The Halves of Us Read online

  “That slightly eases my concerns about our lack of extraction method.” Ambrielle dusted the edge of Nemiah’s shoulder off. She tried to fight the urge, but she leaned forward, embracing him. “Be safe, my love,” she whispered.

  As she pulled away, Nemiah kissed her cheek. “Tribesmen, ready for transport.” He held Ambrielle’s hand momentarily before turning to face the Tribesmen.

  They formed into four lines, one behind another, with their left hand on the shoulder of the person in front of them.

  Gossamer brought over the Communication Globe from the table. It hovered in the air to Ambrielle’s left side. “The other regions are ready,” he said.

  She placed her hand on the Globe so all could hear her, and she eyed the brave Tribesmen of Giriveen. A mixture of all the races that resided on Thindoral.

  “Today, all of the regions of Thindoral fight alongside to preserve and defend our land and keep the darkness residing in our world locked away. I thank you for your service. This is Fate telling us where we are meant to be.”

  The Tribesmen stomped twice and followed her speech with a collective ahh-ooh.

  Ambrielle moved in front of Nemiah and Michael, who stood at the front of the lines. “Place your hands on my shoulders.” They did so, and she placed her right hand over the center of the Rokis, while her left remained on the Globe. The center gem began to glow, creating a bright blue beam. “Shores of Rahee.”

  The Tribesmen vanished, now transported to the shore of Rahee. Gossamer returned the Globe back to the center of the table as Ambrielle inhaled and exhaled, gathering her strength. She leaned against Gossamer. “Sorry, brother. I had forgotten the energy required to transport so many at once.” She made her way to the front of the Council table. Her long golden gown stretched behind her.

  Gossamer furrowed his brow and paused as though to choose his words carefully. “Something doesn’t feel right about this . . .” His gaze fell to the floor. “Wendelone controls the Sights, doesn’t she? She couldn’t put something like this together. She has no power.”

  “I know.” She swallowed hard as she took off the Rokis and laid it on the table. A hollow feeling grew in her chest, radiating doubt that plagued her mind. “But who else could be behind this? Maybe she has grown stronger.” Don’t say his name. Ambrielle glanced away from her brother. “Do you think Zakar—”

  “Ambrielle, Zakar is dead.”

  Gossamer’s face grew hot with anger, and she instantly regretted her words.

  He spoke through gritted teeth. “The last time I saw him, my sword pierced his chest.” Gossamer’s voice softened. “He is not behind this.”

  Comforted momentarily by her brother’s response, she nodded and looked out the window at the late afternoon blue sky. Such a beautiful afternoon on such a dark day.

  She closed her eyes as she placed her hand on the center of the Rokis. “Show me Rahee.”

  The projection flew across the room as she stepped away from the pendant. The Tribes made their way past the shore and into the streets of Trodaf, the capital of Hatem, which was once filled with the life of the Fales.

  Ambrielle squinted, trying to make out why the ground appeared as though it was shrouded in gray. She zoomed in. Rubble protruded from the piles of grayness. The projection widened to show an empty city. Not a single Fales was to be seen. What happened here? Panning back, the projection showed Nemiah and Michael walking what used to be the main streets of Trodaf. She listened as they spoke.

  “There isn’t a soul to be seen,” Michael said to Nemiah.

  “It’s too still. Something isn’t right,” Nemiah responded. He knelt down, removed his glove, and took a handful of the gray dirt.

  “What is it?” Michael asked.

  Ambrielle watched Nemiah rub the gray dirt in his hands.

  “Ash. The ground is covered in ash.” Nemiah suddenly stood as a shriek stole his attention.

  Ambrielle watched as he unsheathed his sword.

  As the wind suddenly picked up around them, Nemiah shouted, “Prepare your weapons!”

  Ambrielle reached for Gossamer’s hand and prayed to Fate. Show me you’re on our side. Protect them as they fight for you! She watched helplessly as the wind gathered itself, circling between the Tribesmen. Horror marked their faces as they got ready to fight an unseen evil.

  “Nemiah, we are not prepared for this. What do we do?” Michael shouted back.

  “Stand your ground. Stand. When they appear, you fight!” Nemiah shouted.

  Her breath caught in her throat, and a tiny whimper escaped as the wind slowed and a dark skeletal figure appeared behind Nemiah, towering over him. He whirled around, and his sword slid through the jet black exterior of the Sight. Its red eyes slowly faded as his body fell to the ground in a pile of ash.

  “Sights!” he shouted. Instantly, the creatures appeared around them.

  Silver blades and arrows flew through the air, meeting the limbs of the Sights. With the stab of a sword or the pierce of an arrow into the creature’s chest, they shrieked and burst into ash.

  Panic rushed through Ambrielle. The heaviness of her heart and the twisting of her stomach almost brought her to her knees. Her hands trembled as she reached for the Rokis. “I can’t get them back! How close are the ships from Ologpha?” Not close enough.

  Gossamer remained silent as they watched the projection. She kept her eyes on Nemiah, watching his sword slice through Sights. Around him, others were falling and turning to ash as the Sights consumed them with a single touch.

  The dark blue skin of elven-kind quickly faded into a white pile of ash which sifted through the air. Ambrielle held her breath as she watched Nemiah turn, and with one swing of his sword, cut through a shadowy creature. She zoomed in on him, seeing his panic and anger rise as he gripped his sword harder and ran toward the nearest dark being.

  In his haste, he failed to see a Sight that had appeared behind him, and a cry escaped Ambrielle. “Behind you!” she shouted, knowing he couldn’t hear her as a Sight reached its long slender fingers toward Nemiah’s back.

  Michael approached from the side and pushed Nemiah to the ground, facing the creature head on. The swing of Michael’s weapon faltered as the Sight reached out for him with a dark bone-like hand.

  Michael!

  A cry from behind stole her attention as Samuel came running from a door in the wall, toward the projection of the Sight sucking the life from Michael.

  “Father!” Samuel shouted.

  Adie and Aura rushed out behind him, pulling him toward a hidden door that quickly vanished. Michael’s face turned white, and his eyes opened wide, looking directly at Samuel. Michael reached out as he dropped to his knees. Samuel broke free from Adie and Aura and ran to the projection of his father before the man faded into ashes and floated away.

  17

  Aura

  Aura bit her bottom lip to hide its trembling. Michael is dead.

  Warm tears flooded her eyes and rolled down her cheeks as she watched Samuel’s gaze linger where the image of his father once was. His jaw clenched as his hands balled into fists. Gossamer came to his side, helping him stand.

  Nemiah’s voice echoed orders for the Tribesmen to fall back to the Shores of Rahee, and Ambrielle double-tapped the center gem making the projection disappear. She placed the Rokis back on and stood tall despite the tears brimming in her eyes. Her voice remained calm. “Samuel, your father was a loyal and mighty fighter. Just like his father before him and just like you. Men of honor. I know he was proud of the man you’ve become. He did not die in vain.”

  Tears slid down Samuel’s cheek as Ambrielle spoke, but his expression stayed stone-like.

  Aura fought the urge to reach out to him. Now isn’t the time.

  Ambrielle lifted Samuel’s chin to see his eyes. “Celebrate him. Honor him.” She grasped his hands. “Go to your mother. Tell her to come to the Council Room, and I will tell her of recent events. Your family will always be taken care of and esteem
ed in Thindoral.” She paused and glared at Adie and Aura. “Samuel, upon your return, retrieve my daughters. I’m entrusting you with your father’s position temporarily.”

  Samuel nodded and left, ignoring Adie’s extended hand as he walked out of the Council Room through the main doors.

  Ambrielle turned to Aura and Adie. Aura gazed straight ahead as tears streamed down her cheeks.

  “You both know what you’ve done. I don’t even know how you got in here, and I expect a detailed explanation on that. And while I’m angry at you for it, I’m heartbroken you had to witness what you did.” She turned to Felipe. “Gossamer, will you escort this individual back to his chambers?”

  Adie turned to look at Felipe, whose gaze stayed on Aura.

  “With all due respect—” Felipe began.

  “I know who you are,” Ambrielle said. “And while I’m glad we have representation from the Nitari region on the future Council, this is neither your time nor your place. As ordered, you’re to stay in your homes and in your chambers until further notice. We are at war.” She turned her back to him.

  Aura bit her tongue, focusing on the pain. She wished the ache in her heart would vanish. Michael is dead. The words echoed in her mind. She winced from the taste of blood in her mouth. The sadness remained, shifting into frustration as she silently asked Fate why. She looked to her mother as she continued to argue with Felipe. Listen to him. Maybe he can help.

  “I can help. If you would—” Felipe protested.

  Ambrielle whipped around, and Aura held her breath in anticipation of her mother’s retort.

  “It seems you’ve helped enough,” she said, pointing at her daughters. Her harsh tone cut through the thick air of the Council Room.

  Felipe hesitated, then nodded. “I understand.” He made his way toward the door with Gossamer.

  Stop! Stop! The words echoed in her mind. “Stop!” Aura shouted at Gossamer and Felipe. When the realization that she’d spoken aloud hit her, she quickly turned to Ambrielle. “Mother, we are at war, like you said, but what’s the next step? Father and the Tribes will be returning back to Giriveen to report and assess the damage. We’ll need to find out if there has been any other breach near Vadim. The region to its west, Nitari, could be next. That’s Felipe’s region. He could be of use to us.” Aura gulped as her mother took a few steps toward her.

  “To us?” Ambrielle replied. Her brows raised.

  She inhaled as Felipe reassured her with a nod. Aura cleared her throat. “I’m sure that I’ll be placed in a position similar to Gossamer’s when Adie becomes Ruler. It’s important I understand the duties of the Minister of Affairs.”

  Gossamer came by Ambrielle’s side, his brows now raised to match hers. “And if you were in that position, what would you recommend?”

  Aura tried to decipher his tone as she wiped the wetness from her cheeks and stood tall. Stay strong. “I suggest that we travel to Nitari when the Tribes return to the bay.”

  “For what reason would you need to travel to Nitari?” Ambrielle asked, walking even closer to her.

  “We go with the remaining Nitari Tribe and any other Tribesmen that wish to guard Nitari. Me, Gossamer, and Felipe. We speak with the Etoyoc and find out anything we can about Vadim and the Sights. We’re at a disadvantage. We know nothing of the powers of the Sights. Maybe they may know something, or we may even find Sights there. As you know, the Etoyoc are not a trusting group, but with Felipe accompanying us, they will talk to him. We can learn something from them and get a view directly into Vadim if necessary.”

  Ambrielle’s lips pursed, and her eyes remained on Aura. Silence filled the Council Room. Aura’s heart drummed to a beat of determination as she kept her mother’s stare.

  “Gossamer, take Felipe and Aura to the Bay of Holdtra to meet with the Tribes. You will travel with the remaining Tribesmen from Nitari back to their region. Return within four days. I will contact you if necessary,” Ambrielle said. “And Aura, when you return, you and Adie will brief Tut on how you managed to get into this room.”

  Aura exhaled, suddenly realizing she’d been holding her breath. As she nodded, Felipe came to her side to thank her. They followed Gossamer out of the Council Room as Samuel returned with his mother.

  His calmness shocked Aura. His mother followed him in with a smile but eyes full of worry. Her façade failed her as her bottom lip trembled the moment she laid eyes on Ambrielle.

  “Marinahi,” Ambrielle said, pulling her into an embrace. She kissed Marinahi’s left cheek and slowly pulled away.

  “Samuel said it was important.” Her dark brown eyes welled up, and her hands started to shake.

  “Yes,” Ambrielle replied, turning to Samuel and nodding. “Samuel, why don’t you take Adie to her chambers and stand Guard. Aura will be with Gossamer.”

  Aura wanted to talk to Samuel. Michael is dead. She ignored the repeating thought as Samuel walked right past her and up to Adie. Let her comfort him. She clenched her fists, promising herself she would avenge Michael’s death.

  Adie looked at her, her eyes red and still brimming with tears.

  They can comfort each other. She turned away and left the Council Room.

  Felipe remained silent and stayed behind Aura as she walked with Gossamer to the weapons room. The giant door opened with a creak as Aura stepped in, breathing in the heavy smell of metal. She gathered a Guard uniform and changed quickly before returning to the main area.

  To her right, the long wall was lined with shelving filled with rows of blades and swords. Each design different from the previous. The silver weapons caught the flame from the lanterns, creating distorted fragments of light around the room. Jet-black blades lined the second shelf below it. Felipe picked up one of them and swung it, slicing through the air.

  “Those darker blades,” Gossamer pointed to the one in Felipe’s hand, “are the last of the handcrafted items from heated sand in the Desert of Time in Bakete. They’re known to be lighter, but they cut through stone with one swing.” Gossamer walked away, packing a few bags full of artilleries. “Grab a weapon for yourself. Try a few out and make sure it doesn’t weigh you down.”

  Felipe put the blade by his side as Aura skimmed her fingers lightly across the delicately crafted hilts of the swords. Small, intricate grooves swirled around the majority of the grip, while a few others had emeralds and rubies on them.

  Her fingers stopped on one particular handle. Black lines cascaded down the silver handle like roots. She placed her hand on it, pulling the sword from the shelf and removing it from its sheath. Its silver blade curved slightly into a sharp point. The sword felt heavier than she remembered from training. Aura frowned and held out the weapon, practicing moves from her numerous lessons. She’d have to get used to the weight.

  Gossamer came by her side. “It’s always heavier than during training,” he said, “because it’s a burden to know the weapon you’re carrying is for more than just your own safety. Pack this bag full of everything from that drawer there. Make sure you can carry it. It’ll be your responsibility.”

  Aura sheathed her sword, buckled it to her side, and packed the bag full.

  They made their way to the kitchen, where the staff had prepared numerous baskets of food for them to take. Three staff members followed them with bins as they made their way out of the far side of the Dome.

  “How are we traveling?” Felipe asked.

  Aura turned to answer when she saw her mother coming down the stairs. “You’ll be traveling via the Rokis,” she said to them. “It’s important you’re waiting for the Tribes when they return. They’ll need food and support.”

  Gossamer stood right in front of Ambrielle. “I want you to each have your hand on the person in front of you,” he said.

  Aura placed her hand on Gossamer’s left shoulder, and Felipe put his hand on his right.

  A nervousness creeping through her body and a fluttering in her stomach made her regret eating the maple berries earlier. My first ti
me traveling with the Rokis. She felt one of the hands of a staff members on her shoulder.

  “The first time is always the most difficult. You’ll feel a rush of wind and slight dizziness. Some experience nausea. Just keep your hand on the person in front of you,” Gossamer said with a wink back at Aura.

  Just breathe. She watched as her mother placed her hand on the Rokis.

  Ambrielle’s eyes turned blue. “Bay of Holdtra,” she said.

  Aura felt a tug at her insides and gasped for air. None reached her lungs. She closed her eyes as the light around her fell apart, crackling like broken glass. A heavy heat rolled through her. Suddenly, everything ceased except for the drumming of her heart.

  She opened her eyes. Gossamer faced her as she stood with one hand still out in front of her.

  “Aura . . . Aura,” he calmly said, holding his hand to her cheek.

  His voice sounded far away, and she blinked, trying to focus on the blurry surroundings. Felipe sat on the ground, next to his bag, and the staff laid the baskets out in groups.

  “Aura,” he said, his voice coming into focus.

  “Yes,” she responded, taking a step back and dropping her hand. She took in a deep breath. The coughing started, and she knelt over.

  “Not bad for your first time,” Gossamer said with a chuckle.

  Aura caught her breath. “How long was I standing there?”

  “Just about thirty seconds or so. It’s okay. At least you didn’t vomit,” he said.

  As he spoke, bile rose in her throat, and she swallowed it quickly.

  One of the staff members, a short bearded fellow, came up to her. “It’s not so bad, huh?”

  She noticed the thick rural accent of the Sahdies, or dwarf-kind, right away and smiled at him.

  “This isn’t my first go round. I promise, this will make it better.” He handed her a piece of bread.

  “Thank you.”

  “Bokah,” he replied.

  She looked at him, confused.

  “Bokah. That’s my name.”