War's Ending

by A J Park

  “Was that why Sinnar hated me so much, because of his brother? Do you think he still does?”

  “No,” Kellji assured her. “I’ll tell the guards that if they see Addia anywhere near here, they are to stop her.”

  “Thank you, Kellji.” Shalyrie took a deep breath.

  “Are you all right?” Kellji asked. “Are you ready to meet the High Priestess?”

  Shalyrie stood up and took a deep breath, trying to calm herself. “I hope so.”

  “I’ll tell her you are ready.”

  A moment after Kellji had gone, a girl appeared. Shalyrie stood, facing the door, not sure what to do. A woman followed the girl in. This had to be the High Priestess. She was tall and stately, and Shalyrie could see her beautiful dark eyes above the top of her veil. Something about her eyes reminded Shalyrie of Kalleck. The woman didn’t look young, and her bearing spoke of experience and commanded respect. She was obviously a very important person. Shalyrie bowed courteously, wondering what was going to happen next.

  The woman came slowly nearer. “Shalyrie?” she said, and Shalyrie was taken aback that this woman knew her name.

  “Yes,” Shalyrie answered in Yalkur.

  “I am Allemi,” she said, reaching out to take Shalyrie’s hand.

  “Will you sit down?” Shalyrie asked, hoping she was saying the words correctly and not accidentally saying something insulting.

  But Allemi released her hand and sat down gracefully, gesturing that Shalyrie should do the same. Shalyrie thought Allemi’s expression looked kind. For a long moment, they gazed at each other. Shalyrie realized that she had seen her before. She’d been sitting by Kalleck’s bedside when he had been so ill and was struggling to breathe.

  “I have seen you before,” Shalyrie said, “when Kalleck was sick.”

  “Yes, I remember, and I’m very grateful to you for what you did.” She spoke clearly and slowly, and Shalyrie appreciated it. It was difficult enough for her to understand Yalkur, but when anyone spoke too fast, she still completely missed what they were saying.

  “I’m glad I could help,” Shalyrie smiled at her.

  “Your home is over the sea?” Allemi said.

  “Yes.”

  “Do you like our city?”

  “Yes, it’s beautiful.”

  “I’m glad you have come here. You saved my son’s life,” Allemi said.

  For a moment, Shalyrie didn’t know who she meant. “Your son?”

  “Kalleck is my son. You saved his life.”

  Of course! This was Kalleck’s mother. Why hadn’t Kellji told her? Maybe if there had been more time… “I couldn’t let him die when I knew how to cure him,” she said.

  “But you chose to help him,” Allemi said. “And I know that it was very difficult for you. I am so happy to have my son alive and well. And Sinnar felt very differently toward you after that. He’s grateful, and he’s glad you’re here in the city. So am I.”

  That was a surprise. She had expected most of the Yalkur to be angry with her, to hate her. Especially Kalleck’s mother, after what had happened to his father. Gallidack had gone to Newport to protect his people, and the Almorians had killed him. He had been the Yalkur’s leader, their First Guardian. He had worn gold on his armor and now he was dead, and Galenor had put his armor in a glass case on a wall. If she had known then who the armor had belonged to, she would never have sat there quietly eating dinner, admiring it.

  She looked at Allemi and her heart was heavy with sorrow, for her and for Kalleck. She spoke slowly. “You… don’t hate me for what my people have done?”

  “Did you kill anyone?”

  “No. I would never—”

  “And you have tried to stop those who did. Why should I hate you?” Allemi asked.

  “Thank you,” Shalyrie said, surprised and touched. It was a relief to be accepted for herself, not to be hated simply because she was one of the sea-folk.

  Allemi stood, and Shalyrie did the same. “This is for you,” Allemi said, taking out a silver necklace intricately detailed with flowers and leaves.

  “It’s beautiful,” Shalyrie said, amazed.

  Allemi fastened it around her neck and stepped back. “We want you to join our people.”

  They wanted her to join them? “Will they… accept me?” Shalyrie asked uncertainly.

  “Yes,” Allemi said without hesitating.

  “I’m grateful for your kindness,” Shalyrie said softly as Allemi went to the door.

  “We will see each other again soon,” Allemi said.

  When she was gone, Shalyrie sat down again. Allemi was obviously a formidable person. Shalyrie touched the silver at her neck thoughtfully. But she had been very kind, and Shalyrie was grateful for any kindness after seeing so much cruelty. And she was Kalleck’s mother. She had said they would accept her. Maybe the rest of the Yalkur would feel as she did, instead of treating her like Farak or Addia had.

  CHAPTER 17

  Sinnar, Third Guardian of the Yalkur, Clan Chief of the Hunter Clan

  Sinnar carried Addia, struggling and yelling, away from Shalyrie’s room. He headed for the room where she was staying. She didn’t live in the city during peaceful times, but she had come here with the other villagers for protection. She had remained with Sinnar’s parents and the rest of his family, even after Tarkan was gone, as if there was still some hope of getting Tar back. She could have gone back to her own family, who belonged to the Tanner Clan, but she hadn’t.

  “Addia,” he said, trying to soothe her. “Please. This isn’t going to help. Think of the baby.”

  “How could you speak for her?” she stared up at him furiously. “Did you forget that they killed him?”

  She still sounded hysterical, and her words stung. He would never forget that his brother was gone. “I haven’t forgotten,” he said. “But it’s not her fault. She’s done nothing but try to help us. She saved Kalleck’s life.”

  “I’ve heard that story everywhere in the city. You don’t really believe it do you?”

  “It’s not a story, Addia. I was there. I saw what she did.”

  She struggled. “Put me down!”

  “Will you promise?”

  “Promise what?” she demanded.

  “Promise me that you won’t try to harm Shalyrie again.”

  “No!” Addia protested, the hysteria rising in her voice once more. “Why should she be here in the Hidden City when she’s one of them?! Why should we keep her here?”

  “The sea-folk tried to kill her too. She’s on our side, Addia. Even if you don’t like her, you have to leave her alone.”

  “She’s really trying to help us?” Her voice sounded calmer now. She was thinking about it, at least.

  “Yes!”

  “All right,” Addia said, finally defeated. “I promise, Sinnar. You can put me down. I won’t do anything.”

  He set her on her feet. “We have to let go, Addia,” he looked down at her. “Hating them is not going to bring him back. He’s not coming back. We have to accept it and go on without him.”

  She shook her head, her eyes welling with tears. “But we don’t know. We never knew for sure. Maybe he…”

  “He’s dead, Addia.” The words were as heavy as stones, and it hurt to say them out loud. It felt as if something inside him had broken as he spoke. He was the same as her. He had hoped against all hope that somehow Tarkan was alive. That they could get him back. Tar had always been there with Sinnar. They had ridden together, trained together, done everything together—and Tar had always listened to him, followed him. Maybe if he hadn’t, he would still be alive.

  Now it was too late. He and Addia both needed to accept that it just wasn’t going to happen. They had to stop holding onto that wild, desperate hope.

  He said it aloud. “We have to let go.” He put his arms around
her and she clung to him, crying.

  “No,” she protested. “We can’t give up. There’s no way to know for sure. Maybe they only took him. Maybe they didn’t kill him. He has to come back. The baby will be here soon. He’s going to be a father. They can’t have killed him. I can’t do this alone.”

  He held her close. There was no comfort he could really give her, but he knew that Tarkan had loved her, and she him. “I’m sorry,” he whispered.

  “Don’t give up!” she insisted. “He’s still there, captive, and he’ll come back.”

  “He’s a lot like me,” Sinnar said. “Do you really think he would cooperate with them?” He took a deep breath. “He’s gone.”

  Lady Shalyrie Almorin

  Shalyrie jumped when she heard a knock. She took a deep breath and said, “Come in.” It was Sinnar. She breathed out a sigh of relief.

  “I came back to explain,” Sinnar said. “I’m sorry about before.”

  “It’s all right,” she said. “Come and sit.”

  “I thought you would want to know what happened. Addia didn’t use to be like that. Once I explained to her what you have done, and what you’re trying to do, she calmed down.”

  “I’m glad,” Shalyrie said. “And I’m sorry about your brother.”

  He bowed his head for a moment, then looked up at her. “Thank you, Shalyrie. I know that saying I’m sorry is not nearly enough to make up for the way I treated you that day on the bridge, and after, but… I’m sorry.” His eyes looked sad. “I have the worst temper. And I make mistakes when I’m angry. I’m sorry I hurt you.”

  “But there was a reason,” she said. “You were looking for your brother.”

  He nodded slowly.

  “Will you tell me what happened?” she asked.

  Sinnar took a long deep breath. “Tarkan was just a year younger than me. We did everything together, always. But then he fell in love. I’ve never seen a man fall so hard. He couldn’t think of anything but her. You met Addia. But she used to be very different. She hasn’t been well since it happened. They were so in love, but her father didn’t want to let her marry him at first. He didn’t want her to marry into the Hunter Clan. ‘Don’t fall in love with one of them,’ he told her. ‘When the First Guardian calls, he’ll go out to fight, and maybe he won’t come back.’ But she married him anyway, of course. They were in love. How could they not? And they were so happy together.

  But it turned out that her father was right in the end. One day, a group of us were outside the valley when we were attacked by a patrol of sea-folk. We fought hard, and we were badly outnumbered, but I had my brother beside me and finally we drove them back. When they were gone, I turned to check on him and he wasn’t there. His saddle was empty. I searched. We had lost a few men, but he wasn’t on the ground with them. I looked everywhere. I didn’t want to stop looking, and I couldn’t give up. He had to be there somewhere.”

  “And that’s why you hate the sea-folk… why you hate us so much?” she asked.

  Sinnar nodded, his eyes sad. “They sent me to tell her, and it was the worst thing I have ever had to do. She knew, as soon as we rode in and she saw his saddle empty, but I had to tell her anyway. I decided then that I would never fall in love with anyone until the war is over. A man alone has plenty to lose, but a man with a wife and family has so much more. Guardian Hannal has a wife and three children. If anything ever happens to him, I hate to think of the pain they will feel. Maybe they would become like Addia.”

  “That’s what you asked me that day on the bridge. You wanted to know where he was?”

  “Yes,” he said. “I’m sorry, Shalyrie. I should never have hurt you. But it was soon after we lost him, and I was so angry. I was sure someone knew where he was, unless they’ve killed him,” Sinnar sighed. “That’s probably what happened.”

  “I saw a few Yalkur in Newport. Maybe he is there. When this is all over, we will look for him.”

  “He’s dead. I need to accept it.”

  “We’ll search anyway,” she said.

  Sinnar nodded, and they were silent for a moment.

  “There was a blue stone,” she said. “I was wearing it that day, and you were angry when you saw it.”

  Sinnar looked sad again. “Did Kalleck tell you what it was?”

  “He told me,” she said. “He said that his mother gave the stone to his father, and that he would have had it with him when…”

  “When I saw it, it brought back everything. Shalyrie… My father was with Gallidack too.”

  She bowed her head. “I’m so sorry, Sinnar. I didn’t know any of this. Galenor gave it to me and told me they had found it during the construction of the city. I didn’t know where it had truly come from. Kalleck said he would give it back to Allemi.”

  By her third day of riding with Kalleck, Shalyrie began to feel more comfortable in the saddle. Kalleck had led the horse while she rode alone. Carefully, he had taught her how to direct the animal. When she had learned the basics, Shalyrie rode with Kalleck walking beside her. Then he stood still, and she rode a little way on her own. Night Wind endured the whole thing with an air of resigned patience.

  “I didn’t think I could do it,” she exclaimed, surprised at herself.

  “I knew you could,” he said. “Come with me.”

  He walked and she rode after him.

  They turned aside to a green field. Kalleck slipped between the rails of the fence. She got down carefully and stood at the fence, watching him. He whistled softly and a gray horse trotted up to him. Even to Shalyrie, who knew almost nothing about horses, this one looked exceptional. The horse’s legs were long and lithe, and its arched neck was strong and graceful.

  “Her name is Sea Mist,” Kalleck said. “She was born in the Aranak Valley. She’s for you.”

  “For me?” she whispered, amazed. She climbed through the rails to stand beside Kalleck and gently touched the horse’s neck. “She’s beautiful. She deserves someone who knows how to ride.”

  “That will be you,” Kalleck said confidently. “You’re already learning quickly.”

  “What if I can’t do it?”

  “You can do it. She’s very gentle, and she will take care of you. Here,” he gave her a slice of apple. “Hold your hand flat like this.”

  She obeyed and held out the apple. Sea Mist ate it from her hand. Shalyrie looked into the horse’s calm dark eye and she was reassured.

  “Are you ready to ride her?” Kalleck asked.

  “Do you think I am?”

  “Of course.” He took a blanket from the fence and laid it over the horse’s back. “First the blanket, then the saddle. You’ll be able to do this yourself soon.” He set the saddle in place and tightened the cinch. Then he took what looked like a mess of leather straps and put it over the horse’s head.

  “Are you ready?”

  Shalyrie took a deep breath, willing herself not to be afraid. Kalleck thought she could do this. She put her foot in the stirrup and pulled herself up. Sea Mist stood patiently.

  “I showed you how to direct her,” Kalleck said. Shalyrie began at a walk, but soon she was riding faster around the field. She could feel how to move her body to adjust to the motion of the horse.

  Then Kalleck took down a section of the rails and said, “Follow me.” He was back on his horse in the blink of an eye and Night Wind sped away. Shalyrie sent Sea Mist to follow him out into the green hills. It was like flying. It felt much different than riding with another person. This was new and exhilarating. She was in control. Sea Mist was willing and responsive beneath her. She could feel the horse’s strength and vigor, and she thought that the horse enjoyed the run as much as she did. Time disappeared. She forgot all her worries and fears. The wind swept over them and the grass flew by.

  Finally, Kalleck pulled up and she stopped beside him. She grinned at him from beh
ind the cloth covering her face, and his eyes smiled back. “I knew you could do it,” he said.

  She tried to catch her breath. “That was… amazing.”

  His horse stepped closer until he was near enough to take her hand. “Shalyrie, you have already done so much for my people. Thank you.” His brown eyes were warm and, when he looked at her like this, it was still hard to catch her breath. “Are you ready to decide? You can become one of us. Will you learn the secrets of the Yalkur?”

  For a moment, she was afraid again, but she knew in her heart she wanted to join his people. She couldn’t let the fear stop her. It was time to go forward. She looked back at him, meeting his eyes steadily. “I will keep your secrets. I’m ready.”

  He nodded. “Good then, we will go to the High Priestess. Are you ready to wear the mark of the Yalkur?”

  What was Uncle Telthan going to do about that when he found out? She took a deep breath. She was just going to have to wear it someplace he wouldn’t see it. She followed Kalleck back to the city, and they went to the High Priestess.

  “She is ready,” Kalleck said. “Can you prepare the ceremony for tomorrow?”

  “Yes,” Allemi said. “And is she ready now to receive her atoh?”

  “Yes,” Shalyrie said.

  “Then come with me,” She said, ushering Shalyrie into another room. “Kalleck will wait here.”

  “Where have you chosen to wear the mark?” Allemi asked her when they had closed the door behind them.

  “Here,” Shalyrie said, putting her hand over her heart.

  “Kalleck will explain to you what it all means as soon as we are finished.”

  The process prickled and stung, but it was soon over. Shalyrie could see a beautiful design on her skin: graceful lines surrounding a central symbol that looked something like an eye. That must be what Kalleck would explain to her. She pulled her tunic back into place hiding the mark, and they went back out to Kalleck.