EPIC: Fourteen Books of Fantasy (73 page)

‘Are you well?’ I asked her.

‘Of course.’ She grinned at me, but it was forced.

When we had filled our bellies, we resumed our ride. Even though my bottom ached, all I could think about was seeing Mother, Butter, and Frooby.

We arrived in Borrelia late afternoon. A steady snowfall made the town look grey. Brown, ash, and black had replaced the red, orange, and yellow of autumn. As we rode towards the centre of town, I saw the familiar fork in the road and immediately wanted to call on Frooby.

I managed to get a glimpse of his farm house in the distance. Smoke coiled into the air from the chimney. Next, I looked at Klawdia’s house. The building stood still, the windows dark, and the chimney smokeless. Never again would she live there.

The air had grown colder and I was glad for the thickness of my dress. As we entered the village, candles flickered in windows, and the streets were empty. Laughter echoed around the square, and a bard sang in the Borrelia tavern. Mayor Vawdon came out of the council hall to greet us, and I remembered the scroll he’d given me. I was surprised to see that he had arrived before us. He must have left for Borrelia the previous day. Accompanying the mayor were several older men and three Borrelia guards, one of them royal like our soldiers.

‘Well met, Healer Euka. We heard the girls were to stay one day before you continued your journey to Meligna. We’ve arranged a room for you in the tavern, and Feval here—’ The mayor pointed at the royal guard, ‘—will escort you inside.’

Healer Euka narrowed her eyes at the royal soldier, and I knew the king had sent Feval to make sure the ambassador behaved herself until she crossed the northern border. A smile threatened to erupt on my face, and I looked at Jemely. Her eyes were the brightest I’d seen them since we’d left Juxon City.

Several townspeople had emerged from their homes to stand in the cold and watch our exchange. They stared at my clothes. Their dresses, pants, and shirts were grey and brown cotton. My own blue silken dress pierced the pale white of the snow-filled air. I stood out, and that set me apart.

Our small group of onlookers became five, then ten, and soon people stopped to point and whisper to each other. I thought back to the night we had left. How they’d hated me. A few paces away, Varago’s house seemed unusually quiet, and Jemely stared at it.

‘I expect you and Jemely to report to me morning, noon, and evening. And you will be escorted everywhere. Is this satisfactory to you, Healer Euka?’ Mayor Vawdon asked.

‘Certainly,’ she said, smiling thinly.

The older men standing next to Mayor Vawdon crossed their arms. Healer Euka went to check into the tavern, and Jemely and I headed out into the street with our two guards.

As we neared Mystoria, Jemely said, ‘I’m going to see if Uncle is home. He’s either there or at your home.’ She smiled. ‘I’ll see you soon.’

‘That’s fine,’ I said, turning to stare at my home.

Candlelight glowed in all the windows. Mother had unboarded them. I quickened my pace, stomping my feet into the snow, which crunched underfoot. I barely noticed the soldier beside me. We passed more prying eyes, and I returned the people’s stares with a smile.

‘What’s your name?’ I asked my soldier. I longed to be inside, safe and sound. I thought about how I used to want to stay in my attic room all day and read. How I used to fear the outside world. Indeed, the world was difficult
and
challenging, but real fulfilment could only be acquired by swallowing doubts and shoving fear aside.

‘Hawrald,’ the large man said.

‘We’ll look after you tonight, Hawrald. What do you eat?’

‘Like anything really. Meat and potatoes, I do. Simple man here. You go about your business. Don’t give me any thought,’ he said, giving me a stiff smirk.

I stopped at Mystoria’s front door and hesitated before knocking on it. I had never knocked before because normally I entered anytime I wanted. It was my home after all.

‘Come in!’ Mother yelled.

I opened the door and stepped inside the store.

Mother gripped the sides of her chair. ‘Adenine! Oh look at you.’ She wheeled over to me. ‘Mayor Vawdon visited me yesterday. He apologised for everything.’

‘He did?’

‘Yes. Emala came too. She left this for you.’ Mother handed me a large scroll tied with blue lace. ‘It’s good to see you,’ she said, and tears glimmered on her cheeks.

I leaned down to hug her. ‘I missed you.’

She pulled away and covered her mouth. ‘I’d recognise this fine Juxon silk anywhere. Did you get these from the king?’ She fiddled with my dress.

‘Yes. I had to wear them to court.’

The smile faded from Mother’s face. ‘Mayor Vawdon told me you have to go. I will miss you.’ She looked over my shoulder at Hawrald. ‘I guess you’ve been assigned to make sure my daughter doesn’t run away?’

‘Yes, ma’am.’

‘Keep her safe from these crazy town people, all right?’

‘That’s my job, ma’am,’ he said.

I heard the pleasant sound of paws pattering on the floor. I looked in the direction of the stairs, and Butter limped towards me, wagging his tail.

I leaned down and cuddled his thick neck. ‘Oh, I can’t believe how fast you grow. Oh, I missed you too.’ He licked my face.

‘He’s much better,’ Mother said. ‘Will you take him with you?’

I looked at him and thought about the long horse ride to Meligna. I shook my head. ‘I can’t.’

‘Don’t worry then. I’ll take good care of him. And maybe he’ll look after me, too.’ Mother beamed up at me. Her eyes were wet, and every line in her face stood out.

‘Did you hear about Klawdia?’ I asked.

She nodded and rubbed at some dirt on her hands. ‘Yes. I’m sorry. I know you admired her.’

‘She didn’t deserve it.’

‘I know. But Klawdia won’t give up easily,’ Mother said.

I glanced at Hawrald. ‘Can we have a moment?’

He nodded and stepped outside, closing the door behind him.

‘I know Uncle Garrad had the Weeping Pox. Jemely told me he was going to die,’ I said.

Mother’s eyes widened. ‘How did Jemely know that?’

I shrugged. ‘Worked it out from all the different treatments he kept at the hill shack. She figured it out.’

‘Smart girl. Yes, he was dying.’

Mother looked away and wiped her hands down her apron. She stared at the floor as she recalled the story. ‘One night, when they were drinking, Garrad mentioned that you being a healer girl you could fix his illness. He said it as a joke, and Ardonian never thought he was serious.’

‘It troubled Father, didn’t it? That I could heal his brother, yet the means by which I would have to do it would make it impossible.’

Mother nodded. ‘Yes. It wasn’t your fault. You know that, right?’

Reluctantly, I said, ‘Yes, I know. You both looked for a cure for him. Why didn’t he get a healing from a healer?’

‘We didn’t have the coin to spare. A healer would only heal him if he promised to work in the city. They collect strong, handsome, and able men. Garrad was just that. He loved us all and couldn’t bear to be parted from his family.’

Love. The word he’d said just before he’d ruined everything. Had he loved us? I would never know.

‘But we have plenty of coin now. Here.’ Mother thrust a purse into my hand.

I felt the weight of it. ‘Where did you..?’

‘The sale of the hill shack. We got forty coins. I’ll use the money to hire help for the shop. There are twenty in there for you. Save it for when you need it, my sweet girl.’ She pulled me down to kiss my cheek.

I nodded, feeling sad all of a sudden.

‘Are you well?’ Mother asked and reached out to hold my hand.

‘I think so.’ But I wasn’t sure.

Later that evening, Varago and Jemely visited, and we all ate together. I stole a moment to myself to check the scroll Emala had given to mother. Inside was a handwritten note and a certificate of some sort with signatures and a seal. I couldn’t read either very well and waited until I had Jemely alone.

Having everyone together felt like old times, except even in the comfort of my home amongst the people I loved, the week’s events weighed on me. After dinner, I asked Jemely to go upstairs with me. Once in the attic, I pulled out Emala’s note and showed Jemely the certificate.

Jemely laughed. ‘I can’t believe it. It’s the deed to the hill shack, and it’s in
your
name.’

‘Read the note,’ I said.

She scanned it for a moment, then read aloud.

‘Dearest Adenine, I’m sorry for speaking against Capacia. I only said what I thought was true. I learned that Father did in fact accept the gold Healer Euka offered him but only under threat from her.’

Jemely stopped reading. ‘I can’t believe it,’ she said, staring at the note.

‘He’s fortunate that Healer Euka lied. In order to keep her lie, he could deny ever receiving the money.’

‘I know!’ Jemely exclaimed. I pointed to the note, and Jemely kept reading.

‘He pretended to help her to kidnap you, but instead used that time to undermine her actions. I won’t go into detail lest this falls into the wrong hands, but I wanted you to be aware of Healer Euka’s character. Father is scared of what will happen to you in Meligna, and because he couldn’t give back the gold, he bought back Garrad’s property, which he said is rightfully yours. He’s using the rest of the monies to lure a doctor to town.’

Jemely stopped reading and frowned. ‘How much do doctors cost?’

I shrugged. ‘I can’t believe I own the hill shack again. I’ll get Mother to rent it out while I’m away.’

‘She’ll be well off with that extra coin,’ Jemely said, then continued reading.

‘He hopes that you will one day live there. He is sorry for all that has happened, and I hope one day you’ll forgive me too, and we can be friends again. Warmest regards, Emala and Almund Vawdon.’

‘Why didn’t he just tell me directly?’ I wondered aloud.

‘He’s ashamed.’

I felt tears forming in my eyes, but I blinked them away. Nothing could compare to the hill shack, and one day I would live there again. Meligna could never have that kind of sway on me, even if the city ran with honey water and the streets were raw sugar.

‘Why don’t you go see Emala tomorrow? This letter makes everything better, don’t it?’ Jemely said.

I was still upset with Emala, but no harm had come to Mother, so I could forgive her. Most of all, I didn’t want to leave our friendship on a sour note. I wanted to write to her while I was away. ‘Yes. I’ll see her tomorrow.’

Jemely suddenly sobbed, bringing her hands over her face. ‘Oh, I don’t want to. I don’t want to tell you this.’

‘Tell me what?’ I asked, shocked by her sudden breakdown.

Jemely took a deep breath and grabbed my hands. ‘Frooby died last night.’

‘No.’ I froze. The room spun, and I felt as if someone had driven a spike through my heart. My chest seemed to cave in, and I clutched at my body. Frooby was dead. ‘How?’ I asked, legs shaking, eyes stinging.

‘He was weak. He said to tell you to be brave. Varago was with him when he went. His father blames you, so I’d avoid him if I were you.’

‘I need a moment,’ I said.

She hugged me again and reluctantly left me to my thoughts. She opened the door, and the room filled with a momentary warmth and laughter. Suddenly the noise stopped and I knew Jemely was back amongst the group, telling them the news. I heard a few whispers. What good was having a healing gift if I couldn’t save those I loved?

‘Frooby,’ I whispered, as if saying his name could bring him back to life.

An hour later, I lay down, my body tired from my grief. Someone else had died because I had not acted to save them. Butter pattered upstairs to keep me company. He jumped onto the bed with little effort and rested his head on my legs. I hadn’t cried. Not a single tear. There was nothing.