Ghosting the Hero by Viola Grace Page A

moment, it had never occurred to her that she had absolutely no place in this society. As the eldest daughter, she should have taken care of her parents, but she wasn’t able to do so. She was a withered branch.
    She hugged her father one more time and turned to Minel. “Ready?”
    Minel took the cloak from her mother and wrapped it around her shoulders. “Ready.”
    One final round of hugs and Simry left the Vu home with her sister at her side.
    They walked to the center of town, and Simry walked into the sacred garden, up to the tree that had offered its branch to help her. She knelt under the tree and motioned for Minel to do the same.
    “Grandfather Tree, thank you for your assistance. It has been invaluable and a reminder of my home no matter where I travel.” She kept her head bowed, and Minel followed suit as Simry said, “I ask for a piece of you for my sister to take with her as she begins her own journey.”
    The tree rustled and a branch reached down to touch Minel on the shoulder.
    Simry smiled then jolted in surprise as another branch touched her. As quickly as she could, she ghosted into the tree and was stunned by what she found.
    Amazed, she sat with tears streaming down her cheeks as a carved knot dropped in her lap.
    Minel smiled at her through her own tears. “I think it is time to go.”
    Minel had a similar knot of wood in her hands.
    They rose, put the icons protectively in their respective clothing, against their skin, and turned around to see the crowd of seething priests glaring at them.
    “Let me handle this one, Minel.”
    Her sister shifted behind her, the pale lavender braid swung as she moved.
    High Priest Kado glowered at them from the edge of the walkway. “You have defiled our sacred space, Simry-Vu.”
    “By the laws of your own traditions, the sacred gardens are open to all who would seek the blessings of the gods. Today, I sought their blessings as any wanderer might.”
    “You used your talent to make the tree touch you.”
    Simry raised her eyebrows. “You know that it is not how my talent works. I can only bring myself to walk without my body, an abomination in your eyes but still what the gods gifted me with.”
    “Your leg has been healed.”
    Simry nodded. “I wandered far from here and begged for help until finally I lay back and let the healing happen.”
    It was the truth, more or less. She had fought Reset, but there was only one way for her leg to stay healed, and it was by forcing the body to remember its own genetic code. The sensation had been incredible and not one she would wish on her worst enemy. If she had had any secrets, she would have spilled them all during that marathon of healing.
    Reset referred to Simry as having a belligerent genetic code.
    “The gods healed you?”
    She snorted. “I certainly didn’t do it.”
    Simry leaned on her cane. “The sacred tree offered me this cane years ago, and today, it gave me its blessing for my wandering. My sister has also received the blessing, so please, stand aside and let us continue on our path.”
    A blast wave of power burned through the sky. Hero had completed the rescue and it was time for Simry to take control of the situation. She moved her hand to the back of her neck and tapped three times.
    Standing next to herself was odd, but she sent her other body to the beacon in the ship and woke it up. Full camouflage was on board and active. It was going to look like a travelling heatwave.
    Minel took her arm and led her away from the priests, down to the path and, slowly, out of the village on the opposite side of the approach.
    While she walked, using the cane more than she normally would, her mind was picking up the fleeing Hero and the woman in his arms.
    The guards tried to block them, and Minel faced off against them. “You have no right to ban wanderers. We are doing as nature has dictated. Stand aside or face the wrath of the gods.”
    The air pressure around them changed, and the guards took the