Incandescence - 4. Errors

The days drew on and soon a week had passed with little to no progress. With anything. Dleth, Illiath, my friends’ relationships that I was trying to stay out of…That was my least favorite part about my position in life right now. Everything moved so damn slow. Proper channels had to be utilized or I was expected to mind my business.

Rolling my shoulders, I sat on the side of the bed. I let my head fall into my hands. It was barely dawn. My nightmares didn’t shake me as terribly as they had when they’d started, but they still ruined my sleep. My body was tired. As was my mind. I ached and the thought of pushing to stand from where I sat was incredibly unappealing. It didn’t help that the other half of the bed was empty. Talon was across town, keeping an eye on his cousin in the house in the lower level. After Suman’s failed introduction to the Council, it was even more imperative that we keep an eye on him. He still refused to tell us why he’d been in the city two months prior and with the new knowledge that he could influence behavior, he’d made everything worse.

I ghosted the tips of my fingers over my cheekbones. The bed was huge. Had it always been this big? I missed the annoying, tall man that normally sprawled across the other side. At this rate, I’d be grumpy all day if I didn’t stop complaining. I pushed my hair away from my face as I stood, lower back protesting. I must’ve laid at a strange angle or it was true that I was simply getting old. My body had been through a lot.

I sighed, padding to the washroom to get cleaned up. I needed to make sure the right amount of money was sent to Anika at the tiny estate she’d moved to. She lived alone about a days’ ride from us. In a pretty villa on the beach. It was small. She hadn’t wanted much when we’d started making plans for it. She liked to be alone and visited infrequently. As did we. As quick as I had been to help when our parents had deserted her, I had to admit that when she’d left, I’d been relieved. There were too many bad memories and there were still moments where I had to force resentment down to treat her fairly. It didn’t help that no matter what words were exchanged, Talon still loathed the woman. Mostly on my behalf. Which was fair. It was better this way. We were both happier with the arrangement how it was now. We took care of her financially and she lived an incredibly modest life by choice. When we did see each other, it was far easier to enjoy our limited time together.

Sighing yet again, I switched gears a touch. My birth family was still such a mess after all these years and dealing with it made my stomach hurt. I had a report on my parents’ estate that I’d purposefully been ignoring for days. It was separate from mine, but they resided within my territory. When they passed, Krinn would become my responsibility as well. I’m sure the mere thought made my father bristle. He no longer had any real power. If it came right down to it, my authority would be honored before his. Sometimes I liked to picture him sitting at his long table, sulking and completely alone. He deserved it. I pressed my palm into my stomach as the sharp pain that answered thoughts of my parents every time without fail, flared.

I tried to ignore the pain, soldiering on to the closet in our bedroom. I looked over the rows of bright clothing. It made me smile weakly as I glanced to the other side. Talon’s racks looked like someone had thrown black ink all over exactly half of the room.

The brighter side drew my attention again. Putting together a cohesive outfit was the next annoyance. It was mid-spring and Syrin was stubbornly clinging to cooler winter temperatures. I couldn’t wait for summer when I had fewer clothing items to match up. I twisted the pieces of my hair away from my face-not bothering to secure them-and made my way downstairs. It was loud. It was too early for it to be so loud. I frowned as I descended the stairs, hanging a right. The dining room table was already set and Loren sat there with Wyn. He looked up when I entered. The corners of his mouth turned up in an almost smile. Lydia burst through the doors at the end of the room with platters of breakfast food, nodding at me as she set them down and returned to the kitchen.

“Loren, you’re here early.”

“It occurred to me that I’ve been in town for some time, and I haven’t visited my favorite person.” He grinned and Wyn beamed. He shot me a sour look and I sighed as I sat. Wyn was still rather annoyed that I’d refused to take him into town. He was convinced I was keeping him from his favorite uncle for some reason. I was a cruel and unjust parent. The closer he crept to teenage years, the more I doubted we’d be able to weather the staggering attitude problem I expected he may have.

I blamed Talon. He was a bad influence.

At least Loren didn’t look as run down today. His hair was pulled half up neatly, his grey blending with the dark brown. The dark circles under his eyes were gone and his forest green tunic looked clean and nice. I was a little relieved. Now, we would wait for his grating personality to return in full force. I’d never admit it aloud, but I was starting to miss it.

Smoothing a napkin over my lap, my fingers stalled as a thought occurred. I pursed my lips and watched the two across the table. Wyn and Loren were teasing each other. My child had dragged his chair as close as possible and the older man was tickling him. Wyn was desperately trying to act tough and unbothered. He was failing miserably. He squirmed, face red as he tried to catch too-fast hands. My own hands pleated the napkin as my gaze fell on another place seating on my side of the table. This could be bad. Awkward at the very least. Loren had to know. It was common knowledge. She’d been staying with us for the entire time she’d been in Syrin.

As if my worrying had summoned her, I heard footsteps heading our way. That was on purpose. It was something I had never noticed as a novice fighter. Only with experience had I realized that the stealthier people among us announced their presences. The only time you knew when the trained fighters in our group were coming is when they wanted you to. I’d been nearly scared out of my skin by all of them on more than one occasion. Talon did it for fun. Insufferable man that he was.

The point was, she had the decency to warn us she was approaching. Not that it mattered. I wasn’t sure there was anything I could do to properly prepare. This was going to be tense.

Amaris entered the room and Loren didn’t look up. Wyn’s brilliant eyes drifted between the two and then to me. I shook my head and the boy started dragging food onto his plate. He brandished his fork threateningly at Loren when the man’s plate remained empty. Loren moved more slowly. I wasn’t even sure that he saw what he put on his plate. Amaris slid into the chair next to me. She wore a purple and pink silk halter top that crisscrossed over her torso down to her hips. Flowing skirts in matching colors swirled around the chair as she sat and her long hair tumbled loose. We shared a look. She smiled and shrugged as she served herself.

“So Loren, what are your plans now?” I nibbled eggs as Loren’s fork scraped harshly against his plate. Wyn and I stared at each other the way we did when we were wondering if Talon was going to explode at his grandfather. This situation had the potential to go very bad very fast.

“Not sure. I find myself out of sorts. I seem to have quite suddenly lost all direction.” Loren said. He looked at her at last. I’d never seen his face so blank. Amaris flinched next to me and I set my silverware down, preparing for the worst.

I did not think that “the worst” was going to be my husband throwing open the front doors and waltzing in with his cousin giggling behind him. No. No way this was happening. I closed my eyes and when I opened them, Talon had paused in the archway that opened into the dining room. His eyes were wide as he took in those assembled and realization set in.

Oh, I have made a mistake.

Yes, love, you have.

I didn’t know he was here.

Why did you bring Suman?

I thought it’d be nice if he ate with the family. He hasn’t had a pleasant experience with family meals.

I stared at my partner and then gripped the table when Suman strolled casually into the room as if he owned the place. Of all the times for Talon to decide to be a sociable person. It only made sense that he chose to do so for a maniac with a penchant for causing dramatic scenes. Suman dropped into the free chair right next to Loren like he belonged there. The legs of his chair scraped harshly against the wood floor as he moved closer to the table and the other man at the same time. It was Loren’s turn to flinch. A pewter gaze landed curiously on Amaris. The crazed prince was directly across from her. Talon lowered himself hesitantly into the seat next to Amaris. Everyone was on guard.

“Is no one going to mention how uncomfortable this is?” Suman grinned, his expression brightening when Lydia rushed out with more plates and silverware. He bowed his head to her but his attention quickly returned to those at the table.

“Suman…” Talon mumbled, tone a warning.

His cousin’s grin turned more feral and I physically braced myself as he looked to Amaris again, “It’s you, isn’t it? You’re the reason our resident expert fighter is moping about feeling sorry for himself?”

“Who do you think you are?” Amaris hissed.

At the same time Loren’s fork clattered onto his plate, “I am not doing that!”

Suman dropped his elbow onto the table, cheek falling into his palm. Long, pretty, grey hair fell forward and caught the light when he shifted. It almost distracted me from his awful words, “I mean I applaud you darling. I know the Verseckt are adept in torture, but you take the cake.” Those stupid mesmerizing family eyes flicked to Loren, “What was it like? Thinking you were going to marry someone only to have them pull the rug out from under you after seven years? Having to show your face after the person you cared about most thoroughly humiliated y-“

Loren jerked forward. One of his knives flipped into his hand.

My child was in this room.

He was mere feet from them.

If this erupted into violence, Wyn would be far too close to it. Unacceptable. I flicked both wrists and light slammed Loren into the wall.I heard the air leave his lungs. In almost the same instant, Suman’s upper body smashed down on the table. I held them both as I stood slowly. It was an eerily familiar situation. The war room all over again. I glared at Amaris until she dropped the knife she’d swiped from the table. It would really ruin my morning if I had to restrain my best friend. The look in her eyes told me she knew I would, too. Good. I squeezed my fingers until the knife in Loren’s hand dropped to the ground with a pained gasp from the man.

“Wyn,” Talon murmured. I felt his worried look on me, but I was busy glaring at the two men. Wyn’s eyes were wide as he stood quickly. He rounded the table and I felt small fingers on my arm. Shaking my head, I didn’t turn to face him. After a minute, he gave up. I tracked his footsteps as they left the room. I only calmed when I could no longer hear them. I released my Magik and Suman sprang back up to a sitting position. He laughed and snatched the toast that’d flown clear when he’d hit the table.

Loren leaned against the wall and let his head fall back, “I apologize.”

“I understand why you were upset, but I won’t tolerate anything that may endanger Wyn. You keep letting him get a rise out of you. You’re better than that.” Loren nodded, frowning. To my surprise, Suman’s smile fell and he looked down at his hands, wearing a frown that matched Loren’s.

“You should have let Loren stab him.” Amaris shrugged. Her voice filled with contempt.

“I wasn’t defending you if that’s what you think. At least the psychotic prince tells the truth. He’s tactless but honest. Unlike some others I’ve had the displeasure of spending time with.” Loren ground out. I cringed as I sat back down, picking at my food.

“If you two are going to bicker and cry about it, do it somewhere else. You’ve brought enough of your problems into this house. Suman, reign your Magik in.” Talon snapped, comfort sliding both ways over the connection and easing the tension throughout my body.

Suman laughed, “Oh, I’m not using it. You did that by yourselves. Kalian, I’m impressed.”

I met his eyes. There was still a barely restrained anger shifting inside me, “If you do anything to put my child in danger, I will kill you. I will not think twice and I will feel nothing in the way of remorse for it.”

Suman’s smile didn’t falter, “Is that so?”

Amaris had been quiet since Loren had last spoken. She was staring down at her still empty plate, face frozen in shock. I wondered if it was the first time he’d shown her any real anger. I certainly had never seen him speak to someone like that. It was almost jarring. She stood and mumbled something as she excused herself and left the room. I rubbed my temples, sighing. Loren was staring at nothing. I think his thoughts had left the room too. He wasn’t present entirely. His different colored eyes were blank.

“Things that aren’t meant for us have a way of removing themselves from our lives. It may hurt, but in the long run it’s for the best. Well, except for Sumerion.” Suman tilted his head as he gnawed some bacon. Loren’s head lifted and he looked at the other man. His expression must have been the mirror of mine. Had Suman…just said something kind to another adult?

I glanced over to confirm with Talon, but he’d apparently checked himself out of the conversation. One leg was crossed over the other and he’d produced paperwork from somewhere. Apparently, he’d decided the threat had passed and our conversation wasn’t worth his time. He was reading as he ate. I pushed the chair Amaris had vacated into him and he blinked up at me in confusion.

“What?”

Beating my head on my desk was the most attractive thought I’d had in a few hours. Other than bisecting my cousin-in-law the next time he opened his smug mouth. How we were going to get Suman and Rah to cooperate was beyond me. Suman was reclined on the chaise lounge in the corner. He hadn’t contributed anything worthwhile to our mini meeting. Rah was staring at me with her exasperation ready to boil over. I don’t know why we were surprised. If he hadn’t taken the Council meeting seriously, why would he try harder in this one? He wasn’t invested in either country’s success. Why would he help problem solve? The only solution he could see to the problems Dleth created was offing his grandfather.

It was the entire reason Sumerion had made him an emissary. He’d known Suman would create unease and more problems than solutions. We were at an incredible disadvantage. Again, he was dangerous and we didn’t even fully know how much danger he presented. He’d riled up an entire room of experienced fighters and Magik users in mere minutes. I had no proof, but Talon didn’t make friends easily and they seemed like the best of friends now. That didn’t just happen. It was possible Suman didn’t know about his gifts and their true protentional, but I doubted it. He was more intelligent than he let on. Far more. I had a hard time believing he wouldn’t be intimately aware of something that resided inside his own body. Formal training or not. Talon’s father was self-taught, there was no reason another family member couldn’t possibly do the same.

It’d already been confirmed that he wasn’t confined to Dleth as well. So how did we really know he didn’t have formal training? All we had was his word. How much could we trust that? He had no reason to be honest. He’d been in Dimian two months prior. For what reason and where else had he traveled to? Our new emissary was giving me a headache. He presented many questions and I didn’t have any answers.

Yet.

I’d put the pieces together. I was determined to. I didn’t like people playing mind games with me. If Suman thought he could get away with it, he was in for a rude awakening. I’d already stood against an adversary who had ripped my free will from me and tried to take my very soul from within. I wouldn’t allow anyone that kind of control again. If we were playing games, I would stand on equal footing this time, and I would win. I’d already faced down someone far scarier than him and come out on top.

“We can’t do that. Too many people will die. I’m not willing to plunge a country into anarchy.” I said for at least the one hundredth time, barely pausing my inner ramblings.

“Put someone else on the throne then. Do what you did here. I don’t care.”

I glared at him, “Suman, you’re meant to make the return trip in three days. If you go back with nothing, it will prove Sumerion right that Rah can’t do this. Why would you do that to her?”

In truth, we hadn’t planned much of a schedule for the return to Dleth. We hadn’t planned much of anything with the emissaries. Suman was too much of a wild card. Of course, Sumerion had grown impatient and insisted that the emissaries return. He cited his initial and growing displeasure with the arrangement as reason enough to formally request Talon back. Already. He was still upset that he wasn’t getting his way. He was determined that somehow Talon would sit on the throne when he died. I rubbed my temples. The thought of Talon on a throne, in a crown was…pleasant, but not in Dleth. The country didn’t deserve him. It didn’t deserve Rah either, but for some reason, she seemed committed to the place.

Suman shifted on the lounge. My comment had made him uncomfortable. The cousins weren’t close, but over time I’d noticed little tells like this. He’d tug at his hair or fidget when he didn’t like something or was unsure of himself. He’d hide it behind sharp smiles and blunt words, but there were real feelings underneath the pale skin. In the last day, I noticed a developing fondness for his long-lost family that he was desperate to hide.

“Kalian, you’re coming, right?” Lyrah sighed, smoothing dark eggplant sleeves over her wrists.

“Unfortunately.” Talon, Loren, and the rest of the Council were still trying to figure out to handle Illiath. I was bound and determined to deprive Sumerion of his favorite grandson. Which meant if we wanted to divide and conquer, my petty self had to go to Dleth. It would be unwise to send poor Rah alone with Suman. The thought alone made me sweat. There was no way we could ensure the girl’s safety.

So, exactly three days later we’d left Syrin. Melancholy had descended as soon as my back was to the White City. Talon would hold Syrin and our own personal house down. Wyn had started school (albeit reluctantly). Amaris had left on a Verseckt mission so I didn’t have to worry about another Loren altercation. Which was good because I had other things to worry about. Like trekking across my least favorite country with an unhinged prince who liked to instigate problems. I should have more closely evaluated the family I was marrying into. Instead, I got to deal with their petty familial squabbles. Suman and Rah had been arguing for three days straight, I swear. My head was going to implode. I could not take it anymore. They were like bickering children. As bad as I thought Talon and Rah were or even Talon and Amaris, this was worse. Rah kept trying to talk strategy and Suman remained uninterested. She would get angry and Suman, delighted, would fan her anger. I understood her frustration, but at this point, I wanted them both to stop talking for the rest of the damned trip. Days of silence sounded like bliss.

“Kalian…is that smoke?” I glanced back and then followed Rah’s pointed finger. It was to the west. I wasn’t familiar with Dleth and its cities. I didn’t know which towns or villages stretched in that direction. I should, but with Talon, I had never needed to. We slowed to a stop and I squinted. It was a healthy distance from us and we could still make out the thick billowing black smoke.

“It wouldn’t be a major city. A small town or village. Flatfen maybe.” Suman said, thumbing his nose.

“Sumerion is expecting us.” Rah supplied unhelpfully. I knew that. No one was more aware of the fact than I was. A lot was riding on our ability to form and keep allies. We’d failed in Illiath and it’d almost cost Loren’s life. Still, I found myself guiding my horse to face the smoke.

“Rah, Suman you two continue on. I’ll check it out.”

“Are you crazy? Talon would skin me alive if he knew I let you do something this reckless. Let alone by yourself!” Rah frowned.

“No one ‘lets’ me do anything. Talon can get over it. What if someone needs help? I’ll jump and then meet up with you. I can go farther by myself. You won’t have to wait long. If at all.”

Rah’s frown deepened. A horse drew up alongside mine as Suman drawled, “I’m in no hurry to see dear old grandpapa. I’ll come. Who knows? It could be fun!”

Suman grinned manically over at me. His hair was secured and away from his face lazily. It fanned behind his head with black points sticking from the thick mass of grey at the base of his neck. Rah scowled at us both and then slowly nodded, “Fine, but if we don’t find anything, we leave right away. In the same vein, if we do find something, we don’t charge in without a plan.”

It would set us behind schedule and I’m sure we’d hear all about it. Sumerion would find something to complain about either way. I closed my eyes and wrapped my Magik around us, horses included. The animals spooked right away and Rah yelled something. It didn’t matter what it was. A moment later we were maybe a mile from the smoke. It took a bit to calm the horses and then we were off, headed for the billowing black cloud. There was so much of it. As our mounts drew closer, my blood ran cold. It was a village.

Or what was left of it.

I dismounted and slowly walked forward. My thoughts were erratic and I struggled to organize them. The small huts grouped together were smoldering. Thatched roofs charred black. As I looked, one fifty feet in front of me caved in. The village’s inhabitants were strewn over the red dirt, staining it darker. All ages and genders cut down as if they were nothing. I caught Rah’s angry expression as I looked around us. I tried not to look too closely or dwell on the poor villagers. Lyrah’s royal blue dress against the backdrop of black smoke, blood, and fire made my stomach churn. Her fingers rested on the short swords at her hips as we walked. Part of my brain remembered the countless lessons she’d had with my bear of a brother. She was only a few inches shorter, but gods she’d looked so slight in comparison.

Trauma response.

My mind was trying to pull me from the present as we ventured farther into the ransacked village. I shook my head. I needed to keep my wits about me. If I lost myself to panic and fear, it’d put the others in danger. We’d walked into a bad situation. We had no idea what had happened to these people and if the threat was still present. We may have a fight on our hands. There were only three of us. Rah was still learning and I had no idea if Suman could even fight. I didn’t doubt that I could do damage, but I was only one person.

“Kalian, we need to leave.” Rah whispered and I felt a light touch on the back of my arm. It pulled me to a stop. She was right. This was not our country. We had no power. I wasn’t even an emissary officially. I was basically a fancy chaperone. I took a deep breath and met her eyes. I nodded and saw her sigh in relief.

“Suman?” She called past me. I twisted to see the other man striding forward. The man didn’t acknowledge us. He was moving far quicker than we had been. Lyrah and I exchanged a glance before following him. Sounds started to reach my ears and my stomach filled with dread. Screams. The huts ended and when we broke out onto an open red plain, my heart stopped for a brief second. My blood had frozen earlier, now it boiled.

Suman was approaching a group of soldiers. Five total. A young girl stood in the circle of them as they shoved her around, jeering and laughing at the poor thing’s expense. She clutched a bundle to her chest and was sobbing and screaming. As Rah and I drew closer, I saw the tell tale silver armor, the black and silver surcoats. Dleth’s finest. Torturing its own citizens. How nice. One of the men had grown tired of the games and grabbed at the bundle while another grabbed for her arms.

This is when Suman reached them. He threw his hand out and the man holding her arms stilled and then collapsed backwards. I watched Suman’s long fingers dip into his hair and some of it fell down his back. His arm jerked harder this time and the one who’d wrenched the thing from her arms fell next. Suman rolled and caught the bundle before it could hit the ground.

Rah and I were frozen in place for the whole thing. My brain started working again when the three other men started moving. I went forward, but I wasn’t needed. Suman had reunited girl and bundle then met the men head on. He had a thin cord of some kind extended between his hands and twisted it around the first man’s neck as he side-stepped his sword. He pulled tight after he’d spun behind him. The man gripped at his throat, struggling as the cord pulled tight. He bent forward so hard that he lifted Suman off his feet. Another soldier rushed forward and I lifted my hand.

Suman slammed his feet together and kicked up. The kick connected with his new assailant’s chin and the man went limp. My hands dropped by my sides as all three men, including the prince, hit the ground. The remaining solider was trying to run and I threw up a wall. He ran into it headfirst hard enough to knock himself on his ass. Then he sat on the ground looking dazed as Rah made for him. My attention returned to Suman. His arms were extended over and behind his head. I watched him unwind the cord from around the man’s neck. Once that was done, he wrapped it around his wrist and it blended in with the bracelets he liked to wear. He jerked his foot and a short, black, blade was freed from the other’s soldier’s chin.

“Magik and you can fight. What else are you hiding from us?” My question was met with silence as he climbed to his feet, eyes only for the remaining soldier. He stalked forward and passed Rah. He hauled the man up, grin downright scary.

“Do you know who I am?”

“P-Prince Suman.”

“Yes! Good! Good!” Suman patted his cheek excitedly, “What happened here?”

“T-the little one. It has Magik. The villagers…”

Suman tutted and what had been patting turned into a hard smack, “Don’t stop now. What about the villagers?”

“They tried to protect it. They wouldn’t tell us which one.”

Suman’s head cocked to the side and he giggled, “Do you want to hear a story? It’s a good one. I promise.”

The man’s eyes were wide as his prince leaned closer, “My father tried to kill the king. I’m sure you know that right?”

The soldier looked at us, eyes wide with fear, “Please help me.”

Suman gripped his cheeks and forced his face back to him, “Stop that. I’m telling a story. You’re being rude. Anyway! He had an entire plan. Made it over years you see, and it would’ve worked, but grandpapa got wind of it. So! He tortured dear old daddy in front of the court for days. It was a big event. You just had to be there. Literally! Attendance was forced. I got to be there too, but I was too small to remember. I don’t remember, but this does. See?”

Suman held his fingers near the soldier’s head and a man’s pained screams filled the air around us. I covered my mouth and Rah wrapped her arms around her torso, shifting away from the men. Suman closed his hand and the noises stopped. The man was shaking, eyes closed as his lips moved in silent prayer.

“Pay attention now! I’m getting to the best part! Dad was still somehow coherent! So, Sumerion made him watch them butcher his whole family. Forced him to watch as they ripped little ol’ me from my mother’s arms and did away with her too! Then Sumerion made sure Dad knew I would be raised to be the perfect little heir. Then boom! Orphaned. Fun story, huh?” Suman’s hand opened and I covered my ears as different screams started. There was more than one voice this time. It almost reminded me of the Soul Eater. I could hear Sumerion’s familiar drone too and felt tears burn at the corners of my eyes. Then the specific words began to register. I whipped around. The teen was sitting on the ground, sobbing. Held to her chest…was a little girl in the same state.

A child. That’s why he’d reacted so suddenly, so violently. Why he’d exposed more of his hand. Had the whole scene dragged something up inside of him? He’d already made it obvious that he liked children more than adults. Suman reached back and a piece of hair that’d still been loosely secured on the side of his head fell. The black pieces. He held a thin, three inch spike in his hand. Suman traced the man’s cheekbone before cooing as he dragged it upward. I looked away when I saw that the clear goal was the man’s eye. Seconds later the screaming let me know I’d guessed right. It lasted longer than I was comfortable with.

Turning, I slowly walked to the two remaining villagers. The little one couldn’t have been more than two or three. The older one was maybe sixteen. She flinched as I crouched in front of them, “Are you hurt? Or is she?”

The girl stared at me, face tear-stained and terrified. She had ash brown hair, big brown eyes, and she wore the normal greys of Dleth. I lowered down to sit on my knees, “I know you’re scared. Can you tell me your name? I’m Kalian.”

“L-Laika.” I smiled and I saw her relax fractionally. Thankfully the screaming had stopped. I was faintly aware that Suman was wandering around. It took me a bit to register that he was pulling his hair spikes out of his victims. A shudder of revulsion tore through me when I noticed him resecuring his hair with them. There were smears of blood in his grey strands. He really was disturbing. He was creeping closer to Wren in my assessment. If he ate people, he may surpass him.

“Laikaa, do you know her name?” I motioned to the child.

“Eira.”

“Okay. Good. Are either of you hurt?” I smiled again, nodding reassuringly.

“No. H-her mother gave her to me and I ran. I tried to run. I did! They caught me. I tried…I did.” I winced when the tears started again. The teen rested a hand against her face as she sobbed. The toddler looked up at me with big sapphire eyes. She looked at the teen clutching her and her tiny nose scrunched.

“No, no it’s okay.”

The big blue eyes started to fill with tears.

“No, please. It’s going to be alright.”

She started sniffling and the tears began to overflow.

“Gods, no. No! Look! Look!” I held up my fingers, letting light form into butterflies and flutter between them. The little girl’s tears slowed and she hiccupped as she watched. I let one flap lightly above her head and she gave a toothy little smile.

“Kalian, we have to go. We’re so far behind schedule.” Lyah sighed, watching the light as well.

“We aren’t going to make it there tonight anyway. We’ll jump as far as I can and make camp.”

My cheek pressed against my raised knees. I had my arms wrapped around them and tried my best to keep my walls in my head up. I missed Talon, but I didn’t want to worry him. I was feeling needy and truthfully, I didn’t know what to do. We stumbled upon something we weren’t supposed to. It was lucky that neither Rah nor I had interfered, but we were still in a precarious situation. Sumerion was willing to kill entire villages to snuff out one Magik user. My brow furrowed as I looked down at the sleeping tot. It was her. I knew without Laika confirming it. Sparkling among those sapphire eyes were chips of gold. The teen didn’t know what the toddler could do, only that the village had been keeping her a secret because of it.

We were making a mistake leaving the Dlethian monarchy as is. Sumerion didn’t deserve power. He should have never had it to begin with and he’d been a king for decades. If he was willing to commit heinous, disgusting acts against his own family, I don’t know why it had shaken me so bad to see that it extended to his people as well. This wasn’t even the first time I’d seen it for myself. I thought back to Suman’s horrible admission earlier. His story. The sounds. I shuddered, holding myself tighter. The story had been filled in over time by other people, maybe Sumerion himself, but how awful must it have been to be the keeper of those sounds? To be a child and not know what the horrible noises were. Had he been old enough to remember what his parents and siblings sounded like? Hopefully, he’d repressed it.

I looked across the fire to where Suman lounged, seemingly unbothered by the day’s events. Rah had taken Laika into one of the tents earlier to try and see if she could coax the traumatized girl to get some rest. So it was only Suman and I. Sitting across from each other in silence. We’d been this way for hours. He wasn’t okay. Neither was I. The difference was that I didn’t have a problem admitting it. Suman wore a mask as much as Eon did. While Eon’s was blank stone, Suman’s was laughs and too bright smiles. The masks were never perfect, though. The eyes gave people away if you paid attention. Almost everyone, I had noticed as I’d gotten older, couldn’t completely dull the emotion in their eyes. Suman’s were clouded with something. His usual mirth was subdued. It was so subtle that anyone would miss it had they not been looking. As Wren had so lovingly reminded me, I paid attention to garbage like that.

“Were you alone often as a child?”

His head lifted and he smirked at me. His long legs were extended in front of him and he bounced one of his feet. It drew me back to earlier when he’d been fighting and a knife had sprung forth from his boot. Where else was he hiding weapons?

I had given up on his answer and rested my cheek on the top of my knees when he snorted inelegantly, “I am not Talon. I don’t want to snuggle and talk about our feelings. I am single-minded and I have been since I was old enough to realize what was taken from me. I will kill Sumerion. No more, no less.”

“Then what? What happens after that, Suman?” I let anger slip freely into my voice. How could this still be his only goal after what we’d witnessed today?

“I have never cared about the after. It doesn’t matter.” He shrugged. His eyes were lit a pale orange from the flames as he stared into the fire.

“You saved that girl today. You don’t think there will be countless more that won’t be as lucky if the country collapses? Innocent children who have everything, including their lives, taken from them?” I snapped, hands gripping my knees tight as my anger built.

“I don’t care about an-“

“Yes, I’ve heard it before. You don’t care about anyone else so long as you get out ahead of everything going to shit. If you didn’t care you wouldn’t have saved them today. You wouldn’t have fought for someone else.”

He’d still been smiling at me and it started to slip from his face, “I have no idea what you hope to accomplish with this discussion. You keep harping on me about the same thing and I am getting irritated.”

“You’re irritated? You are?” I stood and rounded the fire. Suman moved to stand slowly. Only a few feet separated us as I continued, “You’re intelligent, yet you’d have people believe you’re a fool. You are a skilled fighter and you won’t use your ability to defend those who are most vulnerable. These are your people. They didn’t take your family. They shouldn’t have to suffer for your grandfather’s cruelty!”

”While we’re on that topic, it’s been over twenty years! Are you waiting for an invitation? Or is it that you actually don’t have the guts to off Sumerion yourself?”

He stepped forward, gripping my collar as he looked down at me. His face contorted in a glare and vicious snarl, that reminded me of Talon as he growled, “Poor Kalian. He can’t convince someone to do what he wants so he throws a temper tantrum instead!”

“You can say whatever you want about me. I’m not the one who’s devoted my whole life to killing someone for the pain they caused me while I stand by and watch them do it to others. To thousands.” His grip tightened on my collar and I met his glare with one of my own. I felt panic and anger flare over the tether. I was slipping. I was too emotional to keep Talon out completely.

What’s going on? Kal?

What is going on? Kalian!

“You run your mouth a lot considering you’re here alone. No husband or sister-in-law right now.” Suman shook his free hand and I didn’t think, instinct made me move. He brought his arm up and I caught his wrist, jerking my head back. He now held a black-bladed knife, it’s sides curved to make it teardrop-shaped. It looked to be the size of Suman’s palm and had slid easily down his sleeve into it. I narrowed my eyes and his grin took on a sharp, unfriendly edge.

“Let’s get one thing straight,” I tightened my grip on his wrist and his grin faltered a touch, “I don’t need either of them or anyone. I never did.”

His other hand was moving. Spikes like the ones in his hair were between his fingers. It was like they’d appeared out of nowhere. I heated the hand around his wrist rapidly and added sharp points to the tips of my other hand’s fingers. Suman tried to flick the spikes forward and I stabbed the bright new claws through his palm while I scorched the skin on his wrist. He hit his knees. His smile was completely gone as he hissed in pain. I released him, spinning light around me before jumping a safe distance away. He pulled his arms to his chest, staring at me with wide eyes.

“I underestimated you. Quite a bit. I should’ve known when I couldn’t enhance your anger.”

“Don’t beat yourself up. It’s a common occurrence.” I mumbled as shadows collected thirty feet from me. I sighed and dropped the light from my fingers as rage that wasn’t my own roared through my head. Suman watched the shadows and cringed.

Talon emerged, eyes blazing and jaw tight. My least favorite dual-colored man stepped out behind him.

Great.