The Unforeseen One

by Lexy Wolfe

  The jarring sound of swords clashing rang from the caldera’s walls as Storm put Seeker through his paces while sparring. Skyfire stood watch nearby as the two went at each other.

  Bella winced and glance at the healer. “Are you sure this is safe?”

  “Of the options? It is safer to let her vent her anger like this than wait for someone or something to unleash it on them.” Taylin sighed. “Besides, Skyfire will make sure nothing happens to either of them.” She glared at Ash. “You could have waited until we were heading back to Forenta to tell her.”

  “I am not keeping secrets from my lifemate,” he replied, his voice flat and expression brooding. “She deserves that much from me.”

  “But—!” Taylin rolled her eyes, uttering a sound of disgust. “Why do I try to argue? It’s done now.”

  “Believe me, Taylin. I understand why you feel I should have waited.” Ash’s voice gentled as he spoke. “I thought it would be best to wait, particularly when we found out she was pregnant. With twins.” He still sounded in awe of the idea of fatherhood. And worried. “But I have learned to trust my instincts more when it comes to people, especially her. She needed to know sooner rather than later. If we sprang it on her in Forenta, the havoc her temper might have wrecked would be unimaginable and devastating.”

  “It is okay, Mama! Brother and Sister are strong,” Izkynder assured with anxiousness in his demeanor.

  Taylin pressed her lips together, then said reluctantly, “It is not a matter of only the babies being strong. The mother must be as well. She needs strength in ways different than a warrior to support pregnancy.” She rubbed Izkynder’s back as she explained to the others seated around the extinguished fire pit. “Up north, a normal pregnancy runs no less than nine months. It is rare those infants that come earlier have enough strength to survive. It is equally risky if they remain too long.”

  She looked to the two Swordanzen women. “I am not sure if my brother could have aided you any better than he had. He wouldn’t have known your pregnancies were so short until Star’s pregnancy. I suspect the reason your people have such…difficulties is that things are much more delicate in such a compressed time period, not only because the fetus might have been weak. A jarring that may have been tolerated normally, some unknown influence, could upset the baby and…” she closed her eyes. “And that is merely the risks for the infants.”

  Windsong and Rockspar traded puzzled expressions. “There are dangers to mothers?”

  Taylin chuckled sadly. “Perhaps you could call your people’s inordinate number of miscarriages and such early births a blessing of a sort. Up north, it is not…uncommon for women to die. Because something tore inside, the labor took too long, the baby was too large for them. Or some multitude of reasons, and there were no skilled healers to aid them. Sometimes their children die with them. Multiple births are especially risky because they often come early. Humans are simply not designed to bear more than one at a time easily.”

  “You mean she should not be fighting,” Windsong stated, frowning as she watched Storm and Seeker. “Or training.”

  “She will need to begin…limiting how much she exerts herself. Stopping altogether would not be helpful. Given the accelerated growth of Desanti children, she needs to eat more, else her body will start attacking itself to support them.”

  The drizar’s sudden, challenging shrill and the unsettled cries of the rest of the drizzen startled everyone. With the gait of a giant cat, the golden reptilian Garst approached Storm and laid a large fish at her feet, then turned away to disappear back into the ferns. Arms dropping to her sides in exasperation, she looked skywards. “What am I supposed to do with this?”

  Mureln chuckled as he strolled over, picking up the fish. “I suspect you are supposed to eat it, Alanis. Allow me to prepare it for you.” She arched an eyebrow at him. “I have seen a fish or two in my day. Even cooked a few myself.”

  Storm shoved her swords in their sheaths and stalked back to sit beside her lifemate. “All this coddling will make me insane.”

  “It will be done soon enough, beloved,” Ash assured. “And then we will have two little warriors running havoc.”

  “Mages.” He arched an eyebrow at her. “They will have your stubbornness.”

  Nolyn chuckled. “Look who is calling who stubborn.” He ducked a small rock she flung at him. “But seriously, I was thinking. Wouldn’t it be better if you remained here while the rest of us complete the journey, Storm? At least until your children have been born and you’ve recovered?” He waved his hand toward the outside. “No risk of anyone trying to challenge you, plenty of water. And food if what that tigrin brought was any indication.”

  The tribe traded guarded looks of surprise when she did not lash out at the suggestion, only clenching her jaw and hugging her swelling middle. “I do not know what I should do. I would have been considered a coward hiding away. Some still would if I hid.” She stopped speaking to put her hands over her abdomen, then grabbed Ash’s hand and pressed it against her belly. His expression when he felt the flutter of the unborn kicking drew laughter from the others. She continued when her solemnity returned. “But knowingly putting myself in danger would go against the patterns to protect new life if I put myself at risk as Swordanzen do.”

  “You are not alone to keep them,” Ash told her, his fingers running along her jaw as his hand remained on her belly. “As much as I would love to wrap you in cotton and keep you locked away safe, we are Alanis. We must see this duty to our tribe and the land itself through. Together. Let Taylin stay close so she can help with any troubles that may arise.” He could not help but smile at her surprise. “Do not think I will not worry or fret over you, but you taught me those we are responsible for must come first. And besides,” he added in a soft voice, “will I ever abandon you.”

  She nodded, bowing her head to touch his forehead with hers for a moment. “Five more days. The path out is gentler but equally dangerous. It cannot be backtracked on.”

  Rockspar took out a hide that had symbols drawn onto it. “Storm, Seeker had given us a path to follow from Anibu that would bring us to the other A’tyrna Ulan before we reach the Citadel.”

  “Including the Blighted Lands?” she asked. The other only nodded. She sighed in resignation. “It cannot be helped, I suppose. We will need to ensure we have ample supplies before we enter them. Most of what survives there is toxic.” She sensed the question of most of the tribe and explained explained, “I was told when the massacre happened, spilled na’Zhekali blood tainted all the plants it had touched. The poison disbursed through the animals that died eating them. The taint spread until all that had been our territory was uninhabitable.”

  “It is said the land mourned the loss of the first tribe, and the Totani refused to let any tribe gain in punishment for allowing such a massacre to happen.” Seeker shrugged one shoulder at the expressions on those from the north. “You may consider it excessive. But the heart is not logical, especially when it is wounded.”

  “It will be a while until I finish cooking,” Mureln said, smiling at his son as the boy crouched to watch him with keen intensity. “Why don’t you get a nap in?”

  Storm wrinkled her nose, but moved to her sleeping mat. “I hate needing to sleep so much.”

  “That sounds familiar.” Nolyn’s droll tones drew a laugh from Star and the others of their party. He got to his feet to join the other two masters. “We’re going to go talk. We’ll be back.”

  “Good. Go. Quickly.” Storm rolled over onto her side, but her voice carried. “Mages talking is worse than just Forenten talking. Makes my head hurt listening to them when they’re nattering on and on about mage nonsense.” Ash smiled, Terrence shook his head. Nolyn chuckled and waved for Marcus to join the three.

  You know you’ll be expected to take an apprentice when we return to Forenta,” Ash said once the mages were well away from the camp.

  Nolyn chuckled at Terrence’s exasperated sigh and eye roll t
hat met the statement. “That is pretty much how I felt after I was appointed Edai Magus of Verusia. I avoided it for weeks.”

  “Months,” the apprentice corrected, offering a cheeky smile to his master.

  “Mm hm,” the man said with an arched eyebrow before clearing his throat and continuing. “Ellis arranged for Marcus’ interview under the guise of him running the apprentice applications he insisted I review to me. Otherwise, I probably would still be putting it off.” He clapped his hand on the young man’s back with affection. “It is not so terrible when you have the right person.”

  “Look. It isn’t that I don’t want to follow the Edai.” Terrence held up his bare arm, the black Githalin silhouette on his shoulder sharp against his pale tan. The eternal braid of gold and green covering his forearm shimmered in the light. “I’m not sure…how. This isn’t exactly known territory I’m charting here.”

  “Ask for guidance from our great mother? Or Dzee. I am certain your Totani would be more forthcoming than the Knowing One,” Nolyn suggested.

  “But how does he keep Forentan and Desanti knowledge separate?” Marcus piped up. When the men focused on him, he turned bright red. “Well, I mean, mages are rather, ah, um, you know. They don’t like sharing. Especially with outsiders. I doubt their people want whatever they have, or at least will have with Totani Dzee around, getting out to anyone not ‘one of the people’ as Seeker likes to say.”

  Terrence laughed at their expressions. “You do have an excellent apprentice, Nolyn. I can only pray I am as lucky as you finding a good one.” His smile faded into a disconsolate sigh. “But he is right. Most of the time I have been blending both magicks together. Keeping them separate?” He shook his head. “I don’t think I can do that.”

  “Perhaps it is not about separation at all.” Terrence looked at Ash in surprise as the man spoke with slow thoughtfulness. “Bringing both warrior and mage disciplines together may very well be what you were meant to do. Remember when we would spar and mix Desanti fighting style with Forentan magicks?”

  Marcus’s eyes went wide. “You can fight like a Desanti?”

  Terrence chuckled, scratching behind one ear. “Not nearly as good as Storm or Skyfire.”

  A smile curled Ash’s mouth ever so slightly. “You are setting your standards a little high. Those two are in a league of their own among warriors,” he pointed out. He explained to the other two. “Their Githalin marks lost the black and shows images of their Totani’s beast shapes ever since the shli’zarii. If we weren’t there to protect them while they recovered, they would probably not have survived the contest.”

  “Oh, so that’s why theirs are different. I was afraid I might offend them if I asked.” After a pause, Marcus giggled. “I bet Woodsman Ursin Farover would be impressed that you can fight, Master Ash. Especially if you could wrestle a greater bear.”

  “Ursin Farover? The same woodsman who taught us woodscraft when we were boys?” Nolyn nodded with a broad grin. Ash arched an eyebrow. “So, the old man is still terrorizing the forests, is he?”

  “Uh huh. He taught me how to fletch arrows.” Marcus turned red. “Master won’t let me carry a bow because, uh, my aim is a little, um…unpredictable.”

  “He has shots that go behind him, Ash. I have no clue how he manages it. It’s a bow for gods’ sake.” Nolyn shook his head with a comical sigh. He smiled at the boy and put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s fine, Marcus. Not everyone can master everything. And shooting a bow is not expected of mages.”

  “But you said it’s important to be able to do stuff without depending on magic, Master. And some things can’t be fixed with talking.” Ash and Terrence traded amused grins, mindful of the Desanti’s complaints. “I can’t go around sneaking up behind people and hitting them with a branch like I did with Trisari Endarian.”

  The two Illaini looked at Marcus in surprise. “You hit him?” The boy bit his lip and nodded. Ash turned forward again, expression hard, his voice edged. “Good.”

  Nolyn held up a hand, gesturing to his apprentice to remain silent before he voiced his question with a shake of his head. “So, I wanted to show you two something Marcus found when we first got here. We asked Seeker and Star about it, but neither they nor their Totani recognized it. Star said the symbol looked familiar to her.” He paused by the rock bearing the symbol turning to look at the pair of Illaini. “I thought one of you might have an idea.”

  Both men knelt, examining the flat rock and the golden emblem on it. Ash frowned, tracing the figure. “It looks very familiar to me as well.” He turned to Terrence. “What do you think?”

  The younger Illaini was about to answer when the air filled with an ominous buzzing. They barely had time to duck when several giant, jewel-like insects swooped at them. Shrill challenges that were familiar to them answered the buzzing and a swarm of chitan of various colors swept into the clearing with one other familiar creature.

  “Petal?” Terrence reached up to catch the forest sprite as she flew near him, holding her close against him. “Petal, what are you doing?”

  “Chitta and Petal protect!” She pointed. “They are much angry!”

  “I remember this now.” Ash drew his knife, cut his palm, and slapped it onto the emblem. Though nothing was visible, a pulse of energy burst from the rock, buffeting away the winged cloud around them. He narrowed his eyes up at the swirl of angry creatures. “Enough! I have no patience for unprovoked attacks.”

  A creature similar to Petal dropped to hover eye level with Ash. However, instead of iridescent dragonfly-like wings, a vivid green chitinous “cloak” had split and angled back so a single pair of whirring beetle wings were exposed. The same metallic quality shell covered the creature’s entire body save the front which was softer, dark eyes squinting in suspicious anger.

  The tiny creature chattered, gesturing angrily. It dropped back when Petal dropped to hover between it and the mages, her bird-like scolding counterpoint to the other winged being.

  As the argument continued, Ash quirked an eyebrow then looked at the others. “Is everything in Desantiva angry?”

  “I am beginning to realize how very, very lucky I am to have Star in my life.” Bemused, Nolyn crossed his arms, resting his chin in a palm. “But it certainly does seem to be the case. Can really hardly blame any of them.”

  Terrence’s expression waxed from annoyance to humored. “Am I the only one who thinks they sound like an old couple bickering?” Marcus clapped a hand over his mouth to smother a burst of laughter, Nolyn coughing and Ash chuckling. “Excuse me,” he interrupted, speaking Swordanzen as he waved his hand between the winged beings. Both of them looked at him. “You are speaking too fast. Might you slow down so we can understand your argument?”

  Petal hung her head, flying to land on his shoulder. “Petal sorry, Terrence.”

  The green creature glowered for a moment, then turned, waving a hand with a shrill call. Half the cloud dove for the rocks they faced, landing to watch. The swarm of chitan landed on shorter rocks and stiff bushes behind the mages, their tiny hisses and growls a low, continuous sound. Chitta landed on Ash’s shoulder.

  The man looked at the red reptilian rodent. “You have had us worried, flying off as you had.” Chitta ducked his head, abashed. “Just make sure you apologize to Izkynder when we get back.” The ruby chitan chirped once, then glared at the green creature, hissing. Ash tapped his nose, shushing him.

  “Thank you,” Terrence said, holding his hand out. “What are you? Have you a name?” He paused, grimacing as Dzee spoke and he repeated his questions in a different tongue. It hesitated a moment before landing on the man’s extended palm, wings folding and the chitinous shell closing over top, giving it a beetle-like appearance.

  Its response, not as painful as its earlier tones, remained unintelligible to the other three. “Is it speaking Swordanzen?” Ash frowned. “It would be easier if Storm consented to allow others to learn the tongue.”

  “No,” Terrence answered on
ce the tiny creature finished speaking and crossed its arms. “It speaks Desanti. A very old dialect from what Dzee tells me. Probably changed with their isolation and no one to speak with.” He spoke a few more words, then looked to the others. “Its name is Nim and says its kind are called pixies. They are…or were…forest guardians. With the forests gone, all they had left to protect was this place.”

  “This valley?” Nolyn looked toward the center. “If this is the greenest area left in this land, I can understand why they are angry.”

  After Terrence translated Nolyn’s words to Nim, it shook its head with such vigor it had to spread its protective shell to regain its balance. It pointed energetically at the flat rock, then toward the lake, chattering with such emphasis, the humans covered their ears, grimacing. It calmed and slowed its speech, but it was no less animated.

  Terrence frowned, his expression a mixture of pain and confusion. “I am not sure if Nim is confused or I am not translating what it is saying correctly. It says only the star-warrior and star-mystic can wield the key to enlightenment.” Closest to him, Marcus jumped to lend him support when he staggered a half-step. “Sorry. Communing with Dzee this closely for this long is exhausting.”

  “It is all right. Nim’s words were enough to awaken a sliver of Avarian’s memories.” He stood up, looking at the flat stone. The smear of his blood had vanished as it was absorbed by the rock. “Nolyn, you said Star says you are a spiritwalker now? You can see spirits?”

  “Yes though I’m nothing like she or the other Su’alin of their people. I don’t have Citali’s blessing that would allow me to cross the border between the dreamscape and the spirit world. And I have to concentrate to see them in the waking world, if they aren’t being particularly demanding for attention.” His brow lowered in puzzlement. “Why?”

  “Just look about…” Ash walked a few measured steps and pointed in front of him. “Here. Do you see anything?”