by Kumar, Lisa
He’d never let harm come to her, or Maggie, for that matter, but he must convince her of that. One part of him wanted to be offended she had reservations, but in truth, he hadn’t addressed or even noticed her emotional distress until now.
He stopped, halting Cal as she attempted to walk on. She kept her face level with his chest. Even when he tried to get her attention, she mulishly ignored him. Her body went stiff as he drew her into his arms.
He’d offended her with his behavior. He had been abrupt with her. Time to rectify that. “My lady, I didn’t mean to cause umbrage with my actions.”
“Jerk.”
He winced. This wasn’t going so well.
She wouldn’t even glance at him as words spewed from her mouth. “I don’t like being treated like a sack of potatoes that needs to be lugged around. I get you’re anxious about this news, but I’m not a servant to unquestionably follow orders, Your Highness.”
He recoiled from her furious words. “I’m truly contrite. My impatience with you wasn’t intended or planned. The information you presented...just overwhelmed me, making me forget all else temporarily.” He touched her cheek, knowing she couldn’t resist such a move on his part. “I’m sorry. Please understand if you’re right, what this could mean to the people of Eria. That would be no small piece of knowledge.”
She finally looked up. “I know, but in truth, that’s partly the reason I’m afraid.” Her voice caught. “I’m human, and so is Maggie. We don’t want anyone to misread that passage and think it calls for human blood in totally unacceptable ways.”
“I can see your fear. But even you mentioned it has to be willingly given, so I don’t think many would misunderstand that part.”
Cal shook her head. “All it would take is a few, though.”
“I would protect you and Maggie. You know that. But I think the best course right now is for me to actually read what’s written on that scroll.”
She sighed and took his proffered hand. She was still hesitant, but he no longer sensed her distress honing in on him. That he could handle.
They walked in silence at a steady pace, side-by-side. Once they arrived at the den, he opened the door and motioned for her to go inside first. She immediately went over to one of the shelves lining the room and reached between books and multiple scrolls. Pulling out a rolled-up piece of parchment carefully hidden behind the others, she placed it on the nearest desk and stepped back. “It looks to be quite old.” A wry smile flitted over her face. “But then, old is relative here, or so I’ve come to learn.”
Looking at the scroll, he could see how she arrived at that conclusion, even though it was as she admitted. While it was tattered at the edges, it wasn’t that old, given the style of the parchment and its overall shape. “It’s probably only seven or eight hundred years old, if that.”
“That old? How is it still in one piece, lying in the open air as it has been?” The wonder in her voice told him this wasn’t a common occurrence in her world.
He shrugged. “It’s probably a combination of how we formulate and manufacture our paper, coupled with the natural magic that sustains our world.”
Now that he was there, now that the scroll rested before him, he hesitated to pick it up and read it. So much could rest on that one sheet of paper. His hands shook as he reached for it. The parchment was smooth against his hands, like any other piece would be. He didn’t know why, but it surprised him it wasn’t any different.
As he smoothed the scroll out on the desk, he perused it carefully and came to the same conclusion Cal had—that mortality or humanity factored heavily into whatever means they were to take. He let out a long breath he hadn’t known he kept hostage, his mind reeling at what to do next. First, they had to determine if the passage was a real instance of foresight or some flight of fantasy. If it were real, the practical application of that information would be the next hurdle faced. He glanced over at Cal, who’d moved closer.
She put her hand on his arm. “Well, what do you think?”
***
Relian shifted anxiously as his father finished reading the scroll. The moment stretched on, even though only a matter of minutes passed since he read it himself. Cal stood by his side, hands clasped together.
Talion looked up, disbelief in his eyes. “I thought this seemed familiar.” He must’ve seen astonishment on their faces, for he chuckled. “No, I wasn’t referring to the prophetic passage but to something else within this scroll.”
He furrowed his brow. “What, Father?”
“The handwriting. I know that script.”
To his disappointment, his father didn’t add anything more to that last statement. “Whose?”
Talion gave another chuckle, that time without any humor. “I’m not sure if you want that answer.”
Relian rolled his eyes. “Father, I’ve long been of the age to hear unpleasant tidings.”
“Yes, but about your family?” Talion shuffled papers around on his desk, arranging them in neat piles. “Your mother’s family, to be exact?”
A sick feeling swept over him, and he leveled a piercing look upon his father. He had better explain what he implied.
“The person who wrote this was known to have some foresight. It was your mother’s father.” Talion raised his hand, forestalling his flood of questions. “I can only hazard a guess as to why this was buried somewhere inconsequential, but I need to do some research before I reveal that reason to you.”
He was about to argue the point when Cal’s humorous voice chimed in. “Huh, I guess you all pull that mysterious “I know something you don’t” stuff on each other, and not just on the poor ignorant humans you happen to run across.”
***
“Andrian was ther—” Talion’s voice asked quietly before breaking off. Cal and Maggie stood outside the door, ready to knock, and shared a knowing glance. All talk inside had come to a halt when the occupants of the room discovered their presence.
The king bade them to enter. As they walked in, the men’s gazes lay heavily upon them. Cal gulped. The feeling of being on trial wouldn’t go away, but she knew why they all gathered there. As she glanced around, she saw only the most trusted of advisors and councilors there. Relian had taken her aside earlier to tell her of the meeting and who would attend. Besides the king, Relian and Kenhel, Avrin and Sardon were also there, along with a few others.
Talion gestured with a hand, favoring them with a slight smile. “Please sit down, my dears.”
They took their seats, ensconced between Relian and Avrin, while the king got down to business. “All here were previously informed as to why we gather here today. I give leave for everyone to speak freely.”
Kenhel spread out his long legs before him. “Like we ever wait for permission.”
Avrin threw an amused look at the irritated king. “Indeed.”
Talion cast his gaze upward but offered no response. Those had to be his closest friends and advisors, for only people at ease with him would dare to tease him so. It definitely didn’t happen at the more public functions.
Talion cleared his throat. “I believe we’re all in agreement about the mortality part specified? There seems to be something in the blood of mortals that’s pointed to as a possible cure.”
Maggie grimaced. “As long as it’s not construed as a blood sacrifice, I’d have to admit, yes, there is something in our blood to which the passage refers.”
Sardon wore a distasteful look on his face. “We’re not primitive and don’t practice blood sacrifice, especially the way in which you mean it. We’re not so savage as to think we can find a willing victim, slit his or her throat, and that everything will return to how it should be with that mere act.”
Maggie stared at Sardon, her mouth agape, until Avrin’s voice filled the void. “What my dear friend is so eloquently trying to say is we think the passage refers to blood being collected. To be freely given, yes, but in small amounts that come nowhere near to approaching the point of death
. We’re sure the freewill part is a warning to some of our more over-zealous people who might be tempted to take matters into their own hands. Again, I’m not saying most would cause any lasting physical harm, but the willing part might be somewhat overlooked. Sleep can be easy to force upon another, especially a human not used to our ways. As Sardon alluded to, we’ve never dealt with notions of sacrificial death, at least in our recorded history, and see no reason to start now. Now we only need blood willingly offered that we can study and analyze, so we can dissect this puzzle.”
Cal’s cheeks, like Maggie’s, flamed as their seemingly erroneous worry was called out. But relief also infiltrated her mind. While they hadn’t really believed death awaited them or hopefully any other human the elves got their hands on, they’d still pictured more devious and sadistic ways the elves might use to extract human blood. Maiming hadn’t sounded like such an impossibility with the stakes so high.
She voiced another concern that Avrin’s words brought up. “But do you have the needed knowledge and technology to work with blood? At least in our land, it takes regimented procedures and equipment to carry out that kind of research.”
Talion steepled his fingers. “That could be a problem area for us. Our sicknesses are few, so research of the kind you speak of has been infrequent. We possess some basic knowledge of microscopes, but much of our equipment literally dates back to the time when elves and humans lived on the same Earth.”
Maggie made a derisive sound. “Of course.”
He gazed at her in bemusement. “Back then, we were much more heavily involved with research involving sickness and disease—mostly yours, not ours.”
She frowned, apparently not liking the perceived slur against humanity’s perceived fragility. “Just how far back was this? There’s not actual evidence you guys ever existed on Earth.”
Talion nodded. “I’m not surprised. I believe your world went through many dark ages, and much knowledge would’ve been lost.”
Maggie tossed a challenging look his way. “But that doesn’t explain why those who dig up and study what’s been buried for centuries wouldn’t find any evidence of your occupation.”
A contemplative mien stole over his face. “Mayhap we didn’t leave much behind for them to find and what we did more than likely returned to nature. That’s always been where we excelled: nature magic. It’s infused into almost everything we build and craft. Without us there to sustain it, many items would disintegrate rapidly. And what didn’t would obtain a decidedly human slant to it.”
Another advisor, Cian, sighed. “While this is very interesting, it doesn’t solve the issue at hand.” He turned his stern visage to Cal and Maggie. “Do you have the proper technology to carry out research of a medical kind?”
Instead of being cowed, Cal shared a look with Maggie before they giggled. Did they—their country—ever have the technology. It was like asking a duck if it liked water. “Yes,” the answer came in unison from them both.
Cal tapped her finger to her bottom lip. “Maggie, don’t you have a relative who’s a medical researcher?”
The possibilities highlighted by that question shone on Maggie’s face. “Hmm, yes. He and his colleagues study all manner of medically intriguing things, well, intriguing to them.” She grabbed Avrin’s hand in excitement, eliciting a grin from him. He didn’t seem to mind in the least. Very interesting. Could her friend be falling for the handsome elf and he for her?
For some reason, Cal watched Talion’s response. He gazed at his friend with a raised brow but only addressed the issue at hand. “If we can’t determine a solution ourselves, it seems the humans’ Earth will be a prime place to visit for such knowledge.”
He returned his gaze to Avrin. “You know many of the healers, as you trained as one yourself. Will you see to the master healers, making them ready and informing them of the discreetness of this endeavor? They’re to pour over their books and scrolls and dust off any pertinent equipment. For now, they can use samples taken from forest animals and livestock to hone whatever skills they’ll need. Please do this in all haste.” He gave a pointed stare at Avrin and Maggie’s clasped hands. “That is, if you can tear yourself away.”
Avrin sent Maggie a smile. “My fair one, by order of the king, I must remove myself from your presence. Until later.” He elegantly vacated his chair and leaned over Maggie’s hand to place a soft kiss on it.
Kenhel, apparently not to be outdone, swept from his chair before Maggie’s hand even returned to its spot upon the armrest. He grasped her hand and brought it up to his lips, letting them linger on her skin.
Talion watched it all unfold with an impassive face, his only sign of annoyance an eye roll. Could it be he thought the two males acted like fools over his adversary?
Cal shrugged off the thought and slid her hand into Relian’s. As his fingers enfolded hers, all the stresses of the day temporarily floated away. Things were looking up with a tentative plan in the formulation—one that might allow her to visit Earth.
***
Cal stuck her head furtively around the corner of the hallway. No, no one there. Privacy was a commodity in short supply. Over the past few days, everyone surrounding her seemed in perpetual movement. It was like a bad merry-go-round ride from which she couldn’t get off, her being the pole around which everyone spun.
Her head swam. Eriannon’s populace expended so much effort, food, time and other materials to pull off the bonding ceremony. Relian assured her all this was normal and expected. His father could do no less if he wanted to show full support for the upcoming union.
She disliked those political maneuverings but would have to get used to them. After all, she would face them for a long time to come. Blanching, she rubbed at the goose bumps that popped up on her skin. Her mind tried to shy away from looking too closely at a fact that still unsettled her, one she couldn’t truly comprehend and didn’t necessarily even want. She never dreamed of gaining immortality, and when it came coupled with a position of power and standing, the very notion of it all too often made her chest tight and painful.
She couldn’t even confide many of her concerns to Relian, for she rarely saw him. When she did, it was in the company of innumerable others. While she didn’t like the big crowds she found herself subjected to, there was one fortunate thing she learned from this gathering of society: which persons were friendly and open-minded and those who only played at it. The latter were easy to spot. Their amicable demeanor couldn’t hide the derision and superiority that leaked out toward her like poison. Again, like so many times before, she couldn’t say anybody was out rightly rude to her. But she definitely discovered whom she wanted behind her in a dark alley and whom she didn’t.
Cal shook her head. She needed to find her friend. Where was that girl? She wandered down less frequented corridors, figuring Maggie was probably doing the same, as she hadn’t been in her room. Not that this was surprising, for their rooms weren’t the private sanctuaries they once were. Seamstresses, handmaidens, ladies-in-waiting, plus various other figures filed in and out with alarming regularity.
She trod through a few more hallways and then groaned, not wanting to return to that chamber of chaos, but Maggie could be anywhere. Should she go back to her room to see if she’d returned? If she hadn’t, she could always ask a servant.
Just as she turned to start back, the sound of raised voices caught her attention. She paused. Could it be? One voice in particular sounded like Maggie’s. The other was lower in register but had a familiar ring to it.
Her feet moved toward the direction of the noise, even though her mind hadn’t consciously decided on movement. The female’s voice became louder. She frowned, pulling nervously on a lock of hair. Did she even want to see what was going on? She had enough concerns as it was.
However, her feet still propelled her down an adjoining corridor she vaguely remembered as leading outside. A dry smile came to her lips. Most hallways in the palace led outside at periodic intervals, so
no surprise there.
As she rounded a corner, she froze and stared. Then blinked. And blinked again.
She’d indeed found Maggie. She just never expected to find her pinned up against the wall, hemmed in by arms that formed bands on either side of Maggie’s head. Cal retreated around the corner, peeking around it cautiously. Neither of the two people before her seemed aware of her presence, so she leaned in as closely as she dared.
The elf lowered his head nearer to Maggie’s. “Little girl, always so full of fire and not knowing when to be quiet.”
Maggie glared up at him. “Yeah, and I suppose you believe you’re the one who can shut me up.”
“I do?” he questioned, his voice soft. If it were possible, he lowered his head even more, and Cal almost gasped. His profile resembled Relian’s so much. The raised eyebrow was the same, the nose. But of course they would be.
Maggie sniffed derisively and tried to knock his hands away, but he didn’t yield.
“Are you so eager to escape my company, young one?”
“Well, aren’t you an Einstein.” Maggie’s voice spit out venom.
He merely gave her a bland look. “I’m afraid I don’t know this Einstein of which you speak. Is it a person, place, or thing?”
Maggie smirked. “My, my, know your definition of a noun, do you? Quite impressive.”
A mysterious smile curved his lips as he withdrew his arms and gazed down at Maggie. “I know a lot more than you could ever imagine.”
Maggie made a shrieking, strangled sound before she stormed off right toward where Cal hid. Cal withdrew her head from around the corner and pressed up against the wall, Maggie passing right by her. Her friend was indeed angry if she didn’t even notice her. Now she saw why Maggie was often in such a high-strung mood after a run-in with the elf. It was like watching a cat batting at a mouse, with Maggie as the prey.
