The Lord of the Plains

by Sarah Chapman

Chapter 75

  Vann and Messenger were gone and she was alone by her tent. The night was cool, but not cool enough for a fire.

  She heard the crunch of grass beneath boots.

  ‘You were right.’ she said as Aerlid sat down beside her.

  ‘I’m sorry, Riley. You couldn’t have known, it’s not your fault.’

  She shook her head. ‘Let’s not talk about it anymore.’

  ‘This isn’t such a bad thing. If you two kept making goo goo eyes at each other, no one would have believed him if he’d said you weren’t planning on invading.’

  ‘Goo-goo…?’

  ‘Yes.’ he said firmly.

  It was hard but she thought about what Aerlid said. And he was probably right. She sighed, let out a breath. ‘Alright. You’re right, it’s better this way.’ That didn’t help how much it hurt inside though.

  Aerlid was silent.

  ‘Aerlid,’ she said as she forced her mind from Vann. ‘I don’t want the valkar city to come here while the humans are here.’

  ‘Why do you say that?’ his voice was carefully neutral.

  ‘There’s too much going on right now. I don’t want them to panic and do something stupid. I think it’s safer if the city stays away.’

  ‘So you admit then, that humans are violent and untrustworthy?’

  Riley sighed in annoyance. ‘I’m just being careful, Aerlid. Take it that way if you like. But I need you to behave politely around the Astarians.’

  ‘Do you have some complaint about my behaviour?’ he asked stiffly.

  ‘No, Aerlid.’ she relented. ‘You have been good. I’d like it if you would keep that up.’

  ‘Alright.’

  He was offended, she could tell. She didn’t know what to say to assuage him, and really she wasn’t in the mood. So instead she just said goodnight and entered her tent.

  The next morning while Aerlid was with the humans Riley was with her gemengs and Karesh.

  They were looking at her intently, waiting for her command. They were being unusually cooperative.

  ‘Karesh, Gakra, you are going to lead two groups towards the mountains and start preparing.’ She wasn’t sure Gakra would respond well to the authority of anyone but her, so she had given him command of his own group.

  Gakra nodded curtly. ‘We will.’

  Riley looked at him. No complaints? No comments? ‘You’re being very helpful today, Gakra.’ she cast her eyes over the assembled group. ‘You all are.’

  Gakra bared his teeth in a grin. ‘Ah! I can be difficult, as you put it, if you like!’

  ‘Oh no, I’m not complaining.’ she smiled. ‘Just curious.’

  Gakra’s gaze went past her then, off in the direction of the humans. ‘You are concerned with them. They are strong. But you will keep us safe from them.’ he said seriously. He smiled. ‘If we aren’t difficult.’

  Riley opened her mouth and then quickly smiled. They might have thought she was crazy, but they trusted her when it came to fighting. Finally. That they had picked up on her concern about the humans was not really that surprising. Gemengs were good at reading the moods of their masters. ‘I’m glad you see it that way, Gakra.’ she turned her attention back to the entire group. ‘You all know what to do?’

  When they agreed she dismissed them. Messenger might be upset Karesh was gone, but she did have other things to think about than the humans. She would stay with the humans with a smaller group of gemengs while Gakra and Karesh prepared and set up the caves.

  Things would get much simpler when the humans finally left.

  ‘Part of the tribe left this morning.’ Mr Briggs was saying sternly.

  ‘Yes.’ Riley replied calmly. Once again she and the three humans were sitting in camp chairs near the trucks. ‘It’s easier to hunt when the tribe isn’t all together. Rarely do I keep them all in one place.’

  ‘I see.’

  Riley could practically see the wheels in his head turning. If they weren’t all here, how could they know how many she had under her control? Riley smiled reassuringly. ‘It’s nothing to concern yourself with, Commander. I need to feed my people, that’s all.’

  ‘Of course.’

  ‘Soon I will have to move as well, the hunting is not so good when you stay in one place too long. But you are welcome to follow.’

  ‘We might just do that.’

  ‘I will give you warning then, before we go. So you can prepare.’

  ‘Thank you.’

  ‘I admit, I’m at a loss as to what to show you tomorrow. Do you have any suggestions?’

  ‘I’d like to continue learning Plains speech with Aerlid.’ Messenger said. ‘I can learn a lot just by walking around a place and listening.’

  ‘Certainly.’ Riley replied with a smile. It was almost painful to turn to look at Vann. She turned and found his grey eyes locked on her. Why was it he was good enough for her but she wasn’t enough for him? She struggled to keep her thoughts on business. Every moment near him was painful. ‘I don’t know what else I can tell you about my intentions. What would you like to do?’

  ‘I have some questions.’ he answered calmly.

  ‘Alright. I’ll see you all tomorrow.’ and with that she stood and let herself be escorted from the camp.

  When Messenger went with a grim looking Aerlid the next day, Vann went with Riley. They did not talk by her tent as before. He walked with her around the tribe as she did whatever it was she did. She spoke to the gemengs in Plains speech. Vann didn’t know nearly enough yet to figure out what she was saying.

  ‘Riley,’ he finally said, after they’d been walking for hours. She answered his questions in a businesslike way. The ease with which they had talked before was gone. He stopped, forcing her to stop and look at him.

  ‘I’m sorry I hurt you, but please, can we be friends?’

  There was a flash of something in her eyes.

  She looked at him for what felt like a long while.

  ‘Yes, of course. We can be friends.’

  It wasn’t going to be that easy of course. You couldn’t just ask to be someone’s friend and magically fix everything that had gone before. But she had accepted. So it was a start.

  He started walking again, at a slower pace. She followed and at least she matched her pace to his. ‘Can you tell me what you’ve been doing this morning?’

  ‘Oh. Just making sure everything’s all right.’

  He looked at her.

  ‘It’s not very interesting, Vann. It’s got nothing to do with you or Astar.’

  His gaze didn’t waver.

  ‘Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you when you get bored.’

  Riley had set up a command structure, so what she was in essence doing was making sure it was working and smoothing out any problems that arose. He found it interesting however. Why this way, and not another? What problems had she had? In fact her success, the beginnings of making her vision a reality fascinated him. She was surprised at his interest. Slowly she started to relax. It wasn’t like before, but it was something.

  Later that afternoon they were walking back towards Riley’s tent. He spotted Aerlid there talking to a woman.

  Vann stopped.

  Riley stopped too and looked at him curiously. Vann wasn’t paying any attention to her.

  That woman… she was like the sun. Glorious, blazing… suddenly he turned to Riley.

  ‘It’s like you!’ he nearly shouted. ‘This is how I felt about you!’ Vann’s eyes travelled over Riley’s face. Human. She looked human. But this was exactly how he’d felt when he saw her.

  Aerlid and the woman were looking at them now. Aerlid began approaching.

  Vann glanced back. Startled, he shook his head. The feeling was gone. The woman looked like any other woman he had seen in Coastside. But he could remember what she was before.

  ‘Why is Adila here?’ Riley was saying to Aerlid.

  ‘I told her about the city.’ he fixed his eyes on Vann.

&n
bsp; ‘What happened?’ Vann demanded. Adila, that was her name, was walking away.

  ‘Adila is used to humans obsessing over her. She knows how to handle it.’ Aerlid gave Riley a meaningful look.

  ‘I don’t understand.’

  ‘She’s a valkar. You have an obsession with valkar women. She’s changed herself now so she looks human.’

  Vann looked from Riley to Aerlid and back again.

  ‘I’m part valkar.’ Riley said softly. ‘Aerlid did something, so I look human to you.’

  ‘But I don’t remember,’ Vann said, ‘how come I can’t remember what you look like?’ Adila’s magnificence had shrunk into that of a tanned, beautiful, blonde haired woman. What had Riley been before? What had that black hair looked like? What had been within those green eyes?

  ‘I took the memory from you.’ Aerlid said. ‘Sometimes a memory alone is enough to unhinge a human.’

  Vann glared at Aerlid but it faded quickly. It was difficult to be mad at him when he had in fact saved him from something close to madness. ‘How come you didn’t tell me?’ he said to Riley.

  ‘I- I didn’t think of it.’ she said.

  He gazed back towards the direction Adila had taken. Aerlid was right, the memory was so tantalizing.

  ‘Adila has no interest in humans.’ Aerlid snapped. ‘I suggest you stay away from her.’

  Riley shot a glare at Aerlid. Then she took Vann’s hand. ‘Come, I think you need a rest.’ He looked so confused and crushed and angry at the same time.

  He followed her wordlessly.

  Riley took him away from the tribe, out into the plains. The smells and sounds of the tribe faded behind. She stopped by a small stream.

  ‘Sit down.’ Riley said gently. Vann obeyed, sitting by the edge of the stream.

  He sat and put his head in his hands. ‘What’s wrong with me?’ he mumbled. ‘I wasn’t myself with you. Looking at her made me feel the same… I don’t… I don’t want to feel as if…’

  ‘It’s alright, Vann. It’s going to be ok.’

  He looked up suddenly, his grey eyes wide. ‘I don’t want to lose myself like that, Riley. I don’t like it, it’s scary. But at the same time I don’t care.’

  ’Vann,’ she had never considered how he would feel about the effect the valkar had on him. She was sorry then, very sorry. ‘Vann, maybe now that you know, you can try and resist it.’

  He sighed and nodded. ‘Yeah. Yes. Everyone thought I’d gone crazy over you. No, you’re right though. Now I know they’re right… I just need to deal with it.’

  ‘You’re not likely to run into any other valkar anyway, so maybe this won’t happen again.’

  He breathed out heavily. ‘She’s so… glorious. Riley, what do you look like?’ he gazed at her intently, a shadow of the way he had looked at her before.

  ‘I don’t know.’ she shrugged. ‘But you don’t want to know.’

  ‘You’re right.’ He closed his eyes and shook his head. ‘You’re right. I just have to deal with this.’ He looked up then and around. ‘Where are we?’

  ‘In the plains. I like to come out here sometimes, where no one else is around. There are cats out here.’ she smiled then. ‘Not as big as the mountain cats though.’

  He stood and brushed off his pants. It was peaceful, compared to the campsite. In a way, it reminded him of the side beach. ‘I guess you know this place pretty well.’

  She nodded. ‘I do. At first it all seemed the same, I’d never been to a place like this before. But as I spent more time here I’ve gotten to know it.’ she grinned, her eyes twinkling. ‘I still prefer forests, but I like it here too.’

  To Vann it did all look the same. ‘Well, if I’m going to be here long maybe you can point some things out.’

  ‘Really? I can show you how to hunt!’ she said suddenly. ‘And to climb- but there are no trees. I could take you to the forest, climbing is a very important skill.’

  Vann tried to say something but Riley kept going. She was very excited, telling him all the things he needed to know. ‘You’re very delicate, Vann.’ she was saying, ‘so I can’t show you how to fight, but I really should show you how to hide, in case you get in trouble. And to not be so loud.’

  ‘I’m not loud.’

  ‘You’re very loud. You leave a path as obvious as a… as something obvious wherever you go. It would be easy to track you.’

  Her sudden pleasure relaxed Vann. So he let her continue, let her take his mind off the valkar. He didn’t think he would mind letting Riley teach him to be sneakier.

  The next day was blessedly normal. Messenger went with Aerlid to learn Plains speech and to get an idea of what the tribe was like without Riley looking over his shoulder. Vann went with Riley and learnt how she spent her days. She also took some time out of her schedule to lead him into the plains. And he got his first lesson in how to move properly through the grasses.

  He didn’t know how she did it, but Riley could move through the grasses without leaving broken stems or swaying grasses behind her. She left no sign she had passed.

  Riley was not really the best teacher. An awful lot of her advice was, ‘stop doing it that way and do it the way I showed you.’

  And Vann would reply, ‘I am doing it the way you showed me!’

  ‘No.’ she would say with infuriating calm, ‘if you were, you wouldn’t have left such a big trail to follow.’

  He would be reduced to incoherent cries. And Riley would, as if she wasn’t the most unreasonable teacher in the entire universe, show him again how it was done.

  At least after he got something wrong she would explain more slowly what he was to do.

  ‘How on earth,’ he said once they were heading back to the human camp, ‘did you manage to teach the gemengs anything?!’

  Riley glanced at him. ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Riley, you’re the worst teacher I’ve ever had!’

  Riley stopped. Vann suddenly had a bad feeling he’d hurt her feelings.

  She frowned at him. ‘No.’ she said finally. ‘You’re just not very good. Gemengs listen better than you do.’

  His momentary concern over her feelings vanished. ‘You can’t blame the student!’

  ‘But what if the student’s bad? It’s ok Vann, I’m very patient.’ and she smiled. ‘I won’t give up!’

  There was really no talking to this woman!

  When they reached the campsite they ran into Messenger and Aerlid. Aerlid took one look at his face and asked, ‘what did she do?’

  ‘I was teaching him to move through the grasses without leaving a trail!’ Riley said proudly.

  Aerlid sighed and looked on Vann with pity. ‘Riley, remember that discussion we had about teaching fighting?’

  Riley nodded.

  ‘Well, everything else is the same. You can’t just tell someone to stop doing it wrong and do it properly.’

  ‘But I showed him how.’

  ‘Do you remember when we first got to the grasses?’

  ‘Yes.’ she said, almost indignantly, ‘but I figured it out myself. I’m helping Vann. It should be easier.’

  ‘Yes, but not if he’s too busy wishing he could strangle you.’

  Riley was taken aback.

  Vann said nothing. The thought had crossed his mind.

  ‘And you remember when I taught you how to hunt, and at first you couldn’t do it?’

  ‘No.’ she said flatly. ‘I don’t remember.’

  Aerlid, who was about to say something, shut his mouth. Then he tried a different tactic. ‘Ok, you remember how you taught the gemengs?’

  ‘Yes.’

  ‘Well, do that. Pretend he’s very, very slow and stupid and has no idea what you’re talking about and thinks what you’re trying to teach him is pointless.’

  Vann heard Riley mutter something under her breath that sounded very much like ‘that won’t be hard.’

  ‘What was that?’ he said.

  ‘Nothing.’ Riley smiled at hi
m.

  ‘You’re maddening!’

  ‘No, I’m not.’ Riley replied calmly and smiled. ‘Come on, Messenger. Mr Briggs is waiting for you.’ She started walking towards the campsite with Messenger.

  ‘You get used to it. Eventually.’ Aerlid said as he watched them walk off.

  ‘You must have an amazing amount of patience, Aerlid.’ Vann said, watching them.

  ‘It’s either that, or go crazy.’

  Vann followed after them. Really, he didn’t mind that much though. The back and forth without worrying about rejection was nice in a way. He felt like they were actually friends.

  Aerlid spent the next morning with Vann and Messenger while Riley spent the morning helping with the gemeng’s training. Around midday he led them back towards her tent.

  As he approached her tent he heard something he hadn’t expected; an angry valkar voice. The tent came into view. Rose was there, berating a disgruntled looking Riley. Berating was perhaps too soft a word. He thought he had a good idea what Rose was so upset about. It was likely a combination of him talking to Adila and not her as well as an ‘I told you so’ about having the valkar walk on the ground in a populated area. His gaze lingered on Rose. She was truly lovely. No one who looked at her could deny it. Who could honestly look at a rose and not acknowledge its beauty? But her beauty was softer than Adila’s. Adila was a magnificent, glorious blaze. She was the sun. Adila would never be described as ‘lovely’.

  Aerlid then remembered Vann. He glanced at his face- the man was already enraptured with Rose.

  Riley looked over at them. She caught sight of Vann. Then she turned to Rose. Whatever she said just enraged the Judgement Master further.

  Rose spun on her heel and began stalking over to them. Riley chased after her, alarmed.

  ‘She’s lovely…’ Messenger said. Aerlid glanced at him, worried. He saw admiration, but it wasn’t the same as with Vann. Aerlid relaxed slightly.

  ‘Rose, stop!’ Riley was calling.

  The Judgement Master ignored her. She stormed right up to them. Then she declared, her eyes on Riley, ‘I will not change myself for a human.’ Then she looked at Vann. ‘Why is he looking at me like that?’ she demanded.

  ‘You’re beautiful.’ he said.

  Surprised, Rose said nothing.

  ‘Rose.’ Aerlid began as he gave Riley a warning look. ‘Vann here has an obsession with valkar women. He says that to all of them.’

  Riley moved around Rose and grabbed Vann’s arm. ‘I need to take him away from her, Aerlid, if she won’t change.’

  ‘Wait.’ Vann said, as Riley made a move to start dragging him away. His eyes were on Rose.

  ‘Yes.’ Rose agreed. ‘I think I’d like to talk to him.’

  ‘What? Rose, he does this with all the valkar. It’s not… not real!’ she said, using Aerlid’s words. ‘I need to get him away.’

  ‘Wait,’ Vann said more forcefully. ‘Let me talk with her, please, Riley.’

  ‘Vann, you remember what you said to me? How you didn’t want to feel this way? If I’m your friend, I can’t leave you here with her.’

  ‘She wants to talk to me.’ he said, in awe.

  ‘Let me explain things to Rose.’ Aerlid said. ‘Come,’ he said to the Judgement Master and began walking some distance away. Rose gave him a cool look. She turned to Riley and said, ‘I expect him to be here when I come back.’

  Riley glared at her.

  Rose ignored the look and turned and followed Aerlid.

  ‘What’s going on?’ Messenger asked.

  Riley had forgotten about him. ‘Oh.’ she wasn’t sure what to say. But he had already heard enough that anything other than the truth might not be believable.

  ‘Riley,’ Vann was saying. ‘It’s ok. I’m ok. I have lots of… you’ve met all the women I’ve been with, this wouldn’t be unusual for me.’

  ‘Vann, go sit over there. If you move, I will be very upset. Alright?’ Riley commanded, pointing away from Rose.

  Vann hesitated. Then he obeyed.

  Riley sighed and looked at Messenger. ‘Aerlid says some humans get obsessed with the valkar. Vann is one of those.’

  ‘Oh.’ Messenger said, his eyebrows rising. ‘I see.’ he looked over to Vann.

  ‘Valkar can change how they look, make themselves appear human. It’s helped him before but Rose…’

  ‘I understand. I don’t think they enjoy changing their appearance. Hmm,’ he looked over at Rose. ‘She is very lovely… honestly if she wanted to talk to me I wouldn’t say no.’

  ‘Yes, but Vann gets… what Vann feels is a bit more, I think. He told me he doesn’t like it so I… I feel I would let him down if I just let him go off with her.’

  ‘I see that. But he is a Coastsider. So it wouldn’t be all that unusual… ’

  ‘Can you keep an eye on Vann?’ Riley asked. Her eyes were on Rose. She did not like the expression on her face.

  ‘Of course.’

  Riley quickly strode over to Rose and Aerlid. The unhappiness she had felt at Vann’s disinterest in her was gone. She saw now his interest had never had anything to do with her. And the distress it caused him was enough that she felt she would have wronged him to hold it against him anymore. All she felt now was the lingering pain of caring for someone who had never cared for you. And she was going to explain that to Rose.

  ‘Rose.’ Riley said. ‘Aerlid has explained everything?’

  ‘He has. I can assure you, I will not harm him.’

  ‘Not harm him? Letting this continue is harming him!’

  ‘No. If I used his feelings to say… make him betray his home, that would harm him. But merely to enjoy his company? That won’t harm him. In fact, I think he’d be very happy with it.’

  ‘Enjoy his company?!’ Riley demanded, her voice rising. ‘You don’t like humans! And he told me he doesn’t like this feeling, so it would harm him!’

  ‘It is not for you to say who I like or dislike!’ Rose yelled back. ‘And he does not need you to make his decisions for him!’

  ‘Children, stop fighting.’ Aerlid said calmly, stepping between the two, his hands held up.

  Two sets of angry eyes were suddenly fixed on Aerlid.

  ‘Clearly, you two are not going to agree. I suggest Adila judge Vann and determine what he wants.’

  ‘Adila!’ Rose exclaimed. ‘I am the Judgement Master!’

  ‘Yes, and you are also involved in the problem. Do judges often judge problems involving themselves?’

  Rose closed her mouth and frowned at Aerlid in a way that was quite disconcerting.

  ‘Riley,’ Aerlid said. ‘Will you accept Adila’s judgement?’

  Riley glared at Rose and crossed her arms. ‘Aerlid, why don’t you just make Vann see Rose as human. And then he can tell us what he wants.’

  Rose’s eyes flared with anger. Riley responded in kind and Aerlid had to step between them again.

  ‘I can’t.’ he said. ‘It’s very bad manners to change how someone sees a person without their permission.’

  ‘Bad manners!’ Riley exclaimed.

  ‘Riley, Adila will be able to determine what he wants, just as well as me making Rose look human.’

  Riley glared at Rose, who glared right back.

  ‘Why not, Rose? Are you afraid he’ll say no?’ Riley bit out.

  Rose drew herself up haughtily, her voice trembled in anger. ‘I am the Judgement Master. I change myself for no one!’

  Aerlid sighed. ‘Riley, will you accept Adila’s judgement?’

  She glanced at Aerlid. ‘Very well.’ the look she shot Rose was venomous.

  ‘Alright. Now if you two would just step back.’ He waited til they complied. ‘Excellent. Now I will summon Adila. And I’d like it if you two didn’t get into another fight while I do.’

  Adila arrived within half an hour. Riley and Rose spent that time glaring at each other from across the campsite.

  When she arrived she first talked with Rose.
Rose did not seem pleased, her back was stiff, her frown ever present. It did not take long though until Adila stood and approached Riley.

  ‘Why don’t we go somewhere more private?’ Adila suggested.

  Riley nodded and stood. They walked until they could no longer see Rose or Vann.

  ‘Why is she interested in him?!’ Riley exploded as soon as they were out of earshot.

  Adila smiled. ‘For a Judgement Master, there are few suitable partners among the valkar. Nor do valkar often call each other beautiful. In fact, this is probably the first time anyone has expressed any romantic interest in her.’

  Riley couldn’t keep her surprise from her face.

  ‘I think you will have the same problem with the gemengs.’

  Riley didn’t reply.

  ‘So it’s not so strange. A valkar taking a human lover is uncommon, but not unheard of.’

  ‘Lover?’ Riley exclaimed. ‘I thought she just wanted to spend some time with him!’

  ‘Oh dear.’ Adila sighed. ‘Even that you don’t want to allow?’

  ‘Adila, I spent some time in his home. Even that was enough to make him… he told me his friends all thought he was crazy. And now that I seem human to him, he agrees. He told me he didn’t like this feeling, that he needed to fight it. So how can I just let her.. I can’t just let her take him away.’

  ‘I understand. You’re concerned about your friend. But I think you need to give Rose more credit. If I judge that this is what Vann wants, I can tell you Rose won’t hurt him.’

  Riley, morosely, nodded. ‘I guess I need to trust you. I just.. I don’t know what’s right for him.’ Riley wished then that Lillia was here. Riley really hadn’t spent much time with Vann at all (time when he was obsessed with her didn’t count)- she didn’t know him that well. Lillia had known him for years. She would know whether to step back or to keep Rose away.

  Adila smiled and touched her arm. ‘Rose understands he feels this way for all valkar. Even myself. If I let this happen, she won’t be taking Vann anywhere. He’ll be ok.’

  Riley sighed. ‘Ok. Well, let’s go find out what he wants.’

  Adila and Riley walked over to Vann and Messenger.

  Vann looked up when Adila approached. There was something in his eyes, similar to when he looked at Rose, even though Adila looked human to him.

  ‘Vann.’ Adila said. ‘I have been asked to judge you to determine whether you want to be with Rose or not. Do I have your permission to continue?’

  Vann nodded and stood, his eyes intent on Adila.

  ‘Very well.’ Adila said. And then she swung her staff. She whacked Vann on the side of the head. He crumpled. Adila kept the staff connected with his head as he fell.

  ‘What did you do?!’ Riley exclaimed.

  ‘That’s how Adila judges.’ Aerlid explained. ‘It’s alright, Riley, he’ll be fine.’

  ‘By hitting people on the head?!’

  ‘With her staff. Yes.’

  Adila was silent, her eyes closed.

  Minutes passed. Then she sighed and withdrew her staff. She turned and faced Riley. Behind her Vann was slowly stirring. Messenger helped him up.

  ‘I have judged Vann. Let me explain to you what I have found before I give my decision.’

  Riley nodded. With a sick feeling, she felt she already knew.

  ‘Casual relationships are not at all unusual for him, Riley. I believe a relationship with Rose would not be anything new to him. The feelings may be stronger, but the actions the same. You should step back, and let them do as they will.’

  Riley sighed and bowed her head. ‘Alright.’

  Rose approached then. She stopped in front of Riley. ‘I will not hurt him.’ she said. ‘I merely want his company.’

  ‘Do as you will.’

  Riley turned her head away as Rose took Vann’s hand. Vann halted. ‘Riley, I’m going to be fine. Please, look at me.’

  She slowly raised her eyes.

  ‘Thank you for trying to protect me.’ he touched her arm. ‘It’s good to know I can trust you.’

  Riley said nothing. He squeezed her arm lightly and let go.

  She did not watch him walk away with Rose.

  ‘That was very interesting.’ Messenger said, breaking the silence. ‘So what does judging do, exactly?’

  Adila turned her eyes to him. ‘I see a person’s soul. Having the ability to see a soul, and being able to understand it are two different things. It takes many years to be an effective judge.’

  ‘Soul?’ he asked, confused.

  Adila nodded. She touched her hand to her chest, then her head. ‘Heart and mind. I see who a person is. I know things about them even they might not know.’

  ‘That’s… that must be a big responsibility.’

  ‘It is.’

  Then, in a surprisingly calm way, he said ‘I have met other valkar before. But they have always been uncomfortable answering my questions. Would it be ok if I ask you some things?’

  ‘Certainly, you may I ask. I don’t promise that I’ll answer.’

  At that Messenger grinned, his eyes lighting up. ‘Really! Oh, where should I begin?’

  ‘Riley,’ Adila said and turned her gaze to her, ‘do you have questions?’

  Riley shook her head.

  ‘I think perhaps later, when you are feeling better, you will. So I will talk to both of you then.’

  ‘Oh.’ Messenger’s smile faded. ‘Oh, alright.’

  Adila smiled. ‘Do not worry, Aerlid can call me. I will come. You know,’ she said with a small smile, ‘I don’t often get called to judge romantic disputes.’

  Goodbyes were said. They moved off. Aerlid came and touched her elbow. ‘Are you alright?’

  ‘I don’t want to think about it.’ she looked up at him. ‘Aerlid, can I go chase some cats?’

  Aerlid took a deep breath.

  ‘You can come with me.’

  He sighed. ‘Well, you’re not a child anymore, so the chances of you getting killed by a cat are rather small. Alright, Riley, let’s go chase some giant predators. I’ll just change into something that doesn’t matter if it gets shredded.’