Chapter Ten

The rap at the door jarred me awake, and my heart raced. I bolted upright, clutching the sheet, searching for the malevolent spark. The faint rosy glow from the turret cast the only light in the room. The moment of disorientation passed, and I sagged against the headboard, weak with relief. I was at Stone Keep and hadn’t been yanked back to the hospital. There was a second knock, louder this time.

“Come in,” I called.

The door opened, and Abril entered with a breakfast tray and leather saddlebags slung over her arm. “Hi,” I said. “You’re up early.”

Abril placed the tray on the table and lit one of the lamps. “I volunteered to wake you. Father wishes to get underway before dawn. Lady Emlyn will meet us downstairs with the Rose Stone.” She went straight to the armoire. “I’ll pack for you.”

“I can do that. I don’t want to make extra work.”

Abril gave a careless wave. “Have no concern. Preparing a proper kit for travel is part of guard training. I’ll be done before you dress and finish breakfast.”

While I ate, Abril took the clothes from the armoire. She set aside the riding gear on the bed and then began to fold the others and place them neatly into the saddlebags. Now and again, she shot me a hesitant glance as if wanting to speak and then thinking better of it. She filled one bag and buckled the fastening. “Father is concerned with your comfort.”

“He’s been very kind to me.”

“It is more than kindness. I have not seen him show such tender regard for another as he has for you.”

Sudden awkwardness overcame me, and I cleared my throat. “Oh?”

“Yes. You haven’t spoken much of your life. Do you have someone pledged?”

“Pledged? Oh, you mean a man. No, I’m not involved with anyone. There was a guy recently,” I stammered. “But we parted ways. We didn’t suit each other.”

“There have been women in my father’s life, but he’s never pledged his heart to another,” Abril said. “He insists the life of a guard is enough, but I don’t believe him.” She folded a shirt and tucked it neatly into the saddlebag. “It’s a wonder to me you saw a vision of him as a child.”

“I can’t explain it either.”

“If Father wished to pledge to another, I’d have no objection,” she said cheerfully.

“Uh, I’m sure he appreciates your support.” The conversation had taken a sharp turn from awkward and nosedived into really-really-awkward. Time to make a hasty exit. Discussing my feelings for Griffin with his daughter was beyond weird. “I’ll get changed now.”

I grabbed the riding gear and hurried into the bathroom. By the time I finished dressing, Abril was stowing the last few items. I poured a cup of tea and offered her one, but she declined, saying she ate in the aerie.

“With the warbirds?”

“Yes. I wanted to visit the new clutch. Racer’s mate, Tempest, has a female fledgling with a friendly manner toward me. She even takes meat from my hand. We are similar in mind, and I hope to offer a pleasing name when I reach full guard status.”

“A name?”

“The guard offers a name and if the warbird approves and accepts then the partnership is sealed. I believe we’ll be well-suited to each other. Sojourn says she has a fighting spirit.”

“Spirit is a fitting name for a warbird.”

Abril’s eyes lit up. “Indeed. I shall remember that. Now, if only I can complete my training and become a full member of the Rose Guard.” She sighed. “At times, it feels as if the last bit takes forever.”

“I’m sure your father is proud of your progress.”

“It’s difficult for me to tell. He is not quick to offer compliments, but Bram insists Father is pleased.”

“Bram must be a good friend.”

“He is. He’s only a year older, and we’ve known each other since childhood. His mother and father both serve in the guard, and we were often stationed at the same post. They are at the southern boundary now.”

I gave her a playful nudge. “I’m sure your father wouldn’t mind if you two were closer. Bram wouldn’t either.”

“You think so?” She smiled shyly.

“I know so. I’ve seen the way Bram looks at you. It isn’t just a buddy-in-arms thing.”

“I’ve always found Bram pleasant company, but for now I must keep my mind on duty,” she said with a serious expression. “At times, I feel Father worries about me too much and slows down my training to keep me near him.”

“Aw, cut him some slack. It’s a father’s prerogative to worry, but he didn’t stop you from joining the guard, right?”

“That’s true. When I turned sixteen, I applied for training at High Point Garrison. Recruits must have permission from the captain in charge.” She had a thoughtful look. “Father could have sent me to Stone Keep and Commander Tian or any of the other districts.”

“See? He approves and enjoys having you around. How long is the rest of your training period?”

“A few weeks, unless there’s a delay.” Abril’s expression clouded over.

A delay like a war?

“Father has always understood how much the guard means to me. I never wanted more than this life.” Abril shook her head. “I pity poor Grandfather. He tried to make farmers of Father and me and failed miserably. I love them both dearly, but I don’t wish to be in the middle when they meet again.” She snickered, put her hands together, and then jerked them apart making a noise like an explosion. I got the picture.

We went downstairs. A dozen guards, including Bram and Danya, were in front of the keep, checking the packs and cinches on the lyrs. Racer wasn’t there, but the other warbirds shifted their talons on the pommels as if they were eager to be aloft. Griffin held the reins of Cirrus and Alta, and Abril hurried over and secured my saddlebags to the latter.

“This long to pack two saddlebags, Corporal?” Griffin’s tone was jesting rather than harsh. “Perhaps you need additional instruction on the proper method to prepare a travel kit.”

“No sir,” said Abril.

“Blame me, Captain,” I said. “I made Abril stop working to tell me your faults. The list was extensive. I’d be happy to share it with you on the way.” A ripple of amusement went through the soldiers.

“That won’t be necessary,” said Griffin with a twitch of his lips. “I’ve already heard them in great detail.”

Lady Emlyn exited the keep with Commander Tian. He looked even grimmer than usual. Griffin stiffened. “Something’s amiss.”

“A breach report in the southern district arrived this morning,” said the commander. “Drummers had difficulty pinpointing the location, and five carvers made it through.” His jaw tightened. “Twelve dead before they were stopped, and drummers report more weakening in the boundary and fear other breaches will follow. I’m sending reinforcements. Take Bram and Abril with you, Captain, but I need the rest.”

The chancellor carried a velvet bag and handed it to me. The cloth was warm to the touch. I opened the drawstring top and looked inside. The Rose Stone lay nestled in the bottom, emitting a soft glow. “Comfy in there?” The light flickered as if in response.

“This is the first time the Rose Stone has left the turret,” said Lady Emlyn. “I’ll expect to feel a certain emptiness without the light shining over us.”

“She’ll be back soon. I promise.”

Commander Tian frowned. “She?”

“Yes. Maybe the feeling comes from the connection we have, but to me the Rose Stone is ‘she,’ like a sister, one I haven’t seen in a long time. I’ll take excellent care of her.”

He nodded and turned to Griffin. “If help exists for us in those hills, Captain, you must find it without delay. If nothing is there…” He shot a meaningful glance at the chancellor.

“Find a way to take the Rose Stone to your world,” she said softly to me.

My eyes widened. “I can’t leave the Commonwealth unprotected.”

“If this is our last stand, so be it, but keep her out of the enemy’s hands. The Rose Stone’s power must never fall to the darkling. Promise me.”

I swallowed. “I promise to protect her with my life.”

She smiled at me. “I know you will. Good luck.”

The velvet bag had a long strap, and I slung it across my chest. The gentle heat was pleasant but did little to ease my rising anxiety. The Commonwealth didn’t have weeks. Time was swiftly running out.

Sojourn launched from Bram’s pommel and soared overhead as we galloped from the keep. Racer was still AWOL, and then I remembered Griffin planned to send him with a message for his father. Dawn broke as we neared the river. I squinted as the first bright rays of the sun streamed over the horizon. A sharp pain burrowed behind my eyes, likely the meds wearing off. I pushed those thoughts aside. There was nothing I could do about it.

A barge waited at the pier with sails lashed, the steam engine puffing white smoke from the stack. We rode the lyrs onto the deck. I slipped off Alta and nearly stumbled from the weakness in my legs. Yep, Dr. Turner’s medicine was rapidly diminishing. I glanced around, and to my relief, Griffin spoke to Bram and hadn’t seen my near fall. He laid a comforting hand on the young man’s shoulder and said a few words that eased the tenseness in Bram’s stance.

“The weakness has returned.”

I startled and turned to face Danya’s sharp eyes.

“Yes, but please don’t say anything to Griffin.”

“You should rest.”

“I can’t, not yet.”

“Being torn between two worlds wears on your body. I have a tonic for pain, but the weakness is growing, and my medicine won’t help. We have several hours’ journey before landfall. Perhaps if you slept…”

“I don’t want to. Not now. I promise to take it easy at the farm.”

“I understand. Once your healer’s treatment wears off, the call to your world might be too strong to overcome.”

I looked at Griffin. “Yes. I need to keep my wits about me and fight to stay here as long as possible.”

She patted my arm. “I will make tea with an herbal remedy to mitigate your pain but keep your mind alert.”

Danya left to root through her saddlebags, and I leaned against the railing to steady my legs. The river folk shoved off, and the barge headed upstream, engine chugging, as we plowed steadily against the current. A man tossed a brick-shaped object into the burner from a large pile on the deck. It was similar others I’d seen at High Point Garrison, but bigger.

Griffin came to my side and inhaled a deep breath. “Even in troubled times, one can find a measure of peace on the water.”

“Don’t tell me you’ve decided to trade Cirrus for a barge.”

He grinned. “Cirrus would never forgive me, nor would Racer.”

I motioned to Bram. “He’s worried about his parents.”

“Concern for their safety is natural. A few encouraging words helps a soldier stay focused. Too much is at stake for personal issues to distract from duty.”

For you, too? I swallowed the question and changed the subject. “What’s burning in the engine? It’s not wood. Are they the same things I’ve seen people use for light and heat?”

“Yes. They’re packets made from a mixture of plants and lyr droppings. The river folk use them to boil the water powering the barge’s steam engine.”

“Manure?” I said, eyes wide. “It doesn’t smell.”

“Lyr droppings are highly valued, as fertilizer and fuel, and carry little scent.”

“Pity horse manure isn’t as nice. We never would have switched to cars.”

“Cars?”

“Machines that carry us around.”

Griffin shook his head. “Strange to think of a world where people do not have such a bond with animals.”

“You can’t miss what you don’t know exists.”

“In the old days, our people were bound to the spark. I would not wish to return to that life if it meant severing ties with warbirds and lyrs.”

“I understand why.” I patted Alta, and she rubbed her head against me. Her little nicker had a comforting undertone, and I laughed and scratched her neck. “I know, sweet thing. I miss you when I’m gone, too.” She nickered again and nosed me toward Griffin. “Of course,” I sputtered, feeling my cheeks grow ten degrees warmer. “I miss Griffin, too.” I hissed, “Butt out,” in Alta’s ear and received a definite impression of amusement. That’s one advantage of driving. My car never offered an opinion on my love life.

I return.

Racer streaked from the north to join Sojourn who continued to circle overhead. Griffin held out a gloved hand. Racer and Sojourn dove toward the barge. Sojourn landed on Bram’s pommel while Racer pulled up sharply and alit with grace on Griffin’s wrist.

The letter of our arrival is delivered to Paxton.

“Any word in return?”

None.

Griffin snorted. “Exactly what I expected.”

Danya brought me a cup of spiced tea, this time with an extra ingredient that added sweetness to the taste. After a few sips, my headache went from a biting sting to dull pounding.

Griffin regarded my drink with suspicion. “That’s one of Danya’s healing brews. You are in pain.”

I waved off his concern. “A slight headache. It’s practically gone.” My hand shook. I clasped the mug in a double-handed grip, but my subterfuge didn’t work.

“Your hand is trembling, too,” said Griffin. “You should have said—”

“Don’t start. I had the same argument with Danya, and she didn’t get any further than you will. We’re not turning the barge around, and I won’t take a nap. I may not wake up here, and I can’t risk that.”

Griffin clenched his teeth. He left me at the rail, and I watched him go with a heavy heart. I braced for a scene if Griffin attempted to turn the barge around, but instead he returned shortly with Abril and Bram. They each carried sacks of grain that the barge transported upriver and stacked them near the rail. They returned for several more and constructed a rudimentary bench.

“Sit,” ordered Griffin.

I sat. It was surprisingly comfortable. “Thank you. Are you going to glower at me for the rest of the trip?”

“Perhaps.” His expression softened. “Perhaps not. I should save the fiercest of them for my father.”

I patted the spot next to me. “Have a seat. I don’t want to think about my health now, so I’d appreciate a distraction. Let’s talk about anything else.”

Griffin sat down and said no more about my condition. Instead, he pointed out birds on the shore. Danya returned for the empty cup. I gave it to her and then placed my shaking hand in my lap. Without a word, Griffin took it in his. The shaking didn’t ease this time, yet comfort remained. Was it the warmth of his hand or the warmth from the Rose Stone as her ever-present heat seeped into my body? Either way, I was content.

We sat by the rail holding hands, and I listened as he described life in the Commonwealth. It wasn’t an easy place to put down roots. The people worked hard and lived under a constant death threat. Yet that also gave them a singular purpose and pride. Only the strong survived here.

“The boundary protects us yet also constrains us,” Griffin said. “Bit by bit, the population increases. Soon, the resources at hand will not be enough. Even now, the amount of arable land in the northern heights is at the limit. Other areas will follow. Eventually, we must move beyond the boundary or face starvation.”

“But if you do that, the protective power weakens. The darkling will come anyway.”

He gave me a resigned look. “Another problem for another day.”

We stopped talking and simply sat quietly, each in our own thoughts. The barge plowed steadily through the water, the soft chuf-chuf of the engine mingled with the slap of rivulets against the keel. The peaceful, hypnotic rhythm almost made me forget the gnawing pain in my limbs.

Almost.

How long were we on the river? The passage of time was difficult for me to judge without a clock, but the sun was high in the sky when Abril broke out rations and Danya offered me another cup of tea. Griffin asked questions about my life in the “other world,” and I laughed at the incredulous look on his face as I tried to explain microwaves and television, UPC codes, traffic lights, and cellphones. When I got to computer dating, his mouth dropped open.

“A machine picks a mate?” He practically choked on the words.

“Not exactly. You answer a bunch of questions and the machine sorts through the answers and then gives you the name of a person who’s compatible.”

“That means nothing.” Griffin snorted in disgust. “How can a machine see into a human heart and read the truth?”

“It can’t, obviously, or it wouldn’t have matched me to my last boyfriend.”

“A machine selected him for you?”

“Yes, and at first it was good. I thought it would become great, but after a while I realized our lives were out of sync. He loved the city and had zero interest in moving to the country where I always yearned to be. He loved parties and the latest gadgets, and I loved quiet time at my easel. Little by little, his dreams for the future overshadowed mine. One day, Elliot got a big promotion. He had planned his career track to the minutia. He’d climb the corporate ladder from one job to another, one big city to another and, naturally, I’d follow. I told him I didn’t want to leave.”

I chuckled. “Elliot didn’t listen and kept blathering on, planning out our lives. We’d get married right away because it was time. Time…” I murmured. “Not because he was madly in love with me, but because he was comfortable with our arrangement and it was time. It hit me. I couldn’t envision us growing old together. Poor Elliot. It was quite a shock when I turned him down. I think I was the first plan he ever had in his life that fell through.”

“Love should never be a struggle,” said Griffin.

My heart skipped a beat. “Even if you’re from two different worlds?”

Griffin tucked a wind-whipped hair behind my ear. “Even so.” He gazed at the river. “I fear for this world. I cannot see my future or that of anyone else.”

Despite the gusts off the water, my cheeks felt flushed and warm. “What if the Rose Stone is healed?”

For a second, an undefined emotion flashed across his face. Hope? Desire? Or was that merely wishful thinking on my part?

A deckhand called out, “River’s Edge landing dead ahead.”

The moment vanished. Griffin stood and helped me to my feet. As the barge docked, the warbirds took to the skies and soon disappeared from sight. Griffin boosted me onto Alta, and we rode through the settlement to a country lane. Fields on each side bloomed with ripening grain. The long stalks had yellow poofs at the top, mimicking my childhood sketch. They rippled in the stiff breeze like the wavelets on the river.

In the distance, at the edge of the plains, was a ring of craggy hills. Some low, some high with odd asymmetrical shapes. When I looked at them, a shiver ran down my backbone.

Griffin followed my gaze. “Burial grounds for those who gave their lives in the final battle of the Great War,” he said. “The death toll was high. Then the Rose Stone appeared, and the tide turned in our favor.”

“What happened that day?”

“No one is certain. Suddenly, the Rose Stone was among us, and a miraculous upheaval followed on the battleground. The soldiers who were there described it as a wind surge in reverse. The ground trembled, hills collapsed burying everything under mounds of debris, dust clouds obscured the hordes of carvers and their war machines. When it subsided, the land had been scoured clean, any structures and the bodies of the dead had been entombed in the rubble. They discovered the protective boundary in place.” Griffin pointed to a far crest. “Look there.”

I squinted and caught the faint glimmer of the boundary before it disappeared on the other side of a ridge. Abril had placed my sketchbook in a saddlebag, and with a rush of excitement I took it out. The distinctive contours of the hills precisely matched the map’s layout. The location of the tiny rose was definitely to the north, but from my position it was impossible to determine the exact spot. Wondering what secrets lie buried caused an unexpected shiver and I stuffed the notebook back in the saddlebag.

We rode from one dirt road to another, passing more fields on either side, until we reached a long winding lane. “Our farm begins here,” said Abril. “It’s the largest in the district.”

I stifled a sigh, relieved rest was at hand. The sun sank low on the horizon, dragging the temperature down with it. I had no wish to navigate lonely country roads in the dark. We passed pens with livestock, and my eyes widened at the sight of a litter of black and white piglets with tiny ruffs around their necks and little zebra stripes.

Griffin hadn’t spoken since we entered the lane. His lips set in a thin tight line. I could practically see the tension building inside him, and I didn’t feel so hot myself. Danya’s brew had helped, but now my limbs had a constant ache. I bit back a groan at every bounce in the saddle, and my headache beat a rhythmic hammer blow. Without warning, my vision blurred in a crimson haze. I clutched the pommel, blinking hard, and it disappeared—just momentary weakness, nothing to worry about.

Beep, beep, beep.

The noise was strange, very different from the steam engine on the barge, and I assumed it came from some type of farm equipment hidden from sight in the fields. The lyrs passed a row of fruit trees. Ahead was a farmhouse, and unconsciously, I smiled. My childhood drawing had been crude, but here was the turquoise door and the right number of windows. In the front yard were the same blue and white flowers. The whitewashed walls had a slight pink tint from the rays of the setting sun.

Near the main house were several structures I hadn’t drawn including a barn and stable, more outbuildings, and a tidy fenced vegetable garden. I took the drawing pad from the saddlebag again and thumbed through the pages. Yes! The dots on the contour map matched the locations of each one. We had to be on the right track.

The lyrs stopped, and Racer and Sojourn alit on the pommels. People working in the garden waved hello and shouted greetings as they ran toward us. Abril and Griffin waved back.

Beep, beep, beep.

I frowned and rubbed the back of my neck. The annoying chirp was louder and nearer this time. Funny how it reminded me of a medical monitor in the hospital.

My pulse raced. I stared at the wall of the farmhouse and blinked hard, willing the rosy tint to disappear. Instead, it deepened in color. I clutched the velvet sack and the sketchpad tight to my chest. Warmth trickled through my fingers from the Rose Stone, and I sent a silent plea. I can’t go. Help me stay.

The door to the house whipped open. The servants stopped in their tracks, casting nervous glances at each other. A man strode onto the porch, his resemblance to Griffin plain. Paxton was as tall as his son with the same powerful physique. He did not wear a happy face. The thought crossed my mind he might not have one.

“Father,” said Griffin, coolly. “Racer reported he delivered my message.”

“I received it,” he grunted. “The stable is ready for the lyrs.”

“Is the stable ready for us, too, Grandfather?” Abril asked, obviously teasing.

Paxton’s face lit up. He held out his arms. “Come here, girl.” She slid off the lyr and ran into his arms. He hugged her tight. “Your room is just as you left it.”

The rest of us dismounted. My feet touched the ground, and I bit my lip to stifle a groan. With the full weight on my legs, the pain was intense, and I leaned against Alta for support. She let out a soft nicker, and I patted her neck. “I’m okay,” I whispered. “I’ll ask Danya for more tea as soon as we’re settled.”

Griffin strode to his father and Abril. “Is there room for us, too, or do we quarter in the barn?” he asked without a flicker of emotion.

Paxton scowled and motioned to the house. “Inside. I see it took official orders for you to pay a visit.”

“The last one hardly came with an invitation to return.”

Paxton snorted. “How would you know? You didn’t stay long enough for a decent conversation.”

Griffin’s jaw tightened. “All our conversations end in shouting. I wanted no more of it, although it’s the language you understand best.”

“It wouldn’t be this way, if you hadn’t stolen my granddaughter from me.”

“That’s not true. Abril was old enough to make her own choice and joined the guard willingly.”

“You could have stopped her.”

“Jess?” said Melanie. “How are you feeling?”

I jumped at the touch of a ghostly hand on my arm. “I’m fine,” I blurted, rubbing away the sensation. “Come back later. I’m not ready to leave.”

“What did you say?” said Melanie. “Speak up, I can’t hear you.”

The haze deepened, clouding my vision of the house and Griffin. “I said, I’m fine,” I shouted. I blinked repeatedly, but instead of fading the haze began to glow as if charged with spectral light. “I have to stay. Griffin needs my help.”

“Jess!” called Griffin.

I looked around, but he had disappeared from sight. “I can’t see you. The haze is too thick.” I reached out my hand and touched another. My grip tightened. “Griffin, I’m here. I don’t want to go.”

“Go where?” said Melanie. “You’re in the hospital. Owen, she’s not waking up.”

“Jess,” said Dr. Turner. “Open your eyes now.”

As if yanked by a cord, my body tore away from Griffin and into a void. Light on one side, shadow on the other, me in the middle.

A spark loomed in front of me, dancing between light and dark. I am waiting, the darkling said. The stone was mine once and will be again. Without warning, the spark lunged, but the light instantly formed a protective barrier around me, and it fell back, howling in pain.

“Ha!” I shouted in triumph. “You’re not omnipotent. That hurt.”

Mine! the darkling screamed. Give me what is mine, or I will destroy you all.

“Never.” I turned my back on the spark and embraced the light.