The Light of Asteria (29 page)

“Possibly, you never know.”

Dusk fell, and my thoughts turned to our
tree. The power bestowed here did not surge or flow, it stood
still, old as time. The energy did not need replenishing or
renewing, it just
was
. My thoughts reached out to the tree
once more.

Tree, if you sense this scent, it is the
enemy.
I remembered the smell of rancid dirt and bad body odor.
The branches above us instantly swayed and twisted as if a horrible
storm approached, although the meadow below was calm and peaceful.
I need for you to help defend the homeland if this scent comes
to you.
The swaying of the branches quickly quieted to an eerie
stillness, and I knew it understood.

Thank you, Keeper of the Queen.

I felt the tree shudder; Rena’s emotions
snapped in alarm. Instinctively, I knew I was right. Gavin was the
only keeper, and he was given that right by an ancient. Rena said
the ancients didn’t trust this world. This Mighty Oak had been
charged to be the Keeper of the Queen, or in the original intent,
King Frey. The monarchy didn’t need Alfar protection because the
power imbued in the tree was the greatest defense of the royal
family. My intent focused back to the Mighty Oak, and I poured out
to it.

I am the prince’s source, Keeper of the
House of Frey. If I should die, I need for you to be his source so
that he may survive.
The solid wooden floor beneath warmed with
the trees acceptance. Relief eased my burden. If I died, Gavin
would survive. I smiled a bit with sadness.

“What are you thinking, Nora? You will not
perish; I will make sure of that or die trying. Please do not think
of such things!” Rena pleaded. I sighed, trying to find the words
that would tell her what I had asked of the tree without alarming
her.

“Rena, my biggest fear is that I will depart
this world before they arrive. If that happens, Gavin is lost. I
merely asked the tree if the prince arrives after his source is
gone, that the Mighty Oak feed him strength so he may survive.”

Rena’s tears streamed down her face, and she
sat there for a moment, trying to calm her emotions. I could see
her struggle, and I realized she wouldn’t have the energy needed if
she kept this up.

If I might ask one more thing … Rena’s
mate is behind the portal. She weakens and is in need of strength
to fight the evil ones. The bond of mates resists my power. Could
you help my friend by being her source until her mate returns?
The Mighty Oak became stationary, and the quiet rang through the
night. I could feel the hum flow through the room.

Rena’s emotions roared with fear, but then
she felt an intent as old as time. She closed her eyes and relaxed
her body, gratefully taking in the essence of the tree. I hadn’t
realized just how drained she was. The hum continued for several
hours, and I welcomed the glow behind the jasper of Rena’s eyes. It
reminded me of Gavin when he was completely saturated in power.

The stench of rancid dirt assaulted the air.
Reality came into sharp focus as the moon shone high in the sky
through the huge window.

“They are near,” I whispered. My pulse sped,
as Rena crouched into a defensive stance. A swarm of white noise
buzzed in the distance, and I resisted the temptation to open my
mind.

“Rena, get in the tent,” I whispered. I put
my back to the wall and scooted along to the window’s edge, hoping
to avoid detection. The white noise increased, and my heart jolted
as adrenaline kicked in. The shine from the moon distinguished the
Dokkalfar, their skin so black it absorbed the colors around
it.

The leader of the evil ones scanned the tree,
and I jerked away from the window’s edge, making sure my shield was
in place. I peeked back and knew it was futile. He knew right where
we were. His eyes, black as pitch, squinted through the distance,
and he threw his head back in cruel laughter. The white noise
became unbearable, as black bodies charged in the direction of the
queen’s window.

The Dokkalfar started scaling the tree,
easily holding on to the bark wall of the huge trunk. Concentrating
on all things I loved built energy around my heart. Timing was
everything, but hopefully I could send a few of them back to hell
where they belonged.

The trunk turned solid black, as hundreds of
Dokkalfar crawled toward us. A few bodies plummeted to the sharp
brambles, and screams of the impaled creatures cried in the night.
Frost crept at the window’s edge; the evil grew closer. I now
boldly stood in front of the window taunting the demons to come,
for I had my shield up, shoulder squared, and resolve shouting from
my expression that we would fight.

Jakkar was the first to jump to the tree’s
bough only a few feet from where I stood. A solid black aura of
health glowed around him. I opened my power as much as possible. He
bared his sharp, crooked teeth in a yellow sneer; his eyes were
alight with malice. The black elves now covered the bottom of the
trunk; they stopped their progression, waiting for further
instructions. Excitement blazed throughout his body, and his face
spoke of some untold horror. He desperately searched, trying to
find a way around the window’s defense.

I couldn’t help but bare my teeth in a hard
grin as a challenge. I knew he couldn’t reach my thoughts; my
shield was now as hard as steel. His eyes turned to black slits,
and he redirected his gaze below.

Horror struck; ripping of wood shook the
floor as the black elves shredded the bark from the tree. I
searched the Mighty Oak’s power in fear for my new friend. Calm
assurance shrouded me in peace.

A distant rumble could be felt miles below
the ground, as the roots trembled with energy. The low hum turned
into a deep thunder that quickly grew into a fierce roar. The
tremor shook the surface beneath our feet, and I grabbed hold of
the queen’s bedpost to keep from falling. A brilliant sky blue
exploded in the night, as the unbearably loud crack of energy
trumpeted the Mighty Oak’s battle cry. The webs surrounding us
blazed like they did when the mountain house was under siege. For a
wild moment, I thought I let go, but the deafening roar told that
the tree was the cause of this glow. Sweat dripped down my face
from the heat of the webs. The brilliant blue shot out of every
surface of the tree, every leaf streamed energy from their
ends.

Through the intricate patterns illuminated in
the window, I could see Jakkar’s expression flash from dark humor
to wide-eyed fear. The blue raced through the tree, lunging for
him. He jumped, and his black feet left the bough’s surface just
before the blue found its mark. Jakkar landed like a cat on the
ground and then flashed to the woods. Dark elves fell from great
distances, paralyzed by the tree’s energy flow. It was as if the
trunk was shaking off hundreds of black fleas from its body. Shiny
onyx carcasses lay in piles around the brambles, forever still; the
remaining Dokkalfar scurried away in the darkness. The battle cry
of the tree quieted; the webs glow faded.

White noise screams of suffering rose to our
window, but I would keep my intent pure. I would not rejoice in
their pain. The tree had sacrificed a great deal of energy to keep
us from harm, and I would concentrate on being grateful. Rena came
from the tent, the chiseled features of a warrior softened as she
smiled.

I reached out to the Keeper of the House of
Frey, and thanked it for everything it had given. The blue
surrounding us had paled in intensity, but not in value, and
remained extremely strong. I fervently hoped that it could
replenish, but I had no idea what its source was, or even if it had
a source. For a moment, I thought about feeding the tree, but
instinct told that I would need the energy for future battles, and
the Mighty Oak assured me it was fine.

The feeling that I was missing something kept
nagging at my thoughts. We lay under the window talking through the
night, replaying the events over and over again. But as the early
morning rays caressed the window’s sill, I knew we would not solve
this mystery. My nose found refuge in Gavin’s pillow; I curled
under Edna’s quilt and slept.

I awoke mid afternoon to the beautiful timbre
of Rena’s voice humming as she painted.

“Rena, I believe they were testing our
defenses.” I jumped right into the conversation we left just hours
ago. “Jakkar’s eyes held knowledge of something; I know his goal
was to watch me as he spoke. I taunted him a bit, which infuriated
him, but I can’t shake this feeling. It was as if he had
information we didn’t, and he couldn’t wait to share it.” Rena put
her brush down and searched my expression; her emotions burned with
conviction.

“Remember, deceit is their greatest weapon. I
understand you have only had one experience with their kind, but
that should have shown you their power over your language.” She
exhaled, and her sharp features were back.

“Jakkar was the one who ended Michael’s life,
although I will not dwell on it. He is the strongest of the
Dokkalfar, and is their royalty as he is a direct descendant from
Jayril. Do not think of one word that vile creature might say to
you. It will be a lie.”

She turned back to her painting, and I took a
moment to think about what she had said. I went to the sitting room
and made two plates of breads, nuts, and elf fruit. Rena set her
brush down and took the plate from my hand. She sighed, feeling my
fixation on the Dokkalfar.

“Nora, I have seen their intent. It was
stronger than any I have ever felt, although I don’t know if that
is because there are so many of them or if their desire is just
that much greater.” I handed her a glass of juice.

“Jakkar will be intent on weakening you so he
can defeat you, but he desires the knowledge of your power before
you perish. You are human, and yet you are the source to one of the
greatest of our kind. Michael’s source was the same, though Jakkar
never knew it was Edna.” My eyes snapped. I never knew Edna was a
powerful source, although that would make sense. She was the best
person I had ever known. We sat in silence; Rena’s emotions
struggled. She mindlessly stared out the window.

“That’s why Michael never came back for her,”
she murmured. “His need to protect her outweighed his desire to
claim her. Only in Michael’s death did Jakkar see his source was
not of our world. He never knew whom that human was until you both
came to live with us,” she said softly.

My heart swelled at the beauty of Michael’s
sacrifice. He didn’t give Edna enough credit, but understanding
everything I know now, to a warrior in the middle of a war, it
would seem the only way to protect your true love. Feeling my
intent, Rena marched on, determined to finish her story.

“Jakkar needs to know what makes you powerful
so he can eradicate any future source for our kind from the earth.
Darkness grows here every day, and if he could assure none with
potential survived infancy, it would greatly increase his hold on
your world. This is what they seek—the essence of your gift.”

I gasped as horror shot through me. Visions
of innocent children being murdered assaulted my mind, and I
aggressively countered them with thoughts of love. I would make
sure Jakkar did not get the information he desired.

The comforting hum of power filtered through
the room on and off throughout the day as Rena meditated with her
new source. Her eyes were brilliant once again, and I knew she had
the strength to fight through the darkness. We now would stand
guard through the night and I would sleep in the day.

“Rena, tell me about the kingdom,” I
requested, as we sketched by the orb’s light. My sketchpad was
bound at the top and purchased in a modern art store. Rena still
preferred Papyrus paper that she made by hand.

“What do you wish to know, my lady?” she
asked, her mind focused on what she was drawing.

“Anything … I can now see the health of life
on earth. Can you do that there as well?” I wondered, completely
distracted with my charcoal rendition of Gavin’s face by the
campfire. I was trying to capture the essence of the ember’s soft
glow highlighting his hair. The full moon would shine over us
tomorrow night. They would be here in less than twenty-four
hours.

“What do you mean … you see health?” Her
emotions were incredulous. I had only sensed this reaction once
before, when she discovered that I could smell her essence.

“When I came out of the lake, I noticed I
could see health. The color of energy varies, depending on the life
it surrounds. Other trees in the meadow have a yellow cast, but
this tree is different, as it is sky blue. I had assumed this was
an elf trait. I take it by your emotions I am mistaken.” Her glare
turned to understanding.

“I am not aware of such a talent. But it is
my belief that the lake has unlocked something within your essence
that is connected to your gifts.” Rena’s eyes warmed, as she
smiled.

“It’s still hard for me think I’m anything
but average,” I admitted.

“Nora, you were never mediocre. I just think
you are starting to see your potential.” She patted my hand. “Gavin
has brought out the best in you, and you have done the same for
him. It will be interesting to see how your relationship grows
after he has claimed you.”

“How will that change him? How will it change
me?”

“You will see, but I think you will surprise
everyone … it seems as if you always do.” The joy in her face was
reminiscent of our early days when I learned about mixing colors.
Missing her studio today more than ever, I longed to sculpt. Rena
beamed.

“Soon, we will be in the kingdom, I am sure.
We will spend our days in the courtyard loving the arts, and our
nights in the castle loving our mates. I am determined that it be
so.” My face blushed scarlet, and Rena’s laughter bounced off the
walls. The tree responded to the joy and seemed to chuckle with
her.