Lost Moon Read online

  “What?” Larisa said, and Jakon turned his gaze on her. She closed her eyes and concentrated. At first, she did not sense anything but she stayed quiet and still the way Jakon often reminded her to do. After a moment, something reached out to her, light, yet sturdy. Kepriah. The warrior felt like gauze against her skin. No, not her skin. Something outside her skin, like another layer of herself, more sensitive than flesh. She concentrated on Patrice and the sleeping woman caressed her senses much like a satin ribbon. She opened her eyes and smiled. “Yes, I sense you and Patrice now. Amazing.”

  Jakon offered a reserved smile. He had lost his best friend and lover in Sorinieve, but no one outside their little family would suspect that. Much like Kepriah, he was very good at covering hiding his grief. “Very good, Nobles. The Faytools are bonding you as sisters, making you stronger allies.”

  Kepriah grunted. “Not strong enough. Hell and Hollow, we need to hoist that damn moon as soon as we bloody can.” One muscular arm pointed to Patrice. “And she is one of us. We need her at full strength, Jakon, whether she wants to be here or not.”

  “You are a quick study, First Noble, but dominating another’s will is no small achievement. It took Sorinieve several months to learn. And controlling one of the Trine will be much more difficult than with an ordinary person.”

  “Yes,” Larisa said. “But Sorinieve was not the intended owner of the Faytools. You have said that numerous times. We already do things she never could.”

  “True, Second. Very true. I only know from Sorinieve’s experiences. And what I read in the ancient scrolls during my studies. I could never use the Faytools myself.”

  “You are a good teacher, Jakon.” Larisa’s comment earned a quick smile from the man and she fought a blush. He was kind, intelligent, handsome, and strong, everything she would want in a husband. That last thought, she shoved from her head. My new sister is wasting away and I’m mooning over a man I hardly know. Shame on you, Larisa.

  “We need to speed up our lessons,” Kepriah told the man outright. She did not seem interested in Jakon other than as a mentor, at least not that Larisa could tell. “Teach me what you know and I will do the rest.”

  He gave a broad smile this time and white teeth with sharp incisors stood out against dark skin. “Modesty, Noble. Modesty.”

  Kepriah’s face hardened. “I intend to save our world.” She glanced at Patrice again. “And I will not let anyone get in our way. Not even one of us.”

  Kepriah seemed harsh but there was a heart beneath that tough exterior. Of course, Larisa had no doubt the woman could gut another human without a second thought if she took the notion. And she might have already done that somewhere in her lurid past. After all, she was a trained warrior, from the west, which made her that much more dangerous. At least, from the rumors Larisa had heard. But Kepriah had shown restraint with everyone here, especially Patrice. Like a screech cat and a den wolf, those two did not get along.

  Anymore, Patrice simply moved like a puppet whenever Kepriah gave her an order. Larisa never thought she would want the two arguing again but now she longed for that disgruntlement. She also wished they still had the camen fruit Sorinieve had left them. The magically enhanced fruit would get Patrice’s strength back much sooner than anything Larisa could do with herbs or medicines. But camen trees did not grow in the mountains, so even if Kepriah learned how to bless the fruit with the scepter, they had none. And that kind of magic failed to work on anything else. Jakon called camen fruit the food of the gods and the only food that would hold such a nourishing spell. Perhaps there was something to the old myths after all.

  Being stuck in this cave made Larisa itch to get outside. They had returned here after Larisa’s rescue in order to open the archway to Patrice’s world. Royal bounty hunters were still looking for Kepriah, so this was the safest place until the snow melted. This isolated cave would give them time to practice their magic. The snow was still knee-deep, and according to Jakon and Kepriah, it would stay that way another few weeks. Each day, the two brought in frozen jabber meat. Larisa made the best meals she could with what they gave her, but they had run out of tubers and many spices Sorinieve had brought. She feared the food would run out long before they were able to get off this mountain, but Jakon assured her they had enough to survive.

  She watched the large man as he gave instruction to Kepriah and wondered about his people. Desert dwellers had been indistinguishable from other humans at one time but some unknown event millennia ago changed them. Jakon claimed to be centuries old, yet he looked and moved like a man in his middle forties. Over time, his kind had dwindled to a single tribe, unable to reproduce any longer, and Jakon was one of the youngest.

  Patrice stirred and Larisa watched her a moment. Light brown curls hid her face but soft snores meant she slept. She looked like any other woman on Selenea, except for her strange clothing and odd accent, but she could pass as one of them, even with the bizarre words that came out of that mouth now and again.

  Larisa’s gaze moved to the magical fire near her prone sister. It burned just as it had her first day here. At least we do not have to go out in the freezing cold for firewood. “Tally your blessings,” her mother used to say. Difficult as it was, she intended to do just that.

  She moved to the cave opening, pushed the cloak aside, and took in a deep breath of the frigid air. The aurora had disappeared not long after Patrice’s rescue, which was a real shame since it gave a bit of color to the white and gray outside. A screech cat cried out somewhere in the mountains and she fought a shiver as she braced the cloak open with a heavy stick. Jakon had them performing so many mind exercises that Larisa ended each day with a headache, but their hope was to get Kepriah familiar enough with the scepter that she could create archways and take them out of these forsaken mountains by spring, before the trails became passable again. I wish Sorinieve was still alive.

  She fingered the talisman around her neck. When she had first put it on, it appeared as a roughly hammered, silver amulet with a blue stone in the center, the chain large and cumbersome, but it grew more beautiful as she used it. She could clearly see scroll designs around the edges now and a single spherical object just above the blue jewel. One of Selenea’s moons, she suspected. The chain had become more delicate, though she doubted it was any less strong. Enough dawdling, Larisa. Get to your lessons.

  She took in a cleansing breath, let it out slowly and closed her eyes. She concentrated on clearing her mind and stilling her body the way Jakon had taught her. Even with the sun up, the air was cold so she stayed just inside the cave entrance. When she felt the talisman grow warm against her hand, she opened her eyes, aimed the talisman, and envisioned a stream of fire. Keeping that concentration became a problem, though, because a pebble tapped her arm as she stood with her back to the cave interior.

  She whirled on Kepriah. “Stop that. I’m trying to concentrate.”

  “I told her to challenge you, Second Noble,” Jakon said. “You must learn to work with distractions. Especially unpleasant ones.”

  Larisa nodded and turned back to her practice. The warrior did a fine job distracting her, because what should have been a nice, clean fire stream, ended up coming out in several sputters. “Do you have to throw so hard, Kepriah?” She rubbed her buttocks and tried to get at the sore spots on her back. “I do not have a jabber’s thick hide.”

  One side of Kepriah’s mouth curled up and she raised a brow, but they kept on that way, Larisa concentrating and Kepriah lobbing pebbles at her, until her hide began to feel tenderized for the oven. Several times, she was ready to quit, but Jakon spurred her on with tales of what the world would become if they failed. That and the memories of her loved ones kept her going.

  ****

  Over the next twelve days, they practiced until they were exhausted, then practiced some more. Jakon instructed them based on his centuries spent with Sorinieve and her experiences, which was quite helpful in Larisa’s opinion, and they learned quickly, but
the one problem they could not ignore was Patrice. The Earth woman ate enough to keep from starving, but she had lost too much weight. Her once healthy skin looked gaunt and dark circles smudged her hollow eyes. She had also developed a nasty cough that no amount of herbs could cure unless she gained physical strength.

  Once Patrice fell asleep, Jakon turned to Kepriah. “It is time for you to try the scepter on a human.”

  Before he could ask, Larisa volunteered to be the first victim. She stood next to Jakon and waited while Kepriah prepared her mind. The warrior’s temper grew short whenever she was not meditating, and Larisa enjoyed this respite of foul words her eldest sister usually strung together. Finally, Kepriah opened her eyes and focused on Larisa. That gaze felt quite unnerving, to say the least.

  Larisa felt something else, something that tapped against her like a gentle rain. She sucked in a breath and glanced at Jakon. “I think I’m sensing her magic.”

  “Like a mist that turns to raindrops?” Kepriah said. “I felt that from you the last time you use your talisman but I was too busy to mention it.”

  Jakon’s dark brows went up. “That is how Sorinieve first described the seer’s magic when she first felt it. It was so long ago, I had forgotten.” His golden eyes grew distant for a moment before he returned to being Jakon the teacher and advisor. “You are ready for this next step, First.” A concerned gaze flitted to Patrice and back to Larisa. “Second Noble, resist the scepter.” He nodded to Kepriah.

  “Larisa.” A few stones in Kepriah’s scepter began to glow as she spoke. “Sit down.”

  Though she felt the magical raindrops against her skin, Larisa felt no urge to sit “No.”

  “Sit down.” A magical word left Kepriah’s lips and was instantly forgotten.

  For a moment, Larisa thought of sitting, but she braced her will against the woman, the way Jakon had instructed during many of their practice sessions. “I do not wish to sit.”

  “She is resisting me, Jakon.”

  “I told you one of the Trine would be difficult to control.”

  Kepriah got a smirk on her lips and focused on Larisa again. “Sit down.”

  Larisa felt the warrior’s power build and she prepared to resist, but when a word fell from Kepriah’s lips again, Jakon moved to the ground.

  “Well.” The warrior cocked her head at the sitting man. “At least I know I’m doing it right.”

  Larisa stood horrified and waited for Jakon’s response. None of them had ever used magic on him. Ever. Those golden eyes inched up to Kepriah’s face and he stood, silent, unemotional, until Larisa took a step backward. Though his warrior days were centuries behind him, he looked very dangerous just now. Larisa had seen that look in her own father’s eyes once or twice in her lifetime when he worked to control his rage, a solid gaze full of smoldering fire.

  This definitely was not good. Larisa’s breath caught and she took small sips of air in anticipation of whatever in hell and Hollow was about to break loose in front of her. Would he strike Kepriah? Would he draw a blade?

  Probably not the last one. He is sworn to protect us. Jakon’s jaw rippled and Larisa sucked on her lips. The wait was beginning to tear at her nerves and she fought to keep her mouth shut. Do not intervene, Larisa of Donigere. Not now. This is between the two of them. Of course, if they came to blows, she would have to step in. Not something she looked forward to, especially since she had no fighting skills. Kepriah stood her ground, one hand on the scepter, the other on her hip, a challenging position. This does not look good. Not at all good.

  Suddenly, the large man burst into such raucous laughter he caused Larisa to jump. He slapped one muscular thigh and let out spurts of deep bellows until he had Kepriah and Larisa snorting with him. Patrice moaned and pulled her coat over her head. Larisa could barely make out the woman’s figure through the tears that streamed from her eyes. Her stomach hurt and she begged Jakon to stop laughing. That sent them into another fit until all three hugged their sides and gasped for air.

  Larisa finally caught her breath. “I thought you were going to give it to her good, Jakon. You scared me to death.”

  “I admit, I thought about it.” He stood, grinning. The lines that appeared around his mouth and eyes made him appear distinguished, handsome.

  Through all the laughter, Kepriah never put down the scepter, and several stones were glowing now. Larisa started to point that out when the warrior turned to her. “Sit.” Another word, one Larisa did not recognize, also fell from Kepriah lips.

  The order met Larisa’s ears at the same time her mind and body had the urge to sit, so she did. What she failed to notice until after her backside was on the ground was that Jakon had seated himself again.

  “Too wide,” he said, back to business, and the scepter stones went dead. “Condense your focus, First. You must be able to conquer a single will, just as you learn to control many. People will become suspicious if too many do the same task when it’s not necessary.”

  “You are right, Jakon. This is almost as difficult as when I first learned to spar.”

  He smiled and stood, drawing Larisa up with him. “Try again. You may have several people crowded around a subject. Perhaps even touching or holding one another.”

  Kepriah frowned then nodded. “I understand.” She took in a breath and the scepter stones lit up again.

  “Jakon?” Larisa interrupted, earning a glare from Kepriah, which she dutifully ignored. You do not enjoy being distracted during lessons, either. Good. “Will the scepter give us away when people see the stones glow like that?”

  “When someone’s will is being controlled, only those tied to the Trine remember the jewels.”

  “How convenient.”

  He chuckled. “Second Noble, you are very astute. The Moirai wanted to keep Faytool magic as benign as possible to everyone except the Trine. Otherwise, many would trek across the world to find them. Wars would be waged over such power, and without the Faytools, you and your sisters could not bring magic back to Selenea. The jewels alone contain great wealth, even without magic, which is why First Noble must use the scepter with discretion. Those who are strong enough to touch magic, even in the slightest, can see the stones light up when you are doing other tasks, whether you allow them to or not. And they will remember. You will need to conceal the Faytools, just as Sorinieve did, until the time comes when it is safe to reveal them.” He raised a palm when Larisa started to question him about that safe time. “Only you will know when that time comes, Nobles. I’m here to guide you, but you are mistresses of the Faytools. They respond only to you and are your responsibility. You must protect them as they protect you.”

  Larisa frowned at the large man. “Can the Moirai make certain no one remembers them at all?”

  “They were also designed to instill awe, Second. People need to respect and honor the Faytools and the women who wield them. There will come a time when you need to reveal yourselves and demonstrate your power. But if people know First Noble can control their will, they would at the very least distrust and run from her. Others might see it as a form of enslavement and try to destroy the scepter.”

  “But the Faytools cannot be destroyed. You said that yourself.”

  “Yes, but only as long as they hold power. The Faytools protect the Trine, but you are still flesh and blood. You are not invincible.”

  Larisa nodded in thought. “So, if Kepriah dies, the scepter no longer holds power. Same with Patrice’s ring and my talisman.”

  “Exactly. Keepers, like Sorinieve, were assigned to protect the Faytools and their magic until you three were named. There is no one else to pass them to if you die prematurely.”

  “Then they can be passed on, eventually? When we are too old or feeble to wield them?”

  “Perhaps. The ancient books only state that if you die before the lost moon is returned to Sorinieve’s skies, the Faytools will cease to hold magic. And you know what happens to both worlds if what little magic we have now disappears c
ompletely.”

  Larisa licked her lips. “Then, after the hoisting, there is hope that we can pass the Faytools to a future generation.” Just because she had not wanted to marry in Donigere, did not mean she would never take a mate. And children were often the result of mating. She offered a tiny smile to help cover her thoughts about Jakon. What was it about this man that made her think of mating? Probably because he is so exotic. Nothing at all like the men I grew up with.

  “There is always hope, Second.” He focused on Kepriah, who had been silent during the exchange. “People will not stop going about their business just because you wish to conquer someone’s will, First Noble.”

  A brow went up and Kepriah cocked her head, dark braid falling over one shoulder. “Point taken.” Her eyes moved to Larisa. “Sit down,” she ordered, followed by a magical word that faded from memory as soon as it was spoken.

  Larisa found herself wanting to sit on the ground again, so she did, but Jakon remained standing. “Very good,” he said. “Now you must keep her there.” He motioned Larisa up with one hand and she got to her feet, the urge to sit gone now.

  “Jabber shit on a hot day.” Kepriah frowned at Larisa then at her scepter.

  “No worthy task is ever easy, First Noble.”

  “Just let me get enough control of this bloody stick so we can get the hell out of here.”

  “As you wish.” A sly smile touched his lips and those golden eyes sparkled in the firelight.

  A thought lit up Larisa’s brain. “It’s not just for our safety that we cannot remember the unusual words we speak when doing magic. That is a god language, is it not? The language of the Moirai. That is why the words are so mysterious.”

  He smiled at her. “Very good, Second. I was wondering when one of you would figure that out. The ancient books were clear that you had to puzzle it out on your own. You were much faster than Sorinieve. I think it took her almost two years before she understood.”