Jinaari placed a hand against the smooth wood as he released the handle. I don’t know what’s wrong, but we’ll figure it out, fix it. Somehow.
“Is she awake?” Caelynn said.
Turning, he nodded. “Yes.”
Caelynn crossed her arms and stared at him. “But she’s not better, is she?”
Jinaari opened his mouth when he heard a muffled thud come from Thia’s room. Spinning around, he jerked the door open.
Thia lay on the ground, one hand outstretched toward the food he’d left on the table. “Thia!” he screamed as he ran into the room. Dropping to his knees, he checked for a pulse. “She’s alive,” he said.
Caelynn knelt opposite him. Her face mirrored his concern. “What’s wrong with her?”
“I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out. See if there’s any blankets or furs in that chest,” he said as he eased his arms under Thia’s body. “I’ll get her back in bed. The room’s gotten cool, and she needs to stay warm.” Slowly, he stood with her in his arms. Her face was pale and scrunched up in pain.
“Found something.”
He carried her over to the bed, easing her onto it. As soon as he drew the covers up to her chin, Caelynn was throwing another one on top. She looked at him, expectantly.
“Stay with her. I don’t care what she says, one of us is with her at all times until we know more. I’m going to ask about getting fresh coals in the braziers.” Jinaari took one more look at Thia’s face. “For now, we keep this between you and me. I’ll bring Adam up to speed when he gets back.”
“Okay,” Caelynn said as she sat on the bed and took one of Thia’s hands in hers. “He knows what he’s looking for, so he’ll be back as soon as he has the stores for the transport. I already told the Grandmaster to expect him outside the main gate at some point. He shouldn’t be kept waiting in the cold.”
“Keep the doors closed except for me and the monks bringing the coal,” he said as he crossed the room. Opening the door, he left, closing it behind him.
Garret, if you can hear me, Thia’s sick. She needs Keroys. Please . . . talk to your brother and ask him to come. As he stepped out onto the walkway, he saw Mishar to his right. “Mishar,” he said, trying to get the man’s attention.
He turned around, bowing as Jinaari approached. “Greetings, Shield. How is the Daughter feeling?”
“She’s still asleep, but I’m certain she’ll be fine. Her room has grown cool, though. Would it be possible to get some fresh coals brought in?”
“Of course. I’ll see to it personally.”
Out of the corner of his eye, Jinaari caught a movement below them. Someone was in the garden, on Garret’s path. “I appreciate it. Caelynn’s in the room with Thia to let you in. If you’ll excuse me,” he said in parting. Darting around Mishar, he began to walk down the ramp. The pull to the garden grew with each step.
He didn’t hesitate when he reached the path. As soon as he crossed the threshold, time stopped. The monastery melted away, becoming a small room within a cabin. Two chairs sat in front of a fireplace; the logs within crackling as they burned.
“Put your feet up, Althir,” Garret said from one of the tall chairs.
Jinaari walked slowly toward the other chair, glancing back at where he’d been. The wall was solid wood; no window or door where he would’ve entered through.
I can’t leave unless he lets me. “My Lord Garret,” he said, lowering his head respectfully, “You honor me.”
“Stop the formalities, Althir. I told you to sit down.”
Jinaari sunk into the other chair and stared at the fire, waiting for his God to speak.
“You did it. And Avoch is safer for it. Corse was the last of his kind. Had he lived, even Nannan wouldn’t have been able to stop him.”
“I was surprised he fell so easily,” Jinaari admitted.
Garret shrugged. “He was distracted. It’s one reason Silas chose to lock him away over killing him.”
“Is that why Thia had to be there without knowing what she would do?”
“I knew you would kill him, Althir. I haven’t invested in your training without reason. She was there to unlock his cage, make him think he’d won, and give you the opportunity to do your job.”
Jinaari shied away from the matter-of-fact tone in Garret’s voice. Part of him wasn’t surprised at the tactics, but his soul wasn’t as ready to accept Thia as nothing but bait. “Corse said that Thia had part of Lolc Aon in her. Is that true?”
“He was a demon, Althir. They lie just by breathing. Anything he said shouldn’t be believed.”
The nagging thought resisted Garret’s reassurance. “Thia’s been acting strangely lately. If she is, in fact, somehow carrying part of Lolc Aon within her . . .” he started to say, stopping as Garret waved his hand dismissively.
“Keroys’s favorite is flawed, Althir. He likes picking damaged souls to do his work, unlike me.” He turned and stared at Jinaari. “You made promises, vows, to me. Not my brother. I’ve told you before that you can’t have two masters. You are who you are, what you are, by my grace. Don’t think for a heartbeat that I won’t find something else for you to do, with other people, if it suits my need.”
Garret’s rebuke hit him hard, and Jinaari sat straighter in his chair. “Is that why you summoned me here? To tell me I need to leave my companions?”
“No,” Garret sat back and picked up a goblet. “I had planned to tell you that you could take some time off. Your entire purpose since birth was to do what you did in Tanisal. This whole Shield nonsense, trying to protect Keroys’s pet, is annoying but you got the job done. That’s what matters.”
“Why am I here, then?” Jinaari kept his voice even.
“You seemed rather desperate when you called out to me.”
“Thia’s sick. I didn’t think Keroys would respond if I appealed to him, so I hoped you would intervene on her behalf.”
Garret sputtered. “I’m a God, Althir,” he sneered, “not some damn messenger boy! What makes you think his brat deserves my help in any way?”
“She can’t heal herself, My Lord.”
“So? As long as she keeps you alive, who cares if she can heal herself?”
“It’s not just that. Her personality is shifting. She’s snapping at people, making unfounded accusations. When we were heading into the city, she called herself ‘their doom, a reckoning for the path they chose to walk’. The spiders were large, yes. They’re carnivores and would be a problem if they hadn’t been contained within the city. But they don’t think like we do. They don’t choose evil or good, they just follow their instincts.”
“She said what? Her exact words, Althir.”
Jinaari cringed at the tone. “We’d entered the city. She took her gloves off, and the sparks were showing. Adam questioned her about it; it’s not something she normally does, show off her power like that. Her reply was, ‘This is the only warning the residents will get, Adam. I am their doom, a reckoning for walking the path they have. I know they’ll come after me. They should know who they’re dealing with.’ I asked her if she was okay, and she returned to her normal self.”
“Shit.” Garret’s voice was low, almost too soft for Jinaari to hear. The God leapt to his feet, and Jinaari followed suit. “Stay with her, Althir. If there are other changes, anything that makes you question her, tell me in your heart. I will hear you.”
The room disappeared, and he found himself standing on the path in the garden. A sense of dread washed over him. Something about what Thia had said scared Garret. But what?
He left the garden but didn’t rush back to their rooms. How much do I tell her, and how much should I keep quiet? Whatever’s wrong has her questioning her trust in me as it is. If I tell her Garret’s worried, will that make her worse? If I don’t, and she finds out, she could stop talking to me entirely. Garret didn’t specifically tell me not to tell her, just to stay with her. Why? Because she needs me or because he wants to watch her closely? I didn’t know he had such a low opinion of her. She’s not Keroys’s pet any more than she is broken or flawed. No more than the rest of us, anyway.
“Jinaari?”
Adam’s voice broke through his thoughts. His friend stood next to him, concern on his face. “You’re back.”
“Just now. What’s wrong? Hasn’t Thia woken up?”
“She did, then passed out again after arguing with me. Caelynn’s with her now.” He started walking toward the ramp, “Did you find what you needed?”
Adam fell in step next to him. “Unfortunately, yes.”
“What do you mean?”
The blonde man sighed. “The demon wasn’t lying, Jinaari. Part of Lolc Aon does live in Thia. It’s several generations removed, but she’s a direct descendant of one of the female children the Goddess had.”
“Shit,” Jinaari breathed. “She’s not going to take that well.”
“Do you think we should tell her? She’s not herself, Jinaari. Finding out you’re related to someone that was everything you’ve ever fought against in your life would send anybody over the edge. I’d rather not have her lose control and create a crater where we stood.”
“We have to trust that she won’t, Adam. She deserves to know, and it’s better if it comes from us than someone else. If you were able to discover it, someone else can.” Adam started to speak but Jinaari cut him off. “I don’t care if the books are under wards that only you can unlock. You didn’t write them. Which means someone, either in Helmshouse or someplace else, discovered it.” He paused, then said, “Did the book actually list her name?”
“No,” Adam admitted. “The genealogy ended with Herasta’s birth.”
“That’s bad enough. Herasta let all Byd Cudd know Thia was her daughter. There’s the chance that a copy of the book is somewhere in that city. Someone besides you and I know. It’s got to come from us.”
Adam nodded, “You’re right.”
They stopped at the door to the common area. Opening the door, Jinaari said, “Get settled, grab some food if you need it. I’ll wait here. We’ll go in there together.” Closing the door behind him, he turned and saw Caelynn sitting at the table. “Why aren’t you with Thia?” he asked. “I told you to stay with her.”
Caelynn stared at him. “Keroys came and told me to wait out here. I’m not arguing with a God. If he can’t help her, no one can.” Turning her head, she watched Adam disappear into his room. “Did he find out anything?”
“Ask him,” Jinaari replied. He pressed his ear against Thia’s door. He heard a male voice muttering but couldn’t understand what was being said.
“Come in,” a man said, his voice loud enough for Jinaari to hear. “Thia is deep asleep and we can talk freely. There is much for you and I to discuss, Shield, so that you can best protect my Daughter.”
He twisted the handle, opening the door enough to slide inside. Closing it behind him, he glanced toward the bed. The curtains were drawn; he could see her lying still beneath the blankets.
“Sit with me, please.”
Turning his head, he saw Keroys gesture toward a chair as he sat. Jinaari walked closer, trying to keep his step light. “Is she going to be all right?” he asked.
“In time, I believe so.” Keroys looked at him. “You can check if you like.”
“No, My Lord. I do not doubt your word.”
“Please, sit. There’s no reason to stand on ceremony with me. Unlike my brother, I take little comfort in formalities.” He paused. “Do you mind if I use your given name? We both wish to keep Thia safe, and alive. Tripping over names and titles will deflect from that goal.”
Jinaari sat, surprised at Keroys’s words. “I would be honored.”
“Good. I am impressed by you, Jinaari. You saw this illness in her when I did not. She mentioned it when we met in the garden yesterday, but I couldn’t see then what is so obvious now.”
“What’s wrong with her?”
“I’m not certain of the source, but something is trying to control her from within. There’s a part of her—something that’s always been there, dormant—that’s awoken. Her will is strong. You know this.”
“She’s the most stubborn person I’ve ever met,” Jinaari said with a chuckle.
“Indeed, she is. I strengthened my Mark on her. It won’t give her any additional stores. Rather, it will help her fight against that which seeks to overtake her.”
“What do you mean? Is she possessed?” Jinaari asked, concerned.
“Not in the sense that you’re thinking of. Thia has always been of two worlds. You know this. Even with her rejecting one, part of that is still within her. I fear it has awoken.” Keroys paused. “Garret told me what you said. I would hear all your concerns. Of her companions, she trusts you the most. I believe you know her better than she knows herself. Unless it was something she said in confidence, I want to know.”
Jinaari rested his arms on the chair. “The first thing I noticed was about a month ago. She had a cough that didn’t sound right. She’d blame road dust, but it didn’t make sense. She’s healed me after a single sneeze. It’s not in her to allow something like a cold fester in any of us. By the time we reached Solace, she wasn’t eating much. I thought a hot meal in town would help, but it didn’t. I talked to her about it, but she said she was fine.
“When we got here, she fell apart. She knew she had to go into the garden but was terrified about doing it.”
“Why? When I sent out the summons, it was not meant to frighten her.”
“She thought she’d see Nannan at the center, that she’d be told to do something that would take her away from us.” Jinaari sighed. “She sees us as family, something she hasn’t had since her father died. I reassured her that we felt the same way and that, should she be told to go somewhere, we would go with her. After we met with you and the other Gods, we stayed in the garden. I told her a story that made her laugh. To be honest, it was the first time she’d laughed that much in months. I thought whatever was bothering her was gone.
“We developed a plan; get her to the center fountain in the city, let her do waves of magic to take care of the creatures within the city who needed to go. The giant spiders, scorpions, undead…anything she felt was evil or a threat if it left Tanisal.”
Keroys leaned his head to one side. “Did you tell her that it would unlock Corse’s cage?”
Jinaari shook his head. “No. Garret told me not to. He feared she’d hesitate, refuse to finish the process once she knew.” He glanced over to where she slept. “Thia has every right to be angry at me for that.”
“My brother’s arrogant belief that he knows best in all situations is not one I agree with. I trust my Daughter; she would have argued with you out of stubbornness and her own fear but would’ve seen it needed to happen. Her sense of what is right has never wavered, even when her courage has.”
“I tried to explain that, but he insisted. I cannot break my oaths to him any more than she can break those she made to you.”
“Nor would I expect you to. Thia understands this, as well.” The God paused. “Once you were in Tanisal, though, something changed?”
Jinaari nodded. “She normally hides the sparks that fly from her hands, either through magic or wearing gloves. She took them off, let them be seen. Adam questioned her, and her answer sent a chill down my spine.”
“That’s when she announced she was their doom?”
“Yes.”
“Was that the only thing she said that alarmed you?”
“No. At one point, she stopped and announced she was close enough, strong enough to do what she needed to do. I told her we needed to get to the fountain, and she accused me of doubting her ability to kill everything before it could reach us. I reminded her of the advantage we’d have if we were in the center, and we kept moving.”
“Did Garret tell you she had to be at the fountain?”
“Yes,” Jinaari admitted, “he did. She argued with me, as I said. After that, everything went smoothly until she realized she’d unlocked Corse’s cage. She was rather angry when I told her I knew it would happen.”
“She’s not likely to forget that.”
“I know.” Jinaari smiled briefly. “At this point, I welcome her yelling at me about that. It’d be a sign she’s back to normal.” He paused, taking a deep breath. “Corse said he could smell Lolc Aon in Thia before I killed him. I told her it was a lie, gave her some codal. That’s when she discovered she couldn’t heal herself. I tried to heal her the best I could.” He leaned back in his chair, glancing at the bed. She hadn’t moved. “We brought her back here, got her injuries healed. Adam and the others heard what Corse said, and he went to check on it. I was here when she woke up. I encouraged her to try to heal herself again, but it didn’t work. Her personality shifted, and she accused me of not trusting her because I didn’t tell her about my mission. I left, heard her fall. Caelynn and I got her back in bed. I went to the garden, talked with Garret. When I was coming back here, Adam found me. He’d investigated Herasta’s lineage. It led straight back to Lolc Aon.”
“My sister did not have the . . . restraint . . . the rest of us do regarding children. Where the rest of our family chose to restrict it to figurative offspring, like Thia, Lolc Aon wanted to have a personal connection with the few worshippers who followed her into the darkness.” Keroys’s voice was tinged with sadness. “And, despite what my brother thinks, Thia is not damaged. She’s flawed, but then we all are. Garret is a fighter, a tactician. He believes in strength in arms more than he does magic. You are what he believes the rest of Avoch should strive to become: arrogant, confident, honorable, and ready to defend the land and its people at a moment’s notice. Thia is strong-willed and stubborn, but she lacks your confidence. Her compassion is great because she knows what it’s like to be shunned and hated for no reason other than the color of her eyes. The incidents you mention are bothersome because they are not the words of someone who has these traits.”
“Is it possible that the connection to Lolc Aon is behind this illness?”
“I don’t believe so. My sister was forceful, manipulative, and could match Garret in arrogance. However, the relationship is generations removed. Her power comes from me. Thia rejected everything that was Lolc Aon when she fought back down in Byd Cudd. Even if she comes from that bloodline, she is her own person. Her choices, decisions, are all hers.”
Keroys looked toward the bed, and Jinaari did the same. Glancing back at the God, he asked, “I need to know the truth, My Lord. Is she going to get better?”
“Eventually, I hope so. But only if we can determine what is causing this.” He paused, “Continue to head south as you planned. Don’t change your route without reason. Thia will do better where it’s warmer.” He leveled a direct look at Jinaari. “You and your companions will need to keep her healthy. I took care of what I could, but her soul is fighting something I cannot see. Any magic she can use on herself is holding whatever this is at bay, preventing it from getting worse. How long that will last I cannot say.” His voice dropped to a whisper before he locked eyes with Jinaari. “If we cannot find the cause, she will grow weaker, drawing on her magic to live. Her stores are considerable, but they are not bottomless.”
He saw the concern and sadness in the God’s eyes. “How can I help her?”
“You can start by not talking about me behind my back,” Thia said.