The Quest for Normania #1: The Door of Andrios

46. Full of Love

Mithra and Norin had been trained in the art of stealth during their years in Yela Rumin's shinto.

Ayesha, though, had learnt it from spending time with the soldiers and the warrior-mages around Silone. She had been used to going around disguised – though the ones in the palace easily recognised her – and made friends with people in all parts of the kingdom. It was how she had met Mithra and Norin, at a tavern, when she thought they were creating a nuisance—her leader's instinct had taken over and proceeded to reprimand them.

But now, as she followed the very same warrior-mages through the palace, she could feel a sense of security and trust. Especially with Norin, her kham, holding her hand.

'Yes, he's my kham,' she thought now, her lips twisting slightly into a smile, even without her realising it. The warmth of his hand coursed through hers and her chest felt lighter. 'I can see why the universe decided we have to be together... he's the best person who could stay by my side all the time.'

She glanced at him, suddenly remembering that he could hear her thoughts, but his face was so serious, she was almost sure he didn't. She sighed inwardly. 'We'll have to find a way to control our bond better, after all this is over. Or at least, when we get a break from this madman.'

They came to a spot near the front of the palace where the fight could be seen more than just heard. A cloud of darkness spread across that area in the sky; against it. Ayesha, Norin, and Mithra could see two figures raging against one-another.

"Yela Rumin," rasped Norin. "I... I've never seen her so angry before... Have you, Mithra?"

The other woman shook her head. "No, I did not. I wonder if..." She paused thoughtfully. "It's almost as if... as if she knows this enemy?"

He whipped his head around to her. "What do you mean? Like from another life?"

She nodded. "She was once young, you know. Perhaps a friend before she became the master that she is now... Or a former lover."

"Or a rejected lover," added Ayesha; when her kham turned to face her, she shrugged.

"You mean... the way she wanted to fight the enemy herself... and how she seemed to know a lot about him?" A momentary pause. "Or her or they or whatever?"

"Yes, I suspected that the moment she said we needed actual magicians – and actually brought them in without even waiting to find out about the situation." A pause. "She never does that. She's way too calculating."

Norin frowned. "Maybe she calculated it all in her head as she made her way."

Mithra shook her head. "You know she doesn't work that way, Zura."

He sighed. "All right, fine. She's been reckless." He stared at Rumin, swallowing. 'Now we won't be able to carry out our plan,' he thought. 'Yela really wants to prove a point.'

Ayesha frowned thoughtfully. "Maybe... maybe we can still help. What plan was it that you two were hatching on our way here?"

Mithra exchanged glances with him. "A way to distract the enemy," she replied, "and find out more about them or something, so we could find a way to defeat him."

"And you can't do that now why?" She stared pointedly at her kham to let her know she heard his thoughts.

His mouth turned down. "You heard me."

"But why? We can still distract her –"

"Save your breath, sister," interrupted Mithra. "It won't work—we'll make the enemy follow another path, she's going to follow... right into our trap. She's blind with anger now. And if we join in the fight, she'll feel insulted and perhaps never speak to us again – or graduate us."