Aerenden: The Child Returns (Ærenden) (24 page)

He
closed his eyes, slowed his breathing, and focused on calming his heart,
attempting to erase the images from his head in the process. When they faded
enough so he could ignore them, he climbed from his mattress. Crossing the room
to the door, he opened it, and then leaned against the wood jamb as he examined
his surroundings.

The
boys still played in the field flanking the Guardian’s empty hut. The sky had
taken on a crimson red glow as the sun slinked below the horizon. He watched it
darken before his eyes and knew he would need to wake Meaghan soon. It would be
good to have a hearty meal, and then they would travel again. Another day, if
Cal’s calculations were right. Or perhaps two, if they were not. Most likely,
it would be the latter. Cal had a way of forgetting details he found
unpleasant, shortening distances when he did not want to think about how much
they would hurt his feet.

Cal’s
view of the world could be frustrating, and his disregard for common sense and
safety downright infuriating, but when it mattered most, he came through. He
was one of the most dependable men Nick had ever known, a trait that had served
Nick well growing up. Whenever Nick needed the Guide, he only had to call into
the wind and within days, Cal would show up. At least he had until the Mardróch
made his visits too dangerous.

Nick
had been surprised to find Cal in the wilderness after so many years. It seemed
fate had a way of offering a helping hand when needed. Although Nick did not
feel comfortable relying on that, he appreciated it, especially after this
morning.

He
looked back at Meaghan, verifying she still slept. He had grown up around Seers
his entire life, yet he had had no real understanding of fate until recently.
Learning what Vivian had known about her own death had made him realize how
fragile the future could be. While the universe could line up opportunities,
they could also be misaligned with a single decision. Vivian’s understanding of
what the wrong decision could do humbled him, and still brought an ache to his
heart.

The
pairing of Nick and Meaghan’s powers also spoke to that. The Elders had had a
choice. They could have kept someone else as her Guardian and when she had arrived
on this world, she would not have had any way to block the emotions
overwhelming her. Nick did not want to think about what would have happened in
that case.

His
eyes trailed back to the boys playing in the grass. Caide grabbed Aldin’s
wrists and swung him around. The younger boy flew through the air, squealing
with joy. The older grinned, the camaraderie between them serving as evidence
of their closeness. Nick could not guess what their fate would be, but he did
not doubt the universe had special plans for them. He had never heard of two
Spellmasters so close in age and he had heard of only a few times when two were
alive at the same time. The fact they were brothers only reinforced his belief that
their powers would bring great things. It was only too bad neither of them
would be strong enough to help with the war before it was over. It would have
been nice to have their aid against Garon’s army.

“They’re
wonderful, aren’t they?”

Nick
turned his eyes from the boys to view Meaghan, who stood beside him, rubbing
the sleep from her eyes. She had slept well and it had eased some of the stress
from her face.

“Yes,”
he agreed, turning back to watch them. Caide dropped Aldin to the ground, falling
over in the process, and both boys howled with laughter. Nick turned to face
Meaghan. “I owe you an apology,” he said.

She
made no motion to speak, but instead, watched him, waiting for him to continue.
“You were right to want to save him. Not because Cal told you to and not
because of his power, but because the Mardróch have already taken too many
lives and it was the right thing to do.” He tightened his fists at his sides,
curbing his renewed fear. “I just didn’t want you to be another one of the
Mardróch’s victims.”

She
tilted her head, studying his face for a minute and then nodded, accepting his
apology. “I know I’m not making your job any easier—”

“It’s
more than a job,” he told her. “You’re important—”

“To
the people, to the future of this world,” she finished for him, and then looked
away. “I know.”

“To
me,” he whispered, though he had to force the words out. He did not want to
confuse the situation any further by admitting what he felt, but he needed her
to realize how her actions affected him. “You’re important to me, Meg,” he said
with more conviction. “It’s hard enough to protect you. When I have to worry
about what you might do, it makes things worse.”

“I
know,” she said again. This time, remorse filled her voice and tears filled her
eyes. She closed them. “This is hard for me, too. I don’t know how to react or
what to do.” Her voice failed and Nick wrapped his arms around her, drawing her
into him. She pressed her cheek against his shoulder. “I miss the way it was
between us on Earth. I miss my life. I had everything planned out. I was
confident in what I was doing and this,” she brought her hands to his chest, and
then turned her face into his shirt. Her voice came out muffled. “I don’t know
how to do this.”

“You
do,” he told her, though he doubted his words would convince her. Over time, as
she gained experience, she would convince herself. He brought a hand to the
back of her head. “You’re doing fine, Meg. We just need to figure out how to
work together here, as we did on Earth. I don’t mind the heroics, but if we
intend to save people, we need to consider a careful plan. Losing our lives in
the process is not an option.”

“We?”
she stepped back and rubbed the tears from her face with her palm.

“Of
course.” He lifted a hand to her shoulder. “You may not believe me right now,
but I’m not trying to work against you. I’m here to help you in any way you
need me.”

She
nodded. Her eyes sought the boys again. “I miss my parents,” she said, then
blew out a frustrated breath. “I hate that I can’t call them that anymore.”

“You
can always call them that around me. I miss them too.”

“I
need their advice,” she continued. “I don’t want to lead this kingdom. I don’t
want to be Queen, and I’m not sure how I would even be able to do what these
people need.” She shook her head and brought her eyes back to Nick’s. “But I
don’t have a choice, do I?”

“We
always have a choice,” Nick said, tucking his hands into his pockets. “You can
walk away from this, Meg. I don’t want you to, but you have the option.”

“How?”

“You
can abdicate. The people could select another ruler, or you could.”

“Wouldn’t
that be better?” she asked. “There has to be someone with more experience,
someone who grew up here, who could do a better job.” Nick remained silent.
“There must be.”

“Aunt
Viv didn’t think so.”

“Why?
I know nothing about this world, nothing about being a leader.”

Nick
shrugged. “She could see the future. More importantly, she could see the
present. She watched you grow up and knew your character. You’re strong, Meg.
You’re smart, and you’ve always done what’s right, like today. From what I’ve
heard, those traits also marked Adelina’s rule.” He paused, studying the doubt
on Meaghan’s face. “But Aunt Viv didn’t simply believe you might be a good
ruler. She gave her life protecting you because she was
certain
you
would.”

Meaghan’s
eyes grew wide. Her lip trembled but she controlled the reaction, preventing
tears from forming again. Though the words were true, Nick wished he had
refrained from saying them. He had not intended to cause her pain.

“Few
people know you’re on this world right now,” he told her. “Until you’re
formally introduced in my village, you won’t have to make a decision, so take
time to think about it. And trust yourself. You’ll make the right decision when
you need to.”

“I
hope so,” she said, and turning from him, reentered the sleeping hut.

§

T
HEIR BELLIES
had not held so much food since the night before they left Earth. The feast Ree
and Faillen had provided had bulged their eyes and their waistlines. The table
had been overloaded with corn and potatoes, salad, green beans, and beets, as
well as the promised roast. For dessert, Ree had made a traditional Zeiihbu
celebratory cake laden with nuts, dates, and fresh picked apples. The
delectable treat had been meant as a good luck gesture, but it weighed on
Meaghan as a reminder of the promise she had made to Faillen. What would happen
if she abdicated? Would the next leader uphold her promise? She knew even if he
did, the foundation she had laid with Faillen in one day, a bond that had
formed when she saved his son, could not be repeated by another person, no
matter how skilled or knowledgeable that person was as a leader. And she
wondered if maybe there was more to being Queen than she had initially thought.

After
dinner, she and Nick walked again by moonlight, their words as scarce as they
had been the night before. As the sun crested the horizon, they approached a
pile of boulders that broke the flat surface of the field. Nick moved around
them and then disappeared. At first, Meaghan thought he had found another
protected area, but after circling the rocks, she could find no crystals. Her
muscles tightened in panic and then she saw the top of his head appear from
below the rocks. She jumped in surprise, and then cursed at him.

“Sorry,”
he chuckled. “I needed to check it out and I didn’t want you to come in case it
was still inhabited. I should have told you.”

“Check
what out?”

“The
fox hole.”

“A
fox hole big enough for a human?” she asked, peering down at him, curiosity
bypassing her irritation. “Are you kidding?”

“You
haven’t seen our foxes yet,” he said and then laughed when she caught her
breath. He ducked his head back down to avoid the playful swat she aimed at
him, and then she followed him, moving cautiously in case he was wrong about
the inhabitants. After dropping her body into the hole, she stood still for a
moment, allowing her eyes to adjust to the minimal light streaming in through
the opening.

The
space resembled more of an underground cave than a fox hole, with rocks above them
and a packed dirt floor below. Although Meaghan could stand upright with an
inch or two to spare, Nick had to crouch to avoid hitting his head. He spread
out the blanket and sat on the floor. She joined him. There was enough space
for them to sit parallel to each other, but not enough to lie down. It would be
uncomfortable, but they would be safe.

“Is
this really a fox hole?” she asked.

He
shrugged and then reached into the backpack to pull out two cloth-wrapped
bundles. He handed one to her. “It’s hard to say. It is too big for a fox. It
could be a bear cave from when these fields were forest, or it could be
natural. Either way, it’s ours tonight.”

He
untied the cloth around his bundle, opening it to reveal several hunks of bread
and cheese, food Ree had packed for them when they had left. She had apologized
for not having more than a meal’s worth apiece to give, but Meaghan doubted the
family even had this to spare.

Her
package contained the same food and she ate it slowly, enjoying the creamy
texture of the homemade cheese and the crunchy crust of the freshly baked
bread. No matter how much she missed the convenience of grocery stores, nothing
could compare to this. The love and care Ree put into her food came through
with each bite.

When
she finished, she folded the cloth and stuck it back into the backpack. Nick
did the same. For comfort, and out of a habit they had formed while watching
movies in his apartment on Earth, she leaned against him, lifting forward so he
could slide an arm around her shoulders. Then she rested her head on his chest
and fell asleep.

“D
OES
THE
kingdom have a name?”

Nick
turned his head to look at Meaghan and smiled, glad a full moon and clear sky
kept tonight’s journey well-lit. She had begun the night in silence, as she had
on the other two nights, but once they had found the cover of trees again, she
had started asking questions. Her questions were general at first. She asked about
the history of the world and about some of the fruit and plants she saw. But
then they had turned more specific. As soon as he finished one answer, she had
another question waiting for him. He felt battered by her words and her
quick-fire curiosity, but he took it as a good sign and he held hope her
interest meant she had begun to accept her new home.

“It
does,” he answered.

She
waited a beat. “You don’t expect me to guess, do you?”

He
chuckled, and then reached down to pick several bright orange berries from a
bush as they passed. He handed them to her. “These are spice berries. Guessing
could be fun.”

“For
you, maybe.” She popped one of the berries into her mouth and he could tell the
moment the plump fruit exploded. A slow smile spread over her face. “It tastes
like cinnamon and nutmeg,” she said. “And something else that reminds me of
pumpkin pie.”