“Thank you again, and if you are ever in need, find me and I will come. I will be back sometime for the arch. It is my destiny. Thank you Rakna, Crayken. Stay safe,” Kade said as he urged the dragon to move out.
“I shall remember our talk,” Darcienna said while grinning at the queen. Kade glanced at her to ask what he had missed, but she avoided his eyes. His suspicions about some type of female conspiracy sparked. He watched her a little longer, waiting for something. “The queen and I had a nice chat. Not for you to worry about,” she said as she waved to the king, queen and all the spiders. It was clear this was all he was going to get so he faced forward and signaled the dragon to go.
Rayden started at a slow, rolling lope. Kade cast a last glance over his shoulder and then settled in for the ride. Darcienna watched the black and white spider until they were just specks in the distance. The king and queen did not move from that spot until the dragon was well out of sight.
“Did we have to leave before having something to eat?” Darcienna asked.
“Yes. If we stayed for morning food, we would have stayed for half the day. Then, it would be time for dinner, and we would have been there for another night. Darcienna, we really did need to get moving. I shall feed us shortly, but for now, we just needed to cover some ground,” Kade said, not gently but not too firmly. Darcienna sighed, knowing he was right and let the subject drop, even though her stomach rumbled.
Time passed slowly as both riders sank into their own thoughts. Kade worried deeply about what Zayle was trying to tell him. He knew he needed to stop soon, but he was already worried he had lost too much precious time. The black book flashed in his mind, and then something occurred to him.
What if Doren is not in the book? How will we find him? Maybe he would need more information from the king. With this last concern, Kade decided this line of thinking was going to do him no good and decided to focus on food. His stomach was rumbling and hunger flowed through the link from the dragon continuously.
“What are we doing?” Darcienna asked as the dragon came to a stop.
“I thought it would be a good time to stop for food,” Kade said as he reached back, untied the sack of books and then slid down.
“I was hoping you would say that,” Darcienna said as she swung her leg over the dragon’s neck and slid down on her belly. Kade caught her as she landed.
“Maybe a three course meal?” Darcienna asked.
“Sure, but first I have to feed this eating machine,” Kade said as he looked at Rayden, who was wide-eyed and eager to eat. “I am surprised you were able to wait this long,” he chided while patting the dragon on the neck.
Kade cleared his head, ignoring the throbbing and focused on the calling. Even a simple conjuring like this needs attention, he told himself. He was starting to get complacent about the callings and reminded himself he needed to be vigilant; even with the easy ones. Zayle’s warning that complacency has brought many Chosen to an early grave, rang through his head. He focused as best as he could, but after five times of creating meat, his mind started to wander back to the image that had formed in the arch. He was performing the calling for the eighth time, not remembering the sixth or seventh, when he forced himself to focus. He had too much on his mind, and it was definitely very distracting.
With the dragon finally fed, it was time to cook for himself and Darcienna. Creating the cheese and bread was a good break from making the meat. Changing things up made it easier for him to focus. Unfortunately, once again, he had forgotten to bring something to drink. He shook his head at his forgetfulness and swore he would get a canteen at the first possible chance. He paused, seeming to recall having already made that declaration.
“May I ask you something?” Darcienna inquired in a quiet voice, afraid she may be touching on a sensitive area. Kade took a breath and then let it out in a long sigh.
“You may ask.”
“Back in the cave,” Darcienna began as she watched his reaction closely. Kade winced slightly but then did his best to hide it by taking a bite of meat. “What…what happened?”
Kade stopped chewing as he looked out over the horizon. He thought back on the face that had drifted toward him from the darkness and the sound of the voice he had heard in his head. The memory of the smell of old, leather-bound books came to him.
“I’m sorry,” Darcienna said, interpreting his silence as a refusal to answer. “I should not have asked.”
“It was Zayle,” Kade said as he swallowed his bite while still looking off into the distance. “It was he who gave me the message.” Darcienna sat quietly, not knowing what to say. “He was the one who was trying to communicate with me the whole time.”
“He was the one that I pushed out of you?” Darcienna asked in shock.
“Oh no,” Kade said as he turned to look at her. “No. That was something else. You did well with that. I have a guess as to what was going on, but it would only be a guess.”
“I don’t even have a guess so feel free to give me yours,” Darcienna said, the food in her hand completely forgotten.
“I think that arch is a doorway. Or maybe it is just a thinning of the veil between the world of the dead and the living. But, my guess is that something on the other side tried to get out through me. It got inside me, and I could feel it pushing me to the back of my mind. It was as if it was pushing me out of the way. You saved me,” Kade said, offering her a smile. She smiled back, pleased at the praise.
“See. You do need me,” Darcienna said. Kade expected to see the playful look in her eyes, or that, I-told-you-so look, but it was not there. It was just a statement of fact. She was right. He had needed her many times already, and he had no doubt he would need her many more times to come before this was over.
“Yes,” Kade said simply and then took a bite of his food. It was more than Darcienna could have hoped for. That one simple word meant more to her than he could know. He needed her.
They continued to eat the rest of their food in silent thought. Kade could not get the image of the face in the dark out of his mind. Over and over again it would float toward him, and then it would be gone. Several times it had tried to reach out to him only to have him reject it. He was grateful that he had finally realized what it was.
“Any idea where Doren lives?” Darcienna asked, rescuing him from his mind.
“I am hoping that information is in the black book,” Kade said as he finished his last bite and looked at the sack of books. Darcienna saw the look and cringed. If she had not insisted he leave it behind, he would not have to retrieve it.
They finished their meal in relative silence, each retreating to their own thoughts. Kade closed his eyes several times as he studied the image in the dark as though it were right before his face. He opened his eyes to vanquish the image before his heart could ache too much. He desperately wished he could hear his master’s voice, even if it was to chastise him hotly.
The two finished their food and quickly mounted. Darcienna rubbed her backside to try to keep from getting sores but she feared it was not going to do any good. Kade just sat and stared straight ahead, trying his best not to fear the worst. Doren just had to be in that book.
Kade could sense the dragon’s desire to stop and rest but he urged it on with the promise of more food shortly. There was still much daylight left when they came to a stop in front of his parents’ cabin. Judeen came out the front door with a look of shock and dismay on her face. She was holding Marcole in her arms. She quickly descended the steps, handed the boy to Darcienna and gathered her son into her arms, hugging him tightly for several long moments. When she stepped back, she looked him all over, checking for injuries. Seeing none, she looked into his eyes and then narrowed her vision at the new look she saw there.
“You are different,” Judeen said in as neutral a voice as she could muster.
“Much has happened in the few days we have been gone. I do not have time to explain. I have come back for the black book. It has information t
hat I need. At least, I am hoping it does.”
“I am certain it is still where you left it."
“I do not mean to rush things mother but I must do this quickly. I will explain when I have time,” Kade said as he disengaged from his mother and headed for the entrance. “Sorry, I almost forgot,” he said by way of apology for the dragon, who was watching him with anticipation.
Kade stretched and worked out the kinks in his muscles before performing the calling. He did his best to calm his mind as he found it spinning from the race to retrieve the book. He stood and closed his eyes, trying desperately to focus on the calling, but with the knowledge he needed so close, it was almost impossible. He had to know if the information he desperately sought was in the book. It was torture but he finished the calling ten times and then turned for the house. He scooped up the sack of books and walked straight to the kitchen, plunking them on the table. He probably should have been more cautious but the knot in his stomach would not go away until he had what he came for. The girls both waited for him in the kitchen, knowing he was going to return to the same seat where he had sat when he previously opened the book.
Kade quickly walked to his room and pulled the bed away from the wall. He pulled the board free and leaned down to look in the hole. He called on the Divine Power and let light shine into the open space. There sat his precious black book, waiting for him to claim it once more. Kade carefully reached in, making sure to keep it closed. He placed the book on the floor next to himself and then put the board back in place. He slid the bed against the wall and then firmly picked up the book. When he returned to the kitchen, both women were waiting, both glaring at the small book in his hand as if it were something evil. Kade dismissed their looks and sat in his chair.
He took a deep breath, knowing what was coming and flipped the book open. The blue spark leapt from finger to finger and traveled across the backs of his knuckles. His hand twitched spasmodically as the charge verified his identity. Both women reflexively had covered their mouths with their hands, holding their breaths as they waited for the spark to vanish.
“Does that hurt?” Darcienna asked as she tried to unclench her jaw.
“It is uncomfortable but not really that painful,” Kade said as he flexed his hand after the blue spark disappeared.
Kade turned to the first page and found it blank. He ran his hand over the empty sheet, wondering if it would impart its knowledge about the Chosen Valdry for a second time, but there was nothing. It was just a piece of paper. He turned the next page and ran his hand over it. This time, the tingling sensation ran along his scalp, and his eyes glazed over as the knowledge settled into his mind. Darcienna looked at him hopefully, seeing that something had happened.
“That was the Chosen, Meril,” Kade said as he shook his head.
“How many more Chosen are there in the book?” Darcienna asked as she shifted the boy in her arms.
“Two,” Kade said, trying to ignore his anxiety. He turned another page, and again, he was imbued with the knowledge as he placed his hand on the blank sheet. “That one was Hydel,” Kade said as he turned to the last page and looked down, worried it would not have the knowledge he desperately needed.
If this does not work, I will need to go to Meril or Hydel or go to Valdry’s place to see what I can find there, Kade thought, discarding the idea of going back to the king. Maybe there were answers at Valdry’s home, but he did not look forward to finding out. He was sure that Valdry’s place was just as riddled with traps as any Chosen’s place would be. The image of himself lying paralyzed on the floor while his cabin burnt around him flashed through his mind. He swallowed hard. Maybe someday he would go to Valdry’s and try to recover anything worth saving, but at this time, it was not something he wanted to risk. He looked down at the last page and steadied his nerves.
“Kade?” Darcienna asked as she watched him sit as still as a statue. Without answering, he reached down and placed his hand on the book. Kade’s eyes lost focus as he analyzed the information from the page. After a moment, he let out the breath he had been holding.
“Doren,” Kade said as he breathed a sigh of relief.
“Good,” Darcienna said, mirroring his reaction.
“That is all the book has to offer,” Kade said as he sat staring at the page, grateful it had what he needed.
“Then you have no more need of it,” Darcienna said as she plucked it out of his hand and marched purposefully toward the fireplace, ready to throw it in. Kade winced as he if it were a bomb about to go off.
“Darcienna, please do not ever grab one of the books like that,” Kade said roughly, angry at her carelessness. She froze just before tossing it in.
“It has no more knowledge, so why keep it? And you have just deactivated the trap set on it so it’s safe. It is just another book that can cause us problems. We are better off without it,” Darcienna said. After a moment, she added, “Right?”
“We may have use for this,” Kade said as he carefully took the book out of her hand, afraid that the blue spark was going to appear at any moment and destroy her. “I may keep it as a journal. It is still protected for just my hand, so anything I put in here should stay safe,” he said as he breathed a deep sigh of relief.
“I should have thought of that. It is just that…I would love to be rid of those books. The way you handle them scares me. I would just like them gone. I look forward to when we do not have to keep them with us,” Darcienna said, not the least bit regretful for her attempt to get rid of it. Kade was surprised at her emotional response. He had no idea she felt that way, but it did make sense.
“I am sorry, but I have no choice. I am keeping the books. You just have to deal with it for a while longer until I have a place I can store them to keep them safe. Besides, right now, I must still learn from them as we go.”
“But you rarely open them,” Darcienna said.
“I open them when the situation requires it. You will just have to accept that every time I open them to learn a new calling, I am putting my life in grave danger. Learning callings is extremely dangerous, Darcienna, but it is our kinds’ way. It just is.”
“I understand. You have made that clear,” Darcienna said, giving in. “But they still scare me to the bone,” she said firmly.
“Soon, Darcienna, soon we will be safe,” Kade said as opened the sack and pulled the pile of books out. He loosened the straps, placed the black book back in the pile and then cinched the straps tightly again. “We should get moving,” Kade said as he slowly stood. “We have a long ride ahead of us. It will take us well into the night,” Kade said.
“That long?” Darcienna asked, absentmindedly rubbing her back end.
“That long,” Kade said simply.
“Kade, you cannot leave without seeing your father,” Judeen said. Kade was so focused on retrieving the book that he neglected to realize that his father was nowhere to be seen.
“Where is father?” Kade asked, unsure his father would want to see him.
“He is in town getting supplies. It is not that far. You need to rest for a short while before going after this other Master Chosen. Just a short time until you have had something to eat and drink.” Judeen hesitated a moment before continuing on. “I know what you father told you but he does love you, Son. He just does not understand the Divine Power. As a matter of fact, it scares him to death. He always dreaded my father being around.”
“I can understand,” Kade said, still feeling the sting of the words that rang in his mind.
“Why don’t you let me take you into town so we can buy you a few things for your travel and then you can leave from there,” Judeen said, making every bit of effort to hide her emotions. For the second time in days, she felt she was saying goodbye for good. She fought to keep the sadness and worry from her voice. She never was one for letting others see feelings like these so openly. She despised pity, and she was not going to accept it now. It ran in the family. “You could also use some clothes,” Jude
en said, as she turned and glided up to him. She grabbed his shirt and stabbed a finger through a hole to make her point.
She turned away just as Kade was looking deep into her eyes. Her shoulders were squared in defiance but there was something to her tone that made Kade’s heart ache. He stepped around her just as she wiped away a tear. She looked down at her dress and pretended to straighten it as she fought to regain her composure. After a moment she looked up at him to await his decision.
Kade would have never known that just seconds before she had been crying if he had not seen it himself. He was even starting to doubt whether he had seen it at all until he looked in her eyes. Her mannerisms did a great job of hiding her feelings, but when he looked into the windows of her sole, it was as plain as if she were crying with tears streaming down her cheeks. Kade felt his chest ache horribly for her, but he knew that he needed to act as though he saw nothing. He had to for her.
“I don’t know if that is such a good idea,” Kade was saying when he caught a look from Darcienna. After several long seconds of silence, he finally gave in to her request. “I would like that,” Kade said as he stepped up and wrapped his arms around his mother, hugging her tightly. She sighed out a breath and melted into her son’s arms as she laid her head on his chest. Kade held her for a while and stayed like that for as long as she needed. When she stepped back, the sadness had genuinely been replaced by something more peaceful.
“I could use a new pair of pants and maybe some boots,” Kade said with a smile. “And, I am sure Darcienna could use some new clothes, also,” Kade said as he looked her up and down.
“We go north to get to Dresben. That is the closest town, now. We won’t be going to Arden for a very long time, if ever again,” Judeen said.
“We should leave on our journey from there,” Darcienna said gently. Kade wanted to be gone even sooner, but if this helped his mother find at least a small measure of peace, then it was worth the risk.
The Divine Path (The Divine Series) Page 18