The Drifting (29 page)

Of all of us, Alorn resembles my father the most.  In looks, physique and manner.  Only in the last few years with E’leiana’s passing as he mellowed in his ways.  Alorn’s mother is Thilthen’s only sister and eldest of the siblings.  By right, she should be queen, but she declined choosing instead to marry a commoner.  It didn’t matter; my father loves his sister and her husband of choice without prejudice.  Phoris is the son of his brother Madeas, the Summoner of the clan and third eldest.  Mellis is the son of Colsea, Grand Greaneth of the Oak Clan and youngest brother to the king.  We five have literally grown up together – each quietly shaped and formed into our current roles.  My cousins were raised alongside Tolan, Ziri and me like brothers. 

“Where are Alorn, Phoris and Mellis?” he asks looking behind us.

“Phoris and Mellis will be by to see you, Father.  Alorn is with Ziri, keeping Lily safe.  It will be a bit longer before you’ll see him,” I replied looking him over.  In the short time we’ve been gone, he seems to have aged even more.  Where there were no greys before, sprinkles of it appear throughout his hair.  Although physically he has the frame of a young warrior, his shoulders seemed a bit slouched and he’s lost weight.  The burden of what is happening within his realm has bowed my father, and the need to expose this Eathos grows anxiously within me.  As if seeing the assessment of him in my eyes, he gives me a knowing smile and turns to make his way back to Ka.

“Very well.  Come join us, I’ve order some food and drink to be brought up.”  He returns to his seat at the head of the table.  Ka ignores us as he bends over an open book that looks like a diary.  In the middle of the large table sits a white sphere the size of a bowling ball. 

“What’s that?” asks Tolan as he sits next to Ka looking exhausted.

“It’s a journal,” replies Ka cryptically. 

“By who?” questions Tolan leaning in to get a closer look.

“A Manui queen named Se’lliane.  She was given the honor of protecting the key until the child of prophecy was born.  She put it in the palm of a statue made from sea salt from the
Wera
Sea
.  She kept it on her desk as a paperweight…in plain view.”  He looks up at me and asks, “Where’s the stone from the Manui soldier?”

“I gave it to Lily,” I answer.  “I attached it to a chain made of Thessi’s gold.  It can’t be removed unless she takes it off…or I do.”

Ka nods going back to the book.  “According to Se’lliane’s notes, Lily has to have the stone with her when she stands before the doorway to Eirrell.  The stone is the key that will open the way once she does whatever it is she’s supposed to do to open it.”  That makes sense.  It’s like the Malainisi stone that allows Cessa to travel between her realm and ours.

“What is it that she has to do?” asks father.

Ka shakes his head, “I don’t know.  There’s nothing specific here that says what happens once she’s reached the doorway.  Not only that, but some of the entries are blurred with age.”

“Anything more in there about Velesi being destroyed?” asks my father as he leans in trying to read the small handwriting scribbled on the old parchment pages.

“No.” replies Ka. “It only repeats that the virgin queen will bring death to Eirrell and so on.”

“Where did you get that book?” I ask.

“The library at the Willow Clan,” answers Ka.

“How did you get it?” I question further as I move away from the table.  It really doesn’t matter to me how Ka got it, but I have to distract myself from thoughts of Lily.  I don’t like that she is the queen in the prophecy.  It was hard enough for her to accept who she really is and the responsibility she carries with that acceptance. 

“I have an inside man at the Willow Clan.  And since Falsad and Harlu don’t know it exists, it was easy for him to retrieve it for me,” answers Ka going back to reading the journal.

“So, they aren’t aware of the prophecy?” asks Tolan.

“This isn’t the only book written about the prophecy, so we need to assume that they do,” replies Ka.  Tolan goes back to reading the book, nodding his head as if he understood.

“What’s on your mind, son?” asks my father as he watches me closely.

I turn and face him, and then turn to Ka asking, “And then what?”

Ka looks up from the book, “What do you mean?”

“What happens to Lily once she’s opened the door?”

The old elf looks over at my father and an exchange occurs between the two.  “I’m not sure,” replies Ka slowly.  “The writing here is almost illegible, it was written six thousand years ago after Kalinest formed the clans.”

“So, you’re saying there’s no guarantee that Lily will come out of all this unharmed or alive once she’s opened the portal?”

Tolan sits back in his chair interested to hear Ka’s answer.  It is father who answers, “No, Tharin, there is no guarantee.”

“Then no.  I won’t risk losing her to open a doorway to a realm that we don’t even know still exists.  Do you even know if it remained intact after the Great War?”  I direct my question to Ka.  He sighs before giving a negative headshake. 

“We don’t have a choice, Tharin,”
answers
father.  He
lifts
his hand to quiet me when
I’m
about to argue.  “Velesi wasn’t form by the natures of law, Tharin.  It was form by the will of a Sidhe, Kalinest.  Granted, he had help from the Ancients, but at that time there were thirteen.  There are only six remaining and they carry centuries of burdens on their shoulders.”

“What about you and your wife?” asks Tolan, directing his question at Ka.

Ka sits back in his chair, pushing away the diary.  “We are Ancients, but not of the original thirteen.  Although we were there, we have aged as well and don’t have the strength needed to keep the realm in tact. 

“Intact?” questions Tolan, leaning forward.  “What are you talking about?”

“The realm, Velesi, was created by the will of Sidhe and only six of them remain.  Once the last Ancient dies, so does the realm.”

“What?” Tolan sits up at the news and turns to me with a stunned look on his face.

Father leans back into his chair and he too, looks my way.  Ka stares at me as well, all three waiting for a response.  Ka rubs at his chin saying, “We couldn’t take the risk of telling you before you left for Lily.”

Tolan turns to Father looking a bit hurt, “You didn’t trust us?”

“Here in the
Oak
Tower
I can block your thoughts, Tolan, but not in Pathen.  I couldn’t risk having your thoughts and conversations overheard.  This Eath
os is as powerful as Ka says
.  He is only equal to Kalinest.  I won’t pretend he didn’t know of the prophecy before you left, Tharin.  But we couldn’t take that chance – we need her.  You weren’t trusted with your feelings about the treaty, the marriage and Lily.” 

“So, you see, Tharin,” continues Ka, “it really doesn’t matter if Lily dies at the portal.  We’ll all be dead when the last of the Ancients is killed.”

“Killed?”  Tolan, no longer able to stand still, starts pacing.

“Only Muniso died of natural causes, the rest were murdered,” states Ka, a fleeting look of pain crossing his old face.

“Murdered?  Are you sure?” questions Tolan, still pacing.

“Yes, we’re sure.  Four were made to look like accidents; the other two were poisoned, made to look like natural causes.  As for those still with us, they’re under the protection of the king’s guard.”

Tolan looks at Father, disbelief on his face, “Since when?”

“Since Ziri’s departure,” he answers, looking at both of us quietly.  Nodding his head, he goes on “When Ziri was banished from his grandfather’s clan he was done so by Zorn’s request; a request that was discussed with me prior to his death.  We needed Ziri to find his own way, without any attachment,
that way
he was easily persuaded to work with Ka and Sema
to help save our realm
–
and
in taking Lily from you.”

“Why take her from me?” I ask.  Although my words were quiet, I become restless and I know Tolan senses it.  He walks over and stands by me.

“After we learned that Falsad and Harlu were in hot pursuit, we decided to spread the rumor that Lily was killed during the journey home.  We had to keep her hidden, and we knew you wouldn’t let her go, especially with Ziri in the picture.” 

Taking a deep breath, Father leans forward, elbows on the table.  “Look, I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about the prophecy, and I had no intentions of betraying your trust,” he says pointedly at Tolan.  Eyes back on me, “But until we were certain of the murders of Ancients, we had hoped our only worry was Falsad.  Three weeks from now he will have Harlu at the Seating to claim the throne to the Willow Clan.  But it’s only a distraction, that’s all that is.  The impending war, the taking of the
Oak
Tower
, is only to distract us from Eathos’ real purpose…to destroy Velesi and then Eirrell.  We’re certain Eathos will make his appearance at the Seating where he will attempt to take Lily from us.”

“Can you now appreciate the magnitude of our situation, Prince?” asks Ka quietly.  “It’s true that Lily is the key, but you must remember who she and her ancestor are.  At the opening of the doorway, before death comes for her, the Unnamed Sidhe will come to her aid.  We just hope he reaches her in time.”

That was a week ago.  I spent that night in my bed trying to get some much-needed rest, but I found myself unable to sleep because I was thinking and worrying about Lily.  When I was able to close my eyes, and every night since, the vision of her in the rain teases and torments me.  I can still feel her lips, the small tremble that went through her when I kissed her.  Soon, other visions, more passionate and real keep me awake until I realize the sun is coming up.  So much for sleep.

I watch her sleep with her arm on top of Cessa.  The big cat raises her head to look at me, giving me a soft greeting, as she’s done each night I’ve come to visit.  Lily raises her head sleepily.  Cessa, as she’s done each time Lily would wake, nuzzles at her until Lily places her head back on her pillow.  I let out a heavy sigh as I make my way to Lily’s bed. 

I understand the first week was hard on her.  I could tell by her breathing how exhausted she was.  But tonight she seems to be breathing a little easier.  Her body is becoming accustomed to the hard training, and I know Ziri and Alorn haven’t given her any special treatment.  I know Alorn in particular is serious when it comes to protecting Lily.  It’s just his way, the warrior way.

Like the nights before, I send Cessa back to Malainisi soon after my arrival.  In her place next to Lily, I lay close watching her sleep.  I reach out and trace her face knowing she wouldn’t feel my touch.  I take a deep breath as I notice another black eye and her fat lip.  Damn it, Alorn.  You and Ziri are supposed to train her, not beat the crap out of her.  I move slightly so I can take a look at her arms, the bruises and the gash seem to have healed somewhat, but I’ve seen the bruises on her small body.  When this is all over, I’m putting Alorn and Ziri in the arena back at the tower.  They think Lily looks bad, wait until I get through with them.

Like the nights before, I feel myself slipping into sleep.  It seems the only way I can find rest is when I’m next to her.  I also know once I do, I would return to my own body to awake rested…and alone.  Before I do, however, I can’t help but wonder why she hasn’t come to me in the
drift
state.  Is she too tired, or is she ignoring me?  If I didn’t know better, I would think she had forgotten about me.

~ * ~

Chapter
Twenty-One

~
Lily
~

Alorn was right.  As the days passed, my training became easier and I found myself waking early each day to get started.  I completed the ten-mile run halfway through the
third
week without killing myself coming down the steps.  I learned to use my momentum to carry me onto to the next leg of the run.  Instead of running straight into the woods and using my face to stop myself on the trees.  I simply turned on the path letting my speed take me forward.