She had seemed to accept the situation when she’d been talking with Jack, but Rhyn knew Sloane too well. Once she’d caught up on some sleep and the reality of Rowe being so close to their father set in, she was likely to storm after her. Rhyn refused to allow Sloane near that monster though. The Captain had encouraged his men to hurt her, and if they hadn’t escaped, she could have been killed. Just thinking about it made his body ripple with tension and created a desire within him to punch something—hard.
He would never forgive her father, and though he’d never met the man, Rhyn knew he was exactly the kind of human that his people needed guarding against.
He took in a deep breath to calm himself and admired the valley, which had grown lighter since he’d arrived. His mother’s home was close to the ravine and high on a hill that was visible from every point of the village. Rhyn’s hut was much more secluded. It was tucked away, right near the edge of the cliffs that rose above the frozen sea. He had to walk past the town square and the frozen halls to get to it though, and he hoped that most of the villagers would be late to rise that morning.
He didn’t mind his guards catching sight of him carrying Sloane, as he knew they would never question him. Some of the villagers were more vocal with their thoughts though, and he really wasn’t in the mood to be defending his actions.
He moved silently as he walked through the large town square. There were a few villagers already gathered, but they were seated on one of the ice benches and talking in hushed voices amongst themselves. They didn’t appear to notice Rhyn as he walked across the other end of the square, which was a small blessing.
He was just getting to the narrow alley that led away from the village centre when Lorian exited it ahead of him. The Unfaih elder’s eyes widened when he saw Sloane in Rhyn’s arms, and his lips turned at one corner in a crooked smile.
Rhyn had no idea why Lorian seemed to approve of him standing there holding Sloane, but then again the elder had always acted strangely around the girl. He’d been there when the first humans had come to Ellysia and had witnessed them turning into Brakys, and yet he appeared to hold no prejudice towards Sloane. In fact, he almost seemed to like her.
‘Rhyn,’ Lorian said, bowing his head in greeting.
‘Lorian,’ Rhyn replied.
The elder peered down at Sloane who was now sleeping deeply in Rhyn’s arms. ‘She did not leave?’ he asked.
Rhyn shook his head. ‘None of the humans did,’ he replied. ‘I need to call a meeting with the other elders to discuss what happened and what we must do next.’
Lorian nodded, his twinkling eyes growing serious as he watched Rhyn. ‘These are difficult times,’ Lorian said.
‘They are,’ Rhyn agreed with a slow exhale.
‘Keep a close eye on her,’ Lorian said, gesturing at Sloane. ‘I have a feeling she will be important.’
‘Yes,’ Rhyn agreed, peering down at her sleeping form. He had a feeling she was important too, but he doubted it was the same feeling that Lorian had about her.
‘Can you gather the elders?’ Rhyn asked, pulling his gaze from Sloane. ‘Have them meet at suns’ peak today in the village hall.’
‘That can be arranged,’ Lorian replied, before grasping Rhyn’s shoulder in farewell. ‘Till then.’
‘Till then,’ Rhyn replied. He hurried past Lorian and moved to the path that led towards his home without looking back. He could hear more voices as other Unfaih began moving into the village square and he wanted to avoid them if possible.
His stone hut was cast in shadow from the cliffs that towered over it when Rhyn arrived. It was smaller than his mother’s place and only had one bedroom, but he didn’t mind sleeping on the floor. He’d certainly slept in worse places before.
The hut was nestled under the sheer rocks of the cliff above and looked out over the frozen ocean, which lay far below. He liked the spot because the snow banks were built up high around his home and he couldn’t see the rest of the village from where it stood. It was just his hut and the ocean, and it was a haven from a village that could often feel stifling.
He tried to remember the last time he’d been there. He had spent a few nights there when Sloane had been living with his mother. He simply hadn’t trusted her not to try and escape when she’d first arrived. But, besides that, he’d barely been home since his father left and put him in charge of their people.
He couldn’t wait for Sloane to see the view and his heart warmed at the thought of her reaction. She didn’t seem like a particularly material person unless the item happened to be a weapon, but he’d seen the way her eyes lit up when she saw the spectacular vistas in his world, and he knew she’d like it there.
His two glacies poked their heads out of the snow as he neared the hut and clucked happily at his return. Though he was rarely there, the creatures were more than capable of looking after themselves. Still, they loved shows of affection so Rhyn knew he’d have to go and greet them once he had Sloane settled in bed.
He pushed through the front entrance flap and into the darkness of his hut. With one hand, he looped the hide that covered the entrance behind a ring that was fixed to the wall, so some of the light from outside spilt in. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the only thing that had spilt in. Snow had gathered on the floor inside the entranceway while he’d been gone, and a glance at his fireplace told him he was running low on wood. Both were easy problems to fix though, and he knew Orelle would have more than enough wood to share since he didn’t have time to return to the World of the Woods and retrieve more.
He continued through his small hut and into his bedroom. There wasn’t much in there; just a bed against one of the walls and some clothing in the set of drawers that stood at the end of it. He eased Sloane down onto the bed and placed the blanket over her body. She didn’t even slightly stir as he removed his arms from around her and he stood back and stared at her in the dark room.
Her hair was fanned out across the pillow, and she looked so innocent in sleep. Rhyn knew she was the complete opposite when she was awake, but there was something about seeing her so vulnerable that made it difficult for him to leave the room. For a second he wished he could fetch some wood, light a fire and rest with her, but he quickly dismissed the thought. He had distracted himself from what lay ahead of them for too long already, and now he had work to do.
With one last glance at her sleeping form, he left the room. He was heading back towards the entrance of his hut when he heard the crunch of snow underfoot outside and the sound of someone approaching his home. He walked outside and was surprised to find Kai, walking up the path from the village towards him.
‘It’s good to see you, brother,’ Rhyn said in greeting.
Kai nodded in agreement, though his eyes were troubled as he looked at Rhyn. ‘I’ve heard you called a meeting of the elders,’ he said.
Rhyn rubbed the back of his neck and stared out at the frozen sea. ‘Yes, I have called the elders together. Things did not go as planned when I returned to the human settlement with Sloane. Her father is refusing to leave, and it appears as though he has already heard of the Liftsal and is seeking it. He sent a contingent of men to the rift today. I sent them back to the settlement, but I know it will not be long before they return with more fighters. I fear the humans will fight us for possession of the Liftsal, and we don’t have much time to come up with a solution.’
Kai’s face paled at the news. ‘But how would they know of the Liftsal?’
‘I don’t know; I must consult the elders. It doesn’t seem possible. But the question of how they know is the least of our worries. We’re about to have a war on our hands, and the humans now know exactly where we are.’
‘And what of Sloane?’ Kai asked. ‘Lorian said you brought her back…’
‘What of her?’
‘How will she react when we move to stop the humans from coming here?’
Rhyn sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. ‘She understands that they can’t be here.
She will agree with any measures we need to take to stop them.’
‘Are you sure about that? What if it comes to a fight?’ Kai asked.
‘I have an idea that may help us avoid any confrontation.’
Kai didn’t look convinced, but he turned his attention to Rhyn’s home. ‘Is she in there now?’ he asked, gesturing at the hut.
‘Yes, she’s sleeping,’ Rhyn replied, glancing behind him towards the open doorway. He quite liked the idea of Sloane asleep in his home, and he struggled to ignore the warm feelings that bubbled up inside of him at the thought.
‘What will you tell Father, when he returns?’
‘The truth,’ Rhyn replied. ‘He may not like her presence here, but she has nowhere else to go. We can’t send her back to the humans; her father will torture her for information.’
‘Our father won’t care about that,’ Kai said.
‘No, but Mother will. Orelle won’t let anything happen to Sloane. She cares about her as much as we do.’
Kai lifted one eyebrow at him. ‘As much as you do?’ he asked.
Rhyn glowered at his brother, not liking what he was insinuating. He knew he cared about Sloane a whole lot more than anyone else in his world, but he didn’t want to say it aloud. Instead, he shook his head at his brother. ‘Don’t push me, Kai,’ he warned.
Kai simply grinned in response. ‘I wouldn’t dream of it,’ he replied, tucking his hands into the pockets of his pants. He turned and stared out at the ocean, before glancing back at Rhyn.
‘So, what do you plan to do?’ he asked.
‘You’ll see,’ Rhyn replied. ‘I don’t think the elders are going to like it.’
Kai frowned but didn’t ask him to explain. ‘It’s going to be an interesting meeting then.’
‘Yes, it will be,’ Rhyn nodded.
Kai’s eyes turned serious, the blue in them clouding as they became fogged with thought. ‘I fear this will not end well for our people.’
Rhyn feared the same thing, though he couldn’t bring himself to nod in agreement. Instead, he swallowed and attempted to ignore the way the comment set his teeth on edge. ‘We should depart for the meeting. It’s not long until suns’ peak.’
Kai squinted up at the suns in the sky before looking down at Rhyn. ‘I planned to visit Mother quickly first and let her know what is happening.’
Rhyn dismissed Kai with a nod. ‘Go. I’ll see you at the meeting.’
‘Till then,’ Kai replied, turning and retracing his steps back down the pathway.
Rhyn watched him leave and tried to quell the unease stirring in his gut. Kai didn’t see things going well for them with the humans, and the more Rhyn thought about it, the more he realised that he didn’t believe they would either. They were heading towards a battle, that much was certain, and he wasn’t sure if his people could survive another clash with humans. Their last encounter had created the Brakys, but he was beginning to believe that this encounter could be worse. There was one way they may be able to avoid it though; he just hoped the elders would hear him out.
Chapter Five
Sloane hovered inside the doorway of Rhyn’s hut, replaying the conversation she’d just overheard in her mind. She couldn’t glean any of what Rhyn had planned from his discussion with Kai, and she was becoming increasingly concerned about how he wanted to stop the humans. He clearly wasn’t going to tell her, and she was beginning to realise that she needed to be at the meeting with the elders if she wanted any answers.
She paced away from the door and back into the small living area of the hut. The place was completely foreign to her, and she had no idea where she was. She’d only woken up when she heard Rhyn greeting his brother, so she hadn’t exactly had long to get her bearings.
She glanced curiously around at the room. Orelle’s home had always seemed simply furnished to her, but this place was practically bare. The only thing indicating who lived there were the weapons near the fireplace, which made her believe it might be Rhyn’s place.
She didn’t even know he had a home in the village though, and couldn’t understand why he’d bring her there of all places. She crept back towards the front doorway and peeked her head outside.
Kai had disappeared from view, but Rhyn was still staring down the pathway after him. He didn’t move as he stood there, and he seemed to be deep in thought. Sloane wished she knew what was going on inside his head, but the only way she could hope to find out was if she somehow got to that meeting.
As she continued to consider the conversation she’d just overheard, Sloane couldn’t help but focus a little on what Kai had said about Rhyn caring for her more than the rest of his family. She chewed on her lower lip as she stared at him, wondering how strongly he felt about her. The way he acted around her certainly made her feel like he cared about her, though she had never truly let herself consider just how much.
Neither of them had proclaimed their feelings and Sloane was still trying to figure hers out. She knew she cared for Rhyn. He had taught her so much during their time together, about his people, his world and their incredible ability to fight. But he had also taught her about herself. He had made her feel stronger than she had ever felt before; capable of pushing herself further and harder than she ever had. But he also made her feel weak and vulnerable at the same time, in a way she hadn’t experienced for many years.
She felt so many different things towards the Unfaih warrior, and they all seemed to be twisted up in a knot of confusion inside her. She wasn’t good with emotions, and it seemed much easier to try and ignore them. To speak of them out loud would make them real, and deep inside she knew that once they felt real, she would never be able to leave the world of the Unfaih.
Rhyn let out a deep breath, drawing Sloane’s attention. He slowly pushed a hand through his hair, before he started down the pathway towards the village. He was walking at a slow pace like he was hesitant to face what lay ahead of him.
Once he disappeared from view, Sloane stepped outside and into the crisp air. There were no clouds in the sky and yet the cold chilled her. Even the suns did little to provide much warmth. Two glacies were playing in a mound of snow beside the house, but they seemed too distracted to notice her. The two of them were ducking, diving and rolling around in the fresh snow. They were much smaller than the ones at Orelle’s hut, and they clucked so happily as they frolicked that Sloane almost thought she could like the creatures.
She wrapped her arms around her body and started towards the path that led from the house. Now that she was outside she could see that the hut was in a very different part of the village to Orelle’s home. It was at the edge of the valley with breathtaking views out over the frozen ocean. The snow banks around the hut towered over it and Sloane couldn’t see any of the other homes in the village. It was isolated, and she found she quite liked how remote it felt.
She walked quickly to catch up with Rhyn, moving silently as she stalked him. He’d send her straight back to the hut if he found her following and she couldn’t risk that. She needed to know what he was up to and there was no way she was missing the meeting of the elders.
She was almost to the village when she caught sight of Rhyn on the pathway ahead. He was still walking at a slow pace and had nearly reached the first building that marked the start of the small town. Sloane paused and took several cautious steps backwards until he disappeared from view again. The pathway to his home led directly from the village centre, and she was going to have to follow him through it to wherever he was meeting the elders.
It was the middle of the day, so she knew the main square would be busy, and there was no way she’d be getting through it unseen. She just hoped that the Unfaih left her alone.
She let out a breath and took a couple of tentative steps forwards, extending her neck to try and catch sight of Rhyn. She saw him just as he disappeared down the pathway between two buildings, and she raced to catch up again, so he didn’t get too far ahead.
The suns were both reachi
ng their peak in the sky by the time she reached the main square in the village, and their light sparkled across the icy buildings that surrounded the open area. Sloane hovered in the shadows between the two buildings as she searched the square for Rhyn.
The place was teeming with villagers, and they were all speaking in hushed voices as they talked amongst one another. The square hummed with a feeling of tension and concern that Sloane had never felt in the village before, and she could easily see how worried the Unfaih people were. She wondered what they had heard and how much they knew of the danger that loomed on their doorstep.
It didn’t take her long to find Rhyn. His size meant he wasn’t difficult to miss even in the most crowded places, but it also helped that almost every Unfaih turned to watch him as he walked across the square. Some eyed him with keen scrutiny, while others seemed curious as to what he would do next.
Rhyn didn’t show an ounce of nervousness or uncertainty despite their stares. It was like their curious glances simply rolled off him like he didn’t notice them at all. There was respect in the way they looked at him, and he wasn’t cocky or self-assured as he walked. Rather, he emanated an aura of authority that the Unfaih people all looked up to.
Rhyn entered a building at the far end of the square, disappearing from view again through a set of large double doors. Sloane let out a breath and turned her focus to the people in the square and considered how she was going to get by them. She’d never seen so many of the Unfaih gathered there before, and she wondered if it was because they had heard about the confrontation with Ash and the other humans.
She hoped that she could pass by unnoticed while the Unfaih were busy in conversation. She’d always been good at blending in, so now seemed like a good time to put that skill into practice. She stepped into the square, but rather than follow Rhyn directly through the centre of it, she kept to the buildings that lined the edges and slowly made her way around the crowd.
The Oblivion Stone (The Liftsal Guardians Book 3) Page 5