#IDTHESOLITARYROAD New Ch Excerpt... Teaser

      ..... She sat at the edge of the Tree pool watching as brilliant purple flowers floated on the still water when Elder came to sit by her side.

      

      He watched as she hardly glanced at him and only seemed to be concerned with the stillness around.

      

     “What has turned you so cold?” He asked finally.

      

      “What do you call those flowers on the water?” She seemed to ignore his question just as easily as she avoided talking about home.

      

       “They are called Padma. They flow swiftly down the river here and deposit in the pool, they are said to bring good fortune... But Amara, I have been trying to speak with you, on behalf of the others for many days now. And for many days, you have simply changed the subject. We are not ones to pry, but we do prefer to know more about where one comes from when they come to us. Surely, you can understand, we do not leave this place. So we crave knowledge of those we house beneath our canopy.”

     A long sigh passed through her as she lifted her  right hand, the sleeve rolling backward. She unraveled the bandage, which covered the slowly draining wound from the Queen’s Stinger. “What do you think that is, other than a nasty infection?” She asked seeing Elder’s eyes go wide at the sight.

     

     “I think that it is a cause of distress and pain for your body and mind.”

     “In that you would be most correct. But it is also my punishment.” She squeezed her hand into a fist, and as she opened it once more, it was consumed in fire. “You see this? This is the gift, many say I have been given. But for me it has been nothing short of a curse. There is nothing that I touch, that does not eventually burn to ash. Especially if I love or depend on it. Too often, I have allowed my heart to dictate my actions. And each time I have destroyed what my heart most wants. My mother’s hopes were dashed when I was born, especially when I could not control the hives, my father’s love sent him to flame, as it did my husband Lexan years later. All my life the flame has followed me and tormented me. And now I am consumed by it but it does not let me die.” She choked back on her tears. “I’ve done terrible things which I am trying to, as you put it reconcile. I have found that I can call forth those things I desire.” She turned her head toward the Padma floating farthest from her and in a turning of her wrist, it lifted from the water and came to rest in her hand.

     Elder sat back astonished at her display of vulgar power.

      “So you see, I've grown cold as you put it because every day that passes I find something out about myself that further pushes me from the things that should matter to me. I continue to try to figure out why I am as I am. I hoped that someone could explain it all to me. But I have come to see that I put too much on to others. Men especially, and apparently of all types, be they human or otherwise. I hid in my father’s shadow to escape my mother. Then in my grandfather’s as well. When I was let go by the isle, I fell into my late husbands arms and tried to disappear there as well. But duty called me home. I always thought that our teachings were wrong, but I think that there may be some truth to it all. That man makes us weak. We as Priestess’ must rise above all of that. We need to find a balance, but so long, as we are relying on someone else, we can not move. I want to move. I need to help my people, you see my mother is Rosaline Decon, she is the High Priestess of the Isle De’ Corlen and she is wrong. But can I kill her? Should I kill her? Could I if I had the chance? These are the things, which run through my head. You want to know what I am thinking? Where I have come from? I have come from causing a King to fall and a land where smoke and blood rule. Now ask me again why I have become so damned cold...”