Mark if Destiny

by K. T. Webb

  “Honor! Honor, honey, I think you are having a nightmare. I am here. You are safe.” The tone of Maris’ voice brought Honor plummeting back to reality.

  She opened her eyes. She was in the hut, the sound had stopped, and there were people staring at her. A few of the faces she recognized from camp. Saige was among them, a terrified expression etched across her features. Gray looked every bit the concerned father as he stooped just behind Maris. Honor shifted her focus back to the woman in front of her. Maris still grasped Honor by the wrists.

  “I . . . am sorry. I guess it was a dream. But I have been there before. It was not a dream before.” Her confusion was accentuated by the mixed stares of the people crowded in the hut.

  “You were screaming,” Gray explained. “I have never heard anything so terrible in my life. I thought you were being attacked.”

  “No, I was not the one screaming. It was the Shadow Mages. They were so angry with me for turning them down once again,” Honor explained.

  From the looks on the faces around her, not many had heard of the Shadow Mages. Maris, Gray, and Saige all seemed appropriately concerned, but the people of Frosthaven seemed to think her crazy. Honor focused on what she knew. The Shadow Mages were real. They were still focused on bringing her to their side. They had threatened her by indicating they would tell her father who she was if she did not give in to them. Honor considered what the scenarios they had shown her in the fog meant. They must know about Legacy. They must know in order for Honor to assume the throne, Legacy would have to be dead. Which meant they had to know Legacy was also the daughter of the king; why had they not tried to sway her? She decided she would have to ask Renata if Legacy was somehow protected from the Shadow Mages. If she was, Honor would ask for the same protection. It terrified her knowing she had been so close to taking the power they were offering. If Legacy had not called out to her, she may have fallen headfirst into the darkness.

  That brought up another thought; how did Legacy know Honor needed her at that very moment? She had heard of twins being connected to the point they were able to speak to one another telepathically or see through the eyes of the other in times of need. She and Legacy were not twins, and yet they seemed to share a similar connection. Honor added her thoughts to the growing list of things she would have to talk to Renata about when she returned to Kilgore. By the time she had stopped running through her latest encounter with the Shadow Mages, the hut had all but cleared out. The only people remaining were the three people who seemed to know exactly what she was talking about.

  “Honor, have you seen the mages before?” Maris asked.

  She nodded. “In the woods, they took my spirit somewhere else. They want me to join them, to accept the power that comes with the darkness.”

  “You must resist them at all costs,” Gray insisted. “Nothing good can come from darkness so absolute it snuffs out your light.”

  Honor furrowed her brow. “That is an interesting thing to say.”

  “I have witnessed firsthand what can happen when someone manipulates the wild magic for their own purposes. My sister was killed by her own thirst for power. I will not stand by and watch that happen again.” Gray rose to his feet, clearly agitated.

  “Gray, do not worry. I have faced them twice and have given them the same answer both times. I will not trade what is right for what is easy,” Honor said the words, but a shred of doubt bloomed in her chest as she thought about reaching for the power they offered.

  “I can tell from your face that something was different this time. I hope for all our sakes that, should they ask again, your answer will remain the same,” Maris warned.

  Honor nodded but could not say what had caused her to consider it, even for a moment. The idea that she may not be able to control her own choices terrified her. There were too many people counting on her to lose control even for a moment because that one moment could spell disaster for all of Alderwood. Honor knew she had to speak with Renata about how to face the Shadow Mages. The sooner she could return to Kilgore, the better.

  “Have you made plans for our journey to Kilgore? You said we could leave tomorrow.”

  “Yes, we will leave at dawn. There are quite a few people ready to join our cause. They will travel with us, but some may arrive later because our resources are limited. Gray, Saige, and a few of the men will accompany you on horseback. The rest of us will travel by foot.”

  Honor felt her chest tighten at the thought of being separated from Maris so soon after being reunited. Her surrogate mother must have sensed her apprehension, because she grasped her hand comfortingly. The reassurance in her eyes eased the anxiety building within Honor, but only slightly. She was relieved to find her family mostly intact after leaving them near Milltown. She knew she should be grateful to find them again at all. Many people had lost family to the Makt and would never see them again. In the end, she agreed they were doing what they could, and the plan was solid. If she was not injured, Honor would have insisted on traveling as a group to avoid any other woldigo encounters. She had learned they did not travel in packs, but there were always more waiting in the wild.

  “Before we worry about tomorrow, we are going to help you over to the meeting hall. There are a lot of people here who want to meet you.” Gray reached out to help her to her feet.

  Apprehension bubbled up in her belly. She knew they wanted to meet the daughter of the king, the one who would lead them into battle. It was only natural for them to be curious, but there were so many things she would not be able to answer. They would want to know battle strategies; they would want to determine if she was worthy of their allegiance. Honor had no idea how to convince them they should follow her other than her claim of being chosen by destiny. Honor had one arm wrapped around Saige’s shoulder and the other around Gray. They followed Maris to a large domed building as Honor hobbled along between her human crutches.

  It was early evening, so Honor was able to get her first real look at Frosthaven since arriving. The buildings were all circular with angled roofs leading to a central stack. The column that came from the middle of each structure seemed to be some kind of chimney releasing tufts of smoke into the air. Compared to the uniform, box-like buildings in Milltown, these almost seemed primitive; only slightly more civilized than the tents in the camp she grew up in. She understood the need for such sharply angled roofs with the amount of snow piled around; the flat roofs of the villages she had visited in County O’Hehir would have collapsed under the weight. It was hard to tell much about the roads in Frosthaven, because they were covered in ice and snow. Honor wondered if the snow ever melted this far north. Considering the name of the town and The Ice Forest surrounding it, she found it likely they were living in a perpetual winter.

  “Everyone is waiting for us in the town hall. We will eat dinner, then I believe people will have some questions for you,” Gray told her.

  “What if I make a fool of myself? We do not have a solid plan of attack yet; they will think I am completely inept.”

  “They will think what they will think. Even if you had the right answers to every question, there would always be someone who does not deem you worthy. Believe me, regardless of what you say in there, they will follow you because of what you have in here.” Gray pointed to his chest.

  “Thank you, Gray.”

  The moment they entered the hall, the clamoring sounds that had been exploding from within instantly silenced. Every head turned in their direction causing Honor to swallow hard against the lump in her throat. The longest walk of her life was from the entrance of that room to the table positioned at the head of it all. Honor held her head high, making eye contact with as many people as she could along the way. Nerves jumped around inside her chest like gnats flitting around fresh fruit. Honor would not let this be the moment she gave in to the fear of failure.

  Gray helped Honor into a chair while Saige moved a stool in front of her to prop up her foot. She felt like a performing animal. All eyes were on
her, even the smallest of children seemed to sense their interest in the young woman at the front of the room. Honor did not feel a need to speak, there were no words for her to share with the people gathered there. She certainly was not in the frame of mind to come up with a rousing speech to rally the troops. Whatever they were expecting from her would have to come from them. Slowly, their interests turned to other things as food was announced and everyone began lining up to get their meal. Gray delivered food to Honor and took his place next to Maris on the other side of the table. Saige stayed close by, undoubtedly searching for a bit of normalcy in such a chaotic time in her life. Honor could tell she was grieving the loss of a son who was alive but out of her reach.

  “Saige, you know you could not have done anything different to change the outcome of what happened at Milltown and our camp,” Honor whispered.

  Saige offered a solemn expression. “Neither of us can truly know that. I do not know that I will ever have answers. My son is gone, the boy I raised to be strong and stand for what is right disappeared. I do not know how long he was someone else, but the day he led the Makt to our home, the boy I knew was gone.”

  Honor felt her pain deeply. The losses they had suffered were terrible, but she could think of nothing worse than having a piece of her heart walking around with the enemy. “One day, we will know. A time will come when Ash has to make a final decision. His choices will define him, but his actions will not reflect on you. My heart breaks for the boy I remember playing with as a child. I will not accept that he was always this person. I believe the Makt got to him somehow. They turned him from the good in life and twisted his grief into hate.”

  “Thank you, Honor. It means so much to know you could still have faith in the goodness that once lived in my son. He was not raised to be hateful. He was raised to be brave, like his father. Maybe I put too much on him. Maybe they found a way in because I let him feel my grief deeper than he needed to.”

  Honor leaned over and pulled Saige into a side hug. No matter what words she conjured, only time would heal the soul of a grieving mother. Honor could not imagine having to lose someone who was still alive. The idea that Ash had chosen to abandon his mother made her stomach turn. She did not know if he was the reason so many died in Milltown, but she knew he brought the enemy to their home. He was the reason Rowan still believed his own mother was dead.

  “Are you the daughter of King Junius?” A deep voice startled Honor from her thoughts.

  “Well, I recently learned he is my birth father, but I cannot say I consider myself to be his daughter.” Honor did her best to keep her voice even and devoid of disdain.

  “If you are his child, why are you here and not sitting pretty on the throne?”

  Honor narrowed her eyes at the burly man whose mocking tone indicated he knew nothing of the King or his dark intentions. To be fair, Honor herself had not known half of the despicable things her father had done to keep his throne until recently. The people of Frosthaven were far enough removed from Alderwood that they had likely not been touched by the King in years. Honor struggled to rise to her feet, Gray offered to help her, but she needed to do it herself to prove she was strong enough to face whatever was thrown at her. Once she stood, she took a deep breath and prepared to address the crowd.

  “I know many of you are wondering why I would come here asking you to stand alongside the Resistance and fight the man who has spent centuries destroying everything we hold dear. Even here in the north, there is no real freedom. You are here because you do not want to live under the rule of a man who has murdered thousands of innocent people in the name of his own immortality. I am here to tell you we do not have to live like that any longer.”

  Honor waited as more people seemed to turn their attention toward her. “I was once told a story about three kingdoms. The Kingdom of Man, the Kingdom of Earth, and the Kingdom of Creatures were a triad under the wild magic of Alderwood. They were strong and magic flowed through them. The current state of Alderwood came to be because one prince decided he would be King forever. We all know of the prophecy delivered by the Oracle of Kilgore; I am here to make that prophecy come true.”

  Murmurs played across the crowd. Everyone knew what she was referring to, but no one thought they would live to see the prophecy come to pass. Honor herself had doubted it was even real. Now, she stood before them proclaiming she would be the one to bring the impossible to life.

  “What makes you think you are the one who will end the tyranny of King Junius?” the burly man demanded.

  “I do not think I am; I know I am. My destiny was dealt to me just as yours were to each of you. I may stand before you as the daughter of a terrible man, but I also stand before you as someone who cannot bear to lose one more innocent person to the Makt. I am here to implore you to join me and bring the Gildi back to Pallisaide. Restore the three kingdoms. Reclaim our freedom and release the wild magic from the twisted use of the Shadow Mages.”

  Cheers erupted from a few, but there were still skeptics in the crowd. “Tomorrow, we will return to Kilgore. The fight I am asking you to join may not feel like your responsibility. Living here in the north, you are far enough away from our plight that you may not want to get involved. I understand your reservations, but I implore you to reconsider. The people of Milltown were slaughtered because the King said they should be. They had done nothing wrong. There were innocent men, women, and children . . .” Honor held back tears as she remembered the horror of burning bodies. “A pile of bodies was all the Makt left behind. I witnessed the aftermath. The smell was indescribable. I cannot imagine what those people went through, but I will not let this continue to happen in the name of a king who wants nothing but power.”

  Maris rose to her feet. “The Resistance will follow you, Honor.”

  Gray stood, followed by Saige. Others Honor knew from their camp were on their feet in a matter of seconds. As she continued to survey the room, more and more people rose from their seats. While Honor knew many of them would be unable to join in the fight, it made her feel better knowing these people would stand by her side. The last person sitting was the man who had been questioning her. He looked momentarily defeated before making eye contact with her and nodding.

  “I will send word to the other colonies of The Ice Forest. We will join the fight that has been brewing for centuries. We have felt the pain of the people of Alderwood though not as recently. It has been years since the Makt came this far, but it is only a matter of time before they return. If we do not bring the fight to them, we may as well invite them to continue their ways,” the burly man announced.

  Honor offered him a single nod. “May I ask your name?”

  “I am Agnar. My sister has told me of you, Honor. I understand you are now my family, too.”

  Honor looked to Maris who smiled her confirmation. She never would have seen the resemblance if it had not been pointed out. Agnar was a brawny man with a full black beard and curly hair, Maris was small but sturdy. Honor thought Maris had lost her entire family in the massacre that claimed her first husband and unborn child.

  “I am quite a bit older than my youngest sister. We are all that is left of the family who raised us. The oldest child and the youngest child are the only two who remain to avenge the deaths of our loved ones. Maris has lost more than I could bear, and I will trust her judgement. Our colonies will join the Resistance if you will have us,” Agnar spoke with pride as he beamed at his sister.

  Honor shook his hand. Everyone slowly drifted back to their own conversations as they returned focus to their meals. Honor lowered herself back to her chair, relieved to take the weight off her sore leg once more. The next day she would take the next step in the journey toward her destiny. The battle for Alderwood was looming on the horizon and she was ready to see it through to the bitter end.

  Chapter 20

  Morning arrived in Frosthaven with an excited buzz. Preparations were in full swing by those who would be accompanying them to Kilgore while
those who were staying behind did what they could to help. It seemed a bit unfair to separate so many families when the mission was to stop that very thing from happening. Honor had come to terms with the knowledge that some things could not be helped; temporary discomfort would pay off in the end.

  When she rose from the bed she had been given to sleep in, Honor was surprised to discover just how much her leg had healed. It still caused pain, but not enough to keep her from putting more weight on it than she could the day before. She was thankful she would make the journey on horseback. There was no way she would have been able to walk back to Kilgore. The Frosthaven healer had left a handmade crutch leaning against the wall. Honor eyed it with disdain. Having to lean on the cursed thing for support was not high on her priority list, but she would do it out of necessity.

  After piling on the layers of warmth she had shed while inside, Honor snatched the crutch and hobbled through the front door. Outside people were rushing back and forth, gathering supplies needed for the trip. No one knew how long they would be away from their homes. It was difficult watching children cry as they watched their fathers prepare to leave.

  Honor soon found Gray near a stable. The horses inside were unlike any she had ever seen. They were quite large and sported fluffy coats in varying shades of brown. The massive beasts looked gentle enough, but if she was thrown from one, she would likely break more than a leg.

  “Morning,” Gray greeted her. “This one is yours.” He gestured to a horse with an almost yellow coat.

  “Can I touch it?”

  When Gray nodded his consent, Honor reached her hand out the way she had seen others do before. The animal sniffed her warily. When it did not pull away, Honor gently placed a hand on the softest fur she had ever had the pleasure of feeling. It must have been there to keep them warm in the frigid temperatures of the north. A whinny escaped her new friend as it leaned its head against her hand. Honor knew this was a gentle creature with innate intelligence. She had the distinct feeling the animal would communicate with her if it had the ability to form words. Honor thought about the story of the three kingdoms and the wild magic they were fighting to protect. Perhaps when the Shadow Mages were no longer draining the power meant to course freely through Alderwood, all creatures would be able to speak to one another.