The Myatheira Chronicles: Volume Two: Beyond the Veil (28 page)

Maran circled the beast, keeping his distance to stand opposite Callum and Gadiel. He continued to hold Callum’s bow in his hands, arrow placed, drawn, waiting for an opening. At Callum’s direction, he and Gadiel retreated, allowing Maran to fire the shot, a shrill yelp coming from the calynx upon impact. Distracted by the pain, its attacks became clumsier. Ill-timed. Taking advantage of its injured state, Callum grabbed for it, yanking it from atop the soldier with a loud grunt of effort from the weight of the creature. Gadiel was at Callum’s side, dropping to his knees, driving his sword savagely into the calynx’s chest with a sharp twist of the blade. It gave one last whimpering cry before falling silent, a pool of blood soaking into the pale sand underneath.

The men scrambled about while Callum was already on his feet to check on the fallen soldier, shouting angrily from the man’s side. “I did not tell you to shoot! What were you thinking?”

Aiva couldn’t hear a response. Nervously she took a step forward, afraid to see the man Callum confronted. There was so much blood. Grotesque images flashed before her eyes, reminding her of Phelan’s body, the arrow lodged deep in his neck. She shuddered at the memory. But a single arrow was different from being mauled by a wild animal.

“You might not want to see this, Aiva,” Kaemin whispered quietly, his hands gently resting on her shoulders to guide her away from the group. Being told she shouldn’t look only made her want to see it more. Despite the churning of her stomach, she was curious.

She met with little resistance as she pulled away from Kaemin. He kept close, not wanting to let her wander too far. The rest of the men had taken to standing around, staring at the body of the fallen soldier. Forcing her way through the circle, she felt her throat contract, nausea filling her mouth at the sight of the man lying there. His face was unrecognizable under the deep scratches which covered it. He gazed emptily upward, one of his eyes sliced through from the claws. Callum’s hand slid away from the man’s neck, jaw clenched, rising to his feet in a rigid motion. “Let this be a lesson for everyone,” he stated, his tone harsh, cool. “We are not in training here. If you do not follow my directions, you will end up dead. Does everyone understand?”

The men shifted uncomfortably, nodding their heads, afraid to speak out. Maran moved toward the mangled body, pausing to look at Callum for direction. “What should we do with him, Sir?”

Callum’s eyes dimmed at the question. “Leave him,” he stated quietly. “We simply cannot take him with us.”

Aiva’s heart went out to Callum. She could tell he wanted to do what was right, but they were limited. Too far from home. The landscape was unpredictable and they couldn’t risk the time they would lose if they stopped to burn and bury every soldier that fell. In a perfect world there would be no more death, though the only guarantee was that they would lose more men to Sytlea’s clutches along the way.

“We need to keep moving,” Callum announced, taking his position at the front of the group once again, sheathing his blade to accept the bow from Maran’s hand. “I suggest you all keep your weapons at the ready. We cannot afford to lose any more men.”

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Chapter Ten

Three days passed without a sign of civilization. The men were exhausted. Dehydrated. Even stopping at night to avoid notice from the Feh Noq, the heat strained their bodies, adding to their fatigue and discomfort. Aiva experienced the effects of the climate at a heightened severity from the others, though she refused to admit it. With every step, she could feel the muscles in her legs trembling, crying out for her to stop and rest. The exertion of travel was beyond anything she’d ever endured before. Her slender figure noticeably thinner from the lack of a proper diet. She longed for one good solid meal. To feel full for the first time in over a week.

When Callum gave the order for the men to begin search for a camp, she could already feel the evening chill in the air. It was almost dusk. They had traveled longer than usual. Aiva was uneasy at the thought of still being in motion while the sky already grew so dark. Very little was known of the Feh Noq beyond their nocturnal nature. There was no way to know when they would awaken for the night.

The use of tents was no longer permitted for sake of time, allowing them to resume their journey more efficiently when morning came without need of packing an entire camp. Knowing argument was futile, Aiva resigned herself to sleeping outdoors, finding an open patch of sand behind a small rock formation to call her bed. Provisions were scarce, granting her nothing more than a single blanket from one of the travel packs to provide warmth. Curled into a fetal position, she tried to maintain what little body heat she could, hugging the thin fabric tightly against her. The others found sleep so easy. To Aiva, it was torture. She wanted a bed. A soft, feathery pillow. She longed to have the comforts of her palace quarters back again. It was disheartening to realize how far from home she was.

To her paranoid senses, the sounds of the night were magnified. Strange howls filled the air. Distant. Not near enough to cause alarm, though Aiva’s heart raced regardless, afraid to close her eyes in fear that the creatures would come closer while she slept. She’d seen the snakes and scorpions that scurried across the ground during the day. She didn’t want to think what critters might run amok in the dark.

Her skin crawled. She tried to force her eyes closed. Inevitably they would open again, making sleep impossible. Defeated, she sat up, leaning against the cool surface of the rocks behind her. If she allowed herself to overlook the area for a while, it was possible she might relax enough to eventually find some solace from the sore, aching muscles of her body.

In the light of the moon she watched a shadow come into view overtop of her, sending her heart into a frenetic rhythm. Fearful of who approached, she pressed her back against the rock in attempts to conceal her presence. To her relief, she recognized the familiar glow of Callum’s eyes in the darkness, his hands stretched toward her, offering a bundle of what looked to be some type of fabric. “We have an extra blanket if you are cold.”

“Do not worry about me,” she waved dismissively, praying Callum wouldn’t notice the slight tremble in her voice. The beat of her heart remained quick, pulsing the blood throughout her body with an uncomfortable clarity, her temples throbbing. Combined with the discomfort of the temperature, it was difficult not to snatch the material from Callum’s hands. She was freezing, but pride wouldn’t allow her to accept it.

“There is no shame in admitting that you are cold,” Callum frowned. “We all are. No one will think less of you. Honestly, I feel as if you are trying to prove something on this journey. I merely have not been able to figure out what. And while I could inquire, I suspect you would choose not to answer.”

“You are probably right in your suspicions.”

“I figured as much. Suit yourself, then. I will use the blanket myself.”

Aiva stiffened, surprised to hear Callum’s footsteps start to move away. He was leaving her? She didn’t want him to go. While his company wasn’t her preference, she couldn’t bear the thought of sitting there alone. Not with all the wild creatures prowling about the dunes in the dark. “Callum, wait,” she hissed into the shadows, afraid of talking too loudly, not wanting to wake the others. The sound of his footsteps paused, no words being spoken in response. He was listening. Waiting for her to say something more. Swallowing her pride, she motioned for Callum to return. “Will you sit with me for a few moments?” she asked, feeling pathetic for being reduced to her current state, desperate for any sense of normalcy in conversation. “I am not quite ready to sleep and I don’t want to be alone out here.”

“My mind is in no condition to tolerate what our discussions tend to evolve into.” His tone was hollow. It hit her like a punch in the stomach to sense the emptiness there. Over the past few days he had been so willing to be at her side. It was odd for him to suddenly discard an opportunity to spend time with her.

“We do not have to talk about current events,” she argued, beckoning him with more insistence. “If we are going to be friends, do you not think it is important for us to attempt civility? To see if we are capable of such?”

“It has come to my notice that our capacity for civility tends to expire after only a few minutes in one another’s company.”

“That works to our advantage then, as I only requested a few moments. By the time our tolerance has lapsed, we will already be parting ways.”

Begrudgingly, Callum turned around, peering at her through the dim light from above. He held her gaze, as if expecting her to change her mind. Finding Aiva’s expression unchanging, Callum took a hesitant step closer. “I suppose I could spare a minute, then,” he mumbled, almost under his breath. Standing in front of Aiva, he looked uncertain. Confused.

With a nervous smile, she lifted her blanket, patting the sand beside her. “Bring your extra blanket. Maybe between the two of us, we will be able to keep warm.”

“Are you sure?”

Nodding slightly, Aiva strained to widen her smile, hoping to appear more inviting. It was uncomfortable to consider being so close to him, but she felt safer with him there. He’d saved her life once before, and after seeing the way he handled the calynx, she was certain he would fight off any wild animal that might creep from the shadows.

He was stiff in his movements, his own discomfort evident as he settled in against the rock, draping the blanket over them to pull it up around their shoulders. Whenever their arms brushed, Aiva could feel him recoil somewhat, attempting to keep their bodies from touching. There was something humorous about it. Aiva tried to contain her laughter, the lost expression in Callum’s eyes making it harder to repress, unable to hold back a quiet giggle.

“What is it?” he peered at her, his unease quickly becoming more noticeable. Shaking her head, Aiva reached for Callum’s arm, forcing it to rest against hers under the blanket.

“Despite what you might believe, I do not bite.”

“I would not be so sure about that.”

“And you were concerned about the abrasiveness of my words,” Aiva scoffed, gently pushing Callum away once again. She hoped he would sense the lightness of her tone. Although offended by his retort, she didn’t want him to leave. “If I am going to attempt politeness, you should put forth a similar effort. It only seems fair.”

“You are right,” he nodded, casting Aiva an apologetic glance as he reset himself beside her. This time he showed no hesitation in being so close beyond a slight tenseness of his muscles.

Staring straight ahead, Aiva fidgeted nervously, fingers clasping and unclasping in her lap. They remained silent, neither one saying a word. It was awkward, being in each other’s company, so close while yet seemingly so distant. Drawing her knees to her chest, she tightened her hold on the blanket, grateful for the additional warmth the extra fabric provided in addition to the heat which radiated from Callum’s body.

“So…” she trailed off. Everything she could think to say felt silly. To avoid conversation of recent events required her to search for unrelated topics, finding her options limited to things that had long since become part of the distant past between them. “Your mother has been well, I hope?”

Callum chuckled quietly. “As well as my mother can be. I worry about her, at times.”

“I don’t think she will ever be comfortable at court, despite your father’s efforts to ease her,” Aiva stated, trying to keep her words light. “It was impressive that he managed to convince her to join us at the festivities when your father jousted against mine. I hear he had a bit of a time getting her to the ball, however.”

“My mother dislikes crowds,” he nodded. “She has been that way ever since I can remember and I doubt that will ever change. I fear she’ll be quite depressed once Calie is married. With her children gone from home and her husband equally married to his work, she will spend most of her days alone. I would visit more frequently, but my path in life has made that difficult.” Idly he picked up a handful of sand, letting the tiny particles sift through his fingers. Thoughtful. “My father shares a similar concern in regards to her frame of mind. He said when Islene married and left Sivaeria with her husband, my mother was distraught for months.”

Aiva was intrigued at the mention of Islene. At times she tended to forget that Callum had another sister, though significantly older. Married and gone from the care of her parents before Leyna and Thade drew arms against the Ven’shal. Having never seen her in person, the name was like that of a ghost. One rarely spoken by anyone, including her family. “Does Islene not come to visit? Surely she will be in attendance at Calie’s wedding.”

“She was not in attendance at mine – ” Callum cleared his throat. “Islene moved a long ways from home. On occasion we receive correspondence from her, but to the dismay of my mother and father, she rarely finds her way back to court.”

Nibbling her lip thoughtfully, Aiva frowned to think of the sadness the General’s wife endured. Detesting the public life of a courtier. Cut off from friends due to her reserved nature while the only family she had was that of her immediate bloodline. “Maybe your mother could have another child,” she shrugged, aware of the sensitive nature of the suggestion. Cadell and Valeska were older than her own parents. Children remained possible for them, though at their age it tended to be more common for a Vor’shai to prepare for grandchildren rather than extend their own line.

She could see a slight smirk tug at the corner of Callum’s lips. “I am not sure how that would come to be,” he chuckled. “It’s no secret that my birth was unexpected. My father had already accepted the idea of having no more children. And while my father was ecstatic about having a son, my mother desired another daughter. When the King and Queen announced your birth, my mother insisted upon having another child herself. My father would do anything for her, so needless to say, he very willingly complied.”

“Are you saying I am the reason your parents had Calie?” Aiva grinned. They both laughed softly at the thought, the tenseness of Callum’s muscles beginning to ease for the first time since he had sat down.

“For the most part, yes,” he nodded in agreement. “But it has been more than two decades since then. I’m not sure my mother would desire another child now. Perhaps Calie will provide a grandchild for her to dote on instead. Your parents, however – Imagine my surprise to return home and discover there to be two more little Levadises running about the palace.”

Aiva turned her gaze heavenward at the thought. It was astonishing to think how long ago it was that Callum had been in Sivaeria. Ehren and Sidonie had not yet been born when he went away for his training. “Goodness, yes,” she smiled. She missed her brother and sister. To picture them now brought a sense of peace, coupled with a stronger yearning to be back in Tanispa with her family. “Funny enough, my father continues to talk every once in a while of wanting another child or two. For now, my mother simply laughs at him. But they are young, for a royal couple, and due to my grandmother’s paranoia, had an early start in producing an heir. I may find myself with more siblings before long.”

“Your parents must really love one another.”

“Oh, almost disgustingly so,” Aiva laughed. “The palace was designed for the King and Queen to have separate chambers. I do not think my father has set foot in the King’s quarters since ascending to the throne. It’s no wonder they have the number of children they do.”

Collecting another handful of sand, Callum held it higher, the pieces sparkling from the natural light of the sky as he let them trickle to the ground once again. “I always found it strange that the King and Queen would ever live such separate lives from each other. It makes more sense the way your parents spend their time together. I think it promotes happiness to their people to see them so content.”

“Well, they are a special case,” she shrugged, trying to relax into the jagged rocks, finding her position more uncomfortable than it had been before. Desperate for some relief from the stabbing pain in her back, she scooted closer to Callum, twisting to rest her body against his arm. “I do not think the King and Queen were ever expected to share their feelings the way my parents do. If you think about it, throughout the ages, the marriage of the King and Queen was arranged. I suspect the separate quarters made living together more bearable. Especially for my poor ancestors who probably could not stand to look upon their chosen mate, let alone crawl into bed beside them every night.”

“Yes. I suppose I can see why someone might lack a fondness to the idea of an arranged marriage. But even the Queens of old who might have hated their husband still managed to produce an heir. Perhaps they grew to appreciate the company of the other over time.”

“Children are required of the royal family. I imagine they treated it like their duty rather than anything special between their mates. It is amazing what a person will do if it is expected of them.” Aiva glanced down, once again aware of her fidgeting hands. The topic was bordering on questionable between her and Callum. If allowed to continue in its current direction, it was likely to twist, forcing them to discuss their own predicament. She didn’t want it to come up. They were agreed upon the annulment. There was no reason to ponder their relationship against those of her ancestors. “What about you?” she asked, struggling to keep her voice even. “Do you think you will ever have kids?”