Breakthrough
Lying in bed, I searched the grounds for one of the few people I couldn't read. It took only a moment to find Avis reading in the gardens, encircled by a large protective bubble. I had been right to think that Micha had been too easy; Avis's bracelet was much stronger and gave him a larger area that pushed me away.
But I had done it with Micha, and I would do it with Avis, too. He had read my thoughts for years and it was finally time to even the odds.
Over and over again, I sent my thread out to him, testing all sides of the impenetrable space and meeting resistance at every step. After a while, I could sense he was amused at my attempts; he could sense my effort and relished that I was finally making progress.
I realized if I could sense him sensing me, then I was getting somewhere. I continued to prod and push until he was outright laughing, and the wall slowly began to wear away. I was doing it, though I wasn't entirely sure how; his thoughts were becoming exposed.
Even with the small glimpse I could get, Avis's memories and thoughts flooded down the thread like a tsunami wave, slamming into me with enough force that I shot up out of bed. He had several lifetimes worth, from his own years and those of the people he'd read. I could start to visualize where he grew up, his experiences at school, why he hated Lheda, and why he had been so cryptic during our years together. As the wall of the charm was slowly worn away, Avis began to make a lot more sense.
He had been plucked from a small village in Hurgada, hungry and desperate-as most Hurgadans were back then. He was raised in a house that was remarkably even more tattered than my own; it was a marvel they had been able to live there at all. His mother and younger sister survived only because he was picked up by a Tracer to attend school, though his time there was difficult. He was the first Reader at Myxini, and without a mentor to guide him, he spent a decade teaching himself to effectively read the thoughts of others.
Lheda had been at school with him, a pretty blonde with skills with time. She had been the first Turner and had struggled to teach herself to use her Spark as well. It had been the common bond that brought them together.
The moment that changed things for Avis was the Moonwater Festival during his fifteenth summer. It was a small event back then, but the moon still held that magic. Lheda wore a charming, yellow dress that matched her blonde curls, and she made a man of him. I remembered he had told me a little about the Moonwater before, but I hadn't made the connection that it had been Lheda who went with him. He fell in love with her that night, and his Spark sensed that she felt the same for him.
By the time they were ready to demonstrate their skills, Lheda and Avis had come up with a plan to feed Hurgada and make Madurai a wealthy nation. There would be a trade, iron from Hurgada for food from Madurai. Avis was excited about the trade, eager to help families that starved as his had. His family was lucky to receive coin in exchange for his enrollment, but many others weren't so fortunate.
He arranged a meeting with King Kumo of Hurgada, a large man with a slim figure and sparse grey hairs on his chin. Avis was in a unique position to determine his particular motivations, and eventually convinced him to ask for the deal. Kumo had been reluctant, too proud and too stubborn, but ultimately, he conceded to the hunger of his people. The memory was fused with admiration for the man, a king who suffered as his people did and took the proper action to take care of them.
But that was decades ago. Without an answer, Avis's memories continued to race along the thread, getting faster and stronger.
Avis traveled back to Hubli in just under a month, excited to see Lheda and see their plan achieved. But before he met with Argon, Lheda had changed her mind. By then, she had acquired a charmed copper bracelet, and he wondered what had changed. She told him she suspected the Hurgadans would attack Madurai once they were satisfied, eager for more food and healthy enough to take it.
When Kumo requested a deal with Madurai, Avis was there to encourage Argon to turn it down. He hadn't really believed in the alteration to the plan, but he loved Lheda and he trusted her. She hadn't listened when he warned her Hurgada would still count on the food, and would become aggressive if the deal fell through. When Argon turned it down, Kumo led a naval attack, desperate to fulfill his promise to his people. Unfortunately, they were too weak from starvation to stand a chance, many of them being killed, including Avis's mother. After Hurgada had been left without its feeble manpower, Argon seized his opportunity and took Hurgada with serious casualties, mostly on the Hurgadan side. When the Madurian army attacked, Avis's sister was killed as well.
Avis spent a few months in Hurgada to bury his sister and mourn the loss of her and his mother, whose body he never found. On return to Hubli and excited to see Lheda, he learned she had met someone else. A new Turner was working his way through the program, and she had been helping him learn to use his Spark. Aside from his ability with time, Mathias was raised in the king's court and the heir to a wealthy family in Takla Maya. The Affinity bonded him to Lheda, and her to him, but the bracelet blocked Avis from sensing it. She had loved Avis for a time, but the Affinity won over, and he became just a pawn to get Mathias into power. When Takla Maya attacked and killed Argon, there was no one better suited to leave in charge than the gifted young man who was trusted by the Mayan king.
For his part in Hurgada, Avis earned his black pendant for Readers, and he chose to have a white horse inlayed in pearl-though he hated what he had done for it. At least now I know why you never wear it. Avis never told Lheda how much he despised her for her part in destroying Hurgada and his family, or how devastated he felt for going along with her. Instead, he secretly vowed to keep her from her goals, no matter how long it took.
Why stay? I wondered. Why would you stay here with Lheda all this time when you hate her so much?
Avis read my thoughts and brought up his own memory of Lheda with a yellow pendant. She had mastered the art of time, and held herself as a constant while others moved along around her. She would not age, nor change, nor sicken with years or die as long as she plucked at her own string of time. She found Mathias's string shortly after and pulled him along with her, so they could have generations of life together and more than enough time to earn truly great power. And because Avis's Spark was so unique and valuable to her, Lheda pulled him along as well. He was trapped in a body that was no longer who he was, and he would live forever with the guilt of his actions. Until Lheda released him, he would have thousands of years to mourn his family.
By the time I arrived at Myxini, Avis had more than seventy five summers, though he didn't look older than twenty or so. I hadn't thought about it, but he didn't look any older compared to the day I met him in the common room.
In the years since he became a mentor, Lheda hoped Avis would be able to train another Reader to use as she used him-but he wouldn't allow it. She had no idea that, with so many years to practice his skills, he had learned to read through the charmed bracelets she and Mathias wore; she didn't know he could see her plans for me on the Nakbe Islands.
From the start, he had set out to send me away like all the others. Three boys and a girl had each gone home when they couldn't make progress on their own. The girl had made it farther than the boys, if only because Avis struggled to treat her as harshly. He had refused to help me learn to read, giving me a huge pile of books in hopes I would be too intimidated and give up. He quickly learned that I couldn't go back home and would do whatever it took to earn my way. After a while, he had no choice but to help me.
As I waded through the years of our memories, I found a whole other part to Avis that I hadn't expected: he had been Khea's mentor as well. At least it explained his seemingly random comings and goings. She needed help with her reading abilities, and he was the only one who could show her. He taught her to earn Mathias's trust, teaching her to use what she knew from his thoughts to say exactly the right phrase to keep him satisfied and ignorant.
Avis had given her the Obsidian necklace
she had worn to the Moonwater, the necklace that occupied my thoughts since that night. Citrine, too, was a gift from Avis, and he had known that she would use the talented bird to follow us. From the very beginning, he recognized we would be together, and he did his best to help us grow up strong. How did you know?
Rhorken, came his simple response. He had read Rhorken's memories of us, even my parents. Rhorken sensed my father had a strong gift for tracking, though mine was much stronger. He knew even then that my mother must have had a significant gift, though he didn't know what it was without meeting her. And Rhorken had told Lheda and Mathias that our Sparks might have the Affinity, altering our courses at Myxini.
When we returned from Lagodon a few weeks ago, Lheda suspected Avis was responsible for my sudden disappearance when she needed me, but she trusted he had no idea because of the bracelet. She was getting suspicious of his motives, and he knew soon he wouldn't have a part to play anymore. I would take over his mission, to keep her from gaining power over Madurai or anyone else.
Before I could read anymore, the door to my room opened and Avis walked in. The torrent of memories and thoughts had kept me from noticing as he left the garden. I stood immediately and made a long step over to embrace him. He knew me better than anyone, and he knew I was the man to stop Lheda and Mathias. In exchange, he had done everything in his power to give me a good life.
"Why didn't you tell me?" I asked him finally. Wouldn't it have just been easier to let me know it all from the beginning?
I had to be sure, that you could do it. And that you were worthy of her. "She's the Majestic," he added aloud, though he didn't need to. I could sense every ounce of confidence he had in the matter.
She was the only person alive that I couldn't read even though she didn't wear a charmed copper bracelet. Khea had abilities in so many areas that it was entirely possible, though it made me nervous to think of such a sweet girl with so much power, how someone else would want to use her for her gifts, and how she needed protection.
Avis laughed and his thoughts told me she wasn't the one who needed protection. She had kept her abilities a secret, even from Mathias. Khea could block out Avis as she pleased, letting him sense only what she wanted. They had laughed together about how strong she was and how Mathias had no idea. "That doesn't mean you don't have to take care of her. She needs you as much as you need her."
I knew the Affinity worked both ways, that she felt as strongly for me as I did for her. She felt as lost as I did when she wasn't able to get away; she felt the rightness of being together the same as I did.
Avis finally remembered why he came to my room and said, "Lheda has been in contact with Yaotl, the priestess in Chimalma. She's very aggressive and eager for sacrifices. Lheda has been filling her head with the idea that Takla Maya is in possession of countless men and women who would make suitable gifts to their god."
I could see in his mind the image of the Nakbe warriors attacking Takla Maya and stealing their young people to take back to the islands as sacrifices, as he had read from Lheda's thoughts. It was like a slave trade, only none of the victims would live more than a few weeks.
Lheda planned to use a few gifted students to invade Takla Maya once it had been stripped of its fighting force. Drifters would flood military camps on the coasts, Strikers would set fire to castles and other strongholds, and Shakers would split the earth and swallow any opposition. They could do it with only a few of the best students, once Nakbe had weakened them.
"She wants you to meet with Yaotl and determine if she's holding back anything, if she plans to attack Madurai after she's done with Takla Maya, or if she plans to back out on their agreement."
But what am I really going to do?
"Meet with Xiuhpilli in Uxmal, tell her about Yaotl's agreement with Lheda. She won't approve of the bloodlust and will take action, hopefully removing Yaotl from power and putting an end to Lheda's plan." Uxmal was the farthest city from Madurai; we would have to travel across the entirety of Nakbe, including the religious center Chimalma. Avis could do nothing to hide his apprehension; the journey would be quite dangerous.
I suddenly realized that he intended Khea to go as well. "You can't be serious."
He was nervous for her, that she was too beautiful to escape sacrifice, but she would be needed to convince Xiuhpilli and Lheda had insisted she go. There was no way for Avis to change her mind without exposing his ability to read through her bracelet. He just had to hope Khea was ready.
"No way. She's not going." My heart beat loudly as if it tried to escape my chest. I loved her; I wanted to be with her for every moment I could, but not like this. I knew it was futile to argue, but my protective nature over her prevented me from giving in easily.
"Look, I get it. And you know I agree, but you'll need her in Uxmal. There's no one else." Avis was confident that she was strong in her abilities, but that didn't save him from his own distress. If things went badly, he would lose us both.
You'll meet with Lheda in the morning, and then leave after. Get some sleep. As he had the thought, he smiled for the first time that day, and I sensed he knew Khea would prevent any sleep I might get.
Once Avis had gone, I laid in bed in awe of all I learned in a day. I had had no idea Avis had been so careful to make sure Khea and I would get to be together, that he had been rooting for us all along. Avis the matchmaker, I thought with a laugh. A moment later, I remembered Lheda's plan to send Khea to the islands; it hung over me like a crushing boulder.
Dinner that night was a blur, and I excused myself to my room as soon as I could get a chance. Just as Avis had thought, a light knock came soon after dark, and a small blonde slipped through the door.
"Hey, Ladybird," I teased as she crawled under the sheets, pressing her frozen toes against my warm calves.
"Hey, handsome," she replied with a sweet kiss to my shoulder as she nestled in next to me. It felt easy to have her with me, occupying the empty bed next to me. Even just having her close was enough to make my heart struggle to keep rhythm.
"I'm glad he told you everything," she whispered into the darkness. I kissed her forehead, relishing the touch of her in my arms, hoping it would never come to an end. In a moment, a thread appeared between us and her thoughts poured in.
My head filled with images of her time in the combat area, particularly during Round Six. Wielding a small iron sword, she had mercilessly impaled a student as large as Micha. Even more impressive was the layer of pride that coated the memory; she had beamed at being able to defeat someone who so clearly had the advantage.
"I'm pretty sure you always have the advantage." I told her as I kissed her forehead again. I barely finished my sentence before the image of Shaz, face down in blood, appeared. I had seen the sight myself, only from a different perspective, but this time there was Khea's relief instead of my anger. She had planned to kill him if he touched her. I had never really saved her, just freed her from having to do it herself. And maybe, in a way, I had spared Shaz's life.
But you were so scared. I remembered she had cried for several minutes afterwards.
No, not scared. Just relieved, and happy to see you again. I didn't bother asking if she would really have done it. There was a certainty and resolution that gave me no doubt. Somehow her years at Myxini had hidden the sweet, shy girl I met in the Creekmont; there was a strong and capable woman lying next to me instead.
I was never shy. Just shy around you. Her thoughts arrived clearly in my head as her hand moved along the light muscles just beneath the skin of my torso.
How do you do that? I asked her as I traced the line of her jaw with my thumb, curious as to how she could turn it on and off. And how she could make me feel so in awe of her.
"I don't know. I just do," she said as she closed me back out. She reached under her night shirt to pull out an object and push it into my hand. I didn't have to see it to know it was my father's ring; a ring I hadn't seen since the inn in Nyssa.
br /> "Where did you get this?"
"I found it at the inn. You left it in the baths. I knew it was important to you." She couldn't have been more right, and I was so amazed that I had it back. I thought I would never see it again.
Even then you could read me, couldn't you?
"I charmed it for you. When you wear it, I won't be able to read you. In case you ever wanted." I shoved the ring into the pocket of my pants and pushed thoughts of it away. I could think about what to do with it in the morning. I kissed her head again and squeezed her in closer to me, desperate to savor every last moment of peace I could get with her.
We lay like that for a while and eventually fell asleep. My stomach sank when the morning light revealed my bed was empty again. I was more disappointed than I had any right to be; she had stayed with me most of the night. Remembering my meeting with Lheda, I began to get dressed and head for breakfast. It would be the last good meal I would get for a while.
The large, wooden doors were open when I arrived at the Lheda's office. The Headmistress was waiting at her desk, looking radiant as ever. For the first time, since meeting her all those years ago, I was able to get a glimpse of her thoughts.
It was the day of fruition of a generation of planning, and she was swimming in her own accomplishment. She had managed to get a Reader and a Majestic trained up and ready to make Nakbe an ally; Mathias would finally take Takla Maya.
"Good morning, Lark," she told me with feigned disinterest.
"Headmistress."
"I am assuming Avis has informed you of your departure and your objective."
"Yes, ma'am. I'll meet with Yaotl in Chimalma and determine if she's prepared to honor your arrangement."
"Very well. I am sending a small party with you to pose as a group of hunters headed for the Silver Springs, but you won't go any farther than Chimalma. And do try not to get yourself killed." Even as she said it, I sensed she didn't really care about me, or any of us, as long as we could secure Yaotl and her plan was carried out. She was willing to put Khea in danger to assure her own place of power.
"Thank you, ma'am." I attempted to sound grateful, but I was pretty sure I just sounded annoyed. I remembered I was supposed to be ignorant of her thoughts and tried to loosen my clenched jaw as best I could.
When Lheda was done, I headed out to the stables where Khea, Avis, Micha, Khasla, and Jhoma were all waiting. Rhada had Obsidian saddled and packed with enough grain to last for months, as were Jasper and all the others.
Khea had mounted Jasper wearing a light-blue shirt with those tight brown pants. She smiled as she caught me thinking about them. Her forearm carried the leather cover, just as her shoulder did, and I wondered where Citrine had gone off to. Micha, Khasla, and Jhoma were each waiting patiently, though none of them knew where we were going. They were just a cover to get us into Nakbe and, as far as Lheda was concerned, would be collateral damage at best.
All the rules had been broken to get them to go with us. Micha had skipped the last portion of Round Nine and hadn't been offered any explanation for why he had suddenly jumped to Round Ten. Khasla was in the midst of finishing his own Round Ten demonstration for Strikers when he was pulled to join us. Jhoma was the only one who was properly ready to begin Round Ten, and it wasn't as if we needed another Tracker.
Avis alone stood on the ground with Obsidian's reins and stroked her mane. You know what to do. You'll be fine.
He squeezed my shoulders tightly and I sensed he was more concerned than he would admit aloud, though I couldn't really blame him. I was terrified of letting something happen to any of them, especially Khea. And if anything happened there, I would never see Avis again. I was surprisingly distraught at the idea that that might be the last time I would see him. He had become so much a part of my life that it would be strange even to be apart from him for so long.
Thank you. For everything. For Khea. For Obsidian. For my training. I could never have done it without him, and I did my best to tell him silently. He nodded his same stoic nod as I pulled up into the saddle and began to walk Obsidian towards the thick woods on the northern edge of the grounds. As I glanced back, I saw him tenderly kiss Khea's hand, a gesture from a man who was truly afraid to lose her. It was going to be long trip to the Andover, and that would be the easy part.