Shifting Light

CHAPTER THREE: THE CURSE

  Allison laughed as Sierra struggled with the twine. “It’s like this, Sierra.” She stood up and walked over to where Sierra sat on the ground, surrounded by twine, leather, and beads.

  Sashe smiled as she watched them. She liked being at Allison’s house. It was smaller than her own, and it was cozy and comfortable. A heady scent of leather always hung in the air since her parents worked with animal skins. Her mother made jewelry, and Allison was teaching them how to make different kinds of jewelry. Natalia thought they didn’t need the skill, but the girls wanted something to do today since their tutor was in Renaul for the week.

  “How long have you been doing this?” Sierra asked.

  Allison shrugged. “Ever since I can remember.” She brushed her short brown hair from her face. She’d cut it herself two weeks ago at Sierra and Sashe’s house. When Allison’s mother had come to take her home, she’d spent half an hour yelling about how Allison would never get a suitor looking like a boy and she would wear her hair long in public no matter how tired she got from constantly using her magic. Allison didn’t, of course, showing off her short hair as soon as she got the chance.

  Sashe thought the style was perfect for Allison’s face. Any suitor who rejected her because of her haircut didn’t deserve her.

  “Well, you’re great at it,” Sierra said, watching Allison’s nimble fingers work with the twine.

  Sashe looked down at the bracelet Allison had made her a year ago. It was braided leather with bits of black beads woven in. She ran her fingers over the hard materials, smiling. “I want to make stuff like this someday.”

  “You will.” Allison smiled at her. “I’m a great teacher.”

  “I don’t know,” Sierra said with a smirk. “I’ve been here for an hour, and this is what I’ve managed.” She held up a braid made from twine.

  “It’s nice,” Allison said, putting a hand on her arm.

  Sierra rolled her eyes. “For a four-year-old, maybe.”

  Allison’s mother, Kara, walked in, wiping her hands onto her apron. Oily brown liquid came off. “Having fun in here?”

  “I’m talentless, but yes, I’m having fun,” Sierra said.

  “How could you not when Allison and I are here?” Sashe asked, grinning.

  The door opened, and Allison’s father rushed into the front room. “Tisha and Niculai are coming.”

  Kara’s face drained of blood. “What? Here?”

  “Who are Tisha and Niculai?” Sashe asked, glancing around at the wide eyes and horrified looks of Allison’s family.

  “Protectors,” Allison whispered. She had dropped her leather and was staring at her parents with her mouth hanging open.

  Sashe gasped. She stood up from her spot on the ground. “Protectors? What are they doing here?”

  “Get in Allison’s room,” Allison’s father, Lyle, demanded. “Now. Don’t come out, no matter what you hear.”

  “But Father—” Allison began.

  Sashe grabbed Sierra’s arm. “Come on.” She tugged on Allison’s sleeve, too.

  “Just stay in there,” Lyle said, his hand on Allison’s back as he walked them back to her bedroom.

  “I don’t understand, what are they going to do?” Sierra asked, fear in her voice.

  “I don’t know, but I don’t want them to see you.” Lyle shut the door, leaving them in Allison’s bedroom.

  Allison’s room only had one window, and a tree stood right outside of it, blocking much of the sun. She lit a candle, shedding more light on their shocked, scared faces. “Don’t worry,” Allison whispered. “We’ll be able to hear them talk if we’re quiet.”

  That wasn’t what Sashe was worried about. Sierra’s hand found Sashe’s. Allison sat down and put her ear to the door. Sierra and Sashe eased on to the ground next to her, all three of them huddled close to the door. Shuffling footsteps and the lowered voices of Allison’s parents were all Sashe could hear.

  The front door creaked open, and Sashe held her breath. Low voices met her ears as they all exchanged greetings. Niculai’s voice was higher, Tisha’s more gruff. They moved closer to the door as they sat around a table.

  “I’m surprised to see both of you here,” Lyle said, “in the house of an Avialie.”

  “We needed to talk to you,” Tisha said. “We have an offer.”

  “What kind of offer?” Kara asked.

  “The Avialies have gotten beyond our control,” Tisha replied. “The attack in Renaul was completely barbaric, and we had to defend ourselves—”

  Lyle raised his voice. “Defend yourselves? They were there to lobby to the king, and you slaughtered them!”

  “They were not lobbying the king,” Tisha replied, “and you know it. They were searching for Protectors. We lost two men before we ever found out what was going on—”

  A chair scraped across the ground. Lyle said something; Sashe thought it might have been “Lies.”

  “Tell that to Sir Kline’s family,” Niculai said. “We did what we had to to keep our men safe. We told the Avialies to stay out of Renaul, and they storm the castle? What were we supposed to do, let them kill us all?”

  “You killed family members of ours,” Kara said.

  Somebody mumbled something, and a loud bang made Sashe jump, squeezing Sierra’s hand. Her heart hammered against her chest. What was that? Lyle and Kara needed to be careful. If Tisha and Niculai had killed two dozen people, then they could certainly hurt one family.

  “Please, stop!” Kara said, her voice bordering on desperation. “What do you want? Why did you come here?”

  “I came to ask for help,” Tisha replied. “We cannot control the Avialies by ourselves.”

  Lyle spoke so quietly Sashe had to lean against the door to hear his voice. “. . .came here to ask me to turn against my family? Are you crazy?”

  “You know many Avialies in town,” Tisha said as another chair scraped along the floor, “and you have influence. If you could speak to them, convince them to leave Haltar—”

  “This is our home. We’re not leaving.”

  “The Protectors are worried about the safety of our people,” Niculai said. Footsteps shuffled back and forth. “You know Avialies are irrational sometimes, and you can speak reason to them.”

  “We aren’t dangerous,” Kara said. “We’ve lived in peace with non-magical folk for years! Centuries, millennia!”

  “You are looking at a much different history if you think that,” Niculai said with a scoff.

  “I think it’s time for you to leave,” Lyle said.

  There was silence for a moment. Sashe looked at Sierra and Allison, who were listening with wide eyes.

  “I beg you to reconsider, Lyle,” Tisha finally broke the silence. “For your family’s sake. For your daughter’s sake.”

  Sashe stared at Allison, who had gone white.

  “What does my daughter have to do with this?” Lyle asked.

  “I’m sure you heard the rumors about the curse,” Tisha said. “They are true.”

  Sashe’s brow furrowed. Curse?

  There were sobs on the other side of the door, then murmured voices. “Why?” Kara asked, raising her voice. “Why would you do something like this?”

  “We know you feel as though you’re not a danger, but that’s exactly why we have to do something,” Tisha replied. “You would have kept breeding with each other, spurring on violence and wars. It will be easier this way, for all of us. You will be out of your misery, and—”

  There was a scuffle, and Kara yelled something. Allison reached for the doorknob, but Sashe grabbed her from behind. “No,” she whispered.

  “Let me—”

  Sashe put her hand over Allison’s mouth. “Be quiet or they’ll hear us.”

  Allison struggled against her, but she was so small for a fifteen-year-old and she didn’t have Sashe’s strength.

  “Stop it!” Kara yelled suddenly.

  The other
room fell silent, and Allison stopped struggling. Something wet hit Sashe’s hand, and Allison’s body started shaking in sobs against her. “Shhh,” Sashe said into her hair, “it’s okay, Allie.”

  “Get out,” Lyle demanded.

  “I will give you one last chance. If you refuse, we will be forced to take that which is most precious to you.”

  Lyle said something. Sashe didn’t hear him, but Sierra’s eyes widened, and she looked at Sashe.

  There were shuffling footsteps, and the front door opened and closed. Sashe slowly let go of Allison’s mouth, and she collapsed into sobs in front of her. Sashe wrapped her arms around her friend, stroking her hair back. “It’s okay, Allie, they’re gone.”

  “No, no, you don’t understand,” she said through shuddering breaths. “The curse. . .the curse. . .”

  “What curse?” Sierra whispered. “What is it?”

  “A Thieran curse.” Allie moaned, her shoulders shaking. “We can’t have children. Avialie women can’t have children.”

  Sashe and Sierra stared at one another as Sashe absentmindedly stroked Allie’s hair back. Allie’s door opened, hitting Sierra in the shoulder. She scuttled back as Allie jumped to her feet. She ran into her father’s arms, and he hugged her tightly. After a moment, Allie broke away and ran into the front room. Sashe heard her sobbing with Kara a few feet away.

  Lyle looked at Sashe and Sierra.

  “What does she mean?” Sashe asked, her mouth dry. “About the curse? Avialie women won’t be able to get pregnant?”

  “No, they will. But their bodies will turn on the child and kill it before it can be born. Same for women who aren’t Avialies but who have Avialie children.” His voice was flat and dead. “You should wait here until I know Tisha and Niculai are far.” He closed the door and walked into the front room. Kara and Allison’s sobs were muffled through the closed door, but Sashe could still hear them, each one making her ache.

  She crawled over to Sierra, who was leaning against Allison’s bed.

  “Lyle said if Tisha tried to hurt Allison or Kara, he’d kill him,” Sierra whispered.

  Sashe wrapped her arm around Sierra’s shoulders. They sat in stunned silence for a moment. “It’s okay,” Sashe said. “We’re not Avialies.”

  Sierra stared at her, her mouth hanging open, her eyes squinted in disgust.

  Sashe swallowed and licked her lips. “That didn’t come out right.”

  Sierra hugged her knees to her chest. “You’re saying we should be grateful.”

  “No, I’m not. I. . .” Sashe’s voice broke. “I don’t know.”

  Sierra leaned into Sashe. “I am, though. Does that make me a bad person?”

  “I don’t know,” Sashe repeated. “It’ll be our secret, okay?”

  “Okay.”