Secrets and Guardians: Devious Intentions by H. Chambers (summer beach reads txt) 📖

outcrop just staring into the distance. She sometimes 'mind merged' with the kestrels that flew overheard, but now rather than feeling elated as she had as a child, it seemed to increase her sense of loneliness. It is always one of the strange things in life, that you can be surrounded by many friends and still feel desperately lonely. The one thing that had kept her going over the years was the promise her great grandmother had made to her, that one day she would be reunited with her daughter, and that she would have her revenge against Kerdred. She could still remember it now as if it were yesterday, waking up in a bed in a little wooden hut....

....it took her a while to realise where she was and what had happened. Fingal, she thought with great sadness, he had given up his life to save her and believed he had failed. She turned her head and looked at the baby cradled in her arm beside her. Forgetting her injury she tried to move her left arm, it was stiff and sore but bearable. She tried gently to sit up and not wake the baby.

'Now, now you just lie there,' said the old woman coming into the hut. 'It's a girl,' she added.

Shade looked down at her daughter, she had so many questions to ask the old woman.

The old woman knew and took a seat on the opposite bed.

'My name is Rona and I am your great grandmother,' Rona began raising her hand to stop Shade speaking, 'Drumlin killed your grandmother and Kerdred killed your mother. I think a little revenge is in order but we will speak of that later,' smiled Rona. 'You were delirious when Gadolin brought you here and had gone into labour. I needed to work fast and could not have you screaming or thrashing around, I had to leave your arm and head wound until after you gave birth.'

'My mother never mentioned you, I didn't know,' said Shade.

'There is a lot you do not know Shade and I cannot tell you everything yet, you must trust me,' said Rona sadly. 'And I'm very sorry but once your daughter is weaned, I have arranged for your cousin, Bella to take her, Kerdred will never stop looking for you and your child.' Rona's face went very serious. 'But I can promise you this much, you will see your daughter again and you will have your revenge.'

Shade had named her daughter Lowe and cried her heart out when Rona took her away. She knew Rona was right, it didn't make it any easier though. After Rona left, Shade had headed south through the forest with Gadolin. The journey had taken them six weeks, Shade had wondered sometimes whether it had taken them that long because the forest was that big or because Gadolin kept getting lost. Either way, she remembered how sad she had been when they had reached the south edge of the forest and she had said goodbye to him. His patient emerald green eyes, his crooked smile, his understanding of her sorrow. She missed him. When she arrived in Wilmayne they had asked no questions and she had offered no explanation. The fact she was a wise woman, a healer was enough. She had introduced herself to the villagers as 'Sadie'. Over time she had proved herself very capable and they had taken her into their hearts. She was thankful of their kindness.

Shade sat on her favourite rock on the edge of the village staring out at the horizon deep in thought. It had not taken long for the news of the invasion to reach them. People who had managed to flee Brinkton began arriving, they didn't stay long. A few arrived injured and Shade did her best for them. A huge man, barely alive with a sword wound to his side came. Shade did not think she could save him but after only a few days he was sitting up and flirting with her, and any woman who came into his room. Daranel soldiers arrived, taking all the able bodied men and the horses, except Haystack’s. Some of the soldiers knew him and told Shade to get him on his feet as soon as possible. It didn't matter if he wasn't fully recovered, even an injured Haystack would still be worth three men. Most of the other villagers soon packed up and left. When Haystack left after only six days, promising to take it easy, the village felt deserted.

Ben Adhem the village elder approached her and sat down on the rock next to her. He said nothing but Shade knew he had come to ask what she planned to do now the village had emptied. She decided the time was finally right and told Ben Adhem her story which had led her to the village. There was a lot she had to miss out, not even to an elder as kind and wise as Ben Adhem could she tell everything.

Ben Adhem took her hand, 'My dear I always thought you carried a great sadness with you. I will tell the few that are left that you will be leaving. Kerdred’s men will soon come to the village and you cannot be discovered here,' he said kindly.

'I am not leaving you behind or any of the others,' Shade said.

'But those left cannot travel because of their age nor will their loved ones abandon them,' said Ben Adhem.

'There is a wagon and a small cart,' said Shade.

'But no horses,' he replied.

'Not yet,' smiled Shade.

Ben Adhem smiled back, 'I see you have a plan, am I going to like it?'

'Probably not,' laughed Shade.

Ben Adhem looked sideways at Shade, 'What you told me before, about how you came here, did you miss a few things out? Of course you did and as a wise elder I'm not going to ask,' said Ben Adhem leaning back against the rock behind him. 'All right tell me this plan I'm not going to like.'

Ben Adhem listened carefully to what Shade said occasionally nodding, at other times shaking his head. When Shade had finished Ben Adhem was quiet for a long time, just staring at the hills in the distance. Eventually Ben Adhem stood up slowly, stretching out his back.

'Come with me, we need to tell the others, if this is going to work we need everyone to agree,' he said.

Shade took his arm and helped him back down to the village. It did not take long for him to get those who were left in the village gathered together. There were five old women, four old men, including Ben Adhem, six younger women, including Shade, one of whom was pregnant, four young children and two babies. They were all waiting in the village square when 'Sadie' took her place in the centre, Ben Adhem limped up beside her and called the four young children over to him.

'I need a hand to get some juice and biscuits for everyone,' said Ben Adhem.

The children's faces lit up, and eagerly followed him to his store room.

Shade wasted no time in telling those left about her plan, it sounded dangerous, but doing nothing was probably just as dangerous. They were afraid, afraid to do something, afraid to do nothing, they argued back and forth. Ben Adhem returned with the children, the apple juice and oatmeal biscuits were shared out. Because of the children's excitement at this unexpected treat the adults conversation became less fearful and more about planning. Discussing what they needed to do and how much time they had to do it. By the evening it was decided they were going to follow 'Sadie's' plan.

The following morning the villagers started to prepare, they occasionally glanced in 'Sadie's' direction. She was sitting on the outcrop with two Kestrels, it looked like she was talking to them. Every so often they would take to the skies flying high then return to her. One of the young boys ran up to her and grinning happily presented her with a couple of mice. Shade gave him a big smile and took the mice. She gestured for the boy to stand back, when he did, she held up one of the mice and a Kestrel swooped down, at the last second Shade threw the mouse in the air, the Kestrel caught it with ease. Shade did the same again with the second mouse and the other Kestrel. Shade spoke to the boy again and the villagers could see his head nodding enthusiastically. When he came down from the outcrop he announced to everyone that his job was to find the Kestrels food as they were now working for us and would not have time to hunt themselves. He sounded so proud, his mother told him how important that job was, which made him fit to burst.

The village itself, being on a hill, had many of its buildings spread far apart but at its centre was the village square and six cottages where villagers would gather to talk, do business and hold celebrations. It was here that most of the preparations were being done. The cottages were now all occupied by those who were left. The few animals remaining were now in the closest field, cows sharing with sheep and goats. The hens and geese wandered around freely. A large shed behind one of the cottages was used for storage. The square itself already had a thatched covered area with tables and seats, this was where those left were going to be eating together every day from now on. It was important for the children to get used to this arrangement.

Shade spent a lot of time just sitting with her eyes closed. No one disturbed her as they now understood she was 'flying' with the kestrels, seeing what was happening in the surrounding countryside. Some of what she saw surprised her, she had hoped her plan was unnecessary, that King Hylaw would come riding with a huge army and send Kerdred and his men packing. She did see soldiers now and again but they seemed to be heading west all the time away from Brinkton. Kerdred’s men on the other hand she watched raiding villages, their brutality shocking. A raiding party seemed usually to be about twelve to fifteen men, heavily armed and merciless. They killed, raped, took the animals, food, anything they wanted.

With the preparations completed as much as they could, life settled down to a routine. They nervously waited each day for 'Sadie' to come down off the outcrop. Each day she came down and shook her head, she never told them of the horrors she witnessed through the eyes of her birds.

The children accepted the changes, they actually liked the way they now all lived, close together, eating their meals together; it felt like having one big family. Shade fed her birds and off they flew across the land, she usually alternated between the birds depending on what she needed to see.

Eventually one day she saw what she had been looking out for. In the distance there were a group of men heading from a village and rather than going back in the direction of Brinkton they had taken the road that would ultimately lead them here. She knew there were other roads they could decide to take on their way, so she watched and waited. She used both kestrels, letting them take turns so that they could return to feed and rest. As the hours went by she felt she had learnt enough about the men who were coming and was grateful they had no Nefkins with them.

It was late afternoon when she walked down and called all the adults into the square.

'If they keep on their same route and same pace, they will be here by tomorrow afternoon, make sure everything is ready. I'm going to sleep now, please wake me at dawn,' said Shade.

Ben Adhem awoke the next morning and