Threads of Fate, page 24
Roan motioned for them to follow him into the kitchen. “She told me Orah had an announcement.” Orah and Jes followed Roan into the kitchen and they all gathered around the table. They passed confused glances between one another when Lahana finally entered the room.
“Oh good! You all got up.” She walked toward the table and her bright grin shifted to something serious and grim. Sitting on one of the chairs opposite of Orah, she stared at the three of them. “Now, you three are going to explain to me what happened.”
“What are you talking about now?” Roan asked.
Lahana’s eyes narrowed and she stared at her brother. “I’m talking about what happened that made Orah want to leave? What happened that brought Marek back to this house? What haven’t you three told me?”
“Something happened in the training room two days ago. Jes created an obstacle course for me and when I finished, a set of golden doors appeared in the middle of the room,” Orah replied.
Lahana’s face changed from serious to scared. “What do you mean golden doors?”
Orah opened her mouth to explain when Roan interrupted. “You know what golden doors mean and not just any doors.” He rubbed his jaw before continuing. “The doors were identical to the ones that lead to the throne room in the Palace of Kings. Size, color, and symbols. Orah was able to get one open and I could see the city behind the wall.”
Orah’s head snapped toward Roan, sure she hadn’t heard what he’d just said. The Palace of Kings.
“Like a portal,” Lahana gasped, covering her mouth with her hand.
“Exactly. I lost my temper and grabbed Orah. It was inexcusable. I wasn’t able to control myself initially and could have hurt her. She decided she was ready to leave here after that.” He looked down at the table. “Understandably.”
Still covering her mouth, Lahana shook her head in disbelief. “But what does that have to do with Marek showing up?”
“I’m not sure. He said that Father felt strange magic, but it took Him an entire day to track it here. Not just to Nacht, but He was able to track it to the house. Marek was here on behalf of Father to provide a warning to me to stop messing with whatever they assume I’m messing with. They don’t seem to know it was Orah,” Roan replied.
Orah jumped and glared at him. “I didn’t do anything, remember? I may have gotten that door open but I sure as hell did not bring it here.”
Next to her Jes sighed. “We don’t actually know that Orah. You could be right, but we could also be right. It’s a mystery right now. All that matters now is Marek and their Father don’t suspect you.”
“I wouldn’t count on Marek not at least suspecting. He may be arrogant but he’s observant. It’s just whether or not he tells Father about Orah existing,” Lahana said.
Shocked, Orah stared at Lahana. “You don’t think Marek’s told Him about me?”
“Trust me,” Roan responded. “If He knew about you, He would have come for you personally.”
Fear settled in Orah's stomach. She hadn’t heard anything positive about the King of Gods and she didn’t want to consider what it would mean if He came for her. She glanced at Roan and he nodded his head, silently confirming the fears running through her mind.
Roan shifted out of his seat and stood. They all watched while he walked to the kitchen island and leaned against it, crossing his arms over his chest. “We need to figure out how to get you home, Orah. Immediately. My birthday is less than 8 weeks away and something big feels like it’s about to happen. I can’t explain how I know but it’s almost as if the Fates are trying to warn me.”
“But how can we get me home if we don’t know how to get access to my world?” Orah asked.
“Last night I had Jes send word to Amada again. I want to find out if something can be done with the portal magic we already have. I know she said the knowledge of traveling to other worlds has been lost but I don’t feel like that’s entirely true. Maybe misplaced, but I don’t think it’s gone forever.”
“What if you can’t get me home before your birthday?”
The atmosphere in the room shifted. “That’s not an option.”
“Doesn’t matter if it’s not an option it might be reality, Roan,” Orah scoffed.
“Then we better pray to the Fates that the warning in my gut is wrong,” Roan replied.
Dread hit her and she stared at him. She knew he was trying to help but she was also aware that he didn’t know what to do. The uncomfortable realization settled between the four of them and they sat in silence.
Next to her Jes shifted. “I have a proposition,” he announced.
“Yes?” Roan’s eyebrows rose, unable to hide the curiosity on his face.
“I train Orah,” Jes stated.
“I thought you training her is what got us into this mess in the first place,” Roan shot back. Startled, Orah glanced at Lahana, who shrugged in response.
“I do it at the camp. Away from the house. Orah, you need to learn how to control that magic. Not only that, but you need to learn how to protect yourself. As your Beskermer, I insist,” Jes replied.
Roan grinned. “I don’t know if Orah is ready to have her ass kicked by Captain Jesiel Keita.”
“Excuse me?” Orah’s eyes darted to Roan and she scowled at the grin on his face. “Maybe Captain Jesiel Keita isn’t ready to have his ass kicked by me.”
“This is going to be fun!” Lahana said with a laugh.
Roan walked back to the table. “I haven’t heard one person describe being trained by Jes as fun.”
“Maybe not for Orah, but it’ll be fun for me to watch,” Lahana replied.
“We can train Jes. As much as Roan doesn’t want to admit it, I don’t know if I’ll be home soon and I want to be prepared for whatever might happen,” Orah said with her attention on Jes.
Jes slid off the bench and stood. “We’ll start today. First things first—change out of that dress. You may look fantastic in it, but you can’t train in that.”
Lahana gasped and Orah’s mouth hung open from the compliment. “I didn’t know you were capable of complimenting a woman,” Lahana responded sarcastically.
Shrugging, Jes glanced at Roan. “I dunno but each time I compliment Orah, Roan turns an interesting shade of red.” Orah’s head snapped to Roan, whose jaw was clenched tight like he was about to burst from annoyance.
“Are you two sure you’re not actually brothers?” Orah said while she slid out of her seat.
“Wouldn’t that make all of our lives so much easier,” Lahana replied as she leaned back in her chair.
Orah turned to Jes. “I’ll be back down in about 10 minutes, Jes.”
“I’ll be waiting by the stables,” he nodded, then walked out the room.
Orah rushed out of the kitchen, making it to the bottom of the stairs before she sensed someone behind her. Turning, she found Roan standing in the hall, staring at her.
She cocked her head. “Yes?”
Roan shrugged. “He wasn’t wrong.”
“Who wasn’t?” She did not have time for him to be obscure.
“Jes. You do look fantastic in that dress.” He smiled and turned to his study door. Forcing herself upstairs she refused to peek back at him. She couldn’t give him the satisfaction.
After dressing into something more functional, Orah met Jes at the stables. Kai greeted her with a grin. “Etta and I were very pleased to hear that you aren’t leaving us.”
“I guess you all are stuck with me for a bit longer,” she replied.
She found Jes standing off to the side, observing her with Kai. Kai glanced at Jes then dipped his chin down. “Let me go grab Tume for you.”
“What’s the camp?” Orah asked Jes while she walked toward him.
“It’s where the Region’s guards train. I’m in charge of the guard and the camp. It’s my duty as Roan’s Beskermer and Captain,” Jes replied.
“Why can’t we use the training room?”
“Because last time something happened that caught the attention of the King. I would prefer to keep Roan’s home protected from him. So we’ll train out in the open.”
Orah couldn’t argue with him there. She caught Kai out of the corner of her eye while he led Tume out of the stable. Tume was just as beautiful as always. Her majestic black mane sparkled underneath the sun and her powerful wings were tucked in tight against her. Kai stopped a few feet in front of Orah and Tume dropped her head low as if in a bow. Instinct took control of Orah and she mimicked the movement.
Jes’s startled gasp pulled her attention away from the Pegasus. “How did you know to do that?” His eyes were wide while he gaped at her.
“I dunno. It just felt like the appropriate thing to do in the moment,” Orah said.
Approaching Tume, he nodded his head and slowly extended his hand. She sniffed it briefly then nodded in approval. Orah stood and watched while he crouched down, like Roan, and cupped his hand as a step for her. It only took a few seconds for him to lift her into the saddle and for her to get herself settled.
Buckling her strap, she glanced at him. “What about you?”
His eyes twinkled and a giddy grin spread across his face. Tume let out a startled neigh, stepping back when his wings snapped out to his sides. “I have my own means of transportation,” he said. Wind rushed around them but he kept his eye contact while shooting straight up into the sky. Orah’s head snapped upward while she tried to keep her eyes on him. He became a speck in the blue sky so quickly she had to blink to believe it. She watched in wonder while his wings straightened out and he soared high above her.
Just as rapidly as he’d flown upward, he descended down toward her and she panicked, thinking he was headed straight for the ground. She let out a scream when he stopped inches from the ground, hovering impressively.
“Well, what are you waiting for?” he said, motioning to the sky.
Orah stared down at Tume. She had no idea how to get the Pegasus to move. Leaning down, she ran her hand up and down Tume’s mane. Dropping her voice to a whisper she spoke to the Pegasus, “Tume, let's show him not to mess with us ladies.” Tume’s hooves kicked excitedly at the grass and Orah gripped onto the reins right before they both shot into the sky.
Orah didn’t scream this time. This time her chest felt as though it were going to explode from the onslaught of emotions that flooded over her. She surveyed the world below her, taking in the beauty. The city below her sparkled under the sun but she felt like it was waving at her. As though the city and land themselves were friends welcoming her back home. Shaking her head, she looked over to Jes.
He flew at her side with a wide grin on his face. “Good job, Orah.”
Orah smiled then patted Tume’s neck. “I didn’t do anything. I just trusted Tume had me.” Jes veered to the right and Tume followed close behind. Keeping her eyes ahead, Orah watched them grow closer to a small mountain range.
“Where is this camp?” she shouted over the wind.
Jes responded, somehow as clear as if he were sitting next to her “Just down there. Only about a fifteen-minute flight from the city.” He pointed to a large valley surrounded by the mountains. The closer they flew the more she could make out a wall surrounding most of the camp with several buildings grouped together. Little dots of people moved about the camp below. At the back was a large archway and a smaller mountain behind it.
Jes pointed to the archway. “Behind there is the obstacle course. That’s where we’re going to train.”
“Not in the camp?” Orah asked.
“No, the recruits would get too distracted if I showed up with a pretty woman,” he replied.
“Are there no women guards?”
“Of course there are women guards. They’re usually the best of us. What I mean is my guards have never seen me with a woman and if I show up with you it’ll start unnecessary gossip and distraction.”
She smiled at him. “Won’t they want to use the obstacle course?”
“Nope. They can’t see that it’s you on this Pegasus right now. They’ll recognize me and assume you’re Roan. Once they see us heading to the training course, they’ll avoid it. They respect Roan but he scares the shit out of them.”
“Why?” Orah asked, shocked by how casually Jes had made the statement.
“Because they believe that he’s the next God of Death. These Pegasi are used in different ways. One being Aeron riding his almost identical black Pegasus to collect souls every now and then. As much as they respect Roan and how he governs the Region, the future his Father has publicly assigned him to means many fear him and try to avoid getting on his bad side.”
“The God of Death can just collect souls whenever he wants?”
Jes chuckled and shook his head. “Oh of course not. There’s a natural cycle of things. As scary as Aeron likes to make himself seem, he can’t cross that line. But most Godlings and mortals don’t know that, so myth and legend run rampant.”
Orah nodded her head but her quiet companion Death shook its head in response as if in disagreement. Shaking off the bitter cold running down her spine she looked back at Jes. “Are there no Gods in your guard?”
“There are but it’s mainly made up of Godlings and mortals. Gods have this air of entitlement I don’t like. While my guard is made entirely of volunteers, I still have the final say. I prefer the Godlings and mortals. They want to make something of themselves and they protect the cities and towns here with purpose,” he replied, while he admired his camp from above.
Jes shot out ahead of Orah and Tume, flying over the lower mountains behind the camp. Tume let out an almost irritated huff and hurried after him. Jes landed with a loud thud and Tume followed close behind. Twisting back and forth in the saddle, Orah took in the course surrounding her. Parts of it were built into the mountain but there were many obstacles scattering the flat earth below them. To the right were large platforms jutting out from the mountain. There appeared to be some sort of zipline at the top of where the platforms stopped. The end of the zipline sat several hundred feet away on the ground. A few feet from the end of the zipline were military-like, low barbed wires that she assumed were for guards to crawl under. All around the ground were vertical pillars of different sizes and platforms floating in midair.
“Let me help you down,” Jes said, approaching her. He stretched his arms out for her to use for support. She unbuckled herself and grasped each of Jes’s large arms. Slowly, he lowered her and clicked his tongue at Tume. Huffing, the Pegasus stared at him then glanced at Orah.
“I’m fine. Go get some shade,” Orah whispered, stroking Tume’s mane. Tume let out a huff of approval then turned to make her way toward the archway to a shaded area with a few trees scattered near the entrance back to the camp.
Turning back to Jes, Orah crossed her arms. “Well, where do we start?”
Walking toward her Jes grinned. Orah’s eyes widened with panic. Suddenly she wasn’t sure whether or not she was in danger. Glancing backward she calculated how quickly she could get back to Tume when Jes’s arm extended toward her. Screaming she ducked and covered her head with her arms.
Jes stared at her before letting out a laugh. “Orah, relax, look behind you.”
Snapping her head back, she blushed when her eyes found the wardpad on the wall behind her. Turning back to him she gave him an apologetic smile. “This course can be warded?” she asked.
“Yes, it’s how we keep the guards and recruits continually improving themselves. If the course never adjusted, they would never be challenged,” he replied.
“Do you ward it or do the recruits?”
“I ward it for the recruits when they’re in here as a group. Same with the existing guards stationed here to assist with training. But when someone wants to come here alone, they can ward the course to benefit their skills or powers. The wards are set up to provide courses that will push the users’ powers. It's how I train any Gods or Godlings who come through here to utilize their powers and have better control over them.”
“And the mortals?” she asked.
“It works for the mortals but someone with access to magic has to do it for them. That’s usually me or their training officer. If we have a mortal who, for example, is really quick on their feet, the training officer or myself will think about that skill set when setting the wards and the course will provide the necessary challenge to keep them fast on their feet,” Jes replied.
“Interesting. And you’re planning on using this course to train me? I understand trying to get my powers to come out and control them but what about other ways you can prepare me?” she asked, glancing out at the course behind him.
“Other ways?”
“I want to learn how to fight. I’m strong, I know that, but I don’t know how to fight and would never be able to protect myself from someone faster than me,” Orah stated.
She glanced back to Jes, finding him grinning at her. “So you’re asking me to spar with you?” he asked.
Trying to hide her own grin, she shrugged. “Spar, train. Tomayto, tomahto.”
“What?” His laugh echoed around the course.
She blushed. “It’s a saying where I’m from. Meaning different words or different ways to say things can have the same meaning.”
“I need to hear more phrases from where you’re from then.” He smiled. His eyes sparkled and Orah wasn’t sure if it were from amusement or anticipation that she asked him to train her. Or anticipation that she’d just given him permission to kick her ass repeatedly.
His eyes fell to the wardpad next to her and he motioned to it with his hand. Taking a breath for confidence she turned the knob, watching the pin appearing in the middle. Shutting her eyes, she pricked her thumb and placed it on the pad. She waited while the ground shook beneath them and the shifting sounds of the course changing echoed around her.
“Whoa,” Jes whispered behind her.
“What?” Turning back to the course her mouth hung open. It was similar but different from before. There were still platforms that jutted out of the mountain, but these ones were spaced further apart. Between each platform was a kind of cylindrical arm that appeared to be made from the mountain itself. Each arm popped in and out of the mountain repeatedly, reminding Orah of video games from when she was a child. The last platform ended at the top of the mountain and below were spires shooting out from the ground. Each spire was a different size but they each had some kind of large ring attached to it at different angles. Across from where the spires ended was a large hole in the ground with a roaring fire in the middle. Beyond the firepit lay a wall identical to the one that appeared in the training room but at the top of this wall was a single bronze door.
