Splintered Fate (24 page)

Cale turned to Bredin, who sat in
the seat next to where he had originally sat. Bredin turned to Lana
at the sound of his name, nodding at Cale and Lana. Breiden had a
hawk Aorra that had been watching Lana, Kaiden, and Donn before
they were allowed into Alogrin. The hawk must have seen one of Lana
and Kaiden’s practices. She returned her gaze to Cale.

“
Kaiden and I practice,
yes.”

“
Would you say
you are any good at it, princess?” Cale questioned, placing an
aggravating emphasis on
princess
before taking another sip of wine. Lana reached
out for her own glass to keep from balling her hands into
fists.

“
Yes.” Lana replied, restraining
herself from saying more.

“
Great! Tomorrow morning, we will
have you and your friend, Kaiden each show us what you can do in
the arena. Unless you are afraid you may embarrass yourself? I must
warn you, the people in Alogrin are extremely skilled. You will
have to work to impress anyone here, there is a big chance someone
like you may even get injured.”

Ardin released a
low growl.
Why don’t I take an extremely
skilled bite out of your smug face? Rotten swine.
He had been by Lana’s side the entire time and
had remained to himself until this moment. Lana glanced over to her
Aorra, they seemed to share the same distaste for
Cale.

Returning to the conversation,
Lana spoke with a forced calm tone. “We know the rumors of Alogrin
and how talented the people are, the stories of the great golden
army. I don’t fear you.”

“
Maybe you should.” Cale murmured
with a cold gaze before taking another sip of wine.

Was this a threat? Her eyes honed
in on him. She was about to respond when he spoke again “The event
tomorrow will be held at the arena. It will be between you and one
other, your Aorra is welcome to be there but will not be
involved.”

Lana watched Cale as he rubbed his
hand along his blond facial scruff wiping away a splash of red
wine. She did not like him. He was so incredibly arrogant, as if he
was better then everyone. Lana wasn’t sure how the Alogrin council
was chosen but if it were left to a vote then she had no idea how
Cale could have won. He came off as cold and as one who constantly
was looking down on others.

“
Will you be in the arena?” Lana
asked, hoping that she would get a chance to take out some of the
anger and annoyance that was quickly beginning to build up because
of him.

Cale smiled brightly, “We will
see.”

Let’s go right
now, you pretentious jerk. I will wipe that arrogant smirk off of
that face.
Ardin didn’t warn her to
restrain herself in her thoughts. She didn’t feel him work to pull
any of the anger from her. He must, for once, have been too busy
brewing to himself to work at restraining her.

Lana glanced around the table,
taking note of the Aorra’s. Bredin sat next to Clyte and his hawk
Aorra was also near him, perched on the back of his chair. Micah
sat next to Kaiden with a silver black and white snake wrapped
around his chair. The snake sat poised, head up and turning to
whoever was talking in that moment. Lana assumed that the snake
must be his Aorra. Next to him sat Aria and then Zorin whose great
cat was not present. She turned back to Cale, completing the circle
of her gaze around the table.

“
Do you not have an Aorra?” She
asked him with a smile.

Cale exhaled in contempt, “Not every Madonian
needs an Aorra.” With that he got up and walked from the
table.

No creature
would want to be his Aorra.
Ardin remarked
and a smile tugged at the corner of Lana’s lips. Perfect, she found
a soft spot.

“
He can be a little rough around
the edges.” Zorin whispered to Lana while she watched Cale
disappear into the crowd.

Turning back to Zorin and Aria,
the three of them made small talk while finishing what was left of
their meals. When everyone finished eating the dancing began,
giving Lana a chance to escape to the balcony that she had been
eyeing ever since she had entered the crowded ballroom.

The balcony was on the far end of
the room. The fabric hanging from the opening blew into the room
with the breeze. Lana walked across the floor, weaving between
happy couples who didn’t notice her and others who hushed and
stared as she walked by.

When she finally made it to the
balcony, it felt like she could finally breathe. The pressures
within that confined ballroom melted away into the darkness,
leaving her with the freedom to fill her lungs with the fresh
mountain air.

The balcony stuck out over a
valley below. A whole mountain range surrounded the valley. Lana
stared at the view, it was beautiful and unlike anything she had
ever seen. The castle seemed to be built into the walls of the
mountain, probably made from the mountain its self. She wondered if
the whole entire mountain were the castle.

Feeling a nudge at her hand, Lana turned to
see Ardin standing beside her.

You think this
whole mountain around us is the castle?
Lana asked her Aorra.

It seems
so.
Ardin replied as he looked over the
balcony. By the light of the moon, they could see a small forest
and fields below them. Ardin turned his silver blue eyes back to
Lana who raised her hand, gently placing it on the wolf’s head,
softly stroking his fur.

I feel so
lost
She whispered to him in her
mind.

Don’t be. We have made it here.
This place is what we have heard legends of. A place that the King
of all the lands used to rule from! It is a victory.

One victory, to be replaced by yet
another challenge, a struggle to get the Alogrin counsels’
support.

It may take time but it will
happen, have faith.

I
suppose.
Though she doubted she would ever
manage Cale’s support and time was not something she wanted to
waist if this lead to no where.

What is your plan? If we get their
support that is.

Honestly? I am
not sure. If there is truly a war waging then I do not want either
side to win, we need to suppress both.
Lana looked up at the small moon crossing the sky. A thought
hit her
. Do you think they would allow us
back into Ucu?

I don’t know. They have a rule
against adults going there, not to mention their rules if war ever
broke out. Now that war has started they will not accept any more
Madonians or Rami children after they return the students who are
currently up there.

Lana looked down
at the forest beneath in thought.
Yes, I
know.
She then turned her gaze back up at
the stars.
But they see everything, know
everything. If we made the journey to their gate, do you think we
would be turned away?

They do not like to get involved,
you know that.

But they take Madonian and Rami
children for an entire moon cycle of time and help them learn to
control their gifts! They broke their own rules in doing that. They
allow for themselves to be involved with us even though they say
they do not wish to be involved beyond what’s necessary. Who
chooses how much of their involvement is necessary? Surely they
would see that helping us would be for a greater purpose and they
will accept us! The instructors are not monsters. Many Madonian and
Rami will die in the times to come. I know they would want to
help.

I simply don’t
know.
That was all Ardin could really say
for no one knew.

If Lana traveled to the Ucu’s
gates when the moons aligned and they let her through, this would
be the first time that the instructors had let someone other than a
young child from the lands into the school. There was no say
whether they would be willing to grant her entrance or if the trip
would be a wasted one.

Lana and Ardin both stood gazing over the
balcony in silence thinking their own thoughts.

I'll leave you two.

Before she could ask her Aorra
what he meant he was walking off of the balcony, passing a tall,
dark figure. The figure stepped closer and Lana could see a
familiar face with eyes, which were deep pools of blue. The
intensity of his eyes caught her breath and she had to look away.
She fidgeted with her dress, pretending to fix an invisible
wrinkle. Once in front of her the figure stopped and Lana forced
her gaze up, meeting the eyes of the handsome Rami before
her.

"Hi," she managed to say. Why was
she behaving foolishly, feeling so infuriatingly strange? This was
just Kaiden. So what if he was cleaned and dressed up all nice. He
was the same guy she had been traveling with for weeks now, they
were friends. Nothing more. Her heart wouldn’t listen as it beat
out of her control.

His eyes glided
over her.
"
You
look, beautiful."

Lana's heart fluttered at the
complement and she looked out over the balcony trying to distance
herself from the feelings that stirred within her. She wanted to
tell him he cleaned up rather nicely as well but decided against
it. Not wanting him to have the pleasure of her complement, not
wanting to muddle things between them.

"
You have been avoiding me." Kaiden
stated. It was not a question but an observation, letting Lana know
her avoidance had not gone unnoticed.

"I have not. You have been busy."
Lana countered, glancing into the grand ballroom, to Clyte who was
busy entertaining guests. She wore a cream loose fitting dress that
curved around her muscular body accentuating her best features,
with the back completely open, showing off a ragged white scar
across her flawlessly tanned skin. Her long dark hair was wrapped
around her head in a braided crown.

Kaiden followed Lana's gaze to Clyte and
turned back to her with a large stupid grin on his face. "Oh I see.
Jealous?"

Lana felt her face abruptly get hot at the
accusation.

"You’re ridiculous." She retorted,
the irritation painfully clear in her voice. She turned in an
attempt to get away from him but a hand gently grasped hers,
pulling her back.

"Clyte was a legendary Rami
warrior, I thought she had been killed and I am shocked that she is
here. She used to serve under the Right Hand General to the king,
she is an idol of sorts for our people.” He unsuccessfully tried to
mask a smile.

Lana did not reply. She stared at
the ground unable to think of a response, feeling embarrassed. Was
she really jealous?

“
I am sorry about what I said
about Donn this morning.” Kaiden’s apology brought her eyes up to
his. “I know you like the old man, I did not mean to upset
you-“

“
It’s fine” She cut him off. “He
was hiding some facts from us, but it doesn't matter now, we made
it to Alogrin.”

Lana noticed that Kaiden’s hand was still on
hers, she pulled it away and took a step back. Being close to him
was too much.

"We are to fight tomorrow." Lana
informed Kaiden, attempting to change the subject.

"I'll go easy on you in that
case." He smirked.

A small smile spread across her
face at his remark.

"Ha! You’re just lucky we are fighting with
other people. I wouldn’t want to embarrass you in front of
everyone. Kaiden the great, lost to a girl.”

"Oh is that so?"

“
It sure is.”

Kaiden smiled his dazzling smile
in response. His angular face, handsome, in the face of the soft
glow of the moon.

“
What do you think of the Council
and their advisors?” Kaidens head tilted towards the
ballroom.

“
They are nice.” Lana shrugged,
“Except for Cale.”

He snorted, “That guy is an
egotistic turd.”

“
Yes, a turd.” Lana laughed. It
was so easy to laugh with Kaiden.

Biting her lip, she looked back
over the balcony, Kaiden joined her gaze at the valley bellow.
Taking in the grandness of the mountain that surrounded them. It
was peaceful to look over the lands by the moonlight. Kaiden
glanced back at Lana, watching her a moment.

“
Why do you look so
troubled?”

"Are there any reasons to not be?”
She replied, turning to face him.

“
We made it to Alogrin.” He
shrugged, still watching her.

“
I guess I'm afraid. I fear I'm
not going to be taken seriously and what about my people? They are
in danger and I am not with them. I am here, all dressed up like a
doll…. and you." Lana looked into his eyes "I have put you in
danger.”

Kaiden stared at
her, she was afraid for him? He had to suppress a laugh, since she
was the one getting into trouble all the time. If anything he
should be the one worried about
her
safety not the other way
around.