Page 17 of Dark Company

Salvation comes on the wing of the yungrins,

On the horns and hooves of the springbok

On the scales of the crounterads.

My love, my love, don’t cry.

The voice is familiar, as is the face. I step closer, peering into the darkness. It’s the Clan Mother, but different. She’s two people merged into one. One half is the unsure memories of my mother, but the other half is the Clan Mother, but younger.

My face will see you in the dawn,

In the rising of the suns,

In the shifting of the moons.

My love, my love, don’t cry.

The lips move as one, but the voices overlap in harmony. My mother is deeper, throatier, whereas the Clan Mother is higher, sweeter. They continue singing to me, lulling me forward as their bodies merge into one, an amalgamation of both women.

I will forever be with you,

By your side,

For all eternity,

Until Ilaria guides you home.

My eyes fly open, my gaze landing on the older, softer face of the Clan Mother. Her lips are moving, the song of my memories filling the air until it’s in every breath I take.

“Where did you learn that?”

She smiles down at me and smooths her hand over my hair. “It is a song from my childhood. I felt it would be soothing. My mother sang it to me, and I can imagine her mother sang it to her.”

“My sister sang it to me, but my memories hold a different voice in my head, an older, deeper voice.”

“It is a song from my homeland, Laxa. If your mother taught it to you, then she must have had a family from there.” Her eyes twinkle as if she’s holding onto some secret.

Unable to concentrate on her anymore, I let my head flop against the pillow holding it up. Pain vibrates through every cell in my body. Groaning, I turn my head, but even that is almost too much. The Clan Mother reaches out, smoothing her hand across my feverish brow.

“The worst is almost over, my child. Your body is ridding itself of the poison that lived in your body for so long. That you’re conscious at all tells us that the worst is over.”

If the worst was already over, I can’t imagine how bad it had been, and deep down, I’m actually relieved that I was not conscious of that part of it. Her fingers are cool against my skin, and I want nothing more than to just curl up around her, taking in her chill.

“Go back to sleep, my child. You’ll feel better when you wake up.”

Smiling up at her, I let my eyelids drift close. Even now, the pain eases in small increments. It’s not enough to give me full relief, but it’s enough to give me hope. The Clan Mother slides in closer and runs her fingers through my hair as she continues singing, lulling me to sleep.

When my eyes open back up, the relief of not being in pain is nearly palpable. Looking up, I seek the Clan Mother, but she’s nowhere to be found. Sadness floods my body as I realize I’m here alone. Again. For some reason, I thought she’d be here when I woke up. I know it’s selfish, seeing as she’s literally the leader of this commune, but still. She was there for the first time. Why not now?

“Ahh. Finally awake I see.” Jakrob’s deep voice fills the room, vibrating through my body until I’m nearly quivering.

There’s something different about me. Nothing is the same as when I fell under the forced slumber of pain. My skin is softer, more supple. Bringing my hand up into the light, I study the soft glow of my skin. Since starting the manual labor required of me, I haven’t looked this refreshed.

“I’m sure you have many questions. All of them will be answered after the ceremony. I want you to sit up and look at me.”

Groaning, I slide my elbows to my side and force myself up, pausing when the room starts to spin. Jakrob’s firm hands come around to hold up my back, and I can feel every ridge of his fingers through the makeshift gown they have me dressed in.

Just that brief contact is enough to send fire racing through my veins. I sit there, gasping for air, nearly clawing at my chest as I force myself to breathe. Jakrob stares at me, watching my reactions with clinical detachment. Bringing up a light, he shines it in my eyes, watching for my pupil dilations.