She took a deep breath. ‘Today when the Brakys attacked, my left leg erupted in the worst pain. I could barely walk on it, and the pain only got worse the closer they got to me. Once they disappeared, my leg went back to normal, and I haven’t had a problem since. Have you heard of this happening before? Do you know what’s wrong with me?’
Kai seemed to recoil backwards slightly as she spoke. ‘And your leg is fine now?’ he asked.
‘Totally.’
He shook his head and began pacing in front of her. ‘I’ve never heard anything like this. I will need to talk to one of the elders, if that’s okay with you?’
‘Yeah, of course,’ she replied, though her voice sounded uncertain. She wasn’t sure she wanted Kai to discuss this with anyone else. What if it meant something bad?
Kai nodded and Sloane could tell his mind was already planning the conversation he needed to have. ‘Does anyone else know?’ he asked.
‘No, I didn’t know if I should tell anyone. I mean, it’s not exactly normal, is it?’
‘No,’ Kai agreed. ‘Don’t let it worry you though. We’ll figure this out together.’
Sloane nodded, feeling a little lost for words. Despite Kai’s attempt to reassure her, she couldn’t help but worry, and she didn’t know how to ignore the uneasy feeling that was curling in her gut. There was nothing she hated more than something she couldn’t control. ‘I should probably get back to Rhyn.’
‘Of course,’ he replied. ‘Let me walk you back.’
Sloane offered to walk alone, but Kai insisted on escorting her. Thankfully, he didn’t continue to talk about what had happened to her. Instead, they fell into an easy conversation about Kai’s upcoming choosing ceremony.
‘Are you sure you’re okay with it?’ Sloane asked.
‘Yes, it is an honoured tradition, and I would disgrace our clan if I shunned my obligations.’
Sloane frowned at his response. He didn’t sound like he wanted it at all. ‘I’m sure they would understand if you chose not to go through with it,’ she said.
He folded his arms and looked down at his feet. ‘Most people have their reservations before their choosing ceremony, but they always seem glad they went through with it, if they find a match.’
Most men probably didn’t have an aversion to touching women before their ceremony though, Sloane guessed. Who knows, maybe the choosing ceremony would make him happy.
‘So what happens during the ceremony?’ she asked, instead of continuing to voice her concerns.
‘Well, the ceremonies are usually held over several weeks each year. One night is dedicated to each aspirant who has agreed to partake in the ceremony. Men and women journey from all over to participate. As one of the aspirants for this ceremony, for one night I will sit upon the dais in the great hall of the castellum and the choosing orb will be placed before me. During the evening, women will approach me one by one, and the orb will change colour depending on how close a match our souls are.’
‘So, do you pick the woman with the closest match?’ Sloane asked.
‘Some do, but there is a difference between a match and the one. The one is a person’s perfect counterpart in another. Finding the one is highly unlikely, but some won’t accept anything less, even though they may spend a lifetime searching for their perfect partner. A matched couple is more achievable and would be very well suited to one another, so many will settle for a match.’
‘Would you make an offer to anyone other than your one?’ Sloane asked.
Kai’s forehead creased as he considered the question. He honestly looked like he’d never given it a thought before. ‘I’ve seen many great matches in my time, but I never believed I’d join with a match. There’s no way to know for sure though until you meet the person.’
‘If you found the one, would they have to join with you?’
‘No, there is always a choice, but it would be cruel to deny them. I have seen people who have lost their one before, and it is like they have lost a part of themselves. They are never truly whole again afterwards.’
Sloane couldn’t imagine what it would be like to have a connection that strong with someone. She wasn’t certain she even believed in soul mates. The ridiculous part was, the Unfaih not only believed in them, they thought they needed some orb to tell them when they’d found them. Surely they’d have to be blind not to recognise them if they walked into the same room.
‘Will your father return for the ceremony?’ she asked.
‘No. His tour will go for a long while yet.’
‘Isn’t it important for him to be here for the ceremony?’
‘It would be nice, but it is not necessary,’ he responded.
‘Then why not wait? Surely you have all the time in the world?’
Kai shook his head. ‘It is time.’
‘Why is it time?’ Sloane continued to press him.
‘I always promised myself I would try when I turned one hundred. It’s my hundredth birthday the day after the choosing, so it seems like it’s finally time to go through with it.’
‘But you don’t even touch other people!’ Sloane said, finally voicing the reason she found the whole thing so ridiculous.
Kai laughed. ‘It is only because it affects how I see the balance in things. Not because I don’t like to be touched. I think I would like to be joined if I found the one.’ He almost sounded excited by the idea. Sloane merely shook her head in response. This man was a complete enigma to her, and at times like these she thought it better if she didn’t try too hard to figure him out.
The two of them arrived back at Rhyn’s room, but Sloane didn’t feel comfortable going back in there. She was feeling exhausted again though and was somewhat stuck for a place to sleep up in the castellum.
When she opened the door, Kai stuck his head into the room and asked if he could speak with Rhyn. Sloane flopped down on the bed as she waited for Rhyn to return. She could just hear their voices murmuring from the other side of the door, so she stood and crept over to it, hoping to hear more.
‘You need to keep an eye on her,’ she caught Kai saying to Rhyn when she reached the door. He was speaking in Unfaih, but talking slowly enough that Sloane could understand him.
‘I’m already keeping two…’
‘I mean it, Rhyn. Something strange is going on.’
‘What are you talking about?’
‘I’m not sure. I need to talk to the elders. Just make sure you keep an eye on her in case…’ his words became rushed, and Sloane struggled to understand what Kai was saying. It was only when Rhyn interrupted, that she managed to translate again.
‘You think she is in danger?’ Rhyn whispered.
‘Yes,’ Kai replied.
Sloane immediately wished she hadn’t listened in on their conversation. She wanted to throw a pillow over her head and pretend she hadn’t heard anything at all. It seemed like Kai knew more about what was happening to her than he’d let on. And, if what he’d just said was anything to go by, things could be about to get worse for her.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Despite the conversation Sloane had overheard, everything seemed normal over the next couple of days. Her leg was no longer in pain, and she certainly hadn’t taken any turns for the worse. She almost felt like her ordeal with the Brakys was some kind of horrible dream.
There was an excited buzz to the village as the choosing ceremony drew closer. Everyone became involved in helping to prepare for the event, and men and women began to trickle in from far and wide for the occasion. They were all housed in the village and, more often than not, Kai could be found hiding out in Orelle’s hut. Sloane liked to believe it was because all the women intimidated him, but she had a bad feeling he was also keeping an eye on her.
He hadn’t said anything to her about her leg since the Brakys attacked. She asked him how the talk with the elder went, but he shrugged it off, saying everything was fine. She wasn’t sure if she believed him, but she tried to put her worries to the ba
ck of her mind. He would tell her if her life was in imminent danger. At least, she hoped he would.
All the ceremony preparations meant Sloane’s training with Rhyn was put on hold. She had barely seen him since the day they fought off the Brakys, and it felt strange not spending time with him every day. She almost missed the insults they constantly threw at each other, and she longed to return to her morning drills. She’d begun to excel under Rhyn’s instruction and reluctantly had to admit he was an incredible teacher. Her improvement over the last few weeks had been dramatic, and she bristled at the thought of falling behind by taking time off.
Since there was no training, Sloane figured she would have plenty of extra time on her hands. With all the excitement of the choosing ceremony, it seemed like the perfect chance to search for the rift. Rhyn was too busy to keep an eye on her, and the Unfaih were distracted. Orelle hardly let Sloane leave her sight though.
She spent whole days assisting Orelle with dress alterations, and she barely had time to even consider escape, let alone pursue it. She finally caught a break when Kai came by one afternoon to ask for her help. Sloane jumped at the opportunity and was out of the hut before Orelle even had a chance to agree.
‘What do you need a hand with?’ Sloane asked, as Kai came to join her outside.
He smiled. ‘You probably should have asked that before you raced outside. The job I have for you isn’t exactly fun.’
‘As long as it doesn’t involve dress alterations, it sounds amazing,’ Sloane replied.
Kai laughed. ‘No, there are no dress alterations.’
She followed him down the path and they walked to the edge of the village where the trail up to the castellum began.
‘We had some heavy snowfall last night,’ he explained to her, as they approached the trail. ‘And we need help clear the path up to the castellum.’
There was a wooden device that looked a little like a shovel wedged into the snow by the pathway. The gnarly grip on it didn’t look nearly as user friendly as the shovels back on Earth, but Sloane thought it would probably do the job fine.
‘Do you mind helping?’ Kai asked.
‘No problem,’ Sloane said, turning back to him and smiling. She was actually happy to be doing manual labour. ‘Should I just start down here?’
‘Yes, that would be great,’ Kai replied. ‘The others are working on the steps up to the castellum.’
Sloane nodded, grabbed the shovel and got started with her task. She spent hours clearing the snow from the trail. It was hard work, but she relished in the deep burn in her shoulders and the exhaustion she felt in her arms. It was good to be doing something active, even if it was just shovelling snow.
When she was finally nearing the steps that led up the cliff face to the castellum, she heard the sound of men coming down them. Sloane barely gave them a second look as they appeared at the base of the steps. But then she noticed what they were carrying. She nearly lost her footing she was so surprised to see what was in their arms. They were all laden down with firewood, which they carried towards the village.
Sloane’s eyes brightened and she struggled to keep the beaming smile from her lips as they passed. She knew the Unfaih got their wood from Aeris, and bringing it down from the castellum could only mean one thing: the rift to Aeris was up there.
She nearly dropped her shovel and sprinted to the castellum right then and there. But she already knew she’d have no luck. Rhyn’s men wouldn’t allow her into the castle unescorted.
She mulled over the problem as she finished clearing the snow from the path. She desperately needed an opportunity to search the castellum alone. The more she thought about it, the more certain she became that the choosing ceremony would be her best chance.
When the day of the choosing ceremony finally came, Sloane awoke with mixed feelings. She couldn’t believe how excited she felt for Kai. She’d thought the whole thing was very old-fashioned at first, but it was actually kind of lovely the way everyone gathered in support of him.
A part of her was uneasy though. Tonight could be the night that she finally found her way back to Aeris. She thought she would be relishing the opportunity to escape, but instead the thought left her feeling a little apprehensive.
She was also a little apprehensive about the nervous looks she still got from the Unfaih around the village, mainly from those who had arrived from other clans for the ceremony. Orelle didn’t seem bothered though and had Sloane helping her and Lorian distribute choosing gowns in the square to all of the eligible women who would be attending that night. They all wore the same pale silver gown that was covered in the lightest sprinkling of glitter. Sloane imagined that once they were at the ceremony they would all look like stars fallen from the night’s sky.
‘Do they know who I am?’ Sloane asked Orelle, of all the new faces that were wandering the village. ‘Is it okay for me to be here?’
‘Of course,’ Orelle said, smiling at Sloane. ‘I need you here. News has travelled fast about the human girl in the Whispering Cliffs, but it’s nothing you need to worry about.’
Rhyn obviously didn’t agree. He had come by that morning and strictly forbidden Sloane’s attendance from the choosing, saying it would be highly inappropriate for her to be there. She wouldn’t get a chance to see the women in their dresses, but she planned to sneak up to the castellum once the rest of the village had left. She was banking on this chance to search the castellum. It could be her only shot at finding her way home, and she wasn’t about to let Rhyn ruin that.
Sloane secretly wished she’d been invited so she could support Kai. She knew how nervous he was about the choosing, and he was one of the few people in this world she considered a friend.
When the suns lowered in the sky and late afternoon approached, Orelle motioned for Sloane to follow her back to the hut. Sloane was quieter than usual as she traipsed up the path behind Orelle. She had actually enjoyed her time helping Orelle with the dresses. The woman had been gushing with pride over her son all day, and Sloane felt honoured to even be a small part of such a special day for the family.
When Sloane followed Orelle into the hut, her eyes fell upon a gown hanging over the back of a chair. It was such a soft pink colour it was almost white. Orelle would look beautiful in the dress, but a part of Sloane wished that she would be going with her. Her stomach did an uneasy flip, and she tried to ignore the strange pang of disappointment she felt as she looked at it.
‘I got this for you to wear to the choosing tonight,’ Orelle said, beaming at Sloane as she picked the dress up and held it up to show her.
‘But Rhyn said I’m not allowed to go,’ Sloane whispered. She glanced at Orelle to see her response. It wasn’t like Orelle to go against his wishes, and Sloane almost didn’t trust that she’d heard the woman correctly. She desperately hoped that she had. If she went with Orelle she’d be certain to get inside the castellum. Then, it would only be a matter of ducking out of the ceremony once an opportunity arose. Plus, she’d get to witness Kai’s choosing.
‘There is no way I’m allowing you to stay here; no matter what my son has said.’
‘He’ll be pissed,’ Sloane said, a smile curving at the corner of her mouth. ‘And I’m sure to get in trouble.’
Orelle clicked her tongue. ‘When have you ever worried about how much trouble you’d get in?’
‘True,’ Sloane laughed. ‘Is it really okay if I come?’ She could barely keep the excitement from her voice.
‘Well, I can’t have you stay here and miss it. Not when everyone in the village will be there. If Rhyn says anything, just tell him I was worried you’d run off if I left you here alone. He’s suspicious enough of you, that he’d probably believe that.’
Sloane’s shoulders slouched in disappointment. ‘Is that really why you’re letting me come?’
‘Of course not. You’re coming because you deserve to go after everything you’ve done to help me out and because I know how much it would mean to Kai.’
Sloane glanced at the dress again. ‘Won’t I look out of place in that? Everyone else will be in the silver dress.’
‘No, only those who aren’t joined are wearing the silver.’
‘I’m not joined,’ Sloane mumbled.
‘Are you saying you want to take part in the ceremony?’
‘No! No, no, no. Definitely not.’
‘Well then, put the pink dress on and stop complaining.’
‘Yes Orelle,’ Sloane said, with a laugh, reaching to take the dress from Orelle’s arms. For someone so kind, Orelle certainly knew how to dollop out the tough-love on occasion.
‘Ah!’ Orelle tutted, slapping Sloane’s hand away from the dress. ‘Not until you’ve had a bath.’
‘You’re kidding?’ Sloane hated bathing there more than anything. They only ever managed to get the water lukewarm, at best, as they heated it by melting ice in metal buckets over the fire. Her last bath was so cold she was convinced she was going to die of hypothermia before it was over.
‘Have you looked at yourself today?’ Orelle said, with disapproval.
Sloane grimaced. She would rather not look at herself. She could only imagine how bad she appeared after the long run she’d gone on that morning.
‘Alright, alright,’ she conceded.
Orelle put extra effort into making Sloane’s bath warm this time, and Sloane relished in the heat as she slid into the water. She was enjoying it so much she spent extra time washing her hair and scrubbed her body so hard it turned pink.
When the water began to cool, she got out and dried herself. She was starting to get excited, but also somewhat nervous about the night that lay ahead of her. She’d never been one for social events, let alone ones of this magnitude. A part of her worried she’d do the wrong thing and be an embarrassment to Orelle, but she reassured herself that she wouldn’t be at the ceremony for long. She’d slip out and start searching the castellum as soon as she got a chance. The thought made Sloane feel guilty. It seemed like Orelle genuinely wanted her there for the ceremony, and all she was planning to do was slip out and escape. The woman made her feel like she was a part of this place, which scared her more than any Braky ever had.
In Ice We Burn (The Liftsal Guardians Book 1) Page 20
