“I am Valorian,” he said directly to her, and she knew then it was true. Whatever doubt or fear she had, she cast it aside and fell into Valorian’s arms.
Later that night the entire family, fifty-two people in all, gathered around the central fire after the evening meal to hear Valorian’s tale. He told them everything, from the moment he decided to give the Tarnish soldiers his meat to his return to the Clan. The clanspeople listened, spellbound, to his every word.
When he finished his story, he formed a sphere of light over the camp and watched his people stare at it in rapt’ silence. He wondered what they were thinking. Were they terrified of his new power? Awestruck? Disbelieving? He felt all of that and more. One question kept repeating itself in his thoughts—why him? What purpose did Amara have in sending him back to life with the ability to wield magic? was it simply gratitude or something more? He snuffed out his light.
“What do we do now?” someone said in the darkness.
The question voiced Valorian’s own doubts. He really didn’t know what to do now. The family was in serious trouble because of the killing of four Tarns. If Tyrranis found out, he would slaughter every man, woman, and child without mercy. They would have to move quickly. He rubbed his hand, which was still numb from the lightning strike, and tried to think. Whatever reason the goddess had for returning him to life would probably be revealed in time. Meanwhile, he still had the elusive mountain pass and his determination to find it. Amara had said nothing about his request for a new life for the Clan, so he proposed to seek it himself.
“It would be wise to leave here immediately,” he said as if to himself, “so we will go to Stonehelm. I must talk to Lord Fearral.” He lapsed into silence, his gaze lost in the dying embers of the fire.
Sensing his brother’s exhaustion, Aiden rose to his feet. “Ranulf, since you were the one who fell asleep and let the Tarns slip by, you can come with me to dispose of their dies.” Shamefaced, the young man nodded as Aiden went on. “The boys can bring in the rest of the herds. Jendar, you and two others tear down the corrals. If we all move fast, we can have this camp obliterated by tomorrow afternoon.” Nods and murmurs of assent moved around the campfire.
With a great effort, Valorian pulled himself to his feet and put his hand on Aiden’s shoulder in thanks. He felt Kierla’s strong arm take his. To a sincere chorus of goodnights and blessings from his family, Valorian followed his wife to their tent.
He would have thought he was too exhausted for passion in the warmth of their blankets, but Kierla’s closeness brought a new strength surging from his innermost being. They made love with a desire and yearning that surprised them both and left them gasping and giggling in the tangle of covers.
Later, in the dark of the night, Kierla put her hand on her lower abdomen. It had happened at last. She did not need the midwifery of Mother Willa to tell her—she knew. As surely as she had recognized her husband, she now recognized the son who had been conceived in the dizzying heights of their love. Her heart sang. Praise to Amara, she wanted to cry. The goddess had given her husband a gift; now she had given one to her. The greatest of all blessings.
Kierla felt hot tears trickle down her cheeks. Whatever purpose the gods had for returning Valorian, it had to be for the good. Only that would explain why, after fifteen years of emptiness, she had conceived a child on the night of his return.
Kierla smiled in wonder before she snuggled closer to her sleeping husband. “Thank you,” she whispered into the night.
6
For the second time in his life, Valorian slept past noon the following day. He woke slowly, luxuriously, on his pallet of furs to find his wife had left a bowl of meat and some hard bread by his blankets. He ate ravenously, washing down the food with long swallows of ale until the bowl was scraped clean.
When he rose to dress, he discovered his clothes had been cleaned and mended and left for him by the sleeping curtain. Outside, he could hear the noisy activity of the clanspeople breaking camp. He dressed quickly, for there was one more thing he wanted to do before he went to work. He wanted a shave.
Valorian stretched his right hand and fingers, wondering if he could handle a shaving knife. He felt better than he had in days, but his hand was still rather numb and difficult to use. He wondered if he would ever regain the feeling in his hand or shake the strange heat that warmed his body. Now that he could remember the lightning strike, he knew where the strange injuries to him and the burn on Hunnul’s shoulder had come from. He was sure it was only because of Amara that the damage wasn’t any worse. He also realized how his sword had been ruined.
Out of curiosity, he found his sword hanging in its customary place on the center tent pole. He drew it from the sheath and studied it carefully. On closer examination, he noticed that the point wasn’t completely melted. It was simply rippled, and the metal itself seemed to be stronger and more pliable. With some careful polishing and sharpening, he thought perhaps he could save the weapon. It would look strange, but anything would be better than a Tarnish blade.
Valorian was about to return the weapon to its sheath when Kierla came in with a bowl of warm water. She smiled in delight. “Good day, my husband.”
He stared hard at her, for she seemed different somehow. Her step was lighter and her eyes glowed with a new light of bliss and triumph that he had never seen before.
She saw him staring at her and surprised him by blushing. She had wanted to wait to tell him until there was proof of her pregnancy, but she couldn’t contain her joy before him. With a quick step, Kierla stood before her husband.
“I cannot prove to you yet that what I say is true,” she said breathlessly, her wide-mouthed smile radiant, “but after last night, I am carrying your son.” Valorian was dumbfounded. After so many years of disappointment, he had never imagined she would tell him this.
“How—how can you know so soon?” he asked.
“Amara told my heart.”
Amara. Valorian felt happiness and gratitude well up inside him until he grabbed his wife by the waist and whirled her around the small tent. Of course, Amara. The goddess had wrought this miracle in thanks. If he had received nothing else, this gift of a child alone was worth the journey into Ealgoden.
Valorian set Kierla down, hugging her in his powerful embrace.
With a laugh, she pushed him away. “Your beard scratches. It has to go!”
She picked up the warm water, took out her knife, steered Valorian to their small stool, and proceeded to shave off the dark growth of beard. When she finished, he rubbed his jaw in appreciation and kissed her firmly.
Kierla pulled him off the stool. “That was my time alone with you. The rest of the camp needs you now.” She hesitated a moment, her eyes downcast. “Valorian, I have told you my secret because I knew you would believe me, but I would rather wait to tell the rest of the family when Mother Willa confirms it.”
He understood and agreed. The Clan was going to find the news hard to believe, even with proof. At least this would silence the skeptics who advised him to turn her out. He chuckled. It was too bad he couldn’t tell his father.
Still grinning to himself, Valorian left Kierla to pack their belongings and went outside to help tear down the camp. Two of his dogs sprang up to greet him at the tent entrance. He rumpled their ears as he looked around at the noisy activity. A great deal had been accomplished while he slept. Most of the tents were already struck and loaded on the two-wheeled, horse-drawn carts. The goat pens, the larger corrals, and the baking ovens had been dismantled and the bare patches of earth covered with loose dirt, leaves, and pine needles. Several of the older boys stood guard in the meadow over the small herd of horses and another herd of sheep and goats. Valorian could see his grandmother, Mother Willa, stirring the coals of the big central fire while her youngest grandson dumped dirt on the dying embers. Adults hurried through the disappearing camp, trying to get organized, and children and dogs ran everywhere.