* * * * *
“This is the life,” Kesney sighed.
A few days had passed since the attachment ceremony between Eiron and Alessia, and Kesney, Alessia, Eiron, and Klimyata were relaxing in the Seynorynaelian forest where the attachment ceremony had taken place. A few footprints remained beside him, where the assembled company had recently danced on the bank, though most of the footprints had already been consumed by the waters.
“Kesney, when was the last time you had a vacation?” Eiron asked suddenly, unclasping the sun shield he had made of his hands and folding them under his head. He was lying down, gazing up at the sky; above him, clouds had just rolled over, muting the sun.
“I don’t remember,” Kesney said, sitting up and stretching lazily. “I couldn’t ever afford a pass out of Inen.” He laughed, now watching Klimyata with interest. She and Alessia were swimming in the small lake where the river widened. “You’d better hurry,” he called. “It’s almost fifth-hour.”
Klimyata looked up at the sky. A shower threatened, and she clambered on the bank to dry. Under the shining trees, an artificial wind was rising, the bright “sun” high above softened by the cloud cover. She knew that at the fifth-hour, when the sun began to set above, the cycle of rain would come.
Warm and soothing rain soaked them as they made their way back along the water, on the soft, mossy bank; scattered drops rippled in the clear stream beside them. Eiron watched the patterns in the water in silent admiration; they reminded him of Alessia’s eyes.
“What is it?” Alessia asked Eiron, sensing his underlying dark mood.
“I just feel a little restless,” he admitted. “Maybe even guilty. We still haven’t figured out what to do about what’s going on up there.”
“Eiron, you aren’t single-handedly responsible for the world. Besides, you should have a little faith in your grandfather.”
“I do, but I really shouldn’t have abandoned him like I did.”
“He didn’t see it that way, I’m sure.”
“He never would have said so, you’re right.” Eiron admitted, reconsidering. “Still, I can’t help thinking that he might need my help more than I thought. And what about the preparations for Orian? Someone has to get them started.”
“Remember what you said to Kesney? Well, we can’t do anything until people are willing to listen to us,” Alessia whispered as Kesney slowed ahead, perhaps hearing his name. “What you said was true. We don’t know when the volcanic eruption will happen, and you can’t put your entire life on hold in the meantime. You deserve some time to enjoy yourself. When the proper time comes, Eiron, you’ll do what has to be done. We all will,” she said.
“All right, all right,” Eiron acquiesced, shaking his head at her. “I can’t argue with you, my dear.” He said, smiling, then grabbed her about the waist and planted a kiss on her cheek.
But later that evening, the guilty feeling returned, only this time, it wouldn’t go away.
The Last Immortal : Book One of Seeds of a Fallen Empire Page 64
