The Dark Ages of the Synakoy; The Past Forgotten, Wolfheart [top ebook reader .txt] 📗

need more than that.”
Riviera sighed. “I can’t give you any more. This is my king’s war, not mine.”
“Your king?” Levin asked. “You aren’t the big boss?”
She looked insulted. “Oh, dear gods no.”
They believe in more than one god?

“Then we need to speak to him?” Ivory asked.
“Indeed.”
Ky stood. “Will he allow us to return home once we help him in his war?”
“That would re-start the war…”
“We can find replacements or something.”
Riviera looked at her feet, her eyes thoughtful. Drumming her fingers on her legs, she was quiet for a few minutes before answering.
“I believe he will allow you to return home. But I cannot give you my word – it isn’t my decision, and therefore it isn’t my word to give.”
“Then it isn’t our word to give that we will do more than speak with your king.” Kiyoshi stood up; Levin, Kai and Ivory got up with her. Ky left the Caravan, with Levin and her sisters close on her heels. The night was cold and dark. Viper met them outside, and kept pace with Ky. Stars shimmered in the blackness of the moonless sky as they made their way to their silent Caravan. The horses nickered a greeting, and Zenic growled a hello.
“So what’s going to happen?” Levin asked Ky.
She seems to have taken charge, and I’m confused.
She didn’t answer right away; she was looking at the stars. Then she stopped dead in her tracks, nearly making Levin bump into her. “We go to this palace and meet their king. And in the meantime, we learn about these people. We may never go home again, and as of right now, they’re our only hope to live.”
Then she opened the wagon door and climbed inside. By the time Levin had followed, she was in her bed, her violin in hand. As Levin prepared for bed, a sad melody infiltrated the wagon. It played through his nightmares about a dying white tiger, surrounded by a hundred men.

***

Riviera watched them leave and smiled. Turning to her journal, she flipped to the first page. There she had written the prophecy. She read it for the thousandth time. It gave her no more answers than it had before, and she still was unsure. This was the third group. It was the third time she’d summoned children around the age of this prophecy.
“The Ancient Blood of The Empires will rule by the hands of a Great Mage. By the lead of Them, A Druid shall be guarded by a Paladin of no Mark. She shall be healed by A Dragon Lord unnamed and befriended by a Hunter of no mercy. In the end, all Humans shall fall from power and leave the Land of Synakoy…”
The only way for her to be sure, to be absolutely sure, was for the four them to fight. It would be ingrained in them to fight as one. And to make sure the other two had Synakoy blood – blood of the dragon and shifting.
I need to trap them into this. I cannot let them know too much…but…they must know enough to be loyal to us and not the Synakoy Blood. Then Corbet will be free to do as he will, and that will give me more time with Tenzik. I’m getting too old, and it won’t be long before this child is born…and he will replace me…or kill us.

Revenge was now or never. Victory could be close at hand, or far from even possible.
There is such a fine line between the two. If we can make them loyal to us, we will rule the prophecy…but if I fail…

She paced until her feet were aching and her head throbbed. Those four could salvage or abolish the rest of her life.
And she would kill anybody to make sure they didn’t ruin it – whether they realized it or not.
So how the hell do I get them to follow me? And how do I prove it’s them before we get to the palace? One more skew up like last time and I’m done for!

Then she remembered how much they missed their ‘home’.
If I can make them sure they will return home if they fight, they will do it. So I need to do just that… and I think I know just the way to do it.

She turned to retrieve a feather and ink, then parchment. Then she began to write to her king.
***

The sunshine woke Kiyoshi. The wagon let in less light than the tent had, and kept in more warmth, but it still didn’t do much for either compared to a house. Stretching the kinks from her sore, achy muscles and cursing the poor quality of the bed, Ky realized she was the first one out of bed. Wishing for the third day she could bathe and change clothes, she quietly stepped out of the wagon. Viper jumped up for her daily petting.
“Morning, Viper.” She scratched her ears and muzzle.
The dog got down and followed her to the front of the wagon, where Zenic stood to greet her.
“Your heart is as sad as the song you play on the violin, Ky. Do not despair; I will always be here.”
His words did make her feel quite a bit better. She came over and scratched an itch she somehow knew he had. His tail wrapped around her. He even began to purr.
Champion stood slightly apart from him with Bella and the colt, but she was relieved they weren’t frightened of Zenic anymore. The Garixes were a little ways away from them, and much farther from the wagon. Ky paused when she saw the boy coming toward them with Riviera closely behind.
“Good morning, Riviera.” She called. Her guard was up immediately. “I hope you slept well.”
They reached the wagon together. Yuki stood aside, at a safe distance from all the animals.
“Actually, I was up writing a letter to King Corbett all night. I sent it out only an hour before dawn. I knew how important it is for you four to return home, so I couldn’t sleep. I needed to inform you right away, and heard you would be awake to instruct Yuki.”
I’m lucky I woke up; I would’ve made the child wait and the father angry. Yuki needs this to go well.

Realizing what Riviera had done for her, Ky nodded, quite surprised. “Thank you very much. If there is any news…”
“I will give it to you myself.”
“This is much unexpected. I will inform the other three as soon as they wake up. Now, if you have nothing else, I have chores and a child to instruct.”
“Of course.” Riviera turned and left, walking toward the stable.
Ky looked at Yuki, who was cautiously petting Viper now. Viper’s ears were forward, and she was sniffing him for treats.
“Aren’t you afraid of her?” Kiyoshi asked him
“Yes. But I’m not as frightened of canines as much as I am cats. I’ve seen what Lions can do…” He shivered and looked at Zenic in awe and fear.
“I will not harm the boy.” Zenic rumbled. Yuki jumped ten feet back.
Viper stood and wagged her tail at the boy, saying softly “You’re safe, pup. Zenic will do you no harm.”
He leaned down and petted her again, calming down.
“There, there, human pup…”
“Viper may enjoy your pets, but you need to always respect an animal and ask before you handle them in any way – petting them, feeding them and grooming them.”
“What do you mean?” He looked confused. “Why would I ask an animal if I can care for them?”
“Would you ask my sister if you could touch my violin?”
“No. Why would I do that?”
“Why would ask me if you could touch Zenic or Viper when they aren’t property?”
For a moment, his brows crinkled inward, as if he didn’t understand. Then they lit up and he nodded. Backing up, the child bowed to Viper. “I apologize for petting you without your permission, Viper. Will you forgive me?”
“Of course I do, child.” The dog licked his hand and put it on her head.
“Now that she’s accepted your apology, why don’t you come with me to give the horses their oat and grain? Viper and Zenic will hunt.”
“You give them both?”
“They need to gain some weight now that there’s been a shift in climates. They normally wouldn’t get oats, but see how lean Champion and Bella are? What happens when the colt doesn’t get milk because Bella hasn’t eaten enough?”
“The colt will die.”
“Yes. So give them a good measure of both.”
They went over to the grain and oats. She showed Yuki how much to fill in a bag of each, then let him fill the other up.
Then she filled the bags for the Garixes. “In the wagon are horse brushes. I saw them there last night putting my violin up. They’re on the inside wall right above my bed. Be very quiet; Kai is very easy to wake up and won’t be happy to see a kid messing around my stuff. I’ll wait here while you get them.”
“Shouldn’t they be awake helping with chores?”
“They have their own to handle; I take care of the animals, so they don’t have to worry about getting up this early. If you wake them, you'll go home without meeting Zenic. Is that clear?”
“Yes, Lady Ky.” He put his fists together, placed them up to his stomach and bowed. Then he turned and went around to the front of the cabin. Ky made sure Yuki’s measure of grain and oat was right. She regarded Viper, who was becoming thin.
“If you need meat, Viper, you can go hunt. I’m sure Kai will go with you as soon as she wakes up.”
The dog smiled. She bounded off toward the wagon entrance.
“Hunting! Hunting!” She started barking excitedly.
And after she heard me tell Yuki not to wake them…

She shook her head.
Then again, hunting is best down before noon, and Kai would sleep all day if we allowed her.
“Get off me Viper!” Kai’s voice shot through the air. She heard Yuki squeal.
“What’s going on?” Ivory growled. Ky could hear them from here. She flinched when Levin’s snoring ceased.
They’re awake now. I suppose Levin can help me hitch the Garix back up, and Ivory can help me cut fire wood.

Yuki came back with two brushes and two hoof picks. Viper led Kai, Levin and Ivory from the wagon to Ky.
“Look!” Viper shouted. “I brought them! I brought them!”
Ky stroked her and praised her for her task – and too quiet what the others would hear as barking.
“What’s going on?” Kai demanded. “What’s with sending in Viper to wake us up like that?”
Ky snorted. “I didn’t send

Viper. She wants to hunt, and I told her you would join her. It was your yelling that woke Levin and Ivory.”
They blinked, not quite getting it. But Ky ignored them and turned to Yuki.
“Go introduce yourself to Champion and Bella; give them their grain. Clean them up, and then tend to the Garixes. I’ll introduce you to Zenic when I’ve discussed the chores with these three.”
She handed Yuki the bags of grain. The boy staggered off to feed the horses and the Garixes. He looked confident in this, at least.
His dad is a beast master.
“Alright, you three. I