Of course, we will stop him. Muuki, where do you stand in this? Are you with us?
We are of like mind, sister.
How many are with Nazar?
All except those that stand with me today.
Kenley counted. There had to be less than a hundred cats with Muuki. That meant Nazar led a force of close to one thousand Draca Cats.
What of my mother, Muuki? Baya asked hopefully, stretching her neck to see past him at the band of Draca Cats. Is she with you? Is Felice among your followers?
She is not here. I will take you to her.
Not here? But, where—
Silently, Muuki turned from her and the crowd parted as he walked slowly back to the entrance to the rainforest. Baya and Kenley had no choice but to follow behind.
As Kenley walked, she prayed fervently that Felice was alive and well. That a happy reunion with her mother awaited Baya.
But, it was not to be.
Kiernan paled at the sight of a broken Felice curled up against the base of a gigantic Ficus tree. A red stain at Felice’s throat told the story of how she was killed.
Kenley instinctively reached her hands out to Baya, but her friend was already moving away toward Felice, her stride slow and unsteady.
Mother!
Kenley covered her mouth as she watched Baya nudge Felice’s shoulder with her nose to try to urge her to stand.
Get up, Mother! I came! I am here, Mother!
Baya pawed frantically at the dirt next to Felice.
Princess! Help me get her up!
Baya…
A high-pitched whine escaped Baya’s mouth when the truth she must have already known became too hard to ignore. Her head fell heavily between her shoulders, and she sagged to the ground.
Kenley turned away helplessly when her friend crept closer and laid her head gently across her mother’s lifeless form.
* * * * *
Kellan wondered why so many people were gathered in the city square just inside the Northfort gates and then realized by the scattering of nervous conversation that drifted his way that the crowd was there to glimpse sight of the dark-haired strangers that had returned to Massa.
A tense energy infused the throng, but as soon as they spied the shifter royals, a sense of calm seemed to restore the mood.
“Look! It’s the Princes!”
“Thank the Highworld! The Princes are here!”
Startled by the shouts, Kellan straightened his shoulders in the saddle. Never before had he been expected to assuage the fears of the people. All his life, it had been his parents to whom people looked. Even Kenley to some extent when his parents were otherwise occupied, but never him. Now, the citizens of Northfort were taking comfort from his presence and plainly believed in his ability to keep them safe. Am I worthy of their confidence? For the first time in Kellan’s life, he was feeling the weight of his mantle.
Gregor Steele and Haiden Lind took the lead as they passed underneath the thick curtain wall, shouting out at people to step back from the gates. When some had difficulty hearing the orders of the Royal Sabers over the commotion, Maks and Jain leapt into action, and the twin roars of the Draca Cats scattered the milling crowd like leaves in a strong wind.
Kirby leaned in close so Kellan would hear him over the noise. “I will go find the mayor and meet you at the harbor.”
Kellan nodded his acknowledgement and watched as Kirby pressed his horse along the cobblestone road that led to the mayor’s estate and wharf district beyond. With the Scarlet Sabers and Draca Cats still out front and the Dwarven and Elven protectors behind, Kane, Izzy, and Jala urged their mounts forward to ride next to him for the ride to the docks.
Air thick with the scent of salt and fish battered at him and all around the clatter of activity rippled through the city. People shouted greetings, tradesmen yelled out orders, merchants plied their wares, animals grumbled and wagons rumbled.
Visitors and tourists gaped at sight of the Draca Cats. Kellan noticed giant Cymans walking among the much shorter and darker Damonians. Hiberians in their colorful scarves and billowing silk trousers bartered with native Massans at the multitude of shops and stands that lined the docks.
“Whoa! Whoa!”
A horse drawing a cart on the opposite side of the road suddenly reared in its harness when it caught scent and sight of Maks and Jain. Izzy quickly threw out her hand and the horse immediately settled, blowing out contentedly through its large nostrils.
Kellan gave Izzy an approving nod, and her violet eyes lit up at the praise.
Gregor waved Kellan forward. “We should stable the horses here and continue on foot. There will be too many people in the wharf district marketplace for the horses.”
“Do you have a place in mind?”
“I do.”
Kellan nodded and followed as Gregor steered them off the main road to a well-kept establishment tucked in along a side street. The strong smells of hay and manure preceded their arrival at what the sign out front proclaimed to be The King’s Horses Stable. The harassed looking stable owner appeared as soon as they rode into his yard, waving his hands, and insisting to Gregor that he was full and could not accept any more horses. When the Saber told him who the request was for, the owner’s face blanched and he bellowed out for his two young grooms. After a bit of juggling in the stalls, room was made available for their mounts and the anxious owner steadfastly refused payment of any kind.
On foot now, Maks drew in close to his side and Kellan ran his fingers through the white fur. Blue eyes, identical to his own, peered up at him.
I know you do not like the crowds, Prince.
No. Most earthshifters do not.
Let us see what these Ellvinians are about then and leave as quickly as we can.
My thoughts exactly.
Kirby Nash, accompanied by Mayor Lars Kingsley and a dozen Iserlohn soldiers, reached them just before the docks. Kellan had met the mayor several times in the past, and he seemed to grow a bit wider with every visit, the vest around his ample belly hard pressed to stay buttoned.
Kellan nodded to the mayor in greeting. “Mayor Kingsley.”
The man wrung a black hat in his hands nervously as he knelt. “Your Graces. Thank you for coming so quickly.
“Of course. Please rise.”
Lars lurched to his feet and began to ramble anxiously. “I didn’t know what else to do, Your Grace. I couldn’t find any bodyshifters to get word to you faster, so I sent a messenger and then my own son on horse. I have not given permission for the ships to dock, but I have my doubts now that it was the proper thing to do. I—”
Kellan held up a hand. “Mayor Kingsley. As mayor of Northfort, you have received many ships to the island, and I am sure you followed the correct protocol. What has you so anxious about the Ellvinians?”
“I will let you decide for yourself, Your Grace,” the mayor said and motioned to their group. He led them down another side street and then back to the main cobblestone road that offered an unobstructed view of the endless blue of the Arounda Ocean. “What do you think, Your Grace?”
Kellan’s fist tightened in Maks’ fur coat.
Kane slid into place beside him. “I’m thinking that three hundred soldiers are not going to be enough.”
As usual, Kellan had to agree. He had expected to see two ships, possibly even three, but it was an entire fleet. At least a dozen, three-masted warships that looked as though they could easily hold one hundred men or more on each. Twelve hundred Ellvinians. Over a thousand strangers of whom Kellan knew very little about. His thoughts naturally ran to the fact that if the Ellvinians were here to cause harm, now would be the perfect opportunity with the Savitars off the island.
The mayor scratched his head. “How strange. I seem to remember now inviting the Ellvinians to return to Massa for a visit this week, but cannot for the life of me remember why I would do such a thing.”
Curious now to see these mysterious visitors for himself, Kellan crossed th
e street and walked up onto the same platform where he stood and saw his parents off less than a week ago.
The ships waited several hundred yards off shore waiting for a signal from the Massans for permission to come ashore. Kellan glanced at the large nautical flag still in its holder on the piling next to him and paused. But, why? His parents were at this moment on their way to the island of Ellvin. An ambassador for the Ellvinians had already been received with positive response, and the mayor himself admitted to inviting the Ellvinians back for this visit. So, why was he hesitating? There was nothing in the actions of the Ellvinians to assume they in any way had ill intentions.
There were just too many of them, Kellan decided, and he could not shake the notion that if waved that flag, he would be inviting an enemy into their midst.
His fingers twitched toward the flag and he wrapped his hand around the pole. Then, a sudden swirling motion under the docks startled him, and he sprang back as a wall of water arose out of the ocean between the ships and Massa. Twelve heads popped out of the sea with their arms lifted toward the sky as they danced on the waves.
The watershifters had arrived.
“If you will excuse me, Your Grace.”
A young woman gently nudged Kellan aside, walked to the end of the extended portion of the dock and lifted her arms.
Kellan recognized her with a smile. It was Alia, Digby’s daughter.
With fluid movement, her hands and body undulated supplely as she directed the watershifters in a synchronized display of shifting. The wall of water fell back to the ocean and twin colossal pillars shot into the air and bent into graceful arcs. Ropes of smaller streams of water gushed from the sea and twisted and coiled around the pillars, swirling together like living things. Kellan did not know if Alia planned it or not, but when the sunlight hit the moving droplets of water just right, a refracted prism of color burst into existence above the arc. The bystanders on the harbor cheered in delight at the sudden appearance of the enormous rainbow.
The strength of the raw power surging through the water was staggering, and Kellan wondered what the Ellvinians thought of the intimidating spectacle. All he knew was that he was in speechless awe. It was not often that he had the chance to see the watershifters use their abilities, and he was hugely impressed at their skill. It also put his mind at rest. If the Ellvinians had any preconceived notion of doing harm to the people of Massa, the threat in that demonstration was abundantly clear. They did not stand a chance.
Alia dropped her hands and the water pillars splashed down.
The watershifters plunged out of the water once again, created a defensive line, and faced the ships, their bodies raised out of the water to their knees.
Alia walked back to him and knelt. “You summoned us, Your Grace?”
“Please rise, Alia.” When she did, he took her in his arms and hugged her. “You cannot know how good it is to see you.”
She stepped back and smiled. “You as well, Prince Kellan.”
He pointed to the ships. “As you can see, we have visitors. I would like you to send the watershifters to the ships and grant permission for six Ellvinians to come ashore. The rest can remain at sea until we determine their purpose for being here.”
She bowed her head. “As you wish, Your Grace.”
CHAPTER 8
BIRTHRIGHTS
All was deathly quiet within the Puu Rainforest as thousands of amber eyes viewed the strange activity of the Elves. Look at their caves, Nazar! How do they make them? I have never seen the like.
I see, Rehka.
And, the stars! How do they cast the stars from the sky to twinkle in the trees? She paused. I think they must not be stars at all, but magic.
Yes, magic, Rehka! Are we not creatures of magic by our very existence alone? Do other creatures of our kind have the intelligence we possess?
Of course not.
No, and our magic is what allows us to see the stars in the trees.
When Rehka fell silent, Nazar thought on his words. He only half-believed them himself. He was not certain how the Elves used their magic and that was the very reason for this uprising. Knowledge. It was time for the Draca Cats to better understand the world in which they lived, and time for them to take their rightful place in that world. First, they would need the assistance of the Kenleys, and in order to do that, they must convince their Draca bondmates.
What do we do now, Nazar? Rehka was the one to ask, but he could feel the same question on every mind behind him.
He gazed again at the swarm of industrious Elves going about their peculiar tasks and wondered at the strength of resistance they would present. Nazar lifted one corner of his lip. There was only one way to find out. His destiny lay in the land of Men somewhere to the west and to get there, he had to first travel through the land of Elves.
Now is the time, Dracas! Follow close behind! If we must fight our way past, then that is what we will do!
The importance of the moment was not lost on Nazar. For the first time in recent history, he was leading the Draca Cats out of seclusion and into civilization among the other races.
He started forward, head held high.
The first Elves that caught sight of the procession of Draca Cats stopped what they were doing and stared.
Nazar let out an aggressive roar and waited for the most dominant of the Elves to challenge him. Instead, the Elves dropped to one knee and lowered their heads in a submissive stance very well known to him. What is this? he demanded of no cat in particular.
Cautiously, Nazar continued to lead the way, wary of a surprise attack, but it never came. Instead, he watched as one by one, the Elves bowed down to him and his followers.
Nazar, look!
Nazar turned. In the center of the path up ahead, stood a stone image of a Draca Cat. Proud and elegant and fierce.
He had been right.
In this very moment, he knew without misgiving that his act of violence against Moombai had been justified. The stone reproduction proved that the Draca Cats of Callyn-Rhe held a place of honor among the Massans and this is where they belonged, out among their subjects.
Nazar nodded majestically to the Elves he passed, accepting the due of his birthright. All was as it should be.
Do not harm the Elves! They know the truth of it. They are our disciples! Let us now go to the land of Men. We shall see if they also know the truth. If they do not, we must teach them.
* * * * *
“Careful now, you bumbling idiots!” Hendrix shouted from inside the closed palanquin. “For Netherworld’s sake, you are not carrying a pig to slaughter!”
In response, the fighters adjusted the long wooden poles on their shoulders and the ride smoothed out once again. Hendrix leaned back on the cushioned bed, brought the draught to his lips, and took a long pull of the life-sustaining liquid. He peered outside through the diaphanous curtains at the long lines of people waiting at the infirmaries for their daily ration of wormwood. Many of those in line would be turned away empty handed. If their name was not on a list, there would be no draught for them today. And, it was not just the poor any longer who were in dire need of the elixir. Hendrix also noticed several affluent merchants in line. It was an unavoidable fact. As the supplies diminished, the lists shortened, no matter how much money you had to spend. The system of bribery that the wealthy depended on—and that notoriously circulated more coin than any legitimate commerce on the island—had dried up along with the wormwood.
Most of the Ellvinians ignored the convoy of fighters that carried him or, worse, shook their fists his way. They blamed him for not being able to reverse the failing health of the people, but he recalled a time not too long ago when his presence elicited loving gazes and shouts of adoration. Now, he was met with openly hostile looks as the people on the street glared at him through eyes bleak from wormwood deficiency and cold from hatred. They could tell by looking at him that he did not suffer their same fate. But, why should he? He was the Premier!
The bearers came to a stop and lowered him to the ground. Hendrix set his empty cup on a shelf and adjusted his tongor.
Emile peeled back the curtain. “We have arrived at the Consulate, Your Eminence.”
“Very well.” Hendrix accepted the Battlearm’s outstretched hand, stepped out of the palanquin, and hurried up the stairs and through the doors of the Consulate before the people were of the mind to start hurtling objects his way. It had happened once, and he did not wish a repeat of that humiliating incident.
The fighters at the doors stood motionless as he passed them, their blank expressions giving away nothing.
Hendrix blinked in the dim interior of the Consulate and smiled inwardly when he saw the Seconds already waiting and seated on cushions under the domed ceiling of the circular room. His Adjunct rushed forward and guided him to his seat, and he lowered himself onto his pillow. Crossing his legs, he accepted the Chero pipe handed to him and inhaled deeply of the cannabis smoke before passing the pipe to Emile who sat down on the pillow to his right. It did not escape Hendrix’s notice that Emile passed the pipe to Balder without imbibing.
Hendrix smiled at his Seconds. “Good afternoon. Thank you for gathering with such short notice, but I think you will agree that what I have to say could not wait until our regular session meeting.”
Balder passed the pipe to Anah and sat up straighter on his pillow. His eyes were already glassy from the cannabis. “You have us waiting with bated breath, Your Eminence.”
Island Shifters: Book 03 - An Oath of the Children Page 6