Trinity by Clare Davidson

the
trinity!”
    They
both looked at her as though she was mad. Maybe I am .
    “ If Pios could
have restored Miale’s immortality, he would have done,” Nidan
said.
    “ Ysia is dead,”
the Wolf said bitterly.
    Kiana refused to believe there was
no hope. When they had run from the tower, Nidan had given her
hope; he had made her believe she could survive. The Wolf before
her, confused and hurting, was proof that the Wolves could think
differently, that they could look beyond their hatred. There was
always hope.
    “ Orholt,” she
said eventually.
    Nidan raised his eyebrows. “The
first city?”
    Kiana nodded. “The trinity was
destroyed there. Maybe we can find a way to restore it there.”
    Nidan clenched his hand in front
of his chest. “But no one has been there since Miale was
killed!”
    “ It’s the only
place that all three gods appeared at the same time in mortal
hosts,” the Wolf said.
    Nidan scowled at him.
    Kiana nodded eagerly. “It’s the only time they took mortal
hosts.”
    “ No,” Nidan said.
“The city was abandoned during the war. There’s probably nothing
there. We should go to Valgate.”
    Kiana shook her head. She was not going to be shut away
again. She grabbed Nidan’s hands. “I can’t think of anywhere else
where we might find answers. Can you?”
    Nidan stared at her. Kiana’s
heartbeat thudded loudly in her chest as she waited for his
response. She tried to guess at his thoughts, but his expression
gave nothing away.
    Finally, he nodded uncertainly.
“There’s a village. Norlea. It used to be a temple to Miale and
Pios but was abandoned during the war. The temple still stands. I
visited once with my father.” He closed his eyes and his lips moved
soundlessly for a few moments. “It’s about five days ride from
here. You… we might be able to find answers there.” His voice
sounded weary.
    “ Why there?”
Kiana wasn’t ready to thank him.
    “ It was the main
temple in Gettryne until it was abandoned. My father told me they
used to keep records through wall paintings. As the temple is still
standing, those pictures will still be there, even though there
aren’t any priests or Guardians there anymore.”
    Kiana threw her arms around his
neck, hugging him briefly. Then she rocked back onto her heels and
looked at the Wolf. “Will you come with us?” She pressed her hand
to Nidan’s lips, cutting off his complaint. “You opened my eyes. I
know you want this fighting to stop or you wouldn’t be here with
us. Help us?”
    The Wolf looked away from her.
    “ We can’t trust
him,” Nidan said.
    No.
You can’t trust him . “We’re all
tired. We should rest.” Kiana edged forward and lightly touched the
Wolf’s hand. “Think about it?”
    The Wolf pulled his hand away and
hunched his shoulders.
    “ If we’re going
to rest, let me tie him up,” Nidan said. “We can’t trust
him.”
    Kiana didn’t want Nidan to be
right, but she wasn’t going to risk their lives. She nodded. “But
use your magic to make sure he won’t die.”
    Nidan sighed heavily, rolled his
eyes and finally nodded. Kiana offered him a smile. How could she
restore the trinity if she couldn’t heal the rift between two
men?
     
     
     
     

Chapter
Five

    Skaric woke, gasping for breath.
The lingering scent of burning flesh seemed almost real, and the
force of Berend’s fingers around his neck was almost tangible. The
memory of why he was bound and lashed to a tree by a thin leather
rein evaded him. He fought against the bonds that had left his
fingers and arms aching terribly. Then reality clicked back into
place and the knowledge of where he was and who he was with flooded
into his mind. Skaric stopped struggling and stared about him,
forcing his breathing to calm down.
    Grey light filtered down through
the tree canopy, and the first rays of the sun were beginning to
make the air even warmer. Miale… Kiana—whatever she wanted to be
called—was still sleeping. She lay on the ground,