Splintered Fate (35 page)

She had gotten used to seeing and
being around Rami people over the past few months. She had
forgotten that it was very different for everyone outside her
little haven in Alogrin. In the rest of the lands the Madonians and
Rami saw each other as enemies, through and through. They simply
never existed side by side, never trusted eachother.

“
Why should we care about that?
You have never done anything for us. Those of us who even recognize
you do so because we have been to your capitol city, Olbi. To the
others you are a stranger.” One of them voiced his
distaste.

Ardin released a warning growl at
the Gorthynians. But they were right. She had all but almost
abandoned the Gorthynians, not once returning after her mother’s
death. She should have, she should have come back, this was her
mothers home, she should never have stayed away for so long. Of
course they wouldn’t trust her. Her own people.

“
It is true I have not been to
Gorthyn in a long time. But I am here now. Do you really not want
our help?” Lana spoke in an even tone.

“
Where do you all come from?” One
of the Gorthynian men asked.

Lana was slow to reply, wondering if giving up
where she had been was wise.

“
Alogrin.” Zorin spoke up before
Lana could come to a decision.

Jaws dropped.

“
It exists?” The men asked, with
wide eyes, looking to their councilwoman for affirmation. Amid the
eyes Lana thought she could see small flecks of hope.

“
Yes.” Lana confirmed.

The men looked at the lot standing
behind Lana and the mood suddenly began to change.

“
I am Robby, this is Locky, Ector,
Brasher, Damen, and my brother Alec. Oh and in the back, that’s
Lucas, he is Ector’s grandfather and owner of this fine
home.”

Lana looked over the men. They were all
Madonian northerners with blond hair and pail skin, except for
Robby and Alec. The two brothers were stocky men with dark hair,
slightly slanted eyes, and tanned skin. They stood out against the
common pale Madonian complexion. They looked like people from the
western Madonian Islands.

She replied with the names of
those in her group “Bredin, Kaiden, Zorin, Clyte, Kirill, and
Tor.”

“
I thought I recognized you
Dukran.”

The distaste in Robby’s voice was
clear. He took a step closer to Kirill pulling out a blade in a
threatening manner. The Gorthynians were not fond of the Dukran
family, Arkhip used to come by and persuade some of their young to
join his ranks. They would almost never return. Being a council
member they were each aloud free travel through the Madonian lands
but the people of Gorthyn no longer helped him if he came by. They
were careful to keep their young away. After some time he stopped
coming all together.

Lana nearly went to Kirill’s
defense, which momentarily caused her to question her sanity for
thinking Dukran, needed any defense. Stiffly she looked from Robby
to Kirill.

“
I pledged my allegiance to Lana
Casteel, besides whatever your feelings are towards me, tonight you
need me.” Kirill replied without a hint of emotion.

“
I asked him to come, he is
skilled in combat with Rami solders.” Lana replied with her eyes
intently on Robby, who got the messaged and stepped
away.

“
Where are your armies?” Alec
asked.

“
They are with General Flynn. I
predict fighting with Arkhip Dukran’s armies against King Zakran.
After Valdor’s death I fled to Alogrin for several reasons one of
which was to find help.”

“
And this is it?” Robby gestured
to those around Lana. “We don’t need a woman to help us survive.
You have never helped us before.”

“
Mind your tongue!” A voice came
from behind the Gorthynian men. The men parted so Lana could see
the old man from the ally standing behind them. He was withered
with a crooked back and cataract glazed eyes. It was a wonder how
he could see anything at all.

“
The fact that she was able to get
any of them to leave Alogrin to come here is amazing. Those of
Alogrin are said to be extremely skilled, you are lucky to have
even one of them let alone your Councilwoman coming to fight beside
you. Land’s know if I was in Alogrin I wouldn’t have come.” The old
man pointed a finger at Clyte. “And this one, she is a warrior,
many on our side may not know her name for she is that powerful. A
warrior can not be cast aside just for being a woman.”

“
Thank you.” Clyte inclined her
head in thanks.

“
You whipped up your reputation on
your own, nothing to thank me for.” His creamy eyes turned towards
Lana. “My apologies. These boys are all in a tizzy, they mean no
disrespect. We are grateful for your help, but know this, the only
reason you are standing here now is because your mother was
Gorthynian and we knew your father. You, however, are a stranger to
us.” When he finished he turned and sat down in an open
seat.

“
I know I have not been to Gorthyn
since I was a mere child. Last time I came here I saw my mother
lying in a pool of blood. She gave her life fighting for you.” Lana
paused, gathering the courage to continue. “I feared this place, it
haunted my dreams, but no longer. I am here now. You are my people,
I will fight for you, and you will no longer be forgotten, not by
me. This is the home where my mother grew up, my home. Let me earn
your trust. Let me fight beside you.” Lana spoke to the Gorthynian
men.

The men exchanged glances with one
another.

“
We are pleased to have the help
of our Council woman on this night.” The old man replied with a
nod. Just like that the two groups became one.

“
We were planning to attack and
fight the Rami off, but they are just sitting in the safe house. To
come in through the door they would see us and expect us.” Alec
spoke.

“
Maybe there is another way. There
is a tunnel that leads to the safe house. No one but my father and
I knew of it, besides the builder and its keeper.”

“
Keeper?” Kaiden asked.

“
The person whose property has the
entrance to the tunnel.”

The men nodded, their eyes glistening with a
mixture of hope, rage, and fear.

“
I apologize if anything I may
have said offended you.” Robby spoke, his voice was more gentle.
“We all thank you for coming and being brave enough to fight beside
your men.”

“
Thank You. I will do my best to
not disappoint you.” It was all she could think of to
say.

The group quickly planned what
they were to do. They would split up into two groups. In one group
was Lana Casteel, along with Ardin, Zorin and his Aorra, Clyte,
Kirill, Bredin, Alec and two of his men. All the others were in the
second group.

Kaiden and Lana were the targets
for Garin, so the thought was that keeping the two apart would buy
time for whatever Garin wanted to do. If he were able to capture
one of the groups, then he would not have the two of them. The idea
was that Garin would want them both together, to suffer in front of
each other. Also splitting into two groups would allow for a fight
on two fronts, dividing the Rami focus.

Bredin was to go with Lana’s group
through the tunnel. Once they entered the safe house he would
signal his Aorra to screech. The screech would signal an attack
from the outside by Kaiden’s group. This would provide a
distraction inside the building while Lana’s group slay as many
Rami intruders as they could and open the gates for the others to
enter.

The plan was set.

Kaiden hated being separated from
Lana during a threat and thus did not try to hide his hate for the
plan but was forced to go along with it anyway. Before they
separated, he gave Ardin a large sphere of energy, which Ardin
accepted with ease and then funneled the strength to Lana. The
Gorthynians watched the exchange in awe.

Everyone was separating into their
groups, destined to go two different ways. Lana had just wished
them luck, her eyes meeting with Kaiden’s last. It was difficult
for her to look at him in that moment. So much was going on inside
of her. Offering him a tight smile, she gave him a brief hug before
turning away, prepared to leave.

Lana had been strong, keeping her
raw emotions at bay, keeping herself from feeling anything fully.
To think about the risk she had put her own people in with her
actions at Abder, the risk that now caused this threat in Gorthyn.
To think of the last time she had been to Gorthyn and seen her
mother in a pool of blood. To think of how the lives of those she
had grown to love and care for were currently in danger because of
her choices. To think of how a man from her past, who had once
protected her mother, now stood beside her. The emotions and fear
would drown her if she let it, so she pushed them away. This
distance, this wall that she had built within kept her whole. It
was an internal dam, shielding her. She thought it strong, capable
of withstanding the night’s trouble.

But the wall within Lana did not
hold. It fell apart into a million tiny pieces with such ease, each
piece full of invested feelings and thoughts. Everything rushed at
her at once, nearly drowning her.

Kaiden’s touch when she moved to
turn away, melted away the foundation of the dam that kept her from
deteriorating. His deep blue eyes froze her in place, at the mercy
of his will.

Before he left with his group,
Kaiden raised his hand, seizing Lana by the arm. He stopped her,
turning her to face him. His hand cupped Lana’s cheek, while his
other pulled her gently towards him. Her breath caught with his
sudden touch. Without warning, his lips brushed lightly against
hers, lingering a moment before pressing again into hers, deeper
this time, more passionate. It obliterated the damn in her
head.

It was as if everything rushed at
her all at once. A roaring fire burned inside of her, needing him
to never let her go. Lana could feel her heart as if it were in her
throat. She could feel herself shake in his arms, hoping that he
could not tell.

This kiss was not as soft as the
last time on the balcony when they had first arrived in Alogrin.
This time he pulled her to him, hard. Pressing her against him, his
lips were firmer, needing her. The kiss was so incredibly powerful,
but a fleeting moment.

He pulled back and looked at her
with his deep blue eyes. Brushing her lips with his thumb. “Please
be safe. Once we get inside I will find you. Do not try to be a
hero, let the people with you help.” Un able to respond with words
Lana simply gave him a nod.

With that, Kaiden turned and
walked away, leaving her to pull herself together from the million
emotions that were uncontrollably coursing through her. She watched
him go as her eyes watered. Her heart hurt, she hated him for doing
this to her. Hated him for not leaving her to do her duty without
messing with her mind in this way, and she hated him for not
holding her just a moment longer.

Lana, we must
go.
Ardin’s gentle voice helped center
her, bringing some of her resolve back. He was her strength.
Without him she would float away.

I know.
She replied.

Lana turned to her group, they
were all staring at her, or trying not to but it was obvious. Heat
rushed to her cheeks, she was glad to have the cover of darkness so
they could not see her blush. Clearing her throat, she straightened
herself, pulling pieces of herself back together. They were going
to do this. They were going to win. Everyone would be alright in
the end, she told herself.

“
We need to get to the village
bakery. The one farther from the stone safe house, that is where
the tunnel lays.” Lana said calmly.

“
Follow me” Alec replied and they
began moving through the dark streets.

Chapter

Eighteen

They reached an average sized
building made of stone and wood where Alec stopped and knocked on
the door. A small squat woman opened it just a crack and peered
through. Her eyes glanced at him in recognition before she opened
the door and stepped away, allowing for the entire party to enter,
closing the door before they began speaking.

The delicious sent of baked bread
filled Lana’s lungs when she entered the dwelling. From behind her,
Zorin loudly grumbled to himself upon entering the
bakery.

“
What in the bloody lands are you
doing here?” The old woman squeaked as soon as the doors shut. The
woman wore a long dress with a dirty apron over it. Her white hair
was pulled back into a bun and she had what seemed to be flower
smeared on her cheek. She turned her gaze from Zorin to Alec “Why
did you bring this man here?!” She shrieked at Alec while poking a
finger at Zorin.

“
I am here helping Mrs. Casteel.”
Zorin replied icily.

“
Oh!” The old woman searched the
room before landing her gaze upon Lana. Her eyes turned from cold
to warm as soon as she saw her.