Brit.” Flanna laughs. “We went from living a simple life, surviving off the land, enjoying a time of relative peace, and then we had nothing. Missing a meal was not in our nature. So when scouts went out and had an opportunity to bring home an animal, the prospect of dinner was more important.”
“Until they brought home shifters,” Arland says. “There is nothing worse than your food coming back from the dead and attacking you. So many of our people starved from fear.”
Scooting down, Flanna makes room for her cousin and tips her head toward the empty spot next to me.
“I will stand with the men tonight. The three of you should rest so you can take next shift.” He offers me his hand. “May I speak to you for a moment?”
“Of course.” I take his hand, ignoring Brit and Flanna’s ooh’s. They’re like a couple of schoolgirls. But I love them for their consistently bright spirits … well, at least their spirits are consistent when we’re not near the caves.
Arland leads me from the site, into the forest and away from the dim, orange firelight. He scans the darkness, his sweaty hand clasped around mine.
“What’s wrong?”
“There may be a lot of nights like this one, a lot of nights where I stand with the soldiers while you rest, and then times you stand and I rest. I am worried about your dreams, your visions. Will you be able to endure them without tears?”
Tugging my hand away from his, I cross my arms over my chest. “Are you afraid I’m going to endanger our people?”
He reaches for me, but I back away.
“I am not concerned you will endanger our people; I worry you will make them afraid . Visions are powerful. If any one of these people gets the idea you are a Seer, and they witness you crying, they may lose hope.”
I’m not sure his explanation makes me any happier. Everything I’ve done has been for these people. The meaning of my existence on this planet and the one I left has been solely to bring Light to this land. Why would I do anything to jeopardize that? Or why would a dream I wouldn’t have to explain to anyone affect their hope?
I am hope. Arland and I are hope. He and I together are hope.
I know Griandor said I could still fail, but I don’t plan to, and I don’t plan to be afraid to sleep near people because of my visions.
“You have misunderstood me.” Arland reaches for me again, and this time I allow him to wrap his arms around me.
I don’t care how angry I am with him; his touch always soothes me. “I think I understood you quite well.”
Rubbing his hands up and down my back, he laughs. “I worry for you, also. I do not want you to lose hope. You have already experienced how the future can change. Try to remember that if you have a vision while I am not sleeping next to you.”
“Is this what married life is always going to be like for us?”
“Like what?”
I clasp my hands behind him and pull him closer. “On the run, sleeping on the ground, never having any privacy … you know, things normal people don’t have to worry about.”
“We will overcome this and then we will have our party with the sun.”
“Promise?”
Arland kisses the top of my head. “Promise.”
“Kate, wake up.” Flanna pushes her fingers into my shoulder, raising me from a dreamless sleep.
Do I really want to open my eyes? I don’t even remember when I closed them. The last thing I remember is talking with Brit and Flanna about our experiences in the Crossing Caves—apparently, my sister remained unaffected—but I must have dozed off a long time ago; my body aches from resting on the ground. I already miss my bed. What I wouldn’t give to have Arland’s arms around me right now. One more moment of a normal life. Well, as normal as life can get in Encardia.
“Kate.” Arland touches my cheek with the back of his fingers. “You have to wake up. Now .”
Releasing my magic, I bolt to my feet and look around. The fire no longer burns. Some soldiers gather
“Until they brought home shifters,” Arland says. “There is nothing worse than your food coming back from the dead and attacking you. So many of our people starved from fear.”
Scooting down, Flanna makes room for her cousin and tips her head toward the empty spot next to me.
“I will stand with the men tonight. The three of you should rest so you can take next shift.” He offers me his hand. “May I speak to you for a moment?”
“Of course.” I take his hand, ignoring Brit and Flanna’s ooh’s. They’re like a couple of schoolgirls. But I love them for their consistently bright spirits … well, at least their spirits are consistent when we’re not near the caves.
Arland leads me from the site, into the forest and away from the dim, orange firelight. He scans the darkness, his sweaty hand clasped around mine.
“What’s wrong?”
“There may be a lot of nights like this one, a lot of nights where I stand with the soldiers while you rest, and then times you stand and I rest. I am worried about your dreams, your visions. Will you be able to endure them without tears?”
Tugging my hand away from his, I cross my arms over my chest. “Are you afraid I’m going to endanger our people?”
He reaches for me, but I back away.
“I am not concerned you will endanger our people; I worry you will make them afraid . Visions are powerful. If any one of these people gets the idea you are a Seer, and they witness you crying, they may lose hope.”
I’m not sure his explanation makes me any happier. Everything I’ve done has been for these people. The meaning of my existence on this planet and the one I left has been solely to bring Light to this land. Why would I do anything to jeopardize that? Or why would a dream I wouldn’t have to explain to anyone affect their hope?
I am hope. Arland and I are hope. He and I together are hope.
I know Griandor said I could still fail, but I don’t plan to, and I don’t plan to be afraid to sleep near people because of my visions.
“You have misunderstood me.” Arland reaches for me again, and this time I allow him to wrap his arms around me.
I don’t care how angry I am with him; his touch always soothes me. “I think I understood you quite well.”
Rubbing his hands up and down my back, he laughs. “I worry for you, also. I do not want you to lose hope. You have already experienced how the future can change. Try to remember that if you have a vision while I am not sleeping next to you.”
“Is this what married life is always going to be like for us?”
“Like what?”
I clasp my hands behind him and pull him closer. “On the run, sleeping on the ground, never having any privacy … you know, things normal people don’t have to worry about.”
“We will overcome this and then we will have our party with the sun.”
“Promise?”
Arland kisses the top of my head. “Promise.”
“Kate, wake up.” Flanna pushes her fingers into my shoulder, raising me from a dreamless sleep.
Do I really want to open my eyes? I don’t even remember when I closed them. The last thing I remember is talking with Brit and Flanna about our experiences in the Crossing Caves—apparently, my sister remained unaffected—but I must have dozed off a long time ago; my body aches from resting on the ground. I already miss my bed. What I wouldn’t give to have Arland’s arms around me right now. One more moment of a normal life. Well, as normal as life can get in Encardia.
“Kate.” Arland touches my cheek with the back of his fingers. “You have to wake up. Now .”
Releasing my magic, I bolt to my feet and look around. The fire no longer burns. Some soldiers gather
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