Rider (Spirals of Destiny) (3 page)

As she continued to stroke the side of the unicorn’s face, Kayleigh wondered again about the irony of magic. Most humans had none. A small few could tap into the magic of a familiar, should they actually locate one that suited them. Still, they were reliant on the strength of the creature, with the unicorn ranking among the strongest in the land. A very select group could actually command magic on their own. They were Sorcerers and Grand Viziers, coveted by those in power. Many became Kings and Queens in their own right.

So consumed in her thoughts and the feel of the unicorn’s coat beneath her hand, she barely noticed the female unicorn bolting back up the path to town. Kayleigh was left there with the equally perplexed male.

I should say something
.

“I wish I knew your name,” she said. “I’m Kayleigh, Kayleigh Reese. This is strange. I thought that riders were chosen when they were thirteen. I’m sixteen already.”

She was babbling, but there was nothing else she could think to do. Trying to recall the sea captain’s lecture, Kayleigh closed her eyes. He said that if he concentrated, he could sense the general state of his familiar. She guessed she should just relax and try. She focused on her hand touching the beautiful creature. A feeling of nervousness and anxiety washed over her. It was very potent and she worried for her unicorn. That realization shocked her. This unicorn had chosen her! What would everyone say? What would they think? It triggered a wave of insecurity in her fed by whatever was bothering the magical steed next to her.

Trailing the finger from her other hand along the horn, she marveled at the intricate spirals. She stopped at the broken piece and traced the length of the crack that ran down it. Sadness and a sense of loss washed over her and Kayleigh’s eyes sprouted fresh tears. Anger bubbled to the surface. Someone had hurt him.

Ruefully, she eyed the unicorn and said, “I suppose this is a poor time to tell you that I’ve never ridden before in my life. I’m also no good with animals. My mother never let me have any. Won’t she be surprised.”

Sarcasm had always been a defense mechanism for her. It was easier to have a cold and acerbic wit than put up with the whispering, pointing, and stares from the others in her age group. Amidst the trepidation, she felt there was a hint of mirth coming from the unicorn.

Well, if anyone would understand me, I guess it would be him.

Together, they stood for quite some time. Not knowing what else to do, she moved close to him and rested her head on him. Her long, sad day had taken a most unusual twist to say the least!

Suddenly, her new friend tensed. She looked up the path and saw two unicorns and their dismounted riders at the other end of the path. They were making their way down. Kayleigh couldn’t tell who was more nervous between the two of them. She stood, scrambling to brush the matted sand clinging to her dress and make herself presentable.

The battle maiden leader, Captain Lynch, approached her. The look on her face was not the pleasant one Kayleigh saw during the demonstration. “You there! Who are you?”

“Kayleigh Reese.” Her hand rested on his mane, if the hairs on his coat were coarser than she’d imagined, these were by far the softest things she’d ever felt.

“Majherri is letting you touch him voluntarily?”

She knew his name now. That was good and the name seemed to fit the unicorn. She answered the woman, “Yes.”

“And you feel the Bondspark?” The woman sounded slightly irritated which confused Kayleigh.

“Yes.”

“Are you certain?”

Now it was Kayleigh’s turn to get perturbed. “Would he still be letting me touch him if I didn’t?”

“Do not take that tone with me, girl!”

The other rider intervened saying, “Captain Lynch, Meghan, why don’t you let me speak with the candidate?”

“Candidate? Look at her!” The one named Meghan scoffed. “Does she look thirteen to you? What game are you playing at Majherri?”

Kayleigh looked at Majherri and she got the impression this Meghan didn’t like Majherri, and obviously, the feeling was mutual.

Summoning her courage Kayleigh said, “Leave him alone. He was just as surprised as I was!”

“When I speak to you girl, you will know it. I am speaking to Majherri right now! Majherri, come here this instant!”

Kayleigh actually felt scared. This wasn’t enduring the taunts of a hurtful teenager. The woman was a trained warrior and obviously a formidable fighter. The unicorn snorted and shook his head at her.

“Meghan! No!” The other reached for her as she started forward. The arm was brushed aside as she stalked towards Kayleigh.

“I will not tolerate any more defiance from you, Majherri.” The woman grasped at the circle of leather around the unicorn’s neck to pull him along and roughly pushed Kayleigh away.

She wanted to cry out that Meghan had no right to take Majherri from her. She hoped that the other rider would do something.

Someone did, but it wasn’t who Kayleigh expected.

Majherri reared out of the woman’s grip and kicked her hard with his forelegs. Meghan tumbled to the sand and quickly rose to her knees. She spun around on the unicorn with her hand on her sword pommel only to find the horn less than six inches from her face.

A tense standoff ensued. One of the unicorns circled Majherri and looked like it was going to attack. The other battle maiden shouted for order and looked at Kayleigh. “You! Calm him down! Now!”

“What do I do?”

“Walk over to him, speak to him, and lead him back.”

She hesitantly stepped to his side and patted him. Anger, resentment, and even hatred welled up inside of her and she knew it was coming from Majherri. Swallowing hard, she thrust her hand into his soft mane and tried to speak in a soothing tone. “Relax Majherri. This isn’t a way to settle things. That’s it. Why don’t we just take a few steps backward and sort this out.”

He resisted at first, but he allowed her to lead him back roughly six feet. She could sense a great deal of nonverbal communication between the three unicorns going on. It was impossible to figure out, so she turned her attention to the pair of warriors.

Meghan snarled, “What is he thinking?”

The other woman responded, “I believe he was reminding you, Captain, that he is not your unicorn and doesn’t have to take orders from you. Furthermore, I think Majherri isn’t the only one that needs to rein in their temper.”

“That’s quite enough Lindsey. I’m in charge of this expedition.”

“Then act like it!” Turning toward Kayleigh, Lindsey adopted a more formal tone. “Kayleigh, walk Majherri back up the path and wait for us.
Captain
Lynch and I will have a brief discussion and then we will join you. Finally, let me be the first to say congratulations, candidate, on being chosen by your unicorn.”

The one female unicorn, which still looked to attack, turned and kicked a small cloud of sand on Mahjerri as they walked by. Kayleigh coughed a bit, but wanted to be anywhere other than this beach right then. At the top of the path she glanced down and saw the two armored women in a very heated argument.

She dusted the sand off of his coat and wished she had a brush or something to distract him from this anger. “I don’t know exactly why you hate her, but I’m sure you’ve got your reasons. We’ll get through this…I hope.”

The slow walk back to Kayleigh’s house was filled with a heavy and awkward silence. The sound of his hooves clattering on worn cobblestones echoed off the buildings and through the narrow streets. The sea helped cleanse the air of the human city’s stench. A sad consequence of being a creature of battle was that Majherri’s sense of smell was keen and humans were unclean by nature. Cities under siege were cesspools of foul odors, so by comparison, this wasn’t bad.

He watched the other humans leaving the festivities. Many stopped and stared. The unicorn was used to it. Majherri also noticed some whispering and pointing directed at his new rider. He sensed Kayleigh was uncomfortable being the center of attention.

His sister was angry with him for threatening Meghan. T'rsa's constantly swishing tail left no room for doubt there. Let her pout; Meghan was not his rider and Majherri did not need to heed her! His actions were justified by the female going for her blade.

She wanted him to get a new rider and now she's angry that it happened.
He snorted. The world was full of temperamental females – ones that stood on both four and two legs.

Kayleigh, his new rider, walked next to him. Tiny sensations of power coursed through both their bodies whenever her hand brushed against his coat. It made absolutely no sense. His bond with Danella had been true! His rider had mastered powerful fire spells, magic that would not have been possible without a workable bond.

Turning his head slightly, he saw that the other female unicorn was eyeing him. Pasha remained an enigma. It was far too early for mating season. Perhaps she was like those first unicorns when he returned from the desert, viewing him as an oddity and wanting to test him in some way. The journey back across the continent would be long and arduous. He would have ample time to sort out Pasha's game.

The group stopped and Majherri heard Kayleigh say, “This is my house.”

Lindsey answered, “Why don’t you go in and ask your mother to come out? Sometimes these things go best when a person is surrounded by the most beautiful creatures in the realm.”

Kayleigh appeared skittish, almost as if she feared that, when she went inside, the group would simply ride away, like some kind of cruel human joke. Majherri stared at the young female and tried to reassure her. She mustered her courage and went inside.

“What do you propose we do with a sixteen year old recruit?” Meghan immediately growled at Lindsey.

The black haired woman shifted in Pasha’s saddle. “I believe we will train her, test her, and perhaps fight alongside her. But I am newly returned to The Academy and this is my first season teaching, Captain Lynch. What problems do you expect from having a sixteen year old first year recruit?”

“Think about the difference between yourself at thirteen and sixteen. She’ll either start as lead rider or be thrown in over her head with the third years. Either way, she will upset the balance of the class she is in. Then someone gets to escort her back here as a failure.”

“Much of your argument is based on the girl being a failure. She’s been selected for all of fifteen minutes and you’re already preparing for the day that her bond is broken and she returns here in disgrace. What if she does not, Captain?”

“Let’s hope you are right then, Lieutenant Sheppard.”

Majherri snorted reminding them that he was here and could understand what they are saying.

Lindsey pivoted Pasha to face her superior. She reared Pasha’s forelegs and smacked them down on the street. A release of magic from the earth maiden sent a small tremor through the ground and rattled the windows of the surrounding houses. “I think Majherri believes he can train this young girl. Even if he can’t, he’ll try harder – just to spite you. Every one of us here, humans and unicorns, knows the problem is between the two of you. This girl, through no fault of her own, is now caught up in your feud.”

“You will mind your place, Lieutenant!” Meghan said sharply.

“As long as you do as well, Captain.”

Majherri glared at Meghan Lynch and the woman stared back with accusing eyes that blamed him for the way things were going as well.

The tense atmosphere was broken by Kayleigh leading an older woman out the front of the door.

“I still don’t see how this is possible, dear. We had you tested on your twelfth birthday in Laurent. You didn’t react to anything, whatsoever.”

Lindsey spoke, “Good evening, Madame. I am Lieutenant Lindsey Sheppard and this is Captain Meghan Lynch. We were quite surprised when your daughter made a connection with this unicorn. I assure you my mount was there and she sensed the Bondspark.”

Majherri assessed the human female. She was slim and wore nice clothing. Her hands were spotted, not by signs of age, but rather that watery substance humans drew pictures with. Kayleigh’s mother was obviously an artist. Occasionally, these artists came to the academy to attempt to preserve images forever in canvas or stone.

“Greetings, noble riders and steeds, I bid you welcome. My name is Brenda Reese. When Kayleigh was tested, the acolyte conducting it said she was very inert and had no affinity towards any magic at all.” 

Meghan said, “The testing procedure is not always accurate. Sometimes oversights happen. Mistakes can occur.”

“Of course, but may I see proof? Not that I doubt your word or that of your unicorns, but my daughter is all I have.”

Meghan nodded. His future rider approached and rested the back of her hand on his cheek. Fortunately, the spark that connected them was still there. Majherri felt her apprehension and she, doubtless, felt his left over hostility towards T’rsa’s rider.

“If there was no semblance of a bond, he would have shied away from her by now and on the beach, your daughter was able to lead him up the slope with hardly any trouble at all.”

“But I thought this was only for thirteen year olds. That is the custom. This is all very peculiar.”