“What about Mareleau? You’ve told me about the Quest, but you haven’t told me about your relationship. Do you love her?” I felt heat rise to my face as soon as the last words left my mouth.
Teryn’s brow furrowed. “I think so.”
“You think so?” I couldn’t help but laugh. “That is why you’ve been risking your life for her hand? Because you think you love her?”
Teryn joined my laughter. “It’s just that, before the Quest, I thought I knew everything. I thought I knew everything a crown prince should know about his land. I thought I knew how to hunt and fight. I thought I knew what I was willing to do for love. So much of what I’d known has turned out to be wrong. It feels safer to think for now, if that makes sense.”
I nodded. “Then what about your family? Don’t you have a brother?”
Teryn frowned. “How do you know I have a brother?”
My heart raced as I realized my mistake, but I kept my composure. “I may not know everything about royal matters in Lela, but I never said I knew nothing about your kingdom. I’ve heard some talk of the twin princes of Mena. Are you two close?”
Teryn’s face went slack. “Yes, but it’s…complicated. Speaking of complicated, didn’t you promise to tell me about your family? About the Forest People?”
I was silent a moment, at war with my instincts to fight or flee from such a personal topic, but Valorre’s words rang through my head. This is a friendly conversation, I told myself. He wants to get to know me. I don’t have to tell him everything. “There’s not much to say,” I began. “We’re a simple people. We care about nature and living in harmony.”
“What are your homes like?”
“Tents, mostly. Especially in warmer seasons. In colder seasons, we build stronger shelters.”
“Do all Forest People dress like you?” Teryn examined me from head to toe.
“You mean the pants?” I let out a small laugh. “Yes, the men wear such pants, but the women mostly wear dresses, probably like what the common women wear in Mena. We make much of our own clothing, but we buy and trade many items too. Some of us prefer more modern fashions and luxuries, especially the younger generations.”
“How do you buy things? What do you trade with?”
That question was much more difficult to answer without mentioning the Arts. I wasn’t ready to share that side of my upbringing. I chose my words carefully as I continued, “The Forest People are practiced in ancient forms of healing. We make brews, teas, salves, and tinctures from herbs and flowers that hold great properties.”
“Like a witch,” Lex interrupted. I looked behind me, surprised to find Lex had caught up with us.
“Not like a witch.” Teryn eyed Lex with a scowl. “Continue, Cora.”
I turned my attention back to Teryn, trying to ignore the set of eyes burning into my skull. “We also weave and sew. We hunt. We craft beautiful bows and arrows and other fine weapons. We are skilled in many things. We offer our services and wares to nearby villagers or the travelers we meet on the road.”
“Why do you live in such a way? It seems so antiquated.”
“I guess you could say it is. We live based on the ways of the Ancient Ones, whom the Forest People are descendants of.”
“Who are the Ancient Ones?” Lex asked.
I looked back at Lex and saw that his glare had been replaced with wide-eyed curiosity. Maybe he wants to be friends too.
“Yes, tell us about them,” Teryn said.
I looked from one man to the other. “Well, if you both really want to know, I’ll tell you. But don’t hold it against me if the stories sound unbelievable. Most of my people’s tales do sound more like myth than fact. I believe many of them, but that’s how I was raised. I don’t expect you to feel the same way.”
Teryn shrugged. “We won’t judge.”
“Fine then. The Ancient Ones were a magical people who lived long ago. Of all the Ancient Ones, the two most powerful races were the Elvan and the Faeran.”
“You mean elves and fairies?” Lex wrinkled his nose. “Are you seriously talking about magic people with pointed ears and the flying bug folk? I remember the stories from when I was small, but they aren’t real.”
I closed my eyes for a moment and tried my best to summon my patience. “Your childhood legends are not the same as my legends. But if you think you know them, by all means, continue the story for me.”
Lex turned slightly red in the cheeks but made no argument.
I continued, “The Elvan and Faeran shared rule over their land while maintaining harmony with each other and with all other beings. While they shared the same vision of harmony, they had differences in tradition, talent, and appearance. The Elvan were a tall, slender, ivory-skinned, silver-haired, blue-eyed people. They were known for their elegance and grace and were skilled in music, art, and creating things of beauty. Their magic built the most majestic palaces, wove the finest fabrics, and created the most pleasing instruments. They wore elaborate dress, lived in shining cities, and held magnificent feasts.
“The Faeran, on the other hand, were small in height with thin, agile, youthful bodies. They had dark hair, skin colored in shades of soil, and dark eyes. They lived and worked outdoors, mostly in the forests. The Faeran were famous for their healing powers and for their connection with nature. They could speak to animals and plants. They could find a remedy by listening to the land.
“The legends of my people say that we, the Forest People, are descendants of the Faeran. That is why our traditions mirror their simple ways. Many of my people even resemble the Faeran in appearance. Especially Salinda, the woman who raised me.”
“What do you mean she raised you?” asked Teryn. “Was she not your real mother?”
I was taken aback for a moment, realizing I’d mentioned something I had planned to keep to myself. “I was orphaned at birth,” I improvised. “Salinda took me in.”
“Wait, what happened to the Ancient Ones?” Lex frowned. “Where did they go?”
I was grateful for the change of subject. “Some say their harmony was eventually destroyed and war broke out between them, leaving their numbers nearly extinct. Other tales say they simply disappeared as magic faded from the land. It is a mystery, even amongst my people.”
“Do you think the Ancient Ones ever lived in Lela?” Teryn asked.
“Some legends say Lela was once the very center of the Ancient kingdom, where all magic thrived. Perhaps it’s true.”
“I didn’t even believe in magic before the Quest,” Lex said. “Then I find out unicorns are real. Next, I watch a man cut a horn from a live unicorn’s head. I then witness him being eaten alive by a monstrous demon. And I won’t pretend I didn’t hear the two of you talking about a sorcerer. I’m starting to think magic is nothing but trouble.”
“It can be,” I admitted. “Especially if in the wrong hands.”
Lex responded by going pale. That was clearly not the answer he wanted to hear.
“Are you really up for this?” I asked him. “Do you really want to put yourself in more danger? It’s not going to get any easier.”
Lex turned his head, scowling into the trees. “Yeah.” He let out a long sigh that told me there was much he wasn’t saying.
I turned to Teryn, who gave me a significant look. “See what I mean?” he mumbled.
My first instinct was to take my opportunity to end the conversation all together. Another instinct was a burning desire to discover what had Lex in such a mood. And my final instinct was to honor my attempt at friendship. My last two instincts won, and I began to slow Hara’s pace until Lex and I were side by side. Teryn took the hint and remained ahead.
“Hey, Lex.” I forced my voice to sound warm and casual. “I know we haven’t gotten to know each other very well over the past week, but I’m hoping that can change. I’m grateful you decided to come with us, thank you.”
Lex met my gaze, raising a suspicious eyebrow at first, and then resigned to a half-smi
le that never touched his eyes. “Yeah. You’re welcome.”
Getting him to talk seemed equally as difficult as getting me to talk. “This is a dangerous mission. I know you know that. You’re very brave to do this, even though I can tell you aren’t quite sure you want to.”
“Brave? Me? I doubt that.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Because you’re right.” Lex’s voice grew with force. “I don’t want to do this. I don’t want to be in danger. I never wanted to do the stupid Quest in the first place. The last thing I want to do is extend this pointless trek through the woods in search of new ways to get myself killed. I’m not brave. I’m stupid.”
“Then why are you here?” I asked gently. “You don’t have to be here. I promise, I can help get you safely on your way home, if that’s what you want.”
Lex sighed. “I wish. I can’t go home yet.”
“Why? You can tell me about it, you know. I’ll listen.”
“I just…I have to prove myself. I have to show my father I’m capable of following in his footsteps. I have to show him I’m more capable than my younger brother, Ben.”
“Why is that? You’re the heir, aren’t you?”
“I am, but Ben is Savior of Tomas. He led a charge to fortify our defenses between us and Norun. My father originally asked me to lead the fortifications. I refused. Seeing no current danger from Norun, I didn’t think it was a valuable use of my time. My brother volunteered in my stead. It was the biggest mistake I could have made.
“To make matters worse, Ben then gets engaged to a daughter of one of our allies. A princess. She’s ten years his junior, so he will have to wait to marry, but his prospects are higher than mine. The woman I want to marry is the daughter of a lord. Lady Lily. Highborn, but not a princess. You see the position I’m in? I’m seen as the lazy, fat, unambitious crown prince while my brother is the young, handsome, brave savior whom our people love.
“I have to prove that I’m worth the crown. That’s why I agreed to compete in the Quest. I didn’t expect to become a finalist, but once I became one, I knew I had to see it through as far as I could. That’s why I formed a plot with Teryn to help him win. Now that plan has been destroyed. I’m lost now. I have no idea what to do. I have no idea what to say if I return home. I don’t want to make the same mistake again. I don’t want to turn down an opportunity to show I can be as brave or as useful as Ben.”
“That makes perfect sense. You have nothing to be ashamed of.”
“But it’s all a sham. All I can ever do is fake it. I was going to fake the Quest. Now I’m faking this mission. Instead of being brave, I’m dragging myself along, miserable.”
“Just because you don’t want to do it, doesn’t mean you aren’t brave,” I said. “You can be afraid and angry about something, yet still choose to do it anyway. You are being brave by making that choice. You are only miserable because you feel too guilty to forgive yourself for turning down the opportunity that Ben accepted. Once you forgive yourself, you’ll realize you are brave after all.” I wanted to laugh, realizing how much I sounded like Salinda.
“I don’t know.” Lex wore a frown, but his composure was beginning to relax. “Sometimes I think maybe I’m not worthy of the crown after all. If I was, I would have tried to win the Quest for real.”
“You obviously didn’t want to win. You want to marry Lady Lily. There’s nothing wrong with finding a clever way to make the best of your circumstances. Being clever is just as important as being brave. And you’re both.”
Lex sighed, meeting my eyes for the first time. He smiled and then shyly looked away. “You really think that’s it? That I’m being too hard on myself? That I need to forgive myself?”
“There’s no harm in trying.”
Lex nodded. “Maybe there’s hope then. Maybe this won’t be so bad. We’ll go save a few unicorns, become heroes, and then Teryn can bring a unicorn back to Mareleau and I can go home with a smidge of pride.”
I felt the color leave my face. “What did you say? Teryn…bring a unicorn to Mareleau?” My eyes snapped forward just as Teryn looked back at me, head lowered with a sheepish look on his face. “What’s this all about, Teryn? Are you seriously planning on taking a rescued unicorn back to your empty-headed bride?”
Teryn’s mouth hung open without a word as I brought Hara next to Quinne. “It…it was just an idea,” he said in a rush.
“Is that the only reason you are traveling with me? Explain yourself!” I felt my shoulders tighten, my blood burning. Below my anger was a strange combination of disappointment, hurt, and shame. I knew I shouldn’t have trusted them! How could I be so stupid?
“Cora, I promise you, I am here because I believe in your mission. I barely gave it any thought when I told Lex you might help me find a unicorn for Mareleau. I thought I might bring one to her as a pet.”
“A pet? Are you out of your mind? A unicorn is not a pet.”
Teryn struggled to find his words. “I thought…because of you and Valorre…”
“Valorre is not my pet, he is my companion. We have a bond. He chooses to accompany me. I do not stable him, I do not saddle him. And I certainly don’t braid his hair and adorn it with ribbons like some idiot princess would do to a pet!”
Teryn sighed. “I’m sorry. It was a stupid idea, but it was harmless. I didn’t realize the difference, but I do now. I didn’t mean to offend you. I want to be here to rescue the unicorns. I want to—”
“Quiet,” I interrupted. Teryn opened his mouth to argue as I brought Hara to a stop, but I held up a hand to hush him. I fixed my gaze on Teryn and Lex in turn. “I mean it. Stay calm and listen.”
The three of us remained silent as the rumbling grew louder.
“The Beast,” Teryn said with a gasp.
“Do not panic. Follow me.” I led them off the path as I reached my mind out to Valorre. He had gone off on his own again, for what seemed like an unusually long time. Valorre, please. I continued to call to him as the three of us went deep within the undergrowth, stopping beneath the dense cover of branches and shrubbery.
Valorre appeared in front of us, eyes wild and legs quivering. Come, Valorre, I’m here, I soothed, making room for him to stand between me and Teryn. The horses became agitated as the rumbling grew even louder.
“Cora, I hate to say this, but I don’t think hiding under a tree will keep us from the Beast’s view,” Teryn said.
“I know, but you need to trust me. Close your eyes, both of you. Stay calm. Don’t focus on fear, don’t even think.” I looked from Teryn to Lex, trying my best to appear reassuring until they both closed their eyes.
Valorre, can you calm the horses?
Yes.
I then set to the task of calming myself, breathing deeply as I extended my consciousness to Valorre, Teryn and Lex. I focused on the trees around us, attempting to shield us within their boughs like I had with myself and Valorre the last time we’d encountered the Beast. But extending my power to two unknowing minds was proving more difficult than I had hoped. Their minds were too erratic, too panicked. I released them.
“Whatever happens, stay calm. Remember, the Beast is only interested in unicorns. He has no reason to hurt you.” I resolved all my focus on shielding myself, Valorre, and Hara. I focused only on my own breathing, the scent of the forest, and the strength of the trees nearby. Instead of being jostled by the rumbling of the approaching Beast, I swayed with the overhanging boughs. I became soil, leaf, and bark. I became tree.
“Where did Cora go?” Teryn asked in a panic. His voice merely slid past my awareness as if it were coming from far away, while I held fast to the glamour. The rumbling grew until it brought with it the sound of pounding hooves. The sound raced past, sending a gust of air that felt like a storm wind tearing through my branches. I reeled with the wind, yet refused to be torn from my power. I stayed within the trees until well after the rumbling had subsided.
I emerged from the glamour and found myself s
urrounded by chaos and confusion.
“Cora, where were you?” Teryn shouted. He and Lex were both on foot, searching for me. “Where did you come from? We thought…we thought…”
“I’m fine. I was…I was here…” The words felt funny in my mouth, and I found myself unable to remember what I was trying to say. The blood rushed from my head as my body grew heavy in my saddle. I put a hand to my forehead and started to tip to the left. A pair of hands caught me and pulled me gently to my feet.
“Cora, what’s wrong? Are you all right? Are you hurt?” Teryn’s voice sounded unnaturally loud. I closed my eyes and braced myself against one of Hara’s saddlebags. I took a few deep breaths to steady my mind and regain my strength. My short attempt to cloak our entire group at once had been too much. Even cloaking myself, Valorre and Hara had been a large enough feat to overexert me.
“I’m fine, just dizzy. Give me a few moments.”
“Were you invisible?” I heard Lex say behind me.
“Lex, don’t be preposterous,” Teryn said.
“I’m serious. One moment she was there. The next she was gone. She reappeared right where she had been. I think she’s a witch.”
I squinted as I gingerly turned my head to look at Lex. “I’m not a witch, Lex, but I can protect myself when I need to.” Every word sent a shooting pain through my skull. “I tried to shield all of us, but it was too much.”
Teryn and Lex exchanged a wide-eyed look. I realized I was probably saying more than I would under clearer circumstances, but my lack of strength was clouding my judgment. “Don’t look so terrified, we have much graver business to attend to.”
“What do you mean?” Teryn asked, his face pale.
“The Beast is here, likely collecting horns. We’ve found our hunters.”
18
Answers
Cora
“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?” Teryn asked for the hundredth time that morning. We’d made camp just within the new hunters’ anticipated range.
Shadows of Lela Page 12
