Excerpt: Facets of Power (working title)

Chapter One – Family

Jonna wondered why her grandmother even bothered. Herbs? Jonna smashed the dried leaves into near oblivion. She knew most healers used the herbs to heal people. It was not nearly as effective as magic though.
“What are you doing?” an older voice said. With out turning around, Jonna knew it was her grandmother.
“I am grinding the herbs as you asked,” Jonna’s monotone voice carried the message she did not state.
“Jonna, I have told you before why. I doubt you need to hear it again.” Her grandmother said with a disapproving tone.
“Healers heal with herbs,” Jonna stated as if retelling a catechism that no longer held its weight. Jonna put the pestle and mortar down on the table. “But we do not.” She turned to the older woman. “You know I could heal just about anything even without the pendant.”
“Healing without the pendant can cause problems.” Her grandmother touched something underneath the light scarf she wore for the summers. Jonna knew what was under the scarf. The pendant.
“Are you going somewhere?” Jonna noticed her grandmother was dressed to go out and carrying the satchel that they kept herbs and such in over her shoulders.
“Kara’s son had a fall, I am going to check on him,” her grandmother nodded.
“Alik?” Jonna’s hands flittered to her neck. “Is he okay?”
“That is what I am going to find out.” Her grandmother replied.
“I need to go,” Jonna said simply. “I need to know.” Panic slipped into her tone.
Her grandmother shook her head, “No. You have other things you need to do.”
“But if Alik…” Jonna’s voice trailed off. “I can not…”
“Exactly why,” Her grandmother nodded. “You can not go because you might unnecessarily risk yourself or expose magic.”
“Most of the people already have some idea there is more than herbs in our healing. They know people do not heal like that.” Jonna frowned.
“If you use magic without the pendant the circle will appear below your feet. What do you think that would do? Would that be any good?”
“But… Alik…” Jonna frowned.
Her grandmother shook her head. “We have a tendency of doing rash things for the people we love. I do not want you to put yourself in that situation.” Her grandmother crossed the room and put her arms around her shoulders. “Stay here. If something happens you can come after me. And who knows what might happen. Someone might come in. You can always take them in the examine room and take care of them.” She picked up the mortar looking over the crushed herbs. “Maybe you should get some other herbs and this time try not to crush them into oblivion.” She smiled. “I will be back to let you know how well Alik is in a little while.”
Jonna nodded. “Okay,” Jonna had an idea forming in her mind. She poured the crushed herbs into a pouch from the mortar and put some new dried leaves into the small bowl. She began grinding them into powder.
Her grandmother nodded and headed out the door. With a quick hand, Jonna mashed the herbs into powder a bit faster than would be best. “I am going out,” she yelled. Her mother was upstairs doing some house chores. Without waiting for a response, Jonna ran out the back door. She did not want to be seen by her grandmother. She knew if her grandmother knew she was following, she could be in trouble, but she had to know.
Alik and Jonna were friends since they played in the green together. They had been together since almost birth always friends throughout school and it was common knowledge they would be together forever. Alik did not yet know the existence of the magic. Like everyone he suspected something more than herb healing went on. People would come for miles to Saff for healing. Everyone in Saff thought they had some secret healing but the extent was not common knowledge.
“Jonna?”
Jonna screamed and turned.
“Tanika?” Jonna breathed. “You scared me.”
“What is up? You are on edge.”
Jonna sighed deeply. “Grandma is heading over to Alik’s place. Something is wrong. I need to know if he is okay but grandma told me not to go. I have to go. I do not think she knows why I have to go so bad. I must…”
“Jonna. I understand. Come on.” Tanika pulled her along. We will get there. I know we will. You will see. Alik will be just fine.”
Jonna nodded. She hugged her friend and smiled. “You know I am just over reacting. I can not imagine if he were gone.”
“Let us go,” Tanika smiled pulling her along by her arm. “You know there is a stranger in town.”
“Really?” Jonna frowned. “He did not come over to our place.”
“I do not think he is here for healing.” Tanika said. “Something else, but I do not know.”
Jonna looked around at the scenery. She grabbed Tanika’s arm and pulled her behind a tree. “She can not see me,” Jonna pointed out in the field where her grandmother stood. Someone in a dark cape approached her.
“What is she doing?” Jonna hissed at Tanika. “If she delays something might happen to Alik.”
Tanika shook her head “I do not know. Is that the stranger?”
“I do not know. You were the one telling me there was a stranger in town. But I cannot see that man’s face. If it is a man.”
“It looks like a man. The way he walks.”
“It looks like she is arguing with him,” Jonna frowned. “I wonder who he is.”
“I can not tell you,”
It had to happen in a fraction of a moment but it seemed to go in slow motion. But like when things happen in dreams she could not move fast enough to stop what happened. The man pulled a knife out of his heavy cloak. The blade glinted a moment in the sun and cut her throat. The blood red knife glinted in the sun for a second.
“Why?” Jonna yelled and broke from the cover.
“Jonna,” Tanika hissed from the bushes but was not able to grab her before she was in the clearing staring at the dark cloaked man.
“Why did you kill her?”
The man did not answer. He threw back his hood and smiled for a second. Jonna did not recognize the man. Jonna looked down at her grandma.
“Grandma, are you okay?” She said looking down. Her grandmother’s glassy eyes glazed empty at the sky. Jonna touched her shoulder briefly. She had to call on the magic to test for sure if she was gone but the spark was no longer in her eyes. She reached up to her neck and pulled the pendant and scarf off her grandmother exposing her slit throat. The scarf was covered with blood but Jonna held it in order to get the pendant to her pocket without exposing it. She did not know why other than she did not want her friend to see it. She did not really know why she bothered.
“Alik,” She looked over her shoulder. She looked back at her grandmother. “Grandma.” Her eyes filled with tears. She was obviously split.
“Jonna,” Jonna looked up. She could barely see who was speaking but she knew it was Tanika “Jonna,” Tanika continued. “Go to Alik. There is nothing else you can do here. I will get her to the undertaker.”
Jonna nodded woodenly and started walking off toward Alik’s. She did not have to see to get there. She had traveled the way in the dark and nearly blinded by tears she would have no problems getting there.
Before she knew it she was at the door. She did not know what to do. But the door opened before she even knocked.
“Jonna?” It was Alik’s mother. Jonna just nodded in reply. “What is wrong? We were expecting your grandmother, but she is not here yet. “
Jonna crumpled to the ground.
“Jonna?”
Jonna looked up with her eyes full of tears. “I need to help Alik. I can not lose him too.”
“Too?”
Jonna ignored the question and headed into the home. “Where is Alik?”
“In his room,” she said leading Jonna back to the room she knew where it was.
Jonna opened the room door. Alik looked up “Jonna?”
Jonna crossed the room. “Can you leave us? She asked in a dead voice.
Alik’s mother was shocked. “Leave an unmarried young man and woman alone in a room together?”
Jonna turned to her, Her face dead. “I am only tending whatever wounds he has. You know we are set to be married in the spring as part of the festival. I would not ruin everyone’s chances at a good harvest by a fling now. I know what I am doing.”
She shook her head. “Okay, be good.” She closed the door behind her with a quick glance at Alik.
“I fell,” he said trying to sit up. “I also…”
Jonna shook her head and shushed him,
“But…” Alik started. Jonna put a finger to his lips.
“I will fix it.” She placed her hands on his heart as he lay in his bed. She closed her eyes. The pendant tucked into her pocket glowed but could not be seen through the fabric. Her eyes closed as she looked inside her mind for the problems. Broken bones and some thing else was wrong. Some sort of illness too, it did not matter. She fixed the bones first. They were not lined up so she pulled on his legs until they were straight. He yelled. She cut off the pain. And continued to work on the legs and mended the breaks quickly. She started on the illness then. It was not there before. But she worked away on it. It was tough. It eluded magic but she got it eradicated quickly.
When she was done, she leaned back and kept her eyes closed for the count of ten, “one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten,” she counted silently and opened her eyes. “You should be fine, now Alik.”
He sat up and flexed his legs. “I am all better.” He crossed the room and embraced her.
She broke down into tears. “My grandmother is dead.”

Alik’s mother came in. Jonna’s eyes were puffy and red. “I heard about your grandmother.” She hugged Jonna. “Thank you for helping Alik, but your mother will be worried about you. I sent a message that you were here. It is getting late.”
Jonna nodded, “Did they find the guy?
“No one knows what he looks like. Tanika said he had a hood up.”
Jonna’s voice iced over, “I saw his face.”
“You will want to talk to someone about it. Let them know what he looks like.”
Jonna nodded. Crime was not common in Saff. It happened but not often. “I will need to comfort my mother. I will see you later.” She forced a smile to form on her lips and headed home.
Jonna did not pay attention to the trip and was suddenly at her home. She opened the door and yelled, I am home, mom,” as she walked in.
No response came from the upstairs. She checked around in the rooms to see where her mother was, “Mom?
There was no answer to her inquiry. “Not funny, mom after the day I have had.” She yelled out.
Jonna approached her parent’s bedroom. She knew something was wrong before she opened the door. A glow emanated from the room. She opened the door to her parent’s bedroom. “Mom?”
Her father was lying on the bed and her mother was sitting in the middle of the circle glowing on the floor.
The magic circle. Jonna knew this circle. She could call it forth too. If she used magic without the stone or more than the stone had the circle would appear.
Jonna knew her mother did not have enough power for this. She was not nearly as powerful as even Jonna’s grandmother and a candle compared to Jonna’s sun.
“Mom?” Jonna crossed the room.
Her mom turned her face to Jonna. Her eyes glowed blue. But the light was flickering. The circle started to flicker as well.
“Mom!” Jonna yelled. “You are going to burn out. Stop.”
But her words were too late. Her mother collapsed limply as the circle and the light died out of her eyes. Tears leaked from her mother’s eyes.
She was burnt out. She used her life force to augment her magic to do what she wanted to. Jonna turned to her father, obviously the object of her mother’s efforts. He was gone too.
Jonna screamed at the top of her lungs. The sound ripped through her making her throat raw but Jonna welcomed the pain. Anything to distract her from the pain in her heart.

Chapter 2: Stranger

Jonna greeted the people coming into her home. People asked if she was fine and she forced a smile letting everyone know she was fine. She did not know how anyone could believe the obviously lie. Who really could say they were fine after their entire family died. But for some reason everyone nodded. Some gave her hugs of encouragement. Jonna froze her face in a smile. She could not let everyone know how bad she felt.
Everyone in the town was there. She wondered if they were more sad that her grandmother was gone. They probably questioned her ability to take over where her matron predecessors were. She knew that in the past men had been the one who healed. It was Jonna now because she was the child of her mother child of her grandmother all the way back. Her family was to only have one child.
Well she was left here alone without anyone else. No siblings or parents or grand parents. Alone for this home.
Jonna scanned the crowd. She knew most of the people It was not a small town but growing up she knew most of the people who lived here even out on the farms.
“It must be everyone from this area in your house.”
Jonna jumped at the voice. “Wha?” she turned to look at the man standing behind her. “Who are you?” she blurted out a bit rudely.
An indulgent smile spread across his face.
“I am sorry, “Jonna started. “That was awfully rude for me to have said.” She shrugged. “I just do not seem to know you and I know just about everyone here.” Jonna’s tone leaving the question opened.
“I am not from around here. I had heard about your family and …”
“They just died yesterday. I doubt if the word is that widespread.”
“No, what you can… do.”
Jonna raised an eyebrow. “I am sure there are many healers all over the four lands.”
He smiled again, “Not with the uncanny ability to do what your family has.
“I do not know what you are talking about.”
He laughed lightly and nodded, “I am sure you do, but now is no time for arguing. I think I would like to talk to you about it, but I can not until you admit to it.”
Jonna strode off to find Alik. She was in no mood for word games with strangers. She did not doubt that word of her family’s ability was known in much farther areas than Saff. She was told to always deny it though. That people did not see what they thought.
Alik smiled as she caught his eye as she strode across the room. He started in her direction as well. People tried to stop her and give her condolences but she barely nodded and thanked them or muttered she was fine automatically. She felt like a robot telling people what they wanted to hear.
People did not want to know that she was torn to shreds and was barely put together as she was.
Alik came up to her and wrapped his arms around her and whispered in her ear, “How you holding up?”
“About as good as can be expected.” She muttered back. “Can we go somewhere quiet?”
Without a word, Alik lead her upstairs. Jonna glanced back. The stranger was staring at her.
“Do you know who he is?” she asked as she ascended the stairs next to him.
Alik followed her gaze, “The stranger who came recently to town. I did not hear his name.”
Jonna chewed the inside of her lip. It was annoying. Who was he and why did he act like he knew something.
What did he know?
Alik led her to her room and sat her down on her bed. He sat down next to her and wrapped his arms around her middle. Jonna put her head on his shoulder. Tears leaked from her eyes. “That stupid man. Asking me questions about my family. He does not know anything about me and he is asking pointed questions.” Sobs choked off her words then she resumed, “What kind of person asks questions like that at a funeral anyway.”
Alik squished her into his shoulder, “What did he ask about?”
“Rumors,” she shrugged. “The usual about my family.”
“Healing?”
Jonna nodded.
“Stay up here.” Alik’s voice was cold as he stood up and started for the door.
Jonna looked up. “What are you doing?”
Alik smiled without mirth. “I will give him a lesson about tact.”
Jonna rose and grabbed Alik’s arm. “No, forget about it. Not here.”
Alik wrapped her up in his arms, “If that is what you want.” He patted her on the back of the head. “I just do not want to see you hurt like this.”
She shook her head and pulled away, “No the pain is not from him. The pain is in here.”
Alik smiled. “You are so good at being strong. I forget sometimes you need to be comforted. Should we go down and finish this up strong?” He grabbed her hands and stared into her eyes. “Are you ready for that?”
Jonna pulled a hand from his and wiped away the tears from her face with the back of her hand. “Okay. I am fine.” She fixed the automatic smile on her face.
Alik embraced her. “You are so brave,” he whispered in her ear.
“Stop it,” She said playfully. “You will get me crying again.”

Alik crossed the green. The day dawned cloudy. Today he would take care of what Jonna did not want him to do yesterday. It had to be done. He entered Blue Stone, the town’s tavern. The sign depicted a blue stone cut in the shape of a heart.
Inside the old barkeeper shined glasses. He nodded at Alik as he entered the tavern. “The usual Alik?”
Alik shook his head as he looked around. “No, I have business. Thanks.” His eyes lit upon the stranger in town.
The stranger did not look up as Alik crossed the room to him. But he must have known what was going on. Without looking up from his tankard he smiled. “Ah the healer’s boyfriend has come to visit me.” He looked up into Alik’s eyes and smiled.
“My name is Alik, not ‘healer’s boyfriend.’” Alik said coldly. “You could offer your name as well.”
“Devon,” he smiled. He reached a hand across the table to shake hands. Alik did not take it so he used it to motion to the bench across from himself. “Please have a seat.”
Alik sat down in the proffered place and glared at the man who stated his name was Devon.
“Now what brings you here?” he smiled. He seemed to know exactly why Alik was there, but was trying to be civil.
“I understand that you have some questions about Jonna, but you could have kept from asking them at the funeral for her entire family.”
Devon nodded. “Ah, yes. I am sorry I should have waited to ask. That was a bit tactless. I apologize.” He frowned at Alik, “Please forgive me.”
Alik’s voice went cold. “It is not my forgiveness you need to beg.”
“Ah yes, Jonna you said her name was?”
Alik nodded.
“Yes, I will speak to her later,” he smiled. “I am sure she does not want a visit from me at the moment.” Devon leaned forward. “But in the mean time. Let me know. I heard you had a bad fall yesterday.”
Alik nodded, “Not as bad as the rumors obviously.” Alik pointed to himself.
Devon replied, “Obviously. Or does it have something to do with your girlfriend.”
“I do not know what you mean,” Alik countered.
“You are dating a healer who has a reputation,” he smiled.
Alik shook his head, “I doubt Jonna has a reputation. She has not been the healer for this town but a day.”
“I suppose I should say her family has a reputation,” Devon smiled, “You see, I had heard rumors from pretty far from here and I came here to investigate.”
Alik frowned, “Well I would say keep from mentioning Jonna’s family for a while. If you want to observe things that happen, okay, but I would even go so far as to say do not talk to her at all.”
“How would I apologize for my bad manners if I do not speak to her at all.” Devon’s face split into a smile.
Alik frowned. “I do mean it. Jonna means something to me. She is not just a healer. She is a person. She is not your little mystery.”
“I understand. I will not bring up her family. Or even my questions to her, but I do feel like I need to apologize for my poor behavior yesterday.” Devon smiled, “Will that be good?
Alik frowned. “If that is my only choice fine. But please, she has been through a lot and even though she is showing a brave face, she is not as strong as it seems.”
Alik stood up and placed a coin that would cover the drink Devon had and another of the same. “Please have another round on me.” Alik walked out of the tavern. He did not feel as if he got what he wanted. But at least he had a chance to speak his mind to the man. There was something about him. It was like his requests slipped away like oil. He could not put his finger on the problem.

Jonna crushed herbs. She had no clue why she bothered. Except the stranger seemed to be curious about her family. She was not sure if she really should discuss her family with this man. She doubted she should. She had to keep up the pretense her grandmother had told her to use.
Her hands touched the stone at her neck. She wore under a scarf like her grandmother had before. She had to hide it. No way would she let someone see it.
But would someone really know what it was? They might think it was just pretty cut glass. Jonna looked at it, a blue heart shaped pendant hung on the end of tarnished silver chain. There was a circle in the center of the heart. Cut inside. Usually gems were cut on the outside back but this was in the middle of the gem itself. It was the circle that came up when the magic was called. Using the gem lit the circle inside the gem rather than calling it beneath your feet.
A knock on her door made her hurry and drape the scarf over the pendant. Jonna went to the door and opened it.
The stranger stood at the door. Jonna frowned, “What do you want?”
His face smiled with an apologetic expression. “I came to apologize for my crass behavior. I should not have asked such questions the other day.”
Jonna frowned and nodded. “Okay, you are forgiven.”
He smiled. “I really am sorry. I just have been curious about your family but I did bring it up at the wrong time.”
“You are forgiven, was there something else?” Jonna replied simply.
The stranger shook his head. “No not really. I just hoped to make friends, but, I will leave that to you.”
“I will see,” Jonna replied.

Chapter 3: Spring

The summer burned fierce and became autumn whose gold leaves fell and were blanketed by winter. Jonna did become friends with the strange man. But a friendship, which was, more than acquaintances but nothing like her friends in town.
One day when the blanket of snow was thinner and patches of brown grass peeked through the wear. Alik was visiting Jonna who busied herself with herbs. She had a stand of herbs on the sill just inside the window that she treated with water and cared for. She touched the plants here and there rejuvenating the plants and encouraging them to grow stronger.
It was a side of healing that helped the plants as well. She had to know the plants as well as she knew the human body. It was more than just talent that healed, it was knowledge. A study she had been doing since she was a child. They had books whose age Jonna would not even be able to begin to guess their age, but some how never fell to disrepair.
“I do not know how you put up with that Devon man,” Alik began. “He is unbelievably vile.”
Jonna looked over at Alik with an incredulous expression. A cup of water she had been putting on the leaves of the plants in her one hand, “Vile?” a giggle escaped her lips. “I think that is a bit much.”
Alik shook his head. “I do not think so. Something about him just seems like a snake or something. The more you try to grab at what he is saying the more he slips away.”
“Everyone has secrets, Alik,” Jonna turned back to the plants to avoid eye contact with him. She could tell him once they were married. It would not be long now. She looked out the window and saw the huge patches of grass. Soon there would be no snow.
“You know I have no secrets from you.” Alik started.
Jonna did not reply.
Alik moved toward her. “What did you do the other day anyway. The day your grandmother died and I broke my legs. Your grandmother never fixed broken legs that fast.”
Jonna knew her grandmother could but never did at least with the pendant. She did not reply to Alik’s questions and kept tending to the plants.
“Jonna? I also had some sort of illness, but I have not been sick since.”
Jonna still did not reply. She pressed her lips together.
“No one was sick for more than one day all winter. That has never happened Jonna. What is it?” Alik grabbed her shoulders and turned her to face him.
“Alik,” Jonna started then shook her head. “I cannot say.”
“There is a secret?”
Jonna nodded reluctantly.
“Why will you not tell me?” Alik turned her eyes to his own and stared into them.
“I can not. I…” Jonna could not finish.
“Did your father know?”
“Yes, but,” Jonna stopped. “He was married in.”
“So you will tell me when we are married,” Alik stated, no question in his voice.
“Yes,” Jonna stated. “I will and can.” She wrapped her arms around, “I am so sorry, I just cannot at this point. It is not something I made up.”
“What about Devon?”
“He can not know.” Jonna shook her head.
“He suspects something about your healings. He has asked just about everyone in town about it.”
“Really? He thinks he knows something?”
“Yes, apparently people in your family have cleared things that seem amazing and word like that spreads. Why do you think occasionally people come to talk to you that you do not know? People asking for healing?”
“They usually have illnesses.”
“Do they ever go home as bad as they came? Do you ever turn anyone away, any one in your family?”
Jonna looked at him with a concerned face. “What kind of people would we be if we turned away people who needed help?”
Alik smiled at her, “So you cure them?”
Jonna frowned and bit her lip. “Well, yeah. But it does not clear until they leave town.”
“What do you do?” he stared at her in amazement.
Jonna bit her lip. “I might have given too much away.”
Alik frowned. “Why do you not just tell me? It is just a matter of days anyway.”
“I can not. Please do not ask me.” Jonna frowned. “I can not wait to tell you, honestly, but I know there is more to it than just being married. I have to wait. There is no choice. I do not have someone to ask. But when we were betrothed I asked my grandmother and she said no.” Jonna forced a smile. “I hate being alone in this, but this is what I have to do.”
“So what do people tell Devon?”
“Whatever they have been. It has been fine. I think people have been covering for us without realizing it for centuries. And I know that sounds crazy, but my family has existed for a long time.”
“I think I understand. So I am the lucky one you fell in love with, eh?” Alik laughed lightly.
“I suppose you are. You will know as soon as the flowers bloom. And I planted the earliest spring blooms I could find.” Jonna smiled up at him. “I can not wait to be with you forever.”
“So I move in here. Maybe I should start bringing things over?”
Jonna laughed. “If you want to. It is just a matter of time anyway.”
Jonna got up on her tip toes to plant a kiss on Alik’s lips.

Jonna frowned. She looked out the door at Alik’s retreating back. She wondered about his questions. She wished she could tell him now. There was so much that she had to do. It was like her life was walled in. She could not do anything that was not in the predetermined rules.
Janna sighed and turned back to her work. She ground on some herbs. She had to keep up appearances. Especially with Devon in town.
But maybe he already knew what was going on. Stranger things could happen. There are histories and books that talk about the old days, the days when everyone had magic. Those were dark days. Magic was something common and many people used it poorly. They sealed it up so only certain people would have it.
Tanika knocked on the door. Jonna went to answer the door. “Tanika?”
“Just checking up on you. Nothing’s wrong.”
Jonna touched Tanika on the shoulder. She had a bit of a cold. Jonna cleared it up before Tanika would even discover the more obvious symptoms. “What is up then?”
“Nothing much. How are you doing?” Tanika asked settling into a seat.
Jonna smiled and sat with her friend. “It is almost spring.”
Tanika smiled back. “Yes, spring is right around the corner. Are you ready?”
“More than ready. I can not wait to get this over with. Ceremony and all, it is just crazy. I want to marry him and…” Jonna did not want to go over how she wanted to tell him the secrets she was keeping from him. She was keeping them from Tanika too. Tanika could not know. It was just as important. Tanika probably would not tell. Jonna knew that. But still she had to not let anyone know.
“I bet I know what you can not wait to get to. I know I would not agree to be the spring maiden. I do not think I could hold off for that long.”
“When are you and what is his name getting around to it?”
“Cal?”
“Of course. You know how it is when a name is just on the top of your tongue and you can not remember what it is? I just could not bring it up.” Jonna smiled.
Tanika grinned. “Well I understand, you are probably thinking too much about Alik to remember any one else exists. I bet you could not remember my name if I did not tell you it.”
Jonna stuck her tongue out. And then looked at the ceiling. “Everything seems more complicated than it used to be.”
“Well you are getting married, that is reason enough to for everything to be complicated. How is your dress?”
“I am wearing my mom’s dress. She was also the spring maiden,” Jonna smiled. “It is sunshine yellow with flowers embroidered on the skirt. It is so pretty. I know my mother would want me to wear it.”
Tanika grinned, “I bet she would want you to as well.”
“Do you want to see it?” Jonna grinned.
“Can I?” Tanika asked.
“As long as you do not tell Alik about it.”
Tanika drew an x across her chest. “I swear that I will tell no one, if I break my promise I will swallow a hundred pins.”
Jonna grinned at the old child hood promise words. “Okay, come on.” Jonna got up and went up the stairs. “I can not wait to show you. I feel so isolated with out any family. I can not show my mother or grandmother or even my father. I miss them.”
“Well of course you do. They are your family. But I am sure they are watching you from above and are quite proud of you.”
Jonna frowned. “I hope so.”
Jonna got to the closet in her mother’s room. She still stayed in her room although it was silly. She should take one of the larger rooms. She was still going to be two in one room. She opened the closet and pulled out the chest at the bottom of the little alcove. “It is in here.”
“You have not moved in here? Are you in your grandmother’s room?”
Jonna shook her head. “Not yet. I just feel awkward living in these rooms. I mean I feel like they are still here.”
Tanika shivered. “You are freaky. I know they are not here, but you saying it seems to make it true.”
Jonna frowned at her. “What do you mean?”
“Never mind. The dress?”
Jonna’s hands were still paused on the top of the chest as she was squatted down to open it. “Oh yeah,” she stated simply. Her hands flipped open the latches on the small chest and opened up the top. She pulled out the dress with a whisper of fabric.
“Wow, the color is gorgeous. You should put it on so we can check the size.” Tanika stated. “I will help you get into it.”
Jonna nodded and pulled off her regular clothes and slipped the yellow dress over her undergarments. “Can you lace up the back?”
Tanika got behind her and started threading the lacing. The silken cord did not seem to like to be tied up. It seemed to refuse to be knotted up the ties always seemed to want to slip out. “Oh why is it silk?”
Jonna smiled. “Because that is pretty.”
Tanika replied, “And a huge pain to tie.”
“You can do it.” Jonna winked and had a huge smile over her shoulder at her friend.
Finally she was able to get it tightened. She came around to the front. “Let us see you then.” Tanika said suddenly.
“How is the length?” Jonna asked looking down.
“Well stand up straight. How can I tell when you are changing the length by leaning over.”
Jonna stood up straight and stared at Tanika. “Well?”
“It fits you beautifully. It could be shorter but do you have some high shoes?”
“I may. I am not sure.” Jonna frowned.
“You will be fine either way. And I have some if you do not. Alik will just about die when he sees you.”

Chapter 4 – Pendant

“What is this?” Tanika asked fingering the pendant that hung around Jonna’s neck.
“What?” Jonna looked down. “Oh!” she exclaimed. She had forgotten to take it off before putting on the dress and with the wide scooped neck it did not hide the blue stone.
“Well? What is it?” Tanika looked at Jonna.
“Oh,” she grabbed it and started to take it off. “It is an old heirloom. My grandmother had it.”
“Do not take it off. It is pretty. You should wear it more. Where people can see it too. It is really, really pretty.” Tanika grinned. “You should wear it with the dress. Something from your mother, something from your grandmother,” She grinned.
“No I can not. Really. I really should not wear it outside.” Jonna frowned. This was complicated. How did she tell someone that she could not wear the stone in site of the sun, clouds, stars or moon? Did that make sense to others?
“Why not?” Tanika asked.
Jonna paused trying to come up with something, “It is really old. I would be afraid to lose it.” She said not sure what else she could say.
“It does look old. How old do you think it is?”
Jonna shrugged, would it sound strange to say it was over a millennia old? “Hundreds of hundreds of years. It has been in my family forever.”
“Do you think it might be as old as the ruins in the mountains?” Tanika grinned. They had played in the ruins. They were unbelievably fascinating. It was like an entire city empty and falling apart. Everyone warned it was dangerous to play there. What if something fell apart, but Tanika and Jonna often played there. Alik often came too. Many of the children in Saff played there. The name of the city was long gone but their symbol seemed to be a blue stone.
“It could even be the blue stone on the banners. It was shaped kind of like this one.” Tanika grinned, “Maybe you are descended from the king of the city.”
“Maybe you should bow,” Jonna grinned good naturedly. “You may be in the presence of royalty.” Jonna rose her nose with pride to pretend to be something more than she was.
Tanika curtsied and then the two of them fell on the bed giggling. “It does make me wonder where it came from. You just got it from your grandmother who says she got it from her grandmother?”
“Yes, she said it has been our family’s for ever.”
“Did you know about the stone you had when we were kids playing in the ruins?” Tanika asked.
Jonna nodded, “Yes.”
“You did not recognize it as the same when you saw it on the old signs?”
“I did,” Jonna frowned, “But it is not something I am supposed to talk about.” Jonna finally pulled it over her head and set it on a side table. “You can not tell anyone about it. This is much more important than not telling Alik about the dress. This is much more important.”
“I think I understand. There is that Devon guy, he has been sniffing around for information about you. He did ask the bartender about the sign on his shop too, did you know that? I was there with Cal for dinner.” Tanika grinned. “And he was asking about the symbol on the sign and if anyone knew about a stone like the one on the sign.”
“Really?” Jonna frowned.
Tanika nodded, “He just said the sign was based off the signs in the ruins. That Devon then mentioned a name. It started with Saff but was longer. Saff fire something. The bartender just shrugged. He didn’t remember that name. Since the stranger has ridden up to the ruins frequently.”
“Weird.” Jonna just commented. Just how much did that man know? “Can you unlace me?”
“Definitely.” Tanika nodded.
A knock sounded on the door.
“Quickly,” Jonna stated. “I do not want anyone to see the dress.” Jonna grinned over her shoulder.
“Okay you are loose. I will let whomever in the door. So they do not look for you elsewhere. You are here.” Tanika nodded and headed out the door closing it behind her.
Jonna pulled off the dress and laid it out on the bed smiling at it. She pulled on her regular clothes lacing up her outer bodice in the front with the leather lacing. She grabbed the pendant and put in on and settled the scarf over her neck.
She headed down the stairs and then took a step back when she saw who sat in the sitting area.
“Devon?” Jonna asked as she descended. “Is something wrong?”
“A bit,” he said with a smile. “I got a serious cut in the ruins today. Perhaps you can take a look at it?”
Jonna nodded. “One second.” She stepped to the small stove and put a pot of water to boil. “You will need to take something for the infection. I’ll get some tea brewing.” Jonna also grabbed a poultice. She didn’t need such things, but with the strange things this man had been asking she did not want to make things too obvious.
“Of course.”
Jonna walked back to the sitting area, “Now show me the injury.”
Devon hiked up his pants and showed a large wound looking like it would get infected. Jonna touched his hand idly as she squatted down to check if there was any infection. She cleared it without applying any healing to the wound. She did not want to make anything worse by closing the wound. She took a wet cloth and wiped up the dried blood and wet blood.
“This will hurt.” She stated. She soaked another clean cloth in a solution for the injury. Then wiped up the wound. He hissed in pain. He deserved it. With all the weird questions and such.
She applied a poultice to the wound and then went back to getting the tea. “Drink this up.” Jonna handed him a cup.
Devon took the cup and sipped on it. “Thank you.” He frowned into the cup.
Jonna did not want to give anything away. She sat down in the seating area.
“I need to go,” Tanika started.
Jonna fixed her with a glance. Her eyes begging her friend to stay. Jonna got up and walked to the door with Tanika. “Please,” she whispered.
“I have an appointment. I can not stay.” Tanika walked out the door.
Jonna walked out the door after her then looked over her shoulder. “I do not know how I will get rid of him.”
“I can not stay.” Tanika frowned.
“How do I get rid of him? I just do not feel very comfortable with this situation.” Jonna sighed.
“I thought you guys were friends now.” Tanika inclined her head to the side.
Jonna shrugged nonchalantly. “Well, kind of but…” she looked over her shoulder to where the seating area would be if they were inside.
“But what?”
“With what you said and Alik too I just feel like he is going to go after me for info about my family and I really do not want to get into it.” Jonna frowned. “I do not know. He has not before but I just do not want to be alone with him.”
“Do not worry about it. Do you really have something to hide?”
Jonna paused, “It just is not any of his business.”
Nodding, Tanika stated, “True. But still it is your life. You tell him what you want to tell him. You can lie.”
Jonna nodded solemnly. “Have fun. What are you doing?”
“I am meeting Cal,” she said with a wink. “Later!”
Jonna sighed and waved at her friend as she disappeared. She walked back into the house.
“Are you feeling any better?” she asked crossing the room. Jonna noticed the cup of tea was drained. She nodded. “I see you have finished your tea.”
Jonna walked over to pick up the empty cup. “Did you want more?”
“No,” Devon replied. “I should be fine, thank you.” He stood up and lost his balance. He reached for Jonna but missed and grabbed her scarf and fell on top of her when he fell because his hands could not find anything to support his weight. He straightened up and smiled at Jonna. “I am sorry. I guess I am a bit unsteady. Here is your scarf.” He stated then his eyes looked down at the pendant sitting on her pale skin.
Jonna wanted to say something, to explain it away. She looked at Devon’s eyes and the words just failed. His eyes held knowledge. She tried to think of some way to explain.
“Do you know what you have?” he asked.
Jonna opened her mouth to lie. The words caught in her throat.
“You do.” He stated. No question at all in his voice. “Who knows about this?”
Jonna panicked. How did she explain? “No one else knows.”
“Why are they covering for you?”
“What?” Jonna asked.
“Why does everyone in town seem to realize that you can heal just about anything but refuses to accept it?”
Jonna felt like the wind had been knocked out of her. She sank to the couch. “You can not tell anyone,” she said her voice barely a whisper.
“But everyone in town knows already. It is obvious. I was thinking some sort of lie was put over them.” He shrugged.
“Why do you know?” Jonna frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“Anyone else would see this and not guess at anything.” Jonna shrugged, “Tanika saw it and thought it was just an old heirloom.”
“I have been studying. I study things like magic and what happened to it. That is what brought me here.” He smiled. “Now that I have found the person with the stone…”
Jonna sighed. “Well what are you going to do now?”
“Magic needs to be released. You have to come with me.”
Jonna looked at Devon like he spoke another language. “Leave Saff?” Jonna shook her head, “No.”
“Do you want the world to be doomed?”
Jonna rolled her eyes. “Now you are being over dramatic. I highly doubt that the world is doomed.”
Jonna walked over to him. Touched him on the shoulder and closed her eyes. She found the hurt in the leg and healed it completely. She kept her eyes closed. She breathed deeply and counted in her head, one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten. She opened her eyes. “Okay now your injury has been healed. Now please do not tell anyone in town and leave. I have no wish to join you.”
Devon frowned. “I have to leave now?”
Jonna shrugged, “As long as you do not tell anyone I do not care what you do.” Jonna said in a toneless voice. She turned around.
“You are mad.”
“You think?”
Devon crossed the room. He touched her shoulder. “Please do not be mad. It is not like I contrived pulling your scarf.” He handed her the scarf, which was still in his hand. “Just why can the people not know that you can heal anything.”
“Two reasons. If they knew I could keep their dead from dying. If I could completely heal things I left half healed on purpose. What would they think? Would they really be thankful that I did not do my best? And I would be so busy with every little cough that I would not have any time to myself.”
“Pretty selfish the last of that. And the second?”
“People like you are not supposed to know,” Jonna frowned. “I swore I would keep it a secret from everyone.”
Devon frowned. “Okay. But I will not leave until you do.”
“You might as well buy a house. I am not leaving.”

Chapter 5 – Spring

The flowers poked through the thinning blanket of snow until the snow was gone.
Jonna leaned out the window. She glanced at the buds of flowers she had planted before the leaves had fallen.
“So you are getting married soon?” A male voice from her home could be heard out side the home.
“As soon as the flowers bloom we will have spring festival,” she smiled and turned into the home.
She turned to Devon who was comfortable on a couch. Jonna thought back when he found out about the healing magic. It was scary. She was afraid that he would tell someone or do something or something. She did not know. But all he had done was help her.
“Well, I hope you feel ready.”
Jonna smiled and nodded, “I have been ready. It is tough to be in love and…” she let her voice carry off. She had been the good girl. “Well I am looking forward to it. It seems that spring is taking for ever to come.”
Devon laughed, “Well. It will come all the same.”
“You can not tell Alik you knew about the magic before him. I do not think he will find that, um…” She paused trying to think of the right word. Nothing right came to her mind, “good.” she finished up lamely.
Devon nodded, “Have I told anyone?” he asked tilting his head.
Jonna looked up and smiled shaking her head. “No. I just do not want any problems you know.”
Devon laughed good naturedly. “I understand.”
There was a short knock and the door opened. Alik walked in the room. Jonna thought briefly of the last few minutes of the conversation. What could he have heard? “Alik!” She smiled and crossed the room she wrapped her arms around him. “It is great to see you.” She looked into his eyes to see if she could tell what he might have just heard. He seemed to just be genuinely happy to see her. He must not have heard anything. He bent down to kiss her gently on her lips. She returned the kiss passionately.
“How has your day been?” Alik asked once they broke apart.
Devon coughed and walked toward the door. “Excuse me.” He said quickly and walked out the door.
“Better now,” Jonna said as Devon was excusing himself.
“Why do you put up with him?”
Jonna shrugged, “He has been really nice to me. Just talking about different things. He has been to some far places. It is really amazing.” Jonna put her head on Alik’s chest and checked up on his health. He was still very well. Probably due to her constant checking. He pulled back from her and looked into her eyes. It was a bit quick from when she touched magic. She hoped there was no ghost of blue light in her eyes when he looked at her. The blue light was a bit frightening. Jonna had pretty dark eyes and the light was more startling than it was on her grandmother who had light blue eyes anyway.
There was nothing in his expression that said he saw anything unusual. She could not help wondering what he suspected. Did he see the strangeness in her eyes or in her face when she sees him? Does he even suspect what she could do?
It was hard to keep the secret. As soon as the flowers loomed she could have all of him and tell him everything. She knew there was something extra she had to do. Bind him in magic so he had to keep the secret. More than anything else. It was weird. She remembered her mother talking about it. Her father did not remember it but he did not really know about it. How could her mother have told him? She did not think he would understand. She did not think Alik would understand about it either.
“Soon as my flowers bloom. I think it might be tomorrow. And then we will be together the next day.” She hugged him tightly around the middle.
“If only you could make them bloom faster. The snow is gone I do not know if I can wait any more. I know you are some one amazing and I can not wait until you are all mine.” Alik hugged her closer.
Jonna grinned and stared up at his face, which was a bit awkward as he looked forward and all she could see was the underside of his chin. She could not believe he loved her as much as she loved him. This was the best thing ever. He would be breathless when he saw her in her dress.
What did he say? Something about making the flowers blooming sooner. She chuckled. She could do that. She really could. He did not know she could but he would know later. And he would be happy that she did anyway.
“What is so funny?” He asked. He looked down at her.
She shook her head. “Nothing really. Just an errant thought.” She said. She would tell him one day. Jonna would make those flowers bloom. She knew them. She loved plants and her grandmother had her learn about them with the human anatomy.
“Tomorrow.” Jonna stepped back with a smile. “Tomorrow the flowers will bloom.”

Little did the village know that the plants bloomed at Jonna’s will. She picked them from her garden and weaved them into a crown. Tanika was over and smiled at her, as she got dressed. Tanika was in her festival dress. She was pretty in it but Jonna was breathtaking. The yellow fabric worked well with her complexion. Her hair was done up in a beautiful style and curls surrounded her face. The flowers seemed to match her dress and Tanika offered her a pair of high boots. The back of the boots must go up a good three inches. She laced up the boots then stood as Tanika laced up the dress.
Jonna spinned. “How do I look?” She smiled at her best friend.
“Breathtaking. I do not know how Alik will survive seeing you but I guess he will just have to manage.”
Jonna touched her pocket where the pendant was hidden. She could not wear it with her neck exposed. But she could use it in from her pocket just the same. She took a deep breath. “Okay, I guess I am ready.”
Tanika laughed. “You better be.”
Jonna stuck her tongue out.
“Okay,” Tanika replied ignoring the tongue. “We need to veil you. I will lead you out.”
Jonna nodded.
Tanika grabbed an opaque square of cloth in a bright pink color. It set off the embroidery on the hem of the skirt. It really made it even more a stand out.
Jonna was blind. But it was the job of the bride’s best friend to bring her to the groom without her seeing. It was an old custom. Jonna was beside herself. She could not wait. This was the day she had looked forward to for days and days. She knew what the field would look like. Pale green from the grass not fully reviving from its winter sleep. On one end was a white tent with a bed inside where she and Alik would not sleep. A smile touched her lips. The mayor would be on the opposite end with Alik waiting with the red cord of marriage that they would have to have tied to their wrists until they produced the red stained sheet.
Everyone would cheer being sure that crops would be plentiful.
Jonna held her breath. They would be on the green soon. She would hear the gasps of people seeing her in her dress. And whispers of admiration and excitement. Jonna followed Tanika’s lead relaxing because she knew her friend would lead her right to the field.
Tanika suddenly stopped. It would be the field then. She was so excited. She knew Alik was not far away. She would be with him soon.
Tanika was very quiet and was not touching her. The sounds were all wrong. No sounds of happiness.
There was crying. And whines of suffering.
“Tanika, what is going on?”
Tanika reached over and pulled the edge of the veil. Jonna’s eyes took a second to adjust to the light change. All over the field it looked like something horrible happened. People were wounded. Everywhere it seemed. No one could believe that something like this had happened. It was such a bad omen. Jonna kneeled by the closest person she could find. They were injured. She closed her eyes and touched his shoulder. A broken leg. She pulled on it a bit and healed it together. She turned to someone else. Not waiting for the glow to fade when she opened her eyes. She knew people would not notice. She touched the next person. Just a wound. She abolished the infection. She started to close the wound.
“Jonna?” someone came over.
Jonna waited a few seconds for the glow to fade and she looked over to see Alik’s mom Kara.
“Kara?”
Jonna touched her for a second, Kara was uninjured. “What is wrong?”
“Alik,” She started.
Jonna stared at her in shock. “What is wrong with Alik?”
“They…” she started. Kara looked over her shoulder where Alik should have been at the front on the field where the mayor was on the ground grabbing at his stomach. “They took him.”
“Took him? What you do you mean they took him?” Ice frosted over her voice. “Where is Alik?”
“I do not know. The stranger followed them a bit.”
“Devon?”
Kara nodded. “Into the mountains I think. I did not pay much attention.”
Jonna looked at the suffering people she grew up with. She should stay. She was the only healer. But Alik was in danger, she knew it. They had him. She could take care of everyone in the village it was true. It would tire her. But they could go after him.
But if they were capable of going after Alik would they not have been able to stand up the horde that descended on the village? Saff was not strong enough.
Was she?
She could not live without Alik. She had to go. Maybe Devon could help her. He knew things. Maybe he could advise her of something she could do.
She had to do something.
Jonna knew first she needed more information and some of the people would not survive if she did not help them. The mayor especially.
Jonna walked over to the mayor. She touched him and started in on the grievous wound to his chest as she asked questions with her eyes closed. “What happened?”
As the pain subsided the mayor began to answer Jonna’s questions. “I do not know how they took us. They must be better trained or something. We are just farmers and trades men. We do not have the ability to fight.”
Jonna nodded. “What else?”
“They took Alik.” The mayor said suddenly. He was becoming more himself as the wound healed. “Wow, what did you do?”
“You are fine,” Jonna smiled. She waited then opened her eyes. “I will go after Alik.”
“You can not go after him. You are just a girl. And Devon already went after them.” The mayor held on to her arm.
“I will go after him.” Steel laced her voice and the mayor let go of her.
“Jonna?” Kara’s voice came over. “You do not even know what you are doing.”
Jonna looked at her, “I can not just wait here. Alik is everything to me. I can not live without him. I will go after him.”
“What will you do?” the mayor asked. “What can you do?”
“There is no fire that burns greater than a woman’s anger.” Jonna quoted the old adage. “I will help Alik or die trying. They have not seen anything like me.”