Chapter 3 Zethan
ZETHAN
Aheavy, brooding presence edged into his awareness, waking him. He sat up in bed and concentrated. The undulating air currents hooked around him. They wrapped around his heart and tugged. The irresistible pull brought him to his feet.
Zethan dressed quickly and ran out into the gray dawn.
A thick band of dark clouds filled the northwestern sky.
The season’s first snowstorm loomed, and it was a moody one.
Zethan spread his arms wide, sensing the direction of the storm.
The damp breeze blew from the north, indicating a southerly track.
Gathering magic from the blanket of power, he extended his senses toward the storm.
When he established a connection to its essence, or perhaps its soul—he never could find the perfect word—he altered its direction, tweaking it far enough east so it would cross the NIP north of Icefaren.
Once he was satisfied the storm accepted his suggestion, he withdrew most of his consciousness from the storm, leaving a thread so he could find his way back without using too much power.
Dashing inside the house, he woke Zo and Heli. They’d only been here a few days, and they already had their first customer.
“How strong?” Heli asked when she joined them for breakfast.
“On the small size,” he said.
“Boo.”
“It’s still early in the season, Heli.” Zethan laughed. “Don’t worry, there will be a number of the legendary NIP blizzards.”
She brightened and filled her plate. “Is there anything else about the storm that I need to know?”
“It’s broody. Probably hit us with big wet snowflakes.”
“Then four orbs should be enough.”
“Agreed,” Zethan said. “Zo, are you ready to try influencing snowflakes?”
“That’s why I’m here.” Her tone bordered on surly. Zo wasn’t a morning person.
Unaffected by her attitude, he said, “I can’t control the timing of these storms, only their direction. It might be a good idea not to stay up so late reading.”
“Studying.” She corrected, giving him a pointed look.
He pished. “There will be plenty of time to study on the trip home.”
They finished eating and walked to the stable. Annika and Endre were already there, helping to saddle four of the five horses.
Zohav huffed and went to Kitty’s stall.
“You don’t need to come with us,” Zethan said to the Ixians.
“We’d like to see how stormdancing is done,” Annika said.
“It’s not too exciting. You’ll be cold and bored.”
“Well, maybe you’ll need protection from a snow cat,” Endre said.
Zethan paused. “Snow cats are practically invisible on the NIP. If you see one, you’re already dead.”
“Zohav said you can scare them off.”
“They don’t get scared. But on the rare occasion, they decide it’s not worth their effort to eat a person. Zo had survived more encounters than anyone in Ixia.” He lowered his voice. “I believe they think she’s too prickly and sour to eat.”
“I heard that! And why does Kitty have a blanket on?” Zo asked.
Elley poked her head out from another stall.
Straw clung to her black hair and she held a curry comb.
Like most of their relatives, she had bright blue eyes.
“He was cold.” She pointed to the other horses.
They’re used to the warmer temperatures in Sitia and southern Ixia. I put blankets on all of them.”
“Kitty let you?” Zohav sounded impressed.
“Not at first. But nighttime temperatures tend to plummet, and he was banging on his stall door at two in the morning.” She laughed. “He’s ornery, but not stupid. In fact, you all should take the blankets with you. While you do your thing, they’ll be standing around.”
Good point. While Zo saddled Kitty, Zethan helped secure the heavy covers to everyone’s saddles. Heli took four orbs from the wagon and placed them carefully in her backpack.
“Zo, when you’re finished, could you…um…never mind,” Elley said, returning to grooming her horse.
“Could I what?” Zohav stepped on a stool in order to heave the saddle over Kitty’s back.
“Can you melt ice?” Elley asked. “The coals died under one of the water troughs last night. Not a big deal, but it just takes all day to thaw it out.”
“I can try. That’s why I’m here.”
Zethan thought his sister had experimented with ice before, but, thinking about it, soon after their powers appeared, they had been smuggled to the west coast of Ixia in the dead of night.
He shuddered remembering the threat of being discovered, his parents’ panic, and the fear of never seeing them or their brother Zebulon again.
Once aboard Nell’s ship, though, he’d quickly adapted to sea life.
Plenty of waves and weather, but no ice.
They had docked during the cold season. Too bad the Commander wouldn’t let him live in Ixia.
Zethan would have loved to go out with the fishing fleet and ensure the ships didn’t sink during bad storms. Maybe he could gain the Commander’s trust and extend his visits here.
Zohav finished with Kitty and followed Elley to the frozen trough. He and the rest trailed behind to watch. Zohav’s brows knitted together in concentration as she stared at the ice. Nothing happened. She crouched down and laid her hands on the frozen block.
After a few moments, Zo blew out her breath and straightened. “Apparently I cannot melt ice.”
“But it’s frozen water,” he said.
Zo shrugged. “The water has crystallized into a solid state, and is obviously not affected by my magic.”
“What about moving the ice?” Annika asked.
His sister cocked her head and held her arms out in front of her body. Once again nothing happened. She glanced at Heli and gave her a teasing smile. “Guess, I’m not an ice queen after all.”
Heli blushed. Adorable.
They all donned their cloaks and mounted, heading north to the NIP.
It would take a couple hours to reach the perfect position.
Zethan strengthened his bond with the storm and led the way.
When they crossed the boundary between the frozen wasteland that was the Northern Ice Pack, the world turned flat and white.
Zethan slowed as navigating became difficult.
The damp wind sharpened and sliced through the gaps in their clothes. The cold air smelled fresh. At least, it didn’t freeze the hairs in his nostrils. That unpleasant experience would unfortunately be in his near future. Big fat flakes fell from the leaden sky, swirling lazily around them.
He stopped Smoke on instinct, sensing the center of the storm heading directly for them. “This is the spot.”
Heli dismounted and strode away from them. If she accidentally overfilled an orb, it would shatter and kill her and anyone nearby. Zethan covered Thunder and Smoke with their blankets.
When all the horses were cared for, Annika and Endre approached him. “I understand now why spotting a snow cat in these conditions is impossible,” Endre said. “How much danger are we in from the predators?”
“Not much. They hunker down in their dens when a storm comes through,” Zethan said.
“How do they know a storm is coming?”
“I suspect they sense it. Probably like I do, but without the magic.”
Annika looked at him. “Do animals have magic?”
“The only animals known to use magic are the Sandseed bred horses. Their gust-of-wind gait is magical but can only be accessed in the Avibian Plains.”
In the distance, Heli pulled an orb and a large rubber stopper from her pack. She whistled, signaling she was ready.
“It’s go time.” Zethan tugged the storm’s center closer. The snow fell harder. It became difficult to see Heli through the white curtain. He held his hand up to his forehead to shield his eyes.
Heli cradled the orb with her left arm and raised her right hand, which held the stopper. A sphere of calm surrounded her, shielding her from the snow and wind.
“Is she stormdancing?” Annika asked him.
“Yes.”
Suddenly, the snowflakes around them parted, improving visibility. Confused, Zethan checked the storm. Had Heli harvested all of its energy already?
“Apparently, I can influence snowflakes,” Zo said. She held out her gloved hand, revealing a snowball. “Well, these ones as they’re pretty wet. I’m not sure about the ones that come in with the blizzards. They might be too frozen for me to manipulate.”
He glanced around. The four of them stood in a snow free bubble—the reverse of a snow globe. Their cloaks wouldn’t get soaked. Zethan swirled his finger in the air. “Is this you?”
“Yes. And it’s not that draining.”
“Sweet. I told you that coming along was a good idea.”
She hit him with her snowball.
“Game on!” He scooped up a handful of snow. They relived their childhood. Squealing, ducking, and running, they enjoyed an epic snowball fight that Endre and Annika couldn’t help but join.
Even while dodging the various white missiles—no fair Zo had dead accurate aim—Zethan monitored the storm.
After Heli filled a third orb, he called a truce and whistled.
If she took too much energy the storm would dissipate.
While snow was a nuisance, it brought fresh water to the northern Military Districts of Ixia.
Heli joined them. “What do you think about stormdancing?” she asked Annika.
“Frankly, it didn’t look like you or Zethan did anything. Zohav kept the snowflakes off of us.”
Heli reached into her pack and withdrew a filled orb. She showed it to Annika and Endre. Iridescent energy swirled inside. “What about now?”
Fascinated, they stared at the mini maelstrom trapped in the glass sphere. Colors twirled and twisted, and waves of luminescence crashed. Bubbles grew and popped as if the energy inside had come to a roiling boil.
“Wow,” Endre said. His voice a bare whisper of awe. “No wonder you’re so careful with the orbs.”
“It’s difficult to believe that the power of the storm can be captured and collected inside a small glass container,” Annika said.