The Ebb of Winter (The Seasons Book 1)

by H. E. Barnes

  It had taken her weeks and weeks to get the necklace to work. Weeks of hiding. Weeks of starving. Weeks of losing feeling in her arm and foot.

  But, she’d made it. At last.

  Eira felt the blanket under her as she was laid on a bed. “Get the Mender,” the same voice snapped.

  She knew that voice from somewhere, she just couldn’t put a finger on it. And it didn’t really matter anyways. The darkness was coming back for her. And, Eira thought it best to go with it.

  Eira woke up hours later, feeling brand new.

  A tray of food was on the nightstand. She reached over carefully to grab it. There was no pain. In her arm or leg. She had gotten so used to feeling the pain, it was odd to be without it.

  She stopped reaching for the food and took her arm in her other hand. A long, jagged scar ran the length of her upper arm. She touched it, expecting to feel something. But she didn’t. It was as though her arm wasn’t even there. She could see that she was touching it, but couldn’t feel the pinprick of sensation.

  She lifted the blankets off her body and lifted her leg close to her chest. Her foot was still attached. But, it too felt like it had disappeared. If it weren’t for the angry scar, Eira would’ve thought she lost it.

  “It’ll fade,” the voice from Eira’s dreams said, startling her. Eira whipped her head around searching for the owner of the voice.

  Queen Quinn sat in a chair in a dark corner of Eira’s chambers. Eira didn’t speak, she could only stare at the queen. For the first time, Eira noticed the striking resemblance between them. They had the same white blonde hair, though Queen Quinn’s was admittedly longer. They didn’t share the same eye color, but Eira knew the look her eyes held very well. It was determination. It was the long for power.

  “Eat,” Queen Quinn instructed.

  Eira reached over to the food, this time grabbing the tray and putting it on her lap. She ate ravenously. It had been so long since she had good food, a whole meal. She downed the juice in one full swig and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand.

  “You’ve been here several days,” Queen Quinn said watching Eira with a careful eye. “It’s time you go home now.”

  “What? No.” Eira said in a panic. “I need to stay.”

  “I’m sorry, daughter. But it is against King Quilo’s rules,” the queen said with no emotion. She did not care for Eira, Eira could easily see that. But, she had to let her stay.

  “He’s dead. His rules don’t matter.” Eira pleaded.

  “Law is law.”

  “I can’t go back. They’ll catch me, and I’ll go to jail.” A tear threatened to fall from Eira’s eye, but she sucked it back up and covered her emotion with a cough.

  “It’ll make you strong.”

  “I’ll die,” Eira said simply.

  “I’m sorry, daughter,” the queen said again, “but you must return to your home.”

  Eira felt the warmth of her necklace on her chest. Heard the dripping of drops of water. Felt the coldness of leftover snow.

  Darkness pulled her under, but not until after she saw Brey step out of the shadows.

  In the Land of Texas

  Eira fell and fell until she landed on the wooden floor of the abandoned house. Dust flew into the air. She winced and held her shoulder in pain.

  She scowled at the sight of the house. The broken floorboards, the shattered windows. The cops would find her here. She’d already pressed her luck too many times. She couldn’t evade them forever. Especially if she couldn’t disappear.

  She pulled herself to the wall and closed her eyes. At least she had eaten. She wasn’t going to starve, yet.

  A twinkle in the night caught her attention. Behind a collapsed chair, Eira found a scroll. She opened it, lifted it up into the moon’s light and read it.

  The fate of Season lies in your hands, and Season is dying.

  Brey

  Yeah, well so was she, Eira thought tossing the scroll across the room. It hit the far wall and rolled against the floor, all the way back to Eira. She picked it up again, ready to throw it away. But holding it in her hand, she could feel the other girls’ presence.

  She would find them. But first, she would sleep.

  She raised both hands in the air, moving them up and around her. A wall of ice surrounded her, keeping her cool from the heat. It was the best she could do. Tomorrow, she would do better. Tomorrow, she would find her sisters.

  Chapter 28

  In the land of Season

  Weeks later

  “It is time you practiced,” Brey said to the girls when they appeared in the wide open arena near the Tree of Season.

  The girls looked around, feeling dazed and confused as they were ripped from Texas and brought to Season. “Show me your elements,” Brey instructed walking in front of them. One by one, the girls focused. The swirl of air whooshed around Orla. A stream of water floated in the air in front of Eira. Snow-covered rocks piled on top of one another beside Aviva. And a ring of fire encircled Idalia.

  “Very good,” Brey said nodding his head in approval. “I see you have been studying.”

  “Just here and there,” Idalia said with a shrug of her shoulders.

  “Wasn’t too hard,” Eira said with a smug smile.

  “Yes, conjuring your elements may be easy. But, using them will be hard.” Brey said. He finally stopped pacing in front of them. “Season is weak. And because of it, its divisions are in turmoil. We will use your powers to restore balance.” Brey said.

  The girls nodded their heads together, excited to finally see more of Season. Of their birthright, their true home.

  A man walked into the arena, four horses walking lazily behind him. “This is Kade, your guide.” Brey said nodding at Kade. Kade didn’t speak. He walked up to the girls, placing a set of reins in each of their hands. Slowly, one by one, the four horses sauntered up to the girls. They blew air from their noses and nuzzled into the girls.

  “Your horses have chosen,” Kade said. Kade walked up to Orla and patted the huge grey horse. There were white spots splattered over its body and a beautiful mane of white hair. “This is Samson,” he said to Orla. He connected the reins and helped Orla step up onto Samson’s back. She wavered nervously.

  “I’ve never done this before,” Orla said looking down at Kade.

  “Samson will do all the work.” Kade said. He went over to Aviva and a smaller, black horse. “Milo,” he said to Aviva.

  Aviva gracefully mounted Milo and sat on top of the horse’s back confidently.

  “Lady,” Kade said to Idalia. He kissed the top of the chestnut horse’s nose. Lady neighed happily.

  Kade walked over to the last remaining horse. A stunning pure white horse stood close by Eira. “Willow.” He offered his hands to help Eira up, but she declined, stepping into the stirrup and kicking herself over easily.

  Kade nodded and walked back down the path he had came from. “Remember, work together. And control.” Brey called out after them as the horses followed Kade.

  Kade jumped on the back of a horse that met him near the castle. He kicked his heels into its sides and the horse took off. The girls followed closely behind.

  They rode passed Conformity Castle, passed hills and mountains, passed a stream of half frozen water. They kept going and going. Until finally, they started seeing cabins. One by one, they popped up along the path. Little wooden cabins. Some were broken as if a huge wind had ripped through them. Some were sagging from the weight of a great snowfall. Some had been burned. And some were covered in vines. Uninhabitable. All of them.

  Kade rode into the center of Autumn, dismounting near a large white cathedral. The girls’ horses stopped in a circle around Kade. The girls slid off their horses’ backs and followed Kade into the cathedral.

  Inside the cathedral was quiet. Eyes turned on the girls as they made their way up the steps and into the building. People in shades of yellow were everywhere. Laying on cots, standing along the walls, holding sma
ll children. They looked tired and hungry. But, most of all, defeated.

  “The princesses,” someone whispered. Gradually, the whispers became louder. The deeper the girls walked into the cathedral, the louder the chant was.

  “People of Autumn,” Kade said with a stern voice. Everyone quieted. “We have come to help.”

  Claps and cheers rang out. “Finally,” a few underjoyed people murmured.

  The people of Autumn ran out of the cathedral, pulling the Daughters with them. They went to the first row of cabins, stopping to look expectantly at the Daughters. “What are we supposed to do?” Aviva whispered to the other girls.

  “Fix it?” Idalia said, shrugging.

  “Look,” Orla said noticing a pile of wood at the end of the road. She moved an arm in the air in a come hither motion and the pile of wood was lifted into the air. It floated down the street on a swirl of wind. The stack of wood landed at the girls’ feet.

  The people watching cheered. Their princess finally showed them her powers. Finally making herself known.

  The rest of the girls conjured up their elements.

  It took the rest of the day to fix Autumn to its former glory, not that the Daughters knew what it used to look like. But, by the looks of joy on the people’s faces, they had done something right.

  It was night when they finally mounted their horses and rode back towards Conformity Castle. The flickering flame from Idalia’s hands led the way.

  They could just barely make out Conformity Castle, torches surrounding the grounds. Their horses galloped towards it.

  When they came up on the castle, their horses still at a full canter, an arrow rang through the air. It landed in the belly of Kade’s horse. The horse toppled to the ground, with Kade still firmly attached. The girls’ horses screeched to a stop, kicking up snow and dirt. Trying desperately not to trample their trainer.

  Idalia pushed out her flame. It burned higher and brighter so they could see better. She slid off Lady and ran to Kade careful to not put the flame too close to him. He was lying face down in the snow. His horse halfway on top of him.

  Blood from the horse’s side swirled in a puddle around them. The other horses yelled, their calls disrupting what had been a peaceful night.

  Orla and Eira came to Idalia’s side. Orla bent down, putting a hand on Kade. “He’s breathing. Barely,” she said.

  “We have to move him,” Eira said walking around to his other side, getting between him and the horse.

  Idalia shot her flame out of her hand and into the snow. It burned, melting the snow around it. She shook the heat from her hand and helped Orla and Eira untangle Kade from the horse.

  “Guys, look,” Aviva said from behind them. She was pointing to one of the rooms at the top of Conformity Castle.

  The girls looked. In the light of Idalia’s flame, they could see Queen Quinn turn away from the open window and disappear.

  “She had something to do with this,” Aviva said taking in the whole scene of Kade and his dead horse. “She must have.”

  “It doesn’t matter now,” Idalia said. “We have to hurry.” She tugged Kade’s leg from underneath the horse’s body. Finally, he was free. But, he was injured. Badly.

  Chapter 29

  In the land of Texas

  A few days later, Brey sent word that Kade was dead. There was nothing that could have been done. He had been crushed by the weight of his own horse. And it was all Queen Quinn’s fault. At least that’s what Aviva believed.

  “Good morning,” Mr. Fletcher said to Aviva when he walked into the kitchen.

  “Morning,” Aviva whispered.

  “Morning, dad,” Orla said kissing him on the cheek.

  “How did you sleep?” Orla’s mother asked.

  “Good,” Aviva said sipping the glass of juice Orla had poured for her.

  “You know,” Mrs. Fletcher started with a thumb and finger on her chin. “We have a guest room. You don’t have to sleep on the mattress on Orla’s floor.”

  “Oh, I don’t mind. If you don’t,” Aviva said to Orla.

  Orla shrugged. “I don’t. I kind of like the company.”

  “Well, if you change your mind,” Orla’s mother said trailing off into her coffee cup.

  “Thank you,” Aviva said.

  “Hurry up, girls. You don’t want to be late for school,” Orla’s father said, kissing Orla and her mother on the cheek before gathering up his briefcase and leaving for work. “Have a good day,” he called behind him.

  The door shut and Orla, her mother, and Aviva were left to finish their breakfast in the kitchen. “So, Aviva,” Mrs. Fletcher said. “How long are your parents going to be gone for?”

  “Mom,” Orla said with a big sigh.

  “I’m just curious, is all. We love having you here,” she said putting a hand on Aviva’s arm. Aviva fought the urge to flinch away. Orla’s mother removed her hand and folded it into her lap.

  “I’m not sure,” Aviva lied.

  “That’s okay,” Mrs. Fletcher said. “You can stay as long as you want. I just want to make sure they don’t mind,” she said with a soft smile.

  Aviva suspected Mrs. Fletcher knew more than she let on, more than what her or Orla told her, but she never said anything. She was happy to give Aviva a new home, and Aviva was happy to have one.

  “Oh, they won’t mind.” Aviva said. “Trust me,” she whispered. As long as they still got a check for her, Aviva’s foster parents could care less where she was.

  Mrs. Fletcher smiled and put her cup and plate in the sink. “All right, girls, I’m heading out. You need to as well.”

  “Yes, mom,” Orla said rolling her eyes. “We’ve only been going to school for years. I think by now we know when it starts.”

  “You better watch that mouth of yours,” Mrs. Fletcher said bumping her hip against Orla’s with a small laugh. She threw an arm around Orla’s shoulders and pulled her in for a tight hug. “Have a good day, girls.”

  Aviva waved to Mrs. Fletcher and watched her leave. “I love your parents,” Aviva said to Orla.

  “Yeah, they’re pretty great.”

  Aviva and Orla grabbed all their bags and left for school, riding together as they had been for weeks now. It was nice. Aviva finally had a family. One that didn’t take advantage of her. One that didn’t hurt her.

  “See you later, sis,” Orla said to her when they parted ways in the hallway.

  Aviva smiled. Happy, for once.

  Chapter 30

  “We’ll be back Sunday evening,” Orla’s father said to Orla. He had an arm wrapped around Orla’s mother. “Don’t do anything we wouldn’t have done at your age,” he winked.

  “Well, dad, that means we can do a lot,” Orla said with a twinkle in her eye.

  “No, it doesn’t,” her mother said elbowing her father in the stomach. He grimaced in fake pain. “Call us if you need anything.”

  “But, don’t need anything,” her father said laughing.

  “Bye, guys,” Orla said to them, giving them hugs and sending them on their way. She turned to Aviva. “You ready?”

  “For what?” Aviva asked wearily.

  “The Halloween party we’re throwing,” Orla exclaimed throwing up her hands.

  “We’re doing what now?” Aviva asked.

  “We’ve been talking about it forever.” Orla rolled her eyes. “Let’s go, we have to get everything ready.”

  “Orla, I don’t think this is a good idea.”

  “I know, it’s a great idea.” Orla said pulling Aviva after her.

  The doorbell rang. Orla went to the door and opened it wide. There was a group of kids from her school standing outside. They were dressed in various costumes, all ready to party. “Welcome,” Orla said, her voice pitched in excitement. “Come in, come in,” she ushered everyone into the already full house.

  “There are way too many people here,” Aviva said, coming up to Orla’s side.

  “Trust me, we’re just getting starte
d.” Orla said surveying the living room. It was packed full of students jumping around to the beat of the music. Everything was dark except for the lights that strung randomly from the ceiling.

  More people pile into every crevice of Orla’s house. Orla finds her sisters and brings them to the middle of the living room. “Let’s get this party started,” she said to them. She raised her hands and a strong breeze ripped through the air.

  “Orla,” Idalia said.

  “What? No one will be able to tell it’s me,” she said sending another burst of air through her house.

  “She’s right,” Eira said shrugging. Eira called the water from the plants and vases around Orla’s house, feeling the trickle within her. She bounced the water up and down over the vases.

  Aviva laughed. She raised the plants up out of the pots and twirled them around the room. The branches made eerie shadows appear all over the walls.

  “Come on, Idalia,” Orla said bumping into her.

  Idalia rolled her eyes, but lifted her hands. She shot the flames from the candles around the room high into the air.

  People all around clapped and cheered. “Great party,” some girl said to Orla when she passed by them.

  “Thanks,” Orla said smiling brightly.

  The girls dropped their hands and the house was blanketed in darkness again. “We’re getting pretty good,” Aviva said.

  “Yeah, we are,” Orla said pumping her fists into the air.

  “Now, all we have to do is figure out how to get Queen Quinn off our backs,” Idalia said.

  “I think I have an idea,” Eira mentioned. She was interrupted by a guy sliding in between them.

  He took Orla by the hands and pulled her from the group. “Ren, what are you doing here?” Orla asked throwing his hands off her.

  “Seeing my girlfriend, of course,” he said nervously running a hand through his hair.

  “Girlfriend?” Orla asked.