“Never,” whispers Tharin, a promise for my ears only.
“The longer you hold her, the greater the risk of her being discovered,” says Sema patiently.
Tharin sighs and straightens as he rubs my back. He places his hands on my shoulders as he moves to kiss me on the top of my head. I look up at him and there’s a strange look in his eyes that makes my stomach do flips. He moves back from me and gives me that crooked smile of his and I have this sensation that unnerves me – a feeling of as if my feet are being tickled with thousands of needles. Sema steps between us, her back toward me as she faces Tharin. With a wave of her hand we’re back in the kavi thela, sitting on the floor, soaking wet.
I stare at Sema for a moment, not recognizing who she is. The sharp pain of being taken from Tharin hits me hard. I drop my head into my hands, shaking it back and forth confused about where I stand with him. All I know is that the feel of his closeness, of his lips on mine, lingers. I don’t want the feeling to end. As if to dig the thorn further into my side, Sema says, “Kalis and a few of the king’s personal guards will reach them shortly. She will make sure that he and the others will be taken care of.”
I stare at the old woman and the knowing look she gives me spikes my anger. Afraid of my emotions and what I might say, I get up to leave. This time the door appears but Sema stops me. “I’m sorry, Lily, it has to happen this way.”
I stop, “And Julia, will she be all right?”
“Julia is a strong. She will be just fine.”
I nod again and was about to walk out of the thela when I turn back to her, “I know it’s dangerous, but I’d like to go back and see for myself.” I want to know that Julia is all right, but mostly, traces of Tharin’s kiss still tickle my upper lip and it pulls at me to see him one more time. “Please, Sema. And after this, I won’t ask again…I promise.”
For a second, the old woman looks as if she would deny me, when a strange distant look comes over her face. Sighing, she puts her hand out to me and I grab at it eagerly. She holds on for a moment asking, “Are you sure you want to do this?”
I look at her curiously and decide that her concern is for my safety. I nod and I’m grateful that she would do this for me. Once again, I find myself at the path, but this time we are hidden behind one of the giant oaks…and I wish I were anywhere else but here.
~ * ~
Chapter Seventeen
~ Tharin ~
I watch as Sema takes Lily from me…again. If there were any doubts I had of Lily’s innocence, her response to my kiss put all doubts away. The image of her soaking wet, breathing heavily with conflicting emotions of fear, innocence and longing in her amber eyes lingers before me. Her mouth slightly open and without thinking, she innocently licked at her upper lip causing me to want her more than ever. If Sema didn’t step between us when she did I would have taken Lily from this place and back to our little clearing. There I would strip away all of her confusion and fears. I would teach her all that she’s read or heard about and had longed to experience firsthand. I take a deep breath as I find myself having trouble breathing regularly.
Three more weeks.
“Tharin,” calls out Ziri. I turn to find him kneeling over my opponent, lying close by. I had to take him out when I realized that he had seen Lily. If he had gotten away, word that Lily still lived would spread and put her back in danger. I approach the dying orc and as I kneel opposite Ziri, I look over the assassin closely. I only have a few minutes before I lose him, if that.
“Who are you?” I ask.
The assassin gives me a cruel smile, glaring back at me with black eyes full of hate. He moves his hand to his chest and stabs his finger into his wound. With speed and strength still left in him, he catches at my wrist turning it to expose my forearm. He holds it tight when I move to snap it back from him. With the blood on his finger he draws a ragged crescent moon with a dot behind the top of the moon crest. I glance back at him about to question him further when the orc releases my wrist – dying with a sneer on his face.
I’m startled when Ka roughly pulls me away. Even as the rain washes the orc’s mark from my arm, Ka takes a cloth from under his cape and scrubs at it, almost taking the skin off. I pull away staring at him as if he lost his mind. Pointing at my arm, he says, “That’s the sign of Eathos. The demon behind all of this, if the assassin had enough strength left in him, he would have spoken the words that would have bound you to the demon. He would know you, your thoughts, your wants and your needs. He would know your every move and worse, he would know that Lily lives. Take care whose blood you let mark you, Prince.”
I look down at my arm and rub at it roughly. Ka steps to the assassin. “His name is Brono. He was recruited by the Ange a few months back. I received word that he was working with Harlu and the Black Prince. Check under his chest plate, Ziri.”
Ziri does as he’s told and reaches under the orcs vest of knives and pulls out a bronze medallion with an imprint of two dogs attached at the hip. The image of the dogs looks like the black beast lying next to its dead master. He tosses it to me and I catch it looking it over carefully.
“It’s the Medallion of Kor. That’s how he was able to call forth so many men and beasts; they were clones of him and his pet,” explains Ka as he turns to the area where most of the fighting occurred. There were no bodies of men or animal, no sign of any fallen enemies. “As long as he lived he could call upon as many clones of himself as he wanted, including the Kor, his beast.”
“So the medallion is attached to the dog, doing whatever his master’s bidding was?” questions Alorn as he walks up behind Ziri.
“Yes,” answers Ka as he looks over at the dog’s carcass. “Unfortunately, the beast is dead, which makes the medallion worthless.”
I turn the medallion in my hand. It’s just a bronze medal, nothing special about it except for the imprint on the front. It’s even more useless now that its tether is dead. I toss it back at the orc and watch as it lands on his chest.
I make my way over to Tolan, who is helping Julia sit up. It looks like she’ll be all right as she rubs at the back of her neck. I place my hand on her shoulder as I squat next to her, “You all right?”
“I thought I saw Cessa here.” She shakes her head trying to clear the cobwebs, “I must’ve been hit harder than I thought.” She keeps her eyes downcast and we all know she’s thinking of Lily. Tolan puts his arm around her shoulders helping her up, but once standing she gently pushes herself from him and leans into me. I grab at her when she stumbles, not missing the hurt look that quickly turns hard on my brother’s face. Casting a brief glance at Tolan, she says quietly, “Thanks.”
As Phoris approaches, Julia moves toward him shakily and she speaks quietly to him. Phoris leans down to hear her better but glances up quickly at Tolan before looking down at Julia nodding. Phoris lifts Julia’s hood from behind and carefully pulls it over to cover her from the rain. Not that it matters, she’s drenched like the rest of us. They move away with Phoris’ arm around her as she leans into him for support.
I turn to Tolan, but he’s already moved on, using Mellis to put distance between us. I sigh looking after Julia. I understand when she withdrew from us to deal with Lily’s death in her own way, but the distance that she’s placed between her and Tolan confuses me. She isn’t blaming Tolan for Lily’s death, is she? I don’t know, but I need to get her focused on something else for both their sakes.
I think of my plans for Julia that will involve Kalis. If I’m right, Julia will have her hands full and her mind will be on her new tasks until the Seating. I have to let Lily know what’s going on with Julia. I know that Ka didn’t want me to say anything to Lily, but I think I may need her help to protect Tolan once Julia finds out we’ve been lying to her. I don’t think she will be angry with me as much as she will be with Tolan.
As if answering my thoughts, lights from the direction of the gates appear. The panswas floating towards us light up the darkened path through the
pouring rain. I watch as ten of my father’s personal guards approach on viliskas, golden steeds of the Oak Clan, but at the moment, their coats, mane and forelocks are midnight black. It’s the abilities of the viliskas to change their coat to camouflage against predators or when called for during battle when stealth is required. Their riders are dressed in dark cloaks, hooded against the rain, and sit alert waiting for instructions. I know each of them well, especially their captain.
Kalis dismounts, her eyes never leaving mine as she walks to me. Even covered with her cloak, her physical pull is evident. And I remember well the body that lay beneath her cover. The look on her face is a mixture of concern – unsure hesitance and relieved pleasure. Her eyes steady on my face, searching for some reaction at seeing her again after a week of separation. It’s then that I realize she’s heard of Lily’s death and she has discarded our conversation we had back in Vegas.
“It’s important that she believes the princess is dead. You must proceed as if nothing has changed between the two of you,” says Ka as he moves up to stand next to me. I glance down at him now back to his “old” elf disguise. “It can’t be helped, Prince. You need to proceed as if Lily has passed and you no longer have any attachment to her.”
To my right, Julia and Phoris move to stand nearby, Julia’s eyes studying Kalis closely, sizing her up. I can feel her turn slightly to me, watching my reaction carefully. Tolan comes up from behind, “I am truly sorry you have to do this, brother. I know the deceit will not sit well with you, as it hasn’t with me.” I sigh and give my brother a slight nod. Despite forcing him to go along with the lie to Julia, my brother would not wish its pain upon me. For that I am both grateful and relieved.
Kalis comes to a stop only a few feet from me, unsure if she should approach any closer. Mentally taking a deep breath, I walk up to stand inches from her and I reach up to remove her hood. Her blonde ringlets immediately become plastered to her face from the rain. I push back a wet strand and then lower my head to place a kiss on her cheek. I gather her in my arms, embracing her while all I can think of is Lily. Three weeks. Three more weeks and this will all be over. As I step back, I feel that despite the rain, the sun rose in the smile Kalis give me…and my heart breaks. For the first time I finally know how Tolan feels of the deception we have created for the sake of Velesi. I have now deceived three women who I have come to care for…Kalis, Julia and my Lily.
Kalis turns to her men and gives a signal. Horses appear from behind them and lead to the others with the exception of Julia. Phoris and Tolan take their mounts with Tolan holding his hand out to Julia. She stares at it for a moment and then looks at me with a look of resigned betrayal. She moves away from Tolan and reaches up to Phoris. He easily pulls her up behind him and she lays her hooded head on his back as she hides from Tolan. My brother gives her one last look before taking off without waiting for the rest of us.
I turn to Alorn and Ziri as Mellis comes up from behind them. Alorn’s face is unreadable, while Ziri has a look of open anger and hostility, similar to the one he gave me the last time he left. Mellis, as usual, is unaffected and looks Kalis over with a cocky nod. He turns to me with a lopsided grin, but I see the disapproval in his eyes. My family ignores Kalis from that point on, and she doesn’t miss the slight. She looks at me puzzled and I nod at her to mount her steed, giving me a moment with my brother and cousins.
“You haven’t changed much, have you, brother?” says Ziri through clenched teeth as soon as Kalis is back on her horse. I realize they weren’t included in Ka’s conversation about resuming my relationship with Kalis. Great, that old elf is going to have every one of my family members disown me by the time all this is over.
“It’s not what you think, Ziri, and I don’t have time to explain.”
I turn to Alorn. “I want you to go back with Ziri and stay close to her. Mellis, you’ll come with me. I don’t know how things are back at the tower and I may need you there.”
Facing Ziri once again I say, “You should know that I love Lily and I’ll do what I must to keep her safe.” I glance back at Ka who is now speaking softly to Kalis. “I don’t know how much you trust the old elf and his wife, but trust me on this. I would never hurt Lily.”
I turn away leaving him to make up his own mind. I know Alorn has already figured it out and Mellis is quick to pick up on what’s going on. He’ll figure it out by the time we get to the tower, or he’ll ask me for answers directly. Kalis watches me as I approach and gives me one of her special smiles. The lie in my throat makes it hard to breath and I have to look away. I reach up, lifting myself to sit behind her, keeping her encircled in my arms as I take the reins from her. I briefly hug her to me, hoping she will know how truly sorry I am for what I’m going to put her through for the next few weeks. I let her go and swing her horse around, letting him prance while I wait for Mellis to mount. Cili, the youngest and newest of the guards, assists the helpless old elf onto his horse before remounting himself.
Kalis looks at her men as they gather behind us waiting for her command. They respect her, have gone to battle with her, and I have no doubt, would die for her. She earned their respect and the position of captain by beating some of the best Sidhe warriors – some of them here with us now.
She would be Greaneth, the personal guards to the future king, but she hasn’t been able to win any of her challenges to become one. To be a Greaneth, she has to challenge the three existing Greaneth before earning a position within their rank. There are three: the third Greaneth is Mellis, the second is Phoris and the first, of course, is Alorn. Since becoming Greaneth, my three cousins have been unbeatable. At least I believe Phoris and Alorn to be unbeatable because those who have gone through the challenge seemed unable to get past the third Greaneth…Mellis. Kalis has called for the challenge for the last five seasons, but Mellis is much too skilled of a fighter and has denied her the position among them each and every time. Because of that, there is no love lost between the two.
Kalis leans back against me as we take off toward the gates. Something to the side of me catches my attention, a movement. I crane my neck backward as we pass the spot, but there’s nothing there. I leave my hood off and let the rain wash over me as the image of Lily standing wet, frightened and beautiful comes to mind. I am suddenly grateful that Sema took her from me when she did.
~ * ~
Chapter Eighteen
~ Lily ~
I once asked myself what heartbreak would feel like if I allowed myself to love Tharin. The minute he took Kalis in his arms as if he’d never let her go I knew the answer. It’s not a pain that can be explained, it’s not a break that can be easily felt nor is it your heart that dies. It’s your soul – your very being – crushed by the weight of nothingness. It’s the void of sound, of beauty, of feelings and of understanding. There is only numbness and an endless fall into a pit of loneliness. It’s your body’s ability to continue to function when your spirit no longer wishes to, or more likely, is unable to go on. You try to find a way out, but wherever you turn, the vision of heartbreak stands in your way. It is the vision of the one you love holding the one he loves…and you know you can’t escape it or erase it from your memory short of dying.
I don’t remember Sema bringing us back to the thela. I vaguely remember her leading me to my room and helping me out of my clothes. There’s a memory of me being in a hot tub with the scent of gardenias invading my senses, and of Sema washing my back as she quietly spoke to me about things I couldn’t seem to understand. I recall a moment when we sat on the bed as she brushed out my hair, letting it hang to air-dry, all the while continuing to speak to me in her singsong voice. Finally, I’m under the covers, cool and comfortable, the pillow soft under my cheek. Yeah, I remember vaguely.
There is one thing I do remember for certain and I will never forget again. Tharin loves Kalis. He belongs with her. They have loved each other forever. What was it that Mellis told Julia? Tharin swore his love to her in some garden? I wonder
about that garden. Will I be in it one day with Tharin after we marry? Or will I be there alone as he goes off to meet with his true love. I won’t let that happen. I’ll go home…home where there are no pointed-ear princes to invade my thoughts with false promises that were never meant to be kept. What a fool I am to believe the kiss meant anything to him.
My thoughts take me back to the path when I laid eyes on Kalis for the first time. I can see why “everyone” would be in love with her…she’s beautiful. I watched as I held my breath when he moved to stand only inches from her. When he took her hood off, she stole the breath I was holding and I felt as if I would be sick. Tall, athletic and that cloak she wore couldn’t hide her long legs…and that face. With the light from the floating panswa they brought with them, I could clearly see her flawless, tanned skin, and long swan-like neck. She looked fierce – like an avenging angel coming for her man. The look she gave him almost broke me. When she smiled up at him I knew she was seeing love on his face. Not that I could tell from where I was standing, I only had a partial view of his profile. But her look and smile said it all.
I stood there among the trees too stunned, hurt and numb to move. If Sema hadn’t pulled me behind the tree when they passed, Tharin would have seen me. But I saw him. I saw how he hugged her to him, eyes closed as if he was sorry that he ever had left her. I watched as they rode away and Kalis snuggled back against him as if it weren’t the first time. No matter how hard I try to forget all of it, my thoughts seek it out to replay over and over again, tormenting me. It’s my punishment for being involved with a guy who’s taken. It’s what Marilyn would call karma.
Marilyn. All of a sudden I miss her so much, and I want to go home more than anything. Not that it would matter. She would be in Australia by now with her sister. I wonder if she misses or even thinks of me. I wish I had grabbed my cell phone…I would be on it with her right now. Then again, I don’t even know if there is such a thing as reception for cell phones in this realm. I feel a tear make its way down the side of my nose and I let it drop. I wish for my brother, for Julia, for Marilyn. I even wish for the woman in my head.