Samira was queen of the Faridan line of earth magic users and ruled over the southern Equnox Plains. She was the third member of the alliance that made up the Children of Earth. She had the weaker, but still important, ability of channeling the Earth Mother to encourage crops to grow, no matter the conditions. Her tribe provided all the crops needed to supply the warriors, but she rarely left the southern territory.
“It’s not like we haven’t tried! We’ve seen what happens when the Zephyrians take over a territory. They build cities and completely raze what was originally there. We already can’t migrate the way our ancestors did with our horses. If they seized the grasslands and built cities, we would lose all our ancestral land.”
“They would let Queen Samira keep the southern plains, though,” Mariyah said with an edge to her voice. “Her crops are too valuable to raze and replace with cities instead.”
And no doubt Samira would make sure she would continue to profit under Zephyrian rule. Already her territory brought in wagons of silver and gold through her lucrative trade with the port city of Rhythos. Ama had always said that Queen Samira only allied herself with us because the Zephyrians would force her to pay too high a percentage of her profits were they to take over her land.
“I shouldn’t judge her, honestly,” I said—mostly to myself. “At least she contributes something to our people.”
Mariyah shot me a sympathetic look. “Still no powers?”
Tell her,Shazeera said.Mariyah has always been trustworthy.
Yes, but I don’t even understand it myself.
“I haven’t heard the Earth Mother’s voice even once,” I admitted to Mariyah, “much less been able to heal.”
“It could still happen,” Mariyah said, her tone full of positivity that I just couldn’t relate to.
“Only you and Shazeera believe that at this point.”
Shazeera flicked her ears back at me and tossed her head.
“Well, you should listen, because we’re both very wise,” Mariyah said with a lofty grin.
Easy for you to say,I thought and then immediately felt guilty. It wasn’t Mariyah’s fault her powers had manifested early. Technically she was right that I would have abilities—just nothing like what I was supposed to have.
We both fell silent after that, casually paddling in the cool water, or floating lazily on our backs. Nearby, our horses stood in the shallow part of the lake and grazed on the plants that grew at the water’s edge.
I nearly fell asleep, floating on my back, when suddenly, the breeze changed. Where before it was light, it now blew hard enough to create waves on the water. Cold spread through me, and I sat up to look at Mariyah. Strangely, the water around her was unaffected, and when she turned toward me, not a hair on her head stirred. The wind blew strongly in my ears, pushing me from all directions. It felt like a hand on my back, urging me out of the water.
“Mariyah,” I hedged, unsure how to tell her I felt uneasy because of the change in the wind, “I think we should head back.”
She opened her mouth to reply, but a flock of birds took flight so violently from the branches of the trees surrounding us, that it interrupted her and drew the horses’ attention.
Zara,Shazeera said in my mind, and there was a note of anxiety that mirrored my own.I hear wings beating. Giant wings.
No,I thought,they never come here. We’re too far south.
A breeze swirled around me then, lifting the ends of my hair, and I knew…I knew they were coming. Mariyah and I followed our horses out of the lake, leaving in a torrent of water. We dressed hurriedly, and my fingers shook as I pulled on my clothes.
In the distance, I heard a sound that made me freeze. My inadequate human ears couldn’t quite pick it up, but Shazeera’s could, and the sound ripped through my mind as she transferred it to me.
It was a giant eagle’s screech. And it was rapidly followed by another. And another.
Get on,Shazeera said.Now.
I swung myself astride as Mariyah did the same beside me. Back toward the canyon, I could see the warriors and guards scrambling to arm themselves and mount up.
Suddenly, the pounding of hooves rang out as Kamil carried General Isa to our side. “First Daughters, you must follow me to the safety of the canyon. We will soon be under attack.” She handed us bows and quivers of arrows. I tried to hide my shaking hands as I took them.
We turned to look at the canyon in the distance. It was only two miles away, but right now, it seemed impossibly far.
Some of the guards who had been stationed closest to the lake now came to General Isa, led by Naomi. “We await your command, General,” Naomi said with a quick bow.
General Isa turned to Naomi. “I want you and your battalion to scout for eagles. If you find them, engage. We need to lead them away from the settlement. I will take the daughters to safety.”
They saluted her and galloped away. I watched them go with my heart in my throat.
