The Light of Asteria (12 page)

“Impressive,” Gavin whispered again. This
time, there was a real appreciation for my intuition.

“Hello, Nora. I’ve heard so much about you.”
His speech held a tranquil quality, and I now understood why Rena
and Tark made a good couple. His calm balanced her creative
restlessness.

“How do you do?” I asked shyly. A jolt of
panic zipped through me as I wondered if they could hear my
mind.

“No, they cannot hear your thoughts, but they
can feel your intent,” Gavin said.

Well, that was good; my intentions were
mostly noble, except when I thought of Gavin alone on the couch.
The smallest elf giggled, and my cheeks grew crimson. Quickly, I
emptied my mind, concentrating on sky blue. Astonishment ran
throughout the room. Confused, I turned to Gavin.

“They are wondering, as I’ve been, how is it
you are able to shield something so powerful?” he asked.

“What on earth are you talking about?”

“In our world, thought flows freely. We can
shift our ideas and mold them, turning the tide to a more positive
current, but we can never truly stop them. When you clear your
mind, it’s like switching off your power in the blink of an eye.
Nora, I don’t think you realize how powerful you are. Your thoughts
are so uncontaminated; they’re like pure energy. I don’t think any
Alfar have ever been able to gain as much off of one they haven’t
been joined with for eternity.” Elias’ emotions aggressively
swirled around him as he glared at Gavin.

What was your power source before you met
me?
I asked, trying to understand.

“The life in the mountains has sustained me.
The animals do not have the same strength as we in spirit, but they
do have the energy of life.”

Do I hold power for everyone here, or just
you?

“When we receive power, we have to open our
innermost being. Your energy holds the essence of who you are. It
is extremely personal to the Alfar. They would not ask such a thing
from either you or me, unless there was no other choice.”

Would I feel their presence like I feel
yours?

“Possibly, we just don’t know.”

“What question did we miss?” inquired Elias,
as his frustration became apparent. For a moment, I had forgotten
where we were.

I timidly focused on the four elves that
obviously cared about Gavin. “I’m sorry,” I mumbled, “I’m sure that
was rude. I think I’ve communicated more with Gavin in my mind than
with my voice. For some reason, it feels more natural and so I’m
starting to forget to actually speak.” I smiled at Elias, trying to
explain. “I asked him if I would feel your presence if you needed
to draw power. Please forgive me; it’s just all so new.”

The four of them gasped, and I immediately
felt Gavin tense. “What did I do wrong?” I said to no one in
particular.

“The honesty of your apology is throwing out
so much energy, it’s hard
not
to absorb. They are resisting,
but no one knows quite what to do,” Gavin said.

“That makes six of us, then.” I sighed,
quieting my thoughts. The emotions in the room washed with relief,
and Elias and Elaine slipped into the kitchen. We turned back to
the arched windows, and I was surprised to see thin strands that
looked like spun sugar embedded in the glass
. What is
that?

“It is a substance created by the spiders of
our land. It’s stronger than metal and will render anyone who tries
to break this glass helpless.” As we walked around the outer wall,
Gavin explained the six of them had actually built this structure
from the ground up, and so every surface of the house was protected
with this material.

“Who’s missing?” I asked, suddenly aware I
had only been introduced to four when there should have been
five.

As soon as I asked the question, I regretted
it. The emotions wailing in Gavin’s creature could only mean one
thing.

“The last of our clan was destroyed by the
evil ones. He was our leader and the only other Alfar I have ever
known who was attracted to one of your kind. He never claimed his
mate, and so he was more susceptible to the Dokkalfar.” His voice
shook and I reached for his hand.

“I’m so sorry,” I said, as my voice rang with
true remorse. His eyes warmed, and he softly kissed me as the grief
subsided.

Our impromptu tour took us through the
kitchen. The modern appliances were surrounded by granite and pecan
wood, and I smiled thinking the place looked like it belonged in a
magazine. Gavin led me back through the living room to the opposite
wall, where a staircase gracefully wound to the floors above. The
second level had three suites, each with their own sitting room,
bathroom, and bedroom, but we didn’t venture in to respect the
privacy of those who lived there.

Only two doors stood on opposite ends of the
third floor landing. I turned to the non-descript plain oak door; a
spike of panic ran through me.

“That’s just the entrance to the attic,”
Gavin muttered, guiding me to the opposite end of the hallway.
“This is my room.” My heart kicked into overdrive.

The double doors were over ten feet tall, and
were sculpted with a landscape of the mountains. Incredibly
detailed animals graced the bottom of the door, and burnished
handles, shaped like wings, were the only indication this was not
just an incredible piece of art.

He pulled open one of the huge panels. The
opulence of this room was magnificent. Three gilded chandeliers
gave ample lighting to the coffered ceiling. Cream twill
clawed-feet furniture sat near the massive fireplace that adorned
the left wall. Centered on the far wall was a landscape. The canvas
was as large as a Ruben, and the oil paint appeared to have no
brush strokes. I took in the detail and realized the masters of the
renaissance period could have done this rendering.

Gavin had explained earlier in the evening
that the Alfar were an extremely private culture; only mates were
allowed in the bedchambers. And so it took me by surprise when he
pulled me through the interior arched door.

The focal point of this room was the two vast
walls lined with massive windows, similar to the living room.
Parquet flooring and dark paneling flowed throughout the suite, but
the bedroom’s warm palette played off of the deep gold and cinnamon
that flavored the silk flowing over the large canopy bed. This was
the highest point of the house, and the view would have equaled
Edna’s mountain.

I stopped and pulled him near; I felt like I
was home. Understanding filled my soul as he read my thoughts. I
finally let my guard down, and willingly opened my mind. A deluge
of emotions rushed as my thoughts arced to him. This time, the
familiarity of the sensation swiftly churned the current with
power.

I could feel the length of his temperate body
in every nerve ending, and I reached up on my toes, kissing his
strong jaw. His lips brushed my cheek, as his fingers laced through
mine. Peppermint and sunshine warmed my lungs. His hum was back,
and a light from deep within his emeralds caused them to sparkle
and glitter. His supple lips trailed down my neck, until he found
the small hollow at its end. The pit of my stomach warmed and I
tilted my head. Emotions fed thoughts, until I wanted to give in to
the energy coursing through us. He released my hands, and warm
palms made their way to my lower back. My hands slipped to his
chest. His lips found mine, and I eagerly met his demands. I held
my breath as his desire blazed through me. He pulled back; his
liquid eyes searched mine as uncontrolled images ran through my
mind. The power in him began to spin out of control and his breath
became ragged. I felt the cage in Gavin rattle, as desire warred
with responsibility; the struggle of it marred his face. His hands
started to shake, and his eyes blanked.

“Nora … I need to see your sky,” he sadly
requested. A layer of blue covered my mind, and I studied his eyes
as they changed with the cool rush of relief. There was an
impression of hopelessness in the depth of his emeralds that caused
my heart to ache. As I let go of the shield, I knew I would not
open my mind again until he asked. I didn’t understand how the
energy we created worked on him. Something was causing him pain.
His confession earlier in the evening about this world twisting
love into momentary pleasure rang through my memory, and I knew we
needed to slow things down. To be honest, I was relieved. I had
never experienced anything close to this … I needed time.

“I am pleased to know you feel the same. In
my world, we do not take physical love lightly. We are meant for
only one mate; when we join divorce becomes impossible. Any union
between partners is eternal. Once that decision has been made, it
cannot be undone.” Gavin placed my hand over his heart.

“Why do you do that?” As I retraced my
memories, he seemed to always bring my hand to his chest.

“As you know, mates receive energy from one
another. By placing your hand over my heart, it allows the current
to flow directly to my soul. I find I cannot resist when I’m around
you.” His eyes danced as he kept my hand on his chest and kissed me
once more.

We walked back to the living room, taking our
time and talking about various paintings. I found Gavin’s vast
knowledge of art interesting. It was a shame some of these pieces
were not in a gallery. Rena skipped over, her admiration
glowing.

“Come, have a seat,” she said, as we walked
toward the large sofa. She smiled, feeling my blatant appreciation
of the masterpieces throughout the room.

“I’m glad you like my work.”

“You created all of this?” I asked in
disbelief.

“Only the artwork on the first and second
floors. Gavin did the rest,” she admitted. My jaw dropped in
surprise. He winked and turned his attention toward Elias.

“I’ve always wanted to learn how to sculpt
and paint, but never had the time or the resources, for that
matter.”

“I will teach you. I don’t think you’ll find
it difficult. You seem to pick up on things easily,” she stated,
and I couldn’t help but laugh.

The Alfar had talents I didn’t, and this was
definitely one of them. She assumed way too much. Just because I
could throw some weird current at them didn’t mean I could do
anything else. I wasn’t beautiful like Hol, smart like Kate, or
really anything special.

Gavin, who had obviously been having a
private conversation with Elias, stared at me with eyes hard as
stone. His emotions growled.

I’m just saying … I know who I am.
His
frustration grew.

Rena’s brow skeptically rose as her glance
flitted from my face to Gavin’s.

“What do you sense?” I asked. I didn’t know
what could be the intent of that thought and was curious.

“I sense you are too hard on yourself. It is
a shame. I see greatness and you only see one who struggles to be
average. You are who you are, Nora. Trying to be less is a great
disservice to the Creator,” she said in a soft but stern voice.

I didn’t know what to say. The way these
elves thought was complex and basic at the same time. Somehow they
seemed to find the center of truth with extreme efficiency.

Sensing my intent, she laughed. Pure
happiness in a bell tone peal echoed off the walls. I loved the
sound of her laughter. Remembering that thoughts of sincerity were
particularly strong, I emptied my mind and just enjoyed the
timbre.

“See what I mean? You’re already reining in
your talent for me. Now, let’s see what you can do with a
paintbrush.”

“Nora, can you come over here for a moment?”
Gavin asked. Rena glared at him.

“I will bring her right back; we won’t be
long.”

What’s the matter?
I asked, as we
walked across the room to the windows. The protection emanating
from him was like a solid block of ice.

“Everything is fine. Elias, Elaine, and I
need to sweep the surrounding woods. It shouldn’t take long, and
it’s nothing to be concerned about, but I just wanted you to know.
Paint with Rena, but do not leave the house.”

Fear exploded the ice, and real panic
surfaced. Visions of Gavin, Elias, and Elaine alone in the dark
made the terror unimaginably stronger. A primal instinct to open
the floodgates, to send Gavin energy, roared. Rena’s struggle
brought reality into sharp relief. Gavin’s hands found my waist,
and he pulled me into his arms.

“Trust me, at this moment I could run around
the earth twice and not be tired. You have nothing to worry about,”
he murmured in my ear, his beautiful voice full of conviction. “I
know you don’t understand, but I’m not in any danger. You’re the
only one here that’s not physically strong enough to defeat the
Dokkalfar, and so it’s imperative you stay in the house.” He glared
at Rena; Tark bowed.

“You need a distraction,” Rena said,
determination written all over her face. I started to protest, but
Gavin encouragingly smiled and Rena took my hand. “Let me show you
my favorite room.” We made our way to an access door that was
hidden behind the staircase. A straight set of stone steps led to a
cavern below.

“This was originally a cave in the mountain.
We sealed it shut and created my studio.” The massive den held a
kiln, a place to blow and create glasswork, and a wheel to make
pottery. Endless assorted art supplies were organized around the
rocky walls.

“I believe what we need is over here.” She
danced to the other end of the room, bringing back two large
canvases with corresponding easels.

“I honestly don’t know how to paint,” I
mumbled; my concern grew. I had never painted anything, unless you
counted the bathroom. Here I was sitting with one of the most
talented people in the world, and she expected me to just create
... great.

Feeling my awe, another delicious peal of
laughter bounced off the stone. “We won’t show anyone if you
prefer. Let’s start with the basics. The most important factor of
art is the love of it; the rest will come. If you enjoy your craft,
the end product is always something you treasure.”