Spirit Song

by M C Dwyer

  This state of affairs continued unchanged for several days. The city recovered, life returned to normal, and Nepenthe slept.

  It was not the same as the time Edmun had found Nepenthe on the balcony. He’d been very absent and very cold. Touching the earring had woken him immediately.

  This time, touching the earring had been the first thing he’d tried as Aidan was shooing people out the door. While Nepenthe had sighed, he hadn’t woken. Edmun was afraid to try it again.

  He returned to court, but he always left at least one Aileron to watch over Nepenthe’s sleep. They reported that Nepenthe occasionally twitched or moaned in his sleep, but he did not wake.

  Five days after the power of the undine had healed the palace, unexpected visitors appeared in court. They approached the dais, drawing murmurs and stares as they came.

  Aidan looked up in surprise. “Jahan!”

  Jahan of the Farlan smiled slightly and bowed. The four people accompanying him followed suit.

  Edmun stood up and quickly descended the dais. “It is an honor to meet you,” he said, reaching out a hand and clasping Jahan’s. He turned inquiringly to the rest of the group.

  “This is my mother, Neria,” Jahan said, gesturing to the woman with a single stripe of grey in her hair. “This is Taela,” he added, and the slender woman with black hair pulled up in a complicated bun inclined her head. “Behind us are Yan and Kai. They came with us as guards.” The two men bowed, too.

  “I greet you all. Welcome to Alain. But what brings you here? Is there some trouble?”

  Jahan hesitated and glanced around the crowded court.

  “Wait,” Edmun said. “Aidan, will you show our guests to the council room? I’ll join you momentarily.”

  Aidan bowed and led them all to the side room. As promised, Edmun showed up shortly after. “Now, what’s happened?”

  “We came to offer our aid,” Neria said. “We felt the taint of a fire spirit pass not long ago and suspected that it was aimed here. From what rumors we heard on our way in, it appears our services were not necessary after all.”

  “As it happens, Nepenthe was able to deal with it,” Edmun said, and had Aidan recount the story once more.

  “And the child sleeps still?” Neria asked.

  “Yes. He seems to be dreaming, but he doesn’t wake,” Edmun said.

  Neria exchanged a glance with Jahan and nodded. “We will look at him, but not, I think, until the morrow. I am weary,” she said with a slight smile. “I’m not as young as I used to be, to travel on horseback for days on end without cost.”

  “Of course,” Edmun said. “We will have rooms prepared for you immediately.”

  The morrow brought Taela, Neria, and Jahan to the king’s chambers, where a very begrudging Aidan was standing watch outside the doors. He ushered them inside and pulled the door shut, effectively excluding himself from what happened within.

  Edmun sat on the bed, holding Nepenthe’s hand. At their entrance, he glanced up. When the door closed he motioned them closer.

  “Aidan does not know the full story,” he began, keeping his voice low.

  “You refer to the talisman?” Jahan said. At Edmun’s blank look, he clarified, “The earring?”

  “You know about it already,” he said, breathing a sigh of relief. “That makes things easier.” He told them briefly of the night he’d found Nepenthe on the balcony, and then what he’d tried the night he’d collapsed. “It helped; I could see that much. But he’s still asleep.”

  Neria asked quietly, “You’ve seen his true form, then?”

  Edmun bit his lip, then said, “On a couple of occasions, though Nepenthe doesn’t know it.”

  Nodding, Neria said, “Then you may be of use. Please stay with us.”

  “Just tell me what to do.”

  “For now, sit at his feet and hold his legs still. It’s possible he may struggle.”

  Edmun nodded and obeyed, sitting cross-legged at the foot of the bed and laying his hands across Nepenthe’s ankles. Neria sat at Nepenthe’s head, folding her legs underneath and disposing her robes elegantly around her. Taela took Nepenthe’s left hand, and Jahan his right.

  “I will begin,” Neria said, and took a deep, centering breath. Placing a hand on either side of Nepenthe’s head but not touching him, she closed her eyes. Tilting her head, she frowned. “The power of the earring is intact, but the walls in his mind are in disarray. We will either have to rebuild them or remove the earring completely.” She opened her eyes and looked at Edmun. “As we cannot ask Nepenthe, you must choose.”

  Edmun looked down at the sleeping form. As much as he wanted Nepenthe to be free of the earring and its effects, he didn’t think Nepenthe would easily forgive such a choice. “Rebuild the walls if you can,” he finally said. “But remove the earring if you have to.”

  Neria nodded. “Then I will begin. Please hold his hands and feet.”

  All three assistants nodded. Neria breathed deep again, then cupped a hand around the earring. Fire washed through the room, and though Edmun couldn’t feel it, he could see the effects. Nepenthe started twitching immediately, murmuring faintly in his sleep. Outwardly, nothing else seemed to be happening, except that slowly, the twitching subsided, and Nepenthe seemed to rest easier.

  Neria concentrated with a furrowed brow and closed eyes, and both Jahan and Taela had their heads bowed and eyes closed in concentration as well. Edmun looked back and forth between them and Nepenthe, his worries and fears clearly written on his own face.

  Some time passed and this tableau continued to hold, until Jahan twitched and broke the silence.

  “A door? Is that wise?”

  “What do you mean?” Edmun asked, looking from Jahan to his mother.

  “I’m attempting to adjust the wall slightly,” she said, her voice sounding slightly strained. “Nepenthe already succeeded in poking a hole through the wall; I’d like an easier point of access for him when he chooses to reach for memories.”

  “Perhaps a window?” Taela murmured, her eyes still closed.

  Neria smiled. “A much better idea.”

  “Perhaps one with shutters?” Edmun added. “I mean, we’re not talking about actual doors and windows here, right? More like the idea of doors and windows?”

  “Correct,” Jahan confirmed.

  “Then a window that can be opened or closed, with shutters to block out the sight if necessary would probably be the most useful to Nepenthe. I know he’s frightened himself with some of the memories he’s retrieved recently.”

  “An eminently practical solution,” Neria approved. “And probably easier to add to the construct that already exists within the ring.”

  “Someday I’d like to know how that thing actually works,” Edmun said, but the three had gone silent and thoughtful again.

  A while later, Neria said, “Finished. I’m going to release the ring and see if it holds. If it doesn’t, he will probably struggle. You’ll have to hold him so I can try again.”

  Edmun let out his breath and bowed his head, increasing his hold on Nepenthe’s ankles.

  “Can you hear me child?” Neria said, and Edmun looked up in time to see Nepenthe’s eyes open.

  Chapter 31

  “I know you,” Nepenthe said, looking up at Neria curiously. “Where am I?” He sat up suddenly. “Was it all just a dream?” He looked around frantically, taking in the king’s bedroom and then finding Tad still kneeling by his feet. He sighed in relief even as he remembered the last time he’d seen Edmun’s face. His face turned pink and he quickly turned back to Neria.

  “You’re Farlan. How did you get here?” He turned to Jahan and Taela. “Aidan’s friends, yes?”

  “Yes, child,” Neria said, swinging her legs over the edge of the bed and standing up. She straightened her robes and motioned to Jahan. “This is my son Jahan, and this is Taela. I’m Neria. You are correct; we met once before.” She smiled gravely. “Your earring is beginning to fail.”

  Ne
penthe had been studying Jahan and Taela, trying to remember if he’d met either of them the previous year, but whipped his head around at that. “Why? Was it the fire spirit power?”

  She shook her head. “It’s your own blood. As you grow in strength, your water runs directly counter to it. Using it to heal your king overwhelmed it, but we were able to restore it—this time. I told you once before, it will have to come out.”

  “I know,” Nepenthe said, nodding with one hand on his ear. He glanced at Edmun and looked away quickly. “But not yet?”

  Neria smiled sympathetically. “Not yet. But soon.” She directed a slight bow to Edmun. “Thank you for your assistance, your majesty. Now, if you’ll excuse us, we need to rest.”

  Taela and Jahan slid off the bed and stood next to her, Jahan lending her his arm as they walked to the door. They held a quiet conversation with Aidan, then pulled the door shut and were gone.

  Nepenthe pulled his knees up to his chest, pulling the nightshirt down and over his toes. He looked down at the crumpled counterpane and started smoothing it with short, nervous strokes.

  “Shadow,” Edmun said, and Nepenthe glanced up in time to be engulfed in Edmun’s arms. “You crazy fool,” he said, crushing Nepenthe to his chest. For once, Nepenthe returned the hug.

  “I thought I was too late,” he whispered. “I thought you were going to die. I couldn’t lose you, too.”

  “I’m sorry about Orin,” Edmun said. “We had the funeral yesterday. We couldn’t wait any longer.”

  Nepenthe flinched and pushed away. Edmun let him go. “I couldn’t save him. I didn’t get there fast enough. It’s my fault.”

  “Shadow, do you have any idea how many lives you saved? Over a thousand.” Edmun nodded at Nepenthe’s look of surprise. “That’s about how many people were sick, and who knows how many more would have died if you hadn’t done such a crazy thing.” He put a hand on Nepenthe’s shoulder. “Orin was sick, even before the fever came.”

  “I know,” Nepenthe said, his face crumpling. He put his face in his hands, sternly banishing the tears. Edmun waited silently, and eventually Nepenthe sighed and straightened. “I have to find my brother.”

  “What?” Edmun said, surprised and not entirely pleased.

  “I have to find my brother, otherwise it’s entirely possible he’ll send another fever. I don’t know that my mother would be willing to help a second time.” When Edmun didn’t answer, Nepenthe braved a glance at his face. Various emotions chased across it, eventually settling on resignation.

  “I would like to say no,” Edmun said, “but I agree that the cost was too high.” He sighed. “Where will you look?”

  “I think I need to go back to Brae.” He looked up, biting his lip.

  Edmun opened his mouth to say something, then visibly bit it back, closing his mouth on whatever impulsive thing he’d almost said. He took a deep breath and tried again. “You want to travel halfway across the continent to a kingdom that no longer exists to find a man capable of sickening a city from halfway across the continent.”

  In a tiny voice, Nepenthe said, “He needs to be stopped.”

  “Does it have to be you?” Edmun groaned, then said, “No, of course it does. I’m coming with you.”

  “Absolutely not,” Nepenthe said.

  The door opened and Aidan stepped inside. “I heard arguing. I assumed that meant Penthe had woken up.”

  Edmun turned to Aidan. “He wants to travel to Brae to find the person responsible for sending the sickness.”

  “Brae?” He said in surprise, and quickly shut the door behind him. “Why do you have to go to Brae?”

  “It’s where I’m from. You know that,” Nepenthe said quietly.

  Aidan frowned. “I remember. So, you left before it was destroyed?”

  Nepenthe shook his head slowly.

  After a moment of thought, Aidan’s eyes widened. “You survived?” he whispered.

  “And having survived, he now wants to go back in search of the person who most likely caused the destruction in the first place,” Edmun put in.

  Nepenthe looked at him in alarm. “You don’t know it was Pyrdred.”

  Edmun looked mulish. “From what I’ve heard, only two people are known to have survived the destruction of Brae: you, and Pyrdred. From everything I’ve seen, the most likely culprit of the destruction of a city is not you.”

  Aidan was still struggling to keep up. “Wasn’t there a princess, too? What happened to her?”

  Nepenthe gave him a sideways glance but otherwise ignored his comment.

  “I’ll forbid you to go,” Edmun said, slightly wildly. “You’re sworn to obey me, aren’t you?”

  While he was warmed by Edmun’s concern, it didn’t change his resolve. “And what happens if the sickness comes again?” Nepenthe reminded him.

  “I’ll go,” Aidan said, catching both of them by surprise. “I’ll go with him to Brae.”

  “Fine! Let’s all go!”

  “Your majesty, your place is here,” Aidan said, bowing.

  Edmun ran his hands through his hair. “I can’t stop you, can I?”

  This time, it was Nepenthe who hesitantly reached out and squeezed Edmun’s hand. “I need to do this. I have to do this. I need to know what’s in my past, and then perhaps I can finally escape it.

  Edmun turned his hand over and clasped Nepenthe’s between both of his. “You’ll be careful?”

  “As careful as I can,” he said, his smile almost succeeding.

  Aidan watched this exchange, then turned away. “I need to go start making preparations. I assume you want to leave immediately?”

  “As soon as possible,” Nepenthe said. “Every moment we delay is another chance for him to send another fever.”

  Aidan nodded and departed.

  Edmun released Nepenthe’s hand and stood up. Moving to a nearby table, he picked up a stack of clothes. “Here’s clean clothes for you. Now that you’re awake, you can return to your quarters.” He said nothing else, and Nepenthe watched him leave with a rather forlorn look.

  Nepenthe left preparations for the journey in Aidan’s capable hands, so it was with some surprise that he learned about the sudden increase in companions.

  “The Farlan are coming with us,” Aidan said at dinner soon after. They were not sitting with the king, which could have been seen as a sign of disfavor or, Nepenthe thought secretly, that Edmun was sulking. Regardless, it gave Aidan a chance to speak to Nepenthe. “Jahan and Taela will go to Brae. The other two, Yan and Kai, will travel with us partway, but then they’ll head back to the plains with Neria.”

  Nepenthe nodded. Jahan and Taela would be helpful to have on this expedition, and both were warriors as skilled as any Aileron.

  “Are you taking volunteers?” Mae said from across the table.

  “Yes,” Nepenthe said at the same time Aidan said, “No.”

  They looked at each other for a moment, and then Aidan said, “Yes.”

  “Five’s an uneven number. One more would be ideal,” Mae said thoughtfully.

  From down the table, the recently returned Barth rumbled, “I’m in.”

  Nepenthe gave him a thoughtful look, remembering what Edmun had said on that seemingly long ago night of the Midsummer’s Ball. “Earth?” he asked, cocking his head to one side.

  Barth bowed his head in response.

  Nodding, Nepenthe said, “That’s good. Fire, earth, air and water. We will all go make my brother pay.”

  Aidan sighed resignedly. “I’ll discuss it with the king, but he’ll probably approve it. Can you be ready to leave tomorrow?”

  The three of them nodded.

  After supper, Nepenthe wandered with melancholy feet to the queen’s balcony, not expecting to see Edmun but hoping anyway. If they were leaving in the morning—well, best not to dwell on it.

  Stepping onto the balcony, he paused, and then scolded his heart for leaping so happily at the sight of Edmun waiting on the bench.

&nbs
p; “Evening, Shadow,” he said, not turning around.

  “Hi,” Nepenthe said quietly, and sat next to him on the bench.

  They sat in companionable silence for some time, merely watching the night sky as it faded to lavender and then black.

  Edmun was the first to break the silence. “I’ve been watching you. Did you know?”

  Nepenthe looked up at him, startled. “What do you mean?”

  “I didn’t mean to, at first,” he continued, ignoring the question. “It just sort of happened. You rode in behind Aidan, all hunched shoulders and frightened eyes, flinching at the slightest sound. I had Aidan send you to the library, because I knew Orin would be kind to you and because it was a place to hide away. That’s what Orin was doing, though he would have denied such an accusation.” Edmun sighed.

  Nepenthe realized he was feeling a bit faint because he hadn’t been breathing. He breathed deep, and the feeling passed. He continued to stare at Edmun.

  “I didn’t expect you to come alive there, though I was glad to see it. So I watched you more. That night on the balcony when you danced with the storm, I was the one who told Aidan where to find you.”

  “Why?” Nepenthe managed to breathe. “Why me? I’m not that special.” Part of him, a tiny part, was annoyed that he hadn’t managed to go as unnoticed as he thought. A larger part of him was humbled and embarrassed at having taken up so much of the king’s attention.

  “No one sees their own worth very clearly, Shadow,” Edmun said, glancing down at Nepenthe’s upturned face. “We tend to under- or overestimate it most of the time. I’m a king, but I’m also just a man, and when I die I’ll eventually be forgotten.” He smiled slightly, a shifting of light under the rising moon. “It will probably happen sooner than I care to imagine. You can never know what your worth is to someone else, so don’t think too harshly of yourself.” He reached down to grip Nepenthe’s hand. “You have a great deal of worth to me, so don’t forget it. Be careful, Shadow, and come home to me, all right?”

  Nepenthe’s breath had caught again at some point in this speech, and he didn’t have enough air to formulate a response. He settled for a mute nod.