by Lexy Wolfe
"Because you do not trust me," was the matter-of-fact reply. She looked at Nolyn, brushing a lock of hair back in place when he shifted in his sleep. "He does need to be protected. But not from me."
Valerian leaned forward, holding the pitcher in mute offer to refill her empty glass. She hesitated a moment before holding it out to him. "What does he need to be protected from?"
Kiya's eyes, waxing gold for a moment, fixed on the Vodani man. After several minutes, she stated, "Nothing you would understand, Unsvet Guardian."
Kelafy returned after some time. "Unsvet, let's leave Master Nolyn to sleep himself out. He will have enough to deal with at supper tonight." At the twin quizzical looks from Su'alin and Unsvet Guardian, the headwoman chuckled. "Se'edai Magus, the Voice of the Oracle and Edai Magus Eptina Dyndrai have an urgent need to speak with him. Since he should be awake before then, I figured I could ensure everyone was well fed before more serious matters must be attended to."
"Of course," Valerian replied as he stood. Kiya, however, ignored the hand he offered in assistance to get up.
"I will remain with Master Nolyn to ensure he remains undisturbed." Far more accepting than Valerian, Kelafy shooed the Guardian out ahead of her before shutting the study door.
Chapter 39
Nolyn jumped, suddenly awake as sunlight from the window moved across his eyes. He exhaled gustily as he lay back on the couch, then blinked, not remembering having moved from the chair. The man looked surprised when he realized his hand rested stop Kiya's hair, her head resting on his leg and face turned away. He closed his eyes, caressing her hair bare of the veil headdress she never seemed to be without. "I do not remember ever feeling such peace," he murmured aloud to himself.
He flinched and pulled back when the exotic beauty moved, managing to smile not too sheepishly at her. "Good morning, Su'alin Kiya."
"It is early afternoon, but it is good, yes." She looked away shyly. "I worried about you. You slept so deeply and for so long, I feared you were near death." Leaning close, she touched his cheek, searching the depths of his eyes. Without thinking, Nolyn slid his hand behind her head and pulled her close, pressing his lips against hers in a gentle kiss. Resisting a brief moment, she began to return the kiss when he realized what he was doing and released her.
"Forgive me," he pleaded, eyes averted and face deep red in embarrassment. "I do not know what has gotten into me lately. Believe me, I would never take advantage of a woman like that." He fell silent when she put her hand on his cheek, meeting her tawny gold eyes.
"Be at peace, Edai Magus Nolyn Lirai," Kiya whispered. "Exhaustion weakens the mind and unchains the heart." Her smile soothed him with gentle kindness. "I was merely startled. If I was displeased, I would have stabbed you." Pulling her hand away in a caress, she turned to pick up her headdress, carefully putting it back on. "Mother Kelafy had come earlier. When she saw you asleep, she had asked me to make sure you slept as long as you could and to let you know that there will be several guests coming for dinner tonight."
Nolyn blinked. "Guests?" His voice was filled with dread. "Did she say who?"
Pausing, she closed her eyes as she recounted, "The Se'edai Magus, the Voice of the Oracle... and another Edai Magus. Eppinah?"
Nolyn sighed. "Eptina Dyndrai. Wonderful."
Her veil lowered halfway, she looked at him curiously. "You do not like this woman?"
"Yes. No. I mean... gah!" Nolyn shook his head sharply. "I do not like people in general, remember? Master Eptina is... difficult. And she is not as predisposed to accepting... ah."
"I understand." Kiya smiled, squaring her shoulders as the veil dropped back into place. "She does not like foreigners, so she will not like me." The slight woman shrugged with indifference. "I am not here to be liked. I am here to find the Githalin Swordanzen and bring them home."
"Ash won't be happy about that," Nolyn muttered. When Kiya turned back with a quizzical look, he shook his head. "Nevermind. If you do not wish to join us for dinner to avoid our bigotry, we will understand. Desanti schedules are so different from ours, after all."
Kiya tilted her head to the side, listening for a moment. "Grandfather says it would be very educational to see how Forenten interact with each other. I will come to dinner, Edai Magus Nolyn." She smiled as she walked down the hall, hearing him mutter under his breath.
"Did you find it?" Seeker asked in a low voice, leaning against the common room wall by the master's hall archway as Kiya emerged.
The woman sighed and shook her head. "I think it was aware of my presence." She looked up at the man as they walked outside to the training area where the other Swordanzen were. "Which troubles me. Su'dinnais are not usually so... aware of the waking side." In a quiet voice, she said, "I must commune with Citali and Tessarya to seek their guidance." She looked around and said, "This place will be sufficient. It whispers the songs of Desantiva."
"Mother Kelafy spoke true. The Githalin Swordanzen trained here. Spilled their blood here." Seeker spoke curtly to the other three, who paused their routines and nodded in agreement. "We will watch over you, Su'alin."
Kiya paused. "There is a dinner tonight that Grandfather says would be educational about how Forenten interact with each other."
Seeker's eyebrows rose. "With each other? I never really considered how they behaved among themselves. It might be interesting."
Kiya smiled faintly. "Indeed." She walked to the hollow along the tree root and settled on the ground. The Swordanzen took turns standing nearby while the others would train as religiously as the Githalin Swordanzen had before.
Chapter 40
Kiya paused by the door to her suite, frowning as she looked further down the hall. Hand falling to the knife at her belt, she crept forward. When a half asleep Tobias came around the corner, rubbing his eyes, both jumped back from each other in surprise. Tobias stumbled and fell on his rump with a grunt. He sighed, resting his arms on his knees as he held his head. "Gods, I hate this."
Tilting her head, Kiya lifted her veil back, studying the Sevmanan young man. "You are hurt." She knelt beside him. Her fingers touched the bruise on his forehead lightly.
"Oh, it's nothing," Tobias demurred, trying to brush her hand away without being rude, his cheeks bright red. "I have just been a little off balance lately." He met her eyes and looked away again shyly. "I had to touch time to heal Master Nolyn's injuries and well, it was disorienting."
"Are you not the Unsvet Guardian's student?" she asked uncertainly. "Surely he is teaching you how to use time?" She stood, offering her hand to him to help him to his feet. When he staggered forward off balance, she moved to put her shoulder under his, holding him steady.
"Valerian? Oh, no. We just travel together and— Oh, wow, you're a lot stronger than you look! A lot of the servants talk about you because you look so delicate and fragile and they did not think Desanti women could be like you and, er," he suddenly stopped his babbling when she looked up at him with a small smile and arched eyebrow. "I, er, am sorry. I tend to babble when I get nervous."
"Do not apologize." She helped him back to the small alcove with a pair of chairs and a couch just off the main hall that spiraled upwards. Coaxing him to sit, she examined his forehead again, her voice soothing. "Compared to other Desanti women, I am… delicate. But it does not mean I am incapable physically. All adults must be able to defend themselves and the tribe."
"You can fight?" he asked blankly, then blushed when she smiled more. "Sorry. That is rude of me."
"In Desantiva, I would be offended. Since I have traveled in the outlands, I see that a woman being able to fight is not normal." Her smile faded, concern replacing it. "Are you not a healer?" She sat on the small table in front of him. "Can you not... heal yourself?"
Eyes downcast, he instead responded with a statement. "I thought Desanti did not believe in healers." He looked up when Kiya put a gentle hand under his chin to turn his face towards hers.
"You are not Desanti, so our beliefs need
not be yours." Her vividly gold eyes stared into his searchingly as she spoke. "Citali, my patron Totani, told me that the tribes alone made the edict against healers shortly after the Great War. Better to believe divine law forbid healers than to be reminded of the attack that ripped magic away from Desantiva. Better the pride of not needing healers and self-exile than impotent fury and hatred with no outlet for vengence."
Tobias could not look away from her gaze, feeling numb. "Do the others know?" he asked in a daze.
"Does it matter?" she replied cryptically. A small, sad smile touched her lips. "And you are avoiding my question. I can see something is not right. Like you have suffered terrible injuries inside that have festered. Can you not heal yourself?"
"I... I cannot heal anyone." He looked away, but his deep shame was obvious. "I have not been able to since-since I saved Master Nolyn's life. Valerian said that it was hard for me because I had to use time and healing magic to help him. I have just said I could not figure out how to do it again to help them. And-and I avoided people altogether so I am not available if someone has been hurt." In a small voice, he added, "I do not know what I will do if someone gets hurt badly in a normal way. Valerian wanted a healer to travel with him. Now, I am... I am useless."
Kiya pursed her lips. "I do not know how your healing works. But I have seen such injuries as what Master Nolyn suffers from. Creatures that prey on the heart and mind and devour souls themselves. Only those who walk the sacred Paths of Sword or Spirit can combat them." Troubled, she looked in the vague direction of the master's wing of the house. "I used to believe our sacred enemies only lurked within Desantiva." Turning back to him, she asked, "Did you face this creature as well?"
"What? Me?" Tobias looked startled. "Gods, no. And I couldn't have anyway. I haven't the first clue about fighting. There is no way I could—"
"Do not lie," Kiya interrupted. She caught his chin to turn his face back up towards her. He drew back when she took her Naming Blade from its sheath at her waist. Holding the knife point upwards between them, she said in a low voice, "It does not matter what the skill or gift you have is. All have two edges, Journeyman Tobias. If you can heal, you can likewise harm, with your skill. Every choice has the potential to harm as well as help."
"I-I... no, I did not see the thing that hurt them," Tobias finally said, closing his eyes. "We found Master Nolyn and Apprentice Marcus already hurt." He crossed his arms tightly as he looked away, shoulders hunching. "He was so close to death. I can sense pain in others, but I had never felt anything like that before. And my healing... my normal healing... could not reach him."
"That is odd," Kiya murmured. "Because what I see seems like you felt the touch of one of the shadows." Shaking her head, she held her hands out to him in a silent request. He hesitated, then put his hands in hers. "If you wish, I can soothe your mind and heart so you can find yourself again."
"But you said Desanti have no magic," he responded reflexively. "How can you heal—?"
A small smile touched her eyes. "Will you trust me?" she asked in gentle tones. He nodded, shifting uncomfortably as his youthful male awareness suddenly became conscious of her close proximity. His eyes closed when she pressed her lips to his forehead. The two remained unmoving until Kiya sat back, watching him as she released his hands. Her gaze flickered towards Valerian who stood just around the corner in the spiraling hallway, watching them with an unreadable expression.
Tobias did not move for several heartbeats before he inhaled sharply and sat upright as if startled. "I... what happened? I feel... I feel strange. Better!" he qualified hurriedly. "I feel better, but it feels... different."
"Citali's wing brushed your soul," she stated enigmatically. "I do not know how to explain it in trade common." Brushing her fingers through his hair, she smiled at him. "You should nap before the meal this evening," she suggested, getting to her feet gracefully. "But you will be able to find your center once more." Tobias nodded in a daze, getting up and half stumbling back to his room, not even noticing Valerian behind him.
Her eyes following Tobias, Kiya stated in hard, edged tones, "He is your responsibility, Unsvet Guardian. You are the one who wished for his company on your journey. You should be mentoring him."
"What? No." Valerian frowned at the slight Desanti woman. "It was his choice to come." Fierce gold eyes turned on the Vodani man. It took everything he had not to outwardly react. "How would I be able to help him? I was born Vodani. Pure Vodani. I have no understanding of healing. It is the practice of those mastering their arts to travel alone."
"I do not have time to list what you have no understanding of, Unsvet Guardian Valerian," Kiya stated, her voice holding a cold hostility that took him aback. "There is a dinner I wish to attend this evening that I and my kinsmen must prepare for."
He stood dumbfounded, watching her disappear into the Desanti's suite. "I am not sure whether I should admire her audacity or be offended at it." After a while, he smiled ruefully. "I suppose I have to admire her. Being offended would be a pointless waste of energy."
"It would also be a dangerous waste of energy," Seeker stated behind the Guardian. The Vodani startled, spinning to stare at the tall, dark man. "If you take offense, by Desanti custom, you would have to face her in combat." As Seeker passed him, he stated matter-of-factly, "And if you hurt her, I would die trying to kill you."
Exasperated, Valerian asked, "What in the world did I do to offend you?" Seeker paused to look back with an arched eyebrow. "I thought Desanti at least tolerated Vodani? All of you seem to like Forenten better. It is not natural!"
Seeker turned to regard Valerian. "You are not Vodani. You are Guardian. And save for Dusvet Guardian Almek, none of you have set foot on our lord's lands. Only he honored the teachings of the Timeless One and came to us."
"Desanti do not allow anyone into their lands. Not even Almek." Valerian crossed his arms. "What would have been the point?"
"Because you belong to all lands and to none," Seeker stated. "As respected as Lord Almek is, even he did not attempt to earn the right to walk the land as one of the people."
"Earn the right?" Valerian echoed. "You know you would die facing a Guardian in combat. We would need only age you to stop you."
Seeker snorted in derision. "If you think it is so easy to defeat a Desanti warrior, then you should try it sometime. Regardless, even if you killed with your ability, you would prove you have the heart of a warrior, to stand up and earn your place among us. It would be an honor to die by the hand of an honorable opponent." He waved a dismissive hand. "But you do not even give us the courtesy of thinking we are worth reaching out to."
Valerian stared for a moment before exclaiming, "But Desanti shut everyone out!"
"You were born Vodani," Seeker stated. "When you received the Timeless One's blessing, had you ever return, as your kinsmen do, to feel the Psia Re stir your soul? To walk among us in First Home?" He waved a hand and turned his back on the Unsvet Guardian. "You did not. If you had, there would be stories of you told among the tribes to honor you. And now you want us to be in awe of you? You insult us."
"I… had no idea," Valerian finally said. "Our fault for not even attempting to reach out to your people. We thought we were honoring the Heart of Desantiva's wishes." Seeker paused, looking back over his shoulder at the man. Without a word, he headed into the suite of rooms he shared with his kinsmen.
Chapter 41
Nolyn hesitated in the hall, straightening his robes and taking a deep breath before walking into the dining room. His smile shifted from polite welcome to Tobias and Valerian to affectionate when a small figure leapt into his arms. "Master Nolyn! Where are the Desanti? I want to meet them! Can I mean them? Marcus says one of them is very pretty. And they have drizzen! But no drizar. But maybe they would let me ride them? You think?"
"And hello to you, too, Zoe," he greeted warmly as he hugged the girl. "I see you are as prim and proper as ever."
Zoe giggled as he set her back on her f
eet. The mirth faded as she looked in his eyes. The metallic curls on her skin that displayed her tie to the Forentan goddess, the Knowing One, seemed to glow softly for a moment. "She sees why you have delayed coming to see me, Nolyn," the girl murmured for his ears alone. "She understands, but She is not happy about it. At all."
Nolyn's smile faded and he replied softly, "Please tell Her I am sorry. I didn't want to cause alarm." He winced when Zoe kicked his shin.
"The other Edai require formal audience, Nolyn. I don't like them. You are not the others." Zoe glared up at him. "It isn't like I have other friends now. They are all afraid of me." Her scowl evaporated at his contrite expression and she took his hand, pulling him to the table. "You look terrible, Nolyn."
"I hadn't really slept well until last night," Nolyn admitted. He looked up as Ellis escorted Eptina into the dining room on his arm, barely repressing his dread seeing the other Edai Magus. He went over to the two, and offered a respectful bow, greeting with formality. "Se'edai Magus Ellis Avarian, Edai Magus Eptina Dyndrai. We are honored to have you attend dinner with us tonight."
Both mages expressions flickered with shocked worry when they saw Nolyn's ragged appearance. "It is a pleasure to be invited into your home, Edai Magus Nolyn Lirai," Ellis replied in equal formality, which he dropped. Releasing Eptina's arm, he clasped Nolyn's in greeting, covering Nolyn's hand with his left. "You should thank Unsvet Valerian for protecting your pride so well. Though I may now assume your reports have been something of an understatement, Master Nolyn." He glanced sideways at Eptina, disapproval writ across his expression. The woman looked away, her flush of shame hidden beneath the elegant makeup she wore. "We will speak privately on the matter after dinner."
"Yes, Se'edai Magus," both Nolyn and Eptina replied in low voices, as he took them to task. They all looked up sharply when Zoe squealed in delight and ran over to the common room archway. All three masters' jaws dropped in shock.