Tokens and Omens

by Jeri Baird

  Zander touched the stallion’s flank and then his neck, whispering, murmuring reassurances. A vision of being thrown when he was seven rose unbidden. Zander dismissed it with a flick of his hand.

  His fear was that of a child, and he was no longer a child. His tight shoulders relaxed and the knot in his stomach dissolved.

  As if the horse understood, he lowered his head and nuzzled Zander’s face. Tears broke through the dam Zander had built to hold in his emotions, but he didn’t feel weak, and he was not ashamed. A weight flew from his shoulders. He was free.

  For a few minutes he stood with the horse. Then he turned to his twin and held out his hand. When she clasped it, her strength flowed into him.

  Day and night. Both fortune-tellers had recognized it in them. Opposites, and yet one could not exist without the other.

  Their fates were the same. They would live, or die, together. He accepted what Moira would bring, but could Alexa?

  He gave Alexa a boost as she pulled herself onto the horse and then settled behind her. They would find Dharien. They would fight together.

  CHAPTER FIFTY

  Alexa

  As Alexa rode in front of Zander, their energy flowed between them. His tender grip belied the power she felt. Together they were whole.

  During the night, jumbled images of finding Dharien and fighting black panthers had tormented her dreams. They were attacked and they fell, but the end always faded. She couldn’t see the outcome. The other questers would survive. Would Dharien, Zander, and she slake Moira’s taste for death?

  Two things she knew: she could not survive without her twin at her side and somehow, Dharien would be involved. It had been the three of them from the beginning. Even before the potion, Dharien had hated Zander and liked her. Had Fate arranged to bring the three of them together at the end?

  Tshilaba’s conflicting advice rolled through her head. Alexa could try to control her destiny or trust Fate. The final card had predicted she was the master of her destiny, but not in the way she was doing it. Tshilaba’s words haunted her.

  She glanced back at Zander. His brow furrowed, and she sensed his concentration. Was he thinking of his own prediction? They would know soon enough. It was the final day of omens. The panthers would come, and if she survived, she had some questions for Moira. And she wanted answers.

  They rode into a clearing. Twenty yards away, Dharien slept propped against a tree. Hornet stings peppered his face and neck. A bandage wrapped one hand, and blood seeped through a pant leg. He groaned in his sleep.

  Zander slid from the horse and stumbled when his sore leg hit the ground. He held out his hand for Alexa. When her knee gave way, he caught her. They were in no shape to fight the panthers.

  As the horse faded into the trees, Alexa pointed at Dharien. “He looks bad.” Her hopes fell. Dharien wouldn’t be any help against the panthers. As she stared, a pig materialized in front of him.

  “No!” Zander sprinted toward Dharien. “Hoy!” he yelled. “Wake up!”

  Dharien opened pain-glazed eyes and his swollen fingers fumbled with his pouch.

  The pig lowered its head and charged. Zander leaped to shield Dharien. He landed hard between them.

  No, no, no. It wasn’t the time for Zander to be a hero. Not for Dharien.

  The pig lifted Zander and tossed him aside, but it gave Dharien the time he needed to throw out a butterfly. When the danger was gone, Dharien glared at Zander.

  While breathing hard, Zander crawled to the tree and propped himself up next to Dharien. “You owe me.”

  Dharien scrambled away from him. “I don’t owe you anything.” His breath became ragged and he wiped at his eyes. “Why would you do that? Why would you risk your life to help me? I hate you.” He slapped his hand against the ground. “I hate you!”

  Zander shrugged, and Alexa moved in. She handed Zander the jar of salve. “You have a cut on your cheek.”

  Kneeling next to Dharien, Alexa opened her water skin. “Drink.” He gulped until she pulled it away. “Not too much, you’ll get sick.”

  Her warning came too late. Dharien rolled to his hands and knees and vomited until dry heaves racked him. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve and stared vacantly at Alexa.

  “Leave me to die. Moira must want it.”

  She motioned for Zander to help her lift Dharien to sit against the tree.

  “We’ll help you,” she said softly. “No one has to die.”

  Zander tried to smear ointment on Dharien’s stings, but he slapped his hand away. Zander flipped the salve to Alexa. “You do it.”

  Alexa removed the bandage on Dharien’s hand. She gasped at the pus-filled lesion across his palm.

  “What happened?”

  “The first day a snake got me before I could throw a bird token. I had to use my patron to save my life.” Shame colored his face. “He was brave for a mouse. He stood there and let the snake swallow him whole.” Dharien shuddered and turned away, but Alexa saw his tears.

  “I deserve to die. I can’t go back to the village. Everyone knows how I got Zander’s tokens. Father pretended he didn’t believe you in church, but he did.” He sobbed. “Even Greydon hates me. I’ll never live down the shame.”

  Dharien would never be able to fight his panther in the shape he was in. Alexa had to do something to help him past his despair. She placed her hand on his cheek. “I need you, Dharien.” At the look of hope in his eyes, she said, “I had a dream. We have to fight together or none of us will survive.” It was only a small lie.

  Dharien stared at Alexa as if for the first time and paled when he noticed her face. “You’re hurt?”

  “No worse than you.” She searched his eyes. “Will you help me? If Moira wants us to die, we will, but please, Dharien, I beg you not to give up. Please?”

  He looked down and then reached for her hand. When he brought himself to look at her, he seemed to draw from her energy. “I’d give my life to save you, Alexa. I’ll do everything I can to keep you and Zander alive.”

  She leaned in and kissed his cheek. “Thank you. I’ll find some comfrey for your palm.” She nodded toward Zander. “You two need to talk.”

  As Alexa hunted for the herb, she grimaced at the blackened plants she found first. Her embroidery hadn’t helped like she expected. She found healthy plants and some berries and hurried back. She spied Zander’s head bent toward Dharien, both nodding. Tokens lay on the ground. When a bird cried out behind her, they turned somber eyes her way. She’d wanted them to talk, but this looked more like scheming than a reconciliation.

  “What’s going on?” she demanded.

  Her twin’s cheeks flushed, but he met her stare. “We have a plan.”

  Alexa’s gut clenched. She was sure she wasn’t going to like it.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-ONE

  Zander

  After Alexa had disappeared into the woods, Zander turned to Dharien. He looked stronger than when they first found him. Whatever Alexa had said to him had helped. “Look. You can hate me all you want, but we need to work together.” When Dharien glared at him, Zander asked, “Have you fought your panther?”

  Dharien tightened his lips and shook his head.

  “You say you love my sister. We need to protect her. Together we have a chance.”

  After a moment, Dharien’s face softened. “Do you think she could ever love me?”

  Not in a hundred years, Zander thought, but he said, “Let’s keep her alive and worry about love later, huh?”

  His face hardened, but Dharien nodded. He opened his pouch and dumped the tokens to the ground. There weren’t many left.

  Alexa’s voice rang out from across the clearing,

  “What’s going on?”

  Zander gritted his teeth. He knew his sister, and she wasn’t going to like their plan. “We’ve agreed to fight your panther first.�
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  “We?” She crossed her arms. “I didn’t agree.”

  Dharien leaned against the tree. “I said I’d help you. We’ll protect you.”

  “Protect me?” She jabbed her finger in Zander’s chest. “We’ve fought our omens together. Together.”

  Stepping back, Zander tried to reason with her. “And we still will, but yours first.”

  “No.”

  “It’s yours or Dharien’s.” Zander rubbed his neck. “I can’t control when mine shows.”

  He hid a smile as Alexa slumped next to the tokens and took out her bag. “What’s the plan?”

  As they munched on bread and berries, they surveyed the pooled tokens. Zander asked Dharien, “Where’s my token for Shadow?” When Dharien looked confused, Zander added, “I don’t want it. Keep it hidden.” He caught Dharien’s glance at Alexa.

  Pointing to the golden mountain lion token, Zander said, “We’ll use this first. It should take care of Alexa’s panther.”

  She frowned. “We have bird tokens left. If we use two or three for the second panther, they might distract it while we fight.”

  They explained to Dharien how they’d fought omens with omens, and after he sat quiet for awhile, Dharien said, “We could use my final pig omen and hope it fights the panther. Even if it isn’t killed, it would be weakened.” He showed them a spear he’d made from a broken limb. “We could make another.”

  “Two more,” Alexa added.

  Zander blanched. “You’re already injured, and you’ve never fought. We have.”

  “You’re both injured too. It’s going to take three of us.” Alexa tilted her head, daring him to disagree.

  Glancing sideways at Alexa, Dharien countered. “You could use the rabbit tokens. I have a lot of them and maybe they’d divert the panther.” He studied Zander and blushed. “Your tokens.”

  “We’re in this together now.” Zander pulled out his stones. “I have these, but no idea how to use them. I called upon the red one when I meditated. Its power may be done. I don’t know if the black and white one is a token or an omen. It was given to me as I pondered Moira.”

  Shaking off his uncertainty, Zander touched Alexa’s shoulder. “I promise I’ll do everything I can to help us through this. We’ll be ready to face the panthers.”

  “You won’t do it alone. Dharien and I will fight beside you.” She glanced at Dharien. “Won’t we?”

  Dharien’s shy smile at Alexa flustered Zander, but he gave a quick nod. “Together. Let’s prepare.” He broke a branch off a dead hawthorn tree. On the splintered side, he used a jagged stone to sharpen the ends for a second spear.

  As he finished, Alexa gripped his arm. She pointed across the clearing. Three black panthers stood under the canopy of trees.

  “No, no, not this way.” Zander stepped in front of Alexa. “Don’t be foolish. Let me protect you.” He turned to Dharien. “Throw out the pig omen.”

  The pig faced the panthers and then turned tail to scramble for the woods away from danger.

  The panthers held their positions.

  Eyes intent on the panthers, Zander whispered, “The pig’s not going to help. Get rid of it.”

  Alexa threw out a butterfly, and it swooped after the pig. She stepped next to Zander.

  The panthers paced toward their prey.

  Zander and Dharien stood shoulder to shoulder in front of Alexa. The boys brandished their spears as the panthers crept forward. Zander flicked the mountain lion token to his side. The power of the animal took shape beside him, and a low growl erupted from its throat.

  “Throw out every token you carry, Alexa.”

  She stepped next to Dharien and tossed the tokens into the air. Birds flew at the panthers, and rabbits scurried around their feet. Undeterred, the panthers advanced. The mountain lion met their snarls with its own.

  Forcing his shaking body to still, Zander drew deep within the earth for courage. He touched the wooden heart under his tunic that had saved him from the bite of the snake. The familiar calm flooded his body and warred with the adrenaline triggered from the panthers.

  Dharien leaned forward with both hands tight around the spear. “Let me protect you, Alexa. Get behind me.

  The middle panther crouched to attack. Its hind legs pushed against the ground. It flew into the air. The sleek body soared toward Dharien.

  Zander heaved his spear. It sailed into the chest of the panther. The cat crumpled, but momentum carried it on. A giant paw slashed out at Dharien’s cheek before the panther slammed him to the ground. Blood oozed from Dharien’s face as he struggled to free himself from the weight of the dead animal crushing him.

  Alexa screamed as the remaining panthers sprung. The mountain lion lunged, and wrestled one of the panthers to the ground.

  The third panther leaped at Zander. The heart tied at his chest wouldn’t protect him from those fangs. Zander closed his eyes and accepted his fate, grateful it was him and not Alexa. The curse of the twins would win again.

  Alexa’s hand flew in front of him and tossed a token to the ground.

  “No!” he screamed. Betrayal flooded through him as a flash of gold turned into Shadow.

  CHAPTER FIFTY-TWO

  Alexa

  Alexa tossed Shadow’s token to the ground and threw herself in front of Zander. The panther knocked her to the ground, and razor teeth tore into her throat. A blur of gold streaked behind the black body as Shadow slammed into the panther standing over her. Fire exploded through her as the coyote ripped the panther from her body. It seemed she’d used Shadow for nothing.

  A heavy lethargy settled over her and the sounds around her grew distant and hollow. The smell of metal, like the coppersmiths, drifted from her chest as a blood oozed across her shoulders. Moira had won. Tears spilled down her temples and soaked her hair. She would have liked more time with Zander, but she didn’t regret dying for her twin. She couldn’t have lived without him.

  “Alexa? Alexa?”

  She struggled to respond as peace overtook her. Zander and Dharien knelt over her. Her twin pressed the red stone below the wound. The blood stopped flowing, but it was too late. She closed her eyes against the fear in their faces.

  “It’s all right, Brother.” She tried to smile.

  “We used all the tokens.” Dharien sobbed as he held her hand. “I’m the one who should die, not you. I promised I’d save you and I can’t.”

  She reached for his bleeding cheek. “Dharien . . . you’re hurt.” He bent to hear her broken words. “I’m sorry . . . I tricked you . . . I was wrong . . . to try to control . . .” Coughs racked her. “This is my punishment . . . can you . . . forgive me?”

  Broken, Dharien whispered, “I loved you even before the potion. I’ll always love you, Alexa.”

  Turning to Zander, Alexa rasped, “I’m sorry about Shadow. I’m sorry it didn’t work.” She coughed and blood spurted onto her lips. “Tell our parents I love them, and remember—our hearts are always one, my Brother.”

  CHAPTER FIFTY-THREE

  Zander

  What did Alexa say? Their hearts were one? How could he have forgotten? Zander grabbed at the heart token hidden under his tunic and yanked it from the woven reed. As he pressed it to Alexa’s heart, her hand gripped his. Dharien laid his hand on top.

  Three hands clasped in love.

  For one long, terrible moment, nothing happened.

  Slowly, the color returned to Alexa’s cheeks. Her ragged breathing evened. Zander stared as the wound in her neck closed, leaving a jagged red scar.

  She would live. His sister would live! They had survived the quest.

  Sitting back on his heels, Zander bowed his head. He had his sister, but he’d lost his best friend. Shadow was more than a patron. Moira had gifted him with a loyal companion. His throat tightened. How could he live without him?
/>   A movement at his side caught his attention.

  No!

  An adder faced him, ready to strike. Zander sought Alexa’s wide eyes and braced for the attack. The force of the blow knocked him flat. Shadow jumped in front of him and snatched the snake before it could strike again.

  Zander clutched his chest where the heart token had protected him earlier. Venom surged through his body. He shook his head at Alexa’s horrified face. “Moira won’t be cheated after all.”

  “The black and white stone. Zander? Where is it?” She grabbed for his pouch.

  In the fog of pain, what was once hidden now became clear. “The stone ties our fates together. Mine and yours. If we use it, we will live or die together.”

  Alexa dug it from his bag. “It came from Moira?”

  He nodded.

  Alexa held the stone over his body. “Tshilaba said I could control my life or trust Fate. I haven’t done such a good job on my own. Maybe it’s time to trust.”

  “I don’t think Moira can be trusted.” Zander struggled to push it away.

  He closed his eyes and drifted down the river in his dream. Alexa floated next to him, holding tight to his hand.

  He felt the peace.

  Had she used the stone?

  Was this their death? Their destiny to die as one?

  In the haze of the vision, Zander glimpsed Moira standing next to him. She whispered, “Come back Zander. Death is not for you this day.”

  Zander opened his eyes.

  Leaning over his chest, Alexa clutched his hand. She jerked up, eyes swollen, blood on her tunic. Dharien knelt behind her, one hand on her shoulder, his own tears falling.

  When she opened their hands to reveal the black and white stone, a white circle scorched their palms. Her voice trembled. “Together we live.”

  Just then, the rest of the questers stumbled from the woods and formed a circle around the three. Paal raised his fist in victory. “Together we survived. We all survived the quest.”

  Zander rubbed at the numbness in his chest. Two punctures marked where the adder struck him. He’d have another scar. “Did you see Shadow?”