The Scent of Lilac: An Arrow's Flight Novella (17 page)

           
The
clearing is crowded with women when we arrive, and several eyes turn my way as
Ruth and her companion escort me through the bodies to the platform. Their expressions
are confused, wary, dissatisfied—an accurate commentary on the mood of the
Village. I search the platform, find Leah at the edge near the back corner.
Tara
is nowhere to be seen, and a sense of relief swims through me. The hunched
figure of Anna Maria stands beside Leah along with four other members. This is
all.
 

           
At the
foot of the platform, we stop. Ruth exchanges a glance with Leah; she nods and
Ruth and the other guard leave me standing there. Confused, I gape at Leah. She
winks at me, which only confuses me further, and she sweeps to the front of the
platform.

           
The crowd
is extremely quiet, on edge, and just as confused as I am. We turn our eyes
upward together and wait for Leah to speak.

           
“We’ve
called you here today because we have some news to share.”

           
A
rumbling of voices suddenly flows over the crowd and just as quickly stills
into silence again. I watch Leah, an anticipation welling up in me. She presses
clasped hands against the front of her skirt and takes a tiny step forward.

           
“The
Moirai have not been kind to us for some months now,” she continues. “We have
been leaderless, we’ve been deprived of a healthy supply of stock, and we have
had to staunch one rebellion after another to keep the Village at peace.
Needless to say, the Council has been tirelessly at work trying to keep your
home safe.”

           
A few
grumbles rise and fall. I keep my eyes glued on her face.

           
“We know
you have been unhappy. Life has not been the same since Mona’s untimely death,
and frankly, this has left all of us in a lengthy stupor. But I’m very happy to
report—”

           
“What do
you think you’re doing?”

           
The roar
explodes from the very back, and the sea of women parts as
Tara
stomps through. Trailed by Eleanor and the other three council members, she
storms the platform and charges up the steps to face Leah.

           
“You’ve
called a meeting after I expressly forbid it? What is the meaning in this?”

           
Leah’s
demeanor is as calm as a windless day as she takes in
Tara
’s
rage. “A meeting was necessary.”

           
Tara
narrows her eyes, her voice dropping an octave. “You cannot call a meeting.”

           
“But I
can,” Leah replies, never swaying her gaze from
Tara
’s
face. “The Council statutes are very clear. ‘A council member may call assembly
at any time as long as six members are in agreement and as long as there is
true cause to do so.’” She sweeps her hand, palm up toward the five women
standing behind them.

           
Tara
breathes a long puff of air through her nostrils, her cheekbone dancing in
irritation as she grits her teeth. “And what true cause are you indicating?”

           
Only then
does Leah smile. “It appears the Moirai have decided upon a leader.”

           
Tara
’s
mouth parts in astonishment. The women within earshot begin to chatter
excitedly among themselves. I’m just as stunned as
Tara
,
and I move a step closer to the platform, straining to hear as the crowd grows
louder.

           
Eleanor
clatters up the steps to stand next to
Tara
.

           
“What do
you mean they’ve decided upon a leader?” she exclaims. “Are you so privileged
that they’ve revealed this to you alone?”

           
“Not at
all,” Leah exclaims.

           
“Then how
did you come by this information?”

           
“I knew
how to ask the right questions of the right people?”

           
Eleanor
glowers at her, but Leah holds firm. Her eyes shift, focus on a point just
behind
Tara
’s shoulder. “The Archer has already spoken
once. We’d best heed him this time.”

           
Leah
nods, and
Tara
and Eleanor turn simultaneously. I gasp,
my mouth falling open.

           
“Kate,” I
whisper.

           
To the
side of the platform, she stands at the foot of the steps as if she’s just
fallen out of a dream and into the clearing. She is flanked by a giant who
angles his body protectively toward her. He wears a blue cap, turned backward
on his head, and I recognize him immediately. Kate called him Jesse. Behind
them, Blaer and Fallon, shoulder to shoulder, shift on nervous feet. Blaer
catches my eyes, a sparkle lighting in hers, and I simply shake my head.

They’ve done it.

           
“In
actuality, the statutes weren’t necessary for this gathering,” I hear Leah say.
“It was our leader who called the meeting.”

           
Leah
plants her eyes on Kate who casts a wary glance toward Jesse before she climbs
to the very top step and stops—hesitant. Her dark braid snakes around her left
shoulder and hangs long down her chest. I notice a new scar just above her
eyebrow, raised and white in contrast to her bronzed skin. Her loose blouse is
the same color as the sky behind her, and she is as beautiful as ever. She sweeps
her questioning eyes over us, testing our reactions, but this is as far as she
gets. Because
Tara
, anger defining every muscle in her
body, charges. One sweep of her hand and Kate is flattened, hitting the wooden
platform with a hard crack. The crowd gasps, Kate moans, and
Tara
straddles her, fist ready to strike.

           
“How dare
you show your face here again!”

           
In that
instant, Jesse leaps. His hand catches
Tara
’s fist in
his own, and he curls his fingers over hers until she cries out in pain. With a
singular motion, he drags her off of Kate and flings her over the end of the
platform.

           
It all
happens so quickly that the Council has no time to react before it’s done. Jesse,
even in his anger, is fully aware of his own strength, and
Tara
hits the grass hard enough to knock the air out of her, but soft enough to
prevent injury. Stunned, she doesn’t move for a good minute. The guards,
weapons up, surround the platform, a look of unease gracing every single one of
their expressions. The women murmur, shuffling excitedly. But Jesse pays them
no mind. His only concern is Kate.
 

           
“You all
right?” he asks, helping her to her feet.

           
“I’m
fine,” she smiles, a hand on her throat. “I never expected a welcome
homecoming.”

           
He keeps
a hold of her hand a moment longer until she steadies. I step forward, lay my
hands on the edge of the platform.

           
“Kate!”

           
Her eyes
light with joy when she sees me, and she drops to her knees and hugs me close.

           
“Mia! Are
you all right?” She takes my face in her hands, and I can’t stop smiling. “Leah
told me where you’ve been, and I sent the guards to release you immediately.”

           
“Yes, I’m
fine.”

She rises, holding out her hand. “Come
on. I’m not letting you out of my sight.”
 

My heart jumps with happiness as
I grab her hand and climb the steps.
Tara
stands in the
grass now, a look of complete uncertainty on her face as she eyes Jesse who has
planted himself between her and Kate.

“Jesse,” Kate says, a hand on his
forearm. “I need to speak with
Tara
.”

Jesse shifts, a scowl creasing
his features. He lifts his blue cap, rubs at his blond curls, then replaces it.
“Kate, she attacked you. You need to stay away from her.” He tosses a look of
warning in
Tara
’s direction. “I knew this was a bad idea
from the beginning.”

“She has her reasons for reacting
as she did. I can’t blame her.” Her eyes plead with him. “But I need to speak
with her—more than any of the other council members. She is the one I need to
convince.”

“You don’t need her permission
for anything.” He clenches his jaw, disapproval etched deep. “I don’t like
this.”

“I’ll be fine. Just… stay close.”

Another angry glance at Tara and
Jesse concedes, moving around to stand next to me on Kate’s other side. I toss
a nervous glance his way. From the platform, I can see the mass of women more
easily. They stretch all the way to the back of the clearing, and they gawk at
the giant with disbelieving expressions. Up close, he is as huge as I remember.
And frightful.

 
Leah steps up to me, squeezes my fingers
reassuringly, and I refuse to let go.

From the top step, Kate gestures
for
Tara
to come up, and I hold my breath.
Tara
hesitates; a silence falls over the crowd. Cautiously, she takes a step forward.
Jesse stiffens beside me, the Council remains deathly quiet, and everyone
watches as
Tara
climbs the stage and faces Kate.

           
“I am
ready to take my place,” Kate begins, a new sense of confidence exuding from
her.
 
“I realize I am still very young.”
She sweeps her eyes over the other council members before returning her full
gaze to
Tara
. “But I can be taught.”

A feeling of utter respect
flutters in my belly. I have always admired Kate for her tenacity, but this
time, I see something else. There’s a deep calm about her that seems to make her
bolder, if that’s possible. Even facing Tara, who more than once was the
instrument of torture used by Mona to torment Kate, she shows no fear. She
waits, and
Tara
purses her lips.
 

“I promised myself I would kill
you if I ever saw you again.”

The crowd strains, listening.

           
“I know,”
Kate acknowledges. “I expected as much. But I am less afraid to die now than I
was before I left.”

           
Tara
digests this, curious. “Why did you return?”

           
Kate
chews on her lower lip a moment. “Because I belong here… among my people.” Her
eyes scan the crowd, and she smiles. “I admit, I left because I was looking for
something—someone—I didn’t think I could find here. Now I know that what I need
is here, too. It’s always been here.” Her eyes rest on
Tara
.
“And I desire for all of you to know this.”

           
I don’t
understand her, but the words make me shiver with some unnamed sensation. She
and Tara stand toe to toe for a long minute until
Tara
sighs and rubs at her forehead, clearly confused.

“I don’t know your meaning, but I
have not changed my mind. You deserve to be punished for your actions.”

           
“Believe
me…” Kate tilts her head with a sigh. “I have been. But I’ve also learned the
power of healing and forgiveness in ways you could never imagine.”

           
Tara
digests this in silence. After a moment, Anna Maria shuffles forward, her
walking stick clicking.

           
“
Tara
.
Consider this carefully,” she quietly proffers. “If this village has any chance
of recovering, we need her.”

           
“You need
her,”
Tara
snarls. She snaps her eyes toward the old
woman. “And what of me? We can’t have two Archers on the Council. For fourteen
years, I’ve dedicated my life to this duty. Do you suddenly not need me?”

           
“I need
you,” Kate says quickly, and
Tara
stills.

           
“What?”

           
“I said,
I need you.” Kate chances moving closer. “You were Mona’s right hand. There is
no one better than you to teach me how to be a leader.”

The women gawk up at the stage as
Kate and Tara face each other, and
Tara
’s expression
floods with sudden shock.

“I—” She cuts off her words,
straightens.

“Do you really think I could do
this without you?” Kate asks.

Tara
frowns. “The Moirai will not stand for it.”

“Well, then,” Kate smiles. “I’m
not opposed to putting them to the test.”

Tara
sees
no humor in Kate’s words. “That is quite a risk.”

“I’m not afraid to take it.” Kate
holds out her hand. “We will have two council members born under the sign of
the Archer. Let’s just see if lightning strikes us dead. I have a strong feeling
it won’t.”

           
A
whistling crack, and an arrow suddenly soars over the heads of the crowd
straight for the platform. We all turn, eyes to the sky, and I barely catch
Jesse’s movement as he leaps from the stage and catches the arrow in midair. Astonishment
ripples through the crowd and affects those of us on the stage as well. With a
thud, Jesse crashes to the ground in front of the stage, the arrow in his
clenched fist. The women squeal and part to get out of his way. And he’s there
in one instant… and in the next, he’s gone.