Shadows of Lela

by Tessonja Odette

  Larylis narrowed his eyes at me and repeated his question.

  I rubbed my temples and closed my eyes. “Larylis, you are doing this to yourself. You’re the one who’s been drinking yourself into a stupor every night for the past week.”

  “You are taking away the woman I love!” Larylis pounded a fist on the desk. “How am I supposed to handle that? How am I supposed to watch you marry her?”

  “Do you truly love her?” I asked.

  “Yes.”

  “Then you will want what is best for her. Do you want her to marry me or that ogre, Helios?”

  Larylis scowled but did not answer.

  “I can love her, care for her, respect her, and provide her with everything she needs. If she marries me, she can remain in her homeland of Lela. Or she could marry Prince Helios. You didn’t get to meet him, but I assure you, he looks about as gentle and loving as a boar.”

  “What about the third? Prince Lexington?”

  “Lexington won’t win, I know that much.” My eyes met his for a moment, and I felt a pang of guilt for not telling him about the alliance.

  Larylis didn’t seem to notice my omission. He put his head in his hands. “Why do you want her?”

  “Why do you want her? You are a good person, Larylis. You are kind and loving. You deserve someone who will love you for all you’re worth, not some cold-hearted woman who won’t even acknowledge your existence.”

  Larylis stood and glared down at me. “You know nothing about her. She and I were friends. In the three years I spent at Verlot, she was my only friend. You weren’t there. Our parents weren’t there. You all left me in another kingdom with hardly a visit.”

  “You act as if we abandoned you! You were sent to Verlot for their healers. It is thanks to them that you are as well as you are today.”

  “And I am grateful to them every day,” Larylis said through clenched teeth. “But I am not grateful for you taking away the woman I love—”

  “You loved her when you were six years old!”

  “Are you saying a child cannot know love?”

  “I’m saying people change. She clearly has. You haven’t spoken to her in years. Now I have a chance to find love with her, to start a family, to bring our next future queen into our kingdom. Am I to be punished just because I didn’t meet her first?”

  “Am I to be punished because I wasn’t born first? Because I’ve had to live my life in your glorious shadow? I actually had one thing that you didn’t have, and now you’re taking that from me too.”

  My face softened. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Larylis, I truly am. But she doesn’t belong to you. She has a right to love whomever she chooses, and she didn’t choose you.”

  Larylis sat back down in his seat, eyes out of focus. He let out a heavy sigh. “You’re right. You’re completely right. I’m beating myself up over a woman who chose my brother. I’m doing this to myself.”

  My throat tightened. I didn’t expect to feel so guilty about being right.

  “It just hurts, you know?” Larylis’ voice cracked. “It kills me to think about the two of you together. No matter how she has treated me, I have never stopped loving her. I doubt I ever will.” A tear slipped from Larylis’ eye, and suddenly he was no longer my brooding, irrational competitor. He was my brother, my best friend, my companion who’d always known me better than anyone else. Could I bear the burden of causing him so much pain?

  On the other side of Larylis’ pain was a chance for me to find love with the most beautiful woman I’d ever laid eyes on. She would be my lifelong partner, forever by my side. She would fulfill me and make me a king our people would be proud of. I couldn’t give that opportunity away.

  I ran a palm over my face and leaned back in my chair. “If you honestly, truly love her, you will do what is right for her. I don’t want to hurt you, but I can’t give her up for nothing. The choice is yours. Let her go, and I promise I will love and cherish her forever. Or say the word and I will forfeit the Quest, and neither of us will have her.”

  Larylis’ eyes went wide and locked on mine. His mouth opened, yet not a sound came out. I held my breath and waited for the words that could put an end to the only thing I’d ever wanted.

  6

  A Dark Path

  Cora

  I nocked an arrow into my bow and pulled it back to my cheek. I released it and heard the beautiful strum of the string snapping forward, followed by the thud as the arrow hit the old log. I smiled, but only felt it on the outside. I shot again, bringing the narrow cluster of arrows protruding from the log to a total of seven. Then eight. Then nine.

  “Is beating up that poor, old thing really going to make you feel better?” I turned and saw Salinda walking through the trees toward me, arms behind her back as she took one slow step at a time. Her sun-browned face was warm and smiling, creased at the corners of her mouth and eyes. Her petite frame made her look so much younger than she was. She was even tinier than her daughter, Maiya, but with the same dark eyes and dark hair.

  I tried to match her smile. “It is making me feel better,” I lied, and walked over to fetch my arrows. I could still feel Salinda’s eyes studying me as I yanked the arrow tips from the crumbling bark. When I turned around, her face was full of sympathy.

  “Really, I’m fine,” I said. “I don’t know what everyone is so worried about. I fainted. That was a week ago. It was nothing.”

  “And the nightmares?”

  I sighed, my shoulders drooping. “Maiya told you.”

  Salinda walked over to me and pressed a soft hand to my cheek. “You can tell me, my dear Cora.” Her face was so warm, so gentle; I could feel my walls beginning to crumble around me. “Start with the fainting, if that’s easier to explain.”

  “I just lost control, you know, of my…”

  “Of your power. You’re an empath, don’t be ashamed to call it what it is.”

  I closed my eyes and nodded. “It overwhelmed me.”

  “That hasn’t happened in a long time. What triggered you to lose control?”

  My throat tightened. “It was something Roije said. It scared me.”

  “Did it have to do with what you’ve been dreaming about?”

  “It did.”

  Salinda remained silent. She would not press me from here. Part of me wanted to take the opportunity to end the conversation and excuse myself, but there was another part of me that begged to open, begged to release the burden I’d been carrying. Maybe Maiya was right. Maybe Salinda could help.

  “I’ve been having these terrible dreams about my…former home. I can see my…house, and it’s different, changed. It looks monstrous. There’s nothing but darkness surrounding it—and evil.”

  Salinda nodded. “Your past is haunting you.”

  “Yes, and when Roije showed up with his dark tidings regarding my former home, I lost control. It was too much. I couldn’t help but worry about what may have befallen my family.” My heart was racing now.

  “It’s natural to worry about your original home and family, no matter how painful your past is.”

  “But worrying will do me no good, you taught me that. I can never go back. I don’t ever want to go back, and I wouldn’t be of any help if I did. I just want these nightmares to end so I can be free from the ghosts of my past.” I sighed. “Can you help me? Can you get rid of these nightmares?”

  Salinda studied me for a moment. “I’m not sure if I should do that.”

  “What do you mean? If you can’t do it, I don’t know who can.”

  “I didn’t say I couldn’t do it, I said I wasn’t sure if I should.”

  I cocked my head to the side. “What else is there to do about it?”

  “Perhaps you should listen to the message. There must be a reason these dreams are speaking to you.”

  All I could imagine was that glowing, red window in the black tower, and the malicious voice ringing through my mind. I shuddered. “No, my dreams are not speaking to me. They are
nothing but fear trying to drive me mad.”

  “Beyond your fear there may be truth, Cora.”

  I shook my head. My chest constricted as my breathing quickened and my hands clenched into fists. Salinda put a comforting hand on my arm, and the tension melted from me like ice under the sun. “Calm, Cora. This dream takes you to a dark place, I can see that, but you must move past it. Let the fear go, let the dark feelings fade. What is left? What are these things telling you?”

  I inhaled and exhaled deeply, closed my eyes, and followed her instruction. I calmed the anxiety, the fear, the feelings, letting them drift away a little at a time until I was left with my watchful awareness. “I’m worried. My old home is in trouble.” With the words came a calm certainty. I opened my eyes and felt a shiver run down my spine.

  “Your path is changing,” Salinda said.

  “But I don’t want anything to change.”

  “Your purpose is bigger. You are meant for so much more.”

  “I never asked for a bigger purpose! I never asked for my path to change!”

  “Few of us ever do, but when we accept our calling, we can accomplish great things.” She gave my shoulder a gentle squeeze, and then without another word, turned and left me alone with my thoughts.

  My mind and heart were at war as I reflected on our conversation. My heart felt the wisdom of her words, but my mind couldn’t solve what to do about it. How do I embark on a new path when I don’t even know the first step? How do I take a first step when I don’t want to in the first place?

  I was interrupted by a flicker of movement in the distance. I expected to find Salinda returning to further counsel me. Instead, I found Maiya.

  She walked toward me, folding and unfolding her hands before her. “Are you mad I told Salinda about the nightmares?”

  I smiled. “Of course not, Maiya. You were only trying to help, and your mother did help me…I think.”

  Maiya sighed and her face brightened. “Good. Do you want to talk about it more?”

  “No, that’s the last thing I want to do. I just want to be distracted.” I unshouldered my bow and quiver, and placed them behind the old log to retrieve later. I took Maiya by the hand. “Let’s go do something fun.”

  “Did I hear you right?” asked another giggling voice with mock surprise. Ciela came walking arm in arm with another girl, Luna. ”You want to do something fun? You mean, you aren’t always such a serious stick-in-the-mud?”

  “Very funny,” I said as the two girls approached.

  “If you’re looking for fun, come with us,” said Luna; a tall, buxom brunette with warm, golden skin and a mischievous smile.

  “What do you mean?” Maiya asked.

  Ciela bent in close to Maiya, pretending to whisper. “Luna has a date with a hunter tonight.”

  Maiya’s eyes went wide and she blushed. “What does that have to do with us?”

  “He’s camping not too far from here, and his companions look wealthy,” Luna said. “I’m sure we could get a decent night’s earnings in exchange for an evening’s worth of entertaining.”

  “Oh, I don’t know.” Maiya looked at the ground, kicking at dirt and leaves.

  Ciela pouted and then turned her charms on me. “What about you, stick-in-the-mud? You said you wanted to have fun. What do you say?”

  I’d heard about Ciela and Luna’s idea of fun, which consisted of flirting, drinking, and charming money from unsuspecting travelers. It never sounded appealing to me, but after the week I’d had, any distraction was welcome.

  “Why not?” I said with a shrug.

  Ciela and Luna cheered and then danced around Maiya, begging her to come along.

  Maiya finally gave in. “Oh, all right. If Cora’s going I guess I’ll go too.”

  “Get ready for a good time,” Luna said with a shake of her hips. She fumbled around in the bag that hung from her shoulder and then handed Ciela a reed flute, Maiya a bottle of what I assumed was wine, and me a purse full of Fate Cards.

  Maiya stared wide-eyed at the heavy bottle in her hands and then looked at me. For a moment I wondered if I was making the right choice. What was I getting the two of us into? I shook the worry from my head and smiled at Maiya. She smiled back and took a small sip from the bottle. The adventure had begun.

  * * *

  By the time we neared the hunters’ camp, night had fallen. “We’re here,” Luna whispered, as we approached the sound of raucous voices. We brushed ourselves clean of forest debris, and adjusted our skirts and bodices. Luna and Ciela were dressed in their most festive dresses, skirts, and scarves while Maiya and I still wore our everyday dresses. I looked down at my tattered, faded blue dress under my worn, brown leather bodice and wished I’d had a moment to change.

  “Ready?” Luna shook her hair from her braid, letting it cascade in long, brown waves over her shoulders. The rest of us nodded, and she waved for us to follow her. She stepped confidently forward, entering the hunters’ camp with sumptuously swaying hips. I gulped. The three of us followed in her wake. I tried my best to sway my hips, nearly tripping in the process.

  In the middle of the camp were about a dozen thickset, burly, middle-aged men, drinking, cursing, and smoking. I couldn’t imagine why Luna had described these men as wealthy-looking. They very well may have been wealthy, but it wasn’t how I’d choose to describe them in terms of appearance. There was only one younger man, probably a few years older than I, amongst the hunters. His face brightened when he saw Luna. “You came back,” he said with a shy smile.

  “Of course I did.” Luna walked over to him and planted a kiss on his cheek.

  The talking halted and all eyes locked on us.

  “What are you doing bringing witches among us, James?” A large brute of a man stepped toward us, hands balled into fists.

  The young man named James looked at his feet. “They aren’t witches. Just girls from the nearby village. I met Luna by the river when I was watering our horses.”

  The hunters eyed us one by one. I held my breath.

  Luna let out a giggle, putting her hand over her lips. “Oh, look at you! You are all so serious. We came here to enlighten and entertain you tired hunters. I just love the sight of big, strong, manly hunters. It simply takes my breath away!”

  A quiet rumble of arrogant laughter spread around the camp.

  Ciela took the bottle from Maiya’s hand and stepped toward the men. “Besides, who else will we share our wine with? Our village is so strict, and sometimes girls just want to let loose. But if we are not welcome, we can go have fun on our own.”

  “Let them stay, Gringe. Please,” James said.

  “Yeah, they seem harmless,” said another, who had his eyes on Ciela.

  “Fine,” Gringe said. “But no funny business. I’ve heard stories about these forest-whores who enchant travelers only to leave them drunk with half their goods missing the next morning. I’m not so easily fooled.” He eyed each of us with a warning, holding my gaze too long for comfort.

  I did my best to giggle coyly and avert my eyes. It was then that I realized I was not good at playing coy.

  The evening passed as we entertained the hunters by singing, dancing, flute playing, reading their cards, and sharing wine. I did most of my drinking in act. Luna and Ciela, on the other hand, were clearly drunk and looked like they were having the time of their lives from the laps of their equally drunk companions. I looked over at Maiya sitting between two loudly-chorusing men. She met my eyes with a bored smile and rolled her eyes.

  The hunter I had been entertaining with a palm reading looked to be on the verge of unconsciousness, so I figured he wouldn’t notice if I took my leave. I went to Maiya and extended a hand. “Let’s dance.”

  Maiya’s face brightened as she stood. We took each other’s hands and began circling in a traditional dance of the Forest People to the tune of Ciela’s clumsy flute playing.

  “I’m sorry I dragged you into this,” I whispered. “I just…”


  “I know,” Maiya said. “You’ve had a hard week. Besides, this isn’t so bad. I’m having fun.”

  We both laughed at her lie and continued to dance, our steps growing lighter and looser as we circled the campfire. Before long, we truly were having fun. I was starting to think this adventure had been brilliant after all.

  A pair of cold eyes froze me in my steps. Gringe stared at us, brows drawn together and mouth turned down in a hard frown as he muttered to himself. He spat in our direction and stomped out of the camp into the dark trees beyond.

  The skin prickled behind my neck as I stared into the forest. I sensed darkness or danger, but for some reason I wasn’t called to run. I was called to follow.

  The singing hunters stood up and started dancing with Maiya and me.

  “Oh, how my feet ache,” I said to my stumbling partner and stepped out of his reach. “Let me catch my breath and rest for a few moments.”

  Without a word of protest, the hunter turned away to continue his dance alone.

  “Cora?” Maiya looked from me to her dance partner and back again.

  I felt a hollow feeling in my gut. How could I leave her alone? But still, I could feel the pull of the woods. I had to see where Gringe had gone. “I just need to sit down a moment. I’ll be right back.”

  Once Maiya’s back was turned, I slipped quietly away from camp and followed Gringe’s fresh trail. My eyes were half-closed as I let my inner senses lead me along through the darkness. Somewhere up ahead, a subtle illumination shone through the trees. I crept toward it until I found myself at the entrance of a cave that held firelight in its depths. I stood just outside, keeping my body in shadow while I listened to the muffled voices coming from deep within.

  I focused on the sound, extending my power through all my senses, and heard the sound grow louder and louder until the voices became fully audible to me.

  “It’s those forest whores,” grumbled the angry voice of Gringe. “They’ve got all our men drunk off their asses.”