Of Fire and Fury (Book 1: Light-Born Series)

Chapter 40 - Rabid

Eventually, both Arven and Rabid tired of trying to heal the fire-red ghosts of her soul. After four days, and no progress to show for it, Arven’s patience was wearing nearly as thin as Rabid’s. They sat staring at each other across a knotted table in the great hall, neither feeling up to eating the food sitting before them after another full day of wasted effort.

“We can’t keep doing this.” Rabid said. Arven nodded in response, poking his plate with his finger.

“I know, child. We don’t have time.” he sighed wearily.

“What do I do?” Rabid asked, looking at her own plate of food. Shame rose in her belly as she thought of how she had failed him.

“I will speak with Karver. We can’t keep you here much longer, the Hauks are still in the region. It is still of utmost importance to keep you safe.”

Like that was his cue, Karver appeared beside them and sat down next to Rabid on the bench, his plate nearly overflowing with roast pheasant and fresh baked bread. He grinned his perfect smile at her as he sat.

“How is everyone today?” he asked jovially, as if nothing could dampen his spirits. Rabid couldn’t help the tingly sensation she felt in her belly when he smiled like that. She pushed it away, forcing her mind to think instead of Stone’s rare smiles.

“I’m fine.” Rabid said, trying to smile demurely in response, picking up a small sliver of meat and placing it on her tongue.

“We were just discussing next steps.” Arven said, his grey eyes looking exceptionally tired compared to Karver’s.

“I was thinking the same. I think it’s about time we leave these stuffy walls… no offense.” he nodded to Arven.

“What would you suggest?” Arven asked. 

“Well, if she can’t awaken the healing just yet, we may still be able to awaken some others. We can take her to Amarinhom.”

Arven opened his mouth as if to protest, so Karver sped up his pitch.

“She’ll be safe there. It’s the furthest from where we last saw the Hauks, and don’t forget that they seem to hate crossing the desert. They haven’t been to Amarinhom in my lifetime, even the last time they invaded.”

Arven closed his mouth and mulled it over. Rabid sat silently, excitement welling up inside her. Her and Kizi were of the forest clans. They had been born under the open sky, in the fresh air. They needed the earth and the sun. Another day inside these walls and the two of them felt that they would wither away.

“Who would you take?” Arven said finally, conceding. Karver flashed Rabid another grin, knowing he had won, and the men began discussing arrangements. Rabid stood, excited to find Kizi and share the good news. Rabid caught sight of her wavy hair as Kizi left the hall, by way of the door to the upper floors. Rabid hurried and caught her at the top of the stairs.

“Karver’s taking us to Amarinhom!” Rabid said excitedly, clutching Kizi’s hands. A mixture of emotions flashing through Kizi’s green eyes in a moment. She furrowed her brow.

“What? Why?”

“We can’t stay here forever, and they think I may be able to awaken the memories. I thought you would be happy to get out of here?” Rabid said, her own excitement suddenly weighed down by Kizi’s expression. Kizi rolled her eyes, irritated.

“You know he likes you, don’t you?”

“What?” Rabid let go of Kizi’s hands, heat rising to her cheeks. “No he…”

“Don’t be naive.” she snapped. “But don’t fall for it, either. He just wants the honor of bedding the natuna.”

Rabid felt a sting at her words, but she followed as Kizi turned down the hall and entered their shared rooms. Kizi began to rummage through her things, keeping her back to Rabid.

“What’s wrong with you?” Rabid asked, shutting the door behind them. Kizi sighed heavily and shook her head.

“I cannot so easily forget the Omari, Rabid.” she said, her voice was harsh. “They are my people, my family. I can’t believe how easily you’d leave them behind.”

“What are you talking about?” Rabid said, angrily, feeling childish as her voice raised beyond her control. “I don’t want to leave them behind!” 

“Stone is out there.” Kizi spun and faced her, her eyes bright with accusation. “Your husband. Do you remember him?”

Rabid felt sick, suddenly. Anger and sadness welled up inside her at the mention of Stone.

“You think I forgot him? Why do you think I’m doing all of this?” Rabid retorted.

“Well, it looks like you’re doing this to head off into Karver’s homeland.” Kizi said, her arms crossed as she glared at Rabid. “I’ve seen how he looks at you. You can’t be that blind.”

Rabid took a step back, shocked at Kizi’s response. She cleared her throat around the lump that had lodged there. Kizi softened, seeing the touches of tears at the edge of Rabid’s eyes.

“Look, Rabid. I’m sorry. I know you were forced into a union with him. I know you don’t love him and you want to be able to choose a man for yourself, I get it. But you have to understand what watching that feels like for me. He is like my family. I thought… I thought you would become my family too.” Kizi said, her own eyes touching with tears slightly. “..and Karver?! I don’t know what it is but I just don’t trust him, Rabid. And I don’t want…”

Rabid suddenly understood, and startled laughter escaped her. Her mind went back to the night Stone had left her at the wall, of his mouth on hers. She remembered it perfectly, just like she did every night as she thought of him. Kizi fell silent at Rabid’s sudden outburst.

“Kizi, please, you’ve got this all wrong.” Rabid said, surprising herself that she was still chuckling slightly.

“No, I get it, and I can even see the appeal, I guess.” Kizi nodded with a furrowed brow, still trying to explain.

“No, Kizi, I don’t want Karver.” Rabid said, laughing slightly as she admitted what she’d only ever thought deep in the darkness of night. “I think… I don’t know what it’s supposed to feel like but I think I’m in love with Stone.”

Kizi stopped short, her mouth slightly open in surprise. They stared at each other for a long moment, Rabid turning redder and redder as Kizi registered her words. Kizi blinked several times, her face frozen in surprise.

“Well, then I read that very wrong!” Kizi laughed, embarrassed. They both burst out laughing. For several long minutes, as they laughed, they felt like nothing more than the young women they were.

“I’m so sorry, Rabid. I was being unkind. I have no excuse, but that I’m just… I’m very lonely here, and it feels like we’re caged animals. And I think it’s making me a little crazy.” Kizi said after she finally got her breath back. She grabbed Rabid’s hand and squeezed it, smiling slightly.

“I know, I feel the same way.” Rabid said, sighing the weight off her shoulders. “But now we can leave, and we can finally get on with this so I can get back to Stone. That’s why I can leave here without him, because I know that this is the only way we can be together again. When this is over, we can finally be safe.” 

“So, please tell me I’m not entirely blind, because I had no idea.” Kizi said, still looking a little embarrassed. 

“No, you aren’t. We didn’t start off that way, that’s for certain.” Rabid said, still smiling sheepishly as she thought of him. “It’s rather recent, actually.”

“Well, I’m so glad it’s finally mutual.” Kizi said, grinning back and nudging Rabid’s shoulder.

“Finally?” Rabid asked, embarrassed yet intrigued.

“He’s loved you for longer than he’s wanted to admit.” Kizi said, smiling her knowing smile. “Probably longer than he even knew.”

Rabid felt her insides explode with so much emotion she thought she couldn’t bear it. She bit her lip hard to keep it inside, but her mouth still forced out a beaming smile.

“You really think Karver likes me?” Rabid said, she couldn’t help it. She’d never been wanted before, so the idea was a strange one. Kizi rolled her eyes again.

“Who knows if he does or if he’s like that with all the women. But he smiles at you like he wants to eat you for breakfast.”

“What?!” Rabid said, her eyes widening in horror, making Kizi burst out laughing again.

“Oh gods, you’re so innocent it’s adorable.” she said, wiping a tear from her eye that had come from laughing too hard. “You have so much to learn, I’ll have to remind Stone to teach you some things.”

She wiggled her eyebrows up and down, making Rabid’s cheeks burn even stronger than before.

“Well then, I guess we shouldn’t keep him waiting any longer.” Rabid said, grinning until her cheeks hurt. Kizi returned her grin and nodded.

They packed up their belongings into cloth sacks tied with cord, carrying them down the stairs to meet Karver and Arven at the table.

“Who else is coming?” Rabid said, setting down her pack. Karver eyed it and grinned.

“Ready to be going so soon?” he said, flashing his perfect white teeth. Rabid ignored it, fresh off the memory of Stone. Kizi shot him a dark look.

“You three, Roan, obviously, and Rydich.” Arven said, motioning to the tall and muscular Reanni next to him.

“So few?” Kizi said, glancing around at the few of them.

“We need to move fast and avoid being seen.” Karver said. “We’ll be travelling as close to the mountains as we can, but we’ll still be passing near the Hauk camps. It’ll be safer than travelling with an entire army, as long as we aren’t seen.”

Rabid nodded and glanced around, then tried to appear calm and collected. A pang went through her heart at the idea of leaving. Despite her eagerness to be on their way, she didn’t want to leave anyone behind.

“I wish I could come!” the sea people’s accent called out from behind them. Rabid turned to see Meri leaning against the open hallway door. She was wearing a white dress that was tied at her waist with chord. Slits cut the fabric on either side of her thigh, showing the dark skin underneath. Her hair was pushed back with a circle of gold, causing her curls to shoot around her face like the rays of the sun.

“Meri, you look stunning!” Rabid said, stepping forward to give the small girl a hug. “I wish you could come as well.”

Meri grinned and swayed slightly, making the fabric around her legs float across the floor. She giggled at how elegant it was—it wasn’t something she would have picked for herself.

“My father sent it to me. He sent gaurds to bring me back to Ohavehom.” Meri said, then she dropped her voice slightly. “He said there’s someone he wants me to meet.”

“A suitor?” Rabid whispered back, excited for her. Meri wiggled her eyebrows and giggled again, before wrapping her arms around Rabid’s neck.

“I’ll miss you.” Rabid breathed against the coils of hair that tickled her nose.

“It won’t be long.” Meri responded. “After Amarinhom, you’ll come to Ohavehom. You need to be a Diviner, and so do I.” 

“Do you think it’ll work?” Rabid asked, suddenly self-conscious. Meri’s grin fell away and she looked at Rabid seriously. 

“I can feel that it will.” she said, nodding furiously. Meri’s confidence in her bolstered up her own faith. Rabid suddenly felt as though anything Meri believed, she could take as truth.

“Goodbye Meri.” Kizi said, wrapping her arms around Meri’s small frame. “We’ll see you soon.” 

The three friends nodded together, each quietly putting on their brave faces as though they had never cried in front of each other before.

“When do we leave?” Rabid said, finally tearing herself away from her friend.

“Well, we were planning on leaving tomorrow at first light…” Karver said, 

“I want to go now.” Rabid interrupted. He paused, catching eyes with Roan across the room. 

“Well, it seems we are all ready to be out in the open air.” he said with a grin, and nodded.

Everyone was prepared to leave so quickly, it was almost shocking. Rabid stayed in the hall with Kizi, forcing herself to shove down the meal that she could barely stomach before. Around them, several of the Reanni came to say goodbye. Soyala squeezed them both tight, tears pricking at the edges of her grey eyes. Allyen, Mashet, and Baroke said nothing but nodded in farewell. Rabid could barely pay attention. All she could think of was the great world beyond and the idea that she would get to make her way through it, all the way back to Stone.

Finally, the five companions stood together in a circle, each with a sack of supplies and belongings between their feet. It looked like a measly amount, but since they would be on foot, they only wanted what they could carry. Rabid glanced around, eyeing Rydich, the man she had never even spoken to who she now would have to trust with her life. He was as tall as Karver, with silver hair like Soyala’s that was wrapped in a braid nearly as long as Rabid’s own. He had several small daggers tied to his left side, and one longer blade on his right. Since she had been in Reannihom, Rabid had never heard him speak. He looked at her back, his grey eyes seemed kind despite his hard exterior.

“Well, are you all ready then?” Arven said from outside the small circle. Everyone glanced around, nodding.

“Stay quiet, and stay safe. Don’t leave the path, and…”

“We’ll be fine.” Rabid said, patting Arven on the shoulder. Then, suddenly, she felt as though she would miss him terribly. Rabid grabbed him and wrapped him in a hug. “Thank you for everything.”

Arven pulled back, his grey eyes shining as he smiled at her.

“No, my dear. Thank you.” he said softly. “I want you to know, you are like a daughter to me.”

Rabid’s eyes filled with tears and she wrapped her arms around his neck, squeezing tightly.

“Alright. Let’s do this.” Karver said, grinning widely as he picked up his pack. They left the great hall through a door that led into the open air of the courtyard. The sun seemed brilliantly bright now that Rabid could feel it on her skin. She breathed deep, smelling again the familiar scents of the earth. From the inside of the courtyard, the stone walls of Reannihom looked less intimidating than they had when she had been out in the forest with the Omari. 

Rabid glanced back over her shoulder, looking at the huge fortress where she had lived for the last few weeks. It rose above her higher than she could ever climb, blending directly into the side of the Southern Mountains. She saw the small circle glass window that she had stared out so many times before, and breathed a sigh of relief that she was outside of it. Finally, for the first time since they had arrived, the large oak gates creaked open, and they stepped outside of Reannihom.