Kaelyn reached the wide grasslands and marched along the snow-packed path to the herder’s small gate at the back of the keep. She couldn’t possibly stay at Angwyn, but she didn’t think she could go either. She was trapped in the mountains, snowed in. The others had said the lessons were a secret, so no one else would know about her. But she didn’t know if she could bear to face Gerid, Jillyn, and Aric again.
She slipped open the gate to find Cat sitting on a bale of hay that had yet to make it into the stables. He sneezed twice then jumped at her, anticipating her catching him.
“All right,” she said, helping him balance his upper torso on her shoulder and his lower torso in the crook of her arm. “Maybe I’m not entirely alone.”
She trudged back to her shared room, hoping not to wake anyone. Cat curled up on the small, woven mat by the hearth as she built up the fire in an attempt to melt away the chill that had settled about her.
Sinking beside Cat, she pulled her legs to her chest and rested her chin on her knees. It was cruel that her muscles had a better memory than her mind. And as much as she’d tried to forget that she’d lost her memory, it always seemed to come back to the fact that she had no idea who she was. It was unnerving to find her body moving in such a comfortable way without even deciding to do it. Of course, what was more terrifying was the implication that she used to do those things.
She scratched Cat behind his ears. He rolled closer and purred. Her tiny fire crackled and flames rippled along the small logs, each trying to climb higher than the next, reaching for freedom up the narrow chimney. She tried to clear her mind, to let the warmth melt away all thoughts of fighting, but the memory of Gerid’s stunned expression kept coming back to her. Where had she learned that? Someone must have shown her, even if young ladies didn’t do that sort of thing. Talar had said her swordsmanship was amazing. Did he mean amazing for a girl, or just plain amazing?
She thought back on that conversation. Both Mac and Talar seemed to think she was a good sword fighter. They had agreed it was a shame she wasn’t a boy. Everything Mac had shown her during their lessons had come easily, as if she’d already known it.
Turning to Cat, she gave a weak laugh. “All the Mac legends say the reason he’s so fast is because time slows down for him. I can remember every tale, poem, and song ever written about him. Maybe I’m the reincarnation of Mac Theselon.”
Cat flicked his tail. I doubt that.
Her breath caught in her throat. Her hand hovered above the feline about to start another stroke along his side.
The fire gave a sharp snap.
She jumped and jerked her hand away. Cat gazed at her with his unblinking, yellow eyes. And that was going to be a good one, too, said a voice in her head. I just knew it.
She scrambled to her feet, crossed the room in two steps and took refuge on her bed, pulling the covers around her.
Cat sat up and snorted. You can face rampaging bandits but not a simple cat?
“I’m mad. That’s it. Cat couldn’t be talking to me.”
I do have a name.
She waited for him to tell her. Silence enveloped the room, even the fire seemed muted, and the fog in her head pressed heavy against her thoughts.
“You said you have a name,” she said.
Cat didn’t reply.
“You said–” She couldn’t bear it if she was insane, too. It was bad enough her body seemed to have a mind of its own. She had heard Cat talk, and damn it, she was going to prove it.
“I heard you.”
No answer.
“Oh no, we’re not playing this game.” She threw the blankets away. “You talked–”
She leaped at Cat, who took off under the bed. “Talk, damn you.”
She turned and grabbed under the bed. Cat crouched out of reach on the other side.
She scrambled around the foot of the bed and Cat raced out from under it. She leaped to the mattress in hot pursuit.
A knock sounded on the door. She rushed to get off the bed, lest one of the clansmen find her in the ridiculous position, but the blankets tangled around her feet and she crashed to the floor.
Guess she wasn’t Mac Theselon reincarnated.
The door swung open, revealing the clan chief–a solemn woman with a permanent scowl–and two young clansmen. Cat escaped out the door and down the hall, his tail a bobbing flag of defiance.
The young clansmen moved past the chief and helped Kaelyn up, each keeping a hand on her once she was on her feet.
“We need to talk,” said the chief in disjointed Meriduinian. Without waiting for a response she turned and the guards nudged Kaelyn to follow.
They entered the Great Hall where the entire clan was awake, and armed, and waiting. Aric, Jillyn, and Gerid stood by the massive hearth against the back wall, their faces white. The men wore just as hard an expression as the clan chief, while Jillyn twirled and untwirled her hair around her finger in jerky movements.
climbing the few stairs to the dais, the clan chief joined the shaman at the head table. The ancient man leaned heavily on a tall, gnarled staff. He faced the gathering, said something in the clansmen’s tongue, and the hall erupted into angry roars all focused on Kaelyn, Jillyn, Gerid, and Aric.
Kaelyn shrunk back. “What’s going on?”
The shaman switched to Meriduinan. “Your friends are charged with espionage.”
“Excuse me?” That was ridiculous. But in truth, she didn’t really know these people.
“They were caught returning to the keep this morning from a secret meeting.”
“I’m sure they have an explanation?” But she couldn’t deny the feeling that regardless of what she said, a trap was being set for her.
“Sword fighting lessons for the woman? Highly unlikely,” said the shaman.
“But it’s true,” said Jillyn, her eyes wide.
“Southerners do not permit women to find the Warrior Goddess within.”
“And your women are?” asked Gerid.
The shaman ignored him, a smug smile pulled at his lips. “Obviously there’s something more involved. It might also explain why clan documents have gone missing.” He leveled his gaze on Kaelyn.
“What kind of espionage could they possibly be doing trapped here in Angwyn?” she asked. “And why would they steal anything so soon after arrival? You’d think they’d wait until spring when it’s time to leave.”
“I won’t even begin to presume to understand the minds of southerners. The South has always tried to make the clans their servant. Tell the truth and we’ll be lenient.”
“For goodness sake. They really were teaching Jillyn how to sword fight.”
“So you collaborate this lies? We will find the truth. Arrest them.”
Two clansmen seized Kaelyn and yanked her toward the door to the dungeon. The room erupted into writhing chaos. Kaelyn twisted out of the one of the guard’s grasp and jabbed at the other guard, surprising him into letting go. Free from his hold, she spun around, not knowing what to do next, only to discover every weapon in the hall drawn and pointed at her.
