Ethera and the Island of Evisara: Book One of The Enrovia Series

by Anna J Walner

  “It’s ok, I was just curious. Thanks Bexly, now I know. And yes I do like carrots. But I like mine with ranch dressing.” Surprised looks crossed almost all the faces in front of me. Those who were merely milling around whipped their heads around to star at me.

  “Oh, Hi,” I smiled sheepishly and waved. I guess my secret was out. I received a few mutters of “Hello” in response, but mostly just quiet stares. Only Lars, Ethera, Dusty and Angel knew of my ability to understand, and although gossip spread like wildfire, this one piece of information seemed to have remained hidden. Until now.

  “What’s your name?” I asked the mother rabbit.

  “L . . . Li . . . Lira” she stuttered, obviously nervous, but standing her ground none the less.

  I took the last mouthful of the cherry and swallowed, trying to find something else that looked promising.

  “It’s very nice to meet you Lira, which one do you think I should try next?” I asked the tiny brown bunny.

  At first I didn’t think she was going to answer, but to my surprise she slowly hopped forward and nudged a nut from under a leaf, then dashed back to her waiting kits.

  “Thank you,” I said, waiting until she dashed away to bend down and grab the nut. I brushed the leaf away and found a dozen or so nuts underneath. A palm full of the kind Lira suggested and seven or eight of another kind, which looked darker and a little larger.

  Grabbing two of the same kind, I put them in my hand and crushed them against one another, which resulted in a satisfying crack. I peeled the outside from around the nut and popped the waxy white flesh into my mouth, chewing slowly at first just in case.

  It tasted like butter and nuts that had been baked together, or roasted like the chestnuts around Christmas time. “Wow,” I told Lira, “you were right, these are amazing.” I bent down to grab the rest of them and shoved them into my pocket for later. These would make a good snack for our hike to meet up with the coucil.

  I looked to find Lars but couldn’t see him among the others. I wondered how much time I had spent at the food pile, and worried I may be getting close to running late.

  I looked back to the crowd of animals and thanked them once more, asking anyone if they had seen Lars, which of course they hadn’t. I would have to come back for the food later, maybe weave a basket, or at least attempt to, and carry some of it back to my hut.

  As I turned to leave, I could hear their brief conversation, which to my relief had turned from outright dislike I’d heard before to toleration. Perhaps I wasn’t going to make any lifelong friends, but the overall opinion was beginning to turn.

  I sprinted to the opening of my bungalow, dropping the handfuls of fruit I had managed to carry on the bed and digging into my pocket to pull out the nuts.

  I decided to try and find Lars. Surely it was close to time for us to get going. I set off back towards the tree when Ethera caught up to me.

  “Hailey!” she called, her big cat nose wrinkling as she spoke. It still kind of freaked me out to turn around and see a giant panther instead of her woman form. “Are you ready?” she asked.

  “Almost,” I said and jogged quickly back to my bungalow. I grabbed the water bottle and the nuts, stuffing them back in my pocket.

  If it were going to be a long hike, I would need some water.

  “Just a sec,” I told her, and sprinted to the brook. I could hear her soft pads hitting the ground as she followed me.

  I quickly knelt by the edge and filled the bottled, then stood and turned. “All set.” I said and smiled.

  We headed toward the trees at the end of the clearing, where earlier in the day I had watched the volunteers from Eaforasa make their way into the city. How much time seemed to have passed between now and then, it seemed like forever.

  Quickly I jogged down the large hill, making my way into the trees behind the panther Ethera. There was actually a well-worn trail here, which of course I hadn’t seen from afar. Depending on the council’s decision, if I stayed here for a while longer, I should do a bit more exploring, I thought to myself. Maybe I could get Lars to show me around, if I could ever find him again.

  “Where’s Lars?” I asked. “He came to get me earlier, but I couldn’t find him before we left.”

  Ethera didn’t answer right away, was she mad? In the distance behind us I heard a crow calling.

  “He will see you soon.” She said. We walked in silence for an hour or more before I couldn’t take it anymore.

  “Did I do something wrong?” I asked suddenly.

  “It’s bad isn’t it,” I rushed on, “They’ve already made up their mind and they’re going to kill me, aren’t they, just like Therese said” I sounded pitiful, and I hated myself for it.

  Ethera stopped and turned, her giant paws digging into the dirt. “I know no more than you do.” She said calmly. “Although I wouldn’t listen to Therese, or Mary for that matter. They exaggerate for their own amusement.” She turned and continued walking.

  Footfall after footfall we marched on for what had to have been miles before I had to stop. “Crap.” I muttered to myself as I shook the last drop of water out of the bottle and onto my tongue. I hadn’t realized just how far we’d be walking.

  My feet were beginning to hurt, and my throat was begging for water. Looking ahead I saw a fallen tree just ahead and decided it would do nicely.

  “Ethera,” I called as we were coming up to it, “I have to sit for a bit, if you don’t mind.” Her pace slowed and then stopped.

  I sat on the log, breathing heavily, gathering my saliva and swallowing it down to try and alleviate some of the dryness to my throat.

  “In a few more miles there is a pond, if you can make it.” She said, again not waiting for my answer but continuing on ahead.

  I groaned and stood, following the jaunty black tail up ahead, no longer feeling like a good sport. In fact I was getting irritated.

  Calm down, I told myself. Anxiety and frustration are not going to help you here. Finally it seemed like we were slowing down a bit, and then Ethera stopped.

  “Follow me,” she said as she led me off the path and up a ladder of roots and rocks to the top of a hill.

  As we crested the rise I stared in awe at the scene before me. A hidden lake, or pond really, lay in front of me. The light from the fading sun dipped onto the surface causing it to glitter. Moss draped from every tree branch surrounding the pool, and dragonflies danced just above the surface of the water.

  Without waiting I dropped to my knees, thirst pulling me to cup my hands repeatedly as I drank from the cooling water. My throat was instantly soothed, my thirst almost quenched. Ethera stood back, watching me as I drank my fill and topped off the plastic bottle once more then finally stood again.

  “Better?” she asked.

  “Yes. Thank you.” I told her as again she turned and led me back down the hill.

  “Ok,” I said, fed up with her continuous silence. “What’s the deal? I don’t mean to be rude, but you’ve hardly said two words to me the whole way.” I demanded, struggling to catch up and walk along her side.

  “I’m afraid.” She said simply, as if I should have known this all along.

  In her current form it was hard for me to think of her being afraid of anything. I couldn’t think of what to say except, “Why?”

  She let out a sigh, her jowls flapping as she exhaled, a bit of pearlescent pink showing as they flapped. “Because I don’t know what they’re going to decide, and because it’s as much a judgment of me as it is of you.” She bowed her head.

  I hadn’t thought of it that way, although I suppose it made sense. Ethera was responsible for allowing me to pass through the gate she was in charge of guarding. She also allowed me to come into the city. It was a big risk, especially if the council decided I was indeed a threat.

  I had always thought, from the little she spoke about it, that she also felt incredibly responsible for Drugan as well. Maybe the council felt the same way as some of the others. That s
he was wrong for allowing me to stay inside the safety of the city. I’m sure that after learning of my ability earlier, that I could see essence, she was more than a little nervous.

  The way Sengei talked, it was a very concerning revelation. I almost stopped still in my tracks as another thought hit me.

  He was wondering if Ethera knew about my abilities but kept that hidden. Which of course, she hadn’t, as I already explained. But perhaps she was worried the council would think she had, and that was one of the reason’s she’d been so quiet and anxious.

  I forced myself to keep walking as I continued to think things through. Something wasn’t adding up though and I couldn’t quite put my finger on what it was. A piece was missing, an important one, that I couldn’t quite remember. I knew it was there, I just could get to it. It was like knowing you had a great dream but not being able to remember what it was.

  “Can I ask you something?” I said, putting it out of mind for the moment.

  “Of course.”

  “What happens at the council? Are there going to be more tests?”

  “I’m not sure, this is only the second time we’ve had this issue arise, and this time they’ll take it more seriously I’m sure. I wish I could tell you what to expect, but I’m not truly sure myself.”

  This certainly didn’t make me feel any better about what I was walking into.

  The longer we walked the more dead trees I saw. I had noticed a few, scattered here and there as we walked, but not they were becoming more frequent, the overall feeling as we walked was ominous. A smog of sorts fell over the ground, almost like a grey mist, rising with each footfall.

  “Why are all the trees dead here?” I asked, trying to fil the awkward silence between us.

  “A long time ago, when Enrovia was very young, all animals’ spirits filled this island. The dark ones separated from the rest and came to live here. Nothing good can thrive alongside evil, so all the trees died.” She explained quickly.

  “And what’s with the weird fog on the ground?”

  At this she stopped and snapped her head around so quick, I knew I’d done or said something else wrong.

  “What fog?” she questioned, her gaze so intent I couldn’t look away.

  “On the ground, it’s just like a mist, but darker. Let me guess, I’m not supposed to see that either.” I huffed, irritated again.

  “No. You’re not.” She said.

  “It’s darkness isn’t it? Something left behind from long ago.”

  “Yes, and no one has ever been able to see it before, not even the other members of the council except . . . for me.”

  “You can see it too?”

  “Of course, it’s how I knew that Drugan was evil before he even touched his first victim.” She almost spat at me. “It’s why I was chosen to harvest the lights and bring them home, because I’m the only one in thirty thousand years that can tell the dark from the light.”

  I had no idea what to feel now. I felt special, but I also felt like I had crossed into something way above my head. If nothing else made me a target this was surely bound to change that.

  “What does this mean?” I asked her.

  “I’m not sure,” she sighed.

  “Are you going to tell them?” I was afraid to hear her answer, but at the same time I needed to know.

  “I’m not sure,” she said again, indecision passing behind her eyes.

  I decided to let it drop, and rehearsed in my mind what I would say to the group, watching as the landscape continue to change until it became an entire forest of bare, dead trees. The dark mist was so thick along the ground it nearly came to my knees.

  We walked in silence until Ethera stopped in the center of a small clearing. I look around but didn’t see any of the council members yet. I guess we were the first to arrive.

  “The only thing I can advise you is to tell the truth, whatever they ask. Valcone has a sense of sorts about telling whether you’re being honest or not.” She said, then shifted her form to a lamb and laid down.

  I swallowed hard and sat down myself to rest.

  The Coucil

  Several minutes passed as the sun started to grow lower and lower. I wasn’t keen on making the long walk back in the dark, but I had little choice.

  I began to hear sounds far off, drawing nearer as I watched the others arrive. Ethera stood and greeted them all one by one, but did not make formal introductions.

  Each of them took their turn scanning me up and down as if I were a great curiosity they’d never seen.

  Corrigan was the first to step forward. I had to restrain myself from reaching out and giving him a pat as he put his nose inches from me and sniffed. I stifled a laugh as his light green breath tickled my hair and face.

  During their initial examination of me, I kept quiet. I had no idea about the protocol here and didn’t want to step on anyone’s toes. It was best to start out not making enemies, especially here and now, with so much at stake.

  Something Ethera told me yesterday came back as I looked around the group. She said there were eight islands and eight leaders. Of course the island of Ealdume would not be represented, but I counted only six leaders here tonight. Someone was missing.

  Satisfied with their initial examination, the members each gradually assembled into a loose circle around me, glancing at each other, but making no conversation. Their gaze never left me and Ethera, who thankfully remained by my side.

  “We are waiting for Seraphina. She should be here in just a moment.” Ethera whispered to me.

  I guess she would be the one who was missing.

  After a while I heard a flapping of wings as a great bird, who I assumed was Seraphina, glided into the center of the group.

  I continued to stand still as she strode towards me.

  “Hailey, is it?”

  “Yes Ma’am” I answered, sensing that she must be the one in charge of the proceedings.

  “Welcome, and please relax.” She said, smiling but with a no-nonsense air about her.

  “I am Seraphina, and you already know Ethera.” She said.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I said. “All of you.”

  “Allow me to introduce you to everyone else.”

  At their names, the others came forward, making brief introductions again.

  “Sengei, I understand has already made your acquaintance.” She said to me.

  “Yes. Hello again.” I said to him, my voice cracking just a bit. I needed to calm down.

  Seraphina continued the introductions, as I politely listened, making mental notes on who was who. “Metis rules the island of Envalisa. Nuneuka rules the undersea world of Ealnusa. Valcone rules over Ephalyra, Corrigan, the island of Eaforasa.” she paused as everyone took their place around her in a circle when she called their names.

  “Ethera, you already know. She rules island of Evisara, where you’ve been since your arrival here. And of course Lars, who you’ve also spent a good bit of time with as well, from Elora.”

  I stood there stunned for a moment as my friend Lars, stepped into the clearing and took his place at the council. My jaw dropped, and a sense of amazement flashed inside me. Why didn’t he tell me who he was?

  They were all accounted for now, eight in total, not including Seraphina. The others never took their eyes off me, staring like they were ready to pounce at any moment. To say I felt intimidated would be an understatement. Gradually they all moved around me until I was in the middle of their circle. I held my hands together to keep them from shaking.

  Ethera stepped forward now, standing closer to me in the middle, and addressed the council. “Greetings all. This is Hailey. She has come here tonight, knowing that a great decision is weighing on you all, and has come to prove that she is of no threat to us.” She paused looking at me, letting me know it was my turn to speak.

  I thought about what to say, how to appease them with my words and assure them that they had nothing to fear from me at all. I took a deep
breath and began.

  “I didn’t want to come here. I’m sure Ethera told you that. Out there . . . it was bad, the weather I mean, and I followed this dolphin, I guess that was you . . .” I looked at Ethera, “And I ended up here. It was a mistake. I had no idea this place existed, I had no intention of staying once I got here. I am not a danger, I only want to go home. And I’ll stay out of everyone’s way until that happens. You have my word.” I searched the faces of the animals around me. My judges gave away little, I realized.

  “I really do just want to go home.” I said, bowing my head and inviting them to say something, anything.

  Corrigan stepped away from the group and looked at Seraphina, who nodded, allowing him to take the floor.

  “We can all see your essence, you know this?” he asked me directly. I felt like I was in a courtroom but nodded in response to the question.

  “Then you know from where we stand all appears good. But I’m not sure if Ethera told you that we’ve been wrong before.” It wasn’t a question exactly, but I still nodded in reassurance of the fact I was indeed informed.

  “Good. You may as well know, that being at a natural disadvantage, man’s best friend and all, that I have decided to cast my vote in favor of you staying. Not only based on that disadvantage but also after hearing what Lars and Ethera both had to say. You are welcome until such time as we can send you home.” A shuffling of feet and a mocking snort from Metis told me that not all the leaders would so easily be swayed.

  “Thank you,” I told the mastiff, then waited for the next one of them to step forward.

  I didn’t have to wait long, as the falcon Valcone took one hop forward to stand where Corrigan had been.

  “Valcone.” He announced himself as if keeping a protocol only he knew about. “I’ve been a ruling member for a short time compared to the rest of my peers, but long enough to know when someone is lying to me.” He began as he strutted back and forth in front of me, his eyes never leaving mine.

  “I have the senses of a hawk,” he screeched, “But of course you know that, because I am one,” he screeched again, and I realized in addition to being intimidating, he also fancied himself a jokester. I debated whether to keep quiet or laugh, but decided to err on the side of the majority and keep quiet.