The Drifting (45 page)

Julia takes me to one of the trees and I lean again
st it.  “Lily, what happened?” s
he asks giving me a worried look.

“It was my mom, Julia.  It was my mom all along.”

~ * ~

Chapter Thirty-One

~ Tharin ~

I listen as Phoris explains why he took Lily to the Gastah Point to, of all things, speak with Jarhan.  I didn’t even know that Jarhan could speak.  And now I’m here listening to the future clan Summoner explain his reason for endangering his future queen.  I look over at Alorn who’s been staring out the window, his own thoughts in conflict with
his actions last night
.  This is the first time that I know of
where
he didn’t come to me and let me know what was happening.  He’s not one for explaining his actions to anyone and I don’t see him doing it now.  I look over at Mellis and stifle a frustrated sigh as I watch him stuff his mouth with a plate full of breakfast.  I hold back the urge to throw something at him.

Phoris, Alorn and Mellis, are
my
most trusted above all others with the exception of Tolan.  I’ve seen them face opponents twice their size, including Phoris and not once have I seen any of them back down from a challenge.  Warriors to the core
,
all of them
, and yet
, my five-foot, hundred
-
and
-
five pound
bride-to-be
talked them in taking her to meet with a First
and then
convinced them not to tell me about it.  I’m going to have to speak to
Lily
about her actions and forcing
my
Greaneths
to take her on
a dangerous task
without
my
knowing.

“My prince,” calls Milina, stepping up to stand next to Phoris.  “The princess gave us an order we could not disobey.  We know of the serpent Jarhan, the Mother spoke to us about her.  If she was in any danger, I promise you we would have been at her side immediately.”

“But she was in danger, Milina,” I say quietly, causing her to lower her gaze, “and she faced it without you and Glynnis by her side.”  She keeps her eyes on the floor and I watch as her shoulders sag slowly as the weight of my words sink in. 

I look at my cousin as he
unwaveringly
stares back at me.  Phoris is trained to become a Summoner like his father, and his father before him.  He answers to a different set of rules when it comes to communicating with nature, but he still has to live by the clan rules.  He betrayed his prince when he didn’t make me aware of Jarhan’s call to Lily.

“Tharin, if it was any other than a First
,
my
initial
course of action would have been to find you.  But Jarhan was adamant that I bring Lily alone because the message she had for Lily was a personal one.”

“And Julia?  Did she get the same request?” demands Tolan from his seat beside me.

“No
,
she didn’t, but she came with Lily on her own accord and knowing Lily, she wouldn’t have gone without her,” replies Phoris defensively.

“Then maybe you should have tied Julia down
,
that way Lily would have stayed with her instead of running off talking to Firsts in the first place,” retorts Tolan.

“Sorry, cousin,” says Mellis with a
full
mouth and waving his fork at Tolan.  “But it wouldn’t have done any good.  Julia spent most of the night telling us that you’re not her prince and doesn’t answer to you.”

“It didn’t have to come from me.  You could have just tied her up on your own.  What were you thinking?  She could’ve been killed.”  He glances over at me and quickly adds, “
They
could’ve been killed.”

“Alorn,” I call quietly, “what do you have to say?”

Alorn continues to stare out the window, “If we kept Lily from going to Jarhan last night, then she would have tried
again
and again and sooner or later she would have made it there without any of us with her.  She was determined, Tharin.  At least
we
were there with her.”  He turns from the window and faces me.  “You can’t protect her all the time.  And since you can’t, at least trust that when she’s with any of us, we would do and give all we have to keep her safe.”

The room becomes quiet, even Mellis stops eating to stare back and forth between Alorn and me. 
Alorn is
right and there’s nothing I can do about it now, but I’m still having a talk with Lily later.  I nod
,
sighing as I turn to Tolan letting last night’s event drop for now.  Too much is happening with Lily for me to not know more of the prophecy.  “Have you found anything else in your search?”

Tolan, still frowning about being kept out of any news in regards to Julia, shakes his head.  “Somewhat
–
I think I know what Jarhan’s message to Lily was, or I should say what the gift was…more like a passing of the torch.”

“What are you talking about?” ask
s
Alorn
,
moving to the table and taking a seat.

“Well, we all know that the Willow Clan is the strongest cl
an only second to the Oak.  But
what everyone assumes is that it’s in the number two spot because of the size of its military. 
Remember,
it was the Willow Clan at the front lines holding off the armies of Kolinest and the human king Millim. 
T
he truth is
,
the Willow Clan was and still is the second throne to the Oak because of their long line of healers.  The
y
, including Senestra, are the most powerful in any realm.  But here’s the thing, not all of the healers in Senestra’s line were granted the true gift of the healers.  It’s like the gift is only given to a selected few and only
three
queens within Senestra’s direct line were chosen to carry it.  The
three
includes Lily.  What Jarhan gave Lily last night, I believe is that gift…the gift of the healers.  What it is exactly, I don’t know.  But there is a small passage that I found that gives a vague reference that the gift is the pure energy of the universe, or something like that.”

“Who decides on what queen gets the gift?” asks Mellis as he finishes his breakfast.

Shaking his head, “I don’t know,” admits Tolan.  “I’m still pulling books and scrolls related to the prophecy, which the Willow Clan is deeply involved.  I believe there might be more information at the
Willow
’s library.  But as you know, it’s
off limits to us at the moment
.  Oh, and Tharin,” Tolan says
hesitantly.
“There’s a passage there about the child queen’s ‘crown prince’ and her death.  I believe it’s referring to you.”

Lily’s death.  Is the prophecy saying I’ll somehow help cause her death?  “Did it give you any indication when this is supposed to happen?”  I
ask
, holding down the panic.

Tolan shakes his head again, “No.  But I’m assuming it’s
going to happen
soon.”

Alorn leans in, “What gives you that notion?”

Tolan turns to Alorn, “We have to assume when the prophecy speaks of the ‘child’ it refers to an innocent, which means it has to happen before Tharin marries her and…well, you know
,
hence the several references to the
‘
virgin queen.
’
”  All eyes turn toward me. 

Ziri leans back in his seat, chuckling.  He’s been quietly sitting next to Tolan as Phoris, Alorn, Mellis and the sisters were called.  He
tosses me
a
knowing
grin, enjoying my frustrating situation with my future wife. 

“It ends with death, Tharin.  The only way to save her is for her future and past to become one.”

Then it hits me.  Ka and
F
ather meant to take Lily to the doorway without me.  They know once I learn of how it would end, I would do everything in my power to keep Lily with me. 

“I’m sorry, Tharin.
”  We turn quickly to find my father at the door, looking like his old self again.  Tall and regal, he wears the king’s hunting clothes, his coat thrown over his shoulder casually.  It seems his melancholy over the anniversary of my mother’s death is gone.  Ka stands
beside him still in disguise
.  I give my father a hard look and he puts his hand up.  I bite back the remark I was about to throw at him
and
instead wait for his explanation.

“It’s true
.  We were going to take Lily to the doorway without you
,
” he says, walking up to the table.  “B
ut I thought it would’ve been obvious.  We knew at the signing of the treaty that you and Lily would be tied to each other even before your Binding.  We had hoped you would have waited, but we understand the situation you were in. 
What we didn’t know was that
you would actual
ly
fall in love with her.” 

He looks over at Tolan and says, “I forgot about your love of books and the hours you use to spend reading anything and everything you could get your hands on.  Hmmm, I hope the Willow Clan has a library full of books that will entertain you and your new life there.”

Tolan sits up slowly, “What do you mean my new life there?”

“After the wedding
,
Lily will be of the Oak, allowing me to choose a new successor for the
Willow
throne.  You will take the throne of the Thirteen and be accepted as the clan’s new king.”

Tolan stands quickly almost knocking his chair over, “Father
,
you can’t.  I have other plans…and…”

My father gives him a stern look, “You have other plans?  The only plan you will have is to rule the second clan of the Thirteen.”  After watching my brother
’
s face turn white with shock and then red with anger,
F
ather says in a softer tone, “I know of Julia, Tolan.  She is only one compare
d
to many that depend on you and your leadership.  You have shown your mettle as a warrior fighting beside your brother
and me
.  You have shown wisdom and
patience
with the people of our clan and I know you will do so with your own.  I have made up my mind.  You will rule the Willow Clan once Lily
becomes queen.
”

Tolan tries to find reason against our father’s order.  “What of Harlu and Falsad?  Once you make the proclamation
,
their reaction will be quick and swift…they won’t let go of the seat they’ve had for the last several years.  Besides, once Harlu finds out that he’s Lily’s true brother
,
don’t you think he
will
fight tooth and nail for his right to the throne?”