Illuminated

by Jackie Castle

  She gathered her belongs, her eyes scanning the surrounding woods. He also promised his clan would be watching the area for enemy soldiers, or seekers, as he called them. Still, she’d breathe easier once her feet were back on the White Road. Kicking dirt on the fire, she followed the river in a northerly direction. In no time, the stones sparkled beneath her boots again. Her heart sank to find neither Jerin nor the Guardian at the bridge. She topped off her canteen and sat beside the bridge, nibbling on another biscuit. Then remembering Lotari’s warning to not wait for them, she continued on alone.

  Please let Jerin be okay.

  She chuckled, knowing he was far more capable of taking care of himself then she was. She’d been a complete nuisance. Her shoulders sagged. Most likely, he was glad to be rid of her. Tears stung her eyes as she determined to change and try harder. She didn’t want to chase off her new friend, Lotari, as well. She’d prove she was capable of making this journey without getting into any more trouble.

  Her gaze followed the sparkling white path as it wove into the deep woods.

  “Don’t you leave these rocks again,” she ordered herself as she walked.

  The silence got on her nerves. She tried humming along with the birds chirping song, but her throat grew dry and she needed to reserve her water. She missed Jerin nagging at her to hurry up. Without her holding him back, perhaps he’d reach Aloblase before her. She walked faster, intent on not letting that happen.

  However, the private game caused a stitch in her side, and she reverted to her slow, casual pace. Last night Lotari said they were both heading in the same direction and eventually their paths would cross again.

  She’d asked Lotari if he’d ever traveled the White Road to Aloblase.

  He shook his head but didn’t look at her. “We are commissioned to guard the woods from the dark enemy. This is my home. We are part of the woods, and the woods are part of us.” Then he’d paused, adding kindling to the fire. “Besides, we are not received well in your world. , “But I’ve read all about King Shaydon. His book of letters is like sitting down and talking to him face to face.””

  Alyra remembered the talk back in the soldier’s camp. The old woman had said that centaurs were wild and better off being left alone. Jerin called them unnatural creations.

  “Why, Lot? Why do some people seem to … to think…?”

  “We are abnormal? That we don’t belong and should be avoided at all costs?”

  Alyra turned away, nodding.

  “Yes,” he sighed, “there has been much discontent between humans and centaurs. I might add, between humans and most creatures.” He chuckled while stirring the embers. The firelight shone on his stern, yet tenderly kind face. “The dark one’s fault, I believe. It wasn’t always like this.”

  “What do you mean, Lot?”

  “It’s a long story, my little friend. You must be growing tired and need to rest. You are still two days away from the next town."

  “Please? I want to hear about King Shaydon. The truth. I want to know the real story about him.”

  The sun climbed higher into the sky. Alyra stopped when a doe appeared on the pathway. A fawn ambled from the brush and paused beside its mother. The mother’s ears twitched, as she chewed a mouthful of grasses. For a long while, they all simply stared at each other. She’d never seen wild animals wandering freely in Racan lands. Another sign she was getting farther away from Master’s grasp.

  The deer must have grown bored with her and moved on into the woods. She wanted to follow but knew she couldn’t leave the path again.

  The feeling of isolation pecked at her heart. If only she hadn’t angered Jerin so much that he’d stormed away. If only they’d both listened and stayed on the White Road. They’d been so close to a river, too. What an evil trick to place a spring in a spot where travelers went so far between being able to replenish their water. Alyra knew the trap was set intentionally by Darnel.

  What other traps of his might she come across?

  She continued along without hindrances for the remainder of the day. That night she started a small fire all by herself. From her backpack, she took out an oval-shaped pot. It resembled more of a bowl, but was deep enough for her to cook a simple stew with the jerky and a few herbs she’d seen Jerin use when he cooked. She used the hem of her cloak to hold the edge and protect her fingers from burning. The stew was blander than Jerin’s, but good enough for her first try.

  From the bottom of her pack, she withdrew Dean’s little book and flipped through the pages. The night before, Lotari had brought out a similar book and read by light of the campfire.

  “Even though I’ve never made the trip to Aloblase, I have read all I can about King Shaydon.”

  “I have a book like that. The Book of King’s Letters, right?”

  “Indeed.” Lotari’s goatee puffed as he grinned. “Then if you wish to learn to truth about King Shaydon, read it. Within these pages will you find all you need to know about him and his kingdom.”

  Alyra scooted closer to her small, crackling fire and opened the book to a random page. Her eyes fell across a passage that raised gooseflesh over her arms.

  I have established your path, even before your first step. I am he who walks by your side on your journey home. Come to me, my beloved. Here you will find peace from your struggles. Here you will find respite from your troubles.

  Beloved? Her vision blurred and she quickly closed the book. Did a caring ruler really exist? Tarek said people who believed in such nonsense were simpletons. Dean didn’t seem like a simpleton. He was brave, determined, and firm in where he stood.

  Oh, she wanted to believe. However, she traveled alone. Where was this great ruler who’s supposed to walk by her side? She shoved the book back inside her pack.

  The fire’s heat warmed her feet. Restless and unable to sleep, she dug out the book again and started at the beginning. The story told of how the Peoples were charged with being the land’s caretakers, in partnership with the King. But something happened. Another ruler rose up, spreading lies and deceiving the people. They broke their accord with Shaydon and went their own way.

  The sad story raised a lump in her throat and reminded her of what Lotari had said the night before.

  “The dark one had so twisted the people’s thinking, they caused destruction upon themselves. A few survived. Shaydon gathered them to him once again and they began to rebuild. He delighted in their stories, and brought fourth creatures such as my kind into the world to help bring harmony and variety.” Sadness flickered in his eyes. “Unfortunately, not all chose to follow the King. Again. Some went their own way and from this group, that evil thief rose to power. He spreads lies, dividing Shaydon’s children. So much animosity has grown between the different races, most keep to themselves. Like our clan. Wyndham says we are only answerable to King Shaydon and nobody else.”

  A star shot across the expanse. The moon shown against a few wispy clouds and she marveled at the beauty. Alyra shook her head. Did Darnel realize what her purpose was? Was that why he kept her sheltered? Why hadn’t he gone ahead and killed her while he had the chance?

  She’d shown the centaur her medallion, and he’d said only Shaydon had the answers she sought. But he had the same strange look that Carah and Marcel had when they’d seen flame-burst emblem.

  Then later during the night, after settling down to sleep, she’d noticed him searching though his book. “Interesting,” he whispered while reading a particular passages. “I wonder.”

  She too wondered what the big deal was. Even more, she wondered why no one would tell her.

  The next morning, Alyra woke with a crick from where a tree root jabbed her back. The small fire still burned, which seemed strange. The flames should have died out long ago. She sat up and found a blackened fish waiting on a spit, along with another days worth of Lotari’s grain bread. She bolted up and searched for him, but she was alone. The fact he’d been there and was watching made her feel wonderful. With chagr
in, she bemoaned the fact that she’d carelessly slept through his visit. What if enemy soldiers had come upon her while she slept like the dead?

  She ate the breakfast and stored the remaining bread into her pack. Even her canteen had been refilled. After putting out the fire, she took a thin stick and drew a face in the dirt then added long wild hair and a tongue sticking out. Next to the sketch, she wrote, Thanks, just in case he came back to this spot.

  Sometime later, Alyra stopped at a wide clearing and searched far to the left, then the right. She spotted no spirals of smoke or any other disturbance that might mean an enemy camp nearby. A hawk circled above, swooped in her direction then soared east until it disappeared in the glaring sun. Lotari had told her what to look for- such as the birds growing quiet or flying away quickly, animals acting nervously, or smoke rising into the sky.

  By time she crossed the meadow, pink and orange swiped across the western sky. The path ran right beside a grove of birch trees. She stopped for a quick rest in the shade wondering how much farther to the settlement where she could restock her supplies and purchase a new outfit. She glanced at her stained pants, another jabbing reminder of her stupidity.

  Her spirits sank as she worried over how she’d make it to Aloblase on her own. She knew nothing about hunting, cooking, knowing who to trust and who to avoid. What if she came upon another unfriendly town? The biscuit she munched on felt like dust in her mouth. The centaur had been kind to provide for her so far, but once she left his woods, she’d be alone again. She depended on Jerin to help her travel, even if they didn’t get along well. Washing down the biscuit with a small sip of water, she determined not to become dependent on anyone else. She had to figure out how to take care of herself. Most of all, to not sleep through someone coming into her camp and preparing a meal for her!

  She shook her head, resting against a birch trunk. Nope, time to grow up, Alyra. You have a real name now. You’re not the rebellious princess anymore.

  The cool breeze and flickering shade relaxed her worries and tiredness. Closing her eyes for a moment, she drifted into a dream of a beautiful land. Fruit trees grew wild and people picked as much as they wanted without fear of retribution. The roads were wide and sparkling white. A small child ran along the street beside a shaggy, brown dog, past yellow and pink roses, up a narrow walkway to a two-story house built around a sprawling tree. The girl raced up a spiral staircase ascending into the branches. Standing upon a balcony was a tall woman, her hair flowing down her back in golden red ringlets. She looked familiar, a looking in the mirror kind of familiar. The woman turned and stretched her arms wide. “You’re home!”

  Alyra bolted awake, breathing heavy. A high-pitched scream sent her leaping to her feet. A flock of birds swarmed into the air. The screech pierced the sky again. Up above, a hawk, looking like the one she’d seen earlier circled. An alarm went off inside Alyra. She snatched her pack and jogged along the path, feeling the urge to hurry. At least she was now hidden by the forest again. She tuned in her ears for any sounds or sign of danger. Except for the bird flying about nervously, she saw nothing. And except for her pounding heart and heavy breaths, she heard nothing. The hawk continued to circle overhead, quiet now.

  Perhaps the birds had been startled by a predator like a wolf. She didn’t want to be caught by wolves either. She kept up her pace until her side ached and everything grew peaceful. The path began to slope upwards. Near the crest, two elm trees grew on each side of the path, their splaying branches weaving together overhead. She decided to stop for the night. Just in case soldiers did lurk around, she’d forgo a fire and eat dinner cold.

  Alyra slept fitfully up in an elm’s branches, hidden in the leaves. The next morning more food had been prepared for her along with a small fire. In the dirt, next to a squirrel on a spit, was a bearded face with its eyes crossed. Beside the drawing was written, “Welcome. Don’t dawdle.”

  She wondered at his words, wishing desperately he’d come while she was awake. More importantly, she hated how soundly she slept during his visits.

  After walking all day, she was much too tired to sit up at night keeping watch. Even now exhaustion dragged down every part of her aching body.

  When she finished eating the food Lotari left, she drew another face and wrote, “Missed talking to you.”

  As she stood to go, she looked east and west along the path, wondering if anyone else ever traveled this way. Was Jerin ahead or behind her? He moved fast, so if he were behind, he’d catch up eventually. How much farther did she have to go? Why didn’t Dean pack a map? She fought hard to not become disheartened over the endless path, the loneliness, and uncertainty about what she’d meet next.

  “The only way to get there is to keep walking, no matter how far,” she told herself. DezPierre and General Marcel had both warned her it was a long, hard journey. Hefting her pack onto her shoulder, she forced one foot to move in front of the other.

  By midday, sweat covered most of her body. She wanted a breeze so bad she could hardly stand it. Up above, the tree limbs moved slightly. She also wished for a river to cool off in. Anything that brought some relief would do.

  You could have stayed where you belonged and not had to go through all this.

  She squeezed her eyes shut and forced the thought from her mind.

  All this trouble and pain for nothing.

  Don’t listen to his lies! Think of the book. “I want to go meet the author of that book!” She determined to win over Master’s voice. She tried to concentrate on other things, the road, Lotari’s kindness, and even the strange dreams she’d been having. The dreams seemed to come from a fairytale story about a wonderful paradise where people were happy and the land was pristine and bountiful.

  Not in this world. It’s only a dream.

  She didn’t care. Going back to Racah would be a hundred times worse. Her feet dragged over the stones. Tiredness hung on her like a yoke.

  A shiny object next to the path caught her attention. She stopped and leaned closer toward the silver-colored rock. There, drawn in the ground, she spotted Lotari’s silly bearded face. Next to it was written, “Many Rivers” with an arrow pointing the way. “Don’t lose heart, my friend.”

  Tears sprang to her eyes. She wasn’t alone. Collapsing next to his drawing, she took in several deep breaths. The town was close. She should hurry. Her stomach rumbled. The sooner she got to the village, the better. They might even have real food, though she enjoyed the breads the centaur made. When she tried to stand, her legs began to shake. No, she needed a short rest, something to eat, and then she’d go on. Nibbling the last biscuit, she rested back against a tree, and closed her eyes for only a second….

  “Wake up you foolish child!”

  Alyra snapped awake to find Lotari standing over her and nudging her with his hoof.

  “Why are you still here? Get up!” He grabbed her cloak at the shoulder and yanked her to her feet.

  “Hey!” she shouted, shocked not only at being awakened in such a startling way, but at his rough manners as well. “What’s wrong with you?”

  Lotari swooped up her pack and handed it to her as he shoved her down the trial. “Those dirty, rabble filth have trespassed into the forest. They have no care for anything living. You must hurry now and get to Many Waters. They will keep you safe.”

  “Whoa! Hang on, Lot. Are you telling me enemy soldiers are somewhere near?”

  “Yes, yes. Now go.” He shooed her with his hands, giving her another shove.

  “But… is Bezoar with them? He’s tall and wears a black cloak with a hood. He’s…”

  “I haven’t seen them. There are many, too many for us to engage. Wyndham will not allow us to get too close until help arrives.”

  She backed along the path a few steps. “What if I meet them? I only have a small dagger and I don’t even know how to use it. Please, can you come with me?”

  He shook his head. “Wyndham is not aware I am here. We must keep it that way. You will be
safe in Many Waters. Now go. Hurry and do not, no matter what, get off the white path.”

  Alyra began to run, hoping to reach the town in time. Hoping they would be able to help her and keep Darnel’s army from taking her prisoner again.

  Chapter 16

  A sharp pain stabbed Alyra’s side as she jogged over the white rocks, weaving through the thick woods. Her feet slowed when the trees opened upon a newly built settlement. She stopped on a bridge that crossed a swift river flowing past the western township.

  “Beautiful.” She paused to catch her breath and massage the ache below her ribs. Filling her lungs with the scent of pine and smoke puffing from tall, stone chimneys, her racing heart slowed a little. She’d finally reached safety.

  The town, resting along the edge of a precipice, overlooked the green-swept valley. Below, a patchwork of farms and groves reminded her of a quilt pieced together with mismatched shapes. Misty waterfalls tumbled from the surrounding cliffs and streamed into a large, pristine lake at the end of the basin.

  She followed the white path to a road circling the township. Many Rivers was larger than Yarholm. In contrast, these buildings were made of fresh timber and stone with and sparkling windows. People dressed in colorful attire headed toward a sprawling, two-story, white-stone building that stood in the center of town. Several elders, holding small children by the hands, hurried inside. A group of adults- wielding pitchforks, scythes and other deadly looking tools- gathered in the town’s center.

  When Alyra reached the steps, she realized the walls were the same stones as those lining the King’s Highway.

  “That’s the meeting hall.” A boy, dressed in green overalls, stood on the top step with a hawk perched on his gloved hand. “You must be Alyra. We’ve been expecting you.”