Page 126 of The Eye of the Fifth
The Potent Power Of A Memory
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Wehyna, The Seventh Isle of Loros.
Kyra.
Naal, apparently, was not at all surprised by Kano’s decision when he turned up on the shores of Wehyna just a day later.
She was quite annoying like that. So self-assured. Always right. It was almost as though she were an augur, able to see the future, though Kyra knew this wasn’t true. Perhaps it was just Naal’s old age that had made her incredibly perceptive: her intuition was second to none.
Kyra idly wondered ifshewould ever be like that.
Naal had a lot to say on the merking, when Kyra asked why he had been so unwilling to let Kano go. ‘I have great respect for Cyraneous,’ she had said. ‘I do believe he genuinely cares for Kano’s wellbeing, but he is also a vainglorious creature. Losing Kano as his ward, with the very essence of his revered Goddess attached to his soul, leaves the merking out of touch with the Mother he’d become even closer to through Kano. He was his personal trophy, in a way. His unwavering faith in Corla is not misplaced, but rather misdirected by self importance. The mer have always been that way. As the only mortal creatures to inhabit the water itself, they consider themselves above the human and fae waterlings who reside on land in Loros.’
But the merking was not pious enough, apparently, to force Kano to stay in Nevatis.
Wehyna was the one islet they hadn’t visited before. It also just so happened to be the one islet Kyra did not want to leave.
The other islets were beautiful, there was no denying, but the Lorish king had infiltrated most of them quite thoroughly. Wehyna had somehow remained relatively free from his iron hold.
There were kingsguards dotted around the villages, but they were too bitter about being stationed in Loros’ poorest islet to give a shit about what its inhabitants got up to, therefore negligent in their duty.
Which had been more than ideal when Kyra, Naal and Kawai snuck into one of Wehyna’s villages undetected under the guise of Naal’s invisibility, taken into the home of a middle-aged woman named Eko, who (unsurprisingly) had been particularly struck by the Air Warden’s presence and allowed them refuge as they awaited Kano’s return.
His arrival had not been as smooth sailing as theirs had. The merking did not approach the shore with him for it would have meant crossing into territory that was not his, but Kyra was sure he was fairly close-by when Kano emerged from the water, causing a disturbance as he did.
Eko ordered them to stay inside whilst she investigated the commotion. She managed to convince the kingsguard that Kano was her son who had a habit of following any manner of sea creature his curious eyes caught sight of. The kingsguard reprimanded her for her inattention of her son’s escapades, and Kano for his disobedience of the curfew, then sent them back home with nothing more than a warning.
Either the guards really were stupid, or dealing with Wehyna’s lowly residents was simply above their pay grade.
It didn’t matter which. It was a success. Kano had joined them without raising any sort of alarm.
Kawai had his brother back. Which, despite the fact he had barely said a word to Kyra sincethatnight, she was genuinely pleased about. Kawai may not have wanted to disturb Kano’s peace in Nevatis, but she knew he was relieved to be with him again. Even if he didn’t say it aloud.
Out of the comfort of Nevatis, Kano was a great deal more subdued. Naal had promised all of them, including Eko, who assured them shewas just delighted to be hosting three Wardens in her home, that they would be leaving for Phaenon before the sun rose the next day.
Kyra couldn’t imagine being in Kano’s position. Surrounded by complete strangers yet blindly following orders anyway. She wondered if he would be as trusting if his memories from before Nevatis were not buried in the depths of his mind.
Eko’s house (if you could even call it that), was not big by any means. The four of them all slept in one room under thin, roughly made cotton blankets, on makeshift beds of thick bamboo leaves. It was not comfortable, and the light of the moon shone on Kyra’s face through a hole in the shack ceiling, making it near impossible to sleep.
Not to mention Eko was a snorer.
Kyra tossed and turned, trying and failing to lull her body to sleep by honing her ears on the soft ocean waves. To no avail.
Sometime after the moon passed the hole and no longer beamed down on her, Kawai quietly sat beside her.
It was the closest contact he’d deliberately made with her since… that night. Slowly, Kyra pushed herself up, leaning against the wooden wall. ‘Can’t sleep?’
He shook his head. His gaze moved to where Kano lay to her left, sleeping soundly. ‘I was thinking…’ Kawai began, still staring at his brother. ‘You were able to access my memories with your earth magic.’ Kyra’s gut twisted uncomfortably. ‘You could have seen everything. My entire past. If you’d wanted to.’
No anger simmered from him now.
‘I think so, yes,’ she quietly replied.
‘If you can do that… maybe you can restore memories too.’
Kyra looked at Kano then, knowing exactly what Kawai had in mind. ‘I’m a shit Warden, remember? I wouldn’t know how to.’
