When Saffron arrived, I went to gather my stuff. Sitting on my notes was a wrapped sandwich. I picked it up and glanced over my shoulder in puzzlement. Uncle Lyrel was busy at his desk, getting book orders organized. He caught my look and shrugged. “I can get something else for lunch. I know you didn’t get dinner last night either. Eat it.” My stomach did like that answer.
“Thank you, Uncle,” I said with a bow of my head. I finished gathering my stuff and headed out, the sandwich in my hand.
Outside, I was unwrapping it when Jay raced up to me. “Kel! Where have you been?!”
“Library,” I replied simply, taking a bite of sandwich. I hummed appreciatively. Uncle Lyrel had good taste; roast beef, thinly sliced, with cheese, lettuce and some kind of sauce.
“All night?” Jay asked aghast.
“Apparently.”
Jay waited a moment. Possibly for more explanation. But I was really enjoying the sandwich. My stomach was too. “What are you? One-Word-Answer-Kel today?”
My brow rose as I glanced at him. My mischievous smile slowly stretched across my lips. “Yes.” He smacked me upside my head. “Ow! What was that for?” What was with the violence today?
He looked unrepentantly smug. “Glad to see you are not limited to single words only.”
“Violence was not the answer,” I muttered.
Jay sniggered. “I don’t know, Kel, it certainly helped in this situation.”
“Was there some other reason then attacking me that you wanted to see me?” I groused.
“I was worried. Folks have been looking for you. Your mother knew you had snuck off when people were talking to them outside the church, but no one knew where you went. At first, they decided you just needed some time alone. But when you didn’t come to dinner worry truly sank in.” Jay looked at me seriously. “You scared a few people yesterday. What happened? I heard you were attacked, but not by an elemental.” His tone was questioning.
Fear’s chill lapped at the edge of my consciousness. I shivered. “Jay, I really don’t want to talk about it,” I said glancing furtively about.
Jay noticed. “Whatever attacked you, it can’t be here… can it?”
I really wished that had been true. I swallowed my last bite of sandwich, which had become excessively dry. The sandwich sat in my stomach like a lead weight. “Jay, why do you think I’ve always been so horribly afraid?” I asked softly. My gaze fell to watching the road before us. “I often worried I was crazy, but I knew it was worse than that. Deep in my soul, I knew… Yesterday was proof. I had never been so afraid. It was a crushing despair made so much worse by the fact that no one could see him…”
Jay looked a little paler than normal. But he spoke with a steady voice. “Is he a ghost?”
I shook my head violently. From my shadow, I could hear Nimla’s whimper. “Ghosts are of this world… Shadekin are not.” She whispered, echoing what Caimeir had explained in the church.
“Apparently ghosts are more like people, partly good, partly flawed. But h – the thing that attacked me is evil. Through and through.” I said for Jay’s benefit. “I’m serious though, I don’t want to talk about it anymore,” I said looking at him. I was afraid that continuing the conversation would serve as a summons for my worst nightmare. And the church was on the other side of the village square.
Jay nodded after a moment of thought. “Okay. But you do realize that others are going to want to know everything? They have too many questions. Seen too much out of the ordinary, and they have received too many vague answers.”
My cousin was very observant. “I know it. They’ll just have to deal with it.”
“You won’t talk to them?”
“It is less scary to believe I am a coward and that I had frozen when a corrupted shapeshifter attacked then realize that there are dangers out there that they cannot perceive. That they likely cannot fight.” I replied. I could feel Jay’s incredulous gaze on me. But when I didn’t say anything else, he turned away and kept his silence.
Jay hadn’t been wrong. Our classmates and teachers wanted to know what the fiasco had been about yesterday. To their annoyance, all I did was shrug and answer non-committedly. They persisted, asking if I had been scared of the corrupted shapeshifter. Some of them even admitted that seeing a mix of animals all jumbled together would make them feel sick. Would scare them. I hadn’t expected those admissions, but while I appreciated them I didn’t ‘open up.’ I let them weave their own story of events without truly telling them anything.
Soon enough my cousins settled back into their normal treatment of me. But Aunt Sage, a few other teachers and Jay were the only ones unconvinced. Jay because he knew more than the others. But Aunt Sage and a few others must have realized how little I was actually saying. But they didn’t call me out on it. I guessed they would save that for a more private moment.
I was determined to never give them that opportunity.
I just wanted what happened yesterday to fade from everyone’s thoughts and become little more than a bad dream for me. That would only happen if people would just stop talking about it.
By the afternoon I was tired. Tired of being interrogated. I was almost relieved to go to my counseling meeting with Shellna. True, she might want to talk about what happened. The difference was she had felt the same fear I did. And I had seen her expression after everything was done. She had been horribly shaken. So much so that she might not want to actually discuss it. She knew. I knew. No words had to be wasted on the subject. We could move on.
“You look tired, Kel.” She commented as she gestured me into her office.
“So do you,” I replied taking my customary seat. The tea service was already perched on the coffee table. I actually helped myself to a cup, pouring some for Shellna. She nodded her thanks, but she waited for me to move away before she picked up her cup. Her gaze was still haunted.
A commiserating smile touched my lips. “We don’t have to have these meetings, you know.”
Her brow rose over her still haunted, glittering-brook eyes. A hint of her normal self peeking through. “I am a counselor for the Solzien High Clan. It is my honor and duty to help my people.”
“Even if you would rather never see one of them again?”
A little heat entered her gaze now. “It is not you that I am concerned about.” Shellna knew better than anyone in the clan what it felt like to be close to evil. She had felt it when she had touched me.
“No one else has ever been included. Sure, there was the corrupted shapeshifter. But I think that was more of a distraction than anything else. Something to prove how cowardly I am.” I replied.
“Why?” She asked with a frown.
I shrugged. “A pack of wolves goes hunting. They don’t kill the entire herd. They couldn’t eat that much, nor could they possibly be able to catch them all. They pick a likely target for dinner. But how do they get to it?” I spoke in a monotone because I was feeling sick. Lek’s prediction that I would be alone whispered about my mind… I continued “They find ways to panic the herd, to cut off their dinner guest of honor from safety. A single deer has very little chance against a hungry pack.”
She stared at me. After a moment her brows rose. “Do you realize how frightening that is? Even more so that you are painting yourself as the ‘deer’?”
Again I shrugged. “Its one deer against one wolf so I figure it’s a roughly even match. I’m still alive.”
“Barely. If it wasn’t for that Elmoran who showed up miraculously, we probably would have lost you.” There was a tear in her eye.
I shivered. “I know that…”
Shellna nodded. “I believe that. I also believe that you are helping the wolf trap your deer.” I stared at her in bewilderment. “Thinking like you are is helping him. It makes you distance yourself from others. Kel, find your herd. You are not alone. You have friends…” A curious expression came over her features. “Why do you think the Elmoran was here last night? How had he known? I know
he said that they had received a call for help, but it wasn’t from us… Do you know?”
Yep, but you really wouldn’t believe me. I thought. A small smile touched my lips at the thought though. “I don’t know the who or the how. I’m just glad he came.”
“Kel –“ Shellna started to say, probably wanting to know what I wasn’t saying, but she didn’t get a chance. A commotion outside interrupted us. Suddenly there was a rapid tapping on her door. Frowning, Shellna rose and answered it. “You do realize that I am in a session?”
The Bren youth outside was pale, bowed by way of apology before explaining quickly “Sorry Councilor! But everyone is gathering to greet our guests!”
“Guests?” Shellna asked as I too rose from my seat.
The youth nodded. “Yes Councelor! The Elmora are coming! A whole band of them!”
Shellna and I shared a shocked look before we both decided we needed to see what was going on. We rushed out of her office and followed the youth toward the commotion boiling out in the town square. Most everyone had to be there. The Elmora hadn’t come to our town in living memory. And certainly not in a group. Last night had been strange enough. But now a whole group?
Sure, I was excited. But I was also concerned. A series of reiterations of a single question kept spinning about my head like a swarm. And it all could be summed up by one word. One that wouldn’t let excitement to truly take root. One I couldn’t answer and I doubted a book could help me in this case.
Why?
Chapter 17
A tense silence filled the square as everyone peered toward the open gate. The High Zieneng and the High Ziens of each family stood before the stairs to the Town Hall, awaiting our mysterious guests. Up until a moment ago, there had been a chaos of sound. But a runner had proclaimed that they, the Elmora, would be here soon. Ever since there had been a breathless silence. One where everyone tried to have the best possible view of the gate. Everyone wanted to be the first to see the Elmora.
All the waiting suddenly came to an end. They arrived. A race so beautiful that the tense silence just turned to pure awe. Even jealousy could not stand before the beautiful sight. Likely it would come later, when out of sight of the beauty of the immortal race. It was like the moon and parts of the night sky had stepped down upon the earth. The Elmora were taller than most in town with willowy, athletic figures. Their skin was pale. Like a redhead’s whose skin had never seen the sun. Their hair was fascinating in that it was pure white at the roots but gradually became the darkest black at the ends. Many of them sported braided locks with tokens woven in. They all wore clothing similar to Caimeir’s.
And speaking of Caimeir, I spotted him in the middle of the group. He was very easy to distinguish since his hair was blond at the roots and became dark brown at the ends. He was also a little shorter than the others. His differences drew the eye like a moth to a flame.
That strange feeling of longing returned. I was near the back of the crowd, but I still felt like he had glanced my way. Which was odd since why would he have? Nor did I notice his head move. He, like the rest of the group, moved with a singular purpose through the crowd to the Council.
“Welcome to the High Solzien Mage town.” The High Zieneng greeted formally. “I am Pykim dae Solzien.” He then introduced the rest of the Council, including my father and grandmother. The wives of the Council were at the Houses with a few other unfortunates do get things straightened and prepared for our guests.
“We appreciate your welcome, High Zieneng.” The Elmoran beside Caimeir said. His people had moved so he could continue to the front. Caimeir stayed where he was. I heard a few people around me gasp. I had to admit that even though I had heard Caimeir speak the night before I still found the Elmoran’s words to be melodic. I didn’t know Eldish could sound that wonderful. “I am Tal’verron lae Jamalis ki Lunakihiem. The others will introduce themselves as they wish.”
I sucked in a breath at that. Lunakihiem? It wasn’t just a tale? It was real?
The High Zieneng nodded. With an open gesture, he said “We would have offered you a grand feast, but we did not have enough of a warning. But there are fine meals prepared at each of the Houses, if you wished to dine and rest.” The High Zieneng said. He managed to both criticize and apologize at the same time.
I guess politics trains one in multitasking.
“We would. We appreciate your hospitality. It has been a long trip for us. And much of it made in haste. We will happily explain, but later, if you do not mind.”
“Of course not. Come. Dinner awaits at each House.” And thus the Elmoran party broke into four smaller groups. Each going to share the evening meal with the House of their choosing. The crowd broke surprisingly quickly to rush ahead, I guess. I don’t know. I stayed right where I was and watched the town square empty.
It might have been my imagination, but I think the Elmora were just as surprised as I by how quickly people moved. “Shall we?” The High Zieneng invited Tal’verron. Tal’verron inclined his head and walked with the High Zieneng to the Ano House. A few others followed them. Others chose the other houses. I noted that Caimeir joined my father and grandmother.
“Shouldn’t you be hurrying home to welcome your guests?” Nimla appeared beside me in the shadows.
I kept my station of holding the wall up. “Nimla, why did they come? Why now? Was it just because your kin asked them to help me? Or is there some other reason?” I asked her.
Her expression was wry. “Kel, I am a sha’meir, not a mind reader. I know not why they decided to come like they have… though I guess it might have something to do with the Shadekin’s attack upon you.” She suggested thoughtfully.
“Again, why?” at her bewildered look I turned my attention to watching our guests being led to dinner. “Fifteen years he has been attacking me. Why now do they come?” I asked. I sighed. “I’m sorry. I am grateful that Caimeir healed me. I’m just…” I stopped talking. I didn’t’ know how to continue.
“I told you, Kel. They are Espirimora. Their magic lies entirely in the realm of Spirit. Well… most of them. Caimeir is a little different. Anyway, as such, they are the only ones who would stand any chance against a Shadekin. But it is true they have not often come this way. Which was why they were unaware of the Shadekin. Even my people hadn’t known about his attacks until yesterday.” She gently turned my head toward her, her touch cool and barely there. Likely I could have just ignored the touch if I had wanted to. “They are not here to hurt you or anyone else. They are Warriors of the Light. The Guardians of Creation against those of the Abyss. Whatever their intent, it is not to harm.”
I sighed and let her words soothe my unease. “Alright. I guess I better hurry, huh?” I asked with a smile.
“As the Heir of your House, yes, I do believe that would be prudent.”
Snickering at that I left her in the shadows and ran toward home. I didn’t follow the road that the others were taking. I knew a short cut, and I didn’t want to draw any undue attention.
“There you are!” Aunt Myrtle called out as soon as she saw me enter the side door. I froze and stared at her like a naughty child with their hand in the cookie jar. So much for not drawing undue attention… “Kel! Your mother needs you in the Great Hall. We’ve been looking all over for you!”
“Sorry, Aunt Myrtle. I’ll go right away!” I promised.
“Change first! You look like you’ve been running.” She called after me.
Well yeah. I did… I thought quickly detouring toward my room. It wasn’t far away. I changed quickly and picked out the few leaves in my hair. Then I rushed toward the Great Hall. Frantic activity greeted me as my family finished setting the table and putting out the meal dishes. My mother directed from the head family’s dais.
My normal inclination would have had me helping with dishes and whatnot. But Aunt Myrtle had said mother wanted me. So I went to her.
“There you are Kel!” She said in relief with a bright smile. Her green eyes took in
my appearance critically. “Come here.”
“What?” I asked stepping closer. She quickly fixed some of the flaws she had picked out; straightening the collar of my vest and flicked a couple errant locks of hair into an arrangement she liked better.
“There!” She said, pleased with her handiwork.
“Really? I guess you would have had a heart attack if Aunt Myrtle hadn’t insisted I change.” I grumbled.
“Looking very good, people.” She called to the rest of the busy family. “Probably.” She admitted softly to me.
I shifted uneasily before turning to her “Shouldn’t I be helping out?”
She slanted a look at me. “We’re almost done here. And I need you here to help me greet our esteemed guests.”
I blinked at her. “But no one has ever insisted I do that before.”
“You were a child then. And this is important.” She replied.
Before I could make any kind of reply, like ask how was I supposed to act since this was all new to me, a commotion let us know our guests had arrived. People scrambled to finish their tasks before standing by their places. I was used to that. During a formal dinner like this, the rest of the family sat once those at the head table did so. Mother indicated that I should sit on father’s righthand side.
“But that’s where Uncle Lyrel sits!” I hissed in complaint.
She shot me an annoyed glance. “That was when you were younger. Now it is your seat. Move!” She hissed. Reluctantly I did as she said. Uncle Lyrel had already moved over a couple seats, making room for me and one of our guests.
A moment later the great doors opened, and Father and Caimeir walked in side by side, talking. Grandmother was talking to another of the Elmora. The rest of the party of seven followed after. The group came up to the head table. Father stood behind his chair between mother and I. Grandmother stood one place over from mother. The Elmora moved to the open spots left for them. Seeing that everyone was in place, Father nodded and moved to sit. The rest of us followed suit. Caimeir had chosen the spot between me and Uncle Lyrel.
Lore Rune (Rune Trilogy Book 1) Page 12