They sat in silence for a while, and Calavia thought of the best way they could solve their predicament. She neither wanted to leave Bathyr so soon now that she was here, and she did not want Astegur to leave her sight. But her wants were not what the clan needed—a clan she was now part of—and so she returned her attention to Aldora. The human female’s brow was furrowed, and a thoughtful expression clouded her face.
She will not like being away from her mate either…
Eventually, Astegur opened the small bag at his hooves and reached his hand into it. Calavia’s heart beat wildly when he produced a small ball of her wax. He met her eyes and placed it in the bowl below it, handing it over to her. He gave her the dagger next.
Calavia’s hand shook as she picked up the clump, caressing its smooth sides with the pads of her fingers. They warmed with the touch, tingling. It was more than she thought she had left. She brought the wax to her face and rubbed her cheek against it.
Everyone was watching her when she lowered it back into the bowl.
“We are not entirely without direction,” Astegur said, turning to the group. “We can find one of our brothers with Calavia’s help.”
Vedikus snarled. “Help? From her?”
Calavia stared at her most prized possession longingly. Astegur was going to ask her to use it. She straightened her back and caressed the clump once more, forced to say farewell mere minutes after the gift was given.
“She’s helped us. We sought her out, and she helped us even though her life was in jeopardy in doing so.” Aldora’s voice hardened as she addressed her mate. “She lost her home because of us and has not given us a reason to strike her down. I do not know Astegur as well as Dezetus, but I feel his sentiments are sincere. He has brought her here and has not looked upon me once in disdain, as you, Vedikus, are doing now to Calavia. AsDezetusdid to me.”
Vedikus’s eyes flared dark and bright, glinting with fire.
“Will you do it?” Astegur lowered his voice and turned to her.
Calavia nodded. “Yes.” She prepared the wax, loosening it with her hands, drawing upon her wants and focusing them on the task at hand. Her willpower bloomed within her. “Who do you seek? I only have enough here to find one.”
“Dezetus,” both brothers said at once.
“He is the one with the broken horn, correct?”
Vedikus growled. “How do you know that?”
“That is Dezetus,” Astegur answered, eyeing her curiously.
“I saw his image briefly when I summoned Astegur to my aid,” she said, turning her hand, palm up, and raising the dagger.
Vedikus made another deep noise of discontent.
“Let her work, brother. We only have one chance at this.”
Calavia sucked her lower lip into her mouth and cut her palm.
Epilogue
The next morning, after Astegur checked Calavia’s bandaged hand, he led her up the endless stone steps carved out by her humans countless years before. The air thinned with their ascent, and he slowed so Calavia could take her time.
He felt guilt for the first time last night, giving her a gift, only to immediately take it away.
The previous evening sat hard in his skull. She had produced a weak image of Dezetus, walking through a forest. It made no sense to either him or Vedikus; the only forests near their mountains were west toward the deadlands, where their old tribe still roamed, and north where the swamps ended.
Not one of them could decide which forest it was. He and Vedikus had not traveled through the northern one, and it made no sense for Dezetus to be going farther into the deadlands unless Hinekur or Thyrius had gone out that way. It wasn’t enough information for either one of them to set off after him. Not with two females to protect.
But knowing Dezetus was not captured by the Enios centaurs was a relief, albeit a small one. He was the strongest of all the brothers, and to have him captured by a weaker enemy…
Astegur snorted under his breath.Dezetus will return.Nothing could kill the eldest of the Bathyr, not even the gods themselves.
His thoughts returned to Calavia as he watched her slide her fingers over the mountain wall they followed along, as if she could not get enough of its touch. He only wanted her to touchhimlike that. He did not stop her though, since leaving the dead swamps of Prayer, he had never seen such looks of wonder and fear upon her face.
Wonder for seeing more of a terrible, cursed world, in its unique element, and fear for what that new world could do to her.
“I have much to teach you,” he said, his voice low as they continued to climb.
