by Cathi Shaw
He laughed at her. “Let’s see what kind of warrior-girl you truly are.” He lunged at her suddenly.
Kiara jerked to the side but not fast enough. The dagger bit into her shoulder and Weylon growled. He’d aimed for a more lethal spot. Ignoring the burning pain, Kiara knocked him onto the ground while he was off balance. Then she took a deep breath and pulled the dagger from her shoulder, ignoring the pain that knifed through her arm.
Weylon was on his feet again, advancing slowly. But Kiara had the advantage now – she was the one who was armed. She was thankful for the hours Caedmon had spent with her, training her. Would he have done so if he thought she’d be fighting his father in the end?
Pushing such thoughts aside, Kiara concentrated on Weylon. She could afford to wait for him to attack but suddenly she heard a movement behind him and as she turned to see Caedmon, Weylon lunged toward her and knocked her to the ground. Kiara’s head connected with the edge of the armchair and stars danced in front of her eyes.
“I saw her kill Brijit,” Weylon was telling Caedmon. “Then she attacked me.”
Kiara couldn’t believe her ears. Weylon was going to blame her for Brijit’s death. Would Caedmon believe his father? She remembered how upset he’d been when Meldiron had suggested that Weylon had sent them on the dangerous path on purpose.
But Caedmon spoke and his tone was cold and devoid of emotion. “Kiara would never kill her mother. I know her better than that,” he said. “But you are a killer, Weylon. You raised me to be a killer, too. You wouldn’t hesitate to kill your wife if she was in your way.”
And with that lightening quick speed, Caedmon had Weylon in a tight hold, his arm holding him to his chest.
“You created me. You did a good job,” He whispered before he violently twisted Weylon’s neck. Kiara cringed as she heard the loud crack of his neck breaking. Caedmon threw the body to the ground in disgust and was at her side in the next instant.
“Kiara. Are you alright?” She looked at him blearily. Beautiful, tragic Caedmon.
Then she lost consciousness.
****
Bellasiel bandaged Kiara’s arm. “It’s only a surface wound, you’re lucky.” She told her before straightening and looked at them all.
Caedmon had carried Kiara to Bellasiel’s private offices and then gone to find the others. Now they were all together.
“This changes the urgency of your departure,” Bellasiel told them. “We had thought that Eöl Ar-Feiniel’s death meant there had been a breach in the warding system but this -” she nodded towards Kiara’s arm. “Indicates that the warding systems has been dismantled. And that means we are all in great danger.”
Meldiron nodded. “Bellasiel is right. Our lives are in danger now in Séreméla. We must leave immediately.”
“Where are we going to go?” Mina asked, her eyes puffy from crying for Brijit. But they all knew that the time for grieving was not now.
“I’m not the only one who believes the Marked Ones are important to our future,” Bellasiel told them. “Over the last five years a growing group of supporters has been making preparations and plans for when this time would come.”
“You knew?” Teague asked.
“We knew that eventually we would have to shelter the Marked Ones, especially the young ones. A secret refuge has been prepared and has become home for the few Marked Ones we’ve been able to find before the enemy has. You will be safe there.”
Kiara looked at her. “Where is this safe place?”
“It is hidden in the Eastern Mountains – in old mines.”
Kiara remembered the miners who were out of work in Silver Vale.
Meldiron smiled suddenly. “You’ve been planning this for some time, Bellasiel.”
She nodded.
“Alright then we will go there.”
Caedmon stood up. “I agree that we must leave but how? If the warding system has been dismantled, as you’ve suggested, then the ways in and out of Séreméla will be watched. How are we to safely leave this land?”
Bellasiel spoke up, “I have a way. Gather your things and be back here within the hour. Don’t let anyone see you.”
****
Kiara was surprised at how quickly they were able to gather their belongings and assemble in Bellasiel’s chambers.
“Now what?” Caedmon asked darkly.
Bellasiel beckoned for them to follow her into her lower chambers where she had originally shown them the pictures of the dead children. She continued passed the small room to the end of the hall, which was lined with a bookshelf. Pressing a cleverly disguised mechanism the shelf opened to reveal a dark opening.
“This passage was built before the wards were put up.” She told them. “It does not lead to the Eastern Mountains, of course, but it will lead us beyond Séreméla’s borders.”
There was no sign of pursuit on their way through the tunnels. As they emerged into sunlight, a coolness on the wind indicated they were, indeed, beyond Séreméla’s boundaries.
Kiara estimated the journey to the hidden refuge in the Eastern Mountains would take them several weeks. And they were sure to be followed shortly. She didn’t like it. Their escape would only put the remaining Marked Children in the Five Corners in danger. There had to be something they could do to help those children.
As they started on their journey East, Kiara brought up her concerns with the others.
“What are you saying, Kiara?” Mina asked
“We have to help the children. Their lives are in danger now more than ever.”
Bellasiel nodded. “You are right, of course. If they are not able to capture you, they will double the efforts to kill all Marked Ones.”
“Why?” Thia asked in horror.
It was Meldiron who answered her. “Because the Prophecy also says that the Marked Ones will build an army of their kind.”
“We will be passing through areas where Marked Children must live,” Teague noted. “Can we collect the children we find on the way?”
“What kind of parent would give up their child to a group of strangers?” Thia asked.
“You’d be surprised,” Meldiron said wryly.
Bellasiel added, “Many parents are horrified when they find a child with a Mark. But as well, if a parent loves a child and knows this is his or her only way to safety, they will give them up. The Prophecy isn’t as secret as the Council would have you believe.”
“So what should our strategy be?” Caedmon asked.
“Split up.” Kiara said with a grin. “They would never think that we would chose to do what they originally had us do on the way to Séreméla.”
Caedmon nodded. “Good plan.”
Bellasiel looked at them. “I will continue directly to the Eastern Mountains,” she told them. “I must give warning to the others so they can fortify the entrances.”
Meldiron agreed. “I would like to take a Southern route and try to find Arion. He needs to be warned.”
Mina spoke up, “I will go with Meldiron.”
“It would be helpful if we could be in contact while we are separated.”
They all looked at Thia and Teague. It was Thia who spoke first, “If Teague goes with Caedmon and Kiara and I go with Mina and Meldiron, we will be able to be in contact – via the dreamwalks.”
Teague nodded in agreement. “That will give us an advantage.”
“Teague is in great danger from the Draíodóir,” Bellasiel noted. “We do have someone who I hope will be able to help you in the Refuge but I can’t guarantee your safety until you arrive there. As you know the Draíodóir are connected mentally and Teague is only a novice in their ways. There is always the danger that the more powerful of the clan will be able to tap into his mind.”
Teague looked nervous. “I can’t guarantee that I won’t give our location away,” he admitted.
Caedmon spoke up. “Can we agree to a compromise, Kiara?” he asked. “You and I can accompany Teague and Bellasiel to the Eastern Mountains
. We can collect any Marked Ones we find along the way, but our priority will have to be to get there as quickly as possible. Then Teague will be safe and we can leave again to find more.”
Kiara thought about it. Caedmon was right. The sooner they arrived at the Eastern Mountains, the sooner they would be safe. She nodded her agreement.
****
Thia watched the small party of four disappeared into the distance. Teague, she called.
We’ll be okay, Thia. We’ll see one another soon.
She knew Teague was trying to make her feel better but she had a bad feeling about this separation. She had just got Teague back, they’d had hardly any time together and now they were being separated again. It wasn’t fair. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat.
“Are you ready, little sister?” Mina asked at her side.
Thia blinked away her tears and turned. Excitement sparkled in Mina’s eyes and Thia remembered that this was the first time her sister had gone on an adventure. All her life Mina had wanted to travel and now she was finally getting her chance. Despite the circumstances, Mina was radiating with the newness of it all.
Thia smiled sadly. She’d only ever wanted to be safe at home. She’d hoped that now that Teague had recovered and they’d been reunited with their families, that they’d be able to go back to a quiet little existence. Adventures were not something she had ever craved and if she could change her fate, she would. She would settle in a quiet dwelling in the woods with her loved ones safe and secure by her side.
Her eyes were drawn to where Teague and the others had disappeared over the horizon. Be safe, Thia. His words floated back to her thin and waverly. And she knew that they were passing beyond the distance of their non-verbal communication. All they would have until she reached the Eastern Mountains was their dream walks. So much was uncertain now. “Do you think we’ll see them again?” she asked her sister softly.
Mina nodded with confidence. “I know we will.”
Thia wasn’t so sure. Mina was an innocent in the realities of the world. And in many ways Thia envied her.