Page 28 of Terragnata and the Heir of the Earth

“Terra, Leuffy!” Sanah yelled when we approached the small clearing. “I found a small pond just a few hundred yards northwest of camp. Leiya already scouted it and said it’s clear. Thank the gods, we finally get to bathe. I thought I would smell of horse permanently!”

We chuckled and followed Sanah through camp to her discovery. The late afternoon sun glittered on the water, and willows draped over the edge as if to kiss the surface. Other Fae and Witches were splashing in the water already, male and female alike, fully nude. I learned that Fae rarely shied from nakedness, and it seemed the Witches had adopted the same practice. I could tell them apart now—noting the slight difference in build. The Fae were generally larger, with ears that came to sharp points. The Witches looked more human-like, save for their eyes. Despite varying shades, their eyes were like that of the Fae—unnatural and striking.

Sanah ran over to Dane, who had gained mobility just yesterday. He perched on a large rock, dangling his feet in the water. I gave him a small nod, which he returned. We had spoken only pleasantries since the accident, and though Sanah said he would recover fully, I’d avoided bringing up that day with him. If he harbored anger against me, I would not blame him.

Leuffen shed his clothes and dove into the water, joining a rowdy gaggle of Fae males at the far end of the pond. I removed my boots and squatted next to the water, splashing my face—a heavenly act after the days of sweat that had accumulated.

I looked up again, surveying the revelry. Near Leuffen, at the far end of the pond, my eye caught on a Fae male standing half out of the water on the shallow end, his glistening back turned to me. I instantly knew it was Ezren by the broadness of hisshoulders, and the ripples in his arms as he lifted his hands, running them through his hair. I indulged myself in the stare, letting my eyes linger on the long muscles that traveled down his back, ending with two little dimples just above where the water covered the rest of him.

And then, out of nowhere, a hard shove smacked into my back, and I went face-first into the pond.

I re-surfaced to see Leiya, still clothed in casual trousers and a linen vest, on the pond’s edge, chuckling once again. “Didna Leuffen teach ye how not te let anyone sneak up on ye?”

I rolled my eyes at her and extended my hand up to request a lift out of the deeper end of the pond. And I suppose I had been rather humorless with her until now, because I caught her by surprise as I yanked her into the water with me.

This sent Sanah into hurls of laughter, and she jumped in. A moment later, we were splashing each other like young girls, basking in the novelty of play after a sleepless week. Leuffen joined in as well, taking pleasure in making Leiya the victim of our endless water torments. Eventually, Leiya held up her hands in surrender, which was fine with the three of us, for we were breathless from laughter. I felt joy for the first time in weeks.

We hoisted ourselves out of the water one by one, the warm spring air clinging to our sodden clothes and wet skin. As I climbed out of the pond, I felt the searing heat of emerald eyes trained on my back. And though I only caught his image in my peripheral, I could have sworn I saw a rare smile on Ezren’s face.

CHAPTER TWELVE

WARRIOR BLOOD

That night, our ride was the shortest yet. Leuffen and I had grown close in the last few days, and my fast progress had transitioned us from teacher-student to near peers. He continued to instruct me, but in time I shared some tricks of my own—moves that had either come back to me from previous study or were inventions of my imagination. Despite his size (his palm could encompass an entire side of my face), I had bested him several times.

Warrior blood, I guess.

“Ye’ll have te start trainen’ weth Ezren, lass. Ye fight smart, and there isna warrior that fights smarter than that bloke. Plus, ye’ll have te get te a point where ye can fight us both at once,” Leuffen said to me with a wink during our evening ride.

My body sang in response to the idea of fighting with Ezren. It itched for contact with him—there was no denying it now. I became aware of whenever he was near, every nerve ending responding to his presence or lack thereof. And though I continued to ignore Leiya’s comments, I grew too tired to deny it to myself.

But we had not spoken once since our exchange in the creek, and he seemed determined to ignore me. As tempting asit was to test his resolve, I resigned myself to reciprocating his behavior. I suppose it felt easier—safer—that way.

“Is that really necessary? Shouldn’t I be moving on to learning the way of the blade? If my returning memories serve me right, I once was quite formidable with a scim. For a twelve-year- old, at least.”

Leuffen only chuckled and said, “Aye, then. I’ll try an’ find ye a sword once we make camp.”

We were nearing the coast of the North Sea, and Jana prepared to stop at some distance from it to plan the next leg of our route. The scouts had yet to pick up any sign of Fayzien or his men, but caution was in abundance, Sanah told me. The decision of whether to travel by land or by sea to Valfalla—the capital city of Viribrum—would be made tonight, with preparations beginning at first light. If we crossed the sea, the Witches would need a full day to magically craft a sufficient ship.

We set about forming our tight camp, everyone moving efficiently in rehearsed synchronization. My eyes stung from the lack of sleep, and my muscles ached from the constant breaking, tearing, and rebuilding. But I saw a definition in my arms and unfamiliar lines of tension on my abdomen that weren’t there before. In another triumph of the week, my appetite had finally caught up with that of the Fae. Leuffen certainly took advantage of it, forcing extra portions onto my plate whenever he could.

After camp was readied, the council gathered in the meeting tent, candles ablaze with Dane’s Witch Fire illuminating the dark early morning. I’d been welcomed into a strategy meeting for the first time, and it did not come easy. They only allowed me in after much arguing and advocation on the twins’ part, though they did not share who opposed my attendance, or why.

Jana stood at her usual place in the center of the long wooden table, with Sanah and Dane adjacent to her on each side. Ezren sat at the far end of the table, looking broody. The usual residentcouncil members occupied the rest of the ten seats. I stood behind Leiya’s seat, determined not to seem out of place.

Jana began. “We have until dawn to decide about traveling to Valfalla. Land, or sea? Over the past several days, I’ve heard arguments for both routes, and many valid points. I want to hear everyone’s vote before deciding—either path will pose significant risks. Parson, please begin.”

Jana sat, and Parson rose. He had been the other Fae male present at my cleansing. He stood at my height, with light brown hair pulled into a low bun at his neck. He was rarely present, for he was always scouting, Leiya once told me.

“My argument is for travel by land,” Parson said in a low and gruff voice, and I realized I had never heard him speak. “Travel by water when being hunted by a Water Witch is madness, if you ask me. He will always have the advantage. Any warrior knows not to enter a battlefield where his opponent has the advantage.” He ended his speech there, sitting once more. I got the feeling he was not a male of many words and would not speak again unless addressed.

“We won’t have material advantage if we go by land either,” Dane cut in, staying in his seat. “We will be movingmuchslower than by ship, and we’ll be heavily exposed. The North Sea is known for thick fog, which could be intensified by some of our Air Witches. By sea is the prudent decision.”

“Of course, we have an advantage in going by land,” Leiya pointed out. “We have a bloody Earth Wetch.”

“Not a trained one,” Sanah said firmly, not meeting my eyes. “She can’t control her power at all. Asking her to call to the Earth would bring more risk than advantage.”

“She’s progressed well en warrior trainin’. Perhaps her misstep en callin’ her power had more te do weth her teacher and the fact that she’d almost died days before,” Leuffen growledback at Sanah. “Not te mention, she likely hadna’ finished settlin’.”

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