Finding Refuge: The Marked Ones

by Cathi Shaw

  Thia wasn’t sure about that. She thought the Elder had seemed very fond of Mina for someone who was not in a relationship. But she kept her thoughts to herself.

  “Where do you think they may have gone?” she asked instead.

  Meldiron shook his head. “I have no idea. But I suspect Arion counted on that. Clearly he has not trusted me as I have trusted him.” Sadness was etched on his handsome features. Xyrisse came and stood beside him. She tentatively placed her translucent hand on his shoulder. Meldiron smiled sadly at her.

  “Perhaps he did not trust you with that information not because he doubted you, but because he was protecting you,” Caedmon spoke from the corner. Thia wondered what Teague’s brother might know about it but she didn’t ask him directly.

  “At any rate, I don’t think we should send a party after Mina and Arion. He will protect her with his life. Of that at least I'm certain. And I think my sister will be safer away from the Refuge.”

  And with that, they were once again meeting in secret and trusting no one who didn’t have the Mark.

  #

  While Thia continued to recover they came to a rudimentary agreement about how the group would move forward. It was obvious to everyone that Bellasiel would not allow Teague to be taken from the Refuge. So they decided to tell her nothing about their plans for the moment. After all, they weren’t even sure the manach would help them.

  When it came time to move Teague to the Underground, they would do so without informing Bellasiel. Kiara had suggested that Xyrisse move Teague but she quickly reminded them of Teague’s effect on a Hunter.

  “I wish I could help but one who has been trained as a Draíodóir is immune to my talents. And a Draíodóir would be dangerous to me. I do want to help but I’m afraid I can’t move your friend.”

  They had decided to worry about the logistics of moving Teague when the time came. In the meantime, Thia was trying to learn as much about the manach as she could from Kiara but her sister was not very forthcoming with information.

  “Thia, I’m not trying to be difficult, I just don’t remember a lot of it. All I know is that I felt safe with them.”

  “But how do you know they can help us?” Thia insisted.

  Kiara shook her head. “I can’t explain it, I just have a hunch. They warned Caedmon and I about the Elders last time we were there. It was like they knew something was going to happen to us.”

  This was the first time Kiara had mentioned that. “What did they say?”

  But her sister shook her head. “It wasn’t anything specific. They just told us not to trust them and that our destiny was to save the Marked Ones. That was all.”

  Thia thought about that. It was obvious that the Elders had been behind much of the extermination of the Marked Ones that had been happening in the Five Corners. Now it sounded as though the manach knew more than they did about the Elder’s intentions. If nothing else it would be worth a visit to them.

  Before they left to see the manach, Thia wanted to see Teague one more time. Kiara had objected but Thia was firm. She would see him again even if it meant Caedmon had to supervise them and she had to remain outside the locked cell.

  When she arrived in the dungeons, Teague was in the same place as last time but he wasn’t muttering to himself and he looked less tortured than the last time she’d seen him.

  Teague.

  He looked at her and smiled. You came back. He walked closer to her studying her through the bars.

  Of course I came back.

  Are you alright, Thia?

  She saw the worry and panic in his eyes. Teague I’m fine. And the vision that came with the seizure made a few things clearer. But it made more things less clear, a little voice reminded her. Thia pushed the wayward thought aside. We are going to get you some help and get you out of here.

  A sad expression passed over his face. Do you really believe that is possible?

  Of course I do! Teague whatever Omen did to you can be undone. I’m sure of it. I’m working on taking you to Celeste.

  Teague’s expression cleared. The Underground?

  Thia nodded. I’m sure they will have a way to break the spell that’s haunting you. I have to go for a few days but when I come back we’ll be able to take you to Celeste.

  Hope ebbed into Teague’s silver eyes. He nodded.

  Don’t give up, Thia told him. Then she left before he saw the tears in her eyes. She would find a way to help him. She had to.

  #

  Kiara glanced warily at Xyrisse as they prepared to teleport to the manach.

  “Are you certain you can do this?” she asked the Hunter suspiciously. Kiara still wasn’t convinced that Xyrisse was on their side. Thia had explained how they’d found her close to death in the dunes, abandoned by her own people for her refusal to kill Marked children but Kiara couldn’t shake her unease around her. She found her red eyes unsettling. And Xyrisse was always listening. She could easily be a spy. What if this whole teleporting thing was a way to get rid of Thia and herself?

  Xyrisse looked steadily at Kiara with her blood-tinged eyes. “You do not trust me,” she noted, her rasping voice soft. “I understand that. Perhaps one day you will feel otherwise. But I assure you that this can, and will, work. Provided you have given me an accurate description of where we are going and you promise to keep your mind open.”

  Kiara nodded reluctantly. For the teleport to work, Xyrisse had explained that Kiara and her would have to link minds. Xyrisse had never been to the manach’s domain so she needed to link with someone who had been there for them to teleport safely and accurately. Kiara understood the theory behind this - it made sense. Still she wasn’t thrilled to be having a Hunter in her head.

  Caedmon drew her aside. “Be careful,” he said gruffly.

  Kiara looked up at him. He was worried for her she suddenly realized. Warmth filled her for a moment. Caedmon and her had not had any time alone since he’d returned from his mysterious trip - a trip he still hadn’t told her the reason behind.

  Kiara missed him and she’d started to worry that their relationship might be over. But the fear reflected in Caedmon’s dark eyes made her think otherwise.

  “I love you,” she whispered.

  He pulled her close and held her tightly. “I love you, too,” he mumbled into her hair. Kiara suppressed a smile. Caedmon had never been good at talking about his feelings. In fact, he made her look like an expert at sharing her feelings, which was laughable when compared to her sisters. She pulled away slightly and stood on her toes before pressing her lips against his. Caedmon responded with a kiss so searing Kiara was breathing hard when she finally pulled away.

  Thia rolled her eyes at her sister. “In front of us all, Kiara? Do you have to?”

  Kiara grinned at Thia, happy to see her sister joking for once. “You’re just jealous,” she jibbed as she stepped away from Caedmon, her heart clenching as his warmth receded.

  Kiara came to stand reluctantly beside Xyrisse and Thia. Her earlier reservations came flooding back in abundance.

  Thia smiled encouragingly at her. Kiara closed her eyes. Her sister was right. Worries were a waste of time now. It was too late to back out of the plan and Kiara was still convinced that the manach could help them. Kiara finally nodded at Xyrisse.

  Xyrisse smiled and held a hand out to both Kiara and Thia. “Focus on everything you remember of the manach’s realm,” Xyrisse instructed in her strange voice. “Picture yourself being there with them again.”

  Kiara nodded and closed her eyes, remembering the strange small people she had been with for an unreal time the previous winter. She breathed deeply and saw herself once again in their strange towers that looked so fragile and tiny from the outside but seemed fathomless from within.

  Suddenly she was falling through time. “Keep the place we are going in your mind, Kiara.” Xyrisse’s voice floated from beyond reality.

  Kiara continued to picture the bedchamber she had stayed in while with the
manach, ignoring the spinning sensation that was carrying her though space. Flashing lights and bright colors pushed past her closed eyelids and a whirring sound filled her ears. And then there was silence.

  Xyrisse dropped her hand and Kiara opened her eyes. And there they were in the ice tower of the manach, a dozen robed figures standing in a semi-circle in front of them.

  “Kiara Carnesîr you have returned as we expected. Welcome.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

  Mina watched Arion’s face in the firelight. It was the 16th day since they’d abandoned her brother’s camp and set off on their own and he still hadn’t given her any hint as to why they had left Meldiron or where they were going. Mina had been trying to wait him out to see if he would fill her in on the details, as he’d promised to do when she agreed to go with him, but so far Arion had been silent on the matter.

  In fact, he’d been silent on most things. He almost acted as if he were in mourning and Mina suspected that leaving Meldiron the way they had was the source of his pain. But what she couldn’t understand was why Arion had insisted on leaving if it was going to hurt him so much. And it didn’t look like he was going to enlighten her.

  She knew they were travelling in a Westward direction. Arion had been almost too good at teaching her to navigate. By looking at the stars each night, she could tell approximately where they were and by her estimates, they were heading directly toward Séreméla.

  It was odd that she didn’t have any fears about what Arion was doing. Taking her and one of the only complete copies of the Prophecy back to Séreméla should have worried her but for some reason she didn’t feel worried. She was annoyed that he hadn’t shared with her what was going on but she still trusted Arion to take care of her with his life.

  She’d been watching Arion for at least half an hour now and if he was aware of her scrutiny he was ignoring her. Mina’s patience had come to an end.

  “Arion, can you please tell me why we are heading directly toward Séreméla?” Mina asked quietly.

  He looked at her in surprise.

  “You shouldn’t look so shocked, after all, you were the one who taught me to navigate,” she pointed out drily. “You promised to tell me what was going on once we got far away from Meldiron,” she paused and raised her eyebrows, “I don’t think Meldiron is going to catch us.”

  Arion nodded and looked into the fire for a moment. Just when Mina thought he was going to ignore her, he began to speak. “I’m surprised that you’ve been patient for as long as you have,” he noted wryly.

  “I trust you,” she said softly causing him to look at her face.

  “I’m glad.” He paused and seemed to be choosing his words carefully. “I’ve been trying to decide where to start. There is much to tell you.”

  “Why not start at the beginning?” Mina asked, “I find it is often the most useful place to start.”

  Arion inclined his head in agreement.

  “Mina, you remember when Eöl Ar-Feiniel called you Banphrionsa?” he asked.

  “Of course I do,” Mina answered quietly, remember how she’d thought the old archivist’s words to her were a form an endearment. She should have known better from an Elder.

  “Meldiron told you that word meant Princess,” he continued.

  Mina nodded. That was the translation her brother had given her. Mina hadn’t thought to question it.

  “Well there is a deeper meaning to it. You were the Lost One. Banphrionsa, our treasured princess. If you noticed the Elder people being overly joyful to see you alive and well, there was a deeper reason than their kindness.”

  Mina thought back to her time in Séreméla. The Elders had been very welcoming to her. She remembered thinking they were such a friendly and happy race. Was Arion suggesting there was more to their enthusiasm?

  “You see you were hidden away for a reason.” He paused and then sighed. “Mina, when you learned the history of our people, did you ever notice how most of the leaders of the Elders were women?”

  Mina thought back to the history books she had poured over with Eöl Ar-Feiniel. While she hadn’t noticed it at the time, now that she thought of it she realized that Meldiron was correct. Most of the great leaders were females.

  “In our tradition, the ruling monarchs are all female. However there are rules that specify the details of when our royal females can rule.” Arion paused and looked at her intently.

  Mina’s stomach began to churn nervously. She had a feeling that she wasn’t going to like what Arion had to tell her.

  After a moment he spoke again. “The Elders ways are complex and difficult to understand. The tradition holds that female children born to the royal leader rule. But there are very few female children born into ruling families. No one knows why but it has always been the case. Remember your father was the son of a king. And his father also a son. In fact, you have to go back 12 generations before you can find a female ruler.”

  Mina nodded, remembering reading of the great Aibhilín who had ruled the Elders so many centuries ago.

  “Female rulers are considered a great blessing.” Arion smiled. “But they are also subject to certain rules.”

  Mina raised her eyebrows. She did not remember reading that part.

  Arion ran his hand over his face and sighed as if he had a great burden to share with her. Mina’s misgivings grew. She wasn’t sure she actually wanted to hear what he had to tell her. But it was too late to go back to innocence. Arion’s pale eyes were serious as he met hers again.

  “As the first female born into the royal family in more than 500 years, you are a gift and a blessing to the Elder people,” he told her.

  Arion shook his head solemnly. “But Meldiron is the Crown Prince,” she protested, rejecting what he was telling her.

  “Meldiron was only the fall back ruler and he always knew that you were alive and well, even if our people did not. And so did the Elder council. Meldiron was simply taking care of our people until your return. He was never meant to be the ruler. And he always knew this.”

  Mina shook her head, unable to believe they would keep such a secret from her. “No,” she whispered vehemently. She didn't want to rule anyone!

  “Mina, deep down I think you know this is the truth,” Arion told her.

  She swallowed painfully, trying to process what he was telling her. She was the rightful ruler of the Elder people? It seemed fantastical and unbelievable.

  And if it were true … terrifying!

  And yet Arion looked completely serious. This was not a bad joke. Mina knew that he was speaking the truth.

  “What if I don’t want to be ruler?” Mina asked. “Can’t I abdicate my throne to Meldiron?”

  Arion shook his head, sadly. “No, Minathrial, this is your destiny. You are the chosen one. The Elder people have many hopes for their next female leader. You are the first in one so very long and now they know you are alive you will have to return and face up to your duty sooner or later.”

  Mina felt panic start to creep up her throat. “What if I don’t want to?”

  “Your wants do not come into it,” Arion said firmly.

  Mina looked at him, the panic threatening to choke her. She knew nothing about the Elder people, nothing about the tradition, nothing about what was expected of her. How could she possibly rule?

  Arion was watching her sympathetically. “Mina, I know this is shocking for you. But you are the first female ruler born in so long and the only Marked One. You have the power to make a great difference in the Elder kingdom. The power to change the destiny of our people. And you will do well.”

  Arion sounded far more confident than she felt. How could she rule a people as powerful as the Elders? Mina was a simple village girl. Where would she learn how to do that? And from what she could see the Elder council was completely corrupted. How would she know who to trust and who not to?

  “Where are we going, Arion?” she asked, suddenly wanting to be heading anywhere except to Séreméla.
>
  “I think you know where we are going, Princess,” he said gently.

  “No!” she couldn’t help it from slipping through her lips.

  “Listen to reason.” Arion said firmly. “The Elder people need you more than ever, Minathrial. You are the only chance for them to overcome the disease that is filling their minds, fed by the current Council, about the Marked Ones. If the Elder community supports the Marked children then we stand a chance of protecting them.”

  Suddenly she thought of her brother. If he knew that she was the Chosen One, then why did they have to sneak out of camp?

  “What about Meldiron?” she asked.

  Arion closed his eyes. “Your brother knows that you are destined to rule but he refuses to believe the level of corruption in the Elder council. He still trusts his old advisers – which is understandable, they have been guiding him since he was a child. He doesn’t doubt their loyalties.”

  “And you do?” Mina asked.

  Arion nodded. “I know many of them are corrupt. The trick will be identifying which ones are loyal.”

  Mina stared at him. He was talking about taking her into a political nightmare and asking her to rule. Even with the support of the people, it was a tricky situation.

  “Who are you loyal to?” Mina asked suddenly.

  “I am your Coimirceoir, Mina. I am loyal to only you.” He watched her face intently.

  “What does that mean? Coimirceoir?”

  “It means Guardian. Every female consort for the Elder kingdom has one appointed to her from birth.” Arion smiled grimly. “I was an odd choice, with my disfigurement but your grandmother was insistent. She had the foresight and said I was the only one in our generation who could be your Coimirceoir.”

  Mina’s mouth went dry. She forced herself to ask, “And what are the duties of the Coimirceoir?”

  “To protect the monarch at all costs. I am truly your Guardian, Mina.”

  She stared at him, suddenly feeling inexplicitly hurt. He was sworn by her birth to protect her with his life. And that’s what he would do. She wasn’t his friend. He had no feelings for her beyond his duty.