13
Ungrateful Child
Over the next week or so, Samara’s training progressed immensely. She had a daily routine of running in the early morning, fist fighting after breakfast, and sword training for the rest of the day.
She was good enough with hand-to-hand combat that she could confidently take on a foe, but the sword was what she was best at, what she excelled at. She was in the best physical shape she had ever been. She had even grown to enjoy her training routine, except for the exhaustion she felt when the day was over.
Danteous noticed how tired she always was, and even tried to convince her to go back inside and get a decent amount of sleep for the night, but she rejected the idea. She barely got to see him as it was; she wasn’t going to cut what little time they did have just for a few extra hours of sleep.
They continued to see each other in secret. Samara had a feeling Leela knew they still met each other every night at the well, but she certainly wasn’t going to ask her about it. She knew Leela and Kalahari couldn’t stop her from being with him, but she didn’t want to hear their lectures on why it was bad. Besides, Danteous didn’t want them knowing, either. She didn’t understand that. He wasn’t the type who would care what others thought or listen if someone told him he couldn’t do something or be with someone. Still, she heeded his wishes to keep their relationship a secret.
They spent more time at the cave and less time meeting with people, which Samara was happy about. It was getting closer to the time when she would have to leave with Leela to find the orb; she was grateful for the extra time with him, spent in each other’s arms rather than in the company of other people.
When Samara slowly opened her eyes that morning, she saw the sun was high in the sky, almost to the point of being noon. Realizing it was late, she threw back the covers and jumped out of bed, skittering to the kitchen where bacon and eggs were being fried.
“Why didn’t you wake me up!” she said, horrified at the thought of oversleeping. She didn’t want to become lazy and have to start the training process all over again.
Kalahari turned from the stove, smiling brightly. “Good morning!”
Leela was sitting at the table, reading a book. She had looked up long enough to roll her eyes when Samara slid into the doorway.
“I let you sleep in so you’ll be plenty rested for this afternoon,” Kalahari said.
Taking in a deep, relieved breath, Samara ran her fingers through her messy bed-hair and slid into a chair.
“What’s this afternoon?” she asked.
“Well, you’re doing very well with all of your training. Your body’s strength has greatly increased, and your mind has matured so I’m going to try and awaken your abilities today.”
“Really?” Samara asked, her eyes lighting up. Kalahari hadn’t given any indication that she might be getting close to learning magic. She was excited.
“Yup. But it’s going to require a lot of energy. You’re going to be very tired once we’re through, probably for the rest of the day, maybe even through tomorrow, so don’t plan any strenuous activities.”
Samara thought there was a suggestive tone accompanied with that last part. Did that mean Kalahari knew about Danteous?
“I won’t,” she replied, as if not giving it a second thought. She didn’t want to give herself away in case Kalahari had meant something else by “strenuous activities.”
Once breakfast was over, Samara showered and then Kalahari led her into the Blue Room, having her sit down on the mat and cross her legs.
“Okay, you’re going to relax, clear your mind. Don’t think of anything except the magic,” Kalahari began.
Samara nodded and closed her eyes, focusing on a picture in her mind of a brick wall.
“Your mind is clear. No stress, no worries. Just serenity and . . .” Kalahari cooed, and her voice began to sound jumbled and far away.
Samara had reached the point of serenity; she was hypnotized by Kalahari’s voice. For a few seconds she didn’t hear anything except for the sound of the blood pumping from her heart to her brain. She felt very sleepy.
“Expedio Magus.” Kalahari’s voice suddenly chimed in again. “Repeat after me, Samara:
“Power deep within, I wake thee and take control. Rise from thy slumber and cover me; mind, body, and soul.”
Samara said the words and then waited. She was still hazy and tired, and now she felt like she could start floating at any moment. She anticipated feeling something else—the presence of her abilities or magic, or whatever that might be. But there was nothing; she felt the same.
“Kal . . . Kalahar . . .” she had trouble speaking, still being under the hypnosis.
“Shh, be patient,” Kalahari whispered.
It suddenly hit her.
All at once, Samara felt a wave—first cold and then warm—rush through her blood. Her body jerked once. It felt like something had entered her body from all sides, through every pore of her flesh. Then her skin tingled all over, like hundreds of spiders were crawling on her skin.
She started to cough. She was out of breath. The feeling was frightening; she didn’t think she would ever feel oxygen entering her lungs again.
And she was afraid. Afraid her body had rejected whatever Kalahari had done. Was she going to die? It felt like she might.
Finally, the oxygen came. Samara breathed deep the sweet air, relishing how it felt in her deprived lungs. It felt good; she felt refreshed.
And then the world disintegrated and turned completely black . . . .
* * *
Samara . . . .
She was lying in her bed. Was she dreaming again?
Gently stirring, she opened her eyes and saw out her bedroom window. It was still afternoon.
Do not trust him; he will betray you.
She sat up, frightened, and looked around the room. It was that strange voice again.
“Who are you?” she said in a throaty voice; her mouth was dry.
No answer. She still didn’t recognize the Voice. It only seemed to contact her when she was in a drowsy state, so it was possible that she was just imagining it, or maybe it was a remnant of her dreams.
Pulling back her covers, she wondered who had put her in bed. Obviously Leela or Kalahari. Not that it really mattered, though.
The last thing she remembered was sitting in the Blue Room. Kalahari had just awakened her abilities; she remembered the rush she had felt, but that was it.
Other than feeling a little drowsy and weak-legged, she felt pretty good. Kalahari said she might feel tired for the rest of the day and possibly into the next. Samara was glad she had been wrong; she didn’t want to be too weak to meet Danteous tonight.
The house was quiet, almost eerily so. She went down the hallway, towards the living room, and out of the corner of her eye, glimpsed Leela in the kitchen. She was scrubbing the sink, her usual scowl on her face.
“Hey, what’s going on?” Samara asked, standing in the doorway.
Leela sighed. “We do this every week and you still haven’t figured it out?”
Samara scoffed, indignant. “Sorry.”
Leela sighed again, as though she felt bad for snapping. Yeah right.
“It’s chore day,” she said. “You’re lucky you slept this long; we’re almost finished.”
“But I didn’t sleep that long,” Samara said, confused, and pointed out the kitchen window. “It’s still daylight.”
Leela rinsed the sponge under the tap water. “You’ve been asleep over twenty-four hours now. You passed out yesterday.”
Jaw dropping, Samara said, “You’re kidding!”
“Yeah, you know me. I’m such a kidder.” Leela rolled her eyes, turning off the water.
She hated it when Leela was sarcastic—not that she knew Leela to be any different.
She couldn’t worry about that now though; there were more important things to think about. Like the fact that she had unintentionally stood up Danteous. She hoped he wasn’t angry with her.
The backdoor opened and Kalahari came inside. She was sweaty and her shoes were stained green from doing yard work.
“Oh, Samara! I was wondering when you were going to wake up. How do you feel?” Kalahari took off her gardening gloves and touched Samara’s forehead. “You don’t have a fever or anything.”
“I feel fine. Except, I’m starving,” Samara said suddenly realizing the sick feeling she had from not eating for a day.
Kalahari nodded. “You can have something to eat and then, if you don’t mind, you and Leela can go into town while I finish the chores here. You should have enough time to get back before dark, as long as you don’t miss the train.”
“Do we need groceries again already?” Samara said.
“Yup. I just need you to pick up a few things as long as you’re up for it. The fresh air would do you good.”
“Sure,” Samara said. Her muscles could use the workout.
After eating, Samara and Leela were out the door, on the way to Medynum.
* * *
Danteous Blackburn stood at the edge of the forest and watched as Leela and Samara left the house, his eyes becoming soft for a mere second as he seemed relieved to see Samara up and walking.
After that second, however, darkness clouded his eyes and he glared towards the small house. Once the girls were out of sight, he crossed the yard and went up to the porch, knocking once on the door as a warning before opening it going inside.
“What’d you forget?” Kalahari said, dusting and polishing the mantel.
“Apparently you weren’t expecting me,” Danteous replied, sarcasm rolling from his tongue.
Turning from her chore, Kalahari looked at him.
“Ah, Danteous. What brings you here?” She tossed the dust rag onto the coffee table and grinned. “Need money? I just inherited a butt-load.”
“I haven’t borrowed money from you since I lived here.”
“Which has been quite a long time, and lately, you only come around here when you need something.”
“Yeah . . . well, things are different now.”
Kalahari nodded in understanding. “I know. And I also know you don’t have much of a choice, which is why I’m not throwing you out now. That, and you’re like a son to me. I respect your loyalty even though I don’t agree with it, but I must ask again: what brings you here? I’m not going to cave if that’s what you’re thinking.”
“No,” he said, averting his eyes to the floor. “I know you won’t change your mind. I came to ask you about something else.”
“Samara,” she stated.
“Yeah.”
She shrugged, uncomfortable now. “What do you want to know about her? I figured you knew all that you normally care to know before you sleep with a woman: you know her name.”
He smirked. “Sometimes, I don’t even need that.”
“So you are sleeping with her?”
Raising an eyebrow, he gave her a look that said, “Of course.”
“Right, stupid question,” she sighed. “Sorry, I went a little off topic, what do you want to know?”
“I’ve been meeting her every night since she came here,” he said, straightening his position.
She nodded again. “I know.”
“I figured.”
“Then why sneak around?”
He grinned. “It’s more fun that way.” Kalahari rolled her eyes, but smiled. “She didn’t come out to me last night, I came to see if she’s all right.”
“Why did you wait until now?”
“I knew Leela would be leaving; I’m not in the mood to argue with her.”
Cocking her head, Kalahari asked, “How did you know?”
“You’ve never missed a grocery day in all the time I’ve known you. You’re annoyingly organized that way.” She scoffed, pretending to be offended. “Anyway, I saw her sleeping through the window last night, but I still want to be sure.”
“You spy on her?”
“Only last night; I needed to know if she was okay.”
Kalahari tightened her lips into a frown, trying to decide if she should offer up any information.
Grabbing the dust rag off the table, she said, “She’s fine. I may have overworked her yesterday, she just needed some rest. I’m sure she’ll meet you tonight.” She turned her back to him, continuing cleaning.
Satisfied, Danteous turned for the door.
“Let me ask you something.” Kalahari stopped him just as his fingers touched the handle.
He waited.
“Do you really care for her?”
Chortling, he opened the door. “I didn’t come here to chat, Kalahari. I found out what I needed to know.”
Without waiting for her to respond, he left, closing the door behind him.
Kalahari sighed and launched the rag back onto the table.
“You feed, clothe, and love a kid for twenty-two years and he acts like that. Ungrateful little brat . . .”
She continued to grumble to herself as she went to the kitchen to get the mop.
...to be continued in part 12...
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