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“Source?”
“The power that gives life.”
My heart skipped a beat, but nothing else teased.
I wished I shared his conviction of his existence. I wished I knew who I’d been before his clan found and fed me. Shaking my head, I said timidly, “I’m sorry.”
Hyath stepped closer, her pale legs bare and toes dusty. “It’s okay,” she said softly. “You almost died. Your body is healing. Let it regain its strength, and then your mind will heal too.”
Solin gave her a kind smile before nodding at me. “Hyath is wise. I apologise for rushing you.” Reaching out, he patted my bare shoulder. “There is no danger here.”
I flinched beneath his warm, solid hand.
His touch was soothing but foreign. Gentle but strange.
Locking eyes with him, I whispered, “I might not know who I am, but I promise you, I am not ungrateful.” I swallowed again, wincing against the soreness in my throat. “I...I am not your enemy.”
Solin squeezed my shoulder before leaning back and dropping his hand. “I know.” His forehead furrowed as if he just realised something important. “The fires haven’t offered a vision, but common knowledge has. You are from Quelis.”
“I-I am?”
Hyath’s pretty face broke into a grin. “Of course she is. Oh, Solin, how wonderful.” Hugging her bundle, she added, “You speak our tongue. You speak Firenese.”
“Firenese?”
She bounced on the spot. “You aren’t Nhil, but perhaps you are from Lagol or Karfe. They’re our cousins across the grass seas. We all speak the mother tongue of Quelis, also known as Firenese.”
My head swam with new phrases, pounding with attempts to understand.
I’m one of them?
They’re kin?
All my walking and searching had led me back to cousins I couldn’t recall?
Hunching further into the furs, I fought the urge to hide. To bury deep into the fog that’d cocooned me for so long and run from the confusion of this new life. Tears prickled my eyes as I whispered with heavy shame, “I’m so sorry but...I don’t remember any of those names. I don’t know if I’m from...” I shook my head, already forgetting the places she’d mentioned. “I’m so sorry.”
Solin suddenly unfolded his legs and swooped to standing. “There’s nothing to apologise for. Time will gift us answers. We merely have to be patient.”
“If you’re from Lagol,” Hyath said, “you might remember the deep lake where shrimp shimmer with rainbow colours. Or if you’re from Karfe, you would’ve been raised in the giant ranges of the Sunite Mountains where stones glisten like flames and—”
“Hyath.” Solin shook his head slightly. “Too many words are as confusing as too little.” He caught my eyes. “Don’t force your mind to give answers you’re not ready to hear. For now, all you need to know is you’re a guest of the Nhil and the grasslands are now your home.”
A headache bloomed hot, right between my eyes. So many things. Too much to remember.
The lupic spun, making me dizzy.
I didn’t know how much more of this I could take.
Nothing made sense.
Everything was wrong.
I remember nothing.
I didn’t remember a previous clan or familiar words. I didn’t remember lupics or fires or kin with blended midnight and starlight skin.
My breathing picked up.
Tears trickled down my cheeks.
“Hey...” Hyath ducked to her haunches and placed her hand over mine, clawing at the furs. “It must be so hard to be told things when you have no memory of them.” With a soft sigh, Hyath pressed her bundle into my lap. “Here.” Tucking my white, colourless hair behind my ear, she whispered, “We can talk again...when you’re ready. For now, you should rest. Sleep and heal.” Standing, she moved to Solin’s side. “You’re safe here...with us.”
I raised my head and swiped at my tears. Clutching the bundle she’d given me, my heart swelled with gratitude. “Thank you.”
She smiled. “It’s clothing. I made it myself. And you’re welcome.”
Solin took her hand in his.
Dark skin twined with light, their fingers linking. With a quick bow, Solin murmured, “You might not remember your people or your past, but you’re Nhil for as long as you wish to be.” Running a hand down an inky feather in his hair, he moved to leave, taking Hyath with him. “Rest. If you have strength later, dress in the clothes Hyath made you and come join us. The rest of the clan would love to welcome you.”
Chapter Four
. The Stranger .
I OPENED MY EYES.
Was I dead or still alive?
A full moon shone above, silver and bright, illuminating the long grass where I’d accepted my death and somehow hadn’t succumbed.
Why was I still breathing?
Sucking in a thin breath, cursing the vise-like pain in my stomach and the haze in my head, I forced my eyes to focus.
A soft thud landed on my chest.
It was warm, heavy, and wet.
A wolf stood over me, its tongue stained crimson and horns puncturing the moon. It whined and bent its giant head to nuzzle my chin. Its large bushy tail wagged in the gloom. Another wolf joined it, standing on my other side. It wasn’t as big as the one still nosing my chest, shifting the heavy weight placed there.
