Legacy of the Blood (The Threshold Trilogy) (37 page)

***

It
was the day that Ravi was to be acknowledged as an adult by the Rashad—his
second birthday.

The
second birthday was always an important one for a Rashad, but this day was
special to the entire race. Ravi was now an adult, and he could be formally
declared to be the successor of Rajan.

There
was a great gathering in the hills of the Rashad Grasslands, where Rajan would
make his ceremonial announcement. The two black-coated felines stood on a rise,
where they could be seen by all. Adesina shared in Ravi’s nervousness, and she
longed to reach out and comfort him.

“My
beloved people,” began Rajan, “this is a joyful occasion for all of us. It is a
day for which we have long waited, and now it is finally here.”

The
listening Rashad roared in unison, showing their support and happiness.

The
aged leader took a step to the side and declared in a loud voice, “I present to
you Ravi, son of Riordan and Rabia, my successor as leader of-”

“I
challenge this decision!”

All
heads whipped around to stare at the source of the interruption.

Rance
stood behind the crowd, supported by a group of a dozen other Rashad. His head
was raised proudly, and his eyes gleamed with a desire for violence.

Rajan’s
expression was infinitely sad and weary. “You cannot challenge this, my son.
Ravi was born to be my heir.”

“Not
so,” sneered Rance. “It is an ancient law that gives any the right to challenge
the choice of successor.”

“It
may be an ancient law,” allowed Rajan, “but it has never been implemented. All
worthy
Rashad honor the choice of the Creator.”

The
gentle emphasis in his father’s words caused Rance to snarl in rage. “I
am
worthy. I could be the greatest leader the Rashad have ever seen, but you are
all blinded by this mindless tradition. Only fools would pledge their loyalty
to this weakling.”

The
pity that Ravi felt for his rival had grown since he was younger, and the anger
had almost completely faded away. Adesina sensed that he was frustrated,
though. He could not understand why Rance would persist in acting this way.

“I
said I challenge you, Ravi,” roared Rance. “What is your answer, coward?”

Ravi’s
pride prickled, and he responded in a clear voice. “I accept.”

“Ravi,
no!”

Rabia
and Riordan were both stricken with fear. Rance was well known for his skills
as a warrior. Rajan said nothing, but his eyes were overflowing with sorrow.

Ravi
walked down the hill and into the circle that had formed for the two
combatants. Rance’s supporters were all part of the inner ring, and Ravi knew
that he would need to be wary of them. They were not above interfering with the
fight in order to give their leader an advantage.

Rance
and Ravi circled each other slowly.

“Are
you prepared to die, cub?” rasped Rance.

“You
have been away for a long time,” pointed out Ravi. “I am no longer a helpless
child for you to bully.”

“Some
things never change.”

Rance
lunged at Ravi, but the younger Rashad neatly sidestepped the attack.

“So
true, Rance,” he said. “Perhaps you should have considered that before
challenging me.”

“Why
is that?” hissed the older feline.

“The
ancient law allows for a challenge to be issued, but it does not say that the
victor automatically becomes the next leader of the Rashad. Even if you win
here today, your father will
never
choose you to succeed him.”

Rance
shrieked in rage and dove at his opponent.

Ravi
crouched defensively and allowed his attacker to advance. At the last moment,
he shifted out of the way and raked his claws across Rance’s hindquarters.

The
first blood had been drawn.

The
two Rashad bit and clawed at each other viciously, roaring in pain and in
anger. Rance was now in his middle years, and he did not have the same amount
of energy as Ravi. The younger male knew this, and he purposefully prolonged
the fight in order to tire his opponent.

Conversely,
Rance knew that Ravi was inexperienced and impulsive. He fought in a manner to
infuriate the youth, hoping that he would make a fatal mistake.

“You
have never been good enough for this role,” hissed Rance. “You know that you
will fail, and you will be the downfall of the entire Rashad race.”

“That
is not true,” contradicted Ravi.

“Even
your family knows that it is true. Your parents may show you support, but they
do not believe in you. Think of how your own brother treats you.”

Ravi
could not deny that Ruvim was one of his greatest critics. Nothing seemed to
please him, no matter how hard Ravi worked.

“You
are a failure before you even begin.”

“Silence!”

“You
name will be a stain on your entire family’s clan.”

“SILENCE!”

Ravi
locked his teeth around Rance’s neck in an effort to stop his mocking words.
Adesina was overcome with the waves of emotion that flowed through her future
guardian—fury at Rance’s never-ending violence and troublemaking, shame that
his own brother had no faith in him, fear that others were right to doubt him…

Ravi
froze as his mind became more clear.

He
could taste blood in his mouth, and Rance had ceased to struggle. He quickly
released his jaw and backed away, staring in horror at what he had done.

Rance’s
throat had been crushed, and he was bleeding profusely. He was unable to
breathe, and his eyes were already starting to cloud over.

“No,”
whispered Ravi. “What have I done?”

A
challenge between Rashad meant bringing your opponent into submission. It never
meant death.

He
looked around at the faces of the onlookers, and their expressions were rigid
with shock. Riordan and Rabia stared down at their son as if he were a stranger
in their eyes.

Rajan
appeared next to Ravi, but his gaze was locked on his dying child.

“Rajan,”
panted Ravi, “I did not mean…”

“Go,”
the leader said quietly. “Go to the mountains and cleanse your soul. I will
come to you when it is time for you to return to our people.”

The
young Rashad did not question the decision. He gladly ran from the crowds of
horrified witnesses. He did not feel the burning muscles in his legs, nor the
searing of his lungs. He only knew that he must flee.

Ravi
had been running for more than a league when he stumbled and fell to the
ground. Instead of getting back on his feet, he remained where he lay.

With
a heartbroken sob, he buried his face in the grass and wept.

Adesina
was dumbfounded.

There
was no other way to describe what she was feeling. She had assumed that Ravi
had led a peaceful life filled with philosophical contemplation. He had always
seemed so calm and so steady.

Yet
his past was proving to be more tumultuous than she could have imagined.

It
made her feel closer to him. He, too, knew the cost and the pain of taking a
life. He knew what it was like to be an outsider, and he knew what it felt like
to bear the burden of others’ expectations.

Adesina
wondered what else she would find in the hidden corners of his mind.

She
delved deeper.

***

Ravi
had been alone in the mountains of Pevothem for just over a month. He still
could not shake the shadow that had settled over his heart.

He
had killed Rance.

No,
that had not been his intention, but it had happened all the same.

Rajan
had told Ravi to come to the mountains and cleanse his soul, but the young
Rashad did not know how. Instead, he found himself replaying the events of that
unspeakable night over and over in his mind.

He
felt tainted—forever defiled and unworthy of the company of others.

“Ravi,
my son,” called a familiar voice from behind.

He
turned around and saw Rajan approaching him.

Ravi
burned with shame at the sight of his leader, and he could hardly bear to be
called by such an endearing term. His eyes dropped to the ground, and he
crouched in a position of utter submission.

“Revered
leader.”

Rajan’s
eyes were saddened at he beheld his heir. “I see you have not been able to
cleanse yourself of what happened.”

“I…I
have tried, revered leader. Truly, I have.”

Rajan
laid down next to Ravi, so close that their sides were touching. It was a
gesture of friendship and trust.

“I
know you have, my son. I can see your struggles in your eyes.”

“I
know why you have come,” said Ravi, “but I cannot return with you.”

Rajan
cocked his head to the side. “Why is that?”

“I…”
There was a hitch in Ravi’s voice, and he paused before going on. “I am not
worthy to live among the Rashad. I deserve to be exiled.”

“Exiled?”
repeated Rajan in surprise. “You have not been exiled, Ravi. Where did you get
such an idea?”

It
was Ravi’s turn to be startled. “You told me to leave—to come here and to stay
until I am free from the stain of my actions.”

Rajan
chuckled, but it bore a hint of sadness. “My son, I did not ask you to come
here as a punishment. I asked you to come here so you would have time to heal.
You have experienced something profoundly tragic, and it takes time and
reflection to move past such pain.”

The
younger Rashad could barely believe what he was hearing. “You…you do not blame
me for killing Rance?”

“I
know you, Ravi. You truly are a son of mine. I would no more think you capable
of such intentional violence than your gentle mother.”

Ravi
immediately thought of his sweet and loving mother, who had never so much as
raised her voice in anger. Yes, it was almost impossible to imagine her
purposefully harming another creature.

“I
am not like her,” he murmured. “She is pure, while I am sullied.”

“Do
you think she has never made a mistake?” asked Rajan. “Do you think that there
is
anyone
who is without regret? When I was your age, I made just as
many rash decisions and tragic mistakes.”

“I
doubt you ever killed someone,” said Ravi with self-loathing.

“No,”
admitted Rajan, “but I caused great harm to my dearest friend.”

This
caught the attention of the younger male.

The
leader proceeded to explain. “It used to be a common pastime for my friends and
I to go swimming in the ocean. We did this by jumping from the lowest cliffs we
could find and then climbing back to shore.”

The
borders of the Rashad grasslands and Pevothem that touched the ocean consisted
only of steep and rocky cliffs. There were no beaches and no easy access points
that led to the water.

“My
friends and I would often tease each other into reckless behavior. One day I
goaded my oldest friend to jump from a cliff that was much higher than the
others we frequented. He broke his back, and almost drowned before we could
rescue him.”

Rajan
recounted the tale frankly.

“My
friend forgave me with an open heart, but I could not forgive myself. I was
tormented by the sight of him, and I soon became reclusive and distant from the
rest of the Rashad. I was so certain that they were all judging me for my part
in that terrible event. It took me a long time to realize the truth of the
matter.”

“What
truth is that?” asked Ravi.

“That
no one judged me at all. They pitied me, they loved me, they longed to give me
comfort. I could not accept it because I could not forgive myself. I could not
believe that the Rashad would willingly welcome me into their hearts. It took
me years to discover that I was wrong.”

Ravi
stared at the grass between his paws. He also felt that self-condemnation and
that terrible isolation.

Rajan
continued softly, “It is time for you to come home, back into the hearts of
those who love you and miss you. It is time for you to forgive yourself.”

“I…I
cannot…” was the strangled reply.

“We
have all made choices that we regret—some more important than others—but we
cannot allow that regret to define who we are. We must allow ourselves to learn
and to grow. None of us are now what we will eventually be—but if we begin on
the correct path, we change into the person we are meant to become.”

Adesina
felt a swell of emotion as the wise Rashad leader spoke. She recalled Ravi
giving her the same words of comfort when she learned the truth about the
Shimat order and her own role in it.

She
could now feel the same spark of hope deep within Ravi’s young heart that she
had experienced all those years ago.

“It
is time to come home,” repeated Rajan.

Ravi
nodded with tears in his eyes. “Yes, let us go home.”

***

Still
within Ravi’s mind, Adesina recognized her father’s home in Yavar, the capital
of Pevothem. Adesina’s parents, Me’shan and E’rian, sat in comfortable chairs
next to the fireplace, while a child version of E’nes wrestled with a
yellow-furred Rashad. Ravi was seated next to E’rian, and she rested her hand
on his back in a familiar gesture.

“I
am glad that you are home again,” E’rian said with sincerity. “We all missed
you very much.”

Ravi’s
expression was still haunted by the tragedy of recent months, but he did his
best to smile. “I missed you as well.”

“We
went to the Reader today,” E’rian said with pride. “It seems that our little
Ma’eve has a
dava
as well as E’nes.”

Adesina
smiled fondly at the statement. A
dava
was the L’avan equivalent of a
soulmate—the person with whom you are most compatible and ultimately meant to
love.

“Really?”
responded Ravi. “That is rather unusual. Only about one in ten L’avan children
have a
dava
, correct?”

Me’shan
inclined his head. “Yes, but I think you will be even more surprised by the
match.”

“Prince
L’iam,” exclaimed E’rian with a laugh. She placed a hand on her rounded belly
and grinned. “Our daughter is betrothed to a prince!”

Ravi
was indeed surprised. “The families of L’aslo and Ed’mon have not had such
direct ties in a long time.”

E’rian
continued to speak to her protruding abdomen. “She is meant to do great things,
I just know it.”

“Well,”
said Ravi with exaggerated patience, “he is only a second royal son. It is not
as though he is the crown prince. How much influence can the wife of a second
royal son have?”

E’rian
knew that he was teasing her, but she took the bait anyway. “One does not need
a title to make a difference.”

“Then,
why does it matter that she is betrothed to a prince?”

She
made a small noise of exasperation. “It does not, I suppose, in regard to her
ability to influence others for good. However, that will not change my
excitement that my daughter will someday marry into the royal family.”

Ravi
refused to give up his jest. “Perhaps it is best that she is only betrothed to
a second son. Can you imagine a daughter of yours becoming queen? Disaster!”

“Ma’eve
would make a wonderful leader,” insisted E’rian. “The Reader said that she was
strong and had a great capacity to love.”

The
Rashad wrestling with young E’nes shot Ravi a disapproving glance. “You should
not tease E’rian so, brother.”

Me’shan
and Ravi chuckled together, and eventually E’rian joined them.

“Well,
at the very least, she will not want for anything,” concluded the young mother.
“King L’unn and Queen Ta’mala were quite pleased with the match. The betrothal
will be formally announced after Ma’eve is born.”

“When
will that be?” inquired Ravi.

“This
spring,” answered Me’shan with obvious anticipation.

“I
hope you will not defer you next visit until then,” said E’rian to Ravi with a
hint of reprimand.

“I
will not,” promised Ravi with a smile. “Perhaps I will come again in a couple
of days. My mother is still resting after the birth of my younger sister, and
she likes to have her sons near.”

“As
long as it is before next week, you are most welcome,” said Me’shan. “Next week
we are leaving on a short expedition to the central lands. Normally, I would go
by myself, but E’rian insisted on coming along with E’nes.”

Ravi
and E’rian shared a smiling glance. They both knew that it took very little for
E’rian to convince her doting husband to give her whatever she wished.

“Very
well, I will be certain to visit again before you leave.”

The
room was filled with happiness and contentment, but Adesina couldn’t share in
any of it.

She
could not rid her mind of the knowledge that her mother was mere weeks away
from being captured by the Shimat, who would take her to the place where she
would be held hostage until dying during childbirth.

Adesina’s
birth.

***

In
the vision of Ravi’s past, he was only slightly younger than his current age.

He
roamed the Rashad grasslands with restless energy, occasionally breaking into a
run. Sometimes he was accompanied by his sister, Rissa, or by Remah, but most
of the time he preferred to be by himself.

Ruvim
had left more than a year ago to seek out his Greater Purpose, and Ravi felt
envious at the thought. It was an honor to be given such a calling by the
Creator, and every Rashad privately hoped to be granted the opportunity.

Rajan
reminded Ravi that there were many responsibilities that came with his role,
but the young Rashad still felt useless. Even though Rajan was in his twilight
years, he had plenty of energy and he fulfilled his calling to the smallest
detail. Now that Ravi had finished the bulk of his formal training, there was
little else to do but to gain experience.

He
laid down on the dewy grass and stared up at the stars. He could hear them
singing softly, and he hummed along with the familiar tune. He closed his eyes
and relaxed his mind, doing his best to push away the feelings of
dissatisfaction with his life.

As
he did so, a sensation came over him that was completely alien to his young
mind. Adesina recognized it as the foreboding that preceded a
vyuhava
.
Instinct led Ravi to let go of his waking mind and to allow himself to cross
over into another state of being.

The
Dream came immediately.

Adesina
witnessed the vision through her guardian’s eyes, and she felt a chill when she
saw the dungeons of the Shimat fortress.

It
was a scene she had witnessed before, years ago when she had first learned
about the truth of her own birth. She saw E’rian’s huddled and emaciated form,
her abdomen swollen with the arriving baby.

Adesina
saw Signe and Breyen watching the birth with cold and calculating eyes, caring
nothing for the life of the woman before them—only measuring the value of the
child.

She
watched as E’rian used the last of her life force to forge a bond between the
infant and her father, ensuring that they would never cease to search for each
other.

The
past version of Ravi jerked awake with tears flowing from his eyes. Adesina
could feel his pain and anguish as he finally knew the fate of his dear friend.