Silent Orchids (The Age of Alandria: Book One) (27 page)

He had run into the still-burning house to see if there was anyone alive, but when he went into the bedroom all he saw was the unmoving hand of the youngest daughter lying peeking out from under a burning pile of fallen beams. She was part shifter and hadn’t even had the chance to experience her first shift. He had liked her. Clutched in her hand was the smooth round piece of obsidian he had given her to play with. He grabbed it quickly and fled the house, turning his back on those he had failed to save and the piece of his heart that had tried to care.

Suddenly snapping out of the fog that had taken over his brain, Daegan absently rubbed at his arm while trying to get a grip on his suddenly wild emotions. Without realizing it he had slid his hand down to his forearm, where Kaeleigh had bandaged his wound.  She hadn’t done too bad of a job; he could tell it was already healing. He felt shocked and furious at how he had allowed himself to get injured and how that poison had affected him so, as if he was some kind of weak mortal.
My emotions are out of control. I must focus. I have a duty to complete
, he reminded himself with deep breaths.

Looking up, he could see Kaeleigh and the others now, anxiously waiting to get moving. He didn’t understand her and didn’t know what she was or what part she had to play, but he was beginning to wonder if there might be some accuracy to the ancient prophecy. There was definitely something about her. She was stronger than he thought she would be. All this new information and yet, still not any of the answers she was looking for. Her friends had had their own secrets and demons that they had kept hidden from her, whatever their reasons, but she was trying not to let her minuscule world crumble around her.  

No!
He would not think of her. He would not try to figure her out. He could not care; there was a job to be done and he was going to deliver her. She didn’t have any idea what she was being delivered into, although neither did he, and he didn’t like the feeling he was getting about what his “aunt,” the Paladin, might be up to.     

“Daegan?” Kaeleigh suddenly said from the edge of the stream right in front of him. He looked up at her, clearly caught off guard at her sudden approach. “If you are all right, shouldn’t we get going before it gets dark? You had mentioned making it to a safe resting spot by tonight.”

Shaking off all emotion, Daegan replied, “Yes, I’m ready. We have a ways yet to cover before nightfall.” He began to stalk past her, but stopped for the briefest moment, unable not to acknowledge her. “I appreciate what you did for me,” he whispered for her ears only as he gently patted his wounded arm where she had bandaged it. It was so fast and subtle that Finn, who was helping Chel up from off the ground under the tree several feet away, didn’t even notice. Within the blink of an eye, Daegan was closed off, unreadable, and unapproachable, walking off and expecting everyone to follow him, which of course they did.

Chapter Twenty-seven

After several hours of walking in awkward silence, they stopped at what seemed to be the edge of the forest. Literally. Rows of the ancient giants towered both to the right and to the left as far as anyone could see, but in front of them was apparently the last row. Slowly walking closer to the edge, Kaeleigh moved ahead of everyone else, curious about what could be beyond the trees. From where the rest of them apprehensively stood, all that could be seen was a foggy mist slowly moving up toward the sky, but nothing could be seen beyond or through the mist.  

“There it is,” Daegan said, staring out at the mist in front of them.

Kaeleigh, startled at the sound of his voice—or anyone’s for that matter, as no one had spoken for hours—turned to him. “What is
it
?”

“You will see as we move past the trees, a bridge that will carry us across to the other side and out of the forest,” Daegan said flatly.

Kaeleigh spared a glance at Finn, who stood staring intensely out into the misty abyss. As he caught her gaze, he sighed and lowered his eyes in deference to her decision but still clenched his fists at his sides. Initially angered, but softening when she felt a flare of electric flutters stir in her chest, she took a deep breath then asked him, “Finn? Thoughts?” She needed her friend and hoped he would accept her meager olive branch.

Surprised, Finn raised questioning eyes with the slightest hint of hope to her. “You’re asking me what I think?” Then much softer he added, “I thought you hated me.”

“Finn, I don’t hate you. I could never hate you. I’m angry and confused, but aside from all the lies, you have been there for me. So yes, I am asking what you are thinking. You have been here before?”

Finn slowly nodded then took a deep breath. “Daegan is correct. The bridge will lead us away from the dense part of the forest and eventually toward the heart of Alandria.” He paused and glanced over to where Daegan was watching their interchange with amusement, which only angered Finn, making him continue more confidently, “What you must know, however, is that the mist has magical properties to
reveal.
When you cross the bridge, the mist will cloak you and strip all magics used in glamouring. It will leave you defenseless, even if for the briefest moments... and... I must ask you not to cross it.”
She won’t listen, but might as well try.
Then to Daegan, “There was another way. Why did you bring her this way?”

Daegan gave an indifferent shrug of his shoulder and a sly smile, “I was curious. I thought you all might be as well.”  

Kaeleigh spared a curious frown toward Daegan. Considering what Finn said and knowing that it would be revealing not only to her, but also to him and to Chel, she glanced at Daegan, who wore an impatient yet expectant smirk on his face. Kaeleigh glanced back at Chel, who nodded in approval. Even though it would expose her secret, she seemed almost relieved and excited at the mystery. Glancing at Finn, who oddly seemed resigned, she said, “I am sorry, Finn, but I have to know for myself. You and Chel don’t have to come. I wouldn’t ask that of you.”

“I know.” He sighed and ran his fingers through his messed-up hair. “But I had to warn you. And there is no way in hell, or in our case, reincarnated purgatory—if that’s what it comes down to—that I would not go with you!” Finn said sternly.

“After all this, you think we’d miss out on something that could give us answers? You’ve been waiting for this too long, and I want some answers too,” Chel interjected with emotion, to which Kaeleigh just smiled.

Daegan shoved off of the large tree that he was leaning against, looking bored. “Then let us keep moving.” He headed through the final stance of trees and
disappeared
into the mist. The others scrambled after him trying to not lose him inside the mist, but he took off too fast.

Finn, Chel, and Kaeleigh paused closely together once inside the mist, hoping for their eyes to adjust. “Daegan?” Kaeleigh called out, irritated by his lack of concern.

Finn interjected, “Stay close, I can get us to the bridge.” 

Unexpectedly and not sure why she could sense him, Kaeleigh felt Daegan’s presence close and getting closer. Confused and irritated by whatever game he was playing, she blindly reached out and let her senses take control. At the exact moment he was about to pass by her, she reached out and grabbed his forearm, her accuracy surprising both of them. As soon as contact was made, Kaeleigh was given sight to see through the fog. Daegan reacted with a raised eyebrow and a smirk. “You are learning quickly,” he whispered. 

Kaeleigh glared at him. “Trying to lose us? Or are you testing me?” 

Daegan simply shrugged then added, “Seems that if you all hold on to each other, Kaeleigh should be able to pass my sight onto you. She seems to be acting as a conduit.” Then silently he added with a playful smirk, knowing that only Kaeleigh would hear him, “Better hold on tight.”

Kaeleigh responded by digging her nails into his forearm. She felt him resist reacting to her childish demonstration, but uncontrollably he let out the minutest flinch, leaving her satisfied, so she released her grip. The instant she did, he pulled out of her grip, leaving them all blindly groping for their way in the mist. Shouts of “Hey!” and “What’s going on?” were weighted down under the dense precipitation. Before they could all freak out on him, Daegan grabbed Kaeleigh’s hand once again, giving them sight and sending small pricks of electricity shooting through her arm, but the smug look of arrogance and dominance he shot at her sent combating pricks of irritation.
Amazing how fast he can spin my emotions! What is he playing at?
Unwilling to react to him, Kaeleigh reined in her anger and simply smiled sweetly back at him, willing him to feel her deep-down frustration with him.

Daegan’s eyes lit up with the slightest bit of approval when she realized that she had done exactly what he wanted her to do.
Ugh!
He was teaching her to temper her emotions, and it only pissed her off more that she had given in to what he wanted... that he had figured out a way to push her buttons, so to speak. To spite him, she let out a single flare of irritated emotion and then pulled it back inside her. She knew he got the message when he paused briefly with the barest look back in her direction, his eyebrow quirked. He gave her hand a quick squeeze, sending those same odd pricks of electricity into her hand. The only word she could think to describe what that one little squeeze made her feel:
giddy
. She felt a little silly but let a smile escape even though she knew he saw.

There was a buzzing. She gripped Daegan’s hand hard. Images began skimming across her vision from her dreams and flashes. 

A faceless stranger holding her hand. Foggy mist.
More images.
Various races of beings.
Buzzing.
Cliffs. A battle.
Other images:
Wedding. Orchids. Again his hand. A ring.
Feelings of peace and calm electricity. 

Just as fast as they came, they were gone as though they hadn’t happened—except for Daegan peering back at her with confusion in his eyes as if he had just been a bystander to everything she had just seen. Realizing Daegan was gripping her hand harder than needed, she looked down at her smaller feminine hand held inside his tough masculine hand. She noticed something: a ring on his finger that looked exactly like the one on the hand of the stranger in her dreams.
How have I not noticed this before?
Eyes wide, she looked at him. “It was you?!” she said both as a question and a declaration. 

Daegan looked back at her, completely confused and even a bit rattled, his face pale and chalky. Shaking his head, he replied, “I don’t know what you are talking about, but those images... where did you... how did you...” Frustrated, he took a deep breath to concentrate. “Those were
my
personal dreams. I do not understand. How did you do that?”

“How did
I
do that?” Kaeleigh shot back, confused. “First of all, how did
you
do that? Those were from
my
visions AND how did you see what I just saw?” When he didn’t respond she continued, “How is it that you were in them? That was before I had ever seen you.”  

Before he could shrug it off and shut himself off from her completely, Chel and Finn interrupted, “What is going on with you two?” and “Care to fill us in back here?” respectively as they both moved up beside Kaeleigh, each careful not to let go of each other so they could still see.  

At the same time that Kaeleigh said “Yes,” Daegan not surprisingly said “No” to Finn’s question. Kaeleigh turned toward them. “Did either one of you see the vision or whatever it was that I just had?” Both looked at each other then shook their heads.

Daegan gave a sigh of impertinence, directing Kaeleigh’s attention back to the issue at hand. She rolled her eyes and focused back on Daegan.
What a buzzkill!
 

“I don’t know why I saw what you saw. It must have been our physical connection,” he said, looking down at their hands still clasped together and suddenly feeling very awkward at their forced connection to be able to see each other. He pulled away from her and left them without sight, not caring. He needed to regain his composure. Continuing, he said, “That couldn’t have been me in your dreams. And if it was, then why? I didn’t recognize the scenes that flashed as anywhere that I had been before or if they were even of any importance.” Daegan paused, and no one said anything for a minute that seemed to last an eternity.  “Let’s analyze this later. We must get across the bridge by dark, which is not far off.” With that, he grabbed Kaeleigh’s wrist, this time careful not to touch more skin than needed for their connection to sight.

The bridge turned out to be closer than she thought it should have been, but then again all seemed lost and far off in the dense mist.

Chapter Twenty-eight

Able to finally see on their own the closer they got to the river, they broke their physical connections, both to Kaeleigh’s relief and for some reason... loss. At the transition where land met water just under the bridge stood a cliff with a thirty-foot drop into raging rapids that crashed on and around large jagged rocks. Kaeleigh, suddenly feeling her stomach drop out from under her as a wave of acrophobia hit her in the gut, took several steps back. She had never been good with heights. Today was definitely no exception. 

Finn stepped back beside Kaeleigh. “Ready to cross over into the great unknown?” he said with a wink and a partial smile. She couldn’t help but smile back at him. That had been one of their jokes they would say to each other when they watched cheesy sci-fi movies and referred to the time when the hero or the heroine would cross some barrier between time and space into what should be their greatest moment ever, but oftentimes was their greatest mistake—they should have just been content with their normal lives, then what’s-his/her-name would not have died. After the movie was over, one of them would ask the question and the other would reply as Kaeleigh just did, “Ready as I’ll ever be!”