Ember by Tess Williams Page A

all the happy to follow.
    I shouldn’t have said that . . . I think I
was being too hard on him.
    We moved briskly into the forest. I didn't
look back once, I just concentrated on keeping pace with
Thoran.
    Of course I was being too hard on him! I
only said that to protect myself. I still couldn’t believe he
came today to tell me he thought I could use magic. . . .
    Forget it. It doesn't matter now.
    For the next couple of hours I tried to keep
my mind clear, concentrating solely on following Thoran. But my
thoughts started up again when Tiver came into view.
    We were on a hill high above the little city,
about half a mile away. The sun had set just moments ago and the
warm lights of Tiver appeared welcoming against the cool blue
landscape.
    Thoran slowed his pace to a stop on the
hilltop. I came up beside him.
    “You know, there is a lot of good to be done
down there, a lot of people that need help.”
    I stared down absently as the wind blew my
hair. “Maybe there are . . . but no one in Tiver wants help . . .
especially not from me.”
    Normally I would not be so honest with my
feelings, but there was nothing to lose. I doubted I'd ever see
this man again.
    Thoran sighed heavily. “There just isn't a
place for you in our world. I could never guarantee your
safety.”
    I looked back at him. “I don't want safety. I
want a reason to live. Do you know what it's like not to have one?
“
    There was a pause. The man turned down.
“You'd better get going before it gets dark. I'll watch from
here.”
    That's it. No more arguing, Evelyn. I
leaned to get off the horse.
    “No, you can take it. Just leave it in the
stables.”
    I nodded once then began the descent towards
Tiver. It wasn't until I was lying in my own bed that I realized I
never said goodbye.
     
    ~ ~ ~

Chapter 4
Tiver
    I WOKE UP TO the sound of clanging dishes.
Instantly I knew where I was. Partly because of the way I slept.
Restless. Disturbed. But mostly due to how I felt now. Completely
passionless about the upcoming day.
    I knew everything that was going to
happen.
    Of course, it would be slightly different
than usual. Everyone would be melodramatic about my return.
Especially my mother. She probably had a list of things she wanted
me to participate in by now. I put a pillow over my head and
groaned.
    After a few minutes, I rolled off the bed and
moved over to my dresser. I picked out a loose white skirt and a
leather corset-like top. It was a bit dressy for me, but the last
thing I needed today was wardrobe critique and my sister had dubbed
this outfit suitable once before.
    I went over to the mirror and rolled my hair
into a twist, when a thought came to my mind.
    Sil! She's still at the stables. . . . I
should check on her.
    There was really no reason to, I had set her
up in the best stall and, as it stood, she would be watched until
someone picked her up. But I just wanted to see anything from the
world I'd been the last three days . . . maybe so I knew for sure
that it was real . . . that it had happened.
    With a little more enthusiasm, I walked into
the hall and closed the door behind me quickly. I could still hear
the dishes clanging downstairs in the kitchen. I knew my mother
would be in there, and I knew I was about to get an earful.
    I crept down the hall, hoping that no one
would catch me on the way down. When I got to the bottom of the
stairs heard my mother talking.
    “I understand Josephine's problem with the
new road potentially bringing in a bad crowd, but I'm just so tired of being disconnected from the other towns. I haven't
had any decent material in weeks.”
    I'd been gone for days and somehow they'd
managed to talk about the same thing the entire time.
    I slid into the doorway of the familiar room
and spared a skeptic look around. It was a drearily regular kitchen
consisting of wood and stone counters, but far less rugged
than the kitchen in the woods. My mother was facing the counter
rolling out dough, so she had yet to notice me.