“So nothing has happened since I left?” Aiden asked, his voice filled with relief.
“Thankfully no, but that doesn’t mean it is over. The northern army will rebuild itself, and we all need to be ready.”
They sat in silence for a minute, each preoccupied with their own thoughts. Aiden was relieved to know that the war had ended for the time being, but the Shaman’s warning made his muscles tighten. The idea of it all beginning again meant that his friends would once more be in danger. It also made him wonder why he had been brought back now. If what the Shaman is saying is true, no one is in immediate danger, and another battle is not expected any time soon.
“How long has the north been building their forces back up?” Aiden asked.
“It has been half a year since you were last here,” he replied. “Plenty of time for them to be ready again, which is why I decided the time had come to bring you here.”
“You want me to fight again? Is there any movement from the north?”
He sat back, crossing his arms in front of his chest. “Not so far, but my intuition tells me it is coming soon, and the spirits have warned me that their sights will be not on the High King and his army, but the Riders in the West.”
Spirits? Aiden mentally shook his head. Now was not the time to ask this man to elaborate on that topic. “I guess that explains why I’m here – and not in the Capital.”
“We need you here, Aiden, or I’m afraid we won’t win.”
“But the men here are just as good! I’ve seen what one of you can do,” he argued, his mind thinking back to the skilled way Wolf fought during their training sessions, and during the battle with the north. “And your city is hidden from outsiders. What possible threat can there be?”
“There are never any certainties in life, Aiden. We cannot allow ourselves to rely solely on remaining hidden. We must still be prepared, should anything go wrong...” The old man trailed off.
“I don’t see how much help I could possibly be,” his voice came out low and rough. The familiar pain in his chest was back. It was always there when he felt like he was in over his head, or when too many people were relying on him for something. Pure panic, that’s what it was. The Shaman reached over and placed a bony hand over his.
“Never doubt your own abilities, Aiden. You are a hero in our lands, and having you fight amongst us means more than you can understand.” Aiden tried to accept that but his usual doubts remained.
“Will I be able to see my friends?”
“No!” he answered sharply. Aiden sat back in shock. The response had been quick and firm. The Shaman instantly softened his posture and face, smiling apologetically. “Pardon me, it’s just that, the Riders like to do things themselves, and frown upon help from the Capital.”
Aiden’s eyes narrowed. That didn’t make sense. Aiden never heard anyone from the Capital speak ill of the Riders, and he knew for a fact that they sent their best to the Capital to train with the King’s army. “Also,” he continued before Aiden could respond. “If what I’ve heard is correct, your friends aren’t in the Capital anyway. They are in the South.”
Aiden walked out the front door into the crisp night air. It was instantly refreshing after being inside the dark, damp cottage. The small streets were deathly quiet. He stood on the front step for a moment, admiring how clear the stars were in the west. Meeting with the Shaman had left Aiden feeling more unsure than he had when he first went in. Even though most of his questions were answered, something about the whole experience had left an odd feeling in his gut. The Shaman’s response to Aiden seeing his friends had been strange. It just didn’t add up. Why would the Shaman bring him here suddenly, and not tell anyone from the Capital? For someone who had said they didn’t want help from the High King, it seemed a bit odd that they’d bring Aiden here to help. Wasn’t he technically a member of the King’s army? Aiden shook his head. There were more questions than answers. Looking back at the Shaman’s door, he decided he’d have to investigate further. On his own. If the Shaman wouldn’t give him all the answers, he’d find someone who would.
Walking down the path, Aiden began to contemplate his decision to come back here. Since arriving home the last time, all he could think about was how much he wanted to return to Eden. He missed the land, the feel of the world that had once been unknown to him. He missed waking up and learning to fight with weapons, and riding horses while doing it. He missed being good at something, and having friends around that were encouraging and easy to be around. The problem was, while he had been at home, wishing and waiting for this, he had begun to make a better life there. He had found a sport he was good at and had finally been accepted by the other kids at his school. Now he was back in Eden, and confronted once again with the conflicts there, and he couldn’t help but wonder if the choice to return had been a good one. Did he really want to be involved in a war that ended so many lives, risked his own and those of his friends? Now they were aware of something that could kill Aiden, and so were his enemies. Much of their success in the last battle had been attributed to Aiden alone, meaning his personal enemies had grown exponentially.
The front gate squeaked as he opened it. The sound was loud in the quiet of the night. Aiden looked around nervously. A candle was still burning in the window of Hawk’s house. Walking quickly across the small road, Aiden entered the private gardens of the tribe’s leader.
“You survived!” a voice called out. Aiden jumped, looking into the dark shadows beside the house. A figure stepped out from where he had been leaning. “I thought the old man would bore you to death for sure.” The figure walked closer, until finally Aiden could see him in the moonlight. Aiden’s initial reaction was to shout out a greeting. He saw Wolf smiling at him with his usual lazy, amused look. Before he could say anything though, he quickly realized that he was mistaken. The boy looked unsettlingly like Wolf, down to the bare, muscular chest and plain brown riding pants. His hair, however, was much lighter than Wolf’s and hung a little further past his shoulders. The shape of their mouths were the same, but the newcomer was taller and wider, and his voice was a little deeper now that Aiden thought about it. He definitely wore the same amused look though, Aiden noticed.
“I’m Aiden,” he greeted, holding out his hand. The other boy shook it firmly.
“I know who you are,” he said. “So what did the old kook tell you?”
“Moose, what have I told you about referring to the Shaman like that?” Hawk’s voice boomed into the night. Aiden hadn’t even heard him open the front door, but as he turned toward the voice, he saw Hawk’s muscular body filling the small entryway. “And what have I said about jumping out of the shadows at people?”
The boy shrugged his shoulders casually – another similarity to Wolf, Aiden noted. “I was just watching out for our guest.”
Hawk let out a deep sigh that sounded like mild frustration. “Aiden this is Moose, Wolf’s older brother,” he introduced.
“Nice to meet you,” Aiden said, awkwardly.
“Why don’t you two come inside so we’re not all talking in the dark?” Hawk held open the door while Aiden stepped into the house, Moose close behind. The home was similar to the Shaman’s in its layout, except this one didn’t smell weird and was warm and inviting. A middle-aged woman stood in the kitchen, the sound of a knife chopping down quickly on food. When she noticed Aiden walk in, she looked up with a welcoming smile. Her eyes were the same pale green as Wolf’s, although she had dark hair, which made them stand out even more. Her skin was pale, unlike the men, and she had a softer, rounder face. It was obvious how striking she had been when she was younger. Aiden decided Wolf and Moose were a perfect mix of both parents.
“You must be Aiden!” she said, happily. Setting down the knife, she walked over and embraced Aiden warmly, holding him away from her after to look him over. She had mother written all over her, Aiden decided. “Wolf told us about you, but I have to say, you don’t look as skinny as he described.” A warm he
at spread over Aiden’s face.
“I’ve put on some weight,” he said in a low, embarrassed voice.
Wolf’s mother smiled affectionately. “You are very handsome!” She reached out and patted his cheek after finally releasing her grip on his shoulders. “I’m Wolf’s mom, so you can either call me Mom, or if that is awkward for you, you can just call me Sunny.” Without waiting for a response, Sunny walked back into the kitchen humming a song. Hawk cleared his throat behind Aiden.
“I apologize for her ahead of time, she can be – ”
“Insane,” Moose finished for his father.
“I can hear you!” Sunny called from the kitchen.
Hawk looked at his son with a stern face. “Don’t talk about your mother that way,” he said loudly, and then winked secretly at him. “I’ll take you to your room, I’m sure you’re exhausted.”
“He has to eat first!” Sunny argued.
“The boy has been through a lot, woman! He needs some rest!”
“He also needs food!”
Moose crept up beside Aiden. “I’ll show you to your room, and then you can decide if you want to eat before sleeping. They’re going to be a while.” The two boys walked down the narrow hall that led into the back of the house, leaving the two adults to bicker over his wellbeing.
The house had a welcoming feel. The front room was the kitchen and eating area, where a large wooden table stood, similar to the Shaman’s. The sitting area had four big chairs sitting around a fireplace, which was filled with the warm glow and scent of fresh logs. The narrow hall had beautiful paintings on the wall of the mountains and lakes north of them, and one was a portrait of the family. Aiden stopped to look at that one. He recognized Wolf right away, even though he must have only been about six in the picture. Moose didn’t look much older.
“One of the local artists did that,” Moose was saying. “We had to stand like that for a whole hour. It was horrible.” Aiden smiled as he continued to look at the picture.
“How much older are you than Wolf?” he asked.
“Only a year.”
“Why didn’t you go to the Capital?”
Moose shrugged. “I’m the eldest, I have to stay here and learn to take over for my father. Plus, Wolf is a better fighter than I am, but don’t tell him I said that.”
“I wouldn’t dare, his head is big enough as it is.”
Moose laughed. “Well then I see some things never change.” The two of them laughed together. Aiden noticed a small girl in the picture sitting beside Wolf.
“Who’s that?”
“Our sister,” Moose replied. “She just turned fifteen this year.”
Aiden turned towards Moose with a confused look. “Wolf never mentioned anything about his siblings.”
“Wolf can be guarded sometimes,” he shrugged. “I wouldn’t think much about it.” They kept walking, passing by two closed doors on either side of the hallway. There were four doors in total, and a fifth one of the very end of the hall. Moose stopped in front of the last door on the left. “This one is yours,” he said, opening the door. It creaked slowly, opening to a tiny bedroom much like the one he had slept in at the dormitory. There was a single bed with a colourful quilt folded across the end of it, and a round table beside it where a candle burned. Across from it was a dresser made of dark wood, intricately carved with pictures of horses along the side.
“It was Wolf’s room,” Moose said. He looked back down the hall wearily. “Do you just want to sleep, or should I tell my mom to get a plate ready for you?”
“I think I’m just going to go to sleep,” Aiden said, after he thought for a moment. “She won’t be offended, will she?”
“Nah, she’ll understand you’re tired. Well, have a good night. I’ll see you in the morning.” Moose walked back down the hall, leaving Aiden standing uncomfortably in the doorway. Stepping in, he shut the door behind him and looked around.
It was strange to be in Wolf’s childhood room, almost like he was invading a very personal space. Sitting on the bed, he slowly dragged his hand down his face. He was exhausted and it was hitting him full force. With one last look around, Aiden lay back on the bed, pulled the quilt over his body, and leaned over to blow out the candle. It didn’t take long for him to fall into a deep sleep.
He had been dreaming about Elisa – being back in the Capital with his friends – until a soft creaking noise woke him up. Aiden lay still, listening carefully for the sound that had interrupted his sleep to repeat. The house was quiet. He wondered what time it was. Everyone else must have gone to bed already. Then the sound came again. It was coming from the outside wall of his room. Without sitting up, Aiden turned his head slowly towards a small window that he had barely noticed when he first walked in. The thick pane of glass was slowly being lifted from the outside. The tips of fingers were pushing it up from the bottom. Aiden cursed silently, sliding his body slowly off the bed and noiselessly onto the floor. Thankfully the old wooden planks didn’t creak under his weight. Someone was breaking in and he would be ready for them.
Crouching close to the ground, he inched his way over to the wall, flattening himself against the wall beside the window where the intruder wouldn’t be able to see him. Whoever it was, was taking their time to open it, trying their best not to make noise. Obviously they didn’t know someone was in this room. Or perhaps this person was coming for him, Aiden thought with a chill. The idea struck him in the gut, making him wish he had some sort of weapon. Then he realized he was in Wolf’s old room. Moving slowly again, praying the person wouldn’t step through the window before he could get back to the wall, Aiden slinked towards the bed, reaching his hand under the mattress and frantically felt around. His hand brushed cold metal and a wave of relief washed over him. It was a knife. Aiden knew Wolf wouldn’t sleep without a weapon close at hand.
Silently dislodging the blade from its hiding place, Aiden quickly returned to his own hiding spot and waited patiently. It took the figure another minute before a gust of wind rushed through the room, telling Aiden the window was finally open. A head emerged through the opening. Before Aiden knew it, its whole body was in the room, landing on the floor without a sound. When the figure straightened, Aiden realized they were quite small, much shorter than he was, and skinnier too. A long black cloak hid their face and body. This would be easy, Aiden thought with a smile, placing the blade on the ground.
Stepping out of the shadow, Aiden came up behind the intruder, and quickly grabbed both wrists, twisting them behind their body, and securing them in one of his hands. Hearing the person suck in air, he reached around and covered their mouth with his free hand before they could scream.
“Who are you, and what are you doing here?” he said, quietly into their ear. The person struggled, twisting and turning to try and release Aiden’s hold. Without hesitating, Aiden spun the figure around and pushed them down on the bed. Straddling their hips so they wouldn’t be able to move their legs, he pinned their hands above their head. “I said, what are you doing here?” he repeated through clenched teeth.
“Who the hell are you? And what the hell are you doing here? Get off of me!” Aiden was momentarily taken aback. It was a girl! He couldn’t believe it! Someone had sent a girl to kill him. Keeping his hold, he ignored her questions.
“I will not get off until you tell me what you want. Who sent you here?”
“Sent me? What are you talking about? I live here! Now get off me!” she snapped, her voice hushed. Shaking her head, the hood of the cloak fell off. Aiden looked down at a young girl, her hair, long, thick strands of black, spilling out around her. Even in the dim moonlight, Aiden could see how big and expressive her eyes were, and she had the same wide, plush mouth as the rest of her family. It was too dark, but he expected her to have green eyes as well. Crap. It was Wolf’s sister. Aiden quickly got off, apologizing in a jumble of words.
“I didn’t know, I didn’t know,” he was saying. “I’m so sorry!” A scratching sound fill
ed the room, then suddenly a flame appeared in her hand, and she leaned over to light the candle on the bedside table.
“Stop apologizing,” she said shortly. “We don’t need to wake up the whole house.” Turning to him, Aiden could see her face clearly in the light. She was even prettier than he had imagined. Her face was pale and soft like Sunny’s, and her eyes were such a light shade of green, it was almost like looking into two small pools of water. Thick lashes rimmed them perfectly. “Who are you, and why are you in my brother’s room?” She was saying as Aiden stood staring at her with his mouth open. Shaking his head slightly, he tried to pull himself back together.
“I’m Aiden. Your parents are letting me stay here,” he started. “Wait – what are you doing in your brother’s room?”
“I don’t really think that is any of your business.”
Aiden let out a small laugh. “You’re sneaking into a bedroom in the middle of the night where I was trying to sleep. Doesn’t that give me some right to know why?” She regarded him with a stony look. “Fine,” he said, slightly exasperated. “I just want to go back to sleep. Have a nice night.” It was too late to be arguing, especially when he was desperately tired. She stood still another moment, and then turned to leave without saying another word.
Before closing the door she looked back. “Rain,” she said softly, so no one down the hall would hear.
“Pardon?”
“My name is Rain,” she smiled slightly for the first time. “It is nice to meet you, Aiden.” Then she shut the door soundlessly behind her. Aiden looked at the closed door for a while before falling back into bed. Things in the west had just become way more interesting.
CHAPTER FIVE
The air in the south was warmer this time of the year than she was used to. They didn’t get winter down here, which was welcoming after the cold in Central Eden. Elisa hated snow, hated the chill and wetness of it. The fur coat her father had bought her years ago scratched her face when she wore it and restricted her movements. Now, as she rode quickly, she wore her brown riding pants and sleeveless shirt, and was free to move as she liked.
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