I smiled wanly at Lorekin. “Lorekin, tha –“ his silencing finger over my lips silenced me. I blinked at him in surprise.
“First of all, Kel. To you I am Caimeir. Second. I am Elmoran. One never uses those two little words you were about to say to us. It could bind you for twenty years at a time to whatever payment one of us decides is worthy of whatever service we had rendered to earn those two words. I have stopped you this time. Next time I may not.” He explained to me. While his tone was serious, his eyes glinted mischievously.
“Now, we should probably clean this mess up and let your leader have the space for his daughter’s Betrothal Ceremony,” Caimeir added rising easily from his crouch.
“How do you know about that?” I asked getting up with his help. My mother and Ferna quickly worked to clean up the mess of infection from the bench and floor where I had lain. My mother handed me a fresh shirt. Caimeir tapped his ear. “You were outside, though,” I said as I slipped on my new shirt.
He shrugged at that. “Maybe the wind told me?” he suggested.
“How can we fight this being that has attacked one of Our people?” The High Zieneng asked stepping forward now.
Caimeir raised a brow at him. “You? Did you see him outside the church? Did you see him in your town square?” he asked simply. Glancing at my father, he added with a mirthless smile “Did you see him kneeling beside you and your son earlier?” My father’s face grew incredibly pale at that.
“You mean we cannot see this threat?!” The High Zieneng demanded.
“I did tell you that we had received a request for help that none other could answer,” Caimeir said simply.
“’We’?”
Caimeir inclined his head. “Now I must be going as the emergency has passed.” At his words I felt a sense of panic. He turned back to me. “It is safer now. You can leave sacred ground.”
I opened my mouth to ask where he was going, but that seemed too strange even in my mind. So, I closed my mouth and nodded instead. Keeping in mind what he had warned earlier I said softly “I appreciate your healing.”
Caimeir grinned with satisfaction, though his eyes still glinted. “Well done. I will see you again.” With that, his form blurred and shrank. In his place with the crow. This time I noted it had his eyes. One green. One silver blue. With a caw, the bird took to the air. He flew straight for the doors of the church. Someone had managed to close them at some point. Not that it mattered. A blast of wind swung them wide open again. Unimpeded the crow flew into the late evening air.
Suddenly I found myself the center of attention. “What?”
Chapter 15
The High Zieneng stepped closer to me, which I will admit is not something I ever really wanted to have happen to me. Especially with his expression so serious and his eyes flashing. Something was troubling him, and he wanted answers. I could feel that much. “Kel Plavea, what is this threat that the Elmora has told us about? The one that has been attacking you. Tell Us.”
“What exactly do you want to know?” I asked hesitantly. I wasn’t trying to be obstinate, I just wanted to know what was actually of interest… and perhaps I was used to people not believing me.
“Everything, Kel. We need to know how to protect you.” My father said. His expression was a mix of sincerity and haunting regret. My mother joined the group as Ferna finished cleaning things up. Shellna and Teilnon had already drifted over.
I was very uncomfortable with the audience. “Um… well…” I thought about reminding them that there was very little they could do – but you don’t say something like that to a protector and ruler like the High Zieneng. It just isn’t done. There was also the possibility that the Elmoran had been mistaken, that there was something they could do… “I’ve always seen him. Everywhere, day or night. But he was usually just an ominous shadow. His presence scared me so badly… but no one else would ever see him. I tried to tell – but everyone just told me he was a figment of my imagination…” I stopped. I might be safe in the church… but how bad would it be when I left? Talking about him always seemed to make things worse.
“He usually appeared as an ‘ominous shadow’? Has he appeared differently?” The High Zieneng asked when I held my silence too long. I nodded but didn’t say anything. “Lad, we cannot help you if you do not talk to us.” He said in a surprisingly patient tone.
I was really sick of people saying that. Especially when talking about it always seemed to make it worse. I just survived one attack and I was still feeling vulnerable. They wanted me to leave my place of safety. And Caimeir was gone… why does that matter so much? I wondered as I met the High Zieneng’s gaze. Though it was probably not proper or even advisable, I held his golden gaze. “People keep saying that, you know. And yet every time I do…. its like I’m calling him to me. It always makes it worse.”
“There must be something we can do, despite what Lorekin said. We can only know that if we know what we are up against.” The High Zieneng said, echoing my earlier thought. His eyes were glittering with controlled anger. He reminded me of mother avenaka defending her nest. Very little survived that kind of rage… Even Jay’s father, who had a great relationship with his messenger avenakas gave a nesting female a wide berth.
“Can you see him?” I asked simply. I turned to my father. “Did you see him?” My father and the High Zieneng frowned. “The one who did this,” I said gesturing to the six fresh scars on my sides, “was walking through the crowd out there. A whole crowd of mages and not one saw him. No one reacted when he was crouching beside us. When he went to touch the wounds…” I said watching their expressions. They were uncomfortable with this news. That was for sure. I focused on Teilnon and Ferna who were also pale. “Grant you, I hadn’t known about the corrupted shapeshifter elemental. But that was because he was there. Was holding me by the throat on the ground. He stalked us through the Wood.” As I spoke their level of discomfort and bewilderment increased.
Turning to Shellna I said “of everyone, I think you are the only one who ever perceived him. You heard him laugh, didn’t you?” I was guessing. But it was a reasonable guess considering she had reacted when Lek had laughed out in the square.
“That evil sound was him?” She hesitantly asked.
I nodded.
“Describe this creature.” The High Zieneng demanded. “Research will help us learn what we must do to defend against a ‘shadekin.’ A description may help.”
I stared at him. I had never thought to conduct research. After all, I thought I might have been going a little mad. I hadn’t known what Lek was until Caimeir had said something. Hadn’t even known the name until Lek had told me earlier. Would there be anything in the Archives about him? Was there something my clan could do against something they couldn’t see?
“What is all this? Pykim! There is much to be done and very little time in which to do it.” An authoritative voice demanded from the church doors. We all flinched and turned to see the High Zienenga of all Solzien mage clans, Kaza dae Ano. Her golden hair gleamed in waves down her back and appeared all the brighter against her dark garnet gown. Beside her, in a gown of palest cream was the high princess.
Zara Ano was the same age as I was. It felt odd that she was in a Betrothal ceremony. But that was the difference between her and me. She was the High Princess of all the Solzien clans. I was just the heir of the high Plavean family. And while most would think that made me a kind of prince… my family didn’t rule anything other than themselves. Just like being a plant mage, I had more freedom than she did.
She eyed the scene before her just like her mother. Behind them, I could see others in scarlet dresses. Must be helpers for the ceremony. Zara’s mother turned her attention back to the High Zieneng. “Is the priest ready? Is Ferno?”
“Of course, Kaza. I talked to them before I noticed there were others in the church. They were just leaving.” My family, Teilnon, and Shellna all took the hint and bowed. We then turned and made our way to the door. I heard th
e High Zieneng stop my father for a whispered word. I didn’t stop. Curiosity may have made me want to pause and look. But I really didn’t want to continue the conversation from before.
Zara, her mother, and their ladies moved to the side so that we could get past. I glanced at Zara sidelong as we left. It wasn’t every day that I got to be this close to the high princess. And she was pretty… very pretty. We were close enough that I could catch sight of her fire blue eyes flecked with golden veins. Her long and thick hair had three tones to it; golden blond with orange and red locks throughout.
She caught my look and raised a brow. Either in question or in surprise that a lowly to-be-plant mage would look upon her, I wasn’t sure which. Nothing wrong with looking. I thought to both her and myself. More to myself, I suppose. As I had told Nimla many times, a plant mage and a sunfire mage did not a pair make. Perhaps we could be friends, considering we were both the heir of our households. Maybe… Nah. A sunfire princess does not mix with a plant mage, heir or not. Too much of a difference between power.
“Happy Betrothal.” I wished her before making my escape into the cool evening air. People met us outside, wanting to know what had happened. I kept receiving curious looks, but I kept my head down. My mother and father took the brunt of the questions and were handling answering them just fine. I didn’t feel at all bad slipping away unnoticed.
Entering the side paths of the town, I moved quickly. I didn’t feel Lek nearby, which was good. But I didn’t want to go home just yet. There was another safe place that I wanted to go for peace and quiet. And to possibly start that research the High Zieneng mentioned though I did have a test tomorrow…
A few years ago, Uncle Lyrel had given me a key to the library. I had been helping him for years by that point, and I guess he figured that he could trust me. There were times when I would go before or after hours to study or just organize the Archives.
I slipped the heavy, though plain key into the lock. With a subtle click, the lock gave before the authority of the key. I slid the key free and pushed the heavy door open. It swung upon its hinges soundlessly. Many of the younger helpers were tasked with keeping the door hinges well oiled. I stepped inside. I shut the door and locked it from within. Leaning back against the door I dropped the key back into my pocket.
The evening light lent many shadows life in the waiting quiet of the library. I waited for a few moments as my eyes adjusted and I breathed in the wonderful sent of printed page, ink, and leather. Some of the shadows, as I guessed they would be, were more alive than others. Nimla swept out of the darkness and flung herself at me.
I held my breath, afraid that I might breathe bits of her in. It was very different to hug a shadow… or rather, be hugged by a shadow. There was no weight. Just a presence. Maybe a gentle breeze.
Nimla pulled away, her ecstatic joy all around. “Kel! I’m so glad you are okay! I was not sure the Espiramora would come to our aid, though I prayed. And they did!” She spun about in a dance.
“You did see that I was in trouble.”
She turned troubled eyes to me. “Yes. I am sorry that we couldn’t do anything to help you ourselves, my people and I… Its just that if the Shadekin got ahold of one of us very bad things would happen. Other elementals are bad, but a spirit elemental corrupted by one such as he… It would have been catastrophic.” She placed a gentle hand on my shoulder. “Even so, I wanted to do something, anything to help you.”
A number of her kin assured me that was the truth.
“I do understand,” I replied with a smile. And I did. Lek was a terrifying individual. I wouldn’t want anyone getting hurt because of me. “Why did you think the Elmora would help?” I asked.
“The Espiramora are of spirit, Kel. They would be able to see and understand the danger. They could do something about it. I’m just so amazed that Caimeir was the one who came so quickly.”
“He said his name was ‘Lorekin’ first. Why?” I found myself asking.
Nimla chuckled and answered mysteriously “He has many names. He decides who gets to call him what. Most know him as ‘Lorekin.’ Closer friends know him as ‘Quinrye.’ Only the closest of friends know him as ‘Caimeir.”
I frowned. “If that is the case, why would he tell me to call him ‘Caimeir’? I don’t know him that well.”
“You will have to ask him that… Oh. Hello.” She said turning to look deeper in the library.
I turned to follow her gaze. There, coming out of the deeper shadows of the library was a woman I vaguely recognized. She was in her older years and dressed in the traditional gray-silver robes of skilled wind mages. Her hair was tawny brown threaded with gray and pulled back into a ponytail. Her continence was kind with good humor. The woman stopped a short distance from us and smiled warmly. It was about then that I remembered I had met her once several years ago. It was her warm smile that I had remembered so well and thus had prodded the memory loose.
“You have grown much since I’ve seen you last.” She greeted me before nodding a greeting to Nimla.
Not only did I remember her, I now had the distinct feeling that she might have been the first ghost I had ever seen… or at least interacted with. Honestly, I still couldn’t think of her, or the three from the King’s Academy, as ghosts. But a wind mage would not be in the library after hours and in the dark. Nor would a wind mage have been aware of Nimla.
“This might be rude, so please forgive me, but are you a ghost?”
Her smile turned a little sad. “Yes. I’ve been dead for a few centuries now.”
I returned her smile, though mine probably started out a little nervously before growing somewhat amused. The ghost tilted her head curiously at my reaction. I apologized again for possibly being somewhat rude. “I’m sorry, but I was just thinking of the irony. People are afraid to go down in the Archives because they believe it to be haunted.”
“They are not wrong.”
“No,” I admitted, “But they don’t think this part of the library is haunted. The irony is this is the only place I’ve seen you, so the whole place is apparently haunted.”
She grinned, her gray eyes dancing merrily. “Apparently so. Poor dears… nowhere is safely un-haunted.”
“Who are you?” I asked
“I was known for most of my life as Selva dae Sorin. I have a favor to ask of you, Kel Plavea. I need you to find the Irel Codex. I had to hide it years ago in a special box that I had given to some old friends of mine. You will need it Kel. Things are moving quickly now, and you will need all the help you can get.”
“Me?” I said frowning in confusion. “What are you talking about?”
Selva’s sad smile returned. “You will know soon enough. But you must try to find it, but for your safety, do not ask any of your family or clan to help you. They will not understand.” She said with a shudder as if a memory had come unbidden to her. After a moment she shook it off and met my gaze. “I would be of more help if I could. Get you started in the right direction. But I cannot. You must make the decision. I hope to see you again, Kel. Be strong. Please, find the Irel Codex.”
Selva then vanished, just faded away. I turned to Nimla. “She’s almost as good as you are at that.”
Nimla laughed. “Will you do as she asks?”
“I don’t know yet. But I do need to study.”
“Would you like company?”
“Of course,” I said going to my favorite study table.
Chapter 16
Salapril 29th, 518AC
Nobody knew what had happened yesterday, other than those who had been in the church. All who had been inside had been swamped with questions as to what had happened… well… I’ll admit I dodged the tide. I’ve had years of practice. It was nice to have others deal with it. I don’t care even what they said in response… okay, maybe a little. But I made myself scarce.
Uncle Lyrel found me the next morning at the study table in the library. One moment I had been happily unconscious. In the next, a hand was
gently shaking me awake. I sat up quickly looking around in confusion. “What?”
“You fell asleep.” Nimla giggled from a nearby bookshelf’s shadows. At my raised brow she shrugged with a smile. “I tried to wake you, but you were out. Completely out.”
“Good morning Kel. I didn’t know the library was an inn.” Uncle Lyrel said dryly. He then held out a hand, palm up. I looked at it for a puzzled moment before looking up at him. He raised an eyebrow. “Do not inn’s collect money from those who spend the night?”
“You’re serious?”
He waggled his fingers, his eyes glinting merrily. “I might just make a side business out of it.”
“Hmm… I pay with the work I do here.” I replied trying to keep from smiling. “You gave me a key for that. So that means I’m an employee. And following that logic – paycheck please!” I said holding out both of my hands with a grin on my face.
I got smacked for some reason.
“Soo… no paycheck?” I asked rubbing my head.
“No, you cheeky lad. I didn’t hit you that hard.” Uncle Lyrel muttered before going to activate the mage lighting.
I continued to rub my head, cause I could. “How do you know? You didn’t get hit.” I groused getting up to help with opening chores.
Uncle Lyrel tsked. “My hand doesn’t smart.”
I grunted with a shake of my head. Nimla chuckled from my shadow. I ignored her as I went about my tasks. “Don’t you have class to get to?” Uncle Lyrel called.
“Yeah, but I’m not that far away. I can help you get things started before Saffron comes in.”
“What about breakfast?”
My stomach grumbled at that moment. I patted it to try to silence it. “I don’t have time,” I told both my uncle and my stomach. My stomach was not pleased with that answer. Tough.
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