by Lana Axe
“Leave me to my sorrow and malice!” a loud voice boomed.
Kaiya flinched at the sound of the voice. Clearly this being was upset by her presence. “Who are you?” she asked.
“That is not your concern,” she replied. “Be gone from this place!”
Kaiya swallowed hard and looked into the elf’s eyes. “I won’t leave until I know what you are,” she replied defiantly.
A beam of white light shot forth, but Kaiya reacted in time. Holding a hand up, she deflected the beam, which bounced between the cave’s walls before fading away.
“I am a being of magic as well,” she declared. “I will not harm you, and you should not be trying to harm me. Tell me how I can help you.” Kaiya’s words were sincere. If she could release this creature from her sorrow, she would do whatever was necessary.
“Be gone!” the elf repeated.
“Are you the one making the miners ill?” Kaiya asked, ignoring the order to leave. Another bolt of light flew toward her, but she was ready for it. With both hands, she repelled the attack, sending the light back to the apparition. The elf took on a stronger glow but was unharmed.
“You must leave, child,” the elf said in a melancholy voice. “You do not belong here.”
Before she could protest, the water from the pool began to rise, forcing Kaiya to higher ground. The more she moved, the more the water rose. Within seconds, the cave had filled with water to the height of her shoulders. Not knowing what else to do, Kaiya turned and swam as best she could away from the elf maiden.
Once the apparition believed Kaiya was leaving, the water receded. To her dismay, the dwarf girl returned as soon as the water level was low enough for her to stand. She strode boldly forward to face the elf once more.
“You haven’t answered my question,” Kaiya stated.
“I can see you learn slowly,” the elf replied. “It seems I must teach you not to meddle with magic you couldn’t possibly understand.”
Kaiya stood firm, bracing herself for another attack.
Chapter 10
River walked between Galen and Lenora as the three of them headed back to their village. The forest buzzed with activity all around them, providing plenty of distractions from the silence. Occasionally, River glanced at Lenora as if to say something but turned his head away again without speaking. Lenora smiled to herself as she walked, sensing River’s insecurity.
“How long have you studied with the dryads?” he finally managed to ask.
Lenora replied, “About two years now. They’ve taught me many things.”
River could not think of a suitable follow-up question to continue the conversation. The light bouncing off Lenora’s golden locks filled his vision, and he failed to find his words.
“Do they do anything but plant trees?” Galen asked, filling the silence.
“They do many things within the forest,” Lenora replied. “They understand every bird’s song, and they know each blade of grass. They could teach me such things if I had the ability to learn them. As elves, we are limited in what we are able to understand of this world. The dryads have a powerful connection to the earth that we lack.” She paused in her walking to look at River. “You may be less limited, or more so. I’m not sure which.”
“How do you mean?” River asked.
“Well, you aren’t just an elf, are you?” She smiled and cocked her head slightly to the side. River felt his ears turning red and hoped she did not notice. Galen glanced at River, giving a nod of approval.
Finally, they arrived in the village and made their way to the House of Medicine.
“I have to warn you that your mother might not be happy I’ve involved you in this,” River admitted.
“She has her own way of doing things, and I have mine,” Lenora said. “If she refused to do the work, then I must do it instead.” Opening the door, she added, “Let’s see if we can’t figure out what happened to your dwarf.”
Myla sat inside at her desk. At the sight of her daughter, she rose to her feet. “Lenora?” she asked, surprised. “What brings you here?”
“My friends have requested my assistance. It seems there is trouble among the dwarves.”
“Don’t concern yourself with that,” she replied coldly. “There are others who can tend to it.”
“Nevertheless, I’m here, and I would be happy to look into it.” To her mother’s dismay, she proceeded to the dwarf’s lifeless body, which had been encased in magic to preserve it for the time being.
She peeled away the magical layers to examine the dwarf. As she touched him, her hands emitted a white glow. “You were right about it being a magical illness,” she said, looking up at River. “He was cursed.”
“The two of you should leave now,” Myla broke in. “I need to speak with my daughter.”
“Thank you for your help, Lenora,” River said before turning to leave.
Galen flashed a devilish grin at Myla before walking out the door. Myla narrowed her eyes in response and glared at the two as they walked away.
“What are you doing with them?” Myla asked.
Lenora sat casually next to the body of the dwarf. “They came to find me. They said there was trouble.” She shrugged and turned her attention back to the dwarf.
“That elf may be dangerous,” Myla continued. “We don’t know what he is.”
“Who? River?” Lenora replied with a dismissing wave of her hand. “He’s harmless.”
“That thing in the water killed his mother, and it inhabits him. He’s only just come of age, and we don’t know what he’s capable of.”
“I can take care of myself, Mother.”
Myla took a step closer to the dwarf’s body and inspected it. “I don’t want you involved in this matter either,” she declared. “I will handle it.”
“Too late,” Lenora replied playfully. “I’m already involved.”
“You have a Coming of Age Ceremony to worry about. Set your mind to that, and I will deal with this.”
Lenora shook her head but appeared to comply with her mother’s wish as she made her way to the exit. Still trying to work out the cause of the dwarf’s demise, she stepped out into the sunlight. River and Galen stood on the opposite side of the door, and she nearly bumped into them.
“Hello again,” she said with a laugh.
“I take it your mother isn’t happy we involved you in this,” Galen said.
“No, she isn’t.”
“Forgive me if I’ve caused you trouble,” River said earnestly. He gazed into her pale eyes as he spoke and nearly forgot what he was talking about.
“It’s no trouble,” she replied. “Shall we sit and talk a while?”
“Certainly,” River answered, his heart fluttering in his chest. He glanced at Galen, who was grinning from ear to ear.
Not wanting to intrude, Galen said, “I can’t. I have to...,” he thought for a second, “go pluck a hair.”
River’s mouth dropped open slightly, and he buried his face in his hand. His embarrassment was genuine, but Galen laughed and slapped him on the shoulder.
Lenora burst out laughing. “Let us know if you need any help with that.”
“Will do,” Galen said. He waved cheerfully at the pair before leaving them to each other’s company.
River and Lenora took a seat on a silver bench under the shade of a large tree.
“So,” Lenora began, “what brought you out into the woods to find me?”
“Galen,” River replied. “He said you could help us figure out what was going on.” He fidgeted nervously with his hands as he spoke.
Smiling, Lenora said, “My mother isn’t a fan of dwarves. Or of anyone, for that matter. I’m glad you came to find me.”
River stopped fidgeting and smiled at her, hoping her last comment meant she was happy to meet him. “You said the dwarf was cursed,” he said, attempting to prolong the conversation.
“Yes,” she replied. “It was definitely some dark magic that caused his deat
h. He had been quite ill, but the sickness progressed much faster than anything of natural causes would do.”
“The Spirit of the river told me there was evil in the mountains.”
Curiously, Lenora asked, “What do you and the Spirit usually talk about? I hear you speak with it every day.”
“Some days it tells me nothing. Other days it tells me too much.” He shook his head. “Sometimes I don’t understand what it’s telling me.”
“You’ve learned stronger magic from it, right?” Lenora asked, leaning closer to River.
“Yes, it has taught me quite a bit. I still need practice, though. It isn’t quite the same as the magic we learned in school.”
Lenora smiled warmly and said, “I imagine it’s quite different. The dryads are teaching me new magic as well.”
As the conversation tapered off, the two young elves sat in silence. It was nearing sunset before they finally decided it was time to part ways.
“I should probably be going,” Lenora said. “I have one more question for you. Is the Spirit of the river dangerous?”
“No, I don’t believe it is,” he replied, unsure why she was asking.
“Are you dangerous?”
River stared at her a moment before answering. “No, of course not.” He didn’t understand why she would ask such a thing. He had never done anything that would make the other elves afraid of him, and there was nothing he could do to change the circumstance of his birth.
“I didn’t think so,” she replied, her eyes sparkling. Leaning in, she kissed him softly on his cheek. “I’ll see you tomorrow,” she said.
River watched as she walked away. His head felt as if it were about to burst, and he had to remind himself to breathe. Lenora was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen, and he knew he was in love with her. Whether she felt the same way, he could not be sure. For now, having her friendship would have to be enough.
Chapter 11
Kaiya stood her ground, staring straight at the apparition. Summoning her courage, she said, “Tell me why you are harming the miners. What have they done to you?”
The ground shook as the apparition lifted her arms into the air.
“Please!” Kaiya screamed. “Tell me how I can make things right!”
The elf’s translucent body glowed brighter, and Kaiya suddenly felt it difficult to breathe. A crushing sensation spread throughout her chest, and her throat felt as if it were being gripped by a strong hand.
“Be gone!” the booming voice of the apparition shouted again.
In fear for her life, Kaiya turned to flee. Choking and gasping for air, she ran as fast as she could through the darkness and out of the cave.
The guard, who had returned to his post, was surprised to see someone running from the cave. “Halt there!” he shouted.
Kaiya had no intention of stopping and continued to run. The guard pursued for a few moments but lost her to the black of night. The farther she ran from the cave, the easier it was to breathe. She paused for a moment behind a boulder to catch her breath. Her entire body shook with fear, and she hated herself for losing courage.
I’m no closer to an answer, she thought. The magic within the cave was the strongest she had ever encountered. It was obvious she couldn’t combat it, and she feared for the lives of the miners. The apparition was a creature of evil—full of anger and hate. Never before had Kaiya encountered such malice.
Slowly she followed the rocky dirt path that would lead her home. Dawn was breaking as she arrived at the edge of her farm. Burying her face in her hands, she sat on the grass and wept. There was no way to know if she had made things worse by angering the spirit in the cave. More dwarves could be harmed by her actions, even though she had gone with only the intention to do good.
As she sat in silence, a gust of wind came along to dry the tears from her face. Where were you when I needed you? In the caves, she had not felt the presence of the wind. Her magic had been far too weak without it. Kaiya drew in a deep breath and let it out slowly. Closing her eyes, she held her face to the breeze. She could not help but smile as it caressed her tear-stained cheeks. I’ll just have to try again, she thought. To the wind, she said, “Don’t abandon me this time.”
The door to the farmhouse creaked as Darvil stepped out to perform his morning chores. His thick red beard danced around him on the strong breeze. Kaiya rose in time to see Doozle running from the barn, his tongue lolling out in greeting. She waved to her father and patted the herding dog on his head.
“What’s got you up so early?” Darvil asked.
“I couldn’t sleep,” she replied, bending down to give Doozle a good rub on his shoulder. “Are you heading to town today?”
“Sure am,” he replied. “I’m not sure things have cooled down enough for you to come along,” he admitted.
“I don’t want to come,” she responded. “I’m curious to hear if there’s any news.”
“I’ll bring back what I can,” he promised.
Kaiya headed into the house to collect her mother’s knitting. Dishes clanged in the kitchen, suggesting Kassie was already up as well. Placing the finished scarves and hats into a canvas bag, Kaiya placed it outside the door for her father to take into town. Kassie spent most of her day dying wool and knitting items for the townsfolk, and her work brought in a good amount of extra money. Their family was by no means wealthy, but at least there was money for items they couldn’t craft themselves.
A steaming bowl of porridge awaited Kaiya on the kitchen table. She took a seat and added some honey to her bowl before taking a bite.
“Careful, it’s hot,” Kassie warned without turning around.
Kaiya shook her head, resigning herself to the fact that her mother would always think of her as a child. Being the baby of the family did have its advantages, but sometimes it was nice to be treated as an adult.
“What were you up to last night?” Kassie asked.
“What makes you think I was up to something?” she replied through a mouthful of porridge.
“Are we answering questions with questions today?” Her mother gave her a quizzical look and took a seat across from her. “I know you were out, and I’m worried about you. Going to town isn’t safe.”
Kaiya sighed. “You always seem to know what I’m going to do before I do it. Yes, I went to town to investigate the magic I felt in the cave.”
“And?”
“And I didn’t find much. There is a presence there, and she isn’t happy. She wants to harm the miners, but I don’t know why. All I know is she’s far more powerful than me. I don’t know why she’s making people ill, and I don’t know how to stop her.” Kaiya turned her attention back to her breakfast to hide her frustration.
“You need guidance is all,” her mother said, attempting to comfort her.
“There isn’t anyone to guide me,” she replied, shaking her head. “There never has been.”
“There are schools among the elves of the islands.” Kassie knew Kaiya was already aware of such places, but it couldn’t hurt to remind her.
“They aren’t going to accept me, Mum,” Kaiya replied. “They barely accept elves into those schools. I will have to figure this out on my own.”
Kassie stood and kissed her daughter on the head before leaving Kaiya to eat in peace. As the silence crept into her ears, Kaiya once again turned her thoughts to the being in the cave. There had to be a way to stop her before more dwarves fell ill—or worse. A hard road lay before her, but she would not give in to despair. She would find a way to save her kinsmen, no matter how difficult it seemed. If her magic wasn’t yet strong enough, she would have to find a way to supplement it.
Chapter 12
Sirra stood patiently in the waiting area of Telorithan’s tower. The raven-haired enchantress wore a form-fitting black dress that emphasized her ample curves. She sighed, wondering how long Telorithan would keep her waiting today. He always kept her waiting as if she were not an important guest to meet. In reali
ty, she was probably his only friend. Despite his many flaws, Sirra cared more for him than any other man.
With only servants available for conversation, Sirra preferred to wait in solitude. Even though he had achieved the rank of Master nearly two centuries ago, Telorithan had never taken on any apprentices. He simply did not have the patience for them, and he had no intention of giving away his arcane secrets to mere students. Sirra herself had barely been let in on his experiments, and that had taken a lot of work on her part. Convincing him to trust her had taken many years.
Finally giving in to her fatigue, she took a seat near the window. The street below provided little in the way of distraction since Telorithan’s tower was built far from the cities, giving him the silence he demanded for his work. The tower’s interior was sparse on decoration. There were scores of books and scrolls but barely enough furnishings to fill the inhabited rooms. Lacking any apprentices, the majority of the tower’s bedrooms remained empty and unused.
Sirra had often commented that a woman’s touch was badly needed in his home. She was not so subtle about her willingness to become his partner and had offered to move in on several occasions. Telorithan was not the sort of elf who needed a companion around, and he had refused her request each time. Sirra had her own work to tend to, so she eventually resigned herself to living apart from him. At the very least, she knew there was no one else in his bed at night, and that gave her some comfort.
After making her wait more than an hour, Telorithan finally made his way down the twisted staircase to meet his guest. As he entered the sitting room, Sirra quickly stood, turning her body slightly to the side to emphasize her figure. Her ankle-length gown was split up both sides, giving him a thorough view of her thighs. He rolled his eyes, knowing exactly why she had come to visit him.
“Telorithan, love,” she said, moving forward to take his hand. “It seems forever since we last spoke.”