“If my lips are ever blessed with your kiss,
I’ll fall into the deepest bliss,
And if your heart is ever my own,
Forever will it have a home.
My love for you will never be an ember,
It will burn for you from now until forever,
For one could never extinguish the fire of love,
Its eternal glow shall rise above.
And you, my dear, are the one I adore,
You, my love, I could hold forever more,
You are the one I want by my side,
You, Mareleau, are the love of my life.”
“I love that, Lare.” Mareleau raised her head from my chest and kissed me lightly on the lips. Her eyes glistened with a sheen of unshed tears. “I’m sorry I had you taken away. You understand now, right? That poem—that song—would have broken my heart for all to see.”
“At least you finally got to hear it.” I ran my hand down Mareleau’s hair. “What about the letter? When I sent you a message, asking if you could love my brother? You sent him a rose. But me…”
“I never sent him that rose, I promise you. It was my mother. And my letter to you…all I can say is I’m sorry. I didn’t think I’d ever be able to tell you the truth. Writing you that letter, rejecting you yet again when all my heart wanted to do was tell you how I felt, took everything from me for days. You don’t know how hard I cried.”
I swallowed the lump in my throat. “As terrible as it is to say, I suppose one good thing has come from this war.”
“War.” Mareleau’s voice shook as she said the word. “I wish you didn’t have to go. Can’t we stay here forever? Or run away together?”
Her words were everything I’d ever wanted to hear. Couldn’t I just say yes? “There’s nothing I want more, but I made a promise to go to Tomas with Lex.”
“I won’t see you again, will I? Before Centerpointe Rock?”
It was uncertain whether we’d see each other again ever, but I left that unsaid. “You’ll be in my mind and in my heart every moment from now until my death.”
Mareleau rolled her eyes. “You’re so dramatic.”
Third bell struck the morning hour. I was scheduled to leave by fourth bell.
“When will the stable hands return?” Mareleau peered toward the stable door. “How much time did you buy?”
“Enough.” And with that we were again entwined, making memories with our lips.
28
Forest People
Cora
I made my way through the trees, feeling the nearness of my people with every step. Hara kept a graceful pace beside me and I wondered if she would miss Valorre as much as I would.
Valorre and I had parted ways a small distance behind, and even though I’d grown fond of Hara, nothing could replace my bond with my unicorn companion. His absence would be an ache in my heart.
However, Valorre had his own mission. And I had mine.
As I stepped into the clearing of the camp, I calmly halted and raised my hands. Just as I expected, not a moment passed before my intrusion was detected.
A young man appeared before me, arrow nocked and raised. His scowling face softened as he looked at me, down to the hem of my dress, and then up to the bow at my shoulder. “Who goes?”
“It’s me, Cora.” I couldn’t recall the young man’s name and doubted he would recognize me at all.
“Cora?”
I turned toward the familiar voice and saw Roije staring at me with wide eyes. “Roije!”
“Lower you bow, Eiden. Don’t you remember Cora?”
Eiden lowered his bow and Roije gathered me in a bear hug.
“Maiya and Salinda are going to be happy to see you. Come on.”
I followed Roije into the heart of the camp, catching many curious looks as I passed by. Some were accompanied with a smile and a wave, others with a pause and a whisper.
As we approached a tent patterned with familiar fabrics, a small figure ran out with open arms. I ran to meet Salinda’s embrace.
“I knew you were coming!” Salinda took my face in her hands, her eyes creased with joy as they glistened with tears. “I could feel it. You found us with your power, didn’t you?”
I nodded, unable to speak, knowing my next words would shatter our happy reunion.
Nothing could get past Salinda. “But you come with dark news. I knew as much.”
My heart fell with the weight of my mission. “There is something terrible happening in Lela. I must speak with the elders.”
Salinda’s smile remained yet it no longer reached her eyes. “Come. There will be time for us later.”
“I’ll take care of your horse,” Roije offered.
I handed him Hara’s reins and followed Salinda to the tent of the elders. Inside the tent, it was cool and dark and filled with herbal aromas that were so intense they made my head spin.
Salinda led me to the center, placing a cushion for me to sit. She took my hand, squeezing it with a smile. “Wait here. I’ll gather the elders.”
As I sat alone in the tent, I steeled my resolve to deliver the words I’d rather not say. My eyes grew heavy and my breathing became slow and deep. The heady aromas no longer overwhelmed my senses, and instead gave me something to focus on.
I had to focus on something. Anything but the fear.
It wasn’t long before the tent began to fill with the eight elders of the Forest People. The group consisted of four female and four male leaders of the tribe. Salinda was the youngest of the group, while the oldest was Nalia, our Wise Woman. Nalia was an impossibly thin wisp of bone, white hair, and nearly-translucent, brown skin. She was known to speak rarely, yet smile constantly. All eight elders were respected for their wisdom, guidance, and powers in the Arts.
Salinda placed a small, clay bowl before me, its contents sending undulating plumes of aromatic smoke to fill the air. I breathed it in, steadying my nerves as the elders took their seats on the floor.
I looked at the faces surrounding me. Some were kind and smiling, some wore frowns of concern, others looked at me with annoyance. It was unusual for someone like me, a youth of the Forest People—adopted, no less—to demand an audience with the elders. And, while I’d been with them for many years, some still considered me very much an outsider.
Nalia spoke with her quiet yet steady voice. “Great Spirit, we honor you.”
The remaining elders each spoke in turn.
“We look to your many faces.”
“Mother Moon of life and land.”
“Father Sun of strength and power.”
“The air of life.”
“The land that feeds us.”
“The fire that warms us.”
“The water that sustains us.”
Nalia nodded her head at me. “You may speak, child.”
I stood and drew a long, shaking breath. “Thank you. Many of you know me as Cora. You have raised me and given me shelter, home, and family. I come to you in great need, and bring with me a heavy burden. But first, let me tell you who I really am. I am Princess Coralaine, rightful heir of Kero. My kingdom is in danger.”
* * *
Whispers surrounded me. I had delivered my story and now awaited the judgment of the elders.
Finally, one spoke. “Why should we involve ourselves in the royal matters? We never have before.”
“Did you hear her?” asked another. “This isn’t a royal war. This is a magic war.”
Voices blended as the arguing escalated.
“He’s calling himself Morkai. He’s trying to become the Morkaius.”
“If our old stories are true, the Morkaius cannot claim the magic without being destroyed by it.”
“He has created a Roizan! A channel between his body and the magic.”
I stared wide-eyed at the elders, shocked to hear them speaking so fluently about Morkai and his plans. In fact, they seemed to understand more than I did. My heart raced as I fought the urge to interru
pt with a fountain of questions.
“War is not our way. We protect our own, that’s all.”
“We protect the land and the Arts.”
“How do we even know the girl speaks truth? The Princess of Kero is supposed to be dead.”
“She is one of our own! I have raised her since the age of ten,” Salinda said.
“And she’s been hiding a secret identity from us the entire time.”
The anxiety pounded faster and faster in my chest until the voices doubled into a burning cacophony of thought and feeling. My mind reeled and sweat beaded at my brow.
“No.” I didn’t mean to say the word out loud. My voice was firm and steady, as if it came from somewhere outside myself. I let my breathing slow and felt the chaos leave my mind. The arguing came to a stall, and when I opened my eyes, the faces of the elders were fixed on mine.
“No, war is not our way,” I said. “And yes, I have been hiding my identity from you, and I apologize. I thought I was protecting myself as well as you, the Forest People; my family. I wouldn’t burden you with this choice if I didn’t think we, as protectors of the Arts, had a responsibility to stop Morkai. Mena and Sele may be able to fight a war, but they know nothing of magic. Morkai already has great power that no Royal Force can stop. And if no one stops him, he will become more powerful than we can imagine. What then? What will become of the Arts then? What will become of us? Of the land? Our land?”
“The girl is right.” Nalia’s voice was small but powerful, carrying with it undeniable authority. “We live as we do to honor the ancient ways of our ancestors. The Ancient Ones fought to protect the Arts, as we must do now.”
Silence followed. Some elders bowed reverently, while others bore scowls with their nods of resignation.
“And so it is,” Nalia said.
“And so it is,” the Elders echoed.
Once outside the tent, I took in the cool night air, grateful to be under the stars and breathing something other than incense.
“Cora!”
I looked toward the sound and saw Maiya running toward me. We gathered each other in our arms, squealing like children.
“I thought I’d never see you again.” Maiya’s voice shook as she laughed and cried all at once.
“I wasn’t sure myself.”
“Roije told me you come with dark tidings. So dark you had to speak with the elders immediately.”
We released each other, yet kept our hands clasped. Once again, I knew I must dampen joy with the weight of my mission. “It’s true. Those tidings will now spread throughout the camp like wildfire. I want to be the first to tell you. There’s something you need to know about me.”
Maiya nodded. “Tell me over dinner. You must eat.”
We ate next to the cook fires, the bowl of soup shaking in my hand as I spoke. After all the truth I’d shared with Teryn, and with Salinda and the elders, it was a surprise it wasn’t getting any easier to divulge. I went into more detail with Maiya than I did with the elders, which only made my words heavier. She was a polite audience, only furrowing her brow when I admitted the identity I’d hid from her for so long. Her eyes widened when I spoke of Morkai, the Roizan, and war, but never did she interrupt or cry. She’d grown stronger in the short time I’d been away.
Once there was nothing more to say, we sat in silence, finishing our meals.
“I’m not angry, you know,” Maiya said. “I always knew you were hiding your past. So did Mother. It’s not as big of a secret as you think.”
I smiled at that. “Thank you Maiya. You’re my best friend and nearly my sister. I’d never want to hurt you. And I hated lying to you. I just didn’t know what else to do.”
Maiya reflected my smile. “You know, there’s something I want to tell you as well, before you hear from—”
Maiya paused as Roije came up behind her and put his arms around her shoulders. He gently planted a kiss on the side of her forehead. My eyes locked with Maiya’s, just as a wide grin spread across her face. Even in the light of the cook fires, I could tell she was blushing.
“I’ll be home soon,” Roije whispered.
Once Roije had left, Maiya and I fell into a fit of giggles.
“Home? You share a home?”
“That’s what I wanted to tell you,” Maiya said. “Roije chose me as wife. I couldn’t be happier. I’ve loved him for as long as I can remember.”
“I know. I think we all knew.”
Maiya sighed and stared into the fire, her eyes sparkling and her smile still firmly stretched over her face. She never looked more beautiful.
My heart was full of joy at seeing my friend so content. I carried it with me through the remainder of the evening, smiling as I bid Maiya goodnight and watched her retire into her new tent. However, my smile began to fade as I curled up beneath my own makeshift tent, alone.
It was strange being back with the Forest People. So much had changed in such a short time. Maiya had changed. I had changed. The entire land I loved had changed. Valorre was nowhere near, which brought a fresh wave of sadness.
And then there was Teryn. Teryn, alone in the cell where I had left him, kept alive only by Morkai’s wicked grace. Teryn, whom I could have rescued. Teryn, who’d stood up for me to my lifeless brother. Teryn.
I curled into myself, pulling my blanket close around me as I wiped a tear from my cheek.
29
Tomas
Larylis
Tomas was an abundance of rolling hills, expansive farmland, gray skies, and lightly misting rain. Throughout every moment of our speedy travels, I wore the memory of Mareleau’s last kiss as a smile on my lips. Lex and I and our small retinue spoke little and moved quickly. King Carrington was expecting us, but had no idea as to our purpose.
When we arrived at Lex’s castle, we’d barely set foot through the gates before we were greeted by four plump, squealing, blonde girls, ranging from child to teen. They surrounded Lex, tugging at his sleeves, planting kisses, and stealing hugs.
“Did you win the Quest?” the youngest asked.
“Of course, he didn’t, you oaf. He would never betray Lily,” said another.
“Lily is so mad. You must see her, Lex!”
“Will father let you marry her now that you’ve lost?”
“How do you know he lost? He hasn’t even said a word!”
“Settle down, sisters, one at a time.” Lex was red-faced and smiling as he gently extricated himself from their grasp. “No, I didn’t win the Quest. Yes, I still love Lily. Yes, I know she’s mad, but I explained everything to her before I left. She should know better.”
“Who won the Quest, then?” asked the eldest. Then, with a wrinkle of her nose, added, “Don’t tell me it was Prince Helios.”
Lex’s face fell. “No one won the Quest. That’s why I’m here. Prince Larylis and I are here to speak to Father about some…complications.”
The girls responded with open mouths and worried faces until they turned their attention to me.
“And you must be Prince Larylis!” the eldest said, noticing me for the first time.
“What an honor,” a younger sister said, looking at me from under her eyelashes.
After blushing and clumsily curtsying, the sisters fell back into a fit of unfettered giggles.
“Just ignore them, they’re ridiculous,” Lex said in an exaggerated whisper.
His sisters playfully landed punches on Lex’s arm, while casting furtive glances my way. Having no sisters of my own, I found the interaction surprisingly heartwarming.
“Brother,” came a drawling voice behind us.
“Ben.” Lex nodded once as a young man approached.
Ben looked to be about four years Lex’s junior with a small, lanky build, and his brother’s messy, dirty-blond hair and ruddy cheeks. He smirked at Lex in such a superior way that was both arrogant and juvenile. It was safe to say I immediately disliked him. “Did you lose the Quest already?”
“Don’t tease him,”
the eldest sister said with a smile. “We’ve already done that plenty.”
“He’s brought a prince to speak to father,” whispered the youngest.
Ben considered me for a moment with a raised brow.
“King Carrington is expecting us,” I said. “Have any messages been left for me? I’m expecting a messenger from Norun to report to me here.”
Ben shrugged. “Not that I’ve heard. I’ll take you to Father.”
“There’s no need, brother. I can take the prince there myself. I’m equally responsible for what we have come to share with him today.”
Ben ignored Lex, and began walking ahead. “Come along.”
* * *
King Carrington of Tomas stared out the window of his Royal Study, back turned to me and Lex. “Why didn’t you announce yourself winner of the Quest?”
Lex and I exchanged a confused glance.
“After everything I told you, that is what concerns you?” Lex said. “Not the sorcerer, not the monstrous Beast, not the magic war?”
The king waved his hand at his side. “Yes, yes. But first, I need to understand why you have failed.”
“Didn’t you hear? The Quest is over. We didn’t capture a single unicorn. Helios is dead. Teryn is captured—”
“Which should make you the champion by default.”
“King Carrington, Lex is right. The Quest has been declared forfeit. It is my understanding that Mareleau has now been promised to my brother, Prince Teryn.” I tried to say the words with as little disgust as possible.
The king spun around, eyeing me with an angry frown. “That is a betrayal! My son is the fair champion, and your brother—captured and useless—has been named the betrothed?”
“Father!” Lex’s voice reverberated throughout the room with a strength I never would have expected. “The Quest is over. I don’t want to be the champion. And there are more critical issues at hand that you need to listen to.”
King Carrington slowly turned to face his son, considering him as if he’d never quite seen him before. The anger melted from his face. “Why should we involve ourselves in a war that is not our own?”
Shadows of Lela Page 20