in mid-sentence, as though frozen to the spot. Jynx looked past her to where her brother stood, his arm outstretched, and with a softly growling Wulf at his knee. She scrambled to her feet. ‘Did you do that or did Wulf?’
Remy shrugged. ‘Wulf brought me here, but I think I did. I’ve learned a few things from Saire to help me defend us without violence, but I’m not master of them yet. I don’t think the spell will last long. Get your things together, just a change of clothes, enough to carry in a sack. It’s not safe for us to stay here any longer. You heard our mother. They’ll have us euthanized.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘They will give us something and our hearts will stop beating and we’ll never wake up.’
‘But that’s death. I’m scared, Remy. I don’t want to be dead. What’s happening to us? I can’t understand it.’
‘I don’t know for certain, but the powers of defectives sometimes emerge just before adulthood, and that’s what’s happening to us.’
‘That’s not fair. I can feel the life bubbling inside me, and it brings me joy. I want to be the same as everyone else.’
‘I know, but we’re not like everyone else. Saire said the people of Arles are scared that those of us with unusual powers will join forces and overthrow him with our magic. He has vowed to eliminate them if he can find out which ones are infected with defective blood. Once our father learns of this he’ll be duty bound to report us, else he’ll be euthanized with us.’
‘But he’s an adviser to Lord Cynan.’
‘It makes no difference. We would be an embarrassment to him.’
‘You said that he’s scared we might join forces. Are there more defectives, then?’
‘Many, but we’re scattered, and we’re not called defectives. We come from the most gifted of the true-bloods. Our genetics are derived from a breeding program perfected by the ancient Truarcs. It was adopted by the Karshal people and persists despite the eradication program.’
Jynx couldn’t imagine overthrowing Cynan, the Lord of Arles. Although he’d never said a cross word to her, sometimes he’d looked upon her with disapproval when Laek took notice of her. His eyes were mean and she found him fearsome. She was glad Laek didn’t take after him, but after his mother, Azarine. ‘How will we overthrow him?’
‘Do stop wasting time by asking questions. How do I know? I’m still learning. Saire told me that if I try to do too much at once, my power might fade. It has to discover me as a vessel, not the other way round, and I have to learn to control it.’
Jynx threw the wishing dish into the pack. If Tiana had told the truth about the dish it would provide all her needs as long as she used it wisely. She pulled a cloak around her shoulders.
‘Is that all you’re taking?’
‘My needs are as few as yours, brother, and I’m also discovering my skills. You know they will send our brother Emrys to hunt us down and kill us if we flee. He’s the most skilled tracker in Lord Cynan’s personal guard. They’ll say it was an accident so they won’t have to be embarrassed by us. That will leave Helise still acceptable as a wife for Laek. Poor Laek.’
‘Laek is old enough to dictate the course his life will take. You will see.
He will never marry Helise, despite her beauty.’
A sigh came from the still figure of their mother and she began to quiver.
‘Quickly, we must be gone,’ Remy said.
As the pair slipped from the house with Wulf going ahead like a silent shadow, his eyes alert and his ears pricked forward to sense danger, Jynx’s heart thumped with the enormity of what they were doing. She had no idea of where they were going, or where they would end up. Yet there was a sense of purpose and destiny about her that she’d never experienced before. If nothing else she intended to experience and enjoy the adventure of running away before she was euthanized.
Chapter Six
The City of Arles was
Remy shrugged. ‘Wulf brought me here, but I think I did. I’ve learned a few things from Saire to help me defend us without violence, but I’m not master of them yet. I don’t think the spell will last long. Get your things together, just a change of clothes, enough to carry in a sack. It’s not safe for us to stay here any longer. You heard our mother. They’ll have us euthanized.’
‘What does that mean?’
‘They will give us something and our hearts will stop beating and we’ll never wake up.’
‘But that’s death. I’m scared, Remy. I don’t want to be dead. What’s happening to us? I can’t understand it.’
‘I don’t know for certain, but the powers of defectives sometimes emerge just before adulthood, and that’s what’s happening to us.’
‘That’s not fair. I can feel the life bubbling inside me, and it brings me joy. I want to be the same as everyone else.’
‘I know, but we’re not like everyone else. Saire said the people of Arles are scared that those of us with unusual powers will join forces and overthrow him with our magic. He has vowed to eliminate them if he can find out which ones are infected with defective blood. Once our father learns of this he’ll be duty bound to report us, else he’ll be euthanized with us.’
‘But he’s an adviser to Lord Cynan.’
‘It makes no difference. We would be an embarrassment to him.’
‘You said that he’s scared we might join forces. Are there more defectives, then?’
‘Many, but we’re scattered, and we’re not called defectives. We come from the most gifted of the true-bloods. Our genetics are derived from a breeding program perfected by the ancient Truarcs. It was adopted by the Karshal people and persists despite the eradication program.’
Jynx couldn’t imagine overthrowing Cynan, the Lord of Arles. Although he’d never said a cross word to her, sometimes he’d looked upon her with disapproval when Laek took notice of her. His eyes were mean and she found him fearsome. She was glad Laek didn’t take after him, but after his mother, Azarine. ‘How will we overthrow him?’
‘Do stop wasting time by asking questions. How do I know? I’m still learning. Saire told me that if I try to do too much at once, my power might fade. It has to discover me as a vessel, not the other way round, and I have to learn to control it.’
Jynx threw the wishing dish into the pack. If Tiana had told the truth about the dish it would provide all her needs as long as she used it wisely. She pulled a cloak around her shoulders.
‘Is that all you’re taking?’
‘My needs are as few as yours, brother, and I’m also discovering my skills. You know they will send our brother Emrys to hunt us down and kill us if we flee. He’s the most skilled tracker in Lord Cynan’s personal guard. They’ll say it was an accident so they won’t have to be embarrassed by us. That will leave Helise still acceptable as a wife for Laek. Poor Laek.’
‘Laek is old enough to dictate the course his life will take. You will see.
He will never marry Helise, despite her beauty.’
A sigh came from the still figure of their mother and she began to quiver.
‘Quickly, we must be gone,’ Remy said.
As the pair slipped from the house with Wulf going ahead like a silent shadow, his eyes alert and his ears pricked forward to sense danger, Jynx’s heart thumped with the enormity of what they were doing. She had no idea of where they were going, or where they would end up. Yet there was a sense of purpose and destiny about her that she’d never experienced before. If nothing else she intended to experience and enjoy the adventure of running away before she was euthanized.
Chapter Six
The City of Arles was
Similar Books
