Broken Reign by Sam Ledel

Author:Sam Ledel [Ledel, Sam]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781635557404
Publisher: Bold Strokes Books
Published: 2020-08-16T22:00:00+00:00

* * *

“I got another one!”

“Good for you,” Jastyn hollered at Coran, glaring downstream where he stood proudly displaying his latest catch on the end of his makeshift spear, one of four she and Rigo had carved from the fallen limbs of a nearby cottonwood. Grinning, he waved the wriggling trout skyward. Trudging through a shallow part in the river, Coran bent to roll up his unruly left pant leg before adding the fish to his robust collection on the bank. The nearly fifteen fish flopped limply in the pile next to his discarded boots and satchel.

“I must say, Coran is quite the fisherman.” Aurelia waved encouragingly at him, laughing as he struck a triumphant pose.

“Don’t worry, Jas,” he shouted across the thirty yards between his fishing spot and hers in the steady, churning river cutting through the grassy meadowlands. “I’m sure your luck will turn around.”

The Mountains of Ionad were now at their backs to the east, and the sun was high in the sky and made the scales on the fish gleam like jewels as Jastyn eyed them enviously. She mumbled, “Not likely,” as she stood on bare feet with her pant legs rolled above her knees. She scanned the blue water flowing past, tracking the shadows of trout swimming in sharp, ever-changing patterns on their way downstream.

“I’m sure it’s much harder than it looks.”

Choosing to ignore Aurelia’s teasing, she threw a sad glance to her own pile of trout—a meager four—gathered next to Aurelia on the bank near Jastyn’s boots. Inhaling the fresh, late summer air, she readjusted her stance and aimed her spear.

When the shadow darted past, she struck, the tip of her spear piercing the water and unfortunately, nothing else. The trout she’d hoped for swam easily past, unfazed by her attempt.

Trudging empty-handed back to the bank, Jastyn tried not to feel unworthy as she took a seat next to Aurelia.

“It wasn’t all bad,” Aurelia said. “Look at our spoils.” She gestured to the four open-mouthed trout next to her.

“I guess.”

“Cheer up. You may not have as many as Coran, but you have infinitely more than Rigo.”

Rigo was standing in the middle of the river’s current. He hadn’t moved in nearly an hour. Like a statue, he stood still, his palms open at his sides, his feet planted shoulder-length apart. His long silver hair looked nearly white in the bright sun while his eyes remained closed. Jastyn envied the sense of peace surrounding him.

Aurelia eyed him quizzically. “I’m not entirely certain I know what he is doing.”

Jastyn chuckled. Cupping her hands around her mouth, she shouted, “Doing all right over there?” Rigo opened one eye, turning slightly in acknowledgment. “Well, carry on, then.”

Aurelia laughed, and Jastyn glanced sideways to admire the light reflecting off her hair, the way her nose crinkled when she smiled, and the openness of her face as she laughed. Jastyn held on to the moment’s lightness, tucking it away.

“I believe elves pull their powers from the elements,” Jastyn said, fiddling with the splinters on the end of the spear resting across her lap.

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