The Woman of the Void (The Kota Series) Read online

Children will she bear.

  Each will rise to greatness,

  inheriting her strength.

  At the height of her power,

  she shall kill an immortal.”

  Vedin nodded, apparently having caught the same thing. “You’ll have children that will rise to greatness. The Mark Prophecy speaks of four children who’ll save Earth from the virus. It might be that these are your children.”

  The kettle squealed, and Vedanleé jumped. Laughing at herself, she rolled her eyes and went to retrieve the kettle for their tea. When she returned, Vedin had mugs prepared, and Vedanleé poured the steaming water. Vedin held her mug in her hands to warm away the cold in her fingers; Vedanleé stared down into hers.

  “What do I do, mother?”

  Vedin, seeming to hesitate, blew on her tea. “Many women of my generation have had visions lately. We think... Something is wrong. The magic here seems desperate to reach out and build our strength. Now you’ve been chosen to be stronger than any of us, possibly because we’ll need your power soon. I’m not sure what’s happening, but all signs indicate…trouble.”

  “Like we’re in danger here? Surely the Dominion will protect us.” She frowned. “Unless there’s some magic the Dominion can’t protect us from.”

  “I’m not sure the Dominion…” Vedin took a sip of tea and lowered her voice, though it was hard to say who she was afraid would overhear. “Bylgja spoke to me earlier. She said she granted some of the men permission to leave the village.”

  Vedanleé’s eye widened. “What? Why? Now that she’s let some leave, others will want to follow. They can’t break their vow. If they do, then the Dominion definitely won’t protect us anymore.”

  Vedin blew on her tea, again in thoughts she wouldn’t share. “Bylgja knows what is best. We must trust her, in all things.”

  Now Vedanleé paused in thought. She listened to the falling rain.

  Should I tell her? she thought.

  A few days ago while exploring the shoreline down the coast, she’d stumbled upon an odd-looking bone sticking up through the pebbly sand. Using her magic to spread away the sand, she’d uncovered a decaying skeleton. She’d thought first that a wild animal must have killed a hunter and dragged the body to eat its meal in peace. Or – and this had been her greatest fear at the time – maybe the person had been an infected, raving victim of the DRK virus and had stumbled this far from civilization before finally dying on their shores. With this fear, she’d quickly backed away from the skeleton, only to catch her foot on something and fall over backwards. She’d looked at what was protruding from the sand and seen the metal hilt of a sword. More importantly, it was the sword of Halvar, a tough man from the village.

  I wasn’t supposed to go so far from the village, thought Vedanleé. I thought maybe I was wrong about the body being Halvar, but now…

  “Mother, was Halvar one of the men Bylgja allowed to leave?”

  Vedin met her eyes. “Why?”

  Swallowing, Vedanleé told her mother what she’d discovered.

  Vedin’s face paled, and in a single motion she stood from the table and set her mug on its surface. Then she swiftly moved to gather her cloak. “Stay here, Veda. Tend to your studies. I must speak with Bylgja.”

  Tea forgotten, Vedanleé turned in her seat. “What’s wrong? Do you know what killed him?”

  Vedin walked to the door and looked back at her daughter. “I have to tell Bylgja at once. Stay here and practice summoning the void. I think that’s important. Please, Veda.”

  Vedanleé looked down at her spellcasting hand. “But I’ve never been able to do it before. I can get the air to flicker like the power in the void knows I’m calling to it, but that’s it.”

  “You’re closer than anyone else in the village, Veda. And now we know you’re destined to open the void. Please, keep trying.” With that, Vedin opened the door into the storm and disappeared outside, shutting the heavy wooden door behind her.

  What is going on? thought Vedanleé. Something has her really spooked. I’ve felt the land’s magic reaching out lately too… Is there some horrible danger coming? Did it kill Halvar?

  Knowing the older women of the village would only tell their secrets if they thought it was absolutely necessary, Vedanleé decided the only thing to do was obey her mother’s instruction. Standing from the table, she pushed up her sleeves and walked to the warmth of the fire. The rain still pounding on the roof, she tried to concentrate as she reached out her hand. She felt her gift swell like a cool wave inside her.

  “Avari. Revnog. Dashni.”

  The air at her fingertips wavered. But it returned to normal a second later.

  Vedanleé lowered her hand and took a breath. She’d likely be at this all night.

  The next morning, the storm had left soggy earth and dripping trees behind. The sky was still gray but no longer ominous with rain. The wind blowing in off the sea was gentler and hardly noticed.

  The entire clan of three hundred Kota women, men, and children stood along the shore by the docks. The women wore their best furs and jewels. The men wore long swords and axes at their sides.

  In contrast to this medieval scene, a modern yacht and a cargo boat were anchored at the docks. Dominion soldiers had disembarked and lined the long docks leading to shore. Their guns were drawn, scanning for danger. About twenty doctors worked on the cargo boat to unload crates of the DRK treatment. Five well-dressed, Dominion liaisons were just climbing off the yacht.

  Vedanleé stood silently with the rest of the crowd as the liaisons talked to the soldier in charge. Once assured by their security that all was well, they walked toward the villagers. One well-dressed man broke away from the others and stepped over the sand toward Bylgja where she stood in the front row.

  “Grandmother!” he exclaimed.

  Ferenc, beside Bylgja, looked at this man and then dropped to one knee. His family beside him did the same.

  “Kneel!” Ferenc shouted back to the clan.

  Those at the front knelt. Then the rest of the clan followed their lead, and Vedanleé looked around as she knelt with the rest of her people. She stretched her neck to see around the woman in front of her.

  Only Bylgja stood while all others knelt. The well-dressed man who’d greeted her squeezed her shoulders and kissed her on each cheek. He looked to be in his early twenties. He was tall, lean, and dressed in expensive, modern outerwear perfect for their climate. His blue eyes and curly, strawberry-blond hair made him look quite handsome.

  Wait, Bylgja’s grandson? thought Vedanleé. That means he’s Thurston Olander, the Lord High Commander of the Dominion! Why is he here? Usually only liaisons or sometimes a lower commander will accompany the doctors who bring us our vaccinations.

  “Rise, my kin,” Thurston, the Lord High Commander in the flesh, ordered the crowd. “We have much to celebrate this day.”

  Vedanleé rose from the damp sand and brushed her knees. Her mother was scowling beside her, but she shook her head for Vedanleé to keep silent as they moved with the crowd back toward the village.

  A few hours later, the villagers and their Dominion visitors gathered in the feasting hall, a long building with wooden tables and benches running the length of the room. Vedanleé sat somewhere near the middle, and she looked to the head of the room where a platform held a table with the Lord High Commander, his grandmother Bylgja, and his entourage. Thurston seemed to be enjoying himself as villager after villager introduced themselves. This was of little interest to Vedanleé, so she looked back to her meal of fish, honeyed bread, and cabbage.

  Ferenc, seated at the front of the opposite table, rose and cleared his throat, holding his cup aloft, signaling the room to quiet. “Great Lord High Commander, it is an honor to receive you in person. If we’d known you were coming, I would’ve seen to it that you received a worthy welcome.”

  Thurston waved his hand good-naturedly. “No, no. Everything has been quite wonderful. Thank you, all.” He lifted his cup to t
hose seated.

  “Your acceptance of our humble offerings is gracious, sire,” Ferenc went on.

  Vedanleé made a face at this.

  Ferenc is a strong man, she thought. Why does he sound like he’s groveling before a far worthier man?

  Then she glanced at Bylgja and saw the old woman nod for Ferenc to continue.

  What’s going on? she thought.

  She’d gotten very little information out of her mother last night, but it appeared the leaders of the village were up to something. Looking around the hall now, she didn’t see her mother.

  “As you know, sire,” Ferenc went on, “this clan has served the Dominion faithfully since the beginning. We’ve honored the Dominion’s work to bring stability to the world. We’ve kept ourselves pure and in isolation here, as your forefathers wished, preserving our heritage as the last of our people. However, sire, in this generation, our men wish to serve you more. Surely we don’t need to remain isolated in this wilderness. We wish to join your soldiers and defend the Dominion from the rebels who seek to destroy your empire. We wish to leave this village and serve you on the Mainland-Euro, the Continents, or wherever you wish to send us.”

  Vedanleé looked around and saw several men nodding.

  No, she thought. How can they do this? They’d leave us here? Our people would-

  “We wouldn’t break our vow in this,” Ferenc went on. “Our families could come with us to keep our bloodline pure. We’d just move our community to where we may better serve you.”

  Thurston thought on this for a moment.

  The sound of a bench scrapping across the floor caused all heads to turn in the other direction. A woman had risen from her seat, and she stood tall and glared at Ferenc. It was Ingrid, a powerfully gifted, beautiful, dark-haired woman a little older than Vedanleé’s mother.

  “You men aren’t happy here,” Ingrid said as she looked around the hall. “We’ve known this for some time. But it’s your duty to stay here. It’s your duty to protect us women should danger ever breach our walls. It’s your duty to continue our bloodline, to preserve our people.”

  “Which we could do just as well on the Mainland,” said Ferenc with respect.

  “We must remain here,” said Ingrid with a stiff jaw. “We women have a connection to the magic flowing from this land. It’s a gift we shouldn’t turn our backs on. Have we not used our arts to make life easier in this harsh land? Have we not used it to make you men’s lives more…enjoyable?”

  Several men squirmed at this and glanced at their wives. A few chuckled.

  Ingrid smiled, then grew more serious. “The magic here is ancient, something forgotten by the generations prior to the DRK curse. It’s by harnessing and controlling this power that we’ll best serve the Dominion.” She looked up the hall at Thurston and bowed before sitting again.

  Looking again to the other end of the hall, Vedanleé saw Thurston slouched in his seat as he thought all this over.

  I’m not sure who to side with, Vedanleé thought in confusion. I’ve never liked Ingrid, but she’s right – our power stems from this land. Oh! Does this have something to do with whatever my mother’s afraid of? Is that why Ferenc and Bylgja want us to leave? If there’s some danger here that they want us to escape, why not just ask Thurston to protect us more?

  Thurston sat up in his seat and looked at Ferenc. “I understand your boredom and desire for glory, but you serve a purpose here. The work being done here by your women must continue, for I have great interest in the power they’ve managed to harness. Half my kingdom wouldn’t believe what they’re capable of, and their magic might be of use to me. As for you men, your job – like the lady said – is to watch after them. You should be honored by that task.” He looked around and seemed to be counting men. “However, I’ll make a compromise, of sorts. Every…let’s say, three years, I’ll allow ten men to leave the village. Who leaves is up to you. How they’re chosen is up to you.” He looked at Ferenc. “Is that satisfactory?”

  Ferenc scratched his red beard and looked at Bylgja. “Clan Eldress, you’re our leader. What say you on this matter? Will you allow us to leave, as the Lord High Commander so generously proposes?”

  Bylgja nodded. “Yes, I’ll allow it. Since my grandson has kindly granted you this absolution from your vow, I promise each man this.” She raised her frail hand, extending it over them all. “Every man who leaves this village does so with my blessing of protection, which shall be extended onto him for as long as I live.”

  A surge of magic from the old woman swept over the hall. Vedanleé felt it wash over her, and each woman in the hall seemed to feel it, even some of the men.

  If they’re afraid of some danger, thought Vedanleé, why not just cast a protection spell in the first place? What is going on?

  Thurston apparently missed all this. He scowled for a moment, looked at his grandmother, and then smiled and stood to address the hall. “Now, for the main reason I’ve come. As is custom, it is time for me to choose a woman to give me an heir.”

  A murmur rose from the hall as several people turned to their neighbors.

  Oh, thought Vedanleé. That explains why he’s here. I guess it makes sense.

  “Vedanleé, my beauty,” Bylgja called. “Rise and stand before us.”

  She felt her face drain of color as every head in the hall turned to look at her.

  No, she thought. Oh, great Freyja, no!

  But she had to obey. Taking a breath, she made sure not to tear her dress as she rotated on the bench and squeezed to get off without bumping her neighbors. The hall was mostly silent as she walked to stand before the Dominion table. She bowed as respectfully as she could before standing erect again and keeping her eyes on the Clan Eldress. She didn’t dare look at Thurston, but she felt his gaze on her.

  “This is the girl I spoke of,” Bylgja said to her grandson, though she spoke loudly enough for all to hear. She looked at Vedanleé and ever so slightly nodded her head.

  Vedanleé wasn’t sure if this was to command her to obey or to reassure her that everything was okay. Finally, she looked up at Thurston.

  He bowed and smiled at her. “My grandmother tells me you’re the most gifted young woman in the clan. As my companion, you’ll be encouraged to use your arts. I’ll give you everything at my disposal, should you require it. As is tradition, you’ll never be forced to marry me, for no Kota woman can be bound by a man. But you will give me an heir, as is your duty. He’ll be equally yours and mine, raised by you to understand our Kota traditions and raised by me to be the next Lord High Commander of the Dominion.” He continued to smile at her. It wasn’t altogether a warm smile, but clearly he was trying to make an impression.

  She wanted to cry. Instead, she bowed to the Dominion ruler.

  Somewhere, someone started clapping. Then the whole hall cheered in congratulation.

  Thurston lifted his cup. “To Vedanleé. May we continue the line of Dominion rulers and strengthen our people’s power for centuries to come.” He put his cup to his lips, tipped it back, and drained the whole drink.

  Later that night, finally safe in her hut and free from staring eyes, Vedanleé threw herself on her bed and began to sob.

  Her mother entered the hut a moment later and rushed to her side, kneeling on the floor by her head. Vedin brushed her daughter’s hair back and made soothing noises. “Shh. It’ll be okay.”

  “I can’t leave!” Vedanleé said between choking gasps. “I won’t! I’m only fifteen! I don’t even know him! I thought… I thought I was going to study under Bylgja! I thought I’d use my arts here, in this land, and become… and become…”

  “Shh.” Vedin looked like she also wanted to cry, but she held it together. “I’m sorry, Veda. You don’t have a choice.”

  “But why me? Did Bylgja do this to me?”

  Vedin frowned in pause.

  “Mother, what in Freyja’s name is going on?”

  Vedin looked back at the door and lowered her voice
. “Do you remember I said Bylgja thinks danger is coming?”

  Vedanleé sat up on the bed and wiped her eyes, nodding at her mother.

  “The Dominion is the danger,” Vedin said in a rush. “They killed Halvar, Veda.”

  That didn’t make any sense. “What?”

  “Halvar and his men were killed by the Dominion for trying to leave. Bylgja is certain her grandson is behind this. For some reason, he wants us all dead. He’s not letting anyone leave. We tried-”

  Vedanleé sucked in air. “He wants us dead?”

  “Bylgja had Ferenc present that proposal to see if Thurston would let us leave. If we were allowed to leave this place, maybe we could’ve slipped into hiding. But Ingrid is an idiot and doesn’t see the danger…” Vedin sighed and wiped away a strand of hair in her face. “Then Thurston made that deal, just as Bylgja feared. In the future when he lets the men leave, he’ll kill them just like he killed Halvar and the others.”

  Vedanleé understood now. “That’s why Bylgja summoned that blessing of protection.”

  Her mother nodded. “But that blessing only lasts for as long as she’s alive.”

  “You think he’d kill his own grandmother?”

  “I don’t know.”

  Vedanleé tried to understand. “Why would he do this? We’re his people.”

  “I don’t know,” Vedin said again. “Bylgja says we’re lucky he at least wants Kota heirs – that may be the only reason any of us are still alive. And it also means he’ll at least keep you alive.”

  She swallowed and started to cry again. “You’re really going to send me away with him? Even now that we know all this?”

  “It might be safer to go with him than to stay.” Vedin looked so tired. “Bylgja and I agreed that you must survive at all costs.”

  “But what can I do?”

  “Become the Woman of the Void. Maybe then you can find a way to come back here and save us before it’s too late.”

  “But I can’t open the void! I tried all night, but I…”

  Vedin stood and commanded, “Get up. Try again. We don’t have much time. The magic of the void is strongest in this land, so if you’re to learn how to access the void, it’ll be easiest here.”