The Surpen King - Part 2 - Rise of the Elves

by Charity Kelly

  Thellis shook his head. “No.”

  The tigers morphed into their half-human, half-tiger form and lifted Noctav up into their arms to take him away.

  Chapter 35

  James’ Office – Thestran Royal Palace

  When James sent his soldiers to arrest The Supreme, they discovered he was missing. They searched his belongings and found more than enough evidence to convict him of attempted murder. From the Fire Elf they had captured, they learned The Supreme had been telling his followers that Themrock was speaking to him in his dreams. Supposedly, Themrock had been asking The Supreme to help him shed his mortal body. The elves had believed The Supreme, since he was not only their highest religious leader, but also, after Layla, the next closest mortal to Themrock, at least according to their religion. James had also discovered some odd messages between The Supreme and Delegate Te. “Probably just a coincidence,” he told Reed. “But I put a call in to Te to ask him about it. How did your conference go?”

  Reed had been meeting with the other elfin royals and priests to discuss The Supreme’s actions and Layla’s behavior. “They elected the Fire Elf Cardinal to be their new head priest. He will no longer be called, The Supreme. The priests were horrified when we told them what had been happening. None of them want to hear that title ever again.” Reed shook his head. He couldn’t understand why a priest, sworn to protect Lord Themrock, would actively work to destroy him. “Regarding Layla, the priests didn’t want to remove her as the focal point of our religion but once we had Lilly transmit her memory of what happened with Noctav, they did an about face. They are now more than willing to eliminate Layla from all sermons and to rewrite our holy scriptures. They’ll also stop telling our women to emulate her."

  James sighed. “That’s a relief.”

  “More than you realize. Removing Layla as the focal point of our religion, means there’s no longer any restrictions on elves marrying out. We are free to marry whomever we want, without feeling guilty about letting Themrock down.” Reed smiled and leaned forward in his chair to stand up. “There are going to be a lot of happy elves.”

  “Good. I’m glad to hear it,” James said. “Are you off?”

  Reed nodded. “I want to be home for lunch. I have a feeling Rhen might join us.” He chuckled as James jumped out of his chair to join him. If he had to guess, there were going to be a lot of people in the dining hall that afternoon.

  Just as Reed had expected, his castle’s dining room was full of people. Reed weaved his way through the crowd towards the main table, where his father-in-law was talking to Thellis. “Where’s everyone going to sit?” he asked, when Estan turned towards him.

  Thellis waved his hand dismissively. “That’s not a problem. Your room expands accordingly. When people start to take their seats, the table will split to allow for everyone. It’s kind of fun to watch actually. It splits and shifts into parallel tables, but never shrinks in size.” They could hear Ceceta yelling in the hallway. “Here they come,” Thellis said, as everyone took their seats.

  “Oh, boy,” Bosternd groaned when Rhen stepped into the room. For some reason, Layla was still around. She was riding on Rhen, her ghostly body wrapped around his torso, as her head rested on top of his. Rhen had shaved off his beard, but his hair was still long. He was wearing a blue tunic and there were bags under his eyes. Ceceta was walking beside him, yelling at Layla. “You have to leave now. You can’t hang around him. He’s my husband, not yours.” Ceceta’s robes were disheveled and her hair stuck out in different directions.

  Layla leaned over and stuck her tongue out at Ceceta. Ceceta slapped out at her, accidentally hitting Rhen’s face. Red fingerprints appeared on Rhen’s cheek.

  “I told you, love. She’ll be gone soon. Just ignore her.” From the way Rhen was squinting in the room’s sunlight, they could see he was suffering from the aftereffects of the champagne.

  Rhen and Ceceta nodded to the others as they took seats near Reed and Estan. Layla raised herself above Rhen’s head to inspect the food that had been set out. Using her powers, she filled Rhen’s plate with an assortment of items then poured champagne into his goblet. Ceceta glared at her. “He can pick out his own food and you shouldn’t give him any more alcohol, you imbecile.”

  Layla responded by using her powers to raise Rhen’s goblet to his lips. She tried to pour the champagne into his mouth, but Rhen kept his lips sealed and reached up to take the glass. As Rhen was placing the glass back onto the table, Ceceta smiled victoriously at Layla. Layla’s temper flared. She jumped into Ceceta’s body, picked up a pitcher of iced tea then dumped its contents out onto Ceceta’s lap. As soon as the icy liquid hit Ceceta’s robes, Layla slipped out of Ceceta’s body. She howled silently with laughter as Ceceta screamed with rage.

  Rhen used his powers to dry Ceceta’s robes while Layla hovered beside him, mocking Ceceta. Ceceta grabbed her plate and swung it at Layla’s ghostly form. The plate passed through Layla and slammed into the side of Rhen’s head. He jerked back from the blow then reached up to his forehead. Blood trickled down between his fingers.

  Ignoring Rhen, Ceceta screamed at Layla, then jumped from her chair to chase Layla’s ethereal form about the room.

  Rhen dropped his head to the table. “I have too much of a headache to deal with this right now,” he mumbled. “Something I ate made me sick.”

  “Drank,” Charlie corrected him from across the table. “Something you drank is giving you a headache and a stomachache.” He took a small orange vial from his pocket and threw it to Rhen. “You have a hangover. Take one of these and you’ll feel better.”

  “Thanks.” Rhen opened the bottle and poured the entire container of pills into his mouth.

  Aaron, who was sitting to his left, reached over to stop him. “Just one, Rhen. Not the whole bottle.” Rhen spit out most of the pills into his napkin while Charlie said, “I would’ve taken the whole bottle too, if I had a bunch of women screaming obscenities around me after drinking as much as you did.”

  Rhen laughed then winced in pain. Layla was now throwing sandwiches at Ceceta, who was blocking them with her plate, screaming that she hated Layla.

  “Layla!” Rhen barked, startling everyone. “Leave now.” Layla flew over the table and plunged her ghostly form back into Rhen’s body.

  Ceceta marched back to her seat and glared at Rhen. I’m furious with you, she signed. She was so angry, her hand motions were clipped, making it hard for Mary to understand them.

  “I’m sorry,” Rhen said.

  Ceceta straightened her robes. You should have known it wasn’t me. When was the last time I bit you while we were making love?

  Charlie coughed and reached out to distract Mary so she couldn’t tell Lilly what Ceceta had signed. He didn’t think it was appropriate for everyone to hear the details of Rhen’s sex life. He hesitated, though, when he noticed that all of the Genisters were in the room. What was going on? Was Rhen in trouble? He hadn’t checked the future in a while, although in actuality none of them could see Themrock’s life clearly. But it seemed something was about to happen. Why else were the Genisters present?

  I stopped as soon as you did. Even in my condition, it dawned on me that something wasn’t right. I’m sorry, Rhen signed.

  Ceceta glared at Rhen. I think you want to have relations with her.

  Rhen’s eyes widened. What? Are you crazy? What do you think Themrock’s going to do to me when he finds out that I’ve made love to his wife? I’m supposed to be protecting him, but the minute he finds out what I’ve done, he’s going to chop me up into tiny pieces.

  Charlie could see some of the Genisters chuckling as they listened to Lilly’s transmission of Rhen’s signs. Again, he wondered if he should stop Mary. It didn’t seem right for them to be listening in on Rhen and Ceceta’s private conversation.

  Ceceta felt like hitting Rhen. If I were you, I’d be more worried about your own wife right now. Who cares about Themrock and his cheating, nasty, evil wife? If you
ask me, he gets what he deserves. If he was stupid enough to marry her, then it’s his own damn fault. I just don’t understand how you couldn’t tell that it wasn’t me.

  Rhen sighed. Love. She’s studied you for years. She knows how you move and how you react to things. It’s almost impossible for me to know when she’s taken over you. Besides, last night I ate... I mean, drank something that totally caught me off guard. I didn’t know what was going on. It was very unpleasant to be so out of control. Believe me, I will never touch it again.

  Ceceta turned her head away from him. I still think that deep down, you’re trying to get rid of me and this is your subconscious way of knocking me off.

  Rhen reached out to turn her face towards him, then signed, Cece, I love you more than anything in the Universe. Except for the kids, of course. He grinned, but Ceceta continued to glare at him. You’re my life, he added, putting his hands over his heart.

  Ceceta turned away again. She was too angry to forgive him just yet.

  They ate in silence while the elves made small talk. “So, Rhen,” Reed said. “What are your plans?”

  Rhen placed his napkin by his plate and leaned back in his chair. “Plans? Business as usual, I guess. Why?”

  Reed had simply wanted to get him talking. The room’s atmosphere had been too gloomy. “I was just wondering if you’d be taking a vacation after everything you went through.”

  Ceceta perked up. She loved the idea and jumped on it. “We haven’t had a vacation in ages. Let’s do it.” Rhen nodded. He was happy that she was talking to him again. “Two weeks?” Ceceta pushed. Rhen laughed at the twinkle in her eye.

  “I don’t think you can be away from the kids for two weeks,” he said teasingly.

  Ceceta snorted. “You want to bet?”

  Rhen shifted his chair so he could face her. “Sure.”

  Ceceta grinned. She knew she was going to win this one. “Good. If I have to see the kids first, you win… a Neptian backrub every night for three weeks.”

  Rhen closed his eyes as a dreamy expression came over his face. Ceceta hadn’t given him a backrub since before the kids. In fact, they hadn’t been very intimate at all, since the kids had entered their lives. “Sounds good. And if I have to see the kids first, you win…. what do you want?”

  Ceceta knew just what she wanted. “I want you to kill Layla.”

  Rhen groaned. Just when things had been going so well. “I can’t do that. She’s Themrock’s wife.”

  Ceceta put her hands on her hips. “Well, that’s the only thing I want.”

  Rhen sighed. He had no idea how to kill Layla. In fact, he thought she was already dead. After all, her body was translucent.

  Rhen sat staring at his plate, pondering what to do. He couldn’t remove Layla, but maybe there was something else he could give Ceceta instead. “You know, champagne is powerful stuff. Last night was like an awakening. Ideas that have been lurking around in the back of my mind became clear. Parts of my powers that were always a mystery, suddenly seemed simple. I was going to try this out in private, but maybe I’ll give it to you now as a gift.”

  “Give what to me?” Ceceta asked hesitantly. His words had thrown up a red flag. Sirens were going off in her head. This was bad.

  Charlie glanced at the Genisters. They were no longer floating in the air but standing by the babbling brook. Whatever was coming would be happening soon. He wondered if he should stop Rhen, but the others didn’t seem concerned, merely curious.

  Rhen shook his finger at Ceceta. “I can’t tell you what. That’d be cheating. But it’s something you want. Something that’ll make you happy.”

  “Well, I don’t want it.” Ceceta was worried that whatever Rhen was about to do would make him remember he was Themrock. She didn’t like the fact that his powers didn’t seem so mysterious to him anymore. From the change in Bosternd’s posture, she could see he felt the same way.

  “You do want it, and maybe, after I give it to you, you’ll forgive me for last night.” Rhen rose from his seat and stepped away from the table.

  “Love, I forgive you. Please. I don’t want it. Please, sit down.” She reached out to stop him, but he evaded her grasp.

  Bosternd tried to help. “Rhen, maybe this isn’t the time.”

  Rhen waved a hand at him. “It’s fine. Ceceta’s going to love it.” He took a few steps away from the table and stretched out his arms, splaying his fingers. His actions were unusual and they scared Ceceta even more. Rhen didn’t need to use movements to work his powers. What was happening? Was Themrock tired of being Rhen? Was he going to bring his memories back? She wished she hadn’t been fighting with Layla. Maybe she’d pushed him to this point.

  “Rhen, please, stop. I forgive you. Please, don’t do what you’re about to do,” she begged, terrified that she was about to lose him.

  Layla must have thought the same thing, because she flew out of Rhen’s body and hovered by the table, looking excited.

  Rhen ignored Ceceta. “Ready?”

  “No!” Ceceta screamed. She stepped forward to stop him but Rhen used his powers to force her back into her seat.

  “What’s the matter? I promise you’ll like it. Just watch.” He closed his eyes and swung his arms around in a circle then clapped his palms together in front of him and lowered his head.

  “Please, Rhen! Don’t do it!” Ceceta tried to get out of her chair, but Rhen had used his powers to keep her glued to her seat. “I don’t want to lose you,” she begged. “Please, stop!”

  “Rhen, this is a bad idea,” Bosternd said as Charlie rose from his seat.

  “Hush,” Rhen barked at Bosternd before forcing Charlie back into his seat with his powers.

  A white light had begun to appear between Rhen’s palms. Rhen lifted his head, when a humming sound filled the room. “Here it goes.” There was a change in pressure, then Rhen opened his hands. At once a flash of blue light filled the room, blinding everyone. It was over in seconds.

  When Bosternd regained his vision, he saw Rhen helping Ceceta up off her chair. He didn’t look like Themrock, other than his long hair, but he had gotten that this morning. There was movement behind Rhen. Bosternd shifted in his seat and gasped. A large group of Neptians, wearing dated clothing, were looking around the room curiously. Bosternd recognized them at once. They were Ceceta’s family. The same one’s who’d been killed trying to rescue her from Punishment Island when she was a girl. There was a huffing sound. Bosternd leaned over farther and his jaw dropped as Noctav stepped into view. Rhen had brought them all back from the time after. “Holy dristar beast,” Bosternd said to himself.

  Ceceta pushed her blond hair out of her eyes and lunged herself at Rhen, breathing in his sweet Giy flower scent. He was still there. He hadn’t turned into Themrock. Thank the Gods. “Do you like my gift?” Ceceta nodded, her face plastered to his chest. Rhen chuckled. “You didn’t see it. Open your eyes.”

  Ceceta did as he asked and felt a pain in her chest. No. It wasn’t possible.

  “Surprise,” Rhen said, his arms wide. “I told you you’d like it.”

  “Ceceta? Rhen?” an older Neptian man asked, stepping towards them.

  Ceceta started to shake. “You’re dead. You’ve been dead for years.”

  “What?” Charlie asked, as the skin on the back of his neck prickled. No Genister, not even Themrock, could bring someone back from the time after. He sniffed the air. Tetong. The strangers smelled like Themrock’s palace, Tetong. They’d never been killed. Themrock had whisked them into Tetong instead of letting them die, holding them there while allowing everyone here to think they were dead. Clever. Very clever.

  Ceceta started to cry. Her parents rushed forward to comfort her. As they soothed her, Rhen’s face dropped. He’d thought she’d be happy with his present, but instead she was crying.

  Charlie rubbed his temple. How the hell had he done it? Somehow Themrock had used his full powers without tapping into his memories. Charlie was at a loss. Did Rhen re
ally think he was bringing people back from the time after? From the looks on the faces of the others Genisters, Charlie could see that they’d thought Rhen would be turning into Themrock today. That’s why they’d landed on the ground. They’d guessed wrong. Themrock had outsmarted all of them.

  By now, most of Ceceta’s family was crying. Rhen stepped away from them looking horrified. When Ceceta’s father called out to him, Charlie realized he’d better do something. He couldn’t let Ceceta’s dad tell Rhen that they’d been in Tetong or it might bring Themrock forward. He jumped to his feet and ran around the table just as Ceceta’s father said, “I had hoped you’d bring us–”

  Charlie barged between them. “Hey, wow! You’re Ceceta’s family? That’s amazing. We have so much to tell you about your wonderful daughter.” He threw his arm around Ceceta’s dad and smiled as Bosternd appeared by Ceceta’s mom. Good thing Bosternd was quick on the uptake. Together, they escorted Ceceta and her family out of the room.

  Rhen’s eyes fell on Noctav, who’d been left standing alone. He stepped forward, inclining his head. “I’m sorry, Noctav. I was wrong. I made a decision with my eyes and not my mind. By order of the Code, my actions have put my fate in your hands.”

  Noctav closed his eyes, his whiskers quivering. He was glad to see Rhen obeying the Code Book. Themrock wasn’t always so obedient. “Bend over and lower your tunic from your left shoulder.” Rhen did as he was told. Noctav bit him on the shoulder, drawing blood, then licked the wound twice, so it would heal, leaving a scar. When he pulled back, he was grinning like he was proud of something. “You will wear this mark in memory of your mistake, so you will not repeat your actions.”

  “As you wish.” Rhen rose and slipped his tunic back over his shoulder. “I will wear your scar in memory.” He was pleased to have gotten off so easily and wanted to get away from Noctav, in case he changed his mind.