by Matt Moss
“I DON’T CARE WHO HE IS!” Victor snapped back and stepped face-to-face with the giant. “BRING ME MY STONES!”
Karn looked down on the high priest with scorn, then looked away in shame. “I cant.”
Victor sized him up and found him wanting. “You’re pathetic.” He walked to the balcony but didn’t step out. Again, he focused his breath. He turned back to his servant. “I will go with you.”
Karn’s eyes went wide. “Yes…Your Grace.”
“Leave me.”
The big man nodded, set the glass on the nearby desk and left the room.
“Shut the door,” Victor told him.
Karn paused in the doorway. He closed the door behind him.
Victor drained his glass and set it on the desk. He shook his head.
Sometimes you have to do things yourself.
He wondered if Moses would be at the garden.
I hope you are, grandmaster. It’s been such a long time.
And I’ve got a score to settle with you.
NNE
“What’s the matter?” Lyla asked, noticing Cain’s silence and distant stare. They road side-by-side on the narrow road that led from The Crossing to Fortuna.
“Nothing. Why do you ask?” he replied, turning to her with a grin.
“It’s a beautiful morning and you can’t take your eyes off the road in front of you. You’re distant and have barely spoken a word since we left.”
He cast his eyes back to the road. A moment later, he spoke. “Truth be told, Lyla, I’m uncomfortable around you. Like, you-make-my-knees-weak kind of uncomfortable. I don’t know what to say to you. ”
She furrowed her brow. “What are you talking about? Why would you say that? Did I say something to offend you?”
He shook his head and met her piercing blue eyes. “No, Lyla. You haven’t given any offense.” He smiled and looked down in shame. “I’ve missed you. I've missed being with you. But I know that you’re with Arkin and I don’t want to get in the way of that.”
Startled by the comment and how he so openly shared his feelings, she looked ahead nervously. “Cain, I’ve missed you, too. And I’m glad that you’re okay and we found each other. ”
“But you don’t love me.”
She looked to him, confused by his odd behavior. Why are you acting this way, Cain.
“Of course I love you. It’s just… I’m in love with Arkin. You and I are just friends.”
He looked her in the eye. “Just friends? What about that time at the river. That felt real to me. That kiss felt real. Tell me it was and that I haven’t been dreaming this whole time.”
She recalled the time they shared together; her lips pressed against his. His skin glistening in the sun, pressed tight against her body. She looked to him. “Please understand. What Arkin and I share is something special. I never meant to hurt you. What we shared at the river was a moment of passion—a moment that will never happen again.”
He looked away, pained by the sting of her words. “Then where does that leave us?”
“Friends?” she replied, hoping that he agreed.
He rode in silence for a moment, unable to face her. “I don’t know if I can accept that.”
“Then where does that leave us?” she shot back, hurt by his words.
Before he let too much time pass, he turned back to her in fondness. “Alright. Friends. I can live with that. Better to know you than live life without you, Lyla.”
She smiled, thankful that he understood. “Friends, then,” she resounded with happiness. She looked to the road, then stole a peak at him from the corner of her eye. He still stared at her. She giggled and he laughed as he shook his head. “Must I suffer your presence much longer, woman?”
She laughed. “Don’t worry. We’re almost there, m’lord.”
“Good,” he said and shifted in the saddle. “Because this damn horse is killing me.”
“What’s wrong with the horse? You’re just getting old is all.”
“Hey!”
She stifled a snort and looked the other away.
They spent the next few hours talking about the past and how Cain had been over the last few months. “I was bed-ridden in Hayfork for what seemed like an eternity. But I got better, despite the slop that the bed nurse kept feeding me. I swear it was horse piss for broth.”
“Horse piss is an old remedy,” she said as a matter of fact.
“Serious?”
She couldn’t contain the lie and shook her head playfully.
“You had me going for a minute.” He continued his story. “Anyway, after I was able to stand on my own two feet, I made my way to Greenhaven in search of some help. I heard there was a pretty large guild there that could be hired, and figured they would prove useful in avenging the Order.”
“Was that before or after the arena was destroyed?”
“Huh? Oh, that was after.”
She nodded slowly, finding his story to be a bit unbelievable. But her suspicions left, and she thought nothing else about it as they crested the familiar hill. “Look! There’s my home.”
They rode down the green-grass hill and towards the farmhouse, meeting one of her brothers outside. “Lyla? I can’t believe it’s you,” he said and ran to embrace her as she jumped to the ground.
“Jack!” she said and embraced her oldest brother. She held him to get a better look. “How’s mother and father? How’s the rest of the bunch doing?”
“Everyone’s well,” he replied. “Come on, let’s go inside. Father’s going to be so surprised. I can’t wait to see his face when he sees you.”
The siblings walked to the house holding onto one another and Cain followed. He stopped before reaching the house, allowing the family their moment. Cries of joy came from within as Lyla reunited with her kin. The horse snorted and waved its head towards the stables. “Right,” Cain said and tended to their mounts. After shutting the gate on the corral, he patted the beast’s neck. “You did well for such a long trip. Rest now, you’ve earned it.”
Lyla stepped outside. “Cain. Are you coming?” she shouted to him.
“Yes, ma’am. Be right there.”
The spread was bountiful with various meats and vegetables that the farm had provided over the summer and fall.
Lyla’s father, Jegar, sucked air through his teeth as he looked over the food. “It’s been a rough year. Wasn’t much rain, but I suppose we’ve faired decent compared to most around these parts. And there’s always something to be thankful for.” He took a bite of bread. “So, Lyla, how has the training been at the Grand Highlands?”
“Please, do tell,” her mother, Lesia, eagerly said. “We’ve been so excited to hear about it.”
“I’ve a hard time going to sleep at night due to your mother always talking about you and the Grand Highlands. Please, set her inquisitive mind at ease and tell her everything,” Jegar told Lyla.
Lyla almost choked on the food. The less they know, the better. She looked at both her parents with appreciation in her eyes. She didn’t want to tell them the truth. “The Grand Highlands is so great. And such a beautiful place. I love it there.”
Cain chimed in. “It really is something special.”
“Do you train with swords and shields?” Lyla’s younger brother, no older than six, asked. “Do you have a sword of your own?”
She giggled. “Sometimes we train, yes.”
Her father looked to the young child. “Lyla is not a warrior. She’s training to become a doctor. There are other skills to be learned in the Order than just swinging a sword.”
Lyla moved to speak about her training with Joko, but decided to let it go. She tended to the food on her plate.
“There aren’t many girls who fight in the Order. Actually, none that I can think of,” Cain said as a matter of fact.
Lyla’s fork fell to the plate. She turned to him in her seat. “And why do you think that is?”
Cain shrugged. “It’s just the way it is. Men
make better warriors.”
“Is that so?” she retorted.
Jegar waved his hand. “Of course it is. Men are made for war, and women are…”
Lyla cocked her head. “Oh, don’t you even say it father.”
Jegar looked to Lesia for backup. His wife shook her head. “Don’t even bring me into this. You don’t want to know what I think.”
Lyla stood up. “Come on, Cain. Let’s see if you still know how to fight.”
Cain continued eating. “You can’t be serious,” he said between bites. He stopped to find her waiting on him with folded arms. “You are serious. Right, then. Suppose I can do a little stretching to burn off some of this delicious food,” he told Lesia and patted his stomach in appreciation. “The food was fantastic. Thank you.”
“Fight!” the young sibling cheered and rose from the table.
“Hey. Hey! We’re still eating. Get back in here!” Jegar called, but everyone was already at or out the door. He looked to his wife. “Are you just going to let them disrespect the table like that?”
Lesia stood to leave. “Oh, Jegar, come on. It’s a special occasion and we can let the rules slide just this once. Our daughter has returned home.”
Jegar threw his hands up in defeat. “My house has gone mad.”
The sun started to set, casting a warm glow over the farm. The sky was clear and the air crisp. Lyla returned from the barn with two wooden staffs that were the length of a man. Normally, the staffs were used to herd sheep and cattle, but she had something else in mind. She tossed one to Cain. “Get ready.”
He felt the weight of it in his hand. “Ash. Hard, and heavy. Lyla, I’m not going to fight you. Especially with this.”
“Why not? You’re not scared of a girl, are you?”
“Scaredy cat, scaredy cat!” the young child belted out.
Lyla saw the concerned look on her mother’s face and heard her father’s reply. “Don’t worry, Lesia. They aren’t really going to fight. Might tussle a bit, that’s all. He’ll take it easy on her.”
Her grip tightened on the staff and she took a fighting stance. She shot her gaze towards Cain. “Get ready.”
Cain held his arms loose. “Lyla, this is crazy. Let’s just…”
Lyla raised the stick overhead and brought it down hard towards Cain’s head. He barely brought his up in time to check the blow. She saw the shocked look in his eye and grinned at him. Quick as a cat, she turned and brought the stick around to whip across his arm. Before he could react, she rammed her shoulder into his chest and sent him crashing backwards.
He looked up from the ground and rubbed his arm. “What the hell, Lyla? Are you serious!”
“Lyla! You just hurt your friend. This needs to stop before it goes any further?” her mother scolded.
“Get up and fight,” Lyla told Cain.
He clenched his jaw and jumped to his feet. “You are serious. Alright. No more games, then.”
She cocked her head. “What a shame. I was just starting to have fun.”
He charged her with a flurry of attacks. The sticks cracked against one another as Lyla checked each blow. Cain pressed harder, forcing her on the defensive and driving her back. Mindful of her feet, she kept her balance and timed his strikes. In a blink, she pivoted and ducked a blow. She swung hard towards his leg and felt the staff drive through, sending his feet out from under him. He hit the ground hard and lie there for a moment, laughing in pain. Lyla took a step back. “Had enough?”
He rose and twirled the stick in his hands. “Nope. No more taking it easy on you.”
“Oh. What ever shall I do now?” she played back, sounding like a damsel in distress. Show me what you got, Cain. Don’t hold back.
Cain pressed the attack again and the two sticks began to blur. They moved into, and around, each other—looking for any weakness or mistake that might show. The dance continued. With intent focus, they fought on, but neither gained advantage over the other. Cain clenched his jaw and pressed harder, soul tapping ever so slightly. His stick grazed her head, and she rolled away in turn. When her hand left the mark on her brow, blood appeared on her fingers. Fully intent on winning the fight, she crouched into a stance and, without knowing, soul tapped. She lunged towards him in attack, her body a blur. Cain barely brought his defense up in time and realized that she would surely overwhelm him with her power.
He tapped further.
Both fought one another, and the duel became a whirlwind of fury on the farm. Both sticks flew to the side as they disarmed one another, narrowly missing her family. Without missing a beat, the fight continued in hand-to-hand combat. Cain was fast, but Lyla was faster. And though Lyla was strong, Cain had the upper hand when it came to strength. But Joko had trained Lyla to fight larger and stronger opponents.
“Do not fear the size of a man. Size means nothing. Speed is what wins in a fight. Combine speed with strength, and nobody can stand against you.”
Her jab found his nose and stunned him for a moment, long enough for her to tackle one of his legs. She spun on the ground, using her leverage to gain the top position, and began raining strikes down. He brought his arms up to defend and tried to roll away, but Lyla’s hips controlled him there. Seeing an open arm, she grabbed hold and extended it over his head. He struggled against her grip and brought his other fist up to strike her side. She ignored the pain and focused on the arm. She jerked and pulled it to his side, putting it in an awkward and painful position that made him stiffen to defend himself. A little more pressure and she knew it could break at either the elbow or the shoulder. He grunted in pain, and tried to roll out of it, but it was no use. She applied more pressure and held control.
“Argh! Stop!” he cried.
“Are you done?” Lyla replied, not letting him go just yet.
“Yes. Yes! I’m done. You win.”
She jumped off of him and stood tall. Wiping the matted hair from her face and breathing deep, she looked down at Cain with pride. Not that she beat him in a fight, but that she had finally proven to herself that she was a warrior. Before, she had doubted—especially after the fight with Ros in the Garden of Stones. But now her confidence was firm and she believed in herself.
I’ll never let anyone get the best of me again. I will fear nothing.
Cain stood and rolled his arm, making sure it wasn’t broke. He wiped the sweat from his head and smiled at Lyla. “Well, I must admit, I didn’t see that coming.” He walked past her but stopped to put a hand on her shoulder. “You’ve been busy since I last saw you. I’m impressed.” He walked towards the barn.
Lyla grinned to herself in pride. All of Joko’s training had paid off. And to think; I thought I was going to be a doctor. Well, I still can, but I now understand that I can be so much more. She looked to the side and found her family. Through the fighting, she almost forgot that they were there. Each stood in silence, amazed by what they just saw.
Lyla couldn’t find the words. How could she describe soul tapping to someone who couldn’t understand? Especially to her family that looked on her now. She felt like a stranger in her own home.
Lyla looked at them, wanting to explain. She began to find the words, then lost them just as fast.
She ran to join Cain at the barn.
“Hey, are you alright?” Lyla asked Cain, finding him drenched from dousing a bucket of water over his head. “I need a drink,” he said and walked out the back of the barn to the creek that ran along the hills behind the farm. He stepped in the cold water and began scooping the fresh water to his mouth.
“I didn’t hurt you, did I?” She walked to the bank and looked on him with concern.
He paused to reply. “Just my pride.”
“Good. I mean... I didn’t intend to embarrass you. I’m just glad that’s the only thing that’s wounded.”
He looked to her in fondness. “Lyla, you can hurt my pride anytime you want. I can handle it.” He stared into the water. “Fact is, you hurt me everyday. And sometimes when
I look at you, I can barely breathe.” He gazed into her eyes, conveying his feelings and hoping she felt the same. “I know you said we’re just friends. And I can live with that. I just want you to know how I feel. If that means a life of pain for me, then so be it.”
“Cain… I can’t.” She gazed into his eyes with earnest and hoped that he listened to her words. “Maybe in another life, we were meant to be together. But not this one. I love Arkin and chose him. And I’m not one to break someone’s trust.”
Cain’s head dropped.
“I’m sorry, Cain.”
He raised his eyes to hers and gave a sad grin. “Arkin is a lucky man.” He looked to the side. “Well, if things don’t work out between you two, like if he never comes back or anything, I’ll be here for you.”
She scoffed with a grin. “You’re impossible! Arkin will come back, you jerk.”
He smiled his best smile. “I know he will.” They locked eyes for a moment before he splashed her with water. She shrieked and bent low to splash him back. He turned away from the cold blast. “Alright, alright! You win.”
She took a few steps back. “Get out of that creek before you catch a cold. We need to explain some things to my parents.”
He stumbled out and joined her inside the barn. “You mean soul tapping? Yeah, they probably think we’re witches or something. Or are we explaining everything?”
She took a bucket back for water and he followed. “Not everything. But they need to know how we are able to do the things that we do.”
He rubbed his head. “Speaking of that, how did you learn to fight so well? Last I saw, you were learning how to stitch a cut or set a bone.”
Should I tell him about Moses? She still didn’t completely trust him yet. Something about him was different. But time had passed and she was different, too. Who am I to judge? Still…
“A man named Joko trained me.”
“Joko? What kind of name is that?”
“He’s from another part of the world,” she said in her master’s defense. The water splashed into the trough for the horses and she went back to get more. “You do realize that there is a world outside the kingdom, right?”