Chainfire: Chainfire Trilogy Part 1

Jillian couldn't seem to make herself blink. She felt completely inadequate, and at the same time faintly excited and guardedly inspired. Her people were depending on her. More importantly, her grandfather was depending on her and he believed she could do it.

"Yes, Grandfather."

"I will prepare you to be among the dead, and then you must hide among them and wait."

Fear began to wrap its arms around her again. She had never stayed all alone among the dead.

Jillian swallowed. "Grandfather, are you sure that I'm ready for such a thing? To be there, alone, among the dead? Waiting for one of them?"

The light coming in from the open door cast his face with a forbidding look. "You are as ready as I can make you. I had hoped there would be time left to teach you many more things, but at least I have taught you some of what you must know."

Outside, people rushed around in the sunlight, tending to the preparations. They were careful not to look into the shadows, to Grandfather, after he had pulled her away from the rest of them, telling her what she must face.

"To tell you the truth," he said, "this has taken me unprepared as well. The tellings have been carried down from our people for thousands of years, but they never said when it would happen. I never really believed that it would come during my life. I remember my own grandfather telling me the things I have told you and not really believing it would ever happen except maybe in some far future time that didn't really mean anything to my life. But the time is now upon us and we must do our best to honor our ancestors. We must be ready-you must-as we have been taught through the tellings."

"How long will I have to wait?"

"There is no way I can tell you that. You must hide among the spirits. As the tellers have done down through the centuries, you and I have stashed food, as Lokey does, for just such an eventuality. You will have food to keep your belly full. You can fish and hunt for game when it is safe to be out."

"Yes, Grandfather. But couldn't you hide with me?"

"I will take you up there, help prepare you, and tell you all I can. But I must then return here to help make these strangers think we are out in the open and welcoming to them while the others of our people escape-and so that you will be able to hide. I could not be as swift as you, nor as small to slip through the narrow places so that these men cannot follow you. I will have to return here and do my part."

"What if the strangers hurt you?"

Grandfather took a breath and let it out with weary resolve. "It may be that they do so. These men who come will be capable of such brutality —that is why this is so important. Their cruel ways are why we must be strong and why we must not give in to them. Even if I die"-he shook a finger at her.»and you can be sure that I will do my best not to, I will be buying the rest of you the time you need."

Jillian chewed on her lip. "Aren't you afraid to die?"

He nodded as he smiled. "Very. But I have lived a long life and because I love you so, I would choose that you have a chance to do the same."

"Grandfather," she said through choking tears, "I want you to be with me for my life."

He took her hand. "Me too, child. I wish to see you grow into a woman and have your own children. But I don't want you to worry too much for me; I am not so helpless nor a fool. I will sit in the shade with the others and present no threat to these men. We will confess to the strangers that the younger of our people ran away in terror, but we could not. The strangers will likely have more important things to do than waste their energy harming us. We will be fine. I want you to think about what you must do, and not worry about me."

Jillian felt a little better about his safety. "Yes, Grandfather."

"Besides," he told her, "Lokey will be with you, and he will carry my spirit with him, so it will be almost like I am watching over you." When she smiled at that, he said, "Come, now. We must go and make preparations."

Jillian's mother and father were allowed a brief farewell after Grandfather told them in a stern voice that he was taking her to be with their spirit ancestors and see to the safety of their people.

Her mother and father either understood the importance of allowing their daughter to go, or were too afraid of Grandfather to refuse. In either case they hugged her and bid her strength until they could be together again.

Without speaking more of it, Grandfather led her away as eyes followed them. He took her up the ancient roads and through gorges, past the deserted outposts and mysterious buildings, and up the great rise of the land. As they climbed, the sun lowered in the western sky behind the golden tail of dust that slowly but steadily came ever closer. She knew that before the sun set, most of her people would be gone.