The King's Bastard - By Rowena Cory Daniells Page 0,56
a pull. His heart lifted and he concentrated on the sensation, eyes almost closed.
The Fate acted on his Affinity, drawing him towards a grove of trees, now bare and stark. At its centre was a fallen statue, an amfina. The snake-lizard was artistically writhing back on itself, both heads rearing to attack. It rested at an angle on a block of stone, forming a little cave.
Fyn's breath caught in his throat and his skin prickled. The Fate was hidden here somewhere.
As he ran towards it, Fyn remembered how Piro had hidden under the statue to surprise him at midsummer. Then it had been covered in Evening Glowvine. A memory came back to him, the white flowers' rich honey-cinnamon scent. Glancing into the hollow under the statue, he saw nothing but snowy shadows today. He concentrated on the twin-headed amfina with its vestigial legs and wings. Both mouths were open, ready to attack. Fine-powdered snow filled both sets of jaws. The jaws!
Fyn climbed onto the statue's mid-back and dipped his fingers in the snow that filled the primary head's jaw. Half-numb with cold, he felt something small and hard. With a surge of triumph, he pulled it out.
Halcyon's Fate swung on its chain, silver links gleaming in the sunshine, but his eyes were on the Fate itself. He had never seen it this close before. The stone was really a perfect spiral shell made of opalised stone, all colours and none.
Fyn jumped down, boots sinking into the snow. Holding the Fate up to the sunlight, his heart soared. This was his vindication.
It meant he deserved to join the mystics despite his weak Affinity, for Halcyon would not have drawn him here if she did not approve of him.
He had to tell Feldspar and Lonepine.
But as he turned to go something caught his eye. What was that under the statue? Startled, Fyn plunged his hand in and felt a wool-covered shoulder. Grabbing the white cloak, he pulled the spy out.
Quick as a cat they spun around. A hood fell back to reveal hair dark as a raven's wing, moon-pale skin and furious black eyes set in a pretty, all too familiar face.
'Piro? What are you doing here?'
Chapter Ten
She stamped her foot. 'Now you've gone and spoiled it, Fyn!'
'You're not supposed to be here!' He was horrified.
'You weren't supposed to find me.'
He ignored that. 'This island is sacred for the duration of today's Proving. Piro, if the abbot knew ... not even royal blood could save you!'
'Then don't tell him!' She brushed crusted snow off her knees, pretending indifference, but her hands trembled.
He wanted to shake her. 'Why, Piro?'
She nodded to the Fate, spinning on its chain. 'Only yesterday you were telling me how much you needed to become a mystic. Well, now you can.'
'Yes.' He dismissed that, more concerned for her safety. 'But you shouldn't be here. This race was designed to Prove the winner's Affinity so the island has been purified and...' He stopped dead. He'd felt a tug on his Affinity and had thought it was the Fate drawing him to it, but...
Piro looked away, a guilty flush creeping up her pale cheeks.
Closing his eyes he focused his Unseen senses and reached out and felt a rush of resistance from her. If she hadn't had any Affinity he would have felt nothing.
Realisation hit him with such force that his head swam. It was Piro's Affinity he'd sensed. Not only had his sister found the Fate and hidden it from Feldspar's Affinity, she had drawn him to it. 'You have more Affinity than I do. You've been hiding it!'
She shrugged this aside, eyes fixed earnestly on him. 'I found the Fate for you, so you could be a mystic!'
'Oh, Piro!' How could he be angry with her when she'd risked so much for him? He felt so much older. At thirteen she didn't understand the consequences. 'Don't you see? I didn't earn it, so I can't take it. It wouldn't be right.' He glanced to the amfina statue wishing it could have been otherwise. Though he did not deserve the Fate, he desperately wanted to join the mystics. For a heartbeat, he toyed with the idea of lying but he couldn't live with himself if he did. He sighed. 'I'll have to put it back.' A thought struck him. 'Did you move it? Where did the mystics master hide it?'
'Don't.' She caught his arm. 'You're spoiling everything. I was only trying to help.'