Try to remember that.”
A wave of heartache brushed against Larisa, making her suck in a quiet breath. Her sister still needed more time to heal. They all needed more time. Memories of her parents passed through Larisa’s mind again and she shoved the pain away. Kepriah eyed her then Patrice. The Earth woman had broken her promise twice now not to speak of returning home. The first time Kepriah had said nothing since they had just arrived and Honor was asking questions about the sister world. But Patrice had brought up Earth this time, and Larisa was certain Kepriah would confront her about it later.
Patrice must have realized what she had done, yet she did not seem worried. In fact, Larisa felt a wash of defiance from her. And something else. Is that confidence? She glanced at Kepriah who gave her a crooked smile. What is she up to?
Honor waved to a girl carrying food. “Meet me in the clearing when you have finished breaking fast.” She took something from the food tray, told Jakon to follow her, and the two wandered off.
Larisa and her sisters finished their meal and got to the clearing for what would be their last day of lessons here. She really hated to leave this place. Despite what had happened with Nyanan, life seemed so peaceful here, innocent and uncomplicated, though she knew that was not the truth. Honor’s people had been exiled here to keep magical knowledge safe. Generations passed elsewhere
on Selenea, while these people lived extremely long lives in isolation.
Honor’s dark arm motioned to a woodpile that floated on the nearby lake. A rope anchor kept it from drifting off. “You start, Second Noble.”
Larisa, intrigued at hearing Honor use her title for the first time, took her talisman in hand and stepped to the shoreline. After stilling the tree in her mind the way Kepriah had taught her, she envisioned a stream of fire leaping out toward the wood. It happened just as she envisioned and the wood burst into flames immediately. She concentrated on quelling the flames. This part always gave her trouble and she took in a deep breath as the fire danced and spat above the water. After a few seconds, it began to quiet. Hot flames grew smaller and smaller, until it looked much like a fire at its beginning. Just when Larisa thought she had succeeded, her concentration waned and the flames shot upward again. Sweat trickled down her back.
“Again,” Honor said from behind her.
Larisa adjusted the talisman in her perspiring hand. This time, she decided to pull the fire back instead of simply envisioning it to sputter out. In doing so, a flame shot across the water directly toward her. Before she could scream, a liquid hand extended upwards from the lake and intercepted the fire. The air sizzled as the two elements met in midair. Before panic could set in completely, Larisa got her wits, sent the flames back to the raft and, with her mind, stomped the entire thing out.
Afterwards, her hands trembled and she glanced to her right. “Thank you, Kepriah.” Her warrior sister nodded.
“The talisman would not have let you burn, Larisa,” Honor said. “But that was careless.”
So much for my title. “I thought if I brought the fire back toward the talisman it would suck the life out of it. Guess I was wrong.”
“Yes.”
“I was impressed,” Patrice said.
“Thank you but I do not think I will try that again.”
Honor patted her shoulder. “I would not advise it. But you did well, First Noble.” Since Kepriah had used magic to get them to the desert, her power and control had grown at a faster rate. “Now you, Third.”
Patrice took Larisa’s place. She made a fist and pointed the ring toward the lake. After several seconds, a magical word pushed from her lips and a tiny waterspout spun just above the lake. Unlike Kepriah, Patrice had no control over water, but the wind she created could pick up just about anything, depending on the strength behind it.
Honor studied the small funnel. “Larger.”
The spout grew until it reached a few feet then it simply dissipated. “Shit,” Patrice uttered.
Honor shook her head. “You need to concentrate.”
“I was. I just can’t seem to hold onto anything for very long”
“Try disguising your sisters.”
Larisa and Kepriah stepped close their Earth sister. Patrice cradled her ring hand in her other one and closed her eyes for a brief moment.
“Ready?” Honor said in a low voice.
Patrice nodded and Larisa watched as the ring’s blue gem glowed. Several words flew from Patrice’s lips and were immediately forgotten. Larisa and Kepriah would still look the same to each other, since they were members of the Trine, but Patrice and Honor would know if the spell worked. Larisa fought the urge to steady her Earth sister when the woman began to sway slightly, but she did not want to disrupt. A couple more minutes passed.
“That’s it,” Honor said. “Give Kepriah red hair. Yes. Now make Larisa look like a tall man. Good. Step toward me, all of you.”
Larisa glanced at Patrice and Kepriah as she stepped in rhythm with them, keeping close to her younger sister. The woman had no range, yet, and whomever she disguised with her magic had to stay within arm’s reach. Honor promised that would change as she practiced.
“You are losing Kepriah. Better. Keep coming. Good. Stop there and hold the magic.” Honor circled around them, looking them up and down. A tiny smile flickered on her lips as her eyes passed Larisa. If I were not in on this, I would say you were one handsome male, Larisa of Donigere.”
She chuckled and Patrice lost her concentration. “Sorry, Patrice.”
The Earth girl waved her off. “I could feel the bubble flex with our movements that time. That’s the hardest part, keeping the bubble flexible.”
“You mean like Kepriah’s archways?” They looked like bubbles to Larisa when they first expanded.
“Probably. Once I get you in the bubble, changing your looks isn’t difficult. It’s just that I have to keep a picture in my mind of what you look like. It’s a lot of memory work and holding those thoughts, while keeping them inside the bubble.”
“Practice makes perfection,” Honor said. She moved to a boulder and sat, arms crossed. “Begin again.”
Chapter 14
The floodwaters had receded, leaving Donigere a muddy, stinking mess of debris and rotting corpses. Kepriah stood in the mud, gazing on the carnage left behind, until Patrice emptied her stomach on the soggy ground. Jakon supported the Earth woman and, unusual for her, she did not pull away.
Honor had apologized to Larisa and explained that this was the safest place she could think of, now that it was deserted, that Nyanan would not think to look for them here. Still, Kepriah had a difficult time not being angry with the elder. But Larisa had agreed to come, saying that she needed to see her home one last time. Needed to put the ghosts behind her.
Kepriah had felt hope from her middle sister before they arrived, hope that someone had survived the flooding. That feeling was now gone, replaced with sorrow and remorse. The dead lay everywhere, stinking and rotting, like a battlefield where no one was left to bury the bodies.
“Stay with Patrice, Larisa.” Kepriah tried to wrench herself from her sisters’ emotions. “Jakon and I can take care of this.”
“No. This is my home. My people. I will not look away.”
Patrice spat and took Larisa’s hand. “This world is real. I believe that now. You couldn’t have faked all this. If I’m really one of the Trine, then we do this together.” The two supported each other and held rags up to their noses to quell the stench.
Kepriah studied her sisters then motioned them to follow when she felt Patrice’s determination. They walked silently, around bodies and debris. Something about this place felt familiar. Kepriah had never been to Donigere except to rescue Larisa, and everything had been under water then, but she felt she had seen this very place without the floodwaters, muddy streets, and decay. She shooed away carrion birds and insects with the scepter.
She tried to shut Larisa’s sorrow from her senses but could not. Blast you, Kepriah! Your sisters are not warriors. You should have come up with another location. Oddly enough, she could not think of one as safe as Donigere. It was then that another realization hit her.
She and Jakon could bury the bodies, or what was left of them, but that would take too long. Disease had probably taken hold. Flies and maggots certainly had—Kepriah could see the nasty buggers at work. It would be up to Larisa to destroy these bodies. She was the only one with that power. Honor must have known this. This was a test for Second Noble, a test for the Triad. But with the grief that threatened to break Larisa right now, Kepriah doubted her sister could do it. Perhaps they should defy the desert elder and continue on to another place.
“Why would Honor send us here?” Patrice looked pale as she studied Larisa’s stony face. Blue eyes turned to Jakon, and Kepriah felt a mix of anger, compassion, and disgust from her youngest sister.
Jakon did not answer. His face was hard, immobile, like a man who had seen carnage many times.
Of course he has. He was a warrior. Centuries old now, but still a warrior. Kepriah tore her gaze from him to focus on Larisa. Like Patrice, her middle sister had been through so much. After bonding with her sisters and feeling their intense grief, she considered herself lucky. She did not know Sorinieve long enough to feel overly grieved by the woman’s death. The only recent loss close to her heart was Manry. His
image flickered in her mind and she shoved sorrow down into her mental well with the rest of her emotions. “Let’s get out of here. We can settle someplace else for a while.”
“Kepriah’s right.” Patrice kept her eyes upward and swallowed several times. “We should go.”
Larisa shook her head. “No.” Her voice came out so soft, Kepriah barely heard her. “I cannot leave them like this.”
“But—”
“No, Patrice.”
Jakon placed a hand on Patrice’s shoulder to stay any further protests as Kepriah studied her middle sister. Second Noble, the healer among them, as well as the destroyer, looked and felt resolute. Kepriah nodded. “If you are certain, Larisa.”
Without another word, the blonde woman pulled the talisman from beneath her tunic. Kepriah and the rest silently followed her to the remains of an infant. Larisa made the sign of protection over the tiny body. After a moment, the hand on her talisman trembled with the force of her powers until the blue jewel in the middle lit up. Blinding fire shot forth and encompassed the dead babe, leaving only scorched earth behind.
“Go with the wind,” Kepriah uttered. She stayed close to Larisa, protective of her now.
Larisa seemed grateful and managed to put some of her grief away. The next body belonged to a young girl not old enough to have breasts. Scavengers had destroyed the face but the tattered dress was that of a child, the outer apron and bib still intact. Patrice walked off to vomit again. Battle had prepared Kepriah for carnage like this. Jakon, too. He stood nearby, watching Patrice until she returned, then took up his position just behind the three of them, a stoic sentry ready to give his life for his maidens. At least, that’s what Kepriah suspected, since the man had said he would die for them. She did not plan on that day coming anytime soon.
How Larisa kept her stomach under control, Kepriah could only guess. As the daughter of a healer, perhaps she had seen more death than she would ever admit to. Larisa made the sign of protection then destroyed the little girl’s body and moved on, leaving Kepriah and Jakon to utter the prayer that sent the child’s spirit with the wind.