by K.N. Lee
Lorcan gingerly separated the wires on the explosive. “You go,” he said to Faye. “There won’t be enough time to make it off the ship. But there’ll be a lesser impact from above.”
“I won’t leave you here,” Faye said.
“Let me go!” the waiter cried again.
“Look out!” Kai shouted and darted toward Faye. He pulled her toward him, the momentum pushing his body forward and copping the full impact of a blade from Millie, who was standing behind Faye.
Millie withdrew the blade, and Kai’s body collapsed to the floor.
Faye and Lorcan turned to Millie and saw that her face had turned white, and her eyes were bloodshot. One of her arms was transforming from a blade back to its normal shape, and the other was holding the key box.
“You’re that hologram,” Lorcan said.
“You’re the sea witch, Sonya,” Faye muttered.
“You can retrieve the bodies of your servant Millie and her boyfriend from the bottom of the sea.” Sonya turned to leave.
“Not so fast,” said Lorcan. He pulled his gun and savaged Sonya’s head. He had been quick, and she hadn’t been able to use her magic to avoid the hit. Her head and body exploded.
As the bomb ticked down to the final seconds, Lorcan pushed Faye out of the way and threw himself on top of it.
Faye used every ounce her power to whistle, a terrifying sound with a frequency that could cut the sea in half. The sound penetrated the wall of the ship and opened up into the water. The sea poured inside. The liquid environment was best for her power. She grabbed Kai’s body, and then Lorcan by the collar, and then shot through the water to move them all outside the ship.
The explosion came.
She felt the impact, but she pushed forward with the waves and the pressure. Lorcan and Kai were totally out. The ship split in half, and each side of it began to drop down into the deep sea.
People jumped and cried out for rescue. Shards of wood from the broken boat floated around her. Amid the chaos, through the layers of dark water, she could see the box with the key in it sinking in the distance.
She had to let it go. She made a mental note of its location so that she could come back later. But for now, Lorcan’s and Kai’s bodies dangled from her hands. She needed to bring them to safety. She turned around, looking inland, where help from humans would come. She swam toward a large piece of wood from a broken door and flung Lorcan and Kai on top. She dove beneath the water’s surface, grabbed the door handle, and pushed them toward the shore.
She didn’t just swim, she surfed the currents. She commanded the waves, gathered the energy of water, and charged ahead.
The water became shallow quickly, and she hit land. She stood up and saw several vehicles with flashing lights arriving at the shoreline. Several men ran over, pulling Lorcan and Kai onto the sand.
A man approached her. “Are you okay ma’am?” he asked and handed her a blanket.
She nodded. “Please help them. Are they alright?”
“We’re taking them to emergency now. Did you just bring them in from that accident?” He pointed out in the distance where the flames from the boat explosion still soared into the air.
Several small boats were discharged to the scene to rescue any survivors. Lorcan and Kai were both placed in the same emergency vehicle, and she followed them inside.
In the hospital emergency room, they were pushed into separate areas divided by a curtain. She darted back and forth between them, checking on their conditions.
Soon, Lorcan opened his eyes. He blinked and looked at her as if he’d never seen her before.
“Lorcan!”
“Who are you?”
Faye withdrew. “I’m sorry. I made a mistake. I thought you were someone else.”
A beautiful woman rushed to his bedside. From outside the curtain, Faye could hear her fussing over him. “What did you do on that boat, Lorcan?”
“Don’t be mad, Orla. I thought it was the last job…”
Faye went to the other room and saw that the doctor had stopped working on Kai.
“Excuse me, is he okay now?”
“I’m sorry, ma’am, he’s lost a lot of blood. If you’re his next of kin, you might want to say a few last words. But you’ll have to hurry.”
She ran to the bed. It was the first time she had seen Kai like this. He didn’t talk. He just lay there. The pain in her heart was unbearable. It was like a hole had been ripped in her heart and soul, an empty space she would never be able to fill.
What Lorcan had said on the boat made perfect sense now. She had overlooked this. She had never appreciated what she’d had.
It was Kai who had always stood by her no matter what.
She stared at the machine, which suggested his pulse was weakening by the second. She could not accept this.
She held his hand and looked out to the darkening sky outside. “Shaman of the Black Mountain, I’m calling you, wherever you are. I am in your debt as I promised, and I am calling you as I promised. I am at a loss. Please help me.”
A cold breeze rushed in through the window and cracked the glass.
The entire hospital was blacked out.
Kai opened his eyes to see Faye’s beautiful face smiling at him. He smiled back, but it probably looked more like a wince. He ached everywhere. His body felt useless.
Faye traced her finger over his chest. “Toughen up, soldier,” she said.
He recalled the what happened and remembered the sensation of the blade penetrating his body.
“I was—”
“Stabbed. And almost died.”
“But I didn’t. Where’s Lorcan? Did you get the key?”
She placed a finger over his lips to stop him from talking. “It’s all figured out. Lorcan is safe and sound. And the best part is…you are alive. I would hate to have to recruit a new guard.”
“I didn’t do a very good job on the boat.”
“If you hadn’t, we wouldn’t be here.”
“I can’t believe I survived.”
“I called in a favor from an old friend.”
“What favor? Which friend? What did this cost you?”
She locked her lips with his to stop his words. He felt as if he was melting into her. He could feel her body vibrating with emotion.
She finished with the kiss. Maybe he shouldn’t say anything, because if she did that one more time, his head would explode.
“My friend fixed you. You’re alive and well. That’s all that matters.”
“Where are we?”
She smiled. “Black Mountain.”
His heart sank when he heard the name of the origin of her prophecy. He didn’t care for the details because he knew that even if they survived Black Mountain, it would be a very long way home.
Afterword
The story of Faye and Kai and the Key of Pisces continues in Merworld Trilogy
Pre-ordering here
http://bit.ly/merworld
The love story of Lorcan and Orla can be found in Spectrum of Lies - a 4-book series, available here
http://bit.ly/spectrum2017
D.N. Leo’s novels and series can be found here
http://dnleo.com
Copyright © 2017 by D.N. Leo, all rights reserved.
This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual business or persons is purely coincidental.
Reproduction in whole or part of this publication without express written consent from the author is strictly prohibited.
I greatly appreciate you taking the time to read my work. Please consider leaving a review wherever you purchased the book, and refer the book to your friends.
Created with Vellum
Hidden
Shereen Vedam
Copyright Information:
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons (living or dead), events or locations is enti
rely coincidental.
Copyright © 2017 by Shereen Vedam
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the author. The only exception is by a reviewer, who may quote short excerpts in a review. Please purchase only authorized editions.
Ebook ISBN: 978-0-9953447-2-3
Cover Design:
Wicked by Design
http://www.wickedbydesigncovers.com/
Created with Vellum
This fantasy novel is dedicated to my work friends,
Martha, Joanne, Maria, Shirley and Marina,
for their unfailing faith
in my story telling ability.
Acknowledgments
My deepest gratitude goes to
H. Bears for her invaluable assistance in picking
the perfect heroine for the cover,
I. Brown for her exacting eagle eye during
copyediting and proofreading,
and finally, my critique groups, past and present,
for their brilliant story insights.
It was grand to have such talented friends and colleagues
come to my aid to bring this creative endeavor
to the light of day.
Chapter 1
Gilly’s goats grazed on the dry grass and thicket, their occasional "maa" a soothing melody on this hot summer day. She leaned on her walking stick to take pressure off her aching left leg. This open flat section northeast of the village stretched far across the horizon. From here, she could see strangers approach from miles away. A defense tactic that had become ingrained after years spent on self-imposed guard duty.
Divided by terrain and cultures and ruled by King Ywen and his horsemen, Ryca was a dangerous land for her kind, ones who knew how to wield Light, to weave magic. She had been on guard since the King’s Horsemen tracked her family down in a far off woods, over two decades ago now. Along with her goats, she had run then, carrying her baby sister south across the breadth of the western edge of the land of Ryca. Weeks later, heart sore, feet torn, lame leg throbbing and red straggly hair plastered to her wet cheeks, she reached this little forgotten corner of Ryca. A pastoral village named Nadym.
Gilly had stayed hidden on the village’s outskirts, enviously watching smiling farmers go about their daily tasks in blissful ignorance of any danger. They didn’t picture horsemen hiding behind every bush. Or imagine a sword striking down each time they closed their eyes.
Her ever present fear of discovery, one she hadn’t been able to shake in the two decades she spent here, kept Gilly from spending much time with the people of Nadym.
The bright sun rising high in a clear blue sky hinted at yet another scorching day. Perspiration trickled off her forehead and droplets slid down her back beneath her long brown gown and linen underskirt. She was looking forward to sitting in the shade and taking off shoes and stockings to cool her hot toes. To the right, near a hilly terrain, large oaks promised cover. She herded the goats that way.
"Gilly!" The light singsong voice came from a distance.
Her heart skipped a beat in acute pleasure even before her niece ran up to her. The girl wore a pretty blue gown cinched at the waist. The material had intricate embroidery sown at the hems by her mother, Anna.
Skye came to a breathless halt, a small replica of her mother with sunshine hair, pert nose, and inquisitive eyes.
In contrast, Gilly had sun-flecked red hair, hazel eyes and a face dusky from years spent under the sun. At thirty-three summers, she considered herself past the age of "pretty."
Gilly planted a disapproving expression on her face that belied her bubbling happiness at seeing Skye. "What did your mam say about trailing after me?"
Skye shrugged and tugged a tall blade of grass to chew. "My mama's always angry with me for one thing or another. Besides, she doesn't understand."
"Understand what?"
The eight-year-old kicked at a mole mound. "All mama wants me to do is chores. With you, I get to roam the plains." Arms spread wide, she twirled with abandon.
Gilly viewed the knobs of hills breaking up the flat surface from Skye’s perspective. Patterns of purple, gold, red and silver wildflowers waved in the wind while tawny grass stretched far across the horizon. Land that usually seemed shaded with melancholy now shouted, freedom.
Such a rare emotion. Fear she was familiar with. Sadness. Even loneliness. But this sense of wellbeing, in a land that posed no threat, no sense of doom? She wanted to embrace this sensation, cherish it, if only for a few moments. What harm if Skye stayed for a while?
“You go farther than anyone else,” her niece said. “I'm not allowed to wander this far without someone by me."
"You're not allowed to wander at all, with me." The reprimand, aimed at Skye, generated spasms of guilt in Gilly. She wasn’t on intimate terms with her sister. In fact, Anna was unaware that Gilly was her sister.
After escaping the King’s Horsemen, believing they would search for two children, Gilly, then a ten-year-old girl, had decided she and her baby sister would have a better chance at survival if they separated. So, shortly after reaching this isolated village, she left the baby on a temple’s doorstep, hoping someone would adopt her.
To her delight, a couple took her sister and named her Anna. Gilly should have left then. It was the sensible thing to do. The safe thing to do for both of them. She just couldn’t do it.
No matter how lonely it was to watch others love her sister, she couldn’t bring herself to leave Anna. What if her sister needed her? What if the horsemen tracked Anna down and Gilly wasn’t around to save her? Those questions kept Gilly Nadym-bound. So, living alone in the woods, she secretly checked on the baby’s welfare.
A few months later, when the couple who adopted Anna conceived a child, they passed the “orphan” to another childless couple. Months later, Anna was passed along again, and then again. Seeing her sister shunted among families like an unwanted puppy broke her heart.
Needing to do something to help her sister, she “officially” moved to Nadym. Calling herself Gilly, a goat herder, she attempted to befriend Anna, even offered to watch her. The plan was easier imagined than accomplished. The villagers had apparently grown fiercely protective of the orphan child. Anna was indeed loved, if not intensely and personally, certainly as a member of Nadym’s close-knit community. They refused to allow strangers anywhere near the child.
Still, as she grew up, Anna must have felt disconnected because she spent her childhood trying to prove she belonged in the village. That included following all village customs and rejecting everything she deemed out of place.
She didn’t understand why Gilly lived alone. Couldn’t conceive why anyone would shun communal activities. And thought Gilly’s tendency to talk to her goats was “crazy.”
Despite Anna’s aversion to her, Gilly adored the woman her sister grew up to be. The day Anna married was Gilly’s happiest and loneliest day of her life. Her sister had finally established a safe, secure home, but one that excluded Gilly. If Anna had her way, she would never let either of her children anywhere near Gilly, whom her sister had long ago nicknamed the Madwoman of Nadym.
Anna’s daughter, however, had an independent streak as wide as these plains. One her mother couldn't control. One Gilly should discourage. But turning Skye away was a bittersweet task she had yet to master.
She tucked a strand of Skye’s blonde hair behind her ear. Despite her misbehavior, this child had a good heart. Anna should be proud of her.
The goats, which had been grazing peacefully until now, moved toward a rocky outcrop. Skye and Gilly followed. In the distance, melodious voices floated. It was harvest time, when villagers gathered on the southern fields to apply their scythes and reap in rye and oats. A community effort that seemed to require much joyful singing.
"Why do you come so far?" Skye asked.
Gilly stumbled o
ver a rock and cursed her left leg for lagging instead of lifting. Skye’s personal question intruded in places best left undisturbed. How to answer? "Guess I like the sense of vastness. Seems I've been staring out onto open fields most of my life."
"Even when you were little, as little as Bevan?"
Bevan. Skye’s little brother of four summers. Now there was a quiet, lonely soul. Anna kept him close, so Gilly could only study his behavior at the market, the temple and the public well.
Skye asked again, "Did you stare off into the fields when you were little?”
"Since I was your age, anyhow."
"What about before you were eight summers?”
"Don't remember much before that."
"Why not?"
Too close! A mental warning shot out, sharp and shrill.
Normally Gilly would end the conversation here, but Skye's innocent blue eyes pleaded for a confidant, a friend. Friendship meant sharing and talking, not running away.
"Just the way I am. My mam said I'd had an accident, a fall that knocked my memories out and broke my leg."
"How did it happen?"
"Don't remember that, now, do I?"
"Does your mam?"
The question ripped open the old wound and Gilly swallowed hard to keep the pain from flooding out. Her throat clogged and her eyes filled. She looked away, searching for control. Once her throat loosened its fierce grip, she spoke softly, serenely. "She died long ago."
The ancient pain turned over like a bony old dog and returned to its pit for another nap.
"Oh." Skye’s eyes softened with compassion. As quickly, her mood shifted. With a shout, she ran toward the goats.
Bleating, they scattered. Skye chased after the youngest. Just as she lunged for him, the kid skittered away, and Skye fumbled to the ground, empty-handed.