by Lucia Ashta
“I’ve gifted you with a life full of dangers and burdens too great for a girl your age.”
I thought they were probably too great for anyone, of any age, but I didn’t say it. “I get to be who I am in our home.” I laced my words with an upbeat energy I didn’t feel.
Mother looked around our house. It was small, as all of the houses of the Ooba tribe were. Even the chieftain lived in a house only a little bigger than ours. But within these four walls at least I could exist. I could live, no matter how limited a life it was.
“Our home isn’t much of a place for you to live out your life,” she said.
I felt like I should say something to make her feel better. This wasn’t like her. She was usually encouraging, helping me find my blessings when they were hardest to see. But I couldn’t get my mouth to say the words; I couldn’t find them beyond the heaviness of my heart. A meeting about dragon training? I dreamt of working with dragons, of contributing in important ways. If I was foolish in any way, it was in dreaming, hoping for what would never be.
Rane came to my rescue. “Ma, it’s not that bad. We have fun, don’t we? We’re all happy enough. We’re blessed enough.”
Are we? I thought, and for the first time I could remember, Mother voiced my innermost thoughts aloud.
“Aye, we are blessed,” Rane said, to both of us, I imagined. If Mother was feeling me and reacting to my emotions, he almost certainly was. “Our family possesses the only set of twins in the entire Ooba tribe, possibly on all of Planet Origins. If twins are so dangerous, every tribe must be eliminating them. We have the rarest blessing in the entire world.”
I had to give Rane credit, he put a good spin on things. I certainly was rare. I was a freak. The only one of my kind. Perhaps other families out there also concealed a set of twins. Planet Origins was a large place, after all, it was certainly possible. But I doubted there was anyone precisely like me. Because, really, how many invisible girls could there be in this world? Everything about me was forbidden. Not only was I a twin, but I was a manifestation of some unique... coming together of things... or something. I’d considered that it must have been faithum that caused my invisibility. I couldn’t come up with any other explanation that made any kind of sense, and since I was totally ignorant about faithum, I thought there might be something within it that accounted for me.
But the chieftain made sure I’d never find out. He allowed no twins to live, and no person to practice faithum of any sort or degree.
Mother hesitated at Rane’s words, as if it were the first time she’d ever considered thinking of me as a blessing. Even though she didn’t say it, and I could’ve been wrong, that realization shot a stabbing pain through my heart. If I wasn’t a blessing to my own mother, then what was the point of it all?
“Of course Anira is a blessing,” Mother said, making her words sound believable. But I’d already planted the seed of doubt in my heart, along with the thousand others I’d placed there over my life, and it grew. I just wanted her to leave me alone. I’d stay in our house by myself today, where no one would come visit or discover my existence.
“She’s been a blessing since the first moment I felt her heart beating against my chest,” Mother said, “when I lay her against my breast alongside you, Rane. The Something Greater blessed me with not one, but two beautiful babies.”
But I wasn’t listening anymore, not really. How could she say I was a beautiful baby when she couldn’t even see me? For all she knew, I was hideous. For all I knew, I might be. I couldn’t see myself either, and all that Rane could see—on a good day—was the outline of my body as the light illuminated me in just the right way, at precisely the right angle.
Mother’s energy had shifted again. Once more, she seemed like her usual optimistic self, a stance I’d wondered about. How hard did she have to work to maintain it? Or could it possibly be something that came naturally to her? A true gift to be able to see the good amid all the bad?
“So are you going or not?” Mother asked Rane while she bent down to kiss my cheek. She ended up kissing my ear instead, but it was close enough. I was used to ‘close enough.’
“Heck yeah, I’m going,” Rane said, already jumping out of bed. “Where’s the gathering? At the chieftain’s place?”
“No, at the sacred pools.”
Rane stopped riffling through his clothes. “The sacred pools? For real?”
“That’s what the chieftain’s messenger said.”
“Wow, this is serious then.”
“The messenger didn’t say it, but I think the chieftain believes he’s dying.”
Rane walked back over to the bed and plopped down. “Dying? Really?”
“I think so. The messenger this time was Jore, and you know what he’s like, but that’s the impression I got.”
“But Jore didn’t say it?”
“No, it was just a sense I got from how he delivered his message.”
“Your senses are right more than they’re wrong.”
Mother shrugged, already moving toward the door. “Sometimes. But whether I’m right or wrong, you’d better hurry. The chieftain waits for no one. He’ll close the gathering when he arrives, no matter who else is there, and who’s still coming.”
“Of course he will.” Rane popped up from the bed and started riffling through his clothes again, settling on the same pants he wore the day before and a clean shirt.
“May you find the oasis, my son,” Mother said.
He looked up. “You’re leaving?”
“Aye. I left Traya doing the laundry. She’ll need my help. We’re doing the chieftain’s household this week.”
“All right, see you later,” Rane said, already pulling on his pants.
Mother opened the door, then said, “Don’t do anything to cross the chieftain. Be careful, both of you.”
It was as if she guessed what I was starting to think. Perhaps she did. I was probably pretty predictable, always looking for the way to do what I wanted, even though that was the one thing I wasn’t allowed.
The second she pulled the door shut behind her, Rane said, “You’d better hurry. I won’t be able to wait for you today.”
I sat back up in bed. “What do you mean?”
“Don’t play innocent with me, it never works. I can guess what you’re thinking, just as Ma probably does. So if you plan on coming with me, get your butt out of bed, and get ready. There’ll be no time for primping today.”
“Primping,” I muttered while I flung the blankets off and hopped out of bed. “As if I ever primp.”
“How do I know you don’t primp? I can’t see you. For all I know you primp all day long.”
I laughed, even though I really didn’t want to. “You’re ridiculous sometimes, you know that, don’t you?”
“As long as I’m not ridiculous all of the time.” He looked up at me, mischief dancing across his dark eyes. He looked straight where I was actually standing; he was the only one to ever do that.
I pulled my basket of clothes out from under our bed, where no one would accidentally discover it should anyone happen to come into our home—which no one who didn’t know about me ever did, but we were still careful. I took out pants that reached my calves and a shirt without sleeves. The warm weather didn’t last long, and we were in the middle of it. I did my best to enjoy the heat while I could. I loved the feeling of the sun beating on my bare skin, and since no one could tell, I walked around naked whenever I was in the mood.
But I wouldn’t be naked today. I wore clothes for my own comfort. Whatever I wore on my body became as invisible as I was. Like the rest of me, I had no explanation for it, and I didn’t understand why the effect didn’t extend to things I touched, but I was glad I didn’t have to walk around naked all the time. Even if no one could see me when I was naked, it just felt... weird.
“I’m ready,” Rane said.
“You look quite the handsome rogue. Is there someone you’re trying to impress?”
&nbs
p; “Aye, you,” he joked. “Now let’s go. Are you ready?”
“Of course I am. And I’m sure Yana will enjoy the extra efforts you took with your appearance today.”
“Yana? Are you serious? I don’t like her any more than I like anybody else. And what extra efforts? I didn’t do anything different.”
No, he hadn’t, but I’d still gotten him going. “Sure you did. I know you like her.” No matter what he said, I could see how he looked at the red-haired beauty, whose coloring was so rare for our tribe.
“I do not like her,” he said, in exactly the manner he’d say it if he actually did like her.
“All right. Whatever you say.” But I had no intention of letting up on the topic. I’d get him to admit his feelings for her before I was finished. Today, though, he had to focus, and whatever I might think of my possibilities regarding dragons, I wasn’t about to do anything to mess up his chances. “You ready to show them your skills out there today?”
“Do you think they’ll make me interact with the dragons?” He sounded panicked.
“I doubt it, Rane, but if they do, you have as deep a connection with the dragons as anyone I’ve ever seen.”
“That’s only because you don’t get to see the dragon charmers at work.”
I did. Even Rane didn’t always discover where I went. I didn’t get to see the dragon charmers often, as I’d learned they were more aware of energy shifts in their surroundings than the majority of the tribe. Once, Dean, one of the most formidable of all the dragon charmers, turned and looked straight at the spot I was standing. I swore he sensed me. I couldn’t be certain, but I hadn’t been back since then, just in case.
Rane continued. “The dragon charmers are incredible.”
“Aye, well so are you. Didn’t you tell Ma that we’re rare, on all of O we might be the only twins alive? I might be the freak of the two of us, but you’re a twin too. If twins and the connection we share aren’t faithum, then I don’t know what is.”
“Faithum is forbidden, Nir, you know that.”
“Of course I do. It still doesn’t mean that the faithum we might be able to access isn’t important. You yourself said that maybe the chieftain isn’t telling us everything. I mean, do we really understand why faithum is forbidden?”
“We do, of course we do. The seers say that faithum, if allowed, will be the destruction of our people.”
“They also say that twins will cause the devastation of our people.”
“Right, the two things we are. Well, I’m not so sure about the faithum part, I’ve only just started considering the possibility, but certainly the twin part.”
“I’ve never actually met a seer, have you?”
“No.” Rane stilled with his hand on the door handle. “They wander, never remaining in one place for long.”
“So we’re told.”
“Aye, so we’re told.”
Our skepticism hung heavily in the air before I remembered that today was about Rane. I wouldn’t do anything to take that away from him. “Come on,” I said, putting a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “It’s time to show the tribe you’re ready to be a part of the Dragon Force, of our people’s sacred purpose.”
He cast his eyes downward. “And if I fail?”
“You? Fail? You’ve never failed at a thing in your life. You’re the fastest runner—”
“One of the fastest.”
“—and the best young archer.”
“Aye, and why we practice archery doesn’t even make sense. Raiders haven’t attacked us in ages, and we don’t use arrows against the dragons.”
“You’re the best friend, and the best brother.”
He raised his gaze to meet my invisible eyes. “Am I the best brother?”
“For sure you are, and I don’t have a single doubt that you’ll be an amazing dragon tamer. Maybe someday you’ll even become a dragon charmer, and if you do, you’ll be one of the very best.”
“You really think so?”
“I know so. No one watches you as much as I do. I see what you’re capable of. Besides, if I have faithum, so do you. And if being invisible to sight isn’t faithum, then heck, I need someone to explain exactly what faithum is.”
He studied me, and then let loose his signature smile, the one I was certain Yana would eventually fall for. “You know, you’re a pretty great sister... when you want to be.”
I slapped him playfully on the shoulder. “When I want to be? How about all the time?”
He grew serious. “All the time, you’re the best sister there is.”
“Don’t let Traya hear you say that.”
“She knows. How can she not? We’re twins, there’s no closer bond than that.”
“Aye, I guess so.” I was starting to feel a tiny bit blessed. “But now let’s go so you’re not late. You have skills to show off.”
“Dang, I hope so. The chieftain makes me nervous. I hope I don’t have to deal with him watching while I also have to deal with dragons.”
“The chieftain makes everyone nervous. You’ll be at no greater disadvantage than everyone else, and everyone else doesn’t have a secret twin sister who’s going to help them.”
“No, Nir, no. You can’t do that.”
“Why not? Of course I can.”
“It’s too risky.”
“My entire life is risky. Don’t worry, I won’t do anything crazy.”
“You always do crazy things.”
He had a point. “No, I don’t. I only take calculated risks, and this is one I’m going to take. I’ll help you if there’s any way I can help.”
“No—”
“Yes. By the oasis, I’m your twin.”
“Exactly, and anyone who discovers you will have you killed.”
“That’s old news, Rane.”
“You heard Ma, you shouldn’t come.”
“Oh, so now you’re changing your tune? You’re the one who told me to get ready to come with you the second she was out the door.”
“Aye, but that’s only because I was sure I wouldn’t be able to talk you out of coming. You would’ve just followed me on your own.”
“Exactly, so why are you wasting time trying to talk me out of what I’ll end up doing anyway?”
He made one of his frustrated sounds. I elicited a wide range of them.
“There’s no time to waste,” I said. “I’m coming with you, and if I see a way to help you, I will.”
“Anira….”
I squeezed his shoulder. “I’ll be extra careful, I promise.”
“You promise?”
“I do.”
“All right. Then let’s go. I have some dragons to woo.”
“That you do.”
As I waited for him to pull the door closed behind us, I was left wondering whether he meant he had to woo the actual dragons or the chieftain and his emissaries. The chieftain could be as fearsome as the dragons.
Chapter Four
“You’re very familiar with this path,” Rane said in the faintest of whispers. I understood all his words implied, which he wouldn’t dare express now. No one was allowed to visit the pools without the chieftain’s express permission. I visited them regularly. It was one of the few advantages I had in being the way I was, and I made the most of it.
Others dotted the path, even though the Suxle Sun hadn’t yet broken free of the mountain line. No one walked with us though, which was the only reason I walked as freely as I did. No one was close enough that I had to silence my footsteps, but they would be soon. None of Rane’s friends had caught up with us yet, but they’d come. Perhaps even Dram would come. There was no greater purpose amongst the Ooba people than to train with the dragons. Anyone with even a chance at receiving the chieftain’s approval would attend the gathering.
“You come here, don’t you?” Rane persisted, but I didn’t answer. He wouldn’t insist in our surroundings, and if I didn’t say anything, he’d be forced to let it go. When he brought it up later, I wouldn�
��t hide my visits to the sacred pools. I didn’t need to. He, of all people, understood my need to claim my freedom wherever I could get it. He wouldn’t deny me this, even if it worried him.
I loved the sacred pools. It was the one place in the world where I felt at complete peace. Granted, I hadn’t seen the world beyond our village and its immediate surroundings, but that was world enough for me, and the sacred pools were one of the best parts of it.
I slowed down so Rane could draw up next to me. “Everything’s going to go great. Just trust yourself like I trust you.”
He nodded faintly. I could tell he was trying to convince himself he was up for whatever challenge the chieftain proposed. I gave him the quickest of hugs, so that no one would notice some invisible force squeezing him, and stepped away from the main path, toward the trees. I’d continue my approach through the forest that surrounded the sacred pools, giving them a sense of enclosure, as if they were a world all their own.
We were close. I took my time, choosing my steps carefully. Nothing important would happen until the chieftain arrived.
The men and a few select women, who already had decades of experience working with dragons, took seats on the ground closest to the pools. A few of the more skilled dragon charmers sat next to each other, the water of the largest pool occasionally splashing across their crossed legs.
Those fresher faces, still smooth and eager, free of the experiences that delivered somberness to the others, took up the row behind them. The younger generation of hopeful dragon trainers struggled to stay still, while the others sank into the ground as if it were one of their few opportunities for rest.
There were no girls. Other than the few women, who already wore the badge of the dragon tamer on their sleeves, there were none who hoped to take their place.
My stomach sank, even though I wasn’t sure exactly why. What did it matter that no girls believed they had the potential to deal with the most sacred of our charges? It shouldn’t make a difference. This was a domain to which I didn’t belong.
Then Jore and two other emissaries arrived. They sat, facing all of us, at the base of the sacred pools. Their backs faced the water, and I wondered how they thought that was the greater honor. My eyes were drawn to the water, which dripped, flowed, and gushed no matter what the hour or day, mesmerizing.
