“Kael, I’m sorry.”

His shoulders stiffened and he spoke to Joss, ignoring me. “I bet that tomorrow morning, we will lose more students. And it won’t be because they were taken in the night.”

~~~

Kael was right. The next morning, there were fewer students at breakfast. News had traveled fast and concerned parents arrived that morning with carriages to take their sons and daughters home. Letters arrived by messenger, pigeon, and even an eagle, demanding that the Denai students who lived farther away be escorted home.

Kambel was at his wit’s end. Without Lorna and Pax, he had no choice but to release the students. Queen Lilyana had organized a guarded caravan to leave in three days to escort the others home. She had seemed truly disheartened, and I couldn’t help but feel responsible. Over half of the Citadel’s students were leaving with the caravan.

I was going with them.

Queen Lilyana was angry at the change in attitude and the loss of students. Her presence at the school was becoming routine, so she stepped in and helped handle the dismissal. Physically, she was tensed and a bit high strung.

I approached her quietly. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Haven’t you done enough helping?” she snapped. “Go with the caravan for protection and go home. Please.”

I was heartbroken. I was going home a failure. I hadn’t found Joss’s sister. I hadn’t found the Raven, and Mona had escaped.

On our day of departure, I found myself at the back of the caravan on Faraway with my packs. Garit had been commissioned to lead the caravan, and Kael was hired on as an extra guard. Joss chose to come with me, to see me home back to my clan. I had a feeling he wanted to talk to my father and try and get him to reconsider the agreement concerning Kael and me. Hemi was excited about returning home, but saddened that he wouldn’t get to say goodbye to Fanny. I knew how much he liked the copper-haired Fanny, but I also knew how much my family despised outsiders.

The rear of the caravan was the dustiest and dirtiest place to ride. I was literally eating the dust kicked up by the horses. But I chose to ride rear because I could ride in silence. Behind me, four guards rode. If I slowed my pace at all, they would kick their horses and force me to speed up.

Travelling was simple for me because I didn’t have anything that I needed brought home.

Syrani, on the other hand, had two wagons filled with cargo. Even all the way at the back, I could hear her shrill voice yelling at the wagon driver to be careful and go around the pothole. I grimaced, feeling bad for the man. When I realized it was Donn, I was both surprised and excited he’d been assigned to come as well.

For four days we traveled, and for four days I barely saw or spoke with Kael. We made it to the home of Pan and dropped him off with his welcoming but anxious family. It was bittersweet to watch his mother and father worry over him. We got back on the road headed west, toward young Brecken’s home.

Later that evening, the wagons were pulled into a circle, just like every other night. Donn went to work with a few of his kitchen staff to prepare the evening meal around the central fire. Other smaller fires were started closer to each of the wagons. There were a total of ten wagons, fifteen students, not including Joss and me, six servants and twenty guards. We were quite a large group to feed on the road, but Donn and his team put out a wonderful spread.

It was a warm meal of soup and fresh pheasant shot down by a guard earlier that morning. Donn even brought a barrel of cider and warmed it up for us on the chilly night. At first it was quiet as everyone was eating, but soon it became louder as trepidation dropped and a sense of security set in. To most of the Denai students, this felt like an adventure. Someone started to sing, and then others joined in. Soon even Donn was bellowing a song about lost love in his deep baritone.

I didn’t join in the festivities. I couldn’t. I was too busy thinking of what I was going to tell my father. A shadow fell over my shoulder and Hemi lumbered down to sit by me, placing his large axe by his right knee. I turned and studied him, realizing I hadn’t given him much thought lately. I’d been buried in my own problems. He had come bearing two cups of cider and handed one to me. He took a long drink and licked his lips and sighed.

“You miss home?” I asked.

He stroked his long red beard before answering. “Yes, I will be happy to be back to my own home, but I fear that it will feel very empty.”

“Do you love her?”

Hemi started to gasp and sputter like he was choking. His face turned a deep red and he started to mumble.

“So bring her home with you. Marry Fanny. Who cares that she is a Denai?”

Hemi didn’t even argue with me about him wanting to marry her. “I don’t think she would be happy there. Even if she could pretend not to be a Denai, she would always be inventing things, creating things, people would call her names because they wouldn’t understand her. Our clan would ostracize her for being different. It happened before with your mother. I wouldn’t want to repeat it with Fanny.” I watched the great bear of a man groan and stretch out his arms. He downed the last drops of his drink, so I handed my untouched cider to him. His smile widened and he soon polished off mine.

“Does she love you?” The sputtering occurred again from Hemi. I took it for a possible yes. “Then leave the clan and marry her. Live in Skyfell.”

“And betray your father? I can’t. I won’t. Don’t ever speak of it again.” He stood up and grabbed his large axe and walked away.

I had upset him. I knew that this was going to be a very long trip, even longer because we were only going to our second drop off tomorrow.

High-pitched laughter came from over by the nearest fire. It was Syrani, laughing at something Joss had said. I couldn’t help but feel a surge of disgust at her.

I pulled out my bedroll, laid it out under the wagon, and tuckered down for the night. Someone came by and whispered my name. It sounded like Donn but I ignored him. I just wished to be done with everyone. I had failed, and I wanted, I wanted…I didn’t know what I wanted.

So you don’t feel like talking?

No, I don’t feel like talking, even to you.

My…aren’t we moody?

Of course, I’m moody. Queen Lilyana sent me home! She didn’t ask if I wanted to leave, but she commanded that I go home. I feel unimportant.

Nonsense, I don’t think that was really the reason she sent you.

I couldn’t possibly think of any other reason.

I’m sure you could think of one, if you tried.

Gah! I mentally screamed at Faraway. I’m done. Goodnight.

I pulled my blanket over my head and watched Joss and Kael talking across the camp. I could see Joss shaking his head angrily and Kael, arms crossed, standing firm. Finally, Joss threw his arms up in the air and stormed away. Kael watched Joss’s retreating back and then he turned and stared at my makeshift bedding arrangement. I wasn’t sure, but I thought I saw his shoulders shake with laughter. I pulled the blanket even tighter over my head and completely blocked the sound of the camp.

I lay awake for hours under the wagon. I listened to servants gently admonish their wards to get ready for sleep. The wagon above me shifted and groaned as two students moved their luggage around and made beds in the back. I could hear them giggling as they hefted what sounded like a large waxed tarp above them. I could feel the pull of power as another Denai used his gifts.