Revelation

by Kealohilani

  Kendra burst out laughing as the two continued to speak at the same time. It was hilarious to finally see Arante getting a taste of her own bossy medicine.

  Lani wandered out into the main hallway of the house— alone. She looked every bit as furious as she was as she meandered aimlessly through the halls.

  “Beautiful lady, what troubles you?”

  Lani had ended up inside the library without realizing it and jumped in response to the voice. She reflexively put her hand to her heart and breathed in deeply to try to recover from the fact that it had just skipped a beat.

  “Oh, Rezarahn! I didn’t see you there! I’m sorry to disturb you. I’ll just go.”

  “No. Please stay. You could never disturb me. I am sorry to have frightened you.”

  Rezarahn rushed to his feet and grasped both of her hands, sympathetically in his.

  “Tell me, sweet angel— what is wrong?”

  “It’s stupid, really…”

  “Nothing you say could ever be stupid.”

  “Stop being so perfect, dang it!” Lani looked shocked with herself and instantly changed her tone. “Oh, I’m so sorry! I didn’t mean to— I don’t normally lose my temper like this. And you definitely don’t deserve it. Please forget what I said.”

  “It has already been forgotten.”

  Rezarahn smiled supportively and tenderly kissed one of her hands. Lani felt a tiny ounce of her fury wash away. He could have made it all disappear with one look if the anger had been towards him, but it wasn’t.

  Lani took a slow breath in and let it out even slower through her lips. She took one more deep breath just for good measure and tried very hard to speak as calmly as she could so that she would not project her anger— toward her friends and toward Jharate— onto Rezarahn again.

  “Arante and Kendra and Tierza all think I am nuts for not just going for you right now. I’m so glad that Te‘era and Hethora and Janea are in another room or I’m sure I’d be hearing it from them too! They say I should just get over Jharate and be with you.”

  “Hmmm. I would be lying if I pretended that I do not agree with them and their extraordinary wisdom,” he stated, flashing his brilliant smile again. “However, I understand that you must follow what your heart speaks to you. I truly believe that one should never attempt to force one’s heart to feel what it does not feel. Only heartache comes of forcing something as precious as love.”

  “Maybe I am crazy. You’re the type of guy I know I should be going for— the type I’m positive that I would be in love with, had I met you before Jharate. But my heart already belongs to him. I’m sure—”

  It was only at this instant that she realized how fantastically close Rezarahn was. She forgot what she was saying. For a moment all she could see were his alluring eyes, which sparkled like deep green emeralds mixed with gold dust.

  She felt a force pulling her toward him. As his lips got closer and closer to her own she blinked and jolted back into reality. She dodged once again and pulled back a few steps— hand on her chest as it rose and fell in a mixture of relief, regret, and adrenaline.

  Rezarahn placed the back of his hand against his mouth. His eyes widened with shock at his own actions.

  “I am so terribly sorry! I forgot myself entirely. You are simply impossible to resist— and I cannot force my heart to go where it does not wish to go either. My apologies, my dear lady!”

  Rezarahn bowed politely as he quickly exited the room.

  Great, Lani thought to herself, just great! Dang that Jharate!

  The back of Lani’s right hand flew to her forehead and she shut her eyes. Why was she still hanging onto Jharate? Was she making a huge mistake?

  She had one of the most charming, intelligent, chivalrous, moral, and— who could forget— gorgeous men who had probably ever lived in either world, in any century, pursuing her! Not that he was better looking than Jharate, but Rezarahn was actually interested in her. Jharate was being stubborn and unforgiving and mean and— Why was she putting her heart on hold for him? He had done nothing to deserve it for weeks!

  Lani wanted to scream! Then she did, involuntarily, for an entirely different reason.

  She whipped around as a huge ceramic vase crashed behind her. Her eyes flew open wide and her heart skipped two beats as she saw Jharate— standing over the fallen vase and its pedestal, that he had accidentally tripped over. She looked at the shattered translucent cobalt blue shards on the cherry hardwood floor and then back at Jharate.

  “How long have you been there?”

  He remained frozen where he was— and silent— looking nervous and possibly even frightened as he stared at her.

  “How much did you see?”

  There was no change in his position and his mouth remained sealed.

  “Answer me right now, Jharate! How long were you there?!”

  Jharate blinked, looked at the exit, and strode through it without uttering a single syllable.

  “You are so infuriating! Ooh!”

  She trembled with rage as she stood there looking at the empty doorway. He retreated so quickly that he probably hadn’t heard her— but it felt good to get at least some of her frustrated energy out.

  But there was still too much bad energy pent up inside of her. She grabbed a pillow off of one of the couches in the library and let herself scream into it, no holds barred.

  When she could scream no more she threw the pillow back onto the couch and stomped her foot in frustration. This did nothing to assuage her vexation. She ran outside alone with an exasperated sigh— hoping that maybe some air and a change of scenery might quell the rage, guilt, and torture she felt in her knot-filled stomach and her mortally wounded heart.

  The Enemy of My Enemy is Not Necessarily my Friend

  Not looking where she was going as she exited Rezarahn’s front door, Lani flew down the five large rounded marble steps, and ran smack into him. As they recovered from their collision, he steadied her and gave her a warm smile— which almost hid the pain in his eyes.

  “It would seem that fate wishes us to be together,” he joked with a half-amused-half-injured tone.

  “You have no idea how much I wish that were true,” Lani replied, throwing her arms around him in a hug— trying to convey her regret for hurting him and letting him go, in a way that words simply could not do.

  He returned her hug before gently pulling back so that he could look into her eyes.

  “Lani… I know that what I am telling you now will sound insane…” He scanned the area to make sure that there was no one else nearby— guiding her about twenty yards further away from the house, crossing the wide cobblestone driveway, passing the carriage house, and walking briskly out onto his enormous manicured front lawn— before looking back into her eyes and continuing in an urgent tone. “I want you to run away with me— right now. We could be in Destavnia in a matter of hours.”

  “I thought we were at least days or even weeks away… And I couldn’t just abandon my friends…”

  “You have to do what is best for you, Lani. No one else. Your friends will understand if they are true friends. Come with me and marry me tonight. We will both be safe in Destavnia.”

  “What?! But I—”

  “I know you do not love me yet. I know that. However, many people marry before they are in love. My own parents did so.

  “Theirs was an arranged marriage. They saw each other for the first time on the day of their wedding as my mother walked to the altar. They had not even exchanged correspondence.

  “Love grew for them by the end of their first year as man and wife. They were happy together for all of their days. And we have an advantage over them. We are already halfway there— for I am madly in love with you, Lani.”

  “How could you be? We only met last night!”

  “Do you not believe in love at first sight?”

  “I do, but—”

  “I cannot explain our connection. I have never in my life felt anything as strong as wh
at I feel for you. I cannot let you go without a fight. Under normal circumstances, I would court you and win your heart, before proposing marriage.

  “However, I know you are about to walk out of my life this very day— and I know if I do not take this chance, I may never see you again. And I cannot live with that outcome.”

  “Rezarahn… I… I don’t know what to say.”

  “Say yes.”

  Lani’s heart beat faster than she thought possible. As crazy as it would sound to anyone else— a part of her was considering his proposal.

  What he said made a certain amount of sense. She knew from experience that romantic love could blossom out of mere friendship and respect— Justin came to mind. He had been like a brother to her before she had fallen in love with him.

  And even with how much she loved Jharate, she felt something for Rezarahn that she couldn’t explain any more than he could. If Jharate weren’t in her life, Rezarahn would have been her choice in a heartbeat. But Jharate was in her life… sort of…

  “Rezarahn… I…”

  Rezarahn gently held the sides of her face and leaned down to kiss her forehead. It was full of every emotion he wanted to convey and she felt them all— love, hope, passion, desperate desire, and sincerity.

  “Say yes, Lani— please.”

  Lani felt as if she might faint. She had never experienced such a frenzy of emotions. And she had never before felt tempted to marry a man whom she did not yet love. Could she really do that?

  Lani sighed and felt her heart drop into her stomach. Feeling that he was losing her, he pulled her into a strong hug— warm, safe, inviting.

  “Please, Lani,” he pled again, his voice catching in his throat. “You do not understand how much is at stake.”

  “I wish I coul—”

  “Get away from her!” came Arante’s enraged voice.

  Lani and Rezarahn stepped apart from each other in surprise. Arante finished running to them, grabbed Lani firmly, and pulled her behind her.

  “What’s wrong, Arante? I thought you liked Rezarahn…”

  “Never mind that! Get back inside and follow the others. We’re leaving! NOW!”

  Lani narrowed her eyes at Arante, searching her face for the answers she refused to give. But there was nothing to be found. Arante did not take her eyes off of Rezarahn for even a second and her jaw was set tight— as was every other muscle in her body.

  Lani shook her head in disbelief and turned to Rezarahn with a soft tone. “Thank you for everything, Rezarahn.”

  “Remember my offer, sweet lady. I shall be here if ever you need me.”

  “Don’t you DARE talk to her! Lani, get inside now!”

  Arante stayed, facing Rezarahn— watching him like a hawk. Lani stared back at Arante without moving at first.

  For a moment Lani thought that perhaps she had lost her own sanity and she was one “There’s no place like home” away from waking up in her own bed in her own room in California— only to find that an earthquake had knocked a vase down on her head and this whole insane thing had been a tripped-out Technicolor dream.

  Lani blinked and shook her head. Nothing made sense anymore. But she knew Arante well enough by now to know that she should trust her— no matter how bewildering her current harsh and rather capricious actions were.

  Lani walked back to Rezarahn’s château and entered— her mind trying fruitlessly to sort everything out. Wasn’t Arante just saying how perfect Rezarahn was like ten minutes ago?

  Lani flinched as she found the rest of her friends. She had been so lost in thought that she almost collided with Raoul.

  “Whoa, Lani, are you okay?” Raoul asked, as he put his hands on her shoulders to stop her and then to steady her.

  “I’m fine. What’s going on?”

  “Rezarahn’s a traitor— that’s what!” Kendra blurted out.

  “What?”

  “It’s true,” Justin added.

  Lani mouthed a quiet “What?” as Raoul handed her sword to her and she mechanically attached the belt that held her sheath— around her waist and over the riding dress that Rezarahn had given her. Raoul handed her the leather bag from the market with her purple dress inside as well as her travel bag with all her supplies and Earth clothes.

  “I don’t understand. Could somebody please tell me what is going on?”

  Jharate rounded on her. She felt herself shrink back slightly as he towered over her and almost shouted his reply.

  “How do you suppose that he has acquired all of this obvious wealth? He is in league with Vranah! He betrayed us before we ever set foot in this land! Drakne’s men are arriving outside of this town this very instant!”

  Lani shook her head slowly. Oddly it wasn’t the volume with which he had just spoken, or even her sudden fright from Jharate that was at the forefront of her mind. Neither was the news of Rezarahn’s treachery hitting her like perhaps it should.

  What was most surprising was that Jharate had answered so directly. This was the most he had said to her in a long time.

  But wait. If Jharate knew that, then… She tilted her head up toward him and narrowed her eyes.

  “How do you know this?”

  “There is no time for explanations! We must leave now!”

  “What about Arante? She told me to come back here but she’s still with Rezarahn!”

  “She will be with us momentarily. Arante already knows where we are going and we must depart now! Tierza has recalled her knowledge of an enchanted underground tunnel, merely two hours from here, which leads directly into Destavnia. If we do not leave this instant we may not get another chance!”

  “I have half a mind to kill you right where you stand!”

  Arante armed her bow and pointed the arrow directly at Rezarahn’s heart. He looked calm and unconcerned.

  “That would accomplish nothing.”

  “It would help me sleep better at night.”

  “Try it!” he exclaimed with a cocky smile.

  Her arrow sailed toward him. Halfway to his heart, it exploded, midair, into a fireball.

  “Oh great. You’re a fire master.”

  “Impressive, is it not?”

  “I’d love to stay and argue the point, but I have somewhere else to be.”

  With that, she conjured an image of a twenty-foot-high ring of fire around him, so that he could not see the direction of her escape. As fire was his specialty, Rezarahn attempted to quell the flames around him. Both his eyebrows rose as he found that they would not obey him.

  He cocked his head to the side and examined the flames more closely. As he walked toward them he held his hand closer to the fire. Feeling no heat, he realized it was an illusion and walked through unharmed.

  He laughed heartily— as greatly impressed with her power as she had been irritated to learn of his. But he was not in the mood for a chase. As the false flames began to fade, he calmly ordered some of his men to go look for the escaped rebels, in a halfhearted attempt to catch them.

  Drakne is not going to like this, Rezarahn thought. However, he had talked himself out of worse situations— and he was confident he could do it again.

  Arante sprinted the entire way and came to a skidding stop as she caught up with the others just as they reached the tunnel. She rested her hands on her knees, breathing hard. She quickly pulled herself together and stood up straight .

  The entrance to the alcove in front of them was completely covered in ivy. Jharate parted the ivy carefully and stepped through it. Arante continued to try and catch her breath as Jharate wrenched open the heavy wooden door, which was recessed about three feet inside the alcove.

  Arante was the last person to step inside. She quickly returned the ivy to its original position as best she could and smiled at Erik as he helped her close the door behind them.

  No one was sure if anyone else knew of this tunnel but they did not want to take any chances— so they ran through it as if they were being pursued. Their hurried footsteps echoe
d around them. They ran, and ran, and ran until everyone but the elves had long since been out of breath— and then they ran some more.

  They ran so fast that the air stung their eyes and hot tears streamed from the corners. Their legs felt like they were turning to mush except for when the occasional shin splint would send a searing pain shooting upwards.

  When the running became so hard and so monotonous that Lani feared she would collapse, she turned her mind to other things. She knew her emotions were not a good subject if she wanted to keep strong, so she instead focused on the surroundings— trying to notice every detail possible at this speed. Not that there were that many details to notice.

  The tunnel struck Lani as odd. It seemed like a tunnel on Earth— made of concrete, with rectangular plexiglass casings holding what appeared to be dim electric lighting that ran the entire length of the passage. There was even a humming sound that she would have expected from malfunctioning fluorescent light fixtures.

  She wondered if it really was powered by electricity, or if it was just another form of magic energy. One more question to throw on her list of things she’d have to find out later.

  The lights seemed to fly by as if they were traveling at seventy miles per hour— or faster. But the exit was still nowhere in sight.

  At a certain point in the tunnel Lani had a feeling come over her that it would not be long now before they reached Destavnia. She was sure of it. But if she was so sure she was going to make it, why did she also have such an anxious knot in the pit of her stomach?

  “YOU LET THEM ESCAPE?!”

  Drakne glowered at Rezarahn— murder in his eyes— but there was a nervous energy behind his outward display of rage. Drakne felt his heart beating harder in his body and adrenaline coursing through his veins as he realized that— for the first time since he had established his irreplaceable value to Vranah over a decade ago— he had great cause to be worried.

  “They discovered my subterfuge by some means that I do not know. There was nothing I could have done,” Rezarahn explained, covering up his bored tone with a dash of simulated timidity.