Thoran's voice grew louder. “Just get out of my sight, Sylvanus! I have enough of your exploits to bring up at the next meeting to get you expelled from the council as it is!”
Cornelius held out a staying hand to Thoran.
Sylvanus laughed wickedly. “Oh . . . you're talking about that girl! I figured you'd found her after I came across the dead scouts near her scent. She was a pretty one, wasn't she? In fact that's why I'm out here. I couldn't quite get her off my mind, so I went to Tiver to check in on her. Imagine my surprise when I found that she wasn't there.”
“So, what? Are you guys just keeping her locked up in your little cabin for entertainment?”
Thoran's eyes shifted to Cornelius for a moment then back to Sylvanus.
“Let's go. This worm can stay here and rot.”
As they headed out of the camp, Sylvanus yelled after them.
“It's a shame I lost the girl when I did. We would have had so much . . . fun.”
He didn't stop laughing until the two men were out of sight.
*
Somehow I found my way back to the lodge and delivered the package to Sophie, who in turn forced me to eat a small snack. It wasn't until I was back in the secluded study that I remembered a certain creature had latched onto me back in the woods.
“Oh my God!”
I instantly jumped up and started checking my clothing for a smashed little ball of fur.
After a few seconds of searching I decided that he must have jumped off a while ago and plopped back onto the couch.
When I left Sophie it was twelve-thirty, just half an hour till one. I started twiddling my fingers nervously around each other.
I wonder if I could just hide for a while and pretend I forgo-
My body flinched. Something behind me had just made a chirping sound.
I turned my head around, expecting to see a stray bird. But the study was empty. Nothing could have escaped since the only entrance was the hall door which was currently closed.
I shook out my head to clear my mind and suddenly the chirping began again, this time it didn't stop.
I stood up and turned around a few times before I realized the squeaking was following behind me. I reached towards the back of my head and felt down into the hood of my robe. Sure enough my fingers grazed a patch of velvety hair that I knew belonged to the creature from the woods.
Before I could think of what to do the little guy went crawling up around my arm, onto my head, and soaring off in a gliding leap through the air. I barely saved him from hitting the ground before he went leaping off again, this time onto the bookcase.
He landed and, with what seemed like a last defiant action, turned his large eyes towards me, chirped loudly, and disappeared into the wall of books.
I just sat there, dumbfounded once again.
Between the old man and this crazy creature I was starting to look forward to seeing Jaden.
Darn it, I can't just leave it in there, it could wreck Cornelius books. . . . Then I'll be the one in trouble. They’ll kick me out, never let me come back, and I'll end up dying an old, miserable, spinster.
I have to find that little fuzz ball!
With dire determination I began to stack the books onto the floor and hunt for the creature.
After clearing out the bottom shelf, I leaned into the floor and laid my head on the ground to see if I could spot my furry friend.
It was at this point, the worst of times, when I heard a forced cough behind me.
My eyes rolled into the back of my head as I remembered who I was meeting at one.
I instantly wanted to join the creature hidden safely in the bookcase. Instead, I cocked my head around and followed brown laced boots up to dark solid eyes hidden beneath a shroud of pieced hair.
. . . This position pretty much summed up how I felt around Jaden all the time.
“Having fun down there?” he asked coolly.
I smiled, mostly because that's what I do when I'm nervous.
With a smirk, he threw out a hand to help me up.
I studied it. I knew what was coming, a long chat about how I wasn't capable of doing magic. He was starting to make me feel vulnerable, and I don't like feeling vulnerable.
I took his hand to lift myself up, but let go immediately.
He looked even more amused at this. “Why don't we go sit down.”
I had no reason to argue and, tired or not, he still intimidated the heck out of me.
We both sat and his face became solemn.
“Look.” He held out his hands. “I think we both know why I needed to talk to you.” My eyes turned down. “The fact is, if you could use the magic that Ikovos was trying to teach you, you already would have.”
Knowing hadn’t helped, it hit me hard all the same.
“I . . . we only tried for a few hours yesterday. Maybe I just need more time.” I looked into his eyes pleadingly, but found no condolence.
“No. If you can, you can and vice versa, that's how it works. You're just wasting Ikovos’s time if you continue.”
I pressed on. “Maybe it's different for me, maybe because I'm older or . . .”
“Or maybe because you're a girl you're incapable.” He stared hard as he said this, only the slightest hint of humor left visible. My heart rose high in my chest.
“Incapable? I'd watch who you call incapable considering I just beat you yesterday at sparring!”
Oh, he didn't like that.
“You, beat me?” He leaned forward in his seat. “I wasn't even trying! . . . not to mention you shouldn't have even been sparring in the first place.”
“Excuse me!? You were the one that asked!”
“Yeah, but I didn't think you would say yes. Why don't you act like a normal girl and go clean or something, or better yet go fix that crazy hair of yours!”
My eyes narrowed wildly. “You know I understand that you don't want me here, that you haven't wanted me here since the beginning. But that doesn't give you the right to say whatever you want to me!” I stood up till I was looking down at him. “And as for Ikovos, he seems plenty happy to be spending time teaching me!”
Jaden jumped up and pointed a finger. “I think I know my best friend a little better than you do!”
“Is that so? Well, then, maybe you should take some pointers from him! How about noticing that I'm in a new place, with a bunch of people I just met, trying something I've never done before, and possibly offering a little support?! No! Instead you just test me, ignore me, insult me, then tell me I can't do anything just because I'm a girl!”
He grabbed my shoulders. “Look! The only reason I had you meet me here in the first place was to tell you that I think you can use offensive magic!”
I opened my mouth to argue until I realized what he had just said. He just stood there staring at me, inches away from my face.
My chest was heaving drastically and my heart was racing, I could still feel his hands on my shoulders.
In that instant the door creaked and we both turned our heads to see it open.
I didn't get the chance. Jaden practically knocked me over letting go of my shoulders and widening the space between us. He adopted a cool face and cleared his throat as the door opened, when it did all signs of serenity left him. I looked over and saw why.
There in the doorway stood Thoran. A look of utter annoyance backed by determination resided on his face.
He turned first to Jaden. “Go get the horses and bring them to the side door.”
Jaden gave a curt nod then walked out of the room past Cornelius, who was standing behind Thoran. It must have been because I yelled, but I felt upset when I saw him go . . .
Ugh. Focus, Evelyn.
“And now to you.”
I turned my attention back to Thoran. The fight I'd just had with Jaden leading straight into this was all a bit much for me. I felt like I was in a daze, or maybe I was just trying to deny the inevitable.
“I am not going to play games w
ith you, child. It is time for you to go home. “
My heart sank. “What am I doing wrong? Why do I have to leave?”
Thoran sighed. “This is no place for you. It should never have been an option.” He spared a glance at Cornelius. “It was unfair for some to let you think that this was ever a possibility.”
I looked down again, then quickly back up to search Cornelius’s face for support.
There was nothing but sorrowed acceptance.
After all the fighting, all the close calls, it was over, I was going home.
*
Moments later I found myself outside with Thoran and Cornelius. I guessed we were waiting for Jaden to bring the horses. The weather was nice, contradicting my own condition. It was a few hours past midday and the wind was cool.
I felt a hand on my shoulder and turned around to see Cornelius.
“It will be alright, my dear, you will see. I know that there is a great destiny ahead of you.”
I glanced back up at him and forced a smile. “I hope so. . . . Thank you, Cornelius, for everything.” Before emotion could overtake me, I turned around to face the forest.
Out of the corner of my eye I could see Jaden approaching with two horses. The smaller one was from the day before. The other was different, speckled with grey and silver. When they were close enough, Thoran hopped onto the latter.
Part of me didn't know why I was giving in so easily. Maybe because I didn't think I stood a chance with Thoran. Maybe after arguing with Jaden I felt that everything was just too much. . . .
I walked over to the horse. Jaden offered a hand up. I took it, flipped onto the saddle, and grabbed the reigns. Thoran was talking quietly ahead with Cornelius.
“Well, it looks like you got what you wanted.” I glanced back at Jaden after I said this, but his face was expressionless, he wasn't even looking at me.
I heard Thoran clap his heels and, in that moment, was all the happy to follow.
I shouldn’t have said that . . . I think I was being too hard on him.
We moved briskly into the forest. I didn't look back once, I just concentrated on keeping pace with Thoran.
Of course I was being too hard on him! I only said that to protect myself. I still couldn’t believe he came today to tell me he thought I could use magic. . . .
Forget it. It doesn't matter now.
For the next couple of hours I tried to keep my mind clear, concentrating solely on following Thoran. But my thoughts started up again when Tiver came into view.
We were on a hill high above the little city, about half a mile away. The sun had set just moments ago and the warm lights of Tiver appeared welcoming against the cool blue landscape.
Thoran slowed his pace to a stop on the hilltop. I came up beside him.
“You know, there is a lot of good to be done down there, a lot of people that need help.”
I stared down absently as the wind blew my hair. “Maybe there are . . . but no one in Tiver wants help . . . especially not from me.”
Normally I would not be so honest with my feelings, but there was nothing to lose. I doubted I'd ever see this man again.
Thoran sighed heavily. “There just isn't a place for you in our world. I could never guarantee your safety.”
I looked back at him. “I don't want safety. I want a reason to live. Do you know what it's like not to have one? “
There was a pause. The man turned down. “You'd better get going before it gets dark. I'll watch from here.”
That's it. No more arguing, Evelyn. I leaned to get off the horse.
“No, you can take it. Just leave it in the stables.”
I nodded once then began the descent towards Tiver. It wasn't until I was lying in my own bed that I realized I never said goodbye.
~ ~ ~
Chapter 4
Tiver
I WOKE UP TO the sound of clanging dishes. Instantly I knew where I was. Partly because of the way I slept. Restless. Disturbed. But mostly due to how I felt now. Completely passionless about the upcoming day.
I knew everything that was going to happen.
Of course, it would be slightly different than usual. Everyone would be melodramatic about my return. Especially my mother. She probably had a list of things she wanted me to participate in by now. I put a pillow over my head and groaned.
After a few minutes, I rolled off the bed and moved over to my dresser. I picked out a loose white skirt and a leather corset-like top. It was a bit dressy for me, but the last thing I needed today was wardrobe critique and my sister had dubbed this outfit suitable once before.
I went over to the mirror and rolled my hair into a twist, when a thought came to my mind.
Sil! She's still at the stables. . . . I should check on her.
There was really no reason to, I had set her up in the best stall and, as it stood, she would be watched until someone picked her up. But I just wanted to see anything from the world I'd been the last three days . . . maybe so I knew for sure that it was real . . . that it had happened.
With a little more enthusiasm, I walked into the hall and closed the door behind me quickly. I could still hear the dishes clanging downstairs in the kitchen. I knew my mother would be in there, and I knew I was about to get an earful.
I crept down the hall, hoping that no one would catch me on the way down. When I got to the bottom of the stairs heard my mother talking.
“I understand Josephine's problem with the new road potentially bringing in a bad crowd, but I'm just so tired of being disconnected from the other towns. I haven't had any decent material in weeks.”
I'd been gone for days and somehow they'd managed to talk about the same thing the entire time.
I slid into the doorway of the familiar room and spared a skeptic look around. It was a drearily regular kitchen consisting of wood and stone counters, but far less rugged than the kitchen in the woods. My mother was facing the counter rolling out dough, so she had yet to notice me. Her friend, Leanne, was sitting at the table with a cup of coffee and her usual gargantuan pile of muffins, giving a bad name to real pastry lovers everywhere.
“Obviously Josephine doesn't care about the material. I mean, did you see what she was wearing to the harvest social the other night?”
I slapped my hand against my head. The party, I missed the party. Now I'm really gonna be dead.
“Well, look who it is,” sang Leanne.
I spared her a patronizing smile, then turned to my mother who was slowing starting to turn around.
“What? Who?—” As soon as she saw me her eyes began to water. Oh God, here it comes. Next her lips started quivering. She brought her hands up to them before losing it completely, bursting into tears.
“Oh, Evelyn!” A few more stifled gasps. “Where on earth have you been? I've been worried sick about you.”
I put my hands out. “Mom, it's fine. I just twisted my ankle. I had to wait it out in the north cave. I wasn't farther than a few miles the whole time.”
“Evelyn, that cave is twelve miles from here. I've told you I don't want you wandering off that far.”
Yeah, you tell me, then I leave for five hours and you don't even notice I'm gone. . . .
I took a heavy breath.
All I have to do is wait this out, by tonight she'll be talking about something else. Oh, and hope to God that she doesn't realize I missed the-
Suddenly another sob emerged from my mother, a look of anguish covering her face. “And, Evelyn, the harvest social, how could you miss it?!” More crying. “How are you ever going to get a husband if you never go to any of the town parties?”
I sighed again, I think it might have been the fifth time since I woke up.
“Look, mom, I'm sorry, but there’s nothing I can do about it now. I promise I'll go next time.”
She took in an excessive breath and started to perk up. “Well, alright. But in the meantime I want you to start working at the bakery shop again. In fact why don't you head over there
this afternoon. I know Lina could use the help “
I was going to object, until my mother gave me a ‘don't-even-think-about-arguing’ face.
At least it will give me an excuse to pass the stables. . . . I smiled wide. “Great, I think I'll just go now, grab some breakfast.” I started inching my way towards the doorway.
“Wha?— Evelyn, why don't you eat here? You just got back.”
This was a bad track. Once my mother got it into her head that she wanted something, she usually got it. Normally, I could take the random breakfast with the family. But at this moment my body was being all-but magnetically pulled to the stables.
“Well, I ah . . . I thought this would give me a chance to talk to some people about the party. You know, be social.”
I had made it to the doorway, I spared a glance down the hallway at the front door.
“Oh,” she said, somewhat surprised, “Okay then.”
“Great!” I exclaimed much too excitedly as I turned to make my escape.
“Just promise you'll say hello to Garret if you see him. He just got back yesterday and I heard he was asking about you.”
Yeah right. I held a smiling face. “Will do. Later mom, Leanne.”
They nodded and I practically flew down the hall and through the front door.
When I was safely outside I leaned against the wall and blew out a breath.
I can't believe it. I've been home for less than a day and they're already trying to pull me into their world of trivial drama.
I shook my head, absently kicked a rock across the grass, and started walking towards town.
And on top of that she's trying to hook me up with Garret again. He had never been interested in me and I was glad for it, because I didn't like him much either.
I continued walking until I reached a cobble path. Our house was on the outskirts of Tiver, but the whole city was pretty condensed, so we weren't more than a few hundred yards away from the heart of town. The path I was following now connected most of the homes to Tiver.
The city itself was nestled into a valley amidst monstrous green hills. Like me, most of the people lived in scattered houses towards the back of Tiver. But there were some that lived in the middle of the city which I was approaching now. It was a two story maze of plain, stone, buildings that was already bustling with morning activity. For such a small city we had a ridiculous variety of shops and cafes, which was the reason for all the early morning activity.
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