Blood Bond

WHACK!

Two wooden training swords met mid air and the boys wielding them pushed against each other.

I sneaked behind one of them and swung my stick at the head of sun-kissed brown hair.

Disappointingly, I was only rewarded with a low:

Thud.

"Ouch!" Kael whirled around at me, rubbing his head. When he realized who it was, his youthful face scrunched. "Princess, that isn't fair!"

I pouted, placing one hand on my hip as I pointed the stick at him. "I want to join! It's not fair you two get to have all the fun!"

Theron laughed from beside Kael. His face back then was soft and gentle, not yet having hardened into Mother's elegant features. His eyes, both of them, were a dark shade of blue then, with no hint of what was to come. "Ela. He's right. He was already losing, and you were just piling it on."

He ignored Kael's glare and moved beside me. Leaning over, he placed both my hands on the stick. "That said, your form is horrible. You should've at least knocked him down if you managed to get that position on him."

"Theron, no!" A loud voice boomed over the courtyard. Father appeared, walking out of the archway with a scowl on his face. "What have I told you about training her!"

I turned to look up at Theron, a "what?" was forming on my lips.

Theron gave me an uneasy smile as he patted my head, then he walked over to meet our Father. "I was just going to show her some simple forms, won't lead to anything."

"You have no idea what Antara will pick up on," Father said in a low but firm voice. He jabbed a finger at Theron. The sight of his massive form towering over Theron's boyish figure was frightening.

I wanted to run to his rescue, but Mother stepped in front of me. "Elara dear," was all she said, but her eyes froze me.

Astrid stood beside Mother. And if I had been more perceptive then, or less self-absorbed, I would have picked up on her tear-swollen eyes. Instead, my eyes were focused on her brand new Soul Seed: that flame-red, glowing crystal. Envy took hold as I pointed at her. "How come she gets to play like that!"

Mother's eyes narrowed. It was then I noticed she had one arm around Astrid's shoulder. She pulled her in. "We all have to make do with what we're given."

I withered under Mother's gaze and looked away. On the other side of the courtyard, Theron was still trying to negotiate with Father. "Can I at least take her to the library with me? She likes stories, and she has a sharp memory!"

Father huffed, an edge of frustration in his voice. "We are not tempting fate, Theron. We have already given enough."

When he saw me staring, he walked over and brushed my stick aside. "Treasure, there's no need for that. We'll protect you just fine," he rumbled as he lifted me onto one arm. He then reached over to Mother and Astrid with his other arm. His head made a quick flick toward Theron. "Alright, let's all head to dinner. Everyone will feel better with some food in their bellies."

After a few steps, he called out to Kael. "Come on, boy. I'm sure you're famished as well."

—

Sight returned to me. All around me was darkness, but I could see that darkness. I could smell again as well. Every breath I took brought in a flood of rock dust and burnt wood. My teeth ground against the coarse grit that coated my parched tongue and mouth. My hearing was also more acute. The sound of rocks shifting came from above as I struggled to move, but it was no use. Sharp, jagged edges dug into my back while an unyielding weight pinned me in place.

There weren't any more points of life out there. And the spray of my blood was also gone, most likely dried up by now.

I however, sensed my blood throbbing in the veins of others: beating in the heart of one, spreading through the wing muscles of another, and flowing through the giant body of the last, closest one. He was near enough that I could sense his vibrant presence, his pulse just a tantalizing few steps away. I reached out, beckoning to him with my mind.

I'm here.

It took what felt like an eternity in the darkness, but then stone started grinding against stone. The earth shook around me. Then shafts of sunlight stabbed through the darkness. The light seared my eyes, but after so long without sight, I couldn't bear to close them. I ached to see more, despite the pain.

The slab of rock above me groaned as it slid away. Bright, piercing sunlight drenched me, blinding me. I tried to cover my eyes, but my arms were still pinned in place. More rocks groaned as they were rolled away and my arms came free. They didn't move right, protesting the now unfamiliar strain of movement.

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

A massive shadow crept over me, thankfully cutting off the glaring sunlight. "There you are!" Stonehand's voice roared from above. "The Scryer said you were gone. But I knew better!" He wiped his eyes and then threw his head back, bellowing a deep laugh that felt a bit exaggerated.

Had he been actually worried?

After struggling to control my arms, I finally managed to push myself up on an elbow. The debris that was on me slid off. I was left covered in a layer of white dust, black soot… and not much else.

Stonehand followed my gaze downward, then his thick arm shot out, shoving back another shadow that appeared at the corner of my vision. "Get back, you curs! Someone get me a cloak or a blanket!" he barked.

I sank back down, covering my chest with my unsteady arms. I didn't even want to think about how exposed the rest of me was.

A heavy wool cloak was draped around me, and then Stonehand lifted me into his arms. The movement felt strangely familiar, and I remembered his men teasing me about how he'd carried me "bridal style" back at Moonshade Manor. A flush rose to my face, and I turned away, only to find those same men staring at me from amidst the mountain of rubble where we stood.

Were they all out here looking for me?

I looked further out and saw at the edge of the wreckage, the urchins Tamas had stopped before, poking through the rocks. A few of them jumped up and down, pointing excitedly when they caught sight of me.

"You made quite the mess." Stonehand remarked and I could only nod numbly in agreement.

We stood in the middle of a crater. The scaffolding and half-finished stonework of the building we had entered before had been completely obliterated; nothing recognizable remained. Bits of blackened wood jutted out like shattered bone from the crushed rock, and the many stories that once stood tall were now crushed down into a pile only a few feet high.

The image of Kael sinking into the darkness returned, along with the reason that I couldn't join them: the wounded, especially the one who was bleeding out and near death.

"Roderic…?" I croaked, straining to force the name out of my cracked, dry throat.

Stonehand wrestled a waterskin from someone, and in an instant, the cool liquid was flowing from my lips down my throat, soothing it.

"He's fine, girl. Would've been out here if not for a few things that needed his touch." He leaned down closer, his warm breath swirled against my ear. "Tamas wanted to be out here as well. He told me what you did for them."

I stared blankly back at him. I never told them anything. The only person I said anything to was Kael. Then something horrific occurred to me. They must've heard my confession. Did they tell Stonehand that? Heat began rushing back to my face.

"He said you bought them time, else Titus would've caught them in the tunnel. That was another idiot move, girl." He slowly shook his head. "But I'm thankful. You saved my son and my men."

—

"Meris… Anya… Kael?" My voice was still hoarse, and the words hurt my throat. Still, I was dreading what might have happened to them in my absence. Were they thrown in the dungeon?

The giant dwarf looked down at me, his eyebrows skewed. We were riding atop his warhorse, with me sitting side-saddle in front of him. The scene was reminiscent of how we had first ridden into the main keep, except now I was too weak to sit up straight and had to lean against him for support.

"Your attendants have been left alone. I've seen to it."

I tried to thank him, but a rough finger pressed against my lips. "Rest your voice. You'll need it. The remaining Regents wish to speak with you."

Stonehand's gaze swept before us. We were moving at a brisk pace through the commoner's quarters. People lined the road—workers with dirty faces, servants carrying goods, and even kids who were playing tag stopped to gape at us.

I was a wreck. I was sure I looked even worse than I did after the battle with the elves. My hair was matted with a sheen of grey ash, with streaks of my metallic-red hair peeking out at the fringes. Dirt caked my face, most likely mixed with dried blood that had darkened to scabs. I pulled the large, brown wool cloak tighter around myself as more onlookers piled in. A few fists thrust up over the wall of the gathered crowd.

Stonehand stroked his beard, his yellow eyes continuing to scan the crowd. "Say nothing when asked," he murmured, his voice low enough that only I could hear. "Their assumptions about you have led them to some amusing conclusions. Let them think you weak."

"You haven't told…?"

"No. That stays between us. We are blood-pacted." When he saw the confusion on my face, his eyes glinted down at me. "Remember what I told you. Know your path. Keep sight of your goal."

I shook my head, the movement weak against his chest. My goal… my goal is to save my family. All of them. Especially Theron... The memory of his black and white eyes twisted in my mind. He had been broken by the world, by them—the invaders, one of whom I was leaning against right now.

"Your goal?" I found myself gasping.

"I've already told you before. To end this Age of Strife."

Dizziness gripped me as I tried to make sense of it all. He knows I want to save my family. I want them out, but he wants to use Aethelgard to enforce peace. How can our goals possibly align?!

"Why help me?"

Stonehand's lips curled. My body shook as a vicious, rumbling laugh rolled out of him. "I thought you had promise when we first met at that pathetic lord's estate. But then I saw it when we buried those elves. The steel wrought by flames in your eyes."

We passed the ivory gates of the Main Keep, but my eyes were stuck on his.

"When I stood over the smouldering ruins of blasted rock back there. I was sure," he declared as we rode into the empty courtyard. "That destruction was yours."

The warhorse neighed and we pulled up before the entryway to the Hall of Gifts, where the rows of youthful Chosen stood in waiting.

Stonehand looked down at me, his eyes gleaming, his grin wide and wild.

"You are the fire that will reforge this world."