The Threshold Child (59 page)

Ravi’s expression became wistful. “My ancestors lived in that
world, as well as the Serraf. They say that
vyala
was as common as air, and that the world was filled with all the creatures that
have now become myth.”

She glanced at her guardian. “What kind of creatures?”

A half smile touched his lips. “Their names have been lost in
time, but their presence touches all of our legends.”

He trailed off and his features became saddened. Adesina gazed at
him with concern. “What happened to them?”

He sighed. “Most of them died in the Great Wars, and many more in
the plagues that followed. Those of us who survived sought refuge at the
Wellspring.”

There was so much new information in these two sentences that
Adesina didn’t know where to begin. “The Wellspring?”

“It is said to be the source of the old
vyala
. The Serraf and Rashad who did not take part in the Great
Wars went there to flee from the destruction. A small group of others went with
them and helped to create the barrier between the Wellspring and the rest of
the world. That area is now called the Spirit Lands by those who remember it.”

They were now on the edge of the forest which had been the cause
of the discussion. She nodded her head towards it. “So these woods…?”

Ravi picked up on this new line of thought. “There are still a few
places in the world that are touched by the old
vyala
. This forest is one of them, the forest where you joined the
L’avan is another.”

They entered the trees, and the disembodied whispers began
immediately.

“…still searching…”

 
“…standing in the darkness…”

“…waiting to be set free.”

“Love, like a stranger…”

“…never to be found.”

“…of this people yet not of this people…”

“…greater things to come.”

“While standing at the threshold…”

“…leading my chosen…”

Aleron looked around in wonder. “What is it?”

Only Ravi seemed to know the answer. “Spirits—both past and
future.”

He didn’t understand. “Past
and
future?”

“Time does not matter to
vyala
.
Past, present and future are all the same.”

“What are they saying?” asked L’era.

Ravi listened for a moment before replying. “They whisper the
etchings of each soul. What I hear is not the same as what you hear.”

A realization came to Adesina. “Is that why Kendan was so affected
by what he heard?”

He nodded. “Kendan’s soul was troubled, therefore what he heard
was also troubling.”

She fell silent, staring at her horse’s ears. L’iam looked over at
her, his eyes full of sadness.

“You loved him.”

It was halfway between a question and a statement. She couldn’t
bring herself to answer. Instead, she shifted her gaze to the shadows in the
trees ahead of them.

He reached over and took her hand, speaking with the same sorrow
as before. “I am so sorry, Adesina. No one should feel such pain, especially
after everything you have been through.”

She tried to shrug it off. “It does not matter.”

“It does,” he insisted gently. “It matters a great deal.”

Adesina looked over at him and smiled. “Thank you.”

Aleron urged his horse forward until it was next to hers.
“Adesina, how far south are we going?”

She frowned thoughtfully, recalling the maps she had studied
throughout the years. “The fortress is set on the southernmost peninsula of the
continent. That is part of the reason why it is so easy to protect, and so easy
to keep secret.”

His expression was filled with excitement and awe. “Do you mean
that we are going to see the ocean?”

She laughed softly. “Yes, the fortress is right by the ocean.”

“I have never seen the ocean before,” he confessed.

Adesina was certain that there were many things that he had never
seen, having grown up in the High City. She began describing the area around
the fortress, and he listened eagerly. She spoke of the clear blue of the ocean
and the vivid scent it gave. She told him about the distant call of the sea
birds that nested in the cliffs below the fortress.

She also described the great ships that came once a month to
resupply the fortress. This caught the attention of the others.

“The Shimat deal with merchants?” asked Sa’jan.

“The merchants
are
Shimat,” she explained, “just as I am a
carpenter. All Shimat are given professions in order to allow them to blend
into society. In this way, the order is completely self-sufficient. The Shimat
depend on no one but themselves, regardless of what might be needed.”

E’nes furrowed his brow. “So they have their own farms, their own
cattle…?”

She inclined her head. “Yes. They have farmers, weavers, smiths,
shepherds, healers, ranchers, artists, performers, wainwrights, coopers, cobblers,
soldiers, politicians. Everything.”

Ravi glanced at the sky, even though it wasn’t visible through the
heavy canopy. “We should probably stop here for the night.”

As they dismounted, Aleron made his way over to Adesina and asked,
“Is it true that the ocean’s water is filled with salt?”

She smiled at his enthusiasm and once again began telling him
about all the different things she had seen during her travels.

***

A Shimat walked into the cell of the two prisoners and pointed to
Faryl. “Take her out, and then leave us.”

Me’shan looked up in surprise. No Shimat had ever ordered to be
left alone with him, for fear that he might use his “magic” against them.

The orders were followed, and Faryl was dragged out of the room.

The Shimat was a young man with raven hair and sad eyes. For
several minutes he did nothing but look at Me’shan’s face, searching for
something hidden. When he spoke, it was almost in a whisper.

“I cannot see beyond the beatings you have received, but I cannot
help but feel that the rumors are true.”

Me’shan considered whether or not he should answer, and decided to
go against his usual deathlike silence. “What rumors?”

The young man stared at him in surprise. “They said that you never
spoke.”

He didn’t care what the guards said about him. “What rumors?” he
repeated.

“That you are Adesina’s father—the L’avan girl raised here in the
fortress.”

There was a flicker in Me’shan’s eyes as he heard his daughter’s
name for the first time.

The Shimat saw it and nodded slowly. “My name is Kendan. I am an
instructor at this school, and I taught Adesina for a year. After she finished
her training, I was her contact to the Shimat order while she was on her first
mission.”

For a moment it seemed like he was going to say more, but he
changed his mind. Me’shan heard as much in the silence as he had in the spoken
words.

“She means something to you.”

Kendan found himself nodding as he stared at the ground. “She
means something to all who know her.”

“But more so to you,” the prisoner pried.

The hopelessness in the young man’s eyes was overwhelming. “It
does not matter. I am a traitor in her eyes.”

“How did you betray her?”

He began pacing back and forth in an agitated manner. “Most Shimat
do not know the true character of the order until years after they complete
their training. They are eased into the truth so slowly that they do not notice
what is happening until any moral feeling they may have had is completely gone.
That is, if they were not already morally desensitized by their training.”

Me’shan waited for the young Shimat to resume.

“That was not the case with me,” he continued. “The Sharifal is my
aunt, and I learned the truth about the order at a young age. I was not always
at ease with the methods used or the objectives set forth, but I knew how
honored I was to have been given such knowledge so early, so I held my peace
and followed my orders.”

The L’avan wasn’t sure why he was being told all of this, but was
more than willing to listen. He nodded to show that he understood, and waited
for Kendan to go on.

“I did not really feel I was doing wrong until I started working
with Adesina. She had such high ideals and pure motives, and I began to see the
contrast between us. When she discovered the truth, she assumed that I was
ignorant and would feel the same outrage that she did. Instead, she found the
coward that I really am.”

Me’shan sat up. “She knows the truth about the Shimat now?”

Kendan felt a surge of guilt, knowing that he was giving
unauthorized information. “Yes. She disappeared from her post for many weeks,
and was recently found in the company of other L’avan. I do not doubt that they
were the source of her discovery.”

A feeling of warmth welled up inside the deadened body of the
prisoner. He smiled softly to himself. “Is she still with them?”

“I do not know,” admitted the young man. “I was sent away from the
northern missions when my loyalty to the order was brought into question. I was
instructed to oversee the running of the fortress while the Sharifal is away.”

A feeling of apprehension filled the cell. “What missions? Why is
the Sharifal away?”

Kendan realized that he had said too much and hurriedly turned to
leave. “I have some important matters to attend,” he mumbled as he walked out
the door.

“Wait!” called Me’shan, but to no avail. He was left alone in the
darkness to ponder all the things he had heard.

***

King L’unn stood in the small balcony just outside his study. The
sun was setting, and the sky was ablaze with color. It reminded him of the
times he had stood with his father in this very spot, talking about what had
happened each day and their plans for the following day.

He had treasured those moments with his father, as a king’s time
is precious. His thoughts turned to his own sons, and he wondered if he had
shown them the same love that his father had shown him. He often worried that
he hadn’t been a good enough father to his children.

A familiar step sounded behind him, and he turned to see his
eldest child approaching. L’unn smiled and gestured for L’on to join him.

“Good evening, L’on.”

“Good evening, Father. You seem troubled.”

He sighed softly and turned to look out at the sky again. “No more
than the worries of every king,” he replied. “A burden that will be placed on
your shoulders all too soon.”

L’on gave a small smile. “Not for many years yet.”

The king shook his head distractedly. “You would be surprised how
quickly time passes. It seems only yesterday that you and your brother were
children chasing each other up and down the palace halls.”

His son regarded him with a solemn expression, guessing a major
source of his worry. “L’iam will be fine, Father. He has always been good at
taking on tasks such as this, and he is surrounded by loyal and capable friends—not
to mention that Shimat girl. No harm will come to him.”

L’unn’s worry did not ease, but he smiled at his son anyway. “Of
course.”

They stood in silence for several moments before it was shattered
by the frantic entry of a messenger.

“Your Majesty!”

King L’unn turned quickly. “What is it?”

The messenger was gasping for breath. “The Rashad report…large
army…marching towards Pevothem…!”

L’on stared at his father in disbelief. “Do you think that
Adesina…?”

“Of course not!” insisted the king.

He turned to the messenger boy and poured him a glass of water.
“Sit down, young man, and rest.”

He then hurried over to the cord hanging against the wall by his
desk and pulled it urgently. A bell sounded in the next room, and they were
soon joined by two guards and another messenger.

“Yes, your Majesty?”

“Call an emergency council. Pevothem is under attack. Send out a
message to all L’avan to begin defensive measures.”

***

Adesina found herself standing in a forest meadow bathed in
moonlight. She expected the rustling behind her to reveal her mother, but
instead L’iam stepped out of the shelter of the trees. She stared at him in
shock.

“L’iam!”

He looked around in wonder. “Where are we?”

“You are in my Dream.”

His expression was confused. “What? How is that possible?”

Adesina didn’t know any more than he did. “Have you ever Dreamed
before?”

L’iam shook his head. “Never.”

The Dream was starting to shift. She could feel that it was
becoming more powerful, pulling both of them forward.