Page 35

Thirty-Five

A New Home

L ily took another deep breath as she waited on the porch of the palace. In Rencheston, that breath would have carried the smell of moldy water, sewage, rotting things, and even the stables on a windy day. But here in Vasha, she could smell nothing but the freshness of the very dirt, the sap of the pine trees, the wildflowers, and even the river running by the palace.

She caught herself smiling.

“I apologize I haven’t been around,” Asher said as he stepped up to her side.

She looked up at him. “You have responsibilities. I’m used to it. When I was with Wester, even I had responsibilities.”

“I know, but I should have checked on you too. You’re part of my responsibility.”

“Asher.” She brushed her fingers across his cheek to tuck his hair behind his ear. “I am safe. I didn’t need you to sit at my side when you have more important things to worry about right now. You need to keep your people safe.”

Asher took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her palm.

All of the butterflies in Lily’s chest woke and she found it difficult to breathe.

“How is your side?”

“I’m doing really well,” she replied. “About as good as your leg, if not better.”

He looked at her like he was trying to read her mind or see into her soul.

A door closed behind Asher, and he broke eye contact to look over his shoulder. “Father, just in time. Lily gave me some of her miraculous potion and I’m healed.”

Lily noticed the look of doubt on Mardai’s face and resisted the urge to laugh when Asher put weight on what was once his injured leg and bounced.

“Good. Thank you for taking care of him, Lily.” Mardai smiled at her and his attention briefly drifted to her hand, which Asher still held. But he said nothing and led the way down the steps. “If you need a break walking, Asher, take it. It’s a hike up, if you recall.”

Asher didn’t let go of Lily’s hand this time and led her down the stairs, around the market, and across the first bridge over one of the irrigation ditches. As they walked, Lily tried not to acknowledge the warmth or roughness of Asher’s hand, or the sick feeling of excitement in her stomach.

She glanced down at the water, watching the reeds gently pull with the current. A small frog hopped in, disappearing below the surface. “Did you see that?” Lily felt suddenly foolish for stopping Asher and Mardai over a little frog and immediately blushed. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be,” Asher said, allowing himself to be dragged away. “We used to catch frogs and toads in the ditches frequently when we were children.”

“You don’t anymore?” she asked.

Mardai had carried on ahead, clearly giving them some space.

“Ah, no.” Asher laughed and a childish grin spread across his face. “When I was seven, I think, we were catching frogs by that second ditch. We would collect them in little wooden boxes. Mrs. Goba ran to Father, frantically saying her husband had gone out for a swim and hadn’t returned.”

Lily pressed her free hand over her mouth to hide her spreading smile.

He chuckled. “Yes. Trayden had put Mr. Goba in a wooden box to keep. When he got out, he was furious. Father made a rule that the children could only catch frogs in the third ditch.”

Lily laughed. “Poor Mr. Goba!”

“He didn’t transform for a couple of months after that.”

They walked onward, past the houses and into a grassy hillside covered in moss and flowers. The path turned past the pens of sheep and pigs. A goat with bulging udders gnawed on grass while her two kids bounded all around her. A low rumble of thunder echoed through the valley, and Lily looked up at the sky to see dark clouds hanging over the edge of a mountain peak.

“You must get splendid storms. I used to watch them from the wizard tower. From up there, you could see the lightning all across the sky. It was mesmerizing.”

He smiled. “It’s been trying to rain since the day after we got out of Demon’s Pass, but for some reason the clouds sometimes get caught outside of the mountains.”

The path turned again, this time leading them right against the cliff Asher had pointed out as Khalil’s Perch when she had first arrived.

Lily squeezed Asher’s hand.

He tightened his around hers. “Don’t worry,” Asher whispered reassuringly. “He will tell you who you are.” Asher smiled and lifted her hand so he could kiss the back in a comforting gesture.

A part of Lily felt the walk had taken hours while another part felt like she’d blinked and they were already at the top. She’d rehearsed what to say to him if he was her father and what to say if he wasn’t. She hadn’t spoken to Asher, and he had graciously left her to her thoughts.

The path ended at the flat extension of the cliff that stretched ahead of her, though the mountain face on their left continued upward. She could see the flickering of a fire in the overcast dimness of the sky.

“You used to come here to meditate. Now you hide away,” Mardai said, announcing their presence. He stood facing someone Lily couldn’t see yet.

Asher didn’t stop walking until they stood a couple of paces behind his father, revealing the wide, flat space with a shallow cave behind the man sitting on the other side of a roaring fire. Even sitting, Lily could see the man had long limbs and broad shoulders. He wore traveler’s robes, dull and frayed at the edges. He had long golden hair, which had whitened at the front, and the corners of his bright golden eyes were wrinkled.

Lily froze, too afraid to draw attention to herself.

He didn’t seem to know she was there. He didn’t even seem to know Asher was there, or if he did he didn’t acknowledge him.

“I do not hide,” Khalil replied. He poked a stick at a fish cooking at the edge of the fire.

Mardai sat down at his side. “Then why do you refuse to let us know when you’ve come home? Asher is the one who notified me.” He gestured to his son.

Khalil didn’t look up. “I only stopped by because I heard rumors the humans attacked.”

“They did,” Mardai said almost firmly. “We could have used your insight.”

Finally, Khalil lifted his gaze. “And what good would I have been, old friend?” He sounded weary and it showed on his face.

“Perhaps you could have saved Talia’s life,” Mardai replied.

Khalil’s eyes widened, and he finally moved his gaze from Mardai to Asher. “They...Mardai...” His broad shoulders slumped and he shook his head.

Mardai took a deep breath and let it out. “I do not blame you for her death.” He reached out and put his hand on Khalil’s shoulder. “I only meant that we miss you. We need you here. They came seeking the location of Rose’s tree. They want to free Merete.”

Khalil’s face pinched in anger. “Why would they want such a thing? They already got their revenge all those years ago when they took Rose and my little girl from me. Why release Merete?”

“That, we don’t know.” Mardai lowered his hand and set it in his lap.

Khalil ran his fingers through his hair. “I wonder if this means Sraylin has worked his way from wherever he was banished.”

“Khalil?” Asher interrupted.

Both men turned to face them.

Asher let go of Lily’s hand and placed it on her back. “Go on,” he urged softly.

Lily’s chest tightened, and she looked desperately at Asher for help.

“It’s okay,” he whispered.

Lily stepped into the light, wrenching her hands together as fear tried to suppress her voice. But she felt that voice inside of her yelling at her to speak up. “My name is Lily. I have been living in Rencheston since I was a child.” Her voice caught.

Khalil glanced at Mardai from the corner of his eye, and Lily’s fear turned to panic.

“I-I came up here with Asher and Mardai because I was taken from my family when I was a child. The wizard took me as his apprentice because I can use magic, but he always told me that my family was...” She felt Asher step up behind her, and an overwhelming peace washed over her. “I believe I might be your daughter.”

Khalil slowly got to his feet. She couldn’t read his expression. He walked around the fire so he could get a better look and towered over her. But she wasn’t afraid. As he looked at her with those bright eyes, she knew.

“I know you,” she whispered.

“I thought for a moment you were a ghost,” he replied softly. Khalil reached out with both hands and cupped her face with tears glistening in his eyes. “You look...just like your mother.” His voice was tight.

Lily gazed up into those tender eyes and knew she had seen them before, that they were full of love. Lily threw her arms around him, and when his strong arms embraced her, she could see a different room. Sitting in a chair in the corner was a woman with flowing red hair just like hers. She was tuning a violin before placing it under her chin. She stepped onto Khalil’s feet, her own so tiny compared to his. He held her tiny hands and as the woman played music, they began to dance. His face was so much younger, but it was him. And the woman was her mother, Rose.

“My precious Liliana. My baby girl. I have searched the world over for you and you were right here. Right under my nose.”

“Wester took me.”

“Wester?” Khalil pulled away from her and looked in her face. “You...you said Wester ?”

Lily slowly nodded. “You know him?”

“He . . . he is my brother.”

“You both have much to catch up on.” Mardai grunted as he stood. “I insist that you stay the night in the palace.”

“I don’t wish to intrude.” Khalil stepped back from Lily.

Mardai kicked dirt and debris into the fire, effectively smothering it. “Oh dear. Your fire is going out. Now you won’t have the ability to cook that fish you caught. I suppose this means you’ll have to have a proper meal with my family, and your daughter.”

Asher chuckled.

Lily smiled.

Khalil heaved a sigh. “He always was the one to get things done. May I escort you down?” He gestured to the path.

Lily nodded without hesitation. “Absolutely.”

“I’ll see you down there,” Asher said. He winked at Lily, then walked ahead with his father. Lily thought she heard Mardai say something about Asher’s hands staying warm without her and smiled.

“You called me Liliana?” she said.

“Yes, that is your full name. But I think Lily is lovely too.”

Lily swallowed, her mouth feeling dry. “Wester told me stories about Vasha and Rose and how Rose trapped herself in a tree to trap another sorceress. But I must admit, the only memory I have of you is when we were dancing with me standing on your feet.” She glanced up at him. “How old was I when I was taken?”

Her father walked at her side and glanced down at her. “You were so little. When Wester discovered his artifact, he became very talented in magic of the mind. He mentored your mother using it. It is possible he put a block inside of your mind so you couldn’t remember your past. Or you were simply too young.”

“Why would Mother need a mentor?”

“It’s . . . difficult to explain. You said you use magic too?”

Lily nodded.

He smiled. “This means you are a conduit as well. You see, even though the magic of the conduit passes down through the generations, they need to learn where their magic comes from. Luckily, Rose’s mother taught her a lot before she passed at an old age. But Rose was always exploring and trying to learn new things that would help our land or family. She was the one who came up with the idea of pulling the water uphill from the river into the irrigation ditches. And that doesn’t take magic.”

“I wish I could remember her,” Lily said softly.

“Perhaps one day you will.”