the second trip.”
“You and Emile have been together since you were three?”
She smiled. “You sound surprised. I think he was about 16 or so. Found me in the sewers. I’d convinced myself that hiding in all the muck would keep me safe.”
There was an unspoken rule among the group. No one asked about their lives before they came together. It was as if the past didn’t exist before they promised to keep Fin safe. In the quiet of the morning, though, it seemed right.
“Do you remember anything before then? About your parents? Where you lived?”
“No, not really.” Her fingers began to braid her hair again. “Vague images of being in a small boat and being very afraid that someone would find me. All my energy went to changing my eyes green for the first few years. Hiding who I am, what I am. So much so that it’s instinctive now.”
“It’s not right, you know. Amari shouldn’t have to hide who they are. They should be free like everyone else.”
“It’s easier for you. I’ve run into other half Amari. Every one of them had the gold eyes, even if they didn’t have the access to magic. You got your father’s eyes instead.” There was a bitterness to her voice.
“I still feel the same way, Fin. No one should ever be a pet, a slave, to another. The way some force the Amari to use their magic. It’s barbaric.”
“Like your brother?”
He stared out into the gloomy morning, his jaw clenched. Rumors had reached them over the last few years. Wars fought by Kaerdan and Ajanor, where the Amari dead rivaled the foot soldiers. More and more of the surrounding kingdoms were falling to their forces. And tensions within the alliance grew as well.
Then the news came that Kaerdan’s grandfather, the ruler of Lorien, had died after a prolonged illness. His brother now had a major foothold on the mainland that was under his direct control. No more rallying troops under his grandfather’s banner. It was his now. And that was a cold reality for Alaric.
“Kaerdan was never one to think of the Amari as anything but a means to an end. For him, that was power.” He looked at Fin, “I’m not like him. Even when I didn’t know about my real mother. And it’s not what he learned from our father.”
Her green eyes met his gaze. He still yearned for another glance of the gold. “If Emile ever thought you were, he would’ve slit your throat while you slept.” The steel of her words spoke volumes. Even after these years, the trust wasn’t there.
“Don’t scare him, Fin.” Emile’s voice carried from his cot. “He’s not stupid. He knows what he signed up for.”
A small smile played across Fin’s face, the quickest upturn of the lips that Alaric barely caught. Had she been teasing him?
“Emile, there’s a shop in town with some archery supplies. I need to restock what I have. What do you think of picking up a bow for Fin?”
She started, interest and fear warring on her face. He turned his head toward the center of the room. “It’s a bit too obvious for her to be with us and not have any fighting skills. Anyone would be able to pick her out as the one being protected if we’re all combatants and she’s not. We get her outfitted with a bow, some flint tipped arrows. I can give her lessons at night during the watch. She may not hit much, but she’ll at least look the part.”
Emile nodded. “Good idea. I should’ve thought of that myself.” He held up a hand, “Don’t argue, Fin. It’s decided. The three of
“You and Emile have been together since you were three?”
She smiled. “You sound surprised. I think he was about 16 or so. Found me in the sewers. I’d convinced myself that hiding in all the muck would keep me safe.”
There was an unspoken rule among the group. No one asked about their lives before they came together. It was as if the past didn’t exist before they promised to keep Fin safe. In the quiet of the morning, though, it seemed right.
“Do you remember anything before then? About your parents? Where you lived?”
“No, not really.” Her fingers began to braid her hair again. “Vague images of being in a small boat and being very afraid that someone would find me. All my energy went to changing my eyes green for the first few years. Hiding who I am, what I am. So much so that it’s instinctive now.”
“It’s not right, you know. Amari shouldn’t have to hide who they are. They should be free like everyone else.”
“It’s easier for you. I’ve run into other half Amari. Every one of them had the gold eyes, even if they didn’t have the access to magic. You got your father’s eyes instead.” There was a bitterness to her voice.
“I still feel the same way, Fin. No one should ever be a pet, a slave, to another. The way some force the Amari to use their magic. It’s barbaric.”
“Like your brother?”
He stared out into the gloomy morning, his jaw clenched. Rumors had reached them over the last few years. Wars fought by Kaerdan and Ajanor, where the Amari dead rivaled the foot soldiers. More and more of the surrounding kingdoms were falling to their forces. And tensions within the alliance grew as well.
Then the news came that Kaerdan’s grandfather, the ruler of Lorien, had died after a prolonged illness. His brother now had a major foothold on the mainland that was under his direct control. No more rallying troops under his grandfather’s banner. It was his now. And that was a cold reality for Alaric.
“Kaerdan was never one to think of the Amari as anything but a means to an end. For him, that was power.” He looked at Fin, “I’m not like him. Even when I didn’t know about my real mother. And it’s not what he learned from our father.”
Her green eyes met his gaze. He still yearned for another glance of the gold. “If Emile ever thought you were, he would’ve slit your throat while you slept.” The steel of her words spoke volumes. Even after these years, the trust wasn’t there.
“Don’t scare him, Fin.” Emile’s voice carried from his cot. “He’s not stupid. He knows what he signed up for.”
A small smile played across Fin’s face, the quickest upturn of the lips that Alaric barely caught. Had she been teasing him?
“Emile, there’s a shop in town with some archery supplies. I need to restock what I have. What do you think of picking up a bow for Fin?”
She started, interest and fear warring on her face. He turned his head toward the center of the room. “It’s a bit too obvious for her to be with us and not have any fighting skills. Anyone would be able to pick her out as the one being protected if we’re all combatants and she’s not. We get her outfitted with a bow, some flint tipped arrows. I can give her lessons at night during the watch. She may not hit much, but she’ll at least look the part.”
Emile nodded. “Good idea. I should’ve thought of that myself.” He held up a hand, “Don’t argue, Fin. It’s decided. The three of
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