He snorted. “Prepare? Jumping off the side of that canyon was all the preparation I needed.” He paused. “Unless you have tea.”
She started. “Actually, I do have tea. Many kinds. And biscuits.”
He barked a laugh. “You do? That was a joke.”
“Really?” She tilted her head, and then a slow smile spread across her face. “You were joking.”
“Yes.” He smiled back for a moment and then sobered. “I don’t want tea. Or biscuits. Or singing or dancing. Let’s do this.” The hard edge in his voice was back.
She sighed. “Very well, let me heartspeak you, then.”
“Heartspeak?”
“To determine whether your cause is true. Come.” She reached through the bars of the cage as if to place her hand on his chest, but he stepped back. “I have to do this before I can free you to take the test.”
His eyes narrowed as he slowly took a step forward.
When she raised her hand and placed it on his chest, the hardened muscles there tensed for a moment before relaxing. She could feel the strength and leashed power radiating from his physique. His body may have been at ease, but his gaze burned into hers until she closed her eyes.
She let her magic speak to his heart, searching for the desire that would guide him through the tests. The first thing she found was pain. Agony over monumental loss. And a feeling of failure. He covered it with humor, but his grief ran deep within him.
Then she found loyalty to his friends and family. Duty to his brother and to his people, which was why he was here.
What she didn’t find was drive or dedication to any cause that was stronger than any other. And a simple sense of duty would not sustain him through the trials.
Slowly, she dropped her hand. Regret filled her, but she knew the answer. “I cannot let you take the tests.”
“What?” His expression changed to one of shock. “Why not?”
“Because, although your cause is true, you don’t believe in it.”
“I do believe in it! If I don’t help the elves get the crystals, the Ardaks could kill us all.” He pounded at the bars of the cage with his fists, the sounds echoing through the canyon. “This isn’t fair. You have to let me try!”
“You don’t believe in it enough. And I don’t have to do anything.” She waved her hand and let the cage dissolve, dropping him into the water. Then she turned back to her cave sadly. She heard him shouting, spluttering and cursing her as the river carried him away.
She slowly headed back into the cave, kicking pebbles along her path.
Fucking! What am I going to do now?
She’d been so sure he was the one. He had certainly appeared to be the one at first glance. But someone who lacked passion would never make it through the tests. So, as badly as she needed a champion before the king of the merpeople found his way through her shield again, she didn’t feel like killing anyone today.
She waved her hand again and the door appeared, and she stepped inside, her eyes automatically going to the gold-and-purple crystal that would be used for the test. Was it glowing a little brighter? She wasn’t certain, but it seemed to be. Perhaps someone else would come.
She set a teapot full of water on the fire to make her tea, which she wished she weren’t drinking alone. Valdjan had been the second male she’d seen in a thousand years, and he’d been even more beautiful than his brother. Now that he was gone, she felt lonelier than ever.
When the pot was close to boiling, she poured the hot water into a mug and sprinkled the leaves over the top.
Then she sat at the dining table, staring into the cave as she had every day for the past thousand years. “How long am I going to be stuck here?”
“Not long if I have anything to say about it.”
Valdjan.
She jumped up in shock, dropping her tea. The mug shattered, and she leaped to the side to avoid the hot liquid. “I should have shut the entrance behind me. Where did you come from?”
He was soaking wet. “Where do you think?” His eyes blazed with rage. “I believe you and I have some unfinished business.”
She raised her chin, refusing to give in to his anger. “I told you that you can’t take the tests!”
“Oh, yes I can.”
She backed away, but he stalked forward, following her around the table.
She held out her hands in front of her. “You lack conviction!”
“That’s never killed anyone!”
“In this test it will!”
That stopped him.
“What did you feel when I heartspoke you?” she questioned.
“I felt nothing.”
“Exactly!” Her voice was triumphant. “That’s because you don’t have anything to feel.”
He placed a hand over his heart. “That hurt.” His voice was thick with sarcasm.
She shrugged. “It’s the truth. Your cause is true, but you have no passion behind it. No deep desire. I don’t know what form the tests will take for you, but I do know that they are meant to test your depth of commitment, your dedication to your cause. The one who becomes the Protector must value that duty above all else—even his own life.”
“The Protector? I just want the crystals for the elves. If you think I’m going to lock myself in here for the next thousand years, think again, princess.”
“I’m a guardian, not a princess. And the one who passes the tests becomes the Protector. I have no idea what your job would require. But the fact that you wouldn’t make that sacrifice proves my point. You are not the one.” She turned and gestured to the river. “You should go back from whence you came. If you leave now, no harm will come to you.”
“Except from the Ardaks,” Valdjan reminded her angrily.
“Perhaps,” she acceded with a nod. Then she thought of the mermen. “But we’re all in danger from someone.”
He clenched his jaw. “I’m not going anywhere.”
She sighed. “Fine. Have it your way. It was nice knowing you.”
“I’m not going to die.” There was an edge of steel in his voice that hadn’t been there before.
She leaned forward, deliberately goading him. “Yes, Valdjan, you are.”
He stood several paces away, and their eyes bored into each other’s, neither giving an inch. There was a determination behind his fierceness that she hadn’t seen down by the water.
For the first time, a twinge of hope bloomed inside her.
Maybe there is something in there, after all.
He must have shown determination to swim back upriver, to come back after she’d told him no.
“Just give me the fucking tests,” he ordered through gritted teeth.
She eyed the golden-purple crystal on the table, realizing its glow was noticeably brighter. Maybe he really was the one. She threw it at him. “Fine. Have it your way.”
He reached out and caught it, and the second the crystal touched his skin, he disappeared.
Sighing, she called the crystal back to her, and it floated over, landing silently on the dining table.
As she watched, a bubble appeared above it, allowing her to watch the test. A golden timer appeared on the face of the crystal, its golden light completely full. The solar rotation had begun.
Please don’t die inside the test.
Despite her nonchalant facade, she really didn’t want Valdjan to die. She picked up the crystal and made herself a new cup of tea, and went to settle herself in her favorite chair to watch.
Chapter Five
Valdjan
Valdjan appeared in a lavish bedroom, obviously elven by the decor. He’d been sitting on a velvet chair beside a large, ornately carved wooden bed, his head in his hands. He rose, still angry.
The guardian might be even more beautiful when defiant, but her opinion of him rankled.
Who does she think she is, telling me I don’t have enough dedication to my cause?
He pushed away the idea that he’d told Tordan the very same thing just tha
t morning. She didn’t even know him, but she thought some kind of magic could see into his heart?
He took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm his anger. Then he stepped to the center of room, turning in a slow circle. He perused the lavish surroundings, the intricately carved woods and metals, the brocades and velvets in the fabrics.
Where the hell am I?
There was a knock at the door.
He strode across the room to open it, but there was no handle. “Come in,” he called, hoping whoever was on the outside could open it.
The door slid open without a sound, and an elf, carrying stacks and stacks of files, entered. He was shorter than Valdjan but still tall for an elf. His golden hair was tied back from his face, and his clothing was that of a scribe, a white shirt laced up with leather, fitted hide pants that disappeared into fitted tall leather boots, which were also secured with a thin rope of leather. Each item was embroidered at the seams in gold.
“Lord Rilien, here are the results you asked for.” The elf set the stack on the table before looking to Valdjan expectantly, his eyes glowing the same gold as those from the secret village his brother had found in the mountains.
Lord Rilien?
Oh gods. I’m Lord Rilien. Don’t tell me I’m one of those scrawny, pale . . .
He reached up and felt his ears. Yep, they were pointed.
Son of a bitch.
The elf was watching him, and his eager expression had turned to a frown. “Have I come at a bad time, sir?”
“Uh, no. Please give me a second.” Valdjan searched the room, finding a door on the other side. To his relief, it had a handle. He turned it, and after seeing it was the personal room, he stepped inside. He found the mirror and stared at his reflection in horror.
He was obviously an elder elf, and while tall, he had the typical scrawny build. His hair was long and pure white, his eyes the glowing gold of the elves from the village back on Aurora, and while his eyesight was good, it was disturbingly normal. No oculars. Damn.
His hands were weathered, his fingers were long and thin, his nails were short, and his palms were free of calluses.
This guy hasn’t wielded a sword in his life.
He wore a white shirt and hide pants, fitted around the calves like the rest of the elves. Out of curiosity, he dropped his hand—after all, he was living in the body—and let out a breath of relief. The proportion was slightly smaller than he was used to, but not too bad.
There was a strange device on his wrist. He pressed the only button on it, and the screen came to life, showing a semitranslucent screen in the air above it. Clearly, the elf he’d taken over had used this as a personal computerized device. Across the top, it said LINK. He scrolled downward to see that LINK was short for Linking Information NetworK, and the system seemed specific to Rilien. It was full of files and messages.
One that caught his eye said, “Rilien, you are ordered to close the investigation on magical creatures. Tell no one. Tahlavel.”
A knock sounded at the door, but this time, it was softer, more hesitant. “Sir? Are you all right?”
He pressed the button again, and it turned off. “Ah, yes. Just a moment.” He gave himself a last look and squared his shoulders, then opened the door. “Sorry about that. Thank you for bringing the files.” He crossed the room to the table to examine them.
The elf nodded formally, and Valdjan examined the top sheet. It was written in elvish symbols that he didn’t know. He glanced up at the ceiling, pinching the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger in irritation. “It isn’t really a fair test if I can’t speak the language, is it?”
“I’m sorry, sir?” The elf looked between his face and the files, bewildered.
He looked back down at the papers, and the letters began to change until he could read them. He snorted. At least there was something good about magic. “Never mind, um . . .” He searched for a name, but there was nothing on the elf’s clothing.
“My name is Elberos, sir,” the elf supplied. “I transferred in two weeks ago from Duilwen Aguhm, and they’re still making my new identity card.” The elf paused. “I guess it isn’t high on the priority list. I must say that it’s an honor to work with you, sir.”
“Likewise,” he muttered, and the elf looked inordinately pleased.
Valdjan opened the first file, but the text was incomprehensible. “Listen, Elberos . . . have you had a chance to look at these files?”
The elf started, looking uncomfortable. “Well, sir, I know I wasn’t supposed to, sir, but I transferred in to help, and I wanted to get all the data I could get my hands on, if you know what I mean.”
“I do.” Valdjan nodded. “And I’m glad you did. It would really help me if you would go over what’s in these files with me.”
“Of course, sir, but that might take a while,” the elf hesitated. “There are ninety-eight files.”
“That’s fine. What are we looking at here?”
“Sir, this is the data on the evolution of the magical creatures. No one knows why they are evolving, or how. You asked for the files on all the planets, those with benevolent creatures, malevolent creatures, and none at all.”
Valdjan stroked his chin. “So, it’s a puzzle, right? And we don’t know all of the variables. To investigate it properly, I want to start at the beginning. Just pretend I don’t know anything. It might give us a new perspective.” Clearly, this was the puzzle the guardian had told him about.
The elf’s troubled expression cleared, and his golden eyes brightened. “Oh, quite right. What a genius idea, sir.”
Valdjan almost rolled his eyes. No one had ever called him a genius in his lifetime. Once again, it just felt wrong for him to be the one taking the tests.
I’m not a hero. I’m not even smart. Almost anyone would have been better than me in this situation.
He thought of his brother, who had done extraordinary things despite his broken body, and squared his shoulders.
“All right, to start at the beginning: We have expanded to ninety-eight planets in the empire, using magic on all of them. But recently, some of the native species on some of the planets are showing . . . reactions . . . to our presence on the planet. To our knowledge, we haven’t done anything different on those planets than the others, and it’s a complete mystery. However, some have speculated that that it’s our use of magic that is forcing the changes on the native species.”
The elf looked at him for input, but Valdjan simply nodded and remained silent. “Some of the outposts have been calling them magical creatures while others have been calling them hideous beasts.”
“What do you mean?”
“Well, sir, some of the creatures have had good reactions, become beautiful creatures like horses that can fly or people who gain that ability to transform from full human to half-man, half-fish. That’s on Aurora, by the way.”
“Which ones?”
“The half-man, half-fish beings? The elves there are calling them merpeople.”
He tried to wrap his head around the new information. “You said there were both good and hideous creatures. What are the hideous ones?”
“There is one planet with fire-breathing reptiles that can fly. They ignite whole cities with their breath. There is also a planet with huge dogs, the size of houses. And on Glaramore Aguhm, the jungle cats have become extremely intelligent, although showing no tendencies toward violence, but it would be exceedingly disturbing if they became vicious. The elves are calling them . . .”
“Ardaks,” Valdjan supplied. The elves must have different names for all the planets, but the Ardak homeworld was one planet he would never forget.
And suddenly wind rushed in his face and he was pulled out of the crystal, staring face-to-face with Ithyll. He reached out to catch her as she swayed on her feet.
Chapter Six
Ithyll
Ithyll fell against Valdjan’s chest as dizziness swept over her, making her think she might faint. Or vomit.
“We created the merpeople. And the Ardaks,” she whispered, her mouth dry. “I can’t believe it.”
“You didn’t know?” He eyed her closely. “Take some deep breaths.”
She inhaled, shaking her head. “I had no idea.” For a moment, she was grateful for the arms that came around her. It had been so long since she’d felt the warmth of another’s touch, and his was especially nice. He held her in a caring, protective manner, and she reveled in it for a few moments.
Then reality returned. He was a potential champion. She was the guardian. They shouldn’t be . . . fraternizing. Reluctantly, she pushed him away.
He let her go, concern on his face. “Are you all right?”
She pushed her hair back over her shoulder and nodded. “I think so.”
His voice turned pensive. “Was that the puzzle I have to figure out? It doesn’t seem like that much of a mystery if the information was there in the files.”
“I don’t know.” She shook her head. “The test isn’t finished. I lost concentration when I found out about the Ardaks, and I guess you were pulled out when my concentration failed.”
“Wait, does that mean you can pull me out at any time?”
She sighed, trying to gather her wits. “That would be nice, but no. I can pull you out if something goes wrong on my end, so if something happens to my magic or if I’m in danger so we can escape. But I can’t pull you out if you’re in danger from the test. They are supposed to be dangerous, and you must pass them on your own to be a worthy protector of the crystals.”
He snorted. “That seems slightly unfair.”
“Not really. I don’t have access to the crystals and their power, but you will. If you pass.” She shrugged apologetically.
“Do you know where I am inside that test? The elven tech seems really advanced.”
“Would you believe it’s actually ancient history? I’m not sure about where, but I think it must be about fifteen hundred years ago. I was young when we lost contact with the empire—I’d come to Aurora as an explorer when it was just an outpost. This looks like it was just before that. As far as location, I think I read a sign on the wall that said El Aguhm, but I don’t know where it was located. The name itself just means star planet, so it doesn’t tell me much.”
Valdjan Page 3
