The Darkness of Light

by Tammy Farrell

  When she finally pulled away, catching his bottom lip between her teeth, he let her slide down the length of his body until her feet were on the ground.

  The wind died down as they stared at each other. “I’ve never known how to use a weapon before,” she said. “I didn’t know I could.”

  “I did,” Corbin said.

  “I won’t fear men like the magistrate ever again,” she said with conviction just as a rumble of thunder rolled overhead. She looked at Corbin and shook her head. This wasn’t caused by her.

  When the sky opened up and the rain began to fall, Corbin started to gather the bow and quiver.

  “What are you doing?” Mara asked, pulling the hood of her cloak up. “Let’s try that again.” Her eyes smiled mischievously.

  “What?” he asked, wondering if she meant the kiss. But instead she reached out for the bow and said, “Hand me another arrow please.”

  The early morning sky was a pale shade of gray when Mara looked out the window of her chamber. She pulled her cloak over her shoulders and made her way to the door. Corbin and Rowan had been gone for several weeks, and this seemed to be the only time of day she could be alone to practice her archery.

  Mara tiptoed through the great hall and froze when she saw Annora step out from the dining hall.

  “Oh, Mara,” Annora said, seeming just as startled. “What are you doing up so early?”

  Mara held up her bow. “I’m going to practice.”

  Annora looked at her timidly, a smile on her pretty face. Although Mara had been living at Valenia for many months, she’d spent little time with Annora. Mara found her to be exceptionally shy, not the smiling girl Mara had first met.

  “Is everything all right?” Mara asked.

  “Yes,” Annora said. “I am just getting things prepared for Rowan’s return today.”

  “Can I help you with anything?” Mara asked.

  Annora shook her head. “I have everything ready. Thank you, though.”

  Mara saw Annora’s eyes drift towards the bow. Mara held it up. “Would you like to come out with me?”

  Annora laughed nervously. “Oh no, no. I could never shoot one of those.”

  Mara nodded, knowing the real reason was that Annora never set a foot outside of Valenia. Whatever happened to her before coming here certainly put terror in the young girl. “Very well,” Mara said. “I won’t be long. I will give you a hand when I return.”

  Annora smiled and scurried back towards the dining hall as Mara walked out the door. Mara felt terrible for not spending more time with her. She’d become so wrapped up in learning to use her Light, Annora had gone unnoticed. As Mara walked towards the forest, she promised herself that she’d make an extra effort to get to know Annora.

  Mara went to her usual spot. She’d become rather skilled with the bow since her first lesson with Corbin the month before. And her Light was almost at its apex, making up for whatever she lacked as a true archer.

  The wooden figure she fashioned from branches swung back and forth from a tree nearly three hundred paces away. Mara calmed her energy and slowed her breathing until a sharp silence surrounded her. She held the bow, fixed the arrow in place, and then raised it up, aiming for the forged man. With a gentle pull on the bowstring, she let go and watched the arrow drift towards the target, making contact directly in the center of its stilted chest.

  Mara lowered her bow with a sense of pride.

  It seemed to her that the helpless girl who couldn’t save her mother was gone. That girl began to fade away the day Corbin put the bow in her hands. Even though she had already begun to control her Light, there was something about knowing how to use a weapon that excited her, strengthened her. Now she knew she could defend herself if she needed to.

  It was that very profound realization, that rush of excitement, which drove her to kiss Corbin the way she did. The night on the cliff was the first time she had ever kissed a man. She shivered when she thought about it, wishing she could do it a million times more. Corbin was kind, and thoughtful, and she felt safe around him and sad when he was gone. But the exchange of energy between them was the most thrilling and perplexing part of all. They hadn’t yet discussed it, but Mara often wondered if perhaps it was some sign from the gods.

  Her lessons with Malcolm continued as usual. When she told him she discovered her gift for controlling wind, his eyes widened. He could control the weather as well, but the ability hadn’t appeared until well into his twentieth year.

  “I suppose we’ll have to expand the scope of your lessons,” he said with a touch of doubt in his eyes. Mara didn’t challenge Malcolm or try to prove herself to him. It had become clear to her that no matter how far she came with her lessons, it would never be good enough for him.

  Mara took in a deep breath and readied another arrow. She lifted the bow and released it when she heard horses in the distance. Her heart raced, but she tried to calm herself enough to think. It couldn’t be Corbin and Rowan. It was too early in the day. She sharpened her senses and listened to what sounded like several horses, at least three, maybe four. The image of the slain family sprang to her mind. Could they be soldiers?

  The drum of the hooves sounded in an unwavering gallop, getting closer and closer with each passing beat. Mara froze for a moment, wondering if she should run towards Valenia or stay and fight. She looked back. There wasn’t enough time to get to Valenia. Mara grabbed her bow and quiver, flung it onto her back and with an effortless push of her legs, she leapt up onto a thick branch of the tree above. “Stay calm, Mara,” she whispered to herself.

  The sound drew nearer.

  Sitting as still as a statue, she held her breath until the shape of the horsemen came into view. There were three cloaked men, two in colored tunics, and all with swords on their backs. As they neared the denser part of the forest, they slowed their horses to a trot. Mara hesitated, wondering if she should let them ride by. But it seemed they were heading straight for Valenia. She couldn’t risk these men catching Malcolm, Annora, and Isa off guard.

  Everything seemed to move slower, her eyesight became clearer, and when the men were almost directly in front of her she aimed for one of them and released the bowstring. While the arrow was in flight, the man halted his horse and raised his hand. The arrow seemed to stop mid-air and then fell to the ground. Mara gasped, only then realizing her mistake. In her haste to shoot at them, she did not pay attention to her other senses. This was a Dia.

  “What do you think you’re doing?” came the familiar voice.

  Mara bit her lip and leapt down from the tree. She waited while he dismounted. How had she not recognized him? Corbin pulled off his hood, an angry look on his unshaven face. “Are you out of your mind?” he asked through gritted teeth. “What made you think you could take on three armed men all by yourself, human or not?”

  Mara dropped her gaze while the biting realization of her carelessness took hold. “I’m sorry,” she stammered.

  Corbin’s hardened stare bore into her, but he yielded when she wouldn’t meet his eyes. He let out a long breath and pulled her close. “You are not strong enough yet to be out in the forest by yourself. I’m sorry if I sounded angry,” he said.

  Mara resisted the vibration of his touch. She knew she’d been foolish, but she wasn’t about to surrender herself entirely to his reproach. She pulled away from him. “And what if you had been soldiers?” she asked defiantly. “Should I have just let you ride to Valenia and attack the others?”

  Corbin furrowed his brow. “Do you think you could have stood against us if we were soldiers?”

  “Yes,” Mara said, not quite believing herself.

  Corbin frowned for a moment and then his lip curled into an affectionate smile. “Very well,” he relented. “Having courage is half the battle. But promise me you won’t try that again.”

  “I can’t make that promise, but I’ll try,” she said, relieved.

  Corbin reached down and picked up the thwarted arrow. He han
ded it back to her with a smirk. “At least I’m glad to see you still have the hang of it.”

  Mara grabbed the arrow and slid it into the quiver. “It would have hit you if you weren’t a Dia,” she muttered.

  Her attention was drawn back to the other two men as they dismounted their horses and walked towards her. Corbin held out an arm of introduction. “Mara, this is Barrett. He was the second commander in my father’s army. And this is his son, Ailwen.”

  Mara’s mouth dropped as she looked from the two men and back at Corbin. The older man had strong, rounded features and arched, smiling eyes. He stepped forward, bowed to Mara and said, “Glad to meet you, my lady.” He stood with a grin and stroked his thick russet beard.

  The second man stepped forward and bowed as well. He looked nothing like his father. He wasn’t more than a few years older than Corbin, and unlike his father’s dark red hair, he had long, tawny hair that was bound at the nape of his neck. “My lady,” he said, looking up at her with dark blue eyes.

  Mara couldn’t contain her shock. “I don’t understand,” she said to Corbin.

  Corbin gave her a knowing smile. “They are from my village. Ailwen was like a brother to me, and Barrett was my father’s closest friend.”

  “How did you find them?” Mara almost shouted with excitement. “I thought they were…”

  “Dead?” Corbin finished her sentence. “So did I. But we found them close to the border of Isca.”

  Mara’s mind raced with more questions than she could utter at once. “Where is Rowan?” she asked when she realized he wasn’t there.

  “He went ahead. He wanted to ride in from the south, and make sure the area was clear.”

  “I see,” Mara said, feeling lit up inside.

  “We should get back,” Corbin said. He leapt back onto his horse and reached a long arm down to Mara. “Would you care for a ride back…my lady.” He winked at her, his eyes bright and happy. Mara accepted his hand and jumped up behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She squeezed him tightly as they rode, the tingling between them moving in rhythm with the horses gait.

  Corbin tapped the horse with his heel into a steady gallop towards Valenia. When Barrett and Ailwen were behind them Mara asked, “They are human, are they not? Do they know about us?”

  Corbin nodded. “They are human. And they do know about us.”

  “How?” Mara asked.

  “Rowan and I rode out as far as the capital city. When we were near the border of Isca, we stumbled across a group of nomads living in the hills. It’s more common now with the fighting on the borders. Soldiers would rather abandon a failing army than go down with it. The Saxons are hitting the east more and more.”

  “Were Barrett and Ailwen nomads? Did they leave their army?”

  Corbin shook his head emphatically. “Of course not. My father’s men would never betray their army. Barrett was injured when their cavalry was attacked. His leg was torn open. They stayed behind until it healed, but his wound began to fester and by the time I got there, he was close to death. I recognized Ailwen right away, and when he took me to see Barrett, I couldn’t let him die from a rotting leg.”

  “So you healed him,” Mara added.

  “Yes. And of course by doing that, and bringing them back with us, our secret is now theirs as well.”

  “Was Rowan angry with you?”

  Corbin shrugged. “I don’t think so. Besides, it’s to our advantage to have them with us. They are trained fighters, they are loyal, and they’ve vowed to fight with us, should we need them.”

  A silence fell for a few moments as Mara remembered the uncertainty surrounding them. The magistrate still hadn’t been found, and she was sure Corbin would have mentioned the unknown Dia if there was any news. “And you trust them?” she asked.

  “Absolutely,” Corbin said. “They are good men. You can trust them with your life.”

  Mara felt only mildly reassured, not because Barrett and Ailwen were human, but because much like the day her mother died, she had a feeling deep within her that wouldn’t settle. It was like an inner mist that hovered, warning her to be cautious, be alert.

  When they were back at Valenia, Mara and Corbin left Barrett and Ailwen to tie up the horses. They found Rowan and Malcolm in the dining hall. From the seething glare on Malcolm’s face, it looked as if they had been arguing. The room went silent when they walked in, and to Mara’s complete surprise, she saw Malcolm turn his livid stare on Corbin. Though Rowan’s expression was even, Mara noted a hint of anger in his eyes. He turned and smiled at her. “How have you been, dear niece?”

  Mara’s gaze shifted between Rowan and Malcolm. Something dark was hovering in the air. “I am well,” she said. “How was your journey? Was there any sign of the other Dia?”

  Rowan shook his head. “And we traveled quite far. I think we can say that whatever it was has gone, for now at least.”

  Annora and Isa came through the doorway. “Papa,” Isa cheered, running up to give him a hug.

  “Hello, little one,” Rowan said affectionately, brushing the wild curls from her face. He nodded to Annora. “How are my girls?”

  “Very well,” Annora said, taking a seat at the table.

  Mara let go of the breath she was holding and looked back to Rowan. “That’s good news then, isn’t it?” She could see the drop of malice in Malcolm’s eyes.

  Rowan gave a gentle smile. “It is, though I still think we should remain alert. We can’t let our guard down just yet.”

  Malcolm scoffed. “So why don’t we find this thing and stop sitting around and worrying about it? I’ll go with you. We’ll find it.”

  Rowan narrowed his eyes at Malcolm. “Because we can’t leave the girls here unprotected. You know that, Malcolm. Or are you suggesting we drag them along with us?”

  Malcolm shook his head disdainfully. “So it’s better then, to add humans to our clan? Why not invite the villages to come here as well?” He glared at Annora. “You can cook for a village, can’t you?”

  Annora shrank back in her chair.

  Corbin leaned forward on the table. “Is that what you’re upset about? Barrett and Ailwen are good men and skilled fighters. They won’t betray our secret, if that’s your concern.”

  “My concern is not their loose lips, brother. My concern is we have become so complacent that we are even considering having sheep guard the wolves!” Malcolm shouted, slamming his fist on the table.

  Mara almost sprang out of her seat. She noticed little Isa’s startled expression and held out her arms. Isa ran to Mara and jumped in her lap.

  Malcolm seemed to glare freely at Rowan. “They have to go, Rowan.”

  “Absolutely not!” Corbin’s face was growing red.

  “This is no place for humans,” Malcolm shot back.

  Rowan put his hands on the table and stood up. “Stop this, both of you. I have the final say in this, and I say Barrett and Ailwen may stay. They are the closest thing Corbin has to any family, and I will not deny him that. Corbin will go out with them next time to look for the Dia. Malcolm, you and I will stay here.”

  Mara could see Malcolm’s face contort. She hugged Isa closer. “You should go on with Annora, Isa.”

  Isa nodded, looking frightened, and ran towards Annora. Once they were gone, Malcolm said, “Why must I stay here? You have left me behind as you would leave a nursemaid to watch over the children.”

  Mara gaped at him. Was she now becoming the object of his piercing words?

  Rowan’s lip curled into an angry grin. “That is not the case, Malcolm. You have been protecting Valenia and the girls. And as far as I am aware, Mara has made significant improvements with controlling her power. So you are not minding anyone but yourself.”

  This made Malcolm laugh, almost mockingly. “Ah, yes. The veritable princess of our clan, who can’t even shift her appearance, let alone do anything to protect us. Tell me, Rowan, do you think Mara’s sparrows will ward off an attack?”

&n
bsp; Mara’s face flushed and her hands began to tremble with anger and maybe even a hint of embarrassment. She searched for the words to respond when Corbin jumped up. “That’s enough, Malcolm!” he said.

  Malcolm shook his head and raised a finger at Corbin. “And we can’t forget our noble prince, of course, who was born to suckle on Rowan’s teat!”

  There was a rumble of anger in the room when Rowan slammed his fist on the table. “Malcolm, you will silence yourself immediately!” His eyes flared with a pale green light. But Malcolm didn’t acknowledge him or even look at him. Malcolm’s eyes were fixed on Corbin.

  Mara tried to get a hold of Corbin’s arm and draw him back, but she could feel his body shaking, and he pulled away from her, lurching towards Malcolm. “Is that how you see me, brother?” Corbin said the word with venom.

  Malcolm smirked. “I am simply stating the facts as I see them, brother.” He took a threatening step forward so that he and Corbin were now only inches apart, glaring at each other like two hungry dogs with only one bone. Malcolm laughed a sarcastic, high-pitched laugh. “Don’t forget your place, Corbin. You’re only a halfling here. It’s a wonder our little princess hasn’t figured you out for the minion that you truly are.” Malcolm shot Mara a quick glance. “Perhaps she would prefer a true Dia to wrap her legs around.”

  Mara shot to her feet, feeling her throat tighten. “Stop it!” she screamed. Her heart was pounding out of her chest. But they didn’t hear her. Mara could see Corbin stiffen and his jaw muscles clench. He took another step towards Malcolm, staring him down with icy blue eyes. There was a long pause when Malcolm suddenly lifted his hand, a white orb of light formed in his palm, and almost quicker than the eye could see, he thrust it at Corbin, sending him tumbling backwards across the room.

  “Enough,” Rowan shouted, pulling Mara closer to him.

  Corbin stood and straightened his posture. Then without a word, he lifted his hand and retaliated with a blue sphere of light. Malcolm’s eyes bulged and he went crashing into the chairs behind him. He began to laugh as he stood; his eyes were aglow, his face trimmed with rage. He formed another beam of light and hurled it at Corbin’s head, but Corbin was ready and caught it. He held onto it for a second, lingering with a blazing stare, and then threw it back on its creator. Malcolm’s face dropped as it came towards him and he jumped aside, just barely avoiding the blow.