The Song of Eloh Saga (17 page)

“How did everyone get here so quickly?” Mark asked. “We only left a couple of hours ago. You can’t all live in this town.”

“We don’t,” the man whose toe Johna had squashed stepped forward. “I am Nemison, head of the council. Johna called us here and we came.”

“How did that work?” I asked, amazed at the new things I learned every day.

“Not part of the council, don’t need to know,” answered a gruff voice from the back.

“Don’t be so grumpy Gerrold,” Johna said. She turned to me. “It’s a simple thing with the proper magic and tools.”

“Just like the cloak,” Tania whispered in my ear.

“We’re here to talk about her?” Gerrold whined, his parrot nose wrinkling up as his eyes narrowed. “She’s just a child. What can she do?”

“How do we know she’s truly the Prophet?” a voice from the crowd asked. A few others mumbled in agreement.

“She should be tested,” Nemison said. “Did you test her, Johna?”

“Yes,” Mark interjected. “Reychel showed us that she could read the clouds.”

“Who are you?” Nemison asked, finally taking note of Mark’s presence.

“He is a friend.” Johna stepped between Mark and Nemison. He was old, but I sensed something dangerous in him. I wasn’t sure if Mark’s skill with a blade would save him in that battle. “That is all you need to know now.”

Johna patted Mark gently on the shoulder, probably trying to keep him calm.

“No, Nemison. I did not test Reychel. I assumed you would want that privilege in front of the entire council,” Johna said.

“Come here, Reychel,” Nemison said. “Sit down on this chair here in front of me so we can begin.”

I looked around at the unfamiliar faces in the cottage and settled on Tania’s soothing smile. She nodded at me, giving me the confidence boost I needed to walk over to Nemison.

I sat in front of him, my hands on my lap.

“How does this work?” I asked, but before anyone could answer, Nemison’s hands were on my face, his fingertips on my temples and eyelids. His thumbs met on the space between my eyebrows and his smallest fingers rested on my jawbone. My mind went silent.

In my head I could feel Nemison’s probing thoughts. He touched me with his mind in a way that relaxed me. I no longer cared that my mind was being entered by another person. In fact, I was eager to show him where the root of my gift laid quietly sleeping. A light touch pushed on my gift and it responded by flashing pictures of every story I had ever told.

Instead of feeling violated, I felt powerful, as if my true gift was finally coming alive, aware. I knew I could believe in myself. I wasn’t just a slave girl, stuck in my master’s castle for the rest of my life. Now I had choices, and I chose to help my people.

My eyes lazily opened and I saw Mark watching me. Concern flashed from his eyes, but the smile that spread across my face caused him to relax. My heart fluttered as he returned the smile.

“Reychel,” Nemison said, his arms crossed in front of him. I hadn’t even realized his hands were no longer on my face. “I never thought I’d say this in my lifetime. But, welcome Prophet of the Clouds. We’ve been waiting a long time to meet you.”

The room erupted in excited conversation. Tania waved her arms around wildly as she told the person next to her that she knew I was special from the moment she laid eyes on me. The gruff Gerrold shook his head as he listened to the man next to him go on about prophecy.

Johna just stood to the side and smiled at me. But there was something on her face I couldn’t place. Was it worry? Or was it confusion? I didn’t know, but I did know that for the first time in my life, I could feel my gift. I understood why the light found in the eyes was called spark, but I could now feel that same spark inside myself. But was I the one they were waiting for? I knew I was gifted and my talent showed itself each time I gazed at the clouds, but I didn’t feel like a prophet.

“Are you okay?” Mark asked, kneeling down next to my chair. “When he touched your face, your eyes rolled into the back of your head and your body jerked.”

“Really?” I asked. “I don’t remember that.”

“It was a little creepy.”

“Sounds like it,” I said. “But I’m fine. He probed my mind and found my gift. Anyone who trusts him won’t doubt me.”

“You’re acting like he offered you a cup of milk, you drank it and it was good,” Mark said.

“Sorry if I’m making it seem so simple, but it was,” I giggled. “I can’t really explain it. I guess it’s one of those things you just have to experience to understand.”

“If that’s true, then I’m fine not knowing. I’ve spent so many years hiding my gift that I can’t stand the thought of anyone seeing in my mind, much less probing it,” he said.

“I don’t blame you,” I said, placing my hand on his.

He looked at me in surprise and I smiled as I laced my fingers with his. I wasn’t sure I could believe that I was the one everyone had been waiting for. Me? The Prophet just because of the luck of my gift?

“Well, if she is who Nemison says she is, what do we do now?” Gerrold asked.

“She must come with me. She needs training,” Nemison said. He turned to Johna. “What does she know?”

“Practically nothing,” Johna said.

“She must be taught now,” he said. “You’ll come with me today.”

Chapter Sixteen

“I can’t,” I said, standing up and letting go of Mark’s hand. “I have prisoners to rescue from Kandek.”

“Not while the Prophet stands in front of me like an uneducated ninny,” Nemison said. “No, my girl, you have too much to learn. There is too much resting on you. Their fate is of no concern to us.”

“It means something to me,” I said. “I will free them. Then I will train with you.”

“You will do no such thing,” Nemison roared, raising his arms in the air. “How dare you defy me?”

Everyone stared at me, including Johna and Tania. I observed their faces, searching for the right answer. Since Nemison had probed my gift, I felt more confident but I didn’t want to offend the very people I needed to teach me. Focusing in on Tania, I saw her eyes were wide, but I also saw a smile twitching at the corner of her mouth.

Perhaps no one was used to telling Nemison no. I hoped defying him wouldn’t cause a serious rift.

“I will attend to the prisoners first,” I said. “Then I will train with you. I won’t be long. I only need six days. Will the fate of our people, which includes these people I might add, be decided in that time?”

I stared at Nemison, hoping he could see reason. I didn’t want to embarrass or alienate him. He was obviously their leader and I thought the most powerful of them all. I would need his help, but I would not leave people behind to suffer. Not when I believed I could help them.

“Six days. No more. On the seventh day you will report to me.”

“Thank you,” I bowed my head to him.

“How are you going to free these prisoners?” Gerrold asked. “You’re barely out of childhood yourself.”

“Reychel and Mark have enlisted some help,” Johna said. “Mark has contacts in The Sons of Silence and they were visiting them when all of you arrived. Let’s hear what they’ve learned.”

“For starters, I am moving in with Roc,” I said.

“Roc! What does he have to do with this? Don’t tell me he’s in The Sons,” Johna moaned.

“He is,” Mark said.

“That man cannot control his mouth,” she said. “He’s going to get himself arrested.”

“That’s part of the plan,” Mark said. “He’s known for being outspoken, so I’m going to arrest him and take him to Kandek.”

“That sounds helpful,” Gerrold harrumphed.

“It will be,” Tania said. “It’ll get him inside, with those

prisoners. Am I right?”
I could see Tania’s eyes sparkling. I knew my friend loved a good intrigue.

“Exactly,” Mark said, smiling.

“In the meantime, I’ll be staying with Roc’s wife and two daughters. I’ll be helping out around the house until the day before the wedding,” I said.

“Working in a house? Isn’t that below the Prophet?” Nemison asked.

“I was a slave up until a couple months ago,” I reminded him. “Helping out one woman and her two kids isn’t a big deal.”

“I’ll certainly miss you, child,” Johna put an arm around my shoulders. “You’ve made my life much more interesting lately. I knew you would have to leave eventually, though.”

“I’ll miss you too, Johna,” I hugged my mentor. My chest tightened. I breathed deeply, holding back the tears I knew were forming against my will. I wouldn’t cry in front of these people, no matter how afraid I was of the changes I was about to make.

“How can we help?” Tania asked.

“I was hoping you would say that,” I said, turning to her and glad of the distraction. “Can we borrow your two cloaks? The ones you used to rescue me the day of my birthday? You’ll have to teach me the spell, though. I don’t know how to make them work like you did.”
“Of course! I just wish I was in one of them,” she said.

“You’re going to be,” I said. “If you’ll say yes, that is.”

“Really? I would love to help out,” Tania exclaimed.

“Since you’ve already rescued me once, I was hoping you’d do it again. Once I get back in the castle, I’ll need a way out. You’re the only person other than me who knows the way and I can’t carry the cloak with me when I’m arrested. I need you.”

“I am more than happy to help,” Tania said. “It won’t be too hard. Jon and I have been contracted to bring fresh vegetables to the castle the morning of the wedding. I’ll already be in the gates.”

“Fantastic,” Mark said. “That morning, I’ll meet you outside the kitchens and let you know where they’re holding Reychel. Then you can get her out just like last time.”

“Sounds easy enough.” Tania snapped her fingers. “Hard would have been fine too.”

“How is Reychel going to turn herself in?” Nemison asked. “We can’t risk anything happening to her.”

I grabbed Mark’s hand again, taking a deep breath.

“Mark is going to take me in the morning of the wedding. I’ll be his prisoner.”

Johna raised an eyebrow. “Can you do that Mark? Can you hand her over to Kandek so easily?”

“I have to.” He squeezed my hand. “I can’t imagine letting anyone else do this. It has to be me.”

“We’re also hoping that taking in both Roc and me in one week will give him a place of honor at the wedding. He can always make a distraction in case something goes wrong,” I said.

“It’s a bold plan,” Nemison sighed, “but it won’t work.”

“Why not?” Mark challenged.

“Your feelings for each other will get in the way. One of you will make a mistake,” he said.

“We’re just friends,” I insisted.

Nemison let his gaze linger on our clasped hands.

“Just advice to children from an old man.”

“I’m not a child,” Mark said. “Neither is Reychel. People our age marry every day.”

“Most people your age don’t have such complicated lives,” Johna said. “Neither of you has ever been normal like two kids from neighboring farms who’ve been betrothed since birth. Nemison is only trying to protect you.”

“We will take your opinion into consideration,” I said, letting go of Mark’s hand. Now wasn’t the time to show affection, even if I felt like I needed reassurance. “But it won’t be a problem. I promise.”

“If you need us,” Nemison said, “you only have to call. But until that day, I think we should all go home.”

He turned towards the only wall that wasn’t covered with herbs and waved his hands in the air. A portal appeared on the wall, just high enough for the tallest person to duck through.

My eyebrows rose as I glanced at Mark. It seemed there was much more to learn. I looked forward to seven days from now when this mess would be over and I would begin my training with Nemison.

As the gifted began to file through the portal, Tania ran over and hugged me.

“I’ll see you in six days, my friend,” Tania said. “Until then,

stand strong. It will work, I know it will.”
“It has to,” I replied. “And you, try not to be too excited.”

Tania laughed as she ran through the portal. After the last of the eleven visitors left, I turned to Johna.

“I always wondered why there weren’t any herbs hanging on that wall. I thought it had something to do with humidity.”

“Things are not always as they seem, child.” Johna laughed.

“I didn’t know that anyone could do that,” Mark said. “Read Reychel’s mind and create a portal, I mean.”

“Most of us can’t do anything that grand,” Johna said. “Nemison is very strong. Reychel will probably equal if not surpass him.”

She stared at Mark.

“Drop those walls. I want to see how gifted you are,” Johna demanded.

Mark sighed and looked Johna in the eyes. He blinked and I saw the spark appear.

“You are very strong too,” she said. “Very strong.”

“I’m more interested in the strength of my body and my steel,” Mark said.