Free The Cypher Wheel by Alison Pensy Page B

crossed legged in front of the pool of
water, she buried her face in her hands.
     

CHAPTER NINE
     
    “Faedra!” A voice she recognized echoed across the
room as Faen exited the tunnel. She heard his footsteps pound
towards her before the soothing calmness of her Guardian's palms
rested on her shoulders.
    A sob escaped, then another, and another. “I'm not
evil, Faen. I'm not,” Faedra cried. Tears squeezed their way out of
her eyes but evaporated before they made it down her cheeks.
    Faen sat on the floor next to her and gathered her up
in his arms. She was hot, but thankfully, not enough to burn him.
She leaned into his caress and buried her head in his shoulder.
    “No one thinks that, Faedra.”
    “Carina does.”
    The others exited the tunnel, hot on Faen's heels.
They stood a few paces away, faces full of concern. Faen turned and
gave Carina a reproving look; she averted her gaze to the
ground.
    “I scared all these people. All these children. I
didn't know anyone was here when I lost control, honestly. I didn't
mean to scare anyone.” Faedra sobbed.
    “Eirwen, please take the horses,” Carina said.
    A young woman, also in a blue robe, stepped forward
and collected the reins that Carina and Anwynn held out for her.
She led them through another tunnel on the opposite side of the
cavern.
    Carina stepped forward and knelt beside the
Custodian. “Faedra, I am sorry.” Carina's voice was soft and
compassionate. “Your Guardian is correct; I did not know your power
was linked so closely to your emotions. It was thoughtless of me to
say such a thing. It is true, we do not yet know how such a power
will affect you in the long term, but we will do everything within
our knowledge to help you. We may be able to bind it.”
    Faedra stopped crying and pulled her head away from
Faen's shoulder, her face red with tears. She gave Carina a hopeful
look. “You really think you can bind it?”
    “I believe we have the knowledge to do so, yes. But
first we need you to use it to help us.”
    Faedra pinched her brows together.
    “Let us go somewhere private so we can explain
ourselves.”
    Faen got up and pulled his Custodian to her feet.
Faedra glanced around at the women and children who were looking
less scared now that Carina and Anwynn had joined them. She noticed
that the women were wearing blue robes like the one's Carina and
Anwynn had on. The children also wore robes, but they were
different colors. Some were blue, but there was white, red, black,
and green in the mix, too.
    Carina turned to the group who had gathered around
them. “It is alright. Faedra will not hurt any of you. I have
brought her here to help us.”
    The crowd mumbled to each other and a wave of
excitement filled the air.
    “You really think this slip of a girl can help us,
Carina?” an older lady spouted.
    “This is not just an ordinary girl, Brina. This is
the Custodian.”
    More excited mumbles spread through the crowd.
    The lady named Brina gave Faedra a considering look;
casting her gaze up and down before turning back to Carina. “The
girl obviously cannot control Savu's power. How much use do you
believe she will be against Arawn?”
    Faedra stiffened at Brina's words. “Hey, I didn't ask
to be brought here. I'd be quite happy for you to send us all back,
thank you very much.”
    “Brina, hush up, for goodness sakes. Faedra is our
only hope. We have tried everything else. I do not see you coming
up with any more ideas.” Carina chastised the older woman.
    Brina gave Carina a dirty look but made no further
comments.
    For the first time since entering the cave, Faedra
had a good look around. The cavern was immense. She must have run
downhill for quite a ways, because the ceiling of the cave
stretched high above them. There were holes around the walls of the
cave, about one story high with rickety looking ladders leading to
each one. Faedra thought they must be natural anomalies in the cave
wall that substituted for makeshift rooms, as