Chapter 20 Twenty.
I wiped away at the sweat on my forehead as I placed an oil lamp against the sill before looking down with a pointed smile.
"You realize, you don't have to hold onto the ladder anymore. I'm fine," I said, but Faridha's grip didn't loosen and she shook her head, an admonishing look on her face.
"Nonsense! And, what if you fall? I won't have it," she scolded me, and I laughed before getting down slowly. Slapping my hands together, I looked around at our work.
"Well, that was the last of it!" I said happily, turning to Faridha with a smile.
"Aeryn! Khala! It's time for lunch!" Ayla called, peeping her head out from the dining hall with a large grin. She waited as we walked over.
"How did it go?" she asked while Faridha excused herself off into the kitchen.
I nodded, smiling when Ayla linked her arm through mine.
"Tiring but good. How did your day go?" I asked, and she groaned loudly.
"Don't even get me started! I was helping in the kitchen today and I feel like I have a permanent layer of sweat that I'm gonna need you to peel off when we get home." I fake retched at her words.
"I thought snakes shed by themselves and here you are needing my help. How strange," I commented jokingly, stroking my chin in thought, and Ayla snorted before slapping my arm.
We routinely made our way to our table that we sat at yesterday.
"Aeryn! Aeryn!" Arun's voice rang out as I neared the table. I made sure to avoid the burning glare that Maya was sending me as I seated myself next to Arun, sending him a smile. Ayla settled herself down next to me before sending Arun a scowl.
"I'm here too, you know," she huffed out, but the look on her face was playful.
Arun waved his hand exaggeratedly, dismissing her words before brushing his golden locks back with a flick of his hand.
"I need someone's perspective who won't needlessly criticize me," he explained, sticking his tongue out at her before turning to me and shoving a parchment in my face.
I peered down cautiously at the parchment, slightly taken back at the drawing. It was of a girl, holding a small hand knife, her back only showing. She was stood on what seemed to be a hill, her hair flowing out behind her like a raging river. She towered over the people, her hand up in cheer.
I turned to Arun, smiling at his hopeful look.
"It's beautiful, Arun. You drew this?" I questioned, my eyes turning back to the drawing. He nodded gently, letting out a sigh of relief.
Ayla scoffed before pulling the parchment and giving it a once over.
"And why would you not want my perspective? I have such a good eye," she whined.
Maya laughed at this, ungracefully biting through a turkey leg.
"A good eye perhaps, but a brain is needed too," she remarked, and Arun laughed at her words.
"If you had even half of either, you'd realize you're sitting in my seat."
Rhydian's stoic voice rang out as he stood over Maya. I looked behind to see Kael and Abrax walking leisurely to the table.
Maya let out an ungrateful snort but shuffled slightly, allowing Rhydian to sit.
"Oh, half of that I might have, but I still have the full force of my arms, so try test me again, Rhydian," she warned, her eyebrow raised.
Kael chose then to sit with Abrax following suit. He smiled at Maya's words.
"Oh, a challenge. What say, Rhydian? Are you up for it?" he urged, placing a hand on Rhydian's shoulder.
Rhydian laughed coldly at this, putting food into his plate.
"Since when did mice challenge lions?" he remarked, his silver eyes slipping to glance at Maya who just glared back in response.
Ayla snorted at this, pointing a piece of bread towards Rhydian.
"A lion? Last I heard, you were a pig, right, Aeryn?" she said and we laughed at her words, recalling yesterday's conversation.
Rhydian rolled his eyes at this and I laughed before looking up in mock thought.
"You're right, Ayla. Last I heard, lions don't snort; they roar," I mused and Arun slapped my shoulder at my words, chuckling.
"Have you ever seen a lion, Aeryn?" Abrax asked randomly, looking up from his food and I shook my head.
"No, I live in a very cold place. They're not indigenous to the place I live. Have you?" I asked Abrax who nodded his head. Kael laughed before slapping his back.
"Seen one? He's wrestled one!" he exclaimed and the whole table let out an exclamation of cheer to which Abrax looked down, shaking his head.
"It's not as glamorous as they make it out to be, I assure you," he explained and I laughed.
"Tell her the story, Abrax!" Arun let out with a willful sigh to which Abrax chuckled before leaning back, a look of thought on his face.
"It was a hot day. I remember, because I had decided to go hunting. I was hanging low, stalking cattle when a lion pounced from the other side. Without even processing, I jumped up, hardening my body and stood in its way. It hit me hard, so hard that I nearly toppled over, but I stood my ground. I heard it fall with a loud thud. It was dead. It wasn't much of a heroic story. I hadn't meant to kill it. It just happened," he explained and I marveled at the extent of his power.
Ayla giggled at his words, almost reminiscing.
"And, that day we dined on lion meat, thanks to Abrax!" she praised him and he looked down bashfully at her words.
I continued eating the turkey on my plate, savoring the rich salty taste as well as how easy it slipped off the bone.
"Were you okay after, Aeryn? You didn't fall again, did you?" Kael questioned warmly and I shook my head, getting startled when Ayla gasped dramatically.
"You fell? Are you okay?" she questioned, looking me over and I smiled at her concern. Opening my mouth to speak, I was interrupted by Rhydian who made a noise akin to a laugh.
"Tell me, Kael, in which of the many many scrolls that you've read was it foretold that the 'prophecy' would fall on her ass?" he questioned condescendingly, to which Maya let out an aggressive grunt in response.
"Surely, you don't believe the scrolls now, Rhydian. After all, they gave us this," she said, gesturing to me. Kael gave Maya a warning look, his eyes alit with a firmness before glancing around the table in the same manner. No one dared to speak and Rhydian continued eating, a blank look on his face.
I reeled back at the hurtful comment, feeling Ayla hold my hand under the table. But, it didn't quell the feeling of uselessness that I was feeling within me. I felt the heated gaze of everyone looking at me, gauging my reaction, but I couldn't face them.
Thankfully, Negus chose to then walk over to the table and everyone stood up, greeting him. I followed suit.
He asked how we were finding the food and everyone provided their own positive response. Lastly, he turned to me, a wise look in his eyes.
"Do let me know when you are done eating, Aeryn. I have some business to discuss with you," he said softly and I nodded my head, feeling the haze dissipate.
"I'm already done, Negus. Shall we go?" I replied despite my plate still being full and I felt as though everybody could feel the palpable tension in the room.
Negus smiled, gesturing his head to outside.
"Lead the way."
The sun was slowly setting again as we walked along a small vegetation patch. All the surroundings were dipped in orange and I looked to Negus who stood in a clearing, the light streaking down on him as though it was a spotlight.
"What do you need to talk about?" I questioned as we walked, but internally I was thankful for the opportunity to escape.
Negus looked around before pulling a small leather-covered book from his linen robes. I looked at it curiously as he handed it to me. I moved to open it, but Negus stopped my actions.
"Open it when I walk away," he instructed and I nodded, looking back to the book.
"But, what is it?" I questioned and Negus looked to the skies, making his face glow an ethereal orange.
"It is your mother's book," he said simply and I almost dropped the book in shock.
"I–Is it?" I stuttered out and he nodded before taking a long deep breath.
"There is much you still don't understand, Aeryn. About your mother, but mostly about yourself. I can't help you much with that, but I will help lay the paving stones by which you will make your journey," he reassured me and I smiled at his words, thankful for the encouraging words.
He looked ahead as he spoke, his eyes vacant yet so full of woe.
"Your mother had many abilities, wonderful and magic abilities. I won't discuss too much as this is a journey you must take alone, but this book shall help with one," he explained and my eyebrows furrowed at his words.
"What's in the book, Negus?" I asked quietly, gazing down at the book that had once belonged to someone I was supposed to care about. Negus gestured towards the book before coming to a halt. I stopped also, facing him.
"It contains divine words of such. Words that will follow only your order. Your mother had the power of this divine speech and now so do you. Some words you utter can have life if you will it to be so, Aeryn," he explained and I nodded slowly trying to process what he was saying. It was as though he knew more about me than I knew about myself.
"What should I do with it now?" I asked curiously and he smiled before walking back down the path we had come from.
"It won't be easy for you to use it, Aeryn. Learn it. A word a week, until you feel it in your blood. That is what you must do."
I watched as he walked away after those solemn words, waiting till he was out of sight before turning my attention to the book.
I caressed the leather cover, opening it slowly. The parchment was old and musty and I sat down on the grass side as I looked at the words written in ink. A list of words down the side along with a translation in English. It was as though she knew what tongue I'd speak in before I even existed.
I looked to the first word, trying it on my lips as a whisper.
A'max ~ Burn
"A'max," I finally uttered out, looking around to see the consequences of my words, but everything stayed as it was.
I tried again and again and again until the word felt funny on my mouth, until tears pricked at my eyes.
"Why me? Why did you give these people me?" I muttered painfully, looking to the sky.
When, yet again, there was no answer, I pinched myself hard. I was never going to wake up from this and I remembered the old man's words at the cafe.
All that you know will change.
Looking at the sun set into the dunes, I laughed sadly at the cold truth in his words.
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