The woman harrumphed, unimpressed.
A few moments later a young boy came running across the yard with a stretcher on his back. Lee and Ertik carefully placed Gewey on the stretcher and followed as the woman strode off. It only took a few seconds for them to lose sight of her, but Ertik did in fact know the way.
“How did she know about the boy?” asked Ezmerial. “She walked straight to him.”
“Many of our healers can feel when someone is sick or injured,” Ertik replied. “Wileminia is extremely sensitive. I’m sure she has had them preparing from the moment we got to the archway.”
“Amazing,” she whispered.
Ertik led them through a series of stone hallways to an open door. Inside was a bed, several tables with various bottles and plants, and a stone basin in the center.
Three women were busy at the tables preparing medicine, while Wileminia waited by the bed.
“Lay him down,” she directed. “Then Ertik will show you to your quarters. The Sister that has been tending the boy will stay and help.”
Lee and Ertik put Gewey on the bed and began to leave, but Kaylia refused to go.
“I will not leave him,” she said defiantly.
“My dear, you must,” Wileminia said with a much softer tone. “The High Lady of Valshara herself will be here in a moment to personally tend to him. She has commanded that you all be removed until it’s over. He could not be in better care anywhere in the world, I promise.”
Kaylia stood silent for a moment looking at Gewey’s nearly lifeless body, and then lowered her head. “Please tell me the moment you know something,” she pleaded.
“You shall be the first,” Wileminia promised, placing her hand over her heart.
Lee stepped forward. “Before you attempt to heal him, there’s something you must know. Gewey isn’t an ordinary human. In fact, he’s not really human at all. He’s a god.”
Wileminia looked at him, her eyes skeptical and slightly amused. “If you mean he’s like you, then you needn’t worry; treating a half-god is no different than treating a typical human.”
“That’s not what I’m saying,” Lee insisted. “He isn’t half anything.”
The realization of what Lee was saying struck her. “I see. Are you certain?”
“I am,” Lee replied. “There is no doubt.”
Wileminia looked thoughtful for a moment, then said, “I will inform the High Lady. Now if you would please go, we have work to do.”
Ertik led them to a large but empty den with several couches and chairs angled around a lit fireplace. “Please, sit and rest while I attend to your quarters.” They sat in silence until a young woman in a blue housedress entered, giving them each a cup of honeyed water.
“No one wears robes here?” Lee asked once the girl had left.
“Only during certain ceremonies,” Dina replied. “Our order is very informal when it comes to things like that. Only the guards wear robes at all times.”
“The High Priestess,” Kaylia said pensively. “She is a skilled healer?”
“She is most skilled among us,” Dina replied. “However, you should refer to her as High Lady. We have no priests or priestesses. The order does not center on rank as much as others do. After you advance past novice, you become either a cleric or a knight, but there’s nothing above that, save for the High Lady.”
She took a sip of honeyed water before continuing. “A knight trains as a guardian of the order; they are among the finest warriors in the world. If you achieve the rank of cleric, you choose a focus of study that you spend the rest of your days trying to perfect. For example, I intend to become a temple historian.”
“What does a historian do here?” Lee inquired.
“They travel to different cities, towns or temples to observe and record events as they unfold,”
“Sounds like an enjoyable life,” Lee said with approval.
“Yes,” she agreed, a touch of sadness entering her voice. “But with the way things have turned out, I doubt it will ever be.”
“Why would you say that?” Kaylia asked, trying to keep her mind off Gewey. “You are a part of one of the greatest stories in known history. Who better to record and tell about it?”
“When Gewey and I met Felsafell and stayed in his house, he woke me in the middle of the night and told me a different story,” Dina said. “He said that as a child of two worlds, I would have to sacrifice myself to make the world whole again. Of course, he said it in his odd little way - but there was no mistaking the intent.”
“Mind his words,” Kaylia advised. “They do not always mean what they seem to. As I told Gewey... ” She paused, wincing slightly upon saying his name. “As I told him, Felsafell is dangerous, and you risk great peril if you take his words at face value. You may yet have the life you want.”
Dina smiled. “Thank you, Kaylia. I hope we all get the life that we want.”
When Ertik returned, he escorted them down the hall and showed them each to their rooms. The rooms were plainly furnished with a bed, a small table, and a chair. A washbasin with hot water sat in one corner of the room, and their belongings had been placed in another.
“Once you’ve rested and washed you may wander freely - with the exception of the healing chamber,” Ertik told them. “If you need me, I’ll be in the den awaiting word of Gewey.”
“I think we’ll all be joining you there shortly,” Lee informed him. Dina and Kaylia nodded in agreement.
Lee was the first to return to the den. Ertik was sitting in a chair by the fire, thumbing through a leather bound book, humming to himself. When he saw Lee, he sat the book on the arm of the chair and gestured for Lee to sit across from him.
“You look…cleaner,” Ertik noted. “Though I’d wager you must be exhausted.”
“My kind doesn’t tire very easily,” Lee replied.
“Yes, I forgot,” Ertik said thoughtfully. “It must be quite a burden.”
“Why would you think that?”
“Such strength and power breeds jealousy. Hiding who one is all the time can’t be easy.”
“It can be tiresome,” Lee admitted. “But I have Millet. He’s been with me a long time, and he shares my secret. It makes it easier to have someone like him with me.”
“He sounds like a good friend. Where is he now?”
“On his way to Hazrah to take my wife and child out of the city,” Lee answered. “With the Dark Knight on the move, I couldn’t risk leaving them so close to his borders.”
“Hazrah?” Ertik repeated, suddenly looking troubled. “How long ago did he leave?”
“More than a week now. He should be there in about two more weeks. Why? Do you know something?”
“I got word that Angrääl now has dominion in Hazrah. Whether the city was sacked or they simply surrendered, I don’t know - but your friend is walking straight into the heart of the Dark Knight’s power.”
Lee closed his eyes tight, trying to still his mind. “Can you send word to Hazrah?” asked Lee. His voice was unsteady. “Do you have a messenger flock that travels there?”
“I’m sorry,” Ertik replied regretfully, “your friend will arrive well ahead of any message I could send. Still, I will try.”
“Thank you. I need to have Lady Nal’Thain and her son evacuated from Hazrah and taken to the city of Dantory. It’s a small oasis in the eastern desert. Tell them to mention Millet if she questions the truth of the message. I will pay anything it costs, ten times over, if they are brought safely there.”
“Payment is not necessary,” Ertik assured him. “I will send the message now. There are no messenger flocks between here and Hazrah, so the message will have to be carried much of the way by members of the order. Still, I shall see to it at once.” Ertik got up and hurried away.
Lee sat there, holding his head in his hands, as Kaylia and Dina entered.
“What’s wrong?” Kaylia asked as she took a seat next to Lee. Dina followed close behind.
Lee
told them what Ertik had said.
“Millet will get them out,” Dina said, confident. “I know he will.”
“I hope you’re right,” he replied.
“Millet is wise and capable,” Kaylia added. “Much more than any other human I’ve met thus far. Even if there is an army guarding their door, he will find a way to get past them.”
“You’re right, of course,” he agreed. “It’s just the feeling of helplessness I can’t stand.”
“Believe me, I understand,” said Kaylia. Lee looked at her and nodded knowingly.
After an hour, Ertik returned. “I sent your message. I also sent word to Dantory to be on the lookout for them.”
“I’m in your debt,” Lee said graciously.
“Not at all,” Ertik replied. “You have done us quite a service.”
”There’s something else you should know,” Lee said. “I believe I have the Book of Souls in my possession.”
Ertik froze. “Where is it?”
“In my room. I was hoping someone here would know what to do with it.”
“Are you sure that’s what it is?” he asked.
“Not completely,” Lee answered. “But from what we’ve learned, we’re as certain as we can be.”
Ertik clapped his hands. “That is news. We must tell the High Lady when she is finished with your friend. She will be overjoyed.”
“If she can heal Gewey, she can have it,” said Lee.
“It will be some time before we know if he will heal,” said a voice from the doorway. It was Wileminia. They all stood up.
“What’s happening?” Kaylia asked anxiously. “Will he live?”
Wileminia sighed heavily. “He has been struck by the power of the Sword of Truth. If it had been the Sword itself, it would have destroyed him. Thankfully though, it was not. We have removed the energy that prevented his body from healing, but it has left him near death. He may not recover.”
“He’s a god,” Kaylia cried. “He will not die.”
Wileminia stared at Kaylia for a moment. “God or no, he is in mortal form. But he is strong - stronger than any I’ve seen. Now that the bite of the Sword’s power has been removed, his body may heal on its own. But I’m more concerned with his spirit.”
“What do you mean?” Lee asked.
“His spirit wanders,” she answered. “And it has not found its way back.”
“Can’t you help him?” Kaylia asked desperately.
“We are trying,” Wileminia assured her. “But if he’s a god as you say, it explains our inability to reach him. His spirit would be different from our own, and we have no way to call out to him. Even if we did, we wouldn’t know how to guide him back. The places he goes, we have never been.”
“I can find him,” Kaylia said firmly.
“I know you think that,” she said softly. “And I know as an elf you have tremendous strength of spirit; it’s a wonderful trait of your kind. But he is not an elf. It seems his spirit travels in realms where mortals cannot go.”
“My spirit is bound to his,” she contended. “Even now I feel him. If he needs a guide, then I am the only one.”
“She speaks the truth,” Lee affirmed. “They were bound together by words in the ancient language. I have no doubt she is his only hope.”
Wileminia thought for a moment. “Come with me then. I will take you to him. You may sit next to him and reach out as you can.”
Kaylia nodded and followed her to the healing chamber.
Ertik stretched his arms and yawned. “I need rest,” he said reluctantly. “I hate sleeping before nightfall, but I think tonight I’ll manage to sleep until dawn.” He slowly rose, grunting with each movement, and walked out.
As Ertik made his exit, a young girl entered. “Lord Starfinder?” she asked. “The High Lady would like to speak with you before you retire.”
Lee looked to Dina.
“I’ll be fine,” Dina told him. “I think I’ll walk around for a bit and maybe get something to eat.”
Lee nodded and followed the young girl out of the room and down the hallway. He was amazed by the sheer size of the place. He remembered Ertik saying there were about a hundred people here, but from the look of it, five times that number could live comfortably. They passed at least three dining halls and several libraries as they walked, also a variety of recreation and training areas. Most of the walls were bare, aside from a few elaborate tapestries and etchings near to the libraries.
At the end of a long hall, the girl stopped in front of a plain wooden door. “Please go right in. She’s waiting.”
Lee thanked the girl and opened the door. Inside he saw a small study with a nicely carved wooden desk that had papers scattered about it. There were a few shelves and cabinets along the wall, and brass lanterns hung in the corners; all in all, there was almost nothing to indicate that this office belonged to a leader of one of the most ancient orders in existence.
The chair at the desk was facing away from the door, but Lee could tell someone was sitting there.
“High Lady,” Lee said. “You asked to speak to me.” There was a long pause.
“I’ve often wondered what I would say to you when the time came,” said the High Lady, still facing the wall. Her voice sounded strangely familiar. “Now that you’re here…I just don’t know.”
Lee was both puzzled and troubled by the High Lady’s words. Trying not to let this confusion show in his voice, he said: “I would like to thank you for what you are doing for Gewey, and for the rest of us. I am deeply grateful.”
“Are you?” she asked. “If I were you I would not be so quick to give me your gratitude.”
The High Lady then stood and faced Lee. He staggered back in shock. She was older and grayed, but there was no mistaking her.
“You…” he whispered. “How are you here? I spent years looking for you, and you were here the whole time?”
“Not the whole time, son,” she said, smiling sadly. “But most of it, yes.”
“But why?” Lee asked, trying to slow his racing mind. “Why now? Surely you could have let me know where you were before now.”
“Please sit,” she said. “I swear I’ll tell you everything. I will hold nothing back.”
Still dazed by her appearance, Lee pulled up a chair and sat down, unable to take his eyes off his mother’s face.
Chapter 32
“I know you must have a million questions,” Selena began. “But please wait until I tell you my story. Otherwise, I don’t know if I can get through this.”
Lee slowly nodded, but said nothing.
“When I was a young girl, before I met your father, my parents sent me to Althetas to study at the Temple of Saraf. My father was a blacksmith, and did well enough to be able to support my studies at the temple. They hoped I would become a priestess some day, and I probably would have if not for your father.”
“I’m warning you now,” Lee interrupted. “I’ll not hear you speak ill of my father.”
“Why would I speak ill of him?” she asked. “I loved him…I still love him.”
Her voice trailed off for a moment, then she regained her composure. “I met him in Althetas during my studies at the temple. I was in the market square the first time I saw him; he had come to the city to meet with the Fisherman’s Guild. Your grandfather had died a few months before, and your father had taken ownership of his boat. He was supporting both himself, and your grandmother.
“I had just bought some spices and herbs when a young rogue snatched my purse right off my belt. It was all the money I had. My father was not rich, so the money he sent me each month had to last. Without it, I had no way to feed myself and would have had to return home. I chased after the thief, but he was too fast. Then, out of nowhere, your father tackled him and took back my money. He looked so handsome and dashing, I think I must have fallen in love with him right then and there.”
Lee grumbled with disbelief.
“I know you think I might have felt di
fferently,” she said. “But you only see things from a child’s perspective. I know you are a man now, but your memories are that of a child. I did love him. I was only fourteen at the time, but still I knew what I felt. He gave me my purse and offered to buy me a sweet apple.” She started laughing.
“I was so angry at that. A sweet apple? I wanted a candlelit dinner or a moonlight walk, and here he was buying me a bloody sweet apple as if I were a child. However, he was twenty at the time, and to him I was a child. He walked me back to the temple holding my hand. I was so excited; this handsome hero was holding my hand. We talked the whole way there, and I made him promise to write me, which he did of course. I didn’t see him again for a year.
“But just as he’d promised, he wrote to me once a month. As soon as the letters arrived, I’d eagerly run back to my room at the temple to read them. He wrote mostly of his day-to-day life and the goings on in the fishing village, but to me, each letter might just as well have been a love sonnet. I wrote back to him, careful not to be too forward and scare him away. Even then, I knew he was the man I would marry.
“The next year he came to Althetas again to meet with the Fisherman’s Guild. You could have told me the gods themselves were coming and I would not have been more thrilled; I must have spent three hours getting ready, determined to look perfect for the man I loved. We met in the same square where my purse had been snatched. This time, I was determined not to get a sweet apple.
“He was as kind and thoughtful as I’d dreamed he’d be. He took me to lunch, and we walked all over the city. At the time, it was the best day of my life. I nearly cried when it was over. I made your father promise to show me his village when I was old enough to travel on my own. He confessed to me later that it made him nervous to think of me realizing how poor he really was.
“I wept for three days when he left.
“A few months later I was chosen to be one of the attendants accompanying our High Priestess on her journey to Manisalia to see the Oracle. I had never traveled so far, and the thought of it frightened me. The trip was long and hard, but as it turned out, I had a grand time. The High Priestess was young, cheerful, and played games with us at night. She even told us old tales of the world before the Great War. I felt lucky to have been chosen.
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