The Halfling Rises (The Eva Chronicles Book 1)

by Livia Lance

  Nym was conciliatory and comforting when Jacob needed it. Her job was to get close to this human and learn everything that she could and she did exactly that. Once they were friends, it was easy to take the next step and become lovers. They spent their days getting to know one another and the long nights were spent in each other’s arms.

  Nym had performed missions such as this more than once in service to the elders. They never ordered her to bed a man, that was strictly up to her own discretion but it did make her job more enjoyable at times, not to mention simpler. Men had a habit of talking about things they shouldn’t when they were in bed and Jacob was no exception. He spoke freely of his life at court and let slip one vital piece of information: His father was making preparations to wed the princess to a prince from a neighboring kingdom, uniting both kingdoms under one rule.

  Nym remembered how she had slipped out of his bedding the next morning so she could sneak to the rendezvous spot inside the border, a place he couldn’t follow. Sen had been waiting there, on his way back from delivering Jacob’s message but instead of carrying back a reply, he’d camped inside the border forest and received regular reports from her. The elves cared nothing about a treaty with any human kingdom but they cared quite a lot about human politics. She had told Sen what she’d learned about the potential marriage and then returned to Jacob.

  Days passed and then Sen had suddenly appeared just outside the camp. He’d bowed before Jacob and handed him a rolled parchment, a reply from the elders. Then, he had embraced Nym as if she were a close friend and whispered in her ear, far too quiet for any human ears to catch, telling her that she must travel with the prince and wait for further instruction.

  Nym complied, of course. She would have never gone against orders and rather enjoyed spending time with this young man. He was headstrong and energetic. They’d had a lot of fun together, both during the day and at night. She had accompanied him on his trip back to Loral, claiming that she would like to learn more about the human lands. In fact, she had spent quite a bit of time lately in those lands and knew all she cared to know, but it was a good pretense and Jacob never questioned it. He was head over heels for her at that point and he would have believed anything she’d said to him.

  Something about that had troubled her. Nym’s conscience had never gotten in the way of her duty but something about this particular job made her feel like she could be on the wrong side of things. She’d tried to squash those worries whenever they cropped up but it became difficult to do. It had begun to feel less like a mission and more like a vacation. Spending time with Jacob had been invigorating and she’d become extraordinarily fond of him.

  When orders finally arrived from the elders, they were only a few days away from Loral. She could sense another elf following them in the woods and had waited until Jacob was asleep then slipped out of their bedding and into the trees. She’d found Sen easily and he had quietly handed her a slip of paper then disappeared into the forest without a word.

  She remembered opening the paper to read the words inside and how they broke her heart.

  “Kill him and return.”

  That was all the note had said, four simple words.

  A tear rolled silently down Nym’s cheek as she recalled the pain and averted her face from Lana. It was the first time she had ever considered ignoring her orders. She had wanted to warn the prince, to run away with him and try to keep him safe. She’d wanted to cry, to beg the elders to spare this man who was so full of life and whose heart was so pure.

  It would have been useless. If she had refused to follow their orders, they would have sent someone else. He would have been in danger as long as he lived. She’d spent that night in the woods, sitting in solitude and trying to decide what she should do. In the end, it was inevitable. She would kill him and return, just as she’d been ordered. Sneaking back into camp and to his arms, Nym had relished every moment she had left with the man she thought she could have loved given a little more time.

  It was simple and quick. A short twist of his neck from behind, leaving his body there on the ground with his horse. She knew someone would find him on the road and the message he had been carrying from the elves would identify him. It was just another job, another successful mission. Nym had pushed her feelings away and started her journey back home, not realizing that she would soon meet up with two people who could fill the role of the family she’d never had. Not realizing that one of them was sister to the man she almost loved. Not realizing that she would soon be wrestling with the knowledge that she had betrayed this woman before she had even met her.

  * * *

  Lana stood quietly, watching Nym as she stared into the forest border. The woman seemed lost in thought so she waited in silence. The two of them spent a lot of time that way, speaking to each other only when necessary. After some time, Nym seemed to snap out of her daze and turned to face Lana.

  “This is the beginning of the elven lands,” she said deferentially, her eyes cast downward. “These trees are kind only to elves and no human may pass without an elven escort. You are half human and half elf so I don’t know if they would let you pass alone. You must stay close to me.”

  Lana nodded to her and walked toward the imposing trees. She reached out a hand as she passed by and felt their quiet watchfulness. She wondered if Clay had passed this same tree, touched it in greeting the way that she had.

  Pushing Clay from her mind, she squared her shoulders and walked into the woods, Nym following closely behind. The forest was dark and silent. The only sound was the wind moving through the branches and the crunching of leaves under their feet.

  They walked for hours with few breaks, Nym in the lead so Lana wouldn’t take a wrong turn. There was no path in here despite the fact that a road led to the exact spot they entered. It was as if the forest didn’t want anyone to know the correct route to Eva. Nym never hesitated, though. She led with complete confidence and Lana didn’t question her.

  “We will stop here for the night,” Nym said once they had reached an area that was mostly clear of trees for several feet. “We should reach Eva by nightfall tomorrow. We don’t need to take watch here, the trees stand vigil and will warn us if anything approaches.”

  Lana didn’t respond, she simply dropped her pack and spread out her bedroll and then laid down. She didn’t know if she could sleep in this place. The quiet was unnerving and seemed to amplify any sounds they made. She could clearly hear Nym’s quiet breathing and knew as soon as it changed to the deeper breaths of sleep. She stared up at the canopy of trees, keenly aware of the first time she had lain like this. It was just after Clay had taken her from the castle, rescuing her from a threat she had only just learned of.

  Lana closed her eyes, pushing him yet again from her thoughts. He would answer her questions when she found him and until then it didn’t do to dwell on his abandonment. She felt herself becoming drowsy despite her troubled thoughts and for the first time since Clay left, she dreamed.

  She sat upon a throne, but it was not the golden throne of Loral. It was a tree that had bent at its base to form a seat, vines and limbs intertwined to offer armrests. The tree grew upward and into the ceiling, vibrantly colored flowers dotting it here and there.

  Lana looked down at a man who was kneeling at her feet. He had brownish red hair and his head was bowed to her but she knew it was Clay. Her heart sang at the sight of him and she wanted to jump up, run to this man and embrace him but her body didn’t obey her commands. In fact, it felt as though she were simply a spectator rather than the woman on the throne.

  She stood, towering over Clay, and pointed at him.

  “Take him away,” she said coldly. “I don’t wish to see his face again.”

  Clay looked up at her with a stricken expression and panic in his eyes.

  “Please, Lana!” he said desperately. “I never knew, I didn’t mean to do this to you. You must believe me!”

  She turned and walked away from him…

>   Lana woke suddenly, a sheen of sweat on her forehead. Panting, she tried to get her bearings. It hurt to see him, even in her dreams. She didn’t know why she had been so angry with him or what he had done to deserve imprisonment. She put a hand to her face and tried to calm her nerves. It had just been some conjuration of her imagination using what Clay and Nym had told her about the palace of Thelsamel and how it was constructed of trees that had grown together.

  She looked around her and froze. Where was Nym? Lana scrambled to her feet in a panic. Had the elf left her as well? How would she find her way through?

  “Nym!” she called, frantically. “Where are you?”

  She waited and listened. She could hear nothing but the sound of her own frantic breathing and the wind in the trees. There was no trace of the woman, not so much as a footprint. Even her belongings were gone. Lana was alone, completely alone, in a forest that might not like her kind.

  She waited for a time, hoping Nym would return but after an hour she knew she was on her own. Closing her eyes and calming herself, Lana took stock of her situation. She could stay here hoping an elf would come upon her and lead her to Eva or she could go on and try to find her way without aid. She was half elf, perhaps the trees would let her through. She could feel no resentment from them but no kindness either. They seemed to be focused only on keeping enemies out, not keeping her in.

  Making her decision, Lana gathered her things and began walking. She couldn’t get a sense of direction in here, there was no sun to follow, but she turned to what she hoped was the east and started walking. She wouldn’t let this slow her down. She must reach Eva and find Clay. She had come too far to turn back now and give up. There was nothing left for her in the human lands so the only path was the one forward, toward the elves and her new home.

  The Woman in the Woods

  Clay had been imprisoned. Oh, perhaps he wasn’t locked up in a cell but it was the same thing. He paced the length of his room, something he’d done so much these past few days he thought he’d worn a rut into the floor. His mind was on Lana and Nym and he was worried sick over them. He had hoped to be on his way back to his companions days ago but the elders had shut him away in this room to await sentencing. His door wasn’t locked and he could freely wander the palace but guards were stationed outside and any time he got near an exit, even a window, they would silently move to bar his path.

  He had arrived at twilight several days before, his horses both exhausted. Part of him rejoiced at seeing the beautiful palace in Thelsamel but the larger part of his mind was only on his mission. He handed the horses over to a minder and walked into the entryway, heading straight for the central chamber. He was in luck. The elders had convened for a meeting, each of the chairs around the grand table filled except for the largest, which was left symbolically empty in memory of the high priestess who had protected them all with the last of her strength.

  Clay waited with the rest of the elves that had come to submit petitions to the council and eventually he was called forward.

  “Elders, I have returned,” he said, bowing his head in deference. There was silence in the hall as all of the elder elves stared. Finally, Elder Sylwynn rose to address him.

  “You have returned empty handed. Where is the Loral princess?”

  Clay went down on a knee and continued to look at the ground.

  “She is on her way. I met another elf on the path home and she is bringing Lana here.”

  “You will explain yourself,” Elder Sylwynn said sternly. “Everyone else may leave. We will hear no more requests today.”

  The petitioners in the room filed silently out, some casting curious glances at Clay where he knelt on the floor. Once he was alone with the elders, he stood but kept his eyes downcast.

  “I took the princess, as I was ordered. On the way back, we joined up with another elf, a woman named Nym,” he began. There were some rumblings and stirring among the elders at the mention of Nym’s name but Clay continued.

  “The woman - Nym, proved to be a loyal companion and I trust her completely. She became particularly close with Lana and I know that she will die before she allowing harm to come to her. And so will I.”

  At this, he lifted his gaze and stared directly at the elders around the table.

  “I would do anything for Lana. I would protect her from any harm, including harm that you might cause her. I must know what you intend.” He fell silent, waiting for the outburst that he knew was going to come. One of the things they drilled into him before he started this mission was that he must not speak of it to anyone. By confiding in Nym, he’d clearly gone against that order.

  There was silence at the table as the elders regarded him and each other. Finally, Sylwynn rose once again but instead of speaking to Clay, he addressed one of the guards.

  “Take him to a room. He may move about the palace freely, but he cannot leave,” he said, then turned to Clay. “We must speak of this transgression. You will be summoned.”

  And that was it. That was all the answer Clay was going to get. Which brought him back to his present situation.

  He was in a guestroom near the center of the palace, windowless but well furnished. He had a bed and a chamber pot, a comfortable chair and a desk with some writing implements. A bookshelf sat against one wall and occasionally he would sit down to try and read, hoping it would make the time pass faster but it was no use. Clay just paced and waited and paced some more. When he was hungry, he would go down to the kitchens and request food. If he didn’t, someone would eventually come to his room to feed him. At least they’re not trying to starve me, he thought bitterly.

  More than anything, he was full of fear. He couldn’t leave to reach Lana and warn her not to come to the palace. No elf was friendly and willing to take a message to her on his behalf. No one would speak to him at all. He was like a ghost and completely ineffective.

  He prayed that Lana and Nym were safe. They were close to Eva when he left and he knew the road would be an easy one. Once they were inside the border, the women would have no trouble reaching Thelsamel. Even knowing all of that, he couldn’t contain his worry. The response from the elders didn’t indicate they would harm Lana but it also didn’t indicate that they wouldn’t, and there was absolutely nothing Clay could do about it.

  * * *

  Lana walked. She wasn’t sure how long she had been walking but she never faltered. She was filled with a grim determination to see herself through this. Clay had rescued her and Nym had taken over in his stead as her caretaker, but it was time for Lana to take care of herself.

  She held the staff in front of her, just in case anything jumped out to attack. The woods didn’t feel menacing exactly but she couldn’t shake the feeling that there was another presence nearby. If there was and it wasn’t her imagination, it had followed her silently ever since she woke up alone.

  Suddenly, she realized that the dimness of the woods had receded, replaced by a mystifying fog of light. How long had it been so bright? Did it mean she was close to the exit? She looked up and around her but the sun was not shining through the dense canopy above. Confused, she turned around.

  Standing before her was the tall form of an elven lady shining with a strange silver light. The woman was so beautiful Lana thought she might weep. She had silver garments, silver hair and silver eyes and was regarding Lana with a critical look.

  “You wish to pass through me?” she asked Lana in a voice that sounded like the chiming of bells. This made absolutely no sense so Lana just stared at her dumbly. Pass through her? Lana thought. How would I even do such a thing?

  “You, child, are not an elf. What are you?” she asked, taking a step closer.

  Lana finally found her voice. “I’m Lana, half elf and half human,” she said shakily. She wanted to step back, to keep this being from coming any closer, but her feet were rooted to the spot. Literally. Roots had sprung up from the ground and quietly wrapped themselves around her feet and calves.

  �
��Indeed, yes…” the woman said, circling Lana and inspecting her from head to toe.

  Lana tried to pull her foot free but it was held fast. She was stuck. She closed her eyes pushed back her rising panic, calming herself. I’m a princess. I will not fear this woman. Breathing deeply, she lifted her chin and met the creature’s eyes.

  “I must continue on to Eva. Let me go,” she said in her most authoritative tone.

  The woman lifted her eyebrows and smirked.

  “Oh, you think to command me, child?” she said with amusement.

  Lana said nothing and continued to stare at the woman, showing no reaction when she drew nearer.

  “Little halfling girl…” the woman whispered near her ear. “Young one, so strong. So determined…” She laughed and danced away, then spun to face her again.

  “I grow so bored here, rarely does anyone interesting try to pass through me. When I saw you, I knew I had to find out more so I sent your friend to a clearing near the exit where she still slumbers. I would never harm an elf, you shouldn’t worry. I merely wanted to get a… sense… of who you are. Something about you…” She cocked her head and frowned. “You draw me in. I have never felt this.”

  “I’m who I said I am. Lana, halfling. That is all there is to know.”

  “I think not,” the woman seemed to be getting angry. Lana wasn’t giving her the answers she was looking for but she had no idea what to say to make this creature release her.

  “I’m the princess of Loral. I ran away and wish to be with the elves,” Lana told her. Maybe that’s what the woman wanted. “And who are you?”

  “I’m many things,” the woman said cryptically. “You may call me Priestess, if you wish. It was a title I held once, long ago. So long…”

  “What do you mean when you say I wish to pass through you?” Lana asked.