Lady of Wolves (Evalyce Worldshaper Book 2) (13 page)

“
I think I have more to thank you for, good Lady. It has been a very long time since one was bold enough to try such a thing,
” his wintry voice swept through her mind and faintly she could hear Aleister's laughter in her mind as well. The Fox was more than amused at her actions. Perhaps he sensed the same thing, the similarity to the man they had both called father. Araun stepped back from her, regarding her with the same faint smile that was becoming quite natural to the deity.

“Fare thee well, Lady. Prince.” A nod to Vander and Kasai. “Mage, magister. Good journey til the end,” he said, stepping back into the shadows, form fading as he did so.

The group only had to travel a little farther to find Ari. Soon enough they gained audience with Nobunaga. The Khan bid them farewell, understanding the need for making haste. He added extra gifts to those he'd given them at the feast, and encouraged them to come and visit in the future. Kalla promised they would and by afternoon, the
Stymphalian
was prepped, packed, and ready to go. Kasai opted to ride Thiassi, whom he had invited along after all, and so it was that two wyvern and one small strike-fighter finally departed the Plainslands.

They traveled all day, only stopping at Rinsook, in Rang'moori, to refuel the ship. Rinsook was a quiet town, one of the few hosting a skyport for airships. Kalla was mildly surprised to find that Aleister was close friends with one of the facility's Artificers, an older gentleman named Syd.

The Rang'moori mage had greeted them jovially, he and his magister disguised as skyport attendants. Kalla found this rather amusing. For his part, Syd found it amusing that the Fox was now both serving as a magister, and had become his mage's
liya
. Aleister had known Syd from the time when he first began to travel with Melaric.

“I always knew you'd eventually get yourself into trouble you couldn't get out of, Fox, but to end up in the Inferno isn't something I would have expected of you,” Syd said.

“It's his fault,” Aleister replied, pointing to Kasai. The hawk merely smirked back at him as Aleister recounted the story to Syd. The Artificer shook his head, and even his dour magister smiled slightly.

“You are a very lucky fox then, that Lady Kalla found you just in time,” Syd said. He turned his attention to her. “Tell me, Lady, is it true what the Tem' has said? That Al'dhumarna wakes, and that the Master of Solidor has abandoned the Kanlon and works for the Nagali? And that is you who seeks to stop him?”

Kalla nodded. “Aye, Lord Syd. It is true. All of it.”

“A harsh burden for one so young. I wish you the best of luck in that,” Syd replied. The Artificer invited the group to join them for dinner, which Kalla gracefully accepted. She had found herself charmed by the older mage. In a way, he reminded her of Hauss in his gruff, but lovable manner. They remained in Rinsook overnight, booking rooms in an inn called the Jester's Balance, and leaving with the rising sun.

Kalla yawned, watching the landscape fly by beneath the ship. They had crossed the border into Dashmar not more than an hour past, and the feeling of corruption in the land had intensified. A cluster of buildings in a clearing flashed past, catching her attention, and she asked Aleister to circle back. She wanted speak with the people. Perhaps she could find out more in regards to this 'supreme alpha', and get a better feel for the taint in the land, that she might heal it. At Vander's caution, they landed a good distance from the tiny village. Leaving the wyvern with the ship, the four walked the rest of the way in.

From Vander and Kasai, she learned that Dashmari villages were usually small, containing a single pack. There was a large rectangular communal dwelling where the pack members all shared space, much like the Harrier's Mews. Each family had its own little hearth and home, separated from their neighbors by leather or cloth hangings. There were entrances interspersed throughout the building, making access easy at any point.

In addition to the main living quarters, there was usually a small building set aside for the Dashmuynin, the spiritual leader of the pack, a healer and guide much like the Arkaddian shaman. A few buildings that served as storehouses rounded out the complement. All of the buildings encircled a large open plaza used as a gathering place.

Faint sounds of pleading filtered to them before they reached the village. A terrible scene greeted them when they broke through the trees and entered the clearing, unchallenged by the sentinels who should have being guarding the perimeter of the village. A haggard looking young man stood captive between two Dashmari dressed in military looking uniforms. The uniforms were all black with forest green armbands bearing a crossed lightning bolt sigil worn on the left arm. Three inch wide bracelets graced the wrist of the opposite arm. A very pregnant, distraught young woman seemed to be pleading with them.

She reached out to touch the arm of the older male, an imploring look on her face. He snarled and backhanded her, sending her crashing to the ground. The man between the soldiers made to move towards her and the warrior rounded on him with another snarl, driving him back. Though others stood watching, all had drooped ears and cowed expressions. The female lay on the ground, sobbing softly.

Kalla growled, a deep warning sound. Ignoring Aleister's alarm she strode into the clearing.

“What is the meaning of this?” she snarled. The spectators flinched away, their eyes diverted. They recognized her as an alpha, though she had asked Aleister to hide the markings with illusion so that she would not be associated with Amaraaq. Here among the Dashmari, she only wanted to be seen as a Dashmari mage. Even the soldiers flinched, though they held their ground. The older male met her eyes briefly, then his lips curled in a sneer as he caught sight of Vander.

“No business of yours, mage. I don't know who you are, but you have no authority here. You or your pet freak,” he replied in a smug tone. A rumbling growl trickled from Kalla's throat.

“You made it my business when you assaulted the woman. Release the man and leave this place,” she said in a low voice. The man sneered at her and started to turn away. He spun back, drawing a miniature crossbow and firing it at her. She threw up a hasty shield, cursing the fact that she hadn't already done so, and another snapped up in front of her, courtesy of the War Mage. The crossbow bolt thudded against it, dropping to the ground. At the same instant a thick arrow shaft sprouted from the man's gut, knocking him to the ground. One of Aleister's daggers buried itself in the chest of the younger soldier, sinking to the hilt. Kasai stalked past her, drawing one of the slender swords at his back. He reached the soldier and kicked the crossbow away from him.

“I believe the Lady asked you a question,” he said calmly. The Dashmari spat at him in contempt. The hawk gave him a cold look, utterly impassive. “Let's try this again,” he said, reaching down and yanking the arrow free. The soldier howled in pain.

“You will regret this,
magister
. You and your mage,” he hissed. Kasai shrugged.

“Suit yourself,” he said. The sword flashed and laid the soldier's throat open. The magister turned his attention to the remaining soldier, a much younger male, barely more than a boy. His eyes were wide, glassy with fear and pain. Each breath he took wheezed in his chest and bloody froth dotted the corners of his mouth. One hand gripped the handle of the dagger.

“
I don't want to die. Blessed Kituk, I don't want to die.
”

Kalla started. The boy had not spoken. He merely watched the magister with a resigned expression, but the Healer knew without a doubt that the words had been his. A final plea to the Old Wolf. As Kasai raised the sword, the boy closed his eyes and Kalla saw tears slip down his cheek, a faint tremor running through his body.

“Kasai.”

The magister turned to look over his shoulder at her, then stepped aside as she approached the fallen soldier. She knelt and placed her hand on his chest.

“I am going to heal you. Don't make me regret it,” she said.

He shook his head, hope flickering to life in his eyes. She gave him a small smile and gently prised his fingers from the dagger hilt.

“This is going to hurt, young one.” Kalla started to pull the dagger free, when an agonized cry came from behind her. The young lady had gone into labor, no doubt triggered by her trauma and stress. A wizened female scurried from the onlookers, hurrying to her side. Vander came and knelt on the boy's other side.

“I will tend him, Dashkele. Please, see to the mother,” he said. She met his solemn gaze and nodded. Rising, she made her way to the young woman.

“We must get her to the Muyningar,” the elderly female said. Kalla guessed she was this pack's Dashmuynin.

Without being asked, Aleister knelt and helped the haggard looking male gently pick the mother up. Following the Dashmari's lead, the Fox helped him carry her to a small building off to the side. Kalla and the Dashmuynin followed, along with two younger females.

Once they had gotten the mother situated in the Muyningar, the elderly female chased the two males out. Aleister reluctantly left, with Kalla's silent reassurances that she would be fine. Kalla had assisted with several birthings before and there was little the magister could do in any event.

She ran her hands gently over the young woman as the Dashmuynin and her assistants undressed her. Kalla's assessment told her that the cub was fine. The mother was close enough to her due date that the little one should have no problems. She relayed this information to the Dashmuynin, whose name she learned was Novaika. The mother was Isalya.

Kalla worked with them for several hours, easing the mother's pain, but doing little else. In a birth where all was going well, magi Healers preferred to let nature take its course, content to simply monitor that all stayed well, and stepping in only if problems arose. Finally, Isalya's breathing changed and Kalla sensed that it was time. She whispered words of encouragement, while Isalya gripped her hand and pushed. After several moments the child came into the world with a lusty cry, yet one of the Dashmuynin's attendants gasped softly, her face shocked. A hand went to her mouth. The second turned away.

Novaika had the experience of age, and didn't react as her young assistants did, but her lips pressed together, and she slowly shook her head.

“What is it?” Isalya gasped. “What's wrong with my child?”

The Dashmuynin finished cutting the child's cord and wrapping it in a blanket. She passed the bundle to Kalla.

“I am sorry, my daughter,” Novaika said softly.

Kalla looked down at the child in her arms. Her tiny ears were perfect, little flaps that would fill out in the next few weeks, opening up into wolf ears. Bright, clear eyes blinked up at the Mage. Everything about the child was healthy. Except for the fact that her perfect little ears were the color of summer sunset, and her bright eyes a deep blue. Isalya burst into tears.

Another spasm wracked her, and the Dashmuynin calmed her, walking her through the final stages of the birthing. The two attendants had brought in water that Kalla had kept warm, and now they began cleaning the mother up.

Kalla held the now quiet infant, wondering at the child's fate. Isalya still sobbed softly.

“What did I do wrong? I've been a good person. Why would Lord Kituk allow my child to be born like this? Maark will hate me, for giving him a cub like this,” she whispered. A fresh wave of grief washed over her, wracking her with sobs as the Dashmuynin covered her with a blanket.

“Isalya, look at this child and tell me you could not love her. Look at her and tell me she is something to be despised,” Kalla said. Isalya looked up at the mage, then at the cub in her arms.

Kalla pressed on. “My companion is a good man, an accomplished mage. Yes, he had a difficult childhood. Yes, he even had a difficult time as a young adult. Being mocked and derided turned a man who should have been an alpha into an omega. It is only now that he has had the chance to become who he was truly meant to be, and that person is a good person. I would hate to see this child grow up unloved, because she is different. I would hate even more for her to be slaughtered like the innocent being she is, simply because of that difference.

“You did nothing wrong and Lord Kituk is not cursing you for having lived wrongly.”

Never would we. They have forgotten so much.
Kituk's voice soughed through her mind. The Old Wolf sounded tired.
The red-furred, and white-furred ones, they were our promise. The best of us both, destined to be Dashmuynin. You can fix it, my daughter.

Kalla paused a moment, listening to Kituk's fading words.

“A child such as this is a blessing of the Old Wolf, a blessed cub of the Queen of Snows. Be the first to re-embrace this knowledge. Show this little one all the love in the world and it will be returned to you triple-fold,” Kalla said.

“But how do you know?” Isalya asked. Kalla sighed and asked Aleister to dispel the illusion. If it took Amaraaq to save this cub's life, then it was a price she was willing to pay. She also asked her
liya
to bring Maark and Vander to the Muyningar.

“Trust me. I know. I speak the Voice of Kituk in this realm. I can tell you that he and his Lady Arvynn are delighted. Your child is blessed and by extension, so are you. Keep this child and raise her well and you will never want for anything,” the Healer said softly and she knew her words were truth.

“Your cub will grow strong and she will grow well. A love of learning will she have, as well as the gift of the magi. Cherish the time you will have together and know that she will be one who will change the future.”

Kalla raised her head and she heard Novaika gasp. The Dashmuynin bowed to the ground, her attendants following suit.

“Dashkele ti'amaraaq,” she breathed out in a reverent whisper. “But… but why did you help us? Why did you go against Dashkele si'kituk and attack his soldiers?”

“Dashkele si'kituk? The 'supreme' alpha I'm guessing?” Kalla shook her head. “Whoever he is, he is deceiving you. For now, I am Kituk's presence in this world.”

“You have the twin crescents. You are Lady of Wolves.” The Dashmuynin paused. “Is the red-furred one your Consort then?”

She asked the last just as Vander entered the Muyningar. His eyes widened, face falling into a 'what the hells' look.

“Okay, I'm leaving this conversation…” he said. He turned to leave only to stumble into the Fox, who laughed and pushed the War Mage back into the room.

“No, Novaika, he is not. That honour would go to the Fox here. A
kitsune
like Lady Arvynn. Nevertheless, Vander is a valued friend and companion.”

Kalla looked up to where Maark had entered behind Aleister. He caught sight of her markings and fell to the ground, touching his forehead to the earth.

“Dashkele ti'amaraaq,” he whispered. The Healer sighed. This was precisely the reason she hadn't want to reveal the marks in the first place.

“Rise, Maark. Come here.

“You have a healthy daughter. A beautiful child,” she said, holding the child out to him. His face fell at the first glimpse of his new cub. At his reaction Isalya burst into tears again.

“I… but… she…” his voice trailed off uncertainly, his expression trapped. Vander gave a bitter laugh.

“Go ahead. Say it. She's a 'freak'. Like me… And what will you do with her, Master Maark? It would be a mercy to kill her, than to let her grow up knowing she is unloved. That she wasn't what you wanted in a child.”

“Vander, don't say that. Neither of you are freaks. You are different, that's all. That's not a crime. Indeed,” Kalla said softly, “It was meant to be a mark of blessing. A child special to Kituk and Arvynn. A wolf that looks like a fox. The Dashmari feel the same way about cubs born with white fur too, yes?” Kalla already knew the answer, but the guilty looks confirmed it.

“This ends now. As I told your mate, it is time to re-embrace this knowledge. Your child is special and she will do great things when she grows up. Treat her well, for any harm to her is an offense to me,” Kalla said. She ran a finger over one of the cub's little ear flaps, smiling down at the child. She handed the little girl to Isalya, who took her and cradled her protectively against her chest.

A moment's uncertainty, then the mother's face suffused with delight and she nuzzled the child's head. Maark's unhappiness faded and he moved closer to his mate, reaching out to brush his hand against the cub's. A smile lit his face when she latched on to one of his fingers. Apparently, Amaraaq's approval was enough to ease their worries. If only everything could be so easy. Kalla stood and gently chided Vander and Aleister out the door. Outside Vander turned to her.

“Did you mean what you said,” he asked. “Or did you just tell them that to make them feel better?”

“I meant it. It is the truth. You, and those like you,
are
special to Arvynn. It was those like you who were meant to be the Dashmuynin to begin with, but somewhere, something went terribly wrong. It's time that was fixed.