by Talia Haze
Father reached me and gently gripped my shoulders. I trembled back as he cautiously reached for the grip of gold with the iron rod. The stone eyes of the mage glinted and shifted towards my father.
Angel was instantly by my side when I screamed. The mage began to rock and shake violently, and the shape of the Xri glowed brightly. The sound of the soldier’s chanting echoed in my ears. The smaller black stones that were once the mage’s army also began to shake. I trembled to the ground and covered my ears as their chanting grew louder. It was just like inside the cave. The mage’s unrecognizable shape shifting in the darkness. The screams of his victims. It all made so much sense. Father grabbed the hand with the iron rod and quickly fell back, watching.
“Get away from him!” Stony’s voice seemed far off. I hadn’t come to my senses yet, but I didn’t have to; Angel pulled me away quickly. As we backed up, the Xri slowly stopped glowing and the stones slowly stopped shaking. “We are fools...Gabriella …” Stony talked more to himself than us. “We should have known all along….”
“Zairae.” Father voice finally broke the silence. He had to repeat himself; Stony couldn’t take his eyes off the black stone of the mage. “Zairae! It doesn’t work.”
Stony’s face didn’t relent, and he turned to Father. I turned back to the mage. I knew it wouldn’t work. It couldn’t have worked. The Xri was a source of power. Without it, none of the hosts, including the grip of gold, would work.
“The Mage has the Xri,” Stony said, weakly. “He must have been caught unawares and the power of the Xri is keeping him alive…”
“Alive?” everyone repeated. Father shook him.
“Zairae, is he the…?”
“No, no, he is not. But he cannot die…at least that is what he would always claim. We must stay away from him. Look, he does not move now that you are away. When you were close, he shook. The power of the Xri must be reacting with your powers as fairies.”
“Zairae.” Father’s face was grave. “This hand will not work without the Xri. Maybe, if I am quick…perhaps all I have to do is…”
“And what price are you willing to pay?” Stony yelled, pushing Father. “Maybe, Renard, this is a treasure that you simply cannot have.” Stony spun on his heels back towards the hall.
Father nodded solemnly, and after giving Mother a quick look, tucked the hand anyway into his bag. I gave another look back at the Mage. He was trapped in stone again, but his eyes glistened dangerously, like the glass of a chandelier. I turned to follow the others, but they had stopped.
Divah stood before us, a huge troop of men over his shoulder. Angel quickly armed, as did Kyle.
“Beat me to the prize yet again, Renard?” He looked over Father’s shoulder and his face grimed. “Or has the mage beaten us both?
“The latter, Divah,” Father replied simply. Divah’s eyes traveled to my face, but I quickly hung my head. Why did he always stare at me so? After another tense moment, he spoke again.
“Perhaps I shall seek a new prize,” he said. Stony started. “The Xri is the power source behind all of these greats. Perhaps that will suffice.”
“You cannot take it, Divah-Ian!” Stony stomped before him. “If even you are to get close, the mage will awaken!”
Divah just smirked. His men had been making their way around us, surrounding us in a tight circle. Angel spun her blades once in her hand and the ones closest to her jumped away.
“We’ll see about that.”
Divah took a slow, mocking step towards the mage, and another. The chanting resumed once more, and the mage begin to shake. I held my hands over my ears.
“This is not a game, Divah!” Father shouted. He was answered by another smirk. Stony fired a blue ball at his feet, and soon everyone aimed some sort of weapon. The men that surrounded us attacked. Angel was swift, but there were so many. I crumpled to the ground and covered my ears as the mage’s army’s chants and the screams of thousands of his victims echoed in my ears. I couldn’t block it out. Divah paused, staring at me and trying to figure out what was going on.
“Zairae!”
I looked up at Kyle’s voice. He stood above me and held his hand out to one of the white jars.
“No, Kyle!”
Our family lunged towards us, turning their backs on their opponents. Once everyone was close to him, Kyle flashed Stony a smirk. Divah turned to see what he was looking at and cried out as Kyle’s hand disappeared in blue light.
“Now, Zairae!”
Everything seemed to slow and silence. Stony’s eyes flashed white. Father yelled. Divah kneeled, crossing his arms above his head. The men leaned back and laughed at those running away.
“Get down!”
The sound returned. At Stony’s command, everyone dropped. Kyle’s ball of power flew towards the jar and a white dome shield appeared around us. The jar tilted and swayed dangerously before crashing to the floor. Everything stilled. The silver and gold that the jar contained slowly formed a dense, black smoke that crept into the air like a feathery banner. The men were unsure what to do; it was so entrancing. It danced high into the air and hovered about.
Suddenly, it broke into veins and flew back down at the men. The resulting panic was a terror. The black smoke seemed alive. It chased the men as they fled around in mayhem. Whenever the smoke passed around one, he would turn into a black stone.
Connie covered her eyes. The sound was only slightly muffled. The smoke would grab its victim with a low hiss. They tried to run for the entrance, but it was too far, and the smoke was too quick. Others ran loudly into the shield, holding their hands up before turning into stone.
Stony’s eyes blazed white, and his face strained, but the shield held tight. The smoke crawled up the shield, like fingers tapping. It couldn’t get through. After a few tense moments, it moved on. The smoke scattered through Divah’s army. Soon, all the of men were nothing more than black stones. The smoke came together once more and after waving like a flag, it disappeared.
I started when Stony released the shield, but it was over. Stony’s eyes returned to normal. Everything was so quiet. Father turned to me, studying my panicked face.
“Do you hear anything?” he asked. Nothing. I shook my head. “Then let’s leave this place.”
We followed Father quickly through the halls. He seemed lost in thought, not even looking at Mother as she grabbed his hand. We quickly climbed up the stairs and into the desert’s evening light.
“You are a fool…”
Father started and stared back into the hole. Divah slowly crawled up the stairs. He wasn’t nearly as strong as Stony; the shield he made to protect himself weakened him immensely. Kyle held his hand out, but Father pushed his arm back to his side.
“Renard…?”
“You are the fool, Divah,” Father retorted. “You would have killed us all…entire kingdoms destroyed in the wake of your recklessness. The Xri must be left alone.”
Divah collapsed before my father, breathing heavily on the white sand. “Then, we both lose.”
Chapter Eight
Aléni, Moura
“And Divah’s Tralin Shea was no more!”
Kyle gave Divah a hard shove, pushing him into the cell. It took only a few days to return to the kingdom of Hue where we first met our parents, and we immediately handed Divah over to its guard.
“Thank you, Renard,” the captain of the guard said, shaking Father’s hand as his lackey turned the key. “The grillshed has nearly arrived, as the king has assented to your gracious request. His punishment will be life in captivity, rather than death.”
Angel spun on her heels and stalked away while Father nodded solemnly in reply. I brushed the hair out of my eyes. Father certainly was merciful. I didn’t agree. I didn’t understand, but I did trust. And I admired.
“What’s a grillshed?” Ryan asked.
“It’s almost like a wooden cell,” Father explained. “It disables our power, and so it cannot be broken out of. He will be safe, and so w
ill all who guard him.” Father looked inside once more. Divah seemed almost a different man; his capture completely stripped him of his pride and remarks. He hadn’t said a word the entire trip, and coolly returned Father’s stare.
Father walked to Stony, who stood down the road a few paces away. I hoped we would reach Lavenora before it got too late. I didn’t want to stay in Hue. The bitter grudge held by its people against my parents was nearly too much. I hated the stares.
“It was a pleasure, Gabriella.”
I jumped. Divah leaned on the door, just the top portion of his face visible through the tiny window. “You did very well. Your father is proud.”
I didn’t know how to respond. I quickly spun away, standing with my back to him. He huffed.
“Do not be angry with me, Gabriella. I cannot bear it. Your mother and sister would take my head if Renard ever turned his back. I couldn’t bear it if you hated me too.” He paused briefly, and I finally turned to him.
I didn’t know what to think of him. He certainly was an interesting character. I felt so torn between hate and pity. Divah could read it and smiled. “You are but a child. You do not know the insult your mother has given me…you cannot understand how Nee Gus’ words cut me.” He took a deep breath. “Still. I apologize for committing such an act in your presence. I didn’t realize how near you were. I never intended you to watch such a terrible event.”
He apologized?
“It shouldn’t matter who was watching,” I responded. I felt so uncomfortable. He seemed so kind. Would he have spared Nee Gus if we had not left yet? Certainly not Depash; the Inzi would have fought to the death. Was he my enemy or my father’s? Or was it the same? Father certainly held him in some kind of regard. Should I?
“Gab.”
I looked up. Only Father called me that.
“Do not fret over this. Your loyalties must lie with your father. They should.” We both looked up when Father called. “Go. Your family awaits. Again, it was a pleasure to finally meet you.”
I did as I was told, almost running into the captain of the guard’s lackey. He averted his eyes quickly and pushed past me in a rush. I had become more observant in the past several months…the lackey held a small burlap bag in his hand. Money…?
I spun back to Divah who smiled and put his finger to his lips. “Scurry off, Gabriella,” he whispered.
I ran to catch up to the others. Only Ryan turned to me as I approached, studying my face before looking back towards the lackey.
“Well, Gab, shall you give your father amnesty?” Father asked with a smile. I smiled broadly and nodded. “Good. Your Arohna doesn’t think too highly of me. I certainly need your pardon to freely enter Lavenora.” He jumped upon the horse and pulled the reins. “Come! We will reach the kingdom in a few hours.”
~
“I didn’t realize how much I’d miss this place!” I exclaimed. We reached Lavenora with still several hours of daylight left. We made a brief stop in the dragon kingdom of Thelathini, Father flattering the queen and selling a few pieces that Kyle found in Midas’ old kingdom. From there, it took only an hour to reach the outskirts of the forest.
I took a deep breath. Everything smelled so good. The trees, the dark brush and damp air…I breathed in again. Lindius didn’t turn. I almost didn’t want to return to the game. Especially since I knew what had happened to the kingdom. Was it not disrespectful to play in the ruins? I wondered if I would run into the king. Perhaps not. We didn’t disturb the mage; the king and all the others could finally rest.
I turned back to Lindius. He had been unusually quiet ever since I had returned. He could feel me watching and turned. “What is the matter, Moura?” he asked.
I was slightly taken aback. “I was going to ask you the same,” I stuttered. Something felt so wrong…but I didn’t know what. Lindius didn’t seem inclined to answer me; we went several paces more before he turned.
“You left.”
I didn’t respond. Was he still concerned by that? Of course I left. Did I ever give any hint that I wouldn’t? And I returned. I found my parents, and I returned, just as planned. What did he assume?
“I fell in love with you,” he continued, gently. My heart stopped. I lost my breath. My balance wavered, but only momentarily. His words filled me with so much delight…but why did they also fill me with dread?
“I knew who you were,” he said, looking off. “I found out when I tried to visit you the morning after we played together. I just thought…I thought I would be kind to you and become the Moura’s favorite companion but…but I fell in love with you.”
Why did he say that as if it were a bad thing? Did he not mean to?
“You do not know how you made me feel. And you left. You left me.”
My words returned in a whisper. “You don’t know how you made me feel,” I replied. “You could have come with me…you should have.”
“I suppose,” Lindius answered, finally turning away from me and continuing on. “I guess it really does not matter now though, does it?”
I stopped in shock. He never sounded so cold. Why didn’t it matter? “What do you mean it doesn’t matter now?” I chased after him. I demanded an answer…I feared an answer. My heart pounded with confusion and anger and sorrow and wasted hope. “Why would you say that?”
“Lindius?”
A girl’s voice. An elf with dark brown hair in a huge yellow bow came running from the woods. “Oh, you did bring the Moura! Alé, Moura!” she greeted upon seeing me. “Welcome home! Lindius said he would bring you again to our game! Let us hope you win again; I have never seen Benjii so angry before!”
I nodded slowly. Everything had been so strange, but now, I didn’t even know what was going on. Lindius’ eyes fixed on mine. Her back was to him; she didn’t see his stare and continued to talk with me. I couldn’t hear her. I didn’t see her. Only Lindius, whose eyes traveled to her before locking back on mine. I didn’t get the hint; he had to do it a couple of times. Did he just…?
“You must tell us of your adventure, Moura.” The girl had gently grabbed my hand, pulling me back to reality. I nodded, choking back my sobs. I couldn’t just start crying before them. How embarrassing it would be…how embarrassed I already was.
I forced a smile and looked into her lovely yellow eyes. “I certainly will,” I said in a voice unknown to me. “I cannot play right now, however. I am weary from the journey.”
She nodded and patted my chin. Lindius looked down at the ground. “Of course! Thank you for taking the time to talk to me! I will not delay you any longer.”
She was so friendly…so nice and kind. No wonder he liked her more. I quickly spun around and walked. My face felt hot and my stomach knotted. Tears streamed down my face despite my best efforts to stop them. I had never felt so humiliated before. Why did he punish me in such a manner? Was he really that upset with me?
“Aléni, Moura!” the girl called. “Lindius, why does she go by herself? Are you not her companion?”
Companion. That was all he ever was to me. His words kept replaying in my mind. He only wanted to be my consort to gain status, and became angry when I left. Love? He didn’t love me. He never loved me. He had her…and probably all along. Ryan was right. And I felt horrible.
I didn’t know where I was going; certainly, I had already passed the House of the Arohna. I just ran, only stopping when I couldn’t go any further.
The lake was the last place I wanted to go. But the beauty of it overpowered the bitter memory of the last time I stood on its shore. The soft laps of the water hitting the sand, and the cool breeze at least calmed my hysterics. I climbed on the biggest rock and buried my head in my lap. I needed more air. Gasp as I might, the pain wouldn’t stop. Now, I understood. I wanted my sister.
He said he fell in love with me. Did he? What was love? Ryan had a plain enough standard for it...and Lindius certainly didn’t meet that. So, did he ever love me? I supposed not. He also said he didn’t even want to.
<
br /> What did that mean? Why wouldn’t he want to? What was wrong with me? Was it because I wasn’t an elf? Was it because I looked so plain and thin? How I behaved? How easily I trusted? Why didn’t he want to…?
Perhaps, I just wasn’t good enough for him.
Good enough.
I wasn’t as interesting as Angel. I didn’t behave as perfectly as Connie. I didn’t have a smile like Saramine. I wasn’t as clever as Divah. I didn’t know the histories like Stony, I couldn’t fight like Kyle, and I wasn’t as pretty as Mother. I just…wasn’t.
No, Gabriella. No. He doesn’t get that. He doesn’t get to make me feel like that. Not him, not Uncle Harrison, not anyone. I was good enough. I looked up and took a deep breath. I was good enough for the Arohna. I was good enough for Sean and Ryan. I was good enough for Father. Lindius just wasn’t good enough for me.
I wished I could believe it right then.
“Apparently, I am nothing more than a page boy, then.”
Ryan’s voice. Leaves crunched louder as he neared. “Your father and Arohna are asking for you and I told them I’d find you two…here.”
I already felt so humiliated. I couldn’t face him. Not him. Not now. I jumped from the rock and darted past him. He was right, he was right…
He grabbed my skirt before I could get away and used it to pull me into his arms. “Gabby!”
I couldn’t say anything; just sob…sob like I was two again. He let out a long breath and rested his chin on my head. “What happened, Gabby?”
“I don’t know.” My mouth tensed as I tried to hold back my tears. I was good enough. He wasn’t worth my tears. Still, I couldn’t stop. I couldn’t help it. “You were right. You were right all along.”
Ryan’s grip on me tightened. “I hate that I am,” he muttered. “And I hate him.”
I couldn’t answer him. It must have been how Angel felt…only a hundred times worse. I couldn’t bear to think of it any worse. My heart pounded relentlessly against my chest, and tightened and seized. I was such a fool. How could I let myself fall for him? Why didn’t I just trust Ryan? Why didn’t I believe him?
