Protector of the Chosen: Mother of the Chosen, #2

By Janeal Falor

Adriella finally has her child in her arms, but not under the circumstances she hoped for. Caring for a newborn is difficult anyway, but with her wrists and ankles shackled, it's nearly impossible.

She's also been ripped from her husband and friends, and has no idea if they're still alive. Regardless, she must fight for herself and her child. Like her, the other women and children who are part of the same prison train will do anything to keep their families safe. Including sell out their fellow prisoners.

The High King still searches for the one destined to kill him. With everyone around her looking for the chosen, Adriella and her baby's chances of survival grow slimmer every day.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Janeal Falor
• Release date: Sep 8, 2018
• ISBN: 9781386420767

Janeal Falor

Janeal Falor lives in Utah where she’s finally managed to live in the same house for more than five years without moving. In her spare time she reads books like they’re nuts covered in caramel and chocolate, cooks whatever strikes her fancy, and enjoys the outdoors. Her husband and three children try to keep up with her overactive imagination. Usually they settle for having dinner on the table, even if she’s still going on about the voices in her head.

Book preview

Chapter One

Though my baby was finally in my arms, twists of distraught gnawed at my stomach. It was because of the zasin surrounding me. I was chained to other women and their children. The whole thing made me ill. What could be going through these men’s heads, that they’d treat us this way? Why would they be taking us to the Sunsire? So they could murder us and our babies?

More importantly, what would they do when they discovered my daughter was the chosen one?

Kill her, of course. Would that mean the others could live?

I snuggled her close, trying to get rid of the sick feeling in my stomach and kept her hand tightly tucked in the blanket the orcs gave us. I didn’t want anyone, including the other mothers, to see my daughter had a star on her palm. The mark of the chosen.

If the profecta—the rock of prophecy—was to be believed, whoever bore this mark would take down the ruler of all. The thought had me swaying as we walked. Would my daughter be the one to kill the High King?

Whether she was or not, I wanted her safe.

Our group of about a dozen women thudded through the woods. Most had children with them. Twice as many guards encircled us as we walked. Not that we could have gotten away, even if there were fewer of them. My hand was secured with an iron band connected with a chain to all the other prisoners, none of whom deigned to speak with me. In fact, many gave me dirty looks. Since most of them were orcs, they probably hated me because I was human.

I missed the sounds of birds calling—the peace of the forest, when it wasn’t trying to kill me and my companions. Were they still alive? Last I saw, Aphier had been on the ground, not moving, Candui at his side. Togafui, our orc who’d journeyed a small ways with us for unknown reasons, had been fighting off several zasin. Edpol had knelt over Aphier, a zasin holding a sword behind him—not that I cared what happened him, since he’d tried to kill the man I loved.

Richart. My husband.

Last I saw of him, he’d been run through with a sword.

The back of my eyes burned. This was why I avoided thinking of him all day. I needed him to be alive, but everything in me said he was gone. There was no way he could have survived the number of zasin who attacked..

I bit the inside of my cheek. It was Richart’s aunt’s fault. Scerta had led the zasin to us, dooming us all. If I ever saw her again, I couldn’t be held liable for my actions, even if she was old.

Halt, Gruff-Voice, the leader of the zasin group, said. That wasn’t his real name; I didn’t catch what that was. I called him Gruff-Voice because that was how his voice sounded. He was big and cruel, and I wanted nothing to do with him. Unfortunately, I didn’t have much of a choice.

The group of women and zasin came to a stop. We were done for the day. There wasn’t much light left from the sun, and one moon already appeared.

The women formed circles, sitting down on the hard-packed dirt, orcs and humans staying as separate as possible. I held my daughter near and took a seat. I didn’t want to be the last one standing and bring extra attention to my baby, though I had no group to go to. No one wanted to accept me.

I leaned near my baby and took a deep breath. She smelled… Well, I didn’t know how to put it into words other than wonderful. The sweet scent made me hold her closer and press a kiss to her forehead. I had to find a way to protect her.

With the star on her palm, there was no easy way to do that. I had an idea as to how to hide it, but I would need full darkness. Not only for the secrecy it provided, but also because I’d need it to look at the stars. Being a Starda and able to use magic might work to my advantage. Unless I got caught.

It was worth the risk if it kept my baby safe. I whispered to her, What should I name you, little one?

I had promised the fairy who spared our lives in the swamp that I’d name my child after her if it was a girl, but that didn’t feel like enough. I wanted something more to honor her properly. Whatever it was tickled at the edge of my thoughts, not letting me grasp it.

A soldier handed me a bowl of gruel. Without another word, he turned and left. At least they were feeding us now, though I wondered why since they were taking us to be slaughtered. I hadn’t eaten since some time before I was snatched. It took some jostling, but I managed to hold my daughter in one arm, place the bowl of gruel on the ground, and use my free hand to bring the spoon to my lips.

Bleck. This wasn’t food. It was more of a sticky, tasteless mess. But I couldn’t afford to be picky. I ate it as quickly as I could, despite the taste, afraid they would take it from me.

The two women in front of me were orcs. One had a baby in her arms and a young child next to her, picking at its gruel. I couldn’t tell if it was a boy or a girl. It was difficult to tell with orcs; they all looked the same. The other orc was a pregnant woman. She was going to be a mother soon. Of course, the child wouldn’t have much of a chance to live considering these circumstances.

I licked my lips, trying to find a way around my nervousness. I wanted to talk to them. Find out what they knew. They were not just the closest to me, but also the smallest group. If I could get some information from them, I would discover a way for us to escape. Not that it seemed very likely at the moment.

Steeling myself, I scooted over to them. My voice came out quieter than I meant. Hello. My voice came out quieter than I meant it to.

They turned to glare at me. I glanced around the rest of the group. There was a clear separation between humans and orcs. Perhaps talking to the orcs was a mistake, but I couldn’t reach the other human women, with my chain attached to the orcs in front of me and them with no inkling of moving. If I wanted answers, it’d have to be from these two.

Are you familiar with Queen Plofgog? It was the only connection I could think of. They probably wouldn’t know Togafui, unless she had a bigger rank than I thought. I didn’t know the woman well, so it was a distinct possibility.

The closest orc to me, the pregnant one, narrowed her glassy eyes. What do you know of our queen?

I swallowed my nerves and forged ahead. I was with her recently. She said there had been a zasin raid on your fortress, and that some of her people were taken. Would that be you?

The one I was speaking with looked at the mother of the two children. She shrugged, and the pregnant one turned her attention back on me. We were taken in the raid, yes.

How long ago was that? I was drawing attention from the other groups of women, those gathered looking and pointing at me. I made an effort to focus on what the orc before me was saying.

You lose track of the days. She scowled. It’s been more than a week or two.

Over ten to twenty days. If we’d stumbled onto the orc fortress much sooner, I could have been taken with them. Not that I’d escaped that, but at least Richart had seen our child. My heart gave an aching twist, but I pushed on. The queen and king are worried about you.

She sighed. Not much they can do about it, though. Is there? The zasin that raided our city were more than the men here, but there are enough left that, even if our people did find us, there would be a fight. Plus, the zasin threatened to immediately kill us and our children if anyone followed. There will be no rescue.

I wished I could read the emotions on her face. To me, she looked like a fierce orc, but that didn’t match up with the anguish tainting her words. I’m sorry. I have no hope of rescue either. My companions were… My throat tightened, making conversation impossible.

We heard the fighting, the mother said.

I nodded. I don’t know if they… Survived. It didn’t seem likely. I brushed a tear away and gave my daughter’s forehead another kiss.

It’s hard times we live in, the pregnant orc said.

I couldn’t keep thinking of the other race like that. I’m Adriella. This is my daughter, Xataywa Candui. As the words left my mouth, I knew they were right. It might not be a conventional name, but it was perfect.

I didn’t know humans had two names at birth.

"They don’t, usually, but I promised someone I would name my child after her, and Candui is the name of my friend who helped me hide here in Umpi forest from the zasin." Not that hiding did me much good in the end.

I am Murlfolg. The woman rubbed her large belly.

And I am Wubluga, the mother said. This is my son, Hidlugd. She pointed to the babe in her arms. And this little one got taken in the raid without her parents. We don’t know her name. We don’t even know if she can speak. She was rounded up with the rest of us. No clue where her mother is.

My heart broke a little. It’s a pleasure to meet you, though I wish it was under different circumstances.

I don’t mean to be rude… Well, maybe I do, Wubluga said. I’m wondering if it would still be a pleasure to meet us if you weren’t chained to us.

It’s a fair point. Xataywa started to fuss. I lifted my tunic and brought her to me, doing the best I could to hide both of us with her blanket. I don’t know that it would have been a pleasure had we met before I became pregnant, if truth be told. But I’ve learned a lot since then. Speaking with your queen and Togafui, an orc who decided to travel with us, I realized there’s more to you than I was taught.

Wubluga nodded.

It was strange to think we were speaking so cordially when things could have been so different.

A woman broke off from the group of orcs closest to us. She walked over but didn’t bother to sit. Who’s this? She asked with a sneer.

I looked up at her. I’m Adriella.

She glared down at me. I didn’t ask you.

I tried not to let the words sting, but it was difficult when her voice was so sharp.

Murlfolg said, She is a prisoner like us.

The newcomer shook her head. Doesn’t give her a reason to mix with us. She should stick to humans. Their filth has done enough damage without infiltrating our numbers.

She stomped away before I could reply. Not that I wanted to. Who wanted to talk to someone that caustic? I hoped Murlfolg and Wubluga didn’t turn me away because of her.

Don’t listen to her, Murlfolg said. She was grouchy even before we were brought here. Istalga didn’t have a good attitude, ever.

The orc who’d left us, Istalga, made it back to her group and sat down, and a little orc climbed on her lap. The child peeked over her mother’s shoulder, to stare at me. It was disconcerting, but I smiled. The child ducked behind Istalga, where I couldn’t see her anymore.

Murlfolg took my bowl and Wubluga’s and passed them through the line. She said, Best get some sleep now. The days marching are long.

Do they give us blankets? I asked.

Wubluga snorted. Not likely. Her tone softened. Keep your little Xataywa close.

I nodded.

Xataywa finished eating, and I brought her back a ways from the orcs. Though they hadn’t said as much, they wouldn’t want me sleeping close to them.

It was just as well. The sun had gone down, and the stars and all three moons were out. I had some magic I needed to do.

Chapter Two

Icurled up on the ground with Xataywa held tightly against me and waited. I couldn’t very well cast a spell with the zasin standing right there staring at me. Not that they were; it just felt like it. They were scattered around us—most falling asleep, but some remaining to keep watch. Over us or over the Umpi forest around us, though?

It wasn’t easy, but I forced myself to stay awake. I couldn’t fall asleep, no matter how exhausted I felt. If I failed, little Xataywa might lose her life even sooner than she was already going to. It wasn’t something I could handle. I’d give my life to keep her safe if needed. Giving up sleep shouldn’t be too hard, compared to that.

Yet, as the night dragged on, my eyelids became increasingly heavy. They wanted to close and stay that way for a week. I never got as much rest as I wanted after having my baby. My body ached for it, but still I stayed awake.

The sounds of owls and other creatures in the night mixed with the occasional cry of a baby. I wouldn’t get much rest anyway. If how often she ate was any indication, Xataywa would need to get up to eat several times. Still, I didn’t want to chance not waking up if she decided she didn’t need to eat.

The middle moon was at its peak in the sky, the other two surrounding it. It was as good as time as I was going to get. I glanced around the camp. All the zasin that were awake faced outside or were speaking among themselves. Everything else was still.

I gently nudged Xataywa awake and brought her to my breast to eat. She latched on quickly, her suckling growing painful. I endured the shooting pains and covered us as best I could with the blanket against the chill night air.

Once she was done eating, I didn’t lower my tunic. Instead, I grabbed my star stone that hung at my chest and touched it to Xataywa’s tiny hand, right on the mark of the star the dragon had given her. Hoping to the stars that I’d studied their alignment right, I pulled on their power.

It came in a flash, answering my call. The part of smooth baby skin that was black returned to a creamy color, like the rest of my darling girl. It was a spell my mother taught me when I was a teenager struggling with acne. Not how I thought I’d use it, but that mark of the star certainly felt like a blemish right now.

I tucked my star stone away and put down my tunic, only to look up and find Istalga staring at me from across the camp.

A firm band clamped around my heart. Had she seen? I wanted to think she hadn’t, but it wasn’t as dark as it could be, with the three moons out and almost all of them full. I bit my cheek. What should I say or do? In the end, I ignored the orc and snuggled Xataywa in her warmth.

Despite wanting, and even needing to, I couldn’t rest. Not with the image of Istalga’s eyes on me seared into my brain. What must she think? Did she see the stone? See a flash of light? Did she know what it meant?

Not all who saw a star stone recognized it. Many people didn’t know you needed an object to cast a spell. They thought you could pull the power from out of thin air and use it however your evil heart pleased. Thankfully, that wasn’t how it worked.

I’d spent years studying and training, memorizing the alignment of stars. I’d forgotten how little I learned in my years with Richart, who didn’t know I could do magic. It was easier not to do magic in a world where it was hated and feared.

My baby stirred in her sleep next to me. I cuddled her, breathing in her sweet scent. How, in all of Erta, was I going to save her life?

Get up, you lazy wenches. It’s time to get a move on, a deep male voice yelled.

I jolted awake. When I had fallen asleep? I vaguely remembered feeding Xataywa a couple times during the night. Istalga had stared at me. She may have seen me use magic. I shivered, and it had nothing to do with the chill morning air, though I could see my breath.

Xataywa looked up at me, her sweet little eyes appearing sleepy. I had a feeling she was a quiet baby compared to the crying children in this horrid excuse for a prison camp. I scooped her up and whispered in her ear, Momma will take care of you.

I didn’t know how, but that didn’t make it any less true.

Another bowl of gruel was shoved in my hand. I was going to come to hate this stuff. At least I had food to eat, and I wasn’t going to starve while being dragged around the country—wherever they were taking us. When I finished, I brought my bowl over to Murlfolg. She handed it up, and I asked, Do you know where they are taking us?

To the Sunsire.

Well, I knew that. Where is he at? The palace? I couldn’t imagine him doing his dirty work anywhere else, but then, I couldn’t imagine us getting slaughtered at the palace either. It was one thing to tell your people you were killing their children, and another to do it in front of them.

Murlfolg shrugged. Don’t know. Does it matter?

It would be nice to know if there was a chance to escape. Otherwise? I suppose not.

You’ll have more time than you want, on this hunsta trek. Wubluga nudged her way into our conversation. With women and children, it’s slow going, no matter how they try to drive us.

Hunsta? Was that a derogatory orc term? Will it be faster once we get out of the forest?

The zasin are anxious to take us out of here. Murlfolg stretched, making her pronounced stomach look bigger. They fear what’s in here. Can’t say as I blame them. Though I’ve lived in the forest my entire life, and the farther we get from orc territory, the more nervous it makes me.

That wasn’t a comforting thought.

Start walking, Gruff-Voice called out over the chatter of women and cries of babes.

Our chains clanked together. How far away were we from the edge? I couldn’t see the tower line, but there were so many trees. It was difficult to tell. I didn’t know if it was better to be here in the woods or out of them. Mostly, I tried to keep my thoughts away from my husband and friends. I failed miserably.

My heart ached as we went, only stopping for short bathroom breaks where we were still all chained together. The bathroom breaks were arduous, with a baby in my arms, but I didn’t dare give Xataywa to anyone else. What if they saw her mark? What if Istalga got a chance to examine her?

I didn’t want to chance checking too closely and bring attention to my baby’s hand, but what I saw was smooth, unblemished skin. Who knew being vain when I was a teenager would produce a life-saving skill? It would last until the star alignment changed.

What would I do when my spell on Xataywa’s hand wore off?

I’d have to find a way to escape.

The afternoon was waning, and I was flagging. My legs were strong enough from all the running around me and my companions did in the forest, but my muscles ached from switching Xataywa back and forth. It would have been worse if Richart and I hadn’t been training, strengthening my arms, but they were still tired. I shoved thoughts of Richart away as a strange howl echoed through the air.

The zasin drew their swords, and I hurried to the orcs in front of me. What was that?

Yipra, Murlfolg said, clutching her stomach. It’s close.

Keep moving, Gruff-Voice called out.

Idiot. Wubluga snarled, pulling the orc child closer to her as she held her little one. If it didn’t know where we were before, it certainly will, with all his hollering.

What do we do? Is there a way to survive its attack? I reached for my dagger before I remembered the zasin had taken it away.

If it comes, stay close to us and try not to move. The zasin will likely draw its attention with their stupidity, but limited movement will help us. Wubluga bent down to say something to the child.

I bit my lip. I could do that. It wouldn’t be difficult to stay near them when fear was making my heart pound.

The zasin pushed us on at a faster pace. With the fear of the yipra pulling me, it was easier to keep up than I expected. There was no further sign of the creature. The zasin put away their swords, and Wubluga tutted at them.

The sun set behind the mountain, its rays trickling overhead, when Gruff-Voice called for us to stop for the night. If it was up to me, we would have kept going. It was too close to where we heard the yipra call for me to feel comfortable.

I went to sit at my spot in the back, but Murlfolg motioned me forward. When I got there, she whispered, Stick with us.

I wasn’t about to argue, even if staying with them brought us dirty looks from human and orcs alike. I was grateful someone was watching out for me. Why was she doing so, though?

If only there was a way to return the favor. There was little I knew about birth, other than what happened while I was in labor with Xataywa, so I’d be no help when Murlfolg’s time came. And I had my baby to look after, so I wouldn’t be much help with Wubluga’s son or the orc child.

It didn’t matter. We were all prisoners. As much as I wanted to assist them, I couldn’t even help myself.

Murlfolg passed me a bowl of gruel. It was colder than last night or this morning, but I ate hungrily. When it was gone, I fed Xataywa, grateful that she had a better meal than I did. I wrapped my baby in her blanket, tucking her in tight, when a crash echoed through the camp. I glanced up to see a massive creature howling, with several rows of sharp teeth on display.

We were going to die.

Chapter Three

Igripped Xataywa, ready to get to my feet and run when Wubluga grabbed my arm and held me down. She shook her head, not taking her gaze off the yipra.

Right. I wasn’t supposed to move.

Holding as still as could be, I watched zasin gather around the creature, swords drawn. They jumped at it, and the fray became hard to follow. There were flashes of long claws at the zasin, and I couldn’t bring myself to look away though I would end up dead no matter who won the battle.

My muscles bunched, readying for who knew what. The yipra let out another howl in the face of several zasin and swatted them to the side. Despite a dozen swords coming at it, the creature stomped forward.

Most of the zasin were fleeing as the yipra headed toward our chain of women and children. One man, though, loped forward, brandishing his sword. The yipra swiveled its great head to follow the movements of the man, saliva dripping down its fangs.

I might not like the men, but that didn’t mean I wanted to see