The Nameless Warrior

A Priestess Bound To False Gods

It cooled on Gaerlom's coast and Kaye's cloak no longer received strange looks. Neither did Kaye—the People of the Sea were convinced she was a silkie once the creatures took up permanent residence in Ian's Cove. They would touch her clothes or hair as she passed, whispering prayers and thanks to Awena. At first Kaye jumped each time, but she quickly learned to tolerate it.

The mountain spirit hadn't returned, but the Breens were on edge all the same. Timin rarely left Kaye's side unless his father needed help fishing, and Abigail was more than pleased to have the help at home. She began to teach Kaye all the things she didn't know—cooking, sewing, and weaving. The only thing she didn't have to teach Kaye about was herbalism. Kaye didn't know all the plants on this side of the mountain yet, but she was learning.

She began going out to collect herbs, and as her confidence in finding them grew, she wandered deeper into the forest until she found the mountainside. She walked north one day, and south the next, but never found the pass to Camden Valley.

Today Kaye stared up at the cloud-shrouded mountainside. There was something strange about it, as if the energy was different, but when she focused and drew energy from the ground beneath her feet it felt perfectly normal. She laid her hand on the unnaturally smooth stone and closed her eyes, trying to feel the difference here from the rest of the mountainside.

There was a "whump" next to her and she snapped her eyes open to find a man where there had been empty space a moment before. She gasped and stumbled back. He was nearly a head taller than her, and broad-shouldered as Gar, but his hair was sand-colored like Timin's. The man had the hazel eyes of the Aledans, and...wings. He had wings. He was Faye.

"For Trina," she whispered, dizzy.

"Trina is a false goddess," he growled, accent closer to her own than the Gaerloms.

That...that wasn't what she expected him to say. Maybe a "who are you?" Or "are you lost?" But not a dismissal of her deity. "I...I'm sorry?"

"Go home, priestess. You do not belong here."

She opened her mouth to explain herself, then snapped it shut as his words sank in. How did he know she was a priestess? She took a step forward, focusing on his energy.

"Don't," he said, clearly aware of her intent.

The curiosity and fear were gone, replaced by something almost akin to revulsion, but she recognized his energy signature. "You were spying on me in Gaerlom."

"No—"

"Yes—you were the one I could feel in the woods." She took another step forward at his discomfort. "Why were you there? The Gaerloms would have killed you if they'd known."

"The People of the Sea do not scare me."

She let the lie pass unchallenged. "Why?"

"I was there on behest of the Lady, to find out who you are."

"And who do you think I am?"

His eyes raked her disdainfully. "A daughter of the Odion. A priestess bound to false gods. Timin Breen's pet." He spit on the ground as if he couldn't stand the taste of the name on his tongue.

"Pet?" It escaped her as half-laugh, half-dismayed snort. "I am no one's pet."

"Then why haven't you returned home? Has he cut off your wings yet?"

Her cloak lay uncomfortably heavy against the bandage and Kaye took a step back, glancing away for the first time. "No," she whispered. "No, he hasn't discovered what I am yet."

"You should leave before he does. I know what they do to Faye in Gaerlom."

She stared at her fingertips, still raw, nails broken. Her muscles still screamed from climbing the mountain, and fear of what would happen to her if she returned ate at her core. "I...can't. I haven't found the pass home yet, and I can't climb the mountain again."

He snorted. "Fly over it." When she neither replied nor looked at him, he sneered. "Did your High Priestess teach you nothing of being Faye?"

Her head snapped up and she glared at the disdain rolling off him. "I know how to fly, I just...can't right now." She lifted the edge of her cloak to reveal one bandaged wing. I'm stuck here for the time being."

He pressed his thumbnail to his lips and seemed to war with himself for a moment, energy fluctuating between pity and annoyance. "Stay here," he said after a moment, spread his wings, and leapt into the air.

Kaye stumbled back, surprised at the sight. No wonder people were terrified on the few occasions she spread her wings—they made a person twice as large and intimidating in an instant.

She stared into the mist he'd disappeared into for a long moment before the silence became eerie. She glanced from tree to tree, nervous, waiting for a trap. When he dropped from the sky again, she had to stifle her surprised scream with a hand.

A woman landed next to him, all grace as if she was part of the air itself. As the wave of the Faye-man's disdain rolled past, Kaye recognized the energy of the woman, although they'd never met.

"High Priestess." Kaye knelt, legs aching.

The man snorted, but the woman stepped forward and laid a hand on Kaye's shoulder. "Rise, Kaye Odion of Fie Eoin, Daughter of Aleda. Faye do not present their necks, but their wings."

"I...oh." Warmth that Kaye recognized from healing her sister spread from the woman's hand, and Kaye met her eyes. The woman was short—nearly as short as Timin's mother, her hair more silver than gold. Everything about her radiated contentment and power—a visage of Aleda Herself. The High Priestess was a mere shadow compared to this woman.

The woman smiled. "Bryant said you injured your wings?"

"Y...yes," Kaye managed. She fumbled at the tie around her neck and let the bedraggled cloak fall to the ground, exposing her mostly-bandaged wings.

Nothing on the woman's face or energy gave anything away, but the man—Bryant—sucked in a breath.

The priestess held out her hands. "May I?" When Kaye nodded, she gently took hold of the right wing with her fingertips and closed her eyes. Her brows pulled together so briefly Kaye would have missed it if she weren't accustomed to the High Priestess' subtle expressions.

"Bryant," the woman said as she released Kaye's wing. The man snapped to attention, straight and ready. "Take Kaye Odion to Celeste, please. I believe she is up to the challenge."

His wings fluttered once in agitation, then snapped straight out in salute. "Of course, Lady."

The woman's warm smile covered Kaye. "I am Lady Sara, the First Daughter of Aleda. If you have need of anything while here, Bryant will see to it. Celeste will be able to help with your wings, I should think. She is Second Daughter."

Unable to raise her wings in salute, Kaye bowed again. "Thank you, Lady Sara." By the time she rose, the Lady had already disappeared.

(Sorry for the late scene this week. The Fie Eoin Friday scene will be on time! And next week we get back to Kindra! She just doesn't have a lot going on while she's on bed rest...)