Oriana smelled the rain before it came. She always could. When she was small, she imagined it was her own Blessing, the ability to manipulate the energy of the world. Gifted to the chosen by the Saints, the seven holy sisters who sacrificed their lives to tether the Veil and close the rifts that were tearing their world apart. Since that day, anyone could be born Blessed. Male or female, wealthy or poor. Anyone could wake up one day and discover they had the ability to manipulate.
At first, they'd been rounded up and imprisoned or exiled. Families turned against loved ones for being born 'wrong'. Before Queen Una had waged her bloody war for the throne, being Blessed had been a death sentence. But she'd dragged the Blessed to the top with her. Under her reign, they had flourished, and now being born Blessed meant endless opportunities for those who had none before.
Estia, her adopted mother, had been a prisoner on Myrna when Queen Una had freed her. Sentenced to spend the rest of her life working the fields, her skin sunburned and blistered. Estia said being near Una was like bathing under moonlight. She'd felt Una's gaze on her as her Blessing fully manifested. She'd taken half of their harvest out in a fiery explosion. In the safety of the palace, Estia had honed her magic, her ability to wield fire transforming into a deadly art. With each passing day, Estia grew more skilled, more formidable, until she became known throughout the kingdom as the Queen's Firebrand.
Elspeth, her mothers best friend, the only daughter of a wealthy merchant in Ochi, destined to be married off to increase her family's fortune, had defied her parents' wishes and traveled the seas, using her Blessing to call forth storms so treacherous no one could stand against her. It was during one such tempestuous night that Elspeth had crossed paths with Queen Una. They had cornered Elspeth's ship, and while she blew Una's ship from the water, Una had jumped overboard and snuck onto Elspeths' ship. The two women faced each other on the deck, Elspeth ready to live or die by her sword and Una, refusing to leave without making a new ally.
Oriana's own Uncle, sweet and kind Uncle Rafa, had been blessed—or he might say, burdened—with a gift of immense power. Blessing two siblings wasn't unheard of, but it was rare. The fact that both siblings were extraordinarily powerful made them renowned throughout the world. She with her fire, and he with the ability to literally move mountains.
Yet, unlike those who might wield such a force recklessly, Rafa had always been a gentle heart. He preferred to use his gifts for the betterment of others, not as a means to intimidate or harm. In their Traveler encampment, he had helped build shelters and create fertile land with the earth's gentlest caress, earning the gratitude and admiration of their fellow travelers.
When Queen Una's call to arms reverberated across the land, it was Estia who urged Rafa to join her in service. She believed that his incredible talents could be harnessed for the greater good. Rafa's decision to join Queen Una's army was driven not by ambition or desire for conquest but by the unwavering loyalty he felt for his sister and his longing to make a difference in a world that often misunderstood the true nature of his Blessing.
Queen Una had been a beacon of light and safety for those who suddenly found themselves different in a world they had once belonged to. And then one day she vanished into the shadows of her grand palace. Like the flip of a switch, everything had changed. Without warning, she issued a decree that severed the bond between the Blessed and the kingdom that had been their sanctuary for generations. The Blessed were cast out, their homes confiscated, and their powers deemed dangerous and unwelcome. A dark cloud descended upon the kingdom, and it wasn't long before a ruthless hunt began, led by the very people who had once embraced the Blessing as a source of wonder. The Blessed were driven into hiding, their very existence at stake.
Greenwall had become her families refuge, its high walls hidden deep in the woods on an abandoned outer island. The fall had happened when Oriana was a small child, long before her memories had taken root. Their life on the run was the only life she had ever known. And despite her lack of a Blessing and her own sisters' growing affinity for fire, she was thankful for their life. Even with her sad little ability to predict the rain. It wasn't as exciting as her family's abilities, but it was better than the nothing she actually had.
Oriana shook herself and left the daydreaming behind as she took a nail from between her lips and quickly hammered it into place. She brought up her hand and wiped the sweat from her brow. She should have removed her coat, but the late fall weather kept changing its mind. One moment, it was warm and rainy, and the next, it was so cold her teeth would chatter so hard she feared they'd break. At least the rain would cool her off.
She took the last nail from her lips and drove it home. Then, with a sigh, she started her descent to the ground. She'd need to find a way to carry more up. She was growing wary of the ups and downs of roof repair. Chuckling to herself at her own joke, she froze as an icy shiver slid up her back. Slowly, she turned to find his bright eyes peering up at her. She grinned, holding tight to the ladder, and slowly descended to face him on solid ground. "Devlin?"
His hair was the same shaggy black mop it had been since the day she'd met him two years before, but she could tell he'd made efforts to tidy it. Which wasn't like him at all. She nervously reached up to smooth her own frizzy hair, carefully pulling her thick dark braid over her shoulder. "Did you need something?"
"What are you doing up there?" He whispered, his hands sliding into his pockets, a small grin playing on his lips. Something was definitively off. And it had been for over a month now. Since he'd been invited to join the Elders despite being much too young. "We have people for this. You shouldn't be up there. You could get hurt."
Frowning, she crossed her arms and stared back at him. "You once dared me to jump off the Eastern cliff face to see if I could fly."
"I was a child then."
"It was last year." She smirked, and he actually blushed. Devlin never blushed. He never cared enough to be embarrassed. "And I'm the people we have for this. So, did you come to help us?" She asked, taking a step closer, but he moved back, staying just out of reach. He continued staring at her, his expression something she couldn't identify, but it made her bones feel heavy. "Devlin?" She whispered, her brow creasing in confusion. "Did you need me for something?"
"What? No." He chuckled, his face reddening further. "I just realized I'd forgotten a meeting. With the Elders. I should be going." Then he turned and hurried away, leaving Oriana standing alone by the ladder. She watched him go, her heart pounding a little harder. She wished she understood boys. Or even herself. But both seemed just outside of her wheelhouse.
"Ori?" Mira huffed from the top of her ladder. "What are you doing? Am I fixing this roof myself?"
"Did you see that?" Oriana turned and hurried to the bottom of Mira's ladder, quickly scrambling up behind her. She slid her arms through the rungs to keep them both from falling. "What do you think?"
"It won't hold us both!" Mira squeaked, dropping her hammer to hold on as the ladder tipped.
Oriana pushed Mira's dark, unruly hair aside and grinned, resting her chin on her shoulder. "Did you see him? Devlin? Just now."
"Did I see him?" Mira smirked, clinging to the ladder for all she was worth. "No. What did he want?"
"No? You didn't see the way he looked at me?"
"Looked at you?" She eyed Oriana, her brow furrowed. "What are you talking about? Did you fall? Hit your head?"
"Mira!" Oriana sighed and slowly climbed down, turning the way Devlin had gone. "I swear for a moment our eyes met and-"
"Oh Saints, Ori. It's the heat. Leeto, she has sunstroke!" Mira snorted, reaching the ground as Leeto hurried out of the house they'd been repairing. "She's imagining romantic scenarios with men twice her age."
"He is not twice my age! He's only six years older than me, and I did not imagine it."
"Sunstroke?" Leeto tipped his head back and glared at the sun. "It's gonna rain." He hissed just as the sky opened, and it began to pour. "I knew it! At this rate, we'll be flooded out." He ran a wrinkled hand through his thinning silver hair and huffed.
"No." Mira snapped, retrieving her hammer from the dirt. "The repairs need to be done before winter sets in. We can't stop every time it rains, Leeto. Call for Elspeth, see if she can hold it off." Mira turned to search the courtyard, raising a hand to shield her eyes.
"No." Leeto snapped back, his dark eyes meeting hers before he began to bundle up his tools. "The Saints send us rain, and you'd dishonor them by sending it away?" He shook his head as he searched for the rest of his tools.
Oriana groaned. "She only meant to help, Leeto. We don't need a lecture about-"
"There is a balance to the world, ladies." He tucked his tools into their box and shoved it under his arm before taking a deep breath.
"Here it comes." Mira sighed and leaned against the wall.
"Saints," Oriana grunted and leaned beside her.
Leeto glared at them, raising one finger to point at Oriana. "Just because we can manipulate the veil," He continued as if they hadn't spoken. "Does not mean we should seize every opportunity to do so." He shuffled towards her and jabbed Oriana in the arm. "Never turn your back on education, Oriana. Knowledge is power. Whether you're Blessed or not."
Oriana sighed, tipping her head back as he continued, letting the rain run over her face, washing away the sweat and dirt from the day. Then, with a grunt, she looked at him and interrupted. "I know what you're going to say, old man. It's the same thing you always say."
"Oriana knows everything, does she?" He snorted and jabbed her in the arm again. "You are young and therefore foolish. I am old and, therefore, wise. You must ground yourself, girls. You are untethered children, flying wildly through the world."
"Of course," Mira grunted, and Oriana struggled to control her smirk.
"Nothing good will come of this." He grunted and jabbed Oriana again.
"Why are you attacking me and not her?"
"You are always restless. Always running. Always wanting to be doing something. But often, the answer is to do nothing. Trust the Saints to guide you. Today, there is rain. Tomorrow, there will be sun." He nodded to himself and started towards the courtyard.
A large fountain marked the center of their camp, its stone crumbling and overtaken with weeds. From it, five paths led away, like the points of a star, leading to essential parts of the property. Some they'd already repaired, like the Great House, where their Elders, the senior members of their group, lived and slept. Others, like the stables and the servant's quarters, waited in varying degrees of damage.
Between those five paths were a handful of run-down buildings. Before the fall, they'd been beautiful homes meant for the guests of the Roseglume family, who owned the compound. After the fall, they'd been raided and now looked ready to tumble in on themselves. With the use of Leeto's tools and knowledge, they'd been able to repair a few. And Oriana had hoped they would have the rest repaired before the snow came, but with Leeto in charge, they'd fallen further and further behind.
Oriana watched Leeto head up the path toward the Great House and grinned. "I think you just want an excuse to take a nap!"
His laughter floated back to her. "Perhaps that is what the Saints want as well? Let an old man rest. You two go spend your restless energy." He waved without looking back.
Oriana turned back to the house they'd been working on and sighed. "I wanted this house done before Evander was born. And now here he is, three days old, without a home of his own." She turned to Mira and frowned. "I'm sorry."
"You have no reason to be sorry." She reached out to pull Oriana in her arms. When she started to squirm, she held her tighter. "No, you will let me love you at this moment because you are the very best friend I have ever been blessed enough to have."
"Alright," Oriana sighed. "But make it quick." Oriana scrunched up her face until Mira released her.
"This house is a gift." Mira turned, looking over her shoulders towards the tents. "The fact that the Elders allowed us to stay here…." She shook her head and quickly wiped the tears away. "My son will have a home, Ori. A real one, with a thatched roof and four walls."
Mira had been born just before the fall. Her Blessing had never manifested, but she was prone to flaring, a side effect of her magic's untapped potential, that wreaked havoc wherever she went. Things could fly off their shelves or burst into flames whenever she was upset. She'd learned to blend in with the UnBlessed whenever possible, but it was never long before she had to run again. She'd never had a home. Most of the younger Blessed hadn't. And Oriana wanted nothing more than to give her that.
"Mira." Oriana shook her head, her own eyes tearing as she reached out to bump her friend's shoulder. "That baby has made you weak and sentimental."
"Oh, shush!" She smacked her hand away and leaned back to let the rain cool her face. "Evander needs every advantage he can get in this wretched world." Oriana nodded, her eyes downcast. "Stop." Mira reached out to take her hand. "I meant because he'd have you as his guardian." Oriana turned to her, wiping the rain from her face. "Taking life advice from an unstable wacko… "She grinned, sliding her hand down Oriana's wrist to take the knife hidden there. "Who is always armed. Do you wear these to bed?" Oriana took her knife back and smacked her hand away. "Poor kids gonna have it hard."
Oriana scoffed and swung out, striking her in the arm. "I'm the best thing to happen to him!" Mira laughed, backing away. "You take it back right this minute or else!"
Mira shook her head, slowly backing away. "You can't hurt me, Ori. I just had a baby. I have to take it easy." Mira started backing away, hands up, palms out.
"You can climb a ladder and wield a hammer, then you can take a punch to the face." Oriana broke into a sprint, racing after her, as Mira turned and scrambled away.
She chased her through the handful of tents set up through the field, dodging the people leaning out to see what the noise was. Then Mira cut to the left, racing past the main gate, where the few men they had stationed on watch peered down the wall at them.
"Oriana, you hellion!" Godram bellowed from his position at the top of the wall. His royal blue uniform was dingy and tattered, remnants of his prestigious days in the Queen's Army. Still, his head was shaved per regimental rules, and even though Oriana couldn't see them, she knew his shoes were shined. "You're distracting my men!"
Mira snickered, losing her footing but quickly finding it again. She darted back the way they had come, taking a right instead and racing toward the gardens. She scrambled up the small hill, her feet sliding on the slick grass. Oriana followed, reaching out to grab her ankle before losing her footing and sliding down the hill, dragging Mira with her.
They rolled to a stop at the bottom of the hill, covered in mud and laughing so hard they couldn't catch their breath. Mira held onto Oriana, her shoulders shaking as she pulled in breath after breath. Oriana pushed her away and snorted, falling back. They both lay in the mud, giggling until, slowly, the rain stopped.
"You're a horrible influence, Mira."
"Me?" She gasped and sat up, her thick hair sticking up at every angle. She pulled her springy coils back in a knot and gestured towards the main gate. "Godram called you a hellion. Not me. I was a well-behaved angel before I met you." Carefully, she pushed herself up onto unsteady feet and sighed. "I have to tend to Evander. He'll be up from his nap by now and furious with me for being late."
"Tell him you fell." Oriana snorted as a chunk of mud fell from her pants. "And the earth swallowed you whole. You're lucky to be alive."
Mira chuckled and started scraping the larger chunks of mud off. "I'm going to go rinse off in the river. You should do the same. Don't you have guard duty tonight?"
"Oh." Oriana sat up, her dark, muddy hair flopping over her face. "Yeah. I told Erik I would cover for him."
"You keep spending so much time with Erik; people will talk." Mira waggled her eyebrows.
Oriana pushed the hair out of her eyes. "Talk? About Erik?" She shook her head, not understanding the connection.
Mira sighed and crouched down beside her. "Talk about you and Erik being together."
"Together?" She scoffed. "Gross. He's like my brother."
"You say that about everyone," Mira grunted. "You're old enough to start thinking about your future, Ori. I'd already met Aldo when I was your age."
"I'm not marrying Erik."
"I'm not just talking about Erik!" Mira growled, then lowered her voice. "There are a dozen other men here who would love the honor of being your husband. You should give one of them a chance."
"Ugh." Oriana grimaced and flopped back in the mud. "I don't want to talk about marriage. Marriage leads to babies, and then I'll be disgustingly happy like you."
"You're right. I wouldn't wish this on my greatest enemy."
Oriana looked up at her friend's glowing face, and her heart ached. She forced a smile. "Although if Devlin keeps looking at me the way he looked at me by the ladder-"
"He did not."
"He did. And you know he's respected among the Elders. Just imagine. The day you stupidly move out of the Great House, I'll get to move in."
"They have running water." Mira nodded. "But no privacy. I'd like to make love to my husband without Saskia pounding on the wall."
"We deserve running water, Mira. And if I marry Devlin, then I'll have it, and if I have it, then my very best friend Mira will also have it again." She grinned as Mira shook her head.
"You're delusional. Come by the house, and you can take a shower. Otherwise, I'll see you tonight. We're having Evanders' party in the Starlit cavern before the refugees start claiming spots for the winter. I expect you there as soon as your shift ends." She met her gaze, and they both held it, unblinking, staring at each other intensely until Oriana blinked. Mira smirked and hurried away.
Oriana closed her eyes and listened until her footsteps faded. She thought of Devlin, pulling her memory of him to the front of her mind. His short black hair always hung over his brow in the cutest way. His eyes were a deep blue, ringed with gold, that sparkled in the light. He was kind and funny in an odd way that she enjoyed. Oriana could love him. She knew she could. But lying in the mud, she couldn't imagine being with him in the way marriage required. She pulled forward the memory of Mira in one of the rare moments she had shared a private moment between her and her husband. She knew Devlin would never make her feel the way Aldo made Mira feel.
Oriana sat up, her head aching. These things always seemed to come easy to everyone but just made her an anxious mess. Her mother said it would come naturally. That she shouldn't force it. But she didn't want to risk missing out. She wanted a family of her own one day. One that she entirely and irrevocably belonged to. Her own mother never had children of her own, and she said it had been her biggest regret. Until she'd found Oriana and Jonna by the river. 'It was as if the universe saw fit to grant my wishes.'
Oriana pushed the memory aside and looked around her current home. When they'd first come here, before Devlin was influential and respected, he'd play games with them and tell stories of the life he'd had here. The Roseglumes had been favored by Queen Una. Though all of the Blessed had been favored, Devlin said the Roseglumes held a special place in her heart. Their family trees had entwined at some time, making them distant cousins. Before the Fall, Una would spend the winter months with them, tucked away inside the safety of Greenwall, the name his family had given to the property. There'd been games and plays and warm chocolate mixed with milk.
She wondered what it would be like to be a part of that family. She would belong here. If anyone tried to tell her differently, she could simply send them away. Greenwall belonged to Devlin, and if she married him, it would also belong to her. Their children would grow here, and if they were lucky, they'd die here, tethered to ancestral land. Oriana smiled at the thought, before that small voice inside her reminded her she would be an outsider even then.
Losing track of her original thought, Oriana pushed herself up and continued the way they had been running. When she finally reached the top of the hill, she looked out over their small garden to find the fields filled with children. Standing several feet taller than the rest was one golden-haired girl. As Oriana watched, Elis turned toward her and waved. A moment later, a slight breeze pushed her hair back and carried Elis' voice to her, whispering as though she stood just beside her.
"Will you be at the party tonight? I wanted to speak with you."
Oriana grinned and cupped her hands around her mouth. "I'll see you there!" Then she waved to the children who had spotted her and continued down the path until it forked. Taking the branch to the left, she looked up as she nearly collided with a man hurrying toward her, a folded-up tent under his arm.
"Hello." She stopped as he jumped back, his eyes wide. "I'm sorry. It's Faylen, right?"
"Yes." He stood very still, his eyes flitting every which way but at her.
"I'm Oriana. Were you gonna set up in the caves? It's still a bit warm out."
"No." He snapped, and before she could move, he barreled past her, hurrying past the entrance to the caves.
Oriana watched him go, her hands balled into fists. It wasn't his fault. She knew that. When they found out she wasn't gifted, they all treated her the same. Like the enemy. Like she was a spy for the Queen, trying to sniff their secrets out. She imagined if she were in their place, she would be untrusting as well. But that didn't make it hurt less. It didn't stop the anger from rising up in her.
She closed her eyes and took deep, calming breaths. No good ever came from letting your temper get the best of you. She called forth the memory of her sitting on the back of a wagon, her Uncle Rafa holding her tiny hands, the blood bright on her knuckles. He'd whisper to her in his deep, soft voice, telling her to breathe in through her nose, out from her mouth. 'As many times as you need to find yourself again.'
Oriana pushed the memory away as her eyes began to sting. Another trick he'd taught her. Whenever something was too hard to think about, too much to feel, she'd lock it away behind a door in her mind until it was safe to look at. Unfortunately, she was starting to think it would never be safe to look at any of them.
Sometimes, at night, those thoughts would spill into her dreams. She'd dream she was being pulled under the water again. She'd fight and struggle for the surface, but the water would continue to rise over her, dragging her deeper. Then the world would go silent, and something inside her would whisper to stop fighting. To surrender. Her first memory was the water. It was only fair that it be her last as well.
Oriana had never felt at home in her body. Every action required too much of her, like a constant uphill climb just to exist, to be like other children. But deep under the water, everything would become still. Her heart would slow, and she'd find peace. She'd sink lower, forgetting to breathe, letting the water claim her.
But every time she'd think of Mama and Jonna sitting in their tiny home with the leaking roof, and she'd start fighting again. She'd kick upward, searching for the surface, arms stretched upward, reaching for the sun's heat. She'd scramble, deeper strokes, dragging herself upward, her chest burning. She'd pray and beg the Saints, the Blessed Sisters, anyone who would listen, to help her this once. She'd promise to never stray from their teachings. She'd promise to be better than she was. But not once did they answer. Her muscles would ache, and her vision would begin to dim around the edges. Then something would brush against her feet, and she'd gasp, water rushing in.
Then she'd wake, drenched in sweat, her heart lodged in her throat. The terror would fade, but the sweet memory of surrender would linger. Taunting her, luring her in. Begging her to give up and let the waters have her. But then her mother would be there, kneeling beside her bed. Her bones would creak as she leaned close to blow across her face.
"There you go. All bad dreams blown away."
Oriana blew the memory away as she walked, the trees shielding the river she knew was on the other side. She spent too much time in her own head. Maybe if she was more like Jonna, she'd fit in. She started toward the trees when Jonna streaked across the path. Her hands were fisted at her side, her face pinched, her dirty blonde hair flying along behind her. She grimaced as her sister practically slammed through the trees. Maybe not like this Jonna, who looked ready to murder.