“Kell!” Jakob yelled putting out his hand in an attempt to grab him. He could hear Anabel and Ava scream from the ground as Kell flew helplessly toward the jagged cliff.
From nowhere, Zeeba suddenly pounced and effortlessly snagged Kell’s collar in his teeth carrying him safely away from the cliff and bringing him gracefully to the other side of the Terato where it was safe. In one fluid motion, Zoe leapt onto the Creature, her extended claws sinking deep into its eyes, blinding him as he writhed violently in pain. His cry was loud and forceful, causing the children to cover their ears as it echoed like a siren in the foggy air. Gracefully, Zoe landed on the ground next to Ava and Anabel, who stood protectively over the children and Brooke, whose bleeding had refused to slow.
Jakob struggled to hold on, losing his foothold on a jagged section of scales on its shoulder. He and the Creature stood between Kell, Zeeba, and the rest of the children. As he looked down, he saw that the Terato was no longer blocking the entire escape route from the cliff as it had before.
“Get away from here!” Jakob yelled, motioning excitedly and pointing to the narrow path that would lead the children from the perilous danger of the cliff. Ava and Anabel gathered the children and raced toward Kell and Zeeba who stood on the other side of Jakob and the Terato. Brooke limped as quickly as she could behind them, and Zoe brought up the rear as she urgently tried to push the wounded Brooke along.
Jakob breathed out for brief moments, watching … relieved as the little group finally found shelter in a thick area of naked trees. He could still see them from his place high on top of the Creature as the thing continued to fight to throw him off.
As Brooke disappeared into the trees, they locked eyes.
With Brooke’s eyes on his, the image of a beautiful, dark-haired woman suddenly flashed in his mind. The woman was looking at Jakob with love, and he could feel her long, soft fingers stroking his face. For a brief moment, Jakob’s heart was bursting with joy and he felt the sudden urge to cry with happiness.
As quickly as the vision appeared it was gone, and Jakob desperately grasped for the image in his mind trying to get her back.
Suddenly, he heard his name being screamed from a distance away, calling to him to jump! Jump away, Jakob. Jakob realized he was falling. He quickly examined the Terato and realized it was mortally wounded, gushing thick, black blood from the deep wounds on its neck and eyes as it squealed angrily in pain. It was stumbling backward slowly and Jakob had the sense that he was moving in slow motion.
Jump, Jakob! A familiar woman’s voice echoed in his head as though she were right beside him and Jakob wondered if it was the beautiful dark-haired woman calling out to him. Jump now!
As Jakob made himself ready to leap, he realized that one of his feet was locked under the scales of the Terato. He tried desperately to wrench it out, but no matter how hard he fought it remained hopelessly wedged in.
He looked around with horror as he realized that he and the Terato were falling together, and he knew they must be going over the cliff as he saw nothing but rocks and dust flying around them. All he could see was the gray sky as he looked up, his body falling helplessly, one with the Terato.
Jakob knew with helpless certainty that nothing could save him now as he fell slowly and steadily to his sure and final death.
40
THE BLOOD MOON
Four full weeks had passed since the Darkness and Kyla could finally feel Will’s blood rushing inside of her and becoming a part of her with each passing moment. She knew by the way he looked at her with growing love in his deep, green eyes that he felt her blood growing in him as well. The Blood Bond between them was almost complete, uniting them with the third Blood Moon that was finally upon them. There was nothing but death that could stop them from being bonded and Kyla’s excitement grew deep inside of her so that she could barely stay in one place for very long.
As part of the Blood Bond, she could almost hear Will’s thoughts floating around in his head and Kyla knew she would need to guard her own thoughts from him. She would be fully Human with the completion of the Blood Bond, no trace of Yashwa remaining. The Ubilez told Kyla that in the Old Laws, the Blood Bond would take precedence even over marriage and child-bearing. That was the reason it had finally been forbidden from being performed, but Kyla reveled in the thought that she would be the rightful Governess once it was sealed.
As the Blood Bond grew, Will became more accustomed to Kyla’s blood, and his eyes became clearer, his speech bolder, and his mind more astute with every passing moment. Kyla breathed a sigh of relief the day he looked at her and she could see the Governor she had fallen in love with in the fields.
“What is wrong, love?” Will asked her on the morning of the eve of the third Blood Moon. They were waiting for Milo and Aldo to report in as they did daily.
“Nothing, darling. I was only thinking of how lucky I am to be bonded to someone such as yourself.” Kyla smiled at him, her blue eyes bright and sparkling. Kyla was pleased that Tamaryn finally seemed to be settling in.
The People of Tamaryn remained heavily stocked from the early harvest, few of them ever leaving their homes or visible for any reason. Kyla was pleased not to have to deal with the unfortunate Humans in the Land, though she knew the day would eventually come. She scrunched her nose in disgust every time the thought entered her mind. I won’t be as generous with my time as his other Governess was. I won’t allow anything to take me from Will. Nothing will ever be more important to me than him.
But Will had not mentioned her going into the Land as he rarely ventured there himself anymore. Kyla knew she was spared for the time being as the bitter winter weather was also upon them way too early.
Both Milo and Aldo entered the great hall for their daily briefing, their faces blank and unreadable as they often were.
“There is nothing new to report. The People are intoxicated with their mead and there is no reason for them to leave in the biting wind and cold that has overtaken their part of Tamaryn,” Milo reported back to Will. It was the same report he had been delivering for weeks. Milo had the Governor’s Guard keep close watch on the People as he promised Will he would do. Milo left out that the Darkness had drained the purpose from the majority and they remained filthy and uninquisitive about their situation. Milo knew that there was nothing Will would be able to do to make the Humans’ lives better.
“Thank you,” Will said, exhaling. The experience with Philip and Lucy stayed with him, though he knew there was nothing he could do for his People, other than make sure they were provided for and safe.
Kyla continued to insist that the Governor’s House remain a fortress, allowing very few in or out. “We dare not risk a breach in our security, or the safety of our dear Governor. We are still not certain that he is not in danger, and we mustn’t take any chances with his life.” she said daily to Milo and Aldo.
Both men did what they could to hide their displeasure at taking orders from her, but Will insisted they comply with her wishes and they did not have a choice. While the circumstances of the Prisoner’s vanishing remained a mystery, Milo had his Seekers searching for her to no avail. Kyla spoke of the Prisoner as though she remained a grave threat, but Milo knew with certainty that Kyla was responsible for his dearest love’s disappearance. He was fearful for Emilie, but had yet to feel a shift in the Balance from her death and he knew she was still alive, somewhere.
Aldo agreed with Kyla whole-heartedly, always careful not to raise her suspicion. “Yes, Governess. We will remain diligent for the Governor’s safety.”
“Does there remain a lack of order in Tamaryn?” Kyla asked, trying to disguise any pleasure she may anticipate from his answer.
“There is not a true lack of order, Governess.” Milo said, “But the air in the Land is strange and the weather remains a concern. The Seekers haven’t seen anyone on the outskirts of Tamaryn for weeks, so we assume nobody ventures far from home. It is difficult to gauge completely. But on the initial v
isit before the weather became too treacherous, there appeared to be houses that were completely empty, the People in them gone without a trace.”
“Have you been able to search anywhere for the missing?” Will asked, furrowing his brow.
“Yes, of course, Governor. Our most skilled Seekers have done what they can with the treacherous conditions, but there is no sign of them. It’s as though they have disappeared into the air,” Milo feigned concern.
Aldo had recounted the story to Milo about how oblivious Lucy and Philip had been to the small furniture and clothing in their home, and how they moved around the items as though they weren’t there. Milo had made it a point to check in on them the next time he was in Tamaryn, and he did so innocently and graciously, bringing Lucy another jar of mead for their hospitality. He had been appalled at their living conditions, yet amused, too. Milo thought about it when he was alone in his quarters, remembering the look and smell of the home where the absence of the Youngers went unnoticed and unfelt. He was sure to push the memories of Jakob and Kell deep down, so he could no longer see them or feel them. He knew those memories would not serve him well for what he ultimately needed to do.
Milo cautioned Aldo not to attempt to take Will into Tamaryn again, afraid it might trigger what was best left buried deep in Will’s mind. Milo’s plan was working so well, he dared not do anything to upset it as he was silently thankful for Kyla, who distracted Will with her hovering and neediness. Emilie would have encouraged him to visit and resolve the issues of the Land, and with too much freedom, he may have discovered my duplicity. Kyla had made Milo’s deal with the Ubilez much easier, and until he could get rid of Will and claim Tamaryn for his own, he anxiously awaited the day his Seekers would find Emilie.
Aldo spoke up, looking directly into Milo’s eyes before he turned his gaze to Will. A man of few words, he chose his words carefully. “Governor, there is nothing more we can do. We will need to wait it out until the weather clears and it is safe to travel completely through Tamaryn again. We can’t risk the lives of our men.”
Will nodded in reluctant agreement. “Then we shall wait until it is safe. In the meantime, we will meditate on the good souls of the men and women of Tamaryn, and pray for the Yashwa to watch over and heal them in their misery.”
The morning grew later. The sun began to peak, and the moons began to shift. The pull between Kyla and Will became stronger. Aldo and Milo noticed a shift in the air as they began to notice that the Governor and Governess only listened and spoke to one another.
“We’ll take our leave and keep you posted on any changes in Tamaryn,” Milo said as he and Aldo moved toward the door of the Governor’s chambers.
“Yes,” Will said, his voice lost in a dream-like trance as he refused to remove his gaze from the Governess.
The door closed behind them with a thud, neither Will nor Kyla noticing.
Kyla grabbed Will’s hand and kissed it, her heart beating strong in her chest. At his mention of the Yashwa, she found herself drawn to him even more. “Governor, you are so wise to call upon the Yashwa to protect and heal the People. They will certainly care for the People as they always have.” In my dreams I still fly and I miss the Yashwa more than I ever imagined I could. He’ll never know what I’ve given up for him, but he doesn’t need to. His love is all I need.
Will smiled at her, his green eyes full of love. He hadn’t remembered ever loving her so much before, but as the day grew later and they became closer to the rise of the Blood Moons, he felt his heart pull toward hers with a great intensity. For a brief moment, the gray-eyed, dark-haired woman from his dream flashed before his eyes. But as quickly as she appeared, she was gone and forgotten. Will filled his mind with thoughts of Kyla and how much he loved her and he felt a sudden and desperate urge to protect her. Protect her from what? The question nagged at him as he imagined unknown enemies that would try to hurt his Governess. He became angry and protective, his heart pounding in his chest. I will never allow anyone to hurt her. Ever!
He closed his eyes as he held her through the evening, their hearts beating closely together. He kissed her forehead as the Blood Moons began to rise, casting a red tint through the great windows of their magnificent chambers. Suddenly the image of a black shadow strangling Kyla crashed into his mind, and he felt her shudder.
He can never know …
Her voice echoed in his head, and Will realized he was hearing her thoughts. Suddenly the words stopped and there was nothing but silence. He looked at her, puzzled.
I can hear her. He thought, silently.
And I can hear you, darling. Kyla’s voice echoed through him again, taking hold of his insides and turning him inside out.
Will couldn’t hide his amazement as he held her closer to him, never remembering feeling so close to another in all of his life.
Then we shall never have secrets from one another. We will trust each other with all things, always.
Kyla sequestered the thoughts of the Ubilez and the One Thing. She stowed them deep in the farthest reaches of her mind. She could never let Will know what she was meant to do.
She smiled up at him as she held him tight, feeling the strength of the Blood Bond taking hold of her. As he looked down at her, his face relaxed and full of complete adoration, she realized he felt it too. She reached up and placed her soft palm on his handsome and perfect face.
Yes, my darling, Will. We will trust and love one another for all of our days. Always.
41
WARRIOR SPIRIT
Wake up Little Warrior. Wake up. You are not ready to go to the Great Beyond yet.
The voice was familiar and Emilie felt tears stinging her eyes before she even opened them. She slowly opened her eyes, but saw nothing but darkness all around her. She tried to get her bearings and realized Sonya and Paola were no longer near her. She could not sense them any longer and Emilie fought the urge to panic.
Good, my Little Warrior, you are awake.
“F-f-f-father?” Emilie’s voice echoed in the darkness. “Father, is that you?”
Yes. It is me. Do you need me? You called for me in your sleep, and I am here.
“Yes! Yes, I need you!”
Your summoning came from your heart and I had no choice but to follow it. You haven’t called for me in many years. What do you need, Little Warrior?
“I need your help! Please Father, where am I? Why am I here?” Emilie tried to sound strong but could hear the trembling in her own voice as she hugged herself in the darkness. Her father knew her better than anyone, and she wasn’t too proud to show him her fear. Even as a young girl he allowed her to be afraid, but always encouraged her to use her fear to drive her strength.
I do not know where you are. You are not in Tamaryn and you are not in the Great Beyond. You are nowhere I have ever seen or been until now. Wherever you are, you are there because there is a deep chasm somewhere in the Balance of the Land and everyone everywhere has been displaced. I don’t know where you are, but I do know that the answers may not always be known. I also know that you, my Little Warrior have answers buried deep inside of you that you have forgotten.
“What is it? What have I forgotten?” Emilie felt lost. She knew in her heart he was right, but the desperation tearing at her didn’t give the answers she was looking for.
I cannot tell you this, it is forbidden. I can give you guidance but not answers. There are things only you can find for yourself, without my help. There is something all of Tamaryn has forgotten. The Balance in the Land that makes everything good and right has been upset by a great evil, acting in the way of love.”
Emilie could hear her father’s voice echoing strong and clear. It came from deep within her, the only place he could speak to her. Her love for him ran deep, ever since she was a girl, and she ached to see him just one more time. She thought back to when he trained her to be a Great Warrior. She was small and weak compared to his stature and strength, yet he made her feel as though she could do anything
and conquer anything. In his eyes she could see a strong, capable Warrior reflecting back at her, and she realized she hadn’t felt that way since he had gone to the Great Beyond.
“But I need you to help me. I cannot find what has been lost and forgotten on my own.” Emilie’s voice clung to him, begging him to give her the answers she was searching for.
I cannot answer these things for you, Little Warrior. But the answer is deep within you floating in the farthest reaches of your heart and not as far from you as you might think. If you don’t restore balance to Tamaryn, the Land will be no more. You cannot allow the Ubilez to get the One Thing they want.
“The Ubilez? What have the Ubilez done?” Emilie was frustrated as she rocked back and forth in the dark. With their banishment, the Council and the Warrior no longer saw them as a threat. Hearing their name immediately made her heart pound even harder.
It is not what they have done, but what they will do if they get the One Thing. The People have let their guard down, and now Tamaryn is in jeopardy, all of the world in danger of no longer existing. Once the Ubilez are loose on the Land, they will destroy it. All they need is a pure sacrifice given to them and they will have the power to do what they want.
Emilie cried out. “What am I to do? I am only one, and I am lost. I cannot find my way home. Will is lost to me, and I don’t know where I am or in which direction to go. I don’t know who is responsible for this hideousness, but when I find out, they will pay dearly for what they have done.”
Think, Little Warrior. Think beyond the fog of the world you are trapped in. Think of the moments before you came here. Think of the time when you were with Will. What is missing from you? What have you left behind?
“Aside from Will, I don’t know what I’ve left behind! I know something important is missing, but I don’t know what it is.” Emilie’s voice broke. “Why can’t you just tell me?”
The Forgotten (The Lost Children Series Book 1) Page 16
