Ildiko leaned against the other side of the door and sighed heavily. Nerissa had wanted her true identity to remain a secret, and, now, that information had been compromised. Einar was not going to be happy when he returned home that night.
Chapter 16
Not One of Them
Raysel lingered in front of the closed door for a time, clenching and unclenching his fists indecisively, trying to sort through the conflicting thoughts tumbling through his mind. Knocking again seemed pointless, and he resisted the temptation to climb the fence at the side of the house to force his way in to see Nerissa. Barging in would frighten her, which was one of the very last things he wanted to do. There was no way that Ildiko could physically prevent him, but doing so would anger Einar. Beyond that, Nerissa didn’t even know who he was anyway.
Nerissa was alive. She was safe. That is all that mattered for now. He exhaled the breath he hadn’t realized he was holding and finally turned and walked away from the house. It was frustrating to wait, but the proper way to handle this situation was a direct, and private, confrontation with his father. With the decision made, relief filled the hole that had been in his chest for weeks, and he smiled to himself as he walked down the path. This time, he didn’t even notice the heat on the soles of his feet from the stones.
A few minutes later, he arrived at the tree where he had last seen Rian. Rian was still sitting there with the hilt of his sword leaning against his shoulder. His eyes were closed, and once Raysel got close enough, he could hear a soft snoring.
Raysel was now in a hurry to get home, and Rian wouldn’t know he had passed by since he was sleeping. Still, his father wouldn’t return for a few more hours, and he really did want to talk to Rian. He nudged Rian’s knees sideways with his foot, knocking the hilt of the sword into Rian’s cheek in the process. “I know you need plenty of beauty rest, but why waste a rare day off sleeping?”
One eye popped open, glaring up to see who dared to interrupt his nap. “It’s too hot to do anything else,” Rian groaned. He yawned and stretched, rubbing his eyes. “You don’t look like you’re being particularly productive at the moment, either.”
If only you knew, Raysel thought to himself. “As a matter of fact, I’m running an errand,” Raysel replied instead. “I’m on my way back from dropping off Aravind’s jar of burn cream for a refill.”
“Ever the dutiful brother,” Rian teased. He yawned again.
“You could be a dutiful son by helping out your mother and Alala at the school,” Raysel said, a wry smile creeping across his face.
Rian grunted. “That just gets me into trouble.”
“Oh, that’s right. There was some incident where you hit one of the children on the head?”
“Let’s be clear. I didn’t hit him. I bonked him. It was barely a tap!” Rian argued. He demonstrated by moving one hand up and down in a chopping motion. “He deserved it.”
“Seriously?” Raysel tilted his chin, incredulous. “What did an eight-year-old do to deserve being ‘bonked’?”
“He stole my snack!”
“Hmm…” Raysel wrinkled his nose and thought hard. “I suppose I might have done the same thing in that situation.”
“Anyway, those children are scary. I’m not going back. I don’t know how Alala and my mom do that every day—and they actually like it.”
“Everyone has their calling,” Raysel said. “Which reminds me, when are you going to stop sulking and get back to yours?”
"Don’t start,” Rian groused. “Does everyone feel the need to lecture me? Even though I’m an outsider and I can’t be one of the personal guardians like you, the masquerade assignment was finally my chance to prove myself worthy of being one of the Ohanzee. Is there a problem with me wanting to take responsibility for my shortcomings?”
He huffed, glaring up at Raysel's now expressionless face before continuing. "Obviously, I'm not strong enough or else things would have turned out differently."
“You act like you can do the job of all of the Ohanzee alone. That’s an awfully arrogant attitude to have although that’s not really a surprise since we’re talking about you,” Raysel teased. He continued on more seriously. “We all failed that day, myself included."
All except Einar, Raysel added silently. "This isn't a one-man show, Rian. I don’t know exactly what is bothering you, but I do know you well enough that I can tell something else is. I thought you would sort it out over time, yet you don’t seem any different now than you were weeks ago. What is really bothering you?"
Rian stood and began to pace back and forth with his hand on the hilt of his sword. "I hate it when you do that.” He said it sharply, but the acrimony was slowly leaving his voice.
"I know," Raysel said.
Rian sighed in resignation. "I met a girl at the masquerade. She was already dancing with someone, but I could tell she would rather have been dancing with anyone else. Plus, there was something about her that caught my attention. So I cut in and ‘rescued’ her."
"Always the hero," Raysel quipped. This was surprising information though. Rian was sulking over a girl? That was new. They both had plenty of attention from girls but were too busy with their own goals to put much effort toward romantic pursuits.
Then something clicked in Raysel’s mind. "Are you talking about the girl I saw you with in the garden?" he asked.
"That was her. I really hadn't intended anything, initially. I was just blending in with the festivities like we were supposed to, but once I started dancing with her…" Rian's voice softened. “She wasn’t like anyone I have met before, which sounds foolish since I only spent a short amount of time with her." He paused, then sighed and rubbed his forehead. “Don’t laugh at me! I know I’m acting like a sappy idiot.”
"I’m not laughing. So you met a girl that you were attracted to. A normal person would actually be happy about that," Raysel prodded. Did Rian know that the girl was Nerissa? Somehow he didn’t seem to. He must not know since romantic relationships between the Royal Family and Ohanzee were strictly forbidden.
Rian's blue eyes flashed. "The last thing I should be worrying about right now is a girl. I don't even know her name, but I still can't make myself stop thinking about her. My mind wanders, and I find myself worrying whether she made it out safely and chastising myself for not going back to check. Don’t jump in with a witty little remark about how horrible it is for me to be concerned about someone. My job that night was to protect three people. That girl wasn't one of them."
Oh but she was, Raysel thought to himself. If Rian were to find out that the girl he had been with was actually Nerissa, it would make his guilt worse for having left her alone in the garden. That was a feeling Raysel knew well. It was the very same guilt that had weighed on him until earlier today. Instead he said firmly, "As I mentioned before, you weren't the only one with that duty. I failed too—every one of us did."
Rian continued on, pacing faster as he grew more and more agitated, "I know. The problem is that I shouldn't be more concerned with the fate of this girl than I am with the people I was supposed to be protecting. I take my duty very seriously. It has been the focus of my every waking minute for as long as I can remember. Still, every time I close my eyes, I’m haunted by the memory of her in the garden that night."
Under different conditions, Raysel would have immediately told his best friend the identity of his mystery woman. These were far from ordinary circumstances, however. One thing Ildiko's reaction had made clear was that Nerissa being alive and in Darnal was a carefully guarded secret. He would have to remain tight-lipped for now.
"I wish I could help," Raysel said sympathetically. That was the truth, at least. "You should stop brooding over a girl you hardly know. As you said, there are far more important things to worry about right now. That girl probably doesn't even remember you after everything that happened that night." It wasn't the kindest thing to say, but, hopefully, it would help Rian to stop ruminating and focus his attention on something e
lse.
Rian turned, Dragon’s Bane grinding sharply against its sheath as he drew it. He was frustrated and angry, and, at times like this, he let his sword do the talking.
"Temper, temper," Raysel said confidently as he swatted away the sword pointed at his chest. There was no need to draw Thorn. He laughed, "Empty threat, friend. You're going to need to get some new material eventually. You've used that same move since we were kids."
Rian smirked. "You know it's not a threat—it's a challenge. If I need to focus on training, why not start by sparring now? You should spend less time talking and focus more on your swordsmanship, or I'm going to surpass you."
"Is that so?" Raysel taunted. "No. No matter how hard you try, you will never beat me."
"Prove it," Rian challenged.
"I’ll have to pass. I still have errands to run, remember? Let's 'debate' this more tomorrow in training!" Raysel said. He waved his hand as he walked away.
There was no doubt in his mind that Ildiko knew he had seen and recognized Nerissa. She would tell Einar what happened right away. It was rare, but for once it was good to be the Chief Preceptor’s son. Tonight, one way or another, he would find out why Nerissa's presence was being kept a secret. The sooner he confronted his father, the better.
Chapter 17
The Stranger in the Mirror
By the time Nerissa finished hanging the remainder of the laundry, Ildiko still had not returned, so she settled down in a shady patch of soft grass. She spent all of her free time, which was most of her time these days, mulling over what action to take for the future. There was no doubt in her mind that she needed to take back Chiyo, but the difficulty was in how to do it. The books the Chiefs had shown her in the Archives this morning would definitely be useful resources. She didn’t want to just sit around reading books though.
Given the opportunity, she would be the first to move against Casimer. There was no way that she would sit back and watch others fight her battles for her. Out of anyone in the world, she had the strongest motive to move against him, but her aggression wasn't fueled purely by personal motivations. It was only a matter of time before the Senka sought out and found Darnal. No matter how fortified the city was, no armor could withstand an attack indefinitely. Nerissa knew that the sooner she took action, the safer Darnal would be.
A breeze gently rustled the leaves in the tree overhead. Though a hot breeze, the moving air felt nice. Nerissa closed her eyes and leaned back against the trunk, exhausted from the mild exertion of hanging laundry. She groaned in annoyance at her achy body. A part of her was so tired and frustrated that she wanted to accept Einar’s offer to remain quietly in Darnal and hope the city was never found. The rest of her raged with a silent battle cry. It screamed unceasingly to rise against Casimer—immediately.
Rationally, she knew the situation had to be handled delicately. If the Ohanzee were to assassinate Casimer, the people of Marise were unlikely to readily accept the change in power. The Senka would also have to be dealt with. A direct confrontation with them would lead to bloodshed on both sides and, inevitably, the loss of innocent lives. Nerissa knew that she needed to find a way to take back Chiyo from Casimer’s control without provoking a physical conflict.
Right now, Casimer had no idea that she was alive. That was a major advantage, and revealing her presence would cost her the element of surprise. It would potentially put Darnal in peril even sooner. To complicate matters further, she was entirely devoid of actual combat skills or tactical knowledge, and she was in the worst physical condition of her life. She doubted she even had the strength to draw a bowstring. Here in Darnal, she had access to the best training available, but tradition limited that to men. Based on what she had learned this morning, if Nerissa wanted to train with them, she would encounter as much resistance from the women as she would from the men. Still, she was the Heiress of Chiyo, so traditions could be broken at her dictate. However, one of the first things her mother had taught her was that abuse of power bred resentment in the populace. There had to be a way forward, but Nerissa still had no idea what path that may be. The conflicting emotions swirled together, an unrelenting tempest in her mind. Another breeze stirred the leaves above, and Nerissa’s thoughts became blissfully fuzzy as she surrendered to sleep.
*******************
Nerissa stood in front of the long mirror in her bedroom, inspecting her costume one last time to assure herself she would not be recognized when she returned to the masquerade. She pulled free an errant strand of long, curled hair that had become tangled among the feathers of her mask and smiled with satisfaction.
Suddenly, the reflection in the mirror rippled and changed. Nerissa watched, stunned, as her image transformed. The stranger in the mirror resembled herself but was wearing men's clothing. Instead of reflecting her orange dress, the stranger wore white from head to toe. It was the same garb that the Ohanzee men wore for training. A black collar embedded with crystals encircled their neck, and a white sword was sheathed at their hip. Nerissa stared at the familiar stranger, feeling disoriented. That was when she noticed a curious-looking red string wrapped around the stranger's wrist. It glowed with an unnatural light. Somehow, the cord extended through the mirror, spanning the space between them. Following the cord's path with her eyes, she was surprised to find the other end of it securely entwined around her own wrist. She stepped forward, reflexively reaching out to touch the mirror. Her fingers met not with the cold touch of glass but instead passed through the surface and interlaced with the warm, outstretched fingers of the reflection mimicking her on the other side.
Nerissa stared nose to nose into a face that was her own, yet wasn't, and asked, “Who are you?”
The reflection tilted their head and grinned impishly. “That’s a silly question. I am you.”
*******************
Nerissa’s eyes fluttered open just in time to see Ildiko walking toward her carrying two silver mugs. A light film had formed around the outside, and Nerissa could hear the gentle tinkle of what must be ice inside. Ildiko handed her one and knelt to sit beside her.
“I’m sorry that I was gone for so long,” she said.
Nerissa sipped the cold water and sighed happily. “It’s alright, especially when you come back with a treat like this! What did our visitor need that kept you so long? I hope it wasn’t an emergency.”
“No, it wasn’t an emergency. That was Haku’s son, Raysel, with a request for a refill of burn salve for his sister. You may recall that she and her mother run the city’s forge,” Ildiko replied. She cupped her hands around the mug, enjoying the coolness that seeped from it into her hands.
“Are burns a common occupational hazard for blacksmiths? I would think their equipment would be sufficient to protect them.”
“Aravind is unusually clumsy. She’s still young though, so I’m sure she’ll grow out of it. Until then, she seems to require a steady supply of salve. Some ingredients for my medicines need to remain cold to preserve them so they are stored in the ice house. I decided to go there right away and brought back some ice since I was there. I want to have the salve ready for Einar to take with him when he sees Haku again tonight.”
The corners of Nerissa’s lips quirked up. “No ulterior motive, I’m sure.” Nerissa held her mug by the handle and shook it back and forth to rattle the ice.
Ildiko looked startled for a second but recovered quickly and winked. “Certainly not!”
In truth, Ildiko could have fetched the ingredients later, but she wasn’t entirely convinced that Raysel would leave. She had waited to follow him until he was far enough down the path that he wouldn’t see her. The ice house was along the same path, so if he turned back and caught her, she could have used fetching the ingredients as an excuse. In the end, he didn’t turn back so Ildiko’s precaution was unnecessary.
“How are you feeling?” she asked. “You seem more cheerful than you did earlier today.”
“Physically, I’m tired, but that’s not
hing of particular concern. I took a little nap while you were gone and had an interesting dream. I think it has given me an idea about how to address some of the issues I’ve had on my mind.”
Another hot breeze rustled the leaves around them. Ildiko leaned forward, grateful for the chilly mug in her hands. “What idea is that?”
Nerissa recounted her dream and then began describing the idea that it had inspired. Ildiko’s eyes grew wide and her forehead creased in thought. She shouldn’t have been surprised by how clever Nerissa was since Einar had always spoken highly of her intelligence, but this plan surprised her nevertheless. It was bold and certainly unorthodox, but Ildiko believed it was a good way to begin moving forward. Still, between Nerissa’s plan and Raysel’s discovery, Einar was definitely not going to be happy when he got home.
Chapter 18
Rose Tea
Einar was hot. He was covered in dust. He was sweaty and exhausted. It would be an understatement to say that he was having a bad day. Erik, an informant from one of the country villages, had sent a bird to Hania requesting a meeting, saying that he had urgent information for them. Einar had trekked down the mountain to rendezvous with him on what should have been a rare day off.
In the end, the meeting had yielded more questions than information. On the day before the attack, Queen Echidna had called on a woman who lived in Erik’s village. The woman, Shae, was a well-known seer and only slightly less renown for her skill at extracting plant oils. No one seemed to know exactly what the purpose of Echidna’s visit had been. Apparently, Shae had kept completely silent on the topic. Erik hadn’t seen the Queen himself, but his wife saw Echidna’s carriage as it left Shae’s house. Interestingly enough, just hours before Echidna’s visit, Shae had sent Erik to the capital with a message for Rica and Parlen. She had insisted it was of the utmost importance that it be delivered as quickly as possible. The now crumpled envelope was nestled in Einar’s pocket. It had still been sealed with yellow wax when Erik had given it to him this afternoon.
Reflection: The Stranger in the Mirror Page 15