Page 53 of HeartTorn

We make our way from the city green, and Halamar falls into step behind us. Tassa studiously ignores him, but I am grateful for his imposing presence as we make our way through the crowd and follow the street back through thedakathsand the staring eyes of the city people. Several of them call out to Tassa, but she ignores them utterly. I feel painfully exposed in this garment I wear, my midriff and shoulders bare, my legs emerging through the slits, my feet freezing with every step I take. It’s a relief when we finally leave the city behind and once more enter the shelter of the forest.

Tassa allows a short detour to Halamar’sdakath, where I am given opportunity to exchange the bridal garments for my stained travel gown and cloak. While I don’t care to be grateful to her, or anyone in this wretched world, I can’t help breathing a prayer of thanks as I slip my feet back into sturdy boots. I also take the time to secure the knife Taar gave me to the sheathe at my belt. The weight of it there, familiar now after a week, gives me courage.

When I emerge from thedakath, Tassa and Halamar are engaged in heated conversation. At sight of me, they immediately jump apart. Halamar clasps his hands behind his back, while Tassa scowls, unsuccessfully trying to hide the flush in her cheeks. She gives me a once over, nods, and beckons me to follow her. I catch Halamar’s eye, brow puckered in silent question. He looks away quickly.

We make quite the trio on the path back up the temple hill: Tassa leads the way, I pant at her heels, while Halamar acts as rear guard. I wonder about the warrior’s ongoing presence. Did Taar ask him to watch over me as well? Kildorath’s face flashes before my mind’s eye, twisted with rage and bent on murder. He’d gone with Taar and the other Licornyn warriors ahead of us, but that doesn’t mean he won’t double back and try to finish what he started. He’d seemed subdued enough following his altercation with Taar, but his hatred for me remains undimmed. I cast a short glance back at Halamar, hearing again traces of that broken song which clings to his soul. Would he defend me if need arose? Is he strong enough?

It’s a long journey without Elydark to carry me. Who knew I would so soon find myself missing that cursed Licornyn saddle? But the higher we go, the brighter the song of the ilsevel blossoms plays to my gods-gifted senses, distracting my attention. I hear in them the perfected harmony that is missing from Nyathri’s broken song. I wish I might hear the two songs together. Something tells me the one might be the means to heal the other, if only they could be joined. How such a thing is to be accomplished, I don’t know. Surely if it was a simple matter of feeding ilsevel blossoms to the stricken unicorn, the Licornyn folk would have figured that out long ago. No, there’s something else. Something I’m not quite understanding.

“Hurry up, human!” Tassa snaps.

I find I’ve drifted to a halt, staring at a particularly large cluster of blossoms growing on the side of the track. Quickly I hike up my skirts and trot up the steep incline. All the while Halamar maintains his distance behind us, never too close but never too far away.

By the time we reach the great stone building, a crowd has gathered outside—hopefuls for the licorneir bond, I suspect. Tassa hastily ushers me through them, her sharp tongue and intimidating presence enough to ward off even the most aggressive stares. We step through a side entrance which I had not seen before. The minute I’m inside the temple, a tension, which has gripped my spirit all this while, relaxes. I know then that I am close to Taar once more. The impact of thevelrais never as severe for me as it is for him, but that doesn’t mean I am immune to its powers. I breathe a little easier, and the dull pain which had been throbbing in the back of my head clears away.

“Here.” Tassa pushes back a curtain which hangs over an arched doorway. Inside is a humble cell with a single window-slit, a pallet bed, and a small fireplace, dark with soot and void of kindling. It’s cold as hells. I tuck my cloak a little closer, trying to keep my teeth from chattering.

Tassa, noticing, calls back Licornyn words to Halamar, who lurks at the end of the passage. He responds with a question but, at her sharp retort, shrugs and retreats. His footsteps echo away against the stones. “He’ll be back shortly with firewood,” Tassa says, turning to me. She nods at the pallet. “Gods, you humans are frail creatures, aren’t you? It’s a wonder you can cause as much trouble as you do.” I shoot her a glare, which she answers with a shrug. “You may as well sit. It’s going to be a long wait.”

Though I don’t want to give her the satisfaction of my instant obedience, there doesn’t seem to be much other choice. I take a step to enter the chamber, but before I can duck through the doorway, a ripple of licorneir song flows down the hall. Itstrikes my gods-gifted senses sharply, full of unexpected pain and longing.

“Do you hear that?” I ask, turning to look down the hall, which stretches into impenetrable shadows.

“Hear what?” Tassa glances over her shoulder uneasily. But there’s nothing there. After a moment even the song-echoes die away. Tassa sneers at me once more. “You’re not thinking of trying to run, are you?”

I raise an eyebrow. Where exactly does she think I would run to? Back to the Between Gate and my own world? A laughable notion. If I somehow survived being torn limb from limb by the crowd outside, I’d have to make my way on foot across this mountainous country to the river. There, if I managed to swim its wide waters, I would find myself back in Cruor, this time on my own, without a unicorn’s song to protect me.

No, I am well and truly trapped here. More trapped, perhaps, than I have ever been.

Resentment burns in my chest. As much as Tassa hates me, I think I could answer that hatred with equal force if I tried. Why should I harbor any kind feeling for my captor’s sister?

Stepping into the chamber, I plunk down on the pallet bed. Tired though I am, there’s no chance of sleep under these circumstances. I huddle into my cloak and simply try to block out that agonized song. Tassa must not hear it, for she paces steadily back and forth, never startling even at the sudden outbursts that scream so loudly through my head.

Eventually Halamar appears with an armload of wood and kindling. Tassa greets him with such a snappish tone, I begin to wonder if I’m mistaken about the song I still feel singing from her every time the man steps into sight. From Halamar I get nothing definite besides his hearttorn song. And yet there is a certain gentleness in his manner toward Tassa which implies a great deal. Gods help him, could he not find a better objectfor his affections than this wolfish woman with her permanent scowl?

The warrior sets to work silently building a fire. When he’s finally got a little blaze going, he remains crouched in front of it, hands extended to enjoy the warmth. Glancing up at Tassa, he speaks in a low rumble. She chews her lip, and her eyes dart for the door.

“If you want to try your hand at a bonding,” I say, startling her and drawing her attention back to me, “be my guest. I’m sure Halamar and I can keep each other company.”

Her scowl deepens. There might even be a trace of jealousy in her gaze. But she’s conflicted.

“You do want to bond with the unicorn, do you not?” I press.

“Of course I do.” The words sound harsh under her strong Licornyn accent. “But . . .” She bites her lip again, and her fists clench.

“Is it very dangerous?”

She curses in her own tongue, a vicious word that makes even Halamar raise his eyebrows slightly. It’s the only answer she gives, but it’s clear enough. I remember suddenly Taar’s description of their flight across Cruor when the Rift first opened. Tassa has faced her share of perils in this life—and yet there is real fear simmering in her soul right now.

I tip my head. “Is it worth the risk?”

Her eyes flash. “There is nothing more worthwhile.” She speaks with absolute conviction, despite the quaver in her voice. “To bond with a licorneir is the entire purpose of our existence.”

By the fire Halamar shifts slightly. I half-glance his way, but his gaze remains fixed on the dancing flames, his features like stone. Did I mistake the sudden uptick of tempo in that broken song of his?

Tassa, unaware or perhaps simply not caring, resumes her pacing. Abruptly she turns to Halamar and speaks rapidly inLicornyn. He nods without looking at her, then raises a hand and makes a shooing motion. With a last muttered expletive, Tassa steps to the door and pulls back the curtain.

“Good luck,” I say.

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