Reflection- Thorn of the White Rose

by Rachel R. Smith

  “I was trying to say that we couldn’t possibly leave without getting answers about what happened in that garden,” Rian corrected.

  “Answers? What is there to answer? You came onto our property uninvited, and your friends were overcome by the cold and the rain,” she replied tersely. “I went against the wishes of the master of this house by giving the three of you shelter temporarily after we found you in the garden. Now you are making me regret that kindness by refusing to leave.”

  Rian opened his mouth to argue again, but Raysel quieted him by putting a hand on his shoulder. “All we ask is to talk with the master of the house for a few minutes. Rian has already told you that we didn’t come here with the intent to trespass. We are with a group of merchants who are searching for antique books. We came here at the recommendation of Governor Alden of Rhea. Surely, the master of the house can spare a few minutes for a group sent by the governor.”

  The woman pressed her lips together so tightly that they formed a thin, white line. “I will convey your message, but do not be surprised if he refuses to speak with you.” The door rattled on its hinges as she pulled it closed behind her.

  “Who was she? A housekeeper?” Nerissa asked from the bed. The woman had referred to the master of the house and not to a husband or father, so she must not be a member of the family.

  Raysel rushed to her side and grasped her hand so tightly that Nerissa’s knuckles cracked. “Oh, sorry,” he apologized, immediately relaxing his grip. “I’m so glad you’re finally awake.”

  Rian hovered over Raysel’s shoulder. “From what I’ve seen, there are three people here. That woman, a young boy, and an elderly man. The woman seems to be the elderly man’s caretaker.”

  “Was I unconscious for long?”

  “No, you’ve been out a little less than an hour. I woke up shortly before you,” Raysel answered.

  Nerissa pushed herself up and scooted to the edge of the bed. “Something about the two of you makes that woman uncomfortable.”

  “I noticed that as well,” Raysel said. “She didn’t seem to like the sight of our swords much either. I understand they can make some people feel intimidated, but I don’t think that’s the case here. It seemed more like she was suspicious of us.”

  Rian huffed and folded his arms across his chest. “The feeling is mutual. There are a lot of suspicious things going on here. I suppose we should be grateful to her since she and the boy were the ones who invited us in and helped me get both of you into the house. The old man said he didn’t care if the trespassers got soaked.”

  “And why should this old man care?” came a gravelly voice. Nerissa looked over to see a hunched, elderly figure supported by a cane in the doorway.

  Nerissa climbed out of the bed and bowed along with Rian and Raysel. “Thank you for your hospitality. We apologize for the unusual circumstances of our meeting,” she said. “My name is Caeneus, and these are my companions, Rian and Raysel.”

  “There’s no need for introductions. You won’t be staying long enough for it to matter,” the man said rather than giving his name in return.

  Undaunted by his aloof attitude, Nerissa pressed on. “We came here in search of books at the recommendation of Governor Alden of Rhea.”

  “Yes, yes, so Zada has told me.” He pointed at the woman who now stood behind him. “My original question still applies. Why should I care? I do not know Governor Alden.”

  “No, I wouldn’t expect you to know him personally,” Nerissa replied, silently reminding herself to remain patient. “Alden’s great-grandfather had a close friendship with one of your relatives. Your father or grandfather, perhaps an uncle? His name was Barr.”

  The man’s sagging cheeks puffed out as he harrumphed in response, but he remained silent. With Zada’s help, he shuffled toward the room’s only chair, taking slow, deliberate steps. He looked so frail that Nerissa would have sworn the creaking sound came from him instead of the floorboards.

  “The antique books you are seeking—are you looking for something from a particular author or books in general?” the man asked after easing himself into the red velvet chaise. He propped his cane in front of him and folded his trembling hands over the crook.

  Before Nerissa could answer, a young boy loped into the room with a key in his hand. “Barr, I put the box back in the cabinet and locked it as you instructed,” he announced. He bounded over and held out the key for the man to take.

  “Well done, Matin,” Barr said. The words were meant as praise, but there was an underlying thread of displeasure in his tone.

  Nerissa mouthed Barr’s name, bewildered. There was nothing in what Matin said that should be upsetting unless Barr hadn’t wanted to reveal his name. His refusal to introduce himself earlier suddenly took on new significance. Why hide his name if it were simply one he shared with his father or grandfather? Was it really possible that this man was the same person who set the trap inside the cave?

  “Thank you, son,” Zada said. “Why don’t you take a few of your toys and go play in the common room?”

  Matin scurried across the room and gleefully gathered an armful of handmade toys from a chest beneath the far window. He skipped through the door, pausing only to pick up a small wooden horse he dropped.

  Nerissa opened her mouth to ask why Barr didn’t want to share his name, but he spoke up first.

  “You were about to tell me more about the antique books you are looking for.”

  It was an obvious attempt to redirect the conversation, but Nerissa was not going to be deterred. She was going to uncover the truth one way or another.

  “We’re looking for specific books which are part of a six-volume set. We have been able to locate three of them, one of which was in Alden’s possession. Perhaps you are familiar with the story, Barr?” she said, putting particular emphasis on his name. “Many years ago, you and Alden’s great-grandfather tucked it away in a cave for safekeeping.”

  Zada shifted uncomfortably on the chaise, but Barr laughed. It was more of a wheezy cackle than a joyous sound. “There’s no reason for me to answer trespassers’ questions. I only came to speak with you because I’m curious to know more about the books you seek. Tell me about the one in the cave. Were you able to successfully retrieve it?”

  “Yes, though not without incident,” Nerissa replied slowly, trying to puzzle out his reasoning.

  “What sort of incident?” Barr asked, thrumming his fingers on the cane’s handle.

  “We were attacked by a spirit that was protecting the book.”

  “All of you?” Barr prompted.

  Nerissa’s eyes narrowed. She had an idea about why he would ask such a pointed question. “Rian was injured in the process. The spirit attempted to strike me as well, but it was unable to hurt me for some reason.” If her guess was correct, Barr knew exactly why the spirit’s attacks had passed harmlessly through her.

  Barr’s fingers stopped moving, and his grip on the cane tightened. “Do you have that book with you? It’s been a long time since I’ve seen it, so I’d like to take a look at it.”

  “So you are the same person who helped hide it and set the trap?”

  “I won’t answer any of your questions until I see the book for myself.”

  Nerissa gritted her teeth and looked to Rian for assistance. “It was in the satchel I wore under my cloak. Is that it over there?” She pointed to a cluster of bags hanging from the drying rack in front of the fireplace.

  “Yes, the exterior of both of our satchels got wet when I carried you inside, so I put them near the fireplace with our cloaks to dry. Fortunately, none of the dampness got through the oilskin you wrapped around everything,” he answered.

  “I’m glad I took the extra precaution,” Nerissa said as she retrieved the book. She held it out for Barr to examine and waited while he laid his cane aside.

  When he finally took it, his hands fumbled along the spine, knocking the pair of crystal fragments from their pocket. Nerissa lunged forward a
nd caught them before they hit the floor. Light radiated out from between her fingers, and one corner of Barr’s lips twitched up slyly.

  He had knocked them loose on purpose.

  Barr stared at the glowing crystals, transfixed. For the first time since they met, he smiled, his cheeks pushing upward, stacking layers of wrinkles beneath his watery eyes. “I’m relieved. This means there is one less obligation I have to burden you and Matin with, Zada.”

  Zada laid her hand over his. “I am happy you have one less concern, but carrying on your duties is no burden to us.”

  He lifted his gaze to Nerissa’s face. “I’ve lived a very long time, but I didn’t think I would actually live long enough to meet the books’ true owner. Now I am willing to answer your questions.”

  Chapter 14

  Talent

  Nerissa

  Barr finally pried his eyes away from the glowing stones and turned to Zada. “Please go to my room and fetch the book from the strongbox.” She nodded wordlessly and disappeared out the door.

  “Does this mean you really do have one of the books we’re searching for?” Nerissa asked as Barr handed the book back to her.

  He patted the cushion, inviting her to sit beside him. “Yes, I do have one of them, but that fact should not have been known to anyone outside this house. I’m quite curious to learn how Governor Alden knew to send you here as part of your search.”

  Nerissa perched herself on the edge of the chaise and took a deep breath to collect her thoughts. Her mind was reeling from the discovery that the man in front of her was, in fact, the same one who set the trap in the cave so many years ago. That, together with the strangely energetic sensation still surging through her, was almost overwhelming.

  Finally, Raysel answered for her. “Just as you have been—wisely—reluctant to answer the questions of ‘trespassers,’ we are also hesitant to reveal our secrets to you.”

  Barr’s features twisted into a wry smile. “I suppose that’s fair. I can certainly understand the need for discretion. However, as you may already have surmised, there’s no point in withholding information about the nature of the books from me. I am fully aware of the prophecy and the machine diagrams that have been hidden within their pages.”

  Nerissa recoiled in shock. “How do you know about that?”

  “I’d rather not go into the details. It should be sufficient to say that the knowledge was passed down to me by one of my ancestors. He was among those who originally heard the prophecy and created the books as a way to secretly pass it along to the books’ true owner.”

  That explanation was not at all sufficient in Nerissa’s opinion. She assumed Shae, Charis, and Alden all had an ancestor among the group who originally hid the prophecy. Yet none of them were aware the books held any significance beyond being a precious heirloom. Barr’s knowledge of arcane topics and the peculiarities surrounding his age made it clear there was far more to the story than he was letting on. But if she pressed him on either subject, he was more likely to send them away than to give answers. Still, she would get to the truth before they left. It was a matter of being patient and looking for the right opportunity.

  Since he was unwilling to elaborate on how he knew so much about the prophecy, Nerissa decided to try her luck with a related topic. “Alden’s great-grandfather referred to the book’s true owner as well. Were you really the one who helped him hide the book in the cave?”

  When Barr didn’t answer right away, Nerissa added, “A little while ago, when you asked to see the book, you said it had been a long time since you’d seen it. That implies you’ve actually seen the book before. ”

  Barr looked around the room with wide, innocent eyes. “Did I say that? It must have been a slip of the tongue. I’m an old man, and sometimes I can’t find the right words to express my thoughts.”

  Raysel folded his arms across his chest. “Don’t insult us, or yourself, by pretending to be something you are not. We may have met you less than an hour ago, but it is abundantly clear that your mind is far from feeble.”

  Barr stared sullenly at Raysel and said nothing.

  “At this point, even if you deny it, we already know that you were the one who set the trap to protect the book in the cave. I won’t ask how you’ve lived long enough for that to be possible since I can see it is a topic you don’t want to talk about. We’ve already seen with our own eyes the spirit that was protecting the book. Rian was injured by it, and I nearly was too. It’s no secret to us that such a creature exists. What I want to know is how you created it.”

  Barr squeezed his hands into fists, making them appear even more fragile and boney than before. “The choker you are wearing is made from twinned crystals, so you must have some knowledge of how crystals can interact with and alter the energy that flows through them—whether it is light energy, energy of movement, heat energy, or the energy of the human spirit. You are familiar with that principle, correct?”

  He waited for Nerissa to nod and then continued. “Just as heat energy can leave behind a burn mark, or light energy can cause fabrics to fade, the energy from the human spirit can also leave marks on places and things. Everyone is aware of this fact to some extent because our spirit can also leave marks on other people. An act of kindness from a stranger can lift you up, while a word spoken to you in anger can linger and weigh you down. Whether you know it or not, you leave pieces of yourself in everything you touch, every place you go. This is especially true for objects or places that are associated with strong emotions.”

  Nerissa leaned forward eagerly. Listening to Barr talk was like being with Tao again. He was as knowledgeable about crystals as she was—potentially more so.

  “You saw the debris in the main chamber of the cave, so you know about the accident that happened there long ago. When that happened, the people who lost loved ones in the incident came to the cave to mourn and say their final goodbyes. Their strong grief and sorrow left a permanent impression on that place.”

  Nerissa’s throat constricted as the memory of the crippling sadness she felt in the cave came back to her. She remembered hearing the funeral dirge, the woman’s sobbing, and the cries of a child before the spirit appeared. How could she forget such a thing when the pain of their loss had resonated with her own?

  Barr paused for a moment, letting the information sink in. “The crystals with each of the books glow when you touch them because they are programmed to identify you as the one the prophecy is intended for,” he said, seeming to change subjects. “Since the crystals contained information about your identity, I used a fragment of the broken stone from Alden’s book to make a twinned crystal combination that was attuned to you. It drew on the energy left behind by the mourners to manifest a tangible form—or spirit, as you called it—that could protect the book from being touched by anyone other than you. To put it simply, the spirit was programmed not to harm you.”

  “Don’t you think setting a trap like that was excessive?” Nerissa asked. The mere memory of seeing the spirit was enough to get her heart racing—especially now when she could still feel the strange energy pulsing through her. “It was terrifying.”

  “The trap would never have triggered if you had been the only one to touch the book,” Barr said with a shrug.

  “That thing could have killed me!” Rian squawked.

  “Did it kill you?”

  Rian spluttered. “No, but—”

  “It cut you, repeatedly but not deeply, until Caeneus took the book from you, correct?”

  Rian’s shoulders slumped. He couldn’t argue because Barr was right. “That’s how it happened,” he admitted. “Although, I wasn’t holding the book—I landed on it.”

  Barr shrugged again. “Holding, touching, I wasn’t able to fine-tune the combination enough to make the distinction.”

  “We didn’t see the twinned crystal you used to create the trap. Should we warn Alden that the spirit could manifest again and present a danger to anyone else who goes into the cav
e?” Nerissa asked. She didn’t want anyone else to be injured by the spirit in the future.

  “There’s no need to do that. Now that you’ve removed the book, there’s nothing to trigger the trap.”

  “That’s a relief,” Nerissa said. The events of that day continued to play through her mind despite her efforts to push them away. She could almost smell the metallic scent of Rian’s blood and feel the desperation of trying in vain to light the torch.

  Suddenly, heat flared against her chest, and the gentle fire crackling on the hearth blazed into a white-hot inferno. The logs popped and cracked, sending sparks shooting out into the room.

  Rian and Raysel sprang into action, rushing to the fireplace to fling their cloaks and bags out of range and stamp out embers before the carpet began to burn. Barr swore and ducked below the arm of the chaise, shielding his face with his hands.

  Too stunned to move, Nerissa clutched the pendant through her shirt. It was hot, just like it had been when she started the fire in the cave. She and Raysel suspected the stone had somehow reacted to her desire to light the torch. Had she accidentally used the crystal now as she recalled the events of that day?

  She didn’t want to make the fire go out of control. The instant that the thought came to her, the fire winked out, leaving behind nothing but ashy cylinders that had been logs only a moment before and streaks of soot that stained the stone mantle.

  “Caeneus, whatever crystals you’re wearing, take them off—now!” Barr commanded, panting. His face was bright red and beaded with sweat, though whether that was from the heat of the fire or anger—or both—Nerissa wasn’t sure.

  She leaned so far away from him that she nearly fell off the chaise, and her hand flew protectively to her neck, covering the voice-altering choker. If she took it off, her voice would go back to normal and Barr would know she was a woman.