Doran grinned. “And I suppose you’d look good in armour too.”
Levi blushed. No one had ever made him feel the way Doran did. He liked being able to have a serious conversation one minute, and then be made to smile the next. Doran could be both serious and carefree. Levi liked that.
He picked up a small smooth rock and added it to the one he’d picked up on their first night camping under the stars. This was a good memory; he didn’t want to lose it.
“What’s that?” Doran asked.
“I used to collect rocks when I was younger. Every time I had a good day playing outside or with my parents, I added one to a jar my mother gave me. Seashells, too.”
“So this is a good day for you?”
Levi nodded.
Doran leaned closer. “We’ll get you a new jar next time we’re in a city.”
Levi smiled at Doran. It’d be nice to have a new collection of good memories.
“I found something!” Naavah Ora called over, and they both got to their feet.
It was time to be his own warrior.
Ceallach may have been intelligent, but he was still locked inside my home. He was gaining strength every day, and I didn’t have my family’s support. We needed time. I needed time. So I used all that I was and I imprisoned him behind bars made of magic and seals with shards of my soul woven into them.
Chapter 53
Naavah Ora
Naavah Ora waited until Ash, Doran, and Levi were gathered around her. She couldn’t believe how much time they’d wasted.
“This chapter here mentions an ancient temple to Ithrean in the forest near my village. Most of it is useless information, but this paragraph talks about something powerful being hidden there.” Naavah Ora hated that the answers she’d searched for had been so close to home this entire time. She felt like she’d been sent on a pointless chase. Did her grandmother know about this relic? Did her grandmother know how powerful it was?
“What kind of something are we talking about?” Ash asked. The frown on his face said he didn’t like unknowns.
“Can I see?” Doran held out his hands.
“The kind that can end this war before it begins. The kind that can return Ithrean’s home to her, and restore Dunhă and her spirits. And no, you can’t.” She turned toward Doran. “It’s written in old elven. Can you read old elven?”
He dropped his hands. “No.”
“Then there’s no point. We’ve wasted enough time as it is.”
“Wait a minute,” Doran said. “This something is in the forest near your village? The one with the dryads?”
She nodded. “Yes. We’ll have to be careful. I believe you already know that.”
His scowl told her how he felt, but there was nothing for it now. They needed to get inside this temple, she felt it in her soul.
“My grandmother might know something. My mother too.”
As much as she hated going all the way to the Z’rasien border for nothing, she was excited to see her family again. If she hadn’t left, she wouldn’t have met Doran, Levi, and Ash. It was a good thing she’d left, she just had to twist it the right way.
“If we’re going back through Vaska, could we stop at Alt Võina?” Ash asked.
“No time. We can go once we’re done and the corruption has been stopped, but I don’t know how long that will take. It might be quick, or it could take weeks, or months. Maybe more than that.”
“Then I’m not coming with you,” Ash said. Disappointment rippled through her. “Not right away. I’ll catch up with you later, but first I have unfinished business in Alt Võina.”
Doran looked at him. “Is this about Kult?”
Ash nodded. “This business with the spirits sounds likely to get me killed. I need to kill him first.”
“I didn’t take you for someone who cared about vengeance,” she said.
Ash shrugged. “I’m not. Not unless someone uses my inventions to slaughter an innocent family, and then sends bandits after me and my friends to make sure I can’t talk. I’m sorry. I’ll catch up with you when I’m done, but I have to do this.”
“I won’t stop you.” She’d hoped to do this together, but she understood.
“We’re still coming with you,” Doran said. Levi nodded in agreement. “I’d be happier if it didn’t involve those dryads, but I’ve survived their poison once. I can do it again.”
“They’ll have to get close to you first.” Levi twirled one of his daggers between his fingers. It still amazed her that he could do this without cutting himself.
“Then it’s decided. We’ll head back to Vasael’In. I’m sorry I wasted so much time coming all this way.”
“Don’t be.” Levi’s eyes flitted to Doran. “I’m glad we got to travel together.”
“Me too.” She hadn’t thought it possible when they’d first left her clan, but there it was. She was glad they’d met and travelled together. It was nice to be surrounded by people who didn’t look up to her, or expect great things from her. The only one expecting big things from her now was Naavah Ora herself, and she’d jumped straight to needing a miracle.
Valynaan lead me. Dunhă was as sacred to her as it was to Ithrean. It was the only place that had allowed her to be herself, without anyone watching her. She didn’t care who this false god was—the Dread King of her people, Ceallach an Eòlas, the Ceidiree Blood King—his titles wouldn’t protect him. She wouldn’t let him have it. She just hoped Ithrean would be able to help in some small way—if Ceallach hadn’t started his conquest by killing her.
“Let’s not waste more time.” She got up, stashed the book away in the satchel at her waist, and walked away from the clearing. The others followed.
Naavah Ora felt like she was marching into battle. Perhaps it wasn’t far from the truth.
I placed a similar spell over my family too. They’re trapped, but they’re safe. They can hate me all they want, I don’t care. They’re alive.
Chapter 54
Doran
Doran checked his pack for matches. He’d stocked up in Alt Võina but had he bought enough? His gut told him they were onto something; he wasn’t impressed that he had to walk back into the corrupted dryads’ forest to find out what that something was. Maybe he’d buy some more matches before they reached Vasael’In. They wouldn’t poison him a second time.
He had a bad feeling about what was to come. He wanted to go with Ash, but he’d promised his help to Naavah Ora first. Doran wasn’t one to go back on his word, but Ash was clumsy and impulsive. Naavah Ora could handle herself. Ash acted before he thought. Most of the times Doran had rescued him, he’d needed to do so because Ash hadn’t thought a plan through. Whatever Ash was planning for Kult, Doran hoped he’d give it more thought than his usual schemes.
Doran never entered a fight unless he knew the outcome. Sometimes he’d entered because he’d known he’d get hurt. This time, he was sure the outcome included him dead in a ditch somewhere and the world overrun with angry spirits.