by B. T. Narro
“Yes, come here Andar.”
Yune lit a lantern. Leo immediately recognized the hard glimmer of his father’s eyes and could see how much he had gone through to be here. Although a scraggly beard masked the rest of his face, Leo could see by the crinkle beneath his eyes that he was smiling. His shoulders were broader than ever, his chest hard with muscle. Leo had always known his father to be strong, but he hadn’t realized until then just how much work his father must’ve done over the years to be this strong. This was a man who’d gone down a difficult path, but Leo figured Darren would’ve taken on even more hardship if it meant removing it from the lives of his children.
Leo couldn’t help himself as he wept, squeezing his father again. He felt so safe and loved in his father’s arms that it was hard to let go, but he had to give his brother a turn.
He was surprised when he saw Andar’s face twisting as he, too, began to cry. Darren stood to hug Andar, the two throwing their arms around each other.
“You’re both so big now,” Darren said. “I was worried you weren’t eating enough, but it looks like I was wrong to fret about that.”
As the brothers chuckled, Andar separated to look closely at the man before him. Father smiled at him, then hugged him again. Darren’s gaze caught as he looked over Leo’s shoulder.
“Rygen.” He crouched in front of her as she approached with a smile. “My sister told me what happened the day the army came. I’m so sorry about Verona.”
Rygen whimpered and cried as she pushed herself into Darren. He rubbed her back. Leo cried harder as he realized just how much they all needed his father to be here. Rygen didn’t show her grief as she had just after losing her mother, but that didn’t mean she was fine.
When the embrace was over, Darren took a chair from the kitchen and brought it into their bedroom. He sat with a sigh of relief. “Forgive me, but it has been so long since I’ve sat in a chair.”
Andar sat on his bed with his legs folded. Rygen sat on Leo’s, but he didn’t want to sit. He wanted to hug his father and never let go. He stood nearby.
“Are you all right, Father?” Leo asked.
“I’m fine. You shouldn’t worry about me.”
Andar asked, “Why not? Aren’t you with the rebels?”
Darren sighed with resignation. “Not by choice. I am with them, but I will be fine.”
“Is the king’s army still after you?” Andar sounded frustrated. “Tell us everything, Father. You know you can now, right?”
He smiled at his eldest. “I’d rather hear from the rest of you.”
“No, please,” Leo pleaded. “Tell us everything.”
“What happened during the battle with the king’s army here in Jatn?” Rygen asked.
“Where are the rest of the rebels now?” Andar asked right after.
Leo asked, “Is Erisena still alive?”
Darren put up his hand as he nodded. “All right, I’ll answer your questions, but you know nothing of what I’m going to tell you.”
“We know nothing,” Andar said. “We’ve kept your secret easily, right?”
“Right,” Leo and Rygen answered.
“I’m not worried about myself,” Darren said. “I’ll handle whatever happens. I just want all of you as far away from this mess as possible.”
“Please tell us what happened,” Andar said. “We never speak about you to anyone but Aunty.”
At hearing Andar’s urgency, Leo became distraught with a realization. Their father was not going to stay. He might even be leaving soon.
Leo was too scared to ask when. He stifled his tears and was glad when no one noticed.
“Many of us, including Erisena, made it out of the city alive,” Darren said. “We had a difficult journey through the mountains, during which more died. The army chased us through the mountain paths. We eventually decided to separate into two groups.” He paused.
“Then what?” Andar asked.
“The less you know the better.”
An awkward silence followed, the air laden with frustration.
“I’m sorry,” Darren said. “I do trust all of you. I just fear what might happen if you were interrogated.”
“We’ll lie,” Leo said before Andar could answer for him. He knew it was more important that his father hear him say it rather than his brother, for lying had always been easy for Andar.
“We will,” Rygen agreed. “We’ve done it already.”
Leo couldn’t tell if his father was frowning, with his mouth hidden by his beard.
“Please go on,” Andar said.
“All right.”
Yune brought another chair in from the kitchen and sat near her brother as he continued.
“One group is heading east to the Analyte cities. There are places there where Erisena can recoup and recruit. My group is to meet her there eventually, though it could take months for us to arrive. It will be a difficult journey, but not any harder than what we’ve done so far. There’s still at least one army brigade looking for us, probably more. I wish I could take you all with me, but it’s far too dangerous.”
Leo felt a knife in his stomach. His father was leaving again. He wiped away a tear.
“When do you have to go?” he asked, his strength barely keeping his voice steady.
“Soon, unfortunately.”
Leo couldn’t hold back any longer and launched himself into his father’s arms. He did manage to control his tears for now, though.
When he and his father broke their embrace, Leo sat beside Rygen on his bed and made a valiant effort not to cry. Rygen put her hand on his arm and smiled sadly at him.
Leo knew his father was right. The cost of them being together was too high. He wouldn’t argue.
“What are the rebels trying to do?” Andar asked.
“Erisena plans to eliminate the king and bring a new one to power. There’s also something in Analyte land…that’s difficult to describe, but it needs to be addressed soon or it could be a problem.”
“What is it?” Leo wondered.
“Its name is in Analyse. It’s called Jaktius Perl.” Darren paused.
“What does that mean in common tongue?” Andar asked.
“Remember that this is not something any of you should worry about,” Darren prefaced. “It means ‘world destroyer.’ ”
“What?” Leo asked, figuring he’d misheard.
“The Analytes named it that to give more importance to stopping it. They don’t actually believe it can destroy the world.” Darren paused again. “The rebels and I will stop it before it is a threat to any lives, but first we have to replace the current king. He doesn’t care about Jaktius Perl, only about keeping power. Someone else needs to lead humankind, a man or woman who cares about people beyond those in his or her family.”
It was strange to hear Father speak openly about such dangerous topics. Perhaps he wasn’t the same overly cautious man that Leo once knew.
How could he be? Leo asked himself. His identity is already known. He’s already running and will continue to run for years, most likely. What is there to be cautious about?
“What is the Jaktius Perl, Father?” Andar asked. “What could destroy the world?”
“It can’t,” Darren stated, then quickly continued. “It’s only a rift; no reason to be so afraid.”
There was a long silence.
Rygen asked, “Have you seen it, sir?”
“I have not, but Erisena has. It’s what set her out to start recruiting a long time ago—just after the battle between my father and the king. That surprised me. She’s younger than I am, which means she was in her teen years when she decided to dedicate her life to stopping Jaktius Perl.”
“Is she in the city now as well?” Rygen asked.
“No.”
“Oh that’s right, you said she’s heading toward the Analyte land. But she is a summoner, right?”
“Yes.” Darren’s eyes widened. “My sister told me what you have done so far, Rygen. You
should be proud of yourself. Bringing a creature through a rift is no easy task. And my boys, I heard about the links you’ve been making. It’s incredible for you to be doing so much with Artistry at such a young age.”
Leo’s chest swelled with pride. He knew his father didn’t exaggerate. But Darren’s next comment made the feeling dissolve.
“You must be careful, though. If anyone with power catches on to what any of you can do, you will be used. They will entice you with riches and power, but you are too young to swear allegiance to any guild and especially not to the army. You must never join them, for doing so would mean that the king has command over your actions. Disobeying him would bring the same punishment as treason—a hanging.”
“Father,” Andar interrupted. “I am considering joining the army.”
Leo was shocked.
“Andar—” Father began.
“It would mean I could be trained officially,” Andar interrupted. “And I would make good coin. I wouldn’t have to keep stealing.”
“I don’t want you stealing, but joining the army would be worse. Besides the reasons I just listed, you would be allying with the men who want to kill me.” Darren took a breath. “Perhaps I should just turn myself in,” he muttered. “The punishment would be less severe, and I could tell them that my children had nothing to do with any of this.”
“No,” Andar said as he stood. “I know what kind of men are in the army. They would gladly kill you.”
“Aye, probably.”
“Perhaps if you’d turned yourself in before.” Andar looked at the ground. “The former commander was a good man, someone who listened to reason. He didn’t speak like the rest of the men with power. He didn’t even act like them. I think that’s why they murdered him.”
“You knew the commander?” Darren asked.
“You knew he’d been murdered?” Andar took on a look of anger. “Was it one of the rebels?”
Darren put up his hands. “Some of the rebels have come in and out of Jatn to scout. They heard news of the commander. None of us were here when he died, though. It was not a rebel. In fact, from what we heard, it sounds like one of his own soldiers stabbed him in the back.”
“What do you know?” Andar asked with hope.
“Nothing but rumors. How well did you know Rolan?”
“How well did you know him?”
“I met him a few times years ago. He was an officer then, but he took it upon himself to conduct many of the meetings between my family and the royal family when the king was not there himself. We quickly favored him over the other officers. You’re right that he was one of the few who listened. It almost seemed to us that he didn’t even take a side. He just wanted what was best. I assume you’re also right that his fairness got him killed. He wouldn’t play the game of power like the rest of them do. It was by some miracle he was even promoted to commander. Do you remember what I told you about people with power like the overseers at farms?”
“I do,” Andar said sullenly. “They’re not in a position of power because of their sympathy and fairness, but the lack thereof.”
“I wish it wasn’t like that, Andar. And I wish Rolan was still alive. Did you meet him in the Tisary during your work? My sister told me of the hole you were digging. I’m glad you stopped, even if the alternative is thieving.”
“I didn’t just meet him in the Tisary,” Andar said. “He came to our house before giving me the job. He listened to our pleas. He offered to pay the Farmers’ Guild for our home in exchange for my work. I met him several times after. He wanted to make sure I was safe because it was dangerous work.”
“But you weren’t,” Darren stated firmly. “Leo rescued you after your rope broke.”
Andar glared at Yune.
She spoke for him. “The rope only broke because Andar accidentally linked it to itself.” She looked at Andar apologetically. “There was only so much I could tell him before bringing him here.”
“Oh. I’m sorry, Aunty. Wait, how did you even find him?”
“By the river, like Leo once told me. I figured if he could come at all, it would be the night of your birthday.”
“I was hoping you or Leo would think of that,” their father told them. “But I’m glad my sister did in the end.” He glanced over. “I was relieved to see her.”
Rygen asked “Have you two caught up already?”
“We have,” Yune said. “You should use this time for yourselves.”
There was an awkward silence. Leo knew he should be telling his father important details, but all he could think to ask was whether his father had figured out how to stay safe.
“Could you tell us more about Erisena and the rebels?” Rygen asked.
Andar followed up with his own question. “What are they doing in Jatn?”
“Just picking up supplies, perhaps a theft or two. Erisena does not wish to kill anyone, not even soldiers if it can be avoided. I commend her for that, but often I must convince her to make certain difficult decisions.”
Leo could imagine his father always knowing what was best, no matter how hard the choices.
“Only the king must die,” Darren said. “He has broken his own laws. He deserves to be hung for his crimes.”
It looked as if he wanted to say more, but he stopped himself.
“The last thing I want,” he said, “is to pull any of you into this. You shouldn’t be concerned about the king or Jaktius Perl.”
There was another silence.
“We’re only worried about you,” Andar answered for them.
“I’ll be fine,” Darren answered without concern. “Save all the coin you can. Andar, you’re to be in charge of all money. You can decide to purchase a house here eventually or travel to another city. Any are better than Jatn.”
Leo was surprised Andar would be in charge over their aunt. Perhaps there was something about her that her brother knew.
“I can help them,” Yune said.
“If you can spare any coin, I would be very grateful. But let Andar keep all the coin they’ve accumulated. I’m sure he can keep it safe.”
Andar smiled. “I will.”
Was his father about to leave for good? Leo wanted to jump off his bed and grab his father, but perhaps if he stayed calm then no one would move yet.
“There must be something we can do to help you and Erisena,” Andar said.
“I want to help, too,” Rygen added.
“There’s nothing,” Darren said in a stern tone.
“Soon all three of us will have enough skill to fight,” Andar said. “But we’re wasting it here in Jatn. We should be joining you.”
Rygen hopped off the bed. “I’m sure Erisena could teach me how to bring my creature through my own rift. He’ll fight well, I know it.”
Leo wasn’t going to be the only one not to join in. He stood as well. “Please father. We can all be together then.”
Darren shook his head. With a sad look he said, “Nothing would make me happier than for all of us to be together again, but it’s too dangerous to join the rebels. Life is very unpleasant as well. I wouldn’t want it for any of you.”
Leo tried to squelch his tears. His poor father had suffered so much already, and now he would have to leave again.
“Isn’t there any way you can stay in the city safely?” Leo asked, though he already knew the answer.
“I wish I could, but I would be caught eventually, and it would mean prison for the rest of you as well when they find out we’re family. No one knows still, right Andar?”
“No one, Father. I think Rolan suspected something, but he’s gone.”
Darren stood. “It pains me to leave.” His voice cracked. He wiped away a tear. “But it is past time I go.”
Leo ran to his father and wrapped his arms around him as tightly as he could. He cried without shame as he heard his father weep as well.
“My path is set,” Darren said, “but not by my choosing. I never would’ve gone with Erisena if I�
��d had any other option. You know that, right, Leo and Andar?”
Leo knew his brother wanted to hug his father as well, but he couldn’t let go.
“Of course,” Andar said with a shaky voice. He wrapped his long arms partially around Leo and their father.
“During the battle,” Darren said, “I tried to get here without being seen, but it was impossible. Even if I’d made it, I might’ve brought guards here who would’ve captured all of us. I just couldn’t risk it.”
“We know, Father,” Andar said through tears. “You did everything you could. You always do.”
“I will try to return when I can,” their father whispered. “But it could be a long time until we see each other again.”
Leo had to be strong here or he would never get the words out. He took a few breaths to calm himself as much as he could.
“You shouldn’t risk it until there is a new king,” Leo said. “Only then can DVend Quim walk the streets freely.”
His father gave no reply.
There was so much more Leo wanted to tell his father. He and Andar had become stronger, Rygen too. Then he realized exactly what else his father needed to hear.
“We’ll be fine,” Leo told him. “You shouldn’t worry about us.”
“Leo that’s…” A sob interrupted him. “Yes, I can tell you are much stronger, all of you. I just wish you didn’t have to be.”
The three of them finally separated. Rygen ran and tossed her arms around Darren. He hugged her with his strong arms, making her look tiny. Leo wept for Rygen’s mother in that moment. If she could see this, her heart would be torn having to watch her daughter be left without a parent again.
Yune would still be there for them, but even Darren seemed to know there wasn’t much she could do. He had not given them any lectures about obeying her. He’d said nothing about them all living together. He didn’t even put her in charge of the coin they earned. All he wanted was to be there for them himself.
He wasn’t even gone yet and Leo already missed him.
Darren put his hand on Andar’s shoulder. “I wanted to give you something for your birthday, but all I have is this.”
He pulled a pouch out of his pocket but stopped before handing it to Andar.
