The only thing she’d ever truly killed before was the cougar. Had his wards not worked properly for some reason or had her unadulterated vitriol against him pierced the protective spells?
She searched her feelings to find no remorse. He had fully intended to kill Ember, and had he lived he would no doubt have tried again. Though it was not her place to deliver punishment, had justice prevailed he would have died anyway, and deserved it. Still, if what she’d done was discovered then she would have difficult questions to answer.
As the people shook off their grogginess, the arena soon became abuzz with confusion and whispered theories of what had occurred. No one had any recollection of what had happened before they passed out. And all were shocked to discover how much time had passed. None felt that it had been so long.
Mooriah listened to it all silently, immobile as a boulder in the midst of a rushing river. Ember rose and approached his father who stood over Rumble’s body. Glister was there too, staring in confusion at Rumble, and soon a medic was called to verify what Mooriah already knew.
She held her breath and moved no closer, though she desperately wanted to stay near to Ember while she could. But soon, Murmur beckoned her over to where he stood with Oval.
“It seems that no one recalls anything after Rumble stabbed Ember with the poisoned blade,” Murmur said.
“Neither of you do either?” she asked.
Oval shook his head. He wore a thoughtful expression which creased his heavily wrinkled brow. “This is a great mystery,” he said, voice low and gravelly.
Mooriah swallowed. “Some are saying Iron Water must be to blame. That they poisoned the air.”
“That is unlikely but gather what’s needed for the Trial of Purity.”
She froze, she did not have her satchel, having left it in Ember’s hiding place. It was quite unlike her, but the day had been full of the unexpected, and her mind was frayed and at loose ends.
Murmur noted her wide-eyed expression and nudged his own satchel toward her, which lay at his feet. She knelt, shooting him a grateful expression as the two men continued to talk.
“I suspect that this is a message from the Mother,” Oval said. “It has been many years since She has sent us communication so clear.”
“Or so inscrutable,” Murmur added.
“Hmm.” Oval strolled over to the chieftain and Murmur crouched down.
“What do you think? Is this one of the mysteries of the Mother?” he asked.
Her fingers shook under his perusal of her. She dropped the packet she had grabbed and scrabbled to pick it up again. “H-her ways are often beyond our understanding.”
“True, they are. However, if something like this happens again, certain suspicions may arise.” He looked at her significantly. The man who’d raised her and instructed her in the use of her Song was canny, and he suspected something.
She did not want to lie to him but feared his censure. “I—I…” She had no idea what she wanted to say. Fortunately, he glanced away toward the chieftain and his dead son. She finally settled on, “No one was seriously harmed, other than Rumble?”
“No. A few bruises and bumped heads, but nothing major.”
She exhaled slowly still searching for the words to admit to him what she’d done. “I’m sorry, I—”
“Perhaps some things should remain a mystery,” he said, drawing a line in the dirt with a finger.
Her mouth fell open and her breathing grew even shakier.
“Everyone will have their theories. Some will, no doubt, grow more popular than others over time. So long as this never happens again.” His piercing gaze cut through her, and she nodded.
“I’m sure it never will.”
“Good.” He continued drawing in the dirt—another line and then three circles, separated by the two lines.
“Why?” He was effectively telling her not to tell him or anyone else what she’d done. Murmur knew more about her power than anyone, but apparently did not want to have any more information to verify his suspicions. He was trusting her to control herself better in the future—which she fully intended to do. She would train and practice even more until not even strong emotion would push her to where she’d been yesterday. But she didn’t understand why he would bother to protect her.
“I had another vision.” He looked around at the chaos unfolding around them. “I will tell you about it later, but it concerns your future. The path ahead is rocky for you, my