Chapter 15 Kailin
It's time, and I'm ready, even excited to embark on the pilgrimage, mostly because I'm about to see Alar again.
I should guard my heart and treat him just as a friend, but it's so drakking difficult when he is so perfect in every way.
If only he were Elucian or if both of us made it to the Dragon Force…
—From the journal of Kailin Strom
Ichuckled as I closed my journal. So now I was hoping to become a dragon rider because of a guy?
I was being ridiculous.
After stuffing a thin layer of foam into my socks, I pushed my feet into the pilgrimage-approved boots and laced them up. Hopefully, that would save my feet from developing new blisters and wouldn't be considered an unfair advantage.
Standing in front of the full-length mirror in my room, I winced at how padded I looked in the fatigues we'd been issued.
They were comfortable and practical, designed to blend with the mountain terrain rather than flatter my figure or complexion.
I looked pale and washed out in the cream and brown camouflage design.
Oh well, I was going on a trek, not a date, and looking good was not a priority.
That was such a blatant lie that I felt compelled to lift three fingers to my lips. "Elu sees my heart's truth," I murmured to counteract the falsehood of my thoughts.
I wanted to look pretty when I met Alar again, but regrettably, I wasn't one of those girls who looked good in anything they wore. Girls like Shovia. Tall, thin, and dark-haired, she probably looked great in the ugly fatigues.
With a sigh, I zipped up my backpack and gave it a final pat, satisfied that everything was securely in place.
The weatherproof coveralls were rolled tightly and strapped to the bottom of my pack along with my sleeping bag, ready for quick deployment if the weather suddenly took a turn for the worse.
The advantage of making the trek while fasting was the lightness of my backpack.
I didn't need to carry food. I had two canteens strapped to my belt, which were filled with water as per the instructions we'd been given.
This water would have to last me until I could refill it again, and we were warned to conserve it in case we took longer than planned to get to the refilling spot.
"Don't forget your gloves," my mother said from the doorway.
"Already packed them." I held up my hands, showing the lighter gloves I was wearing. "These are just for tonight. The insulated ones are in my pack for tomorrow."
We would be sleeping on the ground at the base of Mount Hope tonight, but it wasn't as cold as it would be at the higher elevations.
Chicha trotted restlessly behind my mother, her nails clicking on the wooden floor as she crossed from the doorway to the window and back again. She'd been agitated all day, probably picking up on the nervous energy around her. My entire family was anxious about the ordeal I was about to face.
The only time today that Chicha had been her usual upbeat self had been during Alar's brief visit to Gran's apothecary.
She'd taken an immediate liking to him, which made me trust him more.
Dogs in general have a better sense about people than humans, and Chicha was particularly good at sniffing out the not-so-nice ones.
If she thought that Alar was a good guy, then I could allow myself to think that too, and not berate myself over falling for a handsome face and a killer body.
Not that I was falling for him.
We were just friends because that was all we could be to each other.
My mother walked into my room and pulled me into her arms. "Are you sure that you are ready for this? There's no shame in getting a waiver given your problem."
My family and Shovia were aware of my fear of heights because it was impossible to hide it from them, but no one else was, and I intended to keep it that way. Requesting a waiver from the pilgrimage was never an option.
In moments of weakness, I had thought of faking an injury or exhaustion as a way out in case my fear became paralyzing, but I knew that I would push myself to finish the drakking pilgrimage even if I had to crawl to the top.
I stepped out of her embrace and smiled, hoping it conveyed confident reassurance. "I'll be fine, Mom. I'll keep my eyes on Shovia's backpack and won't look down."
My father walked in behind her and rested his hands on her shoulders. "Our girl is made of strong stuff, Milly, and Dylon will be there to help her once she gets to the Citadel. He might even be one of the riders picking up the new recruits from the Circle of Fate."
My father's faith in me becoming a rider was unwavering, which was both endearing and unrealistic.
Still, there was a chance that he was right, and as my imagination provided me with a visual of riding with Dylon on his dragonia, my mouth turned suddenly dry.
The prospect was much more terrifying than scaling Mount Hope.
Would I be riding behind him so I could bury my face in his back or in front of him?
I hoped it was the former and not the latter.
"Let's not get ahead of ourselves." I infused my voice with confidence. "The shaman hasn't declared me gifted yet."
"But what if you are—" my mother started.
"If I am, then I'll deal with it." I softened my voice at her flinch. "But there's no point worrying about something that might not happen."
A rapid knock at the front door interrupted whatever my mother was about to say, and a moment later, Shovia walked into my room, dressed in her fatigues and looking as good in them as I had expected.
"Are you ready?" She practically bounced on her toes, radiating excitement. "We need to get going soon!"
"Some of us actually pack carefully," I said, but couldn't help smiling at her enthusiasm. "Not everyone just throws things in her bag and hopes for the best. Did you remember to pack several changes of undergarments?"
Shovia waved a dismissive hand. "I'm not gifted, so I'll be coming down after the shaman tells me my fate.
I only packed what I needed for the three days going up, one day at the top, and three days coming down.
You, on the other hand, might need more.
Then again, they have laundry facilities at the Citadel, so seven of everything should be enough. "
If we were flown directly to the Citadel, we wouldn't be going back to get our personal items, so I'd made sure to pack a few.
I believed in being prepared for any eventuality.
Shovia dropped her backpack on the floor next to mine and sat on my bed. "I packed makeup, though." She crossed her legs as if she were sitting at a party and laced the fingers of both hands over her knee. "Fasting doesn't mean looking bad, right?"
She couldn't look bad even if she tried.
I shook my head. "Only you would think of bringing makeup."
She shrugged. 'You'd be surprised. The pilgrimage is great for socializing and meeting new guys."
My mother snorted softly. "Is your family coming to the ceremony, Shovia?"
Her expression turned somber. "My grandma is not feeling well, so it depends on whether they have to stay with her.
I'd rather they don't come." She grimaced.
"My mother gets emotional watching stupid televised dramas.
I don't want her sobbing loudly during the ceremony, and everyone looking at her. It would be so embarrassing."
My mom seemed taken aback, probably because she knew she would shed a few tears herself. "I hope your grandmother feels better soon and that your parents make it to the ceremony. After all, we embark on the pilgrimage just once in our lifetime. It would be a shame if they missed seeing you off."
Shovia shrugged. "I don't mind. I've already said my goodbyes, and they wished me luck and all that. Besides, they are going to see me in a week. I was gone longer when I was visiting my cousins in Podana." She turned back to me. "I heard that Alar stopped by the apothecary this morning."
My grandmother was such a gossip, but how did she know that Shovia knew Alar?
I busied myself putting on my hat. "He wanted something for altitude sickness."
"Smart man." My father nodded approvingly. "Most flatlanders don't think about that until they're halfway up the mountain and sick as dogs."
Chicha barked at the word 'dogs' and resumed her restless trotting back and forth between the window and the door.
"What's wrong with her?" Shovia asked.
"She's been like this all day. She must be picking up on everyone's nervous energy." I did one final check of my gear. "Water bottles?"
"Filled and attached," Shovia said.
"Socks?"
"Six pairs."
We wouldn't get to wash ourselves on the trek, and we had been given only one extra pair of fatigues, but at least we could put on a fresh pair of underwear and socks each morning.
"Good." I shouldered my pack, testing its weight. "You did remember to pack your coveralls, right?"
Shovia's momentary hesitation was answer enough.
I shook my head. "Go home and get them. They won't let you up the mountain without them."
"Drak." She jumped up from my bed and darted to the door. "Back in a flash!"
After she left, my father chuckled. "Some things never change. You've been looking after that girl since you two became best friends."
"We take care of each other." I smiled, remembering all the times I'd had to rein in Shovia's impulsiveness, and all the times her positive energy had pulled me out of a slump.
Loud voices outside drew us to look out the window. People were already heading toward the town square, their packs on their backs and excitement evident in their hurried steps and boisterous tones.
Chicha pressed against my legs, whining softly.
"It's okay, girl." I crouched to pat her shaggy head and scratch behind her ears. "I'll be back before you know it."
She looked at me with those wise old eyes, and I felt tears prickle the back of mine. If I were found gifted, I wouldn't see her for a long time. Dylon's first visit home had been seven months after he'd started training.
"Got them!" Shovia burst into my room, waving her coveralls. "Can we go now? I want to get a good spot near the front."
"Near Codric, you mean," I teased, standing up and wiping my eyes discreetly.
She grinned. "That depends on whether he and Alar make it there early like Alar promised you."
I hugged my parents one last time, trying not to think about how this might have been the last night I'd spend at home. Even if I weren't chosen for the Dragon Force, I'd still be assigned somewhere to start my basic training.
"Be safe," my mother whispered.
"Always am." I kissed her cheek, then my father's. "See you at the square."
I stopped by Gran's rocking chair in the living room and gave her a fierce hug. "I'm going to miss you."
She patted my shoulder. "I will be there to watch the ceremony. Good luck out there. I know you are going to make it."
"Thanks, Gran." I kissed her soft, wrinkly cheek.
As Shovia and I headed out into the aurora-lit evening, I heard Chicha's worried whine behind us, and my heart ached. I was already missing her and the rest of my family, and that was before I even made it a few steps away from my home.