Mark if Destiny

by K. T. Webb

  A gentle hand on her shoulder told Honor the boy’s mother had closed the distance between them. “How can he answer if he is dead?”

  Honor realized her dagger had dug deeper into the flesh causing him to bleed freely from a small wound. She released the pressure and stepped away without putting the dagger back in its sheath. Lord Mahuron signaled for two of his guards to seize Ash. They held him in place as his mother walked up to him. To Honor’s surprise, Saige pulled her hand back and slapped her son soundly.

  “You are not the boy I raised. I taught you to be strong and fight for what was right. You ignored those lessons. You joined the people who murdered your father. What do you have to say for yourself?” Saige demanded.

  “I was weak. There are many things I wish I knew that may have changed what I did. But we all make mistakes. I implore you to forgive me.”

  Again, Honor noticed his lack of apology. She was unimpressed by his words and disgusted by his actions. But Saige seemed to soften slightly, as mothers often do. The older woman looked to Honor for her decision. Honor had already made up her mind, she would watch Ash closely until his true colors leaked from behind the contrite mask he wore. Until then, she would allow Lord Mahuron to siphon anything useful from him.

  “Release him, but he is not to be left unattended at any time. There must always be a member of the Resistance in his presence,” Honor instructed before turning her gaze to the boy who had once been a friend. “I do not trust you, Ash. I can feel your deceit deep in my gut. One day I will make sure you pay for what you have done.”

  “Honor, I must say, while it does not surprise me to find you bossing everyone around, I am confused. What makes you think you have the authority to tell these people what to do?” Ash raised his chin defiantly.

  Honor’s head tilted slightly, her eyes narrowed, and one eyebrow raised slowly as she contemplated launching herself at him. Knowing he was not worth the effort barely restrained the action.

  “Do you know who you are talking to?” Legacy demanded.

  “Your Highness, please, let me handle this,” Honor offered a small bow.

  She realized he had no idea who she truly was, why would he? There were two options within reach; she could tell him the truth or purposely keep the knowledge from him and the rest of the army. In that moment, she decided the first step in making sure Ash could not destroy their entire operation if he betrayed them. The change in Honor’s demeanor, and the formal way in which she had addressed her sister, clearly confused Legacy. Honor hoped Legacy would catch on until she could explain and keep her mouth shut until then.

  “Do you remember the prophecy about the King dying?” Honor asked.

  “Of course,” Ash stated.

  “I am the one who will kill him.” She did her best to keep her tone even as she maintained eye contact.

  “How interesting.” Ash held her gaze for a fraction of a second before nodding curtly. “Where is Rowan? I would like to offer my condolences for Maris.”

  Honor’s blood ran cold. “Sorry to disappoint you, but she did not die. She will be here in the next few days. You had better hope you were not the one who dealt the blow that would have ended her life had fate been done with her.”

  She recognized the confused look as Honor stalked off, unwilling to give Ash another moment of her time. She would face him at a later time, for now, she could not stomach another second in his presence.

  Chapter 21

  After leaving the courtyard, Honor headed directly for the kitchen. She sensed Legacy’s presence behind her but chose not to acknowledge it until she turned to face her older sister.

  “What happened to your leg?” Legacy questioned.

  “It that truly the first question you have for me? After witnessing that exchange, you want to know what happened to my leg?” Honor chuckled.

  “You are a warrior. I do not doubt your intentions or your skill. If you do not trust the boy, neither do I. We will watch him closely. I assume there is a vital reason you do not want him to know about your relationship to me. I will not question that either. Now, the leg?”

  Honor shared about her encounter with the woldigo, her time in Frosthaven, and the people she met on the return journey. “We need to develop a plan. It will be at least a week before everyone is back and at least another two weeks after that to prepare everyone for the battle.”

  “That sounds like something we can delegate.” Legacy wrinkled her nose.

  Honor laughed. “You are not much for the details, are you?”

  “Not those details. I would rather not have to worry about the troops of the battle until I need to. I’m here, I will fight when you need me to, but I am not the one chosen to lead the Resistance and for good reason.”

  Though the same blood coursed through their veins and their destinies were intertwined, Honor realized she knew so little about her sister. She had not even questioned her about the mark she must have received. Was it straightforward? Did it show her a crown or a throne? Was she simply destined to be Queen and nothing more? Honor wondered if her sister would be forthcoming about her destiny if she shared some of her own. Maybe that was tempting fate too much.

  “You know, I have your name on my mark,” Honor blurted out before she thought better of it.

  Legacy blinked in response. “And I have your name on mine.”

  Honor was taken aback. “Really? I mean, I know why I have your name on mine. I am supposed to help you become Queen. But why would my name appear on you?”

  “There are many layers to our destinies, Honor. I thought you would have figured that out by now. There is so much more to each of us than you have been taught. The wild magic is not just part of Alderwood; it is part of each of us. You are part of my destiny just as I am part of yours.”

  “I keep hearing that, but it seems I have yet to fully understand. Each time the Shadow Mages call to me, I can feel something just out of my reach, but I do not know how to explain it.” She paused as a memory returned. “Do the Shadow Mages taunt you as well? You called out to me just as they beckoned. How did you know I was in their presence again while in Frosthaven?”

  Legacy smiled. “We are connected, Honor. We share blood, we share magic, and we share a destiny. We are not meant for the same thing, but we are headed in the same direction. None of it truly made sense until I met you and discovered you are my sister. So many visions and dreams have shown you to me, but I did not know who you were.”

  “What do you mean? Do you have visions outside of those given with your mark?”

  “I do, and I believe it is likely you do as well. As heirs to the throne of the Kingdom of Man, we have a stronger connection with the wild magic than anyone in our kingdom. Your magic is different from mine. I can see things from a distance, things I have never experienced. It started when I was young.” Legacy dropped her voice. “I was with you when you lost your mother.”

  Honor’s stomach twisted into a tight knot. “What do you mean?”

  “I saw it as though it were a dream. Renata woke me, but I continued sobbing and begging to find the girl who was all alone. She must have known who you were, but never told me. I used to look for you in my mind. Sometimes, I would find you.”

  The information was slightly unsettling. Honor never had any inkling that Legacy existed. Why would she? Yet, Legacy had known of a sad little orphan girl out there and observed her from time to time. But why? Did she recognize the same loneliness she must have felt? It seemed unlikely that Legacy had a pleasant childhood. She had been stuck in a cave with a woman who was probably not as focused on being motherly as much as raising a Queen.

  “Did you ever go anywhere as a child? Did Renata let you interact with anyone?”

  Legacy shrugged. “I was allowed to play outdoors during fair weather. My playmates were naiads and dryads, woodland spirits and creatures. I do not ever recall traveling to any villages.”

  “That must have been terrible. Not having any human interaction, a
side from Renata, must have made you long for friends like you. I can understand why you kept returning to me in your visions. We are connected, so it makes sense it was me.”

  Her sister gave her a small smile before something behind Honor drew her attention away. Honor turned to find Gray entering the kitchen, clearly searching for her. When his eyes landed on the daughter he raised, he smiled in relief.

  “I wondered where you had run off to. Everyone is buzzing about your exchange with Ash. Saige is a bit shaken up, but only because she sees your side of the situation despite her love for her son. I am sorry to interrupt. Is this the girl you told us about?” Gray offered Legacy an apologetic smile.

  “Yes. Gray, this is my sister, Legacy. This is Gray. He is Rowan’s father and the only father I have ever known. He stepped in to raise me as his own when they found me in Ternion Forest.”

  Legacy surprised her by rushing Gray and pulling him into a fierce hug. “I feel as though I have known you for years. Thank you for being the family my sister needed. You are an admirable man.”

  “It was my pleasure,” Gray chuckled through her embrace. “Honor is a handful, but she certainly kept things interesting. I cannot wait for you to meet my wife. Maris is traveling by foot along with the rest of our group. She should be here within a few days.”

  Legacy looked to Honor. “Then what you told Ash is true, Maris survived the attack? How could that be? I thought you told me Eirny could not heal her.”

  Honor shrugged. “Your guess is as good as mine. All Maris really said is that her mark had expanded when she woke. The wild magic had further plans for her.”

  “I had no idea that could happen. I will have to talk to Renata about it.” Legacy became lost in contemplation.

  Gray turned to Honor to reveal his true purpose for seeking her out. “Soren and Lord Mahuron want to meet with you to discuss our plans, where should we go?”

  “Have them meet me in the dining hall. We have a few things we need to iron out before many more begin to arrive.”

  Gray nodded and turned to leave, Honor stopped him.

  “I want you there, too. Oh, and Gray? Make sure our Frosthaven friends know to keep my relationship to the King a secret. I think it would be best if Ash was not given more information than he already has.”

  Gray agreed to her request before heading to find the other two men. Honor began to prepare a spread for their meeting. Legacy joined her, helping to slice cheese, meat, and bread. When everything had been placed on a platter, Honor took it to the table. Legacy followed closely behind her with a few bottles containing water and wine. By the time they had everything set up, the others had arrived and began to take their seats. Legacy excused herself to find Renata, but Honor knew she really did not want to be part of the battle strategy conversations.

  “Gentlemen, thank you for prompting this meeting. I want to make it clear that you three will be part of my inner circle. A few more will join us over the coming weeks. This group will make all key decisions regarding the coming battle. Before we can begin preparations, we need to address housing for the growing number of soldiers in our army.”

  They spent the next several hours discussing various issues they would face until they had ironed out some details. Outside of the caverns was the abandoned village that had once been Kilgore. Shortly after the debacle at King Junius’ coronation, he ordered an attack on the village. Many buildings still stood, but the people were long gone either having fled during the attack or killed by what became the Makt. They decided it would be fitting to use the remnants of the village as their home base while planning their attack. The next order of business was the battle itself. According to Lord Mahuron—who now insisted on being called by his first name, Justice—the plan Ash had offered was solid. Honor stood patiently as he explained.

  “Pallisaide hosts a Winter Festival each year. The festival begins in three weeks’ time and would be the perfect way to disguise the influx of strangers. We would come in under the guise of merchants and tourists in order to infiltrate the city and take it down from within,” Justice explained.

  “What about civilian casualties? What impact would this plan have on those attending the festival?” Gray asked.

  “I believe we could make a stealthy attack to begin with. It would be our plan to take out as many Makt soldiers as possible before the actual battle begins. The more we can dispatch quietly, the fewer we have to face in the fight,” Soren suggested.

  Honor could see the plan falling into place. It was rough, but they had a starting point. She did not trust Ash, so she was unwilling to buy into his suggestion. There would need to be a back-up plan in place in case they were walking into an ambush; something kept secret to avoid tipping off anyone who may leak information to the Makt. The inner circle concurred and decided they would discuss it further once their group was complete.

  After their meeting, Soren and Justice agreed to lead a party to the remains of Kilgore and begin setting up for the influx of people they would experience over the next week. Gray remained in the caverns with Honor to greet Maris and the others when they arrived, eagerly anticipating the return of his son. It would be a far sweeter reunion than they had hoped since he would soon learn Maris had survived. Gray was shown to a room for the night and Honor returned to the one she shared with Rowan.

  Hours later, after she had soaked in the hot springs and tried counting in her head, no matter how much Honor wanted to sleep, she could not. Finally, she gave up and went in search of Renata. Something told her she would find the woman wide awake and anticipating her visit. As she expected, Honor found Renata waiting for her in the courtyard. She stood alone, bathed in what appeared to be moonlight but seemed to be of a magical source.

  “I have been waiting for you, Honor.”

  “I have questions.”

  “Do not be surprised if the answers I offer are not what you hope for.”

  Honor considered that for a moment. “I cannot say I am hoping for any certain answer.”

  “Then ask your questions.”

  “Legacy says she has been able to see me since I was young. How could she do that?”

  Renata considered her answer carefully. “You are far more powerful than you know. Both of you are connected to the wild magic on a deeper level than any other human in Alderwood.”

  “Can I do that?”

  Renata angled her head with a slight nod and a half smile. “When you stop asking so many questions and accept the wild magic, there is no limit to what you will be able to do.”

  She already knew the answer to her next question but asked, anyway. “This is not as simple as killing the king, is it?”

  “No. There will be more work to do once Legacy is on the throne. The wild magic has been abused for far too long. The Shadow Mages have grown too strong by corrupting the power they are siphoning from Alderwood.”

  “Does Legacy know?” Honor felt her stomach drop. She had been so focused on what she thought was the final goal, killing the king, she had not considered what was expected of her beyond it.

  “Installing Legacy on the throne is part of your destiny. Your sister has a destiny all her own that she cannot fulfill without you.”

  Honor understood, but it did not make it any easier to swallow. Deep in her gut, she had known all along that the execution she would carry out in Pallisaide would not be enough to repair centuries of damage. Something Renata had said came crashing back to Honor.

  “At one point, you referred to the Shadow Mages as your siblings. Did you mean that literally or figuratively? Were the Shadow Mages once Oracles?”

  Renata shook her head. “No. They are what is left of my sister and two brothers. We were trained to use the wild magic for healing purposes. My siblings and I became the first practitioners of Alderwood. The more we learned to use the magic, the stronger we became. I cannot say exactly when things began to change, but they began to use the wild magic differently than intended.”

  “Who
trained you?”

  “Juniper.”

  This came as no surprised after all she had witnessed and learned. She could tell Juniper and Renata had known one another for a long time, but she never would have guessed they had been friends for multiple centuries. Of course, Honor would never have believed Renata to be more than seventy years old when she first became acquainted with her in Milltown. It was difficult to imagine Renata as a child with siblings to play with as Honor had played with Rowan and Ash.

  “Juniper taught us all about the natural magic found in plants and herbs. Through the use of those herbs, we began to feel the wild magic coursing through us every moment of every day. I continued to use that magic to help others, but at some point, they began to twist it. The wild magic was not meant to be contained or controlled; it was meant to be channeled through us then returned to the heart of Alderwood from which it came.”

  Renata looked sorrowful as she continued her story. “When they began selfishly using the magic, I made a deal with Alderwood. I cannot explain exactly what that means, but I made a promise that I would dedicate my life to restoring the balance and releasing the magic they have been consuming. To accomplish that task, I trained all practitioners to administer a mark for each citizen. The marks come from the wild magic itself; no practitioner has control over what destiny is etched into a person. I knew one day Alderwood would choose the one who would be bound by destiny to restore the balance and defeat my siblings.”

  “Wow. So, did you know Legacy and I would be the ones when we were born? Is that why you saved us?”

  “Honestly? No. I saved you because I knew you would be important. I knew that if at least one of you survived, you would be able to take the throne. I knew that removing Junius from power was the first step in fulfilling the promise I made centuries ago.” Renata’s voice grew raw with emotion.

  “I am glad you chose Legacy.” Honor had not even known she felt it until she said the words aloud.