Chapter 5

Miorn's home was rather roomy for a hovel inside a mountain. There was a sleeping nook off to the right filled with hay, a kitchen table, and a seating area cluttered with comfy armchairs. It was warm, much warmer than the hallway, and the walls were toughly packed dirt that didn't so much as crumble when I brushed it.

"Please, sit," he gestured to the chairs, choosing a rather large sofa to stretch out on. I picked a red velvet armchair, relaxing into the cushioning, while Ealdric took the old rocking chair beside me, his grip still firmly on the chain.

"I believe we should start with your parents, Cressida," he began, steepling his hands on the sofa's arm. "Now, I cannot tell you certain things – they're for Jack to tell you – but what you should know is that you did have something to do with the rift between the two brothers."

I flinched. He held up a hand.

"Now, now, let me finish. You did, but it was because both of them wanted you so badly. Your mother tried to arbitrate between them, though Henry was always jealous of your bond with Jack. I understand that the two of them are going through a messy divorce, is that correct?" When I nodded, he continued. "Henry said what he believed would hurt your mother the most; however, I am certain neither parent knew you were in the house. You thought it yourself – you were supposed to be at a friend's."

"How could he say something like that?" I asked my lap; I trembled as I saw tears darkening the skirt of my dress. "How could he blame me for their problems?"

"Your existence started the feud, my child, but you also kept them together. I understand why you chose to come to Azkadeia."

"You chose to come here?" Ealdric demanded in disbelief.

"I just wanted to get away," I whispered, squeezing my eyes shut as if I could guard myself from the memory of that awful night. "All the screaming and object-throwing . . . I just wanted it to stop. I remembered the rhyme Uncle Jack told me . . . the voice told me to do what it said, and so I did. That's when I fell into Azkadeia."

"I am surprised you could hear the voice," Miorn mused. "Very few can."

Ealdric growled. "Voice?"

"It was the Fates. They guided her."

"Is that why you ran away that first night, how you broke the chain?" Ealdric asked me.

I nodded. "It's how I knew to follow the river to the village. But I don't understand – who are the Fates and why would they tell me to do those things when it only led to trouble?"

"The Fates are the guardians of destiny for our world. They told you to do those things because it was your fate – it served to further bond you and Ealdric together. Think about it; he protected you from that witch when he could've let you go."

"Why would they bring me to Azkadeia, though?"

"You must be involved in some destiny or another," Ealdric replied.

I mentally groaned. "That's comforting."

"Cressida." Miorn leaned forward, eyes boring into mine so forcefully that I couldn't look away. "You must be careful while you're here. The Triumvirate would destroy each other a hundred times over to get their hands on you."

I nodded, shivering as I thought of the witch, the ogres, and the bandits. If they were only a taste of what was to come, did I really want to deal with the Triumvirate?

"Now, as to why Jack gave you one of the few remaining pieces of the gateway." Miorn leaned away, all fervor dissipating into the air like water evaporating from a lake. "It was an assurance that, if you ever needed him, you could come to him in Azkadeia. The gateway was spelled so that you would come through nearest the one you were supposed to meet."

Your destiny, the voice whispered.

I flinched. "Oh God. Miorn, did you hear that?"

He shook his head. "No. Whatever they said, it was only meant for your ears."

"The Fates spoke to you again?" Ealdric demanded.

I nodded. "They said 'my destiny.' What does that mean?"

"I don't know. I suppose you shall find out in time."

Ealdric scowled, as if he'd received some unpleasant news. I looked at him, once again wondering what had transpired to make him this way. I remembered him being a boy who dreamed of heroically defeating the Triumvirate, who fought with and admired Uncle Jack.

"That is for Ealdric to tell you," Miorn interjected, giving me a knowing look. "And he will tell you." He turned his gaze on Ealdric, who blanched away and looked down, unable to meet the sage centaur's eyes.

"What started the feud?" I demanded. "Why do my father and uncle hate each other?"

"I already said–"

"I want to know why," I snapped, my hands fisting on the arms of the chair. "I want to know why just being born was enough to make twins despise one another. And don't you dare say that's for Uncle Jack to tell me, because we both know he has no intention of telling me."

"He will tell you when you find him," he retorted. "That I promise."

All will be revealed in Firanice.

I scowled at the air around us. "Oh, so now you're vocal? Some Fates. Why don't you explain what my destiny is?"

You already know. You just refuse to admit it.

I leapt to my feet, barely avoiding being yanked back down by the chain. "I do not know it already or I wouldn't be asking you!"

The Fates sounded as if they were annoyed with me – was it possible for them to let out an exasperated sigh? I was pretty sure that's what I heard prior to their words. The magician. He is your destiny.

I froze. No. Absolutely not. Hell no. He was a jackass, the king of all assholes, a freaking juggernaut that didn't know the first thing about emotion. How could he be my destiny?

Miorn cleared his throat. "Um, if I may, I believe that is all the Fates are going to divulge to you."

I sank back down, ignoring Ealdric's searching gaze. Okay, Cress, calm down. Destiny can mean a lot of different things – I was destined to meet him. He is destined to help me reach Uncle Jack. He's destined to save my life repeatedly. It does not mean . . .

"Actually, it does." There was Miorn again, snapping my last thread of sanity. "All those things you thought of are true, of course, but . . . well, it does mean what you don't want it to mean."

"Could you please stop reading her mind and explain to me what the hell is going on?" Ealdric shook my shoulder twice to get my attention. "What's your destiny?"

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing." I ran my free hand through my hair.

"You already know the answer to that," Miorn replied at the same time.

I glared at him. "Dammit, what is it with you old people that makes you think you know everything?"

"Oh shit," Ealdric muttered.

"What the hell are you upset for? If any one of us has the right to be upset, it ought to be me!"

"Enough!" Miorn scowled at us, and I cringed away from the powerful creature. "You must continue on to Firanice."

"I agree, I must," I said. "Ealdric can stay here. Miorn, just point me in the right direction and I'll be on my way."

"Absolutely not!" Ealdric leapt to his feet, scowling down at me. "You're a magnet for trouble, angel. You can't go gallivanting off on your own. You'd end up a snack for a giant or a fairy's plaything!"

I jerked back and returned his angry look. "I would not! If I can handle an ogre, I can handle a giant, and I'll just avoid the fairies."

He laughed darkly, a bleak sound. "Avoid them? You're human – you're a beacon to them. It's a miracle they haven't approached us already. They must be busy with something. And as for giants … they're giant. They'll squash you with their pinkies for kicks."

Dammit, why did he have to be so logical? I was trying to cut him loose – why wouldn't he take the out?

"And what'll you do against them?" I fired back. "You're strong and powerful, but giants are, as you say, giant."

He bared his teeth to me in a sick, macabre form of a grin. "I'll use a spell to make them smaller and slash them apart with my swords. Didn't Jack tell you about the time I did that?"

Shit, he had. Ealdric had been eleven or twelve, a boy on that awkward cusp between childhood and adulthood called adolescence. He had been alone, without Uncle Jack and Miorn to guard his back, and had stumbled across a giant feast. They had attacked him, but Ealdric had bespelled them to be human size and had hacked them up. Uncle Jack found him a few minutes later, covered in giant blood and grinning. If that didn't scream "psychopath" I didn't know what did.

His dark "grin" settled into a too-familiar stoic mask. "Good. You understand me. You're not going out there without me. You try it, and I will do what I threatened to do to you after the incident with the ogres."

And he would. Ealdric rarely, if ever bluffed. So I conceded his point.

"Fine, then let's go so that we can get to Firanice and I can get the hell outta here," I growled, yielding to my necessities. For right now, he was a necessity to keep me alive. His being a jackass wouldn't change that.

"You two will stay here for the night," Miorn interrupted. "I've got an extra cot – you two can share it."

I glowered at him. "I'll take the couch or something."

"No, I'll take the couch," Ealdric argued.

I whirled on him. "I'm not gonna run off! I'm not that stupid, contrary to what you think. I know I need you."

He crossed his arms over his chest. "You take the cot, I take the couch."

"Oh, for Christ's sake! This is not the time to suddenly have a chivalrous side."

Miorn cleared his throat. "Children, the cot is huge enough that five people could sleep in it comfortably. There's no need for one of you to take the couch. Unless …" He paused thoughtfully. "Unless you fear you won't be able to keep your body parts to yourselves?"

My jaw dropped at the sexual innuendo hurled out by the grandfatherly centaur. He did not just say that. Did he? I glanced over to Ealdric to see him grinding his jaw and his eyes shooting fireballs of doom at Miorn. So yeah, he did just say that.

"We'll share the bed," Ealdric decreed, as if he had the right to speak for both of us.

"Hey!" I retorted.

Then my arm was clutched in his hand, and I hadn't even seen him move. He gave me a shut-your-mouth look and dragged me off to the next room, without even a word to Miorn. That was fine with me. I didn't know what the hell to say to that.

The room was basically a hollowing of the large boulder we were inside of, with the cot taking up most of the area. It was centaur-sized, could probably hold Miorn's entire body lengthwise and still have room to stretch out in any position. Ealdric thrust me on the left side, releasing my chain until he gripped the very end while he took the far right side of the bed.

I slid under the covers before he could order me to, snuggled into the soft pillows – did they have silk in Azkadeia, or Egyptian cotton? – and squeezed my eyes shut, hoping he'd take the hint.

"'Night," he muttered.

"'Night," I replied.

And then I was out.

#

I was standing in a clearing, trees towering above me like earthen sentinels. The sun beamed down at me, smiling in glee as I stared around. It was peaceful, beautiful, without a hint of civilization in sight. Then I saw a man emerge from the trees behind me, sporting a white shirt and black trousers, a sword hanging in a sheath around his hips. His blond hair was mussed, gray eyes shining.

Uncle Jack. A younger him, anyway.

"Jack, come see this!"

I watched as a young, blue-haired boy raced over to Uncle Jack, wearing an oversized chemise belted at the waist and trousers with worn riding boots. He looked to be around thirteen, maybe fourteen, and his body was beginning to take on a man's physique. He was tall, probably nearing six feet. His hair was long, reaching his shoulders, and he ran his hand through it repeatedly to attempt to keep it out of his eyes. Eyes the color of the burning sun, of melted gold were lit up with enthusiasm.

Uncle Jack grinned. "What, Ealdric?"

"The Fates showed me something!" he babbled excitedly. His voice was cracking, about to deepen. He grabbed Uncle Jack's arm and dragged him over to a nearby river, pointing proudly at the rushing water. "Look."

Uncle Jack's face darkened, his jaw clenching, and I walked over, leaning over to see what had him looking so upset. Then I blinked again, trying to clear my vision, make sure I'd seen right. It remained the same.

Resting atop the river water was a picture of a ten-year-old me, running around the park with my puppy Scooter. It was the day I'd gotten him, a tenth birthday present from Mom and Dad. I was in jeans and a pink T-shirt, my black hair flying wildly around me in untamable waves. My cheeks were flushed, and I was grinning like a madwoman.

"The Fates showed you this?" Uncle Jack demanded harshly.

Ealdric sensed the change in him and frowned. "Yes. I asked them to show me my destiny, and she appeared." He turned to gaze at me, awe clear on his face. "I don't know what it means, but that girl is clearly a part of my destiny."

"No, she isn't," Uncle Jack snapped. He leaned down, slashing his arm through the water, breaking the vision of myself so harshly I flinched. Then he whirled on Ealdric, glowering at the boy so strongly I was tempted to back away. It was the same kind of glare Ealdric gave me when he was really pissed. "Forget her. Forget this vision. Do you understand me?"

He gulped. "Y-yes, Commander."

"Good. Now get back to training." Uncle Jack stomped away, leaving Ealdric alone at the riverside.

Ealdric knelt down, caressing the water where a vision of me had once been. "I'll find you, angel," he swore quietly. "I don't know who you are, but I know you'll be important to me. I can't wait to meet you."

"Cressida, wake up!"

I yelped, bolting upright so quickly I nearly headbutted Ealdric. He jerked away at the last minute, scowling at me.

"Miorn made breakfast," he informed me, gripping my arms and lifting me up, leading me into the kitchen.

I followed like a mindless minion, my mind on the dream. Had that actually happened, or was that what my mind wanted me to believe? Ealdric had called me "angel" last night, when he was telling me I'd be squished by giants and turned into a fairy's plaything. I'd been too angry to acknowledge it. Maybe my brain created the dream to explain the endearment.

No, we sent it to you. It really happened.

The Fates. Of course. A bunch of busybodies. Didn't they have lives to live, other people to nag? And why would they send me that?

It is the moment Ealdric accepted his destiny. No matter what choices he has made since then, he can never take that one back. He always knew you would come to him.

Well, that was creepy. Did he even know I was the girl from the vision?

Not at first, but now he does. He wouldn't let himself believe. Miorn has shown him the error of his ways.

I didn't think another question for them, lapsing into a verbal and mental silence as I sat at Miorn's table and greedily ate the oatmeal he'd made for me. For Ealdric, Miorn had a few slabs of some kind of meat that Ealdric scarfed down. The two males ended up staring at me, waiting for me to finish, so I ate quicker than usual.

"You need to stick to the back trails on your way to Firanice," Miorn told Ealdric while I chomped down bran. "Rumors of a human in Azkadeia are already spreading; more bandits, fairies, witches, and the like are in the forest than usual, looking for her."

Well, that didn't sound pleasant. I didn't really want to deal with fairies. I'd already dealt with witches and bandits, and I didn't like them much. Maybe I'd finally get lucky.

Knowing me, probably not.

"That's gonna put us out at least another day," Ealdric muttered.

Miorn cocked a brow. "Indeed. But it will keep you two out of trouble, if only by a bit."

He sighed. "Very well, we'll stick to the back trails." He stood, gripping my chain, and I took that as my cue to mimic him. "Thank you for your hospitality, Miorn. We'll be going now."

"Thank you," I added.

The old centaur smiled. "It was my pleasure. I've always wanted to meet you, Cressida. And it was good to see you again, Ealdric."

Ealdric nodded and went to the door, taking me with him.

"Oh, Ealdric?"

He turned to face Miorn.

"When you get to Firanice, talk to Jack. You two are going to have a conversation that is long overdue."

Ealdric's jaw clenched and he whirled away, stomping into the tunnel and leaving Miorn behind. I took that to mean he wasn't going to talk to Uncle Jack, and would probably ditch me the moment I was safely delivered to his commander.

"What conversation?" I asked.

"There isn't going to be a conversation," he muttered back.

"But if there was one, what would it be?"

"It would probably be about how I need a commendation for saving your life so many times, which truly should be the subject of a tournament. It would really challenge the local knights."

I stuck my tongue out at the back of his head. It was childish, yes, but he couldn't see me, so I did it.

"I saw that."

Dammit, did he have eyes in the back of his head?

To test out my theory, I raised my middle finger.

"I saw that, too."

He did.

That didn't bode well for me. Not at all.

Sorry it took so long to update, I promise to do so more often! ~ Miley