by Mary Akers
Chapter 15
It was nearing dusk as Asher and Elora headed home to meet up with her parents. They walked in melancholy silence for quite a while, Elora playing distractedly with the seed on her necklace. The guilt of involving her dear friends in this unbelievable and dangerous situation gnawed at her. If something happened to Trig because he helped them, how would she ever be able to live with herself? And if Alysa fell victim to the Liana, she wouldn’t want to live at all.
“You have good friends,” Asher remarked beside her, breaking the silence.
“I do,” she replied, smiling in spite of her sadness.
“You can tell a lot about a person by their friends,” he nodded thoughtfully. “It speaks highly of you, their eagerness to help.”
“I don’t know that I will ever deserve what they are risking for me tonight,” she said quietly.
“You’re wrong about that,” he said comfortingly. “But if that’s how you feel, then let it inspire you. Make it worthwhile.”
“How do I do that?” she asked. “I just barely understand what is going on! And I’m not completely sure I even believe it.”
“How can you say that when you have so much proof already?” he asked, incredulous. “The Mark of the Ever Tree on your back, your ability, and that seed you wear around your neck all prove that this is real.”
She walked quietly beside him for a few steps deep in thought. Reaching out, she placed a hand on his forearm, pulling him to a stop. She looked up to find his eyes, stone colored in the waning light, focused intently on her. Her heart thudded in her chest as she was temporarily overwhelmed by her attraction to him. She couldn’t bring herself to break eye contact and couldn’t manage to have a coherent thought while lost in his eyes. He returned her gaze, unfaltering, and she wondered if perhaps he was as affected as she was. A warm breeze blew a strand of hair that had come loose from her updo across her cheek. Asher lifted his hand to carefully tuck it behind her ear. Her breath caught in her throat at the surprisingly intimate gesture. The brush of his fingertips against her skin startled her out of her trance. She looked away, trying to remember what she had been trying to say only a moment ago.
“Why do you believe that I can fix the Ever Tree?” she asked earnestly. “How can you be so sure?”
“I trust the prophesy,” he said confidently. “I have faith that you will be everything that we need you to be.”
“Are you sure it’s faith and not just desperation?” she asked quietly.
“Let’s call it hope,” he replied, with a small smile as he put his hand on the small of her back, urging her to continue walking.
After taking a few more steps, Elora looked up to see something unsettling. There was a figure approaching in the distance. Elora froze and her heart seemed to stop for a moment.
“Colin,” she whispered.
Except it wasn’t only Colin. He wasn’t alone. He was flanked by 5 other men, all wearing Elysic cloaks. Though they were walking briskly towards Elora and Asher, the men thankfully hadn’t spotted them yet.
“They’re here,” Asher said, unable to hide the alarm in his voice.
He quickly grabbed hold of Elora’s elbow and pulled her off of the road and onto the porch of a nearby house.
“What do we do?” she asked, panicked.
Asher tried opening the door to the house, but it was locked. While trying to remain inconspicuous, he began looking around for a means of escape or somewhere to hide, but there was nothing.
Elora pressed her back against the building, wishing she could simply disappear. Asher moved closer to shield Elora from view, placing his forearm on the wall near her shoulder.
She looked up at him desperately, hoping he would know what to do. Her life up until now had been full of gentleness and simple goodness. She felt wholly unequipped to handle something like this.
His eyes locked with hers and she could see that he was afraid. But more than afraid, he was angry.
“We should have left yesterday,” he said, castigating himself.
“I wouldn’t have gone with you yesterday,” Elora said, shaking her head.
“I should have made you leave,” he said, his voice gruff.
“I’m glad you didn’t try,” she said softly.
“You won’t be in a few minutes,” he replied.
“What should we do?” Elora asked, peering under Asher’s arm at the approaching men.
“I won’t be able to stop them, but I can slow them down,” he whispered.
She jerked her eyes back up to his in shock.
“No,” she whispered, horrified.
“You’ll have to run. Faster than you’ve ever run, Elora. Find your parents and hide. Stick with our plan,” he said harshly. “I’ll find you after I get away.”
“Asher, no!” she exclaimed quietly.
“Yes,” he replied firmly.
“What if you don’t get away?” she asked, her voice shaking.
“Don’t think about that,” he said, lifting his head to see how close the men were.
“I can’t let you sacrifice yourself for some prophesy!” she cried.
Asher studied her for a moment, taking in every detail. Elora searched his eyes, confused at the depth of emotion she saw there.
The scuffing sounds of boots on cobblestones became audible as the Liana approached. The men were nearly upon them.
Asher took a deep breath in preparation for what he was about to do.
“Please Asher, don’t!” she begged him.
“I’m not doing it for the Prophesy,” he whispered, giving her one last meaningful look. “Run, Elora!”
He started to push himself away from the wall but Elora grabbed hold of his shirt with both hands and forcefully pulled him down to her. She lifted onto her toes, catching his lips with hers in a clumsy, frantic kiss. She closed her eyes, terrified to see what would happen next. She silently begged him to accept the intimacy she was offering in place of the violence he’d been expecting.
Startled, Asher’s hands flew to grip her upper arms and for a brief moment it seemed as though he would push her away. His lips were unyielding, his posture rigid as he struggled to abandon his original plan. Elora’s heart ached and her stomach fell, believing that she had lost, that he was determined to carry on as he had intended. Her fingers began to loosen their grip on his shirt and she slowly sank down from her perch on her toes.
Suddenly Asher’s lips turned soft and warm. His mouth opened and he began returning her kiss in earnest. His hands drifted up from her arms to gingerly cup her jaw, his fingertips sinking into the hair at the nape of her neck. He leaned into her, pressing her against the building, hiding her body behind his. With a gentle nudge of his thumb he tilted her head slightly and deepened the kiss. His lips moved over hers, tender but passionate. She had never felt this way before, never experienced the thrilling sensations coursing through her body.
Though timid at first, Elora quickly lost herself in the kiss. She lowered down off her toes and leaned her head back as he ducked to better reach her upturned face. She gripped his shirt for dear life, surprised by the onslaught of emotions that the kiss had awakened.
A few whistles and laughter from the road revealed that they had indeed been noticed by the passing soldiers, but no attack came. The men continued on as Elora remained hidden, disguised within Asher’s ardent embrace.
Overwhelmed by the way he was holding her, kissing her, it took Elora a moment to realize that she could no longer hear footsteps. Asher seemed to recognize that the danger had passed at nearly the same time. He pulled back slightly, breaking the kiss. Her heart pounding, she opened her eyes to find him watching her. He held her gaze for a long moment before shifting his attention back to her lips. To her surprise, he slowly leaned down and softly, briefly kissed her once more.
She couldn�
�t seem to remember how to breathe. If he hadn’t been pressing her against the wall, her knees would have buckled. Unsure of what to think, what to do, she stared back at him. While their kisses had been thrilling and passionate before, that last unnecessary and unexpected caress was something else entirely. It had meant something. But what? She finally managed to tear her eyes away from his, but found that they merely travelled downward of their own accord to focus on his lips instead. She wished he would kiss her again. Self-conscious, she closed her eyes in an attempt to hide her desire.
Rubbing his thumb gently across her cheek, Asher finally broke the silence, whispering, “Your idea was much better than mine.”
Elora’s eyes flew open as she laughed in surprise. Asher chuckled, stepping back to put some space between them. Unprepared for the sudden loss of his support, she sagged against him. His hands moved to her shoulders to steady her. The enormity of what had nearly just happened seemed to hit her all at once and she let out a shuddering exhale. Overcome with relief, she dropped her forehead against his chest and loosened her grip on his shirt which was still bunched in her fingers. She felt his chin drop to rest on the top of her head and his arms wrapped around her. She felt utterly safe and protected, if only for this moment, and she savored it.
Finally recovered, she released his shirt and they separated. She quirked her eyebrows curiously as he began examining their surroundings.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Just checking to see if anything started growing,” he said, smiling at her wryly. “Your heart was beating pretty fast.”
“I have to be focused on something for that to happen,” she said, blushing.
“Are you saying you weren’t able to think straight?” he asked, grinning.
“You know, your heart was beating pretty fast, too!” she cried, laughing.
“Yes, it was,” he replied, smiling fondly at her.
She smiled back, utterly bewildered and confused by him. They had only met this morning and yet the familiar way he interacted with her, the way he spoke to her, the way he looked at her, the passionate way he’d kissed her belied a much deeper connection. It was both comfortable and thrilling. She didn’t understand it. It didn’t make sense. And yet it felt right.
Shaking her head in amusement, Elora moved to leave the porch. Asher took hold of her arm, stopping her.
“Where are you going?” he asked, all teasing gone from his voice.
“Home,” she replied. “We can cut across that field there to avoid the road,” she said, motioning to a pasture a short distance down the lane.
“The Liana are here now, Elora. You can’t go home,” he said, shaking his head.
“But my parents,” she started, letting the words fall off her tongue as fear set in.
Asher lifted his head, looking up and down the road before taking hold of her hand and pulling her across the pavement and down a dark alleyway. They sidled along, hiding in the shadows of the buildings that lined the narrow road until they reached an overgrown field full of tall grasses at the other end. He charged into the waist-high vegetation dragging her along behind him.
Her dress made running through the field difficult, dragging against the grass and tripping her feet. Despite her best efforts to pull the dress out of the way, she kept stumbling and knew it was only a matter of time before she would fall. Her frustration finally boiling over, she tore her hand out of Asher’s grasp. But she hadn’t realized just how much he had been bracing her. She tried frantically to untangle her skirt from her legs before she lost her balance, but her momentum got the better of her and with an involuntary yelp, she tumbled forward. Fortunately, Asher had turned to see why she had wrested her hand free and was able to catch her before she dove face first into the ground.
“Can we stop please?” she asked, breathless with panic and exertion as she righted herself, tugging the wayward skirt out from beneath her feet.
He nodded, looking around cautiously before sinking down onto his knees beneath the grass. Elora did the same.
“I’m sorry,” he relented in a hushed voice. “We needed get away from there.”
Elora nodded her understanding as she ran her wrist across her brow to catch the sweat before it could drip down into her eyes.
Lifting her fearful eyes to his, she quietly asked again, “What about my parents?”
“Let’s hope they didn’t make it home yet,” Asher replied.
“I’m not leaving without them,” Elora said, her voice trembling.
“I know,” Asher nodded. “Surely they noticed the Liana like we did and stayed away from the house. They aren’t exactly being covert, brazenly walking around like that,” he said, his brows furrowed in confusion and concern. “Colin wasn’t even wearing a cloak,” he added quietly.
“They did seem strangely relaxed,” Elora said, twisting her hands nervously.
“They seemed confident,” Asher amended.
“It’s as if they expect to just walk in here and take me, like there were fetching a sack of grain,” Elora whispered.
“That’s exactly what they expect to do,” Asher said soberly.
Elora eyes were suddenly ablaze with indignation. Her hands balled up into angry fists and she pressed them into her lap.
“Well, that’s not how it’s going to work,” she seethed.
“Good,” Asher said nodding his head approvingly. “It’s better to be angry than scared.”
“Oh no,” Elora corrected. “I’m really, really scared too. I’m just trying to be brave about it,” she said, her voice defiant but shaky.
Asher smiled before quietly admitting, “Me too.”
Elora looked at him quizzically.
“You don’t seem scared,” she said.
“I am,” he replied, holding her gaze.
“This conversation isn’t making me feel any better,” she whispered.
“I’d have to be an idiot not to be terrified when it comes to the Liana,” he said. “It’s not important that we’re scared. It only matters that we’re brave. It only matters that we win.”
Elora nodded solemnly before quirking her eyebrows in question.
“What will winning look like?” Elora asked, quietly.
“Freedom,” he said.
“You mean keeping me free from the Liana,” she clarified.
“Not just that,” he said. “I mean setting us all free.”
“But you’re already free,” Elora said, her eyebrows lifting in confusion.
“As long as the Liana controls Clarendon, none of us are free, Elora,” he replied solemnly. “Not really.”
“I don’t understand. What does that have to do with me?” Elora asked, confused. “I’m not liberating anyone. I’m going to Clarendon to save the Ever Tree,” Elora said.
“You’re going to Clarendon to fulfill the Prophesy,” Asher clarified.
Elora furrowed her brows, perplexed.
“Isn’t that what I said?” she asked.
“Not exactly,” he replied.
Chapter 16
“The Prophesy was written centuries ago, Elora,” Asher explained. “It had become the stuff of fairytales even before our parents were born. The details had been watered down with each generation until only a shadow of truth remained. Most Claren believed it to be nothing more than a bedtime story, as your father said, passed down through the generations as little more than entertainment. All anyone remembered of the Prophesy was that the Ever Tree would fall and that a savior would appear, born with the Ever Mark and gifted with the power to restore the Tree.”
Elora nodded. That was her understanding of the Prophesy as well.
“But when my mother helped bring you into the world and saw the Mark on your back, she recognized that the Prophesy was real and was coming true,” Asher said, locking eyes with Elora for a
moment before continuing. “At that time Peter, my father, was working in the Registry as a Chronicle, a record keeper. The Registry is a giant cavern that descends deep underground. It holds all the records of Clarendon dating back thousands of years. There are shelves chiseled into the cavern walls from floor to ceiling, filled with books detailing the history of our people. Every birth, every death, every pairing is written in those books. Giant scrolls containing precise maps of the Woodlands are kept there, as well as ledgers tracking the age and location of every Elysian Tree. Every bit of knowledge that is vital to our people is stored in the Registry. I hope you’ll get to see it someday,” he said shaking his head in awe. “It is incredible to be there, surrounded by the histories of the people who came before us, who lived this calling and entrusted it to us to continue it. It makes you understand in a way nothing else can, that you are a part of something incredible.” His eyes were distant as he pictured it in his mind. “It’s humbling and inspiring all at once.”
“It sounds amazing,” Elora said, watching him intently.
At the sound of her voice, Asher’s eyes darted to hers and it was as though he couldn’t look away. A warmth crept across her skin and the air around them seemed to hum with electricity as he held her gaze. Her fingers began to tingle, the tell-tale sensation of her powers awakening. She quickly closed her eyes and shook her head, consciously trying to suppress the intensity of these unexpected feelings.
She heard Asher take a deep, shaky breath, and took comfort in the fact that he’d apparently been as affected as she had.
“So, everything is stored in the Registry,” he reiterated, regaining his focus and continuing his explanation. “Including the Prophesy.”
Elora nodded.
“Because the contents of the Registry are so valuable, only Chronicles are allowed to handle them. Claren place requests for information and Chronicles are responsible for researching and providing answers. When the Liana came into power they began monitoring the requests, controlling the flow of information, and people became much more cautious with their curiosity,” Asher said, frowning angrily. Taking a deep breath, he continued. “All that to say, when my mother came home and told my father about you and her fears that the Prophesy was coming to pass, he decided to see for himself what exactly the Prophesy actually said. When he found an opportunity, he secretly sought out the Prophesy where it had been stored and long forgotten deep within the cavern. And luckily he wrote it down, because soon after your family disappeared and rumors of your Mark began circulating, the Prophesy disappeared.”