The Heart of the Ancients

by Elizabeth Isaacs

  At least, that was our hope.

  Even though her council wanted to have a great send off, Queen Lera decided to downplay our journey. Instead, she sent word to the kinsmen that we were working on a way to close the Badland’s portal, and that we would be traveling. The Elite Guard knew where we were headed, but surprisingly the kinsmen took the news at face value and didn’t question it. When I asked Gavin about Lera’s intent, he smiled and said that she had been a leader for a long time. Her objective was to do what was best for the land, and she was fulfilling that by not telling everything.

  Gavin stood in the center of the courtyard’s statues giving the Elite Guard last minute orders. “Send a small squadron to the Northern Forest. I’d like a report on the simian colonies and the sprites. The east and westward borders remain secure. What of the supplies?”

  A guard stepped forward and bowed. “They have been sent to the cabin on the other side of the portal, my lord.”

  “Very good. That is the last of it, then. We leave at dawn.”

  Gavin started for the practice fields, but I put my hand on his arm. “There’s something I need to take care of before we leave.”

  “You have until dawn,” was all Gavin said before he and Elias made their way to the gates.

  Elaine changed the subject. “My lady, I kept Ester’s underclothing in case you wish to wear it.”

  “I forgot about that. Did you find anything unusual?”

  Elaine shook her head. “Not at all. The fabric is as she said. Butterfly silk, Sfera thread, webbing, and she used a little of your hair as well. The Prince has asked that you wait until he is with you before you touch it. He fears that Ester has embedded a message within the material.”

  “All right. Leave it in our chambers, and Gavin and I will deal with it tonight.”

  “As you wish.” Elaine bowed and walked away.

  Weylin and I made our way through the foyer.

  The front halls were crowded with people dipping in and out of corridors. As we passed, the kinsmen stopped and bowed to pay tribute.

  “I wish they wouldn’t do that,” I grumbled.

  “It would offend them if you requested they not,” Weylin countered.

  “Have you packed?”

  He shook his head. “It won’t take long. I require little, Princess.”

  I grinned. “You know, Rune said the same thing the first time he came to the castle.”

  “I only met the Urisk once. What’s he like?”

  “He’s a lot like you, actually.”

  “How so?” Weylin asked.

  “Well, he’s opinionated, he never lets on that he knows more than he does, he views provoking people as a sport, and he has a heart the size of the ocean, but he’d rather walk through hot coals than admit it.” I playfully shoved Weylin’s shoulder. “Sound familiar?”

  Weylin stopped at the threshold that led to the Archive Room. “All but that last part.”

  I was somewhat relieved to see the place practically empty. Only a few scholars sat at the table closest to the door. We walked to the back of the room where the mountain’s energy cordoned off the space. Every afternoon we worked on Weylin being able to get into the mountain. So far, he hadn’t so much as seen a glimmer of blue, and it was frustrating him to no end.

  “I don’t know why you bother,” he grumbled. “I keep telling you it won’t let me in. I’m not a Keeper.”

  “Neither is Siana.”

  His eyes narrowed. It always nettled him that a child could do something he couldn’t.

  “Look, the reason why Siana can see into the mountain is that she just accepts the energy around her.”

  Weylin put his hand on the solid rock wall and pushed.

  “Doesn’t work that way.” I placed my hand next to his, and he watched it sink through the rock to the other side. “This isn’t about force.”

  “For the hundredth time, how do I do this? Why won’t it let me in?” he said through gritted teeth.

  I pulled my hand from the rock and stared at him. I’d tried every analogy, everything I could think of to help him understand. He readily accepted my energy when we were on the practice field. He never struggled. Even when the rest of the guard backed away. What was it about the mountain? What could it...?

  I gasped.

  “What is it, Princess?” His turquoise eyes watched the play of emotions cross my face. “You know, don’t you?” His voice softened as he reached for me, but I shook my head and backed away.

  “I need a moment. Wait here.” My vision blurred as I stepped past the barrier.

  Love. It was love. Weylin had experienced love as a child, but his parents’ death had somehow changed him. He blamed himself for not defending them, which, in his eyes, made him undeserving of love. The energy protecting the mountain was the Breath of Creation. It was the original love of the Maker, but Weylin wouldn’t be able to recognize it. The wall surrounding his heart was the reason he couldn’t get in.

  Weylin paced back and forth, his blank eyes letting me know that he was most likely talking to Gavin.

  Alfar sensed the emotions around them, and right now Weylin didn’t need my compassion. He’d mistake it for pity, which we both hated.

  I brushed the tears away and took a few minutes to breathe. Maybe there was someone out there. Someone who would help break down that wall and heal his heart. Then he’d be able to come here.

  The empty table gleamed in the blue light, and I pictured Weylin and his mate next to Rena and Tark, laughing at something Gavin had said. He deserved a future full of companionship, happiness, and love. That’s what I’d focus on—the hope of the future, not the despair of the past.

  My heart calmed, and I stepped through the blue energy curtain and back into the archive room.

  “Princess, I really don’t like it when you do that.” Weylin kept pacing, becoming angrier by the minute. “You know this is the one place I cannot go, and if something were amiss, I’d have to wait like a helpless child until one of the Keepers came to find you.”

  “I’m sorry.”

  Weylin did a double-take. A few days ago, I tried to goad him into accepting energy by going into the mountain and waiting. I thought that maybe his intent to protect the land was strong enough to allow him entrance. Now the idea seemed cruel.

  “I won’t go into the mountain again unless I take someone with me.”

  Weylin’s eyes narrowed as he tried to find a strategic angle to the promise.

  I linked my arm with his. “Come, let’s go for a walk.”

  He grew wary. “I thought you were determined that I see past the mountain.”

  I forced a smile. “Well, I’ve changed my mind.”

  We slipped through the hidden corridor that led to the butterfly garden. For some reason, whenever we entered or exited the castle together, we chose to do it through there. Rounded stones crunched beneath our feet as we walked along the path. We stopped in front of a flat marble bench.

  “My mother died when I was born.” I stepped off the path and sat on the bench, staring at an assortment of lilies.

  Weylin froze at the unexpected topic. He eased down next to me, waiting for me to continue.

  “My father couldn’t handle her death, and so he started drinking alcohol.”

  “Drinking?” Weylin stretched his legs in front of him. “I don’t understand.”

  “On earth, some people use drugs and alcohol to help ease their pain. It alters their mind, giving them the illusion they’re happy. It releases them from self-control and brings with it a sense of uninhibited freedom.”

  He sat back, his expression riveted.

  I took a deep breath, trying to find the right words to explain. “This freedom is deceptive. After the effects wear off, humans are left feeling worse than they did before. They crave to go back to that place where they no longer hurt, and so they drink again. This altered state becomes a way of life, turning into a perverse reality. The need is so great, they don’t
care that they are slowly poisoning their bodies and are being robbed of precious time.”

  Weylin leaned forward, and suddenly I couldn’t look at him. Butterflies dipped around us as if they knew and were trying to help. I held out my hand; jeweled-toned wings fluttered to my palm.

  “My father drank. As a child, I thought it was my fault. There must have been something wrong with me if I was worth less than a bottle of cheap whiskey. He loved being drunk more than he loved me. It was a relief when he abandoned me on the doorstep of a family friend, Edna.” I smiled, remembering pink nails and a sweet southern drawl. “She took me in and encouraged me to learn. Her compassion and empathy shaped my life, and slowly I understood that I was worthy of love. She was the one who taught me that it takes courage to face the darkest parts of life. Drinking is easy, but leaning on others, relying on faith—that takes guts. I wouldn’t have survived without Edna. Her last gift to me was a quilt. Every time I look at it, I’m reminded that Edna loved me. She believed I was a gift from God.”

  I cleared my throat, trying to ease the knot that had suddenly appeared. “Since the day you showed me your home, I’ve wanted to give you something that would remind you of your mother, as the quilt reminds me of my Edna.”

  The butterfly flitted away as I stood. Weylin and I walked toward a secluded section of the garden. Bright thin grass gracefully swayed among the colored flora. I smiled, knowing this grass now served as a reminder that happiness could be found in the humblest places. I would never forget the image of Weylin, surrounded by a past of pain and grief, yet still reminded of his mother’s love through the life of one meek plant.

  Weylin ran his fingertips across the delicate tall blades.

  “The day we went to your parent’s cabin I took some of your mother’s lemongrass. I couldn’t leave it there.”

  Weylin kept his head down.

  “I hope I haven’t offended you. I wanted ... I wanted to give you someplace you could go. A place where you could remember the life you shared with your parents, not the way they were taken from you.”

  He took a deep breath. “I’m not offended. Your thoughtfulness humbles me.”

  He tensed as I wrapped my arms around his waist. “You have a big heart, Weylin. Someday you’ll realize that. You have a great ability to love. That’s the key to seeing into the mountain.”

  Surprised, Weylin stepped back. He gruffly spoke in the Ancient Language. “I am honored, Last Light of the Ancients. But if that is what it takes, I’ll never see more than I do today.”

  Eyes cast to the ground, Weylin bowed and walked away.

  DINNER THAT NIGHT WAS a quiet affair. Lera had arranged for our clan to meet in her private quarters. As tradition mandated, tomorrow night would be spent with the entire guard, and so the Queen declared this time as her own.

  “Where’s Weylin?” I whispered to Gavin.

  “He wasn’t comfortable dining in the Queen’s quarters.”

  Worried, I glanced at the empty chair to my left. Gavin reached over and patted my hand.

  “He’s fine, love. Your gift this afternoon took him by surprise, that’s all. Give him time.”

  Lera kept the conversation light, making sure everyone participated, and I snickered as she shared memories of her father, King Frey. It wasn’t until we stood to leave that she finally mentioned our departure.

  “It pains me to see you leave so quickly. You’ve only been home such a short while.”

  Gavin hugged her small frame. “I wish it wasn’t necessary to go. We’ll come home as soon as we can.”

  “You’ve said that before, and yet you stayed away a century and then brought home a girl. I can only imagine what you’ll bring home this time.”

  I chuckled, but Gavin’s smile didn’t reach his eyes.

  She kissed his cheek and then turned to me.

  “Nora, future Queen of this land, please use caution and remain safe.” Her hands wrapped around mine; she leaned in and whispered, “And keep my son safe as well.”

  “I will.” I pulled her into a hug. “And you take care of things until we get back.”

  “I have a room full of advisers, and Micah, Jacob, and the guard to defend us well. Please do not expend energy on worry. We’ll be fine.”

  As the door clicked closed, Rena muttered, “I pray to God she’s right.”

  Chapter 10

  The Black Portal

  Dawn hadn’t reached the horizon as we made our way across the courtyard. A chill settled over the land, frosting the leaves with dew. The horses snorted and sidled, eager to be on their way. Rena patted the neck of her steed, running her fingers through his silky black mane.

  Three figures made their way along the cobblestone road; the smallest one’s cloak billowed behind her as she skipped along. I handed Rena my reins and went out to greet them.

  “Princess Nora!” Siana sped to a run before jumping into my arms.

  “Hello, beautiful,” I whispered, holding her a little tighter.

  She wedged her arms between us, her eyes round and serious. “I’ll miss you. But I know Prince Gavin will keep you safe. And I’ll not forget what I’ve learned. I’ll help protect the mountain’s secrets while you’re away.”

  “I bet you will.” I hugged her again.

  “Look!” She pointed to her parents walking towards us. “Did you hear? Mamma’s better!”

  I smiled. “That’s great.”

  Wyn and Jacob made their way through the gates, and Weylin came to stand a few feet to my right. Siana wiggled off my hip then reached into her pocket.

  “I have something for Rune,” the little girl said. “Will you please give it to him for me?”

  “Sure.” I crouched down, so she and I were eye level.

  “It’s an arrowhead used by the archers. No one uses amber to sculpt. It’s so strong it’s only supposed to be used for defense, but the Prince said I could have one to make something special.”

  She held out her hand. The shape of a unicorn’s head rose within the stone, the horn ending at the sharp tip of the arrow’s point. Black cording wound around the small notches at the base, where the arrow was designed to fit into the shaft.

  “I figured since Rune was in the place where the enemy lived, I’d make him something that would remind him of me but would also help protect him too.”

  As soon as she dropped the stone into my palm, my mind flickered with familiar sounds of the practice field and innocent determination.

  My fingers curled around the necklace. “He’ll love it.”

  “Tell him to hurry back. Oh, and tell him I still have his feathers, and I’ll keep my promise.”

  Everyone froze. Gavin looked at Jacob who shook his head and shrugged.

  “What feathers, little one?” Gavin asked, bending down next to me.

  Siana smiled. “Rune gave me three feathers before he left. He pulled them straight from his head.” She giggled at the memory. “He said to put them under my pillow, and when I felt sad or lonely a little of him would always be with me.”

  “Is that all he said?” I asked. It was possible Rune’s sole purpose was for Siana to have a reminder of him—but not likely. Urisk feathers were incredibly powerful. Rune would never have given something so potent to Siana unless there was a reason. Too, he knew as well as anyone that bedrooms were a sanctuary to the Alfar. In asking the little girl to place them under her pillow, he assured they would stay hidden.

  “Wellll.” She looked down. “He told me it was a secret and not to tell anyone.” Dust billowed around her satin slippers as she shuffled her feet.

  I bent a little closer. “I’m sure Rune wouldn’t mind if you told me.”

  Siana looked around before she tucked my hair behind my ear. Her breath fanned across my cheek as she whispered. “He took me to a place deep in the mountain. He said that if war comes to the land before he gets back, I’m to take his feathers there. He told me to place them along the bottom of the wall and soften the stone enough
to cover them, so no one would see. He said it would make it harder for someone to open the mountain’s secrets.”

  Fear tingled down my spine. “Where is this place?”

  Siana shrugged. “It’s beyond that stream, deep in the mountain.”

  Gavin’s eyes grew hollow, dead. “Do as the Urisk asks, and do not speak of it again.”

  Siana nodded. “I promise, Prince Gavin.”

  “I’ll see that Rune gets the necklace, and I’ll give him your message.” I held her close before we stood.

  “May God protect you all,” Wyn whispered in the Ancient Language.

  Everyone said their goodbyes as pink streaked across the horizon. Siana waved one last time before disappearing behind the curve in the lane.

  “What was that about?” Rena asked Gavin.

  “We’ll not speak of it again,” he grumbled, hoisting me to my saddle. Rena frowned but didn’t say anything.

  Gavin took point, riding a few paces ahead. Elias and Elaine brought up the rear.

  Weylin never left my side.

  Siana’s words rang in my ears. He took me to a place deep in the mountain ... a place beyond that stream. I knew the place well. Those caverns hid the Sfera. Very few knew they even existed.

  Even more concerning was the fact that not a few hundred yards away from the Sfera caves lay the tomb of the original ancients. The most precious secret was buried there. Alfar legend called it the Heart of the Mountain, the original Breath of Creation. But the Ancients knew it was the energy that kept both Kailmeyra and Earth alive.

  What if Rune had seen something? He wouldn’t tell us if he had.

  Rune’s gift of prophecy was as strong as Malachi’s, although he’d never admit it. Malachi placed a lot of importance on his visions, struggling to keep them from altering his intent. But Rune felt that any glimpse of the future was not to be considered at all. The future was never set in stone. If someone’s actions changed, so did their fate. That’s what made Siana’s confession disturbing. By giving Siana his feathers, Rune obviously had taken steps to reinforce the energy around the Sfera cave. Even more troubling still, he’d given her a part of himself. Urisk rarely shared power. To give Siana one feather, much less three, was unthinkable.