Songbird (9 page)

“Grandmother and I have prepared some things for you.” She motioned toward some clothes lying on a chair. “Please do us the honor of wearing them tonight.” Before he could say anything she continued. “I also have another request.” She paused, a bit unsure of herself, and Bran wondered what he was getting into.

“We need you to help us with the song. It’s not much, but if you could add your lower tones to ours, the outcome will be much stronger.”

“What?” Nothing could have surprised him more. “I have no magic, and my voice is barely passable compared to you and your grandmother. How do you know if I can even sing? I am sure there is nothing you could possibly gain from adding me.”

“Oh, but there is. You underestimate yourself. Your speaking voice has a wonderful resonance, and I’m sure your singing voice does as well. There’s not much you need to do, just hum the low tones that match ours. If it gets too hard, you can stop.”

This was ridiculous. She made it sound so easy, but what if he sang the wrong notes? Wouldn’t that ruin what they were doing? What if he made it worse? She didn’t know what she was asking. He was on the point of refusal when Leona joined them.

“It is not so much your voice we need, as your participation,” she added. “These groves are sustained by life and living beings. Three of us would be better than two, and the fact that you are a man is even more important. I would not ask if it would do you any harm.”

What could he say to that? “All right, I’ll try.”

“Thank you,” Teya said, touching his arm gently. “It will be great.”

Looking deep into her sapphire eyes, he almost believed her. “I’ll be back.”

“We’ll wait for you at the tree.”

He nodded and grabbed the clothes, then walked into the spare room to change.

Teya had a profound effect on him and he wasn’t sure he liked it. Time with her grandmother had changed her. She didn’t seem as young or innocent now. In fact, she seemed more alluring and confident than ever, and it was hard for him to hold back his attraction to her.

He nimbly stripped off his clothes, and washed up using the basin of water and soap left for him. After a quick scrub, he toweled off. Then pulled on the black trousers and white shirt Teya had left him. The soft clothing fit him surprisingly well. Once he’d slipped on his boots, he picked up the black jacket.

The design was different from anything he’d ever seen before, with a high collar at the neck and buttoning up the front. Longer than what he normally wore, it hit him just above the knees. The sleeves were the perfect length for his long arms, surprising him with how well everything fit.

He supposed these clothes were some of the remnants left behind when the Kalorians fled. Even though they weren’t his, he felt comfortable in them, and more self-assured. He stood a little taller and more confident about his participation. He smiled, knowing that even if he couldn’t keep up with the singing, at least he looked good.

Twilight turned to darkness and Bran followed Leona’s soft lights back to the meadow. Tonight the woods were hushed and seemed to hold an air of wistful expectancy. Teya and Leona softly conversed beside the tree, but broke apart when Bran approached. He smiled at Teya’s quick intake of breath, and Leona’s appreciative nod. Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad after all.

“What do you want me to do?” he asked.

“It is a simple ceremony,” Leona said. “If you can let the music be your guide, you will lose yourself in the song, and the notes will follow. Just open your heart. Are you ready?”

Bran nodded, even though he knew he was woefully unprepared for this moment, but in an odd way, he also looked forward to it. The last time he’d heard Teya sing was still etched in his memory as one of the most extraordinary moments in his life, and his heart yearned to hear that sweet voice again.

Leona directed them to the other side of the tree. Here, a white stone pedestal rose from the ground with a large bowl balanced on top. Clear water filled the white bowl, so still that he could see his reflection inside.

They took their positions around the bowl and Leona spoke. “Join hands.”

Teya smiled encouragingly when she took his hand, and he couldn’t help smiling in return. Leona began a simple tune, with her voice light as the wind. Soon, Teya joined her, turning the simple melody into harmony so beautiful that chills ran down his spine. As their voices rose and fell, the notes seemed to twine around him, lifting him to a dreamlike state.

Yet in this state, he felt more real and alive than he’d ever felt in his life. A fresh breeze caressed his skin, filling his nostrils with the scent of new cut grass and spring rain. He breathed deeply and his chest swelled, buoyed by the strength in the air. The grove began to thrum with a pulse of its own, and every leaf and blade of grass shimmered to the beat of newfound life.

Without thought, he began to sing, and his voice found a place in the song that anchored the melody, holding the ethereal notes firmly to the earth. All at once, the water began to rise from the bowl in a fine mist. It swirled in a never-ending funnel higher and higher above the meadow. Soon a cloudy haze overshadowed the entire grove. It hung suspended by a pure sweet note from Teya that held every living thing in thrall. As the tension mounted, Bran could not fathom how she could hold the note so long.

Then Leona’s voice faded out and Bran was caught up in an intricate harmonic dance with Teya. His added strength changed the tempo and mingled with hers in a dance of creation. Soon they merged in an intimate caress. The rhythm intensified, leaving him bare and defenseless. In the magic of the moment he lost himself in this celebration of life itself.

The music trailed out to one last clear note from Teya. Then it ended. The mist hanging above them coalesced and fell to the earth as dewdrops from heaven. Each drop echoed the music like a tinkling chime and filled the grove with a resonance of light. It was as if the grove itself held the power of the sun.

A wholeness encompassed Bran and he radiated the light. His senses seemed on fire with broader depth and understanding, as though he had never used them before. It was as if he had transcended humanity and become something more.

He glimpsed a place beyond the grove of shining light and towering cathedrals. The streets seemed paved in gold and the buildings sparkled like diamonds. This place of indescribable beauty and brightness seemed more than he could endure.

Reflexively pulling back, the light faded, and awareness of his surroundings pulled him into consciousness. Visions of grandeur became a star-studded night sky, and he realized he was lying on his back. He slowly sat up and found Teya next to him, staring wide-eyed into the heavens.

“Teya.” She didn’t respond. He clutched her hands and grew alarmed at how cold they were. “Teya?” He pulled her into his arms and with a hand on her cold cheek, searched her eyes, willing them to come into focus. Gradually, they lost that far-off look and she seemed to see him for the first time.

“Bran,” she said, breathing his name like a prayer.

He smiled with relief, wanting more from this intimate moment. Unable to resist his desires, he leaned forward and brushed his lips against hers. Soft and welcoming, she opened to him and he kissed her thoroughly, finding a flame to match his own. Her arms twined around his neck and he couldn’t seem to get enough of her. He deepened the kiss and his body responded with deep passion. His blood pulsed with a thundering rhythm that could not be denied.

Teya pulled away, leaving him breathless and unfulfilled. With guilt and bewilderment, she looked over her shoulder. He followed her gaze and found Leona leaning against the tree, watching them with widened eyes. At her obvious intrusion, she ducked her head and left.

A faint blush spread over Teya’s smooth skin and she smiled apologetically before slipping out from under him. “Sorry,” she said, panting. “I’m...we should...I need a drink of water...would you like some?” She didn’t wait for him to answer and fled his presence, leaving him with a hollow ache in his groin.

With a deep groan, Bran tried to get himself under control. After a few minutes, his harsh breathing settled down, and he sat up. A moment later, he got to his feet and stepped around the tree to find Leona sitting at the table, and Teya filling a pitcher with water.

“Please. Come to the table,” Leona said, catching his gaze. “I have a few things I need to tell you.”

Teya dutifully filled the goblets with water and Bran took his time to sit down. He was thirsty, but that was secondary to his real desire. He was so consumed with wanting Teya that he could hardly think straight. With trembling hands, he somehow managed to lift the goblet to his lips and take a swallow.

“Drink up. After the ceremony, you don’t realize how much you need it,” Leona said, taking a long drink of water herself.

Following her example, Bran drank deeply. The water satisfied the hunger that had been drained by the ritual. It strengthened him, but did nothing to cool his passion. He closed his eyes in concentration, and felt a portion of sanity return. Once his heart settled into a normal rhythm, he opened his eyes. What the hell was that?

“Tomorrow, you will leave here,” Leona said. “I have taught Teya the basics. That will have to be enough, as there is no time for more. Our singing has strengthened the grove for a little longer at least. You did surprisingly well for an outlander, Bran. Are you sure you don’t have some Kalorian blood in you?”

Bran shrugged, but his voice was strained. “Not that I know of.”

“You can see why we needed you. The song of life is only half filled without male participation because it is also a song of creation, hence the need for both a man and a woman. Your efforts made a dramatic difference to our success. The outcome will be felt for days and perhaps weeks to come. It has also affected both of you.”

That was an understatement. If he had wanted Teya before, it was nothing compared to how he felt now. How could he acknowledge this attraction and not fulfill his desires? Something extraordinary had happened during the ceremony. Something he had no words to explain or ever felt before. As he searched within himself, he knew it was more than a connection with Teya. He felt changed somehow. What had Leona and Teya done to him?

“I have prepared a few things for you to take,” Leona said. She pulled a small set of pipes from her pocket and handed them to Bran. “This will protect you from the Destroyer when you cross back. I meant to send them with you today when you checked on the perimeter, but I forgot. I trust all went well?”

“Yes.” He could hardly remember his close call, and didn’t see the need to tell her what had happened at this point.

“Good. All that remains is for you to find our people and bring them back. I will keep the grove safe as long as I can, but I fear I am fading. Tonight proved it to me. I saw the White City and it was no longer a vision, it was real, and it called to me. It was difficult to return here. Next time, I might not be able to.”

“What is the White City?” Bran asked, trying to focus. Is that what he’d glimpsed?

“It is our true home. When my work here is done, I will return there. You must understand. Kalorians are not quite human. Come, let’s get you back to the cottage.”

Bran sighed, suddenly tired and sleepy. She took his arm and led him away. He followed in a daze, listening to her but unable to comprehend everything she said. She led him to his bed and helped him remove his jacket and boots. As she continued, her voice seemed to echo around him.

“Tonight, you will sleep peacefully. Tomorrow, I will send you with as much water as I can. Drink it for extra strength and it will protect you. If you find Korban, it would be best if you killed him. Now, go to sleep and rest peacefully.”

Bran didn’t remember lying down, only that the soft pillow cushioned his head and a sweet melody filled his senses. He tried to think. Wasn’t there a question? It was too hard to remember. He fought the haze that settled over him but his body was filled with a languor he couldn’t resist and, after a brief struggle, he quit trying.

Chapter 4

Bran woke to the sound of chirping birds and dappled sunlight on his face. He sat up to clear his head. He didn’t remember lying down on the bed or much of anything after the ceremony. Except for the jacket and his boots, he still wore the clothes Leona had given him from the night before. His pack and regular clothes sat beside him, freshly cleaned and ready to wear.

With a huff and a nagging sense of irritation, he quickly changed into them. He tried to remember how he got to the cottage, but the events of last night seemed more like a dream, and he couldn’t explain it with words. He felt suspiciously out of control, mostly because he knew that Leona had used her magic to make him sleep. What if it wasn’t the first time she’d done it? That thought bothered him even more.

He gathered all of his things together and left the clothes from Leona behind. Even if he was meant to keep them, he didn’t have room in his bags. To his relief, he found Teya at the table, filling two goblets with water.

Dressed in traveling clothes he hadn’t seen before, she took his breath away. With a simple pale blue shirt covered by a black tunic, and black pants tucked into her boots and a belt around her waist, he found her more alluring than ever. The shirt even managed to make her sapphire eyes seem bluer and gave her dark hair a glossy sheen.

She smiled shyly at him and his heart skipped a beat. Magic or not, he couldn’t deny his strong attraction to her, and was glad that at least he remembered kissing her. With a quick greeting, she finished pouring their water.

“Where’s Leona?” Bran asked.

“She’s resting. Last night took a lot out of her. She won’t be joining us this morning, but she did give me these waterbags to take with us. Once we’ve filled them with grove water, we can leave.”

Bran’s brows drew together in dismay. Leona wasn’t going to see them off? He still had some questions he wanted to ask her. Was she really that frail? He quickly drained his goblet of water, and realized how much he missed eating. He looked forward to a satisfying meal along with a hefty pint of ale.

“Did Leona have any idea where your people might have gone?” he asked. “If we’re to find them it would be nice to know.”

Teya caught the note of annoyance in Bran’s tone and pursed her lips. “That’s just it, she doesn’t know. Our people left in a hurry and they went in different directions in case Korban waited for them.” She opened her mouth to say something else, but frowned instead.

Bran didn’t ask what was on her mind. There were things he wanted to talk about as well, but he figured it could wait until they’d left the grove. Mostly because he didn’t want Leona to hear what he had to say.

“All right, let’s fill up our waterbags and go. I suggest we head back to the city, only by a different route. We came from the west, so let’s circle around and enter from the east this time. It’s a more populated route, and maybe we can find some traces of your people along the way.”

“That sounds like a good idea.” Teya picked up four empty waterbags and Bran grabbed his four and followed her to the tree. She seemed to know how to get there, but Bran would have been lost without her as a guide. He’d managed last night, but that was only because Leona had lit the path with her magic.

After filling them, and taking another long drink, Bran took a small flask out of his jacket pocket to fill as well. He wished there was a way to take more water, but he’d have to be satisfied with what he had. He helped Teya cart them all back to the cottage, and brought the horses around.

Once they’d saddled the horses and stowed their gear away, they were ready to leave. “Are you going to say goodbye to your grandmother?”

“No,” Teya answered, slipping on her black jacket. “I already did earlier.” Her glance strayed to the cottage where her grandmother rested. After a moment, she turned to him. “All right. Let’s go.” She sighed with something like regret, and Bran knew it was hard for her to leave after waiting so long to come home.

They mounted their horses and turned east toward the rising sun. Once they were out of the grove, the velvet grass stretched green toward the lifeless boundary. Teya glanced over her shoulder and Bran was surprised at the frown on her face.

“We’ll come back,” he reassured her.

Teya smiled tightly. “I hope so, and she’d better be alive when we do. There’s so much more she could teach me, and now I’m not sure I’ll ever learn. I feel a bit lost, with no one to tell me where to go, or how to get there.”

“You certainly seemed to know what you were doing last night. Did Leona tell you what to do?”

Teya shook her head. “No, all I did was follow her lead. The rest just happened.” She glanced away from him and licked her lips. Bran frowned. Was she uncomfortable about something?

“You’ll do fine,” Bran said, hoping to help her feel better. “Leona said after you knew the basics, the rest would come to you.”

“Maybe, but I still worry. There’s so much I don’t know, and she won’t be there to help me. What if I fail?”

Bran’s expression cleared, now he understood her concern. “That’s a risk you’ll have to take, but you’ll absolutely fail if you don’t try.”

Teya sighed. “That’s true. I’ll try not to worry so much. Besides, I have you to help me. You will, won’t you?”

Bran nodded, maybe now was a good time to tell her his own worries. “There is one thing I would like to ask you.” He paused at the discomfort in her eyes, like she knew what he was going to ask and dreaded it. “This may sound strange, but after last night, I have to clear this up. I know your grandmother used her magic on me. I was going to ask her some questions, and next thing I know, I can’t keep my eyes open.

“Maybe she thought it was necessary,” he continued. “But I didn’t like it. At least she could have asked, but I was given no choice. I need to have a choice, Teya. I want you to promise me that you won’t use magic on me without asking first. I’m sorry I have to ask, but I need to be able to trust you.”

“Of course,” Teya bristled. “She just wanted you to sleep well.”

“Is that all?”

“Yes.”

“All right. That’s good to know,” Bran said, hoping it was the truth. There was something else Leona had said last night that bothered him, but through the haze of sleep, he couldn’t remember what it was. He racked his brain trying to think of it, but came up empty-handed. It had seemed important, so why couldn’t he remember? Was his lack of memory one of Leona’s tricks as well? He shook his head and sighed with frustration.

Soon they were within sight of the pipes and the border. From this distance, the sound of the pipes seemed to cry out a warning and Bran shivered.

Teya turned for one last look at the grove. He admired her profile with the breeze blowing her hair across her face. It stirred warmth and admiration in him, along with a deep desire to protect her, and it was hard to tear his gaze away. Before she caught him staring, he glanced back at the grove, and his breath caught at the sight. It seemed to sparkle with light and stood fresh and green like an oasis in the desert. It truly was a magical place.

With a deep sigh, Teya turned her back on the grove and urged her horse forward. Bran followed, understanding her reluctance, then noticed that the green grass continued a good five feet beyond the pipes. “Would you look at that?” he said. “The grove has grown.”

“Yes,” Teya agreed. “From last night’s ritual.”

They came to the edge, then paused within the boundary and stared at the vast emptiness before them. Was the Destroyer somewhere close, waiting for them?

“Do you have the pipes my grandmother gave you?” Teya asked.

“Yes.” Bran pulled them from inside his shirt tied to a string around his neck. “If the Destroyer finds us before we get very far, we could end up wandering in that wilderness for days. I have a compass. I’ll keep it handy so that won’t happen.” He dismounted, then pulled it out of his satchel to check it. “If we head due east, we should reach the borderlands. We can go south from there.”

At her nod, he got back on his horse then turned to catch her gaze. “Is there anything else I need to know?”

“Probably, but I can’t think of anything right now. Just stay close to me, all right? I don’t want to lose you.”

There was a double meaning in her eyes, and his heart quickened. “Don’t worry,” he responded. “I’m not letting you out of my sight.” It was true, and not just because of the Destroyer. He was drawn to her in more ways than he cared to admit, and didn’t quite understand. What had happened during the ritual to bind them together? Now was not the time to ask, but he was determined to get to the bottom of it once they got out of here.

“Shall we make a run for it?” Teya asked, her eyes filled with daring.

“Sure,” Bran agreed with a smile. “Just don’t push the horses too hard.”

With a wry twist to her lips, Teya took off before Bran had finished, but he quickly caught up. The horses seemed eager for a run, and for the moment, Bran forgot the threat. They slowed at the crest of a hill, to gaze down at the blackened trees and dusty earth that lay in startling contrast to the green grove behind them. It spread for miles in all directions, and drenched them both in a dark cloud of despair.

Urging the horses forward, they kept to a straight course and barely spoke to each other, worried that speaking might draw the Destroyer to them. Soon the trees disappeared and the hard cracked earth turned to sand and rock.

Heavy oppression seeped into his skin, and Bran settled into watchful silence. Several miles later, a brittle breeze brought a scent of decay that turned Bran’s stomach. The source lay not too far from their path, and Bran swung down from his horse to investigate.

At first it looked like a heap of sun-bleached clothing and discarded blankets. As Bran got closer, the strange pile became the remains of a horse and rider, dead for several weeks. Oddly, there were no flies or carrion birds to eat the flesh. The shrunken skin made the grotesque features stand out, with the jaw and mouth opened in a silent scream of terror. Bran choked back his revulsion and motioned Teya to stay away.

He had seen death before, but not quite like this. He forced himself to search the pockets for clues to the man’s identity. He searched quickly, holding his breath as much as he could. The inner pocket of the jacket held several gold coins, an immense amount for anyone to carry.

Bran pocketed them, then felt around the inside lining of the jacket. He came upon a bulge, and knew it was a package of some sort. With his knife, he cut the lining and pulled out two vials of a coppery red liquid.
Sym
. Frustratingly enough, there were no other clues to indicate who this man was. Bran slid the
sym
into his pocket and hurried back to his horse.

Without sparing Teya a glance, he mounted up with an acute desire to put as much distance between them and the corpse as he could. Tension dropped over him like a net, and he scanned the vast waste for signs of darkness, but found nothing. “Keep close,” he whispered.

“Do you know who he was?” Teya asked.

“No, but I found gold in his pocket, along with some vials of
sym
.”

Teya shivered, and they urged their horses on, desperate to leave this place unscathed. Several times in the next few hours, they came upon small mounds of bones held together by strips of cloth. Bran could only determine that this was a frequently traveled route. He wondered if the remains could have been some of the Kalorians, or possibly Korban's people trying to find a way to the grove.

It was late afternoon before they glimpsed the end of the waste. Up ahead they could see a pass between a rocky crag, and a barren hill. Beyond that, a wide expanse of grassland spread for several miles. The waves of green and gold stood out in bright contrast to the colorless waste. The oppression they had endured during the entire day lifted. Teya glanced at Bran with delight and he smiled in return. They were almost free.

With the sun at his back, Bran didn’t notice the looming shadow until it was upon them. Teya shouted a warning and sang out the notes of the grove. The darkness hovered above, waiting to strike but was held back by the sound of Teya’s voice. As Bran’s heart raced with fear, he checked his compass for the coordinates of the pass and shouted at Teya to ride hard.

The dark cloud seemed to grow in fury, only held back by Teya’s trilling tones. Soon, it had them surrounded, and Bran grabbed for his pipes and began to blow. The darkness receded, leaving an angry buzz that hurt Bran’s ears. He kept blowing his pipes in the race to the gap, watching his compass in the darkness.

He expected to reach the gap at any moment, but when they didn’t, he wondered if they’d missed it. The buzzing in his ears heightened into a loud rumble, creating an unbearable pain, and he wasn’t sure how much longer he could blow on the pipes. Where was the gap?

Teya shouted something at him and he glanced up to find the darkness retreating. Hope spurred him on. All at once, he burst through the opening in the gap, and flew down to the other side. 

Coming to a breathless stop, he turned to watch the dark cloud of the Destroyer lift into the air and fall back in upon itself. It hovered above the ground for a moment, then disappeared. Teya spoke to him, but Bran couldn’t understand what she said.

His head pounded with a buzzing echo that started at the base of his skull and ended right behind his eyes. In agony, Bran slid from his horse, clutching his head and fell to the ground. Soon Teya’s song cut through the pain and he could breathe again. He felt her cradle his head in her lap and heard the sweet sound of a melody that began to chase the awful buzzing out of his head.