Heart of Farellah: Book 2

by Brindi Quinn

  “Elder Pietri was working with Druelca, I guess, and he gave you to them. From what I could tell, they’d already started trying to control you and use you even then, when you were just a boy. When I say it all aloud, the answer becomes so clear to me. I can’t blame you for following orders as a child, and even if I could, you’ve been disconnected from the ‘you’ of the past. You’ve had things so much harder than I hav-”

  But Nyte shot from his seat with tightly clenched fists.

  “No! Do not make me the victim in this! Do not feel pity for me! It is you that has had the hardest life. It is you who are the victim. You should hate me as I hate me!”

  His face was pleading, his chest rising and falling with heavy heaves of self-regret. But though his body was tense, mine was lax. Looking at him melted me.

  “I can’t hate you,” I said quietly. “Even now I-”

  “Only because you were forced into it! You had no choice. We touched, and it was all over! I do not understand how, but that much has been made apparent! I really did capture you! Before you ever had a chance to find another, I caught you and chained you and made you mine! It was not your will!”

  Again he buried his face.

  “‘Because I am your emulator. I have been chosen just for you. Since the first time we touched, I have loved you and you have loved me, and we will continue to do so until the end. That is how things must be.’

  “The words you spoke are engraved in me now. Does that mean we were forced into this? Does that mean we didn’t have a choice in the matter? That we had to fall in love?!” I was filled with conviction – wild conviction to defend our relationship. “Well then, so be it! It doesn’t change the fact that I love you. How is our situation any different than being destined for each other? If you were marked as an emulator, if you were marked as ‘mine’, then who cares whether it was a force of man or the force of fate?! I still love you!”

  Grabbing the collar of his shirt, I vehemently pulled him down to my level and forced the concept into him.

  “Got that? I still love you!”

  His eyes were wide, disbelieving, and only a little less cheerless. “But that does not make sense.”

  It was as though he’d been broken. Broken by that cry of deception that I’d so carelessly thrown at him. I’d been confused, but that wasn’t how I really felt. That wasn’t my final answer. But how could I make him understand?

  “Even when you thought I was the Heart of Havoc, did you still love me?”

  “Yes.” His answer came quick and definite. “I would love you even if you destroyed the world. Even if you and I were all that was left. Even if you killed me as well, I would love you.”

  “Good.”

  That was all I needed to hear. Still holding his collar, I pulled him closer and pressed my lips to his. He let out a surprised grunt, but it wasn’t long before his hand was at the nape of my neck and he was kissing me back.

  My Nyte.

  Sure, there was intense warmth there, but I didn’t care. I was too preoccupied with feeling the flesh of his mouth against mine. It had been too long. It had been far, far too long.

  Wrapping his arms around my waist, he hoisted me onto his hips, and in response, I wrapped my legs around his back and continued to kiss him; passionately, heart-poundingly. Beneath me, his body was strong and slender and solid. There was so much about him that I craved. So much about him that I needed.

  He moved to my neck, and my stomach erupted with soaring warmth.

  You are my emulator. Until the end, you are my . . .

  We kissed for but a few moments – until the warmth was at its most intense. That was when I grabbed the pendant, putting a stop to things before they became too dangerous.

  When it was over, we were both panting and fevered, and together we fell back onto a bench and stared at the velvety sky.

  “Ah.” Nyte grinned and sighed. “You are cruel, Miss Havoc. I would have liked to have collapsed with you again.”

  “If you had your way, we’d be lost in spirit-sucking oblivion forever.”

  “I do not deny it.”

  I snorted.

  The sky was open, but in these parts, it seemed that the stars were stationary, for they were not dancing as they had in Elenque. That was all right. Sometimes there was beauty in stillness. I sat quietly and stared at the eastern moon, which looked like some oversized thumb had smudged over it. The clouds were that thin. I unfocused my eyes so that it appeared even more smudged and waited for nothing.

  After a moment Nyte said,

  “Aura, if we ever do recover my memories, there might be even more terrible secrets buried in their depths. What happens if . . . I know it is selfish, but I do not want to lose you, so what happens if-”

  “Even if you destroyed the world.”

  Grinning again, he bent sideways and rested his head on my shoulder, a gesture that, due to our drastic difference in height, couldn’t have been the least bit comfortable for him, but even so, he nestled his cheek in the bony groove. It was too warm, and the recent indulgence had worn me out; I reached for the pendant once more, but the motion wasn’t needed; Nyte gave me a parting kiss on the cheek before pulling away on his own.

  “The next thing to do,” he said, “is to formulate a plan.”

  “A plan?”

  “Yes. What is it you wish for most?”

  “Besides you?”

  His soft smile grew. “Naturally.”

  “In that case, you know the answer. What I wish for more than anything is to go to her. If we wait to hear ‘further notice’ from Yes’lech, I worry that it’ll be too late. I worry that . . .” But I couldn’t voice that fear, so I said instead, “You know, this might be my only chance. I’m out of Farellah; I’m separated from Yes’lech; we’re already in the southern parts. It just seems like now, more than ever, I have to go. I can’t just sit around and wait for the officers when, quite frankly, I don’t even trust them anymore.”

  Nyte took it in and nodded sincerely.

  “Then,” he said, “I will go with you to Druelca.”

  “You will?!”

  “Even without recovering my memories, Ardette should be able to figure out a way to get us in. I am in agreement that we have lost too much time. Your ad’ai has come and passed, and the western moon’s cannot be far away. I do not understand why, but it is evident that Elder Pietri is our enemy. Who is to say that the other officers are not as well? Who is to say that they are not purposely stalling us? I would like to confront Pietri, but that can wait. First, we must rescue Illuma. If that is your desire, I will go with you. Even if the rest refuse, we will find a way. I swear it.”

  “Alright. Thank you.”

  We’re going to do it. We’re really going to go there. Even if it’s just us. Together we’ll-

  “But first,” he whispered, “I must give you this – your ad’ai present.”

  “My ad’ai-”

  But I was caught breathless when he pulled out a tiny feather carved from obsidian, dangling from a thin silver thread. It was delicate and intricate and lovely.

  “Where did you . . . ? Did you make this?!”

  He nodded.

  “Wow. It’s . . .”

  The breathlessness still hadn’t worn off, but I didn’t need to speak. He understood.

  With a delighted grin, he pushed my hair aside and clasped the necklace into place upon my neck.

  “Happy belated ad’ai, my captor.”

  Chapter 16: The Ferothew

  “Aaaalright!” shouted Kantú with an enthused fist pump. “I say we do it!”

  Darch nodded in agreement, and together they exchanged an animated high-five.

  Ardette shuddered at their joyfulness. “What?” he said. “You expect me to formulate an infiltration plan? Think we can just go charging in there, do you? With our abundance of resources? Good, I’m glad that the two people who can’t fight are on board with your little suicide mission, Elf.”

  To p
ut it plainly, Ardette was sulking. A stomach-dropping moment had come when I’d realized that he’d been listening in during my confrontation with Nyte and that he’d heard all of the lustful, warmth-infused thoughts that had run amok in my head. As he’d repeatedly informed me, the experience had been ‘most unpleasant’ for him, and in a way, he was punishing everyone with foulness.

  I told you, I’m sorry. I forgot that you were still in here.

  He shot me an evil glance.

  “Regardless of who’s on board, Nyte and I are going. We’re not wasting any more time. We’re going to rescue Illuma, and we’re leaving Carpar in the morning.”

  “Hmph. He only wants to go because he’s the one that gave her to them in the first place.”

  Nyte threw Ardette a cold scowl for the remark.

  “It will not offer retribution, but still I will go with her. I would follow her even if I had not committed such transgressions. I would rather be by her side than let her go alone!”

  “You’d let her go strolling into the most dangerous place in the world?” cried Scardo. “Right under the nose of The Mystress?! Your ideas are a hazard to the Pure Heart! I say we tie her up if that’s what it takes to protect her!” Seeing my appalled expression, he added, “N-no offense, Miss Heart. I simply cannot condone this decision!”

  I would never let them tie me up, and even if they got past me, they’d never get through Nyte. Even so, I found myself scanning the cozy room for support. Luckily, I found it in Grotts.

  “Aw, come on, Scardo. Ya had ta have noticed ‘er last rainsong. She’s not helpless. If anything, she’s stronger than all of us put together. I’ll bet she could crush The Mystress in one note.”

  One note? I don’t know about that. I appreciated his confidence. If only my own confidence could have been so generous.

  “You’re in agreement with this plan too?!” Scardo appeared faint. He flopped down into an oversized armchair, let out a sickly groan, and buried his face in his hands.

  “Listen, alls I’m sayin’ is that Aura’s got a song fer healin’, a song fer pourin’ acid rain, a song ta push away the mist, a song fer each and every other element . . . and not to mention the gosh damn Song of Salvation. I’d say she’s pretty well equipped. Personally, I think it’s high time we go knock that blasted group down a few pegs. Let the rest ‘o Yes’lech help with the Elven conflict while we sneak in real quiet when Druelca’s not expectin’ it.” He turned to Nyte. “I’m with you guys.”

  “Whoop, Grottsy!” Kantú beamed in excited admiration.

  I felt I knew at least one of the great man’s motives.

  Now it was Nyte’s turn to lobby for support.

  “What say you, Rend? Will you assist me in this venture?” He walked to her and offered her his hand, but she shunned it with a slap.

  “How foolish, cousin! You honestly wish to charge in without the backup of Yes’lech? That would be more than suicidal! It would be pure idiocy!”

  “I agree wholeheartedly, dear Rend,” cooed Ardette. “Let’s restrain those two lovesick fools.”

  “Try to stop us if you wish.” Grinning slyly, Nyte rested his hand on his sword’s hilt.

  As far as I could tell, the feuding between the two of them had only worsened during the week or so I’d been asleep. I couldn’t really blame them though. Such were our circumstances. But although I couldn’t blame them, I didn’t have to like it.

  Oh, brother. Seriously, are you coming or not, Ardette? We could really use your help. You have to realize how serious I am about this. We’ve lost too much time already, and we’ve received no word from Yes’lech. We can’t keep waiting. Now that Nyte’s agreed to come, that’s all the more reason. So what’s it going to be?

  He did nothing to show that he’d heard.

  UGH! You’re so stubborn. Why are you so stubborn? I know you all too well. If Nyte didn’t want to go, you’d be all for it, right?

  “Something like that,” he muttered, smirking.

  Nyte arched a brow at him, confused. “What?”

  Apparently, the pair of them had still been in the middle of an argument, and Ardette’s utterance had come entirely out of place, but at least it had done something to move things along.

  “Fine,” he said indifferently, “I’ll go.”

  “What?!” cried Scardo, turning pale at the thought of losing one of his supporters. He was already in the minority as it was. “Just like that?!”

  Ardette shrugged and started chewing on one of his nails.

  Thanks.

  “Whatever,” he muttered. “Why don’t you just go neck an Elf?”

  Why don’t you get out of my head?

  “Rend?” whined Scardo hopefully, in an effort to seek help from the last of his hold-out allies.

  But he would be sorely disappointed.

  Rend let out an angry sigh through her nose, which sounded almost like a grunt, but not quite. “No matter how bothersome it might be,” she said through gritted teeth, “my duty is to look after my cousin.” She didn’t seem at all happy about the responsibility. “If he has his irrational mind set on going, then I too must go, no matter how imprudent the notion.”

  She shot me a poison-filled glance.

  “Splendid!” cried Darch. “And if nobody’ll side with Scardo, I bet he’ll go too!”

  Scardo sank deeper into his chair.

  “So, um, what is the plan exactly?” asked Darch. “Count me out of any violence, mind you.”

  “Then you might as well stay here!” scoffed Rend, shifting her poison to him.

  ‘What’s the plan?’ Well, we haven’t really got one yet.

  I bit my lip and looked to Ardette.

  “Hmm. I suppose you’ll be wanting me to come up with something, then? I’ll need time.”

  “We do not have much,” said Nyte.

  “Then,” offered Kantú, “we head out and figure out our plan on the way?”

  Ardette tapped his toe against the wall. “Fine. But in the meantime, you’re going to get some answers from that blasted bird-brained ghost. He’s got more than enough knowledge to help us out, yet he chooses to fly around and peck at feed. Quite appalling if you ask me.”

  “Alrigh’,” said Grotts, rubbing his hands together. “We’re not too far from Farrowel. I don’t know that area well, but it’s yer homeland, so we can leave that to ya too, right, Ardette?”

  “Wonderful.” Ardette rolled his eyes. “In addition, I get to play tour guide.”

  “Scardo.” Nyte turned to the hunched man in earnest. “Your orienteering skills are unmatched. Although you are not in agreement with us, I humbly ask that you lend us your aid.”

  Scardo shook his head stiffly. “I cannot. I cannot condone-”

  “Oh, cease this!” cut in Rend. She walked to Scardo and towered over his chair in a most menacing manner. The hearth’s light illuminated her in a dangerous-looking orange glow – almost as if she herself were on fire. Scardo sank deeper. “I command you to cease any complaints and aid in this quest! Is that not how it works? I command you as the holder of your weed!”

  Weed? It took me a moment to interpret what she was saying, but when I did, a half-smile slunk across my face. Scardo’s traditions, it seemed, never served him well, for once again, he was about to be coerced by the rose of debt.

  “But you refused-”

  “Well, I accept and redeem! Now cease your prattling, you impertinent worm!”

  “Why, I-!”Scardo looked entirely offended by her odious belittling, but bound by the rose’s contract, there was little he could do. Swallowing whatever insult he’d been about to spew back at her, he answered in a small voice,

  “I understand.” Then he unenthusiastically pulled the map from his pocket. “Druelca’s main castle is located on the edge of the mist, so we’ll have to head west. It will take at least a week, maybe two, depending on our transportation.”

  “And by foot?” asked Grotts.

  Ardette let out a ridicu
ling, “Ha!” and said, “I thought time was an issue?”

  “If not by foot, then what?” I asked. Osterflit, maybe?

  “Oh, just you wait, my cherry pit, just you wait.”

  ~

  Just you wait?

  I’d expected something sinister for some reason. No, actually, I knew the reason. It had been Ardette’s plotting tone that had indicated our travel would, in some way, be unfavorable. But this wasn’t unfavorable in the slightest. This was . . .

  “Great!” I yelled exuberantly. “This is great!”

  I held on tightly as the ferothew jumped onto another treetop. Its weight dipped the tree’s supple head down, forcing it into a perfect bowl of waxy leaves. The ferothew readied itself for yet another hop.

  “You know something?” I shouted, leaning forward so that Darch could hear me. “I never imagined that Farrowel would be like this!”

  “Tell me about it! Where are the barren rockylands? The jagged cliff-sides? The-”

  Ardette threw us a look over his shoulder. “Farther south.” He stalled his fero via the pinching of one of its antennae so that we could catch up. Luckily, the tree he settled on was larger than most, or we should have feared falling into the marsh below. The others would more than likely have given under the weight-strain of two of the great monsters.

  “Oh?” I said. “I just thought that all of Farrowel would be more . . .”

  “Desolate? Depressing? Unkempt?”

  “Well . . .”

  It was true; I’d completely misjudged the quality of Ardette’s homeland. In actuality, Farrowel, at least the northern part, was exceedingly beautiful. At present, we were in a marshy mangrove forest. On every side of us murky water settled around short, full trees with twisty, knobby branches. The fullness of their leaves made perfect landing spots for our ‘transportation’, which had turned out to be something most unimaginable.