“This I know, fair Cennan,” she said, “but you must tell me why. For if they were in violation of the law, you would have been bound to end them. Were they not in violation of the law, they would be yours to judge, to spare or to spit as you deemed fit. Then why are they before me? What is of such great import that they require the hand of my justice and not your own?”
Cennan bowed his head. “Your question is fair, my seer. I have brought them here because three of them are mightily gifted in magic, and one of them in Mind in particular. I have not encountered a group such as these in all of the days that I have patrolled the Fairgreen. I felt it not my place to determine their worth or worthlessness, when powers such as theirs are beyond the grasp of my own.”
“Didn’t stop you from blocking them,” I said sarcastically.
The hall went dead silent as Cennan and the other Elves who had accompanied us turned to stare at me in horror. For the first time, the seer’s head moved. She turned her pure white eyes on me, and despite their lack of pupils, I felt them burrowing into the top of my head as I suddenly found a very interesting speck of dirt on one of my boots.
“Just saying,” I said quietly.
As though she hadn’t noticed the intrusion, the seer turned her look back upon Cennan. “You have placed a hold on their minds?” she asked.
“I have, my seer,” he replied.
“You may remove it,” she said. Cennan didn’t make a move or a noise, but I felt him suddenly grow tense. “It is quite safe,” the seer assured him. “If they were to try anything, I would know. They shall harm no one while they are within our domain.”
After only a moment’s hesitation, Cennan nodded. “Very well, my seer,” he said. He turned to look at us, and his eyes finally lost their pure-white quality, becoming two solid green irises once again. Immediately I could feel my magic within my own mind again, lurking deep in my core. I let it flow into me on instinct, relishing the feeling of the power inside me once again. Without meaning to, I sighed with relief.
The seer’s mouth twitched. “You are overly fond of your magic, child,” she said. “See that you do not grow too comfortable with the power it grants you. Such is the path to evil.”
“Yeah, thanks, Yoda,” I said gruffly. “It’s done me all right so far.”
Once again, a horribly awkward stillness was accompanied by dirty looks from all of the Elves in the room.
All except the seer. She laughed, and the laugh was every bit as beautiful as her voice. She turned once again to Cennan and nodded graciously at him. “You were right to do what you did, fair Cennan. I will speak with the humans alone. You may go.”
This time Cennan’s hesitation was long, tense and obvious. His leg twitched as though to take a step backward, but then stilled as if he had restrained it.
“Do you fear for my safety?” asked the seer with a trace of amusement. “I assure you, your fear is misplaced. And my words with these younglings are for the ears of no others. Now leave us.”
For just a moment the air trembled, and the seer’s final words seemed to drop into an ominously low tone that reverberated upon the air. In a flash I remembered Cennan’s flickering temper, how he had dropped from calm to anger in the space of a blink. The only difference was that if the seer became angry, I got the distinct feeling that she could obliterate this whole town.
The moment passed, the rumble dying away in my mind. Cennan bowed his head and motioned to the others, leading them outside. Just before she turned to go, Wellath gave me a hard stare and a frown. Then they were gone, the hall’s heavy oak doors swinging closed behind them seemingly on their own accord.
“Allow me to greet you properly,” said the seer. “I am the seer Sirinia, soulmother to the Elves of this part of the Fairgreen. I welcome you to my domain.”
The Runegard started at her words. “You speak the tongue of humans?” said Barius in surprise.
Sirinia smiled. “My speech may be understood by any creature that walks the earth or soars upon the air, and all those that burrow in the dirt or swim in the water. It is the same enchantment bestowed upon the three young ones you travel with.”
I looked at the others with a surprise that I saw mirrored in their own faces.
“We’ve only ever met a few other humans who have had that gift,” said Sarah. “Is it quite common among the Elves?”
Instead of answering, Sirinia cocked her head at Sarah’s words. “You do not say all that you could,” she said solemnly. “I wonder why.”
Sarah swallowed. “What can we do for you? Why did you want to speak to us alone?”
“The three of you harbor a great secret,” said the seer. “I can sense it in your minds. I know the way of secrets. I know their inner workings, the way they sit in the mind and the way they are released. And I know that you might speak more freely to me than you would to me and every other Elf under my command.”
I snorted. “I suppose that’s true,” I said. Sarah shot me a look that said, Keep it zipped.
“I appreciate your courtesy,” said Sarah. “It is true that I’m more comfortable discussing things here than I was in the woods with a hundred arrows pointed at my head.”
Sirinia nodded. “You must forgive them for that. Our people have not survived and remained so mighty for so long by relaxing our vigil on our borders. Only by keeping away the influences of the outside world have we managed to endure.”
To her credit, Sarah nodded gracefully. “Of course. I understand.”
“Then be seated, and tell me of your purpose in these woods and where you mean to go,” said Sirinia.
“We’d be happy to,” said Sarah. “Where can we find chairs?”
Sirinia smiled softly. “Behind you.”
I turned. There was a chair there, even though I was one hundred percent positive that there hadn’t been when we entered the room. All of the others had one, too. I saw Darren’s look of awe as he put out a finger and poked the chair, trying to see if it was real.
We sat, and Sarah told Sirinia the same thing she’d told Cennan—in somewhat greater detail, but giving no more specifics about who we were or the nature of our journey. The attack by the goblins, the flight into the cave and coming out the other side into Elven territory. Nearly half an hour later, she subsided and sat back in her chair, letting loose a sigh.
“Quite a tale,” remarked Sirinia.
“It was even more exciting being there, I promise you,” I said wryly.
Sirinia’s eyes narrowed at me curiously. “You speak often, and always out of turn,” she said frankly. “Why do you grow so anxious when others speak and you do not? Can you not sit silently and listen?”
I shrugged. “I guess I’ve never been a big fan of sitting around. Especially when I’m a prisoner.”
“Raven,” said Sarah sternly.
Sirinia stopped her with a raised hand. “Your accusation is not entirely unfair,” she said. “And yet it is a half-truth. I have not bound you, and I have not locked you away. You have broken no laws, and you have complied with our own laws in our own lands. Therefore you are no criminal, and therefore you are no prisoner. Obeying the laws of the kingdom you enter does not make that kingdom your oppressor. It makes you a good guest.”
I opened my mouth to reply, realized I didn’t have an intelligent answer to that, and shut it again.
Sirinia’s smile broadened. “At least you are not entirely illogical.”
Sirinia turned back to Sarah, and her face became impassive once more. “You are from the human kingdoms, and yet you three wizards speak a different tongue than your companions,” she said. “Tell me, why is that?”
I felt myself blanch. We still hadn’t told anyone we were Realm Keepers. But now Sirinia knew something was up. What would she do if she found out? She might help us, if she knew who the Realm Keepers were and what we were doing. Then again, she might not. Who knew what side the Elves were on in the war? Then again, she might kill us just for lying to her. I’d g
otten the feeling that the Elves didn’t think too highly about human life.
Sarah didn’t miss a beat. “We come from a different place than they do, a small village far removed from the grand human kingdoms. We had an enchantment placed on us by a mighty wizard that allows us to speak to them—the same enchantment that allows us to be understood by your people.”
Sirinia nodded. “And that is good, for they might have destroyed you on sight if you could not have explained yourselves. Now, tell me something else. How is it that you traveled to these lands without at least studying something of the place you would be going? How is it that you did not even know enough of goblins to avoid attacking one in the first place?”
“As I said, the goblins surprised us,” said Sarah. “We attacked the first one we saw with magic before we really had time to see what it was.”
Sirinia cocked her head. “You said that this one attacked the goblin,” she said, pointing at Darren.
I felt my pulse quicken as my mouth went dry. Darren didn’t have magic, and the seer knew it. We’d been caught in a lie. Sarah sat there silently, trying to work out what to say.
Sirinia looked away, as if staring through a great distance. “Very well. If you cannot be truthful with me, I shall have to determine the truth of the matter for myself.”
Her eyes flashed with a bright light, and I felt my body go absolutely rigid as invisible bonds strapped me to the chair. Then a sudden, lancing pain pierced my skull, making me cry out. All around me, the others jerked as they, too, felt the intrusion.
In a moment it was over, and I felt the invisible constriction disappear. Sirinia had cupped her chin thoughtfully.
“So,” she said. “You are the Realm Keepers.”
Sarah was leaning forward, panting as the effects of the seer’s mind probe wore off. She looked up, flipping back her blonde hair and trying to regain some of her composure. “Yes, we are,” she admitted. “I am sorry for the deception. But if you know who we are, you know the nature of our mission and why secrecy is so important.”
“Of course,” said Sirinia. “And I know that there are more of you out there, their location unknown. How do I know they won’t attempt to save you, attacking my people in a vain attempt to rescue you?”
“If you can see into my mind, then you know we have no intention of harming you,” Sarah said flatly.
Sirinia nodded once more. “Aptly put. Very well. I must bring this matter to the council of Elven lords. They will determine your fate.”
Barius growled and got to his feet. Like Cennan before, I felt Sirinia tense even though not a muscle in her body moved.
“You know who we are, and you know that we bear your people no ill will,” Barius said forcefully. “Why can you not simply release us and let us be on our way? We will remove ourselves from your presence, and you need never worry about us again.”
Sirinia shook her head. “You misunderstand. Your fate will not be determined by your aims in coming here. Cennan knew that by the nature of your powers, your fate was too important for him to decide. I find myself in the same situation by virtue of who you are. It is not for me to decide what to do with you—that is for the Elven lords to choose, based on your actions since you have entered the bounds of our domain. To speak plainly, your intentions and your ultimate goal mean nothing to us. They have no bearing on your destiny.”
A sudden bang behind us made me jump, and I whirled to see the hall’s front doors had flown open. Cennan stood there at attention, his Elves behind him.
“Hold the prisoners,” said Sirinia. “Their fate will be decided by the Elven lords come tomorrow. Until then, replace the hold on their minds and ensure that they are watched at all times.”
“As you wish, my seer,” said Cennan with a nod.
“I thought you said we weren’t prisoners,” I said angrily.
“You were not,” Sirinia retorted. “You had not broken any laws. But now I find you have lied to us. Your dishonor has labeled you a criminal unfit for trust, and may well spell your doom. But we shall have to see. Take them.”
Barius made as if to reach for his sword, but Sarah stopped him with a look. I felt a constriction in my mind as my magic was blocked, and Cennan and his scouts led us away from the hall.
They put us in a house with thick walls and no windows, with a single door in the front that had no knob within. Several guards were posted outside the doors, but at least we had privacy on the inside.
“We must arrange your escape, my Lady,” Barius told Sarah as soon as the door closed. “The survival of you, Lady Raven and Lady Tess is of the utmost importance.”
“We’re all going to get out of here,” said Sarah. “The Elven lords have no reason to order our deaths.”
“The Elves are notoriously fickle, my Lady,” said Nora gravely. “They could kill us for no reason at all. I wouldn’t even be surprised if that seer were to change her mind and order our deaths without consulting her lords. There’s no telling what they’ll do.”
“I’m not going to attack a peaceful people without provocation,” said Sarah. “Who knows what that could lead to? We’re probably the first humans they’ve seen here in years. If we start a fight, what’s to stop them from starting a war with the human kingdoms? Athorn is barely holding strong against Chaos. They can’t fight a war on two fronts if the Elves decide to mix it up, too.”
“If the Elves kill you three, then there will certainly be a war,” said Barius. “That is why we must get you out of here.”
Sarah shook her head. “No, Barius, that’s the point. Now that they know who we are, the Elves have got to know they can’t just kill us in cold blood. They know that would bring the humans down on them. Weren’t you the one who’s been telling us that the last wars with the Elves were brutal, and nearly eliminated both races? They’re not going to risk that again, especially since they’ve got to know that Chaos is back in force.”
Tess looked at her uneasily. “I think there might be something more going on here,” she said quietly.
Sarah arched an eyebrow. “What makes you say that?” she asked.
“When Cennan took his hold off my mind, I was waiting,” said Tess. “I saw how he did it, and when he tried to put it back on, I let him think he succeeded. But I’ve got my power. I can feel the mood of the whole town.”
“That’s great!” I said happily. “Can you break the hold on our magic, too? Maybe we can bust out of here after all.”
“That’s a last resort,” said Sarah.
“I’m not positive I can do it anyway,” said Tess. “I think so, but I’m not sure. But guys, that’s not what I’m talking about. I’m trying to tell you that something is wrong here.”
“What do you mean?” I asked. “What’s wrong?”
“The elves of the town are split right down the middle,” Tess said, her voice quivering. “Half think the seer should kill us. The other half don’t even know why we were taken captive—they think Cennan should have released us in the woods. There’s something weird about the divide. The ones who want to kill us…they really want to kill us.”
I shrugged. “Okay, but so what? I mean, a difference is opinion is nothing new. Welcome to the source of most problems in the world, you know?”
Tess looked at the ground, lips pursed and eyes darting around. “I guess.”
“We appreciate your opinion, Tess,” said Sarah kindly. “And I’d love for you to keep an eye on the situation, okay? But for right now, I can’t imagine the Elves killing us and possibly risking the wrath of a war with the human kingdoms. It just seems like a suicide play. Especially for a town on the outskirts like this one.”
“What do you plan to do then, my Lady?” asked Barius.
“Right now, we should rest,” said Sarah. “We’ve got to get back and keep up our facade for our parents. We need to buy Briggs and Anna enough time to set up their bogus facility, so we can’t risk our folks bringing us in to Medicorp in the meanwhile. Then we come back
here as soon as we possibly can. In any case, we’ve got until at least tomorrow morning. Sirinia said it would be that long before she’d hear back from the Elven lords.”
“Sounds like a plan to me,” I said. Tess nodded hesitantly.
“Very well, my Lady,” said Barius. “I don’t entirely like it, but if the situation on True Earth is as dire as you say, I will bow to your judgement. We shall stand watch over you tonight in case the Elves try anything untoward.”
“Thank you,” said Sarah with a gracious nod. “In that case, let’s get to bed.”
For an overnight jail, the house was extremely comfortable. There were enough beds for us, plus a few extra, and the one I threw myself down on felt like a cloud covered with a sheet of silk. Within moments, my weary limbs and tired body conspired to send me drifting off to sleep.
I woke to two texts on my phone’s home screen. It was starting to become a sort of morning routine. The first was from Calvin. He was letting us know that he, Miles and Blade were all still whole. The third simply said “Number Blocked.” I opened it curiously.
New digs coming along. Whole op should be go within a week. Lv, Brain.
I stared at it for several minutes, confused. Then I noticed it was a group text, and it had gone to Sarah, Miles, Blade, Calvin and Tess as well. With a flash, I realized that it had to be from Anna or Briggs. Most likely Anna, if she signed it “Brain.” That meant that the fake Medicorp facility would be ready in a week, and our lives were going to get a whole lot easier. I felt a flood of relief wash through me.
That thought sent me to school with a skip in my step. My good mood must have looked completely out of place when paired with my goth makeup and clothing, because I kept drawing weird looks from people on the bus and in school. Ember seemed to pick up on it during the bus ride to school too, and she kept asking me what was up. I told her I’d just woken up happy. She stared at me like she was worried I was going insane.
Wyrmspire (Realm Keepers Book 2) Page 24