by M A Price
She rested her head against his shoulder, she did it instinctively, but she liked the way it felt once it was there. She pulled at the red tunic around her wrist revealing the Mark. The swirling K, under a barrier and above a sword and a crown. Kara’s Mark. Kara’s power inside her.
“I don’t think I really have a choice…but if I did, I think I’d still like to. I’m not sure I’ll be very good at it or make any difference at all really, but I’d like to try Idyn.”
He reached over and took her hand, a gentle squeeze as his fingers laced with hers.
Thirteen - Katanya
Ballaca was in a foul mood with her.
Katanya had used her own power, moving it into Ballaca to keep her going this long, but the black mare had finally decided enough was enough. They had left Marius’ at dusk three moons ago, heading in the direction he eventually told them to go, but still no sign of The Guild. Not yet…
She was tired too. Clearly the regimen she had been keeping up the last moon turn, hadn’t been as good as she’d thought. They were on a grown over path, surrounded by woodland, the whole area deserted. It had been the same for at least the last few miles. Ballaca huffing more with each and every one.
It reminded her of being young, of her fascination with the Black Lands down south. Ivloch had told her stories from when they had been part of The Guild, tales which involved their winged mounts. They were giant beasts that could fly across miles with wing spans that could grow as large as any wooden house and snapping jaws to crush their enemies. She had vowed one day to have one.
Ivloch explained that they were rarer now, hatched from eggs found by the Brodanna settlers and choosing one was not that easy. A Darkstar would claim its own rider, that person had very little say. How useful a young Katanya’s dream would have been. Useful but foolish, no Darkstar had been seen in the rest of Brodanna since the Black Lands broke with The Guild. Twenty years, if she remembered rightly.
It was a short sharp rustling that pulled her from her own thoughts to sense the change around her. She pulled Ballaca to a stop, removing her sword from its makeshift sheath on the saddle. It was silent; nearby animals had stopped squawking, it felt overwhelming as if she could feel it in the very core of her mind. It wasn’t another User, but there was something, someone out there.
“Easy girl,” she whispered as Ballaca stomped her hooves, making it harder to hear.
She dismounted, patting her flank in reassurance. Ballaca started to bray. She took two steps forward, still nothing. She could be paranoid; the stress of the journey and what lay ahead if she ever reached her destination…. She’d always preferred to rely on her instincts though.
It was those that made her the only person to ever escape a Facility. Or the only person before whatever Elex had managed in Tonkara. With Elex gone, she was pretty sure the title remained hers.
She could continue walking Ballaca ahead but the path curved so she could only see one side. It was the perfect spot for an ambush. It was certainly where she would have planned one.
The rustling came again, behind her this time.
She whirled quickly, sword ready and wishing she’d worn her armour.
There were five of them. Appearing as if from nowhere. Two at the treeline, a man and a woman. Two on the other side, all weapons raised. The fifth stood next to Ballaca. She seemed to be tilting her head and sniffing him. The fact she was surrounded by five armed assailants was less of a bother than the journey had been.
“Who are you?” Katanya asked, although she thought her heart could already tell her. She held her hands up in a surrender motion. For now. There were five of them and one of her and she was good, so good, but she was also tired, outnumbered and always preferred to act with confirmed information.
The figure next to Ballaca, wearing head-to-foot black-leather armour like the others, took one arm off his axe and raised the hand up to stroke Ballaca. She leaned into his touch.
Katanya took in his height then. Seeing his build she knew she had been correct.
He took two steps forward, seemed to signal to his soldiers to lower their weapons and they did so with immediate effect. He said nothing as he clipped his own axe back into its home across his back. He even paused to run his hands along the side of the two rapiers on his belt. It was only then that he brought his hands up to his face and peeled back the mask, keeping it clutched in his left hand.
“I didn’t think I would see you again.” The words were simple, the hint of hostility clear. His hair was shorter since she had seen him last, cropped entirely to his scalp. He had gained muscle too. The face, somehow, was exactly the same. Harsh, but handsome, immaculately shaved. She could never have imagined him with a beard.
He was made of anger, but with a soft edge if you looked hard enough.
“The feeling is mutual Camrin.”
The other four in the clearing also lifted their masks. She recognised Fendir and his husband, Lorren. Fendir even smiled at her before Lorren sent a scowl his way that would have terrified even The Unforgiven. She looked to the other side. There was Yenna, a friend once upon a time, and a young man, his hair long, ginger and braided, she didn’t recognise.
Camrin had moved back and seemed to be inspecting Ballaca. She felt somewhat foolish holding out her sword with them all staring at her and placed it in the spare sheaf which hung to her belt in case of situations just like this one. Although none were ever quite like this.
“I’ve been looking for you. I need to speak to Ivloch," she finally ventured, refusing to let the quiet make her uncomfortable.
“You’ve been gone for a year Kat. You left us. Why would he want to talk to you?”
It wasn’t that simple and Camrin knew it. She hadn’t just abandoned Ivloch when Becca was imprisoned. She was the one who…
“He may not, but I still need to see him. I have a message.”
“Who would give you a message for him?”
“Elex.” Fendir let out a small and surprising gasp at her words. Camrin dropped his look of annoyance and replaced it with one of unbridled fury.
“She hated you. Why would she give you a message? She’s…” He couldn’t say dead yet she realised with a start. Elex had told her things were over with Camrin when she had roped her into this ridiculous quest; but had clearly lied. She of all people could recognise that hurt. It made her sympathise with him more than she desired. She knew what it was like, to lose someone you cared about. To have to work out how to refer to them as being gone and say it out loud.
“I know she’s dead Cam and I’m sorry, but I really do have a message that I have to take to Ivloch.”
“Give me the message and I’ll give it to him for you and you can leave now.” It was a tempting offer. One she knew she couldn’t take him up on.
“I’ve got to be the one Camrin.”
“No.”
The venom in his tone had put her on the back foot. She had left, even when he had asked her not to, not because she truly wanted to but because she had needed to. It didn’t change the fact that they had been close; closer than most ever got to Camrin. That Camrin had been at her blessing with Kyllian. Had held her when he was gone. She had expected her return to cause a reaction, and not a warm one, but not this….
“Things are happening Katanya, things you’re unaware of and I won’t risk taking you into the camp.” He was ice-cold, no warmth to show for his adopted sister at all. “Not with the upset you will cause.”
“I’ll deliver the message and go Camrin. Elex said this is important…and I know, I know about Mara.”
She had no idea who Mara was, bar the fact she would now bear Elex’s Mark. Despite the small nugget of curiosity that yearned to know more, the part that would always care, the part that she wouldn’t let have a voice anymore… it didn’t matter to her, but the words would matter to them.
The name was merely part of Elex’s instructions. A key to a lock if, for some reason, Ivloch refused to see her.
Camrin growled and paced slightly. It annoyed Ballaca who stomped her hooves in disapproval. At least it wasn’t only her that received that treatment.
“Camrin, Ivloch would want to know about this,” Fendir spoke up, ignoring Lorren’s anger “He would want to see her.”
“Fine. Tie her up and blindfold her. If this is a mistake, it’s on you Lieutenant.”
It was Yenna, with no apology in her eyes that came forward, a rope appearing from her back. It went against everything Katanya believed in to let them do it, but she did, the bindings tight.
The job was nearly done. Then she could go home and forget them all again.
Fourteen - Mara
Mara was taking a break when the chaos started.
They were sitting outside Idyn’s tent, which overlooked the main walkway through camp. Idyn was next to her, preparing some food over a slow burning fire. A fire that he had refused to light himself, insisting she somehow use her power to do so.
Seventeen attempts later and a flame had finally taken, one that had spluttered across the grass and then had to be returned to where they wanted it. It hadn’t been right or what he asked but he had said it was enough. Fire, she was learning, was not something she was particularly blessed with.
“You’ve done well and you didn’t give up, however hard it was. That’s good Mara.” The encouragement had meant a lot but she still couldn’t help but believe seventeen attempts was too many; the results too few.
It was Camrin who drew her attention away from Idyn’s cooking.
He barged down the path towards Ivloch’s pavilion in a frenzy. He always looked annoyed, like he urgently wanted to be anywhere else, but the intent was stronger. He even shoved past the guards on duty outside; the two of them exchanging an aggravated look after he passed.
She thought that was all, but then a procession started to follow. Yenna and Fendir were holding a prisoner between them. The face was mostly hidden, but Mara could see it was a woman. The short red cape she wore did nothing to hide the hour glass curves of her body, a long red braid stuck out from her blindfold. Lorren and Dexter seemed to be following behind leading a beautiful black horse, its head swerving in every direction to see where she was being taken. She hadn’t resigned herself to the situation like the human with her.
She poked Idyn’s shoulder, he was too busy bent over the fire and staring contemptuously into the stew he was trying to make. He turned, a smile plastered on his face as he looked at her, his soft hair blowing in the breeze.
“Who is that?” she urged, indicating the prisoner. They had reached the doorway and stopped. The guards looking around seemed surprised and unsure.
“Oh Kara.”
Idyn’s eyes had widened, the stew forgotten.
“What is it?”
“That’s Katanya. Shit.”
The mare was passing them now with Lorren looking crabbier than she had seen him in her short time here. A considerable achievement.
Idyn stood and Dexter peeled away to greet him. Lorren merely grunted and continued leading the beast away. Mara couldn’t help but focus on how immaculate her coat was. Whoever this 'Katanya' was, that was causing such a reaction, she obviously cared for her horse.
Horses had never scared Mara; she just wished she was better at riding them. As she grew up travelling, they had been there, moving the carts, helping them get around but however many times she had tried, she just couldn’t master the skill. She had once thought reading some of the old stories from Earth would help, after all, like humans they also originated from there. Brought first to the Seven Worlds to help them set up and left here on Brodanna as a useful tool they would need, one of the only creatures to achieve such a thing. It hadn't worked and she had settled on admiring and not using, something Idyn was determined to change.
Idyn beckoned Dexter closer to them and they sat, his hair falling around his shoulders; he looked tired and confused. Idyn remembered the stew, just before it began to overcook and started dishing it into bowls. Dexter seemed to accept the invitation to sup with them and took one gratefully.
“Was that, is that Katanya?” Idyn asked him purposefully.
“So I’ve been told. You know her too? Lorren told me her story on the way back here.” Dexter spat through his last mouthful, the Clorix meat stuck to his lips, the juice seeping into his tousled beard. “She just showed up, on the supply path. Clearly knew where to come and I’ve heard the camp moved since she was last here.”
Idyn seemed discouraged by his words, a streak of annoyance she hadn’t known him to possess. They ate mostly in silence. The girl was in the pavilion. Mara was intrigued by her; anyone that caused Camrin to be that annoyed, that wasn’t in fact her, held some level of fascination. Or talent.
Dexter left after he finished eating, muttering something about Lorren’s bad mood and watch-duty. Mara couldn’t say she blamed him. Idyn continued to be uncharacteristically quiet.
“Who is she?”
He met her gaze, a twinkle in his eye. “Trouble.”
“You’re not as angry as everyone else that she’s here.” Quiet yes but there seemed to be more annoyance at Dexter’s lack of information than the presence of the stranger. A friend? An old lover? Mara wanted to know.
“I’m not angry, I don’t think Ivloch will be either. I’m excited to see her, but don’t tell Cam I said that.”
“I don’t think you need to worry about me telling him anything.”
He chuckled. “You raise a good point. He only cares because he loves her too.”
“Loves her too?”
Idyn loved this woman. So did Camrin. She couldn’t imagine either of them having the same taste in women or surviving to tell the tale. She hoped he hadn’t been able to detect the slight drop in her voice as she had asked. Idyn had in the last half moon turn become her friend; the only person she could really talk to. He helped with her training, encouraged her, and made her feel like she wasn’t the horrible disappointment they were all constantly comparing to Elex. If the woman he loved was back…
“She’s like our sister Mara. We grew up together, but she’s had a pretty rough time of it these last few Turns, years even… She got caught, put in a Facility like you for a while and when she finally got over that, she lost…someone she really loved. Becca being taken after all that…her and Ivloch argued for moons about it, but he couldn’t get her out, not without risking everyone and Becca wouldn’t have wanted him to do that, so he refused to launch the rescue. Katanya left shortly after and swore she wouldn’t come back.” He paused and she tried to hide her relief and curiosity.
Whoever she was, she had looked not much older than Mara, and seemed to have lived a life just as interesting.
“Whatever brought her here…to make Katanya Leshi take back her words…it has to be ruddy important.”
Mara stared up at the pavilion, missing Idyn’s eyes resting only on her.
Fifteen - Jaxon
He snuck along the palace wall, careful not to be seen. He should have been in bed hours ago and was certain sneaking through the cellars below the kitchen had left a smell on him, particularly on the way back into the palace when he had panicked and fell into the murky waters. The usual side entrance had been firmly locked.
Luckily the kitchen had been empty, except Kress, and he knew she would never say anything to alert his superiors. He’d just needed to get away, to use some of the power inside him that might make him feel a little less like it was slowly burning him up.
The Wielder-enhanced lights along each wall made keeping to the shadows harder than he would have liked, but he managed to get from the kitchens to the level below his room. If he did get caught here, he could pretend he was visiting Samiah and a punishment for that sort of behaviour would be better than the truth.
Perhaps he would actually go and see Samiah. He hadn’t seen her privately since their evening out and that had been moons ago. Since then there had only been brief glimpses outside the dungeon
s he was still so reluctant to enter.
He walked in the direction of her room but stopped abruptly as he reached the end of the corridor. He heard voices coming from her room, just around the corner. They were muffled at first so he couldn’t recognise the voice that didn’t belong to Samiah. The more he listened though, the more familiar the drawl became.
It was Reyn. Why was he with her again, in the middle of the night? Had Samiah been right about his intentions? Nrenna's orders had left him no time to even consider the Prince or his plans.
Jaxon briefly considered using his power to enhance his ability to hear their conversation, but he didn’t dare risk it. Instead he tried to listen as carefully as he could. His ear pressed up against the cold white marble. He didn’t know whether his hearing was failing him or they were being exceptionally quiet but all he could make out was the occasional giggle from Samiah. He would know that laugh anywhere.
He was very glad in that moment that he had never been a jealous man.
“Well Miss, I thank you for your time but I should be off. I believe you have other company for the evening.”
Jaxon jumped back at the words; he already knew it was too late. He smoothed down his tunic as quickly as he could. Would he ask why he wasn’t in his uniform at this hour? Why he was wearing clothes that looked like they belonged in a tavern?
“Jaxon isn’t it?”.
Jaxon pulled his body around the corner, painting what he hoped looked like a drunken smile on to his face.
“Why yes, it is, Your Majesty,” he made himself perform the usual bow.
The Prince looked him up and down but gave nothing away. The hairs on the back of Jaxon’s neck stood on end as he defiantly made eye contact.
“Interesting choice in attire Captain.”
Jaxon looked down at his black tunic and breeches, suddenly aware of the fact that his hair was down, he never wore it so casually within the palace. He prayed his face did not give away his discomfort.
