CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
Acimastrea
“
Give me a moment, all right?” she whispered to Torian as they neared their little campsite. Garith was sullenly watching her approach. Torian nodded and squeezed her hand.
Summing up all her courage, she walked toward her friend. She understood why he was angry. “Garith, I—”
Without even letting her finish, he jumped up and threw his arms around her, hugging her close to him. “You don't need to say it, Riya, I know. I'm sorry, too.”
She was surprised. “But whatever for? You've no need to be sorry. I was the one acting like an idiot.”
“
True enough,” he grinned.
“
Hey!” They both laughed.
“
No—seriously, though. I wasn't being very supportive. I understand why you would have left me behind; I'd not given you any indication that I'd go with you. But Riya, you have to know, I'd follow you to the ends of the world.”
“
I know. And I should have given you more credit. I was so sure that Torian was behind everything that I wasn't willing to listen to what you were saying.”
“
So you realize that he might not be?” Garith asked. He'd obviously seen that they'd returned to the campsite together, without Torian dragging her back by force. He was smart enough to know that something must have changed.
“
He said Reeve offered my hand,” Emariya said quietly. She watched him carefully, judging his reaction. Had he already known?
Garith’s blatant shock made her relatively sure that he was as surprised as she was. “He what?!” He seemed to gather himself and then added, “Are you sure?”
“
He said he's still got the letter; he'll show us. I think he’s telling the truth.” As much as she didn't want to believe him, she did anyway. Torian had not only seemed sincere, he'd offered proof.
Hugging her tightly again, he said, “Oh Riya, I'm so sorry.”
She finally let the torrent loose and sobbed against Garith's chest. It felt good to stop holding it in and just let the emotion take her over.
Once she was calmer, Garith asked, “So you and Torian…are things better now?”
She nodded. “I think so.”
“
What'd he say to change your mind?”
Emariya hesitated. She was more than aware of how Garith felt about her. She didn't want to hurt him, if it could be avoided. Her guilt must have shown all over her face.
“
Riya, it’s fine,” Garith said gently, “If you can't be mine, I'd want you to be with someone who is as determined to protect you as I am. This doesn't change anything between us—you know that, right?”
She smiled at him gratefully, but she was still troubled. “I don't even know how I feel about him. I'm drawn to him, but—well, I have a theory.” She explained to him about how both Torian and herself felt the pull, and reminded him the stories of her parents and their fabled love that had blossomed from the moment they had met. “Garith, I don't want to love him because of being a Stone, I want to love him in spite of it.”
“
Don't fret. It will work itself out, somehow.”
She nodded, hoping he was right. She gestured to Torian, who had been saddling the horses while they talked.
“
Is this where I give him the 'if you hurt her, I'll slit your throat with a dagger while you sleep' speech?” Garith teased.
“
Garith!” Emariya punched him in the arm like she did when they were kids, then laughed.
Torian looked shocked, and then he, too, started laughing.
Garith rubbed his arm. “Ow,” he said. “You might become a princess, Riya, but you'll never make a proper lady.”
***
Despite Emariya’s worries about Reeve, the group’s mood that day bordered on lighthearted. The tension from the previous day between Emariya and the two men had all but evaporated. The incline had tapered off and, although it was not exactly flat, it was gentle enough that they were able to ride instead of walk.
“
What is Eltar like?” Torian asked as they rode.
“
Green,” Garith and Emariya answered in unison.
“
Now that it is winter, much of that green will have faded to brown, but it will come back green again in the spring,” Emariya added.
“
Do each of the families on your Council have their own castle?” Torian questioned.
“
Estate,” Emariya corrected him. “They aren't castles; they’re more like very large houses. But they generally have large walls around them, and inside the walls are a few smaller houses, as well as stables and storage houses. They have gates that can be brought up to offer some protection, if necessary.”
“
I see. Does everyone live inside the estate, then?”
This time it was Garith who answered. “No, only families like Emariya's, as well as those in their service, live inside the estate. The rest of us live in homes clustered around estates, but we are under the estate’s protection. The estates speak for us on the Council, and in times of trouble, if need be we might barricade ourselves inside the estate walls. The fields are outside of the walls, though, so we wouldn't be able to survive a siege for long.”
Emariya knew Garith was thinking the same thing that she was: it was possible that even now, as they spoke, the residents of Warren's Rest were moving inside the walls.
“
So you've never seen a castle, then?” Torian asked.
Both Emariya and Garith shook their heads.
“
We'll reach Connor's Cliff soon. From there, you should be able to see Castle Ahlen.”
“
Will we reach the castle today, then?”
“
No. Connor's Cliff has a great view of it, as well as much of Thalmas, but it is still a ways off. We will likely arrive the day after next.”
“
Why do they call it Connor's Cliff?” Garith asked.
Emariya felt Torian stiffen in front of her. She was riding behind him again, and she gently touched his shoulder in encouragement. The silence seemed to hang in the air until finally he answered.
“
Because my grandfather Connor flung himself from it after one of his visions,” he said bitterly.
Emariya gasped in shock. What had his grandfather seen?
“
So that's why you want to change Thalmas's course,” Garith said suddenly.
Torian nodded, “My grandfather and my father both succumbed to madness from their visions. My only hope—my only chance—is to find a path that makes things better so that the things I see someday don't cause me to suffer the same fate. Perhaps I am more selfish than you realized.”
“
I don't think it's selfish to want to make things better.” Emariya's voice was barely above a whisper.
“
Can you use your gifts, My Lady?” Torian asked.
Emariya leaned forward and whispered in his ear, “I would think that after this morning you could at least drop the titles.”
He glanced back over his shoulder at her and smiled. “Perhaps. My Lady.”
She was glad that his mood seemed to be lightening again. “Well, I wouldn't say that I can use them. But occasionally they do see fit to use me.”
“
What do you mean, ‘use you’?” Torian asked.
“
Well I've heard whispers at times when no one was speaking. I think that was my gift from my mother's side. It happened when we were shot at near the Uplands, at Three Stone Pass, and a few other times, as well.”
“
Wait, you were shot at?” he asked incredulously.
“
Mmhmm,” she nodded.
Torian grumbled something under his breath that sounded like 'beacon for danger'. Then he spoke up, “But you heard a voice—what did it say?”
“
Stop.”
Torian started to rein the stallion up. “What is it?”
“
No, no, that's what it said. 'Stop','' she explained.
“
That's it? You have a spirit whispering in your ear and all it can say is 'stop' ?”
“
Well, it did work. I stopped and the shooter missed,” Emariya defended herself. “But anyway, I've only actually tried to use the Stone's gifts once since I've learned of them and I didn't have any luck. Have you had any visions?”
Torian shook his head. “Fortunately not. It seems that in my family the visions don't usually start appearing until we are older. Could your mother use her gift?”
“
I think so, but I'm not sure. I don't ever remember my father working with the herbs, either. I don't know if he could use the gift of the Warrens or not.”
“
What about Reeve? Can he use either?”
“
I don't know.” Emariya bit her lip. “I don't think he knows about them. At least, if he did, he didn't tell me.”
“
I can't imagine growing up not knowing of your family's gift. It was always known in my family, and you stand to possess two!”
“
My mother mentioned something about that. She came to me in my dreams after Russell knocked me out, and she said my father should have told me. I don't know why he didn't. Hopefully I’ll get a chance to ask him.”
“
You were close to your father?” Torian queried.
“
Oh, yes. Very.” She furrowed her brow as she thought about her father. She was anxious to find a way to convince Sheas to release him. She told Torian as much.
“
I don't think we will have enough men to send reinforcements to your fjord, rescue you father, and to keep us protected here, as well. But we will figure something out,” he tried to reassure her.
Suddenly remembering the strange word Finn had called her when they had said goodbye to him and Addie, Emariya asked, “Torian, what does ‘Acimastrea’ mean?”
Torian turned his head sharply to look at her. “Where did you hear that? It's not a term used often.”
“
We stopped at a hovel shortly after Three Stone Pass, and they called me it when we left. I asked Khane, but he told me to ask my ‘Caviasendor’.” Emariya said the word carefully, cradling it on her tongue, trying to get it right.
A deep flush colored Torian's cheeks as he muttered something unintelligible under his breath.
“
Seriously, what does it mean?” Emariya pressed. Torian's embarrassment only made her more curious.
“
Well, it is a reference to an old legend that took place here in Thalmas, ages ago.”
“
Will you tell it to me?” Emariya asked quietly. She liked the idea of hearing a story native to the land that might become her new home.
Sighing, Torian nodded. “As you wish, My Lady. It happened long before The Split, long before The Three Corners were even named. Thalmas has always been extremely mountainous, and even then, we bred our own horses.”
“
Naturally, one of the goals in breeding was hardiness, as it still is today. Back then, though, many of the herd, though hardy, were not much to look at. One day, a dainty filly was born. Everything about her cried of elegance. Her neck arched regally. Her eyes contained a spark of independence from the very day she was born. Even though she was dainty, she was also strong. And brave.
"It was the stable lad who gave her her name…" Torian paused for effect. "…Acimastrea."
“She followed none. Each evening, she was the first at the gate to come in. No horse dared challenge her. One day, it came time to teach her to saddle. At least, that was the plan.”
“
Instead, each man who tried to sit upon her quickly found himself on the ground. One after the other. Many tried. All failed.”
“
Rumor of the filly that could not be tamed spread all throughout The Three Corners. It became something of a coming of age rite: all the noble born sons—princes, too—came to try their hand at riding her. For each one, she would stand impossibly still. Waiting. Giving them a false sense of confidence. For as soon as they sat upon their back, before they could even think to smile in triumph, they would sail through the air. A few never walked again. Some didn't breathe another breath. Most walked away with nothing more than bruised pride.”
By now Emariya was listening in rapt attention.
“
One day, another traveler came upon the pasture. Unlike all the others, he wore no fine clothes. And he didn't ask to ride her. This man—he was different. He stood quietly and watched her with the other horses.”
“
When the stable lad came to bring her in, the man told him, 'She is lonely, your Acimastrea.' But the stable lad didn't believe him.”
“
The boy responded with disbelief, 'How can you say that, sir? Every day she runs with the other horses. They all follow her; she is their leader.' The boy was adamant.”
“
The man shook his head. 'Aye, and as such, she has no equal. She is alone. They follow her, but they do not join her. It is not the same,' he said.”