The Channel (The Gifted Book 2)

by C. L. McCourt

  Rhea needed a distraction so she reached for a chair and pulled it close to the bed. "Please sit with us."

  As they all returned to their places, Gaibel looked at the woman at the door. "Beth. Please stay with Taulin's guard. Report in if anything changes."

  Beth gave her a quick nod and stepped out of the room.

  Gaibel turned to Rhea. "Now finish telling me what happened."

  "Not much happened after we fought the false warriors and the two men who'd come after me earlier. We had dinner with Taulin's brother Kaurl, and his sister Daulr came by to tell Kaurl that Sentran warriors had attacked travelers in southern Laundan."

  Gaibel massaged her jaw in contemplation. "This doesn't make sense. Why is Sentran attacking?" Although she asked a question, her voice and expression made it clear it wasn't a question she expected to have answered, so Rhea continued ... which was fine because she didn't have an answer, or even a guess.

  "Shortly after we left the dining room, I was able to listen in on the conversation of the two men who sat by the front window." Rhea looked at Lanne. "You suspected the two men seated by the front window, right?"

  Lanne nodded.

  "You were right. I listened in on their conversation after they left the dining room. They know you're staying in this room, by the way." Rhea turned to Taulin. "And they're curious as to why there are three heirs to the Laundan throne in Taulomi." Rhea glanced at everyone and continued. "But from what I heard, I don't believe they know we're together."

  Taulin sighed. "It does look suspicious with three of us here. But how ...?"

  Taulin started to ask a question that Rhea knew she didn't want to answer yet. "Did you see the two men in the lobby when you came back in?" She quickly asked.

  "Yes." Taulin's brow came together as he opened his mouth to ask the question she had avoided a moment ago. "But how ...?"

  Again Rhea pretended she didn't hear his attempt to speak as she told them about how the spies had listened at the doors to their rooms. "When they didn't hear anything, they decided to return to the lobby and wait for one of us to leave. Who they'll follow, I don't know."

  Gaibel looked puzzled. "How do you know all this?"

  "I've been trying to ask the same question," Taulin added.

  Rhea scanned the room before looking Taulin in the eyes.

  Taulin nodded slowly, folding his arms across his chest. "Secrets." He looked at Gaibel. "I've witnessed your daughter perform some incredible feats. I'm getting the impression I haven't seen everything she can do."

  The room was silent as Rhea tried to signal Daen for help.

  "I already told you, it's up to you," Daen offered.

  Rhea thought about the message the Libraim gave her and decided to trust Taulin a little further. She looked at Lanne. "It would appear that I have a gift similar to yours. I can call the veil and hide myself, become invisible."

  Lanne raised a brow. "That's interesting." She tried not to sound suspicious but found it almost unbelievable that Rhea could learn such a thing in a day.

  "Um ... and that's not all I can do." She looked at Gaibel. "I have your gift as well."

  Gaibel looked at Daen for confirmation.

  He nodded, giving her a look that said there was more.

  Rhea studied Taulin for a reaction that might indicate she couldn't trust him. She glanced to Randell to get his read on the prince.

  Randell looked at Taulin but saw nothing in his aura he didn't trust. He gave Rhea a slight nod, encouraging her to continue.

  Taulin didn't take his eyes off Rhea when he reached for her hand to give her assurance she could trust him. As soon as he touched her, Rhea was in the cavern with the Libraim again, but this time she wasn't alone.

  Taulin and Rhea were standing, facing each other, inches apart. He was holding her hand, the hand he touched when they were brought to the cavern. She heard his voice but didn't see his lips move. "How?"

  "I don't know. It happens sometimes." Rhea felt safe ... totally at ease in Taulin's presence. The feelings she was experiencing had to be a sign, right? Yes. She could feel it as she looked into Taulin’s eyes before looking over her shoulder at the big blue and silver swirling mass of energy she'd come to know as the Libraim. "All right, I get the message."

  In that instant, they were back in the room. Rhea was slumped against Randell, and Daen was holding Taulin in his chair.

  As the room came back into focus, Rhea pressed her hand to her forehead as she tried to get her bearings. "I just got a strong message." She looked up at the faces in the room and noticed Taulin just starting to come around.

  "Wow. One minute I'm here, the next ..." Taulin paused and looked at Rhea. "Were we just with ...?"

  "Yes, that was the Libraim."

  Lanne cleared her throat. "Want to fill us in?"

  Rhea looked at Lanne and then at Gaibel, but before she could say anything, she noticed Gaibel was looking down at her hands, which were clasped tightly in her lap. "Gaibel, what do you know?"

  Gaibel didn't look up, she just shook her head.

  "Mother."

  Gaibel's jaw was tight, her expression flat but serious. She raised her eyes from her hands and looked at Taulin, not speaking.

  Rhea leaned toward Gaibel, looking her in the eye. "We can trust him. The Libraim has sent me two messages to that effect."

  Gaibel locked eyes with Rhea, but she didn't speak.

  Rhea could see it now. "You know. You know what I am." Rhea thought about everything Lanne and Daen had told her. "That's why you hid me, faked my death."

  Gaibel took Rhea's hands in hers. "Yes. You were born with the mark ... the mark of the channel: three over lapping circles on your lower back." Rhea heard gasps from around the room.

  "Wait, I don't have a mark." Rhea turned her back to Gaibel and lifted her shirt. "See? Nothing."

  "Terrwyn, I can see it just fine."

  "What?" Rhea stood and crossed to a mirror hanging on the wall. Twisting and turning, she managed to position herself so she could see her lower back. Sure enough, three circles. "I don't understand. It wasn't there before." She looked at Daen for an answer, an explanation as to how this was possible.

  "I can only guess," said Daen, "but maybe it reappeared when you returned."

  "A channel." It was just a whisper. Rhea couldn't tell for sure who said it. She turned to see Lanne looking at Taulin when he spoke. "This means the false warriors are only part of what's going on. For the Libraim to make someone a channel, something must be very wrong."

  Daen cleared his throat. "This is what I feared as well. I shared my suspicions with Rhea and Randell before we left the world of shadows. The mark confirms it."

  Taulin eyes grew wide. "World of shadows? Wait. What are you saying?"

  The room went quiet as everyone froze after hearing what Daen just shared.

  Daen took in Taulin's shocked expression and nodded. "The stories are real. There's another world on the other side of the veil."

  Taulin blinked a couple times. "So the world of shadows is real?" He glanced between Daen, Rhea, and Randell. "And you were there?"

  They each nodded.

  Randell's lips formed a devilish grin as he added to Taulin's shock. "I was born there." He watched Taulin try to regain the casual facade he'd been displaying since they met and laughed inwardly.

  Taulin slumped back in his chair and shook his head, trying to process everything being said. The world of shadows was real. The Libraim had made a channel. And big trouble was on the horizon.

  Rhea tried not to smile at the bewildered look on Taulin's face, but she couldn't help it. She allowed herself this tiniest moment of amusement before looking at Gaibel for answers.

  "I don't understand. The king is powerful, right? Why hide me, fake my death?"

  "King Argeon was concerned that if word got out about you," Gaibel explained, "Taulomi would be seen as a threat. Each realm has its gifted, but we
knew you would be unique and powerful. Your potential power could create imbalance in the realms. It could be seen that Taulomi was being treated differently, and King Argeon couldn't risk the other realms coming after you. Hiding you outside Luxatra was the only thing we could think of to restore balance, at least until you were old enough to decide for yourself what your role will be."

  Rhea didn't know how to respond at first. It made sense, she guessed, but she couldn't help wondering how Gaibel could be so calm about it. Her mother's expression was that of a commander, but her eyes revealed some of what she was holding back.

  Rhea took Gaibel's hand and looked around the room, finding all eyes on her. All of a sudden, it felt like a lot of people knew something she wasn't even sure she wanted to know. "You said the king knows what I am, but I'd prefer we not tell anyone else. Not right away. The more who know, the more difficult it will be for me to do what I'm here to do ... whatever that is."

  "My midwife also knows," Gaibel added. "However, the king says he hasn't told anyone."

  "I'll keep your secret," said Taulin, "and if that means I don't tell my family, then I suppose that will be my burden to bear when they find out." He looked at everyone and added, "Because they will find out."

  Rhea took a deep breath. "He's right. Someone already knows I exist, the person trying to capture or kill me."

  The room went quiet, everyone lost in their thoughts about what had been revealed. Randell reached for the oil lamp and turned up the wick. The room had been steadily growing dark. Rhea didn't want to think about the trouble that was yet to come, she just wanted to turn on a television and relax with a big bowl of popcorn, but that wasn't going to happen.

  17

  News

  Gaibel broke the silence in the room. "We need to get a message to King Argeon about the false warriors."

  Daen nodded. "We discussed that very need with Kaurl at dinner. He's on his way to tell King Craen as we speak, and I have already given word to the guard station in town. They're sending word to the other stations, but they're going to want official orders."

  Gaibel crossed the room to the table by the window and wrote messages on tiny strips of paper she pulled from her bag. She rolled and sealed each one with a drop of wax and her royal commander seal. She repeated the process four more times.

  Daen extended his hand for the messages. "I'll go. The men in the lobby might follow you." He looked at the number of messages. "One for the king, the others I assume to the quadrant guard stations."

  "What if they follow you?" Gaibel asked.

  Rhea raised her hand. "I'll go with him."

  Daen shook his head but grinned. "Are you suggesting I can't handle a couple of spies?"

  Rhea put on her innocent face. "Um ... No. But I'd feel better if you had some backup, and what better backup than surprise energy balls from an invisible person." She formed an energy ball in both hands without having to think about it. "I'll stun them if they try to grab you."

  Of course, that was after she finished being stunned herself at how all she had to do was think energy balls, and they appeared. She remembered Daen's comment that people practiced for years before being able to use their gift once it was revealed. She wondered if she should be concerned at how quickly her abilities came to her. Then again, she was the Libraim's channel.

  Daen placed his hand on her shoulder and smiled. "I accept your offer."

  Relieved, Rhea extinguished the balls of energy.

  "What about Sentran and Queen Jauline?" Randell looked concerned.

  "We don't know for certain the queen isn't behind the attacks," Taulin interjected. "I think we need to make sure before we share what we know." He looked at Gaibel to see if she agreed.

  Gaibel nodded.

  Rhea pulled on her coat, her sword was still strapped to her hip. "You ready?"

  "Yep." Daen reached for the door, and Rhea disappeared.

  A few gasps filled the room from those who had not witnessed her act before.

  Randell, however, laughed. "That's so cool."

  Taulin looked puzzled. "Cool? I don't understand."

  "It's an expression. I'll explain when they leave."

  ~~~

  "Okay, spill. Why the need to come with me?" Daen asked once they rounded the corner to take the stairs.

  Rhea cringed inwardly. Was it written on her face? Should she tell him that she'd been secretly hoping she wasn't a channel because she wasn't sure she was ready for the responsibility? When she'd seen the mark, the room had started to close in on her. No. She would not say any of that. "I just needed some fresh air."

  Daen raised his brow as he considered her answer. He knew there was more, but if she didn't want to talk, he wasn't going to push.

  They reached the lobby and had to stop talking. The two spies were right where they said they would be. Daen crossed the lobby with invisible Rhea on his heels. As he got closer to the door, his back turned to the spies, the larger of the two stood slowly as if to follow.

  Rhea tensed but stayed calm. She was ready if he tried anything, but he didn't. He just stood there and watched as Daen stepped out onto the front porch, purposefully holding the door open a little longer than he needed, ensuring Rhea made it out safely.

  As they walked to the message center, Rhea kept looking over her shoulder, watching to see if the spies were going to follow. She saw someone stand in front of the window of the inn and look out as they crossed the road. It was dark, and with the light from the lobby at his back, she couldn't be sure who it was but guessed it was the one that had stood as they left.

  The message center was a short walk from the inn, next to where they stabled the horses.

  "I'll stay out here," Rhea whispered as they approached the door.

  "Okay." Daen nodded and stepped inside.

  It was a cool night; the air felt damp as if it might rain. Rhea made a mental note to herself: Invisibility veil probably won't keep me dry. The street was fairly deserted, but that wasn't a surprise given the late hour. There were a few people standing outside what looked like a tavern connected to the end of the inn.

  The door behind her opened, and Daen stepped out. "Our messages weren't the only birds sent tonight. I'll fill you in upstairs."

  Rhea started towards the inn.

  "Wait." Daen whispered. "Do you still need some time before we go back?"

  Rhea was tempted. She was beginning to feel better just being out in the night air.

  "Come on. Let's walk for a few minutes." Daen turned away from the inn and headed back towards the guard station. He spoke softly in English so they wouldn't be overheard. "You've had quite a day. How are you holding up?"

  Rhea didn't know how to answer. The numbness she felt after the last attack had already come and gone. Now she was wrestling with everything else. "It's funny. The day's events seem to fade away when I'm with you and the others. But at the same time, back there in the room," she hesitated but decided to confess, "I felt I needed ... space."

  Not knowing what finally drove her to needing space, he decided to share something personal with in hopes she'd open up more. "I remember the first time I had to defend myself." Daen continued to walk as he thought back to that day. "There was a band of thieves causing problems on the roads in and out of the Libraim territory. Our mission was to capture and hand them over to the authorities of the closest realm."

  She looked up at his profile and saw a sadness to which she could relate. "What happened?"

  He cleared his throat. "We walked right into an ambush. My partner got injured, badly. I guess you could say I lost it." Again, silence.

  It was as if she could read his mind. "How many?"

  "There were four total, two didn't make it. Their deaths haunt me to this day, as do the deaths of those I have been forced to kill since then." He took a few more steps. "Taulin's right. You can't forget, but you can find a place for them, a place where you can lean on them, let t
hem help you the next time you're faced with a life or death situation."

  "I feel like I've been created to be this killing machine. Until a few minutes ago, in the room, I still held on to the idea that you were wrong, that I wasn't this ... channel. But you were right. That's when the room got small. I felt like I became this object for everyone to ooh and ah over."

  Daen laughed quietly to himself. "I won't try to say I understand, because I can't. But I can say I'm here for you. Just give me a sign and we can go on a walk and talk ... or not."

  "Thanks. That makes me feel better. We should probably get back before they start to worry."

  They turned around and strolled back to the inn. As they approached, the figure Rhea had seen was still in the window but moved quickly out of view. When they entered the inn, the spies were in the same seats as when they left.

  ~~~

  The door shut, leaving Taulin and Randell alone with Gaibel and Lanne. Taulin crossed to the window that overlooked the main road to watch Daen deliver the messages.

  Randell tried to casually compare Lanne and Gaibel. Daen was right, they could be sisters.

  Gaibel caught Randell's eye. "I understand we're cousins."

  Randell nodded. "Apparently my great-grandmother Raisal, had a brother named Denach. He's your grandfather, right?"

  The woman nodded.

  "Is he still around?" Randell knew Luxatrans lived a very long time compared to people in his world, but that didn't necessarily mean he was still alive.

  Gaibel nodded. "He lives near the western shore. He loves the sea." Gaibel's thoughts wandered for a moment. "I wonder if Terrwyn likes the sea."

  "I noticed you call her Terrwyn."

  "That's the name I gave her."

  "Then how ...?"

  "Her adoptive parents could not read the card I sent with her so they chose a name," said Lanne.

  "They aren't returning." Taulin stayed at the window, but to the side, out of view from anyone watching from the road. He'd learned a long time ago not to invite trouble by standing like a target.

  Gaibel stood and approached the window with Lanne close behind. "What do you mean they aren't returning?" She looked out onto the road below and watched Daen turn away from the inn.