Out of the Mountain (4 page)

“What sort of trickery is this?” Rowan growled, sounding unsure.

“Although I do like a good trick, I assure you this is not one. Tell me, how is it that you found her before I did?” The man frowned at Rowan, and he moved aside, finally letting me breathe. I yipped when he jumped forward, pulling me into a hug, but I quickly relaxed and returned the gesture. Rowan made a noise that sounded nearer to animal than human, and I shot back from the man, uncertain.

“You do not know this man. What is the matter with you?” he scolded me, and I frowned. Rowan was right but . . . I felt like I knew this man. There was an easy camaraderie between us that I had never felt before.

“Oh my, you’ve certainly only gotten more growly with age.” The man laughed and I smiled. How did these two know each other?

“All right, let’s go inside so we can get better acquainted,” he said as he walked casually to the cottage and through the doorway, leaving the door open. I looked at Rowan for guidance, which seemed to please him but didn’t stop me from rolling my eyes as he motioned me ahead of him and into the cottage.

The cottage was small but nicely furnished in a cozy sort of way. From the entrance you could see a small kitchen to the right, and although he was clearly in the middle of nowhere, there was no modern convenience he hadn’t splurged on. Living in a literal mountain was almost as primitive as it sounded. The monks liked to do everything the hard way. Nothing was taken from the earth of their own accord, and they lived by what others brought to them in offering. That included water, food, materials, and clothing. Their ways were odd, but the people embraced them and happily helped to maintain their way of life.

I marveled at the advances that had been made from hundreds of years of magical and scientific ingenuity. I gazed enviously at the sink; things would have been a lot simpler with running water in that mountain. The homes in modern society ran on a self-perpetuating system that required little maintenance and magic use from the owner. I had read that in larger cities there were entire factories dedicated to the maintenance of the citywide systems. They kept the lights on and the water clean, all taken out of the citizens’ tax dollars. I learned a lot from the books in the library of Velia; no topic was off-limits, and my thirst for knowledge ran deep.

The main room of the cottage was painted a soft gray and had huge couches that faced a stone fireplace. There was a blanket thrown on the back of one of the fluffy cushions, and I ached to curl up under it and fall asleep. It was the middle of the night, and I was exhausted. There were two doors to the right that I assumed held a bedroom and bathroom. I smiled, breathing in the smell of cinnamon, and—finished with my brief perusal of the cottage—I took a seat at the table where the two men were settling in.

“You, my dear, can call me Onkel, or Kel for short, if you prefer,” the man said, glancing at Rowan with a grin to which Rowan only glowered in return.

“I’m Vivienne, and I’m assuming that the weird exchange from earlier indicates that you’ve already met my guide, Rowan?” I asked, looking between Rowan’s glare and Kel’s easy smile.

“Oh, I know who you are . . . What I want to know is what you are doing wandering around in the forest.” His smile fell.

“Um . . .” I stammered, looking at Rowan for help in explaining.

“The guard received a message, specifically asking for me to come retrieve a girl and bring her to safety. The monks have never made this sort of request, and many who heard of it were curious. I followed their every instruction, as was my duty. Your intrusion was not part of the plan,” Rowan grumbled, looking at me and shaking his head with a frown. Kel burst out laughing as if Rowan had just told the most hilarious joke, and Rowan glared even harder at me like it was my fault. I was missing something, and I was so confused.

“How do you know me?” I asked, finally starting to feel wary. How was it so easy for him to call me here? Why was I so trusting? He saw the concern on my face.

“I mean you no harm, my dear. It was I who hid you with the monks in the first place. It was also I who made sure you were safe by placing wards of protection and putting the block on your magic. It cost me quite a bit to do so . . . I check on them daily and was very surprised when you seemed to be moving closer to me.”

“You’re barely older than I am! There’s no way you could have done as you say . . . and protection against what?” Did he know about the creatures from the vision? I was tired of riddles, I just wanted a straight answer for once. I felt anger building inside me.

“All will be revealed in time,” he replied seriously, and that was it; I practically heard a snap as I lost it.

I jumped up from the table, knocking him out of his chair and onto the floor as I stood over him, pushing my foot against his throat. Anger coursed through me over the petty game he was playing. I didn’t have time for this! His eyes flashed bright and a smile crossed his lips, effectively breaking me from my homicidal thoughts. I jumped back, skin prickling with an odd sensation, appalled at what I had done.

“I’m so sorry,” I apologized, stumbling forward and helping him to his feet. Where had that come from? The monks had spent a lifetime of teaching me to avoid violence, if they could see me now, less than three full days away from them . . .

“Yes, I think it’s a good thing you left when you did. The block on your power is fading already . . . hmm . . . what to do?”

I glanced at Rowan, embarrassed, but he was still sitting in the same place at the table, expression unreadable. When my eyes returned to Kel, he was smiling impishly.

“This might hurt,” he apologized quickly as he grabbed my head and pressed his thumbs to my temples. There was sharp pain followed by a shock that felt as if liquid fire was being pumped through my veins. An outpouring of power that I had never felt before overtook me. I yelped and felt myself falling before everything faded to black.

***

I opened my eyes and tried to orient myself. Every nerve on my body was tingling. Where was I? I smelled cinnamon and immediately remembered. . . Kel. What had he done to me? I was lying in a bed in what I assumed was one of the rooms of the cottage. I flipped back the quilt I was tucked under and gasped as I realized that I was wearing a rather tight and lacy nightgown. Who had changed my clothes? A blush spread across my face for only a moment before it was quickly erased by fury. I jumped out of bed and swung the door open, tired of being left in the dark. Literally.

“What did you do to me?” I roared as I crossed the room toward Kel, who had been standing by the fireplace when I emerged. He turned to face me, surprised by my loud entrance and still holding the steel poker he had been using to stoke the fire. I wrenched it from his hand and pointed it at him like a weapon. The humor in his eyes at my action only fueled the rage that was flooding through me. I turned as I heard a loud commotion, and fearing the unknown, I turned my makeshift weapon toward it instead.

Rowan busted into the room looking much more like a warrior than I was certain I did at the moment. Kel seemed to be thinking along the same lines as he tried to stifle a laugh behind my back. Rowan’s eyes fell on the fireplace poker in my hand, and that seemed to be the end of it for Kel as he roared out his laughter. I yelled in frustration before throwing it across the room. Possible weapon now gone, Rowan’s eyes widened as he looked down at the lacy gown I was wearing and then quickly looked away. I crossed my arms across my chest, suddenly feeling exposed under Rowan’s gaze.

“I took the block off your magic. It was more complicated than I remembered making it . . . but it should come more slowly now after that initial burst of power,” Kel explained, smiling at me excitedly.

“I have no power. I have tried and failed to wield the elements many times,” I admitted with a blush.

“Hmm . . . We will see. This is going to be such fun!” He rubbed his hands together enthusiastically. I turned to look at Rowan, but he was studying the wood on the floor as if it held some grand secret.

“Do you have any other clothes for me?” I asked warily, wondering again who had changed me. He laughed, waving his hand in front of me and I was wearing a thin white shirt made of soft material and sturdy but tight pants and boots. My eyes bulged. What kind of magic was this?

Rowan turned at my gasp and he looked me over to see what was wrong. I could have sworn a flush crept down his neck as he turned for the door and left in a huff. I looked down at myself again and groaned, covering my chest.

“Bra! Kel, I need a bra!” I flushed at the way the thin white material of the shirt had been rendered nearly see-through while hugging my chest, and he laughed covering his eyes.

“Oops, sorry about that. I always forget undergarments!” He chuckled as if it were a silly habit, and I couldn’t help but join in as I felt the fabric appear on my body under the shirt. For some reason that I couldn’t quite understand, I didn’t feel at all uncomfortable around Kel. This new kind of magic was astonishing!

“How did you do that?” I asked, amazed.

“Conjuring magic,” he said simply, but I was intrigued. I had never heard of this kind of magic. I peeked into the shirt and noticed that it was my own old, tattered bra. He looked at me and smiled.

“My other clothes . . . I would like to keep them. They were a gift made by the monks . . .”

“Not to worry. I already packed them, and I’ll teach you how to conjure soon enough. It will become quite a necessity to you, I think.” He grinned, and I knew he wasn’t going to tell me what he meant quite yet. He was just as cryptic as the monks; the only difference was that he took enjoyment from it.

Rowan entered again with a scowl on his face. I could already tell that he didn’t like to show any emotion other than indifference on a regular basis, and he had been flustered. Kel was enjoying it.

“You were out for a while. Grab your things, and we will continue our journey. Kel has informed me that he will be joining us,” Rowan barked as he gathered supplies from the cabinets, and I smiled at Kel, happy for the company he would provide. Finally someone to talk to!

“So would you happen to be able to tell me where we’re going?” I asked Kel as we began our journey through the forest once more. I had slept through the rest of the night and early morning. I had to admit that even that small reprieve in an actual bed had me feeling rejuvenated. Rowan seemed to be becoming more wary and uptight, if that were even possible. He marched ahead of us, mapping a path through the dense foliage that only he knew.

“Didn’t Rowan fill you in?”

“He didn’t do much more than grumble and growl at me.” I sighed, and he growled some more at that. Kel and I laughed at the sound.

“Well, you’re in for a shock, I think. I would have never expected the monks to have kept you quite this sheltered, but since you don’t even know what conjuring magic is, I am willing to bet you have no clue what the Shuni are.” He smiled ruefully, and I flinched at the memory of the creatures in the premonition. Were those Shuni? I stumbled over my own feet and stopped walking, trying to shake the vivid imagery from my mind.

“What has startled you?” Rowan asked, eyes on the trees behind me.

“I was just remembering the premonition . . .” I started and both of the men’s mouths dropped slightly open.

“You have the sight?” Kel questioned, eyes wide.

“No, not me,” I said quickly, trying to suppress a laugh at the sight of these two men cowed before me. “I touched Master Liung while he was having a premonition, and he accidently pulled me into his mind for a moment,” I explained.

“The monks allowed you to touch them?” Rowan scoffed in disbelief.

“They raised me. How would they avoid it?” I growled, unsure of his meaning.

Kel’s eyes were alight, a smile slowly spreading across his face, and I quickly realized that the monks didn’t have physical contact with other people at all. In fact, in all my years, I had never actually seen them touch anyone else of their own choice. My brow furrowed at the thought. How had I never made that connection?

“Why can’t they touch people?” I asked, suddenly worried.

“It’s not that they can’t, dear; it’s that they won’t. They are a sacred people and do not like others’ minds forced upon them. Which is what happens when their minds meld at the touch of another.” Kel patted my shoulder.

“Wait. . . what do you mean their minds meld?” I squeaked.

“Every thought you’ve ever had, every feeling, every hope, dream, and fear. They know you wholly. They cannot help but see into every corner of your mind. It is a burden they must bear.” Kel grimaced and I gasped.

“So wait . . . they knew every thought . . .” My voice dropped off, and I fought a frustrated scream. How could they have not told me? I blushed fiercely, mortified and trying not to think of everything they must have known about me. I was a teenage girl, after all! All the things I thought I had kept secret were nothing but an illusion. I groaned, covering my face.

“You must understand that as a child in their care, they would have had a hard time keeping distance from you. The situation was unique to them. I imagine even beings as ancient as them would have had a hard time staying stoic with you around.” Kel stifled a laugh.

“How ancient?” I asked, trying to focus on anything else. I had often wondered about the mystery that was the monks, but now I was not so sure I wanted to know the answer. Kel just smiled without responding, leaving me to my churning thoughts.

I racked my brain, thinking of the few times the monks had touched me. To instruct me or to help me as a child when needed. Other than Master Liung, I could recall less than a handful of times each monk had touched me, and none of them in recent years. Had he shouldered the burden for the others? I pulled my necklace out from under my shirt and looked at the coin.

I felt a sense of comfort from the coin, easing my embarrassment immediately. If anyone had the right to know all of me it was them, and my teenage woes were surely beneath their scrutiny anyway.