Riddle of Fate

by Tania Johansson

  “It’s not impossible. You must not allow this ability to be your master. You are in control.”

  “If you say so,” she said, her nose wrinkling. “I don’t know if I’m strong enough to control it. Maybe I should just never use my ability.”

  “That’s not a solution. Now try again.” He put a cage in front of her. It contained a squirrel.

  “I don’t want to kill it,” she moaned.

  “Then you won’t. Try again.”

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Khaya bit her bottom lip. She closed her eyes for a long moment before locking her gaze on the squirrel. Her focus lasted only a few seconds before she looked away and expelled a pent-up breath. “I can’t do it.”

  Derrin laid a hand on her arm. “You can. You need to practise.”

  An image of a bright sunny day flashed before her eyes. She was looking up at the canopy of leaves of a tree. Were they moving further away from her? Was she falling?

  “Khaya?” Derrin’s voice seemed to come from a long way away. “Are you well?”

  She opened her eyes. Derrin was leaning over her, his dark eyes worried. A confused frown wrinkled Khaya’s brow. She turned her head. She was lying on the ground. “What happened?”

  “I think you fainted.” He pulled her up to a sitting position and handed her a flask of water.

  She took a sip, the cold water working to clear her foggy mind. “I think I dreamt.”

  “You were only out for a couple of seconds,” he said.

  “I think I was falling.”

  “You did fall. You fainted.”

  “No,” she said, shaking her head, “It almost felt like a memory. Probably nothing.” She didn’t really believe that. It happened before. Why was she getting these flashes when he touched her? Were they a foretelling? She’d never had anything of the like before, but there was a first time for everything.

  “Maybe we should take a break from working on your Insight.”

  “Insight?”

  He shrugged. “I don’t know if there is a correct name for it, but Insight seems to fit, don’t you think?”

  “I guess.”

  “So, shall we move on to your Foretelling?”

  She groaned. This was worse than her work at the library. Much worse. She followed him into the house. Her chair creaked under her as she sat down at the kitchen table. He put a sheet of paper in front of her along with an inkwell and pen.

  “Aren’t you going to give me something to read?” she asked.

  “Why would you want something to read? I want you to have a foretelling.”

  “Yes,” she inclined her head, “and to do that, I need something to read.”

  “If that is what the Company was doing, then they don’t understand your ability at all.”

  “I don’t know any other way of getting a foretelling.”

  “We’ll start with a related technique,” he said, handing her a black bowler hat.

  She gave a wry smile. “It’s not really my style.”

  His mouth twitched to smile, but he wiped it away. “Hold it, look at it, smell it, and wait.”

  “Right, of course,” she said with a shake of her head. She followed his instructions, closing her eyes and waiting. After about a minute, she said, “I think the only thing that’s about to happen here, is that I will fall asleep.”

  “Don’t be so quick to judge. Look at it again.”

  Khaya flipped the hat over and a sewn-in label caught her eye. The name that had once been written there, had been smudged beyond recognition. She wiped her finger across it. Her vision doubled and shimmered. Knowing what was to follow, she grabbed the paper and dipped her pen in the ink.

  Her eyes glazed over and with an unseeing gaze, her hand moved across the page. She took a deep breath, her vision clearing and she glanced down at the words in front of her. She didn’t even recognise the handwriting. She glanced up at Derrin. He nodded at her. “Tomorrow we’ll practise some more. I think that’s enough for today.”

  “Aren’t you curious about my foretelling?” Khaya asked. The last time she’d been able to see what her foretelling said, was prior to the Company finding her.

  Khaya didn’t consider herself an artist, by any stretch of the imagination, but she’d drawn the front of a house. The door had an emblem carved into the wood. If she wasn’t mistaken, it was a kookaburra bird. Underneath the sketch, she’d written: ‘He arrives, expecting to find the usual envelope carrying the next set of instructions as well as payment, but it is not to be. Inside awaits a creature unseen yet known. A creature that does not compromise or give second chances. He will not emerge this night.’

  A chill ran down Khaya’s spine. “What do you think it means by ‘unseen yet known’?”

  “I don’t know,” Derrin said, “but I don’t like the sound of that.” Derrin folded the sheet of paper and slipped it into his pocket.

  The subject of this foretelling was clearly about to meet their demise. Why did it suddenly seem her abilities centred around death?

  Chapter Sixteen

  Proficient

  “Can we stop for lunch now?” Khaya asked for the third time. If she’d thought the pressure at the Company was as much as she could ever endure, she was sadly mistaken. Apparently, she could take a lot more.

  Derrin had been ‘encouraging’ her to work on her abilities since shortly after a dawn breakfast. The sun was sitting close to its apex and Khaya felt dizzy just thinking about having another foretelling. Derrin was trying to teach her to remember what she saw. She hadn’t thought it possible, but she was starting to recall glimpses of things seen. A face, a room. Perhaps with practice, she would be able to hold on to it all.

  She was getting faster. Of course, she couldn’t get a foretelling about every object she laid hands on. She could tell though, which objects she was likely to succeed with. Something seemed to resonate within her if it was going to work.

  Colours were dancing at the edge of her vision. It was a warning sign. In another hour or so, she would get the urge to chop her head off. She hadn’t had one of her blinding headaches for some time and knowing one was coming almost dried up her raging appetite.

  “Are you well?” Derrin asked. “You look pale.”

  “I am quite fine at the moment,” she assured him. “I think I will have to lie down after lunch though.”

  “Do you feel sick?”

  “I usually end up with a terrible headache after my foretellings. Especially if I’ve had more than one.”

  “Well come in from the sun, then,” he said.

  She stood. The world lurched around her and he caught her. Instantly, the memory – she was sure now that it was a memory – rushed over her. She was sitting in a tall tree. It was her favourite for climbing. She was a long way up, higher than she’d ever dared climb before, but still she wasn’t scared.

  She forced the memory away. A foretelling resonated within her. She reached for it.

  Derrin was standing in the middle of a cavernous room, the square upon which he stood lit. Small windows lined the upper alcoves, but the light they let in was not enough to chase the shadows from the room. Four men and two women stood on raised daises before him. They all wore black cloaks, a red band at their wrists and ankles.

  The centre dais was raised above the others, making the tall man who stood upon it appear to loom over them all. His thick golden earring sparkled, catching and reflecting light that seemed to come from within it. His heavy eyebrows were drawn together in a dark scowl. “You are before us today to be judged,” his voice boomed, resonating and bouncing off the walls. “You tried to run from justice. From fate. A fool’s undertaking. Today, you are sentenced –”

  Cold water splashed over Khaya’s face and she was ripped from her foretelling. “Khaya!” Derrin said. “Are you well?”

  A chill ran down her back. “I think I had a foretelling about you. It was… it was…” The more she grasped for details the foggier her recollection beca
me. Like mist disappearing before the sun, the foretelling slipped away. She shook her head and winced. “I can’t remember.” She rubbed her temples.

  “Let’s get you inside.” Concern made his voice thick. She wasn’t sure if the foretelling was good or bad. She wished she’d been able to write it down.

  “Go lie down,” he said once they were inside. “I will bring you something to eat.”

  “I don’t feel like eating anything,” she said, holding her stomach as if that would stop it from emptying itself.

  “I believe it will help,” he said, making a shooing motion with his hands when she stood shaking her head at him, the corners of her mouth pulling down.

  She climbed the steps up to her bedroom, each one more difficult than the last. The bed was soft and welcoming.

  Someone was shaking her arm. She groaned and turned over. “Khaya, you must eat this now if it is to help.”

  She forced her eyes open. She’d not even realised she’d fallen asleep. She took what looked like a sweetcake. She sniffed it. It smelled of… nothing. She popped it into her mouth whole and her eyes widened. Forcing herself to swallow, she said, “You could have warned me.”

  “A warning wouldn’t have made it taste any better.”

  “What is it?”

  “I don’t think you really want to know.”

  “Now you definitively have to tell me.”

  It’s a ground up daisy. See, that’s why it’s yellow. Mixed with a bit of ale and…” he mumbled the last word and Khaya didn’t hear it.

  “Say again?”

  “A bit of squirrel dung,” he said, shrugging.

  “A bit of what!” Khaya yelled, rubbing at her tongue to get the remnants of his disgusting concoction out of her mouth. “You fed me dung! I can’t believe you.”

  “My grandmother suffered with the same kind of headaches and she swore by that. How’s your head?”

  She stopped spitting a moment to think about it.

  With a grin, he stood up. “You’re welcome. Now get some rest.”

  He strode away before she could retort. She flopped back onto her bed, mumbling curses under her breath. The gall of the man. Feeding her squirrel droppings and then wanting a thank you. “I’ll give him a ‘thank you’”, she grumbled.

  It was pretty amazing. Her head was completely clear.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Khaya’s eyes flew open. A hand clamped her mouth shut. A scream built in her throat until her eyes met Derrin’s. He had his finger over his lips. He nodded and waited for her to mimic the gesture before removing his hand.

  He dropped his head down and whispered into her ear. “There are people outside. I think they may be from the Company.”

  She bolted upright, nearly knocking heads with him. “Why are you whispering?” she whispered.

  “Because it made you answer quietly.” He gestured that he was going to have a look and disappeared, Leaping outside. Two men were skulking about, peering into windows. A man with straight, straw-like blond hair and a large, flat nose gestured to the other. He was pointing out footprints in the dirt outside the door. Derrin Leapt back to Khaya’s room.

  He pulled her away from the window. “They know someone has been here,” he whispered. “It’s only a matter of time before they come in. We need to be ready to escape.”

  A creak from the door handle turning. Khaya sucked in a breath through her teeth. Derrin grabbed her hand and felt her stiffen. She did that every time he touched her. Was she truly so repulsed by his touch? He ignored the slight and pulled her over to the window. Taking care to avoid making noise, he opened the door, stepping out onto the balcony.

  She shook her head. “It’s too high. I won’t make it.”

  “I will catch you,” he said and Khaya’s eyebrows twitched. “Trust me.”

  Derrin Leapt to the ground and stood below the balcony. He gestured for her to jump. She hesitated, looking over her shoulder. Taking a breath, she jumped, her mouth wide open, but thankfully no sound escaped her.

  He caught her with ease and when she realised she was safe, she grinned and pulled him into a tight hug. His stomach fluttered and he reluctantly put her down. Gesturing for her to follow, he set off at a run, listening for her footsteps behind him. The forest hid them quickly, but they pushed on until Khaya called for a rest.

  They slowed to a walk but didn’t stop. “Who were they?” she asked when she’d caught her breath.

  “I don’t know, but I intend to find out.” Derrin stiffened, turning his head to listen. “They're coming,” he said urgently, grabbing her hand and towing her along.

  “I don’t hear anything.”

  “Two horses are coming towards us at speed,” he said.

  Running and hiding wasn’t new to him, but this was the first time he had someone else to look after. At least, it was the first time since he’d died. The riders were gaining on them. There was no way they’d be able to escape them.

  Frantic, Derrin cast his gaze around as they ran, looking for somewhere, anywhere, to hide. There was nowhere. “We are going to have to fight,” he said over his shoulder.

  “What?” she gasped, her mouth gaping. “I’ve never been in a fight in my entire life.”

  “You will have to use Insight.”

  “No,” she said, tugging to free herself from his grasp. He clamped his hand round hers and drew her on.

  “I know you don’t like it, Khaya, but if they catch you, your life will be forfeit. It’s them or us.” He stopped, holding her by the shoulders. “Prepare yourself, they are near.”

  He turned, stepping in front of her as if to shield her. He realised how ridiculous that was since no one could see him besides her. Their pursuers emerged from the trees and drew rein about ten feet from where they stood.

  “Miss Pherela, I presume,” the blond man sneered. He slid from his saddle, his hand on the hilt of his sword, but he left it sheathed. “I’ve been warned that you’re dangerous. You don’t look it,” he guffawed at his joke, looking back at his bushy-haired companion who snickered. “A little woman like you won’t give me no trouble, now will you? You aren’t even armed.”

  Khaya stood frozen in place. “Use your Insight,” Derrin urged. “If I attack this buffoon, the other lout will quickly have one of his arrows through you.”

  Her eyes flickered to Derrin and away. “I can’t,” she said.

  “What was that?” the blond asked. “I’ve heard she’s crazy,” he said over his shoulder to his companion.

  The burly man behind him looked at her, his face paling. “Stop toying with her then,” he said. “Let’s get her bound and take her in.”

  The blond chuckled, but his eyes were hard as he looked back at Khaya. “Now, little lady, we can make this easy or hard for you. Our orders said to bring you in alive. If possible. I don’t mind either way.”

  He inched closer to her, pulling his sword from its sheath.

  “Khaya, do it!” Derrin commanded as he marched over to the second man.

  Her face went blank, her eyes locking on the blond, and her head cocking to one side. She stretched out her hand and Derrin wondered if she was even aware of doing that. Slowly, her hand balled into a fist and the blond man’s sneer turned into a grimace. There was a crunch and he bellowed in agony and dropped his sword, his right arm hanging limp by his side.

  As Derrin had predicted, the second man nocked an arrow, but Derrin pulled him from his horse. He crashed down, screaming before he even hit the ground. He looked up at Khaya as though she had three heads and six arms. Fear contorted his face. He scrambled back.

  The blond picked up his sword in his left hand and Khaya’s eyes snapped back to him. There was another sickening pop and his shoulder dislocated, leaving his left arm useless as well. He shrieked and sank down onto his haunches.

  “Who sent you?” Khaya asked.

  The archer’s chin trembled. “I don’t know.”

  “Tell me,” Khaya said, her voice carry
ing threat.

  “P-p-please, I don’t know. I never saw his face. A man asked us to capture you and bring you in.”

  “To take me where?”

  “We were to bring you to the old abandoned cottage up north of town. Where old man Grange lived.”

  “What do I do with him?” Khaya asked.

  “What? Are you asking me?” the archer asked.

  “Tell him to deliver a message,” Derrin said. “Tell him: you are not crazy. You are no danger to ordinary folk, but those who come after you will forfeit their lives.”

  She glanced at Derrin before speaking. “Deliver this message to the people who sent you: I am not crazy. I do not belong to anyone. I am free and I intend to stay that way. I pose no danger to anyone, but whoever comes after me next, forfeits their life.”

  She grabbed the reins of the blond man’s horse and heaved herself into the saddle. “Count yourselves lucky that I let you live this day.” She spurred the horse on.

  Derrin smiled and Leapt onto the back of the horse, wrapping his arm around Khaya’s waist.

  ∞ ∞ ∞ ∞

  Khaya was proud that she’d managed to keep her voice steady even though her heart raced. That was… exhilarating! A bubble of laughter escaped her. “I did it!” she said. “I managed to control my Insight. And it was easy!”

  Derrin put a hand to her forehead and she batted it away. “Are you feeling well?” he asked.

  “What do you mean? I’m fine.” Her smile dropped away. If Derrin is beginning to think I'm mad... She scolded herself. No man is going to make me doubt my own sanity.

  “Where are we going?” she asked.

  “To Renwood Forest.”

  “Do you know of another abandoned house there?”

  “No. It’s time we got off the beaten track.”

  She grimaced. She’d never liked camping.