Moonshadow (Book 1 of the Torrent Skies Saga)

Chapter Thirty-Eight: The Price of an Answer, Pt 2

The following days were almost a blur, as everyone found their way back home and back to their lives. The Uhma'zarhins departed after spending a bit of time with Sulea and trying to help her recover from her time in Arnet's hands. Auglier left to find his peace in the forest, and Juen'tal traveled with him. A surprising pair, but each seemed amiable to the other's presence.

Graiden dealt gracefully with Byron's death the second time around, burying him and dealing with the much heavier responsibility of carrying all Sahn-Raidar on his shoulders. Arjiah stayed in O'siaris, using the excuse that with Beymor as the new head of Anklestrap, she had no job. She spent her days in the library with Typhon, or chatting with the Uhma'zarhins that came to visit the town. Fykes took his time recovering, at Katerin's insistence, and once again he lounged about the inn with Jon, swapping stories and sharing drinks throughout the day.

Brazen stayed glued to Katerin's side and spoke to her each day, always asking questions and reassuring her. Katerin spent her time recuperating from her injuries. Her arm still pained her, a combination of the old scarring and new injury, but with healing and time, it improved. Only a small thin scar would mark the injury that could have left her dead. Today she walked to finally speak with her mother.

Sulea had outright refused to stay at the inn for no reason anyone could fathom, and Graiden, being the stern but generous man he was, had offered her his rooms at the keep. Katerin could not blame her for wanting someplace quiet. She knew well the twisted methods Byron had employed, and she assumed Arnet to be worse. The atrocities committed upon her mother were things that could not simply be healed. They needed time, peace, and even a little solitude. She knocked quietly on the door and entered after a soft voice replied.

Sulea sat on a stiff couch with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders, and she smiled as Katerin entered.

Katerin swallowed back her fear. This is it. The thing she had been searching for, and it was far more terrifying than Byron had ever been. Sulea's expression fell a bit when Katerin said nothing and sat stiffly across from her. She did not know what to say, or how to say it. For the first time in her life, she was not sure if she wanted to know, anymore.

"I suppose you have many questions for me," Sulea said, pouring her a cup of tea.

"I do," Katerin said quietly. She held up the teardrop necklace and handed it out to her mother.

Sulea gave her a brilliant smile "He kept it?"

Katerin nodded." I found it in his old things. After he... passed." The words brought a familiar, sharp pain into her chest and she winced. "He said it was yours. That you'd want me to have it."

Sulea reached down into her boot and pulled something free—a match to the necklace Katerin held. If you looked at them one at a time you would never know the difference. "He was right... but that's not a surprise."

Katerin stared at it, transfixed.

"Do you know what these do?" Sulea asked. "They are dream links. A minor enchantment. I gave that to Igan before you were born." She smiled softly. "They come as a pair. You get small glimpses of whoever wears the other half. It's a small but welcome reassurance."

"That's why I kept seeing you," Katerin said, twirling the necklaces back and forth. "Wait, why buy them before I was born?"

Sulla's expression turned serious. "Why did you try to find me?"

Katerin chewed her lip. Here we go, she thought. "I needed to ask you why. Why you left. Why you never came back." She pulled the letter from her pocket, and handed it to Sulea.

Sulea frowned as she read the letter, then she sighed. "It was the hardest thing I've ever done. Leaving you and your father behind. But... in my line of work... family is a curse, not a blessing. It isn't allowed."