by Jen Wylie
"Do they fight over it down here, too?"
"The fight over land is mostly in the mid to northern cities. They barely have enough land to provide food for the citizens. In the south, there are three cities fitting into the extended land area; Cliffdown, Westport, and Newhaven. They are all old, rich and well-defended. If they fight, it is rarely over land."
"One of them has an army massed," she reminded him.
"Yes, that would be New Haven, which is disturbing."
"Damon said it had moved north a bit. We should be able to get past them and get you home."
"We will see."
As they moved south the planted trees grew smaller until they came to an area of recently cut forest. From the woods, Aro watched humans working the churned earth. Some collected smaller pieces of wood, while others marked young trees that hadn’t been damaged during the cut.
"Once the area is fully cleared they will replant. This is why the southern cities fair better. They plan for the future."
The afternoon continued and Aro remained riding with Prince while he taught her about how the southern cities managed the forests and their lands. It was something she hadn’t learned much of in her tutoring. She found he made a good teacher and was surprised to find she actually missed learning.
"What is that?" A strange sound had begun echoing through the woods. It was familiar, yet she couldn’t place it.
"The ravine must be not too far ahead. There is a quarry on the human side. You hear them cutting stone."
She had never seen a quarry. Or a ravine for that matter. The sounds grew louder and louder; the hammering of metal on stone by many hands.
Finally Bo stopped ahead of them and Prince pulled up beside him. Both Garen and Kei awaited them.
Aro leaned forward, her eyes widening in shock. The ground ended before them, dropping sharply. The ravine was wide. A dozen horses could ride abreast down it. She could see the stone on the other side, rising nearly straight up. Though layers of stone were visible and it likely wouldn’t be too hard to climb, she had no idea how they would get the horses across.
"What do we do now?"
"You will make camp for the night."
They turned as one to see Rhee-En emerge from the trees.
Aro couldn’t help but smile. She just loved the sound of his voice.
"There is a way across on the human side. However you would not make it without detection. There is another way down east of here, but the way up is even further east. You would not make it across before nightfall."
Aro glanced up at the sun. "We could camp down below. I don’t want to waste time."
Rhee-En chuckled. "You do not want to be caught down there at night. The ravine is an old river bed. The river was diverted by an avalanche in the mountains more than a century ago. But it does still lead to the mountains and the Vor tend to use it as a way out."
"They have been quiet for decades," Prince said.
Rhee-En raised his eyebrows. "How long have you been gone?"
Prince stiffened behind her at the Were’s condescending tone. She had no idea what they were talking about.
"They have been growing in strength the last five years. More and more are coming down into the forests." He jerked his head northward. "It was one of them we were chasing into Alar-En’s lands." He gestured eastward. "There is a camp this way. Come, you can rest well tonight. We will keep watch."
They followed him, not having much of a choice in the matter.
"Are we in your land now?"
The Were looked over his shoulder at her and smiled. His tilted his head to the ravine. "The other side."
They arrived at an area by the ravine sheltered by rocks and a makeshift contraption of cut tree trunks and mud providing shelter from the elements. It wasn’t large enough for the horses, but the skies had cleared up so rain wasn’t a worry for the night.
"I will leave you to set up camp and return this evening." He looked to Prince. "There are things we should speak of, if you will permit."
Prince nodded. "Of course."
"My people will be patrolling. Do not be alarmed if you see them. If there is danger, we will let you know."
Aro slipped down off the horse and watched in amazement as Rhee-En walked away, only to suddenly shift into a wolf and bound into the trees.
Her eyes turned to Garen. He stared after the retreating Were for a long moment before giving himself a shake.
I’m going hunting.
He loped off in the other direction.
"He’s never…" She fought for the word. "Shifted."
"No," Prince agreed. "He has not."
They exchanged looks.
"Do you know why?"
Prince shook his head. "I am not familiar with how Were magic works."
"The question is whether we should make an issue of it or not," Bo said.
Kei came up and took the reins of Prince’s horse as the Elf slipped off. "Does it matter?"
Aro grinned suddenly. "It never does. We’re family."
Chapter 19:
The Way Things Are
Garen returned just before dark. They’d already set up camp and gotten the fire going. Aro and Kei collected a good amount of deadfall from the surrounding forest while Bo watched the roasting rabbit and small bird Kei caught during the day.
Their food stores were depleted again and the more game they could find, the better. They’d barely have enough to get Prince home. No one said anything about what would happen after. For some reason it just wasn’t a topic anyone wanted to talk about.
Aro tried not to think of it at all. The thought of continuing on without Prince left a despairing ache inside of her. She’d lost so many already. Even though he was only going home, he would still be gone.
Garen dropped a very large bird next to Kei. Aro raised her eyebrows. "Nice catch. We might actually have some meat left over tonight."
Kei picked the bird up by its long legs and headed away from camp to get it ready for cooking. Garen trotted after him, he liked some of the parts they wouldn’t be eating.
The small bird and rabbit had finished so Aro removed them from the stick over the fire and split each into quarters. Everyone devoured their share. Aro saved Kei’s portion and collected the bones for Garen. When they returned she set up the large bird on the spit while they ate.
Everyone sat in silence, almost full, and watched the rest of their meal cook.
"So, you know this Rhee-En?" Aro looked to Garen and then to Prince.
All Alphas are known. There are fewer than twenty packs.
Garen’s answer was good enough, she looked to Prince.
"Alphas are the nobility of the Were," he explained. "They also, being immortal, usually hold their position for some time. The alphas are familiar to us."
"He seemed to know who you are."
Prince frowned.
She wondered what excuse for that he would come up. "Don’t start with your secrets," she warned.
"I have been out of Rivenward before," he admitted. "We do have some contact with the Were, particularly those close to us. Rhee-En’s land borders ours."
"So you’ve met him before," she pressed.
"Yes. Though it was some time ago."
"Can we trust him is the question," Bo said.
Garen snorted at the comment.
"Were are honorable. If he has given us permission to pass through his land then he will not go back on his word."
"Would the Elves know if he did something?"
Prince smiled slightly. "Yes. It is likely they know I am almost home."
Aro gasped at this unexpected information. "How would they know?"
He chuckled. "We have a Seer."
"Like the Fey?"
He smiled wryly. "She sees the future, yes. She is just not very good. Or she was not when I left. She was quite young, a child. Perhaps her talent and skill have improved."
Kei changed the subject, "Does Rhee-En know about us?"
Aro bit her lip. Whether they would get in trouble for forming a pack remained uncertain. "He won’t read our thoughts?"
"Were are telepathic," Prince answered.
We speak only. We do not read thoughts, Garen continued. Or invade minds. It is considered rude.
Kei chuckled and Prince glared over at him. Bo’s loud laughter erupted into the quiet night.
She took the moment to turn the conversation. "Garen, I have to ask you something."
His ears immediately dropped.
"Where do clothes go?"
He stared at her. Clothes?
She nodded quickly. "When he changed, he had clothes on! Where do they go?"
Clearly she’d caught him off guard with her question. It took him some time to reply. The boys finished their laughing, Prince muttering something under his breath.
We have two forms, and one spirit. We shift our spirit from one to the other. The one not in use goes…somewhere else. Our bodies do not actually change.
"Can you take anything?"
There are rules. Clothing and weapons are usually fine. Sometimes things don’t come back. Never are we to try to shift another living creature. He paused. Are you not going to ask?
"It doesn’t matter," Kei said softly.
"All of us are a little…different." Aro smiled. Garen continued to look like a sad puppy so she stood and moved to sit next to him. She wrapped her arms around his thick, furry neck and gave him a big hug. "We’re a pack."
Thank you.
He slobbered a lick up the side of her face.
Jerking back with a squeal, she wiped at her cheek. "You did not just do that!"
Garen butted his head against hers and she hugged him again.
I would rather tell you, than have you wonder. My story is not very interesting. Sometimes, the shift magic goes awry. When I was young, mine did so. I lost the connection to my human body and became trapped in this one.
"Oh, Garen…"
My pack could not help me, though they tried. Nothing could be done. They did not cast me out either, however a Were who cannot shift has little standing in a pack. After a time, I chose to leave and be on my own.
"But you’re with us now," Aro said firmly.
Yes, though most of the time I do not understand you at all. You are certainly the strangest pack. He turned his head toward the ravine. Rhee-En comes.
"Someone needs to turn the bird," Bo said.
Aro cursed and scrambled forward.
When Rhee-En approached their fire his sudden presence did not surprise them. She thought he looked a little disappointed.
Smiling in welcome, she gestured vaguely around the fire. "Please join us. Have you eaten?"
He nodded and glanced around the circle before choosing an open spot between Bo and Prince. "I have, thank you."
She grinned. "It’s not quite ready yet anyway."
He chuckled and she had the sudden thought his voice would taste wonderful slathered over the roasted bird. Perhaps she was losing her mind.
"May we start with proper introductions? I am Rhee-En, alpha of the southernmost pack." He turned to Prince, a smile playing at his lips. "I believe they call you Prince."
"They do," Prince said sharply.
Rhee-En didn’t press the issue, though clearly he knew Prince’s real name.
"I am Bo, formerly of the Kingsport Palace Guard."
The Were’s brows drew together. "Kingsport?"
"Across the sea," Kei answered quietly. He watched the Were carefully, his eyes very faintly glowing yellow.
"A Fey not caught in the fury. I can count on one hand the number of such I have seen in the last two centuries. Yet, you seem young and all of them were from before the fall."
Kei didn’t answer, so Aro did before the silence became too unbearable. "Kei’s parents were free of it, too."
"Who were your parents, young one?"
"Ketheris and Dalsia."
The Were again looked surprised. "I see. I did not know they had a son."
"You knew my parents?"
"Of course. My land surrounds Furia. Are they well?"
"Dead."
Rhee-En bowed his head formally. "I am sorry to hear that."
Kei looked away. Aro reached over and took his hand.
"And you are Aro, also from this…Kingsport?"
"Arowyn Mason, and yes."
"You mentioned a shipwreck before."
"I did. The Frans allied with our enemy the Gelanians and invaded. Kingsport fell and the Frans took many of my people as slaves, including all of us. Well, not Garen. The ship wrecked off the coast of Franua and we escaped."
He turned to Prince. "You have been in the west?"
Aro raised her eyebrows, from her short summary of events that was what he thought important?
Prince frowned. "Yes."
"How are things there?"
"The humans occupy the whole continent now, though are mainly gathered in great numbers along the coast and major waterways. Still, their numbers increase more rapidly than we had thought."
"They breed like mice," the Were muttered, shaking his head. "Even here, on the limited land we have allowed them, their numbers increase to the point they cannot feed themselves. In the north Cier-En is having trouble with them growing bold and trying to push into the forest. He says there could be war soon."
"This is not good news."
"They must not breach the boundary," Kei said softly, his eyes glowing brighter.
"Not to worry, there is no possibility of that. We are quite aware of the danger that would cause."
Aro struggled to follow the conversation. "What danger?"
Rhee-En raised a hand for her to wait and turned back to Prince. "That is not the worst of what I wanted to speak to you about." He paused, gathering his thoughts. "The Vor are rising again."
Prince nodded, his face more serious than she’d ever seen it. "You had mentioned that. How bad is it?"
"Growing worse each year. At first it was one or two. Now they are coming down in greater numbers and more often. It is worse here in the south, but is happening all up the Veil."
Bo interrupted. "What veil?"
"The Death’s Veil. The mountain range."
"Do my people know?"
The Were shook his head. "I do not know. None have reached the wardwall. We have made sure of that."
"You have not sent word?"
"This happens from time to time, but it is getting worse these past few months. It is possible another wave is about to start. As you are heading home, I thought you could take word."
"Of course."
Aro took advantage of the momentary silence. "What are Vor?"
Rhee-En regarded her solemnly. "The Vor are dark creatures, monsters of your worst nightmares. We were created to fight them, humans were not. They would wipe out your cities in a day, and they would feed, and they would grow stronger."
"You talk like there is so much difference between us," she snapped.
"There is. You were not meant to be here."
She stared at him in shock. "What…" She didn’t even know what to say.
"Humans," he clarified. "This world is a prison for the Vor. We, the Elves and Fey and Were, fought them on our home world and then were sent here in order to ensure they did not escape. This world was empty when we came."
"We…we didn’t come from your world?"
"No. Though our makers certainly knew of your kind, thus the resemblance. Perhaps they even created you on some other world."
Bo laughed out loud. "Don’t mind him, Aro. He is telling you tales."
Rhee-En growled. "I assure you I am not."
The entire idea, of other worlds, that humans were so different, was almost more than she could deal with. "How did we get here then?"
"I imagine the same way we did, through a Rift. The question we’ve not been able to answer is how that
was possible. This world was supposed to have been blocked off. Your people arrived on the western continent. It was some time before we even knew they were there. Now, things are getting out of control."
She pressed her lips together and shook her head. "Maybe we were here first."
Rhee-En laughed. "No. You were not here. Our makers created this world. That is what they do." He glanced at the fire. "Humans do not understand we are protecting them. You are greedy creatures."
She couldn’t really argue with that. A lot of humans were. If they weren’t, she’d still be safe at home. She’d still have a home.
"I believe your dinner is burning."
Aro cursed and once again sprang forward to tend to their scorching dinner.
Rhee-En turned back to Prince. "The humans want the forests, and think to mine the Veil."
"That would not go well for them."
"No, it would not. Should they push the issue we will be sore pressed to continue our patrols if we have to fight them. If another wave of Vor is about to come, we will need the Elves. Out here."
Prince frowned and shook his head. "We guard from within Rivenward–"
"So you have in the past, yes. Even though our numbers are growing, we will not have enough warriors."
"Explain," Prince said sharply.
"Another reason we believe a wave is coming. Our birth rate has grown in the last twenty years and in the last five has more than doubled. We have even been seeing more Fey young. Yet that is part of the problem, we do not have them to fight alongside us as in the past. With their fall, we have lost half of our forces."
"The Fey will rise again."
Rhee-En turned to regard Kei. "Unfortunately, it is not likely. We know of your prophecy, young one, but it has been centuries and not come to pass. To find the arrow from…" His voice trailed off as his gaze shot to her. "Across the sea."
She raised her chin and met his gaze, though she couldn’t keep the small, smug smile from twisting her lips.
“Surely not.” Rhee-En swung to face Prince. "Is it her?"
The Elf shrugged. "I believe she is the arrow mentioned. What part she will play, I do not know."
"So this is why the dragon has taken interest. This could change everything." He stood abruptly. "I must go. Sleep well. In the morning we will guide you across the ravine."