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“Oh. Well, that’s good…I suppose?” She paused for a moment. “So, you’re a terbis wielder?” she asked again.
“I am.” I didn’t mean to be short. I just preferred solitude when working. The place I needed to go inside myself when I was playing the part of a Roav didn’t make for great company.
“And your ability allows you tofeelothers?” Sora sounded as if she were in awe. She was a chatty one, but I’d bet she was trying to keep herself distracted with all that had happened to her. “How does that work?”
“I can’t feelthem,but I can feel their vibrations through anything made of land.”
“I’ve never heard of that! Can you manipulate, too? Like the others.”
“Yes, but it’s not as strong as most. I can only move and shape small amounts.” Sensing vibrations was an ability few possessed, so I had never felt I’d suffered from the lack of manipulation.
“That’s fascinating!” she marveled.
Curiosity got the better of me, and I couldn’t help myself. “What’s yours?”
“Water,” Sora said with a bit of pride.
“If you have water abilities, why didn’t you use it to defend yourself?” I questioned, hoping it didn’t come across as condescending.
“I’m not exactly a powerful wielder, and since there wasn’t any water around, there wasn’t anything I could do. I can’t pull it from the air like the more powerful ones,” she said shamefully before she continued. “I don’t mind, though. Until…well, now, I’ve never really needed it for much other than simple manipulation. Filling basins, pushing it through the piping system. Basic stuff.”
I hummed in understanding. It was practical. No shame should come from practicality.
As we approached the edge of the forest a while later, the city of Lublad came into view through the trees. Being the largest city in the Nation of Gaol, Lublad also had the highest crime rate. While murder wasn’t as common, it was not for lack of trying—fae weren’t easy to kill if you didn’t know what you were doing. And it still had no shortage of smugglers, thieves, and traffickers. The kidnapping of another fae was a ruthless crime, usually selling their victims to rapers by subduing them with a drug that nullified their abilities. It was a deplorable trade, and one I wished to see put to an end.
We didn’t speak as we reached the buildings on the outskirts, made our way through an alley, and came onto the street with flame-lit lanterns on stone pillars lining each side. I secured my bow to my back, hoping to look less threatening and not wanting to draw attention. It wasn’t that weapons were uncommon here, but I didn’t want more eyes on me than necessary. I kept my hand near the dagger at my thigh.
I turned to look at Sora. “Which way?”
“This way,” she said with a nod, already stepping in that direction more hastily than she was walking before. “It’s not far from here.”
Our steps were quiet, muffled by the drunken laughter of passersby as we walked in the direction of her home before she jerked her thumb to the side and turned down another street.
“Why are you walking me back? Don’t you need to get that…whatever you have, somewhere else? Seems important if you felt the need to take it while in such a hurry,” she said as she turned her head to the side to look at me, although she couldn’t see my face through the mask.
“I promised I would help you get back home,” I replied sternly, conveying that I wouldn’t elaborate on the book. I sympathized with her curiosity, but it was simply not her business. Her lips pursed at my response, and she faced forward.
Let her be displeased. I doubted we’d ever run into each other again. For her sake, I hoped not.
After two more turns, we arrived in front of a small stone house with a mud roof and an old wooden door. Most homes and buildings were constructed of stone or mud, erected by terbis wielders. I stopped as she started to approach. She turned to face me a few steps away from the covered entrance.
“Thank you again.” She gave me a timid smile, then closed the distance and embraced me, which I awkwardly returned with an uncomfortable smile.
When we parted, she glanced down at my arm, and her face fell. I followed her eyes, curious to see what had caught her attention. I noticed my black sleeve had been pushed halfway up my forearm, revealing the unmistakable mark. I pushed my sleeve back down, and when I looked at her delicate face again, it held nothing but pity.
I kept it hidden for a reason.
I wasn’t ashamed of it. Being born Marked, I became used to its constant reminder of my unavoidable fate. I gave her a shallow nod and began to turn to walk away, eager to get out of the area and back to my horse before the fae male was found, and people realized a Roav was in the area.
“Wait!” Sora blurted. “You never told me your name.” Her eyes were hopeful for an answer, and though she couldn’t see it, the side of my mouth turned up in a rueful smile. I answered with a name few knew.
“My name is Kya.”
Chapter Two
Kya
After years of traveling for missions, I shouldn’t have been as annoyed by the time it took to journey back to Ilrek as I was. Other than successfully retrieving the book, that whole mission was a disaster. None of it had gone to plan, from killing that piece of shit, to returning Sora, to how long it was taking to get back home. I was ready to get back and sleep on something other than dirt. And bathe. That was my priority.
