by A D Lombardo
Together the two boys laughed and splashed each other. Carefree. Their clothes clung heavy and wet against them. Kai dove into the water and Smoke dashed after him, pawing through the water. Shane swam through the water, dove below and sprang up in front of Kai.
“This feels so nice. I missed swimming these past few weeks.” Shane’s face perked up as he looked to the shore.
Kai followed his gaze, and they saw Marduk sitting in the weeds, eating. Hunger welled in the pit of his stomach. Starving, he wiped the water from his face and hair. Shane licked his lips and grinned. “Race you.”
The two boys swam and ran to Marduk. Soaked to the bone, they hovered over him. “Can we have some?” they said in unison, laughing at their identical words.
Marduk motioned for them to sit and opened the basket. It was filled with meats, cheeses, bread, and fruit. Each bite was better than the last. They sat giggling through lunch as two boys should. Then they laid back in the tall grass, shaded by the large oak watching the clouds go by.
Marduk watched over his boys, whittling a piece of wood with his knife. Shiva and Smoke sat nearby. The afternoon sun continued to strengthen, and it wasn’t long before the two boys felt dry. Too dry. Practically together, they sat up and stared at the glistening water. Sweat had started to bead on Marduk’s face, and the boys smiled.
He looked at them and smiled back. “I don’t know about you two boys, but it’s hot.” Marduk kicked off his boots, ran and dove into the water, with both boys following him. It was good to laugh and play. It was especially reassuring to see Shane smile, the kind of smile that lit up the soul. They spent the rest of the afternoon at the lake. Kai even managed to get Drew and Albey to join them.
In the tree line, Kai saw Dresnor, leaning against a tree with Marabella. She had become a permanent fixture amongst the group. Wherever Dresnor went, Marabella was not far behind. She was a brave young woman, and for a warrior like Dresnor, she was a good match. Kai wondered how they would take being separated in a few days.
◆◆◆
Summer had come to an end, and it was time to leave Town Hope. Kai strolled through town with Dresnor across the new cobblestone streets. Newly added streetlamps flickered in the night, giving the area a cozy charm.
Dresnor looked around. “I am impressed by how much they’ve completed. I hear the new orphanage is done.”
“I took a tour of it earlier today,” Kai said. “Although many of the children have been reunited with parents from the mines, a fair few have nobody. The most significant change is the people. That makes it all worthwhile.”
Dresnor stroked the end of his scruffy beard. “They have something to live for now. There are newcomers for the first time in years,” he noted. “It doesn’t hurt that Sknash is offering them a fresh start and free land.”
“Lord Sknash gave the people a voice. Dante made a good choice. Gene and Heidi are good people, and the town welcomes his leadership.”
When they reached the wharf, Kai noticed Marabella watching the men batten down the ships for the night. She approached one of the captains, spoke a few words, and handed him something. Finished, she walked in their direction.
Dresnor stopped to watch her. “Given all she’s been through, she still has a strong spirit. Marabella is an amazing young lady. Lady Sknash has taken her into their home. She had no family left, and Heidi and Gene want to adopt her. They feel they have so much to offer her.”
Kai cleared his throat, bringing Dresnor from his daydream. “Will Marabella be staying in Town Hope when we leave?” He thought he knew the answer but wanted to ask.
Dresnor did not respond. He closed the gap between himself and Marabella. “Good evening, Marabella. Have you made suitable arrangements?” he asked, taking her hand in his. He turned to walk toward the stables.
“I have,” she responded, looking around Dresnor to smile at Kai. “Your Highness, are you ready to go back to Diu tomorrow?” Her big blue eyes sparkled.
“I am thrilled to be going home. Thank you for asking.” Kai observed them together. Their proximity to one another told him a great deal. He knew very little about her. Alissa had told him Marabella was an orphan herself. She ran away after her brother died in the mines and was living in the hills these last three years.
“Are you coming to Diu by ship?” he asked presumptuously.
“I am coming to Diu. I leave the day after you. Although Dresnor tells me I will arrive before you.” She squeezed Dresnor’s hand, the affection in her eyes bubbled with delight.
“Lady Sknash would like me to stay in their home and help sell the furniture they no longer need. I will be moving in with her mother. She lives alone and could use companionship. I am very fortunate Heidi has taken an interest in my future. Although I am over eighteen, they mean to adopt me and give me their name.” She leaned slightly into Dresnor’s shoulder.
Kai was pleased Gene and Heidi were helping Marabella. “It will be good to have you in Diu. If you two would, please excuse me, I would like to catch up with Haygan before I retire for the evening.” He waved and darted up the hill, catching up with Smoke strolling through town.
At the stables, he saw they were preparing to return to Diu come the morning, and he was happy to see Haygan had come back from his trip up the mountain.
“Haygan, how was your nature walk?” he asked hesitantly.
Haygan did not respond. He kept gathering supplies. Finally, Kai caught Haygan’s eye. “Is everything alright?” His tone turned to worry.
An empty smile bloomed on Haygan’s face. “Yes, yes, everything is fine. Just distracted, let me finish here. We can talk all day tomorrow. You should get some rest.”
After everything they had been through together, now Haygan chose to withdrawal. Kai knew better than to challenge this man. Still, he could not let it go. “Please tell me what has changed?” Kai pleaded.
Haygan looked away. “I am struggling with some conflicting advice.”
Unhappy by the short response, Kai backed out of the stables.
Chapter 30
Homecoming
Nothing could have prepared Kai for his summer in Hamrin. His father gave him the responsibility of spreading Galloway goodwill to the people to teach him accountability, but his trip turned out nothing like he had expected. He realized just how naïve he was about the world around him.
Home in Diu Kai sat at his desk, opened his journal, and wrote:
The battle for Hamrin, now Town Hope, changed me, changed Shane. Our innocence shattered, we can never go back. Maturity came at a steep price. My boyhood thoughts and concerns are all foolish nonsense to me now. I have so much to learn. My station has made me soft. Shane was right.
As a little prince, all I had to concern myself with was academics. To become a man and someday a king, I must set aside my fears. I must learn how to listen and serve others. Time to embrace the strength my cousin Adrian believes I have. I fear his disappointment most of all.
I am sure Riome will arrange brutal training sessions, given my less-than-stellar attempt to defend myself. I imagine they will leave every inch of me battered and bruised. Her methods are harsh but effective.
Let’s hope next summer is not as taxing. Blessed Alenga, protect the budding Town Hope. Restore their faith.
Kai Galloway
My fourteenth summer.
Outside, Kai sat in the sun. Kendra entered his room. She strolled across his balcony to look over the sunbathed city. “You wanted to ask me something yesterday?” she said. “Cordelia is napping, and the twins are horseback riding. We have time.”
He had wanted to speak with her about Haygan and Rayna. “On our ride home, I tried to talk with Haygan. He went away on something he called a nature walk, told me he stayed in the forest.”
For Kai, Haygan’s explanation was less than satisfying. Nothing explained the aloofness Kai now felt. “I don’t understand why Haygan would spend two weeks alone in the woods, only to come back distant and removed. D
id he spend time with two men who fought with him or the woman he claims brought a dragon to the Battle of Hamrin? I am extremely grateful, but why is he reluctant to share? Plus, I tried to ask him about Rayna. But you know how he gets when he refuses to discuss something. You and I never had the chance to speak about Rayna healing her horse before I left.” He stopped to wait for her reaction.
“I know about Rayna,” Kendra admitted. “And I watched her over the summer. We speak often, and she is pleasant, but she is very guarded. Her hesitation to trust me is a good sign she can keep a secret.”
“Since we all agree she is Katori, I have questions.” His brow knit together. “What can I tell her? What can we teach her? Have you seen her plants? They grow as if by magic. The path she walks each day is a streak of thick green grass. She shines as bright as you, maybe brighter,” he persisted. “Need I go on?”
Kendra leaned against the stone balcony railing. Kai studied her posture and reserved expression. He knew the look. She was about to lie, or at the very least withhold information. Riome’s lessons were paying off.
“Typically, there are two options. When we find a Katori orphan, we either take the child, or we keep our distance and wait to see what gifts manifest on their own. Orphans are rare since very few Katori choose to live outside our lands. Maybe we should not encourage her development.” Kendra jutted her chin to the side, looking away.
“What? Why the change of heart? I thought we were to protect the Katori secrets at all costs. Teach her how to control her gifts.”
“Do you want her taken away? Because that is our only choice. A full-blooded Katori must return home at seventeen or risk...” Kendra didn’t finish her thought.
She turned away, and Kai knew—there was the lie. Or at least the omission of information. Why was she keeping secrets now? What had changed? Questions rolled around his mind, but he kept them to himself.
Eventually, Kendra continued. “Haygan did not ask about Rayna because he knows what they would say—leave her be or bring her to Katori. It is our best option not to spark her mind further. Let her potential fade away.”
He could not believe what he was hearing. How could they deny Rayna her gifts? Although he could not bear to lose Rayna, it was not his choice to make. Seventeen? What does age have to do with it? This was the first time Kendra had mentioned that age mattered. What else is she keeping from me? He wanted to ask, but he was sure she would not tell. “What are you saying?”
“Maybe we made a mistake coming here—teaching you. Bonding with Smoke was your catalyst. If we had listened to our Chiefs and the Unie, stayed away, you might not have manifested any gifts.”
This was news to him. He had no idea. If they had not awakened his gifts, he would be a normal child, only faster and stronger. Kai could not imagine his life without his connection to Smoke and Ember or his ability to glean. How could he possibly hide this from Rayna?
“Is this why Haygan has been distant? Because he does not want to teach her. Or… does he wish he’d never taught me?”
“He doesn’t regret helping you. I tried to talk with him, but Haygan is a steel trap. If he means to keep a secret, you’ll not pry it from him. I believe he asked too many favors getting help for Hamrin and word has traveled home to Katori. Our chiefs are not happy with him.”
Kendra’s expression changed. “I guess I should ask, what have you told Rayna?”
“We have only discussed her desires to learn about plants. But I’ve not really told her anything.”
“Good. Let’s keep it that way. I know it will be hard for you, but you must keep our Katori secrets from Rayna.”
Torn by her words, he searched his soul for the solution. Kendra was not telling him the whole truth.
◆◆◆
Kai spent days mulling over how to learn more about Rayna’s past and how to tell her what he knew. Being Katori linked them together, and he hoped to share his secrets with her.
Back in Diu for eight days, he found himself avoiding certain people. First, Riome—he wasn’t ready to tell her what happened. Second, Nola—he feared giving her the opportunity to brainwash him further. In both cases, he decided avoidance was a much better option. Everywhere he went, he gleaned. He was constantly on guard, altering his path to avoid the two of them.
No matter what happened with Rayna, today Kai was going to make the most of every moment. He sat leaning against a tree in the apple orchard, four botany books and two apples in his lap. The palace orchard was full of ripened fruit, and the sweet smell of apples filled the air. Eyes closed, he centered his mind and focused on his surroundings.
Through the trees he sensed Smoke padding around after Shiva. He saw their energy ebb and flow, a heartbeat of power pulsed within them. Eyes open, he gleaned, the light energy overlaid what his natural sight showed him, but in his mind he saw beyond his current surroundings.
His energy ripple went beyond the orchard. Among the dim wisps was one bright light. Her facial features became visible—Rayna. Happy to see her, he watched her walk through the trees in his direction. His natural vision beheld the curve of her face.
She plopped down beside him and stole an apple. “I’ve missed you. Tell me all about your trip. What are those?” she asked, thumbing through one book at a time. “Are these for me?”
He recalled his vision and this very moment in his mind. “They are for you. I borrowed them from the palace library. There are so many, I’m sure Professor Greydon won’t miss them. Not for a while anyway.”
In the back of his mind, he wrestled with Kendra’s warning. “Rayna. Have you always lived in Port Anahita? Are your parents native to the area?”
She let out a frustrating sigh. “Oh, Rayna, I missed you too. I had a great trip, can’t wait to tell you all about it,” she mocked, taking a bite out of the apple in her hand.
“Sorry, I did miss you, but there is too much to tell. I spent days in the saddle to get there. I fell off a cliff and slept outside alone one night near a cave. When we made it to the Hamrin Estate, I was so relieved, but then everything went wrong.”
He shook his head, reliving that horrible night. The field of dead men and the beasts that saved them. Bevon lying in a pool of his own blood. A night he would never forget, but for now, he could not share it. It was still too raw.
“I am sure it did not go unnoticed when four ships set out across Baden Lake, nor when the men marched out of the city bound for Hamrin—now Town Hope.” He paused to look at her kind brown eyes. “Maybe someday I will tell you about it. What I can tell you is the new duke, Lord Eugene Sknash—Gene—is a good man. I spent most of my time with Dresnor and Gene, rebuilding what Victor destroyed. I also got to spend time with Haygan, Shane, and Marduk.”
He thought of the new Lord Sknash and his kind wife. “There was so much that happened. I don’t know what news made it back to Diu. Back to the palace.” He shook his head, trying to scatter the images that rose to the surface. “Please forgive me, I am not ready to talk about what happened.”
He took a breath to calm his mood. Eagerly she waited. The trip had forever changed him, but it could not ruin how she made him feel. He let a smile tug at the corner of his mouth. “Dresnor advised me to keep a journal. He said it would make it easier to relay the information back to my father. Writing has also helped me begin to cope with the events. Over the summer, Haygan disappeared on a strange nature walk. Now he is distant. And now I am home.”
Finished with the apple, she chucked it into the grass. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to mock you. I had no idea,” she softly touched his arm. “We don’t have to talk about what happened. You’re home now.” She rubbed his hand. “It was hard not to notice Dante and his men set sail mere days after you left. No definitive news came back, only rumors. Ship after ship set sail, filled to the brim with men and supplies. I worried until the Grand Duke’s return. I knew if something had happened to you, there would be some news.” Sheepishly she pulled her shoulders in around herself.
“Rayna, I didn’t mean to sound upset at you. It is a lot of responsibility, and it is on top of so many other changes. I have so many things vying for my time. You know, I wish I could go back to being casually unaware, sleepwalking through life, but I’m awake, and all I can do is face it,” he said, realizing it felt good to share.
She nodded her head in understanding. “On to happier topics. You asked about my home. Well, I don’t know where I was born. I’ve never really told anyone about this before. My parents know, but nobody else. This will sound strange, but Levi Kendrick found me on the docks in a crate, mixed with his baking supplies.”
“What do you mean he found you in a crate? As a baby? Who would leave a baby in a crate?”
She shrugged. “If only I knew. I believe they only told me so I’d never get mad at them if my real parents returned. The man who unloaded their cargo said that he had no idea where I came from, only that he had no use for a baby, especially a girl. He said, taking care of me on the ship was more trouble than I was worth. So he dumped me with them.”
“So I take it nobody ever came to claim you?”
She slumped to the side with her response. “Nobody ever came.”
“It’s hard to believe it’s almost been a year since you moved to Diu. Are you sure your mother is alright with you spending the day away from the bakehouse? I know it is challenging work, and they depend on you greatly.”
“Most of our work happens well before dawn,” Rayna told him. “She is fine.”
Before continuing, he hopped to his feet, offering Rayna his hand. “Let me collect our basket from Lizzie while you drop your books at home,” Kai suggested. “Meet me at the stables. My men should be ready to escort us to the lake. They are very protective these days.”
Dresnor led his group through the north gate, and they made their way down the steep hill toward Baden Lake. “Rayna, do your parents approve of me bringing you books about plants? I don’t want to influence your interests away from baking if they disagree.”
