Chapter One

 

Those Marked immediately forfeit any rights in Lendolg. They will be treated as enemies of the state and will remain such until the moment of their death, natural or otherwise.

The Code

 

            “Dad, stop it,” Raina Tucker ordered her father. “Stop filling their heads with nonsense. Nonsense that could get us all killed, I remind you.” She continued to clear the table from the family dinner.

            Her father scoffed as he scratched the white stubble on his chin.

            “But Mom! It was so cool!” Her daughter exclaimed. “Could you even believe it? People with magic shooting light from their hands or even flying? That would be the best!” An eight-year-old Leonna enthusiastically spurted through holes where her teeth should have been. The girl climbed down from her stool shooting out her arms and running around the table pretending to fly. Her grandfather’s deep laugh broke through the silence as he began to clap his hands.

            “You got the idea!” He snickered.

            A slam caught everyone’s attention. Heads belonging to Leonna, her cousin Ayala, her aunt, grandfather, and father snapped towards the noise.

            Leonna’s mother, Raina, knowing she had the attention of the household stood tall at the head of the table with shattered pieces of a plate around her smiled then began to say, “We will not talk about magic in this household any longer. You all know the laws.” She looked her father directly in the eyes. “Children, I don’t mean to scare you but you have to understand the full extent of this magic talk,” she whispered barely audible. “We could be taken prisoner or killed for even mentioning the word.” Ayala shrunk back hiding behind thick black hair. “Would you put my daughter and family in danger to tell your stories?” She questioned her father.

            “Well, I think-“

            “I don’t want to hear it,” she said matter of fact.” No more talk of magic. Understand?” Her eyes met each member of the household squarely holding each pair of eyes until she knew they wouldn’t defy her again.

            She was met with wide looks and silent nods, except from Leonna and her father who stared defiantly back at her. She knew this wouldn’t be the last she heard of it.

            She sighed, “Ayala, Leonna, its time for bed. Let’s go.” She began herding the two young children up the stairs before calling out to her husband. Recalling the broken pieces of plate that littered her kitchen floor she called out to her husband, “Ty, would you mind cleaning that up for me?”

            “Sure, hun,” he called after her.

            The bedtime routine was normal as any other. Leonna fought her on cleaning her teeth, putting on her bedclothes, and putting the candle out; all the while Ayala was already neatly tucked away and nearly asleep.

            “But Moooooom, I’m not tired,” the girl whined standing insolently at the end of her bed. “I want to go hear more stories from Grandpa.”

            “I know you do sweetheart. They’re amazing stories, aren’t they?” Raina kneeled down in front of her pushing back the tangle of deep auburn hair from Leonna’s face.  

            Her daughter nodded vigorously displaying the holes in her smile.

            “But, Leonna,” she paused as if recalling something, “they aren’t real.” She half frowned. “The point of stories is to take us away from the bad things happening to us now. Sometimes they can help us heal, smile, or cry.” She paused choosing her next words carefully. “The stories Grandpa tells you can make more bad things for us now. If anyone overheard him telling stories of a woman that could tell you what’s going to happen before it does or of a man that can talk to animals, we could be taken away. Do you understand that Leonna?”

            The woman hated to disappoint her daughter as much as she was right now. She knew Leonna’s mind was one of fancy and adventure. Her daughter was a free spirit much like she was as a girl. Being a free spirit in Glory Mane now though, was dangerous. Raina recalled seeing people being hauled away almost every other week with increased frequency. Terror shot through her each time she pictured her family being taken away in those dark carriages.

            “But I like the stories,” Leonna whispered, tears beginning to well in her eyes. The candlelight softly danced in small pools of water.

            “I know, honey. I’ll tell you what. Every night before you go to bed, I’ll let you tell me a story. Any story you want.” Leonna’s eyes widened. “But not about magic.” Her shoulders slumped in disappointment. “They can be about anything else,” her mother continued as if not seeing her daughter’s reaction, “Princes, princesses, kings, queens, or even a small inn in the middle of Glory Mane are all options.”

            Raina smiled at her daughter lifting her chin to meet her own.

            Her daughter thought for a moment. “Well there’s not much to tell about us,” the girl retorted. “Nothing ever happens here.”

            Raina laughed. “Nothing ever happens here?” she repeated in disbelief. “What about the time the roof caught fire last year during the dry summer we had? Isn’t that a good story?” As she was talking she began ushering her daughter into her bed. She pulled back the dingy gray covers and Leonna crawled in, sleep suddenly beginning to overtake her.

            “It is a good story, but a person didn’t make the fire with their hands. That would have been cooler,” She muttered sleepily.

            A small laugh managed to escape Raina’s mouth. “I know honey,” she cooed kissing her daughter’s forehead. “Dream of magic. Sleep is the the one place we can.”

            Leonna’s eyes were already closed as she began to drift into sleep. Her mother stood extinguishing the candle next to her daughter’s bed and leaving Leonna to create a world all her own. 

 

            “She deserves to know about her Grandmother you know. It’s part of her history, of this family’s history.” Raina’s father gripped her arm as she passed by his seat in the kitchen.

            Raina sighed. They had had this conversation and it always seemed to end in the same place: with a headache and an overwhelming urge to stomp out of the house and into the way of the nearest carriage. However, she knew there was no avoiding it.

            “Let’s go to the cellar, Dad.”

            “Good idea,” he said climbing out of his chair. “I’ll grab Ty and Celeste. They should join us. This is a family conversation.”

            Knowing the tone in his voice Raina knew not to argue. She walked through the kitchen and opened the door to their cellar. Remembering a candle she shuffled back to the table and brought it with her down the stairs.

            The cellar was the one place Raina knew they wouldn’t be overheard. Luckily the family didn’t have any guests at the moment, but she figured with the country in a near total uproar she felt it better they be cautious. Any conversations that could get her family maimed, killed, or taken away took place in the bowels of their household.

            They no longer used the cold, dank cellar except for storage of the barrage of items guests accidently left behind. She glanced in the direction of the small piles of swords, clothes, and other trinkets they’ve accumulated over the years.

            The stairs she had just walked down creaked as three pairs of feet stepped down them. Her father, sister, and husband now stood with her in the cellar. Her husband, Ty, took the place to the right of her, her sister to her left, and her father dead ahead. Together they formed a small tight knit circle.

            “Well, how would you like to begin?” Eros, the head of the household asked his daughter.

            All eyes turned to Raina. She took a moment carefully calculating her words as to avoid an all out war in the cellar. Upstairs the children wouldn’t be able to hear the murmuring of normal voices, but screaming would be hard to ignore.

            “You need to quit filling theirs heads that magic will be anything but shunned and denied in this world. If, if, either of them are Marked at any point, then and only then will we need to tell them any stories of the old times. Hopefully we never will have to. It would only be a death sentence.”

            “We run the risk each and every day we have this inn open!” Her sister spat back, raising a wagging finget at her. “You know the things we have done to ferry those with the Mark across the river.” Unlike her sister, Raina, Celeste was never considered a beauty in her youth, and especially in middle age. Her thin wiry brown hair barely managed to cover her thick brows set above dirty brown eyes. The skin of her face was never perfect and a new blemish always managed to find a home. Celeste was worn from her years running the small family owned inn. The building has belonged to the family as far as her father could remember. At one point, before Glory Mane was established as a strong port, the building served as part of a dairy farm. It wasn’t until her mother had passed away that they converted it into the Tucker Inn. From her days as a girl till now she has always been the one taking care of her family and her sister Raina especially sacrificing her childhood and her own well-being. For that, Raina always silently thanked her.

            “Lower your voice,” Raina ordered evenly glancing towards the stairs looking for the source of the noise she thought she heard. Deciding she was just being paranoid she continued, “I will always stand being the things we’ve done. I’m not casting those acts aside. We have to think about our girls. About what they know and more important what they don’t know.”

            “I agree,” her husband, Ty, chimed in. Tendoy, Ty for short, stood a hand’s width taller than his wife. Both husband and wife were plain people always dressing simply in faded and worn breeches and shirts. Their plainness was further reflected in their soft set brown eyes and slightly graying dark hair. Ty was a thin, wiry man in direct opposition to his wife who was a stout plump woman. Both in their mid thirties they were the perfect family to harbor fugitives from the law.

            He continued a bit of uncertainty in his voice, “Leonna is too young to understand what we do. Hell, I barely understand what we do.”

            “We save people from death. What is there to understand?” Celeste disputed.

            “What I mean to say is I don’t understand why we do it. There’s no extra money filling our pockets. We never even know if they make it! Why should we put ourselves in danger any longer? And why should we continue to put our children in danger? If we were found out you damn well know the White Hand doesn’t spare the children. They’re execute our entire family in the middle of the square and we’ll have no way to stop it from happening.”

            Eros smirked. “Boy, you know that isn’t entirely true,” he said a smile plastered on his face flashing half rotten teeth.

            “Yea, yea. The great Eros Hardskin will save the day,” Ty retorted.

            Before he could blink Ty was flat on his back, the small layer of dirt on the cellar floor pulling his feet out from under him. He fell with a thud, the air flying from his lungs. The thin man sat up coughing.

            Celeste let out a deep-throated laugh and clapped her brother-in-law on the back. “The old man’s oldest trick,” she beamed. “Do you know how many times he would do that to Raina and I when we couldn’t get along? Why, I nearly ended up a statue once!”

            “That you did. And you never hit your sister again, did ya?” Eros asked jokingly. 

            “Not once. That you knew of that is,” Celeste replied cheekily.

            Raina let out a small laugh. “Alright, alright. C’mon up, Ty,” she said offering her husband an arm. “You’re no use to me down there.” He took her arm, still searching for air.

            “Oh you’ll be fine, boy. Here, here.” Eros bent down lifting Ty up onto his feet. “Let’s get back to the matter at hand,” Eros suggested breaking the nonchalant mood back into a more serious one. “What do you want to do about the girls? Eventually they’ll have to know about all this,” he said pulling up a pant leg to reveal three small green circles set in the formation of a triangle on his ankle, “or they’ll find out one way or another.”

            “Cover that up,” Raina said glancing nervously towards the stairs. “And where are your stockings? You’re lucky we didn’t have any guests today.”

            “It was hot today,” her father complained.

            “Dad, you never did like to take orders,” she sighed.

            “Except from your mother.”

            “Except from Mom,” Raina repeated thinking back to her mother’s embrace from years ago. “I don’t want Leonna to go on without a mother like Celeste and I did. Now, we made it work, but I think we can all admit that having Mom around would have been better for all of us.”

            Ty took her hand.

            “Talking about magic, Marks, even thinking about them anywhere but this cellar means Leonna and Ayala could live without a family the rest of their lives. I don’t want that for my daughter. We’ll continue to ferry those with Marks across the river, however, we will no longer tell the girls stories of past adventures,” she looked towards her father. “We will keep them ignorant of our actions. The girls will never know of the things we do, have done, and will do even when they come of age. They will continue to think this a normal inn run by a small family. We will show this town and the White Hand that that is all we are. Do we have an understanding?” Raina asked the group.

            Ty responded by giving her hand a squeeze. “I’ll back you up in that.”

            She looked to her sister.

            “I can’t say that I agree. Ayala deserves to know her heritage and she should take a hand in helping those that deserve it. She comes from a strong line of Marked people. Our family history won’t erase itself,” she said curtly.

            “We’ll have to erase it then for their sake.”

            “You know what Mom told us before she passed,” Celeste argued.

            Raina stiffened. She had never told her husband the full extent of the many premonitions her mother had had before she passed on to the Ka’ban, the name for the other world after death. He now stared at her uncertainly.

            “I know. We will cross that bridge when we get to it, yes?”

            Celeste replied with a begrudged nod knowing there was no arguing with her sister.

            Raina could still feel her husband’s questioning eyes on her as she avoided them by examining a loose thread on her white cotton sleeve. She yanked off the small thread and released it to the floor. She hoped Ty would fall asleep quickly tonight and not question her too much about her mother’s many prophecies. She would save that conversation for another day if she could.

            “Dad?” she questioned.

            The old man sighed and Raina examined his face. It was tired and worn from years of hiding his true nature. His wrinkles had deepened in the last few years truly beginning to show his age. Her father’s stubble grew in lighter and lighter each day to match his hair, which was now white as the wool of the Dennison’s prized sheep a few houses down. Years of not leaving the house had an effect on her father. One she did not like to see. She regrets not seeing the way he lit up moments ago pulling the dirt right out from Ty’s feet each an every day as it did when her and Celeste were kids. He deserved to feel that again, she knew, but as long as they remained in Lendolg that would be impossible.

            “I will go along with what you say for now,” was Eros’ reply. “However,” he continued, “if it is in Leonna’s best interest to know, for whatever reason, I will tell her and maybe show her a magic trick or two.” He winked.

            As soon as Eros was done talking Raina, Ty, and Celeste all found themselves flat on their backs staring up at the cellar’s grimy ceiling.

            “God damn it, Dad!” Raina called out to her father sitting up.

            It was no use. He was already up the stairs and on the main floor searching for a late night snack unable to hear her.

 

2: Marked

Chapter Two

 

Any person or persons found aiding a Marked individual in any way will be executed as if they carried the Mark themselves.

-The Code

 

            Ten years later Raina and her family still own the Tucker Inn prominently settled in the middle of Glory Mane. With a fresh dose of bright red paint mimicking the barn it used to be, it was ready for the steady flow of summer guests that the family knew would drift in any day now. Beds were made, floors swept, and dishes clean. Celeste was constantly at the ready to prepare a feast for any weary soul who managed to cross the threshold.

            “Aunt Celeste, come sit with us. No one’s going to come in tonight. It’s already dark and I don’t seem to hear any horses bounding in,” Leonna joked. “Come relax and cool off,” she said fanning herself.

            Her aunt, not wanting to leave her perch at the window on her own version of guard duty, slowly shuffled to join her family at the table silently relieved to be off her feet.

            “Which one is this again?” Leonna asked her grandfather pointing to a purple crystal resting on the old oak table in front of him.

            “Ah, one of my favorites. Amethyst is the stone of healing. Its crystal formation was believed by those who used it to hold a certain,” he paused cocking his head, “power.” He glanced towards Raina and Ty who were in a heated discussion about taxes and monthly payments. They weren’t paying him or his grandmother any mind.

            Ayala was, as usual, nowhere to be found. Her mother, nearly falling off her chair was asleep, mouth hanging agape. A fly threatened to dive into the depths of her mouth but instead landing to sit perched on her lower lip.

            Leonna, also watching the fly, batted it away from her aunt’s mouth without startling her.

            “I thought they said this summer wouldn’t be this hot?” She complained getting back to fanning herself fluttering her chin length auburn curls out of place.

            Eros chuckled. “Can’t handle a little heat, girl? I recall one summer when your mom was a girl that the paint actually melted off the inn! Right in front of us it started to drip and run right down! This is nothing compared to that summer.”

            “Dad, stop exaggerating,” Raina chimed in. “It was dripping because we had just put it on, and far too much of it I might add.”

            “Well the heat had something to do with it!” He argued. His attention turned to the front door and the dull creak and groan announced the presence of a newcomer. “Ah, Ayala! There you are. Where have you been?” He asked his granddaughter.

            “Just down the street,” was her curt reply. Her shoulder length black hair stuck to parts of her face with sweat, she sat down next to her cousin to steal some of the cool air from the makeshift fan in her hand.

            “Were you at his shop?” Leonna teased.

            “Quiet,” Ayala hissed glancing towards her sleeping mother.

            Eros coked his head in question, but came to the conclusion that teenage girls were creatures he would never understand. He decided it best not to ask.

            “Ayala’s got a boyfriend,” Leonna teased sticking her tongue out at her cousin.

            Ayala’s normally bronzed skin, took a slightly reddish hue as her brown eyes glared menacingly at her cousin.

            “We aren’t dating,” she said through grating teeth. “Now, be quiet.”

            “Whatever you say, Lala.”

            “And stop calling me that. We aren’t five anymore.”

            Raina, seeing the inevitable fight, chimed in. “Girls,” was all she said as a warning they would both understand.

            “Fine,” Leonna said standing. She walked over towards the kitchen bumping into her aunts chair jolting her awake. She apologized quickly and continued to the kitchen.

            “Anyone hungry? This heat is making me absolutely famished.”

            “I’ll take care of it dear,” her aunt offered still sitting. “Just give me a few minutes to wake up,” she said wiping a sleepy from the corner of her eye.            

            “It’s no problem, Aunt Celeste. Grandpa will help me tonight. You take the night off.”

            “Well twist my arm,” Celeste replied. “I’m going to go lay down for a bit. I’m dead on my feet.” She stood and took to her room adjacent to the kitchen.

            “Grandpa, would you mind getting some firewood from the yard? I’m going to get some…what are you all feeling tonight? Chicken or beef? I’m thinking beef with some of Ayala’s famous couscous.” Leonna opened her brown eyes wide and pleading in the direction of her cousin, which due to Ayala’s aloof nature, went completely unnoticed.

            “Fine. Just make sure I have everything I need,” was all she said before heading up to her room.   

            “I’ll be back in twenty minutes!” Leonna called after her cousin.

            Leonna’s mother stood as well walking over to her daughter.

            “Would you mind if I took a walk with you. I have to stop a couple shops over from the butcher’s from some paper. We have to write to the White Hand to reduce our tax. We’ve been overpaying on our land for almost thirty years! Can you believe it? We may get some money back,” she said with a smile plastered on her fact. “Think of everything we could do around here!”

            “Alright, alright. We don’t know that yet,” Tendoy replied. “You know the Hand doesn’t typically just hand back thousands of dollars in tax money. We’ll be lucky if they even reduce our taxes to what they should be.”

            “I can still hope,” Raina replied to her husband. “Shall we, Leonna?” Her mother asked heading for the door.

            “Yes, give me a moment. I have to get some money.”

            “Don’t worry honey. I have some here.” She reached into her purse handing her daughter a few gold coins.

            “Let’s go then,” Leonna smiled kissing her mother on the cheek. “Can you make sure the stove is ready to go when we get back, Grandpa?”

            He stood, with a small amount of difficulty using the table for support.

            “No problem.”

            With that Leonna and her mother took to the streets.

            “You heard the girl. Go get the firewood, boy,” Eros ordered Tendoy. “We have work to do.”

            “She asked you to do it!” Tendoy argued.

            “You expect me, a weak old man, to carry the wood in,” Eros said a twinkle of mischievousness in his eyes.

            “You know, I should have known marrying into this family would be a mistake when you made me work her for six years before I was allowed to marry your daughter. “

            Tendoy huffed and walked out the back door to the yard for the firewood.

            “I should have made it ten,” Eros whispered under his breath as he set to prepare the stove.

 

 

            Leaving the house Leonna and Raina Tucker walked arm in arm down the road. The two generations of Tucker women strode evenly bypassing the legions of playing children and horse drawn carriages. They tucked this way and that to avoid the splashes of mud that had not yet dried from the early morning storm. 

            Leonna stood a hand length higher than her mother, getting her height from her father’s side of the family. Like her mother, however, her nose was small and petite and was frame by high cheekbones. The fading daylight cast a soft shadow on her brow and that caused a twinkle in her soft brown eyes.

            To all others, Leonna would be considered a plain beauty. One that is not so untouchable. But to Brencis Faye, Leonna Tucker was the most beautiful of all the girls in Lendolg. He noticed the small golden flecks in her eyes and the highlights in her auburn hair. He saw the small blemish forming on her forehead, but loved her anyway for to him, her faults were nothing.

            She walked past his father’s minuscule kabob cart positioned where it normally is five houses down from Leonna’s and pushed up to the side of an abandoned building. Brencis is normally standing behind the tattered green and red umbrella meant to keep the sun away, but doing no better than a few pieces of string would. His father, a rather stout man, Brencis finds is typically drunk and stumbling by noon and in no condition to sell anything to anyone. So he was forced to take over the insignificant ‘family business’ and stand here, watching the paint peel on the building behind him day in and day out.

            The cart didn’t bring in much money; only a handful of coins a day. But to Brencis his pay was seeing the beautiful Leonna Tucker walk by each day to go the real shops and, unfortunately, not a measly kabob cart.

            Brencis cupped his hands over his eye to block out the sun to catch one final glimpse of Leonna before she turned the corner as she normally does, but he was too late and the sun too low and he was unable to see her one final time.

 

            Turning the corner, Leonna and her mother passed two flower shops, a bakery, two food carts, a juggler, and a gaggle of small children before entering the butcher’s shop. They ducked through the small doorway, as the shop was part of an old converted house, ordered they beef shanks and continued on their way to another home where they could get the pasta they needed. Their errands complete, the two women began the short walk home.

            “I can’t believe summer is almost upon us. I’m not ready for the heat,” Leonna commented to her mother. “I have to unpack some of my lighter clothes. These heavy dresses won’t do.”

            Smiling, Raina replied, “We still have a lot to do at home. You know how summer can be. People will start coming in flocks, and once that happens we won’t have a moment to ourselves. Your poor Aunt Celeste is going to have a heart attack fretting over everything.”

            “She’ll be fine. We always make it through some how. Remember two summers ago when we had those two men that started to fight in the kitchen? Grandpa nearly broke a hip trying to separate those two.” Leonna chuckled at the memory of her Grandpa Eros running into the kitchen throwing two arms between two rather burly and quite aggressive men, thrusting his daughter behind his back and yelling at them to stop. Unknown to Grandpa the floor was wet from when Aunt Celeste was working on the dishes and Grandpa went sliding headfirst into the sink. The men began laughing so hard they called the fight off leaving Eros soaking wet in the middle of the kitchen.

            “Now that was the funniest,” Raina replied to her daughter. “I’ve never seen Grandpa look more like an angry cat my entire life.”

            “We can only hope we’ll get to see that again some day.”

            The women continued walking, rounding the singular corner and heading towards their home on Edgemont Lane. The sun was almost completely set now, casting shadows here and there. The children running around not too long ago were inside eating their nightly meals and preparing for a night of dreams. Their parents were tired, truly exhausted from long days of working and being on their feet, but being children they had no regard for their parents exhaustion and insisted on continually running around insistent to finish their night of play. The childish high-pitched screams rang out into the night air followed by the pounding of feet as their parents ran after them.

            Leonna looked here and there as the screams pierced the air and watched as the shadows danced. Never particularly enjoying the dark Leonna caught herself walking a bit faster than normal even with her mother by her side.

            To her left a group of three men passed then dressed all in white except at the bottom where the mud had stained their cloaks.

            When they had passed out of earshot Leonna said, “Ugh, I hate those men…all they do-“

            Her mother quickly clapped her hand over Leonna’s mouth. “Not. Another. Word,” her mother warned.

            Leonna licked her mother’s palm forcing her to retract it. Their pace had picked up significantly.

            “Why? All they ever do is harass everyone! Especially you and dad. They take more and more taxes every year. I hear you two arguing every night. The Tucker Inn won’t be an inn much longer if they have anything to do with it. The White Hand is sucking us dry.”

            Raina Tucker turned to face her daughter bringing their movement to a halt. “Leonna Warra Tucker, if you so much as speak one more time before we reach home you will no longer be welcome there.” Finished, she spun on her heels and continued home without another word leaving her daughter in the middle of the road completely alone.

 

            Leonna returned home several minutes after her mother. Raina sat at the table with her father and a man Leonna had not seen before. She assumed it was a new guest, so there was no use in small talk unlike what her parents were making. He would most likely be gone by morning anyway. 

            She casually strolled in as if her mother had not threatened to disown her. Setting down the groceries she began cooking. The stove was warm and ready to flame the beef. Ayala’s couscous was already cooking filling the kitchen with the scent of thyme.

            Leonna began cutting the beef into portions, setting aside one for their new guest as she assumed he would be eating with them. Aunt Celeste would insist on it she was sure. The beef prepared and marinating Leonna walked past her parents catching her mother’s eye that continued to warn Leonna from talking and she took the stairs two at a time. Reaching her room she sat and began undressing so she could switch into something a bit lighter. The stove was warming the kitchen so a pair of soft cotton breeches was in order.

            She shrugged off the soft pink dress in favor of tan breeches and a matching tan top. Nothing too luxurious but it would keep her cool. With only one guest her mother couldn’t scold her too much for choosing comfort over beauty.

            Dressed she took the stairs back into the kitchen and took the opportunity to take a look at the man sitting with her parents. He wasn’t much older than she, maybe just by a handful of years she deduced. Although he was sitting, Leonna could tell he was quite tall, taller than both she and her father. He clothes were mud soaked from what Leonna could guess was a hard days ride from wherever he came from. His face was ever splattered with the brown substance here and there. Near a particularly large chunk of drying mud was a scar, which ran from below his left eye to the corner of his thin lips. His eyes flashed blue in contrast of his dark, tan skin and his yellow gold hair sat disheveled atop his head.

            She walked past him and to the stove and continued cooking.

            “So you’re originally from Glory Mane?” Raina asked the man.

            “Yes, a long time ago I lived just streets over, but my family doesn’t live here any longer,” Leonna overheard him say.

            “Where did they move to?” her father asked.

            “They’re in Whitestag now, just on the lake,” the man replied his deep voice gliding over the words.

            “Ah, I see. They’re quite near the Emperor I take it,” Ty stated.

            “They are. However, I find myself in a particularly strenuous situation, and that’s why I’m here.”

            Raina eyes flicked to her husband.

            “And how is it that we can help you?” Leonna overheard her father ask.

            The man sighed and leaned in closer to Ty. Leonna shuffled uneasily attempting to look busy and uninterested. She flipped the beef letting the aroma pierce the room.

            “I need to get across the river. My friend in Whitestag recommended this inn as one of the best on the way there.” He sat back folding crossing his arms in front of him watching Leonna’s parents closely.

            Leonna herself was watching them as well throwing away all sense of inconspicuousness. She nearly resembled an owl her head almost spun all the way around. She could sense the oddity of the situation.

            “We can do what we can. Let’s go down into the cellar and talk. We have some supplies down there you can take with you,” her mother said standing and ushering the man into the cellar. Glancing at Leonna she put up one finger to her lips silencing any questions that were about to come from her lips.

            “We’ll talk later.”

            “But-“

            “Later. I promise.”

            Pouting Leonna turned and called to the rest of her family, “GRANDPA, AYALA, AUNT CELESTE, DINNER!”

 

The man and Leonna's parents were nowhere to be seen during the family meal. They never emerged from the cellar and no matter how close Leonna put her ear to the door she still couldn't hear anything being said.

"Leave it alone, Leonna," Aunt Celeste told her. "Come sit. Eat. The meal is delicious."

"Leave her be, Celeste," Eros told her. "She's just curious and she has every right to be," he said spooning couscous into his mouth.

"What's going on?" Ayala asked curiously.

"My mom and dad have some guy in the cellar and they've been down there since before dinner. He was asking them for help crossing a river or something weird. I have no idea-ahh." The door to the cellar opened and Leonna was faced with the man.

"Well hello," he said to her. "You must be Leonna. Your parents told me a lot about you," he said extending a hand.

"Uh, yes. I'm Leonna," she said taking his hand. "And you are?"

"Jonathan Macklevy."

"Nice to meet you," she said holding his eyes with hers. His thin lips curled into a small smile. A faint sign of stubble showed above them.

"What's the hold up?" Her father called from behind Jonathan.

Embarrassed Leonna's face reddened. "Right sorry." She stepped aside into the kitchen allowing the tree adult to emerge from the cellar.

"Are you hungry?" Leonna asked him.

"Yes, I am. It was a long ride and I didn't realize I haven't eaten since the morning. I'm sure my horse could use a good meal as well."

He turned towards the back door before Ayala said, "I already took care of her. She's quite beautiful."

"Oh, well thank you. You’re very kind...?" He paused.

"Ayala," she cut in.

"That's a very stunning name Ayala. It's fitting."

Leonna's jaw dropped at the blatant flirtation between the two and nothing begin said from either of their parents. Ayala smiled and put her head down diving back into her book.

"Well how about that food?" Leonna cut back in bringing the attention back to her.

"That would be delightful. Thank you."

Jonathan sat in his place from earlier at the head of the table and Leonna hurried to gather a plate. She towered both beef and couscous high for the man, silently praying and he would love it. She had no idea why she had the urge to impress this random man, but she recognized that she wanted to.

She set it in front of him as her parents sat on either side of him.

"Thank you," he told her almost immediately shoveling food into his mouth. Leonna beamed with pride over his shoulder.

"When will you be leaving us Jonathan?" she asked when he had a moment between bites.

Wiping his mouth with his sleeve he said, "Some time in the morning. Most likely before day break. I need to make as early of a start as possible- would I be able to get a glass of water, Leonna? I'm quite thirsty."

"Of course!" She rushed to the cabinets to grab a clean glass and fill it for him. She set it in front of him and took to cleaning off the rest of the table from the nightly meal.

"Come sit, Leonna. I'll do it." Aunt Celeste stood taking the plates and glasses from her. "Take a break. You made a delicious meal."

Without arguing Leonna sat in her place next to Ayala who was attempting to feign disinterest in Jonathan. Leonna could tell her eyes were merely rolling over the words when she caught them looking at him instead.

When Jonathan was finished he pushed the empty plate back for Celeste to take, pushed out his chair, and sat back as far as he could stretching widely.

"Is there a bath available here? I'm still full of mud and I would love to scrap it off before I move on tomorrow."

"It's getting quite late Jonathan. Maybe you could just wash up as a bath would take some time, and I'm sure you're tired. We'd be happy to wash your clothes as well. You'll feel good as new," Raina replied.

Jonathan frowned. "I was looking forward to a bath, but if you think it best, who am I to argue?"

 

            Brencis Faye was exhausted and hungry. He had spent the last few hours of darkness hopeful some customers would wander by, but he had no luck. The darkness of the streets didn’t offer the same safety as the streets in the daytime did. So he sat, avoiding the trek home. With a small notebook he found days ago and a small rock he drew tiny doodles of the dogs and cats that walk up to his cart begging for food. Admittedly, he wasn’t very good drawing with a rock. His doodles turned out more like lumps each and every time, but to him they were small masterpieces.

            Standing, Brencis figured it was about time to head home through the dank alleyways. It would take him at least twenty minutes to reach it if he hurried. He hoped his father would be passed out by now otherwise it would be a long night.

            He began pushing the cart over the cobblestone and dirt streets towards the Tucker Inn. Just then five men in white rushed past him the last of them shoving Brencis out of his way. The five members of the White Hand clinked hurriedly as their swords hanging from their sides hit their belts. The torches they carried released small sparks in their wake as they hurried towards their destination, wherever that may be.

            Brencis muttered a small prayer for the poor people who tomorrow would no longer be alive.

 

            The kitchen cleaned and their guest tended to, the residents prepared themselves to bed. With muttered goodnights and stifled yawns, they found their beds. Leonna and Ayala shared a room as they did as children. Ayala, already asleep, snored softly in the bed next to Leonna’s. She carried the candle to her nightstand, set it down, and, instead of lying directly on top of the bed, as she wanted, she pulled over the covers and slid herself in. She blew out the candle and closed her eyes, eager to fall asleep.

            The sound of splintering wood and a crash jolted her awake. Ayala too sat up and rushed for the stairs. They could hear Aunt Celeste’s voice shouting at someone. Who- they didn’t know. About to leave their room, Grandpa Eros cut them off.

            “Stay in here girls. No matter what you hear do not leave this room.” And with that he was gone. The girls didn’t even notice the amethyst in his hand.

            “What’s going on?” Ayala frantically asked her cousin.

            “I have no idea! I can’t believe he thinks we’re going to stay in here.”

            A scream pierced the air followed by a thud. The girls looked briefly looked at each other then both groped for the doorknob. After a moment of fumbling they flew down the stairs Leonna first.

            Reaching the bottom, Leonna could tell something was terribly wrong. The air smelled of copper and the wall was spattered with blood. Realizing that could only mean one thing she spun around and grabbed her cousin’s face.

            “Go back upstairs- now.” Leonna said choking back sobs. When Ayala began to protest, Leonna repeated herself.

            “Get off me. What’s going on? She questioned throwing off Leonna and emerging into the kitchen.

            Five men dressed all in white stood in a semi circle around Celeste who lay in a pool of blood.

            “No!” Ayala cried out throwing herself towards her mother who was gurgling softly.

            Her throat was cut, ear-to-ear and steadily oozed the thick red substance of her blood. Her daughter took her hand and forced it into the blood and onto her neck trying to keep her alive for as long as she could. Cradling her mother’s head in her lap she cried softly.

            “What’s going on?” Her father roared from behind Leonna thrusting her aside. Her mother followed him clasping a small knife behind her back.

            “Are you Tendoy and Raina Tucker?” The man in the middle asked stepping directly over Ayala and her mother.

            “We are. What do you want with us?” He asked looking past the man to his niece.

            His outer white cloak stained with blood and mud he removed it and draped it over one of the kitchen chairs. He was shorter than Leonna’a father but built much more heavily. His muscles were finely outlined in his near see through shirt, yet Ty stood unmoving.

            “Please, have a seat Mister Tucker. I am William Gainsly, a member of the White Hand decicated to serving our Emperor and enforcing his laws; Laws, which, unfortunately, you have broken. Please, sit,” he repeated again when Ty hadn’t moved.

            “Raina, please take Leonna upstairs,” he said well sitting.

            Gainsly outstretched a hand when Raina took a step forward towards her daughter.

            “Mister and Misses Tucker, as you can understand none of you will be allowed to leave this room until we are done here. Please take a seat and chat with me.” He smiled at her, a small condescending smile.

            “As you wish,” she said taking a place beside her husband.

            “Leonna, is it?”

            She nodded.

            “Come sit next to me, across from your mother.”

            Raina stood abruptly and the four other men who still stood over Ayala and her mother’s body, drew their swords and pointed them at the mother.

            “Boys, boys, please. She just means to protect her daughter, as any mother would. However, I think Misses Tucker realizes if she does anything to threaten any of us she, as well as her family, will be dealt with immediately. Now again, please sit and we’ll chat.”

            Swords found their scabbards and the Tucker women found chairs at the table. 

            Leonna sat uneasily next to the same she suspected cut down her aunt. She faced her mother refusing to move in the slightest, her mother mirroring her actions. Ayala’s cries rang through the room as she sobbed into her dead mother’s chest.

            “Now, how shall we begin?” He asked rhetorically. “Ah, yes, you are all familiar with the laws regarding those that are Marked I assume. As you know, our wonderful Emperor declared having the Mark illegal many years ago. Also in the history books when he found out that people were aiding these people to hide from him and escape the great country of Lendolg, he was quite furious let me tell you. I saw dozens of servants executed that very day for no other reason other than to appease his anger.” The man snickered as if recalling an old family story he was fond of.

“Well that same day he made laws that forbade citizens of Lendolg from aiding those with the Mark in any way. That includes helping to grant them passage out of Lendolg where the Emperor’s Hands couldn’t hunt them down.”

            A foot nudged Leonna’s and she looked to meet her mother’s eyes. Her face was wet with tears as they streamed steadily down her face, but she made no noise. The man was still speaking to Leonna’s father and he was paying no mind to the women of his family. Raina’s mouth moved silently as she formed a word.

            Leonna gave her head an unnoticeable shake to show she could not understand her mother. Again she mouthed the word and Leonna understood.

            Under the table she leaned forward to meet her mother’s hands, which passed Leonna the knife her mother had been carrying. Knowing what she had to do Leonna waited for the right moment.

            “And that is why your family will not be allowed to leave tonight. Do you understand Mister Tucker?”

            “I do. But you have, however, already killed my sister in law before having questioning us. It seems as if you have already passed judgment.”

            Gainsly chuckled darkly. “You’re a very astute man for the owner of an inn. I had not been expecting that. Yes, the Hand has already decided your family’s guilt and midday tomorrow you will be executed in the square. I was trying to give you hope in your last few hours, but you have taken that luxury away from yourself.”

            He began to pick lint off his right sleeve, stifling a yawn. Genuinely disinterested he asked, “Was it all worth it? To lose your family like this.” Another yawn. “Actually don’t answer; it doesn’t actually matter. In a few moments a carriage will be here to take you all to your cells for the night. So if you’ll excuse me, my men here will be staying with you. I must get some rest.”

            Leonna still held her mother’s eyes, her tears not reflecting her mother’s. She wiped them quickly to clear her vision. To her left Gainsly began to stand turning his back to Leonna. She lunged for him hoping the knife would find a soft spot in the man’s back.  

            Before he could react the knife tore through white fabric and flesh firmly sticking in between two of his ribs. Leonna’s father overturned the table onto Gainsly pinning the man.

            He screamed, cursed, and called for his men to rip the Tucker’s apart. Their swords drawn one man swung towards Ayala cutting her deep on the shoulder. Another lunged from Leonna before finding himself on his back, as did the other three. Ayala cried out a hand on her mother’s neck still hoping for some sign of life, and another on the deep gash on her shoulder.

            The floor creaked as something heavy behind her was walking towards Leonna’s back. She spun to see a creature she had never laid eyes on before.

            Made solidly of rock, the monster walked on two legs like that of a man. The rocky exterior was uneven and imperfect looking like it had been combined from rocks all over Glory Mane. In place of eyes, two rubies shone bright red and unmoving, and where its heart would be was a glowing purple amethyst.

            “Grandpa,” Leonna whispered.

            The monster grunted and stomped onto the floor. Sharp rocks sprang through the floorboards sheering easily through them. They formed shells around the four member’s of the White Hand lying on the floor, engulfed them, and slid back into the ground stifling their screams.

            Leonna and her mother rushed forward to Ayala dancing over the craters left in ground. Leonna tore at the bottom of her mother’s nightgown ripping off enough to cover Ayala’s would. She knew that no amount of nightgown would help her aunt. Choking back sobs she and her mother lifted Ayala to her feet and dragged her from her mother’s body into the living area where they lay her down softly and with great care. Without words they tended quickly to Ayala’s wound and before they were finished she was already asleep.

            Exhausted Leonna and her mother stood headed back towards the kitchen. Just then Eros emerged from the cellar no longer a rock monster.

            “Leonna-“ he began to explain.

            “Don’t bother. I saw the Mark when I was a kid. I figured that was why you never left the house.”

            His face turned red.

            “You should have told me sooner though.”

            Having forgotten about William Gainsly earlier, as they assumed him dead, they walked over the table to where Celeste still lay.

            “We’ll hold a funeral tomorrow,” Tendoy said grasping his wife’s shoulder.

            “We can’t stay here, Ty. They know about what we do. We have to leave tonight. We grab what we can and we run.”

            “I agree with Raina,” Eros said. “Let me take care of Celeste. Stand back please. The ground is very unstable here.”

            The three Tuckers took several steps back. Eros called to the stones in the earth as the house began to shake as it did when the four members of the White Hand disappeared. Stones and rock shifted. Four slabs erupted through the floor on all sides of Celeste’s body and engulfed her in a rock cocoon. She slowly glided into the earth without a sound aside from the slow grinding of the rocks. And with that Aunt Celeste was gone.

            Leonna’s father shuddered forward and fell to the ground pushing his wife and daughter down with him. His throat poured blood, much like his sister in law’s had minutes before.

            William Gainsly, whose previously white shirt was now a deep crimson, stood laughing with the knife Leonna had left in his back now in his hand.

            “You think you people can defy me? You will learn the consequences!”

            He jumped forward thrusting the knife again and again into Tendoy’s back until he moved no longer.

            Leonna’s grandfather, still deeply ingrained in his magic, was unable to help his daughter and granddaughter.

            “Come here, Leonna,” the man ordered standing over her dead father. “Misses Tucker, I’m so very sorry, but you’re going to have to watch me kill your precious daughter before I kill you. I know there isn’t much ceremony in this like there would be if we did it properly, but you have forced my hand. But don’t worry, I’ll tell your neighbors what kind of people you are!”

            Leonna’s veins burned with hatred and disdain. She felt them flowing with pure rage and anger. Her pain and loss guided it through her body to every nook and cranny. And with that the candle on the kitchen counter, last held by her Aunt Celeste, erupted into flames.

            Caught off guard, William Gainsly watched as the flames overtook the kitchen he was still standing in. They greedily ate and tore at the wooden floor, cabinets, and counters needing fuel to match the rage in their master. In a matter of moments the kitchen was completely overwhelmed in flames.

            A Mark appeared on Leonna’s wrist as she extended her arms to direct the flames in Gainsly’s direction. Three red parallel lines etched themselves onto the skin of her right wrist and to Gainsly’s horror, shone bright red.

            “You too?” he asked, the flames licking his boots.

            With no reply he turned into a tower of flames and in moments Willaim Gainsly was a pile of ashes in a ruined kitchen.

            Unable to control her magic the fire was no longer Leonna’s to control. Filled with malice and wrath the flames were in frenzy. Leonna cried out as her magic surpassed her control.

            “Leonna honey! Come back to me! I’m here! It’s mom!” Raina pleaded with her daughter. But her calls fell on deaf ears.

            Leonna’s veins were blazing with her newfound power and she found her vision going black and her hearing eliminated. Her skin boiled and her face felt like it was melting. She clawed at it praying it was all still there.

            “Leonna- ow!” Raina reached out to touch her daughter only to be quickly burned.

            No longer able to stay conscious, the world faded away and Leonna Tucker no longer found herself in the land of the living. 

3: Mark of Blood

Chapter 3

 

A bounty of three thousand zetals, equivalent to four years wages, is offered for any man, woman, or child that can capture and bring to justice Leonna Tucker.

-Lendolg’s Justice

 

            Three days later Leonna awoke in the back of a bouncing wagon. She opened her eyes into two small slits just enough to catch a minimal amount of light seeping through cracks in the top boards. Her head ached terribly and throbbed just above her eyes, which she now shut with the light stinging more than it should.

She breathed in gently coughing at the odor of cow dung and unclean linens. Wrenching several times she forced herself into an upright position, eyes still closed. The cart bounced hard causing her stomach to turn and she lost anything that had been in her stomach directly into her lap. She reeled and was met with the darkness again and tumbled back to sleep.

 

Leonna woke again: her clothes now changed and the cart completely still with no threats of vomiting pursuant. She tested her eyesight this time to find that it was now dark and she needn't shut her eyes again. The small amount of light from a nearby candle did not bother her nearly as much as the light of the sun. In fact, she found the flame inviting, invigorating, and she felt herself calling to it.

It wavered in her direction, but nothing more and it only seemed to be a trick of the slight breeze blowing through her small home. She called to it again with no reaction. It stayed unmoving casting its soft glow about the cart.

"Don't bother," Eros Tucker told her from his seat next to her. "Your magic is all used up from the inferno you created in our home. You need time to regain your strength. Here. Eat." He said thrusting a bowl or porridge into her weak hands.

Trying to grasp the spoon she failed. It slipped through her awkward grip.

Embarrassed she asked, "Could you-"

"Of course." Her grandfather moved forward and propped himself onto his knees the bowl of porridge now in his capable hands. Leonna sat up with small difficulty and a bit of help.

"Where are we?" She began to ask.

Eros shook his head.

"No questions until after you finish this and a full glass of water. Then you may ask away, young one."

She nodded and they sat in silence while Leonna's grandfather fed her as he did when she was an infant.

The sounds of the night crept in between them. A bullfrog called out for a nearby mate, its groan begging her to find him. He hopped plopping into a nearby pool of water before disappearing. The low moan of an owl sang out timidly before its wings slapped branches and leaves before snatching a bat from the air. Its scream made Leonna's skin crawl as its life ebbed from its body. She focused on the plop of the spoon into the tasteless porridge instead and closed her eyes.

When no more plops came she knew she was done and her grandfather offered her a cup of water which he made her take on her own. Leonna's hands shook terribly, but she succeeded with only a small puddle having formed in her lap from the shakes.

She laid back full and more exhausted than ever.

"How do you feel?" Eros asked her sitting on the edge of the hay pile that was her bed.

"Tired. Real tired. And my head aches terribly. I can barely see straight," she commented as the room blurred slightly.

Eros laughed. "Well that's what happens, girl, when you damn near burn down an entire block of houses."

"I did what?" She said with disbelief. She remembered a fire. A big fire she recalled, but not eliminating a neighborhood.

"You heard me. The Inn is gone thanks to you. As are our neighbors' homes. That is no fault of yours, of course. You had no choice but to protect yourself. Although I wish you would have done it with a bit more...subtlety," he admitted.

"Its not exactly like I knew what I was doing!" she said defending herself. "You try getting Marked while half your family is being killed then we'll talk about subtlety!" Realizing what she had just said Leonna sat up quickly causing her to whirl briefly.

"Where is mom? And my dad? Is he..is he-" She couldn't bring herself to say it.

Eros sighed gripping Leonna's shoulders and gently placing her back down. He reached over her to a nearby bucket and wet a rag, which he placed on her forehead. She hadn't realized how warm she was. Grateful, she relaxed slightly.

He waited a moment before speaking, scratching the small white beard he now wore.

“Your mother is alright. Well as alright as she can be. She shares a tent with me each night and travels with us during the day. Physically she is well, but she misses her sister, husband, and daughter."

Leonna felt tears pooling in the corners of her eyes at the confirmation of her father's death, but refused to allow them to grow any larger.

"We buried your father's ashes two days ago along a small stream. It was quaint and simple as he was."

She breathed deep mentally screaming, but not allowing those screams to reach her throat.

"Ayala is much like your mother. She cries much but speaks very little. Although her tears speak for her. She misses her mother very much.

The pools in her eyes grew larger.

"Jonathan, the man who came in that night for safe passage, travels with us along with a boy we found outside the Inn badly burned as we were leaving. He saw everything we assumed so we had no choice but to bring him along."

Eros removed the rag from Leonna's head and replaced it with another.

"And the men?" She asked.

"You made it very sure we would not hand problems with them any longer." He waited a moment before whispering to her, "and I'm very proud of you, my girl."

With that tears exploded from her eyes as she began to sob hard convulsing with every new thought and pang of emotion.

"This is all-" She convulsed. "My fault. If I had kept my mouth shut they would not have had any reason to come in."

Eros picked her up softly and easily and sat her in his lap with her head tucked into his shoulder as she continued to cry.

"This was not your fault," he explained to her. "We suspect that they have been following Jonathan for some time. His mark is one not easily hidden, and any person who saw it could have reported him. And as it would seem those men already knew about some of things we had done. We ran the risk each day we kept the Inn running as a Ferry Station. Hell, we ran the risk each day I stayed in Lendolg since the Emperor banned those with the Mark. This had nothing to do with anything you have ever said."

Despite his explanation and the logic of it, Leonna couldn't shake the feeling that her father's and aunt's deaths had been her fault and her fault alone. But for now, she just continued to cry.

"It's alright, Leonna. Love makes you cry. Love makes you cry," he repeated until his granddaughter was asleep in his arms.

 

"How is she?" Raina asked her father. "Will she be alright?"

"The girl is tough, let me tell you. A work of magic like she performed would drain any person with the Mark, but even an experienced Marksman would have nearly died from the strength it took to create an inferno like she did. She's just drained. It will take a few more days for her magic to trickle back in, but for now her body is healing. Her mind may take some more time, I fear," he explained to her.

"I can't believe this happened. If only I had seen it coming," Raina said blaming herself and throwing her hands to her face.

Eros scoffed, "Now none of that. Your daughter just cried a river on me and I don't need that from you too. You know damn well I had the house warded in every nook and cranny and even I didn't see it coming. We grew complacent, Raina."

"We did. And because we did we had to bury two members of our family." A silence fell between them. A cricket chirped from somewhere near the text as Eros smashed a mosquito that had found its way into their sleeping quarters.

"I miss them too, but we don't have time to dwell on it. The Hand is most likely within hours of us right now, hunting us down like wild geese. And you know as well as I that they won't stop until they have found us and...eliminated the threat."

Raina glared at her father. Under her eyes was puffy, red, and swollen from the constant stream of tears that fell down her face. Her hair was unkept and disheveled along with her clothes which were soaked with mud and sweat. They haven't had an opportunity to bathe since they buried Tendoy at the stream two days prior. Her normally clean complexion was dotted with spots and blisters from the fire her daughter created that saved her life and claimed her inn.

"Let's sleep. We can worry about all this another day. For now we still have to run."

Raina silently agreed and drifted off to sleep.

 

The small group was up before the sun and worked on preparing the camp for another long day's ride. For a week now they had travelled directly east of Glory Mane through tough woods and overgrown pathways towards the border of Lendolg and its neighbor, Screnford where they would find peace and safety. Or at least that's what they believed.

Eros outlined their route in the dirt with a minuscule twig, his maps of the country having burned in the fire during the escape. They planned to take the east roads as far as they could before turning northeast and crossing the border. It was a rough plan, but they were willing to accept anything to hang onto. For now, they would shuffle past other travellers headed west with their heads down and eyes fixed on the ground.

Their routine was simple enough. The overly eager Brencis would make breakfast which normally consisted of a dark brown gruel. They ate in silence, Eros helping Leonna eat in the wagon. After, Jonathan would take down the tents, put out the fire, and clear their tracks while Raina and Brencis readied the horses and ox.

After their chores were complete, they would mount up and begin a day of long riding.

None of them like it but they all understood the consequences of slowing down. The thoughts of death or, even worse, chains, kept them going.

Raina took the lead establishing the pace which pushed the large, old ox taking up the rear just enough for them to make a strong headway for the day. Brencis and Jonathan came directly behind her.

"You know, this thing is really itchy," Brencis whined itching at a leaf hardened with clay over the burns he received in the blast.

"Stop," was all Jonathan replied to him.

"But it's killing me!" he exaggerated still clawing at the bandage.

"That's not the only thing that's about to kill you."

He scoffed, still itching. "Jeez. Someone hates morning," Brencis said before urging his horse to a trot to come up alongside Raina.

Hearing his horse speed up Raina called out, "It's not the time, Brencis! Why don't you go into the wagon with Leonna? She could probably use the company. I'll walk your horse beside mine," she half offered half ordered. She turned her horse to show the others she intended on stopping while calling out, "Halt!"

Jonathan grumbled under his breath, "We're right here. You don't have to yell."

            “And you, don’t even get me started,” she said wagging a finger in Jonathon’s direction. “Keep your comments to yourself. You’d think I’m dealing with a bunch of children, I swear. Nyx help us all.”

            “You’re not a morning person either,” Brencis observed.

            His horse bolted from underneath him throwing him backwards. He screamed just barely clutching the reins in time before being thrown to the ground.

            Raina let out a deep chuckle. "I needed that," she said just barely audible.

Jonathan relieved not to have to deal with Brencis for the moment nudged his horse into motion, passing Raina.

Turning her head she asked, "And where do you think you're going?"

"Anywhere but here," was his curt reply.

"I'm the leader of this group. You stay behind me."

"Because you're going such a great job of that," he replied sarcastically. "Have you even seen your niece lately?"

Embarrassed she turned away forfeiting the match between her and their mysterious guest. "Dad!"

"Back here."

Dismounting from her horse, she walked back to Eros' place above the old ox. Walking up to the giant creature she gave it two strong pats on the side before leaning against it.

"Have you seen Ayala this morning?"

Sighing he said, "Yes, I have. She's in the wagon speaking with Leonna. I believe they're trying to cope with the loss of two members of their family."

"Oh."

"Would you like to join them? I can take the lead and Brencis, wherever that damned boy went off to, can drive this old gal." Standing the older man reached his hands up towards the air and stretched long and hard. "A horse beats this old wooden bench any day. His young bones can take it. Mine can't."

"Why don't we leave the girls time to speak? I would probably interrupt their time. Ayala hasn't said much since that night."

She found herself fondling with excuses to not enter the wagon.  Raina didn't know why, but the thought of grieving with anyone but herself made her uneasy. Her thoughts were her own and the people she was leading, family or otherwise, didn't need a weak leader. Tears to her were weakness. She would avoid them as best as she could.

Pushing all thoughts of grief aside she said, "I'll go get Brencis. You and he can switch to give you a bit of a break." With that she turned to find the thin, loudmouthed boy while forcing back the small salty pools welling up behind her eyes. Raina Tucker would not cry. She would not be weak today. 

 

The two girls cried together that day.

Leonna was strong enough now to sit and crawl awkwardly inside the low-ceilinged wagon, but she mostly decided to lay on the straw bed she'd come to loathe. However, it was the best option in the tight space she now called home.

Ayala lay next to her, cheeks wet with tears that matched her cousin's. They said nothing, thought nothing, felt nothing.

The girls fixated their gaze on the ceiling as the wagon shook, steadied, and shook again. Neither of the girls seemed to care as they were jostled about like sacks of potatoes.

They mourned for their father and uncle, and their aunt and mother. They mourned for their future, one forever changed.

"You know," Ayala spoke, "we'll never be able to have a normal life again. Not in Lendolg at least."

Leonna said nothing for several minutes, not knowing how to reply. Her cousin was right. Things were forever changed. There was no more Tucker Inn. No more family dinners. No more future as far as the girls were convinced.

"We could start over in Scanford," Leonna offered feebly. "It's not much but it's something."

"It's not the same. Nothing will ever be the same. I'm an orphan. You're half an orphan. There's no future for us anywhere."

Not wanting to tell Ayala that Leonna believed she was wrong she remained quiet counting the holes in the roof of the wagon for what seemed to be the hundredth time.

"How are you feeling?" Ayala asked. "I can't believe just starting that fire wore you out this much." She turned propping up her head on her hand.

In truth, Leonna felt like she had before the fire-before the magic. Nothing felt different except for the occasional call to the small candle they placed with her at night.

"I feel better," was all she could say.

"Better? That's it? You've been in here since we left home, or what was left of it at least. Which let me tell you, wasn't much. You really managed to do a number on it."

"Are you trying to say something by that, Ayala?" she spat sitting up.

Ayala did as well. "I'm just saying, you could have controlled it a little bit better. How hard could it be?"

"How hard could it be?" Leonna repeated before throwing herself bad down onto her bed. "I was upset. I couldn’t control it. My dad and your mom had just been cut down in front of us. I lost control. It’s harder than you could imagine. "

"Yea right. I've heard it's just like using your arm. You don't know how you're able to move it, you just do. Does it feel like that? An arm I mean."

Leonna closed her eyes. "Why do you care so much?" she asked.

"I don't. I just wanted to know if it was true." She shrugged and laid back down next to her cousin.

“Well it’s not.” Leonna pulled her sleeve up to reveal the three red parallel lines on her wrist. “I didn’t want this and everything that came with it.”

            Small tears began to run down her cheeks as she thought of her father- the man she would never see again. They weren’t the closest. Her father was always more focused on the business that her in her eyes, when, in reality, he strictly cared for his daughter and securing her future. She would never blame him for all he did that set them apart, but she would never truly accept it. Leonna missed him, nonetheless. He was her father, and she was his daughter. That bond was one only they could understand. And now he was gone. One half of her whole and one half of her identity was obliterated in a tower of flames and now his ashes float in some unnamed pond carried there by some unnamed stream. The knowledge that she would never see her father again, ate away at her soul each day like the band of termites that continued to eat away at parts of her wagon. Eventually she would be ground up and spit out by the termite of life.

            Ayala’s voice cut through her thoughts. “I’m getting out of here,” she told Leonna half crouching half standing her hands placed promptly on her kneecaps. “I don’t know how you can stand sitting in here all day!” With that she pulled back the tattered curtains and hopped from the steadily moving wagon.

            Leonna left the curtains opened so she could breathe in fresh air for a moment. She breathed deeply, letting her lungs inflate with the crisp country air. The breath escaped slowly and she took another and then another as if to muster up the courage to brave her new life and new beginning. Leonna stood and walked to the edge of the wagon’s opening. One foot dangling out over the ground, she leapt.

 

            "Let me drive her for a while," Leonna told her grandfather as she walked next to the teetering wagon.

"Ah, well look who's away," he said cheerfully but not entirely surprised. "Ayala had told us you would probably be stumbling out of there some time soon. I'm glad you did." He winked. "Now climb up next to me. We have much to discuss." Eros shifted from the middle of the small bench to the far left allowing plenty of room for his granddaughter.

"I think I should go up there and let mom know I'm up and moving first," she said picking up her pace.

They were on a small road Leonna could tell. The path was barely visible except for the dug in track marks from undoubted years of use. Around them the air was open, except for a few small trees that dotted the landscape. The grass was greener than any she had seen in Glory Mane, except for in the garden tended by her grandfather. She glanced towards her mother knowing, in truth, she should let her know she was alright, but she didn't feel quite ready.

As if sensing her discomfort, Eros told her again to take a seat next to him. Obeying her grandfather she climbed up easily with steady hands. The undyed breeches and loose fitting shirt she had dressed in today, let her move freely and easily up the side of the wagon. Sitting down next to her grandfather she drew in a deep breath.

"You may want to do a better job of covering that," he commented nodding towards the Mark on her wrist. "You keeping that hidden could mean life or death for the rest of us. I don't know about you, but I prefer life," he jested.

Looking at her wrist Leonna said, "Oh. Sorry. I'm still getting used to it." She pulled her sleeve back and clutched it in with her fingers unwilling to make the mistake again. Embarrassed she apologized again.

"It's alright. Just remember from now on. Make no mistake, I may have been Marked a long time ago, but I may not be able to protect us from all that's ahead. I will be relying on you to make this the easiest trip possible."

"Yes, grandpa. I won't let it happen again."

Hitting a large bump the wagon jolted up throwing Leonna into the air. Landing squarely on her backside, she muttered a curse and rubbed her back unknowingly exposing her Mark once again.

A pebble rose from the ground and threw itself at her head.

"Ow! What was that?" She asked now rubbing her back and her head.

"Your Mark," was Eros' smug reply. "Until you learn to cover it I have to teach you the hard way." Another pebble whizzed towards her head. Leonna swayed to the right to dodge in and as she did another hit her in the stomach.

"Stop!" She called out pulling her sleeve back up over her wrist. "The White Hand will only get me if you don't kill me first!"

Now sporting a full white beard from constant travel Eros laughed through it.

"You and your cousin have a natural knack for being dramatic." Now straightening out he continued, "They were just pebbles. Next time it will be stones."

"I can't wait for that," Leonna replied.

"If you do not want to be hit keep your Mark hidden at all times. We'll have to find some kind of long gloves that extend over the wrist. Or we can find a tighter fitting shirt so the sleeves don't constantly move up. Or we could cover it with dirt..." Eros trailed off still mumbling to himself instead of to Leonna.

Now knowing what to do Leonna spoke, "Well I'm going to go up by Mom to let her know I'm up."

Snapping back into reality Eros said, "No. You will be staying here with me. We have much to discuss."

Leonna settled back down trying to decide whether she wanted to sit all the way back on the bench over the crack that kept pinching her thighs, or sit forward but run the risk of snapping the board. She ultimately concluded that dealing with a few small pinches was better that falling off in front of the large wheels of the wagon. Finally still she asked, "What do you want to discuss?"

Eros scratched as his beard sending small flakes falling like small pieces of snow.

"Your Mark of course. Do you know what it means?"

"I don't understand the question. It means I have magic. Apparently with fire," she said regretfully.

"Well of course that's what it means. That's not exactly the complicated part. Do you know what the color stands for, girl?"

Leonna racked her brains for a moment of all she knew of Marks and magic. Never had she ever caught a piece of information regarding colors of Marks. She had assumed they were all the same color- most likely black. But apart from her imagination, she knew nothing and she hated admitting that.

"No, I don't know."

"I thought as much." Eros shifted getting comfortable. He adjusted his grip on the reins to a better position and leaned backwards. "This bench is horrible for an old man like me," he grumbled.

Impatient, Leonna asked, "What about the color of my Mark? It's red. So what?"

"So what? Ah, your generation knows nothing of Marks and their power yet new people unlock their power each day. It's a wonder our cities haven't all burned down ye- I apologize," Eros said catching his words. Watching Leonna's eyes lower to the ground Eros knew he had hurt the girl. She couldn’t have been able to control what she was doing. Not with her Mark and the horrible situation she had found herself in when she became a Marksman.

"Leonna, Marks vary from person to person. Each pattern and shape are different. Much like the snowflakes that fall in winter or the cows that the old bat outside of town raised. No two are the same. However, there are a few things that remain consistent. Take a look at mine," he offered raising a pant leg and exposing the Mark on his ankle.

"I wish I could throw a pebble at you right now," Leonna commented snidely.

"You hush. Look at it. What do you see that is different from yours? Apart from the pattern of course.”

Her grandfather's Mark was a perfect blue circle resting on his ankle bone. It was simple, like her grandfather and she found it rather unremarkable.

"The color is different than mine. Yours is a dark blue and mine is a bright red. Why is that?"

He lowered his pant leg and situated himself agin onto the bench.

"There are five different types of Marks that have been recorded. There may be other out there that have yet to be documented or were after I went into hiding."

"Why did yo-"

"Later," Eros said cutting off his granddaughter. "If I am going to be teaching you, you will have to let me talk. Where was I?" he asked.

Unsure if the question was directed at her or Eros was asking himself Leonna remained quiet.

"Well?"

"You were telling me about the five different types of Marks."

"Ah, yes. How could I forget? There are five different Marks we know of that each manifest in a different color. For example, blue is the color of Birth. Meaning I received my Mark from my parents who were both Marked. From the day I was born I had this Mark and I will have it till the day I die. The color also tells me what will fuel the magic of the Marksman. For my magic is fueled by my existence. It is an inherent part of who I am. Almost like another arm or hand."

Leonna snickered. Looks like Ayala was right for once, she thought to herself.

"What's funny?" Eros asked her.

"Nothing, sorry." Leonna said forcing the smile off her face.

Eros looked at her with disbelief, but continued anyway. "The other Marks represent individuals who had to unlock their magic, such as yourself. Now this is not saying that the Mark of Birth is stronger than the others. We have the same magical limitations as the rest such as overuse and over exhaustion of our abilities which you are very familiar with. Are you following?"

Leonna took to nodding her head.

"Good. Now the other Marks and their colors are as follows, and I expect you to remember this list and be able to recall it at any time. If need be I will throw a pebble or two. At any rate, the Mark of the Gods is shown by a silver Mark; Power is yellow; emotion is blue, and the last is the Mark of Blood, such as yours, that manifest in a red color."

Leonna absorbed the information rapidly which only spouted a million questions all she thought needed answering, but one shone through the rest. Pushing her hair from her face her skin was remarkably drained of color afraid to receive the answer to her question.

"So, what fuels my Mark?"

"It's hard to say. I have only met a small handful of individuals who sport the Mark of Blood, but from my understanding you are fueled by emotions the other Marks do not utilize. My dear, your magic is fueled by rage, anger, and death. As that is how it came to be. We will have to learn together how to best unlock your power.”

Stunned Leonna sat on the bumping wagon silently. She knew the situation back at Tucker Inn was the reason her magic had manifested, however, what she did not anticipate was to have to think of the man that killed her father each time she wanted to use her magic. It was now both a gift and a curse she wish she could return.

"Is there any way I won't have to think about everything when I use it? Or do I have to relive it each time?" Her voice trembled. She recoiled from it.

"My dear, I do not know how your Mark will work. I never expected to have to teach someone with the Mark of Blood. The others are more common and I have more knowledge in line with those magics I admit. But I will do all I can for you.”

"Okay."

"Is that all you have to say girl?"

"Yes. May I go back to lay down? I'm still a bit tired."

Frowning Eros replied, "Yes, go ahead. Come out when you awake. We have training to do."

Leonna turned to climb down before being stopped by Eros' hand gripping her elbow.

"You're going to be fine." Releasing her arm he dug into his pocket. "Here." He offered Leonna a small rock, purple in color. The amethyst danced with the light from the midday sun. "Hold onto it. Remember what I told you about the powers this stone has." He offered a wavering smile before placing the crystal into her hand and waving her off.

Leonna climbed from the wagon and disappeared into the back. 

Eros' back cramped again and he hollered ahead.

"Brencis! Get back here and take over for me!" Under his breath he muttered, "Damned seat. Can't wait to be rid of this blasted thing."

4: Control

Chapter 4

 

"Is everyone prepared?"

"Mom, for the hundredth time, we’re ready. Our Marks are covered, we're coated in dirt, and our packs are ready to be transferred. Let's just get it over with already!"

Two days after Leonna had been told of the origin of her Mark, they approached the town of Sandstone. In comparison to Glory Mane it was just a small village rather than a boundless and bustling city. It stood next to a small forest the town used for fuel and building their hut like homes. A few men were out in trees while the Tucker group passed on a small dirt path almost into the town. 

"There is no use in us trying to get the border if we aren't all on the same page every step of the way. Am I clear Leonna? We cannot be discovered."

"I think I get the idea by now," she shot back.

Her mother's brow lowered followed by her chin.

"Do not talk back to me, Leonna."

"Guys, let's just get this over with. C'mon," Brencis argues in an attempt to keep the peace.

His arm had healed from his mild burns and he no longer attacked the itch on his arm. Now a new piece of new soft pink flesh was there. His outfit matched his fellow travelers.

They had managed to buy off some old, dirty, and frankly, smelly clothes from a few men on the road headed west. They had told the men they were a group of farmers who were in need of finding new land that was a bit more fertile than the land they had. Brencis made the suggestion that they tell the men that their farm had burned down. He was ignored.

Now they approached the entrance into the town. Nervously, Brencis picked at his new skin. Leonna clutched her sleeve in an odd fashion that caught Brencis' attention. Her knuckles white, she clutched it as if her life would end if she let go. Brencis  urged his horse over to her.

"Put your arm down," he whispered to her. "You''re being pretty obvious."

Her face turned red and she put her arm back down at her side.

"It's covered with a bandage right?"

"Yea it is," she replied.

"So then you're fine," Brencis told her and flashed her a big smile of encouragement.

She offered a faint smile back. "Thanks."

"Of course." She stared at him, blankly not knowing what to say.

Brencis found himself shifting on his horse's back uncomfortably. His courage had vanished. Her hair was dirty and tumbled over her face. They thought it was best to help in hiding their identity. But even with her hair incredibly filthy he still noticed the small streaks the sunlight caught. Her hair also didn't stop him from counting the six freckles on the left side of her face.

Staring, he couldn't look away.

His horse suddenly picked up speed moving itself away from Leonna's.

He let out a sudden noise of surprise.

"Keep moving lover boy. Now's not the time," Jonathan told him darkly taking his place next to Leonna.

Even in dirt and grime, Brencis still had to admit that the man was attractive, which he loathed. Brencis had finally had the courage to talk to this beautiful girl and her this man is forcing him away from her.

He glared back at the man before turning his horse and moving it back next to the big ox away from the two members of the group.

Pouting, he folded his arms and continued trotting.

"Look sharp everyone,” Raina Tucker hissed at they entered the town.

Each member of their group lowered their heads avoiding any and all forms of eye contact that would invite any of the simple townspeople to come speak with them. All but one of them that is.

Jonathon roade his horse head high hood down meeting the eyes of each person he passed half studying them and half daring them to say a word. Leonna saw this and nudged him in the side with her elbow to which he then put his arm around her.

"What're you doing? Get off me." She struggled from his strong grip.

"Stop fussing. We'll seem more convincing this way. We look far too different to be siblings and you quarrel enough that you could be my wife. Now hold still," he ordered losing patience.

Gripping the reins of her dark brown mare she forced it to her left bumping into his night black stallion forcing it to swerve away from hers and allowing her to slip from his grasp.

Raina, seeing this, travelled quickly forward between her two charges.

"Enough," she hissed through clenched teeth and a false smile. "What part of don't draw attention do you two not understand?"

Leonna rolled her eyes and Jonathon just laughed.

"Quiet," Raina hissed again but he continued to laugh.

"You think you have this power and control over me, woman. I just travel with you because of your lovely daughter. Make no mistake, you are not the leader of this group."

"Am I not? Then who is?"

"Why, no one. We all travel together, but only to remain safe. You speak to no one except to give orders or complain. That is not the mark of a leader."

"How dare you, you ungrateful little-"

"Ah, now don't say anything you might regret," he warned. "Let us get back to our ride. You wouldn't want to draw unwanted attention," he said with a dark smirk.

"Just let it go, Mom," Leonna told her seeing one of her infamous rages flashes across her face marked by a deep red hue. "Go back by Ayala. I'll find out where we can stay tonight." And without a word from her mother, Leonna moved from the road towards a group of older women just down the road perpendicular from theirs.

When Leonna was within a few yards from the women she dismounted from her horse, adjusted her wrinkled clothing, made sure her mark was still securely covered, and approached them.

Unsure of what to say, she just began with a nervous, "Excuse me."

One of the women, dressed in a light pink cotton dress and a headdress to match, turned towards Leonna then back to her group, ignoring the girl's words.

Trying again Leonna, placed herself neared to the woman and said, "Excuse me. I just have a question for you."

"We will give you no money," another of the women spat towards her.

"I'm not asking for money. I need to know where they may be a place to stay for the night and where we may be able to sell an ox and a cart."

"This is no concern of ours."

"I understand that, but I could just use some help. Any suggestion would be-"

"Leave us. We will not help you.

Leonna felt her temper rise and her blood beginning to boil. To her right stood a small alter to the goddess Nyx. Not more than knee high, it housed an almost insignificant candle, which happened to be lit.

The flame called to her, urging Leonna to shape it and let it dance. She was frozen unmoving. Her Mark demanded she use the fire and she make it her own. However, she knew it could mean death and the White Hand always seemed to be near.

The flame grew just enough to draw the old ladies eyes. It turned into a small campfire and the ladies' eyes widened in horror as it continued to grow seemingly on its own. Still unmoving she wanted to let the flame loose, to cover the ground, the town, these women.

She filled it with her pain and anger, and it grew. More and more. Little by little.

Until a hand grasped her shoulder shaking her from the trance that took her over. The flame extinguished no longer fueled by her magic and having gobbled up the small candle.

Leonna's knees gave out and she collapsed into Jonathan's arms with Brencis and her family looking on.

The women had fled by then, fleeing in several different directions with shouts of, "Magic!," "She has the Mark," "The devil will burn us all!" That only caused Leonna's face to burn hotter.

"Take me to the wagon, please," she said hanging her head in shame.

"As you wish," he told her lifting her up and carrying towards their group.

"I can't believe I lost control..." she stated weakly.

Jonathan snickered.

"I could have killed them all because they were rude and you're laughing? I exposed us. We have to keep moving now."

"We all lose control at one point or another," was his vague answer.

They passed the small huts and mud building of the town and headed into the back of their wagon, which they had hoped desperately to sell, and were stopped by Eros just as Jonathan put a foot on the back of it.

"No. She will learn that what she does with her magic has consequences. Put her on a horse. We're leaving the wagon."

"She can barely stand," Jonathan argued.

"That is no matter to me. Ride next to her so she doesn't fall, or she can ride in front of you. I care not. She will learn not to lose control." And with that Eros turned towards the on edge and agitated Raina and Ayala Tucker having known what could have happened had Jonathan not stopped Leonna from going deeper into her magic.

Ayala shivered.

Raina fought back tears.

And Brencis turned away and started down the road. He didn't want to die today.

Jonathan hoisted Leonna onto his horse and mounted behind her not allowing her slip off.

"Sleep. It'll help," was his order.

Leonna was already dancing with the flames in a world where being Marked was of no consequence.

 

Raina confronted her father after Leonna had been asleep several hours. They had travelled in virtual silence except for Brencis' constant babbling. The road had been clear after the town and they passed not a single soul.

Raina was grateful for the peace of not having to shift everyone to the side of the road so families with wagons, or a group of men could pass without incident. The lack of traffic also reduced the risk of being discovered and after Leonna's slip up there was quite a chance they could be.

"Dad. May I speak with you?"

"Later, Raina. I have quite a headache. Brencis! Be quiet back there!"

"Sorry, sir!"

"That boy will be the death of me."

"That's if Leonna doesn't burn our caravan down when she gets upset."

"Ah, I see where this is going. I'm trying, Raina. I haven't trained another Marked person in years, let alone one with the Mark of Blood," he said quietly just for Raina to hear. "She's not ready for any formal training yet."

"Then make her ready. Not only is she a danger to herself, she's a danger to us. You need to teach her control. There must be something you can do."

He itched his beard in thought. Then his back. Then his beard again.

"When she wakes up we'll stop for the day. We'll work on breathing."

"Breathing? BREATHING? That's your big plan!" Raina shouted exasperated with her father.

"We must start small."

"Whatever you need to do, do it. I'd hate to have to knock my daughter out every time we have to go somewhere there may be people. I don't think her head would be able to take it," she joked.

"I assume not. I'll check on her and maybe we can start now. The sun will be setting soon and we better set up camp."

Raina hadn't noticed the faintly setting sun. It had just begun to cast a pink glow just on the horizon. The other hues of red, orange, and yellow would be coming soon, and with the loss of the sun meant the loss light and visibility. They had to have camp set before they lost the light.

Taking just a moment she studied the sun again wishing she could view the sunset back in Glory Mane just over the lake. The streams of light reflected just slightly in the ever moving water of the lake. The last time she had seen it was with her husband as they stood arm in arm on the banks. The ships had returned to the docks and shoveled out their day's catch. Screaming children followed their mother's home, not prepared for a night of sleep. But to the couple those sights and noises meant nothing, for they had each other and their time together.

"I love you," Tendoy had said to her. His endearments usually came when Raina was unprepared and unsuspecting.

Catching her off guard, she looked up into this eyes and gave him a small kiss without a word. He knew what it meant.

But now she was watching the sunset alone, alone as one could be in the midst of a group of people. She craved for one more, "I love you." But she knew one would never come.

 

Leonna woke up with next to no effort. With just a small grumble she climbed from Jonathan's horse muttering a quiet thank you and followed her grandfather as the others would set up camp. Groggy she followed him blindly into a grove of pine trees where they could speak undisturbed. The bed of this isolated forest was covered in the needles from each tree some a dark brown and other a new pale green. The pair found a spot mostly uncovered by the needles and sat legs crossed facing one another.

"Tonight you will learn how to breathe," Eros explained to Leonna. "Breathing is the firs step in being able to control your temper and your magic. You will remain quiet the rest of the evening unless I ask you a question. Do you understand?"

She nodded unsure if she could answer him verbally.

As if satisfied Eros smiled and said, "good."

"We will complete this exercise together."

He shifted on the ground finding a comfortable place on the hard ground.

"I suggest you get comfortable," he told Leonna seeing her unmoving.

She shook her head indicating that she was indeed comfortable. In truth Leonna was far from comfortable. The ground dug at her backside and the pine needles poked through her this pants. But she was excited and ready to learn from her grandfather how to use magic- something she had always dreamed of doing. She hadn't planned to learn how to use her Mark in her current circumstances, but she couldn't wait nonetheless.

Peering around with a puzzled look on his face Eros finally said, "It looks as if I have forgotten something." He stood. "It may get a bit shaky for a moment."

Eros took a deep breath and opened his eyes. The ground under Leonna shook briefly and moved under her. Four slabs of rock drove themselves from the ground on each side of the pair towering over Leonna and her grandfather. To her it looked almost like the rock coffins that had swallowed up the men of the White Hand in her house only a couple week ago. A shiver ran through her as she pictured her aunt's motionless body, bloodstained and broken.

But she remembered not to speak.

Her grandfather sat and lit a candle with his flint and steel.

"Don't get any ideas," he told her as his arm thrust above him and in a flash entombed them in the rock tower.

"This lesson is meant to do two things. First, you will learn how to breathe and stave off any rushes of magic. Second, you will learn to not burn yourself or I alive. The flame will call to you just as the earth calls to me. You must resist it. For if you don't you risking killing the both of that. That leaves the rest of your family alone with no protection for the rest of the ride west."

Leonna's eyes widened as Eros spoke. The flame already beckoned to her and her magic wanted to answer its call so desperately. But she suppressed it as much as she could without knowing exactly how.  Her magic swelled and turned begging to be used, but she refused to let it overpower her this time.

"Well, we aren't dead yet. That's a step."

Leonna felt accomplished that she hadn't burned her grandfather to death, yet. However, her magic was still craving the flame.

"Can...we...put...it...out?" She whispered afraid if she spoke the flame would leap into her throat.

Her grandfather's brow lowered. "I told you not to speak. Remain silent. You're doing as you need to. We can't worry each time you're near a flame that it'll erupt into an inferno. Do you want to be asleep for a week again next time you lose control? What if you're in danger and instead to controlling your magic it overpowers you and you pass out or worse die."

Leonna hadn't thought about that.

"Ignore the fire. It's insignificant. Close your eyes and focus on just my voice."

She did so.

"Do you still feel the pull of the flame? You may speak."

"Yes."

"Good. Now push it from your mind."

“Easier said than done,” she argued.

“Now,” he ordered.

Leonna sat unresponsive, attempting to concentrate on something other than the flame. She found herself at a loss.

“I can’t,” she admitted feeling defeated and sweating.

"Yes, you can. Focus on your breathing. Breathe in at a count to nine. Hold it for nine seconds. Then release it in the same fashion."

Leonna sat puzzled, but knew she had no other options. Her control was slipping. In her mind's eye she saw the flame growing as it began to feed on her magic like an aphid might a leaf.

So she breathed.

At first nothing changed. The flame overpowered the count and her focus constantly failed.

After four times of following her grandfather's instructions the her primal magical urges began to fade.

"Good," Eros told her. "Continue this until you extinguish the flame."

And after about an hour of deep breathing, the flame blew out defeated and silently cursing Leonna for eliminating it.

She stood abruptly about to jump for joy before clumsily falling back to the ground, her leg cramping mercilessly. Leonna till smiled although she now had a broken coronet of pine needles dotting her hair.

"I did it," she said a full smile taking over her face.

"You did. But next time it must be quicker."

Leonna propped herself up glaring at her grandfather.

"You've never been this hard on me before," she told him.

Eros pressed his hand to his head. "I've never had to worry about you burning someone alive before," was his curt comment. "Things have changed Leonna. I am no longer your grandfather. I am your teacher. If you kill somebody, it is my fault and I would have failed you. We will not let that happen. You will learn control and you will have to learn it quickly. Do you understand?" His eyes met her directly daring her to say anything else. Instead she hid her face in her hands and began to cry gently.

Eros didn't make any attempt to stop or console her. Instead he lowed their earthen enclosure, stood, and followed the faint odor of Brencis' gruel back to camp.

Leonna continued to cry, not noticing the small spark of the flame she failed to extinguish.

 

"Where is Ayala?" Raina asked Brencis as he stirred their dinner.

Camp had only taken a few minutes to set up with each person assuming their normal roles. Although Eros wasn't there to help they managed and they managed well. They chose a small clearing within another fir tree grove only a couple minutes walk from the one Leonna and Eros were now training in. The clearing just fit the group and their horses comfortably. They didn't mind, however, as they no longer had to find a place for the wagon and its leader.

"I haven't seen her for a while," Brencis answered without paying too much attention.

"She probably went to find something else to eat," he continued. "We're all getting sick of this stuff." He picked up a spoonful of his brown concoction and let it fall with a plop for emphasis.

"Well it's all we have for now until we're able to stop somewhere with any incidents."

"I could just ride ahead and get us some supplies," he offered. "It would be nice to get away from that guy," Brencis whispered pointed a finger towards Jonathan.

Raina smacked his shoulder with a twinge of a smile. She had grown to enjoy the boy's company despite his various flaws. He talked too much, complained incessantly, fought with Jonathan every chance he got, and always managed to be causing himself some kind of physical pain. The boy was a mess in Raina's eyes. But he was sweet and he seemed to genuinely care for him diminished family, and allies were something the Tucker's would need in the days to come.

"Jonathan, would you mind going out to find Ayala. I still have a few things to do around here." She was in a pleasant enough mood. No need to order anyone around tonight.

"You're learning. Good," was all he said before walking off into the trees.

Brencis watched him go. He couldn't help the growing feeling of doom that seemed to branch out even further every time he saw the brute. He always seemed to be thinking- no, calculating. He watched Brencis constantly, and Leonna too. Brencis didn't trust him, and he wasn't sure if that was because he was jealous Leonna obviously ogled the guy when he wasn't looking or because he was genuinely scared of the man. Brencis wasn't sure if he wanted to wait to find out.

"Raina?"

"Yea?" she called back still folding the few sets of clothes that had managed to fall from her bag.

"What do you know about that guy?"

"Jonathan? We don't know too much. Just that he needed to get out of the country. And fast. I guess someone had seen his Mark and was blackmailing him for money and when Jonathan didn't pay, they were going to report him. He was going to be leaving us in the morning to meet up with a contact of ours. But that obviously didn't work out," she said off hand. "Apart from that I don't know anything else. I learned a long time ago not to ask questions."

"What's his Mark?"

She looked at him sidelong.

"What did I just say? We don't ask much. I never found out what his gift was, where his Mark was located, or the pattern. It wasn't for me to know." Raina paused realizing her folly. "I'll have Eros speak with him in the morning. Maybe we can put his Mark to use, depending on what it is of course."

"Of course," Brencis replied before continuing to still their dinner.

 

Ayala was sick of her family and the two men that travelled with them. Correction: one man and one boy. She had especially grown tired of the constant bickering Brencis seemed to cause. He was easy and efficient at getting under her skin and she wasn't sure why. To Ayala he was the brother she never wanted, but now had. So she had decided to take a walk.

Part of her longed to continue walking. And walking. And walking until she couldn't walk anymore and she was far away from all this. Ayala wanted her old life back. It was comfortable and convenient. She always had hot, delicious meals on the table, she was able to see her friends anytime she desired, and there she had a family. But the moment the White Hand opened the door to the Tucker Inn and slaughtered Ayala knew things would never be the same.

And the Mark just below her collar bone was proof. The blood-red Mark consisted of three half circles a small, medium, and large one that formed a small wavelike pattern. She knew from the moment her mother had died covered in her own blood that magic now coursed through her veins and it took every ounce of her being to not have slaughtered those from the White Hand quickly and easily. But she resisted, and as it turned out, her cousin had managed to do that for her.

Ayala discovered her talent in the back of the ox pulled wagon one night while she looked over her dear, weak cousin. Ayala hadn't felt weak that night. She felt powerful and angry.

It was dark-almost pitch black. The moon shone only faintly casting a white glow over the landscape. It had been three days since they left Glory Mane and the road threw her this way and that. Her aunt thought it best not to stop that night and push through their weariness. According to her those that were sure to follow them wouldn't travel at night, and this would give them just enough of an edge to outlast their pursuers. She went along with it doubting that if anyone wanted to kill them that they would hardly wait until morning. Instead she watched over her cousin.

Leonna was sleeping as she did for the longest time. Ayala pitied her cousin and how weak she was. Ayala never planned to be as weak and helpless as she was when her mother was killed. Nothing like that would happen again she decided.

The candle sitting next to Ayala offered a tiny amount of heat and light for the girls, but not much. The bugs had been horrible the first leg of their journey. They passed through a small bog and mosquitos had been draining the group of their blood and sanity.

Ayala absentminded traced over her Mark, knowing well its pattern. She felt the power emanating from it-from her. She just didn't know how to harness it. As she traced it she thought of her mother and all that she had lost and as she was doing so a mosquito stole her blood and flew away crossing Ayala's line of sight. Instinctively she went to catch the annoying insect and it was in that moment she discovered her power.

Instead of holding a bloodgorged bug in her hand she held a stream of pure light just brighter that the candle. Mesmerized she stared at it for several minutes unsure of what to do and terrified someone would see. She held it steady and watched the beams flow to and fro in their confines. Finally she decided to turn it hand over hand testing its weight, which she determined was nothing.

Bouncing it up and down in her right hand she didn't know what to do with it. She couldn't just throw it out the back of the wagon. That was sure to cause a fuss. Instead she flattened it with her left hand forcing it to elongate. She rolled the light in her hands flattening the tip to a point.

Gripping the new projectile in her hand she threw it towards the wooden wall of the wagon and it firmly rooted itself in the old wood. The light stayed bright for a few moments before extinguishing.

Ecstatic, Ayala rushed forward with the candle careful to not fall over her cousin in the tight space and investigated the spot where her light dagger had hit.

Viewing it closely there was a deep gouge where the light had embedded itself in the wall.

Smiling Ayala sat back pleased and the rest of her evening was spent catching light, forming daggers, and throwing them.

She couldn't wait for the next time she saw a member of the White Hand.

 

Doing as she had that night Ayala caught the light from the moon, which was a softer light than that of the candle the first night she discovered her power. It shone white instead of the harsher yellow of the sun and other sources of light. Unlike those it also didn't form well into the light daggers she had grown fond of. It constantly wanted to change shape into a small fog that followed the contours of her hand. Ayala forced them anyway into the compact daggers and threw them as soon as they were complete. They didn't penetrate as deeply as the others, but she figured when she was desperate the light of the moon would work well enough.

Ayala was puzzled by this particular light and was still unsure what to do with it if not form daggers. But that was a problem for another night. For now she would practice throwing.

Intent on the task at hand she never heard Jonathan in the trees behind her watching the eighteen year old dance awkwardly in an attempt to seem threatening with her small weapons. Her stance was inconsistent and rough. Her target was the tree a few yards from her and she missed more times she was able to hit the bark.

Content watching her, he Jonathan waited in the dark.

She grasped at the air above her, rather than to the side as would be easier, then quickly rolled the light in her hand a released. He had never seen a Mark like hers. She would make for a quick and efficient ally, with training of course.

After a dozen more throws the man became weary of watching her miss and miss again. Her black hair was matted to her neck with sweat. It had been humid all day and it seemed it had transferred into the night.

"You have a poor stance," he called out to Ayala.

With a screech she fell back dropping the light she had been working on as Jonathan emerged from the shadows.

"What are you doing here!?" she screamed at him while grasping again for light. She immediately formed it and threw it in his direction. It missed and landed in a bush to his right.

 "Stay away from me!" She yelled as she stood forming another dagger in terror.

"I'm not going to out you to those buffoons," he said cooly.

"That's my family!" she said throwing another going just a bit wide, but closer than the other. She had just began to form another when he was upon her.

Jonathan grabbed her pale wrist just where her sleeves left it exposed.

Ayala's eyes rolled back in her head and she collapsed swiftly to the hard ground, shaking violently.

"See? You didn't give me a chance to talk and look what I had to do. This wasn't my fault, it was yours." He smiled. "You see, my Mark is a double edged sword of sorts," he said pacing around her. "Would you like to see it?" he asked taking a step over her. The tremors had faded, but Ayala's face remained green and her eyes still unable to focus.

"I know you can't see well, but do try to look at it."

Jonathan crouched down next to his fallen victim and pulled up his sleeve exposing his shoulder. In the very middle was his Mark, which shone a bright gold. Seven lines fanned out forming a broken circle around a central point. They extended several inches before abruptly ending.

"Can you see it?" he asked. Ayala, unable to speak, remained silent her eyes pleading. Small tears rolled down her cheek.

"Alright, alright. I'll fix it and make it better, but you can't make any noise," he told her threateningly.

Ayala had no doubt in her mind that this man would hurt her is she screamed, so she shut her mouth intent on staying alive.

He placed his left index finger on her forehead and in a moment color rushed through Ayala's face.

"Like I said, it's a bit of a double edged sword," he continued to explain while standing. Ayala sat up rubbing her face, but remained on the ground afraid he would do whatever he did to her again.

"On one hand, I can make people well. I'd had a knack for it since I was born. I guess you could call me a healer of sorts. I can cure any sickness, broken bone, gushing wound...you get the point. But," he continued, "I can also be the cause of such illnesses. One touch is all I need to send another writhing in pain. It's saved my life a time or two. Are you following?"

"Yes," she replied hesitantly still afraid to move.

"Good. And it seems this has been the third time my Mark has saved my life. And with my Mark, I have spared yours."

"I wasn't trying to kill you," she told him with defiance. "You scared me. I didn't know what to do."

He chuckled. "Well, my dear, it seems like you lost control, doesn't it. And when a Marksmen loses control...let's just say bad things can happen. Here," he offered her his hand and when Ayala recoiled he said, "take it. I will only use my Mark on you if you force me."

Obeying Ayala took his hand and let the larger man hoist her up.

"Tell me about your Mark," he said to her once she was standing. "I've already seen what you can do with it."

Ayala hesitated then began, "I'm able to grab light, I guess. I've tried all kinds: candlelight, sunlight, moonlight. Each are different, but I like them. Sunlight is the sharpest and easiest to throw. Moonlight, I hate. It never does anything I want it to do."

Ayala found herself opening up to Jonathan easily. Although moments ago she had felt like she would nearly die from his touch, she still wanted to confide in him- in someone. She had carried her Mark alone for weeks feeling detached and empty. Now she felt a just a tiny amount more free.

"Show me," he told her.

"Alright."

Ayala reached out to grab the light of the full moon that drifted towards them. A soft cloud of light formed in the palm of her hand and danced over it excited to be handled. It rested just above her skin and occasionally reached down to gently tickle her. It moved with no method and flowed between her fingers before beginning to travel up her wrist. Quickly Ayala forced it back disallowing its adventure.

"Interesting," Jonathan said. "Does moonlight always act this way?"

"Usually. It doesn't like when I make daggers from it, but that's all I can do."

"It doesn't like it?" he mocked.

Ayala hit his shoulder. "Don't do that. It's softer than the other lights. It's less direct. That's about the best way I can put it," she told him blushing slightly.

"Try to make a dagger out of it."

Ayala obeyed and forced the light into one of her daggers and within seconds of removing her other hand the mist fell apart and danced over her hand once again.

"It isn't meant for that shape," he told her. "We'll need to determine what its best use is."

"We?" Ayala questioned raising her eyebrows.

He looked Ayala in here eyes lowering her arm to the ground.

"Yes, 'we.' I will be your instructor. And don't question me again," he said still touching Ayala's arm.

She doubled over vomiting the little lunch she had had earlier that day.

"That will teach you. The little bird we brought with us is preparing dinner. Clean yourself up and come back to camp." 

Jonathan disappeared into the trees walking back to camp.

"Bastard," Ayala said before throwing up again.

After retching twice more she lifted her head and cleaning off the small amount of vomit that dribbled down her chin.

 

Leonna cried for several minutes after her grandfather left her alone in the clearing. Her body ached from the hard sobbing and snot leaked from her nose.

Sitting up she threw the hair from her face and composed herself looking to see if anyone was around. Determining she was alone she let herself fall into another fit of sobs.

She cried for her father whom she would never see again. She cried for her aunt who died brutally for no reason at all. She cried for Ayala who had not been herself since that night. And she cried for her mother and grandfather who lost their family and future.

When she had no tears left Leonna sat once up once again. The air had begun to turn chilly, the humidity from the day tapering off. It was a relief. A brief gust of wind hit the trees above Leonna, showering with a fresh batch of pine needles. She picked one of rolling it between her fingers than breathing in the scent.

It was then that a glow on the floor of the grove caught her eyes. Leaning closer she saw an ember from her earlier flame that had failed to extinguish. She didn't mind she had failed her task. Instead she was comforted by the warm and inviting glow. She brought the needle she had been toying with to the ember and it jumped eagerly to it. It slowly ate away at the small offering and Leonna offered it a handful of the needles from the grove floor. She figured it had plenty to spare.

Leonna sat admiring her small fire and it danced in the moonlight just like the girls from Glory Mane who would practice their dancing in the streets. She pictured them now as flames as their arms extended to the heavens then moved down slowly much as her flame did now. It was elegant and serene.

That was when Leonna had an idea: breathing.

Instead of putting out the flame this time she intended on controlling its growth to just the size of her two fists combined and she was determined that once it reached that size she would breathe it down to nothing then return to camp. Her mother would be wondering where she was by now.

Leonna adjusted her position, crossing her legs, and she focused on her breath and the flame. She

She breathed in counting to nine, held the breath, then forced what she exhaled into the growth of her tiny friend. It grew, but minimally, and determined to complete her task this time Leonna forced more of herself into the flame each time and it grew steadily with each breath she relinquished.

Giddy with her success of the exercise the flame grew larger and larger until it soon surpassed her goal and now was the size of a large campfire. Leonna opened her eyes to witness her triumph and she smiled wide with beads of sweat from the heat of the blaze pouring from her face.

She stood and shuffled around the flame examining it from all angles. It was perfect, and she had done it. Leonna was happy.

However, the flame wasn't content with remaining the same size or being extinguished. It wanted to grow as flames do. A small tendril of fire reached out from Leonna's magical grasp and found a dry piece of bark in a nearby tree. It caught flame quickly and Leonna felt the surge of power and sought the source.

Terrified the eighteen year old focused on breathing out the flame on the tree. She took to counting to nine, but while she was doing so she lost grip on the larger flame allowing it to infect three others with its power.

Panicked, Leonna grasped the large flame and extended her arms over it trying to force it down into nothing. It wavered briefly, but Leonna was unsuccessful and now the first tree blazed rapidly.

She tried again, this time attacking the flame from the side, which produced the same failing results.

Two more trees caught flame.

Leonna's eyes widened finally realizing her folly. Unable to control the flames any longer she ran from the clearing in terror with tears streaming from her eyes.

Her clothes dirty and burning she ran from the wildfire she had created.

She only hoped no one would die.

5: A New Plan

Chapter Five

 

Leonna fought through the blaze tripping over protruding roots and half rotten logs. Tears streamed down her face as she ran from the second inferno her magic created, except this time she meant to do it. Leonna had no intention of burning the forest down, just to practice her breathing and make her small ember a bit bigger.

She couldn't help it. It was her nature now to shape the flames around her; if only her grandfather would understand that. She silently cursed as she cracked her leg below her knee on a large log.

The flames followed her like she was their mother duck and they were her imprinted ducklings. She couldn't escape now and as she ran her magic slowly depleted making her grow more tired as she ran. Leonna forced herself to push on to warn her family if they hadn't already seen or felt the blaze. She hoped she wouldn't be too late.

Leonna was sweating; her sweated mixed with her tears and she neared the clearing where her group was, but she also felt the heat behind her. Pivoting, she met some of her flames head on. She stopped suddenly glaring at them realizing she had led them to right to where she wanted to keep them from. She had been blinded by her fear and not it could spell death.

"Leonna!" She heard her grandfather call to her. She heard his footsteps near her, crunching through leaves and pine needles.

"Stay back," she yelled turning her face to meet his. "You can't help this! Get everyone out of here!"

She turned back facing her inferno. It stood still gobbling up the forest around her, but she didn't let it get any nearer and it began to circle Leonna and Eros Tucker. Branches, logs, treetops cracked from the heat. A tree fell a few yards from Eros and he jumped back putting his back to Leonna's. Leonna watched on as a family of birds fled their nest and flew straight into the blaze. Closing her eyes she prayed they would reach the other side.

"Get out of here!" Leonna yelled over the roar of the blaze. Her clothes were singed and torn and soot blackened her face and arms. Her hair matted to her head in a tangled mess with small twigs and burning leaves resting in it.

"I will not be leaving you. Now, we need to do something about this."

"Get Mom out of here!" She screamed again in desperation.

Eros wheeled grabbing Leonna's shoulders and turning her so her eyes could meet his. "They have already left. They will be out of danger momentarily, understand?"

Leonna nodded.

"Good. We need to grasp some control over the current situation, Leonna. You need to cut off this blaze from your magic."

"How!?"

"Search for a thread of it!" He yelled to her over the blaze. "You'll feel a small tug in the pit of your stomach. That's the fire taking the magic it needs to sustain itself and grow. Cut the thread!"

"How do I do that?" Leonna yelled back.

Eros grunted heavily slamming his left foot onto the ground and extending his arms, palms facing towards the ground. With a shake a four foot deep circle spread around the pair of pure rock and dirt. It separated them from the blaze temporarily, but it still clawed to get back to Leonna turning the grass to ash near the lip of the trench.

"I can't explain that to you now! Just cut the thread. Don't allow it to pull from you any longer. Right now this fire isn't just a fire! It's your magic!"

He turned from his granddaughter and continued to fight the blaze. He struck up large sums of dirt and rock outside their circle to stifle the flames he could reach, but without Leonna detaching herself from the blaze his efforts had little effect.

"Leonna!"

"Alright! Alright!"

The cracks and thuds of falling trees were becoming more frequent. Leonna counted one every fifteen seconds and the frequency was ever increasing. She looks out watching the devastation around her. Almost no green was left outside their protective circle. Trees were black with ash and soot, their leaves no longer existing. The flames had taken those first along with the animals of the grove. Small carcasses lay burning still in their nests of nooks while others were charred on the forest floor. Leonna looked on as her grandfather tried valiantly to save what was left of the forest around them. He was coughing now having sucked up so much of the rank air that settled upon them.

Leonna was frozen despite the intense heat that her flames produced. Her clothes were torn and she was dirty, but she found herself no worse for wear. No burns ruddied her skin and her lungs were perfectly clear with no hint of a cough. Her grandfather, on the other hand, was no longer fairing very well. His beard had caught fire from a few small embers that fell from the trees that reached over their circle. Dirty flew from the ground to put out the flames and he patted his face, which was now red and blotchy. He coughed harder and harder now with every passing second. She realized then that her grandfather was dying and she was the cause.

Leonna turned to face the large portion of flame still clawing over the divide in the earth searching for a fuel source that could bring it together with it's master. Leonna closed her eyes and searched for the thread Eros had told her about.

At first she was unsuccessful only finding herself searching in vain. She felt her magic there, a swirling pool of red flames, but nothing leaving it. But just when Leonna was about to turn to her grandfather for help she saw in her mind's eye a rope tethered to the beast of a flame that overtook the forest. Her magic was drawn through that thread steadily and she saw her internal flame decreasing with each passing second. She was feeding the flames- not the forest.

With an outward cry Leonna tore her magical self from the blaze and felt next to her grandfather who she found was amazingly still standing. A boulder was now floating gracefully above his head before, with a forward motion of his arm, he threw it into the fire extinguishing several trees. He thrust forward with his feet taking a wide stance and sending up more dirt and earth onto the small remnants of bushed and large grass.

Without Leonn'a magic to fuel it the fire began to dwindle little by little having already devoured all the greenery it could. She smiled at her accomplishment having felt she had completed her first intentional magic- besides the one that created the fire in the first place. Leonna came to the conclusion that she would not be counting that one.

Leonna remained on the ground as Eros put out the last of the shrinking flames with dirt. She was nervous to call on her magic to reduce the size of the dwindling flames. She recognized that the chances of another large fire were high so she was content with remaining on the ground until it was safe to venture from their circle.

With the last of the fire extinguished Eros fell coughing next to Leonna on the small part of grass covered earth in the charred remnants of the forest. They laid side-by-side grandfather and granddaughter, two generations of Marksmen, until the rest of their group pushed through the dead trees some time later.

For now they were content with lying next to one another, thankful to still have their lives.

 

Brencis had found them first.

"Guys! They're over here!" He screamed as loud as he could taking off in a sprint towards Leonna's and Eros' unmoving bodies. Hurdling over a tree trunk Brencis' foot tangled itself on a dead branch and he crashed to the ground smashing his nose. With a sickening crack his nose broke and bleed.

Brencis lay in quiet agonizing pain until Jonathan nearly stumbled over him himself.

"Well what happened here?" Jonathan asked watching the fallen Brencis seethe in agony. The sight of blood on Brencis' now blackened shirt and watching Brencis clutch his face told Jonathan what had happened without the need for words.

"Stand," Jonathan ordered.

Brencis managed to let out a faint, "uhhhh."

"Fine." Jonathan crouched down over Brencis and removed his hands from his face forcing them onto the ground. His face already bruised Brencis fought to hold pain his pain filled tears.

A deep-throated laugh escaped Jonathan's lips.

"I've never heard you this quiet! It's nice. You need to do it more often. I may just have to hurt you every now and then if it keeps you from talking."

"Just be quiet," Brencis gurgled which just put Jonathan into even deeper hysterics.

"Now you know how I feel when I say that! Now, stand up."

Grunting Brencis stood slowing blood still dripping down his chin. He moved to put his hands back up to his swollen face only to have them batter back down by Jonathan.

"Keep those by your side. Better yet," he said ripping a branch off the tree that had taken Brencis down, "hold this in between your teeth." Jonathan handed him the branch.

Brencis looked at him in disbelief. "Why would I put this in my-" he said before nearly falling over from pain. Jonathan steadied him.

"Look- I'm a healer," Jonathan said with frustration. "Either you put that in your mouth so while i heal you you're able to fight through the blinding pain of bone fusing together, or you ignore me put the branch down and pass out in minutes from the swelling. It's your choice, but I will not offer again," Jonathan explained before beginning to turn from the boy.

"Stop!" Brencis told him placing a hand on this shoulder. Jonathan instantly grabbed his hand and broke two of his fingers. With a yelp Brencis recoiled now torn between covering his face and grasping his broken fingers.

"Never touch me," Jonathan said. "Put the stick in your mouth. Now."

Brencis did so with tears streaming down his face. He closed his eyes readying himself for the pain. Jonathan reached up snapping Brencis' nose back into place before placing his magic within the broken bone and cartilage. Brencis tumbled to the ground, passed out and unmoving.

Jonathan chuckled having known that would happen and receiving the joy out of the experience he anticipated he would. He bent over his fallen patient and to work fixing both nose and fingers. He left Brencis the bump on his head as a reminder of his place below Jonathan.

 

Raina approached her father and daughter that lay on the ground. Noticing the large circle around them she sought a fallen log, which she found easily calling out to Jonathan and Brencis to help her roll it so she could climb across it to reach her family.

"Jonathan is healing Brencis," she explained. "He fell and broke his nose."

Caught by surprise Raina asked, "What do you mean 'healing'?"

Exasperated Ayala replied, "He's a healer. He has a Mark remember? Now let's move this." Ayala bent over the log and began to push it over the gap. Raina began to roll it as well and they quickly had a makeshift bridge. Raina scaled it quickly and jump down in front of her daughter who laid there eyes open next to her father who did the same.

Leonna blinked then looked towards her mother with large tearful eyes.

"I'm sorry," Leonna whispered.

"I know," Raina replied. "Are you both okay?" she asked them.

Question perfectly timed, Eros let out a deep cough. He turned to his side and spit out a black ball of mucus.

"Jonathan!" Raina Tucker yelled worried for her father.

He coughed again hacking up another black glob.

"Help me up," he told his daughter. Leonna jumped to stand and reached to grab Eros' right arm.

"No. Stay down. Jonathan will be here in a moment," she told him placing a hand on his chest. "Jonathan!" she called again.

Puzzled Leonna asked, "Why do we need him? We can help grandpa back to his horse and we'll find somewhere to take him. Maybe we can go back to that town that I got a little carried away in."

"Jonathan is a healer apparently," she told them. "Why he didn't let us know that fact earlier I don't know. It would have been helpful, but now we can move forward with that knowledge. There's no reason for us to go anywhere except the border." Raina turned back to her father and said, "you do not move until Jonathan comes to heal you. Understand?"

"You sound just like your mother," he told her coughing again.

Worry flashed across Raina'a face. "Leonna, go find him please. He was off in that direction last time I saw him," Raina told her pointed to her right eyes still affixed to her father.

Leonna left quickly passing Leonna. Their eyes met and Ayala's frown deepened. Last time Ayala had seen her magic was the night she had lost her mother. It was another reminder of the night that changed their lives and Leonna understood that Ayala would resent her for some time. But hopefully she would come around. With that thought she went in search of Jonathan.

Ayala sat, not sure what to do. Their things were packed, Jonathan was healing Brencis, and Leonna was looking for them. Her aunt was obviously too preoccupied to entertain Ayala in anyway so finding a small tree that still remained standing she flicked a small strand of light from the air.

Pulling it apart into three strands she set herself in the childhood art of bracelet making to kill the time watching on as Raina and Eros talked quietly.

 

"I can sit up, you know," Eros told Raina grumplily with soot stricken teeth and a patchy black beard. Fussing he sat up which put him into a fit of coughs.

"That's why you need to stay laying down," she explained a hand firmly placed on each of his shoulders.

"Oh, I'm fine. Just some smoke got in my air pipe is all. My body is already cleaning it," he said spitting out another glob. I feel better already."

Raina knew her father too well to believe him. Eros Tucker had always been a man who complained about the small things such as a stubbed toe, the neighbors garden being more fertile than his, a small burnt piece on his chicken, a sore back, and she could name countless more. But it was when her mother was dying that Raina learned that her father only ever complained about the small things and never the big.

"Is mommy going to be okay?" Raina recalled herself asking her father while her mother wasted away in her bed at the inn. Each day her face became shallower and she was able to talk less and less. She slept more each hour and no doctor or healer was able to do anything that would make her better or point them in the right direction of someone or something that could. Instead she rotted from the inside out with her family watching.

Her father, who complained and whined over everything, never made one sound of complain against her mother's condition. Instead he was strong for his two daughters who were going to undoubtedly lose their mother. He sat near her bed each day and each night not once told his daughter that he wished he had gotten more sleep the night before, or that he wasn't able to handle the sight of the woman he loved wasting away.

Instead Eros was honest with his daughter and told Raina, "No. Mommy is going to leave us soon." He told her this while lifting a small Raina onto his knee. "Mommy has to go somewhere where she will feel better and she'll never be sick again," he explained.

"Where's that? Can we go with?" Raina asked innocently.

"No, sweetie. Mommy is going to go without us, but we'll see her again some day."

"But I don't want her to go," Raina pouted in a slow descent into tears.

"I know. I don't want mommy to go either. But she has to and we have to let her, okay?"

Not able to reply a small Raina cried into her father's shirt and he held her close till she fell asleep in his arms.

He never complained once of her leaving them to go with death. But he still managed to complain when the weather started to turn gray when he had hoped for sunny skies.

While he lay in front of a grown Raina Tucker she knew he was in serious trouble, as not once has he grumbled about how much pain he was in. He only wanted to sit up and continue traveling and that terrified her. 

She pushed him back down just as Jonathan entered the clearing, jumping easily over the ditch. Leonna followed closely behind.

"What do you need?" Jonathan asked shooting a glare at where Ayala sat in shadows.

Ignoring the gruffness of his voice Raina said, "He has breathed in a lot of smoke. He keeps coughing up a brown mucus and I need you to heal him."

"And who told you I could do that?" He asked angrily with darkening eyes.

"Just be quiet and do it please," Raina said. "I'm too tired to fight and he's in need of it."

Eros coughed more and more while she spoke only turning to spit out the black liquid.

"I only do this once, understand?" he asked no one in particular while kneeling next to Eros. "This is the only time old man."

Jonathan placed a hand on Eros' sweat soaked chest recoiling from the moisture. From his back pocket he withdrew a small handkerchief, which he then placed between his hand and Eros' chest. His other hand went to Eros' head.

Jonathan closed his eyes and filled Eros with a blaze of his power killing any infection and dispelling the blackness from his lungs. He removed his hands shakily.

"Cough one more time," Jonathan instructed. "That should take care of it." He pushed himself back up into a standing position using the ground for support and walked towards the tiny sparkles that were sure to mean Ayala was close by.

As the others were busy fawning over their fallen grandfather he approached Ayala and gripped her by her shirt and dragged her away from the circle. Choking softly from the pressure on her neck Ayala clawed at her capture's hand.

Throwing her to the ground Jonathan climbed on top of her pinning down her hands with his and her legs with his powerful thighs.

"You told them," he said matter of fact.

Once having caught her breath Ayala replied, "I did. We needed a healer. I couldn't let my grandfather die.

With a smirk he said, "Oh yes you could have, dear one." He gently rubbed the back of his hand against her face letting his magic soothe her.

"But you will not make that mistake again, will you?"

Tearing his hand from her face he raised it high and brought it back down across her left cheek. She let out a small scream of surprise and he quickly muffled her.

"We do not discuss out abilities or the abilities of others. Unless you're reporting to me you keep your mouth shut!" He hit her again and this time she stayed quiet with defiant eyes.

Again his hand raised and Ayala flinched back.

Jonathan smiled wide. "Good. You're learning." He lowered his hand slowly to Ayala red and swelling face. With a bit of his magic he took away the sting and eliminated the redness. No one would know he hit her.

Ayala lay there unmoving as he healed her.

"That feels good," she told him quietly.

"I know," he replied. He removed his hand from her face and stood over here. "It's time to go," he said as he left. "Someone will be here soon to investigate the blaze."

"But we're in the middle of nowhere!" Ayala said to him.

He turned quickly with fire in his eyes, "Do not question me again. Next time I'll just take away the signs, but I'll leave the pain."

Jonathan left Ayala alone to stand and find her family on her own.

She put her hand into the pocket of her rough pants and removed a bracelet of pure light to offer some guidance as she walked back alone.   

 

Brencis woke up cloaked in shadows of the night.  

His head pounded gently, but not enough where he was in a high amount of pain. He rubbed it nervously and found a bump near the front close to his forehead. He pushed his hair back and touched it. A shot of pain ran though his head. Brencis immediately withdrew his hand and continued lying on the ground.

He drew in a deep breath and held it. Brencis released it and a soft mist danced in from his mouth.

The temperature had dropped since he was last conscious and he shivered slightly on the hard ground. But he was comfortable. It was quiet- not a bird, bug, ox, horse, or person made a sound in the downed forest. A few trees groaned still from the fire, but for the most part Brencis was alone with his thoughts.

They shifted to Leonna as they typically did nowadays.

She terrified Brencis. He remembered when he was younger, before his father was a blathering drunk, Brencis would sit on his lap and hear stories of the times where magic flourished. Of course this was done secretly in hushed tones, which made Brencis listen and cherish the stories all the more.  

His father described a time where those with Marks and those without all lived together without a hitch- for the most part. A scuffle here and there was normal in their city, but when Marksmen were able to live out in the open they could use their abilities in the midst of the argument and property damage was typical. But his father described it as brilliant.

He told Brencis of a woman who lived not from them, back when they had a home. She was a tall slender woman with very light skin which made the blue Mark on her neck glow at every time of the day. She mostly kept to herself and never usually interacted with the neighbors around her. But each year during the blankblankblank festival she came out of her self induced shell.

Her Mark, Brencis' father told him, allowed her to manipulate water in many fashions, which seemed to have absolutely no limits that he could describe. And she was never seen using these abilities except for during the festival.

The first year she did it, his father was enamored. She was wearing a pale blue dress that just touched the ground. She glided from within the crowd to the wooden platform she had requested with ease. Her face was stern, yet still soft and fragile reminding his father of his sister's old doll he used to steal and hide from her- with big eyes and light hair. A pallid complexion graced her.

When reaching the stage her mouth would open and a high voice would thank the crowd for allowing her to perform for them, which they all responded to with blank stares and excitement.

And she would begin.

Beside the stage were placed two buckets filled to the brims with water. The woman bowed to the crowd and looked up to the heavens silently thanking them for her Mark and the gift of life. Lowering her head she rose her arms simultaneously and two streams of water flowed from the buckets and into the air beside her. When her hands clasped together above her head so did the spouts forming a perfect sphere. The crowd looked on waiting for her next gesture. Then the water began to shimmer, reflecting the light from the sun directly about it. It slowly grew brighter and brighter until it looked as if it were made purely of light.

Her hands quickly unclasped and her intricate dance began.

She shifted quickly from foot to foot and moved her arms in repeated circular patterns all with the water following them. The audience clapped and murmured excitedly.

She then planted her feet firmly and extended to left arm pulling the water with her magic until it formed a ribbon. Gripping the bottom with her magic she continued her dance with the water swirling and spinning in the air around her.

A large smile graced her pale complexion and bright teeth shone proudly. Her hair, coming undone from the jumping and spinning, flew in quick tentacles of blonde that brushed her face obscuring her eyes. But yet, her dance continued.

Holding the ribbon of water in her right hand she used her left to summon a stream of water from the main fountain of the square that was positioned behind the growing crowd of people. The stream, answering her call, flew to her and one large stream of water connected her and the fountain. She then brought her other arm up and extended it in the same way and another stream met that arm.

Bringing her hands together the streams formed one. Children pointed to the streams in awe and one woman screamed, but the woman on stage was unfazed. She parted her arms and the streams became a ceiling above the crowd of moving and rippling water.

Light danced at their feet as it passed through their cover and the same children that pointed up to the ceiling danced under it now trying to stomp on the light.

Then in one movement the water fell hurtling towards the crowd. They rushed below it to escape the inevitable downpour, but as they did the woman turned her hands palm up and stopped it just above their heads.

A sly smile crept across her face.

Many reached up and touched the water and found it cool and relaxing to the touch and many others cowered beneath it afraid of the mass. No matter their fear or adoration of the water they still all looked to the woman who stood statuesque on the wooden platform. She blinked and continued staring into the crowd. Each would swear, later that day, that the woman was looking at them and no other.

The light lit up again growing as bright as the burning sun. With ease she lowered the glowing water onto the crowd creating some screams of panic and other utterances of adoration.

It washed over each of them slowly covering each part of them from head to toes. They each found that they could still breathe in the watery mass without worry of drowning. Even those previously terrified welcomed the water to wash over them. As it did the people were cleansed- cleansed of illness, worries, fear, terror. Happiness became a part of them.

Blemishes were cleared, rotten teeth replaced, bad knees relieved. All who attended were healed.

They smiled as it the water sank into the ground below them- all but the woman.

She wept upon the wooden platform having absorbed all the badness and evil the crowd carried.

Brencis' father, who was in the crowd that day, looked on unsure of what to do. Instead of approaching the ailing woman the crowd dispersed one by one until she was alone on the wooden platform caring for those who didn’t seem to care for her. His father watched on from his home for several hours until darkness crept over the edges of their town and shadows danced around the form of the unmoving woman. She wept with her from his place in silent seclusion not for himself as his worries were cleansed, but for her who took on the burdens of so many.

He fell asleep sitting next to the window and in the morning the woman was gone and the platform removed and all evidence of her gift was washed away. He recalled seeing her a week later pale and sickly, but still beautiful and silent. She moved through the town as a silent savior not speaking to anyone until the following year when she did it all again.

Brencis shivered from the cold reminded of this woman whose name he never learned. Leonna was nothing like her and her serene grace he decided.

She burned down homes, forests, lives all with nothing but her thoughts. Marks like the woman’s were true gifts and were made to aid others, but Leonna’s killed. He had seen it from his place at the inn’s window. But he still saw the good in her. She cared for her family and even Brencis, himself, he thought. And he’s seen the way she flinched at any candle the group lit. She was even scared of herself and that killed him more than anything.

More unsure of his feelings then even Brencis stood, just a bit dizzy, and sat on the log which had earlier tripped him.

Jonathan was even more of an oddity. The man was malicious, that was plain to Brencis, but he had yet to do anything to harm them. That didn’t mean he was not someone to be watched especially when he was with Leonna. He wouldn’t let the brute hurt her, he determined. Even if he might be burned alive in the process of protecting her.

Picking up a stick from the ground he sharped it against the log swiping the tip back and forth over the hard wood. Once sharp he touched it to the log and drew two things: the three parallel lines of Leonna’s Mark and the lines of his Mark side by side.

He dropped the stick, looked at his drawing for a moment, and stalked away into the dark, dead forest to find his group.

 

Once Brencis had stumbled upon the rest of them some time later they talked briefly and discussed their new plans. Due to the fire that had devoured the forest Raina and Eros felt it best to lead them away from anything too easily burned until they were able to escape Lendolg or Leonna could grasp some form of control.

“And where, might I ask, do you think we can go?” Jonathan asked with increasing rage at the situation.

Eros was the one to reply, “The Ignis is our best opportunity for survival.”

The younger members of the group gasped. Jonathan was the first to object.

“You’re a fool. We’re to go into the Ignis with no supplies, no way to shade ourselves, and nowhere to take cover. You’re sentencing us to death just as the White Hand will do when they catch us on the open desert. You’re insane.”

Raina reached out and took Jonathan by the collar. “You will not talk to my father that way,” she commanded. “You can leave at any time and get to the border on your own!” And with that she pushed him back into his seat. Jonathan immediately stood eyes flashing with rage and reached for Raina’a arm.

Ayala took his elbow and tugged worriedly. She knew if Jonathan got his hands on her aunt she wouldn’t have an aunt any longer.

With a grunt he sat tearing his arm from Ayala as he did so. Raina watched this interaction with worry, but kept it to herself. She wouldn’t show weakness in front of Jonathan if she could help it.

“Does anyone else have concerns?” Eros asked calmly.

“How will we get water?” Brencis spurted out. “Our horses will need it to. And will they even be able to walk in the desert?”

“I will figure out the water situation,” he replied. “As for the horses, it should not be a problem. It’s the heat I’m truly worried about, I must admit. We will have to take many precautions.”

“We need supplies,” Leonna interjected. “Food, blankets, coverings for our heads, maybe even some of that plant lotion that protects your skin from getting burnt. I don’t suppose any of us could make that?” she questioned.

Brencis shook his head, Ayala looked to her hands playing with something on her wrist, Jonathan sulked and cracked his knuckles, Eros frowned deeply, and Raina was taking careful notes and hurriedly examining a map.

In moments she said, “It’s clear we’ll need to stop and pick up supplies on our way.” She paused looking over the map again. “From where we are now there should be another town about a day’s ride north. Maybe less. We can get supplies there before heading further north into the Ignis.”

“We should leave Leonna here,” Brencis spurted out. All eyes turned to him and Leonna looked shocked.

“Go on,” Eros said when Brencis stopped speaking.

Nervously he began again, “Well I mean there’s the obvious. She can’t be around fire and there’s bound to be a lot of fire in a town. People do need candles to see at night and fires to keep them warm. And I’m assuming the houses will be made of wood. That means with her Mark the town could be burnt down in a matter of minutes,” Brencis stated with growing confidence. “I think two of us should travel north and get supplies and come back. With a smaller group they can get back within the day possibly. Then when they return we can bypass the town and head straight into the Ignis. That way nothing bad can happen.” Brencis offered a meek smile in Leonna’s direction trying to indicate he didn’t mean any harm by his statement. “I’m sorry,” he whispered to her sullenly.

“Don’t be sorry, my boy,” Eros said hearing Brencis’ apology. “It was a worthwhile idea. I have one fear. This forest will be discovered and when it is the White Hand will investigate, if they aren’t already on their way. If some of us stay here then they’ll be dead before the others are able to return.”

“What if we only travel as a group partway? Two of us continue to the town and the others go to the Ignis. We can meet up there.” Brencis suggested.

Raina raised her eyebrows impressed with the boy. “That’s not bad,” she told him. “Who do you think should go into town?” she asked.

Jonathan answered with his hear still hanging, “Ayala and I will go.”

Ayala, surprised, looked over at him.

“I don’t think that’s the best idea,” Raina replied.

Firmly he said again, “Ayala and I will be the ones to go. Eros needs to stay and train Leonna. I can’t stand the boy or you,” he said meeting Raina’s eyes. “So we will go.”

“Fine,” Eros said. “I do need to stay with Leonna. If there’s another issue I can bury her at the very least.” Straight faced he continued, “We’ll leave at dawn then.”

The group nodded in silent agreement. Leonna sat scared next to her grandfather. She felt alienated from their rag tag band. They feared her and she feared herself and the Mark that was turning out to be more of a curse than a gift.

But, under her grandfather’s guidance, she was sure she would be able to learn to control the fire in her belly that sang out to be used. Leonna pushed the desire back and stared into the fallen trees past their horses that were trying to find some grass to nibble on that hadn’t been charred away.

A faint shadow danced in the tree line jumping from branch to branch with increasing nearness to her group. Figuring it to be an animal that had escaped her wildfire she relaxed back against the log behind her. She shivered and closed her eyes.

Another rustle brought Leonna to open her eyes and they fixed themselves on the figure perched several dozen yards from them.

No one seemed to notice or see the thing that was undoubtedly watching them from afar. To Leonna it looked to be the outline of a small squirrel or chipmunk, not much larger than her hand. But it’s piercing red eyes kept her focused on it.

Leonna jumped up causing the group to rush to their feet as well and look to where Leonna’s eyes had fallen.

“Oh god,” Raina gasped. “What is that?” she asked.

“I don’t know,” Eros replied.

Next to Jonathan Ayala began to raise her hand, which he quickly put down with a shake of his head. She nodded and continues to look on.

“Flint and steel. Now,” Eros told Leonna through gritted teeth. Understanding she quickly reached into his pack, which sat at his feet and withdrew the flint and steel.

Taking them from her he told Leonna, “Remember to breathe.”

She nodded, intent and concentrating on not burning her family up as soon as her grandfather struck the two together.

“Are you insane?” Jonathan cried out as Eros struck them together creating several sparks.

Leonna’s magic gripped on to one of the sparks and quickly turned it into a ball of fire she now held at eye level in her hand. She breathed deeply and steadily concentrating on nothing but the fire. A big smile flashed across her face. “I did it,” she whispered to herself.

“Leonna,” Brencis said nudging her breaking her concentration. She looked up to see hundreds of dead birds, squirrel, badgers, and other woodland creatures badly burned and bleeding. Some with limbs missing, others had no face, and some were nothing but heads placed upon the backs of others.  No matter their condition they all faced her. The stink of death rose from them.

The creature Ayala had seen earlier was a small monkey, which now peered at her with its big, red, glowing eyes. It gripped the branch with its one arm. Skin dangled from its skeleton which Leonna could plainly see.

Still looking at her it opened its wide jaws and let out a piercing scream.

Leonna, unsure of what to do, went with instinct. Her flame grew and she threw it in the direction of the monkey while her grandfather created a barricade between the group and the dead animals.

And with that the group fled with screams of their own. 

6: Sickness and Health

Chapter Six

 

Brencis kept his eye on the flame in Leonna's hand, dodging low branches and leaping over high logs. She was only a few steps ahead of him but without her light he wouldn't be able to see a thing except the piercing eyes of the creatures that now followed him.

He sprinted as quickly as he could, but his chest already heaved up and down and he found himself slowing. Leonna too was slowing down and he was now nearly next to her.

"Keep going!" He yelled to her gripping her right hand in his. She grasped it tightly and continued to run.

The things behind them refused to give. They clawed at the earth behind them and scratched the trees. They rustled over logs and stick while jumping from branch to branch overhead. Even birds whose wings were still barely attached were able to fly over them and peck at their head.

"Leonna blasted them with small bouts of flames which did nothing but roast their skin further. But they still managed their assault.

Brencis bent down and scooped up a branch which he used to hit two particularly ugly squirrels from his legs. With a sickening crack they both fell momentarily dazed, but after a few seconds were back on their broken feet and taking chase once again.

"You have to do something!" He heaved while swatting at another bird over Leonna's head.

"Do what?!"

"Use your Mark! It's our only choice!"

"I can't!"

"Yes you can! You're doing it now," he told her squeezing her hand.

With a deep breath she tore her hand from his and threw her ball of flame at the ground. Ignoring the undead beasts that were now upon her she spread her arms in front of her and as she did so the fire formed a wall of flames. Leonna spun and the flames created a circle around Brencis and herself.

Brencis, still using his branch as a weapon, smashed the skull of a skunk pawing at his leg. Picking up a rock he threw it in the direction of a snake that managed to slither through the wall of flames.

Leonna sent two bursts of fire at the birds flying over the wall and directly at the two teens. They fell with sickening screeches unmoving.

Still several of the undead creatures poured through the flames as the two fought for their lives. Leonna found herself tiring after burning a family of gophers as they found their way towards Brencis. He nodded a silent thanks to her as he batted at a hawk that flew through the barricade. It's beak hung from a small stretch of skin. A gaping hole in its side poured with maggots and flies. With a wretch he swatted it down from the sky and stomped on its head.

The two didn't notice the crack beginning in the earth below them and slowly circling the pair forming a circle. With a groan, a chuck of earth lifted into the sky. Roots of fallen trees still hung from the dirt below dangling in mid air. They continued to rise until they were floating above the final remaining trees in the grove.

Leonna had managed to stay standing as they were lifted up into the air, Brencis, however, lay in the ground after swinging at another bird only to miss and trip over a rock. Leonna, seeing this, extended her hand to blast the bird as it continued its onslaught.

"Thanks," he told her nearly breathless.

"No problem," she responded pulling him back up to his feet.

Leonna looked to her right as two other chucks of earth floated nearer to them. One one stood Raina and Eros and a second was Ayala and Jonathan. Each of them looked as exhausted as Leonna now felt.

The earth Eros and Raina were now sitting on floated slowly to Leonna's and met it with a soft bump that just barely jostled them.

Raina walked to grasp her daughter in a hug. Eros sat concentrating on keeping the group afloat.

Brencis walked to the edge of their craft. "What were those things?" He asked.

Leonna replied, "Those had to be made with someone's Mark. There's no way those things were living. Did you see what they looked like?"

"We did. And we were lucky to make it out of there. I don't know who is on our tail, but someone is. Someone with great power."

"Great. That's exactly what we needed," Brencis said peering over the edge at the ground that was silently passing beneath them. "How long can he keep this up?" he said gesturing to Eros' still form.

"I can get us far enough away from the forest for us to have an advantage," he replied in acknowledgement of the question.

"Wouldn't it be easier for us to all be on one? Less magic right?" Leonna asked.

A smile crept across Eros' face. "Yes, it would. Come over to this one. I'll bring Ayala and Jonathan over here as well.

Leonna, Brencis, and Raina stepped over around Eros and Raina placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a squeeze. He placed his hand over hers and called the third stone to meet theirs. Once Ayala and Jonathan had stepped over, Jonathan full of complaints, Eros dropped the other two chucks of earth over an open field.

Leonna sat, legs hanging over the edge watching as the earth slipped out from under them. Raina walked over to sit next to her daughter; Brencis lay next to Eros asleep with small sounds of sleep escaping his lips, and Ayala and Jonathan watched the sunrise from their post in front of Eros.

"It's been a long day," Raina began. "You did well back there. With your magic that is."

"Thanks," Leonna replied brushing the hair from her face where it stuck to sweat and grime. "I guess I didn't really have a choice."

"Your dad would be proud."

Leonna looked up at her mother. Since that day they haven't spoken of him as if his existence ended when their new lives began. He was part of the old and less exciting Tucker life, and now he couldn't be part of their future.

But Leonna didn't agree with that. At times her mind floated back to thoughts of her father. She truly did miss him. There had been times on their seemingly long adventure that she wished her Mark wasn't what it was, but rather something else. Something that could bring him back or bring her back to him. Either way her Mark was only a curse that had torn their family apart. It was her fault and her fault alone that her father had died.

Leonna leaned against her mother, and Raina wrapped her arm around her in a protective grip.

"I miss him," Leonna said sniffling and holding back the stream of tears that was bound to come.

Raina placed her head on Leonna's. Together they breathed: in, out, in, out as a gentle wind caressed their dangling legs.

"I miss him too, sweetie," Raina replied holding back tears of her own. "He'd know what to do right now, wouldn't he?"

"Yea, probably. Except I don't know how he would have handled fighting off dead animals. I would have loved to see that."

Raina snickered. "You're right. That would have been a sight."

Mother and daughter fell back into silence as they held each other tight refusing, for now, to let go.

 

"Hey. Guys we're here. I mean I'm not sure where here is, but we're here," Brencis said shaking Leonna and Raina awake.

Leonna opened her eyes into small slits to be greeted by the morning sun.

"Not now, Brencis. We need more time to sleep," she said turning over to her side and using her hands as a pillow.

"I would suggest you hang on to something everyone," Eros said tiredly. The Marksman had remained awake the past several hours guiding the rock beneath him through the air and now back down to solid ground. He was thankful their flying trip was almost over. Eros would admit he enjoyed the occasional ride on a large boulder, but he always still longed for the feel of solid earth beneath his feet. It had been far too long.

They lowered slowly and the earth underneath them grew larger and larger. Everyone was awake now and gripping the edges or tufts of grass on their earthen, flying raft. THey descended and hit the ground with Eros letting out a loud "ouff."

They quickly came to a halt stopping just short of a large oak tree which looked to be the only one for quite some time.

Leonna looked out and surveyed the land. Near the oak tree was a small pool of water which several ducks had made their home. Weeds and tall grasses lined the uneven banks. Apart from the grasses and oak tree there were no other signs of significant life. The land around them was covered in grass as far as the eye could see.

"Where are we?" she asked Eros.

No answer.

"Grandpa, where are we?" she asked again turning around to look at him.

A snore tore through the air from Eros as he sat asleep.

Leonna giggled and jumped from the rock. She offered a hand up to her mother who gladly took it and jumped down next to her.

They began to walk away when Brencis called out, "Uh, guys. A little help?" Brencis stood at the edge trying to climb down but only succeeding at nearly falling off.

"Jonathan, could you help him down?" Raina asked the man as he jumped too from the rock.

"No," he replied. "I'm going to take a nap. He can find his own way down." He walked around to the other side of the oak tree and disappeared. Ayala approached her aunt and cousin with a small shrug.

"I don't know why I tolerate him," Raina said.

"He's not that bad," Ayala retorted while the three women watched on and Brencis fell from the side of the rock and onto his back with gasp.

"Jonathan just has a bit of an attitude," Leonna suggested.

"Well of course he does. We're running away from the White Hand who could put us to death just about as quickly as you could."

Leonna stepped back from Ayala physically shocked at her suggestion. Raina too eyed her niece with disbelief.

"I don't want to hurt anyone," she told Ayala.

"Yea? We'll tell that to all the animals you apparently killed. They came after us, Leonna! The things you killed tried to kill us! This was your fault."

"I didn't mean to."

"You've made that clear."

Raina stepped in, "Girls, now is not the time. Ayala, I can assure you that Leonna would never mean to do what she did. I doubt you would mean to either put in her position. The magic she is dealing with is something you can't understand."

"Of course I understand. She's too scared to control it. She fears her power when she should be embracing it." Finished, Ayala spun and walked off in the direction Jonathan took, around the tree. Her black hair whipped around as she quickly turned the corner.

"She didn't mean that," Raina told her daughter. "She's scared. We all are."

"Scared of me," Leonna retorted.

"We aren't scared of you. We're scared of what could happen to us if we were caught. Not of you."

"When Grandpa wakes up ask him if he'll come find me. I'll be somewhere by the lake." Leonna walked away leaving her mother under the shade of the lone oak tree.

Brencis, finally recovered from his fall approached Raina rubbing his lower back.

"Maybe we should come up with another plan while we have the time. He looks like he'll be out for a while," he said pointing back at Eros who was now spread out on the rock like a snake out in the sun.

Tired Raina replied, "No. No planning right now. We should rest. We'll need as much energy in the time to come as we can get. Go relax, boy. I'll get you once we're ready to figure things out."

Patting Brencis on the shoulder Raina walked past him to climb back atop the rock for a long nap. She yawned, stretched, and laid down with closed eyes.

Disappointed, Brencis sulked in the direction of the lake and Leonna.

 

“No, not like that,” Jonathan hissed.

“Not like what?” she whispered back. “I’m doing everything you showed me.”

Ayala stood in front of Jonathan who now sat his back against the large oak tree. The shade offered them a cool place to practice Ayala’s stance; nd her family was tired enough that Jonathan figured they wouldn’t bother them for some time. In truth, Jonathan was also tired from the night’s events. He stretched rubbing his back against the rigid bark of the tree.

"No, you aren't," he told Ayala coolly unimpressed.

Frustrated Ayala said, "I don't know what more you want. My balance was fine! I bent my knees just like you showed me. I extended my arm. I did everything." Her voice was raising now as she pulled light from the air. She sat and toyed with the light in her hand letting it keep it's shape.

Under the shade of the oak tree the light danced on her skin, or at least the parts that weren't covered in dirt and ash. Her hair, still disheveled from the night before was caked with dirt and light only slightly shone onto its black surface.

Jonathan watched as she tossed her ball of sunlight back and forth between her hands. The grass sparkled around her as it flew through the air.

"Back to work," he ordered. "you have to get your stance correct by the end of the day."

"Ugh. Can't we just sleep like everyone else? I'm exhausted." She lay down spread out in the grass tossing the ball of light above her. "I need to nap for just a little bit first."

"Stance. Now," Jonathan said as his patience dwindled. He ground his teeth with annoyance.

"Fine," she said standing.

"Get rid of it," Jonathan said as she still held onto the light. "I don't want you accidentally throwing it."

Ayala sighed and crushed the light into nothing allowing it to go back into the world. She didn't like eliminating the light once she held it, but Jonathan was always ordering her to.

"Until you are able to take a proper stance, you will not be doing any further magic."

"Yea, right," she said with a small laugh. "It's my magic. I'll do what I want with it."

She immediately regretted the words she had just spoken as they passed through her lips. Jonathan stood and strode menacingly towards her.

"I didn't mean to," she said recoiling. "I won't do anymore until I get this right. Promise."

He stopped, his face just inches from hers.

"You will learn your place, dear one. I must be the one to teach it to you."

A wave of fear passed through Ayala. A shiver danced down her spine and she brought her arms across her chest ready to protect herself.

"Give me your hand and I won't make it that bad."

"Please," she said pleading. "I won't do it again. I'll listen."

"Hand." His eyes met hers unmoving and unfeeling. Ayala knew she had no choice. One way or another he would make her sick, and the more she fought, she knew, the worse the sickness would be.

Hesitantly she removed her hand from her chest and placed it in his outstretched hand. His hand was cool to the touch and was almost inviting to Ayala. But then with realization she winced knowing any moment she would be in an immense amount of pain. Closing her eyes she waited for it to begin, but when the pain never came and his touch never faded she opened them.

He still peered at her hand and slowly moved his right to clasp her hand between his.

"You're learning. Good," he said with a smile that then turned into a deep frown moments later. I'm sorry, dear one, but I still must do this."

With a small sting Ayala wheeled and Jonathan, still holding onto her hand, kept her steady.

"No, no. You will not be unconscious this time. You'll feel every moment of this. Next time you'll learn not to defy me."

A staggering pain ripped through Ayala's chest. A fire burned and welled up growing quickly and beginning to pulsate through her body. She struggled to stay awake though the immense pain that overtook her. She clawed at the spot just above her breast on the left side, trying to remove the pain by hand. She scratched to no avail only to cause herself to bleed from the deep scratches.

Ayala fell back, but Jonathan kept her standing. A small scream passed through her pursed lips and clenched teeth. Her left arm was now immobile and dangled uselessly at her side. Her body went limp as consciousness slipped away.

Blackness obscured her vision creeping in from the edges.

"Well I think that you've learned your lesson," Jonathan said to Ayala's fading consciousness.

He placed his large palm into the pool of blood on her chest where the scratches shone bright red. A shot of his power rang through her eliminating the horrible pain that began in her chest and coursed through her veins.

Ayala's vision cleared and her eyes opened new to an all too bright world. Light stung her eyes, and the birds were calling too loudly from the trees.

"Stand," Jonathan said placing her on her feet. For a moment she stood awkwardly still relying on Jonathan's large frame to support her. He moved back forcing her to find her own footing.

She covered her eyes with her left arm that was now working.

"That was awful," was all she managed to eek out in a shaking as she swayed minimally side to side. Her hand shook from it's place over her eyes.

Jonathan chuckled darkly. "It was meant to be."

"H-how come I'm still not alright? The light and the noise out here is still killing me."

"You'll be feeling that for several hours. Eventually it will fade. Everything in time and moderation."

He sat back down with his back placed against the oak tree pulling her arms and hands up behind his head. Ayala still stood awkwardly in front of him resembling a small girl. Her knees were pointed inward almost meeting as she continued to sway uncomfortably. Her head was pointed down, and her black hair draped over her face.

"I can't handle that again," she said meekly.

"Then don't disobey me."

"I won't. May I sit?" she asked.

"No. You may complete your stance properly this time. Then you may sit."

"Bu-," she began to argue before she caught herself. "Okay," she relented.

"Remember, bend your knees and extend that arm. It could mean life or death."

"Okay," she said spreading her feet to shoulders width apart and bending her knees just enough but not too much.

 

Leonna dangled her feet into the lake. It was clear and she watched the small fish and tadpoles dance around her toes. A small black fish was even so bold to nudge at her big toe gently trying to determine if it was friend or foe.

Her legs grew cold and then numb to the lake's low temperature, but it didn't bother her. The constant heat of her magic and her Mark made her want to submerge herself in the lake, float down to the bottom, and remain there just for a while. Or until she cooled down.

The flame of her magic didn't bother her that much. Sometimes as she peered into it, it made her quite uncomfortable as it did now. It was roaring and growing each day and each time she used it, which lately was all too often.

She didn't deny enjoying the fact that she had magic. Each night when she was a child she remembers her mother coming in and telling her stories before falling asleep. Moments after the stories ended, Raina would kiss her forehead, tell her goodnight, and leave the room in darkness. That's when her grandfather would slink into the room. Leonna's tiredness was immediately banished as she would sit up exciting and thrilled to hear another of his tales.

They sat in darkness, Leonna on the bed tucked into a cocoon of blankets and her grandfather pulled up the old wooden rocking chair from the corner to sit next to her. He would tell her one story each night of different people with fantastic Marks that Leonna thought always did remarkable things. She idolized them over the years and always craved to have her own gift to fight the evils of the world, or to even become an evil of the world. She always was fond of the idea of being a overlord using her magic to suppress and own her common people. But as she grew up that brief dream faded away and stored in the back of her mind as something despicable she would never want to do.

Her favorite story, she recalled, was the one of the woman, Hausys, who used her magic to overthrow a country that only existed in the past memories of those long dead. Except for her grandfather. He told Leonna that this story had been passed down in the Tucker family as the woman was their great ancestor and the most powerful person ever Marked in their family.

The details were quite foggy in her mind as the last time she heard the story was eight years previous, but she did recall that Hausys’ Mark shone bright blue on the nape of her neck, and her ability had been previous unheard of.

Eros had described it to Leonna as, "Hausys was able to walk into the body of another for quite some time. She could walk as them, act as them, make laws as them. She could go anywhere as that person."

And that was how she overthrew the country. She walked into the palace of the ruling Queen, strode directly into her body, and walked off a cliff removing herself just in time to grasp the ledge and pull herself to safety.

Leonna had always liked that part. Not the death portion, but how clever and easy Hausys made it seem.

Leonna had lived through years of oppression at the hands of the Emperor, always having to talk in hushed whispers in her bedroom about magic that would and could never be stopped. But he tried nonetheless. The White Hand surveyed the streets in his stead and killed any who stood in the way of the Emperor's definition. She had seen her childhood friend hanging from the gallows in the middle of town because her brother became marked unbeknownst to her. But to the White Hand it didn't matter. They were related and lived in the house together, therefore she was as guilty of having a Mark as her brother was. As were her mother, father, and younger sister who had only been brought into the world a month prior. There was no one the White Hand would grant mercy to.

Leonna wished to be rid of them, but there was nothing she could do. She was a Marksmen, still not used to the grand amount of power and responsibility she now carried with her.

Gripping a small pebble next to her she tossed it into the lake causing the small fish to scatter as their blissful lives were interrupted by a splash which was giant to them. She threw a second, and a third, then a fourth, fifth, and sixth releasing her hatred with each throw. She put more and more power behind each one and before she realized it her power blazed threw her arm.

The seventh pebble was aflame with her magic. Leonna jumped back in surprise dropping it to the ground. With a swift kick she punted it into the lake extinguishing it. Upset at her lack of restraint she placed her head in between her legs and pulled them towards her chest curling up into a tiny ball. Her magic swelled inside of her like a raging storm on the ocean. It swirled into a bubbling mess that wanted to be used now that she sparked it.

"No," she told it. "Not now."

Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her power. Glancing at her mark she saw it blazed bright red with power.

"Damn it. No," she said more firmly and pushed back harder against it.

The a small patch of grass at her feet ignited after brushing against her toes. Feeling the flame she quickly stomped it out. She pulled her magic back inside her just as her grandfather showed her and began to breathe.

Now another just to the left of her caught flame.

"No, no, no," she said stomping it out then stomping out another.

Her magic escaped from her grasp again and the reeds just growing in the shallow waters in front of her began to burn.

Leonna didn't know what to do as the world around seemed to grow with more and more patches of flames. She put them out as quickly as possible with her feet and her magic, but for every patch she put out another two seemed to begin. Her magic refused to be silenced.

Desperate Leonna looked to the lake. Without thinking much further she jumped swiftly into it with a large splash. She cold stung and pricked at her warm body. Steam erupted from around her.

Leonna remained submerged for as long as she could hold her breath before resurfacing to a mostly extinguished landscape. A few spots still burned, and she attempted to splash them from the lake refusing to tap into her power until she was sure she could control it.

A rustling brought her attention to the bushes to the left of the lake. Brencis fell through the low bushes tripping over a branch.

He stood rubbing what dirt and dust he could from his clothes as he searched for Leonna. She ducked silently into the water and waded unnoticed under some of the reeds. A mother duck quacked angrily at her when she came to close to her nest and Leonna backed away from her and under another set of reeds. She stayed hidden watching as Brencis walked past.

A wave of panic crossed his face as he saw the few spots still burning with Leonna's fire. With shame she ducked deeper into the chilly lake.

Frantic Brencis looked around presumably to  find something to put the fire out. With no luck he grabbed a stick near where Leonna had been sitting when she magic grew unmanageable.

Brencis gripped the stick with both hands and brought it to his chest. A green fire blazed over it engulfing the stick fully. Taking it with one hand Brencis scrolled it over the ground in front of him.

Covering her mouth with shock, stunned, and with curiosity Leonna pushed her head from the water and tried to get a better look. From her position under the reeds she still couldn't make out what Brencis was doing. Plus she dare not risk getting closer to the mama duck who was still hissing with displeasure.

The green flames went out leaving the stick as it was before and Brencis tossed it aside. Bending down he lifted a bucket from the ground. Leonna gasped unsure of what she had jut witnessed. Obviously he had performed some form of magic, but she didn't know what.

Calmly he dipped the metal bucket into the lake below his feet and filled it to the brim with water, looking around. Once filled he slowly poured out its contents over each small patch of flames until they no longer burned. He touched each place checking for any additional warmth and in some places he decided to pour a bit more water out until the heat had subsided.

Content with his work, he tucked the bucket behind some of the reeds nervously, and continued walking like nothing had happened.

She watched him leave, but to be sure he was gone she remained in the lake for several minutes.

Deciding she needed a bath as it was, she took to washing herself. She scrubbed days of dirt and ash from her skin and her hair.

Still disbelieving of Brencis' magic the bucket soon overtook her mind. Content of her cleanliness after several long and hard minutes of rubbing her skin raw, she decided to investigate. She ducked back down into the water and waded over to the spot where Brencis had hidden the bucket. She pulled the reeds back and it still sat there.

She gasped and reached her hand forward to touch it. Her hand met cold metal. She sprawled her hand out on its surface feeling it further, unsatisfied with its existence. Leonna moved forward and pulled it from the weeds. Placing it on the shore she climbed out after it dripping wet but unable to dry herself. She sat on the shore dangling her legs in the lake again.

Leonna pulled the bucket into her arms and examined it.

She found that there was nothing particularly special about this magic bucket. It was made of simple metal and a small handle raised over it. She gripped it from the handle and held it up tipping it back and forth.

Quizzically she dipped it into the water and filled it. It held nicely and to performed all the tasks a bucket was meant to.

But still something bothered her about it. Why hadn't Brencis told her of his Mark? she wondered. How long had he had it and when did he plan on telling her, if ever?

One way or another she would find out, she decided. Her trust for him dwindled as the bucket became to disappear from her hand with the green fire of his magic. She flung it from her hand quickly splashing herself with its contents.

Leonna lay back deciding she would let the sun dry her. With more on her mind than before she struggled to fall asleep. One way or another she was determined to get answers.

 

Several hours later, just when darkness was beginning to cover the land, Leonna woke up stiff and cold. She sat up alone in the incoming darkness and she looked to the sun as it was just crossing over the horizon. With a yawn she sat up almost dry, apart from her knees down which still were in the water, which had grown even colder than before. Wincing she pulled them up from the lake and pulled herself back from the shore.

Her toes resembled little old men, and the skin on her calf was taught and pained. She silently cursed herself for falling asleep half submerged, but it was too late to change it.

She sat there as her legs came back to life. Leonna moved them slowly and massaged them through the pain.

The darkness continued to grow and Leonna began to become nervous. After the demon animals that had tried to attack them earlier she found it hard to trust the darkness and its inhabitants.

Leonna dove into her magic, careful not to put herself in too far, and removed just a tiny spark of it. She brought the flame to her hand and it grew to the size of a large pinecone. The brought it to her wet and cramping legs and allowed the heat to sooth and relax them.

The light of her fire cast a soft glow onto her darkening surroundings. She looked nervously back and forth watching for any hint of movement.

When nothing came and her legs now allowed her to move more freely she stood and began to stagger back to camp, sure to keep her flame at eye level.

Leonna reached it within minutes and was greeted by her nervous mother who offered her a quick scolding and a hug.

"Where were you all day?" Ayala asked Leonna once she had a chance to sit down around the fire with them.

"I was near the lake just out that way. I cleaned off and napped for a bit," she told the group as she tossed her ball of flames into their campfire.

"Oh," Raina began, "Brencis was out there earlier today and he said he didn't see you. Isn't that right Brencis?" she asked him while they ate.

He glanced at Leonna nervously avoiding eye contact with her. "Uh, yea. I went for a walk, but I didn't see her out there."

"That's odd," Raina commented.

"I would have been in the water when he came by and he just didn't notice," Leonna hinted. Brencis kept his head down.

"That's...possible," he responded.

A silence fell over them as the group ate. Each was uncomfortable with two things: the dark and Leonna's nearness to their campfire. But none spoke a word of their fears, and instead took to filling themselves with the rabbit meat Eros had managed to catch. It was tender and warm to Leonna's touch, but nothing about it satisfied her. She wanted to talk to Brencis and tell him she saw him perform magic. Or she could just out him right here and he would be forced to talk about it. But she came to the conclusion that would be unfair of her. He should be able to speak of it when he feels comfortable, but she still would confront him before it was time to sleep for the night.

The meal came to an end, everyone's bellies only slightly full of food but completely full of nerves. Ayala suggested off hand that they travel by rock tonight as well, but Raina quickly denied that idea worried of Eros' strength. He quickly defended him, but Raina still wouldn't allow it. They would travel in the morning as soon as they were able.

"So where I am going?" Leonna asked. "I know I'm not wanted to go into the into the city, so where do I go?"

"We're all going into the city," she answered which met a quick objection from both Brencis and Jonathan. "Let me finish," she continued silencing them. "We will not be going all together. We will enter separately and at different times. When we lost our supplies back when those things attacked us things had to change. We need more supplies than ever and two people will not be able to collect them all in one day. So we all go."

"I don't like that idea," Jonathan disagreed. "We still need as much anonymity as possible. We risk running into eachother and being recognized if we're all there at one time.”

"We also run a risk of just sending in two people and relying on them to retrieve everything we need. What happens if we send you and Ayala in with all our money and you two get taken into custody? We can't afford to make decisions like that. Each group will take a portion of the money and a list of supplies to collect."

Eros and Brencis nodded in agreement.

"I still don't think Leonna should go," Ayala said. "She could burn the place down in an instant."

"Ayala," Raina said with a warning.

"What? It's true!"

"I won't," Leonna said in defense of herself. "I can control it more than I could before."

"That's not saying much."

"Ayala! Enough!" Raina said with a second warning her voice growing in volume. "This isn't for you to argue."

Eros sat forward, "Jonathan and Ayala, you two will go into the city first. You will get us each something to change into. We can't waltz in looking like we are ," he said gesturing to the dirt that was caked to his clothes and skin.

"After you have done that you will leave the city so we may bathe and change. Then Leonna and myself will enter and we will be purchasing horses and anything we need for their care. Brencis and Raina will enter after that to get any other miscellaneous things we will require. Then Jonathan and Ayala you will enter again to pick up food and water skins for us to fill here. Is that clear?" Eros asked the group.

"How will we know when to rotate?" Brencis asked.

"Wait an hour after the pair before you enters. The four of us will obviously wait until Jonathan and Ayala return so we can change, but after that we rotate. This is our meeting place."

"Also, we don't have the time or energy to dawdle. You get in, keep your head down, get what we need, then leave. Don't draw any attention to yourself if you can avoid it. Be as careful as possible."

Turning to Jonathan and Ayala Eros said, "Since you two will be entering first you'll want to get an early start. You should be at the gates around the time they'll be opening. Shops will be just setting up, but you'll be able to find one fairly easily."

"Fine," Jonathan said. "Anything else?" He asked standing. "Because if not, I'll be heading to bed." Not waiting for an answer he walked off and rounded the oak tree disappearing into the darkness. Brencis scoffed at Jonathan as he left clearly annoyed by the man. When Leonna looked to him though he shrunk away from her.

"I'm going to go to bed too," Ayala said standing shakily and rubbing her temples.

"Are you alright?" Raina asked concerned. "Come here," she instructed pulling Ayala back down. She placed her hand to Ayala's forehead and tore it away. "You're burning up. You obviously don't feel alright," she pointed out.

"I'm fine," she argued fighting her aunt's grasp. "I'm just tired is all. The heat from the fire is what you felt," she explained. Freeing herself from her aunt she began slinking away behind the tree.

"Not back there," Raina cautioned. "You'll be sleeping next to me tonight over there," she told Ayala pointing to the rock they had flown in on. "It's not as bad as it looks."

"I don't want to," Ayala said feebly too tired to argue harshly.

"What you want to do doesn't matter. Go over there and I'll be there in a bit. Go," she said shooing her away. Ayala stomped off and laid herself on the large rock turning her back towards the fire and her family.

"She really isn't well," Raina said. "I don't think she'll be able to go into the city in the morning. We need to send someone else with Jonathan."

"Leonna will go," Eros said. "I'll take Brencis with me and Ayala will go with you, Raina. That way you can keep an eye on her."

Brencis spoke up, "I don't think Leonna should go with Jonathan. I'll go with him instead."

"Why do you think that?" Eros asked with curiosity.

"I..I don't know. She should go with you. You're teaching her right?"

"That's true, but Leonna has enough control for now to get her through a couple hours. And since Jonathan is Marked as well he should be able to talk her through any swells of power that may arise. They will also arouse less suspicion."

Raina nodded in agreement as Brencis huffed in disappointment.

"You two better get off to bed," Eros said to Brencis and Leonna. "We have a long day tomorrow and you'll need to be up early. Leonna, practice your breathing tonight please. I want you to pull your magic inward as best as you can. Don't let flares of it escape your magical grasp. Now go," he said throwing his head to the side.

Leonna and Brencis stood and tossed their leaves that acted as plates during their meal into the fire.

"Can I talk to you, Brencis?" Leonna asked.

"Sure," he said fairly certain of what was to come.

The walked away from the fire leaving Raina and Eros to talk. They past Ayala who was already sleeping and found a spot where the ground wasn't as hard as it had been in other places and sat down to talk.

Leonna was unsure of how to begin. She didn't want to scare Brencis or make him feel uncomfortable, but she wanted answers.

Drawing a breath in, she said tentatively, "I saw you using magic near the lake."

"I figured that much," Brencis said. "How much did you see?"

"A stick. A green fire. A bucket."

"That's it?"

"That's it," Leonna responded.

"You didn't tell anyone, did you?" he asked in a hushed tone.

"No," she whispered back. "I wanted to talk with you first about it. It didn't seem fair to tell the others first."

"Thank you," he said. "I appreciate you coming to me about it. I just don't know where to begin," he told her honestly.

"Well, when did it happen?" she asked toying awkwardly with a tiny blue flower poking up from the ground between them.

Jonathan watched as Leonna nervously poked and pulled at the flower. He, himself found himself fidgeting with a loose thread at the bottom of his shirt.

"Honestly, I don't really know. It was sometime after all this happened, but I'm not sure when."

"How could you not know? Don't you have a Mark?"

"It's kind of in a weird spot," he said honestly. "I didn't know I had it until a rock I was using to draw with turned green and my drawing came to life."

"Where is it? Your Mark I mean," Leonna asked wanting to know.

"It's here," he said pointing to his left ribcage just below where his heart would be. "I wasn't exactly running around with my shirt off so I had absolutely no idea I had it. We didn't exactly have many chances to bathe during our trip."

Leonna laugh and Brencis laughed along with her. They both relaxed, laying back onto the ground and looking up into the sky.

"Didn't you feel it? When I got my Mark I burned all over. My veins felt like they were filled with liquid fire and I was convinced I was dying. You never felt anything?"

"No, I didn't. I guess it's different for each person. Your Mark obviously reacts with fire so when it came into you, it burned I guess. It was really that bad?"

"It was horrible! I wanted to rip off my skin and cry all at once. There was nothing I could do to end it. It just kept growing and growing. I guess it felt better once I used it. But it was still awful." Leonna shook and cringed at the memory of that night and her father's and aunt's death.

They remained quiet for a moment both staring into the infinity of space. Brencis tried counting the stars, but after a few dozen he lost his place. Leonna traced shapes with her fingers creating constellations of her own.

"So, what does your Mark do?" she asked. "Make buckets?" Leonna joked laughing.

"Hey! It can, but that's not just what it does!"

"Show me," she said turning to him and propping herself up on her elbow.

Brencis stiffened. "I don't know, Leonna. What if someone sees? I'm not ready for them to know. I'm still getting used to it as it is."

"It'll be alright," she reassured him. "Want me to get you a stick?" she insisted. "Do you need a stick?" she asked realizing she wasn't really sure.

"No I don't need a stick. Do you think you could lighten it up around here. It's pretty dark and I need to see. If not that's fine. If the fire is still going back there I can make a quick torch."

"I can do it. Just give me a minute." Leonna sat up, crossed her legs, closed her eyes, and took to her breathing. In just a minute she gripped her magic, and took out a spark just as she had earlier, but this time she made sure to close all channels for the flames to escape. She withdrew her magical self and in her hand shone a small ball of flames.

"I did it," she whispered. Her eyes widened and her smile grew and it was that moment of sheer happiness that made Brencis fall in love with her.

"Wow," he said looking not at the magic or Leonna's red Mark, but at the delight on her face.

"I know!" Leonna said oblivious to Brencis, but totally enveloped in her own success. "Can you show me now?" she asked her eyes meeting his. The reflection of the flame danced it them.

"What?" Brencis asked having missed the question.

"You magic. Can you show me?" Leonna asked again.

"Right! Yea."

Brencis placed his right index finger to the soft ground and began to draw. Green flames danced from his fingertips as he forced the earth underneath to give way. Leonna watched excited and curious. She brought her flame close and watched as he drew a flower, one twice the size of the one she had been playing with earlier. Brencis first drew the stem then carefully the tiny leaves that grew up the sides. He then took to the petals, which he drew, large and imperfect.

When complete he covered the dirt flower with his hand and another flare of the green fire of his Mark swelled beneath it.

Brencis looked up, Leonna's face close to his. He watched her as he slowly brought his hand up from the ground and a bright blue flower, matching the small one, grew alongside it.

Leonna's jaw dropped and her eyes danced with wonder.

"Wow. That's amazing," she said completely enthralled. He smiled.

"Thanks."

"How long does it last?" she asked, but continues before he could answer. "I can touch it right?"

"Of course. And I don't know how long it'll last. Some stick around more than others. I never really know," he shrugged.

Leonna rubbed the petals softly, mystified by it. She then felt the petal of the other smaller flower and said, "They're the exact same. Feel!" She took his hand and placed it upon his creation then the smaller flower.

Her touch electrified him. He brightened as she continued to examine the flower and he sat quietly staring into the sky still trying to count the stars.

"Do you feel your magic draining at all? Mine usually feels like its disappearing when I use it."

He thought for a moment before going inside himself and searching for the bundle of magic in the pit of his stomach.

Finding it, he found a small thread of his magic connecting himself with the flower and a small flow of power going towards it.

His magic was, in fact, steadily depleting.

"I guess it is," he told her. "It's not much, but I'm still connected to it."

"See what happens when you cut it off."

"What happens when you do?"

"It depends I guess. Sometimes it's easier than others."

"I'll try," he said.

He found his magic against and grabbed the thread leading to the flower. With a swift motion he ripped the thread cutting the flow of magic.

"Oh," Leonna said surprised.

Brencis opened his eyes to see empty air when the flower had been. "I guess that's what happens," he said.

"I guess so. Try it with that," he said pointing to the ball of fire Leonna still held.

            “I’ll try,” she said hesitantly.

            “You’ll be okay,” he said with reassurance. “I trust you. Just find the thread and cut it.”

            She closed her eyes and found the thread. “I found it,” she told him.

            “Now cut it. Don’t let it go anymore. Don’t allow it.”

            Leonna gripped the thread with her magical grasp and pulled ripping her magic from the flame.

            “Perfect,” Brencis said with encouragement. “Easy, right?”

            She opened her eyes to an empty hand. “Yea, it kind of was. Let’s do it again,” she said with a smile of excitement.

            Before Brencis could say anything she already had another ball of fire in her hand and was ready to extinguish it.

            “Let’s go!”