Things Unseen: (An epic fantasy adventure series) (The Caris Chronicles Book 1)

by Melina Grace

  It was nearing dusk when they finally entered a large clearing to be greeted by an ecstatic Janen, Kalen, and Syngar. Caris ran to Kalen and threw her arms around her. After letting go, she turned around looking for Syngar. She was painfully aware of Janen standing to the side watching her, she was so happy to see him she thought she might cry.

  Syngar was helping Crispin from Indira’s back, so reining herself in, Caris turned to Janen with her arm outstretched. The smile on his face faded and he shook her hand awkwardly. She heard Syngar laughing and turned to see him heading over to her, he swept her up in a huge hug.

  “Oh, it’s good to see you Caris,” he said.

  “Caris laughed happily and returned his hug, “It’s good to see you too!”

  When she finally turned back to Janen, he was gone. She looked around to see him greeting Crispin.

  The scouts had killed an eppet and set chunks of it to roasting in a fire earlier, so now they all gathered around to eat. Kalen and Crispin had quickly agreed that as they were counting on the elves as an escort, knowledge of the pendant should be shared with them. As Crispin acknowledged, it was a “fruitless exercise trying to keep it a secret”, as the elves were much more aware of the power radiating from it anyway. While the scouts took turns keeping watch, the rest of the group ate and shared stories about their adventures.

  “Caris, why on earth did you jump off that cliff?” asked Janen.

  “Oh, you should ask Kilew, he tells the story much better than I do,” Caris laughed.

  Janen gave her a funny look, and after a brief glance at Kilew went back to concentrating on his food.

  “I will not relate how Caris joined The King’s Horse, how she rode a great distance with her peers, how she chased after derks and fought lost people, for these are parts of her story you already know. But listen, as I tell of her great endurance as she tracked the lost ones through the bush in order to single handily rescue her leader,” Kilew began his tale, and everyone fell silent as his melodic tone washed over them, drawing them into the scene.

  As Kilew talked, Caris’ eyes kept drifting to Janen. He was leaner than before and he looked tired. The little she had heard of their adventure sounded harrowing. She had so many questions and so much more she wanted to know, but most of all she wanted to hear his voice and have his eyes on her while he talked. He slowly looked up from his food, drawn in by Kilew’s tale as the others had been. Caris looked away from him again, fearful of being discovered, but before long her eyes had slipped back to linger on his high cheekbones and strong jaw.

  Janen turned his head, his eyes locking with hers. Her first instinct was to duck her head in embarrassment, but she resisted. He was her old friend and the connection she shared with him as they looked into each other’s eyes was one she didn’t share with anyone else. She didn’t want to shut him out for fear of her true feelings being discovered. She would take as much friendship as he offered, without hiding away from him unnecessarily. She offered him a tentative smile, but he turned his head away to listen, once more, to Kilew.

  They woke late the next morning. Kalen, Janen, and Syngar had been pushing themselves relentlessly for a moon and were exhausted. There was still an urgent need to return the pendant to The King quickly, but Crispin was only able to ride so much each day, so there was no advantage in setting out early. The others appeared much relieved to have the elven scouts with them. Caris found it hard to imagine the dangers they had faced. She gazed hungrily at them, she had not realised how good it would be to see Syngar and Kalen again. She went to join Jeniel and Kalen as they inspected Crispin’s wound.

  “She is like you Caris, she does not trust us to tend your friend adequately,” said Jeniel.

  Caris grinned at Jeniel, accustomed to her teasing.

  “I know the healing abilities of the elves far exceed my own,” Kalen said with a smile, “but I am unused to leaving the care of my fellow Horse to others.” She looked back at Crispin’s wound in concern, “This must have been serious.” Looking at Jeniel she said, “It is thanks to the elves he survived.”

  Caris looked away, reminded of her shame in bringing Crispin’s injury upon him.

  “But Élan said there was an apprentice healer with you as well, surely your storyteller does not also have the gift of healing?” asked Kalen

  “No,” Jeniel laughed, “It is Caris, of course. You must have suspected she had the gift, even if you had not yet begun her training?”

  “I had not thought, in truth I was much preoccupied. When Caris first joined us, I was unaware that she was untrained as a seer. By the time it came to my attention I was much distressed over a failure of my own to save the lives of many people, and I did not have the emotional strength to begin her training. I thought we would have time, I did not foresee our separation. I am sorry Caris that I have not yet spoken with you on the topic of your gifts.”

  “It’s okay,” Caris mumbled in reply. She had so many questions, but did not know how to frame one.

  “Perhaps, when you do have that conversation, you can warn Caris of the dangers of blaming oneself for things that are not your fault,” Crispin gently rebuked Kalen.

  “With great blessings come great responsibility,” Kalen replied quietly to Crispin.

  He shook his head at her and took her hand, squeezing it reassuringly. Caris looked at Jeniel, wondering if she knew what Kalen and Crispin were talking about. Jeniel opened her strange and beautiful eyes wide, to indicate her own perplexity.

  “I fear I am going to slow your return to The King. It was selfish and unnecessary of me to request you wait for us, I am thinking you should go ahead,” Crispin said to Kalen.

  Caris felt her breath catch, and Jeniel gave her an amused smile. Crispin needed her horse, if he stayed behind, she would have to stay with him, and she would be separated from Janen again. Though it would not make much difference, he hasn’t said a word to me since we met.

  “As your healer is unlikely to leave your side,” she said glancing at Jeniel for confirmation, “And as I understand the scouts will not leave hers, I think it is better that we stay with you.” With a heavy sigh she continued, “We are exhausted Crispin, as much from taut nerves and constant fear of attack as from our fast pace and battles. There is no use us rushing ahead if we again lose our prize before we reach The King. We need the extra weapons with us.”

  “Very well, I will just have to heal quicker.”

  “That sounds like a better plan,” Kalen smiled as she rose to go and saddle her horse.

  Caris was saddling Indira when Élan left Jeniel and approached her, “Fare well Caris, keep my niece safe in your travels.”

  “You do not come with us?”

  “I do not, I will not leave Rodrin while he is a child, I may never have such a blessing again. It is for the young to seek adventures in the world. The scouts that accompany you are skilled and eager.”

  “Well, go in favour Élan, thank you for all your hospitality.”

  He inclined his head with a smile and ran into the trees.

  It was only as the others climbed into their saddles that Caris realised she hadn’t needed to worry about spending too much time with Janen. As she would be walking while he rode, there would be little opportunity for them to talk comfortably. It is for the best. Janen and the pendant are safe. I am content. Caris told herself, though her face belied her.

  As Jeniel and Caris collected mushrooms from beneath a log, Jeniel glanced up and with a mischievous twinkle in her eye commented,

  “Your man is very handsome.”

  “He is not my man,” Caris mumbled.

  “Mmmm.”

  After awhile Caris could not resist resuming the conversation. She had never talked about boys with the other girls when she was growing up. Everybody knew she would not marry anyone, so it always seemed a pointless and humiliating use of time to Caris. But, with Jeniel it seemed different, and she was not talking about how he would be hers, just about him.


  “What do you think of him?” Caris asked.

  “I think he is confused,” Jeniel replied. Caris frowned. It was not an answer she had been expecting. She let the conversation drop.

  That evening, Caris took her customary seat next to Jeniel by the fire. They fell into conversation about the best way to preserve the mushroom paste. A shadow fell over Caris and she looked up to see Janen sitting down beside her.

  “May I join you,” he asked seriously, “Or is this corner for healers only.”

  “Of course you can join us!” Caris beamed at him.

  He smiled shyly in return. Their conversation was jilted at first, both of them afraid of saying too much. Slowly they relaxed and with so much to catch up on, fell into the easy camaraderie of two old friends who understood almost everything about each other, and liked what they knew.

  The eight elves and five King’s Horse followed the trail south of Telvendor. Caris didn’t see much of the six scouts during the day. The scouts took turns joining them for meals and to sleep, but during the day while they were travelling, they disappeared into the trees, and only returned if they were bringing back a kill, to drape over a horses rear, before running back into the trees.

  Caris enjoyed the next few days travelling through the forest. Now that she had reunited with Janen, her impatience with their slow progress was alleviated and she was once again able to bask in the beauty around her. She was disappointed to leave the magnificence of Telvendor behind and regretted that she hadn’t paid more attention to the unique splendour of the southern part of that forest, but the woods around her had a subtle grace, all their own, that charmed her.

  She quickly saw, once they left the elven lands, why Jeniel had been eager to gather as much as she could. The forest around them teemed with verdant growth but the plants containing healing qualities were a lot harder to find than they had been in Telvendor.

  Jeniel and Caris soon tired of their game. There seemed little point running ahead to make time to gather when they were so unlikely to find anything. The track they followed was often wide enough for the horses to walk abreast, allowing the travellers to talk more freely to each other. Crispin continued to heal well, but he was still not able to ride Indira at anything faster than a leisurely walk, so the group travelled together, happy to be reunited and animated in their swapping of stories.

  Caris’ pleasure in their journey was heightened by Janen’s tendency to pull Prince alongside her, falling easily into conversation. Although Caris had planned to spend most of her time with Jeniel, more often than not they reined in for a midday meal or toward dusk and Caris was surprised to discover she had spent the entire morning or afternoon lost in conversation with Janen.

  Once Janen asked her if she wanted to ride behind him on Prince. She had involuntarily let her eyes slip to his strong back and his waist where she would need to hold on. The desire to sit close behind him and put her arms around him rose in her like an ache. She knew she could not do it without betraying her feelings. She refused his offer, looking away red cheeked. Janen had ridden off to go hunting, though he had come back much later empty handed, and Caris knew it for an excuse to escape the embarrassment she had caused. He had not sought her out again that day.

  The next morning, however, he offered for her to ride Prince instead of him, saying he disliked riding the whole time while she was forced to walk. She had taken him up on the offer, not because she minded walking but because she was eager to ride on such a magnificent horse. Caris had not been disappointed; Prince had fought for his head initially but Caris had quickly exerted control over him. She walked him for a while, enjoying the sensation of being up high and the rocking rhythm of the horse beneath her.

  She hadn’t realised how long it had been since she had ridden Indira and how much she missed riding. Once she was confident that Prince was comfortable with her in control, Caris kicked him into a trot, then quickly into a canter and a gallop. Wow, he’s fast! Thought Caris, exhilaration filling her as the wind rushed through her hair and whipped against her face. She didn’t go far. Mindful that she needed to stay with the others, she soon turned him and cantered back.

  After that, Janen wanted her to ride all the time, but as much as Caris loved riding, it was obvious that Janen, Syngar, and Kalen were extremely fatigued. She declined the offer, and braved out Janen’s protestations by declaring her own love of walking and desire to have the freedom to search for more herbs.

  When they first left Telvendor, the trail headed south but as they travelled it wound around until they were heading east toward The King’s road.

  The small group were still some days from the road when Caris began to feel uneasy. She had dreamt of grey ones during the night and ferocious creatures that looked like lizards but stood on hind legs as tall as a man. She thought Janen had most likely caused her nightmares with the stories he had been telling them last evening about fighting the acid spitting beasts, and wished she could shake the images from her head now that it was broad daylight.

  “I had a terrible night’s sleep because of you,” she grumbled playfully at the handsome man riding Prince beside her.

  “Because of me?”

  Caris frowned at the strange look of hope that flitted across his face.

  “Your stories of lost ones and lizard creatures filled my dreams.”

  “Oh!” Janen laughed, “I never knew you were so squeamish.”

  “Squeamish you call it! I can’t get them out of my head, lizards hunting through trees and waiting in bushes by trails, scores and scores of grey people filling The King’s road.” As Caris described the pictures, they became more vivid. Terror engulfed her as she felt herself surrounded by her enemy. The sharp tangy stench of unwashed skin filled her nostrils, snarls and guttural voices were all around her.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Slowly the images receded and Caris realised she was lying on the ground, a cool wet cloth on her forehead. She opened her eyes and gasped in shock at the face hovering just above her own. As her eyes came into focus, she recognised the worried features belonging to Janen.

  “Get out of the way, she’s fine,” Kalen pushed Janen away.

  “Make yourself useful and go get a fire started, we won’t be going anywhere for a while,” she paused, then looking at Caris, asked, “Unless you believe we are in immediate peril?”

  Caris shook her head in confused reply. Why would Kalen ask her that? How would I know? I just fainted; I hardly think that constitutes us all being in peril.

  “Some fruit for her now Janen, and then I think we’d all enjoy a meaty soup for our midday meal,” she said to Janen who was still standing next to Caris, reluctant to leave.

  “Go! I told you, she will be okay.”

  Janen walked away, still glancing over his shoulder.

  Caris giggled, “It’s as if he thinks I’m going to run away if he loses sight of me.”

  “Mmm hmm,” Kalen murmured with a worried frown. “How are you feeling?”

  As Kalen asked the question, Caris became aware that her head was pounding in pain.

  “My head hurts,” Caris replied in a cute little girl voice she was sure had never come out of her mouth before. She giggled again, stopping as the pain in her head increased.

  “Vision drunk,” Kalen murmured.

  “Who drank?” Caris asked, starting to giggle again.

  Kalen looked up and Caris noticed Jeniel on her other side. “Jeniel! My best friend! You’re so beautiful, isn’t she beautiful?” She asked turning to Kalen. Kalen nodded absentmindedly and Caris looked back at Jeniel who was grinning at her.

  “I haven’t seen this before;” she said, looking at Kalen, “Is this common?”

  Kalen shrugged, “it happens to some seers.”

  “But she is not in danger?”

  “Well I suppose that depends on what she saw, but other than a bad hangover she shouldn’t suffer any ill effects. Some istry tea will help.”

  Jeniel grinned do
wn at the giggling Caris. As she prepared to stand, she leant down to give Caris a kiss on the cheek. Caris threw her arms around Jeniel saying, “I love you.”

  Jeniel giggled in return and said, “I love you too.” Then disentangling herself from the awkward position went to brew some tea on the fire Janen was preparing.

  Kalen gently turned Caris’ face to her own, “Caris, I need to know what you saw.”

  Caris giggled, “My head hurts so much!” she said sounding surprised.

  “I know it does sweetie, can you tell me what you saw in your vision?”

  “It was horrible! There were grey people everywhere, they smelt terrible, blah,” Caris said sticking out her tongue.

  “What else did you see?”

  “Scary lizards with long claws, they were trying to find us, they wanted to scratch us and take the pendant. They shouldn’t take the pendant; it’s The King’s pendant. Stealing things is bad. Maybe we should tell them it is bad. You can tell them, I don’t want to tell them. They’re scary.”

  “They’re very scary, I’ve met them before.”

  “You’ve met them?” Caris asked in awe. “Oh, when you fought them. Janen told us. That’s what started my scary dreams,” she pouted.

  “I don’t think that’s why you’ve been seeing them. What else can you tell me about what you saw?”

  “There were so many of them, everywhere. We couldn’t hide and we couldn’t escape.”

  “Where, where were they Caris?”

  “In the trees, and the bushes, everywhere.”

  “The lizards and the grey people were in the same place?”

  “No, they were near each other, but the grey people stayed on The King’s road and the lizards stayed in the trees. They didn’t like each other. I can see why, I don’t like them either. They’re not very nice. Not like you, you’re nice. Everyone likes you, especially Jispri, Jispri really likes you and so does...”