Omens

KAEL

Kael glared at the dim, dusty room around him.

Several odds and ends were scattered about the room—books stacked on chairs, herbs hanging from the ceiling—all with a fine layer of dust.

There were more cages inside as well, each holding an animal that peered at them quietly from between the wooden bars.

Cobwebs stretched out in between the odd baubles that hung from the ceiling. The fireplace by the wall was filled with ash.

The neglect in the hut was a clear sign of his mother’s worsening condition.

He could hear his mother muttering to herself from beyond a beaded curtain as she searched through her things.

“I shouldn’t have brought you here,” Kael grumbled. “I knew she was going to do this.”

Andra didn’t reply. She continued to scan the room, her bright green eyes taking everything in.

Hopefully she wasn’t getting any ideas…

The beads parted and Setora reemerged, a heavy book in her arms.

“I found it,” Setora announced with a smile. She shuffled to the table and set it down, pulling up another stool.

“It’s been many years since I’ve done this,” she said, gesturing for Andra to sit. “It helps to have a little bit of a reminder.”

“Is this really so important?” Kael asked irritably. “You said you’d teach her how to use her magic, not read her fortune.”

“Fortune?” Andra asked, sitting on the stool opposite Setora.

“I’m a witch, child. It’s part of what I do.”

Kael’s hands tightened into fists as he watched his mother. She was so frail. Her cracked and worn skin sagged with the weight of years that had not yet even come to pass.

The magic was taking a toll on her.

Setora held out her withered palms toward Andra.

Andra carefully placed her hand in the witch’s, but as soon as they made contact, Setora gasped and pulled back as if she’d been burnt.

Andra pulled back, her eyes wide with concern. “Are you okay?” she asked Setora.

Kael frowned at his mother in confusion, but she only smiled back as if she found something deeply amusing.

“Kael,” she said. “I think you should leave me and Andra to speak alone.”

“Why?” he asked sharply. “What happened?”

“It’s something between me and her,” his mother replied cryptically.

Andra looked up at him, uncertain.

He thought about it for a second before sighing and heading for the door. “Don’t scare her,” he warned.

“I can make no promises,” Setora said.

“I’ll be back by the time the two of you have finished,” Kael assured Andra. She nodded at him, and with a final nod, he stepped out into the light of day.

~“They’re going to be fine,”~ Eithne assured him. The dragon had been waiting for him outside. ~“If anyone can teach Andra magic, it will be Setora.”~

~“That’s partly what has me worried.”~ Kael hopped up onto Eithne, settling into the saddle. ~“To teach Andra magic, she’s going to have to use some herself, and…”~

~“You’re worried about her.”~

Kael felt Eithne’s compassion circle his mind with warmth.

Kael sighed, pushing the image of his aging mother from his mind. ~“Let’s go see what the others are up to.”~

***

Kael found Egan and Janis near the meadow, practicing aerial combat with their dragons. He watched Egan lead Janis through a few maneuvers, the more experienced Rider giving the other a few pointers.

“Remember to keep your legs tight against the saddle,” Egan called to him. “If you don’t, you’ll go flying off of your dragon and you’ll be easy pickings.”

They tried it again, Egan pushing his dragon Calix to hound Janis in the air. Janis and his dragon Tildin attempted the move, barrel-rolling in the air to try to get behind their pursuer.

But the pair faltered. Tildin stalled awkwardly in the air as Janis tried desperately to hold on before he was flung from his saddle.

~“Want to show them how it’s done?”~ Kael asked Eithne.

He could feel Eithne’s trepidation, sensing that he had an ulterior motive. ~“Kael…”~

~“It’ll be fine,”~ Kael insisted.

They took off into the sky toward the other two Sky Riders.

“Need a demonstration?” Kael called.

Janis looked over, nodding gratefully.

Kael and Egan locked eyes, and Kael knew that the other Rider could sense the challenge in his gaze. Without a word, Egan urged Calix to give chase, and Eithne obliged, flying away.

Kael braced himself as Eithne began to spin around in the sky. He had to fight gravity’s vicious grasp as it tried to hurl him from his seat.

There was a brief moment as Kael spun in the air, the world upside down, that he met Egan’s gaze. Kael pushed forward with his palm, a blast of wind slamming into Egan’s chest.

Egan was nearly hurled from his saddle, a curse flying from his lips.

~“Kael!”~ Eithne admonished.

“A Rider always has to be ready,” Kael mocked.

Egan adjusted himself, Calix spinning around in the air with a growl. “Well then I hope you’re ready for this.” He conjured a ball of flame in his hand.

Kael smirked, gathering the winds around him. It was about time that Egan was put in his place.

But before they could charge each other, Janis flew in between them. “Stop!” he yelled. “What is wrong with you two?”

“Ask him,” Egan spat at Kael.

“You know what this is about,” Kael glared at him. “You’d best keep your hands to yourself from now on.”

“Is this about the servant girl?” Egan barked out a dry laugh. “I was drunk and made a move. She didn’t like it. End of story.”

“She had to ~light herself on fire~ to stop you,” Kael hissed. “It’s hardly that simple.”

“Do you care that much for the servant girl?” Egan challenged. “Afraid that if you don’t order her to like you that she’ll choose someone else?”

Kael opened his mouth to retort, but found that words failed him. Egan waited for a response, but none came.

“Pathetic,” Egan said. “Our fearless leader.” He turned away, done with the conversation. “If you’re this indecisive with the rebellion, too, then we’re all doomed.” He took off, flying toward Bellris.

Janis stayed for a moment longer, deciding on what to do. “Thank you for the demonstration,” he said eventually, before following Egan.

~“Did that make you feel better?”~ Eithne asked sarcastically. ~“Actually, don’t answer that. I know exactly how you feel right now.”~

He felt like an idiot.

Eithne sighed, relenting. ~“You must learn to control your emotions, my West Wind. And before you can control them, you have to understand them.”~

Kael wondered at her words as the pair slowly descended to the field below.

That was easier said than done.

ANDRA

“It wasn’t easy, but I’m no stranger to hardship.”

Andra finished recounting her journey to Bellris from Judge Castigo’s manor. Setora had explained that it would help the fortune telling be more accurate.

The witch had been quiet as Andra spoke, her gray eyes—just like Kael’s—never straying. Setora held out her palms again with an unsettling smile. Andra hesitated.

“Are you sure?” she asked.

“You just surprised me last time,” Setora said. “Kael told me that you had a great magic about you, but I didn’t expect quite ~that~ much.”

Andra gently placed her hands into Setora’s.

~Great magic?~

~Me?~

“We all have magic in us,” Setora went on, sensing her doubt. “It is our very life force. Some people, like me, can’t access it the same way that Riders and sorcerers can. Witchcraft gives us access to our power, but it comes with a cost.”

She looked down at her withered hands, and Andra could only imagine what trials she’d had to go through.

“And then there are people like you.” Setora squeezed Andra’s hand. “Those with limitless potential.” The witch smiled. “But we’ll get to that another time. For now…”

The witch opened up Andra’s palm, reading the lines there. “Ah,” she said, tracing the scar on Andra’s palm that the arrow had left. “I knew something like this would make it difficult for me.”

She turned toward the thick tome placed on the table, flipping through some of the pages. “I suppose I will have to settle for only part of your future, as will you.”

She released the scarred hand, reading only from the other.

Andra leaned forward, suddenly eager as Setora began to trace a withered finger along the lines of her palm.

The witch paused, occasionally consulting the book, nodding when she confirmed something to herself.

The younger girl watched, fascinated as Setora seemed to read her palm just as easily as the words on the page, as if she were comparing two texts.

“Yes, I thought this was coming,” Setora said.

“What?”

“Here.” Setora traced two lines. “Your life intersected with someone who you’ve come to care about deeply.”

Andra’s heart fluttered as Talias’s face emerged in her mind.

“It is one of two major love lines that I can see,” Setora continued. “Here, the first line drops away from yours—”

“Why?” Andra interrupted.

“Palm readings can’t give that much detail.” Setora raised one thin shoulder in a shrug. “But the line falls away just as another crosses with yours…” Her voice faded away as she followed the line.

Andra watched as the witch’s finger traced the love lines, moving off the edge of her palm and toward where her other palm should have been.

“Alas, the scar has robbed us of that knowledge.” Setora moved on to a different line. “Ah, this is the mark of great strength and power,” she said. “You’ll be a leader, just like Kael.”

Andra was shaking her head before Setora even finished speaking. How could that be?

She thought of how Kael led the Freemen. She imagined having all that pressure on her shoulders, all those eyes on her…

She shuddered.

Setora’s fingers continued to explore her palm. The witch frowned suddenly as she traced over a small line.

“Ah. I suppose it should be expected for someone that is sheathed in destiny.”

“What is it?” Andra asked.

“Death.” Setora looked up at her, her eyes somber. “The death of someone very close to you. Someone you care about.”

Andra’s heart seemed to splutter to a stop. “Do…do you mean in the past?” Andra stuttered. “I’ve lost both my parents.”

“No,” Setora said, and Andra felt as if she’d been suddenly plunged into ice water. “This is certainly in the future. Yes, someone close to you will die. I suspect—”

Andra stood up, pulling her palm away from Setora’s grasp. “I’m sorry,” she said, panic making her stumble over her words. “But I’ve got to go.”

Andra turned and stumbled out of the door, ignoring Setora’s protests.

She slammed the door shut behind her, taking a deep breath of fresh air.

She had to get some space, away from the witch and her prophecies. Yet she knew that no matter how far she ran, she couldn’t escape her fate.

~Who will death take from me next?~