by Lisa Morrow
The shield grew brighter with each passing second, and red filtered into my white magic, creating pink in the damaged areas. I gritted my teeth as an unexpected, sharp pain carved slowly deeper until something ripped within my chest. Panic and pain muddled my thoughts as I gasped for breath.
One thought overcame the daze of suffering: I had nothing left to give. My magic was failing me.
My throat closed. I struggled to pull in fresh air. Tears filled my eyes, and I choked on a scream. Agony accompanied the sensation of my heart being torn from my body. My knees trembled, but somehow I remained standing.
My necklace heated to a sharp burning, and I reached for it with one of my hands. The moment my skin came in contact with it, I heard a thousand voices crying out, fear, misery, confusion, and pain coming together in a chorus of wretchedness.
But just when my vision swam, magic like a raging river slammed through me. My exhaustion and pain faded. My vision returned.
Before me, the shield strengthened. Held.
For countless minutes, my overwhelming surge of magic ran through me and into the shield. But at last, strength drained from my arms, and the heat raging around me subsided.
Relief swam through me. It was done. I’d helped keep the shield standing. Only, I couldn’t put my arms down, couldn’t stop the flow of magic.
Concerned, I looked around. Meisha was gone. Norma was fighting. I’d have to find a way to deal with this myself.
And then, I was tugged forward.
I only moved an inch, but fear seeped through my exhaustion. The white light flowing from me to the shield was repairing it, but did I know how to end the connection? I was pulled forward again, further this time, and sweat gathered at my brow. I tried to step back, but was yanked off my feet.
My magic linking me to the shield was like a rope, with the strength of a hundred men pulling on the other side. No, make that three dozen dead wizards. I dug my heels into the earth, but it was like a leaf fighting the pull of a river. Within seconds, I was lying on the ground, staring up at the shield, now firmly in place.
On the other side of the haze, a man’s face hovered.
His pale hair, blue eyes, and handsome features urged me to trust him, to like him. Only, this man was an Undead wizard. And in his hand, my magical rope laid, nothing but a shield and a couple feet separating me from him.
“And who might you be?” Marcalus asked.
I shook my head, scraping my free hand pathetically in the dirt behind me, searching for something to grip onto. I’d never felt so weak, so vulnerable in my life. My body and mind urged me to give into sleep, to calm the tremors that grew fiercer with each passing moment.
“Too smart to give your name?” He sneered. “You’re wiser than most Protectors. You see, they often believe themselves invincible.”
“Release me.” I wanted my words to sound like a command, but instead, they came out a plea.
“I don’t remember your face,” he said, continuing as if we were having a pleasant exchange. “Were you at the queen’s celebration.” He must’ve seen the confusion in my face, because he laughed. “No, of course not. Even though Protectors age differently than normal women, I can see you’re too young to have lived through that horror.”
My gaze darted backwards, to Norma’s army.
Only a few people glanced my way, and their expressions said it all: there was no saving me now. All other eyes were on the shield, as the villager’s roaring cheers filled the air.
I called out to them for help, but my words seemed lost in the chaos.
Hopelessness twisted a raw path through my chest.
“Please,” and this time I was begging, “let me go.”
He sighed. “I was never a cruel man in life. I laughed often. Loved my family. And did right by Tarak, and they murdered me still.”
“I’m sorry, but I’m not to blame.”
“Then who is?” he asked, leaning over to stare at me. “Who should pay for the lives of me and my brethren? Who should revenge the boys, not yet old enough to grow beards, or the baby boys, still suckling at their mother’s breast?”
“I don’t know.”
His mouth twisted into a frown. “Well I do. Blair and her witches, along with anyone else who stands in between us and Queen Gaudias. All will fall. All will suffer as we have.”
I cringed as his other hand closed over my magical cord. His eyes darkened. I turned from him, not wishing to see the other side, nor the creatures who would tear me to shreds.
Meisha fell to her knees beside me. “Forgive me,” she whispered. Her fist crashed into my face, and the world went black.
Chapter Thirteen
I awoke with the sound of a fire crackling beside me. My body was alive with pain, but it was my face that brought tears to my eyes. It felt raw and swollen. I wanted to fall back asleep, to escape from the pain, but even this comfort was beyond my grasp. Sitting up, a groan escaped my lips, and I reached up to touch my face.
One fingertip brushed the delicate skin, but my breath was torn from my chest. Fire radiated through my body, and it took me a moment for the spots to clear from my vision. When they finally did, I heard the hum of conversation near me.
“Is someone there?” I asked hoarsely.
A second later, the curtain was pushed aside, and Norma’s wart-covered face appeared. “Morning, hero. You sleep well?”
I didn’t know what to say, but she squatted down, pushing the heavy blanket from my body. Her arm snaked around my back, and she pulled me easily to my feet. I would have swayed, perhaps collapsed, but she held me close to her, dragging me from the room of pillows. Meisha waited just beyond the curtain, at the long table, seated in one of the wooden chairs.
“Are you well?” Meisha asked, as Norma placed me in the chair next to her.
I ran my tongue across my swollen lips. “Not sure. What happened?”
Norma settled herself across the table from us, and pushed her mug towards me. “Drink that. It’ll help.”
I didn’t question her; instead, I dragged the cup to my lips and drank deeply. It tasted of cabbage and lemons, and I spat part of it back out, gagging at the taste of it.
“Not use to Oryens’ Potion?” she asked with a chuckle.
“What is that?” I said, wiping gently at my abused lips.
“It’s to help with healing, both your body and your magic.”
I nodded, eyeing the distasteful liquid, but already some of my pain began to ebb.
“You almost died yesterday,” Meisha whispered, “You should drink as much as you can.”
My taste buds screamed in protest, but I forced myself to take another swallow of the drink, before setting it back on the table.
“Feeling up to a discussion?” Norma asked, picking the mug off the table and gulping it down.
I straightened. “Of course.”
“Where to start?” Norma said, eyeing Meisha.
Meisha cleared her throat. “Your face is my fault. I punched you.”
I whirled to her, but Meisha avoided my gaze. “You did what?”
“As much as I’ve always dreamed of watching Meisha get ripped apart,” Norma interrupted. “If she hadn’t punched you, you’d be food for Marcalus and his minions.” She leaned across the table, setting her elbows on its surface. “I’m amazed that such a small girl, one who doesn’t even know how to end her spell, should be the one to save us all.”
Heat blossomed on my cheeks.
“We are grateful for your actions,” Meisha murmured.
“Is it done then?” I asked. “Is the battle over?”
“Yes, the battle was won, but the war still rages.” Norma said, rubbing her face. “And there’s no end in sight.”
I frowned. “But the shield’s back up.”
Norma cursed. “Yes, the shield’s up. For now. But there’ll come a day, soon, when it’ll fall, and the wizards will kill us all.”
“But why now? Hasn’t the shield being prot
ecting Tarak for a while?”
Norma and Meisha exchanged an uncomfortable look.
“A Protector had been lending her magic to us to keep the shield up, but just recently she died.” Norma avoided my gaze as she explained. “We thought we could keep it up without her, but we didn’t expect their new plan. There’s no way we can stand another attack like that.”
Sadness etched the corners of Meisha’s mouth. “And last night’s… actions drained a great deal of the magic we store for emergencies.”
I got the sense that there were more things being left unsaid than actually shared, but I had no idea what they could be hiding. Or more importantly, why they were hiding it from me.
“So, the shield isn’t the answer.” I watched them as I spoke. “Then, I guess we’ll have to fight them.”
“You truly don’t know anything, do you?” Norma’s voice held a trace of disbelief.
I rubbed my pounding head. “I guess not.”
She ignored my sarcasm. “When you kill the Undead where do they go? To the Underworld! And when they get there, they can simply come right back.” She cracked her neck. “Yeah, it takes them a bit to heal up. They’re not invincible. And a bit more time to climb up, but they still come back. So how do you imagine we get rid of them?”
“So, everything we did last night was for nothing.”
“No,” she said. “It gave us time to fight another day.”
“But they’ll be back,” I said, suddenly wishing I could crawl back into bed.
She gave me a sympathetic look, but her tone lacked any softness. “Yes. We still don’t know everything about how they work, but we know it usually takes them about a month to come back after a battle. Not sure if they get new bodies down there, healed, or something even more strange. They do complain about the retched climb back, so that helps us a bit.”
Meisha shifted beside me. “We need more magic to strengthen the shield. But to do so requires the sacrificing of even more lives, and what would be the point in protecting this kingdom if there is no one left to protect?”
“Exactly,” Norma said, her tone bleak. Then, after a moment, added, “if only we’d left just one of those filthy baggers alive, then maybe he could reason with them.”
I sat up straighter. “What do you mean?”
Norma laughed. “Nothing child. It’s just foolishness.”
But an image of Asher came to my mind. The last, as far as we knew, wizard alive. Perhaps there was a chance at victory. Marcalus, after all, had spoken with me, had showed signs that a reasonable man hid beneath his skin… if one bent on revenge.
“I’d like to return to The Glass Castle.”
Both women watched me carefully.
“Child, you saved all of Tarak last night. Are you sure you don’t want to rest a little longer?” Norma’s gaze bore into mine.
Even though my face still ached, the rest of my body only hummed with pain, probably due to the horrible drink they’d made me drink.
“Thank you, but no.”
Norma rose, and we followed her out the door. Ugar stood waiting, his arm wrapped in bloody gauze.
“Much thanks for your help in the battle,” he said, reaching out.
He clasped my arm, and I blushed. This was an exchange between men, between warriors, not women. But as he drew away, I straightened. I shouldn’t be embarrassed, their leader was a woman, after all.
“You as well,” I said, and received a smile for my efforts.
Ugar and Norma walked us back to the portal in silence. People regarded us as we walked, and I was awed by the gazes that clung to me as I moved.
When we reached the portal, Norma grasped my arm. “I can tell you’ve come up with some kind of plan.”
I didn’t know what to say, so I said nothing.
She tightened her grip on my arm. “Whatever it is, I’ve no doubt it’ll surprise us all.” She grinned. “I like surprises. They keep things from getting too predictable.”
“I’ll do my best,” was all I could think to say. “May the goddesses watch over you.”
She smiled at me. “And you.”
But as she turned to go, a thought made its way into my addled brain. “Norma, did you know a woman named Calyce?”
Her brows shot up. “Calyce?
“Yes,” I tried not to look at Meisha as I asked about my mother.
Norma stared down at the Protector’s mark burned into the flesh of her wrist. “Yeah,” she spoke more softly than I’d ever heard her before, “but we aren’t allowed to talk about her.”
I took a step closer to her. “Please, Norma. She was… my mother.”
Norma’s head shot up. “Your mother?”
I nodded.
Her gaze was scrutinizing. “You got her spunk, but not her looks.”
Smiling, hope blossomed inside of me.
“But,” she frowned, “I got to follow orders on this one.”
My hope dwindled. “Please.”
Her meaty hand closed into a fist. “I want to. I owe her so much.” She glared at Meisha. “But I can’t.”
Frustration churned my stomach. “A child should know her mother… at least if she’s alive or dead.”
Norma’s eyes sparkled. “Of course she’s alive, girl. At least… at least I can tell you that.” With that revelation, she turned on her heel and strode back through the woods.
Silence settled between Meisha and I.
Finally, I looked at her.
To my surprise, her expression was sympathetic. “Mothers are important.”
I spoke, hesitantly, “I just want to know about her.”
She brushed a strand of hair off my forehead. “I am sorry, but Blair is the only person who might be able to tell you the truth about her. And she may never willingly do so.” Turning around, Meisha pressed her palm against the portal, and it flared to life, revealing the snowy world of The Protectors.
I followed her through without pause, drawing my cloak more closely to ward off the cold. But even though my body ached, my mind whirled, focusing on the many things that had occurred over the past two days. One less complicated situation came to mind, a subject that seemed harmless, but that interested me all the same.
“You seemed bothered by Norma and Ugar,” I said, after we’d been walking for some time.
Meisha’s shoulders stiffened. “Yes. Norma and I are,” she paused as if struggling for the right word, “different.”
“How so?” my breath puffed out in a cloud in front of my face.
She slowed her pace, allowing me to reach her side. “I do not believe in killing, except for food. Norma enjoys taking lives.” She shrugged. “We are different.”
“Then, why does she seem to dislike you so much?” I asked, huddling even deeper beneath my cloak to ward off the chilly air.
“She believes this makes me a coward.” Her tone was even, but she didn’t look at me as she continued. “She believes that I should battle at her side, not help Blair with recruitments.”
“Is that why you were,” I hesitated, “uncomfortable with her connection with Ugar?”
Meisha whirled towards me, then gasped, her hands clutching her side. “You must not speak of Ugar and Norma."
For a minute, I stared at her frowning. When had she been injured?
All at once, I remembered the burn I’d given her. She’d said nothing of it since our journey began and somehow I’d forgotten it altogether. “Are you all right?”
She clenched her teeth. “Yes, Blair gave me something for my injury. I simply need more of it.”
Guilt had me changing the subject. “Why shouldn’t we speak of Ugar and Norma?”
She sucked in a deep breath and dropped her hands. “We left The Glass Castle before you could learn more. Learn all the rules.” Her bare feet dug deeper in the snow beneath her feet. “As Protectors, we have more freedom than many, but we do not have freedom to love just anyone.”
She resumed walking, and I struggled to ke
ep up. While her delicate bare feet seemed to barely brush the surface of the snowy ground, my lumbering steps seemed to crunch through the snow, slowing me down with each step.
“What— do you— mean?” My words came in gasps, and already I wished we were out of the cold and resting before a warm fire.
She slowed her steps. “Women and men often fall in love with the wrong person, someone who will break their heart, or treat them badly. But we do not have that luxury. It is said the goddesses have created one perfect man for each of us, and we are to preserve ourselves for them.”
“That doesn’t— sound like— such a bad thing,” I said, trying to catch my breath.
A knowing smile touched her lips as she slowed even further. “But what if you were to find a man who you loved, but were told you could not marry. What if he wasn’t smart enough for you, or interesting enough for you, or any number of other things, but at the time you felt you loved him. It would not matter, you must simply accept he is not your One, and let him go.”
I struggled to understand her meaning. “So, how do they know whether we are meant for that person?”
“You are tied magically to your One after you share your first kiss. All of us can feel some sort of change when magic is used, but there are a smaller number of us who can sense the connections between two people.”
An image of the moment Asher and I kissed came to my mind, of that overwhelming feeling that we were two halves coming together to make a whole. Was it possible that he was my One?
Of course not. I bet it was nearly impossible…
And that’s what bothered me about her explanation. “Out of all the people in the world we can only be with one person? What if we never find them?”
“Then you must remain alone, always.”
She was right. This idea sounded more like a cursing than a blessing.
I frowned. “But when we meet them, we can be with them?”
“No.” There was a trace of humor to the word. “We must serve our time first… whatever time that the queen and Blair decide is necessary. Before the war with the Undead wizards, most women were allowed to marry whenever they wished, have children whenever they wished, and come and go from The Protectors as needed. That is no longer the case.”
