Rain poured in sheets, chilling Thia to the bone. The road wound through featureless plains; outside of occasional herds of wild horses, they hadn’t seen any evidence of other life for a week.
The air sizzled as lightning chased across the dark sky. “We need to find something,” she said to Jinaari. “You’re going to get hit if we don’t.”
“Over there!” Adam shouted.
Thia looked to where he pointed. In the distance, barely visible through the torrential rain, was a house. A barn sat off to one side, and smoke rose from the chimney. “Do we ask if they’ll let us stay?”
Another bolt of lightning struck nearby. Thia cringed as the thunder roared in her ears. The smell of scorched earth rose from the ground. “We don’t have a choice,” Jinaari said. “Stay close, but ride hard.”
“Hold on,” she whispered to Gnat. The cobalus sat in front of her, shivering in the weather. She urged her horse into a gallop, chasing after Jinaari.
As they got closer, she saw three people trying to get some sheep into the barn. The taller one turned as they approached. A father and his children? Jinaari slowed his horse to a trot, and she did the same.
“You picked a bad time to be traveling, friend,” the man shouted over the storm.
“It wasn’t by choice, but necessity,” Jinaari replied. “Can we weather the storm in your barn? We can pay for the trouble.”
“Nonsense. It’s our duty to shelter those who need it. My wife’s inside. Supper’s almost done, and there’s plenty. She always makes more than we need. Let the ladies go inside, dry off. Deion and I will help with your horses. Maide?” He glanced at a young girl, maybe ten, standing near him. “Run inside and let Mama know we have guests.”
Jinaari grabbed Thia’s reins. “Go,” he told her. “Take Gnat and Caelynn. Adam and I will bring the packs.”
Thia nodded, swinging her leg around the back of her horse. The mud was slick, and she grabbed the saddle to keep from falling. “Come on, Gnat,” she said as she reached up.
“Gnat like mud!” As soon as his feet hit the ground, Gnat began to splash in the puddles.
“Please, Gnat,” she said, “we’re going into someone’s home. It’s considered rude to track a bunch of mud in with us.”
His ears drooped. “Gnat sorry. Gnat forgot not everyone love mud like Gnat does.”
Thia watched as Jinaari and Adam followed their host toward the barn. “Come on,” Caelynn said. “Let’s get out of the weather. They’ll join us soon enough.”
A pair of windows flanked a door. Firelight bathed the interior in a welcoming light. A large wood awning protected the entry. The door was open, beckoning Thia to go inside and get warm. Keeping her head down, she rushed across the muddy yard and up to the house.
Standing at the door, she called, “Hello? We were told to come inside.”
“Please!” A woman called out. “Find a seat by the fire. I’m getting a few blankets to help warm you up.”
Thia kept her hood up. As she walked toward the fire, she willed the sparks to hide before she pulled off her gloves. Gnat stood near the hearth, as did Caelynn. Steam began to curl up from their clothing as the heat evaporated the water. I don’t want them to treat us special because of who I am, who Jinaari is, she thought. Best to keep things quiet as long as we can.
“Maide,” Thia turned at the sound of the voice, “please take the bard and cobalus up to the guest room with these.” A woman with pale blonde hair handed several folded blankets to the youth.
“Yes, Mama,” Maide said.
Someone touched Thia’s arm. Caelynn said, “The men will be in shortly. I’ll go see how much room we’ll have.” She glanced at their hostess, and back to Thia. “I think she needs to tell you something without us hearing it. Come on, Gnat.”
Thia watched the other two disappear up a staircase, a sense of unease growing within her. “We don’t want to be a bother,” she said. “We could easily stay here, on the floor. Or in the barn. We’ll be out of your way as soon as the storm clears.”
The woman turned toward her, and Thia took a step back. Pale blonde hair curled around her face. Except for the red eyes, she could’ve been Thia’s twin. “Nonsense. After all, we’re family.”
Thia glanced toward the door. It stood open; the storm raging outside made it impossible to know where Jinaari and Adam were. “Who are you?”
“Please, make yourself comfortable. My name is Valtikka. And, yes, Herasta was my mother.” She walked closer, gesturing to one of the chairs. “You look tired, Thia. I have no plans to harm you, though I understand your hesitation.”
Thia swallowed her fear, pushing it down. “You startled me, that’s all,” she said as she sat. “Your husband and children didn’t appear to be Thahion, so I didn’t expect . . .” she paused, “family to be here.”
Valtikka took a seat opposite of her. “I can see why that would be a shock. Mycchal isn’t my husband. He says we’re married to make things easier when we have visitors. He took me in during a storm similar to this one. His wife had died a year earlier, and he needed help teaching the children, keeping up the house.”
“How long have you lived with them?”
“Not that long,” she said. “I was near the surface, hunting for you, when word came that you were found. And what happened hours later. I decided to keep going forward instead of back to Byd Cudd.” Valtikka leaned back, folding her hands across her lap. “I wasn’t there, Thia, but I know what you did to Herasta.”
“I was drugged,” Thia said, keeping her voice even. “Lolc Aon coerced me into killing her, thinking it would be a step closer to me changing my affiliation to her.”
“It doesn’t matter. Garret’s puppet did what really needed to be done, clearing the path for the one that we should’ve followed this whole time.”
Something in the woman’s voice unsettled Thia. “The Thahion have a choice of Gods to follow, if they choose.” Rising, she said, “I’m going to go check on Caelynn and Gnat.”
A small smile crept on Valtikka’s face. “If you must. It won’t change your fate but go ahead.”
With measured steps, Thia walked toward the staircase. Valtikka remained in her seat, hands neatly folded on her lap. She focused on the tread of each step, listening for something telling her which room Caelynn was in.
Reaching the landing, she stopped. Behind a closed door to her right, she heard something. Her heart raced; she knew the sound far too well. Thousands of feet skittering across the wood floor beneath her. Readying the sigil in her mind, she threw open the door.
Gnat and Caelynn lay on the floor; hundreds of scorpions swarmed away from their bloated bodies. They crawled out from under their clothing and their mouths. Her friends stared at her with lifeless eyes. Thia watched the scorpions as they scrambled toward a shadowy recess. The young girl sat on a chair, mouth open, as they went inside her.
“No,” she muttered in terror, stepping back. Turning quickly, she ran downstairs.
Valtikka still sat in the chair. Mycchal stood near the fire, warming his hands. Neither looked at her as she ran into the room. “Knew the one was going to put up a fight, but didn’t anticipate him cutting down Deion, given his age.”
Thia stared at two large stones near the front door. They hadn’t been there earlier. A bolt of lightning illuminated the room, and she screamed. Jinaari and Adam’s severed heads stared at her.
“There,” Valtikka said, clapping her hands, “you’re free. No more ties to bind you to the life you had before. You can become who you were meant to be, who Lolc Aon herself feared. Welcome home.”
“They were my family . . . you offered us shelter . . . how could you?” Thia stammered in terror.
“Sister, they weren’t family. You had no blood ties to them. They were a means to an end, a way to keep you safe until you found me. I’m the only one you can trust to keep you safe.”
Thia shook her head, “No.” Tears ran down her cheeks and she didn’t care. The pain of grief was second to her anger. “They were family in a way you will never understand. I am no kin to you, or any other Thahion. I am the Daughter of Keroys.” The sparks on her hands began to shift; becoming small flames.
Valtikka rose, “You may be Marked by that pretender, but Lolc Aon’s blood runs through your veins. Her power, her glory, is your destiny. What trust does Keroys even have in you when he didn’t give you the power to save your friends? They failed their Gods, and you. That is not family.”
Thia roared, fire erupting from her hands. She sent it toward the two people near the hearth, bathing them in bright yellow flames. They screamed in agony; the smell of burning flesh made Thia want to retch. Her mind and soul numb, she ran out of the house and back into the storm.
The rage subsided, and the grief hit her like a tidal wave. Her feet kept moving; she didn’t know where she was going, just away from that house. From their bodies. Images of their eyes floated in front of her. “I failed you,” she screamed. “I said I’d keep you alive and then you died! For what? I can’t do this without you!’
“Thia!” A deep voice, calm and reassuring, called out from behind her. “Stop!”
“No!” she screamed as she ran faster. “I won’t do it! I won’t become what she was!” Through the darkness, she caught sight of a rock formation. Her breath came out in ragged gasps as she sprinted for it. The footsteps of the person chasing her grew closer. I need to hide!
“Thia!”
She closed her eyes for a moment at the sound of Jinaari’s voice. “You’re dead!” she screamed. “You’re not real!” A sob escaped her throat.
A pair of arms grabbed her, pulling her to a stop. Twisting her body, she clawed at them. She lost her footing in the muddy ground and fell, taking her captor with her.
“Thia, I’m not dead. I’m right here. I don’t know what you’re seeing, but it’s not real.” His breath was warm against her cheek. “Please, come back to me,” he pleaded in a whispered voice full of pain.
Her entire body shook as she twisted, trying to break free, but they wouldn’t let go. “Let go of me!” she cried, the words coming out between sobs.
“No. I promised you I would keep you safe. I’m not leaving you.”
“You’re dead!” she sobbed. “You’re all dead and it’s my fault! I wasn’t strong enough to save any of you!”
“I believe in you, Thia. I know what you’re capable of. I’ve seen it, down in Byd Cudd. You broke free of the illusions then; you can do it again.”
“I can’t!” The pain was too much; she stopped fighting and bent forward. “I can’t,” she whispered. “I’m too tired to fight any more. I killed the only family I had.”
“I’m right here, behind you. Adam and the others are on the way. We’re not dead, Thia.”
“I saw your bodies,” she whispered.
“It wasn’t real. Whatever you saw was a dream, an illusion. You have to fight back to break it, like you did when you defied Lolc Aon. I’m not letting you go until you’re free of whatever this is.”
Her captor shifted how he held her, and she felt wet fabric bump against her ankle. She opened her eyes and saw a sock-clad foot near hers. The fabric was soaked with mud. Her eyes grew wide as hope rose within her. He was in his armor earlier. It’s why we had to get out of the storm. If it’s really Jinaari, she thought, then he’s right. I can break free. If it’s not, I’d rather die fighting. Reaching back, her left hand closed around the hilt of a sword. Her fingers caressed the carved pommel, feeling the design that was unique to his blade. “Close your eyes,” she said.
Methodically, she shoved all the pain and grief within her into a single sigil in her mind. She threw her head back and screamed as it dispersed, bursting out in a brilliant flash of light. She kept screaming; throwing in every single moment of doubt and pain she’d kept inside since her father’s death.
The rain stopped. Her breath came out in ragged gasps, causing her to cringe in pain from her raw throat. Glancing back at his foot, she asked, “Why aren’t you wearing your boots?”
“Because you needed my help more than I needed to have dry socks,” Jinaari said. She felt his head touch the back of hers. “How are things with you?”
She took a deep breath. “Better, now. I think. What happened?”
His arms urged her to turn around, so she shifted her position. “You woke up and ran out of our camp. I chased you down.” He reached up and pushed her hair back from her face. “What happened, Thia? I can’t protect you if I don’t know.”
“I . . .,” she paused, looking into his eyes, “I don’t know. I thought we were traveling in a storm. We found a house, asked for shelter. One person led you and Adam to the barn, while the rest of us went inside. The woman, she was Thahion. She was one of Herasta’s daughters. Caelynn and Gnat went upstairs. I found them, later, dead from scorpions. There were thousands of them. I ran downstairs and the man was inside. Near the door,” she closed her eyes at the memory, “were two heads; it was you and Adam.”
“Hey,” he said, “look at me.”
She opened her eyes and stared at him.
“It wasn’t real. I’m right here, alive and well. Though I might have a cold if I don’t change my socks soon.”
Thia laughed. “That’s your fault. You grabbed your sword but not your boots.”
“I didn’t know what made you run; I needed it. Plus, I can buckle my belt when I’m sprinting. I can’t put boots on.” He smiled, and she saw his body relax. “The others are coming. I told them to break camp and come find us when they were done.” He looked up, and she followed his gaze. The rocky terrain offered little shelter from the wind that blew around them. “Let’s find a place to wait out of the weather. You’re soaked to the bone.” He rose, pulling her up with him.
The wind cut through her shirt, making her shiver. Thia looked at the sky; the dark clouds were coming together. “At least you’re not in armor. The lightning won’t be attracted to you this time.”
He looked at her, confused.
“In whatever that was I was stuck in; you were in your armor. There was a lightning storm. It’s what drove us to take shelter where we did.” Her voice trailed off. It felt so real!
Without warning, he pulled her close to him. She rested her head against his chest, listening to his heart beat. “I don’t know what you saw, Thia. I only know what I saw. And that was someone I care a great deal for setting fire to a tent and running into the night, screaming. I haven’t been that scared since we came back from Byd Cudd and you were in a coma. I didn’t know if you’d hear me, but I had to try.”
Thia raised her head and looked at him. His dark eyes were full of tears. “You look at me,” he continued, “and see strength. I see that same trait in you. If I’m not sure, have any doubts, you remind me that it’s okay. I survived what Samil did to me because I thought of you. I’m your sworn protector, but I didn’t anticipate this. I don’t know how to keep you safe from whatever it is that attacks your mind, Thia. And that terrifies me.” He pressed her head against his chest, and she felt his head rest on top of hers. “I can’t lose you.”
“I can’t lose you, either,” she replied. Several large raindrops fell onto her shoulders, sending a chill through her.
“We need to get you warm,” he said as he shifted his arms. “I can get a fire going if we find a place dry enough.”
She followed him, one hand on the rock wall, as he searched for some sort of shelter. The rain came faster, and her teeth began to chatter as the cold seeped into her bones. “There,” he said. He grabbed her hand and led her toward the small cave.
It didn’t go back far, and the entrance wasn’t wide. But it was dry, as long as the wind didn’t shift.
“Stay over there,” Jinaari said. As she walked to where he pointed, he said, “Looks like someone else used it for shelter. They left a stone ring and kindling. I’ll have a fire going soon.”
Thia rubbed her hands across her arms briskly, trying to chase off the chill. “Will it be hard for them to find us here?”
“I doubt it,” he said. His back was to her as he worked. “Caelynn’s one of the best trackers I’ve ever known. I know I left footprints big enough for her to follow.” A small wisp of smoke curled up past his head, and a soft glow from the growing flames provided some light. He rose and waved her closer. “Come here. You need to warm up.”
Gratefully, she walked closer. There wasn’t enough room for both to be near the fire and stay out of the rain. “What about you?”
“You first,” he said. He stood behind her. “You’re soaked.”
“So are you.”
“I’m taller than you. I’ll be fine.”
For a moment, she thought about using magic to increase the size of the fire. As she dismissed it, she thought of something else. Keroys, I hope this works! Forming the sigil in her mind, she drew the moisture out of their clothing. In a matter of seconds, they were both dry.
“What did you do?” Jinaari asked her.
“Sped up the process with magic.” Outside, the rain was coming down in sheets again. “You said I burned down one of the tents?”
He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into his embrace, as he replied, “The smoke was what woke me up. I grabbed my sword, screamed at Adam to put out the fire, and sprinted after you.”
“I could’ve killed someone,” she whispered.
“Yes, but you didn’t. You’ll see for yourself when they get here.” He paused. “The people in your dream. Did they talk to you?”
“Valtikka, that was the woman’s name, did all the talking. She looked exactly like me, except her eyes were red. She said her mother was Herasta, that I was finally free to join my ‘real’ family and take Lolc Aon’s place.” She sighed. “At least, I think that’s what I remember. I was scared, angry. It hurt so much to see the four of you dead, when I could’ve kept you alive.”
“We aren’t dead, Thia. It was a nightmare, nothing more.”
She shook her head. “But what if it was something more? Jinaari, what if this is part of what’s wrong with me? What if I’m going mad, like Samil told Adam I would?”
She felt his lips on the top of her head. “Not going to happen, so don’t worry that it will.”
She turned around and faced him. “That’s not being realistic and you know it. There’s something wrong with me. I don’t know if it’s a curse or what, but there is. I can’t heal myself; I’m having nightmares that seem real. Eventually, I’ll mess up when we’re around other people and word will get out. How will they accept Elizabeth’s rule if the Scepter can’t even take care of herself?”
“Whatever’s wrong, Thia, we’ll figure it out. Together. I’m not leaving your side.” His fingers caressed her cheek as he leaned toward her.
“Neither are we,” Adam said from behind her.
Thia leaned her head against his chest. Glancing back up at him, she sighed before turning around.
Adam and Caelynn sat on their horses, leading the other mounts. Gnat looked at Thia from in front of the warlock. His eyes were sad. “We’d invite you inside, out of the rain, but there’s not enough room,” she said.
The blonde man looked at Caelynn, then back at her and Jinaari. “There’s another place, not far from here. It’ll hold all of us, easily.” He tossed something at Jinaari. The boots landed with a thud near his feet. “You probably need these.”
Thia took the coat Caelynn offered, grateful for the warmth. Jinaari was shoving his feet into the boots. “Where are you thinking of? There’s nothing but thieving dens in the canyon. We won’t reach safety until we’re in Tavisholm.”
“It’s hard to explain,” the warlock started to say.
“Try harder.”
Thia watched as Adam and Caelynn exchanged a look. A nod of resignation passed between them. “It’s not a den, but a refuge,” Adam said with a sigh. “It’s where Lexi took us, after the attack.”
Thia’s eyes grew wide as she looked at them, stunned. She heard Jinaari come up behind her. “When was this?” he asked.
Adam locked his gaze on Thia. “After the caravan our families were in was raided by Lolc Aon and the scepter our parents made was stolen.”