The Shrine of Arthis Book One: The Power of Denial

by David A. Gustafson

The southern edge of the Freestone Plateau was dotted with outcroppings of solid granite, stalwarts from centuries of erosion by rain and wind. Gentle slopes covered by an array of grass, thick brush, or an occasional grove of hemlock, surrounded the rock formations. Built upon one of them, the city of Garth stood high.

  Shortly after noon, Jerrid noted an irregular shape on the horizon. He had been looking for it for hours. Because they still traveled within the openness of the Arm, he could easily discern the silhouette of the city. Rising one above the other, the distinctive rings of Garth’s three concentric walls stood out. The reflection of the sun’s rays marked them.

  Jerrid shivered. Instead of the warmth he thought he would feel at the sight of his old home, he remembered his nightmares. It had been years since he last stood upon the city’s highest point, the Court Wall.

  About an hour later, he and Axel reached the network of narrow paths that passed through the fields around the city. Jerrid tried not to look upward at the city. He thought it mocked him. Instead, he focused on the farmers that worked nearby. Some shouted out greetings, but most stuck to their tasks. As he passed one middle-aged couple working a small plot, he was surprised by their exchange.

  “I’m sure that is Axel,” the man said, trying to whisper. “He hasn’t changed a bit since I last saw him. That other one, that looks like young Jerrid. He’s grown into a man since he left. Mind you, something must be amiss. Do you think we should sound an alarm?”

  “Keep to your own business,” the woman replied flatly. “Have you learned nothing since the Sortiri came? The Captain will not want any meddling from us. I’m sure the guard has already noticed. Jerroll will be down by the gate before these two can reach the stable.”

  Looking ahead, Jerrid realized the woman was right. A group of four or five guardsman was forming just outside the gate. Behind them, a small crowd gathered. He was not sure but he thought that the thin man who towered above the others was his father.

  “Stay calm,” Axel said gently. “I’ll do the explaining. If you are questioned about Yargis, answer that everything is fine, that we have just come for a short visit. Remind them of the importance of secrecy.”

  “I understand.” Jerrid felt a lump in his throat. “I’ll do my best. It’s my father that I’m worried about. He was always demanding, but now, five years after the Council made him Captain, I don’t know how he’ll act.”

  “It could be difficult. In times of challenge the Council has always given the Captain wide authority. Try to be patient.”

  Jerrid took little comfort. As he neared the arched passage through the outer wall and looked upon the majesty of the open doors within it, he relaxed slightly. The last time he was in Garth he was little more than an Apprentice. Today for the first time, he was seeing his home through the trained eyes of a Shaper. Unconsciously, the essence of his Amber rose up and he saw the minute seams where different slabs of granite had been fused together to repair the entryway. When he drew closer to the gates themselves, he realized that they had been reconstructed from solid iron and were supported by hinges made from hardened steel. He trembled.

  “The Sortiri would have to be incredibly powerful to break through these works,” he whispered to Axel.

  “Yargis is not nearly so strong,” Axel answered, also feeling awed by the effort expended here. “Perhaps you begin to see better now? Your father is right. Secrecy is both the virtue and the great weakness of our new city.”

  A few guards walked from the archway and motioned to the riders.

  “We will take your mounts from here,” one said.

  Jerrid slid to the ground and then reached to unfasten his saddlebags. He did not realize it, but as he stretched upward, the shaping hammer and chisel he always wore were exposed for anyone nearby to see. The guards exchanged knowing glances between themselves but said nothing. From about thirty feet away, Jerroll looked on with a frown.

  “Thank you,” Jerrid said as the horses were taken away.

  “Will you please bring the rest of our possessions?” Axel added.

  The guards looked at each other uneasily. One of them glanced toward Jerroll, still hovering at the edge of hearing distance.

  “Yes, Sire. Once we get your mounts settled in, we will bring everything to the Captain’s quarters.”

  “Thank you.” Axel made his way toward Jerroll. Jerrid followed. The Captain looked down upon them, his mouth showing a strained smile mixed with nervousness.

  “Hello, Jerroll,” the elder Shaper said as he drew near.

  “I am very surprised to see you,” the Captain answered uncomfortably. He looked past Axel toward his son.

  “Father. It has been a long time since I last saw the walls of my home. I had nearly forgotten them.”

  “Yes,” Axel added, flinching slightly at the pain of his own passing memories. “Garth looks refreshed. It is not only Yargis where recent feats of great Shaping have been accomplished. I can hardly wait to see what else has been done to improve the streets that were once so familiar to me.”

  “Yes, let us go into the city and you shall see,” Jerroll replied upset by the mention of Yargis and sounding rather stern. “I’ll have some food brought to a place where we may talk freely. But first, I must look upon Jerrid who I so often wonder about.”

  He stepped up to his son and reached out, a sudden smile broad upon his face. The two embraced for a moment. Axel looked on. Jerroll was half a head taller than his son. Jerrid was much wider in the shoulder, displaying the powerful chest of a stone Shaper.

  “It is good to see you, Son. You have grown into a strong young man, physically and in the Amber.” He looked downward at the tools on Jerrid’s hip.

  “It’s good to be here, Father. I have missed my old life.”

  “I’m sorry to bring it up,” Axel interjected quietly. “Don’t be alarmed, but you should know that we may have been followed. The city is in no danger. It’s only a couple of livestock traders from Sligo. We tried to elude them, but they may end up here, looking for business.”

  Jerroll waved toward one of the guards who still stood near the gate. A heavy man with massive shoulders and unusually bright red hair started to walk forward in response.

  “You remember Melet? He is my lieutenant now. Melet, Axel believes we may have some guests coming to trade cattle. If they arrive, see that they talk to Samuel. Remind him that nothing is to be said of Yargis.”

  “I understand, Captain,” Melet answered with a scowl. The large man returned to the gate. Most of the crowd had melted away.

  Jerroll motioned Axel and Jerrid to follow and then started up the roadway. He escorted them along a wide alley that occupied the area between the outer and the second wall. A few minutes later, they passed through another gate and entered the zone where most of the city’s inhabitants lived. Jerroll had taken a simple home there, just inside the gate. It was a small two-room stone structure located at the end of a long row of similar apartments.

  “When you went to Yargis with your mother, I could not bear to live in the Captain’s quarters,” Jerroll said softly as he led them inside. “This has been a good place for me, easy to care for and close to the main gate. I can get there so quickly in fact, that just a little while ago when I received a message that my second-father and son had just appeared outside in the fields, I reached the gate before they did. I am very curious to understand how is it that you two, charged with protecting Yargis, are here today.” He ended as a flushed color built in his brow.

  “Must we be invited to our own home?” Axel said and sat down.

  Jerroll seemed to be considering a reply when a woman entered the room and began laying food out upon a small table.

  “Jerrid and I have worked tirelessly,” Axel continued, in spite of Jerroll’s frown. “Yargis has become the refuge our Council intended it to be. Of course, we are just two of the thirty Shapers dedicated to this creation. Truly though, it is Jerrid who has been our eyes, our senses,
guider of our work and even the main force of our arms. He is here to tell you of our progress. Much has been done since our last communication.” As he concluded, the woman left the room.

  “I can wait to hear of the progress of our new city,” the Captain said sharply, pausing to take a deep breath. “What I can’t wait to understand is why you are here, putting our plans in danger. You are sworn to protect the secrecy of Yargis. Leaving there is forbidden. This is a rule that must be obeyed.”

  “Yargis is a lonely place,” Jerrid broke in, shocked by his father’s comments. “While the other Shapers have lives with their families, for me, being trapped there is not enough. We are here because the only thing that keeps me from going crazy is an occasional visit to the Sharanth Plains.”

  Jerroll’s eyes widened and his jaw clenched.

  “I know what you are thinking,” Axel said before the younger man could speak. “The blame is mine, not Jerrid’s. The secrecy of Yargis is safe. We made an error, passing through Sligo. The error is one reason we came here, to deflect suspicion in case we are followed. Yet there are other reasons. It is important that you understand what is happening in Yargis, how your son feels about his place there.”

  “Jerrid, I appreciate that you are young and the solace of Yargis must be pressing,” Jerroll replied, trying to be patient. “However, this law is needed to protect all our people. Even you must obey such things. And what of my wife? Who is seeing to her care while you two are away chasing cows?”

  “We are not chasing cows, Father,” Jerrid said, somewhat desperately. “I know the fault here is mine. It is my weakness which pulls me from Yargis. Grandfather is merely trying to help me.”

  “Lamil is in good hands,” Axel interrupted. His voice sounded choked and hesitant. “Unfortunately, she shows no sign of recovering from the darkness left by the Sortiri.”

  “It was you Axel, who wanted to take her to Yargis,” Jerroll said, sounding uncomfortable. “I agreed, feeling a mother and son should be together. You betray that trust too by leaving her there.”

  The old Shaper glared at the younger man. “I told you she is cared for. As for taking Jerrid out of the city, I offer no excuse. He needs to learn about more than the building of stone walls.”

  “The decree of the Council is clear,” Jerroll replied stubbornly. “You two have sworn yourselves to the founding of Yargis. When you leave Garth and return there, I must have your promise that there will be no more sojourns, not here, to the Plains or anywhere else.”

  “I was twelve years old then,” Jerrid protested. “I may have sworn to found the city, make it safe. Well, come see for yourself. We have accomplished that. Yargis is a fortress. We number a hundred Foedan. We can easily accept that many more. When it comes down to it, Father, I’m not sure there is any work left for me to do there.”

  “Your return is not of your choice,” Jerroll retorted. “Our people’s survival requires that you do your part. Yargis is your responsibility. I cannot believe you’d be so selfish as to refuse.”

  “I am not selfish! You don’t know of the effort I’ve put into the building of that city. I love it and the people there. It is a part of me, as I am a part of it. Yet I will not spend my life hiding there. I am drawn by the Plains, the horses, the Forest, the running water and even the wind dancing from hilltop to hilltop. I cannot help our people against the Sortiri by hiding in Yargis.”

  Jerroll looked stunned. “I am Captain, appointed so by our Council in a time of great need and danger. I cannot tolerate my own son refusing to support my decisions. Tomorrow, or the next, once the cow herders depart, you will be escorted by Melet and however many guards we need, back to Yargis,” he paused for a moment and turned toward Axel. “You shall go with him and see to it that my orders are obeyed.”

  The room fell silent. The strain and emotion was clear in all three faces. Jerrid knew there was no use arguing further.

  “You’re right, Jerroll,” Axel said to break the tension. “We will return to Yargis in a few days, once it is safe for us to do so. Until then, I would like to see my old home, learn what has been done since I left here.”

  Jerroll nodded with strained approval. A short time later, Axel headed toward the door. He motioned Jerrid to follow. There were still a couple hours of daylight left. Though he was eager to tour the city, he also wanted to get Jerrid away, knowing the young man needed a chance to relax his frayed nerves. The stonework of Garth, strong with Amber, would provide a source for renewal.

  “I have two requests before you go,” Jerroll said. “First, please talk as little about Yargis as possible. Second, I’d like to ask you, Jerrid, to leave your shaping tools here.”

  “Don’t you think that’s a little unfair?” Axel said before Jerrid could respond. “He is the best Shaper we have in Yargis. He has earned the right to carry them.”

  “I’m sorry. The only other set like them is carried by Tecan. I respect what you have accomplished, Jerrid. I’m sure you have earned the right, but the people here don’t know you as a Shaper. They also know very little about Yargis. If you walk through the city with those tools, it will focus too much attention upon you.”

  “I understand,” Jerrid said, a little disappointed but tired of arguing.

  A short time later the two visitors began a circuit of the city. They headed toward its higher reaches of the city. Many people greeted them along the route, seemingly already aware of their presence. With little more than an hour of daylight remaining, they finally reached the inner Court Wall. It was a massive structure, nearly twenty feet high and over five feet thick. Beyond its gate were a few large buildings, including the Armory. A grassy yard to its south bordered the far end of the wall. Here, a stairway led upward to a platform that provided a vantage to look out over the city.

  Jerrid reached the base of the steps with Axel close behind. “It’s been a long time since I was last in the yard, training with the other Apprentices.” He looked back as he began to advance upward. “It makes me remember how my father was always reminding me to keep my guard up. He used to slap my chest with the flat of his sword when I forgot.”

  “I know how he has always pressed you,” Axel answered slowly. “Sometimes fathers do that to their sons. Sometimes they don’t see how hard they are on those they love.”

  “I guess today has been no different then,” Jerrid replied. “Only the weapons have changed.”

  “Garth is beautiful. It is not always a place of contention,” Axel said. They reached the platform and stood at the parapet that guarded it. “There is peace here, Jerrid, supported by the Amber. You only have to look for it.”

  “I have felt the Amber ever since we arrived. I remember many things about Garth, even being in this exact spot when the Sortiri attacked. Most of the other people were in the yard near the bottom of the steps we just climbed. You, mother, father, were all below. I snuck up here. Did you know that? I saw the Sortiri breach the outer gate. I saw them advance to the second.” He paused a moment, remembering his dreams. He did not mention the connection he felt with one of the Sortiri that night, a creature that looked upward as if seeking him out. “When we came through the city today, I noticed that it is better protected than ever before. Still, my father speaks as though it is destined to fail. I don’t understand.”

  “Your father is too proud to admit that the Sortiri hurt him deeply. I don’t think he has forgiven himself for the gate failing, or for allowing Lamil to be in the group that defended it. He has tried to make up for it by building defenses, here, and in Yargis.”

  “He was not the only one hurt,” Jerrid said sullenly.

  “I will talk to him; try again to reason with his fear.”

  “The man I heard this afternoon is not one to reason with.” Jerrid paused and looked out over the city. He was thinking. Instead of going back to Yargis, he wondered if there might be something else that his father would approve. “If other Foedan cities had gates like Garth does, the Sortiri
would be much less of a worry.”

  Axel thought for a moment, unsure how to reply. “I can discuss it with Jerroll. I’m afraid though that he does not feel secure yet. No matter how heavy the walls, he’s seen our enemy up close. Right now, he is only concerned about our people, the Amber.”

  “He is wrong. Hiding and building up defenses is not the answer. If we are going to stop the Sortiri, we must learn more about them.”

  “Most Foedan feel that defeating them is impossible. Their concern is preservation.”

  “Tell me,” Jerrid asked slowly. “What do you think of our strategy?”

  “I understand the fear, Jerrid. Everyday when I look at my daughter, I am reminded of it. Yet my guilt is deep, especially leaving our kindred here to face this threat. I am heartened to see the progress, and maybe that is why there has been no other attack. I must admit I expected otherwise.”

  Both men slipped into their own thoughts. Jerrid wondered how he could possibly change anyone’s mind if even his own father would not listen to him. As he considered this, he looked beyond the city’s walls and allowed his gaze to wander. With his hands resting upon the stone parapet, he could feel the Amber building in his core. Through it he touched the roots of Garth. He let his senses flow outward, beneath the rolling grassland that spread to the south. He detected a small pack of wandering coyote. Beyond them, he noticed a scattered herd of deer, and farther out, a colony of prairie dogs that burrowed new dens in the soil.

  At the edge of his perception he felt something that made him pause. Echoing through the sandstone that lay beneath the hills about mid-way between Garth and Sligo, lurked the sensation caused by the unshod hooves of wild horses traveling along. For several minutes he followed their course. They seemed to be less than ten miles away and were skirting the edge of the hills. To hide the sudden excitement he felt, he envisioned the bright sun of a clear morning and then broke his connection.

  “I’m sorry,” Jerrid said, breaking the silence. “You also lost so much to the Sortiri. Your pain is overlooked.” He was comforted by the bright eyes looking back at him. Hidden now behind the western horizon, the sun was only an orange glow in the sky.

  “As hard as it is to maintain hope, I know my Lamil may yet recover. I keep going because I want to be there to see the Amber in her eyes, tell her how I’ve missed her.”

  Jerrid cleared his throat to choke back his tears.

  “It makes me glad that we were able to share this moment,” Axel continued, “to remember our years here. I look back on them and recall the joy my daughter brought. I hope you have your own memories of her.”

  “I remember her smile and laugh,” Jerrid answered deliberately. “I think she loved picnics? I recall traveling into the hills. We’d leave our horses and climb some steep slope. I’d be exhausted when we reached the top.”

  “Yes, I went on a few. We passed some of those hills today. On their northeast edge, there is one that stands taller than the rest.”

  “That may be what I remember,” Jerrid commented.

  They left the wall and traced their way back to Jerroll’s chambers. As they opened the door to enter, they were surprised by the smell of meat roasting inside.

  “I hope you enjoyed your afternoon,” Jerroll said. He sat at his small wooden table, waiting. “Jerrid, are you still partial to lamb? I’ve a six pound leg that’s just about ready. It’s been cooking for a couple hours now, real slow, just a few pieces of split hickory to keep the coals in the stove going. It should have a nice smoky flavor.”

  Jerrid’s mouth watered. He’d forgotten that his father loved to cook.

  “Oh, those men from Sligo,” Jerroll continued, frowning. “Melet came by to tell me that they arrived about an hour ago. He’s already taken them to see our cattle boss. Samuel is clever. He’ll make a quick trade, just to get them out of here. Odd thing, Melet said they were babbling about some wild Sharanth horses. They asked if we had seen any here. Now that’s about the craziest thing I’ve heard in years.” The Captain paused to study Jerrid and Axel. When neither of them reacted, he continued. “It seems I will need to keep you two busy for a time. I can’t risk having them try to follow you to Yargis.”

  “Yes, as I said earlier,” Axel responded, “we thought they might follow. I’m comforted to know that Samuel will distract them.”

  “Maybe we can take a ride to that lookout we were talking about?” Jerrid added, seeing his chance. “I was remembering the picnics we used to go on when I was young.”

  “That’s an idea,” Jerroll answered after thinking a moment. “It would get you both out of the city and keep you away from those curious people who ask for details. A trip like that would put you out of the reach of those Sligo men too. That would definitely help me manage the little cat and mouse game you’ve set up.”

  Jerrid smiled as his father took the bait.

  After dinner they sat together and relaxed. Axel did most of the talking, explaining in detail the progress made in Yargis. Jerroll seemed impressed. Jerrid listened, but knowing that his father had so little interest in other opinions, he mainly thought about Feor. Could the stallion possibly be with the herd that he had sensed earlier that evening? As Axel continued to talk, a plan coalesced in Jerrid’s mind. He regretted that it would bring anger to his father and distress to his grandfather.

  The next morning, Axel and Jerrid were up before dawn. Jerroll was already away, tending to the business of the day. Axel grew agitated as he packed a few items into his saddle bags. He failed to notice that Jerrid was stowing far more belongings than were required for a picnic. Along with the Shaper tools Jerrid packed all the nonperishable food he could find, even some items that were in Axel’s bag when the two arrived.

  “Are you well today?” the young man asked, trying to be casual.

  “I’m fine,” Axel responded gruffly. “I’m sorry if I seem stern. I know you wanted to go on this trip but I am bitter that your father would so gladly shove us off, just so we don’t upset his plans,” he paused a moment to calm himself. “I feel as though we’re being treated like outcasts.”

  A short time later they walked to the main gate. Jerrid was surprised that a group of five horses awaited, already saddled and tied to a rail outside the guard’s quarters. His mood improved when he noticed that Ike and Jay were there, looking a bit peeved to have been summoned to duty so early in the day. The horses stirred as the two men approached. The noise alerted a guard who stood by the door. A moment later Melet and two other men that Jerrid did not recognize emerged. Behind them, came Jerroll.

  “Good morning,” Jerroll said softly. “Melet and these other men, Steven and Aaron, have agreed to accompany you today.”

  “We need no guard, though you are welcome to join us,” Axel answered coldly. Jerrid looked away from his father, his glance absently probing through the open gate and into the fields beyond.

  “I’m sorry, I cannot,” the Captain replied without excuse. “These men will make sure you safely get to the lookout hill and back. They understand the importance of secrecy.”

  “Thank you for the concern, Father,” Jerrid interjected. “Though Yargis is strong, we who live there understand that it does not have the might of Garth, the power to withstand a direct assault from the Sortiri. Please remember that behind our hidden gates we have room for more of our people.” He paused for a moment to gauge his father’s reaction. “Before we go, I have a small request. Might there be any stock of dried apple in the guardhouse stores? I love to eat as I ride.”

  Axel smiled curiously at the question. Jerroll was a bit flustered. He looked toward the guards for an answer.

  “I seem to share your taste, Jerrid,” Aaron said a little uncertainly. “I have a small pouch that we can share.” He reached into a saddle bag then tossed the item to the young man.

  “Thanks,” Jerrid said. He took the sack and stuffed it into his vest.

  The five riders were soon heading through the fields outside t
he city. They followed a path that led to the east. Dawn was just taking hold of the gray sky. Their route traced the northern boundary of the Arm. Later that morning, Jerrid noticed that the expanse of grassland seemed to widen. A rush of excitement built in his chest. It was conceivable that Feor’s herd could be in terrain like this. Anxiously, he looked southeast toward the Plains.

  Axel began to take notice of Jerrid’s distraction. He knew what it was that disturbed his grandson.

  When the group reached a point where their trail forded a small creek, they stopped to water the horses. It had been about two hours since they left Garth. The creek flowed at the base of a steep bank. Steven took his horse down first. The sky was beginning to clear from its early morning gloom. Shafts of sunlight broke through the overcast to streak the green plain to the south.

  As Jerrid waited, he noticed a thin cloud of haze that hung just beyond a long narrow hillock that rested about a half mile southeast. Probably just a little wisp of fog lifting, he thought. Just to be sure, he swung Ike around and started toward it.

  “I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he called. “I want to check something over there. I won’t be long.”

  Melet looked alarmed and confused. By the time he raised his voice to object, Jerrid had brought Ike to a gallop and was out of hailing range.

  “He does this from time to time,” Axel said to quell the growing look of alarm. “I think he’s looking for wild horses. He probably thinks that fog is dust rising from hoof disturbed ground.”

  When Jerrid neared the crest of the hillock, another pocket of empty grassland came into his view. It stretched far into the Arm. He was about to turn away when he heard a familiar sound. Anxiously, he coaxed Ike the last few steps up the slope. Just a few hundred yards beyond its crest, a group of horses were grazing.

  Before Jerrid could react, the herd stirred and most of the horses began to move away, trotting parallel to the long hillock. When he listened more closely, he noted the sound of other horses approaching from his rear. Apparently, Melet had roused the rest of Jerrid’s group from their break.

  Knowing that he had little time to react, Jerrid pulled his mount back behind the slope of the hill. He motioned for the other riders to stop, and then maneuvered Ike along the base of the rise so he could try to get ahead of the moving herd. As he rode he reached into his saddlebag, retrieving a leather halter and a spare set of reins from it.

  At the eastern end of the hillock, Jerrid turned Ike sharply to the south and stopped him at a point that was about a hundred yards out into the grassland. He slipped from the saddle and reached into his vest for the sack of dried apple that was still tucked there. The herd of horses was coming straight toward him. They were running at a slow gallop and many of the animals had already begun to veer away. Jerrid’s heart raced with excitement. As a cloud of dust began to obscure his vision, he let out a shrill whistle and waited.

  It was not long before he sensed an area of darkness approaching within the pall. A moment later his heart nearly stopped. A shape formed from the darkness and it stopped just a few feet away.

  “I found you again, Buddy,” he laughed. He grabbed several pieces of apple and held them outward. Feor gobbled them from the outstretched hand.

  Jerrid glanced toward the slope of the hillock to his side and realized that Axel and the other riders were watching him from the cover of the ridge.

  “This is it, Feor,” he said softly, more with thought than spoken words. “I think you and I are destined to be partners. We are alike, creatures of the wild, wanting only to run free.”

  Carefully he reached out and slipped the halter over Feor’s muzzle and then fastened the strap behind the animal’s head. He gathered the loose reins into his hands and with a big jump he scrambled onto Feor’s bare back. Feor kept chewing on the apple, accepting Jerrid’s weight.

  “Hold now. I need you to help me. My father wants me to return to Yargis. I’m afraid he will be disappointed.”

  As Jerrid was getting positioned, Feor lurched a few strides. Meanwhile, the men from Jerrid’s party started to advance. Jerrid swayed and rebalanced himself.

  “Be careful,” Melet yelled out. “That’s quite a horse. We don’t need you falling and getting busted up.”

  “Patience,” Jerrid thought, “I still must get that saddle off Ike.”

  As if he understood, Feor trotted to Ike’s side and stopped. Jerrid hopped down to the ground and unhitched the saddle. In one smooth motion he swung it and all his belongings, onto Feor’s back. Quickly he lashed the cinch strap and swung up into the saddle.

  Axel smiled. He knew how important this moment was to Jerrid. Melet grew more agitated. “What is this?” he shouted. “Your father charged me to keep you safe today. The Amber have no use for a mount like that.”

  “I’m sorry, Melet,” Jerrid answered. “You’ll have to keep me safe some other time. I am not going back to Yargis. I have done my part securing that city for our people. It’s time for me to go a different way.”

  “Are you crazy?” Melet replied, spurring his horse to close the gap between them. Feor backed away. Jerrid could feel the power gathering beneath him. He hoped he could hold on when the stallion decided to release it.

  “I’m sorry, Grandfather,” Jerrid said, his voice cracking with emotion. “Feor accepting me is a sign. I know my father will never understand. I hope you do. I love you and all our people. But for now, those roads are closed to me.”

  Axel looked on. For a moment he was speechless. It grieved him to know that Jerrid was right.

  “I understand, Son,” he muttered back.

  Alarmed by this response, Melet urged his horse toward Feor while shouting orders for the other guards to do the same. Jerrid waited no longer. Releasing his thoughts of restraint from the stallion, he allowed Feor to flee.

  Three unfettered bounds were all that Feor needed to separate from the approaching riders. As he reached a full gallop, a bond of power surged between him and his strange new friend. Jerrid too felt it. He focused in a way he had never done before, melding his energy with Feor. The feeling of union that flooded over him left him shocked.

  Axel watched in awe as Feor sped away. Melet and the other riders tried to follow but soon stopped. They knew that pursuit was useless. They were chasing raw power, unleashed for perhaps the first time in Foedan history.

  “I’ve never seen anything so beautiful,” Axel said out loud.

  Chapter 5: Beginnings