Braid of Sand

by Alicia Gaile

  “We will fix it,” Caprea said with a one-shouldered shrug. “It’s not as if we don’t have until the end of time. And you.” Her head swiveled in an odd, owl-like motion to face Castien. “Itzal made a wise call when he chose to save you.”

  Blinking, Castien cupped a hand behind his ear.

  “My eyesight’s returned but now my ears must be going. Say that again.”

  “Don’t make me resent you more than I already do. Everything that’s happened here is still because of you. But as far as humans go, you’re a worthy match for her.”

  “Well, since we’re being magnanimous, I suppose you’re all right for a tree person too. If you were growing in my garden I wouldn’t chop you down.” He executed a deep, formal bow. Caprea chuckled.

  “I should say goodbye to Gursel,” Raziela said in a choked voice. Caprea took her hand.

  “The way down to the caves was blocked when the tower came down.”

  “I don’t care! I need to say goodbye.” Fat tears slid down her cheeks. A breeze blew them dry and Raziela brushed her fist under her eye.

  “I’ll miss you too, Aeris,” she said.

  “We’ll still be with you, even if you can’t see us the way you do now. You’ll find us in the currents and trees of your world. Now it’s time for you to go.” She pointed toward the fallen temple. Before Raziela could argue, Castien took her hand. Her lips folded, and two more tears spilled down her face like diamonds as she nodded.

  “We could try to shift some of the stones if you really want to go down to the caves.”

  She shook her head.

  “No. She’s right. I’ll find him in Phalyra, just in a different form.”

  “As if I need more nightmare fodder for the rest of my life...,” he muttered.

  They went straight to the temple. Raziela didn’t linger for any last memories. He could tell the shattered ruin of her sanctuary wasn’t the way she wanted to remember it.

  “All right, Great Mother,” she whispered once they stepped into the darkened interior. “We’re going. Seal it after we leave so no humans ever set foot here again.”

  She squeezed Castien’s fingers as they were surrounded by a familiar breeze. This time was gentler than any of the other leaps between realms, the difference between being carried by a cloud rather than a hurricane.

  When their feet returned to the soil again, Raziela stepped forward to press her forehead against his collarbone. She took a moment to steady herself to the beat inside his chest.

  “What do we do now?” she whispered. He opened his mouth to say something and then seemed to think better of it.

  “We go back down there and live our lives. Naiara gave us a stay of execution. The best we can do is make the most of it.”

  “I’m still her High Priestess. It falls to me to restore the people’s faith in the gods.” She exhaled gustily.

  “First things first, we’d better find cover. It looks like a storm is headed this way.” He put his arm around her shoulders and turned her so she could see the cloud moving with unnatural speed in from the sea.

  Raindrops pelted them like tiny, round pebbles. Castien flicked a dour gaze straight up into the sky, but Raziela turned her head and gasped.

  “Look!”

  The space over Sestrand Harbor was divided evenly between dark clouds and blazing sun. A rainbow divided the line between them as solid as a slide from the heavens.

  Raziela clapped her hand over her mouth and tears filled her eyes once more. Castien looked from her to the strange weather pattern.

  “What is it?”

  “The gods!” She took off running. Castien released her hand. It was either that or she’d drag him face first down the hillside.

  A CROWD STOOD ON THE beach gazing at the sky in wonder. Many of them bore scratches and rips in their clothing. They must have come from the square. Armelle, Osee, and Barak stood near the back of the crowd. When the sight of Raziela’s flapping skirts drew their eye, they rushed over.

  “What’s going on?”

  “The Goddess has forgiven us,” Castien replied, frowning at the sun and clouds.

  “She’s reconciled with Itzal. That’s Mazin between them.” Raziela beamed like a proud mother as she looked on at the celestial display. If Naiara and Itzal could reconcile their differences, there was hope for Phalyra.

  “It’s the High Priestess! Tell us, what does it mean?” The crowd cut itself in half, some staying where they were and the rest forming a wide semi-circle around Raziela. She took a half-step back, coming up against Castien. It bothered her the leap of panic that turned her blood to ice whenever she found herself around too many people. No one was even trying to harm her and yet her instincts were shrieking at her to turn and bolt. Castien put a hand on the small of her back and glared at them, warning them not to come any closer.

  Raziela gulped but rallied her courage and lifted her chin.

  “The Great Mother has given us another chance. It’s time to put the past behind us and move forward.”

  Silence followed her words. Some looked skeptical and others looked afraid.

  “What if she changes her mind?” a voice from the back called out. It was a valid concern that only time and patience could ease away. Still, she racked her brain for a suitable answer.

  “A relationship has two sides. So long as we continue to honor and respect her, she will not turn her back on us again.”

  “How can you be so sure?” Judging by the sumptuousness of his robes, the speaker had probably been a member of Herodes court. Suspicion twisted his mouth. Beside her Castien tensed, but Raziela lifted her chin and forced a reassuring smile.

  “I have spoken to the Great Mother and she has given me her word.” Her lashes fluttered and she twisted her fingers in her skirts. Castien slid his hand from the small of her back to curve around her waist and draw her tighter against his hip. They would face the future together. She didn’t have to be alone anymore.

  “Then, what they said about GrainGro destroying the soil... It’s not true?”

  Raziela lifted her arm and waved toward the rainbow.

  “If she can forgive Itzal for trying to lock her in the Shadow Realm, then she can forgive us for trying to usurp her power. I have seen her grow mango trees with nothing but rock and sand for soil. If she can do that, she can undo the damage caused by GrainGro.”

  “We’re not sheep!” A man stepped forward, and behind her Castien tensed at the sight of his curled fists. “We don’t need her to punish us when we don’t toe whatever line she draws in the sand.” Some of Raziela’s courage wavered as every eye turned to her, waiting for her response. She started to stammer.

  “There is plenty of room in this world for science, faith, and magic. But without balance, we risk finding ourselves in the same place we just escaped.”

  “I agree.” The crowd parted as Lady Pomona made her way toward them. There was dust clinging to the dried sweat on her face, but a gold torc gleamed around her throat. Thamar walked behind her, still acting as her bodyguard. When Lady Pomona saw Raziela, she held out both her arms.

  “This young woman has spent too many years paying the price for our mistakes. There is no doubt in my mind that it is because of her we have been given a second chance, and I for one don’t intend to waste it.”

  “Your Majesty!”

  Both Castien and Raziela’s eyebrows shot up as everyone present dropped to their knees in the sand.

  “Your Majesty? It looks like Naiara isn’t the only one in a forgiving mood today.”

  “Trust you to sour such a glorious moment with your brand of wit,” Lady Pomona said with the dry roll of her eyes she’d taught to her son. “I invoked the right of Polemarch. In the face of open rebellion, your father wisely agreed to step down from the throne. In the interest of peace and stability, I have agreed to resume my former role as Queen until a more suitable replacement can be settled upon.” She smoothed the front of her skirts and Raziela had to hide a smile.
They would have to pry the crown from Lady Pomona’s fingers, but there was no one better suited to lead Phalyra across the bridge of its past and present into the future.

  A gentle rain began to fall as the wind blew the dark clouds across the sky. Despite the water turning the sand and silt to liquid mud, the crowd didn’t disperse. Many tipped their faces up to feel the rain on their skin. Raziela stared at the rainbow, wishing Mazin happiness now that all three deities were reunited again.

  “Excuse me, Raz—Priestess?” From the back of the crowd shuffled a haggard old man sporting a cut on his bottom lip and bruises around both eyes. He’d abandoned the bright padded robes so many others wore in favor of a thin, cotton shirt that hung off his skeletal frame. It was not a flattering look, but it was honest. At the sight of him, her mouth went dry. She only had vague impressions of her life before the Temple, but she recognized him instantly.

  Lord Ardelean’s arm supported an even more bent and withered woman. When she came face to face with Raziela, she covered her mouth with both hands. Raziela could only stare. Castien came to her rescue.

  “Raziela, may I present your parents, Lord Hagan and Lady Ulla Ardelean.”

  She stood frozen. Water ran off her nose and her filmy priestess robes clung to her skin. Her father stayed where he was, his shoulders bent as if he expected her to cast him into the sea. After a long moment, she opened her arms to both of them.

  “We are so proud of you,” her father said thickly with his cheek pressed against her hair. “You saved Phalyra. I’m only sorry the punishment that should have been mine was put on your shoulders to bear.”

  At that, Raziela glanced over her shoulder at Castien.

  “I understand, Father, and I forgive you. Everything happens for a reason. Had you not done what you did I might never have gained the Great Mother’s trust. Now all is as it should be.”

  “Where will you go now? The Temple is destroyed.”

  “I—”

  “What a silly question! You are coming home with us, of course. We are overjoyed to have you back under our roof where you belong.” Her mother reached out to brush a strand of hair from her face. Raziela took a step back, overwhelmed and a little afraid.

  “If you’re not ready to go home, I’m sure my mother would let you stay at Waverly Hall,” Castien offered quietly. “You could have a room of your own until you get more comfortable being around people again.” She appreciated his easy tone. It made her feel less ridiculous for viewing her family home as a new kind of cage. But... She looked up at him.

  “I thought... Nevermind. Yes. Perhaps that would be best.” She stammered and looked down at her feet. Her mother looked between them. Her gaze sharpened when she spied his scar. At her indrawn hiss, Raziela’s toes curled in anger. Castien ignored her mother.

  “I also have a villa near the palace, if you’d like to stay there.”

  Her head rose slowly. Relief and shyness brought a flush to her cheeks.

  “Yes. I’d like that.”

  Lady Ardelean gasped, “Raziela, no! That’s the Shadow Striker! He’s no friend to the Goddess!” Hagan put a hand on her shoulder.

  “Dear, I think our daughter has earned the right to make her own decisions about where to place her trust.” His eyes met Castien’s but there was no fear, only relief.

  “Perhaps we can stop by tomorrow,” Raziela said to pacify her mother, whose composure looked brittle at best. Lady Ulla’s lashes fluttered with hope. She clutched at Raziela’s hands.

  “Please do. We have so much time to make up for.”

  “You’re right we do, but as Castien pointed out, being around all these people is difficult for me right now.” Understanding flickered in her mother’s eyes.

  “Yes. Yes, of course. Go. We’ll make sure no one follows you.” What she intended to do to stop anyone, Raziela had no clue, but her mother’s face brightened at the opportunity to do this much for her. She straightened and walked toward the rest of the people on the beach, towing Lord Ardelean behind her.

  “Castien, I’d like to go now,” Raziela rose onto her toes to whisper in his ear. She cast an uneasy glance at the people staring at her in wonder and admiration. Nodding, he steer her away from them toward the water.

  The press of eyes on their backs was impossible to ignore, but Raziela relaxed as the distance between them and the crowd grew. Whatever her mother had done to keep others from following them, it worked. She kicked at the film of foam thrown in front of her feet by an errant wave.

  “I never thought I’d miss the Garden when I finally got out,” she admitted. He nodded.

  “That was your home. Of course you miss it.”

  “I’ll miss my friends. I wish I could have said goodbye to Gursel.”

  A cold wave washed over her ankles, higher than any of the ones before it. A strand of something tangled around her foot and she looked down. Lying across the wet sand was a headdress made of rose-colored pearls.

  She snatched the gift and cradled it against her chest as she scanned the waves. Far out in the harbor, a pair of enormous eyes rose out of the water followed by a familiar green-gray head. When Raziela turned to look, the tall fan of spines stood up on its head like the ears of a dog at the sight of its master. There were gasps from the crowd, but Raziela beamed and lifted her hand to wave.

  “Gursel!” As suddenly as he had appeared, he vanished beneath the waves again.

  “Looks like I’m never going into that water ever again,” Castien said, his face paling. “When you said things appeared differently from one realm to the other I didn’t realize it means your pet monster would be ten times the size he was there.” With a small shudder, he took the headdress from her hands and settled it on her head. The pink pearls were a perfect complement to her lavender—somewhat bedraggled—robes. She felt like the High Priestess that she was.

  “I’ll have to get used to being around people again,” she said after a while. She sighed and rubbed her arm, wishing she could overcome the small failing. It would be difficult to spread the faith of the Great Mother if she continued to be uncomfortable in front of crowds.

  “You may be their hero, but I notice they’re still giving me a wide berth.” He kept his tone light, but his shoulders remained tight. She reached up to trace her fingers along his scar. She’d wanted to do it since she’d first seen it. Though he had every reason to resent the mark, she thought it was beautiful.

  “Once they know the part you played in the story, that will change,” she said with conviction.

  “I hope you aren’t thinking of telling them anytime soon.” Now there was laughter in his voice. She blinked up at him and he took a step toward her so that there was barely an inch between her nose and his sternum.

  “You said you’d like to stay with me. I’d rather not have to face the world for a while.” The intensity in his gaze made her stomach ripple with nerves. She smiled up at him and the rainbow still painted proudly across the sky behind him.

  “A while?”

  “I was thinking only a hundred years or so.”

  She laughed.

  “Aren’t you worried you’ll get bored with me after all that time?”

  “Half the fun of living is finding new ways to keep things interesting.”

  She laughed and rose up onto her toes to kiss him.

  “Then I’m ready to start living now!”

  Acknowledgments

  This book would not be possible without my incredibly supportive network of family and friends.

  A major source of inspiration for various elements in this story dame from my friend Lucy, whose battle with Ovarian Cancer and the courage through which she’s documenting her journey on her blog nothankshoevariancancer.wordpress.com and raising awareness gave me a model for the type of indomitable spirit to give Raziela.

  I owe a lot of thanks to my friend Christy for helping to brainstorm ideas and designs for the awesome cover. Nicole, thank you so much for your awesome insights and re
vision notes that helped make this story what it is now. To Rachel R. for coming up with the name for the Dancing Goat Tavern in my Facebook contest as well as everyone else who entered. You came up with a fabulous list!

  Then of course there are the awesome team at Snowy Wings Publishing. You guys always give such wonderful advice and encouragement. A special thank you to Lyssa and Katie for bringing me into the Snowy Wings fold. It’s pleasure to work with you all!

  To my parents for pushing me to never give up on my dreams. To my family who’ve spread the word and shared my posts, you guys are awesome!

  And I want to thank my husband, Josh, and my son, Jericho, for supporting and encouraging me to do what I love. Without you two none this would be possible.

  Thank you all for being so wonderful!

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