Vulture (8 page)
Authors: Rhiannon Paille
Tags: #juvenile fiction, #Legends; Myths; Fables, #Norse
“Don’t tell Kaliel—” He stopped, a flurry of thoughts and images clouding his mind. He didn’t know how to end the sentence properly. Shimma raised an eyebrow. “Don’t tell her anything,” he finished. He went to escape but he couldn’t help hearing the last thing Shimma said before he was out of earshot.
“Yeah, don’t tell her the truth.”
* * *
8 - The Golden Box
Krishani rounded the castle finding Klavotesi and Elwen standing off to the side behind one of the cabins. In the growing dark, shadows from torch lights flickered across Elwen’s face. They seemed to be in a heated discussion. Klavotesi had the golden box, and the fabric of his cloak draped over the sides of it.
Krishani’s heart stuttered as he thought of Kaliel and the other Flames and wondered what was in the box since she had a body of her own. He neared them, a reproving scowl on his face. Klavotesi turned to Krishani, followed by Elwen who made an about face and ran his hands along his brown robes like he was trying to show his authority.
“Krishani,” Elwen said.
Krishani raised an eyebrow, his eyes falling on the box. “Elwen.”
Klavotesi glanced at Elwen. “Regardless of your wishes, it isn’t safe to keep them here.” He continued as though it didn’t matter if Krishani heard him or not.
Elwen focused on Krishani when he spoke. “They might be of use to us if another attack comes.”
Klavotesi let out an impatient guffaw and almost growled. “How many times must I tell you there will not be another attack? Not while the Ferryman remains.”
Krishani recognized the tone as the one Klavotesi used when he was told he was wrong. It made him feel queasy to think about the strength of the Obsidian Flame. Klavotesi had the skill and indifference to eliminate those who threatened his authority. Besides that, Klavotesi was all-seeing, and his abilities were beyond sharp. When Kaliel saw things it was poetic. When Klavotesi saw things it was indisputable. The Flame took pride in his infallibility.
Elwen set his jaw. “I do not want to call Tor here,” he hissed.
Krishani tensed at the mention of the High King. “Why do you need him?”
Klavotesi sighed and opened the box, showering the sky with streaks of indigo, yellow, red, green, and pink. Krishani understood. Klavotesi wanted to give the Flames to the High King. He shut the box a second later and spoke. “The fate of the Flames rests with this imbecile.”
“Haven’t you told him how dangerous it is for two Flames to be in the same place? Let alone side by side in that box?” Krishani remembered the way Klavotesi recoiled from Tiki. It seemed odd watching him hold a box of Flames so calmly.
“I can guide a King but I cannot force his hand.” Klavotesi sighed, a tinge of bored disappointment lacing his tone.
Krishani coughed and brought a hand to cover his mouth. “What King?” He choked.
Elwen narrowed his eyes. “I am King.” Krishani smiled, pressing his lips together to stifle a bellowing laugh. “I thought it was a formality you could forgo calling me since you’re the Ferryman,” Elwen added.
Krishani stood, towering over Elwen, a sardonic smirk on his lips. He smoothed out his tunic and turned back to Klavotesi. “Is there no speaking to this fool of a King then?” He didn’t care if Elwen did anything rash or gaumless like hit him. He almost wanted it to happen, so he could show Elwen just what kind of Ferryman he was.
Elwen blanched.
Klavotesi was unreadable as usual. “I’m afraid it is fruitless. He is a greedy human who wants to keep these precious jewels for himself.”
“Even I knew it was safer for them in the Great Hall,” Krishani said, amused. He loved this too much. Elwen was wrong. “Is that why you didn’t like the idea of me killing them? You wanted the opportunity to capture and keep them?” His tone became noxious on the word capture. He tried to calm the storm of anger inside of him but it crashed over him like a tidal wave and he almost snapped.
Klavotesi stepped between Krishani and Elwen, turning to Elwen. “I can assure you we do not take the idea of possession lightly.”
Elwen tugged at the hem of his collar. He glanced at the steps of the hall as though he was contemplating an escape route. Diplomatically he abated. “I believe my better half is well suited to solve this dilemma. If you follow me, we will ask what Talina believes is the right course of action.” He stormed into the hall, past the drunken villagers and into the wings of the castle that stretched into another hallway. Krishani kept up, his feet dragging along the ground. He noticed Kaliel dancing with Pux and gave her a shy smile. She paused for a second and her eyes met his, a familiar knowing in them. She turned and laughed as Pux pulled her across the floor.
Elwen swept down the corridor and turned into Talina’s quarters. Krishani followed with Klavotesi on his heels. He stopped at the foot of the doorway. It was by far the largest room in the castle. A four-poster bed sat in the middle of the room, a wicker settee against the wall. There were cabinets, end tables, chests, and a wicker chair in the corner of the room. Talina was lounging on the bed when Elwen kissed her pale hand. She wore a long silk ivory night gown, her golden brown hair tumbling towards her lower back. She slid off the bed, placing her bare feet on the floor. Krishani hadn’t met her before but he was humbled. She was elven. Krishani bowed as she glided across the floor and took the box in her hands, opening it briefly to look at the contents. She closed it and looked at them with a peculiar expression playing on her lips.
“You seek to know what to do with these precious jewels,” she said, but it wasn’t a question. She set the box on top of a tall bureau. She spun and pressed her back into the bureau, waiting for them to speak.
“Your King is misguided, my lady. He wishes to keep the Flames for himself,” Klavotesi began.
Talina narrowed her eyes. “That shouldn’t be hard to remedy. Elwen, who do the Flames belong to?” She had a smile on her lips.
Elwen glared at the others. “They belong to Tor,” he grumbled. “I assumed we could keep them safe until he was able to return.”
Talina tilted her head to the ceiling like she was in deep thought. “Or we could bring them to the Great Hall ourselves.”
Elwen coughed. “I hardly think you should be opening vortexes, my lady. You need to keep your strength.”
Talina smiled. “Perhaps we should send the Ferryman to the Great Hall then.”
Krishani turned green at the thought. It was one thing to leave Kaliel again, but as far as he knew, Ferrymen weren’t permitted to enter the Great Hall, not until their successor gave their soul passage. He crossed the floor and sunk into the wicker chair beside the door. “I don’t want to go,” Krishani mumbled.
“I will take them wherever you wish, my lady,” Klavotesi interrupted.
She studied him and frowned. “You are a Flame. These should not even be so close to you now.” Klavotesi took a step back and pushed his sleeves together.
“I know.” His tone was grave.
Elwen paced in a small circle. “Well we cannot continue having this discussion.” He seemed vexed. Krishani studied him curiously, remembering something he had forgotten. He glanced at the box as ice poured into his veins. He closed his eyes and went back to Klavotesi opening the box. There were five Flames inside. His eyes shot open as the others continued mumbling around him about the best course of action.
Tiki wasn’t in the box.
“You still have one of them you traitor!” Krishani shouted jumping to his feet and pointing at Elwen. They stopped their endless yammering and stared at his disheveled appearance. Elwen looked like he had been caught with food stuck to his face and tried to wipe his features clean of the guilty expression.
“That’s preposterous. I have nothing. All of them are in the box I swear it,” he hissed in denial. He backed towards the end table as Krishani stalked him and patted down the robes. He didn’t like the idea of touching Elwen, but he remembered when Elwen switched Tiki for the puzzle box. The life drained from his features as he realized something else. Without thinking he gripped Elwen by the throat, his mismatched eyes boring into the brownish hazel ones of his ancestor.
“Crestaos is in that orb,” he growled. He spat at Elwen and hit the king in the eye. Elwen flailed, searching his own pockets for it. He fumbled, it fell on the floor and rolled. Klavotesi was the one who carefully picked it up, folding it into one of his sleeves. He cautiously approached Talina and dropped it in her hand as Krishani let go of Elwen and stalked to the door.
“I won’t let you bring him back so he can try to take her again,” Krishani said through gritted teeth. Crestaos had an insatiable hunger for Kaliel that made Krishani pulse with fear. Talina put the orb into the box and shut it. Klavotesi inched towards the door while Elwen wiped the spit off his face. Krishani seethed, his hands balling into fists at his side.
“Krishani relax,” Talina ordered softly. She pushed off the bureau and crossed the room, putting a hand on his shoulder. She fixed her gaze. “Crestaos will not return.” She had a knowing look in her eyes that made Krishani let out the breath he had been holding in. He nodded, refusing to sit.
“Then it is settled? I will call Tor and have him collect the box. He can do with the Flames what he sees fit,” Talina said it as though she was catching Krishani up on the part of the conversation he missed.
“I trust in your guidance, my lady,” Elwen said.
“As do I,” Klavotesi said. He swept out of the room, his robes billowing out from behind him as his shoes clacked along the hallway. Krishani turned to Talina who had sunk into the settee, looking pensive. He glanced at Elwen, unsure of their relationship to each other. Elwen glared at him but that was normal.
“I should get back to Kaliel,” he said, shaking his head to clear his disorientation and the remnants of anger.
“Yes, you mustn’t deny your forbidden love for her,” Elwen sneered.
Krishani froze, unable to breathe. Something on the inside constricted the muscles in his throat and he fought to get enough air to speak. “You gave us your blessing.”
Elwen raised his eyebrows. “I did and I sincerely hope it works, but I doubt it will.”
Krishani tried to fight off the emotions pressing on him but it was hard to shake the feeling of dread. “If we had a proper chance to be together....”
“But you won’t. You will stay cooped up in my castle, committing your adulterated filth and you will think I condone it,” he continued, his tone smooth and calm.
“You don’t,” Krishani said, though it wasn’t a question.
“Haven’t you already taken her innocence?” Elwen asked.
Krishani turned red. He gulped and remembered Kaliel stripping off the black dress like she had been this way with him for so long that it was hard to think of it as wrong. “No.”
Elwen looked surprised. “I should tell you that there are tenets in my village. The villagers will expect you to be honorable, to court her, marry her, and not to steal her virtue before that happens.”
Krishani felt like he was falling. It hadn’t crossed his mind he could marry Kaliel. In Avristar it was forbidden. It wasn’t even something he could dream of or ask for or have no matter how much he wanted it. He was to marry the land and so was she. Yet Elwen threw it in his face like it was the right thing to do, like it wasn’t everything he had ever wanted.
“That is if you can keep her love,” Elwen interjected.
Krishani snapped back to attention and stared at him dumbfounded. “What do you mean by that?”
Elwen smirked. “I don’t think you can make it work.”
Krishani gritted his teeth. “I have to make it work. You know what will happen if I don’t.” He glanced at Talina for support but her face was a mask of worry.
“Perhaps it would be better for Krishani if he lived in the village, not in the castle,” she said.
Elwen scoffed. “Our village is full. There isn’t a single space that isn’t occupied.”
Talina stood and moved to the bed, curling her arm around one of the posts. She faced Elwen. “The watch tower is empty.”
Elwen sucked in a breath. “Fine. It is done. You will live in the watch tower, and you will be mindful of the villagers and their beliefs.”
Krishani frowned. “They believe in High King Tor don’t they?”
“Yes, but Terra is unlike Avristar. There is no voice of the land to guide them so Tor has given them tenets they must keep if they want their crops to grow,” Talina explained.
Krishani nodded. “We’ll do what we can to help the village.”
Elwen chuckled. “That is of course if she can accept what you really are.”
Krishani didn’t have anything to say, but Elwen’s words raised the hairs on the back of his neck. He nodded to Talina, held his tongue and his urge to strangle Elwen as he fled into the hallway, desperate to be in Kaliel’s arms again.
* * *
9 - Mallorn
Kaliel watched Krishani disappear in the wings and turned back to Pux. He was acting silly, prancing around, making her laugh louder than she ever remembered laughing. He caught her by the hand and twirled her around and around until she was so dizzy she had to stop and put a hand on his chest while she caught her breath.
“Sorry,” Pux said smiling as she stood and gave him a knowing look.
“I’m parched,” she replied, a mischievous smile creeping across her face. “Have you explored the land? Are there any springs we could drink from?” She noticed there was still a pitcher of ale on the table, and mugs, but she wasn’t sure about it. The villagers called it mead and it made them act funny. It smelled like honey, sickly sweet but it was brown and that made her feel weird.
Pux looked down. “There aren’t any springs here. And don’t drink from the lake,” he cautioned.
Her eyes lit up. “There’s a lake?” She realized she wasn’t dancing anymore and people around her were jigging to the music, avoiding her. Pug slung his arm through hers and skipped around in a circle. She almost forgot where she was she was so happy. Clamose had left the hall and most of the villagers had retired for the night, but there were still a few who wanted to dance.
Pux continued skipping around in circles, pulling her along with him. “It’s not really a lake, more like a pond.”
“Oh.” She unhooked her arm from his, feeling dizzy again. She wended around the others and plopped down at the table, pouring herself a mug of mead and took a sip. It tasted as foul as everything else. Throughout the day, servants brought more food, which was gone moments after it arrived. All of it tasted better hot; otherwise it was sour or rotten. The mead was warm and it soothed her burning throat. She wasn’t used to her body feeling so fragile, so prone to weakness. Her shoulders were sore and she pressed her fingers into the flesh, loosening the muscles. Pux came up behind her and grasped her shoulders, rubbing his fingers in circular motions along her skin.
“Are you feeling okay?” he asked, sitting beside her. His brown eyes were big, but he looked thinner than usual. He also looked out of place wearing one of the sleeveless gray tunics and breeches to conceal his wolf-like legs. There was nothing to hide his small pointed ears and hairy face. No matter what he wore he was the same Pux she had known.
“I feel different.”
Pux rested his elbows on the table. “It’s harder here, but the people can be warm if you let them. They have spirit.”
It was like something of the past peeked through the clouds. “They don’t notice our differences.” She beamed. It was something she couldn’t say about Avristar. Everyone carried themselves with honor and grace, but Pux and Kaliel had always been the misfits. The humans were flawed so they didn’t notice the difference. Pux grimaced and cupped his neck with his other hand.
“It helps that I can’t do anything I used to be able to do,” he admitted.
Kaliel’s eyes widened. “Nothing? No birds? No skies? No transporting?”
Pux shook his head and dropped his hand. “I didn’t try to come here with Krishani. It just happened that way. You make it better.”
She pulled her hands into her lap and fidgeted with the cloth on her dress, taking the fabric between her fingers, curling it up and uncurling it. “How did you end up here? You and Krishani?”
“Well he was already leaving with Mallorn when I transported from Orlondir and ended up in the boat. It was too late though, so I couldn’t go back,” he said.
“Mallorn is here?” Kaliel’s eyes widened, her tone louder than she intended. Her head whipped around to see if she could spot him in the crowd. Her heart ached with longing to find him and embrace him. She wished to tell him that she was sorry for everything she put him through. She wasn’t angry anymore. She just wanted to apologize for the way she acted when he found her and Krishani, when he left her alone in the Village of the Shee. She went to stand but Pux grabbed her arm and she sat down hard. She cringed at the pain and shot him a confused look.
“He’s not here anymore,” Pux said softly, his eyes full of grief.
Kaliel studied his features, the ache in her heart growing until she couldn’t breathe. Pux pulled her into his arms and stroked her hair.
“He died in the battle.”
Kaliel was already crying. She buried her face in his shoulder and drew her arms to her chest. His gangly arms encircled her as she shook. There were so many people she missed, people she wanted to see again. Knowing she’d never see Mallorn made her hollow inside. She didn’t like Terra. All of her wanted to go home where she could erase the mistakes she had made in her past life. “I didn’t even know,” she whispered through sobs.
“I know. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner, but with all the commotion…”
She wiped the tears out of her eyes and smeared them down her dress. “It’s okay,” she said even though her stomach was muddled with knots. “He died in battle?”
Pux nodded. “He was killed by one of the Daed. I was fighting with him, and they began striking at us with the Flames.”
Kaliel felt like she was falling off the top of a mountain. She gripped the table and tried to control the urge to burst forth with a shower of amethyst Flames. She blinked, trying to force her eyes to remain green. “You mean one of the Flames killed him?”
Pux nodded. “They weren’t like you. The Daed wore them around their necks. It made them stronger.”
Kaliel felt like vomiting but she held it in and swayed a bit on the bench. She glanced at the dancing villagers but didn’t feel like joining them. Her heart felt like a stone. She saw someone cross the floor, completely clad in black, his hood concealing his features. She panicked and tripped over herself as she stood, backing away from the table. Pux stumbled to catch up with her as she recoiled into the same corner they had stashed themselves in after the battle. She was white-faced as the Daed warrior approached them. Fortunately Pux was at her side.
“What is he doing here? I thought you killed all the Daed,” she hissed, pressing against the wall.
“He isn’t Daed,” Pux said. “And some of them ran away.”
The black figure stopped and she couldn’t help it–the Flame flared. She felt like she was on fire from the inside out. Her eyes snapped to a liquid amethyst and her aura spiked. She pulled her stomach muscles taut, knowing she had to calm herself so she wouldn’t explode. She heard her pulse in her ears and every breath was audible as she tried to stop hyperventilating.
The cloaked being bowed to her and she stared at him in bewilderment. “Kaliel,” he breathed.
“Who are you?” The energy felt familiar and it frightened her. Despite what Pux said and the fact that he gripped her elbow she didn’t want to let her guard down.
“Klavotesi, the Obsidian Flame of Justice,” he said ceremoniously.
Kaliel let out a breath but the tension thickened. “You’re not like the others.”
Klavotesi righted himself and faced her. She felt him studying her, but she couldn’t see his eyes or his face or anything to define him. “No, I have been around much longer.”
“I …”
“I came to ask what it is you wish, lady,” he continued.
Kaliel shook her head. “Not you too,” she muttered, crossing her arms. Pux let go and pressed himself against the stone beside her. He eyed Klavotesi but didn’t say anything. “What will it take to convince you I’m not a leader?”
Klavotesi took a step back and tilted his head to the side. “You aren’t ready to lead us?”
“You should return to what you were doing before,” she stammered, really not sure how to sound authoritative in front of him. He had such striking presence compared to the other Flames. She imagined he could strangle someone with his faceless gaze. It bothered her.
“I’m not needed in Amaltheia any longer. I have already sent word to King Telper. I’m needed here on a more permanent basis.”
Kaliel tried to relax, the Flame’s fire slipping. She held her arms across her chest. “What do you mean?” She held back her grief. All she wanted to do was sit in Pux’s arms and cry until Krishani came back and took her away from all of this. There were things she desperately needed to ask him, questions only he could answer.
Klavotesi pushed the sleeves of his cloak together. “You need a proper mentor and I would be honored to fill that role.”
Kaliel glanced at Pux and remembered what Grimand said about her lessons in Avristar being nonexistent. Funny how dying made everything stop. It caused another hole to form in her heart. Thinking about home and the idea of never going back hurt but she nodded. “There’s a lot I don’t know.”
“And you have a body that’s both human and elven. That will make things more difficult.”
“Aulises was elven?”
“Part elven. Heritage is not what you think it is. There is both the physical and the energetic component to our makeup. On the physical side there are markers that create your body. They can be mixed depending on the species, much like the humans and wolves that created feorns. You are a product of an intelligent race and an evolving race. Humans are in their beginning stages, whereas elvens have existed thousands of years longer. You are physically both, but your humanity gives you limitations. Energetically you will always be a Flame, but that is something that should be watched closely,” Klavotesi explained.
Kaliel felt like her head was going to explode. It was too much information all at once. Even though she regarded Klavotesi as intelligent and better suited to train her than any of her previous elders she needed time to absorb the things he told her. She gave him a sheepish smile. “And if I agree, will you explain that to me again?”
“I will tell you many things about Terra and the Lands Across the Stars. I can tell you more about who you are and what you can do. I’ll teach you everything I can and help you reach your potential,” Klavotesi said. He bowed, as though the gesture bound him to his word.
Kaliel felt slightly uplifted. She could live in Terra if she was going to learn how to be herself again. She doubted there were merfolk, fae, feorns, shee or centaurs on Terra, but maybe there were other things she could grow fond of in time. Regardless, she would stay because of Krishani. He was the only thing that mattered to her. She dropped her arms and glanced at Pux. “If you agree to teach both of us I will accept it.”
Klavotesi turned to the feorn as though noticing him for the first time. “That is fair. This feorn has abilities he can’t access. I can help with that.”
Kaliel twisted her toe in the stone. “What were you doing on Amaltheia?”
“Assisting Ambrose Telper, another Ferryman. We were intercepting thieves. It’s work he can do on his own,” Klavotesi said.
Kaliel frowned. “What work?”
“The work of a Ferryman.” Klavotesi looked at the crowd then at Kaliel. “I think you should ask Krishani to explain it to you.” He took a step away, paused. “I will call on you for our first lesson soon,” he added as he disappeared around the corner.
Kaliel slid down the wall and rested her head against it. Pux followed, their shoulders touching. “What are you thinking, Pux?”
“I might be able to improve on the fashion sense of our poor villagers,” he said monotone.
Kaliel giggled. She couldn’t help it. “I think you’re hopeless.”
Pux smiled ruefully. “I’m serious. Everything’s too gray. We could do with a bit of orange.”
Kaliel scoffed. “I don’t like orange.”
“How about pink?”
“Sure,” she said, losing herself in the monotony of the music and the pale color of the stone above her. There were things to be sad about but she didn’t want to feel sad anymore. She was thankful everything seemed normal–well, almost everything.
* * *