Finding Refuge: The Marked Ones

by Cathi Shaw

  “Caedmon, can you slow down a bit?” Kiara called as she followed him deeper into the mine but he ignored her and she knew better than to push him.

  Finally he came to a halt in front of Teague’s chambers.

  Caedmon pounded on the door. “Teague!” he called.

  A moment later Teague opened the door. Kiara could only stare at him. His hair was rumpled as if he’d been running his hands through it, the curls even wilder than normal. And his eyes, always strange with the rare silver color, had a wild gleam in them.

  “Did they send you?” he asked Caedmon aggressively.

  “What are you talking about?” Caedmon asked him, his tone bewildered.

  Teague pushed passed Caedmon to stick his head in the hallway and looked frantically up and down as if searching for something. He stopped when he saw Kiara standing in the hallway behind his brother. Then he motioned for them both to come in.

  “Are you sure they didn’t send you?” he asked again, rubbing his arms and beginning to pace around the room.

  “No one sent us,” Caedmon answered patiently. “We just returned.”

  Teague stopped pacing and looked them with an expression of horror. “You didn’t bring more of the children here, did you?”

  Kiara nodded. “Of course we did, Teague. Those children are going to be killed if we don’t bring them to the Refuge.”

  But Teague was shaking his head and moaning. “No! Don’t you see? That’s what they want.”

  “That’s what who wants, Teague?” Caedmon asked, his brow furrowed in confusion. He exchanged a look with Kiara. Teague was talking nonsense.

  “The Enemy. They want them here so they can build an army and kill us all.” He began smacking himself on the head. “Can’t help them.”

  “Teague?” Caedmon said sternly but Teague was mumbling to himself in Draíodóir tongue.

  Kiara looked a Caedmon questioningly. He shook his head.

  “Teague. Calm down.”

  Suddenly Teague stopped and glared at Kiara.

  “Where’s your sister? Where is Thia? Why doesn’t she come? Why?”

  Kiara shook her head. “Teague, I don’t know where Thia is. We can only contact her through you and your dreamwalks, remember? You know where she is better than I do.”

  Teague began pacing again. “They are still in Sailsburg. They are keeping her away on purpose. Want her away from me.”

  “Who wants her away from you?” Kiara asked, trying to understand Teague’s manic mumblings.

  “I told you, the Enemy,” Teague screamed violently, spit flying from his lips in Kiara’s direction.

  Caedmon turned to her. “Kiara, I think you’d better leave us alone.”

  “But-” she started to argue.

  Caedmon gave her a hard look then he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her close. “I need to speak to my brother privately,” he whispered in her ear. “Please, Kee.”

  Feeling inexplicably hurt, Kiara nodded. Teague was raving in the corner again. She had no idea what Caedmon planned to do to calm him, but it was clear that he didn’t want her to witness it.

  #

  Kiara was able to wash the dust off and have a real meal before Caedmon came and found her in her chamber. It was obvious that he, on the other hand, hadn’t taken the time to clean up from their journey. He looked tired and worried as he splashed water from the basin in the corner onto his grimy face.

  “How is Teague now?” she asked, as she put a plate of food on the small table for him.

  Caedmon sat and shook his head, his long hair coming loose from the leather tie. Kiara ached to smooth it back for him but he was sending out clear signals that he didn’t want to be touched. “I’ve never seen him like that before. He did calm down a bit after you left but he was still so agitated.”

  Kiara sat down across from him. “It’s obvious that something is seriously wrong with Teague.”

  Caedmon gave her a black look, his mouth pressed shut.

  “It’s true - you saw him, Caedmon. I’m not saying it’s Teague fault. I’m just worried that the stress of all of this is getting to him.” She paused. “What have Bellasiel and Omen done to his mind so far?”

  Caedmon picked up a chicken leg and began to systematically shovel food into his mouth. For a moment, Kiara lost track of what she’d been saying as she wondered if Caedmon was even tasting his food. Caedmon, after being in the Army for so many years, had amazing survival skills. He would eat almost anything and could sleep anywhere in order to keep his energy up.

  As he continued to shovel food into his mouth, he started talking, “Last time I spoke with him, Omen said that Teague had been able to successfully build a mental block between the Draíodóir and his brain. He could keep them out but it was fatiguing. Omen had been worried that the stress of maintaining that block would wear on Teague.”

  Kiara nodded, remembering the wild look in Teague’s eyes. “Do you think that’s what’s happened?”

  Caedmon chewed his food thoughtfully. He seemed to be mulling things over but his expression was grim.

  “What are you thinking?” Kiara asked, worry infusing her words.

  Caedmon put down the chicken leg and looked at Kiara. His dark eyes were unreadable. “That theory does make sense but …” he paused.

  “But what? No one blames Teague for what the Draíodóir have done to his mind. We all know just powerful they are.”

  Caedmon nodded. “I know that but something Teague said made me examine things more closely.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Well,” Caedmon paused, his brow furrowed. Then he went on reluctantly, “What if he’s right, Kiara?”

  Kiara stared at Caedmon hardly believing her ears. Had he lost his mind now as well? But Caedmon went on before she could say anything.

  “It is possible. Think about it. Who told us about the Refuge in the Eastern Mountains? Who brought us here? Who insisted that Teague needed help from Omen?”

  Kiara paused. Bellasiel had suggested all those things. But Meldiron, the Elder prince and Mina’s long lost brother, had insisted that she was trustworthy and it seemed that the Elder healer had just as much to lose as they did if they were caught. What Caedmon was suggesting was crazy. But how well did they know Meldiron even? Come to think of it, how much did they know of the Elders at all? For most of her life, Kiara knew Elders as far off, mystical people who kept to themselves. Could it be that none of them were to be trusted?

  “Is Teague saying that Bellasiel and Omen are working for the Enemy?” Kiara asked slowly as she digested Caedmon’s words.

  He nodded.

  “And you believe him?” She whispered, studying his serious face. Kiara looked down. She didn’t want to believe this – it complicated things too much. It was easier to just believe Bellasiel’s original story. And for once in her life Kiara longed for something that was simple. Life had become entirely too complicated in the last year.

  But Kiara remembered the wild look in Teague’s eyes. It was as if he was losing his mind. Could they really trust him in his current mental state?

  “Caedmon, you saw your brother. Something is seriously wrong with him. He isn’t functioning like a sane person,” she said hesitantly. Caedmon’s face darkened. “I’m not saying Teague is wrong, I’m just saying we should be careful about believing anything he says in the state he’s in.”

  Caedmon pushed his plate away, his remaining food uneaten, and stood up. “What if what he says makes sense, Kiara?”

  “It doesn’t!” she said, ignoring the fact that her voice was rising. What Caedmon was suggesting couldn’t make sense. It would change everything. What would it mean for the children they had brought to the Refuge? What would it mean for any of them if this were true? It was easier to believe that something was wrong with Teague than to imagine the opposite.

  “You didn’t hear everything he had to say.”

  Kiara stood up he
rself and shook her head. “No, I didn’t. And I don’t want to hear it now. Teague needs help. Aren’t you worried about what his erratic behavior could mean for the rest of us?”

  Caedmon turned away from her and Kiara felt a prick of guilt. Teague was Caedmon’s brother after all. How would she feel if someone were speaking this way about Mina or Thia?

  She took a deep breath, striving for a neutral tone. “Caedmon, I know you love Teague but think about this rationally for a minute.”

  Caedmon turned back to her, his eyes blazing. “Are you calling me irrational, too, now Kiara?”

  “No! That’s not what I meant,” Kiara said desperately, tears filling her eyes. She hated fighting with Caedmon.

  “Then what do you mean?” he asked angrily.

  “If Teague lets down his mental block with the Draíodóir, which he might do if he truly believes Bellasiel and Omen are the enemy, then he will lead all of the ones trying to kills us right to this spot. Why would Bellasiel and Omen collect all the Marked Ones together if they wanted to kill us? They’ve had plenty of opportunity to kill us but they haven’t. Think about it Caedmon, it doesn’t make sense.”

  “Doesn’t it? Collecting all of us together and then killing us in one spot makes perfect sense.”

  Kiara stared at him. His mouth was set in a stubborn line. She couldn’t believe that Caedmon was buying Teague’s story so thoroughly. Couldn’t he see how unstable his brother was? She ignored the little voice in the back of her head that said Caedmon might be right.

  “I don’t think they mean to kill us,” she insisted. She wouldn’t believe it. They’d been helping them. They had to be. She refused to consider the alternative. For if Bellasiel and Omen were working against them as Teague believed then what would it mean for the children she’d brought here all summer? Could it be that she wasn’t rescuing them at all but leading them to a fate that could be worse than death?

  Caedmon shook his head at her. “Maybe they don’t mean to kill us but they sure as hell want to build an army, don’t they? The children we’ve brought have already started training and they want me to help.” He paused. “I’m telling you Kiara, whether Teague’s story is the truth or not, something isn’t right here.”

  Fear caused Kiara’s throat to tighten and she shook her head in denial. “I don’t believe it,” she whispered hoarsely, “I can’t.”

  Caedmon turned away and strode toward the door.

  “Where are you going?” she asked softly. They hadn’t been alone together in months, not since they first left on the first mission to find the children. She’d been hoping to have some time with Caedmon and not spend it fighting. But his shoulders were still set rigidly, a sure sign that he was still angry.

  “I need to think this through,” he told her.

  “Now?” she asked, hating the neediness that was in her voice but unable to stop it.

  Caedmon closed his eyes. She walked over to him and cupped his cheek with her hand. “Can’t you stay for a bit?”

  But when Caedmon opened his eyes, Kiara saw his mind was made up. His voice came out gently.

  “I’m sorry, Kiara, but I need to figure out how to help Teague. I fear that if we wait on this we could lose him forever.

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  The girl remained unconscious for the rest of the night but Thia insisted that they take turns sitting with her. Mina noticed that Meldiron volunteered to stay up with her before Arion could do so. She wondered if her brother didn’t trust his kinsman to let the girl live? She knew she had her doubts as to whether Arion would harm her. She couldn’t explain the rage she’d seen in his face when they’d insisted on sparing the girl’s life. It had given her the chills!

  Thia had attempted to dreamwalk with Teague that night so she could send a message to the Refuge about their delay but Mina saw that her sister was despondent the next morning. Thia had either been unsuccessful at contacting Teague or she had been disheartened as to what she’d discovered in the dreamwalk with him. Mina didn’t want to upset her sister further by asking her directly about it.

  Although Mina knew Thia was desperate to get to the Refuge and see for herself what was ailing Teague, she still refused to move her new patient until she was well. Arion started to argue with the decision but surprisingly Meldiron overruled him and Arion would not argue with his crown prince.

  Mina saw that the girl’s burns were substantial. Thia was gentle with her ointments and salves but the Hunter girl still cried out in pain. Mina tried to help but whenever she went near her the girl became absolutely frantic. Mina told herself to ignore the stab of hurt she felt when the Nasseet girl would howl and hiss at her. She spoke in soothing tones but it was to no avail. Finally Thia, worried that the girl would dislodge her bandages and further damage herself, shooed Mina away.

  Mina couldn’t say why the girl was so frightened by her. At first she assumed that it was because she was an Elder but she let Meldiron near her and he looked more like an Elder than any of them! Her brother and Thia were the only ones the girl would allow herself fall asleep near. Finally Thia suggested that Mina and Arion keep the camp well stocked and leave the nursing up to her and Meldiron.

  Mina couldn’t chase the hurt away at first. It appeared that her brother, the Crown Prince of the Elders, was a better nurse than she was. She’d lived with Brijit all her life and her mother had been one of the most gifted healers in the Lowlands. Although Mina hadn’t inherited her skill as a healer, she certainly knew how to watch over invalids, having done it enough times at the Inn. But this newcomer was clearly wary of her. Mina couldn’t remember anyone ever being afraid of her in her life; it was a new sensation, one she didn’t like at all.

  “You’ll get used to it,” Arion told her as they sat across from one another at the fire one night.

  “What?” Mina asked, pulled from her thoughts.

  “People not trusting you, people judging you, even people hating you, for no reason.” Bitterness made his voice rough.

  “How did you know what I was thinking?” Mina asked.

  “You have a very expressive face, princess. You might wish to learn how to school it before it gives more important things away.” Arion stared into the fire moodily.

  Mina thought about her face. She’d never known it to be especially expressive but then she’d never given it much thought. And she’d certainly never had anything important to hide from anyone. Did she have something to hide now?

  Of course she did. If strangers learned that she and the others were Marked it could cost them their lives. How easy it was to forget.

  Mina studied Arion. In the flickering firelight, his features were especially attractive. And the dark hair and brows on an Elder face were a refreshing change. She couldn’t seem to pull her gaze away from him. When he suddenly looked up at her, she felt her cheeks heat.

  He raised his eyebrows questioningly but Mina looked down, flustered. She was surprised when he broke the uneasy silence with an invitation.

  “Tomorrow I’m going early to the shore to see if I can find some clams and crabs. Since we are going to be here for a while, we might as well take advantage of the food supply.” He paused and then asked almost reluctantly, “Do you want to come?”

  Mina found herself nodding before she’d even processed what he said. She’d never spent time by the sea and she was eager to see what new things she would discover.

  “Thank you, I’d like that very much,” she said eagerly.

  Arion looked at her steadily. “Then you’d better get some sleep. We’ll have to be up early.” And with that terse announcement he rose and disappeared into the darkness.

  Mina sat by the fire a few minutes longer, staring after Arion’s large form. Did he want her to come with him in the morning or didn’t he? It was hard to tell with the large dark Elder just exactly what he wanted. Shrugging Mina stood up and stretched. Whether he wanted her company or not, she decided to go to bed. She wasn’t going to miss an opportunity to
discover some of the secrets of the sea!

  #

  Even though Mina planned to be up early, Arion woke her when it was still dark.

  “Princess Minathrial, I am leaving now. Do you still wish to come?”

  Mina sat up in a hurry, rubbing the sleep from her eyes. What did he mean did she still wish to come? She wasn’t going to miss a chance to learn more about that beautiful sea she’d been catching glimpses of for the last month.

  Even though they’d stayed in Sailsburg, a coastal city, Meldiron had not allowed her to wander down to the docks alone. And there didn’t seem to be a beach that was close to the city centre where they were staying. Mina had seen the water from her window each day, she’d breathed in the fresh, salty sea air but she hadn’t spent time near it. To actually dig in the sand and pull creatures out of the salty water sounded exotic and exciting.

  Mina hurried to join Arion on the outskirts of the camp. He was waiting silently in the shadows beneath the trees. He gave her the briefest of nods as she approached. Then they didn’t speak but walked through the dunes to the solid sand of the beach.

  As they got closer to the shore the distant booming of the waves transformed into a deafening thunder. A thrill of exhilaration shot through Mina. The tide was out but she could just make out the white line of the water as it lapped at the sand in the predawn light. Her hair lifted in the breeze and she laughed spontaneously.

  She saw Arion look sideways at her in surprise. Then he shook his head and began to remove his boots.

  Mina dropped down onto the sand and began to tug her boots off as well.

  “It’s so beautiful,” she sighed, digging her toes into the smooth sand.

  He turned his head to study the ocean in front of him. An expression of confusion flashed across his features. He scrutinized the vast water for a few moments longer then looked down at the bag he’d dropped on the sand.