Guardian of Calandria | ✔️

Chapter Sixteen

          Snow crunched under Kira's boots. Wind rushing over the white capped granite rocks threatened to push the wool lined hood from her head. Her hands held the flapping material closed, head ducked down to fight off the frigid air. Already she missed the warmth of New Calandria. Dark clouds threatened to drop new snow on the several feet that had already fallen. Addrick had cut a path for her to follow, though she knew he'd done it more for himself. He'd stormed off after her announcement about Sabina holding the same mark as his sister. Sabina said little herself. She went off with Myra to speak with the other seers to confirm what Kira had said. If she was Alyssa and a Guardian with bound magic on top of that, they'd need to see if they could break it.

Kira didn't need to watch the seers feel up Alyssa the way they had when Kira first met the Wilders. Her concern was more for Addrick. His eyes said everything. They were filled with anger and sorrow when he shifted out of his leopard and stared up at her. There was no scenario Kira could think of which would come close to matching what he was going through.

She stopped when the tree line thinned, giving way to the edge of the mountain side. One hand gripped the rough trunk of a tree, staring at Addricks back, the dull sunlight glinted of the soft buzz of his hair. A fire crackled beside him, turning the nearest snow into tiny rivers flowing down the mounds of white. Hesitation kept her locked in place beside the narrow tree trunk. Wind ravished his clothing, revealing the dragon tattoo along his spine.

"How did ye find me?" he asked, his crackling voice barely carried above the wind. Kira swallowed and stepped away from the tree line and joined him at the edge.

"Myra said you came here when you needed to think." Kira scanned the white covered landscape partially hidden by thickening clouds. "Ry was right. There's more snow than usual. I think every inch of Morag is covered."

"Aye. I can't remember the last time the snow stretched the whole of Morag as well as into Altian." His voice was soft. Addrick raised his left arm and pointed to the south. "On a clear day ye could see the greens of the Glades from here. And ye could see the spiraling crystal towers of Altian's capital if ye followed the narrow path on the edge and went to the peak. I used to think ye could see whole of the world from there. In weather like this, it's far too dangerous to climb to the peak. Not even our magic can save us from death at the hands of the Gods of Nature."

"What do you think is causing the harsh winter?"

"Is that really why ye came up here for? To ask me about the weather?"

"No, I figured you'd talk about your sister when you're ready."

"She's not my sister. I don't know how and I don't know why, but it is a sick game of Rodyn's."

"Addrick." Kira sighed.

"Kira, ye can't expect me, or her for that matter, to accept each other with open arms without questioning the validity of it. What if ye lost Rylanne as a child, spent eighteen years thinking he was dead, then suddenly he shows up on yer doorstep as someone else? A Princess at that."

"She has the mark, Addrick."

"Marks can be altered. Her having the same mark means Rodyn did his homework. Nothing more."

"Or she's your sister and you don't want to believe it. Thus you're trying to find some way to rationalize her being here without blaming yourself for what happened when you were children. Look at your tattoo, Addrick." Kira pulled her necklace from under her coat. "Look at my necklace. The gems are complete. I don't have to see your tattoo to know yours are complete as well."

Addricks chortles rose above the wind and echoed off the granite cliff side.

"What now?"

"Ye might not be as stupid as I thought." He smiled. "Though what ye say makes sense, it changes nothing of what I'm feeling."