by Naomi Kelly
"What's wrong with a southern name?" I held up my knife jokingly before I cut some of the packed figs in half.
"They're just very...nature based. It's not a bad thing, I suppose it's better than being re-named after a dead boy," he muttered under his breath, just loud enough for me to hear.
"Do you still want to be called Reuben?" I asked softly.
"It's the only name I know. So, yes, I'll still go by Reuben." He stopped pulling at the blanket threads and smiled up at me, "I just pray my birth name is not Salt or Tree."
I gave him a dig in the ribs and cursed at him, but I was glad it didn't knock off his grin.
We continued to eat and drink until we could no longer see our own hands before us. The dense clouds blocked any moonlight but thankfully the majority of the cold air remained off our necks.
I curled myself on my saddle-mat and pulled my spare tunic over me. After a few minutes, I heard Reuben rustle around in the dark. He pulled his mat closer and settled himself down barely an arm-span away from me.
"What's your geldings name?" I whispered in his direction.
"Omega," he admitted after a long pause.
"Wow, what a northern name."
His soft laughter then turned into slow rhythmical breaths and then into light snores.
* * * *
"Juniper."
The rumble of his voice and shaking of my shoulder forced me to wake after what felt like mere minutes.
I looked up to see him kneeling over me. There was an eerie contrast between his skin that shone silver in the pale morning light and the dark shadows that encompassed his bright eyes.
I hauled myself upright and pushed a flurry of curls from my eyes. To my right was a small fire upon which my metal canister heated, and to my left was Omega who was tacked up and tethered to a tree.
"How long have you been awake?" I asked as I noticed his damp hair. A loose strand hung low and framed his face.
"Not too long, but we do have to get moving soon." he sighed and helped me up, "I can tack up the mare if you want to freshen up."
I shook the loose grass from the saddle mat and folded my clean tunic. I grabbed a bar of soap from the bag and carefully lifted the hot canister off the fire. I made my way towards the stream again and before I had time to overthink it, I peeled my tunic off and wrapped it around me with great haste. I poured a small amount of the hot water onto the sleeve and began dampening my arms and legs whilst pinning my elbows against my side to stop my makeshift towel from falling.
Making circular motions, I lathered the soap and covered every visible inch of my skin with the lemon scented suds. I diluted the contents of the canister with icy spring water and rinsed myself off as best as I could. It was nowhere near as luxurious as the bathhouse but at least the various layers of grim and mud had been scrubbed away.
I gritted my teeth and plunged my hand into the stream and refilled the canister once more. I held my breath as I braced myself to pour the water through my hair.
"Argh," I squealed as droplets ran down my neck and spine.
"At least you're awake now," Reuben shouted gleefully from across the field. I signalled for him to turn around and he held his hands up like a chastised child. I had kept one eye on him as I released my tight grip and let the tunic fall to the ground. I scrambled to pull the fresh linen over my sopping hair and maintain my modesty.
I walked back to find the fire extinguished and everything neatly packed away. I stuffed my soap bar and tunic into my saddle bag and attempted to mount Pepper.
I placed my left hand on her withers and tried to get my foot into the stirrup, but it swung back and forth like a clock pendulum. I sighed and led her towards the ditch. I eyed up if vaulting straight into the saddle from the bramble ridden ditch was a possibility.
"Have you always been so stubborn?" Reuben mused as he waited.
“Do you think I need your help?”
“No,” he said calmly as he shrugged his shoulders, “I know you need my help, but I also know you will not ask for it. Hence why I offered.”
Damn it, he was right. On both counts. I wanted to bat him away and struggle on myself, but I knew I had to swallow my pride. I rolled my eyes but stepped back and allowed his assistance.
Reuben moved and stood close behind me.
Heat radiated off him and sent shivers down my spine. He placed his left hand on my hip and ran it down the outside of my thigh until he reached my knee. He tapped my leg until I bent it upwards and leaned on him to support my balance. He bounced my weight twice before boosting me upwards and into the saddle.
"Thank you," I mumbled, distracted by the fact he was touching me once more.
"I have a favour to ask in return," he said as he moved away and mounted Omega effortlessly, "I have a lot of questions about Deshure, and the Onyx people and magic in general."
"I'll tell you everything I know about anything you want," I vowed. He nodded thankfully and we resumed our journey.
We started our ride in a trot, but the questions came through at galloping speed. Being the Beta meant he had more of an understanding of Deshure life than the average Sinlaran, but his knowledge of magicians and clans was understandably lacking. It was unclear whether he would ever get his memories back or if it was too late. There was a strong chance the years of serum had eroded his memories completely and he would never remember, but it was only his second day of being serum-free, so I tried to remain optimistic.
I spent hours filling him in with as much detail as he desired, although there were some questions neither of us knew the answers to.
"Will I be able to heal people like you?"
"I highly doubt it. Most Obsidians are healers of some form, but I've never met an Onyx magician so I don't know what your magic could yield. Based on the stories of the night Lullalke attacked Kole, I would guess that you'd have some form of air manipulation?"
Reuben mulled over my answer. Without noticing me watching, he had opened his palm and started wafting his hand through the air around him.
When he yielded no satisfactory results, his questioning continued. "So, both of your parents had healing magic too?"
"And Adonis. It passes through the generations, but it manifests differently depending on the person. My father gave me my healing of physical injuries and pain, whereas my brothers magic is more similar to that of our mother. His healing powers are more mental based, like soothing past trauma and easing heightened emotions."
"He sounds like a calming influence to be around," Reuben laughed, "We could use him up in the Chambers."
"As much as he hates Sinlarans for what happened, he would still help. It's like he can't stop himself from helping everyone he can. That's how he became so ill, he just kept pushing his magic as hard as he could until his own energy started to slip away with his magic each time. Crystals are finite, they can only wield so much power and we don't have strong enough bloodlines or a coven for him to do that. Eventually, it took its toll and weakened him."
"I remember you saying how magicians need bloodlines to access power during your trail," he slowed Omega to an ambling walk, "Is there any way to access your magic without a family?"
His voice had remained the same, but I noticed him fidgeting with his reins a little more.
"Bloodlines are the strongest and most stable connection to power a magician can have, but yes there are other ways. During the War magicians from different clans would band together to form a coven to protect themselves. Magicians were being eradicated so quickly that the few that remained had lost most of their power as a result of losing their families. When they joined together, they were all able to give and take power from the energy blanket without exhausting themselves. The coven worked because they were pulling on different threads of power, they all had different abilities, but that type of connection only works on proximity. They had to stay close together which made them an easy and unfortunately an enviable target for Douward." I batted down the swell of anger th
at flares within my chest at the thought of Douward.
At least I knew first-hand that he was dead.
"I'm endlessly sorry for what happened to your people," Reuben spoke with a tone of sincere sorrow.
"They're your people now too."
"I have so much to learn and remember." he sighed. His normally calm face looked truly overwhelmed.
"Are you sure you're ready or even want to remember?" I asked.
"I might not enjoy the truths I learn but I've been kept in the dark long enough," he shrugged and brought Omega to a halt, "I need to know the full extent of what they did before I go back."
"Go back? Are you crazy?" I choked, "You...You can't...After what they did?"
Too many angry thoughts flooded my mind at once that I struggled to construct a full sentence.
"I have to go back. It was part of the deal," he said flatly but his grip on the reins tightened.
"What deal? What have you done?"
He stared back at me from under a furrowed brow and kept his jaw clenched.
"Well?" I pressed. My sharp tone caused Pepper to flatten her ears back. I lightly patted her neck so she knew my frustration was not aimed at her.
"I told Karnes I knew everything but would return to the Chambers in a fortnight if he called off the hunt for you and any other possible magician." he retorted.
"Why? Why would you do that?"
"Because it's the only way I can protect you. I promised you I wouldn't let you die, and at least one of us should be with our real family," Reuben yelled with stormy eyes under furrowed brows.
"I don't deserve that more than you. You can't go back to those monsters."
"Well those monsters are the only people I have."
"That's not true." I stopped myself from adding 'You have Deshure and me' but it hung unsaid in the tense air between us.
Reuben mumbled something about wanting to cross the border before nightfall and nudged his boots against Omega without giving me a final glance.
By the time the sun had dropped low on the horizon, we finally rode across the Stagton river that separated Deshure and Sinlara. Continuing his silence, Reuben slid from his saddle and allowed Omega to drink from the babbling waters that acted as the border. I followed suit, removing Pepper's tack and allowing her to drink and graze. I positioned her saddle blanket on the ground. I was grateful for the warmth it's still held in comparison to the cold shoulder I was receiving from Reuben.
I looked to my right to see Sleepy Hill in the distance, basking in the last rays of light. We had given my ancestral home a wide-birth as it was too risky a location to be near, especially when the Chamber guards were making their way home. I didn't want the men to be further south than us for fear we collide paths with them, but I also didn't want them anywhere near our current location.
What if they were already at the Chambers and had learnt of their Beta's absence then-
"What's wrong?" Reuben said. He positioned his mat beside me and sat without waiting for an invite.
"Do you mean what's wrong besides the fact you're ignoring me?"
He opened his mouth to object but closed it again and sighed instead, "You frustrated me. The way you got angry at me for trying to help you, it seemed...ungrateful."
"Ungrateful? Of course, I'm grateful, but I cannot bear the burden of the guilt I'll feel if you have to return to the Chambers as part of the plea deal that was bargained on my behalf."
"There should be no guilt. It was my decision. End of," he said, and tightly crossed his arms. He spoke with a level-headiness that annoyed. He seemed so logical all the damn time.
"I'm not some damsel you know."
"I am fully aware, but I also know you never stop looking over your shoulder. You deserve a feeling of security."
"Well, I never asked you to provide it." I fought to keep my temper in check.
"You never ask anyone for anything," he said flatly, "But you see, I don't need your permission or approval to help you. Your brother, the people who you've healed and any other magicians who may be out there, they would all want to be safe. Even without your value to them, you are worth saving. I don't have to validate my reasons for helping you."
He had an intensity to his eyes that I found hard to look at without feeling like I was drowning. I was unsure whether the passion he felt towards me stemmed from resentment me or wanting to protect me.
Too many conflicting emotions crimsoned my cheeks, and I looked away, unable to hold his gaze.
I un-tucked my curls to cover my flushed ear and tried to respond, but I could think of nothing worth saying.
Why was I embarrassed that he cared not only about keeping me alive but giving me a quality of life too? Maybe deep down I was ashamed that Reuben had found more value to my life in a few weeks than I had in my twenty-three years. I had always been focused on protecting Adonis and helping others that when someone else put me first it felt horrifically wrong and somewhat selfish.
"I have a headache I'm going to sleep off. The rations are in my saddlebag if you are hungry," he said, lying down and rubbing his eyes and temples.
Even though I had not eaten, I had little appetite and too full a mind to think of anything as trivial as food. I struggled to unfurl my tense body onto my mat. I felt rigid with tension and words unspoken.
"If your headache gets worse, I can ease it for you," I whispered into the skies above after a few moments, not wanting him to go to sleep frustrated with me.
"The perks of travelling with a magician," he muttered back, "Goodnight Juniper."
Eight
A burning sensation in my core woke my hours later. My throat was bone dry, but tears dampened my cheeks. The sound of crackling fire roared all around me and I heard eerie screams in the distance.
I bolted upright only to see Pepper lying down on the dew-laden grass. There was not a flame insight, but my right side felt like my flesh was melting off and soon there would be nothing left.
"Please. Please stop... No."
Reuben's shouts broke through the chaos in my mind. I turned to my right to see his body convulsing; his forehead beaded with sweat.
"Wake up...Reuben!" I cried, but his spine remained furled in an unnatural position. I prodded his side and yelped as it felt like poking burning coals. His chest rose and fell chaotically, struggling to contain his panicked heart.
"Hang on," I shouted over the sounds of the invisible inferno. Grabbing as much Obsidian as my hands could hold, I formed the same swirling black cloud of magic as before. I poured in my energy and it swelled fast and grew wild. Without delay I crashed my magic into him with as much force as I could, allowing myself to flow with it until it dragged me under.
I was instantly surrounded by burning homes. Screams and bellows came from every direction and the waves of pain were palpable. The crackling sound I had awoken to was coming from the wooden porches and fences that collapsed to ash around me.
Thatched rooves caved in on themselves and trapped sleeping families beneath. A pale arm burst its way through the burning hay and clawed for help. I instantly reached forward but my hand passed straight through it as if it were air. I attempted again but nothing changed.
Instead, I tried to kick away the burning hay to clear a path, but not a single strand moved.
I could only bear witness to the chaos all around me.
Flashes of magic flew from all angles except it was the darkest shade of black I’d ever seen. My own magic looked mottled and impure in comparison.
Through the dense smoke and magic, I saw a familiar silhouette swinging a flaming torch on horseback up ahead. Karnes held the torch by the doorway of the last standing home. Two women sprinted out. He walloped them across the head with the heavy burning staff, causing the shorter woman to crumple to the ground instantly.
She was unresponsive. Most likely dead.
The other woman's black hair ignited immediately and the smell of her burning hair and flesh caught in my mouth.
/> "Aspen!" She gave a guttural roar. Even through the bellowing smoke I could distinguish the darker cloud of magic that cocooned her. Air whipped around her frail body, shielding her from the dense fumes that tried to clog her lungs. Karnes looked down on her with more disgust painted on his face than I thought humanly possible.
He threw his torch on-top on her writhing body and spurred his horse to trot away. As the flames collided with the pocket of fresh oxygen she was enveloped within, she ignited immediately. She never stood a chance. I thanked the gods that at least her suffering ended quickly.
Douward appeared through the smoke wielding a blood-covered sword. His face masked in soot and speckles of blood. The charcoal and crimson that covered every inch of him bar his wild eyes, eerily matched his Chamber uniform.
"Is that all of them?" Douward asked.
Karnes gave a sweeping glance over the village and was nodding to him when something caught his attention. The Alpha pointed straight through me.
I turned to see a young boy, around ten years old, cantering away on a small pony. There was no saddle or bridle. He just clung to the pony's neck like a scared child to their mothers’ leg. Karnes grabbed the sword from Douward and took off in pursuit.
Once close enough, he fired the sword at the pony's rump. The impact caused the pony to rear, throwing the young boy to land with a harsh thud.
Karnes slid off his horse and took two strides before kicking the boy so hard he lifted him off the ground. The boy landed on his back, winded and unable to stand. His hands shook inches apart and I could feel the pull of magic as he tried to draw power. A few meagre sparks flew between his fingertips, but he was too young to be able to access his magic yet.
Douward picked up the sword and breathlessly walked over to the boy. He placed the bloodied tip against his heart and waited for the command.
"He looks just like him," Karnes almost whispered, "The resemblance is striking. Reuben was better fed and not as lanky but the similarities..."
"Sir, why don't you ride ahead and let me finish him?"
