array of foreign noises echoed from the thicket of the jungle. Vines crawled along the ground, up textured trunks, and hung from their massive branches.
“The jungle’s amazing,” Zanya said.
“I spend a lot of time hiking through the foothills.” He approached a towering tree and rested against the smooth surface of its trunk. “There are temples you might like to see. They carry a lot of the history of the Riyata.”
“Really?” The possibility of exploring had always been completely out of reach. In fact, the possibility of anything outside the cement walls of the orphanage seemed almost unreal. “I’d like that.”
From his lost, distant gaze, it was obvious his mind was wandering. His eyes seemed sad…searching.
Tara used to carry the same sadness, mostly visible in the deep lines around her eyes as she gazed out the institution windows.
Zanya had always mourned all of the years lost in that place, but she tried to keep it hidden from Tara. She had to be strong, even if she spent countless nights silently crying. They had both sacrificed so much.
Arwan rubbed the back of his neck, as if his mind had snapped back to the moment. “Come on. We should get back.” He gestured to the sky. “A storm is on its way.”
She tilted her face toward dark rainclouds brewing overhead. “Right. Wouldn’t want to get caught in a torrential downpour.”
On their way back to the house, the winds picked up, carrying her hair every which way. “So, what do you know about the stone? I want to learn more about it. I’ve only ever seen it in my dreams.”
“I only know the common knowledge. Most Riyata know the history, but only the guardian knows everything.”
“I guess I have a lot to learn.”
“The sooner you learn, the sooner we can get started.”
Her eyebrows knitted together. “Get started with what?”
He examined her with that same familiarity in his eyes. She shifted her weight.
“We’ve been waiting for a long time to find you. Meanwhile, the other side has been at work. We’ve lost a lot of time already, and they know it.”
“They? Who are they?”
Arwan strode for a moment in silence. “It’s better if you wait until the seeker arrives, like Renato said. I’m sure you’ll learn all about it when the time is right.” He tightened his jaw as if the words had left a bitter taste over his tongue.
“You don’t really believe that, do you?”
“Whether I do or not, it’s not up to me. Renato and I have different views, but I trust him. He’s yet to steer us wrong.”
“Yeah. He seems to think he’s everyone’s keeper.” She huffed. “What’s the deal with that, anyway?”
“Renato has led entire armies in this cause. Over the years he’s watched countless men and women die to protect the stone. So if he comes across that way, it’s because he is. He’s our keeper, and we would all follow him into battle—even to the death.”
Zanya sucked in a sharp breath. This was all much bigger than she thought. Bigger than both of them—than all of them. “It’s still hard to believe this is real.”
“Have some faith in yourself. We have faith in you.”
She swallowed against a dry throat. “Yeah.” She laughed, more from anxiety than anything. “I’m starting to get that. I don’t understand how Renato is so confident in me, though. He doesn’t even know me. Not really.”
“He believes in you because he believed in your mother.”
The black and white photo of her mother flashed through her mind. She looked so strong. So capable. Zanya had always wanted to be that person. She wanted to be so much more than a crazy orphan. “Do you really believe I can be like her?”
“Maybe this is another point Renato and I don’t completely agree on.”
“What do you mean?”
He dropped his gaze, sending strands of raven black hair to fall over his high cheekbones. His dark eyes searched the air as if he were searching for the right words. “I believe people are who
“The jungle’s amazing,” Zanya said.
“I spend a lot of time hiking through the foothills.” He approached a towering tree and rested against the smooth surface of its trunk. “There are temples you might like to see. They carry a lot of the history of the Riyata.”
“Really?” The possibility of exploring had always been completely out of reach. In fact, the possibility of anything outside the cement walls of the orphanage seemed almost unreal. “I’d like that.”
From his lost, distant gaze, it was obvious his mind was wandering. His eyes seemed sad…searching.
Tara used to carry the same sadness, mostly visible in the deep lines around her eyes as she gazed out the institution windows.
Zanya had always mourned all of the years lost in that place, but she tried to keep it hidden from Tara. She had to be strong, even if she spent countless nights silently crying. They had both sacrificed so much.
Arwan rubbed the back of his neck, as if his mind had snapped back to the moment. “Come on. We should get back.” He gestured to the sky. “A storm is on its way.”
She tilted her face toward dark rainclouds brewing overhead. “Right. Wouldn’t want to get caught in a torrential downpour.”
On their way back to the house, the winds picked up, carrying her hair every which way. “So, what do you know about the stone? I want to learn more about it. I’ve only ever seen it in my dreams.”
“I only know the common knowledge. Most Riyata know the history, but only the guardian knows everything.”
“I guess I have a lot to learn.”
“The sooner you learn, the sooner we can get started.”
Her eyebrows knitted together. “Get started with what?”
He examined her with that same familiarity in his eyes. She shifted her weight.
“We’ve been waiting for a long time to find you. Meanwhile, the other side has been at work. We’ve lost a lot of time already, and they know it.”
“They? Who are they?”
Arwan strode for a moment in silence. “It’s better if you wait until the seeker arrives, like Renato said. I’m sure you’ll learn all about it when the time is right.” He tightened his jaw as if the words had left a bitter taste over his tongue.
“You don’t really believe that, do you?”
“Whether I do or not, it’s not up to me. Renato and I have different views, but I trust him. He’s yet to steer us wrong.”
“Yeah. He seems to think he’s everyone’s keeper.” She huffed. “What’s the deal with that, anyway?”
“Renato has led entire armies in this cause. Over the years he’s watched countless men and women die to protect the stone. So if he comes across that way, it’s because he is. He’s our keeper, and we would all follow him into battle—even to the death.”
Zanya sucked in a sharp breath. This was all much bigger than she thought. Bigger than both of them—than all of them. “It’s still hard to believe this is real.”
“Have some faith in yourself. We have faith in you.”
She swallowed against a dry throat. “Yeah.” She laughed, more from anxiety than anything. “I’m starting to get that. I don’t understand how Renato is so confident in me, though. He doesn’t even know me. Not really.”
“He believes in you because he believed in your mother.”
The black and white photo of her mother flashed through her mind. She looked so strong. So capable. Zanya had always wanted to be that person. She wanted to be so much more than a crazy orphan. “Do you really believe I can be like her?”
“Maybe this is another point Renato and I don’t completely agree on.”
“What do you mean?”
He dropped his gaze, sending strands of raven black hair to fall over his high cheekbones. His dark eyes searched the air as if he were searching for the right words. “I believe people are who
Similar Books
