Part 18 (1/2)
Gabriel shook his head, perplexed. ”I don't know. I just knew you were.”
”Hmm, well now that's odd...perhaps you're developing psychic awareness!” she suggested.
Gabriel snorted at her a.s.sumption.
”What?” she asked. ”You don't believe in it?”
He shrugged. ”And you do, of course?”
”Oh, yes. I've met too many gifted fortune tellers in my lifetime to not believe that those sorts of abilities exist.”
”So do you possess such an insight?”
He could see her shaking her head in his mind, though he couldn't actually see her. ”No,” she sighed softly. ”I think that may be another reason my father wanted me to attend a gaje school. To give me some sort of advantage, if you will, since I possess no special awareness of my own.”
Suddenly, a crash sounded from below.
”Did you hear that?” Liliana asked Gabriel, bewildered by the loud noise. They both listened quietly.
Someone started screaming in the distance. At first, Liliana thought it may have only been an accident, but then she heard another terrified scream.
”Raid!”
Lillian lifted her hand to her mouth in horror.
Gabriel abruptly stood. ”Lily, I can see hordes of men entering the inn inside of my mind.”
”Eryn and Zara!” Liliana exclaimed. ”They're in the dining hall!” She fled the room, hurrying down the wooden steps to the first level.
”Lily, no!” Gabriel shouted after her, but she paid him no attention. Her only thoughts were of her people.
He ran after her, stumbling and b.u.mping into walls as he chased her down the staircase, then through the corridor to the main hall.
It was the last thing Gabriel could remember from that day. Something slammed into the back of his head. His mind dizzied and he fell forward, flat on his face.
TWENTY-ONE.
Eight months later...
Each and every morning was always the same. Gabriel continually awoke with an enveloping grat.i.tude as he took in the morning light with his crystal-clear vision. It had been so easy to take such things for granted in the past. It was amazing to him now, how much he appreciated the simple gift of being able to open his eyes to the world every day.
He noticed a ray of light s.h.i.+ne through as the flap of his tent opened. His older brother, Dragos, emerged through the entryway wearing a very severe expression, which would be inscrutable to anyone but Gabriel. Paired with his dark features and intense gray eyes, his brother's hardened expression would frighten the meanest warrior. But it only proved to annoy Gabriel. Because, unfortunately, Gabriel knew that expression for what it was- plain, hard-headed stubbornness.
”I've decided to move the tribe to go with you today.”
Gabriel stood up, moving to fetch his tunic. ”That's not necessary.”
”Have you changed your mind, then?”
”No,” Gabriel replied. ”I'm still leaving.”
”Then we leave with you.”
Dragos puffed out his broadened chest. There was an unmistakable note of finality in his tone and he practically dared Gabriel to cross him.
Gabriel turned, looking his brother in the eyes now, seeing the obstinate stare for what it was. Dragos had made up his mind already, and once his brother made a decision, he was usually determined to see it out.
Gabriel sighed, not even bothering to try and sway Dragos. Instead, he merely pointed out, ”You know you'll never keep up with me, brother.”
This only seemed to make Dragos angry. ”So it's going to be like that, is it? You plan to run from me?” There was a note of bitterness in his tone.
”I'm looking for raiders. You know this. I don't want to put your people in danger.”
Dragos threw up his hands in exasperation. ”Again with the raiders. Will it ever end? Will you ever stop looking?”
Gabriel exhaled loudly. Turning away, he lifted the flap of the tent to walk out into the morning suns.h.i.+ne. There was a soft breeze rustling the leaves of the forest trees he could hear very clearly. He looked up into the sky, noticing the grayish clouds moving in. He wondered if the rain would slow him down.
”The answer is no,” Gabriel proclaimed to his brother resolutely. ”I will never stop looking for her.”
Gabriel heard his brother muttering curses from behind him as he walked towards the dining area. Most of the tribe was currently breakfasting there. His brother's tribe only consisted of five families and a few lone wanderers- the size of the band was considered small for most gypsy tribes. But although their numbers were not large, they managed to thrive well together. It turned out that Dragos made a very fine barosan. Though in Gabriel's opinion, it was only natural. His brother would've made an excellent king, as well.
Gabriel was pleased that his brother had found happier circ.u.mstances than the two of them had once known long ago. It had nearly devastated Dragos when they had been forced to abandon their former tribe, for it was not in his brother to live as an abandoner. Gabriel even suspected it shamed Dragos, choosing abandonment. Because whereas Gabriel had no desire to return to the gypsy life, it was utterly engrained within his brother's soul. Not only that, but Dragos had been born to lead. He was positive his older brother could not be happy unless he was needed in that way. Gabriel simply didn't share the same needs.
The sound of morning conversations and pleasant laughter caught his attention as Gabriel headed towards the heady scents of freshly cooked eggs and porridge. He'd seen the people in his mind already, eating and conversing with one another, before he'd ever walked into the dining area.
It was still strange to him...this form of sight. Gabriel had found out in the last few months that he could stretch his mind to view his surroundings. The images would come to him long before he ever saw them with his own eyes. The only reason he could come up with to explain his new form of vision was that the temporary blindness he'd experienced invoked some sort of sensory vision. He'd told no one yet. It was still so unreal to him that Gabriel continually wondered if he were imagining it all.
He nodded in greeting as he pa.s.sed Samina, his new sister through marriage, on the way to the food bins. Dragos had married the girl almost immediately after they'd abandoned the Royals. She'd been part of Dragos's reasons for finally leaving. In their previous tribe, a wife had already been chosen for Dragos. He'd had no choice in that decision. But now, Dragos had been given the right to choose. And he'd married for love. It was a good match. Gabriel had never seen two happier people.
As he looked through the bin of fruits, Gabriel picked up an apple, tossing it up into the air to test its ripeness.
”Gabriel,” Samina had acknowledged him and smiled.
”Good morning, Sam.”
”Make sure you take time to eat a little more,” she admonished. She shoved a bowl of porridge into his hands for good measure.
”I don't have time--”
”Sit,” she commanded and motioned him towards a wooden bench. Much to his annoyance, Gabriel obeyed her, preferring not to rile her so early in the day. Samina often became grouchy when he tested her patience.
Dragos followed behind him with a bowl of porridge in his hands and a grin on his lips. ”Maybe she should command you to stay, eh?” he suggested.
Gabriel shook his head. Between bites he said, ”It wouldn't work. She's already tried.”
”Sami's not happy you're leaving, either. And she thinks it's my responsibility to make you come to your senses. She's going to give me h.e.l.l when I try to explain to her I didn't succeed.”