Priestess

Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Crouched behind an evergreen bush, Ara remained motionless. The air smelled heavily of sap and fresh cut wood. Swirls of sawdust hung suspended in air golden and heavy as honey. Tenan and Coen were both shirtless. Freshly felled trees lay all around them. But now, both men faced each other, their swords motionless, sweat glistened off their flawless bodies.

The swords blurred. The men flowed in and out of forms like they were performing an intricate dance to the cadence of ringing steel. Tenan moved like a bear. His actions deliberate, the strength of his blows jarring. Coen struck like a panther, quicker than thought, graceful and beautiful.

Ara held her breath as a deep yearning grew within her. She wanted to learn this dance.

As suddenly as it had begun, the dance ended. Coen’s blade shivered next to Tenan’s arm.

Tenan clapped Coen on the shoulder. “Brilliant.”

A sliver of envy needled its way in Ara’s heart. In that moment, she saw that the tie between them superseded friendship, and no matter what she and Tenan shared, she could never rival it. For it was a bond forged by the brotherhood of war.

Coen traded his sword for an axe. He swung it at the base of a tree, his muscles gleaming in the light. “What can we do for you, Ara?”

Her eyes widened. She could creep up on the oldest, wisest deer of the forest. Yet he had known she was there. She rose from her crouch to step into the sunlight. Ignoring Coen and his all too beautiful body, she approached her brother. “Teach me.”

Axe in hand and sweat running freely down his face, Tenan studied her. “No.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Why not?”

Taking his shirt, he wiped his face. “I don’t have time. Coen and I have to repair the roof of the barn, cut hay in the lower meadows, re-shod all the horses, and sharpen the tools.”

“You don’t need Coen to do any of those things. You have all summer.”

“No I d—” Tenan clamped his mouth shut. Taking his place opposite Coen, he waited for an opening and the two took turns chopping. “No.”

She wanted to shout, to hit him, to stomp her foot. But not with Coen listening. She shot her brother a glare that he didn’t see before turning towards the house. She was halfway home before she realized that he’d almost said something and then stopped himself.

For some reason, her mind wouldn’t let it go. Something was going on between Coen and Tenan. Some secret they were keeping between themselves. She turned to watch them, half concealed by trees. “I’ll ferret it out tonight, big brother,” she promised softly.

To Ara’s annoyance, Coen stayed later than usual after dinner. She picked at her food, wishing he would leave. She had Tenan to deal with.

When Qessa stood to clear the table, Tenan reached out and held her arm. “Sit down, Mother,” he said gently. “I have something to say.”

The skin around her eyes wrinkled with worry, Qessa replaced the plate and slid into her chair.

Tenan cleared his throat and met Kendrake’s gaze. “I’ve reenlisted in the army.”

Three things happened at once. Qessa’s hand flew to her mouth. Ara gasped. Kendrake’s face hardened.

So this is their secret. The answer to why they’ve been working so frantically. Tenan’s trying to do as much work as he can before he abandons us yet again. Only this time, not by conscription, but by his choice.