Chapter 28 - Safety
Kait woke up to the sound of her own stomach rumbling. Someone pulled her to a sitting position. Something warm was pushed into her hands. She struggled to close her fingers around the warmth. Someone else’s hands pressed hers around the mug. The person was whispering in a soothing tone. She couldn’t understand the words. She opened her eyes. A pale skinned woman with fine, pale hair was kneeling in front of her with an encouraging smile on her face. Her smile softened as Kait met her eyes.
“Where am I?”
The woman pat her arm. She said one word in the strange language as she stood up. Kait sipped at the drink as she looked around. The room was round and large. The walls were packed dirt. The fire just around the next bend in the wall was built up to the fullest the fireplace could hold. Across the room there was a familiar looking tapestry with vines and strange letters all over it. She was back in the old man’s house in the village. They hadn’t gotten very far from the caves. She almost dropped the mug as she realized just how close to the caves they still were. She reached out for the Shadows. What if they had managed to get away from the spirits? They would be close. They would be looking for them and the Shield. She didn’t feel anything. It was like they never came to the north.
The woman returned with a wooden plate filled with food. Kait took the plate gladly. Just looking at the food made her stomach tighten even more. As she ate she looked around again. Three other lumps of blankets were spread around the room. She wasn’t alone, the others were still with her. While she waited for the others the woman kept bringing her food and warm drinks. She was incredibly comfortable finally. She was warm and her stomach was full.
Aiden was the next one awake. He sat up straight, his eyes wide and alert. He relaxed as soon as he saw Kait. He smiled as he climbed to his feet, keeping his blankets wrapped around him. He sat down beside her.
“Are you okay?” he whispered.
“Perfect.” She smiled. “What about you?”
“Much better than before anyway. I’m pretty -” He stopped as the woman came toward them. She handed him another plate filled with food. He smiled at her as he took the plate. She blushed as she backed away. “I was going to say I was hungry but she fixed that.”
“Why are we here? Why didn’t we keep driving?”
“The old man wouldn’t let us. He was standing in our path. He grabbed the harness on the horses and kept pointing at the village. We tried to tell him we needed to keep going. He wouldn’t let go of the horses until we followed him. All the villagers were waiting here for us. They pulled us from the wagon. Bryan wasn’t happy when they picked you up.”
“No, he wouldn’t have been.”
“Once they had you Bryan went wherever they wanted. They already had beds made up for us. They gave Bryan and I warm drinks while the others put you and Connor in beds. We were too tired to fight with them.”
“What about the Shadows and the spirits?”
“Bryan checked for the Shadows. He said even though he isn’t as good at sensing them as you he was sure he couldn’t feel them anywhere. He thinks the spirits may have gotten them. We didn’t know what to do about the spirits.” Aiden shrugged. “There really isn’t anything we could do. We took the beds the people made for us. I think Bryan may have stayed awake for a while. He was still sitting up when I fell asleep.”
“I guess if the spirits did come here they couldn’t get us.”
“No, I guess not.”
“We should go as soon as the others wake up.”
“Is something wrong? Do you feel something coming?”
“No, but I’m afraid more Shadows will come. They want the Shield. They were very angry when they realized we were already up here. I don’t think they’re just going to give up. When they realize they don’t have the Shield and the others are gone they’ll send more men.”
“I don’t know what they’ll do but you could very well be right. Do you want to wake them up?”
Kait looked over at the other two lumps. She wanted to leave as quickly as possible. “No, they need to rest. Maybe if they sleep for too much longer we’ll wake them up.”
“Just let me know when you’re ready.”
They continued talking for a while longer. The woman kept coming back with more hot drinks. After a while Bryan sat up looking around. He threw aside his blankets as he scrambled to Kait’s side.
“Are you okay?”
She smiled. “Of course.”
“Aiden?”
“I’m great.”
“I know you’ve just woken up and you haven’t eaten or anything yet, but could you get Connor going?” Kait asked apologetically.
“Did you sense the Shadows?”
“No, but I’m worried more will come. I don’t know what happened to the others but I do know they don’t have the Shield. If they somehow managed to get away from the spirits they’ll come after the Shield again. If they didn’t get away others will realize it and they’ll come for the Shield. I want to get to the Fortress as quickly as we can.”
“You’re right, I’ll see to him.”
Food and drinks were brought to Bryan while he was sitting with Connor. It was a long time before Connor finally opened his eyes. He looked groggy and confused. He slowly started to look more coherent as he ate the food brought to him. Bryan left him with Kait while he and Aiden went to get the horses ready.
“How are you feeling?” Kait asked.
“Honestly, pretty horrible. I can’t really feel anything, my hands don’t want to do what I tell them, my face hurts, Bryan said I have wind burn on my face even though the rest of you don’t, and I hurt all over. I didn’t even do anything to feel so sore.”
She looked at his pink face and cracked lips. “You survived an icy lake is what you did.”
“Did this happen to the rest of you?”
“We all fell in the lake, if that’s what you mean.”
“What about the rest of this?”
“No, we didn’t get it so bad.”
“Why not? What happened?”
“I don’t know why you got it worse than the rest of us. We all went into the lake and we all came out.”
“Why don’t I remember anything?”
“That’s all part of what happened to you. You got too cold and your body couldn’t handle it. What’s the last thing you remember?”
He was quiet for a moment. “Taking the Shield from the blue man. He was one of us, you know.”
“I didn’t know.”
Bryan and Aiden came back through the doorway. Kait smiled in relief. That had to mean they were ready.
“I can explain everything to you on the way to the Fortress, there will be plenty of time.”
She pulled him to his feet. Even after resting so much and eating he was still very unstable. Aiden took him from her. This time he didn’t throw Connor over his shoulder. He only held him up to his normal height. Connor tried to move his legs. He looked frustrated when all that happened was that his feet got tangled up in themselves.
“Don’t worry about it, Connor,” Bryan said. “You’ll be fine. I just need a little time.”
“Isn’t that what you said with Kait?” he grumbled.
“It is, but I already know what’s wrong with you. I never actually figured that out with Kait.”
“He’ll fix you,” Kait said. “He always fixes me.”
“All right, let’s go.”
Aiden helped Connor into the back of the wagon where he laid back down. Aiden turned back to the where all the villagers were waiting. He called out a word to them. No one looked like they understood what he said. He walked closer to them and tried again. The woman who brought them food inside the house stepped forward hesitantly. She took his hand as she made a little curtsey. She kissed his hand, her face turning bright red. She scurried back into the midst of the other villagers. Aiden walked back to the others looking confused. They all climbed into the wagon.
“Does anyone else know what that was all about?” he asked as he picked up the reins.
Bryan laughed. “She likes you.”
“She doesn’t know me.” Aiden’s face was turning red.
“She doesn’t have to. You’re obviously a northerner like her but you aren’t from this village. She probably thought it would be nice to leave the village.”
“She thought I would take her away, a complete stranger?”
Bryan shrugged. “She doesn’t know you. Let’s get out of here before she jumps in the back of the wagon with Connor.”
Aiden slapped the reins against the horses’ backs. “I definitely don’t want that.”
As they rolled out of the town Kait moved to sit on the driver’s bench with Aiden while Bryan went to sit with Connor. She felt much better now that they were moving. She couldn’t feel the Shadows anywhere. She looked back at the village. The old man was standing next to one of the posts at the entrance. He pat the post almost lovingly as he smiled up toward the top.
“Do you think there’s something about those posts at the town entrance that kept the spirits from coming after us?” she asked as she turned back forward.
“Maybe. There are carvings hanging from the top.” He pulled the little carvings from one of his pockets. “Maybe these things were what kept the spirits from coming after us until we were the last.”
She fished the other half of the carvings out of the pocket at her waist. “You think they work?”
“I don’t know. The villagers seem to think so. How do we know whether or not they’re right?”
“I guess we don’t.” She put the carvings back in her pocket.
When they stopped that night to camp Connor went right to sleep after eating. The other three stayed awake to plan their route to the Fortress. They were closer than they were when they came from home. It was still going to take several days to get there. After Bryan went to sleep Aiden stayed awake with Kait while she checked for the Shadows. When she didn’t feel anything they both went to sleep.
Their routine was the same all the way to the Fortress. When Bryan wasn’t with Connor, Kait was sitting with him helping him remember everything that happened in the valley. Periodically throughout the day she would check for the Shadows. Even though she never felt them, she never felt completely safe until they reached the Fortress where she finally felt relieved of her responsibilities. She finally felt the complete relief from all responsibilities that she wanted.
That first night at the Fortress they took the Shield down to the Great Cavern. After presenting the Shield, they stayed in the Cavern with the elders while they examined the new weapon.
“It’s very beautiful,” Dario said as he turned the Shield in his hands.
“Do you know what it says?” Kait asked.
“No, I can’t read the writing. I imagine it’s some sort of protective spell. Whoever the Champion is will need it.”
“Do you know what the Champion is supposed to do?” Connor asked.
Emil took the Shield from Dario when he was finished. “We believe he is supposed to be the Guardian of our Leader.”
“It makes sense that he should have a Guardian, too. Shouldn’t the Summoner have one, then?”
“Maybe he will. Like you say, it would make sense.” He handed the Shield to Connor.
“I can’t wait to see this stuff start getting used. It seems pointless to go through all this difficulty to get these weapons only to have them sitting down here.”
“I wouldn’t be too anxious,” Kaga said, a slight smile on his thin lips. “These weapons being put to use would mean the final battle is close at hand.”
“I didn’t think of it like that, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, you’re still young, you don’t think about the future like us old people. Put that away, it’ll get used soon enough.”
Connor carried the Shield to the back of the Cavern. He returned quickly. “Sirs, do you know about that valley where we got the Shield?”
The elders all looked at him with questioning looks in their eyes. “What do you mean?” Kaga asked.
“Some weird things happened while we were there, things that weren’t natural. There were lights in the tunnels that led us to the valley, there were black things shaped like distorted animals that chased us, no matter how far we walked we never got anywhere until we stopped then one by one we suddenly disappeared and reappeared at a castle made of ice that was filled with invisible warriors who didn’t want us to take the Shield even though they were there protecting one of us.” Connor’s voice got more and more agitated as he spoke.
Kait took his arm. “They didn’t put the Shield there, don’t get angry with them.”
“We almost froze to death in that valley. If they knew what was going to happen we could have used a little warning.”
“We didn’t know,” Jefferson said. “We don’t know where your visions are going to send you or what you’re going to face while you’re retrieving them. A great many weapons have been made for the Light over the years. Many of them have been lost. We don’t know which ones have the privilege of becoming the weapons that will help balance our power.”
“Is there any way of knowing ahead of time?”
“Ahead of your visions? No. That’s what they’re for.”
“If these weapons have special power, wouldn’t they have been special when they were first made? Isn’t there a way to look back in our history and figure out what I might be looking for and maybe where it might be hidden? A little advance warning would be helpful.”
“Your visions tell you what you need to know, that’s why you have them,” Emil said. “When you have them, instead of rushing off to get the weapon, take some extra time to plan.”
“I need to hurry once I have a vision. I wait so long between them I’m afraid too much time is passing. If I don’t complete my task in enough time we won’t defeat the Shadows. I can feel the urgency in my visions.”
“Take the time for the extra planning. Remember, the Shadows are after the same weapons as you. They can’t move forward if we don’t. They don’t have someone like you having visions about these weapons so they have to wait for you. I know you feel obligated to get your task done as quickly as possible but you’re right about one thing. Your visions are taking you to very dangerous places. If you expect to make it to the end of your task, you need to plan more carefully for what you will face.”
The elders left together. Connor stood quietly with his head hanging.
“I suppose you think they’re right,” he mumbled after they were gone.
“If it was something I had thought about before, I would have suggested it,” Kait said gently. “I thought we were doing enough planning, obviously we weren’t. You shouldn’t have blamed them, though. It’s our own fault.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Come on,” Bryan said, coming up behind them. “Connor, I have another drink or two for you to take.”
Connor groaned. “I can’t wait to be done with all this.”
“Now you know how I feel,” Kait said.
Bryan and Connor started walking away.
“We should go too,” Aiden said softly. He stuck out his elbow, offering his arm in one of the commoner’s ways.
She wrapped her arm around his. “I am a bit tired.”
All their rooms were together in a guest hallway of the Fortress. Kait assumed that since Bryan saw her kissing Aiden in the valley, he wouldn’t say anything about seeing her holding Aiden’s arm. Her stomach did a little jump and a twist. She had never been out in public with a man like this before. Taking late night walks with Aiden was different. They usually went on their walks after Bryan and Connor had at least gone to their rooms for the night. That wouldn’t be happening anymore. Now that Connor had presented the Shield in the Cavern he could have a vision at any time. He wasn’t likely to have one so soon but there was always a chance. She didn’t want to miss this one like she missed the one in Elverum. She didn’t care that the old man somehow induced the vision. She should have felt it and she should have been there.
She looked up at Aiden. He looked happy. He wasn’t going to be happy when she started telling him she couldn’t go on walks with him anymore, at least not without Connor. She hung her head. It wasn’t fair to him. She shouldn’t have agreed to this, not while knowing Connor would always have to be her priority.
Aiden put a hand around hers that was wrapped around his arm. She looked up at him. He was smiling at her.
Don’t worry about it. I already know and I already agreed that we would keep Connor with us as much as you needed to make you comfortable. If that means he’s always with us, then he’s always with us. I’ll take what I can get.
How did you know that’s what I was thinking?
His smile broadened. I don’t know, I just did. I promise I’m okay with it.
It isn’t fair to you. You shouldn’t have to stand aside -
I really am fine with it. It’s not permanent, it’s just while Connor is searching for his weapons. When he doesn’t need a Guardian anymore I’ll have you all to myself.
That could be years from now.
I know, and I accept that. Don’t worry about me, I know what I’m getting myself into. I suspected you were the Guardian a while ago.
He didn’t really know what he was getting himself into. She had told him about her mother’s plans for her but neither of them were acting like it mattered. She needed to get her head back in the real world. Her mother wanted her to marry a prince. Aiden was a prince. Maybe she could talk to her mother about him. She had to go home soon for her eighteenth birthday anyway. Maybe she could get her mother to put off making her decision until she could figure out what she wanted.
Aiden squeezed her hand. He wasn’t looking at her this time. She felt her face reddening. Could he somehow be hearing her thoughts? She hadn’t questioned before but there had been other times he seemed to know what she was thinking without her saying anything. He could be reading her thoughts. She couldn’t remember if they had been touching each of the other times he had know what she was thinking. She started to pull away from him. She wasn’t sure of her own thoughts, she didn’t want someone else hearing them before she had a chance to figure them out.
Aiden’s arm tensed but he didn’t try to stop her. He looked down at her in alarm. “What’s wrong?”
She hesitated. She didn’t know what to say to him that wouldn’t hurt him.
“Kait?”
She just looked at the floor. She felt stupid for pulling away from him but she was still afraid that he was somehow hearing her thoughts.
He slowed their pace so they were a little farther behind Bryan and Connor but they could still see them. “What’s wrong?” he whispered. “Did I do something?”
She looked up at him. He looked really worried. She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I’m being stupid. Don’t worry about it.”
“I can feel in your arm that you’re worried about it. Please talk to me. Is it something I did or didn’t do? I’m sorry Kait, I’m trying, I promise. I want everything to be perfect but there’s no rule book, I wish there was. An instruction manual would be even better. Although, I don’t -”
“Please stop. You’re worrying yourself over nothing. You haven’t done anything wrong and there’s nothing you’ve forgotten to do.”
“Then what is it? I don’t understand why you’re suddenly pulling away.”
“It’s just -” She stopped herself. She couldn’t believe she had actually been about to say what she was thinking.
“What is it? I can’t stop doing whatever is making you uncomfortable if I don’t know what it is. Please Kait, just say it. I promise I won’t get mad.”
Maybe she should ask him. That would be easier than pulling away from him until she figured it out for herself. It would be easier on both of them. “You won’t get mad, you promise?”
“Absolutely.”
“You won’t think I’m stupid?”
His golden eyes changed from worried to compassionate. “Of course not, I could never think you’re stupid.”
She still hesitated.
He pulled her closer. “Please Kait, just say it.”
“Can you hear my thoughts?” she blurted out.
He stared at her. For an instant he looked confused. “Can I hear your thoughts?”
She nodded, looking down at the floor.
He took her chin in his hand and made her look up at him. “No, I can’t hear your thoughts. Why would you think that?”
“Sometimes you seem to know what I’m thinking without me saying anything. It’s a bit uncanny. Then I started to worry. My thoughts confuse me, I don’t want someone else getting the wrong idea from them before I can straighten them out.”
“I can’t hear your thoughts, I promise. Sometimes you’re easy to read. Most of the time you aren’t. I feel like I know you better than is possible for the amount of time we’ve known each other, that’s all.”
“You really can’t hear my thoughts?”
“Only when you’re talking to me, I promise.”
She nodded.
“I promise. Would it make you feel better if we weren’t touching? That way you could be sure.”
“No, I don’t want to let go.”
He smiled. “I understand if you need to.”
“I’ll be okay. I’m sorry I was being stupid.”
“You aren’t stupid. I’m sorry I made you think I was reading your thoughts. I didn’t realize it was happening so much.”
She shook her head. It was a stupid misunderstanding. She should have asked him as soon as she had the thought. She needed to remember that for the future.
They stopped outside her room. She could hear Bryan and Connor’s voices inside Connor’s room next to hers.
“Good night,” he said softly.
“Good night.”
She went into her room. She left her door cracked to make it easier to hear the voices next door. She was sure she would feel the warning again if Connor was about to have a vision. She didn’t think it would hurt though to be able to hear him.
Chapter 29
“Where am I?”
The woman pat her arm. She said one word in the strange language as she stood up. Kait sipped at the drink as she looked around. The room was round and large. The walls were packed dirt. The fire just around the next bend in the wall was built up to the fullest the fireplace could hold. Across the room there was a familiar looking tapestry with vines and strange letters all over it. She was back in the old man’s house in the village. They hadn’t gotten very far from the caves. She almost dropped the mug as she realized just how close to the caves they still were. She reached out for the Shadows. What if they had managed to get away from the spirits? They would be close. They would be looking for them and the Shield. She didn’t feel anything. It was like they never came to the north.
The woman returned with a wooden plate filled with food. Kait took the plate gladly. Just looking at the food made her stomach tighten even more. As she ate she looked around again. Three other lumps of blankets were spread around the room. She wasn’t alone, the others were still with her. While she waited for the others the woman kept bringing her food and warm drinks. She was incredibly comfortable finally. She was warm and her stomach was full.
Aiden was the next one awake. He sat up straight, his eyes wide and alert. He relaxed as soon as he saw Kait. He smiled as he climbed to his feet, keeping his blankets wrapped around him. He sat down beside her.
“Are you okay?” he whispered.
“Perfect.” She smiled. “What about you?”
“Much better than before anyway. I’m pretty -” He stopped as the woman came toward them. She handed him another plate filled with food. He smiled at her as he took the plate. She blushed as she backed away. “I was going to say I was hungry but she fixed that.”
“Why are we here? Why didn’t we keep driving?”
“The old man wouldn’t let us. He was standing in our path. He grabbed the harness on the horses and kept pointing at the village. We tried to tell him we needed to keep going. He wouldn’t let go of the horses until we followed him. All the villagers were waiting here for us. They pulled us from the wagon. Bryan wasn’t happy when they picked you up.”
“No, he wouldn’t have been.”
“Once they had you Bryan went wherever they wanted. They already had beds made up for us. They gave Bryan and I warm drinks while the others put you and Connor in beds. We were too tired to fight with them.”
“What about the Shadows and the spirits?”
“Bryan checked for the Shadows. He said even though he isn’t as good at sensing them as you he was sure he couldn’t feel them anywhere. He thinks the spirits may have gotten them. We didn’t know what to do about the spirits.” Aiden shrugged. “There really isn’t anything we could do. We took the beds the people made for us. I think Bryan may have stayed awake for a while. He was still sitting up when I fell asleep.”
“I guess if the spirits did come here they couldn’t get us.”
“No, I guess not.”
“We should go as soon as the others wake up.”
“Is something wrong? Do you feel something coming?”
“No, but I’m afraid more Shadows will come. They want the Shield. They were very angry when they realized we were already up here. I don’t think they’re just going to give up. When they realize they don’t have the Shield and the others are gone they’ll send more men.”
“I don’t know what they’ll do but you could very well be right. Do you want to wake them up?”
Kait looked over at the other two lumps. She wanted to leave as quickly as possible. “No, they need to rest. Maybe if they sleep for too much longer we’ll wake them up.”
“Just let me know when you’re ready.”
They continued talking for a while longer. The woman kept coming back with more hot drinks. After a while Bryan sat up looking around. He threw aside his blankets as he scrambled to Kait’s side.
“Are you okay?”
She smiled. “Of course.”
“Aiden?”
“I’m great.”
“I know you’ve just woken up and you haven’t eaten or anything yet, but could you get Connor going?” Kait asked apologetically.
“Did you sense the Shadows?”
“No, but I’m worried more will come. I don’t know what happened to the others but I do know they don’t have the Shield. If they somehow managed to get away from the spirits they’ll come after the Shield again. If they didn’t get away others will realize it and they’ll come for the Shield. I want to get to the Fortress as quickly as we can.”
“You’re right, I’ll see to him.”
Food and drinks were brought to Bryan while he was sitting with Connor. It was a long time before Connor finally opened his eyes. He looked groggy and confused. He slowly started to look more coherent as he ate the food brought to him. Bryan left him with Kait while he and Aiden went to get the horses ready.
“How are you feeling?” Kait asked.
“Honestly, pretty horrible. I can’t really feel anything, my hands don’t want to do what I tell them, my face hurts, Bryan said I have wind burn on my face even though the rest of you don’t, and I hurt all over. I didn’t even do anything to feel so sore.”
She looked at his pink face and cracked lips. “You survived an icy lake is what you did.”
“Did this happen to the rest of you?”
“We all fell in the lake, if that’s what you mean.”
“What about the rest of this?”
“No, we didn’t get it so bad.”
“Why not? What happened?”
“I don’t know why you got it worse than the rest of us. We all went into the lake and we all came out.”
“Why don’t I remember anything?”
“That’s all part of what happened to you. You got too cold and your body couldn’t handle it. What’s the last thing you remember?”
He was quiet for a moment. “Taking the Shield from the blue man. He was one of us, you know.”
“I didn’t know.”
Bryan and Aiden came back through the doorway. Kait smiled in relief. That had to mean they were ready.
“I can explain everything to you on the way to the Fortress, there will be plenty of time.”
She pulled him to his feet. Even after resting so much and eating he was still very unstable. Aiden took him from her. This time he didn’t throw Connor over his shoulder. He only held him up to his normal height. Connor tried to move his legs. He looked frustrated when all that happened was that his feet got tangled up in themselves.
“Don’t worry about it, Connor,” Bryan said. “You’ll be fine. I just need a little time.”
“Isn’t that what you said with Kait?” he grumbled.
“It is, but I already know what’s wrong with you. I never actually figured that out with Kait.”
“He’ll fix you,” Kait said. “He always fixes me.”
“All right, let’s go.”
Aiden helped Connor into the back of the wagon where he laid back down. Aiden turned back to the where all the villagers were waiting. He called out a word to them. No one looked like they understood what he said. He walked closer to them and tried again. The woman who brought them food inside the house stepped forward hesitantly. She took his hand as she made a little curtsey. She kissed his hand, her face turning bright red. She scurried back into the midst of the other villagers. Aiden walked back to the others looking confused. They all climbed into the wagon.
“Does anyone else know what that was all about?” he asked as he picked up the reins.
Bryan laughed. “She likes you.”
“She doesn’t know me.” Aiden’s face was turning red.
“She doesn’t have to. You’re obviously a northerner like her but you aren’t from this village. She probably thought it would be nice to leave the village.”
“She thought I would take her away, a complete stranger?”
Bryan shrugged. “She doesn’t know you. Let’s get out of here before she jumps in the back of the wagon with Connor.”
Aiden slapped the reins against the horses’ backs. “I definitely don’t want that.”
As they rolled out of the town Kait moved to sit on the driver’s bench with Aiden while Bryan went to sit with Connor. She felt much better now that they were moving. She couldn’t feel the Shadows anywhere. She looked back at the village. The old man was standing next to one of the posts at the entrance. He pat the post almost lovingly as he smiled up toward the top.
“Do you think there’s something about those posts at the town entrance that kept the spirits from coming after us?” she asked as she turned back forward.
“Maybe. There are carvings hanging from the top.” He pulled the little carvings from one of his pockets. “Maybe these things were what kept the spirits from coming after us until we were the last.”
She fished the other half of the carvings out of the pocket at her waist. “You think they work?”
“I don’t know. The villagers seem to think so. How do we know whether or not they’re right?”
“I guess we don’t.” She put the carvings back in her pocket.
When they stopped that night to camp Connor went right to sleep after eating. The other three stayed awake to plan their route to the Fortress. They were closer than they were when they came from home. It was still going to take several days to get there. After Bryan went to sleep Aiden stayed awake with Kait while she checked for the Shadows. When she didn’t feel anything they both went to sleep.
Their routine was the same all the way to the Fortress. When Bryan wasn’t with Connor, Kait was sitting with him helping him remember everything that happened in the valley. Periodically throughout the day she would check for the Shadows. Even though she never felt them, she never felt completely safe until they reached the Fortress where she finally felt relieved of her responsibilities. She finally felt the complete relief from all responsibilities that she wanted.
That first night at the Fortress they took the Shield down to the Great Cavern. After presenting the Shield, they stayed in the Cavern with the elders while they examined the new weapon.
“It’s very beautiful,” Dario said as he turned the Shield in his hands.
“Do you know what it says?” Kait asked.
“No, I can’t read the writing. I imagine it’s some sort of protective spell. Whoever the Champion is will need it.”
“Do you know what the Champion is supposed to do?” Connor asked.
Emil took the Shield from Dario when he was finished. “We believe he is supposed to be the Guardian of our Leader.”
“It makes sense that he should have a Guardian, too. Shouldn’t the Summoner have one, then?”
“Maybe he will. Like you say, it would make sense.” He handed the Shield to Connor.
“I can’t wait to see this stuff start getting used. It seems pointless to go through all this difficulty to get these weapons only to have them sitting down here.”
“I wouldn’t be too anxious,” Kaga said, a slight smile on his thin lips. “These weapons being put to use would mean the final battle is close at hand.”
“I didn’t think of it like that, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be, you’re still young, you don’t think about the future like us old people. Put that away, it’ll get used soon enough.”
Connor carried the Shield to the back of the Cavern. He returned quickly. “Sirs, do you know about that valley where we got the Shield?”
The elders all looked at him with questioning looks in their eyes. “What do you mean?” Kaga asked.
“Some weird things happened while we were there, things that weren’t natural. There were lights in the tunnels that led us to the valley, there were black things shaped like distorted animals that chased us, no matter how far we walked we never got anywhere until we stopped then one by one we suddenly disappeared and reappeared at a castle made of ice that was filled with invisible warriors who didn’t want us to take the Shield even though they were there protecting one of us.” Connor’s voice got more and more agitated as he spoke.
Kait took his arm. “They didn’t put the Shield there, don’t get angry with them.”
“We almost froze to death in that valley. If they knew what was going to happen we could have used a little warning.”
“We didn’t know,” Jefferson said. “We don’t know where your visions are going to send you or what you’re going to face while you’re retrieving them. A great many weapons have been made for the Light over the years. Many of them have been lost. We don’t know which ones have the privilege of becoming the weapons that will help balance our power.”
“Is there any way of knowing ahead of time?”
“Ahead of your visions? No. That’s what they’re for.”
“If these weapons have special power, wouldn’t they have been special when they were first made? Isn’t there a way to look back in our history and figure out what I might be looking for and maybe where it might be hidden? A little advance warning would be helpful.”
“Your visions tell you what you need to know, that’s why you have them,” Emil said. “When you have them, instead of rushing off to get the weapon, take some extra time to plan.”
“I need to hurry once I have a vision. I wait so long between them I’m afraid too much time is passing. If I don’t complete my task in enough time we won’t defeat the Shadows. I can feel the urgency in my visions.”
“Take the time for the extra planning. Remember, the Shadows are after the same weapons as you. They can’t move forward if we don’t. They don’t have someone like you having visions about these weapons so they have to wait for you. I know you feel obligated to get your task done as quickly as possible but you’re right about one thing. Your visions are taking you to very dangerous places. If you expect to make it to the end of your task, you need to plan more carefully for what you will face.”
The elders left together. Connor stood quietly with his head hanging.
“I suppose you think they’re right,” he mumbled after they were gone.
“If it was something I had thought about before, I would have suggested it,” Kait said gently. “I thought we were doing enough planning, obviously we weren’t. You shouldn’t have blamed them, though. It’s our own fault.”
“Yeah, I guess.”
“Come on,” Bryan said, coming up behind them. “Connor, I have another drink or two for you to take.”
Connor groaned. “I can’t wait to be done with all this.”
“Now you know how I feel,” Kait said.
Bryan and Connor started walking away.
“We should go too,” Aiden said softly. He stuck out his elbow, offering his arm in one of the commoner’s ways.
She wrapped her arm around his. “I am a bit tired.”
All their rooms were together in a guest hallway of the Fortress. Kait assumed that since Bryan saw her kissing Aiden in the valley, he wouldn’t say anything about seeing her holding Aiden’s arm. Her stomach did a little jump and a twist. She had never been out in public with a man like this before. Taking late night walks with Aiden was different. They usually went on their walks after Bryan and Connor had at least gone to their rooms for the night. That wouldn’t be happening anymore. Now that Connor had presented the Shield in the Cavern he could have a vision at any time. He wasn’t likely to have one so soon but there was always a chance. She didn’t want to miss this one like she missed the one in Elverum. She didn’t care that the old man somehow induced the vision. She should have felt it and she should have been there.
She looked up at Aiden. He looked happy. He wasn’t going to be happy when she started telling him she couldn’t go on walks with him anymore, at least not without Connor. She hung her head. It wasn’t fair to him. She shouldn’t have agreed to this, not while knowing Connor would always have to be her priority.
Aiden put a hand around hers that was wrapped around his arm. She looked up at him. He was smiling at her.
Don’t worry about it. I already know and I already agreed that we would keep Connor with us as much as you needed to make you comfortable. If that means he’s always with us, then he’s always with us. I’ll take what I can get.
How did you know that’s what I was thinking?
His smile broadened. I don’t know, I just did. I promise I’m okay with it.
It isn’t fair to you. You shouldn’t have to stand aside -
I really am fine with it. It’s not permanent, it’s just while Connor is searching for his weapons. When he doesn’t need a Guardian anymore I’ll have you all to myself.
That could be years from now.
I know, and I accept that. Don’t worry about me, I know what I’m getting myself into. I suspected you were the Guardian a while ago.
He didn’t really know what he was getting himself into. She had told him about her mother’s plans for her but neither of them were acting like it mattered. She needed to get her head back in the real world. Her mother wanted her to marry a prince. Aiden was a prince. Maybe she could talk to her mother about him. She had to go home soon for her eighteenth birthday anyway. Maybe she could get her mother to put off making her decision until she could figure out what she wanted.
Aiden squeezed her hand. He wasn’t looking at her this time. She felt her face reddening. Could he somehow be hearing her thoughts? She hadn’t questioned before but there had been other times he seemed to know what she was thinking without her saying anything. He could be reading her thoughts. She couldn’t remember if they had been touching each of the other times he had know what she was thinking. She started to pull away from him. She wasn’t sure of her own thoughts, she didn’t want someone else hearing them before she had a chance to figure them out.
Aiden’s arm tensed but he didn’t try to stop her. He looked down at her in alarm. “What’s wrong?”
She hesitated. She didn’t know what to say to him that wouldn’t hurt him.
“Kait?”
She just looked at the floor. She felt stupid for pulling away from him but she was still afraid that he was somehow hearing her thoughts.
He slowed their pace so they were a little farther behind Bryan and Connor but they could still see them. “What’s wrong?” he whispered. “Did I do something?”
She looked up at him. He looked really worried. She shook her head. “I’m sorry, I’m being stupid. Don’t worry about it.”
“I can feel in your arm that you’re worried about it. Please talk to me. Is it something I did or didn’t do? I’m sorry Kait, I’m trying, I promise. I want everything to be perfect but there’s no rule book, I wish there was. An instruction manual would be even better. Although, I don’t -”
“Please stop. You’re worrying yourself over nothing. You haven’t done anything wrong and there’s nothing you’ve forgotten to do.”
“Then what is it? I don’t understand why you’re suddenly pulling away.”
“It’s just -” She stopped herself. She couldn’t believe she had actually been about to say what she was thinking.
“What is it? I can’t stop doing whatever is making you uncomfortable if I don’t know what it is. Please Kait, just say it. I promise I won’t get mad.”
Maybe she should ask him. That would be easier than pulling away from him until she figured it out for herself. It would be easier on both of them. “You won’t get mad, you promise?”
“Absolutely.”
“You won’t think I’m stupid?”
His golden eyes changed from worried to compassionate. “Of course not, I could never think you’re stupid.”
She still hesitated.
He pulled her closer. “Please Kait, just say it.”
“Can you hear my thoughts?” she blurted out.
He stared at her. For an instant he looked confused. “Can I hear your thoughts?”
She nodded, looking down at the floor.
He took her chin in his hand and made her look up at him. “No, I can’t hear your thoughts. Why would you think that?”
“Sometimes you seem to know what I’m thinking without me saying anything. It’s a bit uncanny. Then I started to worry. My thoughts confuse me, I don’t want someone else getting the wrong idea from them before I can straighten them out.”
“I can’t hear your thoughts, I promise. Sometimes you’re easy to read. Most of the time you aren’t. I feel like I know you better than is possible for the amount of time we’ve known each other, that’s all.”
“You really can’t hear my thoughts?”
“Only when you’re talking to me, I promise.”
She nodded.
“I promise. Would it make you feel better if we weren’t touching? That way you could be sure.”
“No, I don’t want to let go.”
He smiled. “I understand if you need to.”
“I’ll be okay. I’m sorry I was being stupid.”
“You aren’t stupid. I’m sorry I made you think I was reading your thoughts. I didn’t realize it was happening so much.”
She shook her head. It was a stupid misunderstanding. She should have asked him as soon as she had the thought. She needed to remember that for the future.
They stopped outside her room. She could hear Bryan and Connor’s voices inside Connor’s room next to hers.
“Good night,” he said softly.
“Good night.”
She went into her room. She left her door cracked to make it easier to hear the voices next door. She was sure she would feel the warning again if Connor was about to have a vision. She didn’t think it would hurt though to be able to hear him.
Chapter 29