Page 182 of A Touch of Stars and Stones
. . .
Aten
Shit—my head.
The sway back and forth makes my stomach roll as I come too with a fucking headache. Something tickles my fingers.
My head unjumbles as the motion feels familiar… a rhythmic pace that’s courtesy of a horse idly walking through knee-high grasses.
I’m slung over the saddle, my arms trailing in the grass as my hands tug against their bindings. In an awkward dismount, I pull my torso up so I can slide off and stumble backwards onto the ground, but at least the horse stops, neighing his disapproval.
Two satchels rest behind the saddle, so at least there’s that.
“Ever!”I push the cry and reach for the power and our connection, but as I feared, there’s nothing: no warmth, no thread, just emptiness. My power is still within me, just a little dulled, like when you can still hear underwater, but the sound’s muffled and distorted.
I check my bracelet, feeling a bolt of panic that they might have taken it as a form of punishment, but it’s still there, together with the new tie they used to secure my wrists. I lift it to my teeth, and yank the knot undone, and then reach for my knife, surprised when my hand engulfs the hilt. Well, well, well. Maybe Dad wanted me to actually live.
Just no longer in Kirrasia.
The horse whinnies as I approach, and I take a second look at the dark brown bay. “Are you Ever’s horse? What’s your name?” I stroke his nose, and he whinnies again. “My luck might not have all gone to shit if you are.”
The Jade fields, grasslands for miles, is all I see as I stare out around me.
Part of the natural defence of Kirrasia, the apparent never-ending vista of rolling green hills deters many from approaching the border, along with a powerful Elemental magic that manipulates the boundary into Kirrasia, which stops anyone from setting foot on our land without us knowing.
Only now, I’m on the wrong side of it.
I turn back to check for the supplies and am again surprised to find food, a water skin, clothes, and a bedroll on the other side. A pouch of gold coins is also at the bottom of the leather bag.
Nobody’s ever been banished in my lifetime. Stars, I can’t even remember my father talking about anyone facing this punishment. Yet here I am. First, the Transference, now this.
I belt up the bag and go and speak to my only company. “Nettle? Is that you?” He pulls and shakes his head. “Well, even if you’re not, I want you to be. So, Nettle, you are.” He brought Ever to me, after all.
I don’t know how long I’ve been set loose. And fuck them. I was too busy speaking with Ever to listen to what they were telling me before they knocked me out, my guess, for most of theday. It takes that long to reach the Jade over the Ember, so the border can’t be far away.
Dusk’s approaching, but that doesn’t deter me. It’s not like they dumped me in the Variscite forest. There’s the west watch tower positioned to keep check on the water and the border. That should be my first target, and by the time I reach it, maybe I’ll have more of a plan in mind and know how I’m going to cross back over without being attacked.
A few hours later, I’m still trekking through grasslands. Zuns, if I didn’t know there was somewhere on the other side of all of this, I’d be rethinking my decision. The vista hasn’t changed, and there are no specific landmarks to help me orientate, other than knowing that Kirrasia is north, and I know how to navigate north.
A familiar sound pulls my attention, and my heels dig into Nettle, sending him jumping into a gallop. The river emerges from the right, snaking over the low rise. The sound of water trickling over rocks is soothing, and I dismount and let Nettle drink.
Being on the west of the river gives me a much more accurate direction of travel as the tower is stationed close to it. It’s only a matter of time before I’ll be there and get to test how seriously everyone’s taken my banishment.
Every watch tower has squads of Warriors, usually with a Triune stationed with them. Speed, strength, and enhanced sight will all be in use amongst them, and there’s always someone to verify the Watchers from Estereah or other Kirrians who are friendly and can pass without issue or who won’t trigger the alarm.
Even if my intention isn’t to attack, just to get close enough and survey before I make any move, I doubt I’ll be welcome. But no banishment is going to keep me on the outside of Kirrasia when Ever is locked up there.
There’s nothing to stake Nettle’s reins to, so I settle for tying the bags to the leather and hope he gets the message. I take the bedroll, drink and refill the waterskin, and stare up at the starless sky.
Tomorrow.
I promise I’ll reach Kirrasia tomorrow.
I can’t see the barrier, but I know it’s there, like something is pulling me towards it, a recognition within me, calling to the magical power charging the shield.
Turns out, it was only another hour away from where I spent the night, and with the sun up, the greens almost sparkle in the morning light, a rainbow of them, with the lightest the familiar shade of Ever’s eyes.
If I can make it across, maybe I’ll be able to feel our connection and talk to her.
