Chasing The Wind by D.K. Holmberg

Author:D.K. Holmberg [Holmberg, D.K.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fantasy, Short Stories
Published: 2015-07-01T23:00:00+00:00

* * *

The night air remained hot. They sat leaning against a large rock and retained heat simmered off of it. Zephra would have preferred another resting spot for the night but she had learned early on to have an escape planned. These rocks provided some protection, but more than that, gave her a chance to climb away if attacked.

Near complete blackness enveloped them. Only a tiny sliver of moon gave off light. Even the stars seemed to have disappeared, hiding behind an opaque haze. Zephra remained on edge, straining her senses to hear any noises in the night. Nearby, small feet scurried across the rocky ground. She shifted her knife, pulling it from the sheath. Anything small could be food. An occasional howl echoed, but distant enough that she did not feel threatened. The air was otherwise silent.

Lia slept next to her. The girl had slipped away almost as soon as they had stopped. For whatever reason, Lia trusted her. They had spoken little as they moved through the hot sun, the girl seeming to understand the need to avoid wasting moisture on mere words. Zephra was glad she slept, wondering when her injuries would catch up to her.

There was no telling how far they were from Doma and healing. As the day progressed, she saw nothing other than continued expanse of the waste. Zephra began to wonder if Lia would even make it through the waste.

If she did, then what? Would she be able to find water shapers in Doma? Probably not along the border, and reaching deeper into Doma, making it as far as Falsheim, would take several days once she reached Doma. As far as she knew, the kingdoms were closer than Doma anyway. Would she abandon her journey to take Lia to the kingdoms?

Zephra did not want to consider the implication if she did. Tellander would learn that she failed in even reaching Doma. Never mind catching her wind. What then? Expulsion? Tellander had grown increasingly frustrated with her over the last year and Zephra had the distinct sense that this was his last attempt at getting through to her. Without a mentor, she could not stay at the university. She had no delusions that another wind shaper would take her on. Few enough bothered to teach. Fewer still offered to mentor a fledgling shaper, especially one as hard headed as she had proven to be. The university would see her returned to her home safely where a life of working the nets, finally mastering her mother’s weave, awaited.

She swallowed, closing her eyes and letting her breath out in a frustrated sigh. Not back to the kingdoms, at least not until she proved herself worthy.

In spite of the risk, Zephra felt a deep drive to help this girl. Perhaps it was only a kinship with her. Zephra knew loss as well, though certainly nothing like the Aeta. But why did the idea of failing her get her heart to racing?

Another matter worried her more than Lia’s health.

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