by Jeri Baird
Zander pulled at Alexa’s hand.
“Is this right? Should we work together?”
“It’s the only way.”
His shoulders relaxed. She was right. They had to fight in the quest as one. When they entered the classroom, Melina Odella stood with the students. The priest was missing.
Melina Odella recited their instructions. “After the noon meal, you will be led to your entry point into the forest. Today, you search for shelter, food, and water. At dawn, Moira will send the omens; and over the next three days, you’ll fight to prove your worthiness. You’ll have a respite from the omens once the sun sets, but you can call on your tokens at any time. Use them wisely. Above all else, remain calm.” She glanced away. “What happens now is in the hands of Fate.”
Zander cleared his throat. “Do we really have any control, or has Moira already decided who lives and who dies?”
He caught the doubt in Melina Odella’s eyes as she replied, “Your choices determine your fate.” She waved her hands toward the door. “You are dismissed for the communal meal at the Quinary. Good luck on your quest.”
Frightened faces filed from the room. Merindah clutched her prayer beads. Kaiya looked over her shoulder with wide eyes as she followed Odo.
Alexa closed the door. Zander crossed his arms over his chest as the fortune-teller paced the room. “Where’s the priest?”
“He’s in seclusion. He won’t have anything more to do with this quest.”
“And what of you? What role will you play?”
Melina Odella stepped in front of him, her face twisted. “Zander, I’m sorry. I know it doesn’t mean much to you now.” He shook his head. “I’ve recalled the times you earned tokens, and I didn’t give them. You had so many I didn’t think you needed more.”
“I didn’t until you stole mine.”
Melina Odella shoved a bag at him. “Here.”
Alexa reached for the pouch and poured the tokens into her palm. She squinted, confused. “So few? You told me you’d help him.”
“It’s all I can do.” Melina Odella bit her lip. “Is it true you both earned a black panther?”
“It’s true. I have a mountain lion token that will help.” Zander glanced at his twin. “We’ll figure out something for Alexa’s.” Something that didn’t involve Shadow.
Melina Odella gasped. “You can’t work together in the quest. Remember the twin curse.”
“You’ve given us no choice.” Alexa glared at her. “Because of you, Zander doesn’t have the tokens he needs.”
“You can’t break the rules without consequence.”
“You didn’t have any trouble changing the quest when it benefitted you.”
Melina Odella flushed. “Dharien gave me no choice.”
Zander stepped between Alexa and the fortune-teller. “There’s always a choice. Alexa and I will deal with ours during the quest. How will you live with yours, Melina Odella?”
She backed away and covered her face. “It’s the priest who suffers now.”
The anguish in her words overwhelmed Zander. Knowing Father Chanse loved Melina Odella made him feel sorry for her. “Melina Odella?” He pulled his tunic down to reveal the red heart token hanging against his chest. “Thanks for returning it.”
Taking Alexa’s hand, Zander stepped out the door. They strolled to the Quinary, in no hurry to join their parents. This might be the last time they’d be alone.
Zander walked past the food tables, laden with dishes hastily prepared. Usually there was more time between the May Day Festival and the Questing Celebration. He and Alexa found their parents sitting with Merindah’s family. Without the priest, the noon meal began unblessed.
Mother whispered to Father, “The questers weren’t blessed by the priest and now the meal?”
He didn’t care about the lack of blessing, but Zander picked at the smoked pork on his plate, unable to find his appetite. For the families without questers, it was an excuse to celebrate, and the noisy chatter under the pavilion grated at his nerves. The fear his mother couldn’t hide made him feel guilty. What if Alexa’s plan didn’t work? If he returned without his twin, could Mother forgive him? And if he died, his last thought would be of her grief.
As the meal ended, thirteen villagers representing the guilds assembled in a line. Mother flinched, and Father lumbered to his feet. Zander followed Alexa as she hugged them.
Amid tears, his mother clasped him to her chest. “Come back to me, my Son.”
His father held Zander’s shoulders at arm’s length. “Follow your heart, Zander.” He leaned in to whisper, “Protect your sister.”
Elder Warrin interrupted. “Zander? I want to wish you well in the quest. When you return, I hope you’ll consider working for me. I’m sure Moira will reward your gift for hunting.”
“Thank you, Sir. If I survive, perhaps Moira will allow it.”
A chuckle rumbled low in Elder Warrin’s throat. “You’ll return. I have confidence in you.”
The elder’s arrogance didn’t sit well with Zander. “Sir, did you know Alexa is my twin?”
The color drained from the man’s face. “I . . . I didn’t know.”
“So, my return is not guaranteed.” Zander felt a perverse satisfaction at the elder’s discomfort.
He knelt and pressed his face into Shadow’s fur. “Father? You’ll take care of him while I’m gone?” When Father nodded, Zander continued, “If I don’t return, Greydon agreed to take him.” He held Shadow’s face between his hands and whispered, “Stay, boy. I’ll be back.” He choked back a sob.
Zander turned to the metalsmith waiting to guide him to his entry place into the forest. “I’m ready.” The metallic tang of copper intermingled with the sweat soaking the man’s tunic as he shifted back and forth, unused to ceremony. The other questers looked anxious as they followed the flags of the other guilds toward the forest. Even Dharien’s eyes had lost their defiance as he trudged behind the flag of the healers.
Alexa flew to Zander and grabbed him. “Find me,” she whispered before she bolted back to follow the weavers guild flag.
Zander jerked back at the conviction in her eyes to save him, even at the cost of her own life. His stomach clenched. Once again, he questioned if finding her was best.
When he glanced to the heavens, Zander gasped as Moira stood at a wheel of fortune. Two words blazed in red across the wooden circle. Live. Die. He gawked as she spun the wheel, but the scene faded from his vision before the wheel stopped.
CHAPTER FORTY
Alexa
As soon as Alexa left the sight of her guide, she pulled the embroidery from under her tunic. As she studied the quester’s positions, Paal’s likeness headed toward her own. Merindah hesitated, as if unsure.
Zander had entered the gulch at the far end from her and moved quickly down the side and in the opposite direction. Dharien followed Zander. The rest of the questers moved uncertainly, one way and then turning in another direction.
She hiked toward Paal to close the gap between them. Together they could find Merindah. He stumbled through a tangle of bushes as birds startled and flew to the top of a hickory tree, loud in their protest at being disturbed.
“Hoy, Paal! I’m here!”
His easy smile boosted her spirits.
“Your plan’s working. Eleven to go!”
She touched Merindah on the cloth. “She’s next.”
Paal pointed at Zander’s figure with Dharien not far behind. “What’s he doing?”
“I hope he knows. He’s not heading for the tree.”
When they reached Merindah, Cobie walked next to her. On the cloth, Odo and Kaiya moved together, but going the wrong way. The other five slowly headed toward the tree from different directions. Zander and Dharien still traveled away from the tree. What was her twin thinking?
; “Let’s find the tree and then see who needs help,” Cobie said.
As they searched for the gathering place, they came across three bows and two of the knives Alexa had stitched on the cloth. Paal tested the bows. As he pulled on the strings each one snapped in half. Cobie threw a knife and gasped as the metal crumbled when it hit his target.
Alexa mumbled, “Forget them. Let’s keep going.”
They stopped at a pond with black and undrinkable water. Alexa sulked as she clutched the cloth. The stitched ponds darkened, one by one.
Merindah folded her arms over her chest. “I told you cheating was wrong. Something bad is going to happen because of your embroidery.”
“We’re still stronger if we work together.”
“That’s not how the quest is designed. It’s supposed to test us. I’m completing the quest on my own.” Merindah turned to leave.
Reaching for her arm, Alexa begged, “Please don’t go. Come with us for tonight. Please, Merindah?”
“No. I won’t risk my life by cheating.”
“Melina Odella said only six returned the last time there were thirteen questers.”
When Merindah hesitated, Alexa grabbed her hand. “Stay with us tonight. Decide in the morning if you want to leave the group.”
“I’ll stay tonight. But tomorrow I will go alone.”
When they reached the tree, the yellow ribbons had turned brown and fluttered dejectedly from the branches. Bindi and Yarra sat solemnly at the base. Alexa spread out the embroidery next to them. Odo and Kaiya still wandered one direction and then another. Zander and Dharien headed deeper into the gulch away from the tree. Tarni, Jarl, and Waku had teamed up and slowly made their way to the group.
Alexa pointed at the cloth. “We need to go after Odo and Kaiya. They look lost.”
Paal and Cobie stepped forward. Their voices rang out as one. “I’ll go with you.”
She scanned their faces, both earnest to help. “Paal? Come with me. Cobie, will you stay and help the others?”
Both the boys nodded, although Cobie’s shoulders slumped.
The first step in getting all the questers together was proving more difficult than Alexa expected. Merindah’s refusal felt like a slap in her face, although Alexa shouldn’t have been surprised. Merindah could be stubborn about what she believed was right and wrong. More troubling was Zander heading away from the meeting tree with Dharien close behind.
Alexa remembered Dharien’s hatred the day he threatened the fortune-teller. His terse words haunted her. He’d said, “I want Zander to die.”
CHAPTER FORTY-ONE
Zander
Zander entered the forest, unsure if he would join Alexa. Dharien trailed twenty yards behind. The thief had his tokens, what more did he want? Without betraying he’d seen him, Zander hiked away from where the group planned to meet. Zander could lose Dharien if he wanted, but first he needed to know Dharien’s intentions, and he didn’t want to lead him to Alexa. Let him fight alone.
He had a sudden thought. This could be his chance to reclaim his tokens. He’d lead Dharien away from the others and then loop around behind him. They were evenly matched, but if he surprised Dharien, he could do it. He could get his tokens back, and then he wouldn’t have to worry about being a danger to Alexa. He kept his pace steady and let Dharien shadow him. The diversion gave him time to think. To join Alexa or not. He had to decide soon. If the cage she’d stitched didn’t hold the panthers—and Zander didn’t think it would—Alexa couldn’t fight one alone. His mountain lion token might kill one panther, but not two.
According to the curse, if they worked together, one of them would die. If he joined her, he couldn’t be certain he would protect her. The determination he’d seen in her to save him made Zander afraid she’d do something stupid. It should be him, not Alexa, who paid for his mistake of losing his tokens. If he’d heeded Tshilaba’s warning this never would have happened.
If they hadn’t earned the panthers, the decision would be easy. Greydon had told Zander the omens started with the easier ones. Zander hoped he could wait one day before he made a decision.
He didn’t trust the embroidery. He’d tried one of the bows she’d stitched. When he’d shot an arrow, it didn’t fly true. And he’d passed a pond with brackish water that didn’t belong. He headed toward the stitched panthers. No omens could appear until tomorrow. He’d be safe.
The panthers’ low growls made him move cautiously before he spotted the cage. The bars held as the snarling animals threw themselves at the sides. What would happen tomorrow when the quest truly began? He hiked away from the panthers, away from the gathering tree while he considered his choices.
And still, Dharien shadowed him.
An hour later, Zander was no closer to a decision. Would it be best to join Alexa or fight on his own? If he chose to go alone, the outcome looked bleak unless he could get his tokens back. It was time to make his move.
He stopped abruptly. While lost in his thoughts, he hadn’t noticed that Dharien was no longer following him.
By not paying attention, he’d blown any chance to survive the quest.
CHAPTER FORTY-TWO
Alexa
Frustration with the peasant cousins caused Alexa to snap. “Why don’t they stay still? We’ll never find them if they keep changing directions.”
“Maybe they don’t want us to find them.”
She stopped so abruptly Paal bumped into her.
“You think they don’t want to join us?”
Paal spread out his hands. “We don’t know if your plan will work.”
Alexa flattened the embroidery on the ground. She gasped as Zander stopped at the cage of panthers. Odo and Kaiya had stopped moving, and the rest of the questers gathered at the tree.
Disappointed that the bows, knives, and ponds she’d stitched had proven useless, she worried over her plan to control the quest. She hadn’t needed to assume responsibility for the others. Zander was the one she cared about.
Standing with his back to her, Paal awaited her decision. Alexa glanced at the cloth and fear rose from her gut, sticking in a knot at her throat. Dharien knelt at the cage and the panthers raced free. Why would he release them? Did he know they were omens for Zander and her?
“Paal?”
He faced her.
“Did you tell Dharien about the panthers?”
“Uh, yes. I didn’t know it was a secret.”
She pointed to the cloth.
The blood drained from his face. “I’m sorry, Alexa. I’m so sorry!”
She recalled her father’s words. “Fate can’t be cheated.” It became clear what she had to do. “Let’s find Odo and Kaiya. Then I have to go to Zander. I have to warn him.”
They found the cousins arguing over which direction to go. Relief washed over their faces when they saw Alexa and Paal. As the shadows of dusk settled around their shoulders, the four joined the others at the tree. Their grim faces showed Alexa the fear the questers shared.
Merindah sat under the tree, hands folded in prayer. Her eyes accused Alexa. “This isn’t right. We’re supposed to be on our own.”
“No one said we couldn’t work together,” Alexa said calmly. “If anyone wants to go it alone, I won’t stop you.”
Kaiya spoke, “I’m scared. I’m staying.”
“I agree,” Paal said. “Together we increase our chances. I think we need a leader.”
Their eyes turned to Alexa. She lifted her chin. “I’m going after Zander.”
“I’ll go with you,” Paal said.
“No, stay. I’ll leave tonight and convince him to join us.”
The others murmured their approval of Paal as their leader, but Cobie challenged her. “It’s your plan to work together and yet you desert us?”
“I have to find Zander. We have the worst omen to defe
nd against. We need each other.”
“Dharien also has a black panther,” Cobie said. “I caught him stuffing it in his pocket the last day in class.”
Eyes flashing, Alexa retorted, “He must have earned it when he conspired with the fortune-teller to steal Zander’s tokens.”
Paal asked, “How did you earn yours, Alexa?”
She chose not to answer. She’d earned it by cheating with her favor, and now she planned to save them with her favor. She ignored their suspicious faces. Merindah wasn’t the only one worried.
“I’ll return tomorrow with Zander.”
CHAPTER FORTY-THREE
Quest Day Two
Alexa
It was a cloudy night with not much of a moon as Alexa picked her way through an overgrown trail, trying to follow the embroidery’s path to Zander. A tawny owl swooping overhead made her duck. She froze when a rabbit darted across her feet and waited for her heart to slow before she moved again. The forest even smelled different at night—earthy and thick. She regretted not taking Paal’s offer to accompany her.
Alexa fished out the star token she’d received from the Raskan girl. “I call upon the star token for a night of light.” The dark slid into dusk, bright enough to see her embroidery and guide her feet.
When she’d hiked for so long her legs ached and she stumbled in the near dark, Alexa found a spot under a willow tree. Curled next to the trunk with the branches floating in a veil around her, she felt safe. Dreamless sleep carried her until dew dripped on her face from the slender leaves. Confused at first that she was crying, Alexa wiped her cheeks. Why she was sleeping under a tree?
She slapped at a buzz near her head. A blaze of heat shot through her neck as a hornet sting welted, and real tears filled her eyes. The quest had begun. The hornet would be the least of her challenges.