Chapter Twelve

Beneath the tall stand of cottonwoods that rose as high as the spine of rock, Kangee sat with her legs crossed, hands clenched in her lap. Her grandmother sat on her right, Night Warrior on her left.

The three of them formed a triangle, knees touching while her father, brother, Blaze, and her aunts and uncles sat in a tight circle around them. The cold, damp air seeped through her clothes and into her bones. She gripped her elbows to still shivering brought on not just by the chill but by the fear of failing.

“Relax, child.” The voice of her grandmother cut through her fear.

Kangee dropped her hands back into her lap, straightened her spine, and tried to ease the tenseness from her muscles. The silence roared in her ears as she tried to blank her mind and think of her mother. She vowed to do whatever it took to save her mother and her unborn twin sons, but she dreaded confronting that horrible evil creature.

Her grandmother started a low chant. The family joined her, their voices shifting from chant to song. Kangee’s emotions fractured and her throat tightened with emotion as the words flowed through her.

“Sing, child.”

She wasn’t sure she could, but she added her trembling voice to those of her family. All the while, fear of failing assailed her mind and undermined what little confidence she had in herself. Why had her grandmother gathered them? What would the old woman ask of her? Whatever it was, she feared it was beyond her abilities.

A wisp of wind brushed her face, icy-cold against the beads of sweat brought on by fear. A light nudge from Night Warrior’s knee steadied her, and when he sang—no words, just tone and rhythm—the tightness in her chest eased, allowing her to breathe. She focused on his voice, his touch, his scent, and the steady beat of his heart until she was calm, centered, and grounded. Then she lifted her voice and sang with her family.

When the song ended, Kangee opened her eyes.

Grandmother pulled two very old-looking leather pouches from her lap. “Children.” Her gaze swept from Kangee to Night Warrior. “The two of you are among The Chosen. You are also among The Honored.”

Kangee’s eyes widened and her heart raced with both anticipation and dread. All SpiritWalkers were children of the gods and, as such, were given the respected title being among The Chosen. But to then be chosen from among others of her people was an honor. It meant she and Night Warrior had exceptional powers and abilities that would be used to protect not just their own race, but all Life.

Was she going to learn what her special gifts were? As a child, she’d been told that one day she’d be a powerful SpiritWalker, but she’d never considered she might be among the elite of her tribe.

Her grandmother ran her fingers over the two pouches. “These have been in my care, waiting for their rightful owners to claim them.” She speared Kangee and Night Warrior with her sharp gaze. “Today is that day.”

From each pouch, she drew out an amber-colored stone hanging from a leather thong. “By accepting these gifts, the two of you accept your new roles as Defenders. When the gods condemned Ardong to death by fire, he split his soul into pieces.”

“Shattered Souls,” Kangee whispered.

Her grandmother nodded. “The many souls of Ardong scattered and hid from the gods. But they were imprisoned and cursed by the gods. Each piece of soul retains its immortality. Each soul lives and if freed from their prison. Each soul will seek its brothers to rejoin and become as one.” She paused to allow each person to absorb her words. “Dragon sacrificed his life for the world by gifting his blood, teeth, scales, and claws to the gods to use against the evil souls of his son.” She held up the amulets and motioned to Kangee. “First you, child. Accept this gift from Mother Dragon.”

Holding her breath, both eager and nervous, Kangee reached out and took the large amulet that weighed almost nothing from her grandmother. She held it between her hands and studied the dark, orange-yellow stone the size of her fist. She ran the tip of her finger over its edges. Strange. It didn’t feel like a rock. Aside from being too light, the texture was smooth and warm. She turned it over and gasped. In its very center lay a single bluish-purple claw. At the base of the claw, two small scales glittered with the colors of a sunrise. On either side of the amulet were two stones. Each shimmered with an array of breathtaking colors.

“The wife of Dragon couldn’t bear the loss of mate and son. She cried, her tears turning into stones.” The old woman paused but didn’t take her eyes from Kangee’s.

Kangee touched the gleaming stones. “Her tears?”

Her grandmother shook her head. “Listen to the rest of the tale, child.” She took the amulet and slipped it over Kangee’s head. “The mother’s heart was broken. She followed her mate into death. The gods were moved by the selfless sacrifice of the dragons and vowed their deaths would not be in vain. The mother’s blood, teeth, scales, and claws also became powerful tools, and each drop of blood became a Stone of Hope. Legend says her tears and heart-stones are among the most powerful of all the sacred objects.”

Around her, the silence was absolute except for the indrawn breath of each person looking upon the amulet.

“Unci…” Words failed her.

“You child, have been honored by Mother Dragon. Like the Stones of Hope around your neck, your greatest gift is hope.” Grandmother turned to Night Warrior.

“You, warrior, offer protection and knowledge.” She leaned forward and placed an amulet around his neck. The stone looked identical to Kangee’s except that his claw was reddish-orange and much larger. Behind the claw lay a large scale that shimmered with the colors of a rainbow.

Kangee wanted to say something but couldn’t break the hushed silence. She couldn’t believe she’d been honored in a way she’d never dreamed possible. It also scared her. What did this mean?

Her grandmother held out her hands. She and Night Warrior obeyed by placing their palms on top of hers. Grandmother turned Night Warrior’s hand over, palm up, and placed Kangee’s hand on his. She sandwiched their hands between her hands.

“The two of you are a mated pair; your souls exist as one. Dragon and his mate gave their lives to protect this world and all who live in it. They have passed this task to you. You are both Enforcers. Champions. It now falls to you to seek out Dragon and enforce the laws of our people, and the gods.” She pulled her hands away.

Before either could absorb her words, the old woman pulled an amulet from around her neck and removed the flap of leather that covered it. The yellow stone was the same as the amulets that had been given to her and Night Warrior, but in its center sat an eye that resembled the eye of a lizard.

Her grandmother sat in silence, her eyes closed, her hands cupping the amulet. No one moved. Or breathed. She gave a small nod, then opened her eyes, her sharp gaze holding Kangee’s as she held the amulet up. Kangee gasped, as did everyone else. The center slit of the snake-like eye glowed with an eerie greenish light.

“Our family has been entrusted with three sacred objects.”

Kangee couldn’t take her eyes off the glowing Eye of Dragon. An intense wave of power poured into her. She gripped her own amulet and cried out when it grew hot in her palm. Unable to take her hands off her gift or her gaze from The Eye, she reached for Night Warrior’s mind. The heat. Do you feel it?

Beside her, Night Warrior didn’t move. Yes. I—

A sharp glare from Kangee’s grandmother silenced the couple. “We three are DragonSeekers as well as Guardians of the Past and Defenders of the Future. I cannot tell you how to use your gifts. I know only that the Eye of Dragon revealed to me who would receive them and when. That time is now.”

Kangee didn’t know what to say. She’d never seen the eye of the dragon her grandmother wore, had known nothing about it or the amulets she and Night Warrior each possessed.

Her grandmother lifted her hands high. Immediately, those in the outside circle began a low chant. “It is time. Close your eyes, Granddaughter.”

Kangee, comforted by the weight of the amulet and the rush of power in her mind, obeyed.

“Storyteller of the Earth Dwellers. Open your mind to the darkness. Let it swirl and become.”

Breathing in slow, deep breaths, Kangee focused on the back of her closed eyelids, but like a piece of blackened hide, there was nothing there—nothing she wanted to see. Especially what she suspected her grandmother wanted her to see.

“You are a dreamer. Asleep or awake. You dream.”

Kangee frowned as she let the tone and rhythm of the chants seep into her. She was a dreamer. A daydreamer. Whenever she was faced with a mundane task, her mind wandered off to whatever world pleased her. Lately, those worlds centered on Night Warrior, which made her feel guilty. Her mother was missing, her young sisters suffering, her father gone, and instead of finding ways to help her family, she kept escaping into her own worlds where everything was as she wished it to be.

A sharp clap brought her mind back to her grandmother’s words. “Connections are made during dreams.”

Wisps of fog brushed against Kangee’s arms. She smelled it, felt the moisture sliding against her skin, but instead of being cold, it cocooned her, keeping the warmth of Night Warrior, her grandmother, and her family around her.

Kangee sighed as she concentrated on the darkness of her mind. Connections. Her. Night Warrior. They’d connected from the first night in this village. In their dreams. Dreams. Night Warrior was a DreamWalker. Maybe it was his gift that her grandmother referred to. It couldn’t be her. Her dreams were the dreams and hopes of a foolish young woman.

With no effort, the window of her mind opened as though a beam of sunlight had burst through the darkness. She stood at the top of the mountain with beauty spread out before her.

Night Warrior’s arms snaked around her, drew her back, drew her close. Kangee tipped her head back into the hollow of his shoulder. His scent—pine, cedar and dark forest—flowed around her, held her in its sweet caress.

His head dipped toward hers. She lifted one hand and stretched until her palm rested against the back of his neck. She pulled him close, then lifted her lips to his.

The tender kiss made her sigh. His arms around her made her feel safe, secure, and loved. She wanted more. Much, much more. She turned around, ran her fingers up his smooth chest, and pressed herself flat against him. “Again,” she murmured, her fingers sliding through his long, dark hair.

“We cannot.” But he did. He bent his head and kissed her. Tenderly, gently, until she thought she’d crumple into a boneless heap at his feet. Her hands tightened. Her mouth demanded. For just a moment, the kiss went from gentle to an explosion of need, as though he needed and wanted her as much as she needed and wanted him. Then he pulled away.

“No,” Kangee whispered. “Do not stop.”

He rested his forehead against hers. “We must, skuya,” he said, admitting his love and adoration of her.

“Why?” Touching him, kissing him kept the fear at bay.

“We are not alone.” He lifted his head.

Kangee’s head jerked around. In her dream world, she turned to see her family gathered around them, their voices rising and falling as they chanted and sang. For her.

Horrified, Kangee’s eyes shot open. Her dream world faded, and she realized she was still sitting in the middle of the family circle with her grandmother on one side and Night Warrior on the other. Not on the mountain. Not alone with Night Warrior.

And one look at him made her want to curl up and wither away. His eyes were soft, slumberous, and filled with longing. His lips were full, as though he’d just been kissed. She drew in a deep breath, and his scent filled her lungs. Her dream had seemed real.

She bit back a groan. She was supposed to be seeking her mother, making that connection so that her family could save her, and instead, she’d drifted off into one of her silly, childish daydreams. Staring at her hands, unable to face any of them, especially him, Kangee wished for the earth to open and swallow her whole.

Fingers beneath her chin forced her head up. “You are a dreamer.” Night Warrior stared into her eyes. His own were wide with discovery.

“I am sorry,” she said miserably. “Sometimes I cannot help it. I know I should be thinking of Ina, dreaming of Ina.” She tried to turn to her grandmother, but Night Warrior did not release his hold on her chin.

“Do not be sorry. That was very enjoyable.” A thread of humor wove through the awe in his voice.

You cannot know what I dream. Humiliated, she spoke silently to Night Warrior.

Night Warrior grinned sheepishly. I can. I do. I was there. On that mountain, kissing you.

How—

“You are both dreamers,” Grandmother announced, breaking into their private conversation, making it obvious she knew what they were talking about. “It is the way of our people to allow our young to discover their gifts on their own, then guide and train you. I have waited long for you to realize dreaming is your gift.”

Kangee jerked free and stared at her grandmother as though the woman had lost her senses. She shook her head, unable to accept something she hated and felt was a curse was in reality a gift. “What I do is childish. Foolish.”

Grandmother held up one hand. “I will say this once. You are a dreamer. That is your gift, and you must use this gift to save your mother. There is no time to allow you to find this out for yourself.”

She turned to Night Warrior. “You are a shaman. It is that gift that makes you a strong dreamer as well. Shamans have the ability to travel to other worlds. We gather information we then use for our people. You turned your back on your heritage once. Denial does not change what we are. Accept your truth, accept yourself fully and completely, for this is your future.”

Her knowledgeable gaze moved from one to another, then latched onto Kangee. “Dreams will save your mother if you have the courage to follow your true paths. You must dream. Both of you. Together.” She shifted her gaze to Night Warrior. “Resist your path no more for it is up to you to keep our child safe. Dream with her.”

Kangee tried to absorb all her grandmother said. They were Dreamers, but how could dreams save her mother? She wanted to ask, but her grandmother lifted a hand.

“Sing. For them.” Then Grandmother gripped Kangee’s knee hard, her sharp nails digging into skin. “Dream. Of your mother. Let your heart find hers.” She clasped her hand around the Eye of Dragon. “Find her to allow me to see what you see.” She closed her eyes, her back straight, chin up, lips moving in an almost silent chant.

Kangee trembled and shook. Around her, her family had their eyes closed as they chanted and sang. For her. She tried to swallow, but her mouth was dry, as though she’d swallowed fistfuls of fine sand.

How was she supposed to dream of her mother? Last night had been a nightmare. It had come to her in sleep. She hadn’t sought and found her mother on purpose. How could this be a gift? Gifts were used with purpose and intent.

Or were they? Those with the gift of visions didn’t ask for the visions that came. Was it that way with dreams as well? It made sense, even if she didn’t like it.

She glanced at Night Warrior, looked into his dark eyes, and saw once more a hint of golden stars glittering deep within. Her mate. Her SpiritMate. She calmed somewhat.

“How?” she mouthed.

He held his arms out to her. “Together,” he whispered in her ear.

Kangee let him pull her onto his lap. It mattered not who saw or who might have protested the intimate closeness. She needed this man, this wounded warrior. He was her warrior of the night, so she settled into his embrace.

Her back lay flush against his chest. He crossed his feet in front of hers and wrapped his arms over hers, his fingers gripping her elbows.

“Close your eyes,” he murmured. “And dream. I will follow.”

****

Ardong’s frustration grew. The woman who shared his prison had grown weak, her blue shield faint. He’d been forced to stop his attacks. If she died here, in his cell, all hope of escape died with her, and Ardong needed her alive, needed her strong enough to leave so he could go free.

He paced and beat against the walls. Where was the girl? He needed the daughter to dream, to return and take her mother from this place. He laughed. The harshness of it vibrated inside the rocky prison and drew a shuddering gasp from the silent woman whose spirit had curled into a tight ball.

“Foolish woman. You condemn not just your own life but the lives of those you carry within.”

The spirit of the woman quivered but she did not speak.

“I will be free. If you will not free me, then your daughter will,” he said cruelly.

“Leave her be.” Eagle Woman’s voice sounded faint.

“Then go to her. Go to your husband. Go to your children. Give your unborn children the gift of life.”

Silence.

Furious that she continued to deny him, Ardong, son of Dragon, rightful ruler of this world, his freedom, he turned his attention to the faint path he’d discovered between mother and daughter. There was nothing there for him to find.

Dream.

He needed the girl to dream.

****

Night Warrior closed his eyes and focused on the woman sitting so close that he was aware of each and every breath. His own breathing remained steady, which, considering he was purposely setting out to DreamWalk, surprised him. Once, many, many years ago, entering the dream world had been as easy as drawing fresh air into his lungs. It had taken no effort on his part.

The power of it had been as intoxicating as honey to a bear. There, in that shadowy, misty world, he walked with guardians of the earth or flew with the winged creatures, learning all he could from the spirits who shared that higher plan of existence with him. Knowledge had been part of what had compelled him into other worlds. It was fun and powerful. As he grew older, his ability had grown so that he had the power to influence not just his own dreams but also those of others. To go where he wished, do what he wanted.

A slice of pain pierced his heart.

Power. So much. So tempting. So real.

Stay with her. Do not leave her alone.

The harsh, cold voice was a slap to the back of his head. Setting aside his past, the regrets, and the sorrows, Night Warrior focused on Kangee. He held her tighter, drew in her scent, listened to the steady beat of her heart, then let himself go.

It was that easy. Just let his mind go, focus his thoughts to where he wanted to travel. Kangee. The wish of his heart. He saw her, breathed her, felt her. Then he was with her, a shadow in her mind and a whole man in her dream world.

She turned to him in the swirling dreamscape that tunneled ahead. “Stay with me.” She held out her hands.

Night Warrior could do no less. He took her hands, drew her close. “Always, skuya.” Always. He smoothed the hair from her face and stared into her wide eyes. The swirls of color were gone, and her eyes were clear, crystalline.

He turned her in his arms so she faced forward. She trembled but took two tentative steps.

“Mother. Ina. Where are you?” Her voice shook as she walked.

Night Warrior followed close enough to jerk her out of harm’s way if needed. DreamWalking was not without its risks. As he well knew.

“I can’t find her,” Kangee whispered as they walked through images her mind projected.

“Concentrate. Pull into your mind your last image of her, of her surroundings.”

Kangee reached back and took hold of one of his hands. “I’m scared. Don’t leave.”

“Never. I am always with you.” He spoke the truth. Good or bad, like it or not, he was connected to this brave, wonderful woman who saw him as a whole man. He stroked a hand across his chest. There were no wounds, no scars, and no pain. He couldn’t believe that, in Kangee’s mind, he was strong and able.

“As you will be once again.”

Night Warrior drew in a deep breath and let his worries, fears, and thoughts of the future fade. There was here. Now. And this woman. He’d do whatever it took to keep her safe. “Focus now. Let us do this.”

Kangee stopped walking. She touched her amulet.

He felt the power seeping from her as she put her energy and effort into reconnecting with her mother. Holding his sacred amulet, he did the same. Around them, the swirling air faded, grayed, then darkened, as though they had stepped into the black heart of a cave. They walked in silence until they spotted a faint wavering light ahead.

“Ina?” Kangee stopped.

On full alert, Night Warrior scanned the darkness. He saw no monsters. No evil. When she started forward again, he wanted to put her behind him, but he resisted the overwhelming instinct to go first. This was her dream, and he was there to help and protect. Not lead or control.

Kangee drew courage from Night Warrior’s presence, grateful to have him close. Taking a deep breath, she concentrated on the tight bond between mother and daughter. When she neared the light, she knew her mother was alive, but her heart sank. The light that was her mother’s spirit had grown smaller. Fainter.

The urge to run to her mother was tempered by the fear of what awaited her in the darkness. Evil. It was here. The Shattered Soul that belonged to Ardong, son of Dragon. He lurked in the shadows, a cat ready to spring and trap its prey.

As she and her warrior approached her mother, she kept her fingers twined with his. It didn’t matter if he thought her weak.

“Not weak. Never weak.”

His words brought a small, faint smile to her lips. “Nor are you, my warrior of the night.”

She moved forward, closer to the light, to her mother. She didn’t speak. Not yet. When the light that was her mother’s soul brightened, she moved faster.

A low hiss of sound had her whirling around. She faced the dark mass that oozed out of the shadows. She took a step back until she was up against Night Warrior. He put his hands on her shoulders.

“Let her go,” Kangee demanded. “Let my mother return to her family.”

“I do not want her here,” he said. “Take her. Take her and go.”

Kangee frowned and glanced back at her mother. “Ina?”

Still no answer. Dropping Night Warrior’s hands, Kangee took small steps toward the ball of pulsating light. She closed her eyes and concentrated. “Mother. Talk to me.” She put all the love and command she could muster into the plea.

“She does not love you,” Ardong whispered. Darkness, like a wall of mud, slid between Kangee and Night Warrior.

Kangee whirled around, her eyes darting frantically, searching for Night Warrior, but she saw only the oily dark mass of Ardong.

“No.” She shouted the words. “You are wrong. You are evil.”

Yellowish eyes burned bright. “Yes. Yes.” The words were a hiss of sound. “I am evil. Take her. Take her from this place. Take her from me. Save your mother, child.” The voice crooned in her ear. “Touch her. Free her. Take her with you and go from this place.”

“Where am I? Where are we?” If she could figure out where her mother was, maybe she could learn of a way to get her out.

The evil menace swirled, a huge black roiling mass that spun like a whirling cloud around her. Faster and faster until the darkness consumed her, pulled at her, made her feel as though her entire body was being pulled apart. She tried to cry out, but the tunnel of wind swept away her breath, left her unable to draw in air.

Then, as suddenly as it disappeared, Kangee found herself standing in a wooded patch of trees. Alone.

Kangee’s heart pounded against her chest. Where was she? What had happened?

“See the place where your mother hides.”

The words were a painful jab in her mind. Realizing she was still in her dream world, she studied the new dreamscape of forest. She moved, searched.

Had her mother shifted and merged with one the trees? She touched each tree she passed. Nothing. Not even the hum of life. Because it wasn’t real.

“Take me back to my mother.” She shouted the words.

“She is here. Find her.”

“Where?” Frustrated, Kangee turned in a circle. Searched. Sent her senses flaring out, seeking. But there was nothing. Not even the reassuring sounds of wildlife. She backed into a large boulder wider and taller than Night Warrior.

“Yes,” Ardong hissed. “Feel her, go to her.”

Kangee turned and ran her hands over the rough stone. “Ina?” There was something here. Not life. But something that sent fear skirting up her arms and down her spine. Around her, the peaceful image of forest blurred around the edges.

“Go to her. Go to your mother. Take her from this place.” The low hiss filled her mind and chilled her soul.

Kangee touched the stone. First with one hand, then two. “Mother. I’ve come for you.”

She let her body fall away, it was her dream, she could do what she wished, and though she hadn’t ever managed to merge her spirit with that of any other spirit on her own while awake, in her dreams, she saw herself as part of the rock, becoming the rock, entering the rock. Then without warning, she was back in the blackness, surrounded by evil. And she knew. Her mother had merged with the stone.

How was that possible? Then she remembered that anything with a shadow also had a spirit. Rocks, stones, and mountains might not be life in the way her people knew, but each cast shadows when in the light. Therefore, they had spirits available to SpiritWalkers.

She faced the boiling mass that gathered at her back like a menacing storm.

“Your mother does not love her children,” the insidious voice hissed. “Your mother hides. She is a coward.”

“No. She is brave to be here with you.” Kangee wanted more than anything to be wrapped in her mother’s loving embrace. Unable to resist, she reached toward the light. “Ina. My brave mother.”

“No.” The weak voice of her mother startled Kangee and took her breath away. “Do not touch me, child. You must not touch me.”

Kangee knelt. Though her mother’s spirit lay in a tight ball, Kangee understood that her mother was as one with the spirit of the rock and the Shattered Soul. They were all one yet separate.

“I will find a way to take you from here.”

“I cannot leave, daughter. Ever.” Eagle Woman’s voice was a low, wisp of sound. “I did not ask permission to merge with one of Mother Earth’s creations. Had I done so, I would have been warned of Ardong’s presence. If I leave, I break the curse of the gods and free this evil soul. Know that I love you and that this is my will. My choice. Now go and do not return.”

The mass of Ardong whirled and tried to blot out the sight and voice of her mother. It screamed and howled and frightened Kangee. The despair and determination in her mother’s voice broke her heart.

“I want to save you,” she screamed.

“Yes,” Evil said in her ear. “Touch her. Take her. Save her.” The cloak of darkness wrapped around her and chilled her very soul. The press of evil forced her closer to the warmth of her mother. Slit eyes, a putrid shade of shimmering yellow, stared at her from the other side her mother. “Take her from here. Take her with you when you leave. Do it. Do it.”

“No. Do not set Ardong free,” her mother whispered. “I…choose…to…stay. Go. Go now.”

Kangee covered her ears with her hands. Around her, an angry, loud buzzing sound grew and drowned out her mother’s voice.

“Take her. Take her. Now. Now!”

The high-pitched screams hurt her ears. “I don’t know what to do,” she cried out. Screaming, she tried to block the insidious voice of evil hissing in her ears as she tried to fight her way back to Night Warrior.

“He is gone. He has left you here. Go to your mother. She needs you. Her babies need you.”

Kangee fought to leave, but the mass of evil wrapped around her, refusing to let her go. “No. He’s not gone. He’d never leave me.” The thought of being alone with this evil creature buckled her knees. Night Warrior didn’t abandon her in her time of need.

“But he has.” A faint, translucent window opened in the dark wall of evil. Kangee searched for her warrior but couldn’t find him. There was nothing there. She was alone. “Night Warrior,” She screamed his name, unable to believe he’d abandoned her to the evil soul. “Help me. Come back! Come back!”

She fought waves of dizziness and sickness. The surrounding darkness became a tight band around her chest.

“Turn around, look at your mother, and see your brothers. Save them.”

Kangee stared at her mother’s spirit and, for the first time, became aware of two tiny fluttering balls of light in the center of her mother’s aura.

Her heart stopped. “Mother,” she whispered, reaching out, her mind fuzzy, her only thought was to save her brothers from being consumed by evil. She’d forgotten what her grandmother said about twin boys, and seeing them now, she had to do something, anything.

“No. Do not, chunksi. Do not—” Eagle Woman’s voice broke off when a sizzling ball of fire hit the protective wall around her.

“Save them.” The glowing eyes turned red, grew larger, brighter, and a yawning hole opened, over her mother as though to swallow the spirit of her mother and her twin brothers.

Kangee tried to fight her way out. She had to find a way to save her brothers in a way that would not free Ardong. She pulled her amulet from her tunic and remembered that she was honored among The Chosen, that it was her duty to protect her world from the evil of Ardong.

“I will not free you,” she shouted. “I will not free you.” She screamed the words over and over. It hurt to say them, felt as though she was stabbing herself in the heart, because it meant she was condemning her mother to death along with her unborn brothers. But she couldn’t violate her mother’s free will.

A dark fist of evil reached out, wrapped around Kangee, and pulled her forward. “You are weak. Like my father and my mother and the gods who created us. If you will not save her, save them, then you will die with them.