Moon Flowers (Book 1 of the Flower Trilogy) #Wattys2016 #Featured

CHAPTER FORTY -- PHI (Edited)

PHI' POV

I was far away from the battle, I was in the thunder spirits' village, but I knew right away when my father died. His powers had left him and returned to me. Re-entering my body through the chest. It felt like if I had been gored by an ox.

His death was the only reason why his powers would come back to him. I doubted he had lost his hand again. I mourned him in silence. I also had to make peace with the idea I would never know what having a father meant. I never even had the chance to talk to him as such.

My mind shifted to Feyn. If my father was dead, what had become of him?

I feared he would die too. Along with our dream of running away together once my people were safe.

On the other hand, not having my father to protect them also made me reconsider that possibility

If I run away, Agamet might take his revenge on my people. With my father gone, who will be left to defend them?

Once again, I wasn't allowed to be free. I had to refuse my love—at the risk of him forever hating me.

The pogih flew into the village and circled Moisa. I and the other villagers—only women since the men had gone to war—rushed to meet them.

"Any news?" Moisa asked.

They spoke all at once, making it impossible for anyone to understand.

"You," the woman said, pointing at one of the little creatures, "tell me what happened."

I felt numb. I feared their answers and how many deaths I would have on my conscience.

"The Evil King is dead," the pogih said. "Agamet won."

"How is my son?" Moisa insisted.

"Unharmed," the creature replied. "Agamet wants all the women to join him in the Hidden Land—he fancies a banquet."

"Of course he does," Moisa sneered.

It was impossible to miss the contempt in her voice. One of the reasons I admired her.

I love her. She was a better version of me. She looked like me a little, with her eye cheek bones and frame. Her vivacity. If things had been different, I am sure we could have been good friends.

It might have been this new need to fill in the gaping hole I had in my chest, or another way to torture myself with unrequited love. My father had just died, I never knew my mother, and my grandmother was far away. Feyn's mother was there, only a few steps away. And I loved her.

I loved her although she hated me for tearing her family apart. I was in love with her son, engaged to be married to her ex- husband, and causing war between them and her people.

How could she love me?

*

We left in the late afternoon, as the sun began to set behind the line of coniferous trees. I did not fly. I walked behind the other women. We followed the river, the gigantic river that seemed to have no end. I heard bullfrogs croak and crickets sing their songs to the upcoming night.

Eskain walked by my side. My only companion. In Agamet's absence, all the women allied with the chief's first wife and gave me the cold shoulder.

Not that they were at all warm to me before, but now it was worse. They were giving me icy stares. They feared the evil in me and its effect on their leader. Although, as long as I stayed in the thunder spirits' village, it was dormant, I was well aware it was a part of me. And I have to admit I was afraid of what it might do to me, too.