Wings of Arian (24 page)

She stared at him open mouthed. “Yes,” she whispered it, he started to move towards her but she hurried onward, wanting to get it out before he kissed her again. “But I am so scared that I will hurt you again, like I did today.”

He covered the distance between them with three strong steps. Grabbing her hands he said, “And I am scared that I will not be able to protect you, like today.” A nervous smile pulled at one corner of his mouth, “I suppose we are even.”

“If you changed your mind, I would understand.”

“What? Like your sister? Decide to stop caring for you because of your magic?”

Kiora’s eyes widened. “
Caring
for me?”

Emane rolled his eyes, “Kiora, what did you think we were talking about it.” Leaning down he kissed her. “You are unlike any girl I have ever met.” Wrapping one hand around her waist he pulled her tight against him.

She melted into his embrace for a few minutes and then gently pulled back. “What was all this about not being able to talk about your feelings?” Her eyes twinkled.

He shrugged his shoulders. “You bring it out in me, I guess. Now can you help me get this stupid thing on without impaling myself?”

She took the broach and pinned it onto the label of his jacket.

Chapter Thirteen

SHAPESHIFTER’S ALLIANCE

KIORA AND EMANE SAT together on the couch in Kiora’s room looking through Arian’s book.

“It says that if you try to respond immediately after I call you that you might be able to talk back to me.”

“In your head? Wouldn’t I need some magical ability to do that?”

“That’s not what it says. As long as I start it, it might work. Let’s try, I will send you a message again and then you try to say something back.”

Emane shrugged his shoulders, “It’s worth a try.”

“Alright here it goes.”
Do you like being a prince?
Kiora waited, but there was nothing. “What did you say? I didn’t hear anything.”

“That’s because I didn’t say anything!” said Emane. “You can’t ask me a question I don’t know the answer to.”

“What do you mean, you don’t know?”

“I don’t know, sometimes I do. Other times, I don’t. Try again, something I don’t have to think about this time.”

What color are my eyes?

Green.

She looked up at him with a huge grin, “I heard you.”

“Really?”

“Let’s try again.”
Do you wish you could do magic?

Yes, I would feel more qualified to be your Protector.

They were interrupted by a knock at the door, “My Lord and Lady, if you would please accompany me to dinner.”

Kiora looked around the room trying to decide where to hide the book. However in a world full of creatures that could be anywhere at any time, she decided nowhere was really that safe. So she sent it back to Arian’s cave.

Kiora and Emane followed the same guide back behind the waterfall. Only this time, instead of coming out the other side they turned and went further behind it. There was a stone box with an open front attached to ropes and pulleys. The guide motioned them to step inside.

“What is this thing?” Emane asked.

“This is how we take visitors to the bottom without having to walk the entire colony.”

Kiora hadn’t thought about how long it would have taken to walk from where they were to the bottom of the falls. Each turn would take at least 20 minutes. She couldn’t tell how many levels there were for sure, but there were a lot. Emane and Kiora stepped inside. Their guide followed them in, grabbed the rope and unwrapped it from its hold, lowering the three of them straight down behind the falls.

The box set itself gently down at the base of the falls. The wall of water crashing into the pool in front of them barely made a sound.

The three of them walked into a large hall filled with tables set for a feast. The guide pointed to the table sitting horizontally at the head of all the others.

“You are to sit there on either side of Drustan.’ She turned and left the way she came.

Kiora and Emane made their way to the head table. The chair in the center was obviously Drustan’s, as leader of the colony. It was gold, and intricately carved. The two chairs on either side were slightly smaller, silver and adorned with jewels.

“Should we sit now?” Kiora asked. “We are the only ones here.”

“That is what she told us to do. It is better to listen than risk offending our hosts.”

Kiora and Emane sat. No sooner had they relaxed into their seats than the doors on either side of the stone room were flung open and the rest of the colony flooded in. The Shifters talked and chatted one with another, finding their seats.

The room quieted in a respectful silence as Drustan’s voice came from behind them. “Thank you for joining us for dinner.” He looked almost the same as the first time they had seen him with slight differences— tall with broad shoulders and very strong features. His brows were large and bushy, and his nose looked a little larger than last time. His eyes were brown, where she could have sworn they were green earlier.

He was dressed in a white shirt and an ornate vest over the top that dropped down to his knees and simple black pants. The vest was hand woven with glittering threads in all colors. His hair was long and black with a red stripe running from his forehead back, which also had not been there before. Kiora supposed she should be grateful that Drustan looked similar enough so that she could recognize him without relying on his thread.

Drustan pulled back his chair, settled in, and clapped rather ceremoniously three times. On cue, a procession of people entered the room, each holding a large platter above their head. They scurried amongst the tables, setting down platters, removing the lids and scuttling away for more.

It smelled and looked very much like the food at the Hollow. Soups and breads foreign outside of the magical community. Vegetables floating in broth that Kiora had never seen before, although she was pretty sure she spotted a potato in one of the dishes. Small slices of bread piled high with creamy toppings and pieces of cheese on top of that. The smells alone made her mouth water. She really would never be able to eat the way she used to and be satisfied. The food tasted too good to ever go back.

They ate in relative silence, Kiora, Drustan and Emane, the colony a buzz of activity around them. As dessert was served, Kiora finally spoke.

“Do you mind if I ask a personal question?” She looked at Drustan.

“You have earned the right to ask whatever questions you want My Lady.”

“If you are all Shapeshifters, then why are you all in human form? Is it something you prefer?”

“No,” Drustan replied. “We all have our favorite forms. But if we have guests we strive to make them as comfortable as possible.”

“That is very thoughtful of you, but it is not necessary. You are welcome to take whatever form you prefer.”

Drustan looked at her for a minute considering what she had said. Clapping his hands above his head he shouted, “Attention.” He waited calmly for the chatter to die down as all eyes turned to him, “Thank you for coming to dinner with us on this momentous evening. Lady Kiora has asked that you all be comfortable enough to take whatever form you desire.”

There was some mumbling throughout the crowd and then the morphing began. It was a sight to behold. Some grew larger, while others shrank. The colors changed as some grew fur or scales. Others had wings coming out of their backs. She looked around in shock. The tables were now full of Guardians, lizards, birds, animals and some creatures she had never seen before.

Drustan leaned over to Kiora, ‘We do ask that those that prefer larger forms such as Dragons refrain from doing so at the dinner table.”

She laughed, she couldn’t help herself. “That makes sense. And what about you, you are still in human form.”

He nodded. “I do prefer it. I find it very functional. The lack of wings is somewhat inconvenient, but it is nothing a little magic won’t fix.”

“What is your original form?” Emane asked taking a bit of his pie. Kiora had tried it, very tangy on the bottom with a whipped sweet top.

“Original?” Drustan frowned with a quizzical look.

“What body is truly yours? What are you born as?” he expounded.

“Oh, I understand.” He nodded “Nobody knows what we started as. We are born in whatever shape our mother has taken at the time.” Drustan answered calmly. “I am glad you are feeling comfortable enough to ask questions. What else would you like to know?”

“Does it hurt? Changing forms like that.” Kiora asked. “It looks painful.”

“Not at all. It is the blessing of our species.”

Kiora did have one other thing that was bothering her.

“Back in the cave… who threw up the bubble? I thought it was you, but then you pulled away from me and the bubble never left.” Emane shoved another bite in forcefully at the mention of the events in the cave.

“We did need an additional person to pull off the illusion. There was a small ant hidden underneath one of the rocks at your feet. We felt confidant you would not notice him.”

“Of course,” Kiora muttered. “Shape shifting has many advantages.”

“Many, which is why we have always been sought after during these times of war.” Drustan looked at Kiora and Emane’s nearly empty plates. “Are you finished? We have much to discuss.”

“Yes, of course,” Emane answered, laying his fork to the side.

“Yes,” said Kiora.

“Wonderful, please follow me,” Drustan said, pushing his chair back.

He led them through a hall that ran behind the dining room. At the end of the hall they entered a larger room where Eleana was waiting for them.

“Eleana!” Kiora yelled and ran over to her, throwing her arms around her neck. “I am so glad to see you!”

Eleana laughed. “It is good to see you too.” She pulled her back to look at Kiora. “The dress suits you.”

“It is beautiful, thank you.”

“No,” she said, bowing her head slightly, “thank you.”

“For what?”

“For impressing our friends here.” Eleana motioned to Drustan. Turning her attention to Emane, she said, “I apologize for the circumstances, they were unavoidable.”

“Yes,” Drustan replied, “We are impressed. I am to assume their tracks were covered as we discussed?” Drustan raised his bushy brows.

“Of course, Drustan.”

“Excellent. Now, there is much to talk about and little time, so please sit.” He motioned to a round table with four chairs surrounding it. They each took their place. “I had mentioned earlier how unusual this pair is and they didn’t seem to know what I was referring to, Eleana.”

“No, they do not. I do not believe in telling people that the odds are stacked against them before they gain their footing, Drustan.”

“Hmmm,” he said rubbing his chin. “Appears to have been a wise decision.”

Emane interrupted, “Can someone please tell us what is going on?”

Drustan smiled, “But of course. My apologies, My Lord.”

“Prince,” Eleana corrected.

“Prince?” Drustan’s eyebrows rose, again. “That does explain a lot.”

“What is that suppose to mean?” Emane demanded shifting in his chair, trying to keep himself in it.

“Your manners are, at times, lacking. That is all.”

Emane opened his mouth, and Kiora grimaced. Thankfully he closed it with a snap, answering tightly, “I apologize for my lack of manners. This journey has been… difficult for me.”

“I would imagine it has. There is a reason we have never had a non-magic bearing human as Protector before.”

Kiora and Emane both looked up and spoke at the same time.

“Never?”

“Never. When we heard of this paring, we were skeptical to say the least,” Drustan answered. “And then to pair him with a human who had just discovered her magic weeks ago— it was preposterous, impossible. And yet,” his waved over the table at them, “here you sit.”

It was all coming together in Kiora’s mind. “That’s why you needed to test us.”

“Yes. Neither I nor the colony believed it possible. Needless to say, we were apprehensive about aligning ourselves with a weak pair such as yourselves. But we were happily proven wrong. You were both impressive, beyond our expectations.” Leaning forward, Drustan placed one elbow on the table, “Tell me Kiora, earlier in the cave, you sensed my intentions didn’t you.”

Kiora nodded, “Yes.”

“That is why you told Emane not to hurt me. Tell me, what did you see?”

“I didn’t see anything,” she said smoothing her dress beneath the table. “I couldn’t even really hear it. It was more like an impression, I could feel what you were intending to do.”

Drustan’s bushy eyebrows rose again, for the third time, as he looked over to Eleana.

“It’s true. Kiora can communicate with Arturo as well.”

“But you told me you were not telepathic,” Kiora argued.

“I am not,” Drustan said, leaning back in his chair rubbing at his chin. “But you may be.”

Kiora’s mouth fell open. “No, I can’t be. I have never gotten anything except from Arturo.”

“Humans are not capable of true telepathy,” Eleana corrected. “But few, such as yourself, are more sensitive to very strong communications. It is my guess that Drustan here was testing you to see if you could feel what he was trying to send you.”

“I was.” Drustan smiled. “I was so curious when I heard you say that this was a test when no such thing had been mentioned. I had to know.”

“So, is your curiosity satisfied Drustan? Do we have your allegiance?” Eleana abruptly asked.

“You do— on one condition. While Kiora trains further, we get to work with Emane.”

“What did you have in mind?” Eleana asked as she watched Emane’s shoulders tense.

“He will need some magic if he is to survive this, Eleana.”

Emane objected. “Aleric told me my body is not capable of magic.”

“It’s not, or at least it wasn’t born to be.” Drustan gave Eleana a knowing glance, “But I think there are ways we can help you.”

Chapter Fourteen

MINING

THE NEXT MORNING EMANE found himself practically running to keep up with Drustan. He seemed much taller than yesterday. Normally it would be an absurd thought, but considering the circumstances, it was quite possible Emane was not imagining it. They walked down at least twelve levels and Emane was left wondering what Drustan had against the contraption they had ridden in last night. Drustan turned abruptly, his bright vest billowing out behind him, and proceeded down a side passage. The passage dropped rapidly and Emane had to lean back onto his heels to keep from falling face first into Drustan.