Sapphire

  They were all seated or standing around a huge round Griffon wood table in Faolan’s home. He had graciously offered for them to share his large home, instead of using the barn since they had proven to be trustworthy guests. Mia, who turned out to be Faolan’s daughter, had also screamed her head off until Antares was allowed to sleep in her room. She had made a little pile of quilts, pillows, and her favorite wolf doll on the floor next to her pint-sized bed, but was always found curled up between his paws in the morning.

  It had been two days since Gavan’s attack, and there was still no further sign of the molochs, perhaps due to the increased wolves patrolling, but no one knew how long the peaceful lull would last. Mira, however, was growing more anxious every day that they stayed. Her attitude towards Orin had changed completely from distrust to something like pity. Shawna was impatient to hear what he had to say, but knew he wanted to be left alone for now. She was also still pretty miffed about the whole knife thing and hadn’t quite forgiven him yet.

  She was sipping honey-lavender tea with Sunset Kisses floating in it that Faolan’s wife, Parla, had brewed and trying to count the table rings. She gave up around one thousand and thirty-two guessing there must be about five thousand rings. Antares was looking regal and brooding as usual. Mira was looking noble and beautiful, but…somewhat sad. Shawna kept throwing her gaze up at her. What was all that about the stone? Mira had made it very clear she wasn’t going to answer for her display of murderous wrath, but it didn’t keep Shawna from wondering. Lula was humming a tune to herself and sipping nectar from a Sunset Kiss.

  The doors opened and everyone looked up as Orin stepped into the room. Faolan was nodding behind him, ushering him in. He had wanted to talk to Faolan first about what had happened all those years ago in the village. Faolan had been a young man at the time and could tell him more about his past while Orin told him of his future. Faolan closed the doors behind Orin as he walked over to them and sat down on one of the stools. He stared at his hands. Shawna wondered if he was going to say anything at all after a long silence, then finally he spoke.

  “I…I didn’t know any of this until,” he glanced at Mira. “Until we came here.” He sighed. “I was only three when I was taken from my family and my home was destroyed.”

  Shawna tried not to gasp in surprise or look pitying on his behalf. She suddenly felt closer to him than ever before which only made Sirrush’s secret words to her in the tower wound her deeper. If only she had known. He looked at them all in turn, then began his story.