by Iram Dana
Iram Dana
SECRET
OF THE SIGHING
MOUNTAINS
(The Quest Trilogy)
Dedicated to life – The inspiration behind every story.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events or locales is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2013 by Iram Dana
Book Design by Keja Blank, Kejablank.net
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced, scanned, or distributed in any printed or electronic form without permission. Please do not participate in or encourage piracy of copyrighted materials in violation of the author’s rights. Purchase only authorized editions.
First Edition
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
A big thank you to my friend and cover artist Keja Blank for her valuable contribution to this book, both on the outside and the inside. Only you could capture the essence of the story in one picture.
PROLOGUE
“Take … care...” Rayva pleaded, blindly clawing at her husband’s shirt front. She took a labored breath and was instantly seized by yet another fit of racking coughs.
“Rayva, Don’t leave me!” begged Stal.
“It’s time … forgive me. Too … painful.” she wheezed.
“At least name them before you go. Let that be your gift to them for twenty one years of their life.” cried Stal.
Rayva turned to look at the two boys she had given birth to only days ago. They were in their cot now, bawling their eyes out. Almost as if they were aware that their time with their mother was precious little and that, too, was fast slipping away.
“The younger one … Sierra. And the older one … Diego.” she said between short breaths as tears filled her eyes.
“Yes, they’re beautiful names. I’m sure the twins will love them.” said Stal, no longer able to check the flow of his own tears. He was done being brave.
“Stal …” Rayva cried, arcing upwards as pain shot through her chest.
“Yes, my love?” said Stal, his voice thick.
“Stal …” she breathed again, her eyes growing wide.
And then she was still.
Stal held her body in his arms for hours, until he had cried out all of his tears. He then went out and buried his wife next to the spot marked as his own future gravesite. He heaved the last shovel of dirt over her grave and then planted a rose sapling on top of it.
“Roses were your favorite weren’t they, my beautiful...?” he whispered, crouching next to the sapling.
He lifted two fingers to his lips and then touched them to her grave.
“Always have, always will.” he promised softly.
CHAPTER 1
Sierra watched the broad back of his brother leaning casually against the fence surrounding the parking lot of the Bishop High School for Girls. Beyond the fence, cars were parked in neat rows. As he neared the school building, he could hear the bell indicating the end of school hours ringing. He grinned. Right on time.
The two of them met here at this time every Friday to ogle the girls when they exited the school building and to try and snare one as a date for the evening. It was a dare that they had posed to each other every Friday for the past year, just for kicks. The girls of this school were famous for being rich, haughty and aloof. Snagging one as a date made for a good boost to their social status. But it had to be a different girl every Friday or you lost the challenge. ‘Date Hunting’ was what they called it.
Once at the school grounds, Sierra would stand outside the fence and wait for the bell while Diego would jump in and stand on the inside- always on the inside- because if there was a rule, then Diego had to break it at least once. Sometimes they were shooed away and at other times, welcomed by the more daring of the girls. But they never failed to get their Friday dates and this, they prided themselves in.
Both brothers had grown up to be healthy, strapping young men. Diego, at six feet, was about an inch taller than his younger brother.
Sierra was the more laidback of the two and could be depended upon to be chasing ten ‘laydeez’ at any given time. Diego was the quiet one who liked speaking more with his fists and less with his mouth. Diego never chased girls. They chased him.
Both brothers had only one feature in common – their eyes; a light brown colour with flecks of jade green, surrounded by a dark brown rim.
As Sierra stood there, facing his brother’s bare back, he wondered how much time it would take Diego to jump the fence and come after him if he landed a swift kick on his unsuspecting behind right now.
“Try it, doofus, and you’re history.” drawled Diego.
“How’d you know I was behind?!” exclaimed Sierra, coming to stand next to his brother.
“Spider senses.”
“Hmm…At least you admit you’re a creepy-crawly that old ladies daintily swat with their newspapers.” said Sierra, batting his eyelashes for effect and making a delicate swatting motion.
Diego turned to Sierra.
“I told you, if you want to sneak up on me, don’t stomp around like an elephant. Better yet, try dropping suddenly out of the sky.”
Chewing carelessly on a twig he flicked his dark hair back, put on his sunglasses, and turned his back to the sulking face of his brother. Sierra screwed his nose up at the back of his brother’s dark head. Diego knew he had movie star good looks and he so took advantage of that. According to him, modesty was for girls.
“So, who’d you choose to be your unlucky date tonight?” Sierra asked, putting his own sunglasses on and leaning on the fence close to Diego, scanning the faces around them. If they were dressing up for the laydeez, well then, he wasn’t one to be left behind.
“Speak for yourself, doofus.” said Diego, “No girl’s going to want to go out with a guy who has such a wild swagger that his hips are in danger of dislocating.”
There might have been a grain of truth in that statement, because Sierra’s walk bordered on a strut on most days. But still, who was going to accept that quietly?
“Oh, really!” snorted Sierra.” What do you suggest I do? Slink around like a shadow plastered to walls, all bent and hunched, the way you do?”
Diego tried not to react to that. He had a quiet, graceful, masculine walk no matter what Sierra said. A brooding stance, yes, maybe sometimes … but what was wrong with that?
“Besides, laydeez dig blonde haired guys” smirked Sierra. “I got props on you there, bro. You’re just a common ol’ blackhead.”
Diego had his mother’s raven black hair, which he kept hanging longer in the front and shorter at the back. He felt it made him look sinister and he quite liked the thought of that. Sierra was a blonde, just like Stal. He liked to wear his hair in the not-so-casual rumpled look he called a ‘bedhead’.
“I could give you an eye as black as the color of my hair, sunspot. Interested?” asked Diego.
“I’ll pass.” came the breezy reply.
“Then shut the hell up.”
Sierra did. For two seconds. He was about to open his mouth to speak again when he caught a tall blonde checking him out and automatically swept his hands through his hair. Her gaze met his and one side of his lips cocked up into a half smile and he winked at her. She looked down, smiled and shook her head, and then turned to chat with some of her friends.
Diego, who had watched the entire exchange, turned to scan his brother with a skeptical look.
“Where’s your petticoat today, darling?” he taunted.<
br />
Sierra glared at his brother’s smug face which suddenly appeared in dire need of rearranging.
“I felt hot today so I decided to chuck it.”
“Sure.” said Diego, not sounding convinced at all.
The weather in the town of Arrow Woods was usually warm and balmy, so the brothers roamed about only in their Levi’s. It was January now and quite cold, but it didn’t bother either of them. Diego being Diego, refused to wear a shirt even now. Sierra obliged his worried father by wearing a vest now and then but that, too, he would rip in places to keep it looking cool. Today he had decided to come without it. He was warm blooded enough not to notice any changes in the temperature, especially around a school full of pretty young girls.
A girl wearing super-tight jeans and a super-tight top walked past them, and both let out an appreciative whistle. She pretended not to hear and walked past them with a toss of her hair and their faces broke out into grins. They then turned their collective attentions to two girls making their way to a car parked right in front of them. One of the girls wore jeans and a tube-top that didn’t quite fit, while the other had dyed her hair bright blue and was wearing a sweater and hot looking mini-skirt.
Nice, thought Sierra, eyeing the girl in the tube-top. The girl in the mini-skirt reached down to remove an invisible speck of dirt from her shoes, bending lower than necessary. This earned her a hoot from Sierra while Diego just smiled mysteriously.
Sierra looked at Diego, remembering then that he was supposed to be irritating him for no particular reason. As the younger twin, it was his job, he felt.
“Happy birthday, loser. Where’s my birthday gift? ” he asked.
“Is it the twenty-seventh of January already, Shorty? Well, Happy Eighteenth, Si.”
“Who’s the Shorty, Stinky?” retorted Sierra, “And you didn’t answer my question. I said, where. is.my.gift?”
“Stop getting all weepy on me, will you? I don’t have any. Besides, it’s not like you got anything for me.”
“Well, you’re wrong about that...”
Knowing he now had Diego’s full attention, Sierra paused for effect before going on; “You may consider the fact that I let you be born five minutes ahead of me as my gift to you, brother.”
Sierra’s magnanimous gesture was rewarded with a thwack on the back of his head.
He was about to launch into another line of offense when he noticed that Diego’s attentions were focused on a pretty brunette whose books had just slipped from her hand. She bent down looking all flustered as she tried to collect the fallen books, while frantically pulling in loose sheets of paper flying all around her.
Diego didn’t make any move to go to her aid. He just stood there staring, waiting for a sign from her. She looked up then, caught him watching, and with a sheepish smile mouthed the word, ‘help?’
That was his cue.
Just as Diego leaned off the fence to make his way forward Sierra spoke in a voice loud enough to carry to her;
“It’s rude to stare at a girl’s cleavage, D.”
The girls shocked gaze flew to her top and she hastily pulled it up. Then, aiming a disgusted look at Diego, she quietly collected her books and stormed away.
Diego remained frozen where he was until she was gone, then he turned and was about to wipe the happy smile off his brother’s face but Sierra threw his hands over it.
“No, no! I have to go on date, remember?” he cried.
Diego uncurled his fist.
“Consider the fact that you have a face to show to your date today as your birthday gift, Shorty.”
With that, he turned and walked away, but not before ‘accidentally’ stepping on Sierra’s toes.
“Hey!” exclaimed Sierra. “Come back! That’s’ not a valid gift. You’re the elder one. It’s your duty to put me first, to think of me before you think of yourself...”
He was yelling now, trying to be heard as Diego walked away. But what was this?
Sierra watched in disbelief as Diego sauntered over to a gorgeous redhead in a convertible who was clearly waiting for him. Through narrowed eyes he saw Diego give her a quick peck on her lips and then jump into the seat next to her. As she turned the car around to get to the exit, Diego favored his younger brother with an evil smile of satisfaction.
“Why, that sly dog….” said Sierra under his breath, liberally cursing his brother. “He already had a date!”
He felt foolish suddenly, standing there all alone first yelling at the top of his lungs and then muttering furiously under his breath. He looked around to see if anyone was noticing, saw that everyone was, so he quickly searched for someone who looked shy. The shy one’s were usually awed and impressed easily and required little or no chasing. Besides, they were easier to pacify and less vicious when they found other girls hanging on his arms later.
He saw one then, standing helplessly by a car door that she was obviously having trouble opening. What a perfect set-up!
She looked around, saw him look her way and smiled shyly, revealing dimples.
Bingo!
Sierra swung one long limb after another and jumped over the fence. He then switched to a stroll.
No need to hurry, he told himself, don’t want to look over-eager.
He reached her and flashed a smile displaying rows of even, white teeth.
“Car trouble, sweetheart? Allow me.” he said, reaching down to the door handle and opening the jammed door in one swift motion.
“Thank-you,” she said gratefully and extended a hand, “I’m Gemma.”
“Sierra.” He said, as he took her hand in his and looked her deep in the eyes.
“You need a better ride. One that doesn’t jam so easily.” he said meaningfully, and smiled a slow smile as he checked her out from top to toe.
She was wearing jacket over a shirt, paired with a knee length skirt, slacks and boots. Clothes … too many clothes. She was very cute. If only she wasn’t so covered, he thought ruefully.
“What do you mean?” she asked incredulously and Sierra realized he had spoken his thoughts out loud.
“What I meant was… that I simply want to have more of you to appreciate.” he said, and then smoothly changed the subject, “Look, how about I treat you to some pizza and a soda? And you let me treat myself to your lovely company?”
He gave her his most charming smile, the one that never failed him with the ‘laydeez’.
It worked.
She stared at him for a moment, looking a little dazed. Then decided it was a compliment, and her face broke out in a dazzling smile as she opened her car door and slid inside, motioning for him to get into the passenger seat. Sierra climbed in, happy to have a free ride and a pretty Friday date.
As the car zoomed out of the school grounds and the music blasted from the speakers, he laid his head back against the headrest and smiled. This was going to be a bangin’ evening!
*****
CHAPTER 2
At nine o’clock that night, Sierra walked into his room stroking his chin thoughtfully.
He was thinking about the very enjoyable evening he had just spent with Gemma. He made up his mind to call her tomorrow for a date again. Another three dates, he calculated, and he’d have her at the kissing stage. That was the problem with the shy ones – you usually had to work a little harder. But the rewards… mmm!
Sierra entered his room and headed for the bathroom to take a shower. He came out dripping wet with just a towel around his waist. Looking around to make sure Diego wasn’t home, he made his way to his twin’s room deliberately dripping a wet trail behind him on the olive green carpet. Walking over to the cupboard, he took out a pair of Diego’s jeans and put them on with no purpose other than to annoy his brother. Finished dressing, he bent down and rummaged under a pile of old clothes for Diego’s stash of saucy magazines hidden underneath. Wedging one under his arm and content in the knowledge that his brother would be suitably irritated when he got back, Sierra made his way back to h
is own room and sat down on his bed.
Leaning back against the thick pillows on his bed, Sierra was admiring his reflection in the mirror when a small wooden box kept on the dressing table below caught his eye. Curious, he walked over to it and picked it up. He flipped the lid up and gasped.
Inside was a small and very intricate wooden carving of a woman’s head. He picked it up gingerly, turning it around slowly to inspect every line and curve on the beautiful figure.
“Mother... that’s you.” he whispered, as tears clouded his vision. “Mother.” he whispered again, softly kissing the thumb sized likeness. “Diego,” he said then, picking up the small note kept in the box below the figurine. And sure enough, the note read simply;
Happy Birthday, Shorty.
Diego had a knack for carving like nobody else. Those long, talented fingers of his had made for him numerous objects over the years, but none would be as precious to him as this one. Carefully, he placed the figure back in its carved box, wrapping it in a piece of velvet first, then he gave it a prime spot on his dressing table, clearing away the bottles of perfume, the brushes, rings and other knick knacks littering its surface.
He felt guilty then, for borrowing Diego’s jeans. Especially since he knew Diego hated anyone entering his room or touching his stuff without his permission. He especially hated sharing his clothes. For that reason, clothes were mostly the only thing Sierra ever borrowed of Diego’s. And he didn’t even want to begin thinking about the water he had dripped all over Diego’s favourite carpet. Or the magazine he had borrowed. Or the clothes he had unsettled… Shit. He had really done it this time.
He thought of the toolbox he had bought as a birthday present for Diego and felt it paled in comparison to the gift he had received. So he fished out a small pendant he had made for himself, and decided to give this to Diego along with the toolbox.