Birth of Innocence: The Innocence Cycle, Book 4

by J D Abbas

  “Which one was it?” Tobil asked.

  Keymar pointed. “That little one there.”

  Tobil and Mikaelin exchanged glances. “Remind you of anything?” Mikaelin asked.

  “The time Elena laid us flat when I pinned her arms to her sides,” Tobil replied. “But look at that one. She’s just a wee mite. Much smaller than our Elena.”

  “Did someone try to restrain her?” Mikaelin asked Keymar.

  “No. As she sparred, light spread through her and grew stronger, and then the burst of power you heard.”

  Tobil chuckled as he studied the terrified girl. “Scared her as much as the rest of us.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Perhaps we should warn the men not to push the children too hard. With that kind of power, someone could get hurt.”

  Mikaelin’s brows arched. “Do you think she could be Elena’s daughter?”

  Tobil shook his head. “This one looks to be the same age as Terzhel. Elena said her girl would be only two or so.”

  Mikaelin’s shoulders drooped as he nodded. “You’re right. I wasn’t thinking.”

  Mordad picked up his girl and headed to join them.

  “What’s her name?” Tobil tipped his chin toward the girl.

  “Wistra,” Mordad replied.

  Tobil stepped behind Mordad. “You’re a mighty little warrior, Wistra,” he said to the girl, his voice barely more than a whisper.

  Red-rimmed eyes peeked over Mordad’s shoulder.

  “I think you should meet the Lady Elena,” Tobil continued. “She did this same thing once when I was training her. Scared the stuffing out of her too.” He chuckled and held out his hand. “I’m Tobil, Lord Celdorn’s weapons master.”

  The girl let go of Mordad’s shoulder and tentatively reached toward Tobil. When she attempted to grasp his hand, Tobil stopped her. “Ah ah. Warriors greet like this.” And he gripped her wrist, which was so tiny he could have wrapped his fingers more than twice around. “Now grab it firm like. You’re a warrior, remember.” The girl giggled and her body tensed as she focused all her energy on squeezing Tobil’s wrist. “Much better. I might just have to write an ode to Wistra the mighty.” The girl giggled again.

  “Mordad, I want you to take Wistra to Elonhu, the head of the Jhadhela training program, and explain what happened here,” Mikaelin said. “He might have some insight on how we could prevent a recurrence.”

  As Mordad walked away, Tobil waggled his fingers at the girl, which made Keymar grin.

  “Were your mornings less eventful than mine?” Keymar asked Mikaelin and Tobil.

  “I had two girls who glowed while sparring, but not much beyond that,” Mikaelin replied.

  “Likewise,” Tobil said. “I’ve noticed nothing unusual among the boys, only a trio of girls.”

  “Perhaps we should collect the names of the ones we’ve noticed and let Elonhu know as well as Celdorn and the council,” Mikaelin said. “I think we should avoid these explosive situations whenever possible.” He stopped and chuckled at his own choice of words. “Other than watching for the buildup of light, any other suggestions of what we might look for?”

  Keymar told them about the girl who tossed the boy through the air without touching him. “There was no light around her, but there was wrath in her eyes.”

  “Well, as we learned during Elena and Silvandir’s wedding feast, even a buildup of positive emotion can cause a powerful display of the Jhadhela’s force,” Mikaelin said. “We should be careful to tamp down any situation before it comes to that point.”

  “Easier to say than to do,” Tobil said with a shake of his head. “With Elena, it’s gone from nothing to fire in the blink of an eye. But I can think of no wiser course.”

  “Maybe one of you can ask Elena about what she’s learned,” Keymar said. “Now that she’s been with you awhile, maybe she’s noticed some things. Perhaps she can sense when things are building. I just don’t feel it is my place to make such a personal inquiry.”

  Mikaelin tugged at his ear. “It might be better coming from you, Tobil,” he said.

  Tobil eyed him sideways, but Mikaelin avoided his gaze while his cheeks flushed bright red.

  “We better get back to our children,” Mikaelin said and headed off without a backward glance.

  Tobil shrugged and followed after him.

  Keymar wondered what that was all about, then reminded himself that it was none of his business. These children, on the other hand, were. He gathered them around to encourage them before they called it a day.

  ~

  Later that afternoon, Mikaelin stood guard over Karaelena. Vionessa had just left after checking in on the baby. Silvandir had gone to retrieve the boys.

  Mikaelin and Elena were alone, except for Karaelena, of course. When Elena prepared to nurse the baby, he headed for the door to stand watch outside.

  “Does it make you uncomfortable?” Elena asked.

  He stopped. “No,” he replied, which was a blatant lie. It drove him to distraction. All he could think was that he longed to be in Karaelena’s place. A thought so unworthy, he broke out in a sweat. “I-I don’t know what’s proper or expected. I’ve not been in this situation before.”

  Elena laughed. “I know. It’s strange for me too. It never occurred to me that the breast had a functional, mundane purpose.” Mikaelin felt his cheeks get hot. “And believe me, it is mundane. I feel no more alluring than a milk cow these days.”

  Mikaelin begged to differ, but he said nothing. Instead, he changed the subject. “Today we had a girl erupt with power during training. A tiny four-year-old, or thereabouts, but she leveled everyone around, like you did that time in Kelach.”

  Elena’s brows went up. “I don’t remember much about that. If you recall, it was my internal warrior that caused that incident. I only came back after everyone had been flattened.”

  “It was very similar to what happened today,” Mikaelin said, trying to keep his eyes and his mind off what Elena was doing. “At least, what was described to me. Except that she had light expanding through her before the explosion of energy. I don’t think we saw any of that with you. You’re frustration had been building, but no light. Then, boom, the wave of energy shook everything, including the stone walls.” He gazed out the window in the direction of the academy. “This girl—Wistra is her name—doesn’t have near the power you do. I mean, she has enough that she knocked over a practice area full of Guardians, but we felt only a ripple in the adjacent field where we training. And none of the buildings shook. Not that I noticed anyway.”

  “But Wistra’s only four, Mikaelin. What will her powers be like by the time she’s my age?”

  Good question. “We—Tobil, Keymar, and me,” Mikaelin said as he turned around, which was bad timing. Elena had just slipped her breast from the baby’s mouth. His eyes shot to the ceiling. “We, um, talked about how to help Wistra, how to teach her and the other girls who experience a surge of the Jhadhela during training to control the power, so ... um, so nobody gets hurt.” He glanced her way, relieved that she was covered once again, but had to immediately focus elsewhere. “We wondered if perhaps, we thought maybe, you might have noticed, when this happens to you, when the power builds ...”

  “Mikaelin, what is wrong with you? You’re all jumpy and sweaty. Did something else happen that you’re not telling me?” He forced himself to meet her gaze. Her brow was pulled in a worried frown.

  “No. I’m sorry, Elena.” Mikaelin rubbed his neck. How honest could he be here? “Nothing’s wrong. Nothing happened. It’s just that, when you do that”—he nodded toward Karaelena’s covered head—“I feel ... It’s like ... I don’t know how ...”

  Elena burst out laughing. “It makes you uncomfortable to look at me when I’m nursing the baby, is that it?”

  “Um, yes.” That was part of it anyway.

  Elena chuckled. “She’s actually not eating right now. She fell asleep. I’m just cradling her.” A tender smile spread across her face. “I�
�m sorry, Mikaelin. This has become such a normal part of my life that I forget it isn’t for you men.” She pulled the blanket back. “See, just sleeping. Nothing untoward here.”

  Mikaelin relaxed and slumped into the chair opposite her.

  “What was it you wanted to ask me?” Her brows arched, her expression open and welcoming.

  He slid his hands along his trousers and gripped his knees. “When you’ve had these ... eruptions. We wondered if you’d noticed any signs that your power was building inside, maybe cues that gave you some sense of warning?”

  “Oh.” Elena blinked and her brow folded in concentration. He tried not to notice how beautiful she looked as she twirled a piece of her hair that had pulled loose from her braid. “Well, we discussed the episode in Kelach. I have no recall of the before, only the after. At the wedding feast, I was having so much fun I didn’t notice anything.”

  “We didn’t see any light building up,” Mikaelin said. “Not until the flames erupted.”

  Elena frowned. “I wish I could be more helpful. Let me think about it. Perhaps I’ll remember something.”

  “Don’t press yourself. It was just a thought,” Mikaelin said. “You have enough to worry about managing your family.”

  Elena chuckled. “Who would have thought, six months ago, when I was alone, living in the shadows, that I would end up here, with a husband and three children? Sometimes, I fear this is the dream, and I will awaken back in Anakh’s pleasure halls.”

  Mikaelin leaned forward. “You are awake, and this is all real, Elena. Trust that.”

  She gave her head a sharp snap as if to shake off the morose thoughts. “As for the girls who are displaying power, I’d be happy to meet with them. Perhaps we can learn from each other.”

  “Wistra will like that. Tobil sort of promised to introduce you to her.”

  “Oh, he did, did he?” She laughed.

  Mikaelin lifted his hands in a shrug. “Tobil has a special affinity for tiny warriors. You should have seen his face light up when he spoke with her.”

  “I can well imagine. He’s a good man.”

  “He is. And I believe he promised to write a song about Wistra, the mighty warrior.”

  Elena laughed, a full, unhindered belly laugh. It warmed Mikaelin’s heart. And gave him a sharp warning that he’d better go. Now.

  Mikaelin rose. “Speaking of warriors. I should be standing guard outside, or I might get thumped by one.”

  Just as he moved toward the door, it swung open. Mikaelin’s hand went to the hilt of his dagger, and he darted to the side of the doorjamb.

  “Boys wait!” Silvandir yelled as Mishon and Terzhel dashed inside and straight toward Elena. Mikaelin sheathed his weapon.

  “Why is there no guard outside our door?” Silvandir called, his tone angry as he stepped over the threshold.

  “Because he’s inside,” Elena replied. “Prepared to gut you as you came through the door.”

  Mikaelin grabbed Silvandir around the neck and pressed his finger to his throat. “If this were my dagger, you’d be dead.” He playfully shoved Silvandir forward. “Married life is making you soft, old friend.”

  “Soft? Old? I should take you outside and beat some respect into you.”

  Elena cleared her throat and nodded toward the boys. Terzhel hugged himself as he gaped at the men.

  Mishon bumped Terzhel with his shoulder. “They’re just teasing. They’re best good friends like you and me, Zell.”

  That they were, Mikaelin thought. He grinned at Mishon then dipped his head toward Silvandir. “I’m going to take up my dutiful post outside, if it’s all right with my best friend.”

  Silvandir chuckled. “You can stay.”

  “No truly, I’m going to stand guard until Keymar gets here. Elena, we’ll talk more about arranging a time for you to visit with the girls. When you have some free moments, between cattle calls or something.”

  Elena burst out laughing, and Silvandir arched a brow. “I think I missed something here.”

  “I’ll explain later,” Elena said with a tip of her head toward the listening boys. “Well, do it soon, Mikaelin. I’m curious about their experiences.”

  “We can only hope the training with the children won’t continue to be so eventful,” Mikaelin said as he headed out the door.

  Once outside, he took a deep breath and wiped his sweaty palms on his trousers, glad that was over. He hoped Keymar would be there soon.

  Chapter 44

  By the end of the second week of weaponry training with the children, Mikaelin, Keymar, and Tobil had identified two dozen girls who displayed an increase in the Jhadhela during practice bouts. There had been two more explosive events, each of which involved different girls than the previous one.

  Since Elena was still in the two-week confinement that followed births, Mikaelin arranged for the girls to visit her at home accompanied by their Guardians. Three representatives from the council, Yaelmargon, Lamreth, and Khanab, who had somehow gotten wind of this meeting, had requested to attend. And, of course, Keymar and Tobil were included since they were the ones training the girls along with Mikaelin.

  Silvandir stood at the door and welcomed the crowd into their tiny home. Mishon and Terzhel sat at Elena’s feet and watched with interest as the girls filed inside. Charaq stood on the far side of the room, back against the wall, brows arched in surprise.

  The girls from the academy, ranging in age from three to perhaps fifteen, left their Guardians outside and crept timidly into the common room as if afraid to make a sound. They sat on the floor, eyes fixed on Elena and the baby, and remained eerily quiet. Even Mikaelin, whose empathic skills were muted, sensed the fear and apprehension among the children.

  With a glance up at Elena, Mishon broke the silence. “Why’re you so ascared? It’s just my— It’s just the Lady Elena. She’s not scary at all.”

  Elena patted Mishon’s shoulder. “Silothani and welcome girls.” She paused and met the gaze of each child willing to look at her. Mikaelin wondered if she spoke mind to mind with any of them. “Do you all understand Borok?”

  Heads bobbed.

  “Good. Well, first I suppose I need to let you know that I also was raised in one of Anakh’s encampments, so I am well aware of the kinds of things you have been through.” Most of the girls looked down and would no longer meet Elena’s gaze. “I also know that no one ever told us that we were gifted, that we had powers from the Jhadhela.” Timid eyes began to peek up at Elena. “Yes, it is true. We do have powerful gifts, and now that we are here in Queyon, we can begin to learn about them. We don’t have to be afraid of them. We are not controlled by Anakh anymore.”

  One of the older girls gasped and then slapped her hand over her mouth, eyes wide with fear.

  Elena continued, undaunted. “Yes. I said her name. I know she is strong and has great powers, but we are stronger.”

  Mikaelin could not hold back a grin at that. He thought he’d never hear such words from Elena’s lips. A swell of pride filled his chest, but he immediately tamped it down, realizing how inappropriate it was for him to have such strong feelings about Silvandir’s wife—or perhaps more honestly, because he really wanted her to be his wife. A totally ignoble, reprehensible thought.

  “Most of you were probably at my wedding feast. My memory of that day is fuzzy at best, but I am told that a dozen girls surrounded me and laid hands on me, along with Terzhel.” She paused to smile down at her son, who sat a little straighter and gave her a shy smile.

  “I believe you shared power with me, power that helped me rise and battle Anakh.”

  By this time, all of the girls had lifted their heads and were hanging on Elena’s every word.

  “Who helped me?” A dozen hands hesitantly raised, in addition to Terzhel’s. “Who witnessed what happened?” Every hand went up. Mishon’s arm shot into the air, his expression filled with triumph, glad to be included.

  “May I ask, what prompted you to do that, to encircle m
e, to lay hands on me?” Elena asked.

  The girls exchanged puzzled glances.

  “I-I just had to,” one girl admitted.

  “I couldn’t stop it,” another said.

  “I felt pulled toward you. Like a string was attached to my belly and tugged me toward you.”

  “I heard a voice saying, ‘Help her.’” The girl looked directly at Elena, whose brows arched in surprise.

  “You thought I summoned you?” Elena asked.

  The girl, who was perhaps seven, shook her head. “No. It didn’t come from your mouth, but from inside you.” Her brow scrunched as she worked to find words. “And it didn’t say ‘help me.’ It said ‘help her.’”

  A violent shiver shook Elena. Silvandir hurried across the room and whispered in her ear. She shook her head but gave him the baby.

  Elena took a deep breath. “That’s an interesting insight. Did anyone else hear a summons?” Three hands slowly slid up, as if the girls were hesitant to admit it.

  “I heardth,” Terzhel said. “Buth I altho felt a shove towardth you.”

  Elena’s brows arched again. “You didn’t tell me that, Terzhel.”

  He shrugged. “I guessth I kinda forgoth.”

  Elena stared at her hands as she rubbed them together. “When you did that ... when you surrounded me, did you feel power in your hands?” Her gaze flitted from girl to girl. “Did you know you had power to help me?”

  While most of the girls shook their heads, an older one looked deep in thought. “I’ve felt that before.” She had everyone’s full attention. “I-I’ve seen my hands glow. I hurt someone once, with it.” She glanced over both shoulders as if expecting someone to snatch her away. “I-I had to. He would have killed me. I-I didn’t mean to.”

  Elena was on her feet and moving toward the girl, which increased her panic. She hunched down as if anticipating a blow. Elena knelt in front of her and gripped her hands. “Don’t be afraid. I mean you no harm, and no one here will punish you. I’m glad you were able to defend yourself.” The girl lifted her head and met Elena’s tearful gaze. “I’m glad you have this power. We’ll work together to understand it. I’m so glad you’re here.”