“What, he wouldn’t go?” Mohan said over his shoulder as he rooted among the foliage.
“No. I don’t think he would.”
“Must be that brand of loyalty you inspire in others.”
Ilythra glanced at him. She remembered wondering how Bredych could be so charismatic. Did Ilydearta have the same effect?
“How can a scent do—I don’t understand....” Mohan trailed off.
She didn’t open her eyes. “For a long time, I’ve known that scent affects your moods. They are even beneficial in healing. Did you know that a scent can bring back a memory faster than any other reminder?”
“No.” Mohan must have found something to eat because his mouth sounded full.
“I suppose it’s only logical that if scents can be used to enhance your thinking and mood, they can be used for the opposite effect as well.”
“But you were not yourself.”
“No. And I can still feel the lingering effects. At first I was confused, but not so much that it didn’t seem natural. And then Erhard was the answer to all my problems.”
“He let us go.”
“Yes, and I’m afraid he will pay a price for that.”
“Did you love him?” Mohan sounded curious.
“No. I thought I did, but—” She opened her eyes and gazed up through the interwoven branches above her head. “No.”
“Bredych could have killed you.”
“No, he couldn’t have. He is a stone keeper too.” She heard Mohan’s sharp intake of breath.
“That doesn’t mean he couldn’t kill you?”
She shook her head. Why would she assume he told her the truth? “I guess you’ve always known that I am.”
“Yes. I have. Well, shortly after I tried to steal Tashi.” He came to sit next to her. “How did a scent kill my brother?”
“I don’t think it was the scent. Bredych could have placed a suggestion in Tarak’s mind, an order to be followed after a certain amount of time had passed.”
He stiffened next to her. “Could he have done that with you?”
Ilythra yawned. Could he have? The thought chilled her blood. “No. I don’t think so.”
Mohan handed her some roots. “You’re exhausted. Dinner, then sleep. I’ll take first watch.” The warmth of his body next to her soothed her body and mind.
Ilythra leaned her head on his shoulder closed her eyes. Of the threads of destiny that surround you, three forces pull you the strongest. You are aware of only one. You will conquer another if you don’t underestimate its strength, but it’s the third, and on the surface the weakest force, that can be your undoing. Taliba’s words. “I let myself be trapped.”
“How could you have known?”
“I could have. I see that now. I see a lot of things now. I’ve been reacting all my life. Responding to the lessons my grandfather taught me, eager to accomplish everything he’d dreamed of me doing. And then I found Zeynel, or called him to teach me. He taught me how to be Ilythra, the Wanderer of legend.” Her laugh was bitter. “Or he tried, but he was taken too soon.” She turned her face so she could see Mohan’s eyes. “My name was Sara. A long time ago.”
Mohan closed his eyes and breathed deep. “Sara. It’s beautiful. Thank you for that honor.”
She shook her head. “Bredych was right about one thing. I don’t even know how the stone works.” She sighed. “Not much of a legend.” Defeat laced her voice.
“Don’t be a legend. Be you.”
“Which me? Sara? Ilythra? Don’t you see? When I thought the stone was gone, I didn’t know who I was anymore. My entire identity is wrapped around the pendant in that bag.” She patted her medicine pouch on the ground next to her.
He took her hands in his. “You are someone I’m proud to call my friend and always will be. But you are not defined by that. You chose.”
Ilythra let her head fall down until her chin rested on her breast. “Maybe I’m just feeling sorry for myself. This could be the aftereffects of the scent.” She looked up. “But I know what the third force Taliba warned me about is.”
“You do?”
“My desire to have a normal life. My desire to choose for myself.”
“I’m sorry.”
Ilythra shook her head, tears forming in her eyes. “I almost fell right into his clutches because I’ve been moved by the winds of circumstances, other people’s decisions. You’re right. I need to make up my mind. I need to choose now who I will be.” Ilythra took several deep breaths. When she looked up, Mohan watched her. She smiled. “Do you know power is like a drug?”
He shook his head.
“It is, and I’ve tasted it, and part of me wanted it. Part, but not all, not enough. In the end, he couldn’t sway me with his words. That is something to remember. A place to start.”
“And that’s all you need. I have faith in you.”
“Thanks, Mohan.” Her eyes closed, then a smile touched her mouth. “Mohan?”
“Yes?”
“Don’t ruin the moment. Move your hand.”
“Damn.”
* * *
In the distance, a group of horsemen rode toward them. Bredych narrowed his eyes against the morning’s glare. Erhard’s guard. He sampled the winds of Teann for Ilydearta’s resonance. Still close, but not as close as the approaching party. He felt anger grow in his belly. He fed on it to give him strength and waited for Erhard and his guard to draw close. They’d obviously been in some kind of battle. Erhard leaned heavily to one side. Perhaps Ilythra was dead, her body now fodder for crows. But then, what of the necklace?
“Your Majesty.” Bredych inclined his head.
“Bredych, what are you doing here?” Erhard seemed surprised.
“I’d heard of your foray and came as soon as I was able. Indeed, my men and I have yet to see a bed.”
Erhard waved his hand.
“You’re wounded.” He tried to add as much concern to his voice as possible.
“Not badly.” Erhard turned to his men. “We will rest here for a bit.”
“Gods be praised.” If the king heard the sarcasm in Bredych’s voice, he didn’t show any indication.
A guard helped Erhard off his horse and supported him as he walked to a patch of grass. Bredych dismounted, fighting his growing impatience, and followed the king.
“Please, Your Majesty, what of your quarry? Did you find her? You’ve obviously been in a battle. How can I assist you?” He needed to get Erhard back to the castle. Though the king had been under the influence of the fragrance since childhood, he could see too much freethinking for his peace of mind.
Erhard winced in pain. “Yes, we found her, and yes, there was a battle. Two men are wounded, more are dead.”
Bredych swallowed. “And Ilythra?”
Erhard wouldn’t meet Bredych’s gaze. “She lives.”
“She your captive then?”
“No.” Erhard stared at the ground.
“What?” His voice was louder than he intended and he toyed with the idea of making Erhard tell him the whole story, the hard way, but he was already weak from controlling the wolves for such an extended period. “Where is she?”
“I let her go.” A pale blue gaze met his.
Fury such as he’d never known kindled in his breast. “You. Let. Her. Go?” He stepped toward the king, his hands clenched into fists.
“Yes. I banished her from my kingdom.”
Bredych ground his teeth together so hard his jaw ached. “Was she alone?”
“No. With a Benai.”
The suppressed fury caused his voice to quiver. “You let the Benai go as well?”
“Yes.”
Bredych glanced to his men, who already napped beneath the trees. “Then fo
r your safety, I will capture them. They can’t be far. They are on foot.”
“No, let her go. She has the horse I gave her.”
Bredych paced. The anger coursing through his body could not abide inaction. He knew if he said he was going after her, the king, in his present state, would forbid it. That would mean openly disobeying the throne, an action he wasn’t quite ready take. Soon, but not yet. The Siobani stallion, the Benai. The false trail. It seemed his old nemesis was not as dormant as Bredych had hoped. The stone was still in the valley, but not in Ilythra’s hands. Why? Had she given it to the Benai?
He took a deep breath. A fool never admits defeat. A wise man takes a defeat and turns it into a later victory. The game was not over. He fixed a smile to his mouth. He modulated his tone. “Your Majesty, I only seek to counsel you, not question your judgment. Allow me to make a suggestion. Have the men make a travois. You will travel in greater comfort. We will get you back to the castle as soon as possible.” So I can recover my strength and be done with you, once and for all.
Chapter Forty-Five
The sun had begun to set when Ilythra patted Melior’s neck and faced Mohan, who was walking toward her. “No sign of habitation anywhere,” he said. “But no farms to raid or beg for a crust of bread either.”
She’d sent him to get a lay of the land. She didn’t even know where they were in relation to the western pass.
“Well, we can’t stay and forage. Once Bredych learns Erhard let us go...” Ilythra tightened the lacings on her pack. “And we need another horse.”
Mohan smiled. “Always looking out for me.”
She smiled in genuine affection. “It’s been mutual.” Ilythra gazed at the surrounding forest. “There will be pursuit. I can almost feel Bredych’s anger.” She looked at him. “He can sense me. He can’t sense you. The sooner you get away from me, the better.”
“I’m insulted.”
“Please.”
“I’ll get a horse when we cross the pass. If you want, you can go see Taliba before you head north.”
“No, Mohan. You’re going to cross the pass. There is something I have to do first.”
“What?”
“While I was in Greton, they took several prisoners up toward the mountains. Erhard said they had mines there, but I never saw any evidence of what they were mining for. You said something about slaves. There is something there, in the Har Neider, and I think it’s important.” She shook her head. “I think there is still some benefit to be had of me being here. Teann is drawing me there.” She raised a hand. “Not my foolish pride this time. I can tell the difference now.”
Mohan smiled and shook his head. “Are you sure it’s not the scent or whatever drew you to this godforsaken valley in the first place? I mean, if I’m going to have to rescue you again, I might as well go with you.”
“No, but I will never be able to thank you.”
“I can think of a way.” His voice lowered.
Ilythra shot him a glance.
He shrugged. “We’re friends.”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to be okay?” He reached for her hand.
“Yes. I am. I’m going to find out what is in those mountains, and then I’m going to let Melior take me to the Siobani. I don’t know if they will let me in, but—”
“They definitely won’t if I’m with you,” he finished. “You’re probably right.” Mohan ran a finger along her jaw. “If you’re ever—”
“I know.” Tears blurred her eyes.
He hugged her. “I could still go with you—”
“No. I’m only going for a look. No fighting. Besides, I can see you’re aching to get back to your troupe.”
Mohan’s grin split his face. “That obvious?”
“That obvious.” She placed several gold coins in Mohan’s hand. “For a horse.”
“You forget, I am a Benai.” He stretched his arms out.
“And look where it got you.”
His grin lit his face. “There is nowhere else I’d rather be.”
“Take the money. The people of this valley need it anyway.”
“That’s the truth.” Mohan bent and kissed her gently on the lips. “Farewell then, my friend.” He began down the path.
Ilythra watched him go until the shadows blended and hid him from view. She turned toward the Har Neider. “Come on, Mel, let’s go.”
* * * * *
Hungry for more epic fantasy?
Find out where the Triune Stones series began!
Journey of Awakening
After her grandfather’s death, Sara inherits an ancient pendant and a near-impossible quest—master the mysterious pendant’s source of magic. Driven to do so, she must find the other two stones of power, long considered lost, while preventing an unknown enemy from finding her first. Unprepared and alone, she travels to where the keepers of the stones, the Siobani, were last seen. Along the way she meets Tobar, leader of the nomadic Heleini tribe. As Sara wrestles with feelings for this intriguing man, she is also invigorated with her grandfather’s passion to find the ancient Siobani race…
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About the Author
Winner of a 2011 Romantic Times Readers’ Choice Award for her debut book, Altered Destiny, Shawna Thomas can’t remember a time she wasn’t making up stories. Once she put pen to paper, there was no looking back.
Shawna lives in California where, when she’s not writing or editing, she tends to her seven children, gardens, bakes and drinks lots of coffee.
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ISBN: 978-14268-9551-7
Copyright © 2013 by Shawna Thomas
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All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
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