The Wayfinder's Apprentice (Shadows of the Umbra Book 1)

by K Dezendorf

  After she finished cleaning off, Rose changed into her spare clothes. She had to remind herself to leave her jacket off in order to resist the temptation of pulling her hood up. It needed to be washed anyway, along with the rest of her clothes.

  As they left the bathhouse, Rose noticed Vikhail wasn’t wearing any shoes. Well, they were just walking from the barracks to the bathhouse. Maybe she just hadn’t felt like putting them on.

  Together, the two of them returned to the barracks for sleep. Thanks to Vikhail and the crazy bathhouse experience, Rose’s mind felt more at peace.

  ************

  The next week or so became a blur for Rose. From dawn until dusk, she was either put to work or she sought out work to do. It was a two-fold plan, really. The most prominent was to distract herself from the ache of losing Kyan and missing Macklass’ company. The second was showing as many people there not only how helpful she could be, but how useful she was.

  Gaining a positive reputation was key to fitting in and being accepted. She’d undergone the same process when ingratiating herself with Jenkto and her brothers. If you wanted to belong somewhere, you had to contribute. You had to bring something to the table. Sometimes, as personal history had taught her, even that wasn’t enough.

  It wasn’t difficult for her to get noticed. Her fluff of strawberry blonde curls, as well as her freckled complexion that could put a Dalmatian to shame, was more than enough to garner attention. Macklass had once told her that freckles were incredibly rare in the Umbra, almost nonexistent.

  Rose noticed the stares but pretended not to, focusing on whatever the task at hand was. She tried not to think about how much of a foreigner she felt. How out of place she was. She didn’t engage in small talk unless someone else initiated it first, and there wasn’t much when everyone else was distracted with their own work. Rose was fine with this, having always found small talk with strangers to be unbearably awkward.

  Even though a majority of the people in the castle spoke Tradespeak, Rose had a few instances where someone had to explain what they meant or wanted from her, and vice versa. She wondered if she would ever know what ‘have you talked to the trees today?’ meant.

  Taking a rare break, Rose decided to enjoy the sun shining in the courtyard, and she flipped through her journal while chewing on a biscuit...

  There was Granger, Rose was sad that she didn’t have a red color to match his amazing eyes, but she was happy with how she had drawn him. Bold, strong lines, because he was an imposing figure - but also thinner and softer lines for the injured elf he was holding in his arms. Another victim of the attack on the camp, which Granger had rescued, along with a few others Rose didn’t know the names of, drawn in the background.

  Turning the page, and speaking of imposing figures, the next image was of Lymore, the wolf-man who had not grown one shade nicer to Rose, despite her helping out. He was a tough nut to crack, reflected in the dark shadows of his fur. But the small child on his shoulders hinted that maybe he wasn’t quite as terrifying as he appeared to be. Rose was proud to have caught him in such an unguarded moment, entertaining some of the children around the castle.

  Another image, Kenyen, also not as terrifying as he appeared to be. The blacksmith was holding his hammer high, about to bring it down on the incomplete shape, flames dancing around him. Rose didn’t miss the smell and heat, which she couldn’t capture properly in his picture, but she did miss his singing and watching the fire respond to him as if it was alive.

  Turning the page again led to Vikhail and Willow, a stout, lovely woman with skin the color of ash wood and curly green locks that looked more like vines than hair, decorated with little pink blossoms. Those were hard to sketch, and the patients they were working on at the hospital were also unfinished. Rose didn’t want to remember the injuries, not just from the attack, but accidents and illness.

  Opposite them was Addrick who also often tended to the wounded, stitching them up or setting broken bones. For such a large man -an ogre, no less- he was surprisingly gentle with his hands. It was hard capturing both of those traits in his picture. Rose might need to re-do that one sometime.

  A sudden feeling overtook her, and she turned back to an earlier sketch of Kyan. Even with all the distractions, his absence was painfully obvious. Doors opened freely without interference, never slamming on her. She didn’t get tripped up on an invisible object. Things didn’t get mysteriously knocked over, and her chair was never pulled out from under her when she sat down. For as annoying as they had been, Rose found herself missing the tricks and practical jokes Kyan often played. It was his way of letting her know ‘I’m here. You’re not alone.’

  Rose closed the journal to stop those feelings from overwhelming her. She turned her head to the sun, eyes closed, and tried to let its warmth and the sounds of the castle’s inhabitants soothe her. It wasn’t easy. There was the lingering fear that when she finally got around to that talk with Dimitri, she might have to say goodbye to this place and the people in it. Maybe she should redouble her work efforts.

  On the plus side, Rose wasn’t having any more nightmares about being trapped in a cage. None of her recent dreams made a whole lot of sense. She found herself either wandering around in dark, strange places, or journeying to rescue people she’d never met. The wandering dreams were reoccurring, and every time she was looking for something, something important, but she couldn’t find it.

  Feeling calmer, she looked around and saw a couple of people talking and decided to do a quick sketch of them. She became so focused that she didn’t even realize someone was behind her until she heard them speak.

  “Rose, right?”

  Her head whipped around in surprise. “Granger?”

  His red eyes weren’t looking at her, but the page she was sketching on, then the page next to it. Rose flushed and tried to close the book, but he snatched it from her to get a better look at it.

  “Is that supposed to be me?” he asked, scrutinizing the picture.

  “I apologize,” she said quickly. “I didn’t-”

  “It’s good,” he murmured, looking it over. “Though I think you made my arms a little too big.”

  Rose was startled by the compliment. He continued to analyze the drawing, and at first she was worried he might start flipping through pages, but he finally handed the book back to her.

  “You like to draw?” he asked, sounding legitimately curious.

  “Occasionally,” she admitted with some reluctance. “I’m not that good at it though.”

  “Hn…” Granger looked thoughtful for a few seconds, then his eyes focused back onto her. “Dimitri wants to talk to you. Head to the conference room after you’re done.”

  A niggling seed of dread seeped in, but she nodded.

  Granger gave a curt nod in reply and then left.

  Rose forced herself to eat the rest of her food, then made her way up the stairs to the meeting room. The door was slightly ajar, but she still gave the wood a knock to announce her presence.

  “Come in.”

  Rose pushed the door open and she saw Dimitri seated at the large table.

  “Good to see you again, my dear,” he said, slowly rising from his chair. “I apologize for having taken so long to get back to you. Things have been rather… tumultuous, as it were.”

  “I don’t mind,” Rose assured him. Her stomach was a pretzel of knots.

  He beckoned her to join him at the table. “Would you like some tea?”

  Some tea might help her nerves. “Yes, please.”

  While Rose seated herself, Dimitri grabbed a tea tray sitting nearby and placed it on the table. He poured Rose a cup, and then one for himself. To help quiet her mind, Rose focused on the details of the tea set. She never realized how lovely it was. White with soft shades of pink and shining, golden designs. The tea Dimitri poured was lighter than last time, and when Rose tasted it, it had a fresh, grassy flavor.

  “I haven’t seen Lawrence since the attack. Is he all
right?” Rose asked.

  “He did manage to find his way back to us,” Dimitri confirmed as he sat back down. “However, he expressed his concerns of the attack, and decided to make his way farther south for the time being. He informed us what happened to you. That you had, without a second thought, rushed into danger in order to save one of our own.” Rose met his gaze and he had a warm smile. “I knew from our first meeting you had an honest and gentle soul, but I did enjoy hearing of your valor.”

  Rose flushed, remembering the incident. “I was… I just acted without thinking.”

  “Sometimes the swiftness of action outweighs the thought.” He took a drink of his tea, releasing a soft sigh, appearing visibly more relaxed. “And I’ve also been informed you’ve been quite helpful these past several days.”

  She smiled sheepishly and shrugged. “Just doing what I can.”

  “I understand you’re probably still worried about your station here, and I want you to know, you’ve more than proved yourself. You’re welcome to stay here as long as you want, or need. Consider this place a home away from home, if you wish.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Rose said gratefully, bowing her head. More than anything, she felt relieved, if not guardedly optimistic.

  He nodded, and the two of them shared a minute of comfortable silence.

  “My question does still stand, however,” he said at length. “What is it that you wish to accomplish while you’re here?”

  Rose had been giving it thought, and she knew what she wanted. “I want to become a Wayfinder.”

  Chapter 12

  After her declaration, Dimitri stared silently at her for a long time. His gaze was both intrigued and scrutinous, and Rose considered he may be wondering where she’d learned about Wayfinders. However, she'd been there for days: it wasn’t out of the question she learned about it from one of the castle residents. She only hoped he didn’t ask or press for details, because she didn’t want to outright lie.

  “Not many seek to follow this path,” he stated. “Is there any particular reason you wish to?”

  Rose weighed the words in her head before speaking them. “I want to be able to help people, the people of this world. From what I understand, that’s what a Wayfinder does.”

  He observed her for a few moments longer, but her answer seemed to satisfy him for now. “Before you commit to this, I feel it is only right to inform you of what is going on here.”

  “I did notice there are a lot more people living here since I last visited,” Rose noted. “And I don’t remember Gorgers being a problem either.”

  “That’s because, the last time you were here, Gorgers did not exist,” Dimitri said gravely. “Based on what information we’ve managed to gather, someone made them. For what larger purpose, that isn’t entirely clear. However, I fear a storm is brewing on the horizon, and if we aren’t prepared for it, it will ravage everything in its path.”

  He set his cup down in its saucer and stared at her, his expression severe. “Depending on how things play out, we may very well be going to war, and I cannot guarantee any of us will still be here five years from now. Possibly not even one year from now. Knowing this, are you still willing to stay?”

  Rose swallowed. The idea of war was daunting, even more so being possibly involved in one. However, she’d already decided she wanted to make her home here. If that meant helping to protect it, so be it.

  “It’s scary,” she admitted. “All of it. But even with everything I’ve learned, for me there’s nothing scarier than going back. My mind is made up. I want to stay, and I want to be a Wayfinder.”

  Dimitri nodded solemnly. “We’ll need to have a talk with Billy. He should be checking in some time today. I’ll have someone come find you when he arrives.”

  Rose finished her tea and got up, giving him a slight bow. “Thank you, Lord Dimitri.”

  “You needn’t address me so formally, my dear,” he assured her with a small chuckle. “Dimitri is fine.”

  “All right, Dimitri.”

  Rose gave him another small bow and exited the room. She went back downstairs and, with little else to do, returned to the barracks. She tried not to feel too guilty about having not been completely honest with Dimitri: helping people was just one of the reasons she wanted to be a Wayfinder.

  The other was the freedom that would come with it. The guarantee that even if she was stranded back in the human world, she would have the means to return to the Umbra, without anyone else’s permission. She could go wherever she wanted, whenever she wanted. Plus, with the ability to move freely back and forth between the worlds, she’d become an invaluable asset to Jenkto and her brothers.

  Her heart twinged when she thought of Macklass. She'd been gone for a while. Was he worried? Did he go looking for her? Had he found out what transpired at her house before she unceremoniously disappeared? As soon as she was back in the human world, she’d give him a call. Check up and make sure he and his siblings were okay, and reassure him she was okay.

  It wasn't until after several hours passed that Rose was approached by Vindo. “M-miss Rose, L-Lord Dimitri has summoned you.”

  She returned to the meeting room to find Dimitri and Billy in the middle of a discussion.

  “I’m telling you, Dimitri, I’m not comfortable with this,” Billy said heatedly. “I’m no teacher. How do you expect me to teach a child? A human child at that?”

  Rose’s teeth clenched at being labeled a ‘child’, but she bit her tongue.

  “The human child that you brought to me, Billy,” Dimitri gently reminded him. “By the codes, she is your responsibility.”

  “L-Lord Dimitri,” Vindo politely interrupted. “M-Miss Rose is here to see you.”

  Both Dimitri and Billy turned to look at her.

  “Why, hello, Rose,” Dimitri greeted. “I was just explaining to Billy your request to become a Wayfinder.”

  “And I was just explaining to Dimitri why that’s a bad idea,” Billy retorted.

  “Because I’m human,” Rose said evenly.

  “More than that,” Billy stated, leveling his gaze at her. “You’re a child. You shouldn’t be gettin’ mixed up in any of this in the first place. And being a Wayfinder is a heavy responsibility.”

  “You say she’s a child, Billy. However, in my time she’d be eligible for marriage. My queen was about Rose’s age when she first took the throne,” Dimitri patiently pointed out. “Rose has already demonstrated great strength of character. She has visited the Umbra previously, and has told no one of said visit. She's been pulling more than her fair share of weight here at the castle. And she demonstrated incredible courage in saving Edward when he was being attacked by Gorgers.”

  “So she saved an immortal,” Billy said. “Most would say that’s pointless as opposed to courageous.”

  “Wait a minute,” Rose interrupted, stunned by this revelation. “Edward is immortal?” Suddenly, a lot of things made sense.

  Dimitri smiled at Rose. “Let’s table that discussion for another time.” He turned back to Billy. “Edward told me of his involvement with her. He himself vouched for her. Something, I daresay, was a first for him.”

  Billy’s hands went to his hair, rubbing through the brown locks in obvious agitation. “Dimitri, why do we even need another Wayfinder? I’ve been able to manage everythin’ just fine, and you have Vindo as backup in case I’m not here.”

  “Vindo does not share the extensive knowledge of the portals as you do,” Dimitri answered. “Nor was he trained in all of the magics. His means are limited. Having a second Wayfinder who has been well-trained and who shares our ideals would be beneficial. And considering everything Rose has had to endure in coming here, I do not believe her request is unreasonable.”

  “Dimitri, I…” Billy shook his head. “Don’t ask me to do this.”

  “I’m asking,” Rose said, stepping forward. Her jaw was tight, and she was tired of being talked about like she wasn't even there. “I lost my Guardian tha
t day. And ever since, no matter how many times I call him, he won’t come.” It was a struggle to keep her voice steady, and she could feel the burn of tears in her eyes. “I lost my best friend. I want to be able to help the people here, and keep them safe.”

  “Oh, my dear…” Dimitri’s face was sympathetic as he approached her, his arms outstretched.

  Rose flinched back holding both arms up. “Please. Don’t.” She didn’t want pity. All she wanted was to be able to stand on her own. Dimitri was kind enough to respect her space. She looked back to Billy. “If you won’t teach me, I’ll find some other way.”

  Billy threw his hands up in the air, then began pacing back and forth, loudly grumbling in a language that definitely wasn’t Tradespeak.

  Dimitri turned to him. “You know my thoughts on the matter, Billy. However, I would not force you to take her as your apprentice. That is a decision only you can make.”

  After some more pacing, Billy stopped and looked at Rose. His expression was a cocktail of frustration, sympathy, and guilt. He took a deep inhale, and slowly let it out.

  “Edward did tell me how you helped him. So… to repay the favor, I’ll teach you. But!” He raised a finger in warning. “You better be sure about this. Because once you’ve committed, there is no going back. Do you understand?”

  Rose nodded firmly. “I’m sure.” She'd never been more sure in her life.

  Billy gave a hefty sigh, rubbing his forehead. “All right. I’ll do what I can.” She wasn’t certain if he was speaking to her or Dimitri. “Follow me then, child.” He went over to where the door was painted on the wall, made a few hand gestures while murmuring under his breath, then placed his hand on the door. Rose watched as the surface rippled, like it was made of water rather than stone.

  “Where are we going?” Rose asked, looking guardedly at the portal.

  “To start your trainin’,” Billy answered. “Go on through.”

  Well, moment of truth. Giving a brief, farewell glance to Dimitri and Vindo, Rose stepped forward and through the wall.