by M. L. Greye
* * * * * *
Olinia wasn’t sure how to describe Andin. It was unlike anything she had imagined. The sky was gray, full of thick dark thunderheads that seemed to always be voicing their opinions high above her head. The clouds cast their deep shadows over a lush, green world, full of ferns, moss, towering redwoods, and velvet fields of grass. It was cold, practically freezing. A damp wind blew off the Aben Ocean constantly, easily climbing the Cliffs of Amberelle to reach the estate Isylyt and her husband, Emrys, lived in. Their home sat not quite ninety yards from the cliff’s edge, placing it directly in the wind. But apparently, all of Andin shared the same weather. Andin was a continent in the world of Time, but not a large one. To Olinia, it seemed more like an island. A rider could circle its entire expanse in less than two days if he rode straight through without any breaks.
The knowledge of Andin’s size shouldn’t surprise her, though. She had seen maps of Time from Sadree. In relation to other worlds, Time was rather small, just made up of three continents, Andin being one of them. The Equilan, split by age and skill, occupied the other two. The continent for the young Equilan who were in training was called Trenbrith. In order for a child to become an Equilan, at least one parent must have been an Equilan. There were no exceptions. Well, at least none Olinia had heard of. As for the third continent, Olinia knew very little of it. It was named Valiquenne, and it was where mature, working Equilan dwelt. It was also where retired Equilan were buried when they died. Other than that, Olinia had no idea what went on there. At least in Trenbrith Olinia knew that there were schools and some sort of training going on. In Valiquenne, the Equilan’s lives were a mystery. Olinia wondered what they did when they were not on a mission for the Fraers.
Olinia sighed. There was so much she didn’t know about the world of Time. But then, what she knew now was more than before she had entered Andin. She hadn’t known that the sun and moon were always in the sky at the same time, no matter where one stood in Time. Also, according to Isylyt, each continent was like its own little world, each one separate, while still connected because of location. The world of Time could really be characterized as another realm, almost entirely apart from the Other Worlds. Almost. The world of Time was linked with the Other Worlds through its namesake: time.
Every second, minute, and moment that ticked by in the Other Worlds was recorded by the inhabitants of Time. The Fraers were rare individuals, gifted in foresight. They were the guardians of the Other Worlds. It was their job to make sure that the peoples under their jurisdiction didn’t completely annihilate each other. But other than stopping massacres, the Fraers generally left the Other Worlds alone, allowing them to take care of themselves. And what little contact the Fraers did offer was never done in person. They always sent their Equilan to do their bidding. Olinia had never heard of them doing otherwise until Isylyt came to her and Will. It was an honor. Olinia was still unsure of why such an honor had been bestowed upon her and Will. She doubted she had done anything to deserve it.
Olinia let out a soft groan and sat up. Isylyt and Emrys had given her and Will separate rooms for the night, if night was the right word – the sky was always the same color here. She and Will were to stay with the Fraers until the Fraerian Leaders arrived. Apparently, the Leaders were the ones who summoned them. Isylyt had really only been a representative. The Leaders were to arrive in the morning, and Olinia was anxious to know what they wanted. It was her anxiety that was keeping her awake. Well, that and fear for her brother. She hated that she couldn’t find his mind. Even when they had been in different worlds, Olinia had always been able to link with him. She was finding the silence unbearable.
Outside, the wind howled against her window. Olinia glanced at the heavy curtains she had pulled in front of it to block out the light that managed to sneak through the clouds. Her body was tired, but her mind wouldn’t calm down enough for her to fall asleep. It kept jumping from topic to topic. She grunted and rubbed her eyes with her hands. She hated feeling restless.
A soft knock at her door brought her head around. Everyone was supposedly asleep. She frowned. Then, before she had the chance to ask who her visitor was, her door creaked open. Olinia raised her eyebrows as a dark figure slipped into the semi-darkness of her room.
“Will?” She blinked.
He shut the door behind himself. “Did I wake you?”
“Weren’t you trying to?”
“Not yet,” he admitted, lowering himself onto the bed beside her. “I was deciding whether or not I should.”
“Well, why did you want to?” Olinia asked, scrutinizing his face. She could barely make out his features. Maybe she should light a candle.
“I wasn’t able to sleep. I was wondering if you weren’t able to either.”
“Aren’t you tired?”
“I slept for twenty-four hours,” he reminded her. “I don’t think my body can take any more.”
“I wish I had your problem,” Olinia muttered. “I’m exhausted.”
“Would you like me to leave?” He shifted his weight, as if in preparation to stand.
Olinia shook her head. “You can stay. I’m not going to fall asleep anytime soon.”
“You sure?”
She nodded and motioned towards a stuffed chair near her window. “There’s a blanket over there that you can use.” She smiled. “I wouldn’t want Isylyt or Emrys to walk in on us beneath the same covers.”
He chuckled and stood. “How bad would that be?”
“In Sadree’s words, it would be most improper,” she replied, as she watched him reach for the blanket before turning back to her bed.
“And in your words?” Will asked, sitting down next to her again.
Olinia grinned. “I’d be warmer.”
He laughed as he pulled the blanket over his legs and lay down on his back, his head landing on one of Olinia’s pillows. “So, why can’t you sleep?”
“Nerves.”
“Nerves?”
“Yes, I want to know why the Leaders brought us here, and,” she paused, laying onto her side, facing him, “I’m scared for Zedge.”
“You still haven’t heard anything from him?”
“Nothing.”
“Maybe we could ask the Leaders what to do.”
“Maybe,” Olinia repeated, but she doubted that they would do anything. She plucked at the Silver Heart around her neck. The movement had become a habit since Will gave it to her.
“What can I do to help you sleep?” Will asked after a moment.
“I could use a distraction.”
“A distraction?”
“Yes,” She nodded.
“What kind of distraction?”
Olinia raised herself up onto one elbow, suddenly hesitant to ask. “Could you tell me about Ethon? About your home, California?”
Will stared at her. He hadn’t been expecting her question at all. “What would you like to know about it?” And what could he say about it that she would be able to understand?
“I don’t know.” She dropped back down on her pillow. “Everything and anything. What do you miss most? Or what did you love most?”
An image of an In-N-Out burger came to his mind, but he doubted that any description he’d be able to offer her would give it justice. Will swallowed the sudden rush of saliva. He was craving fast food again. He frowned. “Are you referring to California? Or just to Ethon as a whole?”
“To California,” she replied. “Isn’t that your home?”
“It was.”
“Was?”
“After my family died, I left California to live with my great-grandfather in England.”
“Do you prefer England to California?”
“England’s beautiful, but no. I do miss California.”
She nodded. “Do you think I’d like California?”
Will blinked, surprised once again by her question. Had she been thinking about taking a trip to his realm? “I think you could.”
“Then, tell me a
bout it.”
“Hmm,” Will shut his eyes, trying to picture his home state. What could he tell her? Disneyland was out. As his mind quickly sifted through his memories, he decided to describe California’s diverse landscape. That was really what he loved most. He had lived between the beach and the mountains. When he had wanted to go surfing or snowboarding, it had taken him less than an hour drive to do either.
“Will?”
He chuckled. He could almost hear her frowning. “Sorry, princess.” He rolled onto his left side so as to see her face. “I was figuring out what to tell you.”
“And?” She prodded.
“I love its diversity,” he replied. “In California, we have mountains and flatlands, cities and farms, deserts and forests, cliffs and shores. On one side we have the Pacific Ocean, and on the other miles and miles of land blocking us from the Atlantic. We make up more than half of what’s known as the west coast of my country, with a population that could rival Evedon’s.” He smiled slightly, more to himself than to Olinia. “There, most of us have a sort of pride, a love for the ground we claim as home.”
“Do you wish people here knew what it was? To allow you that pride?”
“No,” he shook his head, “it really is just a silly way of making yourself feel like you’re better than other people because of where you’re raised. California is only a small part of my country. Yes, I’m Californian to everyone in my country, but to my world I’m American, and that’s what I’m really proud of.”
Olinia nodded once. Will noticed that her eyelids were fighting to stay open. She hid a yawn beneath her blankets. “Are you sad you left?”
“Sometimes,” Will admitted.
“Then why don’t you go back?”
“There’s nothing there for me anymore, princess.” He frowned. “Really, there’s not much for me in Ethon. My only tie is my great-grandfather. I’ve got no one left. The rest of my family is dead.”
Olinia’s forehead creased. “Do you want to go back at all?”
“I don’t really think I have the choice,” he replied. “I doubt I can stay here forever. Sooner or later, I’ve got to go back.”
Will’s own words pained him. Even though he’d been given a Silver Heart, he was still an Ethon. He belonged to a different realm, one completely different than the Other Worlds. Will watched as the crease on Olinia’s forehead deepened, but she didn’t question him further. Instead, she changed the topic to the different types of food that he liked in Ethon. He explained to the best of his ability as she slowly slipped from consciousness, leaving Will for her dreams. He lay there quietly beside her for a little while longer, before finally drifting off himself.
* * * * * *
Zedgry knew only a few hours had passed by the shadows in Delvich, but he felt like the night should be ending. He was exhausted, both mentally and physically. Since he had first seen the outlines in the trees, Zedgry’s perspective of Delvich had begun to change. It was more than just a prison; it was a tomb. He doubted the people within the trees were still living. They had been left to rot in Delvich, their minds fading over time until their own despair allowed the trees to consume them. Zedgry let his breath out slowly. He was leaning back against a large overgrown root that was sticking out of the ground. It was the farthest he was able to get away from any of the trees. Someone howled in the distance, sending a shiver up Zedgry’s spine. He forced his eyes shut, not wanting to glimpse the tree that the howl had come from.
He tipped his head back against the root. The slimy feel on his neck was cool, and oddly comforting. He didn’t care that it was making him filthy. Another howl made Zedgry’s heart quicken. He focused on his breathing, trying to keep it even.
Suddenly, the lines of an ancient folk song came to him. The Edyrion people had sung it around their fires.
Delvich Forest did lead astray
All its prisoners it held at bay.
In the deep, dark night they’d see
Outlined images in a tree.
N’er a soul did ever leave
If to hope they did not cleave.
Only the blind were ever told
To have left Delvich of old.
Why had Zedgry not thought of it before? He had heard and sung it as a child but had never thought much of its meaning. Zedgry grunted at the irony. He now not only knew the meaning, he was experiencing it.
Slowly, the words came again, soft and flowing. He could almost hear someone singing them. Zedgry’s head snapped up. He could hear someone singing them.
Off in the distance, about a hundred yards away, a pale blue light made its way toward him, swaying as it went. Zedgry blinked. Then, he recognized the skirts of a girl beneath the light. The singing stopped, and he saw her. She was no older than thirteen. She wore a dark dress and a thin, silver circlet around her head. Her hair, which at one point in time had been a fiery red, hung limp down her back, covered in grime. She would grow to be a great beauty, rallying the hearts of many a young man. Zedgry’s eyes didn’t linger on her face, though. The bluish light was coming from a little clear stone, no larger than the top section of Zedgry’s ring finger. It hung from the girl’s circlet at the middle of her forehead. Zedgry had seen its like only once before, from a merchant he had met while traveling with the Edyrions. It was called a Dili, or light prism. They were used by Velvitors. How had this girl gotten one?
She knelt down in front of him. “Are you alright?” She asked in Saerdian, her voice oddly husky for a girl. “You look pale.”
Zedgry stared at her. “Are you real?”
“Of course I’m real.” She laughed, another husky sound Zedgry had not expected to come out. Yet, it was strangely fitting for her, and Zedgry found himself liking her tones rather much.
“Who are you?”
“Eian Arrie.” She smiled. “I am a Lady of Runne.”
He frowned, glancing behind her and then back at her face. “What are you doing here?”
Her smile faded. “Dagon put me here.”
“Why?”
“My father was a lord of my world,” she replied sadly. “When the Vrenyx captured it, my father and mother were killed, along with the other royals. Dagon then locked up the children of the royals, including me.” She frowned. “I lost my two cousins the day before last and have been searching for them since. I think the trees might have eaten them, though.” Tears formed at the corners of her eyes. She blinked them back. “I’m afraid that out of the fourteen of us placed in here, I’m the only one still alive.”
Zedgry’s eyebrows furrowed. “How long have you been in here?”
“Two weeks,” she answered. “Maybe more.”
“And you’re still alive?” His eyes widened. “How have you survived?”
“Eating what fruit hangs from the trees and drinking the dew from the trees’ leaves in the morning.”
Zedgry blinked. That was what he had been doing. “That’s very smart of you.”
“It was my cousin’s idea. He told me what to do.”
“How old is your cousin?”
“Sixteen,” she replied, blinking back tears again. “He was very brave.”
His jaw tightened with disgust for what his uncle had done. “How did you lose your cousins?”
“I was tired, so they said to sleep beside a tree while they searched for food. They said they’d come back for me.”
“And they didn’t,” Zedgry concluded.
She nodded, and then the threatening tears overflowed down her smudged cheeks. “I’m never going to see them again.”
He struggled to swallow down the bile and bitter taste that had filled his mouth. “Yes, you will, Eian. I’ll help you find them.”
“How?” Her eyes were doubtful.
“We’ll search for them together,” he told her, forcing on a smile of encouragement. “Two pairs of eyes are better than one.”
“I guess so.” She sniffed.
“I know so.”
She glanced over her s
houlder, carrying the light with her. “Could we start in the morning, though? It’s so dark.”
“That’s fine.”
“And could you promise me something?” She asked, turning back to face him.
He frowned, but nodded.
“Promise you won’t leave me. Promise you’ll stay right next to me, no matter what happens.” Her eyes had a wild, almost desperate look to them. She was petrified of losing someone else, of being alone again. Zedgry felt a sudden pang of responsibility for her. She was in need of protection.
“I promise.”
“Good.” She shifted her weight so that she was sitting beside him, their shoulders almost touching. Zedgry noticed her eyelids begin to droop.
He smiled down at her. “Go ahead and sleep, Eian. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Promise?” She murmured.
“Promise.”
* * * * * *
The wind was still howling outside, which made Olinia certain it wasn’t what had woken her. She groaned softly and opened her eyes. The room held the same amount of light it had earlier, but that wasn’t surprising. No, what did startle her was how close she had drifted to Will while she had slept. She woke to find her head on his chest. She blinked and pushed herself up slowly. Had Will pulled her onto him? Or had she reached for him in her sleep? She pulled a face at that thought as she straightened completely.
Will was breathing slow and even with his eyes shut. Olinia grinned. “And you said you couldn’t sleep.”
A rapping at her window made her turn. Intrigued, she slid out from beneath her blankets into the cold. She shivered as her bare feet met the floor, but didn’t reach for the robe she had draped over the foot of her bed. Instead, she padded lightly to her window and slipped behind one of the curtains.
Her eyes were greeted with the Cliffs of Amberelle beneath a cloudy sky. Olinia sighed and placed one hand against the cool pane. She guessed the rapping had come from the wind blowing pebbles against her window. It didn’t look like anything else was near enough to reach the framed glass.
