Lily’s brows rose. Her mouth quirked, then she nodded once, sharply.
Encouraged by that admission, Ember continued. “I trust you, Lily. I don’t know why, but there is something inside me that tells me I don’t need to fear you.”
At that, all the tension left Lily’s shoulders and she slumped to the ground, not in a faint, but as if the strength had left her. It was the most vulnerable Ember had seen her. Tears sprang up in the girl’s eyes. “You have no reason to trust me, and every reason to spurn me, and yet you embrace me as one of your own. I don’t understand it, but I am grateful for it. Surely, some part of me must be okay if we share the same family. I can’t be all bad, can I?”
Ember came to her and sat, cross- legged, just as Lily was. “I don’t think any of you is bad, Lily. I think you’ve just been taught that you had no choice.”
It was obvious Ember had hit the mark with the expression on Lily’s face.
“You do have a choice. And from what I hear, our Grandma Asana is quite a woman. I have yet to meet her, but Uncle Shad says she would be a wonderful grandma to me. I can imagine how much happier it would make her to gain not one granddaughter, but two.”
Lily’s lip began to quiver. “I have a grandmother?” she whispered.
Ember nodded.
A single tear trailed down Lily’s face before she got her emotions under control and seemed to come to a decision. “I’ll help you, Ember. And if the day comes when you get to meet our grandmother—I’d love to come with you.”
Ember put her hand on Lily’s shoulder. “You’ve got it. I promise.”
Lily smiled. “Okay then, we need to come up with a plan. I hear you’re able to shift your shape, that it’s not just an illusion, or an alternate form, but you can look like a different person. Is that true?”
Ember was surprised. That little bit of knowledge had been kept very quiet. She nodded her head slowly. “Yes, it’s true. I was disguised as a boy most of the time I was in Javak, though I never changed the parts that make me a girl.” Ember reddened. “I just couldn’t do it.”
Lily chuckled. “I don’t blame you. I’d have a hard time with that as well.” She looked Ember over for a moment. “Do you think you could shift your appearance as a girl just enough to keep Rahdnee and Brendae from recognizing you?”
Ember had already done exactly that to take her bath in Javak, so she knew she could. “Oh, yes. Absolutely.”
The gleam in Lily’s eye was wonderful to see. “Then let’s sneak off to the baths, have you ‘change,’ and head to the dining room to test it out, shall we?”
“But how do we get past the guards?” Ember asked, glancing at the doorway.
Lily chuckled again. “There is a back exit. It’s hidden, so the guards don’t know about it. We’ll go that way. It’s closer to the baths anyway.”
Lily stepped to the other side of the room, pressed a knobby protrusion in the wall, and a hole opened into another tunnel. Ember could smell the water from there. Grinning, the two girls ducked through the doorway and moved down the hall, the stone door grating closed behind them.
Chapter Twenty-Two
The box car was in the same place it had been the night before, and Hadril and Graylin were already doing a steady business. Everyone from the group was there, including the boy, Jayden, who seemed to have gotten over his anger. He helped the brothers by taking orders for Hadril, and depositing items to be repaired around the back of the wagon for Graylin. They must have been up before daylight to beat her. That, or they hadn’t eaten breakfast. At the moment, she didn’t care. She tried to ignore Brant and Niefusu, who both stared at her, and instead she climbed into the back of the wagon and went to speak to the two peddlers.
“Do you have a minute?” she asked when there was a break in the crowd.
Graylin turned around, his hip against the counter, and said, “Sure. Go ahead.” Hadril unconsciously took same stance as his brother.
“Have you ever heard of the Shadow Weavers?” she asked, leaning against the shelves opposite them, her bag digging into her side.
The brothers looked at one another, then nodded. “We’ve heard rumors, but we thought that’s all they were. Every community has some boogeyman or another,” Hadril answered for the both of them. Graylin nodded.
Kayla gnawed at the inside of her cheek. “I was just in the dining room and I overheard some soldiers talking about the Shadow Weavers. One of them claims that a magicked charm that had been his grandmother’s was turned to dust, leaving only the setting and leather behind. That doesn’t sound made-up to me,” she said, adjusting her bag to swing around front.
Hadril shrugged and turned to a new customer asking for something for her joint pain. Graylin answered instead. “True or not, there’s not much we can do about them, but we appreciate the warning. We’ll take it more seriously, now that you’ve said something.” He looked her over and cocked his head. “Something else is wrong. What is it?”
She told him about the intruder who had come into her room during the night. Graylin laughed when he heard about the flute defending itself and throwing the thief out the window, but when she was finished, he was serious.
“Are you all right?” he asked, putting a hand on her shoulder and staring into her eyes. She nodded, unable to look away for a moment. “I’m fine,” she said, breaking the connection between them. “He didn’t even know I was awake.”
“And you’re sure it was a man?” he asked. “I know plenty of women who would steal that instrument just for the beauty of its tones, never mind what it is.”
She shook her head. “It was a man. He was thick in the shoulders. Athletic. I’m not sure how tall he was, but he definitely didn’t have a womanly figure.” Kayla blushed when she said that, but how else was she supposed to tell him it was not a woman? It didn’t seem to bother Graylin.
“Hmmmm,” he said, crossing back to the counter and stroking his short beard. “We’ll have to look into that as well. You cannot afford to lose that instrument. Even on the road, we have heard stories of the bearer of The Sapphire Flute, and how she battled C’Tan and won.”
Kayla reddened in earnest now, not knowing what to say. She was saved by the entrance of T’Kato. He leaped into the wagon without using his hands, the whole thing shaking at his entrance. Most of the time, she forgot how big he was.
The tattooed man pointed out the back of the wagon, seeming a bit angry. “We have got to do something about those two before they kill each other.” He didn’t need to explain who he meant. It had been obvious from the moment the two met that Brant and Niefusu were destined to be enemies. That’s just what happened when two men loved the same woman.
She sighed and buried her face in her hands, shaking her head. What was she to do?
Hadril, bless his soul, came up with the solution. “Separate them,” he said while counting change to his customer.
Kayla and T’Kato looked at each other, then at Hadril as he finished doing business, then back at each other and smiled. She wasn’t sure what T’Kato had in mind, but she could certainly think of several things that would keep Brant busy.
Now if only they hadn’t just broken off their engagement. He would never forgive her impertinence and the embarrassment the soup and milk on his head would have caused. But forgiveness, both him toward her, and her toward him, was a key in separating Brant and Niefusu.
Hadril turned and addressed them fully. “I will ask Niefusu to help me here. Jihong has already taken the water horses to the lake to fill themselves. and he is searching for herbs. I need an assistant, and Niefusu will do nicely. He knows more about herbs than Brant does, anyway. Kayla, I know you are angry with Brant, but he truly loves you. Take him to the forest. Eat together. Spend time away from the village—perhaps even spend the night out there together.”
Kayla blushed. “I don’t . . . we haven’t . . . I mean—” she started, but Hadril stopped her with an upraised hand.
“That is not what
I meant. Just be together and heal. You haven’t had time alone since you reunited, have you?”
She shook her head.
He continued. “Then now is the time. Go to him. Rent horses from the inn, collect a basket of food, and just leave. It is the best thing you can do.” Hadril looked at T’Kato, a twinkle in his eye. “For all of us.”
T’Kato looked like he wanted to object, and she knew exactly what he was thinking. He was worried about leaving them alone, unprotected, but the flute had proven it could protect her the night before. T’Kato was gracious enough not to say anything. Kayla pushed herself away from the counter, and as she passed T’Kato, she put a hand on his arm and said, “We’ll be okay. I promise.”
The tattooed man hesitated, then nodded stiffly and jumped down from the boxcar. Kayla’s mind raced. She had to handle this just right if she was going to get Brant to cooperate. Rather than going in search of him, she ran back to the inn and told Wendalyn her plight, then went to the stable and asked the stablemaster if she could take two horses until the next day. He, being one of those who had kissed her cheek after her performance, did not hesitate to saddle two of his finest horses for her. She thanked him and promised to return the following day.
Back to the inn she went, tying the horses’ reins to the ringpost out front and running inside. Wendalyn approached her with a large satchel of food and two saddlebags full of cooking gear and bota waterskins. Wendalyn grinned and helped Kayla put the saddlebags on the horses. Excited about the prospect of spending time with Brant, but still nervous, Kayla gave the serving girl a hug of thanks, put her foot in the stirrup, and mounted the black horse to return to the boxcar.
T’Kato had more supplies for her there, and somehow she found room for sleeping gear and something special from Hadril. It was a perfume he created from the combination of flowers Niefusu had braided into her hair. Probably not the best gift for Niefusu’s competition, but there was no denying how wonderful it smelled, and Kayla hoped that wearing it without the visual reminder of the flowers would soften Brant toward her. She took it thankfully and dabbed a bit behind her ears.
Then came the hardest part. It was time to find Brant. Well, finding him wasn’t hard. She knew exactly where he was—but facing him would be a challenge.
T’Kato pointed him out on the far side of the clearing, chopping wood with an axe in the hot sun. He’d removed his shirt and the sweat gleamed on his skin as she approached. She ached for him. So many times, she had watched him perform this exact task back home and admired the sheen of sweat that seemed to make his muscles so much larger. She knew it was an illusion, a silly thing, really, but she loved looking at him. She sat atop the horse for several minutes while he chopped and hacked, obviously trying to get his frustration to leave.
His hair was wet with sweat, but not sticky as it should have been from the soup and milk, so evidently she wasn’t the only one who had bathed the night before. She was glad for that. She’d have felt even worse knowing he’d had to sleep in the mess she had created. She slid down from the horse and walked up behind him. When he straightened for a moment to wipe his brow and rest, she gently touched his shoulder.
Brant spun around quickly, the axe raised in front of him as if he expected an attack. Of course with Niefusu around, he probably was. When he saw who was before him, he slowly lowered the axe, his eyes fastened on Kayla’s as if she were a lifeline. She saw hurt there. Sadness and sorrow, but also love. Still so much love shone in his eyes that she couldn’t help herself. Despite his sweaty skin, she threw herself against him with a cry, the tears pouring from her eyes before she even knew they were there.
“Oh, Brant. I am so sorry. I should not have treated you the way I did. Please forgive me? Please, please, forgive me?” Her tears mingled with his sweat. It was only a fraction of a second before his arms were around her, and he caressed her hair.
“Shhh. It’s okay, Kayla. I forgive you. I was being unreasonable and deserved it. I wasn’t thinking, I was so mad with jealousy. It should be me asking forgiveness, not you.” He squeezed her tight, seeming almost afraid to let her go.
For several minutes they stood that way, taking comfort from one another in touch before Brant pulled away and went to get his shirt. He pulled something out of his pocket, though Kayla could not see what it was. When he returned, he kissed her once, a gentle kiss that made the world spin, and then he dropped to one knee. “I know I have asked before, but I have been undeserving of your answer these past few days. Now I ask once more. Kayla Kalandra Felandian, would you be my wife?” He presented her with the charm bracelet he’d bought for her in Darthmoor.
Kayla held her breath. It was so beautiful, reflected in the sunlight. The tears started up again and Kayla could say nothing, but nodded her head and put out her left arm for him to fasten the bracelet. He did so with shaking hands, then stood and kissed her again. She kissed him with as much passion in return and it wasn’t until they broke apart that she appreciated the fact that they were alone.
Brant embedded the axe in the log with one swing, then put his shirt on and glanced at the horses, then looked again. “Are we going somewhere?”
Kayla laughed. “Oh, yes, Brant. We get a whole day and a night to ourselves. It’s all planned. No Niefusu. No T’Kato. No villagers or family or friends to disturb us. Just you and me. Are you up for it?” she asked, waggling her eyebrows at him.
He puckered his lips as if he were fighting a smile and answered, “I’ve been dying to get you to myself for days. Let’s go!”
Brant swung up onto the larger horse and Kayla mounted her mare, and together they rode into the woods, away from civilization and Brant’s competition. She had twenty-four hours to convince him that he was the love of her life, and she was determined to do everything she must to make it so.
Chapter Twenty-Three
The pools were as wonderful as they had been after her disastrous classes, though not as impressive as the baths at Javak with their towering, heated waterfalls. Still, it was nice to clean up once again and get her hair washed, and even more fun doing it with Lily, now that the walls were down between them.
C’Tan’s daughter seemed a different person, one Ember genuinely liked. It had been a long time since she’d had a female friend, someone other than Aldarin, and she found herself very grateful for it, and the fact that Lily was true family made it even better.
Once done, they got out of the pools, collected fresh robes and underclothes, and went into a private dressing room. Normally they would have each gotten their own, but Ember wanted Lily to check her work when she shifted and be sure that everything was in place. She would hate to go out in public with a droopy eye or something. So they dressed quickly, then Ember sat on the stool while Lily leaned against the wall, her hands behind her back, and Ember began to change. At least this time, it was just her face she was changing, and not her whole body. That would make it easier. And then she had second thoughts about that. Her body was part of who she was. If she was truly going to be in disguise, it would probably be best to make a few subtle shifts to her body as well. Ember sighed. It was going to hurt, but this time she wouldn’t have an achy backside from sprouting a tail.
Ember started with her nose, pulling and lengthening it, then flaring the nostrils a bit. After that, she moved on to her eyes and cheekbones, her forehead and chin, then changed her hair from deep brown to a dark blonde and lengthened it, adding some natural wavy curls. She opened her eyes and looked at Lily then, checking her reaction. The girl’s eyes were bugging out of her head. Ember grinned. Lily stepped forward and touched Ember’s face, then shivered. “That’s just eerie. I’ve never seen anything like it.”
“Do you think I’m weird?” Ember asked, suddenly unsure of herself.
“No,” Lily answered. “Just different. Are you going to make any other changes?”
“Yes,” Ember said. “I think it would be a good idea to make a few body changes. A body can be as identifiable as a fac
e, don’t you think?”
“Oh, definitely,” Lily answered, and leaned back against the wall. Ember prepared herself and went to the one thing she said she would never change. Her chest. She’d always been a modest size, and she considered going bigger, but was afraid that would draw a different kind of attention, one she didn’t want, so she shrank her breast size down just a little. It would serve two purposes. One in making her more unidentifiable, and two, it would make her look younger. After that, she added about fifteen pounds to her body, broadened her shoulders, and shortened her neck.
She was drenched in sweat when she was finished and wished she had waited to take her bath until after she had shifted, but it was too late now. She didn’t want to bathe again. It took too long. One more change and she would be done. After having shrunk her chest to make herself look younger, she decided to make her face look a few years younger as well. She rounded it a little more, made her eyes bigger, and called it good. She glanced at Lily, who was shaking her head.
“You don’t look like you’re even related to yourself,” she said.
“That’s kind of the point.” Ember gathered up her towel and moved to open the door. “Is everything in place? Am I fit for public viewing?” she asked, her stomach suddenly aflutter.
Lily’s smile was enough to reassure her. “Oh, yes. You look great. Hey,” she said, grabbing Ember’s elbow before she could leave. “Thank you. I don’t know if I’ll ever be able to tell you what you’ve done for me. I feel free for the first time in my life.”
Ember put her hand on Lily’s shoulder, then impulsively pulled her into a hug. Lily was stiff at first, then suddenly melted against her, as if all the walls had fallen down, and when they pulled away, there were tears in her eyes. The girl cleared her throat, then said, “I’ve been thinking. If we go anywhere together, people are eventually going to guess who you are. I’ll go to the dining hall, but I’m going to sit apart from you, okay? We’ll have to figure out sleeping arrangements later, but for now, let’s pretend we don’t know each other. It’s safer.”
The Armor of Light Page 20