reclassifying every look he'd ever
given me, everything that had happened since I’d met him. Why he
didn’t look at me as I lay under the tree in the meadow, explaining
why Fannie had struck me. Why I wanted to learn transfer
magic… to get my mother’s
things . The look he gave the pendant on my
neck… my mother’s
pendant . Yes, of course he’d volunteered to
be my watcher. He was sure I needed a watcher. I had taken
everything from him.
My thoughts were beginning
to muddle as my mother and my dreams and my own life were twisting.
I still couldn’t retrieve my memories, I only had the last long
years, which seemed a haze now. Really, I only had the days since
Chevelle walked through Junnie’s door. I thought of how I had
cursed him when I found he was my watcher. The hate in my voice
when I demanded my memories back. The memories of his
family’s murder . My
mind writhed with anguish through the night. As I emerged from the
shelter late the next morning, I was resigned. I would continue my
journey with him and let him return me to the council for
sentencing without resistance.
I found him sitting on a rock facing the door
of the shelter a few feet away, distress apparent in his
features.
“ Thank you.” I indicated the
shelter with a tip of my head.
He nodded but his face
didn’t quite return to the serene mask it usually wore. My stomach
knotted and I realized I hadn’t eaten. He understood as I placed my
hand there, a fire lit beside the rock as he strode off to find
food. I sat close, warming myself as I waited for him to return. A
moment later, he was back and breakfast was roasting over the
flames. We ate in silence and mounted the horses as we had each day
before but it was obvious nothing was the same. How could it ever be? I was racked
with guilt as we made our way up the mountain. I rode behind him,
glad at least I could control my own horse now.
I paid more attention to our surroundings,
since it had become so uncomfortable to look at him. Small patches
of snow had started to appear and the vegetation was a darker
green. Occasionally the sun would break through the mist, making me
squint, and I would appreciate the calmer, hazier atmosphere.
Gloom, as they called it at home, in the usually sunny village
where I would spend my eternity. I wondered where I would be kept
as a captive, if there would be windows, if I was unfit for public
view.
He picked up speed after we passed through
the more difficult part of the trail and then we rode too fast the
rest of the day. I continuously struggled to keep up with him on
our rough path. I was sure I knew the cause of his hurry. He’d
decided he wanted to get this journey over with, end it and return
me to the council for my punishment, to be done with me.
We rode long into the evening, well past
sunset, and I wondered if he would stop at all. I was contemplating
possible ways to sleep on a horse when we finally stopped. We were
riding through a small pass, the moonlight barely lighting our way,
and Chevelle’s horse disappeared. My head swiveled, searching for
any sign of them, when my own horse turned beneath an overhang and
stopped beside his, so dark I hadn’t seen it until we were there.
Chevelle tossed a small flame, giving us enough light to dismount.
The horses walked to one corner as we stood in the other.
“ Frey.” Chevelle turned to
me as he spoke. “Yesterday… the council trackers…”
Trackers? I tried to focus on what he was saying and not let
my mind run wild with the new information.
“ They will send someone… for
what I have done.”
I thought of the councilman’s face, distorted
in pain.
“ We should continue your
training.”
“ Training?” I could hear the
dread in my question.
“ Practice. You should be
able to protect yourself.”
I remembered his words from
before the revelation that ended my magic lessons. Fighters . A chill ran down
my spine as I nodded in acceptance.
“ We will work again at
given me, everything that had happened since I’d met him. Why he
didn’t look at me as I lay under the tree in the meadow, explaining
why Fannie had struck me. Why I wanted to learn transfer
magic… to get my mother’s
things . The look he gave the pendant on my
neck… my mother’s
pendant . Yes, of course he’d volunteered to
be my watcher. He was sure I needed a watcher. I had taken
everything from him.
My thoughts were beginning
to muddle as my mother and my dreams and my own life were twisting.
I still couldn’t retrieve my memories, I only had the last long
years, which seemed a haze now. Really, I only had the days since
Chevelle walked through Junnie’s door. I thought of how I had
cursed him when I found he was my watcher. The hate in my voice
when I demanded my memories back. The memories of his
family’s murder . My
mind writhed with anguish through the night. As I emerged from the
shelter late the next morning, I was resigned. I would continue my
journey with him and let him return me to the council for
sentencing without resistance.
I found him sitting on a rock facing the door
of the shelter a few feet away, distress apparent in his
features.
“ Thank you.” I indicated the
shelter with a tip of my head.
He nodded but his face
didn’t quite return to the serene mask it usually wore. My stomach
knotted and I realized I hadn’t eaten. He understood as I placed my
hand there, a fire lit beside the rock as he strode off to find
food. I sat close, warming myself as I waited for him to return. A
moment later, he was back and breakfast was roasting over the
flames. We ate in silence and mounted the horses as we had each day
before but it was obvious nothing was the same. How could it ever be? I was racked
with guilt as we made our way up the mountain. I rode behind him,
glad at least I could control my own horse now.
I paid more attention to our surroundings,
since it had become so uncomfortable to look at him. Small patches
of snow had started to appear and the vegetation was a darker
green. Occasionally the sun would break through the mist, making me
squint, and I would appreciate the calmer, hazier atmosphere.
Gloom, as they called it at home, in the usually sunny village
where I would spend my eternity. I wondered where I would be kept
as a captive, if there would be windows, if I was unfit for public
view.
He picked up speed after we passed through
the more difficult part of the trail and then we rode too fast the
rest of the day. I continuously struggled to keep up with him on
our rough path. I was sure I knew the cause of his hurry. He’d
decided he wanted to get this journey over with, end it and return
me to the council for my punishment, to be done with me.
We rode long into the evening, well past
sunset, and I wondered if he would stop at all. I was contemplating
possible ways to sleep on a horse when we finally stopped. We were
riding through a small pass, the moonlight barely lighting our way,
and Chevelle’s horse disappeared. My head swiveled, searching for
any sign of them, when my own horse turned beneath an overhang and
stopped beside his, so dark I hadn’t seen it until we were there.
Chevelle tossed a small flame, giving us enough light to dismount.
The horses walked to one corner as we stood in the other.
“ Frey.” Chevelle turned to
me as he spoke. “Yesterday… the council trackers…”
Trackers? I tried to focus on what he was saying and not let
my mind run wild with the new information.
“ They will send someone… for
what I have done.”
I thought of the councilman’s face, distorted
in pain.
“ We should continue your
training.”
“ Training?” I could hear the
dread in my question.
“ Practice. You should be
able to protect yourself.”
I remembered his words from
before the revelation that ended my magic lessons. Fighters . A chill ran down
my spine as I nodded in acceptance.
“ We will work again at
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