The Chosen

by K. J. Nessly

  “What new lessons?”

  Elyon laughed softly. “That is something only you can determine, Kathryn.” He stood and prepared to leave. “One last thing,” he told her as he raised his cowl. “You must learn to embrace your gift fully. It is a part of you, and you cannot find yourself by ignoring it.”

  Watching Elyon leave, Kathryn couldn’t help but feel a small sense of unease and relief. Elyon’s statement, that he’d been watching her for a long time, she had to admit that it had been more than a little unnerving. All her life she’d been a shadow child and now, to learn that someone had been watching her, practically from the day she was born…he needed a new hobby. It certainly didn’t seem to Kathryn like the kind of activity a king should be involved in. Crazy sorcerer’s? Maybe. King’s? No. She hadn’t had the courage to challenge Jasse’s claim that he was a powerful sorcerer, which only made her mood fouler.

  But there was also some release in her spirit as well. At first when Elyon and begun to tell her about her past Kathryn had felt the punch of those memories more than she’d ever felt the beatings and the sharp sting that had lingered with the heavy weight in her chest had burned terribly. But afterwards, knowing that someone else knew and understood, her pain had eased. It wasn’t completely gone, her chest was still heavy and the burn was still there, but it had lessened slightly.

  His gaze was a new experience for her. Never before had she met someone whose gaze could communicate so many things. Power. Wisdom. Authority. Love. There was something unsettling in his eyes, like he was able to penetrate every layer of her being, walk through every wall she had erected, to see her inner spirit—eyes that could not only see, but also discern thoughts and inner fears and that, despite everything, it didn’t matter to him.

  Or it’s just that he already knew and I didn’t actually have to relive it myself, she thought bitterly then realized that that particular observation wasn’t accurate. She had relived it. As his words had pierced her heart, her mind had taken her back in time to relive events she’d never wanted to remember. Making a mental note to slap him for that the next time she saw him, she sighed and looked for Destiny.

  Her bird was perched high above, and at her whistle launched herself from the tree top to soar down to Kathryn’s position. Destiny clicked her beak a few times in greeting before crawling up her arm and settling on her shoulder. Tipping her head slightly, Kathryn let it rest gently against Destiny’s feathered head.

  Comforted, her thoughts returned to Elyon’s words, especially about embracing her gift. It was common knowledge to her teachers that she shied away from using her talents. Many thought it was because she was insecure about starting late, but that wasn’t it at all. Not even Lady Blackwood’s stories about the cursed and wanderers held any power over her anymore. They might bring the horrors of her past to mind, but they didn’t control her as they had once done.

  When she used her gifts, Kathryn felt different. Not more powerful different, but a different person completely. She didn’t think the same way when she used her gifts and it terrifiedher. She prided herself on her control and when she used her gifts she felt like she lost some of that control…no she felt like she lostall of her control.

  Still, Jasse said I should trust him, she mused.

  Trust.

  How did a girl who had never depended on anyone, who had sworn not to, learn to trust a stranger when she couldn’t even trust the people who were supposed to be her family?

  For a few long moments she stared at the ice… debating, arguing with herself until, finally, she summoned the courage to try something she had only ever done once before.

  Moving to stand next to the pool she let go of every fear, insecurity, fact, and common sense she possessed and opened herself fully to the gift she had been given. It rushed free of the confines she usually captured it within and in a heartbeat Kathryn’s gift began working its magic of its own accord. Ruthlessly controlled on a daily basis, it snatched at the freedom she offered it with breathtaking swiftness. When she tried to bend it back to her iron will, it reared and bucked as if it were a wild horse she was attempting to break. Gingerly she backed off slightly, allowing the churning magic within her to settle. Instead of trying to control her magic’s actions, she guided it, pushing it in a slightly different direction or nudging it to an alternate action. She had a vision in her mind and was curious to see if she could bring it into the waking world. It was an exercise in patience and calm…tenderness. Her magic sought to tame the kingdom now that she’d released it and she had to gently, but firmly, herd it back to smaller and more reasonable heroics.

  After what felt like years she sat back down into the snow, completely out of breath and drenched in sweat. Sharp cracks and moaning slowly ebbed and echoed through the quiet as her creation settled. Her gaze swept across the clearing and she couldn’t stop her mouth from opening in astonishment. Massive ice arches had grown out of the pool on either side of the waterfall, curving around the glade in gently curving sweeps. The base of each arch was enveloped by large fern-like flora. The fern’s stems were bluish green and as large around as a man’s waist. Each stem supported a network of what appeared to be massive yet delicate leaves that were spider-webbed together and veined with light blue ice crystals. The land encircled by the arches was covered in a solid sheet of ice that gleamed brighter than any polished ballroom floor. From the tops of the arches, additional sheets of ice had grown inward and upward until they formed a sort of roof with a circular hole in the very center. From the floor corkscrewing ice columns had grown, branching outward as they reached the roof, giving Kathryn the impression of tree branches spiraling out from a trunk. White ivy-leaved plants trailed and coiled around the rising columns reaching up and forming elaborate patterns across the massive roof structure glistening and reflecting sun light as though they were lit from within. Intertwined within the matrix of ivy were clusters of bulbous flowers of various sizes hued in various shades of blue and green at their base with the petals themselves of pure white.

  Destiny swooped down and landed on the only snow pile remaining in the ice room beside her.

  “What did you think, girl?” Kathryn asked as she stroked the bird lovingly.

  The look in the eagle’s eyes seemed to ask,what took you so long?

  Chapter 17

  Four Months Later

  Destiny’s hungry call startled Kathryn out of a light doze. Groaning she sat up and rubbed her eyes. Spring had come to Rima and the melting of the ice and snow was accompanied by an explosion of colors as the wildflowers and grass reclaimed the landscape. The sun remained in the sky for longer radians and the patrols had been increased in length. And of course with the warm and pleasant weather, the nastier side of life had decided to crawl out of their filth ridden boroughs and hideouts to practice their illegal trades and offenses.

  Both she and David had been taking turns working extra radians, running extra patrols late at night to deal with the increase in brawls, tavern fights, and thefts. Injuries had increased as the family dealt with longer hours and sharp words could be heard echoing through the house as everyone began taking their frustration out on each other. Natalie was becoming increasingly difficult to live with, for everyone, and Kathryn wondered how long it would be before they either destroyed each other or learned to work out their differences.

  She had returned late again last night and slept restlessly. The outlaw band that Lord Jasse and the Council had tasked them with finding had covered their tracks well…it had taken her two months to find their hiding place.

  But they had been two months she’d actually enjoyed. She’d taken the opportunity to spend days at a time alone in the forest, tracking with just Lerina and Destiny for company. David had complained loudly at her adventures, but whenever she’d been back she’d taken all day shifts with the others so he could only yell at her for disappearing alone, not for completely shirking her duty to her family. Once, Natalie had complained that Kathryn was getting a
holiday from actually working, but Tyler, who had accompanied Kathryn on one of her jaunts, at David’s order, quickly shut her up with the description of how they’d traveled.

  When she tracked, Kathryn carried as little as possible with her. Water skeins, a thick cloak, her weapons, rope, and her flint and helcë were all that weighed her and Lerina down. Her food she could trap, hunt, or forage on her own. And she slept for a few scant radians each night, preferring to make use of all the life in the forest to guide her to her intended destination. Add to the facts that it was still winter, although slowly beginning to warm up, after Tyler had finished describing the horrendous and tedious way she traveled through the forest, David didn’t force anyone else to accompany her. She had almost been disappointed when she’d found the hideout.

  Even so, once it had been found, the Council had sent word that the Dragons were to deal with the outlaws themselves. It hadn’t been a fun task. David had taken two weeks, despite Kathryn, Luke and Tyler’s protests that the outlaws could very well relocate in those two weeks, to come up with a plan of attack.

  Admittedly his plan had been well thought out and, had everything gone perfectly, it might even have been considered brilliant. Of course not everything had gone according to plan. Kathryn had personally tracked three of the leaders to the edge of Katham River where they had refused to surrender to her and Amy. They paid the ultimate price for their stubbornness. Later, after Kathryn had given David a short debrief and coldly received his assurances that she and Amy had done the right thing, she had attempted to fall asleep. Unable to calm her mind, she had wandered back to her waterfall and simply stared at the melting ice hued ombre red in the moonlight of Niena. She’d stay there for radians before she began to feel tired enough for sleep. She hadn’t tried any similar feats with her powers since that day Elyon had visited her but the memory of the structure she created would overlay reality every time she returned.

  Returning to the waterfall had become a recurring habit since then, especially with Lacey popping up all over the house. It was driving Natalie to distraction, which meant that she had less time to worry about antagonizing Kathryn as she constantly triple checked where she walked and where she sat down. After the first month the family learned not to run at full tilt toward the sound of Natalie’s piercing screams.

  Kathryn couldn't help but feel sorry for Matt. Over the past four months, Lacey had crossed paths with Natalie numerous times and poor Matt had been getting an earful from the older girl. She suppressed a smile thinking about the events of last night.

  Natalie had been enjoying her nightly bath when she'd suddenly found Lacey sitting on the edge of the bathtub. Her shrieks were heard throughout the whole house. By the time Kathryn had gone to bed, Natalie still hadn't finished ranting at Matt. When she had finished with the poor cook, she had ranted to Lindsey about the unfairness of her life. The racket had kept her up for radians. Honestly, she thought darkly, after all this time Natalie should be used to Lacey's presence by now.

  Reluctantly, she had pulled herself up and left her refuge. It wouldn’t be long until dawn as the sun started to rise behind the hills to the east. Sunlight was just starting to bathe the forest canopy in its warm embrace, but at ground level it was dark and poorly lit from a combination of moonlight and the scattered rays of the sun’s first light. As they headed back to the compound Destiny swooped down and pitched upward several times just missing Kathryn by inches as she darted back and forth navigating the dense foliage with relative ease. Occasionally, she would land in front of Kathryn and hop from side to side attempting to engage her in some kind of play.

  Kathryn smiled. “Sorry girl, my heart just isn’t in it. Besides it’s getting late and we need to get home.” When they arrived the sun was just beginning to burn off the dew and she managed to trudge upstairs without being noticed.

  She looked wistfully out her bedroom window and thought of her sanctuary. Oh well. She’d sleep well tonight. Hopefully. She stood, bent over the hand basin, and splashed cold water across her face, letting the shock bring her to full awareness. She quickly changed, but paused on her way out the door to look at her sketches, absently wondering if the dream was true. It had been months since that winter afternoon when she’d experienced the dream…and so far it hadn’t returned. Destiny called again and Kathryn crossed the room, unlatched the sash’s barrel lock and let her out.

  Kathryn stood for several minutes at the window, letting the cool breeze brush across her face. Sighing she turned back to her room, no sense in wasting the morning. She pulled her boots back on and twisted her hair back into its usual bun, wondering where she wanted to patrol today.

  She had just decided to tell David that she wanted to do an overnight patrol to spend more time in the western part of Rima, down by Lake Sarovara, when a knock sounded on her door. Curiously she glanced at it. It was unheard of for anyone in the Dragons to rise this early. Opening it she was taken completely by surprise to find David standing there, a very serious look on his face.

  “What’s wrong?” she asked, stepping out and closing the door behind her.

  “I’ve called a family council.”

  Surprised Kathryn looked at him inquisitively. In the seven months the Dragons had been a family David had never called a family council before and it was only to be done in extreme situations, “Care to tell me why?” She hated surprises and hoped he would indulge her instead of waiting for the entire family.

  He nodded slowly then said, “I received a missive from the King by messenger bird. His daughter, Princess Roseanna, was abducted yesterday morning.”

  Kathryn didn’t say anything. If the King sent a messenger bird to a Guardian family, then whatever problem that letter contained was one he expected them to fix. She could only hope that there was some more detailed information in the missive or it was going to be very difficult to locate the princess in a timely manner. When they entered the sitting room they found the rest of the Dragons present and waiting anxiously.

  “I’ve received a letter from the King,” David said without ceremony as he took his seat. “Someone abducted Princess Roseanna yesterday morning.”

  “Oh the poor girl!” Natalie cried and Kathryn resisted the urge to roll her eyes at Natalie’s theatrics. If Natalie put that much effort into the dramatics of a simple kidnapping, she’d pass out from hyperventilation if she ever heard Kathryn’s story.

  David nodded. “The King wants us to get her back.”

  “He asked for us specifically?” Elizabeth asked. “Why not a more experienced family? We haven’t even had a year on patrol.”

  Again he nodded. “The King wishes for me to lead a small team composed of no more than six members to rescue the princess. As to the experience issue, I can honestly say I have no idea.”

  “Do they know where she’s being held?” Rachel asked.

  “They have a guess but they aren’t positive.” David paged through the letter until he found the paragraph he was looking for and passed it around, summarizing it as it was handed from family member to family member. “They suspect Duke Sebastian abducted Roseanna out of spite because the King wouldn’t permit a marriage between them.”

  “Why not?” Natalie asked curiously.

  “Apparently the duke is thirty years older than the princess.”

  Natalie made a face at this announcement. She opened her mouth to comment, but was, mercifully, cut off by Luke.

  “Who did you have in mind for the task?” David’s old roommate asked.

  David looked around and sighed, he’d obviously been dreading this part. “I was wondering when you’d ask that. I’m taking Kathryn, Jenna, Daniel, Matt, and Natalie.” He looked at them all. “It wasn’t an easy choice. I would have preferred to take all of you.”

  Kathryn cringed inwardly at the news that Natalie would be joining them. While Natalie’s antics had lessened over the last four months thanks to Lacey, she was still a nuisance to Kathryn’s peace of mind.

&n
bsp; “Why didn’t you take Amy or Luke?” Cassandra asked curiously. “After all, not to slight the rest of us, they are two of our top five warriors.”

  “I thought about it.” David admitted, “But if I took Kathryn as well as Luke and Amy it would leave the rest of you without someone with leadership experience.”

  Suddenly Natalie piped up. “Why me? I’ll be the first to admit I’m probably the worst of us all at swordplay or using a bow.”

  Kathryn forced herself to breathe calmly as Natalie fluttered her eyelashes at their leader. For some reason Natalie acted like a love-struck serving maid whenever David was near. David, she noticed with some humor, didn’t seem to notice which only served make the older girl try harder.

  David smiled slightly. “I have it on good authority that Princess Roseanna loves fashion and parties and figured she might like to have someone who could keep her company without boring her to death.”

  Kathryn fought the urge to strangle him. If that was the only reason he was bringing the ditzy blond along, then the princess could survive a few days of boredom in order to make room for a more seasoned and capable fighter to join their party.

  “How long will you be gone?” Amy asked.

  “I wish I knew. It’s a good ten day ride to Duke Sebastian’s castle and it will take at least a day or two to get an idea of defenses and plan an attack, from there, we would take the Princess to the capitol and then ride back.

  “So at the very least a month,” Amy surmised, doing the calculations in her head.

  “Probably more like a month and a half. We just learned the hard way that things don’t always go according to plan.”

  Luke jumped up. “What in the kingdom’s name are you guys still doing here?” he demanded. “You go pack, Tyler you and Matt can go saddle their horses.”

  “What are you going to be doing?” Tyler asked grumpily as he picked himself up off the couch and began to head towards the stables.