The Channel (The Gifted Book 2) (6 page)

"We were about to sit down to dinner. Please join us."

Daen waved his hand to decline, surprised at the farmer's willingness to invite them in. "We don't want to disturb you. We have provisions. We just need a place off the road and out of the path of potential overnight trouble."

Marc nodded with understanding but wouldn't accept Daen's decline. He wasn't going to tell them what his daughter had said the moment they'd knocked. He simply offered, "We have plenty. Please join us. I insist."

Daen glanced over his shoulder to Rhea and Randell to see if they would object. Randell and Rhea both shrugged 'why not.'

Daen bowed slightly again. "We thank you and accept your kind offer."

They placed their gear by the front door and stepped into a combination living room and dining room. It reminded Randell of a scene from an old western movie, where the homesteader had a simple home with simple furnishings.

There was a plank table with benches on both sides and chairs at each end. Bella was setting three more bowls and forks on the table while Aurea set out additional cups.

Bella held out her hand. "May I have your cloak and your coats?"

Daen hesitated at first but then slowly removed his cloak. This was going to be the test. He would know in a moment whether their hosts would ask them to leave. Raumsy noticed the crest first and gasped, his reaction catching the attention of everyone else.

"A guardian. You're a guardian. Why didn't you say as much when I answered the door?" Marc appeared to be nervous, yet pleased.

Daen looked humble. "I don't believe in taking liberties simply because of my station."

Raumsy was grinning ear-to-ear. He'd never met a guardian.

Daen could see that he was about to bubble over with questions but was refraining from asking, probably fearing he would be scolded for being nosy.

Marc presented the table as he tried to keep from smiling too much. "Please sit." His daughter had been right. Their visitors were special.

They all took their seats, and Bella started serving, but everyone remained quiet. The excitement and tension in the room was hard to gauge. Aurea passed Rhea the pitcher, and when Rhea thanked her, Aurea put her head down, shying away from the attention.

When she finally lifted her gaze from her food, her eating slowed and her eyes widened slightly as she looked across the table and saw something that intrigued her.

At first Rhea didn't notice, no one had, but as the meal progressed, she sensed the attention. She wouldn't have been concerned if the little girl had been looking directly at her, but she wasn't. Aurea was looking around her.

Rhea looked at Randell who was sitting diagonally from her, trying to give him a subtle message to look at Aurea. His posture stiffened when he caught on to what Rhea was signaling.

How can this be happening twice in one day?
Rhea needed to know what Aurea was seeing, but that meant drawing attention to herself when maybe she shouldn't. It also meant she needed to get the girl to talk. Her last attempt had sent the little girl's eyes down to her bowl.

Aurea was apparently shy, and Rhea didn't want to scare her. Deciding it was better to know than not to know, Rhea wondered if a compliment wouldn't draw Aurea out of her shell.

"Aurea, that's a lovely dress you're wearing."

Aurea looked down quickly, hiding her face.

Dang
. Rhea looked around the table to see if anyone noticed the little girl's behavior.

"Please excuse her," Bella interjected. "She's quite shy."

"I don't suppose having three strangers at your table is very comforting." Rhea looked at Aurea. "I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable."

Aurea shook her head and then looked at Rhea again. "Your colors are pretty," she whispered.

Rhea froze and slowly moved her eyes to Daen and Randell. It was just as she'd feared—another aura seer. Everyone at the table was looking at Rhea; it was obvious the cat was out of the bag. Rhea tried to appear calm and casual as if it were just another normal day. "Thank you, Aurea."

Rhea's next thought was to comment on Aurea's colors but wondered if that would be a good thing or a bad thing. But, before her brain could stop her mouth, Rhea added, "Yellow suits you."

Aurea eyes went wide, and she slowly lowered her spoon to her bowl. She wasn't wearing yellow. They didn't take their eyes off each other as Rhea waited for her to say something more, hoping she hadn't said the wrong thing. As the words had come out of her mouth, she had immediately regretted it.
What was she thinking?

Before Rhea's panic could elevate too far, Marc interrupted their friendly face off. "Aurea, it isn't polite to stare."

"Papa, she has many colors." The tone of her voice seemed to indicate she felt her behavior was justified.

Again, all eyes were on Rhea ... all eyes except Daen and Randell who were watching to see if the friendly family was going to turn not so friendly.

Rhea tried to break the tension. "May I have some more ale?" She smiled at Bella who passed her the pitcher. "The meal is very good." Yes, that's it. Talk about anything but what the little girl had said.

Bella seemed to relax a little. "Aurea helped me in the kitchen. She's learning how to cook."

Rhea looked at Aurea. "My compliments."

Aurea looked nervous but nodded her thanks.

Daen continued to refocus the discussion by inquiring as to what Marc farmed and whether he anticipated a good harvest. They also discussed the weather, but Aurea was not appeased.

During a lull in the conversation, Aurea asked, "Are you here to save us?"

Rhea almost choked. Daen and Randell were stunned as well, but they forced their reaction to be nothing more than a smile.

"What do you mean by 'save us'?" Daen glanced at Aurea but turned to her parents. "Has something happened?"

Marc looked at Bella as he tried to determine how much to share, but Bella didn't hesitate. "Aurea feels that Taulomi is in danger."

"Mama, something is wrong. I know it."

Daen leaned forward and looked down the table to see Aurea. "Tell me how you know, Aurea." Daen took her seriously, and that seemed to give her confidence.

"I feel sadness and loss. It hurts my heart." She glanced at Rhea. "But I'm starting to feel better."

Rhea couldn'
t help herself. Her whole body shuddered as a chill ran down her spine, and it wasn
't the good kind of chill.

"Are you cold? I can get your coat." Bella started to stand.

Rhea waved her hand. "No, no. I'm fine."

Bella sat back down and placed her hand on Aurea's. "Our Aurea is the first in our family to be gifted. We've learned to trust her feelings, but we don't always know how to interpret them." She looked at Rhea. "I hope she hasn't been inappropriate." Bella looked a little worried as she glanced to Daen.

Daen felt he understood what was needed. "We are not troubled by Aurea's observations, but we do ask that you not share what has been said or seen here." He looked at Aurea to see if she understood. "If Rhea is here to help, she must be free to do so. If the wrong people were to learn of her and what you can see and feel about her, she might not be able to help."

"You have nothing to fear from us." Marc locked eyes with each of his family members, sending the silent message Rhea's father used to send her when she was little and got too boisterous at group dinners.

Aurea's shoulders dropped slightly, and she let out a breath as if she had been holding it for a while.

Rhea wondered if the little girl knew something that she would want to know, but then again, knowing one's future ... that might not be a good thing.

~~~

Gaibel, Lanne, and Beth reached the guard station a few hours after evading the Laundan warriors. With the message sent to the king, they continued their mission as there was little time to waste.

They raced toward the gray peaks of Stone Mountain. Just on the other side was the town of Eantan, the place they'd find Rhea and Daen.

They'd reached the base of the peaks as the light started to fade.

Gaibel brought her horse to a halt. "We make camp here." Gaibel chose this spot for two reasons, the first being the protection it offered. Tonight, they would cut their watch area in half. This was a good thing as Gaibel sensed they weren't alone.

Another reason was the availability of water. Gaibel pointed to a small trickle of water, which flowed down the mountain, about 10 yards behind her, forming a small pool. "It isn't much water, but it's better than none." She acted as if nothing was wrong, not wanting to worry Lanne unnecessarily if she was mistaken.

Gaibel had sent Beth not only to hunt for dinner but to also to see if she could determine if the two men she'd seen at the station were following them.

Lanne looked at the small pools against the mountain's base and took the horses for water. She held their water sacks up to the flowing stream and refilled their own supplies.

When she returned, Lanne leaned back to see the top of the mammoth wall in front of them. "How will we get up there?"

"We won't," said Gaibel. "We're going through the mountain. There's a pass a few miles down this path which leads to a natural tunnel."

Lanne's wide eyes gazed at Gaibel. "Through?"

"You'll be fine cousin." Gaibel patted Lanne on the shoulder.

Beth arrived just then, her hunt had been quick and successful.

Gaibel inquired silently with her eyes, and Beth nodded, her face solemn.

"Come on, Lanne. Help me collect some firewood." Gaibel slipped into the dense tree line that bordered the peaks.

Lanne did as Gaibel asked and followed her into the trees while Beth prepared her catch.

7
Terranees

Bella stood and started to clear the table once it was obvious everyone was finished eating. Randell and Daen accepted Marc's invitation to sit by the fire, but Rhea decided to help Bella and Aurea in the kitchen. At home, Rhea would share the kitchen chores with her parents. Those who cooked didn't have to clean, typically.

"Oh!" Bella exclaimed. "You are our guest. You should join the others."

Rhea picked up a couple of bowls. "We intruded on your evening. Please let me help." Not waiting for an answer, Rhea walked around the table and into the kitchen.

Bella stepped up to the sink and started to scrape any remnants of the meal, from the bowls, into a bucket before placing the bowls and other dishes into the sink for washing.

Aurea brought her dishes in from the table and placed them on the counter.

"Aurea. Go get ready for bed, and tell your brother to do the same."

"But, Mama."

Bella gave Aurea the don't-argue-with-me look.

"Yes, Mama."

As Rhea set the last of the dishes on the well-used butcher-block counter, Bella paused and looked around the kitchen to see if anyone else was present. "I don't mean to pry, but you mentioned you were just returning to Taulomi. May I ask where you were coming from? Were you traveling?"

Yikes! What could Rhea say? She couldn't mention a realm or city that she'd heard Lanne talk about. What if Bella knew of the place? She decided on a vague approach, hoping to end the question. "I was a long way from here."

Bella stopped her cleaning and turned to look Rhea in the eyes as if searching for the answer Rhea didn't want to give her. "Are you from ... the other continent?" She hesitated, as if mentioning this other place was something she shouldn't.

Rhea tried to hide her confusion while processing her question.
Other continent? There was another continent in this world? Why hadn't anyone mentioned that before?

Before Rhea could reply, Bella whispered, "Terranees."

"Terranees? No."

Bella waited for Rhea to continue, to tell her more about where she had been, but Rhea just picked up another bowl to dry, trying to pretend there wasn't any more to say on the subject.

But Rhea's curiosity was starting to overwhelm her, and before she knew it, she blurted out, "Where is Terranees?"

Bella's hands stopped cleaning the cup she'd been washing and gave Rhea a puzzled look. "I know folks don't like to talk about the other continent, but how is it you weren't taught about it in school?"

Ah, this would be easy to answer because it was kind of the truth. "I was schooled at home, and I guess the topic didn't come up."

Bella's brows scrunched together as if she would question further but just shook her head instead, returning to the dishes in the sink.

"Will you tell me about it?"

Bella's hands stopped moving again, but she didn't look away from her chore.

Rhea cringed inwardly.
Had she asked the wrong thing?
The woman had acted as if the other place was something she might fear discussing. Yet, she'd brought it up. Rhea waited patiently to see if the woman would shy away.

Bella placed a spoon on the drying towel and looked into Rhea's eyes, as if trying to discern some truth even Rhea didn't know. "It's a land similar to Libritas except they don't have realms ruled by kings and queens. They have what they call domains, where they have civil rulers."

Rhea barely heard what came after Libritas. Libritas. Libraim. Ah, the continent of the realms was called Libritas. Since she'd already revealed she didn't know about the other continent, she couldn't reveal she didn't know Libritas.
Why hadn't Lanne taught her Luxatra was made up of multiple continents?

"You mentioned that people don't like to talk about Terranees. Why is that?" Rhea asked in a whisper. When the question came out, she knew she'd gone too far. She should have waited for when she was alone with Daen and Randell, but the question was out there now.

Rhea watched Bella wash the last bowl before turning again to consider her more closely. She could see the questions running past Bella's eyes and her inner debate as to whether she should question Rhea further about who she really was. Rhea held her gaze, trying to look as innocent as she could, waiting to see if she would answer.