Successor Read online

  I roll my eyes and groan. “That wasn’t an apology. It was sarcasm, which is clearly a lost art form here.” I move past him and stomp off toward the village center, knowing he’ll be right behind me.

  “Where are you going?”

  “To see Ryka. I assume you’ll show me the way.” He falls in step next to me with ease, not saying a word.

  A few minutes later, after crossing the center and heading down a path on the far side, we’re at Ryka’s place. From the outside, the hollow looks to be a few feet wider than the one I’m staying in. Given how deceptive appearances can be here, I wonder how large the interior really is. I hesitate at the entrance, but Ren motions for me to go in. Barging into places unannounced must be habit for him.

  “Don’t you ever knock?”

  He gives me a blank look.

  “You know—” I rap my knuckles on the tree.

  “Why?”

  “To let people know you’re coming in?” Do I really need to explain this?

  “We have no such custom here.”

  “Well if you could start doing it around me, I’d appreciate it.” His brows pull together, his scar moving with them, and I step inside the tree.

  The hollow is twice the size of my and Leila’s place, the same garlands of flowers and leaves hanging from the crannies. A natural partition of winding, wooden vines extends from the curved wall next to me, leading in an organic swirl toward the back of the space and blocking part of the hollow from view. Tables stand in the center of the hollow, holding piles of pelts, rough leather, woven fabrics, and spun and unspun plant fibers and animal coats. Various types of thread and twine sit on a table next to unfinished products, along with the tools Ryka must use to create the clan’s clothes.

  Ren steps next to me as a young woman enters the work area from behind the partition—her personal space, I’m guessing. She looks to be a few years older than I am, her dark hair hanging in long, thin dreads down her back. Her clothes consist of a halter-style top that hangs to her navel and an ornate breechcloth falling to mid-thigh. She stops before us without a word.

  “This is the bonder,” Ren says.

  She nods, seemingly used to his abruptness. “I have been expecting you.”

  “You must be Ryka.”

  She eyes me from head to toe. Based on her expression, she’s sizing me up in more ways than one. She gives me a tight smile that doesn’t reach her eyes, then looks at Ren again, her demeanor warming. “I will have something ready by this evening.”

  I wonder how she’ll make something in my size without measurements, but then I notice everything she’s wearing is held in place by twine. A general idea of size must be all she needs.

  “If it’s not too much to ask,” I add before Ren rushes me out, “could you make something for my friend, too? She’s not feeling well, and I think she’d be more comfortable in lighter clothes.”

  Another forced smile. “As you wish.” With a warm look at Ren, she turns and disappears around the partition.

  Ren ushers me outside before I have the chance to thank Ryka, despite the frosty reception. I’m not interested in making enemies.

  “Are you ready to return to your quarters?” Based on the set of his mouth, he’s more than ready to be rid of me.

  Just to spite him—and because I’m curious—I say, “Not yet. I want to look around a little more.”

  His features pinch together. I’m guessing in frustration or impatience. “But you saw the village this morning.”

  “So? If I’m going to be stuck here for a while, I might as well get to know the place.”

  His expression eases, the corner of his mouth twisting a little. He motions with his head for me to follow him and makes for the village center.

  We move through the common areas, and I’m able to take it all in without the talk of bonders, elementals, and Links distracting me. There’s a peaceful simplicity here unlike anything I’ve seen back home. We come to the animal pens again, and this time when one of the deer-goats comes over, Ren strokes its neck. Eyes are on us as we move throughout the center and pass the training yard. The sparring pairs look away with a single glance from Ren.

  We head down one of the many paths leading away from the center. Ren explains that each branches off, most paths connecting to others throughout the village. The place sounds like a maze.

  “Where does the elemental live?”

  “Near the council garden, across from the defense commander.”

  “Who’s that?” It didn’t occur to me they have a head of defense here.

  “Me.”

  “Oh.” I blink, my brows lifting. “Sorry. I should’ve guessed that.”

  His eyes narrow a little, a curious spark in them. “Why do you apologize when it is not necessary?”

  I lift a shoulder. “Habit.” He waits in his still way, my answer not satisfactory enough for him, and I shift on my feet. “Okay, how about this. I’ll stop apologizing if you stop sneaking up on me. Deal?”

  “Sneaking up on you?”

  “You know, startling me? I jump easily.”

  He considers my terms, the curious spark growing, then nods. “As you wish.”

  Ryka said the same thing earlier, and I wonder who picked it up from whom. Considering how she looked at him, the answer is obvious.

  Ren is studying me in his usual way, but instead of uncertainty in his eyes, he looks almost thoughtful. It’s the first time I haven’t felt hostility radiating from him.

  It takes a few moments to realize I’ve been studying him as well, neither of us moving. I turn on my heel and head farther down the path.

  “Where are you going?”

  “I want to check out the forest. I didn’t see much when I arrived.”

  He catches up in a few strides, his hand banding around my arm and bringing me to a halt. “It is unsafe for you outside of the village.”

  I pull my arm free. “Isn’t that what you’re here for? You have your bow and arrows.” Gesturing to the quiver on his back, I start forward again.

  Ren snags my arm once more, tighter this time. “There are dangers in the outskirts I cannot guard against alone. You would be at risk.”

  My eyes roll of their own accord. “So have some of your friends come along.”

  His eyes harden, the hostility creeping back in, and his hold on my arm tightens. He lets out a loud whistle, the pierce of it making me flinch. With a glance over my shoulder, I find a man and woman heading toward us from the center. Ren glares at me with obvious disapproval, and I tamp down a smug grin. He releases my arm, warm from his grip.

  “Stay close,” he warns.

  “Fine.”

  He guides me down the path toward the outskirts with the two clanspeople trailing us. As we reach the edge of the village, the path branches off into curving footpaths soon enveloped by the dense forest. We take an eastbound trail, weaving north and south at times to bypass thick jungle growth and fallen trees.

  We walk for miles, my footfalls and breathing the only sounds announcing our presence. I look behind me on occasion, checking if the man and woman are still there. When the path is suddenly empty, I stop short.

  “Where did they go?”

  “There.”

  He points to spots within the denser forest around us. Gliding among the trees in silence, barely visible, the man and woman flank us with the skill of ghosts.

  My jaw goes slack, a smile turning up the corners of my mouth. “That’s amazing.”

  “Stealth is our greatest strength. We train from the first day we can walk to tread in silence.”

  And here I am, trudging through the woods like an elephant. “Guess my mom didn’t share that secret with my dad. You probably heard us a mile away last night.”

  The corner of his mouth quirks before he turns and starts walking again. It takes me a moment to recover from his almost-smile.

  As hard as I try to move in silence and keep pace with him, I just end up stumbling around instead.
I can imagine how ridiculous I look to everyone. If stealthiness is a genetic trait, I didn’t inherit it. “Maybe you could give me pointers sometime.”

  Ren peers over his shoulder, his brows raised, then looks ahead again. “As you wish.”

  The trail continues for a hundred yards before we come to a sparsely wooded clearing. The forest floor is sporadically populated with shrubs and long grasses, reminding me of a northern meadow instead of the tropics.

  Ren leads me to the far end of the clearing where the ground ends. We stand at the edge of a high cliff overlooking the lake below. We can see over the surrounding lands for miles, the forest canopy stretching uninterrupted into the distance.

  My breath catches in my chest. “Wow.”

  “Does your home have such sights?”

  “It does,” I reply, caught up in the view.

  “And how do they compare—your world to this one?”

  What would he think of my home, where there are few forests and so many people? Something tells me he would hate it.

  “There’s a lot left to be desired back home. I think if people knew places like this existed, they might choose your world over mine. Then again, most would need to see it to believe it.”

  “The same is true of most cultures. Some are aware of alternate realities; the majority are ignorant. And the rest choose not to believe.” I catch him looking at me from the corner of my eye. “Elementals are not obligated to enlighten them.”

  I continue to gaze out, lost in thought. This place is so unlike home, yet it’s familiar in some strange way. Maybe it’s the Laraek in me responding, sensing it’s home after all these years.

  What will happen when I leave? Will I write this place off, pretend it doesn’t exist and go on with my life?

  As I take in the serenity of the undisturbed land, contentment fills me as it did when I first arrived—a sense of belonging greater than anything I’ve ever known. I’d be a fool to think leaving this place won’t affect me.

  “I don’t plan to visit any other dimensions after I take Leila home. Coming here is plenty.”

  “Do you find this plane unfavorable?” Ren asks, his voice quiet.

  Something in his tone catches my attention. Offence? Disappointment? I turn to find his gaze on me. “Not at all,” I say, wanting to reassure him. “It’s just…a lot to take in.”

  His eyes shift in tiny, restless movements as they search mine. Without a word, his gaze returns to the view and his arm lifts in some kind of signal. He stops, stares at a spot in the forest, then gestures once more before lowering it to his side.

  “What about your home are you most fond of?”

  Easy. “Music.” His brow quirks, and I say, “I like to make music. It keeps me grounded.”

  He frowns, his gaze dropping to my feet. “Do you leave the ground often?”

  I laugh. “No, no. I mean it helps me relax and focus.”

  His head tips to one side. “What do you focus on?”

  “Life, I guess. If something’s bothering me or I can’t figure out a problem, I listen to music. When I hear the right song, it’s like the answer comes to me. I don’t really know how to describe it.”

  “And you create music on your plane?”

  “For fun. I’d like to make a career out of it, if I can.” One of the few certainties I’ve had about the future.

  “A career?”

  Right. He has no idea what that is. “It’s like a long-term job; something people do for the duration of their lives.” He still looks confused, so I lift a hand to him. “I mean, you’re the defense commander. Will you always be in that position, or will you move on to something else?”

  His brow smooths. “It will be my role until my last day.”

  No doubt a dangerous one. I imagine that day will come sooner than most. My stomach knots.

  “Every member of the clan performs a function,” he continues, looking out over the lake, “and each will continue in that role until succession takes place.”

  “I’ve been wondering about that, now that you mention it.”

  His expression turns guarded. The elders said I’m in a need-to-know position. He may not be allowed to answer my questions, but I won’t know unless I ask.

  “I understand elementals need successors, but what happens if they die before they have kids? Does the clan not have one, then?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  “Maemon said the clan didn’t know what happened to my mom after she disappeared. For all they knew, she died.”

  “We had reason to believe otherwise.”

  “But you must’ve suspected something happened when she didn’t return.”

  “When a new elemental did not emerge in her absence, we assumed she was either still alive or had a child. Obviously, it was the latter.”

  “You mean a different bloodline would develop the trait?”

  “Yes.” Something like pride fills his eyes as he looks out over the lake again. “Sianne’s death was expected once the elders determined you were her descendant.”

  An itch of unease niggles at the back of my mind. “Why expected?”

  His mouth tightens a little. “Your assimilation had taken place, though a failed attempt.” He angles toward me, his focus on my shoulder before his gaze meets mine. “During the process, the Link passes from the predecessor to the successor. The transfer establishes the new elemental…but it also severs the previous connection.”

  My eyes lower as his words sink in. The elders’ warning from this morning comes to me, and my stomach twists into a knot again.

  “If one is lost, so is the other.” Lifting my gaze, I find confirmation in Ren’s face. “If my mother had lived when I was born, she would’ve died yesterday. My assimilation would’ve killed her.”

  My father has assured me time and again my mother’s death wasn’t my fault. Sometimes, unfortunate things happen. The harsh reality, I now realize, is her death is ultimately on my hands. Unshed tears burn the backs of my eyes. I blink them away.

  “It is the fate all elementals come to accept.” Ren watches me, solemn. “It is their fate but also their privilege, for with their passing they ensure the elemental’s role and function remain intact.”

  “And what function is that, exactly?” My voice shakes a little, and I take a deep breath. “Opening rifts and controlling elements. Bending time. What is it all for?” My eyes search his, finding hesitancy. “Why?”

  His gaze retreats to the lake once more. “You have learned a lot today. You should give yourself time to absorb it all.”

  “It’s a little difficult to understand what’s going on without the facts.”

  He turns at my sharp tone, a crease between his brows. His emotions are becoming easier for me to read.

  I rein in my frustration and take a step toward him. “Please. I need to know.”

  His lips press into a grim line, turning down at the corners. He looks to the forest below and lets out a piercing whistle. Long seconds pass before he signs with his arm again to whoever is stationed below. Finally he turns to me, looking resigned.

  “An elemental is part of a clan’s defense. Each possesses a unique skill crucial in the protection of the people. The assimilation with the Link allows access to that skill.”

  “You’re talking about their control over nature?”

  “The specific aspect of their element, yes. Once an elemental develops enough discipline to control her ability, it can be used either offensively or as a defense.”

  My jaw sets, feeling stiff. “You mean as a weapon.”

  He hesitates, his gaze holding mine. “Yes.”

  My throat grows tight, and I can’t look at him anymore. A fallen tree lays a few yards away, and I head toward it, feeling Ren’s gaze on my back. I plop down and drop my head into my hands.

  “What is wrong?” Ren’s feet come into view. His fingers touch my arm. “Are you ill?”

  My eyes lock on his, and I knock his hand away. “Ju
st back off. I need a minute.”

  He does, looking exasperated and uncertain. And why wouldn’t he? It’s not like he’s had to deal with this situation before. Being the defense commander, I doubt anyone gives him attitude. He anchors his hands to the quiver across his chest and peers out beyond the cliff. The seconds tick by in silence.

  I close my eyes and rub my temples. “This can’t be happening. It just…can’t.” Ren remains silent, but I can feel the tension coming off him in waves. “There has to have been some kind of mistake.”

  When I look up, he’s watching me. If I hadn’t become accustomed to his mannerisms by now, his expression would seem indifferent. Instead there’s understanding and sympathy in him. It’s his eyes that give him away. And despite my irritation, I can’t help but stare into them in fascination.

  “There has been no mistake.” A strange note of disbelief colors his tone. Then, as if realizing he’s revealed too much, his expression hardens. “You are the next elemental.”

  The fascination evaporates as adrenaline surges through my veins, and the meltdown I’ve been suppressing all morning breaks through. I grip the tree under me and let out a frustrated groan. It turns into a throat-scratching yell, vibrating through my chest and down to my toes. I wouldn’t be surprised if the entire village can hear me.

  When I stop, echoes are all that remain of my outburst. Ren hasn’t moved a muscle.

  “Look at me,” I say with a deprecating gesture to myself. “Do I look like an elemental? Do I look like I belong here?” Agitated, I stand and start pacing. “Yesterday, I was normal. I had a normal life, I lived in a normal house, I knew normal people. Things were simple.” My hands find my hips as I walk back and forth, and Ren watches me in silence. Frustration builds in my chest. “Now what am I? Obviously not normal. It’s not bad enough I’ll have to share my brain with some kind of—” I spin my hands around each other, searching for the words. “—cognitive parasite, but to find out my mother died because of me—” The words catch in my throat as it grows tight, emotions winding in my chest. My eyes burn with tears, and I dash them away with a huff.

  My feet halt by themselves, like they’ve filled with lead. All I can do is glare at Ren. “And now you’re telling me you need me to help you defend your clan—all because I’ll have control over some damned element?”