I jolted awake, blinking in the darkness surrounding me. The air had grown chilly, and I shifted quietly to grab a few more branches and light a small fire.
The first night, I hadn’t had one, and it was too cold. I’d nearly frozen to death just because of it. The second night, I lit one and nothing charged at me, so I took the chance again, and with a quick puff of fire, got one going at my feet.
I scooted as close to the flames as I could. and sighed in relief at the warmth.
My arm throbbed, but it was manageable. I was far from rested, but I’d come here for a reason.
Once again, I dug out the shield pieces and held them all spread out in my hands.
“Work this time,” I whispered and closed my eyes.
Crane had indeed given me a potion to drink that he promised would help enhance my ability to sense the other shield pieces as long as I held these, but so far, nothing happened.
“Seriously?”
I shook the glass shards in my hands and scrunched my eyes shut tighter.
Still, nothing happened.
“Damn it!” I slammed my fist into the ground and second-guessed my idea of taking off, again.
You had no choice, a familiar voice whispered in the wind, and I glanced around, wishing I could see her instead of simply hearing her in my head. You are saving them, something I failed to do.
“Yeah, and in the process, I’m going to get myself killed.”
You doubt yourself.
“Don’t you?” I snapped. “You were born a warrior, I was not, remember? Just leave me alone.”
I hunkered down against the wall, ready to get a few more hours of sleep, but my mind raced, and I sensed the strange tugging in my gut as Celandine’s memories flowed back to the surface.
I didn’t want to see anything right then, but I never had a choice anymore.
My mind was dragged back in years until I landed in another one of Celandine’s memories.
I glanced around, thankful for no death and destruction this time. Instead, this day appeared peaceful, a clear blue sky overhead, green grass at my feet, and gardens stretching out along either side of a castle wall.
“Did you hear me?”
“Sorry,” I heard Celandine answer and glanced behind me to see her and Malcolm sitting on a bench beneath a large willow tree.
“There is much on my mind today.”
“Such as our wedding?” His hand was on her thigh as he shifted towards her. “I know it’s coming much faster than we anticipated, but it’s for the good of the clans. I hope you know that, otherwise I would push it off for months, years if necessary.”
Celandine smiled softly and rested her hand on his. “I wish that was all on my mind these days. A wedding, what comes afterward, seeing who we can be together.”
Her voice caught in her throat, and though she might not have loved him in the beginning, I sensed she cared for him deeply now as he squeezed her hand, and kissed the back of it.
“You are worried… and afraid,” he said. “What is it? Do you hate me so much already?” he teased, trying to lighten the mood, but she didn’t smile, and his brow wrinkled. “Celandine, talk to me, please. What troubles you?”
“How do you do that? Know how I’m feeling?” she mused.
He smirked. “A gift, I have always been good at reading those around me.”
“Well, I shall have to be on my guard from now on,” she replied before her eyes darkened. “And no, this has nothing to do with you. It’s Father, he’s acting strangely of late. He will not speak to me of what bothers him.”
“Perhaps he is merely trying to find a way to accept his eldest child is a grown woman.”
I paced around in the memory, admiring the castle nearby as I continued to listen. “No, he’s been locked away in his study at all hours of the night, and I fear what he is meddling with. Cassius is with him sometimes as well, but neither will tell me what they’re planning.”
“Perhaps you’re overthinking. Maybe it’s a surprise for you, for the wedding.”
Celandine did not appear convinced, and I didn’t blame her. “This is different. He has missed the last three council meetings, and has removed troops from our eastern outposts. Why would he do that without consulting me first?”
“The east?” Malcolm repeated, and his gaze glanced behind him, I assumed in an easterly direction. “There has been no trouble there of late. He could have sent the men home, giving them much needed time with their families.”
“No, none of those men have come home, Malcolm. They’re just gone, and when I ask him of it, he refuses to answer.” I sensed the struggle within her mind of trying to convince herself her father wasn’t up to something, but she appeared to be losing.
“Again, you may be overthinking. You have much to deal with of late.”
“That’s not what Broden says,” she argued, and I turned at the sound of that name, thinking of Craig. “He too senses a darkness approaching… and then there is the prophecy.”
Malcolm pursed his lips in annoyance. “Fallen from the lips of a man considered by many to be mad. We have no proof it will ever come to pass.”
Celandine sighed and tugged her hand away. “Darrahs have always felt a need to strive to be better, be more powerful, but my father, I fear he is tempting fate, reaching for a power he does not understand.”
“Your father is a great king. He would not risk his people.”
“And you know this for certain?” she argued hotly. “You are not his child, and though you seem to understand my mind, you will not presume to know his.”
“My Lady?” another voice said roughly behind me, and I turned to see Broden approaching, dressed in chainmail and tunic, sword at his hip, and a scowl on his face as Malcolm stood and the two men glared each other down. “I heard raised voices.”
“It is nothing. I will see you tonight at the feast,” she told Malcolm, and hurried away, her head hanging and her lips moving as she muttered to herself.
Broden stepped closer to Malcolm, and I longed to hear what was said between them, but this was Celandine’s memories, not theirs.
All she heard was Broden growling as Malcolm started to scold him for interrupting before the memory shifted and we were suddenly walking down a darkened corridor.
The hour was late, and Celandine walked quietly as if she did not want to be discovered.
I had no choice, but to tag along, wondering what she was up to.
Until we came to a sudden stop at a window and peered out into the darkness of the night.
“Bastard,” she growled, and I hurried to the window to stare out with her.
There, riding off into the woods, was a man in a cloak. I had no idea who he was, but that horse was the King’s.
“Where is he going?” I asked and jumped when she answered me, and I found myself back at my tiny camp, the fire still burning away happily.
Zohar. Many a night he left the castle and disappeared into those woods. I should have stopped him… but I was too late to act and by the time I did… the darkness had consumed his soul. There was no getting him back.
“Why would he do that?”
I never knew. He declined to tell me.
“How did you know?” I asked quieter. “That you were meant to be the Vindicar?”
When I was meant to be Queen of the Darrahs instead? When the plagued dragons first attacked after we drove my father from the castle, I led the army to stop them, Malcolm and Broden by my side. We did not understand then what they were, but our blades did not kill them, and we were killed by the hundreds.
Her voice disappeared, and I thought for a second she was gone, but then a growling filled my ears so loudly I winced.
We were surrounded, the three of us, prepared to die. All I had left was a shield in my hands, too weak to shift. Malcolm was injured as was Broden. Our shoulders were pressed together, but a power deep inside of me roared to life. Filling me with the strength of our entire clan, every Darrah ever born, and runes came to life on my body, flowing into the shield I held. When the first plague struck, it blasted them all back, killing them instantly and the Vindicar was born.
“And everything else?” I asked, unable not to be awed by what happened to her.
Since Malcolm and Broden were so near me when it happened, residual power rubbed off on them. They each gained a heightened sense and together… together we plotted to end the war started by my father.
I wanted to see more, but Celandine’s voice fell silent inside my head, and I huffed.
“Just when we’re getting to the good stuff.”
I strained, trying to see, but it was too much, and my eyes eventually closed again.
In the morning, I’d set out again. I made to aim for the ruins, but had no way to know for certain yet if I went the right way or not. The original Darrah lands were massive and short of flying above the trees and completely losing any secrecy I might have, I’d have to keep walking and see where my feet took me.
In the back of my mind, I sensed Celandine was quietly guiding me.
As I drifted towards sleep again, I reached out for Craig and Forrest, missing them more than I wanted to admit. Even their annoying lectures and arguing would’ve brought a smile to my face.
But I was alone and from what I could tell, being alone meant keeping them alive for a while longer at least. That was all I wanted. Them to live.
I was the Vindicar after all, right? Sacrifice was my future.
I gulped at the idea of dying, but shoved it down deep.
One day at a time, that was all I could do.