Chapter 14b
Over the course of the next week, Niku and I were nearly inseparable. We camped in the woods behind Bann’s house and he taught me all the control exercises he knew. I meditated, practiced my majik, and we even started the process of calling a familiar. It takes weeks for the proper familiar to be called, and we had called the hedgehog, because that’s what it was going to be, at the beginning of the week. Ellery watched us all the while, bringing us fresh water from the river when it got hot. He had somehow become very attached to my presence and would sit next to me and touch me in some way while I was taking a break.
“Niku?” I called. “There’s a hedgehog on Crick–
Shahera’s head.”
“Really?” Niku stuck his head out of the tent and stared at me. He burst out laughing as he saw the fluffy hedgehog that stared right back at him.
“Aww, it’s cute.” Ellery grinned. Niku had somehow convinced Ellery that he couldn’t stay the night in the woods with us. I had several breaks during the day while Niku ran around and taught Iain everything he knew about mundane protection. Ellery would use those breaks to spend time with me. We would talk and laugh and it was like we were on the run again.
“It’s m-m-my familiar.” As I gained control, my language became steadily easier to use. I was slowly able to talk normally. Ellery would sit with me and make sure I didn’t get frustrated when the words didn’t come out right.
“It can’t be.” Niku walked towards me, Shah asleep on his shoulder. “It’s too soon.”
“It has to be.” I replied. “Shahera can feel her majik and just
knows. She’s m-m-min-ne.”
“Well, I’ll be damned.” Niku looked at the hedgehog on my head. “It is your familiar.”
“Why would her familiar be here so fast?” Ellery asked.
“Because she’s an Adept? Or maybe she’s got such strong majik that it called the familiar faster.” Niku shrugged. “Either way, she’s a cute hedgehog.”
“What are you going to name her?” Ellery asked, petting her gently. I felt her purr quietly and Ellery grinned.
“Quella.” I replied.
“Quella? What kind of a name is that?” Niku scoffed.
“Her name. It’s just the name that fits her.” I replied. “Besides, it’s better than Shah.”
“What’s wrong with Shah?” Niku frowned, petting the sleeping hedgehog.
“
Nothing.” I drew the word out.
“Be nice, Shahera.” Ellery kissed my head, careful not to bother the hedgehog.
“Yeah, that’s right. Respect your elders.” Niku nodded.
“Old man.” I mumbled. Niku attempted to tug me into a headlock. I rolled through his tug and ended up with my knee in his back and his wrist in my hand. Ellery laughed and shook his head. “Why doesn’t Niku remember
anything Shahera taught him?” In between majik lessons, since Niku didn’t have the limitless power I did, I taught him all the brawling lessons Basra taught me.
“Because you’re a brat.” Niku replied. I dropped his wrist and poked him in the back of the neck, letting one single spark flicker between us. Niku jumped up and danced around, rubbing the back of his neck. “Not nice, Shahera!”
“What did you do?” Ellery asked, trying to sound authoritative.
“Shahera gave him the shivers.” I grinned.
“You can do that?” Ellery looked at me.
“She can do essentially whatever she wants. She has no limit on the amount of power she has.” Niku replied. His body stopped quaking and all that remained of the short-lived majik were goose bumps. He kept rubbing where I touched him. “And she picked up her control easily. There’s very little left I can teach her. What she
needs is another Adept to teach her the full extent of her abilities.”
“Shahera thinks she got her control from the abuse she suffered as a child.” I replied. “It was always easier to deal with.” Both Niku and Ellery frowned. They hated it when I brought it up. Ellery hugged me from behind and kissed me again. Quella buried her nose in my hair, as if she could sense my unease about discussing the man who raised me, and was trying to comfort me.
“I’m going to have to teach you how your partnership with Quella is extremely helpful.” Niku said.
“Is Shahera going to have to feed her and bathe her and stuff?” I asked.
“Nope.” Niku grinned. “Familiars are creatures of majik. They feed off your majik. You are keeping her alive right now. In return, she focuses your majik so it becomes even more powerful and controlled than before.”
“How much training does it require?” I asked.
“Well, since Quella came much faster than normal, it won’t take as long to learn the basics. Essentially, you’ll be learning how she thinks and reacts for a long time before you don’t even have to think to know what to do.” Niku explained.
“Shahera is good with animals.” Ellery said. “She’s been taming horses for my family for years.”
“Really?” Niku looked at me as if he hadn’t seen me in the right light until that moment. “Can I see you tame something?”
“What is there to tame?” I shrugged.
“Well, Xiu has been getting antsy and very distressed since you two came out here for your training. Well, even before that. When you saved Eliza and me, he was very upset to leave you behind.” Ellery said.
“L-l-let’s visit him.” I said. Niku followed Ellery and I to the Serannas stables. True to Ellery’s word, Xiu was stomping and snorting angrily behind his gate.
“Just be careful.” Ellery warned me.
“Who’s being naughty?” I asked the air. Xiu froze nostrils and eyes wide as he heard my voice. “Xiu, are y-you being naughty?” The horse twisted his head around to look at me.
“There she goes.” Ellery muttered to Niku.
“You naughty boy, why would you be so bad?” I cooed to him as I approached his stall slowly. Xiu snorted and tossed his head. “None of that, now.” I ordered. Xiu stared at me with his dark eyes. “Be a good boy.”
“Wow.” Niku murmured.
“See, everything’s fine.” I said to him, opening the gate slowly. “So, why are you throwing a fit?” My voice was calm, gently calming him with my presence more than my words. “You’re just mad that I made you save Ellery and
that girl, aren’t you?” Xiu whinnied in the back of his throat and stepped forward to meet my hand. “Aww, poor baby. You had to deal with
her, didn’t you?” I pet Xiu gently and touched my forehead to his. He grunted and butted his nose into my hand, begging for a treat.
“How is she doing that?” Ellery whispered.
“Majik.” Niku replied. I walked out of the stall and snatched a small lump of sugar from the treat bag before returning to my stallion.
“There’s a good boy.” I continued to pet him while he licked the sugar off my fingers. “Good boy.” My voice was a gentle coo and I could tell he was significantly calmer than he had been. I slowly walked out of the stall and shut the gate. Xiu snorted once, but I gave him a look and he stopped. I returned to the men and they stared at me.
“Well, that’s how you’ve been using your majik to keep it from killing you.” Niku said.
“What?” I asked.
“You used majik to tame animals and to help you survive the abuse you went through, which is how the majik didn’t drive you mad and kill you when you were younger.” Niku explained. “You instinctively knew that using majik in those ways was subtle enough for it to be hidden from your consciousness, and yet powerful enough that it wouldn’t kill you. It’s an extension of your Hunter abilities.”
“So, your voice
does have majik.” Ellery grinned. “I knew it.”
“What does that mean?” I asked.
“It means that you are way more instinctively talented than you know.” Niku said. “And you probably
are Druantia.” I glowered at my brother.
“Well, it would make sense.” Ellery grinned, tugging me back into his arms.
“How come you let him tug you around, but with me, you put me in some painful hold that I can’t get out of?” Niku whined.
“If Niku actually remembered Shahera’s lessons, he would be able to get out from them.” I grinned. “And Niku is Shahera’s older brother, so she’s allowed to be obnoxious.”
“You’re obnoxious either way.” Ellery chuckled.
“Shut up.” I replied.
“You love it.” Ellery nuzzled my hair and rubbed my back gently.
“Shut up.” I said again.
“Aww, Quella’s purring.” Niku grinned at my hedgehog.
“That’s not Quella.” Ellery grinned over my head to Niku.
“Agh! Stop it!” Niku pointed at us. “Gross!”
“Niku is just as bad with the Icy Mountain girl.” I rolled my eyes.
“Shut up!”
“Nope.” My gaze swam for a moment and I felt myself collapse into Ellery’s arms. I blinked several times and the sight of my brother refocused.
“What did you See?” Niku asked. My visions had changed from me becoming completely unconscious and having fits to me collapsing and, rather than
seeing anything, just
knowing what was going to happen. It was a lot more convenient, but still annoying. Niku said it was because my majik was more focused.
“They’re going to attack soon. Maybe tomorrow.” I said, straightening. Ellery still held onto me, but his face tightened. “And the Rogues are arriving now.”
“Are you okay?” Ellery always asked me that. I nodded and pulled myself out of his arms.
“Da brought the cavalry.” I said to Niku. Niku grinned at me and the three of us took off running. I had always been fast growing up, but Niku and Ellery beat me every time easily. I wasn’t used to calling Loïc my father, but, like my name, it was starting to grow on me.
“Da!” Ellery shouted as we ran past Bann, who herded Mikal and Deni around. “The Rogues are here!” Bann didn’t have time to respond as we let gravity pull us down the mountain, towards Iain’s house.
“Da!” Niku yelled, joyfully. Niku had never spent so long without the man, and it had been hard for him.
“My children!” Loïc swept us both into his arms, as if we were small children, like Mikal and Deni. “You are safe.” Loï–
Da looked us over. “You have learned much, Shahera.”
“She already has a familiar, Da.” Niku grinned.
“I see.” Lo–
Da hugged me again. “You are a wonder, my child.”
“Her name is Quella.” I said, looking up at the small hedgehog, who had somehow managed to stay put on my head.
“It is indeed.” Da hugged Niku again.
“This village welcomes the help of the Rogues.” Bann said, hurrying behind us.
“The Rogues thank this village for their hospitality.” Da replied. It was all too much for the villagers. They had been told every detail of the situation, yet it was hard to turn off the anger that had been stewing all spring.
“Why are they helping us?” Someone asked.
“It is our duty.” Da replied. “We cannot allow Rogues, dead or alive, to harm innocent people.”
“You were willing to kill us all a week ago.”
“The circumstances have since changed.” Da answered.
“You all know the story and why we need the Rogues’ help.” Bann interrupted. “They are our only hope for survival, so I expect you all to be courteous.”
“They will attack soon.” Da said.
“We know.” Niku, Ellery, and I chorused. Bann stared at us.
“I will catch you up on our plan.” He smiled and patted Da’s shoulder. Da grinned back and they walked off as if they were long lost brothers.
“The Rogues are not to be harmed or disrespected!” Ellery ordered the villagers around us.
“This village is not ours, but must be treated as if it were the gods’ home!” Niku snapped at the group of Rogues.
“Is it true, Niku?” A beautiful Rogue stepped forward. She was slender with icy blue eyes and blonde hair.
“Tatyna!” Niku picked her up and spun her around, laughing happily. I safely assumed she was my brother’s betrothed. Ellery hugged me from behind as we watched their reunion.
“Is it true?” Tatyna asked again.
“Is what true?” Niku asked.
“Is your sister alive? Is she an Adept?” She clarified.
“Correct on both accounts.” I spoke up. The small army turned to me. I recognized the group from the Flaming River tribe, but not the others who made up the other half of the force.
“You are Shahera?” The woman looked me up and down.
“Yup.” I shot her a grin. “It’s a pleasure to meet Niku’s betrothed.” She was looking for a weakness in me.
“So, you are truly an Adept?” Tatyna quirked her delicate eyebrow in disbelief.
“Of course.” I shrugged. “It’s not so difficult to believe. And it usually helps if you at least
try to hide your intentions.”
“Shahera, mind-speaking in public is rude.” Niku said. “Especially when the other party doesn’t know.” Tatyna jumped, surprised. Aside from my first comment, our conversation took place inside her mind. Mind-speaking wasn’t difficult to learn, but it required the entirety of one’s focus and concentration to uphold. All I had to do was to project my thoughts to somebody’s mind, which took very little effort. However, retrieving thoughts from another’s mind was hard, especially because their mind was not my own. It was an extension to an Empath’s abilities.
“Sorry, Niku.” I grinned, unrepentant. Tatyna glared at me. I stepped forward, out of Ellery’s warm arms and stood toe to toe with her, my face falling to seriousness. “I am Shahera Karakochuk of the Flaming River tribe of the clan of Rogues. I am daughter to Chief Loïc Karakochuk and sister to Niku Karakochuk. You don’t know me, and I don’t expect you to know me. However, I am higher up in my tribe than you are in yours, and I would appreciate it if you gave me the respect I deserve.”
“You were not raised as one of us.” Tatyna replied. “You know
nothing of our culture.”
“So, ignorance means I am less than a Rogue?” I quirked my head. “That’s the kind of thinking that started this whole mess.”
“Shahera.” Niku said, warningly.
“No, let her speak.” Tatyna glowered at me.
“I may not know much about Rogue culture, but you know even less about this village’s culture.” I said. Ellery put his hands on my shoulders, lending me his strength.
“What does
that have to do with anything?” Tatyna asked.
“Ignorance was the cause of the slaughter that happened all those years ago.” I said. “Learning the different cultures of the world will help the Rogues maintain their peaceful reputation.”
“Don’t you speak of the slaughter as if it meant something to you.” Tatyna growled. “You were an infant, barely old enough to speak.”
“And it means something to
you? You are barely older than me. I lost my mother. I was raised and abused by the man who killed her. That one event changed the rest of my life.” I said. “I’m not asking you to like me. I don’t
care if you like me. You don’t matter to me at all. However, you make Niku happy, and that’s all I care about. As far as being a Rogue goes…” I let my power flow through my limbs and Quella shivered on top of my head. I let my mind-speaking touch every person watching us. “I am a quick learner.” I gave each word a small pulse of power so everyone, even the mundane people of the village, could feel how much power I had.
“Shahera, that’s enough.” Ellery whispered in my ear. “You’re going to frighten the villagers.” I sighed and leaned against him.
“Fine.” I looked at Niku and Tatyna. Niku glared at me and Tatyna looked terrified. “Sorry for freaking you out.”
“Shahera, you didn’t need to do that.” Niku was mad.
“Rogues recognize power.” I replied. “The Flaming River tribe was fought off by Shahera. They recognize her as a Rogue. No other tribe has experienced it. Now they know.”
“It’s true.” Ellery said. “She had to prove herself in some way.”
“You will not earn my respect until you shed blood for our people.” Tatyna said. About a third of the Rogues, likely the Hunters, and I stopped and turned to look at the bridge. The Janjua farm was across the bridge. The dead were attacking.
Hello lovelies! I hope you’re all doing wonderfully! I had a lot of confusion with my class schedule, but that’s all been fixed and now I have time to write (in the midst of all my homework)! Yay! Very exciting news.
Thanks muchly to the lovely and wonderful KitDKatWrites
because she’s the only one who reviewed! I posted this chapter just for you because you fluttered your eyelashes so nicely. Thank you again for prodding me into posting this, because my schedule was so crazy I forgot that I had stopped halfway through this chapter. Reviews? Thank you, my lovelies! ~LP
