Call of Sunteri (Keepers of the Wellsprings Book 2)

by Missy Sheldrake

  “Yeah, I do,” I say. “I want to stay with him. We’ve got stuff to do.” I stand up. “I want to go back to Saesa now.”

  “Of course. In a moment,” he says, but he doesn’t get up. “Tib, you must understand. I am offering you assistance. I wish to help you. Do you feel safe? Please remember that Mevyn asked you to be honest.”

  I scowl and cross my arms. I can’t help it. I’m too uneasy. He’s looking at me. He sees. Sees something I can’t, maybe. The truth is that ever since Mevyn and I teamed up, I’ve done a lot of things I never would have before. Exciting things. Dangerous things. Climbed towers. Burned them. Swam in the ocean, to a ship. Left home forever. These are good things, I tell myself. Adventurous things. These things got me out of there. Away from the dye fields. Helped me start a new life. But then I remember the fear as Dreamwalker attacked me in the pit. The pain as I fell. How I wanted to die. How as soon as I got up again, I was ready to do whatever Mevyn said. He protected me. Saved me. But if it wasn’t for him, I wouldn’t have been there in the first place.

  “He gave me things. Friends. Other things.” I finger the soft leather of my new bandolier. Wiggle my toes in my boots. My good, new boots. I thought they were a gift, and they were. The first thing Mevyn gave to me. They were something more, though. Something Mevyn needed more than I did. A gift is a trick. I swallow the lump in my throat. “We’re friends,” I say, but I’m more confused now than ever. I hide it well enough, though. Shoel believes me. He gets up.

  “Very well,” he says. “We shall bring you to the border of Kythshire tomorrow. From there, you must go alone. We respect our neighbors’ border, but we shall take you as far as we can by cygnet.”

  “But Raefe,” I keep my arms crossed. “He doesn’t know we’re going there.”

  “I advise you to tell him,” Shoel opens the door. “For Saesa’s safety.”

  His words ring in my ears as we walk together back to the platform. Not just the part about Saesa. The other parts, too. I was so sure before. I was on an important quest. I had to do this. It never felt like a choice. But now, with all of Shoel’s questions, I’m doubting it. Doubting Mevyn. Doubting myself.

  It doesn’t feel the same as when the Dreamwalker made me think bad things. This is different. It comes from a good place. It feels more like the truth. Or maybe it isn’t. Maybe this is the Dreamwalker all over again. This place feels as nice as my vision while I was climbing the rungs, the one that made me fall. Maybe this place is a trick. I stop walking. Reach out. Touch the wall. It feels real, but so did the sunshine. So did the flower petals that brushed my fingers.

  “Tib?” Shoel turns. Comes back to me.

  “Is this place real?” I ask him. “Are you?”

  He puts his hands on my shoulders. Kneels. Looks into my eyes. His are silvery blue. Honest. There’s no magic there. Not like when Mevyn looks at me and everything feels like a spell.

  “Yes,” he says firmly. “This place is real.”

  “I thought maybe the Dreamwalker…” I trail off. Look away.

  “His kind cannot enter here,” Shoel explains. “We are protected, as is all of Ceras’lain. He cannot reach your mind within our borders.”

  “How do I know you’re telling the truth, and not just part of the illusion?” I look at him again. His honest eyes hold something else now. Pity.

  “You don’t,” he sighs. “You have nothing to go on but instinct and your own heart. You must learn to trust both. Trust in yourself, Tib, above all others. Only you know what is best.”

  I sit right beside Saesa when we get back. She’s laughing. Happy. I smile, too, but inside I’m still confused. When Mevyn returns to me I don’t feel much better. The elves show us to a room with three beds. They tell us to rest, and that we’ll leave on cygnets in the morning.

  Saesa gasps and pulls me around, showing me the view from the balcony, and pointing out the fairies carved into the pillars of the beds. The beds have curtains on them. I never saw that before. They’re soft. So are the mattresses. I climb on and sink into it. When I do, I don’t want to get up again. It feels like a cloud. But I have to. I struggle out of the bed.

  “Tomorrow, did you hear? We get to ride the cygnet again. Julini said I can ride with her. I bet we’ll go even higher.” Saesa’s curls bounce as she hops up beside me. Across from her, Raefe has the letter Nessa gave him out. He turns it in his hands.

  “Hopefully, this Evelei in Felescue is easy to find,” he says.

  “We’re not going to Felescue,” I cross the room to his bed. Lean on the post.

  “Tib, no.” Mevyn’s voice rushes into my head. “It’ll be just you, me, and Saesa. Remember?”

  “What do you mean?” Raefe asks. He looks up from the letter. I feel Mevyn’s warning, but I ignore it. Shoel was right. If something happens to Mevyn and me, someone needs to be with Saesa.

  “You were right, back in the carriage,” I admit. “There’s no uncle in Ceras’lain. We’re going to Kythshire,” I say. “All four of us.”

  Raefe looks around. Counts three. Shakes his head.

  “Why does everyone keep counting wrong?” he asks. “There’s three of us. You, me, Saesa.”

  “No, there are four. Mevyn’s here.” My heart is racing. I remember Shoel’s advice. Trust in yourself. It’s easier here. Easier to be myself. To ignore Mevyn’s directions. It feels daring to ignore his anger and his commands.

  “Why are you betraying me?”

  “I’m not betraying you. I’m making sure my friends are safe. I’ve trusted you, now you need to trust me, too. Raefe is my friend. He loves his sister. He’s good. He’ll keep our secret.”

  “Outside. Now.”

  Saesa looks from me to Raefe, who is sitting up in the downy cloud of his mattress, staring at me. I shake my head.

  “No more orders,” I say. Raefe’s eyes widen. He looks at Saesa. Mouths something about me being mad. I glare and cross my arms again. My feet start to shuffle away and I will them to stop. “I mean it.” I plant them to the spot. It takes a lot of effort. My head starts to hurt.

  “I need to speak to you alone,” Mevyn says a little more gently, but his will is just as strong as ever. “Please come onto the balcony.”

  “That’s better,” I say. I excuse myself and go outside. I can hear them whispering about me back in the room. It makes me angry that Raefe said I was mad. I’m not. Maybe I shouldn’t have told him after all. I hope Saesa’s defending me. I’m sure she is.

  On the balcony, Mevyn is fiery gold and bright. Strong-looking. Not how he was in front of Shoel. It makes me even angrier. My arms are crossed so hard I feel like I’m holding my chest together.

  “You have no right,” he flies toward me. Hovers in my face. Our eyes meet briefly, but I look away. “No right to reveal me to anyone. Ever.” He drifts around my head. Tries to catch my gaze. I duck away.

  “Stop it.” I know what he wants. To make me forget. All he has to do is look into my eyes. In the past he always asks me first, but I won’t take a chance this time. I won’t even let him look. I won’t even let him try.

  “What did that elf say to you?” he demands. “What has changed between us?” He stops trying to catch my eye. He droops onto the railing and stands there. “I need you, Tib. Please.”

  “What difference does it make if Raefe knows? You told Shoel. You told Saesa. You let her remember, too.”

  “Saesa has been tested. I know she’ll keep me safe now.”

  “How?” I ask angrily. “How was she tested? When?”

  “The carriage ride,” Mevyn explains. “Even in the face of danger, she didn’t reveal me. She didn’t betray me.”

  “That was a test?” I pace. Shake my head. Remember the danger, the fear. The creatures pouring in through the windows. Saesa being stabbed. The storm cloud. The darkness that fell over us. The road littered with dead. “That was you?”

  “Oh no, no. That was not me, Tib. It was the Dreamwalker. You heard the elves. He cannot t
ouch us here. No need to be afraid.”

  I close my eyes. Press my palms to them. Try to think. He said the same thing in the pit. It was my test, but it was the Dreamwalker.

  “Who is it?” I ask. “Who is this Dreamwalker? If not you, then who is he? Why is he so interested in you?”

  “Look at me,” Mevyn says soothingly, “and I will tell you. Look at me, so you know that I am telling the truth.”

  Reluctantly, I let my hands drop and open my eyes slowly. He’s right there, waiting. He puts a hand on my cheek. The gold swirls dance. Suddenly, I feel foolish. It doesn’t matter who the Dreamwalker is. Not really. All that matters is getting to Kythshire. Getting help to restore the Wellspring. Everything else is unimportant. I feel bad. I shouldn’t have questioned.

  “Tib, I’m sorry. I must. I will ask you as I always do, for my protection and your own…”

  In the morning, Saesa wakes me. We’re all excited. Ready for adventure. Saesa jumps on Raefe’s bed. Shakes him awake. Hurries him to get dressed. Julini comes to walk us to breakfast. She and Saesa chatter away together. Raefe and I walk more slowly. We’re both still trying to wake up. Nobody says anything about the night before. None of us remembers.

  At breakfast, we go over our plans with Shoel. Raefe will deliver Nessa’s letter to Evelei in Felescue. Saesa and I will go with Shoel. Shoel glances at Raefe and then looks at me. He’s disappointed that I didn’t tell Raefe the secret. I’m not sure what the secret was now. It must not have been too important. I just have to go with Shoel. I know that much.

  I’m excited to ride the cygnet again. Saesa is, too. Raefe isn’t, though.

  “You be careful,” he says to Saesa. “Hold on with both hands, all right?”

  “I will,” she says, and hugs him. “Don’t get sick again.”

  He hugs her back. Seeing them together reminds me of someone from my past. Someone I miss. I think of red blooms and a fan of black hair. I wonder if I’ll see her again.

  “Take care of her, Tib,” Raefe smiles at me. Gives me a hand to shake. I do.

  “I will,” I promise. “Don’t worry.”

  Saesa slips her hand into mine as the cygnet carrying Raefe and Zevlain opens its feathery wings. With a loud cry and a puff of wind, the mount lifts up from the platform and dives away. We watch it go until it’s a tiny white dot in the distance. Saesa’s the first one to break the silence.

  “Our turn!” she laughs and runs to Julini, who’s waiting to help her onto her cygnet. Shoel turns to me.

  “Are you certain about this, Tib? It isn’t too late. We can bring Raefe back. For Saesa.”

  “Say you’re sure.”

  Yes, say I’m sure. I am. I say it. Shoel eyes me. I smile at him.

  “Very well,” he sighs. “Up you go.” He boosts me onto the cygnet’s back and climbs into the seat behind me. Next to us Saesa is stroking the soft feathers, waiting to go. She waves at me, grinning. White wings spread gracefully and take us up. Soon we’re so high that even the wall is just a thin line. I close my eyes and feel the wind in my hair. I could stay up here, soaring, forever. Up here, I’m safe. Up here, I’m free.

  Chapter Sixteen: The Fallen

  Azi

  Rian takes the banner for the ride back to Valleyside. It’s a much quicker journey without the Royal Carriage and the columns of guards to slow our pace. Mya sings a song of speed, and her song gives our horses strength and stamina. We ride hard and cover twice the ground in half of the time. Thankfully, we’re spared Flitt’s constant banter. She sleeps through most of the day tucked under my collar. When we finally stop for the night, we’ve made it all the way to Sorlen River Crossing. The streets are quiet as we ride through the village, which is mostly closed up for the night. I’m relieved that we’ll have no fanfare to welcome us. All of us are hungry for our supper, and we just want to get in where it’s warm.

  “That’s half the distance to Valleyside,” Rian says as he helps me down from my horse. “If we ride as hard tomorrow, we can make it there. We could get to Ceras’lain in two days’ time if we end up having to ride. From there, the ride to the other border shouldn’t take long. Another day, maybe.” He rubs a splash of dried mud from my cheek with his finger and draws me for a quick kiss as the stable boy leads our horses away. Behind us, Da clears his throat.

  “Oh Benen, let them be,” Mum whispers. “Young love…” she lowers her voice further and I don’t quite catch the rest. They laugh, and Rian takes it as permission to kiss me even longer. I don’t mind.

  “In the middle of the street? Really, you two?” Mya calls.

  “Clearly, your mother needs to teach mine a thing or two,” Rian murmurs in between kisses.

  “Yours is right, though.” I look around. Jac is milling by the door. Everyone else has gone in. The streets are empty and dark. A cold wind whips my hair around my face and I shiver. “Jac’s watching. Let’s go in.”

  Rian looks over his shoulder at Jac and then turns back to me. He draws me in even closer and kisses me with such passion that I’m left blushing. Warmth and happiness surge through me from head to toe. I love being this close to Rian, I truly do. I’ve missed it since we’ve been avoiding the Half-Realm. I don’t care that we’re in the middle of the street or who’s watching. When he pulls away, Rian’s eyes dance with mischief.

  “Think he caught that one?” he asks with a wink.

  “He’d have to be blind not to,” I laugh and take his hand and we try to slip past Jac into the inn, but he nods to us as we near and it’s obvious he wants to talk.

  “Master Mage, Lady Knight,” he salutes us casually. “A word?”

  “I’m not a Master,” Rian says. “Just Rian is fine.”

  “Yes, and Azaeli. Of course.” Jac pulls off his helm and tucks it under his arm.

  “No, Lady Knight is good for Azi.” Rian nods matter-of-factly and I nudge him with my elbow and roll my eyes. “What can we do for you, Jac?” Rian asks.

  “Oh, no, sir. I’m to serve you, remember?” he says smoothly. He’s careful to keep his attention on Rian and not look at me. I can tell it’s an effort for him.

  “Right,” says Rian, entirely unconvinced. His demeanor shifts slightly. He raises his chin in a very uncharacteristic way. Uncle does that, when he’s trying to be stern. I look away to hide my amusement. It’s very unlike Rian to act the way Mages tend to: Haughty and self-important. “Right now, you can help by allowing us to go in and eat our supper before it gets cold.”

  “See?” Flitt says through a yawn at my shoulder. “There it is, that jealousy I was talking about. Hmm. What will Stinky do? Will they fight now?”

  “Certainly.” Jac’s eyes catch mine as I turn back to them. My heart skips and I offer him an apologetic smile. When I look away, I’m slightly annoyed at myself. Why do I allow him to affect me that way?

  “Come on, Rian…” I tug his hand.

  “Oh, go in and rest, Jac,” Rian sighs. “None of us needs a guard.” He pulls me inside without waiting for an answer.

  The tavern is richly decorated, warm and welcoming. The great hearth takes up half of the far wall, and the guild has already made themselves at home among its patrons. In the short time since we’ve arrived, Mya has drawn a small crowd with her lute. At a long table beside her, Elliot nods off in his chair. His red hair seems to dance in the firelight as he dozes. Cort and Bryse have found the gamblers. Brother Donal is whispering with the barkeep while Dacva leans half-asleep against the bar with his chin in his hand.

  The tavern is surprisingly occupied despite the late hour. The other patrons sprinkled around the dark room look up as we enter. Their interest isn’t on me, but on Rian. It’s rare to see a Mage outside of the city, especially with such a small party. When we had been traveling with the prince and princess, the inns where we stayed had been cleared out for us in advance. Now that our guild is on its own, there’s no need for such measures. Rian and I cross to the others with strangers’ eyes on us the entire time. Even af
ter we sit, they watch us.

  The tavern girls are busy laying out a spread for us. At the sight of the food and drink, I realize how famished I am. I drop into a chair beside Mum and Da, who are bent together with their hands twined, whispering. I pour some cider into Rian’s goblet and my own, and I’m so thirsty that I drain it before Rian has a chance to do his spell. As I refill it, he brushes a finger over the lip of his own cup and whispers the spell. The table top rattles softly, and Mum’s goblet tips over. Red wine seeps across the worn wood. She looks at Rian, wide-eyed.

  “Did you drink any of that yet, Lisabella?” Rian asks my mum, who shakes her head slowly.

  “Good,” Rian says. He reaches across to his mother’s goblet and looks inside. Mya stops playing. The tavern goes quiet as everyone turns to watch our table, which has started up again. It rumbles steadily and my cup tips and spills amber across the wood. Rian catches the flagon and his own cup before they do the same. The lingering taste of the cider I’ve already swallowed goes sour on my tongue. A barmaid rushes to us with rags to mop up Mum’s wine and my cider, which are pooling together along the crevices in the wood and dancing like Elliot’s hair in the firelight.

  Rian says something, but his voice is far away. The light is beautiful. It flashes like the orange and yellow flecks in Flit’s diamond. The barmaid wipes it away with her rag like a storm cloud blotting away the sun. I try to fight the strange sensation that spreads through me. It’s like ants, thousands of ants that crawl on my skin. As they crawl I feel light, like I’m floating away. I try to shake it off, try to blink, even, but my body won’t respond.

  All around me I’m vaguely aware of my guild mates panicking. Rian is shaking my shoulders. Flitt’s tiny hands bat at my cheek and tug my hair.

  “Look at me, Sweeting,” Mum is saying. Da’s voice booms beside her. Flitt is talking, too. Her voice echoes in a faraway part of my mind. I try to reach it, but I can’t. It’s too far away. Brother Donal comes. I feel his healing spread through me. It isn’t working, though. I push myself through the tingling, trying to fight back to them, but my eyes close slowly. I’m drifting away through the Half-Realm. Straight into the Dreaming.