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“Where is she!” Von demanded. “What have you done to her!”
Mirra was taken aback by his accusation. “I have done nothing to her.”
“Then why is she gone? You must have said something to her. What did you say?” he demanded.
Shuron stepped between them. He looked at Von and placed a hand on his shoulder. “Von, calm yourself. You will not get anywhere in the state you are in. Let Mirra explain what happened.”
He kept staring at her for a couple of more seconds before turning around and starting to pace.
“We were just talking when she mentioned that she did not want to get anyone hurt, especially you, Von. I did not want to mention how I had a vision last night, but she insisted on knowing.”
“What is this vision, Mirra?”
She hesitated. She looked over at Von, who was still pacing. Shuron moved and blocked her view of him when she wasn’t quick to reply.
“Tell us about your vision,” he encouraged in a soft, mild tone.
“I do not know when this vision was accruing. I saw her in a cave. There must be something in the cave that is able to break the seal of the crystal and release the power within it because I saw her absorbing the magic.”
“And, you just let her go on her own to find this cave? You did not even bother to tell us about this,” Von said, getting even more upset.
“The both of you were sound asleep.”
“And, whose fault is that for making sure we would not awake until now?” Von said in an accusing tone while gathering up his pack of supplies.
“Where are you going?”
“I am going to go and find her and then bring her back. She could not have gone that far.”
“Von, wait!” she said and grabbed his hand. “I only saw her in the cave. No one else. She must do this alone. I have looked and she will not be in any danger going there.”
He pulled his hand from her grasp and started to go when Shuron stopped him. Von turned, ready for a fight.
Shuron held up his hands in a truce. “When you find her, let her make the decision of coming back or going forward.” Shuron placed his hand on Von’s shoulder when he was about to protest. “I did not say anything the first time you entranced her into siding with us, but I should have done so the second time.”
“She needs to be protected for herself and for all of our sakes.”
“I know that far better than anyone, Von. I am responsible for all of us and I too do not want to see her harmed. What you are doing is not the right way. If she ever found out what you did to her, do you think she will trust you, or anyone of us, ever again? Though I have only known her for a short period of time, I believe she will do the right thing when the time comes. Just as I trust in your ability to protect her.”
“She has come to mean a lot to me, Shuron. I have no confidence.”
“That is when you need it the most.” Shuron extended his arm to him. “Good hunting, brother.”
Von extended his arm and grasped his. “Good hunting.”
He turned and left. Shuron stopped Mirra when she started to follow.
“Let go. If you are not going to go with him, I will.”
“No, Mirra. I think you have done enough. We will head back to the closest clan where I will gather a few scouts and follow him,” he said as he walked quickly away while pulling her with him.
“I want to go too.”
“That will not be possible.”
“Why not? I have been on scouting missions before.”
“Your skills are not what I am concerned about. It is your judgment that is clouded and of no use to us.”
She pulled away and moved in front of him, forcing him to stop. “I have done nothing wrong. I just told her what I saw in my vision. She chose to go. I did not force her.”
He just looked at her with disappointment and walked around her. She was shocked. She had never seen him like this before. He had always reasoned or argued with her when they had any disagreements, but he had never given her the silent treatment.
“What? Say it!”
He stopped for a minute, turned and walked back. “Did it ever occur to you that your vision might have been compromised?”
“That is not possible.”
He lifted one brow and said, “You know as well as I do that it is very possible. You also know that we do not react in haste at any visions especially one so important and dangerous, until there is a ritual cleansing when your mind is cleared of all impurities.”
She backed away from him, not wanting to hear anymore. “You do not need to tell me what I already know.”
“Are you sure of that because if that is true, Von and Cassiea would not be risking their lives right now.”
“I am trying to save his life!”
“No, Mirra! You were not! You where being foolish and selfish. You are jealous of her and hate the fact that he loves her and not you. And when the opportunity came to get rid of her, you grabbed it without thinking about the consequence.”
“That is not true. I may not like her or like the fact that he will die because of her, but I have done nothing except help.”
“If you will not admit to what is wrong, then there is no need for me to say anything more.”
He turned and walked away. She called out to him, but he kept on moving. She ran up to him and again stopped him from moving forward.
“Fine. I will say it. I am jealous of her. I do hate the fact that he loves her instead of me. You don’t know what it is like to see the person you love with someone else. It hurts.”
“I know.” She looked at him in surprise. “I have watched you since childhood following Von around and I was unable to do anything about it. I bullied him because I was so jealous, but that did not work. It just made it worse because I have to see the person that I love choose to be with my blood brother rather than me.”
“Why have you not said anything?”
“Would it have made any difference?”
She looked away, not able to look at him anymore. Her action and silence told him everything.
“We have wasted enough time. My advice Mirra, once we are in one of the campsites, is to take the time to do the ritual cleansing.”