Mark if Destiny

by K. T. Webb

  “Face one another and hold hands,” the man instructed.

  They complied as the man in the shadows stepped forward with a golden rope. He wove it around their hands as Lord Mahuron recited marriage rites Honor had never heard before. “Two stand before me prepared to become one. Two destinies are woven together through the magic of Alderwood and given a new shape and direction. Two hearts have chosen one another, two souls have become entwined. One made of two cannot be torn apart when bound by destiny. Do you take one another in this life and thereafter?”

  “Yes,” they replied in unison.

  “Do you vow to support each other in the pursuit of fulfilling your fates?”

  “Yes.”

  “Are you ready to become husband and wife in the eyes of Alderwood?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then so it shall be, from this day forward and for all eternity.”

  As he proclaimed them united for eternity, an intense heat flashed through their hands. A bright light emanated from the point where the heat was most intense. The rope had been wrapped around both their arms, tied in an intricate knot over their clasped hands. The ceremony had been far different from the few weddings she had attended in and around Milltown. She had never heard of or witnessed the use of a rope or the bright light and burning sensation that accompanied the final proclamation of marriage. But as soon as it began, it was over. The rope unraveled of its own accord and fell to the ground. The only evidence that it had been there was a perfect golden circle around the third finger on her left hand. It was not a ring that could be removed as she had seen from so many others, this was a ring that would remain a part of her forever. Rowan had one, too.

  “Congratulations. You are now husband and wife. Unfortunately, I do not see much time for celebrating in the immediate future. You have quite a bit of money coming to you, I have taken the liberty of providing you with enough to help you on your way, but I will keep the rest safe in my personal vault. Should you have need of it, you will know how to get word to me.”

  “Thank you, Lord Mahuron,” Rowan nodded though still seemed to be in shock over the rapid succession of events that had taken place.

  “You are most welcome. Thank you for following the path chosen for you both. Time is running out, and the King is getting desperate. You must help our Queen to the throne.”

  Honor was taken aback by the boldness of his statement. She had already surmised that he must trust his guard implicitly, or he would likely not have allowed the man to remain in the room while he made statements related to the resistance. But it seemed rather brash to make a statement about a new ruler in such a place. Honor could not decide if it was the size of the room that left her feeling so exposed or the thought that she had been terrified of walking into a trap. Until she knew more about this man, she could not bring herself to trust that he was on their side.

  As they were led from the receiving area, Honor accepted the money and documentation stating they were officially married. She was overly conscious of their surroundings. Nothing seemed out of place, nothing seemed to scream imminent danger, but she could not shake the feeling that something was not right. Rowan helped her put the documents into the leather binding and replaced them in her bag before they stepped out into the busy square.

  There were so many people milling about that Honor nearly forgot the feeling of fear she had just been trying to force down. Rowan took her hand and led her down the steps. Before they reached the bottom, Honor caught a glimpse of a familiar figure. Her heart leaped as she realized why the woman seemed so familiar. They had only met once that she could recall, but the old woman had known Honor for much longer than Honor had once realized. Honor quickly pointed Rowan in the direction of the figure. Now, her face was plainly visible as she spoke with a villager at the market in Goldenlark.

  “Renata is alive?” Rowan tried and failed to not look awestruck when he noticed the woman ahead of them.

  Honor shrugged. “We never knew what happened to her. She went missing before the Makt invaded Milltown, remember? She must be the contact Mahuron was talking about.”

  Sometime between administering her mark and the massacre in the village, Renata had disappeared. They had no indication that she was or was not amongst the dead in their village. Honor could not help but remember the conversation she had overheard between the scouts in the forest before she received her mark. They had been looking for the practitioner. Perhaps they had not gotten all the information they wanted from her, and when she went missing, the massacre ensued. Was Renata responsible for the deaths of so many innocent people? If she was, how would she have known?

  “We know she wanted me to come here. We know she had been in contact with both Soren and Lord Mahuron. Perhaps she is the reason I have come. Maybe she knows where to find the future Queen,” Honor mused aloud to Rowan.

  “We should speak with Harcos and Eirny about this,” Rowan insisted.

  “We do not have time to go find them. What if she is gone by the time we return? We must go speak to her now.” Honor forged forward without another word.

  If fate wanted her to be the leader of a rebellion, the last thing she should do is stop and ask for input when she should be acting. A tiny voice in the back of her mind reminded her that sometimes acting first is the most dangerous thing she can do. She ignored it and strode directly toward Renata.

  When practitioner looked up, a wide smile spread across her face as though she had been expecting them. Honor furrowed her brow at the woman. What could she have possibly wanted to tell her in Goldenlark that she could not have shared in Milltown?

  “Honor! Rowan! I am so glad you made it. Gather the canthion and impaiso—there is much for you to learn and quite a bit of distance to cover.”

  Honor did not have time to wonder how Renata knew of their travel companions. The practitioner turned on her heel and led them toward the edge of the village. Rowan looked more irritated with Honor than he did confused about the situation.

  “We are going to get them, anyway. Stop looking at me like that.” Honor rolled her eyes. “This is Renata. She helped my mother keep me hidden and saved the princess from her murderous father.”

  “That is not the issue. I am not concerned over whether or not we can trust Renata. I am concerned at your flippant attitude when it comes to including the rest of us in your decisions,” Rowan glowered.

  “Don’t be absurd.”

  Rowan grabbed Honor by the arm. He turned her around to face him. “Honor, you and I are now joined as one. I would have followed you before we were bound together, but you know I will be with you now. Just remember we are trying to destroy someone who has ruled without thinking of anyone but himself. Be careful not to let yourself become the very thing we seek to end.”

  Honor stared into the eyes of her best friend. She knew in her heart he was right. If she was going to reunite the three kingdoms, she was going to have to stop thinking about what she wanted first. She must rely on the combined power of her allies to get them where they needed to go. She hung her head slightly as she realized how easily she had been led astray by her own selfishness.

  “I did not realize I was taking control. I was trying to be a leader, to be strong and independent,” she replied softly.

  “You can still be all those things, but when it comes to this mission, we have to work together.” Rowan gently lifted her chin until she looked directly at him again. “You have had a lot thrust upon you in the last few days. I do not blame you for trying to grasp onto something you can control. Just remember, you are not alone in this.”

  Honor nodded and offered him a smile. “I will do my best. I promise.”

  “Come along you two, the others are waiting.” Renata had reappeared beside them.

  Hand in hand, they followed Renata without another word. She led them through an alley that spilled out into a community garden. The area was scarce of people as many had gathered for market. The back end of the garden was lined with a
fence designed to identify boundaries more than keep anything in or out. Honor knew they would find Harcos and Eirny just beyond the neatly trimmed tree line. Renata deftly ducked between two wooden fence posts and continued across the field toward the forest.

  Chapter 16

  Honor grasped Rowan’s hand tightly. She wanted to reassure him that she had not forgotten his words so soon. Before they continued to follow Renata, they needed to find the others. The trek across dodging piles of cow manure every few steps the field was not a pleasant one. Honor was thankful for her pants and tall boots as she watched Renata hoist her skirts to avoid dragging them through the odoriferous substance.

  When they finally reached the other end of the field, there was no denying where Harcos and Eirny awaited. Honor heard their uproarious laughter before she saw either of them. Rowan approached cautiously, only hearing the odd breathy laughter of the impaiso. Honor wondered if he heard the canthion laughter as grunts and growls. It was strange enough for her to decipher the sound, let alone someone who could not understand the creature.

  “What are you two on about?” Renata asked.

  Honor was taken aback. “Can you understand both of these creatures?”

  “I can understand a great deal more than anyone would guess.” Renata shrugged.

  The two creatures fought to compose themselves. “I cannot say I have seen anything as entertaining as seeing the three of you hop your way through a field of dung,” Harcos snickered.

  “Yes, well, get your laughter out now, young canthion. We have a journey ahead of us,” Renata advised.

  “How can you understand him?” Honor assumed she would be the only human who could speak with Harcos.

  “I can converse with any member of the three kingdoms, and those who consider themselves separate entities. However, being able to hold a conversation is an entirely different thing from understanding. That is a life lesson you will do well to learn, Honor. Knowledge does not always equate to understanding.”

  As she spoke, the group had fallen into step behind the old woman. Storm clouds darkened overhead. They knew, before long, they would do well to seek shelter from the coming rain. Renata, however, seemed to pay it no mind. She followed a path that no one else could see, traipsing her way through the sparse trees.

  Honor took note of how different the trees near Goldenlark were. They were not as wide as the trees near Milltown. In fact, the further they traveled south of Milltown the more she realized how varied Ternion Forest truly was. It made her see once more how Alderwood could hold creatures like Eirny—creatures many had never seen or heard of, and how they could be lurking in any unexplored corner.

  “Excuse me? Where are we going?” Rowan interjected.

  A low growl of appreciation rippled through Harcos. The canthion agreed with Rowan, even if they did not speak the same language. A perfect example of the opposite of what Renata had said; they did not know how to communicate, but they were still capable of understanding one another.

  “I cannot tell you where we are headed, I only ask that you grant me patience,” Renata requested.

  “It just seems as though we are backtracking across the forest. If I am reading the sun correctly, we are now heading north. We have spent many days traveling south to reach Goldenlark,” Rowan continued.

  “Ah, and what, do tell, were you searching for in Goldenlark?” Renata quipped.

  Rowan looked at Honor with a shrug. He was following her on this journey, she knew he would not give away more information unless she gave him permission. Honor could not help but wonder why Renata had left clues in the papers she forged for Laurel, clues that led her to Goldenlark. If there was nothing for them to find there, had the journey been a ruse? To what end?

  “It may seem as though you are backtracking, but there are times when you must go backward to come out ahead. I believe your journey to Goldenlark was far more fruitful than either of you have shared with the rest of us. I daresay I noticed the binding bands on your fingers. Does that mean you have officially been joined in marriage?” Renata queried.

  Honor blushed deeply. She was not embarrassed that they had married, or that they had not told anyone. She was more embarrassed that she herself had forgotten all about it until Renata brought it up. From the look on Rowan’s face, he, too, had put their impromptu marriage out of his mind. They had gone from one thing to the next repeatedly on this journey, and while their marriage had been the least important thing they needed to accomplish, it had become a vital piece of their day. Honor could not even remember what day it was to mark their anniversary in the coming years.

  “Lord Mahuron married us,” Rowan said stupidly.

  “Yes, and why do you think he was so willing to make time in his day for something as trivial as a marriage? Those are normally performed by magistrates. Your marriage was the next piece in the puzzle falling into place,” Renata said over her shoulder.

  Honor did not like having their lives be talked about so flippantly. If everything she did was already decided for her, was anything she had learned about destiny and fate true? All the secrecy regarding the marks people received may be for nothing if everything was already set in stone. Somewhere deep inside, she knew there were other choices that could have been made to have led her down a different path. She refused to believe her choices were not her own.

  “How far will we travel tonight, wise one?” Harcos asked.

  His tone and words indicated a great amount of respect for the woman he barely knew. It led Honor to wonder if Renata’s ability to communicate with him had told him something of her character. Eirny had been exceedingly quiet once she was securely resting on Rowan’s shoulder. Honor did not know the creature well enough to read the expression on her narrow face, but she seemed to be watching Renata with a mixture of interest and apprehension.

  “We will not reach our destination before the storm begins, if that is your concern. But we cannot afford to wait it out. I am relying on the rain to wash away any evidence of our journey. There are eyes all around, but the Makt will not see anything but tracks. The gentle spirits of Ternion Forest will see us through,” Renata assured them.

  Honor thought she had an idea what that meant. She had felt the spirits of the trees stirring when they exited the caverns after hiding from the Makt. She thought she could feel them just before the Shadow Mages drew her spirit to their plane. Perhaps they had been trying to warn her of the danger she faced. It made sense that these ancient members of the Kingdom of Earth wanted to guide the band of travelers who had committed themselves to reuniting the three kingdoms. She could almost feel them as they walked. Just as a breeze blew past, she would catch a hint of a being; it would disappear before she knew where to search for it. Perhaps the wind itself held spirits of its own.

  As they traveled deeper into the woods, thinner trees began to morph into knotted, gnarled bark. This part of the forest felt older than any Honor had experienced. Moss crept up the roots of each proud tree, spreading to the trunks. It did not feel like the vibrant green plants were intruding upon their hosts. Instead, the moss seemed to caress each tree.

  The soft, musky odor of the forest enveloped them with each step. For a few moments, Honor had forgotten about the storm clouds looming until a shock of light splintered the gray sky like the branches surrounding them. Within moments, thunder crashed overhead. It would not be long before the rain cascaded down.

  Honor watched Renata for any signs of concern, but she seemed perfectly at ease. Rowan was stroking the feathers along Eirny’s spine. It had not occurred to her until that moment that the impaiso had likely never experienced a storm like the one approaching them. Coming from the far north, she had probably seen less turbulent weather. They always saw more snow than the rest of Alderwood, but to her knowledge, a storm had never ripped apart villages in the north.

  “It will be okay, Eirny,” Rowan whispered softly. “I have you. I will keep you safe.”

  Honor smiled at his gentle
nature. Eirny continued to glance toward the sky. She burrowed into her own body when the lightning flashed once more. Honor wished there were some way to protect the creature from the coming rain. If she had something to keep her covered, she would probably feel safer. Honor took a quick inventory of her own possessions. With the next roar of thunder, she had a plan. The small leather satchel from her mother would be perfect for the impaiso. She let the others continue ahead as she pushed the papers down further in the bag and arranged the stuffed bear to make a nest of sorts.

  “Here, Rowan! Let Eirny rest in here. If you hook the strap around your neck, the bag should easily rest under your arm.” Honor gently lifted the impaiso. “Would that be okay with you, Eirny? This will keep you safe from the storm.”

  “Thank you for your kindness, Honor,” Eirny replied in a terrified tone. “I would prefer that you secure the flap, Rowan.”

  With Eirny secured, Rowan and Honor rushed to catch up to the other two. They had covered more ground than Honor thought they would and reaching them proved difficult as the rain began. Torrential sheets flowed from above causing the already mossy forest floor to ooze water. Visibility was non-existent. Rowan gripped her hand and began to guide her forward. Honor reached out with her mind to determine how far they were from Harcos and Renata. She could feel the canthion searching for her just before their minds connected.

  “Honor, Renata says we are not far from a cave entrance,” Harcos informed her.

  “I thought she wanted to press on through the storm.”

  “The cave leads to a series of tunnels. We will simply take our trek below ground. But the caves can only be reached through a tree spirit. There is an ancient dryad circle nearby. We must find it to find the entrance.”

  Honor doubted they could find anything in the middle of such a strong storm, yet Renata pressed forward as though the torrential rains had no effect on her. Harcos had ascended into the trees. Honor did not know if a higher vantage point would help or if he would simply find himself less exposed to the elements among the branches. Rowan and Eirny brought up the rear, slipping in the increasingly sloppy mud of the forest floor. The ground began a gradual slope upward as they approached the base of Mount Jasper. This part of Alderwood fell victim to mudslides on a regular basis during the fall and spring. Honor had heard stories but had never experienced one herself. It was one of the many benefits to living far enough away from the two mountain chains of Alderwood—the weather stayed fair throughout the year.