Cordella left them, and Olivia and Trevor walked toward a window.
“Was that all that happened at the bookshop, Olie?” asked Trevor, stopping by the window and looking at her. He appeared to be worried and intrigued.
“Yes, that is all. Do you remember him?”
“Vaguely. But I feel something weird when I think about this.”
“I had a dream about him that night. He changed into a wolf or werewolf. Do you think that could be possible … that they can be real here?”
“I’ve no idea! But I wouldn’t be surprised… all of these strange things.”
“I know. But I find it fascinating, I must admit.” Olivia looked through the window. Outside, the night was dark, and the trees shook lightly in the wind.
“And what do you think about this Belenos guy?”
“Also fascinating.”
“Aren’t you saying that just because of his looks?”
“No, Trev. I feel safe here, as if something that is beyond our knowledge protects this place.”
“Then maybe this would be a better place to hide the Book of the Portals,” joked Trevor, and they laughed.
Olivia and Trevor went to their rooms. They were tired and looking forward to finally resting in a place they actually felt comfortable in. Trevor wouldn’t say anything, as he didn’t want to give in, but even he was feeling more protected and at home in Belenos’ house. As if they could finally relax for a while, without worrying so much. This last day was the most challenging they’d had in Tartae, and it seemed like a prelude for what was to come.
Olivia fell asleep quickly, sleeping peacefully through the whole night. The first thought to cross her mind when she woke the next morning was that the Laliamo Forest seemed to have some kind of effect on her. Something good, because she didn’t remember sleeping so well since her parents died. Olivia got dressed and went downstairs. No one was gathered to have breakfast yet. It was either too early in the morning or they were all still concerned with their own things. As she walked towards the dining room window, she noticed that the sun was still with that morning glow, fresh and light, coloring the forest in different tones from the night before. That moment seemed frozen in time or running at the right pace. There was no hurry, no slowness.
Olivia decided to explore the Laliamo Forest. She went to the kitchen to fetch some bread and left through the kitchen door, which was already wide open. The kitchen was spacious, full of windows, a large table, and wooden chairs, spices hanging on the ceiling and fancy pottery pots and bowls all around. All was rustic and elegant, a duality that seemed to be in everything Belenos touched or represented.
Olivia took a deep breath once she left the house. The smells that came from the forest were hypnotic, a blend of earth, plants, and water. She heard the sound of running water coming from afar and decided to follow it. After walking for a while, she found a river with clear waters, dotted with some small rocks that made the water dance delicately as it bypassed the obstacles. She sat on the river’s edge, washed her face in the cold water and closed her eyes, filled with only one thought: She needed to see Bran.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
Those Lost Memories
Bran was alone when Olivia entered the room. She stepped inside moving slowly and making an effort to be silent. The air inside was fresh as a spring morning and the windows were all open, making the curtains dance gracefully to the easy breeze. The sunlight was shining on Bran’s face while he was still unconscious. However, his face was already gaining some color, little by little. That morbid pallor was slowly going away and making room for the Bran Olivia knew.
Olivia stood next to Bran’s bed for a while, just staring at him. He was breathing steadily, and she wished that he would open his eyes, look at her. She sat down on a chair that was strategically placed near the bed, probably where Alavro was spending most of his time these days. After a while, immersed in that silence and tranquility, Olivia fell asleep without even noticing it. She lost all notion of time or of where she was.
“Olie?” whispered Bran. His voice was weak and low, like the voice of someone who had slept for too long and didn’t quite know where they woke up. Olivia was still sleeping soundly; her head was resting on Bran’s bed, her hands over Bran’s arm. “Olie?”
Olivia lifted her head and, still feeling quite lost, looked at Bran. But it took her some time to believe what she was seeing.
“Bran! You’re awake!” exclaimed Olivia with a big smile on her face.
“Did you sleep here? With me?”
“How are you feeling? Are you feeling any pain?” Olivia didn’t answer. For some reason, she was mortified of sleeping there the way she did.
“Olie, did you sleep here with me?”
“I didn’t spend the night, if that’s what you’re thinking. I just woke up too early and I’m tired … You know, the battle and all. I fell asleep. That’s all,” said Olivia timidly, rushing through the words. She quickly continued, “I need to call your father. He’s going to be so happy!”
Olivia got up and turned to the door, but Bran stopped her, grabbing her gently by the hand. In that same moment, a shiver ran down her spine, and her arms went a little numb. It was as if Bran’s slightest touch made everything spin out of control. Olivia turned her head to him, looking into his eyes.
“You don’t remember anything? Anything at all?” Bran had hope in his voice and a certain despair in his eyes. The expectations were so high that Olivia felt them hovering over her, weighing on her shoulders, stealing her breath. “You need to remember something. You must remember us,” continued Bran, staring deeply into Olivia’s eyes.
“Bran …” said Olivia, weakly. “I … I don’t remember anything. I’m sorry. But you can always help me.”
They gazed deeply into each other’s eyes as if they were locked together. Bran’s eyes were like the ocean, a mix of different tones of blue, deep and calm. Time seemed to be frozen, all things on hold, waiting for something to happen. Their hands were glued together, and Olivia could feel his warmth as she got closer to him. And in a stampede, the door was opened, letting Cordella, Alavro, and Trevor into the room. The sudden noise took Bran and Olivia out of their trance, and she quickly let go of his hand, jumping back like a wild kangaroo.
“For Ourivio! Bran, you’re awake!” Alavro ran toward the bed with his arms wide open, ready to give his son a hug. “And you have color on your face! This is a sign of health, isn’t it, Cordella?! You will be out of this bed in no time, my son. In no time! I can tell!”
Cordella agreed and got closer to the bed. With all that frenzy, they had forgotten Olivia was there, and she took the cue to discreetly leave the room until she met Trevor’s gaze. He had a suspicious look on his face and quite a mischievous smile, as though he was trying not to burst out laughing. Olivia’s face burned, flushed. Trevor followed her into the hallway and, as soon as they were out of Cordella and Alavro’s reach, he asked:
“What was happening in there, Olie?”
“Er … I’m not sure, actually. I think I was supposed to remember something. Something about Bran. I don’t think we were just friends, Trev.”
“You don’t think? All of this drama to tell me you don’t think you two were just friends? This much was quite clear for all of us …”
“What? What are you talking about?
“Oh, come on, Olie. It’s quite obvious that something happened or was about to happen between you two. The way you look at each other, the way he talks to you and even the way he acts when you’re around. Have you noticed how he is when he’s training me? He’s not at all as sweet as when you’re around. This is the ‘Olie effect’, as we like to call it.”
“We?”
“Yes, me and Kirk. We joke about this quite often … But that was all that happened? You two were in there finding out that maybe something might have happened one day in the past?”
“Pretty much … He woke up and asked me if I had actually forgotten ever
ything. He seemed upset, quite sad actually.”
“I get him. This is something you really don’t want a girl to forget, especially your girlfriend,” said Trevor, meeting Olivia’s disapproving look. Olivia’s face was now completely bright red again. “Okay, okay. I’m sorry. I was only expecting something juicier. Put yourself in my place. Your eyes were really wide when we got into the room. And your jump … ah, your jump was remarkable.”
They both laughed and walked to the library. She couldn’t say much on their way downstairs, her mind kept going from thought to thought. At least something was starting to make sense. And as for now, this was enough. Something about her forgotten past was unveiled, even if not completely. Something pure, something that she truly would never like to have forgotten.
In Belenos’ mansion, things started to change, finally. As Bran’s condition improved, the energy got lighter, even though this meant getting closer to a dangerous future.
Olivia and Trevor began to visit the library every day and for long hours. The collection of books Belenos had was fantastic, and it wasn’t limited to books about the history of Tartae; it included manuscripts written by important people in Tartae’s history, epic poems about Tartae’s sages and forests, practical guides about working with the elements, performing magic and enchantments. There were also a number of diaries that belonged to previous Guardians of the Portals. It was thrilling to touch those pages that were telling about spells, potions, but also the daily life of the Guardian. Nonetheless, it was possible to sense the Portals influencing their everyday life, even the most mundane things they did.
Most of the time, Olivia and Trevor studied alone. The centaurs were indeed skilled storytellers, but almost never available. They also had the tendency to use a very pompous speech and flourish the facts, which wasn’t useful at this particular time. Olivia and Trevor eventually found help. A young witch called Emma Svender sat with them and explained details about a lot that happened in Tartae. She knew a great deal about the history of the Portals, history of magic, healing herbs and how to magically work with the water. Olivia was under the impression that Emma had read all the books in Belenos’ library, not only because she was very smart, but also because she was practically a walking catalog. If Olivia or Trevor mentioned something or asked about anything, Emma knew exactly what book to look for and where to look for it in that immense, and sometimes a bit disorganized, library.
Emma was young, almost too young to carry so much wisdom. She had short red hair that resembled the fading sun during the sunset hours and shiny hazel eyes. And, even knowing so many tragic and sad aspects of Tartae’s history, she had a happiness that was contagious. Olivia and Trevor were always waiting for her to come along and join them in their studies; she was like a fresh breeze amidst the complexity of all the things they felt the need–or the pressure–to learn. Emma was also a walking reminder of Olivia’s family. Her light heart, the red hair and her love for life. It was like having a sister around, or a close cousin. It was nice.
By now, Olivia and Trevor had learned some of Tartae’s history. They were feeling more confident about the part they were playing in this quest and beginning to feel like part of that world. They quickly learned that Tartae was a marvelous place that unfortunately had to deal with a world of problems because of the greediness some people had. They also learned that where there was magic, there was good and bad magic. And it was impossible to control its existence. Magic was energy, and all forms of energy had variations. No one was completely good or bad, no magic was completely pure or evil. One must find the balance.
The days went by, and everything seemed fairly normal. It was almost impossible to notice that something evil was waiting around, prowling. When Kirk was completely recovered from his battle wounds and Olivia’s hands were all better, the training sessions started again. Olivia and Trevor divided their time between books and training, this time more demanding and exhausting. Olivia didn’t have any more trouble sleeping at this point. Once the day was done, she felt like she was sleeping even before she would lie in her bed. Her tiredness was physical, mental and tangible.
She was now visiting Bran every day, but she never found him alone again. There was always someone with him. Sometimes it was Alavro, others Belenos. He was recovering fast, as fast as possible with a wound like that.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
A Place in the Forest
It was the eighth time Olivia tried to read the same paragraph of The Art of Manipulating the Elements: A Guide to Be Successful and Respectful, by Gillian Gorks. She was imprisoned by those words, not because they were exciting and were carrying her away into some adventure, but because she felt stupid and incapable of completely understand their meaning.
To successfully manipulate the water element, you need to consider three important factors: the predominant color of the water, wind conditions and the state of energy. By ‘color of the water’ one understands the overall perception of the waters you plan to use. The most common are: green, light blue and dark green. However, it’s possible to find interesting variations such as red and black.
“Argh. This is the ninth time I read this, and I simply can’t understand it. I can’t move on. I’m stuck, I’m stuck in this book!” complained Olivia to Trevor, resting her head on the book and banging it multiple times on its yellowish pages.
“You need to take a break. Rest for a bit,” Trevor said without looking away from what he was reading. Apparently, the boy wasn’t having the same issue as Olivia and didn’t want to lose his focus.
Olivia tried to read the paragraph one more time and had no success. “I’ve had enough …” said Olivia, finally closing the book with frustration. “I’m gonna eat something. Do you want anything?”
Trevor only shook his head, making it clear that Olivia was disturbing his studies with all her complaints and questions. She quickly got the hint and walked to the kitchen. Belenos’ house seemed empty, the sound of her own steps was echoing in the corridors. Once she got into the kitchen, the sunlight coming into the room was so warm and inviting that it immediately took Olivia’s mind off of it all. She lost herself looking through the window for a moment. A walk in the woods would probably be the best thing to do now, a way to change her energy and recover her long-lost concentration.
She left the house, meaning to find the river she had visited some days earlier. Once again, she followed the water sounds, but for some reason, she couldn’t find the stream. She kept walking through some oak trees, passing by elderflowers and dandelions, hearing the tinkles of the water from afar, but it never seemed to get closer. Even though she didn’t know exactly how long she had walked the other day, she had this uneasy feeling that she wasn’t getting to the right place. Or that she wasn’t getting to any place whatsoever. She kept walking and walking, and nothing around her seemed to change. It was almost like she wasn’t moving at all.
“Don’t listen to what is outside you. Listen to what is in you.” Olivia recognized the hoarse voice instantly and found Emma resting her body against a tree, looking at Olivia with interested eyes. “Yes, I know. That kind of stuff used to annoy me too. In addition to getting lost in the woods, what people say to help doesn’t make much sense. But pay attention. It makes all the sense!”
“Er … Emma, what are you talking about?”
“You must trust what’s inside you. That’s the only way you will find the right path, the strength, what you need to get where you want. You’re too tired, Olie. You need to relax.”
“I regret to say that you’re becoming one of those people who used to annoy you. Nothing you’re saying is making much sense now, Emma …”
Emma wrapped one arm around Olivia, and they started to walk together, Emma leading the way.
“The Laliamo Forest is immense. And it stretches far from where the common eye can see. And frankly, we were waiting for the day you would make it here.”
“Here where?”
“In Lirianthis.�
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Olivia looked away from Emma and they were now in what looked like a small village. But it was much more impressive than any other village she had ever been in before or even imagined. The place was so fantastic that Olivia couldn’t talk for a moment. She kept looking around, completely astonished by what surrounded her.
There were blackthorn trees and gigantic oaks enveloped in moss all around, and attached to the big oaks were delicate wooden structures that reminded Olivia of treehouses. Among the trees, little windows here and there shone brightly every time the sun reflected on the glass.
It seemed that the houses were spread across the forest floor, the trees and the stones in a wild disorganization that only made sense because it was there. And nothing else would be more perfect there. Some houses were completely covered by plants, others were painted in terracotta, brown or green. The breeze was blowing softly, and the place smelled like sandalwood and myrrh. All the constructions had a peculiar design, following the shape of the trees and there were stairs all around, going up into the trees, in front of the houses, in between the stones. And even though it seemed quite wild and maybe unorganized, it was all done meticulously. Every door was sculpted carefully, every banister had a different and beautiful shape. Every wall was painted with such care that it all looked perfect.
“Emma, what is this place?” asked Olivia, still in shock at what she was seeing. Her eyes moved from side to side, trying to discover every little detail.
“This is where I live, Olie! It’s Lirianthis. It’s beautiful, don’t you think?”
Olivia nodded. Saying that this place was “beautiful” was an understatement, far away from the ideal adjectives to correctly describe Lirianthis.
The Portals of Tartae- the Land With the Two Moons Page 11