Pirin raised an eyebrow and stared down at her. She saw that he was contemplating her words. She knew he wasn’t her real father, but she would never say it to him. She loved Pirin and, in her eyes, he was her true father.
Lilae examined his face. He was growing old and deep worry lines now marred his forehead. Still, while he worried so much about the family, he also had laugh lines at the corners of his mouth. His eyes were bright and full of love; yet when he was angry, they became too unsettling to look into.
“Listen to me, Lilae.” Pirin put a hand on her shoulder. “The day Delia came for you, I took one look at you, and I fell in love. You are my daughter in my heart as much as the twins are. It’s funny. You’re more like me than either of them. You’re quiet and reserved, yet calculating.”
Lilae felt her eyes sting with tears at hearing those words. They were all she’d ever wanted to hear. She drew in a jagged breath.
“And wouldn’t a father do all that he could to protect his children, and prepare them for the dangers of this world?”
Lilae smiled up at him and he surprised her then. He pulled her into his chest for a hug. Lilae’s eyes widened as they embraced. He held her tightly, as if he feared that she would be taken away from him. She inhaled his scent, relishing in the rare show of affection; but it was short lived.
Pirin smiled down at her and gently pinched her right cheek. “Come on, let’s hunt for dinner. I bet when we return, Lhana and the twins will have the place as clean as a castle.”
Her smile grew. She was excited to have Pirin all to herself for a while. It was like a game to Jaiza and Risa. Let’s see who Pirin loves best, Risa would say. Lilae skipped a little as she followed him into the forest.
He had a crossbow with him and spear which he handed to Lilae. They quietly trudged through the thick underbrush, delving deeper and deeper. In the quiet, away from people and their judging eyes, was where Lilae felt most at peace.
They traveled to a clearing where a small brook ran behind it. Pirin settled behind a cluster of bushes. Lilae’s eyes went right to the wild hog that drank from the trickling waters. It stood on the stones and never noticed their presence. Lilae imagined the bacon and chops they could have for a week.
She watched Pirin. His eyes narrowed and she could tell that he was using his Focus. The air around him grew tighter in its devotion to aid him. He let out a soft breath and shot his crossbow.
The hog barely had a chance to squeal before the arrow impaled its brain. It was a single, fatal shot that caused it to double over. Lilae grinned at Pirin and then at the dead animal. He nodded and she rushed over with her dagger.
Pirin put his bow onto his back and sat on the slick rocks. “Go on. You can gut it. We can use the skin for lard.”
Lilae nodded and slit the hog along its underbelly. The cut was smooth and easy, and she pulled the intestines and liver out. Pirin held a sack out and she dropped the pig’s innards into it. They would waste nothing.
Lilae heard rustling in the bushes behind them. She turned and saw Pirin shoot another wild hog. Lilae smiled.
“Another? That was a fat one!”
Pirin nodded, but his face looked troubled.
“What luck!”
“A little odd,” Pirin mused aloud. He frowned at the second animal. “Cut the innards out before it poisons the meat. We can sell that one at the market.”
Lilae climbed to her feet and began to run over to the fallen hog when something large catapulted out of the forest and pounced onto the carcass. Lilae gasped and froze as she stared up at the large beast. She barely got a good look before it grabbed the carcass in its mouth and ran away.
She stood anchored to her spot, trying to put together what she just saw. It was a large, hairy beast with a head the size of a barrel and sharp teeth. She’d never seen an animal with stripes before, but that beast had black and green stripes on its brown body.
She jumped when Pirin tapped her shoulder. His face showed the slightest trace of fear as he pulled her away. He held the hog she had gutted.
“That was a poulos. From Nostfar. Let’s get out of here before its mate arrives. Pouloses always hunt in pairs.”
Lilae voiced no objections. She grabbed her dagger and followed behind Pirin as they ran back toward town. Toward their new home.
Chapter 10
One thousand soldiers, led by one woman, a Sister from the Sisterhood of the Fallen, walked at a steady pace through the fields of Sabron. Black smoke filled the air and the sound of distant wails and cries followed them. They were not in uniform, but it was no secret that these men were Avia’Torenan soldiers. And the woman, wore a long black gown that was fitting for the amount of death that followed.
From the sky, Dragnor watched the gloomy procession. If it were up to him they would have killed all of the girls instead of marching them along, and slowing him down.
The girls who followed behind were bound by the wrists and connected to one another by chains clamped to golden collars around their necks.
They shivered violently. They hadn’t a chance to dress for the cold morning when the soldiers ransacked their homes. There were tears dried and crusted on their cheeks, intermingled with blood and dirt. They all looked down at their feet, too afraid to meet the eyes of the soldiers who had massacred their village.
Sabron had been a peaceful town until that day. Most of the girls had already been assaulted and raped. Their innocence had been stolen and no one had come to their aid. They had watched their parents die, children, even the elderly were mercilessly slain.
The soldiers had taken only the men who agreed to join the Imperial Army, along with the young women. That was all that they wanted: fresh recruits. The fate of the young women was uncertain and that was what frightened those girls more than anything.
In the past, the Sisterhood of the Fallen had upheld their treaty with the nine kingdoms of Eura, and collected only a small percentage of the young women every other year. Eventually that turned into each year, and subsequently into each season. Now, they took every girl they could find. And still, no one knew what happened to all of those girls who were taken in the past.
They simply never returned.
“Where are you taking us?” Dragnor heard one of the girls was brave enough to ask. Even from high above them, his ears picked up on her small voice.
The Sister turned back to look at the girl. She smiled way too big considering that there was nothing to be happy about.
She swirled and floated towards the young girls. Her clogged feet weren’t touching the ground. They all saw it. Even though black robes were meant to hide such a thing, it was unmistakable. That woman’s feet were not touching the ground.
Everyone stopped. The soldiers, the girls, the horses…stopped. They all stared at her. So far, all of the girls had been too afraid to speak.
“Name.”
The girl gulped. Her dirty face was streaked with tears. She stuttered, “Willa…Sister.”
The Sister’s smile widened. “Willa. Lovely name.” She ran her finger along the clamp on the girl’s neck. “How old are you?”
Willa straightened her shoulders, trying to look brave. “Fourteen.”
The Sister laughed lightly then. She tapped the chain and suddenly Willa and every girl attached to it gasped and froze. All life was sucked out of their faces as their bodies turned gray, like stone. She gave Willa a tiny push. With a crash, all of the girls fell to the ground and broke into pieces. Their auras floated in the air like swirls of color. The Sister reached out a hand and claimed them. Her green eyes looked up at the other lines of girls.
“Does anyone else wish to question me?”
They shook their heads. No one spoke. They held one another in fear, but no one made a sound.
The Sister smiled again. “Good.” She looked up into the sky. “Hurry it up, Dragnor,” she shouted and made her way back to the front of the procession. She frowned as she looked ahead. “I want her found before wint
er.”
Dragnor nodded even though it was that blasted army that slowed him down in the first place. He flew ahead of the men on his black wyvern. Its black wings were outstretched as it glided across the brightening sky. His keen eyes searched the grounds for any signs of life. He knew the Flame was fleeing. Always one step ahead of him, Dragnor felt as though he might finally catch this elusive being. He would never tire of searching.
Dragnor saw a flicker of light below and in an instant, the wyvern tracked it. They flew down with the wind until they reached the ground. He hopped from the wyvern’s back before it even landed and darted to the light. The forest floor was covered in a blanket of leaves and fallen branches. He crunched on the dead leaves as he sauntered over to where he saw the glow.
His grin widened as he stooped down to pick up the golden strand of hair. To anyone else’s eyes, they never would have seen the single hair that glittered between his fingertips. It belonged to the Flame, and he was certain of it. His eyes narrowed as he stretched the strand. Through the glow that only he saw, it was a scarlet red.
“What’s this,” he said under his breath. His thin eyes narrowed as he examined it. He looked back at the wyvern. It blended with the forest floor like a chameleon. “Take a look at this, Tari.”
The wyvern lifted his head up from the brush of fallen leaves. He was cautious, his eyes darting from tree to tree. Tari’s neck was long, connecting a small head to its sleek, leathery body. Its eyes glowed for a moment as he looked at the red hair and he ducked again, blending with the underbrush.
“Iridescent. It’s changing colors, even after being detached from the scalp. She is getting stronger,” Tari said.
Dragnor raised an eyebrow, then glanced back at the strand of hair. “You’re certain?”
“Certain.” Tari’s voice rumbled low and steady as he rested.
“Fascinating,” Dragnor replied as the strand went from red to gold in his hand.
“The Ancients never cease to amaze me. They truly made a masterpiece of this one. I honestly cannot wait to meet her.”
“The fire is only weeks old. She has a lead,” Tari noted as he took a long whiff of the ground.
Dragnor nodded and sniffed the air. He could smell the ghost of her long gone presence.
“She always does.”
“But not much,” Tari added. “You may catch her this time, if you hurry.”
Dragnor put the strand of hair in his cloak pocket. He observed the traces of an abandoned camp. A fire had been buried and he could smell her presence.
For years, he had only the Flame’s scent to track. Now, he was able to see physical traces of her. He knew he was getting closer. Soon, he would have her in his grasp. The thought of draining the life out of her excited him. Seventeen years of hunting, and now he was closer than ever.
“I told you that they would do this. You’re up against more than a couple of children, Dragnor.”
Dragnor smirked, turning to face the direction in which the Avia’Torenan soldiers were taking their new female slaves. “And they’re up against much more than just a Shadow Elf,” he replied, his eyes glowing as he traced the direction of her scent.
Chapter 11
Two months passed, and already Lilae’s family busied themselves with Risa and Jaiza’s weddings. Lilae found it astounding how quickly the twins had fallen for Lukas’s sons. Lilae thought them to be plain looking men, who acted too silly when they drank ale. Still, it wasn’t Lilae whom they had to impress, and Risa and Jaiza were completely enamored.
They would be gone soon, moving into their new homes in the fancy Garden District, since Risa and Jaiza would become ladies. Lilae feared how much she was going to miss them.
Lhana had steadily grown more content with their life. It was a delight to not have to do the dirtier chores of the house all of the time, or endure the constant pointing out of Lilae’s flaws when the others weren’t around. She had already developed friendships with Lukas’s wife and the other women of the village. Finally, she had friends with whom to visit and gossip.
Even Pirin had found camaraderie. He hunted daily with a few of the townsmen and each night he went out with Lukas to aid in the killing of wild beasts. The soldiers from the kingdom’s capital had arrived nearly a week ago and filled the streets. They were to protect Lowen’s Edge and monitor the forests and roads for bandits and Shadow Elves. They were civil at least, and only rarely pestered Lilae as she passed them on the streets.
While everyone had found their place in the village, Lilae still felt as though she didn’t fit in. She spent her mornings training with Pirin and the rest of her days helping the other girls of the village pick wheat and bring food and water to the men who hunted and built for the town. Those girls never even asked Lilae her name. They were cruel and made it painfully clear that they would never accept her as one of their own.
Lilae sat by the brook, listening to the water as it rushed across the shiny rocks. She let the water soothe her toes as she gently splashed. It had taken her a long time to feel comfortable even approaching water again.
She sighed, lying back onto the plush grass of the forest. She looked up past the canopy of trees at the blue sky and felt completely at ease. Her muscles were still sore from her morning sparring match with Pirin.
She was grateful for a little time to herself. She still enjoyed Pirin’s daily sword and fighting lessons. Since Lilae was seven years old, she had looked forward to it each morning. It was the only opportunity she had to exhaust her pent up energy and anger. Risa and Jaiza however, were growing weary of sparring with her, more and more consistently losing, even when they fought her at the same time.
Lowen’s Edge was more vibrant than the other villages that Lilae and the others had traveled to. Lilae found herself secretly hoping that this place might be their final move. It was beautiful and large enough to get lost in the crowd.
Merchants and performers passed through regularly and royal soldiers patrolled the roads. Still, as much as she liked the more exciting scenery, no one bothered to talk to her. She harbored a secret that no one could know about. It was something that only Delia knew of, and lately, she had been trying to teach Lilae about this secret.
Her keen ears now heard horses trampling through the forest from far away and she felt the ground vibrate beneath her head. Lilae sat up and gathered her things. She put her brown leather boots back on, tucking her pants into them. She tied her cloak’s dark brown hood beneath her chin.
She looked toward the noise in consternation. It was still early in the day. She wondered why the hunters were out this early. Poulos and basilisk supposedly waited for the late afternoons and evenings to hunt their meals. She had kept her promise to Pirin about not staying out too late. Lilae grabbed her sack of berries and stood.
A group of horsemen emerged from the forest to the clearing and spotted her. She quickly turned away from them and headed toward the path to the village.
Lilae heard their boisterous chattering, their voices filling the forest.
“Hey!”
She ignored the call and quickened her pace.
“Who is that?” they questioned each other.
“Stop! I said stop!”
Lilae felt her heart beating faster and began to run. She didn’t know what they wanted from her, and didn’t want to stick around to find out. Both Pirin and Delia would be livid if she hurt one of the villagers.
She was shocked at how quickly they got to her. When someone grabbed her cloak, she shrieked and grabbed his leg. She yanked as hard as she could and quickly pulled him to the ground. Out of her cloak spilled her fiery red hair, the sun reflecting off the golden strands that were intertwined throughout.
The boy found himself face down on the forest floor, pebbles embedding into his cheek.
Lilae planted her booted foot on his back and pressed him down when he tried to stand.
The others stopped and stared at her, their mouths hanging open.
 
; She heard them whispering to each other.
“It’s that girl.”
“What girl?”
“The girls call her a hag, because she walks around cloaked all of the time like a boy.”
“For a boy, her bosom’s full enough!” Jacodi, the tailor’s son, joked. She recognized his wild brown hair and thick eyebrows.
Hearing those words, Lilae shot them an icy look.
“Hey, don't hurt him, we were just playing around with you,” Jacodi said as he rested his hand across the pommel of his horse’s saddle. He smirked. “Honest, we thought you were a boy.” The others snickered.
Lilae glared at him, her chest rising and falling with her quick breaths. She knew she had to calm herself. She sometimes feared what would happen if she lost control.
“Be careful who you decide to play with.” Lilae grabbed her dagger from her belt. She tossed it into the air and snatched it by the handle, pointing the blade’s tip at him. She met Jacodi’s eyes and his grin faded. “I don't play so nice.”
“Anic, get up,” Jacobi called.
Lilae continued to glare at him.
“Come on! Let’s go!”
Lilae removed her foot and let Anic up from the ground. She recognized his face. He was the son of the blacksmith. She watched him lug sacks of coal to his father’s workroom on occasion and hoped that his eyes would meet hers. For the first time, his almond-shaped brown eyes finally looked up at her.
“It’s you,” Anic said when he recognized her as well. “I didn't know.”
Her eyebrows drew in. Lilae was surprised that he knew who she was. “Go!” She threw her arm out and pointed for him to follow the others.
Anic stood and dusted himself off, but he didn't follow the others as they rode away. He raked his hand through his rust-colored hair, chopped sloppily by his mother, and cleared his throat. He was just as tall as Lilae, with full lips and a slant to his eyes that made him look forever sad.