Forgotten Crown (The Two Hunters Book 1) Read online

  “What do you mean?” I pouted and my good mood soured. “I’m supposed to be a hero too, remember?”

  Silvan patted me on the head. “Master says even the bravest of souls need someone to rely on. I need my brothers, and you can rely on me. Okay?”

  That sounded all right. My mood lifted, only to fall when Silvan glanced briefly at the sun. “I need to go,” he said. “I need to get back. I’m supposed to gather some food.”

  “Do you live close?” I asked, and Silvan nodded. “Only a forty-minute run.” He grinned sheepishly. “And because I stayed too long, I had better run.”

  “Will you come back?”

  “Of course.” He bolted, scrambling up the wall like a wild thing. “See you around . . .” He paused at the top. “Say . . . what is your name, girl?”

  “Glacia.”

  Silvan grinned, his teeth glinting white. “That sounds cold. Are you a cold person, Glacia?”

  I paused, considering his words. “I don’t know.”

  “See you later, then.” Silvan jumped down the other side, and was gone.

  I missed the strange boy already.

  3

  Silvan

  I ran. I ran and ran, laughing in sheer exhilaration. I loved this feeling of freedom. Master had given me permission to explore these mountains, learning which plants were safe to eat and which ones hurt my stomach, how to discover animal tracks, and how to find the plants that would heal the sick. I loved my life.

  Did she love hers? My steps slowed as my thoughts flitted back to the girl. Glacia. She seemed so sad, like a little, lost bird with a broken wing.

  My fists clenched and I ran faster. I’d tended to wounded animals before, I’d tend to her, too. Life was too joyous, too exciting and wonderful to spend it feeling sad.

  I skidded to a halt when I spied some black-wood nut trees, the branches heavy with food. Pulling a folded course-woven bag from my belt pouch, I stuffed it with nuts. I hoped the cooks would put them in a salad. I liked salad, when it had nuts or meat in it. I detested it otherwise.

  Once the bag was full, I then slipped a few of the nuts into my pouch. I wanted Glacia to try some. I wondered if she’d had them before. Such a strange girl. ’Course, girls were just strange to me anyway. Secretive creatures. I could only remember a few in my life. They didn’t train with the Elite. Men were said to be stronger, faster, and less volatile in their emotions. Volatile. I shrugged. Whatever that meant.

  But Glacia seemed different from the women I’d seen in the villages down at the base of the mountains. Those women were thick and strong, whatever Master might say about women. Glacia was a fragile thing, and I couldn’t say why, but I felt like I needed to keep her safe.

  I resumed my run, climbing further into the mountain range. I’d be home soon.

  Within the hour, I ran under the stone arch that marked the Elite’s domain. Homes were now all around me, but someone not accustomed to our ways might not notice at first. Our homes were built into the rock, the very stone of the mountains. Humble and unassuming compared to the palace Glacia lived in. I briefly wondered what a small girl did with so much house.

  “Silvan!” I turned around, dropping the bag of nuts as a body slammed into me, throwing me to the ground. Daiki.

  I rolled violently, breaking his grip on me and scrambled to my feet. I stepped forward, bringing my foot up and out in a front kick. My foot connected with Daiki’s chest with a satisfying thump.

  “Oof!” Daiki gasped, the air leaving him in a whoosh. He landed on his back and I placed my boot on his throat, careful not to hurt him. “You’re dead.” My face broke into a triumphant smile.

  “Silvan.” A deeper voice spoke behind me.

  I lifted my foot and picked up the bag of discarded nuts, my face warming in embarrassment. Sir Aki stood a few feet away, his face impassive as he watched us. He was a tall man, his dark hair pulled back in a tight tail. “Fighting is prohibited at your level, Silvan. Daiki.”

  “Sorry, sir.” I bobbed my head in a quick bow, and Daiki climbed to his feet and did the same. We both glanced at each other, silently communicating. Rules or not, this wasn’t the end of it. I hated the ‘no fighting’ rule. It was impossible to obey, especially with Daiki around. I could hardly wait to begin official training. Then I could pummel him without getting in trouble.

  Turning away, the older man spoke. “The Master would like to see you, Silvan. Drop your foraged finds off in the kitchen before you go.”

  “Yes, sir.” I trudged toward the kitchen, and Daiki fell into step beside me. A year older than me, he had a bossy air about him that made me want to punch him in the head. But aside from that, we managed to be good friends.

  “How was foraging?” Daiki asked. “Find anything interesting?”

  Yes.

  “I found these wood-nuts,” I said, holding up the bag for my friend to inspect. “They weren’t too far from here, and there’s a lot more.”

  Daiki’s eyes sparked with curiosity. “Neat. I’ll check it out. I’m supposed to go out tomorrow. You have kitchen duty tonight, by the way.”

  I sighed heavily, my mood souring. I hated washing dishes.

  I dropped the bag off and set out for Master’s home. I crossed half of the Elite’s network of buildings, slowly making my way to the center of homes and shops. They were called shops, but that wasn’t the right word for them. Many of the Elite were tasked with certain jobs, such as weaving, scribing, and candle making, but nothing was for sale. We gave to each other freely.

  I smiled, my mood lifting a little. We were family. True family. The Elite.

  When I approached Master’s home, my steps slowed. I was a little nervous to go in. While I spoke with Master more frequently than other boys my age, it still wasn’t very often. Was he angry with me about something? I didn’t know.

  I opened the door and went in. Master was in the front room, sitting cross-legged on the floor, back straight and eyes closed. His hands rested lightly on his knees, his fingers relaxed. His black hair was cropped close to his scalp, with a little gray at the temples.

  Master was never to be interrupted during meditation. I knelt on the ground, putting my head to the floor, and waited.

  Several minutes passed. My toes started wiggling of their own volition. I wasn’t able to hold still for very long. How long did Master plan to meditate?

  “Silvan.” Master spoke suddenly, and I flinched before schooling my body back to stillness.

  “I have come.” My voice squeaked on the last word and I frowned, annoyed with the thin thread of fear inside of me. Master had never hurt me, and maybe that was why I obeyed him; I didn’t want to give him a reason to. I could feel his power, radiating from him like waves of heat. He was very strong, and it made me afraid.

  “You were gone a long time today.” He stood in one swift motion, towering over me. He was taller than most of the other Elite.

  “I found some black-wood nuts today,” I said, still crouched on the floor. “I picked a lot. And then I came back. And then I fought with Daiki. And Sir Aki told us to stop, and then I dropped the food off at the kitchen.” I paused, thinking about Glacia, but something inside warned me to stay silent. I settled for a question, instead. “Master, what are the rules about girls? About women? Are they really so weak?” Glacia seemed weak. She reminded me of a flower caught in a frost, fragile, so close to breaking.

  “Walk with me.”

  I eagerly complied and bounded to my feet, happy to move again. I followed Master to the back of the house, and out another door to a small yard. His home was placed higher in the mountains than several of the others, and at the edge of the stone yard, we were given a wide view of the Elite’s home.

  “Women are a vital and natural part of life,” Master said, as we looked down at the bustling activity. “As are men. But the path the Elite walk is higher than what mere men and women are capable of. And I don’t mean the paths of the high mountains,” he added, his lips quir
king up in a brief smile.

  I tilted my head, my nose scrunching. “I don’t understand.”

  Master shook his head. “I don’t expect you to, young one. Understanding will come with time.” He paused, considering his words carefully. “The Elite are not like other people.” He looked at me meaningfully. “In more ways than one.”

  I lowered my eyes. I knew what he meant by that. We were special. Elite had a special Gift, an ability that normal people didn’t have.

  “And our methods of training are hard. Women don’t have the strength and stamina needed to be one of us. But more importantly, women don’t have the ability.”

  I nodded, eager to show I understood some of his words, at least. “I see.”

  Master smiled, the hard lines of his face softening a little. “You have done a good job foraging, Silvan. You’ve studied hard and applied that learning to the wild. But today, you will have new responsibilities added to the ones you have now. You begin new training tomorrow.”

  I stared at him, elation seeping into my bones. “Do you mean . . . I get to fight?” I paused, disappointment replacing my excitement. I was younger than Daiki, and he wasn’t fighting yet.

  Master nodded, and I laughed. “I’ll study very hard, Master!”

  He didn’t smile back, his face grave. “You know your ability is stronger than most. Learning to fight will strengthen it further.”

  My gut squirming, I looked away. My ability frightened others. I wasn’t sure I wanted it to get stronger.

  “Because of that, I believe it’s time you began to master combat skills, even if you’re still a bit young.”

  He dismissed me shortly after. As I skipped back to my quarters, my heart rose, high as the clouds. I was going to fight! I would become a warrior, a hero. I could hardly wait to tell Glacia.

  Glacia. My feet tangled, and I stumbled, muttering a word I had heard but wasn’t supposed to say, under my breath. How was I going to see her after this? Would I have the time?

  But a promise was a promise. I couldn’t leave her, and I didn’t want to. I’d only seen her twice. The Elite were supposed to protect the people, and she was definitely one of them.

  I felt guilty not telling Master about her, but I would . . . eventually.

  Someday.

  4

  Glacia

  I woke up with the dawn, a wide smile blooming on my face at the sound of scritching at my window. My parents still ignored me, living as if they didn’t have a child. I had no friends within these walls. Regardless, I was happy. I was happy because I had a friend. And I was happy because that friend was Silvan.

  I rolled out of bed, running to my window, and opened the glass pane. A large cherry tree stood just outside of it, the branches thick with blossoms. I inhaled deeply as I took in the delicate scent. The tree shuddered a little, and I laughed aloud at the boy that sat in its branches. He grinned, his blue eyes glowing with joy. The rays of the rising sun caught in his hair, and it flashed brilliant silver.

  I wanted to hug him, but Silvan always flinched and shied away whenever I showed too much affection. So, I settled for pouting. “You didn’t come last night.”

  Silvan held onto a branch with one arm, using the other for a dramatic bow from where he was seated. “Alas, my lady, I could not come. Duty called.”

  “Training, you mean?”

  “Yes, my lady.”

  I glared at him, and Silvan’s face split into another wide grin. “Fine. Glacia.”

  Silvan was fourteen. I was thirteen. Since we’d met, over six years ago, we’d rarely gone a day when we didn’t see each other. We’d explored every inch of the garden, planted new things, and played hide and seek. We’d also read fairy tales together, reading every book I had on my bedroom shelf. But I was growing tired of those things. I wanted to do something else.

  “Can you take me out of the garden, yet?” I asked casually. I lifted my nightgown up to my thighs and began climbing up onto the windowsill. Silvan coughed politely and grabbed my hand, helping me into the cherry tree.

  “It’s a dangerous world, Glacia,” he said diplomatically. “You’re safer here.”

  I shifted closer, and my heart sang at my proximity to him. It was a new feeling, one that had only come in the past few weeks. “I’m safe with you.”

  Silvan chewed the inside of his cheek, his eyes thoughtful. “Hmm.”

  “Please?” I’d seen the way some of the female servants of the Chosen threw themselves at the men, so I tried it on Silvan, leaning forward, batting my eyelashes, and pouting my lips a little.

  It had no effect. Silvan remained unmoved. He glanced at me sideways. “I’m worried you wouldn’t listen to me, Glacia. I can’t have you getting yourself led away by the wisps, or eaten by a devourer. It’s truly not safe.”

  “Come on, Silvan.” I nudged him in the side. “I don’t have lessons until afternoon, so I won’t be missed. Please. I’ll do whatever you say when we’re Outside. If you think I’m in danger, you can bring me back right away.”

  Silvan eyed me, arching a silver brow skeptically. “Promise?”

  “I promise.” My skin tingled with excitement. “I swear it.”

  Silvan fell silent again for a moment and then nodded. “All right.” He pinned me with a stare. “I’m in charge when we’re Outside, as you call it. I’d die if something happened to you.” His jaw clenched and he looked away. “Got it?”

  “Got it.” I didn’t tell him that he’d already wrapped me around his finger. I’d do whatever he asked.

  I climbed back through the window and hurriedly got dressed, and went out the back door and down the steps to my garden. Silvan had climbed down the tree and met me by the pool. “We’re just going over the wall today,” he said. “If it goes well, we’ll go a little further.”

  “Okay.” I let him take my hand in his as we crossed the yard to stand in before the wall. Over the years, the ivy had grown thicker, and I didn’t have any trouble climbing them. I did have trouble with my dress, as the hem kept snagging on the rough stone and vines.

  “Hold on.” Silvan scrambled up the side quickly, knelt on the top of the wall, leaned down and grasped my hand. With a heave, he pulled me up.

  “Thanks.”

  “Shhh,” he replied. “We don’t want to get caught.”

  By whom? The question burned on the tip of my tongue, but I remembered my promise, and kept silent.

  Silvan helped me down, and I found myself in a dreary, rocky wasteland, an open tunnel of sorts leading away from my garden.

  From my world.

  “No one here, so we’ll go further.” Silvan pulled me along, his steps confident and sure. He’d traveled this way countless times before.

  I followed, staring at the gray stone around me. So far it didn’t seem all that wondrous. I’d dreamed about leaving the halls of the Chosen for half my life, but this wasn’t interesting at all. Was all the world made of cold rock? Where were the forests I’d read about in my fairy tale books?

  “We’re still in the mountains,” Silvan said, as if reading my thoughts. “If you go down, you’ll reach the flatlands. Full of green grass and winding streams. I haven’t spent much time there. What I've found here is as close as it gets to it, though.”

  He guided me around an edge in the path, and I stared, stunned, at the scene before me.

  The mountain slope led gently down into a shallow valley, filled with trees, shrubs and flowers. “It’s beautiful,” I breathed. It was like my garden, and not, all at the same time. Here, everything was wild and spontaneous, unlike the tidy gardens of the Chosen.

  “It’s my secret place,” Silvan said. He squeezed my hand. “Our secret place,” he amended.

  “I love it!” The words came out a squeal. I pulled my hand from his. “Can I go down there? Please?”

  Silvan grinned widely. “Yes.”

  I ran down the slope, my steps picking up speed. I laughed, breathing in the crisp, spring air. I felt alive
. I felt that between the exertion and joy, my heart would burst.

  Silvan caught up to me in a few long-legged strides. He’d always been taller than me, but the contrast was becoming more apparent. My head barely passed his shoulder. I pumped my legs faster and, throwing my arm out, hit his chest, trying to slow him. I wanted to reach the bottom first.

  My effort did nothing. Silvan laughed and mimicked my motion, only the strength of his arm colliding with my shoulder was enough to make me stumble. I regained my footing, but I wasn't fast enough. He bounded down the hill with sure-footed agility, reaching the bottom before I did.

  “Hey, that was cheating,” I complained in a pant. My side ached.

  “You cheated first,” Silvan replied, his eyes twinkling.

  “Where are your manners?” I teased. “You should have let me win.”

  “How will you progress if you aren’t challenged?”

  “You sound like my old tutor,” I shot back, but there was no heat in my retort. I wasn't upset. I began to explore the area. The grass was long and soft, and several different types of flowers dotted the area. I breathed in the woodsy fragrance. The trees were covered with budding leaves and moss. Closing my eyes, I held perfectly still, listening to the sounds of the wind rustling through the vegetation, and to the birds, singing their spring songs. Silvan came to stand beside me. When I opened my eyes, he was smiling at me, his gaze soft.

  “What?” I asked.

  “Do you like it?”

  I turned back to survey the little valley, nestled in the mountain range. I didn’t know such beauty existed. “I like it very much.”

  “I’m glad.”

  For the next several minutes, I walked through the tall grass, and picked a few pretty, blue flowers I’d never seen before. Silvan called them forget-me-nots. I couldn’t decide if that was a happy or sad name.

  “We can’t stay long,” Silvan warned. “Your nanny won’t be pleased if she can’t find you.”

  “Nanny can hang,” I growled, and picked another flower. “We’ve been here for less than half an hour.” I stared, fascinated at a ladybug that sat on the tiny petals, its round shell a ruby-red, with black dots. Silvan told me that even the males were called ladybugs. I smiled as I watched it lift its tiny wings and fly away.