“Lily?” The voice belongs to an elderly woman. It sounds familiar, but I can’t place it. She taps at the door again calling softly. Taking the chance that she wouldn’t just barge in, I hurry to the small nightstand and struggle to lift it. When that doesn’t work, with some effort I push it to the door using it as a blockade against the soft voice. Standing back to take a look I realize the small drawer is a pathetic attempt to keep her out, and by no means will it be a challenge for the large elf. It will have to do.
I rush to the window, yanking the curtains apart to find it locked. I peer outside to see that it’s still light out and still raining. I reach for the window’s latch and see five locks running along the top of the pane. It looks like one long piece, but I can see they’re single metal links shaped like the letter “S.” Each open loop is hooked to the one next to it. Quickly, I understand the key to opening the latches and get to work. Once done, I struggle to lift the window up and with one final push, it opens wide. Grabbing hold of the jersey to keep it from lifting up, I throw my leg over and set to climb out.
“Hello, Lily.” Her voice is just as soft as I remembered it at the minimart. I stare in shock and amazement at the old woman who I knocked down and who then gave me the Manui statue. She is standing in the rain with a large floating leaf hovering above her to keep her dry. I look at her feet and note they’re not touching the wet ground, but standing on a giant branch. In fact, there’s no ground beneath her.
With one leg not completely out, I’m so started to find that we’re high up a large tree that my breath is cut off. At the start of hyperventilating, I falter back, trying to get air back into my lungs. I lose my footing, falling backward. Along the way, I hit my head against the windowpane and again when I hit the floor with a thump. I grab my head, rubbing at a sore spot. It’s a moment before I notice my legs are up in the air against the wall and the large jersey shirt has bunched upward exposing too much – of everything.
The old woman sticks her head through the window, looking down at me, “Tsk. That’s not very ladylike, Lily. Please, do get up and cover yourself.”
“I don’t know,” says a masculine voice from the door. “She looks pretty good from here.”
I turn my head toward the voice to find my kidnapper leaning casually against the doorjamb, arms folded and ankles crossed. His eyes are staring at my bare legs and half-exposed butt. I yank down the jersey while pulling my legs off the wall. I scramble to an upright position, tucking my legs under me and pulling my coat close. I look first at the old woman staring at me with a smile, and then back at my kidnapper, his large frame too big for the small doorway.
I swallow, trying to get myself under control. I take in the elf’s features and finally decide he looks nothing like Tharin. His coloring, his eyes and the arrogant way he lifts his chin as if looking down at others is as natural to him as breathing. Now without his long cape, he’s wearing a similar jersey like the one I have on. My eyes slowly scan his muscular arms, chest and long legs. When I reach his face, it almost seem misplaced on such a large, hard body. His skin is smooth and tanned, high cheekbones and a hard mouth that had no laugh lines to soften them. He looks to be the same age as Tharin and Tolan. Then I notice his ears. They’re like normal Sidhe ears (or those of Sidhe ears that I’ve come across so far), except for the sharpness of the slant ending in a very prominent point at the tips. I try to avoid his eyes, but the way he’s looking at me captures my own, and I decide I don’t like him very much.
As if reading my mind he says, “Don’t worry, Princess. You have nothing to fear from me, you’re not my type.” He pushes himself off the doorframe and disappears into the next room.
“If Tharin were here,” I seethe quietly momentarily forgetting I’m not alone.
“If Tharin were here, he would no doubt attack Ziri without hesitation and would kill him. Is that what you want?”
Embarrassed, I cast my eyes downward, then looking up at the old woman, “And why not? Isn’t that what he means to do to me? Kill me?”
“No. That’s not our intention at all. In fact, quite the opposite,” she answers. She must have climbed through the window while her accomplice held my attention. “However,” she continues, “we can’t have Tharin killing his own brother.”
“Brother?” I reply in shock. Well, that explains the resemblance and the attitude.
Ignoring me, she continues, “Ziri lacks the patience Tharin has, so you’ll have to excuse him.” Okay, obviously she really doesn’t know Tharin. “You were in a hostile area. There were mercenaries close by, and he felt that he couldn’t trust you to be quiet. Granted he could have just asked you and explained what was going on. But you really didn’t give him much choice, now did you?”
“Give him a choice,” I gasp. “He kidnapped me. What was I supposed to think?”
“Hmmm,” she replies casually. “Well, there is that. Nonetheless, he did what he felt necessary. Besides, he traveled faster carrying you than he would have if he had dragged you behind him.”
I keep my mouth shut as she walks over to the small nightstand that somehow found its way back to its original place near the bed. She pulls out the top drawer and retrieves my clothes. I could have sworn there were small bottles in that drawer. Turning back to me, she smiles as if knowing my thoughts, saying, “I really don’t believe that you want Ziri or anyone else dead, either. I don’t believe it’s in your nature.”
“You don’t know anything about me,” I reply quietly.
“I know more than you think, Lilianethia.” Before I can say anything, she stops me by raising a hand, “Yes, I know. It’s Lily. Now, get dressed, Lily. We have much to talk about. And we must hurry. I’m sure your betrothed is ready to level all of Velesi to find you. And we mustn’t let him do that. After all, he does have a wedding to prepare and attend, a kingdom to rule and a fight with the bad guys. You know how it goes. By the way, I’m Sema.”
She places my clothes on the bed and turn to give me another sweet smile. Looking me over carefully, she says, “And, please, don’t try running away again. It irritates Ziri, and there are worse things out in the land of the Oak Clan than he. Besides, it really is rude to try and run when all we’re trying to do is save your life.”
“Save my life?” I ask confused.
“I will tell you everything you want to know, at least to the best of my abilities. Quickly, get dressed. We have much to discuss and very little time.”
She stares at me as if waiting for an answer and not sure what she wants me to say I nod once at her. She smiles again and says, “Oh, and don’t worry about your virtue being intact. It was I who removed your clothes.”
I blink at her. Looking away I shake my head about to deny that I had suspected Ziri of undressing me. Before I am able to utter the lie, she turns and walks out the door, shutting it quietly behind her.
~ * ~
Chapter Four
~ Tharin ~
“Calm yourself, Prince Tolan. Your Julia is sleeping soundly. As for you, Prince Tharin, Lilianethia is safe with Ziri.” The wolf’s words are meant to soothe and put us at ease. All it does is renew my anger.
I must have blinked. In the next instant, I am watching water drip off me as it splatters onto the smooth wooden floor of the kavi tree. I’m sitting on a bench created from the kavi with Tolan at my side. He’s on his feet instantly searching the room. When he finally sees the branch bed, he relaxes. Julia is tucked under a thick blanket of kavi leaves, snoring loudly and deep in sleep.
“She is resting peacefully, Prince Tolan. Please sit.” The wolf is now in his human form and sits quietly across from us. With a wave of his hand, Julia’s snoring is quieted into soft breathing. With a raised brow, he looks at Tolan scolding him quietly, “You really ought to fix that, you know. The break is slight and you can heal her nose easily. It will prevent her from snoring. It is rather unladylike.”
“She is perfect as she is,” replies Tolan quietly. Although he said it with
respect, there is a challenge behind his words.
The old elf smiles ruefully at Tolan, easing the tension from him. A sense of calm and peace exudes from him. His attire is a contrast to what he was wearing back at the gas station. I grudgingly admit that his mere presence demands respect and like back at Crowfoot Mountain, the urge to kneel before him nearly overcomes me. I bulk against both. I make a move to charge and choke out of him Lily’s whereabouts. With a slight wave of his hand, he slams me back into my seat and I find myself unable to move. There are no bindings on me, but my arms lay against my body, pinned to my sides. I attempt to rise, but find that I am seated in place by some invisible force. I look up at the old man and he gives me a smirk.
“Who are you, and why have you done this?” Tolan asks as he sits back down satisfied that Julia is safe. Obviously, he remains free to move.
“Ah, Prince Tolan always to the point,” replies the old man. He gives a slight bow toward my brother. To me, he gives a raised brow as if saying I could learn a thing or two from Tolan.
Taking a weary breath, he says to me, “Peace, Prince Tharin and I will tell you everything, including why we took Lilianethia from you.”
I shut down the rage simmering just beneath the surface as I sit back, willing to let Tolan take over. The old elf waves his hand before us and we’re instantly dry. Warmth from the walls of the kavi seeps into the room; the water at our feet quickly sinks into the wooden floor – disappearing without any evidence of ever being there.
“We have done this, Prince Tolan, because the princess is in danger. And if you should take her to the Oak Tower now, she will be dead before nightfall,” answers Ka.
I feel my muscles tighten again and before I can make a move, Tolan nudges my knee, stopping me. “And who are you to know such a thing would happen?” he asks.
“I am Ka, and the woman you saw me with, Prince Tharin, is my wife, Sema. And you, Prince Tolan, already know who we are. We are Ancients.”
The silence grows tense as we each attend to our own thoughts. Ancients. There are only six Ancients remaining in all of Velesi. They are the remaining of the thirteen personal guards of King Kalinest and his queen during the Great War. When the war was over, Kalinest created thirteen separate clans consisting of the royal bloodline of the Five Nations, or at least he tried. His thirteen personal guards became the clans’ Guardians. As time passed they became known as the Ancients as they lived through millennia outliving the kings of Velesi pasts. Seven of the original Guardians were either killed by unknown causes or passed away through old age. Once, each Ancient remained with their assigned clan, but as the royal family grew, the Ancients removed themselves as Guardians and resided within the Oak Clan. The remaining six sit at the head of council of the Alliance, along with the current rulers of each clan, including our father.
I glance over at Tolan, his eyes steady on Ka. “That’s not possible. We know all the Ancients of Velesi.”
Ka smiles, “Obviously not all, but now you do.”
“No,” answered Tolan stubbornly. He prided himself in knowing everything about the Ancients and actually knowing each of them personally. “Nedleid is the eldest of the six. In all the conversation we shared during my tutelage under him, not once were either of you mentioned.”
“That’s a nasty family trait you have there,” replies Ka. He points his finger at Tolan in a scolding manner, “Just because stubbornness runs deep in your family, doesn’t make you, your father, your grandfather, and his father’s father right. It just makes you a bunch of stubborn fools.”
Tolan remains silent, still trying to wrap his mind around there being two other Ancients in Velesi. I watch as my brother takes in the old man before us as if seeing him for the first time. Leaning in, he asks, “Where did you come from? Are you from one of the clans to the east, or from the north…from Eirrell?”
“Don’t test me, Prince. You know as well as I that Velesi is cut off from Eirrell,” replies Ka quietly. After a moment, he adds, “But not for long.”
I catch Tolan’s eye briefly, staring back at Ka I ask, “What are you saying? The doorway to Eirrell has been closed to the Sidhe since Kalinest severed the realms.”
Shaking his head, Ka looks at Tolan with disapproval. “Obviously, Nedleid has kept secrets from you. Either that, or he has forgotten about the prophecy in his old age.”
Tolan leans closer, his interest peaked. “What prophecy?”
“An heir from the land of man and Sidhe will be born to the line of the true healers. The virgin queen will bring death to Eirrell’s door and Velesi will be no more.”
Silence follows as we take in Ka’s words. A prophecy that has never been heard of will bring death to Eirrell’s door destroying Velesi. I glare at the old man knowing exactly what he’s implying. Keeping my emotions under control I say, “Lily. Lily is the virgin queen of prophecy – is what you’re saying?”
“Yes, Prince Tharin, that is what I’m saying. And if you continue to lose control every time you’re near her, you will get her killed before she is able to open the doorway to Eirrell.”
“You’re kidding me, right?” I ask in disbelief.
“Does our father know of this prophecy?” interrupts Tolan.
Sitting back Ka rubs at his bearded chin, “I’m sure he may have heard something of it when he was a boy. But, then again, it was prophesied at the dawn of the Velesi realm, more than six thousand years ago.”
“You have to let me go, old man,” I demand quietly. Knowing now that Lily’s the key to Eirrell, the depth Eathos would go to get his hands on her hits me solidly in the gut.
Ka looks me over for a moment before answering, “No.”
I struggle against my invisible bindings, no longer holding my anger back, “Release me!”
Tolan stands, towering over Ka who looks undisturbed by our actions.
“Tharin is right,” states Tolan. “You must let us go to Lily. Tharin is the best protection she has.”
Anger replaces Ka’s calm façade and he leans in toward my brother, “Best protection?” He shifts his eyes on me, locking me in his glare. “Three times you’ve put her in danger because you couldn’t control your own emotions over her. You took it upon yourself to meet her alone, two days after her birthday. Two days that Falsad could have taken her. Two days filled not of planning and strategizing of an impending war, or even on how to retrieve her. No. You spent those two days mooning over another woman who has no business with you. If it weren’t for Sema summoning the protection of trees that surrounded Lily’s area, the Ange would have found her on her birthday. Two days, Prince Tharin. Where was your concern for her then?” I lose some of the anger as I sit and listen, guilt taking over.
“Once you had her, instead of having everyone there to escort her immediately from her house, you decided to take a long stroll. A stroll so you could let her know that she meant nothing to you. Your arrogance that night almost killed her at the convenience store. Your Greaneth showed up, yes, but not until after she was hit by an assassin’s glick. Where was your concern for her then?” I cast my eyes downward, trying to pull up the anger, but find that I can’t.
“Finally, you allowed an inexperienced girl to drift while still in a hostile situation. If Lily’s natural instincts to survive didn’t kick in and scream when she did, the Demlok would have had her at the football field. Tell me, Prince…where was your concern for her safety then? Did you even stop to think that you would be putting her in danger?” When I don’t respond, Ka sits back in his chair sighing heavily. “You have done enough. Sit down, Prince Tolan, please. You will not be leaving here to retrieve Lily, but to return to the Oak Tower.”
Tolan does as he’s told. Quietly, he’s words enter my thoughts, “Let’s hear him out, brother. See where this is going.” Without looking at him, I give a small nod.
“And what?” asks Tolan. “We are to leave Lily in Ziri’s hands?”
“Yes, and in the hands of Sema. For the weeks the pr
incess will be in hiding, Sema will teach her how to use her mother’s gifts. Ziri will train her how to protect herself.”
“Weeks?” I can feel my hackles rising.
“Until the Seating. Four weeks from today,” he replies.
“No,” I counter.
“You have no choice, Prince. If you don’t return to the Oak Tower today as planned, the search for the princess by every bounty hunter, assassin and who knows what will continue. Eathos has to believe that Lily is no longer with us, just until the Seating.”
“No longer with us?” repeats Tolan.
“We need him to believe Lily is dead. The search for Lily will stop, at least for the moment. Not only that, but he will be forced to find another key to open the doorway to Eirrell.”
“Harlu,” I sneer.
“Exactly. He will have no choice but to make Harlu aware that he is Lily’s true brother and the next heir to the Willow throne. Harlu is dangerous and arrogant. He will try and take the helm from Falsad, who will not give up his tenuous position under his lord. It will cause a conflict within the ranks.”
“With Lily out of the picture, it will be their chance to take the Willow throne,” comments Tolan, catching on to Ka’s plans.
“Yes. The throne to the Willow Clan will choose the next true heir. Eathos can only hope after the chair accepts Harlu that the doorway will open for him, too.”
Four weeks. I will be without Lily for four weeks and trust her to this Sema and to Ziri. I think through Ka’s plan trying to find holes in it, to find any reason to convince Ka that Lily would be safer with me. I’m unable to find any. He’s right. At least for now, Lily would be safe. Reluctantly, I nod at Ka.
“All right, one month. But if things don’t go as planned, I will find Lily. And if she’s hurt…”
“Yes, yes…you’ll kill us all,” replies Ka annoyingly.
“There’s one thing I don’t understand,” says Tolan thoughtfully. “The night that we went for Lily, why did Lucas…I mean, Falsad, try to kill her if she’s the key? I would think he would have wanted to take her alive.”