The hooves of a large black stallion pounded along the rural forest road. The rider on top of its back was small for such a beast, but any observer could see that she had a good seat, even if she was obviously terrified out of her wits.
Kasa was more than terrified. She had been scared before: when a crocodile had almost eaten her in one of the family's trips south, when she and her village friends had seen a ghost, when Dars Lanma, the town hermit and local nutcase had chased her and the same pack of friends with a club. But these all seemed trifles compared to the feeling she had now. Her body was almost physically blue with fear and confusion over what had happened only five minutes ago.
Only five minutes, she thought. Six minutes ago I was everything in the universe-and now look at me, running like a rabbit. As if to emphasize this, she dug her heels into Jansi's flanks. The stallion, who had been reared by his rider, knew not to take it personally.
She got to the Chai court and saw some of the regulars out practicing. "Lo-Lorian," she gasped to one of her friends.
"Ah, Kasa!" he cried, spinning to face his gray eyes with her green ones. "Thought you'd never-" He saw how frightened she was and stopped. "Kasa-what-I've never seen you this scared before!"
"'Scared' is a bit of an understatement, Lor," joked someone else. "What happened, Kaz? Did Lanma chase you again?"
They think I'm joking, thought Kasa. She slid off her horse and crumpled in a heap on the ground, half-fainting.
That scared them. Kasandrei Quintain was known for her fluid dismounts, and no one had ever seen her collapse like that. Trainees started to take her horse, and dimly Kasa remembered Lorian's face. "I'll take you to Rahin, Kaz."
The red screens that served as a wall to Master Rahin's quarters swept past Kasa, limp in Lorian's arms. She smelled pungent green tea and felt herself being put onto pillows, heard Lorian leaving.
A cup of tea was pushed into her hands. "Now, tell me."
On instinct Kasa gulped the fiery liquid down. It helped. Slowly, breath in gasps, she told her story from the time she had left her Chai teacher hours ago.
Finishing, the girl sank into the blood red pillows in the corner of the room. Master Rahin stood up and stared out the window, brushing her slightly gray, short blonde hair back. "Remind me to have more respect for Jaram Hepelt."
Kasa sat up. "The Futurebringer? What in the gods does he have to do with this?"
"Have you ever been told the story of your birth?" Kasa shook her head. "Well, if your parents aren't competent enough, I suppose I'll tell you."
Quickly, bluntly, told in Rahin's brusque manner, the night of Kasa's birth was unfolded before her. The girl blinked as the story ended. Her parents loved to lavish Naddr with stories of his birth, but never even hinted at what Kasa's teacher had just told her.
"I suppose your parents have left out your name meaning from your Greaktet lessons?" Rahin asked.
Kasa nodded. Like any normal noble, she was prey to daily lessons in the language of the gods. She had never been taught the words for fire and spirit. Now she knew why. "Take kasa, fire, add an n for an adjective, and put it with drei, spirit," Master Rahin had explained. "Kasandrei, Fiery Spirit. Your parents obviously didn't want you to know."
Now Kasa drained her tea. "What about this afternoon?"
Rahin sighed. "This confirms Jepelt's prophecy, though he did not mention what exactly the magic is, nor how to control it or even what it's for." The teacher looked defeated. "No one for miles around has the knowledge to take on a totally new magic and teach it to you."
Kasa's heart sank. "What'm I to do? I need to be able to control it!"
Master Rahin stared out the window. "I know of one person who might, just might be able to help you, and that is if he is alive anymore."
"Where is he?" Kasa asked eagerly.
"He's a long way away. My brother traveled to the other side of the T'aakinne." The T'aakinne was the top of the world, a place where few had been. "He brought me news of the countries on the other side. Said an extraordinarily powerful man lives there."
"What's his name?" Kasa asked eagerly.
"Numair Samalin."
Kasa was more than terrified. She had been scared before: when a crocodile had almost eaten her in one of the family's trips south, when she and her village friends had seen a ghost, when Dars Lanma, the town hermit and local nutcase had chased her and the same pack of friends with a club. But these all seemed trifles compared to the feeling she had now. Her body was almost physically blue with fear and confusion over what had happened only five minutes ago.
Only five minutes, she thought. Six minutes ago I was everything in the universe-and now look at me, running like a rabbit. As if to emphasize this, she dug her heels into Jansi's flanks. The stallion, who had been reared by his rider, knew not to take it personally.
She got to the Chai court and saw some of the regulars out practicing. "Lo-Lorian," she gasped to one of her friends.
"Ah, Kasa!" he cried, spinning to face his gray eyes with her green ones. "Thought you'd never-" He saw how frightened she was and stopped. "Kasa-what-I've never seen you this scared before!"
"'Scared' is a bit of an understatement, Lor," joked someone else. "What happened, Kaz? Did Lanma chase you again?"
They think I'm joking, thought Kasa. She slid off her horse and crumpled in a heap on the ground, half-fainting.
That scared them. Kasandrei Quintain was known for her fluid dismounts, and no one had ever seen her collapse like that. Trainees started to take her horse, and dimly Kasa remembered Lorian's face. "I'll take you to Rahin, Kaz."
The red screens that served as a wall to Master Rahin's quarters swept past Kasa, limp in Lorian's arms. She smelled pungent green tea and felt herself being put onto pillows, heard Lorian leaving.
A cup of tea was pushed into her hands. "Now, tell me."
On instinct Kasa gulped the fiery liquid down. It helped. Slowly, breath in gasps, she told her story from the time she had left her Chai teacher hours ago.
Finishing, the girl sank into the blood red pillows in the corner of the room. Master Rahin stood up and stared out the window, brushing her slightly gray, short blonde hair back. "Remind me to have more respect for Jaram Hepelt."
Kasa sat up. "The Futurebringer? What in the gods does he have to do with this?"
"Have you ever been told the story of your birth?" Kasa shook her head. "Well, if your parents aren't competent enough, I suppose I'll tell you."
Quickly, bluntly, told in Rahin's brusque manner, the night of Kasa's birth was unfolded before her. The girl blinked as the story ended. Her parents loved to lavish Naddr with stories of his birth, but never even hinted at what Kasa's teacher had just told her.
"I suppose your parents have left out your name meaning from your Greaktet lessons?" Rahin asked.
Kasa nodded. Like any normal noble, she was prey to daily lessons in the language of the gods. She had never been taught the words for fire and spirit. Now she knew why. "Take kasa, fire, add an n for an adjective, and put it with drei, spirit," Master Rahin had explained. "Kasandrei, Fiery Spirit. Your parents obviously didn't want you to know."
Now Kasa drained her tea. "What about this afternoon?"
Rahin sighed. "This confirms Jepelt's prophecy, though he did not mention what exactly the magic is, nor how to control it or even what it's for." The teacher looked defeated. "No one for miles around has the knowledge to take on a totally new magic and teach it to you."
Kasa's heart sank. "What'm I to do? I need to be able to control it!"
Master Rahin stared out the window. "I know of one person who might, just might be able to help you, and that is if he is alive anymore."
"Where is he?" Kasa asked eagerly.
"He's a long way away. My brother traveled to the other side of the T'aakinne." The T'aakinne was the top of the world, a place where few had been. "He brought me news of the countries on the other side. Said an extraordinarily powerful man lives there."
"What's his name?" Kasa asked eagerly.
"Numair Samalin."