Archer of the Lake

by Kelly R. Michaels

  ***

  Feraan would have expected to be confronted by anyone else, except Eviat Gyssedlues, and yet, it was Eviat Gyssedlues who approached him.

  It was Feraan's own fault, really, for leaving the safety of his home and braving the world of Sal'Sumarathar. ?He had once been able to roam the streets without fear of being pelted by rocks, or worse, but that was when he had been very young and innocent of the crimes that now plagued his conscience. ?A different time, altogether.

  He had been on his way to the home of Sir Kennyratear and, as was his habit, he was avoiding the streets. ?How he had even managed to cross paths with Eviat was beyond his understanding. ?But there he was, making his way around Rumfel Lake, when the greyling stopped him.

  Eviat asked only a simple question, "Can you return her amulet?"

  There was no need to specify which amulet he referred to because Feraan possessed only one, and it didn't even belong to him. ?He involuntarily clutched at the burdensome thing that dangled from his neck. ?He didn't like wearing it and he felt as though it gave him away while he attempted to remain unseen. ?If he had a choice, Feraan would have ridden himself of it at the first opportunity.

  But that wasn't a viable option. ?He had tried removing it once, for the briefest of moments, only to find himself suffocating on his own frozen blood. ?Without a certain, extinct antidote, the poison remained lethal to him. ?Wearing Caelfel's amulet had turned into an unwelcome necessity.

  Eviat must have assumed as much from Feraan's expression because he sighed and began searching the Rumfel banks for another solution to his problem. ?Feraan was about to continue on his way to Nadeth's home but curiosity stayed his feet as he watched Caelfel's father stride through the meadow in agitation.

  "Why do you ask?" Feraan called before Eviat ventured out of earshot.

  Eviat heaved another sigh and eventually returned to the lake's edge to finish his conversation with the most hated elf of the empire. ?He explained that he had taken the amulet to Yamalvon, shortly before Caelfel was born, and had it enchanted so that his daughter would not suffer his same fate, the loss of an aura. ?The enchantments placed on it also provided protection from poisons, which accounted for Feraan's current need for it.

  "I gave it to her when she was born so she would be protected for the rest of her life."

  Feraan watched him carefully. ?"You were awfully paranoid."

  "And not without good reason," Eviat pointed out. ?"Look at what's happened now."

  Feraan nodded his agreement but said nothing.

  "I remember what you said before, that my aura is completely lost."

  Feraan angled his eyes suspiciously. ?"And I still stand by that statement."

  "Since Caelfel's situation differs from mine, I thought that there might be a chance to salvage hers."

  Feraan considered this for a long minute. ?"You are right. ?There is one responsible-"

  "You found them?" Eviat hastily interrupted.

  Feraan's expression hardened as he remembered the past eighty years of endless searching. "No, I have not found them. ?I have found my sister, who seems to be responsible for what happened to Caelfel."

  "So does she have a chance?" Eviat asked.

  Feraan didn't want to agree but gave Eviat the truth anyway. ?"There is a slight chance."

  "Then what stops you?" Eviat asked, his face darkening.

  "Because I am not so eager to confront my sister as you might think," Feraan said.

  Eviat was angry. ?"You even know who is responsible yet you do nothing," the greyling hissed.

  "Now Eviat, I've long since learned that involving myself in such matters is not wise."

  "I might laugh at that if it were not my daughter in danger."

  "You're overreacting because you're afraid. ?I simply can't do everything."

  "You've turned into a coward hiding in your cave all this time. ?Do you not think the two incidents could be related? ?Caelfel's missing aura is relevant to your search."

  "I don't live in a cave," Feraan protested indignantly.

  Eviat shook his head. ?"My daughter stared in the face of the Council when they threatened her with execution. ?She did that for you. ?She didn't hesitate. ?She didn't even blink. ?I thought you would at least return the favor."

  Eviat stormed off then, and Feraan stared after him. He would have shrugged off this conversation without a second thought except Eviat had reminded him of Caelfel's trial. Feraan had been there. ?He had seen Caelfel ready to accept death instead of handing Feraan over to the Council. ?He had thought nothing of honoring his life debt to her, but witnessing her unwavering loyalty was not something he could ignore. ?He was not accustomed to seeing such passionate devotion in elves.

  If only she knew what had happened eighty years ago. ?Perhaps she would not be so willing to be his friend.

  So Feraan changed direction and made his way towards the College of Sal'Sumarathar. ?A visit to Nadeth would have to wait.

  It did not take him long to reach the wrought iron gate that barred the entrance to the college grounds. ?He stared through the bars for a moment, remembering the last time he had passed through them as a student. ?It had been centuries ago, and he had just been expelled for kidnapping the Headmaster and setting the grounds on fire. ?Feraan's mouth twitched into a smile at the memory. ?He had always had a penchant for mischief, unlike other elves.

  But it had been that incident that compelled the Board of Wizardry to take action to protect their colleges. ?Wards were erected around the grounds, much like the ones that protected the Fey Forest from intruders. ?An elf could not enter the grounds if he or she had violent intentions, and if things should turn violent inside the gates, the wards would ensnare all offenders within confining, magical bindings until they were promptly dealt with by the Headmaster. ?Feraan felt honored that he personally inspired the Board to secure the safety of the students of the college. ?

  He focused on nonviolent thoughts and proceeded through the gate cautiously. ?The wards did not worry him, he had smuggled an entire army through the ones that surrounded the Fey Forest. ?After all, he had no wish to harm Luewyn. ?For the moment.

  All the instructors of the college were offered their own dormitories. ?Feraan could easily guess that Luewyn now occupied the room that once belonged to Sir Kennyratear. ?When Feraan reached the door, he did not bother with knocking and went inside.

  When the room belonged to Sir Kennyratear there had been a desk, several bookcases, and two cushioned chairs. ?All of his possessions had been completely cleared out, and the room was bare except for a single, locked chest. ?Luewyn herself sat by the window and did not notice his entrance. ?Feraan went to stand next to her, folding his hands behind his back.

  "It has been a while Luewyn," he greeted.

  If he surprised her, she did not show it. ?She turned her face a fraction until he saw the tip of her nose. ?"I was hoping that it would continue to be so." ?She gathered her skirts to stand.

  "Please, don't get up on my account," Feraan said, putting some distance between him and his sister. ?"What brings you to Sal'Sumarathar?"

  She turned to face him, and the setting sun illuminated the smirk on her face. ?"Nimuath offered me a position at his college, so I took it."

  "That is uncharacteristic of you, considering you hate Sal'Sumarathar."

  Luewyn kept her smile in place, but Feraan saw that it was forced. ?"I hate you. ?I don't hate this city."

  Feraan nodded. ?"I appreciate the clarification-"

  "If you're wondering about your friend, the greyling, I have nothing to tell you," Luewyn interrupted.

  "What makes you think I am here about him?"

  "I know Sir Kennyratear's always been a friend to you. ?He is the only thing I can think of that would draw you so quickly out of hiding."

  Luewyn was wrong; he wasn't there about Sir Kennyratear, but he would jump on any opportunity presented to him. ?"So what do you know about Nadeth?"

  "As I just told yo
u, I know nothing. ?Nimuath only said there was a problem with the Council. ?I don't even know if he left voluntarily or if Nimuath dismissed him." ?Luewyn sighed impatiently, as if she had grown tired of repeating the message of Sir Kennyratear's absence.

  But Feraan thought that was odd. ?He had not realized Sir Kennyratear was dealing with problems from the Council. ?Perhaps it was a mistake to not visit him first. ?"And how did your first day of class go?" Feraan asked mildly.

  "It went well. ?There was a concern among the students about replacing Sir Kennyratear. ?It was to be expected, of course, since Nadeth is a respected instructor at this institution." ?Luewyn sighed again, bristling at some memory. ?"I had a tiresome argument with some ignorant she-elf, but once that dispute was settled, the class continued smoothly."

  Feraan picked up on the reference and had little doubt she referred to Caelfel. ?"Did it ease your frustration to take her aura?"

  There was a long silence as Luewyn deliberated on his question. ?At length she said, "I've no idea what you mean."

  "Come now, sister. ?You know I've been researching the matter extensively. ?Did you think I would not notice?"

  "There is nothing to notice. ?Hiding in your hole has made you paranoid and suspicious of everything. ?You should rejoin the world one day and see how elves live among each other without fear of being murdered."

  Feraan's smile was empty. ?"If only I had the luxury."

  "It is your own fault, little brother," Luewyn said, rising. ?"You shouldn't have destroyed all of those people. ?Maybe then you would find it easier to make friends rather than seek the company of animals."

  "I didn't destroy those people, and you are changing the subject."

  Luewyn clapped her hands together. ?"Yes, I'd nearly forgotten. ?I shan't forget your ridiculous tales and silly accusations. ?I'll play along with your story this time, brother. Whose aura was I supposed to have taken? ?You think it was the one that annoyed me with her misguided defense of Sir Kennyratear."

  Feraan said nothing, folding his arms as he waited for her to continue.

  Luewyn tapped her crimson lips in mock thought. ?A moment passed and her eyes widened as though she suddenly realized something. ?"This girl was tall and loud with copper colored hair. ?I don't think she was your type. ?But there was another one, a quiet one who followed the other around like a lost shadow. ?She seemed pathetic to me and she must have been weak if her aura disappeared so easily."

  A muscle in his arm flexed involuntarily. ?Feraan briefly considered strangling his sister, but he quickly rejected the idea, reminding himself of the wards that protected the college. ?He tried to relax himself by pacing. ?"I have heard of a remote place hidden in the peaks of the Baetic Mountains where the Twin Crows teach you dark magic. ?They specialize in the sorcery that rivals elven magic. ?I wonder if this is where you learned the practice of stealing auras."

  Luewyn offered a thin smile. ?"You are misinformed then. ?It is their mother that teaches such magic. ?You might like them. ?Are you not fond of the humans and werefolk, anything that is not elvish?"

  Feraan ignored the question and fixed her with a hard expression. ?"Return what you've stolen."

  Luewyn examined his face carefully, a look of puzzlement furrowing her perfect brow. ?"I know you, Feraan. ?I know you wouldn't seek me out and confront me on a mere whim. ?I know you do your best to avoid me at all costs. ?So tell me, what is this she-elf to you?"

  "That is none of your concern. ?Give it back to her," Feraan said evenly. ?He focused his breathing through his nose, but Luewyn saw something in his expression that lit up her face with inspiration.

  She started circling him. ?"I had heard about your accident on a hunting party. ?It was her heroic efforts that saved your life. ?Still, I would not take you as one to honor the life debt."

  Feraan said nothing as he simply watched his sister.

  "Uthruil told me of her valiant determination to protect you in court, how she refused to reveal you to the Council. ?I am surprised you showed her where you live. ?You did not always trust other elves so easily, even if they did have a pretty face."

  Feraan stuck on one detail. ?"I never showed her where I live."

  "Oh?" Luewyn said, as if waiting for an explanation.

  Feraan decided not to reveal that it was the Eye of Ewyn that showed Caelfel where his house was. ?Luewyn might attempt the same thing, and though he doubted she would be successful, he wasn't about to risk it.

  "I can't imagine that she would be your champion if she knew why you have your reputation," Luewyn continued, hedging around the subject of Caelfel. ?Feraan sighed at his sister's prying.

  "She was born after it happened," he volunteered reluctantly. ?"And her parents did not feel the need to tell her."

  Luewyn stepped closer to him, and it took everything Feraan had to not back away. ?He would not show weakness in the face of his sister. ?"I see. ?She is enamored with you, then. ?You must be rather lonely to accept the companionship of one so young."

  Feraan felt the corner of his mouth twitch and he chose his next words carefully. "Caelfel is over her half-century mark, so she is not so young as you might think. ?In any case, I am not so lonely as to seek the companionship of a married Head Councilor even before my husband met his tragic end in the fires of Amasel." ?Feraan clucked his tongue disapprovingly. ?"Never have I been that lonely."

  Luewyn's smirk faltered, and she turned her back to him to return to the window. ?The light in the sky outside was fading. ?"As your sister, I'm offering you one last favor. ?Take my suggestion and leave."

  "What about her aura?"

  Luewyn twisted her body to gaze at him malevolently. ?"Which do you care about more-her aura or her life?"

  Feraan felt himself grow angry and he kept his clenched fists at his sides, shaking. ?"What did you do?"

  "Leave before the gate locks and the wards seal you in."

  So Feraan turned on his heel and rushed from the college grounds.

  9. Tragedy

  Caelfel decided she had occupied herself with arrows long enough. She scrubbed the memory of Thoroth's kiss from her lips with the back of her hand and stood up. ?She needed to see Sir Kennyratear. ?She had so many questions for the greyling. As Caelfel departed, she said goodbye only to her mother, because her father had left the house and hadn't returned yet.

  "Where are you going?" Sylaera asked.

  "I'm going to see Sir Kennyratear," Caelfel answered.

  "Are you sure that's a wise idea?"

  Caelfel couldn't fathom why it wouldn't be, so she nodded to her mother and left with her bow and a quiver full of new arrows.

  Sunset would not be for a few hours, and Caelfel easily remembered the way to Sir Kennyratear's house even though she had been there only once before. ?Her father had taken her for a visit when she had been a youngling that had just learned how to walk. ?She remembered it well because the long walk had been atrocious. She had complained the entire way, so Eviat thought twice before bringing her along again.

  Sir Kennyratear lived outside the city like Feraan did. ?Unlike Feraan, the greyling's house was not hidden. ?It sat surrounded by thick trees on a small hill south of Sal'Sumarathar, and a curving dirt path led directly to his front door. ?It took Caelfel an hour to reach the dirt path, and she knew it would take another to reach its end. She paused before continuing, her mother's question suddenly resurfacing in her thoughts. ?Gripping her bow, Caelfel pushed her thoughts away and made a run for the house.

  She remembered a remark made by her father some time ago. ?The purpose of the winding pathway was to allow Sir Kennyratear plenty of time to assess his unexpected visitors. ?He should have seen her coming, but surprisingly his small front door was bolted shut. ?She considered the possibility that he might not be at home, and for some strange reason, that made her nervous. In an attempt to dislodge unwelcome thoughts, she began pounding on his door and calling his name.

  "Hush you silly girl!" said Sir Kennyratear's muffled voice
from the other side.

  Caelfel paused as she heard his faint footsteps and the sound of locks turning and bolts sliding back. ?When the door opened, he grabbed her collar and yanked Caelfel unceremoniously inside.

  "Breaking down my door is not necessary," he muttered darkly as he set about locking the door once again.

  Caelfel straightened her tunic and set her bow by the door, immediately aware of Sir Kennyrayear's agitation. ?"What makes you so nervous?" she asked as he finished the locks.

  Sir Kennyratear turned to face her briefly before retreating to the far end of the room. It wasn't a large house by any means, but his front room had enough space to hold a clutter of books and scrolls that rivaled the clutter in Feraan's front room. ?Caelfel had to push some of the clutter away with her foot to see the blue-tile floor.

  "What brings you here?" Sir Kennyratear asked, ignoring her question and snapping Caelfel's attention away from a scroll intricately decorated with entwining vines.

  She frowned. ?"What brings you here? ?Why are you not at the college?"

  Sir Kennyratear sighed, and his face fell slack. In that moment, the greyling's true age showed in the weary lines of his face. ?The moment passed quickly. ?"I was put on trial."

  "Why?" Caelfel asked, fearing her suspicions were about to be proved correct.

  "Endangering my students," he scoffed. ?Nadeth lowered himself into a chair she had not noticed because it had been completely covered in papers. ?"Particularly the exploding of your aura."

  "That wasn't your fault. ?Markis did that."

  "And who do you think ran the trial?" Sir Kennyratear spat. ?"They had a witness, one of my other students, to testify against me."

  "Who?" Caelfel asked.

  "The son of the Head Councilor."

  Daerad. ?Caelfel didn't have to say it and nodded slowly instead. ?She didn't recall Daerad being present at Luewyn's class. ?"We should gather the rest of your students, at least Garvanna and me. We can testify that Daerad lied."

  But Sir Kennyratear wasn't convinced. "The trial is already over. ?There's no use for it anyway."

  Caelfel's frown deepened at Nadeth's refusal to accept help, but she let the matter pass. ?"They needed a scapegoat, because Gwyndolyn told Uthruil to investigate who had exploded my aura."

  "And Gwyndolyn sent Luewyn who relieved you of your aura."

  There was a small stool on the floor next to her, and Caelfel sank into it slowly, burying her face in her hands. ?Gwyndolyn sent Luewyn because she thought Sir Kennyratear was to blame. ?"So Luewyn did this."

  Sir Kennyratear nodded. "I don't know anyone else who would have that capability."

  Caelfel ran her fingers through her hair. ?"I feel so vulnerable without it."

  "And right you should," Sir Kennyratear interjected. ?"They've stripped you of your powers and made you all but defenseless."

  "Is there any way I can get it back?" Caelfel asked, setting to work nervously tying back her hair.

  "I would not think that Luewyn would know that ability or use it to help you if she did. ?You first need to know if she saved it."

  Caelfel gave him an odd look. ?"If she saved it?" she repeated.

  "Your aura is a field of pure energy," Sir Kennyratear began explaining. ?"Without a host-you-it would short itself out unless Luewyn has devised a way to store or harness it."

  "How would I know that?" Caelfel asked.

  "One of her possessions would radiate with energy. ?Perhaps it is in a gemstone, like the Eye of Ewyn. ?I imagine that if you touched it, there would be some sort of reaction. Maybe it would shock you or maybe it would kill you. ?Of course, this is supposing your aura is still there. ?She might have used it or lost it."

  "But there is still a chance?" Caelfel pressed.

  Sir Kennyratear angled his gaze. ?"There is only a very small chance that it even still exists and an even smaller chance you would get it back. ?You can't just release a physical mass of pure energy; it would kill you."

  Caelfel chewed on her bottom lip as she considered the unfavorable odds. ?"Then how could I have it returned to me?"

  "You would need to find someone who has the knowledge and ability. ?It's not a heavily explored field of elven magic, so I don't know of any elf that has the proper skills."

  Caelfel sighed but wouldn't allow herself to grow disappointed. ?Gwyndolyn had called herself a master of auras, so Caelfel decided she would seek help from her, even though Gwyndolyn did prove to be a touch strange. ?She didn't tell Sir Kennyratear of her plans, remembering his reaction the last time she had mentioned Gwyndolyn to him.

  "Don't waste the rest of your life away on something that is so highly improbable. ?Your father gets on without his aura. ?Do you want to be like Feraan, so focused on some meaningless search that he's lost everything around him? ?He's hardly left his house in eighty years."

  Caelfel perked up at the mention of eighty years. ?Eighty years ago was before she had been born. ?Eighty years ago was when her father lost his aura. ?Eighty years ago Feraan had been a part of something. ?Sir Kennyratear's words reminded her of her other question for him. ?"Why is Feraan called the most hated elf of Honey Water?"

  Sir Kennyratear's expression changed, and Caelfel immediately knew he would be reluctant to answer. ?He smiled. ?"So your curiosity has won out," came his observation.

  "I have always been curious," she pointed out to him softly.

  "But the dreadful reputation has not scared you away yet," Sir Kennyratear countered. ?"And he has not told you."

  "I've asked him," Caelfel said.

  "But he does not want you to find out. ?He needs you, more than he might think. ?Feraan has always isolated himself from others, but aside from me, he has been starved for personal interaction these past eighty years. ?I believe you are a blessing to him."

  Caelfel felt her face grow warm, having often noticed Feraan's loneliness. ?"What happened eighty years ago?"

  Sir Kennyratear's smile turned sad. ?"I do not have the heart to tell you, Miss Gyssedlues. ?It was an awful day that I am sure he would rather forget. ?I would rather not spoil your opinion of him."

  Caelfel pressed her lips into a thin line, suppressing the wave of impatience that buzzed through her tense shoulders. ?"Tahlmus and Garvanna have both called him a murderer," she pressed.

  "Does he seem like a murderer to you?"

  Caelfel could have answered that question when Feraan first handed her the medicine during the goblin raid, and her opinion hadn't much changed since then. "No, but I also do not think they would call him a murderer so lightly."

  Sir Kennyratear leaned forward and maintained his gaze with her. ?"Feraan Auvrearaheal has done things he is not proud of. ?You will not wring the reason behind his shame from me, but if you find out on your own, know that he had no choice. Feraan is not a murderer."

  Caelfel scowled at the cryptic remark. ?She didn't appreciate secrets being kept from her, even if Feraan supposedly didn't deserve his reputation.

  She was about to protest further when Sir Kennyratear suddenly jumped to his feet and moved to the window to investigate outside. ?Her words stuck in her throat as she watched him. ?He lingered by the glass panes for an inexorably long minute before he yanked the curtains back over them. ?When he turned to look at her again, there was a dangerous shine to his eyes and he took an even breath through his nose.

  "This is when you leave," was all he said.

  He took her arm with a surprisingly strong grip. ?With his other hand he grabbed her bow where it rested against the doorframe. ?She complained about the force he used but did not resist. ?"What do you mean?"

  He pulled her into a small closet that held cloaks and winter coats. ?The floor there was made of wooden planks. ?He released her momentarily to test each plank with a few, selective light taps. ?Soon he found one and lifted it, raising a sizable trapdoor. ?Caelfel peered over his shoulder at the dank tunnel entrance hidden in the floor of the cloakroom. ?"I told you about my trial," he said.

/>   "What of it?" she asked, eyeing the tunnel suspiciously.

  "I didn't tell you how it concluded. ?Daerad testified against me, and I was found guilty."

  "And your punishment?" she pushed, just now hearing the distant and ominous monotone of marching footsteps. ?She had no comparison for the sound but she imagined that it belonged to an army.

  Before he answered, he pushed Caelfel through the tunnel. ?She tumbled a short distance before coming to rest on the cool earth at the bottom. ?The wind had been knocked out of her, and she struggled to catch her breath. ?She squinted through the darkness as her eyes adjusted and she got to her feet. ?The trapdoor hovered beyond her head, and she saw Sir Kennyratear silhouetted in the glowing square.

  "What are you doing?" she demanded.

  "I was to report for my imprisonment by sunset," he said.

  "The sun has not set yet!" she pointed out desperately.

  He threw in her bow after her. ?"I did not think they would wait that long. ?It's an execution for me."

  "What?!"

  She jumped and hurled herself at the trapdoor, but he had anticipated this and slammed it shut. ?It hit her hands, and she fell back to the ground again, rubbing her fingers. ?The sound of the rug being pushed back over of the door was muffled. ?Sir Kennyratear's voice was even fainter. ?"Follow the tunnel. ?It will lead you away from the house and surfaces amongst the roots of a large tree. ?Hurry and escape before they discover you are here."

  "I'm not going to leave you to die!" she screamed back.

  "Keep your voice down," he hissed. ?"They were going to kill me anyway. ?I'd rather go in my own house, but you need to leave before they find you here."

  "You can't let them kill you!"

  "You shouldn't have come. ?I've got to go now. ?You need to leave. Now."

  His footsteps were hard against the floor as he hurried away from the closet. ?Caelfel stood and waited with bated breath for a few moments before she heard Markis's voice unusually loud in her tunnel, probably amplified by magic.

  "Master Greyling Nadeth Kennyratear, you have been tried and found guilty by the Council of Sal'Sumarathar for treasonous crimes against Her Majesty's Scepter and Book. ?Since you have failed to appear before the Council for your sentencing, your punishment is death by execution. ?Show yourself to the militia behind me and face your death with dignity. ?If not, we will burn-everything."

  "My dignity will remain preserved in my own dwelling," was Sir Kennyratear's response.

  Caelfel wasn't sure what happened next. ?There was a sound of terrible crashing from above. ?Glass broke and wooden planks snapped. ?Caelfel smelled the acrid stench of smoke before she felt the immense heat of a mage-fire drifting from the floorboards above her. ?She stifled a cough with her hand, her eyes watering, and grabbing her bow, she ran to the end of the tunnel. ?The distance would have cleared the length of the house, but she still felt the powerful heat. ?The fire didn't breach the tunnel but it engulfed the closet with its trapdoor quickly, and the flames illuminated a small rope at the other end. ?She pulled on it, and another hatch opened, dropping a rope ladder. ?She climbed it and quickly found herself outside.

  The smoke from the fire swirled in black, menacing billows. ?It was nothing like the white smoke of goblin-fires. ?Just as Sir Kennyratear said, there was a tree planted right next to the secret tunnel. ?She climbed it to get a better view, and what she saw sickened her.

  Markis was easy to spot, even from Caelfel's vantage point, and she could clearly make out the cold smirk on his face. ?The mages of the militia that had set fire to Sir Kennyratear's home stepped back to let their magic run its course. Caelfel watched in horror. ?Her nose stung, and her eyes pricked. ?She waited for the impossible to happen; she waited for Sir Kennyratear to follow her through the trapdoor.

  Minutes passed, and the sky turned red from the sinking sun and thick with churning smoke. ?She realized rather belatedly that Nadeth Kennyratear would not follow her. ?He would die in his home. ?Sir Kennyratear had chosen his fate, and Markis had gladly supplied it to him. ?She had an urge to cry out for him in her grief but suppressed that, knowing it would not be favorable to reveal her location.

  "He is dead," she heard one of the militia say.

  Sir Kennyratear's words ran through her head. ?Caelfel should leave, run away at once or risk exposure to a vicious murderer.

  "Yes," Markis agreed. ?"But I do not think his visitor is. ?Am I right, Miss Gyssedlues?" he called in a louder voice, looking in the trees around them. ?He held his arms wide in a welcoming gesture.

  Caelfel crouched, placing a tighter grip on her bow as she watched him from the safety of the dense foliage. ?She wondered how Markis could know that she was there. ?With a surge of fear, she realized that her earlier hunch about Markis still watching her must have been true.

  He continued pacing around the soldiers. "You are always found in the wrong places, Caelfel."

  A shiver worked its way up her spine when he said her name. ?She tensed to stop the tremor and watched Markis. ?Caelfel crouched further out of sight.

  "You've come to see the greyling in his final hour, hoping he would help you find something you've lost. ?Did you find it, Caelfel? ?Or has your search led you nowhere? ?Show yourself, so we can meet each other honorably before the hunt."

  Caelfel's fingers tightened around the tree branch she held.

  "You must be wondering what hunt I could mean. ?You are a master huntress, I know. ?I have heard of you. ?It would be a tremendous joy to hunt with you this night. ?It might be your last."

  The last sentence was mumbled darkly, but she wasn't foolish enough to believe his words. ?He had exploded her aura and placed the blame on Sir Kennyratear, and she had just witnessed him executing the greyling for it.

  "Will you not speak to me? ?Will you not allow me a glimpse of your beautiful face?"

  A violent tremor shook her frame as she continued watching Markis, unable to tear her eyes away.

  "Come see me Caelfel, and I will tell you what we are hunting." ?But Caelfel knew what he was hunting. ?She didn't believe herself to be a master huntress but she was skilled enough to know when a predator was luring their prey.

  "Perhaps she is not here," another a member of the militia said, approaching Markis.

  Something changed in Caelfel. ?Her fear transformed into a thrilling rush of excitement. ?She twitched restlessly, wanting to tell Markis that she was indeed there and that she could escape him. ?Logic told her that her pride was folly and would only put her in danger.

  "She is here," Markis hissed to the guard. ?"She has to be. ?I saw her, I felt her. ?I can still feel her."

  "You can feel her?" asked the same guard dubiously.

  Marks grinned dangerously. ?He lifted a finger in the air as if it would reveal her location. Then without hesitation, he turned, staring straight at her. ?"She is there."

  Caelfel shouldered her bow and ran.

  Tree-running was an exercise Caelfel had mastered many years ago, jumping from tree to tree and limb to limb, dodging the drooping brush of sharp leaves and branches. ?Her excitement and her fear, though, made her feet heavy, turning tree-running into an arduous task. ?The limbs and the branches clawed at her face as she ran desperately. ?She wasn't sure where she was going. ?They would look for her at home. ?They would know where to find her. ?They might even hurt her parents.

  But they didn't know where Feraan lived, and though he might have committed some ancient, deplorable crime, he was her only chance.

  With the thickness of the trees and the sinking of the sun, the canopy soon grew dark. ?She began running through the trees next to the Blaidd River that she knew would eventually wind its way toward the meadow and beyond that to the north side of Sal'Sumarathar where Feraan lived. ?She relied on the water's bubbling voice to guide her. ?It would take her to Feraan.

  But it was also the long route, and if she was not fast enough, the militia, with their advantage of torchlight and clear roads, might easily catch
up. ?If she were to take refuge at Feraan's house, she could not lead the militia to his doorstep.

  "Why do you run? You will only hurt yourself."

  Markis's voice sounded dangerously close. ?She pressed herself harder, using her weight to bounce forward. ?Caelfel focused on remaining nearly airborne, mentally pinpointing her location in relation to the forest around her. ?With her heart feeling as though it would burst, it would do no good to get herself lost.

  In the waning light, she detected a gap ahead in the trees. ?Caelfel didn't hesitate or slow. ?Drawing a short breath, she pushed tremendously on the last branch to jump across.

  The tree was unexpectedly wet. ?Her boot lost traction, and Caelfel fell.

  Caelfel had fallen many times in her youth and had taught herself to stop the fall by reaching out with splayed and hooking fingers as the branch passed before her face. ?There was the sound of her clothes ripping, and Caelfel felt a branch scrape down her side. ?She cried out in pain.

  As she dangled above the river, Caelfel tried focusing her strength to pull herself back up. ?The damp fungus that grew on the wood was slick, and she was unable to secure her grip. ?She realized with a wave of panic that her hands were slipping.

  "Grab my hand," said a voice hovering above. ?She glanced up at the white hand Markis offered her. ?Caelfel glared, furrowing her eyebrows in contempt. ?When he saw she would not accept his help, Markis reached for her wrist.

  "Get away," she snapped.

  "I am trying to pull you to safety."

  "I don't believe you."

  "Come now, I really must tie up all these loose ends. ?There weren't supposed to be any witnesses."

  She dug her fingernails into the wet bark. ?"You cannot hide the smoke. ?Anyone in Sal'Sumarathar can see it. ?They will know what happened."

  "It was an execution."

  "It was murder," she hissed back.

  Seeing no other choice, Caelfel let herself fall, and the freezing water swallowed her up greedily.

  The cold hit her like a frozen wall, completely numbing all of her senses. ?She fought with the dregs of her strength to pull her head above the water to breathe. ?Her entire body hurt from the impact of the fall and the cold, but she swam away from Markis.

  To her relief, he did not follow her into the river, and she was grateful her destination was downstream. ?Crosscurrents tugged at her, and eddies made it difficult to maintain her speed-

  ***

  -She was hardly an elf at all-

  ***

  -She propelled herself onward, gritting her teeth against the freezing cold. ?She was surprised that the water was as cold as it was, but then she realized it was still thawing from winter ice-

  ***

  -She was a snake with the way she wove around the trees and swam through the water.