“A friend.” Vi pushed vines of bell-shaped flowers aside, stepping into the girl’s space. Sehra would be about thirteen at this point, she guessed. But even youthful, Sehra had the same intensity she’d keep all her life. Vi dropped to a knee to seem less threatening. “I will not hurt you.”
“You’re of Mhashan?”
“I’m of Yargen.”
Sehra stood, crossing purposefully over to Vi. Her every movement carried regal poise beyond her years.
“You know of Yargen?”
Vi held out her hand and whispered, “Durroe.” Just like all those years ago, a miniature glowing orb appeared in her palm. But this time, even without the clarification words, the orb was sharp. It was a perfect ball of light, hovering.
Sehra lifted her hand; the moment she was about to touch the shimmering illusion, Vi released her magic and grabbed the girl’s fingers lightly. She covered Sehra’s hand with her other hand. The girl regarded her warily, but did not pull away.
“I’ve traveled from where your fate leads. From very far, indeed…” Vi searched the familiar face. It was Sehra, all right, merely twenty or so years younger than Vi remembered. “I’ve come because there is something you must do.”
“For Yargen?” she asked. Vi nodded. “What must I do?”
She wished everyone else would be as easy as Sehra, who knew enough of the old magics, even at this point, that a small display was all the proof she needed. All that, combined with the knowledge that Sehra in Vi’s time had been instructed by a traveler, led Vi to determine the most direct path was the best one in this instance.
Manipulation and suggestion hadn’t really gone well for her tonight, anyway.
“Soricium will fall,” Vi said apologetically. The words hurt to tell the girl. But her war-weary eyes were unfaltering in their attention. “When it does, you must see that your mother demands to negotiate the terms of surrender.” Sehra nodded, continuing to listen intently. Vi braced herself for what had to come next. “When Mhashan fell, the Emperor engaged Princess Fiera—”
“You wish me to betroth myself to the Empire’s dark prince?” Shock and disgust leaked into Sehra’s voice.
“Fate is often most cruel when we hope it to be fair.” Vi took a deep breath. She was toeing the line of saying too much, and she knew it. At least Sehra had come up with the idea of an engagement on her own. “You will return home a free woman. You will have two daughters… One of your own blood, and one of your enemy’s. Yet both will have the power of Yargen.”
“A Solaris will have the power of Yargen?” she whispered.
“You must nurture this power. When the time is right, take the eldest child. For her life, for yours, and for the lives of your people.”
“You have made clear the will of Yargen.”
“Good.” Vi stood, releasing the girl’s hand. She wanted to embrace Sehra tightly and tell her that everything would be all right. Vi might have, if a commotion wasn’t rising outside on the walkways and bridges. The smacking of sprinting feet could be heard. Someone banged on Sehra’s door.
“Sehra?” Za called through the door. Vi smiled knowingly. That relationship didn’t exist beyond protector and protected. Sehra was yet a child, after all. The door opened. “There’s been a tunnel discovered in the walls.”
“Good luck,” Vi whispered to the girl. She reached her hand back and felt Taavin’s warm palm close around hers. The glyph surrounded them both once more, and Vi disappeared from existence as Za rounded the entrance of the room.
“Are you all right?”
“I am, Za,” Sehra said firmly, still looking at where Vi stood. “I need you to take me to my mother.”
“It’s not safe.”
“It is. There is no one unwelcome in the fortress.” The girl turned to her guard, looking twice her age as she commanded, “Now, we go to the chieftain. There are things I need to discuss with her.”
Za gave a bow and led the girl from the room.
“Why go to her, and not her mother?” Taavin asked when they were alone.
“I wanted the relationship with her in case our paths ever cross again. She’ll be the one in the South. And the Sehra of my world said a traveler instructed her about what to do. I didn’t have a sense that I needed to obscure things.”
“A sense…” Taavin rounded to look her in the eye. “You said you had a sense in the Crossroads as well.”
“I did.”
“That sense might be the will of Yargen, flowing through you.”
