The Kuthun by S.A. Carter Page B

Jo and slowly reach for my necklace. I see him shake his head. I make contact.

    I find myself outside the tepee. The air is crisp and fresh and the underlying smell of mint and herbs fills my nose with familiarity. I exhale and feel some of my anger leave me. Why did I come here? Just when I consider whether or not I should knock I hear Taqôq Wiyon’s voice speaking to me from within the tepee.
    ‘Come, come,’ he says calmly.
    I walk in, noticing that everything is just as it was last time, except that Isabella is no longer here. He beckons me in with a wave of his hand and I take a seat on the mat across from him. I try to make myself comfortable but my remaining anger prevents me from relaxing completely.
    He stares at me before speaking. ‘Time important,’ he says simply. ‘You need to understand.’
    ‘Understand what?’ I frown.
    He grins at me, showing off the deep lines around his mouth. ‘Everything!’ he answers while making an arc with his hand through the air.
    I smile thoughtfully and nod. ‘Yes, I understand,’ I say.
    Taqôq Wiyon has a presence about him that feels like home. He exudes warmth and understanding, compassion and wisdom. Rare qualities that are not often found in people these days. His presence calms me.
    I gesture towards where Isabella lay previously. ‘Where is Isabella?’
    ‘Better. Healing,’ he says. He begins to shake his medicine stick slowly.
    The smoke from the fire starts to build within the tepee and amongst the haze I see shapes taking form. Tendrils of smoke are whipping their way back and forth across the ceiling and through it I can make out the faint outlines of a horse, eagle and bear. Behind them another animal comes walking forward, its pace slow and graceful. As it nears its features become clear and my eyes widen in surprise.
    The animal walking towards me is none other than Magi. At least…I think it’s Magi? I watch her walk towards me on a pathway of air, revelling in her beauty. Her amber eyes are sparkling with magic and her coat is throwing off a midnight-black sheen. She looks just the same as she does now but somehow more powerful, more ethereal. My tongue is caught in my throat. I look at Taqôq Wiyon, who is smiling.
    ‘Yes, yes. You two are one,’ he says, while gently shaking his stick back and forth.
    I don’t know what to say. What does he mean? ‘I…I don’t understand,’ I say confused.
    ‘Look,’ he says pointing to Magi. ‘Look.’
    I focus on the vision before me. I see Magi standing underneath a full moon, the light of which makes her appear otherworldly. Across from her stands a woman. I can’t quite make out her features as they aren’t clear, but she is glowing. The colours of her aura are swirling all around her, blowing her long, dark hair away from her face. She is standing beneath the sun, the light engulfs her with its brilliance and she raises her arms to it in worship. The sun and moon move across the sky to one another until they are just touching—like two halves of one whole. The woman reaches out and touches Magi’s head. They both look in my direction, staring into beyond. I see the blood of the woman intertwining with the blood of Magi and my body shudders with understanding. The vision starts to fade.
    I stay still, head down, replaying the scene out in my mind. Could it be what I think it means? Am I the woman? Something about it resonates with me on a deep level. I feel the warmth of truth within me.
    ‘The woman is me?’ He nods. ‘And I am a sun worshipper?’
    ‘Yes. Ray of Sun,’ he replies.
    The meaning of my name
. This is all starting to make more sense. I think back to the vision again. ‘And Magi and I are connected, by blood?’ I ask.
    He nods again. ‘Yes. She protect you.’
    My hands find their way from my lap to my knees. ‘Wait, what do you mean protect me?’
    ‘I join you,’ he says, patting his chest and grinning.
    My eyes fall to the fire and I take a moment to try and