— Chapter Nine —
Something in the Air
Iadrawyn stood frozen in place. A seemingly endless field of green stretched before her, the long grass swaying in the breeze like a rippling wave. How had it grown so quickly? Rolling, green hills could be seen in the distance: Vila Eadros. Now that they were within viewing distance of their destination, the pull within her became even stronger.
Closing her eyes, Iadrawyn took a moment to savor the open air. It was fresh and vibrant, without the familiar, rich scent of trees. Valanandir stood at her side, not questioning her long pause.
She knew she was postponing the inevitable. The edge of the forest stood behind her. It had been all she could do to leave its reassuring canopy to rescue Valanandir. Now the open sky loomed overhead once more. Valanandir stood calm and waiting, looking around with curiosity. He was probably used to being out in the open as a sailor. She realized it must have been strange for him to be in the woods without being able to see the sky, although she found it difficult to imagine such a thing. Squaring her shoulders, Iadrawyn forced herself to look up.
A wave of vertigo threatened to overwhelm her. Even with her protective blindfold, her eyes watered from the bright light overhead. She blinked rapidly to clear them. She realized this sky was quite different from the one she was used to. The gaping void of darkness was gone, replaced by a brilliant blue. Fluffy-looking white things seemed to float, suspended. A few moments of watching them made her realize they were moving. Disoriented, she looked away.
Her gaze was drawn to the source of the light. An impossibly bright disc hung in the eastern sky. She couldn’t look at it long. The light was too intense. She took a deep breath, reassuring herself that nothing was going to fall, or it surely would have done so by now. She turned to Valanandir.
“Let’s go.”
At first, Iadrawyn had to force herself to pay attention to where they were going and the trail behind them. She found her eyes constantly being drawn upward. She noticed as time went by, the disc of light appeared to travel westward in the opposite direction of their course. She was unsure whether this was its usual behavior or some kind of sign. As the hours passed, the feeling of oppression faded and the strange, new sky became familiar.
Valanandir spoke little as they walked. He seemed equally mesmerized, but unafraid. He kept pace beside her, despite his healing injuries. She took heart from his quiet resilience and determination. He was completely unlike anyone she had ever met. For the most part, the elves of her tribe enjoyed their comforts and weren’t very adventurous. Their insular nature had made them xenophobic and overly concerned about social status within their own limited world.
“Are all Sea Elves like you?” she asked, breaking the long silence. Valanandir gave her a look of what she assumed was confusion, cocking his head to the side. It was difficult to read his blindfolded features.
“How do you mean?”
Iadrawyn considered her reply. “Compared to my people, you seem quite adventurous and adaptable. My tribe has become self-satisfied, staying within their boundaries, and seldom leaving the village.”
“All my people have a love for the sea, but we express it in different ways. I have always been very curious. My parents were both sailing warriors, who died in battle against the dark forces. I was their only child, so it was natural for me to follow in their footsteps.
“Many of my people have never been off Arindaria. I grew up being raised by my aunt and uncle, who fish to feed our people. My best friend is a shipwright. Others are craftsmen or ambassadors to the Sea Folk. Few leave the island in search of battle or adventure anymore. The dark creatures have killed too many. Of the three ships I sailed with to find battle on the mainland, I am the only survivor. My people most likely believe I am dead, and I doubt more ships will be sent.” His voice sounded sad.
“Are you certain you want to continue traveling with me? Perhaps you could find a way back to your island. The Sea Folk helped you. Perhaps you could get one of them to send a message.”
Valanandir shook his head. “Going back to the coast means risking being found by your tribe’s search parties or a drakhal. I don’t know what we will find once we get to Vila Eadros, but I want to find out. I can’t explain it, but I feel like it’s something I need to do.”
“I’m sorry you cannot go back to your own people, but I am selfishly glad I won’t be traveling alone.” Iadrawyn smiled. She was also happy to hear Valanandir’s explanation about why he needed to come. She felt the same way, but she couldn’t imagine trying to explain it to anyone from her tribe. They would never understand.
Light Chasers (The World of Lasniniar Book 0) Page 18