by Claire Fogel
His face dropped. “I was hoping you’d be staying overnight and taking me back with you in the morning. You promised, remember?”
“I’m sorry. This would be a very bad time for you to leave Elvenwood. Thornewood’s not safe right now.”
His eyes got wide. “I heard my father say that a boy had been killed. Was he a friend of yours?”
Sean said, “We played ball together, but I didn’t know him very well. His family only moved to Thornewood a few months ago.”
Ian nodded, his brow creased. “Is that why you’re here, Sean? So you won’t get killed?”
“Not exactly,” I said. “My father’s men, along with the police, are keeping our town as safe as possible. Several of the bad men have been caught and put in jail. I just thought bringing Sean to see Elvenwood for the first time would be good for him. Kind of like a short vacation.”
“Well, that’s good, but I hope next time you’ll stay longer.” The little boy hesitated. “And I hope no one else gets killed.”
I ruffled his fair hair. “Thanks, Ian. We’ll see you later.”
He ran back to his cottage and Sean and I walked into my father’s home as a blur of brown fur raced to the door to greet us. Sean laughed. “This has to be a relative of Ralph’s, right?”
I bent down to rub the dog’s velvety ears. “Yep. This is Roscoe, Ralph’s father. He’s just like Ralph; he loves everybody.” Sean sat down on the floor to play with the overjoyed dog.
“Thirsty?”
He smiled. “Yes. More tea?”
“Not this time. You’re in for a treat.” I went to the cold cellar and took out a large jug of water, pouring a large cup for each of us.
“Take a taste of this. You won’t find water like this outside Blackthorne Forest.”
“I remember this. Kathleen gave me a drink of water the day she healed my face. I thought it was the herbs she’d given me that made it taste so good.”
While he drank his water, he walked around my father’s sitting room, stopping at the fireplace. “You drew this, didn’t you?” He pointed to the framed drawing hanging over the mantle.
“When Conor asked me for one of my drawings to give to his ‘boss,’ he picked this one out of all the drawings I had with me that day.” I smiled. “I didn’t know who his ‘boss’ was, of course. He chose this one because my mother is in it. He knew my dad would love it.”
Sean nodded and smiled. “How are your parents getting along now? He spends a lot of time at your house, doesn’t he?”
“He does, and I think it makes Mom happy, although she’ll never say so.”
“That must be where you get your stubbornness.” He winked at me.
I snorted. “My father thinks so too.”
There was a soft knock at the door and I opened it. Two older men stood there. They both had the same warm brown eyes and friendly smiles.
“You must be here to see Sean. Please come in.”
Sean had turned from the fireplace, wide-eyed.
One of the two men I remembered from the day the Elders had visited me at the practice field.
They both bowed to me and the older man said, “It’s very nice to see you again, Princess.” Although they both must be elderly, at least by human standards, they stood tall, moving with the grace of much younger men. They were both blond but graying, much as Sean’s father was, and their resemblance to each other was unmistakable. I wondered what their real ages were.
They turned to Sean, who still stood by the fireplace. With a warm smile, the older of the pair said, “I’m Mallory McKay, your great-grandfather, and I am very pleased to meet you, Sean. I never thought I would have this opportunity.” He reached out to shake Sean’s hand as Sean approached him with an wide-eyed expression. Sean took his hand, saying, “Great-grandfather. Wow!” Both men chuckled.
The younger of the pair put one arm around Sean’s shoulders. “You were named after me. I remember you when you were just a baby. You liked to sit on my feet.” He chuckled. He added more seriously, “I left for Elvenwood permanently when you were only four or five. I’ve always been sorry I couldn’t watch you grow up.”
I invited them to stay for tea and it was like a family reunion for the next hour. Before they left, they both expressed the hope they would see Sean again.
“Well, that’s up to Cara,” he told them.
“Of course you’ll see each other again,” I said. “You’re family. Sean can visit as often as he likes.” That put a big grin on Sean’s face, and both grandfathers looked pleased. They both thanked me for my hospitality and left.
Sean practically collapsed on the couch, looking as though he’d just learned that Santa Claus is real. I poured him another cup of tea and sat down on the couch next to him.
“I really like your grandfathers. They have that same warmth that you and your dad have. Conor has it too; must be a family trait.”
He simply nodded. He seemed temporarily speechless.
When we left for the dining hall, he said, “My father’s going to be shocked. I’d better be sure he’s sitting down before I tell him who I met today.”
As we walked, he reached for my hand automatically. I didn’t mind. “Why do you think your father never talked about this part of your family? Wasn’t he close to his father?”
He shrugged. “I have no idea. Until I met you and Conor, I knew nothing at all about my grandfathers, just that they’d both ‘passed away.’ Which, of course, was a lie. I need to have a long talk with my dad when I get home.”
We saw Gabriel as soon as we walked into the dining hall and he waved us over to his table. He was sitting with a few young men I only knew by sight, so he introduced both Sean and me to them. Of course, they all knew who I was, but seemed surprised to meet Sean, although they all said the same thing: “You look just like Conor McKay!” When Gabe told them that Sean and Conor were cousins, they began treating him like an old friend.
Within minutes, platters of fried chicken and bowls of salads were placed on the table, along with just-baked bread and honey butter. Sean’s mouth hung open. He leaned over and whispered, “Do the Elves eat like this every day?”
“Yep.” I couldn’t help laughing. “This is where the five pounds I gained over the summer came from.”
He filled his plate to overflowing and there was no conversation after that. All I heard were a few happy grunts. Gabe grinned at me, nodding at Sean.
When we’d all finished eating, Gabe asked, “Cara, have you been training?”
“No, not recently. I’m afraid my practice area at home isn’t considered safe right now. I’m probably a little rusty.”
“Why don’t you and Sean come down to the field with me? You can practice and I can give Sean an archery lesson. The children won’t be on the field for another few hours, so it’s all ours.”
Sean grinned. “I’ve been wanting to learn some of Cara’s new skills ever since I watched her practicing.”
As we walked out of the village toward the practice field, it was obvious that word had spread. More Elves looked out as we walked by, some waving at us, a few nodding at Sean.
A smile seemed to be permanently plastered to Sean’s face. “I feel like I’m being welcomed by everyone in the village.”
Gabe chuckled. “Sean, you look so much like Conor, it’s obvious to everyone that you’re one of us.” He chuckled. “Besides, we Elves are a friendly lot.”
Sean wrapped his hand around mine again. Looking down at me, he said, “Bringing me here today was a wonderful idea. Thank you.”
Gabe laughed. “Save your thanks until you find out how hard it is to hit a target with an arrow, something Cara excels at.”
Sean turned to me. “Gabe’s been dying to find a sport I suck at. This may be his big chance.”
“Nah. I think you’ll pick it up quickly.”
When we reached the field, Gabe opened the equipment shed and took out two bows and two pouches of arrows. He handed the smaller bow to
me. Seeing that, Sean couldn’t hide a smile. Gabe said, “You won’t be laughing when you see what she can do with that small bow.”
He removed the cover from the grizzly bear target and walked back to us. Sean chuckled. “That’s your artwork, isn’t it?”
I nodded. “There’s a mountain lion on the other target. Gabe asked me to paint something to motivate the kids.”
Gabe walked back to us and showed Sean how to hold the bow, corrected his stance, and said, “Pull that arm back and see if you can hit the target. Keep that elbow up and keep your eyes on the target. Now shoot.”
As expected, Sean was a natural. He hit the target on his first try. Not in the center, but close enough. He looked at me and grinned.
Gabe just shook his head. “Is there anything you’re not good at, McKay? Take a few more shots while we’re here. It takes practice to develop speed, but if you shoot for too long, you won’t be able to use that arm tomorrow.”
Sean shot off the rest of his arrows slowly, hitting the target every time, once in the exact center. The satisfied smile never left his face.
Gabe said, “Why don’t you get some practice, Cara. That’ll take some of the wind out of his sails.”
“I’d like to improve my distance skills.” Gabe ran up and pushed the target back another ten feet.
I started to shoot, slowly at first, and as I got used to the longer distance, I sped up and went through the bag of arrows quickly. I was pleased to find I wasn’t rusty at all. I retrieved my arrows and as I returned to where the boys stood, Gabe was grinning and Sean looked awed. My self-confidence went up a notch.
“You’re even faster than you were the last time I watched you practice.” Sean turned to Gabe. “You know, it’s too bad our bodyguards can’t bring their bows with them when they’re in Thornewood. I wish Archery was offered at school; I think a lot of guys would sign up for it.” He chuckled. “Cara could be one of our instructors.”
Gabe smiled, raising an eyebrow. “Every guy in school would sign up if Cara was the instructor.”
Sean looked at Gabe, obviously thinking about that last statement, and nodded. “Right. Not such a good idea. Cara has enough fans as it is.”
“Hey, guys. I’m standing right here!” I said.
Gabe laughed. “We should be heading back in another hour. I have to go pick up my laundry. I’ll meet you at your father’s cottage.” He took off in a different direction as Sean and I walked off the field.
Again, he took my hand, the same way Adam always did. I realized I’d hardly thought about Adam today and felt a twinge. Why would I feel like that? I was free to hold any hand I liked. But I wondered how Adam would feel about it.
“Let’s take a walk through the apple orchard where I’ve done most of my drawings. If we can pick up some apples for the greys, they’ll be your friends forever.”
I was still mulling over the idea of taking him into the old orchard, where he might get a glimpse of Rowenna. I wondered if he could handle one more shock.
I was wearing a tank top under my t-shirt, so I pulled off the t-shirt to hold all the apples we were picking up off the ground. Sean looked slightly alarmed for a few seconds, until he saw my tank top.
“Whew, don’t scare me like that.”
He looked down at me and lifted a skeptical brow. “You’re more than a little unpredictable, you know.” He shook his head. “Nothing you do surprises me anymore.”
I grinned at him. “Good.”
My t-shirt was full of as many apples as it could hold, so I tied the sleeves together and handed the sack I’d just created to Sean. “We’ll have to save a few to give Cloud and Pigeon when we get back to camp.”
We’d reached the edge of the orchard, where we could see the ancient, gnarled apple trees ahead.
It was a warm day so we took a break under one of the largest of the old trees. Sean’s voice was soft as he leaned back against the trunk of the tree. “I don’t know how to thank you for today. I was about as low as I’ve ever been.” He looked around. “This place, the magic in the air, the smiles from all the people who don’t even know me, has kind of restored my outlook on life. I’ll hate to see this day end.”
I smiled. “It’s not over yet.” I began humming Rowenna’s song. Sean asked, “Did you ever figure out where that melody came from?”
“I did, but it took a few days of research to find it.” I continued humming, watching the sky for a familiar figure. When I glanced at Sean, his eyes were closed. I looked back at the sky and spotted Rowenna just leaving her mountain home.
“Um, Sean, there’s someone else I’d like you to meet, but please don’t be frightened.”
Opening his eyes, he looked over at me. “Frightened? Why would I be frightened?”
“Well, my friend Rowenna is a little unusual. I doubt you’ve ever met anyone like her before.”
“Oh. Okay. When will I be meeting her?”
“In less than a minute. Look up at the sky.”
“The sky?” I knew when he caught sight of her because his mouth dropped open. He whispered, “You’ve got to be kidding.”
I heard her voice in my mind. Who have you brought to meet me today?
I decided to answer her mentally. Rowenna, this is Sean, a close friend who suffered a terrible shock yesterday when one of his teammates was killed. Sean was actually the target. That evil man I told you about is still sending other men to attack us. I brought Sean to Elvenwood today to help him recover.
She answered, I understand. I am glad you brought him to meet me. She circled the old orchard and landed where she had before. Her golden eyes looked sympathetic.
“This is my friend Rowenna. We communicate mentally, like I do with my father. I’ve told her what’s been going on in Thornewood. She said she’s glad I brought you here to meet her.”
His mouth was still open.
I nudged him. “Sean, say hello.”
He continued to stare at the huge, golden-eyed dragon sitting twenty feet in front of him.
I decided to speak to her out loud. “I’m afraid he’s in shock. We’ll have to give him a few minutes.”
She huffed a little, her version of laughter.
Finally, he found his voice, although it shook a little. “Uh, hello, Rowenna. It’s very nice to meet you.”
She nodded slightly, bending her long neck and dipping her large head a few inches.
Cara, please tell him I’ll be watching for him when I fly over Thornewood at night. And let him know that if he feels threatened, he can call my name in his mind. I’ll hear him and I’ll come.
I repeated her words to Sean. His eyes widened. “She’d do that for me?”
Tell Sean that there is no room for evil in our world, and that I will burn it to ash wherever I find it.
I told him what she’d said.
He answered her. “Thank you, Rowenna. I think I’ll feel safer now, knowing you’re flying over Thornewood at night.”
She nodded again. In my mind, I heard, Take care of your friend, Cara. He has a brave heart, and he loves you.
She spread her gleaming wings and rose slowly into the sky, turning toward her mountain home. We watched her until she disappeared behind the purple mountains.
A few minutes passed quietly before he said anything. “Um, Cara, will there be any more surprises today? I just want to be prepared.”
I wrapped my hand around his and smiled. “No, not today. Are you ready to go home?”
He looked at me with a tired smile. “I’m ready.” He chuckled. “I don’t think I can handle anything else today.”
I leaned over and dropped a kiss on his cheek. “I’m glad I could share all of this with you. Elvenwood is such a big part of my life, I wanted you to experience it.”
He whispered, “Thank you.” Then he kissed me. Not on the cheek. My stomach did that old familiar backflip and I remembered why I’d been so attracted to him when I met him last spring.
We stood and walked thro
ugh the orchard, hand in hand. Occasionally we glanced over at each other and smiled.
I was reminded of our first weeks together last spring. It was déjà vu, all over again.
We walked out of the orchard and headed for the stable, where I hoped I’d find Gabe.
He smiled when we walked in. “You weren’t at your father’s cottage, so I thought I’d find you here. The sun’s going down and we need to get back to camp while it’s still light.”
He grinned at Sean. “How did you like your first visit to Elvenwood?”
“I’m still trying to absorb it all, to be honest. It’s another world here in Elvenwood. I hadn’t expected everyone to be so welcoming.” He smiled at me. “It’s been a really great day.”
Will had saddled our greys, so we were ready to go. After thanking Will, leaving the apples for the greys, and saying goodbye, we rode out of the stable. When we passed my father’s cottage, Ian came running from his yard to say goodbye.
“When are you coming back?”
“I’m not sure. I’m hoping it will be soon, but it all depends on the problems we’re dealing with at home.”
Frowning, he nodded. He walked over to Sean. “I hope you don’t get hurt. Come back and see us again.”
Sean reached down and tousled Ian’s hair, smiling. “I’d love to come back. I’ll see you then.”
We rode toward Elvenwood’s gateway slowly. I think we were all sorry to leave.
Twenty minutes later we rode into my father’s camp. I looked around, surprised to see only a few of my father’s men. When we left, there were at least twenty men in camp. Gabe looked around, calling out a few names until one of the younger boys ran out of one of the tents.
“Evan, where is everybody?”
“Just a few minutes ago, we got a message from Brian, and most of the men left for Cara’s home. A few of them took their greys. There are only a few of us left here. No one explained why they had to leave.”