Page 87 of A War of Embers

I was stolen.

The more I think about it, the more it feels like the truth. What if I didn't kill the Anderson family to prevent them from hiding me away? What if they simply weren’t of use any longer to Lady Gwenyth and she used me to get rid of them? Maybe they were the host family to raise creatures and they had enough and stood up for themselves? More and more theories begin circulating around my brain.

The library in the main part of the city has documents on every person born here. Maybe I can use it to find out for myself if what Micah is saying is true. Even Rowan’s private study could hold some answers if I keep looking. There has to be something to prove what I was told.

Another quick flash of Micah’s voice barrels through my mind. I could kill Lady Gwenyth. The powers I have now, the access to the godlike soul…we’re on an even playing field now. She can’t control me, but she can’t kill me either. I know for a fact if Sereia isn’t able to do anything then neither is Lady Gwenyth.

Leaving Tellus was the right thing to do. It saved me in some way. It gave me back parts of myself that I thought were gone forever. Now that the emotional rollercoaster is leveling off, I understand what Micah means about there being an alternative path.

I don’t want to think about the alternative yet, though. I still want to find a way to have peace especially if there’s a war coming. There’s so much new information I don’t want to make a sudden change in direction without truly considering everything else. To do so, I need to go back to the estate.

Standing up, I brush the dirt off my clothes and grab the scarf laying in a lump on the ground. Time to return. I take several steps forward down the hill towards the mountains when my feet suddenly grind to a halt.

During my entire interaction with Micah, I never once told him my name. But he knew me. Knew things I haven’t told very many people. Maybe he isn’t lying about anything he said after all. Otherwise how would he know I’m Keres Anderson?

Life has clearly gone to shit when even the Ashguard brothers didn’t bother trying to persuade me into seeing their parents like they asked. Instead they look on from afar, keeping a distance but an eye out to ensure no one comes near me as I trek back to the Blood City in an emotional storm of my own making.

Neither of them say anything, not to me or each other, but I can feel the weight of their stares on the back of my head. When they saw me coming, they ran up in concern before realizing I didn’t want to talk about what I’d seen or heard. I didn’t want to drag them into the terrorizing thoughts echoing inside of my head.

No one is going to be able to help settle my world right now. Everything feels like it’s running on steam, where the smog is blocking all the pertinent information I need to settle into this new life I find myself in. How I supposedly came from here, but was taken away for a malicious purpose as an infant. What I know to be the truth and what’s come to be a lie.

My entire being shakes as adrenaline pumps through me. I want to get into the records of what’s been happening. Maybe understanding more about who I am, where I come from, and how I came to be will offer me solace I haven’t been able to find. I can still hear Micah’s voice telling me that I’m carrying weight that isn’t mine. Something similar to what Rowan said about my past.

It may not have been me in mind when my souls were activated, but it was my body. My hands are coated in undeserving peoples blood.

The shaking intensifies as I look down at my hands, coming up on the village closest to the Blood City. Fisting my hands, I drop them back down at my sides to control myself.

I need control.

I need to breathe even as the feeling of sucking air through a tube comes back full force. Stopping, I shut my eyes to try and force out all the bad emotions clouding me. I can’t afford to go back to the estate in a volatile mood. Too many innocent people may suffer if I don’t regain as much control as I can before moving onward.

Several minutes pass as I control my breathing. In, hold for four, out, hold for four. Over and over again until the raging screams inside settle into a soft breeze. Gaining composure, I open my eyes silently and pull in one last calming breath before I begin to trek on.

From this distance I can see a commotion happening in the middle of the village center where Rowan and his guards took up residence not too long ago. From the people gathering, I have a sneaking suspicion deep in my gut that whatever it’s about has to do with me.

Ethan and Kennedy jog towards me until they’re flanking my sides as we get closer to the large group huddled around. They snarl at anyone who jostles them, getting too close as we finally gain access to spy what’s happening.

In the middle of the huddle is someone I don’t recognize. Large with a flat nose, bald head, and a wild look in his orange eyes, he glares down at Zeke who merely offers him a blank stare in return. No, whatever the human embodiment of an ox is being told, he’s none too happy about it.

Suddenly Zeke’s stance shifts, his reptilian eyes moving quickly throughout the crowd until they settle on me. Even though his posture is relaxed, he’s exuding a don’t fuck with me right now vibe everyone except the ox-man seems to be heeding. He shakes his head subtly, causing my feet to halt. Whatever this is about, maybe it’s not about me even though my gut says otherwise, Zeke returns his full attention back to the man breathing smoke out of his nostrils. “You’re interrupting official business,” Zeke informs him.

“You have no business here,” the ox declares.

Zeke makes a sweeping motion towards the crowd. “Does anyone else agree with Fillmore?” No one utters a word. “Thought so. You’re all alone up here, and you won’t like what happens if you continue to stand in my way.” He doesn’t threaten the ox so much as he gives a tired sigh like dealing with a small child who’s run him to exhaustion.

Fillmore, the ox-man, doesn’t budge. “I’ll fight you for your title.”

“You’re banned from leaving the Wraithlands,” Zeke enunciates slowly, still talking down to the man towering over him. “You wouldn’t be accepted any more there than you are here.”

“It wasn’t a request!”

Several things happen at once. I go to move forward while everyone shuffles back, effectively blocking me from being able to assist Zeke. Ethan and Kennedy swarm against me, blocking me from being able to push through the crowd.

“Don’t interfere,” Ethan murmurs in my ear. “Someone always comes along ever so often thinking they deserve more than they’re due. Zeke will handle this then we’ll leave you once he’s able to bring you back to the estate unharmed.”

I have no idea what he’s talking about. “Why is he targeting Zeke?”

“Because he’s a dumb fuck,” Kennedy answers easily.

---