The Shadow Thief

by K.L. Bauman

Chapter 32

  Final Moments

  Why is it that when something dreaded is coming, time seems to fly faster than a winged horse? And yet, for Echo time also seemed to creep slower than a snail on a hot day. The combination was driving her to madness! She wanted time to stop so she’d never have to face Belzac. And she wanted it to fly, so that the battle could be over. Her insides churned. Even the sight or smell of food made her nauseous.

  The fact that Cage still had not made any sort of contact did nothing to ease Echo’s mind. Dorian attempted to convince her that the wraith would be there to assist them, but her frazzled mind and nerves weren’t willing to accept the elf’s words. She spent several hours alone with Shimmer, practicing lighting the crystal until it shone with a blinding light. She had to really concentrate, to think of all the love she felt for everyone she knew. It wasn’t enough, though. That shadow of doubt, caused by her own bitterness, still left a dark spot where Belzac could escape.

  Come on, Echo, just let it go! She struggled with herself, trying to see things from every angle, to understand why things had happened the way they had and that she could forgive Belzac for his evil ways. But the more she tried to let it go, the more her heart and mind wrapped a dark veil around it, keeping it trapped inside.

  Shaking her head with frustration, Echo walked toward the canopy trees. Thildin was buzzing like a disturbed wasp hive. Every few steps, someone would give her encouraging advice, a concerned look, or offer to feed her. She tried her best to be polite, but what she really wanted was to be left alone.

  She wasn’t allowed her wish, however, as her family and friends constantly surrounded her. Even at the canopy trees, Song and her giant friends greeted her. “Hello, Echo. Hello, Shimmer,” Song greeted them each in turn. The fae wore her leather outfit once again, her robe no doubt neatly folded and hidden in some tree. The wolfix released thunderous barks as Echo approached. She was very glad the beasts were on their side! Jia was perched as still as a statue on a low branch, her bead-like eyes watching them.

  “Hello, Song,” Echo answered. She tried to muster a smile, but her mouth felt too heavy. Song placed her hands on Echo’s shoulders, giving a smile big and warm enough for them both. Her dark eyes carried the reflection of the sun on their surfaces. “I have faith in you and Shimmer, Echo. I feel strongly that we will be victorious tonight.”

  If Echo could have a speck of gold for every time she’d heard that today... “Thanks, Song.”

  “We have not known each other long. But what I have seen in you is greatness. Do not doubt that, my friend. You have been given beautiful gifts,” Song said.

  More familiar words. They didn’t mean much when the recipient couldn’t believe them. Echo forced her lips to curl up a little and nodded as the ‘if only’ sentences started taunting her mind. She shook them away before they could sink their teeth too deeply into her thoughts.

  Song and her wolfix took their leave. The giant wolves bounded happily after the fairy as if the world was a peaceful place. Echo couldn’t blame them. If it weren’t for the heavy foreboding that hovered over her like a dark cloud, she would’ve enjoyed the clear, sunshine-filled day.

  Late in the afternoon, Echo’s mom forced her to take a hot bath. Echo didn’t really feel like bathing. What was the point? But, after seeing the strain in her mother’s face, she decided she’d tolerate it for her mother’s sake.

  The water did feel soothing. Luxurious scents rose with the steam, melting the knots in her muscles and stomach. She soaked until the water became tepid. After wrapping herself in a soft robe, she wandered into the front room of their elf home. Her mother motioned for her to sit.

  Echo sat heavily on a wooden chair. Kiani approached from behind and proceeded to comb through Echo’s hair. With soft, long, strokes, she pulled through the tangles.

  Echo closed her eyes. The motion was as relaxing to her as the bath had been. But it also brought the sting of tears--her mom hadn’t combed her hair like this since she was little. She felt the familiar, rhythmic tug as her mother re-braided her long, thick hair. Kiani’s voice was soft when she spoke, “I’ve always loved your hair. It has the warmth of the earth highlighted by the sun’s gold. So beautiful.”

  More tears stung Echo’s eyes, but she forced them back, not wanting to upset her mother. She whispered a “Thank you.”

  Mari entered, carrying Echo’s freshly laundered riding clothes. Kiani finished the braid and they all shuffled to the back room. After Echo disrobed, Kiani sprinkled rose water over her skin and hair. Echo had to stifle a shiver as the thought of being embalmed skipped across her mind.

  Mari helped with the riding outfit. No one spoke. Echo was afraid to look into either her sister’s or mother’s eyes for fear she would burst into tears. Mari made a slow performance of tying the armbands in place. She then touched the flying horse symbol over Echo’s heart. The sisters finally looked into each other’s eyes. Mari’s were shining with tears, but she put on a confident smile for Echo. “You are the bravest person I have ever known. I am so proud that you are my sister. I love you.”

  Echo’s throat tightened, constricting any speech. So she simply hugged Mari until her sister squeaked, “Echo, I can’t breathe!”

  They pulled apart, giggling nervously, and then Mari gave Echo’s hand one last squeeze before she left the room.

  Echo turned to her mother. Kiani stood stoically, her eyes shining at her daughter. “She’s right, you know. You are the bravest of any of us. I am so proud of you. No matter what happens, remember our love for you. Let it carry you through this night!” She embraced Echo fiercely and Echo could no longer hold back the tide of tears. Mother and daughter cried for one another, for Brecker, and for all those about to risk their lives to save their families and their homes.

  When they parted, they both wiped their faces and Kiani spoke, “I want you to have something.” She walked into the front room with Echo following curiously behind. Her mother took a box from one of the drawers of the china cabinet and placed it on the table. Gently, she opened the lid and tenderly lifted a small object from within. She held it out to Echo.

  Resting on the palm of her mother’s hand was a small medallion. A thin form of gold created the image of a flying creature--the same symbol that Mari had sewn on Echo’s riding tunic. A circle of silver surrounded the flying horse. She gaped at her mother’s smiling face. “It’s the same symbol,” Echo stated as she subconsciously touched the horse on her chest.

  “I know. I showed it to Mari earlier. She wanted to put something special on the tunic for you. This medallion belonged to your uncle. Like you, he often dreamed of dragons and flying. I always thought the symbol looked more like a horse, but I never told him so. Anyway, I’ve put a chain through the circle so you can wear it as a necklace if you like.”

  Kiani pulled on the thin silver chain and dangled the medallion in front of Echo. “Can you help me?” Echo asked, then turned and lifted her braid out of the way so her mom could clasp the chain at the nape of Echo’s neck. Then, she turned and held the medallion for them both to see. Echo turned it in the light, causing the gold to flash just so that the wings appeared to move. “Thank you, Mom.” They hugged again before Echo tucked the necklace under her shirt so she could feel the coolness of the metal against her skin.

  After Kiani helped Echo strap her daggers on, they walked out of the house into the fading day. “I have to go help the others now, Echo. If you need me, I’ll be at the library or the weapons storage, okay?” Echo nodded, allowed her mother to give her one final squeeze, and then watched Kiani’s form disappear into the crowd. She prayed that it wouldn’t be the last time she saw her mother.

  Shimmer nudged her back, blowing her warm breath against Echo’s tunic. “Hi, there. Did you say goodbye to your mom, too?” Shimmer just nudged her again. Echo could feel that her horse was being a lot more optimistic than she was.
“Sorry, Shimmer. I’ll try to see things in a better light. It’s just really hard to right now.” Hard was an understatement. But Echo didn’t want to bring Shimmer’s spirits down, so she busied herself with putting on Shimmer’s saddle and checking that all the straps were secure.

  She was re-checking the saddle for the hundredth time when her dad approached with Finear following regally behind. Oran’s closed-lipped smile betrayed his worry. At the sight of her dad, Echo nearly lost herself again as emotions wrestled with her insides. Without a word, they hugged. Echo rubbed her cheek against her dad’s solid shoulder, allowing his strength to give her a small bit of comfort.

  “I’m scared,” she whispered.

  Oran gave a half-hearted chuckle. “You and every other being in Thildin Valley, Echo. Including me,” he said. “However, we have to do what we have to do, for Brecker and for everyone. Now is the time for courage, Echo. And, strangely enough, fear is just the thing to spur courage.”

  Echo felt anything but courageous. A thought of running to the badlands and hiding until the battle was over raced through her mind. Finear and Shimmer nuzzled each other and Echo felt their strength. They weren’t cowering away from the coming battle like she was. They were facing it head on.

  Oran and Echo parted as she attempted to keep her limbs from shaking. The sun was hovering just above the western horizon, ready to abandon them to a moonless night. “I think there is one more person you should see before we begin this fight. He’s been waiting for you,” Oran said as he gestured with his head toward the canopy trees. “I’ll meet you back here just after sunset. Dorian will be giving final instructions.” He gave Echo an encouraging pat on the shoulder and turned with Finear to converse with some meadow fae.

  Echo took a deep breath and, with Shimmer keeping close enough to be attached, headed once again to the canopy trees. Even though Echo expected Keebo to be waiting for her there, her breath still caught in her throat when she saw him. He was dressed in battle attire--caramel colored leather tunic and britches that highlighted his hair. A quiver holding a bow and arrows was tucked neatly between his shoulder blades--between his wings. He stood with his forehead pressed against one of the canopy’s spongy trunks as he caressed the soft bark. He was whispering something quietly. As Echo stepped closer, Keebo abruptly stopped talking to the tree and jerked his head in her direction.

  Echo gulped and said a bashful hello. With two giant strides, Keebo was five inches in front of her. They looked into each other’s eyes for a long while and then they hugged each other as if it would be the last chance they would ever have to hug. Echo tucked her hands under Keebo’s wings. They felt a lot stronger than they looked. She allowed her thoughts to trail to all their times together. They’d known each other their whole lives--best friends from the beginning. Echo was thankful that woodland fae aged at the same rate as humans. Otherwise, they may not have been so close.

  As they began to finally part, Echo meant only to put her nose close to Keebo’s neck and breathe in his pine scent one last time. She wanted that smell to stay with her all night, to remind her she wasn’t alone. But as she moved, her lips accidentally brushed against Keebo’s earlobe. They both froze, uncertain of what to do. Flooded with emotion, Echo continued to trail her lips lightly across Keebo’s cheek, stopping as her mouth came a hair’s width over his.

  Echo found herself suddenly kissing Keebo. She momentarily forgot the upcoming battle, forgot her fears, forgot Belzac and his evil, forgot the growing darkness. Keebo wrapped his arms around her as he returned her kiss. Echo felt as if he’d lifted her on the strength of his wings and they were flying into a bright, glorious sky. It was a beauty so pure that tears escaped from Echo’s closed eyes and trailed down her cheeks.

  The couple reluctantly parted and gazed into each other’s eyes again, lost in that small, precious moment.

  Keebo’s eyes became a little more clouded as the cruelness of reality grasped them both again. He traced her jaw line with his thumb, sending goose bumps down her neck. “Please promise you’ll come back to me. When this is all over, just come back to me,” he pleaded.

  Echo’s mind swirled as a million scenarios of how the night would unfurl assaulted her thoughts. None of them ended happily. She forced an awkward smile and said, “I will if you will!” What a stupid thing to say! She scolded herself for destroying the moment.

  However, Keebo wasn not daunted. He simply answered, “It’s a deal.”

  A horn blasted from somewhere near the center of Thildin, causing the teens to jump. “I have to go. It’s time for the woodland fae to help light the torches,” Keebo said. With pride in his voice, he told Echo, “The villagers call us ‘fire fairies’. Isn’t that amazing?”

  Echo grinned, glad for the lighter mood change. “It is amazing. I’ll see you soon,” she added out of habit.

  Keebo pointed at her as he began to walk away, “I’ll hold you to that promise. Oh! I almost forgot,” he came back to her, pulling something from his pocket as he walked. At first, Echo thought he was holding several small apples, but the light coming from the objects quickly dispelled that idea. Keebo opened his palm, revealing several small, clear orbs. They reminded Echo of the water-droplet magnifying glasses in Jiggers’ shop. Only these orbs each carried a tiny flame in their center. “They were meant to be lights for decoration or for reading at night. But Dad and I have been experimenting with them. If you throw them hard against any object--including people or, in our case, doons--they burst open with a big blast of flames. But they won’t break easily in your pocket or anything,” he added quickly at Echo’s concerned expression. He handed them to her and held his hand over hers for a moment. Then, he turned and jogged away, leaving Echo feeling lonelier than ever.

  “Let’s go, Shimmer. We’d better find Dorian.” Echo admired the magical orbs for a moment and then placed them carefully in the opposite pocket that held the crystal before beginning her trek back into the heart of Thildin. Her legs felt like bricks made of jelly--heavy and wobbly. She had to get a hold of her nerves or this was going to be a long, horrible night.