Nightsong

  “How long will this take?” I asked

  “As long as it takes,” Lusin replied. “I’ve never seen an adult Worg require training like this before, I can’t give you an estimate.”

  I frowned but nodded my head. “ I understand. Unless there are other terms I should know about, I don’t see other options. This is the best path.”

  “There is one last question,” Raest interrupted. “I’m sure you are aware of Lusin’s claim Fye. Do you support it? Is this generous offer laced with other motives?”

  Fye looked very offended. “Erohk no! You should know me better than that. I just want what is best for Sabyr, and that is to be with her people, learn from them! Lusin can take his claim and shove it in the Sol desert for all I care,” she hissed.

  Raest bared a sly smile. “Fine. Then I will only agree to this if Lusin rescinds his claim.”

  “You are joking! Never in a million years,” Lusin roared.

  “Then she will never be allowed to Vala!” Raest snapped back.

  The sound of blood came rushing to my ears as my rage flared. Ever since Raest declared me his bride, I had been pushed and prodded blindly into the fate of his choosing. No more.

  “No. Stop being selfish! You don’t get to make choices for me anymore. I will go to Vala. The claim and other motives be damned, I need this!” I roared, as I rose from my seat.

  Raest just stared at me, paled and ashamed.

  I forced my eyes to his. “Don’t you see? If I can learn how to control this other side of me, I might finally be a match for Naedis and Emathris. There would be no more sheltering. You and I can fight side by side as equals. We can finally… grow together. Isn’t that what you wanted?”

  Raest shoulders sagged as he tore his eyes from mine. A minute passed before Raest spoke again. “You are right. I… I trust that the preparations have been made then?”

  Fye and Lusin nodded.

  “Then, I will leave you to prepare. I have some things to attend to,” Raest said flatly as he left the room in a gloom. The rest of us sat a little stunned at his sudden acceptance, but Lusin was grinning his head off.

  Fye told me not to pack much. My clothes were far too thin for her snow fallen home and insisted she had plenty of coats to spare. I only packed one bag, some essential clothing, a couple of books and a writing ledger. As I rummaged through the dresser, Lusin’s soulstone rolled out of its silk package. I picked it up and frowned, shoving it into my pocket. It had been a source of comfort and allure, a promise of another life, but now it was practically useless. Lusin had won me to Vala without it, I had better return it.

  I finished checking my dresser, one last item snagged my attention. Ophelia’s red velvet box sat atop the dark wood. I could almost hear the music play. Logically I didn’t need it where I was going, but emotionally… I placed it in my bag gently, buttoning up the satchel and turning to the mirror. My face was still pale and gaunt, my yellow-gold eyes still a little dull, and my dark red hair hung limp around my face. No fur. Yet. Taking a ribbon, I tied my hair into a tail, hitched up my bag and walked out the door.

  Fye’s carriage was nothing like Raest’s. Not only was it larger, the entire thing was made out of a course white wood, the wheels thick and wide for snow. There was little decoration over it, small spikes on the roof and sides and a single ice blue paw had been painted on each door. The mark of Sargen. Attached to the front were two huge sabre-toothed beasts. Fye took my bag and passed it to her coachman, a puma type Kera, just slightly shorter than her. Besides him, a single guard sat at the rear, his coat as black as the abyss. He was huge.

  “Don’t mind the lack of guards, I always travel light. My sabres are far too fast, and you’d have to be insane to attack me, Herani and Kelu,” she laughed assuringly.

  “It will be a nice change riding in luxury for once,” Lusin’s voice came from behind. He swaggered over to the door peeking inside. “I bet you have some mean spirits in here too.”

  “Well, if you bought your own coach instead of running everywhere like an animal,” she said, rolling her eyes.

  I gaped at Lusin. “You ran here. From Vala?!”

  “Yep and hopefully we’ll have you doing it at months end,” he said with a wink.

  Fat chance.

  “You can’t just help but show off, can you?” Ophelia sneered as she joined us.

  Esu followed behind at a distance.

  “Does he need help with that?” I asked as I watched him struggle with a large leather bag.

  Ophelia sighed. “Oh, I already tried, he is stubborn, just let him.” Reaching out, she pulled me into her embrace, squeezing me tightly. “I will miss you, I wish I could come with you, but we are already two men down,” she grumbled, letting me go.

  “I can’t imagine the cold up there would be too good for you either,” I smiled. “Besides, someone has to keep an eye on Raest, and Esu don’t they?” I said as I looked over to the little Kera still heaving his bag.

  Ophelia grinned cheekily and thrust a small pouch into my hands. “There is some jerky in there… in case you get hungry and scary.”

  “Thanks, mum.”

  She gave another smile and took a few steps back. Looking to the wind, she said, “I won’t tell Nyx. That part is up to you.”

  “Thank you.”

  A large leather bag was plonked at my feet.

  “Here take this! There are a few concoctions to help with the aches and pains of shifting and some firewater for the chill,” Esu grinned. Herani, the coachman, picked up the bag as if it was a feather, placing it in the hold. Esu glowered and turned to Fye. “Just remember to feed her a lot of meat. Don’t let her get too cold, she is still plenty human, and if there are any problems, please send for me!”

  “Esu please. I’ve taken care of lions and kittens for years. I’m sure I can manage a wolf,” she beamed, leaning over to ruffle my hair.

  I turned to look at the doorway, Raest was late, and dusk was soon. We needed to leave.

  “Don’t worry, he will be here any minute,” Fye said to me quietly.

  True to her word, Raest came walking through the doorway with haste. Everyone moved away to give us space as he walked over to me.

  “I’m sorry for the delay, I had to finish these,” he said as he handed me a thick envelope sealed with the umbral moon.

  “What is it?” I asked, the paper thick and crisp under my fingertips.

  “A promise,” he said, the expression on his face perplexing. “You don’t need to open them now, just keep them with you for… insurance.”

  The brown sparrow pin sat upon Raest’s chest.

  “Thank you,” I said, a little confused.

  We stood together under the dimming light, unable to find words and unsure what actions to take. Should I hug him? Shake his hand goodbye? I was still so gods be damned angry.

  “I’m going to lose you, aren’t I?” Raest mumbled out, his expression dropping into remorse and sorrow.

  “What?”

  “I… everything I have done and now this. I’m afraid I will lose you,” he whispered, a hand hovering to touch me.

  He barely had me at all to begin with.

  That is what I wanted to say, but instead, I held up my ring to him. “I made a promise to you, and I intend to keep it. This time apart could do us both good for many reasons.”

  “I never wanted to hurt you. I wanted to keep you safe.”

  “So you keep saying.”

  “I will write to my family and tell them I'm travelling to learn about the country. I'm not ready to tell them the truth. Perhaps you shouldn't tell Nyx the whole truth either. Otherwise, he might come storming up to Vala, making a mess.”

  I meant it as a joke to lighten the mood, but little light came into his face. I finally sucked up the courage to take his lingering hand.

  “I will come back. I promise you,” I said as Raest ran his thumb over the top of my wedding ring. “But I probably shouldn’t take that.” I continued a
s I brought back my hand and pulled the night lily band from my finger. I could hear Raest sharpen a dreaded breath as I presented it to him on the palm of my hand. “Half Worg commoners aren’t going to have rings like this,” I finished. The look he gave me was devastating.

  “No. I… I can’t take that, I—” he broke off, his hands rummaging at the opening of his shirt. With his sigil in one hand and the clasp in the other, he pulled the necklace from his chest. Raest took the ring, sliding it onto his chain, offering it back to me. “May I?”

  “Yes.”

  He leaned forward, gently fastening the chain around my neck. Both the ring and the sigil hung between my breasts.

  “Keep both with you, hide it under your shirt. No one will be the wiser,” he said.

  “Always,” I replied. There was no way in Erohk I would deny him that.

  The light was beginning to dim, dusk beckoned.

  “It’s time to go,” Fye called, bringing me a thick fur cloak and placing it on my shoulders.

  Reaching out, I brushed my hand upon Raest’s. “I will be back,” I promised.

  “Write to me, don’t hesitate to ask for anything and mar viall, umbra ka yil,” he said in return. “It means be safe, darkmoon keep you.”

  “Marr ve all, umbra ka yeel?” I tried to sound out.

  “Something like that,” he smiled.

  My first words in Illyr.

  Raest turned to Fye, his eyes flashed to Lusin. “Please keep her safe.”

  Herani opened the coach door, allowing Lusin to enter first. Fye followed, and without another look, I took my place next to her. The door was locked, and the remaining circle backed away. With a heavy lurch, the wheels began to spin, and I leaned out the window to wave. “Mar viall, umbra ka yil!” I called as the carriage began to roll away.

  I hung out the window, watching the castle disappear into the distance. As we entered town, Fye called me to sit, drawing the curtains closed. I was a secret that must be kept. Once through the gates and free from the city, she opened the windows once again, and I hovered out of one watching birds fly through lavender trees.

  A hand behind me pulled the fur hood over my head, and I turned to frown at Lusin.

  “Pretty red hair like that draws too much attention,” he smiled, “Better keep that on.” Ever since we had left, he had sat leering, more arrogant and aloof than usual. Like he had won.

  “If you are going to bear that smug grin the entire trip Lusin, then we are already off to a bad start” I growled with a glare.

  He chuckled, his black wolven ears twitching with glee. “It’s not smugness, it's honest to Circae excitement,” he grinned. I continued to scowl at him, watching a spark light up in those apple green eyes.

  “You, me. Together. In our homeland. It’s going to be life-changing.”