Chapter Eleven
Keeping It Together
“This better work.” Ryhan snapped.
“It would work better if you actually put some effort into it.” Alex responded.
Ryhan looked at her as if she wanted to choke her, “What do you think I’ve been doing all morning?”
“Then why isn’t it working?” Alex asked then added, “It certainly isn’t because of me.”
On and on it had went for most of the morning. Evangeline was sick of it. They had been trying to create steam, an idea she had given them when she recalled the events of the Trogess attack, hoping that it would help them form some sort of bond. The two of them were not a good combination, fire and water did not mix well.
Though their powers influenced who they were, from their physical traits to their emotional characteristics, they should still be able to control themselves. She was not sure how it escalated so quickly, Thad probably had something to do with it, but she turned just in time to see Ryhan lob a fireball straight at Alex.
Alex’s reflexes were sharp and she responded by summoning water from deep beneath the ground to put out the fire just in time to be doused with a puff of steam.
“You are going to pay for that.” Alex yelled.
Ryhan started at her.
“ENOUGH!” Evangeline shouted and forced them away from each other with her mind.
They both stared at her from the ground.
“What is going on? We shouldn’t use our powers on each other.” She pleaded with them, “Can you please just find some sort of middle ground?”
Neither of them said anything, just looked around at anything except what they should really have been facing.
“If that is the attitude you both share, then we have already lost.” Evangeline said sadly.
She did not know how much longer she could stand the tension. Walking away from them, she told the others their rest was over, time to keep moving. It was her shift to guard Thad. The one hour she dreaded more than dealing with Ryhan and Alex. He affected whoever was closest to him the most.
The only time he stopped influencing their emotions was when he slept, but even then, they all seemed to have nightmares. She was not sure what his plan was, he had refused to speak since they captured him, but it was obvious by his silence that he was working for Axiom. As she settled into a slow pace next to him, she felt his sway start to take effect.
It fell over her like a fine mist, making her skin cold and damp even in the heat of the afternoon. She did her best to block it out, but even her best only dulled the sensation. Irritation set in and she quickened her strides. She found it helpful to put a good distance between her and the others when it was her turn with Thad. It kept her from taking it out on them.
“You can only resist for so long.” Thad sneered.
“Ah, he speaks!” She replied sarcastically. “And what profound things you have to say.”
He shook his head, “Jest all you like, you’ll give in eventually.”
“I liked it better when you said nothing.” She said.
“Tsk tsk, I thought you had better control than them.” He nodded toward the others.
She said nothing.
“Don’t you want to know why I’m here?” He asked.
“It doesn’t really matter! You betrayed all the people who cared about you, and joined with Axiom.” She said indifferently.
“You think you understand what is happening, but you know nothing.” He said.
“I know you are a coward who chose to save his own hide, rather than fight for what is right.” She replied.
Amused, he looked at her and asked, “And what is right? You follow the council blindly. They have hidden away in those mountains, with their secrets and assumptions, and done nothing all these years. Yet now, you go to them, ready to fight. But who are you fighting for? What are you fighting for? You. Have. No. Idea.”
He laughed, pleased with himself, and then said, “If Axiom wanted any of you dead he would have let the Haldengar finish off Ryhan when she was trapped in that field. But he let me save her. He is not what you think he is. Nothing is black and white. Nothing.” He finished with a smug grin and said nothing else during her shift.
What he said had gotten under her skin. That she could not deny. She had no idea what had been happening all that time. The only thing she knew was what the council told her. Their updates had become fewer and farther apart throughout the last few years. Yet she never questioned why. She never questioned their motives. Should she have?
She should never have allowed Thad to get to her, but he had and there was no way to remove the questions she had now. Doubt would do her no good. They would continue on their journey to the stronghold and then she would make sure to seek out the answers she wanted.
Wondering to herself if she should let Ryhan continue her shifts with Thad; she decided she would offer to take Ryhan’s shift when it came up. If he could affect her this way she could only imagine what he was doing to the pent up anger that Ryhan had. They were only a few hours away from the borders of Ferrentri, she was not sure if they would make it before nightfall.
Instead of making camp, they stopped to rest and gathered supplies for torches. Normally she would not risk traveling at night, but she thought it best to continue and not waste another night. She sat down and was surprised to see Ryhan and Alex approach her together.
“We will probably never understand each other.” Alex said.
Ryhan added, “But you were right, we need to learn to work together.”
“And trust one another.” Alex finished, then added, “We have been working on this all day, we think it could be useful in the right situation.”
Evangeline watched curiously, as they sat across from each other. They held their hands up, palms facing the others, close but not touching. Closing their eyes, Evangeline could see their chests start to rise and fall in sync. Ryhan’s hands showed a faint outline of warm fire. An outline of water covered Alex’s hands.
They pushed their palms together gently and a cloud of steam started to rise. It was not long and the steam that rose from their hands cooled and settled around them into a heavy dense haze. It wasn’t like the chilly fog that rolls down from the mountains of her home; rather, it was sticky and hot. It enveloped them completely and Evangeline could not see anything around them.
She could barely even see her own hand in front of her face. It was amazing. The thick wet air made it difficult to breathe. Her breaths became loud and exaggerated. Curious she asked, “How long does this last?”
“With this much I am not sure.” Alex’s voice called out from the cloud.
Ryhan added, “We only did a little earlier.”
Evangeline was amazed at their growth, but she did not need the men asking a bunch of questions. Especially Thad, last thing they needed was for him to get word back to Axiom about what they could do. Reaching out, she centered herself, becoming aware of the steamy fog and every element of it. She imagined herself like a sponge, drying it up, pulling all of the moisture out of the air and into her.
With a large exhale, it disappeared like a puff of smoke. Ryhan and Alex looked at her surprised, and then exchanged glances with each other. Ryhan looked as if she were about to say something, when one of the crew approached.
“Sorry to bother you, but the men are ready to press on, strange things are happening tonight, it’s a full moon ya know.” He warned.
Evangeline agreed with a knowing smile and they joined the party quickly. Ryhan took her place next to Thad before she could offer to take her shift. It was not long before she could feel the tension in the air again. Thad was working his evil; it was clear by the shift in their moods and the way that Ryhan stomped angrily beside him.
Evangeline tried to get close enough to eavesdrop, but Alex put her hand on her shoulder and pulled her back.
“Its best you don’t. He will only cause an argument between you.” She said.
Alex was right, if more than one of them were around him a fight soon followed. The crewmembers seemed to keep a level head. Perhaps Thad’s powers did not work on them. Or, he wasn’t using them on the crew. It made her more suspicious that not even a single member of the crew felt affected by Thad.
He had not even tried to escape once since they caught him. It was as if he wanted to stay with them and that made her nervous. He was up to something and she did not have a good feeling about it. She was just about to voice her concern to Alex when one of the men ahead of her let out a yelp then fell to the ground.
She ran to him to find out what happened and before she could even reach him, several other cries pierced the night and all of the crew was laying on the ground around them. Evangeline looked to Alex and Ryhan for answers, but they stood there just as perplexed as she did.
Thad, who usually found moments like that amusing, looked terrified.
“Untie me.” He shouted.
“No way.” Ryhan growled.
He pleaded, “I can help. Untie me.”
“Ha, how could you help, by making whatever it is angrier?” Alex laughed.
Angrily he responded, “Hello? I am a kelpie. Magical horse powers ring any bells?”
Alex looked at Evangeline with inquisitiveness. Evangeline did not like the idea, but she wasn’t sure what they might have to fight.
She nodded at Alex, but a strange voice called out, “I wouldn’t do that.”
Whoever it was sounded like an old man and a child at the same time. It was alarming yet comforting. It made her feel uneasy.
“Who are you? Show yourself.” She demanded.
A man stepped out from behind a tree. He was long and lean, at least two feet taller than she was, and covered with what looked like tree bark. No wonder he was hard to see, when he stood next to a tree he was practically invisible. He looked very young, but his eyes showed many years of knowledge.
“Who are you?” She asked again.
“I am Darrellik, entrance guardian of Ferrentri.” He replied kindly.
“What have you done to our friends?” She asked.
“They cannot come into our land, it is written, and so it shall be. They are not harmed, only sleeping. We will send someone with food and supplies so they may be on their way when they wake.” He stated.
She was confused. “Written?”
He smiled. “Our laws are ancient and not easily understood by outsiders, they are not for me to elucidate.”
“We have come-”
“I know why you are here. It is almost morning, come rest. More will be revealed to you when you wake.” He motioned for them to follow.
She hesitated and glanced at Alex and Ryhan as if to ask what they thought. They weren’t sure either and only shrugged in response. They really had no choice but to trust him. Lillian was in there somewhere and they needed her. Evangeline agreed and followed him in to the thick woods.
Unsure of what they would find in Ferrentri she comforted herself with the fact that they were one-step closer to completing their purpose. Whatever that might be.
Part Three
Alexandra