by Walls, Devri
“Anywhere. I couldn’t sleep, too much on my mind.”
Emane reached out and grabbed her hand. “You know you can talk to me, right?”
“I know,” she drooped. “But, you will never truly understand.” Her voice betrayed the sadness she felt.
Emane stood quietly, looking down at her hand, his thumb running up and over hers in the moonlight. “I might understand better if you tried to explain it to me.”
Kiora was flooded with Emane’s feelings again. She didn’t deserve to be loved this much by someone.
Emane looked up hesitantly, in time to see Kiora’s eyes drop. “You felt it again didn’t you?”
“Come on,” she said, pulling his hand to come with her. They walked in silence through the quiet night listening to the waves distantly working the seashore.
Emane glanced over periodically. “You are not going to give me a chance?” he finally prodded.
She sighed shaking her head, “If I try to explain, I am just going to hurt your feelings.”
“I am willing to take that risk.”
Kiora bit her lip and finally glanced back at him. Dropping her hand, he held out both of his arms with a goofy grin that said, ‘lay it on me.’
She broke, unraveling before him like a giant ball of yarn. “Everything hurts Emane, every feeling of evil or pain or hurt. It kills me!” she said, clenching her fist at her chest. “The feelings that you are feeling, the ones I feel, are strong. But my feelings are stronger, so much more intense, about everything. Love, pain, joy.” She was trying desperately to make him understand. “The pain I felt when the Fallen Ones died today was stronger than anything you have ever felt.”
Emane jerked backwards. “What?” He looked like she had slapped him in the face. “How could you possibly know that?”
“I know,” she sighed, “that’s what’s wrong.” She wanted him to understand so badly. “You wanted to know what is bothering me? Malena calls it my perceptiveness. Joy is so wonderful and pain is so horrible. I feel everything to an extreme that you will never understand.”
“Do you think it was wrong, killing the ones we did? Is that why it hurts so badly?”
“No, we had no choice and it was for the greater good. Malena helped me to understand that, and that has made it… bearable. But it hasn’t taken the pain away.” Kiora looked into Emane’s eyes, hoping, wishing, that he would see, even a glimpse of what she was feeling.
He held her gaze for a while before sighing, “You’re right Kiora, I don’t understand.” His eyes dropped. “I wish I did. Are you like this with everything? All your feelings?”
Kiora nodded. Emane processed that and then slowly a smile began to spread over his face until it could go no further.
“What?” she asked.
“Nothing, just thinking.”
“You can’t do that!”
“Of course I can, and I will. I am not telling you what I was thinking,” he grabbed her hand again still grinning, “I can’t keep my feelings from you, I should at least be entitled to my thoughts.”
She couldn’t argue with that. It really wasn’t fair that she had known his feelings before he was ready to tell her.
“Alright, fine.” They started walking again. “Malena said you are supposed to balance me.”
“That sounds familiar. Aleric told me that we balanced each other.”
“Kiiiioooooorraaa.” Her name came whispering through the trees as if it were riding on the mist.
She stopped dead in her tracks. “Did you hear that?” Kiora asked.
“Hear what?”
“Kiiooooooorraaaa.””That!”
“No, I didn’t hear anything.”
“Just listen!” Emane and Kiora stood, listening. But what came next was different, it sounded like rattling. Almost like the toy her mother had made her as a child, a gourd filled with rice.
“Is that what you heard?” Emane asked, his heard jerking around looking for the source.
“No, Someone was calling my name before.”
“I didn’t hear that, but I can certainly hear this. It’s getting closer.”
The sound grew louder and closer. Emane’s hand inched backwards to the hilt of his sword.
Kiora grabbed his arm. “No.”
“Kiora!””No Emane, it’s ok.”
“How can you know it’s ok when you don’t know what it is?” he snapped. He shifted back from one foot to the other, eyes darting in search of the sound.
“I don’t know. It’s just what I feel.”
Out of the mist, a sea of black moved across land. They squinted trying to make it out. As it moved closer, the sea of black revealed itself as a mass of beetles scuttling across the grass towards them. They seemed jet black until the moonlight hit them— then they shimmered a royal blue and emerald green, changing back and forth between the two colors as they scurried towards them. They had large eyes and two exceptionally long antennas, which preceded their arrival.
“Kiora, I don’t like this,” Emane whispered.
Kiora’s heart was pounding, she never had liked bugs and these were the size of walnuts, some larger. Despite the fear, there was an underlying sense of peace that Kiora knew was not coming from her.
“I know— I don’t like it either. But, it’s going to be ok.”
“I’m not going to have watch as one of them eats you am I?” he said, placing his body between her and the onslaught of beetles.
She stepped out from behind him, placing her hand reassuringly on his shoulder. “I have no idea.”
“Kiora,” he hissed keeping his eyes on the beetles. “What are you doing?”
“It’s ok Emane, stay here,” she said, her hand trailing off his shoulder as she walked closer.
Once she had separated herself from Emane, the beetles scuttled forward, surrounding her. Emane was struggling to keep his feet planted where they were.
One of the larger beetles left the group and hurried over to Emane. Emane took a step back and went for his sword again.
“Emane stop! It’s ok, let him do what he is going to do.”
“Going to do! What is he going to…?” Emane abruptly stopped talking as the beetle scurried up his leg and onto his shirt, “Kiora, what is he doing?” Emane said through clenched teeth, trying to remain still.
“Emane, I really don’t know, everything is so guarded. I am only sensing what they want me to. Please just trust me and hold still.”
The beetle zipped inside the open neck of his shirt and Emane turned stiff as a board. Camouflaged, it was now just a buggy shaped bump moving across his shoulder. It moved rapidly, winding itself down and around his armband, pausing once, before moving its way back up. Having inspected what it came for, it emerged and scurried back down his leg. Emane remained stiff, watching it warily, as the invading bug hurried back to its comrades.
Once the beetle had rejoined the others, the entire group was still for a moment. Kiora and Emane watched silently, their eyes flitting from the beetles, to each other, and back again. Suddenly in one cohesive effort, all of the beetles closed in on Kiora. She clenched her fists tight at her side, screwing her eyes shut. But even with closed eyes, she could still feel the tiny legs grabbing at her mangled dress and pulling themselves up. They clicked and ticked as if they were talking to each other, a crescendo of sound as they climbed. Panic closed in as the weight of her dress increased exponentially, and the scratch of insect feet raked over her skin where her dress had ripped. Taking a deep breath, she tried to focus only on the calm feeling that had accompanied these beetles upon their arrival, which was difficult to find at the moment. She was also being overrun with waves of concern from Emane.
The little feet with their underlying chatter had reached her bodice. Of course, she thought to herself, through deep breaths trying not to panic. Emane gets one, and I get them all.
She was worried that they were about to climb up and onto her head, encasing her completely when all movement stopped.
Breathing heavily she hesitantly opened one eye, and then the other, finding herself staring at the largest beetle perched upon her shoulder.
Startled, she saw something in those gigantic eyes that she was not expecting. An awareness, an intelligence. A whirlwind of impressions overtook her mind. It was so different from talking to Arturo, there were no words but she knew what they were trying to tell her.
Tell no one, it will help. Time is not now, but later, secrets and trust.
They trusted her and they had a secret. She was to remember that for a later date and was to tell no one. That specific impression waved over her again and again, tell no one.
Eleana? She whispered to the beetle.
The impression came harder and clearer. No one!
“When?” She whispered back. She didn’t understand how long she was to keep this secret for, and for what purpose.
Another impression came, You will know when it is time. Do not forget us.
The beetles, having delivered their message, turned at once and scurried back down the way they had come. Moving in unison they once again became a sea of black, dissipating into the mist. But as they left the impressions continued to wave back over her, do not forget, tell no one, a great secret, do not forget.
Kiora watched their retreat, into the mist long after she couldn’t see them anymore.
Emane finally managed to unfreeze himself. “Kiora!” He ran over to her, running his hands over her arms, looking for injuries. “Kiora, are you ok?”
“I’m fine,” she said, her eyes unmoving from where the last beetle had disappeared.
“What just happened?” he asked slowly.
“I am not sure,” she said, finally turning to look at him. “All I know is that we can’t tell anyone what just happened.”
“Anyone?””Not anyone, I even asked about Eleana.”
“Those things were speaking to you?” he asked incredulously.
“Not in words, but yes. Emane promise me— we tell no one, ever.”
She was looking at him with the same amount of intensity that she had in the cave right before Drustan ate her as a multi-headed monster. “I promise, I will tell no one.”
“Thank you.” Her shoulders relaxed. “I think we should get back to the tree and get some rest.”
Chapter Twenty-one
RETURN TO THE HOLLOW
KIORA AWOKE, FEELING SOMETHING wrapped around her waist. Looking down she smiled, sliding her hand across Emane’s and snuggling back into the warmth of his body.
“Good morning,” he said.
Turning her head, she smiled sleepily, “Good morning, what time is it?” She yawned. “I’m not sure, the sun’s been up for a while.” Leaning around her, he yelled, “Hey Drustan, any chance you could turn yourself into a pocket watch?”
Drustan strode over carrying breakfast. “This Protector of yours fancies himself a comedian.” He said, handing her last night’s rabbit.
Emane stretched out like a cat after its morning nap, “It was just a question Drustan,” he said through a groan.
Kiora grinned but decided not to fuel either of their fires. Taking a bite, she grimaced. Rabbit never had been her favorite. Leftover, cold rabbit was much worse. She swallowed with some effort and had just torn off another piece as a thread came within range. She focused in, trying to recognize it.
“What is it?” Drustan asked.
Kiora didn’t answer but held up her hand. A moment later she swallowed and breathed out a sigh of relief. “Sorry, someone is coming, one of yours I believe,” she told Drustan.
One large bushy eyebrow rose in surprise, “I haven’t felt anything yet.”
“You will,” Kiora answered, going back to her breakfast.
She watched with some amusement out of the corner of her eye as Drustan sat searching for the thread. After a couple of minutes he shook his head. “I cannot believe you felt it that much sooner than I did. Remarkable.””
“It is one of yours, right?”
“Yes, it is Orrin.”
The name immediately conjured sadness. “How is he doing? He seemed close to the other Shifter that was guarding with him that night.”
“Yes,” Drustan said with a thoughtful nod, “It was his mate.”
Kiora suddenly felt infinitely worse. Not hungry any longer, she set down her barely touched breakfast. Orrin had lost his mate trying to protect her.
“She was a wonderful girl,” Drustan added. Noticing Kiora’s saddened demeanor, he placed his hand on her shoulder, “They knew what they were doing when they went out there, and they went willingly.”
Knowing there was nothing that could change what happened, and nothing that would make her feel better, she changed the subject. “Drustan, where did the other Shapeshifters go when we left?”
“The Merfolk had offered refuge if needed, they went to stay with them.”
“Merfolk?””The Merfolk of the Garian Sea.”
“So, when you say Merfolk,” Emane interrupted, “you mean head of a man body of fish right?”
“Of course, what else would I be referring to?”
“I don’t know, just making sure I had the right story, that’s all. Your people all turned into Merfolk?”
“Some did, I am sure. But, as long as it was something that could survive underwater they would be fine. The lake probably has a larger than normal assortment of ostentatiously bright fish and lake monsters, I would guess.” A sparrow burst through the branches of the tree. “Hello Orrin.”
“Drustan,” the sparrow nodded in his direction and turned to Kiora. “We need you to return to the new Hollow, there has been a development and your presence is requested.”
“When?” Kiora asked.
“Immediately. You are to follow me back. Drustan, I assume you have enough magic to change into something suitable?”
“Of course. Kiora, any requests?”
“As long as it’s not pink,” Emane interjected.
Kiora shook her head and laughed, “I give you free reign.”
Drustan rubbed his hands together with glee. “Free reign?” he asked, his eyes locked mischievously on Emane.
“Whatever you want.”
Drustan began to change before their eyes. Legs growing, body elongating. Wings exploded out of his back and hoofs appeared in place of feet. A pegasus.
“Thank you!” Emane exclaimed, throwing his arms to the sky.
As a final touch, Drustan exploded into color, Emane’s arms dropped back to his side in defeat at the now purple pegasus.
“Purple? You had to make him purple?” Emane said in disbelief.
He stomped past Kiora who had resorted to leaning against a tree because she was laughing so hard.
“It’s not funny, Kiora, he did that just to torture me.”
“I know,” she said through hysterics. “That’s… what makes it… so… funny!”
The pegasus smiled at Emane, “Climb aboard your majesty.”
As Emane pulled himself onto the purple pegasus, Drustan turned his head to look at him, “Isn’t purple the color of royalty anyway?” When Emane ignored the jab, Drustan chortled through horse lips, “Maybe not, it’s just what I heard.”
Kiora launched into another fit of laughter, gripping her side in pain.
“Come on, get control of yourself.” Emane snapped. “They said our presence is requested immediately.”
Taking a deep breath, Kiora pushed off of the tree and walked over, trying to stifle her laughter, but still couldn’t manage to stand up straight.
Emane pulled her up in front of him and wrapped his arms around her as she wrapped her fingers through Drustan’s mane. Orrin took off like a flash, darting out through the branches. Drustan followed behind, nearly swiping Emane off with a thick weeping branch. Kiora heard Emane grumbling behind her, something about him doing that on purpose, but she chose instead to focus on getting one last look at the Valley of No Magic, that was ironically, the most magical place she ha
d ever seen. Glittering trees, all too green grass, blue and green beetles. Something was here, and she believed it had everything to do with magic.
They flew for some time back over the Sea of Garian and over the top of miles of forest before Orrin darted straight down.
“Hold on.” The pegasus dipped into a dive.
The trees were set closely together here, so even despite Drustan’s best efforts this time, Emane and Kiora were both almost ripped off his back by the branches. When they landed Aleric, Malena, and Eleana were both waiting for them. Eleana’s eyebrows rose at the sight of the purple pegasus.
“Interesting choice, Drustan,” Eleana commented as Kiora and Emane slid off his back.
“He did it just to tick me off,” Emane grumbled.
“And it was a smashing success,” Drustan added as he morphed back into his preferred human shape with a flourish.
Eleana, glittering in gold appraised them, “You two are quite a sight.” She tried to sound stern, but her blue eyes betrayed her amusement.
Kiora looked down at her torn and bloody dress. “It was a beautiful gown,” she said sadly.
“I will have to take your word for that. Malena, please escort Kiora and Emane somewhere they can get cleaned up. And please find them something else to wear.”
“Come with me,” Malena said, floating into the Hollow. Emane put his hand in the small of Kiora’s back and led her after Malena.
***
Drustan didn’t take his eyes off Kiora as she walked away, “Have you seen the battle yet?” He asked Eleana through the side of his mouth.
“No, although Malena had expressed interest in seeing it.”
“I suggest that you watch it. She is growing, rapidly.”
Eleana, Drustan, and Aleric gathered around a large silver basin in the meeting tent. Eleana waved her hands over the top and the water began to ripple in response. Soon the image, a mountain lake, came into focus.
They watched the lake beginning to bubble from underneath, the waters rising, splitting around a central point. Kiora appeared in the middle dropping her bubble. The water flexed and moved around her, growing until it towered several feet over her head. Kiora’s hands pushed the water out, and with complete obedience it went hurtling out into the meadow, covering everything and everyone. She then masterfully pulled it back, restoring the lake as it was. Nobody spoke. Aleric’s mouth was agape, his eyes bulging. Eleana had a look of surprise and pride. Drustan just shook his head as if watching it again had been just as amazing as watching it the first time.
