Chapter Six - (name pending)

Morna didn’t sleep that night. She lay in bed, heavy blankets pulled up to her chin as she sunk into the down comforter beneath their weight. Still, she felt as wide-awake as she did that afternoon.

With an irritable tug at her sheets, she rolled over onto her side, snuggling deeper into her pillow. Jay was never one to withhold the Clan’s gold from his people. He made sure everyone was well-cared for—fed, watered, sheltered, clothed. When a reckless child smashed a pot of aloe extract in the Healers’ cabin the previous winter, Jay had not thought twice about importing two new jars from the South to replace the one they’d lost. This hadn’t saved the child from his mother’s wrath, of course, but it did save another group of idiotic Fire spirits who had been experimenting with black powder.

Finally, Morna could stand it no longer. She had to take a walk. Pushing her covers aside, she was immediately greeted by a blast of icy air, but ignored it and pulled on her cloak and shoes. Perhaps she would visit the Viewing Room again.

Something about it was rather calming, and it always had a strange scent to it that Morna liked. Probably the herbs the Seers used. She’d been dying to know what they were ever since she’d pulled back the corner of the spelled package. None of her herbs ever came wrapped in embroidered silk—blue silk, no less. Whatever they were, they must have been rare… or dangerous. Maybe both.

Morna tip-toed down the path leading from her cabin. The Viewing Room was the closest building to the Clan’s defensive perimeter, which consisted mainly of a colossal grey-stone wall bordered by a moat of Ever-Oil. Ever-Oil was a modern miracle in the Warriors’ eyes. It was developed by a Spellcaster with an extreme case of pyromania, and one cup of the stuff could burn five times hotter than the largest fire anyone in the clan could procure. Also, like its name, Ever-Oil burned forever. The only ones who could put it out were high-ranking members of the Scouts and Warriors.

The Viewing Room was a mass of shadows against the stone wall, and Morna breathed a sigh of relief. The night was cold, and she didn’t want to be outside any longer than she had to. As she reached the ornate wooden door, Morna paused at the sound of voices from within. At first, they were just murmurs, but then a sharp voice cut through the others.

“—have been crossing our borders with nothing but the clothes on their back, scared for their lives! Something must be done, Alpha Shadows!” Morna froze. Alpha Shadows? Only foreigners called Jay Alpha Shadows. Everyone else simply called him ‘Alpha Jay’ or ‘Alpha’. Morna ducked beneath the windowsill, curiosity winning out over fear of being discovered eavesdropping by the Alpha.

“Why did Alpha Red Moon not come in your place, then?” Jay’s voice rumbled. “If refugees from Setsurao are indeed fleeing to your territory, why have they not sent word to us?”

“Our Clan has sent word to yours countless times, along with Twilight and Seven Fangs. We cannot house Setsurao and the Azuretei on our own.” The foreigner’s voice rose in exasperation. “In his most recent letter, Alpha Raisin expressed his concern that Mairon had won your Clan over in their campaign against the rest of us.”

“I received no word of war from the Clans,” Jay said tightly. “Nor did I get wind of trouble from Earth and Wind.”

“Well, that last is a relief,” commented the foreigner. “Mairon gives us enough trouble without stealing our closest allies. But you heard nothing from Earth, you say?”

Jay snorted. “Setsurao has not been friendly to us since my father killed the delegate the sent to us twenty years past. That sickness of a man couldn’t hold his tongue about my mother’s Wind heritage. Father tore the fool’s tongue out. I thought nothing of it.”

“You are as hot-blooded as he.”

“So I’ve been told. However, your news is disturbing. Red Moon is our closest ally. Be assured we would not ignore a request for aid.” There was silence, and Morna tilted her head closer to peer in the window. Jay sat cross-legged on the floor across from a man garbed in red-and-gold traveling robes. A Red Moon Clan warrior, then. Two black-veiled Seers knelt on the floor as well—one behind Jay and the Red Moon warrior. “I fear our communications have been intercepted,” Jay continued. “I suspect inside work.”

“Which is why Alpha Raisin did not meet you himself,” continued the foreigner. “Let your traitor believe he goes unsuspected. Spook him, and he may set off a deadly chain reaction.”

“My thoughts exactly.” The veiled Seer behind Jay suddenly raised her—Morna was almost positive this Seer was female—head from the floor. She whispered something to the Alpha, and suddenly both Jay and the foreigner looked at the window. Directly at Morna.

Morna yelped and sprang to her feet, feeling her hamstrings protest painfully at the sudden abuse. She wasn’t sure if the Alpha had seen her face clearly in the gloom, and vigorously hoped she could get far enough away before they had a chance to—
The door opened just as Morna pulled her cloak free of the hedge, and there was no denying it now: They had seen her. There was the dull shiink of metal on metal as the Red Moon warrior drew his sword. Morna’s heart pounded against her ribcage, and she forced down the bile burning the back of her throat. If they suspected her of treason, Jay would definitely put the Clan’s safety above Morna’s life.

However, much to her surprise (and immense relief), Jay held out his arm to stop the warrior. “The Seers told me you would learn of this before you should, Morna,” he said, smiling. “However, I thought the Viewing Room would be the last place you would wander to at midnight.”

“I couldn’t sleep,” muttered Morna shakily. “I went for a walk.”

“You have had ‘sleeping troubles’ for several weeks now, yes?” asked the Seeress beside Jay. “You made quite a mess in here last night.”

Morna frowned. She was fascinated by the power of the Seers, but their arrogance got on her nerves. “Thank you, Kaera,” the Alpha said tightly. “Please wake my sister, and bring her to me.” The Seeress snorted, but jogged off into the night nonetheless. “Come inside, Morna,” said Jay, as the foreigner sheathed his sword. “We have much to discuss.”

She nodded, following the Alpha as enthusiastically as she would her executioner.

***

“You are lucky, Morna,” Jay said once the girl was seated. “Lucky the Seers are accurate, I mean. Had they seen someone else...” His sentence trailed off threateningly.

Morna hung her head. “I’m sorry, Alpha,” she said softly. “I meant no harm by it.”
Jay passed her a mug of hot tea. “I would like to introduce you to Seoras,” he said, nodding to the Red Moon warrior beside him. “As you heard, he is from the Red Moon Clan with word from Raisin.”

“Yes, I heard,” admitted Morna.

“Hearing and understanding are quite different.” Jay leaned forward slightly. “You have not been told of our Clan’s relations with the other countries for a reason.” Morna nodded. Healers were, as a rule, left out of such conversations so as not to affect their judgment of those they treated. “And not for the reason you think,” he continued. “I have withheld many things from both you and my sister because I felt it to be in the best interest of the Clan.”

There was a sudden rapping on the door, and Morna jumped. “Alpha!” called Kaera’s voice. “Your permission?”

“Granted. Enter.” The door opened silently on its hinges, and Kaera entered two steps behind a very tired-looking Hazel.

“What is the meaning of this, Jay?” she grumbled. “Can’t it wait until morning?”

“I’m afraid not,” replied Jay. He gestured to the seat beside Morna, which Hazel took gratefully. “This is Seoras, Warrior of the North Star Scouts. Seoras, my younger sister Hazel.”

Seoras bowed respectfully to Hazel, but she remained seated. “North Star? Those are Red Moon Scouts.”

“Yes, Lady Hazel,” affirmed Seoras. “I have come on behalf of Alpha Raisin to deliver news of our neighbors to the East and South.”

Hazel did not bow her head, but merely nodded her head. “And I suppose this ties in with why my brother felt it necessary to pull me out of bed at midnight?”

“It does,” replied Jay sharply. “There is a traitor in our midst; maybe more than one. Please don’t interrupt, Hazel,” he said suddenly, cutting his sister off. “Time is against us at the moment, so I’ll just get straight to it: I’m sending you and Morna away. I must meet with Raisin in person, and I will not risk leaving the two of you in the Shadow Clan.”

“What?!” cried Hazel, all signs of exhaustion dissipating from her face. “No! I’m in no more danger than anyone else, and the people will want to see some signs of normalcy in the Clan!”

“I won’t go,” said Morna stubbornly. “I will not leave my position as Healer.”

Jay stood swiftly, towering over both girls. “You will do as I say!” he barked. “Hazel, you are truly a fool if you believe you are equal to anyone else in this Clan, and Morna, you are not a full Healer yet. You will do well to remember your place. Both of you are still children in the eyes of the Four Clans, and until you are seen as otherwise, you have no voice in this Clan’s Melody!”

“The Shadow Clan’s Melody is flat in comparison to the Song of Ages,” snarled Hazel, “in which I do have a voice!”

“As does the babbling madman,” Seoras replied acidly. “Sister to the Alpha or no, you would do well to learn the values of silence!”

Hazel gaped at him furiously, but said nothing more. “We are not dealing with amateurs here,” said Jay finally. “For something of this magnitude to go unnoticed for so long, there must be a grander scheme beneath what we see. You and Morna have made fast enemies with Fiekra, and by a happy coincidence, he’s in charge of communications between the clans. If anything happens to Kaji, you are next in line to be Alpha.”

“What about Kras?” asked Hazel desperately.

“Kras is not of our father’s blood,” Jay said dismissively. “He cannot lead the Clan. Morna, I would let you stay, but you know too much to remain in the Clan while I am away, and if Fiekra is involved, he will not simply leave you in peace while he sets his plans in motion.”

Morna hung her head. “When do we leave, Alpha?” she asked softly.

Jay’s eyes softened. “Get some sleep,” he said. “You will have tomorrow to pack, and I’ll send Seoras to escort you to the West Shores of Azuretei at sundown.”